A Glance of Heaven, Sermon 3
HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL.
The third Sermon.
1. COR. 2. 9.
Eye hath not seene, &c.
SAINT Paul as we heard before,A briefe recapitulation of some former things with addition. gives a reason in these words, why the princes of this world, (not onelyonly the great men, that oft-times are not the greatest Clerkes, but the learned men of the world, Princes for knowledge) why they were ignorant of the mysteries of the Gospell.
Now the fourth is the disposition of those for whom he doth all this, the qualitie hee infuseth into them; they are such as love him.
1. He hath prepared them before all eternitie, he prepared happinesse for us before we were; nay, before the world was. As hee prepared for Adam a Paradise before he was; hee created him, and then brought him into Paradise: so hee prepared for us a kingdome with hims…lfe in heaven,God prepared happinesse for us before all eternitie. a blessed estate before wee were: i. e. in election, before the heavens were. And then in creation, hee prepapared the blessed place of the happy soules of happy persons hereafter, where he himselfe is; he prepared it for himselfe, and for all those that he meanes to set his love upon from the beginning to the end.
And then secondly, hee prepared them more effectually in time, he prepared these things when Christ came in the flesh, and wrought all things for us, in whom we have all. Of these things thus prepared, he sayth, Eye hath not seene, nor eare heard them, &c. In what sence it is meant, wee heard before. Now take the whole of the matter, the meaning is, the matters of grace, the kingdome of grace, and the Kingdome of Glory, they are but one. For (to adde this by the way) the kingdome of heaven in the Gospell, includes three thing.
First, the doctrine of the Gospell, the publishing of it.
And then secondly, grace by that doctrine.
And thirdly, glory upon grace, the consummation of all.
So the mysteries of salvation, is first the doctrine it selfe, that is the first degree of the kingdome. The doctrine it selfe is a mysterie to all those that never heard of it: for what creature could ever conceive how to reconcile Iustiee and MercieMercy, by devising such a way, as for God to become Man, to reconcile God and man together? that Emmanuel, hee that is God with us, should make God and us one in love: this could bee no more thought of, than Adam could thinke of himselfe to bee made a man▪ when hee was dust of the earth. Could man when he was worse then dust, in a lost damned estate, think of redemption? It is impossible for a man that cannot tell the forme, and the quintessence, that cannot enter into the depth of the flowers, or the grasse that hee tramples on with his feet, that hee should have the wit to enter into the deepe things of God, that have been concealed even from the Angels themselves, till God discover them. I adde this, to illustrate what I sayd before: therefore the doctrine it selfe, till God discover it out of his owne breast, was concealed to the Angels themselves; and since the discovery, they are students in it, and looke and pry into it. But where the doctrine is no mysterie, but is discovered: there the application, and spirituall understanding, to those that have not the light of the Spirit, is such a thing, as eye hath not seene, nor eare heard; and therfore we must have a new light, a new eye, a new eare, and a new heart, before wee can apprehend the Gospell, though we understand it for the literall truth. As for the things of glory, wee have no conceit of them fully, but by a glimpse, and weak apprehension; as a childe conceives of the things of a man, by some poore, weake resemblances. As St. Paul sayth, When I was a childe, I spake as a childe, I thought as a childe: so when we are now children, in comparison of that perfect estate wee shall attaine in heaven, we think and speake as children, of these holy and heavenly things that shall be accomplished in another world.
And observe this too, that when wee would understand any thing of heaven, and see any thing, say, This is not that happinesse I look for, I can see this, but that is not to be seene. And when we heare of any thing that is excellent, I can heare this, it is not my happinesse: and when we comprehend any thing, I can comprehend this, therefore it is not the happinesse I looke for: but those things that are above my comprehension, that are unutterable, and unexpressible.
Moreover, Let us bee stirred up to thinke it a base thing for a Christian to lose the comfort and assurance hee hath of these thing: that eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, for any earthly thing whatsoever. Wee account it a poore thing of Esau, to sell his Birth-right for a messe of pottage. And we all smart for Adams ill bargaine that hee made, to sell paradise for an Apple. And it was a cursed sale that Iudas made, that sold Christ himselfe for 30 pieces of silver: surely it is that that every carnall man doth, and howsoever wee cannot lose heaven, yet it should be our indeavour to enjoy heaven upon earth, to enjoy the assurance of this condition. When we doe any thing to weaken our assurance, and to weaken our comfort, what do we but with Adam lose heaven for an Apple, and with Esau, part with our birth-right, as much as the assurance, and comfort of it is, for a messe of pottage? Therefore let us account it a base thing to bee overmuch in love with any earthly thing,It is a base thing to be too much in love with any earthly thing. whereby we may weaken, though wee could lose the comfort, and assurance of this happy condition, which is so transcendent. All wicked men, and indeed all men, whether good or bad, as farre as they fall into sinne, are fooles; the Scripture termes them so. There is none wise indeed but the true Christian, and that Christian that preserves the sence and feeling, and assurance of his happy condition.
For those that love him.
The disposition of the parties is, they are such as love God. He sayth not, such as are elected, because that is a thing out of our reach to know; but by going upward, by going backward, to goe from our grace to our calling; & from thence, to election. Nor such as believe, because that is lesse discernable than love. Nor the love of God to us: for that is supposed when wee love him; our hearts being cold, they cannot be warme in love to him, but his love must warme them first. Love is such an affection as commands all other things, therefore hee names that above all. And love is such a thing as every one may try himself by:Try thy selfe by thy love. if he had named either giving, or doing of this or that, men might have sayd, I cannot doe it, or I cannot part with it; but when he names love, there is none but they may love. The poynt considered was, that
There must be a qualification of those that heaven is provided for.
They must bee such as love God, such as are altered and changed, and sanctified to love him; Because no uncleane thing shall enter in thither; Because wee cannot so much as desire heaven without a change; we cannot have communion there with Christ, and those blessed soules, without likenesse to them, which must be by a spirit of love: our natures must bee altered: Therefore it is a vaine presumption for any man to thinke of heaven, unlesse he finde his disposition altered. For wee may read our eternall condition in heaven, Wee may know heaven to bee ours by the disposition of our hearts. 1 Pet. 1.by our disposition upon earth. The Apostle Peter sayth, 1 Pet. 1. Blessed bee God, the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, that hath begotten us to a lively hope of an inheritance immortall, and undefiled▪ reserved in heaven. So that the inheritance in heaven, wee are begotten to it, wee must be new borne, we must have a new birth before wee can inherit it, hee hath begotten us to an inheritance immortall, &c. Hee that is not a childe, may not thinke of an inheritance. Put case there bee never so many glorious things in heaven, that eye hath never seene, nor eare ever heard, &c. if our names be not in Christs will, that we are not his, and prove our selves to be his, by the alteration of our dispositions, what are all those good things to us, when our names are not contained there?
It is called a hope of life, a lively hope; because hee that hath this hope, purgeth himselfe, it makes him vigorous and active in good: if his hope of life make him not lively, he hath no hope of life at all. Therefore those that will looke for heaven, that Sathan abuse them not by false confidence, let them looke whether God have altered their hearts, that the worke of grace be wrought in some measure. For God hath not ordained these great things for his enemies, for blasphemers, that take Gods name in vaine,God hath not ordained heaven for his enemies. that run on in courses contrary to his will, and word, that live in sinnes against the light of nature; do you thinke he hath provided these great matters for them? he hath another place for them. Therefore let us not be abused by our owne false hearts, to thinke of such a happy condition: unlesse we finde our selves changed, unlesse we be new borne, we shall never enter into heaven.
Lord, Lord, say they, Christ brings them in pleading so, Lord, Lord; not that they shall say so then, that is not the meaning: but now they cherish such a confidence; Oh, we can speake well, and we can pray wel, Lord, Lord. Oh, thou vaine confident person, thy confession, and profession, Lord, Lord, shall doe thee no good. I will not so much as owne thee, Away hence thou worker of iniquitie, thy heart tels thee, thou livest in sinnes against conscience; away, avaunt, I will none of thee. God in merciemercy to us will have the triall of the truth of our evidence in us. The ground of all our salvation is his grace, his free favour, and merciemercy, in his owne heart; but we cannot goe thither, he would have us to search within our selves, and there we shall finde Love.
—God hath prepared for those that love him.Observ.
In particular therefore, Those that God hath provided so excellent things for, they are such as love him. They are such first of all that are beloved of him; and shew that they are beloved of him, by their love to him. Therefore when the Papists meet with such phrases, they think of merit:Merit confuted. he hath provided heaven for them that love him, and shew their love in good workes. But we must know, that this is not brought in as a cause why, but as a qualification of the persons who; who shall inherit heaven, and who shall have these great things? It is idle for them to thinke, that these things are prepared for those, whom God foresees would doe such and such good workes: it is as if we should thinke hee hath provided these happy things for those that are his enemies. For how could he look for love from us in a state of corruption, when the best thing in us was enmitie to him? Is it not a vaine thing to looke for light from darknesse? to look for love from enmity and hatred? therefore how could God foresee any thing in us, when he could see nothing but enmity and darknesse in our dispositions by nature?
And then (as we shall see afterward) this love in us, it must bee with all our heart, and soule, and might, it is required and commanded; and when wee doe all this, wee doe but what wee are bound to doe. But they abuse such places upon so shallow ground, that indeed it deserves not so much as to be mentioned.
To come then to the poynt it selfe, the disposition of those that shal come to heaven then, is, they must be such as love God. Now hee names this, because these two goe alwayes together: there goes somewhat of ours together with somewhat of Gods to witnesse to us what God doth. There goes our choyce of God, with his chusing of us; our knowing of God, with his knowledge of us; our love to him, with his love to us▪ therefore because these are so connexed, and knit together, hee takes the one for the other; and to make it familiar to us, hee takes that which is most familiar to us, our love to him.
Now hee names this above all other affections; because love is the commanding affection of the soule,Love a commanding affection. it is that affection that rules all other affections, hatred, and anger, and joy, and delight, and desire; they all spring from love: & because all duties spring from love both to God and man, therefore both Tables are included in love. And when the Apostle would set downe the qualification of those that shall enjoy these things, he sayth, they are for those that love him. Because it stirres up to all dutie, and addes a sweet qualification to every duty, and makes it acceptable, and to rellish with God; it stirres up to doe, and qualifies the actions that come from love, to bee accepted.
All duties to man, spring from love to man; and love to man from love to God: it is the affection that stirres up the dutie, and stirres up the affection fit for the dutie: it stirres up to doe the thing, and to do all in love. Whatsoever wee doe to God, or man, it must bee in love; all that God doth to us, it is in love, hee chuseth us in love, and doth every thing in love; and all that wee doe to God, it must be in love. Therfore he names no other affection but this, because it is the ground, the first borne affection of the soule: Therefore Christ sayth, it is the great commandement to love God; it is the great commanding commandement, that commands all other duties whatsoever, it is the first wheele that turnes the whole soule about.
Againe, it is such an affection as cannot bee dissembled: a man may paint fire, but hee cannot paint heat; a man may dissemble actions in religion, but he cannot affections: love is the very best affection of truth: a man may counterterfeit actions; but there is none that can love but the childe of God. God hath prepared these things for those that love him.
Then againe, without this, all that we doe is nothing, and wee are nothing: wee are nothing but an emptie Cymball: whatsoever we doe is nothing; all is emptie without love. My sonne, give me thy heart, that is, if thou wilt give mee any thing, give mee thy affections, or else they are stillborne actions,Our actions are but stillborn with…out affections. that have no life in them. If wee doe any thing to God, and doe it not in love, hee regards it not; that is the reason why hee mentions love in stead of all: It is so sweet an affection, and so easie, what is more easie than to love? It is comfortable to us to consider that God hath made this a qualification of those that hee brings to heaven, they are such as love him.
But why doth he set down any qualification at all, and not say, for Christians?
Because profession must have expression: when God sets down a professor of religion, hee sets him downe by some character that shall discover him to be as hee is termed. How doest tho… know thou art good? Doest thou love God? or call upon God? as it is in other places, To all those that call upon his name. To let us know that religion and holinesse is a matter of power, Wouldst thou know what thou art in religion? Doest thou love God? or call upon God?
It is not to be tolerated, to be Christians, to professe as Demas: oh no; but they must bee such, as from the heart root are good, such as love God.
Therefore darke disputes of election & predestination, at the first especially, let them go: how standest thou affected to God, and to good things? look to thy heart, whether God have taught it to love or no, and to relish heavenly things: if he hath, thy state is good; and then thou mayest ascend to those great matters of predestination, and election: but begin not with those, but goe first to thine owne heart, and then to those deep mysteries afterward. If a man love God, hee may looke back to election, and forward to glorification, to the things that eye hath not seene, nor eare heard, &c. But see first what God hath wrought in thy heart, what affection to heavenly things; & thence from thy affections to goe backward to election, and forward to glorification, there is no danger in it.
To come therfore to expresse more particularly this affection of love, which is the disposition that God requires and workes in all those that hee intends heaven to. Let us search into the nature of this love to God. What it is to love, we need not bee taught, for all men know it well enough; it is better knowne indeed by the affection, than by discourse; what it is to love, is knowne by those that love, better than by any books or treatises whatsoever: for it is the affection that is in all men. Naturall love, it is in those that have no grace at all; and civill love, in those that are evill men. They know what it is to love, by reason of that wilde fire, that carnall love that is in them, that transports them. A man may see the nature of it in those, as well as in any: for set aside the extravagant nature of it, in such kinde of persons, we may see the nature of it: therefore I wil not meddle with that poynt, it is needlesse. I come therefore to this love of God, to shew how this streame of affection shold be caried in the right chanel to God the right object of it, who onelyonly can make us happy by loving of him. Other things by loving of them, they make us worse, if they bee worse than our selves: for such as we love, such we are. Indeed our understandings make us not good or ill, but our love doth. By loving God, & heavenly things, wee become good: our affections shew what we are in religion.
There bee foure things in this sweet affection, in true naturall love.
There is an estimation & valuing of some good thing, especially when the love is to a better, when it is not between equals. Now there is a great distance betweene God and us. There is a high esteeme in common love, love will not stoope to nothing: there cannot be love maintained, but upon sight of a supposed excellencie: love will not stoope, but where it sees somewhat worth the valuing: therefore there is a high esteeme of somewhat as the spring of it. And that is the reason that wee say a man cannot bee wise, and love, in earthly things: because love will make a man too much to value those things that hee that apprehends better would not.
In the second place, there is a desire to be joyned to it, that we cal the desire of union
In the third place, upon union, and joyning to it, there is a resting, a complacencie, and contentment in the thing to which wee are united: for what is happinesse it selfe, but fully to enjoy what we love? when we love upon judgement, and a right esteeme, to enjoy, that is happinesse, and contentment indeed.
In the fourth place, where this true affection is, there is a desire of contentment to the party loved, to please him, to approve our selves to him, to displease him in nothing. Every one knowes that these things are in that affection by nature.
Look to carnal self-love, a man may know what it is to love: the affection is all one in both. Take a man when hee makes himselfe his Idoll, as till a man love God, hee loves himselfe above all, hee is the Idoll, and the Idolater: hee hath a high esteeme of himselfe; and those that doe not highly esteeme him, hee swels against them. Againe selfe-love makes a man desire to enjoy himselfe, and to enjoy his content, to procure all things that may serve for his contentment.
Now when the Spirit of God hath purged our hearts of this carnall Idolatry of selfe-love, and selfe-seeking, and sufficiencie, & contentment; in himselfe; then a man puts God in stead of himselfe, grace, and the Spirit doth so; and in stead of highly esteeming of himselfe,When a man puts God in stead of himselfe. hee esteemes highly of GOD, and of CHRIST, and religion: then in stead of placing a sufficiencie in himselfe, and the things of this life, and resting in them, there is a placing of sufficiencie in GOD All-sufficient: And in stead of seeking his owne will, and content in all things. Mens mihi pro regno. My minde is to mee a Kingdome: then a man seeks to give contentment to GOD in all things, and to bee a foole, that hee may be wise; and to have no will, and no delight in any thing that cannot stand with the pleasure of, and obedience to God. Thus a man by knowing what his owne naturall corruption is, he may know what his affection is to better things.
First of all, there must bee an estimation, an esteeme of God, and Christ; for to avoyd misconceit, wee take both these to bee one, God our Father in Christ, and Christ. Whatsoever Christ did for us in love, hee did it from the love of the Father, who gave him: And when we speake of the love of God, wee speake of the love of Christ to us. Therfore there must bee a high esteeming,There must be an esteeme of God and Christ. and valuing, and prizing of God above all things in the world, and of his love.
Now this must needs be so: for where grace is, it gives a sanctified judgment; a sanctified judgement values and esteemes things as they are. Now the judgement apprehending God and his love to bee the best thing to make us happy, prizeth it above all, Whom have I in heaven but thee? Psal. 73. Psal 73.and what have I in earth in comparison of thee … he prizeth God and his love above all things in the world.
Now if we would know if we have this judgement, wee may know it by our choyce; this valuing it is known by choyce: for what a man esteemes and values highly, hee makes choyce of above all things in the world. What men make choyce of, is seene by their courses: we see it in holy Moses, Heb. 11.Heb. 11. hee had a high esteeme of the estate of Gods people that afflicted people: as afflicted as they were, yet hee saw they were Gods people, in covenant with him, and more regarded of him, than all the people in the world besides: and upon his estimation hee made a choyce, hee chose rather to suffer afflictions with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season His choyce followed his esteeme: so if we value and esteeme God, and religion, and love God above all things, we wil make choice of the Lord. As Saint Peter sayth, Iohn 6.Ioh. 6. when Christ asked them, Will you also forsake me? sayth hee, Lord, whither shall wee goe? Wee have made choyce of thee, whither shall wee goe? thou hast the words of eternall life. Let us doe that in truth, that hee for a time failed to doe, when hee sayd, Though all forsake thee, yet will not I. If wee make this choyce of Christ, from the truth of our hearts, this shewes our esteeme.
What is thy choyce? Is it Religious wayes, and religious company? is it the feare of God above all things? One thing have I desired, that I may dwell in the house of GOD for ever, and visit his Temple. Psal. 27.Psalm. 27. Hast thou with Mary, made choyce of the better part? Doest thou value thy selfe as a member of Christ, and an heire of Heaven, as a Christian above all conditions in this world? (for what a man esteemes, hee values himselfe by) then thou art a true lover, thou hast this love planted in thy heart; because thou hast a true esteeme? You see Paul accounted all dung and drosse in comparison of the excellent knowledge of Christ. Oh! that wee could come to that excellent affection of Saint Paul, to undervalue all things to Christ, and the good things by Christ, and Religion. Certainly it is universally true, where Christ is loved, and God in Christ, the price of all things else fall in the soule: For when we welcome Christ, then farewell all that cannot stand with Christ.
Againe, our esteeme is knowne by our willing parting with any thing for that that we esteeme, as a wise Merchant doth sell all for the Pearle. Wee may know therefore that wee esteeme GOD,If we esteeme God, wee shall part with any thing besides. and his truth: for they goe together, God, and his truth, and religion; wee must take God with all that hee is cloathed with, wherein he shewes himselfe unto us. If wee sell all for the truth of God, and part with all, & deny all for the love, and obedience of it, it is a signe wee have an esteeme answerable to his worth, and that we love him.
Those therfore that will part with nothing for God, nor for Religion, and the Truth, when they are called to it, doe they talke of love to GOD? they have no esteeme, they value not GOD; if they did esteeme him, they would sell all for the pearl. Therefore those that halt in religion, that care not which way religion and the truth goes, so they may have honour, and pleasures in this world, where is their esteeme of the Gospell, and of the truth of Christ, and of God? they have no love, because they have no estimation.
Againe, what we esteem highly of, wee speake largely of. A man is alwayes eloquent in that hee esteemes: it will put him to the extent of his abilities, to bee as eloquent as possible hee can bee: you never knew a man want words for that hee prized, to set it out. Therefore when wee want words to prayse God, and to set out the value of the best things, it is an argument wee have poore esteeme of them. All goe together, GOD, and the things of GOD: What doe wee talke of loving GOD, and despise Christians, and Religion? they are never severed. If a man esteeme the best things, hee will be often speaking of them. If a man set his affections upon a thing, it will suggest words at will. Therefore those that are cleane out of their Theame, when they speake of good things, are to seeke. Alas, where is the affection of love? where is esteeme? esteeme it makes a readinesse to speake.
Esteeme likewise carries our thoughts: Wouldest thou know what thou esteemest highly? What doest thou thinke of most, and highest? thou mayest know it by that. Wee see the first branch, how wee may know we love GOD, if wee have a high esteeme, and valuing of GOD, by these signes.
Secondly,2 Where there is true love, there is a desire of union. where there is true love, and affection, there is a desire of union, of knitting and coupling with the thing loved, of necessi…tie it must be so: for love is such a kinde of affection, it drawes the soule all it can to the thing loved; it hath a magneticall force, the force of a Load-stone. Every one knowes what this meanes.
This affection of love makes us one with that wee love. If a man love the world, hee is a worldling; a man of the world; because affection breeds union: though a man bee never so base in choosing, whatsoever a man loves, he desires union with it, and being so, hee hath his name from that hee loves: hee that loves the world, is a worldling, an earth-worm. Now if there be the love of God, as in covenant, as a father in Christ, for so we must conceive of GOD, there will bee a desire of fellowship and communion with him by all meanes, in the Word and Sacrament, &c. If a man desire strangenesse, that he cares not how seldome hee receive the Sacrament, or come into Gods presence, is here love? how can love and strangenesse stand together? thou art a strange person from God, and the things of God, thou hast no joy in his presence, where thou mayest enjoy his presence here in holy things in this world, if thou delight not in his presence, and in union with him, how canst thou say, thou lovest him?
Can a man say he loves him, whose company hee cares not for? Thou carest not for Gods company, thou mayest meete him in the Word and Sacraments, and in good company, Where two or three are gathered together, I will be in the middest. Doest thou pretend thou lovest GOD, if thou carest not for these? thou hast no fellowship in this businesse: all that rellish not heavenly things, they doe not love.
Now to try whether we have this branch of love, that is, a desire of union. Where therefore there is a desire of union with the partie loved, of uniting to that person (for we speake of persons) there wil bee a desire of communion▪ a desire of Vnion will breed a desire of Communion; that is, there will be a course taken to open our mindes: if we have a desire of communion with GOD, wee will open our soules often to him in prayer; and we will desire that hee will open himselfe in speaking to our hearts by his Spirit: And wee will desire that he will open his minde to us in his Word: wee will bee carefull to heare his Word, and so maintain that sweet and heavenly Commerce betweene him and our soules, by this entercourse of hearing him, and speaking to him. Where two or three are gathered together, I will bee in the midst. Therefore th…se that make no conscience either of hearing the word, or of prayer publicke and private, a…d of using the glorious libertie wee have in Christ, of free accesse to the Throne of Grace, that doe not use this prerogative and priviledge to cherish that union and communion they may have with God, they love not God, and Christ▪ Strangenesse is opposite to love,Strangenesse is opposite to lov…. and it dissolves, and disunites affections; therefore when wee are strange to God, that we can goe from one end of the weeke to the other, and from the beginning of the day, to the end of it, & not be acquainted with God, and not open our soules to him, it is a signe wee have no love, because there is no desire of union, and communion with him.
Againe, where wee love, we consult and advise, and rest in that advice, as comming from a loving person; especially if he bee as wise as loving: so in all our consultations, wee will goe to God, and take his counsell; and when wee have it, wee will account it the counsell of one that is wise and loving.
Those therefore that trust to their owne wits, to policie, and such like, what doe they speake of love, when they make not use of that Covenant that is betweene God and them? they consult not with him, they make not his word, the man of their counsell; they goe not to him by prayer for advice, they commit not their wayes to him,Psal. …7. as the Psalmist speaketh.
And this distinguisheth a good Christian from another man. A good Christian hee is such a one as acquaints himselfe with his God, and wil not loose that entercourse hee hath with God, for all the world. As Daniel, hee would not but pray, they could not get him from it with the hazard of his life.
Againe, where this desire of union, and joyning is,Where thi… u…ion is, there is a desire of death it selfe. there is a desire even of death it selfe, that there may be a fuller union, and a desire of the consummation of all things. Therefore so farre as wee are afraid of death, and tremble at it, so farre we want love. When the contract is once made betweene Christ and the soule of a Christian, for him to feare the making up of the mariage, when wee are now absent from the Lord, to feare the sweet, eternal communion wee shall have in heaven, where we shall have all things in greater excellencie, and abundance, it is from want of faith and love. Therefore we should bee ashamed of our selves, when wee finde such thoughts rising in our hearts (as they will naturally) to bee basely and distrustfully afrayd of death. Saint Paul sayth, I desire to be dissolved, and to bee with Christ, that is good, nay it is much better for mee; nay, it is best of all to bee with Christ: therefore you see it stirred up his desire, I desire to bee dissolved, and to bee with Christ. Revel. 22.Come Lord Iesus, come quickly, sayth the Church, Revel. 22. and the spirit in the Spouse, stirres up this desire likewise, Come, the Spirit and the Spouse say, Come. And wee should rejoyce to thinke there are happier times to come, wherein there will bee an eternall meeting together that nothing shall dissolve,1 Thess. 4. 17. as the Apostle sayth, 1 Thessal. 4. 17. when wee shall bee for ever with the LORD. Oh! those times cheare up the heart of a Christian before hand.
Now where these things possesse not the soule, how can wee say, that wee love God?Cant. 1. In Cant. 1. the Church beginnes, Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth: shee desires a familiar communion with Christ in his word and ordinances, Let him kisse me, &c. Let him speake by his Spirit to my heart. In this world Christ kisseth his Church with the kisses of his mouth. But in the latter end of the Canticles, Make haste my beloved; she desires his second coming: thinks it not enough to have the kisses of his mouth, Make haste my beloved, and bee as the young Roes upon the mountaines of Spices, that is, come hastily from heaven, the mountaine of Spices, and let us meet together my beloved. These things be somwhat strange to our carnall dispositions: but if wee hope ever to attaine to the comfort of what I say, wee must labour that our hearts may bee brought to this excellent condition,Desire the presence of Christ. to desire the presence of Christ; that is, the second propertie of love.
The third is to rest pleased and contented in the thing when wee are joyned with it, so farre as wee are joyned with it, to place our contentment in it, and it is in the nature of that affection to place contentment in the thing wee desire to have, whenwe have it once.
Now wee may know this our contentment, whether wee rest in GOD, or no, by the in ward quiet and peace of the soule in all conditions; when whatsoever our condition be in this world, yet wee know wee have the light of GODS countenance, and can rest, and bee content in it, more than worldly men in their corne, and wine, and oyle, as David sayth, Psalm. 4.Psal. 4. I rejoyce more in the light of thy countenance, than when they have their corne, and wine, and oyle. When wee can joy, and solace our selves with the assurance of Gods favour, and love in Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, and rejoyce in God, as it is Rom. 5.Rom. 5. wee rejoyce in God as ours.
Therfore those that goe to outward contentments, that run out to them, as if there were not enough in God, and divine things, to content their soules, but they must be beholding to the divell, a…d to the flesh, for contentments; this is not to rest in God. Hee is overcovetous whom God cannot content. If we be in covenant with him, hee is able to fill our soule, and all the corners of it: hee is able to satisfie all the delights and desires of it:God can fill our soules. hee is a gracious father in Christ. Whither should wee goe from him for contentment? why should wee goe out of religion to content our selves in …vain recreations & pleasures of sinne for a season, when wee have abundance in God?
And where there is contentment, there will be trusting in him, and relying upon him. A man will not rely upon riches, or friends, or any thing: for where we place our contentment, we place our trust. So farre as we love God, so farre wee repose affiance and trust in him; he will be our rock, & castle & strength▪ Wouldest thou know whether, thou restest in him or no? In the time of danger, whither doth thy soule run? to thy purse, if thou bee a rich man? or to thy friends if thou bee a worldly minded man? Every man hath his Castle to flye to. But the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower: hee that is a childe of God, flieth thither for refuge, and there hee covereth himselfe, and is safe. He enters into those chambers of divine providence, and goodnesse, and there he rests in all troubles.
Therefore aske thy affections whither thou wouldest runne, if there should come a confusion of all things: when men are apt to say, Oh! what will become of us? and they think of this and that: A good Christian hath God to rest in; he hath God reconciled in Christ, and in his love he plants himselfe in life and death. He makes God his habitation and his Castle, as it is Psalm. 18.Psal. 18. I love the Lord dearly, my Rock and my Fortresse. And Moses in Psalm. 90. for his Psalme it is,Psal. 90. Thou hast been our habitation from everlasting to everlasting. Wee dwell in thee; though in the world we are tossed up and downe, and live and die, yet wee alway dwell with thee. So a Christian hath his contentment, and his habitation in God, he is his house he dwells in, his rocke, his resting place, his centre in which he rests, Come unto mee, and yee shall finde rest to your soules. When a man is beat out of all contentments he may know by this, whether he love God, or no: As David when hee was beat out of all, and they were ready to stone him; but hee trusted in the Lord his God. So in losses, and crosses, hast thou contentment in God, thou wilt fetch what thou losest out of the love of God; and what thou art crossed in, thou wilt fetch out of Gods love: thou wilt say, this and that is taken from mee, but God is mine, I can fetch more good by faith from him, than I can lose in the world. A soule that is acquainted with God, when hee loseth any thing in the world, he can fetch it out of the …cuntain and spring. He is taught to love God, he is skilfull this way, to pitch his hope and affiance in God, where he hath enough for all crosses. Let us labour to bring our souls more and more to this, and then wee shal know what it is to love God, by this placing of our contentment in him. Take all from me, sayth holy A… stin, Augustine▪so thou leave mee thy selfe: So a Christian can say, take all from mee, so I have God.
Indeed where shall a man have comfort in many passages of his life, if he finde it not in religion? What will become of a man in this uncertaine world, if hee have not somewhat where hee may place his content? Oh! he will finde before hee die, that hee is a wretched man, hee knowes not where to finde rest, and contentment before he die; hee will bee beat out of all his holds here, either by sicknesse, or one thing or other.
The fourth and last is, where the true affection of love to God is, it stirs up the soule to give all contentment to God, to doe all things that may please him. Se… what God loves, delight in that, and provide it for him.This is the nature of love, it stirs up to please the partie loved. Isaacks sons saw that their father loved Venison, therfore they provided venison for him. Those that know what God loves, will provide what they can, that that God may delight in. He loves a humble, and a believing heart. Thou hast wounded me with one of thine eyes. The eye of faith, when the soule can trust in the word, & humbly go out of it self: his delight is in a broken yeelding heart, that hardnes not it selfe against his instructions, but yeelds. A broken heart that lies low, & heares all that God saith, Oh, it is a sacrifice that God is much delighted in: a humble spirit is such a spirit as God dwels in. He that dwels in the highest heavens, Isai. 65.dwels in a humble spirit. Doth God delight in a meeke, broken, humble spirit? Oh, then it will be the desire of a Christian to have such a spirit as God may delight in. A meeke soule is much esteemed, the hidden man of the heart is much prized; search in Gods word what hee delights in, and let us labour to bring our selves to such a condition as God may delight in us, and we in him, & then it is a signe wee love him, when wee labour to procure all things that may give him content. You know that love where it is, it stirres up the affections of the partie to remove all things that are distastfull to the partie it loves. Therefore it is a neat affection; for it will make those neat, that otherwise are not so, because it will not offend: much more this divine heavenly affection, when it is set on a right object, upon God, it is a neat, cleanly affection, it will purge the soule, it will worke upon the soule a desire to bee cleane,Love… will purge your heart. as much as can bee, because God is a pure, holy God, and it will have no fellowship with the workes of darknesse. Therfore as much as humane frailtie will permit, the soule that loves God, it will studie puritie, to keep it selfe unspotted of the world. It will not willingly cherish any sinne that may offend the Spirit. Those therefore that are carelesse of their wayes, and carriage, and affections, that make nothing of polluting, and defiling their affectictions, and their wayes, there is not the love of God in their hearts. It stirres up shame to be offensive, in the eyes of such a one, especially if they be great, there is both love and respect meet together, where it is a reverentiall love with respect, there is a shame to bee in a base, filthy, displeasing cōdition. God hates pride and idolatry, &c. therefore a man that loves God, will hate Idols, and all false doctrine, and worship that tends this way: his heart will rise against them; because hee knows God hates it, and all that take that course; he observes what is most offensive to God, and hee will avoyd it, and seeke what is pleasing to him.
God and Christ are wondrously pleased with faith. Thou ha…t wounded mee with one of thine eyes. Love from faith woundeth the breast of Christ.Faith, and love from faith wounds the breast of Christ: therefore let us labour for faith. Oh woman, great is thy faith. It it is such a grace, as bindes and overcomes God, it honours him so much. Let us ther…fore labour for faith, and in believing for all graces: they are things that God loves, therefore let us labour to be furnished with all things that he loves, especially those graces that have some excellencie set upon them in the Scripture, wee should most esteeme. Isaac when he was to marry Rebecca, he sends her jewels beforehand, that having them, shee might bee more lovely in his eye. So Christ, the husband of his Church, that hee might take more delight and content in his Church, hee sends her Iewels before hand, that is, hee enricheth his Church with the spirit of faith, meeknes, humilitie and love, and all graces, that he may delight, and take content in his Spouse. Those that have not somwhat that God may d…light in them, they have not the spirit of love. Those therfore that rebell in stead of giving God content, that resist the Spirit, and the motions of it, in the ministery, and in reprehension, and the like: those that live in sinnes directly against Gods command, that are common swearers, and filthy persons, neglecters of holy things, prophane, godlesse persons; doe they talke of the love of God, and of heaven? you may see the filthinesse of their hearts, by the filthiness that issues from them. God keepes not such excellencies for such persons: the love of God, and living in sinnes against conscience, will not stand together. A demonstration of love is, exhibitio operis, the exhibition of somewhat to pleas… God. Shew me in thy course what thou doest to please God. If thou live in courses that are condem red, never talke of love. It is a pittifull thing, to see in the boso…e of the Church, under the glorious revelation of divine Truth, that men should live apparantly, and impudently in sins against conscience, that glory in in theirshame. It is a strange thing that they should glory in their prophanenesse, and swaggering, that they should glory in a kinde of Atheistical carriage: as they have beene bred, so they will bee still. Many are marred in that, they are either poysoned in their first breeding, or neglected in it.
To see under the glorious Gospel of Christ, that those that thinke they have soules eternall, that they should live in impudēt base courses, voyd of religion and humanitie, onelyonly to satisfie their owne lu…ts, in stead of satisfying and obeying GOD; men that live in the bosome of the Church, as beasts, and yet hope to be saved as well as the best: Oh! but the hope of the hypocrite, the hope of such persons will deceive them.
Oh! let us labour therefore to have this affection of love planted in our hearts; that God by his spi…it would teach us to love him, and to love one another. This affection of love must bee taught by God, it is not a matter of the braine to teach that, but a matter of the heart. God only is the great Schoolmast…r and teacher of the heart, he must not onelyonly command us to love, but teach our affections by his holy Spirit, to enable our affections to love him.
Where love is in this regard likewise to give content, there will bee love of all those whom the partie we approve our selves to, loves. Is there any of Ionathans posterity, saith David, that I may doe good to them for his sake. The soule that loves God, and Christ, sayth, Is there any good people, any that carry the image of God, and Christ? it will bee sure to love them, it will doe good to Ionathans posteritie. Those that hate them that carry the image of God, and Christ, that their stomacke riseth against good men; how do they love him that begets when they love not him that is begotten? There cannot be the love of God in such a man: undoubtedly if we love God, wee shall love his children, and any thing that hath Gods stamp upon it: wee shall lov… his truth, and his cause, and religion, and, whatsoever is divine,If we love God, wee shall love whatever is divine, or toucheth on God. and toucheth upon God, wee shall love it, because it is his. It is such an affection as sets the soule on worke to thinke, wherein may I give content to such a person? It is full of devices & inventions to please: therefore …t thinkes, can I give consent in loving such, and such? as Christ sayth, he that respects these little ones it is to me, it is accountable on my part, I will see it answered. If the love of Christ be in us, wee will regard this because wee will thinke, Christ will regard me for the good I doe for his sake, and in his name, to this and that partie. Thus we see how we may try this sweet aff…ction, and not deceive our owne soules.
And therefore where there is a desire of giving content, there will bee a zeale against all things, to remove all things in our places, and callings, that may offend: it will carry us through all difficulties, to please him, it will make us willing to suffer. I will please him, by suffering some indignitie for his cause. I will doe it, that I may ingage his affection to mee. Therefore the Disciples gloried in this, when they were thought worthy to suffer for Christs sake. Where there is a desire to please God, it is so farre from being ashamed, or afraid to suffer, that it joyes in this: Oh! now there is, occasion given to shew that God respects me more, if I, for his sake, stand out in his quarrel, and breake through all difficulties.
It will make us please him in all things that wee are capable, in all things that we can doe any way in our standings; as Christ describes it out of Moses, to love God with all our minde, with all our soule, and with all our strength, where love is, it sets all on worke to please, and give content. It sets the minde on worke to studie, wherein shall I please God? and it will study Gods truth, and not serve him by our owne inventions: Love to God, studies how to please God.wee must serve and love GOD after his minde; that is, as hee hath commanded. It will set the wits on work to understand how he will be served, and to love him with all our soule, & with all our heart, that is with all our heart, that is with the marrow and strength of our affections, with all my strength, bee a man what hee will be; if hee bee a Magistrate, with the strength of his magistracy, if he be a minister, with the strength of his ministeriall calling: in any …ndition I must love him, with al that that condition inableth me to. For it is a commanding affection, and being so it commands all within and without to give content to the person loved: it commands the wit to devise, and the memorie to retaine good things; it commands joy, and delight, it commands anger to remove hindrances: and so all outward actions, love commands the doing of all things, it sets all on worke. It is a most active affection, it is like to fire, it is compared to it, it sets all on worke and commands all that man is able to doe. Therefore those that studie not in all their indeavours according to their callings and places according to every thing that God hath intrusted them with,Studie in thy place how to put forth the best of …hy indevours to please God. to please God, and to honour him in their conditions, they love not God.
What a shame is it, that when God hath given us such a sweet affection as love, that hee should not have our love againe? when wee make our selves happy in loving him. He is happy in his owne love, the father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, but when hee intends to make us happy, it is a shame that wee should not bestow our affections upon him.
Much might bee sayd to this purpose for the triall of our selves whether we love God, or no. Let us not then forget these things: for it is the command both of the old and new Testament, they run both upon love. I give you a new Command, sayth Christ, and yet it is no new command, but old and ordinarie. But it is commanded now in the Gospell; that is, it is renewed by new experiments of Gods love in Christ, that we should love him, as hee hath loved us, which is wonderfully; that wee should love him, and love one another. And all this is in this affection, as we see when the holy Ghost would set out the disposition and qualification of such, as those great things are prepared for, that neither eye hath seen, nor care heard, nor hath entred into the heart of man, hee sets it downe by this, They are for those that love him.
FINIS.