cannot be long asunder Such as love God have an holy fondness they know not how to be from him they can want any thing but Gods presence they can want health and friends they can want a full Table but they cannot want God Psal. 143.7 Hide not thy face from me least I be like them that go down into the Grave Lovers have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fainting fits David was ready to faint away and dye when he had not a sight of God They who love God cannot be contented with having Ordinances unless they may enjoy God in them that were to lick the glass and not the honey What shall we say to them who can be all their lives long without God they think God may be best spared They complain they want health and trading but not that they want God Wicked men are not acquainted with God and how can they love who are not acquainted nay which is worse they do not desire to be acquainted with God Iob 21.14 They say to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Sinners shun acquaintance with God they count his presence a burden and are these Lovers of God Doth that woman love her husband who cannot endure to be in his presence 3. The Third Fruit of love is grief Where there is love to God there is a grieving for our sins of unkindness against him A Child that loves his Father cannot chuse but weep for offending him The heart that burns in love melts in tears O that I should abuse the love of so dear a Saviour Did not my Lord suffer enough upon the Cross but must I make him suffer more shall I give him more Gall and Vinegar to drink How dis-loyal and dis-ingenious have I been how have I grieved his Spirit trampled upon his Royal Commands sleighted his Bloud this opens a Vein of godly sorrow and makes the heart bleed afresh Mat. 26.75 Peter went out and wept bitterly When Peter thought how dearly Christ loved him he was taken up into the Mount of Transfiguration Christ shewed him the Glory of Heaven in a Vision now that he should deny Christ after he had received such signal love from him this broke his heart with grief he went out and wept bitterly By this let us try our love to God Are our hearts spiritual Lymbecks dropping the water of godly tears Do we grieve for our unkindnesses against God our abuse of mercy our non-improvement of Talents How far are they from loving God who sin daily and their hearts never smite them they have a Sea of sin and not a drop of sorrow they are so far from being troubled that they make merry with their sins Ier. 11.15 When thou dost evil then thou rejoycest Oh wretch did Christ bleed for sin and dost thou laugh at it These are far from loving God Does he love his friend that loves to do him an injury 4. Another Fruit of love is Magnanimity Love is valourous it turns cowardise into courage Love will make one adventure upon the greatest difficulties and hazards Amor nescit difficultates The fearful Hen will fly upon a Dog or Serpent to defend her young ones Love doth infuse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spirit of Gallantry and Fortitude into a Christian He that loves God will stand up in his Cause and be an Advocate for him Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard He who is afraid to own Christ hath but little love to him Nicodemus came sneaking to Christ by night John 3.2 He was fearful of being seen with him in the day time Love casts out fear As the Sun expels Fogs and Vapours so doth Divine Love in a great measure expel carnal Fear Doth he love God that can hear his blessed Truths spoken against and be silent He who loves his friend will stand up for him and vindicate him when he is reproached Doth Christ appear for us in Heaven and are we afraid to appear for him on Earth Love animates a Christian it fires his heart with zeal and steels it with courage 5. The fifth Fruit of love is sensibility If we love God our hearts ake for the dishonours done to God by wicked men To see not only the Banks of Religion but Civility broken down and a Flood of wickednesse coming in to see Gods Sabbaths prophaned his Oath violated his Name dishonoured if there be any love to God in us we shall lay these things to heart Lot's righteous soul was vexed for the unclean conversation of the wicked 2 Pet. 2.17 He took the sins of Sodom and made Spears of them to pierce his own soul. How far are they from loving God who are not at all affected with his dishonour if they have but Peace and Trading they lay nothing to heart A man who is dead drunk though another be bleeding to death by him he never minds or is sensible so many being drunk with the wine of Prosperity when the honour of God is wounded and his Truths lye a bleeding they are not sensible Did men love God they would grieve to see his Glory suffer and Religion it self become a Martyr 6. The sixth Fruit of love is Antipathy against sin Fire purgeth the Drosse from the Metal The Fire of Love purgeth out sin Hos. 14.8 Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols He that loves God will have nothing to do with sin unlesse to give battel to it Sin is Dei-cidium it strikes not only at Gods Honour but his Being Doth he love his Prince that harbours him who is a Traitor to the Crown Is he a friend to God who loves that which God hates The love of God and the love of sin cannot dwell together The Affections cannot be carried to two contraries at the same time A man cannot love health and love poyson too so one cannot love God and sin too He who hath any secret sin in his heart allowed is as far from loving God as Heaven and Earth are distant one from the other 7. Another Fruit of love is Crucifixion He who is a Lover of God is dead to the world Gal. 6.14 I am crucified to the world I am dead to the honours and pleasures of it He who is in love with God is not much in love with any thing else His love to God moves as the Sun in the Firmament swiftly but his love to the world is as the motion of the Sun upon the Dial which is very slow The love of God and the violent love of the world are inconsistent 1 Iohn 2.15 If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Love to God swallows up all other love as Moses's Rod swallowed up the Egyptian Rods. If a man could live in the Sun what a small Point would all the Earth be So when a mans heart is raised above the world in the
of Diamonds Heb. 11.35 Not accepting deliverance They refused to come out of Prison on sinful terms they preferred their innocency before their liberty By this let us try our love to God have we a spirit of Martyrdome Many say they love God but how doth it appear they will not forgoe the least comfort or undergo the least crosse for his sake If Jesus Christ should have said to us I love you well you are dear to me but I cannot suffer I cannot lay down my life for you we should have questioned his love very much and may not Christ suspect us when we pretend love to him yet will endure nothing for him They who bear true affection to God will according to their vow in Baptisme fight under his Banner to the death and make Christs Crown flourish in their ashes 12. He who loves God will endeavour to make him appear glorious in the eyes of others Such as are in love will be commending and setting forth the amiablenesse of those persons whom they love The Love-sick Spouse describes Christ in all his beauty Cant. 5.11.13 His head is as the most fine Gold his cheeks are as a bed of Spices If we love God we will spread abroad his excellencies that so we may raise his fame and esteem and may tempt others to fall in love with him Love cannot be silent we shall be as so many Trumpets sounding forth the freenesse of Gods Grace the Transcendency of his Love the Glory of his Kingdom Love is like fire where it burns in the heart it will break forth at the lips it will be elegant and pathetical in setting forth Gods praise Love must have vent 13. The Thirteenth Fruit of love is To long for Christs appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 Henceforth there is a Crowne of Righteousnesse laid up for me and not for me onely but for them which love Christs appearing Love desires union Aristotle gives the reason because joy flows from union When our union with Christ is perfect in glory then our joy will be full He that loves Christ loves his appearing Christs appearing will be an happy appearing to the Saints His appearing now is very comfortable when he appears for us as an Advocate Heb. 9.24 But the other appearing will be infinitely more when he shall appear for us as our Husband he will at that day bestow two Jewels upon us 1. His love a love so great and astonishing that it is better felt than expressed 2. His likenesse 1 Iohn 3.2 When he shall appear we shall be like him And from both these Love and Likenesse infinite joy will flow into the soul. No wonder then he who loves Christ longs for his appearance Doth not the Bride long for the marriage-Marriage-day The Spirit and the Bride say come even so come Lord Iesus Revel 22.17 By this let us try our Love to Christ. A wicked man who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 self-condemned is afraid of Christs appearing he wisheth he would never appear but such as love Christ are joyful to think of his coming in the Clouds they shall then be delivered from all their sins and fears they shall be acquitted before men and Angels and shall be for ever translated into the Paradise of God 14. Love will make us stoop to the meanest offices Love is an humble grace it doth not walk abroad in state it will creep upon its hands it will stoop and submit to any thing whereby it may be serviceable to Christ. As we see in Ioseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus both of them Honourable Persons yet one takes down Christs body with his own hands and the other embalms it with sweet odours it might seem much for persons of their rank to be employed in that service but love made them do it If we love God we shall not think any work too mean for us wherein we may be helpful to Christs Members Love is not squemish it will visit the sick relieve the poor wash the Saints wounds The Mother that loves her child is not coy and nice she will do those things about her child which others would scorn to do He who loves God will humble himself to the meanest office of love to Christ and his Members These are the fruits of love to God Happy are they who can find these Out-Landish Fruits growing in their souls CHAP. X. An Exhortation to love God Vse 3. THe third Use is of Exhortation and it hath three Branches 1. Let me earnestly perswade all who bare the name of Christians to become Lovers of God Psal. 31.33 O love the Lord all ye his Saints There are but few that love God Many give him an hypocritical kisse but few love him 'T is not so easie to love God as most imagine The Affection of love is natural but the Grace is not Men are by nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-haters Rom. 1.30 The wicked would flye from God they would neither be under his rules nor within his reach they fear God but do not love him All the strength in men or Angels cannot make the heart love God Ordinances will not do it of themselves nor Judgements it is only the Almighty and Invincible power of the Spirit of God can infuse love into the soul this being so hard a work it calls upon us for the more earnest prayer and endeavour after this Angelical grace of love To excite and inflame our desires after it I shall prescribe twenty Motives 1. Without this all our Religion is vain 'T is not duty but love to duty God looks at 't is not how much we do but how much we love If a servant doth not his work willingly and out of love it is not accepted Duties not mingled with love are as burdensom to God as they are to us David therefore counsels his son Solomon to serve God with a willing mind 1 Chron. 28.9 To do duty without love is not sacrifice but pennance 2. Love is the most noble and excellent grace it is a pure flame kindled from Heaven by it we resemble God who is love Believing and obeying do not make us like God but by love we grow like him 1 Iohn 4.16 Love is a grace doth most delight in God and is most delightful to him That Disciple which was most full of love lay in Christs bosome Love puts a verdure and lustre upon all the Graces the Graces seem to be eclipsed unlesse love shine and sparkle in them Faith is not true unless it work by love the waters of repentance are not pure unlesse they flow from the Spring of love Love is the savoury meat God loves it is the Incense makes all our Services fragrant and odoriferous it is Vinum aromaticum the Spiced Wine and the juice of the Pomgranate 3. Is any thing unreasonable that God requires 't is but our love if he should ask our estate or the fruit of our bodies could we deny him
body leaves off cloaths it is apt to get cold so when we leave off duty by degrees we cool in our love to God Of all graces Love is soonest apt to decay therefore we had need be the more careful to preserve it If a man hath a Jewel he will keep it if he hath Land of Inheritance he will keep it what care then should we have to keep this grace of Love 'T is sad to see professors declining in their love to God Many are in a spiritual consumption their Love is decaying There are four Signs whereby Christians may know their love is in a Consumption 1. When they have lost their tast He that is in a deep Consumption hath no tast he finds not that savoury rellish in his meat as formerly So when Christians have lost their tast they find no sweetness in a promise it is a sign of a spiritual Consumption 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted the Lord is gracious Time was when they found comfort in drawing nigh to God His Word was as the dropping honey very delicious to the pallat of their soul but now it is otherwise they can tast no more sweetness in spiritual things than in the white of an Egg Job 6.6 This is a sign they are in a Consumption to lose the tast argues the loss of the first love 2. When Christians have lost their Appetite A man in a deep Consumption hath not that Stomack to his meat as formerly Time was when Christians did hunger and thirst after righteousness they minded things of an heavenly aspect the Grace of the Spirit the blood of the Cross the Light of Gods Countenance they had a stomack to Ordinances and came to them as an hungry man to a feast but now the case is altered they have no Appetite they do not so prize Christ they have not such strong affections to the Word their hearts do not burn within them a sad presage they are in a consumption their love is decaying It was a sign Davids natural strength was abated when they covered him with cloaths and yet he gat no heat 1 Kings 1.1 So when men are plyed with hot Cloaths I mean Ordinances yet they have no heat of affection but are cold and stiff as if they were ready to be laid forth this is a sign their first love is declined they are in a deep Consumption 3. When Christians grow more in love with the World it argues the decrease of spiritual love They were once of a sublime Heavenly temper they did speak the language of Canaan but now they are like the fish in the Gospel which had money in its mouth Mat. 17. ult they cannot lisp out three words but one is about 〈◊〉 their thoughts and affections like Satan are still compassing the earth a sign they are going down the hill apace their love to God is in a Consumption We may observe when Nature decays and grows weaker persons go more stooping And truly when the heart goes more stooping to the Earth and is so bowed together that it can scarce lift up it self to an Heavenly thought it is now sadly declining in its first love When Rust cleaves to Mettal it doth not only take away the brightness of the Mettal but it doth canker and consume it So when the earth cleaves to mens souls it doth not only hinder the shining lustre of their graces but it doth by degrees canker their graces 4. When Christians make little reckoning of Gods Worship Duties of Religion are performed in a dead formal manner if they are not left undone yet they are ill done this is a sad Symptom of a spiritual Consumption Remissness in Duty shews a decay in our first love The strings of a Viol being slack the Viol can never make good musick When men grow slack in Duty they pray as if they prayed not this can never make any harmonious sound in Gods Ears When the spiritual Motion like that of the Eighth Spheaâ— is â—â—ow and heavy and the Pulse of the soul beats low it is a sign Christians have left their first love Let us take heed of this spiritual Consumption 't is dangerous to abate in our love Love is such a grace as we know not how to be without A Souldier may as well be without his weapons a Limner without his pensil a Musician without his Viol as a Christian can be without love The body cannot want its â—â—tural heat Love is to the soul as the natural heat is to the body there is no living without it Love doth influence the graces it excites the affections it makes us grieve for sin it makes us cheerful in God it is like oyl to the wheels it quickens us in Gods service How careful then should we be to keep alive divine love Quest. How may we keep our love from going out Answ. Watch your hearts every day take notice of the first declinings in grace observe your selves when you begin to grow dull and listless and use all means for quickening be much in prayer meditation holy conference When the fire is going out you throw on fuel So when the flame of your love is going out make use of Ordinances and Gospel-promises as fuel to keep the fire of your love burning 3. Let me exhort Christians to encrease in love to God let your love be boiled up higher Phil. 1.9 And this I pray that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more and more Our love to God should be as the light of the morning first there is the Crepusculum or day-break then it shines brighter to the full Meridian They who have a few sparks of love should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up those divine sparks into a flame A Christian should not be content with so small a dram of grace as may make him scruple whether he hath any grace or no but should be still improving the stock He who hath a little gold would have more you who love God a little labour to love him more A godly man is like a dropsie man the more grace he drinks in the more he thirsts He is contented with a very little of the world yet he is never satisfied but would have more of the Spirits influence and labours to add one degree of love to another To perswade Christians to put more Oyl to the Lamp and encrease the flame of their love let me propound these four divine Incentives 1. The growth of love evidenceth the truth If I see the Almond tree bud and flourish I know there is life in the root Paint will not grow an hypocrite who is but a picture will not grow but where we see love to God encreasing and growing bigger as Elisha's cloud we may conclude it is true and genuine 2. By the growth of love we imiâ—ate the Saints in the Bible Their love to God like the waters of the Sanctuary did rise higher The Disciples love to Christ at first was
whence is it that notwithstanding all my unworthiness a fresh Tyde of mercy comes in every day The mercies of God make a sinner proud but a Saint humble 2. The mercies of God have a melting influence upon the soul they dissolve it in love to God Gods Judgments make us fear him his mercies make us love him How was Saul wrought upon by kindnesse David had him at the advantage and might have cut off not only the skirt of his Robe but his head yet he spares his life This kindness melted Sauls heart 1 Sam. 24.16 Is this thy voyce my son David and Saul lift up his voyce and wept Such a melting influence hath Gods mercy it makes the eyes drop with tears of â—ove 3. The mercies of God make the heart â—ruitful When you lay out more cost upon a â—â—eld it bears a better crop A gracious soul honours the Lord with his Substance he doth not do with his mercies as Israel with their Jewels and Ear-Rings make a Golden Calfe but as Solomon did with the money thrown into the Treasury build a Temple for the Lord. The Golden showres of mercy cause fertility 4. The mercies of God make the heart thankful Psal. 116.12 13. Quid retribuam Domino What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of salvation David alludes to the people of Israel who at their Peace-Offerings did use to take a Cup in their hands and give thanks to God for Deliverances Every mercy is an Alms of Free Grace and this enlargeth the soul in gâ—atitude A good Christian is not a Grave to bury Gods mercies but a Temple to sing his praise If every Bird in its Kind as Ambrose speaks doth chirp forth thankfulness to its Maker much more will an ingenious Christian whose life is enriched and perfumed with mercy 5. The mercies of God quicken As they are Load-stones to love so Whet-stones to obedience Psal. 119.9 I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living He that takes a review of his blessings looks upon himself as a person engaged for God he argueâ— from the sweetness of mercy to the swiftnesse of duty he spends and is spent for Christ he dedicates his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God Among the Romans when one had redeemed another he was ever afterwards to serve him A soul encompassed with mercy is zealously active in Gods service 6. The mercies of God woâ—k compassion to others A Christian is a temporal Saviour he feeds the hungry cloaths the naked visits the Widow and Oâ—phan in their distresse the backs and bellies of the poor aâ—e the surrows where he sows the golden Sâ—eds of his Charity Psal. 112.5 A good man sheweth favour and lendeth Charity dâ—ops from him freely as Myrth from the Tree Thus to the godly the mercies of God woâ—k for good they aâ—e wings to lift them up to Heaven 2. Spiritual mercies woâ—k 〈◊〉 gâ—od The blessed Oâ—dinances 1. The Word Preached works for good it is a savour of life it is verbum cum uâ—ctione it is a soul-transforming Word iâ— assimilates the heart into Christs likeness it is the breeder of Assurance 1 Thes. 1.5 Our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance It is vehiculum salutis the Charet of Salvation 2. Prayer works for good Prayer is the Bellows of the affections it blows up holy desires and ardouâ—s of soul Prayer hath poweâ— with God Isa. 45.11 Command ye me It is a Key that unlocks the Treasury of God's Bowels Prayer keeps the heart open to God and shut to sin it aâ—â—wageth the intemperate heats and swellings of lust It was Luther's counsel to a friend when he perceived a tentation begin to arise to betake himself to Prayer Prayer is Bombarda Christianorum the Christians Gun which they discharge against their enemies Prayer is the Pancreston the Soveraign Medicine of the soul Prayer sanctifies every mercy 1 Tim. 4.5 it is the dispeller of sorrow by venting the grief it easeth the heart When Hannah had pâ—ayed she went away and was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.18 And iâ— it hath these rare effects then it woâ—ks for good 3. The Lords Supper works for good It is an Emblem of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 and an Earnest of that Communion we shall have with Christ in Glory it is a feast of fat things it gives us bread from Heaven such as doth not only preserve life but prevent death It hath glorious effects in the hearts of the Godly it quickens their Affections strengthens their Graces mortifies theiâ— Corruptions revives their Hopes encreaseth their Joy Luther saith It is as great a work to comfort a dejested soul as to raise the dead to life yet this may and sometimes is done to the souls of the Godly in the blessed Supper The Sacrament hath a peculiar excellency above the Word preached In the Word there is the Breath of God in the Sacrament the Blood of God in the Word we hear his Voyce in the Sacrament we have his kisse The Word proceeds out of Gods mouth the Sacrament out of his sides 4. The Graces of the Spirit work for good Grace is to the soul as light to the eye as health to the body Grace doth to the soul as a vertuous wife doth to her husband Pro. 31.12 She will do him good all the dayes of her life How incompaâ—ably useful are the Graces Faith and Fear go hand in hand Faith keeps the heart cheerful Fear keeps the heart serious Faith keeps the heart from sinking in despair Fear keeps it from floating in presumption all the Graces display themselves in their beauty Hope is the Helmet 1 Thes. 5.8 Meekness the Ornament 1 Pet. 3.4 Love the Bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 The Saints Graces are Weapons to defend them Wings to elevate them Jewels to enrich them Spices to persume them Stars to adorn them Cordials to refresh them And doth not all this work for good The Graces are our Evidences for Heaven is it not good to have our Evidences ready at the hour of death 5. The Creatures of God work for good to the Godly 1. Creatures inanimate Judg. 5.20 The Stars in their course fought against Sisera the Stars as the Host of God gathered in a Battalio and by their influences raising terrible tempests did as it were conspire the ruine of Sisera and his Army 2. Creatures animate The Angels those noble Citizens and Princes of Heaven work for the good of the Saints The good Angels are ready to do all offices of love to the people of God Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Some oâ— the Fathers are of opinion that every Believer hath his â—uâ—elar Angel it needs no hot debate it may suffice that we know the whole Hieraâ—chy
presence yet it is good to lament his absence 2. Desertion sets the soul a seeking after God When Christ was stept aside the Spouse pursues after him she seeks him in the streets of the City Cant. 3.2 And a non inventus being returned she makes a hue and cry after him vers 3. Saw ye him whom my soul loves The deserted â—oul sends up whole Vollies of sighs and groans it knocks at Heaven-gate by prayer it can have no rest till the golden beams of Gods face shine 3. Desertion puts the Christian upon enquiry he enquires the cause of Gods departure What is the accursed thing that hath made God angry Perhaps pride perhaps surfeit on Ordinances perhaps worldlinesse Isa. 57.17 For the iniquity of his Covetousnesse was I wroth I hid me Perhaps there is some secret sin allowed A stone in the pipe hinders the current of water So sin lived in hinders the sweet current of Gods love Thus Conscience as a blood-hound having found out sin and overtaken it this Achan is stoned to death 5. Desertion works for good as it gives us a sight of what Jesus Christ suffered for us If the sipping of the Cup be so bitter how bitter was that which Christ drank upon the Crosse He drank a Cup of deadly poyâ—on which made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me None can be so sensible of Christs sufferings none can be so fired with love to Christ as those who have been humbled by desertion and have been held over the flames of Hell for a time 6. Desertion works for good as it prepares the Saints for future comâ—ort The nipping frosts prepare for spring flowers 'T is God's way first to cast down â—hen to comfort 2 Cor. 7.6 When our Saviour had been fasting then came the Angâ—â—â— and ministred to him When the Lord hath kept his people long fasting then he sends the Comforter and feeds them with the hidden Manna Psal. 97.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light is sown for the Righteous The Saints comforts may be hid like seed under ground but the seed is ripening and will encrease and flourish into a Crop 7. These desertions work for good as they will make Heaven the sweeter to us Here our comforts are like the Moon sometimes they are in the full sometimes in the wain God shews himself to us a while and then retires into the withdrawing room How will this set off Heaven the more and make it more delightful and ravishing when we shall have a constant aspect of love from God 1 Thess. 4.17 Thus we see desertions work for good The Lord brings us into the deep of desertion that he may not bring us into the deep of damnation he puts us into a seeming Hell that he may keep us from a real Hell God is fitting us for that time when we shall enjoy his smiles for ever when there shall be neither clouds in his face or Sun-setting when Christ shall come and stay with his Spouse and kisse her with the kisses of his lips and the Spouse shall never say more My Beloved hath withdrawn himself SECTION IV. Shewing that the evil of sin works for good to the Godly 4. THe evil of sin works for good not in its own nature for it is damnable but God in his infinite wisdom over-ruling it This is St Austins glosse upon the Text I may now say as the Apostle in another sence 1 Cor. 15.51 Behold I shew you a Mysterie Sin it self to the Godly works for good Indeed 't is matter of wonder that any honey should come out of this Lyon We may understand it in a double sence 1. The sins of others work for good to the Godly 'T is no small trouble to a gracious heart to live among the wicked Psal. 120.5 Wo is me that I dwell in Meshech Yet even this the Lord turns to good 1. The sins of others work for good as they breed holy sorrow Gods people weep for what they cannot reform Psal. 119.136 Rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law David was a mourner for the sins of the times his heart was turned into a Spring and his eyes into Rivers Wicked men make merry with sin Ier. 11.15 When thou dost evil then thou rejoycest But the Godly are weeping Doves they grieve for the oaths and blasphemies of the Age they take the sins of others and make them spears to pierce their own souls This grieving for the sins of others is good 1. It shews a Child-like heart 'T is ingenuity to resent with sorrow the injuries done to our Heavenly Father 2. It shews a Christ-like heart Mark 3.5 He was grieved for the hardness of their hearts 3. The Lord takes special notice of these tears he likes it well that we should weep when his glory suffers It argues more grace to grieve for the sins of others than for our own We may grieve for our own sins out of fear of Hell but to grieve for the sins of others is from a principle of love to God These tears drop as water from the Roses they are sweet and fragrant and God puts them in his Bottle 2. The sins of others work for good to the Godly as they set them the more a praying against sin If there were not such a spirit of wickedness abroad perhaps there would not be such a spirit of prayer Crying Sins cause Crying Prayers The people of God pray against the iniquity of the times that God will give a check to sin that he will put sin to the blush if they cannot pray down sin they pray against it and this God takes kindly these prayers shall be both recorded and rewarded Though we do not prevail in prayer we shall not lose our prayers Psal. 35.13 My prayer returned into my own bosome 3. The sins of others work for good as they make us the more in love with grace The sins of others are a foyle to set off the lustre of grace the more One contrary sets off another Deformity sets off beauty The sins of the wicked do much disfigure them Pride is a disfiguring sin an ambitious man is but a Bladdeâ— whom the Devil hath blown up now the beholding anothers pride makes us the more in love with humility Malice is a disfiguring sin it is the Devils picture the more of this we see in others the more we fall in love with meeknesse and charity Drunkenness is a disfiguring sin like Cyrces Cup it turns men into Beasts it deprives of the use of reason the more intemperate we see others the more we fall in love with sobriety The black face of sin sets off the beauty of holinesse so much the more 4. The sins of others work for good as they work in us the stronger opposition against sin Psal. 119.126 The wicked have made void thy Law therefore I love thy Law David had never loved Gods Law so much if the wicked had not set
waters cannot quench love Neither the sweet waters of pleasure nor the bitter waters of persecution love to God abides firm to the death Ephes. 3.17 Being rooted and grounded in love Eight things as Chaffe and Feathers are quickly blown away but a tree that is rooted abides the storm he that is rooted in love endures True love never ends but with the life 5. The Degrees of love We must love God above all other objects Psal. 73.25 There is nothing on earth I desire in comparison of thee God is the quintessence of all good things he is superlatively good now the soul seeing a super-eminency in God and admiring in him that constellation of all excellencies is carried out in love to him in the highest degree The measure of our love to God saith Bernard must be 〈◊〉 love him without measure God who is the chief of our happinesse must have the chief of our affections Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drink of my spiced Wine of the juice of my Pomgranate If the Spouse hath any love better than oâ—her a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ shall drink of that The creature may have the Milk of our love but God must have the Cream Love to God must be above all other things as the Oyl â—wims above the Water 1. We must love God more than Relations As in case of Abraham's offering up Isaac Isaac being the son of his old age no question he loved him entirely and doated on him but when God saith Abraham offer up thy son though it were a thing might seem not only to pose his Reason but his Faith for the Messiah was to come of Isaac and if he be cut off where shall the world have a Mediator yet such was the strength of Abraham's faith and the ardency of his love to God that he will take the sacrificing Knife and let out Isaac's blood Our blessed Saviour tells us of hating Father and Mother Luk. 14.26 Christ would not have us unnatural but if our dearest Relations lye in our way and would hinder us from Christ either we must step over them or tread upon them Deut. 33.9 Though some few drops of love may run beside to our Kindred and Alliance yet the full torrent must run out after Christ Relations may lye in the bosome but Christ must lye in the heart 2. We must love God more than Estate Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods They were glad they had any thing to lose for Christ. If the world be laid in one Sâ—ale and Christ in the other he must weigh hâ—aviest And is iâ— thus Hath God the highest room in our affections Plutarch saith When a Dictator was created in Rome all other Authority was for the time suspended So when the love of God bears sway in the heart all other love is suspended and is as nothing in comparison of this love CHAP. VIII Containing a sharp Corrective to those that do not love God Vse 1. THis may serve for a sharp Reprehension to such as have not a dram of love to God in their hearts And are there such Miscreants alive He who loves not God aut lapis est aut belluae he is a Beast with a mans head Oh wretch Dost thou live upon God every day yet not love him If one had a friend that fed him continually with money and gave him all his allowance were not he worse than a Barbarian that did not respect and honour that friend Such a friend is God he gives thee thy breath he bestows a livelihood upon thee and wilt thou not love him Thou wilt love thy Prince if he saves thy life and wilt thou not love God who gives thee thy life What Load-stone so powerful to draw love as the blessed Deity He is blind whom beauty doth not tempt he is sottish who is not drawn with the Cords of love When the body is cold and hath no heat in it it is a sign of death That man is dead who hath no heat of love in his soul to God How can he expect love from God who shews no love to him Will God ever lay such a Viper in his bosome as spits forth the poyson of malice and enmity against him This Reproof falls heavy upon the Atheists of this Age who are so far from loving God that they do all they can to spight him They declare their sin as Sodom Isa. 3.9 They set their mouth against the Heavens in pride and blasphemy and bid open defiance to God These are Monsters in Nature Devils in the shape of men Let them read their doom 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-athâ—â— that is let him be accursed from God till Christs coming to Judgment let him be heir to a curse while he lives and at the dreadful day of the Lord let him hear that heart-rending sentence pronounced against him Go thou cursed CHAP. IX Discovering the Signs or Fruits of love to God Vse 2. LEt us try our selves impartially whether we are in the number of those that love God For the deciding of this our love will be best seen by the Fruits of it I shall lay down fourteen Signs or Fruits of love to God and it concerns us nearly to search whether any of these Fruits grow in our Garden 1. The first Fruit of love is musing of the mind upon God He who is in love his thoughts are still upon the Object He who loves God is ravished and transported with the Contemplations of God Psal. 139.17 When I awake I am still with thee The thoughts are as travellers in the mind Davids thoughts kept Heaven-Road I am still with thee God is the Treasure and where the Treasure is there is the heart By this we may try our love to God What are our thoughts most upon Can we say we are ravished with delight when we think on God Have our thoughts got wings are they fled aloft Do we contemplate Christ and Glory Oh how far are they from being lovers of God who scarce ever think of God Psal. 10.4 God is not in all his thoughts A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts he never thinks of God unless with horror as the Prisoner thinks of the Judge 2. The Second Fruit of love is desire of Communion Love desires familiarity and intercourse Psal. 84.2 My heart and flesh cryeth out for the living God King David being debarred the House of God where was the Tabernacle the visible token of his presence he now breaths after God and in an holy Pathos of desire cryes out for the living God Lovers would be parlying together If we love God we prize his Ordinances because there we meet with God He speaks to us in his Word and we speak to him in Prayer By this let us examine our love to God Do we desire intimacy of communion with God Lovers
but he asks only our love he would only pick this flower is this an hard request was there ever any debt so easily paid as this we do not at all impoverish our selves by paying it Love is no burden Is it any labour for the Bride to love her Husband Love is delightful Non potest amor esse et dulcis non esse 4. God is the most adaequate and compleat object of our love all the exellencies that lye scattered in the creatures are twisted together and united in him he is a Magazine of blessings he is Wisdome Beauty Love yea the quintessence of Goodnesse he is Optimus Maximus there is nothing in God can cause a nauseating or loathing the Creature doth sooner surfeit than satisfie but there are fresh beauties sparkling forth in God the more we enjoy of him the more we are ravished with delight There is nothing in God to dull our affections or quench our love no infirmity no deformity which do usually weaken and cool love There is that delicious sweetnesse in God as may not only entice but command our love If there were more Angels in Heaven than there are and all those glorious Seraphims had an immense flame of love burning in their breasts to eternity yet could they not love God equivalently to that infinite perfection and transcendency of goodnesse which is in him Surely then here is enough to tempt us to fall in love with God we cannot spend our love upon a better object 5. Love doth facilitate Religion it oyls the Wheels of the affections and makes them more lively and cheerful in Gods service love takes off the tediousness in duty Iacob thought seaven years but little for the love he did bear to Rachel Love makes duty a pleasure Why are the Angels so swift and winged in Gods service it is because they love him Love is never weary He that loves Gold is never weary of telling it and he that loves God is never weary of serving him 6. God desires our love It were much for a King to desire the love of a woman that is deformed and leprous We have lost our beauty and stained our blood yet the King of Heaven is a Suitor to us What is there in our love that God should come a wooing for it What is God the better for our love he doth not want it he is infinitely blessed in himself if we deny him our love he hath more sublime creatures who pay the cheerful tribute of love to him God doth not need our love yet he seeks it 7. God hath deserved our love how hath he loved us Our affections should be kindled at the fire of Gods love What a miracle of love is it that God should love us when there was nothing in us lovely Ezek. 16.6 When thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live The time of our loathing was the time of Gods loving We had something in us to provoke fury but nothing to entice love What an Hyperbole of love was it to give Christ to us That Christ should dye for sinners God hath set all the Angels in Heaven a wondring at this love St Austin saith The Crosse was a Pulpit and the lesson Christ preached in it was love O the living love of a dying Saviour per vulnera viscera Me-thinks I see Christ upon the Crosse bleeding all over me-thinks I hear him say to us reach hither your hands put them into my sides feel my bleeding heart see if I love you not and will you not bestow your love upon me will you love the world more than me did the world appease the wrath of God for you have not I done all this and will you not love me 'T is natural to love where we are loved Christ having set us a Copy of love and written it in his Blood let us labour to write after so fair a Copy and imitate him in love 8. Love to God is the best self-love 'T is self-love to get the soul saved by loving God we forward our own salvation 1 Iohn 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him And he is sure to dwell with God in Heaven that hath God dwelling in his heart So that to love God is the truest self-love he that doth not love God doth not love himself 9. Love to God evidenceth sincerity Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee Many a child of God fears he is an Hypocrite dost thou love God When Peter was dejected in the sense of his sin he thought himself unworthy that ever Christ should take notice of him or employ him more in the work of his Apostleship see how Christ goes about to comfort him Iob. 21.15 Peter lovest thou me As if Christ had said Though thou hast denied me through fear yet if thou canst say from thy heart thou lovest me thou aâ—t sincere and upright To love God is a better sign of sincerity than to fear him The Israelites feared Gods Justice Psal. 78.34 When he slew them they sought him and enquired earnestly after God 〈…〉 all this to vers 36 37. Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed to him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him That repentance is no better than flattery which aâ—iseth only from fear of Gods Judgements and hath no love mixed with it Loving of God evidenceth that God hath the heart and if the heart be his that will command all the rest 10. By our love to God we may conclude Gods love to us 1 Iohn 4.9 We love him because he first loved us O saith the â—oul if I knew God loved me I could rejoyce dost thou love God then thou mayst be sure of Gods love to thee As it is wiâ—â— Burning Glasses if the Glass burn it is because the Sun hath first shined upon it else it could not burn So if our hearts burn in love to God it is because Gods love hath first shined upon us else we could not burn in love Our love is nothing but the reflex of Gods love 11. If you do not love God you will love something else either the world or sin and are these worthy of your love Is it not better to love God than these First It is better to love God than the World as 〈◊〉 in these eight particulars 1. If you set your love on worldly things they will not satisfie You may as well satisfie your body with air as your soul with earth Eccles. 5.10 Iob. â—0 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits Plenty hath its penury If the Globe of the world were yours it would not fill Adam had two sons Cain and Abel Cain signifies possession Abel signifies vanity to shew us that in all our possessions there is vanity and will you set your love on that which will never give you content is it not better to love God he will
Affinity requires affection Either we must love God or we give ground of suspicion that we are not yet married to him 13. Love is the most abiding grace This will stay with us when other graces take their farewel In Heaven we shall need no Repentance because we shall have no sin in Heaven we shall not need Patience because there will be no affliction in Heaven there shall need no Faith Faith looks at things unseen Heb. 11.1 but then we shall see God face to face and where there is vision there needs no Faith But when the other Graces are out of date love continues and in this sence the Apostle saith Love is greater than Faith because it abides longest 1 Cor. 13.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charity never faileth Faith is the Iacob's Staff we walk with in this life 2 Cor. 7.5 We walk by Faith but we shall set this Iacob's Staff at Heavens door and only love shall enter Thus love carries away the Crown from all the other graces Love is the most long-lif'd grace it is a blossom of Eternity How should we strive to excel in this grace which alone shall live with us in Heaven and shall accompany us to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb 14. Love to God will never let sin thrive in the heart Some Plants will not thrive when they are near together as the Laurel and Vine The love of God withers sin Though the Old man live yet as a sick man it is weak and draws its breath short Love like the water of Iealousie makes the thigh of sin to rot The Flower of love kills the Weed of sin though sin doth not dye perfectly yet it dies daily How should we labour for that grace which is the only aquâ—-fortis to destroy sin 15. Love to God is an excellent means for growth of grace 2 Pet. 3. ult But grow in grace Growth of grace is very pleasing to God Christ accepts the truth of grace but commends the degrees of grace and what can more promote and augment grace than love to God Love is like watering of the Root which makes the Tree grow Therefore the Apostle useth this expression in his prayer 1 Thes. 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God He knew this grace of love would nurse and cherish all the graces 16. The great benefit which will accrue to us if we love God 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him The Eye hath seen rare sights the Ear hath heard sweet Musick But eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can the heart of man conceive what God hath prepared for them that love him Such glorious rewards are laid up that as Austin saith Faith it self is not able to comprehend God hath promised a Crown of life to them that love him Iames 1.12 This Crown encircles within it all blessednesse Riches and Glory and Delight and it is a Crown that fades not away 1 Pet. 5.4 Thus God would bribe us to love him by rewards 17. Love to God is Armour of proof against error For want of hearts full of love men have heads full of errour Unholy Opinions are for want of holy Affections Why are men given up to strong Delusions but because they received not the Truth in love 2 Thes. 2.10 11. The more we love God the more we hate those Heterodox Opinions that would draw us off from God into Libertinism The more a man loves health the more he hates Mercury 18. If we love God we have all winds blowing for us every thing in the world shall conspire for our good We know not what fiery Tryals we may meet with but to them that Love God all things shall work for good Those things which work against them shall work for them their Cross shall make way for a Crown every Wind shall blow them to the heavenly Port. 19. Want of love to God is the Ground of Apostacy The Seed in the Parable which had no root fell away He who hath not the love of God rooted in his heart will fall away in time of temptation He who loves God will cleave to him as 〈◊〉 to Naomi Ruth 1.16 Where thou goest I will go and where thou dyest I will dye But he who wants love to God will do as Orpah to her Mother-in-Law she kissed her and took her farewel of her That Souldier who hath no love to his Commander when he sees an opportunity he will leave him and run over to the Enemies side He who hath no love in his heart to God you may prick him down for an Apostate 20. Love is the only thing in which we can retaliate with God If God be angry with us we must not be angry again if he chide us we must not chide him again but if God love us we must love him again There is nothing in which we can answer God again but love we must not give him word for word but we must give him love for love Thus we have seen twenty Motives to excite and enflame our love to God Quest. How shall we do to love God Answ. 1. Study God Did we study him more we should love him more Take a view of his superlative Excellencies his Holiness his incomprehensible goodness The Angels know God better than we and clearly behold the splendour of his Majesty therefore they are so deeply enamoured with him 2. Labour for an Interest in God Psal. 36.1 O God thou art my God That Pronoun My is suavissima amoris illecebra a sweet Load-stone to Love a man loves that which is his own The more we believe the more we love Faith is the Root and love is the Flower that grows upon it Gal. 6.5 Faith which worketh by love 3. Make it your earnest request to God that he will give you an heart to love him this is an acceptable request sure God will not deny it When King Solomon asked wisdome of God 1 Kings 3.9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart Vers. 10. The speech pleased the Lord. So when thou cryest to God Lord give me an heart to love thee 't is my grief I can love thee no more O kindle this fire from Heaven upon the Altar of my heart sure this prayer pleaseth the Lord and he will pour of his Spirit upon thee whose golden Oyl shall make the Lamp of thy Love burn bright 2. I proceed to the second Branch of Exhortation You who have love to God labour to preserve it let not this love dye and be quenched As you would have Gods love be continued to you let your love be continued to him Love as fire will be ready to go out Rev. 2.4 Thou hast left thy first love Satan labours to blow out this flame and through neglect of Duty we lose it When a tender