Concerning Ministers Meddling with State Matters in their Sermons, application · Section 14 – Section 15
Of the duty of Chriſtian love by it ſelfe.
Therefore as concerning the duty of Chriſtian Love, it cannot be ſuppoſed in probability, that any in the Miniſtery, or in any other charge amongſt Chriſtians, ſhould be ignorant of the nature therof; becauſe it is known to all that have been taught the firſt Principles of the knowledge of Chriſt, that the duty of Chriſtian love is two-fold: Firſt, the affection by which we cleave to God as to our Father in Chriſt: And next, the affection by which we embrace our neighbour for Gods ſake, as Chriſt hath embraced us. Now concerning our love to God, and friendſhip to Chriſt, it is evident that it ſtands onelyonly in this, That we keep the commandements of the Father, and that we doe whatſoever Chriſt doth enjoyne us to performe, John 15. 14. and 1 John 5. 5. whence it is further manifeſt, that to neglect the known will of God, and to ſet our ſelves in a courſe which is contrary to his commandements, is openly to renounce Chriſts friendſhip, and plainly to become a hater of God, and hatefull to him. And as for the commandement wherein God will have us to ſhew our love, and Chriſt our friendſhip to himſelf, it is known by all, to be none other but the Law of Love, whereof the whole ſubſtance hath been delivered unto us in the new commandement which Chriſt hath given us when he ſairh, John 13. 34, 35. A new Commandement I have given you, That ye love one another as I have loved you, that ye alſo love one another: by this ſhall all men know that ye are my Diſciples, if yee have love one to another. The true evidence then of our love towards God, is this, That we love the Brethren: For he that ſaith he loveth God, and hateth his brother, is a lyar, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 John 4. 20, 21. For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath ſeen, how can he love God whom he hath not ſeen? And this Commandement have we from him, That he that loveth God, love his brother alſo.
The end (for this alwayes is to be lookt upon as that which doth manifeſt the nature and property of every thing) of love, is to ſeek the good of that which is beloved; Now our goodneſſe Pſal. 16. 2, 3. 1 Cor. 10. 24. 1 Cor. 13. 5.cannot extend unto God, therefore God hath appointed us to beſtow that good which by us is communicable, upon men, our brethren, that beare his image: For love ſeeketh not his own, but the good of others. And in Chriſtian love the good which is to be ſought, and the way of ſeeking and imparting it unto others, is no where ſo diſcernable as in the example of Chriſts love unto us: for he procured and imparted unto us that which in it ſelfe was the onelyonly good; and to us that whereof we ſtood in greateſt need: For nothing it ſelf is good, but God, and that which advanceth his glory: Now we were ſeparate from God, and came ſhort of his glory, Rom. 3. 23. but Chriſt brought us neare unto him, and received us into his glory, Rom. 15. 7. Epheſ. 2. 13. Whence it is that the Apoſtle exhorts us, to receive one another, as Chriſt alſo received us to the glory of Goll, Rom. 5. 7. The end then and aim of Chriſtian love, doth tend to that good alone, which makes us partakers of Gods glory: for it aimes at the reall perception of Gods kindneſſe, of his mercy, of his truth, of his faithfulneſſe, and of all his goodneſſe towards us; that all may find it, and in the covenant of Grace through Ieſus Chriſt embrace it: for this is that glory whereinto Chriſt did receive us. As for the way of ſeeking and imparting this good unto others, we ſee by Chriſts example, a moſt excellent property of this love, that it doth humble and deny it ſelfe, and forſakes its own intereſts and conveniencies for the good of others, and that even to the utmoſt: For Chriſt through his love to us, though he was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equall with God, yet made himſelfe of no reputation, but took the ſhape of a Servant upon him, and became obedient even unto death, and laid down his life for us. Whence it is alſo, that we are exhorted by the Apoſtles, to have the ſame mind wich was in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil, 2. 7. And to lay down our lives for the Brethren, 1 John 3. 16.
We ſee then that the naturall properties, and proper acts of Chriſtian love, tend wholly to engage the heart firſt to a perfect obedience unto the will of God in all things, and then particularly to obey his will in this, That we ſhould procure the good of our neighbour, even as Jeſus Chriſt did procure for us that which was our good. Thus then through love to him, to doe to others that which he did to us, is the true Being of Chriſtian love.
Of the duty of Righteouſneſſe by it ſelfe.
As for the nature and proper acts of Righteouſneſſe, all do know, Firſt, that nothing can be accounted right in Chriſtianity, which is not conformable to a Rule. Secondly, that no ſuch Rule can be accounted abſolutely good, ſtraight and perfect, but Gods will, Rom. 12. 2. Thirdly, that this Will is revealed in his Word. And fourthly, that this Will and Word are the way of holineſſe, wherein we ought to walke with God: for without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee his face, Heb. 12. 14.1 John 4, 16. The proper act of righteouſneſſe therefore, is the ſtraightneſſe of our will in ſubordination unto Gods will, to walk with him. Now as God is Love, and he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him: ſo it followeth, that he that walketh in love, walketh with God, and God with him. Whence it is, that the whole Law is fulfilled in the duty of love; becauſe all the ſtraightneſſe of the ſpirit of man, is the integrity of his love, in ſubordination to the will of God So that as the law of love is found to be the main principle of righteouſneſſe, ſo all the acts of righteouſneſſe are nothing elſe but the fulfilling of this law. Whence it is that the proportion (which is the meaſure of the ſtraightneſſe) of all actions between Man and Man, is taken from the naturall principle of love which every one hath to himſelfe: for by the law we are commanded to love our neighbour as our ſelves, Levit. 19. 18. Matth. 22. 39. And Chriſt makes the Rule plainer to us when he ſaith, that all things whatſoever we would that men ſhould doe to us, we ſhould even likewiſe doe unto them, for this is the Law and the Prophets, Matth. 7. 12. And according to this Rule God ſhall right all things that are out of frame; for with what meaſure we mete unto others, it ſhall be meaſured unto us again, Matth. 7. 2. Now the cauſe why Love is the root of Righteouſneſſe, is, becauſe it engageth the affection to be harmleſſe, and to pay willingly unto others all things which are due unto them for their good. Whence it is alſo cleare, that hatred is the root of all unrighteouſneſſe, becauſe it engageth the affection to the quite contrary motions. Now as Righteouſneſſe is the daughter of Love; ſo it is the mother of Peaceableneſſe: for by giving to every one his due, contentedneſſe is begotten, which preventeth the cauſe of ſtrife, and maintaineth peace. So then the end of Righteouſneſſe is to direct our way to live with God by the uprightneſſe of our ſpirit and actions, in conformity to his will.
As concerning Peaceableneſſe, the nature and property of it, is inwardly, that quiet and meek diſpoſition of the mind, which is of great price in the ſight of God: and outwardly, that ſweetnes1 Pet. 3. 4. and gentlenes of the carriage towards men, which neither taketh nor giveth occaſion of offences.