are deliuered but not from the latter We haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe Rom. 8.5 but the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abbah Father So that true loue is so farre off from casting out this holy feare of adoption whereby wee are drawne to hate sinne in loue towards God and not for punishments sake that it doth bring it in and establish it within vs yet this is to bee noted by the way that seruile feare is a good meanes at the first to bring vs vnto God for it prepareth a place for the holy Ghost to bring him into our soules as the bristles bringeth in the thred But when it is once entred into vs and hath taken vp the possession of our soules within vs then this feare is gone as the bristle is when the thred is entred into the hole Besides this we must marke that as the children of God are not by and by perfect so a peece of this feare may still remaine in them but the feare that is here required of vs and which is to last for euer is that feare of reuerence whereby we beholding our owne weakenesse and the excellency of God and his incomprehensible Maieiestie dare not lift vp our selues against him but do stand in awe of him with all reuerence being loath to offend him in any thing and most carefull to please him in all things it is such a feare as is in louing children toward their parents in dutifull wiues towards their husbands and in faithfull subiects towards their Princes the fountaine whereof is loue and a due consideration of his excellency euery away about vs. A plain difference betweene the true filiall and sonne-like feare the seruile slauish feare Here we may see a plaine difference betweene the true filial feare of God and the seruile and slauish feare the filiall feare keepeth vs from finall falling away but the seruile doth not the filiall is onely in the godly the seruile in the wicked the filiall is a peculiar gift of the spirit so is not the seruile and the filial feare is ioyned with loue but there is no seruile feare in loue And as the true feare of God proceeds from loue so it must bee continued in loue end in loue therefore if the Lord loue thee then thou doest loue him againe this Saint Iohn doth confirme We loue him because he loued vs first Ioh. 4.19 examine then what loue thou bearest towards God try whether it be sound for certainely if thou louest him thou art beloued of him It is thought to be a commō thing and easie to loue the Lord This feare of God must be louely for where God is not truly loued hee cannot be truly feared and he is a wretch and vnworthy to liue that doth not loue his maker but let euery one beware lest it be found in himselfe for it is not so common a thing to loue the Lord as the world takes it to bee Bee thou therefore of a good ground try thy loue by the fruits and effects therefore if thou louest God truely Mat. 10.37 Psal 63.3 Phil. 3.4 thou doest esteeme him his fauour aboue all things in the world besides counting his louing kindnesse better vnto thee then life and the signes of his fauour thy greatest ioy all things shall be counted but as drosse and dung in comparison of it Thirdly if thou louest God thou wilt then delight in his presence for the nature of true loue is such that it earnestly desireth the presence of the party which is beloued Psal 26.8 thou wilt loue his house and the place where his honour dwelleth thou wilt haue frequent recourse to those means by which the Lord is pleased to conuerse with his children whether publike as to the hearing of the word or priuate as reading singing c. Take all occasions to speake vnto him by prayer and meditation Phil. 1.25 yea thou wilt haue an ardent desire to be dissolued that thou mayest bee with Christ and to be absent from the body 2 Cor. 5.8 that thou mightest bee present with the Lord. Readinesse to obey signes of true loue Fourthly our loue to God may be tryed by our readines in obeying of his commands Loue can hardly deny any worke which the party beloued doth enioyne Loth we are to deny to doe any thing for those whom we entirely loue Hee that hath my commandements and keepeth them Ioh. 14.21 he it is that loueth me saith our Sauiour this is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements his commandements are not greeuous So then 1. Ioh. 5.3 where there is loue there is obedience yea willing carefull obedience This may serue for the great comfort of all such as haue Gods loue manifested vnto them for as the terrors are great which that man hath in his conscience who is in doubt of the loue of the Almighty towards him so is the comfort as great which that man hath who is hereof perswaded for come tribulation or distresse or persecution Rom. 8 25 11. Heb. 11. or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword or life or death yet the certainty of Gods loue will support him this assurance doth make bitter things sweet and gall to relish as hony Comfort then thy heart thou beloued of the Lord let nothing dismay thee though the wicked mocke though the world scorne thee though thy acquaintance hate thee yet remember God loues and fauours thee 1. Sam. 1.8 and hath manifested the same vnto thee Is not my loue better vnto thee then ten children said Elkanah to Hannah so is not the loue of God vnto vs better then tenne worlds let then the meditation of this harden thy face like brasse against all dangers and sad times of temptations and persecution for God shall giue his beloued rest they shall be deliuered for he will helpe them with his right hand Therfore to this feare we must stir vp our soules euery day and so farre as we would either worship God aright or haue his blessings powred downe vpon vs whether for this life or the life to come we must striue and contend with our soules and our hearts to bring them hereunto that so wee may alwayes reuerence and dread the great name of the Lord of hosts doubtlesse we shall neuer serue the Lord aright or become happy and blessed vntill this bee brought to passe well wee may performe some duties in outward appearance wee shall neuer looke to all with a good heart and conscience within And howsoeuer we prosper and flourish for a while yet woe and destruction will ouertake vs at the last but let his feare bee once planted within vs then shall wee inwardly and from the heart haue a respect vnto all his commandements and bee most carefull to please him in all things and then againe shall wee prosper and flourish for euer not onely in this world but
froward things c. When we once delight in the law of the Lord exercise our selues therein day and night then shal we florish like the planted trees by the riuers of water that are fruitfull in due season whose leaues shall not fade in any drought of danger thē I say whatsoeuer we do take in hand shall prosper so that if we delight in the Commandements we shall finde comfort in the ministery of the word for there is true ioy peace to be found there is ioy and saluation the sweet promises of God faith grace spiritual strength and euery good thing offered vnto vs. The church of God should bee our greatest pleasure for there wee shall find foode for our soules Gods Church with the holy ministry therof is Christs Garden of pleasures wherein he banqueteth with his elect euen he which is the fountain of the garden the true only head of all Churches the wel of liuing waters the Spring of Lebanon Can. 4.12.15 5. hither he cōmeth to eate his pleasant fruit this only true Christian Church being his sister Spouse is as a garden enclosed as a spring fountaine sealed vp hither Christ commeth to make merry with his friends and to banquet with his beloued there hee gathereth his myrrh with his spices there hee eates the hony-combe with his hony and drinketh his wine with his milke delighting himselfe with the sweete pleasant and profitable fruits that the children of God doe yeeld vnto him Comfort and loue to Gods word procures liking and diligent hearing and so by Gods blessing faith and obedience Rom. 10.14 Now the reason why the word of God cannot profite vs without delight is because that comfort and liking prouoke and procure men to bee diligent in hearing diligent hearing by Gods blessing begets faith and faith brings vs assurance of Gods loue protection the euidence and certainety whereof are Gods promises which are yea Amen Gal. 5.6 1. Co. 13.7 Gen. 31.30 40. Againe loue supporteth our labour and setteth our faith a worke It suffereth all things it beleeueth all things if endureth all things Iacob loued Rachel serued twise seuen yeares for her sake neither the heate of the day nor the frost of the night nor the breaking of his sleepe no danger losse or crosse could driue him out So the Israelites toyled and trauelled many miles to the temple hungry weary and thirsty they going through the vale of Baca make wells therein contented to refresh themselues with the raine that filled their pooles in so barren a wildernesse Psal 84. c. and thus they went from strength to strength till they appeared before the Lord their God in Sion And what was the reason hereof that they still proceed without any interruption euen this was the reason O Lord of Hosts how amiable are thy Tabernacles our soule longeth and fainteth for thy Courts our hearts and flesh reioyce in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thy house and in whose hearts are thy wayes For the Lord our God is a Sunne and shield vs the authour of all good things and the deliuerer from euill hee will giue grace and glory and no good thing will hee withhold from them that are sincere therefore O Lord of hosts The onely way to profit by the word and ministry is to delight in the same blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Here we see that euery action without affectiō is laborious toylesome none euer soundly profited by the word and holy ministry thereof that delighted not in the same First this serueth to stirre vp our loue and liking of Gods truth to raise vp our dead affections and to cause our dull senses more earnestly to embrace the same and to set before our eyes the best examples for imitation and practise The word is of power and is able to conuert our soules to the liuing God and that we may be perswaded the better for the performance of this duty let vs consider the singular fruites and effectes of Gods word which wee ought so worthily to affect Gods law and word is perfect of it selfe to conuert our soules from sinne and Sathan to God and godlinesse heauen and happinesse his testimony is sure to giue wisedome to the simple The statutes of the Lord are right Psal 19.7.8 9.20.11 and reioyce the heart the commandements of the Lord is pure and giueth light to the eyes the feare of the Lord is cleane the iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether by them is thy seruant made circumspect in keeping of them there is great reward and therefore they are more to bee desired then gold yea then much fine gold sweeter also then hony and the hony combe Gods word is the meanes for young and old to redresse their wicked wayes a counseller to aduise vs a Lanthorne to our feete a light to our pathes a resoluer of our doubts a sweetning of our affections able to reuiue vs being dead therfore saith Dauid I will delight in thy statutes I will not forget thy word Psal 119.16 72.97 ver 103. the law of thy mouth is better vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer O how loue I thy law it is my meditatiō continually how sweet are thy promises vnto my mouth yea more then hony vnto my tast thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer no earthly thing being comparable to them for they are the ioy of my heart they that know thy law haue great prosperitie and they shal haue no hurt Keepe them and doe them sayth Moses for this is your wisedome Deut. 4.6.8.9 and vnderstanding in the sight of other people who shal say onely this people is wise and what nation is so great that hath ordinances and lawes so righteous therefore take heede to thy selfe and keepe thy soule diligently let not these things depart out of thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes Hence proceedeth all blessings from heauen and earth vpon man and beast corne and cattell wine oyle or what can be desired 1. Tim. 4.8 for godlinesse hath the promise of this life and of the life to come If we seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse all other things shall be ministred vnto vs Mat. 6.33 Mat. 13.44.45.46 Luke 10.42 this is the best part and most necessary duty that caused Marie to be preferred before Martha for setting all other things aside Hauing such promises let vs with Marie choose the best part which shall neuer be taken from vs. to come sit at Iesus feete to heare his word this Pearle must be purchased with all wee haue all other things are but drosse and dung in respect of the excellent knowledg of Christ Iesus our Lord therfore we must not only heare and reade and meditate but encrease our loue liking and delight to the
not leaue vs comfortles we shall inherit heauen that we shall haue peace at our death and glory after our death if the pestilence enter into our houses or take hold on our persons when none dare come vnto vs then God will be with vs though our bodyes bee infected yet our soules can neuer bee so infected if wee haue grace in our hearts but that God dareth to enter into our houses to visit vs and when our soules shall bee parted from our bodyes he will not think it too much to giue them a place of rest with himselfe in his owne kingdome and at length vnite them to our bodies againe that they may enioy euerlasting blisse together this generation of the righteous shall be blessed First therefore seeing religion is such an incomparable treasure True pietie is the onely meanes to reforme our crooked wayes this should teach vs to haue the meanes in due estimation whereby we may bee made truly religious by which our mindes that are blinde may bee enlightened our hearts of crooked may bee made straight of prowd may bee made humble and of fraudulent may be made true and faithfull those meanes are the word and sacrament prayer the like which are steps whereby we must ascend vnto this honourable estate for it is as possible for men to make stayres to climbe vp into the skie as for vs without these to ascend vnto heauen by any deuices of our owne framing The word of God preached is the chiefest meanes to loose vs frō the bonds of sinne and sathan Secondly the word is the key that must open hell gates to set vs at liberty from the bonds of sinne of sathan and of death and to vnlocke heauen gates that wee may haue entrance into glory in which respect it is that Christ sayth vnto Peter that he would giue vnto him and consequently to all ministers of the Gospel the keyes of the kingdome of heauen that is the dispensation of the word sacraments which maketh the way into heauen lie open to all such as by faith receiue the same into their hearts so that we should not come vnto the meanes with a base conceit or light estimation thereof but with a large and ample desire and exspectation of taking benefite thereby if men can once espy away how they may rise in the world either in great wealth or promotion they will bee most industrious and laborious in that course they will refuse no paines in seed time though the weather be vnseasonable cold and their worke euery way troublesome but they will put themselues to it with all care and industry in hope though it bee but an vncertaine hope of bettering their estate so those that liue by fayres and markets will not faile one of them ordinarily neither heate nor cold winde nor raine nor any the like impediments shall hinder them from pursuing the commodity why then should we be negligent and play the sluggards while our seede-time lasteth and the Lord biddeth vs plow vp the fallow ground of our hearts Ierem. 4. that he may sow therein the seed of life which will neuer faile to yeeld vs a plentifull haruest if wee can wait vpon him for the same and why should we be slacke and carelesse when our chiefe market dayes and faire dayes come and not rather set our hearts and endeuours to seeke after those things which all that seeke shall finde and being found will make vs blessed for euermore Therefore wee ought to breake through all impediments and swallow vp al difficulties with the consideration of this that our iourny tendeth not to the getting of some small commoditie or to the purchasing of some worldly possessions but that we are trauelling towards our owne countrey where we shall receiue an inualuable and eternall crowne of glory and albeit we must passe through many rough craggy and thorny wayes and meete with sundry things that will be very irkesome and vnpleasant The deficulty of the way should not hinder vs. yet let vs make account with all that we shall finde many sweee comforts and ioyes vnspeakeable and glorious in the midst of our pilgrimages and in the end shall haue the fruition of that blessednesse which will make amends for all Now that our desires may bee futher enlarged towards heauen and our affections the better withdrawne from the loue of this deceitfull life and world of vanities let vs meditate on those compleat ioyes which no tongue indeed is able to expresse or heart of man conceiue for if their estate bee so blessed in this life what shall their happinesse bee when they depart out of this life The happinesse of the life to come to haue the fruition of those ioyes which are prepared for the Saints in the kingdome of glory where all teares shall be wiped away from their eyes they being altogether freed from sinne and sorrow shall receiue an immortall crowne of blessednesse with the Saints and Angels in Gods owne presence where is fulnesse of Ioy Psal 16.11 and at whose right hand are pleasures for euermore Therefore I may say with the Apostle no eye hath seene no eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the heart of man 1. Cor. 2.9 what vnspeakeable ioyes God hath prepared for them that loue him If it be so sayth an ancient Father what can I doe else but lift vp mine eyes to heauen mine eares to God and my heart to Paradise to see and vnderstand what I can comprehend vpon earth and therfore my soule longeth after thee O God and sigheth till it see the brightnesse of thy face O kingdome of euerlasting blisse where thou O Lord the hope of all Saints art reioycing them on euery side with thy blessed sight If the wise men of the East came so farre off and reioyced to see Christ in the manger What will it be in the sight of his elect to see him in his glory If Iohn Baptist a babe sprang in his mothers wombe for ioy of Christ so newly conceiued not yet seene What shall his reall presence doe in his royall kingdome but euen rauish with ioy our very hearts soules when we shall continually enioy his most glorious sight for it passeth all other glory that the Saints haue in heauen and to receiue the beames of glory from the brightnesse of his Maiestie If Salomons seruants were accounted happy of Sheha the Southerne queene for their dayly liuing in the Court of Salomon hearing of his wisedome how happy then and thrice blessed shall the Saints and seruants of God bee accounted that liue continually in the Court of heauen the very paradise and Pallace of God himselfe O how happy and blessed is hee which with the onely desire and loue of eternitie pineth away such a one is neither prowde with prosperitie nor cast downe with adversitie for as he hath nothing in this world that hee loueth so is there no losse