The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 3 · Sermon 3
THE THIRD SERMON.
GALLAT. 5.6.
For in Iesus Christ, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by Love.
OVT of these words we have formerly delivered this point to you, that, Wh… soever loveth not is not in Christ.
The last thing (in the prosecution of this point) was the meanes whereby this love is wrought in our hearts, which we did not then finish, notwithstanding we will not proceed in it at this time, but rather al…r the matter, and doe that which I did not then intend; because there are many this day that are to receive the Sacrament, and you know when we come to receive the Sacrament, our chiefe businesse is to examine our selves. Let every man examine himselfe, and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup.
We have often pressed to you the necessitie of these two things:
The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is not to be omitted.First, that you may not omit the Sacrament when it is administred in the Congregation whereof you are members: for if they were to be cut off from the people that neglected the Passeover,Reasons. why should not this be accounted a greater sinne, and to deserve a greater punishment, to neglect the receiving of the Lords Supper, which is come in the place of the Passeover, and is farre beyond it?
The Lords Supper beyond the Passeover in two respectsFirst, because it is more cleare, and it is more cleare because the doctrine is more cleare; for it doth more lively represent Christ now exhibited in the flesh, than that which onelyonly represented Christ which was then to come.
And secondly, because the merciemercy that you are now to remember is your redemption from sinne and from hell, a greater merciemercy than that which they were to remember in the Passeover, which was their deliverance out of Egypt, (though that was not all) therefore the neglecting of this must neeedes be a greater sinne than the neglecting of that.
Now you see how strictly God layeth a charge upon them, that no man should omit the Passeover, unlesse sicknesse or a journey hindred him. Now consider this you that have beene negligent in comming to this holy Sacrament, for it is a great sinne, and provokes God to anger when he shall see that this ordinance which himselfe hath instituted, and which he hath laid such a charge upon you to doe is neglected?
Besides, doe you thinke it is a sinne to neglect comming to the word? and is it not as much to neglect this ordinance?
Besides, doe we not neede all helpes of grace? and is not this among the maine helpes.
Againe,2Men ought not to come negligently to it. as you ought not to omit it, so to come negligently to it, to come without examination, to come without a more solemne and extraordinary renewing of your repentance is to receive the Sacrament unworthily, to eate and drinke judgement and damnation to your selves.Two sorts receive the Sacramentun… worthily. Now there are two sorts that receive the Sacrament unworthily.
First, those that are not yet in Christ.
Secondly, those that are within the covenant, but yet come remissely and negligently, and take not that care they should in examining their hearts: for though you ought to renew your repentance every day, yet in a more especiall manner you ought to doe it upon such an occasion. As women doe in scowring their vessells, they make them cleane every day, but yet there are some certaine times wherein they scowre them more: so we should scoure our hearts in a more speciall manner upon this occasion. Now because this is the businesse that wee hauehave to doe this day, we will therefore handle that more fully that we touched lightly before, which is this examination, whether we love the Lord Iesus or no: for if you love not the Lord Iesus, you are not in him; for whatsoever you doe availeth not, if you hauehave not faith and love. Therefore if you finde that you have not this love to Christ, that you are not rooted and grounded in love, you hauehave nothing to doe with Christ, and if you have nothing to doe with him, you have nothing to doe with the Sacrament. And therefore we will shew you what properties of love we finde in the holy Scriptures.Properties of love.
1It is bountifull. 1 Cor. 13.This is one property of love set downe in 1 Cor. 13. Love is bountifull, and seeketh not its owne things: that is, it is the nature of love to bestow readily and freely any thing a man hath to the party whom he loveth. We see, Ioseph that loved Benjamin, as his love was more to him than to all the rest of his brethren, so he gave him a greater portion than the rest. It is the nature of love to be bountifull, what a man loveth, hee cares not what he parts with to obtaine it. Herod cared not to have parted with halfe his kingdome, to please that inordinate affection of his. The Converts in the Apostles time, how bountifull were they, laying all their goods at the Apostles feete? Zaccheus, when hee was converted, and his heart was inflamed with love to Christ, he would give halfe his goods to the poore. But in generall, it is a thing that you all know, that love is of a bountifull disposition. If you would know then whether you have this love to the Lord Iesus or no, consider whether you be ready to bestow any thing upon him, whether you be ready to part with any thing for his sake. David, when hee abounded with love to the Lord, you see how he expressed it in his provision for the Temple, you see how he exceeded in it, An hundred thousand shekels of golde, and a thousand thousand talents of silver: this, saith he, I have done according to my poverty: As if he had said, if I had beene able to doe more I would have done more, but this was as much as I could reach unto: herein hee shewed the greatnesse of his love to God in the greatnes of his bounty. Take it in the love which we have one to another: where a man loveth, he denieth nothing. Sampson, when he loved the harlot, he denied her nothing that she asked of him. If you love the Lord Iesus, examine your selves by this, are you ready to bestow any thing for his advantage? are you ready to take all opportunities to doe somewhat for his glory? consider how many opportunities you have had, and might have had, wherein you might have expressed and manifested this love to the Lord Iesus. Might you not have done much to the setting of a powerfull Minister here and there? have you not had ability to doe it? would it not much advantage the glory of Iesus Christ to make bridges (as it were) for men to goe to heaven by, and to make the high way that leadeth thither? A greater worke of mercy than these externall workes that appeare so glorious in the eyes of men: to have blessed opportunities, and not to use them, because wee have straight hands and narrow hearts, is a signe we want love to Christ.
In the passages of your life there is many a case, that if you were of a bountifull disposition, you might doe much good in. You know what Paul saith, which was a great testimony of his love, Acts 20.24.Acts 20.24. My life (saith he) is not deare unto me, so I may doe any thing for Iesus Christ, so I may fulfill the course of my Ministery. So examine your selves whether you can say thus upon any occasion; so that I may doe any good, so that I may help forward any good cause that may tend to the glory of God, my life is not deare unto mee, my liberty is not deare, my estate is not deare, my friends are not deare to me. You that have to doe in government, many cases there are, wherein if you will doe any speciall good, you must part with something of your owne; God lookes to you and sees what you doe, and how your hearts stand affected in all these passages, aske your selves now whether these things be not deare to you: if there were love in you, it will cause you to doe more than you doe. It was Davids great wisedome, when water was brought to him that was purchased at so deare a rate, when so high a price was set upon it, hee would not drinke it himselfe, but powred it forth to the Lord; and therein hee shewed the greatnesse of his love, that he was willing to part with that which he so exceedingly longed for, which was bought at such a rate.
The like he did when he bought the threshing floore of Araunah the Iebusite, hee might have had it given him for nothing; No, saith he, I will not offer to the Lord of that which cost me nothing: As if hee had said, I shall shew no love to the Lord then, and if I shew no love to him, what is my sacrifice worth? For David knew well enough that God observed what hee did, hee observed what it cost him. The Lord observeth all that you doe: Beloved, he knoweth your hearts, and seeth what motions you have, and prizeth your actions accordingly. If you doe any action for him, that costs you something, he observeth that likewise. In Rev. 2.Revel. 2. I know thy workes and thy patience: so doth the Lord say of every man, I know what such a service cost thee, I know what losse thou sufferedst, when thou didst part with such a thing for my sake. Therefore if you would shew your love to the Lord, and would have a testimonie in your hearts, that you have this love wrought in you, be not backward to bestow any thing upon Christ. The woman that brake the boxe of precious oyntment, you see how the Lord accepted that worke of hers so much, that he puts it down that it should never be forgotten. For love wheresoever it is, will open the heart, and open the hand, and bestow any thing upon Iesus Christ, that is in our power.
Now if we examine whether love be amongst men by this signe, wee shall finde but little love, and we may justly take up the complaint of the Apostle, Every man seekes his owne things, and not the things of Iesus Christ: that is, when any thing is to be done, men are ready to enquire thus, it is the secret inquisition of their hearts; What is this to mee? what profit will it bring mee? wherein will it be to mine advantage? And if they finde it is a thing that will cost them something, and a thing that they shall get nothing by, how colde and backward are men to doe it? It is from this, that men seeke their owne things.
Object.But here every man will be ready to professe, and say that he is not so strait handed, but hee is readie to doe manie things for Christ, that hee is bountifull, and seekes not his owne things?
Answ.My Beloved, let us trie this now a little: thou thinkest thou art so bountifull for the Lord, I would aske thee this; Doest thou doe it purely for the Lord in such a case, when there is no profit nor praise with men, nor advantage redounding to thy selfe? art thou as forward then as when there are all those respects? art thou as abundant in it, as diligent, and as ready to doe it? This discovers the falshood of mens hearts for the most part.
And besides, take it in the case of selfe-love, consider what thou doest when thine owne selfe-love shall come in competition with this love to the Lord: for in that we shall know our love to the Lord, when wee denie our selves, when wee crosse our selfe-love, and reject and refuse it: for otherwise it is no thanke to us, when there is no inward crossing in us, no contrary affections drawing us another way. Therfore if you would know whether you love the Lord or no, trie what you doe in the things that are dearest to you, consider what you doe in those things that of all others you are most unwilling to part with: for indeed herein is the tryall, as the Lord said to Abraham, when hee would have offered up his sonne, Now Abraham I know that thou lovest mee: As if he had said, this is a sure testimony that thou lovest me, because thy sonne is not deare to thee. So I say, when you are to part with something that is deare to you, consider what you doe in such a case, consider whether you can say generally, I account all things but as losse and dung for Christ. It may be thou art willing to part with something that thou carest not much for, but this is nothing. Some man will not lose his credit, that is deare to him; Examine thy selfe now, if thy credit be deare to thee, art thou content to lose the praise of men for Christ? when thou art put to a hazard art thou content to suffer the losse of thy estate?
Every man hath some particular temptation, young men for the most part are lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, and olde men are lovers of their owne wealth more than of God. Therefore consider what you will doe now in your severall cases. Christ, you know, requires this at every mans hands, that his wife and children, that his father and mother, and whatsoever is dearest to him, that hee should neglect it all for his sake; and herein a mans love is seene.
And when you have done all this, I will adde that further, though you doe bring your hearts to doe it, yet are you willing to doe it? doe you doe it chearfully and readily? for why doth the Lord require that as a necessarie condition, that whatsoever is done to him might be done chearfully and willingly? For no other reason than this, but because hee regards nothing but that which commeth from love, and if it come from love, we know, we doe it cheerefully. Therefore consider whether thou art willing to doe this chearfully, and with a full hand, not nigardly and pinchingly; and by this you shall know whether you have this love to the Lord Iesus or no, whether you be bountifull, whether you seeke the things of the Lord, and not your owne things.
2It is content with nothing but love again.In the second place, you shall finde this to be one propertie of love (by which you may trie your selves) it will be content with nothing but with love againe from the party whom wee love. If one love another, let him doe never so much, let him be never so kinde in his actions towards him, let him be never so bountifull to him, yet except he have love againe, hee is content with nothing. Indeede when we doe not love a man, we can be content to receive profit from him, and it is no matter though his heart goe another way so we enjoy it; but it is the nature of true love to desire to be paid in its owne coyne. Now if thou love the Lord Iesus, if thou mightest hauehave all the blessings that he could bestow upon thee, if hee should open his hand wide, and compasse thee about with abundance, yet if thou louest the Lord, thou wouldest not be content with this, but thou wouldest have assurance of his love, thy heart would be at no rest else.
And this you may see in David, Psal. 51.Psal. 51. David, you know, was well enough, hee had health and wealth, and abundance of all things, yet you see how miserably he complained, because he wanted that joy that hee was wont to have, because he was not in those termes with the Lord that he was wont to be; and till hee had that, his bones were broken with sorrow, and hee tooke it so to heart, that nothing in the world could content him, till he was assured of Gods favour: And it is certaine, that if thou love the Lord, nothing will satisfie thy soule, but the assurance of his loving countenance to thee againe. Therefore that which Absolom did we may make use of, upon this occasion, hee had that wit, to make a right pretence, whatsoever his intent was: when hee was called from banishment where hee lived well enough, and enjoyed all things, hee wanted nothing, but had as much as hee could desire, yet, saith he, what doth all this availe me, so long as I may not see the Kings face? It was but his craftinesse: Yet thus much we may observe out of it, that this is the property of love, that till a man see the face of God, that is, till he enjoy a neare and close communion with God, untill he can have the love of God witnessed to his soule, hee cares for nothing in the world besides: As you have it in 2 Chron. 7.14. you have that condition put in:2 Chron. 7.14. If my people (saith he) when they are in distresse, shall humble themselves, and seeke my face, then I will doe thus and thus. As if he should say, it may be they may seeke libertie, when they are in captivitie; it may be they may seeke health, when they are in sicknesse; it may be they may seeke deliverance from enemies, under whom they are enthralled; but that is not the condition that I put them upon, but if they humble themselves, and seeke my face, then I will heare in heaven, &c. So I say now, if you will trie whether you love the Lord Iesus or no, consider whether you seeke his face, that is, whether you seeke grace or no, whether nothing in the world can content you but his favour. For it is the property of one that is truly sanctified, merciemercy alone will not content him, but hee will have grace as well as mercy: Another man that loveth not the Lord, it is true, it may be hee is pinched with the sense of his sinnes, but let him have mercy, it is enough hee thinkes; but now take a man that hath his heart right towards God, except he have grace, it contents him not; for that is the property and nature of true love, that it careth for no wages, all that it desires is the love of the party, that what it doth may be acknowledged and accepted; and there is a great difference in that: You know, a nurse doth much unto the childe, as well as the mother, and it may be more, but notwithstanding the nurse never doth it but when she is hired; but the mother doth it for nothing, and she doth it more abundantly, because she doth it out of love, and it is wages enough to her that she hath done it, because shee loves her childe: So I say, if you love the Lord Iesus, it is not wages that you seeke, but if you may have the light of his countenance to shine on you, if you may have his favour, if you may have opportunitie to doe him service in your place, it is enough for you, you care not for the present wages, nor for future. Therefore herein you may know the nature of your love, the rightnesse and ingenuity of it, if it be so that all that you doe is out of love to the Lord, and if you can content your selves with love againe from God, it is a signe that you love the Lord Iesus.
Againe,3It desires the second comming of Christ 2 Tim. 4.8. (to proceed) if you love the Lord Iesus, you will also love his appearance: as you have it in 2 Tim. 4.8. A crowne of righteousnesse is laid up for me, and as many as love the appearance of Iesus Christ: Heb. 9. ult.and in Heb. 9. ult. Hee was offered for the sinnes of many, and shall appeare the second time to such as looke for him, &c. For whom was he offered? and to whom shall he appeare? To as many as looke for his comming againe. So in 2 Pet. 3.13. What manner of men (saith the Apostle) ought we to be in all godlinesse & holy conversation,2 Pet. 3.13. looking for and hasting to the appearance of Christ? &c. So that it is certaine, every man that loveth the Lord Iesus, hee loves his appearance, hee hasteneth to the comming of the Lord, he lookes for his comming againe: and it must needes be so in reason. For if you love any, you know, you must needes love their presence; will you professe that you are louing to any, that when you heare of their comming towards you, there is no newes more unacceptable to you? If a woman had a husband in the East Indies, and report of his comming home should be the worst newes that shee could heare, shall wee thinke that such a woman loues her husband? So if you did louelove the Lord Iesus, you would be glad to hauehave his appearance.
And (Beloved) seeing the Apostle hath chosen out this note, why should not we presse it in our examination of our selues, whereby wee may know whether wee louelove the Lord Iesus or no? whether wee desire to be with the Lord? whether we can say, as the Apostle Paul, Wee desire to be at home, and to be with the Lord? If we examine the louelove of men by this rule, wee shall finde that there is exceeding little louelove to the Lord Iesus, men are so exceeding backward in desiring to be at home, and to be with him; and we may know that by our backwardnesse to be in the Lords presence upon earth: Shall wee thinke that men are desirous to be in his presence in heauen, and yet are so unwilling to draw neare to him upon earth? But you will object,
Object.Many of those that louelove the Lord, that are men truly sanctified, yet are afraid of death, and the newes of death is terrible to them: and therefore surely this is a rare signe, euen in those that hauehave faith and louelove to desire the appearance of Iesus Christ?
Answ. 1.I answer, it is true, there may be a backwardnesse even in the Saints, but you must know upon what ground it is. A spouse that is to marrie a husband, no question but shee would be glad to be handsome, and to be prepared for his comming, and though shee may desire his companie exceedingly, yet because things are not so readie as she would have them, or for feare that he may finde that which may divert and turne away his eyes from delighting in her, perhaps shee desires not his comming at that time. There is a certaine negligence and unpreparednesse in mens hearts, which breedes an unwillingnesse in them sometimes, and makes them afraid of seeing the Lord, and yet there may be a true and inward love after him.
Besides, you know, there is flesh as well as spirit, and the spirituall part desires, as Paul did, to be at home, and to be with the Lord, and to enjoy his presence, but that flesh that is in us is alwayes backward to it. Therefore in Revel. 14.13.Revel. 14.13. Blessed are those that die in the Lord, so saith the Spirit, but so saith not the flesh; the voice of the flesh is contrary to it, but it is the voice of the spirit and the regenerate part that is in us. So that this I may boldly say to you, that every man that hath this faith and love wrought in him by the Spirit of God, hee hath that in him which doth earnestly desire communion with Christ to live with him for ever, to be in his presence continually, although there may be some reluctancie by reason of the flesh that is there.Simile. Take a man that hath sore eyes, you ynow, to the eye the light is exceeding pleasant, but look how much sorenesse and defect there is in the eye, so much the light is burdensome to it; but so farre as the eye is right, so farre as it is perfect, so farre is the light pleasing and delightfull to it; so it is with the heart of the regenerate man, looke how much faith, looke how much spirit there is, so much desire there is of the presence of Christ, and it is most pleasing and acceptable to him, as the light of the Sunne is to the eye; but looke how much sorenesse, that is, looke how much flesh there is in him, so much reluctancie, so much unwillingnes there is in him: and that hee must strive against: But still the rule holdeth good, that wheresoever the heart is right, there is alwayes an earnest desire and longing to be with Christ. And indeede this is only found in the Saints; for evil mē, if they knew what heaven were, they would never desire it: for they desire heaven in another notion, they would be well, they would be freed from misery and discontent which they mette with in the world, they would have whatsoever the flesh desireth, and that is it they looke after; but to desire heaven as it is, that is, to desire an excellency in grace, to be alway praising God, to be continually in his presence, to be freed from the practise of sinne, this is a thing that if men aske their owne hearts, they doe not desire in this manner; for they desire it not here upon earth, when they are in the communion of Saints. When they are in places where there are holy speeches, and holy exercises, it is burthensome to them, they are out of their element, they are as men that are not upon their proper center; these men desire to be in heaven, but they desire another kinde of happinesse than there is in heaven; the felicity there is presented unto them under another Idea, they desire no more than the flesh desires: but to desire heaven indeed, as it is heaven, to desire God there in his purenesse and holinesse, to desire it so as thereby to be sequestred from all worldly, carnall and sensuall delights, this a carnall man desires not. Therefore this is a distinguishing note and signe, that he that loves the Lord will love his appearance.
Fourthly,4It delighteth to speake of the party beloved. you shall finde this to be the property of love, hee that loveth is very readie to speake of the party loved; love is full of loquacitie, it is readie to fall into the praises of the party beloved, and to keepe no measure in it, to abound in it, that is the disposition of every man that loveth. So is it in this love to the Lord Iesus: You may see it in David, as he abounded in love to the Lord, so hee could never satisfie himselfe in praising the Lord: in Psal. 105.Psal. 105. which is repeated 2 Chron. 15.2 Chron. 15. you shall finde that hee hath never done with it, but is alwayes singing praises to the Lord: Sing praise to the Lord, and be alway talking of his wondrous workes. And againe, Remember his marva…lous workes that hee hath done of olde, and all the wonders, &c. As if he should say, if you love the Lord, shew it in praising of him. Doe you professe to love the Lord, and yet never delight to speake of him? nor delight to heare others speake of him? My Beloved, this backwardnesse that is amongst us to holie and gracious speech, to speeches that tend to the setting forth of the Lords praise, shewes that love to the Lord Iesus is wanting among us.
You know, it is naturall for every man to abound in the speeches of the things they love, of what nature soever they be. Mariners are delighted to talke of their voyages, and souldiers of their battells, and huntsmen of their games. If you delight in the Lord, certainly your tongues will be much in speaking of him, you will be ready to doe it upon all occasions. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh: and if love to the Lord doe abound in your hearts, this love will be expressed in your tongues, upon all occasions: and therefore, at the least, you may judge of the measure of your love by this. Hee that speakes much of loving God, and yet hath his speeches, empty, vaine, and unprofitable, surely we may guesse that he loves him not at all: and this is a marke that will not deceive us.
And now what will you say for your selves, that you speake no more upon those severall occasions that you meete withall in the world? is it because you are ashamed, because you are bashfull, and fearefull to expresse your selves, and to make an open profession of that holinesse that is in your hearts? Certainly it is a signe that you love not the Lord Iesus: for hee that loveth, is never ashamed; because, whom a man loveth, he magnifieth, hee prizeth much, hee hath a high esteeme of: and therefore that bashfulnesse and fearfulnesse that you object, will not keepe you backe, if you did love the Lord in truth and sincerity. Or else, why is it that you speake of him no more? is it because you cannot speake? is it because your understandings are weake and dull? because you are not able to doe it as well as others, and therefore you are loath to expresse your selves?
You know, when you love any, that love will teach you to speake, it will quicken the dullest wit and invention; love sharpeneth, and maketh the rudest tongue eloquent. It is the nature of love to set the heart on worke, and when the heart is set on worke, the tongue will be as the pen of a ready writer. You know how the Apostle setts it forth, Our heart is enlarged to you: love openeth the heart wide, and the heart openeth the tongue wide: therefore if you love the Lord much, you will bee much in speaking of him. Consider therefore what your speeches are concerning God, whether you your selues are ready to speak much, and to delight to heare others speake also? whether you be glad of any occasion, as those that love are glad to heare those that they love to be spoken of?
Fifthly,5It will doe much and suffer much for the party beloved. love will doe much and suffer much for the party loved: Paul, as he was abundant in love, so he was abundant in labour likewise; whosoever aboundeth in love will abound in workes also. Therefore see what you doe for the Lord Iesus, see what you suffer for his sake. When Christ came to Peter, and asked him that question, Peter l…vest thou me? hee puts him upon the try…ll by this fruit of his love, Feede my Lambes: As if he should say, Peter, if thou wilt shew that thou lovest me, expresse it in doing something for my sake, Feede my Lambes: herein thy love shall be discerned; doe not say thou lovest mee, and yet art negligent in doing for mee, Feede my Lambes. We shall not need to presse this much in this Congregation, because it belongs to the Ministery: Although you hauehave somewhat to doe in it for the Magistracie also, whereby they may expresse their love to the Lord Iesus, to helpe the feeding of Christ Lambes.
It is true, wee are as the vines that bring forth the grapes, but you are as the elmes that holde up those vines: the Magistrates feede the people as well as the Ministers: therefore that phrase is applied to David, hee was a Shepheard. Therefore in your severall occasions, when you meete with that which may tend to the feeding of the people of God, when you shall labour so farre as may lie within your compasse, that the Gospell may have a free passage, that there may be more faithfull and laborious Ministers set up in the severall places of the kingdome, the more you doe this, the more you feede Christs lambes. And if you will shew that love you have to the Lord, shew it by feeding his people, that is, by doing that which lyes in your power tending to that end, by doing of it zealously, with all your might. And as that was the worke that Christ put Peter upon for the tryall of his love, so I may say to every one of you, If you will shew that you love the Lord Iesus, doe the worke that belongs to your particular place; for every calling hath a particular worke in it: if you love the Lord, be diligent in that way, in that calling which Christ hath given you to doe him service in: and herein you shall shew your love, as it was Christs owne speech, I have glorified thy Name, that is, in that particular worke, in that charge which thou gavest me to performe: so you must shew your love to God in doing the actions of your particular callings diligently. You know, when that womans heart abounded in love to Christ, how it found out a way wherein it would shew it selfe presently in breaking the boxe of oyntment, &c.
As it is said of faith, It is dead without workes, so love is dead without workes, the Lord regards it not, it is a dead carkasse, without motion. Wee know it is the nature of love to be diligent: if you doe love Christ, it will make you diligent.
And as you will be ready to doe much, so you will be ready to suffer much also: these two I put together, because suffering is a kinde of doing, onelyonly it is a doing of things, when there is difficultie and hardnesse. Now if you love the Lord Iesus, see what you will suffer for his sake; those that we love, wee are exceeding readie to suffer for. A husband that loves his spouse, is exceeding readie to suffer any thing to enjoy her love, he is willing to suffer any displeasure of parents, of friends, to suffer the losse of his estate, he cares not for discredit in the world, hee is ready to breake through thicke and thinne, and to doe any thing, so he may obtaine her love at the last: So if you love the Lord Iesus, you will suffer any thing for his sake. It was an excellent testimony of Davids love, in 2 Sam. 6.21.2 Sam. 6.21. when David there dancing before the Arke was scoffed at by Michal his wife, see what an answere hee gives her, It is, saith he, before the Lord: as if hee should say, I am willing to beare this at thy hands, for it is to the Lord who hath chosen me rather than thy father and all his house: As if he should say, seeing it is the Lord, for whose sake I endure this rebuke at thy hands, I care not for it, I am willing to doe it, yea I will doe it more, and be more vile in mine owne eyes, and expose my selfe yet to more scorne and derision, since it is to the Lord who hath chosen mee rather than thy fathers house; so I say, when any thing comes to be suffered for any good action, for any good cause, (as indeede commonly such actions have sufferings joyned with them) if you love the Lord, you will be ready to goe through it, and that with cheerfulnesse, because it is to the Lord who hath chosen you, and passed by so many thousands. And therefore it was the commendation of those in Heb. 10.Heb. 10. it was an argument of their sincerity, that they suffered the spoyl…ng of their goods with joy. Whence came this, but from their love to the Lord? they were so farre from being backward to suffer, as that they were glad to have the opportunitie to suffer somewhat for his sake.
Object.But you will say, I am readie to doe much for the Lord, and I hope I am not backward to suffer for him.
It is well if it be so,Answ. but let mee adde this to all that I have said, In what manner doest thou doe that thou doest? You know the caution that the Apostle puts in, in 1 Iohn 5.3. Herein is love manifested, that we keepe his commandements, 1 Iohn 5 3. opened.and his commandements are not grievous. Indeed herein is the reality of love seene, that we keepe the commandements of God. It is true, a man may doe much for Christ, and yet not love him; an hypocrite may goe farre in performances, and yet though he doth much, hee may not love much: therefore you must examine your selves by that, in what manner you doe that which you doe. Therefore it is added, if wee keepe his commandements, and they be not grievous: as if he should say, the manner of your doing is all in all, you must both doe much, and suffer much; but they must both be done willingly. You know, the wife and the servant, they both serve the husband, and doe much for him, both are alike diligent, yet notwithstandi…g there is this difference, the wife doth it out of love, shee doth it in another manner, proceeding from another affection, aiming at another end than the servant doth. So two men may be diligent in keeping the same commandement of the Lord; the one doth it as one that loves the Lord earnestly, being desirous to please him, as one that delights in the Lord, nothing doth more content him, that when he is in an opportunity wherein he may expresse his love to the Lord, all his commandements are not grievous to him, it is not respect to the reward, it is not an eye to the punishment that mooves him.
A man indeed may doe much for the Lord, when it is the respects that he hath to hell and to judgement, to heaven and the reward that moves him: Not but that these may be motives; but yet you must remember this, that if these be the principall, and if these onelyonly moove you, you doe it not out of love, you take but an aime from your selves. When a man hath a businesse of his owne to doe, you know how carefull he is in it, and with what diligence hee doth it, how often and how seriously he is devising with himselfe to bring his matters to passe. Now if you love the Lord, the actions that you doe, you will not doe them as those that are his slaves and servants, that doe things for other regards; And indeede such is the love for the most part that is among us now adayes, there is much formality in our actions, wee have a forme of godlinesse without the power of it: even as in our love towards men, there are many complements, and much profession of love one to another, but wee finde that there is little true love: So wee may take up a complaint against men in their love to God, there is much formality, men are much in outward performances, which is well, I confesse, but alas, the power is wanting; it is all but complementing with God, as it were, when you come and do these duties of Gods worship, when you keepe the Sabbath, and present your selves at prayers and at Sermons, it is well you doe so; but yet when your hearts are going after your covetousnesse, and after your pleasures, after this or that particular humour, the Lord lookes upon this as upon a formall performance: it is another kinde of doing that the Lord requires at your hands. It may be you doe duties in secret and private, and it is a good propertie that you doe so, but yet that is not enough; you may doe them as a taske, that you are glad when the businesse is done, and it is well that is over; but when you will doe things out of love, you must know that you must doe it in another manner, not in this formality. If you will serve the Lord out of love, it is not the praying to him morning and evening that will content you, but it is the working upon your hearts, it is the beating upon your affections till you have brought them to a good frame of grace, till you have wrought upon your selves a sound and thorow renewing of your repentance, you will never give over till your hearts be quickened in prayer, till you have found that God hath answered you, till you have had experience of his mercy and loving kindnesse towards you.
So when you come to heare, is this all, (thinke you) that God requires of you, to sit here, and lend us your eares for a little time? No, my Beloved, unlesse you doe it from love, unlesse you be mooved to it from an inward principle, from an entire and holy affection to God, it is nothing. You must labour to have the word wrought upon your hearts, you must observe how you practise, and how you bring forth into action that which you heare; for you doe not learne a thing here, when you come to heare the word, till you practise it, till your hearts bee transformed into it: Doe not thinke that you have done the worke, when you have sate here and heard us, when you have gone home and repeated the Sermon, and understand it: To heare as God would have you heare is another thing: it is like your lessons in musicke, you say you have never learned them, till you be able to practise them; so you never have learned the word of God aright, till you have an abilitie in you to practise it.
To shew you what love is, and what faith is, and what patience is, to make you understand and conceive of it, it is nothing; but to have faith, to have patience, to have love, to have your affections inflamed to the Lord, this is the right hearing. As it is in physicke, the understanding of the Physitians bill is nothing, it is the taking and applying of that which is there written that doth good to your bodies; so is it with the doctrine that wee preach, you may understand it, and apprehend it, and conceive of it aright; but except you bring it forth into your lives and actions, you learne it not. Therefore this slight and overly performance is not a true testimonie of your louelove to the Lord Iesus, but the doing of it to purpose, so that God who searcheth the heart may accept of it; the doing of it thorowly that your hearts may be wrought upon, this is a signe that your doing and suffering comes from Love.
FINIS.