ask we receive of him because we keep his Commandment Observe the Commandments are there mentioned in the plural number as many as do these things that are pleasing in his sight in ver 23. And this is his Commandment it is mentioned in the singular Number that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave us Commandment A new Commandment saith our Saviour I leave with you that ye love one another New Was it not old Yes But it is said to be new upon a double account 1. Because it is prest upon us by new Motives and arguments 2. And it is commended to us by a new pattern and example such an example of love as the world never had before nor can ever have again Now the first and principal Object of our love is God himself in whom is every thing that might attract our love the next and secondary Objects of our love are all those Creatures which according to their degree do participate of Divine excellencies in this respect the Saints are stiled The excellent in the earth as David declares them to be them in whom is all my delight and therefore are excellent because they partake of and are neerer in their resemblance to the Divine nature than others 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises whereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature a high expression This is clear this debt of love though we owe it to all and shall be owing it while we live yet we owe it especially to our fellow Christians and that upon these accounts 1. Because the Glory of God and the honour and credit of Religion is more concerned in their well doing they are nearer to God than others are 2. Because Christ takes all good offices that are done to them as done to himself a full place to this purpose is that Matth. 25.40 when Christ shall speak encouragingly to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit a Kingdom prepared for you c. in as much a ye have done it to one of the least of these my Brethren ye have done it unto me 3. It is a special evidence of our sincerity our love to the Brethren Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life because we love the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.17 4. It is upon this account principally that God intrusts some of his servants with greater talents than others that they may be more capable of expressing their love and tenderness to their Brethren 1 Cor. 12. The Apostle compares the Church of Christ to an organical body a body that consists of many members and he speaks of a diversity of gifts that those members are eudued with v. 4 5 6. but upon what account are these gifts given v. 7. It is given to every man to profit withal to be useful with not meerly to enrich them but to be imployed by them there are some to whom God gives a larger talent of riches and worldly comforts and to others of parts and abilities gifts and graces but all is to profit withal therefore as one observes there are Christians of divers ranks and divers forms some that are weak but God hath inricht others with more strength some are strong in grace and gifts God gives those talents to them that they may by converse help them that are weak and have not their measure of strength and Grace that all may be helpful one to another those that have less than others should provoke them that have more to thankfulness and to have their bowels drawn out towards others that have need of their help Consider the many strict obligations and bonds that Christians are in one to another beyond what other Relations have at least how much more significant those Relations are between them they are servants to one and the same Master to wit the Lord We have one Lord 1 Cor. 12. they are of the same family and houshould nay that is not all though this obligeth us to a spetial degree of love but they are Children to one Father born from above not of flesh nor of blood nor of the will of man but of God John 1.14 yet higher they are members of one body Col. 3.15 now there is a tenderness that all the members have one of another Let the peace of God rule in your hearts to which also you are called in one body and be thankful This notion is improved to the full 1 Cor. 12.25 26. That there should be no Schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one for another But you have a higher expression than this not only members of the same body but members one of another ver 27. Now ye are the body of Christ and members in particular or as it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 members of a member as Eckius in loc members of every part members one of another this shews the unity oneness and nearness that should be between the Children of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay they are said to be acted by the same Spirit as the same Soul in the body acts the several parts of the body but with a great diversity in respect of the divers parts of it because of the diversity of the organs in one part the eye in that the Soul sees in the ear it hears in the hand if works it acts in every part but according to its different constitution So is the Spirit of God in this body the Church it acts in all in common now how strange would it be if the several members in one body should be at varience and difference one with another shall the hand not be helpful to the foot or the foot not helpful to the hand or shall the hand be imployed to pluck out the eye or to cut off the leg this would be monstrous and strange to see â—â—sentions among persons so neerly related it is looked upon as a great failing in many good men who were united in the same faith who were imployed in the same work and carrying on the same designe Gods honour and service in the world yet that they have shewed so much weakness that they have had so many diffentions which nothing could reconcile but the common sufferings of both and that from those who were enemies against both It is observed in the Book of Martyrs that when Bishop Cranmor Hooker Ridley and Sanders were in prison they did agree they then laid aside all differences between them You see upon these accounts it doth very much concern us to exercise this duty of love especially to our fellow Christians Walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and given himself for us Eph. 5.2 Q But wherein should we express our love to our Brethren so as thereby to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour A. 1. In watching over them to do what we
about him but all his ways are Righteousness and Judgement Psal 97.2 Manifest your love by a patient submission to all the dispensations of God and by a good construction of all his Providences 4. Manifest your love to God by a chearful undergoing all afflictions in the cause of God It is for your Lord for him that hath done and suffered ten thousand times more for you then possibly you can do for him Manifest your love by a cheerful submission when your Case is clear in doubtful things the Case will be otherwise The Apostles rejoyced that they suffered reproach and dishonour in the Cause of Christ Acts 5.41 5. Manifest your love to God in labouring to bring others to partake of the love of God You that see some ground in your selves to hope that you have an interest in the love of God be actively diligent to help others what you can to get an interest in this love for this is a high testimony of our love to God Peter lovest thou me Feed my Sheep Joh. 21.16 17. you know how our Saviour repeated it three times to shew that he would take this very well at his hands In the last place one word more to them who have good hopes that these great things do belong unto them Labour to keep up a fresh and lively sense of Gods love in your hearts Though the love of God be invariable thus far whom he loves he loves for ever yet the sense of this love is very mutable Be very careful therefore to keep your Evidences clear and unspotted do not blot them by sin David lost the sense of Gods love for a long time by those great lapses of his and though God had pardoned him and did yet love him yet it was a long time before he did recover the sense of it Be diligent in the use of those Ordinances by which the sense of Gods love is most cleared and kept fresh in your hearts Alas those that do the most partake of the love of God may have their ebbings and flowings as to the sense thereof in Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and be that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self to him If we would have further manifestations of the love of God we must go on in ways of obedience to God Be therefore often Communing with your own hearts and looking into your own Souls and consider your ways c. how matters stand between God and you On the other hand I shall speak one word to them who upon examination find ground to fear that they are rather under Gods displeasure then intitled to his peculiar love that are rather the objects of his wrath then the subjects of his special love Oh think what a woful estate thou art in Oh think what comforts thou by thy negligence and disobedience hast deprived thy self of Think what dangers thou liest open to every moment there is nothing between thee and everlasting misery but a fraile life and the thread of this life how soon God may cut it asunder none knows Think what uncomfortable and an unsafe estate thou art in Do as David in another Case did He would not give sleep to his Eyes nor slumber to his Eye lids till he had provided a place for the Ark of God So do you give all diligence that you may attain reconciliation to God and an interest in this great priviledge that you have heard of this day of the love of God SERMON XII Rom. 8. ult Nor height nor depth c. I now proceed to a third Observation 3. Doct. There is this transendent excellency in the love of God which speaks it an inestimable support to his People in all their distresses that those who have once been made Partakers of this love can by nothing be deprived or dispossessed of it HEre is a large Enumeration of particulars death cannot do it though it can separate from all things here in this World life cannot do it the troubles of life nor the comforts of life I shall not insist on these things further There is this vanity in the best of all our Creature enjoyments that there will be nay there cannot but be a parting with them The rich man that now prides himself in the multitude of his riches in the greatness of his Treasures in the largness of his incomes cannot rationally but think if he does not he does but delude himself that he cannot carry his riches with him into the other World to bribe the Flames of Gods wrath to corrupt the Executioner of Gods Vengeance It was Jobs acknowledgement naked came I out of my mothers Womb and naked shall I return He came into the World without and he must leave all these things behind him when he goes out again Job 1.21 In the 12 of Luke you read of that Gospel Fool when he began to applaud himself in his condition saying Soul thou hast Goods laid up for many years take thine case eat drink and be merry Thou Fool says God to him this night shall thy Soul be required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided they are thine now but whose shall they be before to morrow there must be a separation from all these things The greatest of men that are that now over top all about them they must ere long be levelled and made equal to their Neighbours There is no difference between the dust of a Nobleman and the meanest person yea Crowns and Scepters which are such dazeling things in the Eyes of the world these ere long must be resigned into the hands of Successours there must be a separation from all these things Nay all these relations that have the greatest indearment in them that can be as the Relations of Husband and Wife and Parent and Child and Pastor and People and Friend and Friend there is a Friend that is nearer then a Brother saith Solomon there must be separation from these there must be there cannot but be so Your Fathers where are they the Prophets do they live for ever Zach. 1.5 observe this general Rule there is no Fixation no stability in any thing but in this only viz. the love of God For the clearing of this observation I shall speak to 2. things 1. Something by way of Explication 2. Something by way of Confirmation 1. By the way of Explication rightly to state the Case concerning the love of God and to set truth its due bounds This I shall do by propounding several distinctions 1. We must distinguish between the common love of God which manifests it self onely in common Mercies in preserving us and providing for us these outward things and the spocial love of God which consists in distinguishing discriminating Mercies Now it is plainly clear that the Apostle cannot speak here of the common love of God because this love may be
say therefore may sharply reprove all careless Professors that lay aside their watch and do not always stand upon their guard to keep off every thing of sin You know how much Christ hath deserved from us shall I little minde you in two or three hints Consider how much he hath done and suffered for all that belong to him he thought no blessings too great to leave even such blessings as none but himself was ever capable of for no Creature could be capable of those high and eminent priviledges that he left that he might become our Redeemer and as there was no mercy that he thought too great to leave so there was no misery that he thought too sharp to undergo that the wrath of God his Father whose love to him was more worth than millions of worlds might be appeased and in order to the Redemption of poor lost Creatures he was willing to bear it Lo I came in the Volitinne of thy will Oh my God yea thy Law is within my heart Thus do but consider what the Glory was that he left and what that misery was he underwent that chearfulness with which he did both his design in all these which was only to redeem poor lost Creatures as for him self he could be no gainer as appears by what he said John 17.4 Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was and certainly it cannot but command of thee the greatest exactness and circumspection of thy life Doest thou name the Name of Christ Doest thou own these condescentions of Christ and canst thou allow thy self in any kind of iniquity it was iniquity that was the Judas that betrayed him the Pilate that condemned him it was not those instruments but our sins and will you yet harbour those sins is this an ingenious requital of so much love all the malice of Hell and all the rage of adversaries here upon earth all the contrivances of the Jews with their great ones together could never have brought those sufferings upon Christ had it not been for his love that he bore to his people and will you for all this after he hath done and suffered so much trample on his blood and slight his kindness and resolve on your own ruine and in spite of such mercies and kindness will you go on to your own destruction is not this sad what shame shold be to all professing Christians that do not stand upon their watch and do what they can and make it in good earnest their business to keep themselves form all iniquity The next Use and the only Use which I shall add further is by way of exhortation that all that hath been said may prevail thus far with you to get your hearts at as great a distance from sin as possibly you are able never think that you are too strange to it nor at a distance enough from it your professions oblige you your engagements oblige you consider should you allow your selves in any sin you thereby despise the richest mercy that ever was vouchsafed to poor Creatures you that profess the Name of Christ you that know what design Christ came into the world follow the example of those worthies Hebr. 11.37 38. they were stoned they were sawn asunder c. and it s said ver 35. they accepted not of deliverance You see how shie they were of sin and at how great a distance they kept from it and what was their thoughts of it Oh! let it be your practice Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God c. It is a common thing to slight it and to scorn it but what doth the Apostle say to such ver 30. We know him that hath said Vengeance belongeth unto me I will recompence saith the Lord and again the Lord shall judge his people They that profess themselves his people must be all brought to the test and tryal Do you think it nothing to despise the very patience of God to despise the choisest mercy of God take it Friends for a sad truth I speak it only to awaken both my self and you there is no sinner like unto a Gospel sinner to them that go on in sin under those means that should recover them from sin and therefore in the day of account you read that no sinner shall have such tremblings and astonishings upon them as sinners Sinners in Sion shall be afraid and fearfulness sahll surprise the hypecrite Sion sinners Sabbath-days Sacrament-sinners they that live under all those opportunities and advantages as their sins bring greater dishonour to God bring greater damage to their own Souls than other sins do these of all persons are the farthest off from being renewed again by repentance Pro. 8. last it is said in general of all kind of sinners He that sins against me wrongs his own Soul he cannot wrong God he does indeed what in him lies and God may account himself wronged by his sin really injure God he cannot our services and sins reach not him God is infinitely above both but he wrongs himself he may wrong others by his bad example but especially he wrongs himself not only in respect of worldly things but he wrongs himself in the highest degrees as Solomon there expresseth it he wrongs his own Soul he doth not only wrong himself as to outward comforts but as to his great concernments as to his everlasting welfare Alas how many be the Judgments God hath to meet with all the contemners of his mercy in this world Outward Judgments and spiritual Judgments and then consider the Judgments of God in another world and certainly of all persons those that profess the Name of Christ shall have the forest it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of Judgment than for Jerusalem that had the Gospel and Ordinances of God and such priviledges and means and helps Let all that hath been said perswade you to a strickt examination of your hearts and lives that what hath been amiss may be both speedily and throughly reformed If you do not depart from all iniquity how sad a thing will it be to you when once Jesus Christ riseth up in Judgment against you what will you plead for your selves when that once Christ shall plead against you even you that have despised his mercy and refused Salvation and have chosen death and those things that tend thereunto SERMON X. Romans 8. last verse Nor heighth nor depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. The whole Paragraph runs thus For I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. ver 38 39. THese words are a part of St. Pauls Triumph and the evils over which he triumphs are no
less than all those that might either endanger the welfare or disturb the peace and quiet of the people of God In the Chapter before you find him in his conflict striving with many doubts and Objections In this Chapter you find his Faith in its elevation as you may find in the 35 verse Who shall separate us from the love of God Shall tribulation or distress persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword Nay says he in verse 37. In all these things we are more than Conquerors And in this verse St. Paul seems to make a kind of Challenge to all kind of evils to do their worst and utmost he bids defiance to them but it is very observable that all this confidence which appeared in this great Apostle was not upon the account of any thing in himself but only upon the account of the love of God and the assurance he had of his interest therein as David when he went with somuch confidence against Goliah it was not in any strength of his own but because he went in the Name of the Lord of Hosts whose Army that proud person had defied Thus it was with the Apostle Paul here And though in every Epistle written by this great Apostle we find him speaking as becomes an Apostle a person so extraordinarity gifted and called yet in this Chapter as a Writer observes St. Paul speaks as if he was now raised up to the third Heavens he spake such great and mighty things as were enough to pose a weak and ordinary faith as in his other writings he seems to be above others so here he seems to be above himself in respect of what he was at other times he now soars aloft now answers all his Objections In this Triumph here are these four things remarkable 1. A large Catalogue or enumeration of the several troubles that may endanger the safety of the people of God and a separation from the love of God and these he lays down chiefly in the verse before the Text Neither death nor yet life c. The first is death death seems to be a thing of all things the most formidable it s called the King of Terrors it s the most dreadful thing to nature but because after the Apostle had mentioned several particulars in the verse before and in this lest he should leave room for any Objection that might gravel any poor doubting soul he puts in Any other Creature nor this nor that nor any thing St. Paul does here like the wise King spoken of in Luke 14.31 in the Parable Or what King among you that goeth about to wage war against another King sitteth not down first and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand St. Paul here computes all the troubles he reckons the summ total of all the oppositions that Christians can meet with in this world and yet he sees nothing discouraging in all these that 's the first particular a large Catalogue c. For while he says these things cannot separate from the love of God he strongly implies thus much that those that are the objects of the love of God are yet liable unto these things 2. Here is the utter inablility of all these things to cause any distance between God and any truly gratious Soul These things may separate us from Friends from Relations from what is dear to us in this world but not from the love of God Alas what breaches is God continually making upon every one of us in every part of our lives but such is the union between God and every sincere believer that nothing can make a separation here God may be offended with his people but nothing can separate between God and his people death cannot do it yet death can separate us from all our Creature-comforts from all our dearest friends yea it may separate the very Soul and body and yet it cannot separate from the love of God God hath such respect to the Souls of his people that pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Yea and their scattered dust God will take care of that and will cause it to meet together again and be made partaker with the Soul of that Glory that is reserved in Heaven But then besides the terrors of death here are the temptations of life the pleasures of this life these Temptations may do that upon some that the terrors of death cannot do upon them Neither death no nor life neither this cannot separate but these cannot yet other things without us are of great influence Angels cannot do it they are Creatures that excel in strength some expound it so good Angels that it is spoken of them by way of supposition Gal. 1.8 If we or an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed not that any good Angel can be so bad a Messenger as to set up a new Gospel in opposition to the everlasting Gospel of Christ it is spoken by way of supposition so I find Learned Writers interpret it thus No good Angels cannot it s contrary to their charge and trust the Angels are Ministring Spirits sent c. Heb. 1. last therefore they cannot so much forget their trust nor be unfaithful to their charge to attempt such a thing especially being now confirmed in a state of Grace Others interpret it of bad Angels now whatever attempts these do make though they are compared to a roaring Lyon going about seeking whom they may devour though they never so much desire it yet they are in Gods Chain Epist Jude 6. Those Angels are in Chains not only as guilty Malefactors to be punished but as Mischievous persons to be restrained who if they were at liberty would do more mischief than now they can You may take it in this latter sense which seems to be most proper so Angels cannot do it but there are several Ranks and Degrees among the Angels therefore we read in Ephes 6.12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darkness of this world c. So here in the Text we read of Principallities and Powers As they said of our Saviour he through Beelzebub the Chief or Prince of Devils did cast out Devils in these Principalities then is the danger But it it is not in them neither I find many Interpreters carrying the sense to earthly Potentates the Rulers of his world that they by all their Tyranny and persecutions for they joyn the word Principalities to Powers they can never be able to separate c. But notwithstanding all we undergo for the present who knows what may follow for the future who knows what a day may bring forth What is in the Womb of the next moment the Apostle answers this here not things present no nor things to come though you know
people as they are peculiarly his Therefore David begs Psal 106.4 5. Shew me the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy Nation that I may glory with thine inheritance God hath favour for others but he hath a special favour for his Now this is the great Priviledge of all sincere Believers besides the general love God hath to all Creatures these he looks upon as his Jewels as his darlings as his delight as persons whom he singles out as special Objects of his favour That 's the first 2. Noth withstanding this peculiar love of God to sincere Believers yet they may nevertheless be sorely afflicted the Apostle reckons up here many smart Afflictions in the verses before you read of Tribulation and distress and persocution famine nakedness perils sword life death Angels Principallities powers Now while the Apostle asserts so expresly that none of these shall be able to spearate from the love of God he strongly implies that those that are the people of God those that are the real objects of his love may yet be liable to all these they are not exempted from any of these They may be persecuted and yet are beloved of God they may be exercised with wants with nakedness and undergo cruel usages from men yet beloved of God under great Affliction and yet under great Affection from God The disting uishing love of God makes no distinction in these outward things Eccles 9.1 2. No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before him all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked to the good and to the clean and unclean to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not as is the good so is the sinner as he that sweareth as he that feareth an Oath Their Afflictions may be as great nay exceed the afflictions of others as you may see Psal 37. and Psal 73 both those Psalmes are upon that subject as to the troubles of this life the most sincere Servants of God may have a deeper share and portion in them than they that do not own God in sincerity In this world you shall have trouble They that will live Godly in Christ shall suffer persecutition c. These are the predictions for the future and if you look back to the experience of former Ages the flaming bush hath been an Embleme of the state of Gods Church while the Church is here the Bush was flaming and burning and yet not consumed You see then it is the Priviledge of sincere Believers that they have an interest in the special love of God and you see also notwithstanding the peculiar love of God to them they are liable to many smart afflictions Thirdly Whatever their afflictions are though they may be above and grearer than others yet notwithstanding they have supports above others even the love of God you may see that this along hath been their great support their relation to and their interest in the Lord as you may read in 1 Sam. 30.6 when David was once stript of no less than his all his Wives his Cihildren his Substance his Cattle all were carried a way Captive yet he incouraged himself in the Lord his God Nay this is the Promise that God hath made to his Psalm 89.31 32 33 34. speaking of them them that are his in Covenant If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor aleer the thing that is gone out of my lips I will chastise them they shall know what it is to provoke me to offend me yet I will have a kindness for them when it is the foulest weather with the people of God here below God by his Providences doth ordinarily make it clear above when the world doth most frown God doth usually most smile when his people are condemened of men he then vouchsafeth them the clearest evidences of their acceptance with him 2 Cor. 4.8 9. We are afflicted on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsuken cast down but not destroyed still they had some relief in God and God did let them then especially find it when they did most need it this is usually the time wherein God manifests more of tenderness to his people than at other seasons it is promised Hosea 2.14 I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her A wilderness that is a desert a place full of full of wants of straits and difficulties but that shall be a time and place of Gods love to be manifested The Apostle found this also true As our afflictions abound so our consolations do much more abound upon this account it is that afflictions when they are sanctified and we are supported under them and do make a right use of them they are frequently mentioned is Scripture as choice blessings as eminent favours Thus this Doctrine is cleared Whatever Comforts a gracious Soul may go without what Calamities it may undergo yet it hath this unspeakable support the love of God this love is a peculiar love and it doth not exempt from Afflictions but it doth admirably sweeten those Afflictions that the Servants of God do meet with For the Use of this Point this Informs us of the necessity of an eye of Faith to enable us to make a right Judgment both of Persons and Things Sense and Reason are incompetent Judges of things Invisible because these are above Sense above the reach of Reason many of them we are apt to think when God strips his people of their estates of Creature comforts of Friends of neer Relations that when these are gone all is gone with them no no they have the love of God then as our Saviour said I have meat that ye know not of so they have comforts and refreshments that others know not of Strangers cannot intermeddle with their joy these are out of the reach of all kind of enemies 2. Doct. This peculiar love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of it can make any of us miserable This I ground upon the Text The scope of the Apostle in this place is to comfort the people of God against all the discouragements that this life is liable to and capable of Now the Argument he alledges to this purpose is no more than this Nothing can separate you says he from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus and in as much adds nothing more but this he thought he had spoke enough in that one word hence I gather it is a mercy so highly considerable that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable All the miseries and calamities in the world that can come upon us
this Mercy the single want of this is enough to imbitter the largest confluence of all your Creature enjoyments It is this alone that can bear up our Spirits while we live and comfort our hearts when we dye and it will go with us after death and beyond the Grave To want this is to want that which no orher enjoyent can make up indeed if we have the love of God there is egough of the enjoyment of that to comensate the want of all things else Oh therefore labour first to be sensible of your condition and to get your hearts affected with it and then stand no longer capitulating with God but accept of Mercy and that thankfully upon the terms that God offers Mercy Is God willing to bestow his love upon you and is it such a love that nothing can deprive you of it when you once have it and is it a mercy that may be purchased on such easie terms And are you unwilling to accept it Oh! It is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation Do not stand off longer make no terms raise no objections but come up to the terms which God requires If it be to the cutting off a right hand or plucking out a right Eye And bless God that yo may be accepted on such an account Go to God and plead his Sons blood and plead his Mercy and though there is nothing in you to procure his love yet make use of these things that may help you Do not give over the use of means but wait upon God in his Ordinances that they may bring you over to partake of this love of God 2. Exhor To them whom God hath blessed with this love I shall speak one word to them If God hath bestowed on you this great favour to own you to love you to love you in and through Jesus Christ you have cause to be thankful For God to love you Truly it is a distinguishing mercy such a mercy as God doth not vouchfafe to all It is a free mercy a mercy that God never bestows upon any account but only upon the account of his free grace Now be thankful therefore if you partake of the love of God it is a mercy that but few fo his Creatures do partake of and it is a mercy that any do partake of it That God should set his love upon fallen man and pass by fallen Angels That God should set his love upon Creatures it is much but that he he should set his love upon apostate Cratures upon Creatures that are so much below him and upon sinful Creatures that so much provokt him what cause of thankfulness have we that do partake of this love but be careful that you are upon a sure Foundation As to this examine what is your love to God his truth his ways and ordinances Again this mercy is the sum of all mercies If God loves us as one speaks then himself is our God then all in God is ours that is for our support and comfort and refreshment In the next place be careful to preserve this love be careful of doing any thing that may cause God to withdraw any measure of his love from you and make use of all kinds of means and helps whereby you may have this love cleared excited and quickened and upon every withdrawing of the love of God be careful to recover it Resolve as David did Psal 132.3 4 5. Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house nor go up into my Bed I will not give sleep to my Eyes nor slumber to my Eye lids until I find out a place for the Lord a habitation for the Mighty God of Jacob. Here was a great deal of earnestness So do you resolve never to be at rest nor quiet until you have recovered what yo have lost We find that God does upon several accounts withdraw the manifestation of his love from his People Sometimes to chastise them for their sins this was Davids Case and if this be yours then make Davids practice your patern Be humble for your sins return to God beg his Spirit to secure you against future Relapses Sometimes God doth it to try them As this was the Case of job and if this be your Case Do as Job did when God seems to cast you off follow God and do not you cast off him God it may be is trying your desires to see whether you are willing to part with him or no when he seems most in your apprehensions to be neglectful of you do you then labour to stir up Strongest after desires him Somtimes he withddraws his love when his people do not value it As it was with the Spouse Christ withdrew when the Spouse was in Bed and he knockt and she was willing to arise If this be your Case do you as the Spouse did be willing to rise and seek him till you find him Lastly Be careful to improve this love of God but how shall we do that If you are sure this priviledge belongs to you then live up to this priviledge live in contempt of things of this world And make use of all those things that may quicken you in ways of obedience God would not only have his People to serve him but to serve him with chearfulness and because his People of Israel would not serve him with chearfulness in the enjoyment of all things therefore he gave them up to serve their Enemies in nakedness and hunger and in the want of all things Therefore be careful to make thankful returns of obedience to God through the whole course of you Lives and labour to bring others to partake of those dainties and refreshments that you have experienced the sweetness But let me leave this with you Beware you be not over hasty in thinking you are intituled to this priviledge when indeed you are not this is a great delusion among Professors there are many Professors are yet rotten at the bottom therefore look to your hearts And if you have found upon examination that you have good grounds to hope that you belong to God and have an interest in his love then live up to this Mercy SERMON XIII Rom. 8. ult Doct. 4. The principal Groun and assurance which we have of the stabiltiy and certainty of the love of God to his People is because it is in and through Christ THe love of God therefore most evividently appears to be sure and everlasting because it is built on so sure and everlasting Foundation This Doctrine consists of two Parts 1. What ever God hath of love to any of his People it is only upon the account of Christ 2. That this love of God through Christ to his People doth therefore appear to be certain and unchangeable permanent and lasting because it is in and through Christ What ever God hath of love to any of his People it is only upon the account of Christ Look upon common Mercies that God preserves you that God
natural constitution are but one step from hell and everlasting flames and between us and it there is nothing but a brittle and uncertain life What astonshing love is this God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son 3. John 16. 1 John 3.5 Now how disingenuous and unworthy is it in us to slight and undervalue these high discoveries of love Again Consider what a mercy it is not only that heaven is become possible but also that God vouchsafes us this priviledge to discover the excellency of heaven to us with means for the obtaining of heaven and his blessing upon the means that by all we might be made meet to partake of this Inheritance These are mercies that God doth not vouchsafe to all men 147 Psal 19 20. He hath not dealt so with other nations Farther not only is this inheritance possible and a discovery made of it and means afforded for the obtaining it But God gives us also many incouragements to make use of these means this Inheritance is not only purchased but proffered and tendered if we are willing to accept and do not refuse it God will bestow it Nay God doth not only proffer it but he importunes our acceptance of it how often doth Christ perswade and perswade with a great deal of importunity that you would accept of this Inheritance I have stretched out my band all the long to a gainsaying people Farther the terms upon which he encourageth us are only upon the account of free-grace Who ever will let him take of the waters of life freely Come buy wine and milk without money and without price 55. Isaiah God only requires us to bring a sense of our wants and what a most unworthy requital is this of the love and kindness of God to undervalue this Inheritance 2. We hereby render our selves so far as we undervalue these mercies so far uncapable of partaking of them It was said of the Jews they thrust away the kingdom of heaven from them 13. Acts 46. That is as Beza upon the place observes their carriage and contempt did declare them unworthy 22. Matth. Christ sent forth his messengers to invite to the wedding seast The Guests were indeed Invited but they all made light of it What was the Issue The king sent his servants to call in other guests God will first bring us to prize these mercies before he vouchsafe them 3. They who slight these mercies bring themselves under an absolute necessity of perishing 2. Heb. 3. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation If we refuse this inheritance we undo our selves for ever Quest But what kind of neglect is it that doth deprive us of this Inheritance Answ When the neglect is total and we prefer the world so much above it that we only mind the things thereof As that rich man 12. Luke minded his barns his In-comes but his soul he cared not for vers 19 20 21. So when we prefer any thing above it 10. Matt. 37. He that loveth father or mother more then me is not worthy of me This was Esaus great sin his profaneness his selling his birth-right for a mess of pottage and when we so neglect it that we are not wiling to undergo any thing for it or deny our selves any thing in order to it we are rendered all together uncapable of this Inheritance There are other neglects through weakness and they are such as the people of God are incident unto as sins of infirmities As when they do not pray with that fervency and strive with that earnestness for that kingdom of heaven which is set before them as becomes the excellency of these things Now this kind of carriage may give us cause of shame and trouble but doth not cut off our right That is the second Consider what we slight and what we do in undervaluing these mercies 3. Consider for what it is that we so much undervalue this glorious Inheritance No man doth slight this but it is in order to the securing of other enjoyments Now what enjoyments are there like these If there were any better then these then this practice were Justifiable Nay if there were any enjoyments equally as good as these then these neglects were excusable but in as much as none are to be compared with these this is that bespeaks these neglects though but in part without excuse Now what should tempt us to a neglect of these glorious things can we expect to meet with that in sin or in Creature and outward comforts can we expect that the world should be so sweet as to countervail the loss of them Our ease our safety I might instance in all outward things alass these things are but vain while they do continue and it is but for a moment that they can continue and there can be nothing of satisfaction found in them they are but such mercies as God bestows upon the worst of men and they are useless in our straits and therefore why should these clog us in our pursuits after greater matters Vse of Direction What shall we do that we may shake off that sluggishness and get above that dullness of Spirit that is usually in us in our pursuit after matters that do so highly concern us 1. Direct Consider how much it is your duty and concernment to bestow your utmost earnestness there It was the commendation of John Baptists hearers 11. Matth. from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force So it is our Saviours advise strive to enter in at the strait gate Striving denotes our utmost earnestness it is not endeavours alone nor is it earnestness for a time but it must be a constant earnestness a fixed course in pursuing this glorious Inheritance 2. Direction Be much in the great duty of Meditation there are many advantages in it It gives all kind of truths a free passage into our hearts Therefore by Meditation we should be often taking a view of this glorious Inheritance as Moses went up to the top of Pisgah and from thence took a view of the promised Land so we should often by Meditation take a view of all those excellencies It was the advice of a Learned writer concerning meetness for eternity Says he if you would be serious in preparing for Eternity do but spend one quarter of an hour every day in considering what Eternity is If you would be more lively and vigorous in your prayers and endeavours be frequent in considering what it is you strive for Again Meditation is admirable not only to imprint the excellency of this Inheritance upon our hearts but also to preserve those apprehensions that we have of this glorious Inheritance already Now that this may inflame our souls with love to God in that God hath not only made provision for us in this life but for Eternity and such a glorious Inheritance as this is we should be often
Jacob i. e. the family the stock the lineage of Jacob sometimes stiled the house of Israel sometimes the house of David Isaiah 5.7 i. e. Gods peculiar people not onely those who by natural descent came from Jacob but those who succeeded him in faith c. Thus the word is used in the Gospel to signifie the Church and people of God The posture these persons were in God had hid his face and when the Sun is Eclipsed the world must needs be dark It was now a gloomy season God deals with them as David dealt with Absalom 2 Sam. 14.24 He would not permit him to see his face The phrase denotes Gods withdrawing his favour in any kind for the face of God frequently signifies his favour the beholding his face the enjoyment of his favour the withdrawing his favour the hiding of his face Numb 6.25 26. Psal 11.7 Psal 10.1 Psal 17.15 2. The Exemplary carriage of the Prophet in this sad posture of the Church and this is expressed by two words I will wait upon the Lord I will look for him both signifie the same thing viz. an earnest longing and persevering expectation of deliverance From the words thus opened arise these two Doctrinal conclusions 1. Doct. That God does sometimes hide his face from them who are the Objects of his favour 2. Doct. That when God does hide his face from his people the great work and business which then lies before them is to wait upon the Lord to look for him 1. Doct. That God does sometimes hide his face from them who are the Objects of his favour A full instance of this we have here What people were there at that time in all the world so deâ—â— to God or in whose welfare he accounted himself so highly concerned as the house of Jacob and yet these are the people from whom God had hid his face Consider but these three things concerning this people and it will appear that above all people these were the people of his delight and complacency 1. The wonderful dispensations of God towards this people in times past when ordinary providences were not sufficient either for their supply or safety God was pleased by miracles to preserve them and provide for them when there was no other way of escaping their enemies God makes a way for them through the Red-sea when the barren earth could not afford them food in the wilderness God sends them food from heaven he rains down Mannah into all their Quarters 2. The peculiar and Covenant-relation this people stood in to God for the time present they were the people of his choice Psalm 105.6 Psalm 135.4 The people of his love Psal 47.4 A people that God had taken into Covenant with himself and therefore what nation in all the world like this Deut. 4.7 Sam. 7.23.24 3. The promises God had made to this people for the time to come To them pertained the adoption the glory the Covenants the giving of the Law the service of God and the promises Rom. 9.4 In expectation of having these promises accomplished the Prophet here resolves to wait But yet notwithstanding all these endearments these are the people from whom God is here said to hide his face It is sometimes the case of particular persons as appears from their doleful complaints Psal 10.1 Psal 13.1 't is here the case of a whole nation not of the mixed multitude onely but of the whole body of that people a clear instance that God sometimes bides his face from them who are the Objects of his favour For clearing and Confirming this Doctrine four things are needful to be spoke to 1. What it is for God to hide his face or what this phrase implys 2. How far it is that God does hide his face from his people 3. The reasons for which God hides his face from them 4. The uncomfortableness of such a condition 1. What it is for God to hide his face In answer to which consider 1. That God does sometimes hide his face from his Church in general And that 1. When he removes the wonted tokens and pledges of his love in any measure he then hides his face when he does not manifest himself as formerly when his people have not those evidences and testimonies of his gracious presence as at other times As when God strips his people of the means of Communion with himself when he sends among them a famine not of bread nor of water but of his word when he drives their teachers into corners when he permits the ark to be carried away from them as it was from the people of Israel 1 Sam. 4.21 Though God does not totally remove our Candlestick out of it's place yet when he suffers the lights of the Sanctuary to be hid and obscured this is so fore a degree of Gods hiding his face that God in compassion to his people assures them that how severe soever he might be in other judgements he would spare them as to this Isaiah 30.20 Though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and water of affliction yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more but thine eyes shall see thy teachers The total removing of these mercies is to unchurch and ungospel a nation and the suspence of them for some time and in some degree is the hiding of Gods face 2. When God takes down the hedge of his providence in part and lets in a torrent of outward calamities upon them This was the case of Judah here God does so far let loose the Assyrian upon them that their very life is endangered Vers 7 8. of this Chapter He shall overflow and go over he shall reach even to the neck very near to drowning The only safety of Gods people from enemies and dangers is from the providential care of God This is the wall of their defence Isaiah 5.5 Job 1.10 But if this fence be taken away or broken down they then lie open to the malice and rage of enemies Whence is it that the Church of God which is as a Lilly among Thorns as a flock of sheep encompassed by ravening wolves hath any days of tranquillity in this it 's military condition but because God puts a restraint upon the rage and malice of enemies But when God takes off these restraints no wonder if as here Israel be ready to afflict Judah no wonder if Ephraim be against Manasseh and Manasseh against Ephraim and both against Judah I will hide my face says God Deut. 31.17 and what follows They shall be devoured many evils shall befal them so that they will say in that day are not these evils come upon us because our God is not amongst us And as the first coming so the long continuance of calamities is ascribed to the same cause Psal 44.23 24 25 26. Awake Why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and our oppression The
Christians that have outdone all other kind of men besides in observing the Rules of the Gospel have been to this Doctrine of God our Saviour O what Heroick Spirits were the Primitive Christians who could rejoyce in tribulations and suffer the spoyling of their goods with joy and that could with chearfulness undergo any misery when the case was clear indeed when the case was doubtful the case was different then how they counted Godliness great gain though it was loaded with reproaches and losses and all worldly inconveniencies yet they accounted it the most profitable eourse that could be taken and when they were destitute of all Creature-comforts yet they could be content with this and triumph in this the testimony of their own Consciences When the world was enraged and the spirits of men were imbittereâ— when earth and hell was against them yet then to be albe to approve their hearts to God this was enough to bear up their spirits 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing the testimony of Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversations in the world And so much for the first Use 2. Vse Is by way of Exhortation to perswade all to make this their full work and business our constant designe and aim And oh what blessings might we be to after-ages in setting upon this work to purpose Rev. 13.14 Write henceforth blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works do follow them it is said the sins of wicked men do follow them and the good works of the righteous do follow them the good they have done to others shall be spread before others in after generations so that their good works may be augmenting and increasing many years after they are in their Graves And thus I find a Learned Writer interpreting both those places concerning wicked mens sins following after them when all the sins that they in their own persons are guilty of are accounted for they shall have other mens sins as an after-reckoning For every man does many mischiess in the world for by bad exaple he may infuse those corrupt Principles into others which may out live his Person and flourish when his body is rotting in the grave Be perswaded therefore to make it your great designe to adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour there is no man so mean but he is in a capacity in his place to do it and the Apostle propounds it here in the Text to the meanest rank of persons to Servants that they may do it I shall only mention some few weighty Arguments to engage you in this work 1. Consider your Principles are higher than others What are the Principles of a Christian I answer Faith and Love Faith that lifts us up above the things of sense above what is present what is visible to an eye of sense The Just are said to live by Faith Heb. 10.28 Faith lifts us up above our â—usts above our selves above the World it is said of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the ways of God it is Faith lifts up the Soul above all rubs and impediments now every Christian professeth himself to be a Believer where is your faith then as our Saviour upbraided his Disciples that you are so nonplust with every difficulty and stagger at every danger and are interrupted in the ways of God upon every discouragement Where is your Faith The other Principle of a Christian is that of love Keep your selves in the love of God saith the Apostle Love sweetens every thing we are content to go through hardships and to pass through difficulties to hazard our felves in dangerous encounters if it be for the sake of them we love or if it be in the pursuit of what we love Now these that are acted from a Principle of Faith in God and love to Christ that feel the constraints of his love lying upon their hearts what manner of persons ought they to be that make such a high profession as this 2. As your Principles are higher so your pattern is better than others they have not any of those Rules that you heard mentioned in the large explication of the Doctrine but those Rules have been exemplified in the pattern of our Lord Jesus in that blessed example that he hath given us He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 to make him his pattern and to follow him in all things that are imitable true some things Christ did as God in those things he is not imitable and some things he did as God-man as Mediator in those things he can have no followers none to imitate him But some things he did as he was a holy person now what his life was such should ours be what the life of Christ was I shall only hint some few things 1. The life of Christ was the most self-denying life that ever was we read of the self-denial of Abraham and we have two notable instances of it He obeyed the Call of God and left his own Country and friends and kindred and acquaintance he went he knew not whether nor to whom yet God calls and he obeys God again calls to Abraham to offer up his Son Isaac a Child of so many prayers and a Son of so many Promises and he in whom all the Inhabitants of the earth were to be blessed yet God requiring him to offer no that Son he dares not with-hold him So we read of Moses his self-denial He refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter Now the self-denial of Christ was such as the best of men were ever capable of If you consider the matters wherein he denied himself he denied himself of that glory of which no Creature was in a possibility of enjoying what was his Glory he thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet he suffered all this Glory to be obscured and clouded and was contented with it in order to the accomplishment of his Fathers designe of mercy to poor sinners the glory he left was such as no Cretature was capable of and the misery he underwen was such as no Creature eould subsist under Again the life of Christ was a pure and spotless life there was no guile found in his mouth he was sair without spot the Lamb of God without spot he was a man not only free from sinful practices but in whom there was nothing of a sinful Principle and therefore nothing could disturb him all the temptations of Satan all the allurements of the world could not prevail with him Satan when he assaulted him found nothing in him to fasten his temptations upon under the sorest of his asslictions there was found nothing in him of impatience but still he was as a sheep before the shearers that was dumb and opened not his mouth but when his Name was reproached and his person contemned and his Soul afflicted when he was
Beloved a man of whom God himself gives that ample testimony that he was a 〈◊〉 after his own heart Acts 13.22 and yet how sore were his afflictions Saul and his Souldiers had banished him not only out of the City of Jerusalem but out of the Coasts of Israel in order to his safety he is forced to seek shelter among the uncircumcised nor can he long be safe there neither the Lords of the Philistnes work him out of favour with Achish their King David must now be packing the only retirement or Zoar he had was Ziklag his friends who had formerly comforted him are now in Captivity his City a ruinous heap all that was now left was only some small retinue and even those though they had formerly been not only his Companions but his Comforters in all his afflictions yet now instead of sympathizing with him they threaten to kill him because themselves were distressed with him instead of bemoaning him and bringing water to quench the fire of his sorrow they do but bring fewel to enflame his grief the more The instance is full Let me add the instance of the whole collective body of Gods people here on earth in all Ages it hath been generally thus with them the primitive Professors Heb. 11.36 37 38. of whom the world was not worthy Jesus Christ himself the only beloved of the Father was yet a man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs Consider his groans his cries his drops of blood and 't is clear therefore that whom God dearly loves he may and does sometimes deeply afflict not onely equally with others but many times above others But for the further proof hereof take these two Arguments 1. Argum The sharpest of outward afflictions are not inconsistent with the peculiar love of God as the sweetest of outward mercies are not the Arguments of that love Christ tells his Disciples John 18.36 His Kingdom is not of this world We must distinguish betwixt the Kingdom of his power and Providence and this certainly is both in and of this world and the Kingdom of his grace and goodness and this indeed is not of this world The Laws of this Kingdom are spiritual the priviledges the homage the comforts the all of this Kingdom is spiritual as concerning all temporals love hatred are not known by all that is before us Eccles 9.2 God hath higher and greater things whereby to shew his favour and anger than all these outward things are 2. Argum. The forest of outward afflictions are so far from being inconsistent with peculiar love that they are many times the expressions and evidences of that love Heb. 12.6 whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth c. Psal 119.75 There is a design of mercy to them in all their seeming miseries Consider those two Scriptures Psal 25.10 Rom. 8.28 the very best of Gods people make afflictions necessary in order to their good and therefore God will not so far neglect them as not to chastise them A tender Parent that beholds his Child running on in extravagancies the more he loves him the more severe he is in correcting him and the reason is because he hath no patience to see his Child ruin'd as for others God lets them alone in their sins Hos 4.17 he will not be at the pains of correcting them Isa 1.5 but the particular designes that God hath in correcting his people are almost innumerable take onely these few in stances 1. Sometimes it is to cure their spiritual maladies afflictions are Gods Physick to purge his furnace to refine 2. Sometimes to wean them from the world God imbitters these Creature comforts as the Nurse rubs the breast with wormwood and by that means weans the Child The world never doth seem a more vain and empty thing than in a time of affliction we are apt to make it our Idol but we then find it like Jobs friends Amiserable comforter a Physitian of no value 3. Sometimes to exercise their graces Jobs patience had never been so eminent had it not been so notably tried God does therefore reduce his people to great streights that their trials may be a testimony to those graces himself hath wrought in them their faith their patience their hope c. 4. Sometimes to encrease their experiences and that in two respects 1. Concerning their own weakness Times of affliction are sifting seasons God then discovers us to our selves the skill of a Pilot appears in a storm the valour of a Souldier in a Battle the strength or weakness of a Christian in a time of affliction 2. Concerning Gods goodness never doth God more fully manifest the bowels of his compassion than in a time of persecution when ordinary Providences were not sufficient for the people of Israel God provided for them by Miracles sometimes to prepare them for service The infinitely wise God who hath appointed several men to several services hath several moulds to fit and shape them for those services Joseph Moses David those eminent ine struments all trained up in afflictions Some there are whom God intends only as privat passengers others whom he intends as Pilots and these latter must be well acquainted with winds and Seas rocks and sands all the Books of Navigation can never make a skilful Mariner there must be experience so here 6. Sometimes to prepare them for mercies 't is our misery we seldom know how to prize mercies but when we want them The goodness of God the more continued it is the greater it is in it self but the less it seems to us and therefore God makes some pauses some intermissions of his favours that his mercies may thereby recover their due esteem with us and that we may the better manage them and thus doth God by wants fit his people for abundance by streits for enlargements by troubles for quietness 7. Sometimes to sharpen their desires after Heaven we are in this world but as Pilgrims and Travellers God permits us to meet with hardships in our journey to mind us of our home that our troubles here may stir up our longing after that rest which remains for the people of God hereafter Heb 4.9 Vse Take heed of entertaining so much as one jealous thought concerning the goodness faithfulness and tenderness of God towards you upon this account because he afflicts you 't is hereby he discovers his care of those whose welfare he is pleased to concern himself most in 2. Doct. That 't is the great advantage of all sincere Believers that in all their afflictions they have an interest in the Lord as their God When David here could call nothing in the world his he could call the Lord his this was his advantage in that sore distress 1. What was this advantage that David then had and all sincere Believers still have in God as their God above what others have in answer to which 1. There is an interest which all men have in God as he is their Creator and Preserver 2. There
is an interest which some have in God as theirs by vertue of their living under the tenderness of Grace and their acceptance of these tenders at least in their outward profession the obstinate Jews are styled Christs own John 1.11 and Christ and all his Priviledges theirs Rom. 9.4 3. There is an Interest Believers have in the Lord their God above these viz. a Covenant-interest an interest in the Lord not only by reason of his Sovereignty but by reason of their submission not only because called and invited by God but because come over to him God hath chosen them and they have chosen him and these are the people that are especially the objects of his love his delight his care his peculiar treasure Exod. 19.5 all that are sincerely in Covenant with God may claim a higher interest in God as theirs than others can for this is the very language of the Covenant of Grace in the several periods of its promulgation that he will in an especial manner become their God Thus to Abraham Gen. 17.7 8. to the people of Israel Deut. 5.2 3 c. to the Jews in their Captivity Jer. 24 7. to Believers under the Gospel Heb. 8.10 I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people 2 How much there is of advantage to Believers from this Covenant-interest in the Lord as their God it is a priviledge indeed that exceeds all that either words can express or thoughts can reach to have this interest in the Lord as our God includes so very much in it that we cannot rationally desire more Compare Psalm 16.5 6. and Psalm 344.15 and Phil. 3 8. to have him for ours who is the most high God Gen. 14.18 19 20 22. the supreme good the only good Luke 18.19 the fountain of all good all the excellencies that are in the Creatures are in him eminently yea infinitely all created perfections compared to his are but as a drop to the vast Ocean as a few scattered rayes of light to the glorious body of the Sun Isa 40.25 It was the pride of Pompey he could endure no superior and of Caesar he could endure no equal but it is the prerogative of the great God he hath none above him or like unto him Now that this God should so fully become the God of all sincere Believers as the pregnancie of the expression imports may justly be matter of astonishment 'T is no small matter God promises to Abraham Gen. 15. to be a Sun and shield to believers under the Gospel to be a friend and a Father 2 Cor 6.16 But when he promises to be a God this surmounts all Consider the largeness and comprehensiveness of this promise For if he be a God to us 1. Whatever he is as God is ours i. e. to our support and comfort Now who can declare what God is we speak of him in several Attributes there is not one of all these Divine excellencies but is much for the relief of all those that can call him their God i. e. their God in Covenant as for instance This wisdom is theirs for their direction and counsel and certainly infinite wisdom can never be over-reached or defrauded Known unto him are all things from the beginning to the end This power is theirs to protect them and provide for them and certainly Omnipotence can can never be resisted or retarded if his hand be lifted up whether in a way of judgment of mercy who can turn it back Can any thing be difficult to that God who by a word commande the whole frame of Nature out of nothing he that led Israel through the Red Sea Commanded water out of flinty Rocks rained Manna down from Heaven stopped the mouths of Lions what can be thought hard for such a God to do His compassion is theirs to pity them and act for them and surely all the tenderest compassions that can be found on earth are infinitely short of those bowels of mercy which are in God as a Father yea more than a mother doth th lord pity those that fear him 'T is faithfulness is theirs both to own them here and recompence them for ever This is his Premise Jer. 32.40 2. Not only what he is in his Essence but whatever he is in his Subsistence is theirs himself in their Father his Son their head exercising all his Offices towards them in pleading for them with God and pleading from God with them his Spirit is theirs to convince them convert them to purge them to improve them to quicken them to witness for them to supply them both with grace and comfort 3. Whatever he hath is theirs his Creatures to serve them his Angels to guard them his graces to adorn them his Ordinances to improve them his comforts to support them his glory to crown them c. 4. Whatsoever he doth in the world is theirs i. e. for their good the Providences of God are various his ways a great deep yet though clouds and darkness are round about him righteousness and judgment are the habitations of his Throne Whatever he doth in the world yet this is undoubted he hath an eye at the good of his people in some kind or other though not visible unto us Vse Inform. 1. The astonishing goodness and bounty of God to his Covenant-people he hath bestowed himself upon them and what can even infinite bounty bestow more Heb. 6.13 'T is said because there was none greater to swear by he swore by himself so here because there was nothing so great he could bestow he bestowed himself How infinitely much is there 〈◊〉 this so much that we can neither need nor desire more Oh what a heighth a depth a length a breadth of love is here surpassing knowledge the less we are able to understand it the more we should admire it Rom. 8.31 2. The dreadful condition of all those who live without God in this world of all persons these are the worst provided for against dangers or with comforts whatever their condition may be in respect of earthly confluencies yet have we cause to pity them and pray for them consider but 1. The meanness of those mereies they enjoy they are but husks that God sometimes bestows in anger and denies in favour 2. The mixture that is in their mercies there is a curse mingled with their blessings their table is a snare their enjoyments a trap and a stumbling block 3. The momentaniness of their enjoyments 't is but a little while and all such comforts have an end 4. The desolateness of their condition when these comforts are gone all is then gone with them Vse Examination How may we know that have an interest in the Lord as our God 1. What are your thoughts of Go is he so high in your thoughts that all things else are low can you say in sincerity of heart with David Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on earth I desire in
cannot make us miserable if we may but enjoy this one thing the love of God it is as if the Apostle had said I reckon that such Afflcitions may separate you from the comforts of this world but let what affliction will or can come upon you they cannot separate you from these refreshments this one singular Priviledge the Apostle opposeth to all those kinds of calamities that he had mentioned before though it is true every particular calamity is not mentioned amongst these yet the greatest and worst are and the rest are included in them If God should enlarge Satans Commission against us as he did once against Job and deliver all we have into his hands and power and if Satan should never fail in executing the utmost of that power that God gives him should God deal thus with us yet there is enough in the love of God to sweeten all Psalm 63.3 Thy loving kindness is better than life So our Translation reads it but in the hebrew it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prae vitis that is better than lives The meaning of this is as a Learned Expositor glosses upon the Text than any kind of life better than life with any kind of advantages that may render it more sweet and pleasant to us it is better than lives now life you know is of all outward mercies the highest for all other things are perfectly insignificant to us without life Skin for skin and all that a man hath will he give for his life But thy loving kindness is better life So in Psalm 73.25 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee David did not say he had nothing in the world for he had a Kingdom a Crown he had a great deal of worldly honours and greatness but these were not the things he looked at he could pass by these he eyed Communion with God and the favour of God was more than all Psalm 4.6 7. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine did encrease Now how often did this holy man solace himself upon this account his interest in the favour of God Psalm 16.5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou maintainest my Lot The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage There was nothing that this holy man made his boast of but only of God and you find him often making him his glory and truly well might David be of this maind well might he despise all worldly greatness in comparison of God for could he have added Kingdome to Kingdom and world to world all had been nothing in comparison of him That excellent description of God in Isaiah 40.12 is highly magnificent and very helpful to raise up our thoughts to consider the greatness of God Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with a span c. But now to prove this truth farther I shall alledge these six Reasons 1. Reas There is nothing but the love of God can make us happy and therefore there is nothing but the want of this love that can make us miserable for misery consists in the want of some good or the enduring of some evil Now nothing I say can make us happy but the love of God It is not Honours for not many Noble are called it is not Greatness for Greatness and goodness do not always go together a man may be a Great man and withal a great sinner yea a miserable man It is said of Naaman that he was a Great man but withal he was a Leper and that spoil'd all It is not Riches can do it Mans life consists not in the abundance of the things of this world Besides you read of an infamous rich man Luke 12. he was boasting of his barnes and granaries and projecting how he might pull them down and make new kind of store-houses for the reception of his incoms When alas that night his Soul should be required of him And in Luke 16. you read of one faring deliciously every day but both of these were in a very sad condition as to their Souls you remember the Parables It is not Friends Children or Relations they cannot make us happy we find those that have been under the displeasure of God to abound in all these no less than twelve Dukes proceeded from the Loyns of profance Esau In a word it is not Creatures below us that can make us happy for happiness is mans perfection and Creatures below us are below perfection nor equal with us nay nor above all Creatures above us are finite but the desires of our hearts are infinite and that which hath its bounds can never satisfie boundless desires and where desires are not satisfied there can be no happiness But although God should give us so much of the world as our own hearts can desire or wish yet if he hide his face or stand at a distance from us there is enough in the want of that single mercy to make us altogether miserable therefore as Job speaks of Wisedom the same wa may say of the love of God Job 28.12 13 14. But where is wisdom found and where is the place of understanding Man knoweth not the price thereof neither is it found in the land of the living The depth saith it is not in me and the Seasaith it is not in me verse 15. Gold shall not be given for it neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof 2. Reas The love of God is such a mercy that it is abundantly sufficient to make up the want of all other mercies and to sweeten the sourest of all kind of Afflictions that can befal us God in his giving himself gives us more than all other comforts what we have not in the stream yet if we have it in the fountain it is more fresh and more delightful says Bernard Lord where can I be well without thee and where can I be ill if may enjoy thee Thy favour is better than life True we may be impatiently desirous of this and that Creature-comforts and as froward in those desires as Rachel was when she quarrelled with Jacob for Children Give me Children or else I die we cannot live without this and that comfort we cannot subsist without God humor us Gen. 30.1 But as Elkanah said to Hannah so may we say to our sullenest and most impatient desires Am not I better to thee than ten sons Is not God better to us than all If God should deny us this or that or take away this or that Creature-comfort is not God better to us than all 3. Reas Thirdly the love of God in its full perfection is the very happiness of Heaven it self and so much as we
is in ability so is his love more or less bountiful It is said of Abashuerus he gave gifts becoming his magnificence so God gives gifts to his People suitable to his greatness becoming his Magnificence Jesus Christ is called the gift of God and what gift could God give greater John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleiveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life He had but one only begotten Son and he gave him Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but deliverd him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things This is such a pledge of Gods bounty and evidence of his liberality that we need not doubt of the goodness of God in other things since God has given so high an instance as this God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84.7 4. The love of God is the most firm and constant love alas we are poor mutable Creatures but God is an unchangable God whom he loves he loves to the end and that end is without end Therefore the loving kindness of God is said to be better then life Psal 63.3 and it is better then life upon this account because it lasts longer then life yea then all that in life we are made Partakers of for if a man live in God he lives better then in all other enjoyments whatsoever 5. The love of God is an Omnipotent love it is such as is able to effect his good pleasure to them that are the objects of his love Friends may wish us well but can do no more in some Cases but there is no blessing needful there is nothing that may be helpful to us but God is able to vouchsafe it in him dwells infinite fulness and power Thus you see from these five Reasons that this peculiar love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Application First If it be so that nothing can make that person miserable that enjoys the love of God then certainly God is no hard Master nor does he deal rigorously with his People when he suffers them to be afflicted Though he lets them meet with some troubles and calamities and many of them very smart ones too yet all this cannot be accounted harsh dealing because nothing can make them miserable that are in the love of God They may be under sufferings as the Apostles speaks 2 Cor. 4.8 They may be under straits and difficulties but in all these they are not forsaken we are troubled on every side but not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair Cast down but not cast off afflicted but not unhappy I say this may silence all those Cavils and hard thoughts that our corrupt Natures are apt to entertain concerning God especially in his providential dealings with his People 2. Inference is this If the love of God be such an eminent priviledge How dreadful then is their Case that are under the hatred of God What ever hath been said concerning the love God the greatest word that can be spoken of it is the infiniteness thereof that it is an infinite love Now the infiniteness of Gods hatred makes that as terrible and dreadful as the other is desireable infiniteness in God as it plainly demonstrates God to be on the one hand the best Friend so on the other hand the worst of Enemies and as it speaks his love to be the most desirable portion so of all kind of evils his hatred to be the most formidable 3. Inference is this Take notice of the folly and madness of those Persons that can be patient and quiet under the displeasure of God and can content themselves without seeking reconciliation to him and being received into favour with God Is not this the Case of many is not this the Cafe of many of us It would be well for us if we would put this question home to our own Souls you see nothing can make us miserable but only the want of Gods love the Apostle thought he had spoke enough in this one word to bear up their Spirits against the fear of all those Calamities which at that time were threatned as Persecution Famine Sword Nakedness Perils of all kinds But what shall bear up those who have no share in it since there is nothing can make us happy but this love of God there is nothing can make us miscrable but the want of it it is folly and madness in us not so much as to regard this love Why do you spend your money for that that is not Bread hearken to me saith God and your Souls shall live Isa 55.2.3 4. Inference This Doctrine of admirable advantage to the People of God under their greatest losses for whatever they may loose they cannot loose their interest in the love of God not from any excellency in themselves but the I have given you an account of that in that it is singularness of Gods grace and bounty to them and his care for them and their welfare SERMON XI Rom. 8. ult Neither height c. I Shall now go on to the 6. and last Reason of this Doctrine That this peculiar Love of God is such a mercy that nothing but the want of this can make any of us miserable Because of the admirable fruits and effects of this love in the many benefits we receive from thence it is from the love of God that we receive every mercy that we enjoy if it be but common Mercies we receive them from the love of God It is true the difficulty of this Case is to know whether common mercies are the Fruit of special love That they are from the love and goodness of God it 's clear Matth. 5.45 God caused his Sun to shine upon the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust These mercies are common mercies and that they are from common bounty that is unquestionable for as God is the Fountain of all good so the love of God is the only Motive to incline him to do good to his Creatures there is nothing in them to move him to do them good but it is his own goodness that moves him to it he is the giver and bestower of every good and perfect gift the Father of Lights Now whether you speak of common or special Mercies all are the expressions of his love common to some peculiar to others as for common mercies they are not common to his People There is a vast difference between the mercies that God vouchsafeth to his People and those he vouchsafeth to others the mercies the People of God enjoy are the special Fruits and benefits of his special love and it is that upon which we ground our hopes of mercy for the future 2. It is the love of God that makes every mercy to be
indeed a mercy to us The absence of Gods love is enough to blast all our choicest blessings God may give us abundance of these outward blessings but what are these unless he gives us his love with them God answered the defires of the People of Israel they must have dainties and be fed with Qualies but with all he sent leanness into their Souls they had those sweet dainties with bitter Sauce So it is said again of some of the People of Israel Psal 69.22 Their Table became a snare before them which is quoted again in Rom. 11.9 Alas while we remain under the displeasure of God though out of his common bounty he may give us never so many comforts yet these are but like the waters of Marah there is nothing but bitternes in them God may feed us perhaps very plentifully with outward enjoyments even to fatness but this fatness will be but to destruction and slaughter As they cryed out to the Prophet 2 Kings 4.40 Death is in the Pot so death is in all our enjoyments if we have not the love of God with them But when we can read an Inscription of love in every comfort and the light of Gods countenance shining through every mercy this sets Mercies at a higher rate Herein is the great difference between the People of God and others they may enjoy the same Mercies but the same Mercies are a Blessing to the one and a Curse to the other they may partake of the same outward Priviledges but not with the same inward Sweetness The same Cloud that was a light to the Israelites was darknes to the Aegyptians The same Ark that was for safety to the Israelites was for destruction to the Philistines The same Red Sea that was a Wall of safety to the Israelites was a Floud to overthrow their Enemies The People of God have the same Mercies that others have but God gives them grace to make a right use of them for spiritual ends and advantages and so to them they better Mercies God doth not onely give to them Talents but hearts to improve them Titus 1.15 To the pure all things are pure c. Mark let them be what things they will all is pure to them but to the impure and defiled all things are defiled 3. It is the love of God that is not unly the Fountain of all good and makes every thing to be indeed good but this love makes all the evils that we meet with to be good to us it makes burthens light yokes easie Sometimes it does so literally as in the Case of the three Children God so love them that he took away the heat of the Fire that not so much as a Hair of their Heads was singed or their Garments scorcht But in a spiritual Compensation god is never wanting to his People Those suffering Martyrs in Queen Maries days some of them found those scorching Flames as so many Beds of Roses so full were they of comfort from the sense of Gods love to them they were above the sense of any kind of trouble or torture though in it self it could not be thought little Nay the love God hath a singular ingred iency into Calamities in the afflictions of his People it hath singular Efficacy to take away the bitterness of Afflictions How to some did the love of God make their shame glorious and their dolorous Afflictions to be delightful it is said of the Apostles that they went away from the Counsel rejoycing that they were thought worthy to suffer for the sake of Christ Rejoycing that they were graced with Reproaches they looked upon these as their Crowns and their glory What is said concerning the Phylosophers Stone whether it be fabulous or ont I will discourse that it turns all into Gold that it toucheth The same may be applied to the love of God it puts good into eveny evil thing If we can be but made Partakers of his love it is such a most excellent priviledge that nothing then can hurt us or make us miserable True our own unbelief and weakness may keep us off from the comfort of this love many times but this is a certain Rule Every thing hath only so much of good in it as it hath of Gods love in it if Gods love be in our Afflictions then this puts Sweetness into our Afflictions and that partly by the Addition of some good by them and partly by abstracting of some evil namely of our minds from outward things and by setting them upon higher objects 4. An other effect of this love of God is this it makes us good in our selves it is the love of God that is the only Fountain of all the grace that any heart of us here hath had wrought in it Who made the oh man to differ or what hast thou that thou hast not received What thou hast received it is of grace not of debt it is the love of God that does not only lay the Foundation of grace but that does carry out the Superstructure of grace he that is the beginner the Author he is the increaser of all good nay he likewise preserves it God from his love to his People takes care to preserve that grace he hath wrought in them Indeed if God did not take care to preserve grace where it is once wrought it would then soon dye and vanish and come to nothing grace in us and the working of it at first is no less then a Miracle because our hearts are so uncapacitated so full of perverse Principles for the Reception of this work at first and the preserving of it when it is wrought is as miraculous that grace should be kept alive in us it is as much as a spark of Fire to be kept alive in a whole Ocean of Water That weak grace when it is in conjunction with so many strong Corruptions and those having such aides and assistances from without the Worlds and the Devils temptations that grace should yet live it is the Lords doings and it is marvelous in our Eyes In the 1 Pet. 1.5 it is said of the sincere People of God that they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto salvation not by any power of their own but by the Power of God and it is no less then a Mighty Power of God that can keep them I say it is the love of God that does begin and increase and preserve grace and excites and and conserves and establisheth it it is a good thing to have the heart stablished with Grace it is God must quicken it grace in us would other wise be but a heavy and dull thing if God should not by the Gales of his Spirit blow up those Sparks that are in the hearts of his People Thus I have gone over the Doctrinal part you see the peculiar love that God bears to all sincere Believers is a priviledge so vastly great that those that do partake of this priviledge nothing can make
he had power to stand and ability to resist all oppositions and temptations but still he was left to a mutable will But our estate of Recovery is another kind of Estate as to our security in it because it depends upon Jesus Christ as I shall shew when I come to speak of that part of the Text The love of God is a fixt love because it is in and through Jesus Christ Apl. For the Application of this point How abundantly well are they provided for that have the love of God for their portion though they have nothing else though they have not a a Friend on Earth yet if they have the God of Heaven to be their Friend if they have God to own and stand by thm they have enough This was Saint Pauls comfort Though no man stood by me yet the Lord stood by me 2 Tim. 4.16.17 Though thou hast no estate nor Friend nor Creature comfort yet in having the love of God thou hast all nay ten thosand times more then all You may judge what a refreshing it was to the Prophet Daniel Dan. 9.23 At the beginning of thy Supplications the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved when Daniel was ready to faint under his Vision in the 10. Chap. 7.8 in the 11. verse O Daniel greatly beloved what greater word could be spoken then this A man greatly beloved of the great God Psal 144.15 Happy is the People that is in such a case yea happy is that People whose God is the Lord. Let our condition be what it will in all other respects yet if we have but this single priviledge there is enough in this alone to make us happy Though we be under reproaches as St. Pauls was yet he be being clear in his Conscience towards God that he had a Conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man he trampled on those Reproaches It s a small thing for me to be judged by mans Judgment We pass through good report and ill report If our condition be want what can he want who hath an interest in him in whom is infinite fulness If our condition be Sufferings what suffering can be harsh to them that have the presence and love of God to sweeten them Here is our strength and comfort indeed but if God with hold his love or suspend the manifestation of it where are we Death it self which is the King of Terrors is no terrour to us if we have but the love of God there is enough in that to turn the dark Valley of the shadow of death into a pleasant entry into everlasting glory Psal 23.4 Though I walk through the Valley of the the shadow of death I will fear no evil For thou art with me thy Red and thy Staff they comfort me Why because thou art with me with me why God is with all his Creatures he is every where Yea but with me in thy favour and love and care and tenderness to uphold support and comfort me when none else can comfort me 2. Appl. The next use is by way of examination You see this priviledge is highly great it is no small matter any of us to know in what posture we stand in reference to it It is our great and cheif concern for all depends upon this theefore let me perswade you from hence to examine your interest in the love of God And although the love of God as it is in him is secret and invisible to us yet it discovers its self in its Fruits and Effects so that it may become discoverable There are many hidden Causes but they may be discovered by their effects as we know the nature of a Tree by the Fruit and the nature of a Fountain by the Stream Now if we would know the love of God to us the truest way to discern it is by our love to God Examine your selves by this 1 John 4.19 We love him because he first loved us If thou hast any spark of love to God to his truth to his ways to his ordinances to his People all these are as so many Fruits of his love to thee He loved thee first and that love kindled in thy heart a love to him Love to God is a spark that comes from Heaven But you will say our love to God may be as hidden and difficult a thing for us to discern in regard especially of the deceitfulness of our hearts as the love of God to us is I shall therefore turn you to one place of Scripture Joh. 14.21 He that hath my Comandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him He is loved of God that keeps his Commandments that is that makes it his design and endeavour so to do Now consider what love do you find in your hearts towards God his truth and his ways c. and from hence you may reasonably conclude his love to you 2. A second Rule by which we may be helped in discerning whether we have any right or title to the love of God is this What have you received those Mercies from God that are the infallible Pledges of his peculiar love there are no kind of outward Mercies almost but God may and does sometimes bestow those things in anger God answered the People of Israel in many of their rash requests in anger he gave them quailes in anger c. Again these outward Mercies at best if they do not come in anger are but Fruits of Gods common bounty But now what Mercies do you partaâ—â—e of which are infallible Pledges of his special love there are such Mercies there are indeed some Mercies that may be called in a 〈…〉 gâ—â—â—shing Mercies in respect of their 〈◊〉 and conducenâ—â—â—o bring us to partake â—of 〈◊〉 Mercies indeed as the Gospel for instance 〈◊〉 Yet God vouch fafes this to them 〈…〉 by it as the Jews had the sword Psâ—lâ— 147â—19 20. He shewed his word unto 〈◊〉 his Statutes and his Judgements unto Israel He hath not deâ—â—lt so with any Nation and as for his Judgements they have not known themâ— Rom. 9.2 To them were committed the Oracles of God Herein God hath been good to his People above others the body of his professing People Rom. 9.2 Theirs is the Covenant and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the Promises Yet this Mercy though it be a more limited Mercy then ordinary and common Mercies are yet is no such distinguishing Mercy but that we may be Partakers of it and yet not have an interest of Gods peculiar love This sadly appears for alas how many are there that live under the Gospel and yet are so far from reaping that salvation which the Gospel brings that it only heightens their misery and condemnation How many woes did our Saviour denounce against those Cities that enjoyed the Gospel in so great a plenty and yet
lived unproffitably under these Instructions I do wish that we all may take warning by their woe But the Pledges of Gods peculiar love are cheifly the Operations of his Spirit upon our hearts Now what convincing Operations have you found upon your hearts in the first workings of the Spirit of God though his work be to comfort yet it begins in Convictions I will send another Comforter and he shall convince the world of sin Joh. 16.8 Are you so convinct of sin as to be brought off from it to have your hearts set against it though you cannot be free from sin yet this is your burthen and your lamentation and you groan under it It is with you as it was with Saint Paul when he cryed out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death that is of sin that I carry about with me Do you partake of the graces of Gods Spirit the inlightning the quickening the renewing the sanctifying graces thereof Do you find your hearts to be warmly affected with the things of God of Heaven you cannot lightly pass by these things if you are his Are you acquainted with the Supports of Gods Spirit in the midest of your distresses there are none of you but may be in troubles and yet may have many false Supports I grant as natural stourness and common Principles may carry men far But are you acquainted with the comforts of Gods Spirit have they been your support Again hath God not only vouchsafed you the means of grace but hath he taught you to profit by those means and to entertain them in their efficacy plainness and power Does God please not to let you alone in your sins For God to leave us to be peaceable quiet in our sins is a very sore Judgement Lastly do you still find upon every relapse and failing your hearts deeply sensible thereof and affected therewith then may you comfortably say these are the distinguishing Mercies indeed and conclude they are accompanied with his peculiar love 3. What are the secret workings of your hearts towards God what are your designs your thoughts your endeavours ingaged upon is it to pursue the World is it to stop every Door at which danger and trouble may enter or is it to approve your hearts to God and to mind your duty and in a way of well doing to commit your selves to him is this your care this you may know by the secret workings of your Hearts and by a serious Reflection upon all the passages of your Lives 4. What is the measure by which you measure and pass a Judgement upon all kinds of Objects Do those things seem most hateful to you that are loathsome to God and you most careful to shun that which may hinder you from attaining this love of God or a clear sense of this love therefore do you hate sin and vanity and all those things that stand in opposition to this Priviledge do you make this your Rule to value Ordinances at a high rate by because these are of great advantage to you in respect of your Communion with God and the enjoying of his love and favour and do you mourn and lament the removal of these or your being straitened as to these kind of advantages upon the account in reference to the love of God because you cannot have these opportutunities of Communion with him Consider and seriously bring home these things to your own hearts Appl. In the next place I shall only speak to one use more that is by way of Exhortation If it be so then if you find it is thus with you upon your examination that you have indeed warrantable hopes of claiming an interest in the peculiar love of God Then labour to answer this love of God with love to God love in any is engaging love in Superiours is more engaging but love in God is infinitely more who is able to return love for his love There are these five hints I shall leave with you by way of direction 1. Let this love of God be a powerful constraint upon your hearts to do all the duty that God requires Let Gods love thaw your Icy hearts and cause them to melt and flow into every duty Joh. 15.14 Ye are my Friends if ye do whatsoever I command you The love of God is constraining not only to do all but to do all out of love and not to think his Commandments greivous or his Yoke heavy but to serve him with the chearful compliance to his will in all things 1 Joh. 5.3 For this is the love of God that we keep his Commandments and his Commandmenes are not grievous And this is when we account every thing of duty our reward when we look on our work as our ways David saith In keeping of thy Commandments there is great reward Psal 19.7 Mark he doth not say there shall be but there is in it great reward Indeed there is nothing that God commands us if we did but rightly understand our selves but it would be upon its own account excellent and desireable however we may take offence at several duties that God requires because they cross our corrupt nature as mortification self denial and the like yet all these duties are of so high an advantage that an intelligent person if there was nothing of command in them yet would think there is enough in their own excellency to engage us in the performance of them That 's the first hint if we have any ground to hope that the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts 2. Manifest your love to God by a through detestation and a careful avoiding of what ever might offend him You that love the Lord hate evil Psal 97.10 The love of God the Apostle saith constrains us 2 Cor. 5. The love of God to us and the love we have to him it lays a holy necessity upon us it not only constrains us to mind our duty more seriously but it wrests sin out of our hearts and hands and engages to oppose every thing that is offensive to God who shews so much of favour and loving kindness to us I charge you saith the Spouse that you wake not my Love till he please Cant. 2.7 She was careful that he should not be dishonoured by others how much more not to be so by her self 3. Manifest your love by a good construction and interpretation of all Gods providences Love thinks no evil Harbour therefore no hard thoughts of God Do not charge him foolishly as it is said of Job in all his sufferings he did not charge God foolishly This is a high expression of a grateful sense of Gods love to us c. Our love of God if we think well of God what ever he doth with us Providence is an uncertain Rule by which to walk in judging of Gods love Gods ways are in the Sanctuary his Paths are in the deep Waters Clouds and thick darkness are round
in reallity God may withdraw his love many degrees understand it of the effects of this love for the afflictions admits not of more or less we may be separated from this love of God some degrees but we are never separated from it totally or all together God may less love us in the sence above noted but not cease to love us there may be some little intermission though there is no total cessation that canot be God hath promised Heb. 13.5 I will never leave thee nor forsake thee There is a great many Negations in the original no less then five in that one place I will not I will not I will not I will not I will not Now for the clearing of this let me speak to some particulars because all depends upon this this is the main thing in this point 1. God may withdraw the manifestation of his love in Temporal blessings when he doth not in Spiritual We are apt to judge of Gods love to us by these outward comforts and when these are removed we are then apt to think that Gods love is restrained as Gideon argues in Judges 6.10.13 when they were oppressed so much for the Midianites And the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him the Lord is with thee the Lord be with us why then is all this befallen us and where are all his Miracles that our Fathers told us of saying did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt but now the Lord hath forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites This was by reason of their oppression and outward troubles God may withdraw the manifestation of his love as to Temporals But as God may bestow temporal mercies in anger so he may remove these favours For example when the People of Israel were so nice and dainty that they must be fed with Curiosities God answered their desires Psal 106.15 but with all he sent leaness into their Souls They had better have been without these comforts then to have had them on these Terms So God may love and doth love his People when he doth not mainfest his love in temporal blessings 2. God may suspend the manifestation of his love in spiritual Comforts when he doth not suspend his love in spiritual Graces This is a higher degree For Example when God sends his Spirit to Convince a poor Sous to humble it to wound it thereby to prepare it for mercy there is little of comfort visible now in this John 16.8 this is the Method wherein God promiseth his spirit to be a Comforter first to convince of sin then to comfort First to humble and then to exalt After these wounds and bruises and castings down these distresses of Spirit into which the Soul is brought then to bind up and comfort There is at present seen little of love all this while and yet there is a great deal of this reallove because all this while God is preparing the Soul for mercy and that comfort that at present it feels the want of You know in the exercise of Repentance and humility and a contrite and a broken Spirit the Soul is not so sensible of the love of God but the love of God then appears though not in Spiritual comforts yet in Spiritual graces and after in reviving and quickening them 3. God sometimes suspends the manifestations of his love in the very graces of his People but then it is not in these Graces that concern the safe being of his People but in these graces that concern their well being Gods People may be safe when they are not in such a chearful and flourishing condition For example God may leave his People so far as thattheir Faith to wit of evidence may be in the dark their hope may be over-clonded their joy may be eclipsed it may be sad with them in respect of these kinds of graces at present But as to their other graces that concern their safety as humility and dependance on God and some actings of Faith these God keeps alive all this while Again all the withdrawings of Gods love from his People the gradual withdrawings as they are but gradual and partial so they are but temporary and for a little time Isa 54.7.8 For a small moment have I for saken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my Face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer It was not total it was but for a moment it was not final but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee The darkest night with the People of God shall have a bright morning Light is sown for the Righteous and Joy for the upright in heart Though it be as seed that is cast into the ground all the comforts of Gods People may seem to be as Seed cast into the ground which first dies before it lives yet there will be a Resurrection it is but for a little time that God deals so that God withdraws thus gradually from his People and that in these two respects 1. In respect of Gods withdrawing from others he withdraws from them so as never to return I mean those that are not his People the wicked Depart from me and so depart from me as everlastingly to depart from me Depart from me into everlasting burnings this is a departing without returning 2. It is but for a little time in respect of what the People of God themselves deserve For there is not the least departure of ours from God but it deserves an everlasting departure on Gods side from us For us to leave him to cast off his yoke to own any other Master but him deserves that he should utterly leave us Lastly all these withdrawings and darknings these gradual withdrawings of Gods love tends very much to the advantage of his People If God withdraw his love in temporal blessings it is that he may manifest more of his love in Spiritual Mercies If God take away from us a Creature comfort he by this kind of Rod shews us the necessity of living above our comforts and of living only upon himself They are admirable designs that God hath in these kind of seeming expressions of his displeasure against us He therein expresseth very much of love to us his designs are gratious partly to wean us from this world by shewing us the vanity of it and partly in giving us more of himself and to let us see the need we stand in of him and partly that we may have greater experience of his goodness in his comforting supports under the greatest burdens that can befal us Had not the People of God such losses and crosses and tryals in Creature comforts they could never have tasted so much sweetness in the promises nor in the supports of the spirit nor in the comforts of Gods presence but by Gods withdrawing the gradual withdrawings of God as to his
manifestations of his love in Spiritual blessings God many times does it that they may not withdraw from him He therefore hides away his Face thereby to put them upon seeking after him We are apt to be very cold and slight and remiss in the things of God he to awaken us many times takes this course Again God sometimes forsakes us in spiritual comforts that he may not forsake us in great er blessiongs Comfort is not at present so necessary as other blessings are Mang may go mourning all the days of their lives but if they go on in the way to Heaven though they go mourning thither one Minutes enjoyment of the glory of Heaven will recompence for all God doth it to enlarge their graces and to fit them for greater comforts afterwards The sum of all under this head as to the distinguishing love of God here spoken of and the reallity of this love is that though God doth not in the same height and degree manifest himself in his love to his People yet nothing can separate from the love of God God may not manifest his love in that eminency as you have heard yet there is nothing that can make a total or final Separation from the love of God Now for the Confirmation of this truth I shall give you some Arguments 1. Arg. First from the freeness of Gods love free grace is the only Spring and Fountain of all Gods love to his poor Creatures If there be any thing of love in us to God this cannot be the Cause or Motive of Gods love in regard it is the effect and fruit of antecedent love This is clear if there be any thing better in us then in others it is because God hath been better to us then he hath been to others and therefore the Apostle thus expostulates 1 Cor. 4.7 Who maketh thee to differ c. What hast thou that thou didst not receive Now because there is nothing of loveliness in us but it is purely the freeness of Gods grace that is the Motive of his love to us this speaks it an everlasting love and the force of the reason lies in this because if the Foundation or Motive of Gods love to us had been any thing that he had discerned in us then as it was something that was pleasing in us that was the Motive of his love to us so that which is displeasing in us would put an end to his love If our merit did procure it then our demerit would have forfeited it and this alas we do every moment But you find all along in Scripture that it is the good will and pleasure of God to which all his love to us is ascribed Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flok for it is your Fathers good pleasure to you give the Kingdom It is Gods good pleasure it s not you have deserv'd it but he hath shewn you his goodness in being thus bountiful unto you in bestowing it upon you So you have it very frequently repeated Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace It is grace and riches of grace that God shews any thing of love to us So you have it several times mentioned in that Chapter This is one Argument to prove the love of God to his People to be everlasting because it hath no other Foundation nor Fountain but his own goodness his goodness is an everlasting goodness and therefore his love must be an everlasting love Was the Foundation of Gods love any thing in us alas we are mutable Creatures You know in our Primitlve estate we lost all yea where we were in an estate of greater advantage then we can ever arrive to here on earth when we had nothing of weakness or ignorance or corruption but were fully furnished against all kind of assaults yet then barely the mutability of our will lost all but now the love of God doth not depend on the will of man but the free grace and goodness of God himself 2. Arg. The Faithfulness of Gods promises God hath promised this mark this is the sum of all Gods promises herein consists the excellency of the Covenant of grace it carries everlastingness and in disoluableness in it I will turn you to one or two places Jer. 13.3 The Lord hath appeared to me of old saying I have loved thee with everlafling love Therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee It s called there an everlasting love and you find it promised likewise Jer. 32.38 And they shall be my People and I will be their God ver 40. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to dothem good Do but observe it is an everlasting Covenant and the promise of of this Covenant is this I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I will neither cease to love them nor shall they cease to love me God takes care of both parts He hath promised for himself that he will not and he will so take care of them that they shall not cease to love 3. Arg. The immutability of Gods decrees This shews the love of God to be so fixt so everlasting that nothing can separate from it or dissolve That God is the great Governour of all the world and that all things are managed by his infinite Wisdom is acknowledged by all and that he governs all things according to his decrees This is the ldea or Copy of all that comes to pass this appears from the Eternity of God God doth nothing now but what he decreed in Eternity Eternity is one point with God there is no first nor second nor last things with God That these decrees with God are immutable appears from the perfection of God To take up new Councils argues imperfection God loves none but those whom he elected and elected none but those whom he decreed to love Now this Election is an intention in God for the glorifying the riches of his grace in some persons Eph. 1.5 6 7. the Apostle speaks with that limitation Having predestinated us unto the adoption of Children according to the good pleasure of his Will To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved In whom we have Redemption So that there is a particular defignation of these persons to partake of this salvation 2 Tim. 2.19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth those that are his Again Election includes in it thus much a preparation and sanctification of all means whereby those persons that are designed to salvation shall infallibly be brought to it God doth not only design â—to glory as the end but also to grace as the means And for the working of grace in them and for the preserving of his People in a State of
grace God undertakes for both Now the fulness and unchangableness of these decrees argue the love of God to be unchangeable As God hath intended some to glory as the end he intended by grace as the means to bring them to that end 2 Thes 2.13.14 But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you Brethren Beloved of the Lord because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit belief of the Truth whereunto he called you by our Gospel to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ That is the glory purchased by our Lord Jesus Christ And if this love of God flows from his electing decree it must needs be everlasting because God cannot be frustrated in his decre 4. Arg. The fulness of that care that God takes of his People though they may be tempted and assaulted and meeâ— with sore buffettings yet he will not let them be tempted above what they are able 1 Cor. 1.13 and when they are the forest beset with difficulties and under the greatest fears and sad thoughts yet even then God hath the same care of them that he had of St. Paul 2 Cor. 12.9 my grace is sufficient for thee That one expression that we have 1 Pet. 1.5 is enongh to clear this truth Who are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation you read in the verse before of Gods reserving of Heaven for them and in this verse of God's preserving of them for it Though they may meet with many Rubs and Interruptions in the way to Heaven yet they are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation they shall not fall short of glory God doth still love them and they shall find the Fruit of this love to be everlasting happiness His grace is omnipotent grace and therefore it is that our Saviour comforts his Disciples with this consideration Joh. 10.29 My Father is greater then all and none can pluck you out of his hands Now if God takes such care of his People to preserve them then there is no fear of their falling short of his glory 5. Arg. Lastly The many assurances that God hath given his People of his everlasting love to them He hath given them his word he tells them whom he loves he loves to the end Joh. 13.1 he hath told them I well never leave you nor forsake you Heb. 13.5 Nay he hath given them not only his word but his promise which is more than a solemn word Jer 32.40 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from then to do them good Nay he hath not only given them his promise but his promise confirmed with an Oath Heb. 6.17.18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel and confirmed it by an Oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie we might have a strong Consolation c. Nay he hath confirmed his Oath with a Seal he hath given us his hand and Seal and he hath given his People the first Fruits of the Spirit whereby they are Sealed up to the day of Redemption So that you see the love of God hath this transcendent excellency in it that it is everlasting There is nothing that enemies can do to put a period to it and there are all things in God that might give us an assurance of theeverlastingness thereof Vse Now to make some Application of this point in a few words First This may inform us of the folly of them who fix upon any thing on this side God There is no everlastingness no fixation no stability in any thing but in God only I have seen an end of all perfection but thy Commandments are exceeding broad Alas all other things are but as Clouds that are passing away they are not why should we set our hearts upon things that are not they are not because they continue not In fixing our hearts and hopes and in building our expectations on any thing befides God and placing our comforts on any thing besides the love of God as we highly dishonour God so we highly wrong our own Souls Hereby we highly dishonour God because we prefer the Cistern before the Fountain yea we rather chuse to build on the Sand then upon the Rock of Ages we think our selves better in the hands of Creatures then in the hands of the Almighty and infinitely gracious God And we wrong our selves because we bring our selves under an absolute necessity of being frustrated and disappointed though we may be as industrious as the laborious Bee to wander from this to the other part of the world to go to this and that Flower yet we are sure to meet with nothing but disappointment but God is a sure refuge his love is stable and secure to our Souls Nay we do whtat we can to put God far from us when we fly from him and make the world our comfort We bid as it were God to depart from us We tell him we can do well enough without him we can do well enough with other things besides him we say as they did depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy love Job 21.14 2. It may inform us how such Discourses as this is may cause our hearts to burn within us as it is said of his Disciples who were going to Emaus Christ appeared to them and they knew him not but afterwards when he had left them then they recollected their thoughts and said How did our hearts burn within us whilst he spake unto us that God should love such as we are and that with an everlasting love and so as that nothing should be able to take off his love from us not our sins not our provocations this is a wonder Though these may be as so many Clouds to darken his love yet this is a priviledge peculiar to all true and sincere Believers Now since God doth love us so wonderfully how should this cause our hearts to burn within us To burn with the Fire of Repentance to purge away the dross of our sins that ever we should be so foolish unwise and disingenious to requite so good a God who hath so loved us And with the Fire of love to love God and to do what we can in acknowledging such love in him to us And with the Fire of Zeal for him that hath shewed so much of kindness to and care of and over us 2. Vse The next use is by way of Exhortation and in that I shall speak to two sorts of persons First To them who find themselves as yet Strangers to this love of God Let me speak to them Oh do but think how sad a condition you are at present labour to affect throughly your hearts with the sadness of this condition though you may have never so much of other Mercies yet if you have not
between God and Believers through Christ the Covenant of Redemption is made between God and Christ that if Christ will condescend to become man and undertake for the sin of all his and make satisfaction for those sins the Lord was well pleased with these Conditions it pleased the Lord to bruise him he made his Soul an offering for sin now all the recompence and compensation that Christ expects looks and did agree for is to see of the travel of his Soul and then he should be satisfied Oh how tender hath Christ been of your good you would be happy if you were as tender of your selves he was willing to leave all and to undergo all upon no other account but this not that he should be a gainer by you when he had finished his course in John 17.5 I have glorified thee on Earth c. One would think it was some greater glory that Christ expected but all that he begs is this with the glory I had with thee before the World was he desired no more nor could have any more because that was so great it could be no greater now that Christ should thus far ingage on the behalf of poor Creatures this is a great ingagement to us and in respect of the Covenant of Redemption was a great ingagement upon the Father and this was that which past between them now that God that can do all things who cannot lye nor do any thing unbecoming his own Excellency is a sure evidence of the stability of his love to Believers this being his condition with Christ in the Covenant of Redemption 4. Because of the fulness of Christs satisfaction the meritoriousness of what he hath done and suffered There is not onely a suffiency in the undertakings of Christ to satisfie for all our Debts to cancel all Scores and acquit his People from all their guilt as Heb. 10.14 By once offering he hath perfected for ever them that be be sanctified By once offering the legal Sacrifices were often repeated time after time yes their most solemn Sacrifices had their Repetitions these could not make the concerns thereunto perfect but Christ by once offering himself hath paid all our Debts and discharged us from the penalty our guilt exposed us to Again as there is a sufficiency in point of satisfaction so there is a Redundancy in point of purchase not onely a sufficiency to acquit them from all their guilt but a Redundancy to intitle them to all the glory and happiness that they are capable of Fithly Because of the constancy of Christs Intercession he did not onely purchase all blessings when he was upon Earth but by his Intercession he is pleading that purchase by spreading that Blood that he hath shed before his Father and thereby procuring all the blessed effects of it to the benefit of his People Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them He ever lives and he ever lives to make intercession This was an ordinary salutation as Justin Martyr observes amongst the Primitive Christi-when they met one another The Lord is risen â—he is not dead who is the life of our hopes he yet lives to make Intercession Rom. 8.34 Who shall condemn it is Christ that died That alone answers all kind of Objections we have sinned and offended but Christ hath died to make satisfaction for our sins Yea rather that is risen again who is even at the right hand of God he is risen that speaks his personal advancement who ever lives to make Intercession that speaks the comfortable Fruit and benefit of it to us The Intercession of Christ must needs be of great force with God our Saviour tells Peter after he had told him his failings Nevertheless I have prayed for thee that thy Faith fail not and if I pray for thee thou needest not question but to find the benefit of my Prayers that God that hears the cries of his poor weak People hath promised that his Ear shall be open to the Prayers of the destitute and therefore he will hear their cries Cau any imagine but that this God who hears the cries of the Ravens must needs have a high regard to the Prayers of his Son this is the great advantage of all that are sincere Believers that they an Advocate continually praying and interceding for them at the Throne of grace Sixthly Because Christ by his intercession is continually making up those fresh breaches that our sins are a new occasioning between God and us there is nothing in all the World can separate us from God but onely sin Isaiah 59.2 Your Iniquities have separated between you and your God c. Therefore all these instances that the Apostle gives here of death and Principalities and Powers c. can onely hurt us so far as they may be occasions of sin for nothing but this can do it and there is none of the most eminent Believers but they have their various sinful failings which occasion new breaches But the love of God in Christ answerâ— all this too if any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ If we are offending he is satisfying If we are making God our Enemy he is reconciling and making God our Friend 1. Use by way Information First It may inform us what cause we have to bless God for Jesus Christ you see all depends upon his undertaking all our comforts here and all safety hereafter nay all our happiness for ever all depends upon Christ Oh what cause have we then to bless God for him he is the gift of God that is the summe of all gifts and the Fountain of all gifts for what ever of kindness God hath for us it is upon his account now if God hath given us his Son how shall he not with him give us all things Secondly This may inform us of the dismal estate of all those persons that are out of Christ if God hath nothing of love to poor Creatures but what he hath in and through him then certainly he must have nothing but hatred and indignation against those persons that are out of him John 3.36 He that believes on his Son hath everlasting life Everlasting Life is begun in his Soul he hath the first Fruits of it But he that believer not is condemned already c. That is the wrath of God is upon him before and while he continues in his unbelief and it is like to abide on him still O what a wretched Estate is every Unbeliever in that place that was mentioned before Eph. 2.12 Without Christ without Hope If we are without Christ we are without every thing of comfort Labour to see what you are in your selves where you are while Prayers and endeavours may do you good and while the Door of Mercy is open Consider what you are in your selves and what you may be in him There is love and mercy and all kinds of blessings to be had for you if God accept of you in and through Christ but you can have nothing of love from God but onely in his beloved Son Thirdly It informs us what cause we have to be thankful to God that yet we have means and helps for the getting of an interest in Christ Though our interest in Christ be doubtful and it is good to doubt that we may labour to be more sure yet what cause have we to be thankful that yet we enjoy the means of getting an interest in him this is an incomparable mercy all your hopes depend upon him though it is not clear to you that you can call him yours yet it is Mercy that you enjoy those means by which he may become yours Oh seriously improve these means you know not how soon they may be taken from you or you from them be careful therefore to do the work of the day while the day lasts before the the night comes wherein no man can work 2. Use Is by way of caution take heed of slighting Christ either in his Messengers or Ordinances or Members or in his truth or wayes you see if ever you do obtain any thing of favour from God it must be only upon the account of Christ and will you slight or despise him which you do if you despise his Messengers He that despiseth you despiseth me and he that dispiseth me despiseth him that sent me or if you despise his Ordinances and will not make use of them you despise Christ Make use of them you will say you do make use of them But you may despise them in the slight use of them when every thing of the ordinance is over as well as when the ordinance it self is over when you mind only the bare duty and regard not the consequence and Fruit of the duty 3. Use of Exhort never rest satisfied till you can clear up your interest in Christ there was a strange kind of diligence in David and a high kind of Zeal he expressed for God when he would not recieve comfort nor go up into his Bed until he had provided a place for the Lord. Let the same Zeal appear in you in the getting and obtaining an interest in Christ Oh never give your selves rest until you have some comfortable hope through grace that it is well with you and when you have obtained this interest Labour to walk worthy of Christ Oh be not you a reproach to that blessed name which you profess 2 Tim. 2.19 Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from Iniquity Oh! have nothing to do with sin for these can be coupled together to profess Christ and yet to go on in a course of sin is a contradiction 4. Use Lastly This may be matter of unspeakeable comfort to the People of God that are clear in this great Priviledge that they have a right and title to it it is so sure and certain because it is in and through Christ that God loves them though they may have failings and weaknesses yet still God loves them in Christ as they are offending so he is making up of breaches therefore build all your hopes and expectations upon Christ and labour to walk worthy of that encouragement which he vouchsafes 〈◊〉 you FINIS