thou therefore meditate much on the love of God and Christ to thy unworthy soul Think what love is it that still spareth thee notwithstanding all thy God-daring and soul-damning provocations and that when others probably better than thy self are every day and night sent to that place where God hath large interest for his long patience What love is it not only to forbear thee but also to doe thee good thou his enemy art hungry he feedeth thee thou art thirsty he giveth thee drink If a man find his enemy will he let him goe 1 Sam. 24.19 but lo God findeth thee every moment as all thy sins are within the reach of his eye so thou thy self art continually within the reach of his arm he can as easily turn thee into hell as tell thee of hell And yet he letteth thee goe and more than that doth thee good Thou spendeth every hour upon the stock of mercy God is at great charge and much cost in continuing meat and drink and health and strength and time which thou dost ravel out and wanton away unprofitably What love was that in the Father which sent his own Son to die that thou mightst live Well might the beloved Disciple say God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him might not perish but have everlasting life Joh. 3.16 In this the bowels of divine love are naked as in an Anatomy In other things the love of God is as the beames of the Sun scattered which are warm and comfortable but in this it is as the beames of the Sun united in a burning-glasse hot fiery burning love God so loved the world so dearly so intirely so incomparably so infinitely It is a sic without a sicut as one observeth a pattern which can never be parallel'd In this God commended his love towards us in that when we were sinners Christ died for us Rom. 5.8 when God sent his Son into the world he did as it were say to him My dear Son thou Son of my chiefest love and choicest delight go to the wicked unworthy world commend me to them and tell them that in thee I have sent them such a love-token such an unquestionable testimony of my favour and good-will towards them that hereafter they shall never have the least colour of reason to suspect my love or to say Wherein hast thou loved us Malachi 1.2 What love was that in the Son of God which moved him to become the son of man that thou mightst become the son of God What love was that which made him so willingly undergo the scorns and flouts and derisions of wretched men the rage and malice and assaults of ravenous devils the wrath and fury of a righteous God such pangs and tortures in his body as no mouth can expresse such sorrows and horror in his soul as no minde can conceive and all that thou mightest escape such misery and obtain everlasting mercy Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friend John 15.13 The passion of Christ was the greatest evidence of his affection The laying down of life did abundantly proclaim his love His love before was like wine in a cask hardly seen but O how did it sparkle and cast its colour in the glass of his sufferings This Diamond before hid in the shell doth shine radiantly in the ring of his death If his tears did so much speak his love to Lazarus that the Jews who saw him weeeping cryed out Lo how he loved him surely his heart-blood doth far more demonstrate his love to his members They that beheld him bleeding in the garden had far more reason to say Look lo how he loved his What love is that which did all this for such a worm as thou art such a sinner such a rebel what would God lose if thou wert eternally lost the least tittle of his happinesse would not be diminished this Sun is no loser when men shut their eyes and will not behold its light what gaineth God if he gain thee to himself to his service thou canst not adde the least cubit to the stature of his perfections the refreshment is to men not to the Spring when the weary passengers drink of it He doth not command thee to repent from any need he hath of thee but from the pity he hath to thee He entreateth thee to return not that he may be blessed and happy but that he may be bountiful liberal in bestowing on thee those blessings which accompany salvation Methinks the apprehension of Gods great love and goodnesse should have such an impression on thee as to make thee little and low in thine own thoughts Is it not a wonder that God should vouchsafe a gracious look upon such a clod of earth a piece of clay as thou art but what admiration can answer this love and condescension that God should wait and intreat to lift thee up who wouldst cast him down That an Emperour should sue to a traitour that Majesty should thus stoop to misery that the Lord of life and glory should prepare for thee exceeding rich and precious promises a crown of life a purchased possession and beseech thee to accept of them Were thy heart never such hard metal one would think that such an hot fire of burning love should melt it I hsve in two or three Authors read of five men that met together and asked each other what means they used to abstain from sin The first said The thoughts of the certainty of death and uncertainty of the time moved him to live every day as if it were his last day The second said He meditated of the day of of judgment and the torments of hell and they frighted him from medling with his dangerous enemy sin The third considered of the deformity of sin and beauty of holinesse The fourth of the abundant happinesse provided in heaven for holy ones The last continually thought of the Lord Jesus Christ and his love and this made him ashamed to sin against God Reader if thou hast but any ingenuity the abuse of such love and kindnesse should work upon thee Some say the blood of a goat will soften an Adamant shall not then the blood of this true goat dissolve thy adamantine heart Beasts themselves have been won by kindnesse and wilt thou be worse than a beast that such Philanthrophy and kindnesse of God shall no whit stir thee or humble thee There is a twofold necessity of a deep serious humiliation for which cause I have been the more large upon it though indeed I have added very much more than I first intended in order to the two next directions which I shall prescribe thee First in order to thy hearty acceptation of Jesus Christ Humiliation is like John Baptist to prepare the way of Christ before him Christ will not be a Saviour to them that do not set an high valuation upon him now
eyes to see him Thus the joys of a Saint are invisible to the wicked because they are inward spiritual joys though they are joys unspeakable and glorious Austines confess They have such joy as thou art not to intermeddle with Prov. 14.10 They have meat to eat which thou knowest not of Their life is an hidden life Col. 3.3 and their comforts are hidden comforts their secret meals fatten their souls and their bread eaten in secret how pleasant is it The kingdom of God which is this spiritual life consisteth not in meats and drink but in righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 And besides it cometh not with observation Luk. 17.20 the world taketh no notice of it It doth not consist in the laughter of the face in the smiles of the brow but in the tranquillity of the mind solid contentment in the brest Christ takes his Spouse apart from the crowd of the world and then gives her the sweetest kisses the dearest embraces yea her very fill of love Many a loving visit hath the Saint from his Saviour when Christ came in at the backdoor the neighbors neither saw when he came nor when he went away A true Christian hath the most heart-chearing wine though he hangs out no bush maketh no shew of it in the world the wealthy Merchant that is worth thousands doth not cry his commodities up and down the City The parlor wherein the spirit of Christ entertains the Christian is an inner room not next the street for every one that goeth by to smell the feast the stranger doth not meddle with his joy Prov. 14.10 Christ and the soul may sit at supper within Mr. Gurnal Arm. 2 part pag 343. and thou not see one dish go in nor hear the Musick that sounds so sweetly in the Christians ears Perhaps thou thinkest he wants peace because he doth not hang out a sign in his countenance of that peace and joy within Alas poor wretch may not the Saint have a peaceful conscience with a solemn yea sad countenance as well as thou and thy companions have a sorrowful heart when there is nothing but fair weather in your faces Whether they have the greatest comfort or no do thou judge Sure I am there are none in this world that have so much ground to be comfortable as they have They have the most delightful company they walk with God they suppe with Christ their fellowship is with the Father and Jesus Christ his Son which is the onely good fellowship 1 Iohn 1.3 They have the most delightful food they eat of the bread that came down from heaven and drink of that love which is better than wine Psal 36.8 They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Gods house and made to drink of the rivers of his own pleasures and are bidden welcome with eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved These are exceedings indeed but if it be not their own fault they have them often besides their every hours fare of a good conscience which is a continual feast They have the most delightful Musick they hear the joyful sound of the Gospel of peace the glad tidings of pardon adoption salvation and so may rejoyce in hope of glory many a time surely their hearts are warmed and their ears ravished at the hearing of the affection which Christ beareth to them and the benefits he hath bought for them They have the most delightful lodging they lie all night between Christs arms in the chamber of the great King They have the richest mercies the special love of the Father the precious blood of the Son and the divine graces of the spirit when others have onely the blessings of the footstool of the left hand such giftless gifts as one calleth them as may consist with an eternal separation from God they have the mercies of the throne of the right hand the blessings of his own children and such as do accompany salvation No wonder that they sit under Christs shadow with great delight and his fruit is sweet unto their taste Can. 2.3 The child of God by vertue of a good conscience in the midst of the waves of affliction is as secure as that child which in a shipwrack was upon a plank with his mother till she awaked him then securely sleeping and then with his pretty countenance sweetly smiling and by and by sportingly asking a stroak to beat the naughty waves at last when they continued boystrous for all that sharply chiding them as if they had been his play-fellows O the innocency O the comfort of peace of conscience Dr. Stoughton It is likely indeed that when they wander from Christ they may come home by weeping-cross as out-lying Deer are full of fear and therefore t is observed seldom fat but they run the waies of Gods commandments with enlarged hearts And what ever be the cause of their sorrow whether their own sins or thine or others or the afflictions of the church whatever it be their mourning is better then the carnal mirth And this I dare undertake for them that in their most disconsolate condition they shall not change with the most prosperous Prince in the world that is out of Christ Alas the comfort of a sinner as it is but short like the crackling of thornes under a pot so it is but shallow skin deep at most like a sudden storm of rain which wetteth the surface of the earth Caeterae hilaritates non implent pectus sed frontem reâ—mittunt Sen. epi. 23 but never sinketh to the root their joy may smooth the brow but cannot warm the breast their looks may be sometimes lively but their hearts are alwaies heavy For there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isa 57.20 Their mirth is like some juicy plumbs which have stones with a bitter kernel The stateliest and best accommodated houses of unsanctified men I is not the great cage that maketh the bird sing nor the great estate that bringeth real comfort are but like the nests of Wasps where there may be curious combs but no honey many outward mercies but no true inward mirth no sweetness when the voice of joy and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous Psal 118.15 They onely have the strong consolations Heb. 6.18 The joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 The peace of God which passeth all understanding to garrison their hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phil. 4.7 As they have more afflictions than others the disciple of Christ must take up his cross so they have more consolations than others and their soul comforts are not seldom the sweetest when their bodily crosses are greatest as the sweetest Roses grow nearest the most stinking weeds although the blind world see them not As a man standing saith a Divine upon the sea-shore seeth a great heap of waters one wave riding upon the neck of another and heareth loud roarings thereof but though he seeth the waters
Gospel observe to every creature He that believeth shall be saved Ho every one that thirsteth Isa 55.1 If any man let him be poor or rich high or low thirst let him come to me and drink John 7.37 'T is a great encouragement that in the offers of pardon and life none are excluded why then shouldst thou exclude thy self Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden Matth. 11.28 Mark poor sinner all ye Art not thou one of that all Is not thy wickedness thy weight and thy corruption thy burden then thou art called particularly as well as generally Jesus Christ taketh thee aside from the crowd and whispereth thee in the ear O poor sinner that art weary of the work and heavy laden with the weight of sin be intreated to come to me I will give thee rest Why doth thy heart suggest that he doth not intend thee in that call Doth he not by that qualification as good as name thee Ah 't is an unworthy a base jealousie to mistrust a loving Christ without the least cause Once more meditate how willing he is to heal thy wounded spirit and be not faithless but believing He is willing to accept of thee if thou art willing to accept him What mean his affectionate invitations He seeketh to draw thee with cords of love cords that are woven and spun out of Christs heart and bowels Cant. 4.8 Come away from Lebanon my sister my Spouse from the lyons dens Mr. Mantor on Jude p. 75. from the mountains of Leopards Christs love is hot and burning he thinketh thou tarriest too long from his embraces Open to me my sister my Love my Dove my undefiled Cant. 5.2 Christ stands begging for entrance Lost man do but suffer me to save thee Poor sinner suffer me to love thee These are the charms of Gospel Rhetorick None singeth so sweetly as the Bird of Paradise the Turtle that chirpeth upon the Churches hedges that he may cluck sinners to himself What mean his pathetical expostulations Why will ye die Ezek. 33.11 What reason hast thou thus to run upon thy death and ruine What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me Jer. 2.5 what harm have I ever done them what evil do they know by me that they walk so contrary to me but one place for all Micah 6.3 4. O my people what have I done unto thee and wherein have I wearied thee testifie against me For I brought thee out of the Land of Egypt and redeemed thee out of the house of servants O my people remember now what bowels of love are here sounding in every line what fiery affection is there in such sweet expostulations O admirable condescention What meaneth his sorrow for them that refuse him for their Saviour He is grieved because of the hardness of mens hearts Mark 3.5 He shed tears for them that shed his blood When he came nigh that City which was the slaughter-house of the Prophets of the Lord and of the Lord of the Prophets he wept Luke 19.41 If thou hadst known even thou in this thy day The brokennesse of his speech sheweth the brokennesse of his spirit He is pitiful towards their souls that are so cruel to themselves and weepeth for them that go laughing to hell What meaneth his joy at the birth-day of the new creature when he is received with wel-come into the sinners heart The mother is as much pleased that her full breasts are drawn as the child can be The day of thy cordal acceptation of him will be the day of the gladness of his heart At such an hour he rejoyced in spirit saith the Evangelist Luke 10.22 He wept twice and he bled as some affirm seven times but we never read of his rejoycing if I mistake not but in this place And surely it was something that did extraordinarily take the heart of Christ which could in the time of his humiliation tune his spirit into a merry note and cause this man of sorrows to rejoyce Ah sinner believe it he would never so willingly have died such a cursed painful death if he had not been willing that sinners should live a spiritual and eternal life What mean I say his invitations expostulations grief upon refusal joy upon acceptance his commands intreaties promises threatnings his woing thee by the Ministers of his Word by the motions of his Spirit by his daily nightly hourly mercies by his gracious providence by his unwearied patience but to assure thee that he is heartily willing to accept thee for his servant for his son if thou art heartily willing to accept him for thy Saviour and for thy Soveraign He would never present thee with such costly gifts if his offer of marriage were not in earnest Besides broken-hearted sinner for 't is to thee that all this while I have been speaking how darest thou any longer entertain such a Traytour against the King of Saints in thy breast as a thought that the Lord Jesus can be guilty in any of the fore-mentioned particulars of the least insincerity Do not therefore like the silly Hart go ever up and down moaning and bleeding with the arrow in thy side thy sinnes sticking in thy heart but desire his helping hand to pluck them out and without question thou shalt have it He had a special command and commission from his Father to remember and redeem thee to bind up the broken-hearted Isa 61.1 2 3. to proclaim liberty to the captive and the opening of the prison to them that are bound to comfort them that mourn and dost thou think it possible for him to be unfaithful in his Office or to his Father No certainly he keepeth all his Fathers Commandments and continueth in his love John 15. When he was upon earth like a Physician he was in his Element when among sick and diseased persons so much did he love to heal and cure And now he is in heaven though he be free from passion yet not from compassion his heart pitieth thee most tenderly and his hand will help thee effectually Cheer up at last O drooping soul and look up with an eye of faith to this Lord of life to this brazen Serpent I may say to thee as Martha to Mary The Master is come and he calleth for thee Heark how loudly he proclaimeth his general tender of grace * Vocations and interjections speak very affection are bowels toward the distressed God layes his mouth as it were to the deaf eare of the unbeliever and cryeth aloud Ho every one that thirsteth Ho every one that thirsteth come to the waters Isa 55.1 how lovingly he beseecheth As though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 See how chearfully he looks out of hope that thou wilt by believing receive him into thy heart His countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether