wicked persons and thereby alienates our affections by little and little from duty till at length we fall into liking of their evill wayes it is we know a dangerous thing for a man that is apt to take infection to keepe company with an infected person againe the credit and estimation of the world is a strong allurement to draw us from the love of Christ and from the sincerity of Religion how strangely doth our nature desire this and labour to fit all our performances that they may credit us before men yea even in the worship and service of God as in the duty of prayer we desire to get an habit of words and expressions such as may please our selves and others and so neglect the powring out of our soules before God that which is indeed prayer Thus we see the things of this world and the glory of them are a strange bait and lookes like that fruit in the midst of Paradise which beguiled our parents a faire outside promises much but performes nothing The Divell told Eve it would makâ— her like God but she was deceived in her expectation so will the things of this world deceive us wee are apt to make them our confidence and thinke if we have honour credit riches friends strength and such like we shall be able to doe well with little or no Religion It is true commonly that at first looking upon the wayes of God and our enterance into fellowship with Christs children wee seeme to neglect these outward things a little and being surprised with our new acquaintance wee are very free for a time and all for good duties and love to the Saints and what not I remember when at first I was entred into this way the love of Gods people was precious and I rejoyced in their love and so ready and willing to any good there was no sonne of consolation should doe that thing but I would carefully follow but afterwards finding many professors that had been longer in the way and better acquainted cold in their practice And in places eminent for Religion they would doe no more then would please the Prelates I grew by little and little into a luke-warme temper and could be content in all things to learne discretion Take heed of this It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.31 This many of God Saints are able to witnesse from their owne experience how dreadfull the apprehension of Gods wrath hath beene when their sinnes have been made to appeare when their owne conscience shall stand up and say this hast thou done thou hast beene afraid to confesse me before the world O what answer shall a poore soule make how shall he be able to behold the angry countenance of his God whom hee hath so grievously offended how hardly shall wee be able to apply the sweet promise to our selves when we heare God speaking in the holy Scriptures Whoseover shall deny me before men him will I deny also before my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 10.33 but we will be ready to answer with those wicked persons Mat. 25.44 When did we doe this Christ will tell us when and how that wee shall not be able to reply as wee may see Tit. 1.16 They professe they know God but by workes they deny him and are abominable c. Here we see plainly that to walke in wicked wayes is to deny God neverthelesse in the time of prosperity this is not thought on untill God in tender love and compassion strip us of these outward things which wee trust in and makes us see there is nothing can helpe in the day of wrath but onely the Lord it is good that these outward thing faile us here that wee may see there is no trust to be put in them I have many times had great confidence in friends as I have thought upon good grounds but when I have had most need they have beene taken away or have left mee and proved unconstant just as it was with the Apostle Paul 2 Tim 4.16 At my first answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me c. O then trust in God and he will never leave nor forsake you and take heed of setting your affection upon any thing but God alone it is a very hard matter to enjoy these outward things but they will steale away our hearts from the love of God I never yet found but that the plentifull enjoyment of them did more hurt then the want of them yet all experience can hardly restraine our desires from these things the reason is our diffidence in Gods all-sufficiency and feare of falling into poverty which through error of judgement wee account a very great evill though sent by God for our good and many times fall to murmuring and so lose the benefit that we might reape thereby and provoke God against us I remember a good speech of a wise man to this purpose In a feast saith hee Wee content ourselves with that is set before us thinking it an impudent and vile part to a ke any other thing of him that entertaineth us And how can we be so impudent and shamelesse in this world as to aske those things of God which he will not give us It is the last remedy that God useth to reclaime us from our evill wayes to take f om us those things wherein we trusted that we might cast our selves wholly upon him which is his honour and our safety without which we are in a miserable condition O let every one make haste to fly unto God now is the time this is the day of expectance when he knocketh at the doore of our hearts by affliction if therefore God gives us any tendernesse of heart lay fast hold of it and keepe a tender conscience as we keepe our lives take heed of deading our hearts with giving the least allowance to sin or omitting any duty It is a hard matter when wee have neglected the constant use of performing duties to bring our hearts to that pitch againe from which wee have slipt as in hearing praying conference meditation and such like let us then hold fast and keepe close our acquaintance with God if any thing be omitted at one time double it the next especially prayer that is it whereby we have familiar accesse to his glorious Majesty and the ground of our faith In the next place wee must be carefull in reading and hearing the Word and however it be of meane esteeme in the world wee must know it's Gods Ordinance that which leads men into error and makes them ignorant of their duty is want of knowledge in the Scriptures and mis-interpreting of them not making one place to cleare another I know we must not now looke for divine revelation from heaven but God hath left us his holy Word by which wee may be taught all things necessary to our salvation and howsoever it is true that many are and more shall be in
poore fig-tree was curst because it was ba ren so likewise Christ arraignes men at the last day because they have not done good Matth. 25. Now this good must be done to body soule estate and that freely not having respect to our selves as in the 1 Cor. 13. Many will doe good because they looke for the like againe this is not love Math. 5.46 For if yee love them that love you what reward shall you have doe not the Publicans the same Thus then we may see what men are that have not love like Ishmael Gen. 16.12 Wild men their hand against every man and every mans hand against them or like that Judge spoken of Luke 18.2 Hee feared not God nor reverenced man such mens love if wee may so call it never over-looks their owne doores just like Nabal 1 Sam. 25.11 Shall I then take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to them whom I know not whence they be It 's worth your paines to read the former part of the Chapter whereby you shall see a perfect character of such a person especially in the 10. verse our love should extend farther as wee see Hebr. 13.2 3. Be not forgetfull to entertaine strangers c. we know not what our own condition may be we may see what hath beene the condition of Gods Saints Hebr. 11.37 They were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slaine with the sword they wandered up and downe in sheeps skins and Goates skins being destitute afflicted and tormented Sure the Nabals of the world will have no acquaintance with these poore soules but suppose we acknowledge all this as indeed who can deny it yet there is more to be done we must love our enemies and doe them good as wee are commanded Exod. 23.4 But who is this Whom may wee take for an enemy not every one that doth us a discourtesie as David to Mephibosheth he did him an ill turne but could not be accounted his enemy for he loved him but hee is an enemy that of set purpose doth a man wrong causelesly and continues therein Saul hated David that gave him no cause 1 Sam. 28.2 such an enemy ought to be beloved of us it is Gods commandement Mat 5.44 But I say unto you love your enemies c. Prov. 25.21 If hee that hateth thee be hungry give him bread to eate and if he be thirsty give him water to drinke a man that loves not his enemy doth more hurt to himselfe then his enemy can doe to him for hee hurts his owne soule as wee may see Matth. 6.15 But if yee forgive not men their trespasses no more will your Father forgive your trespasses also Col. 3.13 we have many encouragements to this dutie God himselfe glories in this as a most excellent thing Mic. 7.18 Who is a God like unto thee that taketh away iniquitie and passeth by the transgression c. Prov. 16.32 Another motive is we cannot serve God or performe our dutie without it as Math. 5.24 We must leave our offering c. So in prayer wee mocke God if wee pray not without wrath wee desire him to plague us neither can we come to the Lords Table 1 Cor. 5.8 So likewise for receiving the Word James 1.21 Besides if we doe not forgive our sinnes lye upon our owne score Math. 6.15 and 18.27 So likewise there shall be no mercy to him that sheweth no mercy Iames 2.13 Besides this is the most equall thing in the world for the vilest person would have God forgive him as in Deut. 29.19 This reason cuts off many objections that men usually make against this truth As shall I stoope to him if I should doe so I should encourage him 3. It 's not the the first time 4. Lowe him no love 5. I have often told him his fault 6. I have deserved better at his hands 7. I should be accounted a coward c. 8. He will not sue or speake to me 9. This is a singular thing and divers like this true Gods children must doe singular things Math. 5.47 Wee know what example Christ gave at his death hee forgave them so did Stephen Acts 7. Now there are foure excellent properties in forgiving wrongs and injuries as First It must be done speedily let not the San go down upon our wrath for then twenty to one but it will rise upon our wrath Secondly it must be done constantly that is alwayes every offence Math. 18.22 Wee know we are bound to pray continually and we must not lift up our hands in wrath we must not be overcome of evill but let patience have her perfect worke Iames 1.4 And let Patience have her perfect worke that shee may be entire lacking nothing Thirdly we ought to forgive truly so we desire at the hands of God Mat. 35.18 1 Iohn 3.18 Fourthly it must be done willingly not by constraint there is no duty accepted by God but such as is willingly performed Gal. 4.15 But if I should doe all this my enemy will thinke I am guilty at his perill if hee will doe so abuse his neighbours patience if this be so that we must love our enemies there is no doubt but we must love our friends and those are of three sorts By nature grace and choyce That by nature the heathen will teach us and wee may see how they are condemned that are without naturall affection Rom. 1.30 1 Tim 3.3 Now this duty is not performed onely in the things of this life but also in that of the better life wee see an example of this in Cornelius Acts 10.24 He called together his kinsmen and speciall friends so Iohn 1.41 42. One brother brought another to Christ Next is the love of our friends by grace hee that loves shall be sure not to lose his reward Math. 10.41 42. Hee that receiveth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet c. so 2 Iohn 1.2 we have the example of Christ for this 1 Thes 4.9.10 So the Prophet David Psal 16.3 Also God is well pleased with this and takes it as done unto himselfe Matth. 25.45 Yee have done it to me Next thing to draw our love they are worthy of our love and are said to partake of the divine nature 1 Pet. 1.4 Againe they are best able to require our love they can go to God for us Job 42.8 My servant Job shall pray for you c. The next is our friends by choyce as Ionathan loved David 1 Sam. 18.1.2 So also Paul loved Philemon The ground of this love should be our love to God and that Image of God in them Now there are divers things wherein this love is to be shewed as first in imparting to them what ever we know may be for their good as our Saviour Christ teacheth by his example Iohn 15.15 Next we must keepe our friends from hurt all we can as Ionathan did to David 1 Sam. 19.2 It 's a
CERTAINE OBSERVATIONS Concerning the Duty OF LOVE AND OF THE CONTRARY EVILL Vncharitablenesse VVritten by Thomas Devenish 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speake with the tongue of men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as a sounding Brasse or as a tinckling Cymball LONDON Printed by R. Oulton and G. Dexter for William Larnar 1641. TO THE HONOURABLE Denzil Hollis Esquire Brother to the Right Honourable the Earle of CLARE all Grace here and Glory hereafter RIght Noble Sir this Pamphlet is for the most part such notes as I had taken some five or six yeers sithence for mine owne private use but now have made it for the use of my friends also And howsoever for want of such a dresse as Learning might have set it forth in it hath lost that grace which otherwayes it might have had yet by reason of the matter I assure my selfe it will be of some account with so many as preferre substance before shadowes which hath made me adventure the publishing of it though no better furnished then you see and the sure knowledge of your noble disposition and former experience of your favour hath imboldened me to present this little Booke unto your Honour being well assured that by your Patronage it will finde the more favourable entertainment especially amongst some which otherwise perhaps would have scornfully rejected it and it may be will tax me of resumption that for the credit of a trifle shall crave the assistance of so eminent a person but my duty and true affection to your Honour and hope of your pardon hath made mee wilfully repell all reasons that might disswade me Accept therefore I beseech your Honour this small gift as King Artaxerxes did the water which a poore man brought in his hands and gave him who received it with a smiling and cheerefull countenance measuring the gift not according to the value but according to his good will that gave it and thought it no lesse an act of Kingly greatnesse to take small presents in good part then to give greater neither is any eminence disgraced by so doing I think it needlesse to trouble your Honour with many words of entreaty and therefore conclude wishing your Honour all happinesse here and hereafter Your Honours to be commanded THO. DEVENISH To the READER FRiendly Reader I know that great wisdome is requisit to write well and there is need of greater deliberation then in speaking because a rash word may be presently corrected but that which is set down in writing cannot be so easily amended yet this is chiefly to be observed by Schollers and great men who ought to consider well what they utter and to use words of another phrase than that of the vulgar sort but for such as my selfe may take more libertie not wronging so much our reputation so we speake the truth which hath imboldened me to publish this Booke for as it is lawfull and fit to aske such things as wee stand in need of so also to profit others what wee can by speaking or writing though wee want that sweete grave and eloquent speech which is not to be neglected by such as have it and for any to refuse a truth when it may be profitable because it comes in homely words were grosse folly I am sure men will not do so in the things of this life for I have often knowne wise men of this world and learned discourse long with a poore Countrey-man and have beene very readie to hearken to his advice when it may be profitable and you shall hardly finde any so madde as to refuse directions from the meanest Shepheard or Begger he meets withall in a way he knowes not But you will say it 's a shame for any man to be so ignorant as not to know the way to his owne home and that in the cleare light at noone day but such is the wilfull ignorance of the most that they know not or if they know they forget and walke not in this heavenly path of Charitie yea men of high esteeme for their great wisedome are not ashamed to declare their ignorance of this Royall Law of Love which ought to be the rule of all mens actions Witnesse that great man who at his triall made this excuse That he fell upon those evills with which hee was charged for want of Buoy to guide him if he had but looked on the law of Nature hee might have found Buoy enough for a Heathen could have told him by the light of that Law that it is injustice to take that which belongs to another man from him by force much more would the Law of God have been a perfect rule to have kept him from those uncharitable wayes and he could not misse directions there almost in every leafe which implyes not onely the necessitie and excellencie of this dutie but also our want of it and the great need we have still to be put in minde and this is also manifested by our Saviours speech to Simon Peter Ioh. 21.15 For as if this could never be sure enough rooted in the heart he asketh him three times together whether hee loved him sure Christ did not aske so often to informe himselfe of Peters love but to teach him and us all the necessitie of this dutie which is the summe of all for without it we can doe nothing well and with it and a right judgement we can doe nothing ill The best affected looke more to the truth then to the person or manner of delivery which leaves mee not altogether hopelesse but that this may doe some good and so I commit it to the charitable acceptance of all that reade it desiring to gaine so much intrust hereby in the affection of Gods children that I may have a part in their prayers which I hope they will not deny me and in that hope I rest Yours in the Lord THO. DEVENISH JOHN 13. VERS 34. A new Commandement I give you that yee love one another as I have loved you c. GAL. 6. VERS 2. Beare yee one anothers burthens c. BEfore wee learne our Duty it is good to set before our eyes the haynousnesse of our sinne and the best way for a man to come to the true sense and knowledge of the nature of sinne is first to consider the glorious Nature of God against whom we sinne his infinite essence and power his excellent wisedome his wonderfull goodnesse his free love his exact Justice his unspeakable Mercy and his infallible Truth with all the rest of his Attributes And in the second place consider what God hath done for us he created us of the dust of the earth and that in his owne Image Gen. 1.27 That is in the likenesse and exquisite resemblance of divine Essence or Deity Hence we may see the blasphemie of Papists in making an Image of God which cannot possibly have the least resemblance of Divine Nature Also in the first and second Chapter of Gen. wee may see at
the divellish proverbe Every man for himselfe and God for us all wee may well say and the Divell for us all Fourthly when one is hardly drawne to communicate any thing for the good of his brother we know 1 Cor. 13.4 Love is bountifull and Psal 112. A good man is mercifull which is also a fruit of love and Esai 32.8 A liberall man deviseth liberall things c. Fifthly when we blase abroad other mens faults casting them many times in the teeth with them when they have repented or at least might have done if wee had carefully put in practice our Saviours rule Math. 18. see a sweet Scripture Prov. 10.12 Love covereth all trespasses but there is commonly in good people a strong disposition to this evil they are very apt to offend in this to whisper secretly other mens faults as if they should thereby render themselves to their hearers to be religiously wise when indeed they doe the contrary for we are directed Gal. 6.2 to beare one anothers burthen and are said therein to fulfill the law of Christ Now there is no sorer burthen then sinne against God it 's able to breake of the strongest Christian without Gods help what an uncharitable thing then is this to lay upon such a poore soule all our hard and uncharitable speeches this is so farre from easing such as are overladen or helping to breake their burthen that wee hereby help to breake their backe as it commeth to passe Sixtly when men are inwardly vext at the good of others thus was Saul against David 1 Sam. 18.9 Thus many times men doe upon the same ground of Sauls hatred that is they thinke other mens goodnesse darkens and eclipses their glory and this I have knowne amongst men about matters of Religion when one is in a more forward way of reformation or differing something in judgement how doe they labour to finde some Spot or Blemish in that person or persons which thus stands in their way I can speake this by experience there are many aggravations of this sinne of uncharitablenesse As first when it s done to them that love us as wee may see the Prophet David complaine Psal 109.5 And they rewarded me evill for good and hatred for my friendship also when men hate such to whom they are bound in any speciall bond Husband wife Parents Children c. Secondly When they hate others for performing the chiefe Office of love thus we may see Amos 5.10 or when they hate others for godlinesse sake because they follow the thing that is good Psal 38 20. Thirdly when they carry a shew of love and hate them inwardly this was the practise of Ioab 2. Sam. 20.9 Thus also dealt Iudas with his Master and the Devill with Evah see then the evills of this sinne of uncharitablenesse spoyles and sowers all we doe and makes that God will not accept it it 's like that leaven of maliciousnesse 1 Cor. 5.8 see what wee are commanded 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath see also what is said 1 Iohn 3.15 and Math. 6.15 It 's said if we forgive not God wil not forgive us How should we then strive for a loving disposition in respect of God our selves and our brethren In respect of God consider first it 's his command 1 Iohn 4.21 So Ioh. 13.34 A new Commandement give I unto you that you love one another c. It is good for us to consider upon what occasion and at what time this was spoken by our blessed Saviour he was then to have them and it was just before his passion we alwayes take notice of the words of our dying friends and account that the strongest obligation marke also Christ calls it a new Commandement Why new not in regard of the matter of it But first in regard Christ renewes the practice of it Againe it was proposed by a new example the like was never heard of such love wherewith Christ loved his children neither indeed hath any man such love for our Saviour saith Ioh. 15.13 Greater love then this hath no man then to bestow his life for his friends see the height of mans love and this is very rare too as we may see Rom. 5.7 Doubtlesse one will scarce dye for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be one dare die but see what Christ did as is set forth in the 8. verse whilest we were sinners Christ died for us when we were at greatest enmity against God We see now that if this duty be neglected we sinne not only against our brethren but against God himselfe as indeed there is no sinne whatsoever but it is against God this appeareth by Iosephs answer to his Masters wife Gen. 39.9 There is some resemblance of this in the lawes of our land for if a man steale from his neighbour the indictment runs thus against the King his Crowne and Dignity because he breaks the Kings lawes just so is the case betwixt God and us all our sinne whatsoever is against the great Law-giver let us consider this was the counsell of a dying friend that sweet Saviour of our soules how should this pierce the hearts of Gods children when they thinke of the wonderfull neglect of this duty If a dead father should know his last words sleighted would he like it much more then the Lord Christ for what ever he requires must be done if Abraham be commanded to sacrifice his sonne Let us learne then of the servants of Naman who said to their Master if the Prophet had required some great matter wouldst thou not have don it how much more when he saith Wash and be cleane so we love is all God requires and why desires he this he gaines nothing by it we have the benefit our selves Saint Iohn in 1 Joh. 3.16 sets before us Christs owne practice to move us to the performance of this duty see also farther 1 Iohn 4.9.10 11. Herein was the love of God made manifest c. Shall he that is every way infinite doe this and we neglect it that are so many thousand degrees below There are divers motives to this duty also in respect of our selves as first hee that loveth not his brother is a murtherer 1 Ioh. 3.15 If God should not punish such how should he be just we know what we say or at least thinke many times of a Judge or Jury when a murtherer is suffered to escape see also what is said 1 Iohn 2.9 The second motive he that hath this vertue of love may be able to resolve that great question of being in the state of Grace 1 Iohn 4.7 Iohn 13.35 There is also something to this purpose 2 Pet. 1.7.8 9 10. and we know that love hath this promise never to faile The next motive in respect of our selves is This inableth us to performe what ever God requires to be done to our brethren it is said 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation