Redemption 't is far more glorious then the work of Creation In it shines more glorious Wisdom Goodness Power Now no creature must equal God in glory much less exceed him The most glorious work belongs to the most glorious God 3. None must Redeem us but God who Created us the benefit of Redemption doth more deeply oblige us then the benefit of Creation We owe more for our Redemption then for our Creation Before he Made us we were nothing before he Redeem'd us we were worse then nothing We owe greater thanks to him who Redeem'd us by his Sons Blood then to him who Created us only by his Breath More Duties Services are to be performed to him as our Saviour then as to our Maker Should any but God Redeem us we should be more deeply engaged to a Creature then to our Creator God blessed for evermore We have seen the Authour Let us see II. The Action He sent Our Saviours Incarnation for the working of our Redemption is by no one expression so often made known to us as by this of Sending Christ makes it the summ of our Christian Faith That the world may believe that thou hast sent me Ioh. xi It is a pregnant expression and affords us divers truths for our Observation 1. Christs Incarnation was a Sending of him that 's Actus liberae dispensationis an Action of freedom and voluntary dispensation Not as some erroneously conceived it as if his Sending had been his Making and giving him his Being It was Nestorius his Heresie That the Person of Christ had no Being before his Incarnation but then had his beginning No his Sending was no natural production but a gracious employment and voluntary dispensation He who was Sent was before he was Sent Ioh. xvi 28. I came forth from the Father and came into the world Again I leave the world and go unto the Father The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old Prov. viii 22. There is his Eternal generation But he rejoyced to be in the habitable parts of the earth he delighted to be with the sonnes of men There was his voluntary and gracious Sending in his Incarnation Though he was born at Bethlem Yet his goings forth were from of old from everlasting Micah V. 2. 2. Christ was Sent to work our Redemption Sending it is Actus specialis Intentionis he came to be a Saviour to us upon special Intention It gives a great assurance to our faith that Christ undertook this work not occasionally but purposely it was the errand he came about it was the end and aym of his Incarnation Not as David saved Nabal's flock while he was in the wilderness for his own safety onely while he was there he did Nabal that kindness Nor was he like the good Samaritan that travell'd upon his own occasions and chanced upon the wounded man and so step'd out of his way to relieve and succour him but it was his only business He came to seek and to save that which was lost Matth. xviii 11. Now surely he will not frustrate the main end of his Nativity He was separated to this work from his mothers womb Sent from the bosom of his Father to accomplish it 3. Christ came and yet his Father Sent him it is Actus mutui consensus He came and so it was his own Act and his Father Sent him so it was his Father's Act. Both joyn'd and agreed in this work of our Salvation Indeed the Father and the Son they always do the same things but yet more expresly their consent is observable in our Redemption The Scripture makes it a matter of their counsel and consultation a matter of covenant and compact 'twixt the Father and the Son Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance Psal. ii In the volume of thy book it was written of me then said I Lo I come I delight to do thy will O my God Psal. xl 7. Both concurred He came not of himself but his Father Sent him Come I will send thee to thy brethren said Iacob to Ioseph Go I pray thee see whether it be well with them They both joyned in this work as Abraham and Isaac did in the sacrificing of Isaac no striving or wrestling or refusing but a joynt consent The Father Sends him and he came willingly as Iephta's daughter to her father Do as thou hast vowed It was not the love of Christ onely without or against his Fathers liking not like Ionathans kindness sore against his father Sauls will He undertook not our cause nor vanquish'd our enemies as Ionathan made his on-set on the Philistims his father not knowing it nor did God part with him unwillingly and upon much importunity as Iacob did with Benjamin to ransom his brother no God highly approved his Sons willingness in offering and undertaking this great Service they both joyn'd in this work 4. God Sent his Son to Redeem us it is Actus Autoritatis it carries with it strength of full Warrant and Authority He came with an ample Commission to effect this work And Christ publish'd this Commission at his first Preaching Luk. iv 17 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me he hath anointed me he hath sent me to deliver the Captives The Father that sent me gave me commandment Ioh. xii Him hath God the Father sealed Ioh. vi Set him up to be the Prince and Authour of Salvation It makes much to the fulness of this work That Christ steps not in as a private mediating friend but is employed by God comes with full Authority to negotiate and transact the work of our Redemption S. Paul terms him the Apostle of our â—…rofession Heb. iii. He had Apostolical Commission from God to effect it It must teach us perfectly to trust in him and to commend the care of our Salvation into his hands whom God hath laid this office upon to solicit our Salvation 5. God Sent Christ to us Sending it is Actus Praeventionis 't is a Preventing favour He stays not till we make means and send petitions and intercessions to him but is first in this office of Reconciliation It had been much to have admitted a Treaty upon our seeking and importunity no he prevents us with his loving kindness expects not till we send to him Our going to God as S. Chrysostom notes 't is not called in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He fetch'd us and brought us we went not of our selves Non motu nostro sed ductusuo S. Iohn insists much upon this Preventing love of God In this was manifested the love of God that God Sent his onely begotten Son into the world that we may live through him 1 Ioh. iv 9. And vers 10. Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins He sent to us when none of us ever thought of sending
he seems to part with his own right in it and sets it over to his Church If God so loved us What then The inference we should think were more natural Then we must love him again But God parts with his interest bestows it on his children Then ought we to love one another 1 Ioh. iv 11. He requires us to exhibit it to his Church 1. In signum amoris then 't is best tryed Every man will love God it is best discovered in our love to his Church 2. In fructum amoris the fruit of our charity cannot reach to him As David desiring to shew love to Ionathan even after his death inquires out Mephibosheth or any of his children that they might enjoy what Ionathan could not Quod homini proficit Deo servit saith Tertullian Then charity is most serviceable to God when it is profitable to his Church The Church that is commended especially to our love and charity As S. Bernard observes of Christs provision for his Mother at his death he commended her to S. Iohn his loving disciple and in terms of love Behold thy Mother and Behold thy Son so in the disposition that 's the principal affection to which Christ commits it Art thou a Minister conceive Christs voice from his Cross to thee Behold thy Mother behold thy Son This was the Preface to S. Peter's charge Peter lovest thou me then feed my flock Of both which Speeches to S. Peter and S. Iohn Aquinas conceits that answerable to their affection so was their commission Saint Peter loved Christum mysticum in membris Christ in his members to him therefore the Church was by name commended Saint Iohn loved Christum personalem Christ in his person to him therefore he committed the care of his Mother Love is the affection that 's principally required This we see typified in Aarons brest-plate the names of the Israelites they were ingraven and set upon the holy Pectoral not upon his shoulders onely for care and burden but upon his breast the seat of love they must be dear and tender to him It is a sin in any man to be void of Charity but it is an hainous impiety in a Priest It had been cruelty in any Jew not to regard his brother's wounded and bleeding body but for a Levite and a Priest to pass by and neglect the body nay the soul of their brother without charity and compassion what sin more abominable Without this gift all other graces they are fruitless and unprofitable sine hac nihil sum saith the Apostle not minor or parvus but nihil sum Had I all Languages even to the tongues of Angles had I all Miracles to remove Mountains had I all Patience even to the enduring of Martyrdom Quale crimen saith Cyprian quod nè Mariyrio quidem potest expiari sine hac nihil sum And cum hac omnia sum Charity bears all believes all hopes all Strange The act of Charity is onely to love Elicit suum actum imperat omnem As a spring in a clock sets all the wheeles going or the Primum mobile in Heaven carries all the Spheres with it Art thou to Prophesy Charitâ—… cogit saith the Apostle The love of Christ constrains Hast thou Languages they are unprofitable in themselves divided from Charity Charity directs and unites them together Ex una lingua factae sunt multae hoc superbia fecit ex multis facta est una hoc charitas facit Aug. Saint Iames speaking of malicious tongues saith They are set on fire of Hell and they set on fire the whole course of nature in strife and confusion so these gifts of tongues being set on fire by charity as by fire from Heaven they set on fire the whole course of nature in grace and conversion Not as if Charity were absolutely necessary as if none but a Convert could convert others Tongues and Miracles as we see in Iudas they may do good but not so kindly as when love imployes them As S. Augustine observes of Christ's Miracles they prevailed the more with his Auditours because they were not onely signa potentiae but fructus amoris They were miracula salutaria helpful and beneficial Had they been nociva as Moses his were in Egypt they would have bred hatred and terrour driven men farther from him or had they been innocua to remove Mountains to fly in the air they would have wrought wonder and astonishment but they were salutaria healing and feeding and raising from the dead these were beneficial and provoked love and affection As the Prophet when he laid his staff upon the child which was signum potentiae it never fetch'd life but the embracing of his arms that was fructus amoris that warm'd and enliven'd him Miracles and languages they may do good but not so kindly Much more Prophesying though divided from Charity hath its use and profit for the conversion of others To this purpose S. Augustine alluding to that of S. Paul Some preach Christ of good will others on by-respects Quidam saith he non castè praedicant Christum tamen his auditis fideles nascuntur As in natural generation so likewise in spiritual Quidam ad concubitum ingrediuntur non voluntate generandi sed luxuriandi libidiâ—…e in lust not in love and desire of posterity and yet they beget children ex fâ—…cunditate seminum non ex turpitudine vitiorum The seed of the word it hath vim plasticam prolificam a power of regenerating though dispensed and applied by one not-converted Let the seed be good that is sown in the furrows it skils not what the hand be that scatters it abroad Pastores mali saith S. Augustine against the Donatists bad Shepherds may feed the flock in good Pastures Prophecy without Charity hath a power of converting but not so kindly As a Chirurgeon or Physician is more affectionately careful of his own body then of a stranger's life The one he doth Ex Arte to shew his skill the other In Affectu in Sympathy of affection The one preaches Ut lucretur famam for credit and ostentation the other Ut lucretur fratrem Thou hast gained thy brother saith our Saviour accounting every Christian as S. Paul did Onesiâ—…us his own bowels and esteeming S. Iames his reward the best encouragement Hast thou converted a sinner Know thou hast saved a soul from death and hast hid a multitude of sins That 's a second Inforcement Ut Ecclesiae habeat Charity improves all his gifts for the benefit of the Church 3. Ut Sibi habeat Charity makes them comfortable and profitable to his own soul. That 's the excellency of Charity above these other Graces Tongues without Prophecy edifie no man Prophecie without Charity edifies others helps not himself Charitas alios seipsum He saves himself and those that hear him Tongues without Prophecie like Nimrod they build a Babel they confound themselves and bring confusion to others Prophecie without Charity like Noah's workmen they
they do not fill with any good nourishment Therefore the Apostle places all in love If any man think that he knows any thing he knows nothing yet as he ought to know but if any man loves God the same is known of him 1 Cor. viii 2 3. That 's worth something And as it is doing not knowing onely so it must be Amor operans not loquens tantum not a love that will vanish into a verbal Profession Such there are of whom S. Iohn speaks He that saith he loves God 't is love and lip-labour both of one value 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. Thou sayst thou lovest God shew me thy love by thy works of love otherwise God rejects it Isai. xxix 13. This people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart far from me Ye know Dalilahs expostulation with Sampson How canst thou say that thou lovest me and wilt not do this for me that I require No Gods law 't is Objectum practicum 't is the matter not of our knowing or speaking onely but of our doing and practising Religion 't is a practical art serves not to make us the wiser onely but the better also 'T is an holy art of Living well and not of knowing and speaking onely I have lifted up my hands to thy Commandements which I have loved Psal. cxix 48. lifted up his hands not his eyes only saith David and again Verse 105. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet not to mine eyes onely to gaze and look on it 2. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements It puts another qualification on our love 't is amor reverentialis not a love of equality but a love of subjection and inferiority such a love as the Inferiour bears to his Superiour that hath a power to command him such a love as the Israelites Servant professes to his Master I love my Master and will not leave his service When we hear of loving God we dream of equality and familiarity Oh! God is our friend Christ is our brother we have fellowship with them both and so we think we may carry our selves fellow-like towards them No the Text tells us He is still our Commander and our love we bear to him must be a love joyned with reverence the love of a Son to his Father the love of a Servant to his Master the love of a Subject to his Soveraign lowly and submissive such as is the love of an inferiour to him that is farr above him and superiour to him 3. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements This shews that our love to God must be Amor regulatus a love regulated and restrained to what God commands us The onely matter of religious love and service to God is what he hath required and commanded us to do Id utique Deo dignum quod ipse Deus sibi fatetur acceptum that is onely accepted which God hath prescribed Ye are my friends saith Christ if ye do what I command you Ioh. xv 14. In this case our own inventions are but presumptions and superstitions Hence it is that Love is call'd The Royal Law because God hath appointed in what things we must shew our love to him I told you the love we owe to God 't is not a love of equals but of inferiours and so must be submissive and guided by his will not by our own Indeed for the forwardness and chearfulness of our love so it must be voluntary Nothing is so free as Love Non tantum servire Deo meo debes sed adulari Tertul. But yet for the expressions and performances of it he hath strictly bounded it within the compass of his Commandments Saul thought he had shewed great love in reserving the fat Cattel for Sacrifice But what said Samuel Hath the Lord such pleasure in Sacrifices as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what the Lord requires at thine hands Offer to him not thine Inventions but his own Prescriptions 4. Herein is love that we keep his Commandements This shews our love to God must be Amor extensus universalis our love to God must be intire and universal of as large extent as all Gods Commandments As before ye heard of a Restriction so here we meet with an Extension Love must be the fulfilling of the Law Rom. xiii We must not be partial in the Law of God as Malachi speaks Quod propter Deum fit aequaliter fit The love of God looks at every Commandment and makes conscience of it Thus David professes the intireness of his obedience I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right The least Commandment carries a divine authority with it A good Christian sues not to God 〈◊〉 Naaman to Elisha for a dispensation In this the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant this sin I must live in this Commandment 〈◊〉 make bold with What saith S. Iames He that offends in 〈◊〉 is guilty of all Not that the same degree and measure of love and obedience is required in all there is a difference and disproportion There are some Commandements more essential to piety and substantial some but accessory and circumstantial some are the main parts and duties of Religion others but Appurtenances Now where God layes most weight there we must expect most care The love of God 't is called The great Commandment Matth. xxii It must be preferred before the love of any creature But yet the love of God in a due proportion extends it self to every duty it will make us shun every sin 1. The smallest sins This love will keep us not onely from outragious impieties but from smaller transgressions As true love to our friend will with-hold us not onely from doing him a mischief but from doing of him the least displeasure 2. It will make us avoid even secret sins not onely such sins as may dishonour God by a publick scandal but love will not offend the eyes of his Holiness when he sees in secret 3. Love to God will make us avoid our dearest sins most delightful most profitable it will not onely sindg off hairs but cut off our hand That 's the second Particular Proceed we now Thirdly To the last Particular in the Text What is the disposition and inclination that he which loves God finds in himself to Gods Commandments He snuffs not at them as heavy and burthensome impositions accounts not the law of God as an heavy yoke His Commandments are not grievous Indeed in some respects 't is most true Gods Commandments are exceeding heavy There is in them not onely magnum pondus they are weighty and ponderous but they are also magnum onuâ—… heavy and burthensome See the truth of this in three Particulars 1. Take the Law of God at its full height and pitch of perfection so it hath a great difficulty in it yea in a manner an impossibility in it to
to Him What the Shunamite said to Elisha mankind may truly say to God Did I desire a son of my lord Did we ever think of this means of Salvation No the whole world 1. Either lay in security never minding nor considering our woful condition 2. Or else were up in hostility so far from sending for peace that we were bidding defiance to him practising enmity 3. Or were sunk in despair not daring to think any thought of pardon expecting nothing but destruction and then he graciously thought upon us and sent for our deliverance 6. God Sent his Son Sending it is Actus Demissionis a great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Fathers call Christ's Incarnation an Act of great Vouchsafing of much Condescension For God to Send to us to dispatch messengers begin treaties make offers of reconciliation nay Preces descendere in omnes to beseech us to be reconciled admirable dignation He hath all the advantages of the better against us why should he seek and Send and sue to us for peace and atonement 1. He is Fortior all the Strength is on his side Now Christ tells us Luk. xiv 31. that in case of enmity he who finds himself the weaker should send Embassages and desire conditions of Peace Alas we are infinitely the weaker not able to annoy him or to grapple with him S. Paul gives us this Item Rom. v. 6. When we were yet without strength Christ dyed for us 2. He is Dignior that 's a second advantage on his side far above us in all Honour and Dignity One would think the more mean and inferiour should Send and seek and sue to his better if he have offended him What saith Elizabeth to the Virgin Mary Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me Luk. i. 43. What stooping is this and condescension that the High and the Holy One should send to us in our base condition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostom he makes himself lower than the lowest by this condescension 3. He is Pars laesa that 's a third advantage he hath against us The injury and wrong is done to him the offence is committed by us Reason would that we who had wronged him should come in first and sue to him As Shimei because he had wronged David came first of all his Tribe and Countrey to meet King David and to make his peace with him In our petty wranglings when the Potsheards contend with the Potsheards of the earth we stand upon this He hath wronged me yet God abates this All the right is of his side and yet he Sends to us Whose charity sticks not here we are ready to say He hath wronged me let him seek and sue to me first 4. He is Independens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Self-sufficiency needs not our friendship reconciliation Amongst men we must sometimes put up wrongs and pass by them we may stand in need of those who have now offended us Nec possum tecum vivere nec sine te Superiours may have such use of their inferiours that they must be glad to seek to them The head cannot say to the foot I have no need of thee But God stands not in need of us or of our service Had we all perished in our rebellion he had lost nothing Eliphaz in Iob tells us that Can a man be profitable unto God Is it any gain to him that thou art righteous Iob xxii 2. No had we all perished he had his holy Angels to serve him nay had they all revolted his glory and happiness is included in himself and no wayes depends upon the service of his creatures God gives Abraham an Item of this when he made his Covenant with him I am God All-sufficient walk before me and I will make my Covenant with thee Gen. xvii It was not necessity but mercy to covenant with Abraham Yet see he abates this and all other advantages Though he be the Stronger and needs not fear us though he be the Better and so may despise us though he be wronged by us and so may expect submission from us though he hath not the least need of us and so may neglect and cashier us for ever yet see his wonderful vouchsafing and condescending he Sends and seeks to us We may well break out with David's admiration 2 Sam. vii 19. Is this the manner of man O Lord God Would one man thus deal with another Stoop so low to such treaties and intreaties of reconciliation send and solicite and importune for agreement Nay verily 't is the unmatchable example of God's love to us thus to make after us to Send and to Send his Son to accomplish our peace and reconciliation SEVEN SERMONS PREACHED UPON The History of our Saviours Transfiguration as it is represented by the three Evangelists S. MATTHEW S. MARK S. LUKE THE FIRST SERMON ON S. LUKE ix 28. And it came to pass about an eight dayes after these sayings he took Peter and John and James and went up into a mountain to pray c. THis passage of Scripture is a remarkable relation of our Saviours glorious Transfiguration his laying aside his garments of Frailty and Mortality and his assuming to himself his robes of Majesty and Glory As David seeing his son Solomon's Succession questioned and opposed sends him to Mount Gihon commands Zadock and Nathan to annoint and proclaim him King so here Christs Kingdom being opposed he is by Gods appointment established Moses and Elias adore and attend him and a Voyce from heaven declares him Messias The Text sets out Christs Preparation and Entrance into this glorious Manifestation of Himself and the purposed choyce of those remarkable Circumstances in which he was pleased to be Transfigured And as in Coronations and Triumphs of Kings all Occurrences are forelayd and ordered for greater Magnificence so here every particular is cull'd out to advance the glory of this Transfiguration 1. Is the choyce of Time About an eight dayes after these sayings 2. Is the choyce of Attendants Peter Iames Iohn 3. Is the choyce of the Place fit for this great work A mountain 4. Is the choyce of an holy Preparative Action Prayer He went up into a mountain to pray First is the choyce of Time And as in Time there are two things 1. Order 2. Measure 1. The one is Succession 2. The other Duration So here 1. There is Ordâ—… or Successio in these words After these sayings 2. There is Duratio in these words About an eight dayes I. Is Ordo or Successio After these sayings and it reflects back to several remarkable passages going before in his immediate last discourse with his Disciples 1. Is Post Petri confessionem after S. Peter's Confession vers 20. Thou art the Christ of God After this Confession of the Disciple's Faith then he was Transfigured It carries with it a double Intendment 1. Of Confirmation of their Faith 2. Of Reward
All must honour the Son as they honour the Father 3. Ejusdem Potestatis He is of equal Power and Authority with his Father De Domino natus est Dominus haeres omnium All Power in heaven and earth belongs to him He is Heir of all But is Christ God's Son 1. It is Argumentum Amoris dare Filium An Argument of Gods great love to Mankind in that he would bestow him upon us God tried Abraham's love by requiring the sacrificing of his Son 2. It is Fundamentum Meriti From this That Christ is the Son of God is the Excellency of his Merit That he could vanquish Satan abolish sin purchase salvation it was not because he was Filius Mariae but Filius Dei and so his Acts are Infiniti valoris and himself the Universale principium gratiae 3. It is Testimonium gratuitae Adoptionis Is Christ God's Son What need had God then to adopt us to be his sonns Adoption is an help in Law to supply Nature either when there is not Filius or not Dilectus Filius or Mortalis Filius But all these were prevented in Christ. Yet God adopted us not that he wanted a Son but that we wanted a Father He made us accepted in his Well-beloved That 's the first He is Filius A Son 2. He is dilectus Filius A beloved Son He was typified by Isaac the sonn of Abraham's love by Solomon called Iedidiah beloved of God What my son and what the son of my womb and what the son of my vowes So Christ He was a beloved Son There are three things that make a Son beloved of his Father and all eminently in Christ. 1. Is Proprietas The Son is the Possession of his Father as Eve called Cain A Possession Filius aliquid Patris decisum naturae The Father hath communicated himself to his Child and that makes him to love him Much more doth God love his Son upon this ground He is not aliquid Patris but totum 2. Is Similitudo That 's causa Amoris The Father imprints his likeness on his Son In his own likeness he begat him So Christ is the lively Image of his Father 1. In his Divinity He is the character of his Father's Glory a full representation of him If you knew me you would know the Father 2. In his Humanity All those created and infused Graces that are in the Manhood of Christ they are prints of Gods Wisdome Holiness Mercy c. shining in him 3. Is Conformitas in voluntate That breeds love idem velle idem nolle Christ is a Son who never displeased his Father there is no repugnancy in his will to God He lost his Life rather then he would lose his Obedience No marvel then though the Father stile him his beloved Son And there are three Evidences of his loving of him 1. Circumcessio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is in the Father and the Father is in him Ioh. xiv 11. 2. Communio consiliorum He lyes in the Bosome of the Father and he communicates his Counsels to him and shews him all things 3. Communicatio bonorum He hath made him Heir of all things Psal. ii 8. Ask of me and I shall give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Luke xxii 29. I appoint unto you a Kingdome as my Father hath appointed unto me That 's the first the Dignity of his Person Now follows Secondly The Excellency of his Mediation In whom I am well pleased This is considerable two wayes 1. As a Qualification of his Person God is highly pleased with Christ. 2. As the Virtue and Fruit of his Mediation In whom he is pleased with us First Consider it as a Qualification of his Person The Person of Christ was most amiable and acceptable and gracious in the eyes of his Father Thus Esay describes him Behold my Servant whom I uphold mine Elect in whom my soul delighteth Isa. xlii 1. and it is repeated Matth. xii 18. Christ was most pleasing to God the Father 1. In respect of his Infinite Excellency and Goodness His Divine nature infinitely answers to the Will of God In it there is all holiness and purity and goodness exactly answerable and equal to the purity of God the Father Finite goodness procures finite love but Christs infinite Excellency is infinitely delightful to his Father Thus he rejoyced with him and in him from all Eternity This blessed Communion 'twixt the Father and the Son it took up that Incomprehensible space of Eternity It answers to that Atheistical Quere What did God before he made the world He enjoyed his own Glory and Blessedness and his Soul delighted in this Son of his desires and love Prov. viii 30. 2. God was well pleased in Christ as he was in the state of his Incarnation as God-man so God was highly pleased with his Son In the Creation God was pleased with all his works he beheld them and they were all good The Lord rejoyced in his works Psal. civ But Christ Incarnate is the choyce Master-piece of all the works of God In him he hath magnified all his glorious Attributes the greatest Wisdome the greatest Evidence of Power the greatest Communication of his Goodness all were discovered in this work There are divers Degrees of Gods Communicating his Goodness 1. In Creation he communicates the Goodness of Being when he brings forth a creature out of the dark dungeon of nothing and makes it subsist 2. He more communicates his Goodness in communicating Life a ray of his Life to creatures living 3. He more communicates his Goodness by imparting the choyce Similitude of himself to man That much pleas'd him as the chief of all the wayes of God which makes David wonder Lord what is man So Psal. civ surveying all the creatures when he comes to man vers 23 24. then he wonders O Lord how manifold are thy works 4. Yet he more communicates his Goodness in the Production of Grace in the Infusion of Holiness By it he makes us partakers of the Divine nature That is a glorious piece of his workmanship And he more rejoyces in one sanctified Soul then in all other creatures in heaven or earth But 5. The greatest and most glorious communication is of himself in the Incarnation to make a creature to be God by Personal Union This is the most Incomparable work of God This all the Angels wonder at If at the creation of Light all the Angels of God shouted for joy and admiration as Iob speaks sure when this work was atchieved then all creatures did wonder much more And in this God was highly pleased 3. God was well pleased in Christ in respect of his perfect and compleat Righteousness All that our Saviour ever did did highly content and please him The best of all the Saints have their failings and imperfections He found folly in his Angels In the best of them there is matter of displeasure But for this Son
of Contrition observe two things 1. Actum 2. Objectum 1. The Act expressed in this word Rent 2. The Object that is specified 1. Affirmative what we must rent that 's the heart 2. Negative what we must not rent Not your garments And this latter object may be resolved into a double sense 1. If we conceive it as Objectum solitarium as divided and sever'd from the renting of the heart So it is Sensus purè negativus a flat negative Rent not your garments Or 2. As Objectum conjunctum Joyn renting of the heart and garments together So it is Sensus comparativus Rent your hearts rather then your garments That 's the first the Exhortation to Contrition 2. The Exhortation to Conversion that follows Return to the Lord your God Return and that implies a Motion And therein observe three things 1. Motum ipsum the kind of Motion it is a Returning 2. Terminum Motus that whereunto we must return that is the Lord. 3. Habitudinem mobilis ad terminum that habitude and relation which guides and byasses us unto the term in the words following Your God And it is twofold For 1. As in all natural Motion so in this there is an attraction in the term and place to which the Motion tends that which draws the Mobile towards it as the heaven doth the fire that 's in the last word God 2. An Impulsive in the Mobile that which carries and disposes the thing moved towards it as levity in the fire that 's exprest in this word Your He is Your God That 's the first main Precept the Precept of Repentance The second follows the Motive to Repentance in these words For he is gracious and merciful slow to anger and of great kindness and repenteth him of the evil And in it consider three things as most observable 1. Speciem Motivi 2. Partes Motivi 3. Gradus Motivi 1. The kind and nature of the Motive It is a Motive and Perswasion drawn from one who is gracious merciful slow to anger of great kindness and repents of the ill All of them invitations of love and favour 1. Contents not himself to put us in mind of our duty We must Return unto the Lord our God So requiring Repentance Sub ratione officii as performance of duty 2. Uses no threatnings intermingles no curses So enforcing Repentance Sub ratione periculi for avoydance of danger But 3. Urges mercy and favour Strange saith Tertullian proemio invitat ad salutem So perswading to Repentance Sub ratione spei Thus we see a loving Father receives his returning Prodigal neither strikes him nor threatens him no nor expostulates Where hast thou rioted and wasted thy time and my goods Uses not an harsh word to him but meets him and kisses him and embraces him and receives him with all loving affection That 's the first thing observable the kind of the Motive 2. Take a view of the several parts of this affectionate Motive contents not himself to open some glimpse of hope and possibility of pardon makes not an offer of some one of his gracious and forgiving Attributes but opens the riches and treasures of his mercies conceals not any hint or hold of comfort thinks all little enough Either 1. To make a full expression of love in Him Or 2. A deep impression of hope in Us enlarges the bowels of his compassion sets out the heighth and breadth and length of his Mercy to us summons up all his Attributes of grace and favour Gracious merciful slow to anger of great kindness he repenteth of the evil That 's the second thing observable The number and parts of the Motive 3. Observe the Degrees of the Motive See how they are all set and purposed to prevent and remove all the fears and discouragements that a timorous guilty Conscience can forecast to it self 1. We are here called upon to present our selves unto the Lord to hope for and expect his love and favour Whose heart will not object that he is not worthy of so great a blessing not having the least desert of the least favour True but he is a gracious God shewing his goodness and compassion freely without desert That 's the first degree He is gracious sine merito But 2. We are not only destitute of any good deservings but our lives have been demeritorious sinful offensive deserving the contrary True but he is merciful and compassionate even against desert That 's the second degree He is merciful contra meritum But 3. We daily provoke him by our rebellions grieving his Spirit increasing his wrath by our offences Yet let not this discourage us he is a patient God forbearing his people He is longanimis a God slow to anger That 's the third degree of the Motive But 4. The cry of our sins hath ascended up to Heaven and called loud in the ears of God he is already offended his wrath is kindled his anger incensed yet despair not he is easie to be entreated he is of great kindness That 's the fourth ascent of the Motive But 5. His wrath hath smoak'd out against us his Prophets have threatned and denouneed his judgments the Decree is come out we are all senteneed to destruction Yet let not this deject us yet there is hope of mercy and forgiveness he will reverse his sentence He repenteth of the evil These are the degrees Then 1. Do thy sins discourage thee Let the offer and invitation of his mercy assure thee 2. Doth the number and variety of thy transgressions dishearten thee Consider in the second place the multitudes of his mercies and let them perswade thee But 3. Doth the measure and heinousness of thy rebellions affright thee Let the degrees and plenty of his Compassions comfort thee These are the Motives First Let us begin with the first part of the Text the duty of Contrition unto which we are exhorted And in it 1. The Act of Contrition is to be observed in this word Soindite Rent And the Observation is shortly thus much That the act and practice of Repentance is no less then a Renting A renting and that naturally implies and inâ—…erts three things 1. Duritiem in objecto Stiffness and obduration in the Object to be wrought upon A sinful heart is stiff and obdurate it needs a rending 2. Difficultatem in actu Hardness and difficulty in the act to be exercised Repentance 't is no slight gentle easie performance No 't is grievous and painful 't is no less then a Renting 3. Vim in agente It requires all the strength and might of him that undertakes it Repentance 't is a renting 1. Durities in objecto That 's the first Inference A sinner not mollified and wrought upon by repentance he is naturally hardned he needs a renting S. Paul puts them both together Rom. ii 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hardness and impenitency they are never asunder Observe those measures and degrees of obduration that the Scripture discerns and describes
water springs the Son to the River and Stream that floweth from this Fountain the Holy Ghost to the Pool or Sea into which both Fountain and River doth run and flow All one in the substance yet distinctly apprehended by these resemblances 2. Saint Paul here names the Holy Ghost under this expression The Spirit of the Father as delighting to shew the consent and concurrence of the whole Trinity in the work and carriage of our salvation The Father Son Spirit all joyned in this great Work As in our creation Let us make so in our repair and recovery the power of the Father the wisdom of the Son the grace of the Holy Ghost all concurred in this work Thus Ephes. ii 18. Through the Son we have access by one Spirit to the Father The Son recommends us the Spirit conducts us and the Father receives us The gods of the Heathen when one favoured another opposed Mulciber in Trojam pro Troja stabat Apollo One was against Troy the other stood for it Our God Father Son and Holy Ghost all set themselves to atchieve our salvation 3. By this expression the Apostle would send us to the Well-head of all grace and teach us to whom to seek for the gift of the Spirit the original donor of it is God the Father Hence He is called The promise of the Father Acts i. 4. We had need be set right in this point S. Iames tells us we are subject to mistake Err not my dear children Every good and perfect gift comes from above from the Father of lights Iames i. 16. Lux à primo lucido Our Saviour appropriates it to the Father Luk. xi 11. Your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him He hath abundance of spirit as Malachi speaks In all those diversities of endowments and operations that are in the Church 't is the same God that works all in all It must teach us to whom to have recourse even to this Fountain of holiness from whom it is communicated and conveyed to all that receive it That 's the first Reference 't is the Spirit of the Father 2 d. Then here is a second Reference to Christ in a miraculous operation The Spirit of him that raised Iesus from the dead God the Father he raised Christ by the Spirit from the dead The point is observable that the resurrection of Christ is in a specimanner attributed to the Father Acts ii 32. This Iesus hath God raised up and is by the right hand of God exalted and Acts iii. 26. God hath raised up his Son Iesus Indeed we find the Resurrection ascribed to all the three Persons 1. The Father he raised him up Him God raised up the third day Acts x. 40. 2. Christ he is the author of his own resurrection his Divinity was inseparably joyned to his Humanity united not onely to his living but also to his dead body and by virtue of that Union he raised himself He had power to lay down his life and power to take it up again Ioh. x. 18. As the Sun sets and rises by his own motion 3. The Holy Ghost raised up Christ 1 Pet. iii. 18. He was put to death in the flesh but was quickned by the Spirit So then all concurr yet here it is especially attributed to the Father for divers reasons 1. In general all actions of the Deity originally flow from the Father As in being so in all acting and working he is the first in order Hence it is that Christ ascribes all that he doth to his Father Iohn v. 19. The Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do for whatsoever things he doth these also doth the Son likewise The Father saith Christ gave him those works to do 2. The Father is said to raise Christ from the dead because the Father in a special manner is the fountain of Life As the Son is made known by the attribute of Wisdom the Holy Ghost by the attribute of Love so the Father is represented by the attribute of Life Christ calls him The living Father Iohn vi 57. 'T is his glorious Title The living God It was S. Peters confession Thou art the Son of the living God And this life the Father communicates to the Son Iohn v. 26. As the Father hath life in himself so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself This Paul makes an act of Gods Paternity to raise Christ. His resurrection was a second generation Acts xiii 33. Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee If thou be the Son of God come down from the cross Why it is as good If thou be the Son of God rise up from the Grave 3. The Father is here said to raise up Christ His resurrection being the first step of his glorious exaltation it is ascribed to the Father rather then to himself desirous rather his Father should put the Garland of triumph upon his head then he himself assume it Thus the Scripture ascribes his Humiliation to himself his Exaltation to his Father Phil. ii 7. He made himself of no reputation he took upon him the form of a servant he humbled himself and became obedient wherefore God highly exalted him Usurping Adonijah steps of himself into his fathers Throne This is our ambition Shun the work but snatch the reward Solomon will be placed by his father anointed and advanced to the Throne by Davids appointment He that humbles himself shall be exalted active in his humiliation passive in his exaltation Thus Christ though he had power and authority to exalt himself it had been no robbery S. Paul tells us yet he observes this gracious Oeconomy makes his Father the approver of his obedience the accepter of his merits the rewarder of his passion the author of his exaltation 4. The Father is said to raise up Christ purposely as a ground of hope and assurance to us of our resurrection For us to hear that Christ is risen by his own immediate power weakness of Faith will object Christ was God too his Deity was united to his dead body it was easie for him to take up his life but we are nothing in our graves but weakness and corruption True but this Scripture ministers more comfort it tells us That Christs resurrection was perform'd by the Power and Spirit of the Father God reached out his hand to him and rais'd him up Here then is our comfort The same Spirit of God is communicable to us the same arm of Power may be reached out to us Look not upon thy weakness but look upon Gods strength He will employ the same Power for us which he did for Christ Ephes. i. 19. He will use the same exceeding great Power to us-ward that believe which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead That 's the second Reference 3 d. Now follows the third gracious Relation and that is of the Spirit to us that is a Reference of
saith S. Augustine 'T is not the conceptions but the birth of the new man that makes us Christians These conceptions may prove abortive like the untimely fruit of a woman never see the Sun Ye may have sudden flashes good moods passionate wishes nay purposes and good intendments at the hearing of Gods Word and yet ye may miscarry Many good purposes have been thought on and yet the men who made them are in Hell 'T is not purposes but performances that will bring us to Heaven We have done with the second Prohibitio officii erronei bare Hearing though accompanied with many good qualities will not do it We come to the next that is III. Injunctio officii debiti Be doers of the word And here comes in the Conjunction of both duties Hearing and Doing These put together make up a good Christian. Still ye shall find the Scripture puts these two together Hearing and Doing Deut. 5. 28 29. This people have well said all that they have spoken O that there were such an heart in them that they would keep all my Commandments alwayes And so again Vers. 1. Hear O Israel the Statutes and Iudgments which I speak in your ears this day that ye may learn them and keep and do them And this is not onely the voyce of the Law but of the Gospel too Not onely Moses but Christ is for doing If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Iohn xiii 17. And great reason there is for this Conjunction to keep these two duties close and undivided Hearing and Doing to know and to perform Not to hear nor know breeds a blind Religion we would be doing but we know not what To know and not to do breeds a lame Religion we see our way but we walk not in it Both are requisite to true Religion That the soul be without knowledge it is not good Prov. xix 2. And if it hath knowledge without practise 't is never a whit the better For as the bare knowledge of evil if we do not practise it makes us never the worse so the knowing of good if we do not practise it make us not the better 1. The nature of Religion requires it What is Religion Wherein consists it It is not a matter of contemplation but of action 't is an operative practick virtue It is an art of holy living It begets not a speculative knowledge swimming in the brain but works devotion and obedience in the heart and life 'T is not a doctrine of words and names as Gallio prophanely mistermed Christianity Non magna loquimur sed vivimus saith Tertullian Christians are not talkers but doers 'T is not a verbal profession but matter of practice and action 2. The Authour of Religion is represented in Scripture not as a Teacher or Doctor onely but as a Commander and Law-giver There is one Law-giver saith S. Iames who is able to save and to destroy Chap. iv 12. So the Prophet Isaiah Chap. xxxiii 22. The Lord is our Iudge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King A King a Law-giver a Judge words importing and requiring duty and obedience and practice of us 3. The Subject of Religion wherein it is placed is not so much the knowing part of our soul as the active and practical part the will and affections which are the spring of practice Religion 't is never rightly seated till it be settled in the heart and from that flow the issues of life Wisdom calls for the heart Prov. xxiii My Son give me the heart I Wisdom dwell with Prudence Prov. viii 12. Prudence that looks to practice 4. That Religion is an holy art of life and practice the summary description of Religion in Scripture shews us 'T is called a doctrine according to godliness 1 Tim. vi 3. 'T is called the mysterie of godliness 1 Tim. iii. 16. a mystery teaching us to be godly 'T is called a form of sound words in faith and love 2 Tim. i. 13. 'T is an exercise of keeping a good conscience towards God and man Acts xxiv 16. all matters of practice Now practical truths are best learned by practice their goodness is best known by use and performance As a rich and costly garment appears then most comly and beautifull not when the Workman hath made it but when it is worn and put upon our body 't is S. Chrysostoms Similitude Sic Dei mandata pulchra sunt cum exponuntur multò autem pulcriora cum implentur So saith he the Scripture appears glorious when it is by the Preacher expounded but far more glorious when by the people it is obey'd and performed Without this doing and practising what we hear all our hearing learning is but in vain As eating of meat except by the heat of the stomack it be digested and convey'd into all the parts of the body will never support life so it is not receiving the Word into our ears but the transmitting of it into our lives that makes it profitable Nay hearing and knowing makes us much the worse if it ends not in doing as meat taken into the stomack if not well digested will breed diseases Thus saith S. Iames Chap. iv 17. To him that knows to do good and doth it not to him it is sin that is saith S. Chrysostom Cibum sumenti non digerenti morbus est 't is as he that eats meat out of a false stomack and never concocts it to him it breeds sickness We have seen the duty Now follows Secondly the danger if we fail in this duty What 's that The Apostle tell us We deceive our own selves that 's the mischief we run into a gross foul errour which will prove exceeding prejudicial and hurtfull to us And the force of this will appear in these three resolutions of it 1. They are deceived that 's evil 2. They are self-deceived and that 's worse 3. They deceive themselves in a matter of the greatest moment and consequence and that which doth most of all concern us and that is worst of all First They are deceived fouly mistaken who place all their Religion in bare hearing let go all practice They run into a double deceit 1. They are deceived in their Opinion 2. They are deceived in their Expectation Now the Philosopher tells that of all Errors two are the worst 1. Error circa primum principium 2. Error circa ultimum finem And both these are here incurred 1. Deceived in his Opinion of hearing the Word that 's Principium 2. Deceived in his Expectation that 's Finis I. They suffer a Deceit in their Opinion run into a gross Errour And that 's a misery were there no more but that in it Man naturally is a knowing creature abhorrs to be mistaken Errare labi decipi 't is an infelicity to an understanding creature As S. Augustine saith He hath known many that love to deceive others but to be deceived themselves he never knew any Now they who think hearing
is of greatest excellency 'T is both a fundamental and a finishing grace It lies low in the foundation there is the necessity of it and then it is chief in the head of the building that 's the excellency 'T is both a vital grace and then it is a beautifying and adorning grace It warms the heart and it makes the face to shine The Saints saith David They are the excellent of the earth Psal. xvi S. Augustine saith it of Charity which is one part of holiness Sure that 's a rare grace without which all other graces are nothing and by which all other graces are made of some value This grace 't is the assimilating grace which makes us like unto Christ. In this S. Peter places our conformity to Christ 1 Pet. i. 15. As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation This S. Iohn calls a walking as Christ walked 1 Iohn ii 16. Walk as he walked How is that not as he walked on the waters in a miraculous operation but as he walked in the ways of piety in all holy conversation So to assimilate him 3. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Onely carries another Emphasis with it it shews the thing he exhorts to is Summè desideratum the main thing which he desires of them 'T is a form of expressing our chief desires and requests we make it shews what above all is most acceptable to us As David One thing have I desired of the Lord which I will also require Unicus is put in Scripture for Summè dilectus the onely One for the dearly beloved Prov. iv 3. I was my fathers Son tender and onely beloved in the sight of my mother So Cant. vi 9. My Dove she is the onely one of her mother Here then is the main return that S. Paul requires of all his love to them his care for them his labours amongst them that their life be answerable to their holy Calling and Profession S. Paul's pains were great amongst them teaching exhorting warning every man What is the fruit of his labours that he expects from them That they should express the power of his preaching in the piety of their conversation What 's the fruit of the Husband-mans labours his ploughing his tilling manuring sowing but to see a fruitfull harvest the fields crown'd with plenty and the barns full with all manner of store How doth the Prophet Isaiah bewail the loss of this fruit Esai xlix 4. I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought And the Prophet Micah mourns for this want of fruit Chap. vii 1. Wo is me there is no cluster to cat my soul desired the first ripe fruit We have done with the first Particular the weight of this Charge Onely Now follows Secondly the Extent of this Charge the compass that it takes it reaches to all seasons and occasions Whether I come to see you or be absent 't is in his Presence and in his Absence It gives a scantling and dimension to a double Duty 1. Here is the dimension and scantling of S. Pauls care for them He is not onely studious of their good while he is among them but the necessary occasions of his absence are here supplied with an earnest desire to hear well of them Love and the spirit of doing good is full of care and forecast Those whom God hath committed to our charge should alwayes be in our thoughts As S. Paul speaks 2 Cor. vii 3. You are in our hearts to live and to dye with you The High-Priest was to have all the names of the children of Israel engraven on his shoulders and on his brest-plate Exod. xxviii Aaron must bear their names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial and upon his brest-plate 1. Upon his shoulders never to cast off that burthen and 2. Upon his brest-plate that 's the seat of love and affection Thus S. Paul expresses his continual watchfulness over the Colossians chap. ii 5. Though I be absent in the flesh yet am I with you in the spirit joying and beholding your order and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. He had not onely a spirit of Revelation by which he was acquainted with all their affairs but he was present in spirit by his continual thoughts of them and care for them Thus was he alwayes deeply affected with the Care of all the Churches Is he present He labours amongst them Is he absent He prays for them thinks of them writes to them As S. Ambrose saith of Zachary Zacharias cum non potuit loqui scripsit when he could not speak he wrote So doth S. Paul to the Churches His care expressed it self in this way of putting them in remembrance by writing He wrote more Epistles then all the Apostles He seems to satisfie for what he had done against the Churches Before his Conversion he procured and carried letters against them for their Persecution Acts ix 2. Now he is Spiritui Sancto ab Epistolis The great Secretary of heaven the great conveyer of heavenly Epistles to them And as it is in the Ministerial Function so it should be in all our other imployments Love will be thus solicitous both present and absent As Iacob was for his sons being absent he sends to visit them Go I pray see whether it be well with thy brethren and bring me word again See he had a privy Monitor among them that should inform him of all their miscarriages Gen. xxxvii See this care of Iob over his children It may be my sons have sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts he presently Sacrifices for them Thus did Iob every day That 's the first dimension of S. Pauls care of them both present and absent 2. Here is the dimension and scantling of the Philippians duty and piety S. Paul puts them in mind of it that not onely in his presence when he is amongst them then they should walk piously and religiously but also when he is absent and remote from them then also he expects to hear of their holy and orderly conversation Gods Church must be like a well-order'd family every one in his proper station and doing his duty though the eye of government be not always upon them How doth God upbraid the failing in this point in the people of Israel Exod. xxxii 7. Moses was out of their sight but forty dayes and presently they fall away 1. How respectlessly do they speak of him As for Moses the man that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him That 's all they care for him gone he is and fare him well A poor requital for all his pains with them 2. How foulely do they revolt from that Truth which he had taught them Make us new gods to go before us A new Religion presently O what saith God to Moses Go get thee down thy people have turned aside quickly out of the way It was the
mercy under this denomination Psal. cxix 122. Look thou upon me and be mercifull unto me as thou usest to do to those that love thy name 'T is this grace that God highly regards in us If any man love God the same is known of God 1 Cor. viii 3. He sets much by such and owns them and highly accounts of them 2. This Love 't is the Title and Assurance of all his promises All his promises are appropriated to them that love him I will shew mercy unto thousands of them that love me 'T is in the Second Commandment 1. Heavenly promises and blessings are passed to us upon this condition He shall receive the crown of Life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Iames i. 12. Eye hath not seen neither hath ear heard what God hath provided for them that love him 1 Cor. ii 9. 2. Temporal blessings are assured us with this Proviso Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him Psal. xci 14. See how large a Patent God hath made to such Christians Rom. viii We know that all things shall work together for the good of such as love God Whatsoever befalls them shall turn to their good as on the contrary all shall work to the worst to them that love him not they are doomed by S. Paul with an heavie Curse If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-atha accursed for ever 1 Cor. xvi 22. 3. Love 't is the ingratiating quality of all our services 't is that which commends us and our services to Gods acceptation they are then accepted of God when they spring from love 'T is love that is the fulfilling of the Law Rom. xiii 10. Thus Christ shews what kind of obedience he expects at our hands Ioh. xiv If ye love me keep my commandements 'T is the labour of love that he expects and requites Thus S. Paul speaks of his labour in preaching Necessity is laid upon me and wo be to me if I preach not the Gospel for if I do this willingly out of love I have a reward 1 Cor. ix 16 17. Especially God in the Gospel invites us to his service by motives of love draws us to it with the cords of love 'T is not the language of the Gospel If ye will avoid wrath and vengeance escape damnation then perform obedience to me but If ye love me 1. All other motives are base and servile without this willing and loving affection To serve out of fear onely lest we smart for it 't is the drudgery of a slave to serve out of love 't is the duty of a son Si quid boni feceris invitus fit de te magis quà m à te 't is done upon thee rather then by thee thou rather sufferest the doing then doest it thy self No this is the Mark of a child of God his delight is in the Law of God Psal. i. He takes a pleasure and felicity in it Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord he delighteth greatly in his commandments Psal. cxii 2. The service of love is onely accepted because it alone is an ingenuous service and of a right intention He that serves God onely to escape punishment or to gain some reward to himself such a service ariseth onely out of self-love he dares not offend lest he should be miserable But he that serves God out of love to him such an one aims at God not at himself Were there no Hell to punish him no Heaven to reward him the love of God would work him to all due obedience Indeed as Parisiensis notes He that abstains from sin for fear of punishment onely there is no more retribution due to him then to thieves and pilferers that abstain from theft for fear they should be apprehended and punished And so he that serves God onely for a reward serves not God but himself Illi servit unnsquisque propter quem servit he doth it for his own sake not for God's sake But love seeks not its own but the honour of God to whom it is devoted 3. This service out of love is most acceptable to God because this kind of service is most honourable to God He that serves him for love doth truly perform an honourable service to him Non colitur Deus nisi amando Aug. He onely honours him that doth truly love him Whereas he that serves him for fear onely casts a secret aspersion upon God like the bad servant in the Gospel Luke xix that told his Lord I know thou art an hard man No God is a gracious Soveraign not a cruel Tyrant and so desires to be served as good Subjects serve their King out of love not as Bond-slaves serve an usurping Tyrant out of dread and terrour 4. The service of love is the onely service that God sets much by because that service which arises from love is the onely constant and lasting service Love is long-breath'd and will hold out and persevere whereas fear is a flincher and will soon tire and start aside Thus the dissembling Israelites started aside like a broken bow The Psalmist gives the reason their hearts were not true to him When he slew them then they sought to him and returned but they did but flatter him with their mouth for their hearts were not right with him Psal. lxxviii Extorted obedience is never lasting Metus haud diuturni magister officii But love is full of patience and perseverance thinks no duty we do to God tedious or irksome counts a perpetual service but short we may invert David's words esteems a thousand days in Gods service but as one day as Iacob endured fourteen years hard service for Rachel he bore the melting heat of the day the pinching cold of the night and yet they seemed but a few dayes Because he loved her Genes xxix 20. That 's the first thing considerable The affection of Love We come Secondly To that that is the fruit of this loving Affection the action that flows from it that 's Obedience Herein is love that we keep his commandements that 's the kindly proof of our love Probatio dilectionis est exhibitio operis saith Gregory Doing and obeying is a strong demonstration of our inward and cordial loving him And this sets out the just requisites and qualifications of our love to God It puts four qualifications upon our love 1. It shews our love to God must be Amor operativus it must be an active and operative and working love Indeed love it is seated in the will the fountain of action it rests not in our understanding the knowing faculty 'T is not a meer notion or speculation swimming in the brain but a devout affection rooted in the heart Bare knowledge of God makes us not the better Knowledge saith S. Paul puffs up but 't is love that builds up Bare notion 't is not soliditas but tumor saith S. Aug. like windy meats they swell but