with him in Aegypt did not loue him as their brother till hee had made himselfe knowne and till they were verily perswaded that hee was their brother so wee shall neuer loue GOD as his children till wee acknowledge him for our Father and bee by faith perswaded of his loue Fourthly I said that loue was Kindled in the soule For the loue of GOD is a Coelestiall Fire seruing to comfort and refresh the heart and to inflame it with an holy zeale and to consume these filthy vapours of malice enuy pride treachery and such other noysome lusts as arâ— within him Fiftly I say it is kindled by thâ— HOLY SPIRIT therefore Saiâ—â— Paul cals it the Fruit of the Spirit for if the hatred of GOD be a worke of the flesh and from the motion of the Deuill then the true loue of GOD must needes bee the worke of the Spirit who enlightens the minde inspireth faith and perswades the heart to loue and delight in GOD How much are wee bound to GOD of whose pure loue to vs it is that wee haue any loue to him He comes downe to vs before we go vp to him Hee drawes vs before we run and lookes vpon vs before we turne our eyes to him LORD what is man that thou regardest him or the sonne of man that thou so thinkest on him What shall I render vnto the LORD for all his benefits towards mee O my GOD and my King I will extoll thee and will blesse thy Name for euer and euer Finally I said that loue doth knit our hearts to GOD and makes a man take him for his chiefe contentment For as hatred doth rend disioyne and separate So loue doth vnite knit and tye together Loue married Iacob and Rahel loue vnited Dauid and Ionathan and so our hearts by loue are wedded and vnited to GOD and for GOD to one another That they might bee knit together in loue saith Saint Paul 'T was Loue that made our Sauiour pray that all his Members might bee One with Him and his Father and it is loue also that makes vs deny our selues and the world and study to liue so as if wee were not ours but GODS 'T is hatred that breeds dislike auersation and discontentednesse And so it is loue that causeth ioy delight contentment When loue hath once possest the soule it moues it to ioy in GOD to make him her prime contentment and to exclaime with the Psalmist Whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee GOD is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer And vndoubtedly what thing soeuer a man doth best loue that to him is his best contentment for loue causeth content as the light doth comfort and contentment is imbarked and enbotled in it as a Tree in a Barke as water in the clowdes Therefore the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying to loue signifies to rest in or to bee contented And thus wee haue seene what loue is The Obiect on whom this loue heere spoke of should bee fixed is the LORD euen hee who is gracious and mercifull slow to anger righteous in all his waies and holy in all his workes Euen he whose greatnesse is incomprehensible and whose wisedome is infinite which made heauen and earth the sea and all that is therein and keepeth his fidelity for euer which executeth iustice for the oppressed giueth bread to the hungry loueth the righteous healeth those that are broken in heart preserueth all that loue him fulfill the desires of all that feare him releeueth the fatherlesse and widdow and sheweth mercy vnto thousands to them that loue him Euen hee I say that remembred vs in our base estate cut the cords of the wicked rescued vs from our oppressors deliuered vs from our sins brought vs from our errours translated vs out of Babylon saued vs from that Purple Harlot shewed vs his Word giuen vs his Gospell honoured vs with peace deliuered our Rulers rescued his Annointed and saued vs all both Church and Kingdome from that Hel-made horrid and prodigious Powder O LORD how great is thy loue vnto vs how amiable is thy Name in all the world Blessed bee thy Name for euer and let all thy people say Amen The Personâ— who are exhorted to this Loue are All GODS Saints euen all they that haue tasted of his loue and which in mercy hee hath hallowed for himselfe euen All of them yong and old rich and poore high and low men women and children for in saying All hee exâ—epteth None the Yong men for their strength Old men for their wisedome the Rich for their wealth the Poore for their correction the High for their greatnesse the Low for their meanesse with which vertue and piety commonly cottens best with Men for their supereminent honour Woemen because hee hath graced their Sex by bringing forth of a Sauiour and Children for his great care and manifold protection of them and all in generall for their Sanctification by grace on earth and eternall Saluation in immortall glory in the Heauens But are none bound to loue the LORD but his Saints Yes without doubt the Law ties all for all are of his making his goodnesse reacheth vnto all and hee is the Sauiour of all But Dauid heere speakes vnto Saints onely being such as himselfe most delighted in and of whom hee best hoped being best affected and such also as whom GOD doth most deerely loue and honour with his greatest fauours Our lesson then from hence is this All of vs euery mothers child without exemption of any should loue the LORD But because as hee that speakes Greeke or Lattine to him that is no Grecian or Latinist is but as a Barbarian to him and does but beate the aire So the Language and discourse of loue to him that loues not is but barbarous and vnpleasing as sounding Brasse and a tinckling Cymball Tâ—erefore that wee may conceiuâ— and reape profite by these things which shall bee deliuered concerning our loue of GOD it behoues vs to blow vp the dying and fainting coales of this heauenly and holy fire within our breasts And seeing that the eare tasteth words as the palate doth meate let vs haue vnderstanding and attentiue eares that discerning the things we shall heare to bee good wee may receiue and digest them and like prudent hearers shewforth the fruits therof in our liues conuersations First then I say Necessity lies vpon vs to loue the LORD Woe vnto vs if wee loue him not For first it is GODS expresse commandement Thou shalt loue the LORD thy GOD and now Israel saith Moses what doth the LORD thy GOD require of thee but to feare and loue him This our Sauiour calleth a Great Commandement the Commander is great the Obiect is great the vse of the duety is great and their reward is great that take care to do
word the loue of GOD is as strong as death for as death doth kill the body so our loue to GOD doth mortifie our loue to the world and like a strong wind it dispels the thicke and stinking fogs of rancour wrath malice And as the rising of the Sunne doth driue away the cold and dulnesse of the night and as the pouring in of wine into a vessell causeth the aire to giue place so the loue of GOD doth diminish and send packing the inordinate loue of worldly vanities and when our hearts are once warmed with it it causeth the coldnesse of our affections vnto good to depart and lessen When GOD comes into the heart as hee doth when the heart doth loue him Mammon must needs go out When wee fixe our eyes on heauen wee remoue them from the earth and when wee fall into a league of loue with GOD it cannot bee but that wee must fall out of loue and into hatred with all his enemies Therefore Dauid saith out of his loue to GOD Do not I hate them O LORD that hate thee I hate them with an vnfeygned hatred as if they were mine vtter enemies And thus wee haue had a say of the commodiousnesse of this our loue to GOD. The Excellencie thereof remaineth yet to bee discussed True loue wherewith GOD is affected is excellent in all these respects which follow First in respect of the Authour of it which is not man but GOD For loue as Saint Iohn sheweth commeth of GGD and whosoeuer loueth GOD doth it by the finger and gift of GOD. Secondly in respect of the true Endes thereof which are not base but honourable as the glory of GOD the saluation of our soule the edification of our brother the honour of our calling and that wee might not grieue the Spirit of GOD. Thirdly in respect of that of GODS which moues vs to loue which is his goodnesse because he is good in himselfe and good to vs. Fourthly in regard of the Subiects of it or the persons in whom it raigneth which are onely the beloued Saints and Seruants of GOD the excellentest of humane race and in them the Heart euen the best member in them is the Hearth or Altar on which this heauenly fire kindled by the HOLY GHOST doth lie Fiftly in respect of the manifold and excellent Attendants and Companions which waite vpon it euen all the vertues For our loue of GOD is not forlorne and solitary but like an honourable Lady very well attended Sixtly for the perpetuity thereof beyond faith and hope For whereas they shall cease when a man hath once obtain'd full fruition of the things which hee doth beleeue and to expect haue and enioy loue shall not cease but become compleate Seuenthly our loue of GOD hath three most excellent Effects to speake of no more First it makes a man officious to GOD and for GOD to Man True obedience is the fruit of loue and all obedience which is not of loue is hipocriticall and vnsauory Wee see the loue of a child forces him to obey his father though hee had not a rod not an arme So GODS Childe by his loue is moued to serue GOD yea and would study to obey hiâ— though hee would not strike though there were no hell to be punisht in for disobedience Yea the force of loue is such that it will make a man obey GOD though there were no After-reward of obedience Euen as wee see amongst men loue will enforce a man to doe well vnto one whom hee loues euen freely then when the party receiuing the benefite is not able now nor likely heereafter to make a requitall of it Secondly it makes a man like to GOD for GOD is LOVE and it is not the least commendation of a childe to bee like his father Thirdly hee that loueth GOD doth as it were depriue himselfe of himselfe and bestowes himselfe on GOD whom hee doth loue insomuch that hee doth dye by little and little in himselfe but GOD whom hee loueth liueth in him For the loue of GOD if sincere and feruent is of a Rauishing disposition by the which the louer is so rapt out of himselfe that hee forgets himselfe denies himselfe and is wholy in GOD whom he loueth and GOD whom he affâ—cteth being in him So that this loue is able to make the louer say I liue but not I now but GOD liueth in mee For euen as the loue of the world makes the worldling liue vnto the world and the world to liue in him so as it may bee said of them in some sort They two are become one So our loue to GOD doth cause vs to liue to GGD and GOD as it were to liue in vs so as that wee are now no more Ours but His no more Two but One Neither seeke we our selues but Him Non nostra sed sua not ours but His. Eightly our loue of GOD may bee said to bee excellent in respect of that excellent and supereminent Reward wherewith GOD will recompence them that loue him how poore or meane soeuer and this is no lesse then a Crowne then a Kingdome the Crowne of Glory the Kingdome of Heauen Hearken my beloued Brethren saith Saint Iames Hath not GOD chosen the Poore of this world that they should bee rich in faith and Heires of the Kingdome which hee hath promised to them that loue him And Saint Paul likewise sheweth that the Crowne of righteousnesse euen that which CHRIST hath purchased by his righteousnesse that which GOD hath in mercy promised and in iustice will performe that wherewith righteous men shall bee rewarded shall bee rendred to them that loue his comming which onely they do that loue him himselfe Doubtlesse hee that loues not the Iudge loues not his comming to iudgement Hee then that would liue in heauen like a King let him loue GOD first on earth like a Subiect Hee that would haue that Glory let him haue this Grace Oh! how men loue the world whose pleasures are but for a season and whose ioyes are but imperfect But in the presence of GOD there is fulnâ—sse of ioy and at his right hand there are pleasures for euermore O! how couetous are men of riches how ambitious of a Crowne And yet Riches remaine not alway nor the Crowne from generation to generation But the riches of Glory that come By the loue of GOD are euerlasting the Crowne and Kingdome promised to them that loue him is eternall and vnchangeable The preferments profites and pleasures which the earth can affoord are obuious to the eye and not so goodly as foolish men imagine But the things which GOD hath prepared for them that loue him are such as no eye hath seene no eare hath heard no heart hath conceiued none can expresse them but they that enioy them Oh that men would therefore set their loue vpon him and remoue it from the world For
information of the LORD piously except the loue of GOD doth moue them to it How shall wee bee able to meditate in the Law of GOD day and night as wee are exhorted our dulnesse and auersnesse is so great by nature except the loue of GOD do spurre vs vp and vanquish vs How shall wee with the children of Israel turne quickely out of the way wherein our fathers haue walked and go an whoring after the idoll idle and addle inuentions of men specially if we were but put to it a little except our loue to GOD restraine and bridle vs What soule will say to GOD but that which loues him deerely as Ruth said to Naomi Whether thou goest I will go and where thou dwellest I will dwell It is lacke of loue which makes men forsake him deny him seruice and depart out of his house Will a mother with Hannah dedicate her sonne vnto the LORD but that shee loues him surely if her dedication be in deuotion it is the fruit of her loue Wouldest thou with Dauid set all the Lawes of GOD before thee and not depart there from Wouldst thou bee vpright towards him and keepe thee from thy wickednesse Then loue him For what was it that made Ionathan so sincere to Dauid what caused him to say vnto him Whatsoeuer thy soule requireth that will I do vnto thee Euen this Because hee loued him as his owne soule What but loue forced the true mother of the child to say vnto Salomon Slay him not whereas the other for want of loue said Diuide it So nothing but the loue of GOD makes a man study the peace vnity of his House and causes his bowels to yearne at the diuiding of it What but the zeale of loue to GOD moued Hezekiah to break the images to cut downe the groues â—nd to demolish the brazen Serpent So certainely thou shalt neuer â—leaue fast to the LORD and throw downe those idols that are within thee and keep thy soule from inchastity except thy loue to GOD constraine thee Wouldst thou haue thy Religion costly and not count it a burthen to thee Wouldst thou bee cheerefull and Free-spirited in all thine oblations and gifts vnto GOD Then must thou needs addict thy soule to GOD by loue It was this which made Dauid say to Ornan I will not take thine for the LORD nor offer burnt offerings without cost It was deuotion which moued the Israelites to bestow their siluer and gold and precious stones vnto the building of the Temple Of whom it is written that They offered willinglâ— vnto the LORD with a Perfite â—eart It was without question true loue to GOD which made Sâ—lomon pray for wisedome and knowledge to gouerne the people of GOD and build an house for the Name of the LORD and which made Dauid say I will not enter into the Tabernacle of mine house nor come vpon my pallat or bed nor suffer mine eyes to sleepe nor mine eye-lids to slumber vntill I finde out a place for the LORD an habitation for the mighty GOD of Iacob Euen so doe thou whom CHRIST hath made a spirituall King deuote and bestow thy selfe on GOD by loue if euer thou desirest to gouerne thy selfe to mortifie thy lusts and to make thine heart an house for GOD to dwell in Wouldst thou not sleepe till thou hast found out an house for GOD to dwell in Then surely thy loue must keepe thee awake Loue vnto God and of his worship made the people sing for ioy and shoute with a great shoute when the foundation of the LORDS House was laid Euen so it behoues vs truely to loue GOD if wee would truely reioyce when wee see the Church which is the House of GOD newly founded or repaired in any Kingdome State Citty Towne Village Family or when wee see the truth of CHRIST planted and receiued in any man Wee are commanded to sanctifie the Sabboath day and Nehemiah was very zealous for the keeping of it and reproues the Rulers for the breach thereof What euill thing is this saith hee that yee doe and breake the Sabboath day Did not yours fathers thus and our GOD brought all this plague vpon vs and vpon this Citty yet yee increase the wrath vpon Israel in breaking the Sabboath Now certainely vnlesse by loue we sanctifie GOD in our hearts we shall neuer sanctifie the Saboath for GOD. This is the cause that wee steale away the Saboath from GOD because our lucre and pleasures doe steale away our loue that is due to GOD from vs. It was loue that made Ester say to the King How can I suffer and see the euill that shall come vpon my people or how can I suffer and see the destruction of my kindred Doubtlesse he loueth Iacob that pitties the affliction of Ioseph Loue vnto GOD will make the heart bleed at the bloud-shed of the godly Thou canst not loue GOD if thou beest not moued at the plots and practises of godlesse men against the people of GOD I suppose him void of all loue to GOD that could haue seene suffered that execrable Powder-practise or which now doth grieue in secret to see it disapointed To conclude what moued Iob to patience Loue. What made him say Though hee slay mee yet will I trust in him and I will reproue my waies in his sight Loue. What made Dauid say Thou art my LORD thy Law is within mine heart Loue. What made him so sing of GOD and compose so many Psalmes vnto him Loue. What made Agur pray Feed mee with foode conuenient least I bee full and deny thee and say Who is the LORD and least I be poore and steale take the Name of my GOD in vaine Loue. What made Salomon rise at the last relinquish his lusts cry All is vanity call vs to the remembrance of GOD in our youth Loue. What moueth the Church to speak thus vnto her husband Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his Mouth Shew me where thou feedâ—st where thou liest at noone Stay me with flagons comfort me with Apples Nothing but Loue. Shee is sicke of loue What made Daniel venture vpon the Lyons the three children vpon the fire and the Christian Martyrs vpon all kinds of deaths Surely this They loued not their liues vnto the death but out of their loue vnto GOD made more account of his glory then of their owne liues liberties pleasures profits and preferments and held the truth at an higher rate then all earthly things whatsoeuer Loe then what reason wee haue to loue the LORD I all the wit and industry of flesh and bloud were spent and exercised in arguing for the loue of earthly things yet all were nothing of no validity nor efficacy to remoue our loue from GOD to them What shall detaine our loue the world Know yee not saith Saint Iames That the amity of the world is
then to contemne and skorne others and â—steeme all as Cyphâ—rs in comparison of themselues What more vngodly then to glory of riches honours dignities noblenesse of birth wit strength beauty vertue as if they were not â—he free-giftâ— of GOD as if men were not obliged to him for them Againe what more iniust then pride For a proud man ascribes more to himselfe then is due and takes that from others which is due vnto them What more contentious then pride Therefore Salomon saith Onely by pride doth man make contention Pride hath euer beene a setter on foote of all heresies and schismes that euer were in the Church and is a notorious Make-bate in Common-wealthes Kingdomes Citties and priuate houses Harder it is for a man to keepe peace with the proud then with any and impossible it is for one proud person to agree sincerely with an other except peraduenture in such a case as this when as one out of his pride will endure no man to bee aboue him and another being proud of humility or humiliation rather will not like that any should be vnder him These two perhaps may liue friendly together being though both proud yet in a different respect Finally what can be more mishapen and ougly then this vice of pride which makes a man vnlike to GOD whom to bee like is mans greatest Honour and like to the deuill who is the father of pride and by pride ouerthrew himselfe What more certaine signe and effectuall worker of any mans ouerthrow then pride Pride goeth before destruction saith Salomon and an high mind before a fall What more hatefull and wastefull enemy to all vertues and all good things a man hath then pride By pâ—ide a man is spoyled of them all Therefore as men take heed of Theeues that rob and spoyle so and much more should wee beware of pride Quae insidiatur bonis operibus vt pereant which marres all good things and turnes them vp side downe If an humble man be proud of his humility hee hath lost of his humble minde and is become puft with pride If a man be proud of his beauty he hath lost his true beauty and is a beautifull foole If a man bee proud of his wisedome hee is become a foole if hee bee proud of his wit an Asse hath it in keeping if hee bee proud of his pouerty hee is rich in pride if hee bee proud of his riches hee is poore in piety Now what a woefull and odious sinne is pride which is not onely euill in it selfe but it turnes the nature of good things as they say thunder doth good drink and as venemous beasts turne whatsoeuer they eate into venome so pride makes the proud man turne all his thoughts words and workes into pride whiles hee draweth and referreth euery thing to his owne praise and honour Thus pride becomes like a moth or worme which frets the cloath and eates the wood wherein it was bred For pride springing of vertue corrupts it and there is no good thing so excellent which becomes not euill so soone as this wicked vice hath tainted it It behoues vs therefore to fly this wretched vice which wee cannot vnlesse wee submit our selues to GOD and his Ordinances vnlesse wee confesse him to bee the Free-Giuer of all good things we haue vnlesse wee cut off that errour of conceipt whereby wee thinke better of our selues then there is reason vnlesse wee seeke to GOD for his helpe and finally vnlesse we remember that GOD resisteth the proud but giueth grace to the humble and that Pride as one prettely speaketh was bred in heauen but hauing as it were forgotten which way it fell from thence it could neuer afterward finde the way thither backe againe Secondly the consideration of Gods iudgements vpon the Proud should teach vs as Dauid would haue it to loue the LORD who hates and punishes that sinne aboundantly that is or ought to bee so odious to vs. Seeing therefore GOD takes part with vs against the proud and by hating them shewes the goodnesse of his owne Nature and in that hee plagues them being euer the bitterest enemies to his truest friends it behoues vs and the rest of all GODS Saints to delight in GOD and loue him and in loue to submit our selues vnto him If we loue not him wee do not loue our selues but if wee loue him truely wee do truely loue our selues and wee are not in our owne opinion onely but truely beloued of Him which is infinitely much more worth then if all the world besides him did affect vs. Neither need wee care how ill the world thinkes of vs if he thinke well of vs as a sober and chaste woman cares not how other men are conceited of her so be it her husband like well of her and truly loue her or as a loyall subiect who makes more reckning of his soueraignes loue then of the frendship of all the traitors in the world Now the God of loue work and confirme this loue within our hearts that we may liue and dye in his loue and at length obtaine a full and finall fruition of him whom we doe loue receiving the reward of our loue the euerlasting life and happinesse of our soules and that by the merits of that his beloued Son Iesus Christ our Sauiour to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons but one Euerliuing Euerlouing God be all loue and honour all praise and power now and euer-more Amen FINIS ERRATA PAge 25. l. 2. read commination l. 3. read streaming P. 39. l. 11. read Laf-ford and whence p. 58. and last line read if all 4. Reasons of louing God Math. 23. 9 Iam. 1. 18. Psalm 139 13. Psal 71. 6. Iob. 10. 8. 11. 12. 2. Reason 3. Reason Ioh. 3. 16. 4. Reason Iob. 12. 7. Psal 8. 6. 7. 8. Of the manner how wee ought to loue God Mat. 12. 37 1. With all our heart A Simile Pro. 23. 26. A Simile Augusâ—ine Si totum me debeo pro me facto quid addam iam pro me refecto Bernard A Simile 2. With all our soule Our life and senses should be bestowed vpon God 3. With all our minde God mâ— haue oâ— thoughâ—â— vnderstanding Of self loue Why and how a maÌ„ should loue himselfe Augustine Gregory Why our neighbour is to bee loued 5. Reasons of louing our enemies Math. 5. 44 Colos 1. 22 Rom. 5. 8. Math. 5. 45 46. Mat. 5. 47. Gal. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 20 Rom. 12. 17. How our neighbour is to be loued Mat. 22. 39 Sanctè Iustè Verè August Perseueranter Of the coÌ„stancy of loue Gal. 6. 9. Heb. 13. 1. 1. Cor. 13. 13 Of faithfulnesse 7. Reasons oâ— Fidelity Reu. 2. 20. 2. Tim. 4. 7. 8. Psal 94. 14. Psal 146. 6. Ier. 32. 40. Mat. 1â— 22. Heb. 1â— 39 Reu. 21. 8 Of humility Iam. 4. 7. 10 Ex. 20. 12. 1. Pet. 5.