Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
NOw I come to give you the Proofs and Reaſons, why we are to love all. For Proofs, take theſe places of Scripture. Gal. 6.10. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men, but eſpecially to them that are of the houſhold of faith. [While we have time] ſo ſome read; that is, While we live, let us do good to all men; as opportunity ſerveth, let us do good to every man, but eſpecially to the Saints. Our Saviour bids us, to love our enemies, Mat. 5.44. and there ſpeaks in oppoſition to that Phariſaical Tradition, That a man was bound only to love his Friends: He therefore requireth our Love to be extended to enemies, even to ſuch as curſe and hate us.
The Reaſons hereof are
1. Becauſe where ever we ſee any part of Gods goodneſs, we are to love it. It is ſaid that our Saviour beholding the rich young man that came unto him, loved him, Mar. 10.21. There is ſome Print of Gods goodneſs in many that are not Godly, which ought to draw our affection to it; Goodneſs being the Object of Love. This is the reaſon why God himſelf loveth all his Creatures, becauſe there is a participation of his Goodneſs in them. There are ſome Reliques of Gods Image in prophane men, that God beareth a general Love unto, that we alſo may do the like.
2 Love is a due debt to every man. Rom. 13.8. Owe nothing to any man but to love one another; this debt is owing from every man, it muſt be continually paying, and yet ever owing. The Book of Love muſt never be croſſed; although ye do never ſo many kindneſſes one to another; yet ſtill you owe mor…. He payeth not his d…bts, that rendereth not Love. This is a debt that grows due faſter than it can be can be paid, and muſt be always paying.
3. Becauſe all are partakers of the ſame humane Nature: That th…y are men, and reaſonable Cr…atures, and made as thou waſt, after the Image of God; natura communis & ſocietas rationis, the common nature and participation of Reaſon with us ſhould draw our Love to them. The moſt brutiſh Creatures that are, and the moſt cruel, yet are loving to one another of the ſame kind; though one beaſt of another kind hath Antipathy againſt another. Shall man be more brutiſh and ſavage than Bears, Lions, and Tygers? As Solomon bids the the Sluggard to go learn of the Piſmire, Diligence; ſo we may bid the hard-hearted man, to learn of Wolves and Tygers, to be loving one to another.
4. Becauſe we know not who among men belong not to Gods Election of Grace, therefore we are to love them, and to wiſh them all Grace and Glory. And the reaſon of the School-men is, becauſe every man being a reaſonable Creature, is capable of Grace and Glory. The prophaneſt man in the world, is not altogether an hopeleſs man, unleſs it be ſuch a one as hath ſinned the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt.
5. Becauſe a good man muſt be perfect in his Love, even as God is perfect: He loveth the good and the bad; he cauſeth his Sun to ſhine upon the juſt and the unjuſt. Be ye perfect therefore (ſaith our Saviour) as our heavenly Father is perfect. To love them that love you, what reward have you? Do not even the Publicans the ſame? If you ſalute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Publicans the ſame? The firſt Argument is ab utili & inutili. If ye love them which love you only, what reward have you? That is, ye loſe your reward, ye ſhall have no reward from God, who doth neither for the preſent, nor for the future, reward ſuch. Now becauſe our Saviour mentioneth reward, we muſt not therefore think any merit in our Love. The Reward which God giveth, is of Grace, not of Debt. Good works are rewarded, becauſe God hath promiſed a Reward: They are not meritorious, becauſe they have no proportion to the Reward. The ſecond Argument is drawn à comparatis. Do not even the Publicans the ſame? but yet there is a vaſt difference implied, If you love them only that love you, then there is no difference between my Diſciples and Publicans; my Diſciples do no more than they do: but your Love muſt be far more extenſive than their Love; ye muſt love ſuch whom they do not Love; ye muſt do more good than they can or will do: ye muſt exceed Publicans, Sinners, Heathens, Phariſees, in Love and the Offices thereof.
The Publicans among the Jews, were ſuch as received and gathered up the Roman Emperour's Cuſtomes, Taxes, and Tribute, who were a very abomination to the Jews, they were a people generally hated: they were an unjuſt, defrauding oppreſſing ſort of men. No Jew would be a Publican, but abhorred the Office; becauſe they diſdained to oppreſs their own Nation, therefore they were (for the moſt part) Heathens; and to ſhew what vile people they were, they are uſually joyned with Harlots, Sinners, Heathens, yea the worſt of men. Now ſaith our Saviour, Theſe wicked Publicans do love thoſe who love them; even Publicans will return kindneſs for kindneſs. The vileſt of men do love, and becauſe they love, do much good to them they love. There is a mutual exchange of kindneſſes, of beneficences between wicked men. Luk. 6.32. Our Saviour ſaith, what thank have ye, if ye love them who love you? for ſinners alſo love, thoſe who love them: It is no great matter, for a man to love thoſe who love him. The Greek word there for Sinners, is foreign. The Word ſignifieth notorious, vile, abominable ſinners, ſuch as ſell themſelves to Sin and Satan to work iniquity, even ſuch as theſe will do good to thoſe who do good to them. How doth this appear? read v. 33. If ye do good to them who do good to you, what thank have you? for ſinners alſo do even the ſame. Look what external Office of Love any do to Sinners, they will return all Offices of Love which lye in their power back upon them. If you viſit them, Sinners will viſit you: If you feed and cloath them in their neceſſities, they will feed and cloath you in your neceſſities. This appeareth, ver. 34. where our Saviour mentioneth a particular act of Love. If ye lend to them, of whom you hope to receive, what thank have you, for ſinners alſo lend to ſinners. Now whence is it that ſuch good Offices come out of Nazareth? I anſwer.
1. Becauſe it is the nature of Love, not only of the Grace of Love, planted by the Spirit of Grace; but alſo natural Love, planted by God in the Souls of all men, to return Love for love, kindneſs for kindneſs, good for good. Magnes amoris amor; Love is the Loadſtone of Love. As the Loadſtone by his vertue draweth Iron to it; ſo Love ſhewn and manifeſted, draweth the Heart and Affections of others to it. Natural Love is not ſordid and ignoble, but is free and ingenuous, and is ambitious to requite.
2. Becauſe the worſt of men think themſelves obliged to love thoſe who love them. They know they cannot ſatisfie their obligation to them, but by a proportionable return of Love to thoſe who love them. Wicked men who make no Conſcience of loving of God, though they are under the ſtricteſt and higheſt Obligations that can be to love him, yet they make ſome Conſcience of loving ſuch as love them.
3. Becauſe of the benefit and profit accrewing to wicked men by reciprocal returns of mutual-love; there is a mutual giving and receiving benefits: They love for civil and profitable reſpects, though it be not laſting; and when the fuel ceaſeth, the flame goeth out.
4. There is pride in the heart of wicked men, which makes them diſdain to be beholden to others for their kindneſſes: Therefore they do return Love for Love, kindneſs for kindneſs.
Here then ye may ſee, that there is a Love in men which is not Charity: Natural Love and Charity differ as much as Gold from Droſs and Dung. Publicans, though eminently loving, yet were very wicked. Sin and Natural Love can agree, but not Sin and Charity. This Love and Hatred of Godlineſs can dwell together in one Soul; but Hatred and Charity cannot lie together in one heart. It is then but a ſandy foundation for any man to build his hopes of Salvation, upon his living lovingly among his loving Neighbours, and doing good to ſuch; even ſuch hopes Publicans and Sinners may have. Therefore he that expecteth Heaven for his reward, muſt do more than others. What do you more than others, ſaith our Saviour? Mat. 5.47. The Argument runs thus. If your Love do no more than the Love of others, than your Love is no better than the Love of others. But the Love of Saints muſt do more than the Love of Sinners: My Diſciples muſt love more than Publicans; ſo that the Queſtion is preceptive, commanding every one, who claimeth propriety and Intereſt in Chriſt to out-do others in offices of Love and Charity.