The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good workes, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three severall texts, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

THE SECOND SERMON.

GALLAT. 5.6.

For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.

THE last tryall of our love to Christ was its constraining vertue, love will constraine you to serve him, you cannot choose but doe it, it so constraines a man, as the weight of a stone compelleth it to goe to the center, as the lightnesse of the fire compells it to ascend up: for such a thing is love, a strong inclination of the heart, when the soule puts it selfe on any thing from an inward principle, from a bottome of its owne, when it is carried on with no other motive but the amiablenes of the object.

Now to conclude this, wee must beseech you to consider your owne condition, and examine your selves by these rules, that you may be able to say as Peter said, Lord thou knowest I love thee: that is, to have such an assurance, that your hearts may be well affected towards Christ Iesus, that you may love him, that you may be able to say to God, who knowes our hearts, searcheth our reines, that knowes all the windings and turnings of your soules, Lord thou knowest that I love thee. Since it is a matter of such moment, wee should be carefull to examine, if we finde that we have not yet this love: for we must know, that all that we have, all that we doe, it will nothing availe us, but faith which worketh by love. And if you object, why doe ye preach damnation to us? doe you tell us we are in an evill condition for want of this love? I answere, it is profitable for you, while you are in such a condition, to have it preached, it is good for you to speake this dam∣nation to your selves, that while yet there is hope you may seek to be healed, that you may be trans∣lated into another condition, that you may not perish in the evill day, when there shalbe neither hope nor helpe for you. For you must know, that when wee deliver you these signes of examining your selves, our end is not to grieue you, this do∣ctrine tends not to destruction, but to discover to you your owne hearts, that you may know your owne condition, that if you want it, you may seek after it. If therefore you finde a want of this love, that we will doe next, shall be to shew you what

reason you have to love the Lord Iesus: for there is no better way to get it in you, than to describe him to you, to shew you what cause there is of loving him: if wee were able to present him to you as he is, we should effect this thing, but that must be the worke of the holy Ghost; notwith∣standing we will briefly open to you such rea∣sons as we finde used in the Scriptures.

[unspec 1] And first, let this moue you to loue him, that he is worthy to be beloved, as David speakes, Psal. 18.3. The Lord is worthy to be praised: so wee may say, the Lord is worthy to be loved: for what is it that makes any thing worthy of loue, it is the excellency that we finde there. Now in the Lord there is all kinde of excellency: whatso∣ever there is that is amiable under the Sunne, all that you shall finde in him more abundantly: If ever you see any thing in any creature, any thing amiable in man, if ever you saw any beauty, any vertue, any excellency, all these must be more a∣bundant in him that made these creatures. And therefore if you haue a loue, as there is no man without some loue or other, some creature seemes beautifull to you, thinke with your selues, this is more in the Lord. If ever you see excellency in any man, if ever you see any noblenesse, any ho∣linesse, any excellency of disposition, know that it is more abundant in the Lord Iesus: Let these rivers leade you to that Ocean, to that abundance of excellency that is in the Lord. And if you loue any creature, let it be with a little loue, let your affection be proportionable to the object; as it

exceedes in the Lord, so let your loue exceede to∣wards him, to loue him with all your soule and all your strength: And know this, that hee hath not onely that in an omnipotent manner, that is but sprinkled among the creatures, they haue but a sparke, but a drop of it; but also there is this in the Lord, that there is nothing in him but that which is amiable: every creature hath some im∣perfection in it, there is somewhat in it may cause aversation in you, there is no man but hath some weaknesse, but hath some infirmity, there is no creature but it hath some want, some defect in it: but in the Lord there is no want, there is nothing to put you off; but as the Church saith, Cant. 5. He is wholly delectable: that is, there is nothing in him but that which is amiable. That would be a very profitable thing for us in this case often to thinke on the Lord Iesus, to present him to our selues in our thoughts, as the Spouse doth, Cant. 5. shee considers her wellbeloved is the fairest of ten thousand: so wee should beholde the person of our husband. You know it is but a harlottry loue to consider what wee haue by our husband, to consider what riches he brings, what honour, and not often to contemplate upon his person, and upon his vertue and excellency: wee should learne to doe this with the Lord, that wee may loue him. Therefore that wee may helpe you a little in this contemplation, wee will shew you how the Lord hath described himselfe: Exod. 34.4. when the Lord describes himselfe to Mo∣ses, thus he declares his owne name, The Lord Ie∣hovah,

strong, mercifull, gracious, long-suffering, a∣bundant in kindnesse and in truth, reserving mercies for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sinne, &c. Wee will a little open to you this de∣scription that the Lord giues us of himselfe, that so you may learne to know what hee is; for the way to loue the Lord is to know him: and indeed therefore we loue him not, because we know him not; there is no other reason, why in heaven, when we shall come to be present with him, wee shall loue him so abundantly, but because wee shall know him face to face; that is the reason the Angels and the Saints loue most: And of e∣very man amongst the Saints hee that knowes most loues most. Therefore it should be your la∣bour to know the Lord. But to open, as I say, this description unto you,

First, he is Iehovah, that is, hee is a constant friend to whomsoever he is a friend, he is alway the same; for that is another name, by which the Lord describes himselfe to Moses, when he sends him to Aegypt, I am that I am, saith hee, say, I am hath sent me: I take this word, that it comes from the same roote, Iehovah is described by that I am, and by that it is best understood, when the Lord calls himselfe I am, whereas every man may say, I was, and I shall be, this every creature may say; but the Lord saith, I am: that is, whatsoever the Lord was from eternity, the same he is to eterni∣ty, there is no change in him: And that is a great excellency in him that may moue us exceeding∣ly to loue him. You know when we meete with

a friend that is constant, that hath no alteration in him, that is a sure friend, haue him once and haue him for ever, it sets a higher price on him. When we can consider what the Lord is, that he hath dealt thus and thus with us, that he hath lo∣ved us; and when we consider he is constant in it, that he embraceth them with the sure mercies of David, as they are called; that is, his compassions faile not, but when hee hath once begun to loue, hee loues for ever: it is not so with men, if they loue us at one time, they forget us againe, as the Butler forgot Ios••ph; when they are in prosperity they forget us, but the Lord knowes us in all our conditions; thou hast knowne my soule in adver∣sitie. When we are in a strait, friends oft times are backward to helpe us, but the Lord in such an exigent he is the same; he appeares in the Mount when there is no helpe in man; I say, this con∣stancy, that God is alway the same to us, that his mercies are sure, for they are called the sure mer∣cies of David. He shewed mercies to Saul too, but they were another kinde of mercies; Saul was not one that he had chosen to himselfe, and therefore his mercies continued not, for indeed hee never loved Saul with that unchangeable loue: But when he loues any man as he loved David, his mercies are sure as they were to David. David was ready to step aside often as well as Saul, hee let Saul goe, but he carried David along, they were sure mercies: and such hee shewes to all those that he hath begun to loue. That is the first, I am, or Iehovah.

Secondly, he is strong, Iehovah, strong, mercifull and gracious, &c. that is, Almighty. What is the meaning of that, that he is almighty? The mea∣ning of it is this, that the Lord hath all the excel∣lencies; those which we call graces and vertues, and qualities in men, all these abound in the Lord; for what serues any vertue for, or any quality that you haue, but to enable you to doe something: if a man haue any science or art, that is but to enable him to doe that which without it he cannot doe: if a man hath the art of Arithme∣tique, he is able to number, or if he haue the art of Logicke, he is able to dispute: come to all mo∣rall vertues, What is temperance, but that which enableth us to doe such and such things up∣pon such and such occasions? What is pa∣tience, but that which enableth us to endure af∣flictions? So all that is excellent in man, all those amiable, those beautifull qualities wherewith the soule is adorned, are but so farre good as they enable a man to doe this or that. Now when the Lord is said to be almighty, the meaning is, hee hath all excellency in him, and hee hath it in the highest degree, for in this sense God is able to doe more than any man, in regard of excellency; whatsoever a man is able to doe, you know how infinitely the Lord hath it beyond him, he is able to doe so much more as he is beyond any man: For that power, that attribute, that quality that is in man, it is not a quality in him, he hath it be∣yond any man. Againe, when a man is able to doe one thing, yet he is not able to doe another, one creature is able to doe this, another that: But

the Lord is Almightie, therefore he is able to doe all things. And therefore this is a kind of ex∣cellencie, that is the second description, he is Ie∣hovah, and he is Almightie.

But now when you heare that the Lord is thus constant, and thus exceeding in excellencie, a man will be ready to say, what is this to me? I am a sinfull man, there is nothing in me but that which may turne away the Lord from me, and cause him to abhorre me: Well saith he, to comfort you, know that I am mercifull, exceeding pittifull, ex∣ceeding ready to forgiue, though your sinnes bee exceeding many, though they bee exceeding great, yet the Lord he is mercifull: he is ready to passe by all those infirmities. And that is ano∣ther of his excellencies. You know we reckon it a very amiable thing in a man when we see him pittifull. This doth more abound in the Lord, than in any creature, there is no man in the world so ready to forgive as God. If he were not God, if he were as man, my brethren, could hee beare with us as he doth? Let us doe to a man injuries, and injuries againe and againe, and never give o∣ver, what man can beare it, doth he not in the end withdrawe himselfe, and will no more be recon∣ciled? But it is not so with the Lord, when wee have done all, Yet returne to me, saith the Lord, Ier. 3.2. Well, but if we haue such sinnes in us, sup∣pose the Lord is mercifull and ready to forgive, but yet there is no goodnes in us, wee haue no∣thing in us why he should regard us, and why he should looke after us: To that it is answered, the

Lord is gracious, that is, though there bee no worth found in you, yet he is ready to doe you good: as grace you know is proper to a Prince or a great man, that is sayd to be gracious to his sub∣ject, or to one that is very inferiour, because hee can doe nothing to deserue it, it is called grace, for grace you knowe is nothing but freenes, and to be gracious is to doe things freely, when there is no motiue, no wages, when there is nothing to winne him, but of free grace he doth it. So the Lord doth what he doth of his free grace, he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, that is, when all men did stand before him alike, though there were nothing, when there was no cause why the Lord should regard them more than an other, yet He will haue mercy on whome he will haue mercy, that is, he is gracious, though there be nothing in us to winne that love at his hands. Well, but yet wee may be readie to object, it is true, the Lord hath been thus to me, he hath ben very merciful to for∣giue me my sinnes, he hath beene very gracious to me to shew me favour when I never deserved it, but after, I was put into such a condition, I provoked him to anger by relapsing into sinne againe and againe after I have been in a good e∣state, I have broken the covenant with him, I continued not in that good estate that out of his mercy he hath put me into.

To this he answers, He is long suffering, that is, though you provoke him out of measure, though you have done it againe and againe, he continues patient, you cannot wearie him out, but his mer∣cy

indures for ever: you know that if there were an end of his mercy, that on your sinning, hee should give over to be mercifull, his mercy did not indure for ever, therefore it is said, He is long suffering, because though your sinnes be often re∣peated, yet the Lord as often repeates his mercy, therefore there is a multitude of mercyes in him, as there is a multitude of sinnes in you, there is a spring of mercy in him, that is renued every day, he opens a spring for Iudah & Ierusalem to wash in, it is not a Cesterne but a Spring, that is renewed as much as your sinnes, that as you are defiled daily, so the Lords mercy is renewed to wash away those sinnes, he is long suffering. But besides all this he goes yet one step further; he is abundant in kindnes and in truth, that is, if you would know the Lord yet further, whereas you may thinke He is a terrible God, because of his great Majestie, and power, and therefore that those disharten you, as wheresoever you find terriblenesse, that (you know) puts off, it is contrary to love: and there∣fore the Lord to winne us the more, tells us: that though he be so great a God as he is, yet he is a∣bundant in kindnesse, that is, He is exceeding ready to beare with us, that looke what you finde in a kinde Husband, in a kinde Father, or in a kinde friend, that you shall find in the Lord, he is exceeding kinde to you, he is not harsh, he is not stiffe, he is not ready to obserue all that you doe amisse, if you will aske any thing at his hands, if you want it, (as therein kindnes doth consist) he is ready to doe it, whatsoever it is, he is a God hearing pray∣er,

he saith, whatsoever you aske at his hands he will doe it, can you have a greater kindnesse than this? if kindnesse be an attractive to winne love, hee is kinde, and hee is abundant in it. If you will not beleeve this assertion, this af∣firmation, this description of himselfe, hee tells you he hath promised, and he will be as good as his word, he is abundant in truth, that is as if hee should say, I am not onely of such a nature and disposition as I have described my selfe to be, but besides this I am engaged to you, you have many promises I have made you, I have sworne I will doe thus and thus: Therefore I will adde this to this disposition, I am abundant in truth, that is, you shall finde me as good as my word; and not so onely, but I will be better than my word: I am abundant in truth: that is, his performances exceede, they runne over, whatsoever hee hath said, he will surely doe it. Consider this, consi∣der how many precious promises you have, con∣sider what the Lord hath said hee will doe for you, how full is the Scripture of promises every where; remember this, the Lord is abundant in truth, he will doe them and overdoe them, hee will fulfill every word that hee hath said. And that he may give you a proofe of it, he addes, that he reserves mercy for thousands, that shewes hee is abundant in kindnesse and in truth: as if hee should say, when any of you doe mee ser∣vice, when you are faithfull as Abraham my ser∣vant was, I am bound no more but to reward your selves, but I am abundant in mercy and for∣givenesse,

reserving mercy for thousands: The Lord cannot content himselfe to doe good to a mans owne person, but to his children, to his ge∣neration. As David when he loved Barzillay and Ionathan, it extended to their posterity, when his love was abundant: so the Lord reserves mercie for thousands.

Lastly, because the objection still comes in when you have such a description of the Lord: I but my sinnes are still repeated; hee addes in the conclusion, he is a God still forgiving iniquitie, transgression and sinne. Why are those three words put in? That you may know that hee forgives sinnes of all sorts; for every man is ready to finde some peculiarity in his sinnes, hee thinkes such and such sinnes cannot be forgiven, sinnes that I have committed thus and thus: Nay, saith the Lord, what sinnes soever they are, of what na∣ture soever, he forgives iniquity, he forgives na∣turall corruption, he forgives lesse infirmities, he forgives greater rebellions; and he is still doing it, for so the word signifieth, hee is still and still forgiving iniquity, transgression and sinne. So we have shewed you what the Lord is, that you may learn to know him: therfore we wil conclude this first, and say to you as the Spouse saith, Cant. 5. Such a one is the Lord, and such a one is our wellbeloved, oh you daughters of Ierusalem, that is, he is wholly delectable: if we were able to shew him to you, it must be your labour to consider him, that you may learne to know him, and to love him.

Secondly, when you know this and consider what the Lord is, and what excellency is in him, consider in the next place the greatnesse of the Lord, and know that this great God is suiter to you for your love, that is, he that makes towards you: If a great King, or if your potent neighbour should sue to you for love, would not that move you? You know the weaker should seeke to the stronger, men of meaner condition should seeke to him of higher place; when the great God be∣seecheth us to be reconciled to him, when hee desires to be at peace with us, and to be friends with us, I say, the greatnesse of God is a great argument to move us to love him: as you have that Deut. 10.17. when the Lord reasons there with the people to perswade them to love him, saith hee, I am the God of Gods, the Lord of Lords, mighty and terrible: as if he should say; this great God hath done all this for you: and this he re∣quires at thy hands, that thou shouldest love him, when he shall desire but this, refuse it not. If one that we contemne, one that is beneath us should seeke our love, we are not so ready to returne love againe, for we say he is below: But when we consider God in his majesty and greatnesse, that he should seeke to be reconciled to us, that should move us, that should win our hearts to him

Besides, consider what the Lord might have required of you; you know you are his creatures, you know what a distance there is betweene the Lord and you, if he had put you on a harder task, you ought to have done it, if he had said to us,

you shall offer your children to me in sacrifice, you shall give your owne bodies to be burned, you shall be my slaves, who could have said any thing to that, for he is the Lord, the great God, our soveraigne Creatour: But now when the Lord comes and askes no more at our hands but this, you shall love mee, will you deny it him? This is effectually urged in the same Chapter, Deut. 10.14. where Moses (marke the manner of urging it) had described to them what the Lord had done for them, that hee had brought them into that good land, &c. And now, saith he, what doth the Lord require of thee for all this, but onely this, that thou love the Lord thy God? As if hee should say, the Lord might aske much more at thy hands; if he had, thou hadst no reason to de∣ny it; but all that hee requires is that thou love him: and wilt thou denie this unto him?

Besides, consider who it is that hath planted this loue in the heart, is it not the Lord that giues thee this very affection? And when he calls for this love againe at thy hands, doth hee call for more than his owne? Shall hee not gather the grapes of his owne Vineyard? and shall he not eate the fruite of his owne Orchard? Hath not hee planted in us these affections? and ought they not to be returned to him, to serve him and to pitch on him?

Besides consider, you are engaged to love the Lord, and that should be a great motive to us: in Iosh. 24.12. You are witnesses that you have chosen the Lord this day to serve him: And they said, we are

witnesses: that is Iosuahs speach to the people: As if hee should say to them, you are not now to choose, you are now engaged, you cannot goe backe, you have professed you have chosen the Lord to serve him, therefore you are witnesses a∣gainst your selves. So I may say to every man that heares mee, you are engaged to love the Lord: Why? Because you have chosen him for your husband, you are baptized in his name, you have taken him for your Master, and for your Fa∣ther, therefore he may challenge it at your hands as right, for he is your Father: and where is his honour then? He is your Master, and where is his feare then? That is, you are engaged, he may challenge it justly, you are his, hee hath bought you, yea he hath overbought you, hee hath paid a price more worth than we, hee hath bought us with his blood: And what hath hee bought us for but to be his, that is, to love him? Therefore when we love him not, wee robbe God of our selves, we doe an unnaturall thing, it is treache∣ry and injustice in us. As you know, it is one thing in a woman that is free from an husband to neglect a man that is a friend, but when she hath engaged her selfe, and the match is made, now it is adultery: So every one of us that loves not the Lord, sinnes the more, because he is engaged to him: Deut. 32.13, Thou forsookest the strong God of thy salvation, thou forsakest him to whom thou art engaged, he is the strong God of thy salvati∣on, he hath done thus and thus for thee. There∣fore consider this, for seeing you have such an

affection as love is, you must bestow it some∣where, somewhat you must love: and you must know againe it is the best thing you have to be∣stow, for that commands all in you; and where will you bestow it? Can you finde any creature upon whom to bestow it rather than the Lord? Will you bestow it upon any man? The Lord exceedes them, as David saith, Who among the gods is like thee? That is, take the most excellent among them, that therefore are reckoned as gods, yet who among them is like unto thee? or whom will you bestow your love upon, your wealth, or your pleasures or your phantasies? You must thinke the Lord will take this exceeding evill at your hands, that you should bestow this affection elsewhere than on him whom you are engaged unto, to whom you are bound so much, who hath done so much for you.

But that which moves us most is particulars, if a man consider what the Lord hath done for him in particular, remember what passage hath beene betweene the Lord and you from the be∣ginning of your youth. Ier. 2. Neither said they where is the Lord that brought you out of the land of Egypt through the wildernesse: I remember thee from the land of Egypt, &c. That is, let a man consider Gods particular dealing with him, for when the Lord would stirre up David, and melt his heart, and bring it to a kindly sorrow for his sinnes, he takes that course: 2 Sam. 12.7. it is Nathans speech to him, saith he, Did not the Lord doe thus and thus? Did hee not make thee King of Iudah and

Israel? Did not he give thy Masters wives and thy Masters houses into thy bosome? And if that had not been enough, he would have done thus and thus. So let every man recount the particular kindnes∣ses and mercies he hath received from the Lord; and when we consider that it is he that doth all, that it is he that feedes us, that it is he that clothes us, we have not a nights sleepe but he gives it to us, we have not a blessing but it is from his hand, there is not a judgement that wee escape but it is through his providence: I say the consideration of these particulars should be as so many sparkes, to breede in us a flame of love towards the Lord, to thinke with your selves when you have done all, how unreasonable a thing it is, how unequall a thing that you should forget this God, that you should never thinke on him, that you should not love him, hee that hath done thus much for you.

And last of all consider, that the Lord loves you, for that is the greatest motive to winne us to love him; for as fire begets fire, so love begets love. This was the cause that Paul loved the Lord, Gal. 2.20. He that loved mee, and gaue him∣selfe for me, saith he, I will not live any more to my selfe, but to him, he hath loved me, and gave himselfe for me, he hath loved me: and there was that testimony of his love, hee gave himselfe. I say consider this love of the Lord, and let this beget in you a reciprocall affection towards him: Put all together, and consider the Lord is wor∣thy to be beloved, that he that is so great sues to you for your love, that he that is God, that plan∣ted

that love in your hearts, and therefore hee doth but call for his owne, that hee that hath done you so many kindnesses, that you are so en∣gaged to him, that you are now bound unto, you are not now to chuse; at the least come to this, to say hee is worthy to be beloved, bring your hearts to this, to desire to love him.

You will say, we may desire long enough, but how shall we be able to doe it?

I will tell you in a word, and so conclude. First, you must pray for it, it is a lovely suite, when we come to the Lord and tell him, that we desire to love him, that we would faine doe it if [unspec 1] we could, and beseech him not to deny us that request, that we know is according to his will: doe you thinke that the Lord will refuse you in that case, especially if you begge it importunate∣ly at his hands?

For if you object and say, we have prayed and have not obtained it; know, that to love the Lord is a precious thing: and therefore the Apostle reckons it so.

You will say, How doth this prayer doe it? I say that it doth it partly by obtaining at Gods hands; for when you crie earnestly, hee cannot denie you: But as he did with the lame and the blinde when they were importunate, hee never neglected any but healed them. When you crie to the Lord, and say, I would faine love thee, but I cannot, will hee not be as willing to heale thy soule, to give thee legges to runne after him, and eyes to see him, as he was to heale the lame

and the blinde, certainly he will not denie thee.

[unspec 2] But besides that, prayer doth it, because it brings us to converse and to have communion with him; by prayer wee are familiar with God, by that meanes love growes betweene us: as you know when you converse with men, it is a means to get love.

[unspec 3] Againe, prayer doth it, because when wee are much in calling upon God, the Lord delights to shew himselfe to such a man, yea at such a time, for the most part, as hee shewed himselfe to Christ when he was praying, as he did to Moses, and to Cornelius and others.

[unspec 4] And againe, prayer it exerciseth this love, it blowes up the sparke of this love, and makes a flame of it; therefore much prayer begets much love: If you would be abundant in love, be fer∣vent and frequent in this dutie of prayer, pray much and you shall finde this effect of it, it will beget love in you: You will say prayer is a gene∣rall meanes for other things: Why doe you put it as a peculiar meanes to get love?

The reason is, because love in an especi∣all manner is a gift of the Spirit, a fruite of the holie Ghost; and it is true, it must be a peculiar worke of the Spirit to beget love. It is true, faith comes by hearing, and hearing begets faith, it is done likewise by the Spirit; but love is more pe∣culiarly than other graces, the gift of the holie Ghost. And therefore 2 Thess. 4. saith the Apo∣stle, You are taught of God to love one another: That is, it is such a thing as God teacheth, or else our

teaching will never doe it: that which he saith of love to the brethren, we may say of the love of God; the Lord hath put love into man, man loves many times, and knowes not why, many times he hath reason that he should love, and yet he cannot, because it is a peculiar gift of God. That naturall affection for a man to love his chil∣dren, all the world cannot doe it, all the argu∣ments in the world cannot perswade a man: for if arguments could doe it, we might perswade o∣thers to doe so; but none can love so as the father doth his childe: and why? but because the Lord workes that in men. So the love of God is a pe∣culiar worke of the holy Ghost, none are able to love Iesus, but hee in whom the Lord hath wrought it, in whom the holy Ghost hath plan∣ted this affection: Therefore the way to get it is earnestly to pray, to acknowledge the power of the holy Ghost, to goe to him, and say, Lord I am not able to doe it: this acknowledgement of the power of the holy Ghost is the way to pre∣vaile. Besides, you know the power of God is so transcendent beyond the pitch of our nature, that except the holy Ghost worke more than nature, we shall never be brought together in agreeable∣nesse and sutablenesse, wee are no more able to love the Lord, than colde water is able to heate it selfe: there must be somewhat to breede heate in that water, so the holy Ghost must breed that fire of love in us, it must be kindled from heaven, or else we shall never have it.

Secondly, another speciall meanes to enable

you to love the Lord,2 is to consider your owne condition, to consider your sinnes, what you are, what hearts you have, and what lives you have lead?

You will say, how doth this beget love?

Yes, this is a great meanes: Mary loved much, because much was forgiven her, that is, Mary Magdalen had great sense of her sinnes, the Lord had opened her eyes to see what a one shee had beene, what sinnes she had committed: And be∣cause she had that sense of her sinnes, her eyes were open to see her owne vilenesse: thence it is, saith he, she loved much. For when we are hum∣ble and poore in spirit, when we are little in our owne eyes, then the Lord will come and shew mercy on us; when a man shall see his sinne, and shall thinke with himselfe, I am worthy to be de∣stroyed, I can expect nothing but death, then the Lord shall come sodainly as it were, and shall tell us you shall live, and shall reconcile himselfe to us, this will command love. We shall never re∣ceive the Gospell as to love Christ, till we come to poverty of spirit, till we be thus humbled: as in the first of Luke, it is the speech of Mary, My soule doth magnifie the Lord: and why? because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaiden: When she was little in her owne eyes, and made no account of her selfe, and thought not her selfe worthy to be looked after, the Lord comes and takes her, and vouchsafes her such an honour as to cause his owne Sonne to be borne of her: now she could not holde, but that was it that enflamed

her heart with love to the Lord, my soule doth magnifie the Lord, because he had respect to the poore estate of his handmaid: So wee see in Da∣vid, you never finde a greater expression of love in David, than at that time when hee was most humbled, when the Prophet came to him and tolde him what the Lord would doe for him, that he would build him and house; David begins to consider what he was, what is David, saith he, What am I, or what is my fathers house? That is, I am but a poore miserable man, I am but thus borne, what have I done that the Lord should re∣spect me so farre? If David had not beene so little and so vile in his owne eyes, those great mercies had never so wrought on his heart. And therefore I say, the way to make us abundant in love is to consider our sinnes, to be humbled, to consider what wee are, and to conceive from thence the kindnesse of the Lord: you know how it affected Saul when hee came into the hands of David, that he had power to kill him, he conside∣red what he had done to Dauid, how he had used himselfe to him, and he saw Dauids kindnesse a∣gaine to him, but unexpected and undeserved it was, it melted his heart, it dissolved him into teares. So the love of the Lord, when we consi∣der how we have behaved our selves to him, and yet he hath offered us peace, and yet he saith, Re∣turne and I will forgive you, I say, this would worke on the hardest heart: And therefore con∣sider your sinnes, it is not enough to say I am a sinner, perhaps you are ready to doe so: But come

to particular sinnes, consider wherein you have offended the Lord, say you have done thus and thus, as Paul reasons with himselfe, I was a blas∣phemer, I was a persecuter, an oppressour, and yet the Lord had mercy on mee: so be ready to say, I have committed such and such sinnes, it may be un∣cleannesse, it may be Sabbath-breaking and swea∣ring, &c. yet the Lord hath beene mercifull or willing to receive me to mercy: as that place, Ier. 3.1. If a mans wife play the harlot, will hee returne to her? No, he will put her away, and give her a Bill of Divorcement: but you have done it, and done it oft, and with many lovers; and yet re∣turne againe to mee, saith the Lord: So I say, when Christ shall come to you, when you have committed such and such sinnes, and the Lord shall say to you, though you have done this, though you have done it often, yet returne again to me, and I will receive you to mercie: I say, this should melt our hearts, and cause us to love the Lord. I should come to the third, that is, to beseech the Lord to shew his owne selfe to you:3 for indeede wee shall never come to love him till the Lord shew himselfe to us. It is one thing when we preach him to you, and it is ano∣ther when the Lord shewes himselfe: For as the Sunne is not seene but by his owne light, there is no way in the world to see the Sunne, all the candles, all the torches cannot doe it, except the Sunne shew it selfe: So I say of the Lord, all the Preachers in the world, though they should speake with the tongues of Angels, they were

not able to shew the Lord Christ Iesus what hee is: but if the Lord shew his owne selfe to you, if he open the cloud and shew you his glory, and the light of his countenance, then you shall know the Lord after another manner than we can shew him to you, with another knowledge more effe∣ctually: And when you have seene him thus, you shall love him, without this you shall not love him. And therefore pray the Lord to shew himselfe to you, as it was Moses prayer, Exod. 33, Shew me thy glory. What is that? That is, Lord shew me thy excellency which is exceeding glo∣rious: You must thinke Moses asked not this in vaine, it was for some purpose, hee asked not meerely to satisfie his fancie, for the Lord would not then have heard him: But what did he aske it for? Surely that he might love the Lord the more, by knowing him better. And when Moses came to aske it at the hands of the Lord, he did assent, he proclaimed, that is, hee revealed him∣selfe more than ever he did before. So I say to every one of you, if you be earnest with the Lord, desire him to shew you his excellencie, that you might love him more, serve him more, and feare him more, he could deny you no more than he did Moses: for you must thinke, that this is no extraordinary thing for the Lord to shew himselfe. That which hee did miraculously to Stephen, when he opened the heavens, and shew∣ed himselfe to the outward view, that hee doth ordinarily to the Saints, hee shewes himselfe to their mindes and inward affections. When wee

preach at any time, except the Lord shew him∣selfe to you at that time, then our preaching is in vaine: for the word that we speake is but a dead letter, it will worke no more upon you, than a dead thing that hath no efficacy. But when the Spirit goes with the word, and hee openeth to you the thing that we speake, then it is effectuall. Therefore Paul to the Ephesians, when he had o∣pened those great mysteries, hee concludes with this: The Lord give you the Spirit of wisedome and revelation, to enlighten the eyes of your understan∣ding, that you may know what the hope of your calling is, and what is the glorious inheritance of the Saints, &c. As if he should say, when I have said all this, it is nothing, it will not doe it; but he be∣seecheth the Lord to give them the Spirit of re∣velation, and then it is done. And so to conclude all, when we have said all we can to move you to love the Lord, it is all nothing except the Lord give you that Spirit of wisedome and revelation to open your eyes to see what is the exceeding greatnesse and ex∣cellency of his power.

FINIS.

Notes

• Motives to love Christ.
• 2 Mot.
• 3 Mot.
• 4 Mot.
• 5 Mot.
• Iosh. 24.
• Deut. 32.13.
• 6 Mot.
• Ier: 2.
• 2 Sam. 12.7.
• 7 Mot.
• Gal. 2.10.
• Obiect.
• Answ.
• Meanes to en∣able us to love God.
• Prayer.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Obiect.
• Answ.
• Prayer workes love 4 wayes.
• Object.
• Answ.
• 2 Thess. 4.
• 2

  meanes to consider our sinnes.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Ier. 3.1.
• 3

  Meanes to beseech the Lord to shew himselfe to us.
• Exod. 33.