Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
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A81376
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Certaine observations concerning the duty of love, and of the contrary evill, vncharitablenesse. VVritten by Thomas Devenish.
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Devenish, Thomas.
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1642
(1642)
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Wing D1213; Thomason E142_21; ESTC R8292
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21,289
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34
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of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and to that purpose in the last verse of this Chapâ—er the Apostle adviseth us to desire the best gifts having formerly mentioned divers but concludes in that verse that hee will shew them a more excellent way which he shewes in the next Chapter to be love and makes it plaine that without that all the other were or would prove unto them unprofitable it is most singularly set forth unto us in that 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and in conclusion he crowneth love with this above all the rest that it shall never fall away verse the 8. Love doth never fall away c. and therefore the Apostle adviseth us Col. 3.14 And above all things put on love which is the bond of perfectnesse this indeed ties all together and when this bond is broken we cannot performe our duty as we ought we see Nabal he could not helpe David he had no love The fourth motive is every man lookes that others should love him and supply his wants is it not most equall we should do the like to them See what Christ speaketh to this purpose Mat. 7.12 Therefore whatsoever yee would that men should doe unto you the same doe yee unto them c. want of love then is a most unreasonable sinne There are divers motives also to this duty in respect of our brethren first in regard of the neere relation we have to them they are of our own flesh Esa 58.7 we would not hurt our owne flesh but we know there should be a neerer relation of the same spirit Secondly there is not the worst but hath some thing in him to be beloved or whereby we may exercise our love that is delight or pity Thirdly the poorest and meanest may help the richest as we see David used the help of the poore Egyptian 1 Sam. 30.11 Also the poorest are or may be beloved of God Now to shew what this love is It is a fruit of the grace of Gods spirit no fruit of the flesh Gal. 5.22 and hence it is said 1 Iohn 4.7 love commeth of God and the Apostle Saint Paul saith that hee need not write unto them of this duty for this was taught them by God himselfe 1 Thes 4.9 But as touching brotherly love yee need not that I write unto you for yee are taught of God to love one another Thus we see then we have not love by nature Now there are divers conclusions may be drawne from this First that must needs be an error in such as maintaine that the first act of love is in man by nature wee may see this cleared by that the Apostle speakes Col. 3.14 And above all things put on love shewing that by nature men are without it so likewise see to that purpose Tit. 3.3 The second conclusion What may be in man by nature is not love as we see Iohn 3.6 The third conclusion That love which friend beares to friend parents to children c. is not this love 1 King 3.26 so the very Heathen may doe Mat. 5.46 The fourth conclusion if love be a fruit of Gods Spirit then wicked men can never love one another as we see betwixt the men of Shechem and Abimelech such friendship we shall finde in the Alehouse amongst drunkards the greatest shew of love when perhaps that was the first of their acquaintance and before they part one stab another it 's little better with all carnall men they cannot love never therefore keepe company with such neither trust a wicked man for at best he will be sure to leave thee in time of greatest need thus we see Ahab left Iehosaphat 1 King 22.30 and of this the Prophet David complains Psal 41.9 Yea my familiar friend whom I trusted which did eate of my bread c. See also an example in Judas Christ made him not onely an Apostle but also an especiall officer amongst the Apostles yet hee could not love him such mens friendship is like that of Iupiters Priests and the rest of the people mentioned Acts 14.13 that would have sacrificed to the Apostles and in the 19. verse were ready to stone them The fifth conclusion then may be this Labour all wee can to intrust our selves in the affections of Gods children for if there be any love it is amongst them this did the Prophet David Psal 16.3 To the Saints that are on earth and to the exellent all my delight is in them Let us now see the generall nature of love it is ready to doe good c. therefore the Lord is said to wait Esa 30.18 Thus it is also in men or at least should be See what the Apostle speakes Act. 21.13 What doe yee weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus thus also to the brethren Rom. 1.15 Therefore as much as in mee is I am ready c. So 2 Cor 12.14 See likewise what is said in commendation of the people 2 Cor. 9.12 For I know your readinesse of minde c. this also is commanded 1 Tim. 6.18 Now the readinesse is seene in these two things First when we doe good without intreatie as we see the Disciples did Act. 11.28 29 30. Whensoever they heard of the wants of the Saints sent them succour Secondly when we doe good at the first motion as Hyram 1 King 5.7 he rejoyced at the motion thus it 's said of that wisedome which is from above Iames 3.17 Easie to be intreated c. Some will performe an act of love with much intreatie as the unjust Judge Luke 18.36 this was not love for love will constraine us as we see Acts 16.15 of Lydia But when men are troubled and thinke much that any man should move them to this duty it 's an ill signe we ought to lay downe our lives as Saint Iohn speakes Iohn 10.11 and to doe good as the Prophet David speakes Psal 122.9 and so Heb. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not c. Love is like the good woman spoken of Prov. 31.12 She will doe him good and not evill all the dayes of her life Hence ariseth three conclusions First love consisteth not in words and complements as Iames 2.16 This is no more love then the sonnes was obedience who said that hee would doe it but did it not see what Saint Iohn adviseth 1 Iohn 3.18 My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth The second conclusion is this If a man doe that which pleaseth a friend and is not good this is not love as wee see by the counsell given to Amnon 2 Sam. 13.4 5. And hence it is said Prov. 13.24 hee that spares the rod hates the childe because hee doth him no good The third conclusion such as say they hurt no body and yet doe no good have not love the
CERTAINE OBSERVATIONS Concerning the Duty OF LOVE AND OF THE CONTRARY EVILL Vncharitablenesse VVritten by Thomas Devenish 1 Cor. 13.1 Though I speake with the tongue of men and Angels and have not Charity I am become as a sounding Brasse or as a tinckling Cymball LONDON Printed by R. Oulton and G. Dexter for William Larnar 1641. TO THE HONOURABLE Denzil Hollis Esquire Brother to the Right Honourable the Earle of CLARE all Grace here and Glory hereafter RIght Noble Sir this Pamphlet is for the most part such notes as I had taken some five or six yeers sithence for mine owne private use but now have made it for the use of my friends also And howsoever for want of such a dresse as Learning might have set it forth in it hath lost that grace which otherwayes it might have had yet by reason of the matter I assure my selfe it will be of some account with so many as preferre substance before shadowes which hath made me adventure the publishing of it though no better furnished then you see and the sure knowledge of your noble disposition and former experience of your favour hath imboldened me to present this little Booke unto your Honour being well assured that by your Patronage it will finde the more favourable entertainment especially amongst some which otherwise perhaps would have scornfully rejected it and it may be will tax me of resumption that for the credit of a trifle shall crave the assistance of so eminent a person but my duty and true affection to your Honour and hope of your pardon hath made mee wilfully repell all reasons that might disswade me Accept therefore I beseech your Honour this small gift as King Artaxerxes did the water which a poore man brought in his hands and gave him who received it with a smiling and cheerefull countenance measuring the gift not according to the value but according to his good will that gave it and thought it no lesse an act of Kingly greatnesse to take small presents in good part then to give greater neither is any eminence disgraced by so doing I think it needlesse to trouble your Honour with many words of entreaty and therefore conclude wishing your Honour all happinesse here and hereafter Your Honours to be commanded THO. DEVENISH To the READER FRiendly Reader I know that great wisdome is requisit to write well and there is need of greater deliberation then in speaking because a rash word may be presently corrected but that which is set down in writing cannot be so easily amended yet this is chiefly to be observed by Schollers and great men who ought to consider well what they utter and to use words of another phrase than that of the vulgar sort but for such as my selfe may take more libertie not wronging so much our reputation so we speake the truth which hath imboldened me to publish this Booke for as it is lawfull and fit to aske such things as wee stand in need of so also to profit others what wee can by speaking or writing though wee want that sweete grave and eloquent speech which is not to be neglected by such as have it and for any to refuse a truth when it may be profitable because it comes in homely words were grosse folly I am sure men will not do so in the things of this life for I have often knowne wise men of this world and learned discourse long with a poore Countrey-man and have beene very readie to hearken to his advice when it may be profitable and you shall hardly finde any so madde as to refuse directions from the meanest Shepheard or Begger he meets withall in a way he knowes not But you will say it 's a shame for any man to be so ignorant as not to know the way to his owne home and that in the cleare light at noone day but such is the wilfull ignorance of the most that they know not or if they know they forget and walke not in this heavenly path of Charitie yea men of high esteeme for their great wisedome are not ashamed to declare their ignorance of this Royall Law of Love which ought to be the rule of all mens actions Witnesse that great man who at his triall made this excuse That he fell upon those evills with which hee was charged for want of Buoy to guide him if he had but looked on the law of Nature hee might have found Buoy enough for a Heathen could have told him by the light of that Law that it is injustice to take that which belongs to another man from him by force much more would the Law of God have been a perfect rule to have kept him from those uncharitable wayes and he could not misse directions there almost in every leafe which implyes not onely the necessitie and excellencie of this dutie but also our want of it and the great need we have still to be put in minde and this is also manifested by our Saviours speech to Simon Peter Ioh. 21.15 For as if this could never be sure enough rooted in the heart he asketh him three times together whether hee loved him sure Christ did not aske so often to informe himselfe of Peters love but to teach him and us all the necessitie of this dutie which is the summe of all for without it we can doe nothing well and with it and a right judgement we can doe nothing ill The best affected looke more to the truth then to the person or manner of delivery which leaves mee not altogether hopelesse but that this may doe some good and so I commit it to the charitable acceptance of all that reade it desiring to gaine so much intrust hereby in the affection of Gods children that I may have a part in their prayers which I hope they will not deny me and in that hope I rest Yours in the Lord THO. DEVENISH JOHN 13. VERS 34. A new Commandement I give you that yee love one another as I have loved you c. GAL. 6. VERS 2. Beare yee one anothers burthens c. BEfore wee learne our Duty it is good to set before our eyes the haynousnesse of our sinne and the best way for a man to come to the true sense and knowledge of the nature of sinne is first to consider the glorious Nature of God against whom we sinne his infinite essence and power his excellent wisedome his wonderfull goodnesse his free love his exact Justice his unspeakable Mercy and his infallible Truth with all the rest of his Attributes And in the second place consider what God hath done for us he created us of the dust of the earth and that in his owne Image Gen. 1.27 That is in the likenesse and exquisite resemblance of divine Essence or Deity Hence we may see the blasphemie of Papists in making an Image of God which cannot possibly have the least resemblance of Divine Nature Also in the first and second Chapter of Gen. wee may see at