of those who vnderstand what a wofull thing it is to bee a stranger vnto Christ to be yet vnreconciled vnto God by him is that they would with yerning bowels commiserate the lamentable condition of their poore ignorant brethren which they shall meet with every where especially in most country Villages I haue obserued vpon occasions much table merriment which hath beene made by tales which passe about of such absurd senselesse answers as silly Christians haue given being demanded a reason of their faith perhaps vpon their death-beds or at their comming to the Lords table Let such vnnaturall mirth be farre from those who are to striue to haue the same minde in them which was in Christ Iesus You who by the blessed change wrought in your soules haue passed from death vnto life consider with a thankefull reflexion vpon the Father of lights that had not he vouchsafed you a more ingenuous education fairer opportunities to grow acquainted with the mysteries of grace more distinct call of his fanctifying spirit and more illuminated apprehensions to discerne them you might haue groped and stumbled in a thicker mist of stupidity then now befooles your vnnurturd brethren you might haue dishonoured that blessed name by which you are called by as wild miscoâ—â—â—its and horrid follies as any come from them and whatsoever is ridiculous in them might haue bin more prodigoius in you you know what price to set vpon your owne soules You know the soule of the meanest idiot is of equall value with yours and that it cost the redeemer of the World as many stripes and wounds as yours O then pitty thy brethren so likely to perish for whom Christ died yea the rather because they being stuffed with sottish conceipts will be ready to laugh at those who shall pitty them Take all opportunities to doe them some spirituall good as occasion shall be offered conferring with them and praying for them and let Christian sympathies bee the least you can afford them you know what you meane when you pray daily that Gods kingdome may come remember you pray not in earnest vnlesse you doe your faithfull endenuour to helpe it forward as in your owne hearts so in the hearts of your brethren with which at any time you converse Consider I beseech you what a dismall fogge of Popery doth yet darken this Iland Popery which few thinkes of I meane that blind absurd implicite faith of beleeuing as the Church beleeues For there is not a pin to choose betweene him that beleeues in grosse what the Church of England beleeues and him that beleeues as that synagogue of Satan the Church of Rome beleeues it neither knowes any thing explicitly what either Church beleeues Meditate on this and what zeale what conrage what indignation you feele in your breasts against the Antichristian impostures of Rome let them fly I beseech you vpon all occasions against this Protestant Popery But I see no hope but that the Colliars faith will haue the greatest number of professors whilst accurate Catechizing of all sorts of people which did so much good in the primitiue Church is in ours so generally neglected But I conclude bespeaking you in the words of S. Iude But yee beloued building vp your selues on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercies of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life And of some haue compassion making a difference And others saue with feare pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh O thou father of mercies and God of all consolations looke downe from thy throne of eternity and take notice of vs thy poore servants who doe now desire to muster vp all the faculties which thou hast given vs and to employ theÌ„ in an acceptable thankesgiuing vnto thee O Lord wee desire to spend our best spirits even to exhale our dearest soules in thankefull ejaculations vnto thee for that most incomprehensibly admirable contrivance of our salvation by the death of the sonne of thy loue O Lord we desire to be transported with a holy amazement as often as wee thinke of this mystery of mysteries and even to empty our hearts of their secrets in halleluiahs and voices of exultation Most holy Lord wee praise thee for the marvelous light of thy Gospell which hath acquainsed vs with those wonders of mercy which thy Christ hath performed for our soules for those comfortable evidences of our justification by him with which our bruised consciences haue beene most gratiously revived Wee praise thee likewise for those wounders of a new creation which thy blessed spirit hath begunne in our hearts for that it hath begunne to weaken and wast the body of sinne to crucify those corruptioÌ„s which heretofore hath beene most insolent in vs to weane vs froÌ„ those vanities which heretofore haue beene our chiefe comforts and to make vs more willing to bee kept within a holy compasse O Lord we desire wee desire with most enlarged hearts to blesse thy infinite goodnesse for all those ravishing irradiations and glorious Prefaces of our blessed immortality by which thy coÌ„forting spirit hath so often encouraged vs to patient continuance in well doing Wee blesse thee for all the heavenly thoughts affections desires resolutions which thou hast put into vs at any time wee praise thee for that portiou of thy good word which thou hast afforded vs at this time O thou that delightest to pardon abundantly pardon all the errours imperfections which haue come either from me in delivering or any of thy people in entertaining thy message Let it not bee a savour of death vnto death vnto any maÌ„ who hath beene within the sound of it but let it some way or other bee beneficiall vnto him in respect of thy kingdome And now oh thou that dwellest in vnapprochable splendor quite out of the ken of mortality seeing thou hast suffered dust and ashes to approch so neere to thee in thy ordinances dismisse not any one of vs wee beseech thee without a blessing send not any one of vs without a comfortable beame of thy countenance shining into his heart Thou art the fountaine of holinesse send vs not therefore out of thy presence without some more cleerenesse in our apprehensions of thy saving mysteries and heavenlinesse in our affections vnto them Send vs not from thy throne of grace but with a heavenly calme in our soules or with such tempests of repentance as may prepare vs for an everlasting serenity O Lord send vs not away but either with that joy which passeth all vnderstanding or that godly sorrow which may prepare vs for it To thee O Father with thy beloued Sonne and blessed Spirit three most glorious Persons one infinite Deity be ascribed all Honour Power Praise Might Majestie and Dominion by vs poore sinners here militant on earth and all the glorified companies triumphant in Heaven from this time forth for evermore Amen Amen
subdivided 1. Into Ordinary loue which proceeds from a weaker degree of that last act of faith and though sincere yet being imperfect is mixed with anxiety in the same proportion as that is with doubting And 2. into Heroicall loue which springeth from a more eminent and transcendent pitch of perswasion concerning our owne reconciliation in particular this is that perfect loue which S. Iohn saies casteth out all feare to wit of distruste bringing vs into a more intimate familiarity with God I call the first Ordinary because most Christians though effectually called doe ordinarily feele but such a timorous loue in themselues The second which I call Heroicall in that sense in which eminent vertues haue their Epithite is constantly only in such as either beside the evidence of the word and spirit haue had some speciall revelation to put them out of all doubt concerning their estate to Godward on such as by a constant close walking with God haue beene long exercised in a Christian course haue often entertained Christ Iesus at supper in their hearts and habituated themselues into a more familiar acquaintance with that holy spirit which brings all the good news from heauen to those diligent soules which carefully wait for it Thus haue I according to the skill that is giuen mee proued the originall of the syncere loue of a sinner vnto Christ Iesus blessed for ever to be a serious tender apprehension of his own extreame need of Christ and of Christs superabundant loue vnto him I haue likewise explained this truth and vindicated it from such exceptions as crossed my way I come now to discouer the demonstratiue reason of this truth and after I haue shewed that it is so to shew you now why it must be so Wee are all borne into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of God and while wee continue in that naturall stupid condition wherein we were borne wee are all strangers both vnto God and Christ yea enemies in our mindes through wicked workes as the Apostle speakes Col. 1. 21. We retaine indeed some obscure cloudy notions of a God but not the darkest intimations of a Saviour or least suspition of any need we haue of one In a word albeit wee are borne and bred within the shrillest sound of the Gospell yet as long as we continue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meere animall naturall men it will not sinke into our heads that we are in such miserable case as Preachers would make vs beleeue wee are how ill its like to goe with vs vnlesse we laboriously enquire after Christ and get to be reconciled vnto God by him Now what more effectuall method can we imagine to beate vs out of this naturall antipathy against our Creatour and Redeemer yea what other contrivance may there be to worke such peeuish wretches such froward rebels out of one extreame into another out of deadly hatred to sincere loue of the eternall Father and his only Sonne to pull downe their proud stomackes to make them crouch and craule vnto his throne of grace then to make them see in what a hell they are while they stand in this distance from him to awake their consciences against them and to make them a terrour vnto themselues to let the Law thunder and lighten into their soules vntill their wits and spirits beginne to faile them and then amidst all these amazing tempests to let the glorious Gospell of Christ shine vpon them to shew them Christ Iesus with his armes of mercy stretched out and vndertaking to free them out of all these confusions and to make their peace with his father if they will but come vnto him and trust their selues with him if they will but lay to heart and learne to esteeme admire those wonders of redemption which he hath compassed for them Had the prodigall sonnes stocke held out and hee lyen still afloate in the full-tide of his sinfull pleasures hee had set vp his staffe in that faâ—â—e country and quite forgot that hee ever had a father yea when the tide was gone and had left him vpon the sands when the revells were ended his bravery quite worne out into beggery and himselfe preferred to be an attendant of a company of hogs if he could but haue got his belly full of huskes he would hardly haue thought of returning home but when these were denyed him and hee could see nothing but death before him O now hee comes to himselfe and begins to thinke of a father hee had and resolues to goe vnto him though he might well suspect his entertainment Well whatsoever that may proue he is sure hee goes to a father and therefore on he goes and when hee was yet a farre off full of aboding feares and disconsolate muâ—ings behold his father about his necke before he was a ware of him acting an over-joyned man hee hangs about him and kisses him trims him vp with a robe and a ring conducts him home in a kinde of triumph and welcomes him with the solemnity of a feast and musicke Here was a change for the prodigall enough to haue turned his braines as we say but sure it could not but turne his heart Had that beene of marble or adamant this could not but melt it into loue O what a swelling a thronging a wrastling did hee now feele in his bowels of tendrest passions impatient for want of expression O how did he now lay about him with teares of sorrow and teares of joy being much pulled whether it would best become to prosecute his joy most or his sorrow in briefe how mad is hee with himselfe that hee had beene such a sonne to such a Father I haue insisted the longer vpon the prodigals case because indeed it is our owne For ordinarily our heavenly father vseth the same method to fetch vs his prodigall children home vnto him and to bring vs in loue with his beloued sonne Iesus Christ We are all as soone as we are born gotten into a farre country where we mispend and misemploy all those faculties and endowments with which our Creator hath furnished vs in the revels of sinne and vanity walking on merrily and confidently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speakes Ephes 2. 2. according to the course of this world professing indeed for fashion sake loue both vnto God and Christ but all the while denying and disclaiming them both in our hearts and conversations But God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith hee hath loued vs. Ephes 2. 4. when hee hath let vs runne our selues even out of breath in these riotous courses and even tyred our selues in our journey to hell thinkes it sit to stop our progresse and first to make vs vnderstand our selues that we may the better esteeme of him and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ First then hee inspires vs with so much spirituall life as may make vs feele our spirituall burden consisting of our sinnes and his curses
the King of heaven would commend his loue vnto vs as the Apostle excellently expresseth it Rom 5. 8. In this saith Saint Iohn 1. 4. 9. was manifested the loue of God towards vs that he sent his onely begotten some into the world that we might liue through him manifested in this Why in what not so it is in every bit of bread we eate in every sup of aire we take in O but the noblest blessings of this life are such poore curtesies in comparison of what we hope for by Christ that Gods loue though most eminent too doe's scarse appeare in them being eclipsed by that most orient and everlasting blaze of his loue in Christ Wherefore to conclude my first consideration it is no wonder if the justice of God which is to see that his Glory receiue no damage require that our esteeme of this his greatest mercy which himselfe values so farre aboue all his other mercies should so far exceed our esteeme of any other matters though otherwise most excellent in themselues and deare vnto vs that our very esteeme of them may be but a disesteeme and a hatred if compared to our esteeme of his loue in Christ Consid 2. If a man professe never so much loue vnto Christ if hee doe indeed preferre him before never so many conveniences of this life yet if hee loue but any one thing in the world never so little better then hee doth Christ he doth him in effect as much dishonour as he that never lookes after him at all Thus much I intimated before but what I did but touch vpon and in reference to God the father I will now amplify with speciall references vnto God the sonne It is all one as I said before not to esteeme a pearle at all and to esteeme it lesse worth then a barley-corne in like manner though wee preferre Christ before never so many profits and pleasures yet if there remaine behind one darling contentment which wee are resolued to keepe whatsoever may become of his glory or our interest in him wee doe in the issue esteeme him not at all because wee still wittingly value him below that which is infinitely worse then dung in comparison of him When a saleable commodity is offered vpon reasonable price we vse to say that if it be not worth that it 's worth iust nothing Now our part in Christ is so infinitely overworth any thing that wee can possibly giue for it that by farre better reason wee may say that he that thinkes it not cheape bought with all that he hath even to his last breath indeed thinkes it worth nothing at all Let a woman loue her husband better then a million of men yet if shee loue but any one man in the world better then her husband hee will giue her but little thankes for louing him aboue so many others But to amplify this point more distinctly let vs briefly consider that transcendent pitch of loue we owe first vnto the benefits of Christ secondly vnto his person All those inestimable benefits which wee make account of by Christ may bee reduced to 2. heads 1. a ransome 2. an inheritance The ransome is from horrours and those torments which are infinite for smart variety and duration which wee haue all deserved a thousand times over and therefore the case being thus with vs though wee looked for nothing but such a ransome by our Saviour though he had procured vs only this that after this life wee should spend eternity in a Limbus vnacquainted with any paine or pleasure yea though hee had procured vs only the mortality of our soules that they might perish with our bodies I say this alone had beene beyond all proportion better for vs then the whole world seeing what would a thousand worlds doe vs good if after a while wee must bee packed out of them all into that place where we shall everlastingly curse the day that ever wee were borne or made reasonable creatures But now that besides all this wee make first account for an inheritance by him an inheritance immortall vndefiled reserved in heaven for vs seeing wee expected to be made heires with Christ in that glory which hee had with his father before the beginning of the world of that glory the least sparke of which if visible to bodily eyes would shame all the beauty pompe and bravery of the world and whatsoever the Magnifico's of the earth are proud of it is a stupidity worse then any madnesse to conceiue we esteeme sufficiently of such glorious hopes if vpon deliberate choice we make much but of any one indearement of this life which may any way hinder our assurance of them 2. for our loue vnto the person of Christ equity requires that we should loue him with a loue yet more overtopping then either our ransome or inheritance and therefore it will be yet a more intollerable extremity of madnesse to imagine we loue him with an acceptable degree of affection as long as we dare to bring the most louely obiect that wee can picke out of the store-house of nature within the compasse of a comparison with him I say reason requires that wee should loue his person more entirely then his benefits that wee should preferre his glory before eternall life it selfe Our Saviour is contented that our feare of misery and desire of happines should first enter vs into the loue of him that til we know him better wee should loue him onely for our owne sakes and his benefits but after that he hath sent his spirit to expound the mystery of his loue vnto vs more clearely to make vs lay to heart not onely what he hath purchased for vs but also how deare the purchase cost him how though he was rich yet for our sakes hee became poore that wee through his poverty might be made rich as the Apostle passionately deliuers it 2. Cor. 8. 9. how being every way equall with God Phil. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was faine to emptie and strip himselfe as it were of all his royaltie that he might compasse these great matters for vs for whom hee had not the least reason to doe the least good when his spirit hath effectually melted our hearts with these considerations we shall perceaue our loving him chiefly for our owne salvation to be somewhat too grosse and mercenary loue being not much different from that of a woman who loues her joynture better then her husband or that of a sonne who loues his Father chiefly for his patrimony And though hitherto wee haue loued Christ only because wee hope to get by him yet now that we know what the kisses of his mouth meane that which we principally loue in him is his loue hauing before loued the giuer for the gift by a kinde of regresse in our affection wee henceforth striue to loue gift for the giuer But this point though many of Gods children knowe it to bee most
after this manner it had beene a thousand times better for him that Christ had neuer been borne into the world or at least that himselfe had beene borne in such an obscure corner of it that hee had neuer heard of him For his outward profession of and with all the prerogatiue of it with which hee contented himselfe without any hearty loue vnto him the faire offers of saluation which hee had and made nothing of shall presse him more heauily at the day of Iudgement then all his sins against the law though they were murders and adulteryes when for these very reasons it shall bee easier for Turkes Americans and Virginians then for him If you demand the reason of all this mischiefe it is because the not laying to heart of what Christ hath done for vs and the not-receiuing him being offered vs with the thankefull affections of loue and reuerence vnmixed delight and compleat content in him is the highest dishonour and basest indignity except wilfull Apostacy or malious blasphemy which can bee offered by a sinfull man to the most blessed and glorious Trinity Should I stand â—o recount and amplify euery circumstance of it I thinke I should both weary and amaze you Suffice it therefore onely briefly to consider how contempt offered to Christ and his Gospell reflects vpon all the Persons of the Blessed Trinity For the Father whosoeuer sets light by his Sonne doth most grosly vnderualue both his wisdome and his goodnesse For his wisdome The contriuing of mans redemption by the death of his Sonne in the fulnesse of time is so farre as is reuealed to vs the master-piece chiefe plot with reuerence bee it spoken which hath been from all eternity thought on by that infinite boundlesse wisdome of God blessed for euer whereby hee purposed to get himselfe farre more glory then hee did by the creation of the world when by a deliuerance so superlatiuely admirable hee should both saue mankind and astonish it This is that for which the Gospell is so often called the wisdome of God vnto saluation This is that mistery of Godlynesse which is great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the confession of all without controuersy 1 Tim. 3. 16. This is that illustrious mystery of saluation which the Prophets enquired after and searched diligently with the Angels to looke into 1. Pet. 1. 10. 12. Lastly this is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wisdome of God which hath such curious variety in it Ephes 4. 10. Well then to come to the point when the time is come as it is come to vs who liue in this blessed noone-tide of the Gospell that God reueales to any man this astonishing mystery of his infinite wisdome when hee pleaseth to shew any man how admirably hee hath contriued his saluation for him by sending his own sonne to satisfy his iustice and therefore expects abundance of glory by it if that man now abase varlet created by God that hee might applaud his lesser works of creation shall behaue himsele so stupidly that hee forsooth can scarse haue patience to take a full view of his Sonne if hee can espie no such arte in the contriuance as may rauish him no such wonders as may withdraw his minde from those bawbles about which it was before busied O beloued this is an indignity to the glorious wisdome of God the Father beyond all expression of mortall eloquence 2. For his goodnesse and mercy God the Father from euerlasting beholding mankind in the vgly masse of corruption through their owne wilfull rebellion knew he must bee iust and yet desired to bee mercifull And when nothing might make these two stand together but satisfaction from one as infinite as himselfe that he might commend his loue to vs as the Apostle speakes Rom. 3. 8. hee resolued not to spare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sonne of his Loue as hee is called by a significant Hebraisme Col 1. v. 13. but to send him in similitude of sinnefull flesh to vndergoe that heauy businesse for vs presuming as it is in the parable that howsoeuer his other messengers had fared but ill in the world yet his Sonne the heire should bee entertained with reuerence O then can wee imagine with what hellish contempt they euen defye the loue of God towards them who look strangely vpon his Sonne who behaue themselues towards him as if his Father had sent him in a needles err and into the world or as if there needed not to haue beene all this care taken for them 2. In the next place it would bee an endlesse businesse to rehearse the indignities which are offered to the second person in Trinity Christ himself by such as call him Lord Lord but yet deale not honestly with him in their hearts Greater loue then this hath no man then that hee lay downe his life for his friend saith our Sauiour Ioh. 15. 13. True Lord it 's the greatest loue that one friend can shew another but yet thy loue was greater uÌ„to vs in that thou laydest down thy life for thy enemies yea in that thou vouchsafedst for our sakes to take such a life which thou mightst lay down Consider in briefe I beseech you how the Sonne of God out of meere obedience vnto his Father and compassion vnto vs rebellious wormes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 empâ—tied himselfe of the lustre of his Deity and in the forme of a seruant humbled himselfe to the death â—uen the most painefull and shamefull death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. Peruse the history of his passion yea of his whole life which was litle better then a passion obserue how throughly the sad predictions of a despised life and ignominious death Isa 53. were fulfilled in him how in euery point hee was made isch enaccâ—both a man of sorrowes draw into a Catalogue the rude discourtesies churlish affronts the â—euilings buâ—â—etings spittings torments agonies and the contradictions of sinners all along that is of sinnefull caytifes which hee indured with patience Lastly remember that all this befell him onely because the Lord laid vpon him the iniquity of vs all Isa 53. 6. where the Hebrew phrase is elegantly significant hiphgiah he hath made the iniquity of vs all to meet on him as our translators haue rightly expressed it in the margent Remember still I say that all this was but what wee had deserued and therefore we may well suppose him with pitifull moanes crying out vnto vs vpon the Crosse in the mouing language of Ierusalem Lam 1. 12. Is it nothing to all you that passe by behold and see if there bee any sorrow like vnto my sorrow Now beloued whosoeuer hee bee that hath read or heard all these things so punctually set downe in the Gospell that hee hath had his sauiour euen crucified before his eyes whosoeuer is conceited and he beleeues this history and yet cannot bleed within or weepe without for his sinnes which were the cause of it but can
comes to scanning you shall finde there was no such matter for indeed they were so false hearted to Moses that at the last day hee shall bee their chiefe accuser witnesse our Saviour verse 45. There is one that accuseth you in whom yee trust that is on whom yee presume for had you belieued Moses c. Lastly to rouze vs out of the slumber of our presumption let vs take notice of one example more taken out of Mat. 7. 22. Luc. 13. 26. where we reade that many shall come at the last day vnto Christ presuming vpon their familiarity with him some telling him they had eaten and dranke in his presence some expostulating with him Lord haue wee not prophesied in thy name cast out divells and done many wonderfull workes Would you imagine all this could bee without great loue vnto Christ O how confident should we be if we had such evidence of our vnion with him How safe should we thinke our selues could we challenge acquaintance with him vpon the same te armes when he shall come in his glory to judgement But yet you see all this might doe vs no good seeing our Saviour will send many such packing with an angry protestation that hee knowes them not and if he will not know them you may bee sure they were such as had not for all these florishes dealt kindly and louingly with him Wherefore beloued you see how much it concernes vs to pause a while on this matter We all thinke we loue Christ Iesus it were well if thinking would serue the turne but wee see that many who thought as confidently as wee and perhaps vpon better grounds shall then perceaue themselues mistaken when it shall be too late to remedy it O then let vs not venture our selues vpon such groundlesse surmises but while wee haue time to make all sure Let vs make it a businesse to settle the estate of our soules which hang vpon such nice points let not our shallow presumptious conceipts of our loue to Christ let not the lazinesse and vntowardnesse of our flesh hinder vs from a speedy impartiall industrious examination of our hearts whether they haue indeed the loue of Christ in them or no. If vpon due enquiry wee finde in our selues the true ground of loue vnto our Saviour to wit a tender affectionate apprehension of our infinite deserued miseries and his infinite vndeserued mercies if wee feele the fruits of it a constant even vniversall resolution to please him in all things at all times in all companies a disesteeme of whatsoever is honourable or pleasant in the world in comparison of his favour a continuall hunger and thirst after a neerer and more sensible communion with him I say if vpon exact triall thou finde in thy selfe these infallible notes of reall loue vnto thy Saviour then I hope it will not repent thee of thy labour For now thou knowest vpon what ground thou standest now thy ioy may bee full assuring thy selfe that thou shalt haue a confidence which shall not deceiue thee before thy Sauiour at his appearing Contrariwise if when thou entrest into thy heart thou findest no sacred fire vpon the hearth but all cold and vncomfortable if thou hast not yet beene acquainted with those prickings of heart and affrightments of conscience for thy sinnes which vsually put poore humbled soules into those vehement fits of loue vnto our Sauiour If thou canst giue no reason of thy supposed loue vnto Christ from any thing that thou hast felt in thy selfe but onely froÌ„ what other men say froÌ„ the Lawes customes of the place where thou art a subiect then thou findest thy selfe but in an vnhappy case yet thou art happy in this that thou knowest the worst of thy selfe and maist seeke out betimes for an effectuall remedy If this bee thy case consider seriously that thou art yet vnder the heauy curse in my Text and therefore impatient of this accursed estate recollect thy selfe and call a speedy assembly of thy best wits and then bethinke thy selfe that Christianity is no luâ—dicrous or iesting matter that the professioÌ„ of Christ the most serious businesse in the world that therfore questionlesse there is a great deale more in it then the formalities of comming to Church carrying a bible hearing a sermon that without doubt Christ requires a reall inward disposition of the soule which should season all these complements and make them acceptable 3. Consider in the next place the summe and scope of Christianity which is onely to shew how miserable thou art by sin and how happy thou mayst bee in Christ When thou art come thus farre set the looking-glasse of the Law before thee and terrify thy selfe with the vgly deformities and loathsome staines of thy soule through the guilt of sinne then turne vnto the Gospell and consider how Christ Iesus out of the abundance of his loue with which hee loued thee being his enemy shed his deerest blood to wash away these staines from thy soule as very a wretch as thou art as well as any mans else 4. Lastly hauing thy soule attentiuely fixed vpon this betake thy selfe to earnest prayer with strong cries groanes improtune the spirit of grace to enlighten the eyes of thy vnderstanding that thou maist bee able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth length and height and depth and to know the loue of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 19. Doe this from thy heart and continue in it a while with an eager patience and then I dare bee bold to say that thou shalt feele a strange alteration in thy selfe then shalt thou feele 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not one simple commotion in thy soule but an assembly and throng of passions then shalt thou bee acquainted with those scalding affections to Christ Iesus which holy men haue felt in all ages and striued to expresse in their soliloquies but could not yea the greater sinner thou hast beene the more wilt thou with MARIE Luc. 7. lay about thee with teares of sorrow and teares of ioy and in a holy kinde of distraction striue to loue much because much is forgiuen thee Lastly thou wilt plainely see how villanously hitherto thou hast dissembled with thy Sauiour and what a deale of Angelicall coÌ„fort thou hast lost by being a stranger vnto him and hauing once after some cloudy scuds of penitent sadnes recouered the light thou wilt reioyce as the wise men when they recouered light of the starre with exceegreat ioy and follow it through thicke and thinne through all difficulties and oppositions whatsoeuer til thou shalt come to see him as he is in incomprehensible splendor amongst infinite millioÌ„s of glorified Saints and Angels To whom with the Father and blessed Spirit the three glorious persons and one most infinite Deity bee ascribed all honour power might maiestie and dominion now and for euer Amen FINIS EPHES. 6. V. 24. Grace bee with all them that loue our Lord Iesus
due vnto them hee raises vp many affrightments and grim apparitions in our consciences he giues Satan leaue to insult over vs whatsoever outward contentment we fasten on to put vs out of these dumpes he beates vs off from it he leaues vs not huskes to feed on he driues vs out of one shift into another til at last we are driven out of all and so farre that wee see plainely there is but one way with vs even to perish everlastingly vnlesse we can get to bee reconciled vnto him Now wee begin to come to our selues and perceiuing our onely course which we haue left to bee to cast our selues vpon Gods mercy but no getting neare vnto that vnlesse his justice be first satisfied no possibility of that on our parts vnlesse we can get the satisfaction of Christ imputed vnto vs finding the Scriptures so peremptory that there is no comming to the Father but by the Sonne that hee that hath the Sonne hath life but he that hath not the Sonne hath not life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3. 30. O now wee begin to see it was to some purpose that wee haue heard Preacher so talke so much of Christ now wee beginne to hearken better after him to value and admire him now wee wonder how wee could endure to bee without him so long that we could thinke so slightly of him heretofore now those holy fits of loue grow vpon vs apace and vpon a suddaine with the Spouse in the Canticles wee are sicke of loue Now are wee entred into the loue of desire and while our poore soules are sweating in these restlesse passions wee heare at length Christ Iesus in a milde still voice inviting all such as are weary heavy laden to come vnto him that hee may giue them rest vpon this wee addresse our selues towards him with our burden vpon our shoulder and when wee are got within kenne of him hee seemes sometimes to goe backward from vs to make vs more eager after him and thus oft-times he lets vs stand trembling and shaking weeping and groaning vnder our burdens till wee are even sinking and swovvning vnder them and then hee conveyes them away cleares vp the heavens over vs speakes like a husband vnto our soules by his Spirit he presents vs vnto his Father who now smiles vpon vs with a reconciled countenance and then vnto his Angels who amongst all their Halleluiahs receiue some addition vnto their triumphant mirth by our conversion Now no man need tell vs what Christ hath done for vs we feele reall experiments of all in our owne hearts now wee haue seene and felt and tasted how infinitely he hath loued vs we are ready to make our boast of it and with the Psalmist to invite all such as feare God purposely that wee may declare vnto them what hee hath done for our soules Now we are in that loue of complacency now wee cling vnto him and would faine come out of our selues to creepe vnto him affecting not only a vnion but vnity with him now wee bestirre our selues in all the holy complements of heavenly loue never thinking wee haue done enough frequently bathing our selues in those delicious intimacies of our spirituall marriage which how much they passe all vnderstanding I appeale to their experiences to whom these things are no Paradoxes You see the excellent contrivance by which our stubborne rebellious hearts are wrought over vnto the sincere loue of Iesus Christ I suppose it now expedient to cleare this discourse of the originall of vnfained loue from some doubts and scruples which may arise from it 1 Whether none can loue Christ in sincerity but those that are brought vnto it by this method I answere not one ordinarily if his conversion bee wrought by the Ministery of the Word The reason is plaine out of what hath bin deliuered Wee are to loue Christ as a Saviour how can we be brought to those vntill we feele our selues lost and vnderstād what need we haue of a Saviour Wee are to loue him as a Mediatour what reason is there for this vnlesse we first plainely perceiue God to be our enimy Lastly wee are to loue him as our Physitian what sense is there for that if wee feele not our selues in some dangers if wee feele no aches or gripings no smart about our soules if we finde no good that Christ hath done vs or can doe vs Himselfe tells vs the whole haue no need of the Physitian onely the sicke such as feele and acknowledge themselues to be sicke will make vse of him But here it 's requisite to obserue that the severall passages of this great alteration wrought in our affections are more or lesse sensible according to the severall conditions of the persons We are all prodigalls yet some more some lesse we are all gone into a farre countrey yet some roue a great deale farther then others For illustration some haue had a more restraining education then others and beene trained vp in a more innocent civility vntill the time of their visitation which oft-times overtakes them very early and takes them in before they are acquainted with the villaines of the world or vices of the times such though commonly they take weeping crosse in their way too as they come home vnto Christ yet they passe not through so many pikes so many panges and terrors but with lesse stirre diffficulty arriue safely at his bosome and get within his embraces On the other side some are starke prodigalls meere Publicans such as haue taken their full swinge in the wildest exorbitancies such as haue served an apprentiship perhaps two or three to the World the Flesh and the Divell such as these when it pleaseth God to put his hooke in their nostrils to turne them round and make them looke towards heauen are brought to the loue of Christ even steppe by steppe in that method which I haue formerly described The other are brought vnto the loue of Christ but these being once brought vnto it loue him more vehemently for it 's certaine he loues most to whom most is forgiuen 2 Doubt Whether our loue vnto Christ would not be more pure and acceptable vnto him if it arose from an exact steddy contemplation of those infinitely amiable excellencies and transcendent beauties which are resplendent in his person he being the brightnesse of glory and the expresse image of his Father Heb. 1. 3. or as it is ver 7. 26. The brightnesse of the everlasting light the vnspotted mirror of the power of God and the image of his goodnesse I answere by proposing three briefe considerations 1. That is the truest loue of Christ which beats vs out of our naturall enmity against him and brings vs home with longing affections vnto him Now it 's most true that the person of Christ absolutely considered without the relation of a Saviour vnto vs is invested with most attractiue excellencies and ravishing beauties but if
with their owne experience and obserue whether they are not moued to as sensible passions by the reading of any other story though prophane if it be any way proportionable vnto the Evangelicall story for occurrences twenty to one but they will finde it so There is not any good story either sacred or prophane but for the most part it drawes the mind of the reader for the time at least in to some factio Wherein it 's evident that such stirrings of the affections may proceed from a bare historicall faith joyned with that commoÌ„ ingenuity of nature which teaches vs to adore the heroicall vertues of Worthies long since deceased and to commiserate their vndeserved disasters Yea which is worth observation they may proceed from this common ingenuity by the meere working of the fancie without any historicall beleefe at all Wee finde it by experieÌ„ce in reading amorous stories or histories of strange adventures which though we knowe and beleeue to be fayned yet oft times it handsomly contriued they raise more serious tumults of passions in our mindes then the most reall stories wee can meet with Now the reason of it if my owne fancy fayle me not is because the imaginatioÌ„ which hath the same command over the passions which the Poets haue giuen Aeolus ouer the windes is it selfe stirr'd vp to sympathize with all such representations as are exquisitely shaped limb'd according to it 's owne Ideas inward contrivances and in this case the imagination poring vpon the representation it selfe so that suite well with it 's owne images within it regards not not much whether it be of an acted truth or of a possibility forgetting as it were for the present to distinguish what might haue beene from what hath beene This observation directs me to a third Instance with which I will conclude some perhaps may weepe devoutly at a Passion-Sermon presently imagine their teares to be distillations of tender affections vnto Christ They may be so but they may very easily not be so Who knowes not that the charmes of eloquence about any sad argumeÌ„t may easily steale good store of teares froÌ„ an auditory of women or of soft natur'd men Solemne Musicke a good Pavin wil doe as much any liuely representation of a Tragical accident whether reall or imaginary will doe as much amongst those that can bee so il busied as to sit three or foure houres at a Tragedy some can be so wisely good natur'd too as to weepe heartely at it You see into what variety of mistakes offices of loue vnto Christ may put vs while wee consider them loose by themselues and examine them not by that which ought to be the fundamentall inducement vnto them in our hearts you see how expedient it is to judge of these complementall expressioÌ„s of loue vnto our blessed Saviour by our hearts and not of our hearts by them and by coÌ„sequent you see of what excellent vse this doctrine of the ground or originall of our loue vnto Christ is To God the Father c. FINIS LVKE 14. 26. If any man come to me hate not his Father and Mother Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea his owne life also he cannot hee my Disciple I Proceed still in my Tract or discourse coÌ„cerning the sincerity of our loue vnto our blessed Saviour My method in it I haue acquainted you with heretofore imposing vpon my selfe a copious and full handling of three most coÌ„siderable points which both make it vp in itselfe and evidence it vnto vs. 1. The true and proper ground or originall of it the speciall reasons inducing vs to loue him 2. The requisite degree intention of it how much we are to loue him 3. The especiall effects and testimonies of it what we are to doe because we loue him The first of these heads I haue dispatched already having heretofore in another audience discovered the false in this congregation the true grouÌ„ds of our loue vnto Christ Iesus I am now falne vpon the second point and therein more punctually to enquire how much we are to loue him which querie our Saviour himselfe clearely and throughly resolues in my Text. If any maÌ„ come vnto me c. Our Saviour was now in the progresse of his humiliation going about doing good Being on his way he obserues great multitudes thronging flocking after him no doubt for various ends and vpon various motiues This hee well knewe and therevpon that they might not dishonour him and deceaue themselues by grosse absurd conceipts of a common easinesse for any man to get whatsoever good was to bee gotten from him by a little trotting after him hee thought it expedient to let theÌ„ all knowe before hand what they must of necessitie resolue vpon if they would followe him to any purpose solemnly to forewarne them what they must trust vnto if they made account to get any good by running after him If any man will come to mee that is hoping or desiring to bee better for mee in regard of a better life and hate not his Father and Mother c. that is if he set not so high a price vpon his hopes by me that he bring this resolution with him to part with any thing which may hinder him from doing mee constant vniversall service yea though it bee that which otherwise he may most lawfully and ought most dearly to affect hee cannot bee my Disciple he is not qualified either to doe mee that honour which I shall expect from him or to receaue those favours which hee will expect from me If any man desirous of a more satisfying expectation of this Scripture shall enquire yet more particularly in what sense the Disciple of Christ must hate his parents children wife and kindred yea and his owne life I answer 1. The law of God doth not only permit but also command vs to loue all these and to embrace them with the sweetest cleerest affections that nature can possibly stirre vp in our breasts bowels Farre be it from our Saviour to contradict this law by requiring that his Disciples at their very first entrance into the schoole should turne barbarous and strip themselues of those sacred decent affections of nature and humanity that which he requires is this that seeing even during the true Church there will daily happen many caâ—es wherein wee must needs either deale vnkindly or dishonourably with him or breake squares with such as are neere deere vnto vs and in time of persecution we may be so put to it that we must either bee ashamed of him before men and in the extremity of basenesse abjure him or else part with our temporall life and all contentments I say hee requires that his Disciples should come with mindes so possessed with an extraordinary overreaching esteeme of him beyond any thing else that they might bee prepared afore hand for such exigents and resolue to runne the most desperate hazard
of the losse of any mans favour or their owne liues that nothing may interrupt their obedience vnto him or intercept the light of his countenance from them 2. Wee are to note that the hatred which is required hath not reference to the persons specified in my Text but to such favours and contentments as wee may receaue from them The loue of Christ will not suffer much lesse cause vs in any case to neglect the duties or growe weary of the relations of nature onely thus much Christ expects from vs seeing wee may bee often driuen to that push that we must either loose him or the good looks of those whom wee account our best friends that in comparison of our hopes by the Gospell wee should so hate that is by a Hebraisme neglect or disesteeme whatsoeuer comforts or favours wee could expect from them that without any long pause or deliberation we may bee content to let them goe and be glad we are â—o rid of them that wee may sticke close vnto Christ and be found in him enwrapped in his righteousnesse To vnfold this yet more distinctly wee may part from that which is deare vnto vs for the loue of God or Christ in two respects 1. As a sacrifice to wit when God is glorified by that which wee part with so Abraham was willing to part with Isaacke and in this respect might bee said to hate him though no doubt but his bowels yearned most vehemently even when his hand was fetching the fatall blow so that heroicall mother 2. Macc. 7. hated her seaven sonnes whom indeed she loued most tenderly being content to see them all butchered before her eyes with horrible rarity of torments that they may not disobey the law and God might be glorified 2. As a temtation when wee our selues being severed from it may glorify God more freely Thus Moses refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter hating the treasures of Aegypt in comparison of the reproach of Christ Heb. 11. 26. Thus Ioseph parted with his Mistresse and all his hopes by his Master because he would not doe that great wickednesse and sinne against God So that indeed the hatred in my Text is more passiue then actiue consisting in an humble willingnesse to forgoe any thing which may bee either an acceptable sacrifice vnto Christ or a dangerous temptation from him in a well composed dislike and disesteeme of those things which our nature counts her jewels when compared to those glorious invisible rarities which they may hinder vs from Lastly in a placide well tempered contentednesse vpon a small warning to part with them either one after another or all of them at a clap so that wee may be sure of the maine so that by letting them goe wee may take better hold of Christ Iesus in whom we are sure to finde with an infinite overplus whatsoever wee loose for his sake My text being thus explained I will contract the pith both of it and it's explication into this doctrine Whosoever makes account to bee the better for his profession of Christ and to haue his share in those vnvaluable purchases of his passion must prize Christ Iesus and his hopes by him farre beyond whatsoever or whomsoever hee may most lawfully ought most dearely to loue in this world yea farre beyond life it selfe and whatsoever coÌ„tentments may endeaâ—e it vnto him To heape vp other testimonies or to goe any farther then my text for the proofe of this doctrine were to prejudice both our Saviours authority hee being so plaine and peremptory in the point and your esteeme of it as if you were not by his bare word sufficiently perswaded and convinced of a truth so much concerning himselfe and you too if you doe in earnest desire to haue any thing to doe with him My labour I suppose will be better spent in demonstrating vnto you the equity of that which may seeme rigour in this doctrine in discovering vnto you what good reasons our Saviour had to exact so great a measure and high a pitch of loue from all those who would be partakers of his redemption and sharers of his merits Some of those reasons I will specify and amplify in two considerations 1. It will not stand either with the justice or wisdome of God the Father to loose the glory of his everlasting mercies in his sonne by conferring them vpon such as doe not perceaue acknowledge some out-stripping excellency in them beyond all his temporall blessings Indeed it is vsuall with God in his generall providence to heape his temporall favours vpon such as never thinke of his loue in dealing thus bountifully with them but the reason of that is because he can call them in againe and blow vpon them at his pleasure and though hee get no glory for his mercy whilest hee bestowes them as blessings yet he can be sure to glorify his justice by turning them into curses But now for his everlasting mercies those riches of his loue in Christ he vseth not to part with them so easily hee lets not them goe out of his hands by his Ministers hee proclaimes and displaies the infinite worth and value of them if any man bee so taken with the lustre of them that for joy Mat. 13. 44. he goes and sels all that he hath to buy them and thinkes hee hath a good bargaine too God presently seales vnto him an everlasting assurance of them by the spirit of promise and giues possession of them at the day of his death when all other possessions leaue him But now if any man thinke so poorely of them that either he will not vouchsafe to cheapen them or if hee doe thinke them worth the buying yet will not come off rouÌ„dly and buy them outright with all that he hath I say it will not stand either with the justice or wisdome of God the Father to cast them away vpon such prodigious sorts The reason may be gathered out of our Saviours words Mat. 10. 37. He that loueth Father or Mother more then mee is not worthy of me Alas you will say no more is hee that loueth him infinitely better then his Father and Mother yes such a one is worthy of him not indeed with such a worthinesse as God may expect but with such a worthinesse as he in justice may accept not with such a worthinesse by which he may deserue Christ for then he would haue no need of him seeing that worthinesse might aswell immediatly answere the justice of God without Christ but with such a worthinesse as may fit him having need of Christ and Christ being freely given him to receiue him What kinde of worthinesse is that it is the worthinesse of faith working by loue consisting in a thorough sense of the extreame misery of our greatest happinesse without Christ in a cleare perswasion of the incomparable worth of those things which wee are promised in Christ and in a well advised