Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX.
SECT. I.
THis then may ſhew unto us the woful condition of thoſe that are enemies to the children of God, and of all others almoſt, that love them leaſt, in whom there are moſt ſignes of true godlineſs; yea, hate them becauſe of their religious lives, hate them for thoſe very practiſes wherein the godly labour to be like their heavenly father, and to approve themſelves his children; hate them becauſe they hate ſin, and fear to offend their Father which is in heaven, not only in the greateſt ſins, but alſo in thoſe which ſeem very light and ſmall offences, or none at all in the eye of the world; they hate them becauſe they ſhew their diſlike of their courſes, which tend to God's diſhonour, and becauſe they do not ſooth them in an evil eſtate, and ſo become falſe witneſſes of God, becauſe they will not joyn with them in ſome of their ſinful practices; they hate them becauſe they go in a way contrary to them, and ſo they hate them becauſe they are the children of God, 1 Job. 3.12. as Cain hated Abel, and ſlew him, becauſe his own works were evil, and his brothers righteous. They are mine Adverſaries, ſaith David, becauſe I follow the thing that is good. Pſal. 38.20. If ye were of the world (ſaith Chriſt to his Diſciples) the world would love its own, but becauſe ye are not of the world, but I have choſen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Ye are enemies to the courſe of the wicked world, therefore the world hateth you. The hatred of the world againſt the godly is no new, nor ſtrange thing; it is a thing not to be wondered or marvelled at, marvel not my brethren, if the world hate you. It is not new; for preſently after the Fall this enmity began: it is not ſtrange, for God himſelf, who is the Lord of Hoſts proclaimed War between the godly, the ſeed of the Woman; and the world, the ſeed of the Serpent.
The Lord himſelf hath ſounded the Trumpet of War between the world and the godly, how then can they but take the Alarum, and prepare themſelves to Battle? not, that the Lord hath either commanded the world to fight againſt his people, or that he hath infuſed any malice into the men of the world, but that he having put his Spirit into the hearts of the godly, & made them partakers of his divine Nature, hath thereby made them contrary to the world, even as Light to Darkneſs; whereupon neceſſarily followeth the hatred and enmity of the world againſt them. We ſee the truth of this in the malice of Cain againſt Abel; Iſhmael againſt Iſaac; Eſau againſt Jacob; three pair of Brethren in ſeveral ages. We ſee it in the Egyptians and their King Pharaoh againſt Iſrael, for the ſufferings of Iſrael are called the reproach of Chriſt, Heb. 11. This hath been the courſe of the world from age to age. Thus did the Caldeans ſhew their malice to Shadrach, Meſhech, and Abednego, accuſing them to Nebuchadnezzar, that they might be thrown into the fiery Furnace for ſhunning of Idolatry. Thus did the Courtiers of Darius ſhew their bitter and bloody malice againſt righteous Daniel, for praying three times a day to his God, craftily circumventing the King himſelf (not privy to their drift) to ſign an unlawful Decree, by which Daniel was enſnared, that he might be caſt into the Lions Den. So Haman ſhewed his malice againſt Mordecai, and the whole Church of the Jews, ſeeking their utter ruin. Tobijah and Sanballat were carried with the like malicious ſpirit againſt the Church, and againſt the reſtoring the worſhip of God at Jeruſalem. Antiochus Epiphanes was full of malice and rage againſt the Church. So Herod, the chief Prieſts, and the unbelieving Jews alſo in the Apoſtles times: the Roman Emperors, and after them the Roman Biſhops have continued this enmity, and many other Popiſh Princes. But, beſides theſe, there are many Children of the world, mixed with the people of God, who are pricks in the eyes, and thorns in the ſides of the godly; and upon many occaſions ſhew their malice againſt them.
SECT. II.
R. ONe Reaſon is, becauſe the world hath had, and yet hath one and the ſame Prince, Captain, and Commander from the beginning, even the Devil, whoſe hatred is reſtleſs, and perpetual againſt the people of God. Wars and troubles many times ceaſe between Nation and Nation, through the change of Kings and Captains: yea ſometimes there are ſtrait Leagues of Amity and Friendſhip, ſometimes Unions, as between England and Scotland, &c. But the Devil having uſurped a Kingdom over the world by Gods permiſſion, ever ſince he conquered it in the Garden, and ſo eontinuing his Tyranny over it, until Chriſt at the laſt day ſhall utterly and finally deſtroy his Kingdom; it is no matter of wonder, no new and ſtrange thing, that the world which is in ſubjection under him, doth continue to hate the people of God. He is the Arch-enemy of God, and he will inſpire hatred and malice againſt the Children of God, into the hearts of thoſe that are in ſubjection to him. As it is ſaid of Cain, he was of that wicked one, and ſlew his Brother, &c. ſo it may be ſaid of other perſecutors, and enemies in their ſeveral times; Haman was of that wicked one; Pharaoh wrs of that wicked one; Jezabel was of that wicked one; Herod, Nero, Domitian; the perſecuting Popes, &c. were of that wicked one, and led by the ſame malicious ſpirit. And the like may be ſaid of any enemies which the godly have at this day, either within or without the Church.
It is ſaid, that Xerxes the Perſian wept when he view'd his mighty Army, becauſe an hundred years ſhould not leave one of all the company alive; but Xerxes himſelf alſo was taken away long ere that time. But the Devil never wanteth forces; and though his Inſtruments and Souldiers dye, yet having the world under him, a new generation ariſeth; when the old is worn out, and he that is their Commander liveth ſtill to train and ſtir them up unto the Warr.
2. To be hated by the world, is incident to all godly men; it is not thy Condition only, but the Condition of all that do live godly in Chriſt Jeſus; the… …hall and do ſuffer perſecution in ſome degree or other: ſome do ſip, others drink deeper of the Cup, but every one of the Saints have taſted of it. All the Prophets, Chriſt himſelf, and all the Apoſtles: is it any wonder then, if they do the like to thee? thou art not the only Saint in the world that is hated; there be as many in thy Condition as there be Saints in the world.
3. Chriſt himſelf hath fore warned … of this that we ſhall be hated of all men for his Name ſake, John. 16.4. What reaſon then have w… to be troubled when it cometh to paſ…? Th… things have I told you, that when the …me ſhall come, you may remember that I told you of them, Why then ſhould I be troubled at the world's hating me? my Saviour hath told me of it aforehand, I could expect no other from the world. Chriſt like a Captain, tells his Souldiers of the chance of War; if ye will be Conquerors, ye muſt endure the brunt and heat of the Battle: our Saviour tells us of the worſt, that we might be fore-armed, that in the midſt of the worlds hatred we might in patience poſſeſs our ſouls. Therefore let not Chriſtians ſtand amazed, like men at their wits end, when they ſee the world malicious againſt them? When was it otherwiſe? When was that Golden Age, wherein the world was perfectly reconciled with the people of God? Some times have been more quiet than other, but when did the enmity wholly ceaſe? when could it have been truly ſaid, The world is no enemy to the Church and Children of God?
SECT. III.
Object. BUt ſome will ſay perhaps, It were not ſtrange for the world without the Church to hate it, but for men within the viſible Church to hate the people of God, is very Strange!
Sol. I anſwer not a whit, for the world is but a world ſtill, whether it be within or without the Church. Coelum non animum, &c. they change the air, not their hearts by joyning with the people of God; they draw breath in the ordinances of God, but their hearts are ſtill the Devil's Chappels, even while themſelves are in the Temple or Church of God. And why ſhould it be thought new or ſtrange? was not Cain within the Church, when he ſlew his brother? and Iſhmael when he perſecuted Iſaac? and Eſau, when he breathed blood and murther? and the Jews, when they conſpired to ſmite Jeremy with the Tongue, and Paſhur, when he put him in the Stocks? If a man encloſe ſome bad ground, it is apt for nothing but briers and thorns within his garden-pale, or waſt; it will bring forth ſuch kind of evil plants ſtill, unleſs ſome further means be uſed to alter and better the nature and manure of it. So let part of the world, and ſome children of Satan and the World be encloſed within th… Lord's Garden, within the compaſs of h… Church, they will be as bad or worſe than before, and as full of enmity againſt the people of God, unleſs the Lord be pleaſed to change and renew their hearts. Tares will be tares ſtill, though they grow among the wheat; thorns will be thorns, although they ſpring up among the Lillies. Therefore it is great weakneſs to be aſtoniſhed at the malice of the wicked againſt the godly within the Church it ſelf. What? Religion, and the power of godlineſs oppoſed and hated in a Land or Kingdom, where Laws and Statutes maintain the Goſpel? yea, why not? unleſs we think that theſe have power to conver… all the ſubjects of the ſame Kingdom, which none can do but the power of God's grace and ſpirit. It were a new and ſtrange thing indeed, if the World ſhould grow ſo unlike it ſelf in theſe days, as not to hate the people of God. This were to be marvelled at, and men might ask, hath the old Serpent loſt his ſting, his poyſon? Is the world turn'd upſide down? Therefore (Readers) if it happen to be any of your caſes (as it may be very well) to taſt of the world's malice and bitter enmity, not only in the ordinary way of ſcoffes, ſlanders, &c. but in a more furious and violent manner, marvel not, it is no news, this was the old courſe, Antiquum obtinet, the world doth but keep its old wont. Be not diſmayed, thus it dealt with your Maſter, your Saviour, your Head, your King, your Captain; thus with his Servants, Soldiers, Subjects, Members of former and later times.
Is not this a common thing among us? who have ſewer friends than the godly? who are more diſtaſted and diſliked generally? Do not men look upon them uſually as upon Strangers; yea, rather as upon Adverſaries? they are counted ſignes and wonders. Oh that God would convince men of their dangerous Eſtate, who love not the Children of God, who like men the worſe for fearing God, and walking in his ways, who like a Father, or Mother, an Husband or Wi…e, a Child, or Servant, Neighbour, or Kinſman the worſe, becauſe he feareth the Lord; ſuch perſons are in a dangerous eſtate, they are in the gall of bitterneſs, and bond of iniquity.
Object. But thou wilt ſay perhaps, I do not hate the Children of God, I do not meddle not make with them.
Sol. Oh but this will not ſerve thy turn, if thou doſt love them the leſs, delight in them the leſs becauſe they are godly, it is enough to prove thee to be an enemy to them. If thou couldeſt love another better if he were not religious, or if he were not ſo religious, it is an argument thou art not a child of God. How common is this caſe? Many ſee ſomething or other in ſome of the godly, for which they could love them if they were not religious, or if they were (at leaſt) leſs forward in religion then they are: whatever ſuch pretend, they love not the generation of the Righteous.
Now the want of love, where love is due, is hatred in the ſight of God; and it appeareth thus.
1. Love doth joyn and encline the heart to thoſe whom it loveth, and ought to love; now then the want of Love disjoyneth the heart from ſuch; it is an averſion, and morning the heart from them; and this averſion of the heart through want of love towards thoſe to whom love is due is an hatred of them; as the averſion and turning the heart away from God through want of love to him, to: whom the higheſt pitch and perfection of love is due, is hatred of him, ſo it is in this caſe I am ſpeaking of touching the want of love to the Children of God.
2. We may ſee this by the light of nature in natural things; for as the want of ſight in thoſe Creatures to whom the faculty of ſight or ſeeing belongeth, is blindneſs, as the want of ſight in Men, Beaſts, Birds, &c. ſo the want of love in thoſe that ought to love, towards thoſe that ought to be beloved, is hatred.
3. We may alſo ſee it by comparing the general ſum of the ſecond table of the law, with the particular Commandments of that Law; and there yo… ſhall ſee, that all the ſix Commandments except the firſt of them (Honour thy father and thy mother, &c.) are negative, forbidding ſuch and ſuch ſins. Thou ſhalt do no murder: Thou ſhalt not commit Adultery, &c. Now our Saviour, and the Apoſtle do ſhew, that the ſum of this Law is this, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf. So then the want of true Chriſtian and holy Love, is hatred, which is the …oot of murther, and whor…dom, and theft, and ſlanders, and coveting, &c. The ſum of obedience to thoſe Commandments is Love; the ſum of diſobed…ence is hatred, or want of Love. Now it is true, that the particular and direct bending of the heart in bitterneſs of affection againſt ſome certain perſons, is a greater degree of hatred than meer want of love is.
4. Compare affections and outward actions together: not to ſave life, when a man may by lawful means, is to murther; not to provide for a man's family, is to take from them their due; …onor to love is to hate.
5. Comp…re it with the nature of ſin in general; the want of holineſs is ſin; the want of righteouſneſs is unrighteouſneſs, the want of purity is impurity; ſo the want of love is hatred.
6. The want of love is the deficient cauſe (as it were) of all the fruits and effects of malice and hatred. Where the heart is empty of true Chriſtian love, there that evil and malicious Spirit hath a free entrance, and may take poſſeſſion, and breed all bitterneſs of affections and bring forth in the practice all actions and fruits of malice and ill-will; and this want of Love layeth open the heart unto all theſe. So then, either ye muſt love out of a pure heart unfeignedly, or elſe the Lord will account you as haters of your Brethren. Our Saviour made no middle-way between love and hatred in the ordering of our hearts and affections towards enemies; but when he corrected the Phariſees gloſs, which was this, [Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.] He ſaith, But I ſay unto you, love your enemies, &c. Some man might have expected, that he ſhould rather have ſaid, concerning loving or hating of enemies, as Bal…k ſpeak to Balaam, of bleſſing or curſing of Iſrael; neither bleſs them at all, nor curſe them at all, carry thy ſelf indifferently between me and them, ſo ſome out of carnal reaſon might have looked, that our Saviour ſhould have pointed out a middle way, and ſaid, Neither love your enemies, nor hate them, but carry your ſelves indifferently towards them. But our Saviour ſaith expreſly, Love your enemies, and do good unto them, and that as they will approve themſelves to be the children of their heavenly father. So that not to love thoſe whom we ought to love, is to hate: So then, as we will avoid the damnable ſin of hatred, we muſt labour to be poſſeſſed of the grace of love, and that principally to the Children of God, and to all the Children of God, high and low, rich and poor, of better or of meaner gifts and parts; and on the other ſide to be poſſeſſed with hearty love towards all men in general, and in particular toward thoſe that have done us injuries and unkindneſſes, otherwiſe we are haters of them.