Seven Treatises, Treatise 5 · Chapter 6
CHAP. 6. Of another let: The leauing our firſt louelove.
The ſecond ſpeciall let ariſing from wantNOW followeth the ſecond let in this firſt ſort, that is: that many ſuch as do hold on in ſome Chriſtian courſe, do yet loſe and fall from their firſt louelove, not for a ſhort time, as they before mentioned, but euen for years & dayes as they ſay: whē yet, they hauing once receiued it of the Lord at their firſt effectuall calling and conuerſion, it ought to grow vp with them and accompanie them throughout their life, to make eueryevery part of it more ſweet and comfortable. And great reaſon there is, why it ſhould be ſo: for if we be truly conuerted vntounto God, the longer that we hauehave bene trained vp in his houſe (which is the militant Church) and taſted of the diet of his ſeruants how good it is in compariſon of any other; the more we had need to take liking of his ſeruice, and with all chearefulneſſe to liue in it afterwards, which at our firſt entrance we ſaw ſo great cauſe to like and approue of. In ſo much, that although wee ſhall hauehave ſtrong perſwaſions to waxe wearie and ſlouthfull therein; yet there are many more and greater conſiderations to moue vsus to conſtancie and good liking in the ſame.
But that it may the better be ſeene what our firſt louelove is, I will in fewe words lay foorth the ſame.Act. 26.18. We are to know therefore, that when God firſt called vsus from darkneſſe to light, and from vnderunder Sathans tyrannie and feare of hell to ſee our ſelues deliuered from them, which we ſaw were by our ſinne due vntounto vsus;Hoſ. 14 5. and that yet for all that, he would pardon our ſins, receiue vsus graciouſly and louelove vsus freely, Ioh. 14.24. VVhat our firſt louelove is.whereas before we were his enemies: this aſtoniſhed vsus, and after due conſideration, inflamed our hearts and cauſed vsus to admire this kindneſſe of his, and to eſteeme and preferre it before all pleaſures, and to hauehave our hearts knit to him for it: for this louelove of his conſtrained vsus to louelove him moſt feruently and dearely againe.2. Cor. 5.8. Rom. 5.5. Ioh. 15.9. & 10 Ioh. 21.15. Pſal. 116.1. 1. Ioh. 5.1. Rom. 10.15. Luc. 7.47. Pſal. 119.97. Gal. 5.6. Heb. 10.32. Which our Sauiour Chriſt knowing well, asked of Peter in that caſe, if he loued him not more then the reſt; euen as Dauid alſo calling the ſame to mind, brake out into theſe wordes, ſaying: I louelove the Lord, becauſe in the ſorrowes of death he heard and deliuered me.
Thus when we firſt ſaw the exceeding louelove of God and Chriſt to vsus, we could not (I ſay) but louelove him ſenſibly and heartily; and therefore our brethren; and ſo his word and Miniſters that brought vsus tidings of it: for we no ſooner beleeued, but faith that worketh by louelove, wrought this in vsus. And ſeeing we loued him, we therefore began to keepe his commaundements. And this is the cauſe why Gods people are affected thus, and delight in his ſeruice,Ioh 14.16. and one in another, as they hauehave perſwaſion of their true conuerſion; and do therefore other duties readily, which others will not ſet vponupon, nor go about: and this is that which the Scripture calleth Our firſt louelove. Thus feruent are Gods children in the beginning, to the admiration of many;Reu. 2 4. Math. 2.12. and no dutie is thought too great for them to perfourme to him, as he thinkes nothing too good to beſtow vponupon them. Yea, it may truly be ſaid, If euer we loued,Phil. 3.8. we loued God and Chriſt more then any thing; as Paule ſheweth to the Philippians: and our brethren; as it is in the Pſalme,Luc. 10.42. Pſal. 119.97. Pſal. 16.3. Gal 4.15. All my delight is in the Saints vponupon earth: and the Miniſters; as Paule ſpeaketh, I beare you witneſſe, that to do me good, you would hauehave plucked out your eyes.
Now then, to come to our purpoſe, when this louelove ſhall waxe cold (as here our Sauiour chargeth many with it, and many now a dayes are iuſtly to be charged for it) is it not an intollerable trecherie? When we ſhal let ſlake in vsus the conſideration of ſuch louelove of God to vsus in Chriſt, which neuer faileth,Ioh. 13.1. nor chaungeth towards vsus; and we thought ſometime, that it could neuer be forgotten of vsus: is not this ſlaking of our louelove towards him, a iuſt cauſe of complaint againſt vsus? And do we not declare thereby, that either we be growne dull, ſlouthfull: forgetfull, or that we thinke, that the Lord hath ceaſſed to be mercifull? Is it not a plaine teſtifying, that we thinke we are not regarded and prouided for by him, ſo as we may continue all wonted duties and ſeruices towards him? Yea rather, are we not iuſtly to be charged that we are couenant-breakers,Hoſ. 1. or hauehave (as adultereſſes) broken our faith to our firſt husband?
Whereas we hauing ſo long enioyed the priuiledges of his people and citizens, ſhould now much more do ſo, and looke confidently for the promiſed reward, our ſaluation being now nearer then when we firſt beleeued. Rom. 13.13.For why ſhould pleaſure or profite, wealth or fauour, things preſent or to come, put out of place that louelove of God in vsus, or cauſe vsus for thē to be rebuked? Why ſhould not our workes be more at the laſt, then at the firſt;Reu. 2.21. as our knowledge is more, and our experience greater? And therefore who ſeeth not cauſe ſufficient, that our affections of firſt louelove ſhould continue?
I may iuſtly make a heauie complaint of the decay thereof in many Miniſters, whoſe glorie and crowne it was ſometime,1. Theſ. 2.19.20. Ioh. 4.34. to ſee the peoples profiting in godlineſſe, as Paul ſaith; whoſe meate and drinke was, to do the will of their Father, and who did well prooue that they loued Chriſt more then all other things, by their diligence in feeding his ſheepe and lambes:Ioh. 21.15. and what prey or bootie ſoeuer they hauehave met with, and got ſince, ſure I am, that ſome of them do ſometime wiſh thoſe ſeaſons paſt, were now preſent ſtill. And whatſoeuer cauſes of this decay they alleadge, yet when they weigh their caſe vprightly, they can ſay no leſſe, but the fault is principally in themſelues. How many of the people alſo may I ſpeake of, who verifie that ſaying of Chriſt:Ioh. 5.35. Iohn was a burning light, and for a ſeaſon ye delighted in him? who neither can honour God, as then they did, nor giuegive that light to other? All which I wiſh to conſider that which was ſaid to them that had offended in the like caſe: I hauehave ſomewhat againſt thee, becauſe thou haſt left thy first louelove: Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent, &c.
Thus I hauehave in ſome ſort laid foorth this firſt louelove, which God by his ſpirit worketh in all his elect children when he firſt bringeth them home, and maketh them to know how greatly they are bound to him for their ſo admirable deliuerance and happie conuerſion. And herewith I hauehave ſhewed, how eaſily both teacher and hearer leaue and depart from the ſame, and fall from it, though otherwiſe they keepe ſome courſe in ſeruing God; as the Church of Epheſus did, whom yet the Lord reproued ſharpely for that they had loſt this.Reu. 2.2. For thus he ſaith: I know thy workes, and thy labour, and thy patience, and that thou canſt not beare with them that are euill, &c. Neuertheleſſe I hauehave ſomewhat against thee, that thou hast left thy firſt louelove.
The cooling of louelove foretold.Our Sauiour likewiſe in Saint Mathew foretelleth, that this ſhould be one thing among many other worthily to be complained of, That in the latter dayes (in which theſe wherein we now liue,Mat. 24.12. are reckoned) the louelove euen of many good Chriſtians, (as alſo of ſuch as ſeemed by good likelihood to be ſo) ſhall decay and waxe cold: whereby, what other thing did he meane then this; that mens affection in the worſhipping and ſeruing of God, the zeale of his glorie, louelove to their brethren, and feruencie towards the preaching of the Goſpell, ſhould be ſore and much abated ouer it was in the beginning, when they firſt embraced it and were enlightened by it to beleeue in him. And as though he would teach,Hard to recouer our first louelove being loſt. that it ſhould be a very hard thing to recouer this firſt louelove againe, he giueth this watch-word in the ſame place: [But they that continue to the end ſhall be ſaued.] Whereby (me thinke…) he doth liuely admoniſh and warne all ſound-hearted Chriſtians,Take heed in time. to looke heedfully and carefully to nouriſh and preſerue that holy, pure, and firſt ſparkle of grace kindled in them, againſt all that might come in the way to quench and put out the fame.
As though he would ſay: Although all pietie and chriſtian care of honouring God be not extinguiſhed in men; yet if they decline thus farre, to ſuffer their earneſt and feruent affection and louelove to God and goodnes, to be cooled in them:The danger great: euen this is a blemiſh not to be borne or allowed; and a ſinne, which both God cannot nor will not beare and paſſe by in them, and which ſtriketh at the very life and ſaluation of thoſe that offend in that manner; and ſuch a loſſe as will be hardly recouered againe. And, though in other wordes, yet fully to the ſame purpoſe, Saint Paul ſpeaketh to the Theſſalonians, when he ſaith:Theſ. 5.19. Col. 3.1. Quench not the ſpirit: as if he would ſay, The worke of grace wrought in you by the ſpirit of God, to fixe your delight on heauenly things, and not on the earth; and whereby ye were caried to ſet vp in your hearts, the Creator and the things which he commaundeth, before the creature: this worke of the ſpirit deſtroy ye not; neither let your feruent deſires and holy affections which hauehave bene kindled in you therby, be as fire which water quēched.
Now then, if the words of our Sauiour both to the church of Epheſus, and his propheſie of that which ſhould come to paſſe in the laſt dayes, how the louelove euen of the godly ſhould waxe cold (which he ſpake as a thing both admirable, and to be much lamented;) and withall, this exhortation of the Apoſtle,VVhichWhich many find and feele. of not quenching the ſpirit, be of any weight with vsus: why is it at this day with many (which are of good hope, that they appertaine to God) as it is, and as we ſee it to be? that is to ſay, that their good beginnings hauehave bene turned into vnlike, euen daungerous proceedings?
For in many it may be ſeene, of whom it may as truly be ſaid, that they are nothing like the people which once they were, when they firſt embraced the Goſpell.Giuing iuſt cauſe to others to lament their caſe. I might iuſtly make the complaint of any which hauehave bene but abated in their zeale and feruent louelove of good things, (of which ſort there are innumerable:) but I would I might not alſo charge numbers that they are diſguiſed, being ſo farre off from forward and zealous profeſſors (which once they were) that (as Saint Paule complaineth of the Corinthians) they are now full ; yea, they thinke it meere fooliſhneſſe to hunger after knowledge,1. Cor. 4.8. and thirſt after grace; and as new borne babes, to deſire the ſincere milke of the word, 1. Pet. 2.2.that they may grow thereby: who if they thinke much to be ſtill called babes, and ſo to deſire milke; yet I hope, though they be men growne, they muſt ſtill hunger after ſtrong meate. But howſoeuer it be, and howſoeuer ſome hauehave degenerated from their firſt louelove more then others, it is too fearefull to ſee, (I ſay not, how many hauehave no affection, neither beare any heartie good will to the ſincere preaching of the Goſpell, neither at any time euer did:Heb. 5.14. for who can number them?) but it is too fearefull (I ſay) to ſee how many of them are chaunged who began well: and (as the Apoſtle ſaith) Ranne well;Gal. 5.7. but they hauehave bene letted in ſuch wiſe as they obey not the truth.
If wearineſſe of, at leaſt wiſe, litle pleaſure taking in the publike miniſterie,Signes, or effects thereof. neglect of priuate conference and of exhorting and edifying one another, vntowardneſſe to good workes and ſhaking off louelove to the brethren, imbracing the world and the entertaining of ill companionſhip, with hart-burning againſt the Preachers for telling them the truth, whom ſometime they loued and reuerenced highly; and if the making of no conſcience of open ſinnes, where ſecret and ſmall ones could not ſometimes hauehave bene abidden: if (I ſay) theſe and ſuch like in men, where the contrarie hauehave bene, be ſignes that the firſt louelove is cooled and ſore decayed; there are enough, who giuegive iuſt cauſe of complaining.
Euen theſe (I ſay) are ſufficiently conuicted, to hauehave left their firſt louelove, who are thus eclipſed and darkened as I hauehave ſaid. For how can others be drawne by their examples, when they ſee them not to hold out the profeſſion of their hope with ioyfulneſſe as they were wont? Nay, how can they chooſe but be more backward in religion and diſcouraged by the ſame? Indeed I confeſſe, it requireth the whole man to be taken vp and employed in this worke, that God may be ſerued of vsus with ſuch chearefulneſſe and readines as he was at the beginning: but what then? Can we for all that denie, that we ought to be employed with all poſſible care therein? And what day cometh ouer our heads, wherein God giueth vsus not encouragement hereunto? For what day do we not, or may we not, make our hearts merrie with the Lords fauour freely graunted vsus, and his louing countenance ſhining vponupon vsus?
And can it be any leſſe then our great ſinne,To keepe our firſt louelove, a hard worke. to hauehave our hearts going after ſtraunge delights, which ſhall ſhoulder out this which is the greateſt? I grant we are renewed but in part, and that much corruption remaineth to cloy and incumber vsus; and through Sathans malice and vigilancie, not onelyonly to hinder, but euen to hold vnderunder goodneſſe in vsus; eſpecially through ſo many occaſions and prouocations as we walke ſubiect to in the world. But yet for all that,Yet a dutie commaunded by the Lord, may we not ſhake off our feruencie and diligence in doing the Lords worke. And although we cannot auoide it, but we ſhall be nearely laid at, and narrowly beſet with all manner of hinderances, both allurements and diſcouragements; ſo as we ſhall be broken off againe and againe: yet muſt we therefore know, that our life is called and ſo we muſt find it, euen a continuall battell with our luſts worldly and vnruly, and our affections vnmortified: and we muſt accuſtome ouerſelues hereto carefully,VVho alſo encourageth vsus thereto. ſeeing the Lord hath promiſed, to teach our fingers to fight and our hands to warre: that in time wee may be expert, rather then cowardly to faint, or trecherouſly to run away.
Yea but ye will ſay: We are ignorant in many points how to behaue our ſelues; which procureth vsus no ſmall diſaduantage. And I ſay againe, by the grace of God, that ignorance ſhall not greatly hurt vsus, which we cannot be without: but ſhall ſerue to humble vsus onelyonly. Yea, but we are forgetfull alſo, (ye will ſay) & that much troubleth vsus. To this I anſwer, as to the former: It is not this that can vnſettle vsus, if we adde not thereunto our owne witting & wilfull negligence. And if ye obiect, that for all our care and watch to nouriſh and preſerue grace and holy affections in vsus; yet who is ſo circumſpect and vigilant, but he ſhall be vnſetled and turned out of his courſe before he be aware? I aunſwer againe: Howſoeuer this be or come to paſſe, it is but to the end we ſhold riſe vp & recouer by making our mone to our God, who cānot be without pitie towards vsus: yea, if we hauehave felt bitterneſſe ariſe in our hearts againſt this chriſtian courſe which is the Lords yoke, and vnderunder our afflictions; yet let not this diſmay vsus from clinging and cleauing to him; we are his, and he will forgiue and receiue vsus againe. I hauehave obiected the hardeſt that is wont to hinder and breake off our firſt louelove: and were our hearts daily ſet to count it our greateſt worke to keepe it, (as how great are our helpes and encouragements hereto?) God witneſſing to that I ſay: though many doe, who will not be counſelled; yet we ſhould not be they who ſhall loſe their firſt louelove.
And thus much of this ſecond let ariſing from want of ſome neceſſarie thing, namely, of our firſt louelove: where in the way of aunſwering obiections, I hauehave ſet downe the remedie againſt it.