The Souls Implantation into the Natural Olive, Part 4

The Souls Implantation into the Natural Olive · Part 4

p. 179SPIRITVALL LOVE AND IOY.

Gal. 5.22.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, ioy, goodnes, faith, &c.

THE ſure mercies of David, which faith beleeveth, love embraceth. And who ſo getteth this field and treaſure, muſt needs go away rejoycing in ſo good a bargain.

All this and all other graces and comforts worketh one and the ſame Spirit: directing the heart to God, uniting it unto Chriſt, and thereby comforting it abundantly. p. 180All is his fruit in us. At this time of louelove and joy.

The point of Doctrine is this.

Love and joy by the ſpirit wrought in a broken heart, for embracing mercy as it deſerves.Doct. The Spirit of the Father kindles in the ſoule of a ſinner, truly humbled and inlightned, love and joy, to entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of his mercy, ſo as beſeemes the worth of it. There are three paſſages conſiderable, that wee may know the meaning of this Doctrine.

1Firſt, this love and joy is no where to be found nor ſeene, but onelyonly in a heart humbled and inlightned: For unleſſe the heart be humbled, it ſeeth no need of this grace and mercy, and therefore deſpiſeth it, and is rather carried with a hatred againſt that grace and mercy that would purge him; and troubled with a kind of wearineſſe of the power of that grace that would reforme his life and converſation. And though hee were humbled, yet if he were not enlightned to ſee this mercy and goodneſſe of God, he cannot delight in it. I know there is wilde love and joy enough in the world, as there is wilde Thyme and other herbes, but wee would have garden-love and garden-joy, of Gods owne planting: for ſuch hypocriticall love and joy we will not meddle with here.

2Secondly, this love and joy is kindled by the Spirit of the Father; for the Father learnes us the lecture, and (as I told you before p. 181of the mind inlightned) kindles this holy fire, which is rightly compared to the fire of the Sanctuary, as in Lev. 9.24 There came a fire from before the Lord, and conſumed upon the Altar the burnt offering; even thoſe ſparkes of the pillar of fire which did typifie Chriſt to them. But whether this bee ſo or no, I will not now diſpute, for as the Lord provided the ſacrifice, ſo the Lord cauſed the fire to come downe from heaven: and hence it was that when Nadab and Abihu offered ſtrange fire, the Lord conſumed them, Lev. 10.1, 2. ſo it is in this holy fire of love and joy, wee may ſtrike and endevour, but our ſteele and our flint will not worke this indevour, nor ſtrike this fire of love and joy. It is Ieſus Chriſt from whence all ſpirituall ſparkes of grace doe come, and amongſt the reſt theſe of love and joy; all other love and joy, that is not wrought by the Spirit of the Father, muſt be caſheered and abandoned, it cannot reach to God, nor be pleaſing unto him: It is that which the Apoſtle inferres in the generall, Rom. 8.8. They that are in the fleſh, cannot pleaſe God; but it muſt be joy of the ſpirit, which muſt pleaſe him. Now though the ſoule truely humbled and broken, that heretofore hath felt the weight and burden of his ſinnes, and is now ſeparated from them, ſo that hee dares not meddle with them, hee p. 182dares as well take a Beare by the tooth, and fall quicke into hell, as take up thoſe courſes againe, yet hee hath not power of himſelfe to bee enlarged in any love to entertaine Chriſt, or ſpiritually to joy in him, further than the power of the Lord Ieſus in the promiſe ſhall inable him thereto. Suffer me to inlarge my ſelfe thus: The ſoule is like an empty veſſell, it ſtands not at the diſpoſe of ſinne, or it ſelfe, but it is at the Lords diſpoſition; if the Lord will kindle any love and joy, ſo it is, for of himſelfe hee cannot doe it. As it is with ſome Gentleman in the Countrey,Simile. he will be content to let the King have the uſe of his houſe for a while, but he is not able to provide neceſſaries for him, becauſe hee is a meane man, therefore the King ſends his proviſion before, and then comes himſelfe: Iuſt ſo it is here with a poore humble broken-hearted ſinner; the poore ſoule is marvellous well content that the Lord ſhould come and dwell in him, and diſpoſe of him, but hee is not able to give him any entertainment: he hath not any heat of holy affections, or love, or deſire, to welcome the Lord as becomes ſo great a Majeſtie: therefore the Lord is faine to infuſe love and joy, that by them he may bee welcommed into the ſoule of the humbled ſinner. Now when the ſoule is come to this degree of ſanctification, then it can worke p. 183by it ſelfe. Or thus:Simile. It is with a broken-hearted ſinner, as with a burning glaſſe; take ſuch a glaſſe, it will burne any thing by the heat of the Sunne, yet it hath no heat in it ſelfe, but receives it from the Sun-beames, by vertue whereof it burnes whatſoever is before it: Iuſt ſo it is with a broken-hearted ſinner. But all ſtubborne ſinners are like water, that will not burne at all. I will goe no further than the worke of preparation. It is neither ſinne nor ſelfe ſhall have power over mee, ſinne ſhall not, and ſelfe cannot rule me: therefore I will wait till the Sunne of righteouſneſſe will ſhine forth from heaven, from the beavtie of his ſanctuary; and having received the beames of Gods love and favour effectually upon my ſoule, and being warmed by the Sunne of righteouſneſſe, I ſhall be able to returne the heat of love to God againe. Thus the Spirit of the Father kindles love and joy in a heart humbled and inlightned.

3Thirdly, the Doctrine ſaith, that louelove and joy are kindled, that they may entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of Gods mercy, in the worth of it. This laſt clauſe is added to diſcover the diſtinct nature of this love and joy, from all the fained love and joy, that all carnall and hypocriticall wretches pretend to have to Ieſus Chriſt; there is a kind of loving and joying in the hearts of hypocrites, p. 184as afterward you ſhall heare: So ſayes Iudas, Haile Maſter; ſo the Phariſees and the people cut downe branches of the trees to welcome Chriſt, and crid, Hoſanna, Bleſſed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. And in Matth. 8.19. A certaine Scribe came, and ſaid unto him, Maſter, I will follow thee whitherſoever thou goeſt. And ſo the ſtony ground, Matth. 13.20. did heare the Word with joy; and ſo love and joy goe together: But it is not that kind of love which came downe from Heaven, nor that which will ever carrie your ſelves as beſeeming the merciemercy of God in Chriſt; for hee that ſaid, Haile Maſter, betrayed his Maſter with a kiſſe: and Chriſt might have ſaid, Is this thy love and joy wherewith thou welcommeſt me? And the Scribes and Phariſees follow Chriſt a while, and then forſake him; and ſo they that before cried, Hoſanna, Bleſſed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord, within a while after they cry, Crucifie, crucifie him; and the ſtony ground received the Word with joy, and a while after came to nothing. This is wild-fire, and fooliſh fire, as the Philoſopher ſaith, it is bred and hammered out by our owne ends and aimes; but they doe not carrie themſelves beſeeming the riches of Gods free grace in Ieſus Chriſt: that is thus; An heart thus kindled, beſtowes the beſt love and joy upon the Lord Ieſus p. 185Chriſt, becauſe hee is the beſt good. This is the meaning of that phraſe ſo often intimated, Whoſoever loveth father or mother more than mee, is not worthy of mee. He that prizeth any thing more in love, or delights in any thing more with joy, than in Chriſt, is not worthy of Chriſt: So then, whoſoever beſtowes love or joy upon any carnall contents, more than upon Chriſt, his love and joy is not brought from Heaven, it is a falſe love that will fade, and will not bring him that comfort which hee lookes to receive from it. This love is called the ſpirituall love, 2 Tim. 1.7. For God hath not given us the ſpirit of feare, but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind: wee have not received the ſpirit of bondage that is in preparation, but the ſpirit of love that is in vocation. It is called ſpirituall love, becauſe the Spirit of God in the promiſe kindles it, and joy goes with it, as you ſhall heare anon: and it is that affection alſo, in the example of Zacheus, Luke 19.6. hee had a moneths mind to ſee Chriſt, and (as the learned well interpret it) he had a blind deſire, but well ſet on by Chriſt; and therefore ſee how hee labours to preventall opportunities and occaſions: he runnes before the croude, and gets up into a tree, and when hee was there Chriſt ſaw him, and ſaid, Come downe quickly, for I muſt dine at thy houſe. Here p. 186was the voyce of Chriſt, and the kindneſſe of Chriſt too, and this kindled the fire, and wrought love and ioy, for theſe two goe together; and therefore the Text ſaith, Hee came downe and received him joyfully. This ſeemes to me to be the reaſon and meaning, why ſometimes in the phraſe of Scripture, love is put for beleeving, as in Ioh. 3.18, 19. Hee that beleeveth is not condemned, but hee that beleeveth not is condemned already, becauſe he beleeveth not in the name of the onelyonly begotten Sonne of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe more than light. The Text ſaith, He that beleeveth not, or he that receiveth not, for they are both one: hee proves this, that a man not beleeving ſhall be damned: why? for this is the great condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkneſſe more than light: becauſe he will not love Chriſt, and will not receive him, he receives darkneſſe, and loves darkneſſe more than Chriſt, intimating the neere combination betweene theſe two, and the working and acting of them. There are many other places that ſpeake of love and ioy, but none that fits this place of vocation.

Now to make this good, there are two things neceſſarie to bee propounded and handled:

p. 187Firſt, to ſhew the reaſon of the order of Gods worke, why after hope and deſire there comes this love and ioy.

Secondly, the ground of this love, and what it is in the promiſe, that will kindle and ſtrike fire upon theſe two affections, and bring them home to the Lord; this being cleared, it will then appeare, how the Spirit of God in the promiſe doth kindle this love and ioy.

1Firſt, for the former. What is the reaſon of the order of Gods worke?Why after hope and deſire God workes love and joy in the ſoule. why comes love and ioy next after hope and deſire? I anſwer; There are but two affections, and there need no more (God being perfectly wiſe hath appointed it) whereby the ſoule ſhould ſend to meet with any good that is abſent: if the good be abſent, then the underſtanding ſaith, that is a good to be deſired, and very comfortable, oh that I had it: then it ſends out hope, and that waits for that good, and ſtayes till it can: ſee it: and if that good come not, then deſire hath another proper worke, it goes up and downe wandering, and ſeeking, and ſuing for Ieſus Chriſt, and this deſire goes from place to place, from Eaſt to Weſt, from North to South, & ſaith, When ſhall I, and how may I come to the ſight of Ieſus Chriſt? As the Spouſe in the Canticles ſought to the watch-men to enquire after Chriſt, ſo deſire wanders up and p. 188downe. For ſo I told you, it is the wandering of the heart, and it never ceaſeth going and enquiring, if it can gaine any intelligence of Ieſus Chriſt. It goes to prayer, to ſee if it can ſpeake with Chriſt there; and from thence it goes to the Word, to ſee if that will reveale Chriſt; and to conference, if that will mention it, and ſaith, See you the Lord Ieſus Chriſt? The hungrie ſoule comes to the Church, to ſee if it can heare any newes of Chriſt: And thus it continues, till at laſt the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is pleaſed to come himſelfe, after the ſoule hath hungred for him, and ſought for him, as Marie ſaid: Oh if you can, tell me where my Lord is: So the ſoule goes from one place to another, from Prayer to the Word, and from the Sacrament to Faſting, and asketh of the ordinances, Where is my Saviour? and ſaith, If you know where hee is, tell me of him, that I may be poſſeſſed of him. After this, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is pleaſed to come himſelfe into the view of the heart, which longeth thus after him, and ſaith as the Prophet, Behold, thy King commeth: So he ſaith, Oh thou poore broken-hearted ſinner, here is thy Saviour, hee is come downe from Heaven this day to ſpeake peace and comfort to thee, and thou that haſt ſo long time prayed; to thee he ſaith, Here I am, and all my merits are now become thine, and to thee that p. 189doeſt thus hunger and deſire Chriſt, hee is now come to comfort thee. Now when the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is come within thy view, and thy deſire hath met with him, then there comes the other two affections: he is come within ſight, and now there are other affections ſtirred up, and ſent out by the Spirit of the Lord to give entertainment to Chriſt Ieſus. Love leads him into the ſoule, and tels the will of him, and ſaith; Loe here is Ieſus Chriſt, the Meſſiah, that hath ordered theſe great things for his Saints and people; and Ioy is the attendant to wait upon him, when he is come. Suffer me to expreſſe my ſelfe thus in this manner, becauſe I would ſhew the guiſe of the frame of the heart in this worke.

It is with a poore humbled ſinner,Simile. as it is with a malefactour or traitor, who is purſued with a Purſuivant, that hath laid wait for him as farre as the Sea, and at laſt hee is reſolved to yeeld and come in. He hath offended his Soveraigne, and hee is driven to a ſtand, he cannot procure a pardon, nor hee cannot eſcape; therefore hee is content to come in, and yeeld his necke to the blocke, that as he hath offended, ſo he may receive his puniſhment accordingly. Now as hee is going, he heares an inckling that there is ſome hope of a pardon, and thereupon the poore man begins to reioyce, in hope that p. 190he may be pardoned; and then heareth other newes, which ſaith, if hee will but bee humbled before his Maieſtie, and come to the Court, and importune him for pardon, it is likely that he may be pardoned, nay it ſhall be ſo. Marry (ſaith he) that I will with all my heart; and ſo hee ſets forward, and comes to the Court: his deſire carries him thither. Thus it is (I ſay) with a poore ſinner: hee is brought home to the Court, and about the Court hee attends, and askes for every man that comes forth, Did you not heare the King ſpeake of me? and, What doe you thinke of my caſe? At laſt ſome of the bed-chamber ſay to him, The King heareth that you are mightily humbled, and earneſtly deſire his favour, you ſhall heare more from him ere long. At laſt, the King himſelfe lookes out at a window, and ſaith, Is this the Traytor? Yes, this is he that hath beene humbled, and lyes at your mercy. Then the King calls out and ſaith, His pardon is drawing, and it is comming by and by, and ſo the King ſmiles on him. Oh then his heart leapes in his breaſt, and hee ſaith, The Lord preſerve your Grace, I thinke there was never ſuch a mercifull Prince knowne in the world. This is the love and delight that is ſtirred up. Now when the Pardon is ſealed and granted, then you ſhall ſee the worke of faith. A poore humbled p. 191ſinner is this malefactor, that hath committed high Treaſon againſt the God of heaven (for every ſinner hath rebelled againſt the God of grace.) The ſtubborne rebellious heart hath ſtood out againſt the Lord God, which is high Treaſon, though you little thinke it, when you goe on wilfully, and ſay, This man ſhall not rule over me. Well, bee humbled now in time, while you have mercy offered: for if you bee not humbled, the Lord ſhall ſend a …aylor to take and throw you downe to Hell, and therefore you had better heare of it now than hereafter, when there is no remedie. Perhaps the Lord now purſueth a man with his heavie indignation, and lets flye at him, and ſets conſcience on worke to follow him, and to dogge him, ſaying, This is thy ſinne, and hell is thy portion, to hell thou muſt. Now the ſoule being beſet with Gods wrath, in concluſion ſeeth hee cannot eſcape the Lords hands; and how to purchaſe mercy he knowes not, nor is it poſſible otherwiſe for him to eſcape, and yet hee hath nothing to purchaſe mercy withall; therefore hee is content to lye downe before God, ſaying, I confeſſe I have ſinned, Oh Lord bee thou glorified, though I be damned for ever, my ſinnes are ſo many and ſo vile, I cannot almoſt deſire mercy, but if the Lord will, who can let him? Now when the heart is thus humbled, p. 192then there comes a noiſe a great way off in the Miniſtery of the Goſpell, and that ſaith, Thy ſinnes are all pardonable: ſo he lookes up, and hope ſaith, Lord it may bee a damned creature may bee recovered, a dead dogge may be reſtored to life, and a Traytor may be pardoned & receiued. Then the Lord ſends another comfortable meſſage, namely, That if thou canſt but ſee a need of mercy, and looke out and waite for him, thou ſhalt be pardoned: hereupon the penitent goes to the Court gate, that is, hee comes mourning to the Word, and ſaith, Oh yee faithfull Miniſters of God, you are of the bed-chamber, and you know Gods minde, I pray what doth God intend towards me? Hereupon we that are the Miniſters of God, we tell him, your caſe is right, and happely if you attend upon God, you may heare more of him hereafter: for the Lord heares that you lye at the Court gate, and that you are exceedingly humbled; and thus farre deſire goes. At laſt the Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſhewes and preſents himſelfe to the ſinner, and ſpeakes with him in the Miniſtery of the Word, and ſaith, That fainting, weary, loaden heart of thine ſhall bee refreſhed, and then giveth him a looke of mercy, ſo that his heart danceth within him. (Still you muſt underſtand, that the Lord alwayes ſpeaketh by the Miniſtery of the p. 193Word, and therefore looke for no ſtrange dreames and viſions) while the Lord ſaith, Thou art hee that longs for my ſalvation, goe thy way, I have heard thy prayers, thy pardon is granted and drawne, it ſhall be delivered to thee afterward. Now when a poore ſinner findes ſome chearing of heart, he may ſay, The Lord ſpake to me, its done in heaven, merciemercy is comming towards mee, the pardon is now granted, and is in drawing, and ſhall be delivered to me in due time: now againe his heart leapeth within him, and hee ſaith, Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, who ever heard of ſuch mercy? what? my ſinnes be pardoned? and is the pardon granted and drawne? if I never heare more of it, and if I goe downe to hell, it is enough, that God hath once ſmiled upon mee in his love, it is enough though I have the paines, of hell upon me for ever for it. Eſa 40.12. Comfort yee, comfort yee my people, ſaith your God. Speake yee comfortably to Ieruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, that her iniquity is pardoned. So the Lord ſaith to poore ſinners, after they have waited long enough, and God hath ſeene their deſires to be ſound, the Lord, I ſay, ſaith, Tell that poore man from heaven, and from the Lord Chriſt, and under the hand of the Spirit, that his ſinnes are pardoned, and he ſhall bee received to mercy. Eſa. 66.1, 2, 3. The p. 194Lord lookes to him that is poore, and of a contrite ſpirit, and trembles at his word. The poore creature comes and trembles at every truth; and when hee heares of mercy, hee ſaith, Oh that is ſweet mercy indeed, but it is not mine, and he ſhakes in the conſideration of mercy, that he ſhould heare of it, and not receive it. The Lord lookes to him, that is, he caſts a ſweet looke upon him, and lets in ſome ſweet intimation of mercy, and ſaith to the poore creature, I have an eye to thee, and my love is unto thee in the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; and with that his heart leapes in his boſome. Of this kind I take that to be, Ier. 31.18, 19, 20. I have ſurely heard Ephraim bemoaning and lamenting himſelfe thus (there is a heart humbled, broken, and thirſting) thou haſt chaſtiſed me, and I was chaſtiſed, as a bullocke unaccuſtomed to the yoke: turne thou me, and I ſhall bee turned, thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned I repented: and after that I was inſtructed I ſmote upon my thigh: I was aſhamed, yea, even confounded, becauſe I did beare the reproach of my youth. Here you ſee Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe, as if hee had ſaid, I am the man that have enjoyed all the meanes in abundant plenty, and yet never profited; the Lord hath corrected mee, and I was not humbled, Oh turne thou me then, O Lord, for there is no abilitie in mee. Now I ſee the p. 195ſinnes that before I could not ſee, and the baſeneſſe of my evill courſes, and I am even aſhamed of the former abuſe of Gods graces, and the many abominations harboured and liked. Now marke what God anſwers in that place, Verſe 20. Is Ephraim my deare ſonne? is hee a pleaſant child? as if the Lord had ſaid, Since I ſpake to him, I ſtill remember him; all the while that the Lord let in the fierceneſſe of his wrath into his ſoule he earneſtly remembred him. I ſaw all his deſires, and I obſerved all his teares, and my bowels are towards that poore hungry and longing ſinner, that longs for my goodnes in Ieſus Chriſt, and I will ſhew mercy to him. This is the behaviour of the Lord to the ſoule, and of the ſoule to the Lord again. Thus you ſee the reaſon of the order of Gods worke; love is like the Hoſt that welcomes the gueſt, and delight and joy, is like the Chamberlaine that waites upon the gueſt. This is the very guiſe of the heart.

2Now in the ſecond place I come to the Motiues, or that ſpirituall good,Gods promiſe the ground of our love: and how. whereby the promiſe comes to worke this. Firſt, what is it in the promiſe? Secondly, how comes the promiſe to work this in the hear…, and then we have the whole frame of the worke opened. I anſwer; for the opening of the point, and the diſcovery of the truth in hand, conſider thus much.

p. 196It is when the ſpirit of God in the promiſe lets in ſome intimation of Gods love into the ſoule. The weight lyes upon theſe two words, Lets in; lets in (I ſay) and conveyes ſome relliſh of the louelove of God into the heart, when the Lord doth expreſſe any love, and favour, and goodneſſe, in that powerfull manner to the heart humbled, and longing for his favour, ſo that it doth prevaile with the ſoule, and makes the ſoule to be affected with that relliſh of his favour; This is the ground of louelove, the certainty of a good ſtirreth up hope, and the excellency of that good quickens up deſire, and the preſence of this good kindles love: there is a fulneſſe that takes up all the whole frame of the work upon all the affections of the ſoule, In Pſal. 42.8. it is ſaid,Pſal, 42.8. expounded. The Lord will command his loving kindneſſe in the day time: what is that? it is a phraſe taken from kings and princes, and great Commanders in the field, whoſe words of command ſtand for lawes; ſo the Lord ſhall ſend out his loving kindneſſe, and ſay, Goe out my everlaſting love and and kindneſſe, take a commiſſion from me, and goe to that humble, thirſty and hunger-bitten ſinner, and goe and proſper, and prevaile, and ſettle my love effectually upon him, and faſten my mercy upon him, I command my loving kindneſſe, to doe it. The Lord doth put a Commiſſion into p. 197the hands of his loving kindneſſe, that it ſhall do good to the poore ſoule, yea, though he withdraw his ſoule, ſaying, what I mercy? will Ieſus Chriſt accept of me? No, no, there is no hope of mcrcy for me: Indeed if I could pray thus, and heare thus, and performe duties with that enlargement, and had thoſe parts and abilities, then there were ſome comfort, but now there is no hope of mercy for me. We demand, Is this your caſe? is it thus and thus? Yes: you are thus humbled, and have thus longed for the riches of his mercy in Chriſt, hauehave you not? Yes. Then (ſay we) grace and mercy is yours. I cannot thinke it, ſaith he; what? ſuch a wretch as I goe to Heaven! no, no, Heaven would rather fall then ſuch a ſinner as I ſhould come to be received there. Thus he puts off mercy, and ſhuts the door againſt it; and at the laſt caſt, when carnall reaſon builds up forts againſt mercy, and ſets up ſtrong holds againſt comfort & conſolation, and neither Word nor Miniſter can comfort them, then the Lord (I ſay) is faine to put a commiſſion into the hands of his loving kindneſſe: when the poore ſinner hath bin ſighing, and longing, and nothing will content him but Chriſt, thē, then the Lord gives out the commiſſion, and ſaith, Goe home to that poore ſoule, and breake open the doores upon that weary weltering heart, p. 198and knocke off all thoſe bolts, and rend off that veile of ignorance, and carnall reaſon, and all baſe arguments; goe (I ſay) to that ſoule, and cheare it, and warme it, and tell him from mee, that his ſinnes are pardoned, and his ſoule ſhall be ſaved, and his ſighes, and his prayers are heard in Heaven: and I charge you doe the worke before you come againe.

Here is the goodneſſe of God, to expreſſe himſelfe thus mercifully in his Word to the ſoule: if it were in mans power, no comfort ſhould ever come to the ſoule; but the Lord (bleſſed be his Name for it) he commands his loving kindneſſe to breake in upon him. As it is with an High Sheriffe, when a man will not deliver up quiet poſſeſſion to the owner, he comes with his men, and breakes open all before him, and will eſtate the man into his poſſeſſion: ſo this loving kindneſſe is the Lords High Sheriffe, and when a company of Rake-ſhames of carnall reaſon would keepe out mercy, the Lord is faine to ſend his loving kindneſſe with a commiſſion to ſeaze upon the heart.

Now take notice of this, the ground of a mans love is any good which expreſſeth his preſence to him: as a good to come was the ground of hope, and the neceſſitie and excellencie of that good, makes the ſoule to long after it; ſo now, when a good is not p. 199onelyonly preſent, but expreſſeth his preſence, and leaues a kind of remembrance upon the ſoule, that ſtirres up love continually: but this muſt be done before love will come. As it is with the naturall body, if that which lyes upon a man, carries ſome weight with it, then it is eaſily felt: but if it bee marvellous light, it may lye upon us, and wee not perceive it, as a feather, a flye, or the like; and if there comes any weight that affects the hand, either wet, or cold, or warmth, then hee feeles it; but if it be light hee perceives it not, as a mote may bee on the face, and not be felt nor ſeene: ſo love in the ſoule is like this touching of the body.

Now when loving kindneſſe is not ſet on upon the ſoule, and when it leaves no expreſſion in the ſoule, the heart cannot be affected with it, nor returne that joy and delight that otherwiſe it would doe: ſo that there muſt be a preſent good, and a good expreſſing it ſelfe to the heart, and affecting the heart therewith, and then this love comes to God againe, Gods love affecting the heart, and ſetled upon it, it breeds a love to God againe, that is the ground which S. Iohn ſpeaketh of, 1 Ioh. 4, 19. Wee love him becauſe he loved us firſt. As I told you in the example of the burning-glaſſe, it muſt receive the heat of the beames of the Sunne, before it can burne any thing, ſo there muſt be a beam p. 200of Gods love to fall upon the ſoule, before it can love God againe; as in Hoſea 11.4. I drew them with the cords of a man, even with the bands of love. God lets in the cords of love into the ſoule, and that drawes love againe to God. But above all, that place Cant. 2.4. (marke the manner how Gods Spirit expreſſeth himſelfe to the ſoule) He brought me into the banquetting houſe, Cant. 2.4. opened.Song 2:4and his banner over me was love; ſtay me with flaggons, and comfort me with apples, for I am ſicke of love. And ſo when the banner of Chriſts love is ſpread over the ſoule, the ſoule comes to be ſicke in love to Chriſt. As it is in war, when the Commander diſplayes the banner, theſe three things are ſignified by it; Firſt, that there is the preſence of the Commander: Secondly, the diſplaying of the banner commands all to come to it: Thirdly, while it is held out, all keepe to it.

Now ſee the excellencie of the Spirit of God in the Scripture. The Church was then in ſome trouble, but the Lord Chriſt brings the Spouſe into his chamber, nay, into the wine-celler, and the banner that was diſplayed over her was love: and firſt Chriſt came as a Commander to redeeme her, and to ſave her from all troubles and afflictions. Secondly, it commands the ſoule to come to the banner. Thirdly, when God diſplayes his love in the beautie of it, in any meaſure, p. 201then all the company of poore ſinners come in unto it; and ſo they love the Lord, becauſe the Lord hath loved them.

This love of God doth beget our loves in three particulars. Firſt,Gods love to us, begets love in us towards him: and how? there is a ſweetneſſe, and a reliſh which Gods love lets into the ſoule, and warmes the heart with: you ſhall ſee how the fire is kindled by and by. As when a man is fainting, we give him Aqua-vitae; ſo a fainting ſinner is cold at the heart, and therefore the lets in a drop of his loving kindneſſe, and this warmes the heart, and the ſoule is even filled with the ſappineſſe of the mercy of God: as Cant. 1.1, 2. where the Spouſe ſaith, Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for his love is better than wine. The poore ſoule, though hee drinke water, yet he drinkes better wine than any carnall man under Heaven: the kiſſes of his mouth are the comforts of his Word and Spirit. The ſoule ſaith, Oh let the Lord refreſh me with the kiſſes of his mouth, that is, of his Word and Spirit; let the Lord ſpeak comfort to the heart, and this is better than wine. (For the Lord muſt doe it, before hee can be apprehenſive of his love:) yea, let the Lord expreſſe the comfort of his precious promiſes in Ieſus Chriſt to me. And againe in the ſecond verſe, Becauſe of the ſavour of thy garments, thy name is as an ointment poured forth; therefore the virgins love thee. p. 202Chriſt was the oyntment, Chriſts oyntment is his graces; and the ſavour or the communication of this, is the expreſſion of his love to the ſoule: the virgins are the ſoules truly humbled that love the Lord.

2Secondly, as this warmes the heart, ſo the freeneſſe of the love of God thus let in, and thus intimated, begins even to kindle this love in the ſoule, that it ſparkles againe. Rom. 5 8. ſee how God ſets out his love to us, Seeing (ſaith the Apoſtle) that while wee were ſinners Chriſt died for us. This commends the love of God, the Lord ſends to poore, miſerable, ſinfull, broken-hearted ſinners, and ſaith, Commend my merciemercy to ſuch a one, and tell him, that though hee hath beene an enemy to me, yet I am a friend to him; and though hee have beene rebellious againſt me, yet I am a God and a Father to him; and let him not thinke, that becauſe he hath offended me, therefore hee ſhall not receive merciemercy from me: but here is my love, and it is worth the commendation. Chriſt died for poore ſinners, when they were enemies; therefore if God ſo loved us as to dye for us, when wee were ſinners and enemies, how ought we then to love one another? But much more how ought wee to love the Lord? What was it that kindled that frozen, and vile, and ſtubborne, and wicked heart of wretched Saul, who had a p. 203heart as hard as ice? 1 Sam. 24.19. when David had him upon the hippe, and might have ſlaine him, but would not, even this wrought upon the heart of Saul, and kindled a fire of affections of love towards him, and made him ſay, Come againe my ſon David, Thou art more righteous than I; for thou haſt rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evill. And thou haſt ſhewed mee this day, how that thou haſt dealt well with mee: foraſmuch as when the Lord hath delivered me into thine hand, thou killedſt me not. For who ever ſlew not his enemie, when he found him at ſuch an advantage? wherefore the Lord reward thee good for that which thou haſt done unto mee this day. Sauls heart is all on fire with this kindneſſe. So when the poore ſinner conſiders this with himſelfe, and ſaith, Is the Lord ſo mercifull to mee? who ever thus found his enemie, and ſlew him not? I that loved my ſins and continued in them, had it not beene juſt that I ſhould have periſhed in them? But will the Lord not only not ſlay his enemie, but give his Sonne for mee? Oh let my ſoule for ever rejoyce in this unconceivable goodneſſe of God! Bee thy heart neuer ſo hard, if it have but the ſenſe of this, it cannot but ſtirre thee to humiliation.

3Laſtly, the greatneſſe of the freeneſſe of this merciemercy of God, being ſetled upon the p. 204heart, enflames it. This ſweetneſſe warmes the heart, this freeneſſe kindles the fire; and when the greatneſſe of the ſweetneſſe comes to be valued, this ſets the heart all upon a fire. In Eph. 3.17, 18. the Apoſtle deſires that Chriſt might dwell in their hearts, and that they might be rooted in love; but how ſhall we come to this, that we may bee able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of God in Chriſt? As if the Apoſtle had ſaid, If I once come to ſee the unmeaſurableneſſe of Gods mercy, this will blow up the ſoule, and enflame the heart with admirable love againe to the Lord, and make the ſoule ſay, I that have done all that I could againſt the good God, it breakes my heart to thinke it: there was no name under Heaven that I did more blaſpheme, and teare in peeces more than this: I have deſpiſed no command ſo much, as the command of God, and of Chriſt, and I have grieved no ſpirit ſo much, as the good Spirit of the Lord, againſt thoſe ſweet motions that God hath let into my ſoule, and ſtruggled with me, to plucke me from my company, and to contend with me. I have taken up armes againſt Almightie God. If I had but gone to the top of Hell, it had beene infinite mercy, and if I had been in a dungeon all my dayes, and had another world to live, and lived it p. 205all in miſerie, it had beene infinite merciemercy for the Lord to ſend downe Chriſt, to looke upon me a poore wretch in the dungeon, and to ſpeake to me out of the gates of hell, and to tell me of this merciemercy, oh it had beene an infinite merciemercy: but to ſend a Sonne to ſave me, it is incomparable; I could not conceive to doe ſo much evill againſt him, as he hath done good to me: oh the breadth of that mercy beyond all limits, oh the length of that merciemercy beyond all time, oh the depth of that merciemercy below a mans miſerie, oh the height of that mercy above the height of mine underſtanding! If mine hands were all of love, that I could worke nothing but love, and if mine eyes were able to ſee nothing but love, and my mind thinke of nothing but love, and if I had a thouſand bodies, it were all too little to love that God, that hath unmeaſurably loved mee a poore ſinfull hel-hound: Pſal. 18.1. I will love thee dearely, O Lord my ſtrength. Oh have I gotten the Lord Ieſus Chriſt to bee my comfort, my buckler, my ſhield? If I have any good, he gives it, and if any good bee continued, it is he that doth it, and if I have any comfort in it, it is hee that bleſſeth it to me; therefore I will love thee dearely, Oh Lord my ſtrength. Thus the point is cleare, and ſtands upon his right bottome.

Now I come to the Application of it, that p. 206wee may reape ſome good and comfort to our owne ſoules. And the uſe of the point is fourefold: for Inſtruction, for Conſolation,Nature breeds no love to Chriſt. for Reprehenſion, for Exhortation.

Vſe 1. Firſt, for Inſtruction, which I deſire a little to commend to you, becauſe it is ſeaſonable. Is it ſo that the Spirit of the Father kindles this love in the heart truly humbled and enlightned, &c? then conclude this undeniably, That there is no power in nature, or in a naturall heart, I ſay, there is no ſufficiencie in the power of nature, to bee carried to any love towards Chriſt: we have not this before God gives it, nay, wee cannot move our ſelves in love to God, before the Lord let in the ſparkes of love into our ſoules. True it is, we find it by wofull experience, it is in our power to love the world, and to delight in baſe luſts, and being but naturall men, it cannot be but that we ſhould love our ſelves, and the things of this world: there is enough of theſe wilde fires, and of this baſe worldly luſt in every naturall ſoule to expreſſe it ſelfe; but to love the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and to have a heart inlarged towards him, it is a worke of grace that growes not in our hearts; I ſay there is not one ſparke of holy love, and of this holy fire of love in our hearts at any time, neither can we buy or borrow it at the hands of any under heaven, further than the Spirit p. 207of the Lord is pleaſed to kindle it, and to inflame this grace of love to the Lord Ieſus, and further than the Lord by the power of his merits is pleaſed to feed this in our ſoules. It is an unconceiveable miſery, that any man ſhould bee ſo farre deluded, as to thinke that he can do it by his owne ſtrength and power: Saint Paul expreſſeth it in diſcovering the vileneſſe of himſelfe by nature, and the freeneſſe of Gods grace: 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. I was before a blaſphemer, and a perſecutor, but I obtained mercy: I wronged Ieſus Chriſt, and was malicious againſt him, and oppoſed againſt his children: Paul could doe this of himſelfe; ſo thou canſt be malicious againſt the Lord, and againſt the power of his grace and truth, this a naturall man can doe; but for him to love the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and to beleeve in him, how came Saint Paul by that? Why the grace of God was exceeding abundant towards mee, with faith and love, which is in Ieſus Chriſt. As if he had ſaid, it was abundant grace that over-powred my unfaithfull heart, and made me beleeve; and it was abundant grace that over-powred my injurious heart, and made me love Chriſt. But how was this? it was by the grace of Chriſt, from Chriſt this faith was wrought, and in Chriſt this love was kindled. As if hee had ſaid, I thought to caſt off the Lord and his grace, I was a p. 208perſecuter and a villaine indeed; but that I ſhould beleeve the Lord, and love him, this was from Chriſt, it was in grace, and not in Paul. The ball muſt firſt fall to the ground, before it can rebound backe againe; ſo the Lord Ieſus muſt firſt dart in his love into the ſoule, before the ſoule can rebound in love and joy to him againe; wee muſt receive from grace, before wee can rebound backe any love to God: as 1 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the ſpirit of bondage, but of power, of love, and of a ſound minde. See what the Lord ſpake in ſome caſe of the Iewes, Iohn 5.40, 42. (ſpeaking home to their hearts) hee ſaith, I know you, that yee have not the love of God in you. Verſe 40. he ſaith, Yee will not come to mee: and in the 42. verſe I know you, that yee have not the love of God in you. As if hee had ſaid, I know it, you know it not your ſelves, and though you thinke you have this love to mee, yet you are deceived, you know not what you are, nor what you know, but I know: and it is as true of every corrupt heart under heaven, the love of God cannot bee in the heart of any naturall man whatſoever.

The reaſon why I preſſe this point ſo much, is this; it is for theſe two ends, you ſhall ſee a double benefit by it.Carnall men conceive no difficulty, to love Chriſt.

Firſt, this confutes and overthrowes the p. 209conceits of a company of carnal Goſpellers that ſay, they faſt not, nor pray not, nor profeſſe not ſo much as ſuch and ſuch, but for the truth of their love to Chriſt they defie all the world, they find no difficulty in the matter, and they make no doubt therof; and therefore if any Chriſtian man, or any faithfull Miniſter of God, ſhall begin to challenge them with the want of love to Chriſt and grace, they will anſwer, What? not louelove the Lord Ieſus? it is pitty that euer that man ſhould live; they have loved him, and will louelove him for ever, and all the world ſhall not perſwade them to the contrary. Oh poore deluded creatures! it is an undoubted argument that thou never hadſt the louelove of God in thee, becauſe thou thinkeſt it ſuch an eaſie matter to love him. Many men make nothing of it, they make it but an holy-day taske, and ſay, Who cannot love Chriſt? I ſay, neither thou nor I can doe it by any power or vertue in our ſelues; nay I ſay thou art as able to ſave thy owne ſoule, and to redeeme thy ſelfe without Chriſt; as thou art able to love Chriſt, unleſſe he by the power of his ſpiritenable thee to doe it. Nay, you that make nothing of it, to louelove Chriſt, marke what I ſay: If a man might have happineſſe in hand, and heaven laid downe upon the nayle, if he could love the Lord Ieſus of himſelfe, I ſay, if he had p. 210no more but nature, he would never goe to heaven, nor never bee happy: Nay, it will coſt more than ſo, it will coſt time and paines, and many teares and prayers; you muſt have the Father come downe from heaven to teach you, and you muſt goe to another ſchoole than ever you were at yet, before you can learne it: and unleſſe the Father make you able to louelove Chriſt, you can never doe it. It is true, if it were nothing but pratling and profeſſing, and yet to ſtand in open oppoſition to the power of grace and the ſpirit, this cannot bee: for to welcome a Saviour, to receive Chriſt anſwerable to the worth of him, a man cannot doe it by the meere power of nature, it is the worke of the Lord, as the Apoſtle Saint Iohn ſaith, 1 Ioh. 1.5. God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe: and Epheſ, 5.8. You were darkneſſe: God is nothing but holines, and you are nothing but darkneſſe. Now you know darkneſſe can oppoſe light, and wickedneſſe can oppoſe holineſſe, but never give way to it nor receive it: This is thy nature and condition, thou haſt an ignorant darke heart of thine owne, but the Lord is altogether holines and light, and thou canſt not receive it, nor wilt thou receiue him. As 2 Theſſ. 2.10. they would not receive the truth of God in the louelove of it: the truth of God makes love to thy carnall heart, and p. 211would plucke thee from thy baſe luſts and corruptions, and would woo and winne thy ſoule, that it might take place in thy heart, the world will not receive it. Ieſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, but the world would not receive him, ſo farre were they from ſeeking to a Saviour; that they would not receiue him though he came to offer himſelfe to them; thou haſt a heart that hateſt Ieſus Chriſt, and cannot louelove him; and thou haſt a heart that can oppoſe him and his grace, but canſt not take contentment in that grace and rich mercy of his: if thou haſt not grace and mercy, thou haſt but what thou wouldſt hauehave, and therefore it is juſt thou ſhouldeſt never hauehave it.

The ſecond cauſe,Saints Iove not as they might and ſhould becauſe they rely not on the promiſe. why I preſſe this inſtruction, is this, To ſhew the diſorderly proceedings of many poore Saints, that labour extremely to worke their owne ſoules, and to bring their hearts to love Chriſt, that they even fall out with themſelues, and curſe their baſe hearts, that can louelove the world, and cannot louelove Ieſus Chriſt: they labour much, and would bring their hearts to louelove him, but they cannot doe it, becauſe they goe to worke the contrary way, they would bring louelove to the promiſe, and not receive love from the promiſe, as if a man ſhould bring water to the ſea, or light p. 212to the ſunne. It is as if he would have a ſun of his owne: and yet there is but one ſunne of righteouſneſſe, that can kindle this louelove of Ieſus Chriſt, to carry it ſelfe worthy of him. Therefore be wiſe herein, and thinke not to bring love to the promiſe, but come to the promiſe for it, and goe to the ſea for water, and looke up to the ſunne of Gods louelove, and be under the beames of Gods mercy, and looke not down into that dead frozen heart, of thine own: for if thou wouldſt never ſo faine, thou canſt not receive one ſparkle of this love from thy owne abilities. See his love therein, and bee thereby drawne to love him againe, and ſee the fulneſſe of thoſe pleaſures at his right hand which endure for ever: Ioh. 16.14. the Lord Chriſt ſaith, He ſhall ſend the Spirit the Comforter, and he ſhall take of mine, that is, take of Chriſts. All ſpirituall graces are Chriſts, therefore goe thou thy way, and tell the Lord thus much ſaying, In truth Lord I have not a heart to love thee, it is thine owne worke, and thou haſt ſayd that thy ſpirit ſhall take of thine and give it to thy ſervants that thy ſervants may alſo give thee of thine owne againe: that love; and that delight is thine to give, that wee may giuegive thee of thine owne, as David ſpoke of the building of the Temple. Thus much of the uſe of inſtruction.

p. 213Vſe 2.Comfort to them that love Chriſt. In the ſecond place here is a ſtrong conſolation to ſuſtaine and refreſh the hearts of thoſe that have received this gracious worke: though they hauehave ſome ſmall weakneſſes, it skills not, be the worke ſound it is enough; thy ſoule may bee comforted that the Lord hath enlarged himſelfe to thee in this gracious worke; I ſay it is a ground of admirable ſweet refreſhing of ſoule to any that finde this gracious love unto Chriſt. A man by nature cannot have this, therefore haſt thou this by grace. Goe thy way, as he that hath found a treaſury, and make much of it, and ſay, and know, thou haſt ſomething more than all carnall wretches can have, and thou haſt more than all the cunning cloſe-hearted hypocrites under heaven can have, let them pretend, and fain, and flatter what they will. Me thinks this ſhould wonderfully refreſh the hope of you poore ones: for though many times other things goe not well with you, yet this is enough to cheare up your hearts for ever. You know a childe will louelove his father, though hee can doe little for him: he is a child, and therefore though he can doe little for his father, yet if he love his father, hee is contented: ſo they that hauehave little meanes, and ſmall ſufficiencies towards any ſervants of God, and it may be their underſtandings are not ſo deepe as others be, p. 214and their tongues runne not ſo glib as ſuch and ſuch, and they cannot talke ſo freely of the things of grace and ſalvation; and thou haſt meaner parts, and canſt not enlarge thy ſelf in holy duties, and holy ſervices (though this is commendable where it is) and thou canſt not diſpute for a Saviour, and perform ſuch duties as others can doe, yet thou canſt louelove Ieſus Chriſt, and reioyce in him. Methinkes there is many a poore ſoule would ſay, I bleſſe the name of the Lord, that's all that I hauehave; the Lord knowes that all the friends I have, and parts, and meanes, and abilities in the world, they are but as dung and droſſe in compariſon of Chriſt: Oh it were the comfort of my ſoule, if I might be euer with him. Goe thy way, and the God of heaven goe with thee, this is a worke of God that will never leaue thee, and it is a badge and a proper livery that the Lord Ieſus gives onelyonly to his Saints: never a meere profeſſor under heauen ever wore it, nay there was never any hipocrite under heauen to whom God did intend it, but onelyonly thoſe whom he hath effectually called, and whom hee will ſave: therefore though thou wanteſt all, thou haſt all to comfort thee in the want of all, and thou maiſt ſay, I can ſay little for Chriſt, my tongue falters, and my memory is weake, yet the Lord knowes I louelove the Lord Ieſus, 1 Ioh. 4.7. it is the incouragement p. 215that the Apoſtle gives, ſaying, Love one another, for love commeth of God, and every one that loveth is borne of God.

Indeed he preſſeth it in regard of the love to the brethren: but the arguments ſerve for our purpoſe; for if the louelove of the brethren come from God, then the louelove of God is a more ſpeciall worke of God. Therefore can you plead thus with your hearts, and ſay The time was, Lord, that this wretched ſinfull carnall heart of mine, could find no reliſh in the promiſes of grace, and I could not bring this baſe heart to love the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and the promiſe was weariſome to me; but now I thanke God I can doe that which before I could not doe, I thanke God that the promiſe of life, and the light of Gods countenance is more to me now than all the contentments of the world: ſurely I louelove the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And is not this of God? Yes, I warrant theee: it is not of thy ſelfe, thou haſt beene taught from heaven; it was not the ſchoole of the fleſh and the world, that taught thee this lecture, it is from heaven, and the Spirit of the Father hath over-ſhadowed thee in his promiſe, and hath kindled this ſparkle of louelove in thee, and thou haſt that which is ſound and true: therefore bee comforted and reioyce in it, thou canſt ſay, more than any man under heaven can ſay, that hath p. 216not this ſound love in his heart.

And likewiſe bleſſedneſſe.And as this is a ground of comfort, ſo alſo it is a ground of bleſſedneſſe, Rom. 8.28. All things worke for the b…ſt to thoſe that louelove God. Me-thinkes the Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſuch a love as is wrought by the Spirit of the Father in our vocation: they worke for the beſt to thoſe that are called according to his purpoſe: he minded well towards them, and called them from the love of the world. And therefore ſince nothing can harme thee, goe thy way, and let nothing diſmay thee, nor diſcourage thee; nay, goe away ever cheered I charge you. David deſired no more but what God was wont to doe to his children that loved his name. Doe to mee (ſaith the Text) as thou uſeſt to doe to thoſe that louelove and feare thy Name. Pſal. 119.132. I know thou loveſt them that love thee, and wilt ſave and glorifie them in the end. I deſire no more but this, Doe as thou uſeſt to doe to thoſe that love thy Name. Be quieted with thy childs part; thy lot is fallen into a marvellous faire ground; David a King deſired no more, and if thou haſt ſo much as hee had, it is enough.

Ob. Oh, but, ſome will ſay, this is all the difficulty, if a man had this love which came from God effectually calling him, it were enough, and a man might have comfort in it, but there is a great deale of falſe love and p. 217falſe ioy in the world; therefore how ſhall I know, whether mine be any otherwiſe than theirs, that I may not bee deceived as they are? How may I know if this be of the right ſtamp? For if it be right love, God will owne it.

Anſw. Notes of true love to ChriſtNow for the anſwer to this queſtion: let every man put his love vponupon the triall, and wee will ſay no more then that which we have ground for from the doctrine delivered. Therefore examine thy louelove and thy joy thus; Whether doſt thou welcome Chriſt and grace according to the worth of them? Now marke this, if I prove I love God, then there will be joy there too, for they both grow upon one root, onelyonly this joy hath a little more of the ſweetneſſe of Gods love in it. Now whether we welcome Chriſt according to the worth of it, it will appeare by theſe five particulars:

Firſt, obſerve the roote and riſe from whence thy love came;1. Triall. conſider this and weigh it ſadly, for it is of great difficulty, yet it is never failing, and it is the narroweſt ſearch that I know of: therefore looke well to it; if it come from the right mint, it is currant. You know it is the priviledge of Kings and Princes,Simile. that all the coine that comes from his Mint and is coined with his ſtamp, is warrantable: but if there bee any other Mint, the King will not allow of it, but rather p. 218puniſh him that did it, luſt ſo it is with this love, it is the priviledge of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, the Sonne of Gods love, to mint and to coine love that may bee currant love indeed, that hee may take for good payment. Therefore doth thy love come from the Spirit of the Father? then it is onelyonly fit to cloſe with a Saviour, with the Father, and the Spirit, and ſo conſequently the Father allowes it. Great men muſt bee entertained anſwerable to their perſons:Another. for ſuch a man to have poore and leane diet, it is not meet for him; the greateſt delicates that can be, doe beſeeme ſuch men of place. So this leane, and earthly, and naturall love, that growes onelyonly out of thy owne parts and abilities, or whatſoever it is, it is but leane love, and poore proviſion, and ſuites not with God the Father, nor Ieſus Chriſt. Baſe love and baſe things for baſe men, and meane love for meane things, and naturall love for naturall things: but would you entertaine the Father from heaven, and a ſpirituall Saviour? then you muſt let your love be ſpirituall, to welcome a bleſſed Saviour. This beſuits him,Simile. and otherwiſe he will not be entertained. As it is with flowers, the flowers that are of ſpeciall planting, (as Ieremy ſpeaks of the Iewes) and the flowers that are inoculated by the hand of the cunning Gardiner, as the Provice Roſe, or the like, p. 219there is much care and paines about them; but your ordinary hedge row Roſes, there is no care taken for them. Iuſt ſo it is with the worke of Gods grace, and all other common graces in the world, there is a provice love and joy, that is a love that comes from the planting, and a joy that comes from the inoculating of the ſpirit. This provice love and joy is wrought by the Spirit of God, and this makes a ſweet ſavour in the noſtrils of Almighty God, and of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt; and the Lord Chriſt will ſay, Oh that love pleaſeth me. They cannot welcome the Lord better than with this love; but the other love and joy pleaſeth him not. Canſt thou ſay, I love the Lord, becauſe hee hath loved mee? then thy love is of a right mettall; and know it for ever, that that God which cannot but love himſelfe, hee cannot but like that love which came from himſelfe, who is the God of all love, and which comes from his owne divine nature. Is thy ſoule affected and enlarged in love to the Lord, becauſe thou haſt felt and received the relliſh and ſweetneſſe of his grace? Doſt thou love and joy in God upon this ground, namely upon a grounded affection of Gods louelove to thee, ſetled and ſealed to thy ſelfe? ſo that thou canſt ſay, The Lord, hath let in the glimpſe of his favour, and the Lord hath ſaid it in his truth, hee p. 220lookes to him that trembles at his word: the Miniſter ſaid it, and the Spirit ſaith it, that my mercy is regiſtred in heaven, and my deſires are received and granted. Oh how ſhall I love the Lord? My ſinnes are many which I have bewailed, and my ſighes and ſobs I have put up to heaven, and at laſt the Lord hath given mee a gracious anſwer. O how may I love the Lord my ſtrength dearly! Lord thou haſt looked downe from heaven in love and mercy upon me, and therefore my ſoule ſhall ever looke up to heaven to thee in love. If it be thus with thee, thy love is ſound, and will never faile thee: but if any mans love comes from himſelfe, and therefore loves God, that love will onelyonly bring all to himſelfe, and there is the end of it. A man hath a love to his parts and abilities, and prayer, and preaching and reading and conference, and underſtanding, and policy; hee loveth theſe, and therefore he would fain be beholden to Ieſus Chriſt, to helpe him to honour and to glorifie theſe parts of his. This love was from his parts, and brought to his parts, and in the meane time the Lord Ieſus lay in the duſt, and his glory was not regarded: whereas the love that is wrought by God, it alwayes doth draw the love of the ſoule againe to God, and ſo love from him draws love to him. This is the excellencie of this love, and this is love of the right kind. But p. 221if the love of parts and profits draw me to honour and glorifie parts and profits, then I love my profits and not Chriſt. Thinke of this often, this is certaine, this will bee the maineſt difference betweene all the love of carnall hypocrites, and of the Saints of God. I would expreſſe my ſelfe to you thus: As it is with meat which a man takes downe inwardly and digeſts it, this breeds good bloud; but that meate which a man eates and ſpits out againe, and tarries not long with him, this breeds no bloud at all: So it is in the heart of a poore humbled ſinner truely wrought upon to receive Chriſt in the worth of him, and with the hypocrite. A heart truely wrought upon by Gods Spirit, it takes downe the promiſe and feeds upon it, and it breeds good bloud and complexion. True love is like this good bloud, and true joy is like this complexion. Marke this, the promiſe of God ſettled upon the heart nouriſheth and feedeth the heart, and it breeds good bloud: but the fooliſh hypocrite, that hath a kind of flattering ſweetnes, this tickles the heart with vaine conceits, but they never goe downe. And hence it is, that that love which comes from hence, it is but a fading love, and there is no good bloud, nor no good complexion comes from it, but rather corruptions and overture.

Secondly,2. Triall. as the root of this love muſt be p. 222from the kindling of the Spirit; ſo if thou entertaine thy Saviour as it beſeemes him,True love of Chriſt, entertains him as a King. thou muſt entertaine him as a King, and that is thus, give up all to him, and entertaine none with him upon termes of honour, but ſuch as retaine to him, or be attendants unto him: this is the manner of receiving great Princes. Love all in a Chriſt, and for a Chriſt, but expreſſe thy love and thy joy to a Chriſt above all: he is as the King, and all the reſt are but as retainers, and all his ſervants are as ſervants to him. He that loves any thing equall with a Chriſt, it is certaine he did never love a Chriſt: but he that ſets up any thing cheeke by joll with Chriſt, he deſpiſeth him, and never receives him. It is all one as if a man did put a ſlave into the ſame chamber with the King, which is all one as to drive him away. So if thou doſt ſet up any thing with Chriſt, thou doſt drive him away with ſuch baſe behaviour. As in Iames 4.4. O yee adulterers and adultereſſes, know yee not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God? whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. A man cannot retaine fellowſhip with Chriſt Ieſus and with the world too upon point of honour;Simile. As the woman that loves her husband, ſhe loveth other men as friends and neighbours, and will give them very courteous entertainment, and welcome them kindly: but if they come to claime the p. 223love of a wife, ſhe abhorres and deteſts them. So a loving heart that loves Ieſus Chriſt as the Bridegroome, he loves Chriſt onelyonly, and all for Chriſt, and the reſt as friends, &c. The ſoule wil love honors, or profits, or credit, or parts and priviledges, that they may be friends to ſpeake for a man, and to give a man occaſion to ſpeake with a Saviour: as the wife loves the husband firſtly, and all the reſt ſhe regards onelyonly as they may further the match this way; ſo the Lord Chriſt and his grace is chiefe to the ſoule, but the world, and eaſe, and credit, theſe are meerely as friends to leade him to a Saviour, and make him acquainted with a Saviour. The ſoule loves the word, and prayer, and all Gods ordinances, to ſpeake a good word to a Saviour for him, but all the reſt are deſpiſed by him; and if any of them come to claime the love of a ſoule from a Chriſt, it hates them deadly: as Luke 14.26. If any man come to mee, and hate not father and mother in compariſon of me, he is not worthy of mee: that is if father and mother ſtand betweene thee and Chriſt, and would have thy ſoule married to them again, the ſoule hates them. This is a plaine difference betweene a ſound heart and a falſe heart; in the receiving of Chriſt the ſound heart receives him as a favorite receives a Prince, he gives up all to him,Simile. and lets him have the command of all: (but now an Inne-keeper p. 224entertains him that comes next to him; he will take any mans money, and will give welcome to any man, if it bee the beſt man that comes he cares not, he loves gaine in and aboue all.) So a good heart reſignes up all to a Chriſt, and whatſoever is pleaſing to a Chriſt he will doe it, and whatſoever comes from a Chriſt is welcome: but if any man be an enemy againſt his Majeſtie, and would doe any violence againſt him, he cannot endure it. But the hypocrite receives Chriſt as the Inne-keeper doth his gueſt, if the world come it ſhall be ſerved, and if honour come it is welcome, if he may have gain from them they are all welcome, and therefore all is welcome becauſe hee may hauehave gaine by all; and ſo he loves himſelfe in all, and not Chriſt.

3. Triall. It avoydes matter of griefe and diſpleaſure.Thirdly, the ſoule that thus entertaines Chriſt, and ſtudies wholly to give contentment to him, he is marvellous warie and watchfull that he may not ſad that good ſpirit of God, and grieve him, and cauſe him to goe away as diſpleaſed, or to take away the ſweetneſſe of it for the preſent; the penitent feares leſt there be any thing that may cauſe this becauſe he entertains him as a marvellous loving friend: and therefore if hee ſhould doe any thing to grieve him, it would vexe him to the heart. See this, Cant. 3.4.5. the Spouſe ſought long for her beloved, and p. 225at laſt brought him home; and when ſhe had welcomed him, ſhe gives charge to all the houſe not to ſtirre nor awaken her love till he pleaſe. When a Prince comes into the houſe of a great man, what charge is there given to make no noiſe in the night, leſt ſuch or ſuch a man bee awakened before his time? (And were it not a baſeneſſe in us, if wee ſhould have our hearts more in love with any thing than the ſervice of Chriſt?) The ſoul alſo when it hath received the Spirit of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, gives a peremptory charge to keepe watch and ward, and gives a charge to hope, and deſire, and love, and joy, and the minde, and all, not to grieve nor moleſt the good ſpirit of the Lord; let there bee no motion but entertaine it, no advice but receive it, and doe nothing that may worke the leaſt kinde of diſlike. In Gen. 19.5, 6, 7, 8. when Lot had received the 2 Angels into his houſe, the curſed Sodomites came about the houſe to abuſe them; but ſee how Lot pleadeth with thoſe baſe wicked people; I pray you, my brethren, doe not ſo wickedly: Behold now I have two daughters which have not known man, them will I bring forth unto you, and doe unto them as ſeemeth good unto you, onelyonly to theſe men doe nothing, for therefore are they come under the ſhadow of my roofe. This is kinde and honourable entertainement indeed; he would rather ſuffer himſelfe than they: ſo a loving heart will doe with Chriſt; he ſaith, Let my ſoule bee wounded, and my honour lye in the duſt, that Gods name may be honoured; let perſecution, and ſhame, & diſgrace, and any thing come p. 226to mee, I am willing to endure all: but I will doe nothing againſt Jeſus Chriſt, nor againſt the credit of the Goſpel, nor ſpeake evill of Gods name, no nor diſhonour the worke of his grace, whatſoever befall me.Simile. As one that loves a friend, will aske his ſervants what doth your Maſter like beſt? and what doth hee deſire to eat? becauſe he would prevent him with kindneſſe, ſo marvellous carefull is he to avoid whatſoever may diſpleaſe him. So a ſoule truly humbled is not content unleſs God may have his will, and therefore it comes to the faithfull Miniſters of God, and ſaith, How may I pleaſe God better? and how may I come to entertaine the motions of his ſpirit better? ſhew me what duties muſt be done, and what ſinnes muſt be avoided. You know Chriſts will, and what will pleaſe him; I beſeech you adviſe me, that I may heare, and pray and walke, and approve my heart ſo to him, that nothing may diſpleaſe him. This I take to bee the maine difference betweene a good heart, and a falſe hypocriticall one.Simile. For looke what difference there is between a man that takes a ſervant into his family, and a Noble-man that receives a Prince, ſo much difference there is between a good heart, & a falſe hypocriticall heart: Now a man entertaines a ſervāt into his houſe, to the end he may ſerve & pleaſe himſelfe, and that the ſervant may give contentment to him, becauſe hee is wiſe, and able to diſpatch his occaſions, and likewiſe diligent to looke throughly to all: and therefore it is that the ſervant is entertained, not for the ſervants ſake, but that hee p. 227may content his maſter. But he that doth receive a Noble-man into his houſe, he labours to give him all the content that may be, he layes by all, and attends onelyonly upon him: and though hee be a man of great ſtate; and hath many to attend on him, yet all the ſervants are charged to ſee that nothing bee wanting to his gueſt; nay, he will rather diſcontent himſelf than him: becauſe he comes out of an honorable reſpect to viſite him, therefore he wil receive him as beſeemes his ſtate and perſon. Juſt ſo it is with a faithfull ſoule, that receives Chriſt in the worth of him, and one that receives him for gaine onelyonly: the one receives Chriſt as a ſervant into his family; and ſo all the while that the Goſpel, and the profeſſion of it, and the Lord Jeſus, may promote his eaſe, and honour, and credit, then welcome Goſpel; but if his profits, and honour, and credit, and the Goſpel cannot agree together, he turnes all out of doores, and of a profeſſor hee proves a loather of Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe he received him to content himſelfe withall: But hee that receives Chriſt in the worth of him, will not pleaſe himſelfe, and his luſts, and his pride, and vaine-glory, but though they that are his neareſt friends call him, and ſay, they muſt have his company and his attendance, yet hee replies, No, hee cannot, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt muſt be attended; and when the old haunts of heart, and old lewd courſes that have had inward league with the poore ſinner, come and crave, and plead for acceptance, hee regards them not; nay, an humbled ſoule will rather p. 228diſpleaſe all the great men in the world, yea, the neereſt man that he depends upon, and all that glory and pompe, than Jeſus Chriſt.

4 Triall. It rejoyceth moſt to ſee Chriſt honoured.4 Fourthly, he that loves any thing in the worth of it, it is his good and happineſſe to ſee the good and happineſſe of that thing which he loves: this is an undoubted argument of ſound affection, that that which he loves ſhould have all good, though hee miſſe it; If any good befall that thing which hee loves, hee thinkes himſelfe happy, and had rather ſee that honoured than himſelf: this is true love, & a marvellous ſweet paſſage of a loving heart, yea, it is the very picture of true love. 1 Sam. 23.17. When Saul had made a cunning ſearch for David, and he was fled, Jonathan comes to him, and chears him, ſaying, I know that my father ſhall not prevaile againſt thee, but that thou ſhalt be King over Iſrael, and I ſhall be next thee. Jonathan was Sauls Sonne, and he might have ſaid, I am my fathers heire, and why may not I bee his ſucceſſor in the kingdome? but he loved David, and rejoiced in his good, and therefore he ſaid, Thou ſhalt be King over Iſrael, and I ſhall bee next unto thee: As if hee ſhould ſay, I am more glad that the Crowne ſhall be ſet upon thy head, than if it were ſet upon mine owne; for my ſoule is thereby comforted and refreſhed. So it is with a good heart that loves Jeſus Chriſt, and his grace, and his Goſpel in truth; the happineſſe, glory and the honour of the Lord Jeſus is the greateſt good that can befall him; wherefore he ſaith, If the Lord may be honoured, though I am p. 225diſgraced I care not; it is enough to me if may ſtand to behold and ſee it, Ioh. 3.26.29. When the Lord Chriſt began to ſet forth the frame and glory of the Goſpel, and to baptize, the Diſciples of John came to their Maſter, and ſaid, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bareſt witneſſe, behold the ſame baptizeth, and all men come to him: they began to be troubled becauſe the Lord Jeſus baptized, and the praiſe went from them: as if they had ſaid, There is one come that carrieth the hearts of all men after him. Now mark what John anſwered, He that hath the Bride is the Bride-groome; as if he ſhould ſay, The Lord Chriſt is the Bride-groome, and I am onelyonly the friend of the Bride-groome: all my care was to prepare hearts for him; and hath he now gotten thoſe hearts? and hath he proſperitie? then have I enough: if I heare that the caſe goes well with him, I have enough; let the Lord have the praiſe that is due to him, and let me have whatſoever is due to me. 2 Sam. 19.30. when Mephiboſheth had been wrongfully accuſed to David, and David had taken away the inheritance from him, and was returned in ſafety, ſo that he ſaw the Kings face againe, David began to comfort him, ſaying, Thou and Siba divide the land; but marke how he replies, Yea (ſaith he) let him take all, for as much as my Lord the King is come againe in peace. It matters not for the inheritance; and for my ſelfe, and my life I paſſe not, fith the King is returned in peace: it is enough that I enjoy thy preſence, which is better to me than goods, life, p. 226and liberty. So it is with a kinde-loving heart, when hee is not able to indure to ſee Chriſts honour and glory lye in the duſt, but if his praiſe be advanced, then he is glad; this is a good and loving heart indeed which ſaith, Lord I have enough that Chriſt is mine, and that his honour and glory is magnified: Let the world take all, if I may have Chriſt, and ſee him praiſed and magnified. Labour to bring thy ſoule to this pitch: a miniſter in his place, and the maſter in his place, and every Chriſtian in his place; let it be all our care, not onelyonly to honour God our ſelves, but let it be our comfort if God may be better honoured by others than by our ſelves. This is our baſeneſſe of ſpirit; we can bee content to lift up Chriſt upon our ſhoulders, that we may lift up our ſelves by it: this too much prevailes amongſt all men. But be content to lye in the duſt, that the Lord may be praiſed, though thou be diſgraced; And though every mans heart goe oppoſite againſt thee, yet let this content thee, if the Lord Jeſus may thrive and proſper; yea if any of Gods people thrive and proſper more than thou, let that be thy onelyonly joy.

5. Triall. More & more it deſires union with ChriſtLaſtly, it is the nature of ſound love to covet a neere union with the thing that is loved, and to have a kinde of impatiency, and to be reſtleſſe till it doe attaine the greateſt meaſure thereof. This flowes directly from the nature of love, eſpecially of this love to Chriſt, who is the greateſt good: love is of a linking and glewing nature, & will carry the ſoule with ſome kind of ſtrength & earneſtneſs p. 227to injoy full poſſeſſion and fellowſhip of the thing that is loved; it cannot have enough of it, and it is not ſatisfied with it upon any occaſion. As it is (in reaſon) with a childe,Simile. happely when the father entertaines him at the table, hee gives him a little ſweet-meat, as ſome Conſerve, or the like, which is ſo ſweet that he can taſt nothing but that, and his minde is ſtill upon it, that he may receive more of it: the father commends this and that, and praiſeth a third, and extols a fourth diſh, but yet the childe cryes, More of this, becauſe hee felt the ſweeteneſſe of it: So it is with a ſoule that truly loves Chriſt; when it hath taſted how good the Lord is, and hath had a good looke from heaven, it covets union, not ſo much with any thing as with that; riches, honours, profits, ſeeme as irkſome as may be, in regard of that, & the ſoul deſires nothing ſo much as this, and craves more of Chriſt, more of that mercy, and holineſſe, and grace, and love that is in him: let the wicked talke what they will of the world, if he have that he hath enough. Pſal. 73.25. when David had been doating upon the world, and the vanities of it, ſee what he ſayth; Whom have I in heaven but thee, and whom on earth in compariſon of thee? and then ſee what followes, hee bids adieu to the world, and ſayth in the laſt verſe, It is good for me to draw neere unto God: as if he had ſaid, Let the ambitious belly-gods have their pleaſure, & drinke, and ſwill, and goe downe to hell: But oh let mee have that mercy, and that good which God hath provided for, and will beſtow p. 228upon thoſe that love him. You ſhall obſerve it, Joh. 20.15, 16, 17. Mary was a marvellous loving woman, and therefore when Chriſt ſaid to her, Woman, why weepeſt thou? whom ſeekeſt thou? ſhe ſuppoſing him to be the Gardiner, ſaith unto him, Sir, if thou haſt borne him hence, tell me where thou haſt laid him, & I will take him away: She would be content to have the dead body of her Saviour rather than none at all. But when the Lord Jeſus had revealed himſelfe to her in the 16 verſe, ſhee ſaid, Rabboni; and when ſhe ſaw it was he, ſhe flies upon him, and with marvellous violence embraceth him (for ſo the text is to be conceived) though hee forbad her to touch him, becauſe hee was not yet aſcended: ſaying, Doe I once poſſeſſe thee againe? I will never part with thee any more; thus ſhe held him by the feet, till he checked her, becauſe ſhee depended too much upon his outward preſence. Touch mee not (ſaith the Text) for I am not yet aſcended: thou ſhalt enjoy my preſence before I part with thee; but as yet be not ſo earneſt: ſo it is expreſſed, 1 Cor. 7.1. This is a lively expreſſion of that love and joy which many poore ſoules are poſſeſſed withall, after they have waited long for merciemercy, and God is pleaſed to refreſh them therewith: many times they begin to loſe their ſleepe, and meat, and begin to be lightened by it, becauſe they are ever holding of it, till they almoſt overthrow themſelves with it.Simile. As it is with parties that have lived long together in one houſe, whoſe affections are linked together in the way of marriage, they will ever deſire p. 229to be talking together, and ever to be drawing on to the marriage: So it is with the ſoule that loves the Lord Jeſus, & hath this holy affection kindled, and his ſpirit enlarged therein; when the Lord hath let in ſome glimpſe of his love, he thinks the houre ſweet when hee prayeth to the Lord Chriſt, and hath a great deale of ſweet conference with his Saviour; he thinks that Lords day marvellous ſweet, wherein God revealeth, by the power of his holy ordinance, any of that rich grace and mercy of his. It is admirable to ſee how the heart will be delighted to reckon the time, and place, and meanes, when and where the Lord did reveale it: and the ſoule ſaith, Oh this is good, oh that I might ever be thus cheared and refreſhed; it cannot have enough of this if it might have what it would, but, as David Pſ. 84.2, 3. ſaith, My ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: my heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the living God. Yea the ſparrow hath found an houſe, and the ſwallow a neſt for her ſelfe, where ſhe may lay her young, even thine Altars, O Lord of Hoſts, my King and my God; as if hee had ſaid, Goe you bleſſed birds, you may build your neſts by the Altar of my God, and come into his houſe; Lord, am not I as good as birds? His heart was marvellouſly inflamed with the want of that which he loved. Nay, in Luke 2.29. good old Simeon had his heart ſo enlarged to Chriſt, that hee could have been content to depart this life, ſo hee might have his fill of Chriſt. The ſpouſe that is contracted, thinkes every day a yeare till ſhe enjoy p. 230her beloved. Oh, ſayth ſhe, would that day were come that I might injoy him, and take full ſatisfaction to my ſoule in him: ſo it is with a loving ſoul, that hath been truly humbled and enlightned, is now contracted to Jeſus Chriſt, how it longs after him! Oh when will that day be (ſaith it) that I ſhall ever bee with him who is beſt of all? it takes hold of every word it heares, every promiſe that reveales any thing of Chriſt; but oh, when will that day bee that I ſhall ever bee with Chriſt? This is the higheſt pitch of Saint Pauls ſpeech, Phil. 1.23. For I am in a ſtraight betweene two, having a deſire to depart and to bee with Chriſt, which is beſt of all: as if hee had ſaid, that I may ever be with that mercy, and grace, and ſpirit that is in Chriſt, and be filled with his fulneſſe for ever and ever.

This is the frame of the ſoule that is in love with Chriſt, yea this is the ſtrong and glewing nature of love, that it will make a man deſire to be with the thing loved, though hee muſt undergoe never ſo great miſery to obtaine it: as Gen. 37.35. when Jacobs ſonnes brought the party-coloured coat to their father, he ſayd, It is my ſonnes coat, an evill beast hath devoured him: and he rent his cloaths, and put ſack-cloth upon his loines, and mourned for his ſonne many dayes. And all his ſonns, and all his daughters roſe up to comfort him, but he refuſed to be comforted: and he ſaid, For I will goe downe into the grave unto my ſonne mourning: he had rather be in the grave, than not to be with his ſon Joſeph. p. 231If a womans husband be in priſon, it is her wonderfull griefe that it is ſo, but moſt of all that ſhe may not be with him there; Thus alſo is it with the ſoule that entirely loves Chriſt, it is content to goe to the priſon with him, and ſaith, Let mee bee with Chriſt though hee bee perſecuted. It is his griefe that Chriſt is perſecuted, but it is a greater griefe that hee may not bee with him in perſecution. As the Spouſe, Cantic. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his; and as the wife ſaith, Husband, let the world doe and ſay what they will, thou art mine, and I am thine: So the ſoule ſaith, mercy is mine, and Chriſt is mine, if I may have that, I have enough, but without it I cannot be quieted.

Secondly, there is an holy impatience, and reſtleſſeneſſe of ſpirit, when it cannot come to cloſe with Chriſt. Oh it is good to expreſſe the earneſt deſire of the ſoule to Chriſt, though he ſeeme to hide his face away, and to forbid the banes of aſking. Thus it appeares what it is to love the Lord Jeſus.

Uſe 3. Now the pill is ſugered,Reproofe of them that love not Chriſt in truth. it will go downe the better, therefore now let us come to the uſe of reproofe; and this is as a ſwift witneſſe to accuſe, & as a Judge to condemne many in the world: this is ſufficient to ſhake the heart, and to make the hearts of moſt that live in the boſome of the Church, to ſinke at the very ſight of their wofull condition, in whoſe heart this bleſſed grace of God was never yet received; I meane, that never loved the Lord Jeſus; woe to their ſoules: yea, this is the greateſt p. 232part of their woe, that though they doe not love Chriſt, yet they doe not thinke ſo; nay, they will not be perſwaded to it. This is the cunning that the Divell uſeth to deceive poore ſoules withall, becauſe theſe affections are ſecret and inward, neither diſcover themſelves evidently to the heart, further than practiſe goes: therefore they think others know them not, and here they reſt: they lean upon a cōpany of ſottiſh deluſions which will faile them; thus they and their hopes periſh for ever. Wicked men cannot but confeſſe their owne vileneſſe, that their communications are vaine, and their fall ſcandalous; but this is that which ſalves all, they ſay, their lives are ſo indeed, but they love the Lord Jeſus with all their hearts. When theſe wretches have ſworne by their Saviour, and have torne his ſacred body in ſunder with their oathes and blaſphemies, yet they love Chriſt with their ſouls: poore deluded ſinfull men!

Now for the better convincing of theſe men, firſt let me make it good, that moſt men have not this love of Chriſt, and ſo lay the inditement Secondly, let me plead the inditement, and ſhew who they are that have it not.

Moſt in the Church love not Chriſt.Firſt, moſt that are in the world, yea that live in the boſome of the Church, have not their hearts carried in love to God, but in a hatred and deſperate oppoſition to the Lord Jeſus: as in Joh. 1.3, 4. In him was life, and the life was the light of the world. The Lord Jeſus was the life and light of the promiſe, and that promiſe of life was a way to p. 237lead men on to eternall happineſſe; this light ſhineth to the dark world, but they comprehend it not: as it is in verſ. 11. Hee came unto his owne, and his owne received him not. His owne, by reaſon of their priviledges, and the badge of the ordinances; his owne, becauſe they by profeſſion took his name upon them, as the Churches of the Gentiles are Gods owne by the outward, not the inward covenant of Sanctification, or in the aime of Election. We take up the profeſſion of his Goſpel, and yet we will not take up the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he may make us Chriſtians. His owne received him not; thoſe that were baptized, and had received the Sacrament. The Lord Jeſus comes and knockes at each mans doore, but few entertaine him: Nay, I would not outſpeake the truth, (for they are the words of ſobriety, and it grieveth me to ſpeake it) The moſt men upon earth hate Chriſt more than ſinne: I had almoſt ſaid it, and yet I had almoſt thought it unfit to be ſpoken, though they are the words of our Saviour: Wicked men hate the Lord Jeſus more than either ſinne, or the Divel himſelfe. Good Lord be mercifull to us! what a miſery is this, that ever any man ſhould be created by him, and receive mercy from him, and yet love the Divel and ſinne more than him.

But ſome will ſay, as Hazael did to the Prophet, 2 King. 8.12. Doe you thinke we are ſuch dogges, that having received ſuch mercy from the Lord Jeſus, we ſhould doe ſo? Yes for ſo ſaith Eliſha to him, I know the evill that thou wilt doe to the children of p. 238Iſrael: their ſtrong holds wilt thou ſet on fire, and their young men wilt thou ſlay with the ſword, and wilt daſh their children, and rip up their women with child. So, I ſay, and the Spirit knowes it is ſo in the hearts of moſt men this day. You know it not, you thinke it not; but your hearts are more vile than you can imagine. Wee know the greateſt evill of all is ſinne, for the Divell himſelfe is not to be loathed but for ſinne, and for it onelyonly: This is the condemnation (ſaith our Saviour in John 3.19.) that light is come into the world, and men loved darkneſſe rather than light, becauſe their deeds were evill. That men loved darkneſſe more than light, and more than Chriſt, nay, more than mercy and grace that was tendered, the caſe is cleare; it was ſo, and is ſo, & will be ſo: I ſay it is moſt certaine, that they love their luſts and corruptions more then Chriſt, and the temptations and deluſions of Satan, more than the good motions of the Spirit. Now we have laid the indictment, therefore in the ſecond place let us plead it.

And the ſeverall ſorts of them.2. Secondly, who are they that hate Chriſt? We muſt name the men; therfore we refer them to three rankes: Firſt, all open enemies to Chriſt: Secondly, all glozing Neuters of the world: Thirdly, all fawning hypocrites.

1. Firſt, the open enemies of Chriſt; and they are many, ſuch as Saint Steven ſpake of Act. 7.51. ſaying, Yee ſtiffe-necked and uncircumciſed in heart, and cares, ye doe alwaies reſiſt the holy Ghoſt, as your fathers did, ſo doe yee. They that ſet their mouthes p. 239againſt heaven, and ſtand in open defiance againſt the Lord Jeſus, and the power of his grace, may be referred to two heads: Firſt, thoſe whom our Saviour mentions, Mat. 21.34. ſpeaking of the Vineyard:Open enemies of Chriſts two ſorts. When the time of the fruit drew neere, he ſent his ſervants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen tooke his ſervants, and beat one, and killed another, and ſtoned another. But laſt of all, he ſent unto them his ſon, ſaying, They will reverence my ſonne. But when the huſbandmen ſaw the ſonne, they ſaid among themſelves, This is the heire, come, let us kill him. This is an intimation of the Scribes and Phariſees. The Church was the vineyard, the ſervants ſent out were the Miniſters and Prophets, and the Sonne is Chriſt Jeſus: now when Chriſt came, they ſaid with one conſent and voice, This is the heire, come, let us kill him. Doe you thinke that theſe kind of men are all dead that have ſuch a kind of ſpirit? Surely, no, there are many Leaders of the Divels camp, aſwell Miniſters as others. But if you aske me what entertainement their luſts have; I ſay they have all the welcome that can be: occaſions come not, corruptions within their hearts ſtirre not, and the Divels temptations allure not ſo ſoone, but theſe miſerable ſinfull wretches give all the kinde welcome that can be unto them: nay, they invite their villanies, they provide for them, yea, and ſeeke for all occaſions that they may ſinne: the Adulterer loves the twilight, and the coveteous man his money, their mindes are ever puffing, and their affections labouring p. 240to contrive all occaſions that may give all poſſible contentment to their vile corruptions: and it is no marvell though they have ſo long continued in their ſins ſeeing they give ſuch good entertainment to them. But if you aske mee how they entertaine Chriſt,Enmity againſt Chriſt ſhewed three wayes. let me ſhew it by two things; you ſhall ſee them up in armes, and at deadly hate with him: 1For firſt, they oppoſe the word of God: the miniſtry of the word is the miniſtery of the truth; it would open the eyes, and come home to the conſcience, and take away their ſinnes, but they contemne it; and marke upon this what an uproare there is, they take up armes, ſtriving to put out the light that would ſhew them their ſinnes, beating backe the truth, and labouring that it may not rule their lives: They are ſuch as our Saviour ſpeaks of, Luk. 19.27. Bring hither thoſe mine enemies, that would not have me rule over them, and ſlay them before my face. They oppoſe themſelves againſt that truth that would plucke the cup from the Drunkards mouth, and the whore from the Adulterers armes: their hearts ſwell for anger, and they ſcorne to bee under the power thereof. Nay, they not onelyonly withdraw themſelves from yeelding obedience to the holineſſe of the word, but they will not ſo much as acknowledge the truth of it, which the Divels themſelves did, Act. 16.16, 17. when Paul and Silas were preaching the word of truth, the Divels ſayd, Theſe men are the ſervants of the moſt high God, which ſhew unto us the way of ſalvation. The Divels could doe all this, yet theſe men will neither be informed p. 241nor convinced, that the duties that God commands, are, To be holy as he is holy, and pure as hee is pure, and not only to make conſcience of outward abominations, but of inward corruptions: But they flye out, and ſay, I will never beleeve it, and, I will not be of that opinion. The Divels could ſay, Theſe are the ſervants of the living God, and, this is the way of life, and, theſe are the ſervices commanded. Lord be mercifull to us, what hearts have theſe men, that goe not ſo farre as the Divels themſelves! Secondly, ſee how they behave themſelves when they come into the preſence of Jeſus Chriſt; if the Lord comes amongſt them by the preſence of his children, their hearts are deſperately carried againſt all the appearance of grace in them; now they that hate poore Chriſtians for their grace which they have received from Chriſt, hate Chriſt and holineſſe more. That which I have to ſay to theſe men, is this; that they would not ſuffer themſelves to be ſo deluded, but would goe home, & reaſon with themſelves in this manner, and ſay; the truth is, I have heretofore deceived my ſelfe, and might have beene damned, had not the Lord beene mercifull to me: I pretended to hate them for their diſſembling, but it was for their grace and holineſſe. If any man hates the picture of a man, ſurely he hates the man himſelfe much more; ſo if they hate the ſhew of holineſſe, much more doe they hate the power and vertue of it. Doe I love the beames of the Sunne? then I love the Sunne much more; and if I hate a poore Chriſtian, becauſe p. 242God hath brought him home, then I hate Jeſus Chriſt, and his grace much more: if I hate the lanthorne for the lights ſake, then I hate the light much more. A poore Saint hath a little ruſh candle of holineſſe and purity, of grace and meekeneſſe, and he carries this before a company of baſe drunkards, and filthy adulterers, that the countrey cries ſhame of; now if theſe hate the man that beares the light, will they not much more the light it ſelfe? Againe, of this ranke of open oppoſers, are all ſimple and ignorant creatures, that know nothing of grace nor holineſſe; who though they can ſay nothing either againſt the truth, or the people of God, yet they will commend what the wicked commends, & joyn ſide with them: they not only approve what theſe doe, but in their hearts and hands are the very ſame: The Scribes and Phariſees ſent to take Chriſt, and the people cried, Crucifie him, Crucifie him: they did it not, yet they gave their voices; & therefore the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, Ye are they that have crucified the Lord of life. By this you know what will become of your husbands, wives, and friends. Mat. 23.29. your forefathers ſlew the Prophets, and the Scribes and Phariſees builded their Sepulchers, that is, approved of what they did And as it is in a Campe, ſome are Captaines, and Leaders, and Commanders, and ſome attend upon the carriage; now though all bee not Captaines and Leaders, yet all are of the ſame Campe: ſo there are ſome Leaders and Commanders, and groſſe perſecuters of Chriſt, which the people of God finde p. 243hard meaſure from; but the poore carnall Goſpellers, they follow after, they are but the taile of the Divels army, yet they are of it; they are all young Divels, onelyonly their teeth are not ſo ſharpe, nor their clawes ſo long as others; they have not learned that skill, to make a prey of a poore Chriſtian.

2.Glozing neuters deſcribed and ſhamed. The ſecond rank are the glozing Neuters of the world; theſe alſo love their ſinnes more than Chriſt, nay they love not him at all in truth; theſe are they that halt between two opinions, your faire fooles, that would harme no man; ſo no man would harme them: the higheſt pitch that theſe come to, is this, that they may get reſpect and credit among the beſt, and they ſay, He that meddles leaſt is happieſt: theſe are pretty good civill neighbours, and will ſometimes doe a man a good turne, provided that they may not hurt themſelves: they will be of all ſtraines; if a wretched man come, they will bee like him, and now and then ſtrew forth faith and troth: they will not reprove others, becauſe they ſhall not cenſure them. And, as they will gloze with them, ſo ſometimes they will invite a Miniſter to their houſe, and now and then get him to preach, and ſometimes ſtraine hard for a little good conference; but above all, thoſe Miniſters pleaſe them beſt, that will not meddle with any perſonal ſinnes. If the Miniſter will bee onelyonly generall, they commend him highly, and ſay, Oh he is a very wiſe diſcreet man, and knowes how to carry himſelfe; yes, and he knowes not how to meddle with them, p. 244you muſt marke that: and if he will preach Doctrinall things, and take five or ſixe Doctrines in a Sermon, oh then he is a judicious man, and takes the very creame of the Scriptures; but if hee come to diſcover their baſeneſſe, and to meddle with their corruptions, Oh then they fall to reading that they may not heare, and wiſh that the man would keepe him to his text. Theſe men doe as it were intrench upon the articles of agreement between the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and the Goſpel; they covenant that they will not trouble nor perſecute the Goſpel, and they would not have the Goſpell to trouble them. And if the Miniſter come to touch upon any particular ſinnes, and labours to bring them a ſtep higher, Oh then they are weary, and think a mean between both is beſt; they account zeale in a good courſe like the hot fit of a feaver, very dangerous, and therefore they like beſt of a cold luke-warme temper in their profeſſion, for thoſe ſpirits are admirable wholſome. They eat out the power of Religion in this maner, and they love not the Lord Chriſt: Theſe men do with profeſſion as the Neutrall cities doe in other countries, they will not joyne with the one ſide nor with the other, but doe any thing that they may not be controlled: yet if the ſtronger ſide begin to take up Armes againſt them, and labour to bring them in ſubjection, they then will ſide for their advantage: This is the true picture of formall Neutraliſts in a Chriſtian courſe, they wil faſten themſelves to the world, that the world may not diſtaſt them; and to the better p. 245ſide, that they may not diſtruſt them. He will pray in his family, onelyonly that hee may couzen in his ſhop. Hee that is a formall Neutraliſt, will have two or three good ſervants to entertaine ſuch as are good; but he will have a knave and a drunkard alſo, to cloſe with ſuch as are bad; and thus hee playes with both hands: But if the powerfull preaching of the Word come to cloſe with him, and ſay hee muſt leave all his baſe ends and aimes, and lay downe himſelfe and his baſe courſes, Oh then hee turnes againſt the Goſpel, and hee is not able to ſtoope to it, nor to be framed by it. Theſe men deale with Chriſt as men that entertain a neighbour liberally, to this end, that he will look to his owne grounds onelyonly, and not intrench upon his; for to have him a Land-lord or Commander over him, and to bee in dependance upon him, this he cannot beare: But the Saints of God doe the ſecond, they entertaine Chriſt as a Land-lord, but the other onelyonly as a neighbour. Let theſe men know, that all thoſe that are not with Chriſt, are againſt him: though a man ſtand ſtill and doe nothing, and love not warre, becauſe he would bee in peace, let him (I ſay) know that all the wrong that is done by others, if he be not a helper againſt it, the Lord will require it at his hands, as if he had done it himſelf, as in that place, Curſe ye Meroſh, Judg 5.23.Judg 5:23becauſe ſhe came not to the helpe of the Lord againſt the mightie: as if a man did ſay, I am loath to meddle before I am called to it. But I ſay thou art called; the Goſpel was perſecuted, and thou wouldſt not ſtir; p. 246therefore the Lord will deale with thee as he did with that luke-warme Church in the Revelation, the Lord will ſpue thee out of his mouth: luke-warmneſſe is loathſome to the ſtomacke; therefore appeare in your colours what you are, that you may be knowne either a Saint or a Divell: lukewarme water goes againſt the ſtomacke, and the Lord abhors ſuch lukewarme tame fooles.

Hypocrites, enemies of Chriſt.3. The third ranke of thoſe that love not Chriſt, are the fawning hypocrites, that will fawne upon the Lord Jeſus, that make admirable faire weather, and profeſſe marvellous affectionate love unto him; and will ſpeake for a good cauſe and hazzard himſelfe in it, and when all is done, he is an inward hater of Chriſt. Of this ſort I take Saul to bee, 1 Sam. 15.13. the Lord gave a commandement to goe and kil all the Amalekites; who, when he ſaw Samuel comming toward him, ſaith, Bleſſed bee thou of the Lord (here marke the tricke of an hypocrite) I have performed the commandement of the Lord, and therefore bleſſed be God that I ſee thee, that I may give up my account unto thee: But, ſaith he, What meaneth then this bleating of the ſheepe in mine eares, and the lowing of the oxen which I heare? I need not ſpeake, for the bleatings of the ſheepe ſhew that Saul is an hypocrite. Theſe men may be diſcovered by theſe two paſſages: They doe not deſire to give contentment to Jeſus Chriſt, but to themſelves; and withall, they lift up their own glory with Chriſt.Foure ſorts of hypocrites. Of this ranke there are foure ſorts; The wrangling hypocrite, The whining hypocrite, p. 247The vaine-glorious hypocrite, The preſumptuous hypocrite.

The firſt ſort is the wrangling hypocrite: I know many men that will profeſſe they are at your command, to ſerve you, and to doe what they ſhall be commanded, and, they ſhall thinke themſelves happy to be imployed by you, and yet in concluſion they intend no ſuch matter. They deſire to live no longer & to do nothing but that which may promote the honour of the Lord Jeſus, and if they did not think to honour him by this or that, they would not doe it: but if it come to this, that a man muſt leave his profits, or livings, or honours for Chriſt, he will not ſay expreſſely he will not do it, and that hee will not part with his honours and profits for Chriſt, but yet he will ſtand to quarrell, and ſay, It is not fit to doe it, and, there is no command for it. It is admirable to ſee and to conceive the vileneſs and baſeneſſe that is in the ſpirits of theſe men; for when the duty is revealed and enjoyned, they will ſearch far and neer to make it no duty, they will rake the Divels skull, and invent ſome new ſhifts to prove that it is not needfull to be done, that ſo they may avoid the doing of it: as it is amongſt ſome that follow the faſhions of the times, though they pretend to doe things comely, and to keep cloſe to the Word, yet if a new faſhion come up, though never ſo abſurd, they will forget their promiſe and plead for it, not queſtioning what is lawfull, but what moſt pleaſes their humour. But obſerve this in thy owne ſoule, do not thinke to quarrell with thy ſelfe p. 248about duties which the Lord requires at thy hands: But art thou in good earneſt content that the Word ſhould be true as God would have it, and to have that accounted naught which God ſaith is naught? It is certaine many will ſay it for ſhame, but they have an inward league between them and ſome ſin, they will not have that lawfull that they may not doe, and they will not have that to be ſinne which God ſaith is ſinne, that they may commit it with quiet, eaſe, and liberty, ſtriving more to content their owne hearts, and the faſhion, then Chriſt. They muſt content their liberty, they will not be impriſoned, and therefore will give full content to a ſpirit that deſires freedome. Theſe never had this fire of love to Chriſt kindled in their hearts.

Now before I come to the next, give me leave to unmaske this hypocrite, and to dogge him to his owne doore: and for this end, Firſt, I will ſhew what this pretence of love to Chriſt is: Secondly, I will ſhew the prankes that hee hath to cover his hypocriſie withall; and when both theſe are opened, it will appeare that he onelyonly intends to wrangle, and that he hath not this true love of Jeſus Chriſt. For firſt, he wil joyne ſide with Chriſt in the generall, & in the common; nay when it cōes to the particular caſe, wherin his heart withdrawes, yet therein alſo he wil vow openly, that he doth nothing but what his conſcience tels him is fit to be done, and that which his judgement is fully ſatisfied in. Alas poore conſcience! he hath couzened thee before, or elſe curbed and charmed thee by ſaying, I p. 249am reſolved that it is not ſo, & therefore conſcience you muſt be of my ſide; yet conſcience replies, You ſhould not do this or that; let the Lord have the glory, and take you the ſhame, that all may be warned for ever. Thus it was with the old Prophet, 1 Ki. 13.18. when he came to couzen the young Prophet, he ſaid, I am a Prophet alſo as thou art, & an Angel ſpake unto me by the word of the Lord, ſaying, bring him back with thee into thine houſe. And thus it is with this wretched hypocrite in his pretence of love unto Chriſt, it is cleare in his conſcience, he dares not do any thing againſt the Lord Jeſus, and in his judgement and in his conſcience he thinkes ſo, and ſo hee hath peace at home: but let him goe with his peace. Again, he will talke marvellouſly of Gods honour, and of the promoting of the Goſpel, & the publike affaires, and they are of great force to make him do any thing: and this is ever in his mouth, that the generall good may goe on; and, if good may be done to the Church, thats all he cares for. The bottome of the buſineſſe is this, there is a good living that he muſt keepe, and a private good that he aimes at; hee pretends a generall good, but he aimes at his owne good: Wretch that he is, he labours onelyonly to give contentment to his honours, and eaſe, and credit, but hee gives no contentment to the Lord Jeſus. In 1 Sam. 15.21. Saul comes to meete Samuel, and ſayes, I have performed the commandement of the Lord, Haſt thou? No, God had thee kill the Amalekites, and thou haſt not done it: Oh, ſaith he, The people ſpared the best of the ſheepe, and of the oxen, to p. 250ſacrifice unto the Lord thy God: he would pretend to do God a courteſie; He doth not pretend his own good and benefit, but the publike good, the worſhip and ſervice of God; and therefore he ſaith, They have ſaved them for to ſacrifice to the Lord; and in the meane time hee wrongs God, and neglects his ſervice. As ſome great Courtier will doe with a plaine Countrey-man, hee uſeth him very lovingly, pretends great kindneſſes, till at laſt he ſo deludes him, that he thinkes he doth him a great favour not to doe the thing which hee askes at his hands: ſo the hypocrite thinkes with himſelf, what great honour God may receive, and what good the people of God may have from him; but that is not the thing hee lookes after, hee would make God and Chriſt believe he doth them a courteſie, not to doe the duty they require of him: But the Lord Jeſus is wiſer than to be thus couzened by a wretch, and therefore Samuel ſaith verſ. 22. Obedience is better than ſacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of rams: ſo when a wretch ſaith, What great good may Gods people have by this? and what glory may come to God? &c. the Lord Jeſus will ſay to all ſuch, No no, have I ſo much delight in ſacrifice? cannot I promote my glory without your lie? take your lies and your ſins, and go down to hel together.

Diſcoveries of not loving Chriſt.Secondly, obſerve the prankes whereby he diſcovers himſelfe to have no love to the Lord Jeſus; and they are three.

1Firſt, the maine guiſe of the ſpirit is this, In the p. 251multiplicities of opinions he will be ſure to joyne with that ſide that may make for his owne ends, though he know not the men that hold it: he ſaith, many men many mindes, therefore I thinke as ſuch and ſuch thinke; his meaning is this, he is reſolved to doe that which he thinkes may be moſt beneficiall to him, & therefore it is enough that any man doth as hee would have him, becauſe he would doe ſo, though he had no ground for it.

2Secondly, he will be loath to be ſtudiouſly carefull in the diligent ſearch after thoſe things which he makes doubt of; and though he will not ſay ſo, yet marke what I ſay, many in the anguiſh of conſcience have confeſt ſo much. As he is loath to inquire himſelfe, to know thoſe truths; ſo hee is unwilling to come into the ſociety of ſuch, and to continue with thoſe that he knowes to be of a contrary opinion to himſelfe, that will force him to a ſad and ſerious conſideration of his wayes: and hee thinkes thus with himſelfe, If I be there they will be every man upon my crowne, for they are ever in hand with ſuch and ſuch things; ſo that while he is there he ſtands upon thornes, and ſaith, What if they ſhould talk of this or that? Thus it was with Ahab, the wretched ſottiſh king was not willing to heare Michaiah ſpeake, for hee knew what hee would ſay; for when Jehoſaphat ſaid, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord beſides, that we might enquire of him? Yes, ſaith he, there is one Michaiah, but I hate him, for he never prophecies good to me, 1 King. 22.7, 8. Thus the young man, Matth. 19. when hee p. 252heard that which was contrary to him, went away ſorrowfull; whereas a good heart would have come ſorrowfull, and ſaid, I bleſſe the Lord for this mercy that I may live to heare of the hypocriſie of my heart: Lord I deſire a better opportunity to heare more of this matter, my heart is worſe than I imagined. This hypocrite cannot endure to heare of that eare: and if he be in the company, he is weary of the ſpeech, and ſaith, There is better communication, and more uſefull than this; but the reaſon is, he would not be troubled in his way.

3Thirdly, the guiſe of this wrangling hypocrite lyes here, that if he be forced to a ſerious conſideration of his way and opinion, then he will enter upon the worke, but it is very tediouſly; he will pretend a faire hearing, and conſult on both ſides, but when he comes home, he makes a ſecret conſpiracy againſt the Lord Jeſus: Is it not ſo conſcience? & he ſaith, I am thus reſolved, that that is true which I would have: either it is ſo, or elſe I will make it ſo, therefore let us agree upon it, conſcience. In Act. 23.15. ſee what thoſe wicked people ſaid, Yee with the Councell ſignifie unto the chiefe Captain that he bring him down unto you to morrow, as though yee would enquire ſome thing more perfectly concerning him, & we, or ever he come neere, are ready to kil him: Here they pretended a faire equall hearing, and yet they intended another matter. Such a courſe this hypocrite takes up againſt the truth of Chriſt; he will talke and inquire of this & the other, as if he would p. 253know more of Gods will; and read this and that book, & enquire of this Miniſter and that Chriſtian, but he is reſolved never to be perſwaded nor convinced of the truth of it: Thus they break the neck of the truth, and ſhall break their own necks in hell too. In Acts 4.16. there is a great worke done; that cannot be denied, but let us take heede that it goe no further. It is with theſe hypocrites, as it was with the Scribes and Phariſees, who, though the glory of the truth ſhone upon them, yet would they ſtop it, and, that it might get no hold upon them, knocke off the fingers of it. It is admirable to obſerve this hypocrites guiſe, if there bee any man that will but ſay any thing that may tend to his way, he applauds that man, and delights much in him, and, though hee know no reaſon for it in his conſcience, yet he contents and ſatisfies himſelfe: but if there be never ſo good arguments to the contrary, never ſo many reaſons that cannot be gaine-ſayd, yet he is not ſatisfied, neither can he be perſwaded by all theſe arguments; The reaſon is, he is reſolved to doe whatſoever hee hath purpoſed for his honour and ſafety, and therefore it muſt bee lawfull that hee may doe that which hee hath purpoſed: Let there bee but ſome frothy Miniſter, or ſome fooliſh man or woman, that will commend faſhionableneſſe, the faſhion-monger will hugge him in his armes, and ſay, Hee ſpake marvellous wiſely to the point, and very judiciouſly, though he had not one argument; & whatſoever is ſpoken to the contrary, he will not believe it: but p. 254the Scripture hath no ſuch thing; for where are thoſe words of yellow ſtarch, bands, and the like? Well, it is ſufficient that he is faſhionable to the world: the iſſue is this, hee is contented to give himſelfe honour, and eaſe, and liberty, but hee will not content the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and therefore I ſay he never had this love of God, nor this ſaving grace in his heart. Rom. 2.8. But unto them that are contentious, and doe not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſſe; not thoſe that are contentious with their neighbours, but againſt Gods truth: What of them? why, to them ſhall be indignation and wrath. Such were they 1 Tim. 6.4. Hee is proud, knowing nothing. When a man ſhould come and joyne ſide with the word of truth, hee is puft up in his vaine minde, and hath no ſound worke of grace in his heart:He that wrangles againſt truth, never loved Chriſt: I doe not ſay that hee which is ignorant in any truth of Chriſt, but hee that thus wrangles with any truth of Chriſt, that man cannot have any ſound evidence of Gods love in this bleſſed worke of grace: and this I prove thus.

2. arguments.Firſt, hee that will have this evidence of Gods love, muſt entertaine the truth aright, that is, in the love of it, not for his own private ends & aimes, not becauſe it is profitable or honourable, but becauſe it is true; and he that entertaines one truth in the love of it, will entertaine every truth ſo far as it is revealed: but this hypocrite doth not entertain the truth in the love of it, and therefore hee cannot have any ſound evidence of Gods love.

Secondly, never any man had, as yet, this worke p. 255of true grace, that is not yet come from under the power of ſinne and Satan: for no man is come from under the power of ſinne, or the dominion of Satan, that will joyne ſide with ſinne and Satan againſt the truth; but this man doth joyne ſide with ſinne and Satan againſt the truth of God, and therfore was never come from under the power of ſin, and ſo conſequently never had this worke of grace. I compare this wrangling wretch to the Merchant, that will trade with other Princes, but not ſubmit to them as King: ſo this man will trade with the Goſpel, but not ſubject himſelfe unto it; and therfore he is but a hang by and a retainer, and one that makes a booty of the Goſpel. Thus much of the wrangling hypocrite.

The ſecond ſort is the whining hypocrite, who will continue daily to abuſe the Goſpel, and to grieve the Lord Chriſt, and he thinkes to make up his wrongs, by laying open his ſorrow that he hath done ſo, and thus he thinkes to be friends with him againe. As it is with ſome ſervant, whom the Maſter will neither let goe, nor yet uſe as a ſervant: ſo it is with theſe whining hypocrites; they have great need of the power of the Goſpel, and yet they are not willing to bee under the power of it; however they keepe it in, and fawningly flatter it, and if they come and ſay, they are ſorry for this and that, then all ſhall be well, and they entreat the Lord not to take it ill at their hands, they will mend it, &c. ſo that in truth they love not the power of the Goſpel, but onelyonly to make gaine of it p. 256to themſelves.Simile. As it is with ſome whining debtor, that partly out of covetouſneſſe would not, and partly through indigencie cannot pay, hee will come and complaine of his hard peny-worth, and deſire ſome reſpite, not that he may give content to the Creditor, but to himſelfe: So it is with this whining hypocrite, hee will ever bee complaining, but never amending. I ſpeake not againſt ſorrow and complaining, as though they ſhould be altogether quit of the body of death, and of diſtempers, and of their curſed luſts and corruptions; (for if a man love Jeſus Chriſt as much as ever any mortall man did, yet he ſhall never be quit of this body of death ſo long as hee is here) but I ſpeake againſt thoſe that are ſtill complaining and vexing themſelves in the outward appearance, who have teares at command, becauſe of ſome violent paſſion, or for ſome diſcredit to the Goſpel, or ſome diſgrace to themſelves, and yet ſtand juſt at the ſame ſtay. Oh varlets, that confeſſe their ſin to Chriſt, and yet forſake it not, that they may love him! that thus they may fawne upon Chriſt, making their ſorrowes a plea for their ſin, and think to cry and whine it out, and yet returne to their old courſes againe! Thus it was with Ahab, 1 King. 21.15. who killed Naboth for the vineyard, and in the 27 verſe, hearing Eliah denounce ſuch heavie threatnings againſt him, & knowing himſelfe to be guilty of that ſin, he faſted, and prayed, and rent his clothes, yea prayed in print, as the proverbe is, but yet hee returnes to his old byas again, for in the next chapter he hated p. 257Michaiah ſtill. This is but the bathing of a mans ſins, not the drowning of them: he thinks to pleaſe Chriſt, and to keepe Chriſt with him, becauſe hee cannot be without him; and though he ſinne againſt him, yet he thinkes to make all whole with complaining. This is too ordinary in the world. The rebellious hearted ſinner, that is croſſe and peeviſh, and froward, he will be a profeſſor in a high ſtrain, and pretend great love to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and complaine of his froward heart, but yet he falls into paſſion upon every occaſion, and hee to, by his complaints, thinkes to make all whole againe. This is baſe falſe hypocriticall love, and not the love of the Father that will enable a man to give content in thoſe things that he may eaſily doe. I can hire theſe men from their paſſion for money, and ſcare them from it by the Magiſtrate; And ſhall a reward hire thee, or a Magiſtrate ſcare thee, and ſhall the Lord Jeſus have no power over thee to cauſe thee to doe it? Goe thy way, thy heart is naught: if thy love were ſound, it would worke more than all this comes to; that is not love at all, that is not able to doe ſo much as this for Jeſus Chriſt: the like I may ſay of the untoward doggedneſſe of ſome husbands and maſters; it is their life to fret and talke like mad-men; and thus the cunning chapman will cheat you to day, and whine to morrow, and hee thinkes this pleaſeth the Lord Jeſus very well. Shee is not accounted a loving wife, but an adultereſſe, that when ſhee hath played the harlot, will come and whine to her husband, and yet goe to it p. 258againe; no, if ſhee had a true heart to her husband, and ſought for peace, ſhe would not have returned to her vile courſes againe: So it is with the ſoule, it is adulterous and baſe love, and not the love of the Spouſe of Chriſt, to confeſſe and bewaile ſinne, and yet to commit it. That ſorrow which looſens the heart from ſinne, and makes it come neerer to God, and ſo to be rid of corruption; that ſorrow, I ſay, gives content to Chriſt; but that ſorrow which indeed doth incourage a man, and rather give way to the commiſſion of ſinne, than looſen the heart from it, gives no content to the Lord Jeſus, but to thy ſelfe; and ſtands not with the allegeance of him, but of ſin: but yet if thou canſt ſay ſo, and ſorrow ſo, as to be looſened from thy ſinne, then thou contenteſt the Lord Jeſus; but if thou thinkeſt thou haſt a warrant, or a privie ſeale for thy ſinful practices, becauſe thou haſt ſorrowed, this argues little love to Jeſus Chriſt.

Object. But ſome will ſay, May not a man make his moane, and expreſſe his griefe for ſinne?

Expreſſion of ſorrow for ſin, limited.Anſw. I anſwer, Yes, it is fitting and neceſſary; yet conſider theſe two rules.

11. Firſt, make it not an ordinary table-talke, for that ſmells too groſſely of falſe hypocriſie: as if a man did ſay, Now I hope every man will take notice how I mourne for ſin; but rather if thy heart be full, and ſurcharged with griefe, inquire what is the danger of ſuch and ſuch corruptions, and the cauſe of them, and how thou mayſt get power againſt them, but keepe thy ſorrow in ſecret.

p. 25922. Or elſe in the ſecond place, thou ſhouldſt make thy ſorrow knowne to ſome godly Miniſter, or faithfull Chriſtian, out of the burden of thy ſin, and not for faſhion ſake: thus doe, that thy heart may be looſened from thy ſinne, and thou ſee thy need of a Saviour.

A third ſort is a new upſtart hypocrite, that is newly come up; many of them are in other parts, and ſome neere unto our owne ſelves: they are ſuch as are full of carnall confidence, and are proud of their beleeving; but faith ſhuts out boaſting. They are as full of hypocriſie as an egge is full of meat, or a toad full of poyſon. Such an hypocrite I will diſcover to you thus. Hee is a man that hath long profeſſed the truth, and hath ſeene his ſinne, and been awakened to his owne ſenſe, and hath had a kinde of attendance to the Goſpel, and a kinde of brainiſh acquaintance with the promiſe in Jeſus Chriſt, ſo that now he is fully perſwaded that Jeſus Chriſt is his, and he is Chriſts. And yet after all this, when he is come thus farre, he lookes no more after himſelfe, but lookes all to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, inſomuch that the Lord Jeſus becomes a drudge to him. Now the guiſe of this man is this, he caſts away all ſorrow, and reaſons thus: For me to ſee my vileneſſe, and to be ſenſible of the body of death, and to bleed inwardly, and mourne daily for my wickedneſſe, I thinke is needleſſe: theſe are paſt with him, for he ſayth, I have mourned before this day, and now I have gotten Jeſus Chriſt: thus he thinks he needs not be afflicted with his ſins, nor p. 260mourne for his many failings; but the Lord Jeſus, who he thinkes is at his command, muſt doe all, and thus he ſurfets on his ſinnes ſtill. This is the root of the doctrine of the Familiſts, that curſed, helliſh, & unconceiveable baſeneſſe that is in them. I have heard of many of them, that after long profeſſion and much zeale and exactneſſe in a Chriſtian courſe, have fallen unto this ſtraine, and come to juſt nothing. A poore ſinfull deluded Sot thou art, thou poore creature; doſt thou entertaine the Lord Chriſt as a Commander, when thou wilt not have him ſo much as to diſpoſe of thee, but as thy drudge, that thou mayſt take what mercy thou wilt, and leave what thou wilt? They will have Chriſt to pardon their ſinne, but not to make them mourne for it, as if (in truth) they meant that hee ſhould ſtand at their beck. They reſt upon their faith, and will not have themſelves and their faith to reſt upon Chriſt: for this is their conceit, they apprehend they doe beleeve, and there they reſt, and ſo in concluſion they never goe to Chriſt to have their hearts humbled and brought under; as if a man ſhould goe and graſpe with his hand, and take no hold of the rocke, he neither findes ſtrength to himſelfe, nor any hold to his hand: ſo they reſt upon their faith, and neither they nor their faith upon their Saviour. Thou ſinfull deluded hypocrite, the Lord Jeſus will make thee come under, and ſtoope, and force thee and thy carnall confidence to lye in the duſt, and begge for merciemercy. Can any man in reaſon judge this to be love, which in deed is nothing p. 261but a marvellous curſed diſtemper? They ſay, the law hath nothing to doe with them, and they live by the law of love; and yet they have not any love to the Lord Jeſus. Muſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt pardon thy ſinnes, and thou remaine in them? Muſt the Lord Jeſus ſeale to thy ſoule the forgiveneſſe of thine iniquities, and thou dally with it? No, the Love of the Lord Chriſt will compell thee to doe any thing to give contentment to the Lord Jeſus.Eſa. 57.15. Pſal. 51.17.Isa 57:15Ps 51:17 An humble heart is the onelyonly houſe where Chriſt dwells, and the onelyonly ſacrifice that he accepts of, and the onelyonly guiſe of ſpirit that Jeſus Chriſt lookes to: and if thou love the Lord Jeſus, thou muſt be ſure to provide this dainty diſh for him.

Ob. But ſome will ſay, What need have I of this ſorrow, ſeeing Chriſt Jeſus muſt doe all?

Anſ. I anſwer, What need then haſt thou of faith, for Chriſt muſt in that do all for thee? Though I doe not ſay thou haſt as much need of ſorrow and brokenneſſe of heart, as of faith,Continuall ſorrow as needfull, as continuall beleeving. yet there is a kinde of proportionable need of a continuall ſorrow, as well as of continuall beleeving; and that upon theſe grounds.

Firſt, thy ſorrow helpes on thy faith, that it may be more ſtrongly carried to Jeſus Chriſt; for the more weight and burden of thy ſinnes thou feeleſt, the more need thou wilt ſee of Chriſt. As it is with a ſharpe ſauce, though it breed not a ſtomacke,Simile. yet it ſtirres up a ſtomacke; ſo this godly ſorrow, though it is not the worke of beleeving, yet it ſtirres up the p. 262ſtomacke (of faith) to go goe to the Lord Jeſus: for faith is the going out of the ſoule to Chriſt, and hee that findes the burden of his ſinne, will be the more ready to goe out to Chriſt.

2Againe, this makes a man the more fit to receive the aſſurance of Gods love; this, I ſay, makes the ſoule more ready and fit to receive the evidence of Gods love to be expreſt to the ſoule, which thou canſt not have ſo expreſt to thee, except thou have this godly ſorrow: 1 Joh. 1.9. If wee confeſſe our ſinnes, he is faithfull and juſt to forgive us our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſſe: he ſpeaks there of them that now had faith, & yet ſhewes that before the Lord would ſeale to the man that hath faith, the aſſurance of the pardon of his ſinnes, hee will make him humble, and cry, and ſorrow for them, and as to live comfortably, ſo ſorrowfully too: as 1 King. 8.38. 2 Chron. 6.36. If the people returne to thee in the land of their captivitie, and pray unto thee ſaying, We have ſinned, we have done amiſſe, and have dealt wickedly; then heare thou in heaven, &c. When the Lord ſeeth their hearts humbled for their ſinnes, and ſorrowfull for them, then hee ſeales up the pardon of them. So then the way to have this aſſurance, is to have this frame of ſpirit here ſpoken of.

3Thirdly, this godly ſorrow ought to bee continually in ſuch as have this love of Chriſt, that ſo our hearts may be carried with a more deadly hatred of ſinne. Theſe are the benefits of godly ſorrow; and if a man ſorrow not for ſinne, he will not p. 263ſorrow for the wrong and diſhonour done to God by other ſinfull men: as David, Pſal. 119.136. Rivers of waters runne downe mine eyes, becauſe they keepe not thy law. EZech. 9.4. The Lord ſayd to the Angel, Goe and ſet a marke upon the foreheads of all the men that ſigh, and that cry for all the abhominations that be done in the midſt thereof. Now how can a man mourn for the abhominations of others, when he hath not the heart to mourne for it in his owne ſoule?

Ob. But ſome will ſay, Muſt we never rejoyce in the Lord?

Anſ. I anſwer, Yes. I ſay, ſorrow daily for thy ſinnes, and yet daily rejoyce in thy Saviour; and the more thy heart is broken for the one, the more thou wilt be comforted by the other. Thou that makeſt no matter of being ſenſible of the body of death that hangs upon thee, and haſt no care to bee ſenſible of thy owne failings, take heed that the Lord give thee not up for ever to thy owne baſeneſſe, to be ruſhed headlong into ſome vile ſcandalous courſes, and ſo thou periſh for ever; as wee finde by experience, many, by this meanes, have growne the moſt profane creatures that ever lived: And this is the damnable hereſie of the Familiſts.

The fourth ſort is the vain-glorious hypocrite; and hee is marvellous zealous for God and his truth in outward appearance. That God may bee honoured, and his Goſpel advanced, it is admirable what he will do; he will hazzard himſelfe, his life, p. 264his eſtate and all, nay be content not to live, if he may but leave a little vaine breath after him. Wee know what vaine-glory doth amongſt the Papiſts, who, that they may be canonized for Saints, will endure any thing, and ſuffer death it ſelfe: this vain-glory is above life and all.Simile. As ſome great Courtiers will doe by a man that they meane to make a booty of, they make him their onelyonly favorite, and expreſſe a great deale of kindneſſe to him, that hee may helpe them to more honour and glory: So this wretch doth lift up the Goſpel, that the Goſpel may advance him, and fill his ſailes full of winde: therefore he will doe great matters for this end, that hee may receive glory from it. Even as the Stage-player that ſets up a great ſtage that he may be above the people;Another. ſo it is with a vain-glorious wretch; prayer is a good ſtage, and faſting, and hearing, and preaching are very fine ſtages for him, upon which he acts his part, that others may ſee him, that glory may come to him, and not that the glory and grace of Chriſt may bee extolled: hee would lift up himſelfe to heaven, and caſt downe Chriſt to hell. Such an one was Saul: when Samuel gave him the left hand, and would not go with him into the Citie, 1 Sam. 15.30. He ſaid, I have ſinned, yet honour me I pray thee before the people, and turne again with me, that I may worſhip the Lord thy God: Walke with me, and then the people will ſay, Oh what good friends they bee! ſurely hee is a good man, the Prophet goes with him. It is a great honour to thoſe that are wiſe, becauſe they are willing to p. 265joyne ſide with thoſe that are holy and gracious; ſo Saul will honour Samuel, that Samuel may honour him, and that he may ſtand upon his ſhoulders, as it were, that the people may ſay, See how inward they are, and what a good man hee is, the Prophet goes on with him: but the turne and the iſſue of the hypocrite is this, it is meerly for himſelfe; which will appeare thus: If once the winde begin to turne, and the gale of honour grow ſomewhat cold, and other men are a little lifted up, ſo that he may not bee in the fore-front; or if his profeſſion will not carry him out with honour, but his credit is laid in the duſt, and hee ſees hee cannot get honour, his heart dies in him, and he ſaith, It is as good to leave off all: and if he cannot get glory from the Goſpel, either hee will grow deſperately wicked and oppoſe the Goſpell, and joyne ſide with the wicked, and helpe them; or elſe he will flagge and die in a baſe carnall courſe, and come to nothing; and thats the beſt of him. This hath been the bane of many men, who, when they have miſſed of the glory that they lookt for from the Goſpel, they have become perſecuters: Theſe men deal with Chriſt as the Inne-keeper doth with his gueſts; If a man will pay the Ordinarie,Simile. he is welcome, but if once his money faile, hee turnes him out of doores: ſo if Chriſt will pay his Ordinary, and if hee may have credit and honour, ſo as men may ſay he hath good parts, and that he faſts more than the world knowes; I ſay, if the Goſpel will give him this Ordinary, it is welcome, and he is p. 266carried on cheerfully: but if Chriſt and the Goſpel will not give him that which hee would have, hee turnes his backe upon it. The Lord Jeſus convince your hearts of it. I take this to be the ſtate of a great many: but a gracious heart is of another ſtraine or temper. Happely God hath given a man parts, and gifts, and credit, and yet if the Lord withdraw himſelfe, a good ſoule ſaith as John did, Joh. 3.40. Hee muſt encreaſe, I muſt decreaſe; ſo a good heart ſaith, If another man deſerve and have more than I, yet let this proud heart licke the duſt, and never lift up it ſelfe; if the Lord Jeſus may encreaſe, and have his honour and glory, let me be trodden in the duſt: this is a heart worth gold. When a man entertaines the King, he is content, though the King put him out of his owne houſe, to bee his ſervant for the while; and if his Majeſty may be contented, he cares not: ſo it is with a gracious humble heart, if the Lord will blaſt a mans parts and comforts, and take all from him, and give him Chriſt naked, and onelyonly that honour that is in him, hee is contented: This heart is right, and hee will ſay, It is Gods will to take away theſe parts, honours, credit, &c. and if the Lord Jeſus ſay, I will not aſſiſt nor comfort thy ſoule, he lyes downe and ſaith not a word, but this, Let the Lord be honoured though I be as the dung in the ſtreets; whatſoever become of me, though I be damned, ſo the Lords glory may be advanced, I am content. Suppoſe this ſhould be (which indeed cannot be) that a man were left deſtitute of al comfort, friends, and meanes, and all that he hath loved p. 267heretofore, and in ſtead of honour were to have ſhame; and impriſonment for liberty; and want and diſhonour in ſtead of friends: the ſoule ſaith, It is Gods will to doe ſo, and to take away honour and parts, who muſt order the buſineſſe but he onelyonly? Doth it pleaſe the Lord Jeſus to doe ſo? bleſſed bee his name for it, I ſhall now be contented, let me lye at his feet; though I goe downe to hell let me wait on him, and let him doe what he will.

Now all you that are of any of theſe ſorts, to you is the Word of the Lord ſpoken this day, and I beſeech you in the name of Chriſt, take it in love, and as ſpoken out of indignation to your ſinnes: to you, I ſay, the Miniſter and the Word ſaith, The Lord bee mercifull to you, you are haters of the Lord Jeſus, there is none of the love of God in the hearts of any of this generation to this day. Now do not goe away and ſay, Let the Miniſter ſay what he will, for hee muſt ſay ſomething to hold out the houre: What? wilt thou ſhew thy ſelfe to bee a moſt notorious wrangling hypocrite? Conſcience, ſpeake, is not thy heart met withall, as in all the former particulars? Conſcience ſaith ſo, and the Lord ſaith ſo; Oh be perſwaded therefore, and yeeld the bucklers, and ſay, Now I ſee it is not in truth, all that I have done is wrong and falſe; Oh that I could once at laſt fall upon the right way! The Lord perſwade your hearts to conceive of it, and to ſay, I am ſtill a hater of Chriſt, I am yet an enemy; Do I yet live to be ſaved by Chriſt, p. 268and do I hate him? think of thy ſin, and conſider thy ſorrow.

1. Thinke thus much with thy ſelfe, This ſinne of all other is moſt unconceivable, and not to bee named, much leſſe to bee practiſed and retained. Oh that ever any wretch that hath received ſo much from Chriſt, ſhould ſtill hate him! Good Lord, that ever there ſhould bee ſuch a wretch upon the earth! and yet Lord I am the man, I am hee that have approved of the practiſes of the wicked: thou art an open enemy to the Lord Jeſus, and therefore thinke what thou haſt done all this while. Rom. 1.19, 20. That which may be known of God, is manifest in the creatures. But in the meane time thinke but what thy ſinne is, that thou haſt not onelyonly the creatures to preach to thee, but the Lord Jeſus who came downe from heaven: It is a wonder that ever he came for ſuch wretches as we are; hee hath torne his bowels in pieces for thee, and entreated thee to bathe thy ſoule in his death, and bee ſaved for ever;Luke 19.42.Luke 19:42 yea, hee hath wept over thee, and ſaid, Oh that thou hadſt knowne, even thou at leaſt in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, yet thou regardeſt not. Oh thou poore ignorant profane carnall wretch! nay the blood of Chriſt, and his teares, and the offer of his mercies, and his ſpirit, ſpeake to thee, and intreat thee to beleeve in him and live for ever, and yet thou continueſt an infidell. You know the ſpirit of love hath met you in your Churches, and in your houſes, and walked with you in your journeies, and ſaid, p. 269Now open, the Lord Jeſus calls & tenders mercy, and you have ſnubbed it. Good Lord, is it poſſible that the blood of Jeſus Chriſt ſhould ſpeake to us, and that a company of wretched creatures ſhould trample upon that blood, and grieve that ſpirit, rather then forſake their luſts and corruptions! You children tell your fathers of this, and you wives your husbands, and ſay, Is it poſſible that we have done this, and yet live ſtill? it is a wonder. Therefore reaſon thus with your ſelves, and ſay, If a heathen ſhall be condemned that had but trees preaching to him, and his conſcience open; then what ſhall become of me, that have had Chriſt and his blood to preach to me? what will become of me? what ſin is mine? it is a ſcarlet ſin, it hath in it all abominations.

2. Secondly, thinke of thy ſorrow, how will the Lord Jeſus be revenged on thee! Doeſt thou ſay, Oh he is mercifull, and will forgive all? What wil the Lord ſuffer his ſonne to be trampled upon will God the Father ſuffer this? thinke what will be the end of it; Oh thy judgement is intolerable and unrecoverable, continuing as thou art. Conſider the heavineſſe of thy plagues: 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; let him be had in execration, or bee accurſed, or bee made Maranatha; that is, All the curſes of heaven and earth, and all the curſes of the world, to the higheſt ſtraine of curſing: as if he ſhould ſay, All you Churches on earth, and all you Angels in heaven, curſe ye that man, and all ye Divels in hell torment that man, p. 270nay, let him be accurſed for ever; and then, bleſſed Redeemer, take this man into thy owne hands, and let him be accurſed for ever: As in Jude 14. And Enoch alſo the ſeventh from Adam, prohecied of theſe, ſaying, Behold the Lord commeth with tenne thouſands of his Saints, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him. You thinke it is nothing to ſpeake againſt the Lord Jeſus; thouſands of Angels ſhall miniſter to him, and ten thouſands ſhall goe before him, and ſay, The Lord is comming to execute judgement upon all that work wickedneſſe, and upon thoſe that have ſpoken againſt him. So that when the Church of Chriſt, and the Angels in heaven, and the Divels in hell have conſpired to torment a man, then alſo the Lord Jeſus will come to torment him. Oh that my heart could bleed, and if it were poſſible, breake in ſunder for the miſery in which you are: in that day the Lord Jeſus will ſay to ſuch, as hee doth Luke 19.27. Thoſe mine enemies which would not that I ſhould raigne over them, bring hither and ſlay them before me: He will ſay, Bring hither that enemy of mine, he hath oppoſed mee, and grieved my ſpirit, and ſleighted my mercy; bring my enemies hither, not the Heathens or Pagans, I regard not them ſo much, but him that hath beene a hater of me and of my Goſpel; and then ſhalt thou ſee the intolerableneſſe and unavoydableneſſe of thy puniſhment. p. 271Oh poore ſoule, what wilt thou ſay or doe when thou art put to ſuch a plunge; (as Joſephs bowels did earne within him when hee talked with his brethren, that he could forbeare no longer, I wiſh that I had a heart to mourne in ſecret for thee) I ſay, what will become of thee, poore wretch? Happely thou wilt ſay, there is mercy: It's true, but thou haſt hated that mercy, which ſhould ſave thee: or, wilt thou thinke that the blood and merits of the Lord Jeſus will ſave thee, thou haſt trodden upon them. Wilt thou ſay, The good ſpirit of the Lord will prevaile with this wretched heart of mine? with what heart canſt thou crave aide from the ſpirit, when thy owne conſcience can ſay, I have hated that good ſpirit of the Lord, and that mercy which ſhould ſave mee? And when all is done and thou art come to the period, goe your way home to your husbands and wives and mourn for them, for there is neither mercy nor Chriſt for them, for they alſo have hated him. And when this is done, imagine thou didſt ſee the heavens opened, and the fire melting round about thee, and the Lord Chriſt coming in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to all that obey not the Goſpel, lay thy hand upon thy breaſt & ſay, that's I Lord, that's my husband, or my childe, he is come againſt us, to render vengeance to them that have lived with mee, and have oppoſed the Goſpel, and the riches of grace and of mercy in Jeſus Chriſt. Thinke of theſe in Gods name and labour to prevent them here, that thou mayeſt bee freed from the puniſhment of them hereafter.

p. 272Love the Lord Jeſus in ſinceritie.Uſe 4. The laſt uſe is for Exhortation; Oh that God would pleaſe to worke our ſoules to this duty, which the Saints take up, and all of us ought to labour after! You heare how the Lord works in the hearts of his, and how they which are truely called of God, have this love kindled in their hearts; Oh therefore what remaines, but onelyonly this, bee exhorted, ſince you ſee the way, to walke in it; and ſince we ſee what the Saints of God have and doe, let us labour to expreſſe this frame of heart, that ſo the Lord Jeſus may make us partakers of their hapneſſe: I ſay, let us labour after it, and when we have it, expreſſe our loves to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt as wee ought: It was that which tooke up the heart of David, Pſal. 18.1.Ps 18:1when hee ſaith, I will love thee deerely O Lord my ſtrength. As it is with a woman with child, though the infant in the wombe have life, yet the mothers love is not ſo great towards it till it bee borne; but then ſhe claſps her armes about it with much tenderneſſe; ſo hee ſaith, I will embrace the Lord with much love, I will love him; as if hee had ſaid, All the world ſhall not hinder mee but I will love him, though I love not my ſelfe: and hee perſwades all the Saints of God to do the like, Pſa. 31. 23. ſaying, Love the Lord all ye his Saints; who will you love if you love not him? Oh you poore ones, love you the Lord, for you have need of him; and all you rich ones love you the Lord, for you have cauſe to doe it; and you little ones too (if there be any ſuch in the congregation) he knockes at every mans doore, and perſwades every mans heart, p. 273and he deales faithfully with his Saints: therefore if you have but this grace, it is an undoubted argument, that you are the Saints of God: nay, though out of thy blindneſſe thou couldſt never know the way to Chriſt, and out of thy weakeneſſe thou couldſt never cloſe with Chriſt, yet if thou wilt but love him, thou ſhalt know him, and be with him for ever: 1 Joh. 4 12.16. No man hath ſeene God at any time: God is love, and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. If thy heart be perſwaded to continue in God, and to be with God for ever, then love him, and he will dwell in thee, for he is love it ſelfe; for ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, Love is of God.

Ob. Oh but ſome will ſay, it is true, we know it is fitting, and we ought to doe it, but it is a difficult thing, and we are unable to doe it, though we know it is requiſite to be done. To love the Lord Jeſus we find is a difficult worke, and hard, although the world thinke it not ſo.

Anſ. I would to God you did finde it difficult: and marke what I ſay, that man never loved Chriſt aright, who found it not difficult. He that ſaith, Oh ſuch an one as will not love the Lord Jeſus, it is pitty he ſhould live: it is to be feared he did never love Jeſus Chriſt aright: Poore ſilly deluded creature, it will coſt thee hot water before that day; yet when thou haſt it, it will quit all thy coſt and labour.

Oh but ſome will ſay,Means to love Chriſt. what are the meanes to prevaile with us? and how may wee draw our p. 274ſturdy rebellious waiward hearts to this love of Jeſus Chriſt? I referre the meanes to theſe three heads.

1. Firſt, there are ſome hinderances to be removed.

2. Secondly, labour to ſee the beauty and excellencie of Jeſus Chriſt in the promiſe.

3. Thirdly, when the promiſe is come neere, and the heart made empty, then learne the skill to make the ſoule and the promiſe meet.

Meanes, 1.Firſt, that you may love the Lord Chriſt, there are ſome hinderances which lye upon the heart, which are marvellous cauſes of diſſention between Jeſus Chriſt and the ſoule, and theſe muſt be taken away. Now the hinderances of this ſort are theſe three.

Hinderance, 1.The firſt is this, To take off the ſoule from the love of theſe baſe things here below. I beſeech you obſerve it, be marvellous wiſe that you laviſh not out your ſoules upon theſe lying vanities: for as it is with a ſtreame,Simile. if the banke be cut, and all the ſtreame run that way then the proper chanell muſt needs lie dry, becauſe all the ſtreame runs another way; ſo is it with the ſtreame of a mans affections, if the ſtream of love & joy be let out upon profits, or pleaſures, or honours, you cannot have & ſpend, you cannot have your affections ſtill, when you have ſpent them upon other things; therefore bee ſure to knocke them off from the world, that you may give them wholly to the Lord. 1 Joh. 2 15. Little children love not the world. What if we doe, p. 275may ſome ſay: If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. You muſt not think to have heaven and hell too, to have Chriſt and the world too: It is impoſſible in reaſon, that a wiſe ſhould have a true affection of love to her husband, and an adulterous affection to her filthy mates too; the mate muſt be abandoned before the husband can be loved as he ought to be. Jam. 4.4 Ye adulterers and adultereſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God? This is meant of ſpirituall adulterers and adultereſſes, thoſe that withdraw their hearts from the Lord, and have their back-doores for the world; O yee adulterers (ſaith he) know ye not that he that loves the world cannot love God? Theſe two cannot ſtand together; either make theſe two at ods, or elſe there can be no love to Jeſus Chriſt.Another. As it is with the body of a man, when the heart is hot, the heat of the ſunne drawes all the heat outwards, and leaves the ſtomack cold, inſomuch that many times he ſwelters away; ſo when the profits & pleaſures of the world come marvellous ſtrongly in a good booty or bargaine, and ſhine hotly upon your fouls, and drawes out your hearts to that, then they are cold to grace, and Chriſt, and the promiſe, as if you were dead men; nay, many a man hath died and periſhed everlaſtingly by this way and meanes. When a Gentleman hath ſtockt his man with money,Simile. and ſent him to the market for ſuch things as hee hath need of, hee will not lay out his money upon bables and rattles, becauſe the more he layes out, the p. 276leſſe hee hath for his market; but he will keep his money together: ſo when the Lord hath ſtockt your ſouls with ſtrength of grace, ſo that now you have very violent affections of love and joy, if you lay out theſe affections upon profits and honours, when you come to provide for Chriſt, all is already ſpent. One man layes out his love upon his luſts, and another upon his chambering, and when they come to Chriſt and grace, then their hearts are dead, and looſe, & adulterous, and have ſpent all. Therefore in a word, when the world, and profits, and honors come & ſay, Let us have ſo much love, and keepe ſo much for Chriſt; tell the world thus, and ſay, Nay, we muſt keepe our choyce affections for the beſt things, we muſt love Chriſt, and therefore let the world ſtay, and let its better be ſerved firſt. This is the firſt hinderance.

Hinderance 2.2 Secondly, take heed, and caſt off thoſe vaine and groundleſſe ſurmiſes and ſuſpitions, which either Satan caſts in, or thy own heart breeds againſt the Lord Jeſus and his goodneſſe. There is a cavilling jealouſie which is in every mans heart by nature, whereby we are ſubject to thinke hardly, or at leaſt to ſurmiſe ſinfully againſt the Lord and his dealings with us; look how thou doeſt ſuſpect God to be unto thee,Simile. ſo art thou unto him: As it is with two friends, if they once begin to be jealous of one anothers love, and if I once ſurmiſe in my heart that he hath ſome ill will towards me, this is the next way to breed in my heart an ill-will towards him: therefore be ſure to quit thy heart of theſe. p. 277A loving conceit makes the thing lovely that wee meddle withall, but a groundleſſe ſuſpition turnes all another way, and alſo makes us thinke ill of the Lord; it takes all with the wrong hand; for, if a man have the bleſſings of this world, then the ſoule ſaith, It is true indeed, God hath given me theſe, but it is as a hook, the Lord makes my table my ſnare, and onelyonly fits me for the ſlaughter: For when the Lord lets in the horror of his wrath into the ſoule, all thoſe bleſſings come to nothing, and are forgotten, becauſe the heart hath God in a jealouſie, and thinkes that God onelyonly fats him to the ſlaughter, and to ruinate him for ever, whereas the Lord could as well deſtroy him preſently as beare ill-will towards him. Againe on the other ſide, if the Lord gives but a ſmall pittance and allowance, then the ſoule ſaith, The Lord loves not me, how ſtraight-handed is he towards me! if he did love me, it would be otherwiſe. As the naughty ſtomacke turnes the beſt diet into ill humours, and as the greene glaſſe makes all ſeeme greene to him that hath it; ſo it is with the heart that is uncharitably conceited toward the Lord, for we, notwithſtanding all his loving kindneſſe, ſtill think we have him upon the worſt hand, and are provoked in our hearts againſt him. Therefore take heed of harbouring any ill thoughts, or groundleſſe ſuſpitious jealouſies againſt the God of heaven; this is ordinary, yea, too ordinary with our baſe hearts, a vile heart is a breed-bate, between the Lord and us; for it accuſeth God to the ſoule, and then the ſoule to God: p. 278and therefore when haply wee labour to bring a poore ſinner to looke towards God, and to conſider of Gods goodneſſe to him, No, no, (ſaith he) It is true, I confeſſe God is very gracious, and it is his goodneſſe that I have the meanes of ſalvation, but I ſhall one day periſh, and God onelyonly ſerves his turne of me, the Lord never gave me that aſſurance of his love that ſuch and ſuch have, God will one day leave me in the lurch. And then the heart is tranſported with a ſecret diſlike of the Lord Jeſus. Wretches that we are! whereas a good and a charitable conceit of God would make a good conſtruction of his dealings, as the wife of Manoah did, Judg. 13.22, 23. when Manoah offered a ſacrifice, and an Angel appeared (which Angel was the Lord Jeſus Chriſt) he ſaid, Wee ſhall ſurely dye, for we have ſeene an Angel (for this was their opinion in ancient times, that if a man did ſee an Angel he ſhould dye:) the Angel received the ſacrifice, and did wonderfully accept it, and yet hee ſaith, Wee ſhall ſurely dye. Here was a groundleſſe ſuſpition: but marke how ſhe reaſons, If the Lord were pleaſed to kill us, he would not have received a burnt offering and a meat offering at our hands: as if ſhe had ſaid, Oh doe not you thinke ſo hardly and uncharitably of the Lord, as that he will kill us; why did he thus and thus? we may rather expect good from God, becuſe hee hath done good to us before: So I ſay, and ſo I would have thee to ſay to thy ſoule, The Lord doth mee no harme, and therefore why ſhould I think that he intends any p. 279unto me? I have received nothing but good from the Lord, and therefore why ſhould I thinke ſo ill of God? Oh take heed of this.

3. The third hinderance is this,Hinderance 3. Judging the goodneſſe and kindneſſe of the Lord according to thy owne deſires, what thou wouldſt have; not after thy owne unworthineſſe, nor the kindneſſe which others doe enjoy better than thy ſelfe; murmuring that thou art not worthy, whereas thou art not fitted that God ſhould do any thing for thee. This miſ-judging many times carries the heart with a ſpeciall miſtaking againſt the Lord: as it is with a poore creature that hath had the meanes, but not received the like comfort and mercy thereby that others have, ſee how the heart reaſons ſaying, Others have ſuch and ſuch aſſiſtance, in the meane time God leaves me; and ſuch and ſuch have evidence of his favour, but God regards not me: had I but ſuch power againſt corruptions, and ſuch evidence of Gods love and favour as God hath given to ſuch and ſuch Chriſtians, farre younger than I! I ſeeke, and pray, and intreat, and have not: and with that the heart is carried with a ſecret heart-burning againſt the Lord; this breeds a ſecret kinde of wrangling, and quarrelling, and withdrawing from the Lord. Therefore labour thou to ſtill thoſe diſtempers, and to rectifie thy ſelfe, and to judge as thou oughteſt. Judge not thy ſelfe by what others have, and by what thou deſerveſt, but ſay, Bleſſed be God I am not as I might have been, and bleſſed be God, I am not as I have deſerved: for then I had p. 280either beene upon the chaine with felons, or upon the gallowes with theeves and robbers, or in the Ale-houſe at my abominations; for my nature is prone to it as well as others. I confeſſe I am not ſo holy as I ought to be, but bleſſed be that mercy in Jeſus Chriſt that I am as I am: I have not what others have, and yet it is a wonder that I have any thing at all at the hands of the Lord, ſo unthankefull and dead-hearted as I am: others are meeke, and patient, and heavenly, and painfull, and therefore it is a wonder that I have any thing at all. Goe thy way, and bee contented with the Lords goodneſſe, and quarrell no more, and miſ-judge the Lords kindneſſe no more. Thus you ſee the hindrances removed; now there is a way made, that the ſoule may come to ſome termes of love with God.

Meanes 2.2. When the ſoule hath beene thus ordered, we muſt labour to bee throughly acquainted with the beauty and ſweetneſſe of Chriſt in the promiſe, that this may provoke our ſoules to love the Lord, and to rejoyce in him. When theſe hindrances are removed, there is way made for the promiſe to come and meet with the ſoule, theſe breed-bates are ſent out of towne, and now there may be ſome poſſibility of love, and this is the next way to worke and draw our hearts to Chriſt, and to kindle in us theſe affections of love and joy.

The ſoule that is looſened from all the cauſes of jarres and diſſentions betweene Chriſt and him; that ſoule is ready to match with the promiſe, p. 281and to beſtow it ſelfe in love upon Chriſt. In a marriage a man muſt know the party firſt, and the portion, and underſtand both, or elſe he can love neither; ſo thou muſt ſee the beauty and excellency of the promiſe before thou canſt love the Lord Jeſus. As it is in the baſer affections, the covetous man ſeeth a good bargaine before hee loves it: ſo that it is the eye that makes the bargaine, as one well obſerves; ſo thou muſt looke wiſely upon the promiſes, and be able to know them, and this will make thee love them: as in Pſal. 91.14. Becauſe he hath ſet his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will ſet him on high, becauſe he hath knowne my Name. How came he to love the name of the Lord? becauſe he knew him; as it is Cant. 1.2. when the name of our Saviour was as an ointment powred forth, then did the virgins love him: this name is the graces of our Saviour revealed and communicated to us: and Cant. 4.9. ſee what our Saviour ſaith, My ſiſter, my ſpouſe, thou haſt raviſhed my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chaine of thy necke: this is by way of compariſon from the leſſe to the greater: the Spouſe of Chriſt is the Church of Chriſt, and by eye and neck is meant nothing elſe but the beauty of his grace in the heart truely humbled; now the Lord Jeſus Chriſt lookes upon theſe graces, and loves them, and is raviſhed with the fight of them. Now if the worke of grace in the heart of a poore ſinner raviſhed the heart of Chriſt, who is the God of all grace, then much more if our hearts could but ſee one finger of the excellency that is in Chriſt, p. 282they would bee raviſhed with earneſt love, and kindled with violence towards him. There are three things that ought mainely to bee reſpected in the promiſe, that we may eye and apprehend, and that our hearts may be kindled with love to the Lord; and theſe three worke love any where.

Firſt, the worth of the party in himſelfe.

Secondly, the deſert of the party.

Thirdly, the readineſſe of the party in himſelfe to ſeeke our good.

Three things in Chriſt to make us love him.So it is with the Lord Jeſus, firſt, he is worthy of our love, in himſelfe conſidered.

Secondly, he hath deſerved it.

Thirdly, he ſeekes our love. Thou that dwelleſt in a poore cottage, wilt hardly beleeve this; but I ſay, he ſeekes thy love.

Firſt, Chriſt is worthy in himſelfe. I wonder that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt will ſuffer himſelfe to be beloved by ſuch wretches as wee are: if wee had a thouſand hearts to beſtow upon him, we were never able to love him ſufficiently: for as Nehemiah ſaid,Nehem. 9.5.Neh 9:5 The name of the Lord is above all praiſe: and as the name of God is above all praiſe that wee can give him, ſo the name of the Lord is above all the love that we can beſtow upon him. Will you let out your love and affections? (as wee uſe to ſay in the market) it is a good penny worth, it is worth more money than you ſhall pay for it: ſo if you will lay out all the affections that you have, you may lay them out here, and that with good advantage too. What would you have? you may have enough for p. 283your money: Wouldſt thou have beauty? then thy Saviour is beautifull: Pſal. 45.2. Thou art fairer than the children of men; yea, he is full of grace: nay, the Spouſe, Cant. 5.10. ſaith, My beloved is the cheife of ten thouſand: and in the 16. verſe, Hee is altogether lovely, hee is a very beautifull husband. There is no beauty in the world, but it hath its blemiſh, nor no day ſo faire but it hath its clouds; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is altogether love: if beauty will pleaſe thee, he is altogether excellent. Would you have ſtrength? Pſal. 45.3. hee is all ſtrength: A wife would not have a cowardly husband, therefore the Text ſaith, Gird thy ſword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, ride on proſperouſly; ſo that Kings are ſlaine, and people ſhall fall before him, and his right hand ſhall teach thee terrible things, therefore, if beauty will pleaſe thee, he is the faireſt of all: if ſtrength will pleaſe thee, hee is the ſtrongeſt of all: if riches will pleaſe thee, hee is more rich (if it bee poſſible) than he is ſtrong; for Heb. 1.2. he is the heire of all things; he is not for a Crowne, or a Kingdome, or lands, or revenues, but the heavens are his, and the earth, and the ſea farre and wide, and all the depths thereof are his, yea, and thine alſo, if thou wilt have him: Hee is rich likewiſe, in regard of his grace, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Col. 2.3. In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſedome and knowledge. What wouldſt thou have? eternall life and happineſſe? then he that hath Chriſt, hath all theſe: for Chriſt is the Author of life and happineſſe to all that have him; and hee p. 284hath not onelyonly theſe in himſelfe, but hee will infeoffe thee in them, if thou wilt but match with him. If the world, and beauty, and ſtrength, and life, and ſalvation will prevaile, it is all thine; let the Lord Jeſus Chriſt once have your love, and it is done. See what the Prophet David ſaith, Pſal. 63.3. Thy loving kindneſſe is better than life, therefore my lips ſhall praiſe thee. You know what we uſe to doe in the world: if a man match with a maid where there is much wealth, wee ſay he is made for ever; ſo ſay I: Truly the world cannot, nor will not doe ſo for you; it promiſeth faire, and performes nothing. If thou ſet thy heart upon riches and honours, they will faile thee. Where is all the beauty of the world? Some ſickneſſe or other makes many a men ready to run out of his wits for griefe: A man is here in health to day, and in hell to morrow; but if thou wilt love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he will never faile thee: he onelyonly is worthy of the choyce of thy affections, therefore ſet them not upon that which cannot comfort thee: if thou wilt have Chriſt, ſet them upon him, and all that he hath is thine.

Secondly, Chriſt, as he is worthy of our love, ſo he deſerves it; if his worth cannot win our love, yet let his deſert have it. It is a great matter to win the affections of a man. If a man be never ſo worthy of himſelfe, for his parts, and gifts, yet if hee have wronged me, and dealt baſely with me, and expreſt the part of an enemy, ſaith a woman, I will not have him, no not though he had all the world: p. 285But it is not ſo with the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: for as hee is worthy of all love in himſelfe, ſo hee hath dealt mercifully and graciouſly with you, and therefore he deſerves your love; deale equally with him, and give him what he deſerves. We have had hard dealings from the world, and baſe uſage from theſe baſe things, never a man here but hath found it ſo; for it hath promiſed much, and done nothing, and all the pleaſures it affoorded us, have left nothing but vanity and emptineſſe behinde them. Let the adulterer come forth, and ſhew what pleaſure he hath ever had by his filthy dalliances and baſe courſes: he hath had but an ill match, a galled conſcience for the preſent, and the expectation of plagues and puniſhments for ever. The world alſo hath vexed the covetous man, and pleaſure hath diſquieted the ambitious man; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath ever dealt graciouſly and mercifully with his ſervants. In your ſickneſſe who helped you? in your want who ſupplied you? in anguiſh of heart who revived you? was it not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? and therefore doe not onelyonly what religion requires, but what reaſon requires. If you love them that love you, doe not the Publicanes even the ſame? they doe good to ſuch as doe good to them. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath loved you, therefore love you him, and enlarge your hearts to him for ever.

Ob. Oh but (ſaith the ſoule) I confeſſe the Lord hath been mercifull, and it is his merciemercy that I live, and he hath inlarged himſelfe towards me, but yet p. 286I grow graceleſſe. What love is this if the Lord Jeſus Chriſt give me theſe, and deny me that which is better than theſe? what love is this? I now ſpeake to all that want aſſurance; To all ſuch I anſwer in three things.

Three things done by Chriſt for a ſinner, though as yet he want aſſurance.Anſ. I will tell thee what he hath done for thee, taking thy ſelfe in the worſt condition.

Firſt, conſider that thou liveſt in the boſome of the Church, and that Jeſus Chriſt hath brought life and immortality to light by the Goſpel; many thouſands of poore Infidels and Heathen would bee glad to gather the crummes that fall from thy Table. The Heathens never knew the way to a Saviour, they never had the meanes to comfort them; and is not this mercy then, that God hath brought the word of life and ſalvation to thee, and ſet thee under the meanes? for he hath not dealt ſo with other Nations, neither have the Heathen knowledge of his wayes: he hath not dealt ſo with many better than thy ſelfe, I meane better, in regard of many actuall tranſgreſſions of thine. Oh therefore love him for this favour.

Secondly, conſider farther what the Lord Chriſt hath done for thee; he hath not onelyonly brought the meanes of grace to thee, and planted thee in a land of Goſhen, where thou didſt enjoy them, but after thou hadſt reſiſted and oppoſed them, and caſt his kindneſſe behind thy backe, and ſleighted his Spirit, ſinfull wretch that thou art, he hath often come and intreated thee to receive mercy; and though againe and againe thou haſt oppoſed it, yet he hath beene p. 287patient and good to thee: love him for it. Again, the Lord Chriſt takes no advantage againſt thee, as thou ſurmiſeſt: He might have done it, and that juſtly too; thou that reſiſteſt the meanes of grace, it is juſt that thou ſhouldſt never have them. If God had ſent thee one way, and the Goſpel another, it had beene juſt; but hee hath not done ſo: therefore love him, he deſerves it at thy hands.

Thirdly, he hath not onelyonly brought thee under the meanes of grace, and beene patient to thee, though thou haſt reſiſted the meanes; but he hath let in ſome inkling of his love, and come neerer to thee than all this. Why ſhould Jeſus Chriſt offer mercy to thy wife and child? it is extraordinary kindnes: thou canſt not but know that there are many in the ſame family, that have the ſame means, and yet remaine in a miſerable condition: and why are thy eyes opened, and thy conſcience awakened in any meaſure? every morning you riſe, and every night you goe to bed, bleſſe and magnifie the Lord Chriſt that hath dealt thus mercifully with you; for he is worthy of it, as Jude ſaid,Joh. 14.22.John 14:22 Why wilt thou reveale thy ſelfe to us, and not to the world? why wilt thou ſhew mercy to a poore cottage, and enlighten a blind minde, and a ſottiſh ſpirit in this manner? Oh this is love, Oh love him againe for it, he deſerves it.

Thirdly, Chriſt ſeeks thy love; here is the admimiration of mercy, that our Saviour that hath been rejected by a company of ſinfull creatures, ſhould ſeeke their love: for ſhame refuſe him not, but let p. 288him have love before he goe. Had the Lord received us when we had come unto him, and humbled our hearts before him with deepe importunity; and had he heard us when we had cryed unto him, nay, when we had ſpent all our daies, and all our ſtrength in begging and craving one good looke from heaven, and at the day of our departure taken compaſſion upon us, it had beene an infinite mercy; but when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhall ſeeke to us by his meſſengers (as all the Miniſters are his meſſengers) to accept of his love, this is beyond all expreſſion: I ſay, if he had onelyonly ſent a love letter from heaven, and ſaid that he was willing to match with us, and had left us to finde out the way and the means, it had beene beyond all wonder; but that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſhould come and wait upon us, and ſeek our love, it is the wonder of mercies. When a company of baſe luſts and ſinfull deſires have found acceptance with us, and the doore hath been open upon all occaſions to talke with them, though the Lord Jeſus Chriſt hath often come and ſaid, Oh muſe upon my name, and not upon the world and theſe luſts; and we would not heare him: when, I ſay, you and your adultereſſes have beene upon the bed of dalliance, and Chriſt hath beene at the doore, and could get no audience, nor acceptance: yet after all this, he hath not onelyonly call'd, but ſeriouſly beſought us to be reconciled to him, that is, to love him, and to be beloved of him, and bleſſed by him for ever; theſe are the tearmes of his love. What ſhall I anſwer the Lord? will the Lord ſeek p. 289our love? then returne him this anſwer, and ſay, Shall he ſeeke love and not have it? ſhall he crave it, and I not give it? Oh God forbid. Can the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be in love with me? In truth Lord I am out of love with my ſelfe, by reaſon of my baſe heart, and filthy thoughts; I have abuſed thy Majeſty from time to time, by following my baſe luſts, adulteries and abominations; I have not only loved the world, but filled my ſelfe therewith: and thus my adulterous heart hath gone away from thee to them. But will the Lord Jeſus love ſuch a wretch as I am? Yes, he will; for the Lord ſaith, Hoſea 14.5. I will heale their backe-ſliding, I will love them freely. He lookes for no portion, no he will take thee with all thy wants. Is not the Lord worthy of thy love? he deſires no more, and ſure hee deſerves no leſſe. Deut. 10.12. when the Lord had recorded all his kindneſſe towards the children of Iſrael, mark how he inferres this, ſaying, And now Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walk in all his wayes, and to love him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule? So I ſay to thee, after all the ſinfull abominations of thy heart, and all thy ſinfull practices committed, what is it that the Lord doth require of thee when all thy ſinnes are pardoned? onelyonly that thou love the Lord thy God with all thy heart. Let me therefore tell you what to doe; get you home, and every one in ſecret labour to deale honeſtly and truely with your owne p. 290hearts, and make up a match in this manner, and ſay, Is it poſſible that the Lord ſhould looke ſo low? that the great Prince ſhould ſend for the poore peaſant? that Majeſty ſhould ſtoope to meanneſſe? and heaven to earth? and God to man? Hath the Lord offered mercy to me, and doth he require nothing of me but to love him again? call upon your owne hearts, I charge you, and ſay thus; Lord, if all the ſight of mine eyes were love, and all the ſpeeches of my tongue were love, it were all too little to love thee: Oh let me love thee dearely, O Lord my ſtrength. Say you had a faire offer, and that a poore Miniſter of God did wiſh you well; bee not coy and ſqueamiſh, the Lord may have better than you every day; lye downe therefore and admire at the mercy of the Lord, that ſhould take a company of poore dead dogges; I ſay, be ſure that you bee not coy and ſqueamiſh: ſay as the Prophet did, Lift up your heads yee gates, and bee yee lift up yee everlaſting doores, and the King of glory ſhall come in, Pſal. 24. Now the hindrances are removed, and the promiſes are brought home, wee will come to ſee if the match bee liked of.

Meanes 3.Laſtly, it is our skill and cunning to draw theſe two together. Yee ſee what wee have ſaid, the hindrances are removed, and the promiſes are brought home, now if wee can but affect a Saviour hee is our owne; hee that will not now be beloved of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, let him bee ever accurſed. There are two particulars p. 291conſiderable, to faſten theſe two together.

1Firſt,Two meanes to bring our hearts and the promiſes together. labour to give attendance daily to the promiſe of grace and Chriſt, drive all other ſuiters away from the ſoule, let nothing come betweene the promiſe and it, and forbid all other banes; that is, let the promiſe conferre daily with thy heart, and bee expreſſing and telling of that good that is in Chriſt daily to thy heart.Simile. You know if all things bee done and agreed upon betweene the parents of two parties to be marrried, and there wants nothing but the fixing of their affections one upon another, the onelyonly way to draw their affections to one another, is to keepe company together, and daily to meete and ſee one another: ſo let thy ſoule daily keepe company with the promiſe, and let not thy heart onelyonly ſee the promiſe once in a weeke, but daily; ſhut out all others beſides, and keepe company onelyonly with that, and ſee what beauty, and ſtrength, and grace there is in the ſame; and ſay, Oh wretch that I am if I had had either wit or grace, I might have been made happy long agoe. Thus keepe company with the promiſe, that thy ſoule and it may dwell together.

2Secondly, labour by undeniable reaſon, as to diſcover, ſo to conclude the unconceivable good that will come to thy ſoule by this: many men will promiſe that ſuch and ſuch things ſhall be done, if the match may but go forward, and doe not onelyonly talke of it, but make it good too: ſo p. 292doe thou by undeniable arguments make good to thy owne ſoule, the unconceivable good that will come to thy ſoule; nay, God hath pawned his truth to thee for it. As it was with Sechem Hamors ſon, Gen. 34.24. when he would perſwade the Citizens to joine ſide with him, he doth two things; Firſt, he did commune with them in the gates, and then hee ſhewes what undoubted good they ſhould bee ſure to get by it: Shall not their cattell, and their ſubſtance, and every beaſt that they have bee ours? and hereby will they conſent, if every one bee circumciſed as they are. He communed of the buſines, and of the good that comes by it: ſo likewiſe let us commune with the good of the promiſes. Secondly, conclude that the good thou expecteſt, ſhall come thereby, and that all happineſſe ſhall come unto thy ſoule. If thou match with Jeſus Chriſt, ſhall not all his mercy, all his excellency, all his merits and love, yea, & all his comforts and grace be thine? Yes, every grace of Jeſus Chriſt, and all the comforts, not only of this but of a better life. Wee ſtand demurring upon the matters of agreement; if we might have a good ingagement what would wee doe? lay all theſe aſide, and know, that if thou wilt have Chriſt thou muſt part with all, and then thou ſhalt finde in him what ever thy heart deſires: 1 Corinthians 3.23. All is yours, and yee are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods: ſo I ſay to every of you, if Chriſt bee thine, then all is thine; nay, all the Divells malice ſhall promote that which ſhall make for thy good. p. 293Therefore, is this ſo, that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt is worthy of your love, and hath deſerved it? is he worthy of more love then all that you have, and doth he ſeeke it? (for he hath ſent me this day to entreat love at the hands and hearts of all you poore ſinners) you then that are in higher rankes and places, the Lord Chriſt is worthy of your affections, and he doth offer love to all you that are weary and have need, to every poor ſoule: now what anſwer ſhall I return to him in the evening? ſhall I ſay, Lord I have tendered thy mercy, and it was refuſed, and they ſleighted thy mercy and thy promiſe, and they would none of Chriſt; they have taken up their hearts with the world, therefore they cannot give up their hearts to thee? Brethren, it would grieve my heart to returne this anſwer: Chriſt Jeſus becomes a ſuiter to you, and doth beſeech you through me to be reconciled to him, and to bee bleſſed by him for ever: Will you love the Lord Chriſt? let him have but love from you, that is all he cares for. I beſeech you for the Lord Jeſus Chriſts ſake, if you will not love him nor his grace and mercy, yet love your owne ſelves; deny not this gracious offer, leſt hereafter you ſeeke for love, and mercy, and compaſſion, and be refuſed and condemned for ever. Therefore give up all, and bid adieu to all other Lovers. And becauſe it is not in your power to love Chriſt, goe to the Father of love, and to the Spirit of love, and entreat him but to ſtrike one ſparke of love from the promiſe, and ſay, good Lord, is it true, p. 294I have a baſe vile heart, and I have contemned thee my only comfort: but thou that requireſt love, thou that art the God of love, kindle but one ſparke of love in the heart of thy ſervant, that I may love thee more than my ſelfe, and all things here below.

Hitherto of the love of Chriſt. Next we will ſpeake of joy in God.