his love to others He must not have persons in admiration because of advantage nor allow of any Hypocrisy which Conscience cannot chuse if tender but condemn Therefore sayes the Apostle Let love be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. Conscience observes whether our inward affection answers our speeches our shews and our pretences and should be able to bear witness of our integrity Our love to our neighbours should be for Christs sake and should make us to pursue the ends for which Christ died on their account 3. Love must flow from faith unfeigned In that fore-cited place 1 Tim. 1. 5. Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned There must be a firm belief of Gods good-will towards men of Christs love to his Church so as to give himself for its Redemption and Salvation and that he much insists upon this Command that Christians should love one another and when love is the product of this belief then 't is right then 't is acceptable The Apostle gave thanks without ceasing in the behalf of the Ephesians when he heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the Saints Eph. 1. 15 16. How can he refuse to love any one Saint who unfeignedly believes that Christ died for all especially if withall he be upon good grounds perswaded that Christ loved him und gave himself for him 4. Love must be fervent 1 Pet. 1. 22. Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto the unfeigned love of the Brethren see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently 'T is ill with the Body if the natural heat abates it argues a dangerous decay in the new Creature if Love wax cold If Christians Love one towards another languish proportionably there will be also a languishing of their love to Christ himself and this is very perillous When there was not a fervency but lukewarmness in Laodicea Christ threatens to spue her out of his mouth Rev. 3. 16. When Ephesus had left her first love he sayes I will come unto thee quickly and remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent Rev. 2. 4 5. The great love of God in Christ his frequent injunctions that love may continue the excellency sweetness usefulness and even absolute necessity of love for the Churches conservation all this should be as perpetual fewel to maintain this holy fire 5. Christians Love must be Brotherly Christ sayes to his Disciples All ye are Brethren Mat. 23. 8. The whole Body of Believers is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Brotherhood 1 Pet. 2. 17. Christians are all Children of the same heavenly Father who by one Spirit according to his abundant mercy has begotten them again to a lively hope all of them have Christ to be their Elder Brother and are born again of the same seed which is incorruptible how reasonable then are those injunctions Love as Brethren 1 Pet. 3. 8. And let Brotherly love continue Heb. 13. 1. Alas for woe that the sinful Defects and Passions of Brethren are to be found among Professors but not the Affection Multitudes at this day resemble the Brother spoken of by Solomon Prov. 18. 19. A Brother offended is harder to be won than a strong City and their Contentions are like the bars of a Castle 6. Love should be extended so as to become Catholick and the more extensive 't is the more it makes a Man resemble God himself 1. Love is to be extended to the whole Church to all Saints When Love is limited to a party 't is Imprisoned as it were which ought to enjoy the greatest Liberty 'T is common and needful to distinguish between Conversion to a party and Conversion to God There is a distinction likewise to be made between Love to a party and Love to the Church of God 'T is but too apparent that men place too much in being of such a party and Perswasion and therefore all Receeding though done with a clear Conscience and for the Churches Peace is nick-named Apostacy And though a man walks as closely with God lives as well as ever loves more Saints and Saints more than ever yet because he is not rigidly of such a way he is censur'd belyed reproacht and shunn'd as if he were an Heathen man or Publican Oh Love why sleepest thou awake awake wherever thou art planted revive and flourish and bring forth the fruits of kindness peaceableness tenderness and moderation All true Saints of all Perswasions are beloved of God and purchased with his blood and nothing shall be able to separate them from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom. 8. ult Disaffections therefore and distances one from another are very unseemly very sinful Though God does love all his Children freely yet they are all worthy of one anothers love and this love is a just Debt which they owe one to another If Saints are loved as Saints all Saints will be loved à quatenùs ad omne valet consequentia And if we love not all 't is but too plain that we love none at all truly 2. Love is to be extended to the Jews if they are beloved for their Fathers sakes Rom. 11. 28. Christians should love them and express that love by Prayer that they may not still abide in their Unbelief but look unto Jesus whom they have pierced and obtain Mercy 3. Love is to reach unto the uncalled Gentiles The worlds blindness and wickedness should move our Compassion and since the Mercy of our God is so unconceivably large we should desire that more may partake of it and since Christ is a Propitiation sufficient for the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. 22. We should pity the millions of Souls that never heard of him and beg that the sound of the Gospel may come to their ears and that through this Jesus they may be reconciled and saved 4. Love is to be extended even to enemies and Persecutors Christians must not render evil for evil reproach for reproach cursing for cursing but if they are reviled they are to bless if they are defamed they are to intreat and they must endeavour the Worlds benefit though they are made the filth of the World and the off-scouring of all things 1 Cor. 4. 12 13. A Saints Patience should alwayes be greater than the Passion of a Persecutor a Saints love than a Persecutors hatred 'T is an excellent Spirit and the right Spirit of Christian charity to be meek and kind to those that are most bitter against us to speak the best of those who speak the worst of us to Pray that our most spightful Enemies may be forgiven and that the injuries which are done us being Pardon'd may not do an eternal harm unto the Injurers 7. Love should never fail but more and more increase It must be a constant fire never to be extinguished nay it
beareth and endureth all things It bears the greatest injuries from the World and yet wishes the World well and it endures unkindness from Brethren still remaining kind to them it is not transported by the fancied intolerableness of any injury so as to render evil for evil it minds that of the Apostle 1 Thes 5. 15. See that nonè render evil for evil unto any man but ever follow that which is good both among your selves and towards all men Oh Love How much want is there of thee in the Church of Christ and how much does this Church feel for this want it groans it languishes it dies daily because of thy absence Return O Love return Repair breaches restore paths to dwell in edifie the old waste places and raise up the Foundations of many Generations for after all the most politick contrivances Thou wilt be found the Master-builder Having done with the reasons which demonstrate that Love is for the Churches Edification I am in the fourth place to shew the vanity of those excuses that are made for the want of Love 1. Some say they are bound to contend earnestly for the Faith and therefore Mildness and Love in this case are but urged unseasonably strive they ought and strive they will I Answer That sincere Protestants of all perswasions agree in the same Faith and their disagreeing among themselves is the way not to uphold that Faith but to destroy it The Controversies between them is about Circumstantials and external modes of Worship they all own the same Doctrine of the Gospel in opposition to the Corruptions and Heresies of Rome That 's a bad Contention that does exclude Love He that believes the Gospel of Christ to be the Gospel of Peace cannot but follow after Peace Fides Amor quam benè conveniunt How well do Faith and Love agree both together make the Breast-plate of a Christian 1 Thes 5. 8. Whereby his Heart is armed and secured 2. Others say they will not halt between two Opinions they will follow God and not Baal they are for Christ and not for Antichrist and are resolved to have no Charity for the Beasts Worshippers nor any Communion with them I Answer Do not call that Idolatry and Antichristianism which Christ calls not by such a Name To charge all Conformists with Idolatry is an â—eavy Charge as bold as heavy and as unreasonable and uncharitable as either I am sure the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes though Conformists were enabled to suffer the rage of Rome and loved not their Lives unto the Death that they might bear their Testimony against the Idolatry of Antichrist Those that affirm a Form of Prayer to be a Spiritual Image and consequently a breach of the second Commandment seem to me to discover a greater strength of Phancy than of Judgment I grant the Second Commandment forbiddeth the Worship of the true God by a false medium or means and such a false means is an Image for by this means the Glory of the incorruptible God is changed into the similitude of a corruptible Creature which we are forbidden to fall down to and Worship so that the medium or means forbidden in this Law is an object as well as means Now those who are most for Forms of Prayer will deny them to be the objects of their Worship their Worship is directed to God alone and only in the Name of Christ the Mediator That Reverend Author who asserts a Form of Prayer to be an Image forbidden in the Second Commandment yet does grant That a Christian Man whether Minister or of private place may by the Gift of Prayer which he hath received compile to himself a set Form of Prayer and may use the same for his Prayer whether in publick or in private according to his place But if a Form were indeed forbidden by no means 〈◊〉 a man make such a Form of Prayer for himself Further Let me add that all who cry out against Antichristianism should beware of Vncharitableness which is a great part of it Rome is full of Cruelty censures and condemns all that are not of her way and affirms 't is impossible that they should be Saved Those in whom Christian love does most abound I am sure are come furthest out of Babylon and are likeliest to hinder a return thither what animosities and divisions will do I wish that time may not too soon manifest 3. Others plead that they are for a thorough Reformation and the purging of all impuritie out of the Church of Christ and they cannot endure such as do things by halves only I Answer That 't is the Glory of the Protestant Churches that they are Reformed ones and none of them are so pure but Reformation may be advanced to an higher degree The Compilers of the Common Prayer in the Commination acknowledge that in the Primitive Church there was a godly Discipline which is wanting among us and they wish that it may be restored So that a need of Reformation in Discipline is here plainly confessed and the thing desired But a Reformation is regularly to be endeavoured no man using unwarrantable means nor transgressing the bounds of his vocation And while we are talking against Impurity in adminisâ—â—â—â—ions which the more exactly according to the Word of God the purer and the purer the better and more effectual let us not overlook some of the worst impurities of all Pride and Envy and Hatred and Wrath are the Impurities of the Devil himself other sins may have more of the Bruit or of the Child but these have more of Beelzebub 'till thou art reconciled to thy Brother ' think not that thy Offering will be accepted Mat. 5. 24. while thy Heart is full of bitterness and Self-conceit and Strife do not imagine thou canst be a pure Worshipper 4. Others say What shall we Love a Company of Apostates that are for returning to the Onions and Garlick of Aegypt and will receive the mark of the Beast it self I Answer That the Scripture should be Studied and understood or else it may easily be misapplyed 'T would better become men solidly to prove a thing to be Antichristian than loudly and boldly to call it so Shall he be branded as an Apostate who manifests in his whole Conversation a fear of God that loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity that owns the great fundamental truths of the Gospel and is willing if called to it to seal them with his blood shall he I say be branded as an Apostate because to give a legal satisfaction and shew he is no Papist he sometimes hears the Prayers of the Church and Scriptures read in a known Tongue Certainly the Censurer iâ—â— greater Apostate from Love than this man is from Truth Though the well-meaning of Persons is to be well taken and whatever of God is in them is to be loved and encouraged yet this is to be disliked that differences between Protestants are made to seem greater than they are It does not
there no remedy Though the case be deplorable 't is not desperate Were my Text but minded in it might be found a sure Recipe Christ is the Churches Head and Healer and were but Love revived it would quickly bring his Body to a better and more healthy temper Light may do much but Love will do more Love covers a multitude of sins Love cures a multitude of Maladies The Church encreases and edifies it self in Love Though the Apostle was a Prisoner yet we find his Heart enlarged towards the Ephesians Having before discoursed concerning the Mysteries of Faith in this Chapter he presses Vnity and Love with the greatest vehemency and in order hereunto he exhorts to all lowliness and meekness He knew that pride is the cause of contention and that humility and love are the way both to the Souls and to the Churches Rest He uses great strength and cogency of Argument that he may prevail The Saints are Members of one Body They have been regenerated and are acted by one Spirit who hath effectually called them to a lively hope of one and the same incorruptible Inheritance And in that Inheritance there is not there cannot be the least discord They serve one Lord who is best served when his Servants best agree together They are instructed in one Gospel justified by one Faith baptized in one Name Finally that God is one who is a most compassionate and indulgent Father to them all And from so many Premises how strongly and undeniably may we conclude that all Saints should be of one Heart and of one Soul The Apostle in thus preaching Love and Peace shewed he had a very great regard to the glory of Christ the Head who is ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and that he had a great concernedness for his Body the Churches edification For according to my Text it increases and edifies it self in Love In the Words there are four Propositions worthy of our observation First The Church of Christ is compared to a Body Secondly This Body of Christ is imperfect in this world and therefore continually should be increasing Thirdly The Body of Christ should diligently endeavour the edifying of it self Fourthly The more Love abounds among the Members of the Church the more the whole Body will be edified Proposit 1. I begin with the first Proposition The Church of Christ is compared to a Body The Scripture often uses this Metaphor of a Body now a Metaphor is a similitude in a word and indeed there is a great resemblance between an Humane Body and the Church of Christ as by and by will be made evident Believers are sometimes called the Brethren of Christ Joh. 20. 17. which intimates a very near relation Sometimes they are called his Spouse whom he has betrothed to himself for ever Hos 2. 19 20. and that 's a relation much nearer and signifies a more intimate and dear affection and familiarity Sometimes they are called Branches Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4. and this expresses a nearer Union still and that both the life and fruitfulness of Christians depends upon their being and abiding in Christ the true Vine But because Branches though they grow are without sense and feeling so that neither themselves nor the Vine feel any pain when they are cut or broken therefore Believers are stiled Members the Church a Body and Christ is the Head who is very much concerned both in it and for it Eph. 5. 2 3. Christ is the Head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the Body So Eph. 3. 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel Again Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning and first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence Zanchius upon this Text takes notice of two things 1. That by the Body we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phorius in scholiis to understand Verum Christi Corpus Mysticum the true Church the true mystical body of Christ This Church is made up of them that are really sanctified of this Hypocrites are not members for tho' such are visibly Saints yet in truth they are under the dominion of sin and shall receive for their hypocrisie greater damnation Tho' hypocrites profess themselves Christs members yet really they are not united to him Christ lives not rules not acts not in them as he does in sincere Christians Let them seem to be his followers let them pretend never so highly to be his friends yet really they are strangers whom Christ will profess at the great day he never knew Luk. 13. 26 27. Then shall ye begin to say We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know you not â—hence you are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity 2. By the Church we are to understand the Church Militant that part of the body of Christ which is militant on earth not which is triumphant in Heaven The Church above needs not exhortations to grow and increase in Knowledge and Grace it needs not the means of edification Sermons of love are not to be preached there Glorified Saints have not the least sinful defect they see God face to face and Christ as he is and their love to their Father and Redeemer is answerable to the sight they have and as much as they are capable of And being refined from all remainders of sin they are become such lovely Creatures that they cannot but love one another with a most pure and perfect love 'T is the Church of Christ on earth the Apostle speaks of this is the Body that is to be edified and alas in how many respects how certainly in all respects does it stand in need of edification In the handling of this Proposition I shall first of all shew the great resemblance that iâ— between the Church of Christ and a Body Secondly What kind of body the Church of Christ is Lastly Make Application In the first place I am to shew the great resemblance between the Church of Christ and a Body 1. The life of the Body depends upon its conjunction with the Head Christ is the Churches life and the Nos Christo adglutinamur non sicut populus Principi sed sicut membra bumani corporis suo Capiti Church could no more live without Christ than a body could remain alive after the head were severed from it Our Lord calls himself the Way the Truth and the Life also Joh. 14. 6. By his blood he frees his Church from the sentence of death and condemnation which sin had brought her under and makes her spiritually alive by his quickning Spirit So that the Church breaths after God walks with him labours in his work and service all which are evidences of life spiritual We read 1 Joh. 5.
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
argue an healing Spirit to call every thing we dislike Egyptian and Babylonish This uncharitable Censuring if it be not the mark of the Beast 't is the mark of one as bad you know who is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Accuser of the Brethren 5. Others say That many who pretend to Religion and Conscience are Schismatical and Rebellious and Love and Countenance does but harden and encourage them in their pernicious wayes to the Prejudice both of Church and State I Answer Particular persons who are culpable let them hear the blame but why should all Dissenters be judged Rebels how peaceably have they carried themselves for these many Years how fervently do they Pray for the Kings Life and Prosperity To Assassinate his Majesty or the Duke of York they look upon as an action most abominable and are perswaded that every one that names the Name of Christ should utterly abhor such a Villanous Iniquity They look upon Solomon not as speaking like a politick Prince but as declaring the mind of thâ— Holy Ghost when he sayes My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24. 21. They are sensible that the false Teachers in the latter dayes have this Character that they despise Government that They are presumptuous and self-willed and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. Let those who are full of bitter Invectives against Dissenters as if they were Enemies to Government consider what the Assembly of Divines at Wesiminster have declared and the Congregational Divines at the Savoy say the same Confession of Faith Chap. of the Civil Magistrate It is the Duty of People to Pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other Dues to obey their lawful Commands and to be subject to their Authority for Conscience sake Infidelity or Difference in Religion does not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the People from their due Obedience to him from which Ecclesiastical persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their People and least of all to deprive them of their Dominions or Lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever And as for the Charge of Schism the Dissenters wish there were no such thing in the Churches of Christ that Terms of Communion might be only Scriptural and that all occasions of Division might be taken away They Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that she may have more True Lovers and That all may prosper who Love her I come in the last place to the Application USE I. Of Information If Love be for the Churches Edification then 1. Hence we may be informed that Hatred Variance Emulations Wraths Strifes and such works of the Flesh tend to the Churches Ruine they that harbour such sins as these and are not concerned about the mortification of them they are frantick Christians who cast Fire-brands and Arrows and Death doing much mischief to others but most to themselves 2. No wonder that Satan who labours to destroy Churches endeavours to kill Love He is the envious one that sows ill Weeds he is the Father of Lies and Errors he knows Errour tends to Division he sets an Edge on the Passions of men and makes them more sharp and keen he is the grand incendiaâ—y in Churches setting all in a flame and he hopes this flame will consume all before it nay burn at last to the lowest Hell 3. Those Principles are truest and best that tend to the begetting and increasing of Love The Church of Christ is little beholding to those who are of narrow Principles that mind only a part but not the whole The Apostle blamed the Corinthians for being of such a narrow Spirit 1 Cor. 1. 12. Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas whereas all true Believers should reckon themselves one in God and Christ and consequently should be for one another 4. Hence we may be informed that Love is the more excellent way Rigour and Fury may force men to a dissembled Compliance but Love is the way indeed to win them I don't think it a Credit to the Alcoran that it must be seconded with the knocking argument of an iron Mace the Spanish Inquisition shews the weakness of that Religion which cannot stand unless it has the help of such Cruelty to support it Certainly that Church which is fullest of Love is the truest and wisest and most likely to be enlarged The Apostle preferrs Charity before the Faith of Miracles though these Miracles mightily confirmed the Authority and Verity of the Gospel nay he preferrs it before the Gift of Prophesie though Prophesie was the most Edifying of all the Gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. 1. He was indeed a Prince among Preachers and supposes himself better than he was and to speak with the Tongue of an Angel yet sayes he Without Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal nay If I have not Charity I am nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. USE II. Of Caution in several particulars 1. Take heed of what is contrary to Love as that which is contrary to Edification Unmercifulness Cruelty Rage Revenge Bitterness are so far from becoming Christianity that they are against Humanity it self When first sinful Passion begins to stir in thy Heart obsta principiis quench the spark for behold how great a matter a little fire kindles Jam. 3. 5. What is contrary to Love is contrary to thy own Peace and may make thee a Disturber of the Churches Peace 2. Take heed of sinful Self-love This causes perilous times to overtake the Church of Christ 2 Tim. 3. 182. This know also that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves Self-love turns Godliness into a Form argues a want of the Power it makes Religion to be subservient unto base and selfish designs and hereby the Gospel comes to be suspected Atheism grows rampant and the Church must needs languish Self-love will make you unconcerned for the Honour of God for the good of man it will produce a carelesness in you of others welfare and hinder you from truly minding your own He that loves no body but himself and matters not what harms befall others so himself can but scape is a pest of the World unfit for Christian nay for humane Society Antiquity has censured that Speech as infamous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I were dead no matter though the World were all a fire The Self-lover is of the same temper if he can but keep what he has and sleep in a whole Skin he is not at all affected with others Calamities and Afflictions 3. Take heed of scandalizing any 'T is the great work of Satan to cause