have in the Gospell be such divine truthes above nature altogether Then we must not stand to looke for reason too much nor trust the reason or wit of any man but divine authority herâ— especially For if divine authority cease in the Gospel what were it nothing the law is written in mens hearts but we must trust divine authoritie in the Gospel above al other portions of scripture and not to the wit of any man whatsoever The Church of Rome that is possest with a Spirit of pride and Ignorance and tyranny they will force knowledge on them that be under them from their sole authoritie the Church saith so and wee are the Church and it is not for you to know c. and scriptures are so and so but is the Gospell a supernaturall mysterie above the capacitie of any man and shall we build upon the authoritie of the Church for these truthes oh no! there must bee no forcing of Evangelicall truthes from the authority or parts of any man But these are not things that wee stand in so much need of therefore I hasten to that which is more usefull Eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. Here then we have an use of direction how to carrie our selves in reading and studying holy truths especially the sacred mysteries of the Gospel how shall we study them Wee thinke to breake into them with the engine of our wit and to understand them and never come to God for his spirit God will curse such proud attempts Who â—nowes the things of man but the spirit of a man and who knowes the things of God but the spirit of God Therefore in studying the Gospell let us come with a spirit of faith and a spirit of humility and meeknesse there is no breaking into these things with the strength of parts That hath been the ground of so many heresies as have beene in the Church Only Christ 〈◊〉 the key of David that shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth he hath the key of the Scripture and the key to open the understanding And to presse this poynt a little if eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the things of the Gospell without the revelation of the spirit then we must come with this mind when wee come to heare the things of the Gospell Lord without thy holy spirit they are all as a clasped booke they are hidden mysteries to mee though they be revealed in the Gospell If my heart be shut to them they are all hidden to me Wee see men of excellent parts are enemies to that they teach themselves opposing the power of the Gospell whence is all this because they thinke only the opening of these things makes them divines wheras without the holy Ghost sanctifying and altering the heart in some measure to tast and rellish these things that as they are divine in themselves so to have some what divine in the heart to tast these things it is impossible but that the heart should rise against them and so it doth for when it comes to particulars you must deny your selfe in this honour in this pleasure coÌ„moditie now you must venture the displeasure of man for this and that truth the heart riseth in scorn and loathing of divine truth when it comes to particulars they know nothing as they should For when is truth knowne but when in particulars wee stand for it and will neither betray it nor do any thing that doth not benefit a Christian If we have not the spirit of God to relish truthes in particular they will doe us no good And except the spirit sanctifie the heart of man first by these truthes the truth will never be understood by the proud naturall heart of man Therefore the course that God takes with his children is this those that he meanes to have he first inspires into their hearts some desire to come to heare and attend upon the meanes of salvation to understand the Gospell and then under the means of salvation he shines into the understanding by a heavenly light and inspires into the will and affections some heavenly inclination to this truth of the Gospell to justification sanctification selfe-denyall and the like and workes a new life and new sences and upon them wrought under the meanes comes the soul to relish and to understand these mysteries and then the eares and the eies are open to see these things and never before A holy man that hath his heart subdued by the spirit of God in the use of the meanes oh he relisheth the point of forgivenesse of sins hee relisheth the point of sanctification he studies it daily more and more and nearer communion with God hee relisheth peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost they are sweete things and all the duties of Christianity because hee makes it his maine busines to adorne his proâ—ession and to live here so as hee may live for ever hereafter And this must be of necessitie for marke out of the text If the naturall eye and eare and heart can never see nor heare nor conceive the things of God must there not be a supernaturall eare and eye and heart put into the soule must not the heart and all be new molded againe If the former frame bee not sufficient for these things of necessitie it must be so From hence learne to arme your selves against all scandalls when ye see men of parts and account and such there may be men of deepe apprehensions and understanding in the Scripture for matter of notion and for the language of the Scripture exquisite and yet to be proud malicious haters of sanctity next to divells none greater consider what is the reason either they have proud spirits that despise and neglect the meanes of salvation altogether or if they doe come they come as Iudges they will not submit their proud hearts to the sweet motions of the Spirit stumble not at it if such men bee both enemies to that they teach themselves and those that practise it the reason is because their proud hearts were never subdued by the Spirit to understand the things they speake of For such a teacher understands supernaturall things by a naturall light and by humane reason that is to talk and discourse c. but hee sees not Supernaturall things by a supernaturall light divine things by a divine light Therefore a poore soule that heares the things published by him understands them better by the helpe of the Spirit than he that speakes them better indeed for his use and comfort As we see there are some that can measure land exactly but the man that oweth the land measured he knowes the use of the ground and delights in it as his owne the other can tell here is so much ground c. So some Divines they can tell there are such poynts and so they are raysed and they can bee
our selves with the assurance of Gods favour and love in Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith we have peace with God and rejoyce in God as it is Rom. 5. wee rejoyce in God as ours Therfore those that goe to outward contentments that run out to them as if there were not enough in God and divine things to content their soules but they must be beholding to the divell aâ—d to the flesh for contentments this is not to rest in God Hee is over-covetous whom God cannot content If we be in covenant with him hee is able to fill our soule and all the corners of it hee is able to satisfie all the delights and desires of it hee is a gracious father in Christ. Whither should wee goe from him for contentment why should wee goe out of religion to content our selves in â—vain recreations pleasures of sinne for a season when wee have abundance in God And where there is contentment there will be trusting in him and relying upon him A man will not rely upon riches or friends or any thing for where we place our contentment we place our trust So farre as we love God so farre wee repose affiance and trust in him he will be our rock castle strength Wouldest thou know whether thou restest in him or no In the time of danger whither doth thy soule run to thy purse if thou bee a rich man or to thy friends if thou bee a worldly minded man Every man hath his Castle to flye to But the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower hee that is a childe of God flieth thither for refuge and there hee covereth himselfe and is safe He enters into those chambers of divine providence and goodnesse and there he rests in all troubles Therefore aske thy affections whither thou wouldest runne if there should come a confusion of all things when men are apt to say Oh! what will become of us and they think of this and that A good Christian hath God to rest in he hath God reconciled in Christ and in his love he plants himselfe in life and death He makes God his habitation and his Castle as it is Psalm 18. I love the Lord dearly my Rock and my Fortresse And Moses in Psalm 90. for his Psalme it is Thou hast been our habitation from everlasting to everlasting Wee dwell in thee though in the world we are tossed up and downe and live and die yet wee alway dwell with thee So a Christian hath his contentment and his habitation in God he is his house he dwells in his rocke his resting place his centre in which he rests Come unto mee and yee shall finde rest to your soules When a man is beat out of all contentments he may know by this whether he love God or no As David when hee was beat out of all and they were ready to stone him but hee trusted in the Lord his God So in losses and crosses hast thou contentment in God thou wilt fetch what thou losest out of the love of God and what thou art crossed in thou wilt fetch out of Gods love thou wilt say this and that is taken from mee but God is mine I can fetch more good by faith from him than I can lose in the world A soule that is acquainted with God when hee loseth any thing in the world he can fetch it out of the â—cuntain and spring He is taught to love God he is skilfull this way to pitch his hope and affiance in God where he hath enough for all crosses Let us labour to bring our souls more and more to this and then wee shal know what it is to love God by this placing of our contentment in him Take all from me sayth holy Aâ—stin so thou leave mee thy selfe So a Christian can say take all from mee so I have God Indeed where shall a man have comfort in many passages of his life if he finde it not in religion What will become of a man in this uncertaine world if hee have not somewhat where hee may place his content Oh! he will finde before hee die that hee is a wretched man hee knowes not where to finde rest and contentment before he die hee will bee beat out of all his holds here either by sicknesse or one thing or other The fourth and last is where the true affection of love to God is it stirs up the soule to give all contentment to God to doe all things that may please him This is the nature of love it stirs up to please the partie loved Isaacks sons saw that their father loved Venison therfore they provided venison for him Those that know what God loves will provide what they can that that God may delight in He loves a humble and a believing heart Thou hast wounded me with one of thine eyes The eye of faith when the soule can trust in the word humbly go out of it self his delight is in a broken yeelding heart that hardnes not it selfe against his instructions but yeelds A broken heart that lies low heares all that God saith Oh it is a sacrifice that God is much delighted in a humble spirit is such a spirit as God dwels in He that dwels in the highest heavens dwels in a humble spirit Doth God delight in a meeke broken humble spirit Oh then it will be the desire of a Christian to have such a spirit as God may delight in A meeke soule is much esteemed the hidden man of the heart is much prized search in Gods word what hee delights in and let us labour to bring our selves to such a condition as God may delight in us and we in him then it is a signe wee love him when wee labour to procure all things that may give him content You know that love where it is it stirres up the affections of the partie to remove all things that are distastfull to the partie it loves Therefore it is a neat affection for it will make those neat that otherwise are not so because it will not offend much more this divine heavenly affection when it is set on a right object upon God it is a neat cleanly affection it will purge the soule it will worke upon the soule a desire to bee cleane as much as can bee because God is a pure holy God and it will have no fellowship with the workes of darknesse Therfore as much as humane frailtie will permit the soule that loves God it will studie puritie to keep it selfe unspotted of the world It will not willingly cherish any sinne that may offend the Spirit Those therefore that are carelesse of their wayes and carriage and affections that make nothing of polluting and defiling their affectictions and their wayes there is not the love of God in their hearts It stirres up shame to be offensive in the eyes of such a one especially if they be great there is both love and
is alwaies supposed wheresoever there is love to God and good things there is Gods love first For our love to God is but a reflexion of that love hee beares to us First hee shines on us and then the beames of our love reflect upon him therefore hee need not say whom God loves though that be the cause of all but who love God and know thereby that hee loves them But why for them that love him more than for any other thing Because all can love therefore hee sets downe this affection there is no man living not the poorest Lazar in the world that hath a heart and affections but he can love He doth not say that are prepared for this great Christian and that learned Rabbi no but for all that love him bee they poore or rich great or small all those that love him Therefore hee sets down that to cut off all excuses yea and all that love him bee they never so many are sure to have these great things prepared for them God hath prepared these things for those that love him To come therefore to some observations The first generall thing is this that God dâ—th qualifie all those in this world that he hath prepared heaven and happinesse for in another world The cause of it is his free love but if you aske mee what qualification the persons must have They are such as love him This is not the proper cause why but tâ—e qualification of the persons â—on â—hom these things are There must bee an inward disposition and qualification before wee come to heaven all those that hope for heaven without presumption must have this qualification they must bee such as love him Why The Scripture is plaine 1. No uncleane thing shall enter into heaven No whoremonger or drunkard or filthy person bee not deceived sayth the Apostle you thiâ—ke God is merciful and Christ died c. but neither such nor such as you are and your consciences tell you so shall ever enter into heaven We must not think to come è coeno in coelum out of the mire and dirt of sin into heaven there is no such sudden getting into heaven but there must be an alteration of our dispositions wrought by the Spirit of God fitting us for heaven 2. Another is that that I touched before that heaven and earth differ but in degrees therefore what is there in perfection must be begun here Then againe thirdly It is impossible for a man if he be not truly altered to desire or wish heaven as it is holy He may wish for it under the notion of a Kingdome of pleasure and the like but as heaven containes a state of perfect holinesse and freedome from sinne hee cares not for it A man that is out of relish with heavenly things and can taste onely his base sinnes whereon his affections are set and exercised cannot rellish heaven it selfe A common base sinner his desires are not there There must bee some proportion between the thing desired and the desire but here is none hee is not fit for that place being an unholy wretch Therefore his own heart tells him I had rather have this pleasure and honour that my heart stands to than to have heaven while hee is in that frame of desire therefore there is no man that can desire heaven that is not disposed aright to heaven before Beetles love dunghils better than oyntments and swine love mud better than a garden they are in their element in these things so take a swinish base creature he loves to wallow in this world tell him of heaven hee hath no eyes to see it no eares to heare it except hee may have that in heaven that his heart stands too which hee shall never have he hath no desire of heaven Therfore in these and the like respects of necessitie there must be a disposition wrought before wee come there These things are prepared for those that love God If this be so let us not feed our selves with vaine hopes there are none of us but we desire at least wee pretend that we desire heaven but most men conceive it onely as a place free from trouble and annoyance and there are goodly things they heare of kingdomes crownes and the like but except thou have a holy gracious heart and desirâ—st heaven that thou mayest be free from siâ—ne and to have communion with Christ and his Saints to have the image of God the divine nature perfect in thee thou art an hypocrite thou carriest a presumptuous conceit of these things thy hope will delude thee it is a false hope Every one that hath this hope purgeth himsâ—lfe Every one hee excludes none Doest thou defile thy selfe and live in sinful courses and hast thou this hope Thou hast a hope but it is not this hope for every one that hath this hope purgeth himselfe No no how ever in time of peace and pleasure and contentment that God followes thee with in this world thou hast a vaine hope yet in a little trouble or sicknesse c. thy owne conscience will tell thee another place is provided for thee a place of torment that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the misery of it There is not the greatest man living when hee is troubled if he be a sinfull man whose greatnesse can content him all his honour and friends cannot pacifie that poore conscience of his but Death the King of Feares wil affright him he thinks I have some trouble in this world but there is worse that remâ—ines things that he is not able to conceive of Let us not therfore delude our selves there is nothing will stand out but the new creature that we finde a change wrought by the Spirit of God then wee may without presumption hope for the good things which neither eye hath seene c. Againe we see in the second place Gods mercie to us the qualification is within us that we need not goe farre to know what our evidence is Sathan abuseth many poore Christians oh I am not elected I am not the Childe of God Whither goest thou man doest thou breake into heaven when thou carriest a soule in thy breast and in that soule the affection of love how is that set whither is thy love carried and thy delight and joy those affections that spring from love Thy evidence is in thine own heart our title is by faith in Christ his righteousnesse gives us title to heaven but how knowest thou that thou pretendest a just title Thou hast the evidence in thy heart What is the bent of thy soule whither is the poynt of it set which way goes that doest thou love God and divine things and delight in them then thou mayst assure thy selfe that those things belong to thee as verily as the Scriptures are the word of God and God a God of truth
respect meet together where it is a reverentiall love with respect there is a shame to bee in a base filthy displeasing coÌ„dition God hates pride and idolatry c. therefore a man that loves God will hate Idols and all false doctrine and worship that tends this way his heart will rise against them because hee knows God hates it and all that take that course he observes what is most offensive to God and hee will avoyd it and seeke what is pleasing to him God and Christ are wondrously pleased with faith Thou haâ—t wounded mee with one of thine eyes Faith and love from faith wounds the breast of Christ therefore let us labour for faith Oh woman great is thy faith It it is such a grace as bindes and overcomes God it honours him so much Let us therâ—fore labour for faith and in believing for all graces they are things that God loves therefore let us labour to be furnished with all things that he loves especially those graces that have some excellencie set upon them in the Scripture wee should most esteeme Isaac when he was to marry Rebecca he sends her jewels beforehand that having them shee might bee more lovely in his eye So Christ the husband of his Church that hee might take more delight and content in his Church hee sends her Iewels before hand that is hee enricheth his Church with the spirit of faith meeknes humilitie and love and all graces that he may delight and take content in his Spouse Those that have not somwhat that God may dâ—light in them they have not the spirit of love Those therfore that rebell in stead of giving God content that resist the Spirit and the motions of it in the ministery and in reprehension and the like those that live in sinnes directly against Gods command that are common swearers and filthy persons neglecters of holy things prophane godlesse persons doe they talke of the love of God and of heaven you may see the filthinesse of their hearts by the filthiness that issues from them God keepes not such excellencies for such persons the love of God and living in sinnes against conscience will not stand together A demonstration of love is exhibitio operis the exhibition of somewhat to pleasâ— God Shew me in thy course what thou doest to please God If thou live in courses that are condem red never talke of love It is a pittifull thing to see in the bosoâ—e of the Church under the glorious revelation of divine Truth that men should live apparantly and impudently in sins against conscience that glory in in theirshame It is a strange thing that they should glory in their prophanenesse and swaggering that they should glory in a kinde of Atheistical carriage as they have beene bred so they will bee still Many are marred in that they are either poysoned in their first breeding or neglected in it To see under the glorious Gospel of Christ that those that thinke they have soules eternall that they should live in impudeÌ„t base courses voyd of religion and humanitie onely to satisfie their owne luâ—ts in stead of satisfying and obeying GOD men that live in the bosome of the Church as beasts and yet hope to be saved as well as the best Oh! but the hope of the hypocrite the hope of such persons will deceive them Oh! let us labour therefore to have this affection of love planted in our hearts that God by his spiâ—it would teach us to love him and to love one another This affection of love must bee taught by God it is not a matter of the braine to teach that but a matter of the heart God only is the great Schoolmastâ—r and teacher of the heart he must not onely command us to love but teach our affections by his holy Spirit to enable our affections to love him Where love is in this regard likewise to give content there will bee love of all those whom the partie we approve our selves to loves Is there any of Ionathans posterity saith David that I may doe good to them for his sake The soule that loves God and Christ sayth Is there any good people any that carry the image of God and Christ it will bee sure to love them it will doe good to Ionathans posteritie Those that hate them that carry the image of God and Christ that their stomacke riseth against good men how do they love him that begets when they love not him that is begotten There cannot be the love of God in such a man undoubtedly if we love God wee shall love his children and any thing that hath Gods stamp upon it wee shall lovâ— his truth and his cause and religion and whatsoever is divine and toucheth upon God wee shall love it because it is his It is such an affection as sets the soule on worke to thinke wherein may I give content to such a person It is full of devices inventions to please therefore â—t thinkes can I give consent in loving such and such as Christ sayth he that respects these little ones it is to me it is accountable on my part I will see it answered If the love of Christ be in us wee will regard this because wee will thinke Christ will regard me for the good I doe for his sake and in his name to this and that partie Thus we see how we may try this sweet affâ—ction and not deceive our owne soules And therefore where there is a desire of giving content there will bee a zeale against all things to remove all things in our places and callings that may offend it will carry us through all difficulties to please him it will make us willing to suffer I will please him by suffering some indignitie for his cause I will doe it that I may ingage his affection to mee Therefore the Disciples gloried in this when they were thought worthy to suffer for Christs sake Where there is a desire to please God it is so farre from being ashamed or afraid to suffer that it joyes in this Oh! now there is occasion given to shew that God respects me more if I for his sake stand out in his quarrel and breake through all difficulties It will make us please him in all things that wee are capable in all things that we can doe any way in our standings as Christ describes it out of Moses to love God with all our minde with all our soule and with all our strength where love is it sets all on worke to please and give content It sets the minde on worke to studie wherein shall I please God and it will study Gods truth and not serve him by our owne inventions wee must serve and love GOD after his minde that is as hee hath commanded It will set the wits on work to understand how he will be served and to love him with all our soule with all our heart that is with all our heart that is with the marrow
and strength of our affections with all my strength bee a man what hee will be if hee bee a Magistrate with the strength of his magistracy if he be a minister with the strength of his ministeriall calling in any â—â—ndition I must love him with al that that condition inableth me to For it is a commanding affection and being so it commands all within and without to give content to the person loved it commands the wit to devise and the memorie to retaine good things it commands joy and delight it commands anger to remove hindrances and so all outward actions love commands the doing of all things it sets all on worke It is a most active affection it is like to fire it is compared to it it sets all on worke and commands all that man is able to doe Therefore those that studie not in all their indeavours according to their callings and places according to every thing that God hath intrusted them with to please God and to honour him in their conditions they love not God What a shame is it that when God hath given us such a sweet affection as love that hee should not have our love againe when wee make our selves happy in loving him He is happy in his owne love the father Sonne and holy Ghost but when hee intends to make us happy it is a shame that wee should not bestow our affections upon him Much might bee sayd to this purpose for the triall of our selves whether we love God or no. Let us not then forget these things for it is the command both of the old and new Testament they run both upon love I give you a new Command sayth Christ and yet it is no new command but old and ordinarie But it is commanded now in the Gospell that is it is renewed by new experiments of Gods love in Christ that we should love him as hee hath loved us which is wonderfully that wee should love him and love one another And all this is in this affection as we see when the holy Ghost would set out the disposition and qualification of such as those great things are prepared for that neither eye hath seen nor care heard nor hath entred into the heart of man hee sets it downe by this They are for those that love him FINIS SERMON the fourth 1 COR. 2. 9. As it is written eye hath not seene nore care heard nor hath entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him THat which hath already been sayd should force us to begge the Spirit of God to teach the heart to teach us the things themselves the inside of them for a spirituall holy man hath a spirituall knowledge of outward things of the creatures hee fees another manner of thing in the creature then other men doe As another man hath a naturall knowledge of spirituall things so a holy man hath a spirituall knowledge even of the ordinary Workes of God and rayseth and extracts a quintessence out of them that a worldly man cannot see to glorifie God and to buyld up his faith in the sense of Gods favour c. This I adde by the way to that But the highest performance of this that there are things provided for Gods people that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. It is reserved for another World for the promises of the Gospell have then their fulfilling indeed These words are true of the state of the Gospell here now but they have their accomplishment in Heaven for whatsoever is begun here is ended there peace begun here is ended there joy that is begunne here it shal bee ended there Communion of Saints that is begun here it shall be ended there Sanctification that is begun here it shall be ended there so all graces shall be perfect and all promises performed then That is the time indeed when God shall discover things that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard c. In the meane time let us learne to beleive them and to live by faith in them that theâ—e are such things And GOD resetves not all â—or another World but gives his Children a tast of those things before hand to comfort thâ—m in their distresses in this world as indeed there is nothing in this world of greater use and comfort to rayse them then the beginnings of Heaven upon earth a little peace joy in the holy ghost will make a man swallow all the discontents in the world Now God is so far good to us as that he lets us have somâ— drops of these things before hand to rayse up our spirits that by a tast we may know what great things hee hath reserved for us but of these things and the use of them I spake before We came then to speake of the qualificatioÌ„ of the persons For them that love him Not that we love God first and then God prepares these things for us but God prepares them and acquaints us what he meanes to doe with us and then we love him A christian knowes before what title he hath in Christ to Heaven and then he works he knowes Christ hath wrought salvation for him and then he workes out his salvation in a course tending to salvation in a course tending to salvation for there must be working in a course tending to the possession of salvation that CHRIST hath purchased wee must not worke and thinke by it to merit Heaven wee know wee have Heaven and those great things in the Title of Christ and then wee fall on loving and working There is a cleane contrary order betweene us and those mercinaries they invert the order of God for for whom God hath prepared these things hee discovers them to the eye of faith and then faith works by love this I adde by the way Now he sets downe this description of those persons for whom these excellent things are prepared by this affection of love by this grace of love as being the fittest for that purpose to describe a Christian. Faith is not so fit because it is not so discernable we may know our love when wee cannot know our Faith Oft times those that are excellent Christians they doubt whether they beleive or no but aske them whether they love God and his truth and children or no oh yes they doe Now God intending to comfort us sets out such an affection as a Christian may best discerne for of all affections we can discerne best of our love But to come to the affection it selfe there are 3. things in love There is the Affection Passion Grace of love wee speake of the grace here The affection is naturall The passion is the excesse of the naturall affection when it over flowes its bound Grace is the rectifying of the naturall affection and the elevating and raysing it up to a higher object then nature can pitch on The Spirit of God turnes nature into grace and workes corruption and
his goodnesse and the streaming of it our to the Creature The whole Earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. What are all the Creatures but Gods goodnesse Wee can see nothing but the goodnesse of God what is all the Creatures but Deus explicatus God unfolded to our senses he offers himselfe to our bodies and soules all is Gods goodnesse And then see this goodnesse fitted to us it is a fit goodnesse that comes from God he is good and doth good and so fitly he proportions his goodnesse for hee hath fitted every part of us soule and body with goodnesse all the senses with goodnesse what doe we see but goodnesse in colours What doe we heare but his good in those delights that come that way We tast and feele his goodnesse against the cold we have cloathing in hunger wee have food in all necessities in all exigences wee have fit considerations of God for all necessities whatsoever outward But then for our soules what food hath he for that the death of CHRIST his owne sonne to feed our soules The soule is a spirituall substance and hee thought nothing good enough to feed it but his own sonne wee feed on Gods love in giving CHRIST to death and on CHRISTS love in giving himselfe to death The soule being continually troubled with the guilt of some sinne or other it feeds on this it is nourished with CHRIST every day more and more especially at the Sacrament Thus we see how GOD hath fitted his goodnesse to us And then in particular dangers how hee fits us with severall deliverances so seasonably as we may see Gods love in it Then as GODS goodnesse is great and fit so it is neare us it is not a goodnesse a farre off but GOD followes us with his goodnesse in whatsoever condition wee bee hee applies himselfe to us and hee hath taken upon him neare relations that hee might bee neare us in goodnesse hee is a Father and every where to maintaine us Hee is a Husband and every where to helpe hee is a friend and every where to comfort and counsell so his love it is a neare love therefore hee hath taken upon him the nearest relations that we may never want God and the testimonies of his love And then againe this goodnesse of God which is the object of love it is a free goodnesse meerely from himselfe and an overflowing goodnesse and an everlasting goodnesse it is never drawn drie hee loves us unto life everlasting he loves us in this World and followes us with signes of his love in all the parts of us in body and soule till hee hath brought body and soule to Heaven to enjoy himselfe for ever there These and such like considerations may serve to stirre us up to love God and direct us how to love God Benefits will worke upon a beast as it is Isaiah â— Heare oh Heavens and hearken oh earth the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Cribbe but my people have forgotten mee Proud men become baâ—er and more brute then the very brutes benefits will moove the very brute Creatures So I say these favours to us in particuler should moove us except wee will bee more brute then the brutes themselves Especially to moove us all consider some particularities of favours to us more then to others for specialties doe much increase love and respect Consider how God hath followed thee with goodnesse outwardly when others have beene neglected Thou hast a place in the World and Riches and Friends when many other excellent persons want all these There are some common favours to all Christians as the favour wee have in CHRIST forgivenesse of sins Sanctification and such other favours But there bee some specialties of Devine providence whereby it appeares that GODS providence hath watched over us in some particulars more then others those bee speciall ingagements And is there any of us that cannot say that GOD hath dealt specially in giveing them some mercie more then to others I adde this therefore to the rest Againe to helpâ— us to stirre up this grace of love consider those examples of loveing of those that have then lived in former times take David and Paul and other holy men David wonders at his owne love Lord how doe I love thy Law And have wee not more cause comparing the grounds of our affection when wee have more then they in those times What did hee wonder at his love of GODS Law when the Canon was so short they had onely Moses and some few Bookes and wee have the Canon inlarged wee have both the old and new Testament shall not wee say much more how doe I love thy Law thy Gospell and Divine truthes This should shame us when they in darke times so loved the truth of GOD and wee see all cleare and open and yet are cold Likewise it is good in this case to converse with those that are affectionate as face answereth face so spirit answers spirit as Iron sharpneth Iron so one sharpens another Conversation with cold ones will make one cold For the abundance of iniquitie the love of many shall wax cold Conversing with sinfull cold people casts a dampe upon us but let us labour if we will bee wise for our soules when wee finde any coldnesse of affection to converse with those that have sweete and heavenly affections it will mervaylously worke upon our hearts I might say much this way to stirre us up and direct us how to love God But indeed nothing will so much inable us to love God as a new nature nature will love without provocation the fire will burne because it is fire and the water will moysten because it is water and a holy man will love holy things because hee is holy a spirituall soule will love spirituall things because hee is spirituall therefore besides all adde this that our natures bee changed more and more that they be sanctified and circumcised as God hath promised I will circumcise your hearts that yee may love me There must bee a circumcised heart to love God wee must bee sanctified to love God for if nature bee not renewed there cannot bee this new Commandement of love Why is love called a new Commandement and an old Commandement It is called old for the Letter because it was a command in Moses time thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soule But now it is a new Commandement because there is abundance of spirit given by CHRIST and the spirit sanctifies us and writes this affection in our hearts It was written in stone before but now it is written in our hearts by the spirit And now there are new incentives and motives to love since CHRIST came and gave himselfe for us new incouragments and provocations to love therefore it is a new Commandement from new grounds and motions that are more a great deale then before Christ. But there must be a new heart to obey this new command of love
the old heart will never love Therefore we must with all the meanes that may be used begge the spirit of sanctification especially beg the discovery of Gods love to us for our love is but a reflection of Gods love we cannot love God except he love us first now our love being a reflection of Gods love we must desire that he would give us his spirit to reveale his love that the spirit being a witnesse of Gods love to us may thereupon be a spirit of love and sanctification in us And let us labour to grow more in the assurance of Gods love and all the evidences of it let us dwell long in the meditation of these things the dwelling in the meditation of Gods love it will make us to love him againe as many beames in a burning glasse meeting together they cause a fire many thoughts of the many fruites of Gods love in this World and what hee intends us in the World to come our hearts dwelling on them these beames will kindle a holy fire in our hearts Many are troubled with cold affections and wish oh that they could love they forget the way how to love they will not meditate and if they doe meditate they thinke to worke love out of their owne hearts They may as well worke fire out of a Flint and water out of a stone our hearts are a barren Wildernesse Therefore let us begge the spirit that God would alter our hearts with meditation and all other helpes that God would sanctifie us and discover his love to us and that hee would give us his spirit for hee doth the one where he doth the other when God doth so then wee shall bee enabled to love him Wee must not thinke to bring love to God but we must fetch love from God wee must light our Candle at his fire thinke of his love to us and begge the spirit of love from him love is a fruit of the spirit That is the course wee ought to take for GOD will teach our hearts to love Now to stirre us up the more to adde some motives and incouragments to labour more to get this affection Let us consider seriously that without this love or God we are dead and whatsoever comes from us it is still-borne it is dead without love wee are nothing without love all that comes from us is nothing without love I am as a tinkling Cymball sayth Paul For a man to be nothing in Religion and all that comes from him to be dead and still-borne to bee abortive actions who would bee in such a cafe Therefore let us labour before we doe any thing that is good to have our hearts kindled with the love of God and then we shall be somebody and that that we doe will be acceptable for love sweetens all performances It is not the action but the love in the action as from God it is not the dead favour that comes from him that comforts the soule of a Christian so much as the love and sweetnesse of God in the favour that is better then the thing it selfe when we have favour from God in outward favours Consider the sweetnesse tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. The tast of the love and favour of God in the blessing is better then the thing is selfe for it is but a dead thing And so from us back againe to God what are the things wee performe to him they are dead but when they are sweetned with the affection of love done to him as a father in Christ he tasts our performances as sweet love makes all wee doe to have a relish and all that he doth to us therefore wee should labour for this sweet affection And with all consider that we may be called to doe many things in this World surely there are none of us but wee have many holy actions to performe wee have many things to suffer and indure in the World many temptations to resist what shall or will carry us through all Nothing but love if we have loving and gracious hearts this affection will carry us through all good actions through all oppositions and temptations for love is strong as death Considering therefore that there are so many things that will require this affection this blessed wing and winde of the soul to carry us along in spight of all that is contrary through all opposition let us labour for love and that affection will carry us through all Indeed if we have that it is no matter what a man suffers a man can never be miserable that hath this affection of love if this heavenly fire be kindled in him he cannot be miserable take him in what condition you will take him upon the wrack S. Paul in the dungen sung at midnight in the dungeon in the stocks at an uncomfortable time and place when he had been misused his heart was inlarged to sing to God out of love Nay every thing increaseth it the things we suffer increaseth this flame let a man love God whatsoever he suffers in a good cause it increaseth his love hee shall find his love increased with it the more hee loves the more he can suffer and the more he suffers the more he loves God and the more he increaseth in a joyfull expectation of the times to come and love is alway with joy hope and other sweet affections it drawes joy with it alwayes and hope of better things and as joy increaseth and hope increaseth so a mans happinesse increaseth in this World Therefore it is no matter what a man suffers that hath a gracious and loving heart enlarged by the Spirit of God let him never thinke of what he suffereth of paine of losses and crosses if God discover his fatherly breast and shine on him in Christ and he looke on God reconciled and tast of the joyes of Heaven before hand if you tell him of sufferings you tell him of that that incourageth him It is an argument I might be long in and to great purpose for if we get this holy fire kindled once we shall need little exhortation to other duties it would set us on worke to all and like the fire of the Sanctuary that never went out so it is such an affection that if it bee once kindled in the heart it will never out It is a kinde of miracle in ill when we love other things besides God baser then our selves it is as much as if a River should turne backward For man that is an excellent Creature to be carried with the streame of his affection to things worse then himselfe it is a kind of monster for a man to abuse his understanding so What a base thing is it for a man to suffer such a sweete streame as love a holy current to run into a sinke who would turne a sweete streame into a sinke and not rather into a garden into a sweet place to refresh that Our love is the best
A GLANCE OF HEAVEN OR A PRETIOVS TASTE of a glorious Feast Wherein thou mayst taste and see those things which God hath prepared for them that love him The secrets of the Lord are with them that feare him c. Psal 23.14 By R. SIBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall and preacher of Grays Inne London LONDON Printed by E. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1638 To the Christian Reader Beloved IT 's growne a custome that every booke whose soever or of whatsoever subject must be presented to you in state with some prescript purposely Were it not that Custome is a Tyrant this labour might now be spared Such matter from such an Elder as here followes needs no epistle of recommendation The Reverend Auâ—hours is wel approved to be a man of God a Seer in Israel by those things which without controule have already passed the presse Might I have my with it should bee no more but a double portion of that Spirit of God which was in him The divine light which radiated into his breast displaies it selfe in many other of his labours but yet is no where more condens'd than in this following It 's truly sayd of Moses by faith hee saw him that was invisible Heb. 11. 27. And S. Paul prayes for the Ephesians that they might know the love of that which passeth knowledge Eph 3. 19. These things imply a contradiction yet in like phrase I feare not to say of this Father Brother he saw those things which eye hath not seen spake those things which eare hath not heard and uttered those things which have not entred into the heart of man to conceive This knot needs no cutting hee that rightly understands the text will easily looke through this mystery without the helpe of an Hyperbole His scope was to stirre us up to love God his motive to perswade is taken from the excellencie of those things which God hath prepared for them who love him That excellencie is expressed in a strange manner By intimating it cannot be expressed no nor so much as comprehended by any naturall abilitie of the body or minde yet it is expressed in the doctrine of the Godpell sufficiently So as herein as in a glasse we may behold the glory of God and in beholding bee changed from glory to glory What duty more necessary than to love God what motive more effectuall than the Gospell for what is the Gospell but a revelation of such things as naturall men could never invent Such things that is so pretious so useful so comfortable to us so divine admirable and transcendent in themselves Many of us are like the Angell of Ephesue Wee have lost our first love Rev. 2. 4. yea as our Saviour prophesied Matth. 24. 12. The love of many maxes cold One reason may bee because to see to wee reape so little fruit of our love Were it so that we had nothing in hand no present pay that we served God altogether upon trust without so much as an earnest yet there is something prepared Let us believe that and our hearts cannot but bee warmed wee shall then bee fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Be we perswaded of that God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which you hâ—ve sheâ—ed to wards his name Heb. 6. 10. and then wee may triumphantly insult with Paul Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 38. There is this difference between natural sight and spirituall The one requires some nearnesse of the object the other perceives things at greatest distance As Faith makes future things present so it makes remote things near things prepared to affect as if they were enjoyed But what hath God prepared If I could answer this it might not onely â—atisfie but inâ—briate Such as eye hath not seene c. It seemes to bee a proverbial forme of speech whereby the rich plenty of the divine blessings and benefits which God intendeth to us in and by Christ according to the Gospel is shadowed forth The words are to see to as a riddle but here is one of a thousand an Interpreter at hand to unfold them I could say much to invite you but that the matter it selfe is as a Loadstone My testimony will adde little weight yet having some care committed to me by Mr. P. N. whom this businesse chiefly concerned I could doe no lesse then let you understand here is one rich piece of Spirituall Workmanship wrought by a Master-builder very usefull for the building up and beautifying of Gods Temples The blessing of God Almightie bee with it and upon the whole Israel of God So prayes L. SEAMAN A Table of the Contents of this Booke THe Coherence pag. 1 The best Ministers will not shun to bee tryed by the best judgements p. 3. The scope of the words and explication p. 5. The mystery of the Gospell hid from naturall men p. 6 The excellency of the Gospell declared by way of negation 7. What is meant by those things that eye hath not seene p. 11. Doct. God hath a company of beloved Children in the world that he meanes a speciall good unto p. 12. Doct. That God hath prepared great matters for them idem obj If these excellent things in the Gospell bee secret how come we to know them p. 14. Three degrees of revelation p. 18. The Gospell is hid without the Spirit discover the mind of God p. 21. Vse of instruction to shew there is no principle at all of the Gospell in nature 23 Why so many heresies have sprung out of the Gospell 24 2 Vse In Divine truths above nature wee are not too much to trust to Beason p. 26. 3 Vse How to study and read Divine truthes p. 28. Ths course that God takes to shew his children these mysteries p. 32 Supernaturall â—objects require Supernatur all senses p. 34 Knowledge joyned with feeling p. 37. Of spirituall sight p. 40 Nature cannot shew divine mysteries p. 41 Vse value things as they are in another world p. 42 It is the best wisdome to be wise to salvation p. 47 A ground of the Martyrs patience p. 50 A godly man suffers those things in his senses for those things that are above his senses p. 51 What Popery is 52 Merit hath no proportion with Glory 53 We cannot be too exact in holy duties 54 Wisedome of God hid from wise men 65 Wicked men talke of repentance but do not repent p. 61. A holy man feels sin heavy p 62. Carnall men have the light pag. 63. They know them but by a common light p. 64. What true riches and beauty is p. 69. Gods people have a tast of heaven before they come there p. 71. What peace in heaven is p. 72. How to come to know the things of heaven reason from the lesse to the greater p. 74. Ioyes of heaven are pure p. 76. Heaven on earth p. 77 Reasons why God hath prepared such great things
exquisite in this but what profite have they by it The poore soule that heares these things by the helpe of the Spirit hee can say these are mine as the man for whom the ground is measured As it is with those that come to a Feast the Physitian comes and sayes this is wholsome and good and this is good for this and that but eates nothing others that know not these things they eare the meate and are nourished in the meane time so when such men discourse of this and that a poore man that hath the Spirit he relisheth these things as his owne the other goes away onely discourseth as a Philosopher of the meate and eates nothing And therfore when you read heare these things content not your selves with the first degree of revelation no that is not enough when you have done that desire of God to joyne his Spirit to give you spirituall eyes and hearts that you may close with Divine truths and be divine as the truths are that there may bee a consent of the heart with the truth then the word of God will be sweet indeed Againe here we see this divine truth That a man when he hath the Spirit of God knowes things otherwise than hee did know them before though he did not know them by outward revelation of hearing and reading c. And hee believes them otherwise than he did before he sees them by a new light It is not the same knowledge that an unregenerate man hath with that he hath after when God workes upon his heart for then it is a divine supernatural knowledge And it is not the same faith and beliefe the Spirit of God raiseth a man up in a degree of creatures above other men as other men are above beasts hee gives new eyes new ears a new heart he moulds him anew every way Therefore you have good men somtimes wonder at themselves when God hath touched their hearts that they have had such shallow conceits of this and that truth before Now they see that they were in the darke that they were in a dampe before that they conceived things to be so and so and thought themselves some body but when God opens their eyes and takes away the skales and lets them see things in their proper light heavenly things by a heavenly light and with a heavenly eye they wonder at their former foolishnesse in divinity especially so farre as concernes the Gospell for there is more in the Scripture then pure supernaturall divinity there are many other arts in the Scripture The Gospell I say is a knowledge not of naturall men or great wits but of holy sanctified men Therefore we must not think that these things may be known by nature c. It is a sacred knowledge so much as will bring us to heaven it is a knowledge of holy men that have their hearts brought to love and tast and relish that they know Therefore it is no wonder though a company of men of great partes live naughtily they are no true divines because they have no true knowledge The divell is no divine nor a wicked man properly though hee can discourse of such things yet he is not properly a divine because he knowes not things by a divine light or heavenly things by a heavenly light The knowledge of the Gospell it is a knowledge of sanctified holy men but to come neerer to our practise If eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive those things that God hath prepared for his Then let us make this the rule of our esteeme of any thing that is good or any thing that is ill make it a rule of valuation The Apostle here you see hath a ranke of things above the sight of the eye or the hearing of the eare or the conceiving of the heart of man if there be such a ranke of things above this then the greatest ills are those that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man and indeed they are so Wee grieve at the Ague and at the Stone and the Goute they are grievous things indeed oh but what bee these things that wee feele and see to those in another world that wee cannot apprehend for the greatnesse of them The torments of hell wee cannot conceive and understand them here for it is indeed to bee in hell it selfe to conceive what hell is and therfore when God enlargeth mens spirits to see them they make away themselves And so for the greatest good these goods here this outward glory we can see through it Christ could see through all the glory in the world that the Divell shewed him And these are things that wee can heare of and here the utmost that can be spoken of them therefore surely they are not the greatest good there are more excellent things than they because the eye sees them the eare heares of them and the understanding can conceive of them but there be things that the eye hath not seene nor eare heard not the soule conceived and those bee the joyes of heaven And thereupon to descend to practise if this bee a rule to value things that the best things are transcendent beyond sence and comprehension then shall I for those things that I can see can heare and feele and understand shall I lose those excellent good things thaâ— neither eye hath seen nor eare heard c. Is not this desperate folly to venture the losse of the best things of the most transcendent things that are above the capacitie of the greatest reaches of the world shall I lose all for pettie poore things that are within my owne reach and compasse How foolish therefore are those that are given to pleasures they feele the pleasure indeed but the sting comes after They delight in those ill things that they can heare and heare al that can be spoken of them and never thinke of the excellent things that eye hath not seen nor eare heard c. Let this make us in love with divine truthes in the Scripture with the Gospel that part of the Scripture that promiseth salvation by Christ and all the graces and priviledges of Christianity they are above our reach Wee study other things we can reach them we can reach the mysteries of the Law by long study and the mysteries of physicke and to the mysteries of trades by understanding when men have done all they may be fooles in the maine Solomons fooles they may do al these things and be wise for particular things by particular reaches of that which eie hath seen and eare heard c. and then for the best things that are above the capacitie of men they may die empty of all and goe to the place oâ— the damned To bee wise to Salvation is the best wisdome What a pittifull case is this that God should give us our understandings
and the communion of the Saints and the change of nature is here in sanctification wee shall never know in heaven the fulfilling of it And those that have the first fruits here if they bee in a state of growth that they desire to grow better continually they shall no question come to the perfection for God will not lose his beginnings where hee gives earnest he will make up the bargaine Therefore let us all that know a little what these things are by the revelation of the Spirit let us be glad of our portion for God that hath begun hee will surely make an end The affection and bent and frame of soule due to these things is admiration and not only simple hearing If these things in their beginnings here be set out by words of admiration peace that passeth understanding and joy unspeakable and glorious what affection and frame of Spirit is sutable to the hearing of those things that are kept for us in another world If the light that wee are brought into here bee admirable great wee are brought out of darknesse into admirable wonderfull light If the light of grace bee so wonderfull to a man that comes out of the state of Nature as it is indeed a man comes out of a dampe into a wonderfull cleare light what then is the light of glory Therefore let us often think of it Those that are borne in a prison they heare great talke of the light and of the Sunne of such a glorious Creature but being borne in prison they know not what it is in it selfe so those that are in the prison of Nature they know not what the light of grace is they heare talke of glorious things and have conceits of them And those that here know not the glory that shall bee after when they are revealed that affection that is due to them is admiration and wonderment So God loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne and behold what love the Father hath shewed to us that wee should bee called the sonnes of God! what love he could not tell what it is so admirable and to know the love of God that is above all knowledge Who can comprehend the love of God that gave his sonne who can comprehend the excellency of Christs gift the joyes of heaven by Christ and the misery of hell from which wee are delivered and redeemed by Christ These things come from the Gospell and the spring from whence they come is the large and infinite and incomprehensible love of God And if it bee so what affection is answerable but admiration Behold what love If God have so loved flesh and blood poore dust ashes so as to be heires of heaven and of such glory as eye seesnot nor cannot in this world nor eare heares not nor hath entred into the heart of man till we come fully to possesse them let us labour to admire the love of God herein And labour to know more and more our inheritance as we grow in yeares as children doe they search into the great matters their parents leave them and the nearer they come to enjoy them the more skill they have to talke of them so should wee the more wee grow in Christianity and in knowledge the more we should bee inquisitive after those great things that our father hath provided in another world but to goe on How shall we know whether these things be prepared for us or no whether wee bee capable of these things or no God hath prepared them and he hath prepared them for those that love him but how shall wee know that God hath prepared them for us In a word whom God hath prepared great matters for hee prepares them for great matters we may know by Gods preparing of us whether he hath prepared for us God prepared Paradise before Adam was created so God prepares paradise he prepares heaven before wee come there and wee may know that wee shall come to possesse that if we be prepared for it What preparation If we be prepared by a spirit of sanctification and have holy desires and longing after those excellent things for certainly there is preparation on both sides It is prepared for us and us for it it is kept for us and wee are kept for it whom God keepes heaven for he keeps them for heaven in a course of pietie and obedience We may know it by Gods preparing of us by loosing us from the world and sanctifying us to himselfe Thus a man may know whether those great things bee prepared for him or no. But the especiall thing to know whether they be provided for us or no is love God hath prepared them for them that love him not for his enemies hee hath prepared another place and other things for them those torments that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man for those that are his enemies that would not come under his government but these things are prepared for those that love him For those that love him especially that love is all in all in the disposition of a holy man all graces are one in the spring which is love they are severall in the branches but they are one in the root Thus you have heard the use we are to make of this that there is a reservation of a glorious condition for the people of GOD so great that neither eye hath seene c. But who bee the parties that God hath prepared these things for For them that love him This is the fourth part the disposition of the parties for whom for them that love him Why not for those that God hath elected Why doth he not goe to the root of all the great things that God hath prepared for those that he hath chosen to salvation No that is out of our reach hee would not have us goe to heaven but rather goe to our owne hearts wee must search fâ—r our election not above our selves but within our selves Why doth he not say to them that believe in hâ—m Because Faith is the radical grace from whence the rest spring But faith is a hidden grace many times and the Apostles scope is to poynt to such a disposition that every one may know that is more familiar Somtimes faith is hidden in the root and it is shewed in the effect more thâ—n in it selfe in Love A poore Christian that is in the state of grace that sayth Oh! I cannot bâ—lieve aske him if hee love God Oh yes he loves the preaching of the word hee loves good people and good bookes and the like when hee cannot discover his faith hee can his love therefore the holy Ghost sets it out by the more familiar disposition by love rather than faith Why doth hee not say For those that God loves Gods love is the cause of our love Because Gods love is manifested more familiarly by our love to him for that
When thou findest the love of God in thy heart that thy heart is taught by his Spirit to love him then surely thou mayst say Oh blessed be God that hath kindled this holy fire in my heart Now I know that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entâ—ed into the heart of man those excellent things that are layd up for me The end of the second Sermon HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL The third Sermon 1. COR. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene c. SAINT Paul as we heard before gives a reason in these words why the princes of this world not onely the great men that oft-times are not the greatest Clerkes but the learned men of the world Princes for knowledge why they were ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospell Now the fourth is the disposition of those for whom he doth all this the qualitie hee infuseth into them they are such as love him 1. He hath prepared them before all eternitie he prepared happinesse for us before we were nay before the world was As hee prepared for Adam a Paradise before he was hee created him and then brought him into Paradise so hee prepared for us a kingdome with himsâ—lfe in heaven a blessed estate before wee were i. e. in election before the heavens were And then in creation hee prepapared the blessed place of the happy soules of happy persons hereafter where he himselfe is he prepared it for himselfe and for all those that he meanes to set his love upon from the beginning to the end And then secondly hee prepared them more effectually in time he prepared these things when Christ came in the flesh and wrought all things for us in whom we have all Of these things thus prepared he sayth Eye hath not seene nor eare heard them c. In what sence it is meant wee heard before Now take the whole of the matter the meaning is the matters of grace the kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of Glory they are but one For to adde this by the way the kingdome of heaven in the Gospell includes three thing First the doctrine of the Gospell the publishing of it And then secondly grace by that doctrine And thirdly glory upon grace the consummation of all So the mysteries of salvation is first the doctrine it selfe that is the first degree of the kingdome The doctrine it selfe is a mysterie to all those that never heard of it for what creature could ever conceive how to reconcile Iustiee and Mercie by devising such a way as for God to become Man to reconcile God and man together that Emmanuel hee that is God with us should make God and us one in love this could bee no more thought of than Adam could thinke of himselfe to bee made a man when hee was dust of the earth Could man when he was worse then dust in a lost damned estate think of redemption It is impossible for a man that cannot tell the forme and the quintessence that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers or the grasse that hee tramples on with his feet that hee should have the wit to enter into the deepe things of God that have been concealed even from the Angels themselves till God discover them I adde this to illustrate what I sayd before therefore the doctrine it selfe till God discover it out of his owne breast was concealed to the Angels themselves and since the discovery they are students in it and looke and pry into it But where the doctrine is no mysterie but is discovered there the application and spirituall understanding to those that have not the light of the Spirit is such a thing as eye hath not seene nor eare heard and therfore we must have a new light a new eye a new eare and a new heart before wee can apprehend the Gospell though we understand it for the literall truth As for the things of glory wee have no conceit of them fully but by a glimpse and weak apprehension as a childe conceives of the things of a man by some poore weake resemblances As St. Paul sayth When I was a childe I spake as a childe I thought as a childe so when we are now children in comparison of that perfect estate wee shall attaine in heaven we think and speake as children of these holy and heavenly things that shall be accomplished in another world And observe this too that when wee would understand any thing of heaven and see any thing say This is not that happinesse I look for I can see this but that is not to be seene And when we heare of any thing that is excellent I can heare this it is not my happinesse and when we comprehend any thing I can comprehend this therefore it is not the happinesse I looke for but those things that are above my comprehension that are unutterable and unexpressible Moreover Let us bee stirred up to thinke it a base thing for a Christian to lose the comfort and assurance hee hath of these thing that eye hath not seene nor eare heard for any earthly thing whatsoever Wee account it a poore thing of Esau to sell his Birth-right for a messe of pottage And we all smart for Adams ill bargaine that hee made to sell paradise for an Apple And it was a cursed sale that Iudas made that sold Christ himselfe for 30 pieces of silver surely it is that that every carnall man doth and howsoever wee cannot lose heaven yet it should be our indeavour to enjoy heaven upon earth to enjoy the assurance of this condition When we doe any thing to weaken our assurance and to weaken our comfort what do we but with Adam lose heaven for an Apple and with Esau part with our birth-right as much as the assurance and comfort of it is for a messe of pottage Therefore let us account it a base thing to bee overmuch in love with any earthly thing whereby we may weaken though wee could lose the comfort and assurance of this happy condition which is so transcendent All wicked men and indeed all men whether good or bad as farre as they fall into sinne are fooles the Scripture termes them so There is none wise indeed but the true Christian and that Christian that preserves the sence and feeling and assurance of his happy condition For those that love him The disposition of the parties is they are such as love God He sayth not such as are elected because that is a thing out of our reach to know but by going upward by going backward to goe from our grace to our calling from thence to election Nor such as believe because that is lesse discernable than love Nor the love of God to us for that is supposed when wee love him our hearts being cold they cannot be warme in love to him but his love must warme them first Love is such an affection as commands all other things therefore hee names that above all
the ground the first borne affection of the soule Therefore Christ sayth it is the great commandement to love God it is the great commanding commandement that commands all other duties whatsoever it is the first wheele that turnes the whole soule about Againe it is such an affection as cannot bee dissembled a man may paint fire but hee cannot paint heat a man may dissemble actions in religion but he cannot affections love is the very best affection of truth a man may counterterfeit actions but there is none that can love but the childe of God God hath prepared these things for those that love him Then againe without this all that we doe is nothing and wee are nothing wee are nothing but an emptie Cymball whatsoever we doe is nothing all is emptie without love My sonne give me thy heart that is if thou wilt give mee any thing give mee thy affections or else they are still-borne actions that have no life in them If wee doe any thing to God and doe it not in love hee regards it not that is the reason why hee mentions love in stead of all It is so sweet an affection and so easie what is more easie than to love It is comfortable to us to consider that God hath made this a qualification of those that hee brings to heaven they are such as love him But why doth he set down any qualification at all and not say for Christians Because profession must have expression when God sets down a professor of religion hee sets him downe by some character that shall discover him to be as hee is termed How doest thoâ— know thou art good Doest thou love God or call upon God as it is in other places To all those that call upon his name To let us know that religion and holinesse is a matter of power Wouldst thou know what thou art in religion Doest thou love God or call upon God It is not to be tolerated to be Christians to professe as Demas oh no but they must bee such as from the heart root are good such as love God Therefore darke disputes of election predestination at the first especially let them go how standest thou affected to God and to good things look to thy heart whether God have taught it to love or no and to relish heavenly things if he hath thy state is good and then thou mayest ascend to those great matters of predestination and election but begin not with those but goe first to thine owne heart and then to those deep mysteries afterward If a man love God hee may looke back to election and forward to glorification to the things that eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. But see first what God hath wrought in thy heart what affection to heavenly things thence from thy affections to goe backward to election and forward to glorification there is no danger in it To come therfore to expresse more particularly this affection of love which is the disposition that God requires and workes in all those that hee intends heaven to Let us search into the nature of this love to God What it is to love we need not bee taught for all men know it well enough it is better knowne indeed by the affection than by discourse what it is to love is knowne by those that love better than by any books or treatises whatsoever for it is the affection that is in all men Naturall love it is in those that have no grace at all and civill love in those that are evill men They know what it is to love by reason of that wilde fire that carnall love that is in them that transports them A man may see the nature of it in those as well as in any for set aside the extravagant nature of it in such kinde of persons we may see the nature of it therefore I wil not meddle with that poynt it is needlesse I come therefore to this love of God to shew how this streame of affection shold be caried in the right chanel to God the right object of it who onely can make us happy by loving of him Other things by loving of them they make us worse if they bee worse than our selves for such as we love such we are Indeed our understandings make us not good or ill but our love doth By loving God heavenly things wee become good our affections shew what we are in religion There bee foure things in this sweet affection in true naturall love There is an estimation valuing of some good thing especially when the love is to a better when it is not between equals Now there is a great distance betweene God and us There is a high esteeme in common love love will not stoope to nothing there cannot be love maintained but upon sight of a supposed excellencie love will not stoope but where it sees somewhat worth the valuing therefore there is a high esteeme of somewhat as the spring of it And that is the reason that wee say a man cannot bee wise and love in earthly things because love will make a man too much to value those things that hee that apprehends better would not In the second place there is a desire to be joyned to it that we cal the desire of union In the third place upon union and joyning to it there is a resting a complacencie and contentment in the thing to which wee are united for what is happinesse it selfe but fully to enjoy what we love when we love upon judgement and a right esteeme to enjoy that is happinesse and contentment indeed In the fourth place where this true affection is there is a desire of contentment to the party loved to please him to approve our selves to him to displease him in nothing Every one knowes that these things are in that affection by nature Look to carnal self-love a man may know what it is to love the affection is all one in both Take a man when hee makes himselfe his Idoll as till a man love God hee loves himselfe above all hee is the Idoll and the Idolater hee hath a high esteeme of himselfe and those that doe not highly esteeme him hee swels against them Againe selfe-love makes a man desire to enjoy himselfe and to enjoy his content to procure all things that may serve for his contentment Now when the Spirit of God hath purged our hearts of this carnall Idolatry of selfe-love and selfe-seeking and sufficiencie contentment in himselfe then a man puts God in stead of himselfe grace and the Spirit doth so and in stead of highly esteeming of himselfe hee esteemes highly of GOD and of CHRIST and religion then in stead of placing a sufficiencie in himselfe and the things of this life and resting in them there is a placing of sufficiencie in GOD All-sufficient And in stead of seeking his owne will and content in all things Mens mihi pro regno My minde
in the Word and Sacrament c. If a man desire strangenesse that he cares not how seldome hee receive the Sacrament or come into Gods presence is here love how can love and strangenesse stand together thou art a strange person from God and the things of God thou hast no joy in his presence where thou mayest enjoy his presence here in holy things in this world if thou delight not in his presence and in union with him how canst thou say thou lovest him Can a man say he loves him whose company hee cares not for Thou carest not for Gods company thou mayest meete him in the Word and Sacraments and in good company Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the middest Doest thou pretend thou lovest GOD if thou carest not for these thou hast no fellowship in this businesse all that rellish not heavenly things they doe not love Now to try whether we have this branch of love that is a desire of union Where therefore there is a desire of union with the partie loved of uniting to that person for we speake of persons there wil bee a desire of communion a desire of Vnion will breed a desire of Communion that is there will be a course taken to open our mindes if we have a desire of communion with GOD wee will open our soules often to him in prayer and we will desire that hee will open himselfe in speaking to our hearts by his Spirit And wee will desire that he will open his minde to us in his Word wee will bee carefull to heare his Word and so maintain that sweet and heavenly Commerce betweene him and our soules by this entercourse of hearing him and speaking to him Where two or three are gathered together I will bee in the midst Therefore thâ—se that make no conscience either of hearing the word or of prayer publicke and private aâ—d of using the glorious libertie wee have in Christ of free accesse to the Throne of Grace that doe not use this prerogative and priviledge to cherish that union and communion they may have with God they love not God and Christ Strangenesse is opposite to love and it dissolves and disunites affections therefore when wee are strange to God that we can goe from one end of the weeke to the other and from the beginning of the day to the end of it not be acquainted with God and not open our soules to him it is a signe wee have no love because there is no desire of union and communion with him Againe where wee love we consult and advise and rest in that advice as comming from a loving person especially if he bee as wise as loving so in all our consultations wee will goe to God and take his counsell and when wee have it wee will account it the counsell of one that is wise and loving Those therefore that trust to their owne wits to policie and such like what doe they speake of love when they make not use of that Covenant that is betweene God and them they consult not with him they make not his word the man of their counsell they goe not to him by prayer for advice they commit not their wayes to him as the Psalmist speaketh And this distinguisheth a good Christian from another man A good Christian hee is such a one as acquaints himselfe with his God and wil not loose that entercourse hee hath with God for all the world As Daniel hee would not but pray they could not get him from it with the hazard of his life Againe where this desire of union and joyning is there is a desire even of death it selfe that there may be a fuller union and a desire of the consummation of all things Therefore so farre as wee are afraid of death and tremble at it so farre we want love When the contract is once made betweene Christ and the soule of a Christian for him to feare the making up of the mariage when wee are now absent from the Lord to feare the sweet eternal communion wee shall have in heaven where we shall have all things in greater excellencie and abundance it is from want of faith and love Therefore we should bee ashamed of our selves when wee finde such thoughts rising in our hearts as they will naturally to bee basely and distrustfully afrayd of death Saint Paul sayth I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ that is good nay it is much better for mee nay it is best of all to bee with Christ therefore you see it stirred up his desire I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Come Lord Iesus come quickly sayth the Church Revel 22. and the spirit in the Spouse stirres up this desire likewise Come the Spirit and the Spouse say Come And wee should rejoyce to thinke there are happier times to come wherein there will bee an eternall meeting together that nothing shall dissolve as the Apostle sayth 1 Thessal 4. 17. when wee shall bee for ever with the LORD Oh! those times cheare up the heart of a Christian before hand Now where these things possesse not the soule how can wee say that wee love God In Cant. 1. the Church beginnes Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth shee desires a familiar communion with Christ in his word and ordinances Let him kisse me c. Let him speake by his Spirit to my heart In this world Christ kisseth his Church with the kisses of his mouth But in the latter end of the Canticles Make haste my beloved she desires his second coming thinks it not enough to have the kisses of his mouth Make haste my beloved and bee as the young Roes upon the mountaines of Spices that is come hastily from heaven the mountaine of Spices and let us meet together my beloved These things be somwhat strange to our carnall dispositions but if wee hope ever to attaine to the comfort of what I say wee must labour that our hearts may bee brought to this excellent condition to desire the presence of Christ that is the second propertie of love The third is to rest pleased and contented in the thing when wee are joyned with it so farre as wee are joyned with it to place our contentment in it and it is in the nature of that affection to place contentment in the thing wee desire to have whenwe have it once Now wee may know this our contentment whether wee rest in GOD or no by the in ward quiet and peace of the soule in all conditions when whatsoever our condition be in this world yet wee know wee have the light of GODS countenance and can rest and bee content in it more than worldly men in their corne and wine and oyle as David sayth Psalm 4. I rejoyce more in the light of thy countenance than when they have their corne and wine and oyle When wee can joy and solace
passion out of nature and passion out of nature and elevates and rayseth that which is naturally good the affection of love to be a grace of love hee rayseth it up to love GOD which nature cannot discover by spiritualizing of it hee makes it the most excellent grace of all So that while I speake of the love of God thinke not that I speake of the meet affâ—ction but of the affection that hath a stamp of grace upon it for affections are graces when they are saâ—ctified And indeed all graces set illuâ—ination a side which is in the understanding spring from this What is true grace but joy and love and delight in the best things and all others spring from love What doe wee hate but what is opposite to that we love and when are we angry but when that we love is opposed and wronged Then there is a hoâ—y zeale so that indeed all grace is in the affâ—ctions and all affections are in this one primitive affection this first borne and bred affection love I speake of it then as a speciall grace Now the way of discerning of it wee heard partly before The way to discerne of this sanctified affection this grace is to know what wee esteeme for love it is from an estimation And likewise in the second place esteeme breeds a desire of union And desire of union breeds content in the thing when wee have it And contentment in the person breeds desire of contenting backe againe These things I stood on and will not presse further Let us examine and trie our selves oft by our affections how they stand biassed and poynted whether to God and heaven whether to God and heaven ward or to the world for we are as we love For what wee love we as it were marry and if wee joyne our love to baser things we marry baser things and so debase our selves if wee joyne in our affections to things above our selves to God and spirituall things we become spirituall as they are So that a man stands in the World betweene two goods somewhat that is better then himselfe and something that is meaner and thereafter as hee joynes in his affections thereafter hee is for the affection of love to God and to the best things makes him exellent and his affection to baser things make him base Let a man be never so great in the World if his affections to base he is a base person therefore wee have the more need â—o trie our affections But to answere some cases breifly It will be objected may we not love any thing but God and holy things may we not love the Creatures because it is here specified as a note of those that these things are prepared for those that love God Yes we may love them as we see somewhat of God in them as every creature hath somewhat of GOD in them whereupon GOD hath the style of every creature that hath good in it Hee is called a Fountaine a Rocke a Shield every thing that is good to shew that the Creatures every one hath somewhat of GOD hee would not have taken the style of the Creature else We may love the Creature as it hath somewhat of GOD in it a being or comfortable being or somewhat and as it conveyes the love of God to us and leads us back againe to God There is no Creature but it conveyâ—s some love and beames excellency of God to us in some kinde and leads us to God so we may love other things We may love men and love GOD in them and love them for God to bring them to God to leave a holy impression in them to bee like God there is no question of this but the love of God that is the spring of all But it will bee sayd by some weake conscience how shall I know I love God when I love the world and worldly things I love my children and other things perhaps that are not ill I feare I love them more then God We must know for this that when two streames run in one channell they runne stronger then one streame when a man loves other good things nature goes with grace so nature going with grace the streame is strong but when a man loves God and Christ and heavenly things there is grace only nature yeilds nothing to that When a man loves his children or his intimate friends c. Nature going with grace it is no wonder if the streame bee stronger when two streames runne in one So corruption in ill actions oft times carry the affections strong As in many of our loves there is somewhat naturall that is good yet there is some corruption as to love a man for ill here nature and corruption is strong but in supernaturall things grace goes alone Then againe we must not judge by an indeliberate passion by what our affection is carried suddenly and indeliberately to for so wee may joy more in a sudden thing then in the best things of all as in the sight of a friend there may bee a sudden affection but the love of GOD it is a constant streame it is not a Torrent but a Current that runnes all our life-time therefore those affections to GOD and heavenly things in a Christian they are perpetuall they make no great noyse perhaps but they are perpetuall in the hearâ— of a Christian a sudden Torrent and passion â—nay transport a man but yet he may have a holy and heavenly heart I speake this for comfort I but my love to God is faint and little Well but it is a heavenly sparke and hath divinity in it it is from Heaven and is growing and vigorous and efficacious and a little heavenly love will wast all carnall love at length it is of so vigorous and constant a nature It is fed still by the spirit and a little that is fedde and maintained that is growing that hath a blessing in it as the love of God in the hearts of his hath for God continually cherrisheth his owne beginning that little shall never be quenched but shall overgrow nature at length and eate out corruption and all contrary love whatsoever Though for the present wee see corruption over-power and oppresse grace yet the love of God being a divine sparke and therefore being more powerfull though it bee little then the contrary it hath a blessing in it to grow till at length it consume all For love is like fire as in other properties so in this it wasts and consumes the contrary and rayseth up to Heaven and quickens and enlivens the persons as fire doth and it makes lightsome dead bodies it transformes them all into fire like it selfe So the love of God by little and little transformes us all to bee fiery it transformes us to be lovers These cases needed a little touching to satisfie some that are good and growing christians and must have some satisfaction But it may bee asked againe as indeed wee see it is true what
is the reason that sometime meaner Christians have more loving soules then great Schollers men of great parts one would thinke that knowledge should increase love and affection So it doth if it be a cleare knowledge but great wits and pates and great Schollers busie themselves about questions and intricacies and so they are not so much about the affections A poore Christian oft times takes those things for granted that they study and dispute and canvasse and question there is a heavenly light in his soule that God is my Father in Christ and Christ God and man is my Mediator hee takes it for granted and so his affections are not troubled whereas the other having corruption answerable to his parts great wit and great corruption he is tangled with doubts and arguments he studies to informe his brayne the other to be heated in his affections A poore Christian cares not for cold nicities that heate not the heart and affections he takes these for granted if they be propounded in the Scripture instead of disputing hâ—e beleives and loves and obeys and that is the reason that many a poâ—re soule goes to Heaven with a great deale of joy when others are tangled and wrapped in their owne doubts so much for satisfying of these things To goe on therefore to give a few directions how to have this heavenly fire kindled in us to love God considering such great things are provided for those that love God It is a matter of consequence as we desire Heaven we must desire this holy fire to bee kindled in us Let us know for a ground as it were that it is our duty to aime at the highest pitch of love that wee can and not to rest in the lowest The lowest pitch of loving GOD is to love GOD because he is good to us that is good the Scriptures stoupes so low as to allow that God would have us love him and holy things for the benefit wee have by them but that is mercinarie if we rest there but God stoupes to allure us by promises and favours though wee must not rest there But we must love God not for our selves but labour to rise to this pitch to love our selves in God and to see that we have happinesse in God and not in our selves our being is in him we must love our selves in him and be content to be lost in God that is so to love God that if he should cast us away his kindnesse is better then life doe others what they will we will love him and our selves for his excellencies and because we see our selves in him and are his children we must labour to rise to that and that is the highest pitch that we can attaine to we must know that for a ground And know this for another that when we speake of the love of God we speake of love incorporate into our conversations and actions not of an abstracted love and affection but of love in our places and callings and standings love invested into action Therefore the Scripture sayth wee must love God with all our minde with all our heart with all our power and strength that is in our particular places To make it cleare When we speake of love to God we speake of love to him in our particular callings He loves God that is a Magistraâ—e and executes justicâ— for Gods Sake and he that is a Minister and teacheth the people conscionably for Gods Sake and shewes them the way to Heaven He loves God as a man in the common Wealth a states man c. That in that place seekes the glory of GOD and the good of the Church and Religion Shall men talke of love to GOD and their affections are stirred up I know not whereabout No it is an affection that is discovered in actions How can wee love God with all our might except as farre as our might extends our love extends How farre doth thy activitie thy power thy sphere that thou canst doe any thing stretch so farre must thy love and thou must shew thy love in all the powers and abilities that God hath furnished thee with For a man that hath great place and opportunity to doe good and to thinke it enough onely to love God in his Closet c. This is not the love wee speake of A man must love God with all his might as hee stands invested in relation this way or that way The love of God in a private man will not serve for a Magistrate or a publik man hee must shew hi love in his place by standing in the gappe to hinder all the ill and to doe all the good hee can every man must doe so but such a one more especially because God hath truâ—â—ed him with more Well these things premised to come to some directions how to come to love God First of all the way to love God is to have a heavenly light to discover what wee are in our selves and our emptinesse for being as we are we can never love God till wee see in what need wee stand of his favour and grace that wee are damned Creatures else Now when we come to have our eyes opened to see our sinfulnesse and emptinesse we will make out to God and make out to his mercy in CHRIST above all things Indeed the first love is the love of dependance before we come to a love of friendship and complacency with God a love to goe out to him and to depend upon him for mercy and grace and all A love that riseth from the sense of our misery and goes to him for supply There is a sweet concurrence of misery and mercie of emptinesse and fulnesse of beggery and riches Now when wee see our owne misery and beggery and sinfulnesse and then a fulnesse in God to supply of riches to enrich us every way then this breeds a love this is the way to all other loves that follow And where this is not premised and goes before a man will never delight in God In Luke 7. That good woman she loved much why much was forgiven her many sinnes were forgiven her So when the soule shall see what need it hath of forgiving mercy of pardoning mercy and how many great debts GOD hath forgiven us in CHRIST there will bee a great deal of love because there is a great deal forgiven And we must begin indeed with seeing the infinite mercy of GOD before any other attribute of God and then we shall love him after This is the first thing There is no soule that ever loves God so as the poore soule that hath been abased with the sense of sinne and its emptinesse â—â—at it is empty of all goodnesse and then sees a supply in the mercy of GOD in Christ those soules love GOD above all Another way to love God is to consider of his wonderfull goodnesse to meditate and thinke of it he is good and doth good it is a Communicative goodnesse Let us thinke of
thing in the World and who deserves it better then God and Christ we can never returne any thing but this affection of love wee may againe And can wee place it better then upon devine things whereby we are made better our selves doth God require our affections for himselfe No it is to make us happy It advanceth our affection to love him it is the turning of it into the right streame It is the making of us happy that God requires it For consider all things that may deserve this affection It will keepe us from all sin what is any sin but the abuse of love for the crookednesse of this affection turnes us to present things that is the cause of all sinne For what is all sin but pleasure and honours and profits the 3. Idolls of the World all sin is about them And what are all good actions but love well placeâ— the well ordering of this affection is the well ordering of our lives and the misplacing of this affection is the cause of all sinne And to make us the more carefull this way consider that when wee place our affections upon any thing else consider the vanity of it we loose our love and the thing and our selves For whatsoever else wee love if we love not God in it and love it for God it will perish and come to nothing ere long The affection perisheth with the thing we loose our affections and the thing and loose our selves too misplaceing of it These are forcible considerations with understanding persons And if we would use our understanding and consideration and meditation and our soules as wee should to consider of the grounds and incouragments we have to love God and the best things whereby we may be dignified above our selves it would not be as it is we should not bee so devoyd of grace and comfort It was a miracle that the 3. yong men should bee in the middest of the furnace and bee there as if they were in another place no hotter And it is a miracle that men should be in the middest of all incouragements that we have to love God as there is not the like reasons for any thing in the World to keepe our soules in a perpetuall heat of affection to love God no motives or arguments or incentives all are nothing to the multitude of arguments we have to inflame our affections and yet to be cold in the middest of the fire it is a kind of a miracle to have darke understandings and dead affections that notwithstanding all the heavenly meanes we have to keepe a perpetuall flame of love to God yet to be cold and darke in our soules let us bewayle it and be ashamed of it What doe we professe our selves Christians heires of Heaven so beloved of God as that he gave his owne Sonne to deliver us being rebells and enemies in so cursed a state as we are all in by nature poore Creatures inferiour to the Angells that fell that he should love man sinfull dust and ashes so much as to give his owne Son to free us from so great misery and to advance us to so great happinesse to set us in heavenly places with Christ and to have perpetuall communion with him in Heaven to have such incouragements and to be cold and dead hearâ—ed nay wilfully opposite in our affections to bee enemies to the goodnesse of God and grace having such arguments to love God And yet how many spirits edged by the Divell oppose all that is good and will not give way to Gods Spirit God would have them Temples they will be styes God would marry them nay they will be harlots GOD would have them happy here and here after no they will not they will have their owne lusts and affections Let us bee affrayd of these things as we love our owne soules and ourselvâ—s and consider what incouragments wee have to love God for which such great things are reserved as neyther Eye hath seen nor Eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Aug. 1638. The coherence The best Ministers will not shun to be tried by the best judgments Scope of the words and explication The mysteries of the Gospell hidden from naturall men Isai. 64. 4 The way to set forth divine things 1. Pet. 1. What is meant by those things the eye hath not seen Dâ—â—trines A question God reveals secret things that are excellent to his children Three degrees of revelation Vers. 11. The Gospell is hid without the Spirit to discover the minde of God 1 Iohn 3. 2. 1. Vse Instruction Why so many heresies touching the Gospel 2. Instruction In dâ—vine truths above nature wee are not to trust to reason too much An use of direction How to study and read divine truths GODS course with his children to shew them these mysteries Supernaturall objects require supernatural senses Simile Of knowledge joyned with feeling 1 Cor. â— 14. 15. Concerning spirituall sight It is not in nature to shew us these divine mysteries Another use of Inâ—struction A rule to value things by Iâ— is the best wisedome to be wise to salvation Augustine Value the Scriptures Ground of the Martyrs patience A godly man suffers these things in his senses for those that are above his senses Rom. 8. What Popery is Isai. 64. Merit hath no proportion with glory We cannot be too exact in holy duties The scopâ— coherence division more cleared The wisedom of God hâ—d from wise men 1 Point Observation Naturall wits conceive not the Gospel Wicked men talk of repentance but do not rerepent A holy man feeles sin heavy Carnall men hate the light They know them but by a common light An objection answered for explicatioÌ„ 1. Answ. Ephes 3. By way of negation By way of eminence What tho we should have of the world What true râ—ches are What true beautie is Gods children have a taste of heaven before they come there What peace in heaven is Heaven on earth 1 Ioh. 3. Reasons 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason If wee would see God as he is we must die Use. I. The meditation of the life hereafter steeres a Christians life here 2 Vse 3 Vse Ephes. 1. 1 Pet. 1. Every petty crosse will not cast downe a believer 4 Vse Hee comforts himselfe with his hopes of heaven against the slightings of the world Envie not wicked men but pitty them joy unspeâ— 1 Ioh. 3. To be called a son of God is to be so Vse Why men are drowned in the world How to get the conquest of any temptation The fourth particular Some questions answered for explication 2 Quest. Answ. Fâ—ith a hidden grace Quest. Answ. 4 Quest. Answ. For whom these are prepared Observ. Râ—asons No gettâ—ng to heaven without change of our natures A carnall man-wants eyes to see heaven Vse Take heed of vaine hope Gâ—eatnesse nor honoâ—s can pacifie conscience 2 Vse Look within thee for the evidences Looke to thy affections A briefe recapitulation of some former things with addition God prepared happinesse for us before all eternitie It is a base thing to be too much in love with any earthly thing Try thy selfe by thy love Wee may know heaven to bee ours by the disposition of our hearts 1 Pet. 1. God hath not ordained heaven for his enemies Observ. Merit confuted Love a commanding affection Our actions are but still-born withâ—out affections When a man puts God in stead of himselfe There must be an esteeme of God and Christ. Psal 73. Heb. 11. Ioh. 6. Psal. 27. If we esteeme God wee shall part with any thing besides 2 Where there is true love there is a desire of union Strangenesse is opposite to lovâ— Psal. â—7 Where thiâ— uâ—ion is there is a desire of death it selfe Revel 22. 1 Thess. 4. 17. Cant. 1. Desire the presence of Christ. Psal. 4. Rom. 5. God can fill our soules Psal. 18. Psal. 90. Augustine Seâ— what God loves delight in that and provide it for him Isai. 65. Loveâ— will purge your heart Love from faith woundeth the breast of Christ. If we love God wee shall love whatever is divine or toucheth on God Love to God studies how to please God Studie in thy place how to put forth the best of â—hy indevours to please God 〈◊〉 1. Psal. 34.