Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	heart_n	love_v	sin_n	9,337	5	4.8347	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11603	Sermons experimentall: on Psalmes CXVI. & CXVII. Very vsefull for a vvounded spirit. By William Sclater D.D. sometimes rector of Limsham, and vicar of Pitmister, in Summerset-shire. Published by his son William Sclater Mr. of Arts, late fellow of Kings Colledge in Cambridge, now a priest, and preacher of the Gospel in the city of Exeter, in Devon-shire.	Sclater, William, 1575-1626.; Sclater, William, 1609-1661.	1638 (1638)	STC 21844; ESTC S116824	112,358	217

a Psal 65.2 the hearer of Prayers the Gracious Just and Mercifull God ver 5. I love The affection of Love we better experiment then are able to expresse in definition Nominall or Reall It seemes to comprise First Complace●tiam the pleasing and delightfull approbation of the person or thing loved see Mat. 3.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Psal 139.17 Secondly Benevolentiam heartiest well-wishing and desire of their good and welfare Thirdly Oblectationem delight-taking in the thing loved 1 Sam. 19.2 confer 1 Sam. 18.1 3. Gen. 34.3 19. and in all things wishing good unto it Fourthly Desiderium fruendi Gen. 34.8 Caeteri actus ut benefacere c. videntur actus amoris imperati Fiftly Adhaerentiam A cleaving to the thing beloved Gen. 34.3 This then it is that David professeth First That he found pleasure and delight in the Being Attributes Workes of God of Power Justice Mercy Injunctions Prohibitions c. Secondly That it did his Soule good to contemplate on him Thirdly How much he desired that he might have all contentment amongst the sonnes of men in their acknowledgment and procuring of his glory Wherein though no accesse of Reall good can be made unto God yet is it bonum aestimatum Fourthly How for his part his Soule cleaved unto God Fiftly How he longed for the fruition of him I love the Lord Oh Si Oh that there were such hearts in us that we could every one say as David with Davids spirit upon his evidence I love the Lord t' were more worth then all these First to know all Secrets Secondly to Prophecy Thirdly to move Mountaines c. 1 Cor. 13.1 2. c. I love the Lord It 's more then I know the Lord for even Castawayes are a Heb. 6.4 enlightned More then I feare the Lord for Devils feare him unto b Iam. 2.19 trembling More then I c Isa 1.15 pray to God What should I say More then all Services then all Vertues separate from Charity truly say the Scholes Charity is the forme of all Vertues because it formes them all to acceptability for that nothing is accepted but what issues from Charity from the love of God Who cannot say it Ans And I aske Who doth or can doe it I meane with Davids truth Wouldest thou love them that hate the Lord 2 Chron. 19.2 Enter affinity league of amity with an Idolater Wouldst thou entertaine as thy familiars men enemies to God and all goodnesse Psal 139.21 should such tarry in thy house Psal 101.4 7. Wouldst thou haunt their company Ier. 15.17 Psal 26 4.5 Shew them the least countenance 2 Kings 3.14 Give them a God speed Ioh. Secondly Wouldst thou hate them that love God Tim. 3.3 Amos 5.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cannot be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that for goodnes because they love God 1 Ioh. 3.12 Thirdly Hast thou the Worlds good and seest thy brother in need yet shuttest up thy bowels of compassion towards him how dwells the love of the Father in thee 1 Ioh. 3.17 Gal. 6.10 Fourthly Couldest thou delight in the dishonor of the Name of God Ps 119.136 158. Fiftly Could the noise of his approach to judgement and thy full fruition of him be so unwelcome see Act. 24.25 Luk. 21.28 2 Tim. 4.8 Sixthly Could meanes of Union with him be so unwelcome as Amos 8.5 Psal 42. and 84. throughout Seventhly Couldest thou turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Iud. v. 4. and therefore be Vitious because the Lord is Gracious see Psal 130.4 Hos 3.5 Eightly Would every scoffe of a jeering Ishmaelite drive thee from the service of God see Cant. 8.6 Act. 5.41 Heb. 11.26 Ninthly Wouldest thou in thy necessity flie to any rather then to thy best friend What to a Witch 1 Sam. 28.7 to an Idoll a Devill 2 Kings 1.2 from the living to the dead Isa 8.19 Certainly its Vox Sanctorum propria The * See Heb. 6.4 5 6. 2 Thes 2.12 Ephes 3.18 peculiar property only of Saints to say I love the Lord. Wherefore David directeth his speech to Saints as hoping amongst them the exhortation might have place Psal 31 2● Reasons make it plain First They onely see the depth of that misery which sinne brings with it I mean not the pains onely and punishments which reprobates also sometimes feel but the want of the image of God the misery that is in necessity of sinning Rom. 7.24 Secondly They onely have the feeling of Gods love * Rom. 5.5 shed abroad in their hearts I mean in remission of sinnes reconciliation c. see 1 Ioh. 4.19 Thirdly They onely comprehend the greatnesse of Gods love in Christ Ephes 3.8 Take evidences they are infinite First Who but they fear to offend him Ier. 32.40 Secondly Who but they care to please him Psal 40.8 Thirdly Who but they grieve at his dishonour 2. Pet. 2.8 Fourthly Who but they take to heart the tokens of his displeasure As they are such therefore saith David Psal 51.4 Against thee thee onely have I sinned c. So that make sure to thy self thy charity Vse thy love of God thou makest sure to thy self for ever thy election thy calling thy justification adoption sanctification salvation c. other gifts are in a sort all common this peculiar to Saints Quest Two questions here fall in First Whether nature affords no love of God that is Whether a naturall man as such cannot love him Answ I could here minde you of the severall distinctions Scholemen reckon up of love Thus I resolve No naturall man can love God Propter se that is for Gods self sake for his own sake he may Concupiscentially and as a Mercenary or as others say Nature affords love of God perhaps Vt Authoris Naturae non item ut Authoris aeternae beatitudinis that is as of the Authour of Nature but not as of the Authour of eternall happinesse which is properly Concupiscentiall not the love of Amity see Iudg. 17.13 Quest The second quaere is Whether it be possible to know that we love God Answ Some Papists deny it if we speak De certitudinali scientia of the knowledge of certainty and of that under which there cannot be falsum But yet David could say as upon certainty I love the Lord and why not we having the * 2 Cor. 4.13 same Spirit of faith and charity Secondly The Spirit of God is given us that we may * 1 Cor. 2.12 know the things that are given us of God and not to know charity the prime of all vertues the * Col. 2.14 bond of perfectnesse Thirdly Scriptures many are written to this end that we may * 1 Ioh. 5.13 know we have eternall life Conjecturally onely think you and not as upon certainty or upon what better evidence then our charity Fourthly Grace perfects Nature destroys it not I mean in naturall faculties and sith this is naturall to the reasonable soul to know

God Thirdly Quia bonus in se because he is good in himself and in his own nature most amiable Fourthly When neither our selves nor ought that is ours is loved but Propter Deum so farre as it hath reference to the glory of God not life not * Rom. 9.3 and Exod. 32.32 salvation it self this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amoris Divini and they must be as Saint Paul and Moses extraordinary servants of God who aspire to this measure But the question is of the second of these degrees mentioned and surely if we look to the state of the world this we shall finde that either the favours of God move not because they are not apprehended as his favours but rather as things that betide them by course of nature or fortune or if they work any way it is in Pejus making them the more to * Rom. 2.4 and Iud. ver 4. despise God But if the question be De possibili what nature elevated above it self by grace may ascend unto the solution is more difficult First Nature it self may be directed that there is Debitum that they owe as a Debt love to God for his favours therefore we see Barbarians much affected at Pauls speech Act. 14.17 18. Secondly We read of sundry testimonies of thankfulnesse amongst Heathens after good things received as victory health c. To Apollo who howsoever they erred touching God yet in universality they erred not they meant it to that Numen that they thought Authour of their good successe and surely we cannot be too nice and curious in examining our gracious estate in this particular for it is marvellous difficult to distinguish betwixt the lowest degree of grace and the highest of nature especially in gifts that are made Distinctive and Characteristicall we shall finde the Devill cunning in counterfeiting I am perswaded there is many a Christian thorowly perswaded of his faith and love towards God who yet erres in his perswasion that is an excellent evidence that Salomon give us Cant. 8.7 When many waters cannot quench it no opposition stint it c. But fourthly Is the question of spirituall blessings and of the true God Surely the naturall man hath no rellish of them to wit so far as they are * 1 Cor 2.14 spirituall but as they tend to winne him reputation or honour c. amongst men as Simon * Act. 8.18.19 Magus or as the Persians became * Hest 8.17 see Psal 4.6 Jews or else secondly onely whiles they enjoy the blessings temporall which they prize the onely blessings of God therefore let the Lord turn the course of outward things its true of them what the Devill slanderously imputed to Iob they are ready to * Iob 1.11 curse him at his face see Mal. 3.14 Mat. 13.21 But shew me the man amongst the many millions of naturalists of Iobs minde Cap. 1.21 and 2.10 as Heb. 10.34 as Apostles Act. 5.41 or but as David to see and feelingly to acknowledge a goodnesse in affliction Psal 119.68 71. Because he hath heard my voice and my supplications that is the voice of my supplications Quest What great matter of love is this for doth not the Lord hear the prayers also of wicked men and grant their petitions Psal 78.34 35. Neh. 9.27 What should hinder us to say Answ the Lord hears the prayers grants the requests of wicked men Why not as well as respect the repentance of * 1 Kings 21.29 Ahab so farre as to grant respit of the evill First It is in temporall things onely which come * Eccles. 9.1 alike to all but do they pray pardon of sinnes salvation of souls Then see Mat. 7.22 23. Mat. 25.11 12. Pro. 1.28 Secondly It cannot be denyed but that God in his love and approbation of things that are good in their kinde though evill by accident in the doers grants some such rewards to evill men It s Austins opinion that the Lord therefore prospered the Romans during their strict observance of temperance justice and such like morall vertues gave them amplitude of Dominion the just Lord loveth righteousnesse yea so loves it that he rewards the shadow of it as in Achab. Thirdly this would be weighed that the Lord is ever * Psal 111.5 mindfull of his covenant and for it made with the fathers sometimes doth good to the children see Neh. 9. Fourthy Amongst the congregations of wicked men in the Church especially are some who intreat for the sinnes of the people David tells of Moses standing in the gap our Saviour Lu. 13.8 Fiftly It is for his own Names sake Deut. 32.26 27. Exod. 32.12 13 14. Quest How then and in what respect is it true that it is a speciall favour of God to hear the prayers of his Saints Answ First So generally in all things that they call upon him for Deut. 4.7 Secondly To gratifie them and to be inclined by their prayers to grant so God hears not the wickeds prayers but onely the prayers of his Saints Others First For generall mercy they are his creatures Secondly His Church to whom promises many are made Thirdly To prevent blasphemy c. Object What say we to those places Isa 1.15 Ioh. 9.31 Pro. 15.8 in which the like places it is said That God wil not hear the prayers of the wicked They are to be understood First Of some exorbitants amongst sinners Answ as * Gen. 13.13 Sodomites Secondly Or of their prayers in * Prov. 1.26 27 28. extremity Thirdly Or of the blessings which concerne life and * 2 Pet. 3.3 4. godlinesse But what when yeelded a common blessing Is therein no cause of love see Mat. 5.45 and Act. 14.17 But therefore is Davids heart inflamed to the love of God Vse because he had heard his prayers Oh that there were such hearts in us How many praiers of ours hath the Lord heard We have prayed for the continuance of the Gospel yet it continues removall of the Plague in part he hath heard us mitigating the extremity of it that should follow God grant it may Therefore our love of God is more increased my meaning is We are First more carefull to please him Secondly More fearfull to offend him Thirdly More zealous for his glory Fourthly More fill our mouthes with his praise Fiftly And make straiter steps to our feet or else how shall we be able to say that we now fear not some greater evill that way or shall betide us Ioh. 5.14 else how shall we be able to say the Lord in favour of us hath heard our prayers With me this goes for a rule to judge whether God in mercy grant me things I pray for doth it tend to my spirituall good advancing Gods grace in my heart Then say I God in mercy and of speciall favour hath heard my prayers But am I the worse for what I obtain or not the better how do I fear lest the Lord hath heard me

But because it is uncertain This rule walk by First Though simply if we compare state with state it is best to be with Christ for that is the end of our life there is perfection and consummation of holinesse there is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Yet secondly for thee whose service God hath use of on earth it is better to live on earth the yeers of Methuselah doing God service then to be whirried as Elias with chariots of Angels presently into heaven In heaven thou hast thine owne glory on earth thou promotest Gods glory and in the end findest a glorious reward proportioned to thy measures of doing service to God here upon earth What then may we say of them whom God hath taken away in the prime of their life as that peerlesse Iosiah amongst the posterity of David Answ What but what Saint Paul speaks of the Martyrs The world was not worthy of them that people unworthy of such a pearl a Prince so peerlesse as was Iosiah for now the Lord remembred the sinnes of Manasseh and the time of vengeance drew neer upon that rebellious and gainsaying people Secondly Or that God saw their weaknesse and some likelihood of their corruption therefore took them away by death as Henoch by transmutation Ne malitia mutaret intellectum Thirdly Or they had served their generation according to Gods will as is said of David Act. 13.36 therefore fell asleep or as our Saviour Had finished the work which God had assigned them to do and were therefore taken away unto glory Ioh. 17. they had finished their course and kept the faith and were now to receive their crown of their righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7 8. And yet it is true while God gives ability and opportunity to do him service upon earth while he calls us to do him service upon earth while he hath use of our service of men upon earth it is his great blessing to reserve us to walk before him in the land of the living to be preferred in our choice before the hastening of our salvation and glory in the kingdome of heaven Blessed be thy glorious Name most glorious God Father Sonne and holy Ghost for all thy mercies for thy marvellous loving kindnesse shewen to me in a strange city in rescuing me from the gates of death and from the jaws of the grave in love delivering my soul from the pit of corruption preserving my life to walk before thee in the land of the living Lord God What shall I render unto thee for all thy benefits thou hast done unto me for this unspeakable mercy thou hast vouchsafed unto me It is little too little for so great a favour to praise thy power thy goodnesse thy grace thy mercy thy truth and my heart is too narrow to comprehend the heighth and depth of thy love to me in Christ Iesus even in this one favour vouchsafed unto me Lord enlarge my hea●t and ●ffectio●s fill it with love of thy Majestie zeal of thy glory Take up body and soul what ever I am or have to thine own use Behold Lord truly I am thy servant disi●ing to do thee service upon earth Lord accept my endeavours pardo● mine imperfections give more strength to perform Lord I am willing to do it yea my heart is ready Be pleased Lord to accept these calves of my lips this poor weak morning sacrifice of praise and thankesgiving which goeth not out of fained lips Lord thou knowest it accept it therefore for thy promise sake for thy mercy sake for the merits sake of sonne Iesus the Mediatour of all Grace and mercy to the sonnes of men To him with thee O Father of mercies O holy Spirit Comforter of the Church and chosen children be all honour and glory for this and all other thy mercies towards all Churches of thy Saints for ever and ever Amen That might here be annexed by all good means to cherish life that we may perform the service God expects from us Scripture points us to four causes or means of shortening life First Immoderate sorrow especially for things of this life Prov. 12.25 Heavinesse makes the heart sloope Prov. 15.13 By sorrow of heart the spirit is broken see 2 Cor. 7.10 Secondly Intemperance whether in diet or other luxurie which what tends it unto but the shortening of the dayes Plures gula quam gladias and it is that the Lord foretells to men given to the flesh Prov. 5.11 The flesh and bod● are consumed see Prov. 6.26 and 7.23 Thirdly To this adde those other grosse crimes for which God hath threatened untimely death the blood-thirsty and deceitfull live not out half their dayes either the sword of the Magistrate seizeth on them or else Gods immediate hand taketh them away as we see in Absalon Adonijah c. Fourthly immoderate pining of the body with immoderate fasting watching labour though never so religiously imployed see Col. 2.23 If we follow the second reading which perhaps is here implied it implies the promise or vow of David in thankfulnesse unto God for his marvellous deliverance vouchsafed unto him Wherein are three things considerable First The act Secondly The manner Thirdly The mean First The act is to walk or to serve God Secondly The manner in sincerity Thirdly The meane implyed in the Trope Before him But so see we the generall fruit of all Gods gracious deliverances vouchsafed us the duty we owe him in liew thereof that is to do him service in that rank or station whatsoever it is God hath placed us in so Zacharie speaking of the end of that great deliverance from spirituall enemie it is to serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse Luke 1.74 75. and Psal 50.15 23. hence Davids acknowledgement and protestation Psal 116.16 17 18. To fill up the meaning that must be weighed That the Lord expects in respect of speciall favours speciall service increase of our measures according to the measures of our abilities Ye must understand that there is upon all a generall obligation and duty of service that they owe unto God arising from benefits they enjoy in common with others as Creation Providence Redemption Word c. which bond yet by speciall favours grows more strait especially when they grow towards personall and we become after a sort proprietaries in them for example Israel had a bond of service as heathen from Creation and Providence but much more for the specialty of Gods favour in their deliverance from Aegypt wherefore that is prefixed as a reason of obedience to the Decalogue Exod. 20.2 in shewing his word unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel so is the bond yet more increased Psal 147.20 Levi had yet more then Israel God had singled them out of all the Tribes of Israel to minister before him Num. 16.9 therefore he looked to be sanctified by them especially Levit. 10.3 wherefore see this a circumstance of aggravation upon Hezekiah 2 Chron. 32.25 that he rendred not unto

they failed in the manner The things I commend unto you in this behalf First See to the state and condition of your persons that you be truely penitent and as David * Psal 66.18 regard no wickednes in your hearts for best duties from such are an abomination to the Lord. Secondly See to this That there be a concord betwixt thy action and affection thy pretence and intention there is nothing which God more abhorrs then hypocrisie in his service for it is both contrary to the simplicity of his Nature and withall argues the basest opinion of God that may be as if he were a God that saw not the hearts Thirdly Let it come cheerfully from thee whatsoever thou performest to God 1 Chron. 28.9 non quantum but ex quanto not what thou bringest but with what good affection and cheare thou bringest is accepted God loves a cheerefull giver 2 Cor. 9.7 What shall I render The second thing David here commends to us in this his Rhetoricall question is The nature of a heart truely thankfull the best it can render he thinks too base for the Benefactors to whom he renders it see 1 Chron. 29.14 15. First If we compare what we render with what God conferrs Heaven for Earth Deeds for Words Himself for Nothing his Sonne for lesse then Nothing Secondly If we way how in nothing we obliged him for who hath given him first see Rom. 11.35 but onely his meere grace and mercy because he had a favour to us Thirdly How ill we deserved at his hands having sold our Birth-right as Esau for Pottage so we for an Apple Genes 3. Tit. 3. Fourthly How weak and imperfect the purest services are that come from us to him stained as menstruous Clothes Isa 64.6 Prove it as one maine difference twixt Gods true Children and Hypocrites in the Church Cain for forme brings an offering as doth Abel Gen. 4. but God had respect to Abel's not to Cain's Cain brings at adventure any thing he thought would serve his turne Abel brings of the first fruits and the fat of the flock Mal. 1. The Table of the Lord is not to be regarded Halt or Blinde so it were a sacrifice all was well c. Who can in this kinde excuse himself The prime and vigour of our life how have we spent upon the service of Satan our best wits how have we tyred and wasted in vanity The Refuse that age hath left us how hardly affoord we to our God The Attention we yeeld unto Gods Word is it comparable to that we yeeld to a Judge or a Justices charge The Threats of our God do we so tremble at as at the Threats of Men The kindnesse of God do we so value as the favour of Men we do not such is our sensuality such our more love of men of our selves then of our God who yet hath done so great things for us The better to enlarge our hearts to this duty let us consider First That God hath bestowed on us the choice and prime of his favors in all kinds As we are men Reason As his Church his Word his Word not onely purely but plentifully preached Yea his Spirit his Sonne Himself Thus hath he magnified his kindnesse to us Wretched men that we are can we think our best Devotions too good for such a God Secondly Compare our selves with other Churches He hath given us Peace while they are turmoyled in the tumults of Warre Victory when they have been subjected to many Foyles Security and Safety while they dayly carry their lives in their hands Liberty to serve him while they many in corners are forced to steal their Devotions Thus hath God magnified his Mercy to us and yet c. Thirdly Compare our selves with our Brethren in our own Church and Kingdome we shall see God hath vouchsafed us our preheminence It is well towards Thirty yeeres that you have had here the word of God purely and sincerely taught you there be neighbouring Congregations that since the dayes of Superstition never yet enjoyed the blessing to have a preaching ministry setled amongst them If we speak to the Blessing in hand Them God hath delivered over us he hath preserved Fourthly Compare our selves with our Brethren and Neighbours living all under the same means of Salvation How many see you still living and dying in grosse ignorance of God in wilfull Rebellion and Disobedience And yet there be those again that may say God hath blessed the means of grace to them their eyes are enlightned to see their hearts affected to love and obey his Truth Surely if such men can satisfie themselves with an ordinary measure of duty I shall wonder VERSE XIII I will take the Cup of Salvation and call upon the Lord. AN answer to the demand Poculum Salutis The Cup of Salvation You may not think this to be our Drunkards Health God never warrants either drunkennesse or drinkings with excesse of riot to any 1 Pet. 4.3 and yet I am perswaded that profane Custome hath originally grounded it self from hence St Ambrose in his time speaks of some Custome they had to drink Pro Salute Imperatorum but well converts it to Oramus pro Salute Imperatorum The God we serve is not the Idoll Bacchus to be propitiated with drinking or drunkennesse It is devotion and obedience that pleaseth him I could fill you with Expositions but Quorsum This understand The Jewish Church had three kinde of sacrifices First Holocausts wherein the whole was offered by fire unto the Lord neither Priests nor people partaking in them Secondly Sinne-offerings and Trespasse offerings wherein part was burnt unto God the residue was the Priests portion Marry the Sinner or trespasser partook in it Thirdly They had Peace-offerings Levit. 7.11 which were offered in liew of deliverance and safety from God Whose Rite was this That thereof part should be offered to God part accrued to the Priests the residue to the Offerer and those whom he invited to partake in the Feast Examples hereof see 1 Sam. 16.3 Prov. 7.14 and which is most to purpose because I think we have thereof what was done according to the promise here It is said of David He offered Burnt-offerings and Peace-offerings unto the Lord 1 Chron. 16.1 What is this to Poculum Salutis The Cup of Salvation in my Text Answ The Cup of Salvation is by a Synechdoche as much as Sacrificium salutis that is as much as to say A Sacrifice or Banquet made for the people in respect of safety and deliverance vouchsafed unto David read diligently the story 1 Chron. 16. Now if ye ask me the Reason of the Institution Why the people of the Jews must thus upon their deliverances offer such Peace-offerings and with a Banquet liberally eating and drinking before the Lord Answ First One reason seems this namely To stirre up the Offerers themselves with more chearfulnesse and alacrity to praise God for his mercies Secondly If ye respect others it was

Priscillianists of the ninth that if ever there were times to say as David now are the dayes It is * Psal 119.126 time for thee Lord to lay to thine hand for men have destroyed thy Law Let us be warned to be better informed in our judgements and remember what our Saviour saith Matth. 5.17 He never came to destroy the Law and Prophets and what Paul Rom. 3.31 We do not abrogate the Law by faith Thus understand First From obligation to Laws Ceremoniall and Judiciall particular to Jews we are freed so that now no longer lies bond or any mans conscience simply as from Gods Precept to observe dayes and times and difference of meats and apparell Secondly Yet though that be so we are not freed from obligation to obedience of the Morall Law for that is the Law of nature in all the parts of it given to Adam in innocencie when as yet was no difference betwixt people and people Thirdly But when we say we are free from the Law as the Law is abrogated to us thus we desire Scriptures should be understood First From the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 and 5.18 23. Secondly From the Justification of the Law requiring every man to bring unto Gods judgement seat the perfect righteousnesse of the Law of his own personall performance For without the Law is the righteousnesse of God revealed Rom. 3.21 22. Thirdly From the rigour of the Law that promiseth no life nor reward but to the perfect in obedience for our weak services are accepted yea crowned by promise of God in the Gospel Fourthly From exasperating vertue of the Law expressed by Paul Rom. 7.8 see Psal 40. But from obedience of the Law no man is freed Mat. 5.17 18. The second errour reproved is the misapplying and abuse of the Doctrine of Christian liberty even when it seems to be rightly understood as amongst our more intelligent people that will confesse they stand bound to the obedience of the Decalogue and their freedome to be onely from the Curse c. yet may we observe many abuses of Christian liberty First St Paul notes one frequent in his time Rom. 6.1 It seems this That because they were not under the Curse of the Law therefore we may sinne Mention if I see it not rife amongst many of our people I would it were not amongst some professing best mindes that because there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ therefore they take liberty to sinne Rom. 8.1 But where learnt we thus to turn the grace of God into wantonnesse that because Christ hath died to redeem us from the Curse therefore we should sinne against God Me thinks that of Paul should rather be our inference 2 Cor. 5.14 That the love of Christ should constrain us to live to his glory withall therein we should behold the strictnesse and severity of God against sinne which nothing could expiate but the death of the Sonne of God and can we forget what Saint Paul speaks Heb. 10. If we sin wilfully there remains no more sacrifice for sin and how can we be assured that we have share in freedome from the Curse not being freed from the reign of sinne Rom. 6.2 Yea see the qualification of men freed from damnation Rom. 8.1 They are such as walk not after flesh but after Spirit Secondly Saint Iames notes another that from the other part of freedome from Morall Law inferred a lawfull neglect of good works for sith we are justified by faith alone what necessity of good works see Iam. 2. But know we though faith justifie alone yet is not alone Gal. 5.6 though heat of fire warm alone yet is it not without light And are there no uses of good works but onely to justifie us What say you to these Obedience to God Matth. 5.16 Eph. 2.10 The glory we bring to God in adorning the Gospel Tit. 2. In stopping the mouthes of aliens 1 Pet. 2. In preparing them to glorifie God 1 Pet. 2. and 3. and is it nothing that by them We make calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And how shall we assure our selves that we are justified except by our works see Iames 2. And me thinks the glorious reward and crown of righteousnesse which God hath prepared for them that love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 should excite us see Mat. 10.20 The third abuse is that of the freedome from rigour of the Law that because God hath promised to accept our endeavours though mixt with many imperfections therefore cry out Quorsum such precisenesse and such striving for perfection as if the Lord had not promised to judge us after the mitigation of the Gospel True it is there is such a promise to spare us Mal. 3.17 yet withall there is a precept to make * Heb. 12.13 strait steps to our feet To walk * Eph. 5.15 accurately To keep our selves * Iam 1.27 unspotted of the world To abstain from the very * 1 Thes 5.22 appearance of evill Secondly He that promised to accept our endeavours required that they should be strenuous and bent to the utmost of our ability Act. 24.16 Phil. 3.12 13 14. and so onely God spares as a father the sonne that serves him Thirdly The imperfections which God hath promised to pardon issue not from presumption or malice but from ignorance and infirmity There are three sundry degrees of actuall sinnes in men First Such as issue from ignorance Psal 19.12 Cleanse me from my secret sinnes Heb. 7. The high Priest offers sacrifice for sinnes of ignorance Secondly From infirmitie or passion Gal. 6.1 1 Ioh. 2. For these were ordained sacrifices of atonement and propitiation Thirdly From presumption Num. 15.30 And he that thus sinnes dies without ransome for he hath in pride of his heart contemned the Commandment of God and what do they lesse that thus presume of Gods mercy and bounty See Deut. 29.19 20. But mark we in the next place the ground of Davids protestation For thou hast loosed my bonds and see whether it be not applicable unto us Besides that freedome from Civill thraldome and from Spirituall bondage under the Law Morall Ceremonial in that sense that hath been explained There is yet a threefold liberty which we in this Church are partakers of and they should be all so many obligations to do service unto God First What say you to this Freedome from thraldome to Idolls and humane Traditions Saint Paul mentions it to Galatians as no small blessing of God Gal. 4.8 9. and Col. 2. If we look back to our forefathers or cast our eye upon other Nations Christian what miserable vassallage live they in under Antichrist the Idolls of wood and stone which he hath erected Besides the many will-worships which he forceth upon the consciences of men more then the Commandments of God from these bonds God hath freed us Secondly Come yet to a more generall favour of God Those of you I mean whom Gods truth hath