A Treatise of Love, Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Of LoueLove to all men.
NExt vntounto our Enemies, whom must we louelove more? We must louelove all other men. Not onelyonly our kindred, friends, acquaintance, our neighbours of the same towne, countrey, or nation, but euen all that dwell vponupon the face of the earth, high, low, rich, poore, men, women, yongue, old, bond, free, without or within the Church, that eyther are or euer may be the people of God. True, our louelove must begin at those that be neerest vsus, and must be most to those within the Church, especially to the houshold of Faith; but it must stretch it selfe farre, and wide, and ouer all, and wee must doe all dueties of LoueLove to them, as occasion shall be offered and we be able. For whosoeuer hath or shall hauehave need of our helpe, he is our neighbour, whom wee are bound to louelove, because God hath commanded it, and hee is our owne flesh. Our prayers, as a maine dutie of louelove, must reach at one time or other to all, and doe them what other good we can. Wee must pray for the poore Pagans, that God would send his light and truth amongst them, that they in time may bee brought into the bosome of the Church, and the sheepfold of Christ Iesus.
For the Lords ancient people the Iewes, that he would be pleased to make those dry bones to liue, and to take the vaile of vnbeleefe from off their hearts, that they may at last come to embrace and beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ, to their eternall saluation. And that God would in merciemercy bring in the fulnesse of the Gentiles, and to that end that he would hasten the ruine of Anchrists Kingdome, that those nations that hauehave long lyen vnderunder the bondage of that man of sinne, and in the darkenesse of superstition and Idolatry, may be set at libertie, and hauehave the light of the glorious Gospell to shine among them, to teach them to know and worship the true God aright, and to beleeue in Iesus Christ, which is life eternall.
And for those within the Church, wee ought to pray to God to continue his merciemercy towards them, and to giuegive them grace to walke worthy thereof. And for those that be falne into their enemies hands, and bee in great distresse euerie way, wee ought to send vp continuall feruent prayers and strong cryes, out of the bowels of compassion towards their miseries, vntounto Almightie God the father and protector of his Church, that though hee hath punished them for their sinnes as pleased him, yet that hee would in iudgement remember merciemercy, and humble their hearts vnderunder his heauie hand, pardon their sinnes, and restore their former liberties to them againe. Yea and as their bodily necessities shall be truely made knowne to vsus, wee should be readie to reach out our hand to the reliefe thereof.
Ob. If anie will say, They bee strangers to me, what hauehave I doe with them?
Ans. Let such a one know, that yet Gods Image, nor his expresse commandement ought not to be strange vntounto vsus, but ought to prouoke vsus to this duety. Yea they that bee neuer so ignorant, prophane, vngodly, whether rich or poore, we must wish well vntounto them, and seeke their good: for as wee must not hate the vices for the persons sake, so neyther the person for the vices sake. Our louelove towards them, may bee a meane to winne them to God.
Vse. But alas, how few be there that thinke any such thing required of them? and therefore no maruell though no conscience be made of the performance thereof: for euen in those things that they know to be the will of God and their dueties, yet few will be brought to the obedience of them. Who so pities the miserable state of those that know not God, nor hauehave any meanes of saluation, but be out of the pale of the Church; as to pray earnestly to God, that hee would in merciemercy visit them in his due time? Alas, multitudes pray not for their owne selues and families, their neighbours and nation; and therefore no maruell they looke not so farre.
But, mee thinkes, that fearfull Prayer the Church maketh against such, Psalme 79. 6. should strike feare into them, to moue them to seeke to auoide the dint and danger of it.
How sew lay to heart the long and sore afflictions, nay, the wofull desolations of our brethren in the Palatinate, Bohemia, and places adioyning; and therefore powre out compassionate repenting and feruent prayers to God for them? We heare of their vnspeakeable miseries, but are not affected with them, either to profit by their harmes vntounto sound repentance our selues, or to put to our helping hand, by our instant prayers to seeke their deliuerance. Wee talke much of them, and would faine see an end of their troubles, and a returne of things, but few be those that doe pray for them, and that so seldome, and so coldly, as we can hauehave as little comfort, as they hauehave hitherto found benefit: for what fruit can be expected from prayers, not ioyned with true repentance? for God heares no sinners; and let him that cals vponupon the Name of the Lord (and looks to be heard) depart from iniquitie.
I doubt not but some there are, that doe compassionately and feelingly wrestle with God for them, from time to time, yea, do afflict their soules to obtain merciemercy for them, whose prayers are assuredly not shut out, or forgorten before God, but shall in due time hauehave blessed effect; but these, I doubt, are but a very few.
And for other dueties of LoueLove, no maruell, if (as occasion serues) they bee coldly performed to those that be further off, when wee are found so faulty towards those wee daily conuerse with. What extreme failing in the dueties of forgiuing wrongs, and doing good to soules and bodies of those we hauehave to doe with? Of which wee hauehave spoken already vponupon one or two seuerall occasions; therefore I now speake no more thereof: onelyonly I pray God to giuegive vsus this true LoueLove, that may reach out it selfe to all men, as occasion is, or shall be offered.