A Discourse of Christian Love, Chapter 3
CHAP. III. THE PURITY OF Christian Love.
THIRDLY, It is to be a Pure Love, Love out of a pure heart.
This is another Scripture-Character of that Love wherein Christians are to walk. Love out of a pure heart, 1 Tim. 1. 5. And 1 Pet. 1. 22. See that ye love one another with a pure heart (or out of a pure heart, foreign, so render'd, 1 Tim. 1. 5.)
Pure it must be,
1. To distinguish it from that gross, Sensual, Carnal Love, which is found amongst those that are Companions in iniquity.
1. Whether it be in doing violence to others. Such a Love, and Friendship amongst a knot of Thieves and murdering Robbers, Solomon doth describe, Prov. 1. Come with us (say they) Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse, We shall find all precious substance, and fill our houses with spoil. Thus they entice others to their Society, and their Sin (for Nemo facilè solus peccat, saith S. Austin lib. 2. Confess. Cap. penult.) But such a Love as this tends to the hurt and ruin of such Companions here and hereafter: And they lay wait for their own blood, and lurk privily for their own lives (i. e. they are active to their own destruction) saith Solomon, Ver. 18. even when they are designing the destruction of others, as it is in Ver. 11. They say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause.
2. Or whether it be in running to the same excess of riot, with those whose course of Life is a course of Luxury and Intemperance, Men that are mighty to drink Wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink; for which these Sensualists love and delight in one another.
But it is no true kindness to entice others to such a course of life as tends (besides the wast of Estate, and of what is most precious, Time) to the ruin of Health and Body; and to the woful ruin of the Soul, if unrepented of, and unforsaken.
3. Or whether it be in Chambering and Wantonness, lasciviousness, or the lust of the flesh, which is an Impure Love, and particularly call'd Uncleanness.
AND this Impure Love (or rather Lust; for inordinate, impure and forbidden Love is Lust) as it was amongst the Gentiles, who for their sins were by the just judgment given up to vile affections (Rom. 1. foreign dishonourable passions) so it was found amongst a vile sort of Christians, call'd by the Ancients Gnosticks, from their Pretence to greater Knowledge, but it was foreign (as S. Paul calls it) a knowledge falsly so called; for it did not tend to better them, but their principles did lead them to all Impurity, and to work all uncleanness with greediness.
Such as these began betimes to dishonour the pure and undefiled Religion of Christ, and to turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, as S. Jude speaks, in whose Epistle they are call'd Spots in your Feasts of Charity. They came to the Christian foreign, or Love-feasts, but they were the repraoch and dishonour of the Christian Profession. And in the 2 Epistle of S. Peter, chap. 2. they are call'd Spots and Blemishes. They spake indeed (as he saith, ver. 18.) great swelling words of vanity. (this was an instance of that sublime and unordinary foreign to which they pretended) but it was to allure to the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness; and (ver. 19.) while they promised liberty to them that they did thus allure, they them selves were the Servants of corruption, Slaves of lust and debauchery, being entangled in the pollutions of the World, Ver. 20.
Much more of their vile Character we have in these 2 Epistles; as also in some of the ancients, in Irenaeus, Clem. Alexandrinus, Tertullian, Epiphanius, Eusebius; yea, in a Philosopher, Plotinus, who wrote against them an excellent Discourse.
And yet for all this, they gloried in a strong conceit of their special relation to God, and nearness to him. Plotinus saith they were wont to speak to their Proselytes in such flattering Language as this, foreign, &c. Thou art a Child of God, but others are not. And so Irenaeus saith, they call'd themselves, foreign, the seed of election, and (as Clem. Alex.) foreign, the Children of the King; and therefore above the Law: For others indeed which were foreign, Carnal (as they call'd all but themselves) they were to mind Temperance, and Chastity, and good Works, else they could not be saved; but as for themselves, they had no such need to mind them; but because they were Spiritual, they should be saved; and they affirmed, it was impossible for them not to be saved, in whatsoever actions they were engaged; and therefore the foreign might foreign do all things without fear: And such was their Filthiness, that they were fitly call'd Barbaritae by the Ancients, the dirty Sect; to which that of S. Peter agrees, where he compares them to the Sow wallowing in the mire.
THERE is the Filthiness of Flesh and of Spirit, mentioned in 2 Cor. 7. 1. to both which, this Pure Love, or Love out of a Pure Heart, is opposed.
[Love out of a pure Heart.] The Scripture still lays the great stress upon the Heart, and requires that should be first lookt to, for out of it are the issues of Life or Death. Prov. 4. Except this Spring be pure, and kept clean from all defilement, the Streams will never be pure and Chrystalline. And if there be Purity in the Heart (if the heart be cleansed from the love or liking of all, either Worldly, or Fleshly Lusts) then all other Purity will follow, Purity in Life and Conversation.
It was therefore the best Counsel, and the onelyonly right Method, which our Saviour Christ-did prescribe, (He, who was the Wisdom of God, the best Guide and Director of Souls, as the best Physician for sick and diseased mankind) that in Matth. 23. 26. Cleanse first that which is within, that the outside may be clean also.
But more fully doth our Saviour Christ insist upon this, in that best of Sermons, his Sermon on the Mount. For whereas the Scribes and Pharisees thought it enough for the keeping of the Sixth Commandment, to abstain from actual outward Murder; and so for the keeping of the Seventh Commandment, to abstain from the gross and outward acts of Adultery and Uncleanness; whereas in the mean time they cared not though their Hearts were full of Raneour and Malice, and inveterate hatred against their Brother; and though they had their Hearts full of Lust, and Eyes full of Adultery: Our Blessed Saviour (the best Master of Morality and good Life) forbids the undue motions of the Heart to either Sin, the inward tendencies and inclinations to Sin, with the first occasions and incitements thereunto: He forbids the murder of the Heart, as well as of the Hand; and not onelyonly the Lust of the Flesh, but the Lust and Adultery of the Heart; and the Lust of the Eye, he affirms it to be Adultery it self in the account of God, Matth. 5. 28. And God's account, Christ's esteem of things we are chiefly to consider and regard. 'Tis not so material how men account of things or call them: They call evil good, and good evil; they put darkness for light, and light for darkness: The world calls many things by softer and more plausible names then the Holy Scripture doth. But it will be our Wisdom and Safety to judge of all things according to God's measures, and to account and call them as God doth; to his Infinite Wisdom it's fit our weak understandings should submit; to him we stand or fall (Rom 14.) he onelyonly can clear or condemn in the great Day of Accounts.
And, O take heed (as thou lovest thy Soul, or tendrest the Honour of Christ) of thinking that what Christ hath here or elsewhere in the Gospel prescribed and enjoined us to avoid, is any part of unnecessary strictness, and that his Doctrines and Laws are too nice and severe. To think thus, is to undervalue the Wisdom of Christ, the Lawgiver, the Head of the Church, the Lord of all, the Great Prophet sent by God to teach the World, testified by a voice from Heaven to be the Son of God, whom we are to hear: As if He (who was the Wisdom of God) did not better know the true natures and properties of things, the just measures and bounds within which Humane nature was to be determined and kept, where man was to be restrained, and may not be allowed to do otherwise. And for thee not to restrain thy self as Christ hath ordered thee, and told thee it must be thus for thy Souls welfare; not to govern thy self according to his Rules and Institutions, is plainly to deny the Lord that bought thee, to deny thy Christian Profession. For by professing thy self a Christian, thou professest Christ to be thy Teacher, Lord and Ruler; and that he is the Person whom thou hast made choice of to serve; and that there is no way so likely & sure to bring thee to Blessedness and Salvation as what he hath prescribed. But then to practise contrary, is to deny all this thy profession: It's to mock and despise Christ, as if he were guilty of prescribing thee some things which were unnecessary, dishonourable, or ridiculous to observe; which is plainly to deny the Faith, to deny the Lord that bought thee, and hath shew'd thee what is good, and for thy good; and consequently, it is to bring upon thy self swift Destruction.
But, O be so kind, so good to thy Soul, as to flee these things, and abstain from fleshly lusts which war (as against Christ and his Laws, so) against thy own Soul, 1 Pet. 2. And avoid such Discourse and corrupt Communication, such Sighs and Representations, such Books and Poems, as cross the Laws and Precepts of Christ, and tend to feed, and cherish, and enflame that which Christ came to extinguish and destroy; and which tend to make that seem ridiculous nicety, which Christ hath made thy necessary and just Duty.
AND a most faithful follower of Christ, Blessed S. Paul, doth often in his Epistles press and inculcate that Purity of Heart and Life, which our Saviour Christ so indispensably requires. Flee youthful lusts, saith he (not long before his departure) to Timothy (2 Ep. 2. 22.) but follow after righteousness, faith, charity; that's Love out of a pure heart, and within its due bounds, in opposition to the youthful lusts; Youth being the more wild, untamed, impetuous, inconsiderate part of Life, more obnoxious to the temptations and defilements of Sin: And therefore thou hast need to watch and pray against tentations; to look unto thy Eyes, to make a Covenant with them, as Job did; to look to thy words, as David did, that he might not sin with his tongue; and above all keeping, to keep thy heart (as the words are literally to be rendred, Prov. 4. 23.) that the Heart, the Spring of thy Affections and Actions, may be free from all mud and defilement.
The same Apostle, S. Paul, in 1 Ep. Cor. Chap. 6. presseth this Duty, Flee fornication, saith he, Ver. 18. And he presseth it with six Arguments; heaping one Argument upon another (as you may read from Ver. 13. to the end of the Chapter) one whereof (in Ver. 20.) is taken from this, that they were bought with a price, the precious blood of Christ, the Lamb without spot and blemish, (a price above Silver and Gold, which yet are the most precious of corruptible things, as S. Peter in 1 Ep. Chap. 1.) Ye are bought with a price; It cost Christ dear to redeem you, even the price of his Blood to purchase you, your whole man, Bodies as well as Souls. As the same Apostle in Col. 3. from another consideration of Christ, of Christ as risen from the dead, and in his Body ascended into Heaven and sitting at the right Hand of God, doth earnestly exhort Christians (as they believe and expect that God will also after death, raise up their Bodies by his Power to an incorruptible, pure and undefiled State, and heavenly Glory) to keep their Bodies undefiled and in a state of purity, in a rising condition, so as they may be qualified for that Spiritual and Heavenly State and Glory, to which at the Resurrection they shall be advanced. And in order and preparation thereunto, that they would mortify fornication, uncleanness, their inordinate affection and evil concupiscence (Ver. 5.) contrary to the Love and Affection out of a pure heart; Mortify, (a word of great importance and significancy) not onelyonly abate, or lessen, or weaken their Lusts, that so they may not be so lively and stirring in them; but Mortify, put them to Death, Crucify them, as he speaks, Gal. 5. 24. They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts. Christians should be dead to them (as dead to all Sin, Rom. 6.) and therefore not walk in them: And all forbidden pleasures, all sensual objects should be dead to them, without force to tempt or perswade them; and as dead things, out of mind, should they be forgotten, uncared for, unremembred (i. e. not remembred with any complacence or delight) not once named, as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 5. 3, 4. But fornication and all uncleanness let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh Saints: Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting; by which two last Words the Apostle means obscene Discourses, Stories or Tales, Songs and Jests (much of the wit and jesting of wicked men being in obscene Arguments, and in behalf of that Sin which is call'd Folly, foreign in the Old Testament, to work or commit folly in Israel). Concerning these the Apostle adds, foreign which are not convenient; that's too soft a word, rather which are not beseeming, but altogether unbecoming Christians.
Purity of Heart, and Affections, and Life, and Actions is that which thou art called and obliged to as a Christian, 1 Thes. 4. 7. God hath not called us unto uncleanness but unto Holiness or Sanctification. And if thou wouldst attain to this state of Purity, and continue in it,
First, Seek unto God by humble & earnest prayer. Say with David (Ps. 51.) Purge me, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter then Snow: Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right Spirit within me; or foreign a firm, constant, resolved Spirit, so as never to fall again into the like Defilements. Say with the poor Leper, who kneeled down, and in this humble posture earnestly besought Christ (Mark 1.) Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And know and be assured for thy encouragement, That Christ is as willing, as able to do it; and as willing to make thee clean, as thou thy self canst be willing to be cleansed.
Secondly, But see then that thou art willing: For God complains of the unwillingness of many (Jer. 13. ult.) O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean, when shall it once be? Thou must be willing, thou must not resist; Thou must pati Deum, suffer God to work in thee without disturbance; not oppose, not hinder him when he is at work in thy Conscience, to convince and humble thee: And whatever method God shall please to use for the purifying of thee, patiently submit and yield to it, be it longer and sharper Afflictions, inward or outward.
Thirdly, Nor must thou onelyonly quietly and willingly suffer God to work in thee, but thou must also work with him, and strive according to the working which worketh in thee. Thou must use thy serious and best endeavours to keep thy self unspotted from the World, and always labour after that thou prayest for, Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved; How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee?
Fourthly, And if thou hast begun to set upon the work of Self-purification, go on to purge and cleanse thy heart yet more and more. If thou hast escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; if thou hast begun to purify thy Soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit, (as S. Peter speaks) take heed lest thou again be entangled therein and overcome: For then thy latter end would be worse with thee then the beginning.
Fifthly, Pray and watch against tentations. None can be secured from sin further then they are careful to shun the occasions or tentations of Sin. Prov. 6. 27. Can a man take fire in his bosome, and his cloaths not be burnt? Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt? saith Solomon, who by sad experience found the hurt of tampering with tentations. Thus the silly Moth plays about the Candle, and at last burns it self to death.
Sixthly, And as thou must be Watchful, so thou wilt have need of Courage and Resolution, and Fortitude of Spirit: And this thou shalt not want, if thou hast Faith in God. Resist then, stedfast in the Faith. Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God; that thou may'st be able to withstand in the evil day, in the day of tentation; and having done all to stand, keep the Field, and come off with Victory and Triumph: Which thou shalt not fail of, if thou hast Faith in the Goodnessand Power of God, if thou be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus; His Grace shall be sufficient for thee, and thou shalt be able to do all things through Christ strengthening thee; thou shalt be more then Conquerour through him that loved thee, a Conquerour over those Fleshly Lusts that warr'd against thy Soul: And to thee and every one that overcometh, will Christ (that with Contentment and Delight beheld thy Conflict, Courage and Conquest) give a Crown of Life and Glory that fadeth not away.
And thus I have done with the First Particular; A Pure Love, 1. To distinguish it from that gross, sensual, carnal Love which is found amongst them that are companions in Wickedness.
II. PURE Love it must be, To distinguish it from a Love for by-ends and self-respects, founded only upon Politick Considerations and Worldly Interest.
The most of that Love and Amity which is in the World is (as Tully doth fitly express it) Mercatura magis quàm amicitia, a kind of Traffick and Merchandise, rather then pure Love and true Friendship. Men drive on a Trade and pursue Designs and serve their Interests, by seeming Courtesies and Civilities. This is the guise and fashion of the World; Thoughts and Designs to oblige others, and to advantage themselves thereby, and to make themselves Friends here on earth of the Mammon of unrighteousness; these are the Springs of all the motions this kind of Love hath: It moves not, it goes not out to any but upon these accounts; it ariseth wholly from Interest; And therefore when any cease or are uncapable to be further serviceable and advantageous to them, their Love also ceaseth to such whom they now cast by and lay aside as unprofitable Tools, as a broken Vessel, a Vessel wherein is no pleasure (as Jeremy speaks) and therefore to be cast away.
But consider that this is not to love thy Neighbour as thy self (which God commands) but meerly for thy self: Whereas this is one of the excellent Characters and Properties of the Pure Christian Love (1 Cor. 13. 5) foreign seeketh not her own, the things which are onelyonly for its own advantage; but mindeth and careth for the Interests of others, and is concerned for their good and welfare, without any respect to its own advantage thereby. Christian Religion doth oblige and would excite us to a greater Purity of Love, such as should express it self in doing good for goodness sake; and this is a nobler and higher sort of Love, grounded upon the best principle and end.
AND to this purpose we have two very observable Speeches of our Saviour Christ, quite opposite to the Spirit of the World.
The first is that in Luke 14. 13. where he wills that when they make a Feast, they should invite and entertain the poor, lame and maimed and blind, who cannot recompense them; rather then their friends or rich neighbours, who would invite them again and make them recompence. The main scope of which words, is to perswade them to do good for Goodness sake; and that it should be as great a pleasure & satisfaction to them, to do good and shew kindness to those that are in want, as to the rich and great in the World. And surely to a Soul that is Generously good, there is nothing so Pleasant and Delicious (as nothing more Honourable and Worthy in it self) then to be making others full of Comforts; and the greatest pleasure is, when they cannot requite them.
The Second passage of a like noble import is that Speech of our Saviour's in Matth. 10. two last Verses, where Christ commends the receiving (i. e. the entertaining, shewing Love and Kindness; yea the least office of Love, as the giving a Cup of cold Water to) a righteous man, or one of his Disciples, in the name of a righteous man, or in the name of a Disciple, eo nomine, quatenus such a one; mainly upon this account and consideration.
There may be a receiving and a kind treating of a righteous man, or a Disciple of Christ, upon other names, regards and considerations; as in the name of a Friend, one that hath done some courtesies; or in the name of a Kinsman, or one related to us; or in the name of a man of Wit or Learning, and Accomplishments of Body or Mind; or in the name of a man of some Interest and Power, or related to and in favour with men of Interest and Power; and so this righteous man, or Disciple of Christ, or this Christian may be thought to be in a capacity to befriend us.
But there is a purer Love-fire which Christ would enkindle in the Hearts of Christians, viz. to love a righteous man for Righteousness and true Holiness shining in him, to love him chiefly for Goodness sake; to shew kindness to any of these little ones, (so Christ in Matth. calls his Disciples) little in the esteem of the World, little in worldly Interests and Possessions, and so not likely to recompense those that shew them the least kindness: This is above that common Love and Friendship in the World, which is founded chiefly upon Self-respects, by-ends and politick Considerations.
Nor shall this Love lose its reward: Though these little ones, these least of Christ's Disciples, be also little in the account of the World, and have little of the World to recompense thee, yet thou shalt have a Reward from God, and a great Reward for this thy Service of Love.
And though to give but a Cup of cold Water to a Christian, to a Disciple of Christ, to a Righteous man, seem but a cheap kindness; yet it being done seasonably (and so a draught of cold refreshing Water may be a great kindness to one that is afflicted with thirst, as it might fall out in those hot Eastern Countries, and in such a case may be worth a Treasure) he that doth it, foreign (two Negatives) shall in no wise lose his Reward, Mat. 10. ult.
AND if to give a Cup of cold Water shall have its Reward, What a Reward shall be given to thee if thou cloath, and feed, and visit a Disciple of Christ, that is naked, or hungry, or sick and in prison; and do all this in the name of a Disciple?
It may be thou hast forgotten thy Cup of cold water, thy cloathing, feeding, or visiting a Disciple of Christ; and it's better that thou should'st not remember it, better to have no self-pleasing reflections on what thou hast done; as the righteous said (Matth. 25.) Lord when saw we thee (or any Disciple of thine, any that belongs to thee) an hungred, and fed thee? Or thirsty, and gave thee drink? Or naked, and cloathed thee? Or sick, or in prison, and visited thee? But though thou remembrest not these things, to please and pride thy self therein, yet God will remember thee concerning all this, and for good; and the rather remember thee, if thou dost not remember them to thy own praise and glory. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love, which ye have shewed to (or in) his name, in that ye have ministred to the Saints, and do minister, Heb. 6. 10. saith the Apostle to the charitable Hebrews; and for such their Charity he was perswaded better things of them, and things that did accompany Salvation, as in Ver. before.
AND if the least Kindness and labour of Love be so rewarded with God; if to give a small refreshment, a little water, be so acceptable with God; proportionably the Reward will be greater, as the Service of Love was greater that is done out of a pure heart to a Christian, a Disciple of Christ; and greater still if done to a Prophet, and in the name of a Prophet, one whose care and desire is faithfully to Preach the Gospel, to declare the whole Counsel of God, for the better instructing and winning Souls to Christ: We are to esteem such very highly in love for their works sake (1 Thes 5. 12) and to treat them foreign, worthy of God, as that observable Phrase is 3 Ep. John Ver. 6. So as is worthy of God, whose Messengers they are, on whose Errand and Business they are employed, whom they serve in the Gospel; as it follows in Ver. 7. because that for his names sake they went forth, viz. to Preach the Gospel. And thus the words [foreign] being rendred literally and properly worthy of God, the foreign [or his] is plain, as referring to foreign [God] in the foregoing Verse: But our Translation rendring the Phrase thus (which needed not) [after a godly sort] the [his] in the following Verse [for his names sake] is made more obseure, there being in our Translation no person mention'd before, to which the [his] doth refer: As also the word foreign in Ver. 6. [whom if thou bring forward after a godly sort, or worthy of God] is not so fully rendred; For the word doth not onelyonly imply to bring part of the way such as went forth to Preach the Gospel, but it further signifies (as in other places, so here) to provide what is needful for them in their journey upon so great an occasion and work; and this is to be done foreign worthy of God, in a worthy and becoming measure to testify their regards to God, whose work this is. And what is thus done to the Prophet, and in the name of a Prophet, is done to Christ, and done to God; and such shall receive a Prophet's Reward.
THE END.
End of the text · John Worthington, A Discourse of Christian Love (1691)