Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. I come in the ſecond place, to ſhew, How we muſt manifeſt our Love in general to the wicked. Here conſider, of what we muſt beware, and what we muſt do.
1. Of what we muſt beware.
1. WE muſt not approve of, or delight in their Sins. God loveth the wicked, but in no wiſe approveth of them in their ſins: We muſt hate the Vice, but not the Perſon: God hates not the Perſons of Devils, but their Sins: We muſt follow God in this: hence are thoſe Phraſes in Scripture of God's loathing, hating, abhorring the Sins of the wicked, they are an abomination to him; and we muſt by no means approve of their Sins, and delight in them. Their Sin muſt not be our joy: that which is God's diſhonour, muſt be our grief, yea it muſt be our hatred, as it is Gods. Can a Child ſee his Father diſgraced by men, and his Bowels not yearn? If God be as dear unto us as a Father, we cannot but riſe againſt them that diſhonour him. Gods Glory muſt be dearer to us than all things.
2. We muſt not any way encourage them walking in their Sins. God loveth the unjuſt, yet he threatens them with all woes and curſes, and with damnation. He tells the unclean perſon, that he will judg… him: He tells the drunkard, that there is a wo unto him: He tells the proud, that they are an abomination to him: He tells all the wicked, that he will not hold them guiltleſs, that he will turn them all into Hell. The Lord gives them not the leaſt hint of mercy, to cauſe them to walk preſumptuouſly in their ſins. We muſt ſay to our Friends and Neighbours that walk in ſinful ways, how do ye hope to be ſaved? what grounds of confidence have ye, while ye live in ſuch ſins? Certainly, ye will undo your Souls for ever, if you go on in ſuch and ſuch ſins.
2. What we muſt do.
We muſt admoniſh and reprove them; in which duty we are too faulty. Chriſt did reprove wicked men to their faces. How tartly did he deal with the Scribes and Phariſees for their Hypocriſie, and with the Jews alſo? How boldly did the Prophets reprove the great Ones; they would ſpare none, if they were wicked. But ye will ſay, that Chriſt and the Prophets did reprove them as Miniſters; and they were immediately ſent from God to reprove thoſe particular perſons. It is true; yet Miniſters in publick may reprove the ſame ſins in other perſons as ever the Prophets did. But we rather ſpeak of private reproof and admonition, which duty concerneth every man.
Therefore obſerve theſe things. Art thou a member of a Family and ſeeſt thou ſin to grow there in any Perſon? thou art faithfully to reprove and admoniſh. Haſt thou kinred or friends whom thou dearly loveſt walking in evil ways? then reprove and admoniſh. Do any of thy Familiars ſin in thy company, then reprove and admoniſh them. Art thou in the Company of Strangers, that ſwear and curſe, and prophane the holy Name of God, give a loving check to them, Why do ye curſe and ſwear?
Perhaps ye will ſay, they regard it not. It is no matter, Thou doſt thy duty. Ye will reply; We have done ſo and they do not reform. Yet ſtill reprove them; God may make thy reproofs effectual one time or other: God is patient and long-ſuffering; ſo muſt we be alſo. — You will ſay, they ſcoff and ſcorn at reproof. — I anſwer, Then avoid their fellowſhip as much as thou canſt. We do expreſs more Love to one another, by reproving one another, than by any thing; it is a ſign we deſire the good of one anothers Souls. True Love is mixed of ſweetneſs and ſharpneſs: It is a kind of foreign, a bitter-ſweet: it hath not only ſweet meats, but pills, corroſives, as well as healing plaiſters: it can wound as well as heal; yea it muſt wound that it may heal. If a Chriſtian ſee ſeculent matter that nouriſheth vice, cleave to any one, true love will cauſe him to ſtrain a point of kindneſs to purge it out, albeit with more rough than pleaſing Phyſick; faithful are the wounds of ſuch a friend. Prov. 27.6. Melius eſt cum ſeveritate diligere, quàm cum lenitate decipere. Better is a ſevere kind of Love, than a deceitful Lenity.
There are two reaſons, why we muſt in Love to the wicked, thus behave our ſelves.
1. Becauſe our Love to them muſt principally aim at their converſion, reformation and ſalvation. As God laboureth by his goodneſs to draw men to repentance, ſo muſt we by our Love; and what better courſe can we take than by reproving them, by telling them of the fearful danger they are in, and that ſuch courſes will undoubtedly bring them to Hell. When wicked men ſhall ſee we diſlike their courſes, and grieve at them, God may ſet it home upon them, to make them the more ſenſible of their own ſins. Should we not ſhew our diſlike of ſuch courſes, we ſhould harden and confirm them in their ſins, and ſo to be an occaſion of their deſperate impenitency.
2. Becauſe otherwiſe we ſhew neither Love to them, nor to our ſelves: we make our ſelves partakers of their ſins: neglect of reproof is a tacit conſent to them in their ſins: ſhould we any way encourage them, we ſhould be abettors of them: Should we any way delight in their ſins, God would lay them to our ſcore.