The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. How to live by Faith in the love of one another, againſt Self-love.
Direct. 1. LEt Faith firſt employ you in the knowledge of God: and when you know him who is Love it ſelf, you will beſt learn of him to love. You will ſee that that is beſt, which is likeſt unto God; and that is worſt, which is moſt unlike him. And when you conſider how univerſally, though variouſly, he loveth his creatures, and how he expreſſeth it, and how he loveth benevolently, becauſe he is good, and loveth complacentially, becauſe alſo the thing is good which he loveth, you will learn the art of love from God, Rom. 9.13▪ Deut. 4.37. & 7.8. & 23.5. & 33.3. 1 John 3.16, 17. & 4.7, 9, 11, 12, 19, 20, 21.
Direct. 2. Study Jeſus Chriſt aright, and you will alſo learn to love of him. There you will ſee Self-denying Love; which ſtooped to earth, to reproach, to ſufferings, to labours, to death, and ſpared not life or any thing to do good: It is the chief Leſſon which you go to School to Chriſt to learn: And it is as proper to go to him to learn to love, as it is to go to the Sun for light, Rom. 5.8. John 13.34. 1 Theſ. 4.9. John 11.36.5. & 13.1. & 15.9. Epheſ. 5.2, 25. John 15.12.
Direct. 3. Know God in his Works and Image, and then you will ſee him in his natural Image, in all men as rational, and in his moral Image in all his Saints; and then you will ſee what to love, and why. He that cannot ſee God in a glaſs in this world, cannot ſee him at all, and cannot love him. Remember that it is in his ſervants and creatures, that he expoſeth himſelf to be ſeen, and known, and loved, 1 Joh. 2.10. & 3.10, 14. & 4.7, 8, 20, 21. & 5.1. Matth. 25.40.
Direct. 4. Abhor that proud malignant cenſoriouſneſs, which is apt to make the worſt of others, and to deny, and extenuate, and overlook Gods graces in them (as the Devil did by Job:) and which can ſee no goodneſs in them that are not eminently good. For this is but the Devils artifice, to kill mens love to one another. Though he pretend the honour of Godlineſs, and the hatred of ſin, when he telleth you, [ſuch an one is an Hypocrite, and ſuch an one hath nothing but a form, and no power of Godlineſs: I can ſee nothing of God in him; alas, they are poor carnal people;] all is but to deſtroy your Love. And thus he mightily proſpereth in the malignant ſpirit of ſeparation; by which he can make you unchurch whole Churches, and unchriſten whole Towns and Pariſhes, and all becauſe that you that are ſtrangers to them, and ſee not their godlineſs, or hear of nothing eminent in them. But the world of dividers will take no warning, any more than the world of the prophane. Satan doth deceive them all.
Direct. 5. Abhor therefore the ſin of backbiting and evil-ſpeaking; and when you hear a malignant cenſurer thus unchriſten and unchurch men without proof, behind their backs, if gentler reproofs will not ſerve the turn, frown them away, and ſay [Get thee behind me Satan:] the accuſer of the brethren, and the ſpirit of hatred, maketh it his work in the world to deſtroy mens love to one another; and he hath no ſuch way to do it, as by making them ſeem unlovely to one another: And he that perſwadeth me that my neighbour is not good, perſwadeth me that he is not lovely, and ſo perſwadeth me from loving him, Prov. 25.23. Rom. 1.30. Pſal. 15.3. 2 Cor. 12.20. Rom. 14.3, 4, 10, 13. James 4.11, 12. Matth. 7.1, 2. 1 Cor. 4.5.
Direct. 6. Above all, ſeek to mortifie ſelfiſhneſs, which is the great enemy of love to God and man. A ſelfiſh man can faithfully love none but himſelf; for he loveth all others but for himſelf: His own opinions, intereſts and ends, are the diſpoſers of his Love. Therefore he never heartily loveth his enemy: no nor the beſt, that do not honour him, but ſeem to ſlight him. If any ſhould neglect him, or ſpeak hardly of him, or do him any real or ſeeming wrong, or be of another ſide, againſt his party, or his cauſe, no cenſures are too ſharp, nor no love too little for ſuch a one. And yet theſe that can love none heartily but themſelves, will find that they had no greater enemies than themſelves, and that Hell and Earth did not ſo much as themſelves againſt them.
Direct. 7. Subject your ſelves truly to Gods authority, and his commands will further Love: For it is the ſumm of them all, and the fulfilling of his Law, both old and new, Gal. 5.14. Rom. 13.8, 9, 10. John 13.34. & 15.12, 17. Matth. 12.30, 32, 33.
Direct. 8. Remember that Love is the bond, and life, and intereſt of the Church, and of the world. Without Love the world would have neither unity, peace or ſafety: What were a family without it? Were it not for Love, men that were not kept fettered in Jayles, or Bedlams, would be as Robbers, or Wolves, or mad Dogs to one another. Were it not for Love, the Church would be crumbled into malicious Sects, that would ſpend their time in prating and militating againſt each other; and preach and talk down Love to one another; and would call this deviliſh work, the preaching of the Goſpel, or the worſhipping of God; while they blaſpheme him by offering him a ſacrifice of hatred and reviling, as they do that offer him a ſacrifice of mans blood, Epheſ. 4.15, 16. But ſpeaking the truth in Love, you may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Chriſt. From whom the whole body fitly joyned together, and compacted by that which every joynt ſupplyeth, according to the effectual working in the meaſure of every part, maketh increaſe of the body to the edifying of it ſelf in Love.
Yea their own Sects would turn to duſt and atoms, if Love, which is there confined, did not ſoder them together, when it is dead in them as to all others, or as to the moſt.
Direct. 9. Love is our ſpiritual health, and Selfiſhneſs is our ſickneſs, ſin and death. When we fell from the Love of God to our ſelves, we fell alſo from the Love of others to our ſelves: The individuate creature was contracted in himſelf, and all together ſet upon Propriety, and forgot his relations to God and man: And when grace deſtroyeth this ſelfiſh privateneſs of ſpirit, it ſetteth us again in love with God and man together; and the better any man is, the more publick ſpirit he is of, and the leſs d…fference he maketh between his neighbours intereſt, and his own (when God and his intereſt make not a difference.) And this is to Love our neighbour as our ſelves; that is, without the vice of partial ſelfiſhneſs; not ſetting up our own intereſt againſt his, but equally meaſuring both by Gods; and referring them thereunto, Levit. 19.18, 34. Matth. 19.19. Gal. 15.4.
Direct. 10. Remember that loving others as our ſelves is our own intereſt and benefit, as well as our duty.
And a notable inſtance it is, how much our duty is our own intereſt and good; and how merciful God is in his ſtricteſt Laws. As the Love of God is Heaven it ſelf, and ſinners that love him not, do damn themſelves, and put themſelves from Heaven and happineſs (and to pardon them, is to ſanctifie them) even ſo it is an unſpeakable loſs and miſery which ſinners draw upon themſelves, by not loving their neighbours, as themſelves, but only in a ſubordination to themſelves, and for their proper private ends. I pray you mark but theſe few particular inſtances.
1. If I love my neighbour as my ſelf, my very love is my delight and eaſe. The form of Love conſiſteth in complacency or pleaſedneſs; and therefore it muſt needs be pleaſant to every one that uſeth it (However bad Love hath bitter fruits.) And whenever wrath, or envy, or hatred, comes inſtead of Love, it is my ſickneſs, I feel my ſelf diſeaſed by it.
2. If I love others, others will love me. They are ſcarce free to do otherwiſe. You may almoſt conſtrain any man to love you, if you love him heartily, and ſhew it plainly, and were within his view to make him ſee it. All men love a loving nature; but eſpecially if they be loved by ſuch themſelves.
3. If I love my neighbour as my ſelf, to do good to him will be as eaſie and pleaſant as to my ſelf. I can ride, and run, and labour contentedly for my ſelf: I can ſloop to the moſt ſordid employment for my ſelf: And ſo I ſhould as eaſily do for others: Whereas want of Love doth make all tedious that I do, and maketh my duty a continual burden, and too often tempts me to omit it. Love made both Chriſt and his Apoſtles to do ſo much for ſouls with eaſe and pleaſure, which elſe they could not have undergone, John 15.13.9. 2 Cor. 12.15. Epheſ. 3.17. & 5.2 Col. 2.2.
4. If I love my neighbour as my ſelf, I can as eaſily ſuffer any thing from him, as from my ſelf. I can eaſily bear that in my ſelf, as to ſight or ſmell; the loathſomeſt ſores or ulcers, which others cannot bear. I am eaſily brought to forgive my ſelf, and to forbear ſelf-hurting, and ſelf-revenge; and ſo ſhould I do to others, if I thus loved them. And then how eaſie would my life be among all the injuries of the world!
5. If I loved my neighbour as my ſelf; if my fleſh did want, my mind (which is my ſelf) could never be in want: Becauſe all that my neighbours have is mine, as to my comfort and content. My houſe is homely, but my neighbours is comely and convenient; and to my mind that is as comfortable, as if it were my own: My Land is ſmall, but my neighbours is large: my grounds are barren, but my neighbours fruitful: my corn is bad, but his proves good: my cattel die, or proſper not, but his do well: I am low and deſpicable, and no man careth for me; but others are Lords, and Princes, and honourable: and if I love them as my ſelf, their corn, their cattel, their houſes and lands, their Kingdoms and honours, are as much my comfort, as if they were my own. I know theſe are Paradoxes to dapraved ſelfiſh nature; but thus it would be if Love were perfect; and thus it is in that meaſure that we love. And ſhould that duty be taken for a burden, which as to my comfort maketh all the wealth, and honour, and Kingdoms of others to be my own?
Obj. If you love your neighbours as your ſelves, you muſt mourn with them that mourn; and all the calamities and ſorrows of the world muſt be yours; which will overcome your joyes.
Anſ. 1. I am not to ſorrow as much as they do ſorrow, but as much as they rationally ought to do. And men are not to think that a loving correction, which worketh for their good and ſalvation, is worſe than the ſnares of proſperity: The brother of high degree muſt rejoyce when he is made low, as well as the brother of low degree muſt rejoyce when he is exalted, Jam 19.10. And why ſhould that be my ſorrow, which is his benefit, and ſhould be his joy? If Paul and Silas ſing in the ſtocks, why ſhould not I ſing with them? Patience and rejoycing are the duty of all Believers in affliction.
2. The mercies and happineſs of every one that feareth God ▪ is far more than his miſery: Therefore his joy and gratitude ſhould be more than his ſorrows and complaints. If a mans tooth do ach, and all the reſt of his body be well, ſhould not he and I be more thankful for the health of all the reſt, than troubled for a tooth? A Believer hath alwaies the Spirit of God, and a part in Chriſt, and the pardon of ſin, and a right to Heaven: And then how much greater ſhould his joy be than his ſorrows, and mine alſo on his behalf?
3. The Goodneſs and Love of God is manifeſted to the world more abundantly than his juſtice and ſeverity. We know of no afflicted Saints but on this ſpot of earth: And we know of no damned ones, but Devils and wicked men: But we know that the worlds above us are incomparably more vaſt than this, and that the glory of the celeſtial Spirits, is far greater than our ſufferings and ſorrows here: Therefore our joy which Love procureth, ſhould be a thouſand-fold greater than our ſorrows.
4. And as for the wicked, as the conſequent Will of God layeth by compaſſion; ſo conſequently, conſidering them as the obſtinate final refuſers of grace, they are not thoſe neighbours whom we are bound to love as our ſelves: For they are enemies to God, and deprived of his Image; and therefore our obligations to mourn for them, are abated (as Samuels for Saul, when he knew that God had rejected him (1 Sam. 15.35. & 16.1.) And we are obliged to rejoyce in the declarations of the Juſtice and Holineſs of God, and the univerſal benefit which redoundeth from his Judgments, Rev. 18.20. & 12.12. Eſther 8.15. So that it ſtill remaineth clear, that loving our neighbours as our ſelves, doth entitle us to the comforts of all mens health, eſtates, proſperity, honours; yea and their holineſs and wiſdom too; and this without any ſuch participation of their ſorrows, as ſhould be any conſiderable ecclipſe of our delights; if we do it all regularly, as God requireth us.
6. If I love my neighbour as my ſelf, I am freed from all the trouble of croſs intereſts; in buying and ſelling, in treſpaſſing, in Law-ſuits; It will comfort me as much if he get by me, as if I get by him: If his bargain prove the better, as if mine did; if he have the better at Law, as if it were judged to my ſelf. Yea all his ſucceſſes, proſperity, and whatever good befalleth any that I know of in the world, will all be mine.
7. And I ſhall never be loth by death to leave the world (while I have no cauſe to fear the miſſing of ſalvation) becauſe whatever I leave behind me, will be poſſeſſed by ſuch as I love as my ſelf. They will have life, and time, and health, and comforts, and whatever my nature is loth to leave: Therefore whileſt I live, why ſhould it not be as comforting to me to think that ſo many ſhall live and proſper, whom I love as my ſelf, as if I were my ſelf to live and proſper.
8. Yea, more than ſo, I have by Love a part in the Joyes of Heaven, before I am actually there. For the Joyes of all thoſe bleſſed ſouls, and of thoſe holy Angels, are mine by participation, ſo far as to cauſe me to rejoyce in their felicity, as if it were my own, as far as I can now apprehend it.
Yea the Glory of the Lord Jeſus, and the eternal bleſſedneſs of God himſelf, would rejoyce us more than our own felicity, if we loved him as much above our ſelves, as we ought to do, we ſhould partake of our Maſters joy.
And now judge whether loving God as God, and our neighbours ſincerely as our ſelves, would not cure almoſt all the calamities of our minds, and give us a kind of Heaven, and be a cheap and certain way, to have what we can wiſh in all the world, and even to make all the world our own. And whether it be not ſin it ſelf, which is the firſt part of all mens hell and miſery?
Object. But my neighbours meat will not fill my belly; nor his health doth not eaſe my pain; nor his fire keep me warm.
Anſw. The fleſh hath got the dominion indeed, when men cannot diſtinguiſh between ſoul and body, between the pain and pleaſures of the body and of the mind. I do not ſay that Love will change the pain or pleaſure of your bodies, but of your minds. Your appetites will not be ſatisfied with your neighbours food, but your minds may be comforted to ſee his welfare. Your pain is not eaſed by your neighbours health; but your minds may be pleaſed by it, as much as if it were your own, if you loved him as much as you do your ſelf. And therefore many in a danger have ſaved the life of a Prince, a Captain, a Parent, a Child, a Friend, with the voluntary loſs of their own.
Object. This is all true; but who is there in the world that doth it, or findeth it poſſible to love another as himſelf? And how can that be a duty, which is to nature it ſelf an impoſſibility? Therefore let us firſt know what this duty is, of loving our neighbours as our ſelves.
Anſw. Doubtleſs if it be the ſumm of the Law, all true Chriſtians do it in ſincerity, though not in perfection. And as to the ſenſe of it, 1. You muſt diſtinguiſh between that ſenſitive and paſſionate affection, which is in the ſoul as ſenſitive, and is common to beaſts with men, and that rational appetite, which doth will, and chuſe, and is pleaſed according to the conduct of pure reaſon. The firſt we doubt not will be ſtill more to our ſelves than others; and it is not the uſe of grace to deſtroy it, but to rule and moderate it.
2. You muſt diſtinguiſh between Love and outward actions, which are the expreſſions of it. When our Love is due as much to one, as to another, yet our outward actions may be under a particular Law, which obligeth us to do that for one, which we are not bound to do for others. As to maintain our own children, families, ſervants, and ſo our ſelves rather than others. And the reaſon is, becauſe the difference of individuals maketh that fit for one, which is not fit for another; and ſo maketh every man the fitteſt chuſer for himſelf, and thoſe that are neereſt to him; and nature inſtigateth him to the greateſt care in doing it: And all good muſt be done in a regular order, or elſe confuſion will deſtroy it. And nature maketh this moſt orderly As every Pariſh muſt keep their own poor, and yet muſt love other poor as well.
3. You muſt know that Love is formally nothing but complacence (as aforeſaid) but Love joyned with a will and purpoſe to do good to another, is called Love of benevolence; when yet the Love there is one thing, and the doing good, or purpoſe to do it, is another; and I may in obedience to God, purpoſe and do more good to one whom I am bound to Love, not more but leſs.
And now you may ſee what it is to love our neighbours as our ſelves.
1. God muſt be loved above our neighbours and our ſelves; and both muſt be loved purely as related and ſubordinate to him, and for his ſake. There is a double reſpect which all things have to God: 1. As they contain that excellency which he hath put upon them, which is ſome likeneſs, repreſentation or ſignification of himſelf; and is called his Glory ſhining in the creature; that is, it's derived Goodneſs. 2. As they conduce to his further ſervice, and may honour him, and pleaſe him. Thus all creatures muſt be loved only as a means, even a means declaring God, being derivatively and ſignificantly good and uſeful; and as a means to ſerve and pleaſe him.
2. Therefore this being the formal reaſon of our Rational Love, muſt alſo be the meaſure of it (à quatenus ad quantum.) As it is certain that I muſt love that beſt which is beſt, becauſe I muſt love it only as good; ſo it is certain that that is beſt which hath moſt likeneſs to God, and moſt of his Glory upon it, and that which is moſt pleaſing to him, and uſeful to his ſervice. Therefore if my neighbour be better than I am, I muſt judge him better, and love him better.
3. Though natural ſelf-appetite, and ſelf-preſervation, by which all creatures are for themſelves only (not feeling the hunger, cold, pain of others) be not ſinful, but the effect of creating individuation, yet Reaſon was perfect, and the Will could perfectly follow Reaſon, in its complacency and choice, till ſin corrupted it: Reaſon could judge that beſt which was beſt, and the Will could love that beſt which was beſt. Therefore where ever any of this is wanting, it is ſin.
4. The principal part or ſumm of poſitive ſin, doth conſiſt in ſelfiſhneſs. Man is fallen from the Love of God and man, to himſelf; and grace recovereth him from this. Therefore it is, that this duty is not only unperformed, but hardly diſcerned by unrenewed men: ſo far as they are ſelfiſh, they hardly believe that they ſhould love their neighbours as themſelves.
5. To love our neighbours as our ſelves, in point of duty, containeth theſe two things: Firſt, To love them ſimply according to their goodneſs, without any hinderance of ſelfiſhneſs or partiality: Not to forbear loving them, becauſe they are not our ſelves, or becauſe they are againſt any inordinate ſelfiſh intereſt or appetite of our own. And alſo comparatively, to love them in the ſame degree with our ſelves, if they have the ſame degree of lovelineſs; ſo that it cannot extend to the kind, and the end, …nd reaſon of the Love, but it muſt needs alſo extend to the degree. If I love him leſs than my ſelf, who is better than my ſelf, I love him not as my ſelf, as to ends and reaſon.
6. Yea I am bound by this Law to love every man better or more than my ſelf, who is really better, and is ſo manifeſt to me: Or elſe I love him not as my ſelf, that is, on the ſame true Reaſons as I muſt love my ſelf (for God and the goodneſs of the object.)
7. But as all men fail in the degree of this Love (and therefore none perfectly keep the Law;) ſo the ſincerity which all Gods ſervants have, doth conſiſt in this; that 1. Our love to others is for Gods ſake, and for the goodneſs which he hath endued them with, and the ſervice they may do him. 2. That this God and his ſervice, for whoſe ſake we love them, be preferred before our ſelves, and every creature, and loved better than all our ſinful pleaſures. 3. That our love to them for Gods ſake and graces be ſuch, as ordinarily in the exerciſe and effects will prevail ag…ſt our Love of ſenſual intereſt and delights; and will bring us effectually to ſuccour, relieve, and do them good, though to our fleſhly loſs, when God requireth it. He that cannot love Chriſt in his ſervants, better than his carnal pleaſures, loveth him not at all ſincerely. Gods Image and intereſt in his ſervants, and in mankind, muſt be practically more precious to us, and more beloved by us, than all our carnal ſinful pleaſures. (For as for our own ſpiritual good, it ſtandeth in ſuch a connexion with Gods will and glory, and our neighbours good, that I know not how to put them into compariſon in the try…l, much leſs in oppoſition.) 4. That all carnal ſelf-love and uncharitableneſs contrary to this, be hated, reſiſted, repented of, and ſubdued, and be not predominant in us, againſt the Love of God and man.
8. The meaning of the Command is not that we ſhall love our neighgours as we inordinately and ſinfully love our ſelves; but as we ought to love our ſelves; and as we regularly and juſtly do love our ſelves. He that loveth himſelf too much and ſinfully, muſt not therefore ſo love his neighbour.
9. He that loveth his neighbour as himſelf (that is, without ſelfiſh partiality, and for the ſame reaſons as he muſt love himſelf, viz. for the Image and Intereſt of God) is obliged by this very rule, to love himſelf more than his neighbour, when he is better, and more pleaſing and ſerviceable to God. (Therefore he that would warrantably love himſelf moſt, muſt labour to be himſelf the beſt, and then he may lawfully do it, ſo far as his own goodneſs, and other mens defects are truly known to him.
10. As a Fathers Love may conſiſt with the correction of his children, and ſelf-love with blood-letting, purging, labour, and other unpleaſing things; ſo we may love our neighbours as our ſelves, and yet correct and puniſh evil doers: For ſometimes their own good requireth it; and ordinarily the publick good requireth it (poena debetur Reipublicae) and alſo Gods command requireth it; ſo that this is not loving our ſelves more than our neighbour; but loving him more than his eaſe, or his favour and loving God, and the Common-wealth, more than him.
11. Our love of our neighbours as our ſelves, doth not at all make our natural ſelfiſh appetites and ſenſes, or deſire of food, health, eaſe, reſt, &c. to be ſinful: Nor oblige us to have ſuch natural ſenſes and appetites for others; but only rationally to equal them in eſtimation and complacence, and to do them ſo much good as God requireth us.
12. And it doth not oblige us to do as much for them as for our ſelves, for the reaſons before all…dged; but to do them good without the hinderance of ſelf intereſt: That ſelfiſhneſs be not to us as a Bile or Impoſthume, which draweth the humours and ſpirits unequally and diſorderly from the reſt of the body to it ſelf.
By all this it is evident, 1. That no man hath an inequality in his love to himſelf and his neighbour, beyond the inequality of goodneſs, but it is ſinful (ſpeaking of Rational Love.)
2. That all Love to out neighbour is not ſincere: There is a real Love to them, which bad men may have, which is not the ſincere love which God requireth.
3. Every man that loveth another for his goodneſs and godlineſs, loveth him not ſincerely: For he may have a love to goodneſs it ſelf, which is not ſincere: As if he love his luſts and pleaſures more.
4. Every man that doth good to another in Love, doth not therefore ſincerely love him. A Dives may give Lazarus his ſ…ps: And the very eſt ſenſualiſt may give another ſome of the leavings of his fleſhly luſts. And though the giving of a cup of cold water to a Diſciple, when we have no better to give, doth ſhew ſincerity, and ſhall have its reward (becauſe God accepteth it, according to mens will, and to what they have, and not according to what they have not;) yet it is certain that an unhappy worldling may give much more. And if Chriſt had bid him Luke 18.23. ſell part, inſtead of ſelling all, it's like he might not have gone away ſorrowful.
5. It is not therefore the value or proportion of the gift, which is it that muſt try our love to others, in it ſelf conſidered; for it may oft fall out that a Widdows mite may ſignifie truer charity, than the ſubſtance of ſome others. But it is the prevalency of the Love of God in man, and of man for the ſake of God, againſt our ſinful ſelf-love, and carnal intereſt.
And now I will add a little more evidence, to the principal thing in queſtion, viz. that … the very degree the Rational Appetite or Will ſhould love another equal with our ſelves.
And 1. The forementioned reaſon is undenyable, that the Will ſhould love that beſt which is beſt, and muſt meaſure that by the reſpect which things have to God, and not to our own commodity in the world.
2. No man can deny this principle but by ſetting up natural ſelf-love or appetite, and making the rational ſtoop to that, which would infer as well, that we may love our ſelves better than God himſelf; and that our ſenſe is nobler than our reaſon, and muſt rule it.
3. We find our own reaſon tell us much more of our duty in this, than our corrupted wills do follow. The beſt way therefore to diſcern the truth, is to treat with reaſon alone, and leave out the will, till we have diſpatcht with reaſon. And you will find that the common light of nature juſtifieth this Law of God.
1. He that would not confeſs that it is better he had no being, than that there were no God, or no world beſides him, is a monſter of ſelfiſhneſs. And if a man ſay never ſo much [I cannot do ſo] yet while he confeſſeth that this ſhould be his deſire, it ſufficeth to the deciſion of our preſent caſe.
2. He that will not confeſs that it is better that he himſelf ſhould die, than all the Church of Chriſt, or the whole Kingdom die, is unreaſonably ſelfiſh in the eyes of all impartial men. The gallant Romans and Athenians had learnt it, as one of their plaineſt greateſt Leſſons, to prefer their Country before their lives: And is not that to love their Countryes better than themſelves.
3. For the ſame reaſon many of them ſaw, that it was the duty of a good ſubject, or a gallant ſouldier, to ſave the life of his King or General, with the loſs of his own: Becauſe their lives were of more publick utility. And the ground of all this was theſe natural verities.
[The beſt ſhould be beſt loved: Goodneſs muſt be meaſured by a higher rule than perſonal ſelf-intereſt: Multitudes are better than one. &c.]
4. All men acknowledge that a man of eminent Learning, Piety, Wiſdom, and Ʋſefulneſs to the Church or World, ſhould be loved and preſerved rather than a wicked, ſottiſh, worthleſs child of our own. Yea God himſelf requireth that Parents procure the death of their own children, by publick Juſtice, if they be obſtinately wicked, Deut. 21.
5. The ſame Reaſons plainly infer, that I ought rather to deſire the life of a much more worthy uſeful inſtrument for the Church and State, than my own; and ſo to love a better man better than my ſelf, if I be acquainted ſufficiently with his goodneſs.
And if this be all ſo ſure and plain, hence obſerve,
1. How much humane nature is corrupted.
Alas, how rare is this equal Love!
2. How few true Chriſtians are; and how defective and duplicate page duplicate page imperfect grace is in the beſt. Alas! how ſtrange are many Chriſtians to the extent of this duty, and how far are we all from practiſing it in any eminent degree?
3. Wherein it is that natures corruption moſt conſiſteth; and what is the chief part of the nature and work of ſanctifying grace and reformation.
4. Whence come all the oppreſſions, injuries, perſecutions, frauds and cruelties on the earth: For want of loving mens neighbours as themſelves: Otherwiſe how tenderly would they handle one another? How eaſily would they pardon wrongs? How patiently would they bear the diſſent of honeſt, upright Chriſtians, who cannot force their judgments to be of other mens mould and ſize? How apt would men be to ſuſpect their own underſtandings, of weakneſs, preſumption or errour, rather than to rave with the fury of the Dragon againſt all others, who think them to be miſtaken? How ſafely and quietly might we live by them in the world, if they loved their neighbours as themſelves? I do not ſay now, How plentiful would men be in doing good to others? I am but pleading a lower cauſe, How ſeldom they would be in doing hurt? But, alas, miſerable Brittain! It was in thee that one extraordinary Emperour, Alexander Sevetus was betrayed and murdered, who made that Chriſtian precept his Motto, and wrote it on his doors, and books, and goods [Do as you would be done by.] In thee it is that Love hath been beheaded, while nothing hath been more acknowledged and profeſſed. If Love be treacherous, hurtful, envious, ſcandalous, enſnaring and plotting for mens deſtruction: If Love teach proud and vicious ſots, to take themſelves for Deities, and Oracles, and all for Vermine that muſt be hunted unto death, who bow not to their carnal erroneous conceits, and do not with the readieſt proſtitute conſciences, ſerve their carnal intereſts and ends: If Love be known by reviling thoſe that are much better than our ſelves; and ſtigmatizing the faithfulleſt ſervants of Chriſt with the moſt odious character that lyes can utter: If it was Love that called Paul a peſtilent fellow, and a mover of ſedition among the people, and repreſented Chriſt as an enemy to Caeſar and his followers, as the filth and off-ſcouring of the earth; then happy age in which we live; and happy they that are poſſeſſed with the proud and factious ſpirit. But if all be otherwiſe, alas, where be they, and how few that love their neighbours, or betters, as themſelves?
5. You ſee here what a plague ſin is to the earth, and how great (a puniſhment may I call it, or rather) a miſery to the ſinner, and to the world.
6. And you ſee how joyful and heavenly a life we ſhould live, if we did but follow Gods commands: And what a felicity Love it ſelf is to the ſoul.
7. And you ſee by what meaſure to try mens ſpirits, and to know who are the beſt among all the pretenders to goodneſs in the world. Certainly not the moſt cenſorious, contemptuous, backbiters and cruel, that ſeek to make all odious that are not for their intereſt: But thoſe that moſt abound in Love, which Faith it ſelf is given to produce.
Object. All this is true; but ſtill we find it a thing impoſſible to love our neighbour equally with our ſelves: Can you teach us how to do it?
Anſw. It is that I have been teaching you in the ten Directions before ſet down: But it is this which I have reſerved to the cloſe that muſt do the work indeed, and without it nothing elſe will do it.
Direct. 11. Make it the work of all your lives, by Faith in Chriſt, to bring up your ſouls to the unfeigned Love of God, and then it will be done. For then you will love God above all, and love God in all; and love your ſelves and your neighbours principally for God: Then Gods Image, and Glory, and Will, will be Goodneſs or Amiableneſs in your eyes; and not carnal pleaſure, honour or commodity. And then it will be eaſie to you to love that moſt, which hath moſt of God. You will then eaſily ſee the reaſon of this ſeeming Paradox, and that the contrary is moſt unreaſonable. You will then be as Timothy, who had a natural Love to others, as others have to themſelves, and who ſought the things of Jeſus Chriſt, when all others (even the beſt Miniſters too much) ſought their own, Phil. 2.20, 21. You will underſtand Pauls charge, Phil. 2.3, 4. In lowlineſs of mind, let each eſteem others better than themſelves. Look not every man on his own, but every man alſo on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was alſo in Chriſt Jeſus. You will learn of Chriſt to take your neereſt friend for a Satan, that would perſwade you to ſave or ſpare your ſelf (yea your life) when you ought to lay it down for the Glory of God, and the good of many, Matth. 16.22, 23. SELF and OWN are words which would then be better underſtood, and be more ſuſpected: And the reaſon of the great Goſpel duty of SELF-DENYAL would be better diſcerned.
Therefore ſet your ſelves to the ſtudy of God, eſpecially in his Goodneſs; ſtudy him in his Works, and in his Word, and in his Son, and in the Glory where you hope everlaſtingly to ſee him: And if you once love God as God indeed, it will teach you to love your Brethren, and in what ſort, and in what degree to do it. For many waies are we taught of God to love one another: Even 1. By the great and heavenly teacher of Love, Jeſus Chriſt: 2. And by Gods own example, Matth. 5.44, 45▪ 3. And by the ſhedding abroad of his love in our hearts by the Spirit of Love, Rom. 5.5. 4. And by this actual loving God, and ſo loving all of God in the world.
Object. But by this doctrine you will prepare for the Levellers and Fryers, to caſt down, or cry down Propriety.
Anſw. 1. There is a propriety of food, rayment, &c. which individuation hath made neceſſary. 2. There is a propriety of Stewardſhip, which God cauſeth by the various diſpoſal of his talents, and which is the juſt reward of humane induſtry, and the neceſſary encouragement of wit, and labour in the world: None of theſe would we caſt down, or preach down. 3. But there is a common abuſe of propriety to the maintenance of mens own luſts, and to the hurt of others, and of all Societies: This we would preach down if we could: But it is Love only which muſt be the Leveller: In the Primitive Church, Love ſhewed its power by ſuch a voluntary community, Acts 4. And all Politicians, who have drawn the Idea of a perfect Common-wealth, have been fumbling at other waies of accompliſhing it: But it is Chriſtian Love alone that muſt do it. Unfeignedly love God as God, and love your neighbours really as your ſelves, and then keep your proprieties as far as this will give you leave.
I will conclude with this conſiderable obſervation; that though it is falſe which ſome affirm, that individuation is a puniſhment for ſome former ſin (for how could a ſoul not individuate ſin?) And though ſenſitive ſelf-love, which is the principle of ſelf-preſervation, be no ſin it ſelf; nor doth grace deſtroy it; yet the inordinacy of it is the ſumm and root of all poſitive ſin, and an increaſer of privative ſin: And this inſeparable ſenſitive ſelf-love, was made to be more under the power of reaſon, and to be ruled by it, than now we find it in any the moſt ſanctified perſon; even as Abrahams love of the life of his only Son, was to be ſubject to his Faith.
And holineſs lyeth more in this ſubjection, than moſt men well underſtand. And the inordinacy of this perſonal ſelf-love, hath ſo ſtrangely perverted the mind it ſelf, that it is not only very hard to convince men of the evil of any ſelfiſh principles or ſins; but it greatly blindeth them, as to all duties of publick intereſt, and ſocial nature: Yea and maketh them afraid of Heaven it ſelf; where the union of ſouls will be as much neerer than now it is, as their Love will be greater and more perfect: And though it will not be by any ceſſation of perſonal individuation, and by falling into one univerſal ſoul; yet perfect Love will make the union neerer than we who have no experience of it, can poſſibly now comprehend. (And when we feel the ſtrongeſt Love to a friend, deſiring the neereſt union, we have the beſt help to underſtand it.) But men that feel not the divine and holy love, are by inordinate ſelf-love, and abuſe of individuation, afraid of the life to come, leſt the union ſhould be ſo great as to loſe their individuation, or prejudice their perſonal divided intereſts. Yea true believers, ſo far as their holy Love is weak, and their inordinate ſenſitive ſelf-love is yet too ſtrong, are from hence afraid of another world, when they ſcarce know why; but indeed it is much from this diſeaſe; which maketh men ſtill deſire their perſonal felicity, too partially▪ and in a divided way, and to be afraid of loſing their perſonality or propriety, by too ne…r a union and communion of ſouls.