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
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
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.
they fall and notoriously discover their unsoundness they wound the reputation of Religion unto the Churches grief and disadvantage and the hardning of the Ungodly in their wickedness their Convictions hereby being quite and clean extinguished 3. The Churches increase is likewise hindred by imprudent Members Such are not so careful to avoid appearances of evil themselves and they blaze abroad the Infirmities of others which love should find a Mantle to cover nay many times they hear and report the most errant lies and slanders whereby not only the Person slandered but likewise Religion and the Church suffers These fools deserve to be lash'd severely for their inconsiderate talkativeness and uncircumspect walking And they should remember that the Disciples of Christ are to be wise as Serpents and harmless as Doves Mat. 10. 16. 4. Erroneous Members and Church-dividers are deeply guilty of hindring the increase of the Church Errour has a natural tendency to division for they that speak perverse things endeavour to draw away Disciples after them Act. 20. 30. And Division is a grand Impediment to edification The Church of Christ after the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost did grow exceedingly and one reason was because the Multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul Act. 4. 32. But division weakens the Churches strength and turns her own Members against her by turning them one against another The Apostle severely rebukes the Corinthians upon this score 1 Cor. 3. 3. For ye are yet carnal for whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are ye not carnal and walk as men q. d. This unpeaceable and dividing temper makes you act not not like Members of Christ but like Men of the World whom Christ bids his Disciples to beware of as Enemies to his Interest and Kingdom Indeed the Corruptions of others are not to be approved yet what is good and sound is to be own'd and we are to be taken with the Image of Christ in whomsoever we see it shining 5. Slothful unfaithful proud and selfish Paâ—tours deserve as sharp a rebuke as any because the Churches increase is hindred by these with a witness Such seek their own things not the things of Christ their own profit not the profit of many that they may be saved 'T is ordinary with them to make the heart of the righteoâ—â— sad whom God has not made sad and to strengthen the hands of the wicked that he should not return from his wicked way by promising him life Ezek. 13. 22. The Prophet prophesies sharply against the Shepherds of Israel Ezek. 34. 2 3. 4. Woe to the Shepherds of Israel who feed themselves not the flock The diseased have ye noâ— strengthened neither have ye healed that which was sick neither have ye bound up that which was broken neither have ye brought again that which was driven away neither have ye sought that which was lost but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them Now if the flock be thus neglected 't is likely to be lessen'd and the Church to be brought very low Oh dreadful account that such Pastours have to give both of themselves and of the flock unto the Great Shepherd at the last day USE II. Of encouragement unto the Church of Christ notwithstanding her Imperfection Her Spirit should not sink into despondency because perfection is not yet attained to but several truths may be offer'd as grounds of support 1. That Righteousness which is imputed to the Church of Christ is perfect Though their Faith though their evangelical obedience be imperfect yet the Righteousness of Christ which their faith layes hold on is every way compleat The obedience of one that is the Son of God is sufficient to make many righteous though never so many do believe Rom. 5. 19. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. The Apostle indeed is ashamed of his own Righteousness and afraid to be found in it and desires to be found in Christ and that he might have on that Righteousness which is of God by faith The obedience and sufferings of Christ are the Righteousness imputed to them that believe and 't is called the Righteousness of God because God contrived it and accepts it and Christ who obeyed and suffered is not only man but over all God blessed for ever Christ has done and suffered enough to satisfie divine justice to ransom and save souls and to obtain eternal Redemption for us and here is a firm ground for the Churches consolation 2. The Sins of the Churches Members are all pardon'd not so much as one is unforgiven Col. 2. 13. Having forgiven you all trespasses Psal 103. 12. As far as the East is from the West so far hath he removed all our transgressions from us Vxori lis non intenditur The Church is espoused to Christ and he has satisfied the Law and Justice for all her offences it may joyfully be said therefore There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. Her Head and Husband having paid the Churches debts payment from her is not expected shall not be demanded 3. Though the Churches members are imperfect yet the least degree of true grace shall be owned The smallest Stars are Stars and are fixt in Heaven as well as the greatest The weakest Saints are Saints and as such shall be regarded 'T is said of Christ He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arm and carry them in his bosom Isa 40. 11. The feeblest of Christians stanâ— in need of cherishing and they shall have â—hat they need Our Lord will not break the bruised reed nor quench the smoaking flax untill he sends forth judgment unto victory Mat. 12. 20. 4. The Church of Christ notwithstanding her imperfection is in a safer state than Adam was in Innocency The Union between his Creator and Him was not so indissoluble as the Union between Christ and true Believers Life was promised to him upon condition of his perseverance in obedience but he had not a Promise of Grace to make him persevere But the Saints have such a Promise God has said He will put his fear in their Hearts that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32. 40. That he will strengthen and uphold them with the right hand of his righteousness Isa 41. 10. That none shall pluck them out of the hand of Christ nor out of the Fathers hand who is greater than all Joh. 10. 28 29. That nothing shall be able to separate them from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus their Lord Rom. 8. ult Adam was intrusted with a Treasure in his own keeping but he lost it and beggar'd himself and his whole Progeny Believers therefore are not thus trusted both themselves and their Treasure are in the hands of him that is able to save to the uttermost and so both are secured Their life
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
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
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