Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 15
CHAP. XV.
Sect. 1.
I Come now to ſhew, How we are to love one another. The manner of our mutual-Love, the Scripture ſets down by two expreſſions:
1. As thy ſelf.
2. As Chriſt loved us.
1. In the firſt place, Thou muſt love thy Neighbour, as thy ſelf.
1. Who is there, that wiſheth not all the good that may be to himſelf? Doth any ſober man wiſh any harm to himſelf? So muſt thou heartily deſire the good of others. Thus Moſes wiſhed, That all the Lords people were Prophets; he wiſhed every man like unto himſelf. So St. Paul deſireth from his heart, That all Iſrael might be ſaved. Rom. 10.1.
2. Who is not affected with his own Miſeries and Afflictions? So muſt thou; when thou ſeeſt others in Miſery, Thou muſt weep with them that weep, and make their Loſſes and Miſeries to become thine own.
3. Who doth not pray heartily for himſelf, for Gods Bleſſing on all things he ſets his hand unto? So muſt thou pray for others, with the ſame fervency which thou uſeſt in praying for thy ſelf; pray for that which will do them moſt good, that they may every way be the better for thee; that thou maiſt find by experience as Laban did, That the Lord hath bleſt them for thy ſake.
4. Who doth not endeavour his own good with all his might? The like care muſt thou have of thy Neighbours good, eſpecially of the Saints. Love is a diligent Affection, and the Fountain of Diligence. Diligentia may well be derived à diligendo, Diligence from Dilection, or Loving, the things (as one ſaith) are conjugate no leſs than the names. Thy Love muſt be a labouring Love; a Love, that is full of mercy and good fruits. The Apoſtle aſcribeth Work and Labour unto Love, becauſe Love refuſeth no pains, it will ſpend and be ſpent, even there, where is leaſt Love returned for moſt expended.
5. Who doth not rejoyce in his own good? Thou doſt never envy thy ſelf thine own Happineſs; So muſt thou rejoyce in the Gifts, Parts, Graces, and Proſperity of others. To envy at one anothers good, is ſome of the Poyſon of the old Serpent, which he ſpitteth: It is the principal quality of Devils to envy the Saints Happineſs.
6. Who is there, that is weary in doing good to himſelf? When doth a man ceaſe to do good to himſelf? So muſt thou do to others. Thou muſt never be weary in well-doing to them; A Friend (a true Chriſtian Friend) loveth at all times, Prov. 17.17. Let thy Love to thy Brother be without envy in Proſperity; and without wearineſs in Adverſity When the feigned Lover is to his Friend as the Cuckoo, that affords you his company, till you be weary of him in Summer, but before Winter cometh takes his leave; Be thou to thy Brother, as the Black-bird, that keeps conſtantly with us; and is of uſe (if need be) to feed us in Winter.
Every man knoweth what is good for himſelf; thence doth a good man conclude, if Juſtice, Mercy, Knowledg, Grace, Credit be good for me, then are they good for my Brother alſo; and he will labour to procure them, that he may ſerve his Brother through love, Gal. 5.13. intending his good more than his own, in loving of him.
True it is, a man in loving another, may have ſome reſpect to himſelf; if he be Wiſe, Judicious, Learned, to learn of him: If Humble, Loving, Holy, to imitate him: If any way beneficial, to be a Gainer by him, in a way of God, not of Luſt, or of the World. But this is not the firſt and principal thing for which the Chriſtian loveth another, but as the reſult; not as the moving Cauſe, but as the Reward of Love; as Man and Wife, by ſhewing more Love to each other for Love's ſake, do reap more Love from each other.
SECT. II.
II. WE muſt love one another as Chriſt loved us. Chriſt loved us when we were enemies to him, Herein is the Love of God commended to us, that when we were enemies, Chriſt died for us, Rom. 5.8. Yea, when we were enemies to Chriſt, and he might have wrought our deſtruction, yet then he ſought to us for our Love, entreating us to be reconciled unto him; he came to ſeek the loſt Sheep of the houſe of Iſrael. What ſurpaſſing Love is this, That the great God ſhould come, and ſeek to his own Creatures for their Love; that the Cedar ſhould make ſuit to, the Thiſtle? What had Chriſt loſt by it, if every Son of Adam had been turned into Hell? Could he not have made another World of Men to have glorified him, and to reign with him in Glory? yet that he ſhould ſeek to us to be reconciled to him, here is ſurpaſſing Love. So muſt we love one another. Are we injurious to one another, and at variance one with another, then let us ſeek to one another for reconciliation.
Chriſt ſo loved us, that he was willing to lay down his Life for us. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his Life for us, 1 Joh. 3.16. Chriſts could not ſhew greater Love to us than in dying for us. Chriſts Love to us is the ultimum reſolubile, the laſt thing into which all his actions in the work of our Redemption is reſolved. Do ye ask, Why God was incarnate, why he ſuffered death, why he endured ſuch contradiction of Sinners, ſuch Mockings, ſuch a bloody Agony in the Garden, this anſwereth all, Becauſe he loved us. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf to death for me, Gal. 2.20. The Apoſtle ſpeaks here in the Perſon of all Beleevers. Theſe following Reaſons may demonſtrate to us, that Chriſts Love was the Cauſe that made him to lay down his Life for us.
R. 1. Becauſe there was no deſert in us. It is not our Love to him firſt, that made him to love us; no, we love him, becauſe he loved us firſt: Our Love to him, is the effect and conſequent of his Love to us, not the cauſe of his Love. What is there in any man conſidered as fallen from God, that can deſerve ſuch incomprehenſible Love, as that God ſhould dye for us? Can Sin deſerve the Love of Chriſt? What is a natural Man, but a very Body of Sin? We do not, nor can we Love God, becauſe we are enmity to him. Amor deſcendit, non aſcendit. There is more Love in a Father to a Child, than in a Child to a Father: His Love did firſt deſcend to us, before our Love could aſcend to him. The Prophet Ezekiel ſets forth the odious and moſt undeſerving condition of Man under a Parable of a polluted Infant, when we were moſt forlorn, polluted, and moſt helpleſs, then was the time of Love, Ezek. 16. When thou waſt wallowing in thine own filthineſs, then was the time of Love.
2. Becauſe Chriſt reaps no good by us. What if Adam and all his Poſterity had been damned, he had loſt no whit of his Bleſſedneſs; he was infinitely happy from everlaſting, and ſo is to everlaſting, and would be; had not a man been partaker of his Glory, therefore it muſt needs be his meer Love to us; and ſuch a Love as doth earneſtly deſire and tender our everlaſting good and Salvation. It was for our Reconciliation and Juſtification that he endured Wrath, he died for our Redemptoin; he ſhed his Blood for us miſerable Creatures, to make us eternally happy, Sons of God, and Heirs of Salvation. What Motive or Ground had Chriſt to dye and ſuffer, if it were not his meer Love to us; ſo that we may well cry out with St. Auguſtine, O Lord, thou haſt loved me more than thy ſelf, becauſe thou wouldſt dye for me, and not for thy ſelf.
3. Becauſe Chriſt laid down his Life being never deſired of us, therefore meer Love to us did encline him to dye for us. Had Men taken Counſel together, to deviſe a means to pacifie Gods Wrath; had men been let alone to themſelves, they would never have regarded Salvation at all. All our care would have been how to ſin, how to fulfil our Luſts; we ſhould never have prayed, Lord ſend thy Son into the world to dye for us, to ſave us, to redeem us from Sin and Damnation; therefore it was his Mercy occaſioned by our Miſery, meerly his Love that made him to dye for us. When Gods Juſtice was pleading hard for the damnation of ſinful men, What do ſuch Rebels here on earth? Why doſt thou not O Lord, make theſe wretched Sinners to ſmart for their Rebellion? as Thou haſt turned them out of Paradiſe, ſo turn them out of the World into Hell; Let them know what it is to taſte of the Forbidden Fruit; Then did Chriſt without ſuing to him, plead as hard for us, Father ſpare them, and puniſh me; bleſs them, let me be made a Curſe; be at peace with them, let me endure thy Wrath: I will go, and keep thy Law, becauſe they have broken it; let the Sorrows of Hell compaſs me about, that they may enter into thine unſpeakable Joys; Love therefore muſt be the meer Motive. Had we deſired Chriſt to have laid down his Life for us, there were ſome extrinſical Motive, yet Love ſtill; but in that Chriſt was found of them that ſought him not, and in that he is made known to them, and given to them, and for them that never ſought after him, it is meer and wonderful Love.
4. Becauſe he was very willing to dye for us: Greater Love hath no man, then for a man to lay down his Life for his Friend. It is maximus fluxus, maximum opus, maximum beneficium, argumentum irrefragabile dilectionis; The greateſt Flux of Love, the greateſt work, the greateſt benefit, an irrefragable argument of Love, ſaith Pariſienſis. And to ſhew his willingneſs, Chriſt ſaith of his Paſſion, deſiderio deſideravi, with a deſire have I deſired it. Chriſt did earneſtly deſire to drink of the Cup of his Fathers Wrath, that we might not taſte it; would he have drunk of ſuch a bitter Cup, if he did not love us? His willingneſs to dye for us, is the commendation of his Love. He laid down his Life for us; it was not in the power of Pilate, and all the Jews, his enemies, to take away his Life from him: Chriſt did willingly dye. Indeed Pilate condemned him; the Jews cried out, Crucifie him, crucifie him; they carried him to Calvary as a Malefactor with Spears, yet if he had pleaſed, they could not have put him to death. Had not his own free Love opened his heart, no Souldier could ever have opened his ſide; no though Pontius Pilate ſhould have had all the Roman Legions, and the whole Power of the Empire under his charge. They might as ſoon have plucked the Sun out of his Orb, as have ſundered Chriſts Soul from his Body: As ſoon have brought a Sea of Waters out of a Rock, as have ſpilt one drop of his Blood; unleſs he had yeelded himſelf to death. Walk in love, (ſaith the Apoſtle) as Chriſt alſo hath loved us, and given himſelf for us an offering, and a ſacrifice to God of a ſweet ſmelling ſavour. Eph. 5.2.
Would ye but walk a few turns with Chriſt in the Garden, where he felt the Agony in his Soul: Would ye go up to Calvary, and ſee what our bleſſed Saviour did there endure, then would ye ſay, Herein we perceive the Love of Chriſt, in that he laid down his Life for us. When the Jews ſaw Chriſt weeping over Lazarus, they cried out, Behold how he loved him: but go ye up to Mount Calvary, look through his Stripes and Wounds, into his heavy and tormented heart; look upon his ſtriped back, upon his buffeted Face, upon his pierced ſide, his bloody head, hands and feet, ſee what he did and ſuffered for us, then ye cannot but ſay, behold how he loved us! Oh what manner of Love is this!
SECT. III.
NOw we muſt love one another, even as Chriſt hath loved us. Now if Chriſt of his meer Love, hath laid down his Life for us, then we ought alſo to lay down our lives for the Brethren. 1 Joh. 3.16. This would have ſeemed an hard ſaying to us, if it had been nakedly propoſed in ſuch terms as theſe, we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren; but the Apoſtle having before laid down ſuch a ſtrong Argument aforehand, doth in a moſt convincing manner infer this upon it, as an undeniable concluſion, which cannot with any ſhew of reaſon be gainſayed, or contradicted. Chriſt the eternal Son of God, hath manifeſted his ſingular Love, in laying down his Life for us; we muſt therefore follow the Captain of our Salvation in this incomparable act of Love. We were dearer to him than his blood, than his Life; ſo the Saints good muſt be dearer to us than our hearts blood, than our pretious Life. Here I will lay down this Propoſition.
That Chriſtians being called unto it, ought to ſhew ſo much Love to their Brethren, as to lay down their Lives for them. In this Propoſition, two things are to be conſidered.
1. The Thing required.
2. The Condition ſuppoſed.
The Thing required is this, That Chriſtians ſhould lay down their Lives for the Brethren. The Condition ſuppoſed is this, If they be called unto it. For the former we muſt know, that although Chriſtians muſt not think their Lives too dear for the Brethren, yet it is in this as it is in other duties of Love and Mercy towards men; the firſt and greateſt Commandment muſt give Life unto the ſecond, which is like unto it. The firſt Table muſt have the chiefeſt reſpect in our obedience to the ſecond. That is, the Love of God, and our regard of his Glory, commanded in the firſt Table (which is called, The firſt and great Commandment) muſt have the chief ſway in our hearts, to encline us to the duties of Love towards man, enjoyned in the ſecond Table; for we muſt love our Neighbour in the Lord, and for the Lord, and ſo the Love of God muſt have a conſtraining and over-ruling power over us; the Love of God muſt firſt move us to lay down our Lives for the Brethren, and then the Love of our Brethren, being (as it were) comprehended in our Love of God, muſt move us thereunto. — The Glory of God muſt be the principal end, that we muſt aim at, in doing good to others. So eſpecially in this great fruit of Love, when we lay down our lives for them, then the good of our Brethren muſt be reſpected in the ſecond place, in as much as God is glorified in that good which they receive by that means. So then, when any do in Chriſtian Love lay down their Lives for their Brethren, they do not dye for them only, but for the Lord chiefly and principally. This the Apoſtle ſtrongly proveth to be required of Chriſtians, becauſe Chriſt hath ſhewed ſuch wonderful Love in laying down his Life tor us. This indeed is an Argument unanſwerable, but holdeth ſtrongly à majori, from the greater to the leſs. If Chriſt did lay down his Life for us, then ought we much more to lay down our lives for the Brethren.
1. Chriſt was infinitely above us in Glory and Majeſty, yet laid he down his Life for us; much more ought we to lay down our Lives for the Brethren, who are of the ſame Mould with our ſelves by nature, and alſo partakers of the ſame pretious Faith by Grace.
2. Chriſt being greatly offended by our ſins, laid down his Life for us being his enemies: much more ought we to lay down our Lives for thoſe who are not enemies, but Brethren, and that by the beſt bond, viz. the bond of Regeneration.
3. Chriſts Death for us, was a matter of Humiliation and abaſement to him who was the Prince of Life, and Lord of Glory: But our death for our Brethren is an advancement unto us. Some office and employment, which would be an abaſement, and diſhonour to a Prince, may be a great Honour and Preferment to a mean Subject. So in this caſe; Chriſt, though he were the Lord of Glory, the Prince of Life, yet was content to dye for us, though his Death were a great abaſement to him in regard of his infinite excellency and divine Majeſty. But for us, who are ſinful, and ſo mortal, and muſt return to duſt, it is an advancement and improvement of our death, when we are called to give our Lives for the Brethren.
SECT. IV.
I Come now to the Condition ſuppoſed, that is, If we be called unto it: For this we muſt know, that many things are abſolutely commanded, and all Chriſtians are to perform them in general without exception, ſuch as the duties of Beleeving and Repenting, and of bringing forth fruits meet for repentance, which all Chriſtians ought to perform by vertue of their general Calling. —Some other are enjoyned too as well as the former, but not without a more ſpecial Calling. The duty of relieving the wants of others, is one of thoſe duties that is very much preſſed in the Scripture; ſcarce any, more; yet this is to be underſtood of thoſe that have a ſpecial calling to it, namely thoſe whom God hath enabled with outward means for this purpoſe, more or leſs. So the duty of preaching the Goſpel is ſtraitly enjoyned, but not to be exerciſed without a lawful Calling to the work of the Miniſtry. Of this latter ſort, is the duty of laying down our Lives for the Brethren, which is not to be exerciſed without a ſpecial calling. As for the madneſs of ſome fond Sectaries, whereof we read in the ancient Stories of the Church, who would force men to kill them that they might become Martyrs, it could not but proceed from the ſuggeſtion of that wicked Spirit, who is a Murtherer from the beginning. Therefore this work of laying down our Lives for the Brethren, is not impoſed upon us, by vertue of our general calling, but muſt be done upon ſuppoſal of a ſpecial Call.
Yet thus much we know, that there is a difference and diſtinction to be made between the will and the deed in ſuch caſes. The will muſt be preſent with us, by vertue of our general calling, as we are Chriſtians; the deed and performance it ſelf muſt not be undertaken without ſpecial calling: that is, As we are Chriſtians, and have given up our names to Chriſt, we muſt have our hearts ſo poſſeſſed with the Spirit of Brotherly and Chriſtian Love, in conformity to Chriſt and his Love, as that we muſt have a ready and willing mind to undergo it, if the Lord ſhall call us to it. So the pooreſt Chriſtian that is ſo far from being able to give to another, that he needeth to receiv… himſelf, yet muſt be ſo poſſeſſed with Chriſtian Love and Compaſſion, that he would give if he had ability. He muſt have a pitiful heart; ſuch an heart as would open his hand, if he had what to give. — So in this caſe, a Chriſtian muſt labour to bring his heart to be willing in Love to dye for his Brethren. But for the actual performance of this work in laying down our lives for the Brethren, it requireth a more ſpecial call. As the Apoſtle ſaith to the Philippians, Ʋnto you it is given in the behalf of Chriſt, not only to beleeve, but to ſuffer for his Name, Phil. 1.29. Where he ſheweth, that ſuffering is a thing given, a priviledg beſtowed upon ſome Beleevers, whereunto all Beleevers are not called; that is, not in an eminent manner. Scarce any Beleever can live any long time in the world after his effectual calling and converſion, but that he ſhall ſuffer for the name of Chriſt in ſome kind or other: but to ſuffer in a more ſpecial and eminent degree, is given but to ſome, who are in a ſpecial manner called unto it.
SECT. V.
THat we muſt have a ſpecial Call, before we lay down our Lives, will thus appear.
1. We have a general… Command to preſerve Life: We muſt labour to preſerve the Life of an Oxe, or an Aſſe when it is in danger, much more of a man: and if the Life of others, then our own alſo; inaſmuch as the Love we owe to our ſelves, is the rule of our love towards others. Therefore ſo far is it from being a duty impoſed upon us, to thruſt our ſelves raſhly and of our own heads into the mouth of death without a Calling, that we are bound not to deſire it, leſt we be found guilty of our own Blood.
2. To lay down our Life for the Brethren without a ſpecial Call and Warrant, may be a wrong to the Brethren, rather than a benefit; becauſe thereby we bereave our ſelves of doing them any further good in that way of Chriſtian Love, wherein we are to walk towards them here in the world by ſuffering death without a warrant: Yet when we have a Call, we muſt not give back under pretence, that we deſire to to do them good by our Lives, but rather believe, that the wiſdom of God, who calleth us to ſuffer, ſeeth, that thus dying for them, we ſhall more benefit them, and glorifie God, than we could by eſcaping death, and continuing in the world among them.
3. We cannot ſuffer death by the hands of Perſecutors for the Brethren, without the Sin of others, viz. of thoſe that ſhed our Blood. Now a Chriſtian without a Call from God, hath no warrant to give occaſion to others, wilfully to commit ſuch a bloody Sin: but when we are called to it, we muſt take heed, we do not ſin our ſelves, in giving back under an hypocritical pretence of being loth to give others an occaſion of offending.
4. Our bleſſed Savviour himſelf, although he came into the world, purpoſely to lay down his Life for the Brethren, yet did not willingly run upon his death, but did divers times ſhun the rage of his enemies, and even in his Infancy fled from Herods cruelty. And, when his hour was come, though he ſhewed himſelf many ways to be willing to lay down his Life, yet he did not thruſt himſelf into the hands of his enemies, but left them to contrive his death among themſelves, and ſo to take the guilt of his blood upon them. He could have ſaved the Prieſts that coſt they beſtowed upon Judas, to hire him to commit that moſt horrible treaſon. He could have prevented Judas, that he ſhould not have taken that booty, which coſt him ſo dear; but he let them take their courſe, and exerciſe their malice. He ſuffered Judas to make his bargain, the High-Prieſts ſervants to apprehend him, and carry him to their Maſter: he would not of himſelf come among them, till they fetched, and carried him in the nature of a Priſoner.
SECT. VI.
Queſt. NOw then the queſtion is, What that Call is, which is ſuppoſed as a condition in this caſe, without which a Chriſtian is not bound to lay down his Life for the Brethren?
Reſp. I anſwer, A Chriſtian may be called to this in ſuch Caſes, as do more immediately concern God; and in ſuch as do more immediately concern the Brethren.
As for thoſe caſes as do more immediately concern God, in which we may be called to die for our Brethren, they may be divers, as
1. When we are perſecuted for the Name and Goſpel of Chriſt, and are called to confeſs the truth, with apparent danger of death, in ſuch a caſe we are to lay down our lives for Chriſt: and in ſuch a caſe (in an inferiour reſpect) we are alſo to lay down our lives for the Brethren: inaſmuch as we ſhould rather chuſe to die, than to give any juſt occaſion of offence, or ſtumbling unto them, by denying the truth. And on the other ſide, we ſhould be content to dye for their encouragement in the profeſſion of the truth. Now, though this be a caſe that doth more directly and immediately concern God than our Brethren, yet it doth concern our Brethren alſo in an inferiour reſpect. So in this regard, I think there were few of thoſe many thouſand martyrs which have ſuffered for Chriſt, but alſo they have ſuffered for their Brethren: and in ſuch ſufferings they are to have regard to their Brethren, though principally to the Lord. Now we are called thus to ſuffer, when we are brought before thoſe in authority, and put to it, either to deny the truth, or to ſuffer death,
2. When the Preachers of the Goſpel cannot without danger of death declare the whole counſel of God in things needful to Salvation, they muſt be content to hazard their lives, rather than not to be faithful in that commiſſion, which the Lord hath put them in. This doth immediately concern the Glory of God, and the diſcharge of their Conſciences toward him: But it doth alſo concern the Glory of God in an inferiour degree; and they muſt refuſe both to deliver any unſound Doctrine to them, to the endangering of their Souls, and abhor to keep back any neceſſary truth from them, although their own lives ſhould be in apparent danger by that means.
SECT. VII.
ON the other ſide there are caſes, that do more immediately concern the Brethren, wherein we may be called to lay down our lives for them; yet in theſe our principal aim muſt be at the Glory of God. As for Example.
1. If we be put to it to confeſs ſome things by others of the Godly, which may bring them into danger through the malice of wicked men. In this caſe we ſhould rather dye than hurt them by ſuch confeſſions, leſt we be acceſſory to the miſchief, which by that means the Adverſaries are like to bring upon them. I have read of one Firmus, an holy Biſhop of Tageſta, St. Auguſtine's Countrey, in Africk, who when the Emperor (not then a Chriſtian) required delivery, or (at leaſt) the diſcovery of a Chriſtian, which he had with great care hidden from the Tyrant, reſolutely anſwered, Nee prodam, nee mentiar, I will neither lye, nor betray my Brother: from which reſolution, no torments then inflicted (which were many and ſharp) could draw or enforce him. Mr. Fox in his acts and monuments tells us of Cuthbert Simpſon, who being Deacon of the Proteſtant Congregation in London, in Queen Maries days, was apprehended and charged to diſcover the names of thoſe that were Members of the Congregation, which he utterly refuſed to do, and would not yeeld to do it by any torture, but conſtantly ſuffered death, and cruel wrackings alſo before his death; inſomuch that bloody Bonner did openly in the hearing of divers perſons, extoll him, for his wonderful patience. So, if Chriſtians living under Popiſh Perſecutors, ſhould be driven to meet together in Ships or Woods, or other private places to perform the Worſhip of God together, if any Chriſtian ſhould be privy thereunto, although himſelf might eſcape untoucht in Body, Goods, Liberty, upon condition only, that he would detect and diſcover them, he ought rather to endure the ſpoiling of all his Goods, or the loſs of Liberty, or of Life, rather than ſerve the malice of the Adverſaries, in laying open the Brethren unto the cruelty of malicious Enemies.
2. When any neceſſary duty is required at our hands for the good of the Brethren, and of the people of God, which we are bound to perform, although with hazard of our lives, we muſt be content to put our lives in our hands, and not withdraw our hand from helping them in ſuch a caſe. So thoſe that are in any Countrey called to the wars in defence of the Church againſt the Pope and his adherents, or againſt the Turk, againſt Gog and Magog, and to ſtand up in defence of the Goſpel. In like manner thoſe that are called by any ſpecial relation to others, or any ſpecial office to ſupply others in time of the Peſtilence, or other infectious diſeaſes, ought in Love to hazard their Lives for their good, and not be wanting to them; unleſs in ſome Caſes, when by helping ſome they are like to hinder many more.
Therefore it is generally held, That the Miniſters of the Goſpel are not tyed to viſit thoſe that are ſick of contagious diſeaſes, becauſe it would make their people to ſhun th…m in the publick Congregation, and ſo be an occaſion of depriving the people of the Ordinances of God, although themſelves ſhould eſcape the infection. But yet, where there are divers Miniſters in the ſame place, I ſhould conceive it fitting, that one or more according to the number of the infected, ſhould be employed in this work, and that the publick ſervice of the Congregation ſhould be diſcharged by others. As when the Plague was at Geneva in Calvin's time, there being divers Miniſters in in the City, three of them (whereof Calvin was one) offered themſelves to this ſervice; and ſo it was to be decided, by Lot, which of the three ſhould be the man. Such caſes likewiſe may happen concerning the neceſſary relief of the Godly, who are impriſoned or baniſhed by Popiſh Perſecutors; as many were in Queen Maries days. In a word; When any neceſſary duty, which we owe to the people of God, may be likely to endanger our Lives, we muſt not ſhrink back to ſave our Lives.
SECT. VIII.
THe Reaſons hereof are theſe.
R. 1. Becauſe the Salvation of the Brethren muſt b… preferred above all our outward things whatſoever: their Souls muſt be preferred above our own Bodies; therefore if our ſuffering loſs of Liberty and Life be any way advantagious for their Salvation, we are to endure the worſt in this Life, that they might gain Life eternal. Our Saviour laid down his Life for their Salvation, we muſt do ſo alſo. St. Paul gladly endured any thing for the Elects ſake; he could wiſh himſelf to be an Anathema, a Curſe for the Jews his Brethren: and Moſes would be blotted out of the Book of Life, that the Iſraelites might live in the preſence of God. A miſerable wretch St. Paul was for Chriſts ſake, and for the Salvatioh of the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 4.10. We are fools, weak deſpiſed, naked, hungry, buffeted, perſecuted, made the off-ſcouring of the world. God makes the like Covenant with us, as Moſes did with the two Tribes and half, which dwelt on the other ſide Jordan, that they ſhould go in before their Brethren, and fight for them, to expell the Canaanites; and when they had placed their Brethren in Canaan, then they were to return and enjoy their Inheritances. Thus muſt we hazard our Lives to bring others to Heaven, if called unto it, and neglect our own Lives, that others might enjoy the heavenly Canaan together with us.
2. Becauſe this will wonderfully confirm the Brethren in the truth delivered to them, and proteſſed by them: otherwiſe our Cowardice and Apoſtacy may cauſe them to waver, and draw them off from the ways of G…d, and be a means to deſtroy them for whom Chriſt died. It is an old and a true ſaying Sanguis Martyrum ſemen Eccl…ſiae, That the Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church; the Martyrs Blood made the Church fruitful: the Chriſtians did wax more bold through Paul's Bonds:Curtius feared not to die for Rome: Mencotheus for Thebes: And ſhall not we ſuffer that for Chriſt & his Saints which Pagans ſuffered for their Countrey. Chriſt was the more boldly profeſſed by the new Converts, by how much St. Paul was more conſtant and cheerful in his ſufferings for Chriſt and his Goſpel. St. Baſil tells us, how forty Martyrs did encourage one another to dye for Chriſt and his Goſpel. We ſee how prodigal Soldiers are of their Lives, to ſhew their fidelity to their King and Countrey, and ſhall not Chriſtians much more be prodigal of theirs for God and his Church?
Let all then that would be acknowledged for Gods Children, labour for ſo much power of Chriſtian Love, as may diſpoſe their hearts, to be content to reſign up their Lives for the Glory of God, and the good of others. It is the want of Faith and Love, that makes this ſeem hard and grievous to us; for if theſe Graces were in us, and did abound, they would ſw…eten the bitterneſs of death it ſelf, and of the moſt grievous ſufferings, and enable us to overcome death and the world, and to break all thoſe cords and tyes which faſten us to this preſent world, and the things of this life, and make us ſo unwilling to lay down our Lives for Chriſt and his Church. If the arms of the inner man were ſtrengthened in the power of theſe two Graces, all thoſe Cords which I ſpake of, would break aſunder, like thoſe that Sampſon was bound with, when the Philiſtines came upon him. Are we not Members of the ſame Body with the people of God? and doth not one Member adventure it ſelf to ſave another? ſo ſhould it be among the Members of the myſtical Body of Chriſt.