there no remedy Though the case be deplorable 't is not desperate Were my Text but minded in it might be found a sure Recipe Christ is the Churches Head and Healer and were but Love revived it would quickly bring his Body to a better and more healthy temper Light may do much but Love will do more Love covers a multitude of sins Love cures a multitude of Maladies The Church encreases and edifies it self in Love Though the Apostle was a Prisoner yet we find his Heart enlarged towards the Ephesians Having before discoursed concerning the Mysteries of Faith in this Chapter he presses Vnity and Love with the greatest vehemency and in order hereunto he exhorts to all lowliness and meekness He knew that pride is the cause of contention and that humility and love are the way both to the Souls and to the Churches Rest He uses great strength and cogency of Argument that he may prevail The Saints are Members of one Body They have been regenerated and are acted by one Spirit who hath effectually called them to a lively hope of one and the same incorruptible Inheritance And in that Inheritance there is not there cannot be the least discord They serve one Lord who is best served when his Servants best agree together They are instructed in one Gospel justified by one Faith baptized in one Name Finally that God is one who is a most compassionate and indulgent Father to them all And from so many Premises how strongly and undeniably may we conclude that all Saints should be of one Heart and of one Soul The Apostle in thus preaching Love and Peace shewed he had a very great regard to the glory of Christ the Head who is ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and that he had a great concernedness for his Body the Churches edification For according to my Text it increases and edifies it self in Love In the Words there are four Propositions worthy of our observation First The Church of Christ is compared to a Body Secondly This Body of Christ is imperfect in this world and therefore continually should be increasing Thirdly The Body of Christ should diligently endeavour the edifying of it self Fourthly The more Love abounds among the Members of the Church the more the whole Body will be edified Proposit 1. I begin with the first Proposition The Church of Christ is compared to a Body The Scripture often uses this Metaphor of a Body now a Metaphor is a similitude in a word and indeed there is a great resemblance between an Humane Body and the Church of Christ as by and by will be made evident Believers are sometimes called the Brethren of Christ Joh. 20. 17. which intimates a very near relation Sometimes they are called his Spouse whom he has betrothed to himself for ever Hos 2. 19 20. and that 's a relation much nearer and signifies a more intimate and dear affection and familiarity Sometimes they are called Branches Joh. 15. 1 2 3 4. and this expresses a nearer Union still and that both the life and fruitfulness of Christians depends upon their being and abiding in Christ the true Vine But because Branches though they grow are without sense and feeling so that neither themselves nor the Vine feel any pain when they are cut or broken therefore Believers are stiled Members the Church a Body and Christ is the Head who is very much concerned both in it and for it Eph. 5. 2 3. Christ is the Head of the Church and he is the Saviour of the Body So Eph. 3. 6. That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel Again Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning and first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preeminence Zanchius upon this Text takes notice of two things 1. That by the Body we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phorius in scholiis to understand Verum Christi Corpus Mysticum the true Church the true mystical body of Christ This Church is made up of them that are really sanctified of this Hypocrites are not members for tho' such are visibly Saints yet in truth they are under the dominion of sin and shall receive for their hypocrisie greater damnation Tho' hypocrites profess themselves Christs members yet really they are not united to him Christ lives not rules not acts not in them as he does in sincere Christians Let them seem to be his followers let them pretend never so highly to be his friends yet really they are strangers whom Christ will profess at the great day he never knew Luk. 13. 26 27. Then shall ye begin to say We have eaten and drunk in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know you not â—hence you are depart from me all ye workers of iniquity 2. By the Church we are to understand the Church Militant that part of the body of Christ which is militant on earth not which is triumphant in Heaven The Church above needs not exhortations to grow and increase in Knowledge and Grace it needs not the means of edification Sermons of love are not to be preached there Glorified Saints have not the least sinful defect they see God face to face and Christ as he is and their love to their Father and Redeemer is answerable to the sight they have and as much as they are capable of And being refined from all remainders of sin they are become such lovely Creatures that they cannot but love one another with a most pure and perfect love 'T is the Church of Christ on earth the Apostle speaks of this is the Body that is to be edified and alas in how many respects how certainly in all respects does it stand in need of edification In the handling of this Proposition I shall first of all shew the great resemblance that iâ— between the Church of Christ and a Body Secondly What kind of body the Church of Christ is Lastly Make Application In the first place I am to shew the great resemblance between the Church of Christ and a Body 1. The life of the Body depends upon its conjunction with the Head Christ is the Churches life and the Nos Christo adglutinamur non sicut populus Principi sed sicut membra bumani corporis suo Capiti Church could no more live without Christ than a body could remain alive after the head were severed from it Our Lord calls himself the Way the Truth and the Life also Joh. 14. 6. By his blood he frees his Church from the sentence of death and condemnation which sin had brought her under and makes her spiritually alive by his quickning Spirit So that the Church breaths after God walks with him labours in his work and service all which are evidences of life spiritual We read 1 Joh. 5.
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
soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully 2 Cor. 9. 6. But though it will give away pounds to them that are needy it dares not unjustly take away a penny or a farthing from another though never so wealthy Solomon tells us that a false balance is not good and divers weights are an abomination to the Lord Prov. 20. 23. and they are also an abomination unto Love No duty more clearly discovered by the light of nature than to do justly and what does God in his written word more expresly require the unrighteous being plainly threaten'd with the loss of the Kingdom of Heaven and what poor and petty things are their unjust gains compared with such a Kingdom Wronging another though it be in so slie a manner that humane eyes observe it not humane laws cannot punish it yet will be overtaken with divine Vengeance 1 Thes 4. 6. That no man go beyond and desraud his brother in any matter because the Lord is the avenger of all such as we also have forewarned you and testified Love to our Neighbour implies a Love of Justice is to give our Neighbour his due Love can as soon cease to be Love as begin to be Injurious Nay if a man has heretofore been guilty of Injustice it will incline and constrain him to make restitution for The wicked must restore the Pledge and give again what he hath robbed and walk in the Statutes of Life then he shall live he shall not dye Ezek. 33. 15. 5. Love is very tender of others Names and Reputation It detests all manner of Lying as that which is an abomination to God Prov. 6. 17. and exposes the Lyar himself to the burning lake Rev. 21. 8. But a slanderous or malicious lye that wounds the Name and murthers the Reputation of another it hates exceedingly for this is an abomination most abominable and more against the very letter of the Law Thoâ— shalt not bear false witness against thy Neighbour The Name of a man ought to be very dear to him especially if he be a Christian because God and Christ and the Gospel are concerned in it A Christian cannot be aspersed without some aspersion on Christianity it self Love is very wary and that with great reason and will not cast into the precious Oyntment a dead Fly to make it send forth an evil savour Love hinders the Tongue from evil speaking and makes it subject to the Law of kindness Love is so far from raising a false report of another that it dares not take it up much less spread it all abroad The Citizen of Sion who shall dwell with God both here and for ever this is part of his Character He speaketh the truth in his heart he back-biteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour Psal 15. 2 3. Light may as well become darkness as Love be guilty of Lying and malicious Defamations Professors ears are ready to tingle when they hear the sound of hellish Oaths and horrid Execrations wretched men making bold with the Life of God the blood and wounds of Christ and hardly a sentence is pronounced without an Imprecation that God may damn them But these Professors would do well to consider that the same Mouth of Truth which has forbid and threatned Cursing and Swearing has forbid and threatned Lying and Slandering and if we observe how much injury may be done by a slanderous tongue we shall not wonder that the throats of such Slanderers are compared to open Sepulchers and their Tongues to whetted Swords and sharpned Arrows and the Poyson of Asps is said to be under them 6. Love is contented with its own and hinders us from coveting what belongs to another Sinful lustings and desires after that which is our neighbours precipitate unto those acts whereby he is injured thus Ahabs inordinate desire after Naboths Vineyard makes him a Murtherer of Naboth and that with many aggravations that he might enjoy it Love breeds contentation and instead of coveting what is anothers it wishes him both a quiet possession and an holy improvement and Love expelling these inordinate lustings it plucks up the very root of bitterness from whence do commonly grow all those injuries that the Sons of men do one to another Thus Love is Eagle-eyed to observe whatever God in his Law has commanded for our neighbours good and since the wise and gracious Law-giver has manifested his care of our neighbour in fencing his Life and all that is dear to him with so many Commandments Love rationally inferrs it ought to be our care not to break this fence but to keep all these Commandments without exception 7. Love breeds sympathy when our fellow Christians are in misery It makes us fear least harm befall the Church of God and when the Church is actually under Affliction it causes us in that affliction to be afflicted Love is the great Law of Christ and Chistian Sympathy is a fulfilling it Gal. 6. 2. Bear ye one anothers burthens and so fulfill the Law of Christ The Captive Jews their Harps were out of Tune and their Hearts had little list to Mirth and Musick nay By the rivers of Babylon they wept when they remembred Sion Psal 137. 1 2. Love easily melts the heart of a Saint into sorrow when other Saints are in sadness and calamity nay 't is reâ—dy to put on bowels when it sees any in misery This Sympathy of Love is a real thing and shews it self in a forwardness to relieve and help Love enlarges the Heart in Prayer for the distressed Church of Christ and all his Members it makes us in the Churches languors ready to faint and dye away our selves Love draws forth our Compassion towards the divided and distressed Land of our Nativity and in some it arises to so high a degree that they are ready such are their holy Agonies to wish Their Names blotted out of the Book of â—ife and themselves acâ—ursed from Christ rather than England should become desolate rather than God should depart and the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ be removed 8. Love makes us to delight in the Communion of Saints Sin has brought a great deformity and unloveliness upon Mankind the Scripture speaks thus of Men considered in their natural State They are all gone aside they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Psal 14. 3. But the Grace of God lias made a difference between the Saints and other men they have put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful lusts and they put on the new man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 4. 22. 24. Now this Holiness makes them truly amiable Love makes us pity the World that lies in wickedness but to delight in those who by Regeneration are called out of the World and made New Creatures David though a King lookt upon Saints as
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
should become stronger and purer continually Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in Knowledge and in all Judgment The true reasons of Love must be better and better understood and the expressions of Love must be still with more and more judgment and discretion that the end aimed at may be attained After the Apostle had acknowledged the Thessalonians taught of God to love one another yet adds We beseech you Brethren that you increase more and more 1 Thes 4. 9. 10. And if where Love did so much abound there was reason to press an increase Oh how much need is there in such an angry and contentious Age as this to blow up this fire which is so near to going out I have done with the Properties of Love In the third place I am to demonstrate how Love is for the Churches Edification 'T is for the Edification of Him that loves and for the Edification of those whom he loves A Christian Edifies both himself and others by Love First I shall demonstrate that he Edifies himself 1. The more he Loves there is the greater light in him The understanding is darken'd by those sins which are contrary to Love as Prejudice Passion Envy Hatred so that what is Truth is not easily discerned what is Duty is not readily apprehended in many cases The fore-mention'd evil Affections do biass the Judgment wrong Though the eye be good and the object not far off yet the eye cannot so plainly see the object if there be a mist between them Anger and Malice raise such a mist before the eye of the Judgment that 't is very prone to be mistaken but this mist is scattered by Love so that a Christian sees his way plain and is less subject to stumble 1 Joh. 2. 9 10 11. He that saith he is in the light and hateth his Brother is in darkness even until now He that loveth his Brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him but he that hateth his Brother is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because that darkness hath blinded his eyes 2. The more a Christian Loves there is the more of Gods Image in him he is the more transformed into the Divine Nature 1 Joh. 4. 7 8. God is Love and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God In Scripture God is said to delight in Merccy to rest in his love to be good to all to be kind to the unthankful and evil How does Love Edifie a Child of God making him resemble his Heavenly Father in these excellent perfections and how unlike to Satan does love make us Have we Knowledge how great an understanding has the evil one have we Faith The Devils also believe and tremble but if we have Love Satan has nothing of this in him he hates and tortures his own self he hates Gods Children and all his own Children he would destroy the former he will unless they cease to be his Children destroy the latter 3. The more a Christian loves he has the firâ—er evidence that he is indeed a Christian The Apostle tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace The more love the more peace and joy Gal. 5. 22. We read Phil. 2. 1 2. of Consolation in Christ and Comfort in love Love builds us up in solid Comfort for we have the mark of Christs Sheep upon us if we love the whole flock That Religion has not truth that has not love in it pretences to light and purity without love are all vain But he that is full of love in this world shall not be sent to Hell in the other World where there is no love at all 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the Brethren Secondly I shall demonstrate that Christians edifie not only themselves but others by their love and that 't is exceedingly for the Churches Edification 1. Love makes us concerned for the whole Church of Christ and enlarged in our supplications and intercessions for it This publick Spirit which is the effect of Catholick love is very pleasing unto God and mightily prevails with him God encourages us to an importunity for Zion He does not say as he did to Moses Let me alone that I may destroy but give me no rest until I save Isa 62. 6 7. I have set watchmen upon thy Walls O Jerusalem which shall never hold their peace day nor night ye that make mention of the Lord keep not silence and give him no rest till he establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Love takes this encouragement and makes the Christian thus to resolve For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest until the Righteousness thereof goes forth as brightness and the Salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth The Churches Reformation and Righteousness is to be prayed for as well as it's Deliverance and Salvation The Apostle tells us if we will pray to purpose we must lift up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2. 8. Wrath defiles him that prayes and fills the censer with strange fire mixing a sinful fervency and heat with prayer and so hinders its prevalency and acceptation But Love empties the heart of wrath and fills it with an holy fervour and how much does the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man prevail Jam. 5. 16. One Moses full of love to Israel and to the God of Israel zealous for Gods Honour desirous of Israels welfare he stands in the gap and by prayer turns away that Wrath that was breaking in and ready to destroy all the people Psal 106. 23. Therefore he said that he would destroy them had not Moses his chosen stood in the breach before him to turn away his wrath lest he should destroy them 2. Love strongly inclines us unto peaceableness and what is for the Churches peace is for her edification Rom. 14. 19. Let us follow after the things that make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another I grant when we are pursuing peace we must have a special regard to truth and holiness Zach. 8. 19. Love the truth and peace Heb. 12. 14. Follow after Peace with all Men and Holiness But the Scripture must determine what is Truth and we must distinguish between the great Truths of the Gospel and those that are less important It was a truth which the Apostle was perswaded of by the Lord Jesus Christ that there was no meat unclean of it self and yet those who were otherwise perswaded he look'd upon as tolerable and not to be despised Nay he expresly forbids those of different Sentiments in this matter to judge one another Rom. 14. The Scripture likewise must inform us wherein purity and holiness lies for a mistake here may quickly draw forth such a furious zeal as may set the
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
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
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
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 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
whether in pretence or in truth Christ is preached and therein I do rejoyce yea and will rejoyce 4. The avoiding of Scandal is much for the Churches Increase The Scandalous and loose lives of Professors make the World conclude the Gospel but a cunningly devised Fable and harden the men of it in Irreligion and a profane contempt of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent The evil works of such as are called Christians for many of these latter Ages has been a great impediment to the spreading of Christianity Our Lord sayes Woe to the World because of offences Mat. 18. 7. for the World hereby is confirmed in prejudice and Wickedness and at last more certainly ruined But when the Members of the Church do work out their own Salvation with fear and trembling and shew a vehement desire after the Worlds Salvation also this is the way to gain the World to Christ and to turn it unto righteousness 5. The Church is mightily increased by the exemplary conversation of her Members When Believers are zealous of good Works and without rebuke and blame When they are patterns of Piety Justice Mercy Meekness Patience Self-denial when they go about doing good and by the heavenliness of their discourse and carriage declare plainly that they seek a better countrey than is to be found in this World hereby they adorn the Gospel and render it more lovely in the Worlds eye and more likely to be entertained the ignorance of wicked and foolish men is silenced by well doing 1 Pet. 2. 15. nay they be forced to a confession that God is in his Church of a truth and may at length consent and desire to be Members of that Church where there is so much of God and of his presence visible and apparent 2. As the Church should increase in numbers so all the Members of the Church should strive to increase more and more in grace and goodness They should strongly be induced to this because of their own imperfection in Grace which imperfection fills them many times with inward trouble and tormenting doubts and fears and makes outward affliction but highly necessary Besides Holiness is of such an excellent nature and so perfective of the Nature of man that the strongest desires are to be justified the most diligent endeavours after it to be commended Grace is increased in the Members of Christ several wayes 1. By a Serious and frequent engaging in those Ordinances which he has instituted He that has instituted these has promised his blessing and adds the efficacy Prayer Fasting giving of thanks receiving the Supper of the Lord attending upon the Word preached and searching the Scriptures and the like means of Grace when seriously used do exceedingly promote the growth of a Christian making him to become strong in Spirit The Church is the Garden of God the Saints are planted there the Word and Ordinances of Christ are like the showers from Heaven and the Husbandmans pains which makes these Plants to thrive and flourish Psal 92. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God But still it must be remembred though means are to be used yet we must look beyond them unto him that has appointed them else they will never attain their end 1 Cor. 3. 7. So then neither is he that planteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase 2. Grace is increased by the improving of Providences The Dispensations of Providence were various towards David he was exercised with great Severity and likewise with great Goodness we read Psal 116. 3. That the sorrows of Death compassed him and the pains of Hell gat hold upon him he found trouble and sorrow and v. 10. He was greatly afflicted in this distress he calls upon that God who is merciful and gracious for deliverance and his calling is heard and his Soul is delivered from Death his Eyes from Tears and his Feet from Falling And now how is his Heart affected his Graces strengthned He is filled with Love he is resolved to give himself to Prayer as long as he lived his Soul is at rest in God who had dealt bountifully with him he offers the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving and he cryes out Oh Lord I am thy Servant truly I am thy Servant v. 16. as if he should say Lord thou art a Master beyond all comparison and as it is my firm resolution so 't is my Happiness and Honour as well as Duty to be a Servant to thee 3. The Covenant of Grace is to be Studied and the Promises applyed in order to a Christians increase God has assured his People that he will perfect that which concerns them and that he will not forsake the work of his own hands He has said that his Servants shall Spring up as among the Grass and as Willows by the Water-courses Isa 44. 4. That the Righteous shall hold on his way and they that have clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. That they shall bring forth fruit even in Old Age and even then be flourishing and this shall be to shew that the Lord is upright Psal 92. 14 15. Such Promises being prized and applyed will make the New Creature full of vigour and perseverance will be certain Heark to the Apostle Phil. r. 6 7. Being confident of this very thing that he who hath begun a good work in you will perform it unto the day of Jesus Christ even as it is meet for me to think this of you all 4. Grace is increased by Having recourse unto that fulness which dwells in Christ Therefore growing in Grace and growing in the Knowledge of Christ are joyned together for Christ is full of Grace and Truth and out of his fulness sayes St. John We all have received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 14 16. that is Grace answerable to that Grace which is in him Grace is his purchase he has it in Possession he gives it to all that have it and every new degree is from the same hand He is the Object the Author and the Finisher of Faith Heb. 12. 2. They are the most growing and established Saints that are least taken with the World that have least confidence in themselves that do best understand and most look unto Jesus 5. All impediments of increase must be carefully shunn'd as Pride and sloth and earthliness carnal and corrupt affections if these or things of like nature prevail they will prove to the Soul what Diseases are to the Body and make the Members of Christ to be feeble and languish depriving them both of their Strength and Beauty These are like peccant humours which must be Purged if we would have our Souls healthy and prosperous These are like weights which must be laid aside if we will run the Race that is set before us so as to obtain the Prize Heb. 12. 1. In the third place I am to produce several reasons why the Church
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
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
Scandals and Offences and he shews the depth of his subtilty and malice in the management of this pernicious Engine He represents God as too rigorous in his Commands Christ as too much thwarting the glorying of the flesh He represents Self-denial and the Cross as unreasonable and intolerable and all this is that man may be offended and his Conversion to God and Faith in Jesus may be hindred Our Lord and Saviour who is the great lover of Souls saw the mischief of Scandal and speaks much to prevent it He pronounces the woful misery of the World because of offences but especially binds and fixes the Woe upon that man by whom the offence cometh Mat. 18. 7. At the reading of this methinks every mans heart should ake and he should cry out as the Disciples every one of them did in another ease Lord Is it I Am I the man that thou sayest wo unto does the offence come by Me 'T is our duty to love others but to scandalize them is to be greatly injurious to them and that 's not an act a sign of love Much talk there is of Scandal and there is much more of Scandal than is talkt of 'T is a sore evil that spits its venom every way It strikes at Jew at Gentile and at the Church of God Therefore the Apostle cautions us against giving offence to any of these 1 Cor. 10. 32. True Love to our Neighbour will make us avoid Scandal as carefully as a Mariner would a dangerous Rock that may cause a shipwrack Here I shall lay down some Positions concerning Scandal that you may have the truer notion of it and may flee from it and the woe denounced upon it 1. Every displeasing of another is not Scandal 'T is one thing to offend a man and another thing to make him offend Barely to displease and grieve another is not to scandalize him for if it were then those Professors that are most ignorant and peevish must be perpetually humoured they must have their wills else they will be angry and grieved and the weakest as one observes must bear sway in the Church which they are very unfit to do and the strongest even Pastors themselves must be subject to them for they are hugely troubled if they are in the least cross'd Besides Professors are of different minds some may be angry and grieved at my doing of a thing others as much displeased and troubled at my not doing it Now if barely to offend another were Scandal in this case both Scandal and the Woe belonging to it might be impossible to be avoided A man may be offended because I am not of his mind because of my peaceable temper because I think not that stiffness and strangeness is the way to unity but mutual yielding and condescension forbearing one another in love Eph. 4 3. 4. receiving one another as Christ has received both the one and the other Here indeed I may be said to displease but Scandal cannot be laid to my charge 2. Scandal is a putting a stumbling-block or an occasion of falling into sin in anothers way This is the Apostles definition of Scandal And withall he cautions against Christians judging and censuring one another Rom. 14. 13. Let us not therefore though of different sentiments and practises in some things judge one another any more but judge this rather that no men put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his Brothers way When Professors of Religion are loose in their lives and hereby not only confirm the World in their resolution to be unjust and proud and covetous and prodigal of time and filthy still but also convey into the Hearts of other Professors that such strictness as the Scripture requires is needless and that men may be saved without such circumspect walking here is Scandal with a witness and 't will be with a vengeance And as the blinding and stupifying the Conscience of another is Scandal so the wounding of the weak conscience of another by drawing him to that which he doubts whether lawful to be done is Scandal likewise Love here should make us very tender Those who are for rigorous imposing upon others should consider that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 8. 12. But when ye sin so against the Brethren and wound their weak Conscience ye sin against Christ 3. Examples of the best are not to be followed with a doubting Conscience Every man must be fully perswaded in his own mind concerning the lawfulness of a thing before he does it for whatsoever is not of faith is sin and he that doubts is damned if he eat Rom. 14. 5. 23. I grant the word for doubts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated He that puts a difference between meats and so eats against his Conscience is damned but if you consider what follows because he eateth not of faith it is truly rendred doubts for doubting is opposed to faith as well as doing that which undoubtedly is judged unlawful Thus we find our Lord making an opposition between Doubting and Faith And the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to express this doubting Mar. 11. 23. Whosoever shall say unto this Mountain be thou removed and cast into the Sea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that which he saith shall come to pass he shall have whatsoever he saith Certainly as nothing is to be done against Conscience so nothing with a doubting Conscience for he that does a thing doubting cannot do that thing of Faith We should not urge others to follow our example nor to do as we do till they are fully satisfyed as we are nay we should press the contrary lest we wound their weak Consciences Rom. 14. 15. If thy Brother be grieved with thy meat now walkest thou not Charitably destroy not him with thy meat for whom Christ died By grieved cannot be understood sorrow because another does that which the Brother thinks sinful for this will not destroy the Brother but being grieved implies having ones Conscience wounded and ones Peace broken by following the example of another with a doubting mind The Apostle exhorts all to have faith concerning the lawfulness of a thing before they do it cautions against judging and despising one another though some could do what others could not And this is the way to prevent Scandal which is so great a piece of uncharitableness But here I must add that groundless doubts are signs of weakness and he is an happy man that is got above them and information in order to this happiness is very desirable 4. Pleasing another so as to occasion his sinning is Scandal The Apostle Peter was a Tempter to Christ when he thought to please him and prevent his suffereings but Christ repelled the temptation presently and rebuked Peter sharply Get thee behind me Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art my Scandal thou savourest not the things that be of God but those things which be
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