CHAP. IV. The second Argument
CHAP. IV. The second Argument.
A rgum. 2. That Doctrine is not true nor of God which teacheth men to renounce all Christian Love and Works of Christian Love, towards most of the Christians upon earth: But so doth the Doctrine of Popery; therefore it is not of God.
If their Error were merely speculative, it were the less; but here we see the fruits of it, and whither it tends. The major Proposition is plainly proved from Joh. 13:35. [By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if ye have love one to another.] Col. 1:4. It must be a [Love to all the Saints.] 1
Thess. 4:9. But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you, for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.]
This special Love is the Commandment of Christ, the new Commandment; without this, no man can be a Lover of God, nor be loved of him as a Member of Christ, as you may see, 1 John 3:11,12,14,23, and 4:7,8,11,12,20,21; 2 Joh. 5, Joh. 13:34, and 15:12,17; 1 Pet. 1:22. He that loveth not a Christian as a Christian, with a special love you may see in these Texts is none of the Sons of God. And that the Papists teach men to
deny this special Christian Love to most Christians in the world, I prove.
They that teach men to take most true Christians in the world for no true Christians, but for Heretics or ungodly persons that shall be damned, do teach them to deny the special love and works of love to most true
Christians: But thus do the Papists; therefore, &c. How can a man love him as a Christian or a godly man, whom he must take to be no Christian, or an ungodly man? Its true they may yet love them as Creatures, and so they must the Devils; and they may love them as men, and so they must the Turks and Heathens: But no man can love him as a member of Christ, whom he believes to be no member of Christ, but of the Devil. And all
Papists are bound to this uncharitableness by their Religion, even by the Pope and general Council. And so as Christ bindeth his servants to Love one another with a special Love; so the Pope and Council bind the Papists not to love the most true Christians with a special Christian love: they cannot do it without being Heretics themselves, or overthrowing the foundation of Popery.
And here you have a taste of the Popish Charity, when they boast above all things of their Charity. I must profess, it is their horrible inhumane uncharitableness that seems to me their most enormous crime. And also you may see here the extent of their Good works, which they so much Glory in.
He that is bound not to love me as a Christian, is bound to do nothing for me as a Christian. So that they will not give a cup of cold water to a Disciple in the name of a Disciple, unless he be also a Disciple of the Pope: nor can they love or relieve Christ in his servants, when they are bound to take them as none of his servants: and so the special Love and Charity of a Papist extendeth to none but those of their own Sect: and such a Charity the Quakers, and Anabaptists, and Familists have as eminently as they. Let
them take heed lest they hear, In as much as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.