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 SIXTH SERMON.

GALAT. 5.6.

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

AND before we leave this poynt, one thing I must add For what reason doe we put you vpon this disposition, vpon this examinati∣on, whether the love of God be in your hearts or no? The reason is not that you should be discouraged, that (you should be put off from comming to God, that you should be greived with the sight of the want of your love, but the end of it is to stirre you up to gett it, if you want it. You know, we have formerly

delivered some meanes of getting it, onely there is one which we will commend unto you, which we gave a little touch on but could not handle it, and it consists of these Three branches; if you would love the Lord:

First you must know him, for otherwise you [unspec 1] cannot love him. As it is in naturall loue that is bred between man and man, you say love ariseth from sight, they must see before they can love; so you must know the Lord, there must be a sight of God by faith, before you can love him. And every man that sees him and knowes him as he is will love him, he cannot chuse, for that is the Lords worke to all the Saints. Ierem. 31, You shall he taught of me, and you shall know mee from the greatest to the least. It may be in some manner they knew God before, but although a man have ne∣ver so exact knowledge of him, yet till he be a regenerate man, he never knowes him indeede it is an other kind of knowledge that hee hath, when a man is regenerate; whē God teaches him to know him, he lookes on God with an other eye, every thing is presented to him after an o∣ther manner, he sees now an other beautie in God than ever he saw before, hee sees an other excel∣lencie in him: for that knowledge he had of him before bredd not love. But when a man is once within the Covenant, the Lord will teach him such a knowledge of himselfe, as withall will worke the love of him. Such a knowledge you must have of the Lord, and you may help your selves to love him by reasoning, if ever you saw

any excellencie in any man, or in any creature, it did help you to love that creature. Thinke with your selves there is more in God that made that creature. He that made the eye shall hee not see? So he that wrought that excellency, shall not he have it in himselfe in a greater measure? Besides, you may consider how the Lord hath described himselfe, that hee is most wise, most mercifull, and full of kindness, and gentlenes, and abundant in truth, as you know that description in Exod. 34.

Go through all the vertues, and excellencyes that are amiable, if you looke in the Scripture, you shall find them to be in the Lord. This seri∣ous consideration will help you, to increase your knowledge of the Lord, and by consequent your love of him. So that, if you would come to loue a man, what is it that causeth you to love him, but because by his speech, and by his carriage and behaviour, you come to have such an apprehen∣sion of his disposition, he hath a minde thus fra∣med, thus qualified, thus beautified? When you conceiue such an Idea of him, you love him. So, when you apprehend the Lord aright, when you observe him as he is described in his word, when you observe his doings, when you consider his workes, and learne from all these together a right apprehension of him, I say, when you have such an Idea of him, such an opinion of him, then the will followes the understanding, and the affecti∣ons then followes, then you come to love him, and to delight in him. Therefore learne to know the Lord by his former carriage towardes your

selves, how kinde he hath beene, how exceeding patient, how exceeding readie to forgiue, how much kindnesse he hath shewed, how hath he in mercy remembred you, though you have for∣gotten him; how you haue recompenced him e∣vill for good, yet hee hath not broaken off the course of his mercie towards you. Consider his dealing with you, and learne by this to know the Lord, and this will be a meanes to encrease in you the love of the Lord.

This is not all, there is another thing, which is the second branch that I tolde you of; that is, to looke upon God as one sutable to you, and to your disposition. For if you should finde never so much excellencie in him, if he be not agreea∣ble to you, you love him not. A woman may see a man that she thinkes is very excellent, in ma∣ny respects, yet he is not a fit husband for her. It is the sutablenesse and agreeablenesse betweene God and our owne condition, that causeth us to love him. Therefore when you put these two to∣gether, consider the Lords mercie, and see that, and looke on your selves as sinfull men needing that mercie; when you see the Lord exceeding powerfull, and looke on your selves as very weake, needing that power; when you looke on him as the Lord of life, and see your selves subject to death, and needing that life; when you see your owne folly, and his wisedome, (go through all in him, and then againe looke upon the con∣trary weaknesse in your selves) this is that which will make you apprehend God as one that is suta∣ble,

as one that is agreeable to you; and till you come to this, you shall never love him, and long after him, till the heart namely is thus framed, till a man is humbled, till he comes to the sight of himselfe: for as you must know God, so you must know your selves before you can love him. I say, when a man comes to that, hee begins to looke on God as upon one agreeable to him: As, take a man, who is touched with the feare of his sinnes, whose heart is broken, who hath an ap∣prehension of Gods wrath, and of his owne un∣worthinesse, such a man now will be satisfied with nothing in the world, but the assurance of Gods love and his favour. As you see in natu∣rall things, let a man be very weary, the daintiest meate in the world, whatsoever you give him, will not heale him; but he must have that which is fit for that particular defect, nothing will helpe him but rest. Againe, let a man be hungry, and faint for want of meate; all the musicke, the best ayre, or whatsoever you can give him will doe him no good, it must be meate that must helpe him. If a man have a disease, it is not sleepe, it is not meate and drinke, it must be a medicine that is fit for his disease. So it is with the heart of man, when his heart is so broken, so humbled and touched with the sense of his sinnes, that hee longs after nothing but remission, nothing but the assurance of Gods favour, the assurance of his love and kindnesse, nothing will satisfie him but that: it is so in naturall defects, and so it is in the soule, when the heart of a man is so fashioned,

that it lookes upon God as one agreeable to him, and there is nothing else sutable but onely the Lord, and his favour, and his love, that is requi∣red, to breede this love in you towards him. What is the reason else, that it is said, Hosea 5. ult. When they are afflicted they will seeke mee diligently. But because afflictions teach a man to know him∣selfe, it teacheth him to know his owne weak∣nesse, to see his owne sinne, his owne impotency, his owne unworthinesse; and when he hath done this, then he lookes upon God as one who onely is fit for him, as one who is onely able to helpe him. Affliction doth but discover what was there before: For man is a weake and impotent crea∣ture, made for the Lord, he is nothing without the Lord, it is the conjunction with God that makes him up, onely he knowes not this, he un∣derstands not this. Therefore when God opens a mans eyes either by the immediate worke of his Spirit, to teach him to know himselfe, or by affliction, then he comes to seeke after the Lord, when they are afflicted, they will seeke me dili∣gently. If thou shouldest have such an offer as was made to those, Acts 2. Peter tells them there, they should have remission of sinnes, they should receive the gift of the holy Ghost; if this had beene offered to them before they knew them∣selves, before they had beene humbled and pric∣ked at the heart, as it is said they were, would they have regarded such an offer as this? No they would not, although they had understood that offer never so well. So I say, though you

know his name and his excellent attributes never so perfectly, yet till you come to know your selves too, you will never love him, you will never desire him, you will never long after him: for both these must goe together, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of our selves, to teach you to love him. The knowledge of God, with∣out the knowledge of your selves, is a fruitlesse speculation: And againe the knowledge of your selves, and your owne miserie, without the know∣ledge of him and his mercy, is a miserable vexa∣tion. The knowledge of God, without know∣ledge of your selves, is, as if a man should know a medicine, but should not know what defect it were fit to supply: And to know your selves and your owne case, without him, is to have the dis∣ease discovered, and not to know how to helpe it. And therefore learne to know both God and your selves: If you will love him, then you must learne to studie those two. We say schollers stu∣die bookes, and Politicians studie men; but a Christian should studie God and himselfe, to learne to know God and himselfe better, by this meanes he comes to know the Lord: as where∣soever you finde any love to the Lord expressed, you shall finde these two going together, as Da∣vid oft, Psal. 18. and Psal. 116. I love the Lord, &c. Why? For I was in distresse, I was in griefe, the grave overtooke mee, and I was compassed about with death, and I cried to the Lord, and he healed me, and set mee at libertie, hee is my for∣tresse, &c. That is, when David saw himselfe to

stand in neede, he saw his weaknesse, and looked on God againe, as one that would helpe him, and heale him, as one that could set him at liberty; this caused him to say, I love the Lord dearely. So Paul, when he saw these two, I was a blasphe∣mer, I was a persecuter, and looked on Christ, who had beene mercifull to him, with faith, this was that which caused Paul so to abound in love to∣wards Christ. And so Mary, Luke 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord: And why? For he had re∣spect to the low estate of his handmaid: I was poore and meane, and loe hee hath raised mee to a high degree. This sutablenesse, this knowledge of God and of our selves is that which breedes in us a love of him. But is this enough now to know God and our selves? This is a faire step to beget in you this love of him; for as you heard before, love is an inclination of the heart to some good thing agreeable to us:

But yet you must have a third,3 or else this will not doe, that is, assurance of the Lords love to you: for if you long after him never so much, if you thinke him worthy to be desired; on the other side, yet if for all this you are not perswa∣ded of the Lords love to you, you cannot be af∣fected towards him. Wee cannot love any man whom we conceive to be ill affected to us: And therefore you shall see in the course of the Scrip∣tures, love proceedes from faith, faith must be∣get love, that is, the assurance of Gods love must goe in: This is the third ingredient to make it up.

You will say to mee, wee doubt not of this, but if wee be perswaded of Gods love, wee shall love him; but how shall wee come to this per∣swasion, how shall wee assure our selves of his love?

Those to whom I should speake now are of two sorts; either such as are out of the Cove∣nant, or such as are already within it. For you that are without, to you I say, you may, if you will consider it, come to the assurance of his love towards you.

1For first, the Lord hath made knowne his owne willingnesse to take you to marriage. There are but two that are to give their consent, the Fa∣ther to give his Sonne, and the Sonne to give his owne consent: The Father, you know, hath given his consent, Isay 9.6. A Sonne is given: He so loved the world, that he gave his Sonne. There∣fore certainely you have the Fathers consent, he hath given Christ, as a father gives his sonne in marriage. But now whether we have the Sonnes consent or no, of that wee make question; saith the Apostle, Hee loved us, and gave himselfe to us, and for us; yea hee not onely gives his con∣sent, for his part, but he hath purchased his wife with his owne blood. And therefore you can∣not doubt but that hee is willing to marrie with you, to take you, and to receive you if you will come in. Why then, what is required now? No∣thing at all but thy consent, if thou give thy con∣sent to the Lord, thou needest not to question his favour, thou maist assure thy selfe of his un∣changeable

love in Iesus Christ; for he hath re∣vealed it on his part, in his word, you have his sure word for that, heaven and earth shall passe rather than that word. This is the sound consola∣tion that will not faile you, when you come to examination, and thinke with your selves, upon what ground am I assured of Gods affection to∣wards mee, that hee loves mee: I have his word for it, he hath said it, and he cannot recall it, yea he hath added his oath, that by two immutable witnesses you might have strong consolation; that is, that you might have the greatest degree of assurance that can be. Why, now, why doest not thou give thy consent? why doest thou no more rest on it? You will say, alas I am willing to giue my consent, if that would doe it.

But first, I am unfit to marry the Lord, I am not prepared for such a match as that is, my heart is too bad, and my life hath beene too sinfull to thinke of such preferment and advancement.

Take thou no care for that, the Lord knew thy unfitnesse, when he made that promise to thee, when hee gave his Son; and the Sonne gave him∣selfe to thee, he was well enough acquainted with thee, and with thy nature, he had an intenti∣on to marry a blackmoore, he justifieth the wick∣ed, he knowes thou art so, and yet he will doe it, he will put a fairenesse, he will put a beautie upon thee, when thou art his wife; therefore let not that hinder thy unfitnesse.

You will say againe, it may belong to such and such, it doth not belong to me; my case is such, I

have provoked him in this manner, my sinnes are of such a nature.

This shall not shut thee out neither. For why shouldst thou make exceptions where the Lord makes none. Goe, Preach the Gospell to every creature under heaven. What is the meaning of that? That is, goe tell every man, without exception, what∣soever his sinnes be, whatsoever his rebellions be, go tell him this glad tidings; that is to preach the Gospell to him, that if he will come in, I will accept him, he shall be saved, his sinnes shall bee forgiven him, if he doe no more but come in, and take me and receive me. Therefore to con∣clude this, doubt not thou that that shall be a hin∣derance on Gods part. And for thy owne part, there is no more requyred of thee but sinceritie, that thou take him, sincerely resolving to thy selfe I will serve him for the future, I will be content∣ed to be divorced from all my former loves, from all the sinnes that I have delighted in be∣fore, I am willing now to take him, and to serve him, and to love him, and to give my selfe whol∣ly to him; I say, this sinceritie of resolution is enough, there can be no hindrance if this be found in thee. Therefore doe not thinke with thy selfe, I want sorrow for my sinnes, such a degree of sorrow, my heart is not broken enough, and therefore I am not fit: for thou must know thus much, that the promise is made to the comming, and not to the preparations. If thou canst come, and take the Lord, it is enough, if a man have so much sorrow, so much heart-breaking as brings

him home to Christ, as makes him willing to match with the Lord: if hee have that wrought in him, doubt he not of the other.

But now I come to the other,2 those that are already within the Covenant, to you I say, you may much more easily and fully come to this assurance, because ye have the fruits of the Spirit in you, which are the seales of his love; you have cause to trust perfectly through the grace that is revealed in Iesus Christ: you know that exhortation, Trust perfectly to the grace revea∣led, &c. that is, in the free offer to every man by Christ; trust not in that by halves, remissive∣ly, and unperfectly, and weakly, but trust per∣fectly, be confident in that, that the Lord will thus receive you, trust perfectly in the grace re∣vealed.

But, you will say, I commit many sinnes from day to day, I am negligent in many duties, I find much unevennesse in my life, many distempers in my affections, &c?

What if you finde all this in your selves? yet so long as your hearts are sincere, you must know this, that every breach, every offence doth not breake the band of wedlocke betweene the Lord and you, you must not thinke there is a breach of covenant betweene God and you upon every ••inne that is committed, but know that the Covenant holds good, till you come to choose another husband, the Lord continues your hus∣band still. Therefore when thou art married to the Lord, it is not for thee to thinke then of que∣stioning

the match, but studie to please thy hus∣band, and to doe thy dutie. You know, there may be many offences, and many slight breaches be∣tweene a man and his wife, but the bond holds good, there is no bill of divorcement except it be in case of adultery, that shee choose an other hus∣band: so thinke, in such a case, the bond is not broken upon every offence, and every sinne that is committed. Learne to know this for thy com∣fort, for it is a great matter to have this assu∣rance full.

2And besides consider this, thinke not with thy selfe, because I have not attained such a degree of holinesse as another hath, therefore I have none at all, that is an evill reason that discourageth the Saints, discourageth many times those that should be incouraged, that are already within the Cove∣nant; he lookes on another, and sees he cannot reach him, he propounds to himselfe such a mea∣sure of grace and of holinesse, and of mortifica∣tion of his lusts, and hee cannot come neere it; and hee thinkes, because I cannot doe this, I have no sincerity in mee. Not so, there are degrees, when a man is within the doore, hee may goe further and further, and though all may be with∣in, yet one may be further in than another.

3Besides all this, know that the Lord is faith∣full, he cannot denie himselfe, though thou faile on thy part, yet hee continues the same, and re∣newes his mercy to thee, as thou renewest thy repentance. But, to conclude this, if you would love the Lord, labour to doe these three things:

Labour to know him more:

Labour to know your selves more, that so you may long after him as after one that you neede.

And thirdly, labour to get this assurance, for it is this assurance that breedes the love, that seales it up; when a man shall looke on God as one who may hate him for any thing he knowes, who may be an enemie to him one day, hee can never love him heartily: When a man hath no ground to set his foote on, he will doe it tender∣ly and nearely; but when he lookes upon God as one whom he may trust, whose love he is sure of, that he builds on that as a rocke, this is that which makes his heart perfect to him, when hee can say, as Paul, I know whom I have trusted. If a man have never so much excellency in him, if you conceive him to be hollow-hearted to you, your affections are not perfect towards him; so is it, if you looke on God as one that may be your enemie As wee say, friendship with Prin∣ces, it is like that familiarity that those men have with Lyons, that keepe them. A Lyon, you know, will suffer a man to play with him as long as he lists, and when he lists, he will rise and de∣voure him, and rend him in peeces; so I say, the love of a Prince may be, and the love of men may be: But the love of the Lord is not such, when he loves, he loves perfectly. It is true, hee hath the strength of a Lyon, he is able to doe it, you are weake creatures subject to him, but hee hath that constancie in him, that when hee loves once,

it is alwayes perfect, and unchangeable. Let all these be well considered and wrought on your hearts, and it will be a meanes to beget this love in you: Even as fire begets fire, so this will be∣get love in your hearts towards him againe. So much for this.

The second point, which I intend to handle at this time is this; another consectary, another use we are to draw from this doctrine, Hee that loves not, is not in Christ.

The next use is to exhort you to come in, if it be a thing of that moment, now our businesse is to exhort to love the Lord Iesus. And is there not much reason to move you to it? if you had this love in your hearts, would it not be a ground of much comfort to you? for if you were able to beleeve in Iesus Christ, and love him, you should have your salvation sure, if once you could finde this disposition in your selves, as it must be in you, if ever you be saved, that your hearts long after him, still you are growing towards him, hanging that way, as a stone to the center, as the iron to the loadstone, there is such a lingring af∣ter him, the heart makes towards him, and will have no deniall; but, as the woman of Canaan, it breakes through all impediments, no barre can keep it frō him: as those that love, they are not ea∣sily put off, but are importunate til they have ob∣tained reciprocal affections of the party beloved.

I say, if thou finde this disposition in thy heart, it is the greatest consolation that thou canst have in this world:4 for if this be thy case, thou maist

boldly looke that the gates of hell shall not pre∣vaile against thee; and if thou love the Lord in this manner, heaven and earth shall passe rather than thy salvation shall be hindred: it is impos∣sible, because then thou hast a good ground of hope, and hope will make thee not ashamed, but be assured that God is thine, and all that hee can doe, and all that is his is thine; as Paul tells us, his power, and his wisdome, and all is thine: He is a Sunne and a shield to thee, thou shalt want nothing that is good, nothing that is evill shall hurt thee, the Lord brings all with him: this is your case if that you doe love him, this is your consolation, this is that which may inflame your hearts with a desire of this affection. For know this, that there is scarcely any thing else that we can instance in, but an hypocrite may goe cheeke by jowle with a good Christian, in that he may doe all outward duties, he may abstaine from sinnes, there may be a great change in him, (you know how farre the third ground went, and those Heb. 6.) but this they cannot counterfeit, to love the Lord. Therefore, if thou finde that thou love the Lord, thou hast this consolation, that thou art now sure, and indeede thou art never till then sure. And as reason differenceth a man from a beast, so love makes the great difference be∣tweene a Christian and an other. Indeede we say it is faith, but you know that faith is differenced by love, that is, such a faith that breedes love, and so love is it that breedes that great consola∣tion. And therefore this is thy comfort, if thou

canst once bring thy heart to love the Lord, hee will beare with any thing, hee will beare with many infirmities, as, you know, he did with Dauid when he saw that he loved him. David had many great infirmities, as wee see in the whole story, the whole relation of his life, yet because hee lo∣ved the Lord, the Lord passed by all, and in the end he gave him this testimonie, that hee was a man after his owne heart. So I say, love the Lord once, and he will beare with much in thee. On the other side, if thou doe not love him, doe what thou wilt, the Lord accepts it not. As wee see in the case of Amaziah, it is said that Amaziah walked in all the wayes of his father David, and of the good Kings, hee did as much as they, hee was as great an enemie to idolatry, hee did all the duties of religion, onely this was wanting, he did it not with an upright heart, that is, he did it not out of love, and therefore the Lord regar∣ded it not. And therefore let this move you to get this affection; there is much, if I could stand to presse it, that might inflame your hearts with a desire of it: onely it is this love that sets a price on all that you doe, that makes all that you doe currant; as this stampe is set on your actions more or lesse, so they are more or lesse accepta∣ble. This was that which set a price on the wid∣dowes mite, that set a price on a cup of colde wa∣ter; this set a price upon Abels offering, and made it more acceptable than his brothers: the meanest service when it hath this stampe on it is currant and good in Gods sight, hee accepts it:

againe, the greatest performance without it, is nothing. And if thou give thy body to be bur∣ned, if thou suffer martyrdome, if thou give all thy goods to the poore; doe what thou wilt with∣out love, it is nothing, thy labour is lost: this love sets a price on all that thou doest.

Besides this,2 consider, this is that that must stirre you up aboue all other arguments, that if thou love the Lord, thou shalt be no looser by it, in all other love a man seemes to be a looser, for, when you loue an other, as you know it is no love except it bee fruitfull and actiue, when you be∣stowe on an other your time, and your paines, and your money, you know, you have so much the lesse your selfe: And therefore it is that men are so full of selfe love, because that ingrosseth all, a man in that keepes all to himselfe, when hee comes to love an other, and partes with some∣thing of his owne. And thence it is that men are so backward to love, in truth and in good earnest. They love in shew and in complement, that is ea∣sie, but to love indeed is difficult, because it takes somewhat from them. But in loving the Lord, it is not so, there is a difference betweene that and other loves when you give the Lord your hearts, and bestowe them on him, he will giue you them every ••ot againe, and reserue not any for himself. You will aske me, what is the meaning of this? My meaning is this, whatsoever you bestowe on the Lord, all the loue that you give to him, it re∣flectes and redoundes to your advantage, you gaine by it all: as we see, Isai 48.17. I am the Lord

that teacheth thee to Profite for if thou keepe my com∣mandements, thy reward, thy prosperitie should be as a flood, and thy reioycing as the waves of the Sea. Marke it well, as if he should say to them, when I command you to serue me, and to loue me with all your soule, and with all your strength, know, that all this is for your owne profit, it shall all re∣dound to you. For, if you keep my commande∣ments, your prosperitie shall be as a floud, that is, it shall runne over the bankes, it shall be so large, and so great, and your righteousnes, that is, the reward of your righteousnes, as the waues of the sea, that is, one reward should follow upon the neck of an other, as one billow followes upon the neck of an other. This should be your case, saith he, if you loue me and keep my commande∣ments, and serue me: And therefore saith hee, when I require your love and your service, herein there is a difference betweene that, & that which any man requires at your hands; all this is for your owne profite, it redounds to your selues, your selves fare the better for it: as it is said of the Saboth, so I may say of this commandement, and all the rest, it was made for man, and not man for this, that is, for the profit of man, for the advanc∣ment of man, thy louing the Lord is for thy ad∣vantage, thou gainest by it; as it is, Deut: 5.29. Oh, saith he, that there were a heart in this people, to love me, and to feare me, as they have promised, then it should goe wellwith them, and their children after them. Not that I might be a gainer, and you lose, but that it might goe well with you and your

children for ever. So, if you love the Lord, when you thinke with your selves, I shall be a loser by it, I shall lose much libertie, and much content∣ment and delight, I shall lose the giving satisfa∣ction to many of my desires and lusts: No, thou shalt lose none of this, though a man seeme to lose this when he gives his heart to the Lord, but thou gainest all this, that is, the Lord gives thee thy heart againe, and gives thee leave to dispose of it, he gives thee leave to love thy friends, to love thy wife and thy children, and even to love thy recreations; he gives thee leave to dispense and to distribute thy heart to this or to that, as long as thou doest it lawfully, onely thou must doe it at his command.

Yea, when we give our hearts to the Lord, hee giues us not them againe onely, but hee giues them much better than hee receiued them, new painted, new beautified and new furnished, hee giues them in a farre better condition: there is no man that loseth by giuing his heart to the Lord, but he giues it him againe much better. As we say of vapours that arise out of the earth, the heavens returne them againe in pure water, much better than they receiued them, so will the Lord: if thy heart ascend to him, thy impure, thy sin∣full heart, the Lord will give it thee better. As we say of earth, when the earth receives the sea water, and puddle water, it giues it better than it received it in the springs and fountaines; for it straines the water and purifies it, that whereas when it came into the bowells of the earth, it was

muddy, salt, and brinish, it returnes pure, and cleane, and fresh, as, you know, the waters of the springs and fountaines are: so the Lord doth with us; if thou wouldest give thy hearts desire, thy affections to him, thou shouldest have all againe, onely with this difference, thy affections should be more pure, thy thoughts, all the faculties of thy soule should be renewed, and cleansed, and beautified, he would restore them better to thee, but yet thou shouldest have them; let it be thy comfort. So that here is all the difference, take a man now that loves himselfe, and that thinkes with himselfe, Well, say what you will, I will goe mine owne wayes, I will provide for mine owne contentment in this life, I know not what I shall have after, I will looke to mine owne pro∣fit: I say, compare this man with another, that resolves this with himselfe, Well, from hence I will deny my selfe, and crosse my selfe, and will seeke no more my owne contentment, nor to satisfie my owne desires and lusts, but I will give my heart wholly to the Lord. The question now is, which of these are gainers? I say, the latter hath as much liberty and as much power of his owne heart, he shall have as much use of all that is within him, as the other hath, that ••akes it to himse••fe: all the difference is, the one ••s an unjust owner, the second the Lord hath made the steward of his owne heart; so that the Lord hath thy heart, and yet it is thy owne heart, ••hou maist dispose of it as a steward under thy Master, thou hast it as before, onely now thou

doest it by his appointment, before it was at thine owne. Let all this therefore stirre you up to love the Lord.

You will say, indeede this is enough to per∣swade us to come in, to love the Lord, and wee are contented to doe so; that is the answer which wee shall have from most men. But now what kinde of love is it that wee shall have at their hands?

My brethren, we must add this for a conclusi∣on, that it is not every kind of love that the Lord accepts: but your love must have these two con∣ditions in it. I will breefely name them and so conclude.

First,1 you must love him with all your hearts, and with all your soule, you know that is every where requyred in the Scriptures. That is, the Lord will have the whole streame of your affe∣ctions, and desires, and intentions, and your en∣deavours to runne to him; there must not any ri∣veret runne out of it, it must not be drained a∣way, but the whole streame must all be bestow∣ed upon him, there must be no division there, you must not say here, as he saith, My Countrie, and my father, and my children, and my friends have a part in my love, but the Lord must have all, and there is good reason for it, because he bestowed all on you. It is in this love as it is in marriage, in that there is no corrivall admitted, but there must be all in all: for the husband must bestowe himselfe wholly on his wife, and the wife on the husband; so if you love the Lord, if the match

be made betweene you, there is all in that equa∣litie; if the Lord bestowe all on you, and you should bestowe but halfe on him, there would be no equalitie, there would be an unennesse. But when you bestowe all on him, when you loue him with all your heart, and with all your soule, that makes the match betweene you.

You will say, the Lord doth not bestowe him∣selfe wholly on me, he bestowes himselfe on ma∣ny others, on many thousands besides me, and why should not I bestow my selfe on an other?

I answer, it is not so, the Lord bestowes him∣selfe wholly on thee. Hos. 3, 3. it is a borrowed speech, I will be to thee alone, & I will have thee to be so to me; so the Lord saith to every man, I will be alone to thee, and thou shalt be alone to me. I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. This is the match that must bee betweene you. And when you say the Lord is not wholly yours, I say, he is, though he bestowe himselfe on many thou∣sands besides. You will aske, how can that be? I say, that may be by reason of his infinitenesse; for that which is infinite hath not parts, and ther∣fore he bestowes not himselfe partly on one, and partly on an other, but he bestowes all upon eve∣ry one: for he is infinite, and hath no parts. To expresse my selfe by a similitude, a point hath no parts, it is one indivisible, let a thousand lines come to one point, every one hath the whole, and yet there is but one that answers all, because it is indivisible, and every one hath all: So it is with the Lord, though there be many thousands that

God loves, yet every one hath the Lord wholly, he is to them alone, and he lookes for and expects this at thy hands, that thou shouldest be to him a∣lone, that thou bestowe thy selfe wholly on him; thereupon all those words are put in, Thou shalt love thy Lord with all thy minde, with all thy heart, with all thy soule. The meaning is this, when all that is in a man is sett a worke to serve the Lord, when he looks to the Lord, when he inclines to∣wards the Lord, that is, when the minde is set on worke to thinke on him, to remember his glori∣ous workes, to have a right knowledge and opi∣nion of him: againe, when the memory is set on worke to remember him, and not to forget his benefits, his statutes and his ordinances, and so the rest of his faculties. And therefore if we love the Lord, wee will not doe this with our selves, to thinke I love him, and yet I will suffer my minde, in the meane time, to be exercised in con∣templating of fornication; not to thinke, I loue the Lord, and yet will suffer my memorie, in the meane time, to be recollecting injuries and bree∣ding of them, and recalling my pleasant sinnes that are formerly past, that I should abhorre, thou canst not loue him and doe this. Againe, thou must not say, I love him, and yet let thy af∣fections runne after this and that, but thy whole heart must be bestowed on him: Thou must not thinke to loue him, and to reserue thy affecti∣ons for this or that particular thing that thou lo∣vest inordinately, but thou must bestow all these on the Lord.

2The second thing required in this love, where∣with I will end, is this, that you love the Lord with all your might. You will say, what is the meaning of that, to love the Lord with all my might, and with all my strength? For the understanding of this, you must know that God hath given different might and different strength to men; as a rich man hath more might than an∣other: for he can rule more, and sway more, and command more than a poore man can. Againe, a Magistrate, he can restraine by his power, and encourage men by his authority, and winne them, yea compell them by his example. Againe, a learned man, that is of great parts, that is of a stronger wit than another, hee hath more might than another, he is able to doe more than a man of weaker parts. Now to love the Lord with all our might, is to improve all the meanes we have, all the strength, all the ability that wee have a∣bove others, to improve it so, that we may serve the Lord with it more than others, that even as thou exceedest any in these abilities, so thou maist goe beyond them in serving the Lord: This is to love the Lord with all thy might, that is, to love him so much more than a poore man, to be∣stow more on him, to doe more for him, as thy riches make thee more able, and more strong than another. For thee to love him now as ano∣ther man doth that hath lesse might, the Lord will not take this love at thy hands; but will say to thee as Landlords say to their Tenants, when they bring them lesse rent than they should, lesse

than is due, they will receive none; for they say, so much is due. The Lord will require this, that you love him with all your might. If thou be a rich man, if thou be a Magistrate, if thou be a man of such and such opportunities to serve the Lord, and doe but a little, hee will not accept it at all: thou must love the Lord with all thy might, for God requires this at thy hands, hee leaves it not arbitrary. He saith, To whom much is given, of him much shall be required. Hee saith not, I leave it to him, to doe more or lesse, but I require it, that is, I will exact it according to the mea∣sure he hath received. Therefore consider with thy selfe, what meanes thou hast, what power God hath put into thy hands, what ability thou hast more than others. When you send a servant to market, as you give him a greater price, as you put more money into his hands, so you ex∣pect hee should bring home more than another that hath a lesse price put into his hands: So the Lord doth with men, hee sends men into the world, as men are sent to a market, hee gives a larger price to some, to some hee gives five ta∣lents, to some three, to some two, the Lord ex∣pects that they should bring home according to the price they have in their hands, that is, accor∣ding to the might, according to the strength and opportunity he hath given them. For, you must know, that the Lord observes an exact difference betweene man and man. It may be, thou livest under better meanes than another, thou hast had better education than another, thou hast more

knowledge in the wayes of God than another, the Lord hath helped thee more by the inward suggestions of his Spirit than another, he lookes that thou shouldest bring forth more fruite than another. And so againe for all other abilities and advantages: the Lord expects at our hands that we love him with all our might, otherwise, saith he, you might have given my money to the ex∣changers, and they would have made use of it. Marke that in the Parable of the Talents; for a man will be ready to say, if I bestow some love on the Lord, why should he exact & require the ut∣most, why doth he require so much at my hands? Yes, saith he, if another had this might, if ano∣ther had this strength, and this opportunity that thou hast, hee would have done as exchangers doe, hee would have brought it in with profit; so if that ability were given to another, he would make use of it: And therefore thinke not much, if he require it at thy hands, for there is losse if he should not. Therefore know that the Lord requires this at thy hands, it may be thou art more composed, and more disposed than ano∣ther, it is nothing for thee to abstaine from drin∣king, to abstaine from swearing, because thou art framed this way by naturall ingenuity, and na∣turall temper that God hath given thee, it is not that the Lord requires no more, but that thou live soberly, free from grosse sinnes: No, God lookes for more, he requires of every man ac∣cording to his strength and ability. As, you know, a childe may runne, and another man may

walke, the childe takes more paines, the man lesse; it the reward were to be given according to the endeavour, the child should have it, though he that walkes come to the goale before him.

A man that is weake may not doe so much as another that is strong, and able to doe ten times as much worke as another man that is weake; though thou doe more worke than he, this is not accepted, because hee lookes that every man should doe his utmost, he requires that you should love him, and serve him, and set your selves to improve all your ability according to the might, according to the Talent, ac∣cording to the price hee hath distributed and measu∣red to you.

So much for this time.

FINIS.

Notes

• The last helpe of the love of God consisting of three bran∣ches.
• The knowledg of God.
• A looking up∣on God as one sutable to us.
• 3

  Assurance of the Lords love to us.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Meanes where∣by men may be assured of Gods love to them.
• 1

  Such as are without.
• Isay. 9.6.
• Obiect. 1.
• Answ.
• Obiect. 2.
• Answ.
• 2

  Such as are within the Co∣venant.
• Object.
• Answ.
• 2

  Answ.
• 3

  Answ.
• 4

  Mot.
• 2

  Mot.
• Isa. 48.17.
• Deut. 5.19.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Two Requi∣sites in the love of God.
• 1

  It must be with all the heart.
• Object.
• Answ.
• Hosea 3.3.
• Simile.
• 2

  Requisite in love, it must be with all your night.
• Object.
• Answ.