Sermons Experimental, Sermon 1 · Verse 1
PSAL. 116. verſ. 1, 2.
I love the Lord, becauſe he hath heard my voyce, and my ſupplications: becauſe he hath enclined his eare unto me; therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
THe time of the Pſalme, implying the occaſion of compoſing, ſeemes to have been, after the bringing of the Arke from the houſe of Obed-Edom, to the City of David; ſee 2. Sam. 6. and 1. Chron. 15. this is evident, verſ. 18, 19. It ſeemes alſo not long after, if ye compare the promiſe of David to pay his Vowes, ver. 13. with the burnt offrings and peace offrings made by David, 2 Sam. 6.17, 18, 19. and 1 Chron. 16.1, 2, 3. What time it ſhould ſeeme, he tooke new occaſion to recount the many mercies the Lord had vouchſafed him, in delivering him from ſo many inextricable dangers, ſo long, as to ſee himſelfe ſeated in quiet poſſeſſion of the Kingdome over all Iſrael; and the Arke and Tabernacle ſeated in Ieruſalem.
The ſumme and ſcope ſeemes to expreſſe the fruits and gracious effects Gods favours experimented had in him; as Firſt, Increaſe of Love, ver. 1. Secondly, Vow of ſincere obedience, or confidence, ver. 9. Thirdly, Publike profeſſion of his Name, ver. 10. Fourthly, Celebrating with prayſes, and all teſtimonies of thankefulneſſe, the glory of Gods Grace, Juſtice, Mercy in his mighty deliverances: who doubts? but withall to ſtirre up the people, and to informe them of their duties, in caſe of like favour vouchſafed them of God.
In the two firſt verſes is expreſſed a publike profeſſion, and proteſtation of his love to God increaſed, the firſt gracious fruit of Gods favour towards him; Wherein conſiderable are, Firſt, The Matter of the proteſtation, I love, Secondly, The intentive, or Motive, He hath heard. Thirdly, The iſſue, and farther Conſequent, I will call on him as long as I live.
Verſ. 1.I love: Hebr. Ahabti: Septuagint, foreign: vatablus dilexi: but Smatterers in the Originall know preter-tenſe denotes actum continuum, and ſignifies preſent, as well as paſt acts: Iunius, Sat hubeo boldly, and without example. The object of love whereto this act paſſeth, is not expreſſed, but eaſily ſupplyed out of ver. 4, 5, 6. Him he meanes, who had heard his Prayers, whoſe ſtile is ſome whereaPſal. 65.2. the hearer of Prayers; the Gracious, Juſt, and Mercifull God, ver. 5.
I love: The affection of Love we better experiment, then are able to expreſſe in definition Nominall, or Reall: It ſeemes to compriſe. Firſt, Complace…tiam, the pleaſing, and delightfull approbation of the perſon, or thing loved; ſee Mat. 3.17 foreign, ſee Pſal. 139.17. Secondly, Benevolentiam, heartieſt well-wiſhing, and deſire of their good and welfare. Thirdly, Oblectationem, delight-taking in the thing loved; 1 Sam. 19.2. confer. 1 Sam. 18.1, 3. Gen. 34.3, 19. and in all things wiſhing good unto it. Fourthly, Deſiderium fruendi, Gen. 34.8. Caeteri actus, ut benefacere, &c. videntur actus amoris imperati. Fiftly, Adhaerentiam, A cleaving to the thing beloved, Gen. 34.3.
This then it is that David profeſſeth. Firſt, That he found pleaſure, and delight in the Being, Attributes, Workes of God, of Power, Juſtice, Mercy, Injunctions, Prohibitions, &c. Secondly, That it did his Soule good to contemplate on him. Thirdly, How much he deſired, that he might have all contentment amongſt the ſonnes of men, in their acknowledgment and procuring of his glory; Wherein though no acceſſe of Reall good can be made unto God, yet is it bonum aeſtimatum. Fourthly, How for his part his Soule cleaved unto God. Fiftly, How he longed for the fruition of him.
I love the Lord: Oh Si! Oh that there were ſuch hearts in us, that we could every one ſay as David, with Davids ſpirit, upon his evidence, I love the Lord: t'were more worth, then all theſe; Firſt, to know all Secrets. Secondly, to Prophecy. Thirdly, to move Mountaines, &c. 1 Cor. 13.1, 2. &c. I love the Lord; It's more, then I know the Lord, for even Caſtawayes areaHeb. 6.4. enlightned; More, then I feare the Lord, for Devils feare him, untobIam. 2.19. trembling; More, then IcIſa. 1.15. pray to God; What ſhould I ſay? More, then all Services, then all Vertues ſeparate from Charity: truly ſay the Scholes, Charity is the forme of all Vertues, becauſe it formes them all to acceptability, for that nothing is accepted but what iſſues from Charity, from the love of God.
Who cannot ſay it? Anſ. And I aske, Who doth, or can doe it? I meane, with Davids truth: Wouldeſt thou love them that hate the Lord? 2 Chron. 19.2. Enter affinity, league of amity with an Idolater? Wouldſt thou entertaine as thy familiars, men enemies to God, and all goodneſſe, Pſal. 139.21. ſhould ſuch tarry in thy houſe? Pſal. 101.4, 7. Wouldſt thou haunt their company? Ier. 15.17. Pſal. 26 4.5. Shew them the leaſt countenance? 2 Kings 3.14. Give them a God ſpeed? Ioh. Secondly, Wouldſt thou hate them that love God? Tim. 3.3. Amos 5.15. foreign cannot be foreign, or foreign; and that for goodnes, becauſe they love God? 1 Ioh. 3.12. Thirdly, Haſt thou the Worlds good, and ſeeſt thy brother in need? yet ſhutteſt up thy bowels of compaſſion towards him? how dwells the love of the Father in thee? 1 Ioh. 3.17. Gal. 6.10. Fourthly, Couldeſt thou delight in the diſhonor of the Name of God? Pſ. 119.136, 158. Fiftly, Could the noiſe of his approach to judgement, and thy full fruition of him be ſo unwelcome? ſee Act. 24.25. Luk. 21.28. 2 Tim. 4.8. Sixthly, Could meanes of Union with him be ſo unwelcome? as Amos 8.5. Pſal. 42. and 84. throughout. Seventhly, Couldeſt thou turne the grace of God into wantonneſſe? Iud. v. 4. and therefore be Vitious becauſe the Lord is Gracious? ſee Pſal. 130.4. Hoſ. 3.5. Eightly, Would every ſcoffe of a jeering Iſhmaelite drive thee from the ſervice of God? ſee Cant. 8.6. Act. 5.41. Heb. 11.26.
Ninthly, Wouldeſt thou in thy neceſſity flie to any rather then to thy beſt friend? What, to a Witch? 1 Sam. 28.7. to an Idoll, a Devill? 2 Kings 1.2. from the living to the dead? Iſa. 8.19. Certainly, its Vox Sanctorum propria, The*See Heb. 6.4, 5, 6. 2 Theſ. 2.12. Epheſ. 3.18. peculiar property only of Saints, to ſay, I love the Lord. Wherefore David directeth his ſpeech to Saints, as hoping amongſt them the exhortation might have place, Pſal. 31.2….
Reaſons make it plain. Firſt, They onelyonly ſee the depth of that miſery, which ſinne brings with it; I mean not the pains onelyonly, and puniſhments, which reprobates alſo ſometimes feel, but the want of the image of God, the miſery that is in neceſſity of ſinning, Rom. 7.24. Secondly, They onelyonly have the feeling of Gods love*Rom. 5.5. ſhed abroad in their hearts; I mean, in remiſſion of ſinnes, reconciliation, &c. ſee 1 Ioh. 4.19. Thirdly, They onelyonly comprehend the greatneſſe of Gods love in Chriſt, Epheſ. 3.8.
Take evidences, they are infinite. Firſt, Who but they fear to offend him? Ier. 32.40. Secondly, Who but they care to pleaſe him? Pſal. 40.8. Thirdly, Who but they grieve at his diſhonour? 2. Pet. 2.8. Fourthly, Who but they take to heart the tokens of his diſpleaſure? As they are ſuch; therefore ſaith David, Pſal. 51.4. Againſt thee, thee onelyonly have I ſinned, &c.
So that make ſure to thy ſelf thy charity, Ʋse thy love of God; thou makeſt ſure to thy ſelf for ever, thy election, thy calling, thy juſtification, adoption, ſanctification, ſalvation, &c. other gifts are in a ſort all common, this peculiar to Saints.
Queſt Two queſtions here fall in. Firſt, Whether nature affords no love of God? that is, Whether a naturall man, as ſuch, cannot love him?
Anſw I could here minde you of the ſeverall diſtinctions Scholemen reckon up of love: Thus I reſolve, No naturall man can love God Propter ſe, that is, for Gods ſelf ſake, for his own ſake he may Concupiſcentially, and as a Mercenary: or as others ſay, Nature affords love of God, perhaps Vt Authoris Naturae, non item ut Authoris aeternae beatitudinis: that is, as of the Authour of Nature, but not as of the Authour of eternall happineſſe, which is properly Concupiſcentiall, not the love of Amity, ſee Iudg. 17.13.
Queſt The ſecond quaere is, Whether it be poſſible to know that we love God?
Anſw Some Papiſts deny it, if we ſpeak De certitudinali ſcientia, of the knowledge of certainty, and of that under which there cannot be falſum: But yet David could ſay, as upon certainty, I love the Lord: and why not we, having the*2 Cor. 4.13. ſame Spirit of faith, and charity? Secondly, The Spirit of God is given us, that we may*1 Cor. 2.12. know the things that are given us of God; and not to know charity the prime of all vertues? the*Col. 2.14. bond of perfectneſſe? Thirdly, Scriptures, many are written to this end, that we may*1 Ioh. 5.13. know we have eternall life, Conjecturally onelyonly think you? and not as upon certainty, or upon what better evidence, then our charity? Fourthly Grace perfects Nature, deſtroys it not; I mean in naturall faculties; and ſith this is naturall to the reaſonable ſoul, to know its own motions, and actions, and inclinations, (as themſelves confeſſe there is Actus reflexus) whether the motion be naturall, or ſupernaturall; yet by the native, and imbred faculty of the ſoul, a man knows, or may know the motions of it. Fiftly, Grace indeed is a ſtranger to Nature, yet ſo, that when it hath place, it over-rules, and domineers over Nature, and curbs the inclinations, and propenſions of it: Thus uſually it ſeems, A neighbour whom we every day ſee, we notice not ſo much, becauſe we know him: but let a ſtranger come amongſt us, and meddle but a little as a*See Gen. 19.9. controuler, every mans eyes are upon him, and ſcarcely one action of his eſcapes without our notice: ſo, &c. I hope ye can apply. Sixthly, And why not as well as my knowledge, or my faith, which themſelves ſay, a man may upon certainty diſcern in himſelf? Object Theſe are acts of the underſtanding. As who would ſay, Anſw the minde onelyonly did know, and take notice of the acts of the underſtanding, and not of thoſe of the will, affections, ſenſes, body; when for all, or any of theſe in evill, we are ſure it directs us; and trow we, in good it directs us not?
Principium charitatis, the fountain of charity, Object that is, God is unknown, therefore neither charity poſſible to be known?
So is alſo the fountain of faith, Anſw which is Veritas prima, the firſt verity, or truth, unknowne alſo to us, yet that we may know, by their own confeſſion; Why not Principium charitatis, the beginning and fountain alſo of charity? Yea, and that with a knowledge of certainty, though that certainty indeed be not altogether perfect, and compleat. Hold it then for a truth, Its poſſible to know that we love God; as well as that we know, or fear, or beleeve, or obey God: And in that perſwaſion, addreſſe thy ſelf to make the love of God known to thy ſelf. Notes hereof are;
Notes of the love of God.Firſt, Where the true love of God is, there do all other loves vaniſh; love of pleaſures, profits, honours, life, &c. in compariſon of God: my meaning is, hadſt thou rather*Mat. 10.37. part with all theſe, then with thy God? I dare ſay, thou truly loveſt him. Secondly, How art thou affected to the Image of God, ſhining in his children? Doth that draw thy affection? that is, Doſt thou love them,*1 Ioh. 5.1. and 1 Ioh. 3.14. becauſe they reſemble God in holineſſe, and purity, and mercy, and patience? My ſoul for thine, thou art thereby a ſeed of God, as is ſaid of Abraham. Thirdly, How art thou affected toward the Commandments of God, and the duties that he enjoyns thee in them? Canſt thou ſay, as David, Oh my God, I am*Pſal. 40.8. content to do it, I delight to do it; at leaſt, are they not grievous, or*1 Ioh. 5.3. burdenſome to thee? Go over the whole world of Aliens, thou mayeſt ſee them ſometimes doing, and keep doing, but thinkeſt thou with*See Am. 8.5. & Mal. 1.13. delight? Fourthly, How art thou affected towards the ſignes of Gods favour, or disfavour? Doth this glad thee above all, that he is pleaſed to lift up the light of his*Pſal. 4.6, 7. countenance upon thee? Doth this vex thee? That the Lord takes from thee the ſignes of his love; A token infallible, that thou loveſt him. And thus farre of the matter of Davids Proteſtation, I love the Lord.
Now follows the Motive, or Incentive; Becauſe he hath heard my voice, & my ſupplications. How comfortable is it to the ſoul, that Gods favours to us inflame our affections towards him, Pſal. 130.4. There is mercy with thee, therefore thou ſhalt be feared: Oh bleſſed ſoul that can ſo ſay! And marvell not that I call upon you to prove love; for ſurely, fear to offend, or diſpleaſe, is the ſoundeſt token of love to our God, 2 Cor. 5.14. The love of Chriſt, wherewith he loved us, conſtraineth us: Oh, Foelix neceſsitas, bleſſed neceſſity that compells us to do our Saviour ſervice! Surely, Non ſic impii, non ſic, With the wicked it is not ſo: God is mercifull, therefore they will be ſinfull.
See then how the favours of God affect thee; Ʋse whether they be as the cords of his love to draw thee to obedience, and to inflame thy affection; if ſo, thou haſt more in thee then all the rabble of reprobate hypocrites: Yet underſtand me aright; I ſay not, but there are ſome favours, and benefits of God, that may allure a Caſtaway to do him ſervice. But firſt, Not every favour, but what humours the affection predominant, as if it be wealth, pleaſure, &c. Secondly, Not to love him, but to do him ſervice, as a Mercenary; therefore obſerve in ſuch men, when the Lord croſſeth them in what they ſought in his ſervice, they are ready to blaſpheme him to his face; ſee Mal. 3.14. Thirdly, There are favours of God, that through commonneſſe grow vile, and but by want have not their price ſeen, as ſubjection of creatures, Pſal. 8.6, &c. But is it a ſpeciall favour? A privilege? That raviſheth, and therein cannot a childe of God ſatisfie himſelf whiles he extolls it; therfore ſee by all circumſtances, how he loves to augment it; let ſuch as love thy ſalvation, ſay continually, Let God be *Pſal 70.4.magnified; ſee what titles David rejoyceth to ſet upon Gods favours,*Pſa. 88.10, 11, 12. Loving kindneſſe, Faithfulneſſe, Righteouſneſſe, Wonders: read alſo, Rom. 5.6, 7, 8. and 1 Tim. 1.12, 13, 14 &c. Surely the leaſt favours of God affect his children to inflame affection; if it be but a*Neh. 1.11. deſire to fear his Name; if it be but a*Gal. 5.17. luſting againſt the fleſh; Oh yet, becauſe it is a token of Gods love, becauſe it is more then they have deſerved; for this they love God. But is it a ſpirituall bleſſing? A bleſſing, that concerns life, and*2 Pet. 1.3. and Ephe. 2.3. godlines? With theſe worldlings are not at all affected, Pſ. 4.6. the reaſon is, becauſe they ſee not, nor*1 Cor. 2.14. can ſee the excellencie, or worth of them; No, this is Privilegium juſtorum, the priviledge onelyonly of Saints, to prize Adoption, as Saint*1 Ioh. 3.1. Iohn, admiring therein the abundant greatneſſe of Gods love to his ſoul in Chriſt Jeſus; to ſay, as Saint*1 Pet. 1.18. Peter of faith; yea, of tryall of faith, its much more precious then gold: This is Privilegium juſtorum.
Object But is this ſuch a matter, to be drawn with the cords of love, to love God? Is there in it any thing ſupernaturall?
There are*Bern. de diligendo Di…. four degrees of loving God. Firſt, Anſw Vt bonus ſit nobis, that he may be good to us, this Mercenary; ſee Iudg. 7.13. Secondly, Quia bonus fuit, becauſe he hath been good unto us, this gratitudinis, matter of thankfulneſſe to Almighty God. Thirdly, Quia bonus in ſe, becauſe he is good in himſelf, and in his own nature moſt amiable. Fourthly, When neither our ſelves, nor ought that is ours is loved, but Propter Deum, ſo farre as it hath reference to the glory of God, not life, not*Rom. 9.3. and Exod. 32.32. ſalvation it ſelf; this is foreign, Amoris Divini, and they muſt be as Saint Paul, and Moſes, extraordinary ſervants of God, who aſpire to this meaſure. But the queſtion is of the ſecond of theſe degrees mentioned; and ſurely, if we look to the ſtate of the world, this we ſhall finde; that either the favours of God move not, becauſe they are not apprehended as his favours, but rather as things that betide them by courſe of nature, or fortune; or if they work any way, it is in Pejus, making them the more to*Rom. 2.4. and Iud. ver. 4. deſpiſe God. But if the queſtion be De poſsibili, what nature elevated above it ſelf, by grace may aſcend unto, the ſolution is more difficult. Firſt, Nature it ſelf may be directed that there is Debitum, that they owe, as a Debt, love to God for his favours; therefore we ſee Barbarians much affected at Pauls ſpeech, Act. 14.17, 18. Secondly, We read of ſundry teſtimonies of thankfulneſſe amongſt Heathens, after good things received, as victory, health, &c. To Apollo; who howſoever they erred touching God, yet in univerſality they erred not; they meant it to that Numen, that they thought Authour of their good ſucceſſe: and ſurely, we cannot be too nice, and curious in examining our gracious eſtate in this particular; for it is marvellous difficult to diſtinguiſh betwixt the loweſt degree of grace, and the higheſt of nature; eſpecially in gifts that are made Diſtinctive and Characteriſticall, we ſhall finde the Devill cunning in counterfeiting, & I am perſwaded there is many a Chriſtian thorowly perſwaded of his faith, and love towards God, who yet erres in his perſwaſion; that is an excellent evidence that Salomon give us, Cant. 8.7. When many waters cannot quench it, no oppoſition ſtint it, &c. But fourthly, Is the queſtion of ſpirituall bleſſings, and of the true God? Surely the naturall man hath no relliſh of them; to wit, ſo far as they are*1 Cor 2.14. ſpirituall: but as they tend to winne him reputation, or honour, &c. amongſt men, as Simon *Act. 8.18.19.Magus; or as the Perſians became*Heſt. 8.17. ſee Pſal. 4.6. Jews; or elſe ſecondly, onelyonly whiles they enjoy the bleſſings temporall, which they prize the onelyonly bleſſings of God; therefore let the Lord turn the courſe of outward things, its true of them what the Devill ſlanderouſly imputed to Iob, they are ready to*Iob 1.11. curſe him at his face, ſee Mal. 3.14. Mat. 13.21. But ſhew me the man amongſt the many millions of naturaliſts, of Iobs minde, Cap. 1.21. and 2.10. as Heb. 10.34. as Apoſtles, Act. 5.41. or but as David, to ſee, and feelingly to acknowledge a goodneſſe in affliction, Pſal. 119.68, 71.
Becauſe he hath heard my voice, and my ſupplications, that is the voice of my ſupplications. Queſt What great matter of love is this? for doth not the Lord hear the prayers alſo of wicked men, and grant their petitions? Pſal. 78.34, 35. Neh. 9.27. What ſhould hinder us to ſay, Anſw the Lord hears the prayers, grants the requeſts of wicked men? Why not? as well as reſpect the repentance of*1 Kings 21.29. Ahab, ſo farre as to grant reſpit of the evill. Firſt, It is in temporall things onelyonly, which come*Eccles. 9.1. alike to all; but do they pray pardon of ſinnes, ſalvation of ſouls? Then ſee Mat. 7.22, 23. Mat. 25.11, 12. Pro. 1.28. Secondly, It cannot be denyed, but that God in his love, and approbation of things that are good in their kinde, though evill by accident in the doers, grants ſome ſuch rewards to evill men: Its Auſtins opinion, that the Lord therefore proſpered the Romans, during their ſtrict obſervance of temperance, juſtice, and ſuch like morall vertues, gave them amplitude of Dominion: the juſt Lord loveth righteouſneſſe, yea, ſo loves it, that he rewards the ſhadow of it, as in Achab. Thirdly, this would be weighed; that the Lord is ever*Pſal. 111.5. mindfull of his covenant, and for it made with the fathers, ſometimes doth good to the children, ſee Neh. 9. Fourthy, Amongſt the congregations of wicked men, in the Church eſpecially, are ſome, who intreat for the ſinnes of the people: David tells of Moſes ſtanding in the gap, our Saviour, Lu. 13.8 Fiftly, It is for his own Names ſake, Deut. 32.26, 27. Exod. 32.12, 13, 14.
Queſt How then, and in what reſpect is it true, that it is a ſpeciall favour of God, to hear the prayers of his Saints.
Anſw Firſt, So generally in all things, that they call upon him for, Deut. 4.7. Secondly, To gratifie them, and to be inclined by their prayers to grant; ſo God hears not the wickeds prayers, but onelyonly the prayers of his Saints. Others, Firſt, For generall mercy, they are his creatures. Secondly, His Church, to whom promiſes many are made. Thirdly, To prevent blaſphemy, &c.
Object What ſay we to thoſe places? Iſa. 1.15. Ioh. 9.31. Pro. 15.8. in which, & the like places, it is ſaid, That God wil not hear the prayers of the wicked?
They are to be underſtood; Firſt, Of ſome exorbitants amongſt ſinners; Anſw as*Gen. 13.13. Sodomites. Secondly, Or of their prayers in*Prov. 1.26, 27, 28. extremity. Thirdly, Or of the bleſſings which concerne life, and*2 Pet. 3.3, 4. godlineſſe. But what, when yeelded a common bleſſing? Is therein no cauſe of love? ſee Mat. 5.45. and Act. 14.17.
But therefore is Davids heart inflamed to the love of God, Ʋse becauſe he had heard his prayers: Oh that there were ſuch hearts in us! How many praiers of ours hath the Lord heard? We have prayed for the continuance of the Goſpel, yet it continues; removall of the Plague, in part he hath heard us, mitigating the extremity of it; that ſhould follow, God grant it may. Therefore our love of God is more increaſed; my meaning is We are, Firſt, more carefull to pleaſe him. Secondly, More fearfull to offend him. Thirdly, More zealous for his glory. Fourthly, More fill our mouthes with his praiſe. Fiftly, And make ſtraiter ſteps to our feet, or elſe, how ſhall we be able to ſay, that we now fear not ſome greater evill that way, or ſhall betide us? Ioh. 5.14. elſe, how ſhall we be able to ſay, the Lord in favour of us hath heard our prayers? With me, this goes for a rule to judge, whether God in mercy grant me things I pray for, doth it tend to my ſpirituall good, advancing Gods grace in my heart? Then ſay I, God in mercy, and of ſpeciall favour hath heard my prayers; But am I the worſe for what I obtain? or not the better? how do I fear, leſt the Lord hath heard me as*Pſal. 106.15. Iſraelites deſiring fleſh, when leanneſſe was withall ſent into their ſouls.
There are three things that hinder ſuch motions of love to our God. Firſt, That many ſcarcely acknowledge any work of providence in ſwaying theſe outward things; ſuppoſing all guided by nature or fortune. Secondly, That we look not through ſecond cauſes to the chief, and principall ſender, whoſe but inſtruments theſe are, Hab. 1.16, 17. And we in part the like, as if the vigour of the diſeaſe becauſe of Nature ſtayed; or as if the cold of the time were the onelyonly cauſe of mitigation; whereas if we would ſpeak, or think as Chriſtians, we ſhould ſee God in the means. Thirdly, The proud opinion of merit, if any thing in the world, overthrows it; I ſhall never beleeve any Merit-monger doth, or can think himſelf beholding to God, for any his favours beſtowed on him; for while he thinks he hath obliged God unto him by his devotion, how doth he not rather think, God ows him thanks, rather then himſelf any way indebted unto him? But that our hearts may the better be ſtirred up to the Duty, Conſider we, Firſt, our no-merits; our Merita malae; yea, how ſtained the very prayers we made were, with manifold blemiſhes, as doubtings of obtaining, coldneſſe of affection, &c. Secondly, See miſery of the want. Thirdly, Preferment God hath given thee in it. Fourthly, The ſweetneſſe in enjoyment paſſeth all treaſures, Cant. 8.8. The whole ſubſtance given, for love, would be contemned; ſurely it is ſomething that*Numb. 22.18. Balaam ſaid, if Balak would give me his houſe full of gold and ſilver, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord; yet ſaid the Apoſtle of him, he*2 Pet. 2.15. loved the wages of unrighteouſneſſe, and ran greedily after the*Iud. ver. 11. reward; power of providence reſtrained; but when Will reſtrains, and we ſo highly prize Gods favour, that for no thing, never ſo precious, we will adventure his offence, this is ſupernaturall. Laſtly, All things work together for the good of them that*Rom. 8.28. love God.