The Souls Vocation, Part 2 (2 of 3)

The Souls Vocation · Part 2 (2 of 3)

p. 196Practice. 2 Secondly then obſerve the difficultie of getting this deſire, you muſt not thinke that this deſire is an eaſie matter to attaine, the ſoule ſhould often reaſon with it ſelfe, how dangerous is it to want this deſire? without it I am undone for ever; as alſo how hard a matter is it to get this, it is beyond all the power that God hath beſtowed upon me, the thing is wonderfull hard and difficult, perſwade one another of the thing, and ſay, you and I, neighbour, thought it was an eaſie matter to get this deſire, wee thought it was nothing to ſay ſo, and profeſſe ſo, and reſolve ſo, but this is not a deſire, to talke, and wiſh, and promiſe, it is a deceit. Deſire is another-geſſe matter than we imagine, it is no eaſie matter to deſire aright; who will not ſay, hee doth deſire? every man can doe that, yet no man hath good deſire almoſt; a man may have abilitie to know, and underſtand wiſely, and diſpute judiciouſly of Chriſt and grace, and yet never get a deſire after Chriſt and grace. It is a great matter to know what we ſhould doe, it is harder to doe what wee know, and hardeſt of all to get a deſire to do what we ought. Therefore conſider of it; is the worke ſo heavie, and p. 197the duty ſo weighty, and we ſo unable; then how had we need to beſtirre our ſelves, and frame our hearts to ſeeke for, and attaine to this bleſſed deſire after Chriſt?

Meanes. 2 The ſecond meanes is this, conſider the neceſſitie of this deſire after grace and goodneſſe, it is not a matter of complement and indifferencie; No, no, I may call it the very wheeles of faith, upon which faith is carried, for all this while faith is a ſowing into the ſoule: Looke as it is with a waggon, knocke off the wheeles, and all lyes in the duſt; ſo take away this deſire, and faith is in the duſt: the tenour of all the promiſes run upon this, the thirſtie they are invited, the hungrie they ſhall be ſatisfied; nay not onelyonly ſo, but obſerve further the neceſſity of this, when deſire comes, all good workes goe forward, and our hearts are not only ſet upon the dutie, but the dutie is crowned and credited by this deſire. It is like the mill damme, the fuller the damme is, the faſter the mill goes; ſo get but deſire, and all will goe forward; the more deſire, the more paines in ſeeking after grace, this gives a crowne and a credit to all our actions; thou prayeſt, haply halfe an houre, it is not thy tongue that the Lord accepts, but thy deſire; thou performeſt many duties outwardly, God cares not for that, he lookes only at thy deſire to approve thy ſelfe to God in thoſe duties, this is the thing that gives credit to all our actions.

Meanes. 3 The third meanes is this, labour to ſpread forth the excellencie of all the beautie, and ſurpaſſing p. 198glorie that is in the promiſes of God. Looke wiſely, daily, and judiciouſly, upon them as occaſion ſerves, and when thou ſeeſt that admirable, and incomparable vertue and beautie, that is in Chriſt, and in the precious promiſes, and canſt but view them in their proper colours; Oh they will even raviſh thee, and quicken up thy deſire. If a man carry a packe of never ſo rich commodities, and never opens them, no man will have a deſire to buy; Or if a man have a cabinet full of never ſo precious jewels, if he doe not unlocke it, no man will be ſtirred with a deſire after them. Even ſo it is with the promiſes, all thoſe unſearchable riches that are in the Lord Jeſus, and all the comforts, both of this life, and that which is to come, they are all ſhut up in the promiſes: Now ſet open the Goſpell, and unlock the cabbinet of the promiſes, and then the ſoule will earneſtly deſire the ſame. I tell you God is a God of comfort, and all the promiſes are yea and Amen in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, read them daily, and examine the excellencie and beautie therein, that ſo thy heart may be brought to prize them, and the comfort ariſing thence. Thy ſoule is diſcouraged, there is merciemercy to comfort; thou wanteſt grace, there is grace to quicken thee. See the worth thereof more fully: Luke 24. When Chriſt came and walked with the two diſciples that were travelling towards Emaus, Luke 24.32. opened.Luke 24:32Did not our hearts burne within us, ſay they, while he opened the Scriptures; the Latine word ſignifieth to burne with deſire; But how came this? they did not talke a word, and away, p. 199but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt opened the Scriptures to them: the riches of grace and ſalvation were unlocked, and by Chriſt opened, and then their hearts burned againe with deſire; Oh that Chriſt, and that merciemercy, and that pardon, &c. So view thou the promiſes of Chriſt, and grace, and ſalvation, you doe not ſee the value and riches that are therein, but if you will but talke and conferre about them, your hearts will burne with deſire, doe not caſt an eye and be gone, doe not looke over a promiſe and away; no wonder though your hearts are not affected, becauſe the excellent things therein contained are not opened and propounded to you.

Meanes. 4 In the fourth and laſt place, after all this, thou muſt know that it is not in thy power to bring thy heart to deſire grace, thou canſt not hammer out a deſire upon thine owne anvill, digge thy owne pit, and hew thy owne rock as long as thou wilt, that is a worke out of thy abilitie and ſtrength. Nay let all the Angels in heaven, and all the Miniſters on earth provoke thee, yet if the hand of the Lord be wanting, thou ſhalt not lift up thy heart, nor ſtep one ſtep towards heaven; therefore I beſeech you marke and acknowledge this, and goe to him who is onelyonly able to worke this deſire in thy ſoule. It is the complaint of Chriſtians, and they mourne under it, and it is a great miſerie. Oh they are troubled, becauſe they cannot fetch a good deſire from their owne ſoules, and one falls, another ſinkes, and a third ſhakes, and they are overwhelmed with diſcouragement: p. 200And their complaint is this; What a wretched heart have I? Object. Grace? No, no; the world I can deſire, the life of my childe I long for that, nay every trifling profit and pleaſure my ſoule covets it; and I ſay with Rachel, Let me have honour, or elſe I dye. But I cannot buckle my heart, nor worke this vile nature of mine to bee carried after, and long for, the unconceivable unſearchable riches of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And will the Lord ſhew merciemercy to me? Shall I attaine any favour either here or hereafter?

Anſw. Marke the deceit in this caſe; deſires grow not in your garden, they ſpring not from the root of your abilities, you cannot frame your ſoules, nor order your ſpirits to deſire Chriſt; no, ſtruggle while thy eyes ſinke in thy head, and thy tongue falters when thou prayeſt, and yet thou ſhalt not procure any longing deſire after Chriſt whiles the world ſtands, deſire comes from the quickning vertue of the ſpirit: Therefore ſeeke to God, and confeſſe, In truth Lord I cannot, it is not in my power, I have not any ſufficiencie to frame my heart to this deſire, I expect it not from my ſelfe, it is not this vile and ſinfull ſoule, it is not this wicked baſe wayward heart of mine that can lift up it ſelfe, it is earthly and heavie; but it is thou, O Lord, from whom come all our deſires, it is thou that muſt worke it, it is thou that haſt promiſed it: good Lord quicken thou this ſoule, and inlarge this heart of mine, thou only art the God of this deſire; none of thy Saints that ever panted after, and longed for thy merciemercy (David himſelfe) p. 201had it not in his owne power and ſufficiencie, it muſt come from thy power, and thy promiſe, and thy grace, and bleſſing. Now, good Lord, worke this in the heart of thy poore ſervant, I would faine have a deſire Lord from heaven; thus hale downe a deſire from the Lord, and from the promiſe, for there only you muſt have it, this is the courſe whereby you may partake of this deſire from the hand of the Lord. When the Church was lazie and ſluggiſh, and would not riſe, Cant. 5.4.Song 5:4the hands of her beloved dropped mirrhe upon the handle of the doore, and this raiſed and pulled up the heart of the ſpouſe, and ſhe lingred after him, and followed him, and purſued him, and her heart was quickned and inlarged to ſeeke after him, whom her ſoule loved and prized, and from whom ſhe expected that good ſhe needed. It ought to bee ſo with our deſires, they muſt proceed only from the ſparke of the ſpirit; The ſmoking flax God will not quench, Matth. 12.20.Matt 12:20all flax of it ſelfe will not ſmoke, but a ſparke muſt come into it, and that will make it catch fire and ſmoke: thus lay your hearts before the Lord, and ſay, Good Lord, here is only flax, here is only a ſtubborne heart, but ſtrike thou by thy promiſe one ſparke from heaven, that I may have a ſmoking deſire after Chriſt, and a longing deſire after grace, that I may walke with more care and more conſcience with thee hereafter, uſing the meanes thou haſt appointed for my good, that they may at the laſt worke unto my good; this take notice of above all the reſt, for he that thinkes to p. 202get a deſire from himſelfe, will not labour to obtaine from the hands of the Lord. Therefore labour to uſe all meanes, and labour to ſee a weaknes in all means, and expect this deſire onelyonly from the hands of the Lord. Thus we ſee the means how we may get this deſire.

Thus we ſee how the Lord learnes every faculty his lecture, the mind hath beene inlightned, we have done with that, hope hath beene ſtirred, and deſire quickned, theſe we have likewiſe finiſhed. We come now in the fourth place to treat of two other faculties of the ſoule, Love and Ioy; which becauſe they are ſo neerly combined together both in nature and forme, as we ſhall heare hereafter: therefore with your patience handle them together, and read one Lecture to them both. But before I proceed to meddle with the particulars, let me premiſe ſomething in the generall, that wee take all rubs out of the way, and that none may ſtumble at that which ſhall be delivered. Therefore let no man thinke it ſtrange, that I come here to meddle with Love and Joy, as though I would make ſanctification to goe before juſtification; for whereſoever we finde love and joy, they ſeeme rather the effects that follow faith, than to be the ſeeds and ſpawne to bring in faith: Methinkes theſe doubts ſhould not trouble any, if they did but conſider what wee have ſpoken already in the worke of preparation. But a little to take away theſe rubs, take notice of three enſuing paſſages, which will cleare the way to that which afterward ſhall be ſpoken.

Paſſage. 1 Know in the firſt place, it is not mine intendment p. 203to perſwade any to thinke that ſanctification is before juſtification: for the truth is, I conceive the thing is not agreeable to truth, taking ſanctification in a narrow ſtrict ſenſe, as it muſt be ſo conceived in this place; neither can the Doctrines which I have delivered, if they bee underſtood aright, according to the explication thereof, ſhew ſo much, this is the firſt.

Paſſage. 2 Secondly, looke by what right and reaſon many judicious Divines of late yeares, having by experience obſerved in their owne ſpirits, and judiciouſly ſcanned and delivered it, that there is a ſaving deſire, by which God brings in and breeds faith in the ſoule, (It is the ſpeech of judicious Perkins) Nay the Spirit ſeemes to me to intimate as much when it ſaith, Ho every one that thirsteth, Iohn 7.37.John 7:37come and drinke: there muſt be firſt thirsting, then comming and beleeving, which thirsting is nothing elſe but a ſaving deſire. Therefore as there is a ſaving deſire by which God cauſeth both grace to breed, and faith to ſpring in the ſoule; by the ſame reaſon there may bee a kinde of Love and Joy, by which as ſpawnes, and ſeeds of faith, faith may bee communicated and ſtamped upon the ſoule, for the ſame ground that is for the one, is alſo for the other: and it is a thing to me incredible, that the ſoule of a man ſhould fall and reſt upon the promiſe, and yet never deſire it, nor hope for it, being abſent, and imbrace it, love, and delight in it with joy when it is comming. For looke with what authority and right there is thirſting before comming, and a deſire before faith (for faith is all this while a hatching and breeding) p. 204by the ſame right and authority there is a ſaving kinde of love and joy before faith, whatſoever wee ſpeake of the one, wee muſt neceſſarily ſpeake of the other.

Paſſage. 3 The third thing is this, wee muſt underſtand that all theſe ſaving workes of the affections are no ſanctifying, (I call them ſaving, that is, ſuch workes as doe accompany ſalvation) for there is a difference betweene a ſaving worke, and a ſanctifying, taken in the proper narrow ſenſe of it. Know therefore that deſires and loves are of a double nature, ſome in vocation are obſerved, ſome in ſanctification are conſidered, as there was a ſorrow in preparation, & a ſorrow in ſanctification, ſo there is one deſire and love and joy in vocation ſtirred, another in ſanctification expreſſed, both joyne one with another, but they are not the ſame. The frame of the heart, and the worke upon the ſoule in vocation, is not the ſame which is in ſanctification. Briefly, in vocation in this call which I ſpeake of, the Lord worketh this worke upon me, I have no power of my ſelfe, but onelyonly receive it from the Lord. At the firſt conveying in of the power of hope, and deſire, and love, and joy, God communicates them unto me, but in ſanctification I worke from a principle which I have received from the power of grace, which Chriſt hath communicated to me being called, and ſanctified, and having received the Spirit of Adoption: So that the graces I now ſpeake of, uſher in and lead the way for the comming in of faith; when faith comes into the ſoul, p. 205it is there as the King in his privy chamber, it rules and commands all his ſervants. Now the way being cleare, if you meet with hope and faith, love and faith put for one another, underſtand that they are not literally to bee conceived, but in a figurative ſenſe. So then to proceed to the Doctrine I meane to ſtand upon, which is this:

Doctrine. The Spirit of the Lord kindles in an humbled heart, and inlightned ſinner, love and joy, to entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of his mercy: there are three paſſages to be conſidered, that ſo we may ſee the compaſſe of the point in hand.

Paſſage. 1 Firſt, this love and joy is no where to be found but in a heart humbled and inlightned, for unleſſe the ſoule bee humbled before God, it ſeeth no need of grace or mercy, and therefore deſpiſeth it, and diſclaimes it, and is carried with a hatred againſt that grace that would maſter his corruptions and purge them: Nay the ſoule is carried with a kinde of weariſomneſſe, and is peſtered with the power of grace that would frame his heart anew, his corrupt heart is rather troubled with it, than any way delighted in it; and if humbled and not inlightned, be could not be inlarged to beſtow his heart thereupon, nor carry himſelfe with that pleaſure and delight which otherwiſe he would: this is the firſt paſſage. I know there is a wilde kinde of love and joy in the world, counterfeit coyne; but this is not the love and joy we meane, we will have garden love and joy, of the Lords owne ſetting and planting; thoſe carnall hypocriticall joyes we will not meddle withall.

p. 206Paſſage. 2 The ſecond paſſage is this, this love and joy is kindled by the Spirit of the Father, he it is from whence come all the ſparkes that muſt kindle grace in us. So that all other love and joy which is not ſpirituall and from him, cannot be acceptable to his Majeſty. It is that in generall which the Apoſtle Paul inferres, Rom. 8.8.Rom 8:8They which are in the fleſh cannot pleaſe God. So all the joy and love (as well as any other action) that proceeds out of nature and fleſh cannot pleaſe God: But it muſt be heavenly love and joy, proceeding from the Spirit: Suffer me to expreſſe my ſelfe after this manner Looke as it is with a gentleman in the countrey, he will bee content to leave his habitation for a while, and give up his houſe to the King for a while, becauſe hee is but a meane man, and not able to entertaine ſo great a retinue; therefore the King ſends his owne proviſion before hand; (obſerve it.) So it is with a poore humble broken hearted ſinner; the poore ſoule is marvellous well content, the Lord ſhould come to him, and dwell in him, and diſpoſe of him; but he is ſuch a poore beggerly wretch, Simile.he is not able to make God a fire, he cannot love God, hee hath not that holy heat of love and joy to entertain and welcome the Lord as becommeth his Majeſty: therefore the Lord ſends proviſion before hand, and kindleth love and joy in the ſoule, that by that love and joy he may be welcomed to the heart of an humble ſinner; or thus (to expreſſe my ſelfe more clearly;) Take a burning glaſſe that will receive the beames of the Sunne, and heat and p. 207burne other things, the glaſſe of it ſelfe hath no ſuch heat in it, but when it hath received the beames of the Sunne, it heats and burnes other things, as flax, and ſuch combuſtible matter; but it is by the heat of the beames of the Sunne received, otherwiſe it could doe nothing. So it is with an humble ſinner, hee lieth fit to receive the beames of Gods mercy, and waits when the Sun of righteouſneſſe will ſhine from heaven comfortably upon his heart; and being warmed with the beames of Gods love and favour effectually, hee is able to reflect the heat of love and joy backe againe: this is the ſecond thing.

Paſſage. 3 Thirdly, the Doctrine ſaith, that love and joy are kindled, that they may entertaine and rejoyce in the riches of Gods mercy. This laſt clauſe is added to diſcover the difference, and to make knowne the diſtinct nature of this love and joy here, from all the fained and falſe love and joy, which hypocrites pretend to have, and ſeeme to expreſſe to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore I ſay this love and joy is kindled not onelyonly to entertaine him, and rejoyce in him; for there is a kinde of entertaining and rejoycing in Hypocrites. Iudas had a haile Maſter, and the common people ſpread their garments, and welcomed Chriſt, crying Hoſanna, bleſſed is hee that commeth in the Name of the moſt High; and the young man pretended a deare affection to Chriſt, Master, I will follow thee whither ſoever thou goeſt; And the ſtony ground received the word with joy, Matth. 13.Matt 13and with love too, for they goe both together, for he that p. 208joyes in a thing, cannot but love that he rejoyceth in: So that wee ſee all theſe had a kinde of joy, but it is not that kinde of joy that comes from the Father, neither will it carry it ſelfe beſeeming the riches of Gods mercy; for hee that ſaluted his Maſter All haile, in concluſion betrayed him: is this your joy and love you entertaine Chriſt withall? So that young man that would follow him whitherſoever he went, preſently forſooke him: And they that even now cried Hoſanna, Hoſanna, bleſſed be hee that commeth in the Name of the Higheſt, anon crye as faſt, crucifie him, crucifie him; and they that received the Word with joy, when temptation and perſecution came, rejected it: This joy is a fooliſh imagination hammered out of their Anvill, for baſe ends and by aimes; but they carry not themſelves beſeeming the riches of Gods mercy revealed to them. For, Hee that loveth father or mother, or brother or ſister, more than me, is not worthy of me, ſaith our Saviour: that is, hee that priſeth any thing more, and delights in any thing more than Chriſt, is not worthy of him. Therefore whoſoever he be that beſtowes his love and joy more upon any thing in this world, than upon Chriſt; it is not a love and joy beſeeming him, nor brought from heaven, but proceeds from a baſe rotten heart, and will faile us, and bring no profit nor comfort in the end. This then ſufficeth for the ſenſe, and proofe of the point; we come now to open it a little; wherein for explication, and confirmation thereof, wee will handle theſe two things: Firſt wee will p. 209ſhew you the reaſon of the order, why after hope and deſire, there comes this love and ioy. Secondly, we will diſcover the motives and grounds what it is in the promiſe that will kindle and ſtrike fire, and inflame theſe two affections, and bring them to the Lord.

Firſt, Reaſons.you will ſay how comes love and joy next after hope and deſire? I anſwer, you muſt know there is no more but two affections in the ſoule, God infinitely wiſe having ſo framed it, and theſe two are hope and deſire. The underſtanding ſaith ſuch a thing is profitable and comfortable, if I had it, then hope is ſent out to wait for that goodneſſe, and if it comes not, then deſire the ſecond affection is ſent out to meet the good; hope ſtands and waits for it, but deſire wanders up and downe, ſeeking and enquiring after a Lord Jeſus, and goeth from coaſt to coaſt, from Eaſt to Weſt; Oh that I could, and oh that I might, and when ſhall I, and how may I come to the ſpeech of a Lord Jeſus Chriſt. As it was with the Spouſe in the Canticles, when her beloved was gone, ſhe wandred up and downe, ſeeking of him, and enquiring of the watchmen if they did not ſee him: ſo deſire wanders from this thing to that thing, from this place to that place, and never ceaſeth, to ſee if it can gaine notice of Chriſt: It goeth to prayer to ſee if that will intreat a Chriſt: It goeth to the Word to ſee if that will reveale him: It goeth to conference to ſee if he can heare of a Chriſt there: then it commeth to the congregation, and to the Sacrament, to ſee if it can heare p. 210any newes of a Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and of merciemercy; and the ſoule thus continues wandring and ſeeking, till at laſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt comes into the ſoule, when the ſoule hath hungred and longed for him. At length the Lord is pleaſed to ſhew himſelfe in view: behold thy King commeth; ſo the Lord ſaith, Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away thy ſinnes: Oh thou poore broken hearted ſinner, here is thy Saviour, hee is come downe from heaven to ſpeake peace to thy ſoule in the pardon of thy ſinnes; thou that hungreſt for a Chriſt, here he is to ſatisfie thee; thou that thirſteſt for a Chriſt, hee is now come to refreſh thee; thou that haſt long ſought him, hee ſaith, here I am, and all my merits are thine. Now when the Lord Jeſus is pleaſed to preſent himſelfe to the ſoule; now deſire hath met with the Lord: there are two other affections ſent out by the Spirit to entertaine Chriſt, and they are love and joy. Suffer me (I beſeech you) to expreſſe my ſelfe after this manner, that I may diſcover the frame and guiſe of Gods Spirit in this gracious worke.

It is in this caſe with a ſinner, as it is with a malefactour or traitour (obſerve what I ſay) who is purſued with a Purſevant, and is fled to the ſea coaſts, and hath taken a hold, and he is there beſieged. And now hee ſeeth there is no hope of favour, nor no hope of eſcape; therefore hee is even content to ſubmit to the Kings pleaſure, Simile.and yeelds his neck to the block, that hee may receive puniſhment for his offence. Now comming to p. 211execution, he heares an inckling from the meſſengers, there is yet hope that this man may be pardoned; with that the poore malefactour in the tower, his heart is ſtirred up to hope: Nay then he heares another meſſenger from the King himſelfe ſay, if he will come unto the Court and ſeek unto his Majeſty, and importune his Grace for mercy and favour, it is like he ſhall be pardoned: this is the ſecond voyce: one ſaith thou mayeſt be pardoned, the other ſaith, nay if thou wilt ſubmit thy ſelfe, thou ſhalt be pardoned. Then hee makes haſte, and deſire carries him to the Court, to ſue for favour from the King: So that he will bee continually there, liſtning and enquiring of every one, ſaying, did you heare the King ſpeake nothing of mee, how ſtands the Kings minde towards mee, I pray how goes my caſe? then ſome tells him, the truth is, the King heares you are humbled, and you ſory for it, you are like to heare more newes hereafter. At laſt the King lookes out of the window, and ſeeth the malefactour and ſaith, is this the traitour? they ſay yes, this is the man thar is humbled and intreats for mercy, and deſires nothing ſo much as favour. The King tells him the truth is his pardon is drawing, and comming towards him: with that his heart leaps in his belly, and his heart is inlarged to his Majeſty; and he ſaith, God bleſſe your Majeſty, never was there ſuch a favourable Prince to a poore traitour. His heart leaps with joy becauſe his pardon is comming towards him; haply it is not ſealed yet: Now when it is ſealed and p. 212all, the King calls him in and delivers it, and that is the laſt ſtroke of faith.

So it is with a poore ſinner, hee is this malefactor: you that have committed high treaſon, you thinke not of it, but take heed, God will purſue you one day; haply the Lord lets you alone for the preſent, but he will ſurprize you on the ſudden, and conſcience will pluck thee by the throat, and carry thee downe to Hell. And now the Lord purſueth him with heavie and terrible indignation, and lets flie at his face, and ſets conſcience a worke as Purſevant, and that ſaith, theſe are thy ſinnes, and to hell thou muſt goe, God hath ſet me to execute thy ſoule. Now the poore ſoule ſeeth hee can by no means eſcape from the Lord, and to purchaſe any favour he ſees it is impoſſible; therefore he is reſolved to lie downe at Gods feet, and ſaith, I confeſſe Lord, there is but one way, let me be damned, ſo thou maiſt be glorified. If the Lord will ſhew favour, ſo it is; but he cannot deſire it almoſt, becauſe he hath ſo ſinned againſt him. Now comes the great voyce, he heares a noyſe afarre off by the miniſtery of the Goſpell, thy ſinnes are pardonable: with this the ſoule lookes up, and hope ſtirres the heart, and ſaith, then it may be a damned creature may bee ſaved, then it may be a dead dogge may live, and a traytor may be pardoned: Then the ſoule heares another voyce, if thou canſt ſee the excellency of mercy and long for it, and ſeeke after it, thou ſhalt be pardoned. Why, goe then, ſaith Deſire, and he fills heaven and earth with his cries, and his p. 213cloſet with his prayers, and the congregation with his teares, and will enquire of the Miniſter of God, and other good Chriſtians; Sirs, you are of the bed-chamber, you are acquainted with God, I pray how goes my caſe? will the Lord, thinke you, pardon me? did you heare the Lord ſay nothing of me? how ſtands it with me? Now the Miniſters of God that underſtand the frame of the heart aright, will ſay, The Lord heares you are an humble ſinner, and that you long for merciemercy, and lye at the court gate, and will not away without merciemercy; wee heare, God intends well towards you, you ſhall heare more hereafter: thus farre now deſire goeth.

At laſt, Chriſt preſents himſelfe to the ſinner, and ſpeakes to his ſoule by the miniſterie of the Word, he lookes downe from heaven, and gives him a ſweet looke of merciemercy, and that makes his heart leape againe, and that is done in this manner, (for ſtill underſtand that God doth it by the miniſterie of the Word, doe not now looke for any ſtrange dreames or miraculous imaginations) the Lord ſpeakes by his Word, and ſaith, thou haſt a broken heart, thou haſt longed for my ſalvation, goe thy wayes, I have heard thoſe prayers of thine, and obſerved thoſe endevours of thine, and thy pardon is granted, bee it to thee as thou haſt deſired, and thy pardon ſhall afterward bee ſealed and delivered. Now when the Lord tels the ſoule, It is done, it wants only ſealing and delivering, the heart of a poore ſinner, when it findes ſome comfort and refreſhment from the p. 214Lord in the word, he ſaith, The Miniſter ſaid I was the ſinner, and God intends good to me, and that my ſinnes are pardoned: as the Prince ſaith, Fiat, let it be done; ſo the Lord ſaith, MercieMercy is comming towards thee, and merciemercy is granted to thee: Now the heart leapes with joy, and bleſſeth the Lord, let my ſoule bleſſe him for ever: How ought I to bleſſe that God that hath done ſo great things for my poore ſoule? What, I pardoned? and what, my ſinnes forgiven? what, is the pardon granted, and now ſealing, onelyonly it wants delivering? why then if I never ſee more of it, but goe downe to hell, yet this is my comfort, that I have ſeene a ſmile from God, this makes my heart leape within me, though I burne in hell for ever; this is the next voice.

Now that brings in love and joy: See a paſſage this way, Eſay 40.2. opened.Isa 40:2Eſay 40.2. Comfort yee, comfort yee my people, ſaith the Lord, ſpeake comfortably to Jeruſalem, and crie unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, and her iniquitie is pardoned, tell Ieruſalem ſhee is accepted; tell her ſo, ſaith the Lord. So the Lord ſpeakes to poore hungrie broken ſinners, after he hath ſeene their deſires to be ſound and thorow; the Lord ſaith to his Miniſters, Speake to the heart of a poore ſinner, tell him from mee, tell him from heaven, tell him from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, tell, from under the hand of the Spirit, his perſon is accepted, and his ſinnes are done away, and he ſhall be looked upon in merciemercy. So Eſay 66. Eſay 66.2. opened.Isa 66:2the text ſaith, The Lord lookes to him that is of an humble and contrite heart, and that trembles p. 215at his word. The poore creature cannot but obſerve every word, and tremble at every truth: Here is ſalvation (indeed, ſaith he) but it is not mine; here is merciemercy, but that is not mine: and ſo he ſhakes at the apprehenſion of it, that he ſhould heare of it, and not enjoy it. The text ſaith, The Lord lookes at ſuch a trembling ſoule; that is, he caſts ſweet intimations of his goodneſſe and kindneſſe upon him; and ſaith, Thou poore trembling ſinner, to thee bee it ſpoken, I have an eye towards thee in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; this, as I take it, is the meaning of the place. Ephraim is the picture of a ſoule truly humbled; we may ſee his behaviour towards God, and Gods dealing towards him; the text ſaith, Surely I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelfe, (here is the heart broken, and thirſting, and what more) thou haſt chaſtized mee, Ier. 31.18, 19, 20.Jer 31:18Jer 31:19Jer 31:20and I was chaſtized, as a bullocke unaccuſtomed to the yoake; turne thou me, and I ſhall be 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 wee ſee Ephraim lamenting himſelfe, as if the ſinner ſhould ſay, I am the wretch that have ſeene all the meanes of grace in abundant meaſure and beautie, and yet never profited under the ſame; the Lord hath corrected me, but I would not be tamed; the Lord hee hath inſtructed mee, but I would not learne; Lord turne mee, thou art my God, I have nothing in my ſelfe. Nay now I ſee the evils which before I never perceived, and I p. 216obſerve the baſeneſſe of my courſe now, which before I never conſidered; and I am aſhamed of my former abuſe of Gods grace revealed; I am even confounded in regard of the abominations which my ſoule hath harboured; this is the mourning of a poore ſinner: Now marke Gods anſwer, Ephraim is my deare ſonne, hee is a pleaſant childe, for ſince I ſpake againſt him, I doe earneſtly remember him ſtill, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will ſurely have merciemercy upon him. The Lord kindled the fire of his indignation in his heart, and ſpake bitter things againſt his conſcience, yet hee remembred him all the while; as who ſhould ſay, I obſerved all thoſe deſires, and conſidered all thoſe teares, and heard all thoſe prayers, and tooke notice of all thoſe complaints; and my bowels earne towards a poore ſinner that deſires my merciemercy in Chriſt, and the truth is, I will ſhew merciemercy to him: thus wee ſee the behaviour of God to the ſoule, as alſo the behaviour of the ſoule to God: and thus you ſee the order of the affections; when God is abſent, hope waits for it, and deſire longs after it; when the good is in view, love entertaines it, and joy delights, and ſports, and playeth with it: love is like the Hoſt that welcomes the gueſt, and joy is like the chamberlaine that attends upon him, and is very ready and pleaſing to entertaine the promiſe, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: this is the very guiſe of the heart, as I conceive.

The ſecond thing obſervable, is the motives whereby the promiſe comes to inflame theſe two p. 217affections, and to worke this frame in the heart, namely, by the Spirit of the Father, which kindles in an humble and inlightned ſoule, love and joy, to entertaine and reioyce in the riches of his merciemercy, as beſeemes the worth thereof.

Queſt. But how doth the Spirit kindle this love and joy?

Anſw. I anſwer, thus it is, when the Spirit of the Lord in the promiſe lets in ſome intimation of Gods love into the ſoule, the weight lieth upon theſe two words; lets in ſome inckling, conveyeth ſome relliſh of the love of God into the ſoule. I beſeech you, marke it, when the Lord doth expreſſe his favour and goodneſſe in that ſame powerfull manner unto a heart humbled, longing for his favour, that it doth force the ſoule to bee affected with it, and doth prevaile with the ſoule, and by a holy kinde of might prevaileth, and makes the ſoule to be affected with the relliſh of his favour; this is the ground: A poſſible good ſtirres up hope, a neceſſarie excellencie in that good ſetleth deſire, and a relliſh in that good ſetled, kindles love: So that in the promiſe there is a fulneſſe to take up the whole frame of the heart. The phraſe is admirable in the Pſalmes; The Lord ſhall command his loving kindneſſe in the morning; Pſal. 42.18.Ps 42:18(a ſtrange paſſage) it is a phraſe taken from Kings, and Princes, and great Commanders, whoſe word is a law. So that the Lord ſhall ſend forth his loving kindneſſe with a command; as if he ſhould ſay, Goe love and everlaſting kindneſſe, take thy commiſſion, and I charge thee, goe to p. 218the poore humble ſinner, goe to the poore, hungry, and thirſtie ſinner, goe and proſper and prevaile, and ſettle my love upon his heart, whether he will or no, and let my kindneſſe be ſetled upon his ſoule that hath longed for it. Experience tels us this, the Lord doth by an Almightineſſe give a charge, and put a commiſſion into loving kindneſſe hands, that hee ſhall doe good to a poore ſoule, even then when hee ſinkes under the burthen of his ſinnes, and under the apprehenſion of his weakneſſe. What, ſhall I have merciemercy? No, no. Will the Lord Jeſus Chriſt accept me? No ſurely. Could I pray ſo, and had I thoſe parts, and could I performe duties after this and this manner, then there were ſome hope; but, alas! there is no merciemercy for me. But hearken, I beſeech you, what the word diſcovers your eſtate to be; is it thus and thus with you? yes; then I ſpeake from the Lord, merciemercy is yours, and heaven is yours; No, no, ſaith the ſoule, I cannot beleeeve it, ſuch a wretch as I goe to heaven? No, heaven ſhall rather fall than I come there. Thus the diſcouraged ſinner knocks off merciemercy, and ſhuts the doore againſt it. Now when all carnall reaſonings, and high imaginations (as Paul cals them) have raiſed up ſtrong holds againſt merciemercy and comfort, when the word cannot doe it for the preſent, God is faine at laſt to command loving kindneſſe, and ſend him with a commiſſion from heaven, ſaying, I charge you, breake open the doore of the heart of ſuch a ſinner, rend that veile of ignorance, and teare that curſed veile of carnall reaſoning; And p. 219I command thee, goe to that ſoule, and cheare it, and comfort it; goe to that ſoule, and refreſh it, and fill it; tell him his ſinnes are pardoned, his perſon accepted, and his ſoule ſhall be ſaved; tell him his ſighs and groanes are heard, and his prayers obſerved in heaven; make this good to his ſoule, I charge you, before you come backe againe; this is the admirable goodneſſe of the Lord; the ſoule many times hath ſo many trickes, and ſhifts, and windings, and yeeldings to carnall reaſon, that no comfort will come in; So that the Lord is faine to ſend loving kindneſſe to cheare the ſoule: As it is with ſome unruly fellowes, who will not give a man poſſeſſion of his right, till the high Sheriffe comes, and gives him poſſeſſion by force whether they will or no: So loving kindneſſe is Gods high Sheriffe; now when a company of baſe fellowes, as carnall reaſonings, and the like, would keepe out merciemercy and favour that is due to a ſinner, the Lord commands loving kindneſſe to breake open the doore, and ſpeake comfort to him: and now take notice of what I ſay, as a good to come was the ground of hope, and if there be any neceſſarie excellencie, deſire longs for it: So when the good is not only preſent, but expreſſeth his preſence, and leaves ſome kinde of remembrance, as it were, and diſcovers it ſelfe in ſome manner effectually to the ſoule; that ſtirres up love continually, and that muſt be done before any love can be kindled. (I open it thus:) Looke as it is with touching, which is a facultie of nature, if the thing lyes upon p. 220a man, leaves a ſtrong impreſſion upon him, then a mans touch will feele it; but if it be marvellous light, then it may lye upon a man, and be preſent with him, and yet not be perceived: as a feather, lay it upon a mans finger on the ſudden, or a mote in a mans face, becauſe it leaves no impreſſion, hee feeles it not; but if there bee any weight laid upon his hand, then he feeles: ſo if it be water that moiſtens him, or fire that ſcorcheth him, he is ſenſible of it; ſo love in the ſoule is like touching in the body: now when loving kindneſſe is not ſet on upon the heart, though it be preſent with the ſoule, yet becauſe it leaves no impreſſion upon the ſoule, hence it comes that the heart cannot be ſtirred with any love towards it, nor be touched and affected with it, nor returne that joy and delight as becomes the favour of God. So that there muſt be the love of God, letting ſome ſweet intimations into the heart, and expreſſing it ſelfe to the ſoule, and affecting the heart therewith; and then our love comes to bee kindled towards God againe; Gods love ſetling upon the ſoule, drawes and puls our love to God againe.

This is the ground of that the Apoſtle ſpeakes, We love him, 1 Iohn 4.19.1 John 4:19becauſe he loved us firſt. It muſt be the beames of Gods love that muſt fall upon the ſoule, before the ſoule can returne love to God againe. Hoſea 11.4.Hos 11:4So in Hoſea, I drew them, ſaith the text, with the cords of love, and with the bands of a man: as who ſhould ſay, God lets in the cords of his love into our ſoules, and that drawes our loves to p. 221him againe. But moſt excellent is that place of the Canticles, (marke the manner of the guiſe of the Spirit of God, expreſſing himſelfe to the ſoule) He brought me to the Banquetting houſe, Cant. 2.4.Song 2:4and his Banner over me was Love: and what followeth? Stay mee with flaggons, and comfort mee with apples, for I am ſicke of Love. When the Banner of Chriſts love is diſplayed over the ſoule, the ſoule comes to bee ſicke of love to Chriſt againe. In warre when the Captaine diſplayeth the banner, three things are done by it: Firſt, it argueth the preſence of the Generall: Secondly, it commands all the Souldiers to come to it: Thirdly, all come under it. Now obſerve the excellency of the ſweetneſſe of the ſenſe of the Spirit of God; when God diſplayeth the banner of his love, in the perfect colours and beauty of it to the ſoule; then all the hearts of poore fainting ſinners come in as Souldiers, and they are ſicke of love to him; now this love of God begets love in us againe, in three particulars.

Particular. 1 Firſt, there is a ſweetneſſe and relliſh which Gods love lets into the ſoule, and that warmes the heart. When a man is fainting, aqua vitae comforts him: Thy loving kindneſſe is better than life (ſaith the Prophet David) there is aqua vitae indeed; the Lord lets in but one glimpſe of his love, and that warmes the ſoules. This is that obſervable in the Canticles, Cant. 2.3. opened.Song 2:3Let him kiſſe mee with the kiſſes of his mouth, for thy love is better than wine; becauſe of the ſavour of thy good oyntment, thy Name is an oyntment powred forth, therefore doe the Virgins p. 222love thee. Every poore ſinfull creature, thou that drinkeſt water, if thou haſt Chriſts love, thou thinkeſt it better than the beſt wine under heaven: Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his lips, that is, with the comforts of his Word and Spirit: ſo that marke what the ſoule ſaith; Let the Lord Jeſus Chriſt refreſh my ſoule with the ſweet comforts and conſolations of his Word, and it will be better than wine. But firſt he muſt kiſſe him with the kiſſes of his lippes, before his love can be better than wine, that is, the Lord by the power of his Spirit in the miniſtery of the Word, muſt expreſſe his love to the ſoule, and that drawes the love of the ſoule to God: and marke what followeth, becauſe of the ſavour of thy good oyntments, therefore the Virgins love thee: by Chriſts oyntments, are Chriſts graces ſignified. Now when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt doth communicate the ſweet ſavour of his grace into the ſoule, then the Virgins which are looſened from ſinne, love the Lord Jeſus; but firſt the ſavour of the oyntment muſt be ſpred abroad before they can love him.

Particular. 2 Secondly, as the ſweetneſſe of Gods love warmes the heart, ſo the freeneſſe of the ſame doth even beginne to kindle a love in the ſoule: Herein ſaith the Apoſtle, God commends his love towards us, Rom. 5.8.Rom 5:8in that while we were yet enemies unto him, Chriſt died for us. The Lord ſends from heaven to a poore miſerable creature; commend my love, commend my mercy to ſuch a poore ſoule, and tell him though hee hath beene an enemy to me, yet I am a friend to him; tell him though he p. 223hath beene a traitor to mee, I have beene a good King to him: he hath beene a rebell to mee, but tell him I have beene a good God to him; commend my love to him, and let him know that all his ſinnes are done away, for the Lord Jeſus died for ſinners, when they were ſinners. This is the argument of Saint Iohn, If God ſo loved us, as that he gave his onelyonly begotten Sonne for us, how ought wee to love one another? I collect from hence; But how then ought we to love God himſelfe?

It was this that kindled the frozen heart of Saul, he had a heart almoſt as cold as ice, and yet this did worke upon him. Marke what the text ſaith: When David had taken Saul on the hip, 1 Sam. 24.19.1 Sam 24:19and had him at advantage, and might have taken away his life, and yet would not: when hee ſaw that David was ſo kinde and would doe him no hurt; David knew Saul perſecuted him, and deſired to kill him, hee was the moſt profeſt enemy he had, and was the onelyonly man that ſtood betweene him and the kingdome: Now when David had him in his hands, and ſpared him, this kindneſſe of David wrought even upon the heart of a Saul, and kindled a kinde of love in him, as the text ſaith; Thou art more righteous than I, for thou haſt rewarded mee good, and I have rewarded thee evill, and thou haſt ſhewed this day, that thou haſt dealt well with me; foraſmuch as when the Lord had delivered mee into thine hands, thou killedſt me not; for if a man finde an enemy, will hee let him goe well away? wherefore the Lord reward thee good, for that thou haſt done unto me this day. So that wee ſee a p. 224Saul is warned, and his love is kindled towards David for his kindneſſe. So when the ſoule conſiders, what, is the Lord thus gracious to me? who ever found an enemy and ſlew him not? Had it not beene juſt with the Lord to take advantage againſt me? Had it not beene juſt, that I which lived in ſinne, ſhould have periſhed for my ſinne? Had it not beene juſt, that I which loved my corruption, ſhould have periſhed for my corruptions? But that the Lord ſhould finde an enemy and not ſlay him, nay that the Lord ſhould finde an enemy, and ſend his Sonne to ſave him, is wonderfull. Let my ſoule for ever love that God, and rejoyce in that mercy; this would work almoſt upon a Devill. If the ſoule had but the ſap and ſweetneſſe of this, it could not but warme the heart of an humbled ſinner, and kindle in him an abundant love to God, who hath beene ſo loving to him.

Particular. 3 Laſtly, the greatneſſe of the ſweetneſſe of the mercy of God, this inflames the ſoule; the ſweetneſſe warmes it, the freeneſſe kindles it, and when the greatneſſe meets with theſe, it ſets the ſoule all in a burning flame. This is the ground the Apoſtle preſſeth to the Epheſians, he deſireth that they may be rooted in love, that is, ſtabliſhed with mighty ſtrong love, how ſhall that be? Why the text ſaith, comprehending with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge: as who ſhould ſay, can you but once comprehend the unmeaſurable dimenſions of Gods love and goodneſſe; p. 225this will kindle and inflame your hearts with admirable love to the Lord Jeſus. When the ſinner thinkes thus with himſelfe, I that have done all that I could againſt ſo good a God, that my heart even bleeds to thinke of it; there was no name under Heaven I tore in peeces, but Gods Name: his wounds, and heart, and life, I have torne all: nay there was no command in the world that my ſoule ſo much deſpiſed, as the command of the Lord Jeſus. There was no ſpirit that ever ſpake to me, which I ſo much reſiſted, as the Spirit of the Lord. Oh how many ſweet motions hath the Lord let into my ſoule, that he might plucke mee from my baſe courſes and ſinfull practices: but I have flowen in the face of his bleſſed Spirit. If I had lien in a dungeon, and had beene plagued with torments all my life time; yea though I had another world of miſery to live in, it is infinite mercy, ſo the Lord would paſſe by theſe baſe dealings, and pardon theſe rebellions of mine. But that God ſhould ſend his Sonne to love mee, ſo incomparably, ſo unconceivably, that I could not hate him ſo much as he loved me; I could not ſo exceed in unkindneſſe towards him, as he hath exceeded in kindneſſe towards mee. Oh the height of this mercy beyond my deſire! Oh the breadth of this mercy without all bounds! Oh the length of this mercy beyond all times! Oh the depth of this mercy beneath all miſeries! Were my eyes made of love, I could nothing but weepe love; were my tongue made of love, I could nothing but talke love; were my hands p. 226made of love, I could nothing but worke love; and all too little for that God that hath loved mee ſo admirably, ſo unmeaſurably. What ſhall I love if I love not the Lord? I love all things, but I love God above all things. Pſal. 18.1.Ps 18:1I love thee dearly, O Lord my ſtrength, ſaith David: this is the laſt particular, whereby the ſoule comes to bee all on a flame, and hath a burning affection towards the Lord Almighty.

Vſe. 1 We come now to the application of the point, that ſo wee may reape ſome good to our ſoules thereby. Firſt then it is a ground of inſtruction, which I deſire to preſſe unto you, becauſe it is both ſeaſonable and profitable. From the former Doctrine therefore wee collect and conclude undeniably; that there is no ſufficiency in a naturall heart, to be carried to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, or to the worke of grace: wee have not this, before God doth give it unto us: nay we cannot move towards God, or be carried in the leaſt kind to love or delight in him further than the Lord will carry us himſelfe, and beare up our hearts by the hand of his Spirit. It is true (and wee finde it by wofull experience) it is in our power to love the world, it is in our power to delight in our luſts: Nay being but naturall men, it cannot be but that we ſhould love our ſelves, and love our honour, and our eaſe, and profit, and applauſe in the world. There is enough of this fooliſh wildfire, there is enough of this carnall ſelfe-love in every mans heart. But to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to have a heart inlarged with joy to p. 227him, this is a worke of grace, which groweth not in our gardens: there is not one ſparke of this holy fire and ſpiritual delight in our hearts. Nay we cannot buy it, nor borrow it, nor receive it from any creature under Heaven, further than the Father ſends downe ſome beames of his love to kindle this in us, further than the bleſſed Spirit of God is pleaſed to blow theſe ſparkes when they are kindled, further than the Lord Ieſus Chriſt is pleaſed by the power of his merits, to feed theſe ſparkes of love thus blowne in our ſoules. It is almoſt impoſſible, that any man in his naturall eſtate ſhould be ſo deluded, as to thinke hee can love the Lord or delight in him. 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. opened.1 Tim 1:131 Tim 1:14The Apoſtle Paul tels us plainly, hee was a perſecutor, and a blaſphemer, and injurious: Paul could doe this, and thou haply canſt doe this; thou canſt be a blaſphemer againſt Jeſus Chriſt, and thou canſt be a perſecutor of Jeſus Chriſt; but Paul cannot beleeve in Chriſt, nor love the Lord Ieſus; how comes hee to this? Why, the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Ieſus: (marke that) As if hee ſhould ſay, it was Gods abundant grace that over-powerd my unfaithfull heart, and made it faithfull: It was Gods abundant grace that over-powerd my ſtubborne injurious heart, and made it a loving heart. But how comes this, that the grace of the Lord was abundant in faith and love? Why, it is in Chriſt, ſaith the text; from Chriſt this faith was rooted, from Chriſt this love was kindled: As if he had ſaid, I could perſecute, and blaſpheme, and deſpiſe, p. 228and caſt off God and his grace, I was a wretch, a villaine, that I could doe: But that I ſhould love the Lord being injurious, and that I ſhould beleeve the Lord being unfaithfull, this was from Chriſt alone. In experience we finde it, the ball muſt firſt fall upon the ground, before it can bound up againe, and returne from the ground: So the Lord Jeſus muſt dart in, and fling in this love of his into the ſoule, before the ſoule can rebound in love and joy backe to him againe. We muſt receive the Spirit of love from God, 2 Tim. 1.7.2 Tim 1:7before the Lord can receive any ſpirituall and holy love from us. In a word, what the Lord ſpake in ſome caſe to the Jewes, is true of every man naturally; I know that you have not the love of God in you: Iohn 5.42.John 5:42As if he ſhould ſay, you know not your ſelves, you thinke you have hearts inlarged to God, and you pretend great kindneſſe to God: but you are deceived in your ſoules, and cozened in your corrupt natures: for I know full well that the love of God is not in you. I purſue the point the rather for theſe two ends.

Firſt, it diſcovers and confutes the carnall conceits of a company of carnall Goſpellers, that pretend they doe not delight to ſet out themſelves in ſhew ſo much, and they doe not heare and pray and faſt ſo much as theſe and theſe doe. But, ſay they, as for the ſoundneſſe of our love to the Lord Jeſus, wee defie any man in the world that ſpeakes againſt us; they finde no difficulty in the matter to love the Lord, they are certainly perſwaded they doe that. Therefore if the Miniſter p. 229ſhall preſſe upon them, and challenge them of want of love to God and his grace, they flie in a mans face preſently; What, not love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? why then it is pitie a man ſhould live upon the face of the earth: they doe love him, and they will love him, all the world ſhall not perſwade them from the loving of Chriſt. Oh poore ſilly creature, it is a great argument that thou never hadſt this love to God, becauſe thou ſaweſt no hardneſſe to get it. It is an argument thou never didſt expreſſe any delight in Chriſt, becauſe thou thinkeſt it an eaſie matter to delight in him. Moſt men thinke it a matter of nothing; what, not love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? why, who cannot love Chriſt? Who cannot? I ſay, neither thou, nor I, nor any man under heaven can love Chriſt by any power in himſelfe: Nay let me ſpeake peremptorily, thou art as able to ſave thy owne ſoule, nay thou art as able to redeeme thy ſoule without Chriſt, as thou art able (unleſſe the Lord by the Almightie helpe of his Spirit-inable thee) to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Nay marke what I ſay, you that love Chriſt, and yet doe nothing for him, but pretend great kindneſſe inwardly, how ever you expreſſe not your ſelves in outward appearance; I tell thee, if a man might have happineſſe by it, if he might have heaven laid downe upon the naile (as wee ſay) if he could love Chriſt, I ſay, upon theſe conditions, if thou haſt but nature in thee, thou wouldſt never goe to heaven, thou wouldſt never be happie. No, no, it will coſt thee more than p. 230that comes to, it will coſt thee much paines, it will coſt thee many prayers, and many teares, before that day come. It is not an eaſie matter to love the Lord Jeſus; the Father from heaven muſt learne you that; you muſt goe to another manner of ſchoole, than ever you have beene at yet, if ever you learne this lecture: thou mayſt pray till thy eyes ſinke in thy head, and till thy heart failes; and yet thou canſt not love Chriſt, unleſſe the Spirit inable thee thereunto. Thinke of this, you that thinke it is nothing to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt: If it were nothing but to talke of love, and to complement with the Lord Jeſus, to make a curſie to Chriſt, and to make a leg to the Lord, and yet hate him inwardly, then it were an eaſie matter indeed; it is nothing to buckle to him in this faſhion, and in the meane time oppoſe him, and the power of his grace: but to entertaine and welcome a Saviour, ſutable and agreeable to the worth of him, this nature will not, cannot doe, it is the worke of the Lord.

1Obſerve it (I beſeech you) I ſay, as nature cannot doe this, ſo nature will not doe it: firſt nature cannot doe it, 1 Iohn 1.5.1 John 1:5God is light, and in him is no darkneſſe, Epheſ. 5.8.Eph 5:8ſaith the text, at all: and, Ye were darkneſſe, but now are light in the Lord: A man naturally is nothing but darkneſſe, and God is nothing but light; a man by nature is nothing but unholy, and God is nothing but holy. Now darkneſſe will reſiſt light, and not give way to it; and wickedneſſe will oppoſe holineſſe, and not give way to the ſame: this is thy condition, thou haſt an ignorant p. 231carnall blinde heart, and God is light, pure, and holy, and thou canſt reſiſt a Saviour, but not entertaine him, doe what thou canſt.

2Nay further, as a man cannot naturally doe this, ſo in the ſecond place, I ſay, he will not doe it. The Apoſtle affirmes of the Theſſalonians, That they would not receive the love of the truth, 2 Theſſ. 2.10. opened.2 Thess 2:10that they might be ſaved; he doth not ſay, They would not receive the truth, but they would not receive the love of the truth. It is a phraſe taken from a man, which makes love to a partie, ſo the truth of God makes love to many a man, it makes love to thy naughtie and corrupt heart, and would plucke thee away from theſe things here below, and would draw thee from thy baſe haunts, and filthy luſts, and ſinfull courſes; and it would wooe and winne thy ſoule to take place in it, that it may ſhew comfort to it: the truth of God makes love to the world, and the world will none of the truth: Chriſt came to the world, and the world received him not, they were ſo farre from ſeeking a Saviour, and comming to him, that they would not receive a Saviour, when hee came unto them. Therefore know, thou haſt a heart that can hate the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, but thou haſt not a heart to love him, thou haſt not a heart that can delight in his good Spirit, thou haſt not a heart that can take content in his rich grace.

2The ſecond reaſon why I preſſe this point, is this, I would diſcover the diſorderly dealing of many poore Saints of God w…th their owne ſoules: Many a poore childe of God labours extremely, p. 232and takes great paines to worke his ſoule, and bring his heart to love Chriſt: he falls out with himſelfe, becauſe he cannot love God, and he is ready to curſe himſelfe, hee cannot get his heart up to heaven, where is more riches than is in the beſt riches of the world; where is more honour than in the greateſt honour upon earth; where is more pleaſure than in the greateſt delight here below: they labour, and can finde no good ſucceſſe; they take paines, but their worke doth not ſucceed proſperouſly: the reaſon is this, they doe not begin at the right end, they worke the wrong way: goe to the ſea of love, and goe to the ſunne of righteouſneſſe, and to the beames of Gods merciemercy, which onelyonly can worke thy heart to love God, and delight in him: doe not goe to thy cold earthly frozen heart, and thinke to fetch love from thence, thinke not to bring love to the promiſe, but looke to receive love from the promiſe, but it is the love of God towards thee, that muſt draw love from thee to God againe. It was the ſpeech of Chriſt, when he was to ſend the Comforter to his Diſciples, Iohn 16.14.John 16:14He ſhall receive of mine (ſaith the text) and give it unto you: marke the phraſe, all graces and all ſpirituall abilities are Chriſts; goe thy wayes therefore, and preſſe the Lord Jeſus with this promiſe of his, and ſay, The truth is, Lord, the heart to love thee and delight in thee is thine; and thou haſt ſaid, thy Spirit ſhall take of thine, and give to us; therefore give to us of thine, Lord, that thou mayſt receive of thine from us: Our hearts cannot love nor delight p. 233in thy Majeſtie, but it muſt come from thee; give it to us therefore Lord, that wee may give thee of thine owne.

Vſe. 2 The ſecond thing I gather from this doctrine, is this, namely, ſtrong comfort and conſolation to ſtay and refreſh the hearts of thoſe that have received this gracious worke. What ever thy weakneſſe be, it skils not: Is thy love in truth? Is thy joy ſound? it is enough, thy ſoule may bee comforted, in that the Lord hath beſtowed this gracious worke upon thee in any meaſure; if thy love be in truth, it will carry thee through all occaſions in this pilgrimage of thine, and bring thee to everlaſting happineſſe; it is a ground of admirable refreſhing to the ſoule, that findes in his heart this love and delight in God. The text telleth us, a man by nature cannot doe this; Therefore if thou haſt this, goe thy way, cleare thy ſoule, and bleſſe God for it, and make much of it, and ſay, Thou haſt more than all carnall men, than all cunning hypocrites under heaven can have; pretend what they will, and profeſſe what they pleaſe, thou that haſt the love of God in any meaſure, though in much weakneſſe, thou haſt more than they all. This may refreſh the hearts of many of you poore ones, though haply many other things goe ill with you, yet this appeares in the younglings of Chriſt, though they cannot doe any thing for their Father, yet they can love him; it is a loving childe, we ſay, it can love the Father, though it can doe nothing for him: ſo you poore weake Chriſtians, that have ſmall meanes, little p. 234abilities, haply thy underſtanding is not ſo deepe to fadome the myſteries of life and ſalvation, thy tongue is not ſo glib to talke ſo freely, and conferre ſo comfortably of heavenly things, thou canſt not be enlarged in holy duties, thy underſtanding is marvellous blinde, thy memory marvellous weake, thy parts exceeding feeble, ſo that thou art even aſhamed of thy ſelfe, and of what thou haſt and doſt. But I aske thee this queſtion, Canſt thou love Chriſt, and reioyce in the Lord Jeſus? mee thinkes many a poore ſoule replies, Yes, I bleſſe the Lord, that is all I have to uphold my heart withall; I thinke all the profits, and pleaſures, and friends in the world, cannot draw my love from Chriſt, it is my delight to love him, and rejoyce in him: Goe thy wayes then, and the God of heaven go with thee; this ſparke is a ſparke of that immortall Spirit of the Father which will never dye, it is a worke of grace, which will never leave thee, it is a badge, it is the cognizance, and the proper liverie which the Lord Jeſus Chriſt gives only to his Saints: there was never a hypocrite under heaven that ever wore this, God intended it not for them; but thoſe, and onelyonly thoſe, which the Lord hath effectually called, and will glorifie with himſelfe hereafter, weare this: and therefore thou that wanteſt all, & yet haſt this, comfort thy ſelfe with this in the want of all, and ſay, I love the Lord, and the Lord knowes it, and my ſoule knowes that I love the Lord Jeſus; I can ſay but little for Chriſt, my underſtanding is weake, I conceive not, my memorie is weake, I p. 235retaine not, but yet the Lord knowes I love him, and delight in him. Yea, and know thou it too, and comfort thy ſelfe therein; the Apoſtle provo…es us to love one another, Iohn 4.7.John 4:7becauſe love comes from God; now if the love to the brethren comes from God, becauſe wee ſee Gods image in them, then the love of God hath a much more expreſſe worke in it: therefore reaſon thus with your ſelves; The time was, that this wretched, vile, carnall, worldly heart of mine, could finde no reliſh in the promiſe; I could not bring this naughtie ſoule of mine to entertaine the Goſpell of grace, nor the Spirit of grace, but they were tedious and irkſome to my ſoule, but the Lord (bleſſed be his name) hath beene pleaſed to helpe me, ſo that I can doe that which I never could doe. I finde the Lords promiſe and goodneſſe much more comfortable to me, than all the corne and wine in the world, and my heart is cheared with the conſideration of the ſame. The Apoſtle ſaith, Rom. 8.28.Rom 8:28All things ſhall worke together for the beſt to them that love God; namely, to thoſe that are called according to his purpoſe, that is, to thoſe that ſo love God, that their love came by calling, according to Gods everlaſting counſell. He called them in his good time from darkneſſe to light, and he called them from the love of the world, to the love of God; therefore all things ſhall worke together for the beſt to them: let nothing therefore diſcourage thee in this caſe, but ſay, All things ſhall worke for my good, becauſe God hath given me a heart to love him: nay be cheared herein, I charge you, and p. 236let not your hearts droope, and quarrell not with the Lord for a greater portion, but bleſſe God for that you have received, your lot is fallen into a faire ground, and the Lord hath dealt lovingly with you, you need no more for a childes part. David deſired no more, Looke upon mee, O Lord, (ſaith he) and doe good unto me: how? as thou uſeſt to doe unto thoſe that love thy name. As if hee had ſaid, I deſire no more for my life and everlaſting happineſſe, and the comfort of my ſoule; deale with me no otherwiſe, but juſt ſo, as thou doeſt with thoſe that love thy name: I know thou wilt love them that love thee, I know thou wilt ſave them that love thee; I know thou wilt comfort them that love thee; I know thou wilt glorifie them that love thee: thus Lord doe good to thy ſervant, I deſire no more, I crave no other, but as thou doeſt, as thou uſeſt to doe good to thoſe that love thy name: if I have that, I have enough: David a King, a glorious Saint, deſired no more, expected no more: if thou haſt ſo much, know that thou art beholding to the Lord, and be contented therewith. Haply you have not that vaine of talking and conference which others have, this is commendable, but there is a great deale of pride and vanitie in it now adayes; thou canſt not crancke up thy ſelfe in performances, but thy heart cloſeth with God, and thy affections are ſet upon him, and thy ſoule burnes with love towards the Lord; why? that is enough to bring thee to heaven, if there be ever a Saint in heaven, thou art one now, & ſhalt be in heaven forever hereafter.

p. 237But now here is the difficultie, if a man had that love which comes from God according to his purpoſe, this would ſtand us in ſtead: but there is much feigned, wilde, hypocriticall love, in the world:

Queſt. How ſhall I (therefore) know my love, whether it be true, of the right nature, or no?

Anſw. Here is the skill, therefore we will skan the matter a little; if it be true love, and right joy, God will accept it, therefore put this love and joy upon the triall, and we will ſay no more than what we have ground for out of the doctrine of the text. Examine thy love and joy by this, whether thou welcomeſt, and entertaineſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, as beſeemes him; whether thou entertaineſt grace, anſwerable to the worth of grace; for that is the nature of this love and joy which God kindles and workes. Now this appeares in five particulars:

The firſt is this, if thou wilt know the truth and ſoundneſſe of thy love and joy (for what I ſay of the one, I ſay of the other, if love be good, joy will be ſound, for they grow both upon one root, onelyonly the one hath more ſweetneſſe of Gods favour ſhed into the heart, which makes the ſoule ſport with it, &c.) I ſay therefore, to diſcover the ſoundneſſe of this love of thine, obſerve theſe trials:

Triall. 1 Firſt, obſerve the root and riſe, from whence thy love came, and wiſely conſider this, for it is a point of great weight, and hard to diſcover, yet it is that which will never faile, it is the narroweſt p. 238ſearch in the world; if thy love come from the right mint, it is currant and warrantable, it is ſuch as our Saviour approves of: It is Chriſts royall prerogative to mint love, and coine ſuch love, as he will take for payment, and accept of; therefore doth thy love come from the Spirit of the Father? then it is made fit to cloſe with the Father, and to cloſe with the Lord Ieſus, and with his good Spirit; and conſequently the Father allowes this, and will give acceptance to it. You know great men muſt be entertained anſwerable to their worth; for a man to have meane fare and ſcant proviſion, this may content a poore man; but the choiſeſt and beſt, deare bought, and farre fetched, beſeemes men of great ranke and place. So there is a kinde of leane love, this earthly and naturall love, that growes only out of thy owne ſtrength and naturall parts, it is ſcant proviſion, it beſeemes not, it ſuits not with God the Father, it is not anſwerable to the place and ſtate of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. It is good enough for theſe baſe things here below, earthly love for earthly things, carnall love for carnall things; it is good enough for theſe things. But will you entertaine the Father of heaven? Will you entertaine the Lord Ieſus Chriſt? I tell you then you muſt have dainties, you muſt have ſpirituall love to welcome a ſpirituall Father, otherwiſe it will not be ſutable to his worth. Looke as it is with flowers, thoſe flowers which are ſowen and planted, and by the skilfull hand of the gardiner inocculated, are choiſe ones both for ſent and p. 239ſight, are your province roſes and the like, are of great account; but your common hedge roſes, no man cares for them: So it is with the worke of Gods Spirit, and all other common graces, there is province love, and province joy, which is planted and wrought in the heart by the skilfull hand of God and his bleſſed Spirit, theſe make a ſweet ſmelling ſavour in the noſtrils of God: Aye that love, ſaith the Father, Aye that love, ſaith the Lord Jeſus, wee cannot better pleaſe them, than by entertaining them after this matter; but theſe hedge roſes, this carnall love and carnall joy, that growes upon the hedge of our owne naturall hearts, the Lord cares not for this love and joy, it beſeemes him not in any meaſure, therefore obſerve this, canſt thou ſay, I love God becauſe hee loved me; this is a love of the right coine, it came from the right mint; and know it for ever, that that God which cannot but love himſelfe, he cannot but like that love of thine, which is of his owne nature, which came from his owne ſelfe, who is the God of all love. I would faine have you underſtand what I ſpeake, is thy heart therefore affected and inlarged with love to the Lord, becauſe thou haſt found, and felt, and received, the ſweetneſſe of the relliſh of the riches of his grace into thy ſoule, doth love and joy grow upon this root, namely, upon a grounded application (as I may ſo ſay in ſpeciall manner) of Gods favour to thy ſoule, ſettled, and ſealed, and made knowne in this kinde, if thy love doe grow upon this ground, upon the particular application of p. 240Gods merciemercy to thy ſoule; ſo that thy ſoule can ſay, the Lord hath looked downe from heaven; hee hath ſaid in his word, that hee will looke at them that tremble at his name; I looked for merciemercy, and I ſought for grace, and bleſſed bee God, I have found that merciemercy and grace I looked and ſought for, the Miniſter ſpake it, and his Spirit ſpake it, that my name was regiſtred in heaven, and that my prayers were heard, & my deſires ſatisfied, and therefore how ſhall I love the Lord that hath done all this for mee? my ſinnes I have bewailed, my complaints I have powred forth, and the Lord hath looked from heaven, and given me a gracious anſwer; therefore I will love the Lord for it, even for ever; I love thee dearly, O Lord, my ſtrength, thou art my ſupport that haſt ſtrengthned me; thou art my Saviour that haſt ſaved me; therefore my ſoule ſhall for ever love thee, for that merciemercy of thine; this is a love now that comes from a right mint, it is currant, and good pay. Difference betwixt the love and joy of an hypocrite, and of Gods childe.But if a man love God from himſelfe, this love will bring a man to himſelfe, and there leave him: as if a man have a love to his parts, or to his hearing, or reading, or praying, or preaching, or conferences, if a man have a love to his underſtanding, wiſedome, and policie, he loves his wiſedome and policie well, therefore hee would faine be beholding to Chriſt, to helpe him to glorifie this wiſedome and policie, and theſe parts of his, that he might receive honour to them: now the love of his parts brought all to his parts, and Chriſts honour in the meane time lay in the duſt, p. 241and ſo I might inſtance in a thouſand examples of the like nature: Whereas now (marke what I ſay) that love which is wrought from God, alwayes drawes the ſoule unto Gods love againe, the Lord lets downe the cords of his love into the ſoule, and thereby breeds love, and kindles love in the ſoule, to that goodneſſe and kindneſſe of his; and this is the excellencie of a Chriſtian, and this love is of a right coine, and of a right ſtampe: but love of my parts, that Chriſt may glorifie my parts; and love of profit, that Chriſt might promote my profit: I love my parts and profit only now, and not Chriſt in this caſe: and this is the greateſt difference betweene the love and delight, which the cunningſt hypocrite under heaven can have, and the Saints of God: I expreſſe it thus; Meat that a man takes downe inwardly, Simile.and digeſts, breeds good bloud, and good complexion; but that which a man takes, and digeſts not, but vomits out againe preſently, breeds neither good bloud, nor good complexion: So it is with the love of the heart that is rightly wrought upon, to entertaine and love a Saviour, and delight in him, and welcome him, as beſeemes his worth: a heart that is foundly wrought upon by the Spirit, feeds heartily upon the promiſe, and that feeding and taking downe of the promiſe, and that cloſing with the promiſe, breeds good bloud and good complexion; true love that breeds good bloud, and true joy that breeds good complexion, becauſe the promiſe is fed upon: it is the worke of Gods Spirit which ſeize upon, p. 242and worke effectually upon the heart, that bred this ſound love and true joy. But a carnall hypocrite, that only hath a taſte of the promiſe, and a flattering apprehenſion of the promiſe in general, Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, &c. theſe are prettie things to tickle their conceits, but they never goe downe, they digeſt not the promiſe of Chriſt, and therefore that love which comes from hence, is but a fained love, and that joy which ariſeth from hence, is but a falſe joy, it breeds no good bloud, it breeds no good complexion, but meere vanities and overtures in a Chriſtians courſe; here is the difference betweene the love and joy of an hypocrite, and of a Saint of God: this is the firſt triall.