An Exposition Upon Colossians, Biblical commentary 3 · Chapter 3 · Verse 14
Vers. 14
And aboue all these put on louelove which is the bond of perfectnesse.
The vertues that ought to raigne at all times are louelove, peace, and thankefulnesse.
Of louelove in this verse, which the Apostle sets out as the most noble, ample, and profitable of all the vertues. Two things are here to be considered: First the dignity of louelove, where he saith, Aboue all put on louelove, &c. Secondly, the vse of it, it is the bond of perfectnesse.
Aboue all these] Some reade with all these. Some reade for all these, meaning that all the former doe flow from this, and therefore we should get louelove that we might be mercifull, humble, &c. And so it would import that wee should get louelove, that wee might approue our selues, that these are not meere complements, or dissembled offices, or things taken vp for wrong ends.
But most properly and commonly it is read as heere,How louelove is aboue all vertues. Aboue all these. And so notes the dignitie of louelove aboue all other vertues, for it is indeed more excellent, both in respect of causation, as they say in Schooles, because it begets the rest as the efficient cause, and for the preseruation of it other vertues are practised, or the finall cause of them: as also it is aboue the rest in acceptation, whether we respect God or men. And thirdly it is aboue the rest in respect of continuance a1 Cor. 13.8.. And this may serue to reprooue our great neglect of so noble a grace: and it may teach vsus in our praiers to remember to pray for this, and in our practise to prouoke vntounto louelove bHeb. 10.24..
A Cauill of the Papists must bee auoided heere; For they absurdly reason thus:Obiect. If louelove be aboue all vertues, then it is louelove that makes vsus iust in Gods sight.
But for answer we may easily satisfie our selues with this,Sol. that before men, and in conuersing with men, louelove is aboue all. But before God faith is aboue all, louelove is aboue faith onelyonly in some respects, as in continuance, but faith is aboue louelove in iustification.
Put on] LoueLove is not naturall, t'is a vertue that in in the trueth of it is wonderderfull rare in the world, for man is vntounto man naturally a wolfe, a foxe, a beare, a tigre, a lion, yea a very deuill; and that is the reason why men are so constant in malice, it is naturall with them, and this is the reason why vnity and louing concord is found in no calling amongst men.
LoueLove] LoueLove is of diuers kinds, there is naturall ciuill, morall and religious louelove; it is naturall louelove for a man to louelove himselfe, his parents, kindred, &c. This ciuill louelove that is framed in vsus by the Lawes of men, by authority from God, whereby we are brought not to violate the rules of Iustice, or society. In morall louelove, that louelove of friends is of eminent respect, but it is religious or Christian louelove is meant heere.
Christian louelove is carried both towards God and towards men, and both may be heere meant; For the very louelove of God may be required as needfull in our conuersing with men, because we can neuer louelove men aright, till wee first louelove God, and besides we are bound in our carriage, to shew our louelove to God, by zeale for his glory, and auoyding sinne in our callings, for the louelove wee beare to him.
Sure it is that the true louelove of God is exceeding needfull to be put on, as a most royall robe, I say the true louelove of God, and therefore I aduise all sorts of men as to labour for it, so to try themselues whether this louelove of God be right in them, if we louelove God, wee receiue them that come in his name, bIohn 5.42.and the louelove of the world doth not raigne in vsus, c1. Iohn. 2.15.17and wee are much in thinking of God and godlinesse, for we often thinke of what wee louelove, and wee louelove the word of God, dIohn. 14.27. Signes of the louelove of God.and in aduersity we runne first to God for helpe, denying our selues to bring glory to God, subiecting our wills to his will, glorying in the hope of his mercy, and it is certaine also if we louelove God aright, we desire his presence, both of grace and glory. And this louelove will compell vsus to holinesse, e2 Cor. 5.14.causing vsus to hate what he hates, and to obey his commandements, fIohn 14. What it is to louelove our enemies.and besides kindnesses from God will wonderfully inflame vsus and content vsus.
The louelove to men is louelove of enemies, or brotherly louelove of Gods children, Christians are bound to louelove their very enemies, and this kind of louelove must be put on as well as the other, onelyonly let vsus aduisedly consider what the louelove of enemies hath in it. When God requires vsus to louelove our enemies, hee doth not require vsus to louelove their vices, or to hold needlesse society with their persons, or to further them in such kindnesses as might make them more wicked, or to relinquish the defence of our iust cause, but to louelove is not to returne euill for euill, gRom. 12.neither in words h1. Pet. 3.8.9.or deeds, and to pray for them, iMatth. 5.and to supply their necessities as we hauehave occasion, kRom. 12.19. Exod. 23.4. 2. Chron. 28.8.9.13.15. 2. Kings 6 22. LoueLove of brethren.ouercomming their euill with goodnesse, and in some cases to be extraordinarily humbled for them lPsal. 38.13..
But I thinke the louelove of brethren is principally heere meant: this is a fire kindled by the sanctifying spirit of God, m2. Tim. 1.7.this was intended in our election, nEphes. 1.14.this prooues our faith, oGal. 5.6.this nourisheth the mysticall body of Christ,pEph: 4.17. this louelove is without dissimulation, bRom. 12 9. 2. Cor. 6.6.it is diligent & labouring louelove, r1. Thes. 1.3. Heb. 6.10.it is harmeles and in offensiue, sRom. 13.10.it woundeth not by suspitious prouocations or scandalls, tRom. 14.15.it is not mercenary, for as God is not to be loued for reward, though he be not loued without reward: so we must louelove men, not for their good turnes they do vsus, but for the good graces God hath giuen them. And we should shew our louelove in vsing our gifts for the best good of the body, uRom. 12.6.7.and manifest our compassion and fellow feeling by counsell and admonitions, *2 Cor. 2.4:and consolations, xPhil. 1.7.and alwaies of edification, y1. Cor. 8.1.and by workes of mercy, z2. Cor. 8.24.auoiding contention, aPhil. 2:3.and couering the infirmities one of another b1. Pet. 4.8. LoueLove is the bond of perfection three waies..
Thus of the dignity and nature of louelove: the vse of it followes, which is
The bond of perfection] LoueLove is said to be the bond of perfection 3. waies. 1. Because it is a most perfect bond, and so it is an Hebraisme; for all vertues are not as it were collected in louelove, all other vertues will soone be vnloosed, vnlesse they be fastned in louelove, neither doth it onelyonly tye vertues together, but it giues them their perfection, moouing them, and perfecting them, and making them accepted. And it is most perfect because it is most principall among vertues, nothing is in this life well composed that is not directed hither.
But let none mistake, he doth not shew heere how wee be made perfect before God, but how wee might conuerse perfectly amongst men. And so the summe of this sense is, that all should be well with vsus, in liuing one with another, if louelove flourish amongst vsus, perfection consisteth in louelove by way of bond.
Secondly, it is a bond of perfection, because it is the bond that ties together the Church which is the beauty and perfection of the whole world.
Thirdly, it is a bond of perfection as it leades vsus to God who is perfection it selfe, yea by louelove God is ioyned to man, and dwells in him.
The vse of all is,Vse. seeing louelove is of this nature, vse dignity and perfection, therefore we should labour to be rooted in louelove, euen eueryevery way firmely setled in it. And to this end we should labour more to mortifie our owne selfe-louelove, and the care for our owne ease, profit, credit, &c.
And this may wonderfully also shame vsus for those defects are found in vsus. It may greatly reprooue in vsus that coldnesse of affection, that is euen in the better sort, and those frequent ianglings and discords, and that fearefull neglect of fellowship in the Gospell in many places, and all those euill fruits that arise from the want of the exercise of this grace, such as are suspitions, blind censures, &c.
And thus of louelove.