whence is it that notwithstanding all my unworthiness a fresh Tyde of mercy comes in every day The mercies of God make a sinner proud but a Saint humble 2. The mercies of God have a melting influence upon the soul they dissolve it in love to God Gods Judgments make us fear him his mercies make us love him How was Saul wrought upon by kindnesse David had him at the advantage and might have cut off not only the skirt of his Robe but his head yet he spares his life This kindness melted Sauls heart 1 Sam. 24.16 Is this thy voyce my son David and Saul lift up his voyce and wept Such a melting influence hath Gods mercy it makes the eyes drop with tears of â—ove 3. The mercies of God make the heart â—ruitful When you lay out more cost upon a â—â—eld it bears a better crop A gracious soul honours the Lord with his Substance he doth not do with his mercies as Israel with their Jewels and Ear-Rings make a Golden Calfe but as Solomon did with the money thrown into the Treasury build a Temple for the Lord. The Golden showres of mercy cause fertility 4. The mercies of God make the heart thankful Psal. 116.12 13. Quid retribuam Domino What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the Cup of salvation David alludes to the people of Israel who at their Peace-Offerings did use to take a Cup in their hands and give thanks to God for Deliverances Every mercy is an Alms of Free Grace and this enlargeth the soul in gâ—atitude A good Christian is not a Grave to bury Gods mercies but a Temple to sing his praise If every Bird in its Kind as Ambrose speaks doth chirp forth thankfulness to its Maker much more will an ingenious Christian whose life is enriched and perfumed with mercy 5. The mercies of God quicken As they are Load-stones to love so Whet-stones to obedience Psal. 119.9 I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living He that takes a review of his blessings looks upon himself as a person engaged for God he argueâ— from the sweetness of mercy to the swiftnesse of duty he spends and is spent for Christ he dedicates his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to God Among the Romans when one had redeemed another he was ever afterwards to serve him A soul encompassed with mercy is zealously active in Gods service 6. The mercies of God woâ—k compassion to others A Christian is a temporal Saviour he feeds the hungry cloaths the naked visits the Widow and Oâ—phan in their distresse the backs and bellies of the poor aâ—e the surrows where he sows the golden Sâ—eds of his Charity Psal. 112.5 A good man sheweth favour and lendeth Charity dâ—ops from him freely as Myrth from the Tree Thus to the godly the mercies of God woâ—k for good they aâ—e wings to lift them up to Heaven 2. Spiritual mercies woâ—k 〈◊〉 gâ—od The blessed Oâ—dinances 1. The Word Preached works for good it is a savour of life it is verbum cum uâ—ctione it is a soul-transforming Word iâ— assimilates the heart into Christs likeness it is the breeder of Assurance 1 Thes. 1.5 Our Gospel came to you not in word only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance It is vehiculum salutis the Charet of Salvation 2. Prayer works for good Prayer is the Bellows of the affections it blows up holy desires and ardouâ—s of soul Prayer hath poweâ— with God Isa. 45.11 Command ye me It is a Key that unlocks the Treasury of God's Bowels Prayer keeps the heart open to God and shut to sin it aâ—â—wageth the intemperate heats and swellings of lust It was Luther's counsel to a friend when he perceived a tentation begin to arise to betake himself to Prayer Prayer is Bombarda Christianorum the Christians Gun which they discharge against their enemies Prayer is the Pancreston the Soveraign Medicine of the soul Prayer sanctifies every mercy 1 Tim. 4.5 it is the dispeller of sorrow by venting the grief it easeth the heart When Hannah had pâ—ayed she went away and was no more sad 1 Sam. 1.18 And iâ— it hath these rare effects then it woâ—ks for good 3. The Lords Supper works for good It is an Emblem of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb Rev. 19.9 and an Earnest of that Communion we shall have with Christ in Glory it is a feast of fat things it gives us bread from Heaven such as doth not only preserve life but prevent death It hath glorious effects in the hearts of the Godly it quickens their Affections strengthens their Graces mortifies theiâ— Corruptions revives their Hopes encreaseth their Joy Luther saith It is as great a work to comfort a dejested soul as to raise the dead to life yet this may and sometimes is done to the souls of the Godly in the blessed Supper The Sacrament hath a peculiar excellency above the Word preached In the Word there is the Breath of God in the Sacrament the Blood of God in the Word we hear his Voyce in the Sacrament we have his kisse The Word proceeds out of Gods mouth the Sacrament out of his sides 4. The Graces of the Spirit work for good Grace is to the soul as light to the eye as health to the body Grace doth to the soul as a vertuous wife doth to her husband Pro. 31.12 She will do him good all the dayes of her life How incompaâ—ably useful are the Graces Faith and Fear go hand in hand Faith keeps the heart cheerful Fear keeps the heart serious Faith keeps the heart from sinking in despair Fear keeps it from floating in presumption all the Graces display themselves in their beauty Hope is the Helmet 1 Thes. 5.8 Meekness the Ornament 1 Pet. 3.4 Love the Bond of perfectness Col. 3.14 The Saints Graces are Weapons to defend them Wings to elevate them Jewels to enrich them Spices to persume them Stars to adorn them Cordials to refresh them And doth not all this work for good The Graces are our Evidences for Heaven is it not good to have our Evidences ready at the hour of death 5. The Creatures of God work for good to the Godly 1. Creatures inanimate Judg. 5.20 The Stars in their course fought against Sisera the Stars as the Host of God gathered in a Battalio and by their influences raising terrible tempests did as it were conspire the ruine of Sisera and his Army 2. Creatures animate The Angels those noble Citizens and Princes of Heaven work for the good of the Saints The good Angels are ready to do all offices of love to the people of God Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation Some oâ— the Fathers are of opinion that every Believer hath his â—uâ—elar Angel it needs no hot debate it may suffice that we know the whole Hieraâ—chy
like a fair face with a scar We love the beautiful face of holinesse though there be a scar in it The best Emerald hath its blemishes the brightest Stars their twinklings and the best of the Saints have their failings Thou that canst not love another because of his infirmities how wouldst thou have God love thee hast not thou good store 3. We love the Saints though in some lesser things they differ from us Perhaps another Christian hath not so much light as thou and that may make him erre in some things wilt thou presently un-Saint him because he cannot come up to thy light Where there is union in Fundamentals there ought to be union in Affections 4. We love the Saints though they are persecuted We love precious Mettal though it be in the furnace St Paul did bear in his boby the marks of the Lord Jesus Gal. 6.17 Those marks were like the Souldiers scar honourable We must love a Saint as well in Chains as in Scarlet Constantine did kisse the hole of Paphnusius his eye because he suffered the losse of his eye for Christ. If we love Christ we love his persecuted Members If this be to love God when we love his Image sparkling in the Saints Oh then how few Lovers of God are to be found Do they love God who hate them that are like God Do they love Christs person who are fill'd a spirit of revenge against his people How can that wife be said to love her husband that tears his picture Surely Iudas and Iulian are not yet dead their spirit lives in the world Who are guilty but the innocent What greater crime than holinesse if the Devil may be one of the grand Jury Wicked men seem to bear great reverence to the Saints departed they canonize dead Saints but persecute living In vain do men stand up at the Creed and tell the world They believe in God when they abominate one of the Articles of the Creed namely The Communion of Saints Surely there is not a greater sign of a man ripe for Hell than this not onely to want grace but to hate it 10. Another blessed sign of love is to entertain good thoughts of God He that loves his friend construes what his friend doth in the best sence 1 Cor. 13.5 Love thinketh no evill Malice interprets all in the worst sence Love interprets all in the best sence it is an excellent Commentator upon Providence It thinks no evill He that loves God hath a good opinion of God though he afflicts sharply yet the soul takes all well This is the Language of a gracious spirit My God sees what an hard heart I have therefore drives in one Wedge of affliction after another to break my heart he knows how full I am of bad humors how sick of a Plurisie therefore lets me blood to save my life this severe dispensation is either to mortifie some corruption or to exercise some grace How good is God that will not let me alone in my sins but smites my body to save my soul Thus he that loves God takes every thing in good part Love puts a candid glosse upon all Gods actions Thou who art apt to murmur at God as if he had dealt ill with thee be humbled for this say thus with thy self if I loved God more I should have better thoughts of God 'T is Satan that makes us have good thoughts of our selves and hard thoughts of God Love takes all in the fairest sence it thinketh no evill 11. The eleventh Fruit of love is Obedience Iohn 14.21 He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Pater adsum impera quid vis 'T is a vain thing to say we love Christs person if we slight his Commands Doth that Child love his Father who refuseth to obey him If we love God we will obey him in those things which crosse flesh and blood 1. In things difficult 2. In things dangerous 1. In things difficult As 1. In mortifying sin There are some sins which are not onely near to us as the garment but dear to us as the eye if we love God we will set our selves against these both in purpose and practise 2. In forgiving our enemies God commands us upon pain of death to forgive Eph. 4.32 Forgiving one another This is hard 't is crossing the stream we are apt to forget kindnesses and remember injuries but if we love God we will passe by offences When we seriously consider how many Talents God hath forgiven us how many affronts and indignations he hath put up at our hands this makes us write after his Copy and endeavour rather to bury an injury than retaliate it 2. In things dangerous When God calls us to suffer for him we will obey Love made Christ suffer for us love was the Chain that fastned him to the Crosse So if we love God we shall be willing to suffer for him Love hath a strange quality it is the least suffering grace and yet it is the most suffering grace It is the least suffering grace in one sence it will not suffer known sin to lye in the soul unrepented of it will not suffer abuses and dishonours done to God thus it is the least suffering grace yet it is the most suffering grace it will suffer reproaches bonds imprisonments for Christs sake Acts 21.13 I am ready not onely to be bound but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus 'T is true every Christian is not a Martyr but he hath a spirit of Martyrdome in him â—he saith as Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am ready to be bound he hath a disposition of mind to suffer if God call Love will carry men out above their own strength Tertullian observes how much the Heathen suffered for love to their Countrey Vicit amor Patriae If the Spring-head of Nature riseth so high surely Grace will rise higher If love to their Countrey will make men suffer much more should love to Christ. 1 Cor. 13.7 Love endureth all things Basil speaks of a Virgin condemn'd to the fire who having her life and estate offered her if she would fall down to the Idol answered Let life and money go welcome Christ It was a noble and zealous speech of Ignatius Let me saith he be groun'd with the teeth of wilde beasts if I may be Gods pure Wheat How did divine affection carry the Primitive Saints above the love of life and the fear of death St Steven was stoned St Luke hanged on an Olive Tree St Peter crucified at Hierusalem with his head downward These divine Hero's were willing to suffer rather than by their cowardise to make the name of God suffer How did St Paul rattle his Chain that he wore for Christ he did glory in it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a woman that is proud of her Jewels saith Chrysostome And holy Ignatius did wear his Fetters as a Bracelet
can see further than the most quick-sighted Politicians They foresee an evil and hide themselvs they see Satans Sophisms this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods wisdom is the Pillar of fire to go before and guide them 3. The Goodness of God works for good two wayes 1. Gods goodness is a means to make us good Rom. 2.4 The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance The goodnesse of God is a spiritual Sun-beam to melt the heart into tears Oh saith the soul Hath God been so good to me hath he reprieved me so long from Hell and shall I grieve his Spirit any more shall I sin agâ—inst Goodnesse 2. The goodness of God works for good as it ushers in aâ—l our blessings The daily favours we receive are the silver streams which flow from the Fountaines of Gods goodness This Divine Attribute of Goodnesâ— brings in two sortâ— of blessings 1. Common Blessings All partake of these the bad as well as the good This sweet dew falls upon the Thistle as well as the Rose Psal. 33.5 2. Crowning Blessings These only the godly partake of Psal. 103.4 Who crowneth us with loving kindness Thus the blessed Attributes of God work for good to the Saints 2. The Promises of God work for good The Promises are Dei Chirographum as Austin calls them a Bill of Gods hand is it not good to have security The Promises are the Breasts of the Gospel and is not the Breast for the good of the Infanâ— They are called Precious Promises 2 Pet. 1.4 they are as Aqua-vitae to a soul that is ready to faint Cardaâ— saith Every precious stone hath some vertue latent in it The Promises are full of vertue and that especially in foure Cases 1. Are we under the guilt of sin there is a Promise Exod. 34.6 The Lord the Lord merciful gracious c. where God doth as it were put on his glorious Embroidery and hold out the Golden Scepter to encourage poor trembling sinners to come to him The Lord Merciful God is more willing to pardon than to punish Mercy doth more multiply in him than sin in us Mercy is his Nature The Bee naturally gives honey it stings only when it is provoked But saith the guilty sinner I cannot deserve mercy but he is Gracious he shews mercy not because we deserve mercy but because he delights in mercy But what is that to me perhaps my name is not in the pardon He keeps mercy for thousands the Exchequer of mercy is not exhausted God hath Treaâ—ures lying by and why mayest not thou come in for a Childs part This Promise is as Bezar-stone 2. Are we under the defilement of sin there is a Pâ—omise woâ—king for good Hos. 14.14 I will heal their back-slidings God will not only bestow mercy but grace And he hath made a Promise of â—ending his Spirit Isa. 44.3 which for its sanctifying nature is in Scripture compared sometimes to Water which cleanseth the Vâ—ssâ—l sometimes to the Word which is the Fan to winnow and purifie the Aiâ— sometimes to Fire which doth refine Meâ—tals Thus the Spirit of God shall cleanse and consecraâ—e the â—oul making it partake of the Divine Nature 3. Are we in great dangers there 's a Promise woâ—ks for our good Psal. 91.15 I will be with him in trouble God doâ—h not use â—o bâ—ing his people into troubles and leave them there but will stand by them he will hold their head and heart when they are â—ainting And there is another Promise Psal. â—7 39 He is their strength in the time of trouble Oh saith the â—oul I shall fainâ— in the day of tryal but God will be the streâ—gtâ— of â—ur hâ—art he will joyn his â—orces with us either he will make his hand lightâ— or our faith stronger 4. Do we fear outwâ—â—d â—ants there is a Promise Psal. â—4 10 They that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing If it be good for us we shall have it if it be not good for us then the not having of it is good Exod. 23.25 I will blesse thy bread and thy water This blessing falls as the honey-dew upon the leaf it sweetens â—hat little we possess Let me want the Venison so I may have the Blessing Quest. But I fear I shall not get a livelyhood Answ. Peruse that Scripture Psal. 37.25 I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his Seed begging bread How must we understand this 1. David speaks it as his own observation he never beheld such an Eclipse he never saw a godly man brought so low that he had not a bit of bread to put in his mouth 2. David never saw the righteous and their Seed lacking Though the Lord might try godly Parents a while by want yet not their Seed too The Seed of the godly shall be provided for 3. David never saw the righteous begging of bread and forsaken Though he might be reduced to great straits yet not forsaken still he is an heir of Heaven and God loves him Thus in all these Cases the Promises work for good How do the Promises work for good 1. They are food for Faith and that which strengthens Faith works for good The Promises are the Breast-milk of Faith Faith sucks nourishment from them as the child by drawing the Breast Gen. 32.7 Iacob feared exceedingly His spirits were ready to faint now he goes to the Promise vers 12. Lord thou hast said thou wilt do me good This Promise was his food he got so much strength by sucking this Promise that he was able to wrestle with the Lord all night in prayer and would not let him go till he had blessed him 2. The Promises are springs of joy There is more in the Promise to comfort than in the world to perplex Vrsin was comforted by that Promise Ioh. 10.29 No man shall pluck them out of my Fathers hands The Promises are Cordials in a fainting fit Psal. 119.92 Vâ—less thy Word had been my delight I had perished in my affliction The Promises are as Cork to the Net to bear up the heart from sinking in the deep waters of distâ—ess 3. The Merciâ—s of God work for good to the godly 1. Temporal Mercies as Health Prosperity Mercy works most kindly upon an ingenious 〈◊〉 1 The mercies of God humble 2 Sam. 7.18 Then went King David in and sat before the Lord and said Who am I O Lord God and wâ—at is my fathers house that thou hast brought 〈◊〉 hitheâ—to Lord whence is such honour conferr'd upon me that I should be King that I who did follow the Sheep should go in and out before thy people So saith a gracious heart Lord what am I that it should be better with me than others that I should drink of the fruit of the Vine when others drink not only a Cup of Wormwood but a Cup of Blood what am I that I should have those mercies which others want who are better than I Lord
dedolency Or 2. A withdrawing in regard of Comfort when God with-holds the sweet manifestations of his favour he doth not look with such a pleasant aspect but vails his face and seems to be quite gone from the soul. God is just in all his withdrawings we desert him before he deserts us We desert God when we leave off close communion with him when we desert his Truths and dare not appear for him when we leave the guidance and conduct of his Word and follow the Ignis fatuus of our own corrupt affections and passions We usually desert God first therefore we have none to blame but our selves Desertion is very sad for as when the light is withdrawn darknesse follows in the aire So when God withdraws there is darknesse and sorrow in the soul. Desertion is an Agony of Conscience as Alstead calls it God holds the soul over Hell Iob 6.9 The Arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinks up my spirits It was a custom among the Persians in their wars as Drusius notes to dip their Arrows in the poyson of Serpents to make them more deadly Thus did God shoot the poysoned Arrow of desertion into Iob under the wounds whereof his spirit lay bleeding In times of desertion the people of God are apt to be dejected they dispute against themselves and think that God hath quite cast them off therefore I shall prescribe some comfort to the deserted soul. The Marriner when he hath no star to guide him yet he hath light in his Lanthorn which is some help to him So when the poor soul is sailing in the dark of desertion and wants the bright morning star I shall lay down four Consolations which are as the Mariners Lanthorn to give some light 1. None but the Godly are capable of desertion Wicked men know not what Gods love means nor what it is to want it they know what it is to want health friends trading but not what iâ— is to want Gods favour Thou fearest thou art not Gods child because thou art deserted whereas none but the Godly are deserted The Lord cannot be said to withdraw his love from the wicked because they never had it The being deserted evidenceth thee to be a Child of God How couldest thou complain that God hath estranged himself if thou hadst not sometimes received smiles and love-tokens from him 2. There may be the seed of grace where there is not the flower of joy The earth may want a crop of Corn yet may have a Mine of Gold within A Châ—istian may have grace within though the luscious fruit of joy doth not grow Vessels at Sea that are richly fraught with Jewels and Spices may be in the dark and be â—ossed in the storm A soul enriched with the treasures of grace may yet be in the dark of desertion and so tossed as to think it shall be cast away in the storm David in a state of disconsolacy prays Take not away thy holy Spirit from me Psal. 51.11 He doth not pray saith Austin Lord Give me thy Spirit but Ne tollas spiritum Take not away thy Spirit so that still he had the Spirit of God remaining in him 3. These deserâ—ions are but for a time Christ may go into the withdrawing â—oom and leave the soul a while but he will come again Isa. 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee When it is dead low water the Tyde will come in again Isa. 57.6 I will not be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made The tender Mother sets down her child in anger but she will take it up again into her arms and kisse it God may put away the soul in angeâ— but he will take it up again into his dear embraces and display the banner of love over it 4. These desertions woâ—k for good to the Godly and that seaven manner of wayes 1. Deseâ—tion works a cure upon the soul. 1. It cures sinful somnolency We find the Spouse fallen upon the bâ—d of sloath Caâ—t 5.2 I sleep and pâ—eâ—ently Châ—ist was gone Vers. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself Who will speak to one that is drowsie 2. Desertion cures inordinacy of affection â—o â—he world 1 Iohn 2.15 Love not the world We may hold the world as a Posie in our hand but it must not lye too near our heart we may use it as an Inne where we take a bait but it must not be our home Perhaps these secular things steal away the heart too much Good men are sometimes sick with a Surfeit and drunk with the luscious delights of prosperity and having spotted their silver wings of grace and much defaced Gods Image by rubbing it against the earth the Lord to recover them of this hides his face in a Cloud this Eclipse hath good effects it darkens all the glory of the world and causeth it to dis-appear 2. Desertion works for good as it makes the Saints prize Gods countenance more than ever Psal. 63.3 Thy loving-kindnesse is better than life yet the commonnesse of this mercy abates the price of it When pearls grew common at Rome they began to be slighted God hath no better way to make us value his love than by withdrawing it a while If the Sun did shine but once a year how would it be prized when the soul hath been long benighted with desertion Oh how welcome now is the return of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3. Desertion works for good as it is a means to imbitter sin to us Can there be a greater misery than to have Gods displeasure what makes Hell but the hiding of Gods face and what makes God hide his face but sin Iohn 20.13 They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him So our sins have taken away the Lord and we know not where he is laid The favour of God is the best Jewel it can sweeten a prison and unsting death Oh how odious then is that sin which robs us of our best Jewel Sin made God desert his Temple Ezek. 8.6 Sin causeth him to appear as an enemy and dress himself in armour This makes the soul pursue sin with an holy malice and seek to be avenged of it The deserted soul gives sin Gall and Vinegar to drink and with the Spear of mortification le ts out the heart-blood of it 4. Desertion works for good as it works these three gracious effects 1. It sets the soul a weeping for the losse of God When the Sun is gone the dew falls and when God is gone tears drop from the eyes How was Micah troubled when he had lost his gods Iudg. 18.24 Ye have taken away my gods and what have I more So when God is gone what have we more It is not the Harp and Viol can comfort when God is gone Though it be sad to want Gods
themselves so much against it The more violent others are against the truth the more valiant the Saints are for it Living fish swim against the stream the more the Tyde of sin comes in the more the Godly swim against it The impieties of the times provoke holy passion in the Saints that anger is without sin which is against sin The sins of others are as a Whet-stone to set the sharper edge upon us they whet our zeal and indignation against sin the more 5. The sins of others work for good as they make us more earnest in working out our salvation When we see wicked men take such pains for Hell this makes us more industrious for Heaven The wicked have nothing to encourage them yet they sin they venture shame and disgrace they break through all oppositions Scripture is against them and Conscience is against them there is a flaming sword in their way yet they sin Lam. 5.9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives Sinners eat the bread of wickednesse with the peâ—il of their souls Godly hearts seeing the wicked thus mad for the forbidden fruit and hacknying our themselves in the Devils service are the more emboldned and quickned in the wayes of God they will take Heaven as it were by storm The wicked are swift Dromedaries in sin Ier. 2.23 and do we creep like Snails in Religion shall impure sinners do the Devil more service than we do Christ shall they make more hast to a Prison than we do to a Kingdom are they never weary of sinning and are we weary of praying have not we a better Master than they are not the paths of vertue pleasant is not there joy in the way of duty and Heaven at the end The activity of the sons of Belial in sin is a spur to the Godly to make them mend their pace and run the faster to Heaven 6. The sins of others work for good as they are Glasses in which we may see our own hearts Do we see a flagitious impious sinner behold a picture of our hearts such should we be if God did leave us what is in other mens practise is in our nature Sin in the wicked is like fire on a Beacon that flames and blazeth forth sin in the Godly is like fire in the Embers Christian though thou dost not break forth into a flame of scandal yet thou hast no cause to boast for there is much sin raked up in the Embers of thy nature thou hast the root of bitterness in thee and wouldst bear as hellish fruit as any if God did not either curb thee by his power or change thee by his grace 7. The sins of others work for good as they are a means to make the people of God more thankfull When you see another infected with the plague how thankful are you that God hath preserved you from it It is a good use that may be made even of the sins of others to be more thankfull why might not God have left us to the same excess of riot Think with thy self O Christian why should God be more propiâ—ious to thee than to another why should he take thee out of the wild Olive of nature and not him how may this make thee to adore free grace What the Pharisee said boastingly we may say thankfully Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers c. So we are to adore the riches of grace that we are not as others Drunkards Swearers Sabbath-breakers Every time we see men ranâ—ing it in sin we are to blesse God we are not such If we see a franâ—ique person we blesse God it is not so with us Much more when we see others under the power of Satan we are to make our thankfull acknowledgement that it is not our condition 8. The sins of others work for good as they are a means to make Gods people better Christian God can make thee a gainer by anothers sin The more unholy others are the more holy thou art The Roses that grow neer Garlick are sweetest So anothers unsavouriness makes a Christians graces send out a more fragrant perfume The more a wicked man gives himself to sin the more a godly man gives himself to prayer Psal. 109.4 But I give my self to prayer 9. The sins of others work for good as they give an occasion to us of doing good Were there no sinners we could not be in such a capacity for service The Godly are often a means to convert the wicked their prudent advise and pious example is a lure and bait to draw sinners to the embracing of the Gospel The disease of the Patient works for the good of the Physician by emptying the Patient of noxious peccant humours the Physitian enricheth himself So by converting sinners from the errour of their way our Crown comes to be enlarged Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Not as Lamps or Tapers but sicut Stelia as the Stars for ever Thus we see the sins of others work for our good 2. Our own sins shall work for good This must be understood warily when I say the sins of the goâ—ly work for good not that there is the least good in sin Sin is like poyson which corrupts the blood infects the heart and without a Soveraign Antidote brings death Such is the venemous naâ—uâ—e of sâ—n 't is deadly and damning Sin is worse than Hell but yet God by his mighty over-ruling power makes sin in the issue turn to the good of his people God can make a Treacle of this poyson Hence that golden saying of St. Austin God would never permit evil if he could not bring good out of evil The Reliques and remains of corruption in the Saints work for good several wayes 1. Sin makes them weary of this life That sin is in the godly is sad but that it is a burden is good St. Paul's afflictions pardon the expression were but a play to him in comparison of his sin he rejoyced in tribulation 2 Cor. 7.4 But how did this bird of Paradise weep and bemoan himself under his sins Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from the body of this death A Believer carries his sins as a Prisoner his shackles Oh how does he long for a Goal-delivery This sensibility of sin is good 2. This in-being of corruption makes the Saints prize Christ more He that feels his sin as a sick man feels his sickness how welcome is Christ the Physitian to him He that feels himself stung with sin how precious is the brazen Serpent to him When Paul had cryed out of a body of death how thankful was he for Christ Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord. Christs bloud saves from sin and is the sacred oyntment which kills this Quick-silver 3. Sin works for good as it is an occasion of putting the soul upon six rare
waters cannot quench love Neither the sweet waters of pleasure nor the bitter waters of persecution love to God abides firm to the death Ephes. 3.17 Being rooted and grounded in love Eight things as Chaffe and Feathers are quickly blown away but a tree that is rooted abides the storm he that is rooted in love endures True love never ends but with the life 5. The Degrees of love We must love God above all other objects Psal. 73.25 There is nothing on earth I desire in comparison of thee God is the quintessence of all good things he is superlatively good now the soul seeing a super-eminency in God and admiring in him that constellation of all excellencies is carried out in love to him in the highest degree The measure of our love to God saith Bernard must be 〈◊〉 love him without measure God who is the chief of our happinesse must have the chief of our affections Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drink of my spiced Wine of the juice of my Pomgranate If the Spouse hath any love better than oâ—her a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ shall drink of that The creature may have the Milk of our love but God must have the Cream Love to God must be above all other things as the Oyl â—wims above the Water 1. We must love God more than Relations As in case of Abraham's offering up Isaac Isaac being the son of his old age no question he loved him entirely and doated on him but when God saith Abraham offer up thy son though it were a thing might seem not only to pose his Reason but his Faith for the Messiah was to come of Isaac and if he be cut off where shall the world have a Mediator yet such was the strength of Abraham's faith and the ardency of his love to God that he will take the sacrificing Knife and let out Isaac's blood Our blessed Saviour tells us of hating Father and Mother Luk. 14.26 Christ would not have us unnatural but if our dearest Relations lye in our way and would hinder us from Christ either we must step over them or tread upon them Deut. 33.9 Though some few drops of love may run beside to our Kindred and Alliance yet the full torrent must run out after Christ Relations may lye in the bosome but Christ must lye in the heart 2. We must love God more than Estate Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods They were glad they had any thing to lose for Christ. If the world be laid in one Sâ—ale and Christ in the other he must weigh hâ—aviest And is iâ— thus Hath God the highest room in our affections Plutarch saith When a Dictator was created in Rome all other Authority was for the time suspended So when the love of God bears sway in the heart all other love is suspended and is as nothing in comparison of this love CHAP. VIII Containing a sharp Corrective to those that do not love God Vse 1. THis may serve for a sharp Reprehension to such as have not a dram of love to God in their hearts And are there such Miscreants alive He who loves not God aut lapis est aut belluae he is a Beast with a mans head Oh wretch Dost thou live upon God every day yet not love him If one had a friend that fed him continually with money and gave him all his allowance were not he worse than a Barbarian that did not respect and honour that friend Such a friend is God he gives thee thy breath he bestows a livelihood upon thee and wilt thou not love him Thou wilt love thy Prince if he saves thy life and wilt thou not love God who gives thee thy life What Load-stone so powerful to draw love as the blessed Deity He is blind whom beauty doth not tempt he is sottish who is not drawn with the Cords of love When the body is cold and hath no heat in it it is a sign of death That man is dead who hath no heat of love in his soul to God How can he expect love from God who shews no love to him Will God ever lay such a Viper in his bosome as spits forth the poyson of malice and enmity against him This Reproof falls heavy upon the Atheists of this Age who are so far from loving God that they do all they can to spight him They declare their sin as Sodom Isa. 3.9 They set their mouth against the Heavens in pride and blasphemy and bid open defiance to God These are Monsters in Nature Devils in the shape of men Let them read their doom 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-athâ—â— that is let him be accursed from God till Christs coming to Judgment let him be heir to a curse while he lives and at the dreadful day of the Lord let him hear that heart-rending sentence pronounced against him Go thou cursed CHAP. IX Discovering the Signs or Fruits of love to God Vse 2. LEt us try our selves impartially whether we are in the number of those that love God For the deciding of this our love will be best seen by the Fruits of it I shall lay down fourteen Signs or Fruits of love to God and it concerns us nearly to search whether any of these Fruits grow in our Garden 1. The first Fruit of love is musing of the mind upon God He who is in love his thoughts are still upon the Object He who loves God is ravished and transported with the Contemplations of God Psal. 139.17 When I awake I am still with thee The thoughts are as travellers in the mind Davids thoughts kept Heaven-Road I am still with thee God is the Treasure and where the Treasure is there is the heart By this we may try our love to God What are our thoughts most upon Can we say we are ravished with delight when we think on God Have our thoughts got wings are they fled aloft Do we contemplate Christ and Glory Oh how far are they from being lovers of God who scarce ever think of God Psal. 10.4 God is not in all his thoughts A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts he never thinks of God unless with horror as the Prisoner thinks of the Judge 2. The Second Fruit of love is desire of Communion Love desires familiarity and intercourse Psal. 84.2 My heart and flesh cryeth out for the living God King David being debarred the House of God where was the Tabernacle the visible token of his presence he now breaths after God and in an holy Pathos of desire cryes out for the living God Lovers would be parlying together If we love God we prize his Ordinances because there we meet with God He speaks to us in his Word and we speak to him in Prayer By this let us examine our love to God Do we desire intimacy of communion with God Lovers
but he asks only our love he would only pick this flower is this an hard request was there ever any debt so easily paid as this we do not at all impoverish our selves by paying it Love is no burden Is it any labour for the Bride to love her Husband Love is delightful Non potest amor esse et dulcis non esse 4. God is the most adaequate and compleat object of our love all the exellencies that lye scattered in the creatures are twisted together and united in him he is a Magazine of blessings he is Wisdome Beauty Love yea the quintessence of Goodnesse he is Optimus Maximus there is nothing in God can cause a nauseating or loathing the Creature doth sooner surfeit than satisfie but there are fresh beauties sparkling forth in God the more we enjoy of him the more we are ravished with delight There is nothing in God to dull our affections or quench our love no infirmity no deformity which do usually weaken and cool love There is that delicious sweetnesse in God as may not only entice but command our love If there were more Angels in Heaven than there are and all those glorious Seraphims had an immense flame of love burning in their breasts to eternity yet could they not love God equivalently to that infinite perfection and transcendency of goodnesse which is in him Surely then here is enough to tempt us to fall in love with God we cannot spend our love upon a better object 5. Love doth facilitate Religion it oyls the Wheels of the affections and makes them more lively and cheerful in Gods service love takes off the tediousness in duty Iacob thought seaven years but little for the love he did bear to Rachel Love makes duty a pleasure Why are the Angels so swift and winged in Gods service it is because they love him Love is never weary He that loves Gold is never weary of telling it and he that loves God is never weary of serving him 6. God desires our love It were much for a King to desire the love of a woman that is deformed and leprous We have lost our beauty and stained our blood yet the King of Heaven is a Suitor to us What is there in our love that God should come a wooing for it What is God the better for our love he doth not want it he is infinitely blessed in himself if we deny him our love he hath more sublime creatures who pay the cheerful tribute of love to him God doth not need our love yet he seeks it 7. God hath deserved our love how hath he loved us Our affections should be kindled at the fire of Gods love What a miracle of love is it that God should love us when there was nothing in us lovely Ezek. 16.6 When thou wast in thy blood I said unto thee live The time of our loathing was the time of Gods loving We had something in us to provoke fury but nothing to entice love What an Hyperbole of love was it to give Christ to us That Christ should dye for sinners God hath set all the Angels in Heaven a wondring at this love St Austin saith The Crosse was a Pulpit and the lesson Christ preached in it was love O the living love of a dying Saviour per vulnera viscera Me-thinks I see Christ upon the Crosse bleeding all over me-thinks I hear him say to us reach hither your hands put them into my sides feel my bleeding heart see if I love you not and will you not bestow your love upon me will you love the world more than me did the world appease the wrath of God for you have not I done all this and will you not love me 'T is natural to love where we are loved Christ having set us a Copy of love and written it in his Blood let us labour to write after so fair a Copy and imitate him in love 8. Love to God is the best self-love 'T is self-love to get the soul saved by loving God we forward our own salvation 1 Iohn 4.16 He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him And he is sure to dwell with God in Heaven that hath God dwelling in his heart So that to love God is the truest self-love he that doth not love God doth not love himself 9. Love to God evidenceth sincerity Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee Many a child of God fears he is an Hypocrite dost thou love God When Peter was dejected in the sense of his sin he thought himself unworthy that ever Christ should take notice of him or employ him more in the work of his Apostleship see how Christ goes about to comfort him Iob. 21.15 Peter lovest thou me As if Christ had said Though thou hast denied me through fear yet if thou canst say from thy heart thou lovest me thou aâ—t sincere and upright To love God is a better sign of sincerity than to fear him The Israelites feared Gods Justice Psal. 78.34 When he slew them they sought him and enquired earnestly after God 〈…〉 all this to vers 36 37. Nevertheless they did but flatter him with their mouth and lyed to him with their tongue for their heart was not right with him That repentance is no better than flattery which aâ—iseth only from fear of Gods Judgements and hath no love mixed with it Loving of God evidenceth that God hath the heart and if the heart be his that will command all the rest 10. By our love to God we may conclude Gods love to us 1 Iohn 4.9 We love him because he first loved us O saith the â—oul if I knew God loved me I could rejoyce dost thou love God then thou mayst be sure of Gods love to thee As it is wiâ—â— Burning Glasses if the Glass burn it is because the Sun hath first shined upon it else it could not burn So if our hearts burn in love to God it is because Gods love hath first shined upon us else we could not burn in love Our love is nothing but the reflex of Gods love 11. If you do not love God you will love something else either the world or sin and are these worthy of your love Is it not better to love God than these First It is better to love God than the World as 〈◊〉 in these eight particulars 1. If you set your love on worldly things they will not satisfie You may as well satisfie your body with air as your soul with earth Eccles. 5.10 Iob. â—0 22 In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall be in straits Plenty hath its penury If the Globe of the world were yours it would not fill Adam had two sons Cain and Abel Cain signifies possession Abel signifies vanity to shew us that in all our possessions there is vanity and will you set your love on that which will never give you content is it not better to love God he will
body leaves off cloaths it is apt to get cold so when we leave off duty by degrees we cool in our love to God Of all graces Love is soonest apt to decay therefore we had need be the more careful to preserve it If a man hath a Jewel he will keep it if he hath Land of Inheritance he will keep it what care then should we have to keep this grace of Love 'T is sad to see professors declining in their love to God Many are in a spiritual consumption their Love is decaying There are four Signs whereby Christians may know their love is in a Consumption 1. When they have lost their tast He that is in a deep Consumption hath no tast he finds not that savoury rellish in his meat as formerly So when Christians have lost their tast they find no sweetness in a promise it is a sign of a spiritual Consumption 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be ye have tasted the Lord is gracious Time was when they found comfort in drawing nigh to God His Word was as the dropping honey very delicious to the pallat of their soul but now it is otherwise they can tast no more sweetness in spiritual things than in the white of an Egg Job 6.6 This is a sign they are in a Consumption to lose the tast argues the loss of the first love 2. When Christians have lost their Appetite A man in a deep Consumption hath not that Stomack to his meat as formerly Time was when Christians did hunger and thirst after righteousness they minded things of an heavenly aspect the Grace of the Spirit the blood of the Cross the Light of Gods Countenance they had a stomack to Ordinances and came to them as an hungry man to a feast but now the case is altered they have no Appetite they do not so prize Christ they have not such strong affections to the Word their hearts do not burn within them a sad presage they are in a consumption their love is decaying It was a sign Davids natural strength was abated when they covered him with cloaths and yet he gat no heat 1 Kings 1.1 So when men are plyed with hot Cloaths I mean Ordinances yet they have no heat of affection but are cold and stiff as if they were ready to be laid forth this is a sign their first love is declined they are in a deep Consumption 3. When Christians grow more in love with the World it argues the decrease of spiritual love They were once of a sublime Heavenly temper they did speak the language of Canaan but now they are like the fish in the Gospel which had money in its mouth Mat. 17. ult they cannot lisp out three words but one is about 〈◊〉 their thoughts and affections like Satan are still compassing the earth a sign they are going down the hill apace their love to God is in a Consumption We may observe when Nature decays and grows weaker persons go more stooping And truly when the heart goes more stooping to the Earth and is so bowed together that it can scarce lift up it self to an Heavenly thought it is now sadly declining in its first love When Rust cleaves to Mettal it doth not only take away the brightness of the Mettal but it doth canker and consume it So when the earth cleaves to mens souls it doth not only hinder the shining lustre of their graces but it doth by degrees canker their graces 4. When Christians make little reckoning of Gods Worship Duties of Religion are performed in a dead formal manner if they are not left undone yet they are ill done this is a sad Symptom of a spiritual Consumption Remissness in Duty shews a decay in our first love The strings of a Viol being slack the Viol can never make good musick When men grow slack in Duty they pray as if they prayed not this can never make any harmonious sound in Gods Ears When the spiritual Motion like that of the Eighth Spheaâ— is â—â—ow and heavy and the Pulse of the soul beats low it is a sign Christians have left their first love Let us take heed of this spiritual Consumption 't is dangerous to abate in our love Love is such a grace as we know not how to be without A Souldier may as well be without his weapons a Limner without his pensil a Musician without his Viol as a Christian can be without love The body cannot want its â—â—tural heat Love is to the soul as the natural heat is to the body there is no living without it Love doth influence the graces it excites the affections it makes us grieve for sin it makes us cheerful in God it is like oyl to the wheels it quickens us in Gods service How careful then should we be to keep alive divine love Quest. How may we keep our love from going out Answ. Watch your hearts every day take notice of the first declinings in grace observe your selves when you begin to grow dull and listless and use all means for quickening be much in prayer meditation holy conference When the fire is going out you throw on fuel So when the flame of your love is going out make use of Ordinances and Gospel-promises as fuel to keep the fire of your love burning 3. Let me exhort Christians to encrease in love to God let your love be boiled up higher Phil. 1.9 And this I pray that your love may abound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more and more Our love to God should be as the light of the morning first there is the Crepusculum or day-break then it shines brighter to the full Meridian They who have a few sparks of love should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blow up those divine sparks into a flame A Christian should not be content with so small a dram of grace as may make him scruple whether he hath any grace or no but should be still improving the stock He who hath a little gold would have more you who love God a little labour to love him more A godly man is like a dropsie man the more grace he drinks in the more he thirsts He is contented with a very little of the world yet he is never satisfied but would have more of the Spirits influence and labours to add one degree of love to another To perswade Christians to put more Oyl to the Lamp and encrease the flame of their love let me propound these four divine Incentives 1. The growth of love evidenceth the truth If I see the Almond tree bud and flourish I know there is life in the root Paint will not grow an hypocrite who is but a picture will not grow but where we see love to God encreasing and growing bigger as Elisha's cloud we may conclude it is true and genuine 2. By the growth of love we imiâ—ate the Saints in the Bible Their love to God like the waters of the Sanctuary did rise higher The Disciples love to Christ at first was