Eternity unto Eternity thou art God Now the things of the world perish from their using yea perish from their use and yet there is a love to the world Moral As there is a carnal so there is a moral love which I shall reduce unto three heads Magisterial Parental and Conjugal Magisterial This is a love from the Master to the Servant A good Master hath a great love especially for a good Servant The Centurion's love was great to his Servant it is expresly said Luke 7.2 3. that he had a servant which was dear unto him but he was sick and ready to dye now hearing of Jesus he sent unto him the Elders of the Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his Servant A Servant dear unto him The word imports a Servant of great price or a precious and honourable Servant Good and faithful Servants are rare and therefore precious May not that be said of Servants which is said of all other Relations among men for a few good there are many bad and like Jeremiah's Figs the good usually very good but the bad usually very bad There was not one Servant that went into the Ark with Noah nor out of Sodom with Lot which undeniably demonstrate that few Servants were good Parental As there is a Magisterial so there is a Parental love Davids love to Absalom was great if not too great That I had dyed for thee 2 Sam. 18.33 oh Absalom my Son my Son Was Absalom dead Spiritually Is Absalom dead naturally or rather violently yea is Absalom dead everlastingly Is he damned as well as dead It may be this was the reflection that was like a Dart to the Heart of David Oh that I had dyed that he might have lived Oh that I had gone to the grave of silence that he might not have gone to Hell The love of Jacob to Benjamin was great so great that the life of the Father seemeth to be bound up in the life of the Son Gen. 44.30 Kill the Son and you kill the Father one grave will serve for both But as there is a love from the Father to the Child so there is a love from the Mother to the Child The love of the Mother is a great love if not the greatest love Isa 49.15 Can a woman forget her sucking Child from having compassion on the Child of her womb Is there such a Woman among Women Can a Woman lay aside her nature Is not that Woman very unworthy to be ranked among Women that can desert the Babe of her Breast and expese it to have its Brains dashed out or its Bowels troden out Is there such a Woman 'T is pity there should be such a Woman Conjugal As there is a Magisterial and a Parental so there is a conjugal love This is a love from the Husband to the Wife and from the Wife to the Husband Husbands love your Wives Col. 3.19 and be not bitter against them A Metaphor taken from such things as are bitter in the Taste Gall mingled with sweet things makes them distastful So if the Husband be bitter the Wife will not digest it Among the Heathen the Gall of the Sacrifice that was slain and offered at Nuptials was cast out of doors to signifie that persons in a conjugal-state should be as Doves without a Gall. A man loves his Child as something of himself but he loves his Wife as Himself The Athenian-Lawgiver Tanquam aliquid sui tanquam Se. Solon commanded that Men and Women should marry together for Issue Pleasure and Love but not for Money Did they so then 't is to be feared that few do so now 'T is said of Wallaeus Clark's 1. Part. Eccl. Hist p. 982. and his Consort that their mutual care was so to please each other as by Deeds to prevent each others Desires Conjugal-Love is at least ought to be great love The love of Abraham to Sarah was great of Isaac to Rebecca was great Livia nostri conjugii memor esto vive vale of Jacob to Rachel was great of Elkanah to Hanna was great of Augustus to Livia was great who dyed in the embracement of her with these words Remember that we were one live and farewel As there was love in life so there was love in death Eph. 5.25 Husbands love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it This as is an as of quality not of equality for Christ so loved the Church as to give himself to death for it even the death of the cross but thus Man doth not for his Wife if he did it would be insignificant for he could not save her nor sanctifie her nor satisfie her Spiritual As there is a carnal and a moral so there is a Spiritual love Thus there is a love in God to Man Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us There is also a love in Man to God I love the Lord Psal 116.1 because he hath heard my voice and my supplications There is a love in Christians to Christians to all Christians and as Christians Since we heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus Col. 1.4 and of the love which ye have to all the Saints And John 13.1 as there is a love in Christ to Christians Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end so Can. 1.4 there is a love in Christians to Christ The upright love thee By a Christian I understand not a Babe of Nature but of Grace not a Christian of Mans but of Christs making It is a person that hath a life from Christ and a life for Christ 'T is a person that hath a Life from Christ I am crucified with Christ Gal. 2.20 nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me He had a life whereby he did live saith one but he had not this life from himself nor in himself Aug. to give to others as Christ did I live yet not I. I live saith another a Spiritual life Perkins but not I as a natural man 'T is a person that hath a Life for Christ Where there is a life from him there is a life for him and where there is a life for him there must be a life from him Phi. 1.21 To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Or Christ is to me life and death is gain so the Greek The meaning is this Christ is my life here by Grace and hereafter by Glory he is both the Author and the end of my life I live for him I live to him I live in him I live by him and if I be put to death it will not endammage me but advantage me for I shall exchange Earth for Heaven a Cottage for a Palace a Prison for a Paradise This is a Christian indeed and the love of this Christian to a
and of Sodom too Rev. 7.17 The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them to living fountains of water Those actually Christs are under the Conduct of Christ from the Wilderness to Canaan from Earth to Heaven from Grace to Glory Christ leadeth out of a state of Sin into a slate of Grace and thorough a state of Grace into a state of Glory Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel Psa 73.24 and afterward receive me to glory Christ is excellent in power All power in Heaven is devolved upon Christ He is the Object of the Angels adoration He hath the Angels at his command and can send them forth as an heavenly Host to assist his people Peter Mat. 26.53 saith Christ thinkest thou not that I can now pray to the Father and he shall give me more than 12 legions of Angels And as he hath power over Heaven so over the Earth as he is the Object of the Angels adoration so of the Saints admiration 2 Thes 1.10 When he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that bleieve And as Christ hath power over Heaven and over Earth so over Hell As he is the Object of the Angels adoration and of the Saints admiration so of the Devils consternation Phi. 2.10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow things in Heaven Angels and the spirits of just men made perfect Things on Earth Saints and Sinners Things under the Earth infernal Spirits CHAP. III. Inferences from a Gospel Love THe Lover of Christ Infer 1. hath much in Reversion Though the lover of Christ hath much in possession yet more in reversion The Apostle hath a lovely 1 Cor. 2.9 and a lofty strain Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared But for whom for them that love him Vespatian the Emperor I have read of one that commanded a liberal sum of money should be given to one that fell in love with him The Steward asked under what Item he should put it The Emperor answered Vespatiano adamaco Item to the Woman that loved Vespatian But now Soul when Christ gives he doth not put it under an Item of Money but of Mercy not under an Item of Gold but of Glory Item Heaven with the Sinlessness thereof Heaven with the Sorrowlessness thereof Heaven with the Temptationlessness thereof Heaven with the Timelessness thereof to the Soul that loves me Item the things which are invisible and inaudible and inconceivable to he Man that loves me to the Woman that loves me Art a lover of Christ Drink then of the brook by the way and lift up thy head for man sees not hears not conceives not the things that Christ hath prepared for them that love him Art a lover of Christ then though thou didst come unto this work mourning like a Dove and hast been at this work groaning like a Turtle yet go away from this work singing like a Lark for man hath not seen nor heard nor conceived the things that Christ hath prepared for them that love him 'T is true every lover of Christ may as one did mourn over his want of love to Christ A Minister weeping at the Table as he sat at meat was asked wherefore he wept who answered I weep because I can love Christ no more Do ye see the tears of repentance stand in mine eyes 'T is because I can love Christ no more Do ye see Tears run down my Cheeks 't is because I can love Christ no more Do ye see my Tears fall upon my Plate 'T is because I can love Christ no more But Soul though to love Christ no more be a ground of Sorrow yet the promise to the lover of Christ is a ground of Joy The promise is made to the lover of Christ Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him But what is this Crown under promise for the lovers of Christ Qu. 1. This word Crown passeth thorough various expressions in the sacred Scripture but all amount unto and meet in one Sol. and the same thing 'T is called an Inheritance Are inheritances nothing Naboth had an inheritance and he valued it Shall I give away the inheritance of my fathers unto thee This was but a vineyard and he might have had a better for it or the worth of it in money but what manner of inheritance is this inheritance To an inheritance incorruptible 1 Pet. 1.4 undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for you It is incorruptible not perishing with the things of the world 'T is undefiled not defiled with abuse It fadeth not away with Antiquity And 't is reserved in Heaven 'T is safe 't is sure 't is secure and will be thy security that art a lover of Christ 'T is called the Joy of the Lord. Well done good and faithful servant Mat. 25.21 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord. For the joy of the Lord to enter into us is for Heaven to enter into us for us to enter into the joy of the Lord is for us to enter into Heaven On Earth there are Tones of Sorrow with Tunes of Joy but in Heaven there are Tunes of Joy without Tones of Sorrow Heaven is not a Baca a valley of tears not a Bochim a house of mourning but a Shushan a City of joyfulness 'T is called the Kingdom Come ye blessed of my Father Mat. 25.34 inherit the Kingdom prepared for you Are not Kingdoms great things with great Men This was the flagitious position of a flagitious Machiavel That breach of faith for Kingdoms is no sin Will not men swim as it were through a Sea of blood to a Kingdom Here is a Kingdom and 't is the Kingdom of Heaven the third Heaven the Heaven of Heavens 'T is called the Crown of Life Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer What none No Rev. 2.10 What not binding and banishing No What not Poverty and Prison No What not Fire and Massacre No What not Rack and Stake No Behold the Devil in his Seconds and Servants shall take some of you not all of you and cast into prison not into Hell and ye shall have tribulation ten days not for ever Be thou faithful unto death there 's the precept and I will give thee a crown of life there 's the promise A Crown represents unto us Dignity plenty and perpetuity A Crown is round as if it had neither beginging nor ending 'T is called a Crown of Righteousness I have fought a good fight 2 Tim. 4.7 8. I have finished my course I have kept the faith Here are three Metaphors the first is taken from wrestling I have fought a good fight
bearing it for a Crest Though God had one Son without Sin yet he never had a Son without Suffering 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution Luther saith that he learned more by Christs Cross Qui non est Crucianus non est Christianus than by all the letters in the book He saith also that he is not a Christian that hath not a Cross They who are without chastisement are Bastards and not Sons Now no Bastard can inherit by the Law of God by the Law of Nature by the Law of Nations This hath ever been the poesy of the Church of the first born TO DO GOOD ANDTO SUFFER EVIL Suffering work is noble work the noblest work that Dust and Ashes can be concerned in Saints are inferiour to Angels as to doing but Saints are Superiour to Angels as to Suffering for they are Spirits and so impassible Whom God affects most he many times afflicts most and there is many times the choicest Affection under the chiefest Affliction Great Promises call for a great Faith The Promises of God they are the Churches Stock and a Believers Patrimony The Promises of God are great things so great things that what would not a convinced or a deserted Soul give for a Promise The Promises of God they are greater than the Fears or the Faith of the People of God The Promises of God they are greater than the wants or the weaknesses of the People of God The Promises of God they are greater than the Sorrows or the Sins of the People of God The Promises of God they are greater than the Threatnings of God and as great as the Commands of God When the World was shaken by Adam's sin Gen. 3.15 God secured it by the Promise of his Son All the after Promises were but as so many Commentaries upon this first Promise the SEED OF THE WOMAN God hath many times repealed Punishments but God hath not at any time repealed Promises The Promise is a Ground for Faith as the Precept is a Rule for Obedience The congregating and calling of the Jews together with the drying up of the great river Euphrates in order thereunto are not these great things to believe and do not these call for a great Faith The blasting of Babylon and the blessing of Sion the breaking of Babylon and the Building of Sion the Ruine of Babylon and the Resurrection of Sion are not these great things to believe and do not these great things call for a great Faith A numerical resurrection of the Body Act. 1.10.11 the binding of Satan the personal return of Christ from Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the reign of His with Him according to the Greek the thousand years Rev. 20.4 are not these great things to believe and do not these great things call for a great Faith Great Providences call for a great Faith The works of God are distinguished into two sorts of Creation and Providence 'T is bad to out-run Providence and 't is not good to loyter and lag behind it 'T is not good to go before God and 't is as bad to stay long behind him Creatures have a teaching voice they read us Divinity-Lectures of divine Providence There is the general Providence of God Acts. 17.28 which extends it self to the whole world From him we live and move and have our being There 's also the special Providence of God which he sheweth towards his Church Isa 43.2 When thou passest thorough the Waters I will be with thee and prevent thy drowning when thou walkest thorough the fire I will be with thee and prevent thy burning Is not every year a year of Wonder Annus Mirabilis what detections disappointments and defeats have there lately been upon a beastly and bloody brutish and barbarous merciless and murderous generation by a timely interposition of divine providence The Poison and the Antidote come into the Nation together such is the divine Providence of the divine Majesty God now speaks not onely from the Earth but also from Heaven by the great and wonderful works of his Providence Eusebius which one calleth the Sermons of God Now do not these Providences call for a great Faith Great Temptations call for a great Faith Where is the Christian of Christs making that is without Temptation Our whole life saith one is but a Temptation Aug. There was a Tempter in the terrestial Paradise but there shall be no Tempter in the Celestial Paradise That indeed a man is that he is under Temptation To be without Temptation saith one is the greatest Temptation Tillinghast When God puts any of his Servants into Satans hand 's then he keeps Satan in his own hands There is no place in the world that can secure from Temptation or be a Sanctuary from Satanical Assaults It is the folly of Popish Votaries that think to immure themselves within Walls from the Temptations of Satan Cloysters are as open as the open field to Satan but he is confined as to his Temptation to the aereal part and therefore called the Prince of the power of the air Ephes 2.2 When once therefore we are beyond the Earth we are beyond the reach of all Temptations I am saith Luther set upon without by all the world and within by the Devil and his Angels Satan in Tempting hideth the Hook and sheweth onely the Bait. Christ was made like unto Man that he might be Tempted and Man is Tempted that he may be made like unto Christ When Satan doth his worst in Tempting a Christian should do his best in praying Beza One when Tempted made this answer Whatsoever I was Satan I am now in Christ a new creature and 't is that which troubles thee Luther gives one compendious way to withstand all temptation whatsoever If moved any way by Sin Satan or the World answer all with this onely I am a Christian Christianus Sum. I may not yield to any sin for I am a Christian Suspend thy judgment as to those under temptation Christ himself was Tempted in the highest measure that could be That which is written of Spira that he was a Reprobate and a Cast-away because he concluded this of himself was penned very inconsiderately for what did befal him which may not befal a Child of God Christs intercession must be the Souls Anchor in time of temptation He that can say under temptation Ego non sum Ego as that young Convert did I am not what I was nor where I was is happy indeed Oh saith Satan there is at hand a blasting time a breaking time a binding time a bleeding time a burning time curse God and die curse thy King and thy God and look upward Do not great temptations call for great Faith Satan rageth most at last He is always going as a subtle Serpent to delude or as a roaring Lion to devour Satan is the greatest
Pearl before Swine Mat. 7.6 Apply not Evangelical Promises unto swinish Men who regard them no more than Swine do Pearls of whose use they can have no sense Hast thou faith Rom. 14.22 Have it to thy self before God If thou beest persuaded in thy self that a thing is indifferent use this liberty to thy self have Faith with thy self but boast not of it to the offence of another By Hope sometimes understand the thing hoped for Looking for the blessed Hope That is Tit. 2.13 for the blessing hoped for Here Hope is Metonymically put for the blessing hoped for By Hope sometimes understand Christ Jesus himself the Object of Hope Acts 28.20 For the Hope of Israel I am bound with this Chain Christ is called the Hope of Israel in respect of the Fathers who looked for his coming according to promise By Hope sometimes understand some mighty Prince Isa 20.5 or People They shall be afraid and ashamed of Aethropia their expectation and of Egypt their glory By Hope sometimes understand a certain persuasion 2 Cor. 2.7 Our hope of God is stedfast knowing that as you are partakers of the Sufferings ye shall be also of the Consolation By Hope sometimes understand the Grace Ps 131.3 or Act of Hope Hope thou Israel in Jehovah from now as yet unto Eternity So the Hebrew Text. Now 't is the Grace or Act of Hope that is the Subject to be discussed as I am more or less indulged the Gales and Gusts of the Spirit But what is this Grace Qu. or Act of Hope Gospel-hope Sol. is a Grace and Fruit of the Spirit consisting in an assured and abiding Expectation Descr having God and all promised Good future and possible for its Object grounded upon the Mercies of the Father and the Merits of the Son Now in this Description there are four things that call for Discussion being indispensably necessary in order to its Constitution The Nature of it the Quality of it the Object of it the Cause of it 1. The Nature of it Gospel-hope is a Grace and Fruit of the Spirit The Apostle speaks of some of the Spirit 's Fruits against which there is no Law Gal. 5.22 23. no Law of Condemnation The fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Longsuffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Hope is not expressed but 't is implied the reason is obvious for Hope is a Grace now all Grace groweth upon this Tree and is the Fruit of this Tree the Spirit That Hope is a Grace is as evident for it is ranked with Faith and Love 1 Thess 1.3 Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith and labour of Love and patience of Hope in our Lord Jesus Christ Here is the work of Faith 't is not a dead but a living Faith 't is a work but 't is a Work of God a work of Grace and it worketh by Love Here is the labour of Love Love is laborious it labours much labours most though it thinks it labours least And here is the patience of Hope here is a bearing of the Cross in hope of the Crown a passing through the Wilderness in hope of the Land of Promise a Suffering for Christ in hope of Reigning with Christ The Quality of it This Grace Hope is an assured and abiding expectation 'T is an assured expectation This Hope is acted by the Spirit Gal. 5.5 We through the Spirit wait for the hope of Righteousness by Faith Here is a waiting or expectation and this is through the Spirit which must needs be certain and sure Yea that 't is an assured expectation the Apostle endeavours to insinuate Rom. 5.2 We rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God Where there is Joy there is Assurance There will come a time when Time shall go into Eternity and the Soul shall go into Glory and we rejoyce in hope of this Time There will come a time when we shall go Home when we shall go to our Father's House wherein are many Mansions and we rejoyce in hope of this Time There will come a time when we shall be arrived at our Haven our Heaven our Palace our Paradise and we rejoyce in hope of this Time 'T is an abiding expectation Hope is no remover but an abiding grace Hope is not a fading quality though it doth not always act at least in that degree act yet it always is where it ever was Though it be not always a lively hope yet 't is alwaies a living hope Dùm spiro spero dùm expiro spero While I live I hope saith the Heathen while I dye I hope saith the Christian 'T is written that the wicked is driven away in his wickedness Prov. 14.32 but the righteous hath hope in his death There is a hoping to death and a hoping in death Hope is to last so long as this life lasteth and to run parallel with the longest minute and moment of Time A Christian of Christ's making never loseth his hope until he hath found that which he hoped for That Hope which is the Concomitant 〈◊〉 of Faith is an assured and abiding ex pectation Heb. 6.11 may be read by him that runneth We desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end Here is not only hope and assured hope but also the assurance of hope yea the full assurance of hope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Metaphor taken from Ships that have all their Sails up yea and all these Sails filled with Wind. As Faith hath an eye to the truth of the promise so Hope hath an eye to the good of the promise but the assurance of this hope is that we shall receive that Good Though Hope in vulgar-Dialect and in the things of the World signifieth of things to come a probability yet in Scripture-Dialect and in the things of Salvation it signifieth an undoubted certainty The Object of it The Object of Hope is God and all promised Good future and possible The Object of Hope is God That God is the Object of Hope is evident for he is called the God of Hope Rom. 15.13 Now the God of hope fill you with all Joy and peace in believing Objectivè effectivè that ye may abound in hope thorough the power of the holy Spirit He is called the God of hope objectively because the proper and primary object of it and effectively because the worker of it by his Spirit Both these are legible in this proof The God of Hope there he is the Author and the Object of it That ye may abound in hope there he is the Actor and the Worker of it This Hope is in God formally as in the Subject of it and in God causally as in the Fountain of it He is the Author of it and the Donor of it the God of it and the Giver of it As God so Good all promised
Stumbling-blocks in the way of others Live then and dye in the Act 1 Thes 4.13 and exercise of Hope What the Apostle saith concerning the resurrection I would not have you sorrow even as others which have no hope is also true concerning other things Do not carry it in the world and before the world as those who have no hope Do not dishonour your master by pangs of pannick and forbidden fear Should it not have been below a David a man after Gods own heart a person of that worth and weight to say I shall one day fall by the hands of this Saul Did not David fear many Philistines and doth he now fear one Saul Did God say that David should outlive Saul and doth David say that he shall dye before Saul I have so mewhere read of a Salutation and a Replication between a Ruffian and a poor man The Ruffian meeting him weeping as he was going saluted him thus what weeping still but what if there be no Heaven to compensate this weeping The poor man replied Ah Sir but what if there be a Hell for those that weep not The Salutation was bad but the Replication was good I beg pardon if I make this Use 't is connatural unto man to run into extreams and excesses but this I preach and press that there may be Tunes of Joy with Tones of Sorrow in those that have Christ for the Object of their Hope that they would be taking a prospect of the bright side and not be altogether poring on the dark side of the Cloud As sorrowful 2 Cor. 6.10 yet always rejoycing He brings in the sorrow of the godly with an AS saith Anselm not that it is sorrow indeed Quasi but as sorrowful as if it were a painted Sorrow not true Sorrow but when he speaks of Joy there is no as but true Joy The Design is this while ye who have Christ for the Object of your Hope are looking downward be also looking upward and while ye are in the reflection of what ye are in your Selves be also in the reflection of what ye are in your Surety for he is the Object of your Hope that ye may not be Stumbling-blocks in the way of others Would ye be secured when the Winds are prodigious and the waves are impetuous Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of hope When the winds rise and the Waves roar the Anchor is cast to secure the Ship The Apostle discoursing and discussing two immutable things the promise of God and the Oath of God in which it was impossible for God to lie Heb. 6.17 18 19. that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us connecteth and connexeth this which hope we have as an anchor of the Soul A material Anchor is cast downward but a mystical Anchor is cast upward and fastned in Heaven Our Hope must enter into Heaven and fix there The best of the Earth is not ground good enough nor sure enough for our Anchor-hold Whatsoever we make our Hope we make our God and is there any thing on Earth good enough to be our God Creatures from the Instinct of Nature will seek a Refuge upon the approach of a Storm Do the Heavens gather will it rain before night Is there a showr of blood impending Ark then in a Christ and Anchor upon a Christ Act thorough Christ hope upon a Christ who is the Object of a Gospel-Hope Would ye be under a distinguishing and dignifying Character Live then and die in the Act and exercise of Hope As some have been under a debasing Character thus Ahaz was This is that wicked Ahaz Thus Ahab was Ahab sold himself to work wickedness in the sight of God whom Jezebel his Wife stirred up Thus Jeroboam was He did evil above all that were before him Thus Abijam was He walked in all the sins of his Father Persons and places might be multiplied in order to the evincement of this that some have been under a debasing Character but others have been under a dignifying Character Thus Moses was for God himself preacheth his funeral Sermon Moses my servant is dead Thus David was I have found David the Son of Jesse a man after my own heart who shall fulfil all my wills Thus Jacob was He went unto a Duty a Jacob and prayer he went from that Duty an Israel and prevailer Thus Job was his passion is buried under his Patience and his Infirmity under his Grace Ye have heard of the patience of Job Thus Abraham was He is cried up as the Father of the Faithful who against hope Rom. 4.18 believed in hope He believed against hope of Sense and Reason he believed in hope of Gods Word and Power as appeareth by the Antithesis He believed above the hope of man and under the hope of God who calleth things that are not as though they were Would ye sweeten all your Bitters Live then and die in the Act and exercise of hope 'T is very connatural unto professors and possessors of Christ to rack their Thoughts to dig their own Graves to imbitter their Sweets to live like persons in the Tombs to take their Turns in Bochim and to pitch their Tents in the Valley of Baca by an Anticipation of providences Num. 24.23 Who shall live when God doth this saith Balaam Thus Manoah said to his Wife Jud. 13.22 we shall surely die Why Because we have seen God Thus persons are apt to take wrong measures and to misconstrue the providences of God Are not many ready to say how insignificant are all the Detections and Disapointments and Defeats that the God of Gods hath brought upon the People of his Curse We are all like to be concerned in a common calamity But now interposeth a Gospel-Hope with another Dialect and saith meliora spero I hope better things had God determined Destruction he would not have given us these Pledges for future Deliverance by indulging a Nation such Detections and Disappointments and Defeats Will not God distinguish between Goshen and Egypt between Sion and Sodom between Beth-el and Beth-aven between Isralites and Ishmalites between the inward and the outward Court I hope better things Hope in the worst of times looketh for better times Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Though God should make a Thrust at me and this Thrust should be mortal yet He shall be the Object of my Hope Would ye have a formal Plea at the Throne of Grace against enemies without and within too Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of Hope To these distinctly and concisely Would ye have a formal Plea at the Throne of Grace against enemies without Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of Hope Those who have a Gospel-Hope have enemies without open and close It was the common saying of an Emperour Leo Isaurus Inimici occulti
pessimi that a close Enemy is far worse than an open The Psalmist had his Enemies without and against them he prayeth upon the account of his hope Deliver me Psal 71.4 5. oh my God out of the hand of the wicked of the unrighteous and cruel man for thou art my hope oh Lord God thou art my trust from my youth Would ye have a formal Plea against enemies within at the Throne of Grace Live then and dye in the Act and exercise of Hope As those who have a Gospel-Hope have enemies without so within and these are the worst Ah Soul they are the Sauls within the Achans within the Goliah's within the Sons of Zerviah within that are the greatest and the worst enemies Against these also doth the Psalmist pray upon the account of making God the Object of his Hope And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee Deliver me from all my transgressions Psal 39.7 8. make me not the reproach of the foolish AS Gospel-Faith so Gospel-Hope appears In sacred Writ now greatly this endears That Holy-Place should Death arrest to morrow Where Tunes of Joy admit no Tones of Sorrow A Gospel-Faith goes first but follows then A Gospel-Hope which decketh lapsed Men. Though Gospel-Hope hath various Acceptations In Gospel-Lines all worthy Contemplations In silence pass I them This little Tract Of Gospel-Hope suggests the Grace or Act. A Gospel-Faith is Logick unto Man And Gospel-Hope his Rhetorick but can Man Hoping be and not believing then May Pictures in the Fire be drawn by Men. Faith 's cried up as Doctor in the Schools Yet cried down by many graceless Fools Hope 's cried up as Captain in the Wars In Consort yet are these detesting Jars This Gospel-Hope appears a lovely Grace The Spirits Fruit in running of our Race 'T is an assured Hope with Approbation 'T is also an abiding Expectation For Object this hath God all Promise-Good Both Possible and future understood 'T is on the Mercy of the Father founded And on the Merit of the Son 't is grounded DEscribed thus the Seeing may espy Its Nature Object Cause and Quality The Duty and the Mercy of a Soul Are herein found and that without Controul As there 's a true so there 's a Hope that 's vain All Hopeless ones are Christless ones Again We thorough Hope must on its Object live If to the Object we would Glory give Hope calleth for a Life in Print I 'le hasten That Envy now may not know where to fasten All hoping ones are happy ones and 't is From mount Gerizim Jesus speaks to His. False Hope false Objects hath but Hope that 's true Christ Jesus hath for Object truth doth shew False Hope doth go alone a blessed Train Of Graces hath true Hope and these remain False Hope short-lifed is and transient True Hope is living lasting permanent Would ye that God in you should take a pleasure Not stumbling others taking a right measure Would ye from others differ under Crosses And would ye sweeten all your bitter Losses Would ye have formal Pleas this is the Scope Live then and dye in Acts of Gospel-Hope But drawing to a Close I cannot grave it A Heaven 't is to hope it what to have it SECT III. CHAP. I. Whether there be a Gospel-Love and what this Gospel-Love is AS there is a Gospel-Faith and a Gospel-Hope so there is a Gospel-Love These three divine graces Faith Hope and Love are as it were a created Trinity and have as it were some glimering Parility of a Trinity uncreate Both Moralists and Divines say that Love is the Weight of the Soul it inclines us to this or that thing which way soeever the Affection goeth the Mind also goeth and the Action followeth This was the Definition of Plato concerning Love That it is an Ardor a Flame of a Soul dead in his own Body and living in another As there is a Love of Compassion with which an Enemy is to be loved Love your enemies So Mat. 5.44 there is a Love of Complacency by which a Friend is to be loved The Spouse loved to lean as well as leaned where she loved Who is this that commeth up from the wilderness leaning upon her beloved Cant. 8.5 Love is referrible to God and Man To God As 't is referred to God so it signifieth His divine Essence God infinitely delights himself in his Son who is his wisdom in his Spirit which is his power in his Creatures 1 Jo 4.16 and in his Children God is Love He is Love in the Abstract he is as it were a Compound of Love His divine purpose Jacob have I loved Rom. 9.13 This is the foreknowledg of God and the good pleasure of his will To Man As Love is referrible to God so to Man and thus 't is reducible to three heads carnal moral spiritual Carnal There is a carnal Love which falls under a three fold notion and is reducible to three heads Sin Self World Sin There is a love to Sin and that 's the worst Love Though Sin be an evil yet there is a love to Sin Though it may be said of Sin as it is said of War Malum Complexum to be a complex evil yet there is a love to Sin Though the Name and the Nature of Sin be Evil yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin be a burdening and a breaking of God yet there is a love to Sin Jer. 5.31 The Prophets prophesie falsly and the people bear rule by their means and my people love to have it so but what will ye do in the end thereof Though Sin be a darkning of the Glory of God and a defacing of the Image of God yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin be a crucifying of the Son of God a grieving of the Spirit of God and the greatest injury to the Soul of Man yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin maketh Angels Devils Din vixi diu peccavi Aug. Beza and irritates a God to cast them out of Heaven into Hell yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin the plague of plagues did provoke that God who is infinite in Attribute as well as in Essence to turn Adam the Emperor of the Universe and his captivating Consort the Emperess of the Universe out of Eden into the wide World yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin be a cursed Inmate and a cursed Make-bate between God and Man between Man and Man between Man and Himself yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin hath been the unhappy Womb of all the penal and prodigious Judgments that have been in the World yet there is a Love to Sin Though Sin hath been daring of an angry Deity to rain as it were Hell out of Heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah ' yet there is a love to Sin Though Sin hath made that work in Countries in Cities in Churches in Families in Souls yet there is
a love to Sin Though Sin had not a Being from God cannot have a Being with God and striketh at the Being of God 2 Tim. 3.4 yet there is a love to Sin Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God The Greek is elegant Paronomasia 't is an Agnomination or Allusion to words when the most differing signification is taken away There is no Sin in the nature of Angels there is nothing but Sin in the nature of Men. Man naturally is a Vessel of Sin and a Vassal unto Satan and yet there is a love to Sin Though God be a hater of Sin Man is a lover of Sin Self As there is a love to Sin so there is a love to Self Self-love is a great Sin for a man is to deny himself not to love himself Mat. 16.24 If any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me Self-love makes a Man lovely in his own but loathsom in Gods eyes Those that deny not themselves and their own ends for Christ will deny Christ for their own ends and will be denyed by Christ in the end A Man may dye for Christ and yet not dye in Christ Man though the epitomy of the creation is but a peice and patch of the Earth who should rather be out of love than in love with himself The civil rule is so defaced that the most of men are compounds of self let their Neighbour sink or swim it is all one with them Non nobis solum nas cimur that it is become proverbial Every man for himself But if onely for himself 't is a maxim drawn in Hell and ushered into the world by the Prince of Darkness for we are not only born for our selves Blessed Bradford had low thoughts of himself he would often subscribe himself John the Hypocrite and a very painted Sepulchre Terra incognita Let not any Region of thy self be an unknown land to thy self Many are proud of their knowledg yet pride is the Daughter of Ignorance I hate saith one that which I am Aug. and desire that which I am not Though a proud man is said to know himself too much yet he doth not know himself enough yea not at all as he ought to know himself Oh beg beg beg beg of the God of Gods to alienate thee from thy self and annihilate in thee whatsoever opposeth himself Let Antony or Augustus win 't is all one to some by contrary winds they can sail to their own ends A Holy heart loves good thoughts but it loves not thoughts of its own goodness When Titus had taken the City of Jerusalem the Army saluted him Emperor presenting him with Crowns and Garlands which he modestly refused saying I have only lent my Hands and my Help to God and his People Many do as Hind the Robber did who returned some part of the Money he took from others to be the better thought off and the less pursued Abraham though the Father of the faithful and as it were one of Gods Privy Councel had low thoughts of himself and writes himself Dust and Ashes Gen. 18.27 Jacob though sent from the Angel which was Christ with the name of Israel a princely power with God according to the import of the word had low thoughts of himself and writes himself less then the least of Gods mercies Gen 32.10 Agur though one of the holiest and wisest men in his day had low thoughts of himself and writes himself more brutish than any man Prov. 30.2 and not having the understanding of a man Paul though cried up for an earthly Angel had low thoughts of himself Eph. 3.8 and writes himself less than the least of all Saints Nothing can be less than the least but he thought himself so much less than others as that he writes down himself less than indeed he was There is a manifold Self of which take a Tast There is a sinful self Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound Rom 6.1 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein There is a natural-self As the other took in a mans Lusts so this takes in a mans Arts and Parts Gifts and Reason 1 Cor. 12.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But covet earnestly the best gifts Be zealous after the best things so the greek studiously affect them There is a religious-self This takes in a mans Duties and Services whether ordinary or extraordinary Phi. 3.9 Not having mine own righteousness which is of the law but that which is thorough the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith There is a moral-self This includes a freedom from gross hainous and enormous wickedness 1 Pet. 4.15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or as a thief or as an evil doer or as Bishops in anothers Diocess as priers into other mens matters greek There is a relative-self This includes the nearest and dearest Relations in the flesh 1 Cor. 7.29 That they who have wives be as though they had none There is a lawful-self This takes in things indifferent All things are lawful unto me but all things are not expedient all things are lawful for me 1 Cor. 6.12 but I will not be brought under the power of any Though the words be general yet they make nothing for Libertines for that rule of the Logicians here holdeth Verba sunt restringenda ad subjectam materiam That words how general soever they seem are to be restrained to the matter treated of Now the matter was concerning the use of things indifferent as meats and drinks c. There is a love to self but a Man should rather hate than love himself If any one cometh unto me Luk. 14.26 and hateth not his Father and Mother Wife and Children Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life he cannot be my disciple Here are not only Relations though the nearest and the dearest but also Life the Top of all If Relations yea if Life stands in competition with Christ these must be hated rather than he should not be loved or these must be loved less than he they must be loved in subordination to him not in coordination with him The World As there is a love to Sin and to Self so to the World Christ is the best Indies It is no sin to be rich but when riches are gotten by sin The Earth is Gods Footstool yet many make that their Throne Heaven is Gods Throne yet many make that their Footstool they tread and trample upon the things of Heaven while they set their hearts upon the things of the Earth 2 Tim. 4.10 Demas hath forsaken me having embraced this present World The World was more to him than the Gospel and Christ the Sum of it the World was more to him than the Church and Communion with it Is it not pity that no more are
Christ is a Gospel-Love which now falleth under discussion But what is this Gospel Love Qu. Gâ—spel-Love Sol. is a supernatural Grace and expansion of the Soul towards the personal excellency of Christ Deserâ—tio as its proper object There are four things indispensably necessary in order to the constituting of a Gospel-Love the Nature of it the Original of it the Soil of it the Object of it To these distinctly The Nature of it Gospel-Love is a Grace As Faith and Hope so Love is a Grace a chief one a choice one That Love is a Grace if not the chiefest and the choicest one is evident for 't is in conjunction with Faith and Hope bearing the Garland from them both When those three Goddesses say the Poets strove for the Golden Ball Paris adjudged it to the Queen of Love There are if I may so write three celestial Graces three theological Virtues in an holy emulation striving for the Chiefdom and the great Doctor of the Gentiles gives it to Love There abideth Faith Hope 1 Cor. 13.13 and Love these three but the greatest of these is love That Love is greater than Faith or Hope will appear beyond all modest contradiction by an induction and reflection of these following particulars Love is greatest as to Title Reflect the Titles of Love and so it appears greatest Love For 1. 1 Jo. 2.8 9 10. that 's called the new Commandment A new commandment write I unto you Where is Faith or Hope so called 'T is called a new commandment Because it was an excellent commandment Because imposed upon such as are renewed Because renewed by the Lord after it had been as it were antiquated and almost extinguished Love that 's called the bond of perfection Above all things put on charity Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Greek-Text which is the bond of perfectness Above all things put on love for this is as a garment put upon all others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is the bond Not such a bond as tyes one thing to another but properly such a bond as doth couple and conjoyn bind and unite many things together which is the bond of perfection Col. 3.14 or integrity Now where hath Faith or Hope such a Title Love that 's called the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.14 All the Law is fulfilled in one word even in this thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self Where is Faith or Hope so called This seemeth to be opposed to the doctrine of the false Apostles which urged Ceremonies alone Some restrain the law to the second table others take it absolutely for the whole law because none can love his Neighbour as himself but he must needs love God now the love of God and our Neighbour contains in it the whole Law Love is greatest as to Dignity Love seems to be more noble than Faith or Hope the reason is obvious because 't is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20.35 Faith and Hope are on the taking hand but Love gives The property of Faith and Hope is to receive into themselves but the property of Love is to lay out it self for others Love is greatest as to manifestation Faith and Hope are unseen Rev. 2.19 and may be dissembled but Love appears visibly upon the Stage I know thy works and thy charity that is thy love Love is greatest as to Similitude Faith and Hope do not make a man like unto God but Love doth God can never be said to believe or to Hope but we know that he loves yea we know that he is Love God is love 1 Joh. 4.16 and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him Love is greatest as to Latitude Faith and Hope are under restriction but Love is not Faith and Hope are restrained within the Limits of our particular persons The just shall live by his Faith Hab. 2.4 Rejoycing in Hope Rom. 12.12 but Love is like the Firmamental Sun which shines upon all good and bad and throws his beams upon all not forbearing to warm the Earth which beareth weeds Love is greatest as to Longitude Faith and Hope are shorter lifed than Love Love outlives Faith and Hope Love is the longest lifed Grace Beatus qui amat te amicos in te inimicos propter te Our Love shall not end with our Life but our Faith and our Hope shall As Love transcends Faith and Hope under the notion of Latitude for Faith and Hope are within the bounds of a mans person but Love is to God himself and from him to our Friends yea our enemies so love transcends Faith and Hope under the notion of Longitude Mat. 5.8 for Faith shall go into Vision Heb. 12.23 and Hope shall go into Fruition when Time goeth into Eternity but Love shall go with the Soul and be with the Soul in an Eternity There is no need of Faith in Heaven for that is a place of Vision nor of Hope for that is a place of Fruition If ever I be graciously arrived at this Harbour at this Haven at this Heaven if ever I be graciously passed thorough the gates into this city which hath foundations the builder and maker whereof is God I shall not find Faith there for that is gone into Vision nor Hope there for that is gone into possession but I shall find Love there yea there I shall find nothing but Love The Original of it Gospel-Love is a supernatural Grace As Faith and Hope so Love is an outlandish Plant and of a divine extract As Faith and Hope so Love is not a Slip growing in our own garden it is born above it comes down from Heaven into the Soul The Affection of Love is natural Gal. 5.22 but the Grace of Love is supernatural It is the Fruit of the Spirit But the fruit of the Spirit is love The Soil of it The Soil for this Seed is the Soul Can. 1.7 Tell me oh thou whom my Soul loveth where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon This grace of Love is a Seed cast into the Soul it is an expansion or going out of the Heart Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth Can. 3.3 The Object of it This is the personal excellency of Christ That is counterfeit but not currant love false but not true love to follow Christ for loaves Love that is true is rather taken with the Fountain than with the Stream with the Hand than with the Token with the Jewel than with the Cabinet I will love thee Psal 18.1 Jehovah my strength Love that is true is rather taken with the Giver than with the Gift with what Christ is rather than with what Christ gives with the God of Mercy than with the mercy of God The personal excellency of Christ the Beauty of Christ the purity of Christ the perfection of Christ c. they are
the Objects of this Gospel-love Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee As if the Psalmist had said Lord Jesus not thine but Thee not thine without Thee not thine in compare with Thee not the Token without the Hand not the Stream without the Fountain not the Gift without the Giver Lord Jesus not the Field without the Pearl not the Cabinet without the Jewel not the Shadow without the Substance Lord Jesus not the Pool without the Angel not the Gallery without the King not the mercy of God without the God of the mercy I have been prolix but pardon the prolixity for some may be as long in going one mile as others may be in going two miles and resent the Sentiment that Gospel-Love is a supernatural Grace and expansion of the Soul towards the personal Excellency of Christ as its proper Object CHAP. II. How this personal Excellency of Christ appears that is the proper Object of this Gospel-Love THat Christ is an excellent person an excelling person is evinced to my hand and none will deny that acknowledg his Deity Did any understand Christ better than the Church so well as the Church Now she writes him white and red These are the best Temperature of Man they are the natural and the native Badges of Beauty Can. 5.10 But what follows The Armour-bearer among ten thousand Did Luke write most excellent Theophilus Luke 1.3 certainly then I may write most excellent Jesus Was Felix written by the chief Captain most excellent Governour then Christ may be written the most excellent person Acts 23.26 The great Doctor of the Gentiles was so graciously taken with a Christ that he accounted all things but loss Phi. 3.8 for the excellency of the knowledg of this most excellent person Was it said of Joseph and that by Pharaoh is there such a man as this is Gen. 41.38 in whom the Spirit of God is What may then be said of a Jesus Job 1.8 Was it said of a Job and that by a God that there was none like him in the earth What then may be said of a Jesus Was it said of David Mar. 2 Sam. 18.3 thou art worth or as ten thousand of us what then may be said of a Jesus whose personal Excellency is the proper Object of Gospel-Love certainly he is of more worth than ten thousand Josephs Jobs Davids But wherein doth the personal Excellency of Christ appear Qu. Christ is excellent in Name Some Sol. 1. have a great name but not a good name thus Sennacherib had Isa 36.13 hear ye the words of the great King the King of Assyria Others have a good name but not a great name Jam. 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this world to be rich in Faith and heyrs of the kingdom Christ hath both a great and a good name God in paradise lapt up the name of Christ in the seed of the woman Jacob in Shiloh Daniel in a certain one c. That the name of Christ is great is evident His name shall be called wonderful Isa 9.6 Counsellor the mighty God the Father of eternity the prince of peace The name of Christ is great Thou shalt call his name Emmanuel Mat. 1.23 God with us And as the name of Christ is great so the name of Christ is good Jer. 23.6 In his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby he shall be called Jehovah tsidkenu Jehovah our Righteousness so the Hebrew Christ hath a good as well as a great name Mat. 1.21 Thou shalt call his name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins A great name with the Earth is better than a good name but a good name with Heaven is better than a great name One name in Heaven is worth ten thousand names on earth Christ excels in name the name of Christ 't is Honey in the Mouth 't is musick to the ear 't is a Jubile to the Heart Had it not been for this name we should not have had a name at least a name not worth the having That must needs be an excellent name when there is no other name under Heaven given amongst men whereby they can be saved Acts 4.12 'T is still evident Being made so much better than the Angels Heb. 1.4 5 6. as he hath obtained a more excellent name than they Heb. 1.4 5 6. for unto which of the Angels said he at any time thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee And again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Angels are not to be worshipped for Angels are to worship Christ is excellent in Nature as god never had a son without suffering so god never had but one son without sin now this son was christ who was made the son of man that men might be made the sons of god he was made sin for us who knew no sin 2 Cor. 5.21 that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 'T is not for want of ignorance of their own hearts that there is in some a pretension unto personal perfection Who can say I have made my heart clean Prov. 20.9 I am pure from my sin When was there a Soul without sin Did not Adam the Emperor of the Universe disobey The woman gave unto me and I did eat Gen. 3.12 Did not Abraham the Father of the faithful and the Friend of God dissemble Say I pray thee thou art my Sister Gen. 12.3 Did not Jacob a prayer and prevailer with Christ supplant his Brother Gen. 27.22 The voice is Jacob's voice but the hands are the hands of Esau Had not Moses though a Minister of Righteousness and mediator of the old Covenant his passion Num. 20.10 Hear now ye rebels must we fetch you water out of this rock Had not David though a man after Gods own heart a pang of forbidden fear I shall one day perish 1 Sam. 27.1 or be consumed by the hand of Saul Had not Jonah though his name signifieth a Dove and Doves they say are without a Gall his pettish humour Jon. 4.3 Lord take my life from me for it is better for me to dye than to live Had not Peter though of a Fisherman made a Fisher of Men a plague sore Then began he to curse Mat. 27.74 and to swear saying I know not the man I might multiply instances I shall add but one more Had not Paul though a tall if not the tallest Cedar in Lebanon sin running in his veins Rom. 7.23 I have a law in my members warring against the law of my mind These all these had weeds in
and length and height and depth The Apostle here sets out the love of Christ with Depth and Height with Length and Bredth the four Dimensions of the Cross to indicate intimate and insinuate unto us that upon the extent of the Tree was the most exact love that ever was with all the dimensions in this Kind represented Is it loyal then 't is real True love is not so much set upon what Christ hath as upon what Christ is not so much set upon his as it is set upon him Christ is sweet without any thing but nothing is sweet without Christ. Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee or on earth that I desire besides thee True love desires no wages it is wages enough to it self it pays it self in seeing and serving the beloved In keeping of them there is great reward Psal 19.11 Grace shews us wages in the work God saith one will reward his people according to their work Secundum laborem Bern. The Nurse doth much for the Child so doth the Mother the Nurse doth it for the love of wages but the Mother doth it for the wages of love A wise man may look for his Advantage in the end of his work though he be not to make Advantage the end of his work Though Christians are not mercenary to work as Hirelings for pay yet in the Issue they shall have better than pay for all their works Though Christ will not be served for wages yet Christ will not be served without wages yea such wages as will weigh down all our works and all our woes We can never want pay or reward for that work which is a reward and can pay it self Is it expansive then 't is of the right Stamp If love be true 't is extensive it extends it self to all the Saints Since we heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus Col. 1.4 and of the love which ye have to all the Saints Is this text antiquated Opinion must not byass our Affection If love hath the Stamp of a Christ upon it then Mephibosheth is loved for the sake of Jonathan then the Child is loved for the sake of the Father then the Christian is loved for the sake of Christ Are there not some men that cannot love others because they are not altogether so broad and long as themselves Whosoever is right or wrong in point of Opinion I dare write he is wrong that is not right in point of Affection It 's reported of the Primitive Christians Behold how the Christians love Ecce quà m diligunt Christiani Love is called an old commandment and a new commandment but we are now making it no commandment Doth not a difference in Opinion beget a difference in Affection Many men have a good Opinion of their own Opinions though their Opinions be not good 'T is said of Bucer Aliquid Christi and Calvin that they loved all in whom they could espie any thing of Christ. It is not indispensably necessary concerning mens going to Heaven and entring thorough the gates into the city that they are of this judgment or of that perswasion holding the head holding the foundation but their living in love is necessary Divide impera Divide and rule divide and rage divide and ruine is the sophistry of the prince of darkness Division is an unhappy weed and it grows apace 'T is pity that Abraham and Lot should fall out by the way 'T is pity that Man should make Two whom God hath made One 'T is pity that one Christian should now say to another Dic aliquid ut duo simus as one Man formerly spake to another Speak something that we may be Two Division of Tongues hindred the building of Babel division of Hands Heads and Hearts hinders the building of Beth-el Is it expensive then 't is real He that most loves a Christ will most lay out himself for Christ A true lover of Christ is willing to be at cost for Christ. Verbal love is like painted fire and a golden loaf but real love with David will not have that which cost it nothing The woman thought not her ointment though precious too good for Christ Mat. 26.6 7. When Jesus was in Bethany in the house of Simon the Leper there came unto him a woman having an Alabaster box of very precious ointment and poured it on his head as he sat at meat Is it expressive then it hath the image of a Christ upon it A lover of Christ is not a mute but hath a mouth for Christ Lovers will speak one of another and for another when they cannot speak one with another The Husband is at Sea or beyond Sea but the Wife speaks of him and speaks for him As he is a lover of Christ that delights in seeking a Christ in serving a Christ in suffering for a Christ as well as in seeing a Christ so he is a lover of Christ that delights in speaking of a Christ in speaking for a Christ in speaking to a Christ as well as in speaking with a Christ. A lover of Christ is big with expression must give vent to its Soul it cannot but speak the things which it hath seen and heard A lover of Christ will give his Vote for Christ whatever the danger be and the difficulty be and the death be Thus Peter did Ye denied the holy one Act. 3.14 15. and the just and desired a murderer to be granted unto you and killed the prince of life whom God raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses Is it sociable then 't is right and real My God Dr. Sibbs and I saith one are good company Man is a sociable creature and he loves Company but 't is the Company that he loves Is acquaintance with Christ thy ambition is enjoyment of Christ thy Center is converse with Christ thy Element then thou art a lover of Christ It is said of Ignatius that being opened Ainor meus crucifixus est there was found in his heart written in letters of Gold My Love is crucified One also in a tract of his speaks of a woman Dell. who meditating the torments of Hell together with the hatred of the damned there prayed that though she were damned yet she might love God Was not enjoyment of God and Christ the ambition of the Psalmist My soul thirsteth Psa 63.1 2. my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and weary land without water to see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Is it submissive then 't is real Art thou graciously willing to be killed all the day long for a Christ art graciously willing to bleed or burn for a Christ art graciously willing to bear the indignation of the Lord because thou hast sinned against him art graciously willing to dye a Sacrifice for Christ if thou mayst no longer live a Servant of Christ art graciously willing to suffer the loss
of all things for Christ then thy love is real 'T is recorded of the Hebrews and transmitted to posterity that they took joyfully spoiling Heb. 10.34 knowing in themselves that they had in heaven a better and an enduring substance They were glad they had any thing to lose for a Christ knowing they should lose nothing by a Christ They were glad of an opportunity to put off their worldly goods at so great a rate as a proof of the sincerity of their graces Our goods never go off at so high a price nor come to so good a market as when they are spoiled in a good cause These were not concerned for their Goods as Micah was for his Gods for they knew they were gracious here and that they should be glorious hereafter True love flies not like Chaff in the face of him that fans it Though I cannot dispute for a Christ yet I can dye for a Christ said the Martyr Is it superlative then 't is real Hath Christ no Competitor no Corrival then thy love is of the right Stamp As Christ bestoweth himself wholly upon a Christian so a Christian bestoweth himself wholly upon Christ True love keeps back nothing from Christ Illi non Christum amant qui aliquid plus amant for whom all is too little He loveth not Christ sincerely that loveth not Christ singularly that loveth not Christ superlatively Lovest thou me more than these John 21.15 17. was the question of Christ to Peter Lovest thou me more than thy Nets more than thy Fish more than thy Friends that are about thee Or lovest thou me more than these love me Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee was the answer of Peter unto Christ Peter was asked of the Degree of his Love but he answered as to the Truth of it he was asked as to the measure of it but he answered as to the manner of it he was asked as to the quantity of it but he answered as to the quality of it Canst thou say without a Check as one did Lord Jesus Ambrose plus quam mea meos me Substance Seed Self I love thee more than my possessions more than my Relations more than my self then thy love is right and real None to Christ saith the Psalmist none but Christ said the Martyr all in Christ saith the Apostle A lover of Christ must love nothing much but that Christ whom he can never love too much Ambrose on the Funeral of Theodosius observes that he died with these words in his mouth I have loved Dilexi dilexi I have loved which he conceived to be the Answer of the Emperor to the Angels asking him how he had behaved himself in the Empire I have loved I have loved That was enough to him and this will be enough to thee in a dying hour that the personal excellency of Christ hath been the Object of thy Love Thy Vote must be given for Christ Inf. 2. and his Church Art thou a lover of Christ give then thy suffrage for this Truth that the personal excellency of Christ is the object of the Churches love Be not afraid nor ashamed to own this though thou dwellest where Satans seat is Amnon was Lust-sick the man keeps his Chamber until he hath defloured his Sister Tamar Micah was Idol-sick if ye take away his Gods and the Priest though not worth the keeping he looks upon himself as a Beggar if not as a Bankrupt Ahab was Vineyardsick he must have the Vineyard of Naboth though he hath a kingdom to walk in he will set his foot there though he goes thorough the Blood of the Owner Judas was World-sick this Caitiff will betray a Christ though he hath but thirty seven shillings and six pence for this damnable act he undertook it for thirty pieces of silver each piece being one shilling and three pence But the Spouse is Love-sick Can. 2.5 Stay me with flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of love I charge you Chap. 5.8 ye daughters of Jerusalem if ye see my beloved that ye tell him I am sick of love As if the Church had said ah my head-ake my heart-ake yea my heart-strings are ready to break for a sight of Christ for a smile from Christ Ah! whatever ye forget to tell him remember to tell him this that I am sick of love for him that I know not how to live another Day another Duty without a Sight of him without a Smile from him for his personal excellency is the Object of my love Had not Mary Magdalen a great love for Christ Much was forgiven her Luke 7.47 for she loved much Not that her much loving was the cause of her much forgiving but her much forgiving was the cause of her much loving and her much loving the consequent of her much forgiving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Particula non causativa sed allativa vel rationalis Not Causa praecedens but Signum subsequens This word for doth not signifie here a cause as if her Love was the cause of the forgiveness of her sins but a reason drawn from the Sign many sins are forgiven her and hereby you shall know it because or in that she loved much The particle for in our common Dialect is used as a note of the effect or Sign there is Fire for I see smoak this Tree liveth for it sprouteth Much was forgiven her therefore she hath loved much The whole scope of the Parable is to shew that he loves most unto whom most is forgiven and not contrarily that most is forgiven unto him that loveth most The Antithesis in the same verse necessitates this Comment Those words but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little supposeth this Thesis because much was forgiven her she loved much Christ must be loved Inf. 3. or the Soul must be damned There are many things without which we may be and yet live well and do well and dye well but if we be without love to the personal excellency of Christ we cannot live well nor do well nor dye well Love to the personal excellency of Christ is indispensably necessary unto Salvation That God who hath appointed the end hath also appointed the Means that shall lead unto that end We may be without possessions and without Relations we may be without an Affluence and a Confluence of these lesser and lower things and yet live well and do well and dye well yea we may be without such Degrees and pitches of Grace and yet live well and do well and dye well but there are other things without which if we be we cannot live well nor do well nor dye well now they are these Repentance There must be Repentance towards God If persons live and dye without Repentance they cannot live well nor doe well nor dye well As there is sorrow which worketh wrath so there is a sorrowing according to God