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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66441	Philanthrōpia, or, The transcendency of Christs love towards the children of men Laid down by the apostle St. Paul, in Ephes. 3. 19. A treatise formerly preached, but now enlarged and published for common benefit. By Peter Williams, preacher of the Gospel.	Williams, Peter, preacher of the Gospel.	1665 (1665)	Wing W2750A; ESTC R220006	194,887	304

in Christ Jesus You see that the Apostle though I believe one of the highest forme in the School of Christ did not pretend unto perfection only was continually going forward and making a proficiency and this is the property of every gracious man who as c Nunquàm justus arbitratus se comprehendissè nunquàm dicit satis est sed sempèr esurit sititque justitiam it a ut si sempèr viveret sempèr quantum in se est justior esse contenderit sempèr de bono in melius proficere totis viribus conaretur Bern. Ep. 252. pag. 262. Bernard hath it doth never think that he hath attained never sayes that it is enough but is alway hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse so that if he should alway live he would alway as much as in him lyes strive to be more righteous he would alway endeavour with all his might to go forward from good to better d Mant. on Jude pag. Where there is life there will be growth and if grace be true it will surely encrease Though a painted tree or flower keeps alway at the same pitch and will be as little ten years hence as it is now yet a living tree a living flower grows on still towards perfection so though Pretenders of Religion keep at a stay or rathre when their first heats are spent are fearfully blasted yet those who have true grace who are compared to living plant●… and trees do grow in bulke and stature in beauty and fruitfulnesse This is excellently set forth by the Psalmist Psal 92.12 13 14. The Righteous shall flourish like the Palme tree he shall grow like a Caedar in Lebanon Those that be planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing e Godwins Christian growth p. 57. Car. on Job vol. 7. pag. 397. Here is not onely a mention of growing but of flourishing and here 's flourishing thrice mentioned and 't is not onely growing and flourishing like a tree but like a palm tree f Alciat Embl. 36. pag. 177. which flourisheth under oppression and like a Cedar which of all trees is said to be the tallest and shoots up highest and its g Schrevel Comment in Virg. Aeneid l. 7. p. 666 Plin. Nat. hist lib 16 cap. 40. p. 491. Erasm Adag p. 181 195. Schrevel in Pers Sat. 1 Casaub in Pers p. 87. wood most durable like a Cedar not growing in ordinary places but in Lebanon where were the goodliest Cedars Nor doth the Spirit promise here a flourishing of boughs and leavs only as some trees do and no more but in fruit and this not onely for fruit once in a year or for one year but they still bring forth fruit and that not onely in their youth and beginning of grace but in old age and that not onely in the entrance of that state which is called old age threescore years but that which the Scripture calls the perfection of old age threescore years and ten grayheaded old age h Filius 60 annorū ad senectutem filius 70 annorū ad canitiē pervenit Buxt Lex in verbo Seib Tayler capit patr cap. 5. p. 32 Caryll on Job v. 5. p. 32. ex Diu. as the learned Hebrews observe upon the word here used for that which follows to an hundred years and upward is dotage as they reckon it What a divine Climax doth the Spirit of God make in this Scripture to shew that the godlyman as to his state is so far from declining that he is still climbing higher and higher To the same purpose is that of Hos 14.5 6. I will be as a dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon his branches shall spread and his beauty shall be as the Olive tree and his smell as Lebanon Which shews how Christians grow by all wayes of growth upward and downward in root branches and fruit and this fruit eminent in fairness and sweetness as the Olive tree as Lebanon Though the body of a picture doth not grow yet the body of a living man doth and so doth the body of Christ and every member thereof that is truely of the body not tyed thereto by an outward profession onely but closely knit by a real union as is expressed by the Apostle in two places Eph. 4.15 16. Col. 2.19 in both which places he shews the manner of spiritual growth in the Mysticall Body of Christ by proportion of the growth of Members in the Nat ral Body Christ is the Head from whom the whole Body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectuall working in the measure of every part maketh increase to the edifying of it self in love i See Bish Reynolds on Hos 14. Ser. 5. p. 42 to 50. where this place is largely opened Christians by a spirit of faith are united to Christ as an head and by a spirit of love to one another as members from which union flows a communion both with Christ and one another and from thence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a supply or demonstration of nourishment and also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an energy or effectual working and from all a growth and increase even with the increase of God a mighty and great increase according to the Scripture phrase Thus you see that true Christians do grow and if ever you would approve your selves Disciples indeed members of Christs Body and planted in his house you must grow likewise it is but a sad sign of hypocrisy when there is no proficiency k Minimè pro certo est bonus qui melior esse non vult ubi incipis nolle fieri melior ibi etiā desinis esse bonus Ber. Epist 91. p. 230. For certain he is not good who hath no mind to be better he is stark naught that desires not to be as good as the best That 's the first Consideration 2. Consider that the highest Christians stand in need of further growth and proficiency It s true l Jenk on Jude p. 162. he that hath the least grace and acquaintance with Christ hath enough to make him thankefull but he that hath the most hath not enough to make him idle So long as there is want there should be growth now grace is not given out at once but by degrees where grace is truly wrought yea gotten to some good degree yet there is something lacking till grace be perfected in glory 1 Thes 3.10 Here we are in a state of growth and progress not of rest and perfection all our present perfection is but an unwearied study and constant endeavour to go on towards perfection as the m Indefessum proficiendi studium jugis conatus ad perfectionem perfectio reputatur Bern. Epist 253. p. 262. Father speaks n Mant. on Jude p. 120. Christ

nimam nempè Spiritū ejus Sanctum Rolloc in loc He doth not say One people but One man to signifie the strictness of the Vnion not of Citizens of the same City so much as of Members of the same Body having one Head to wit Christ and as it were one Soul to wit his Holy Spirit And then you may further note 2. The way of accomplishing this Vnion n Non ait ut conjungeret quales erant sed ut conderet hoc est crearet denuò regeneraret utrumque populum inter se conjungendum Rolloc ibidem which was not by moulding them up together in the same condition wherein he then found them but by changing creating anew and regenerating of them first and then uniting them and therefore it is not said to make one man but one New man so making peace Christ begins this Reconciliation at Renovation 2. Privative And that is by taking away the occasion and cause of the diff rence Who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances verse the fourteenth and fifteenth This Law of Commandments were those Rites and Ceremonies unto which the Jews were bound by the Lord under the Old Testament o Ceremonias has Inimicitas vocat quia praeter caeteros hic erat unus finis usus Caeremoniarum quòd per has Deus discrevit suum populum ab omnibus aliis gentibus Rollo in loc These were a wall of partition betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles whereby they were separated and distinguished one from another And they were the Enmity that is the ground of the Enmity that was betwixt them for which they were set one against another p Grot. in loc the Jew despising the Gentile and the Gentile hating the Jew upon the account of them These Jesus Christ abolished and took away thereby to unite the differing parties and make peace betwixt them By way of Proportion hereunto the Parts of the Peace betwixt God and us likewise two 1. One Positive Reconciliation That he might reconcile both unto God in one Body verse the sixteenth that is that he might make up the breach distance and estrangement which sin had made and bring us into that state of amity and friendship which we once enjoyed for that is the notion of Reconciliation as is observed q Reconciliare nihil aliud est quàm ami●●tiā offensione aliquâ gravi dicemptam resarcire sic iniin●cos in pristinam concordiam reducere Dav. in Col p. 101. by a learned man Where the phrase of reconciling us in one body is observable intimating sayes r Goodwin Ubi suprà pag. 2. 3. one That Christ in reconciling us to God himself carried it so and did it under such a consideration and respect as necessarily drew on and involved our reconciliation one with another 2. The other is Privative and that is Slaying the Enmity removing that which was the cause and occasion of the breach and difference betwixt God and us which was only sin which our Saviour took upon himself and thereby took away Now the Means of accomplishing both these is one and the same though diversly expressed In his flesh verse the fifteenth by the Crosse verse the sixteenth by his blood verse the thirteenth which comes all to one for this peace both with God and one another was wrought by the blood which he shed and the death which he suffered on the Crosse By all which you see that Christs eye in his suffering was upon the reconciling of man to man as well as of man to God Now that I may bring this home to my present purpose is there any thing that can be desired more effectual to unite the hearts of Christians together in love than the consideration of the Price which our Lord Jesus laid down for the purchase of it How can you Christians expect the fruit of Christs death in Reconciliation to God if you mind not the other fruit of Reconciliation to his people How unworthy a thing were it for you to uphold that enmity one against another which Christ came to put away and to put away that peace and love which he came to purchase Did it cost him so much even his Blood his Life to suppresse the one and advance the other and would it not be a shame for Christians by their indulged enmities and animosities against one another to make as much as in them lyes the Crosse of Christ of none effect and his blood to be shed in vain Consider this and that Jesus Christ may not loose this fruit of his great cost for your good see that yove love one another I have yet one consideration more to propound to you which should be of no small weight with such as professe themselves Christians and it is this Sect. 5. The fourth Motive from his Instituting his Supper 4. COnsider That one main end of his instituting the great Ordinance of the Supper was for the upholding and confirming of mutual Love among Christians ſ Rey● Medit on the Sacr. cap. 14. p. 103 c. This Sacrament is as it were the sinew of the Church whereby the faithfull being all animated by the same Spirit that makes them one with Christ are knit together in a bond of peace t Goodwins Peace-maker p. 41. As it was appointed to be a seal of the Covenant of Grace between God and us ratified thereby so also to be a Communion the highest outward pledge and ratification and testimony of love and amity among the members of Christ themselves That it is so is clear enough 1. From that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread The very Elements signifieVnion One bread and One cup import one Body Though naturally their parts were separated in severall grains and grapes yet are they by the art of man moulded together and made up into one artificial body consisting of divers homogenious parts so Christians naturally as disjoynted in their affections as their beings are by the powerfull operation of Christs Spirit united into one spiritual body a Symbole and confirmation whereof they have in this Sacrament for by partaking of this one bread they are evidenced to be One Bread as the Sign and One Body as the thing signified And therefore the same Apostle tells them in the 11. Chapter verse 18 20. that because of their divisions and dissentions though they did come together it was not to eat the Lords Supper their very divisions crossing the end of its institution 2. This appears likewise from the very act of eating and drinking as at a Common Feast u Patricks Mensa Mystica Sect. 1. cap. 6. p. 122 123. c. It is generally known that among all Nations Jews and Gentiles their feasting together hath been for a sign of unity conjunction

1. That it is a Personal love a love of the Person more than his portion p Meretricius amor est plus annulum quā sponsum amare It is the love of a Harlot to love the Ring more than the Husband Our love of Christ must be a personal love we must love him more than his He indeed sayes q Amat profecto castè qui ipsum quem amat quaerit non aliud quicquam ipsius Bern. Ser. 7. in Cant. p. 138. Bernard loves chastely who seeks him whom he loves not any other thing which he hath It s adulterate love to love the priviledges and blessings of Christ above himself and as r Greenham p. 516. one of our own speaks If we love not Christ more than his benefits we are not worthy of him A Christian doth and may lawfully love the Ordinances Priviledges Graces and Benefits which come by Christ but yet he loves Christs person more than these and above all these so that if there were not any of these in hand or in hope yet would he look upon Christ as altogether lovely and love him without these ſ Nobilis amator non quiescit in dono sed in me super omne donum Thom. A ●emp de Imit Christ lib. 3. cap. 6. mihi p. 153. That is the noble lover who rests not in any gift received from Christ but rests in Christ above every gift so the devout A Kempis brings in Christ speaking to the soul 2. That it is a love of the Person considered in the utmost extent of that relation of a Husband that is not only as a Cherisher and Preserver but also as a Head Guide and Lord. Thus a Christians sincere love to Christ respects and is carried out to whole Christ not only as Jesus to Save but also as Lord to Rule It looks at Christ as Mediator and loves him in all the offices of his Mediatorship not only as t Isa 55.4 Eph. 5.23 Col. 2.6 Witnesse but also as Leader and Commander not only as Saviour of his Body but also as Head of his Church not only as Priest to satisfie and intercede but also as Prophet to teach lead and guide and as King to Rule govern and exercise dominion As the Heart must not be divided which is the principle of our love so Christ must not be divided who is the object of our love As we must love with the whole heart so we must love a whole Christ or not at all Take it for a clear truth sayes one That if thou lovest not Christ as thy Soveraign Lord u Morn Exercise Part 2. p. 229. if thy heart be not knit to him as thy High Priest with God if thou hast not affectionately entertained him as thy Master and Teacher in a word if thou art not consecrated unto God by Christ if thou art not a loyal Subject and a willing Disciple love in sincerity doth not dwell in thee 3. That it is an unshared and incommunicable love When a Woman is married to an Husband if she love him sincerely as she ought he hath no Corrivals in her affection but she gives him her whole love and doth not divide it betwixt him and others her heart is set upon him more than all the World besides so it is with a Christian who truly loves Christ He hath none in Heaven but Christ and there is none on Earth that he desires besides him Psal 73.25 His Motto is that of the w Lambert Martyr None but Christ None but Christ As Christ is all in all to him so he is all in all his affections for Christ x Reynolds on Psal 110. p. 74. The fourth character It is Real As the rising of the Sun drowneth all those innumerable Stars which shined in the Firmament before so the beauty of this Sun of Righteousness doth blot out or else gather together unto it self all those scattered affections of the soul which were before cast away upon meaner objects This is chaste love and the third Character of that which is sincere 4. Sincere love is real love not not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth If that be required in our love to Christians as it is 1 John 3.18 surely it must not be omitted in our love to Christ Our Saviour himself makes this the proof of our love If you love me keep my Commandments John 14.15 And again He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me v. 21. And again If a man love me he will keep my words v. 23. So John 15.14 You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you You see then That exhibition of works is the probation of love as the y Probatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis Bern. in Coen Dom. Ser. 8. Father speaks It s in vain for men to talk of loving Christ if they do not walk after him in a free chearful universal and constant obedience to his Commandments z Leighs Crit. Sacr. in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some derive the Greek word for love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because love is alway operative As Fire is the most active Element so Love is the most working Grace Indeed a Amor si non operatur non est Greg. Love if it be not operative is not at all b Qui praecepta Dei contemnit Deum non diligit neque enim regem diligimus si odi● ejus leges habemus Isid He doth not love God who contemns his Precepts as we love not a King when we hate his Laws c Vide Hardy on John Part 2. p. 472. 473. We cannot approve the sincerity of our love but by the reality of our obedience He who loveth Christ sayes d Qui diligit Christum probat sectatur ea quae Christo grata esse novit atque odit fugit quae Christo minimè placere novit Contra verò ubi non est Praeceptorum Christi observatio ibi non est vera dilectio quamvis multa sit de dilectione gloriatio c. Gerh. Har. mihi p. 925. Gerhard doth approve and follow those things which he knows to be acceptable unto Christ and doth hate and avoid such things as he knows will by no means please him On the other side where there is not an observance of Christs Precepts there is no true love of Christ though there may be much boasting of it Deeds speak more strongly than words If a Wife should boast that she loves her Husband and in the mean time oppose him in all things she will never be able to perswade her Husband nor any others that she truly loves him So those who boast that they love this heavenly Husband the Lord Jesus and in the mean time trample his Commandments under their feet do but deceive themselves The true and noble love of Jesus as a e Amor Jesu

but in and by Christ who is called the Consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 and wherein stands this Consolation by him but in being our Peace-maker making peace and accord betwixt God and man betwixt a man and himself and betwixt Man and Man Here lyes the Spring of all your Comfort and if you have drawn Waters of Consolation hence with joy and would draw more be like-minded having the same love for how can you expect Comforts from Christ if you minister discomforts unto one another If any Comfort of Love If you have ever found sweetness in the love of God in the love of Christ in Brotherly love If you ever received comfort by my love to you if you desire to return any comfort back by your love to me shew the power of that love which is to unite the mind hearts souls judgments and affections of Brethren one unto another through want whereof you will deprive your selves of one of the sweetest comforts of Christianity If any fellowship of the Spirit If you know and have experi●nced what it is to have e 2 Cor. 13.14 Communion with the Spirit in his f Joh. 16.8 Convincing g 2 Thes 2.13 Sanctifying h John 14.26 Teaching i Rom. 8.14 Leading k Rom. 8.26 Strengthening l John 14.16 Comforting and m Rom. 5.5 Confirming influences as a Spirit of n Ephes 1.17 18. Wisdom and Revelation as a Spirit of o Rom. 1.4 Zech 12.10 Grace and Holiness as a Spirit of p Isa 11.2 Counsell and Knowledge as a Spirit of q John 16.13 Truth as a Spirit of r Isa 11.2 2 Tim. 1.7 Might and Power as the ſ John 14.16 Comforter as a t Rom. 8.16 Witnesse and u Ephes 1.13 Seal and x verse 14. Earnest If you have ever found the benefit of Communion of Saints and know what it is to have fellowship with them in the same Relations Principles Ends Interests Gifts Graces Ordinances Providences Priviledges Hopes of which y 1 Cor. 12 4 7 11 12 13. Ephes 4.3 4 5 6.15 16. Col. 2.19 the Spirit of Christ is both the Vinculum and Vehiculum knitting and uniting the whole Body of Saints to their Head and the Members one to another furnishing every Member with supplies and influencing with life and power for communicating of those supplies for the good of one another and of the whole If these things are so and you have any sense and experience of them it will be your great concernment to love one another because as there is nothing doth more further and strengthen your fellowship with the Spirit and by the Spirit with one another than Love doth so there is nothing doth z Ephes 4.30 31 32. Mat. 12.25 more weaken and obstruct both than divisions and dissentions If any Bowels and Mercies In Christ towards you if his tender heart have been wide open to refresh you In you towards me if you have any sympathie with a suffering Apostle with a Father in bonds In me towards you if you have ever found in me the compassions of a Father In you towards your Brethren if you will not be like Judas a Disciple without Bowels whose Bowels gushed out a Brother without Natural affections shew this tender-heartednesse in being like-minded one to another having the same love The Bowels are wrapped round as it were within one another and so should the hearts and affections of believers be Fulfill ye my joy Afflictions I have enough already you need not by your dissentions add more A Prisoner in bonds expecting the s●n●ence of Death the sword of Persecution but ●hese things trouble me not I can rej ice in Dungeons in Bonds in Deaths if it go well with the Church of Christ I prefer Jerusalem above liberty and life and my chiefest joyes This would cumulate and compleat my afflictions this would be heavier than my chain darker than my prison sharper than my sword worse than a Nero unto me if you my Children should wound my soul with your dissentions God hath used me as a means of much joy to you in using me as an Instrument to administer the Consolations of Christ the Comforts of Love the Fellowship of the Sp●rit the Bowels of Christianity unto you And God hath used you as a means of much joy to me Your fellowship in the Gospel my joy Chapter 1.4 5. Your faith in Christ your readiness to suffer for his Name my joy Your care of me and supplying my wants once and again my joy Chapter 4.10 16. These things are the beginnings of joy Would ye Compleat it would you make my soul run over with comfort Would ye Crown me with Glory and Joy O then mind the same things have the same love and then I have all I abound and am full There is no greater joy to a Minister of the Gospell than to hear that his Children walk in the Truth John 3.4 You see how the Apostle fills his mouth with arguments that the hearts of these Philippians might be filled with love one towards another And I shall resume all that hath been said into an heap of Arguments for the re-inforcing of this duty There is Consolation in Christ there is Comfort of Love there is a Fellowship of the Spirit there are Bowels and Mercies there is the joy of many faithful Ministers of the Gospell to be fulfilled there is a great Ordinance in one main end of it to be observed there is the Purchase of Christs Blood to be obtained there is his Prayer to be answered and sealed there is his Example to be imitated there is his Love to be returned there is his Commandment to be obeyed there is our Discipleship to be manifested in the truth and power of it and therefore it is but equall and reasonable nay simply necessary for all those who bear the Name of Christians to love one another and I beseech you do it yea abound and increase more and more And the Lord who is the God of Love and peace 2 Cor. 13.11 make you to increase and abound in love one towards another and towards all men To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his Saints 1 Thes 3.12 13. which though we ●ail of here upon earth yet this is some relief ●nd comfort that it shall be fully and com●leatly obtained in heaven where all darkness ●hall be removed from the minds of Gods ●eople and all corruption from their hearts ●he cause of present strifes and contentions and nothing but love and concord shall sway and ●ear rule for ever where Luther and Zuin●lius and all dissenting Brethren shall be ●ade friends and agree well together as a Si non amplius in his terris te visurus sum ●bi tamen conveniemus ubi Luthero cum Zuinglio optime convenit Melch. Adam in vitâ