have in the Gospell be such divine truthes above nature altogether Then we must not stand to looke for reason too much nor trust the reason or wit of any man but divine authority herâ— especially For if divine authority cease in the Gospel what were it nothing the law is written in mens hearts but we must trust divine authoritie in the Gospel above al other portions of scripture and not to the wit of any man whatsoever The Church of Rome that is possest with a Spirit of pride and Ignorance and tyranny they will force knowledge on them that be under them from their sole authoritie the Church saith so and wee are the Church and it is not for you to know c. and scriptures are so and so but is the Gospell a supernaturall mysterie above the capacitie of any man and shall we build upon the authoritie of the Church for these truthes oh no! there must bee no forcing of Evangelicall truthes from the authority or parts of any man But these are not things that wee stand in so much need of therefore I hasten to that which is more usefull Eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. Here then we have an use of direction how to carrie our selves in reading and studying holy truths especially the sacred mysteries of the Gospel how shall we study them Wee thinke to breake into them with the engine of our wit and to understand them and never come to God for his spirit God will curse such proud attempts Who â—nowes the things of man but the spirit of a man and who knowes the things of God but the spirit of God Therefore in studying the Gospell let us come with a spirit of faith and a spirit of humility and meeknesse there is no breaking into these things with the strength of parts That hath been the ground of so many heresies as have beene in the Church Only Christ 〈◊〉 the key of David that shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth he hath the key of the Scripture and the key to open the understanding And to presse this poynt a little if eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive the things of the Gospell without the revelation of the spirit then we must come with this mind when wee come to heare the things of the Gospell Lord without thy holy spirit they are all as a clasped booke they are hidden mysteries to mee though they be revealed in the Gospell If my heart be shut to them they are all hidden to me Wee see men of excellent parts are enemies to that they teach themselves opposing the power of the Gospell whence is all this because they thinke only the opening of these things makes them divines wheras without the holy Ghost sanctifying and altering the heart in some measure to tast and rellish these things that as they are divine in themselves so to have some what divine in the heart to tast these things it is impossible but that the heart should rise against them and so it doth for when it comes to particulars you must deny your selfe in this honour in this pleasure coÌ„moditie now you must venture the displeasure of man for this and that truth the heart riseth in scorn and loathing of divine truth when it comes to particulars they know nothing as they should For when is truth knowne but when in particulars wee stand for it and will neither betray it nor do any thing that doth not benefit a Christian If we have not the spirit of God to relish truthes in particular they will doe us no good And except the spirit sanctifie the heart of man first by these truthes the truth will never be understood by the proud naturall heart of man Therefore the course that God takes with his children is this those that he meanes to have he first inspires into their hearts some desire to come to heare and attend upon the meanes of salvation to understand the Gospell and then under the means of salvation he shines into the understanding by a heavenly light and inspires into the will and affections some heavenly inclination to this truth of the Gospell to justification sanctification selfe-denyall and the like and workes a new life and new sences and upon them wrought under the meanes comes the soul to relish and to understand these mysteries and then the eares and the eies are open to see these things and never before A holy man that hath his heart subdued by the spirit of God in the use of the meanes oh he relisheth the point of forgivenesse of sins hee relisheth the point of sanctification he studies it daily more and more and nearer communion with God hee relisheth peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost they are sweete things and all the duties of Christianity because hee makes it his maine busines to adorne his proâ—ession and to live here so as hee may live for ever hereafter And this must be of necessitie for marke out of the text If the naturall eye and eare and heart can never see nor heare nor conceive the things of God must there not be a supernaturall eare and eye and heart put into the soule must not the heart and all be new molded againe If the former frame bee not sufficient for these things of necessitie it must be so From hence learne to arme your selves against all scandalls when ye see men of parts and account and such there may be men of deepe apprehensions and understanding in the Scripture for matter of notion and for the language of the Scripture exquisite and yet to be proud malicious haters of sanctity next to divells none greater consider what is the reason either they have proud spirits that despise and neglect the meanes of salvation altogether or if they doe come they come as Iudges they will not submit their proud hearts to the sweet motions of the Spirit stumble not at it if such men bee both enemies to that they teach themselves and those that practise it the reason is because their proud hearts were never subdued by the Spirit to understand the things they speake of For such a teacher understands supernaturall things by a naturall light and by humane reason that is to talk and discourse c. but hee sees not Supernaturall things by a supernaturall light divine things by a divine light Therefore a poore soule that heares the things published by him understands them better by the helpe of the Spirit than he that speakes them better indeed for his use and comfort As we see there are some that can measure land exactly but the man that oweth the land measured he knowes the use of the ground and delights in it as his owne the other can tell here is so much ground c. So some Divines they can tell there are such poynts and so they are raysed and they can bee
in the Word and Sacrament c. If a man desire strangenesse that he cares not how seldome hee receive the Sacrament or come into Gods presence is here love how can love and strangenesse stand together thou art a strange person from God and the things of God thou hast no joy in his presence where thou mayest enjoy his presence here in holy things in this world if thou delight not in his presence and in union with him how canst thou say thou lovest him Can a man say he loves him whose company hee cares not for Thou carest not for Gods company thou mayest meete him in the Word and Sacraments and in good company Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the middest Doest thou pretend thou lovest GOD if thou carest not for these thou hast no fellowship in this businesse all that rellish not heavenly things they doe not love Now to try whether we have this branch of love that is a desire of union Where therefore there is a desire of union with the partie loved of uniting to that person for we speake of persons there wil bee a desire of communion a desire of Vnion will breed a desire of Communion that is there will be a course taken to open our mindes if we have a desire of communion with GOD wee will open our soules often to him in prayer and we will desire that hee will open himselfe in speaking to our hearts by his Spirit And wee will desire that he will open his minde to us in his Word wee will bee carefull to heare his Word and so maintain that sweet and heavenly Commerce betweene him and our soules by this entercourse of hearing him and speaking to him Where two or three are gathered together I will bee in the midst Therefore thâ—se that make no conscience either of hearing the word or of prayer publicke and private aâ—d of using the glorious libertie wee have in Christ of free accesse to the Throne of Grace that doe not use this prerogative and priviledge to cherish that union and communion they may have with God they love not God and Christ Strangenesse is opposite to love and it dissolves and disunites affections therefore when wee are strange to God that we can goe from one end of the weeke to the other and from the beginning of the day to the end of it not be acquainted with God and not open our soules to him it is a signe wee have no love because there is no desire of union and communion with him Againe where wee love we consult and advise and rest in that advice as comming from a loving person especially if he bee as wise as loving so in all our consultations wee will goe to God and take his counsell and when wee have it wee will account it the counsell of one that is wise and loving Those therefore that trust to their owne wits to policie and such like what doe they speake of love when they make not use of that Covenant that is betweene God and them they consult not with him they make not his word the man of their counsell they goe not to him by prayer for advice they commit not their wayes to him as the Psalmist speaketh And this distinguisheth a good Christian from another man A good Christian hee is such a one as acquaints himselfe with his God and wil not loose that entercourse hee hath with God for all the world As Daniel hee would not but pray they could not get him from it with the hazard of his life Againe where this desire of union and joyning is there is a desire even of death it selfe that there may be a fuller union and a desire of the consummation of all things Therefore so farre as wee are afraid of death and tremble at it so farre we want love When the contract is once made betweene Christ and the soule of a Christian for him to feare the making up of the mariage when wee are now absent from the Lord to feare the sweet eternal communion wee shall have in heaven where we shall have all things in greater excellencie and abundance it is from want of faith and love Therefore we should bee ashamed of our selves when wee finde such thoughts rising in our hearts as they will naturally to bee basely and distrustfully afrayd of death Saint Paul sayth I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ that is good nay it is much better for mee nay it is best of all to bee with Christ therefore you see it stirred up his desire I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Come Lord Iesus come quickly sayth the Church Revel 22. and the spirit in the Spouse stirres up this desire likewise Come the Spirit and the Spouse say Come And wee should rejoyce to thinke there are happier times to come wherein there will bee an eternall meeting together that nothing shall dissolve as the Apostle sayth 1 Thessal 4. 17. when wee shall bee for ever with the LORD Oh! those times cheare up the heart of a Christian before hand Now where these things possesse not the soule how can wee say that wee love God In Cant. 1. the Church beginnes Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth shee desires a familiar communion with Christ in his word and ordinances Let him kisse me c. Let him speake by his Spirit to my heart In this world Christ kisseth his Church with the kisses of his mouth But in the latter end of the Canticles Make haste my beloved she desires his second coming thinks it not enough to have the kisses of his mouth Make haste my beloved and bee as the young Roes upon the mountaines of Spices that is come hastily from heaven the mountaine of Spices and let us meet together my beloved These things be somwhat strange to our carnall dispositions but if wee hope ever to attaine to the comfort of what I say wee must labour that our hearts may bee brought to this excellent condition to desire the presence of Christ that is the second propertie of love The third is to rest pleased and contented in the thing when wee are joyned with it so farre as wee are joyned with it to place our contentment in it and it is in the nature of that affection to place contentment in the thing wee desire to have whenwe have it once Now wee may know this our contentment whether wee rest in GOD or no by the in ward quiet and peace of the soule in all conditions when whatsoever our condition be in this world yet wee know wee have the light of GODS countenance and can rest and bee content in it more than worldly men in their corne and wine and oyle as David sayth Psalm 4. I rejoyce more in the light of thy countenance than when they have their corne and wine and oyle When wee can joy and solace
and strength of our affections with all my strength bee a man what hee will be if hee bee a Magistrate with the strength of his magistracy if he be a minister with the strength of his ministeriall calling in any â—â—ndition I must love him with al that that condition inableth me to For it is a commanding affection and being so it commands all within and without to give content to the person loved it commands the wit to devise and the memorie to retaine good things it commands joy and delight it commands anger to remove hindrances and so all outward actions love commands the doing of all things it sets all on worke It is a most active affection it is like to fire it is compared to it it sets all on worke and commands all that man is able to doe Therefore those that studie not in all their indeavours according to their callings and places according to every thing that God hath intrusted them with to please God and to honour him in their conditions they love not God What a shame is it that when God hath given us such a sweet affection as love that hee should not have our love againe when wee make our selves happy in loving him He is happy in his owne love the father Sonne and holy Ghost but when hee intends to make us happy it is a shame that wee should not bestow our affections upon him Much might bee sayd to this purpose for the triall of our selves whether we love God or no. Let us not then forget these things for it is the command both of the old and new Testament they run both upon love I give you a new Command sayth Christ and yet it is no new command but old and ordinarie But it is commanded now in the Gospell that is it is renewed by new experiments of Gods love in Christ that we should love him as hee hath loved us which is wonderfully that wee should love him and love one another And all this is in this affection as we see when the holy Ghost would set out the disposition and qualification of such as those great things are prepared for that neither eye hath seen nor care heard nor hath entred into the heart of man hee sets it downe by this They are for those that love him FINIS SERMON the fourth 1 COR. 2. 9. As it is written eye hath not seene nore care heard nor hath entred into the heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him THat which hath already been sayd should force us to begge the Spirit of God to teach the heart to teach us the things themselves the inside of them for a spirituall holy man hath a spirituall knowledge of outward things of the creatures hee fees another manner of thing in the creature then other men doe As another man hath a naturall knowledge of spirituall things so a holy man hath a spirituall knowledge even of the ordinary Workes of God and rayseth and extracts a quintessence out of them that a worldly man cannot see to glorifie God and to buyld up his faith in the sense of Gods favour c. This I adde by the way to that But the highest performance of this that there are things provided for Gods people that neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. It is reserved for another World for the promises of the Gospell have then their fulfilling indeed These words are true of the state of the Gospell here now but they have their accomplishment in Heaven for whatsoever is begun here is ended there peace begun here is ended there joy that is begunne here it shal bee ended there Communion of Saints that is begun here it shall be ended there Sanctification that is begun here it shall be ended there so all graces shall be perfect and all promises performed then That is the time indeed when God shall discover things that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard c. In the meane time let us learne to beleive them and to live by faith in them that theâ—e are such things And GOD resetves not all â—or another World but gives his Children a tast of those things before hand to comfort thâ—m in their distresses in this world as indeed there is nothing in this world of greater use and comfort to rayse them then the beginnings of Heaven upon earth a little peace joy in the holy ghost will make a man swallow all the discontents in the world Now God is so far good to us as that he lets us have somâ— drops of these things before hand to rayse up our spirits that by a tast we may know what great things hee hath reserved for us but of these things and the use of them I spake before We came then to speake of the qualificatioÌ„ of the persons For them that love him Not that we love God first and then God prepares these things for us but God prepares them and acquaints us what he meanes to doe with us and then we love him A christian knowes before what title he hath in Christ to Heaven and then he works he knowes Christ hath wrought salvation for him and then he workes out his salvation in a course tending to salvation in a course tending to salvation for there must be working in a course tending to the possession of salvation that CHRIST hath purchased wee must not worke and thinke by it to merit Heaven wee know wee have Heaven and those great things in the Title of Christ and then wee fall on loving and working There is a cleane contrary order betweene us and those mercinaries they invert the order of God for for whom God hath prepared these things hee discovers them to the eye of faith and then faith works by love this I adde by the way Now he sets downe this description of those persons for whom these excellent things are prepared by this affection of love by this grace of love as being the fittest for that purpose to describe a Christian. Faith is not so fit because it is not so discernable we may know our love when wee cannot know our Faith Oft times those that are excellent Christians they doubt whether they beleive or no but aske them whether they love God and his truth and children or no oh yes they doe Now God intending to comfort us sets out such an affection as a Christian may best discerne for of all affections we can discerne best of our love But to come to the affection it selfe there are 3. things in love There is the Affection Passion Grace of love wee speake of the grace here The affection is naturall The passion is the excesse of the naturall affection when it over flowes its bound Grace is the rectifying of the naturall affection and the elevating and raysing it up to a higher object then nature can pitch on The Spirit of God turnes nature into grace and workes corruption and
his goodnesse and the streaming of it our to the Creature The whole Earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. What are all the Creatures but Gods goodnesse Wee can see nothing but the goodnesse of God what is all the Creatures but Deus explicatus God unfolded to our senses he offers himselfe to our bodies and soules all is Gods goodnesse And then see this goodnesse fitted to us it is a fit goodnesse that comes from God he is good and doth good and so fitly he proportions his goodnesse for hee hath fitted every part of us soule and body with goodnesse all the senses with goodnesse what doe we see but goodnesse in colours What doe we heare but his good in those delights that come that way We tast and feele his goodnesse against the cold we have cloathing in hunger wee have food in all necessities in all exigences wee have fit considerations of God for all necessities whatsoever outward But then for our soules what food hath he for that the death of CHRIST his owne sonne to feed our soules The soule is a spirituall substance and hee thought nothing good enough to feed it but his own sonne wee feed on Gods love in giving CHRIST to death and on CHRISTS love in giving himselfe to death The soule being continually troubled with the guilt of some sinne or other it feeds on this it is nourished with CHRIST every day more and more especially at the Sacrament Thus we see how GOD hath fitted his goodnesse to us And then in particular dangers how hee fits us with severall deliverances so seasonably as we may see Gods love in it Then as GODS goodnesse is great and fit so it is neare us it is not a goodnesse a farre off but GOD followes us with his goodnesse in whatsoever condition wee bee hee applies himselfe to us and hee hath taken upon him neare relations that hee might bee neare us in goodnesse hee is a Father and every where to maintaine us Hee is a Husband and every where to helpe hee is a friend and every where to comfort and counsell so his love it is a neare love therefore hee hath taken upon him the nearest relations that we may never want God and the testimonies of his love And then againe this goodnesse of God which is the object of love it is a free goodnesse meerely from himselfe and an overflowing goodnesse and an everlasting goodnesse it is never drawn drie hee loves us unto life everlasting he loves us in this World and followes us with signes of his love in all the parts of us in body and soule till hee hath brought body and soule to Heaven to enjoy himselfe for ever there These and such like considerations may serve to stirre us up to love God and direct us how to love God Benefits will worke upon a beast as it is Isaiah â— Heare oh Heavens and hearken oh earth the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Cribbe but my people have forgotten mee Proud men become baâ—er and more brute then the very brutes benefits will moove the very brute Creatures So I say these favours to us in particuler should moove us except wee will bee more brute then the brutes themselves Especially to moove us all consider some particularities of favours to us more then to others for specialties doe much increase love and respect Consider how God hath followed thee with goodnesse outwardly when others have beene neglected Thou hast a place in the World and Riches and Friends when many other excellent persons want all these There are some common favours to all Christians as the favour wee have in CHRIST forgivenesse of sins Sanctification and such other favours But there bee some specialties of Devine providence whereby it appeares that GODS providence hath watched over us in some particulars more then others those bee speciall ingagements And is there any of us that cannot say that GOD hath dealt specially in giveing them some mercie more then to others I adde this therefore to the rest Againe to helpâ— us to stirre up this grace of love consider those examples of loveing of those that have then lived in former times take David and Paul and other holy men David wonders at his owne love Lord how doe I love thy Law And have wee not more cause comparing the grounds of our affection when wee have more then they in those times What did hee wonder at his love of GODS Law when the Canon was so short they had onely Moses and some few Bookes and wee have the Canon inlarged wee have both the old and new Testament shall not wee say much more how doe I love thy Law thy Gospell and Divine truthes This should shame us when they in darke times so loved the truth of GOD and wee see all cleare and open and yet are cold Likewise it is good in this case to converse with those that are affectionate as face answereth face so spirit answers spirit as Iron sharpneth Iron so one sharpens another Conversation with cold ones will make one cold For the abundance of iniquitie the love of many shall wax cold Conversing with sinfull cold people casts a dampe upon us but let us labour if we will bee wise for our soules when wee finde any coldnesse of affection to converse with those that have sweete and heavenly affections it will mervaylously worke upon our hearts I might say much this way to stirre us up and direct us how to love God But indeed nothing will so much inable us to love God as a new nature nature will love without provocation the fire will burne because it is fire and the water will moysten because it is water and a holy man will love holy things because hee is holy a spirituall soule will love spirituall things because hee is spirituall therefore besides all adde this that our natures bee changed more and more that they be sanctified and circumcised as God hath promised I will circumcise your hearts that yee may love me There must bee a circumcised heart to love God wee must bee sanctified to love God for if nature bee not renewed there cannot bee this new Commandement of love Why is love called a new Commandement and an old Commandement It is called old for the Letter because it was a command in Moses time thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soule But now it is a new Commandement because there is abundance of spirit given by CHRIST and the spirit sanctifies us and writes this affection in our hearts It was written in stone before but now it is written in our hearts by the spirit And now there are new incentives and motives to love since CHRIST came and gave himselfe for us new incouragments and provocations to love therefore it is a new Commandement from new grounds and motions that are more a great deale then before Christ. But there must be a new heart to obey this new command of love
A GLANCE OF HEAVEN OR A PRETIOVS TASTE of a glorious Feast Wherein thou mayst taste and see those things which God hath prepared for them that love him The secrets of the Lord are with them that feare him c. Psal 23.14 By R. SIBS D. D. Master of Katherine Hall and preacher of Grays Inne London LONDON Printed by E. G. for Iohn Rothwell at the Sun in Pauls Church-yard 1638 To the Christian Reader Beloved IT 's growne a custome that every booke whose soever or of whatsoever subject must be presented to you in state with some prescript purposely Were it not that Custome is a Tyrant this labour might now be spared Such matter from such an Elder as here followes needs no epistle of recommendation The Reverend Auâ—hours is wel approved to be a man of God a Seer in Israel by those things which without controule have already passed the presse Might I have my with it should bee no more but a double portion of that Spirit of God which was in him The divine light which radiated into his breast displaies it selfe in many other of his labours but yet is no where more condens'd than in this following It 's truly sayd of Moses by faith hee saw him that was invisible Heb. 11. 27. And S. Paul prayes for the Ephesians that they might know the love of that which passeth knowledge Eph 3. 19. These things imply a contradiction yet in like phrase I feare not to say of this Father Brother he saw those things which eye hath not seen spake those things which eare hath not heard and uttered those things which have not entred into the heart of man to conceive This knot needs no cutting hee that rightly understands the text will easily looke through this mystery without the helpe of an Hyperbole His scope was to stirre us up to love God his motive to perswade is taken from the excellencie of those things which God hath prepared for them who love him That excellencie is expressed in a strange manner By intimating it cannot be expressed no nor so much as comprehended by any naturall abilitie of the body or minde yet it is expressed in the doctrine of the Godpell sufficiently So as herein as in a glasse we may behold the glory of God and in beholding bee changed from glory to glory What duty more necessary than to love God what motive more effectuall than the Gospell for what is the Gospell but a revelation of such things as naturall men could never invent Such things that is so pretious so useful so comfortable to us so divine admirable and transcendent in themselves Many of us are like the Angell of Ephesue Wee have lost our first love Rev. 2. 4. yea as our Saviour prophesied Matth. 24. 12. The love of many maxes cold One reason may bee because to see to wee reape so little fruit of our love Were it so that we had nothing in hand no present pay that we served God altogether upon trust without so much as an earnest yet there is something prepared Let us believe that and our hearts cannot but bee warmed wee shall then bee fervent in spirit serving the Lord. Be we perswaded of that God is not unrighteous to forget your worke and labour of love which you hâ—ve sheâ—ed to wards his name Heb. 6. 10. and then wee may triumphantly insult with Paul Who shall separate us from the love of Christ Rom. 8. 38. There is this difference between natural sight and spirituall The one requires some nearnesse of the object the other perceives things at greatest distance As Faith makes future things present so it makes remote things near things prepared to affect as if they were enjoyed But what hath God prepared If I could answer this it might not onely â—atisfie but inâ—briate Such as eye hath not seene c. It seemes to bee a proverbial forme of speech whereby the rich plenty of the divine blessings and benefits which God intendeth to us in and by Christ according to the Gospel is shadowed forth The words are to see to as a riddle but here is one of a thousand an Interpreter at hand to unfold them I could say much to invite you but that the matter it selfe is as a Loadstone My testimony will adde little weight yet having some care committed to me by Mr. P. N. whom this businesse chiefly concerned I could doe no lesse then let you understand here is one rich piece of Spirituall Workmanship wrought by a Master-builder very usefull for the building up and beautifying of Gods Temples The blessing of God Almightie bee with it and upon the whole Israel of God So prayes L. SEAMAN A Table of the Contents of this Booke THe Coherence pag. 1 The best Ministers will not shun to bee tryed by the best judgements p. 3. The scope of the words and explication p. 5. The mystery of the Gospell hid from naturall men p. 6 The excellency of the Gospell declared by way of negation 7. What is meant by those things that eye hath not seene p. 11. Doct. God hath a company of beloved Children in the world that he meanes a speciall good unto p. 12. Doct. That God hath prepared great matters for them idem obj If these excellent things in the Gospell bee secret how come we to know them p. 14. Three degrees of revelation p. 18. The Gospell is hid without the Spirit discover the mind of God p. 21. Vse of instruction to shew there is no principle at all of the Gospell in nature 23 Why so many heresies have sprung out of the Gospell 24 2 Vse In Divine truths above nature wee are not too much to trust to Beason p. 26. 3 Vse How to study and read Divine truthes p. 28. Ths course that God takes to shew his children these mysteries p. 32 Supernaturall â—objects require Supernatur all senses p. 34 Knowledge joyned with feeling p. 37. Of spirituall sight p. 40 Nature cannot shew divine mysteries p. 41 Vse value things as they are in another world p. 42 It is the best wisdome to be wise to salvation p. 47 A ground of the Martyrs patience p. 50 A godly man suffers those things in his senses for those things that are above his senses p. 51 What Popery is 52 Merit hath no proportion with Glory 53 We cannot be too exact in holy duties 54 Wisedome of God hid from wise men 65 Wicked men talke of repentance but do not repent p. 61. A holy man feels sin heavy p 62. Carnall men have the light pag. 63. They know them but by a common light p. 64. What true riches and beauty is p. 69. Gods people have a tast of heaven before they come there p. 71. What peace in heaven is p. 72. How to come to know the things of heaven reason from the lesse to the greater p. 74. Ioyes of heaven are pure p. 76. Heaven on earth p. 77 Reasons why God hath prepared such great things
and glory the heavenly riches the heavenly inheritance the heavenly sonship when all these things vanish and come to nothing then comes in the true Kingdome Sonship and Inheritance Againe 2. wee know them in this world by way of taste for the things of the life to come there are few of them but Gods children have some experimentall taste of them in this world God reserves not all for the life to come but he gives a grape of Canaan in this wildernesse Thirdly by arguing from the lesse to the greater If peace of conscience bee so sweet here what is eternall peace If a litle joy here bee so pleasant and comfortable that it makes us forget our selves what will bee that eternall joy there If the delights of a kingdome bee such that they fill mens hearts so full of contentment that oft-times they know not themselves what shall we think of that excellent kingdom So by way of taste and rellish we may rise from these pettie things to those excellent things which indeed are scarce a beame scarce a drop of those excellencies If Peter and Iohn when they were in the mountain were not their owne men when they saw but a glimpse but a little glorie of Christ manifested in the mount what shal we think when there is the fulnesse of that glorious revelation at the right hand of God where there is fulnesse of pleasures for ever How shall our soules be filled at that time Thus by way of rising from the lesser to the greater by tasting feeling and by divine revelation wee may know in some measure the excellencie of those things prepared for us Now to cleare this thing more fully know that there are three degrees of revelation First there must bee a revelation of the things themselves by word and writing or speech and the like as we know not the minde of a man but either by speech or writing so there must bee a revelation of these things or else the wit of Angels could never have devised how to reconcile Justice and Mercie by infinite wisedome by sending a Mediator to procure peace God-man to worke our salvation Therefore wee could not know them without a revelation and discoverie outward this is the first degree that wee may call Revelation by scripture or by the doctrine of the Gospel Who could discover those things that are meerly supernaturall but God himselfe Then againe 2. when they are revealed by the word of God and by men that have a function to unfold the unsearchable riches of Christ by the ministerie of the Gospell yet notwithstanding they are hidden riddles still to a company of carnall men Put case the vaile be taken off from the things themselves yet if the vaile bee over the soule the understanding will and affections there is no apprehension of them therefore there must bee a second revelation that is by the Spirit of God Ofnecessitie this must bee for even as the Apostle sayth in this Chapter None knoweth the minde of Man but the spirit that is in Man so none knoweth the mind of God but the Spirit of God What is the Gospel without the Spirit of Christ to discover the minde of God to us We know not the good meaning of God to us in particular wee know in generall that such things are revealed in scripture but what is that to us if Christ bee not our Saviour and God our Father unlesse we can say as S. Paul sayth He loved me and gave himselfe for mee Therefore you see a necessitie of revelation by the Spirit But this is not all that is here meant there is 3ly a higher discovery and that is in heaven that that is revealed here is but in part and thereupon if wee believe wee believe but in part and wee love but in part If our knowledge which is the ground of all other graces and affections be imperfect all that followes must needs bee imperfect also Therefore St. Iohn sayth We know that wee are the Sonnes of God but it appeares not what we shall bee What we shall be in heaven it doth not appeare now there must bee a further revelation and that will bee hereafter when our soules shall bee united together with our bodies and then indeed our eyes shall see our ears heare and hearts shall conceive those things that while wee are here in the wombe of the Church wee neither can see nor heare nor understand more than the childe in the wombe of the mother can conceive the excellencies in this civill life Thus we see these truths a little more unfolded I will now adde somewhat to make use of what hath been spoken First of all therefore for matter of instruction if it be so that the things of the Gospell bee such as that without a revelation from God they could not bee knowen then we see that there is no principle at all of the Gospel in nature There is not a sparke of light or any inclination to the Gospell but it is meerly above nature for hee removes here all naturall wayes of knowing the Gospell eye eare understanding therfore the knowledge of it is meerly supernaturall For if God had not revealed it who could ever have devised it And when hee revealed it to discover it by his Spirit it is supernatural but in heaven much more which is the third degree I spake of Therfore by the way you may know the reason why so many heresies have sprung out of the Gospel more than out of he Law the misunderstāding of it There are few or no heresies from that because the principles of the Law are writtē in the heart men naturally know that whoredome and adulterie and filthy living c. are sins men have not so quenched nature but that they know that those things are naught therefore there have been excellent Law-makers amōg the heathens But the Gospel is a meere mystery discoured out of the breast of God without all principles of nature there are thousands of errors that are not to be reckoned about the nature the person the benefits of Christ about justification and sanctification and free will and grace and such things what a world of heresies have proud wits continually started up This would never have beene but that the Gospell is a thing above nature Therefore when a proud wit and supernaturall knowledge revealed meete together the proude heart stormes and loves to struggle and deviseth this thing and that thing to commend it selfe and hereupon comes heresies the mingling of naturall wit with divine truthes If men had had passive wits to submit to divine truthes and to worke nothing out of themselves as the spider out of her own bowells there had not beene such heresies in the Church but their hearts meeting with supernaturall truthes their proud hearts mingling with it they have devised these errours that I note in the first place Then againe if the things that wee
exquisite in this but what profite have they by it The poore soule that heares these things by the helpe of the Spirit hee can say these are mine as the man for whom the ground is measured As it is with those that come to a Feast the Physitian comes and sayes this is wholsome and good and this is good for this and that but eates nothing others that know not these things they eare the meate and are nourished in the meane time so when such men discourse of this and that a poore man that hath the Spirit he relisheth these things as his owne the other goes away onely discourseth as a Philosopher of the meate and eates nothing And therfore when you read heare these things content not your selves with the first degree of revelation no that is not enough when you have done that desire of God to joyne his Spirit to give you spirituall eyes and hearts that you may close with Divine truths and be divine as the truths are that there may bee a consent of the heart with the truth then the word of God will be sweet indeed Againe here we see this divine truth That a man when he hath the Spirit of God knowes things otherwise than hee did know them before though he did not know them by outward revelation of hearing and reading c. And hee believes them otherwise than he did before he sees them by a new light It is not the same knowledge that an unregenerate man hath with that he hath after when God workes upon his heart for then it is a divine supernatural knowledge And it is not the same faith and beliefe the Spirit of God raiseth a man up in a degree of creatures above other men as other men are above beasts hee gives new eyes new ears a new heart he moulds him anew every way Therefore you have good men somtimes wonder at themselves when God hath touched their hearts that they have had such shallow conceits of this and that truth before Now they see that they were in the darke that they were in a dampe before that they conceived things to be so and so and thought themselves some body but when God opens their eyes and takes away the skales and lets them see things in their proper light heavenly things by a heavenly light and with a heavenly eye they wonder at their former foolishnesse in divinity especially so farre as concernes the Gospell for there is more in the Scripture then pure supernaturall divinity there are many other arts in the Scripture The Gospell I say is a knowledge not of naturall men or great wits but of holy sanctified men Therefore we must not think that these things may be known by nature c. It is a sacred knowledge so much as will bring us to heaven it is a knowledge of holy men that have their hearts brought to love and tast and relish that they know Therefore it is no wonder though a company of men of great partes live naughtily they are no true divines because they have no true knowledge The divell is no divine nor a wicked man properly though hee can discourse of such things yet he is not properly a divine because he knowes not things by a divine light or heavenly things by a heavenly light The knowledge of the Gospell it is a knowledge of sanctified holy men but to come neerer to our practise If eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive those things that God hath prepared for his Then let us make this the rule of our esteeme of any thing that is good or any thing that is ill make it a rule of valuation The Apostle here you see hath a ranke of things above the sight of the eye or the hearing of the eare or the conceiving of the heart of man if there be such a ranke of things above this then the greatest ills are those that eye hath not seene nor eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man and indeed they are so Wee grieve at the Ague and at the Stone and the Goute they are grievous things indeed oh but what bee these things that wee feele and see to those in another world that wee cannot apprehend for the greatnesse of them The torments of hell wee cannot conceive and understand them here for it is indeed to bee in hell it selfe to conceive what hell is and therfore when God enlargeth mens spirits to see them they make away themselves And so for the greatest good these goods here this outward glory we can see through it Christ could see through all the glory in the world that the Divell shewed him And these are things that wee can heare of and here the utmost that can be spoken of them therefore surely they are not the greatest good there are more excellent things than they because the eye sees them the eare heares of them and the understanding can conceive of them but there be things that the eye hath not seene nor eare heard not the soule conceived and those bee the joyes of heaven And thereupon to descend to practise if this bee a rule to value things that the best things are transcendent beyond sence and comprehension then shall I for those things that I can see can heare and feele and understand shall I lose those excellent good things thaâ— neither eye hath seen nor eare heard c. Is not this desperate folly to venture the losse of the best things of the most transcendent things that are above the capacitie of the greatest reaches of the world shall I lose all for pettie poore things that are within my owne reach and compasse How foolish therefore are those that are given to pleasures they feele the pleasure indeed but the sting comes after They delight in those ill things that they can heare and heare al that can be spoken of them and never thinke of the excellent things that eye hath not seen nor eare heard c. Let this make us in love with divine truthes in the Scripture with the Gospel that part of the Scripture that promiseth salvation by Christ and all the graces and priviledges of Christianity they are above our reach Wee study other things we can reach them we can reach the mysteries of the Law by long study and the mysteries of physicke and to the mysteries of trades by understanding when men have done all they may be fooles in the maine Solomons fooles they may do al these things and be wise for particular things by particular reaches of that which eie hath seen and eare heard c. and then for the best things that are above the capacitie of men they may die empty of all and goe to the place oâ— the damned To bee wise to Salvation is the best wisdome What a pittifull case is this that God should give us our understandings
discovery of heavenly things First in the doctrine of them and so they are hid to them that are out of the Church And then secondly in the spirituall meaning of them and so they are hid to carnall men in the Church And then thirdly in regard of the full comprehension of them as they are indeed and so they are reserved for heaven wee have but a little glimpse of them a little light into them in this world Now in this place is meant the things that are discovered in the Gospell especially as they are apprehended by the Spirit together with the consummation of them in heaven For they differ onely in degree the discovery of the heavenly things in the Gospell here the priviledges and graces and comforts of Gods children and the consummation of them in heaven And wee may reason from the lesser to the greater if so be that a naturall man though hee have naturall eyes and eares and wits about him cannot conceive the hidden mysteries of the Gospell spiritually with application much more unable is he and much lesse can hee conceive those things of a better life Now the things of the Gospell the priviledges the graces and comforts which Christ the spring and head of them all in whom all are and whence we have all cannot be comprehended by a naturall man he can discourse of them as far as his natural wit conceives them but not understand heavenly things in their owne light as heavenly things as the things of the Gospell They can talke of repentance that wee commonly speake of which is a mystery but notwithstanding who knowes repentance by the light proper to it but he that by the spirit of God hath sinne discovered to him in its owne colours Hâ— knowes what it is to grieve for sin The sicke man knowes what it is to bee sicke the Phisitian knows it by definition by books and so he can inlarge it but if he be not sicke the sicke patient will speake to better purpose So there is a mysteryin the common things of the Gospell repentance and griefe for sinne A holy man feels it another matter because he feeles sinne discovered by the Spirit of God and so in faith in the love of God and every grace of the Gospell is a mystery If one come to the schoolemen they will tell you of faith and dispute learnedly of it and deduce this from that but when he comes to be in extremitie when the terrours of the Lord are upon him when he comes to use it he is a meere stranger to it to cast himselfe being a sinfull creature into the armes of Gods mercy hee cannot doe it without a further light of the Spirit discovering the hidden love of GOD to him in particular and so for other graces Therefore they do but speake of these things men that are unsanctified as a blind man doth of colours they inwardly scorne the truth they speake of and those to whom they speake if by the power of Gods Spirit they come to profit by the things they teach if themselves be carnall they hate them A carnall man believes not a whit of what hee sayth hee hath onely a common light for the good of others a common illumination to understand and discover things and a doctrinall gift to unfold things for other and not for themselves for themselves they scorne them in their hearts and in their lives conversations and they will speake as much when it comes to selfe-deniall in preferment in pleasures in anything that is gainfull tush tell him what hee hath taught or what hee knowes out of the booke of God he cares not hee knowes them onely by a common light but for a particular heavenly light with application and taste to himself springing from an alteration by the Spirit hee never knowes them so Therefore content not thy selfe with a common light for together with our understanding God alters the taste of the whole soule he gives a new eye a new eare to see and heare to purpose and a new heart to conceive things in another manner than he did before But you will aske How can a godly man know them at all seeing eye hath not seen nor eare heard c. I answer First the things of another life as wee see here are knowne by negation as God is by way of removing imperfections The naturall eye sees them not nor the naturall eare heares them not c. no nor the spirituall eye nor eare in a full measure so things transcendent that are above the reach of man are described in the Scriptures by the way of denial which is one good way of knowledge That yee may know the love of God that is above knowledge sayth the Apostle Ephes. 3. that yee may know it more and more but it is above all knowledge in regard of the perfection of it As a man may see the sea but hee cannot comprehend the sea hee may be much delighted in seeing the sea but hee sees neither the bottome nor the bankes he cannot comprehend such a vaste body he may see the heavens but hee cannot comprehend them So a man may know the things when they are revealed but hee cannot comprehend them apprehension is one thing and comprehension is another there may be apprehension in a poore degree sutable to the capacitie of the soule here but alas it is farre from the comprehension that we shall have in heaven That is one way of knowing them by way of negation and deniall of imperfections to them And then secondly they are knowne as wee call it by way of eminence that is by comparing them with other things and preferring them before all other excellencies whatsoever as wee may see the sunne in water by resemblance for God borrowes from nature termes to set out grace and glory because God will speake in our language for they are called a Kingdome and a feast and a crowne by way of comparison Shallow men thinke there is a great deale in a kingdome and indeed so there is if there were no other There is great matters in a crowne in the feasts of kings and the like but alas these be shaddowes and there is no Rhetoricke or Amplification in this to say they be shaddowes a shaddow is as much in proportion to the body as these are to eternall good things the true reality of things are in the things of another world for eternity If wee talke of a Kingdome let us talke of that in heaven If of a crowne of that wherewith the Saints are crowned in heaven If we talke of riches they are those that make a man eternally rich that hee shall carrie with him when he goes out of the world what riches are those that a man shall out live and die a begger and not have a drop to comfort him as we see Dives in hell had not here are riches indeed So if
When thou findest the love of God in thy heart that thy heart is taught by his Spirit to love him then surely thou mayst say Oh blessed be God that hath kindled this holy fire in my heart Now I know that neither eye hath seene nor eare heard nor hath entâ—ed into the heart of man those excellent things that are layd up for me The end of the second Sermon HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL The third Sermon 1. COR. 2. 9. Eye hath not seene c. SAINT Paul as we heard before gives a reason in these words why the princes of this world not onely the great men that oft-times are not the greatest Clerkes but the learned men of the world Princes for knowledge why they were ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospell Now the fourth is the disposition of those for whom he doth all this the qualitie hee infuseth into them they are such as love him 1. He hath prepared them before all eternitie he prepared happinesse for us before we were nay before the world was As hee prepared for Adam a Paradise before he was hee created him and then brought him into Paradise so hee prepared for us a kingdome with himsâ—lfe in heaven a blessed estate before wee were i. e. in election before the heavens were And then in creation hee prepapared the blessed place of the happy soules of happy persons hereafter where he himselfe is he prepared it for himselfe and for all those that he meanes to set his love upon from the beginning to the end And then secondly hee prepared them more effectually in time he prepared these things when Christ came in the flesh and wrought all things for us in whom we have all Of these things thus prepared he sayth Eye hath not seene nor eare heard them c. In what sence it is meant wee heard before Now take the whole of the matter the meaning is the matters of grace the kingdome of grace and the Kingdome of Glory they are but one For to adde this by the way the kingdome of heaven in the Gospell includes three thing First the doctrine of the Gospell the publishing of it And then secondly grace by that doctrine And thirdly glory upon grace the consummation of all So the mysteries of salvation is first the doctrine it selfe that is the first degree of the kingdome The doctrine it selfe is a mysterie to all those that never heard of it for what creature could ever conceive how to reconcile Iustiee and Mercie by devising such a way as for God to become Man to reconcile God and man together that Emmanuel hee that is God with us should make God and us one in love this could bee no more thought of than Adam could thinke of himselfe to bee made a man when hee was dust of the earth Could man when he was worse then dust in a lost damned estate think of redemption It is impossible for a man that cannot tell the forme and the quintessence that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers or the grasse that hee tramples on with his feet that hee should have the wit to enter into the deepe things of God that have been concealed even from the Angels themselves till God discover them I adde this to illustrate what I sayd before therefore the doctrine it selfe till God discover it out of his owne breast was concealed to the Angels themselves and since the discovery they are students in it and looke and pry into it But where the doctrine is no mysterie but is discovered there the application and spirituall understanding to those that have not the light of the Spirit is such a thing as eye hath not seene nor eare heard and therfore we must have a new light a new eye a new eare and a new heart before wee can apprehend the Gospell though we understand it for the literall truth As for the things of glory wee have no conceit of them fully but by a glimpse and weak apprehension as a childe conceives of the things of a man by some poore weake resemblances As St. Paul sayth When I was a childe I spake as a childe I thought as a childe so when we are now children in comparison of that perfect estate wee shall attaine in heaven we think and speake as children of these holy and heavenly things that shall be accomplished in another world And observe this too that when wee would understand any thing of heaven and see any thing say This is not that happinesse I look for I can see this but that is not to be seene And when we heare of any thing that is excellent I can heare this it is not my happinesse and when we comprehend any thing I can comprehend this therefore it is not the happinesse I looke for but those things that are above my comprehension that are unutterable and unexpressible Moreover Let us bee stirred up to thinke it a base thing for a Christian to lose the comfort and assurance hee hath of these thing that eye hath not seene nor eare heard for any earthly thing whatsoever Wee account it a poore thing of Esau to sell his Birth-right for a messe of pottage And we all smart for Adams ill bargaine that hee made to sell paradise for an Apple And it was a cursed sale that Iudas made that sold Christ himselfe for 30 pieces of silver surely it is that that every carnall man doth and howsoever wee cannot lose heaven yet it should be our indeavour to enjoy heaven upon earth to enjoy the assurance of this condition When we doe any thing to weaken our assurance and to weaken our comfort what do we but with Adam lose heaven for an Apple and with Esau part with our birth-right as much as the assurance and comfort of it is for a messe of pottage Therefore let us account it a base thing to bee overmuch in love with any earthly thing whereby we may weaken though wee could lose the comfort and assurance of this happy condition which is so transcendent All wicked men and indeed all men whether good or bad as farre as they fall into sinne are fooles the Scripture termes them so There is none wise indeed but the true Christian and that Christian that preserves the sence and feeling and assurance of his happy condition For those that love him The disposition of the parties is they are such as love God He sayth not such as are elected because that is a thing out of our reach to know but by going upward by going backward to goe from our grace to our calling from thence to election Nor such as believe because that is lesse discernable than love Nor the love of God to us for that is supposed when wee love him our hearts being cold they cannot be warme in love to him but his love must warme them first Love is such an affection as commands all other things therefore hee names that above all
the ground the first borne affection of the soule Therefore Christ sayth it is the great commandement to love God it is the great commanding commandement that commands all other duties whatsoever it is the first wheele that turnes the whole soule about Againe it is such an affection as cannot bee dissembled a man may paint fire but hee cannot paint heat a man may dissemble actions in religion but he cannot affections love is the very best affection of truth a man may counterterfeit actions but there is none that can love but the childe of God God hath prepared these things for those that love him Then againe without this all that we doe is nothing and wee are nothing wee are nothing but an emptie Cymball whatsoever we doe is nothing all is emptie without love My sonne give me thy heart that is if thou wilt give mee any thing give mee thy affections or else they are still-borne actions that have no life in them If wee doe any thing to God and doe it not in love hee regards it not that is the reason why hee mentions love in stead of all It is so sweet an affection and so easie what is more easie than to love It is comfortable to us to consider that God hath made this a qualification of those that hee brings to heaven they are such as love him But why doth he set down any qualification at all and not say for Christians Because profession must have expression when God sets down a professor of religion hee sets him downe by some character that shall discover him to be as hee is termed How doest thoâ— know thou art good Doest thou love God or call upon God as it is in other places To all those that call upon his name To let us know that religion and holinesse is a matter of power Wouldst thou know what thou art in religion Doest thou love God or call upon God It is not to be tolerated to be Christians to professe as Demas oh no but they must bee such as from the heart root are good such as love God Therefore darke disputes of election predestination at the first especially let them go how standest thou affected to God and to good things look to thy heart whether God have taught it to love or no and to relish heavenly things if he hath thy state is good and then thou mayest ascend to those great matters of predestination and election but begin not with those but goe first to thine owne heart and then to those deep mysteries afterward If a man love God hee may looke back to election and forward to glorification to the things that eye hath not seene nor eare heard c. But see first what God hath wrought in thy heart what affection to heavenly things thence from thy affections to goe backward to election and forward to glorification there is no danger in it To come therfore to expresse more particularly this affection of love which is the disposition that God requires and workes in all those that hee intends heaven to Let us search into the nature of this love to God What it is to love we need not bee taught for all men know it well enough it is better knowne indeed by the affection than by discourse what it is to love is knowne by those that love better than by any books or treatises whatsoever for it is the affection that is in all men Naturall love it is in those that have no grace at all and civill love in those that are evill men They know what it is to love by reason of that wilde fire that carnall love that is in them that transports them A man may see the nature of it in those as well as in any for set aside the extravagant nature of it in such kinde of persons we may see the nature of it therefore I wil not meddle with that poynt it is needlesse I come therefore to this love of God to shew how this streame of affection shold be caried in the right chanel to God the right object of it who onely can make us happy by loving of him Other things by loving of them they make us worse if they bee worse than our selves for such as we love such we are Indeed our understandings make us not good or ill but our love doth By loving God heavenly things wee become good our affections shew what we are in religion There bee foure things in this sweet affection in true naturall love There is an estimation valuing of some good thing especially when the love is to a better when it is not between equals Now there is a great distance betweene God and us There is a high esteeme in common love love will not stoope to nothing there cannot be love maintained but upon sight of a supposed excellencie love will not stoope but where it sees somewhat worth the valuing therefore there is a high esteeme of somewhat as the spring of it And that is the reason that wee say a man cannot bee wise and love in earthly things because love will make a man too much to value those things that hee that apprehends better would not In the second place there is a desire to be joyned to it that we cal the desire of union In the third place upon union and joyning to it there is a resting a complacencie and contentment in the thing to which wee are united for what is happinesse it selfe but fully to enjoy what we love when we love upon judgement and a right esteeme to enjoy that is happinesse and contentment indeed In the fourth place where this true affection is there is a desire of contentment to the party loved to please him to approve our selves to him to displease him in nothing Every one knowes that these things are in that affection by nature Look to carnal self-love a man may know what it is to love the affection is all one in both Take a man when hee makes himselfe his Idoll as till a man love God hee loves himselfe above all hee is the Idoll and the Idolater hee hath a high esteeme of himselfe and those that doe not highly esteeme him hee swels against them Againe selfe-love makes a man desire to enjoy himselfe and to enjoy his content to procure all things that may serve for his contentment Now when the Spirit of God hath purged our hearts of this carnall Idolatry of selfe-love and selfe-seeking and sufficiencie contentment in himselfe then a man puts God in stead of himselfe grace and the Spirit doth so and in stead of highly esteeming of himselfe hee esteemes highly of GOD and of CHRIST and religion then in stead of placing a sufficiencie in himselfe and the things of this life and resting in them there is a placing of sufficiencie in GOD All-sufficient And in stead of seeking his owne will and content in all things Mens mihi pro regno My minde
our selves with the assurance of Gods favour and love in Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith we have peace with God and rejoyce in God as it is Rom. 5. wee rejoyce in God as ours Therfore those that goe to outward contentments that run out to them as if there were not enough in God and divine things to content their soules but they must be beholding to the divell aâ—d to the flesh for contentments this is not to rest in God Hee is over-covetous whom God cannot content If we be in covenant with him hee is able to fill our soule and all the corners of it hee is able to satisfie all the delights and desires of it hee is a gracious father in Christ. Whither should wee goe from him for contentment why should wee goe out of religion to content our selves in â—vain recreations pleasures of sinne for a season when wee have abundance in God And where there is contentment there will be trusting in him and relying upon him A man will not rely upon riches or friends or any thing for where we place our contentment we place our trust So farre as we love God so farre wee repose affiance and trust in him he will be our rock castle strength Wouldest thou know whether thou restest in him or no In the time of danger whither doth thy soule run to thy purse if thou bee a rich man or to thy friends if thou bee a worldly minded man Every man hath his Castle to flye to But the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower hee that is a childe of God flieth thither for refuge and there hee covereth himselfe and is safe He enters into those chambers of divine providence and goodnesse and there he rests in all troubles Therefore aske thy affections whither thou wouldest runne if there should come a confusion of all things when men are apt to say Oh! what will become of us and they think of this and that A good Christian hath God to rest in he hath God reconciled in Christ and in his love he plants himselfe in life and death He makes God his habitation and his Castle as it is Psalm 18. I love the Lord dearly my Rock and my Fortresse And Moses in Psalm 90. for his Psalme it is Thou hast been our habitation from everlasting to everlasting Wee dwell in thee though in the world we are tossed up and downe and live and die yet wee alway dwell with thee So a Christian hath his contentment and his habitation in God he is his house he dwells in his rocke his resting place his centre in which he rests Come unto mee and yee shall finde rest to your soules When a man is beat out of all contentments he may know by this whether he love God or no As David when hee was beat out of all and they were ready to stone him but hee trusted in the Lord his God So in losses and crosses hast thou contentment in God thou wilt fetch what thou losest out of the love of God and what thou art crossed in thou wilt fetch out of Gods love thou wilt say this and that is taken from mee but God is mine I can fetch more good by faith from him than I can lose in the world A soule that is acquainted with God when hee loseth any thing in the world he can fetch it out of the â—cuntain and spring He is taught to love God he is skilfull this way to pitch his hope and affiance in God where he hath enough for all crosses Let us labour to bring our souls more and more to this and then wee shal know what it is to love God by this placing of our contentment in him Take all from me sayth holy Aâ—stin so thou leave mee thy selfe So a Christian can say take all from mee so I have God Indeed where shall a man have comfort in many passages of his life if he finde it not in religion What will become of a man in this uncertaine world if hee have not somewhat where hee may place his content Oh! he will finde before hee die that hee is a wretched man hee knowes not where to finde rest and contentment before he die hee will bee beat out of all his holds here either by sicknesse or one thing or other The fourth and last is where the true affection of love to God is it stirs up the soule to give all contentment to God to doe all things that may please him This is the nature of love it stirs up to please the partie loved Isaacks sons saw that their father loved Venison therfore they provided venison for him Those that know what God loves will provide what they can that that God may delight in He loves a humble and a believing heart Thou hast wounded me with one of thine eyes The eye of faith when the soule can trust in the word humbly go out of it self his delight is in a broken yeelding heart that hardnes not it selfe against his instructions but yeelds A broken heart that lies low heares all that God saith Oh it is a sacrifice that God is much delighted in a humble spirit is such a spirit as God dwels in He that dwels in the highest heavens dwels in a humble spirit Doth God delight in a meeke broken humble spirit Oh then it will be the desire of a Christian to have such a spirit as God may delight in A meeke soule is much esteemed the hidden man of the heart is much prized search in Gods word what hee delights in and let us labour to bring our selves to such a condition as God may delight in us and we in him then it is a signe wee love him when wee labour to procure all things that may give him content You know that love where it is it stirres up the affections of the partie to remove all things that are distastfull to the partie it loves Therefore it is a neat affection for it will make those neat that otherwise are not so because it will not offend much more this divine heavenly affection when it is set on a right object upon God it is a neat cleanly affection it will purge the soule it will worke upon the soule a desire to bee cleane as much as can bee because God is a pure holy God and it will have no fellowship with the workes of darknesse Therfore as much as humane frailtie will permit the soule that loves God it will studie puritie to keep it selfe unspotted of the world It will not willingly cherish any sinne that may offend the Spirit Those therefore that are carelesse of their wayes and carriage and affections that make nothing of polluting and defiling their affectictions and their wayes there is not the love of God in their hearts It stirres up shame to be offensive in the eyes of such a one especially if they be great there is both love and
respect meet together where it is a reverentiall love with respect there is a shame to bee in a base filthy displeasing coÌ„dition God hates pride and idolatry c. therefore a man that loves God will hate Idols and all false doctrine and worship that tends this way his heart will rise against them because hee knows God hates it and all that take that course he observes what is most offensive to God and hee will avoyd it and seeke what is pleasing to him God and Christ are wondrously pleased with faith Thou haâ—t wounded mee with one of thine eyes Faith and love from faith wounds the breast of Christ therefore let us labour for faith Oh woman great is thy faith It it is such a grace as bindes and overcomes God it honours him so much Let us therâ—fore labour for faith and in believing for all graces they are things that God loves therefore let us labour to be furnished with all things that he loves especially those graces that have some excellencie set upon them in the Scripture wee should most esteeme Isaac when he was to marry Rebecca he sends her jewels beforehand that having them shee might bee more lovely in his eye So Christ the husband of his Church that hee might take more delight and content in his Church hee sends her Iewels before hand that is hee enricheth his Church with the spirit of faith meeknes humilitie and love and all graces that he may delight and take content in his Spouse Those that have not somwhat that God may dâ—light in them they have not the spirit of love Those therfore that rebell in stead of giving God content that resist the Spirit and the motions of it in the ministery and in reprehension and the like those that live in sinnes directly against Gods command that are common swearers and filthy persons neglecters of holy things prophane godlesse persons doe they talke of the love of God and of heaven you may see the filthinesse of their hearts by the filthiness that issues from them God keepes not such excellencies for such persons the love of God and living in sinnes against conscience will not stand together A demonstration of love is exhibitio operis the exhibition of somewhat to pleasâ— God Shew me in thy course what thou doest to please God If thou live in courses that are condem red never talke of love It is a pittifull thing to see in the bosoâ—e of the Church under the glorious revelation of divine Truth that men should live apparantly and impudently in sins against conscience that glory in in theirshame It is a strange thing that they should glory in their prophanenesse and swaggering that they should glory in a kinde of Atheistical carriage as they have beene bred so they will bee still Many are marred in that they are either poysoned in their first breeding or neglected in it To see under the glorious Gospel of Christ that those that thinke they have soules eternall that they should live in impudeÌ„t base courses voyd of religion and humanitie onely to satisfie their owne luâ—ts in stead of satisfying and obeying GOD men that live in the bosome of the Church as beasts and yet hope to be saved as well as the best Oh! but the hope of the hypocrite the hope of such persons will deceive them Oh! let us labour therefore to have this affection of love planted in our hearts that God by his spiâ—it would teach us to love him and to love one another This affection of love must bee taught by God it is not a matter of the braine to teach that but a matter of the heart God only is the great Schoolmastâ—r and teacher of the heart he must not onely command us to love but teach our affections by his holy Spirit to enable our affections to love him Where love is in this regard likewise to give content there will bee love of all those whom the partie we approve our selves to loves Is there any of Ionathans posterity saith David that I may doe good to them for his sake The soule that loves God and Christ sayth Is there any good people any that carry the image of God and Christ it will bee sure to love them it will doe good to Ionathans posteritie Those that hate them that carry the image of God and Christ that their stomacke riseth against good men how do they love him that begets when they love not him that is begotten There cannot be the love of God in such a man undoubtedly if we love God wee shall love his children and any thing that hath Gods stamp upon it wee shall lovâ— his truth and his cause and religion and whatsoever is divine and toucheth upon God wee shall love it because it is his It is such an affection as sets the soule on worke to thinke wherein may I give content to such a person It is full of devices inventions to please therefore â—t thinkes can I give consent in loving such and such as Christ sayth he that respects these little ones it is to me it is accountable on my part I will see it answered If the love of Christ be in us wee will regard this because wee will thinke Christ will regard me for the good I doe for his sake and in his name to this and that partie Thus we see how we may try this sweet affâ—ction and not deceive our owne soules And therefore where there is a desire of giving content there will bee a zeale against all things to remove all things in our places and callings that may offend it will carry us through all difficulties to please him it will make us willing to suffer I will please him by suffering some indignitie for his cause I will doe it that I may ingage his affection to mee Therefore the Disciples gloried in this when they were thought worthy to suffer for Christs sake Where there is a desire to please God it is so farre from being ashamed or afraid to suffer that it joyes in this Oh! now there is occasion given to shew that God respects me more if I for his sake stand out in his quarrel and breake through all difficulties It will make us please him in all things that wee are capable in all things that we can doe any way in our standings as Christ describes it out of Moses to love God with all our minde with all our soule and with all our strength where love is it sets all on worke to please and give content It sets the minde on worke to studie wherein shall I please God and it will study Gods truth and not serve him by our owne inventions wee must serve and love GOD after his minde that is as hee hath commanded It will set the wits on work to understand how he will be served and to love him with all our soule with all our heart that is with all our heart that is with the marrow
the old heart will never love Therefore we must with all the meanes that may be used begge the spirit of sanctification especially beg the discovery of Gods love to us for our love is but a reflection of Gods love we cannot love God except he love us first now our love being a reflection of Gods love we must desire that he would give us his spirit to reveale his love that the spirit being a witnesse of Gods love to us may thereupon be a spirit of love and sanctification in us And let us labour to grow more in the assurance of Gods love and all the evidences of it let us dwell long in the meditation of these things the dwelling in the meditation of Gods love it will make us to love him againe as many beames in a burning glasse meeting together they cause a fire many thoughts of the many fruites of Gods love in this World and what hee intends us in the World to come our hearts dwelling on them these beames will kindle a holy fire in our hearts Many are troubled with cold affections and wish oh that they could love they forget the way how to love they will not meditate and if they doe meditate they thinke to worke love out of their owne hearts They may as well worke fire out of a Flint and water out of a stone our hearts are a barren Wildernesse Therefore let us begge the spirit that God would alter our hearts with meditation and all other helpes that God would sanctifie us and discover his love to us and that hee would give us his spirit for hee doth the one where he doth the other when God doth so then wee shall bee enabled to love him Wee must not thinke to bring love to God but we must fetch love from God wee must light our Candle at his fire thinke of his love to us and begge the spirit of love from him love is a fruit of the spirit That is the course wee ought to take for GOD will teach our hearts to love Now to stirre us up the more to adde some motives and incouragments to labour more to get this affection Let us consider seriously that without this love or God we are dead and whatsoever comes from us it is still-borne it is dead without love wee are nothing without love all that comes from us is nothing without love I am as a tinkling Cymball sayth Paul For a man to be nothing in Religion and all that comes from him to be dead and still-borne to bee abortive actions who would bee in such a cafe Therefore let us labour before we doe any thing that is good to have our hearts kindled with the love of God and then we shall be somebody and that that we doe will be acceptable for love sweetens all performances It is not the action but the love in the action as from God it is not the dead favour that comes from him that comforts the soule of a Christian so much as the love and sweetnesse of God in the favour that is better then the thing it selfe when we have favour from God in outward favours Consider the sweetnesse tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. The tast of the love and favour of God in the blessing is better then the thing is selfe for it is but a dead thing And so from us back againe to God what are the things wee performe to him they are dead but when they are sweetned with the affection of love done to him as a father in Christ he tasts our performances as sweet love makes all wee doe to have a relish and all that he doth to us therefore wee should labour for this sweet affection And with all consider that we may be called to doe many things in this World surely there are none of us but wee have many holy actions to performe wee have many things to suffer and indure in the World many temptations to resist what shall or will carry us through all Nothing but love if we have loving and gracious hearts this affection will carry us through all good actions through all oppositions and temptations for love is strong as death Considering therefore that there are so many things that will require this affection this blessed wing and winde of the soul to carry us along in spight of all that is contrary through all opposition let us labour for love and that affection will carry us through all Indeed if we have that it is no matter what a man suffers a man can never be miserable that hath this affection of love if this heavenly fire be kindled in him he cannot be miserable take him in what condition you will take him upon the wrack S. Paul in the dungen sung at midnight in the dungeon in the stocks at an uncomfortable time and place when he had been misused his heart was inlarged to sing to God out of love Nay every thing increaseth it the things we suffer increaseth this flame let a man love God whatsoever he suffers in a good cause it increaseth his love hee shall find his love increased with it the more hee loves the more he can suffer and the more he suffers the more he loves God and the more he increaseth in a joyfull expectation of the times to come and love is alway with joy hope and other sweet affections it drawes joy with it alwayes and hope of better things and as joy increaseth and hope increaseth so a mans happinesse increaseth in this World Therefore it is no matter what a man suffers that hath a gracious and loving heart enlarged by the Spirit of God let him never thinke of what he suffereth of paine of losses and crosses if God discover his fatherly breast and shine on him in Christ and he looke on God reconciled and tast of the joyes of Heaven before hand if you tell him of sufferings you tell him of that that incourageth him It is an argument I might be long in and to great purpose for if we get this holy fire kindled once we shall need little exhortation to other duties it would set us on worke to all and like the fire of the Sanctuary that never went out so it is such an affection that if it bee once kindled in the heart it will never out It is a kinde of miracle in ill when we love other things besides God baser then our selves it is as much as if a River should turne backward For man that is an excellent Creature to be carried with the streame of his affection to things worse then himselfe it is a kind of monster for a man to abuse his understanding so What a base thing is it for a man to suffer such a sweete streame as love a holy current to run into a sinke who would turne a sweete streame into a sinke and not rather into a garden into a sweet place to refresh that Our love is the best