Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII.
SECT. I.
IN the next place I ſhall ſpeak of the order of our love one to another.
1. We muſt love our own Souls next to Jeſus Chriſt. God is to be loved above all as the chief and ſupream good, and our own Souls next as being more worth than a whole world: and if the love of any thing ſhould ſtand between God and our Souls, we muſt hate that thing as our deadly enemy, that ſeeks to rob us of our chiefeſt good.
2. We muſt love our Neighbors ſoul next to our own ſoul, above our own bodies.
3. Among our Neighbours we muſt love thoſe that are moſt godly, the excellent of the earth, thoſe that excell in goodneſs; In them is all my delight, ſaith David. God's Jewels muſt be in our account moſt precious; one pearl is more worth than a million of pibbles: God loveth all men, but the riches of his lov… he giveth to his Saints.
4. Among the godly thoſe of our own Nation are to be eſpecially beloved. O pray for the peace of Jeruſalem. They ſhall proſper that love thee, Pſal. 122.6. Saint Paul could even wiſh himſelf accurſed for his Countrymen the Jews: and for their ſakes Moſes could even be blotted out of the book of life. As Chriſt came from the Jews, ſo he came to ſeek the loſt ſheep of the houſe of Iſrael in the firſt place.
5. Among them I am to love thoſe who are my Kindred above others who are not: Nature calls for love, but Grace calls for more.
6. We are in a ſpecial manner to love thoſe of our Family. A Chriſtian is to labour to make his ally, his friend, but eſpecially his Wife and Children, ſuch as may be lovely and acceptable. How did David mourn for his ſon Abſalom? and Abraham pray for Iſhmael?
7. Above all a man is to love his Wife. A man ſhall leave his father and his mother, and ſhall cleave unto his Wife, and they ſhall be one fleſh, Gen. 2.24. Husbands love your Wives, even as Chriſt alſo loved the Church, and gave himſelf for it. Epheſ. 5.25. This is the order of our Love.
SECT. II.
Queſt. Here it may be demanded; Seeing ſpecial love is due to the Saints next to Chriſt, becauſe they make one body with him; am I bound to love godly men that are not my kindred, above my wicked kindred; whether I am to love a godly ſtranger before a wicked Wife or Child?
Reſp. 1. There is a double Love: Amor approbationis & complacentiae; Amor optationis vel deſiderii: a love of approbation and complacency; a love of wiſhing or deſire. I may love a Stranger that is godly with the love of delight and approbation, for his graces ſhining in him, more than I do thoſe that are neer to me that are wicked. Thus Jonathan did love godly David more than he did wicked Saul that was his Father: but with the love of deſire and wiſh of the Salvation of my VVife and Children, and Kindred, wiſhing them grace and glory; herein I may ſhew more love to my wicked VVife, Husband, and Children, than to godly Strangers. It is true, in regard of wiſhing Salvation, I am to love a godly Stranger and my Kindred alike, but in regard of the earneſt deſire of Salvation, I may more earneſtly deſire the Salvation of my Wife than theirs. Thus Abraham did earneſtly deſire the Salvation of wicked Iſhmael. Oh that Iſhmael might live in thy ſight!
2. That Chriſtian love is not meaſured by carnal effects, but being ſpiritual love, it is moſt ſhewn in Spiritual things, as in holy cleaving of hearts together, in mutual prayers, in mutual comforting, in mutual delighting in one anothers gifts and graces; in mutual exhortation of one another to love and good works. With this love I may love a godly Stranger more than any of my neareſt Kindred that are not godly, when as my natural affection may be ſtronger to my wicked Kindred than to godly Strangers, as in providing for them the things of this Life. I muſt nouriſh my Wife and Children, when as I may ſuffer Saints to periſh with famine, if I have not ſufficient means to relieve both: but if I have ſufficient means for both, then muſt I feed an hungry Saint, and cloath a naked Lazarus.
Queſt. But what if ſome of my Kinred are godly, but poor; others are wicked, but rich: ſome of my Children are godly, but are not ſo witty and handſom, and ſo induſtrious for the world as others of my Children that are wicked; What ſhall I do in this daſe?
Reſp. I anſwer, Thy godly Kinred, be they never ſo poor, and yet in an equal relation with thy rich Kinred that are wicked, are to have thy ſpecial Love. And if thou doſt not ſhew more Love to ſuch, thou doſt not love Grace but Riches: ſo likewiſe for Children, Jacob loved Joſeph more than all his other Sons, becauſe more godly: Wo to that Father that ſhall diſhearten a godly Child, and give more encouragement unto, and be more fond over a riotous Prodigal, a ſcoffing Iſhmael. What is this but for a man to love ſin in his Child more than godlineſs; the Image of the Devil more than the Image of God? It is true, that where there are more relations of Kinred, Neighbourhood, Co-heirſhip of Grace, and the like, there Love admitteth of multiplication and encreaſe, but this draweth not the Lover from God, who is the Author of thoſe Relations, and the Rule of Love alſo. Carnal Lovers firſt pleaſe their fancy, and then their affection muſt act, let the object be what it will: to them godly or ungodly are much at one: they make no difference between the houſhold of Faith, and the fraternity of evil men: although God make a difference between Jacob and Eſau, yet they will make none: they reſemble thoſe Sons of God, that ſeeing the Daughters of men to be fair, took them Wives of all they liked beſt for their Beauty, without reſpect to their goodneſs. Many a Parent conſiders not, what Child is beſt deſerving, but moſt pleaſing; and uſually thoſe Children pleaſe them beſt, that do leaſt pleaſe God.