A Treatise of Love, Chapter 3
CHAP. 3. Of LoueLove to our Neighbour: and first, what it is.
NOw I come to handle the duety of LoueLove to our Neighbour, as that which necessarily floweth from the LoueLove of God. And of this, first, What it is: secondly, of the Notes it's knowne by: thirdly, of the Properties of true LoueLove: and fourthly, of the persons that we ought to louelove.
1 LoueLove is a sanctified affection of the heart, whereby whosoeuer is indued withall, endeuoureth to doe all the good he can to all; but especially, to them that be nearest vntounto him.
1. Its an affection seated (as we say) in the heart, as all the other of hate, hope, feare, ioy, griefe, &c. as the vnderstanding is in the head. These are in themselues good, and not euill, being giuen to Adam in his creation, in whom they were all pure, well ordered, and in good tune, louing the good, and hating the contrarie, and so in the rest. But euer since the Fall, they are vtterly corrupted: the will and affections hauehave not onelyonly lost all their purity, but the will is become most rebellious, and all the affections disordered, and turned the contrary way: As this of LoueLove, is turned to the louelove of euill, to malice, reuenge, and selfe-louelove.
2. I say its a sanctified affection: for ere a man can louelove, he must be regenerate, & sanctiffed throughout; as in his vnderstanding and will, so in his affections: which is, when a man is vnited to Christ by Faith, he is sanctified by the Spirit; that is, the old and cursed disposition that is in vsus by nature, is put away, and a new and contrary frame and disposition of soule, wherein wee were at first created, is brought into vsus, the vnderstanding enlightned, the will made plyant and frameable to the will of God, and so the affections purged and restored to their former integrity in some measure; as to hate the euill, so to louelove the good, to louelove God and our brethren for Gods cause.
So that no vnregenerate or vnsanctified man, can louelove eyther God, himselfe, or any body else. True LoueLove proceeds from a pure heart, good conscience, & faith vnfained, 1 Tim. 1. 5. from a soule purified by the spirit, 1 Pet. 1. 22. And Gal. 5. its reckoned among the fruits of the spirit. And 2 Pet. 1. 7. its reckoned among other graces, Faith, Temperance, Patience, Godlinesse, &c. so that one is no more in vsus naturally, than the rest.
There be many things that the blinde world call LoueLove, which are not this grace that we speake of, nor come in any such account with God. That betweene the fornicator and his harlot, is no louelove but lust; as in Amnon, which turned as soone into hatred. Between drunkards and theeues, is no louelove, but conspiracy: for LoueLove reioyceth not in iniquity, but in the truth: that is, in that that is good.
Nor that naturall louelove of parents to their children. This is in bruit creatures: the Cowe loues, nourisheth, and defendeth her Calfe; the Goose and Gander tend and brood their young.
Nor that ciuill louelove that is between ordinary people in the world, that stands only in eating and drinking, prating and playing together, which they count such louelove and good fellowship, as who so speakes against, and cals for better spending of the time, is cryed out vponupon, as an enemy to all louelove, and not to be suffered. But our Sauiour Christ, nor the Gospell, comes not to bring such friendship, but rather debate. Such as that, was among the Heathen, and is only carnall, whereas true louelove respecteth the soule, and that most of all; which is no whit seene, nor thought of among carnall men.
Vnregenerate men cannot louelove their neighbours; for while they be kinde to their bodies, and hauehave no care of their soules, is this worthy to be called LoueLove? Its as ones friend or child should hauehave a hurt in the braine, and another in the heele, and he should carefully looke to the heele, and let the braine putrifie.
Carnall Parents, that pamper their childrens bodies, and prank them vp braue, and lay for great portions for them, and suffer their soules to welter in sinne, and dye and perish for want of instruction, admonition, prayer, and holy example, is this to bee called LoueLove? what do they more than Turkish Parents?
The wicked Magistrate, that is very friendly to all the Countrey, and keepes a good house all the yeare, and yet suffers sinne to reigne, and houses of disorder to abound in his circuit, the Sabbaths to be prophaned, and, like Gallio, cares for none of those things, call you this LoueLove?
The negligent Minister, that sets on the great Pot, and keeps good Hospitality among his neighbours, and yet suffers their soules to famish for want of breaking to them the Bread of life. The carnall neighbour, that to the body of his neighbour is very kinde, but suffers sinne to rest vponupon his soule, and rather nourisheth him therein, than rebuketh him thereof; this in the language of the holy Ghost, is hatred and no louelove, Leuit. 19. 17.
And what hold is there of vnsanctified mens louelove one to another? They may be very inward, and great friends now, and on the sodaine, vponupon a small occasion, fall out, and become deadly enemies. They oft goe arme in arme to the Ale-house or Tauern, embracing each other, and stabbe one another ere they come forth.
See a liuely picture of this, Iudges 9. in that sworne friendship that was betweene Abimelech, and the House of Shechem, who yet came shortly to hate each other so, as they neuer lin, till they had wrought▪ each others, destruction. And no maruell; for euen the Heathen could say, That true friendship was grounded onelyonly vponupon vertue.
Neither can vnregenerate men (much lesse) louelove the children of God: For there is a naturall enmity between the seed of the Woman, and the seed of the Serpent, which all are, till they be regenerate; nor can any man louelove grace in another, till hee be sanctified, and gracious himselfe.
They may bee conuinced in conscience, that they bee the good seruants of God, and better than themselues, as Saul was of Dauid, Herod of Iohn Baptist, Pilate of our Sauiour Christ, pronouncing him Iust.
They may bee restrained from hurting them, as Laban and Esau from hurting Iacob, one in his hote pursuit of him, the other in his meeting him with foure hundred men. If a mans wayes please God, hee will make his enemies at peace with him, Prouerbs 16.
As Daniel was preserued safe among the Lyons, and the three Children tooke no hurt in the fire.
Nay, they may doe them good, as Cyrus did the Iewes, restoring them to their land and liberty, and furnishing them with all necessaries to the building the City and Temple of Ierusalem.
Ahashuerosh also and Artashashte to Ezra and Nehemiah, and by them to the people of God. But they doe it, as Caiaphas, that vttered that prophesie, not of himselfe, but as he was high Priest that yeare. So these are vsed of God to such purposes: As the Rauens that brought Elias bread and pottage in the morning, and againe at euen.
But louelove them they cannot, at least, not for their godlinesse sake. They may doe a man outwardly some good, & tis not amiss to take it, yet its not good to bee too much beholding to them.
And what hold is there of their good will? If they cry Hosanna now, they may cry Crucifie him by and by. If as Acts 14. 18▪ 19. they so highly esteeme vsus, as to be ready to deifie vsus, yet by and by, vponupon a lying report, they will be ready to stone vsus. As Herod reuerenced Iohn Baptist, and yet at the perswasion of Herodias, cut off his head.
Dauid saith, it was his familiar, that ate bread with him, and tooke counsell with him, that yet lift vp his heele against him, Psal. …. 1. 9. They are gone, and hide their heads. If the multitude go the other way, or the times begin to turne any thing dangerous▪ when they hauehave most neede of them they are gone. Nay, no bond of benefits bestowed, no nor of nature it selfe, is strong enough to binde such a man sure to the childe of God. Our Sauiour Christ made Iudas his Disciple, an Apostle, of his owne Family, Table, and Messe, made him his Purse-bearer, and yet how▪ villanously did he betray him into the hands of his vtterest enemies? Iehoiada preserued the life▪ of Ioash▪ when all his brethren were slaine, h…lp him to the Kingdome, and was a▪ guide to him as long as he liued with him; yet how vngratefully and wrongfully did he cause his good sonne Zechariah, a Prophet, to be put to death?
And for the bonds of nature neuer so neare, our Sauiour Christ foretold that which experience hath proued often true, Matth. 10. 21. That the brother shall betray the brother, father the sonne, and children shall rise up against their parents, to get them put to death. There is no hold of any vnregenerate man, but▪ he may proue a persecutor; therefore what … to bee giuen to his louelove?
Vse. This shewes the miserable state of vnregenerate men, that they can neither louelove God, themselues, nor any body else, while they are in this case: what should such a man doe in the world? One would thinke it should make him weary of himselfe. If he would consider, and beleeue it, so it would. Oh beg of God, by his blessed Word and holy Spirit, to worke a mighty worke of change in your hearts, and to sanctifie you throughout, that from hence you may be able to louelove God, your owne selues, and others in a right manner; till which time, you cannot so much as louelove your owne wife and children, as you ought to doe.
2. It teacheth also Gods people, not to trust too much to such men and their louelove: liue peaceably with them, vse them kindly, accept kindnesse from them, but open not our selues too farre to them, leane not too much on them, lest they proue like Egypt, a broken reed, that will run into our hand, and they proue like a sliding foot and a broken tooth. For if they bee pent, they will burst: They are like a Iade, that will draw while its going, but is not sure. If the time alter, there is no hold, but hee may betray thee: As Pilate, who knew our Sauiour Christ to bee innocent, and that all was wrongfully and of malice that was done against him, and hee sought many wayes to ridde his hands of him, and to saue his life, yet when they vrged him, that hee was not Caesars friend, if he let him goe, then he passed sentence of death against him.
Obiect. But some will say, I am not of your minde, I will trust my honest neighbour before these runners to Sermons, none will sooner deceiue one than they. I know one that came from a Sermon, and went and hired his neighbours house ouer his head.
Answ. I deny not but as euer there hauehave been, so now be some, that make a shew of godlinesse, and deny the power of it: and then the world is no wiser, than to iudge and say so of all professors; which is a most fowle wrong, and a false thing. For there are to be found, that dare not deale vnfaithfully, but say as Ioseph, How should I doe this wickednesse, and sin against God? they hauehave the Spirit of God within them, and the feare of God in their hearts to bridle them, which the carnall person hath not, nor any thing that one may warrant will tye and hold him. And this euen the men of the world know: for they will put the matters of greatest trust into their hands. I hauehave knowne a very carnall Master, that hauing diuers ruffianly seruants that he delighted in, and a couple of sober Christian men; and to these hee committed his keyes, and matters wherein greatest faithfulnesse was required, which▪ yet he heartily affected not, but they were fit to serue his turne. So in matters of Arbitrement, they will put their case to such as be of best report for godlinesse in the Country, perswading themselues, that they will deale vprightly and with a good conscience. And the truth is, he is not worthy the name of a Christian, and its pity of his life, that will not doe better than any carnall man in the world.
It followeth in the description of louelove, whereby whosoeuer is endued therewith: for its not to bee found in eueryevery bush, but its rare; and he that hath it, hath receiued it from the Father of lights, and its a gift of Gods Spirit. Look for it therefore from aboue.
Endeuoureth to doe, &c. So that howsoeuer louelove is in the heart, yet it lyes not still, nor sits idle, but is working▪ like the good huswife, Prou. 3. 1. both by words and deeds, to soule and body: therefore that louelove▪ that is all within in the heart, and none in the hand and life, is a dead louelove, a carkasse, like the dead Faith that St. Iames speakes of, that is without workes, and like bad mens louelove to God, which is without obedience to his commandements.
Endeuoureth to doe, &c. PutsWishing well is the pulse of louelove, and heates wheresoeuer louelove is aliue. forth it selfe, and doth what it can, though not what it would, creeps where it cannot goe▪ wisheth it could, grieues that it cannot, giues two mites, a cup of water, &c.
And indeed, what we do here is rather endeuour, than any▪ great matter that wre attaine to, especially at the first. And a true endeauour with increase, God accepts, Hos. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 28. 7.
It commands all the powers and abilities of the soule, to further the good of the Beloued, to whom it wisheth all good: therfore the eye sees, the tongue speakes, the foot walkes for the good and benefit of the party beloued: Why LoueLove will hauehave it so. The memory is a faithful remembrancer, the minde plods and counsels, the affections pursue all purposes and occasions for his helpe, all other things neglected, Why LoueLove will hauehave it so. Nay, patience is enioyned to beare all the wrong that such one doth, compassion must pity all the wants that such one hath, humility and modesty giuegive way to any thing that he requireth. Why LoueLove will hauehave it so. LoueLove is like the great wheele of the clock, all are turnd about when that stirres: it sets on worke all the other graces in the soule to their seuerall works.
[To doe good.] So that louelove doth no hurt, its contrary to its nature; whatsoeuer hurt is done to soules, bodies, goods, names, LoueLove may wash her hands of it, as none of her doing; but whatsoeuer good is done, that is of her.
[To doe good.] LoueLove contents not it selfe to doe no euill, but labours to doe good: the harmlesse, yet vnfruitfull fig-tree was accursed. Such onelyonly as hauehave done good, will stand on the right hand at the last day.
[To all.] For though brotherly kindnesse bee to the Saints, yet LoueLove, 2 Pet. 1. 7. reacheth to all, neare and farre off, strangers, enemies, within, and without the Pale of the Church, Turkes and Pagans, we must pray for them, & do them any good if they come in our way, as the Samaritan did to the Iew fallen among theeues, Luke 10.
[But especially to them that be nearest.] So God giues leaue, nay cōmandement, that louelove begin at our selues and ours, & so proceed. First, seeke our owne saluation, then others; our owne bodily preseruation from danger, then others. First, begin with our owne family, 1 Tim. 5. 8. then to our kinred, 1 Tim. 5. 4. then to our owne Towne, then to strangers, as farre as we can, and God requires no more.
If any therefore, hauing good gifts, resort to other folkes houses to repeate Sermons, and neuer doe any such duety among their owne company (which I hauehave heard of some) these are iustly to be suspected of pride and hypocrisie.
They also, that in outward things preferre strangers before their owne kinred, and kinsmen before children, doe not well. To bestow vponupon Copes-mates that please them, or spend on lewd companions, or be surety for them or any other, to the hinderance or vndoing of wife and family, is not LoueLove, but folly and cruelty.
[Nearest also in the spirituall bond.] For wee must especially louelove the houshold of Faith, Gal. 6. 10.
Quest. Whether should wee louelove our naturall or spirituall kinred best?
Answ. No doubt, the Saints before our naturall kinred, that be but carnall, as our Sauiour Christ did, Who is my brother? He that doth the will of God, he is my brother, sister, and mother: yet wee must helpe our kinred, whom Gods Word bindeth vsus to prouide for, as children and parents in their necessity, though not godly, before the Saints, if both be in equall neede together, because these be most specially committed to our care. As a rich bad man, and a godly poore man be at our house together, I must louelove the godly best, and he must hauehave the highest roome in my heart, but yet I may and must set the vngodly rich man highest at my table, because God is the author of degrees among men, and so the author of order, not of confusion. So is it in the other case of my naturall and spirituall kinred.
This is the vertue so oft commanded, and so highly commended in the holy Scriptures; commanded, Rom. 12. 10. & 13. 8. commended, Col. 3. 14. called the bond of perfectnesse. It binds vp all the dueties that wee owe to our neighbour, which are many; holds them together, as the band doth the Fagot-stickes. It makes eueryevery duety easie; as where this is not, eueryevery duety is irkesome, nothing comes well off hand. It ties societies together and families. Its the strength of Kingdomes, Cities, Corporations, and Villages: Oh how it keepes out euill, and sets vp good; by it small things hauehave proued great, and for want of it, great things hauehave come to nothing.
In a Towne, when chiefe men hold together, what euill can stand against them? what good may they not effect? As on the contrary, when some would pull downe houses of mis-rule, and others, to crosse them, and out of spleen to them, shall striue to vphold them: when some would bring in the Ministery of the Word, and others oppose it, how must not the Deuill needes hauehave his throne in such a place?
In a Family, when husband and wife both draw the right way, Gods worship goes vp in that house, children and seruants be well gouerned, the outward state prospers. But when they be diuided and disagree, prayers be interrupted, no good can get forward: when one would goe to the Sermon, the other is against it; one would gouerne the children, the other cockers them, nothing can doe well: for the band is broken that should hold all together, and make all strong. Euen seruants that agree not, nay, horses if they draw not together, the worke cannot get forward.
2 Its the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13. 8. Gal. 5. 13, 14.
3 Its a very comely thing in the eyes of God and men, onelyonly hatefull to the Deuill, to whose Kingdome this is a great enemy. Its very precious, and of most fragrant smell: Also is very fruitfull in all good wheresoeuer it is, as appeares, Psal. 133. the whole Psalme.
4 LoueLove is the beneficiall vertue; other vertues benefit our selues, but this doth good to others. Faith drawes all from Christ to vsus. LoueLove layes out all it hath for others good: as the Sunne that shines forth his light to others, hauing it for that end, and not for it selfe. Faith is like the bung of the barrell, that takes in the beere or wine; LoueLove is like the tap, that lets it forth, to the benefit of them that neede. If a man bee neuer so full of knowledge and other good gifts, and hauehave not this tap, others may starue for all that; and hee himselfe is but a sounding brasse, and a tinkling cymball. Wee are not borne for our selues, nor our Talents giuen vsus to hide: but the perfection of all our gifts, spirituall and temporall, is the well imployment of them for the good of others. The vsefull man, is the happy man, that keepes the best house, and most drinke of his cup, especially in spirituall things.
5 This is the vertue that makes vsus most like to God; for he is louelove, and continually exercised in doing good to all, euen to the ends of the world: yea, to his enemies, though specially to his children, to soules, to bodies, and eueryevery way, and hee is not weary to doe good, euen to such vnworthy ones as we are. So that when wee be full of louelove; giuing here, lending there, forgiuing this wrong, and passing by that iniury, requiting good for ill hath beene done to vsus, when wee be instructing, counselling, admonishing, comforting, praying for any that need, wee are like vntounto God in our measure, and like to our Lord Iesus Christ, who went about doing good, Acts 10. 38. So must we walke in louelove, Ephes. 5. 2. LoueLove must be our continuall walke, and wee must neuer be out of it: for then wee are out of our way. All our wayes and workes towards our brethren, must be in louelove, and sauour of louelove. All our life must breathe louelove: as when wee come in heauen, it shall be the common ayre wee shall breathe and draw in. So that what is louelove, but the life and soule of the world, and that, without which all things else are nothing? 1 Cor. 13.
Oh that I could so paint out the face of this louely Vertue, and set it before you, that eueryevery soule that sees it, may fall into a deepe louelove and liking therewithall▪
But alas, how lamentable a thing is it, that so excellent and necessary a vertue, should bee so scarce and rare to bee found among men as it is, and that in these dayes of the Gospell, and when the God of peace and louelove dwels amongst vsus, whose people we professe our selues to be! Alas, its as it were banisht out of the earth, and departed from the sons of men, and found but at a few hands, and there but scantly. But pride and contention, oppression, deceit, malice and reuenge, and all contraries to louelove, hauehave taken possession of all places, of most hearts: yea, euen among true Christians what cold affection, what hollownesse, strangenesse, hard surmises, readinesse to fall out for trifles? little power to forgiue & to passe by wrongs, to ouercome euill with good, which yet God doth to vsus eueryevery day. Its easie to heare, reade, and pray; let's shew the fruit of them in louelove.
Oh let vsus eueryevery one suffer our selues to be prouoked, yea, and ouercome in this, that we labour to bee possest of this grace of LoueLove, in whom it hath not hitherto taken place: and they, in whom its begun, that they would encrease in it more, as 1▪ Thes▪ 4. 10. Hereby it shall appeare, that wee regard Gods commandement, wee shall doe much good, and strengthen the places where wee liue▪
We shall know we are not of the Deuill, but of God, 1 Iohn 3. 10. and shall be like vntounto him; & what should we desire so much, as to represent our Maker, and to hauehave his Image shining forth in vsus?
And the more louelove God hath shewed to vsus, the more let vsus shew to others; the more he hath giuen vsus of temporall or spirituall gifts, giuegive the more to our brethren, Freely ye hauehave receiued, freely giuegive. The more God hath forgiuen vsus, the more let vsus forgiue others, the more patient and slowe to wrath he hath beene with vsus, the more patience see wee shew towards our brethren. And here with let vsus stay our selues, when wee finde readinesse to be prouoked, or to renenge; and thinke it a most vnreasonable thing, that God forgiuing vsus a thousand talents, wee should catch and hold our neighbour by the throate for an hundred pence. If this grace of LoueLove be in vsus and abound, wee shall honour God much, and our holy profession, get a good report, and much louelove in the Church of God, and further our owne account against that day, and prouide for the encrease of our glory in the Kingdome of Heauen.