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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	amen_n	jesus_n	lord_n	4,866	5	3.8029	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A55754	Sun-beams of gospel-light shining clearly from severall texts of Scripture, opened and applyed. 1. A heavemly [sic] treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome. 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession. 4. Christs fulnesse, and mans emptinesse. By John Preston, doctor in divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to King James, Mr. of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher at Lincolnes Inne.	Preston, John, 1587-1628.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Two treatises, viz. The Christian freedome, and The deformed forme of a formall profession.; Preston, John, 1587-1628. Plenitudo fontis, or, Christ's fulnesse and man's emptinesse.	1644 (1644)	Wing P3307A; ESTC R219005	93,300	192

them with an honest heart for thereby the fourth ground is distinguished from all the rest Thirdly examine whether ye hold out in time of triall or not whether you are able to approve your selves with joy as the Apostle sayes of himselfe that he did when he was in trouble on every side on the right hand and on the left in prosperity and in adversity The third ground held not out in temptation and the reason was because they had not depth of earth that is they wanted power and an inward stock of grace for that is depth of earth as a man that keeps a great house if he have not a stock able to supply him he will soone prove bankrupt and for a trades-man as yee say if he be not diligent in his trade and follow it well and make his returnes he will soon breake so also when a man wants inward power and an inward stock of graces to beare his daily expences out he will soone become bankrupt Fourthly every grace hath some property annexed to it which doth distinguish and difference it from counterfeit as in faith unfained laborious love patient hope and the like Thirdly take heed lest some lust overcome all and so lust overtop all and be predominant as the praise of men or a respect of pleasure as an Hawk you see though shee may soare and flie high yet she will have an eye to the prey below and so have hypocrites See therefore that ye serve God in singlenesse of heart and not with eye-service that you doe not harbour any lust within for that will spoile all at last as weeds in a garden if they be let alone and not plucked up will over-runne the hearbs so is it with sinne if it be suffered though it be but a little one at first yet it will like a leprosie overspread the whole man and therefore looke to that that some lust doe not overcome all in the end And so I end for this text and time FINIS Plenitudo Fontis OR Christ's Fulnesse and Man's Emptinesse A Sermon Preached by IOHN PRESTON c. 1 Cor. 4. 7. What hast thou that thou hast not received if thou hast received it why dost thou boast as though thou hadst not received it LONDON Printed for Iohn Stafford and are to be sold in Blacke Horse Alley 1644. ❧ To the Anti-Arminian OR To every good Christian Reader Good Reader PLiny the great Naturalist taxeth some of the Greeke and Latin Writers in his time of folly at the least for sending abroad their empty and worthlesse Pamphlets with an over-praise in the Title promising much at the first sight but utterly deceiving the Reader in his further search But he that shal with judgment reade this Sermon will finde somewhat more then a naked title to commend it Sometimes the work-man graceth the worke Sometimes the Worke the Worke-man but behold in this Treatise they kisse each other and are joyned together as a white Rose a red Rose in one sweete Posie But that both have beene abused in the first Impression hereof it appeareth as clearely by the Manuscript as the splendant Sun within Earths spangled Canopy for a● those Passages which will make the Arminians to stumble and without doubt to fall in some measure are by the Imprimatur-ist deleted as if Arminianisme were Englands true Doctrine But now for thy comfort Dear Christian thou hast the Author's Sermon as it was preached before King Iames without the least diminution And I sent it out with that prayer or benediction that Iacob sent with his sonnes into Aegypt God Almighty give thee mercy in the sight of the man In the sight of the great man that thou maist make him humble Of the poore man that thou maist make him content Of the stubborne man that thou maist hammer and supple him Of the penitent man that thou maist bind up his wounds sores Of every ma● that thou maist touch his conscience and wound his soule Amen Thine in the Lord Iesus P. B. Christ's Fulnesse and Man's Emptinesse c. JOHN 1. 16. Of his Fullnesse we have all received Grace for Grace SAint Augustine in his booke De Civitate Dei seemes to stand amazed at the Majesty which appeares in this first of Iohn above all other passages of Holy writ And Calvine saith he doth in this Chap De●onare ab alto giving it the chiefest instance wherein a divine stupendious authority appeares beyond all the writing of men Innins saith that he was never strucken with an apprehension of the Diety till he read this first Chapter affirming it to be the first and chiefest cause of his conversion from Atheisme to a sincere imbracing of Christianity you may see it in his life written by himselfe And in all this Chapter I finde not a richer and fuller sentence then this which describes to us the fullnesse of Christ. The parts of it are three First here is a Fulnesse attributed to Christ. Secondly this is not a respective but a diffusive Fulnesse that is Fulnesse not shut up in its owne Bankes but running over for our benefit and use Of his Fulnesse we have all received that is all that ever had any Grace took it from this heap drew it from this fountaine Thirdly these receits are amplified by the variety of them Grace for Grace That is Christ hath given to us for all the Graces which he received of his father for us Graces answerable as the Seal is said to give to the Waxe print for print Character for Character or as a father is said to give to the sonne lymbe for lymbe member for member though not of the same bignesse and measure In the same sence Christ is said to give to us Grace for Grace So that now you see here a full shop many Buyers or Receivers chose of wares or rather to use the Scriptures similitude A full Table many Guests Variety of dishes Of his fulnesse we have all received Grace for Grace We begin with the first This Fulnesse is attributed to Christ in 4. respects 1. In regard of his person So hee was full 1. with an increate Fulnesse for as the glory of God filled the Temple that Moses could not enter in so the humanity of Christ which answered to that type was filled not only with the effects of the Diety as then but with the Diety it selfe which is therefore said to dwell in him corporally or essentially 2. Hee was moreover filled with a Created Fulnesse and so hee was said to be full of all divine good things which Iohn reduces to two heads Grace and Truth Truth which comprehendeth all the vertues of understanding And Grace which comprizeth all beautiesand perfections of the will Secondly this Fulnesse is attributed to Christ in regard of his offices 1. as a Prophet He was full of all the Treasures of wisedom and knowledge So that all the Light which the World ever had came from him as

SVN-BEAMS OF GOSPEL-LIGHT Shining clearly from severall Texts of Scripture opened and applyed 1. A heavemly treatise of the devine love of Christ. 2. The Christians freedome 3. The deformed forme of a formall profession 4. Christs fulnesse and mans emptinesse By IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in ordinary to King Iames Mr. of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne LONDON Printed for IOHN STAFFORD and are to be sold in Bracke Horse Alley 1644. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Shewing 1. The Motives 2. The Meanes 3. The Markes 4. The Kindes thereof Delivered in five Sermons by IOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplane in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher at Lincolnes Inne MATTH 22. 37 38. This is the first and great Commandement thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart LONDON Printed by Thomas Paine for Iohn Stafford in Chancery Lane over against the Roules Anno Dom. 1640. The Names of Doctor Iohn Preston his Severall Treatises 1. A Treatise of the Attributes of God containing 17. Sermons upon divers Texts 2. Foure Treatises viz. 1. A remedy against Covetousnesse upon Coloss. 3. 5. 2. An Elegant and lively description of spirituall life and death upon Iohn 5. 25. 3. The Doctrine of selfe dentall upon Luke 9. 23. 4. A Treatise of the Sacrament upon 〈◊〉 Ioh. 5. 14. 3. The Saints daily Exercise or a Treatise of Prayer upon 1 Thess. 5. 17. 4. The New Covenant in 14. Sermons upon Gen. 17. 1 2. Unto which is added 4. Sermons upon Eccles. 9. 1 2. 11. 12. 5. The Saints Qualification containing viz. 1. A Treatise of Humiliation in 10. Sermons the first 9 upon Romans 1. 18. The tenth Preached before the common house of Parliament upon Numb 25. 10 11. 2. Of Sanctification or the New Creature in 9. Sermons upon 2 Cor. 5. 17. 3. Of Communion with Christ in the Sacrament in 3. Sermons upon 1 Cor. 10. 16. 6. The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities upon 2 Chron. 30. 18 19 20. 7. The Brestplate of Faith and Love containing 18. Sermons upon three severall Texts viz. Revel 1. 17. 1 Thes. 1. 3. Gal. 5. 6. 8. Five Sermons Preached before his Majestie viz. 1. The New Life upon 1 Iohn 5. 15. 2. A Sensible demonstration of the Diety upon Esay 64. 4. 3. Of Exact walking upon Ephe. 5. 15. 4. The Pillar and ground of Truth upon 1 Tim. 3. 15. 5. Sam. Support of sorrowfull sinners upon 1 Sam. 12. 20. 21 22. 9. Two Treatises of Mortification and Humiliation upon Col. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 1 2 3. Together with the livelesse life A Treatise of Vivisication 10. His Remaines containing 3. excellent Treatises viz. 1. Iudas's Repentance 2. The Saints Spirituall strength 3 Pauls Conversion 11. The Golden Scepter with the Churches Marriage being three Treatises in one volume 12. The Fulnesse of Christ upon Iohn 1. 16. 13. A Heavenly Treatise of the Divine Love of Christ in Five Sermons upon 1 Cor. 16. 22. A briefe Collection of the principall heads of these five insuing Sermons Sermon the first THe explanation of the two words Anathema and Maranatha fol. 2. Doctrine 1. That to love the Lord Iesus is so necessarily required of us That he is worthy to be accursed that doth it not fol. 3. What Loue is in g 〈…〉 ill ibid. How this Love dot 〈…〉 w it selfe ibid. Five kindes of Love 4. Three qualities of love 5. What this Love of the Lord Iesus is It is a holy disposition arising from faith whereby me cleave unto the Lord Iesus Christ with full purpose of heart to serve and please him in all things 8 Five reasons why they are worthy to be cursed that love not the Lord Iesus 11. 12 Vse 1. It is a great sinne not to love the Lord Iesus Christ. 12 An Objection answered 14 Five true signes of this Love of the Lord Iesus 15 Sermon the second Vse 2. Try whether what you doe is out of Love 19 Five notes of tryall of this Love of the Lord Iesus 21 Sixe Objections answered 30 31 32. Sermon the third Five notes more of the triall of the Love of the Lord Iesus Christ. 37 Divers Objections therein answered 38 Vse 3. To humble our selves for want of that Love 33 Eight reasons why wee ought to love the Lord Iesus 44 Divers Objections thereunto answered 45 46 47 48 49. The fourth Sermon Vse 4. The 4. Vse is to exhort us to love the Lord Iesus 53 Five advantages which doe arise from the Lord Iesus 54 Foure meanes to be used to strengthen our Love in the Lord Iesus 60 Diverse Objections therein answered 61 to 67. Sermon the fift The kindes of Love that the Lord accepts 73 Divers Objections thereto answered 75. 76 Wherein grounded Love doth stand 77 The Object on whom our love is to be set 79 Of the curse of those that love not the Lord Iesus 82 Three Objections answered 83. 84. 85. 86. A Soliloquy of the devout soule to Christ panting after the love of the Lord Iesus 89. To the Reader of these pious and plaine Sermons Grace and PEACE CHristian Reader it was an old complaint of an Heathen that the noise of the old Philosophers opinions did hinder their dung-hill gods from hearing their prayers And it is no very new complaint of a Christian that the many idle subtleties of the Schoole have so drawn up Divinity to the highest pegge of a curious mind that it hinders the heart from moulding it into Prayers and practice This grave and serious Divine whose living Sermons are here commended to thee when hee is dead saw it with both eyes Therefore though he was no small master in subtleties yet all his thoughts were bent to draw them downe from the floating braine to the feeling heart that his hearers might be better brought to know and doe As this hath been his course in all his writings before extant so is it in this that now comes to thy hands How might he have hid himselfe in the thornes of speculation How high might hee have flowne in the curious extracts of every word of this Text But he that delighted to speake ten words to edification rather then ten thousand that could not pierce every ordinary braine contented himselfe to fill up deepe foards to make them passable and to wade the sweete and shallow streames of the love of the Lord Iesus He might from hence have set himselfe upon the mount of cursings and showred downe worse then fire and brimstone upon delinquents but the meeknesse of his spirit carries him up to the mount of blessings to learne good soules through death to finde life through threatnings to meete with comforts Hee being lifted up by the Divine love of Christ doth describe love and our love to Christ He soares to the equity and necessity of it He rests not before he have given you the meanes motives markes

you take Christ you shall be happy you shall be saved But if you will not love him and imbrace him you shall be damned Therefore thinke not that there is nothing but hony in it yea there is a sting that followes it if it be neglected Ministers are not to goe a begging in offering the Gospell but are as Ambassadors of the Lord of Heaven If men will receive our message so it is otherwise the dust which we shake off from our feet shall be a witnesse against you that so God will shake you off God will not have his Gospel refused his Son despised and therefore he counsels us to kiss the Son lest he be angry and wee perish all in his wrath Psalm 2. Though hee be a Lamb and have behaved himselfe meekly amongst us yet if wee provoke him wee shall know that he can shew himselfe a Lyon If hee be not entertained in the still voice he will come in fire in a wind that shall rend the rockes in sunder Thus he describes himselfe One that hath feet like burning brasse out of whose mouth proceeds a firie sword Revelation 1. Moses went first to Mount Gerizim to blesse the people and if that would not move them he go's up to Mount Ebal and thence curses them so the Apostle before exhorts perswades them to the love of Christ but if they will not imbrace him on fair termes he tels them what shall follow they must be accursed But what if I take not the Lord at this instant I hope this curse will not befall me It is true we cannot say so for while this time lasts wee are still commanded to offer Christ yet there will come a time when there will come forth a Decree which shall never be revoked Take heed therfore for this is very dangerous The Lord will not suffer his Gospel to be abused or neglected when once the Husbandmen refused the Son they were presently cast out of the vineyard Mat. 21. This offends God more than any sinne that wee can commit To refuse Christ offered is worse than drunkennesse theft adultery or the like which men count the grossest sins My people would none of me therefore I gave them up to their owne hearts lusts This refusing him made him swear that they should never enter into his rest As the Gospel offers greater favour than the Law so swifter damnation attends the neglect of it My brethren take heed that you receive not the grace of God in vain While it is called to day harden not your hearts yea take heed of refusing it now For you know not whether this offer may ever bee made you againe and if it be thou knowest not whether thou shalt have the grace to receive it or no. Know that the same Gospel is a savour of life unto life to such as receive it but unto the others of death unto everlasting death But the Gospel is continued still It is true but how many are there that live in the congregation and are never a whit the better though they hear the Word daily because by the contempt of it it becomes the savour of death to them and their hearts are hardned so that they shall never receive good by it FINIS Good Reader if thou wilt see the reaches of a devout soule after this love of Christ expressed in these pious Sermons reade this Soliloquy following A SOLILOQVY OF A DEVOVT SOVLE TO CHRIST PANTING AFter the love of the LORD IESUS O Thou Love of all loves thou chiefest of ten thousand thou lovedst me before I was thou dost love me when I am thou doest love me if I bee thine when I am here no more Thy Loves are better then wine but mine are worse thē gall and wormewood Thou lovest mee who deserve lesse then nothing I love not thee who deservest more then all things I have hid my selfe from thee as Adam yet thou hast pierced through the darke cloud and loved me Thou hast opened thy selfe in the face of my soule yet in the sight of this Sun I have not loved thee No basenesse of mine hath closed thy eyes and kept thy heart from me yet every base pleasure and pleasing lust hath kept my heart and eye from thee Without my love to thee I cannot have my happinesse applyed and enjoyed It is Faith that marries thee to me but this faith must worke by love or my marriage will end in a fruitlesse barrennesse and faithlesse separation Hitherto therefore I have loved thee but for lust not for love I would have thee save me but I would not honour and please thee I can thus think of my disloyalty towards thee but thou knewest it before I thought it and more then I can speake or thinke Thou doest thinke thoughts of love and peace to me but I minde the abuse of thy love and the too late repentance of thee upon my owne termes How can I be acceptable to thee My Love my Dove my undefiled Thou spreadest out thy hands and art ready for blessing me but if I open my head heart hand I am apt to receive nothing but Anathema Maranatha from thee Can love come to enmity heaven to hell I am hell my Lord thou art heaven I am hatred thou art Love Thou shewest hatred yet in my wisdome am I very enmity Can I then expect either to have the blessing of Love or to avoide the curse of not loving Oh shew me thy face for it is comly Thou hast often shewed me thy riches and I have loved them but oh shew me thy selfe that I may love thee I have seen by goodnes mer cy compassion merit salvation and have cried out My blessed Iesus make these mine Now let me see thy selfe that thou my beloved mayst be mine and all those riches in thee From the sight of thy riches I have desired to preserve my selfe from seeing thy selfe I shall desire to draw neere to thee and to cleave to thee for ever O thou whom my soule desires to love shew me then where thou liest at noone that I may see thee I know where I shall finde thee at the night of my life I shall finde thee sitting on yonder throne ready to say either Come ye blessed or Goe yee cursed I doe not know whether so short a view shall bring me to heare either the one or the othre Shew me then where thou liest at this my noone Now thy Sun doth shine upon this my tabernacle and I have some time to behold thy beauty that I may be in love with thy person where then shall I finde thee if I looke to mount Tabor I see thee in glory and I cannot but love thee for that If I looke to the garden I see thee lying on the cold ground sweating drops of bloud for mee and I cannot but love thee for that If I looke to Golgotha I see thee nayled to the Crosse and thy heart broached that I may drinke thy

blood and live and I cannot but love thee for that If I looke to mount Olivet I see thee ascending farre above all heavens and I cannot but love thee for that also Indeed in Tabor thou hadst visible glory but it soone vanished in the Garden and Golgotha thou hadst little visible beauty why I should desire thee and in Olivet thou wast quite carried out of my sight If then thou liest for mee no where else what hope have I to love thee O thou to be beloved of all Art thou not in the tents of the Sheperds Dost thou not walke in the midst of the golden Candlestickes Doest thou not dwell in the hearts of men by faith O let mee see thee here below in the Church in my selfe Let thy glory goe before me that I may love thee for ever and ever and be blessed in thee Thou hast a long time been manifested to me in thy natures offices and markes for me and these draw mee to love thee Thou hast beene crucified before my eyes and the vertues of it have beene cleared by the Ministery of the Word and Sacraments I have heard and seene the promises signes and seales of thy dearest love and these might allure me to love thee But O thou chiefest of ten thousand why hast thou kept thy selfe at such a distance why hast thou not been formed in me why hast thou not dwelt in me that I might see in thee the glories and vertues of thy life death resurrection ascension and to be sicke of love Thou hast stood and knockt at the doore of my unworthy heart for this end Thou wouldest have come in and supped with me after the noon-shine of the Gospel with thine owne banquet But alas there was no roome for thee because I desired first to feast it out with the base guests of sinfull lusts before I would give thee entertainement The cause hath been in my selfe that I have not beene better acquainted with thee and so that I have not loved thee O wretched soule that I am who shall deliver me from being an enemy to my self I have bowed my knees to the Father of thee the Lord Iesus that he would grant to me according to the riches of his glory that I may have his assistance to empty my selfe of all my wickedguests that thou mayest come into me and I may have the better list and leasure to contemplate thy glory and be grounded in thy love O my blessed Lord Iesus Could I but get this my gaines would be unspeakeable Whatsoever thou commandest would be sweet because I love thee If I could give thee my heart thou wouldst give it better to me againe for no uncleane thing can come out of thy hands But O my desired love I have denied thee therefore I deny my selfe I have rejected thee therefore I reject my selfe Doe with me as thou wilt onely first love me and let me answer thee with love againe And why should not I be confident to be heard in this seeing thou my love sittest at the right hand of God making request for me Speak thou the word and thy poore servant shall love thee Say to my soule My Father hath heard thy prayer and then I will love thee dearely My Lord Iesus if I love thee I live If I love thee not I perish under a fearefull curse for evermore And shall it be thus with me O thou that wilt not the death of poore sinners who pant after thee No no thy merits and intercession have prevailed with my God I finde the filth of domineering sinne in some measure washed from the windowes of my soule that the beames of thy glory may pierce it and draw my love after thee Now doe I begin to be sicke of love and earnestly desire thy company here by grace and hereafter by glory I love to heare thee speak let me heare thy voice for it is sweet and to speake to others of thee and thy beauties Thou hast made mee something willing to doe and to suffer any thing for thee Lord perfect this good worke If I see the meanest persons like thee in thy goodnesse My delight is in them I love them the better for thy sake I dare not wilfully anger thee and my soule is vexed with them that doe it Thus the pulses of my soule by thy blessing doe begin to beat after thee But alas when I consider how weake I am in thy love to thee my Saviour when I find a thousand things creep in betwixt thee home and steale my heart away from thee when I feele how easily I am diverted from thee and thy service what comfort can my poore soule have now O my Lord Iesus thou wilt not leave thy own worke suffer thy tender plant to wither away when thou hast sowed thy seed hast thou not prepared the former and latter raine Shall I not be able to doe this through him that loveth thee and me I may not run from thy love thou art my Lord. I dare not thou art my Iesus If thou live let me know thy love to me If I live let me feele my love to thee Oh shed it more in my heart that as in beleeving in thee my person is justified so in loving thee my faith may be justified and in having faith working by love I may so constantly walke in thy presence that with comfort I may sing with the Bride Come Lord Iesus come quickly Even so Amen FINIS TWO TREATISES VIZ. THE CHRISTIAN FREEDOME AND THE DEFORMED FORME OF A FORMALL PROFESSION By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ JOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne LONDON Printed by I. N. for Iohn Stafford and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-lane over against the Roules 1641. THE CHRISTIAN FREEDOME OR The Charter of the Gospel shewing the priviledge and prerogative of the Saints by vertue of the Covenant Wherein these foure points of Doctrine are properly observed plainely proved both by Scripture and reason and pithily applied Viz. 1. That he that is in the state of grace lyeth in no knowne sinne no sinne hath dominion over him 2. That sinne though it doth not raigne in the Saints yet it doth remaine and dwell in them 3. That the way to overcome sinne is to get assurance of the Love and grace and favour of God whereby it is forgiven them 4. That whosoever is under the Law sinne hath dominion over him By that late faithfull and worthy Minister of Iesus Christ JOHN PRESTON Doctor in Divinity Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie Master of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne ROM 6. 12. Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall bodies that you should obey it in the lusts thereof Printed 1641. The Names of Doctor IOHN PRESTON his severall Treatises 1. A Treatise of the Attributes of God

grace in a higher measure Christ pitches on this note above all others It is farre easier to love a holy man then to love God For hee lives amongst us wee have him continually before our eyes Doe not say then you love such as are a farre off you care not for these But you will say I love them well enough doe you so Doe you delight then in their company Are you in your naturall element when you are among them This you will doe by a naturall instinct if you love the Lord Iesus Againe doe you hate sinne in all the same ground will cause you to hate sinne which moves you to love grace Doe you then hate sinne as in dislike and distate in regenerate men and their societie bee it never so pleasant so profitable But what would you have mee to hate men then no but hate their sinnes and love them with the love of pittie Let thy heart melt to consider their case and desire their good love them but so as it may stand with the love of the Lord Iesus Looke then to your selves and examine your selves by these markes see that you have this love if yee have it not you are among the number of these men which are to bee accursed unto death But I hope I deserve not so bad my nature I hope is not so vile as not to love the Lord Iesus Nay thou hatest him doe you not wish that there were no such Lord to come to judgement that thou mightest live as thou pleasest Couldest thou not wish that thou mightest ever here enjoy these pleasures and never come at him Now to wish that one were not what is it but to hate him Quem metuunt oderunt Wee say men hate him whom they stand in feare of Doe you then feare and quake at his comming surely then you are haters of God But I hope we are not haters of God Why this is not so ●●ra●ge The Apostle tels us that there were such as loved their pleasures more then God 2 Tim. 3. yea and that there were haters of God also Rom. 1. 30. And in the second commandement God ●hreatens such as hate him Exo. 20. and thou maiest bee one of them For if you cannot endure his Company if your heart rise against his image it is plaine you are a hater of God What you would make me out of love with my selfe What doe you preach damnation to me it may be all these signes are not in me Am I then so accursed Yes we doe preach damnation to all that are in such a case and wee are to threaten the curse And thus the Lord esteemes of thee and it were good that you thought so of your selves in time It is the Ministers dutie to seperate the precious from the vile to distinguish betweene men To shew you truely what your conditions are Therefore apply this Text unto your selves every one If I love not the Lord Iesus I am an accursed man yea to bee had in execration to the death which might make you loath your selves in dust and ashes It might make sinne alive in you and bring you to love this Iesus So endeth the second Sermon A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon II. BY IOHN PRESTON DD. Matt. 22. 37 38. This is the first and great Commandement thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Psal. 31. 26. Love the Lord O allye his Saints LONDON Printed by Thomas Paine for Iohn Stafford 1640. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon III. 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be had in execration yea let him be accursed unto the death NOw because this love is so needfull we will adde more signes for the triall of your selves For we cannot be better occupied A sixt sig●e therefore is this hee that loves will bee apt to praise and speake well of that he loves and he will exceed in it yea he is very glad when he heares others speake well of it So if we did love the Lord we should be apt to speake will of him we would be much in the speech of him When the heart is full of this love of God in Christ out of that aboundance in thy heart thy mouth will speak But thou speakest but little of God and that little is brought in by company thou art cold in thy praising of him why thou doest not love him see in David a man that loved the Lord. How much was hee in the praising of him Nay he could not bee content to doe this alone but hee must have all creatures to praise him and to speake good of his Name Even as a servant that commends his Master invites others to serve him This love enlarges the heart and opens the mouth O Corinthians our hearts are enlarged towards you and our mouthes are opened 2 Corinthians 6. 11. This is an argument that our hearts are enlarged that we abound in love when our mouthes are opened So that thy heart is straightened towards God if thy mouth bee not open to his praises But I cannot speake as other men I am no scholler if I had elocution gifts learning I could thus speake This is no excush it is the nature of love to make men eloquent the passions make eloquent As we say Pectus facit eloquentes magna pars eloquentiae constra animo Are you hen apt to speake well of God But this you will say is but a small matter who doth not Oh yes wee are wanting in that manner of speaking of him which love requires We doe not speake of him with that affection that sensiblenesse that may enflame others to love him See the Spouse in the Canticles Oh saith she My love is fairer then ten thousands And thus will the soule that loves God doe It will tell of his mercies abroad It will speake good of his Name And that not as a duty onely but as a thing in which it takes especiall delight Love followes the judgement you cannot love the Lord but you will thinke well of him See then what thy speeches are concerning him see if thy heart doe nimbly indite and thy tongue bee as the penne of a readie Scribe Psalme 45. Consider whether you endeavour to doe any thing for Christ without expostulating and indenting with him Whether you are ready to doe all things freely to him without consulting with another about it Amicitia non est revocanda ad calculos A friend must not bee strict in taking his account for then hee plaies but the Huckster he doth but buy and sell. When thou art trying and expostulating then whether such a duty be necessary or no whether another will not serve the turne this is a signe thou dost want love A Minister that hath this love when he is to take a Living will not so much enquire what reward

upon thee see also what hee hath done in forgiving thee Thou hast sinned often and greatly and yet still he hath forgiven thee and this is a great matter Shee loved much because much was forgiven her Luke 7. Hee feeds thee cloathes thee thou hast not a nights rest but hee gives it thee he it is that keeps thee from all dangers that careth for thee when thou canst not take care for thy selfe The creature cannot helpe thee withou 〈…〉 ee command it to helpe thee hee hath stood close to thee in all exigents And this most of all affects us in some great danger when all forsake us wee cannot but love him most dearely that then sticks close unto us Thus hath the Lord done unto thee with this Nathan urges David and aggravates his sinne The Lord hath done thus and thus unto thee and if that had not been enough would have done more 2 Sam. 12. 8. Take up the same practise with your soule the Lord hath done thus and thus for mee and shall I not love him would wee not hate that man that should not love and respect him from whom hee hath his whole maintenance Lastly consider that hee loves thee Now as fire begets fire so let love beget love The Son of God hath loved thee and given himselfe for thee Galatians 2. Consider Christ hath loved thee and hath given a good experiment of his love to wit himselfe for thee And if he had given thee himselfe whole it had beene a gift inestimable But he hath given thee himselfe broken crucified to thee who hast beene a rebell against him See his love he lookes on thee when thou thinkest not o● him he took care for thee when thou tookest none for thy selfe Nay then thought it hee not too much to dye for thy good Oh the height the length the breadth the depth of the love of Christ which passes knowledge you can never know this love of the Lord it astonished Paul All this may stirre you up to feare the Lord. This shewes you what reason you have to doe it And it may be an intentive to you or at the least may cause thee greatly to condemne thy self for not loving him Let these at least make you thinke well of the Lord and ill of thy selfe that you cannot love It will goe heard if hee be refused his wrath will be kindled Psal. 2. after that hee hath sued to thee and thou rejectest him hee will not put it up but will make his wrath knowne on thee which GOD forbid So endeth the third Sermon A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon IIII. BY IOHN PRESTON D D. Matt. 22. 37 38. This is the first and great Commandement thou shalt Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Psal. 31. 26. Love the Lord O all ye his Saints LONDON Printed by Thomas Paine for Iohn Stafford 640. A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST Sermon IIII. 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be had in execration yea let him be accursed unto the death IF it be of so much moment to love the LORD that they are accursed that love him not let mee exhort you then to doe it The motive in the Text puts a necessity upon the duty but to draw you on by the cords of love See what you shall get by it It might be a strong argument you shall perish if you doe it not But let us see the advantages that will come to us by it I will make you to keepe Gods commandements with ease and delight and this is no small benefit This love makes you goe about the worke as the Ship with wind and saile The journey must bee gone now they that have not love must rowe and take a great deale more paines This is the love of God that you keep his commandements And his commandements are not grievous 1 Iohn 3. This makes us keepe the commandements so ye may feare you will say Oh but love makes them easie It will be very hard to do them without love How hard a taske had it beene for Paul to have done so much as hee did without this love● See what love makes mothers doe to children This love of Christ constrained Paul it carried him on like wings it compelled him to doe thus and thus And is this then nothing yea it shall make you abundant in the worke of the Lord. For this commands all the faculties and it windes them up to their highest pegs and this it will make you to doe out of an inward principle There is a great difference betwixt a horse that runs freely and one that is forced by the Spurre Shall not this then cause you to set a high price upon this love There are scarse any so desperate but they would say they would faine keepe GODS commandements were they not so hard Now this love will make them thy delight it will make them easie and pleasant unto thee This is the surest testimony to your owne soule of all others that you are translated from death to life An hypocrite cannot love the Lord hee may doe the outward workes hee may heare the Word and be diligent in his calling But here is the difference he doth not this out of love This is that distingnishing character which distinguishes a Christian as reason doth a man If you can finde this love of Christ this hungring after him that tendring of the heart towards him that your heart is to Christ as the Iron to the Load-stone you must rest with him If you can say I have no great markes of a childe of God I have many infirmities but yet this I can say I love the Lord my life for thine thy case is happie heaven and earth may passe away but thou canst not misse of thy happinesse What ever you have without this can bee no sound testimony unto you of your blessednesse and this alone may secure you of it This love doth make you lose nothing whereas in the loving of other things the more you bestow the lesse you have When thou givest thy heart to God he gives thee thy heart againe and sets it on worke for thy owne good Hee teacheth us to profit and leadeth us by the way which we should goe Esay 48. 17. As Christ said of the Sabboath the Sabboath was made for man so may I say of all the commandements when you give your hearts to the Lord he sets them to keepe the commandements but to this end that it may be well with thee Oh that there were such a heart in this people to feare me and to keepe all my commandements that it might goe well with them and their children for ever Deutrenomy 5. 20. Thou hast thy heart againe when thou givest it to God But here is the difference before thou wert but an unjust professor of it now the Lord hath made thee Steward of it

for he hath given you leave to love your wives children and your lawfull recreations onely now you love them at his appointment as he will whereas before you did it as you listed Nay the Lord doth not onely give you your heart againe but returnes it better than it was new pointed As the earth receives in the puddle water which it sends forth cleare and pure All the streames of thy love runne as fresh for thy good as ever they did and more That onely which was amiss● in them is taken away Let not this feede thy understanding onely but finde it good in thy practise By this you shall have much comfort and joy and this is that which all men desire What is that which keepes you from loving the Lord Oh you have a conceit that then you must iose your pleasures and your delights No it is the most comfortable action in the world to love the Lord delights follows action as the flame the fire Now the best action hath the greatest delight The Philosopher could say Happinesse was to love the most amiable object Est amare optimum amabile to love the best amiable knowne is the best act Whom not seeing yet you love joying with joy unspeakeable and glorious 1 Peter 1. It is a pleasant thing to love a creature like thy selfe thy children thy friend But the creature is not perfect and it may be it loves not thee againe But Christ is perfect and loves thee thou canst not lose any love by loving of him Oh what a pleasant thing it is to love the Lord to live with him to sup and dine with him to be able to say I am my welbeloveds and my welbeloved is mine When you shall consider the world hates you what a comfort will it be to know that the Lord loves you that when the world uses you ill you may flye unto Christ his bosome and lay open all your grievances to him To love and to be beloved are the most pleasant actions Now to love the Lord Jesus is so much the more pleasant than the loving of other things as he is a more excellent object than other things Besides is not every thing best in its owne place conformed to its owne rule carried to its owne end Take it in thy body when all the parts of it are strait all the faculties and humours in a right temper serving to their proper ends then there is delight and comfort so Love when it is setled upon its owne object sets all things straight whence wonderfull joy cannot but follow Amor rectus omnia recta habet as the Schoolman well observes Consider this the love of the Lord makes you a better man gives you a greater excellency which is a thing which all men desire Looke on the excellencie of the creatures it proceedes from their formes as the excellencie of a Pearle above other stones comes from its forme for we know that the matter of all these things is common Now the object to the faculty hath the property of the forme for it gives name and distinction Now this love makes God and spirituall things as it were the forme of the will And according to this forme is the Excellencie of the man Every man is better or worse as his love is pitched on a better object He that loves a base thing is base and hee that loves a thing somewhat better excels that man but hee that loves spirituall things is the most noble Looke on the lower faculties when the sensitive appetite enjoyes its proper object then a man hath his perfection in that kinde Thus when the will is fixed on Iesus Christ its best object then a man hath his full perfection If water be united to Wine it s made better when the body is united to the soule how glorious a creature is it how glorious a creature then will thy soule be when by love it is united to the Lord This love puts a greater excellencie on the soule than the soule doth on the body Love brings the soule to God and makes him all in all to us so that what wee cannot desire we may have in him have ye not then cause to wish that yee loved the Lord True you have said enough to enflame us But how shall we doe it my brethren if you are brought unfainedly to desire it halfe the worke is done when the Disciples prayed Lord increase our faith Matth. 18. Christ answers If you have faith but as a graine of Mustard seed you may say unto this Mountaine be thou moved and it shall be moved But this is not the meanes to get faith No but this commends faith And if out of this commendation they could come to prize and admire it and so pray earnestly for it God would give it them Let this therefore be the first meanes to helpe thee to the getting of this to the Lord Iesus First pray heartily for it Lord I desire to love thee I see thee most amiable and would faine love thee This Petition is according to thy will Lord grant it me How would this prevaile how could God put off such a request But I have prayed and I have not obtained it But hast thou prayed importunately as the woman to the unjust Iudge without giving over This is a precious grace and therefore God will have us bestow some paines in the getting of it We shall not obtaine it easily that so we may prise it the more and keep it the more charily The grace of Christ saith Paul was abundant with mee in faith and love 1 Tim. 11. 14. This is that which the Apostle magnified so much that God had given him love The grace of Christ was abundant towards him in giving him love But how doth prayer doe this That little love which moved thee to pray by exercise is increased and is become greater Prayer brings thee in acquaintance with God Before acquaintance there may be a wishing well to another but there cannot be that love to another which is required in friendship And it may be Christ will shew himselfe unto thee as wee see when hee himselfe Matth. 17. prayed his garments were changed and hee was transfigured But especially prayer doth this by prevailing with God as we see the prayers of the blinde man prevailed with Christ. And doe you thinke that Christ now in Heaven hath put off these kinde affections which he had on the earth will hee not also heare if you should pray to him But this you will say is a common meanes to obtaine all grace Yes but of this love in a speciall manner because love is the most peculiar gift of the Holy Ghost Now the Holy Ghost is obtained by Prayer Our hearts are so carnall so fleshly that we cannot love the Lord and he is so holy so good that we can no more love him unlesse hee himselfe kindle this flame of love

in our hearts than cold water can heat unlesse it had another principle Contend therefore and strive with the Lord for his Spirit which workes this love who hath declared also unto us your love in the Spirit Secondly desire the Lord to shew you himselfe that Iesus Christ would manifest himselfe unto you And this is the greatest meanes of all to worke love He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them is he that loveth me and hee shall be loved of the Father and I will love him and shew my selfe unto him when Christ shall shew himselfe to you when he shall open the clouds and let you see his beauty his glory Oh then you cannot but love him There is a great difference betwixt the Ministers shewing of you Christ and his excellencies and the Holy Ghosts Though wee could speake with the tongue of Angels yet it would be but as the dead letter to Christs shewing of himselfe When he shall shew you your ●ilenesse his excellency your sinfulnesse his holinesse your misesery his mercies you must needs love him Paul when he had revealed Christ what hee could to the Ephesians he prayes for them that God would give them the Spirit of wisdome and revelation Ephesians 1. 18. As who should say the labour is all lost if you should see no more than I preach You love not a man till you know him your selfe the Lord shewed himselfe to Moses David Paul which made them love him so much Goe therefore to the Lord and pray as Moses Lord shew mee thy glory and beg it earnestly at his hands and that which was done extraordinarily shall be done to thy soule That was but a shewing of the Lord by a right light which is done more or lesse to every one But this is an act of the Lord what shall I doe to it Consider what the Scripture sayes of him what the Saints say of him but most of all what he hath beene to thee See with what patience love and mercy hee hath carryed himselfe towards thee as when we converse with a man out of his severall actions we gather his disposition and so frame an Idea of him in our minde We must humble our selves labour to see our miserable conditions for that will bring love So Paul when he considered that hee was the worst of all it made him love more then them all So Mary when she conceived how unfit she was to conceive by the Holy Ghost she sung that song When we looke on our selves and see our owne sinnes and miseries our love to Christ will bee increased When a man shall have a true apprehension of himself and his misery and can expect nothing but death and damnation and then Christ should come and say no But hee shall live this wounds a mans heart with love Looke on your secret sinnes your relapses your misery by sinne and then on Christs comming with his mercies and favours and you cannot but love him I say looke on thy sinnes weigh them with their circumstances Thinke that after so many adulteries committed against Christ yet that he should say If you will come in yet will I receive you this might shake thee and melt thy heart He that loveth not th 〈…〉 Lord sees not his misery nor that good hee hath by him Strengthen thy faith for the stronger thy faith is the greater will thy love be A strong hand rids more worke then a weake Take a man excellent in all gifts whom thou much admirest yet if hee loved not thee thou wouldest not much care for such an one so though thou feest much excellency in Christ yet thou canst not love him unlesse thou hast a perswasion that he loves thee But how shall I know that he will love me hee hath made it knowne that he is thine and that he is willing to become thy familiar friend GOD hath given him in marriage to thee To us a child is borne to us a sonne is given And Christ himselfe hath shewne sufficiently his love unto thee He hath spent his bloud for thee yea he continually speakes to his Father in thy behalfe yea hee sues to thee for love he loves thee first and sues to thee as the man doth to the woman thou maist be perswaded therefore that he loves thee But I am not fit to be a Spouse to Christ. It is true and he knew that well enough Hee will take thee a Blackamoore and afterwards will put beauty on thee Ezekiel 36. 16. Stand not thou on thy unfitnesse when he is thy Su●or But it may be he stands thus and thus affected to such and such persons and how shall I know that the Lord loves mee and is willing to take mee I can say nothing to thee but this and that is sufficient thou hast his generall promise made to all Mark 16. Goe preach the Gospel to every creature There is a generall mandate given to Ministers to preach the promise to all and why wilt thou make exceptions where God hath made none and enterline his promises Wee are commanded to offer Christ to all every one that will come may come and drinke of this water of life freely The offer is generall though but some imbrace it But I want godly sorrow for my sinnes And this is required before we can receive Christ. Yet deceive not thy selfe the matter is not whether thy humiliation be more or lesse only come The promise is made to all that come they shall be refreshed Indeede thou wilt not come till thou art somewhat humbled Thou wilt not flye to the City of refuge till thou art pursued by the avenger of blood But if thou come at all God will fulfill his promise Sticke not so much on the degree of thy humiliation Take a man that hath committed high Treason for which he is condemned and brought to the place of execution ready to suffer but then there is a pardon offered him And take another guilty of the same fact but as yet not condemned and bring him a pardon he is even as joy full as the other for he saw his case was even as bad onely it was not so farre gone and he hath not lived so long in sorrow So some mens sinnes are grosser and their sorrow more violent other sinnes are lesse but yet such as they see them like to damne them they therefore are humbled as truly though not so violently Therefore though thou hast not had so much sorrow as others nor felt those terrours of the Almighty yet if thou hast so much as will bring thee to Christ and make thee sticke close unto him so as thou wouldest not leave him for any thing in the world it is enough thou shalt have him Why then stick you what hinders your faith The impediments must be on Gods part or on your part But it is not on Gods part for his promise is full and large most free