that are weak and sick by reason of too various and too much nourishment who deceive themselves and go a contrary way from the cure seeking spirituous liquors and succulent meats in a conceit of weaknes and fear of cold diseases Not considering that too much juycie meats oppresse nature and hot wines fill the head with foggie vapours whioh being turned into ill matter and condensed become the original of some distempers which were never feared These refreshments are not for such as live at ease but rather for such as often spend their spirits in labour or hard study For others moderate Abstinence is far better better for their health and better for the prolonging of their daies Which appears in this that the most austere and abstemious sort of men in all ages though they lived at ease and used little exercise have been the most healthfull and the longest livers 2. I must tell you one thing more To a healthful and long life Abstinence adds a light body agile and fit for any emploiment For where the Diet is moderate proportioned to the body the temper the season there the concoction the work of the Stomach must needs be good and so the blood also good and the humors pure untainted and fit for motion fit for God's service especially fit for currere for those services that require a quick dispatch that is for the best and noblest actions that cannot well be atchieved by a troublesome body With which I will close up those things which Abstinence brings to the body But Abstinence stretcheth her virtue farther still being beneficial to the whole Man And first she derives safety and vigor to the Senses For instance where there is no crude deflux into the nerve and organ of hearing and seeing there the Sight and Hearing must ordinarily be more lasting and more accurate and exact unlesse it be extinct and decayed by Age or Study or some Accident 2. Nor doth she stay at the Senses The Affections themselves participate of that good that proceeds from Abstinence Anger Lust and Melancholly must needs be abated when their ordinary fewel that keeps in the fire is taken away Griefe Fear and Heavines must needs be corrected when those Humors that feed them are drawn dry Thus doth Abstinence charme the raging spirits make a man affable chearful tractable and reduce all to the right state In case of lust especially that kind of Devil is seldom cast out but by Prayer and Fasting too 3. The Benefit of Abstinence goes yet farther extends it self to the Memory and Vnderstanding For whereas Intemperance sends up a cold obstructive humour that possesseth the Brain and so dulls the memory and Apprehensive Faculty that both of them weakly apprehend and hardly retain On the contrary a just and moderate Abstinence quickens the wit sharpens the Invention and Judgment as far as the Constitution is capable and makes the spirits and apprehension true and pure instar speculi So that both the species of Earthly things and the contemplation of Heavenly is more to the life and so illuminate as an intemperate muddy brain cannot be for Anima sicca anima prudens Wisdom dwels not where the vapors of Meat and Drink have too much to do 4. Nay Abstinence flies higher yet It makes our Prayers our Meditations our Devotions lesse distracted more facile more intent more delightsome And as Faith is the prime and inward Foundation so of secondary and external things Abstinence gives the greatest advantage to all spiritual and heavenly virtues So many helps doth it supply so many obstacles doth it remove in every Christian and Religious employment Therefore let not so much be crammed in for the Vegetant as shall not onely indanger the whole body but hinder all the superiour Faculties the Senfes the Affections the Memory the Understanding and Devotion too But rather let us use that Christian Abstinence without which we cannot be so fitted to run the race that is set before us that in the end we may win the Prize and Crown of Immortality We have reason so to do in regard of those Advantages that we see it brings to the body and to the Soul By all which if wee look upon it with impartial eyes it is truly amiable as most acceptable to God to Nature to Reason to Virtue to Religion the Continence of men the Chastity of women the vigour of a living and the ease and quiet of a dying man and not so much the means to a Crown as a crown it self and more virtual to the head of him that wears it but ever ending with a Crown incorruptible LI. Of that Charity or hearty love of God which is our best Companion while we live and when we die OUr Saviour being asked which was the greatest Commandment gave this answer in effect That the greatest Commandement is to love God with all our heart and soul and mind that is as well as we can or totis viribus as Saint Luke hath it ut totius dilectionis impetus eò ourrat that the whole current of our love may drive that way as St. Augustin well expounds it This is the greatest and the next is like unto it to love others as well as our selves not quantum but sicut or eo modo or in ordine ad Deum in reference and subordination to our love to God which is the modus of loving our selves God looks at nothing more then this hearty unfeigned love of him nor should we desire any thing more nothing being more advantageous to our selves For it is that Love which covers the multitude of our sins and presents us and all our Actions acceptable to God who regards nothing that is not derived from that Fountain If that were not Motive enough who would not love him above all in whom are all beauties and loves in an eminent manner beyond our apprehension And in the fruition of whose love we have a fair way made to the enjoying of everything else worth the loving But may we not stop a little when we look upon our selves What are we poor and vile Creatures that we should aspire or dare to make tendry of our love to him with any confidence True But since he will not onely accept it but peremptorily command it and command it in the first place we may and we must frame our selves to do it And the more we can improve this Divine Affection the better we may think our pains to be spent all the dayes of our life I shall therefore endeavour to help it in this method 1. First taking a view of Love in general 2. Then particularly of Divine love not omitting the waies and attractives of them both 1. Love is the inclination and application of the Heart and mind to that which is beloved Wherein there is no sence of labour or difficulty but rather a languor and impatience of not having a speedy success of our endeavours to find out and enjoy that which is
of Love shall we present to God Now I le tell you that 1. The first must be a weeping Love in hearty sorrow for all our past offences and neglects against Him that should have been the first and chiefest object of our Love 2. Then a solicitous obedient carefull love followes that endeavouring a better observance of divine commands ever after and renouncing all those râ—…bellious Affections that diverted us from his Love 3. Adde to these a meeke and humble love expressing it selfe not onely in our most submisse and lowly addresses to God but also by a mild demeanour of our selves to men which two are much wanting in these irreligious fierce and angry dayes wherein meeknesse of spirit is a great stranger and other spirits walke more ordinarily abroad abroad 4. And lastly Labour for a devout Angelicall love taken up us much as may be both with the practise of what is most pleasing to God in a heavenly convâ—…rsation and innocent course of life and in many divine contemplations too which two make up St Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and are a faire praeludium and preparation to a coelestiall life he reaster He that studies to proceed as farre as he can in these will have little pleasure or leasure for such Affections as trouble most men in the world Shall we goe over these foure againe from the lowest to the highest and marke the severall footsteps of a growing love 1. The first we found to be a weeping love for our past offences and mistakes 2. The second a solicitous preventing love for the time to come 3. The next a meeke and humble love 4. The last is a more Angelicall love or a walking with God as Enoch did in a serious study and practise of what is most pleasing unto God Such a Peripatetick will not easily be inticed out of that way to tire himselfe in other crocked and dangerous paths that lead to the world the flesh and the divell rather then to walk on in those blessed steps that begin in the love and end in the fruition of God himselfe For what should bewitch him to thinke any walke more healthfull or more pleasant then that which leads to Heaven or any love dearer then the love of Him that is Goodnes it self 'T is true that to walk in any virtue is to be in the way to Happines but if you would have a walk beyond all company Ambulate in dilectione saith the Apostle Eph. 1. Walk in love and he hath set this mark upon that walk excellentiorèm viam I 'le show you a more excellent way 1 Cor. 2. ult i. e. this way of divine love It is Honour enough for other Virtues to lead us by their trust into this way But this of divine love is the more excellent the surest and the readiest way to Heaven This is our Jacobs Ladder whereon you may see Angels and Men ascending and descending ascending by the love of God descending by the love of men By which ascent and descent Love is made the compendium of all Duties and of the wayes to Heaven Therefore St James calls it the royall way jac 2. 8. St Paul the complement of the whole law Rom 13. 9. Our Saviour himself makes it the Epitome of all Mat. 22. And Moses saith quid amplius what else doth the Lord require of thee Deut. 10. 12. And well may it have these honourable titles and high commendations and more then these as being the root and life of all virtue whence they grow and from whence if they are cut off they wither and dye sor want of true sap and moisture Of that value it is here on earth Nay in Heaven 't is the Seraphicall Virtue that inflames and delights the Seraphims and thence gives the name to them Well may it be to us the Queen of all virtues whence they have their glory and lustre as the Moon hath from the Sun Lastly It is the bond of perfection when we are fastned with that nothing can separate us from the love of God Not the Relation of any love below For He that loves Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of me saith our Saviour Not the possession of any estate below For We have left all to follow thee say his Disciples Mat. 10. Not the admiration of any thing above oâ—… below Neither Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come Noâ—… height nor depth nor any other creature shalâ—… be able to separate us from the love of Goâ—… Rom. 8. 38. What shall we say more of this love It hath such preheminence above all other virtues that the Wise man in his Love-song compares it to the Banner the most eminent thing in all the Army Vexillum ejus super me amor under which we venture our lives for his sake And with this eminence it hath such value and esteem that without it nothing is of any value Neither Circumcifion availes any thing nor uncircumcision c. Gal. 5. but faith that works by love that is a lively working Faith that is set on work by this Love So little hope there is for any thing else to be esteemed though we could come in with long Catalogues of our worth in any kind If we should boast our Nobility we should be easily answered by St. John 1 Joh. 4. 8. Qui diligit ex Deo natus est Every one that loves is born of God and to be born of him is true Nobility If we could shew our greatness in Riches Honour Knowledge or any other way St. Paul would answer all with Nihil prodest 1 Cor. 13. Si linguis hominum Angelorum Though I speak with the tongue of men and Angels and have not love I am become as sounding brasse or a tinkling Cymbal And though I have the gift of Prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and have all Faith so that I could move Mountains if I have not Love it profits nothing Therefore above all other things let us beg this of Almighty God that he would vouchsafe his own love to kindle ours with all the light of his countenance some gracious aspect from himself that may draw the soul to his love If this be our hearty prayer there will be nothing wanting on God's part while we are not wanting to our selves But there 's the hazard We may be careles and perverse doting upon somewhat that hath a fair outside but within a sting and poison that is accompanied with a worm that never dies In this dotage our love hath an ear and an eye easily opened to the seeming-sweet inticements of sin but no eare for the best charmer charme he never so wisely nor eye for him that is the delight of Heaven and daily invites us to a love attended with that security and delight and advantage that is not to be found in any other love 1. For Security first It is so free from hazard that in this love and onely in
this it is a high virtue to coeceed to be sick with love to be in Raptures and Ecstafies of Love As we may see the Church is in the Canticles and is still loved the better for it 2. Then for Delight What greater delight can you conceive then David took in his divine love when He set his Harp and his Heart to the tune of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal. 116. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I love thee dearly O Lord As the Hart longeth after the Water-brook Ps. 18. Ps. 42. Such were holy David's loves and delights The like had St. John the beloved Disciple who in every Epistle in every Chapter pleaseth himself to descant upon holy Love And St. Peter being woed with our Saviours question lovest thou Me was able to say Tu nôsti Thou knowest O Lord that I love thee Saint Paul was of his mind accounting all but losse for the love of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philip. 3. 8. And after them thousand of Martyrs and holy Saints that apprehended more delight in those coelestiall flames that kindled this fire within them then the fear of other material flames that turned their bodies into ashes and so delivered them from the assaults of those dangerous Loves without them that were ad oppositum unto this To all those blessed Souls the Love of God was sweeter then life it self and in some stronger then ever lasting death if so we may understand the love of Moses and St. Paul who it seemes could have been content to have been blotted out of the book of Life and made Anathema from Christ if that might any way promote their Loves and the Honor and Glory of Him they Loved Here 's a Love that may take the Kingdom of Heaven by violence and prevail for any thing For what can be denied to such a Love 3. And this brings us to the Third Motive the Profit and the Advantage that accrues to this Divine Love to which all things are pervious For bring as great a sinner as Mary Magdalene that had been a City-sinner peccatrix in Civitate and the unclean Cage of Seaven Devils yet if his Repentance bring with it Mary Magdalene's Love he need not doubt of the same happy success that she had quia ditexit multum This Hope we gather out of the Gospel And before we came to it in the Gospel the body of the Law it self carried so much Hope in those Tables of Stone as might break our Stony Hearts in this Love For how read we there He visites sin to the Third and Fourth Generation of them that Hate Him But what doth He for them that Love Him He shewes mercy to thousands in them that Love Him And this Love reacheth further yet Not only to shew Mercy but all manner of Blessings All are to be had for the price of Love For What else doth God require of you saith Moses Deut. 10 12. that is Lay down that and â—…e all Dii omnia Laboribus vendunt the Heathen were wont to say That God would sell all for Labour We rather say God will part with any thing for Love Wisdome for Love Sapientiam praebet diligentibus Joy for Love Thou hast loved Righteousness or to Love what God loves and Hate what He hates therefore will the Lord Annoint thee with the Oyle of gladness above thy fellowes Protection for Love Because he hath set his Love upon Me therefore will I deliver him saith the Psalmist Psal. 91 14. 16. And He concludes as we would have Him With long life will I satisfie him and shew him my Salvation that 's compleat deliverance indeed And when He comes to shew that what shall we then see but the rewards of our Love That which neither eye hath seen nor eare hath heard nor hath entred into the heart of man that hath he prepared for whom think you for them that love Him This high reward should elevate our Love as high as toto Corde to love him above all that is to love Him as much as we can and as some others that have gone before us in this Love I will name only the Royal Prophet to whom God himself gave this Testimony My Servant David followed me with all his heart to doe that only which was right in mine eyes 1 Reg. 23. 3. Which is the same that was undertaken by Good King Josiah and his people to walke after the Lord with all their hearts and all their souls Such as these had the habit of Divine Love and that is all we can hope for here For to have a heart ever in actual elevation of it self to God that is not for us below that is the perfection we hope for in heaven The nearer we come to it here the better And to that end to our best endeavour we must adde our fervent Prayers that God would shed this love in our heart by the Holy Ghost and keep us in the same Love For he that abides in Love abides in God and God in him Will all this that hath been said advance our desire and delight in this Divine Love All that hath been said of the Security Solace and Advantage added to the Dignity and Value of it God grant it may be so Amen Let that be the Rule of our Honor and Respect to us Let that captivate all the faculties of our bodies and souls and command all our Affections In that bright flame let our foolish wandring desires perish as the silly Flies doe that hover about the clear flame of a Candle Let this be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 While we live Let it be the touchstone of our Actions The Solace of our Hearts The Fire to warm our Affections And when we dye Let it be the Fiery Charriot to mount us up into Heaven Let us breath out the Soul in some Ejaculation of this Divine Love and so pass to the Blessed Fruition of Him Which Happiness may He grant in whom our best love is accepted In whose Presence is Fullness of Joy and to whom we therefore desire to ascribe all Honor and Glory The Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our Hearts and Minds in the knowledge and love of God and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord. A Transition to what followes in the Appendix THese Meditations were primarily intended for such as live a Collegiate and speculative kind of life freest for Retirements Out of which commonly are taken the fittest Spies and Intelligencers for the Kingdom of Heaven In such men rather then others we expect as hearty desires and serious resolutions of a constant progress in Piety as appeared in Caeleb and Josuah towards the Land of Promise For they being in a more Regular course of life begin every Morning in via Sacra that is in the way that leades to Gods House where they are daily furnished with excellent Sermons and Prayers I mean with the Lessons duly read out of the word
For as fire will shew it self by smoak and Faith by good works so will the inward devotion of the Soul interpret it self by the outward carriage of the body that men seeing our hearty service may by our good example be led to glorify our Father which is in Heaven XXXIX Our timely addresse and stay to the end of Divine Service LEt us take order that we may be there from the beginning to the end to come in with the first and go out with the last that our Hearts and Tongues may bear a part throughout which is a good means to make us partakers both of the Absolution at the beginning of Prayer and the Blessing at the end For if we would be loth to rise from Table before we have dined or supped much more should we be unwilling to deprive our selves of our spiritual Food in the word of God and in Prayer where above all other places it should be our Meat and Drink to do the will of our Heavenly Father We should rather be willing to wait for the loving Kindnes of God in the midst of his Temple ps 48. 8. and follow that of S. Basel de abdicatione rerum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to let no pretence interrrupt or take us off from any part of Divine Service XL. At our first Kneeling HAving entred into the Church with due reverence we may at our first kneeling down present our selves to Almighty God in one of these or the like short Ejaculations Either in that of King David Psalm 19. 14. Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Or that of K. Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30. 18. The good Lord pardon every one that here prepares his heart to seek after the Lord. Or Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come fit us all for thy service Revel 4. 8 Or Merciful Lord gratiously accept us all that come hither to present our selves our souls and bodies unto thee for Jesus Christ's sake that vouchsafed to present himself bodily in the Temple for us in great love and humility Or that we may hoc agere O most gracious Lord God give us grace to make the best use of our time in thy House and not to offer the sacrifice of Fools and so indanger our selves most where we may be best fitted for Heaven where the Lord God Almighty the Lamb are the Temple thereof Apoc. 21. 22. VVhen we are return'd from Prayers say Lord make our earnest and constant endeavours abroad expresse the heartines of our publick and private Prayers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierocles XLI Of publick Prayers and Sermons AFter our Reverence and Devotion hath made a good entrance that the rest of our Employment in God's house may be answerable to that good beginning it will not be amiss to say somewhat before hand of publick Prayers and Sermons 1. Of these the first thing I would say is that the Church is the proper place for them not any secret Conventicles Our Saviour commonly made that choice for his Preaching where it might be had He taught daily in their Synagogues The Apostles did the like They went into the Temple at the hour of Prayer Act. 3. 1. And for their Preaching there they had direction to do so from no lesse then an Angel who spake it in these words Go stand and speak in the Temple to the People Act. 5. 20. 2. Another thing to be said of publick prayer and preaching is this that being publick Actions they should appear to be so by the Auditory that is Prayer should ascend to Heaven not from the Priest alone as if it were onely his but from all the People too their hearts going along with him and their tongues declaring it to be theirs also by joyning with him in the Responsals and their Amen which is the seal that confirms it to them They to be parties and partakers in the benefit of that Prayer And so for the Sermon the Preacher should not preach to himself onely though his heart should first and most be affected with it yet if it be the word of God that is delivered by him as Gods Embassador at that time then the Hearers should lay it up and give it their Amen by their Practice which seals up the benefit unto them 3. A third thing we should desire that we may have all the service without mangling or maiming have it as Religion and the Church prescribes not leaving out Prayers or Lessons for the Sermon 's sake but upon special occasions For whatsoever the Sermon may prove we are sure the Lessons are the word of God and God speaks to us by them which we cannot say of our Sermons unlesse they may be reduced to that Touchstone of the written word of God and thence receive their Warrant And be the Sermon what it should be yet they are much mistaken who think they have done their Service if they come soon enough to hear the Sermon For the Sermon is the work of another and tendred in God's behalf to us but our service to God though it be in both in our hearing and praying yet is it rather in our prayers and other the like publick Duties of the Church For which especially Churches were erected and from which they were called Oratoria in the Primitive times and before that in both Testaments Domus Orationis Houses of Prayer where we meet him and make our solemn Addresses unto him 4. Our next desire would be that we may have our Prayers in that Form wherein the Church tenders them without Battologies and extemporary flashes For that which is enjoyned by the Church is most safe and warrantable and wherein the whole Church joyns with us in the same petition and the same terms beside many other advantages which they have And the very proposing of them in a sett Form is that which the Church learned from God himself In times of great affliction wherein there was need of hearty prayer it was God's own direction by the mouth of Hosea Take unto you words and return unto the Lord and say Take away all iniquity c. Hos. 14. 2. And again by the mouth of Joel Let the Priests weep and say Spare thy people O Lord. Joel 2. 17. And have we not a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from our Saviour himself the very word of God when you pray say Our Father we must say it saith our Lord himself And what if we say it more then once what if the Collect of the Day come twice and the Lords prayer thrice into our Service Have we not our Saviours own warrant for it implied in these words of St Mat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 26 44. When our Saviour was to teach his Apostles that were to be guides and directors to us all he puts them into this way of a set form and in his most earnest
desired For it is supplied with a continual Fervor and dilated with a sweet complacence and pleasing apprehension of the happines we might have in the fruition of what we desire and long for Therefore it doth not much need any Motive or Reward or any thing else to maintain it in vigor but onely the hope of acquiring that which is beloved There 's none of us all but have our share more or lesse in this pleasing Affection And it should be our daily prayer and care that we be not mistaken in the object of the Love we pitch upon To which purpose we should be most vigilant over those parts where Love makes the entrance The ordinary wayes are the Ear and the Eye First the Ear hath a door to admit it A door that no Key opens so well as a good report That will easily make us love those whom we never saw ut eos saepe quos nunquam vidimus diligamus saith the Orator No Musick can set anothers Heart-strings to the same tune with ours so soon as this 2. Beside this of the Ear there 's a second and more frequent passage to Love from the Eye either the Eye of the Body or the Understanding the eye of the Mind For Love hath the same Fountain that our loving Tears have they come out of the Eye and thence fall into the Breast So doth all Love from the Eye slide into the Heart and then it needs no Letters of recommendation there it pleads and conquers for it self So it is in all Love and so it is particularly in Divine love which is an inclination and application of the heart to God 1. First it comes in at the Ear. Fides ex auditu saith the Apostle and so doth Love Amor ex auditu It begins as that Psalm doth Auribus audivimus Ps. 44. 1. we have heard with our Ears and our Fathers have told us 2. It comes in at the Eye too For from the eye of the understanding by which we see the worth of what we love it is conveyed by Faith into that welcome which the Heart is easily made ready to embrace it withall Now that we are so taken with love at the Eye t is no wonder since we hear our Saviour himself say to the Church in the Canticles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast struck or affected my very Heart with one of thine eyes Cant. 4. 9. They must be holy and devout eyes that can so take him and we had need to look to it that our eyes may be such And when they are such that God may yet divert them from dangerous objects and vouchsafe his own love to kindle them withall that is the light of his countenance some gracious aspect from him wherein the Soul may see him as the fairest of ten thousand Cant 5. 10. the most amiable of all that can be loved and hear him with that affection which was commonly his that said Thy word is sweeter to me then the hony and the honey comb more to be desired then gold even much fine gold And now I may ask first concerning the Eare the first passage to love who hath not heard of the Majesty Wisdom Goodnes Mercy and other attributes of God that are able to ravish the love of any soul. Dies diei eructat scientiam There is no speech or language but that voice is plainly heard and understood in a l the world If we will make the right use of our Eares we cannot but advance our love to God 2. Then I may ask as much for the eye the other passage Hath not every mans eye the eye of his Body or of his Understanding been so far opened as to discover some clear beams some cast of his love not onely in the general wayes of Providence but in the more particular benefits mercies and indulgencies that are or may be conferred on him and should be the attractives of his love so many wayes doth he display his Amoris insignia his love-tokens And the truth is we should never come to be so happy as to love him if he did not invite and woe our hearts first by his own Favours and preventing love which is the Adamant of Love and was so powerful in him that it should now draw our hearts to heaven as once it brought him from thence to Earth to give us a touch of his ardent love in his humility and Obedience and especially in shedding his dearest bloud for our sakes All this did he to win our love to him without whom we could not love nay live and move and have any being and from whom are all the wonders of our Creation and Preservation and all the promises of future and eternal Happines This preventing love of his is the hand by which he drawes all men to the confession of his goodnes And if we adde to this the particular favours to our own persons we have enough to win our Hearts and fix our love upon him But we notwithstanding are so hard to be won to him and so ready to forsake him upon the allurement of very trifles that we scarce make a stop to ask our selves the question why we tire our love with so many objects so infinitely below the value of this one For what is it that we would have Is it Beauty Then seek the love of him the sweetnes of whose glorious face is the Joy and Rapture of Angels The onely vision of him is complete Happines and full satisfaction Or would we partake of true Riches or knowledg or pleasure Then study the love of him who is the unum necessarium to all these ends and purposes 1. Of whom we are directed to buy that gold that will make us truly rich Apoc. 3. 2. In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom Col. 2. 3. In whose presence is fulnes of joy and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore Ps. Is not all this true And yet are not we commonly so far from thinking how to purchase his love that we busy our selves most in that which heaps up the treasure of his wrath and provokes him to plague us with many fearful judgments Into these dangers we plunge our selves in the persuit of our ugly sins but what lovely virtues do we compass with the like hazard for his sake that is Love and Charity it self Or what excuse can we make for our selves that we are not so employ'd Yet if the purchase of other virtuous Duties may find excuse this sure will find none If we are exhorted to Fast or to Relieve the Poor or to any other like Duties we may perhaps think to excuse them by the indisposition of our bodies or our want of means c. But when we are perswaded to love God we are put upon that a ainst which there is no Apolâ—…gie He that loves not the Lord Jesus Let him be Anathema Maran Athah that is liable to the heaviest curse Well then If there be no excuse What kind