Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
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A37981
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The watch-mans lanthorn being a summ of divinity in a short but very plaine exposition of the Ten commandments, the Lords prayer, and the Creed : fittest to the meanest capacity in a nature of a dialogue / by A.E.
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A. E., a servant of Jesus Christ.
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1655
(1655)
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Wing E2; ESTC R25569
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96,065
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185
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readily to take upon us the defence of Truth and by all means to maintain and uphold it M. For satisfying of this Law is it not enough to bridle our Tongue and Pen S. By the same reason that I have before said when He forbiddeth evil speaking He therewith forbiddeth sinister Maâ— 7. 1 2. Rom. 14. 3 4. 1 Cor. 13. 5. 7. suspicious and wrongful misdeemings for this Law-Maker hath ever chief respect to the affection of the heart this Law therefore forbiddeth us to be inclined so much as to think evil of our neighbours much less to defame them yea it Prov. 25. 17. 〈◊〉 2. 1 2. commandeth us to be of such gentle sincerity and indiffereney toward them as to endeavour so far as Truth may suffer to think well of them and to our utmost power to preserve their estimation untouched M. What is the reason why the Lord in his Law doth term the corrupt affections of the heart by the names of the most hainous offences for He comprehendeth wrath and hatred under the name of manslaughter all wantonness and unclean thoughts under the name of Adultery and unjust coveting under the name of theft S. Least we as the nature of man is should winke at the ungodly affections Rom. 7. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 6. of the heart as things of small weight therefore the Lord setteth them out by their true names according as He measureth them by the rule of his own righteousness for our Saviour the best Interpreter of his Fathers meaning doth so expound the same Who so saith He is Mat. 5. 22. 28. 15. 19. 1 Ioh 3. 15. angry with his brother he is a manslayer Who so lusteth after a woman he hath committed adultery M. But wheras only vices and sins are forbidden in these Commandements why dost thou in expounding them say that the contrary vertues are also commanded therin for thou sayest thaâ— in forbidding of adultery chastity is 〈…〉 in forbidding manslaughter and these most entire good will and liberality is commanded and so of the rest S. Because the same our Saviour doth so expound it which setteth the summ of the Law not in abstaining only from injury and evil doing but in love and Mat. 22. 39 Rom 13. 4. 8 Gal. 5. 14. Psal 37 27. charity like as the Kingly Prophet had also before taught saying Depart from evil and do good M. Now remaineth the last Commandement S. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbours Exod. 20. 17. Mich. 2. 2. Rom. 7 7. 1 Cor. 10. 6. house thou shalt not covet thy neighbours wife nor his servant nor his maid nor his Oxe nor his Ass nor any thing that is his M. Seeing that as thou hast oft said already the whole Law is spiritual and ordained not only to restrain outward evil doings but also to bridle the inward affections of the heart What is herin commanded more that was before omitted S. God hath before forbidden all evil doings and corrupt affections of the mind but now he requireth of us a most precise pureness that we suffer not Isa 1. 16. Rom. 13 14. Gal. 5. 24. any desire be it never so light nor any thought be it never so small in any wise swerving from right once to creep into our heart M. How then dost thou say that unadvised and sodain desires and short thoughts that come upon the very godly are sins although they strive against such rather then yeild to them S. Surely it is plain that all corrupt thoughts although our consent be not Gen. 6. 5. 8. 21. Psal 94. 15. Prov. 20. 9. Mat. 15. 18 19. added to them do proceed out of corrupted Nature and it is no doubt that sodaine desires that tempt the hearts of men although they prevaile not so farr as to win a stedfast assent of mind and allowance are in this Commandement condemned by God as sins for it is meet that even our very hearts and mind should Isa 1. 16. 29 13 15. Jer. 4. 14. Ezek. 18. 31. Mat. 5 8 Psal 5. 4 5. 2 Cor. 6. 14. shine before God in their perfect pureness and cleanness for no Innocency and righteousness but the most perfect can please him whereof he hath also set before this his Law and most perfect rule M. Hitherto thou hast shortly and plainly opened the Law of the ten Commandements but cannot all these things that thou hast severally and particularly declared be in few words gathered as it were into one summ S. Why not seeing that Christ our heavenly Schoolmaster hath comprised the whole pith and substance of the Law in a summ and short abridgment in this manner saying Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul with all thy mind with all thy Mat. 22. 37. Mar. 12. 30. strength and this is the greatest Commandement in the Law and the second is like unto this Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self for in these two Commandements are contained the whole Law and the Prophets M. What manner of love of God dost thou take here to be required S. Such as is meet for God that is Deut. 10. 17. 1 Tim. 6 13 Isa 73. 16. Mat. 6. 8. 1 Tim. 1 1. Deut. 10 12. Psal 96 7. 1 Cor. 10 31. Deut. 6 17. Rom. 12. 2. Psal 2. 12. 25. 1. 31. 1. 118. 8. that we acknowledge Him both for our most mighty Lord and our most loving Father and most merciful Saviour wherefore to this love is to be adjoyned both reverence to his Majestie and obedience to his Will and affiance in his Goodnese M. What is meant by all the Heart all the Soule and all the Strength S. Such fervency and such unfainedness of love that there be no roome for any thoughts for any desires for any meanings or doings that disagree with Deut. 30 6. Ios 23. 11. Mar. 10. 37. the love of God Dear as one saith are our Parents dear are our children our kinsfolks our friends and dearer yet is our Countrey but all the deare loves of them all entire zeal toward God and Ioh. 14. 15. 21. 23 24. â—5 10. the most perfect love of Him not only containeth but also much and farr surmounteth for whom what good man will stick to die for every godly man loveth God not only more dearer then all his but also more dearerly then himself M. Now what saiest thou of the love of our neighbour S. Christs Will was that there should be most streight bonds of love among his children and as we be by nature most 1 Cor. 13. 5. Eph. 5. 29. Phil. 2. 29. inclined to the love of our selves so can there not be devised a plainer nor shorter nor pithier nor more indifferent rule of brotherly love then that which the Lord hath gathered out of our own nature and set before us that is that every man should beare to his neighbour the same good will that he beareth to himself
whereof it followeth that we should not Mat. 7. 12. 22. 36. Rom. 13. 9 10. do any thing to our neighbour nor say nor think any thing of him which we would not have other to do to our selves or to say or think of our selves within the compass of which only Law which is indeed as it were the Soule of all other Laws if we could behold surely there were were no need of so many barrs of Laws as men do daily devise to hold men in from doing wrong one to another and to maintain Civil Societies and all well nere in vain if among men this one Law be not regarded M. How far extendeth the name of neighbour The name of neighbour containeth not only those that be of our kin and alliance or friends or such as be knit to us in any civil bond of love but also those whom we know not yea and our enemies Mat. â— 43. Ioh. 13. 34. 1 Thes 4. 9. M. Why what have they to do with us S. Surely they are knit to us with the the same bond wherwith God hath coupled together all man-kind which bond his Will is to have inviolable and stedfast and therfore it cannot be taken away by Mat. 5. 44. 1 Ioh. 2. 9 3. 10. 4. 7. any mans frowardness hatred or malice for though any man hate us yet notwithstanding he remaineth stil our neighbour and so must alway be accounted because the same Order by which this fellowship and conjoyning among men is knit together ought alway to remain stedfast and inviolable and hereby may it be easily perceived why the holy Scripture hath appointed Charity or Love to be one of the principall parts of Religion Gal. 5. 6. 1 Ioh. 3. 23. M. But what meaneth that addition in the end That herin are contained the whole Law and the Prophets S. Because in very deed the summ of them all belongeth therunto for all the Warnings Commands Exhortations Promises and Threatnings which the Law it self the Prophets and Apostles do every where use are directed to nothing else but to the end of this Law as it were to a mark and all things in the holy Mat. 7. 12. Rom. 13 8 10. Gal. 4. 13. 1 Tim. 1. 5. Scriptures are so applied to Charity that they seem as it were to lead us by the hand unto it M. Now I wouâ—d have thee tell me what Law that is that thou speakest off whether it is the same that we call the law of Nature or some other besides it S. I remember Master that I have long ago learned this of you that is tha the Law as the highest reason was by God grafted in the nature of man while mans nature was yet sound and Gen. 1. 26 27 31. Ephe. 4. â—4 Col. 3. 10. uncorrupted being created after the Image of God and so this Law is indeed and is called the law of Nature but since that nature of man became stained with sin although the minds of wise men have Luk 1. 79 Acts 14. 17. 17. 27. Rom 1. 19. been in some sort lightened with the brightness of this natural light yet in the most part of men this light is so put out that scarce any sparckles therof are to be seen and in many mens minds is deeply grafted a sharp hatred of God and men against the Ordinances of God and his Mat. 24 9 10 12 Ioh. 17. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 2. Commandements written in this Law which command most hearty love to God and men hereof commeth so great ungodliness toward God and so deadly cruelty toward men M. How commeth it to pass that God would have these Commandements written in Tables S. I will tell you the Image of God in man is since the fall of Adam by Original 1 Cor. 2. 14. Eph. 4. 17. 18. sin and by evil Custome so darkned and natural Judgment so corrupted that man doth not sufficiently understand what difference is between honest and dishonest right and wrong Merciful God therfore minding to renue the same Image in us hath by his Law written in Tables set forth the rule of perfect righteousness Psal 19. 8. 119. 1. and that so lively and fully that God requireth no more of us but to follow the same rule for he accepteth no other sacrifice but Obedience and Hos 6. 6. Mar. 12. 33. therefore he hateth all whatsoever it be that we admit in Religion or in the case of worshipping God without the warrant of his prescribed Ordinance M. But wherin this Law there are no Commandements set out of every mans private Vocation how can this be a perfect rule of life S. Though here be no Commandement expresly set out concerning the duties of every man yet for asmuch as the Law commandeth to give to every man his Exod. 20. 12 15. toto capite own it doth in a summ comprise all the parts and duties of every man privately in his degree and trade of life and in these Tables the Lord hath briefly and summarily comprehended all those things which in the Scriptures are each where most largely set out concerning the several Commandements and Duties of every several man M. Seeing then the Law doth shew a perfect manner of worshipping God a right ought we not then to live wholly according to the rule thereof S. Yea and so much that God promiseth Deut. 8. 1. 30. 15. Mtt. 19. 17. Ioh. 12. 50. Deut. 11. 28. 13. 17. Rom. 1. 18. 6. 23. life to them that live according to the rule of the Law and on the other side threatneth death to them that break his Law as is aforesaid and for this cause in my Division I have named Obedience as one of the principal parts of Religion M. Dost thou then think them to be justified that do in all things obey the Law of God S. Yea surely if any were able to performe it they should be justified by the Law but we are all of such weakness Gen. 6. 5. 8 11. Prov. 20. 9. Rom. 7. 14. 15. Gal. 2. 16. that no man in all points fulfilleth his Duty For though we put case that there be one found that performeth the Law in some point yet he shall not therby be justified before God for he pronounceth them all to be accursed and Gal. 3. 10. abhominable that do not fulfill all things that are contained in the Law M Dâ—st thâ—u â—hen detâ—rmine that no mortal man is justified before God by the Law S. No man for the Scriptures do also Iob 25. 4. Rom. 3. 28. 4 15. Gal. 2 16. 21. 3. 10. pronounce the same M. Why then did God make such a Lâ—w as requireth a perfection above our â—bility S. In making the Law God respected not so much what we were able to perform which by our own fâ—ult are very Rom. 3 20. Gal. 3. 8. weak as what was meet for his own