are not meete for Pallace worke except they be pollished and squared by hamering no more is it possible that we can be vessels of Honour in the houres of our God except first we be fined melted in the fire of affliction neither can we be as liuing Stones to be placed in the Wall of the heauenly Ierusalem except so long as we are heere the hâ—nd of God beat from vs our prouâ— lumpes by the hammer of Affliction As standing Waters puâ—â—â—sies and rottes so the wicked feares not God sayth the Psaâ—nist because they haue no changes And Moaâ— keyes is sent sayth the Prophet because he was not powred from vessell to vessell but hath been at rest euer since â—is youth And therefore O Lord rather then we should keepe the old sent of our naturall corruption and liue in a carelesse securitie without the â—eaâ—e of thy holy name and so become sitfasts in our sinnes no rather O Lord change thou vs from estate to estate waken vs widâ— the presence of thy hand purge vi O Lord with thy fire and chastice vs with thy roddes alway Lord with a protestation that thou stand to thy promise made to the Sonnes of Dauid I will visit them with my roddes if they sinne against mee but my mercie wili I neuer take from them So be it Lord euen So be it The same comfort haue we also against Death that now in Christ Iesus it is not a punishment of our sinnes but a full accomplishment of the mortification of sinne both in soule and body for by it all the conduites of sinne are stopped the weapons of vnrighteousnesse broken and though our bodyes seeme to be consumed yet are they but sowen like graines of Wheate into the â—ielde and husbandâ—â—e of the Lord which must die before they be quickness but in the day of haruest shall spring vp againe most glorious and shal be restored by the same holy Spiâ—â—â—e who now dwelâ—s in them and as to our soules they are relieued out of this house of seruitude and that they may depart and returne to 〈◊〉 from whom they came therfore haue I compared Death to the Redde Sea wherein Pharaâ—h and his Aegyptians were drowned and sanke like a Stone to the bottome but the Israelites of God went through to their promised Canaan So shall Death be vnto you O miserable Infidels whose eyes the God of this world hath blinded that no more then the blind Aegiptians can you see the light of God that shineth in Gâ—shan that is his Church although yee be in it to you I say your Death shal be a Sea of Gods vengeuce wherein yee shal be drowned and shall sinke with your sinnes heauier then a Milstone about the necke of your soule to presse you downe to the lowest Helleâ— But as to you that are the Israelites of God yee shall walke through the valley of Death and not need to be aâ—rayde because the Lord is with you His Staffe and his Rodde shall comfort you Albert the terrours of Hell the horrour of the Graue the guiltinesse of Sinne stand about thee like Mountaines threatning to ouerwhelme thee yet shalt thou go safe through to the land of thine inheritance where with Moses and Mertam and all the children of God euen the congregation of the first borne Thou shalt sing prayses ioyfully to the God of thy saluation And thus wee see how that not onely our present Afflictions but Satan Sinne and Death are made to worke for the best to them that loue the Lord. Now in the last roome concerning the imaginations of men against vs we shall haue cause to say of them in the end as Ioseph sayd to his brethren You did it vnto mee for euill but the Lord turned it vnto good The whole Historie of Gods Booke is as a cloude of maniâ—old witnesses concurring altogether to confime this trueth I content my selle therefore for all to bring one When Dauid was going forward in the Battaâ—le against Israel with Achish King of Gath vnder whom he soiourned for a while in the time of his baniâ—hment the remanent Princes of the Philistines commâ—unded him to goe backe and this they did for the worse to disgrace him because they distrusted him but the Lord turned it to him for the best Consider Dauids estate now and yee shall see him set betwixt two great extremities If he had gone backe of his owne accord the Philâ—stines might haue blamed him and hanâ—led him as an enemie if hee had come forwarde hee should haue been guiltie of the blood of Israel and especially of Sâ—ul the Lordes annoyted who was slaine in that Battaile In this straite the wit of man can finde him no outgate but the prouident mercie of God deliuers him in such sort that no occasion of oâ—fence is giuen to Sâ—ul his people because Dauid came not against them neither yet could the Philistines condemne him because he went backe by their commaunde So notable a benefite did Dauid receiue euen by that same deed wherein his enemies thought they had done him notable a shame and it should learne vs in our straightest extremities whereunto men can driue vs to depende on the Lord and euer then to hope for an outgate when we see none For such is thy prouidence O Lord whereby in mercy thou watchest ouer those that loue thee that these euilles that are intended against them by thee are turned into good to them And heere we haue further to consider that seeing this is the priuiledge of euery one that loues the Lord much more must it appertaine to the whole Church of God It is the portion of Abraham alberâ— the Father of the Faythfull yet one of Gods Children I will blesse them that blesse thee end cursse them that câ—rsie thee And shall it not belong thinke wee to all the congregation of the first borne Will not the Lord be a Wall of fire rounde about Ierusalem and the glory in the middest of her Will bee not keepe her as the apple of his eye Shall not Ierusalem be as a Cuppe of Poyson vnto all her enemies and a heauie Stone Yea surely all that lift it vp shall be torne though all the people of the earth be gathered togeather against it the weapons made against her shall not prosper and euery tongne that shall rise against her in iudgement shall be condemned This is the heritage of the Lordes seruantes and the portion of them who loue him For the Church is that Arke of God which may mount vp higher as the Waters increaseth but can not be ouerwhelmed the Bush which may burne but can not be consumed the House built on a Rocke which may be beaten with wind and raine but can not be ouerthrowen The Lord who changeth times and seasons who takes away Kinges and settes vp Kinges hath reprooued Kinges for his Churches sake and hee gouerneth all the
shine out of Darknes So also in the worke of Redemption for by cursed Death hee brought happy Lyfe by the Crosse hee obtayned the Crowne and through Shame he went to Glory And this same order the Lord keeps yet in the worke of our second Creation which is our Regeneration hee casteth downe that he may raise vp hee killes hee makes aliue hee woundes and hee will binde vp hee woundes and hee will heale hee accuseth his children of sinnes that so they may get remisse of their sinnes hee troubleth their Consciences that so he may pacifie them and in a word the meanes which he vseth in working are contrary to the worke it selfe which he intendes to performe towardes his Children Hee sent a fearefull Darknesse on Abraham but afterward communicated to him a ioyfull Light hee wrestled with Iaacob and shooke him too and â—ro but in the end blessed him hee stroke the Apostle Paul with blindnes and then opened his eyes that he might know the Lord Iesus hee frownes for a while vpon his owne as Ioseph did vpon his Brethren but in the end with a louing affection shall he imbrace them hee may seeme angrie at thy Prayers as hee put backe the Petition of the Woman of Canaan but at length will graunt a fauourable answere to them therefore let vs learne to possesse our soules in patience let the Lord worke by any meanes it pleaseth him It is enough that wee know All the wayes of God yea euen when he dealeth most hardly with his Children are mercy and tendes to the good of those that loue him And as to Satans stratagems it is also out of doubt that they worke for the best to them that loue the Lord not according to his purpose in deed but because the Lord trappeth him in his owne snare If vnder the Serpents shape he deceiued Adam vnder the Serpents name shall the Lord curse him and all these weapons whereby he intendes to destroy the worke of Gods grace into vs shall the Lord make forcible to destroy the workemanship of Satan into vs I meane that whole bastard Generation of sinfull afflictions which Satan hath begotten vpon our mutable nature by a most vnhappy and vnlawfull copulation The experience of all the Sainctes of God will prooue this that Satan by his restles temptations doth destroy him selfe which is most euident both in his temptations for sinne which tend to desperation as also in his temptations to sinne which tend to presumption Euery accusation of the Conscience for by-past sinnes is a Preseruatiue to the Childe of God to keepe him from sinne in time to come hee reasoning with himselfe after this maner If my Enemie doth so disquiet my minde with inward terrours for these sinnes which foolishly I did by his inticement why shall I harken to him any more hereafter and so increase the matter of my trouble for what fruite haue I of all the sinnes wherein I tooke pleasure but terrour and shame And shall I looke that this forbidden Tree shall tender any better fruite hereafter O what a faythlesse traytor is Satan hee inticeth man vnto sinne and when he hath done it he is the first accuser and troubler of man for sinne When hee workes in vs he is a temptor when we haue finished his worke which is sinne hee is an accuser of vs to the iudge and when he returneth he returneth as a troubler and a tormentor of vs for our sinnes Stoppe my care therefore O my soule from the voyce of this deceitfull enchaunter His temptations againe vnto sinne are so many prouocations spurring vs forwarde to the throne of grace for whilest we finde his restlesse malice pursuing that sparckle of spirituall life whereby the Lord hath quikened vs and our owne weaknesse and inhabilitie to resist him then we are forced with Israel in Aegipt to sigh for the thraldome and to cry with Ioseph O Lord our God we wott not what to doe but our eyes are turned toward thee And who feeles not this that the grace of feruent Prayer wherein otherwise we faint our handes being more readie to fall downe then the handes of Moses except they be supported is greatly wakened and intended in the Children of God by the buffets of Satan So they wakened the holy Apostle and stirred him vp to such feruencie in prayer that he besought the Lord thrise that is many times to deliuer him from them Yea which is more the Lord made them effectuall meanes to beate downe the power of naturall pride in him least hee should haue been exalted out of measure through the greatness of his reuelations A wounderfull worke that the Father of Pride becommeth against his will a represser of Pride and hee who first procured this Poyson in the nature of Man is made contrary to his intent an instrument to suppresse it Thus the Lord our God out-shooteth Satan in his owne Bowe and with the Sword of Goliah cutteth off his owne head His holy name be praysed therefore for euer Now as concerning outward afflictions it is true that as the Philistines could not vnderstande Samsons Riddle how Sweete came out of the sower and meate out of the eater So can no Worldlings vnderstand that Tribuâ—ation bringeth out Patience and that our light momentaâ—â—e afflictions causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and eternall waight of glorie but the children of God hath learned by experience that albeit no visitation be sweete for the present yet afterwardes it bringeth the quiet fruite of righteousnes vnto them who are thereby exercised and that there is more solide ioy in Suffring rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasures of sinne which indure but for a season For as Moses the mediator of the old Testament by his prayer made the bitter Waters of Marah sweete that the Israelites might drinke of it so Iesus the mediator of the new Testament by his Passion hath mittigated to his children the bitternes of the Crosse and not onely mixed it with ioy but made it most profitable The for-lorne Sonne concluded neuer to returne home to his Father till he was brought low by affliction And many in the Gospell were forced by Diseases corporall to run to Iesus where others enioying bodily health did nothing but disdaine him The earth which is not tilled and broken beares nothing but Thornes and Briers the Vines waxe wilde by time except they be proyned and cut so should our vaine heartes ouergrow with vilde affections if the Lord by sanctified trouble did not continually manure them Therefore sayd Ieremie It is good for a man to beare the yoake in his youth And Dauid confessed It was good for him that hee was afflicted Yea sayth our Sauiour Euery branch that beares fruite my he menly Father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruite No worke can be made of Gold and Siluer without Fire and Stones
riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O my God O when shall I come and appeare before the presence of my God my soule desireth after the Lord as the 〈◊〉 land â—or I would be dissâ—lued and be with the Lord therefore come euen so come Lord Iesus But alas heere are we taken in our sinnes â—hou sayest thou Louest him but how is it then thou longest not to see him neither desirest to be with him yea a small appearance of the day of death wherein we should goe 〈◊〉 or mention of the day of Iudgement wherâ—in he shall come to vs doth terrifie and affright thee Thou that contents thee with the gyâ—â—s of God thinkest not long for him selfe thou art â—ut like an 〈◊〉 woman who if she possesse the goods of her husband regards not albeit she neuer see 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 are blamed because they called on the Lord 〈◊〉 for oyle wine 〈…〉 for worshipping the creature 〈…〉 but more 〈…〉 be condemned for louing the gilts 〈◊〉 God â—ore then the giuer Let vs therefore beware of this 〈…〉 We may indeed reioyce in all the gifts the Lord hath giuen vs they should thankfully be receiued but alwayes with a protestatioÌ„ that no thing giuen vnto me heere be allowed vnto me for my portion and inheritaunce and that no contentment euer come to our hearts till we get the full fruition of our louing husband Christ Iâ—sus If the Loue of men compelled the Apostle to â—ay to the Corinthians It is not yours but you I seeke how much more should the Lâ—ue of God compell vs to say to our Lord It is not thy gift but thy selfe O Lord I long for thou art the portion of my soule If thou wouldst giue me all the workeâ— of thine handes yet shall I neuer haue comfort nor contentment except thou giue mee thy selfe therefore O thou whom my soule loueth shew mee where thou feedest where thou lyest at 〈◊〉 for why should I be as shee that turnes aside to the flockes of thy companions Blessed is he that hungers and thirsteth for thy righteousnesse for he shall behold the face of his God and be filled with his image for in his presence is the fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand 〈◊〉 pleasures for euermore The second tryall of holy Loue is Obedience and a care to serue and honour the Lord in all estates and calliâ—ges Preachers must be tryed by this rule Peter Lâ—uest thou mee â—eede my flâ—cke Gouernours and Counsellers in your callings must be tryed by this Can you say with the godly Gouernour Dauid I loue the Lordâ— then will yee also say with him What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefites How shall I shew to the Lord my Loue and what shall I do in my time for the aduancement of his glory If you loue the Lord then â—e 〈◊〉 Fathers to his Church be saythfull aâ—uaunâ—ers of his Kâ—ngdome wise prouisors to remooue the stuâ—bling blockes that impede the course of his Gospell If yee loue the Lord. Stand vp with Dauid and say Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate theeâ— and do I not earnestly contend with them that rise vp against thee Surely I hate them with vnfaigned hatred as if they were my vtter enemies If yee honour the Lord as Dauid did the Lord shall blesse you as he did Dauid Dauid sware vnto the Lord that hee would not rest till he found out a place for the Lord euen an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob And the Lord sweares againe to Dauid that of the fruite of this body he should set vpon his Throne to raigne after him But if otherwayes there be nothing in you but a care to stablish your selues and your houses with the neglect of the glory of God then remember the Cursâ—e of Shebna and not the Blessing of Eliachim shall be vpon you you shall not be fastened as a Nayle in a sure place but shall be rowled and turned away like a Ball The Lord shall driue thee from thy station and out of thy dwelling place shall he destroy thee for the wicked shall not haue his desire his thoughtes shall not be performed neither shall he be established on the earth but euill shall hunt him to destruction the Lord shal take thee and plucke thee out of thy Tabernacle and roote thee out of the land of the lyuing and generally all of you in your callinges remember the value of your Christian Loue must be tryed by the same touchstone not by your wordes but by your deedes If any man loueth mee sayth Christ let him keepe my Câ—mmandements But heere also the hypoâ—â—isie of this age is clearely discouâ—red In word they pretend the loue of God but in deed they grieue him with their transgressions as the Iewes they called him King and bowed their knees before him but spaâ—â— in his face and busseted him So the bastard Christians of this age call Christ their Lord and bow then knee before him yet they crucifie him and tramples his blood of the Couenant vnder their feete they kisse him and betray him with Iudas It is but a Scepter of Reede they graunt to him for they giue him no commaundement ouer their affections wherefore great is the contâ—ouersie which the Lord hath this day with the men of this generation The last tryall of Loue whereof I will speake at this time leauing many other is Bounâ—â—fulnesse Loue sayth the Aposâ—â— is bountifull Experience prooues this euery Louer is a bountifull bestower on them whom he loues Yee loue your Backes and spares not to cloath them yea with excessiue Apparrell Yee loue your Bellies and therefore are bountifull dayly to them in feeding them Yee loue your Children and therefore lettes them want nothing that is needfull for them yea yee loue your Beastes and yee bestow largely on them onely you say you loue the Lord but wherein are yee bountiâ—ull toward him It is true that in nothing can a man be â—râ—fitable to the Almightie sayth Iob. But are there no workes which should so shine before men that by them our heauenly Father may be 〈◊〉 Though workes can be no merites yet are they your witnesses and what haue you done to standâ— when as you are dead as witnesses of your â—â—ue towardes the Lord Though your goodnesse extend not to the Lord yet where is your delight that should be in his Saincts and excellent ones vpon earth Where is your compaâ—sion and loue towarde the Brethren Are not the men of this age like the â—ig-tree that haue faire Leaues but not so much as one Figge to giue Iesus in his hungâ—r hauâ—â—g the shâ—w of godlinâ—sse but hath deâ—ied the pâ—wer thereâ—f rendring wordes ynough but no â—ruites to adorne the glorious Gospell of our Lord 〈◊〉 And so if wee might proceed â—uery tryall of 〈◊〉 should diâ—coueâ— th'hypocrisie and bastard Christianitie of the most part of
of the rest stands those who beside the outward calling of God by his Word are called also inwardly and effectually by his Holy Spirit These are Christes litle Flocke the few chosen the communion of Saincts the Lords third part so to speake with Zacharie the two partes shall be cut off and die but the third will thy Lord â—ine as Siluer and Gold of them will the Lord say This is my people and they shall say The Lord is my God It is a great step in deed that wee are brought from the vttermost Circle vnto the second but it is not sufficient to saluation yea rather they who stand in the second Circle hearing the voyce of God call them to repentance and yet harden their heartes and will not follow the Lord may looke for a more fearefull condempnation then they who are in the vttermost rancke of all Waightie are those warninges of our Sauiour Sodome and Gomorah shall be in an easier estate in the day of Iudgement then they to whom the Lord hath spoken by his word but they would not receiue it and that double stripes are for him that knowes his Maisters will and doth it not Content not your selfe therefore with this that yee are brought within the compasse of this visible Church and made partakers of an outward Calling that yee haue been Baptized in the name of Iesus and communicated at his holy Table for not euery one that sayes Lord Lord shall enter in his Kingdome except yee find also the Lords inward and effectuall Calling that the arme of his Grace hath drawen you within the compasse of this thirde Circle and so brought you to be of his owne third part and set you downe among the generation of them that seekes the face of God and therefore forsakes their â—innes that they may find him Then we see this excellent Priuiledge is restrained to them who are called inwardly and therfore let vs yet a litle consider it This inward Calling is the communication of Christs sauing Grace wherby the minde is inlightned the heart purified by Faith the affections sanctified and the whole man reformed For as the Lord by his Gospell offers to his Children Righteousnesse and Life so by his holy Spirit he giues them that iustifiyng Fayth and openeth their heart to receiue that Grace which is preached and proclaymed to them in the Gospell So then this worke of our Calling is altogeather the Lordâ— It is his prayse that he calles thinges which are not and makes them to be The Lord that commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath giuen to our minds the light of the knowledge of his glorie in the face of Christ Iesus he it is that creates in vs a new heart and putteth a new spirit into our bowels that we may walke in his Statuâ—es The Lord promised that he would call many of the Gentiles to the spirituall Ierusalem to suck out the mâ—â—ke of the breastes of her consolation be delighted with the brightnesse of her glory shall I cause others to be fruitfull said the Lord remaine barreÌ„ my selfe and this his gracious promise hath he most aboundantly performed in our dayes this name be pâ—aysed therefore As this worke is onely the Lordes so he restraines it onely to them who are his owne The outwarde Calling is extended to all but the inwarde Calling makes a particular separation of a fewe from the remanent where it is wonderfull to see the distinction which is made betwixâ— man man in all ranckes estates by this effectuall Calling of two Brethren as Iacob and Esau of two Prophets as Moses and Balaam of two Kinges as Dauid and Saul of two Apostles as Peter and Iudas of two Theeues th' one is taken th' other reiected and thus the Arme of the Grace of God goes through to euery corner of the earth according to his pleasure culling out by his Word from among the remnant of the world those who belong to this Election This Grace of God it enters in a Land and not into euery Cittie it enters into a Citâ—ie but not into euery Familie yeâ— and it will enter in a Familie and yet not come to euery person of the Familie of husband and wife of maisters and seruants of parents and children of brethren and sisters often times the one is taken the other is left It came to Iericho and weyled out Zacheus It came to Philippi and weyled out Lidia and the Iaylor It came to Nero his Court and not to him selfe It entered into the Familie of Narcissus and yet past by Narcissus himselfe It is the worke of God and maruellous in our eyes The Gospell is preached to many but the Blessing brought by the Gospell lights onely vpon the Children of Grace And hereof aryseth this dayly distinction which we see betweene man and man all heare alike but all haue not Fayth all are not edified alike Some forsake their sinnes and followes the Lord others forsaking the Lord walkes on in their sinnes As the Lord gouerneth the raine and makes it fall vpon one Cittie and not vpon another so hee dispenseth the deaw of his Grace that he makes it drop downe vpon one heart and not on another And of this I would wish that so many of you as yet are strangers from Grace should learne to know your miserable state What a fearefull thing is this that God hath conuerted so many in the Cittie wherein thou dwellest yea perhaps many in the Familie wherein thou remaynest and yet his Grace neuer lighted vpon thee but thou art lest in thy old sinnes Consider it rightly I pray you If the Lord should do to you as he did to Israel in the dayes of Athab causing it to raine for three yeares and a halfe on all the Landes about you but not vpon your Land would you not conceiue in it a sensible cursse of God vpon you O Hypocrite thou that canst discerne the face of the Skie and take vp the tokens of Gods anger in the creature canst thou not discerne the state of thine owne soule nor apprehend this for a sensible cursse that 30. or 40. yeares the showers of sauing and renewing Grace hath descended vpon many people round about thee but neuer vpon thy selfe thou possessest thy old sinnes and keepest still a hard a barren a fruitlesse heart What shall I say to thee to cut thee off from all hope of Mercy and so send thee to despaire I haue not that in commission the Lord hath his owne time of Calling and can when he will of Saul a persecutor make Paul a Preacher But one thing I can certifie thee of So long as thou art in that state mourne if thou wilt thou hast much cause of mourning for if this effectuall Calling by Grace go by thee in time to come as it hath done is time bygan it is an euident declaration that thou art a man reserued to wrath and
not ordayned to mercie Now that this Calling flowing from Election may be yet made sure to our consciences for our greater comfort let vs marke the maner of the Lordes proceeding into it and so gather vp some tokens wherby we may discerne it As in the first Creation the Lord began at the light so in the second Creation he begins at the illumination of the minde For we can neither know the Lord to feare and loue him neither yet our selues and our sinnes â—right till the Lord who commaunded light to shine out of darknesse shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and this light of God discouers to vs so many workes of darknesse wherewith in ignoraunce we defiled our consciences that we begin to be ashamed of our selues in the sight of God yeâ— our very flesh trembleth for feare of his Iudgements and we cry out with Iob Now my eye hath seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And thus the Lord proceedes from the minde to the heart working into it such a contrition and godly sorrow as causeth repentance vnto saluation whereby the heart that was senselesse before being dead in sinne and trespasses begins now to stirre and moue as the heart of Iosiah melted at the reading of the Law and the hearts of those penitent Iewes which were pricked at the sharpe Sermon of Peter then feeling our selues vnder death through sinne we begin to bethinke vs of the way of life and to aske with the Iaylor What shall we do that we may be saued These motions meltings and prickinges of the heart wrought in the elect by the hearing of Gods word are the very pluckes of the hand of God translating thee out of Nature into Grace yet must we not rest heere for Felix may tremble while Paul is preaching and many for a while may receaue this word with ioy and yet afterward fall away in the time of temptation We must therefore consider if there be in the heart a respondence and answering vnto the Lord So oft as he calleth doe we present our selues before him ready to follow him saying with Abraham Heere I am Lord and with Samuel after he knew the Lords voyce Speake on Lord thy seruant heareth thâ—â— This answering and following of the Lord are vndoubted tokens of effectuall Calling So oft as the Lord calleth the Christian answereth When thou saydst Seeke yee my 〈◊〉 my heart answered O Lord I will seeke thy 〈◊〉 If the Lord commaund the Christian answereth O Lord quicken mee according to thy louing kindnesse that I may apply my heart to keepe thy Statutes alwayes to the end Iâ— the Lord promise Mercie the Christian answers Stablâ—sh O Lord thy promise to thy seruâ—nt and let it be to mee accordiâ—g to thy word for I beleeuâ— in thee but Lord helpe my vnbeleife And thus in the heart of one effectually called there is a continuall respondance to the voyce of God awayting on the Lord a walking with him and a following of him where euer he goe If the Lord haue called thee sure it is thou wilt follow him and no power of the Diuell of the World or the Flesh shall hold thee backe from him When Eliah touched Elisha with his Cloake he left his Oxen and came after him When Iesus called on Andrew and Peter they left their Nets their Ship and their Father and followed him When he called on Matthew he left all his gainefull trade of the receit of Custome and followed him When he called on Mary Magdelen she forsooke her sinfull life and followed him Heere is the finest touchstone to try an inward calling If the Lord hath called thee thou wilt follow him but if yet thou be wandring after vanity walking on in the course of thy sinne turning thy backe and not thy face vnto the Lord deceaue not thy selfe partaker of this heauenly Calling wherein sâ—andes the onely comfort of a Christian hast thou neuer been That loue God And last of all to returne to the wordes againe the whole effectes of our Inward Calling the Apostle compriseth vnder one to wit The loue of God and that most properly for Louâ— compriseth al the rest vâ—der it Loue is the cognoscence of Christs Disciples sayes our Sauiour It is the Band of perfection sayth the Apostle and accomplishment of the Law Loue speakes with the tongue of euery Vertue Pittie biddes thee helpe the Indigent Iustice biddes thee giue euery man his owne Mercy biddes forgiue Patience biddes suffer but the voyce of Christian loue commaundes all these Holy loue is the oldest Daughter of a Iustifying Fayth that is the first affection that Fayth procreateth and sanctifieth and whereby she workes in the sanctification of the rest Lâ—ue is the strongest most impeâ—ious affection in the whole nature of man all the rest of the affections giues place vnto it which we may see euen in the man naturall and vnregenerate Where Loue is kindled Feare is banished Couetousnesse coucheth Ambition is silent A Coward iâ—flamed with Loue becomes valiaâ—t and a Couetous man is oft times commaunded by Loue to be prodigall yea the Proud ambitious man who otherwise giues place to no man for obtaining that which he loues cares not to prostrate his honour to the dust If Carnall louâ— be so forcible what shall we say of the Spiritual lâ—ue how much more doth it draw the whole powers of soule and body after the Lord neither is it possible to do otherwayes for euery thing returnes to his owne originâ—ll as the waters go downe to the deepe from whence they came and Fire tendes vpward to the owne place and region euen so holy Lâ—â—e being a spâ—rke of the heauenly Fire kindled in our heartes by the â—oly Ghost doth rauish vs alwayes vpâ—ard towarâ—e the Lord â—rom whom it came and 〈◊〉 vs neuer to rest while we enâ—oy him then we begin to lâ—ue when we begin to Loue. As no Creature can liue out of the owne 〈◊〉 so the Soule is but 〈◊〉 in sinne 〈…〉 of the loue of God No feare to oâ—â—end him no 〈◊〉 â—o please him no obedience to his Commandements can be giuen by the heart that loues him not 't were longsome to speake of all the properties of Loue we make choyce of a few as chiefe tryalles of our Loue. The firâ—â— propertie oâ— Lâ—ue is a burâ—ing desire to obâ—aine that which is bâ—loued as a Woman that loueth her Husband vnlargnedly can not be content with any Loue token she receiueth from him in his absence but longeth more and more till she receiue 〈◊〉 So the Soule which is wounded with the Loue of Iâ—sus her immortall Husband hath a continuall desire to be at him I graunt euery â—oken sent from him bringes comfort but no contentment till she enioyes him whereof comes these and such like complaintes As the Hart brayes for the