whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and therein I do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce 4. The avoiding of Scandal is much for the Churches Increase The Scandalous and loose lives of Professors make the World conclude the Gospel but a cunningly devised Fable and harden the men of it in Irreligion and a profane contempt of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent The evil works of such as are called Christians for many of these latter Ages has been a great impediment to the spreading of Christianity Our Lord sayes Woe to the World because of offences Mat. 18. 7. for the World hereby is confirmed in prejudice and Wickedness and at last more certainly ruined But when the Members of the Church do work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling and shew a vehement desire after the Worlds Salvation also this is the way to gain the World to Christ and to turn it unto righteousness 5. The Church is mightily increased by the exemplary conversation of her Members When Believers are zealous of good Works and without rebuke and blame When they are patterns of Piety Justice Mercy Meekness Patience Self-denial when they go about doing good and by the heavenliness of their discourse and carriage declare plainly that they seek a better countrey than is to be found in this World hereby they adorn the Gospel and render it more lovely in the Worlds eye and more likely to be entertained the ignorance of wicked and foolish men is silenced by well doing 1 Pet. 2. 15. nay they be forced to a confession that God is in his Church of a truth and may at length consent and desire to be Members of that Church where there is so much of God and of his presence visible and apparent 2. As the Church should increase in numbers so all the Members of the Church should strive to increase more and more in grace and goodness They should strongly be induced to this because of their own imperfection in Grace which imperfection fills them many times with inward trouble and tormenting doubts and fears and makes outward affliction but highly necessary Besides Holiness is of such an excellent nature and so perfective of the Nature of man that the strongest desires are to be justified the most diligent endeavours after it to be commended Grace is increased in the Members of Christ several wayes 1. By a Serious and frequent engaging in those Ordinances which he has instituted He that has instituted these has promised his blessing and adds the efficacy Prayer Fasting giving of thanks receiving the Supper of the Lord attending upon the Word preached and searching the Scriptures and the like means of Grace when seriously used do exceedingly promote the growth of a Christian making him to become strong in Spirit The Church is the Garden of God the Saints are planted there the Word and Ordinances of Christ are like the showers from Heaven and the Husbandmans pains which makes these Plants to thrive and flourish Psal 92. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God But still it must be remembred though means are to be used yet we must look beyond them unto him that has appointed them else they will never attain their end 1 Cor. 3. 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 2. Grace is increased by the improving of Providences The Dispensations of Providence were various towards David he was exercised with great Severity and likewise with great Goodness we read Psal 116. 3. That the sorrows of Death compassed him and the pains of Hell gat hold upon him he found trouble and sorrow and v. 10. He was greatly afflicted in this distress he calls upon that God who is merciful and gracious for deliverance and his calling is heard and his Soul is delivered from Death his Eyes from Tears and his Feet from Falling And now how is his Heart affected his Graces strengthned He is filled with Love he is resolved to give himself to Prayer as long as he lived his Soul is at rest in God who had dealt bountifully with him he offers the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and he cryes out Oh Lord I am thy Servant truly I am thy Servant v. 16. as if he should say Lord thou art a Master beyond all comparison and as it is my firm resolution so 't is my Happiness and Honour as well as Duty to be a Servant to thee 3. The Covenant of Grace is to be Studied and the Promises applyed in order to a Christians increase God has assured his People that he will perfect that which concerns them and that he will not forsake the work of his own hands He has said that his Servants shall Spring up as among the Grass and as Willows by the Water-courses Isa 44. 4. That the Righteous shall hold on his way and they that have clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. That they shall bring forth fruit even in Old Age and even then be flourishing and this shall be to shew that the Lord is upright Psal 92. 14 15. Such Promises being prized and applyed will make the New Creature full of vigour and perseverance will be certain Heark to the Apostle Phil. r. 6 7. Being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ even as it is meet for me to think this of you all 4. Grace is increased by Having recourse unto that fulness which dwells in Christ Therefore growing in Grace and growing in the Knowledge of Christ are joyned together for Christ is full of Grace and Truth and out of his fulness sayes St. John We all have received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 14 16. that is Grace answerable to that Grace which is in him Grace is his purchase he has it in Possession he gives it to all that have it and every new degree is from the same hand He is the Object the Author and the Finisher of Faith Heb. 12. 2. They are the most growing and established Saints that are least taken with the World that have least confidence in themselves that do best understand and most look unto Jesus 5. All impediments of increase must be carefully shunn'd as Pride and sloth and earthliness carnal and corrupt affections if these or things of like nature prevail they will prove to the Soul what Diseases are to the Body and make the Members of Christ to be feeble and languish depriving them both of their Strength and Beauty These are like peccant humours which must be Purged if we would have our Souls healthy and prosperous These are like weights which must be laid aside if we will run the Race that is set before us so as to obtain the Prize Heb. 12. 1. In the third place I am to produce several reasons why the Church
should become stronger and purer continually Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgment The true reasons of Love must be better and better understood and the expressions of Love must be still with more and more judgment and discretion that the end aimed at may be attained After the Apostle had acknowledged the Thessalonians taught of God to love one another yet adds We beseech you Brethren that you increase more and more 1 Thes 4. 9. 10. And if where Love did so much abound there was reason to press an increase Oh how much need is there in such an angry and contentious Age as this to blow up this fire which is so near to going out I have done with the Properties of Love In the third place I am to demonstrate how Love is for the Churches Edification 'T is for the Edification of Him that loves and for the Edification of those whom he loves A Christian Edifies both himself and others by Love First I shall demonstrate that he Edifies himself 1. The more he Loves there is the greater light in him The understanding is darken'd by those sins which are contrary to Love as Prejudice Passion Envy Hatred so that what is Truth is not easily discerned what is Duty is not readily apprehended in many cases The fore-mention'd evil Affections do biass the Judgment wrong Though the eye be good and the object not far off yet the eye cannot so plainly see the object if there be a mist between them Anger and Malice raise such a mist before the eye of the Judgment that 't is very prone to be mistaken but this mist is scattered by Love so that a Christian sees his way plain and is less subject to stumble 1 Joh. 2. 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 2. The more a Christian Loves there is the more of Gods Image in him he is the more transformed into the Divine Nature 1 Joh. 4. 7 8. God is Love and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God In Scripture God is said to delight in Merccy to rest in his love to be good to all to be kind to the unthankful and evil How does Love Edifie a Child of God making him resemble his Heavenly Father in these excellent perfections and how unlike to Satan does love make us Have we Knowledge how great an understanding has the evil one have we Faith The Devils also believe and tremble but if we have Love Satan has nothing of this in him he hates and tortures his own self he hates Gods Children and all his own Children he would destroy the former he will unless they cease to be his Children destroy the latter 3. The more a Christian loves he has the firâ—er evidence that he is indeed a Christian The Apostle tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace The more love the more peace and joy Gal. 5. 22. We read Phil. 2. 1 2. of Consolation in Christ and Comfort in love Love builds us up in solid Comfort for we have the mark of Christs Sheep upon us if we love the whole flock That Religion has not truth that has not love in it pretences to light and purity without love are all vain But he that is full of love in this world shall not be sent to Hell in the other World where there is no love at all 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Secondly I shall demonstrate that Christians edifie not only themselves but others by their love and that 't is exceedingly for the Churches Edification 1. Love makes us concerned for the whole Church of Christ and enlarged in our supplications and intercessions for it This publick Spirit which is the effect of Catholick love is very pleasing unto God and mightily prevails with him God encourages us to an importunity for Zion He does not say as he did to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy but give me no rest until I save Isa 62. 6 7. I have set watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Love takes this encouragement and makes the Christian thus to resolve For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof goes forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth The Churches Reformation and Righteousness is to be prayed for as well as it's Deliverance and Salvation The Apostle tells us if we will pray to purpose we must lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. Wrath defiles him that prayes and fills the censer with strange fire mixing a sinful fervency and heat with prayer and so hinders its prevalency and acceptation But Love empties the heart of wrath and fills it with an holy fervour and how much does the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevail Jam. 5. 16. One Moses full of love to Israel and to the God of Israel zealous for Gods Honour desirous of Israels welfare he stands in the gap and by prayer turns away that Wrath that was breaking in and ready to destroy all the people Psal 106. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach before him to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them 2. Love strongly inclines us unto peaceableness and what is for the Churches peace is for her edification Rom. 14. 19. Let us follow after the things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another I grant when we are pursuing peace we must have a special regard to truth and holiness Zach. 8. 19. Love the truth and peace Heb. 12. 14. Follow after Peace with all Men and Holiness But the Scripture must determine what is Truth and we must distinguish between the great Truths of the Gospel and those that are less important It was a truth which the Apostle was perswaded of by the Lord Jesus Christ that there was no meat unclean of it self and yet those who were otherwise perswaded he look'd upon as tolerable and not to be despised Nay he expresly forbids those of different Sentiments in this matter to judge one another Rom. 14. The Scripture likewise must inform us wherein purity and holiness lies for a mistake here may quickly draw forth such a furious zeal as may set the
Church in a flame Some place Purity and all Religion in being for the Liturgy established as if the Compilers of it had been tantum non divinely inspired and all other Prayer were but meer Enthusiasm and contemptible babbling On the other hand some place purity and all Religion in declaiming against the Liturgy as Mass-english the mark of the Beast and the very voice of the Whore of Babylon But neither the one nor the other place purity and Religion right The Scripture no where commands that we should only pray by a form neither does it forbid a form to be used But it requires that our very Hearts and Souls should be in our prayers and faith and holy desires and other graces exercised in our duties and here lies the purity of them Love therefore refuses to be quarrelsome about smaller matters for it knows that peaceableness cements the Church and closes her breaches and it justly fears lest while men are so contentious about ceremonies the substance of Religion be lost in the quarrel 3. Love makes Christians condescending and yielding one to another that hereby edification may be promoted To be Magisterial and self-willed is not to be the Servants of Christ who are employed in building of his Church We are not to be Dictators but all alike to hearken to the voice and command of Christ our Lord and to be mild and gentle one towards another The Apostle Peter charges the Younger to submit themselves to the Elder but withal adds yea all of you be subject one to another 1 Pet. 5. 5. and hereby intimates that to be Lordly and imposing is contrary to the Spirit of Christianity It was love that made the Apostle Paul a Servant to all that he might gain the more 1 Cor. 9. 19. To the Jewes he became as a Jew that he might gain the Jewes to the weak he became as weak that he might gain the weak he did not hereby manifest a carnal compliance through fear but a condescension of love He was not to be charged with Levity or Apostacy he was not to be censured as a Turn-coat as an Hypocrite as a Mungrel minister or a Linsey Wolsey Brother nor to be called Dough-baked a Cake not turned No no the Apostle loved the Gospel and had a mind to spread it he loved Souls and was desirous to save them and understood how far he might yield in indifferent things for the Churches peace and edification Love makes us patient and self-denying hinders us from pursuing petty designs or private revenges The pleasing of God and profiting his Church swallow up such things as these Love will hinder us from minding high things and move us to condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12. 16. Indeed to apply our selves to all the best and most probable ways for their benefit we shall endeavour to help the weak we shall pity the fallen we shall labour to reduce the straying we shall encourage the diligent and honour the stronger Saints and all this is hugely for Edification 4. Love makes Christians highly to esteem the Pastours and Builders of the Church for their works sake and hereby Edification is promoted The Ministry of the Gospel is a special gift which Christ bestowed upon his Church for her unconceivable advantage Eph. 4. 8 11 12 13. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Prophets and some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man And since the Ministry is such a gift and token of the Royal bounty of Christ who is ascended far above all Heavens certainly the flock of Christ are to love and encourage their Pastours and the more they do this the more likely 't is that the end of the Ministry's institution should be attained namely the edifying and perfecting of the Church of Christ The Apostle though he might have commanded yet uses intreaties for Ministers sake 1 Thes 5. 12 13. He had bid them just before v. 11. to edifie one another but knowing the work of Edification would go on but lamely without a Gospel-ministry he therefore adds And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and bâ— at peace among your selves 6. Love will constrain the Pastours and builders of the Church to mind their work to purpose A Minister that is full of love to Christ and Souls cannot be a Loyterer If indeed he does design preferment and to fill his baggs with wealth be his great aim then he will grudge Souls his pains He will not be concerned though Hell fill never so fast and though himself be going apace thither But if holy love to the Church of Christ does rule in his heart it will constrain him to be a Labourer and to do his work diligently he will watch and pray he will search and study and aboâ—â— all books the Bible He will take heed to himself and to all his flock that he may save himself and them that hear him Nay love will make a Minister labour and suffer also for the Churches Edification Abundant love to the Corinthians made the Apostle say I will very gladly spend and be spent for you 2 Cor. 12 15. And 't is very plain that he did not think much of suffering Phil. 2. 17. Yea and if I be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all These reasons plainly demonstrate how much Love tends to edifie But a great many reasons more I find all together even a whole cluster of them 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. which I shall enlarge upon because they are both a trial of our love and a demonstration most evident that love is for Edification The Apostles words are very searching very piercing he reads a kind of Anatomy-Lecture upon this grace of Love and Charity and lays the inside of it open to the view of others He seems to speak a strange word Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing v. 3. What is Charity and Love may some say if feeding the poor be not These outward acts a Pharisee may do meerly out of oftentation Mat. 6. a Papist may do ignorantly hoping hereby to satisfy for his sins and merit Heaven I grant that love without these outward acts of mercy is vain and useless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love in deed is love in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. But though love produce such deeds many outward acts of mercy may be where love is not The Apostle in
things wherein they agree than of those wherein they differ And be sure to deafen your ears to Tale-bearers whose business is to destroy Love and sow Discord The words of a Tale-bearer are as Wounds and how deep do they go Where no Wood is the Fire goeth out and where there is no Tale-bearer the Strife ceaseth Prov. 26. 20. 6. Let this be your frequent Petition That you may be taught of God to love one another Pray that the Word which commands Love may be more deeply engraven in your Hearts and rule there at all times and that all exasperating thoughts and surmises all unruly passions which are contrary to Love as enemies to you to the Church to God himself may be brought into Captivity unto Christ the Prince of Peace USE V. Of Consolation to the distracted drooping desponding Church of Christ and all the sincere Members of it The grounds of Comfort are these 1. The Church of Christ shall be upheld noâ—withstanding all her Divisions What heats what Heresies in the Primitive times If one reads the Catalogue of Errours in Epiphantus and St. Augustine which men professing Christianity embraced and what rents these Errours made it will be just matter of wonder that the Church was not torn to pieces by her own Members Satan has been striking at Faith and Charity and yet still there is a Church and when he has done his worst there will be one 2. The Love of Christ towards his Church is unchangeable The Members may fail in their duty one towards another but the Faithfulness of the Head never fails His care is constant he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. 'T is said Joh. 13. 1. That Jesus having loved his own that were in the World he loved them to the end And this love secured them to the end 3. There will be no want of love in Heaven Though Christians may not fancy to travel in one anothers company yet they are all going towards the same Countrey and place of eternal rest and when they are once come thither they shall rest from sin and contention as well as from trouble and affliction In that glorious place and state there will be no errour no culpable ignorance remaining both light and love will be in their perfection and because perfect love is there perfect peace and joy will be there also Jerusalem above is a City indeed that is compact together strongly founded for its builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. and 't is to last for ever and is built accordingly The triumphant Saints that inhabit there how near are they brought unto God who is all in all How closely and inseparably are they knit together in love St. Paul and Barnabas will no more fall out being both in Heaven and Luther and Zuinglius are perfectly agreed When St. Augustine as he tells us in his Confessions had been discoursing with his Mother concerning Heaven the Crown the Joys the Peace the Pleasures there his Mothers heart grew warm with Sacred Fire and that warmth at length was heightned into an Heavenly Rapture making her cry out Quid hic faciam What shall I do here below How shall I with patience stay in a vale of fears who have had such a sight of the glory such a taste of the joyes of the New Jerusalem Certainly it should make sincere Christians long to be above and it should comfort them that it will not be long ere they are above when they behold the Church on Earth so rent and torn by Pride and Ignorance and unruly Lusts and Passions and when withall they remember that among the innumerable Company of Angels and all the glorifyed Saints there is not the least discord but a compleat and everlasting Harmony I have finished my Discourse concerning Love and the Churches Edification I shall add a few Verses which I made when Prisoner in the Marshalsed I find that Musick relieved Saul when the Evil Spirit came upon him and composed the Spirit of a Prophet when it was ruffled and out of order and perhaps Poetry may have an effect of the like nature The Versâ—s are these Now use thy liberty my Mind Who art not in the least confin'd The whole Earth over thou may'st go And view the All that it can shew And that great All which thou can'st see Is not enough to satiate Thee From Gades to Ganges thou may'st run Thy thought 's much swister than the Sun And in thy travel nothing spy But what is vexing Vanity The greedy Worldling spares no pains The morâ— he has the less he gains To profit others does refuse Nay locks up all from his own use Sensual pleasures mixed be With an inward Anxiety The brutish part they only please But are the Mind's snare and disease Th' Ambitious Man strives to climb high That he may stand more slippery The glist'ring Crowns which Monarchs wear Have less of Honour than of Care Vain World produce even all thy store Thou art indeed a thing but poor Nay Heavens Heirs have felt thy rage In this as every former Age. If not by an excessive love An Idol made of thou do'st prove A Hell or Shambles unto them Who dare thee with thy all contemn The Church is too much like the World Into a strange confusion hurl'd Envy and Wrath and Pride and Strife Imbittering this present life By all is plain enough exprest Arise depart here 's not thy Rest Trample on Earth then take thy flight Immortal Soul Things out of sight Above the Sun or any Star Are worthy'st of thy thoughts by far Let not thy Senses Jaylors be Nor what suits them infatuate thee Open thy eyes behold thy God Rise with thy Lord that thy abode May be with him that 's Light and Love Nay All in all that are above The Persecution most fierce Can no way hinder thy Converse With Heaven Though in a Dungeon deep As the Earth's Centre Foes should keep The Body close yet thou art free And thy best Friend to visit Thee The joyful tokens of his Love Prisons are Palaces do prove Nay Paradises of Delight Although they silly Nature fright Sorrow is Joy and Pain is Pleasure Disgrace is Honour Loss a Treasure The World when worst is best of all To those God does to suffer call The New Jerusalem comes down Is clearly'st seen when Men most frown And with the sharpest Thorns thee Crown Take up thy Cross which is thy Tryal And taste the Sweets of Self-denial God is thy Father and thy Rest Abide with him and thou art blest The Following Poem was more lately Composed A Welcome to Disesteem I. THe World 's a Syren and its sweetest Song The greatest Wrong Th' Applause of Men the Prais'd endangereth Like poysonous breath The Wings of Fame like those of Icarus Pernicious He that Ambitious is of Estimation Shews himself fond of Peril and Temptation II. I' th most of Men a change is seen as soon As him i' th' Moon A word a look can quench the hottest Love And anger move The fondest Friend oft turns the worst of Foes And fury blows Whoso does think to make men alwayes kind He may as well attempt to hold the Wind. III. On Mountains high the Tempests fiercest are And nothing spare The tops of loftiest Buildings in a Town Are soonest down He that 's Above is envied to Death By those beneath Ambition does prove a fatal Charm And makes a man expose himself to harm IV. Vnconstant World how low should wise men deem Thy high esteem To better bad men Honour has no force Makes good men worse Honour is fitly styl'd the Foolish Fire That flies desire But fondly follows such as scorn and fly it That they may be misled and ruin'd by it V. What peace and safety is in being low The Prudent know Christs Head did fly the Circle of a Crown And great Renown The whole World offered He did refuse And Meanness chuse To follow Wisdoms Pattern can't be folly Dishonour's no just ground of Melancholy VI. False World thy ill report I 'le not deserve It shall me serve Thy frowns and slanders shall a kindness do Not make me rue When Friends turn Foes and Foes more Foes I see It weaneth me From things below and kills excessive Love Where doating my destruction might prove VII I will the Rage of Froward Men and Spight With Love requite It troubles me to see Professors Ire Burning like Fire I wish I were all Tears to check the Flame And quench the same If Wrath shut ears against my Ministry I will to God for all the louder cry N. V. THE END