of the world into subjection and challengeth an uncontroled authority over them we may justly say From the beginning it was not so no nor for many ages after the Church of God a long time acknowledging no one supream Head but Christ as is manifest by many things which were written many hundred years before Luther was born Therefore all proud papal Spirits who are more like the Pope in a proud contempt of their Brethren than they are to Peter in Meekness and Brotherly Love they cease to derive their Pedigree from the Apostles until they do more truly express their Graces and follow their Example CHAP. XXII NOw let me press all Christians to muâ—â—al and Brotherly Love Let all Christians who have tasted of the Love of God shew their Love to God in loving their Brethren out of a pure heart fervently This to the end of the world is a badg of Christs true Disciples and this sheweth that the same mind is in them that was in Christ Jesus who loved them and washed them with his own blood to make them Kings and Priests unto his heavenly Father God is Love and he that loveth in and for the Lord is born of God and beloved of God And we should labour more and more freely to taste of the Love of God that our hearts may be more seasoned with Christian Love towards others How can it stand together that Christians should be led by one Spirit and yet be so cross and contrary in their affections to each other Is Christ divided saith the Apostle Can the Spirit of Christ which is the Spirit of Peace and Love be the cause of division in those who are all possessed with one and the same Spirit It were strange to see the members of the same body which are animated and quickened with one the same Soul to fight one against another one limb to tear another off the same body the hand to pluck out the eye or one hand to cut off the other because all the members have one Soul which kniteth them all together in Love So for the faithful who profess themselves be â—overned by that one Spirit of Christ to be â—t variance is in a sort monstrous Now that I may move you to Brotherly Love I desire you to consider 1. That it is an honourable thing for Brethren to love one another We have a notable example of this Brotherly Love in two Heathens viz. Eumenes and Attalus This Eumenes was King of Pergamus and left his Wife and his Kingdom and travelled abroad shortly after whose departure news was brought to Pergamus that Eumenes was cowardly slain by one Persius whereupon Attalus taketh his Brothers Kingdom and his Wife not long after Attalus heareth news of his Brothers Life and speedy return He doth not then as policy would have done prepare to keep the Kingdom he had usurped and to hold out his Brother in hostile manner at point of spear but he meeteth him with Musick as glad of his return and resigneth to him his Wife and Kingdom His Brother having power in his hand again only said thus in his ear Thou shouldst not have taken my Wife unless thou hadst seen me dead and never gave him bitter word afterwards and dying left him his Kingdom in ample sort And to requite this favour his brother dying maketh his Son his heir to his Fathers Kingdom notwithstanding he had many Sons of his own This singular example of Brotherly Love among these Heathens will be laid to our charge if we come short of them in this duty II. Love is a very necessary thing Christian Love is as necessary as Life As a man cannot live the Life of Nature without breath so neither can he live the Life of the Spirit without Love St. James saith As the body without the spirit is dead or the body without breath is dead even so faith without works is dead also it is breathless and liveless without works Now what are works here spoken of by the Apostle but the Acts and Fruits of Christian Love So then the Soul without Love is dead in sins and hath no spiritual Breath nor Life It is in vain to say We live unless we love unless we have the truth of Christian and Brotherly Love we may think our selves to be alive but indeed are dead St. Paul notably sheweth the necessity of this Grace 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. Though I speak with the Tongues of men and of Angels and have not charity or Christian Love I am become as sounding brass or as a tinckling cymbal And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledg And though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity I am nothing And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing So ye see that Love is so absolutely necessary that all is nothing without it Though a man where an Angel for gifts and abilities though he should spare neither body nor goods yet without Christian Love all is nothing for all these without true Love are but the works of a dead man separated from God the Fountain of Life and destitute of the spirit of Christ who is the spirit of Love and Life So all gifts and works without Love are but the dead works of dead men and therefore nothing in the sight of God If I have not charity I am nothing saith the Apostle Whatsoever I have else whatsoever I do I am nothing I have not the Essence and Being of a Christian my Soul is an empty Carcase Though a man should build Churches Colledges Hospitals Alms-houses Though he should spend his strength in preaching though he should spend his time in praying and reading yet he is nothing in the eyes of God if he have not the Grace of Christian Love he hath not the Being and Essence of a Christian and of one born of God In 1 Cor. 15.10 the Apostle saith By the grace of God I am that I am Why St. Paul was not all grace not all spirit there was something in him that was of Nature and something of Education before ever he tasted of the Grace of God but the Apostle counted all this nothing his legal righteousness nothing his learning nothing his natural abilities his whole self nothing only that was his Being which was newly breathed in him by the work of Gods saving Grace and sanctifying Spirit This was the only something that he made account of even this new Being and new Nature which was of the Grace of God So when a man hath the Spirit of Love and power and of a sound mind then he is something then is he something towards God then is he one of those that God makes a reckoning of one of the Lords own number Ye find Rev. 7.4 c. that there were sealed of the twelve Tribes of
alone to themselves they would never have regarded Salvation at all All our care would have been how to sin how to fulfil our Lusts we should never have prayed Lord send thy Son into the world to dye for us to save us to redeem us from Sin and Damnation therefore it was his Mercy occasioned by our Misery meerly his Love that made him to dye for us When Gods Justice was pleading hard for the damnation of sinful men What do such Rebels here on earth Why dost thou not O Lord make these wretched Sinners to smart for their Rebellion as Thou hast turned them out of Paradise so turn them out of the World into Hell Let them know what it is to taste of the Forbidden Fruit Then did Christ without suing to him plead as hard for us Father spare them and punish me bless them let me be made a Curse be at peace with them let me endure thy Wrath I will go and keep thy Law because they have broken it let the Sorrows of Hell compass me about that they may enter into thine unspeakable Joys Love therefore must be the meer Motive Had we desired Christ to have laid down his Life for us there were some extrinsical Motive yet Love still but in that Christ was found of them that sought him not and in that he is made known to them and given to them and for them that never sought after him it is meer and wonderful Love 4. Because he was very willing to dye for us Greater Love hath no man then for a man to lay down his Life for his Friend It is maximus fluxus maximum opus maximum beneficium argumentum irrefragabile dilectionis The greatest Flux of Love the greatest work the greatest benefit an irrefragable argument of Love saith Parisiensis And to shew his willingness Christ saith of his Passion desiderio desideravi with a desire have I desired it Christ did earnestly desire to drink of the Cup of his Fathers Wrath that we might not taste it would he have drunk of such a bitter Cup if he did not love us His willingness to dye for us is the commendation of his Love He laid down his Life for us it was not in the power of Pilate and all the Jews his enemies to take away his Life from him Christ did willingly dye Indeed Pilate condemned him the Jews cried out Crucifie him crucifie him they carried him to Calvary as a Malefactor with Spears yet if he had pleased they could not have put him to death Had not his own free Love opened his heart no Souldier could ever have opened his side no though Pontius Pilate should have had all the Roman Legions and the whole Power of the Empire under his charge They might as soon have plucked the Sun out of his Orb as have sundered Christs Soul from his Body As soon have brought a Sea of Waters out of a Rock as have spilt one drop of his Blood unless he had yeelded himself to death Walk in love saith the Apostle as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 Would ye but walk a few turns with Christ in the Garden where he felt the Agony in his Soul Would ye go up to Calvary and see what our blessed Saviour did there endure then would ye say Herein we perceive the Love of Christ in that he laid down his Life for us When the Jews saw Christ weeping over Lazarus they cried out Behold how he loved him but go ye up to Mount Calvary look through his Stripes and Wounds into his heavy and tormented heart look upon his striped back upon his buffeted Face upon his pierced side his bloody head hands and feet see what he did and suffered for us then ye cannot but say behold how he loved us Oh what manner of Love is this SECT III. NOw we must love one another even as Christ hath loved us Now if Christ of his meer Love hath laid down his Life for us then we ought also to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.16 This would have seemed an hard saying to us if it had been nakedly proposed in such terms as these we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren but the Apostle having before laid down such a strong Argument aforehand doth in a most convincing manner infer this upon it as an undeniable conclusion which cannot with any shew of reason be gainsayed or contradicted Christ the eternal Son of God hath manifested his singular Love in laying down his Life for us we must therefore follow the Captain of our Salvation in this incomparable act of Love We were dearer to him than his blood than his Life so the Saints good must be dearer to us than our hearts blood than our pretious Life Here I will lay down this Proposition That Christians being called unto it ought to shew so much Love to their Brethren as to lay down their Lives for them In this Proposition two things are to be considered 1. The Thing required 2. The Condition supposed The Thing required is this That Christians should lay down their Lives for the Brethren The Condition supposed is this If they be called unto it For the former we must know that although Christians must not think their Lives too dear for the Brethren yet it is in this as it is in other duties of Love and Mercy towards men the first and greatest Commandment must give Life unto the second which is like unto it The first Table must have the chiefest respect in our obedience to the second That is the Love of God and our regard of his Glory commanded in the first Table which is called The first and great Commandment must have the chief sway in our hearts to encline us to the duties of Love towards man enjoyned in the second Table for we must love our Neighbour in the Lord and for the Lord and so the Love of God must have a constraining and over-ruling power over us the Love of God must first move us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren and then the Love of our Brethren being as it were comprehended in our Love of God must move us thereunto The Glory of God must be the principal end that we must aim at in doing good to others So especially in this great fruit of Love when we lay down our lives for them then the good of our Brethren must be respected in the second place in as much as God is glorified in that good which they receive by that means So then when any do in Christian Love lay down their Lives for their Brethren they do not dye for them only but for the Lord chiefly and principally This the Apostle strongly proveth to be required of Christians because Christ hath shewed such wonderful Love in laying down his Life tor us This indeed is an Argument unanswerable but holdeth strongly
Israel twelve thousand of each Tribe which made up an hundred forty and fourthousand These ye see were numbred and sealed and these followed the Lamb and stood with him upon mount Sion Now there were abundance of the people of Israel besides these but there was no reckoning made of them they were not numbred and so not sealed they came not into the Lords account they were nothing they wanted the grace of Love and the spirit of Life they wanted the Being and Essence of Saints and Children of God So beloved a man may be something in the visible Church he may have a place and a name among the people of God yea he may be of special use in the Church and do some special service yet if he have not the Spirit of Love which is the Spirit of Life he is nothing in Gods account he standeth for a Cyphar he is none of the Lords number How necessary then is this Grace of Christian Love It is far more necessary to love than to be beloved Though a man should be as friendless as Job and David in their afflictions and find as little Love as they did yet if he himself in the mean-time be possessed with the Spirit of Love he is a living man an happy man a child of God one born of God who is Love This grace of Love whereof his Heart and Conscience beareth him witness shall yeeld him more sweet and sound Comfort than all the worlds affection towards him On the other side if a man were the worlds Minion and Darling and had the Love of a whole Countrey in an high degree yet if he himself have not this grace of true Christian Love he were nothing let the world make as much as she can of him God will make nothing of him he will not number him nor write him among the living his name is not written in Heaven Thus ye see how necessary this grace of Love is In that place of St. James fore-cited it is said Faith without works is dead Now how doth Faith work but by Love An Handy-crafts-man may as well work at his Trade without a hand as a man may do the works of Faith works that are witnesses of a lively saving Faith without true Christian Love A man may do many things which for the outside may look like the works and fruits of Faith without Love but they want the heart and soul of works acceptable unto God they are but the outward cases of good works Therefore saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.14 Let all your things be done with Love if they be done without Love they be done without Life and they cannot be done with Love unless with hearts possessed with the Spirit of Love How miserable then should we think our selves without Love Men often complain for wâ—nt of necessaries when as many times those thâ—ngs that they complain of the want of may well be spared and are rather superfluities than necessaries But alas what is so necessary as true Christian Love many think they have enough of it who yet have not one spark of this heavenly fire in their hearts they think they have love enough to others but not love enough from others whereas it is a thing much more to be looked after that we have fervent and sincere love towards others than that we may tast plentifully of the fruits of Love from others And in desiring an encrease of Love in others we should rather desire it for the glory of God and as a seal of their effectual calling and a means to further their account whose Love we desire than to enjoy the fruits of their Love for our own outward benefit or contentment As St. Paul speaking of some Christians bounty and commending it saith Not that I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account That is I desire your benefit in giving rather than my own benefit in receiving and so in others fruit of Love 3. Consider the excellency of this grace of Christian Love It is a most noble and excellent grace it sheweth who are of the seed Royal who are the Children of the King of Kings it discovereth who be the Heirs of glory and belonging to the Kingdom of God It is as it were the heart of the new Creature This new Creature hath its several parts and faculties as well as the natural man and Faith is as it were the brain of the new man yet so that it hath an influence upon the heart and active powers of the new Creature That bringeth in Light and apprehendeth the Lord Jesus Christ shining graciously in the Gospel who is the brightness of the Fathers glory But Love is the heart of the new Creature that which warmeth the new man and is the first mover in the actions of obedience whether of Love and Holiness toward God or of Love and Righteousness towards man Now ye know that the heart is a principal part in any Creature that hath that part and the more excellent the Creature is the more excellent is that part of it Now no Creature under Heaven is comparable for excellency with the new Creature which is the immediate frame and work of the sanctifying Spirit an effect of one of his most divine Operations I mean the whole frame of Regeneration and Sanctification in one born of God now Love is the heart of this new Creature the heart in a man is said to be primum vivens et ultimum moriens the first part that liveth the last that dieth But Love which is the heart of the new Creature never dyeth Faith and Hope have their periods Love out-liveth them and is everlasting for Faith is of things not seen 1 Cor. 13.8 c. But when all the glorious things promised and beleeved lye open to the sight of the Saints at a full view Faith as it is the evidence of things not seen shall cease Hope is of things to come but when all shall be in present possession and the Soul can neither expect nor receive any more Hope shall cease But Love is for ever and ever and this shall be in full perfection when this Life shall end when there shall be nothing in them that love nor in them that are to be loved which may hinder Love when they shall wholly dwell in God who is Love and be filled with the fulness of God and so with fulness of Love And if he could say of his earthly kind of wisdom that if it were visible and to be seen with the eyes of men it would make men strangely enamoured with it how much more may it be said of this Christian Love which is from above that if it were in a visible shape and had an outward beauty answerable to the excellency of its Nature it would enflame the affections of men and women towards it 4. Love makes men useful and helpful to others Plato saith of those men that are malicious and contentious that they
PHILADELPHIA OR A TREATISE OF Brotherly-Love SHEWING That we must love all Men Love the Wicked in general Love our Enemies That the Godly must especially love another And the Reasons of each particular Love The manner of our Mutual Love the Dignity Necessity Excellency and Usefulness of Brotherly-Love That the want of Love where Love is due is Hatred shewed in divers particulars The greatness of the sin of Malice and Hatred With the Reasons why wicked Men hate the Saints Together with Cautions against the Sins that break the Bond of Love Many weighty Questions discussed and divers Cases cleared By William Gearing Minister of the Word Tanta vel in nobis utinamâ—is esset 〈◊〉 Quantus in hoc lacero tempore 〈…〉 Owen Epigr. L. 3. Ignis Amor Tussis certo sese indice 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible on London Bridg next the Gate To the Right Worshipful Sir John Banks of Ailesford in the County of Kent Baronet and to Richard Hampden of Hampden in the County of Buckingham Esquire and to the vertuous Ladies their Wives OVR Church is not now like Christs Coat without Seam but like Jeroboam's that was rent into twelve peices and the Northern and Southern Poles may as soon meet together as the wide differencies and diversities of Opinions that are among us be reconciled Many men are never at quiet themselves unless they are at strife with others Tumultuous Spirits have framed a Church like Pliny's Araphali all Body and no Head The seducing Romanists have built another like the Toad-stool all Head and no Body The Brains of many men are Forges for framing new fancies Schism is the Ship wherein many turbulent Spirits go the winds that drive it are violent passions wilfulness the Rudder obstinacy the Anchor Heretical opininions are like Monsters they begin with the figure of a man but end with the form and shape of a Beast of a Fish c. So these begin with God the true God but end with monstrous shapes of vain Imaginations Broiling Spirits do nothing but fling firebrands and heap on wood to set Kingdoms in a Combustion Catelina 〈◊〉 desire to fish bâ— troubled waters being as much afraid of peace as of the Plague like Câ—tiline when they cannot quench the fire begun in their own houses with water they will therefore pull them down and so quench it ipsâ ruina incendium extingere I â—ind the Pedigree of Contention thus decyphered There was a bastard begotten by Anger Quel Serm. 1. in 1 or 11. 16. nursed by Pride and maintained by wilful Contradiction and when thâ—y came to give him a name they bestowed upon him the name of Contention and as was the Name of the Child so was his Nature for as soon as he began to go he always went backward like the Sea-Crab Great pity it is that such a cross Companion should find harbour in any civil Society much less in the Church of God which ought to be compact together as a City at unity As the seed of the woman should be at enmity with the Serpent so should it be at unity with it self Oh how happy were it if the Schisms and Discords that make musick only for Hell might never be heard in the Church of God more but I fear as long as the Church of God consisteth of men and men are subject to divers passâ—â—ns there will be rents and divisions among us Have not we cause to think that the Lord hath a great controversie with our Nation which is so full of malicious controversies and contentions to the dishonour of God who is Love of his Gospel which is a Doctrine of Love and Peace and of that ancient Law and Message of Love which he sent unto us from heaven in the beginning and hath so often renued since the beginning If we look upon thâ— rents and breaches discords divisions quarrels contentions that are between men and that many tim s about triffles if we consider with what eagerness bitterness obstinacy these are followed might it not seem that there had never been a Doctrine of Love and Gospel of peace preached among us They that are full of carnal mirth care for none of these things as it was said of Gallio It is one special part of our obedience to the Law of Love that we should with much compassion mâ—urn for these things that if it be possible the wrath that is like to fall upon the Land may be prevented and withall let us mourn for the danger of many particular Souls who live without any spark of Christian Love to their Neighbours and Brethren without which they shall certainly perish and let us pray for them that their sins may be forgiven them and that their hearts may be purified in obeying the truth through Faith unto unfeigned Love of the Brethren Satan is an enemy to Vnion and Love and especially to the neerest and fastest union he is a most malicious Spirit and Murtherer and loveth to break the union of the Spirit and the bond of peace betwixt man and man Therefore the neerer any are united and joyned together in any bond of Love the more doth he labour to make a rent and division between them So he delighteth to rent the Church of Christ and to separate one member of it from another by Heresie and Schism to breed difference in judgment and theâ—eupon division of hearts between those that are the prâ—fessed members of one mystical body of Christ How were Paul and Barnabas knit together in Love and how did they joyn together as one Soul in the work of the Lord whereunto they were separated by the Spirit from the rest of the faithful as appeareth in the holy Story yet upon a slight occasion Satan bred a sharp contention between them and a separation between these two holy men for a time So it is his delight to break the nearest and strongest bonds even the matrimonal tye betwixt man and wife which are one flesh between Brethren and Sisters that are of one blood between the Inhabitants of one Kingdom one City one House That which cannot endure heat can least of all endure the greatest heat Ice that is apt to dissolve at a little warmth can less endure heat in the highest degree bring it to the fire and it soon dissolveth So the Devil that hateth Love and Vnion in general doth most of all hate and work against the greatest neerest and strongest union So long as the Saints are not yet fully fitted and framed together no wonder though there be differences between them As stones so far as they are fitted together they joyn and close in one but if they be but yet in fitting and framing and the work be but done in part not in perfection they will not close in every point So when Christians are but in part fitly framed together in Christ they do but in part close and unite and there may be differences until that which is
into Complements and affected Phrases and Gesticulations that will make great Protestations of Love and Kindness when their heart is not with you Prov. 23.7 Such a one will say he is your servant at your command he will kiss your hand or the hemm of your Garment but it is with the kiss of a Joab or a Judas he carrieth two Faces under one Hood but the true Christian is little in Circumstances but striveth to abound in the Substance of Love David and Jonathan contended together in weeping not in crying Your Servant Sir in real friendship not in empty words It cannot be denied but some Ceremonies that is outward Expression in the very Gestures and Countenaunces of Friends will thrust in with true Love not so much for Love-sake as for respect the witness and acknowledgment of desert which is the Ground Nurse and Guardian of Love Therefore Love makes no difference between affected Complements and downright rudeness but shunneth both alike that it may neither wast Complements nor neglect that respect which Civility Modesty and Religion require as a part of the debt of Love But to be a Master of the Art of Ceremonies as one saith and to assert such a necessity of them as to exceed in their use as it favoureth not of a simple sincere ingenuous Spirit so it sets the Teeth of true Love on edg The Christian's main care should be to love not in word or tongue but in deed and in truth IV. There is the Love of Familiarity and Friendship This we owe not to all but to the Saints As the School-men say of God There is Amor in Deo erga omnes non amicitia God loveth all but God saith not to every one You are my Friends but only to the Godly In this respect he saith Esau have I hated Jacob have I loved Jacob is my Friend whom I love with my special Love So there may be in the Godly Love to the wicked but not Friendship and Familiarity The wise man saith Walk not with the frowa d for thou thy self-shalt learn frowardness Wicked men will defile the Godly by intimate and constant Communion Israel must not marry with Ashdod no Canaanite or Gibeonite must be of the Communion of Saints What Fellowship hath a Member of Christ with the Children of Belial Yet I shall shew you how we are to love the wicked hereafter CHAP. X. NOw I come to give you the Proofs and Reasons why we are to love all For Proofs take these places of Scripture Gal. 6.10 As we have therefore opportunity let us do good to all men but especially to them that are of the houshold of faith While we have time so some read that is While we live let us do good to all men as opportunity serveth let us do good to every man but especially to the Saints Our Saviour bids us to love our enemies Mat. 5.44 and there speaks in opposition to that Pharisaical Tradition That a man was bound only to love his Friends He therefore requireth our Love to be extended to enemies even to such as curse and hate us The Reasons hereof are 1. Because where ever we see any part of Gods goodness we are to love it It is said that our Saviour beholding the rich young man that came unto him loved him Mar. 10.21 There is some Print of Gods goodness in many that are not Godly which ought to draw our affection to it Goodness being the Object of Love This is the reason why God himself loveth all his Creatures because there is a participation of his Goodness in them There are some Reliques of Gods Image in prophane men that God beareth a general Love unto that we also may do the like 2 Love is a due debt to every man Rom. 13.8 Owe nothing to any man but to love one another this debt is owing from every man it must be continually paying and yet ever owing The Book of Love must never be crossed although ye do never so many kindnesses one to another yet still you owe morâ— He payeth not his dâ—bts that rendereth not Love This is a debt that grows due faster than it can be can be paid and must be always paying 3. Because all are partakers of the same humane Nature That thâ—y are men and reasonable Crâ—atures and made as thou wast after the Image of God natura communis societas rationis the common nature and participation of Reason with us should draw our Love to them The most brutish Creatures that are and the most cruel yet are loving to one another of the same kind though one beast of another kind hath Antipathy against another Shall man be more brutish and savage than Bears Lions and Tygers As Solomon bids the the Sluggard to go learn of the Pismire Diligence so we may bid the hard-hearted man to learn of Wolves and Tygers to be loving one to another 4. Because we know not who among men belong not to Gods Election of Grace therefore we are to love them and to wish them all Grace and Glory And the reason of the School-men is because every man being a reasonable Creature is capable of Grace and Glory The prophanest man in the world is not altogether an hopeless man unless it be such a one as hath sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost 5. Because a good man must be perfect in his Love even as God is perfect He loveth the good and the bad he causeth his Sun to shine upon the just and the unjust Be ye perfect therefore saith our Saviour as our heavenly Father is perfect To love them that love you what reward have you Do not even the Publicans the same If you salute your brethren only what do ye more than others do not even the Publicans the same The first Argument is ab utili inutili If ye love them which love you only what reward have you That is ye lose your reward ye shall have no reward from God who doth neither for the present nor for the future reward such Now because our Saviour mentioneth reward we must not therefore think any merit in our Love The Reward which God giveth is of Grace not of Debt Good works are rewarded because God hath promised a Reward They are not meritorious because they have no proportion to the Reward The second Argument is drawn à comparatis Do not even the Publicans the same but yet there is a vast difference implied If you love them only that love you then there is no difference between my Disciples and Publicans my Disciples do no more than they do but your Love must be far more extensive than their Love ye must love such whom they do not Love ye must do more good than they can or will do ye must exceed Publicans Sinners Heathens Pharisees in Love and the Offices thereof The Publicans among the Jews were such as received and gathered up the Roman Emperour's Customes Taxes and Tribute who were a
very abomination to the Jews they were a people generally hated they were an unjust defrauding oppressing sort of men No Jew would be a Publican but abhorred the Office because they disdained to oppress their own Nation therefore they were for the most part Heathens and to shew what vile people they were they are usually joyned with Harlots Sinners Heathens yea the worst of men Now saith our Saviour These wicked Publicans do love those who love them even Publicans will return kindness for kindness The vilest of men do love and because they love do much good to them they love There is a mutual exchange of kindnesses of beneficences between wicked men Luk. 6.32 Our Saviour saith what thank have ye if ye love them who love you for sinners also love those who love them It is no great matter for a man to love those who love him The Greek word there for Sinners is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Word signifieth notorious vile abominable sinners such as sell themselves to Sin and Satan to work iniquity even such as these will do good to those who do good to them How doth this appear read v. 33. If ye do good to them who do good to you what thank have you for sinners also do even the same Look what external Office of Love any do to Sinners they will return all Offices of Love which lye in their power back upon them If you visit them Sinners will visit you If you feed and cloath them in their necessities they will feed and cloath you in your necessities This appeareth ver 34. where our Saviour mentioneth a particular act of Love If ye lend to them of whom you hope to receive what thank have you for sinners also lend to sinners Now whence is it that such good Offices come out of Nazareth I answer 1. Because it is the nature of Love not only of the Grace of Love planted by the Spirit of Grace but also natural Love planted by God in the Souls of all men to return Love for love kindness for kindness good for good Magnes amoris amor Love is the Loadstone of Love As the Loadstone by his vertue draweth Iron to it so Love shewn and manifested draweth the Heart and Affections of others to it Natural Love is not sordid and ignoble but is free and ingenuous and is ambitious to requite 2. Because the worst of men think themselves obliged to love those who love them They know they cannot satisfie their obligation to them but by a proportionable return of Love to those who love them Wicked men who make no Conscience of loving of God though they are under the strictest and highest Obligations that can be to love him yet they make some Conscience of loving such as love them 3. Because of the benefit and profit accrewing to wicked men by reciprocal returns of mutual-love there is a mutual giving and receiving benefits They love for civil and profitable respects though it be not lasting and when the fuel ceaseth the flame goeth out 4. There is pride in the heart of wicked men which makes them disdain to be beholden to others for their kindnesses Therefore they do return Love for Love kindness for kindness Here then ye may see that there is a Love in men which is not Charity Natural Love and Charity differ as much as Gold from Dross and Dung Publicans though eminently loving yet were very wicked Sin and Natural Love can agree but not Sin and Charity This Love and Hatred of Godliness can dwell together in one Soul but Hatred and Charity cannot lie together in one heart It is then but a sandy foundation for any man to build his hopes of Salvation upon his living lovingly among his loving Neighbours and doing good to such even such hopes Publicans and Sinners may have Therefore he that expecteth Heaven for his reward must do more than others What do you more than others saith our Saviour Mat. 5.47 The Argument runs thus If your Love do no more than the Love of others than your Love is no better than the Love of others But the Love of Saints must do more than the Love of Sinners My Disciples must love more than Publicans so that the Question is preceptive commanding every one who claimeth propriety and Interest in Christ to out-do others in offices of Love and Charity CHAP. XI I come in the second place to shew How we must manifest our Love in general to the wicked Here consider of what we must beware and what we must do 1. Of what we must beware 1. WE must not approve of or delight in their Sins God loveth the wicked but in no wise approveth of them in their sins We must hate the Vice but not the Person God hates not the Persons of Devils but their Sins We must follow God in this hence are those Phrases in Scripture of God's loathing hating abhorring the Sins of the wicked they are an abomination to him and we must by no means approve of their Sins and delight in them Their Sin must not be our joy that which is God's dishonour must be our grief yea it must be our hatred as it is Gods Can a Child see his Father disgraced by men and his Bowels not yearn If God be as dear unto us as a Father we cannot but rise against them that dishonour him Gods Glory must be dearer to us than all things 2. We must not any way encourage them walking in their Sins God loveth the unjust yet he threatens them with all woes and curses and with damnation He tells the unclean person that he will judg◠him He tells the drunkard that there is a wo unto him He tells the proud that they are an abomination to him He tells all the wicked that he will not hold them guiltless that he will turn them all into Hell The Lord gives them not the least hint of mercy to cause them to walk presumptuously in their sins We must say to our Friends and Neighbours that walk in sinful ways how do ye hope to be saved what grounds of confidence have ye while ye live in such sins Certainly ye will undo your Souls for ever if you go on in such and such sins 2. What we must do We must admonish and reprove them in which duty we are too faulty Christ did reprove wicked men to their faces How tartly did he deal with the Scribes and Pharisees for their Hypocrisie and with the Jews also How boldly did the Prophets reprove the great Ones they would spare none if they were wicked But ye will say that Christ and the Prophets did reprove them as Ministers and they were immediately sent from God to reprove those particular persons It is true yet Ministers in publick may reprove the same sins in other persons as ever the Prophets did But we rather speak of private reproof and admonition which duty concerneth every man Therefore observe these things Art thou a
on all things he sets his hand unto So must thou pray for others with the same fervency which thou usest in praying for thy self pray for that which will do them most good that they may every way be the better for thee that thou maist find by experience as Laban did That the Lord hath blest them for thy sake 4. Who doth not endeavour his own good with all his might The like care must thou have of thy Neighbours good especially of the Saints Love is a diligent Affection and the Fountain of Diligence Diligentia may well be derived à diligendo Diligence from Dilection or Loving the things as one saith are conjugate no less than the names Thy Love must be a labouring Love a Love that is full of mercy and good fruits The Apostle ascribeth Work and Labour unto Love because Love refuseth no pains it will spend and be spent even there where is least Love returned for most expended 5. Who doth not rejoyce in his own good Thou dost never envy thy self thine own Happiness So must thou rejoyce in the Gifts Parts Graces and Prosperity of others To envy at one anothers good is some of the Poyson of the old Serpent which he spitteth It is the principal quality of Devils to envy the Saints Happiness 6. Who is there that is weary in doing good to himself When doth a man cease to do good to himself So must thou do to others Thou must never be weary in well-doing to them A Friend a true Christian Friend loveth at all times Prov. 17.17 Let thy Love to thy Brother be without envy in Prosperity and without weariness in Adversity When the feigned Lover is to his Friend as the Cuckoo that affords you his company till you be weary of him in Summer but before Winter cometh takes his leave Be thou to thy Brother as the Black-bird that keeps constantly with us and is of use if need be to feed us in Winter Every man knoweth what is good for himself thence doth a good man conclude if Justice Mercy Knowledg Grace Credit be good for me then are they good for my Brother also and he will labour to procure them that he may serve his Brother through love Gal. 5.13 intending his good more than his own in loving of him True it is a man in loving another may have some respect to himself if he be Wise Judicious Learned to learn of him If Humble Loving Holy to imitate him If any way beneficial to be a Gainer by him in a way of God not of Lust or of the World But this is not the first and principal thing for which the Christian loveth another but as the result not as the moving Cause but as the Reward of Love as Man and Wife by shewing more Love to each other for Love's sake do reap more Love from each other SECT II. II. WE must love one another as Christ loved us Christ loved us when we were enemies to him Herein is the Love of God commended to us that when we were enemies Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 Yea when we were enemies to Christ and he might have wrought our destruction yet then he sought to us for our Love entreating us to be reconciled unto him he came to seek the lost Sheep of the house of Israel What surpassing Love is this That the great God should come and seek to his own Creatures for their Love that the Cedar should make suit to the Thistle What had Christ lost by it if every Son of Adam had been turned into Hell Could he not have made another World of Men to have glorified him and to reign with him in Glory yet that he should seek to us to be reconciled to him here is surpassing Love So must we love one another Are we injurious to one another and at variance one with another then let us seek to one another for reconciliation Christ so loved us that he was willing to lay down his Life for us Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his Life for us 1 Joh. 3.16 Christs could not shew greater Love to us than in dying for us Christs Love to us is the ultimum resolubile the last thing into which all his actions in the work of our Redemption is resolved Do ye ask Why God was incarnate why he suffered death why he endured such contradiction of Sinners such Mockings such a bloody Agony in the Garden this answereth all Because he loved us I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself to death for me Gal. 2.20 The Apostle speaks here in the Person of all Beleevers These following Reasons may demonstrate to us that Christs Love was the Cause that made him to lay down his Life for us R. 1. Because there was no desert in us It is not our Love to him first that made him to love us no we love him because he loved us first Our Love to him is the effect and consequent of his Love to us not the cause of his Love What is there in any man considered as fallen from God that can deserve such incomprehensible Love as that God should dye for us Can Sin deserve the Love of Christ What is a natural Man but a very Body of Sin We do not nor can we Love God because we are enmity to him Amor descendit non ascendit There is more Love in a Father to a Child than in a Child to a Father His Love did first descend to us before our Love could ascend to him The Prophet Ezekiel sets forth the odious and most undeserving condition of Man under a Parable of a polluted Infant when we were most forlorn polluted and most helpless then was the time of Love Ezek. 16. When thou wast wallowing in thine own filthiness then was the time of Love 2. Because Christ reaps no good by us What if Adam and all his Posterity had been damned he had lost no whit of his Blessedness he was infinitely happy from everlasting and so is to everlasting and would be had not a man been partaker of his Glory therefore it must needs be his meer Love to us and such a Love as doth earnestly desire and tender our everlasting good and Salvation It was for our Reconciliation and Justification that he endured Wrath he died for our Redemptoin he shed his Blood for us miserable Creatures to make us eternally happy Sons of God and Heirs of Salvation What Motive or Ground had Christ to dye and suffer if it were not his meer Love to us so that we may well cry out with St. Augustine O Lord thou hast loved me more than thy self because thou wouldst dye for me and not for thy self 3. Because Christ laid down his Life being never desired of us therefore meer Love to us did encline him to dye for us Had Men taken Counsel together to devise a means to pacifie Gods Wrath had men been let
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
therein to be followers of Christ 3. Because this duty is one of the highest degrees of our obedience unto Christ observe the words so fulfil the law of Christ it is not a perfect but solidum complementum a solid or substantial fulfilling of the Law of Christ It is not said of other sincere performances that we fulfil the Law of Christ it is not said of thy praying thy hearing c. that thou dost fulfil the Law of Christ but of this duty of Love Love is the fulfilling of the Law Bearing of one anothers burdens which is an eminent act of Love is the fulfilling the Law of Christ Without this all other offices of Love are but slight superficial acts of obedience he that doth not do this nihil habet saith Calvin he hath nothing of a man nothing of a Christian nothing of a disciple of Christ nothing of Christian Love in him There is a Sect not long since risen among us calling themselves High-attainers boasting that they have attained to perfection of Holiness and therefore need not the help of ordinances But these deluded wretches do come as short of perfection as the Earth doth of Heaven but now those who do Christianly bear one anothâ—rs burdens are High-attainers indeed for they fulfil the Law of Christ I know there may be strong Love in mens hearts toward some persons without any partaking of the Love of God and the spirit of Regeneration and this Love may have something commendable in it but it is nothing in respect of Gods gracious acceptation such men do rather Love in obedience to the Law of nature than in obedience to the Law or Gospel of Christ therefore their Love loseth acceptance with the Lord. I say they love in obedience to the Law of Nature for men have some parts of the Law of Nature remain written in their hearts How men love in obedience to the Law of nature since the Fall of Adam as the Apostle sheweth even concerning the Gentiles or Heathens themselves Rom. 2.14.15 which Law I take to be more than the light of Nature for otherwise methinketh it should rather be called the Doctrine or the instructions of Nature than a Law for a Law carrieth Authority with it and a binding power but a light or a doctrine doth but only shew and teach But that which was written by Nature in the hearts of the Gentiles the Apostle saith was written as a Law and so it carried a kind of Authority over their Hearts and Consciences not only shewing them what should be done but also enclining and bowing their spirits unto â—t So at this day this law of Nature may encline the hearts of many as a law to love their Neighbors and they do it in obedience to this law of Nature that is they yield to this natural enclination of their hearts and according to it do love some persons whom their natures do encline them to love until this Law be countermanded by a stronger law the law of Sin and Corruption enclining the heart to cast off love and to entertain bitterness of spirit or the like and until it be over-born by outward occasions which tend to quench Love For this law of Nature is weak and soon loseth its authority and command I mean so far as it hath any thing good in it so far as it is a broken piece as it were of the Image of God But if we take the law of Nature for Nature corrupted which is the law of Sin that is very strong and hath a great command over the heart and is hardly resisted Now then they that have any commendable love in them towards others in their natural estate they do but herein follow the inclination of their hearts which is the same that I said before that they do it in obedience to the law of Nature not in obedience to the law of Christ Bâ—t a Christian that will approve his heart to God must love others in the name of Christ and in obedience to his Gospel which cannot be unless we partake of the love of God in Christ and have embraced Christ in the Gospel Now I coâ—ceive there may be more heat sometimes in that natural love than in this Spiritual and Christian love and especially in that sinful love which is between divers persons which deceiveth many and maketh them apt to bless themselves as if they were truly possessed of the spirit of Love because they find some strength of natural affection in themselves But a little of that heat which cometh from the Sun-beams is of more vertue and excellency than a great deal of Kitchen-fire A little of the heavenly affection of Love which is a proper heat of the spirit of Christ and floweth from the love of God apprehended by saith is more worth than a great deal of natural affection CHAP. XVII SECT I. IN the next place I shall speak of the order of our love one to another 1. We must love our own Souls next to Jesus Christ God is to be loved above all as the chief and supream good and our own Souls next as being more worth than a whole world and if the love of any thing should stand between God and our Souls we must hate that thing as our deadly enemy that seeks to rob us of our chiefest good 2. We must love our Neighbors soul next to our own soul above our own bodies 3. Among our Neighbours we must love those that are most godly the excellent of the earth those that excell in goodness In them is all my delight saith David God's Jewels must be in our account most precious one pearl is more worth than a million of pibbles God loveth all men but the riches of his lovâ— he giveth to his Saints 4. Among the godly those of our own Nation are to be especially beloved O pray for the peace of Jerusalem They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122.6 Saint Paul could even wish himself accursed for his Countrymen the Jews and for their sakes Moses could even be blotted out of the book of life As Christ came from the Jews so he came to seek the lost sheep of the house of Israel in the first place 5. Among them I am to love those who are my Kindred above others who are not Nature calls for love but Grace calls for more 6. We are in a special manner to love those of our Family A Christian is to labour to make his ally his friend but especially his Wife and Children such as may be lovely and acceptable How did David mourn for his son Absalom and Abraham pray for Ishmael 7. Above all a man is to love his Wife A man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his Wife and they shall be one flesh Gen. 2.24 Husbands love your Wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it Ephes 5.25 This is the order of our Love SECT II. Quest Here it may
be demanded Seeing special love is due to the Saints next to Christ because they make one body with him am I bound to love godly men that are not my kindred above my wicked kindred whether I am to love a godly stranger before a wicked Wife or Child Resp 1. There is a double Love Amor approbationis complacentiae Amor optationis vel desiderii a love of approbation and complacency a love of wishing or desire I may love a Stranger that is godly with the love of delight and approbation for his graces shining in him more than I do those that are neer to me that are wicked Thus Jonathan did love godly David more than he did wicked Saul that was his Father but with the love of desire and wish of the Salvation of my VVife and Children and Kindred wishing them grace and glory herein I may shew more love to my wicked VVife Husband and Children than to godly Strangers It is true in regard of wishing Salvation I am to love a godly Stranger and my Kindred alike but in regard of the earnest desire of Salvation I may more earnestly desire the Salvation of my Wife than theirs Thus Abraham did earnestly desire the Salvation of wicked Ishmael Oh that Ishmael might live in thy sight 2. That Christian love is not measured by carnal effects but being spiritual love it is most shewn in Spiritual things as in holy cleaving of hearts together in mutual prayers in mutual comforting in mutual delighting in one anothers gifts and graces in mutual exhortation of one another to love and good works With this love I may love a godly Stranger more than any of my nearest Kindred that are not godly when as my natural affection may be stronger to my wicked Kindred than to godly Strangers as in providing for them the things of this Life I must nourish my Wife and Children when as I may suffer Saints to perish with famine if I have not sufficient means to relieve both but if I have sufficient means for both then must I feed an hungry Saint and cloath a naked Lazarus Quest But what if some of my Kinred are godly but poor others are wicked but rich some of my Children are godly but are not so witty and handsom and so industrious for the world as others of my Children that are wicked What shall I do in this dase Resp I answer Thy godly Kinred be they never so poor and yet in an equal relation with thy rich Kinred that are wicked are to have thy special Love And if thou dost not shew more Love to such thou dost not love Grace but Riches so likewise for Children Jacob loved Joseph more than all his other Sons because more godly Wo to that Father that shall dishearten a godly Child and give more encouragement unto and be more fond over a riotous Prodigal a scoffing Ishmael What is this but for a man to love sin in his Child more than godliness the Image of the Devil more than the Image of God It is true that where there are more relations of Kinred Neighbourhood Co-heirship of Grace and the like there Love admitteth of multiplication and encrease but this draweth not the Lover from God who is the Author of those Relations and the Rule of Love also Carnal Lovers first please their fancy and then their affection must act let the object be what it will to them godly or ungodly are much at one they make no difference between the houshold of Faith and the fraternity of evil men although God make a difference between Jacob and Esau yet they will make none they resemble those Sons of God that seeing the Daughters of men to be fair took them Wives of all they liked best for their Beauty without respect to their goodness Many a Parent considers not what Child is best deserving but most pleasing and usually those Children please them best that do least please God CHAP. XVIII THe next thing I am come to do is to shew When a man may be said to love the Children of God To this end consider these following particulars 1. True Christian Love to the people of God is a peculiar kind of Love whereby a man loveth them as they are the Children of God and as Brethren be they Strangers or Acquaintance Kinred or not rich or poor mean or mighty honourable or base it is all one if they be righteous persons In natural Love there is a peculiar Love of a Brother towards a Brother distinct from the Love of a Neighbour a man may have a natural Love to a Neighbour but another kind of peculiar Love to a Brother So if a man do love the Children of God as he ought he loveth them with a peculiar Love as â—hey are the Children of God A man may loâ—â—nother for some good quality of Art or Nature though he be not a Child of God but there must be a peculiar Love to the Children of God though there be not the same qualities of Art or Nature in them he must love them as made near unto him by Grace and joyned with him in partaking of the same precious Faith he must love them for Holiness sake because they fear the Lord and follow after righteousness Some men have no peculiar Love to the people of God but their peculiar and familiar Love is for some natural persons who suit best with their carnal affections these are their bosom-Friends This is a sign of unsound Love when a mans most intimate Friends are wicked persons although he may bestow a good look upon some of the people of God and sometimes carry himself somewhat fairly towards them If they seem to love some of the people of God it is for some other respect and not because they are the Children of God it may be there is some special gift in them either of Body or Mind common to them with natural men and for this they love them and sometimes delight in their company but as for other good men not so qualified yet as sincere as the former and as rich in Grace they do not affect them He that loveth Religion in a man because he is rich or comely or a man of parts c. â—ut slighteth it in a poor Lazarus in a mean â—n though he be all glorious within he doth not love a godly man And as Alexander said of two men one was his Friend the other was his Flatterer Hic amat Regem I le Alexandrum This man loveth me because I am a King and can prefer him but that man loveth Alexander he loveth my very person So it may be said of such as love Religious persons because rich or noble Hic amat divitias honores ille amat religionem These men love riches and honours not religion only he that loveth a righteous man in nomine justi because he is righteous he loveth the godly with a peculiar love So the true love by which the
whose continual exercise is malice and malicious practices against God and man Such was his hellish malice that seeing man in happiness and the favour of God he entised the woman and by her the man to that sin and rebellion which brought all mankind into a most miserable Condition and what is his continual practice but to sin and to draw men and women into sin Now those that harbour malice in their hearts they are in a special sort like to Satan when it is against the persons not the sins of others only Malice is properly a setled Hatred a rancour of heart by which men are provoked to deal spitefuâ—ly and mischievously with those whom they love not either wishing them ill or doing them ill Wickked Shimei railed upon David when he was in an heavy strait and cursed him Come up thou bloody man thou son of Belial and when a godly man is brought into misery malicious persons say Aha aha so would we have it Godly men walk in the narrow way their lives are strict and holy the wicked are in the broad way walking in all excess of riot Repugnans quâ repugnans est causa odij When one crosseth another in his Happiness in his pleasures he is counted an enemy Can a wicked man as a wicked man have a greater enemy than such as will not give them Elbow room in their sins but cross them in their Prophaness When the water-courses are stopt the waters swell high so when the godly man laboureth to dam up the courses of ungodliness the wicked swell with hatred against such It is true what Lactantius said Veritas ideo semper invisa est eò quod is qui pâ—ccat vult habere liberum peccandi locum Wicked men hate godliness for no other cause but that it will not afford them room to sin freely without control Now the Devil is ever stirring up the wicked to hate the godly that Prince of malice is ever filling the hearts of the wicked with malice It is one of the Devils main plots to raise evil surmises in wicked mens hearts against the godly and to disgrace the way of Holiness as a thing that tendeth to nothing else but to curb men from their pleasures and to be an hook in their Nostrils Now as God is Love so Satan is full of malice and as they that cherish in their hearts true Christian Love and walk in the Spirit of Love are of God and do bear his Image so they that do not purge their hearts of Hatred Malice and bitterness are of the Devil CHAP. XXI LEt me now exhort all Christians to love one another 1 Joh. 4.7 Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God Every one that loveth the Children of God unfeignedly is born of God and is acquainted with him and knoweth him as the Child knoweth his Father Were I to speak in an assembly of Ministers I might in a special manner direct my speech to them that they should labour to abound in Brotherly Love as towards others of the godly so especially towards each others as Fellow-labourers called to the same work and employed to build up the same spiritual house of God that they should be of one mind and speak the same things the same Truth not envying nor despising each other but rejoycing in each others Gifts and Graces and in those fruit of each others labours not like those who grudg to hear of others labours while themselves are lazy and looking on them with an evil eye refusing to be their fellow-labourers and maligning them because they will not be their fellow-loyterers What Brotherly love and amity was there among the Apostles of Christ St. Peter calleth Paul his beloved Brother So when Paul and Barnabas returned from the preaching of the Gospel to divers Nations we read with what love they were entertained by the rest of the Apostles at Jerusalem Act. 15.4 And when they were come to Jerusalem they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders And the Apostles and Elders in their Epistle sent to the Churches speak thus Act. 15. v. 25.26 It seemed good unto us being assembled together to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Saul men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Where they both profess their entire love unto them and also in Brotherly love give them special Commendation So afterwards when St. Paul returned from another long voyage we see what demonstration of Brotherly love there was between him and St. James Act. 21.18.19.20 Paul went in with us unto James and all the Elders were present and when he had saluted them be declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry And when they heard it they glorified the Lord and said unto him Thâ—u seest Brother hâ—w many Thousands of Jews there are which believe c. So when Paul and Barnabas had made known to the other Apostles the Doctrine which they had taught Paul saith When Jamâ—s and Cephas and John three eminent Apostles who seemed to be pillars perceived the grace that was given to me they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellow-ship Gal. 2.9 The reason is plain for as they excelled in admirable gifts for the service of the Church so they abounded in saving-graces and especially in that grace of Christian and Brotherly love which purged their hearts from envy and carnal emulation of the gifts or success of each other and so they kept the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Moreover they knew well that they were as a City set on an Hill and that the eye of the world was fixed upon them and therefore they were careful to walk in Love as towards all sorts so especially towards each other that they might not give occasion to the enemies to blaspheme that they might not offend the Church of God nor blemish his Glory They knew well that this was needful for the furtherance of the Gospel of that great work of the Apostleship to which the Lord had called them that they should with one mind and one Spirit joyn together in the work of the Lord. This may discover to us the intolerable pride of the Pope who instead of embracing the godly Ministers of Christ with Brotherly Love as St. Peter doth embrace Paul as his Brother and equal doth first lift up himself above them and in a cruel manner tyrannize over them St. Peter did not lift up over the head of Paul the scepter of Dominion and Papal Supremacy nor offer him his foot to kiss as the Pope his pretended Successor but in all Brotherly Love and in the spirit of meekness giveth him the right hand of fellowship as to his equal in place and dignity Therefore when the Pope bringeth not only Ministers of the Gospel but also the Kings and Emperors
do break the order of nature For whereas the Philosophers affirm a man by nature to be animal politicum malicious and contentious persons make themselves unfit for society being no better than firebrands of sedition and Satans Instruments to sow dissention Therefore St. Augustine saith that all companies are not to be called a people but only those who are joyned by consent of Laws And the same Father saith thus Give me that unum necessarium that one thing necessary viz. Love and Unity and thou shalt have a people well ordered Take away this and thou shalt have a rout a confusion and all out of order for where envying and strife is there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3.16 Love is an uniting grace we read 1 Sam. 18.1 that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David the reason followeth and Jonathan loved him as his own soul This made him very helpful to David upon all occasions The Apostle sets down many good fruits of this grace of Love 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity suffereth lâ—ng and is kind envyeth not vaunteth not her self or is not rash is not puffed up 5. Doth not behave it self unseemly seeketh not her own is not easily provoked thinketh no evil 7. Beareth all things beleeveth all things hopeth all things endureth all things If another do him an injury a man that hath this grace of Love suffereth it if his friend be froward he is kind if fallen he vaunteth not himself over him nor is rash in censuring if far behind him in parts he is not puffed up if provoking him to passion he doth not behave himself unseemly if a self-seeker he seekâ—th not his own if he vex him daily he is not easily provoked if he carry himself so doubtfully that he knoweth not what to make of him he thinketh no evil if he load him with reproaches he beareth all things if he promise amendment he beleeveth all things if he doth not make good his word he hopeth all things and if in all things he be cross and thwarting the true Châ—â—stian Lover endureth all things Love is easie to be entreated it never is implacable or inexorable whatsoever or how great soever the wrongs or injuries be They that cannot be reconciled that will not be pacifyed or appeased are far from Christian Love True Christian Love is not barren it will make men use the gifts of several kinds which God hath given to the supply and benefit of the people of God according to their several wants So those of Macedonia supplied the wants of the Saints at Jerusalem Nehemiah improved his favour with the King of Persia for the good of the Church of God in Judea So did Daniel improve his favour with Nebuchadnezzar for the advancement of Shadrach Mesech Abednego and Mordecai improved his dignity for the benefit of the Church That Love which is true will be fruitful now these fruits of Love are of divers kinds according to the several parts of the Second Table As all duties of love towards the Souls of others in Ministers Masters Parents Neighbours Acquaintance c. preaching the Word catechizing instructing admonishing comforting reproving publickly privately in praying for them c. And towards their bodies goods good names in relieving their wants in defending them to our power in cleering them according to our knowledg against slaunders false accusations c. and so for all other duties which man oweth to man These things every Christian must practi e and he must do them out of the truth of Christian Love As that is not true Love which doth not bring forth such fruits of Love so those works are not accepted which are not done in Love though they may be such works for the matter as are commanded in the Law of Love CHAP. XXIII LEt us then labour to put in practice that exhortation of the Apostle 1 Joh. 3.18 My little Children let us not love in word and tongue but in deed and in truth Where the Apostle doth not condemn profession and expression of Love in words and with the Tongue for he himself used it I think no man more yea he useth it in that place exprâ—ssing tenderness of heart and fatherly affection in this very exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My little children c. So he expresseth much Love in words in this Epistle But he condemneth that shew of Love which is meer words and a bare profession of Love A Tree is not to be liked the worse because it beareth a fair Leaf together with good fruits but rather the better for it is both an ornament to the Tree and maketh the fruit the more savoury and of a better relish But this maketh the Tree ready for the Ax and for the Fire when it beareth Leaves and no Fruit or little Fruit so a Christian is not to be liked the worse for cloathing his fruits and works of Love with expressions professions and words of Love but the better rather for they are both an ornament to him in his Christian course and besides they give grace and relish to those works and fruits Yea Christian speeches in many cases are themselves very good and wholesom fruits good arguments of Sanctification and very profitable to the hearers ministring grace unto them and winning them so some liking of the ways of God yea good words of admonition consolation are as necessary alms as any other for many though not so acceptable to the most But as a Tree that beareth store of good fruit though it have but a ragged Leaf is much better than another that is rough and full of green and fair Leaves with none or little fruit so a Christian full of good works though not fairly-spoken is far to be preferred above one who hath a fair tongue and a close hand The thing then which the Apostle exhorteth unto is That we should not rest in a Love that sheweth it self only in words and tongue but that which is in deed and in truth CHAP. XXIV THis should make us in the next place to take heed of those sins that do especially stir up the heart to break the bond of Love 1. Take heed of suffering Anger to settle and take root in your hearts cure it while it is but a green wound before it turn into a Canker or festered sore of malice and hatred quench it when it is but a spark or when it beginneth to kindle let not the Sun go down upon thy wrath Anger engendereth malice unless it be suppressed Persons overcome with anger the Lord thinketh them unworthy of his peoples society Prov. 22.24 Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man thou shalt not go God doth not brand any created passion seated in the Soul of man as he doth anger Though all the passions seated in the soul of man when extream are vicious yet God doth no where forbid us to make friendship with a man of grief of fears of hope
happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrour neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear having a good conscience that whereas they speak evil of you as of evil doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Christians should labour so to walk that they may have nothing to cover their malice withall but that it may be manifest to their Consciences and to the eyes of others that they hate them and set themselves against them for Righteousness-sake and that their Adversaries may be ashamed Then are men brought to shame when things that are shameful are laid open but when Christians by worldliness or distempers or by playing the busy body c. do give them something to cover their malice against them withall they keep them from being ashamed But when a Christian walketh unblameably and watchfully he uncovereth the shame of their malice against him making it to appear that it is for Righteousness-sake and so causeth the shame of it to reflect upon their own faces insomuch that many times their own Consciences do condemn them them for such as fight against God which may be a means of their Conversion or restraint 2. Carry your selves meekly towards them when they are most maliciously and furiously bent against you Two Angels coming into the streets of Sodom in the Evening were entertained by Lot And in likelihood they appeared in the form of men shewed themselves in a shape surpassing in Beauty whereupon these wicked Sodomites boiling with filthy and unnaturall lust desired to abuse them contrary to the Law of Nature taking them to be mortal men and observing into what house they entered between Supper and Bed-time they assaulted his house and called upon him to bring forth his guests that they might deal with them according to their filthy Lust Now mark the carriage of Righteous Lâ—t in this case Gen. 19.6 7 8. And Lot went out at the door unto them and shut the door after him and said I pray you Brethren do not so wickedly Behold now I have two daughters which have not known manâ— let me I pray you bring them out unto you and do ye to them as is good in your eyes only unto these men do nothing for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof Now it must be confessed that here was a great failing in this carriage of Lot which must not be imitated by any means that to save his guests from being unnaturally abused he would expose his Daughters to the beastly lusts of the Sodomites which was so much the greater in â—hat as appeareth afterwards they were contracted and so it was a great injury to their husbands that had espoused though not yet married them But this was partly out of want of Knowledg as it seemeth for then many Truths were not so cleared as now they are partly it was out of weakness the unlawfulness of Polygamy and so the unlawfulness of doing evil that good might come or yeelding to some sin to prevent a greater sin as in this case These and the like truths were not so clearâ—y opened to the godly it seemeth as now they are partly it was out of weakness of Faith that he did not rest upon God who had ways enough to keep him out of so great a strait without any such indirect and unlawful means as appeared afterwards and partly out of a sudden confused haste being beset with a mighty number of men desperately wicked and enflamed with violent and raging lust so that not having time to retire his thoughts and compose his Spirit and to take things better into consideration he sell upon this unwarrantable shift I am perswaded he had much rather have lost his heart-blood if that would have satisfied them but he thought nothing would save his guests unless these wretches filthy lusts had some other Objects to feed upon But passing by his great oversight and infirmity let us take notice of his carriage otherwise and that ye shall find was full of Love unto his guests according to the Law of Hospitality full of detestation against such foul unnnatural wickedness full of meekness towards these Sodomites as appeareth in his speech fore-mentioned He gave them never a bitter word he only sought to keep them from this sin CHAP. XXVIII NOw to conduct let me exhort every Christian to maintain a watchful eye over their Love that it wax not cold in these evil-times Our Saviour long since prophesied of the latter times that because iniquity shall abound the love of many shall wax cold Mat. 24.12 That there should be a flood of iniquity and a frost of love The times wherein we live tell us that iniquity doth abound I had almost said it cannot abound more now then let brotherly love continaee Heb. 13.1 This Love like that Fire under the Law came down from Heaven therefore preserve it we had need be very careful for sinful times are cooling times Sin is as apt to quench Love as Water to quench the Fire These objects of Love are continually the same When Love goes away the power the zeal the practice of religion goes away It is an argument your Love is truly divine if you keep it flaming in the worst of times It you suffer your Love to God and his people to decay you will lose all the good that ever you have done If your Love decay all the people of God with whom you have taken sweet counsel together prayed together fasted together all these shall rise up in judgment against you Oh think what manner of damnation yours will be ye shall feel the most dreadful effects of Gods eternal hatred who have suffered your Love to Gods ways and people to dye within you Oh if your Love decay it is not easily recovered again and to recover your first Love you must repent and do your first works it will cost you much labour much sighing much sorrow of heart before you can recover your former degrees of Love Take heed of a slavish fear of wicked men St. Paul opposeth the spirit of fear to the spirit of Love 2 Tim. 1.17 Be not too familiar with those that are unsetled in the truth Many had loved more had they disputed less Set your hearts on the things of the world Demas forsook the fellowship of the Saints because he embraced this present world FINIS Books to be sold by Thomas Parkhurst at the Golden Bible on London-Bridg MR. Sedgwick's Bowels of Mercy fol. The Taylor 's Works the first vol. fol. 2. An Exposition of Temptation on Mat. 4. verse 1. to the end of the eleventh 3. A Commentary on Titus 4. Davids Learning A Comment upon Psal 32. 5. The Parable of the Sower and of the Seed upon Luk. 8. and 4. A Learned Commentary or Exposition on the first Chapter of the second Epistle to the Corinthians by Richard Sibbs D. D. fol. A practical Exposition on the third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly Mans Choice on Psal 4. ver 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgess fol. The view of the Holy Scriptures By Hugh Broughton Fol. Christianographia or a Description of the multitude and sundry sorts of Christians in the world not subject to the Pope By Eph. Pagitt Fol. These six Treatises next following are written by Mr. George Swinnock 1. The Christian Mans Calling or a Treatise of making Religion ones busineis in Religious Dutiâ—s Natural Actions his Particular Vocation his Family Directions and his own Recreation to be read in Families for their Instruction and Edification The first Part. 2. Likewise a second Part wherein Christians are directed to perform their Duties as Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants in the conditions of Prosperity and Adversity 3. The third and last part of the Christian Mans Calling Wherein the Christian is directed how to make Religion his business in his dealings with all Men in the Choice of his Companions in his carriage in good Company in bad Company in solitarineâ—s or when he is alone on a Week-day â—rom morning to night in visiting the sick on a Dying bed as also the means how a Christian may do this and some motives to it 4. The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration 5. Heaven and Hell Epitomized and the True Christian Characterized The Fading of thâ— Flesh and the flourishing of Faith Or One cast for Eternity with the only way to throw it well all these by George Swinnock M. A. Large Octavoes A learned Commentary on the fourth Chapter of the second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is added First a Conference between Christ and Mary Second the Spiritual Mans Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles by Richard Sibbs D. D. 4 to An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon by Will Greenhil 4 to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New England by Peter Buckely 4 to Gods Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in ten words or ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Elton B. D. 4 to A plain and familiar Exposition of the ten Commandments by John Dod 4 to Fiery Jesuite or and Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4 to Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effecâ—s discovered By Theophilus Bolwheile A Defence against the fear of Death By Zacâ— Crofton The True bounds of Christian freedâ—m or a Discourse shewing the extents restraints of Christian Liberty wherein the truth is setled many errors conâ—â—â—ed out of John 8. ver 36. FINIS