Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
IN the fourth place I am to ſhew, That Godly men muſt eſpecially love one another. True Love, ſaith St. Auguſtine, is, motus animi ad fruendum Deo propter ipſum; ſe, & proximum, propter Deum; A motion of the Soul to the enjoying of God for himſelf, and himſelf and his Neighbour for Gods ſake: Wherefore as God is the Saviour of all men, but eſpecially of them that beleeve; So a Chriſtian is to be a lover of all men, but eſpecially thoſe of the houſhold of Faith. Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alſo that is begotten of him, 1 Job. 5.1. And this he doth, as being a better argument of true goodneſs, than his beleeving. For if the Queſtion be, whether a man be good, it is not demanded (ſaith the ſame Father) what he beleeveth, but what he loveth.
This love is ſtrictly required of all Chriſtians. 1 Pet. 1.22. See that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently; our Love to the Saints muſt be fervent Love, & then pure and unfeigned Love.
As the Angels are called Seraphims from burning (as ſome think) becauſe they burn in Love to God and to his Saints, ſo there muſt be this Seraphical burning Love in the Godly, to the Godly. David ſaith, Pſal. 16.3. All my delight is in the Saints. In the foregoing verſe, he acknowledgeth he can beſtow nothing upon God: My goodneſs extendeth not to thee; therefore he manifeſteth his Love to God in loving his Saints that are in the earth; them he eſteemed the excellent of the earth: Godly men are the truly excellent; Grace is the trueſt dignity of a man. [In whom is all my delight] I take no delight in any Company, more than in the ſweet and Godly fellowſhip and communion of Saints. Therefore Philemon is commended by St. Paul for his Love to all the Saints. Col. 3.14. Above all things put on Charity. The Apoſtle verſe 12, preſſeth them to get and exerciſe ſundry Graces: put on bowels of mercy, kindneſs, and humbleneſs of mind, meekneſs, long-ſuffering, forbearing and forgiving one another; and above all things put on charity. The Apoſtle alludeth to Garments; the other Graces are the inward Graces of a Chriſtian; Love is the glorious Raiment of Needle-work. Charity muſt be the veſtis exterior, the outward Garment, the cloathing of Gold. But Calvin expoundeth the prepoſition foreign by propter, and not by ſuper; for all theſe things put on Charity. This is the Queen commandeth all other Graces. Love produceth the actions of all other Graces, non elicitivè ſed imperativè, it is Love that makes men merciful, and full of pity and compaſſion to their diſtreſſed Brethren: Where no Love is, there is nothing but Fury, Wrath and Madneſs, Envy and Contentions. It is Love that makes men humble, preferring one anothers Gifts and Graces, rejoycing in one anothers Proſperity. Where this Godly Love is not, there is nothing but repining at one anothers Proſperity, rejoycing in the Evils of each other.
It is Charity that makes men meek and long-ſuffering, it will make a man put up many reproaches, wrongs and injuries.
It is the want of this Love, that makes men account it cowardice to put up wrongs; Oh ſay they, it is not the true mark of a Gentleman to put up wrongs; but ſure I am, it is the true mark of a Godly Chriſtian. Will men prefer Gentility before Chriſtianity; and carnal wiſdom which is Deviliſh, and cometh from Hell, above that wiſdom which cometh down from Heaven, and is Gentle and Peaceable?
Love will make us to forgive one another, even as God for Chriſts ſake forgiveth us, as heartily, as freely, as fully as Chriſt doth pardon our ſins. It is the want of this Love that makes men ſo revengful; Hence Love is ſaid to be the bond of perfectneſs, (in regard of the Church) Love uniteth all the Members of Chriſt together; and makes them to perform their ſeveral duties to each other. 2. In regard of all the Graces of Gods Spirit; Love ſtirreth them up, and ſets every Grace to do their ſeveral offices. Hence Love is ſtiled, the fulfilling of the Law: it keeps men from doing evil, it ſets men upon doing all good.