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.
Love to unite Christians and to make them one since divisions strike at Christ himself and harden the World in its infidelity 5. Love enlarges the Heart and frees it from the bonds of selfishness and makes its desire others welfare as well as our own Love to our Neighbour breaths forth in servent wishes that it may be well with him both in Time and to Eternity We are in every respect to consider our Brethren and true love will make us long that every way they may be benefited that they may not want any needful fecular comfort and encouragement especially that they may be blessed with all Spiritual blessings And above all that they may attain Eternal Happiness and Salvation The Apostles love vents it self in a Prayer for the Corinthians temporal prosperity and increase 2. Cor. 9. 10. Now he that mimistereth seed to the Sower both Minister brend for your food and multiply your seed sown and increase the fruits of your Righteousness So St. John writing to his beloved Gaius wishes him health and prosperity 3 Joh. 2. Beloved I wish above all things that thou mayst prosper and be in health even as thy Soul prospereth But the Apostles wishes that Souls might be sanctified and saved were most vehement and most pathetically expressed Rom. 10. 1. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved Phil. 1. 8. God is my record how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you Behold how the Apostle loved Souls I don't wonder that he wishes his love as a blessing to the Church 1 Cor. 16. 24. My love be with you all in Christ Jesus Amen 6. Love is the fulfilling of the Law the doing of which is so much for our Neighbours benefit Rom. 13. 8. He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law As love to God includes the whole first table of the Law so love to our Neighbour includes the second with reason 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling of the Law for it causes an affectionate and obediential respect unto every Commandment of the second table and there is not one of these precepts but 't is hugely for the good of Mankind 1. Love has a regard â—o the Honour and Authority of Others That honour which is due to Natural Parents love is ready to yield They that were instrumental in giving us our very Being and that nourished us with such tenderness and care when we were not ablâ— to shift for our selves may rightfully challenge obedience from us Upon a supposition that Parents are fallen into decay that piety that Children shew them in relieving them is called a Requiting them 1 Tim. 5. 4. so that Childrens disobedience as 't is unnatural so it has a great deal of ingratitude in it Love ascends higher than our Natural Parents and reaches the very Thrones where Kings and Princes are placed Kings are Patriae Patres Fathers of their Countrey all the inhabitants of a Kingdom are the Children of the King and as a Common Father their very hearts should love and reverence him It was not a Court complement or a strain of Rhetorick but an expression of religious Loyalty when the Prophet call'd the Anointed of the Lord the breath of the peoples nostrils Lam. 4. 20. and signifies how dear his life should be unto them all Love will cause tribute and custom to be willingly paid fear and honour to be rendred Rom. 13. 7. Christian Princes according as it was prophetically promised Isa 49. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are Ecclesiae Nutritij the Churches Nursing Fathers The Church of Christ in this world is not arrived to such matâ—uity but it stands in need of nursing the Magistrates care is needful and his Authority is a good fence unto the Christian faith And if the Doctrine of the Gospel has a legal establishment how should this endear the Supream Magistrate unto all inferiours Where Christian love reigns in the hearts of Subjects there Christian Kings will reign with greater security Love and rightly informed Conscience wherever found will do more than Rods and Axes though these are also necessary to support and defend the Civil Government 2. Love has a regard to the Lives of Others The guilt of blood is great the cry of blood is loud Murther how does it wound the Murtherers Conscience and defile the very land which receives the blood of him that is murthered Love utterly abhorrs cruelty and slaughter It considers the meekness and gentleness of Christ When James and John would by miraculous fire have consumed a Samaritan village that would not receive their Lord He rebukes them and sayes ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luk. 9. 55 56. Love is so far from thirsting after blood that it will not allow of malice in the heart nay rash and causelefs anger it dislikes for that will make a man in danger of the judgment Mat. 5. 22. Were but love every where revived it would put an end to the Iron one and cause the Golden age to return Swords would be beaten into Plough-shares and Spears into Prâ—ning-Hooks and Nations would not learn Warr any more 3. Love will not violate others chastity Lust is strongly inclined to such a violation but the grace of love is of an holy and clean nature and abhorrs all obsceneness It is so far from consenting to defile anothers body that it will not allow the heart where 't is by a filthy thought or desire to be defiled for our Lord sayes Whosoever looketh on a Woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Mat. 5. 28. Love looks upon the bodies of Christians as Members of Christ as temples of the Spirit now the Members of Christ are not to be polluted the temples of the Spirit are not to be profaned How little of true love is there in this lustful Age in this adulterous generation An affection that is indeed Christian is rarely to be found but a reprobate and brutish concupiscence is very rise both in City and Countrey though hereby both are ripening apace for vengeance Jer. 5. 7 8 9. They assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses they were as fed Horses in the morning every one neighed after his Neighbours Wife Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nature as this 4. Love will not steal away the substance of another It abhors to be injurious to any it is for following that which is altogether just It is ready to distribute willing to communicate to the poor according to that charge 1 Tim. 6. 18. and the poorer any are it is so much the more communicative Love is liberal for he that
the excellent ones and his delight was all in them as the most eligible and suitable Society Psal 16. 3. Love is exceedingly pleased with the holy and unblameable and exemplary Lives of others it finds a Melody and Sweetness in their gracious and edifying Discourses when their Hearts are warm and their Graces are in vigorous exercise the delight is greatest when Saints are most like themselves discovering most of real Sanctity and least of sinful Infirmity Love is for Communion with all Saints though of different perswasions He that likes Saints of his own Judgment onely 't is a sign he is fond of his own Opinion and that his Complacency is not so truly in the Image of God wherever it shines 'T is want of light that makes Saints of different sentiments in Religion and 't is want of Love that makes them so shye to look so strangely to speak so strangely and to act so strangely one towards another 9. Love causes a joy in the good of others In the natural Body if one Member be honoured all the Members rejoyce with it 1 Cor. 12. 26. Christians in like manner are to rejoyce with them that do rejoyce Rom. 12. 15. It was an excellent Spirit in John the Baptist and it argued the Truth of his Love to the Messiah of whom he was the forerunner that he rejoyced to see Christ increase though he himself decreased Joh. 3. 29 30. The Apostle was perswaded of the Corinthians affection to him when he said I have confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all 2 Cor. 2. 3. The more Love abounds the more the joy of one Christian will be the joy of every one Love rejoyces to see the Spirit of God poured out in the most plentiful manner to see useful and excellent gifts distributed to others It is really glad of their highest attainments their enlargements their comforts their honour and esteem following upon all this We are all Members one of another and why should we not rejoyce in one anothers honour since we are really honoured one in another and the honour of all redounds at length to our Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of all 10. Love covers a multitude of sins and Infirmitieâ— 1 Pet. 4. 8. Not that there is any merit in this Grace of Charity to deserve the pardon of sin in our selves but instead of spreading the faults of others it spreads a veil over them Love makes us tender-hearted and kind ready to forgive others as we our selves for Christs sake have been forgiven And indeed the offences and injuries done to us by others are but like the debt of a few pence compared with our offences against God which amount to many Millions of Talents The Apostle Peter asked Christ Lord how often shall my Brother sin against me and I forgive him till seven times Jesus saith unto him I say unto thee not till seven times but untill seventy times seven Mat. 18. 21 22. Some think that there is allusion to the custom of the Jews to shew favour every seventh year but especially in the year of Jubilee As there is a greater measure of light in the Christian Church than there was in the Jewish so ought there to be a greater measure of love We must not only forgive to seven times or seven times seven but seventy times seven a certain â—umber for an uncertain intimatinâ— we must pardon our trespassing Brother without any stint or limitation Our Lord calls the time of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the acceptable year Luk. 4. 19. Christians should abhorr all manner of revenge and be as charitably inclined to pass by their Brethrens faults as if their life were a perpetual Jubilee Where is the love of those who not only harbour in their hearts a grudge against their Brethren but their mouths are like Trumpets to sound forth their failings Nay they tarry not to examine whether failings or no but boldly and blindly conclude them to be such and proclaim and exclaim against them Nay their eager tongues tarry not for a certain Information but whether reports to the disparagement of others be true or false they make them run like wild-fire What 's become of Love the mean while Love hiâ—es a multitude of sins but these persons won't conceal one Love covers real Crimes but these forbear not spreading false reports The Tongue by Drexelius is called Orbis Phaethon the Phaethon of the World that sets it in a flame If as the Apostle sayes an unruly tongue defiles the whole body and he that seems religious and bridles not his tongue does but deceive his own heart and his Religion is in vain Jam. 1. 26. Let a multitude of Professors at this day tremble and be astonished and cry out Who among us shall be saved 11. Love is projecting and designing the good of others Thus the Apostle abased himself that others might be exalted and sought not his own profit but the profit of many that they might be saved 1 Cor. 10. 33. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour but is very fruitful in contriving and operative in promoting his Neighbours welfare Love is not in not in word and in tongue only but in deed and in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. It will not only say depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but 't is ready to cloath the naked and to feed the hungry nay it deviseth liberal and charitable things and considers the wants of Souls as well as Bodies cordially according to its capacity endeavouring that both may be supplyed The Apostles love to the Corinthians was very active notwithstanding a woful failing on their side 2 Cor. 12. 14 15. I seek not yours but you and I will very gladly spend and be spent for you in the Greek 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for your souls though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved Thus have I explained the Nature of Love In the Second place I am to speak of the Properties which the Scripture attributes to it and requires should be in Love 1. Love must proceed from a pure heart 1 Tim. 1. 5. A heart must of necessity be made a new one before this Grace of Love can dwell there If Satan cannot make us hate our Brother he will endeavour to defile our Love There is need of the greater care that our Love be not defiled by selfishness or lust and filthiness Our affections should be pure and clean as Angels may be conceived to love one another All impure motions must be detested utterly and our hearts being first circumcised to love a God of Holiness must love Saints for their holiness sake Our love should alwayes have an holy aim and never degenerate so as to design the polluting of others or our selves with them 2. Love must be joyn'd with a good Conscience 1 Tim. 1. 5. A Christian should not be conscious to himself of any sinful or by-ends that he has in
12. He that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life They that by faith receive the Lord Jesus are purified are regenerated and shall live for ever but as many as through unbelief reject him remain dead in sin and doom'd to Hell Union with Christ is a most necessary a most happy union The Churches life from this has its beginning and continuance unto consummation 2. The Head has a mighty influence upon the Body There is a powerful influence from Christ upon his Church and what good it does is done by vertue of this influence He is said to be exalted far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Eph. 4. 10. Whatever grace and strength and comfort is communicated to believers it is really and all from Christ He fills Ordinances with efficacy mercies with sweetness afflictions with light and usefulness and Souls with greater degrees of Grace and Holiness out of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all-fulness it has pleased the Father should dwell in him Col. 1. 19. Our Lord tells his Disciples they must abide in him for separated from him they can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. No wonder the Apostle professes That Christ is all and in all Col. 3. 11. Though the Body the Church should be never so much increased a deficiency in the Head Christ need not be feared neither is it indeed possible for in him there is all the fulness of the Godhead And consequently his Rightousness and Grace must needs be sufficient for the whole 3. The Body has many Members and these members have different Offices The Church likewise has various members and their different stations relations callings diversify their work and duties and yet the doing of these duties is both comely and advantageous and the more every one does his own work the more all are benefited Rom. 12. 45. the Apostle tells us That as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ And from thence infers that All should use the gifts they have received which are differing according to the grace and good pleasure of God the Giver It would be unreasonable for the Ear to attempt to speak like the Tongue or the Hand to see like the Eye The several members have their uses and work proper to them All are not Apostles all are not Prophets all are not Teachers all are not Governours 1 Cor. 12. 29. There are many indeed most in the Church that have need to be taught and governed and those that think themselves wise enough to instruct and govern themselves and so despise their spiritual Guides usually are the most ignorant and unruly and hugely need the help and conduct of others The members must abide in their place and calling Masters Servants Parents Children Husbands Wives Magistrates Subjects Pastors People doing their duties which the Scripture in their several stations and relations calls for 4. The Body is fitly joyned and thus fitly joyned is the Church of Christ The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies that there is a congruous order among the members of Christ Without Order an Army would be a Rout and not an Army a Kingdom would become a confused self-destroying multitude The Churches God is the God of Order and not of confusion 1 Cor. 14. 33. There is a rule for Order and Government and a subordination in the Church 't is not a body of levellers if there were a perfect parity all would affect to rule none would care to be ruled The reproof of two or three is more than the reproof of one the Churches admonition and censure is still with greater authority The flock is to submit themselves â—o their Pastors who are over them in the Lord. Heb. 13. 17. and both Pastors and people are to submit especially unto Christian Magistrates who are prophetically promised in the Old Testament that they should be Nursing Fathers to the Church under the New A right Order in Churches and Families will have a mighty influence to make believers stedfast against temptations both to Error and Wickedness The Apostle rejoyced in the Colossians chap. 2. 5. when he beheld their order and the stedfastness of of their faith in Christ 5. The Body is compact together so is the Church of Christ the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shews that the Church is firmly knit unto Christ the Head and the members one unto another The hypostatical Vnion between the Natures of Christ shall never be dissolved neither shall the mystical union between him and his members and if so then his true members must needs remain closely knit together There are ligaments joynts bands whereby the Body of Christ is held together The Spirit of Grace and Love unites the body to Christ and members to members The Ministers of Christ are subservient unto this union and ought to be preaching and commending love which is a grace of an uniting nature The Apostle had a concernedness for the Colossians which he expresses by a great conflict and that which he wisht so vehemently for was this that their hearts might be comforted beingknit together in love Col. 2. 1 2. Where is the member of the natural Body that grows weary of its fellowship and is willing to be cut off The Arms the Hands the Leggs the Feet are desirous to keep their places and and nature makes them abhor to be severed True grace makes the members of the Church to dislike separation As they believe so they very well like and are desirous of the communion of Saints A very black mark is set upon them who are of a contrary inclination 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest they were not all of us 6. God hath set the Members in the body as it pleased him the different gifts and graces which are in the Church of Christ and the members of it are according to Gods will and pleasure He bestowes larger gifts upon some and less upon others and yet those that have less are not unuseful Some Saints receive greater measures of Grace others smaller but all have that grace which is true and which at last will end in glory Some members of the Church are higher others lower and yet they should not envy or despise one another for God has assigned their place unto both the higher may direct the lower the lower may serve the higher The eye cannot say to the hand I have no need of thee nor the head to the feet I Have no need of you and those members of the body which seem to be more feeble are necessary 1 Cor. 12. 21 22. By the grace of God the members of Christ are what they are They have nothing but what they have received and the more
temperateness of the Climate the fruitfulness of the Soil the variety of Delights where can you find a better Land that might reasonably be wisht to have been the Land of your Nativity Be not I beseech you so unnatural as to fill and load me with sin and to make me desolate a Land not inhabited The Corn I bear the abundance of pleasant Fruit I produce the Beasts I nourish for your food the wholesome Air you breath in for all these it would be an unworthy requital to turn me into an Aceldama a Field of Blood I have been a Land of Light to you as well as fruitful The Sun of Righteousness has shined as clearly and gloriously in Me as in any Nation under Heaven Oh sin not quarrel not away that which is my truest glory that which is your greatest Priviledge Study and mind the things which concern your peace Make your peace with God by faith in his Son and that faith accompanied with Repentance and Reformation and be at peace among your selves and then you need not fear your forreign foes And I should again become a Land of Renown and be both feared and courted all Europe over 4. There is a Love which is Spiritual The grounds and attractives of this are Spiritual And this kind of love the Text speaks of Christians Hearts should be filled with it And the more this is expressed the more the Church must needs be edified The Nature of this Love I shall explain in these Particulars 1. Love is a Grace wrought by the God of all grace 1 John 4. 7. Let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God That Spirit which brings a man to the knowledge of God and regenerates him and makes him a New Creaâ—â—re works in him this Grace of Love thereâ—â—re we read That the fruit of the Spirit is 〈◊〉 Gal. 5. 22. Though Good Nature be an cellent thing and the dispositions of many incline them to be full of loving-kindness yet this natural sweetness of temper does greatly differ from Christian Charity The best Nature is regardless of the Soul neither is it concerned for it self or others beyond the things of sense and of this present World The Apostle thus describes a state of Nature in which he sometimes was as well as others Tit. 3. 3. We our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient deceived serving divers lusts and pleasures living in malice and envy hateful and hating one another So that true love to others is of an Heavenly Original 2. Love is in Obedience to the Divine Command Christians love one another because their Lord and Saviour has commanded them Joh. 15. 12. This is my Commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Both Law and Gospel insist upon this The Summ of the second Table of the Law is this Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self And by the Gospel this Law is established Faith in Christ therefore and Love are joyned 1 Joh. 3. 23. And this is his Commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment Obedience to the Command sanctifies our love to our Neighbour and renders it not only more profitable to him but acceptable to God himself When we love others that Gods will may be fulfilled and he may be pleased and because of the Image of God and Christ which we see in them then we love truly And this is the meaning of that 1 Joh. 5. 2. By this we know that we love the Children of God when we love God and keep his Commandments When love to God and a care to keep his Laws induce us to love his Children because he bids us and for his sake 3. Love implies a Mortification of contrary Passions The Poet sayes Virtus est vitium fugere Vertue is to fly from Vice So may I say Love is to fly from Anger Wrath Malice Bitterness Envy Revenge which are sins of such a nature that they carry their punishment in their bowels and make an Hell as well as deserve one The darkness of the night is chased away when the day returns and the Sun rises sickness is removed when health is restored and in like manner those sinful and corrupt passions which benight the Soul and are the diseases of it are purged out where this Grace of Love is indeed infused The Apostle plainly shews this Eph. 4. 31. compared with Chap. 5. 2. In the former place he sayes Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamour be put away with all kind of malice In the latter he sayes Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and gave himself for us Compare also Col. 3. 8. with v. 14. and you may perceive that we must put off anger wrath malice when we put on charity which is the bond of perfectness 4. Love implies an Inclination to Vnion The nature of it is to unite and knit things together Thus by the love of Friendship the Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David 1 Sam. 18. 1. and the Hearts of Christians are knit together by this excellent Grace of Love Col. 2. 2. Union is of God and is indeed the Churches strength The bundle of rods in the Fable while they remain'd bound together could not be broken whereas every single one might be snapt asunder with ease So far as the Church is divided so far 't is certainly and dangerously weakned There is an admirable Union in the Godhead Three distinct Persons are in one incomprehensibly glorious Nature A wonderful Union also in Christ himself two distinct Natures in one Person and Mediator and these two Natures infinitely more differing than Earth and Heaven than the Sun and a Mole-hill and yet behold them inseparably united The Churches Union is Mystical they are Many Members but love makes them one Body for it makes them of one heart and of one Soul Love alters the contentious and cruel nature and inclines to Union and Peace So that to use the Prophets Phrase The Wolf dwells peaceably with the Lamb the Leopard lyes down with the Kid the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child may lead them the Cow and the Bear feed their young ones lye down together and the Lyon eats straw like the Oxe the sucking Child plays on the hole of the Asp and the weaned Child puts his hand on the Adders den so far as love prevails there is no hurting nor destroying one another in all Gods holy Mountain Isa 11. 6 7 8 9. Christ prayed for this Union as that which would be for the Churches benefit and for the Worids Conviction that he came forth from God John 17. 21. That they all may be one as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee that they also may be one in us that the World may believe that thou hast sent me How needful is
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
should become stronger and purer continually Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgment The true reasons of Love must be better and better understood and the expressions of Love must be still with more and more judgment and discretion that the end aimed at may be attained After the Apostle had acknowledged the Thessalonians taught of God to love one another yet adds We beseech you Brethren that you increase more and more 1 Thes 4. 9. 10. And if where Love did so much abound there was reason to press an increase Oh how much need is there in such an angry and contentious Age as this to blow up this fire which is so near to going out I have done with the Properties of Love In the third place I am to demonstrate how Love is for the Churches Edification 'T is for the Edification of Him that loves and for the Edification of those whom he loves A Christian Edifies both himself and others by Love First I shall demonstrate that he Edifies himself 1. The more he Loves there is the greater light in him The understanding is darken'd by those sins which are contrary to Love as Prejudice Passion Envy Hatred so that what is Truth is not easily discerned what is Duty is not readily apprehended in many cases The fore-mention'd evil Affections do biass the Judgment wrong Though the eye be good and the object not far off yet the eye cannot so plainly see the object if there be a mist between them Anger and Malice raise such a mist before the eye of the Judgment that 't is very prone to be mistaken but this mist is scattered by Love so that a Christian sees his way plain and is less subject to stumble 1 Joh. 2. 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 2. The more a Christian Loves there is the more of Gods Image in him he is the more transformed into the Divine Nature 1 Joh. 4. 7 8. God is Love and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God In Scripture God is said to delight in Merccy to rest in his love to be good to all to be kind to the unthankful and evil How does Love Edifie a Child of God making him resemble his Heavenly Father in these excellent perfections and how unlike to Satan does love make us Have we Knowledge how great an understanding has the evil one have we Faith The Devils also believe and tremble but if we have Love Satan has nothing of this in him he hates and tortures his own self he hates Gods Children and all his own Children he would destroy the former he will unless they cease to be his Children destroy the latter 3. The more a Christian loves he has the firâ—er evidence that he is indeed a Christian The Apostle tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace The more love the more peace and joy Gal. 5. 22. We read Phil. 2. 1 2. of Consolation in Christ and Comfort in love Love builds us up in solid Comfort for we have the mark of Christs Sheep upon us if we love the whole flock That Religion has not truth that has not love in it pretences to light and purity without love are all vain But he that is full of love in this world shall not be sent to Hell in the other World where there is no love at all 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Secondly I shall demonstrate that Christians edifie not only themselves but others by their love and that 't is exceedingly for the Churches Edification 1. Love makes us concerned for the whole Church of Christ and enlarged in our supplications and intercessions for it This publick Spirit which is the effect of Catholick love is very pleasing unto God and mightily prevails with him God encourages us to an importunity for Zion He does not say as he did to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy but give me no rest until I save Isa 62. 6 7. I have set watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Love takes this encouragement and makes the Christian thus to resolve For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof goes forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth The Churches Reformation and Righteousness is to be prayed for as well as it's Deliverance and Salvation The Apostle tells us if we will pray to purpose we must lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. Wrath defiles him that prayes and fills the censer with strange fire mixing a sinful fervency and heat with prayer and so hinders its prevalency and acceptation But Love empties the heart of wrath and fills it with an holy fervour and how much does the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevail Jam. 5. 16. One Moses full of love to Israel and to the God of Israel zealous for Gods Honour desirous of Israels welfare he stands in the gap and by prayer turns away that Wrath that was breaking in and ready to destroy all the people Psal 106. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach before him to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them 2. Love strongly inclines us unto peaceableness and what is for the Churches peace is for her edification Rom. 14. 19. Let us follow after the things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another I grant when we are pursuing peace we must have a special regard to truth and holiness Zach. 8. 19. Love the truth and peace Heb. 12. 14. Follow after Peace with all Men and Holiness But the Scripture must determine what is Truth and we must distinguish between the great Truths of the Gospel and those that are less important It was a truth which the Apostle was perswaded of by the Lord Jesus Christ that there was no meat unclean of it self and yet those who were otherwise perswaded he look'd upon as tolerable and not to be despised Nay he expresly forbids those of different Sentiments in this matter to judge one another Rom. 14. The Scripture likewise must inform us wherein purity and holiness lies for a mistake here may quickly draw forth such a furious zeal as may set the
neglected at this day as if it were not in the Bible Be not forward to pronounce judgment rashly concerning others Christ the Judge sayes to Christians Judge not Mat. 7. 1. You that speak so much of standing up for the Kingly office of Christ do not usurp his place and office by becoming Judges of your Brethren do not cast that great command of this King of Kings behind your backs Love one another Avoid partiality in speaking of others if you extenuate greater crimes in those of your own party and endeavour to conceal them and aggravate lesser things in those of another party and blaze them abroad you respect persons and are convinced of the law as transgressors Jam. 2. 9. and so far as there is partiality so far there is hypocrisie Jam. 3. 17. O Tongues of Professors How long will it be e're you be quiet How long shall your breath be liâ—â— the East-wind blasting all about you When shall all your words be agreeable to the Word of God when shall your lips feed many and hurt none your reproachful backbiting railing language your lies and falshoods have been your sin and shame and the shame of Religion repentance and amendment is absolutely necessary else Salvation still will stand at a distance Isa 63. 8. For he said Surely they are my people Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour USE III. Of Exhortation to abound in Love which is so much for the Churches Edification My Exhortation I second with these Arguments 1. God is Love his love is unconceivably great towards his whole Church and every true member of it There is not the meanest or most mistaking Christian in the World but if sincere God sets his love and an high pricâ— upon Ungodly men are but like common stones but Believers are Gods Jewels and peculiar treasure above all people Exod. 19. 5. And if God thus loves them all surely they ought to love one another 1 Joh. 4. 11. And they that dwell in love dwell in God now to dwell in God is to dwell safely for he is the Rock of Ages and in Him Mercy and Grace and light and peace and joy are to be found 2. Christ the Head is full of love to all the Members among these therefore there should be a most ardent affection one to another and a great and sweet agreement Comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 18 19. And how will you be able to slander or injure or be bitter against any whom Christ loves with a love that passes all understanding 3. Love is preferr'd before Faith and Hope 1 Cor. 13. ult And now abideth Faith Hope Charity but the greatest of these is Charity Faith and Hope cease when we come to see and enjoy but Love never falls or ends Faith receives and Hope expects but Love gives the Heart to God and for his sake it gives liberally to its Neighbour Love is the bond of perfectness Col. 3. 14. Charitas multos multa unit Love ties all other vertues together and makes them more perfect and acceptable and it unites the members of the Church together which Church is the Worlds perfection Psal 50. 2. Out of Sion the perfection of beauty God hath shined 4. Love is a debt Rom. 13. 8. Owe no man any thing but to love one another You are not just to your Neighbour unless you love him and love to shew mercy to him He that loves not another defrauds him of what is due to him nay he is not only a Thief but a Murtherer 1 Joh. 3. 15. Whosoever hateth his Brother is a Murtherer and ye know that no Murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him And if he that wants love is a Murtherer 't is less to say that he is a Schismatick but he may truly be called the greatest Schismatick that is most void of love Haeresis fidei opponitur Schisâ—a Charitati Heresie is opposed to Faith and Schism to Charity and if so then they are furthest from Schism that are fullest of love and they are most Schismatical who are fullest of bitterness and rancour against their Brethren 5. The greater your love is and the more Catholick 'tis it makes every one of you the more common good the more Catholick blessing The Church is beholding to you and so is the world God himself is pleased to see your Charity so diffusive and active and your labour of love shall not be forgotten shall not miss of a reward USE IV. Of Direction How love may be revived and increased 1. Observe the great defects of love in you and be very much ashamed and abased before God How few of your actions and speeches have favoured of Love what workings have there been in your hearts contrary to it Judge not want of love a small offence since 't is so much call'd for both in Law and Gospel 2. Seriously lay to heart how much Christ himself is concerned in and for all his Members though their opinions may be different from yours This good Shepherd loves all his flock and he gave his life a ransom for every one of them Backbite not discourage not persecute not and especially destroy not any one for whom Christ died 1 Cor. 8. 11. Every particular believer should love the Universal Church and should have an interest in the Universal Churches love 3. Search the Scriptures that light may be increased The more true knowledge the more unity Eph. 4. 13. All sincere hearts have a strong disposition to agree together in the truths of God when once they are revealed to them Pray against Errours for as Errours are contrary to truth which in all the parts of it agrees with it self so they often contradict one another and naturally tend to make divisions 4. Be very bumble and self-denying There must be great yielding on all sides putting up many things or love will not be revived Humbleness of mind and meekness are the Companions of Charity and cherish it exceedingly Col. 3. 12 13 14. Put on as the elect of God bowels of mercyes kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Even as Christ forgave you so also do ye and above all these things put on Charity Abhor pride which is the cause of contention That is good counsel which I find in those Rabbinical Rhythins which if followed would increase love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus in English Let Wisdom above all possessions be Before Preferment chuse Humility Every ill property be sure depresse But principally stiff tenaciousnesse 5. Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences and avoid them They that agree in Doctrine and in the main things of Christianity should not easily be divided They should think more of those
any have received the more humble and diligent they should be for where much is given much will also be required 7. In the Body Nourishment is conveyed unto the parts and the whole is hereby sustained The body of Christ also by joints and bands having nourishment ministred and knit together increaseth with the increase of God Col. 2. 19. The Church of Christ has food to eat which the world knows not of it has spiritual senses a spiritual appetite and its food is spiritual The word of God is compared to food here is milk for Babes and stronger meat for more grown Saints No food so profitable and nourishing no food so pleasant no food so necessary Heark to the profession of Job chap. 23. 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food David cries out How sweet are thy words unto my taste yea sweeter than hony to my mouth Psal 119. 103. And the Prophet speaks to the same purpose Jer. 15. 16. Thy words were found and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart The body of Christ is nourished by his Word and other Ordinances are appointed for the increase of this body A famine of this word deserves to be dreaded as a very sore judgment The better the food if it be well digested the better the chyle and the purer the blood and the body will be more prosperous and healthy the more purely and sincerely the word of God is dispensed the members of Christ will become stronger and the inward man be the more renewed day by day As Christ gives his word so he vouchsafes himself to be food to his members His flesh is meat indeed his blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. And by this they are nourished unto that life which is eternal It might also be added that Christ is the cloathing as well as the nourishment of his Body his Righteousness is the Robe which covers their guilt and nakedness his Grace beautifies and adorns his Saints therefore they are bid to put on the Lord Jesus Christ and to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 14. 8. In the Body the Members and parts are operative and active for the good of the whole in the Church there is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectual working in the measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. of every part that the whole may be increased The new Nature which is in sincere believers inclines them unto action suitable to that nature sloth is exceedingly opposite unto Religion God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him to seek him negligently is indeed to neglect him The members of Christ are industriously to do their duty towards their Father and their Head and likewise towards one another hence it is that we read of the labour of love which the Apostle requires and encourages Heb. 6. 10 11 12. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewed towards his Name in that you have ministred to the Saints and do minister and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end that ye be not slothful but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises The members of Christs Church are to be active but in their place and calling for if they act irregularly that action will be against the Body and to its prejudice not to its edification Every part has its place and that place it must keep and not aspire higher without a call and that measure of grace which it has received it must faithfully exercise with a regard to the Churches good as well as its own 9. The whole Body and all its members are animated by one Soul and the Church with all its true members are animated by one and the same Spirit We read Eph. 4. 4. There is one body and one Spirit and again 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit The same Spirit which is in the Head is in all the members which are joyned to him And the Apostle sticks not to say If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. All that light which the members of Christ have is from the Spirit he has caused a marvellous light to shine into their hearts which before were under the power of darkness he likewise is the worker of that liberty and ability which they have unto what is good whereas before they had a freedom but it was only to evil continually These members of Christ are all changed into his image which is their glory but the beginning of that change and the progress of it unto greater glory is from and by the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty but we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirits of the Lord. The Spirit dwells in all true believers and Christ has promised that he shall abide in them for over Joh. 14. 16 17. Soul and Body indeed may be separated but the Spirit and the Saint shall not The very bodies of believers are affirmed to be the Temples of the Spirit where he dwells and abides 1 Cor. 6. 19. What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and ye are not your own And if the body be his Temple surely the Heart and Soul should be as it were the sanctum sanctorum the holyest of all fill'd with light and grace that it may be also fill'd with peace and joy 10. The Body is under the Souls conduct and command the Church is conducted and ruled by the Spirit of Christ The eyes do see the ears hear the hands work the feet move according to the Souls will and pleasure and as it has despoticum imperium the command and government of the members so it acts them and their operations are from the Souls presence for if the Soul were gone the body would immediately become a clod of Earth and the members be deprived of all strength and motion The Spirit of Christ commands and acts his Members he makes them to see the invisible God and that world which is invisible he makes them hear the voice of Christ so as to obey his call he makes the hands holy having first purified the heart and employes them in working Righteousness He turns the feet into the way of Gods testimonies and strengthens believers so as that they run and are not weary they walk without fainting A Christians conversation is styled a walking in the Spirit Gal. 5. 16. This I say then walk in the Spirit in his
when he withdraws but rejoyce exceedingly when they enjoy his presence and see his face who is altogether lovely They should value his Word and Ordinances in which he is to be found and delight themselves in the contemplation of his fulness and that great and everlasting Salvation whereof he is the Author Their very Souls should love him Cant. 3. 4. which expression intimates both the truth and the strength and fervency of affection and truly our Lord is so excellent that there is no danger or possibility that Love to him should be excessive 2. The Members of Christ should endeavour to promote his Honour and Glory They should be very zealous that their Head may be advanced and have the preeminence over all things Their tongues should be shewing forth his praises commending him to the World as the best of Princes as the only Saviour and declaring the unreasonableness of the Worlds prejudices against his yoak and burthen which are so easie and so light Mat. 11. ult They should earnestly desire that Christ their Lord may be the Worlds Universal Monarch and that all Earthly Kings and Emperors may cast down their Crowns before him and willingly submit to his Scepter and Government 3. The Members of Christ should obey all his Commands Joh. 14. 15. If ye love me keep my Commandments And v. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me It is a monstrousness in Nature if any of the Members should not be placed under the Head Surely then all the Members of Christ should readily be subject to him Thus to be Subject is to Reign Obedience is the great Sacrifice to be offered under the New Testament the Saints are styled Priests Kings as well as Priests 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. So that to obey the Lord Jesus contains in it no less than a Regal Honour He should be reverenced all his Commands performed He that hears Christs sayings and doth them is the wise Builder whose House shall never fall is indeed the blessed man and is in the right way to Life and Immortality Rev. 22. 14. Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the gates into the City 4. The Members of Christ should live by faith upon him They are to expect the Remission of sin and deliverance from wrath to come no other way when they have done their best and most they must look unto Jesus that they through him may be accepted For there is no way to be accepted but in the Beloved Eph. 1. 6. In all their Temptations Sorrows Sufferings they are to depend upon him for succour joy and Grace sufficient The Body is secured and in the Spiritual Warfare has both conduct and conquest by acting Faith in Christ the Head Every Member therefore should imitate the Apostle who said Gal. 2. 20. The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 5. The Members of Christ should do nothing unbecoming his Members The Glory and Name of Christ and the Credit of the Gospel should be very dear to them and they ought to be blameless and harmless without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation and shine as lights in the World Phil. 2. 15. They should manifest that they abide in Christ by walking as he walked they should he patient meek and lowly as Christ was contemn the world as he contemn'd it count it their meat and drink to do the will of God as he did and since Christ endured the contradiction of sinners against himself so should they Though the Foes of Christ are numerous and oppose his interest with never so great force and fury yet his members must never be ashamed to own their Head nor afraid to follow him It becomes them and it concerns them to cleave to him with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. For to leave him is to be lost for ever and to bid farewell to blessedness and life eternal USE II. Let the Members of this Body the Church consider the relation they have one to another They are indeed very near and should look upon themselves as very near one to another And this Relation should be of mighty efficacy to perswade them to perform those mutual Duties which are incumbent upon them In the general All particular Members should consult the good of the whole Church They believe the Holy Catholick Church and their Love should run parallel with their Faith and care will be an effect of true Love A private Spirit is very prejudicial to the Body of Christ whilst only one part is minded and not another 'T is just as if there should be an endeavour to make one member of the Body natural great and strong with an unconcernedness how weak and feeble and small soever the other Members remain 'T is lamentable that there are so many Parties in the Christian Church but 't is more to be lamented that these Parties are so selfish and so little mind the common interest which being neglected their private interest cannot be regarded so truly as it should be For if a whole Town be burnt down to the ground no particular house escapes the fury of the flames No mans Cabin can be secured if the Ship be cast away and sinks to the bottom of the Sea There are several Counsels which I would intreat the Members of the Church to follow that it may be the better with the Church and with themselves 1. Let not the higher Members despise the lower You that are higher what have you that you have not received why then should you glory as if you had not received it 1 Cor. 4. 7. That 's a Scripture whose sharp point should prick the bladder and let out pride and self-conceitedness Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves Moses the holiest and most useful man in his time was the meekest man upon earth Numb 12. 3. The Apostle Paul though he laboured more abundantly than all the Apostles to spread the Gospel and Faith of Christ yet in what an humble style does he write of himself and surely his Heart and Pen went together 1 Cor. 15. 9. I am the least of the Apostles that am not worthy to be called an Apostle Nay he abases himself beneath all Saints as well as all Apostles and ventures the Critick's scoff in coyning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to shew how low he was in his own thoughts Eph. 3. 8. Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ 2. Let not the lower Members of the Church be discontented Every Member is highly favoured highly honoured every
soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9. 6. But though it will give away pounds to them that are needy it dares not unjustly take away a penny or a farthing from another though never so wealthy Solomon tells us that a false balance is not good and divers weights are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 20. 23. and they are also an abomination unto Love No duty more clearly discovered by the light of nature than to do justly and what does God in his written word more expresly require the unrighteous being plainly threaten'd with the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven and what poor and petty things are their unjust gains compared with such a Kingdom Wronging another though it be in so slie a manner that humane eyes observe it not humane laws cannot punish it yet will be overtaken with divine Vengeance 1 Thes 4. 6. That no man go beyond and desraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified Love to our Neighbour implies a Love of Justice is to give our Neighbour his due Love can as soon cease to be Love as begin to be Injurious Nay if a man has heretofore been guilty of Injustice it will incline and constrain him to make restitution for The wicked must restore the Pledge and give again what he hath robbed and walk in the Statutes of Life then he shall live he shall not dye Ezek. 33. 15. 5. Love is very tender of others Names and Reputation It detests all manner of Lying as that which is an abomination to God Prov. 6. 17. and exposes the Lyar himself to the burning lake Rev. 21. 8. But a slanderous or malicious lye that wounds the Name and murthers the Reputation of another it hates exceedingly for this is an abomination most abominable and more against the very letter of the Law Thoâ— shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour The Name of a man ought to be very dear to him especially if he be a Christian because God and Christ and the Gospel are concerned in it A Christian cannot be aspersed without some aspersion on Christianity it self Love is very wary and that with great reason and will not cast into the precious Oyntment a dead Fly to make it send forth an evil savour Love hinders the Tongue from evil speaking and makes it subject to the Law of kindness Love is so far from raising a false report of another that it dares not take it up much less spread it all abroad The Citizen of Sion who shall dwell with God both here and for ever this is part of his Character He speaketh the truth in his heart he back-biteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour Psal 15. 2 3. Light may as well become darkness as Love be guilty of Lying and malicious Defamations Professors ears are ready to tingle when they hear the sound of hellish Oaths and horrid Execrations wretched men making bold with the Life of God the blood and wounds of Christ and hardly a sentence is pronounced without an Imprecation that God may damn them But these Professors would do well to consider that the same Mouth of Truth which has forbid and threatned Cursing and Swearing has forbid and threatned Lying and Slandering and if we observe how much injury may be done by a slanderous tongue we shall not wonder that the throats of such Slanderers are compared to open Sepulchers and their Tongues to whetted Swords and sharpned Arrows and the Poyson of Asps is said to be under them 6. Love is contented with its own and hinders us from coveting what belongs to another Sinful lustings and desires after that which is our neighbours precipitate unto those acts whereby he is injured thus Ahabs inordinate desire after Naboths Vineyard makes him a Murtherer of Naboth and that with many aggravations that he might enjoy it Love breeds contentation and instead of coveting what is anothers it wishes him both a quiet possession and an holy improvement and Love expelling these inordinate lustings it plucks up the very root of bitterness from whence do commonly grow all those injuries that the Sons of men do one to another Thus Love is Eagle-eyed to observe whatever God in his Law has commanded for our neighbours good and since the wise and gracious Law-giver has manifested his care of our neighbour in fencing his Life and all that is dear to him with so many Commandments Love rationally inferrs it ought to be our care not to break this fence but to keep all these Commandments without exception 7. Love breeds sympathy when our fellow Christians are in misery It makes us fear least harm befall the Church of God and when the Church is actually under Affliction it causes us in that affliction to be afflicted Love is the great Law of Christ and Chistian Sympathy is a fulfilling it Gal. 6. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ The Captive Jews their Harps were out of Tune and their Hearts had little list to Mirth and Musick nay By the rivers of Babylon they wept when they remembred Sion Psal 137. 1 2. Love easily melts the heart of a Saint into sorrow when other Saints are in sadness and calamity nay 't is reâ—dy to put on bowels when it sees any in misery This Sympathy of Love is a real thing and shews it self in a forwardness to relieve and help Love enlarges the Heart in Prayer for the distressed Church of Christ and all his Members it makes us in the Churches languors ready to faint and dye away our selves Love draws forth our Compassion towards the divided and distressed Land of our Nativity and in some it arises to so high a degree that they are ready such are their holy Agonies to wish Their Names blotted out of the Book of â—ife and themselves acâ—ursed from Christ rather than England should become desolate rather than God should depart and the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ be removed 8. Love makes us to delight in the Communion of Saints Sin has brought a great deformity and unloveliness upon Mankind the Scripture speaks thus of Men considered in their natural State They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. But the Grace of God lias made a difference between the Saints and other men they have put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and they put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 22. 24. Now this Holiness makes them truly amiable Love makes us pity the World that lies in wickedness but to delight in those who by Regeneration are called out of the World and made New Creatures David though a King lookt upon Saints as
Church in a flame Some place Purity and all Religion in being for the Liturgy established as if the Compilers of it had been tantum non divinely inspired and all other Prayer were but meer Enthusiasm and contemptible babbling On the other hand some place purity and all Religion in declaiming against the Liturgy as Mass-english the mark of the Beast and the very voice of the Whore of Babylon But neither the one nor the other place purity and Religion right The Scripture no where commands that we should only pray by a form neither does it forbid a form to be used But it requires that our very Hearts and Souls should be in our prayers and faith and holy desires and other graces exercised in our duties and here lies the purity of them Love therefore refuses to be quarrelsome about smaller matters for it knows that peaceableness cements the Church and closes her breaches and it justly fears lest while men are so contentious about ceremonies the substance of Religion be lost in the quarrel 3. Love makes Christians condescending and yielding one to another that hereby edification may be promoted To be Magisterial and self-willed is not to be the Servants of Christ who are employed in building of his Church We are not to be Dictators but all alike to hearken to the voice and command of Christ our Lord and to be mild and gentle one towards another The Apostle Peter charges the Younger to submit themselves to the Elder but withal adds yea all of you be subject one to another 1 Pet. 5. 5. and hereby intimates that to be Lordly and imposing is contrary to the Spirit of Christianity It was love that made the Apostle Paul a Servant to all that he might gain the more 1 Cor. 9. 19. To the Jewes he became as a Jew that he might gain the Jewes to the weak he became as weak that he might gain the weak he did not hereby manifest a carnal compliance through fear but a condescension of love He was not to be charged with Levity or Apostacy he was not to be censured as a Turn-coat as an Hypocrite as a Mungrel minister or a Linsey Wolsey Brother nor to be called Dough-baked a Cake not turned No no the Apostle loved the Gospel and had a mind to spread it he loved Souls and was desirous to save them and understood how far he might yield in indifferent things for the Churches peace and edification Love makes us patient and self-denying hinders us from pursuing petty designs or private revenges The pleasing of God and profiting his Church swallow up such things as these Love will hinder us from minding high things and move us to condescend to men of low estate Rom. 12. 16. Indeed to apply our selves to all the best and most probable ways for their benefit we shall endeavour to help the weak we shall pity the fallen we shall labour to reduce the straying we shall encourage the diligent and honour the stronger Saints and all this is hugely for Edification 4. Love makes Christians highly to esteem the Pastours and Builders of the Church for their works sake and hereby Edification is promoted The Ministry of the Gospel is a special gift which Christ bestowed upon his Church for her unconceivable advantage Eph. 4. 8 11 12 13. Wherefore he saith when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men And he gave some Prophets and some Apostles and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man And since the Ministry is such a gift and token of the Royal bounty of Christ who is ascended far above all Heavens certainly the flock of Christ are to love and encourage their Pastours and the more they do this the more likely 't is that the end of the Ministry's institution should be attained namely the edifying and perfecting of the Church of Christ The Apostle though he might have commanded yet uses intreaties for Ministers sake 1 Thes 5. 12 13. He had bid them just before v. 11. to edifie one another but knowing the work of Edification would go on but lamely without a Gospel-ministry he therefore adds And we beseech you Brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake and bâ— at peace among your selves 6. Love will constrain the Pastours and builders of the Church to mind their work to purpose A Minister that is full of love to Christ and Souls cannot be a Loyterer If indeed he does design preferment and to fill his baggs with wealth be his great aim then he will grudge Souls his pains He will not be concerned though Hell fill never so fast and though himself be going apace thither But if holy love to the Church of Christ does rule in his heart it will constrain him to be a Labourer and to do his work diligently he will watch and pray he will search and study and aboâ—â— all books the Bible He will take heed to himself and to all his flock that he may save himself and them that hear him Nay love will make a Minister labour and suffer also for the Churches Edification Abundant love to the Corinthians made the Apostle say I will very gladly spend and be spent for you 2 Cor. 12 15. And 't is very plain that he did not think much of suffering Phil. 2. 17. Yea and if I be offered upon the Sacrifice and Service of your faith I joy and rejoyce with you all These reasons plainly demonstrate how much Love tends to edifie But a great many reasons more I find all together even a whole cluster of them 1 Cor. 13. 4 5 6 7. which I shall enlarge upon because they are both a trial of our love and a demonstration most evident that love is for Edification The Apostles words are very searching very piercing he reads a kind of Anatomy-Lecture upon this grace of Love and Charity and lays the inside of it open to the view of others He seems to speak a strange word Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and have not Charity it profiteth me nothing v. 3. What is Charity and Love may some say if feeding the poor be not These outward acts a Pharisee may do meerly out of oftentation Mat. 6. a Papist may do ignorantly hoping hereby to satisfy for his sins and merit Heaven I grant that love without these outward acts of mercy is vain and useless 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love in deed is love in truth 1 Joh. 3. 18. But though love produce such deeds many outward acts of mercy may be where love is not The Apostle in
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
Scandals and Offences and he shews the depth of his subtilty and malice in the management of this pernicious Engine He represents God as too rigorous in his Commands Christ as too much thwarting the glorying of the flesh He represents Self-denial and the Cross as unreasonable and intolerable and all this is that man may be offended and his Conversion to God and Faith in Jesus may be hindred Our Lord and Saviour who is the great lover of Souls saw the mischief of Scandal and speaks much to prevent it He pronounces the woful misery of the World because of offences but especially binds and fixes the Woe upon that man by whom the offence cometh Mat. 18. 7. At the reading of this methinks every mans heart should ake and he should cry out as the Disciples every one of them did in another ease Lord Is it I Am I the man that thou sayest wo unto does the offence come by Me 'T is our duty to love others but to scandalize them is to be greatly injurious to them and that 's not an act a sign of love Much talk there is of Scandal and there is much more of Scandal than is talkt of 'T is a sore evil that spits its venom every way It strikes at Jew at Gentile and at the Church of God Therefore the Apostle cautions us against giving offence to any of these 1 Cor. 10. 32. True Love to our Neighbour will make us avoid Scandal as carefully as a Mariner would a dangerous Rock that may cause a shipwrack Here I shall lay down some Positions concerning Scandal that you may have the truer notion of it and may flee from it and the woe denounced upon it 1. Every displeasing of another is not Scandal 'T is one thing to offend a man and another thing to make him offend Barely to displease and grieve another is not to scandalize him for if it were then those Professors that are most ignorant and peevish must be perpetually humoured they must have their wills else they will be angry and grieved and the weakest as one observes must bear sway in the Church which they are very unfit to do and the strongest even Pastors themselves must be subject to them for they are hugely troubled if they are in the least cross'd Besides Professors are of different minds some may be angry and grieved at my doing of a thing others as much displeased and troubled at my not doing it Now if barely to offend another were Scandal in this case both Scandal and the Woe belonging to it might be impossible to be avoided A man may be offended because I am not of his mind because of my peaceable temper because I think not that stiffness and strangeness is the way to unity but mutual yielding and condescension forbearing one another in love Eph. 4 3. 4. receiving one another as Christ has received both the one and the other Here indeed I may be said to displease but Scandal cannot be laid to my charge 2. Scandal is a putting a stumbling-block or an occasion of falling into sin in anothers way This is the Apostles definition of Scandal And withall he cautions against Christians judging and censuring one another Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore though of different sentiments and practises in some things judge one another any more but judge this rather that no men put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way When Professors of Religion are loose in their lives and hereby not only confirm the World in their resolution to be unjust and proud and covetous and prodigal of time and filthy still but also convey into the Hearts of other Professors that such strictness as the Scripture requires is needless and that men may be saved without such circumspect walking here is Scandal with a witness and 't will be with a vengeance And as the blinding and stupifying the Conscience of another is Scandal so the wounding of the weak conscience of another by drawing him to that which he doubts whether lawful to be done is Scandal likewise Love here should make us very tender Those who are for rigorous imposing upon others should consider that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 12. But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sin against Christ 3. Examples of the best are not to be followed with a doubting Conscience Every man must be fully perswaded in his own mind concerning the lawfulness of a thing before he does it for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and he that doubts is damned if he eat Rom. 14. 5. 23. I grant the word for doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated He that puts a difference between meats and so eats against his Conscience is damned but if you consider what follows because he eateth not of faith it is truly rendred doubts for doubting is opposed to faith as well as doing that which undoubtedly is judged unlawful Thus we find our Lord making an opposition between Doubting and Faith And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to express this doubting Mar. 11. 23. Whosoever shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and cast into the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Certainly as nothing is to be done against Conscience so nothing with a doubting Conscience for he that does a thing doubting cannot do that thing of Faith We should not urge others to follow our example nor to do as we do till they are fully satisfyed as we are nay we should press the contrary lest we wound their weak Consciences Rom. 14. 15. If thy Brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not Charitably destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died By grieved cannot be understood sorrow because another does that which the Brother thinks sinful for this will not destroy the Brother but being grieved implies having ones Conscience wounded and ones Peace broken by following the example of another with a doubting mind The Apostle exhorts all to have faith concerning the lawfulness of a thing before they do it cautions against judging and despising one another though some could do what others could not And this is the way to prevent Scandal which is so great a piece of uncharitableness But here I must add that groundless doubts are signs of weakness and he is an happy man that is got above them and information in order to this happiness is very desirable 4. Pleasing another so as to occasion his sinning is Scandal The Apostle Peter was a Tempter to Christ when he thought to please him and prevent his suffereings but Christ repelled the temptation presently and rebuked Peter sharply Get thee behind me Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my Scandal thou savourest not the things that be of God but those things which be
of men Mat. 16. 22 23. The same Apostle as one observes scandaliz'd the Jews by pleasing them For fear of offending the weak Judaizing Christians he separated from familiar communion with the Gentiles by which he laid a stumbling block before them to harden them in the sinful opinion of Separation A dangerous Scandal it was whereby Barnabas himself was carried away Love will make us please our Neighbour for his good to Edification Rom. 15. 2. But to please him by doing as he does saying as he says and so to harden him in his too high thoughts of himself in his errour and uncharitableness in his dividing Principles which have a tendency to hinder the lasting settlement and peace of any Church in the World I say thus to please him is to scandalize him by not crossing and offending him A meek and faithful instructing him though it does anger him would be a true expression of love to him 5. In shunning scandal special regard must be had to the weak who are in greatest danger He that is weak falls more easily and therefore stumbling blocks should not be laid but removed out of his way Those that suppose themselves higher than others in light and grace should be the more condescending to them whom they think much below themselves and hear with their infirmities We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves Rom. 15. 1. Those that differ from us in judgement have precious Souls as well as those of our own way therefore we must take heed of scandalizing them especiaily if they are very numerous We should be wary how we utterly disown a vast Body of Christians as if they were a company of Heathen men and Publicans this will confirm them in their exasperations and severities against us as highly reasonable and they will so fix their eyes upon that in us which we cannot justifie 〈◊〉 that they will the less regard what we speak against those things which may strongly be proved to need a Reformation The more general a scandal is the more fatal are the effects of it and the more it proves detrimental to the Church of God 6. All should pray against proneness to be offended Others actions should not make us forward to stumble and fall As the providence of God towards us though at present never so dark and intricate and unaccountable should not make us weary of him or of his service because he is a Lord the most gracious and his service is really the best beyond all comparison So neither should the carriage of men though never so strange and odd and unexpected occasion our sinning nor discourage us in weldoing Vpright men may be astonished at the dispensations of divine Providence they may be amazed to see the world so full of wickedness and to behold faith failing love dying and practical Religion so much ceasing in the Church of Christ yet they stir up themselves against the hypocrites they get over the stumbling blocks that are laid before them they hold on their way and wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 8 9. Foolisn men that are glad of scandal that run eagerly up and down inquiring who will shew us any thing that may offend us They rejoyce at any plea for a sinful course and greedily catch at any thing that may prejudice them against others that are not of their way nay they are forward to suck in prejudices against Ministry Ordinances and the Gospel of Jesus Christ A man that is swift to hear what may scandalize him that is joyful upon occasions that make him angry and uncharitable or any other way to sin he is like unto one that in a time of war does voluntarily run upon the Swords point or up to the Canons mouth or like one that in a time of Pestilence does not strive to avoid but to catch the contagion A man that should thus be fond of Plague or Sword you will judge frantick and he is in a worse sense frantick that is fond of scandal That 's the third Caution Take heed of scandalizing any 4. Take heed of an unbridled Tongue How mighty an hinderance of love has this little member been Both Church and State have felt the Smarting and dangerous wounds which a lawless tongue has given The tongue of a Serpent of a Viper the tongue that is all sting and carries Poyson and Death in it is nothing neer so hurtful as the Tongue of a Liar of a Slanderer The Apostle plainly intimates and the Prophet had done it long before that the Sins of the Tongue are the great cause of the badness of the times 1 Pet. 3. 10 11. He that will love life and see good dayes let him refrain his Tongue from evil and his Lips that they speak no guile let him eschew evil and do good let him seek peace and pursue it Four things are observable in these words 1. That an evil Tongue is the disturber of Peace 2. That 't is a great indication of guile and hypocrisie 3. That it very often shortens the Life 4. That it is a grand Impediment unto our seeing good dayes 'T is a vain thing to expect that times should grow better when tongues grow daily worse and worse and neither Scripture Reason nor Conscience can keep them to the words of truth and soberness When there is so much evil in the tongue how little of love how little of good can there be in the heart Would you have the Church of Christ edified let not your tongues wound any of her members though of a different perswasion from you Do you love your Neighbours as your selves be as backward to speak evil of your Neighbours as of your selves What our Lord speaks concerning doing may be applied to saying whatsoever ye would that men should say concerning you say you even so of them He that knew what was in man tells us Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks Bitterness in the language argues a root of bitterness within which the sooner 'tis pluckt up the better Take heed of speaking lies to the prejudice of others Satan the Accuser has hardly a more exact picture in this world than a Malicious lyer Invent not lyes believe not lyes report not lies He that spreads a lye to his Brothers harm is an hater of his Brother he may talk of love but is he a stranger to it Prov. 26. 28. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering mouth worketh ruine Spreading of slanders is a sign of hatred Nay you are not to speak truth with an evil design Clamour and railing at the faults of others makes you faulty as well as they 'T were well if instead of publick defamations there were more friendly brotherly and private admonitions That injunction of Christ Tell thy Brother his fault between thee and him alone if he hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother Mat. 18. 15. is