Philadelphia, Treatise · Chapter 2 – Chapter 4
CHAP. II.
FRom the former Circumſtance in this text, note this point of Doctrine.
Obſerv. That the Commandment of love, is a meſſage ſent from heaven to earth, from God to man: Which is to be underſtood of the whole word of God, and eſpecially of the Doctrine of mutual and brotherly-love, between men and men. Sin ſet man againſt God, and God againſt man. God ſent a meſſage of Love and Reconciliation unto man, between himſelf and man in his Goſpel, offering peace and love to man by his Son: on the other ſide ſin made a breach between man: God ſent a meſſage of Love from heaven alſo unto men, that thoſe breaches ſhould be made up, and that they ſhould joyn together in an holy and brotherly-love.
God's Miniſters are Meſſengers, ſent of God with a meſſage of love, with a meſſage, offering love from God to man, and requiring Love from man to God; and on the other hand, requiring Love between man and man: ſo the name of the Apoſtles ſignifieth men ſent on a meſſage. Chriſt being aſcended up into heaven, ſent them about the world with a meſſage of Love, offering Love, and commanding Love: Theſe Meſſengers of Chriſt found the world fighting agrinſt God, and to be hateful, and hating one another, and ſo delivered a meſſage of Love unto them from God.
Now as in other meſſages, ſo in this, ye may ſee
1. The Perſon from whom it is ſent.
2. The Meſſengers by whom it is ſent.
3. The Meſſage it ſelf it is ſent.
4. The Perſons to whom it is ſent.
1. The Perſon who ſent this meſſage, is the great God, who being full of glory and bleſſedneſs, accompanied with ſo many thouſands of glorious Angels, who were knit together in Love to him, and to each other; among whom was not the leaſt jarr, nor any thing that was offenſive to any of them: He (I ſay) pitied the miſery of Mankind, whom he ſaw full of rents and diviſions, tormented with malice and rage againſt each other, vexing themſelves and others; and ſo out of his love and compaſſion ſent this meſſage unto them.
2. The Meſſengers by whom it was ſent, they have been diverſe in ſeveral ages: firſt the Patriarchs before the Flood: Ye read of Enoch's prophecy mentioned by St. Jude, who was the ſeventh from Adam, and was before the Flood. Ye find Noah a preacher of righteouſneſs before the Flood, as St. Peter noteth: and Lamech the Father of Noah (not he that was of Cains poſterity) ſeemeth to have had the ſpirit of Prophecy, & to have revealed the Lords Counſel communicated to him unto the Church; and therefore he gave a ſignificant name to his Son, calling him Noah, which ſignifieth Reſt, becauſe he ſhould give them reſt from the toyl of their hands, concerning the earth which the Lord hath curſed. He ſhould be left to propagate the Church in that general deluge and deſolation. So I am perſwaded, that the Lord did by Adam and other holy men, reveal his counſel, and ſend meſſages to the world, according to his will.
After the Flood, there were Shem, Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, &c. then Moſes, and the Prophets in ſeveral ages: and in ſpecial, John Baptiſt, who was ſent as a peculiar Meſſenger before the face of Chriſt. Then came Chriſt Jeſus, who was the principal Meſſenger, and Angel of the Covenant. But he differeth from all others, in that he did both ſend this meſſage, and was ſent of this meſſage. A… he was God, and one of the Perſons of the bleſſed Trinity, ſo he did ſend this meſſage: as he took upon him, the the office of a Mediator and Meſſenger between God and man, ſo he was ſent of this meſſage, and came preaching Love among men. Then were his Apoſtles ſent out by him unto all the world, to deliver a meſſage of Love from him unto them; after them, Paſtors and Teachers to the end of the world. Of theſe Meſſengers, ſome had this meſſage from God, immediately revealed to them by his Spirit, as the Patriachs, Prophets, and Apoſtles, who were immediately inſpired: ſome (as it were) at the ſecond hand, as the Prieſts and Levites before our Saviour's coming; and Paſtors and Teachers ſince: who underſtanding the mind of the Lord by his word, do deliver his meſſage to the world: yet ſo, that even theſe alſo (as many of them as are faithful) have the aſſiſtance of the Spirit more or leſs, opening the Myſteries and Counſels of God unto them, and enabling them to deliver his meſſage unto his people.
3. The Perſons to whom this meſſage is ſent, are thoſe to whom his word is p…ched; and among theſe, even we, who at this day are made partakers of this pretious word of God. And as St. Paul ſpake, Act. 13.26. Men and brethren, children of the ſtock of Abraham, and whoſoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this ſalvation ſent: ſo ſay I to you that are baptized, and hear the Goſpel, to you is this meſſage of Love ſent from Heaven.
4. Conſider the Meſſage: It is a Meſſage of Love; it requireth all that will enjoy the ſweetneſs, comfort, and fruit of his ſaving-love, to embrace others in love, and out of a feeling of his Love, to do the duties of Love, which his word requireth at their hands, both to Him and others.
CHAP. III.
Ʋſe. 1. THen be exhorted to yeeld obedience to this meſſage of God; remember that this Commandment of brotherly-love is to be obeyed as a meſſage ſent from God; therefore think not in thine heart, ſuch a one never deſerved any love at my hands, why ſhould I love him? but rather conſider with thy ſelf, God hath ſent me a meſſage, wherein he bids me love him. When Haman heard it was the Kings pleaſure, that he ſhould honour Mordecai whom he meant to have hanged, he durſt not b… do it. Hath the King of heaven ſent to us, to love our Brethren; yea, to love our enemies, ſurely we muſt bring our hearts to it, elſe we ſhall have no evidence to our Souls that we are the children of God, Who is Love.
Thou wilt ſay perhaps, that he hath given thee cauſe to hate him: oh then remember that God hath ſent thee a meſſage, that thou oughteſt to love him: Can the wrongs that he hath done thee, diſcharge thee of that obedience which thou oweſt to the Lord's meſſage and commandment? Can any enemy give thee ſufficient cauſe to diſobey the Lord's commandment? None can free a man from owing obeence to the lawful commands of lawful Authority: but ſome higher Authority, the Supream and higheſt Authority, commandeth thee to love thy Brethren, Neighbours, and enemies, all whomſoever, though not all in the ſame degree. Now the wrongs of any of theſe can by no means diſcharge thee from that bond of Love, which the Authority of God layeth upon thee.
It is not enough to rule the tongue or hands, and to abſtain from open wrongs in word or deed, and in the mean time, to carry a bitter Spirit in our breaſts againſt others: Nay it is not enough to carry our affections upon terms of indifferency and neutrality, ſo as neither to love nor hate, as ſome men may flatter themſelves, and think they do well enough, if they do not hate them, though they do not love them. As Balak ſaid to Balaam concerning the Iſraelites, neither bleſs them at all, nor curſe them at all; ſith he could not perſwade him to curſe them, he would fain have had him not to bleſs them, but to carry himſelf indifferently betwixt him and them; ſo many men, becauſe they are forbidden malice and revenge, do think they do well, if they abſtain from theſe, albeit they bear no love to their Neighbour in their hearts, eſpecially if he be one that hath wronged them. But this is not enough, the Lord hath ſent thee a meſſage that thou ſhouldſt love thy Neighbour. Oh then, labour to get the Spirit of Love and Power, and of a ſound mind, to frame thy heart to love others, becauſe thou findeſt, that God hath loved thee, and commanded thee to love thy Brethren, and thine enemies; then thou wilt not think how ill ſuch and ſuch perſons have deſerved thy love.
CHAP. IV.
II. INaſmuch as the Lord hath ſent a meſſage of love unto men, this ſheweth, That they are contrary unto God, who carry meſſages between men, that tend to the overthrow of love, and breeding of ill-will and malice between men and men. Theſe croſs the meſſage of God, which is a commandment of love betwixt man and man: they think to get ſome carnal love from others towards themſelves, by ſeeking to alienate their hearts from others. But let all take heed, how they go about to ſeparate thoſe whom God would have to be joyned together in love.
III. This point ſheweth, how hardly men are brought to unſeigned love toward each other: Men are ſo alienated from this duty of Chriſtian-love, that the God of Love ſendeth a meſſage of Love from Heaven to bring them to it, and to encline their hearts to love. It is a ſign that men are much bent upon Enmity and Variance, when a King is fain to ſend an Emba…ge of Love & Peace unto them, from a far countrey to ſet them agreed: So it is a ſign, that men are much alienated from Chriſtian-Love, and enclined to the contrary, when the King of kings ſeeth cauſe to ſend a meſſage from heaven to earth, to unite them to each other in Love.
All that live under the Goſpel, profeſs one Faith, partake of one Baptiſm, eat and drink all at one Table of the Lord, &c. Yet all this will not bring them truly, to embrace each other in Chriſtian-Love: But God ſeeth there is need to ſend a meſſage of Love from heaven to earth, to unite them together.