The Dignity of Gods Children, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the true louelove of God and of men, only found in the children of God: and ſo of the further dignity of the children of God in reſpect thereof.
AS I hauehave before ſpoken of ſome particular branches of the life of God and wiſedome, and holineſſe before generally handled; ſo I might likewiſe ſpeake of the reſt: For the very leaſt is of great price, and doth not a little amplifie the dignity of Gods children. But ſo to particularize in this place, would be too tedious. I ſhall alſo by other occaſions ſpeake of ſome of them afterward: and ſuch as I ſhall not at all ſpeake of, may be eſteemed by that which I write of the reſt. Notwithſtanding that ſuch as I hauehave not handled, or ſhall not ſpeake of, may be the better conſidered, let me adde ſomething touching the louelove of the children of God, towards God and men, as that indeed which comprehendeth all that ſhall be omitted, which is alſo the fountaine of all the other particulars of the former life of God, &c. it being the fulfilling of the law and bond of perfection, as before we hauehave heard.
But of this louelove of the children of God towards God and men, I will only ſpeake very briefly, leauing the reſt to the conſideration of the reader.
Some perhaps may looke that I ſhould hauehave ſpoken thereof before; but ſeeing our freedome from ſinne to ſerue God in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, doth ſo depend (as wee hauehave heard) vponupon wiſedome, (ſuch as be fooles being commonly accounted ſeruants by nature) and ſeeing the ſobriety before handled is of ſo neere kindred (as it were) to the ſaid wiſedome, that it is called (as we hauehave likewiſe heard) by the ſame name: and ſeeing the foreſaid watchfulneſſe doth alſo ſo depend, (as hath been ſhewed) vponupon the ſaid ſobriety, therefore I thought it not amiſſe to handle all the ſaid particulars together, as I hauehave done.
To come now to the louelove of God and of men, let vsus only obſerue this one point, namely, that it is as proper to the children of God only, as the life of God, wiſedome, freedom from the bondage of ſinne, with liberty to ſerue God in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, the ſobriety and watchfulneſſe before handled. All that are not the children of God, but be wicked and meere naturall men, are as far from all right louelove of God and men, as they are deſtitute of the former life of God, of the former wiſedome, and of the other things before ſpoken of. As none hauehave the life of God, neither are wiſe, neither are freed from ſinne, neither can ſerue God in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe of life; neither are ſober in the manner before deſcribed, neither can be watchfull for the auoiding of dangers, but only the children of God; ſo none can rightly louelove God or men but only they.
Touching the louelove of God this is manifeſt, becauſe if we be the friends of Chriſt, if we doe what ſoeuer be commandeth vsus, Ioh. 15. 14. then it muſt needs follow, that they are the enemies of Chriſt, and conſequently of God, that do not that which is commanded them. If the wicked be Gods enemies, how can they louelove him? Againe, theſe words are often confounded in the Pſalmes, viz. the wicked, and the enemies of the Lord. The wicked ſhall periſh and the enemies of the Lord ſhall be conſumed as the fat of lambes Pſal. 37. 20. Pſal 68. 1. the wicked are ſaid to be enemies to the Lord, and hate him: and againe; God will wound the bead of his enemies, and the harry pate of him that walketh in his ſinnes: verſ. 21. So the wicked (according to that ſpoken before of wiſedome) are ſaid to be fooliſh ones, and the Lords enemies. Pſal. 74. 18. and 23. So the wicked, (eſpecially that are enemies to the Church) are called haters of the Lord: Pſal. 81. 14. 15. The like is in many other places: Pſal. 83. 2. Pſal. 89. 10. Pſal. 92. 10 and often elſewhere.
Laſt of all, we hauehave heard before, that the wicked doe not know God. Can they louelove him, whom they know not? The ſame is to be ſaid of their louelove towards men. For how can they louelove men, when they louelove not God? How can they louelove the leſſe, when they louelove …ot the greater? If they louelove not God of whom they receiue all that they hauehave, and who receiueth no… … them, …ther is any waies chargeable vntounto them; how can they louelove them from whom they receiue nothing, or very little, and that only as from the inſtruments of God? and vponupon whom they are forced to beſtow ſomthing of their owne, and ſo to be at charge with them? For theſe reaſons and the like, when the Apoſtle in the place before alledged had deſcribed vsus in our naturall ſtate, and being vnregenerated, to be vnwiſe, diſobedient, deceiued he addeth further that we were hatefull, and hating one another: Tit. 3. 3. So the wicked are both hated of other, and doe alſo hate other: and nothing but hatred is to be looked for amongſt them.
This hatred of the wicked againſt God and men, is a notable teſtimony of that extreme fooliſhneſſe and madneſſe (beforeſpoken of) which is in the heart of the wicked. For what extreme madneſſe is it for mortall men, that are but as the pot in the hand of the potter, to hate the immortall God, who being of all might and power, is able when he will, to breake them all in pieces like a potters veſſell? What folly alſo is it to hate all other, whereby to make themſelues likewiſe hatefull and odious to all other? Doe not ſuch both waies (as we ſay) much worſe then bring an old houſe vponupon their owne heads? They that make themſelues odious to God and men, ſhall certainly ſmart full deeply and wofully in the end.
If it be obiected touching the louelove of God, that Paul being but a naturall man, before he knew Chriſt ſo loued God, that he ſpeaketh much of his zeale, and that in his ſaid zeale his righteouſneſſe of the law was ſuch, that he was vnrebukeable. Phil. 3. 6. and that that ſeemeth to hauehave been in truth and not in ſhew.
If any (I ſay) obiect this, I anſwer, that though the aforeſaid zeale, and feruent louelove of Paul were indeed true, as this word Note.true may be an attribute of the affections, and is oppoſed to hypocriſie, or to that which is but counterfet and feined, and as it ſignifieth vnfeined and without hypocriſie; yet as the ſame is an attribute of the obiects of the mind, and is oppoſed to erroneous, and ſignifieth right, ſo it cannot be ſaid that the zeale or ſeruent louelove of Paul was true.
Though he loued God vnfeinedly and in the truth of his affections from the heart, and ſo was very ſtrict touching the outward righteouſneſſe of the law: yet it cannot be ſaid that he loued God truly, that is, rightly; becauſe his mind being not rightly informed, his iudgement therefore touching the principall cauſes why, and the manner how God was to be loued, could not but be erroneous. For ſo long as he knew not Chriſt but perſecuted him, and the doctrine, and profeſſors of him, and ſo much leſſe beleeued in him, he wanted that which ſhould hauehave giuen life to his louelove. For, as we hauehave heard, Faith worketh by louelove: Gal. 5. 6. and louelove muſt come from faith vnfeined. 1. Tim. 1. 5. The like is to be ſaid of the zeale of God in the Iſraelites, whereof Paul beareth them witneſſe: and yet ſaith that it was not according to knowledge, Rom. 10. 1. 2. So alſo of the zeale of many other ignorant men: Howſoeuer their louelove and their zeale may be ſaid to be true, that is, vnfeined, and without hypocriſie, euen in ſimplicity, yet becauſe it is without knowledge, and much more without faith, therefore it cannot be right, and therefore alſo not at all acceptable vntounto God. For without knowledge, the mind (or heart) is not good. Pro. 19. 2. and without faith it is not poſſible to pleaſe God. Heb. 11. 6. Yea, Whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne. Rom. 14. 23.
That which I hauehave ſaid of this louelove towards God in meere naturall men, may be ſaid of the like louelove in the like, towards men: For that which condemneth the louelove of ſuch towards God how vnfeined ſoeuer, condemneth alſo the louelove of ſuch towards men, how earneſt and feruent ſoeuer the ſame bee.
The louelove therefore that is betwixt man and wife, betwixt parents and children, betwixt kindred, and betwixt friends, &c. the parties that doe ſo louelove being not regenerate but meerly naturall, cannot be right, as not comming from ſound knowledge and faith vnfeined, neither being directed by the word, which is the only rule, both of affections, and alſo of actions.
Againe, the louelove of ſuch towards God and men, is moſt vncertaine, and altogether vnconſtant, ſo that to day a friend, and to morrow a mortall enemy. I will not ſtand vponupon the examples either of ancient or of later times, of ſuch as hauehave ſeemed at the firſt to hauehave been very zealous of God, and for God, and yet afterward reuolted (ſuch in old time were Ioaſh, 2. Chro. 24. and Vzzta. 2. Chro. 26. and Demas and many other, Heb. 10. 25. and in late times euen here in England Bonner, Harding, a brother of Doctor Reinolds, that is reported firſt to hauehave conuerted him to the truth, and yet afterward fell away from it, and by writing perſecuted it.) I will not ſtand vponupon theſe examples, but I will chiefly inſiſt vponupon the vncertainty and inconſtancy of the louelove of natural men towards other.
Touching this therefore, as Salomons words may be (by way of ſimilitude) applied to other things, euen to the vncertainty and ſhortneſſe of the proſperity of the wicked (as afterward alſo we ſhall ſee) ſo they ſeeme chiefly and moſt properly to be vnderſtood of the louelove of the wicked (either towards God or towards men, but in that place chiefly towards men) viz. Note.that it is like the cracking of thornes vnderunder a pot. Eccleſ. 7. 8. that is, though very great for a time, yet ſuddenly vaniſhed away. This (I ſay) ſeemeth to be the moſt proper and naturall ſenſe and meaning of that place: becauſe Salomon hauing ſaid in the verſe next before, It is better to heare the rebuke of a wiſe man, then that a man ſhould heare the ſong of fooles (that is, it is better to heare ſome ſharpe words wiſely by wiſe men ſpoken in the iuſt reproofe of ſinne, then the ſoothing and faire words of fooliſh men, what proteſtation ſoeuer they make of their louelove, and whatſoeuer their louelove be for the preſent) Salomon I ſay, hauing ſo ſaid, immediatly inferreth the former words as a reaſon and confirmation of theſe, and ſaith, For like the noiſe of the thornes vnderunder the pot, ſo is the laughter of a foole; meaning by laughter that which before he had meant by the word ſong: and by the word ſong vnderſtanding the ſweet and pleaſant words, whereby the wicked doe flatter and ſooth vp other in any ſinne, as likewiſe their actuall teſtimonies, and very deeds of kindneſſe ſhewed by them, for the better incouragement of other to ſuch euill as themſelues doe approoue. Of ſuch louelove Salomon ſaith, that it is but as the cracking or ratling of thornes vnderunder a pot: though vehement, hot and feruent for a time, yet by and by euen vponupon nothing, or at leaſt vponupon trifling reaſons (though ſometime alſo vponupon good ground) quailed, cooled, and brought to nothing: ſometime alſo turned into extreme hatred. Hereof there are many examples. At Iakobs firſt comming to Padan Aram to his vnkle Laban, how kindly and louingly was he entertained by Laban: what great ſignes did he ſhew, and what great profeſſion did he make of louelove? As ſoone as he heard he was come, he tarried not till he came to his houſe, but he ran out to meet him. What more? he embraced him. What more? he kiſſed him. What more? he brought him to his houſe. What more? he ſaid vntounto him, Thou art my bone and my fleſh. What more? he abode with him the ſpace of a monethmonth. What more? He ſaid further vntounto him, Though thou be my brother ſhouldſt thou ſerue me for nothing? Tell me what ſhall be thy wages? What more? At his firſt asking he gaue him his daughter: yea, but not the right, but Leah for Rahel. Yea, but preſently he gaue him Rahel alſo. Gen. 29. 13, &c. Here were great matters; who would not hauehave thought there had been great louelove; and ſuch as much water would not hauehave quenched? Notwithſtanding how his heart was afterward changed, how his countenance was eſtranged, and how many waies he delt hardly with him, and worſe would hauehave dealt, if God had not appeared vntounto him, and commanded him to doe nothing but good to Iakob, we know.
Saul at the firſt is ſaid to hauehave loued Dauid exceedingly: 1. Sam. 16. 22. yet afterward when Dauid had much more deſerued his louelove, he hated him as extreamly; yea, his own ſonne Ionathan alſo for his ſake: 1. Sam. 20. 30. Yea, he ſo hated all the Lords prieſts for his ſake, that for the ſuppoſed fault of one, he commanded them all to be ſlaine. 1. Sam. 22. 18. yea, though he did afterward with teares relent vntounto Dauid, acknowledging him more righteous then himſelfe: 1. Sam. 24. 17. and ſo making a great ſhew of renuing his firſt louelove, yet preſently againe he perſecuted him as eagerly as before. The like may be ſaid of the louelove of the ſaid Saul towards his owne Sonne Ionathan, to whom he was bound by nature: but of this before. Iehoram King of Iſrael one while could call Eliſha the Prophet by the name of his father: 2. Kings 6. 21. againſt whom notwithſtanding ſuch (immediatly almoſt) was his indignation, and fury, that he ſaid, God doe ſo, and more alſo to me. If the head of Eliſha the ſonne of Shephat, ſhall ſtand on him this day. verſ. 31. To day Herod could ſo reuerence Iohn Baptiſt, that he heard him gladly, and did many things, &c. yet the next day he beheaded him, vponupon the requeſt of an whoriſh, and wanton damſell. Mark. 6. 20. &c? Demas one while was the familiar friend of Paul, Coloſ. 4. 14. Philem. 24. but not long after he forſooke him, and made more account of this preſent world, that is, both of the things, and alſo of men of this world: 2. Tim. 4. 10. What alſo may be ſaid of the great fauour of Ahaſhueroſh towards Haman, to whom he did not only command that all his ſeruants ſhould bow their knees, Eſter. 3. 2. but who alſo was all in all with him, ſo that he obtained of him letters written in his own name, and ſealed with his own ſeale for the deſtroying of all the Iewes in one day? Notwithſtanding this great grace did not only die ſuddenly, and with ſpeaking of one word, but it was turned alſo into ſuch vnreconciliable indignation, that Haman was hanged in a moment, vponupon the ſame gallowes which he had prepared for Mordecas. Eſter 7. 9. 10. So may all Hamans, euen ſuch enemies of the Lord and of the Lords people, be diſgraced, and periſh in the end, that do not (as Paul did before his calling) belong vntounto the Lord.
The like we ſee by daily experience: For be the louelove of the wicked either towards the children of God, or towards them of their own crue and ſort, neuer ſo great, neuer ſo hot, neuer ſo burning, yet eueryevery trifle putteth all cleane out: and for eueryevery toy they are ready to fall out with their ancienteſt, and the beſt friends they hauehave: and oft times they become as bitter enemies, as euer before they were feruent friends. Sometimes they fall out in play: ſomtimes vponupon the falſe reports of talebearers: ſomtimes for a matter of profit, though perhaps not of a penny value: ſomtimes for an vnkind word: ſomtimes vponupon meer ſuſpition: ſomtimes vponupon miſtaking either of ſome ſpeeches, or ſome actions: and ſomtimes vponupon other occaſions. But why is the louelove of the wicked ſo variable, ſo mutable, and ſo eaſily alienated from them towards whom it is? Euen becauſe it is not wel rooted & grounded; neither are they wel rooted & grounded in it. Epheſ. 3. 18. They louelove for profit, or for pleaſure, or for ſome other carnall reſpect. Their louelove is of the fleſh, not of the ſpirit. The knot thereof is not made by theeternall ſpirit of God, therfore it is eaſily diſſolued; As a ſtake ſtuck into the earth & not rooted, is eaſily plucked vp: As an houſe without ground…ill and good vnderpinning, eſpecially ſtanding bleakly, ſubiect to the winds, & hauing no defence of trees, of other buildings, or of hills, is quickly ouerthrown: ſo is the louelove of the wicked ſtraight quailed, and with eueryevery little blaſt quite blown ouer. This eſpecially may be ſaid of the louelove of the wicked towards the children of God. For although ſuch louelove on Gods part be not without his ſpeciall prouidence; yea and oft times wrought by his ſpeciall power of his ſpeciall goodneſſe: yet on the wickeds part, it is for the moſt part not grounded vponupon the godlineſſe, or goodneſſe of ſuch as they louelove, but vponupon ſome ſpeciall reſpect vntounto themſelues. So Potiphar loued Ioſeph, becauſe he was a good ſteward for him, and the Lord bleſſed him in that which he took in hand: yea, all things that Potiphar had for his ſake. So Pharaoh did afterward louelove & grace the ſame Ioſeph, becauſe he had well interpreted his dreames: and had giuen good counſell againſt the time of dearth, ſignified by one part of the ſaid dreames. So Saul loued Dauid for his skill vponupon the harpe: the ſame may be ſaid of other.
Thus then we ſee what the louelove of the wicked, and of meer naturall men is: and thereby how vile and baſe their ſtate and condition is. For what a dogged nature is it to louelove no longer then they ſee benefit towards them, and ſo to louelove one while, that preſently they hate; and oft times do hate more then they did louelove? as Ammons hatred is ſaid to hauehave been more againſt Tamar then his louelove had been towards her. 2. Sam. 13. 15. Dogs louelove in this manner: for let their maſters that doe alwaies feed them, but vnawares tread a little vponupon their foot, and they will be ready to bite them by the leg, if not to ſlie in their face.
It is far otherwiſe with the children of God. For ſo many as are new borne, not of mortall, but of immortall ſeede by the word of God, hauing purified their ſoules in obeying the truth, to louelove brotherly without feining, doe accordingly louelove with a pure heart feruently: 1. Pe. 1. 23. Now although that place be vnderſtood ſpecially of brotherly louelove, yet he that loueth them that are begotten, will much more louelove him that hath begotten.
And indeed how can the children of God but louelove him, whom they know by his word to be ſo mighty, ſo infinit, ſo wiſe, ſo iuſt, and eueryevery way ſo good in himſelfe: and ſo gracious, ſo louing, and ſo mercifull towards them whom he hath ſo loued as to make them his children, in ſuch manner as hitherto we hauehave heard, and ſhall further heare.
As touching the louelove of the children of God towards men, eſpecially towards ſuch as are the children of God with themſelues, how can they but louelove them that are his creatures, and the workmanſhip of his hands, yea, and which doe reſemble their heauenly father, and their eldeſt brother, and that are ſtamped with the ſame ſpirit, wherewith themſelues are ſtamped; that are heires likewiſe of the ſame inheritance; and for the louelove of whom there be ſo many precepts to command it, ſo many ſentences to commend it: ſo many promiſes to prouoke it: ſo many examples to encourage vntounto it?
In all theſe reſpects, the ſaid louelove is very excellent and precious; the more becauſe it doth not only come from God alone: but alſo becauſe that thereby we know that wee are tranſlated from death to life, and that we are of the truth, and ſhall before him aſſure our hearts. 1. Ioh. 3. 14. The Apoſtle ſaith not that Note.thereby we are tranſlated, and that thereby we are aſſured, but only that we know our ſelues ſo to be. So then this louelove is a ſpeciall part of the euidence of our ſaluation, and of our comfortable appearance before him both in this life, and alſo in the life to come, euen in the great day when all fleſh ſhall be gathered together, and when the books of all mens actions known and ſecret, ſhall be opened before him. That which the Apoſtle in the former Chapter verſ. 29. had aſcribed to the whole worke of regeneration, is in the places before alledged, aſcribed to this one point thereof, viz. our vnfeined louelove towards other the children of God: becauſe indeed all other things are nothing without it. 1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. and where that is, there are all other graces, either as cauſes working it, and by it, or as effects and fruits thereof, comming from it: and therefore (as before we hauehave heard) it is called the fulfilling of the law; and the bond of perfection.
Our Sauiour alſo ſaith that vponupon theſe two commandements, Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy ſoule, with all thy ſtrength, and with all thy minde: and thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, hangeth the whole law and the Prophets. Mat. 22. 40 So that theſe two points, either as they are to be performed by vsus, or as they Note.be performed for vsus by our Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus, are the text (as it were) of all the reſt of the word of God: which is ſo excellent, that when Dauid had learned much thereof, yet he praieth the Lord to open his eyes that he might ſee the wonders of his law. Pſal. 119. 18. thereby nothing that the wonders of the law of God which he did ſee, he accounted in a manner as nothing, in reſpect of thoſe which he did deſire further to behold. So alſo in further commendation of the excellency of the ſaid law, he ſaith againe, Thy teſtimonies are wonderfull: therefore doth my ſoule keepe them. verſ. 129. If therefore the word of God be ſo excellent, is not that alſo excellent, that is the chiefe ſubiect matter thereof and whereunto all that is contained in the word, ſome way or other may well be referred?
Notwithſtanding, although this louelove be ſo excellent, yet it is not (as the papiſts blurt it out, and ſtoutly defend it) the forme of faith. For then ſhould it be a part of faith; yea, the chiefe part of faith, and that part without which faith ſhould hauehave no being at all, becauſe the forme doth giuegive being to that which is formed, and ſo it ſhould be no otherwiſe diſtinguiſhed from faith then as a part of faith it ſelfe, which is directly repugnant to that place, which they eſpecially plead for the magnifying of louelove: And now abideth faith, hope, and louelove, theſe three. 1. Cor. 13. 13. For in this place we ſee the Apoſtle as plainly to diſtinguiſh louelove from faith, as he doth diſtinguiſh hope: and to make theſe to be three. How could this be, if louelove were a part of faith? and if faith were no faith without louelove? Indeed there is no faith without louelove; but if therefore we ſhould make louelove to be the principall part of faith, we ſhould make many a mad concluſion.
Againe, louelove by the doctrine of the Papiſts, vponupon the former place, is better then faith. Can a part be better then the whole? Then it ſhould be better then it ſelfe with addition of another good thereunto.
LoueLove alſo is an effect of faith, as before we heard out of 1. Tim. 1. 5. therefore it cannot be the forme of faith. Laſt of al, by faith we meane faith in Ieſus Chriſt, and eueryevery mans beleeuing of the particular forgiueneſſe of his own ſinnes, and of his own particular ſaluation by Ieſus Chriſt. The louelove that is required of vsus, was in Adam before his fall, in whom there was no ſuch faith.
But to returne to the excellency of the louelove before ſpoken of: as we hauehave heard the louelove of the wicked to be very variable, and ſoone quenched, yea, turned oft times into extreme hatred, ſo the louelove of the children of God is moſt conſtant, and abideth to the end. LoueLove doth neuer fall away, though that prophecying be aboliſhed, or the tongues ceaſe, or knowledge vaniſh away. 1. Cor. 13. 8. The louelove of the children of God being ſincere without diſſimulation, Rom. 12. 9. well rooted and grounded, Epheſ. 3. 18. vponupon the word, and in Chriſt Ieſus, it is conſtant without wearineſſe, either in affection, or in action: Gal. 6 9. As God loueth to the end, whomſoeuer he loueth, Ioh. 13. 1. ſo his children walke in the ſteps of the ſame louelove: Epheſ. 5. 1. 2. To conclude this point, the more excellent this louelove is (a ſpeciall point wherein conſiſteth the matter of our regeneration) the more excellent alſo is the eſtate and condition of all the children of God ſo regenerated, in whom alone it is to be found.
The ſilly Cock doth ſometimes find an earthly pearle of great price in an earthly dunghill: and a foole may as ſoone as a wiſe man find a great iewell in the mire of the ſtreet: but this heauenly pearle and iewell of louelove, whereby we doe moſt reſemble God, and ſhew our ſelues to be borne of him, 1. Ioh. 4. 7. and whereby all men doe know vsus to be the diſciples of Christ, Ioh. 13. 35. This (I ſay) is not to be found in the dunghill and myry heart of naturall and vnregenerate men, that are only of the earth earthly: It is only to be found in the children of God, that are borne from aboue, and by their regeneration are from heauen heauenly, as he is into whom they are incorporated; whoſe hearts are ſanctified by the word, Ioh. 17. 17. and purified by faith, Acts 15. 9. as before we hauehave heard. Thus much of the louelove of God and men, peculiar only to the children of God: and ſo conſequently of the further dignity of the ſaid children of God thereby.