Spiritual Refining, Religious treatise · Section 2 · Sermon 18
SERMON XVIII.
Love to the Godly is a Sign of Grace.
1 JOH. 3. 18. …
We know that we have paſſed from death to life, becauſe we love the Brethren.
THe Apoſtle John in this Epiſtle doth much preſſe the Grace and Duty of Love, as the fire that ought to be on the Altar of our hearts, for every Sacrifice towards God or man; not onelyonly the Holy of Holies, and the moſt inward parts of the Temple were covered with gold, but the Pavements and Outworks alſo. Thus all our actions whether towards God or man ought to be done in love.
At the 11th verſe of this Chapter, he commends this duty from the Antiquity of it, it's the Commandment they heard from the beginning; which is illuſtrated from a contrary example of Cain, deſcribed from his original, He was of that wicked one; and from his actuals, He ſlew his brother; and this is amplified from the impulſive cauſe or motive of this his horrid wickedneſſe, He ſlew him, becauſe his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous. Semper aliena virtus formidoloſa eſt, ſaid Tacitus. In Gen. 4. we have the occaſion of Cains envy, God had reſpect to Abel and not to Cain, which as moſt judge, was by ſome extraordinary teſtimony that God gave to Abels Sacrifice, as the Apoſtle emphatically expreſſeth it with an Article Heb. 11. 4. foreign, it's generally judged by fire ſuddenly falling from heaven (as God did at other times) therefore the word to have reſpect is tranſlated by Theodotion, foreign, Inflammavit Deus ſuper Abel; but why Abels Sacrifice was better then Cains is alſo queſtioned; Paul Heb. 11. ſaith, Abel offered by faith, foreign a better Sacrifice, which ſome referre to the Quantity, as if Cain took the refuſe, and Abel offered the beſt. Some to the Quality, He offered in faith, and the other not. A learned man Clop. de Sacrific. thinks that Cain offered onelyonly an Euchariſtical Sacrifice of fruit of the ground, and ſo did not beg for pardon of ſin; but Abel offered an Hilaſtical Sacrifice by way of expiation, whereby through Chriſt he praied for pardon, and therefore was accepted, ſo that he reſembleth Cain to the Phariſee, that only gave thanks to God, and Abel to the Publican, who humbled himſelf, ſupplicating for pardon, And ſo went away juſtified rather then the other.
Hereupon becauſe every Abel will have a Cain (as the Fathers proverbial ſpeech is) verſ. 13. he comforts the godly againſt their afflicted condition. It is no wonder if the world hate that which is of heaven; and ver. 14. he returneth to another argument for this gracious Love, and that is from the profitable effect, it is a ſign we have paſſed from death to life.
In the words, you have two Propoſitions;
Firſt, That the godly even in this life are already paſſed from death to life. Some render the Greek word tranſlated, and thereupon Eſtius obſerves, becauſe we are paſſive in this priviledge, that it is not to be attributed to our merits, but to the grace of God: Now the Apoſtle uſeth the Preterperfect tenſe, and not the Preſent, becauſe of the certainty of it, and his right to it, Qui jus ad rem habet, rem ipſam habere videtur, ſaith the Lawyer; you have the like expreſſion John 5. 24. By this life ſome underſtand the life of grace, and by death, the death of ſinne, as if the love of the Brethren were a ſign of our being in the ſtate of grace, and then there is good reaſon for uſing the Preterperfect tenſe. But although this may be part, yet it doth not comprehend all, for eternal life, and glory is alſo included herein.
The ſecond Propoſition is, That Love of the Brethren is that ſign and mark whereby we know aſſuredly, that we are in this happy eſtate; ſo that our love is no merit or cauſe, but a ſign only; hence it is good to obſerve, that this very ſelf-ſame priviledge of paſſing from death to life, is attributed to faith, Joh. 5. 24. but in a different ſenſe to faith, as that inſtrumental cauſe, which puts us into ſuch a condition, to love as an effect or ſign only; for though love uniteth us to Chriſt as well as faith, yet faith doth it Intus recipiendo, by inward receiving of Chriſt to us, love extra agendo, by going out in our works for him; Hence the union by love is poſterior to that of faith; Hence alſo it is that if love ſhould juſtifie, the dignity of it would ariſe from the act of love, becauſe it's union conſiſts in doing ſomething out of us, but in faiths union, the dignity is wholly from the object, viz. Chriſt imbraced, becauſe this union is by inward reception and application.
That love of the brethren is a ſign of true grace.Obſerv.
As the Apoſtle makes it here a ſign to our ſelves, ſo in other places to others, Hereby ſhall all men know ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another; he doth not ſay, If ye work miracles, if ye caſt out devils, but if ye love. Hence the Apoſtle Peter, 2 Pet. 1. 7. bids them adde to Godlineſſe, brotherly kindeneſſe. As if we could not have any true comfort from all our religious duties towards God, unleſſe this alſo be added to it, or with it, for ſo foreign is uſed for cum, as the Hebrew foreign is ſometimes.
To open this duty of love to the Brethren three things are conſiderable, which we ſhall ſpeak to, 1. The Act it ſelf, Love. 2. The Object, Our Brethren. And 3. The Effects.
Firſt therefore, This love we ſpeak of, is not a flower growing in Natures garden, 1. Of love.we naturally love our parents, our children, but not ſo the godly, hence love is made the fruit of the Spirit; To love a man, becauſe of the image of God in him, becauſe he is holy, is wrought only by Gods Spirit. Naturally we hate 1. To love a godly man becauſe of the Image of God in him.God, becauſe he is an holy God, his Law, becauſe it is an holy Law, and his children, becauſe they are an holy people. Hence the Schoolmen ſay, That love to God and to our neighbour, becauſe of God, are not two acts of love, no more then the will of the end by means, is a two-fold act of the will; and this appeareth by the command Matth. 19. 37. where we are commanded to love God with all our might, all we have and can do, and yet our neighbour alſo, which could not be if our love to another in ſubordination to God be not conſidered, as the ſame with the act of loving God; and this is much more true in loving of a godly man, whom we do love, not only becauſe of Gods command, and for God (as we ought to do all men) but becauſe of God in him, his image there, in which ſenſe Hierom ſaid, he did Diligere Christum habitantem in Auguſtino. There is a rule out of Ariſtotle, Idemeſt motus animae in imaginem & rem. It is the ſame motion whereby the ſoul is carried to the image or ſpecies of a thing, and the thing it ſelf, as we ſee it in the acts of the underſtanding and of the ſenſes, which rule Aquinas, and other Papiſts wretchedly abuſe, to prove the ſame religious worſhip both in kinde and degree, to be given unto the image of God, and God himſelf but in our inſtance it is true, when we love God himſelf, and a godly man, becauſe of Gods image in him, this is the ſame act or motion of the ſoul, and ariſeth from the ſame habit of grace, and therefore doth this Apoſtle argue neceſſarily from the poſition of the one to the poſition of the other, and the negation of one to the negation of the other, he that doth not love his brother, loveth not God, according to the rule of the Hebrews, Qui amat ſupra amat infra. We are not then ſpeaking of a love, which cometh by the power of free-will, but of a grace infuſed into us by Gods Spirit, which as it's ſupernatural in it's original, ſo alſo in it's operations and motives; The effects are ſupernatural, buſying and emptying themſelves in induſtry about their ſouls; and their ends alſo, becauſe they ſee Gods likeneſſe in them.
Secondly, This love is not verbal or complemental, ſuch as that of the world, 2. It is not verbal but an inward deep affectionate grace.which hath great veins, but little bloud in them, but it is a most inward deep affectionate grace, moving all the bowels within. Thus Rom. 12. Be kindely affectionated to one another in love, foreign, doth imply an inward rooted inclination, ſuch as is in mothers to their tender infants. There are thoſe who ſeem to love godly men, but it is when the times favour them, if there be any benign conſtellations for ſuch, then they reſpect them, otherwiſe in their heart and inclinations they can no waies endure thoſe that are godly. When therefore we ſpeak of loving godly men, we mean not a fair loving carriage, a kinde behaviour towards them, which makes thee farre from all railing or oppoſing of them, but ſuch an affection as is rooted in thy heart.
Secondly, In reſpect of the object, Brethren, this is included,
1. That this love be to them, becauſe they are brethren. We may love godly men II. The object of our love the Brethren. 1. Becauſe they are Brethren.for other reſpects then their godlineſſe, becauſe they may be wiſe men, learned men, potent men in the Kingdom, or men that have loved us, and ſhewed us much kindneſſe, but this is nothing of grace, here is onelyonly nature all the while. Hence the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, Love the brotherhood in the Abſtract, becauſe it is the brotherhood. The Waſps flie about the Tradeſmans ſhop, not out of love to him, but the hony and fruit that is there. The Crows and Vultures ſit by the dying beaſt, not becauſe they love it, but for themſelves. Thus godly men may be loved for carnal ends and advantages, and no wonder at this, ſeeing ſuch a mercenary and hypocritical love may be profered to God himſelf, as we ſee in the hypocrites of Iſrael.
2. As to the brethren, becauſe godly, ſo the more godly the more we love them; For as the covetous man, the more wealth increaſeth the more he loveth it; And 2. The more godly the more we love them.the voluptuous man, the more ſweetneſſe and delight in luſts, the more greedy is he of them; thus it is here, he loveth all the godly, but thoſe that moſt excell in the purity, power and practice of it, he loveth them moſt, Sicut ſe habet ſimpliciter ad ſimpliciter, ita magis ad magis, if godlineſſe be the reaſon why we love, then the more godlineſſe, the more love. And this is much to be obſerved, becauſe it diſcovers much hypocriſie in many men, who fancy to themſelves that they love godlineſſe in the Idea, in the notion, but when it cometh to be practiſed by wife, children or neighbours, then they cannot endure it. As alſo thoſe, who love godly men in low principles, not walking ſo exactly and accurately as they ought, better then the godly with high principles, that are alwaies putting on to more godlineſſe.
3. It implieth we love all godly men, for ſo that phraſe in the Abſtract, Love the 3. We muſt love all godly men.Brotherhood, ſuppoſeth, that is, Take every godly man, rich as well as poor, deſpiſed as well as honoured, low and baſe as well as high and eſteemed, thou doſt love all of them. It may be thy love is reſtrained to love godly men onelyonly, that are of thy conſtitution, condition or opinion; but then there are others upon whom thou caſteſt no favourable aſpect at all. The Apoſtle James doth much condemn that practice of differencing the poor godly from the rich, Jam. 2. 1, 2. where the Apoſtle doth not abſolutely prohibit a civil differencing of men in place from others, but when it is done with an humane reſpect, immoderately regarding wealth more then godlineſſe, and when it's done to the contempt and diſgrace, or diſcouragement of the godly poor; hence he bids them conſider that though they be poor, yet God hath choſen them rich in faith: Now this carnal reſpect of perſons the Apoſtle makes a great ſinne, both becauſe hereby he ſaith, They become judges of evil thoughts, that is, theſe thoughts of theirs in judging thus are wicked and ſinfull, and partly becauſe hereby the name of God is blaſphemed; hence verſ. 1. he cals Chriſt, The Lord of glory, implying, that thoſe things which are godly and gracious ſhould be glorious to us. So then as hatred of ſin is totius ſpeciei, we hate every kinde of ſinne; ſo is love of the Brethren, of all Brethren, making no difference in this reſpect. Indeed there is a love of familiarity which we may ſhew more to one godly man then another; thus Chriſt loved John more then the other Diſciples; but we ſpeak of a gracious love; and in this we ought not to attend to humane reſpects but evangelical meerly; Therefore the Apoſtle cals it foreign, that is, when we in judging look to ſomething elſe then the merits of the perſon, or the cauſe. This we are all apt and very prone unto; See we therefore that in Goſpel-love we attend only to Goſpelconſiderations.
In the next place, Conſider the effects by which this love to the godly diſcovers it ſelf.III. The Effect, of this love. 1. Not to be aſhamed to own them as Brethren in perſecution.
And 1. By not being aſhamed to own them as Brethren, and joyn with them in the times of perſecution. The Church of God hath had many Swallow-friends that will ſtay with her no longer then Summer; our Saviour foreſeeing this proneneſs to Apoſtaſie, antidoteth againſt it, He that is aſhamed of me in the midſt of a crooked generation, of him my Father alſo will be aſhamed before the Angels. The world that is full of ſcorns and reproaches, The holy Brethren, The holy Sisters, now men are through their pride and corruption aſhamed of ſuch waies. This argueth thou haſt no love to them. It was obſerved by the Heathens how the Primitive Chriſtians loved one another, Ecce quam ſe mutuò diligunt & fratres ſe vocant! Now then as it is noted of God, Heb. 11. that he was not aſhamed to be the God of believers; thus alſo may we obſerve of thee, thou art not aſhamed to be called one of the believers; Thy ſpeech, converſation, whole deportment ſhall betray thee to be one that followeth Chriſt. It's obſerved by ſome, That there were but few hypocrites comparatively in the firſt Plantation of the Churches by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, becauſe there was ſuch certain and preſent danger to all thoſe that imbraced their way, and no advantage at all to carnal conſiderations, yet for all that ſome hypocrites there were. It was a weakneſſe in Nicodemus, who came to Jeſus by night, he dared not publickly own him, becauſe of the Jews. Examine therefore thy ſelf, if thou loveſt the godly, then this will appear when godlineſſe is the onelyonly ſcorned, reproached and perſecuted way that is. It is ſtrange to obſerve how godlineſſe in the power of it doth diminiſh reſpect in the world, Bonus vir Caius & prudens, niſi quod Chriſtianus, A learned man, a wiſe man, a good man, but only too preciſe, too puritanical, enclining too much to ſtrictneſſe. If it were an Heathen that derideth all Chriſtianity that ſaith thus, it would be no wonder; but for a Chriſtian, who by his profeſſion is ingaged to all this practice of holineſs, it is unſufferable; if we may have too much godlineſs, then too much of heaven and happineſs.
Secondly, By rejoycing and delighting in other mens godlineſſe and abilities whereby 2. By rejoycing in other mens godlineſſe, though thou art deſpiſed.the Kingdom of God is advanced, though it be an umbrage and over ſhadowing of all our glory, though we be laid aſide and accounted as no body. As in the ſweeteſt fruit ſometimes worms do grow; ſo in the choiſeſt Chriſtians there will be envies, emulations and repinings at one anothers excellencies. Thus the Diſciples of Chriſt did twice ſtrive about greatneſſe, Johns Diſciples muttered becauſe all runne after Chriſt; but how graciouſly doth John deal with them, I muſt decreaſe and he encreaſe. So that this love of the Brethren is a more ſpiritual and difficult work then we are aware off. Thou loveſt a godly man that liveth remote from thee, but how art thou to one that is thy neighbour of the ſame profeſſion and calling? now it may be the eminency of his graces and worth carrieth away the eſteem and repute from thee, Canſt thou for all this rejoyce in his graces and abilities, praiſe God for him, and ſo that his glory be advanced, thou careſt not though God lay thee aſide, as a broken veſſel? This is a good ſymptome of grace. Oh (Beloved) if we conſider the jealouſies, heart-burnings, contentions, envyings, ſtrifes that are among the godly, Doth not this demonſtrate that they are in a great meaſure carnal? Are not moſt of theſe contentions from the fleſh, who ſhall have moſt power, whoſe way ſhall have moſt followers and admirers? Whereas true love to godlineſſe manifeſteth it ſelf in this, that it rejoyceth in the graces of others, praiſeth God for them. It is an high ſinne to make godlineſſe a faction, a party, as that whereby I will have carnal advantages. The Apoſtle contradicteth this, when he ſaith, We know no man, no not Chriſt himſelf after the fleſh. By reaſon of this ſelf-pleaſing it is that at laſt we incloſe godlineſſe, and monopolize it to our own ſelves, that none ſhall be godly but thoſe in our way. Thus the Donatiſts would call no men Chriſtians but themſelves. Thus Tertullian, when he turned Montanist, pretending to Revelations of the Spirit, wrote a book againſt the Orthodox, which he called Adverſus Pſychicos, as if they all were but carnal, and natural men. Thus many rigid Lutherans diſpute the Queſtion, Whether Calviniſts may be reckoned as Brethren, and they determine negatively. Take we heed therefore, how we envy the graces of others that overtop us. Auguſtine thought this to be the ſinne againſt the holy Ghoſt, or very near. But it cannot be ſo, becauſe we have inſtances even of ſome godly men who have been tainted this way. It is an hard thing not to look upon godlineſſe and the truths of God, as ours, more then as Gods, which doth breed carnal and humane diſpoſitions in us. Know therefore that ſo farre as thou envieſt and grudgeſt at the excellency of anothers godlineſſe overtopping thee ſo far, thou haſt no love to the Brethren.
Thirdly, This love to the Brethren is manifeſted by the contrary, viz. A zeal 3. This love to the godly is manifeſted by a zeal againſt ſinners.againſt ſinners, an impatiency and holy grief at the wickedneſſe of others. That as the Apoſtle ſaith Cain hated Abel, becauſe his own works were evil, and Abels good, ſo a godly Abel is grieved at the converſation of the wicked, becauſe his own are good, and the others evil. Thus a godly man is deſcribed by this Character, Pſal. 35. 4. In whoſe eyes a vile perſon is contemned, but he honoureth thoſe that fear the Lord. You have a notable inſtance of this in Lot, 2 Pet. 2. 8. where righteous Lot is ſaid to vex his ſoul by hearing and ſeeing the wicked Sodomites. The Greek word ſignifieth to torment his ſoul, and it is uſed of the damned in hell. There is alſo an emphaſis in the phraſe, his ſoul, he doth not ſay himſelf, but his ſoul, as if a ſword had pierced. Thus God ſaith, His ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in the backeſlider, when he would expreſſe his great abhorring of ſuch an one. Further this torment is amplified in the inſtruments by which, both in ſeeing and hearing. Lot was among the Sodomites as the Dove among Hawks, a Sheep among Wolves, a roſe among thorns, a bright Starre in a dark night; and this did ſo much afflict him, that Auguſt. in praef. Pſal. 69 cals this a perſecution, and ſaith, The evil deeds of the Sodomites were a perſecution of Lot. Hereupon the ſame Father proves, That the perſecutions of godly mens ſouls by wicked ſcandals, is worſe then that of Tyrants killing the bodies. And Bernard ſpeaks excellently to this purpoſe of the Churches bitterneſſe, Amara prius fuit in nece Martyrum, amarior poſtea in conflictu haereticorum, ſed amariſſima in moribus domeſticorum. Try thy love to the godly, by thy grief and trouble that cometh to thee, through the wickedneſſe of others; for ſeeing by their evil deeds, God is ſo much diſhonoured, how can it be but that with David, Rivers of water ſhould runne down thy eyes, becauſe men keep not Gods Law? and David ſaid, He hated thoſe who hated God with a perfect hatred, that is, a full, abſolute, irreconcilable hatred, which is to be underſtood of their will not their perſons.
Fourthly, This emptieth it ſelf in doing and procuring all ſpiritual good to them. 4. In doing and procuring all ſpiritual good to them.To love is to will good to another, that is, their proper, convenient good. Thus to love the Brethren is to pray much for them, to be diligent in the exhorting and provoking of one another to good; for of ſuch a love and hatred which regards ſpiritual things, the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, as by his inſtance in Cains hatred appeareth, which was from a ſpiritual conſideration, Prov. 27. 17. As iron ſharpneth iron, &c. ſo a man ſharpneth the countenance of his friend, that is, as the inſtrument which is ruſty, or edge dulled, is made ſerviceable by the file; ſo is one godly man quickned up by another. The Church is compared to a flock of ſheep, whereof every one brought twins, that is, their fruitfulneſſe, and verſ. 9. in the ſame Chapter, Chriſtian love is compared to Ointment and Perfume, which hath much ſweetneſſe and ſtrengthning in it; yea reproof is ſometimes neceſſary, as David witneſſeth, when he ſaid, Let the righteous ſmite me, and it ſhall be better then oil: yea this love is ſo farre commanded that ſometimes it's our duty to lay down our lives for the Brethren.
Laſtly, This is ſeen in bearing their burdens, and forbearing their infirmities; 5. In bearing their burdens and forbearing their infirmities.Bearing their burdens; hence as members of the ſame body they are to weep with thoſe that weep, and rejoyce with thoſe that rejoyce. They are to be like the ſtrings of an inſtrument, touch one, and they all ſound; And forbearing infirmities, Gal. 6. 1. Ye that are ſpiritual reſtore ſuch an one; The word ſignifieth, Set him in joint again, as if a godly man overtaken by ſinne ſhould cauſe as much grief to the whole body, as a diſ-jointed member uſeth to do; So that to love the Brethren (if all things be conſidered) is a choice and difficult ſign of grace; it is not every one that is thus affected. Now here is a proper Queſtion, Whether if Brethren be fallen into hereſies and wicked errours, it be not againſt the love of brethren, to ſet againſt them, to endeavour the ſuppreſſion of them? And certainly the matter may be ſo carried, as thou maieſt diſcover not only an hatred of their errours, but their godlineſſe alſo; again it may be ſo, that thou maieſt moſt of all diſcover thy love to their godlineſſe, only hatred to their falſe doctrines: but this is a large field, and many things are to be ſaid to it, elſe we cannot give full ſatisfaction to the Point.
Now to all this there is an Objection made, Love of the Brethren, ſay they, Object.cannot be a ſign of grace, becauſe if it be true love it muſt have all thoſe properties deſcribed, 1 Cor. 13. Charity ſuffereth long, envieth not, &c. Now who doth not finde ſome envyings, ſome impatiencies?
The Anſwer is eaſie. We are not ſeeking for perfect ſigns, but true ſigns; and if Anſw.we finde true ſigns we may gather much comfort, though ſeveral defects cleave to us. Wilt thou think there is no honey or milk in Canaan, becauſe Jebuſites and wilde beaſts are left there?
But again they object, Every ſect thinketh their ſect the true Brethren. Hence the Papiſt loves a Papiſt, thinking him a true Brother, and ſo men may comfort themſelves with falſe ſigns.
The Anſwer is, True ſigns are indeed ſo, though men blinded and deceived are ſeduced by counterfeit. A true Pearl is judged to be true by a skilfull Artificer, and he knoweth he is not deceived; though the unskilfull takes much counterfeit pearl for true; ſo a man awake is ſure he is awake, although men in a dream think themſelves alſo awake, but are indeed deceived.
Laſtly, They ſay, The Apostle ſpeaks this love as it is a ſign to others, not to our ſelves.
Thus the Antinomian, and Eſtius to this purpoſe, The Apoſtle ſpeaketh (ſaith he) of the whole Church as it is a Society, not of every particular perſon. But as the Apoſtle intends that every particular man ſhould love the Brethren, ſo he alſo maketh this as an Argument, becauſe hereby every man in particular may be aſſured he is tranſlated from death to life.
If love to the Brethren demonſtrate our ſpiritual life, then hatred, oppoſition, Uſe.ſcoffs and reproaches of ſuch, demonſtrate the actors therein to be of the devil. Oh how many Cains are there, that therefore hate and ſtomack others, becauſe their courſes are contrary to their ſins! There cannot be a ſurer ſymptom of thy rotten, yea deviliſh heart, then to ſay, I could love ſuch an one, honour ſuch an one, but I cannot abide his ſtrictneſſe. Like delights in like. Davids delight is in the Saints of the earth; if thine be in Swine and Dogs who wallow in their vomit and mire, tremble at thy diſpoſition; Canſt thou ſay thou loveſt God and hateſt his Image? that which reſembleth him here upon the earth? The ſaying is, Noſcitur ex ſocio, &c. You may know a man by thoſe he delighteth and rejoyceth in, and converſeth with.
Uſe 2. To bewail the neglect of this even among the godly, How doth this Uſe 2.manifeſt that we have the faith of Chriſt in reſpect of perſons? Do not abuſe godlineſſe to make it an occaſion of thy carnal pride, envy, or earthly advantage? The Apoſtle therefore makes hereſies and ſchiſms the fruit of the fleſh, becauſe theſe ariſe from carnal motives one way or other. Yet this is not ſo to be urged, as if a prudent and godly Zeal were not to be urged againſt the falſe doctrines of godly men; it is one thing to ſet againſt a man becauſe of his godlineſſe, that is deviliſh; and another thing becauſe of his corruption, whether in practice or opinion. But love like Eliyah hath left the Church, and is carried up to heaven in a fiery Chariot.