the elect and beloved of God that know one another and in the Judgement of charity account one another such might love one another as brethren and that with a pure heart fervently See my ground for this 1 Pet. 1.22 2. That all that are in truth in the light might so walke in the light as to have fellowship one with another So as the blood of Jesus Christ might cleanse us from all sin See my ground for this 1 John 1.7 And the rather because that if we say that we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse we lye and doe not the truth See vers 6 And if we walke in the light we have fellowship one with another c. So that we cannot demonstrate that we have fellowship with God and the Lord Jeâ—us Christ unlesse we also have fellowship one with another And therefore cannot say with the Apostle to wit And truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ See ver 3. Neither can we demonstrate that we are in the light nor that we love God unlesse we also love the brethren See Chap. 2 9 10 11. and Chap. 4.20 He that saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth And if a man say I love God and hateth his brother he is a lyar for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen From which it appeareth that it is for want either of light or love or rather both if we have not fellowship one with another So that we cannot demonstrate that we are in the light nor that we love God nor that we love our brethren nor that God loveth us nor that we keep his commandements unlesse we so love our brethren as to have fellowship with them For this is his commandâ—ment that we love one another and that even so as Christ hath loved us for this is the manner and measure required as I shall further make to appear from the Law and Testimony 1. From the command of God Lev. 19.18 thou shalt not avenge nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people but then shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe 2. It is also the command of our Lord Jesus Christ Mat. 22.19 Luke 10.27 28. where the command is expressed This doe and thou shalt live John 15.17 This I command you that ye love one another 3. And the measure of this love which is here commanded is not a sparing or scant measure But this is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you See ver 12. And see also John 13 34. A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another From which it evidently appeareth that though this commandement is but the same in substance which was from the beginning Yet in this respect it is new and held forth to us under that notion in regard it is backed with such an example to wit the example of Christ who in his own person hath exemplified it to us and commandeth us to follow his steps and to love one another as he hath loved us binding us hereby to his example in what we are able and to make it all our marke to aime at as the marke of the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus So that in respect of the measure of our love we ought not to be content with any lesser attainement then to love one another as Christ hath loved us 4. It is also the message that we have heard from the beginning that we should love one another See 1 John 3 11. And this is his commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandement 5. It is like unto that first and great commandement to wit Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy minde See Mat. 23.37 38 39 40. Deut. 6.5 6 7 8 9 c. For upon these two commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets 6. The end of the commandement is lâ—ve out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained See 1 Tim. 1.5 From which some having swarved have turned aside unto vain janglings See ver 6. yea and that in these very dayes of ours 7. We are exhorted seriously to see that we love one another with a pure heart fervently See 1 Pet. 1.22 It must not be in word and in tongue onely but in deed and in truth 1 John 5.18 8. And the Apostle John seriously exhorteth us to it shewing us a strong reason to induce us to wit Beloved saith he let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God and he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love Chap. 4.7 8. It is therefore styled the royal Law James 2.8 Because it cometh both expressely and essentially from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ who is Lord of Lords and King of Kings Now in regard it is both the expresse command to love one another and the essentiall and efficient worke of the Spirit of God for it both cometh of God and God is love And in regard that the end of the commandement is love c. And that the whole Law to wit that respects our neighbour is fulfilled in this to wit Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self and that this is that second great commandement and so like the first as that he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen cannot love God whom he hath not seen Nor manifest himselfe to be his Disciple nor indeed a true Christian See 1 John 4.20 Ch. 3.14 15 16 17 18 19 c. Then it necessarily followeth that such who are Christians indeed and expect to be so accepted and accounted of either with God or men ought to account themselves most chiefly bound to this duty of love and that to all the brotherhood above all other duties commanded in the Law that concerns our neighbour And that in regard that all other dutyes are inferiour and lesser matters of the Law As tithing of Mint Annisse and Cumin was to the Jews which yet ought to be done provided that Judgement mercy and faith which are the greater matters be not thereby neglected nor secluded for this was in the Scribes and Pharisees a token of their hypocrisie and how can we possibly excuse our selves from the same charge if by our strivings and contests about inferiour outward circumstantiall matters and things of God as Sacramentall matters and wayes of government and ministration We neglect and hinder the growth of love and so of faith likewise which are the two essencialls and only infallible marks of our
Christianity And on the contrary part doe thereby provoke one another to wrath and enmity biting and devouring one another till we be consumed as is but just with God because we cannot agree but fall out by the way and that about the way like untoward children who part themselves into various pathes till they are be wildred and loose one another and some themselves and their poor soules And considering also that all the ordinances of God and the wayes of government and all the ministrations and gifts of God with all the ministrators whom he hath sent and set in his Church yea all the inferiour commandements in the morral Law with all the Prophets Apostles Scriptures both old and new yea all the truths and doctrines or examples therein held forth both concerning Judgements and mercies with all other wayes and means of grace Are all but given and held forth to us through the necessary meanes for this necessary end to wit The producing of love out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfained See 1 Tim 1.5 From all which I make bold to conclude that if we make not the observance and use thereof as helps and means conducing to the acquirement and fulfilling of this end but in our keeping of the lesser we obstruct the greater yea and even the mâ—ine of all And that which if attained would bring the lesser with it as a naturall fruit which is included in it and cannot possibly be seperated from it See 1 Cor. 13. Then without all question or peradventure we quite pervert the end of all the commandements and meanes of grace that God hath appointed at least so far forth as we use them so as hath been said before Making his commandements void and of none effâ—ct in our selves or others through our owne traditions for we thereby hinder both our selves and others from acquiring to the end of the holy commandements that are given unto us By the keeping whereof we might be made partakers of the godly nature love cometh of God for God is lâ—ve Now these things being generally assented too as so I nothing doubt but all that are Christians iâ—deed in the sight of God both doe and will assent with me thus farre at least and that they will agree to indeavour the acquirement of this blessed end as in duty they are bound I shall further propose those means and wayes which as I conceive would strongly conduce to the acquirement of this end through the help of God the which as I conceive are of absolute necessity and such as without which there is little hopes of this Accordant nor of keeping this commandement in the keeping whereof there is great reward 1. Then I desire as accounting it our duty and the naturall product of true brotherly love that we might pray one with and for another and each for all that we might be healed and our breaches repaired and we united and made of one heart of one mind and of one judgement and that the same mind might be in us that was in Christ Jesus This I doubt not but all that are godly will justifie and own and indeavour to pâ—actise but that we might doe it in faith it is required that we go first and be reconciled to our brethren and then come and offer our gifts See Mat. 5.23 24. 2. Therefore it is desired for this end that we might have fellowship one with another and each with any both in publick and private and that in all Gods ordinances so as love requireth so farre as possible and convenient as being all members of the same body to wit of Christ and each of other for how else is it ever possible that we should be reconciled if we meet not together my if we receive not one another even as Jesus Christ hath received us to the glory of God the Father See Rom. 15.7 3. John 9.10 Mat. 9.3 3. That instead of disowning or excluding any that is known to be Godly of whatever way or Church they are of either Ministers or people from the Lords Supper or any other ordinance they desire to partake of We might all be willing to invite each other to any ordinance that Christ hath appointed for mutuall comfort and edification where our selves are admitted owned as Godly in case when any Brother shall have occasion to sojourn or be occasionally amongst us to hear the word preached on any other businesse 4. And not only so as but barely to partake of the outward ordinances But that each and all that in the judgement of charity may be accounted brethren might be owned as such and dealt with as such not in word only but in deed and in truth in a pâ—acticall manner in all these respects or in any other as we doe with brethren that are of the same judgement and society with us as accounting it our duty both to watch over and to exhort reproove admonish comfort restore and releeve and all such duties as need requireth in a brotherly way for his good and comfort as we our selves would also be dealt with in the like case for our soules health and benefit any wayes Reas For this we are commâ—nded Doe to all men as ye would they should doe unto you for this is the Law and the Prophets But if to all men much more to our brethren that in the judgement of charity are of the same body together with us under Christ our Head Reas For if they be members though they are but feete the body walketh slowly if it wanteth feete See 1 Cor. 12.21 22. nay If those necessary members of the body should either be cut off or it halteth on them you know the charge and how we are exhorted to make streight pathes for our feete lest that which halteth be turned out of the way which should rather be healed I wish this text were better understood then I doubt it is by the most part even of the Churches of Christ See Heb. 12 12 13 14 15. Such who halt betwixt two opinions should rather be healed and have streight paths made for their feete then turned out of the way to the Kingdome of Christ 5. That the doores of fellowship and Christian communion might be set as wide open as can lawfully be allowed or as can be practised without breach of duty and conscience towards God by building men up in their evill wayes and sowing pillowes under all arme holes healing their wounds slightly and preaching peace when there is manifestly no peace and that for their owne destruction Reas For if the doores of Discipline and Christian communion should shut out any of the elect of God either from hearing of the word or Church communion for their soules health or that they should be offended through the Churches default and scattered abroad yea whither they be weak or strong See Ezek. 34 they ought not to be thrust with the side or shoulder nor pusht with
blocks and offences that are on our parts and the Lord will blesse us and hear our prayers and reward our worke and labour of love that we have shewed to his name and for ought we know he may turne their hearts to be otherwise minded then we expect It may be our stiffenesse hath been a cause of theirs and theirs of ours And so likewise may our yeelding and holding forth of love and condescention provoke them to doe the like And therefore let no excuses reâ—ard or hinder our speedy indeavours for mutuall Accordance But let us make iâ— our â—usinesse and that as a matter of greatest importance and concernement to us yea as a matter of life and death lest the Lord cometh and findeth us smiting our fellow servants c. And give me leave a little to inculcate and beat it home to our very consciences Consider it seriously did not the Lord himself inculcate this command upon his holy Disciples and that over and over again with argument after argument and command after command and shall we think it needlesse in this frozen age Nay Did he make it his businesse when he was ready to leave them and to give it forth chiefely as his will and testament and shall not we think it worthy to be made as our businesse and that of greatest concernement in this our age and generation because the love of many waxeth cold already However in this treatise I study brevity expecting that men better able will make it their businesse And yet if I seem to repeat and fall on againe with the same Scriptures it is to presse them further Consider therefore thus saith the Lord A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another John 13.34 Consider it I say It is the commandement of Christ to all such as are and would be accounted and knowne by all men to be his Disciples which is the promise annexed vers 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye have love one to another Now the measure of this love is expressed in the latter part of the 34. ver to wit As I have loved you that ye also love one another And this measure of love is further explained as to the latitude and extent thereof in reference to the same command to wit John 15.12 13. This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you And how is that See vers 15. Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his friends And that this is the true and proper meaning of Christ without any misticall dark sence See how the same Apostle that loving Disciple who is therefore truly called the beloved Disciple or the Disciple whom Jesus loved as though in comparison he had loved none 〈◊〉 him And certainâ— it is that though he loveâ— them all yet he loved John with a more peculiar transcendent affection then any of tâ—e rest and chiefly because that his doctrine of lovâ— and his commands thereof took more impression in him then the other Disciples and the love of God and the love of the brethren tooke more place in his heart as so it is manifest in his Epistles and Gospel by his treating more and more fully of love then all the other Disciples 1 Con. From whence I may gather by the way That they that love most are the most beloved and the most bent to the pressing and inculcating and communication of the doctrine of love unto their brethren 2 Con. And that they whomsoever that cannot cordially embrace and receive this doctrine are not cordially embraced and received of Christ and that in respect of the measure of our cordiallity 3 Con. Look how much more cordially we embrace and receive his doctrine of love by so much the more cordially we shall be and are embraced yea loved and received of the Lord Jesus Christ And thus much by the way Now for the proper extent of the manner and measure of this duty of love See 1 John 3.16 to wit Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren It is not sufficient to love in word and in tâ—ngue only but it must be in deed and in truth vers 18. especially if we would know that we are of the truth and that the love of God dwelleth in us and would have our hearts assured before him See ver 17.19 we must not shut up our bowels of compassion if we have this worlds good and see our brother hath need for in such case there is no appearance or manifestation that the love of God abideth in us No he that loveth not his brother abideth in death And whosoever hateth his brother is a murtherer and we know that no murtherer hath eternall life abiding in him See vers 14.15 Read this Chapter throughout and Ch. 4. wherein it is so evident that the Apostle presseth this duty of love as the great and chiefest duty and command of Christ and that without which we cannot possibly be assured that we are yet passed from death unto life nor that God loveth us and we him nor that we keep his commandements and doe those things that please him nor that we know God or dwell in him and he in us nor that we shall have boldnesse in the day of judgment neither can our feare that hath torment in it be cast out nor can we prove our selves to be true men but lyars because it is impossible that he who loveth not his brother whom he hath seene should love God whom he hath not seen And this commandement have we from him that he who loveth God should love his brother also See Chap. 4. And this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning that we should love one another Chap. 3.11 See also 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the commandement is love out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith unfained And why is this called the end of the coÌ„mandement but because that he that hath loved another hath fulfilled the Law for no man can love his brother but he loveth God nor any man love God but he will also love his brother and upon this hangeth the whole Law and the Prophets to wit To love God above all and our neighbours as our selves And againe Because if this love be in us in perfection as it ought the naturall product of it will be suitable both in respect of our duties to God and to our neighbours for love worketh no evill against our neighbours much lesse against God See 1 Cor. 13. Now this main duty of love and the measures and necessity of it being sufficiently proved and that from such authority as no Christian can for shame gainsay it or oppose it in the least I shall proceed to answer some Queries
good against al objections that can be offered on the other part and to remove the scruples that may arise in the consciences of any that is a truly rationall consciencious brother of what ever way or form of judgement that he may be of if he be indeed a brother and member of Christ And further I declare that though it were to be wished that all that are of one heart and of one judgement in all fundamentalls were also one in all other respects yet it is my opinion that these divisions are of the hand of God who many times worketh by contrary meanes and yet by his wise ordering of the events of things the effect and product is the better and sweeter and the re-uniting so much the stronger as I shall instance in some particulars First you know it is the saying of Christ that a Nation or Kingdome devided against it selfe cannot stand and therefore as it is also the pollicy of men to devide as much as possible where they desire to reign Even so I say who knoweth but the Lord hath purposely devided us lest we should have stablished some Arbitrary government according to the will of man purposely to stop our settlement and to weary us out with our strivings and contests amongst our selves both to weaken our power and conceits of our own wisdome and to discover our folly and humble us that so he himselfe may have dominion over us and be our onely Head and Lord and that in every respect as King Priest and Prophet and so have all the glory ascribed unto him and that by all his people according to that prophesie Isa 2 11 12. ver 17. to wit The pride â—f men shall be brought low and the haughtinesse of men shall be abused and the Lord only shall be exalted in that day And as Paul saith to Philemon concerning his servant Onesimus so we may well hope concerning our selves That perhaps we are parted asunder for a season that we might receive one another for ever and be the more strongly united See v. 15. And it may be also that it is very much to prove the naturalnesse of our love See Philip. 2.20 2 Con. 8.8 24. verses And that those that are approved such might be made knowne for this is one expresse end wherefore there must be divisions amongst us See 1 Cor. 11.18 19. And the truth is it hath much proved already the unnaturalnesse of our love but very little of naturalnesse For what great proofe of our naturalnesse in love can it be to expresse our love to our brethren and friends of the same judgement and society with us this is not thanks worthy as hath been said from Luke 6.32 But if we can love the brotherhood that differ from us and it may be speak evill of us and are so far our enemies as they would persecute and destroy us this is thankes worthy and will indeed prove and demonstrate the naturalnesse of our love yea even to the very consciences of our enemies and be the greatest meanes to turn their hearts and win their affâ—ctions and convince them of their sin in being our enemies speaking evil of us and so to re-unite us by an inseperable bond of love and unity that can never be broken or such whoever upon whom it taketh not this effect it will heape coleâ— of fire upon their heads and the Lord shall reward and recompence us If we for our parts shall performe our duties See also 1 Pet. 2.19 20 21 22 23 24 25. by owning them as we ought And againe By means of these divisions and contests there is much more light and knowledge held forth then could possibly have had occasion to be knowne or so much as discussed amongst us but we should have gone blindly to worke in all or most of these things contested about in comparison of what is now made manifest both in respect of the temper of mens spirits which is discovered by their actings and the danger we were likely to have fallen into through Lordly and ridged arbitrary actings in imposing upon mens consciences things not convenient And besides These divisions have manifestly been a means to provoke all parties unto emulation in one respect or other See Rom. 11.14 15. Reade these two verses and you will know what I meane For by these devisions and strivings many are provoked to a holy emulation yea to emulate one another in holiness and righteousnesse And thus as the Apostle saith The foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men Yea even thus he catcheth the wise in their own craftinesse and maketh us fools and lets us find it by experience that we might be wise he well knoweth that the spirit which dwelleth in us lusteth to envy and hath told us of it and yet that if we have envying and strife in our hearts we should not rejoyce because this wisdom descendeth not from above but is earthly sensuall and devilish Thus he is glad to deal with us as children If we may so speak after the manner of men yea as with perrish foolish weward wilful stubborn children to devide us that he might unite us to let us quarrel and strive and fight in a spirituall sence purposely to unite us the more strongly and to prove the naturalnesse of our love and brotherhood and our wisdome and temper and strength what it is that we might know it our selves even our own weaknesse and folly and that we are as yet but children and unfit for governement or to Reigne as Kings as the Apostle speaketh Reas For it is hereby manifest to us by the practises of all of every division of us that we would be partiaâ—l to our own cause and party and principles and that against all others and not for them though acknowledged brethren and Christians in respect of fundamentalls And so would necessiâ—ate and inforce them to a complyance and conformity to our own particular principles and practices or else they must not expect any love or favour or kindnesse or help or incouragement from us And this I could manifest at large to be the present temper of the spirits of many and that of every party and how the severall parties have some of them at least been guilty of blood through their zeale and malignity against the others but it is so obvious and so well known that I need not to demonstrate the particulars thereof But this I dare say and justifie that this sort of zeale is not according to knowledge nor according to love and Christianity and so by consequence not according to Christ Jesus who was so farre off from shedding the blood of his brethren though they were enemies in their minds through wicked works that he laid downe his life and shed his owne blood for them And even so ought we to be also ready even to lay downe our lives for the brethren And till this temper of