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For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
IN the fourth verse of this chapter the Apostle affirmes, that there is no justification by the law; for, saith hee, If you be justified by the law, you are fallen from grace: that is, you cannot be partakers of that justification which is by grace: Because for to have it by the law, and to have it by grace are
opposite. And he gives a reason for it, because, saith he, Through the Spirit we waite for the hope of that righteousnes which is by faith, and not by the law. When he had expressed himselfe so farre, which is the righteousnesse received by faith, that is, that righteousnesse which is freely given by God, of∣fered to us, wrought by Christ, but taken by faith on our parts: Thus saith he, you must be justi∣fied. Now to confirme this, he gives a reason in this verse that I have read; for, saith he, In Christ Iesus, (that is, to put a man into Christ Iesus, or to make him acceptable to God through Christ Iesus, to doe this) neither circumcision availeth any thing, or uncircumcision: (That is, neither the kee∣ping of any part of the ceremoniall law, or the o∣mission of it, nor the keeping of the morall law, or the breaking of it will helpe to ingraffe a man into Christ, or to make him acceptable to God through Christ: What will doe it then? nothing saith hee) but onely faith. Now lest we should be mistaken in this, as if he should require nothing at their hands but an empty idle faith, hee addeth further, it must be such a faith as is effectuall, as is working: And that is not enough, but it must be such a faith as workes by love. So that you have two parts in this Text: One is a removall or a ne∣gation of that which doth not ingraffe us into Christ, or that makes us not acceptable to God through Christ; it is not being circumcised or uncircumcised, or any thing of that nature: The other is the affirmative part; What is it that doth it, that makes us in a glorious condition, that
makes us sonnes of God? saith he, it is onely faith and love, it is such a faith as is accompanied with love and good workes; so that you see hee removes all workes of ours, all workes of the ce∣remoniall law, circumcision is nothing, it is as good as if you were not circumcised, it is all one. And by the same reason that circumcision is ex∣cluded, all other is. And not onely workes of the ceremoniall law, but all the workes of the morall law also considered as the meanes of justi∣fication; because they are opposite to faith, they exclude faith, and faith excludes them, so as they are as well to be shut out as the workes of the ce∣remoniall law. None of these saith the Apostle, will doe it. For you must know the way to sal∣vation is contrary to that of damnation: Looke how you lost the kingdome of God, so you must get it, looke what gate you went out at, by the same gate (as it were) you must come in at. What was it that lost all mankind the kingdome of hea∣ven? You know it was not our particular brea∣ches of the morall law, but it was the fall of A∣dam, and when the root was dead, you know, all the branches died with it. Well, what way is there then to regaine this losse? We must goe in againe into Paradise by the same way that wee went out, that is, by being borne of the second Adam, and by being made partakers of his righ∣teousnesse: By being borne of him, or in∣grafted into him. As you communicate of the sinne of the other, because you are his children, so you must partake of his righteousnesse. A∣gaine,
saith the Apostle, it is the Lords pleasure that you should be saved after this manner, be∣cause he would have it to be of grace. If you should have beene saved by any workes of your owne, you would have imputed it to your selves, and to your owne strength: But the Lord would have it to be of grace, of his free will, and there∣fore hee will have it meerely of faith, by taking the righteousnesse of the second Adam which he hath wrought for you. Againe, he would have it sure to all your seede: if it had beene by workes, it would never have beene sure unto you, you could never have kept the law so exactly: But since Christ hath wrought righteousnesse, and you have no more to doe but to take it, now it is sure, or else it would never have beene sure. Againe, if it had beene by workes, the flesh had had wherein to rejoyce, it might have something to boast of: But the Lord will have no man to rejoyce in the flesh; but let him that rejoyceth, re∣joyce in the Lord. Now if it had been by works, if it had beene by any inherent righteousnesse, by any ornament of grace that the Lord had beautified us with, we had had rejoycing in our selves; but now that it is by the second Adam, by comming home to him, by taking him, by ap∣plying his righteousnesse: Now no flesh can rejoyce in it selfe, but now whosoever re∣joyceth, rejoyceth in the Lord. Therefore saith the Apostle, you must know this truth, you can never be saved by doing these actions, no nor you shall not lose salvation by omitting
them, for this is not the way that the Lord hath appointed mankinde to be saved by: But the way by which mankinde must be saved, is by recei∣ving Iesus Christ and his righteousnes. But you must remember that you must take him so as to love him. And it must be such a love as is fruit∣full in good workes, and not an emptie and idle love, that is, a love in shew onely, but it must be a love in deede and in truth. Now in the handling of these words we will begin with the affirmative part, because though the other be put first, yet the affirmatiō you know in order of nature, is before the negation: therfore I wil begin with this, what it is that puts us into the happy estate of life and salvatiō, Faith. But it is faith that works by love.
This is enough to make this cleere to you, that these two great radicall vertues faith and love, are the two pillars, as it were, upon which our salvation is built. The first of them we have han∣dled at large, Faith: and the efficacy of it in the Text we handled of effectuall faith: Now the o∣ther remaines, of Love; whence wee will deliver this point to you; that,
Whosoever loves not,* 1.1 whatsoever else he find in himselfe, whosoever loves not the Lord Ie∣sus, is not in Christ, and by consequent, in a cur∣sed and damnable estate.
Because this is necessarily required that you have faith, and love, or else you can have no sal∣vation; or else you are not in Christ, and cannot be acceptable of God through Christ. So our businesse will be to open unto you this grace of
love, that you may know what it is. And that you may know it, we must first declare unto you a little in generall, what this affection of love is.
* 1.2All affections, as you know, are nothing else but the diverse motions and turnings of the will, as the will turnes it selfe this way or that way, so a man is said to be affected to love or to hate, to grieve or to rejoyce. Now love is that act of the will, whereby it turnes it selfe to a thing, as ha∣tred is that wherby it turnes it selfe from a thing: And that which is the object of this affection of love is something that is good; for that which is true, and that which is beautifull is not the pro∣per object of love, that is the object of the intui∣tive understanding: but it is no further the ob∣ject of love than it is good. For this take for a generall rule, We love nothing but as it is good; And a thing is said to be good, when it is sutable, proportionable and agreeable to us, for that is the definition of a good thing. There may be ma∣ny things that are excellent, that are not good to us, we say not that any thing is good, but that which sutes and is agreeable to us, and conve∣nient for us. So that if you take the definition of this affection in generall of love, Love is nothing else but a disposition of the will, whereby it cleaves or makes forward to some good that is agreeable to it selfe: I say, it is a disposition of the will whereby it cleaves to, and makes forward to some good thing agreeable to it selfe, which you must marke, for we shall have use of all this in the sequel of this tract.
Now this love shewes it selfe by two effects: it would have the thing it loves to be preserved.
And secondly, a man that loves, would have it his, and therefore he drawes neere to it, or else he drawes the thing neere to him. For •• take it not to be true that is commonly taken for granted, that love is a desire of union, for we doe not al∣wayes desire, that the thing should be united to us that we love, (for a thing may be too neare us, as letters may be too neare the eye, as well as too farre off:) But wee would have things in such a distance as is most agreeable to us, as we love fire for our use, but it may be too neare us, and wee love a knife for our use, but it may be too neere: So by the way marke it, It is not alwayes a de∣sire of union, but it is a desire to have the thing it loves in such a distance, as is most agreeable to us: but still remember this, that love shewes it selfe by these two effects: It desires the preserva∣tion of the thing: Secondly, he would that what he loves might be his. As when a man loves an unreasonable creature, when hee loves a glasse, when he loves a horse, he preserves the glasse, he keepes the horse strong and faire, and if he can he would have them for his use. So a man that loves riches, or honour, or that loves a good name, he preserves them, he would have them his: that is, he would have them at his owne arbitrement, for his owne turne & service: So a man that loves his sonne or his friend, he desires the preservation of them, and withall he would have them his; that is, he would have them so sure united to him, as
may stand with his conveniencie. This is the na∣ture of love; one thing more know of it, it is a commanding affection: Love and hatred are as it were the great Lords and Masters that divide the rest of the affections betweene them, as when a man loves, he desires, he goes and makes for∣ward towards the thing he loves; if he obtaine it, he rejoyceth in it; if he doe not obtaine it, yet if there be probability, then hee hopes, if there be no probability, then he despaires; if there be any inconvenience and impediment that hinders him in his prosecution, he is angry with it, and desires to remove it: thus these affections hang on love. Againe, on the other side, as love desires the pre∣servation of the thing in a neerenesse and union of it: so hatred desires the destruction of the thing, and the separation from it. And upon this affe∣ction likewise hang the others, when a man hates a thing, he flies from it; if it overtakes him, hee grieves; if it be likely it will overtake him, though it be not yet on him, he feares: if he thinke he is strong enough to resist it, hee is bolde and confident. So these two affections (I say) di∣vide the rest. Now I will adde but this further, that I may declare to you the generall nature of this affection, that is, the kindes of love: And you shall finde these kindes of love. I will name them briefly.* 1.3
[unspec 1] First, there is a love of pitty, as when you love a thing, you know, you desire the preservation of it; when you finde any thing lye upon it that de∣stroyes it, you pitty the thing you love, and de∣sire
to remove it: So a father pitties his sonne when hee is sicke, when hee is vicious and unto∣ward, hee loves him now with a love of pitty, he desires to remove the thing that hurts it.
Secondly, there is a love of concupiscence, [unspec 2] that is, when a man desires the thing that hee is said to love meerely for his use. As when you love an inanimate creature, or any other creature for your use, you are said to love it with a love of concupiscentiall desire: and this in common men is a sutablenesse between the object and the low∣er faculties.
Thirdly, there is a love of complacency, when [unspec 3] a man is well pleased with the thing, that is, when the object is somewhat adaequate to the higher faculties of the will and understanding, that there is some agreeablenesse betweene the thing loved, and the frame of the soule, so that when he looks on it hee is well pleased with it: So the master loves his scholler that is every way towardly: so the father loves his sonne as one in whom hee is well pleased.
Fourthly, there is a love of friendshippe that [unspec 4] goes beyond this love of complacency, because in the love of friendship there is a reciprocation of affections, when a man both loves and is be∣loved againe: So a man loves his friend, and is loved againe by his friend.
Lastly, there is a loue of dependance, when [unspec 5] one loues one upon whom all his good depends, so we are said to loue God, wee loue him as one upon whom all our good and happinesse, all our
comfort and hope depends. Now, as you shall see after, with these three last loues, we are said to loue the Lord, wee loue him with the loue of complacence, because he is a full adequate object to the soule: & we loue him with a loue of friend∣ship, because there is a mutuall loue, he loues us, and we loue him; as the spouse saith, My Beloved is mine, and I am his. Againe, we loue him with a love of dependance, for we hang and rely upon him for all our happinesse and comfort. Now this loue wherewith we loue any object that is suta∣ble to us, it hath degrees, and that loue is stron∣ger, as the object of that loue is more adequate and full. Againe, as it is more free from mixture; for all things that we loue in this world, we know there is some mixture of evill in them, and there∣fore our loue is lesse.
Againe, as the thing we loue is more high and supernaturall; as wee hang and depend upon it more, so we loue it more; and these you shall finde in God. Now lay these generall principles, and we will make use of it afterwards: Onely this ob∣serue more, before I passe frō the general descrip∣tion of it,* 1.4 That there is a naturall loue that God hath placed in the heart of every man, and that loue wherewith every man loues himselfe, such a loue as every man hath to his children, such a loue as wherewith a man loues his wealth, or a∣ny thing by nature that is good to him.
Now this naturall loue hath two other loues hanging on both sides of it:
One is a vicious and sinfull loue, that carries
it the wrong way to loue sinfull things.
The second is a spirituall loue, which sets li∣mits to this naturall loue, that sets bankes, as it were, to the streame of naturall affection, that suf∣fers it not to runne over, and not so onely, but gives a higher rise to this naturall loue, and pit∣cheth it on higher ends, it elevates naturall loue, and makes it an holy loue. So that all naturall loue is to be subordinate to this, otherwise it is not good; for naturall loue is but given us to help us to goe that way that spirituall loue should carry us, even as the winde helpes the ship, where∣as otherwise it should haue beene driven with oares: And therefore the Lord, to helpe us to loue our selues, and to loue our children, and to loue those things that are sutable and convenient to us, hee hath in mercie, and for a helpe to us, put a naturall affection into our hearts, which yet is to be guided by spirituall loue, that we are now to speake of.
So the next thing is to shew, what is this spiri∣tuall loue, this loue of God, this loue of Christ Iesus.* 1.5
And first we will shew how it is wrought, and withall what it is. For you must know, that eve∣ry man by nature hates God, by reason of that opposition and contrariety which is betweene God and every man by nature, for all loue comes from similitude and agreeablenesse: And there∣fore where there are two of a contrary dispositi∣on, there must needs be hatred. Now the pure nature of God is contrary to us, and therefore
every man by nature hates God. And therefore that love may be wrought in the heart of man to∣wards God, this sinfull nature of ours must bee broken in peeces, and subdued. And againe, it must be new molded and framed before that can ever be fit to loue God. Therefore, if you would know how this loue of God is wrought in us, it is done by these two things:
First, by breaking our nature in peeces as it were, that is, by humiliation, and by the law.
Againe, by moulding it anew, which is done by faith and by the Gospell: For when we come and propound Christ to men to be taken, and to be received and loved by them, what is the an∣swer wee have from them? Most men, either minde him not, or regard not at all this invitation to come to Christ, but they deale with us as those that were invited to the marriage, saith the Text, they made light of it, they cared not for the invitation, it was a thing they looked not af∣ter: or againe, if they doe, yet they minde them uot enough, because they doe not prize Christ enough. Therefore the first thing the Lord doth to prepare mens hearts to loue him, is to send the law to humble them, to discover to men what neede they are in, to make an impression on their hearts of that bond of damnation that they are subject unto when the law is broken, that mens eyes may be opened to see their sins; then a man begins to looke toward Christ, to looke on him as the captiue lookes on his Redeemer, as a con∣demned man lookes on him that brings him a
pardon, as a widdow that is miserable and poore, indebted and undone, lookes upon her husband that will make her rich and honourable, that will pay all her debts, I say, when a mans heart is thus humbled and broken by the law, by sound humiliation, then he begins to looke towards Ie∣sus Christ. But I say men doe faile, partly that they haue no sense of their sinnes, or else they haue a sense of their sinnes, but not enough to bring them home to Christ, for that was the fault of the second and third ground; there was im∣pression made in them, that they prized Christ, but there was not so deepe a preparation as to loue Christ indeede, so as to preferre him aboue all things, so as to cleaue to him, so as they will let him goe for nothing. And therefore this is re∣quired that our natures be broken all in peeces, that is, that the humiliation be deepe enough, not a little light impression, a little hanging down of the head, a little sense of sinne, but so farre as it may be to purpose, that he lookes to Christ as to the greatest good in the world, that he will ra∣ther undergoe any thing than misse of him, that hee will rather part with all his pleasure than hee will goe without him. That is the first thing that must be done to prepare our hearts, for this loue our hearts must be humbled by the law.
Now when this is done, they must be made up againe, as I tolde you, they must be moulded a∣new, and that is done by the Gospell and by faith: For when the heart is thus prepared, now let the Gospell come and welcome: Now a mans
heart is fit to be wrought on: Why? what doeth the Gospell? The Gospell comes and tells you, that the Lord Iesus is willing to be your Redee∣mer, is willing to be your Lord, he is content to be yours.
If you will take him, you shall have him and all his.
Now when a mans heart is broken, you can∣not bring him better newes; Indeede till then you may goe and preach the Gospell long e∣nough, you may propound Christ to men, they will not take him: But when we propound him thus to a heart prepared, thus to him that is poore in spirit, to him that hath his heart wounded in the sense of his sinnes and of Gods wrath, now I I say hee is willing to come in, hee is willing to take Christ as a Lord, as a husband: when that is done, that Christ hath discovered his will to take them, and they resolve to take him, then there ariseth a holy, a constant conjugall loue wherein they are rooted and grounded. This is the love we are now to speake of. So that to pre∣pare us to love Christ, wee must come to looke on him as upon that which is sutable and agreea∣ble to us. And againe, as one that is willing to re∣ceiue us: And that you must marke diligently. Therefore wee will give you this definition of loue out of that which hath been said:* 1.6 It is an holy disposition of the heart rising from faith, whereby wee cleave to the Lord with a purpose of heart to serve him and to please him in all things.
When these two things are joyned, that a man
is humbled, and lookes on Christ as one that is now fit for him: And secondly hee is perswaded that Christ is willing to take him, when this is done, a man receiues Christ by faith: And from this faith this loue issues. Whence this is speci∣ally to be marked, and it is a matter of much mo∣ment, That to loue the Lord, it is not onely re∣quired that you be perswaded that he is well af∣fected to you, that he is willing to receive you, (for that men may haue, which say that Christ is mercifull and ready to forgiue, and so they think; but yet they loue him not: Therefore I say, it is not onely required that you looke on Christ as upon one that is well affected and propitious to you) but also that you looke on him as one that is sutable and agreeable to you, for both these must concurre to incline your hearts to loue him: you must, I say, both looke on him as one that is fit for you, as a good that is agreeable to you: And also you must be perswaded that he is willing to receiue you. Now the first indeed is the maine. This second, that Christ is willing to forgiue you, and to receiue you, though it be weake, it may be such as is a true faith, and may beget loue: when a man lookes on any other men that he loues, if he see so much excellency in them, as that he longs after them and desires them, though he thinks there be a backwardnes in them to love him, yet if there be some probability that they are likely to loue him, he may come so farre as to embrace them in his affections, and haue a desire to them, though it be true, as that perswasion
is stronger, so their loue is more neere, for faith and love grow together: Indeede if there were an utter aversnesse, if there were enmity, as it were impossible to remoue it, then we could not loue, but hate even as Cain and Iudas did. But, I say, that is a thing you must especially marke, that faith doth not consist in being perswaded that Christ, or God through Christ is willing to forgiue you your sinnes, or to receiue you to mercy, but in this your judgement must be recti∣fied, that is, to know that you are to looke on Christ as one that is sutable and agreeable to you, as one to whom you haue an inward incli∣nation, as one that is fit for you. This is the maine thing, the other easily followes, to be per∣swaded that he is willing to forgiue us, and that he is willing to loue us: therefore whereas, it may be, you haue thought, that to beleeue that God is willing to forgiue you your sinnes, is faith: I dare be bold to say, it is not full faith, you may haue it, and yet not savingly beleeue, you may haue it, and yet not be true beleevers. This I make cleare by this argument: That which be∣gets no loue, is not faith. But you may be perswa∣ded that Christ is willing to forgiue you your sinnes, and yet not love him, as a prisoner may be perswaded that the Iudge is willing to pardon him, and yet for all this hee may not love the Iudge; for loue as I tolde you comes from some sutablenesse, some agreablenesse betweene the party that loues, and the party that is loved. A∣gaine, you shall finde this by experience. A man
may be perswaded that he is in a good estate, that he shall be saved, and that his sinnes are forgiven him, and yet for all this, he may be an unregene∣rate man, he may be a man that hath no life of grace in him: I say, we see oft in experience, ma∣ny men applaud themselves in their good persua∣sion, and they die peaceably and quietly, and all is well, they thinke God hath forgiven them; and yet we finde there is no loue in them, nor no fruite of loue. Againe, on the other side, a man that hath his heart broken with the sense of his sinnes, may hunger after righteousnesse and after Christ, he may long after the Lord himselfe, that he desires him more than any thing in the world; and yet there is but a weake perswasion that the Lord will receiue him, and forgiue him his sins: I say, this man may be a true beleever, though he be not yet so fully perswaded that Christ will forgiue him, when the other is no true beleever, as I said to you before. As when one loues ano∣ther man or woman, if hee looke on him as one that is sutable to him, if hee thinke it be but by good probability and likelihood, I shall obtaine their loue, though I haue not yet a full assurance of it; I say, there may be an affection of loue. And thence I confirme that which I said to you, that faith that hath beene joyned with it is true; and that faith that is disjoyned from loue is not true. So I say, such a disposition of heart as lookes on Christ as one whom he longs after, he lookes on him as on a husband, as one whom he is willing to match with, that he can say truely, This is the
best husband for me in all the world, though yet I have not wooed him, though yet I have not a full assurance of his affection to mee, as I would have; I say, this will certifie your judgement, and withall it will comfort you, that though your faith be weake, yet he belongs to you, it is a true faith. Againe, it shuttes out those that have false hearts; although thou thinkest thy perswasi∣on be full, that Christ belongs to thee, yet if thy heart be not thus prepared to seeke him, and to esteeme him, thy faith is not true. I can stay no longer in the opening of this, so much shall serve to shew you what this love is: You see what love is in generall, and this love to the Lord, this love to Christ.
Now I come to prosecute the point, having gone thus farre in the explication of it; I say, this love is so necessary to salvation, as that hee that hath it not is in a cursed and damnable conditi∣on; he is not in Christ, if he doe not love, that as the Apostle saith, hee that beleeves not shall be damned: we may say as well of love, for there is a tye betweene all these, faith, repentance and love. And therefore wee finde these words put promiscuously, sometimes he that beleeves not shall not be saved, sometimes he that repents not shall not be saved, sometimes he that obeyes not, sometimes hee that loves not shall not be saved: and therefore the Scripture is cleere in it, and there is good reason for it.
* 1.7First, because if a man love not, there is a curse, there is a woe due to him, for wheresoever there
is not love, a man is an hypocrite, as our Saviour saith to the Scribes and Pharises, Wo be to you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites, that is because you are hy∣pocrites. Now wheresoever love is not, there is nothing but hypocrisie in such a mans heart. For what is hypocrisie?* 1.8 Hypocrisie is nothing but to doe the outward action without the inward sinceritie; as we say it is counterfeit golde, when it hath the forme and colour of golde, but in the inside is base: as we say he is a false Hector, when he acts the part of Hector, but is not so indeede: So hypocrisie is to doe the outward act without the inward sincerity. Now to doe them without inward sincerity is to doe them without love; for to doe a thing in love is to doe it in sincerity. And indeed there is no other definition of since∣rity, that is the best way to know it by: A man that doeth much to God, and not out of love, all that he doth is out of hypocrisie, he is an hypo∣crite, and there is a woe belongs to him. So that as we deale with counterfeit wares, wee breake them in peeces, or we set markes upon them, as we doe with counterfeit peeces of golde and sil∣ver, we bore holes in them, as condemned pee∣ces; so the Lord proposeth a woe to such as love him not, for in that hypocrisie consists, when a man doth much, and doth it not out of love.
Againe,* 1.9 hee that breakes the law, you know there is a curse belongs to him: Now there is a double keeping of the law, a strict and exact kee∣ping of it, and there is an Evangelicall keeping of it, that is, when you desire and endeavour to ful∣fill
the law in all things: and accordingly there is a double curse, there is a curse that followes the breach of the morall law that belongs to all man∣kinde, till they be in Christ; there is besides an Evangelicall curse that followes upon the Evan∣gelicall breach of the law. Now when a man loves not, he breakes the whole law: for as love is the keeping of the whole law, so the want of love is the breach of the whole law; because though hee may doe many things of the law, though he may keepe the sabboth, though he may deale justly, though he may heare the word, and doe many things, yet because it is not out of love he breakes the whole law. When he breakes the law thus, there is a curse belongs to him, and it is the curse of the Gospell that cannot be repealed, it is more terrible than the curse of the law. And therefore he that loves not, is in a cursed and dam∣nable condition.
* 1.10Againe, you know, in the law of God an A∣dulterer ought to die, as in the law of triall, when the woman was to drinke the cursed water, if shee were an Adulteresse, it was a curse to her, the Lord appointed it to be death to her. Now hee that loves not the Lord is an Adulterer, that is, hee is false to the Lord that should be his hus∣band. And when he loves not the Lord, he doth love somewhat else: And doth it not deserve a curse to preferre their pelfe before the Lord? that he should love pleasures more than God? that he should love the praise of men more thā the praise of God? And this is the case of every man that
loves not the Lord, hee loves the world: and hee that loves the world is an Adulterer and an A∣dulteresse, saith St. Iames.
Lastly,* 1.11 when the Lord shall be a suiter to us, when God shall offer his owne Sonne to us in marriage, and we refuse him; when Christ shall come from heaven to shew us the way to salvati∣on, and to guide our feete into the way of peace, and we shall either be carelesse or resist it, doe you not thinke the Lord will be filled with in∣dignation against such a man? will hee not be an∣gry with such a man? Is not the Sonne angry when he is not received? Kisse the Sonne lest he be angry: Will he not lay the axe to the roote of the tree, and cut off such a man, as men doe briers and thornes, whose end is damnation? This is the case of all those that love not, when they reject the Lord, and the Lord shall come to be a suiter to them, and they will have none of him. This is enough to cleare this to you, That whosoever loves not, is in an evill condition, in a state of damnation, he is not in Christ, he is a man with∣out the Covenant. We come to make some use of this.
If it be of such moment to love the Lord,1 1.12 then let every man looke to himselfe, and consider whether hee have in his heart this love to the Lord Iesus; for as it is with men, although you may doe them many kindnesses, yet if it proceed not from love, they regard it not: so it is with the Lord, whatsoever you doe, though you may doe much, though you pray never so constantly,
though you sanctifie the Sabboth never so dili∣gently, doe what you will, yet if you love him not, he regards it not: Neither circumscision is a∣ny thing, nor uncircumcision is any thing, but love. Indeede, when a man doth love him, the Lord beares with much, as you see hee did with David, because he was one that loved him. But when you love him not, performe never so much, he rejects all, he heedes it not: As you see it was with Amaziah, you know how much he did, yet it was not accepted, hee did it not with a perfect heart, that is, he did it not out of love. And there∣fore the Lord doth with us as we doe with men, when men have false hearts, we see they love us not, we say they doe but complement. So the Lord Iesus doth. This should helpe us to disco∣ver our selves, there is no way to discover hy∣pocrisie, none so sure a signe of it, as where love is not.
And therefore learne by this to know your selves, and to judge of your condition: It may be, when we confesse our sinnes, wee have not thought of this, that we love not Christ, or at the least, we have not considered what a sinne it is, but you may know what a sinne it is by the punishment of it: 1 Cor. 16.22. Let him be accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus.* 1.13 You may know the greatnesse of the sinne by the greatnesse of the punishment; for the punishment is the measure of the sinne, and (marke it) he doth not say, if you beleeve not in the Lord Iesus, or if you doe nor obey him; but if you love not the Lord Iesus:
That is, if there be an omission but of this one thing, that you love not, let such a man be accur∣sed, yea let him be had in execration to the death. Therefore consider this, how great a sinne it is, not to love the Lord. And when you consider your sinnes, and make a catalogue of them, looke on this, as that which discovers to us the vile∣nesse of our natures, as Paul saith of lust, I knew not that it was sinne, but by the law: but when sinne began to live, he died: So I may say of this, it may be men take not this into consideration, this sinne, that they have not loved the Lord; and therefore learne to know it. When we consider this, that he is accursed who loves not Christ, it may open a crevise of light unto us, to see what condition wee are in, how cursed our nature is, how hainous this sinne is, when a man sees that there is a cursed man, a man whom the Lord sets himselfe against, a man whom the Lord is an e∣nemie to, whom he puts all the strength and po∣wer he hath to confound, when hee sees there is a man whom the Gospell curseth, which is more terrible than the Law, because the curse of the Law may be repealed, there is a remedie for that in the Gospell: But the Gospell, if that curse a man, there is no remedie: This should humble us; for the Gospell should humble us as well as the Law. And there are sinnes against the Gos∣pell as well as against the Law, and whatsoever is sinne should humble us, yea the sinnes against the Gospell are greater than the sinnes against the Law: And therefore in this sense the Gospell is
fitter to humble us. Now when a man comes to consider his sinne, it may be possibly, he lookes to sinnes especially against the morall Law; but you must learne to doe more than that: Begin to thinke, Have I received the Lord Iesus? Have I beleeved in Christ? These are great sins against the Gospell: and these sinnes should chiefly hum∣ble us. If you thinke I presse this too hard, con∣sider the words of the Apostle I named, Let him be accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus: Let these words be sounding in your eares, compare your hearts to them, sometimes cast your eye on the one, and sometimes on the other, and see if it be not absolutely required to love the Lord. And againe, reflect on your hearts, and see if you be in the number of those that doe love him.
And take heede herein that you deceive not your selves, for it is the manner, when we presse the love of Christ upon them, they are rea∣dy to say, I hope I love the Lord, I hope I am not such a miscreant as not to love him; yea but consider whether thou doe or no: it is true, thou maist deceive me or another man when thou pro∣fessest love to God, but in this thou canst not de∣ceive thy selfe; for a man knowes what he loves, love is a very sensible and quick affection.1 1.14 When a man loves any thing, when hee loves his wife, loves his friend, loves his sonne, loves his sport, his recreation, he knowes he loves it, he hath the sense of that love in himselfe. Therefore consider with thy selfe whether thou hast any such stirring affection towards the Lord Iesus or no; doest
thou feele thy heart so possessed with him?1 1.15 art thou sicke of love, as the Spouse saith in the Can∣ticles, I am sicke of love? That is, are you grieved when he is absent? are you glad when you have him? when you can get into his presence? for there is a kinde of painfulnesse in love: and all painfulnesse is of a quicke sense. When it is said, the Church was sicke of love, sicknesse is pain∣full: And therefore when you want the Lord, when there is a distance betweene him and you, when he doth not looke on you as he was wont, there will be painfulnesse in it and griefe.
Againe,2 1.16 there will be much joy and gladnesse when you have him. Therefore let it be one way to examine your selves, if you feele such a love towards him or no.
Besides that,2 1.17 let mee aske thee if thou walke with the Lord, if thou converse with him, if thou be perfect in his presence, if thou doe as Enoch did, walke with the Lord from day to day; as it is an argument of an evill man, that he walkes not with the Lord, that he restraines prayer from the Almighty, that is, that he doth not converse with him: So is it a great argument of love to desire Gods company, to desire to be with him, to walke with God: (to use that phrase.) You will say, What is that to walke with him?* 1.18 To walke with him is to observe the Lords dealing with you, and to observe your carriage and dealing to him againe, that there may be continuall com∣merce and intercourse every day, that continual∣ly every houre, every moment, you would con∣sider
and thinke what the Lord doth to you, what his carriage is to you, what passages of his providence concerne you. Againe consider what you doe to him, what carriage there is betweene you: I say this conversing is an argument of love. Sh••ll a wife professe love to her husband, and ne∣never come where he is, never be within dores, and never be in his companie? So, will you say you love Christ, and not be frequent in prayer, or neglect and slight that duty, seldome converse with him, and seldome speake of him? When you love your friend, you are with him as much as you can, you love to speake with him, and to speake of him: So it is with the Lord, if you love him, certainly you will love his company, you will love his presence.
3 1.19Besides, if you love the Lord, you know love is a diligent thing: and therefore it is called d••li∣gent love, 1 Thess. 1.4.* 1.20 Effectuall faith, and dili∣gent love: that is, when a man loves a thing, he is diligent to obtaine, he spares no laboure, no cost, he cares not what he doth so he may get it; much labour seemes little to him, many yeares seeme a few dayes, hee cares not what he doth so hee ob∣taine it, he is diligent and laborious. Doe you take this paines to draw neere to God, to get grace, to excell in it? Are you willing to put your selves to it, to denie your selves in your ease, to take some time from other businesses, and to be∣stow it this way? are you content to put your selves to a harder taske, to forbeare things that are pleasant according to the flesh, to take paines
for the Lord? If you love God, it will make you diligent. A man will take paines to get the thing he loves.
Besides,4 1.21 love is an affection that would enjoy presently the thing it loves, it cannot endure de∣ferring. And therefore when a man professeth he loves the Lord, and yet will deferre to come in, saying, I wil serve the Lord perfectly, but not yet, not till my youth be a little more over, not till things be thus and thus with me, then I will; it is certain thou lovest him not: for it is true of every affection, that which is a true and right affection, that which is an hearty affection, it is present. If a man desire any thing, he would have it present∣ly, hope would be presently satisfied: and there∣fore hope deferred is griefe, and love deferred is a great griefe: So that if you finde a disposition to put it off in your selves, I will doe it, but not yet; certainly you love not the Lord. It may be, if you were sure to die within a week or a month, what men would you be? how perfectly would you walke with God? how would you have your hearts weaned from the world more than they be? Well, if you love the Lord, you will doe as much presently, though much of your life re∣maine; for love is a present affection, it cannot endure deferring, but it would have full commu∣nion, and that speedily and presently: so is it with that affection where you finde it.
Againe,5 1.22 if you examine your selves further, if you have this love in you, you may know it by this, Love is a thing th••t is well pleased with it
selfe, as we say, Love desires no wages, that is, it carries meate in the mouth of it, it is wages e∣nough to it selfe, it hath sweetnesse enough in it selfe, it desires no addition: So it is when a man loves, Love payes it selfe, I say, it is its owne wa∣ges. And therefore if you love the Lord, you shall know it by this; you serve him, and serve him with all your might, with all your strength, though he should give you no wages. Iacob, as you know, served for Rachel, the very having her was wages enough: So if you love the Lord, the very enjoying of the Lord, the very having communion with the Lord, the very having the assurance of his favour, that you might say, My Beloved is mine, and I am my Beloveds: this is wages enough to a man that loves indeed, to such a man, though there were not heaven to follow, though there were not a present reward, nor a future, yet he would love the Lord; and if he loue him, there will be a delight to serve him: and enough to him is the Lords favour, as Christ saith, It is my meate and drinke to doe my Fathers will: that is, though there were no other meate and drinke, though there were no other wages, yet this was as plea∣sant to him as eating and drinking. Aske thine owne breast, whether in any thing thou lovest, if the very enjoying of that, though there were no other wages superadded, if that were not motiue enough, if it were not comfort enough, and wa∣ges enough to you to doe it?
6 1.23But besides all this, to name one more, if you loue the Lord, it will make you, it will constraine
you to please him, it will put such necessity upon you to obey him in all things, to doe what he re∣quires, whatsoever is for his advantage, that you cannot chuse but doe it; as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 5.* 1.24 The Love of Christ constraines us: What is the meaning of that? That is, I cannot choose but doe it, it makes a man doe it whether he will or no; it is like fire in his breast, he cares for no shame, it makes him goe through thicke and thin, the loue of Christ constraines us. It is true, I confesse, I may lose my reputation, you may rec∣kon me a mad man, some men doe thinke me so, but that is all one, I must doe it, the loue of Christ constraines me. So that where loue is, it is such a strong impulsiue in the heart, it carries one on to serue and please the Lord in all things, that he cannot choose but doe it. As a man that is carried in a strong streame, or as one that is car∣ried in a crowde, or as one that is carried in the hands of a strong man, so a man is carried with this affection that hee cannot choose.* 1.25 You will say, this is strange that loue should compell, it doth nothing lesse.* 1.26 It is true: You must know, when the Apostle saith, The love of Christ con∣straines me, it is a Metonomy from the effect, that is, loue makes me doe it in that manner as a man that is compelled, that is the meaning of it: so it hath the same effect that compulsion hath, though there be nothing more different from compulsion than loue. And therefore know that of loue, that it is such a change as drawes one to
serue the Lord out of an inward attractiue, thence I take that note of loue, such a thing as puts it on, such a thing as riseth from an inward inclination of the mind, frō an inward principle, so that there is no other spurre, no other attractiue, but the a∣miablenesse of the object.
Now when a man shall finde this in him∣selfe, that hee hath all these, hee findes that hee hath such a sensible loue, that hee knowes hee loves the Lord Iesus: Againe, hee findes an earnest desire to be in company with him, to walke with the Lord from day to day: Againe, hee is exceeding laborious and diligent to get this love, to get this assurance of fa∣vour, and to excell in that grace, without which he knowes he cannot please him: Againe, when the affection is present, you would haue com∣munion with the Lord, and you would not haue it deferred: Againe, when a man shall be well pleased with that hee doth, it is enough that hee hath the Lord himselfe, though there were no other wages: And when hee findes such a strong impulsiue in him, in his owne heart, that carries him on to serue the Lord, that hee cannot choose but doe it; then you loue the Lord: And if you loue the Lord, you are in Christ. But if these things be not in you, you doe not loue him: and then, what is your con∣dition? You know what the Apostle saith, Hee that loves not, let him bee accursed, let him bee had in execration to the death. I should prose∣cute
it further, and shew the reasons why wee should loue the Lord, as there is great reason: But that I must deferre till the afternoone.
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.* 1.27
[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.
* 1.28Secondly, 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
* 1.29Besides, 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,* 1.30 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,* 1.31 you are engaged to love the Lord, and that should be a great motive to us: in Iosh. 24.12.* 1.32 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,* 1.33 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,* 1.34 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.* 1.35 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.* 1.36 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.
* 1.37And 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.* 1.38 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,* 1.39 we may desire long enough, but how shall we be able to doe it?
I will tell you in a word,* 1.40 and so conclude. First,* 1.41 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,* 1.42 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,* 1.43 we have prayed and have not obtained it;* 1.44 know, that to love the Lord is a precious thing: and therefore the Apostle reckons it so.
You will say,* 1.45 How doth this prayer doe it? I say that it doth it partly by obtaining at Gods hands;* 1.46 * 1.47 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:* 1.48 Why doe you put it as a peculiar meanes to get love?
* 1.49The 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.* 1.50 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 1.51 is to consider your owne condition, to consider your sinnes, what you are, what hearts you have, and what lives you have lead?
* 1.52You will say, how doth this beget love?
* 1.53Yes, 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.* 1.54 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 1.55 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,* 1.56 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.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
OVT of these words we have for∣merly delivered this point to you, that,
Wh•• soever loveth not is not in Christ.
The last thing (in the prosecu∣tion of this point) was the meanes whereby this love is wrought in our hearts, which we did not then finish, notwithstanding we will not proceed in it at this time, but rather al••••r the matter, and doe that which I did not then intend; because there are many this day that are to receive the
Sacrament, and you know when we come to re∣ceive the Sacrament, our chiefe businesse is to examine our selves. Let every man examine him∣selfe, and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup.
We have often pressed to you the necessitie of these two things:
* 1.57First, that you may not omit the Sacrament when it is administred in the Congregation whereof you are members: for if they were to be cut off from the people that neglected the Passe∣over,* 1.58 [unspec 1] why should not this be accounted a greater sinne, and to deserve a greater punishment, to neglect the receiving of the Lords Supper, which is come in the place of the Passeover, and is farre beyond it?
* 1.59First, because it is more cleare, and it is more cleare because the doctrine is more cleare; for it doth more lively represent Christ now exhibited [unspec 1] in the flesh, than that which onely represented Christ which was then to come.
[unspec 2] And secondly, because the mercie that you are now to remember is your redemption from sinne and from hell, a greater mercie than that which they were to remember in the Passeover, which was their deliverance out of Egypt, (though that was not all) therefore the neglecting of this must neeedes be a greater sinne than the neglecting of that.
Now you see how strictly God layeth a charge upon them, that no man should omit the Passeover, unlesse sicknesse or a journey hindred
him. Now consider this you that have beene negligent in comming to this holy Sacrament, for it is a great sinne, and provokes God to anger when he shall see that this ordinance which him∣selfe hath instituted, and which he hath laid such a charge upon you to doe is neglected?
Besides, doe you thinke it is a sinne to neglect [unspec 2] comming to the word? and is it not as much to neglect this ordinance?
Besides, doe we not neede all helpes of grace? [unspec 3] and is not this among the maine helpes.
Againe,2 1.60 as you ought not to omit it, so to come negligently to it, to come without examination, to come without a more solemne and extraordi∣nary renewing of your repentance is to receive the Sacrament unworthily, to eate and drinke judgement and damnation to your selves.* 1.61 Now there are two sorts that receive the Sacrament unworthily.
First, those that are not yet in Christ. [unspec 1]
Secondly, those that are within the covenant, [unspec 2] but yet come remissely and negligently, and take not that care they should in examining their hearts: for though you ought to renew your re∣pentance every day, yet in a more especiall man∣ner you ought to doe it upon such an occasion. As women doe in scowring their vessells, they make them cleane every day, but yet there are some certaine times wherein they scowre them more: so we should scoure our hearts in a more speciall manner upon this occasion. Now be∣cause this is the businesse that wee haue to doe
this day, we will therefore handle that more ful∣ly that we touched lightly before, which is this examination, whether we love the Lord Iesus or no: for if you love not the Lord Iesus, you are not in him; for whatsoever you doe availeth not, if you haue not faith and love. Therefore if you finde that you have not this love to Christ, that you are not rooted and grounded in love, you haue nothing to doe with Christ, and if you have no∣thing to doe with him, you have nothing to doe with the Sacrament. And therefore we will shew you what properties of love we finde in the holy Scriptures.* 1.62
1 1.63This is one property of love set downe in 1 Cor. 13. Love is bountifull, and seeketh not its owne things: that is, it is the nature of love to bestow readily and freely any thing a man hath to the party whom he loveth. We see, Ioseph that loved Benjamin, as his love was more to him than to all the rest of his brethren, so he gave him a greater portion than the rest. It is the nature of love to be bountifull, what a man loveth, hee cares not what he parts with to obtaine it. Herod cared not to have parted with halfe his kingdome, to please that inordinate affection of his. The Converts in the Apostles time, how bountifull were they, laying all their goods at the Apostles feete? Zac∣cheus, when hee was converted, and his heart was inflamed with love to Christ, he would give halfe his goods to the poore. But in generall, it is a thing that you all know, that love is of a bounti∣full disposition. If you would know then whe∣ther
you have this love to the Lord Iesus or no, consider whether you be ready to bestow any thing upon him, whether you be ready to part with any thing for his sake. David, when hee a∣bounded with love to the Lord, you see how he expressed it in his provision for the Temple, you see how he exceeded in it, An hundred thousand shekels of golde, and a thousand thousand talents of silver: this, saith he, I have done according to my poverty: As if he had said, if I had beene a∣ble to doe more I would have done more, but this was as much as I could reach unto: herein hee shewed the greatnesse of his love to God in the greatnes of his bounty. Take it in the love which we have one to another: where a man loveth, he denieth nothing. Sampson, when he loved the har∣lot, he denied her nothing that she asked of him. If you love the Lord Iesus, examine your selves by this, are you ready to bestow any thing for his advantage? are you ready to take all oppor∣tunities to doe somewhat for his glory? consider how many opportunities you have had, and might have had, wherein you might have expres∣sed and manifested this love to the Lord Iesus. Might you not have done much to the setting of a powerfull Minister here and there? have you not had ability to doe it? would it not much ad∣vantage the glory of Iesus Christ to make brid∣ges (as it were) for men to goe to heaven by, and to make the high way that leadeth thither? A greater worke of mercy than these externall workes that appeare so glorious in the eyes of
men: to have blessed opportunities, and not to use them, because wee have straight hands and narrow hearts, is a signe we want love to Christ.
In the passages of your life there is many a case, that if you were of a bountifull disposition, you might doe much good in. You know what Paul saith, which was a great testimony of his love, Acts 20.24.* 1.64 My life (saith he) is not deare unto me, so I may doe any thing for Iesus Christ, so I may fulfill the course of my Ministery. So examine your selves whether you can say thus upon any occasion; so that I may doe any good, so that I may help forward any good cause that may tend to the glory of God, my life is not deare unto mee, my liberty is not deare, my estate is not deare, my friends are not deare to me. You that have to doe in government, many cases there are, wherein if you will doe any speciall good, you must part with something of your owne; God lookes to you and sees what you doe, and how your hearts stand affected in all these passages, aske your selves now whether these things be not deare to you: if there were love in you, it will cause you to doe more than you doe. It was Da∣vids great wisedome, when water was brought to him that was purchased at so deare a rate, when so high a price was set upon it, hee would not drinke it himselfe, but powred it forth to the Lord; and therein hee shewed the greatnesse of his love, that he was willing to part with that which he so exceedingly longed for, which was bought at such a rate.
The like he did when he bought the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite, hee might have had it given him for nothing; No, saith he, I will not offer to the Lord of that which cost me nothing: As if hee had said, I shall shew no love to the Lord then, and if I shew no love to him, what is my sa∣crifice worth? For David knew well enough that God observed what hee did, hee observed what it cost him. The Lord observeth all that you doe: Beloved, he knoweth your hearts, and seeth what motions you have, and prizeth your acti∣ons accordingly. If you doe any action for him, that costs you something, he observeth that like∣wise. In Rev. 2.* 1.65 I know thy workes and thy patience: so doth the Lord say of every man, I know what such a service cost thee, I know what losse thou sufferedst, when thou didst part with such a thing for my sake. Therefore if you would shew your love to the Lord, and would have a testimonie in your hearts, that you have this love wrought in you, be not backward to bestow any thing upon Christ. The woman that brake the boxe of pre∣cious oyntment, you see how the Lord accepted that worke of hers so much, that he puts it down that it should never be forgotten. For love where∣soever it is, will open the heart, and open the hand, and bestow any thing upon Iesus Christ, that is in our power.
Now if we examine whether love be amongst men by this signe, wee shall finde but little love, and we may justly take up the complaint of the Apostle, Every man seekes his owne things, and not
the things of Iesus Christ: that is, when any thing is to be done, men are ready to enquire thus, it is the secret inquisition of their hearts; What is this to mee? what profit will it bring mee? wherein will it be to mine advantage? And if they finde it is a thing that will cost them something, and a thing that they shall get nothing by, how colde and backward are men to doe it? It is from this, that men seeke their owne things.
* 1.66But here every man will be ready to professe, and say that he is not so strait handed, but hee is readie to doe manie things for Christ, that hee is bountifull, and seekes not his owne things?
* 1.67My Beloved, let us trie this now a little: thou thinkest thou art so bountifull for the Lord, I would aske thee this; Doest thou doe it purely for the Lord in such a case, when there is no pro∣fit nor praise with men, nor advantage redoun∣ding to thy selfe? art thou as forward then as when there are all those respects? art thou as a∣bundant in it, as diligent, and as ready to doe it? This discovers the falshood of mens hearts for the most part.
And besides, take it in the case of selfe-love, consider what thou doest when thine owne selfe-love shall come in competition with this love to the Lord: for in that we shall know our love to the Lord, when wee denie our selves, when wee crosse our selfe-love, and reject and refuse it: for otherwise it is no thanke to us, when there is no inward crossing in us, no contrary affections drawing us another way. Therfore if you would
know whether you love the Lord or no, trie what you doe in the things that are dearest to you, consider what you doe in those things that of all others you are most unwilling to part with: for indeed herein is the tryall, as the Lord said to Abraham, when hee would have offered up his sonne, Now Abraham I know that thou lovest mee: As if he had said, this is a sure testimony that thou lovest me, because thy sonne is not deare to thee. So I say, when you are to part with some∣thing that is deare to you, consider what you doe in such a case, consider whether you can say ge∣nerally, I account all things but as losse and dung for Christ. It may be thou art willing to part with something that thou carest not much for, but this is nothing. Some man will not lose his credit, that is deare to him; Examine thy selfe now, if thy credit be deare to thee, art thou content to lose the praise of men for Christ? when thou art put to a hazard art thou content to suffer the losse of thy estate?
Every man hath some particular temptation, young men for the most part are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and olde men are lovers of their owne wealth more than of God. There∣fore consider what you will doe now in your se∣verall cases. Christ, you know, requires this at every mans hands, that his wife and children, that his father and mother, and whatsoever is dearest to him, that hee should neglect it all for his sake; and herein a mans love is seene.
And when you have done all this, I will adde
that further, though you doe bring your hearts to doe it, yet are you willing to doe it? doe you doe it chearfully and readily? for why doth the Lord require that as a necessarie condition, that whatsoever is done to him might be done chear∣fully and willingly? For no other reason than this, but because hee regards nothing but that which commeth from love, and if it come from love, we know, we doe it cheerefully. Therefore consider whether thou art willing to doe this chearfully, and with a full hand, not nigardly and pinchingly; and by this you shall know whether you have this love to the Lord Iesus or no, whe∣ther you be bountifull, whether you seeke the things of the Lord, and not your owne things.
2 1.68In the second place, you shall finde this to be one propertie of love (by which you may trie your selves) it will be content with nothing but with love againe from the party whom wee love. If one love another, let him doe never so much, let him be never so kinde in his actions towards him, let him be never so bountifull to him, yet except he have love againe, hee is content with nothing. Indeede when we doe not love a man, we can be content to receive profit from him, and it is no matter though his heart goe another way so we enjoy it; but it is the nature of true love to desire to be paid in its owne coyne. Now if thou love the Lord Iesus, if thou mightest haue all the blessings that he could bestow upon thee, if hee should open his hand wide, and compasse thee about with abundance, yet if thou louest the
Lord, thou wouldest not be content with this, but thou wouldest have assurance of his love, thy heart would be at no rest else.
And this you may see in David,* 1.69 Psal. 51. David, you know, was well enough, hee had health and wealth, and abundance of all things, yet you see how miserably he complained, because he wan∣ted that joy that hee was wont to have, because he was not in those termes with the Lord that he was wont to be; and till hee had that, his bones were broken with sorrow, and hee tooke it so to heart, that nothing in the world could content him, till he was assured of Gods favour: And it is certaine, that if thou love the Lord, nothing will satisfie thy soule, but the assurance of his lo∣ving countenance to thee againe. Therefore that which Absolom did we may make use of, upon this occasion, hee had that wit, to make a right pre∣tence, whatsoever his intent was: when hee was called from banishment where hee lived well e∣nough, and enjoyed all things, hee wanted no∣thing, but had as much as hee could desire, yet, saith he, what doth all this availe me, so long as I may not see the Kings face? It was but his crafti∣nesse: Yet thus much we may observe out of it, that this is the property of love, that till a man see the face of God, that is, till he enjoy a neare and close communion with God, untill he can have the love of God witnessed to his soule, hee cares for nothing in the world besides: As you have it in 2 Chron. 7.14. you have that condition put in:* 1.70 If my people (saith he) when they are in distresse, shall
humble themselves, and seeke my face, then I will doe thus and thus. As if he should say, it may be they may seeke libertie, when they are in captivitie; it may be they may seeke health, when they are in sicknesse; it may be they may seeke deliverance from enemies, under whom they are enthralled; but that is not the condition that I put them up∣on, but if they humble themselves, and seeke my face, then I will heare in heaven, &c. So I say now, if you will trie whether you love the Lord Iesus or no, consider whether you seeke his face, that is, whether you seeke grace or no, whether nothing in the world can content you but his favour. For it is the property of one that is truly sanctified, mercie alone will not content him, but hee will have grace as well as mercy: Another man that loveth not the Lord, it is true, it may be hee is pinched with the sense of his sinnes, but let him have mercy, it is enough hee thinkes; but now take a man that hath his heart right towards God, except he have grace, it contents him not; for that is the property and nature of true love, that it careth for no wages, all that it desires is the love of the party, that what it doth may be acknowledged and accepted; and there is a great difference in that: You know, a nurse doth much unto the childe, as well as the mother, and it may be more, but notwithstanding the nurse never doth it but when she is hired; but the mother doth it for nothing, and she doth it more abundantly, because she doth it out of love, and it is wages e∣nough to her that she hath done it, because shee
loves her childe: So I say, if you love the Lord Iesus, it is not wages that you seeke, but if you may have the light of his countenance to shine on you, if you may have his favour, if you may have opportunitie to doe him service in your place, it is enough for you, you care not for the present wages, nor for future. Therefore herein you may know the nature of your love, the rightnesse and ingenuity of it, if it be so that all that you doe is out of love to the Lord, and if you can content your selves with love againe from God, it is a signe that you love the Lord Iesus.
Againe,3 1.71 (to proceed) if you love the Lord Ie∣sus, you will also love his appearance: as you have it in 2 Tim. 4.8. A crowne of righteousnesse is laid up for me, and as many as love the appearance of Iesus Christ:* 1.72 and in Heb. 9. ult. Hee was offered for the sinnes of many, and shall appeare the second time to such as looke for him, &c. For whom was he offe∣red? and to whom shall he appeare? To as many as looke for his comming againe. So in 2 Pet. 3.13. What manner of men (saith the Apostle) ought we to be in all godlinesse & holy conversation,* 1.73 looking for and hasting to the appearance of Christ? &c. So that it is certaine, every man that loveth the Lord Iesus, hee loves his appearance, hee hasteneth to the comming of the Lord, he lookes for his com∣ming againe: and it must needes be so in reason. For if you love any, you know, you must needes love their presence; will you professe that you are louing to any, that when you heare of their comming towards you, there is no newes more
unacceptable to you? If a woman had a husband in the East Indies, and report of his comming home should be the worst newes that shee could heare, shall wee thinke that such a woman loues her husband? So if you did loue the Lord Iesus, you would be glad to haue his appearance.
And (Beloved) seeing the Apostle hath chosen out this note, why should not we presse it in our examination of our selues, whereby wee may know whether wee loue the Lord Iesus or no? whether wee desire to be with the Lord? whe∣ther we can say, as the Apostle Paul, Wee desire to be at home, and to be with the Lord? If we examine the loue of men by this rule, wee shall finde that there is exceeding little loue to the Lord Iesus, men are so exceeding backward in desiring to be at home, and to be with him; and we may know that by our backwardnesse to be in the Lords presence upon earth: Shall wee thinke that men are desirous to be in his presence in heauen, and yet are so unwilling to draw neare to him upon earth? But you will object,
* 1.74Many of those that loue the Lord, that are men truly sanctified, yet are afraid of death, and the newes of death is terrible to them: and therefore surely this is a rare signe, euen in those that haue faith and loue to desire the appearance of Iesus Christ?
* 1.75I answer, it is true, there may be a backward∣nesse even in the Saints, but you must know upon what ground it is. A spouse that is to marrie a husband, no question but shee would be glad to
be handsome, and to be prepared for his com∣ming, and though shee may desire his companie exceedingly, yet because things are not so readie as she would have them, or for feare that he may finde that which may divert and turne away his eyes from delighting in her, perhaps shee desires not his comming at that time. There is a certaine negligence and unpreparednesse in mens hearts, which breedes an unwillingnesse in them some∣times, and makes them afraid of seeing the Lord, and yet there may be a true and inward love af∣ter him.
Besides, you know, there is flesh as well as spi∣rit, [unspec 2] and the spirituall part desires, as Paul did, to be at home, and to be with the Lord, and to en∣joy his presence, but that flesh that is in us is al∣wayes backward to it. Therefore in Revel. 14.13.* 1.76 Blessed are those that die in the Lord, so saith the Spi∣rit, but so saith not the flesh; the voice of the flesh is contrary to it, but it is the voice of the spirit and the regenerate part that is in us. So that this I may boldly say to you, that every man that hath this faith and love wrought in him by the Spirit of God, hee hath that in him which doth earnestly desire communion with Christ to live with him for ever, to be in his presence continu∣ally, although there may be some reluctancie by reason of the flesh that is there.* 1.77 Take a man that hath sore eyes, you ynow, to the eye the light is exceeding pleasant, but look how much sorenesse and defect there is in the eye, so much the light is burdensome to it; but so farre as the eye is right,
so farre as it is perfect, so farre is the light plea∣sing and delightfull to it; so it is with the heart of the regenerate man, looke how much faith, looke how much spirit there is, so much desire there is of the presence of Christ, and it is most pleasing and acceptable to him, as the light of the Sunne is to the eye; but looke how much sore∣nesse, that is, looke how much flesh there is in him, so much reluctancie, so much unwillingnes there is in him: and that hee must strive against: But still the rule holdeth good, that wheresoever the heart is right, there is alwayes an earnest de∣sire and longing to be with Christ. And indeede this is only found in the Saints; for evil mē, if they knew what heaven were, they would never desire it: for they desire heaven in another notion, they would be well, they would be freed from misery and discontent which they mette with in the world, they would have whatsoever the flesh desireth, and that is it they looke after; but to de∣sire heaven as it is, that is, to desire an excellency in grace, to be alway praising God, to be conti∣nually in his presence, to be freed from the pra∣ctise of sinne, this is a thing that if men aske their owne hearts, they doe not desire in this manner; for they desire it not here upon earth, when they are in the communion of Saints. When they are in places where there are holy speeches, and holy exercises, it is burthensome to them, they are out of their element, they are as men that are not up∣on their proper center; these men desire to be in heaven, but they desire another kinde of happi∣nesse
than there is in heaven; the felicity there is presented unto them under another Idea, they de∣sire no more than the flesh desires: but to desire heaven indeed, as it is heaven, to desire God there in his purenesse and holinesse, to desire it so as thereby to be sequestred from all worldly, carnall and sensuall delights, this a carnall man desires not. Therefore this is a distinguishing note and signe, that he that loves the Lord will love his appea∣rance.
Fourthly,4 1.78 you shall finde this to be the pro∣perty of love, hee that loveth is very readie to speake of the party loved; love is full of loqua∣citie, it is readie to fall into the praises of the par∣ty beloved, and to keepe no measure in it, to a∣bound in it, that is the disposition of every man that loveth. So is it in this love to the Lord Iesus: You may see it in David, as he abounded in love to the Lord, so hee could never satisfie himselfe in praising the Lord: in Psal. 105.* 1.79 which is re∣peated 2 Chron. 15.* 1.80 you shall finde that hee hath never done with it, but is alwayes singing praises to the Lord: Sing praise to the Lord, and be alway talking of his wondrous workes. And againe, Re∣member his marva••lous workes that hee hath done of olde, and all the wonders, &c. As if he should say, if you love the Lord, shew it in praising of him. Doe you professe to love the Lord, and yet ne∣ver delight to speake of him? nor delight to heare others speake of him? My Beloved, this back∣wardnesse that is amongst us to holie and graci∣ous speech, to speeches that tend to the setting
forth of the Lords praise, shewes that love to the Lord Iesus is wanting among us.
You know, it is naturall for every man to a∣bound in the speeches of the things they love, of what nature soever they be. Mariners are deligh∣ted to talke of their voyages, and souldiers of their battells, and huntsmen of their games. If you delight in the Lord, certainly your tongues will be much in speaking of him, you will be rea∣dy to doe it upon all occasions. Out of the abun∣dance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and if love to the Lord doe abound in your hearts, this love will be expressed in your tongues, upon all oc∣casions: and therefore, at the least, you may judge of the measure of your love by this. Hee that speakes much of loving God, and yet hath his speeches, empty, vaine, and unprofitable, surely we may guesse that he loves him not at all: and this is a marke that will not deceive us.
And now what will you say for your selves, that you speake no more upon those severall oc∣casions that you meete withall in the world? is it because you are ashamed, because you are bash∣full, and fearefull to expresse your selves, and to make an open profession of that holinesse that is in your hearts? Certainly it is a signe that you love not the Lord Iesus: for hee that loveth, is never ashamed; because, whom a man loveth, he magnifieth, hee prizeth much, hee hath a high e∣steeme of: and therefore that bashfulnesse and fearfulnesse that you object, will not keepe you backe, if you did love the Lord in truth and sin∣cerity.
Or else, why is it that you speake of him no more? is it because you cannot speake? is it because your understandings are weake and dull? because you are not able to doe it as well as o∣thers, and therefore you are loath to expresse your selves?
You know, when you love any, that love will teach you to speake, it will quicken the dullest wit and invention; love sharpeneth, and maketh the rudest tongue eloquent. It is the nature of love to set the heart on worke, and when the heart is set on worke, the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer. You know how the Apostle setts it forth, Our heart is enlarged to you: love openeth the heart wide, and the heart openeth the tongue wide: therefore if you love the Lord much, you will bee much in speaking of him. Consider therefore what your speeches are concerning God, whether you your selues are ready to speak much, and to delight to heare others speake also? whether you be glad of any occasion, as those that love are glad to heare those that they love to be spoken of?
Fifthly,5 1.81 love will doe much and suffer much for the party loved: Paul, as he was abundant in love, so he was abundant in labour likewise; who∣soever aboundeth in love will abound in workes also. Therefore see what you doe for the Lord Iesus, see what you suffer for his sake. When Christ came to Peter, and asked him that questi∣on, Peter l••vest thou me? hee puts him upon the try••ll by this fruit of his love, Feede my Lambes:
As if he should say, Peter, if thou wilt shew that thou lovest me, expresse it in doing something for my sake, Feede my Lambes: herein thy love shall be discerned; doe not say thou lovest mee, and yet art negligent in doing for mee, Feede my Lambes. We shall not need to presse this much in this Congregation, because it belongs to the Mi∣nistery: Although you haue somewhat to doe in it for the Magistracie also, whereby they may expresse their love to the Lord Iesus, to helpe the feeding of Christ Lambes.
It is true, wee are as the vines that bring forth the grapes, but you are as the elmes that holde up those vines: the Magistrates feede the people as well as the Ministers: therefore that phrase is applied to David, hee was a Shepheard. There∣fore in your severall occasions, when you meete with that which may tend to the feeding of the people of God, when you shall labour so farre as may lie within your compasse, that the Gospell may have a free passage, that there may be more faithfull and laborious Ministers set up in the se∣verall places of the kingdome, the more you doe this, the more you feede Christs lambes. And if you will shew that love you have to the Lord, shew it by feeding his people, that is, by doing that which lyes in your power tending to that end, by doing of it zealously, with all your might. And as that was the worke that Christ put Peter upon for the tryall of his love, so I may say to e∣very one of you, If you will shew that you love the Lord Iesus, doe the worke that belongs to
your particular place; for every calling hath a particular worke in it: if you love the Lord, be diligent in that way, in that calling which Christ hath given you to doe him service in: and here∣in you shall shew your love, as it was Christs owne speech, I have glorified thy Name, that is, in that particular worke, in that charge which thou gavest me to performe: so you must shew your love to God in doing the actions of your particu∣lar callings diligently. You know, when that womans heart abounded in love to Christ, how it found out a way wherein it would shew it selfe presently in breaking the boxe of oyntment, &c.
As it is said of faith, It is dead without workes, so love is dead without workes, the Lord regards it not, it is a dead carkasse, without motion. Wee know it is the nature of love to be diligent: if you doe love Christ, it will make you diligent.
And as you will be ready to doe much, so you will be ready to suffer much also: these two I put together, because suffering is a kinde of do∣ing, onely it is a doing of things, when there is difficultie and hardnesse. Now if you love the Lord Iesus, see what you will suffer for his sake; those that we love, wee are exceeding readie to suffer for. A husband that loves his spouse, is exceeding readie to suffer any thing to enjoy her love, he is willing to suffer any displeasure of pa∣rents, of friends, to suffer the losse of his estate, he cares not for discredit in the world, hee is ready to breake through thicke and thinne, and to doe
any thing, so he may obtaine her love at the last: So if you love the Lord Iesus, you will suffer a∣ny thing for his sake. It was an excellent testi∣mony of Davids love, in 2 Sam. 6.21.* 1.82 when Da∣vid there dancing before the Arke was scoffed at by Michal his wife, see what an answere hee gives her, It is, saith he, before the Lord: as if hee should say, I am willing to beare this at thy hands, for it is to the Lord who hath chosen me rather than thy father and all his house: As if he should say, seeing it is the Lord, for whose sake I endure this rebuke at thy hands, I care not for it, I am willing to doe it, yea I will doe it more, and be more vile in mine owne eyes, and expose my selfe yet to more scorne and derision, since it is to the Lord who hath chosen mee rather than thy fa∣thers house; so I say, when any thing comes to be suffered for any good action, for any good cause, (as indeede commonly such actions have sufferings joyned with them) if you love the Lord, you will be ready to goe through it, and that with cheerfulnesse, because it is to the Lord who hath chosen you, and passed by so many thousands. And therefore it was the commenda∣tion of those in Heb. 10.* 1.83 it was an argument of their sincerity, that they suffered the spoyl••ng of their goods with joy. Whence came this, but from their love to the Lord? they were so farre from being backward to suffer, as that they were glad to have the opportunitie to suffer somewhat for his sake.
* 1.84But you will say, I am readie to doe much for
the Lord, and I hope I am not backward to suffer for him.
It is well if it be so,* 1.85 but let mee adde this to all that I have said, In what manner doest thou doe that thou doest? You know the caution that the Apostle puts in, in 1 Iohn 5.3. Herein is love ma∣nifested, that we keepe his commandements,* 1.86 and his commandements are not grievous. Indeed herein is the reality of love seene, that we keepe the com∣mandements of God. It is true, a man may doe much for Christ, and yet not love him; an hy∣pocrite may goe farre in performances, and yet though he doth much, hee may not love much: therefore you must examine your selves by that, in what manner you doe that which you doe. Therefore it is added, if wee keepe his commande∣ments, and they be not grievous: as if he should say, the manner of your doing is all in all, you must both doe much, and suffer much; but they must both be done willingly. You know, the wife and the servant, they both serve the husband, and doe much for him, both are alike diligent, yet not∣withstandi••g there is this difference, the wife doth it out of love, shee doth it in another man∣ner, proceeding from another affection, aiming at another end than the servant doth. So two men may be diligent in keeping the same commande∣ment of the Lord; the one doth it as one that loves the Lord earnestly, being desirous to please him, as one that delights in the Lord, no∣thing doth more content him, that when he is in an opportunity wherein he may expresse his love
to the Lord, all his commandements are not grievous to him, it is not respect to the reward, it is not an eye to the punishment that mooves him.
A man indeed may doe much for the Lord, when it is the respects that he hath to hell and to judgement, to heaven and the reward that moves him: Not but that these may be motives; but yet you must remember this, that if these be the principall, and if these onely moove you, you doe it not out of love, you take but an aime from your selves. When a man hath a businesse of his owne to doe, you know how carefull he is in it, and with what diligence hee doth it, how often and how seriously he is devising with himselfe to bring his matters to passe. Now if you love the Lord, the actions that you doe, you will not doe them as those that are his slaves and servants, that doe things for other regards; And indeede such is the love for the most part that is among us now adayes, there is much formality in our a∣ctions, wee have a forme of godlinesse without the power of it: even as in our love towards men, there are many complements, and much profession of love one to another, but wee finde that there is little true love: So wee may take up a complaint against men in their love to God, there is much formality, men are much in outward perfor∣mances, which is well, I confesse, but alas, the power is wanting; it is all but complemen∣ting with God, as it were, when you come and do these duties of Gods worship, when you keepe
the Sabbath, and present your selves at prayers and at Sermons, it is well you doe so; but yet when your hearts are going after your covetous∣nesse, and after your pleasures, after this or that particular humour, the Lord lookes upon this as upon a formall performance: it is another kinde of doing that the Lord requires at your hands. It may be you doe duties in secret and private, and it is a good propertie that you doe so, but yet that is not enough; you may doe them as a taske, that you are glad when the businesse is done, and it is well that is o∣ver; but when you will doe things out of love, you must know that you must doe it in another manner, not in this formality. If you will serve the Lord out of love, it is not the pray∣ing to him morning and evening that will con∣tent you, but it is the working upon your hearts, it is the beating upon your affections till you have brought them to a good frame of grace, till you have wrought upon your selves a sound and thorow renewing of your repen∣tance, you will never give over till your hearts be quickened in prayer, till you have found that God hath answered you, till you have had ex∣perience of his mercy and loving kindnesse to∣wards you.
So when you come to heare, is this all, (thinke you) that God requires of you, to sit here, and lend us your eares for a little time? No, my Beloved, unlesse you doe it from love, unlesse you be mooved to it from an in∣ward
principle, from an entire and holy affe∣ction to God, it is nothing. You must labour to have the word wrought upon your hearts, you must observe how you practise, and how you bring forth into action that which you heare; for you doe not learne a thing here, when you come to heare the word, till you practise it, till your hearts bee transformed into it: Doe not thinke that you have done the worke, when you have sate here and heard us, when you have gone home and repeated the Sermon, and un∣derstand it: To heare as God would have you heare is another thing: it is like your lessons in musicke, you say you have never learned them, till you be able to practise them; so you ne∣ver have learned the word of God aright, till you have an abilitie in you to practise it.
To shew you what love is, and what faith is, and what patience is, to make you understand and conceive of it, it is nothing; but to have faith, to have patience, to have love, to have your affections inflamed to the Lord, this is the right hearing. As it is in physicke, the under∣standing of the Physitians bill is nothing, it is the taking and applying of that which is there written that doth good to your bodies; so is it with the doctrine that wee preach, you may understand it, and apprehend it, and con∣ceive of it aright; but except you bring it forth into your lives and actions, you learne it not. Therefore this slight and overly performance is not a true testimonie of your loue to the Lord
Iesus, but the doing of it to purpose, so that God who searcheth the heart may accept of it; the doing of it thorowly that your hearts may be wrought upon, this is a signe that your do∣ing and suffering comes from Love.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
THE last thing that wee did was to shew you what were the properties of true love, that by them you might try your selves whether you love the Lord Iesus or no: we went through five in the morning, we now proceede.
6 1.87Another property of love is this, it is full of heate: therefore in Cant. 8. it is compared to coales of juniper:* 1.88 and that phrase is used in Mat. 24.5.* 1.89 Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall waxe colde. That antithesis shewes that love is a
hot thing, hot as fire. Therefore if you would know whether you love the Lord Iesus or no, consider what heat and what fire there is in you.
Now what are the properties of fire? where∣in doth love and that agree?
Fire, you know, is the most active of all the [unspec 1] elements; colde benummes a man, and is the greatest enemie to action: if thou love the Lord Iesus, thou shalt finde thy love will have that property of fire to set all on worke on thee; it will set thy tongue on fire, and thy hands on fire, and thy head and heart on fire, every thing that is within thee will be working, and doing some service or other to the Lord. When a man wan∣teth love, hee is as a man benummed, as a man frozen in his dreggs, not apt to any thing: the more a thing is like to fire, the more aptnesse, and the more activenesse; so the more love, the more aptnesse and readinesse to every good worke: where there is no love, there men are reprobate to every good worke.
Besides, love as it is very active, so it is very [unspec 2] quicke, as fire is of a quicke nature. Therefore we say that love hates nothing so much as de∣layes, and it is in this like to fire, which is the quickest of all the elements. Consider of this therefore; Art thou speedy in thy executions? if thou love the Lord, thou wilt not deferre and put off from day to day any thing that is to bee done, thou wilt not say with thy self, I wil change my course of life, but not yet: no, if thou love the Lord, thou wilt doe it presently.
[unspec 3] Besides love agrees with fire in this, that it is earnest and vehement: and indeede I take it, that in that regard it is chiefly compared to fire. For fire, as it is of a quicke, so it is of a vehement na∣ture, and so is love. Looke what a man loves, upon that he bestowes the top of all his affecti∣ons, and the maine strength of his intentions run that way. Examine by this therefore whether thou love the Lord or no. If thou love the Lord Iesus, thou wilt look upon other things, as things that thou regardest not much, thou wilt grieve for them as if thou grievedst not, and rejoyce as if thou rejoycedst not, thou wilt use the world as if thou usedst it not, thy heart will be taken up about Christ, and about the things that belong to the kingdome of God, thy intentions will be set upon the things that belong to the service of God, and thy owne salvation. This is a thing by which you may plainly discerne the truth of your love: examine therefore what it is upon which you bestow the maine and the top of your inten∣tions. Indeed, my brethren, the greatest things that the world hath are not worthy of the toppe and strength of our affections; for they are but trifles. Therefore if you love the Lord Iesus, if you prize him aright, and be righ••ly affected to∣wards him, you will esteeme nothing great, but the enjoying of his favour, and nothing of worse consequent than the losse of it, nothing will be of any great moment to you, but onely sinne, and grace; sinne that displeaseth him, and grace that brings you into favour with him: as for other
things, you will looke upon them as trifles, you will not put the strength of your mindes to any thing else; this is the nature of love, it is vehe∣ment toward the thing that it loveth.
Moreover, it hath also this property of fire, [unspec 4] that it is still aspiring, it is still enlarging it selfe, still growing on, assimulating, and turning every thing into its owne nature, it is overcomming and is not ready to be overcome: Which proper∣tie of fire is noted in that place I spake of in the morning, Much water cannot quench it, it is as strong as death: Now death, you know, overcomes all; so will love, it will breake through all impedi∣ments. Consider whether you finde this dispo∣sition in your selves, that your hearts are still drawing nearer and nearer the Lord, that they are still aspiring up towards heaven, that you are still going onward and thriving in the worke of grace.
But that which of all other things will mani∣fest most to us this affection of love,7 1.90 it is those af∣fections which depend on it; you shall know it, I say, by the affections that hang upon it. It is true that all the affections depend upon love, but, for this time, I will instance but in two, namely,
Looke whatsoever it is that a man loveth, where he findes any impediment in the prosecu∣tion of it, hee is angry, hee desires with as much earnestnesse to remoove that impediment, as hee loves the thing.
Take any man even of the mildest disposition, if in any thing that hee loveth much, and inten∣deth much, there be an intercurrent impediment that shall interrupt him, he is angry, though o∣therwise he be of a most meeke disposition. For anger is but earnestnesse to remove the thing out of the way that hinders us: whatsoever a man loveth, hee is angry with the impediments that hinder him in it. Come now and examine your love to the Lord by your anger: that anger that proceedes from love to the Lord, we call zeale: will you professe that you love the Lord, and yet your hearts are not moved when he is disho∣noured? Thinke with thy selfe when thou art wronged in thy name, or some body miscalleth thee, misreports of thee, and prosecutes thee with evill speeches and revilings, is not thy wrath kindled in thee against such a one? Well, if thou love the Lord Iesus as thy selfe, as thou oughtest to love him above thy selfe, why are not thy affections stirred in thee, when thou hea∣rest him dishonoured, when thou knowest that his Name is ill spoken of? If a man should take from thee thy wealth, or any thing that is deare to thee; if a man should come and violate thee with ill tearmes, thou wouldest be angry with him, and be ready to flie in the face of such an one. If you be thus affected to the Lord, and to his glory, why doe you not doe the like for him? You know, David did the same: Mine eyes gush out (saith he) with rivers of water because men keepe not thy Law. Therefore know that, if you finde
not your hearts affected with the things that be∣long to God, that there is no anger stirred up, it is a sure argument that you love him not. It is observable that is said of olde Ely, 1 Sam. 4.3.* 1.91 when newes was brought him that the Israelites were fled, that moved him not so much when it was tolde him; morever that there was a great slaughter among the people, that stirred him not neither; when it was tolde him yet that his two sonnes Hophni and Phineas were slaine, yet this did not so much affect him; but when it was tolde him that the Arke of the Lord was taken, the text noteth something more than ordinary, that hee was so stirred with it, that he fell from his seate, & it cost him his life. Can you find this affection in your selves, that you are not moved with the death of childrē so much, or for the losse of your goods, or for your owne particular discontents, as when you shall heare that the glory is depar∣ted from Israel, that religion suffers any eclipse in any place, that the Gospell of Iesus Christ is hindred? This is a thing that will try your love to the Lord. If you finde that you can heare of the desolation of the Churches, and of the in∣crease and growing of Poperie, and yet you doe not take it to heart to be affected with it, you doe not grieve for it, it is a signe that you want love to the Lord. You know what is noted of them in Ierem. 36.24. when the King had done an abominable action,* 1.92 that hee had cut the roll in∣sunder that Ieremiah gave him, and cast it into the fire that was upon the hearth before him, it is
sayd that those that were about him, did not rent their clothes, nor petition to him &c. As if hee should say; in this they discovered a wonderfull want of love to the Lord, and to his cause, that they were not moved with this dishonour, that was offered to God, and to his servant, and to the cause of Religion at that time. You know what disposition Paul had in this case Act. 17. He ob∣served that the place,* 1.93 where he was, was given to Idolatry, the text saith, His spirit was stirred in him, his zeale and his anger was kindled in his breast. Therefore consider what your affections to the Lord are by this holy anger that is in you. Mo∣ses you know, was the meekest man vpon the earth, and yet you know how he was mooved, how his zeale was kindled in his breast, when he saw the idolatry of the people.
In the next place consider your feare: For if you love the Lord, it will cause you to feare and tremble at his word, and at his judgements, for whom a man loves much, he regards much, and when a man regards another much, he is much af∣fected with what he doth; Now when the Lord shall shew some tokens of his wrath, those that love him, and esteeme of him, those that prize him, cannot but be affected. Shall the Lyon roare, and shall not the beasts of the field tremble? Consi∣der, how you are affected therefore,* 1.94 when the Lord shall discover any expression of his wrath, and what doth hee else in this stroake, which is now vpon this place; is there not wrath gone out from the Lord? You know the plague is
more particularly Gods hand, then any other affliction: Therefore David saith when he chose the plague, that he would choose to fall into the hands of God, intimating that, in that buysinesse, God was in a more peculiar manner the doer of it. As the thunder is sayd to be the voyce of the Lord, so the plague may properly be sayd to be the stroake of the Lord, more peculiarly than a∣ny other affliction. Consider therfore what your affections are in this case: for my beloved, let it not be in vayne to you, that the Lord stretcheth forth his hand as hee doth now at this time a∣mong vs. It is but yet in the beginning, and what is the Lords meaning in it? Is it not as a messenger sent vpon an errand? If it had its an∣swer, if that were done, for which the Lord had sent it, would he not remoue it againe? Would he not bid the destroying Angell to put up his sword into his sheath? Doubtlesse he would, if you would doe that at the beginning of this sick∣nesse that must be done before the Lord will re∣moove it from you.
You will say,* 1.95 what shall we doe then? I be∣seech you consider what commonly is the cause of a plague among vs.* 1.96 Consider what hath ben the cause of the plague in former times.* 1.97 You shal finde in Numb: 25.* 1.98 two causes of the plague. One was the superstition and Idolatrie of the people, they begann to be yokt with Idolatrie, They joyned themselues to Baal Peor. I confesse that sinne was not yet growne to any great height, it was but yet in the beginning, in the seedes, and
yet you know how the Lord was offended with them.
And the second was fornication, the sinne of [unspec 2] vncleanes that was cōmitted. It is not likely that all the people fell into that sinne of Idolatry, or in∣to the sinne of Fornication, but yet the Lord was offended with the whole Congregation for those that did it, as the manner is to be. So here you see two causes of a plague, Idolatry which was but beginning, and the very admitting it into the Campe; and the Fornication of the people.
[unspec 3] Another cause of the plague you shall find in Davids numbring the people, it was their securi∣tie and pride, and trusting to themselves, and the creatures: for surely it was not Davids sinne only (who had somewhat forgotten God, and trusted to his mountaine, & thought that that was strong enough) but it was the sinne of the people.
It is good (my beloved) to be secure out of confidence vpon God, and therein, the more se∣curitie the better; but to be secure for any out∣ward help, either in the number of men or ships, or strength or policie, or because we are compas∣sed about with the walls of the Sea, or whatsoe∣ever it is wherein wee thinke our safetie consist∣eth, the more confidence in this the worse. The Lord smott the people for this security in Dauids time.
[unspec 4] Another cause is, the unworthy receiving of the Sacrament. Many are sicke among you (saith the Apostle) and many are dead, because you re∣ceive the Sacrament unworthily. The Lord is
pleased to punish that particular sinne of recei∣ving the Sacrament unworthily, with some sick∣nesse or other, whether the plague or no, we can∣not say, but this we may be sure of, that this was the cause why so many were sicke and dead. You know that passage in the booke of Chronicles concerning Ezekias, when the people had not prepared themselves aright as they ought, hee prayed to the Lord, and it is said, The Lord healed the people: we cannot say what the Lord healed them of, but yet it makes it evident that the Lord had some way smitten thē. Moses for the omissi∣on of the Sacrament the Lord would have slaine him, that is, he would have sent something upon him, whether some disease, as is most probable, or some other thing which should have taken a∣way his life in the end. The omission and negli∣gent receiving of the Sacrament I put together, which mooveth God to anger, and to inflict plagues upon a people.
I will name yet one more besides these, and [unspec 5] that is the coldnesse and deadnesse of their hearts who belong to the Lord, from whom he expects better things, and more zeale, which I gather hence: What was the reason that the zeale of Phineas stayed the plague? Numb. 25.* 1.99 Because his love was hot, and his anger was kindled in a holy manner against that Israelitish man, and the Mid••anitish woman, that had committed fornica∣tion among the people. If the zeale of Phineas was the cause of staying that plague, and of with∣holding the Lords hands, then surely the coldnes
of those from whom the Lord lookes for much heate, for much fervency of spirit, whom God expects should stand in the gappe, I say, that is the cause that the Lord goes on in punishing.
* 1.100But what should we doe now to remove it?
* 1.101Amend the things that are amisse, repent and amend, and he will turne from his fierce wrath, which he not onely intendeth against us, but is also already upon us; Labour to cleanse your hands from idolatry and superstition, and cleanse the land from the crying sinne of uncleannesse and fornication, and every man labour to cleanse his owne heart.
And againe, to turne to the Lord, to take heede of security, which is a forerunner of a ru∣ine, as a great calme is a forerunner of an earth∣quake.
Againe, take heed of receiving the Sacrament unworthily, many of you this day have received; therefore I should speake something particularly to them, but in truth this concernes all among us; but chiefly let me speake to those a little that are able to pray, that have some fire in them, that have had the worke of grace in their hearts wrought by the Spirit of God, that have some sparkes if they were blowne up, that are men fit to stand in the gap; It belongs to you, my bre∣thren to doe something that the Lord may stay his hand: and remember that when the Lord be∣gins to send forth tokens of his wrath and dis∣pleasure against a Nation, it is a time wherein he expects and lookes for humiliation and repen∣tance:
Therefore take heede of neglecting that in Isay 22.* 1.102 In that day (saith the Lord) when I cal∣led for humiliation, beholde killing of fatlings and oxen, &c. Therefore know what your dutie is, and learne now to see what belongs to you to doe, shew your love to the Lord in trembling at his judgements, in being zealous for his Names sake: as indeed where there is abundance of love there is alwayes exceeding much zeale: So it was with Paul, so it was with Elias, so it was with Moses, so it hath beene with all the Saints. And so much for this.
Another property of love is this,8 1.103 that it doth not play the huckster with the Lord (as wee say) it doth not bring things to an exact account, but when a man loveth, hee is willling to doe what offices of love and friendship he can, and he doth not stand to looke for an exact recompence; (for that is to play the huckster, to make a bargaine with God) but the nature of love and true friend∣ship, wheresoever it is found, is this, to be free in doing that it doth, and not to stand to examine how much they shall doe, and how much they shall receive for doing of it; but to doe it with liberty and with freedome. And so it will be if your love be right to the Lord, you will not stand halfepeny-worthing, you will not stand considering what you are bound to doe of ne∣cessitie, whether you are bound to pray in your families or no, whether you are bound to keepe the Sabboth so exactly and precisely as is com∣manded; whether you are bound from giving
so much liberty to your selves in vaine speeches, &c. but love will rather say, what shall I doe to recompence the Lord? It will be devising what to doe, it will be glad of any occasion of doing any thing that may be acceptable to God. When you set limits to your selves, and are afraid of going too farre, and doing too much, it is a signe that what you doe commeth not from love to the Lord, but from some naturall principle, it comes from your selves, and not from the spirit. For if you love the Lord Iesus aright, why doe you not labour to exceed in the duties of obedi∣ence? why doe you blame those that goe fur∣ther than your selves are willing to doe? why doe you quarrell with that exactnesse and pre∣cisenesse, and strictnesse which is required in walking in the wayes of God? Love is abun∣dant in the worke it doth, and if you love the Lord, you will not set limits to your selves, you will not have such thoughts as these, I will doe as much as may bring mee to heaven, and no more, I will take so much paines as that I may not be damned, but to exceede, and doe more than needes, this I hope may be spared, and I may goe to heaven notwithstanding well enough, though I goe not so fast as other men. No, Be∣loved, if there be love in you, you will strive to doe the utmost of your power, it is the nature of love so to doe.
Againe, you will not be so exact, nor indent with the Lord what hee will doe to you; but though the Lord be slow and slacke in rewarding
you, though he stay long, and suffer you to goe on without taking any notice of you, as it were, nay perhaps hee gives you many afflictions and persecutions, poverty, trouble, sicknesse, &c. though the Lord doth not doe what you expect, yet your love will be free, it will goe on, you will be ready to say as Paul did, I know whom I have trusted: that is, he was resolved to serve the Lord, to doe his utmost, though the Lord did reserve himselfe and the recompence of reward to a further time, yet he was content. Such a dis∣position will be found in those that love the Lord Iesus.
Again you may judge of your love to the Lord Iesus by another property of love,9 1.104 which is a hatred of sinne, by your hatred of that which is contrary to him; for love is not better knowne by any thing than by hatred; for all hatred is properly rooted in love: for you hate nothing but because you love the contrary; therefore if you love the Lord Iesus, you will hate sinne. Examine your selves by this, for it is a sure rule, if you love the Lord, you will hate that which is evill.
You will say,* 1.105 I hope I doe that.
It is well if you doe,* 1.106 but let us consider that: it may be you may be angry with sinne, but doe you hate sinne? That was the commendations that the Lord gives the Church, in Rev. 2. Thou hatest the works of the Nicholaitans which I also hate.* 1.107 Therefore, if you would know whether you love the Lord Iesus, try it by this, doe you hate sin?
You will say, How shall wee know whether we hate it or no?
* 1.108In these three things you shall finde wherein hatred differs from anger,* 1.109 and thereby you may examine your selves.
First, hatred is more of generalls; a man hates [unspec 1] all drunkards, if he hate drunkennesse: hee hates all toads and all serpents, if hee hate poyson. A man is angry with this or that particular, but ha∣tred is of all. I would aske thee, doest thou hate all sinne, every thing that is called sinne, all that belongs to sinne? If it be this or that sinne that you make against, you are but angry with sinne, you doe not hate sin: for hatred fals alwaies upon the generall. Examine therefore if you finde this disposition in your hearts, that you hate every sinne, that your hearts rise against every thing that is sinfull, whatsoever is contrary to the Lord, whatsoever you apprehend under the no∣tion of sin, that you hate, and resist, and strive a∣gainst; this is a signe that you love the Lord.
[unspec 2] Secondly, hatred desires the utter destruction of the thing it hates, anger doth not so, anger desires but a revenge proportionable to the inju∣rie: therefore we say there is a kinde of justice in anger, it would not have the party that it is angry with to be destroyed, but it would have him sen∣sible of its displeasure, it would have something done that might answer the injurie that is offered; but hatred desires the destruction of a thing ut∣terly. Now doe you doe so with your sinnes? doe you desire to have them wholly extirpate
and rooted out of you? to have your lusts tho∣rowly and perfectly mortified? are you willing to have sinne so cleane taken away, that you may have any no libertie to have dalliance with it in any kind? do you hate it so as that you cannot en∣dure to come neere it, nor to have it within your sight? It is a signe you hate it indeed.
Lastly, hatred differeth from anger in this, [unspec 3] that it is implacable: hatred comes from judge∣ment, and it continues, and therefore hatred is not a passion, but we call it an affection; it is a beautie, and disposition, and frame of the will; anger is a passion that dies, and flittes away after a time; but hatred continues. Is your dispositi∣on such to your sinnes? examine your selves; no∣thing is more frequent, my brethren, than to be humbled for some sinne, which amazeth you for the present, but doth your hatred continue? If not, you doe but fall out with your sinnes onely, and grow friends with them againe. If you did hate them, as you should, you would never re∣turne to amity with them more.
Many a man takes resolutions to himselfe, I will be drunke no more, I will be a gamester no more, I will not commit such, and such grosse sinnes, as I have done any more; perhaps some shame, or some feare hath followed him, some deepe apprehension of wrath and judgement, which set him vpon this resolution for the pre∣sent; but if the heart be right that thou hatest sin as thou shouldest, thou wilt continue hating of it. Therefore consider, whether you love the Lord
Iesus by this triall, whether your hearts hate sin, in your constant resolution or no. This was the disposition that was in Lot, His righteous soule was vexed with the unclean conversation of the Sodomits, that is, he did not onely abstaine from the actes that they did, but his soule wrought against them, he was vexed with them, as a man is vexed with a thing that is contrary to his disposition.
So it is sayd of Moses, he stood in the doore of the Tabernacle, and he wept as he stood, his heart was mooved in him. It is not enough to abstaine from sinne, but to hate sinne, and that is an argu∣ment of our love to the Lord Iesus: take this therefore for an other triall of your love.
Againe, there is one more which wee cannot leave out,10 1.110 though it be a thing knowne unto you, yet because the Scripture gives it as a peculiar signe by which we may judge of our love to the Lord, it must not be passed by, and that is our love to the Saints; and there is good reason given of it, if we consider it well, 1 Ioh. 4.20. Wilt thou say thou lovest God whom thou hast not seene,* 1.111 and yet lovest not thy brother whom thou hast seene? The meaning is this, for a man to love the Lord who is immortall, invisible, who dwelleth in light in∣accessible, is a more difficult thing than to love thy brother whom thou seest. For why doe wee love the Lord, but because we conceive him un∣der such a notion? we thinke of him as such a God having such and such attributes: Now, saith the Apostle, whatsoever thou conceivest of God, that very image and disposition is stamped
on man like thy selfe, thou shalt see the very same disposition in a holy man that is in the Lord him∣selfe. Indeed it differeth in the degree exceeding∣ly, there is but a glimpse of it, yet why is it said that the Image of God is renewed, but that there is in holy men a disposition like the nature of God? Now this is in a more remisse degree in man, and therefore more sutable to our weak∣nesse; as you know, difficulty comes from dispro∣portion, it is a harder thing to love the Lord than a man like our selves. If therefore wee doe not love men like our selves, in whom is stamped a disposition like the nature of God, and his I∣mage, in some degree, surely we cannot love the Lord who is so farre above us.
Againe, a man like our selves is visible, we see his actions, we heare him speake, we know more plainly the frame of his disposition; and therefore it is more easie to love a holy man than to love the Lord: For so is the Apostles argument. Doe not thinke that thou lovest the Lord whom thou never sawest, when thou doest not love thy bro∣ther whom thou seest daily. Therefore wee may conclude thus much, if we love not the Saints and holy men, it is certaine we love not the Lord.
I confesse every man is ready to say (in this case) he loves holy men.
I would put you to this tryall,4 1.112 and aske you but this question; you shall know it by this: Doe you love all the Saints? You shall finde that the [unspec 1] Apostle Paul still in his Epistles puts in that cau∣tion, Love to all the Saints. If thou love grace and
holinesse, thou wilt love it wheresoever it is. Ma∣ny men will love some particular grace, especi∣ally when it suteth with their disposition, and is agreeable to them, and to their constitution, but to love all grace, to love all holinesse in all the Saints wheresoever it is found, it is an infallible signe that thou lovest the Lord Iesus.
[unspec 2] Againe, doest thou love none but them; that, where grace is, thou lovest, and where it is not, thou withdrawest thy love?
But, you will say, would you have us to love none but the Saints? I answer, it is true, wee ought to love all others with a love of pitty, wee should shew abundance of this love to all man∣kinde; but then there is a love of complacencie and delight, and with this love we ought to love none but the Saints.
[unspec 3] Againe, thirdly, doe you love them as they excell in holinesse? many men can love one that hath but some degree of grace; but if it be one that hath more exactnes than ordinarie, that hath proceeded higher in holinesse than he thinkes re∣quisite, here his heart is readie to quarrell, and to rise against him.
[unspec 4] Lastly, doe you manifest your loue by deligh∣ting in their companie, and by the fruites of love towards them? You may professe much, and say much, but of all other things companie is the worst dissembled. Will you professe that you loue the Saints, and that you delight in them, and yet desire to be in any company rather than in theirs? that when you are among them, you are
as if you were out of your element, you move as if you were out of your owne center? It is im∣possible but that those that are moved by the same spirit should be best pleased when they are in one and the same society. Put all these things together, and by these you may judge whether you love the Saints or no.
You will object,* 1.113 I doe love the Saints, but who are they? I love not hypocrites, and so it is made a notable excuse.
I will not wish thee to love hypocrites,* 1.114 onely take heede thou suffer not the impes and instru∣ments of the Divell to paint out the true Saints unto thee in the colours of hypocrites: thou must consider that it hath beene the usuall manner to cast that aspersion upon all the Saints, upon all holy men in all ages, as the Apostle saith in 2 Cor. We are as deceivers though true:* 1.115 that is the com∣mon esteeme that the world hath of the Saints, they judge them to be deceivers, and to be men that professe themselves to be otherwise than they are. You know what was said of Iesus Christ, some said of him he was a good man, o∣thers said nay, he was a deceiver of the people. You know what was said of David, that he was a subtle man, one that went about to deceive o∣thers. Paul, you know, was reckoned the great impostor of the world; this was alwayes laid up∣on the Saints: therefore let not the Divells in∣struments deceive thee in that.
Besides, why are they hypocrites? Is it be∣cause there are some shewes of holinesse in them?
Surely that is not argument enough.
Thou wilt say, because they doe not answer that which in their profession they make shew to be?
If that be the reason, why doest thou not pitch thy hatred upon those that are found to be so? And to conclude this, you must know, that no man speakes against religion or hates religion, un∣der its owne notions, under its owne name, but something else must be put upon it, the name of hypocrisie, or the like.
And it is the common condition of men whose hearts are not upright, that they are not able to judge aright of the wayes of God; a man that hath not grace himselfe cannot possibly judge a∣right of grace in others: but I hasten. I must now proceede in the point I formerly began to insist on, namely, in shewing you the meanes of get∣ting this love, and of increasing it.
I shewed formerly somes meanes to get this love and to increase it.
As first prayer, for it is the gift of the Spirit.
Secondly, to beseech the Lord to shew him∣selfe to you.
We will add but one now at this time, to shew you the way more fully to obtaine this love.
If you would love the Lord,* 1.116 remove the im∣pediments.
What are those?
They are two.
Strangenes, and uncircumcision of heart, or worldly mindednesse.
First,1 1.117 strangenesse is agreat impediment to love. It is an observation that the Philosophers hath, that strangenes when we doe not salute, and con∣verse one with another, is a meanes of dissolving friendship; so in this case, when there growes a strangenesse betweene God and vs, it unties and loosens that love and communion that should be betweene us. Therefore, if you would preserve your love to the Lord, suffer not your hearts to sit loose from him, suffer not a strangenes to grow betweene God and you. For strangenesse breeds fearfulnesse, and fearefulnesse looseneth love, as boldnesse is the parent and nurse of love, and that which increaseth it.
Besides, when there growes a strangenesse be∣tweene God and us, wee begin not to know the Lord, there growes an ignorance, and so there is an intermission of those reciprocall offices of love betweene us; that even as it is among the Saints, the forsaking of their fellowship loosen∣eth their love, and so stoppeth the intercourse of good duties that should be among them: so it is with the Lord. And therefore if you would maintaine love with the Lord, draw neare to him, and he will draw neare to you.
How shall we doe that?* 1.118
By speaking much to him,* 1.119 by hearing him speake to us, by retiring to him upon all occasi∣ons for consolation and comfort.
If thou receive any injurie from men, wran∣gle not with them, but doe as David did, betake thy selfe to prayer, take heede of sinne, for that
of all other things will breede a strangenesse be∣tweene God and thee; and if you doe fall out, seeke to be reconciled againe as soone as may be, labour to entertaine a continuall commerce be∣tweene God and thy selfe, observe constantly his dealing with thee, and observe againe thy carriage towards hm, this will breede a familia∣rity betweene God and thee.
And above all, be much in prayer; for that in a speciall manner maintaines and increaseth this communion and familiaritie betweene the Lord and thee.
2 1.120Againe, the other thing that hinders is uncir∣cumcision of heart, or worldly-mindednesse: in Deut. 30.6.* 1.121 I will circumcise your hearts, and you shall love me with all your soules, and with all your hearts. As if he should say, that which keepes you from loving me, from delighting in mee, is the uncircumcision of your hearts, that is, your worldly lusts, and worldly cares, and worldly desires, when these abound in our hearts, they keepe us from loving the Lord: Therefore in 1 Iohn 2.* 1.122 If you love the world, the love of the Fa∣ther is not in you. Come to any particular, and you shall finde it so; if you love wealth, you can∣not love the Lord, if you love pleasures, if you love praise with men, if you love honours, &c. you cannot love the Lord; the love of God, and vaine glorie, the love of God and covetousnesse will not stand together. Therefore if you will love the Lord, you must have your hearts cir∣cumcised, that is, you must have these sinfull
lusts cut off; for nothing quencheth love so much as these. You know, the love of an adul∣terer quencheth the conjugall love of the wife to the husband: your love of the world is adulterie, the Scripture calls it so; therefore if you love that, it will quench your love to the Lord.
You will say,* 1.123 May we not love the things of the world?
Yes, my brethren,* 1.124 onely take heede that it be not an adulterous love.
How shall we know that?* 1.125
You shall know it by this,* 1.126 if it doe lessen your love to God:* 1.127 You may know whether your love to any creature, to any sport or recreation be adulterous or no. A chast wife may love ma∣ny men besides her husband; but if it once begin to lessen her love to her husband, that is an adul∣terous love: Therefore if you would love the Lord aright, be sure to cut off this, for it breedes a distance betweene God and you. As it is said of Absolom, when the hearts of the people went with Absolom, they fell from David the King; so when our hearts are stollen away with the love of earthlie things, our love to the Lord is lessened with it. Therefore I say, if you will love the Lord aright, you must be carefull to re∣move this: for the cares of the world, the lusts and diverse pleasures, these choake the love of the Lord, they are the greatest quench-coales of any other.
Loue, you know, is of an uniting qualitie, when any thing lieth betweene God and us,* 1.128 that,
you may be sure, will hinder our love. Now there are many things that lye betweene God and us.
Some things lie in our understandings, temp∣tations to atheisme, temptations to thinke that the Scriptures are not true, temptations to judge amisse of God in any thing, temptations to doubt of the favour of God; These lie in the under∣standing betweene God and us, and are contrary to love: for love uniteth.
But in the will there lyeth much more, some∣times vaine hopes, sometimes vaine feares, some∣times one thing, sometimes another. If there be any inordinate lust after any creature, after any thing in the world, it lieth betweene God and us, and makes a separation betweene us; and till that be removed, God and we cannot come to∣gether, till there be an union wee cannot fully love. Therefore if you would love the Lord, have your hearts circumcised, that is, have those things removed out of your understanding, and out of your will. Take away those obstacles that lie betweene God and you: And if you cannot doe it your selves, goe to Christ, it is he that cir∣cumciseth us with the circumcision made without hands.
* 1.129Againe, when you have done this, that you may grow in love to the Lord, learne to know the Lord; for the more you know him, the more you will love him. What is the reason that the Angels in heaven so love him? Because they know him. What is the reason that we shall love
him more in heaven than wee doe now, but be∣cause we shall know him more? Therefore when you reade the Scriptures, and observe the works of Gods providence in every particular, learne by this to know God: as you know a man by his actions and carriage, learne to have such an Idea of God, as he hath described himselfe in his word, that hee is true of his word, that hee is full of goodnesse, that he is abundant in long-suffering and patience, that hee is exceeding mercifull be∣yond measure, &c. labour to see his wisdome, his goodnesse, and his mercie, labour to know God: for when you come to know him aright, by that we come to love him. Why doe wee love one man more than another, but because wee con∣ceive him under such a notion, wee conceive his heart to be of such and such a frame, wee thinke him to be a man of such and such a condition? when we thus conceive the Lord, it will teach us to love him more. Therefore this you must know, that for you onely to looke upon things that are beneficiall to you, as forgivenesse of sins, and adoption, and an inheritance in heaven, that is not love to the Lord. It is true, you should doe all this, but that which you are principally to doe, is to looke to the essence of God, to see such excellencies in him, that thereby you may be led home to him: and therefore that you may know him the better, you must be taught of him. Againe, you must not onely know him, but you must likewise have assurance of his love to you: for when you know the excellencies of the Lord,
unlesse you have assurance of his love to you, it is not sufficient. Take a man of the highest place, and of the most excellent quality; if thou con∣ceive that he hath a hollow heart towards thee, thou canst not possibly love him: thou must be perswaded of the love of the Lord to thee. Therefore in the Text it is said to be faith which worketh by love. The increase of the assurance of Gods love therefore is the meanes to increase thy love to him.
So much for this time.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
THE last thing wee did was to give you the properties of love to the Lord Iesus.
Now that which remaines to doe at this time, is to apply that which hath beene said, that is, to bring your hearts and the rule together, and to exhort you, that what you have heard in this, it may not passe like airy notions, and never be brought home to your par∣ticular practise. For, my beloved, the word that we deliuer to you, should be like nailes, driven
home to the head, fastened by the masters of the as∣semblie, as the Wiseman speakes, that they may sticke and abide in the soule, as forked arrowes doe in the bodie, that they may not easily fall out againe. Therefore the maine businesse that wee have to doe in preaching the word, is to fasten these words thus upon your hearts. That which we will doe therefore at this time shall be to ex∣hort you to question your owne hearts, and to examine them upon your beds, whether these characters and properties of love which have beene delivered doe agree to you or no. For, as the Apostle saith, Vnlesse you be in Christ, that is, unlesse you be knit to Christ in love, you are reprobates: it concernes every man therefore that heares me at this time, to examine this strictly with himselfe.
We will expostulate the matter a while with you at this time, and you must expostulate the matter betweene God and your owne conscien∣ces, whether this love be in you or no. And al∣though indeede this needeth not any distinct di∣viding into branches, yet that wee may helpe your memories wee will put it into a num∣ber.
* 1.130And first we will make this expostulation, you that professe you love the Lord, (as who will not be ready to doe that, to say he loveth Christ; but yet as the Apostle Iohn speaketh of love to the brethren, that men love them in shew, and not in truth; so it is with most men, they love the Lord in word, and in profession, but they love
him not in deed, and in truth) therefore first let me aske you this.
You that professe you love the Lord,* 1.131 doe you not grieve him, and vexe him from day to day, and provoke him by your words, and by your workes? If this be your case, it is certaine you love him not indeede. Some there are that professe much love to the Lord Iesus, but yet spend their time idly, are diligent in no calling, but waste their precious opportunities in sports, in idle visitations, in gaming, in doing nothing that is profitable either to themselves or others, but eate and drinke, and rise up to play: It is the case of many of our young Gentlemen; a shame∣full thing before men, and abominable in the sight of God, that men should live like beasts, & make their soules like the soules of swine, serving for nothing but to keepe their bodies from putri∣faction, doing so much the lesse worke, because they have the more wages; burying so many precious talents, whereof their time is the chiefe, because it helpeth to improove all the rest; of which they shall give an exact account at that day, When God shall judge the secrets of mens hearts according to our Gospell. Doe you professe that you love the Lord Iesus, and doe you neglect him thus?
Besides this mocking of the Lord, and dissem∣bling with him, you deale most foolishly with your selves: for all the comfort that you shall e∣ver finde in this life, it will be from working, from being serviceable to God, and profitable to
men; empty lives cause but empty joy. There∣fore if any man shall finde this to be his case, exa∣mine it, it is but a false profession of love. And as I speake to those that are young, that spend their time, Nihil agendo: so I may say the same to those that are of more yeares, that waste their lives in doing something indeede, but it is not that which they should doe, or in doing it in an∣other manner than they ought; those that are so drowned in businesse, so overwhelmed with im∣ployment, so occupied with outward things a∣broad, that they have no vacancie to feede their soules within, to cloathe them with graces. For you must know, my brethren, that your soules have neede to be trimmed every morning, as well as the body, they have neede of breakfast, and dinner, and exercise, as well as the body; and as you faile in giving this due respect to the soule daily, so you shall finde that proportionably in that degree the inward man will languish, and grow faint. But to speake a word unto you like∣wise: Doe you thinke that you love the Lord Iesus in good earnest, and yet have scarse leisure to thinke of him from morning to night, that you cannot take time to speake to him, to seeke him, nor to prepare your hearts for him?
Besides this generall, come to particular sinnes, sabbath-breaking, neglecting of private prayer, vaine speeches, concupiscence and sinfull lusts, secret courses of uncleannesse, swearing, if not by greater, yet by lesser oathes, which indeede in this exceede the greater; because in the other
you sweare by the Creatour, in these by the creature. You that doe these things, will you say you love the Lord? You must know that it is a contradiction, it is impossible: For, if you love me, keepe my commandements: if you keep not the commandements of God, certainly you love him not.
But,* 1.132 it may be, you will say that your mea∣ning is good, that you are well affected to Christ, and therefore surely you doe not hate him.
My brethren,* 1.133 you are deceived in this, thy meaning is not good; for while you cast the com∣mandements of God behinde you, you cast him away: and let me say to you in this case, as you have it in Ier. 3.4. You professe well in saying,* 1.134 Thou art my Father, and the guide of my youth, but you doe evill more and more. So I say, when you professe you love the Lord, and that you reckon him your Father, and your Husband, thus you say indeede, but you doe evill more and more; and that is a certaine argument you love not the Lord. Therefore examine your selves by this rule: For, if you love the Lord, you will reve∣rence him: You know, whom we love, we reve∣rence, and whom we reverence, we dare not doe any thing unmeete in their sight. Take any one whom we love, whose good opinion wee seeke for, wee had rather that all the world should see us doe an unseemely thing, than that he should; and certainly if you love the Lord, you would not dare to provoke him to anger. Therefore
this carelesnesse in serving of him is a certaine signe of want of love to the Lord Iesus, this fearefulnesse, and carelesnesse, when you dare not shew your courage for him, when you ac∣count it a small matter to commit a sinne against God, this ariseth from the defect of your love.
* 1.135In the second place, as you may try your love by your taking care not to offend God, so like∣wise you may try it by your sorrow and griefe after you have offended him: For you must know this, that love, as it hath the greatest joy of any thing else, when it obtaines that which it would have, so it is attended with the most exquisite griefe, when it is disappointed. As when one lo∣veth another earnestly, if any breach fall out that shall make a separation betweene them, if any strangenesse grow betweene them, if they love, they will never be at rest, it will trouble and dis∣quiet them; but as the Scripture speakes, they are sicke of love, that is, they cannot be quiet while there is such a condition, while there is a∣ny alienation, while there are breaches and of∣fences betweene them. for you know that no∣thing is so sweete as love; as you have it in Cant. 1.* 1.136 Love is better than wine: and as David expres∣seth it, Psal. 63.3. Thy loving kindnesse is better than life. So sweete (I say) is love, as sweete as wine, and better than life. Now, by the rule of con∣traries, then, to have a breach made, to have a barre, and an interruption in this loving kind∣nesse of the Lord towards us, or in our love to∣wards him, it is bitter as wormewood, and sharpe
as death. Therfore you may examine your selves by the offences you offer to God, when they are past; if you love him, it is certaine they will trouble you exceedingly; for so much sorrow for sinne, so much love. And you may take it for a sure rule, in what measure any man desires to please the Lord, in that measure hee will be grieved that he hath displeased him. Therefore examine thy selfe, Hast thou sinned against him many times, and doest thou looke backe upon those sinnes in a carelesse manner, be sure that thou lovest him not. Examine this by that which passeth betweene man and man: When a father or a husband hath any thing committed against them by a childe or a wife, if they shall withdraw themselves, and professe themselves displeased, and yet the childe or the wife, in the meane time, be never troubled at this, but be at rest, well e∣nough content it should be so, and are not disqui∣eted for it; will not the parent or husband take this exceeding ill at their hands, when hee seeth his displeasure slighted? For this is much grea∣ter than the offence it selfe. So I may say, what∣soever the sinne be that you have committed, this hardnesse of heart, this negligence after the sinne is committed, when you are not disquieted for it, when your hearts are not troubled for it, it is a greater signe of want of love to the Lord, it is a greater signe of an evill and untoward disposi∣tion, than the sinne it selfe. Therefore this want of sorrow for sinne, is a sure argument that you love not the Lord. You may take that for one
signe of want of love, that we commit sinnes a∣gainst God from day to day. For, doe but goe to your neighbours, and professe your love to them, and yet you injure them againe and againe, you care not what wrong you doe them; will they thinke that such a profession as you make is true? and will the Lord regard, when you say that you love him, if you provoke him to anger, and renew your sinnes, and relapse into them a∣gaine and againe, and when you have sinned, take it not to heart? No, my brethren, if you doe love him,* 1.137 you will doe as it is said, Zach. 12. when you have sinned, you will mourne as he that mourneth for his onely sonne, your hearts will melt, as Iosiahs did; your hearts will smite you, as Da∣vids did him: thus it is with all that love him in deede and in truth.* 1.138 Therefore in Levit. 16.29, and likewise Levit. 23.27. (they are both one and the same) the Lord appoints a feast and a mee∣ting together for cleansing of sinnes, it was the feast of atonement; saith hee, In that day when you come together to offer sacrifice unto me, and to make an attonement, you shall humble your soules, and whosoever doth not afflict his soule on that day, he shall be cut off from his people. As if he should say, At that day you come to reconcile your selves to the Lord, you make profession of your love to him, and of the desire you have to bee friends with him: Now, if you come and make this profession, and doe not humble your selves, nor afflict your soules on that day for those brea∣ches that have beene betweene God and you, all
your professions are but dissimulation; and such a man as will thus dissemble with the Lord, shall be cut off from his people. So I say, when you professe that you love the Lord, and yet have hard hearts, that there is no softnesse there, that your hearts doe not melt towards him, but when you have sinned, you can looke backe upon your sinnes without any disturbance at all, know that it is but dissembling with the Lord, and you are worthy to be cut off from his people.
I come to a third tryall:* 1.139 If you love the Lord Iesus, have you your hearts after his owne heart? that is the disposition of all those that love him. Acts 13.22. the Lord saith of David,. I have found a man after my owne heart,* 1.140 that will doe what∣soever I will: That is, looke how the Lord him∣selfe was affected in any businesse, so was Davids heart affected, and so it is with all those that love the Lord: (for this is proper to the Saints) If you love the Lord, you will be of one heart with him; if we have hearts after his heart, as every Christian must have in his measure, (though per∣haps he reach not Davids measure) in all the tur∣nings of our lives, upon all occasions, in the di∣verse disposition of our wills, we will be confor∣mable to the Lords will, we will be like God, af∣fected in every thing as he is affected.
But,* 1.141 you will say, this is a hard thing, how shall we discerne it?
You shall discerne it by these two things:* 1.142 If you be affected as he is, you will doe whatsoever he will; as those words are added concerning
David, I have found a man after mine owne heart, for he will doe whatsoever I will. You may examine your selves by that; doe you doe whatsoever he will? are your affections aright, that you love what he loves, and hate what he hates? For your actions are the immediate fruites and effects of your affections, and as every man is affected so he doth.
And besides, as that is one way to discerne it, so this is another which you shall likewise finde in David, that hee loved those that feared the Lord; and those that love vaine inventions, doe I not hate them, saith hee? &c. And that you may discerne this, consider whether you love all those that feare the Lord, and hate all those that are enemies to the Lord. For while there is no∣thing but nature in a man, so long those that are of good natures, that are faire in their carriages, and kinde and loving to us, those wee love, and those that are contrary we hate and dislike; but when you love the Lord, and are after his heart, and have another nature in you, it raiseth you a∣bove this nature of your owne, and then you will love those that are like the Lord, whosoever they are, though perhaps they are not so socia∣ble, not of so faire a naturall disposition: but if you have a new nature, and are become new creatures, now you have common friends, and common enemies.
* 1.143Doe not object now, that you are willing to doe so, if they were sincere and upright, but they are hypocrites.
I say,* 1.144 doe not deceive your selves in this: for as they rejected Christ under the person of a counterfeit, and of a wine-bibber, so thou maist persecute Christ under the person of an hypo∣crite. Paul; you know, hee thought hee did God good service in persecuting those whom he per∣secuted, yet though hee did it ignorantly, he con∣fessed of himselfe that he was a blasphemer, and a persecuter: So I say, though you doe it igno∣rantly, under the person of an hypocrite, yet that is the judgement, and the censure that will be up∣on you, that in so doing you are persecuters.
And if you shall say,* 1.145 that if the Lord himselfe lived amongst us, if Iesus Christ were here, I hope I should shew that I doe not hate him.
You shall see what the Lord himselfe saith,* 1.146 In that you have done it to these, you have done it to mee. As he speakes there in the matter of giving, so may I say to you concerning this case, in that you have despised those that feare his name, in that you have spoken against such as are his, you have done it against the Lord: in this thing you have shewed your hatred against him. Examine your hearts therefore seriously by this marke.
Againe,* 1.147 fourthly, wee will bring you to that expostulation which is grounded on 1 Ioh. 2.15.* 1.148 Love not the world, nor ••he things of the world; for if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you. Now question with your own hearts about this, whether you love the world, and the things of the world; for if you doe, the words are cleare, The Love of the Father is not in you.
* 1.149You will say, how shall we know this?
* 1.150You shall know it by these three things.
* 1.151First, by your delight in the things of the world, and your griefe and sorrow for the losse [unspec 1] of them after you have enjoyed them; for if you finde that you are much affected about them, it is certaine that you love the world, and the things of the world: Intemperate and excessive griefe, and complaint for worldly losses and crosses, is a sure argument and evidence that you love the world.
Whereas when you love the Lord, you will be indifferent in those things; if a worldly losse befall you, you will grieve as if you grieved not; if any worldly advantage happeneth, you will enjoy it as if you enjoyed it not: A man will be thus affected, If I have God sure, I reckon him onely my portion, all other things are by acci∣dent, he onely is essentiall to my happinesse.
We doe not denie that a man may grieve up∣on such occasions, but it is a lighter kinde of griefe; and therefore it is expressed well by the former phrase, As if he grieved not: He knoweth all this while the maine is sure, and so long his heart is stedfast within him: but when a man shall fall into excessive griefe, when the affection shall be exceedingly stirred about worldly things, it is a signe that you reckon not God, and the assu∣rance of his favour to be the maine thing in your happinesse: you should be affected to the world with a remisse affection. Now when your affe∣ctions are so much taken up about them, it is a
signe you love the world, and the things of the world. It is true, you may doe the things of the world, and enjoy them, and follow after them, but in a remisse manner; but when your affecti∣ons are so much stirred about them, when you come to excessive love in the having them, and excessive griefe in the losing of them, it is a signe that you love the world, and the things of the world.
Secondly, you shall know it by this, when [unspec 2] worldly things shall come into competition with those that belong to a good conscience, and the service of God, you shall finde this one way whereby you may discerne your love to the world. When Christ would make a triall of the young man, whether hee loved the world or no, he puts him to it by this, Goe, (saith he) and sell all that thou hast, and come and follow me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. When it came in com∣petition once, whether hee were best to follow Christ, and sell all that he had, and that he must either forsake Christ, or forsake his riches, he went away sorrowfull, and would not doe it. So we shall finde it in Iohn 12.42. when the matter came there into competition,* 1.152 that if they confes∣sed Christ they should be cast out of the syna∣gogue; saith the text, though they beleeved, They confessed him not, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. Their carriage there towards Christ, when their confessing of him came in competition with their applause and honour among men, it was an argument that they
loved the world, and the things of the world.
You shall see in Abrahams case, when the Lord would put him to the triall, and bidds him come from his kindred and from his fathers house,* 1.153 and from his Country, this in Heb. 11 is taken as an argument of his love, that when hee was put to doe either the one or the other, hee made his choise to obey the Lord, though it stood with the losse of Countrie and friends. So I say, consider with your selves, and you shall finde many cases wherein your conscience will dictate to you, this you must doe, this you ought to performe, this you ought not to doe. Perhaps it shall be said unto you againe, if you doe it, you shall lose such a friend, you shall lose such credit, you shall suffer such losse in your estate, you shall expose your selfe to such and such danger, you shall incurre such and such inconveniences to your selfe; consider what you doe in such a case: Many businesses fall out everie day, wherein the like case is offered to you, many times you thinke it were best to doe so, and if it were not for the losse of some thing, or for the discredit, you would doe it. By this you may examine your hearts whether you love the world or no.
Lastly, you shall know whether you love the world, and the things of this world by your acti∣ons; for where your love is, there your tongue, and your hand will be, and all your endeavours: Now trie your selves by this, Are you occupied so abour the world, and the things of it, that all your endeavours and all your actions are taken
up about them? some about matter of pleasure, in hunting and hawking, in gaming and sporting, your thoughts are there, and your speeches there; others againe in seeking wealth, and worldlie greatnesse: Are you taken up about these? I say, the actions of a man are a sure signe, for the Lord judgeth us by our actions; therefore wee may judge our selves by them. Consider in what e∣lement you live, if you be so busied about world∣ly things, that you are never well but when you are there, and as for heavenly things, you doe them but by the by, and when you are doing them you are wearie; this is an argument that you love the world, when a man shall turne the streame of his endeavours all that way, when he shall turne all his projects, all his actions, all his labours into that. As when the bodie hath a wen or a wolfe in it, all the nourishment is drawne to that, and in the meane time the bodie is leane and poore: so is it when a mans heart is taken up with the world, it eates up and devoures all the thoughts, all the intentions of the minde; all his care, and endeavour, and striving runnes this way; & the hidden man of the heart, in the meane time, is left starved and pined within: This is a signe that you love the world, this so much in∣tending the things of the world, as Christ speaks, The lusts of your Father will you doe, Iohn 8.* 1.154 What is the meaning of that? That is, looke to your actions, to your doings, to your executions and performances, and you shall finde that they are according to the lusts of your father the Divell;
those actions they did were a signe that they did affect those things that the Divell affected.
But you will object, the holiest man, hee that is most regenerate,* 1.155 yet is inordinately affected to the world, is too readie to grieve, and to re∣joice inordinately, it too readie to faile when these things come in competition with God. Therefore how should wee examine our hearts by this?
* 1.156I answere in a word, that it is true in the Saints, there is something in their hearts that doth all this that I have spoken; but it is not they that doe it: as the Apostle speakes, It is not I, but sinne that dwells in me: We cannot denie but that there is flesh and worldlie-mindednesse even in them; but yet this they doe, these worldly lusts and desires they are still checking them, and restrai∣ning them, and keeping them downe, so that though they be there, yet they doe not walke after the vanitie of their mindes, they are not led by it, but they are led by the Spirit, and walke by the Spi∣rit. Indeede sometimes they fall, when they are transported with temptations, and through inco∣gitancie, and infirmitie, yet their constant wal∣king is not after the vanitie of their minde, for that is proper to those that feare not God. There∣fore know thus much (my brethren) that though the Saints doe these things sometimes, yet their purpose, and their desire and care is to crosse and resist them as much as they can, that though they have these inordinate worldly desires in them, yet they are not midwives to themselves, to
bring forth fruite to the flesh, they are not stewards to provide for these before-hand,* 1.157 as it is in Rom. 13. Put ye on the Lord Iesus, and take no care for the flesh, to make provision for it: I say, they are not stewards for their lusts, but they resist them, and strive against them. But to conclude this also, examine your selves by this rule, whether you love the world, and the things of the world.
And if we take an examination of men by this, how few are there that love the Lord? We may trulie say as the Apostle saith, The love of God is not in them, for men seeke themselves, and their owne things, and not the things of Iesus Christ. One fol∣lowes this particular, another that, everie man fitting and plotting a garment to himselfe com∣posed of such vices as doe suite everie mans hu∣mour. This is a signe that you love not the Lord, when you minde the world, and goe with the world, and let your whole bodie and soule fol∣low it, with all the actions, and all the strength and indeavour thereof. The love of many shall waxe colde, because iniquitie shall abound. What is the meaning of that? That is, because the men of the world, those that are in place, because they shall countenance iniquitie, because the streame of the times shall goe that way; for this cause the love of many shall waxe colde: that is, because they mind the world, wheras if they did not love the world, and the things of it, though iniquitie did abound, yet their love would waxe hotter. When things are so that iniquitie abounds, some will not take the paines, they love their ease, and contentment;
others want courage to doe it, they are faint-hearted, and dare not adventure. Now whence doth this come but from the love of the world? for no man is fearefull, but because there is some∣thing that he is in love with, and is loath to part with. If a man did not love the things of the world, he would have courage for the truth. This is therefore an argument that men doe love the world, and consequently the love of the Father is not in them.
5 1.158Let us come yet to another expostulation. In the first place therefore, if you love the Lord, you will finde in your selves a readinesse to please him in all things, you will doe it naturallie: As the Apostle speakes of Timothy, I know no man like minded, who will naturally care for your matters. So if you love the Lord aright, you will doe it with a naturall affection, you will love him naturally: For what is this love to the Lord, if it be right, but that which himselfe hath planted in us? wee are taught of him to love him. It is like the natu∣rall affection which parents have to their chil∣dren, such a kinde of affection will it be if you love the Lord, you will doe that which is good in his sight with a kinde of naturalnesse and rea∣dinesse, you will be carried to the duties of his service as the fire is carried upwards, and not as stones are carried upwards with the force of an∣other, but you will doe them readilie, and chear∣fullie; you will not doe good duties as being ha∣led to them, and put on to doe them, but you will be zealous of good workes, that is, you will
have a burning desire in your hearts, longing af∣ter them, you shall not neede to have them for∣ced upon you, but you will be forward to doe them, you will be affected to good workes as you are out of selfe-love to your owne businesse. You know when a man naturallie loveth him∣selfe, when he is to doe something that concernes his owne good, how solicitous is he about it, and how provident forecasting how to bring it to passe, and if any rubbe be in the way it troubleth him, if there be any faire passage, and likelihood of atchieving it, he rejoyceth. Now, if you love the Lord naturallie and trulie, you will goe about his businesse as you goe about your owne, if there be any businesse to be done: Magistrates in their place, Ministers in their place, and everie man indeede shall finde some businesse to doe, wherein he may bring glorie to Gods name, and advantage to his cause. Consider now how you are stirred about it, doe you goe about this busi∣nesse, are you so industrious and laborious, doe you project it, doe you minde it as your owne? you will not stand expostulating the matter, to say must I doe it? and is it of necessitie? But if it be a thing that tends to the advancing of the glo∣rie of God, you will doe it with all readinesse, you will not so much stand upon this, what wa∣ges shall I have? and what profit shall I gaine? But as a loving womā to her husband, she is glad to doe any thing for her husbands good, she is satisfied with this, that she hath an opportunitie to doe something; so it will be with you, if your
hearts be rightly affected, you will then doe things after this manner.
* 1.159You will say, How shall wee know this love? this is a nice and curious point to love the Lord thus naturallie.
* 1.160You shall know it by these two things:
* 1.161First, by the evennesse of your carriage to∣wards the Lord; for what a man doth naturallie, he doth with a kinde of equalitie, with a kinde [unspec 1] of evennesse: so that, as we say, an uneven pulse is a signe of a deadlie and dangerous distemper within; so I say, when you finde an unevennesse in your carriages to the Lord, that you are off and on with him, that sometimes you doe a thing for him, and anon you will doe for your lusts, this is a signe that you love not naturally; feig∣ned things are for the most part unequall: be∣cause when a man doth not doe a thing natural∣lie, he cannot holde out; a man cannot dissemble so well, but at one time or other hee will dis∣cover himselfe; what a man doth naturally, and heartily, he is like himselfe in it still. Therefore when there is such an unevennesse in your waies, (some will be verie forward in a good cause, now in a good moode, and then out of it againe) it is a signe you love not the Lord thus naturallie, for then you would be eaven in your carriage to∣wards him.
[unspec 2] Adde to this the continuance of it; for if you love the Lord with a naturall affection, you will holde out, and be constant in it. The second and third ground went farre in their profession, but
their inconstancie shewed that they loved not the Lord with a naturall love, this disconti∣nuing is a signe that your love is not true. I be∣seech you examine your selves by these things whether you love the Lord; remember what I said the last day, doe you desire that your sinnes should be utterlie destroyed? doe you not dallie with sinne? would you not have some remain∣ders within you? nay, I will goe a step further with you, doe you not hate the Lord?
You will say,* 1.162 God forbid that we should doe so, I hope we are not in that condition.
My brethren,* 1.163 first you must know that there are manie that doe hate the Lord:* 1.164 in Rom. 1. a∣mongst others those are reckoned up, Haters of God: Therefore it is certaine that there are ma∣nie, and many of those that come to Church, manie that thinke well of themselves, and that others thinke well of too, that yet are haters of the Lord.* 1.165 You will say, how shall we know that?
I will aske you but this (to bring this likewise into examination,* 1.166 and so to conclude) I say,* 1.167 exa∣mine your selves by this:
Doe you not desire that there were no God? [unspec 1] examine your hearts whether if this newes were brought, that you might live at libertie, that you might doe what you would, that you might sa∣tisfie your lusts in all things, that there were no God to call you to account, to reward you ac∣cording to your doings, whether it would not be acceptable newes to many of you? Now it is
certaine, if you would not have the Lord to be, you hate him; for whomsoever you would have taken out of the way, such a man you hate.
[unspec 2] And besides this, consider whether you doe not looke upon the Lord as upon a judge, whe∣ther you doe not all that you doe to him as one that lookes upon a judge: If you feare the Lord in this manner, it is certaine you hate him: for those whom you thus feare you hate, and that you shall finde in 1 Ioh. 4.* 1.168 If you feare, saith hee, you love not; for perfect love casts out feare: when you look upon God as upon a strict judge, and that is it that puts you on to doe all that you doe, that is it that makes you keepe a good con∣science in secret: for this you may doe, and yet looke upon God as a judge, to feare with this kinde of feare is a signe you hate the Lord; for whom you feare, you hate.
[unspec 3] Besides this, Doe you not looke upon God and upon his wayes as contrary to your hearts? that your hearts, and the wayes of God are in an opposition, your hearts, and sanctifying the Sab∣both will not agree; the Lord would have your speeches to be good and holy, he would have you not onely abstaine from evill, but to hate it, to have your hearts rise up against it: Are not these commandements contrary to you? Consider but that holinesse that is expressed in the booke of God, and that is expressed also in the lives of the Saints, who carry his Image stamped on them, and is there not a kinde of contrariety be∣tweene your wayes and theirs, betweene your
hearts and them? If there be, it is a certaine signe of hatred: for wheresoever there is contrariety, there is hatred. Examine your selves by this, and see whether you doe not hate the Lord.
And yet, to come to one more, if you love [unspec 4] pleasures more than God, and wealth more than God, you hate God: For so you have it, Mat. 6.* 1.169 No man can serve two Masters, but either hee must hate the one and love the other, &c. That is, when you love other things, though you thinke you doe not hate the Lord, yet, I say, in that you love pleasures, and love the world, and the things of the world, in that you love your lusts, and the objects of them; in doing this, you hate the Lord. Now if this be your case, if upon these expostulations that I have propounded, if upon these rules of examining your selves, you finde that you doe not love the Lord, if this be your condition, (as it is your wisedome to deale strict∣ly with your selves; for hence it is, brethren, that the soules of men perish, because they will not see and search into their estates, they will not come to this examination of themselves, it is a painfull thing to them, men are backward to exa∣mine themselves in private; what is the reason of that phrase in the Psalme, Examine your selves upon your beds, but because examination should be when a man is most retired? I say, if you finde it to be so, as it is the case of many) then it should open a window to you, to see what you have de∣served at the Lords hands, how just it were that the Lord should cast you off: For when you are
enemies to the Lord, can you thinke much at it? My brethren, what a condition is that man in, that hath the great God of heaven and earth to be his enemie?
And besides this, have you not reason to ju∣stifie God in his just judgements upon others, when you shall see God sharply plaguing them? It may seeme to you that it is a hard thing that men should be so punished; but when wee con∣sider that they are haters of God, that they are enemies to him, you may justifie God in that hee doth.
But, to conclude, you ought to humble your selves, if upon these tryalls you finde your selves to be lovers of the world, and not lovers of God. And you that are young, and put off repentance, it should move you to come in betimes: For if this be required of you to love the Lord, and you shall not be exempted from death when it comes, though you be never so able, and never so strong and lustly; what condition doe you thinke you will be in, if you die enemies to God, and haters of him, as you needes must be, if you love him not. And if you thinke you have time enough. hereafter to settle your affections; Consider, is it in your owne power, though you have war∣ning before death, to have this affection of love? You may doe many good duties, you may be sorry and repent for your sinnes; but though you doe this, and a thousand times more, yet if you have not this love-wrought in you by God, if it come not from heaven, if it be not the fruite
of his owne Spirit, all your repentance, and all your forsaking of sinne, all your doing of duties, the change of your courses is nothing, the Lord regards it not, unlesse you have this naturalnesse of love. I have stood therefore the longer upon it, and upon this part concerning examination, because it is a matter of great moment. Wee should have come to the next part concer∣ning exhortation, which wee would not disjoyne, because it is very usefull and profitable; but we cannot doe it now, but reserve it for the after∣noone.
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,* 1.170 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.* 1.171 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,* 1.172 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 1.173 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.
* 1.174You 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?
* 1.175Those 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,* 1.176 to you I say, you may, if you will consider it, come to the assurance of his love towards you.
1 1.177For 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,* 1.178 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,* 1.179 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,* 1.180 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,* 1.181 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.
* 1.182This 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 1.183 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,* 1.184 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?* 1.185 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.
2 1.186And 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.
3 1.187Besides 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 1.188 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 1.189 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:* 1.190 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,* 1.191 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,* 1.192 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,* 1.193 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.* 1.194 I will breefely name them and so conclude.
First,1 1.195 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.
* 1.196You 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?
* 1.197I answer, it is not so, the Lord bestowes him∣selfe wholly on thee.* 1.198 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,* 1.199 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.
2 1.200The 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,* 1.201 to love the Lord with all my might,* 1.202 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.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
THE last thing that wee entred upon was the conditions that God re∣quires in our love to him, we went through two of them the last time, wee come now to that which re∣maines.
3 1.203Thirdly, you shall finde this to be another condition in our love to the Lord, to love him above all, that is, incomparably above all: For, my brethren, wee may love many things in the world, wee may love our selves, wee are com∣manded
to loue our brethen as our selves; but this is peculiarly required to the love of God, if it be right in us, and such as the Lord expects at our hands, that we loue him aboue all, for other∣wise [unspec 1] we doe not loue him as God, wee loue him as a creature:* 1.204 for to say we loue him as God, and yet not to loue him aboue all, is a contradicti∣on.
Besides, if wee should not reckon him as the [unspec 2] chiefe good,* 1.205 and so prise him aboue all, some thing would offer it selfe one time or another to us, and draw our affections to it, and then wee should leaue the Lord, and take that: Therefore I say, it is required that we loue the Lord aboue all. For every kinde of loue is not sufficient, as we see it in other things; that loue that will serue a servant, or a common friend, will not serue for a wife, it is another kinde of loue; that loue that will serue for one will not serue for another: A Parent, a King, and a Master, as they haue diffe∣rent relations, so they must be love with diffe∣rent kindes of loue. Now then consider what loue it is that belongs to the Lord, he must haue all, he must haue a loue that answers him: other∣wise if thou come with a little pittance of loue, and say, Lord, I am willing to bestow this upon thee, the Lord will refuse it, hee will answer, I will take none of these things at your hands: E∣ven as landlords doe with their tenants,* 1.206 when they bring not all their rent, they refuse it and re∣ject it, because it is not that which they require, and which is due. Even so the Lord deales with
us, as he did with the young man in the Gospell, saith hee, Goe and sell all that thou hast: My bre∣thren, it was not the act of selling, but it was the affection that was required. Therefore Christ did but try his affection by it; and it was perfor∣med by the wise Merchant that solde all, this the Lord requires that we loue him aboue all.
* 1.207And there is good reason for it, for hee is most excellent and most amiable of all.
Besides, I am sure hee hath done for us more than all, as Paul speakes, Was Paul crucified for you? hath not Christ bought you, hath not hee redee∣med you, hath not he deserved more than all, and should he not therfore be loved aboue all?
Againe, is he not the uttermost end, are not all natures else subordinate? God as hee is aboue all, so should wee haue a loue answerable unto him.
* 1.208But you will object, What, to loue God aboue my selfe, how can I doe that?
* 1.209Yes my brethren, and there is good reason for that too,* 1.210 beeause in so doing we provide best for our selues; it is not so with the creature, if you set your loue upon it, if you loue any crea∣ture aboue your selves, it may be the destruction of your selves: But the Lord can provide for you and repaire you againe when the creature is destroyed for the Lords sake, when a man is a loser for any thing that he doth for the Lord, he is a great gainer by it; for it is the rule that God hath appointed the creature, and the perfe∣ction of every creature is in comming neere to
the rule. Now when the Lord hath appointed this to loue him aboue our selues, in so doing we cannot chuse but provide best for our selues, be∣cause therein lies our excellencie and perfection. This is therefore another property of this loue, we must loue God aboue all, aboue all riches, a∣boue all profits, aboue all honour and credit, a∣boue all learning and delight, aboue our selues and our lusts: Therefore you shall finde it in the phrase of Scripture how it runnes, those that loue pleasures more than God, those that love the praise of men more than God, those that loue wealth more than God, you see how they are excluded.
You shall see what it is,* 1.211 not to loue the praise of men more than God, it is this, when they come together at some times in competition, as they will ever and anon, still to preferre God before them. As for example, the Lord hath comman∣ded you to sanctifie the Sabboth, to pray conti∣nually, the least thou canst doe is to doe it evening and morning, and to doe it diligently. Now when thy profits and thy businesse, or thy ease shall come and thrust thee off from such a duty, now they come together, and here they meete upon a narrow bridge as it were; if thou shalt now preferre thy profits and thy businesse before the service of the Lord, thou art a lover of thy wealth more than of him. You may bring it to many such examples.
So againe the Lord hath commanded to be di∣ligent in your callings, to improue the time to the best advantage, for you shall giue an account
for it is one of the most precious talents you have: Now if pleasures and sports, and recrea∣tions shall come in and allure you, and call you, to draw you away to spend time amisse, now they come in competition; if ye doe this ordina∣rily, you are lovers of pleasures more than lo∣vers of God.
So againe, God hath commanded thee that thou shouldest not commit adultery, that thou shalt not kill, that thou shalt forbeare to revenge, and the like: Now if any lust shall come and stand in opposition to such a command, if thou preferre this before it, thou art a lover of thy selfe and of thy lusts before God.
In a word, goe through any such thing, where∣in God and thy lusts, thy pleasure or thy profits come in competition, when thou shalt in thy or∣dinary course be ready to preferre that before him, thou lovest that before him, thou lovest that before the Lord; and though thou thinke that thou lovest God, yet notwithstanding know this, that that is not sufficient, thou must loue him aboue all.
* 1.212And if you say, who is able to performe this? who is it that doth not at some times preferre his pleasures and profits before the obedience to a command?
* 1.213I answer, it is a thing that hath beene done and is done by all the Saints: Therefore if you looke into Deut. 30.6. saith the Lord,* 1.214 I will circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seede, and thou shalt love me with all thy heart: He speakes it there of
a thing that is acted indeede, of a thing that is to be done by those that are regenerate, I will cir∣cumcise you, and then you shall doe it. And, my brethren, a man that hath the least measure of grace, if he be once in Christ, hee loves God a∣bove all; that is, let a man be himselfe at any time, let not his lusts get the upper ground of him, as sometimes it doth, when hee is in passion and transported; indeede then feare may prevaile as it did with Peter, and lusts may prevaile as it did with David: But the meaning is, let a man be himselfe in his ordinary course, and still hee preferres the Lord before any thing in all his actions.
You will say,* 1.215 this is a thing that no man can doe to love God above all.
Yes,* 1.216 my beloved, therefore you must under∣stand it thus, that comparatively you may reach it; all those that are sanctified doe love him a∣bove all, although there be many degrees of love you cannot reach unto, yet you love him above all: Even as it is in marriage, a man may love his wife with such a degree of Iove as is meete for her, yet there may be a greater degree of loue, continuance of time may increase that love upon further knowledge, &c. So wee may love the Lord above all, and yet come short of that de∣gree that we may have after longer communion, and greater familiarity. So much for this third condition,4 1.217 to love him above all.
But yet this is not enough, we finde another condition required in this love in the Eph:* 1.218 3.17.
That ye be rooted and grounded in love, that is, that as ye must not love the Lord by halues, so ye must not love him by fits and by starts, it must be a fixed love, a permanent love, you must bee rooted and grounded in it, otherwise as it is said of him that is unstabe in the faith, as Iam. 1.12.* 1.219 He is as a wave of the Sea, tossed too and froe, the same may be said of him that wavers in his love, he is tossed too & fro, that is some times he com∣meth with great purposes, with aboundance of promises and resolutions, that seeme as bigg as mountaines, but stay a while and they come to nothing, they vanish away. Suppose it were thy owne case, that a man should come to thee, with an expression of as much love, as that there could be no more for a day or two, but presently after∣ward, he is as strange as if he had never seene thee, wouldest thou regard such a loue as this? No surely, but as wee use to doe with franticke men, though that they be sober for a while, yet we reckon them franticke, because they are more constantly franticke, such account doth the Lord make of such, as doe love him by fitts and by flashes.
* 1.220But you will say, who is there that is alwayes at the same stay? It is true my brethren, I deny not but that the best of the Saints have their loue some times in the full tide, and some times in the lowest ebb; but you must knowe that there is a great deale of difference betweene these degrees, and that loue, that is as the morning dew & pre∣sently dryed up againe, therefore you must al∣wayes
remember, that this must be added to that that formerly hath been spoken, that ye must be rooted and grounded in loue.
You will say how shall we doe that?* 1.221
Remember but these two things. Labour to be rooted and grounded in Faith, and then you shall be rooted and grounded in love,1 1.222 as in that place I named before in Ephes. 3.17. he prayeth that Christ may dwell in their hearts by Faith, that so being rooted and grounded in love, they may compre∣hend &c. Let a man consider well upon what ground he hath perswaded himselfe of the Lords favour and loue to him, let him not build upon a hollowe sandie foundation, but let him build the assurance of his salvation upon a rock, that is, let him examine his grounds to the bottome, let him search it well, let him consider all the objections that may be made against his assurance, and not giue over till he be fully convinced, that the Lord his heart is perfect with him, and when he is thus rooted and grounded in faith, he will likewise be rooted and grounded in loue.
Againe, remember to pitch your loue upon the person;2 1.223 not to loue him for by-respects for o∣ther matters, but set your eye upon the very per∣son of Christ, to behold him in his glory, in his purenesse, in his attributes, in all his excellencies, and so to loue him, for that will continue; for if you loue the Lord because he deals wel with you, because you haue hope he will saue you, because you have escaped such and such judgements through his providence, if any of these bee the
ground of your love, these are mutable; but if you love him for himselfe, because of that amia∣blenesse that is in him; for my brethren, hee is the same, there is no shadow of change in him. There∣fore if you love him thus, your love will be con∣stant; this was the case of Iob, his love was right, he loved the very person of God, therefore hee was willing to take good and evill at the hand of God, and yet his love remained sure: take ano∣ther man that hath not knowne God, that is not acquainted with him, it may be when the Lord hath brought him into prosperity, he will for∣get the Lord, as Demas embraced the present world, the prosperity of such a man drawes him from God. Another man, when persecutions and tri∣alls come, he forsakes the Lord, because indeede he pitched not his love upon his person, there∣fore hee loves him not constantly. But to goe on.
5 1.224The next is that property ye shall finde in the 1 Thess 1.3. Diligent loue: that is the last which I will name to you,* 1.225 I say, it must be a diligent love wherewith you love the Lord, and not an idle and negligent love, not a love that is in shew onely, but a love that is operative, for that God requires.
You will say, wherein should our love be di∣ligent.
* 1.226I answer, you must be diligent in preparing for the Lords comming, that you may receive the King of glorie,1 1.227 that he may enter into your hearts, for there is a diligence of love in that; to doe as
Iohn Baptist came to doe, to prepare the way of the Lord, what was that? To bring downe the moun∣taines, and to raise up the valleyes, that is, those high thoughts, those high lusts that stand in op∣position against the Lord, that barre the doore against him, that will not let him enter into your hearts, bring downe those mountaines: againe, the valleyes must be raised up, that God may come and dwell in your hearts; the diligence of love is shewed in opening to the Lord when hee knockes, that when a thing shall be suggested to you, it is for the Lords advantage to embrace it, for it is the nature of true love, it enlargeth and wideneth the heart.
Againe, love is diligent in adorning it selfe,2 1.228 and beautifying the soule for the approach of the lover, such is this love that wee speake of, it will make you make your selves new creatures; expresse your diligence therefore in labouring to adorne your hearts with graces that the Lord may take a delight to dwell in you; be diligent also in cleansing your selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit, that when the Lord commeth hee may finde no sluttish corner within you, for the Lord hateth these: As the Israelites were to goe with a paddle, and cover every filthy thing, be∣cause, saith the text, The Lord walketh among you, so must we doe, keepe our hearts cleane if wee will have the Lord delight to dwell with us, we must be diligent to remove out of his sight what∣soever he hateth.3 1.229
Lastly, wee must be diligent in keeping his com∣mands;
wilt thou say thou lovest God, and yet doest disobey him and rebellest against him from day to day? The Lord careth for no such love, for indeede love cannot be otherwise judged of than in obeying: to say thou lovest him, and kee∣pest not his commands, it is but a dead love, and a picture of love, it is not love indeede, it is but as the Apostle saith, to doe it in word, and not in truth; for when you love him in deede, you doe the things he would have you to doe: Therefore so much diligence in keeping his commands, so much love, he that doeth most loveth most. And so you see the conditions that are required in this love, what a kinde of love it is that God will have at your hands, or else he will not take it of you.
Now my brethren, there remaines but one thing more, wherewith wee will conclude this point, that is, now I have beene so large in shew∣ing you what this love is, wherein you cannot blame us if we presse you to it, because it is one of the greatest and most radicall vertues, faith and love, therefore we have beene the larger in describing it to you; I say now you have heard what it is, what remains but this, to shew you the great danger in not loving? and that we wil make to be the last consectary that we will draw from this doctrine:
I say, consider how dangerous a thing it is to neglect it; the Lord you see requires it upon paine of damnation, whatsoever you have, yet notwith∣standing if you have not this love, you are not in
Christ,* 1.230 and so you shall be excluded. Let no man thinke that this is exaction, that it is a hard thing that the Lord requires it with this exaction: for what is it that he requires? If hee had required of you to offer sacrifice, as he did in the olde law, then the poore man might have objected, he had not where withall; if he had required us to fight battells,1 1.231 the weake man might have said he could not doe it, he was not able: but now young and olde, rich and poore, all can love.
Besides if we consider who it is that requires this love,2 1.232 is it not the great God of heaven and earth? is it not the Sonne? If hee had comman∣ded thee the hardest thing in the world, if he had said, thou shalt cast thy selfe into the fire, thou shalt sacrifice children to me, you are his crea∣tures, and you must obey him: But when he re∣quires this onely at thy hands, to love him, is it not equall?
Besides,3 1.233 when he requires this, it is for your benefit, for when you have given the Lord your hearts, the Lord gives you them againe; even as the earth, the water it receives from the sea, it returnes it better back againe in springs and foun∣taines, and pure streames; so doth the Lord give you your hearts backe againe, when you have bestowed them upon him, and withall he gives you leave to b••stow them upon other things, to love all things that you may and ought to love, and which is good for you to love; therefore the Lord may require it upon this penalty, for he askes but his owne, and what hee hath deserved
at thy hands, therefore it is a most reasonable and equall request. For what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, saith Moses, but onely that you love the Lord your God? So I say to you, what else doth the Lord your God require of you?
* 1.234But againe know this, that as it is a command full of equity and reasonablenes, so the danger is the greater if you doe it it not; and what that is I will shew you but by one place, that is, 1 Cor. 16.22.* 1.235 Cursed is hee that loves not the Lord Iesus, yea let him be had in execration to the death: That is the place I would have you consider, that now when you have beene acquainted with this whole doctrine of love, you might know the danger of not performing and doing it; whosoever loues not the Lord Iesus, let him be Anathema Maran∣atha, he curseth him in two languages, to shew that it is a peremptory curse.
But what is that to be cursed?
* 1.236My brethren, to be cursed is to be separated, to be set apart or appointed unto evill, so that all that love not the Lord Iesus, they are men sepa∣rated and set apart to evill, so that no man may meddle with them, no man may touch them to doe them good, as the Saints and those that love the Lord they are set apart that no man may touch them for hurt; so it is here, when a man is cursed, the meaning is this, he is set apart, se∣cluded from all good things, that none are to meddle with him, hee is set apart for evill, all things shall concurre together to doe him hurt; this is when the Lord curseth any man, and this
is the case of every man that loves not the Lord Iesus.
Our businesse when we preach the Gospell is but to offer the Lord Iesus to you, that is all that we have to doe; and all that you have to doe that heare us, is to take Iesus Christ, to beleeve in him, to love him: Now saith the Lord, if you will not doe this, if you will not love him, every such one let him be accursed. Now when the Lord shall curse a man, as Isaac said, I have blessed him, and he shall be blessed: So whom the Lord curseth, he shall be cursed, and it is a fearefull thing if you consider it; and therefore wee will a little open it, and shew you wherein this curse consists:
Which I urge the more, because it is an usuall thing among men, when they come to consider their sinnes in particular, wherewith they have provoked God to anger, they looke upon this or that grosse sinne, but this defect and omission of love they scarce put into the number of their sinnes. But that you may know now what it is not to love him, you may consider by the great∣nesse of the punishment, and that you see here is a curse:* 1.237 Now that you may know what this curse is, know that it consists in these foure things.
First it consists in this,1 1.238 hee shall be separated from grace and goodnesse, from holinesse; and this is the curse upon his soule in this respect, in regard of exclusion from grace, which is to the soule as an obstruction in the liver is to the body, as a theefe in the candle is to the candle, which
causeth it to waste and consume, and weare away; so it is in this curse, when God shall lay it upon the soule of any man, he shall not thrive in grace, his inward man shall not prosper at all, he shall be still in the wearing hand, & the Lord shall take away from him that which hee seemes to have; when the Lord shall say to thee as to the figtree, Never fruit grow more on thee, that is a fearefull curse, when the Lord shall curse, and say to a man, though thou hast some leaves upon thee, there are some things that seeme to be good in thee, yet because thou hast not love, never fruite shall grow upon thee more. What a curse is it thinke you that shall make the soule of a man to wither, as the figtree withered after the speech of Christ, that is, when every thing shall drive a man off from that which is good, and carry him on to destruction; whatsoever befalleth him in poverty, in prosperity, riches, and friends or e∣nemies, every thing shall breed his hurt: hee shall have riches when he is most ready to abuse them, he shall have adversity then when it is worst for him to be in adversity, that shall be to him as the lopping of trees out of season; hee shall be as an unthrifty sonne, set him to a trade in the Citty, there he goes downe the winde, put him to hus∣bandry in the Country, that thrives not with him; such is the case of every one that loves not Christ. So my brethren, when Christ is preached to you, when you will not receive the doctrine, but refuse it, you see the doome here, saith the Apostle, let him be accursed; this cau∣seth
men to goe away from the Lord, Because they receive not the love of the truth, therefore he gives them up to beleeve lies, because that men receive not Christ in the love of the Gospell, hee gives them up to a reprobate sense, from one degree to another, till there be no remedy. We see by ex∣perience, are there not many that are given up to the sinne of drinking and idlenesse, and compa∣ny-keeping, and others, to other sinnes; you see many plod on in an olde tracke of sinne, some lying a long time in a dead sottish course, so as the most powerfull ministery in the world will not stirre them, which is an evidence that the Lord hath cursed such, therefore the ministry can doe them no good. And this is the first curse upon men that love not the Lord Iesus.
But perhaps thou regardest not this curse be∣cause thou regardest not grace and holinesse from which it sequestreth thee,2 1.239 but yet there is ano∣ther branch of it, thou shalt be separated from the presence of the Lord, that is, from the joy, from the influence, from the protection of God; and this is a very fearfull curse. You know what it was to Cain in the fourth of Genesis,* 1.240 when the Lord had cursed him, saith he, I am hid from thy face: that was the great curse that was laid upon him, of which he was most sensible that he was separated from the presence of the Lord. And my brethren, this is no small thing, because God is the God of all comfort, and to be separated from his presence is the worst thing that can befall us in this life: It was Sauls case, when the Lord had
once cast him off, he was separate from the pre∣sence of God, so that when he came to aske coun∣sell, the Lord would answer him no more, hee would have no more to doe with him: you know how fearefull and how bitter this was to Saul. On the other side, see how much Moses magni∣fies this presence of God; Lord, saith he, if thou goe not with us, carry us not hence: as if the pre∣sence of God were the greatest comfort in the world, as indeede it is. This is another thing wherein ye shall be cursed.
3 1.241Againe, there is yet another branch of it, yee shall not onely be separated from grace, and from the presence of the Lord, but there shall be a curse upon your outward estate. It is said of Cain in the same chapter, Thou shalt be cursed from the earth: it may be many that heare of being cur∣sed from grace, and of separation from the pre∣sence of the Lord, are of that minde that they care not for it, that they regard it not; it may be you care not to be cursed from heaven: but to be cursed from the earth is that which goes neere to you, and that is a thing which the most earthly-minded man in the world is sensible of. Now you must know that whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus shall be cursed from the earth, that is, there shall be a curse upon you in all earthly things, in all things that belong to this present life whatsoever they are.
* 1.242But you will say, wee see it quite otherwise, we see such men as they, described to be men that abound in outward wealth, in outward blessings.
It may be so in outward shew,* 1.243 but yet there is a curse upon them notwithstanding.* 1.244 Abimelech had the kingdome, yet there was a curse that ne∣ver ceased till hee was rooted out of the king∣dome: The Israelites had the quailes, but yet there was a curse with them: Ahab had the vine∣yard, but it was a curse to him. So all these things that are of themselves blessings and mercies in their owne nature, yet if the Lord will mingle them with a curse, yee shall finde no ease from them at all: and this is a thing that is well knowne by experience, if the hearts of men will speake what they know. This is the case of those that love not the Lord, The earth shall not give her in∣crease, you shall not have that sound comfort, that sweetnesse, that influence of comfort from earth∣ly blessings, though you have the creatures a∣bout you which naturally have blessings in them, yet they shall not give downe that milke for your comfort, you shall not be satisfied with them, you shall see a constant emptinesse in them, they shall be to you as the shell without the kernell; and so much more shall ye be miserable, because ye shall finde the least comfort in them when you most expect it: the Lord meetes thus with those that love him not in earthly blessings.
But last of all,4 1.245 there is one branch of this curse which exceedes all the rest, that is the eternall curse that shall be upon men for ever: while yee live here in this life there is a certaine shew, a certaine twilight of comfort that the Lord some∣times affords even to evill men; but then there
shall be a perfect midnight, then the Sunne of comfort shall set upon you altogether and rise no more: in that day, saith the Apostle, it shall be the day of the manifestation of the just wrath of God: in that day when the Lord shall open the trea∣sures of his wrath, those which have beene so long time a gathering. While wee live here the clouds of Gods indignation are but gathering, then they shall grow thicke and blacke, and fasten upon you to the uttermost, then all the great deepes shall be broken up, then the flood-gates of Gods judgements shall prevaile and overflow you; that case shall be yours at that time, and this is a time which is to be considered by you now: in Eccles. 1.7.* 1.246 Remember the dayes of dark∣nesse, for they are many. My brethren, eternity is an other thing than wee consider it to be while wee live in this world. In Psal. 78.38. The Lord called backe his wrath,* 1.247 and stirred not up all his indignation, but at that time the Lord shall stirre up all his wrath; yee doe here but sippe of this cup, but then yee shall drinke up the dreggs of it for ever. This shall be the case of those that love not the Lord.
But you will say, this is afarre off, and there∣fore the lesse terrible, it is not neere at hand.
* 1.248Well, though this curse in which wee have shewed these foure branches, be not presently executed, yet remember this, that when we preach the Gospell to you, as we doe from day to day, and are still offering you Christ, beseeching you to come in, and take him and love him, but yet
you will not, know that there is a thunderbolt alwayes following this lightening: when Iohn Baptist came and preached the Gospell, hee tells them presently of the curse that ws to follow: You doe not know the time when the Lord will execute this curse; Cain was cursed many yeares before he died: and so Saul, when the Lord had rejected him, and had made a separation between God and him, (for a curse is but a separation, when a man is cast aside and set apart for such a purpose, so Saul was set apart for evill) yet hee reigned many yeares after, notwithstanding hee was under the curse. So those that the Lord sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest, there was a curse upon them, yet they lived many yeares in the wildernesse: Therefore though the execution be not presently, and though thou be in prosperity for the present, yet it is but Cains prosperity, though he had his life continued, yet the curse lay upon him notwithstanding; there∣fore I say take heede of refusing and deferring, lest he sweare in his wrath that ye shall not enter into his rest; it is a dangerous thing to refuse the Lord Iesus when hee is offered the first, second, third and fourth time, and still you will not come in, take heede and remember that speech of the Apostle that we named to you, Whosoever loveth not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed. When the Apostle looked upon the men to whom hee had preached and written, you Corinthians to whom the Gospell hath beene plentifully preached and
made knowne, those among you that have heard me, and have beene made acquainted with this doctrine of the freenesse of Gods offering grace to you, if you will not take Christ in good ear∣nest, if you will not love him, let such a man be accursed: and brethren S. Paul was stirred up by the Spirit of God to pronounce this curse. So I say, let these words continue in your mindes, that whosoever loves not the Lord Iesus let him be Anathema Maranatha; and he that hath eares to heare let him heare what the Spirit saith: for happy and blessed are those that love the Lord Iesus, but miserable and cursed are those that doe not love him.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision avai∣leth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
HAVING spoken of faith and love, it remaines that we adde to them good workes, for which wee will goe no further than this Text, wee cannot have a fitter; for, saith the Apostle, when you come to have to doe with Christ Iesus, to be ingrafted into him, to make your selves first acceptable to God through him, all the workes you can doe are nothing, they are no
more than the omission of them, circumcision is the same with uncircumcision: But what is of moment then? Faith (saith hee:) But what faith must that be? Such a faith as begets love: And what love must that be? Such a love as sets you on worke: so that you have a chaine here con∣sisting of these three linkes; faith which when it is right will beget love, and love when it is right will set you on worke; faith which workes by love. So the point we will deliver to you out of these words shall be this:
* 1.249That we are to be judged not onely by our faith and love,* 1.250 but also by our workes, that no man hath faith and love, that none are new creatures, that none have sincerity, but workes will fol∣low.
this is a point which I doe not meane to han∣dle at large as we have done the other, but will endeavour to finish it at this time, and it is a very necessary point, because men are ready to applaud themselves in their knowledge in their good meaning, in their honest desires, and in the meane time they faile in their lives and actions: there∣fore as those are the radicall ver••ues which in∣deede make up the new creature, Faith and Love, so you must know that good workes are never disjoyned from them, wheresoever there is sin∣ceritie, and a new creature, good workes will follow.
The Scripture you know is evident in this, A good tree bringeth forth good fruite, Matth. 7.* 1.251 that is, it cannot be that a m••n shall have a new heart,
it cannot be that a man should be regenerate, but that his workes will be also new; looke how farre the heart of any man is holy, looke how farre his heart is put into a new frame of grace, in that measure his workes will be good, and his life sanctified. In Acts 14.22.* 1.252 speaking of David, I have found a man after m••ne owne heart, who will doe whatsoever I will: and in Mat. 23.26.* 1.253 Make the inside cleane that the outside may be cleane also: As if he should say, if the inside be right, if the heart be set right within, if that be well moulded, the outside will bee cleane, they cannot bee disjoy∣ned.
If a man have a treasure within, there will be silver in his speeches and actions; but if his heart be nothing worth, his words and actions will be but meere drosse:* 1.254 It is the scope of that, Prov. 10.20. The words of the righteous are as fined sil∣ver, but the heart of the wicked is nothing worth: That is, when his heart is nothing worth, his speeches and actions are nothing worth too; but the good man that hath his treasure in his heart, there is silver and golde in his speeches and actions, that is, they are likewise precious. Therefore let no man say he hath faith and love, and as good a heart as the best, though his actions be not so good, though he be not so strict in his carriage; for it cannot be my brethren.
For first of all,* 1.255 if a mans heart be good, hee hath the spirit of God dwelling there: now, saith the Apostle, 2 Tim▪ 1.6. The spirit is not a spirit of feare, or a spirit of weaknesse, a spirit that onely
makes attempts, and is not able to bring things to passe; but it is a spirit of power, a spirit of a sound minde: That is, doe not thou pretend thou mea∣nest well and desirest well, and thinke it is suffici∣ent, but stirre up the gift that is in thee, set thy selfe on worke, doe the actions that belong to thee in thy place, and doe not say I am not able to doe it; for wee have not received a spirit that is weake, but a spirit of power: the same I may say to every Christian, If ye be in Christ, yee have the spirit, which is a spirit of power. So you have it likewise, Gal. 5.25.* 1.256 If you live in the spirit, walke in the spirit: that is, if you have so much of the spirit as to make you living men, shew it by wal∣king in the spirit, by following the spirit, by do∣ing that which the spirit guides you to; there∣fore it is impossible that a man should have a right minde, but that his workes also will be good, be∣cause grace is strong: in 2 Tim. 2.1.* 1.257 And thou my sonne be strong in the grace received, &c. As if hee should say, grace is a strong thing, it strengthens every man that hath received it; if thou professe thou hast received the grace of Christ to regene∣rate thee, to change thee, and to make thee a new creature, let that appeare by shewing thy selfe strong in thy actions, able and ready to doe e∣very thing that belongs to thee in thy place. In∣deede flesh is weake, so much flesh, so much weaknesse, for that is weake and fading, and wi∣thering, and mutable; it is grasse, and all the pur∣poses of it and the desires of it are no better: but the spirit is strong, and grace is strong, quite con∣trary
to the flesh; as the Prophet speakes, Isa. 31.3.* 1.258 Yee are men and not Gods, flesh and not spirit: when he would shew their weaknesse, as if weak∣nesse were a concomitant of the flesh, and strength a concomitant of the spirit: Therefore if you have the spirit of Christ in you, there will be strength to goe through good workes, not onely to intend them, and purpose them, and resolve on them, but you will put those resolutions and purposes in execution.
Secondly,* 1.259 it must needes be so, because there is a chaine betweene good workes and the inward rectitude of the heart, a chaine that cannot be dis∣joyned; for ye shall finde that these three things alwayes goe together.
First, as that indeede is the beginning of every mans renewing, there must be a knowledge, a man must be enlightened, hee must be renewed in the spirit of his minde, as the Apostle saith. Now if the knowledge bee right, if it bee a convicting knowledge, a sanctifying knowledge, a know∣ledge to purpose, it will draw on affections, it cannot chuse, they are never separated: you are never truly enlightened by Gods spirit, but affe∣ctions follow necessarily, and then if the affe∣ctions be right, if knowledge draw on holy affe∣ctions, love, and feare, and desires, &c. affecti∣ons are the immediate principles of actions, there is no man that hath right affections, but good workes will follow: so that these three are never disjoyned, sanctified knowledge draweth on holy affections, and holy affections draw on
good actions:* 1.260 as yee have it in Matth. 13.5. Their hearts are waxed fat, and their eares are dull of hearing, and why? you shall see the chaine there, lest seeing with their eyes they should understand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heale them: Marke it, if they should see with their eyes, the Lord hath given them up to judge a∣misse of things, that seeing they doe not see, that is, they see not to purpose, they are not convin∣ced, they doe not judge; for if they did see with their eyes, that is, if they did see indeede, they would have understood with their hearts, their affections would follow in their hearts, and if they were set aright, then they would be conver∣ted, that is, their lives would be turned to God; and if these three were done he must needes heale them: but saith God, I am resolved not to heale them: therefore they shall see as if they did not see, for these will draw on one the other. So I say, if the heart were right, if there were faith and love, good workes would follow: therefore let no man say hee hath grace, hee hath love and faith, except his life also be holy and good.
* 1.261Lastly, wheresoever there is faith and love, there is a change of nature; for you know that wheresoever they come, faith that is effectuall, and love that followeth from faith it makes a man a new creature, they are the very things wherein a new ereature consists: Now when a mans na∣ture is changed, it must needes be active, for that which is naturall to a man, he doth without un∣evennesse, there is no inequality in his doing it, he
doth it constantly, where there are naturall prin∣ciples of actions, the actions flow like water from a spring: indeede where the nature of a man is not changed, that is, where there is onely good purposes and good desires, and no alteration of nature, there actions doe not come as water from a spring, but as water from a pompe that is for∣ced and extorted; but where there is a change of nature, there is no difficultie, a man doth it with facility and with desire, it is his meate and drinke to doe the will of God. Therefore I say good workes will follow, there will be the same degree of ho∣linesse, of rectitude in your lives, in your actions, as there is of grace, as there is of faith and love in your hearts. And this is enough to make the point plaine to you, the maine businesse will be to make use of it, and to apply it to your selves.
And first let us make this use of it,* 1.262 not to con∣tent our selves with good meanings onely, as it is the fashion of men to say, my heart is as good as yours, and my meaning is as good as yours, though I be subject to infirmities, though I can∣not make such a shew, though I cannot doe so much as others doe; this is the common obje∣ction, and though men say it not constantly, yet they thinke it, otherwise they would not con∣tent themselves in such a condition as they doe. But I say, deceive not your selves in this, for, my brethren, you must know that you may have good purposes and good meanings, we will not deny you that you may have these, and yet have no true grace; for you must know th••t good purpo∣ses
and desires may arise from these two things,* 1.263 which every unregenerate man is capable of.
1 1.264There may be knowledge, as you know an e∣vill man may have knowledge of all the myste∣ries of salvation as well as the most holy; I doe not say he hath the sanctified knowledge, but the law of God is partly written in his heart, the Lord hath taught every man somewhat.
2 1.265Secondly, in an evill and unregenerate man there may be not onely knowledge, but an appro∣bation of that which is good, they can approove that which is good, so farre they may goe; I doe not say they can delight in it, for that is another thing, they doe not love and delight in it, that is not sutable to them, yet they may approove it. Now from these two principles, to know that which is good, and to approove it, they may goe so farre as to purpose and desire to serve God, they may have good meanings, but yet if actions follow not, if there be not reformation in their lives, if a man deny not himselfe in his beloved sinne, if hee come not to that outward profession of holinesse that is required in Scripture, and is seene in the lives of the Saints, he hath nothing to comfort himselfe withall; these good meanings will not serve the turne.
For know this, though it be true as wee see there may be actions where there is no sound heart, as the second and third ground brought forth a kinde of fruite when there was neither of them right; hypocrites you know may goe farre, they may make a blaze as your commets doe
more than the true starres:* 1.266 though this be true, that there may be abundance of good workes where there is no rightnesse and soundnesse, no sincerity, no purenesse within; yet againe also on the other side, wheresoever there is sincerity there are good workes, and though many times the outside be cleane when the inside is not, yet the inside is never cleane but the outside is cleane too: And that is the thing we must examine our selves by; though it be not a good rule to say I have good workes, therefore my heart is right, yet it is a good rule to say on the other side, I want good works, therefore my heart is not right; except there be a generall reformation in your lives, except things be reformed that you know to be amisse. Indeede when it is not revealed to you, then there is something for you to say, but when you know that such a duty is to be done, that your speeches should be holy, that they should be seasoned with salt, that you ought to abstaine from sinnes of all kindes, from all appea∣rance, that you ought not to admit any kinde of dalliance, not the least touch of any sinne; now not to set your selves with all your might to re∣forme this, this is a sure argument you are not right; for if the generall frame of the heart be good, there will be a generall reformation of the life. Therefore let no man say I purpose well, but in this particular infirmity I must be spared, to such a thing my nature is prone, and I am given to it, I cannot tell how to refraine it, and I hope it is not so great a matter; say not so, for if the
heart be right, the actions will be right and un∣blameable.
* 1.267For though you see sometimes a man may have a good colour from flushing and painting, when the constitution of the body within is but crasie and unsound; yet againe it is true there is never any that hath a sound and haile constitution, there is never a healthfull body but the complection is good; the heart is never right, but you shall see it without, though you have leaves without fruit, yet you never have fruite but there are leaves, there are actions appearing. Therefore learne to judge aright of your selves, content not your selves with good purposes, onely you see the complaint of the Scripture of the lacke of this in people. What is the reason the Lord calls for obedience rather than sacrifice? because that is the touchstone that every man is tryed by; I am weary, saith he, of your fat of rammes, I am burdened with your sacrifices, Esay 1.* 1.268 The thing that I de∣sire is that you cease to doe evill, and learne to doe well, that is the thing that the Lord lookes for at every mans hand, these outward performances are good, they must be done, and these good meanings must be had, but yet that is not enough, you are not to judge your selves by that.
* 1.269But it will be objected, that the best men have their failings, those that have a good heart, yet doe wee not finde them subject to infirmities as well as other men? and if this be the rule we are to be judged by, who shall be saved?
* 1.270To this I answer first, it is true that the most
holy men may many times doe that which is ill,* 1.271 but it is by accident, it is when they are trans∣ported, when they are carried besides their pur∣pose:1 1.272 As a man that is bound for such a place, sayling such a way, his compasse stands stil right, he alters not that,* 1.273 though the wind carry him vio∣lently another way, yet he lookes still to the right way, that is his intent still; and it is knowne by this, when the winde is over, and the gust is past, he returnes againe and saileth to the haven he in∣tended to goe to at the first: So it is with all the Saints, they saile by a right compasse, their intents are still good, whensoever they doe otherwise it is by accident, it is when they are overborne by some temptation, by some passion, when they are not perfectly themselves.
Againe,2 1.274 you must know this, that every holy man as hee hath grace in him, and a principle of holy actions, so he hath also flesh in him, and a principle of evill actions; now that principle may sometimes prevaile and get ground of him, yea it may prevaile mightily sometimes, and make him doe as evill actions as the worst man: For that is a true rule, a man that excelleth in grace may sometimes excell in ill doing; you must take me aright, that is, a man that hath a more impetu∣ous spirit than another, so that none excelleth such a spirit when it is set aright, he may be as impetu∣ous in evill-doing for a fit, for a time, when that evill principle within him shall get the better. Therefore though you see a good man sometime unlike himselfe for a fit, yet it is at that time when
the flesh prevailes; for now grace though it be there, yet sometimes it is laid asleepe, it is not alwayes acted: As the Philosopher was wont to say, It is one thing to have knowledge, and ano∣ther thing to use it alway; so it is with grace, sometimes the Saints doe not use that grace and holinesse, and hence it is that they are subject to great failings; but I say it is by fits and by acci∣dent, the constant course of their life is right, because the constant frame of their heart is right.
* 1.275But againe there is another objection on the o∣ther side, that evill men sometimes doe well as well as good men doe sometimes ill.
* 1.276To this I answer, that it is true they doe so, but yet we must know that it is not they that doe it,* 1.277 but the good that dwelleth in them, as the Apo∣stle speakes in Rom. 7. which may be implyed on the contrary; when any regenerate man fin∣neth, it is not he that doth it,* 1.278 but the sinne that is there; that is, it is not the master of the house, but a rebell that is crept in by accident: so I say of euery evill man that doth that which is good and right, it is not he that doth it, but some good that is there. For it is one thing for a man to have good things in him,* 1.279 and another thing to be a good man, hee may doe some things sometimes for a fit that are good, Gods Spirit may be there to helpe him to doe much; I say not that the Spirit dwells there, but he may take up his lod∣ging for a time, and from him he may have com∣mon assistance, common gifts that may enable him to doe much: Therefore I denie not but those
may have many good flashings of lightning that may enable them to doe much; onely this wee say, The Day-spring from on high never visited them, that is, the morning never riseth upon them, to guide their feete in the way of peace, for that is proper to the Saints; they never have any constant light that leadeth them so farre as to bring them in: they have some lightenings in∣deede that guide them in this or that particular, to helpe them in a step or two, to enable them to doe many good actions by fits, but not to bring them to perfection.
Secondly,* 1.280 if this be so that we are to be judged by our actions, then this will follow from it, that poore Christians are better taught than the grea∣test Clerkes, they are better taught I say, because they doe more, therefore indeede they know more; for all the knowledge wee have, all the sinceritie, whatsoever is right within us, if it be to be judged by the actions, then he that doth most hee knowes most; for no man knoweth more than hee practiseth, because what know∣ledge soever a man hath that hee practiseth not, marke it, it is a dead knowledge, it is an ineffica∣cious knowledge. When things are dead and in∣efficacious, wee say they are not; as leaven that doth not leaven the dough, it hath but the name of leaven and no more, the thing it selfe is wan∣ting; it is not knowledge if it bring not forth pra∣ctise. As we say of of drugges, they are not true when they doe not worke, but they are false and counterfeit. Every man is to be judged by what
he doth: Therefore I say those that doe most, those are knowing men, Those that seeme to know, as the Apostle saith, know nothing as they ought: a man may know much, a man may have a large extent of knowledge, yet this is true of him, if his life be barren, if he bring forth nothing into action all the while, hee knoweth nothing as hee ought to know, though he know much: On the other side, the other sort though their extent be never so small, yet what they know they know as they ought. Therefore when you looke upon men in the world, when you would make a judge∣ment of them, I say those that know most they are not the best, you must not put them in the highest degree, when you come to matters of re∣ligion, but men are to be judged by their actions; when men have knowledge onely to know, as they have money to account with, and not to buy and sell with it, it is but dead, a man hath no good by it, that money makes him not the richer; so men that have knowledge onely to know with, not to make them more usefull in their lives, more serviceable to God, and profitable to man, it is unprofitable knowledge: therefore those are the wisest men, let them seeme never such fooles, though they are not able to speake so much as others, yet they know most that practise most. For there is that difference betweene art and wis∣dome; indeed it is true in matter of art, hee that omitteth wilfully may be the best artist, because there is no more required of him but skill, and it is but some errour in him, it is the commendation
of his art that hee erreth willingly: But now in matter of holinesse and sanctity, there hee that knoweth and doth not is the greatest foole: For wisedome consists most in that.* 1.281 Wisedome com∣prehends indeed these three:
We learne at schooles what to say in such a controversie, how to dispute rather than how to live: and that is the complaint wee may take up
in these knowing times, where knowledge (I con∣fesse) abounds as water in the sea, but practise is thinne and rare, like grasse upon the house top, of which the mower cannot fill his hand: and that is the bur∣den of us that are Ministers, that we teach much, and see little fruite, wee see no amendement of mens lives, men doe the same things that they were wont to doe, the duties they were wont to be defective in, they are defective in still. Alas my brethren, the end of our preaching is not that you should know, but that you should doe and practise: as it is not the desire of the shepheard that his sheepe should returne their meate in hay againe, but hee would have it in their milke and fleece; so it is not our desire that you should on∣ly know, though indeede many come short of that, but that you should shew it in your fleece and milke, shew it in your lives, that all the world may see it there. It is not enough for him that desires to write, to see the coppy, and to know it, and the fashion of the letters, but then hee hath learned it when he can write after it: so you must know sciences are of two sorts,* 1.283 indeede some there are the end of which is onely contemplation and knowledge, but some there are the end wher∣of is action, and they are no further good than we practise them. What is musicke, but the pra∣ctise of it? what is physicke? the knowledge of all will not heale a man, but the taking of it: so it is with Divinity, the knowledge that we teach is nothing worth, if you know as much as could be knowne, it were all nothing worth without
practise, practise is all in all; so much as ye pra∣ctise, so much you know. It is a great matter to have your judgement true in this case, for when men shall applaud themselves meerely in this, that they know and have right purposes and ho∣nest desires, and shall esteeme their estates by this, it causeth men to content themselves with a loose and a negligent life; but wee must know that God judgeth us by our actions, and that is our best rule to judge by too, therefore we should learne thus to judge our selves.
If you object,* 1.284 but it is a rule that wee have heard often, that the will is often taken for the deed, and if the will be present with us, though the action doe not follow, yet wee are accepted according the will.
To this I answer in briefe,* 1.285 first, it holdeth on∣ly then where there is some impediment which you cannot remove:* 1.286 as for example, a man hath a desire to doe good to such poore people,1 1.287 hee hath a compassionate heart, hee is willing to be bountifull, but he wants meanes to doe it, in this case the Lord accepts the will for the deed; for upon that occasion is this delivered in this place by S. Paul: so it is in every thing else, when you have a desire, and there commeth some impedi∣ment that it is not in your power to remove, then the will is accepted for the deed. As when a man hath a desire to move his hands, his legges or armes, but because of a palsie that hangs upon him, he is not able to stirre them, here the will is for the deed, he is not able to doe it, though the
minde be right and the desire good; so when you come to such duties that are not in your power to doe, when there are some impediments that you are not able to remove, here the will is accepted for the deed.
2 1.288Sometimes a man is ignorant of some particu∣lars, and hee hath a desire to obey God in all things, here the will is accepted for the deede, though he be not come to that degree of perfecti∣on as others are: but as men apply it commonly it is amisse, for when a man thinkes I have a good purpose to doe this, but I cannot pray, I cannot be so strict in looking to my actions and spee∣ches, here the complaint is not right: for if yee stirre up your selves, and doe the utmost you can doe, the deede will follow the will, there is no such impediment here but that you may remove. Therefore our answer is, that the reason why you cannot doe, is not because of such impediments that you cannot remove, but because your will is not yet right, which the Schoolemen call an im∣perfect will; it is but such a will as the Wiseman speakes of concerning the sluggard, hee willeth and lusteth, and hath not: and what's the reason? If it were a full, a compleate and perfect will, it would draw action with it, hee would not be a sluggard any longer, but hee would draw forth his hands to doe somewhat to bring his desires to passe, but indeede he hath but light wishings and no more. And so it is with men in christianity, they are as Salomons sluggard, they wish they had such sinnes mortified, that they had such graces,
they wish they could attaine such a measure of faith & love, but they take no paines:* 1.289 no man hath height of grace without paines; doe you thinke to get the greatest excellency in the world without paines? It is true, the Lord must doe it, but yet he doth it by your selves, you are agents in the businesse: Therefore doe not say I wish well and desire well, for if you would doe your uttermost that you ought to doe, if your will were full and compleate, and desires right and strong, you would doe more, you would excell more in grace, you would amend your lives more, you would have your lusts more mortified: therefore let not this deceive you. I should presse this further, but wee will come to the last thing, because I would conclude this point with this time, and that is,
To exhort you to be doers,* 1.290 that your faith may be effectuall faith, and that your love may be diligent love: This is the great businesse which we have to doe, and the thing which for the most part wee all faile in, that there is no doing, no acting, no working of our faith; be exhorted now therefore to adde to your faith diligent love, especially you that professe your selves to be growne Christians, looke you to it, and know that as in nature every thing when it is ripe brings seede and fruite, if not it is but a dead thing, a dead plant that keepeth the roome idle; if there be that ripenesse and maturity in you,* 1.291 shew it by bringing forth seede and fruite, shew it by doing something. For, my brethren, we are called into the Lords vineyard for the same purpose; it is not
for you now to stand idle, the time of your stan∣ding still is past, it is for you now to worke, for ye are now come into the day. That exhortation is excellent,* 1.292 1 Thess. 5.6, 7, 8. Let not us sleepe (saith he) as doe others, we are come out of the night: those that are still in the night, it better beseemes them to sleepe, and to sit still and doe nothing, but let not us sleepe as doe others, for we are of the day; let it not be so with you as with others, to be much in speech onely, but labour to be much in acti∣ons. As it was said of Gideon, Vp and be doing, and the Lord shall be with thee, so I say to every one, up and be doing, and the Lord shall be with you; that is, though perhaps you doe not finde that vigour, that fervencie and liveliness of spirit, yet be doing notwithstanding, it is your wisest way, for that doing will increase the grace within you: exercise increaseth health, as well as health ena∣bles to exercise,* 1.293 so the use of grace will increase grace and other abilities; motion causeth heate, as well as all motion commeth from heate, so every good action proceedeth from grace, and good actions intend grace: and therefore be still acting, and judge of your selves by that, for what is grace, what is that you call Christianity else, but to doe that which another man cannot doe? Therefore if there be such a difference betweene you and others as you professe there is, shew it by doing that which another man cannot doe, by exposing your selves to that danger, to those losses for any good cause, which another would not doe; by spending more time in prayer, by
taking more paines with your hearts from day to day than others doe, by keeping the sabbath bet∣ter than others doe, by being more exact in loo∣king to your wayes, that you may be holy in all manner of conversation, that other men will not doe: I say shew your grace, shew your regene∣ration, by being new creatures, by doing more than others, this is that which wil make the world beleeve that you are Christians in good earnest, and not in shew onely, that your profession is in deed and in truth: and truely there is no other way, this doing is that which makes a man ex∣cellent. You heare men complaine of the bar∣rennesse of their grounds many times, wee may likewise justly take up the complaint against the barrennesse of the lives of men.
How goodly a sight is it when a man looks in∣to the husbandry, to see the vine full of clusters, to see the furrowes full of corne, to see the trees laden with fruite; when we looke upon men,* 1.294 it is the goodliest sight we can behold in Gods hus∣bandry, to see men full of actions and good workes; I beseech you consider of it seriously, and now set upon the doing of it while there is sand in the houre-glasse, your life will not last long, the day doth not continue alwayes, the night will come when no man can worke. When a candle is put out, you may kindle it againe, when the Sunne is set, it riseth againe; but when our life is past, when the glasse is runne, it ariseth no more, it is turned no more, It is appointed to all men once to die: if ye might die twice or thrice, it
were another case; but now it is your wisedome therefore while it is time, while this short day, lasts, to doe that you have to doe concerning your salvation with all your might, because the time is short.
* 1.295There is nothing that is a truer property of wisedome than for a man to take holde of oppor∣tunities, not to lose the day, nay not an houre in the day;* 1.296 for time is most precious, it is like golde of which every shred is worth somewhat: it is your wisedome therefore to be oft sowing seede to the spirit, there is none of those good workes, not the least of them but will doe you good in the latter end; for alas what are your lives but your actions? so much as you doe, so much you live, your lives are short of themselves, why doe you make them shorter by doing nothing? for as wee have said heretofore, one man may live more in a day than another in twenty, because hee doth more, you live more as you act more.
* 1.297Besides, what is it a man serves for in all his labour under the Sunne? what is it that hee de∣sires but pleasure, comfort and contentment? Now, my brethren, this consists in doing, in working, for all pleasure followeth upon opera∣tion, and further than there is working there is no delight. Therefore it was a wise saying in that Philosopher, that the happinesse and comfort that a man hath in this life consists not in abun∣dance of wealth, in swimming in delights, but it consists in doing the actions of a living man, which is the greatest comfort you can finde here
in this life: Doe the exercises and actions of ho∣linesse, and the more yee doe, the more comfort yee shall have; for even as light followeth the flame, so pleasure and contentment followeth action.
And besides (my brethren) what doe you live for,* 1.298 is it not to glorifie God?1 1.299 You professe so much, and how is it done? Not by your desires or good meanings, but by your actions, those are the things that men see and feele, and glorifie your heavenly Father: for when your actions shine before men, Herein is my Father glorified, saith Christ, that ye bring forth much fruite: the doing of much is that which brings glory to God, the more you doe this, the more glory you bring to him.
Againe,2 1.300 another end of your life is to doe good to mankinde; shall they be able to fare the better for your purposes, for your good resolutions? no, they fare the better onely for that you doe for them and to them, it is your actions that be∣nefit men.
Lastly for your selves, what is it that helpeth you and doth you good? onely your good deeds and your actions, it is that which furthers your reckoning and account: That place is much to this purpose, Phil. 4.17.* 1.301 I care not for a gift, but I de∣sire fruite, because it will further your account: marke the phrase, the meaning is this, every good worke that a holy man doth from the time of his rege∣neration, (for till then no actions are spiritually good) it is put upon his score, it stands upon his
reckoning, there is not a penny nor a halfe penny lost, that is, the least good worke is not done to no purpose, but the Lord will repay him againe euery pennie and farthing: this (saith hee) will further your account. And when will the Lord pay? Not onely in the day of judgement, then indeede you shall be paid to the uttermost, but you shall be paid even in this life; marke that too, You shall have an hundredfold here, saith Christ, They that forsake father, or mother, or wife, or chil∣dren, shall have an hundredfold in this life. There∣fore brethren if there bee any wisedome in the world, this is the onely wisedome, to be still do∣ing, to be much in actions; Why doe you trifle out your time therefore to no purpose? Why sit ye idle here? why doe you not rise up and bestirre your selves? why doe you not fill your lives with many actions? You have good purposes in you, why doe you not stirre them up? It is true indeede we are becalmed many times because the Spirit doth not blow upon us, but yet notwith∣standing if we would pray for the Spirit, the Lord would quicken us.
* 1.302But you will say, alas what shall wee doe, it may be our callings give us no opportunity to doe that which other mens callings doe: if we might be Preachers, and have such and such businesse wherein wee might onely minde the things that belong to salvation, then it were easie.
* 1.303My brethren, you must know that you shall finde continuall occasions of doing good actions every day,* 1.304 whatsoever your callings are. It is an
errour among the Papists, to thinke that to give almes, to crucifie the flesh and to use that hardly, to fast, and the like, that these are the onely and the most glorious actions: they are exceeding wide;* 1.305 good actions are nothing else but to doe the will of the Lord, and to bring forth fruite; the fruite of every tree in the orchard is but as the actions of every man; and then are the trees good to the husbandman, when they are full of fruite. Every action that you doe is that fruite which God lookes for, now that fruite is good workes, that is pleasing to the gardener, to the husband∣man: Therefore to doe the Lords will is to doe a good worke. Now by this you may see what a large field you have for good workes, in what calling soever you are set, though it be never so meane a place you have.
To suffer imprisonment and disgraces for good causes,* 1.306 this is a good worke, for it is a great worke to suffer, and in that you doe the will of the Lord.* 1.307 When a man is sicke, and lieth in his cham∣ber upon his bedde, sicke of a consumption or a feaver, that he is not able to stirre; yet to doe this with obedience, to submit then to the will of the Lord, is a good worke: for to beare a burden is a worke, to beare sicknesse and calamity after this manner, is a worke, to thinke the Lord hath put me into this condition; he might have given mee strength to goe abroad as others doe, but he hath laid sicknesse upon mee, I say the right bearing this burden is a good worke.
Againe,* 1.308 to take paines with our hearts, to ma∣ster
our unruly lusts and affections is a good worke. Doe not you reckon it a worke to breake horses, to master coltes? It is the trade of some men to doe so: and is it not a good worke for you to get victory over your lusts, to tame your unbridled natures, to curbe your unruly hearts and affections in all the variety of occasions that ye passe through? It is a worke to behave our selves as becomes Christians decently and come∣ly, and holily, in poverty, in riches, in honour, and disgraces; to behave our selves under these things in a right manner, to carry our selves pati∣ently and holily through them as becomes good Christians, this is a good worke, and this be∣longs to every one, though his calling be never so meane.
When Paul stood at the barre, and Festus re∣viled him, and said he was a mad fellow, the suffe∣ring of this was a worke in Paul: Marke his man∣ner of carriage in it, I am not mad most noble Festus: there was a work in that. So I may instance in the things wherein you may seeme to doe the least; the standing still in some cases is a worke the A∣postle makes among the great workes that are to be done by Christians, this to be the chiefe, To keep our selues pure and unspotted of the world, to passe through all occasions, & to be never the worse for them, to go through all defilements of this present life, & not be tainted: and if this be a worke, how much more is it then to be still doing, to be in act and operation alwaies? Therfore doe not say you want when you shall alwayes have occasion e∣nough of that.
But you will say,* 1.309 these generalls are good to exhort us to be doing, but yet in particular what would you have us to doe now?
I will instance in some few things,* 1.310 there are certaine times of working;* 1.311 as husbandmen, some times they have times of harvest, and some times they have seed times, wherein it is requyred, that they worke more then at other times: so the Church of God hath times and seasons, and the common wealth hath some seasons and times when men should be set aworke to doe more then ordinary, to doe more then at other times; and you all know this is such a season, wherein there should be working of every one in their severall places, I say it is time now for men to bee work∣ing more then ordinarie.
But you will say,* 1.312 what is it you would have us to doe?
My brethren,* 1.313 Contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints,* 1.314 marke it, the worke must be to con∣tend for it, you must be men of contention, let the world say what they will of you,1 1.315 it is a dutie that lies on you, it is that which the Spirit calls for from you, that ye be men that should contend; you must not doe it coldly, and remissely, but earnestly to strive for it, let not pretence of indis∣cretion hinder you,* 1.316 for discretiō when it is right, teacheth a man not to doe lesse but more, and bet∣ter then an other man, discretion we say doth not take mettall from Horses, but guides those hor∣ses and puts them in a righter way, disc••etion makes no man lesse actiue, but it giues his actions a better tincture.
So againe, let us not say we must be moderate, for what is that moderation? Indeed the mode∣ration that keepeth from actions,* 1.317 wherein is ex∣cesse, is good; but if you meane by modera∣tion to goe a slow and easie pace in the wayes of God, that is coldnes, idlenesse, carelesnesse, there is no excesse in any good way. Therefore that is your worke now to contend for the Faith, that is, for all the points of faith, for every jott of that is precious:* 1.318 saith the Apostle Iude, it is but once deli∣vered to the Saints, as if he should say, it is too pre∣cious a treasure oft to bee despenced, it was but once delivered to the world: if Christ did meane to come againe, and renewe the Articles of our faith, we might be more remisse and negligent, for if we did loose them he might restore them a∣gaine, but they are but once delivered, therefore your care must be to keepe them the better.
Besides, it is the common faith, therefore eve∣ry man hath interest in it;* 1.319 do not say therefore, what haue I to doe, it belongs to these and these men to looke after it: it is the common faith, and every man hath part in it, and should contend ac∣cording to his place and power, and within his spheere; and remember it is a matter of much mo∣ment, for every part of the fath or little matter of faith (I speake now of the whole doctrine of faith) that you should be exceeding exact in kee∣ping of it, that it receive no detriment, especi∣ally in matter of opinion.* 1.320 For my brethren, you must know, that it were better there should bee great offences committed in the land, great and
notorious crimes, then that there should be any losse in the matter of faith, because where the o∣pinions of men are sett wrong, that is a principle that carries them still on. Great finnes come from great passions, and men are able to see them, and when the passion is gone over,* 1.321 they are easily re∣called againe; but errours in opinion are matters of great moment, therefore it belongs to every one to looke to it, to us that are Preachers in our places, to Magistrates in their places, to every man to contend for the common Faith: and know this my brethren, that their are certaine opportu∣nities which the Lord giues you, and you must take heed of neglecting them, it may be to let a thing goe some times, it will never be recovered againe. Therefore looke that you be diligent in it, stirr up your selves to doe it, while there is oc∣casion offered. In other things, men are apt to be men of action, they would have imployment, and worke that they may bee some body in the world, and it is very well, there is something in that, it is a noblenesse of disposition so to doe; but alas, what poore and weake reward haue you for that? it may be a little vaineglory, it may be some applause from Princes or people, it may be some emptie airie preferment. To doe the will of the Lord, the worke he hath given you to doe, it is no matter what it is for, a servant must not chuse his worke; I say whatsoever it is, though in never so meane a thing, the greatest excellencie is to do his will that makes us Kings and Princes to him that makes us partakers of the Royall bloud, as
Christ saith, These are my brothers, and Sister, and Mother, that doe the will of my Father. It is this do∣ing of his will, this action that puts you into a high condition: I see not that Paule was ambiti∣ous of any thing but of this, that he might be do∣ing, that he might liue a usefull, a profitable life, in the 15. Rom. 20.* 1.322 I was ambitious saith Paule, to Preach the Gospell, even where it had never been prea∣ched, this is all my ambition to put my selfe upon the hardest taskes: so it should be your ambition to doe some thing for the Church. When you reade the storie of Moses, that He was mightie in word and deede; of David, of the Iudges, and the Worthies of the Church, they should be so ma∣ny incentives to you, to stirre you up to be doing in your place.
2 1.323But this is not all that we would commend to you at this time, to be men of action, and to ob∣serve the opportunities, but there is an other thing, and that is this, that likewise the season cō∣mends to you, that is, to fast and pray: as in hus∣bandry, so in the Church, there are certaine sea∣sons of actions, and those seasons must not be o∣mitted. Marke what the course of the Scripture was in every calamitie, in Ioel when there was a famine begune, Sanctifie a fast, saith the Lord, call a solemne Assemblie: when their is a plague com∣ming, when there are great enterprises in hand, when there is any thing plotting for the advance∣ment of the good of the Church, doe you not think now, that the omission of opportunities are sinnes, for you to neglect this dutie, doe you not
thinke the Lord will require it? It is true indeed, it is a businesse that is not ordinary, it is extraor∣dinary: but doe not extraordinary times and oc∣casions call for it?
Againe, is it not evill in such extraordinary ca∣ses to omit such an extraordinary duty? As wee finde in Scripture, when the Lord would call for fasting, and they did it not: Indeed to turne it to jollity and feasting is another thing, a sinne of a greater nature; but now the very standing still and omitting of this duty is disobedience to the Lord, and to be guilty of the judgements that are upon a people, I say the standing still and not ha∣stening to the gappe: What shall we say then of those that resist this course, and thrust men out of the gappe? Consider it therefore seriously, this is a speciall duty required, the season lookes for it that we should humble our selves before God.
Againe, there is one thing more that wee will speake of,3 1.324 but in a word; that is, that every man for his owne particular renew his speciall Cove∣nant with God concerning the amendment of his life in particular: for I finde that in all times when the Lord hath stretched forth his hand against a Church and Nation, that this hath beene requi∣red, that they should come and enter into a Co∣venant with God: You shall finde that Asa did it,* 1.325 2 Chron. 16. that Nehemiah did it, that it was done in Ieremiahs time, when they had warres in hand: Wee have many examples of it in Scrip∣ture, every man did it; and because every man could not come to doe it personally, the head did
it for the rest. I say the Lord lookes for this from every man in private, that he should doe this in a particular manner, to consider what have I done amisse in my life? what have I done to provoke the Lord? What sinnes of commission, and what of omission? Have I beene colde and lukewarme? Have I beene too much conformable to the times? For this is it that brings judgement upon a people:* 1.326 the Saints when they are not zealous, when they fall from their first love, may helpe for∣ward a judgement as well as grosse sinners, yea and more too: let every man therefore stirre up himselfe to doe his dutie. In a word, wee should strive and contend for the advancing of Christs kingdome, for the furtherance of the Gospell, for the good of mankinde, for the flourishing of the Church, wherein our owne good consisteth; and we should doe it earnestly, wee should contend for it, contend with God in prayer, contend with our Superiours by intreaty, with our adversaries by resistance, with colde and lukewarme men by stirring them up, by provoking one another to good workes. These are the workes that we exhort you to, and thus you shall be assured you have faith that workes by love. Learne this, to joyne these together.
And so much shall serve for this time, and this Text.
Doct.
Love what.
Five kindes of love.
Three sorts of Love.
Love of God how wrought in the heart.
The loue of Christ what.
Reas. 1
Hypocrisie vvhat.
Reas. 2.
Reas. 3
Reas. 4
Vse.
1 Cor. 16.22.
Tryall of love by the af∣fections.
By griese.
By ioy.
Tryall, by walking with the Lord.
To walke with God what?
Tryall, by the diligence of love.
1 Thess. 1.4.
Tryall, desire of present en∣ioyment of the thing beloved.
Tryall of loye, it is its owne wages.
Tryal of love by its constrai∣ning us to please God.
2 Cor▪ 5.
Object.
Answ.
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.
meanes to consider our sinnes.
Object.
Answ.
Ier. 3.1.
Meanes to beseech the Lord to shew himselfe to us.
Exod. 33.
The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not to be omitted.
Reasons.
The Lords Supper beyond the Passeover in two respects
Men ought not to come negligently to it.
Two sorts re∣ceive the Sa∣cramentun•• worthily.
Properties of love.
Acts 20.24.
Revel. 2.
Object.
Answ.
It is content with nothing but love again.
Psal. 51.
2 Chron. 7.14.
It desires the second com∣ming of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8.
Heb. 9. ult.
2 Pet. 3.13.
Object.
Answ. 1.
Revel. 14.13.
Simile.
It delighteth to speake of the party be∣loved.
Psal. 105.
2 Chron. 15.
It will doe much and suf∣fer much for the party be∣loved.
2 Sam. 6.21.
Heb. 10.
Object.
Answ.
1 Iohn 5 3. o∣pened.
Property of love, it is like fire in 4 things
Cant 8.
Mat: 24, 5.
Property of love, it com∣mandeth the affections, es∣pecially anger and feare.
1 Sam. 4.3.
Ier. 36.24.
Act. 17.
These sermons were preached in the time of the great pesti∣lence. 1625.
Quest.
Answ.
Causes of the plague.
Numb. 25.
Numb. 25.
Quest.
Answ.
Isay 22.
Property of love, it doth things freely.
Property of love, hatred of sinne.
Object.
Answ.
Rev. 2.
Answ.
Three differen∣ces betweene hatred and anger.
Property, it loveth the Saints.
1 Iohn 4.20, opened.
Tryalls of our love to holy men.
Object.
Answ.
2 Cor. 6.
Two impedi∣ments of the love of Christ.
Strangenes.
Quest.
Answ.
Vncircumci∣sion of heart.
Deut. 30.6.
1 Iohn 2.
Quest.
Answ.
Quest.
Answ.
When love to the creature is adulterous.
Note.
Knowledge of God especiall helpe to make us love him.
Vse, Exa∣mination.
1. Tryall.
Object.
Answ.
Ier. 3.4.
2. Tryall.
Cant 1. Psal. 63.3.
Zach. 12.
Levit 16.29. & 23.27.
3. Tryall.
Acts 13.22.
Quest.
Answ.
Object.
Answ.
Obiect. 2
Answ.
4. Tryall.
1 Iohn 2.15.
Quest.
Answ.
Three tryalls of our love to the world.
Ioh. 12.42.
Heb. 11.
Iohn 8.
Object.
Answ.
Rom. 13.
Tryall.
Quest.
Answ.
Naturalnesse of love to the Lord is known by two things.
Object.
Answ.
Rom. 1.
Quest.
Answ.
Foure signes of hatred of God.
1 Iohn 4.
Mat. 6.
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.
Assurance of the Lords love to us.
Object.
Answ.
Meanes where∣by men may be assured of Gods love to them.
Such as are without.
Isay. 9.6.
Obiect. 1.
Answ.
Obiect. 2.
Answ.
Such as are within the Co∣venant.
Object.
Answ.
Answ.
Answ.
Mot.
Mot.
Isa. 48.17.
Deut. 5.19.
Object.
Answ.
Two Requi∣sites in the love of God.
It must be with all the heart.
Object.
Answ.
Hosea 3.3.
Simile.
Requisite in love, it must be with all your night.
Object.
Answ.
Requisite, to love him above all.
Else wee love him not as God.
Else we should not love him constantly.
Simile.
Why wee must love the Lord above all.
Object.
Answ.
Why we must love God a∣bove our selves
Not to love pleasures more than God, what.
Quest.
Answ.
Deut. 30.6.
Object.
Answ.
Requisite, to be rooted and grounded in love.
Eph. 3.17
Iam▪ 1.12.
Our love to God not al∣wayes in the same degree.
How to bee rooted in love.
To be rooted in faith.
Pitch your love on his person.
Requisite, it must be dili∣gent.
1 Thess. 1.3.
Wherein our love should be diligent.
In preparing for Christs comming
In adorning the soule.
In keeping his commande∣ments.
God dealeth not hardly with us in re∣quiring love: because
It is that which every one may give.
Hee that re∣quires this, might have required har∣der things.
It is for our owne benefit.
The danger of not loving the Lord.
1 Cor. 16.22.
To be cursed what.
The curse of God in foure things.
Separate from grace.
Separation from the pre∣sence of God.
Gen. 4.
A curse on the outward estate
Object.
Answ.
A man may be cursed in out∣ward things in the midst of plentie.
The eternall curse at the day of iudgement.
Eccles. 1.7.
Psal. 78.38.
Men may be cursed though the curse be not executed.
Doct.
Wee are to be iudged not on∣ly by our faith and love, but by our workes.
Mat. 7.
Acts 14.22.
Mat. 23.26.
Prov. 10.20.
Reas. 1 Because every Christian hath the spirit, and that is strong. 2 Tim. 1.6.
Gal. 5.25.
2 Tim 2.1.
Isay 31.3.
Reas. 2. Inward recti∣tude and good workes alway goe together.
Mat 13.5.
Reas. 3. Because there is a new nature.
Vse 1. Not to be con∣tent onely with good meanings
Good purposes whenee they arise.
Knowledge.
Approbation of that which is good.
Though there may bee good workes where the heart is un∣sound, yet wherever the heart is sound there is good workes.
Simile.
Isay 1.
Object.
Answ,
Holy men have failings,
When they are suddenly trans∣ported.
Simile.
Holy men have flesh in them as well as spirit
Object.
Answ.
The good that evill men doe it cannot bee said that they doe it.
Rom. 7.
A man may do good, and not be good.
Vse 2. Christians bet∣ter taught than great learned men without grace.
Wisedome in three things.
Religion an art of holymen not of learned men.
Sciences of two sorts.
Object.
Answ.
The will taken for the deed:
When the im∣pediment can∣not be remo∣ved.
When a man is ignorant of somethings, and yet his de∣sires are right.
No man hath a great measure of grace with∣out paines.
Vse 3. An exhortation to doing.
Motives to be workers.
1 Thess. 5.6, 7, 8.
The use of grace increa∣seth it.
A goodly sight when mens lives abound with good workes.
A true property of wisedome.
Simile.
Pleasure and contentment is in action.
The end of our life.
To glorifie God.
To doe good to men.
Phil. 4.17.
Object.
Answ.
In every calling men have oc∣casion of do∣ng good.
Good actions, what.
Good workes. In suffering.
In sicknesse.
In mastering our lusts.
Quest.
Answ.
Our workes must be sutable to the season.
Quest.
Answ.
Duties suting the present times.
Contend for the faith.
Discretion.
Moderation.
The faith once delivered.
Common faith
Errour in opi∣nion worse then errours in practise.
These sermons were preached in the Parlia∣ment time in 1625. where diverse of the Parliament were present. Opportunities not to be slip∣ped.
Rom. 15.20.
Duty, Fast and pray.
Duty, Renew our Covenants
2 Chron. 16.
The sinnes of Gods children helpe to bring iudgements.