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
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
man in Love So ye may see how these two are joyned together as it were in one commandment 1 Joh. 3.23 This is his Commandment that we believe in his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us commandment So that the Doctrine of the Gospel commanding Faith is but an imperfect Law if it be not joyned with the commandment of Love The commandment of Faith and Love together make up a compleat Law Therefore I doubt not but as the one so the other also was delivered in the Beginning Abraham knew this well who lived long before the Law was published on mount Sinai and therefore he walked in Love and laboured to cherish Love and to pâ—◠〈◊〉 the breach of Love and thereupon saith to Loe I pray thee let there be no strife between me and thee for we are brethren So it appeareth likewise by his carriages mother cases And it 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—eds be so for the same way of Salvation for the Substance is and hath ever been operâ—â—â—â— and shewed unto men The same good worâ—share ordained for the people of God to walk 〈◊〉 throughout all ages therefore they must have the same rule to walk by in all sages Now Love and the Fruits of Love is the Substance of the Law therefore this was from the Beginning CHAP. VI. Vse 1. THis sheweth the Excellency of the Law of Love and of the Duty of Love commanded in this Law It is ancient it is from the beginning Ancient Laws are fundamental Laws and ought especially to be regarded and observed That Law of Ceremonies delivered to Moses and by him to the people of Israel was a new Law in comparison of this and therefore it was no fundamental Law of the Church of God and so it was abrogated in the fulness of time but this Law of Love is both an ancient Law from the beginning and so a fundamental Law of the Church of God without which the Church cannot stand for if Love be taken away there can be no Church Therefore men do little consider what they do when they allow themselves in the neglect of Christian-Love and in the duties thereof They sin against a most ancient and fundamental Law without which the Church of God cannot stand Malice Hatred want of Love is a sin against the foundation of Obedience and Holiness As there be fundamental Errors viz. Errors against the foundation of Faith so there be as it were fundamental sins sins against the fundamental Law of Love Every failing in the duties of Love is a sin against this Law but the want of Christian-Love and the nourishing of Malice and Enmity in the heart are more directly against this ancient and fundamental Law This Law of Love then being an ancient and fundamental Law delivered from the beginning doth commend unto us the excellency of Christian and Brotherly-Love and shew the odiousness of the contrary sin None can rest upon Christ the Foundation and Corner-Stone of the Church which hath not this fundamental Law of Love written in his heart which hath not his heart enclined to Love Therefore St. Paul saith That the Tongues of men and Angels faith to remove mountains abundance of knoledg all these if a man had them without Love cannot profit no though a man should give all his goods also to the poor and his body to the fire and why Because he wanteth a fundamental and principal Grace required in this fundamental and ancient Law the want whereof proveth him not to be grounded nor built upon Christ the Foundation and Corner-Stone of the Church because he hath not the Spirit of Love which is in Christ How should this move every one of us then to search our hearts diligently lest any Lees or Dregs of Malice should settle there lest as the Apostle saith any root of bitterness should remain there and spring up in us How should it move us to purge out all affections contrary unto Love CHAP. VII II SEeing this Commandment of Love was from the beginning it should teach us That no injuries which men have done or can do against us should make us think our selves discharged from the duty of Love towards them This Law of Love pleadeth prescription against all such wrongs and injuries whatsoever It was before them and it is to take take place before them and against them all The Law of Love which is so ancient even from the beginning should cause us to walk in Love and to do the offices of Love above all those new injuries which men have done us or may do us These should not prevail so to draw us to Malice and Hatred or to extinguish Love in us as that should to beget and encrease Love The Apostle disputing about the Law and the Gospel in the Epistle to the Galathians saith That the Law as it was published by Moses being four hundred years after the Promise of the Gospel given to Abraham could not disanul that Promise and make it of none effect much less can any injuries disanul this law of Love which is many thousand years more ancient than any injury which we have received therefore still this ancient Law standeth in force and bindeth us to love even those who do most of all wrong and provoke us Is it not then a most unchristian thing when men cannot lay down old enmities nor purge out old grudges nor forgive old injuries Are any so old as this most ancient law of Love which is from the beginning There is a wicked hereditary enmity between some Families and Kinreds which descendeth from father to son c. and they will not give it over because it is so ancient What if it were Five hundred years old yet this law of Love which is above Five thousand years old since the delivery of it to Mankind should prevail so far with us as to make us forget them and to walk in Love III. The Antiquity of this law of Love should cause us to consider of that great Day of the Lord which shall be in the end of Time even at the end of the world when all the breaches of this law not being blotted out by repentance that have been from the beginning are now and shall be to the end of the world shall be punished with everlasting vengeance Oh the innumerable Transgressions against this law in all ages which then shall be called to account and brought to the Barr of the highest Tribunal even before the judgment Seat of Christ Oh the horrible murthers massacres cruelties oppressions extortions thefts rapes persecutions tyrannies of Princes and States malitious plots and practises contentious courses wrongs injuries and among the rest those bloody Wars and destroying of Nations with fire and sword which if they be not lawfully undertaken and lawfully mannaged are to be accounted among the most notorious breaches of this royal and most ancient Law and beside these all fraudulent and unjust dealings together with other things of like nature What
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
to the wicked is but like the crums that fall from the rich mans Table but his special Love and Favour are the Dainties upon that Table which none but his Church doth feed upon God causeth the Sun in the Firmament to shine upon the just and the unjust The light of the Sun is a great yet common mercy but God hath promised that he will be a Sun and Shield to his Saints and give both Grace and Glory God will give the Light of the Sun to the wicked but the Godly only shall enjoy the Light of his Countenance He will give to the wicked Rain the Dew of the Clouds but the Godly only shall have the Dew of Heaven poured on them If the Lord doth bestow the chief of his Love upon his people then must we Love them as God doth and bestow the chief of our Love upon them 2. Because Jesus Christ himself loveth the Godly above all he thinketh nothing too dear too good for his Saints his Blood his Life his Righteousness his Spirit his Grace his Glory his Kingdom He thought no evil too great to suffer for his Saints What Reproaches what Blasphemies what contradictions of Sinners What Pangs what Sorrows what Tortures what Agonies did his spotless Soul endure if here be no Love to the Saints where is it Ye then that profess your selves to be Christs Disciples imitate your Master in this in bestowing your best Love upon those that are truly Godly By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13.35 In this sence to be a Disciple of Christ is to be a Child of God for it is meant of a practical Disciple one that learneth of Christ not only by his Word to know his Will but also by his Word and Spirit to follow him It is as if our Saviour had said your gifts of working Miracles and casting out Devils in my Name your preaching my Word your Praying are not such signs that ye are my Disciples as your Mutual-Love I your Master do love you and what is your Love one to another but a reflected beam of my Love 3. The Holy Ghost loveth the Saints chiefly he is pleased to make their Hearts his Temple to live and dwell in The Spirit hath his residence in them he hath desired them for his Habitation he ever keeps home in a Godly mans heart he dwelleth in him and shall be in him And as himself so his Graces shall still abide in him The anointing which ye have received from him abideth in you 1 Joh. 2.27 The comforter shall abide with you for ever Joh. 14.16 So shall his Comforts too though not always alike perceived The Spirit dwelling in a Christian storeth him plentifully His Divine Power gives him all things pertaining to Life and Godliness This unfeigned Love to the Children of God is a special and principal fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith Love is in the forefront Now it is by this Spirit of God that Men and Women are regenerate and born of God By this Spirit they are born again and made the Children of God and the same Spirit which giveth them this new birth doth bring forth in them this fruit of Love Now seeing the All-glorious Trinity love the Saints so dearly so peculiarly is there not reason we should do so If we love not as God loveth in setting our special Love where he sets his special Love we cannot be followers of God as dear Children 4. The Holy Angels are ready to do Godly men all the offices of Love and take special care of them now the Saints shall be in Heaven as the Angels of God are let us then be like them here upon Earth The Angels of God are willing to do any office of Love for the meanest Saints they are their ministring Spirits for their good Shall not we then love those whom the glorified Angels do so dearly and tenderly Love 5. Because of that near union which the Saints have with God and Christ therefore we must bestow our special Love upon them Christ and his Saints are so neerly united to each other that they are said to be one they are one in Spirit So that if God and Christ have our special Love the Saints that are one with God and Christ must have our special Love also And he that doth not love a Saint doth not love God with special Love he that doth not love the Saints above others doth not love God above all things God Christ and all the Saints are but one entire object of our Charity only here is the difference God and Christ is to be loved for himself and the Saints are to be loved for God and in God In God not without him for God by vertue of his Command So that our Love to the Saints is per redundantiam it doth redound from God to the Saints Christ and the Saints are as a Man and Wife he that doth not heartily love the Wife doth not truly love the Husband because they are but one Flesh So it is in our Love to Christ and his Saints who make but one mystical Body He that loveth not the Members of the Body loveth not the Head Let us suppose the glorified Body of Christ in the Heavens were upon the Earth with us no doubt but we would be very officious and respective of it and in an holy Emulation we would strive who could manifest greatest Love to his glorified Body How would ye cry out Oh yonder is the Body that was whipt and scourged buffeted peirced nailed and broken for us that glorified Body was the Body that was crucified for me Let me be Anathema Maranatha if I should not love him that loved me in so wonderful a manner But as our Saviour said to Judas repining at the cost bestowed upon him Me you shall not have always but the poor ye shall have always among you so may he say to us Me you have not among you but I leave among you a most fit Object for your Love I leave my poor Saints to be with you always which I do as much respect as I do this glorified Masse united to my Godhead What Love ye bestow on my Saints I will set it on my score as if ye had done it to my glorified Body Therefore such do but prate of Love to Christ as do not love his Members And were the Lord Jesus upon Earth conversant among men they that grieve mock and hate the Saints and shun their company would do the same to Christ himself Tell me can that sore eye that cannot endure to look upon a Candle but it smarteth and aketh can it endure to look upon the Sun He that can not endure to see a spark of Grace Holiness shining in a Saint but he hates and scoffs at it would that man endure to see the Sun of righteousness himself
Doubtless such men would hate Christ if he were living among them as they do the Saints 6. Because where the special Good is upon that must our special Love be bestowed It is the rule of the School-men ut simpliciter ad simpliciter sic magis ad magis et maximè ad maximeè that is If that which is simply good be to be loved then that which is better is to have more Love and that which is the best good is to have the best Love What is the best thing in man if Grace be not will ye say Riches is better than Grace then a rich Man because rich is to be preferred and loved above a Godly Man Will ye say Beauty is better than Grace then a fair Face is to be esteemed above the Beauty of Holiness Will ye say the endowments of Natural Parts is better than Grace then an Heathen Philosopher may be loved better than a Child of God Is moral Honesty better than Grace then a dunghil covered with Snow is better than an House of Marble full of Gold What are the things men love most take a survey of them all and ye shall find Gods Image in the Saints is best What doth God regard in men do you think he regardeth a rich Nabal for his Riches an exalted Haman for his Honours a voluptuous Esau for his Pleasures or an indiscreet Woman for her Beauty Do ye think he looketh upon Greatness in any respect These things are not the good he loveth but Grace only Grace is Gods own Nature and shall he turn his eyes from himself Grace is Spiritual Riches Spiritual Beauty Spiritual Honour it is all excellency in a Spiritual way therefore chiefly to be beloved Did ye see an Angel in his Glory you would say indeed he is a very lovely Creature it is Gods Image that makes him so and it is the same for Substance in a Saint on Earth Want of Love to the Saints is our own blindness because we do not conceive the worth and excellency of Grace in the Saints Swine trample upon Pearl because they know not the worth of it So wicked men slight the Godly not perceiving the worth of Grace in them 7. Because our Love to the Saints manifesteth that we are of the Communion of Saints Love is the Soul and Life of the Communion of Saints it is the bond of perfection it bindeth the Saints up in one Body it is the Corner-Stone which holdeth the sides of the Wall together it is that which makes Christs Church like his Coat without Rent It was the opinion of some Philosophers That the whole world was but one Body and that there is one Soul of the World that holdeth the parts of the World so much more there is a Spirit of Communion which uniteth the Members of it with the Spirit of Love And as the members of a Mans Body will fall asunder were there not uniting parts in them as Sinews and Muscles joyning them together so the Communion of Saints is held and maintained by the bond of Love See how diversly the Scripture sets forth the Communion of Saints by such tearms as do call for special Love They are said to be Brethren must not one Brother love another above a stranger they are said to be Members of one Body must not one Member help another Member of the same Body before others of another Body They are all said to be one Spouse of Christ all the Saints together make up the Church which is the Wife of Christ So the Saints should love one another as if there were no Saints but themselves They are all said to be made partakers of one Divine Nature Who will not love his own Flesh his own Nature better than anothers In loving the Saints thou dost but love thy self They are said to be one Houshold the Church is called The Houshold of the Faithful As in a Family there is one Boord one Bread one Cup among neer Relatives So Christians should have one Heart one Mind one Affection and should hold and cleave together Such Love there was among Christians in the Primitive times that the Heathens observing it said Oh how do the Christians love one another 8. Because we are to live with them to Eternity therefore Saints should have our chiefest Love When all the wicked of the world shall be turned into Hell be they never so great or never so dear unto us ye that are Saints ye shall lye together in Abraham's Bosom dwell together in those Mansions which Christ your Head and your Saviour hath prepared for you in the highest Heavens enjoying God together following Jesus Christ the Lamb the Bridegroom together praising God together ye shall reign with Christ together be glorified together Are your Friends rich and mighty on Earth and are the Saints poor despicable and miserable in the World yet these poor Saints shall live in Heaven with you when the cruel Nimrods of the Earth shall be turned into Hell Is there not Reason that we should love them most that are Fellow-Heirs of one and the same Kingdom our Eternal Neighbours in Heaven fellow-Citizens of the Heavenly Jerusalem It is a true Axiom of the Schools Societas fruitionis divinae est fundamentum charitatis ergo inter proximorum praecipua charitatis objecta sunt sancti homines i. e. The common participation of one and the same eternal Glory and Happiness is the main Foundation of Charity Therefore they infer truly that among our Neighbours the Saints are the cheifest Objects of our Love 9. Because indeed the Godly are the best men on the Earth whatsoever the World doth think of them David calleth them the excellent of the earth the Pillars of the Earth they are called Gods Jewels the Apple of Gods Eye Gods beloved Persons the more excellent they are the more to be beloved they are called the Temple of the Holy Ghost Look over the Book of the Canticles and see by what Names and Titles God calleth his Saints and then ye must needs confess they are Persons highly to be loved CHAP. XV. Sect. 1. I Come now to shew How we are to love one another The manner of our mutual-Love the Scripture sets down by two expressions 1. As thy self 2. As Christ loved us 1. In the first place Thou must love thy Neighbour as thy self 1. Who is there that wisheth not all the good that may be to himself Doth any sober man wish any harm to himself So must thou heartily desire the good of others Thus Moses wished That all the Lords people were Prophets he wished every man like unto himself So St. Paul desireth from his heart That all Israel might be saved Rom. 10.1 2. Who is not affected with his own Miseries and Afflictions So must thou when thou seest others in Misery Thou must weep with them that weep and make their Losses and Miseries to become thine own 3. Who doth not pray heartily for himself for Gods Blessing
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
and those for whom he hath provided this blessed Supper This bread of the Lord is the Childrens bread and this Cup of the Lord is filled for his Children therefore thou who dost not love the Children of God as they are his Children how canst thou take this Sacrament without great Hypocrisie The Sacrament is a Seal of our Union and Communion with Christ and his Saints So saith the Apostle concerning this Sacrament 1 Cor. 10.16 The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Is it not a Seal of our Union and Communion with Christ and so proper to those that are truly united unto Christ and made one with him Then he addeth ver 17. For we being many are one bread and one body for we all partakers of that one bread It is also a Seal of Communion between the faithful Now in eating of this one bread with the Children of God and drinking with them of the same Cup thou professest thy self to keep the Unity of the Spirit with them in the bond of peace and so to embrace them and to be joyned together with them in love for they are the people for whom this Supper is principally provided Now if thou lovest them the worse for religion and godliness sake it is great Hypocrisie and so a great pollution of the Sacrament for thee to receive it and it is the ready way to bring a Curse upon thy self instead of a Blessing and to make thee guilty of the blood of Christ instead of having thy guilt washed away by his blood CHAP. XXVI LEt me now give Arguments to encourage the Godly to suffer the Hatred of the World 1. Consider what a God ye serve for whose sake ye are hated and oppose the infinite Love of God to the worlds hatred then you need neither to care for it nor to be troubled at it Perhaps a world of wicked men hate thee yet an infinite God doth love thee an hell of Devils are combined against thee yet an infinite God standeth for thee and embraceth thee Is the hatred of the world and of hell greater than the Love of God is towards thee The worlds hatred is but of a short continuance Gods Love is an everlasting Love There are bounds set to the worlds hatred Gods Love is boundless Look up to God in Heaven when the world is in an uproar about thee and quiet thy self with this Meditation I am causlesly hated of the wicked Yet be not cast down O my Soul the Lord of Heaven loveth me and what is their hatred to His Love The world is every where railing upon me and scoffing of me but what are all the reproaches of the world to me as long as the Lord delighteth in me and approveth of my ways As David answered Micohl mocking at him dancing before the Ark It was before the Lord who delighted in me he cared not whom he displeased so long as he pleased God so the Saints need not regard the world hatred 2. God hath a special care over thee in thy greatest dangers and troubles Tertullian saith a Saint is cura Divini ingenij Gods own charge in the world he hath none to look after but the Saints Thou art the Object of the hatred of the wicked and of Gods care as long as the eyâ—s of God are upon thee what matter is it that the envious eyes of the wicked be against thee God is more watchful for thy good than they can be to do thee hurt David could sleep securely in the night although an Hâ—st of ten thousand men did encamp against him Gods care over him was an impregnable Shield 3. Consider that you have Christ a Co-partner with you in their hatred When he lived here he was hated as much as you can be and is sensible of all the wrongs that are done unto you Those Canaanites that are Thorns in thy side are Thorns in his side Those wretches which are pricks in thine Eye are pricks in the Apple of his Eye See how comfortably Christ speaks to you Be of good cheer I have overcome the world The wicked are but so many Serpents that have lost their stings though you fight with a malicious world yet you contend with a vanquished enemy which shall shortly be trodden under your feet 4. God doth over-rule their hatred sometimes he lets the wicked lose upon his Saints sometimes he binds them up Esau hated Jacob and purposed to slay him but God chain-him up and made the face of rough Esau to look like an Angel of God Wicked men are compared to Seas sometimes the Waves arise to such an height in a storm as if they would over throw and drown all before them bâ—t God hath set â—ounds to them thus far and â—o farther here shall thy proud waves stâ—y So God hath bounded the malice of the wicked Thus 〈◊〉 shall they trouble his people â—ut here shall their hatred and malice stay fain would the Devil have taken away the life oâ— Job but touch it not saith the Lord. They cannot take away an hair from your heads but what God permitteth 5. Consider how God will manifest his Love to thee in Heaven who art hated for him here how Christ will hug thee in his arms and kiss thee with the kisses of his mouth who art reviled for him here Cast up thine eyes to Heaven when thou art sensible of the world hatred and say Heaven will pay for all Call to remembrance thy future glory and then rejoyce that thou art counted worthy to be hated â—oâ— Christs sake The more the world loads thee with malice and hatred the more will God load thee with honour and glory The more marks of Christ thou dost carry about thee the higher will Christ exalt thee Our Saviour endured the Cross despising the shame for his eye was fixed upon the glory set before him Heb. 12.2 Set Heaven before thine eyes and thou wilt neither regard the best nor the worst in this present world Oh what is the hatred of this world to the love of God in Christ and that infinite mass of glory that shall be revealed CHAP. XXVII FInally let me give two or three rules for a Christians carriages in the time of the worlds hatred 1. Beware of giving just cause by thy carriage to wicked men to exasperate their hatred against thee if they hate thee let it be for Christ for Righteousness sake and for well-doing You are not hated for Christ if you give any cause to the Adversaries of Religion to revile you 1 Pet. 2 11.12 Abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers they may by their good works which they shall behold glorifie God in the day of visitation And 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye suffer for righteousness sake