The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 27 – Chapter 29
CHAP. XVII.
What we must auoide, that our louelove may be preserued.
THus what wee must doe to 10. Things to be auoided.preserue louelove; Now further that louelove may bee preserued amongst the godly, these things following are to be auoided.
First, Suits in Law; A Christian 1. Suits in Law.must hauehave many considerations of his cause, before it can be lawfull for him to goe to law with his brother. These kinds of contentions are most vnnaturall amongst Christians; and proue not onelyonly scandalous in respect of others, but extremely grieuous and poisonous to themselues, 1 Cor. 6. 1, 4.
Secondly, Dissimulation: our 2. Dissimulation.louelove must bee without faining, in deede, and in truth; not in shew, or in words, Rom. 12. 9. 1 Iohn 3. 18.
Thirdly, Conceitednesse. This …. Conceitednesse.is a vice that extremely vexeth others, and alienateth affection: we must not be wise in our selues, but rather in lowlinesse of minde esteeme another better then our selues, & shew it both by making our selues equall to them of the lower sort, and by going before others in giuing Honour and Praise, Rom. 12. 10, 16. Phil. 2. 3, 4. Pro. 12. 15.
Fourthly, reioycing in iniquity. 4. Reioycing in iniquitie.Our louelove must be holy and pure, if we would hauehave it preserued. It must hauehave nothing in it that is vnseemly, nor must it be an affection, that will take pleasure in the vices or faults of those with whom we cōuerse, 1 Cor. 13. 5, 6.
Fifthly, the minding of our owne things: we must not study for our 5. Worldlinesse and selfe-louelove.selues, and our owne ends onelyonly in conuersing, 1 Cor. 13. 5. The meaning is not, that we should leaue our callings and our houses, to spend the greatest part of our time in our neighbors houses; but he prohibits, 1. Worldlinesse, and excessiue cares about our businesse, and the things of this life, which hinders needfull society with the godly: and secondly, hee forbids selfe-louelove in conuersing, when men in all things aime at their owne profit, or pleasure, or credit, and doe not as well seeke the good of others: we may minde our owne things, but not onelyonly.
6. Sixthly, Ficklenesse and Vnconstancy: 6. Ficklenesse.we must looke to it, that brotherly louelove continue, Heb. 13. 1. and to this end wee must looke to the leuity of our owne natures, and striue to make good by continuance, the affection we hauehave conceiued and professed to others. Some are of such vnconstant dispositions, that they will louelove vehemently for a fit, and suddenly fall off without reason, but not without singular shame and blemishing of their reputations. For such tempers are hardly fit for any societie. Now this must be repented of, and reformed.
Seuenthly, we must take heed 7. Vaine-glory.of vaine-glory, and ouer eager desire of credit and estimation aboue others. For this is the cause of much vnrest in our own hearts, and of much interruption in brotherly louelove. And why wouldst thou be so highly esteemed of? Thou considerest not the hard taske thou layest vponupon thy selfe, to be euer carefull to answer that great praise, or estimation thou desirest: Nor markest thou, how thereby thou art made to offend against thy brother: by enuying him, by backbiting, or other wayes of prouocation, nor yet how little this commends thee to God, Gal. 5. 26.
Eighthly, take heed of iudging 8. Iudgingthy brethren, not but that thou mayst say, that sinne is sinne, but looke to thy selfe in two things:
First, that thou censure not thy brother about things indifferent, or doubtfull: such as ceremonies were and are. This is flatly forbidden, Rom. 14. 3, 13.
Secondly, that thy suspitions transport thee not to condemne thy brother for hidden things, the things of darkenesse and counsels of the heart: till thou be sure of the fault, or offence, thou maist not iudge, or censure, 1 Cor. 4. 5.
Ninthly, if there be any occasion of grieuance, that louelove may be renewed, or preserued, looke to two things:
First, that thou render not reuiling 9. Euill words and complaining.for reuiling, 1 Pet. 3. 9.
Secondly, that thou grudge not against thy brother, or by whispering depraue his actions, or back-bite him, or complaine against him to his disgrace, in things where the right is not apparently discouered; Iam. 5. 9.
Lastly, if thou wouldest preserue thy selfe in the louelove of the 10. Forsake not their assembly.godly, then thou must take heed of forsaking the assembling together of the Saints: Thou must preserue all wayes of exercising the Communion of Saints, and hold fellowship with them in Gods House, and in your owne dwelling: Prophanenesse must not draw thee from the Temple: nor worldlinesse from society, and louing, and profitable conuersation with thy godly friends and acquaintance, Heb. 10. 25.
CHAP. XXVIII.
How we must carry our selues towards such as are fallen.
HItherto of such rules of conuersation, as direct vsus in our carriage towards the godly, considered in generall. Now there are other rules which concerne onelyonly some of the godly: namely
1. Such as are fallen.
2. Such as are weake.
3. Such as are strong.
4. Such as are especially knit vntounto vsus in friendship.
For the first, those that are fallen, are either fallen from God, or fallen from thee. Such as are fallen from God, are either fallen grosly and of habit, or by infirmity and suddenly.
Those that are fallen grosly, are either guilty of soule vices, or else of extreme omissions, such as that which the Apostle instanceth in, of idlenesse, and the generall neglect of their callings.
Now towards both these, thou How we must carry our selues towards such as are fallen from God.must be thus ordered.
First, warne them in the beginning, and reprooue them sharply, 1 Thess. 5. 14.
Secondly, if they mend not, auoide them, withdraw thy selfe from them, conuerse not familiarly with them, let them not be the companions of thy life, 1 Cor. 5. 11. 2 Thess. 3. 6, 14.
Thirdly, if they repent, forgiue them, and comfort them, left they be swallowed vp of griefe, 2 Cor. 2. 7, 8.
Now if they be fallen by infirmitie, either they are likely to offend againe, or not. If they be likely to fall further, saue them with feare, pulling them out of the fire, Iude 23. but if not, th…n restore such a one with the spirit of meekenesse, comfort him, deale gently with him, Gal. 6. 1.
Thus of thy carriage to such as are fallen from God.
As for those that are fallen How wee must carry our selues towards such as trespasse against vsus.from thee, by trespassing against thee, thou must obserue these rules of carriage towards them.
First, in slighter wrongs do all things without reasonings or murmurings: either speake not of it, or so, as thou shew no repining or vexation about it, Phil. 2. 14.
Secondly, in great wrongs, thou must doe two things:
First, obserue the method of our Sauiour Christ: when the trespasse is secret, go and tell him of it betweene thee and him: if hee mend not, then take two or three other discreete godly persons with thee, and tell him of it againe. If he yet mend not, then divulge it, and acquaint the Church with it; either seeke a publike sentence vponupon him from authority, or acquaint the godly generally with it. And if these courses will not amend him, then abandon his society, as if hee were an Heathen or a Publican, Math. 18. 15.
Secondly, if by any of these courses he repent, forgiue him; yea, and that as often as he saith, it repenteth him, if hee should doe thee many iniuries, Luke 17. 3, 4.
CHAP. XXIX.
How wee must carry our selues towards the weake Christian, &c.
THus of thy carriage toward How wee must carry our selues towards weake Christians.them that are fallen.
Towards weake Christians we must be thus ordered:
First, we must take heed, that we intangle them not with doubtfull disputations in matters of ceremonies, or things indifferent, Rom. 14. 1.
Secondly, wee must get the skill to beare with their weaknesses and meere frailties, Rom. 15. 1.
Thirdly, we must be wonderfull carefull that we doe not offend them, or cast any stumbling blockes in their way, Matth. 18. 1 Cor. 10. 32.
Fourthly, we must encourage them, and comfort them, and support them all we can, 1 Thess. 5. 14.
Fiftly, in things indifferent, we must not thinke it much to crosse our selues to please them, and to suffer a little bondage in the restraint of our liberty, rather then vexe them, especially for the furtherance of their soules in the meanes of their saluation, we should become all things to all men, Gal. 5. 13. 1. Cor. 9. 20, 21, 22.
3. Towards strong Christians, How wee must carry our selues towards the strong.we must be thus ordered:
1. First, we must acknowledge such, 1. Cor. 16. 18.
2. Wee should set them and their practice before vsus, as patterns and examples of imitation, Phil. 3. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 7.
3. We should submit our selues to such, to let them aduise vsus, and admonish vsus, and withall should submit our iudgements in things doubtfull to theirs, 1 Cor. 16. 16. How wee must carry our selues towards our special friend.1 Pet. 5. 5.
4. Towards thy friend, thou must be thus ordered:
1. Neuer forsake him, Prou. 27. 10.
2. GiueGive him hearty counsell, Prou. 27. 9.
3. Be friendly to him, Prou. 8. vlt.
4. Communicate thy secrets to him, Iohn 15. 15.
5. LoueLove him with a speciall louelove.
1. As thine owne soule, Deut. 13. 6.
2. Let thy louelove be at all times, euen in aduersity, Prou. 17. 17.
3. It must be a sincere louelove, that looketh not for gifts or rewards, Prou. 19. 6.
4. It must bee such a louelove as will reach to his posterity also, if need be, 2 Chron. 20. 7.