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
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
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
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
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
things wherein they agree than of those wherein they differ And be sure to deafen your ears to Tale-bearers whose business is to destroy Love and sow Discord The words of a Tale-bearer are as Wounds and how deep do they go Where no Wood is the Fire goeth out and where there is no Tale-bearer the Strife ceaseth Prov. 26. 20. 6. Let this be your frequent Petition That you may be taught of God to love one another Pray that the Word which commands Love may be more deeply engraven in your Hearts and rule there at all times and that all exasperating thoughts and surmises all unruly passions which are contrary to Love as enemies to you to the Church to God himself may be brought into Captivity unto Christ the Prince of Peace USE V. Of Consolation to the distracted drooping desponding Church of Christ and all the sincere Members of it The grounds of Comfort are these 1. The Church of Christ shall be upheld noâ—withstanding all her Divisions What heats what Heresies in the Primitive times If one reads the Catalogue of Errours in Epiphantus and St. Augustine which men professing Christianity embraced and what rents these Errours made it will be just matter of wonder that the Church was not torn to pieces by her own Members Satan has been striking at Faith and Charity and yet still there is a Church and when he has done his worst there will be one 2. The Love of Christ towards his Church is unchangeable The Members may fail in their duty one towards another but the Faithfulness of the Head never fails His care is constant he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. 8. 'T is said Joh. 13. 1. That Jesus having loved his own that were in the World he loved them to the end And this love secured them to the end 3. There will be no want of love in Heaven Though Christians may not fancy to travel in one anothers company yet they are all going towards the same Countrey and place of eternal rest and when they are once come thither they shall rest from sin and contention as well as from trouble and affliction In that glorious place and state there will be no errour no culpable ignorance remaining both light and love will be in their perfection and because perfect love is there perfect peace and joy will be there also Jerusalem above is a City indeed that is compact together strongly founded for its builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. and 't is to last for ever and is built accordingly The triumphant Saints that inhabit there how near are they brought unto God who is all in all How closely and inseparably are they knit together in love St. Paul and Barnabas will no more fall out being both in Heaven and Luther and Zuinglius are perfectly agreed When St. Augustine as he tells us in his Confessions had been discoursing with his Mother concerning Heaven the Crown the Joys the Peace the Pleasures there his Mothers heart grew warm with Sacred Fire and that warmth at length was heightned into an Heavenly Rapture making her cry out Quid hic faciam What shall I do here below How shall I with patience stay in a vale of fears who have had such a sight of the glory such a taste of the joyes of the New Jerusalem Certainly it should make sincere Christians long to be above and it should comfort them that it will not be long ere they are above when they behold the Church on Earth so rent and torn by Pride and Ignorance and unruly Lusts and Passions and when withall they remember that among the innumerable Company of Angels and all the glorifyed Saints there is not the least discord but a compleat and everlasting Harmony I have finished my Discourse concerning Love and the Churches Edification I shall add a few Verses which I made when Prisoner in the Marshalsed I find that Musick relieved Saul when the Evil Spirit came upon him and composed the Spirit of a Prophet when it was ruffled and out of order and perhaps Poetry may have an effect of the like nature The Versâ—s are these Now use thy liberty my Mind Who art not in the least confin'd The whole Earth over thou may'st go And view the All that it can shew And that great All which thou can'st see Is not enough to satiate Thee From Gades to Ganges thou may'st run Thy thought 's much swister than the Sun And in thy travel nothing spy But what is vexing Vanity The greedy Worldling spares no pains The morâ— he has the less he gains To profit others does refuse Nay locks up all from his own use Sensual pleasures mixed be With an inward Anxiety The brutish part they only please But are the Mind's snare and disease Th' Ambitious Man strives to climb high That he may stand more slippery The glist'ring Crowns which Monarchs wear Have less of Honour than of Care Vain World produce even all thy store Thou art indeed a thing but poor Nay Heavens Heirs have felt thy rage In this as every former Age. If not by an excessive love An Idol made of thou do'st prove A Hell or Shambles unto them Who dare thee with thy all contemn The Church is too much like the World Into a strange confusion hurl'd Envy and Wrath and Pride and Strife Imbittering this present life By all is plain enough exprest Arise depart here 's not thy Rest Trample on Earth then take thy flight Immortal Soul Things out of sight Above the Sun or any Star Are worthy'st of thy thoughts by far Let not thy Senses Jaylors be Nor what suits them infatuate thee Open thy eyes behold thy God Rise with thy Lord that thy abode May be with him that 's Light and Love Nay All in all that are above The Persecution most fierce Can no way hinder thy Converse With Heaven Though in a Dungeon deep As the Earth's Centre Foes should keep The Body close yet thou art free And thy best Friend to visit Thee The joyful tokens of his Love Prisons are Palaces do prove Nay Paradises of Delight Although they silly Nature fright Sorrow is Joy and Pain is Pleasure Disgrace is Honour Loss a Treasure The World when worst is best of all To those God does to suffer call The New Jerusalem comes down Is clearly'st seen when Men most frown And with the sharpest Thorns thee Crown Take up thy Cross which is thy Tryal And taste the Sweets of Self-denial God is thy Father and thy Rest Abide with him and thou art blest The Following Poem was more lately Composed A Welcome to Disesteem I. THe World 's a Syren and its sweetest Song The greatest Wrong Th' Applause of Men the Prais'd endangereth Like poysonous breath The Wings of Fame like those of Icarus Pernicious He that Ambitious is of Estimation Shews himself fond of Peril and Temptation II. I' th most of Men a change is seen as soon As him i' th' Moon A word a look can quench the hottest Love And anger move The fondest Friend oft turns the worst of Foes And fury blows Whoso does think to make men alwayes kind He may as well attempt to hold the Wind. III. On Mountains high the Tempests fiercest are And nothing spare The tops of loftiest Buildings in a Town Are soonest down He that 's Above is envied to Death By those beneath Ambition does prove a fatal Charm And makes a man expose himself to harm IV. Vnconstant World how low should wise men deem Thy high esteem To better bad men Honour has no force Makes good men worse Honour is fitly styl'd the Foolish Fire That flies desire But fondly follows such as scorn and fly it That they may be misled and ruin'd by it V. What peace and safety is in being low The Prudent know Christs Head did fly the Circle of a Crown And great Renown The whole World offered He did refuse And Meanness chuse To follow Wisdoms Pattern can't be folly Dishonour's no just ground of Melancholy VI. False World thy ill report I 'le not deserve It shall me serve Thy frowns and slanders shall a kindness do Not make me rue When Friends turn Foes and Foes more Foes I see It weaneth me From things below and kills excessive Love Where doating my destruction might prove VII I will the Rage of Froward Men and Spight With Love requite It troubles me to see Professors Ire Burning like Fire I wish I were all Tears to check the Flame And quench the same If Wrath shut ears against my Ministry I will to God for all the louder cry N. V. THE END
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE More Excellent Way TO Edifie the Church of CHRIST OR A DISCOURSE CONCERNING LOVE The Design of which is to Revive that Grace now under such decays among Protestants of ALL perswasions By NATHANAEL VINCENT M. A. Minister of the Gospel 1 Pet. 4. 8. And above all things have fervent Charity among your selves Phil. 4. 5. Let your Moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand Gal. 5. 15. But if ye bite and devour one another take heed ye be not consumed one of another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in 1 Cor. London Printed by J. A. for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel and at the Bible on London-Bridge near the Gate 1684. TO THE READER READER ALthough my Name be in the mouths of many and Tongues have scourg'd it most severely and most false Reports have been spread concerning me both in City and Countrey yet I could more patiently have born the killing of my Reputation if the Honour of God had not been at all concerned A regard to his Name and his Gospel's Credit prevails with me to break silence and Love to others makes me fear their being scandalized to their prejudice There is a design driven on by Hell and Rome to introduce Atheism in order unto Propery to make men really of no Religion that they may not stick to profess themselves of the Romish when they shall apprehend 't is for their Secular Interest Now because some mens lives by the Grace of God have been unblameable and tended to convince the World that there is a reality and power in Godliness these upon this account are singled out and loaded with Calumnies and Reproaches that being represented as Hypocrites all Religion may the more easily be suspected as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 1. 16. cunningly devised Fable Let not those who have stupified their own Consciences think that I have acted of late against Mine Though I think I ought not to keep at such a distance from the Church of England as I did yet I have no preferment in it neither can I submit to the terms of such preferment Nay I have exceedingly hindred my own secular advantage by my Moderation which is not the way to thrive in such a Violent Age as this A moderate man is like one that parts two which are fighting instead of being thank'd he is lik'd by neither he has blowes from both for wishing them no worse a thing than Peace From prophane tongues I expect lies and slanders That Master whom I serve met with no better usage He was called a Wine-bibber a Friend to Publicans and Sinners nay said to have a Devil But though the Slander be never so gross it shall not hinder me from praying for the Slanderer and I hope I shall be enabled to live so still as that no body shall believe him If Professors who are Non-conformists speak against me and censure me as a Temporizer My Answer is That with me 't is a small thing to be judged of them or of mans judgment My own Conscience speaks other kind of language and in that one I have Mille testes a thousand Witnesses of my Integrity God is convincing me of the vanity of popular Applause and how soon that kind of wind may turn and change And if a Conviction of this makes me more humble and low in my own eyes Dishonour will do me a far greater kindness than Praise I will say to Humility O praesidium dulce decus meum my safety and sweet Ornament and next unto Heaven expect the greatest rest to my Soul in the exercise of this lovely Vertue The fury of those who have been most enraged against me has but heightned my love to them I have poured out more prayers and tears for them than they are aware of and they will know what a true Friend I have been to them when they come into another World Those whose Heads are hotter than their Love shall not move my anger but my pity and sorrow And let them call me what they please I shall own what is good in them and requite their Censures with Supplications that their Light and Faith their Humility and Love may be encreased and that they may do nothing unbecoming the Children of the God of love and peace nothing prejudicial to the Church or to themselves I have preached heretofore to multitudes while I was permitted For all the Churches in London not being able to hold the tenth part of all the Inhabitants I thought they had better hear a Doctrine agreeable to the Articles of the Church of England from my mouth than not hear at all But it never was my practice to preach up a party and it troubles me to see how much of Religion is placed in smaller things as appears by mens eagerness about them As if some thought a Church others thought a Conventicle like the Ark of Noah out of which 't is impossible to escape drowning in Perdition My design all along was to bring men to God by Faith in Jesus and that their hearts might be purified and to perswade them to be holy in all manner of Conversation I confess I am somewhat altered from what I was but 't is in the extensiveness of my love But I am perswaded that this is an alteration for the better and makes me more to resemble Christ Who can justly blame me for imitating the blessed Jesus who loves all sincere Protestants of all perswasions and has Communion with them all I add no more but that of the Apostle Rom. 15. 7. Wherefore receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God EPH. IV. 16. latter part Maketh Increase of the Body unto the Edifying of it self in Love IF I had a voice as loud as Thunder I would cry Fire Fire with a wish that all England might hear A Flame is kindled much worse than that which burnt down London which threatens both Church and State with ruine and that is the Flame of fierce Contention Mens Hearts are as hot as Hell their Tongues do set on fire the course of Nature such wrath such bitterness such animosities every where appear as plainly shew the body Politick and Body Mystical are in a dangerous fermentation and Feaver which I wish may not issue in dissolution and destruction That Prediction of our Lord is fulfilled Iniquity shall abound and love shall wax cold Lust indeed breaks out into a flame mens Passions are hot unto the highest degree and fury makes them abound in transgression but a deadly damp has seiz'd on Love No wonder that the Churches pulse does beat disorderly no wonder that she is languishing and ready to dye for Love is the cause of her increase and Edification Is there no Balm in Gilead is there not a Physitian there are the spots and symptoms such as shew the disease is mortal and that
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
that God would teach him that God would open his eyes and give him understanding Psal 119. which expressions shew a remainder of ignorance in him a trouble at it and a desire after a more perfect instruction 2. Holiness at present is imperfect in the best of men as well as Knowledg Other Graces cannot be perfect if Knowledge be not He that does not know the evil of sin so fully as he ought cannot hate it so much as he should He that is imperfect in his knowledge of God and Christ must needs fall short in his Faith and Love and holy Fear and Reverence There is not one sanctifying Grace in us but needs further degrees The Apostle makes it the constant work of Believers here below to be cleansing themselves from all filthiness both of the flesh and spirit and to be perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. 3. The victory over spiritual enemies is not yet fully obtained by militant Saints They are combating but they have not conquered they resist Satan and force him many times to flee but he returns again and renews his assaults and the God of peace has not yet done it though he has promised to tread him under their feet shortly Rom. 16. 20. They have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts but though the flesh is fastened to the Cross of Christ and therefore the old man is said to be crucified with him yet the flesh struggles upon the Cross the Body of Sin is not quite destroyed some fleshly and worldly lusts and affections are stirring which are not totally mortified Militant Saints are not as yet compleat Conquerours for their enemies still make a head and continue the war though at length they shall be made more than Conquerours through him that loved them Rom. 8. 37. 4. The Joyes of believers also are imperfect All tears shall at last be wiped away from their Eyes but at present their Eyes are full of them The worlds wickedness and folly in that wickedness professors degeneracy the Churches divisions and distresses and corruptions the dreadful tokens and signs of Gods displeasure if not of his departing finally their own spiritual distempers which are so far from being perfectly cured alas these are enough to hinder their joy from being perfect 5. Their Happiness is as yet but an imperfect Happiness All the world are miserable besides and the Saints are the only happy ones and yet these by many degrees are not so happy as they shall be This sad effect sin has by coming into the world that not a man not the best man can be fully happy till got out of the world The Churches true members are happy indeed because God is theirs Psal 144. ult because Christ is theirs but they must needs be happy only in part because God and Christ are but in part enjoyed In the second place I am to shew in what sense the Church should be continually increasing I. The Church should endeavour to increase in numbers and that the stone cut out without hands may become a great mountain and fill the whole earth Dan. 2. 34 35. 'T is the worlds misery that it hates and keeps at a distance from the Church of Christ But if this world were but taken into the Church and were brought to believe in the same Jehovah in the same Jesus and to yield Subjection to the same Gospel what a New and Happy world would there be presently This increase of the Church in numbers is to be endeavoured several wayes 1. Prayer should be constant and very fervent for this increase All the Sons and Daughters of Sion should be importunate that the City of God may be enlarged that the Church may not have a barren womb or dry breasts but that by reason of her numerous Offspring she may enlarge the place of her tent and without sparing she may lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes and stretch forth the curtains of her habitation Isa 54. 2. There is mercy enough in God though the miserable sinners that come to him are never so great a multitude The fulness of Christ is so infinitely unmeasurable that 't is sufficient to supply and to enrich the whole empty and beggar'd race of Adam Heaven is of capacity to contain millions of inhabitants more Let us therefore pray that the conversion of Souls may be by thousands and that they may flie as a cloud and as doves to their Windows Isa 60. 8. 2. The promises of the Churches increase are to be believed and pleaded In what a strain does God speak unto his Church what Promises does he make her Isa 60. 3 4 5. The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising Lift up thine eyes round about and see all they gather themselves together they come to thee Thy Sons shall come from far and thy Daughters shall be nursed at thy side Then shalt thou see and flow together and thy heart shall fear and be enlarged Because the abundance of the Sea shall be converted unto thee And the Forces of the Gentiles shall come to thee And v. 11. Thy Gates shall be open continually they shall not be shut day nor night that still there may be greater confluence And v. 16. Thou shalt also suck the Milk of the Gentiles and shalt suck the breasts of Kings and thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer the mighty One of Jacob. These and such like Promises are certain that God who has made them is easily able to make them good His Glory and Name and his Sons Honour are much concern'd in fulfilling them And he is delighted to see his Saints desirous with a respect to his Name that these Promises may be performed 3. The Church is to be increased by the powerful preaching of the Gospel This Preaching by all means is to be encouraged for Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. Those that most preach Christ and least themselves are likeliest to enlarge the Church of God Those that are most skilful to convince men of sin that are wise to win Souls that know Christ themselves and how to reveal him to others and with greatest zeal do press the love and practice of Holiness these are the Pastours after the Heart of God and are likely to do as Jacob did to Laban vastly to increase the Flock of Christ The Apostle was so far from hindring the preaching of the Gospel that he was glad it was preached by those that did not preach sincerely Surely the Church may have some benefit and enlargement by such Phil. 1. 15 16 17 18. Some preach Christ even of envy and strife and others also of good will the one preach Christ of contention not sincerely supposing to add affliction to my bonds but the other of love knowing that I am set for the defence of the Gospel What then I Notwithstanding every way
her Lords work and cast out the fear of suffering for his sake for a strong love is stronger than Death and has a most vehement flame many waters cannot quench it neither can the floods drown it Cant. 8. 6 7. 2. The Church must Edifie it self that it may become Larger Prayer should be instant and constant and pains should be taken both by Pastors and People and Godliness should be both in Form and Power that so the Mountain of the House of the Lord may be established in the top of the Mountains and exalted above the Hills and all Nations may flow unto it Isa 2. 2. 3. The Church must Edifie it self that it may become more Beautiful and Glorious The great day of the Churches publick Marriage to the Lamb is approaching how careful should she be to cleanse and adorn her self that she may be found of him in Peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. 14. This Beauty and Glory which the Church is to endeavour after and to long and hope for you have described Rev. 21. 9 10. Come hither and I will shew thee the Bride the Lambs Wife And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having the Glory of God and her light was like unto a stone most precious even like a Jaspar-stone clear as Chrystal the walls were high the twelve Gates were all Pearls the Street of the City was pure Gold as it were transparent glass and I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof What is the glory of Solomons Kingdom or Temple or of the whole World if compared with the Beauty of the new Jerusalem which the most valuable things in nature as Gold and Jewels are used to set forth but fall exceeding short of what they signifie I shall now make a brief Application USE I. It is matter of great Lamentation that the Church at present is so far from Edifying of it self that 't is doing quite the contrary 't is about to be Felo de se to destroy and to pull it self down to the ground if the God of Wisdom Love and Peace do not hinder The Poet lookt upon it as truly lamentable that the Roman State was engaged in a Civil War where there could be no Triumph after Victory that Pompey and Caesar both brave both Roman Generals should fight so eagerly so bloodily one against the other but surely 't is one of the saddest sights in the World to see the Members of the Body of Christ at variance and biting and devouring and doing that to one another which the siercest Persecution was never able to effect Alas for Wo that the Church of Christ should be militant not only because of her fighting with Enemies but because of the Discord among her own Members Suis ipsa Ecclesia viribus ruit The Church employes her own force to her own ruine Pastours are set against Pastours Saints against Saints Sermons against Sermons nay Prayers against Prayers and Sion is become like a Babel of Confusion Quis talia fando Temperet à lachrymis Well may the Prophets words be here applyed Ezek. 19. 14. This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation USE II. Of Advice Let the Churches Edification be minded Let all study and follow the things that make for Peace and things wherewith one may Edifie another Rom. 14. 19. 'T is not below the greatest of men to put their hands to this work of Building the House of God indeed it should strenuously be set about by All Magistrates Ministers People 1. The Churches Edification is to be minded by Magistrates Their Authority should be subservient to the Authority of Him by whom they Reign Prov. 8. 15. By me Kings Reign and Princes decree Justice The Laws of Kingdoms and States should alwayes promote and encourage the Progress of the Gospel Truth and Holiness do ever deserve the countenance of Authority but sin is worthy of a frown Those Princes who are most for the Churches welfare do most consult their own If Righteousness exalts a Nation and sin be the reproach and â—â—â—ine of any People Prov. 14. 34 then the more the Church is Edified the more firmly both Throne and Kingdom are established Hezekiah his Zeal for Religion was attended with a blessed Prosperity 2 Chron. 31. 21. In every work that he began in the Service of the house of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his Heart and he prospered 2. The Churches Edification is to be minded by Ministers 't is their office more peculiarly to be Labourers together with God in his Husbandry and Building 1 Cor. 3. 9. They should Pray Preach Live so as to Edifie Reputation and worldly advantage are poor things Edification Edification is most truly considerable and should sound in their Ears should be upon their Hearts and endeavoured with their utmost abilities They must be blameless as the Stewards of God and faithfully dispense food to Souls They must not be Self-willed not soon Angry not given to Wine no Strikers not given to filthy Lâ—cre but lovers of Hospitality lovers of good Men Sober Just Holy Temperate Tit. 1. 7 8. Then they are like to Build the House of God indeed 3. The People also should endeavour the Edification of the Church They should by a good example provoke one another to love and good works No corrupt Communication should proceed out of their Mouths but that which is good to the use of Edifying and which may administer Grace to the hearâ—rs Eph. 4 29. They are to please one another for Edification Rom. 15. 2. And in all Reproofs let Love and a desire to Edifie be apparent in the Reprover I conclude with a few Arguments to perswade all to Edifie the Church 1. The Church of Christ is hugely out of repair the breaches are great and there is much rubbish to be removed and where there is so much work to be done the Labourers should be the greater number and the more diligent 2. While you are building his Church the Lord himself will be with you and then no matter for opposition Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the World When Nehemiah was building Jerusalem he was derided he was opposed but he was not discouraged neither did the work cease and the Enemies were forced to an acknowledgment that God was with him 3. Your labour shall not be in vain either as to success or as to reward Some good you shall do who do desire it and God takes notice how much more you would do and will reward you accordingly The Lord is too good a Master
to suffer any of his faithful labourers and servants to want encouragement David had it in his heart to build him an house and God establishes the house of David 1 Chron. 17. 23. and his family was upheld till Christ the Son of David came I have done with the third Proposition That the Body of Christ should diligently endeavour the edifying of it self Proposit IIII. The fourth and last Proposition is this The more Love abounds among the members of the Church the more the whole Body will be edified or more briefly thus Love is exceedingly for the Churches edification I might be large in discoursing of Love to Christ and manifest how this will constrain all in whom it is to endeavour the edification of his Body and to seek the welfare of those for whom he died One who loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity how can he chuse but love all Saints though of different perswasions since notwithstanding that difference they are all so dear to him that he gave his life a ransom for them all and the blood of God was shed for every one of them that there might be a price paid sufficient for their Redemption But the Apostle is to be understood in my Text of Christians love one to another This is that Charity which the Scripture calls so loudly for Joh. 13. 34. A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another the command is doubled and called a new commandment because though delivered long before yet here 't is delivered with a new example that of Christ himself as I have loved you and consequently with a new and strongly enforcing motive The Apostle Peter gives this charge 1 Pet. 4. 8. Above all things have fervent charity among your selves Gifts though excellent may be abused and perversely employed to instill Errour and rend the Church of God Knowledge if it be alone will not profit but puss up him that has it But Charity edifieth 1 Cor. 8. 1. Love is greatly beneficial its acts are pure and peaceable and gentle full of mercy and good fruits and 't is against the very nature of it to work ill to any In the handling of the Proposition I shall First Discourse concerning the Nature of Love Secondly Discover the Properties which the Scripture attributes to it Thirdly Demonstrate how it is for the Churches Edification Fourthly Shew the vanity of those excuses that are made for the want of love Lastly Apply In the first place I am to discourse concerning the Nature of love There is a fourfold Love Carnal Natural Civil Spiritual 1. Carnal and impure Thus Amnon loved his fair Sister Tamar 2 Sam. 13. 1. and Sampson fell in love with Delilah but this impure affection cost both these their lives and brought the one and the other to an untimely end This may more properly be called Lust than Love and in whatever heart 't is harbour'd how does it defile and harden If but a spark of lust be let alone what a flame may quickly follow which may consume the Estate the Reputation the Body and the Soul it may indeed be extenuated but 't is threatned with the wrath of God Not only for fornication but for evil concupiscence cometh the wrath of God upon the Children of disobedience Col. 3. 5 6. When Lust is suffer'd to conceive and bring forth actual Adultery how do the Adulterer and his Strumpet shew their hatred one to the other The mischief they do themselves is inconceiveable and how do they defile each the others Body wound each the others Conscience and delight in that whereby they damn each the others Soul 2. There is a Love which is Natural I mean Natural affection To have this natural affection is a duty for 't is planted in the heart by the wise and gracious God as that which has a mighty tendency to the conservation of Mankind therefore to be without natural affection the Apostle makes one of the crimes of them who were given up to a reprobate mind to do those things which were not convenient Rom. 1. 28 31. Natural affection we owe unto Relations which debt if we refuse to pay we shut our ears to the dictates of Nature as well as the word of Christ and become worse than Infidels nay worse than the beasts that perish Parents must love their Children Children their Parents Husbands and Wives be full of affection to one another But Grace should spiritualize this Natural affection Not only the persons of our Relations must be loved but their Souls and their eternal Salvation most earnestly desired and endeavoured and if we cannot bear the thoughts of a Parents Husbands Wives or Childs pain poverty slavery starving the thoughts of their being eternally damn'd should be much more intolerable and all means should be used to prevent it 3. There is a Love which may be styled Civil This is one of the great bonds of Humane Societies whereby they are kept together whereas hatred and discord do first divide and then destroy them This Amor patriae love to our Countrey the more it prevails the more will our Countrey flourish In a Kingdom the whole should be concerned for every individual and every individual for the whole and all the parts for one another No member should hastily be concluded a gangren'd one that is Ense recidendum ne pars sincera trahatur Presently to be cut off lest the whole Community be endanger'd Draco is not lookt upon as one of the wisest Legislators who made almost every Offence capital and therefore is said to have writ his Laws in blood A mild Government such as our English is does best suit with Christianity and is likeliest to attain the end of Magistracy the Highest Sovereigns glory the King and Kingdoms safety Love should make all the Subjects of a Kingdom to consider the Relation they have to and their concern in one another and no Plots and Conspiracies should be allowed but onely designs and endeavours of one anothers wealth and welfare especially the truest wealth and the welfare that is eternal I cannot but here bewail the want of this Civil love and the variance that is in my Native Country New Names of discrimination are invented which our forefathers knew not Breaches grow wide as the Sea who but the God of Love and Peace can heal them A perverse Spirit mingles it self among different Parties and differences are kept up and still increased with an unusual animosity When Phaeton had set the World on fire the Poet by an elegant Prosopopoeia brings in the Earth it self thus pleading Hosne mihi fructus hunc fertilitatis honorem Officiique refers c. And may not England which at this day is in a flame of Contention be introduced thus speaking to her Inhabitants O English-men what means this more than civil Discord and Fury among you In Me you have been born and bred And considering the
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
a great many particulars discovers true love and Charity and I shall make it evident how in every particular 't is much for edification 1. Love suffers long and is kind God is long suffering and so is Love It enables us to rule our own spirits which argues true greatness and strength of Soul Prov. 16. 32. He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a City Love is so far from revenging injuries already done that it will bear new ones and that 's the meaning of our Lords Injunction Mat. 5. 39. I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek turn to him the other also Nay Love though it suffers long is kind notwithstanding 'T is much to put up an injury but much more to be kind to the Injurer This love in Churches how would it unite them and the more they are united the more they are strengthened Provocations to wrath would be turned into provocations to love and evil would be overcome by goodness and the World hereby is likely to be convinced and converted The Proto-Martyr Stephen was kind to those that stoned him How does he pray that their sin might not be laid to their charge but that their Souls might be saved though they thirsted after his blood and took away his life from him This Prayer was heard and Saul at length is converted and proves a Master-builder of the Church of God 2. Love envies not It is not grieved and troubled at anothers excellency neither does it grudge at the comfort or prosperity of another How much of Hell is there in the temper of an envious man The happiness of another is his misery the good of another is his affliction He looks upon the vertue of another with an evil eye and is as sorry at the praise of another as if that praise were taken away from himself Envy makes him an hater of his Neighbour and his own Tormenter Love flies from Envy as extreamly diabolical for the root of it is pride and ill will is its Concomitant What sad work has Envy made in Churches not to speak of the mischief it has done all the World over When Christians have been desirous of vain-glory provoking one another envying one another which the Apostle so much dehorts from Gal. 5. ult When Pastors have been envious at one anothers Parts Gifts Preferments Success and Estimation the poor Church has suffered and its Edification has gone on like Pauls work but very slowly Envy makes the builders to fall out to weaken one anothers hands to hinder one another in the work of God Where envying and strife is is there Edification No such matter but there is confusion and every evil work Jam. 3. 16. Love instead of being troubled at the grace or usefulness or esteem of another rejoyces therein and the more there are that honour God and adorn the Gospel and benefit the Church it rejoyces the more 3. Love vaunteth not it self neither is it puffed up The word which the Holy Ghost uses for vaunting is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Greek word of a Latine derivation coming from perperan which signifies amiss An ancient Greek Father St. Basil propounds this question What is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and returns this answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Love is against doing things for shew and ostentation and excludes vain-glorious boasting Puffing up relates to the Heart vaunting to the words and actions Love refuses to do either It makes a man not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think but to think soberly Rom. 12. 3. those Precepts are much minded Rom. 12. 10. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another and Phil. 2. 3. Let each esteem other better than themselves And as Love hinders the heart from being puff'd up so the tongue from vaunting it self or debasing another It will not defame or disparage others as if its own reputation were to be built upon the ruine of theirs Now this kind of temper is very subservient to the Churches interest For while Christians are thus low in their own eyes and are ready both in word and deed to honour and encourage one another great grace a shining lustre is upon them all and God himself delights in them to make them flourish and encrease 4. Love does not behave it self unseemly What more unseemly than a lofty look than an haughty carriage as if others were not good enough to unloose the latchet of our shoes but Love does banish pride and scornfulness and makes us humble in our converse which is the most seemly behaviour in the world The Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies any unseemly behaviour So that Love studies exactness of carriage that Religion may be the more commended unto all When Professors do that which is unseemly the Church and Religion suffer by it but a conversation without rebuke which manifests a love both to God and Man is the way to win many a man to God that before was estranged from him An unseemly behaviour opens many a mouth against the Gospel creates new prejudices and confirms the World in their natural enmity against it But a seemly conversation makes Religion amiable well-doing puts ill tongues to silence and forces them to give glory to God 1 Pet. 2. 12. Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles that whereas they speak against you as evil doers they may by your good works which they shall behold glorify God in the day of visitation 5. Love seeketh not her own and consequently inclines us to edify and to seek the good of others The Apostles meaning is not that Love causes us to cast off all care and regard of our selves but only that which is immoderate and which proceeding from a blind self-love makes us disregard what becomes of others Christ himself is a pattern to Love in this respect and Love follows him He was humbled that we might be exalted He was condemned that we might be justified He became poor that we through his poverty might be rich He was made a curse that we might receive the blessing even life for evermore Love will make a Christian seek the wealth of another the reputation and especially the Salvation of another Nay Charity will prevail with us to suffer reproach loss imprisonment nay death it self when God calls us to it for the Churches good 1 Joh. 3. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God because he layed down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren And Col. 1. 24. Who now rejoyce in my sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodies sake which is the Church Hence 't is apparent sayes Calvin Quam non sit ingenita nobis à natura charieas that true Charity is
not in us by nature but a grace from above really of divine original 6. Love is not easily provoked Before it was said it suffers long but here something further is intimated charitatem etiam in gravissimis causis non facile iram effundere that though the cause and occasion be very great yet love is not ready to be incensed I grant that notwithstanding love a Christian may be angry at Sin but love makes him flye from causeless sinful anger The Scripture prohibitions are very strict and severe Eccles 7. 9. Be not hasty in thy Spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosom of fools Psal 37. 8. Cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil Anger and wrath what harm has it done in the Christian World what rents what divisions has it made bitter fruit has grown from this root of bitterness The wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of God nor his Churches good and therefore Love which moderates anger and mortifies what is sinful and hurtful in it must needs do the Church a kindness Alas poor England and compassionable Church in it how many parties are there and how high their exasperations but their fury one against another is a perfect frenzy which has a certain and speedy tendency unto an universal destruction Want of love is one of the clearest demonstrations that there is want of Wisdom 7. Love thinketh no evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is not apt to impute evil to another but to aconstrue the words and actions of others in the best sence which they can bear 'T is very far from imagining and contriving evil and mischief against another To ruine men in their Estates to blast their Names to wound their Consciences to rid the World of them these are none of Loves contrivances And as Love carries on no evil designs so it is not suspicious that others do These suspicions are very bad for if the mind be full of them it will be apt to meditate revenge upon barely fancyed and supposed injuries though the Christian Religion forbids revenging reel ones Want of love makes us imagine that others have contrivances against us to undermine our interest and repute and to do us some great harm when indeed the just contrary may be true and when we think so ill of them our carriage towards them may be as ill as our thoughts But love is too full of candour to give way to groundless jealousies And if this candour did but more prevail how would Edification be promoted Suspicions keep the several parties that are among us at a greater distance Difference in opinions makes the distance suspicions widen it Several Dissenters are apt to suspect Episcopâ—â— Men inclined to Popery Divers Episcopal Men are apt to think that if ever Popery come in 't wil be brought in upon the back of the Puritans Different parties are all full of jealousies as if they were all false unto and designed to ruine utterly one another and only to set up every one themselves Now these suspicions unless there be most apparent ground for them should be abandon'd and Love will not cherish them for they weaken the Protestant Religion and divide the Church against it self 8. Love rejoyceth not in Iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth Though our Neighbour is to be loved yet we are not to love his iniquity but endeavour by Prayer to God by Reproofs and Intreaties and other wayes to reclaim him from his evil and destructive way Lev. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy Neighbour and not suffer sin to â—ye upon him And though our Neighbour has shewed himself an Enemy to us and after fall into some scandalous iniquity whereby he is endammaged and disgraced love will hinder us from being secretly glad of it nay 't will make us really to pity him and to mourn for him What Solomon sayes is much to our present purpose Prov. 24. 17. Rejoice not when thine Enemy falleth neither let thy heart be glad when he stumbleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to rejoice in the sins of others how hellish is it this is so far from edifying that it makes a man exactly to resemble the evil one who is the Churches great Destroyer This very bad temper how does it prevail at this day among many persons of different perswasions When they hear of the scandalous falls of others who are not of their Way they are pufft up as the Corinthians were and but too much pleased 1 Cor. 5. 2. They hope that the repute of their party will be advanced by the exclamation that is made against those of another Party And hereby they shew that they value their own Reputation above the Salvation of a Soul the Honour of God himself and the general Credit of Christianity But where Persons are thus glad at the scandalous sins of others there is certainly a most scandalous want of Charity which shews it self in proclaiming on the house-tops what love should make them to cover Love rejoiceth not in iniquity but it rejoyceth in the truth and therefâ—â—e is truly for Edification Truth may be put by an Hebraism for true goodness for sincere Righteousness as the Antithesis in the words manifests or truth may respect the reality of love it self Love rejoiceth in the truth because 't is an enemy to shews and dissimulation I might also adde another gloss We must not love any man or any party so as to reject Truth but that must be own'd with gladness on which side or where soever found The Philosopher did say Amicus Socrates amicus Plato sed magis amica Veritas Socrates is my Friend and so is Plato but Truth is more my Friend than either 9. Love is for the Churches Edification for it hopes and believes all things It believes the best of others untill that which is bad is so visible and apparent that if it does not believe it must be blind Though one that is truly charitable is unwilling to be imposed upon yet of the two he rather chuses to be deceived through his candour and facility than to wrong his Brother by a sinister suspicion And where love for the present cannot believe yet t will hope If it sees others to be never so bad yet it hopes they may come to a better mind and how earnestly does it pray for their amendment The Greek Tragedian Euripides tells us He is the best man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hopes alwaies The Roman Dictator Fabius Maximus did a great kindness to the Commonwealth almost ruin'd by Hannibal quia nihil desperavit he did not quite despair in Romes extremity Love to the Church will hinder us from giving over all as lost and hope being kept alive that the Church in time may become more pure and more united will put vigour into our endeavours to promote the Churches Union and Holiness 10. Love Edifies for it
argue an healing Spirit to call every thing we dislike Egyptian and Babylonish This uncharitable Censuring if it be not the mark of the Beast 't is the mark of one as bad you know who is styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Accuser of the Brethren 5. Others say That many who pretend to Religion and Conscience are Schismatical and Rebellious and Love and Countenance does but harden and encourage them in their pernicious wayes to the Prejudice both of Church and State I Answer Particular persons who are culpable let them hear the blame but why should all Dissenters be judged Rebels how peaceably have they carried themselves for these many Years how fervently do they Pray for the Kings Life and Prosperity To Assassinate his Majesty or the Duke of York they look upon as an action most abominable and are perswaded that every one that names the Name of Christ should utterly abhor such a Villanous Iniquity They look upon Solomon not as speaking like a politick Prince but as declaring the mind of thâ— Holy Ghost when he sayes My Son fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24. 21. They are sensible that the false Teachers in the latter dayes have this Character that they despise Government that They are presumptuous and self-willed and are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities 2 Pet. 2. 10. Let those who are full of bitter Invectives against Dissenters as if they were Enemies to Government consider what the Assembly of Divines at Wesiminster have declared and the Congregational Divines at the Savoy say the same Confession of Faith Chap. of the Civil Magistrate It is the Duty of People to Pray for Magistrates to honour their Persons to pay them Tribute and other Dues to obey their lawful Commands and to be subject to their Authority for Conscience sake Infidelity or Difference in Religion does not make void the Magistrates just and legal Authority nor free the People from their due Obedience to him from which Ecclesiastical persons are not exempted much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their Dominions or over any of their People and least of all to deprive them of their Dominions or Lives if he shall judge them to be Hereticks or upon any other pretence whatsoever And as for the Charge of Schism the Dissenters wish there were no such thing in the Churches of Christ that Terms of Communion might be only Scriptural and that all occasions of Division might be taken away They Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and that she may have more True Lovers and That all may prosper who Love her I come in the last place to the Application USE I. Of Information If Love be for the Churches Edification then 1. Hence we may be informed that Hatred Variance Emulations Wraths Strifes and such works of the Flesh tend to the Churches Ruine they that harbour such sins as these and are not concerned about the mortification of them they are frantick Christians who cast Fire-brands and Arrows and Death doing much mischief to others but most to themselves 2. No wonder that Satan who labours to destroy Churches endeavours to kill Love He is the envious one that sows ill Weeds he is the Father of Lies and Errors he knows Errour tends to Division he sets an Edge on the Passions of men and makes them more sharp and keen he is the grand incendiaâ—y in Churches setting all in a flame and he hopes this flame will consume all before it nay burn at last to the lowest Hell 3. Those Principles are truest and best that tend to the begetting and increasing of Love The Church of Christ is little beholding to those who are of narrow Principles that mind only a part but not the whole The Apostle blamed the Corinthians for being of such a narrow Spirit 1 Cor. 1. 12. Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollo and I of Cephas whereas all true Believers should reckon themselves one in God and Christ and consequently should be for one another 4. Hence we may be informed that Love is the more excellent way Rigour and Fury may force men to a dissembled Compliance but Love is the way indeed to win them I don't think it a Credit to the Alcoran that it must be seconded with the knocking argument of an iron Mace the Spanish Inquisition shews the weakness of that Religion which cannot stand unless it has the help of such Cruelty to support it Certainly that Church which is fullest of Love is the truest and wisest and most likely to be enlarged The Apostle preferrs Charity before the Faith of Miracles though these Miracles mightily confirmed the Authority and Verity of the Gospel nay he preferrs it before the Gift of Prophesie though Prophesie was the most Edifying of all the Gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. 1. He was indeed a Prince among Preachers and supposes himself better than he was and to speak with the Tongue of an Angel yet sayes he Without Charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal nay If I have not Charity I am nothing 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. USE II. Of Caution in several particulars 1. Take heed of what is contrary to Love as that which is contrary to Edification Unmercifulness Cruelty Rage Revenge Bitterness are so far from becoming Christianity that they are against Humanity it self When first sinful Passion begins to stir in thy Heart obsta principiis quench the spark for behold how great a matter a little fire kindles Jam. 3. 5. What is contrary to Love is contrary to thy own Peace and may make thee a Disturber of the Churches Peace 2. Take heed of sinful Self-love This causes perilous times to overtake the Church of Christ 2 Tim. 3. 182. This know also that in the last dayes perilous times shall come for men shall be lovers of their own selves Self-love turns Godliness into a Form argues a want of the Power it makes Religion to be subservient unto base and selfish designs and hereby the Gospel comes to be suspected Atheism grows rampant and the Church must needs languish Self-love will make you unconcerned for the Honour of God for the good of man it will produce a carelesness in you of others welfare and hinder you from truly minding your own He that loves no body but himself and matters not what harms befall others so himself can but scape is a pest of the World unfit for Christian nay for humane Society Antiquity has censured that Speech as infamous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If I were dead no matter though the World were all a fire The Self-lover is of the same temper if he can but keep what he has and sleep in a whole Skin he is not at all affected with others Calamities and Afflictions 3. Take heed of scandalizing any 'T is the great work of Satan to cause
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