a supernaturall or a spirituall grace infused to teach vs that it is not naturally or habitually bred in vs for we are by nature as Adam was before the promise runne-awayes from God neither desiring to see him nor to heare him till the holy Ghost worke this loue in vs by his inspiration Secondly I say it is onely in the hearts of the faithfull for it is limited and restrained to them as to its proper subiect no wicked man partaking with them in that worke for hee that loues God must transcend nature and haue iustifying faith Hee onely loues God that keepes his Commandements and hee onely keepes Gods Commandements whose heart is enriched with a true faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God Hereby we may note the falsehood of the doctrine of the Church of Rome First for that they teach That before iustification there must be a disposition and aptitude in a man thereunto standing in the feare of hell and loue of God By this doctrine the loue of God in our hearts should goe before iustification whereas indeede it is a fruit and effect of it And if the loue of God were in the heart of any man before he be iustified it would follow that a man may be truely sanctified before â—e be iustified seeing where the loue of God is there is sanctification Secondly they teach that faith apprehendeth Christ by loue and not by it selfe which is false for loue by order of nature and time followeth faith which apprehendeth Christ there â—e is not apprehended by loue for â—irst wee beleeue and being knit vnto Christ by faith then our hearts are knit vnto God by loue Thirdly I say it proceedes from Gods loue toward vs. Zanchius calls it radius amoris Dei erga nos in Deum reflesux a beame of Gods loue toward vs reflected backe to him againe Gods loue like a loade-stone drawes our hearts to loue him Thou thy selfe who now loues the LORD before the manifestation of Gods loue to thee in thy conuersion didst not loue him thy heart went a whoring from God thou preferredst euery creature yea the satisfying of thine own lust before him It is thought comâ—monly among men an easie matter to loue God euery man abhors to be counted such a monster as not to loue God but they are much deceiued no man can loue God but hee that is beloued of him with a sauing loue Amor Dei animae parit amorem Gods eternall loue of vs begets in our soules a loue of him he is the Ocean of Diuine loue from whence we deriue and into which wee returne the streames of our loue Fourthly I say we must know God before we can loue him Quod latet ignotuÌ„ est ignoti nulla cupido Things vnknowne are vnaffected and loue is according to a mans acquaintance a man cannot loue God before he know what God is and that he is good and worthy to be beloued and such as is our knowledge such is our loue our knowledge of him in this world is not so perfect as it shall be in the world to come no more is our loue on earth so perfect as it shall be in the heauens And this is the reason why wicked men loue not God because they know him not did we but know God in his excellent goodnesse wee would be rauished with desire to loue him but the mistes of worldly vapours doe so interpose themselues that they darken our eyes and ouer-cloude this Sunne of righteousnesse that we see not we think not of his glory we desire not to know the perfection of his Maiesty Things vnknown are not beloued loue neuer shoots at a blind marke Let vs first labour rightly to know God theÌ„ shal we be sure truly to loue God Fiftly if we loue God truly I say then wee loue him with all our might and with all our soule Herein are contained these two properties of hoâ—y loue vnity and constancy we must loue God summo cum afâ—fâ—ctu wiâ—h the chiefest of our affections and strength Here is the vnitie of our loue we must not be diuided betweene God and the world we must not part stakes betweene Christ and Belial God is a iealous God and will admit no riuall wee must loue God principally and chiefly hee must haue our hearts other things which are good wee may loue in a lower degree but for Gods sake still reseruing the principall to God for he that loues not his Father Mother Wife and Children sinnes but he that loues them in summo gradu more then God is not worthy of God Non amat Christumâ— qui aliquid magis quam Christum amat He loues not Christ that loues any thing more then Christ. With the vnity in these words is contained the constancy we must loue him with all our strength euen for euer if we cease from louing God wee did neuer loue God truely if our loue slake by Apostacye then know it was but in hypocrisie Sixtly I said true loue loues God for himselfe for a mercenary loue is base when a man loues God onely for his gifts Thus Saul loued God but not for himselfe but for the continuance of his Kingdome Thus many wicked men seeme to loue God not for himselfe but for his benefits It was obiected by Sathan against Iob but falsely that he serued God for his riches But Iob manifested himselfe to be a true louer of God for then when he was depriued of all earthly comforts which God had giuen him yet did the loue of God continue in him The woman that loueth her husband onely because he is rich loueth not him but his riches The worldling who with the carnall Israelite doth loue God for his abundance of Corne Wine Oyle and the rest of those good things which hee bestowes on men he loues the gift more then the giuer and is but a hireling and not a chast louer of God and therefore in him is the old Prouerbe verified No penny no pater noster If God ceases to giue hee ceaseth to loue and worship if God withdraw his liberality he will cut him short in his seruice It is true loue to loue God simply for his own sake let vs loue his glory more then our owne benefit least we be found louers of our selues more then of God This is the reason why the loue of the godly is constant in aduersity though their riches and friends be gone yet God remaines and so long as the obiect remaines the action of their loue shall not cease if wee loue God wee must loue him for himselfe Lastly whereas I saide true loue doth rest contented in the enioyment of God whom it loueth It sheweth the delight and sufficiency it findes in God it cannot rest till it enioy him and he being enioyed it rests contented Augustine in his booke De substantia dilectionis Cap. 2. layes down this definition of Loue which containes
how then shall it noâ— be from him that sinne is preuented Learne therefore to ascribe thy preseruation from sinne onely to God and to his loue Secondly seest thou what punishments God inflâ—cteth vpon others vpon some diseases on others bodily imperfections on others imprisonment on others shame and disgrace on others losses in their estates on others suddaine destruction on others spirituall plagues as hardnesse of heart blindnesse of minde c. on others eternall condemnation if thou art freed from these or the like acknowledge it to be neither from thine owne power or merit but meerely from Gods loue for of thy selfe thou lyest open to all perils not being able to auoyde any vnlesse the powerfull prouidence of God did protect thee he alone made thee and he alone doth preserue thee If he should withdraw his prouidence thou couldest not subsist the least moment of time Though many men doe slightly esteeme of these things yet being weighed in the ballance of good consideration thou shalt finde them especiall testimonies of Gods loue to thee Thou seest one breake his leg it was Gods loue to theeâ— that it was not thy lot thou sâ—est another slaine but that God loued thee he might haue caused it to haue fallen on thee thou hast no pattent of exemption no priuiledge of immunity to be free from common calamities Art thou not a man as others A sinner as others The sonne of Adam as all others If then all euiâ—s be inflicted on man for â—inne the same cause being in thee as in others how is it that the same effects are not shewed on thee as on others Who hath suspended the effects from their causes who hath stayed the violent torrent of the water that thou shouldest not perish in this common floud Surely we can ascribe it to no other cause but to the goodnesse and loue of God So often therefore as we see Gods iudgements vpon others they ought to be so many remembrancers of our owne sinfull deserts and Gods admirable goodnesse The fift experiment of Gods loue toward his Elect is their Vocation that is their inward calling for we must know that there is a double calling An inward calling whereby men are onely in the Church not of the Church liuing where the Word and Sacraments are exhibited and making an outward profession of Religion And an inward calling which is a donation of iustifying faith by the preaching of the Gospel and the communication of sauing grace by Christ Iesus whereby wee follow our heauenly calling being enlightned by the Spirit of God with the beames of diuine wisedome and being separated from the cursed generation of the world wee are sealed with a visible marke of grace and holinesse This was not done to many more worthy then thy selfe but it pleased God to call thee from walking with the reprobate being like him by nature being both borne rebels and transgressors from the wombe and didst waâ—ke on with him in the same course of disobedience which leadeth to damnation till it pleased God to call thee to a better estate that thou mightest be saued Thus the Lord deliuers his children by calling them as he did Lot out of Sodome from the â—earefull condemnation of wicked reprobates Of thy selfe thou canst not be deliuered for there is no difference by nature betweene the elect and reprobate till God worke grace Paul till God cald him as bloudy a persecutor as Nero Domitian or Iulian Zacheus as vnconscionable and couetous a worldling as the rich Glutton condemned to hell It is the Lord onely that can giue this grace No man can come vnto me vnlesse the father draw him saith Christ. He must open our hearts as he did the heart of his seruant Lidia that we may receiue the seede of grace It is indeede a new creation â— man was not able to giue himselfe a being by nature much lesse of grace as it was the Lord onely that could bring light out of darkenesse so it is â—e onely that can giue vs the light of heauenly wisedome it is he onely that creates in vs new hearts and renewes right spirits within vs Nâ—y of our selues we haue no more minde of our effectuall calling then Saul had when he went to Damascus to persecute the Church wherefore the praise of it must redound to God Nemo dicat ideò me vocauit quia colui Deum quomodo coluisses si vocatus non fuisses Let no man say God hath therefore called me because I loued him for thou couldest not haue loued him vnlesse he had called thee Wherefore when God by his word and holy spirit shall call any of vs and giue vs grace to change our course turning our backes vpon Sathan and our faces toward the Lord and parting company with the children of disobedience that so while they goe on in their sinnes vnto iudgement we returne home with the penitent Prodigall to our fathers family oh let vs count it a happy day of diuision betweene vs and our sinnes a happy day that with Israel we haue left Egypt and are entred into the borders of Canaan that so like the redeemed of the Lord we may walke from strength to strength till we appeare before the Lord in Sion And let vs magnifie the goodnesse of our God and ascribe our conuersion to his fauour and louing kindnesse What moued God to vouchsafe the meanes of grace what moued him to giue thee so large a time of repentance what moued him to giue thee the grace of regeneration what moued him to giue thee perseuerance Onely his diuine loue wherewith he hath loued from eternity Oh what an exceeding ioy will it be vnto thee when by vertue of this vocation thou shalt see thy selfe possessed of the fruition of almighty God for euer and euer in the kingdome of heauen and shalt see others of thy companions and acquaintance for want of the same grace to remaine euerlastingly tormented in the vnquenchable fire of hell Then thou wilt cry out with Paul O profunditatem diuitiarum Oh the depth of the riches of Gods loue The sixt testimony of Gods loue toward vs is our Sanctification We are by nature altogether corrupt our whole man is nothing but a very sinke of sin and pollution but the Lord hauing chosen and redeemed vs vnto himselfe hath so washed vs in the bloud of Christ and in the water of the new birth that wee are beautifull and comely in his eyes Hee hath made our bitter waters to become sweete hee hath turned our filthinesse into cleanenesse he hath made our hearts of barren wildernesses to become fruitfull lands of sinners he hath made vs Saints to the glory and praise of his name He hath so loued vs that he hath made vs precious in his eyes he found vs polluted in our owne bloud naked and bare but he hath washed vs with the water of regeneration he hath anointed vs
in it the two forenamed properties Amor est affectio cordis ad aliquid cum desiderio in appetendo et gaudio in perfruendo per desiderium currens per gaudium requicsâ—ens What is here spoken generally of loue may particuâ—arly be affirmed of the Loue of God First there is a desire whereby we are vnited vnto the Lord for as hatred doth disioyne and segregate so loue doth vnite and knit the desire of the louer to the thing beloued Secondly in the fruition there is rest and content hatred breeds dislike auersation and discontentednesse loue causeth ioy delight and contentment when loue hath once possessed God it mooues the soule to ioy in God and to account him her chiefest happinesse so that it wil cry out with Dauid Whom haue I in heauen but thee and whom haue I desired in earth with thee God is my strength and my portion for euer Thus haue I laide downe briefly as I could in this definition the intrinsecall properties of our loue of God which are in number seauen 1. It is a Diuine grace wrought by the Spirit 2. It is onely proper to the regenerate 3. It is an effect of Gods loue to vs. 4. It is accompanyed with the knowledge of God 5. It is constant in vnity and in perpetuity 6. It is not mercenary but free 7. It is eager for the enioyment and content in the fruition The second thing considerable is the markes and effects of our loue of God whereby we may truely try as by a touchstone whether our loue be sincere or adulterate the effects are many for number but I will onely recite those which are most principall and they are sixe First the loue of God doth quench all vnchast loues There are 3â— sorts of loue One is alwayes good the 2. is alwayes bad the 3. is good in it selfe but bad through our bad disposition That which is alwaies good is the loue of God in which it is impossible to sinne through excesse for we cannot loue God too much the measure of louing him is to loue him without measure That loue which is alwaies bad is the loue of that which is absolutely euill Actus distinguitur per obiectum an euill obiect makes an euill action and this is the loue of murder theft vnchast pleasures these haue no mediocrity for the least inclination to them is a sinne The loue which is good by nature and becommeth euill by accident is the loue of meate drinke riches honour and the like the loue of these things is made euill by the excesse and intemperance of the louer Now the former of these which is the loue of God doth quite extirpate and roote out the second which is the vnlawfull loue and it doth rectifie that loue which may be bad through our euill disposition for in meates drinkes and apparrell the loue of God moueth vs to satisfie our necessity not our curiosity in riches to labour for sufficiency not for superfluity Search therefore thine owne heart with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye and if vpon the inquiry thou finde all adulterate and vnchaste loue rooted out of thy heart and thy heart to be so wedded and marryed to the Lord that nothing can aâ—ienate it from him then perswade thy selfe the diuine and blessed loue of God dwelleth in thee and thrice happy is that soule where it hath his habitation The second marke of the loue of God is a care to keepe his commandements If yee loue mee saith Christ keepe my commandements And againe This is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements True obedience is the fruit of â—oue If wee doe not performe obedience to God and weare his commaundements as a frontlet betweene our eyes and write them vpon the doores of our hearts that we may keepe them surely it is to be feared we loue not God The value of Christian loue is to be tryed by the touchstone not of words but of workes Yet how many are there that say they loue God and yet cast off all obedience to his lawes Can a woman play the harlot and prostitute her body to an adulterer and yet truely say shee loues her husband No more can any man call himselfe the childe of God if he doth deâ—ight to commit the workes of the Diuell Wherefore as the Iewes called Iesus their King and the souldiers said vnto him Haile King of the Iewes and bowed their knees before him but yet they spat in his face and buffetted him so the bastard Christians of this age cal Christ their Lord and bow their knees before him but by their â—innefull disobedience they crucifie him and tread his bloud of the couenant vnder their feete They both kisse and betray him with Iudas it is but a sceptâ—r of a reede they allow him for they obey him not in heart neither wiâ—l they giue him any command ouer their affections The third marke of our loue of God is an earnest desire to be ioyned to God This is a sure marke for if we truely loue God wee shall in desire soare aloft seeking to be there where God is carnall loue carryeth a man downeward to the earth which it loueth but holy loue being as Zanchius cals it ignis accensus a sparke of heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost ascends continually toward heauen to his owne spheare drawing our hearts with it toward the Lord not suffering vs to rest till we enioy him Thus doth he that truely loues God as it were depriue himselfe of himselfe and bestoweth himselfe on God whom he loueth For the loue of God is of a rauishing nature by the which the louer is so wrapt out of himselfe that he in a manner forgets himselfe denies himselfe and is wholy in God whom he loueth And this is it that makes the faithful louer by frequent communication to counsell and consolate himselfe with God Being to deliberate vpon any matter of importance he first enquireth after the will of God and first consulteth with the oracle of Gods mouth not with his belly not with worldly hopes not with pleasure not with wicked friends but God is his teacher and the Law of God his Counseller This is a signe that we loue God if we loue to be taught by hâ—m Yet this is not all for true loue desires the fruition of God in his kingdome Paul loued Christ so dearely that he accounted all things as dung in respect of Christ and that made him deâ—ire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. This makes the loue-longing soule to complaine with Dauid Woe is mee that I must dwell in Meshech and haue my habitation among the tents of Kedar Woe is me that I soiourne in Egypt woe is me that I dwell in Cabull and doe not as yet possesse my Canaan This makes the louing soule cry Come Lord Iesus come quickely thou art my treasure therefore thou hast my heart and