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HAuing finished the Doctrine of Faith, let me adde a few things concerning Loue, which were deliuered from the same Text, 1 Iohn 3. 23. in my or∣dinary course one after another. This is the commandement of God, that wee beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Iesus Christ, and loue one an∣other. Which, seeing the holy Ghost hath ioyned together, as
two necessary & inseparable com∣panions; and that the duety of Loue is of so necessary vse in the course of our liues, I thought good to adde some things hereof to the former Treatise. The holy Ghost hauing had occasion in Verse 22. of that Chapter, to speak of the keepers of Gods comman∣dements, who are the parties whose prayers God will heare; now in this Verse, lest any should doubt and aske the question, But what be those commandements? he therefore names them, and orings them all to these two heads; Faith in Iesus Christ, and Loue to our brethren: and these he exhorts vnto, to beleeue in Christ Iesus, and to loue one another.
Now, in that the Apostle hath reduced to two heads all the commandements of God and our dueties, he hath mercifully pro∣uided for our weaknesse, and pre∣uented those carnall excuses
whereby most men cloake their ignorance and carelesse neglect of heauenly things: Oh, they be so dull to conceiue, and the Scrip∣tures so darke, and they haue such ill memories, and the Scrip∣ture so large, as they can make no worke of them; which is A∣dam-like, to turne the fault from themselues vpon God. As if they should say, If God had giuen vs shorter and plainer Scripture, and better wits and memories, wee would haue done great matters. But this is but the wickednesse and falshood of their hearts: for they can finde wit and memory enough for the world, their pro∣fits, pleasures, or lusts, and what they haue a minde to; and why should they not serue them for better things, if they would bend themselues thereto?
And God hath mercifully left vs so much of his Word, as is ne∣cessary to saluation, cleare and
plaine to euery humble & teach∣able heart, that seekes helpe of God by prayer, and is willing to be ruled thereby. Yea, hee hath gathered the whole into short summes; As the whole Law and will of God, so large and scatte∣red in the Scriptures, is referred to ten words, Deut. 10. 4. which are the ten commandements, de∣liuered by God, Exod. 20. and these ten referred to two, Matth. 22. 40. and these two to one, Galat. 5. 14.
So our whole direction con∣cerning Prayer, is in that short plat-forme called the Lords-pray∣er. So hath the Church of God since, out of the Apostles wri∣tings, gathered all the things we are to beleeue vnto eternall life, into twelue Articles. So hath God prouided in this lightsome, (and in that respect) blessed age of ours, abundance of good Books of the points and principles of
our Religion, some more large, some more briefe; Catechismes for euery bodies turne, that euen the dullest, and of worst memory, may come to the knowledge of God, themselues, and their due∣ties, and the things of saluation, if they bee not shamefully care∣lesse. So that the ignorance of the people of this Land (which yet is fearfully grosse, and more than any thinke for, but they that try it) is affected and wilfull; and therefore their condemnation will be (as more fearfull than of other Nations, so) most iust and inexcusable. It's lamentable to see how the precious time is spent with many, in sinfull courses and exercises; with most, in eager pursuit of the world, the profits, honours, and pleasures thereof, as if they were the necessary things, and end of our being here; when the meanes of the know∣ledge of God, and the things that
concerne our owne happinesse lye wofully neglected. Hath God after the long night of superstiti∣on, ignorance, and idolatry, that our Fore-fathers lay vnder, cau∣sed the day to arise, & the sun of Righteousnesse to shine so long vpon vs, and shall wee yet loue darknesse and not light, be igno∣rant, and grope at noone day? Hath God set vs vp with those precious meanes of grace and life, and giuen vs our full scope in them, when he hath denied them to Nations twenty times as great as our selues, and shall we make sleight of them? Oh how many vnder the tyrannie of Antichrist, that would skip at the crummes that fall from our tables, would aduenture their liues for the scraps and leauings of such things as we cast vnder our feet? They would and cannot; we may and will not: may we not iustly feare, lest God ere long snatch his
Word from vs, and bestow it vp∣on them, that will make better vse of it?
The Lord awaken the people of this Land, to know the day of their Visitation, and to vnder∣stand the things that belong to their peace, before the decree come forth, and it be too late.
Get knowledge and vnder∣standing, search the Scriptures, make vse of such good helpes as the time affords plentifully. Take our time: Say not, I am dull, I haue a bad memory. God hath taken away these pretences: therefore they will not goe for payment at that day.
Next, obserue, that Faith and Loue are ioyned together as two in∣separable companions: whereso∣euer one is, there is the other al∣so, and misse one misse both. He that hath Faith, must needs haue Loue; for Faith worketh by Loue, Gal. 5. Faith assuring vs of Gods
loue, to vs, makes vs loue God a∣gaine, and our neighbour for his sake, at his commandement, and for his Image that is in him.
And wheresoeuer true Loue is, there certainly Faith hath gone before; these can be no more se∣uered than sunne and light, good tree and fruit. As for that, 1 Cor. 13. If I had all Faith, and haue no Loue, I am a sounding brasse, and tinkling cymball: it's to be vnder∣stood of the greatest measure of the Faith of miracles, which in∣deed might be seuered from that of Loue, as in Iudas; not meant of iustifying Faith, of which before in the Treatise of Faith.
This may bee comfortable to many humble soules, that vnfai∣nedly loue God (as appeares by good signes) that loue his Word, Ordinances, and their Neigh∣bours; but Saints especially, and yet doubt whether they haue any Faith or no: they may as well
doubt whether the sunne be risen, when they see the beames therof shine in at their window. It's im∣possible to haue Loue, till we haue Faith wrought in vs, which is the mother-grace; as impossible, as to haue good fruit without a tree for it to grow vpon.
2. This on the contrary, wit∣nesseth fearfully against the peo∣ple of England, and the most part euery where, that there is no Faith among them, seeing Loue is so scarce and hard to bee found. The manifold idle and malicious wilfull suites in Law, the many contentions, brawlings, raylings, and fallings out for trifles, doe shew there is but a little loue. So much oppression, cruelty, extor∣tion, bribery, symonie, such rac∣king and rending, euery man for himselfe, not caring who sinke, so hee swimme; so much deceit in bargainings and dealings, in buy∣ings and sellings, as one knowes
scarce whom to beleeue, euery one spreads a net for his neigh∣bour, to catch him if he can: such couetous pinching, neglect of gi∣uing where cause is, of free lend∣ing, by reason of vsurious lend∣ing, and innumerable such cour∣ses as these, doe cry out with a loud voice, that Loue is but rare. Such neglect of duety to others soules, so few regarding to admo∣nish, reproue, exhort, comfort, when, and where there is neede, few able, fewer willing: Besides, so little loue to the Saints and true seruants of God. All these beare witnesse strongly, that Loue is wanting; and therefore, cer∣tainly, that there is no Faith: which where it is, cannot but shew it selfe by true Loue in the fruits thereof. Let men there∣fore, whosoeuer they be, keepe silence concerning Faith, except they can proue it by their Loue; which while they liue in the quite
contraries thereto, they can ne∣uer doe.
Next, whereas Faith and Loue being ioyned together, yet Faith is set in the first place, note, that though in regard of time, they be wrought together in the soule, yet in order of nature, Faith goes first, vniting vs to Christ, from whom are deriued into vs, Loue, and all other graces.
First, this confutes that Popish assertion, That Loue informeth Faith, or giues a being vnto it; which cannot be, since Faith is before it. It declares and makes Faith manifest where it is, and proues the soundnesse and truth of it, but giues no forme or being thereto.
2▪ This sheweth, that where Faith is not, there it's impossible Loue should be; therefore an vn∣beleeuing man or woman, neither doth, nor can loue God or their Neighbour: which is a fearfull
thing to be spoken, and yet most true: Therefore, Lord, how should it awaken such (which are the greatest part) to labour ear∣nestly after this grace of Faith! get this and get all; and so on the contrary.
3 Lastly, let none of those that are about the worke of Faith, hold off, and say, If I could loue God as I would, and my Neigh∣bour as I should, then I could be∣leeue: Nay, rather know, that you must first beleeue, and then you shall be able to loue God and your Neighbour.
Obiect. But here some may ob∣iect, that whereas the Apostle hath brought all our dueties to these two, Faith in Christ, and Loue to our Neighbour; that this is defectiue, for as much as the Loue of God, which is the chiefe of all, is left out.
Answ. We are to know, that it's not left out, but necessarily
included in the loue of our neigh∣bour, from whence that doth proceed: for as hee that loues God, cannot but loue his neigh∣bour, so no man can loue his neighbour truely, in whom the loue of God is not wrought, for whose Image, and at whose com∣mandement he loueth him, 1▪ Ioh. 5. 2.
Vse.
Vse.