Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 25
SERMON XXV.
2 Cor. 5.14.
For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus Iudge, that if one dyed for all, then were all dead.
THe fourth case of Conscience is about the decay of love: The heart is not so deeply affected as it was wont to be, with the love of God in Christ, nor is there such a strong bent of heart towards him, nor delight in him, and we grow more remiss in our work, feeble in the resistance of sin, some that thus decay in love, are not sensible of it, others from the decay infer a nullity of love: Therefore because this is a disease incident to the new Creature, something must be said to this case, both to warn men, and to direct them in the judging of it. In answering this doubt take these Propositions:
1. Leaving our first love is a disease not only incident to Hypocrites, but Gods own Children. To Hypocrites, Matth. 24.12. The love of many shall wax cold. To Gods own Children, Revel. 2.4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. They were commended for their labour in the Lords work, zeal against Hypocrites, patience in adversity, yet I have some what against thee; what's that? foreign; only here is this difference, though the disease be common to both, yet with some difference as to the event, and issue: Hypocrites may make a total defection, and there may be in them an utter extinction of love: In others there is not a total failing, but only some degrees of their love abated. The love of Hypocrites, may utterly miscarry, and vanish; many seem to be carryed on with great fervour, and affection in the ways of God, for a while, yet afterwards fall quite away: Partly because it was a love built upon forreign motives; as the favour of the times, the air of education, the advantage of good company: Christ might be the object, but the World the ground and reason of all this love. Jesus is not loved for Jesus sake. He must be both object, and reason, otherwise when the reasons of our love alter, the object will not hold us: When times grow bad we grow bad with them; 'tis no wonder to see hirelings prove changelings; and many that loved a Christ triumphing, to forsake and hate a Christ crucified: When the grounds alter their affections are removed: Their affections to Christs Cause and Servants will cease, also: As Artificial motions cease, when the poise is down by which they are moved: flying Meteors when the matter that feedeth them is spent, will vanish and disappear, or fall from Heaven like lightning, when the Stars, those constant fires of Heaven, shine forth with a durable light, and brightness, What is in one Evangelist, take from him that which he hath, is, take from him that which he se…meth to have, in another, Luke 8.18. Partly because if Jesus were loved for Jesus sake, yet not with such a prevalent, radicated love, as could subdue contrary affections. There is a love of God, and a delight in his ways▪ which is cherished in us, upon right motives and reasons: Such as the offer of pardon, and Eternal Life by Christ, but this did but lightly affect the heart, not change it. A tast of the good word, Heb. 6 4, 5, 6. At first men find a marvellous sweetness, in the way of godliness, hugely pleased with the possibility of pardon, and Happiness: But these sentiments of Religion are afterwards choaked by the cares of this World, and voluptuous living, and all that delight and savour, which they had, is lost, and comes to nothing, when Temptations rise up in any considerable strength. Therefore we are warned to keep up the confidence, and rejoycing of hope; Heb. 3.6, 14. That well-pleasedness of mind, that liking, that comfortable savour, which we had in the serious attending upon the business of Religion.
2. Gods own Children may find their love cold and languishing, and that they go backward some degrees, and suffer loss in the heat and vigour of grace; but though grace do decay, 'tis not utterly abolished. The Church of Ephesus left her first love, but not utterly lost it. The seed of God remaineth in them, 1 John 3.9. There is some vital grace communicated in regeneration, which cannot be lost. This is more radicated than the former; 'tis a deeper sense of Gods love, and doth more affect the heart, that 'tis not so easily controlled by contrary affections; but chiefly because 'tis preserved by the influence of Gods grace, with respect to his covenant, wherein he hath undertaken not to depart from us, so to keep afoot that love and fear in our hearts, that we shall no depart from him, Jer. 32.40. In the new covenant God giveth what he requireth, donum perseverantiae, as well as, praeceptum. Well then, though this love may suffer a shrewd abatement, yet 'tis not totally extinguished. Gradus remittitur, actus intermittitru, sed habitus non amittitru. Not only may the acts and fruits be few, but the measure of their inward love toward Christ may be abated, and yet not the habit lost, or totally fail.
2. That we may understand this disease the better, let us consider what is not it.
1. Not every lighter distemper, which the gracious heart observeth, and rectifieth. There are failings, and infirmities during the present state, and nothing is so uncertain as to Judge of our selves by particular actions; in every act love doth not put forth its self so strongly, as at other times, but a coldness and deadness seiseth upon us, which we cannot shake off: Or there may be failings, and we walk in darkness, Isa. 64.7. for one act, or so, and yet cannot be called a decay of love; every act of known sin is not apostacy, and defection, nor a degree of it, as every feaverish heat after a meal in the spring, is not a feaver. Alas for the generation of the just, if every vain thought, or idle word, or distempered passion, were a decay of love! Some obstruction of love there may be for the present, which the Soul taketh notice of, and retracts with sorrow and remorse, but still we hold on our course; yet 'tis a stopping in our course, Gal. 5.7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you?
2. Every loss and abatement of those ravishments, and transports of Soul, or love qualms, which we feel sometimes, is not this decay. There are some raised operations of love which cannot be constant; in two cases especially we find them.
1. At first conversion. There are then strong joys, and liftings up of Soul upon our first acquaintance with God. Partly, From the newness of the thing; new things strangely affect and transport us, and no doubt, there are greater and more express admirations of grace, when first called out of darkness into light. And that's the reason why 'tis called marvellous light▪ 1 Pet. 2.9. The change is more admired by them, who are newly plucked out of that woful condition they were in before, and possessed of such excellent Priviledges as they have in their new estate, it makes them wonder the more at their own happiness: as a man in deep thirst, hath a more sensible pleasure when he first cometh to meet with drink; his tast is more lively then, though he be thankful to God for the comfort of ordinary meals. Partly, because then our Love wholly sheweth its self in sensitive expressions, whilst as yet love is not dispersed, and diffused into the several channels of obedience, the tide may be high and strong, our only work at first being the thankful entertainment and welcom of grace, but when a man cometh to see how many ways he is to express his love to God, he may have a true zeal▪ and affection to God, in his Christian course, a more rooted and grounded love, though he have not those ravishments and transports of Soul, Eph. 3.17. And, Partly, Because the first edge of our affections is not yet blunted by change of cases. A young Christian may be dandled upon the knee, have a more plentiful measure of Gods sensible presence than afterwards is afforded to him, not yet tryed with smiles and frowns, and variety of conditions, and things prosperous and adverse. And do you think that the seasoned Christian doth not love God as well as he, who hath been faithful to him in all estates, and not only past the pangs of the new-birth, but sundry encounters of temptations. Surely the tryed man hath the stronger love, though it may be not such stirrings of affections, as he who is under Gods special indulgence, and from whom God for a while restraineth the violent assaults of furious Temptations, till he be a little more confirmed, and ingaged in the profession of godliness.
2. After great comforts and inlargements In the days of Gods royalty and magnificence, sometimes a Christian hath high affections to God, and joys in the sense of his love, when God hath feasted him, and manifested himself to him, Psa. 63.6. My Soul is filled as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. There are rich experiences of the love of God in his Ordinances, which are vouchsafed to us, to which all the pleasures of the creature are no way comparable. Now these are very great mercies, but very doubtful evidences to try our estate by, for these overflowings of love, are accidental things. Possunt adesse & abesse. They are fitted for special spiritual occasions. We cannot always bear up under them. A setled calm, and the peace of the Soul, is a greater mercy than these Spiritual suavities, or passionate joys; if we have have our tast kept up, and our relish of Heaven, and Spiritual things, or a fixed bent of heart towards them, 'tis a more constant and less deceiving experience▪ Paul had his raptures, but withal his thorn in the flesh, to keep him humble, 2 Cor. 12.7. We cannot expect that God should entertain us always with a feast, if he give us the constant diet, and allowance of his family, let us be thankful. And though we are not to rest in a dull quietness, but raise our hearts often to delight in God, in more than an ordinary manner, yet no wise man can expect this should be our constant frame.
3. Though we should not lightly judge our selves guilty of a decay of love, yet we should not lightly acquitt our selves of it. For it is a great evil, and a common evil, and many that are surprized with it are little sensible of it.
1. 'Tis a great evil. Partly, Because the highest degree of love does not answer to the worthiness of Christ, nor to the duty of the regenerate, who are called by him from such a depth of misery to such a height of happiness. And therefore when a man falleth from his first love, and that measure which he had attained unto, and doth come short not only of the rule, but of his own practice, it is the more grievous. To come short of the rule is matter of continual humiliation to us, but to come short of our own attainments, is matter of double humiliation, and the rather, because he that pleaseth himself in such an estate doth in effect Judge the first love to be too much, as if he had been too hot and earnest, and done more than he needed, when he had such a strong love to Christ: His former Love is really condemned, and thereby Christ is disesteemed, as if not worthy to be beloved with all the Soul, and all the might, and all the strength. And, Partly, Because as our love decayeth, so doth our work; either 'tis wholly omitted, or else we put off God with a little constrained, compulsory service, which we had rather leave undone, than do; our delight in our work is lessened. As when the root of a tree perisheth, the leaves keep green for a while, but within a while, they wither and fall off: So love, which is the root and heart of all other dutys, when that decayeth, other things decay with it: The first works go off with the first love, at least, are not carryed on with that care and delight, and complacency, as they should be. And, Partly, Because of the punishment which attendeth it. Christ is jealous of his peoples affection, and cannot endure that he should not beloved again by those whom he so much loveth, and therefore hasteneth to the correction of this distemper, and those that allow themselves in it, Rev. 2.5. Behold I will come against thee quickly. He threatneth to that Church a removal of their candlestick, when their zeal of Christianity was abated. When a People grow weary o… Christ, they shall know the worth of him by the want of him. So when particular Christians grow weary of God, and suffer a coldness and indifferency to creep upon their hearts, he cometh by some smart Judgment to awaken them, and will make them feel to their bitter cost, what it is to despise or neglect a loving Saviour, 2 Chron. 12.8.
2. 'Tis a common evil. For 'tis an hard matter to keep up the fervency of our love, therefore are there so many exhortations even to the best. The commended Thessalonians are thus prayed for, 2 Thes. 3.5. And the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God. And, Jude 21. keep your selves in the love of God. The best are apt to remit something of their delight in God, and their constant study to please him: And our watchfulness is mainly to preserve this grace. There is so much self-love in us, love of our own ease, and carnal satisfaction, so much love of the World, and such a constant working, warring principle to draw us off from God, and Heavenly things, that we cannot sufficiently stand upon our guard, and take heed to our selves, that we do not quench this heavenly fire that should always burn in our bosoms. The generality of Professors have no such care; if they do not wholly cast off Religion▪ they are satisfied, though their love to God be exceeding cold; and as the Hen as long as she hath 1 or 2 of her brood to follow her, doth not mind the loss of the rest; so they, as long as they do a few things for God, mind not the loss of many degrees of grace.
3. Many that are surprized with it, are little sensible of it. Because spiritual distempers are not laid to heart, till they openly appear in their effects, and fruits; a man may be much in external dutys, and yet his love may be cold; the life of his dutys may be decayed, though the dutys themselves be not left off; as the Pharisees tithed Mint and Cumin, and all manner of herbs, but passed over Judgment▪ and the love of God, Luke 11.42. Some small thing the flesh may spare to God, when as yet the heart is in a great measure withdrawn from him. There may be a decay in the degree of love, when there is no total falling from former acts; he may continue his course of outward duty, though he doth not act so vigorously from love as he was wont to do; he is colder in obedience, and his delight in God is not so great, as formerly; his work is carryed on with more difficulty, and regret, and 'tis more grievous to obey; the acts and fruits are fewer, though they do not wholly cease, & are not animated with such a working, active love. Therefore many times men are so insensible, that they throw off all e're they mind their distemper: As the Glory of God in Ezekiel removed from the Temple by degrees, first from the holy place, then to the Altar of burnt offerings, then to the outer Court, then the City, then rested on one of the hills which encompassed the City, to see if they would bring him back again. So in this case men grow cold towards God. God is first cast out of the heart, then out of the closet, then out of the family, then more Indifferent as to publick dutys, then sin beginneth to hurry us to practices inconvenient; first we sin freely in thought, then foully in act, and all because we did not observe the first declinings.
4. The decay of love is seen in two things. The remission of degrees, or the intermission of acts.
1. The remission of degrees of our love to Christ, or to God in Christ. To understand this we must know what is the essential disposition of love? 'Tis an esteeming, valuing, and prizing God above all things, which is manifested to us by a constant care to please him, a fear to offend him, a desire to injoy him, and a constant delight in him. Now when any of these are abated, or fail, as to any considerable degree, your love is a chilling or growing …old. 1. Our constant care to please him. They that love God, and prize his favour and have a sense of his mercy in Christ deeply Impressed upon their hearts, they are always studying how they shall appear thankful for so great a benefit, Psa. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Therefore their business and work is to please God, Col 1 10. Walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing. And, Isa. 56.4. That choose the things that please thee, and take hold of thy covenant. And, 1 Thes. 4.1, As you have learned how to walk, and how to please God, so abound therein more and more. A study to please, is the true fruit of thankfulness. Whilst love is in vigour, and strength, this disposition beareth sway in the heart: But now when 'tis a more Indifferent thing, whether God be pleased, or displeased, or not so greatly minded; when a man beginneth to please his flesh, or men, and can dispense with his duty to God, and our intention is less sincere, not so much to please and honour God, as to gratify our selves, then love is decayed. 2dly. The next is like it a fear to offend. If you can be content to do any thing, and suffer any thing, rather than displease God, and lose his favour: Gods love is dearer than life, his displeasure more formidable than death its self. Love is strong, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God. Put when this fear to offend is weakned, your love decayeth. 3dly A desire to injoy him in Christ. A strong bent and tendency of heart towards God, argueth a strong love. When we cannot apprehend our selves happy without him, count all things dung and dross, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. When we desire a sense of his love, or our reconciliation by Christ. This vehement desire after Christ cannot endure to want him; if we are deeply affected with that want, and make hard pursuit after him, Psa. 63.8. My Soul followeth hard after thee. We desire his grace, or sanctifying Spirit, are here hungring and thirsting after righteousness, and the perpetual vision of him hereafter; as our desires abate, so there is some abatement of the degree of our love. 4ly, Delighting in him. Or in the Testimonys of his favour, more than in worldly thing, Psa. 4.6. Thou hast put more gladness into my heart, then in the time when their Corn and Wine is increased. And Psa. 119.14 I delight in the way of thy Testimonys more than in all riches. Accordingly there is an observing of his coming and going, his presence or absence; we mourn for the one, Matth. 9.15. We rejoice in the other, when God is favourable and propitious, either manifesting his love to us, or helping us in our obedience to him.
2. Intermission of acts; Or effects of love: These more sensibly declare the former; for the weakness or strength of the decree is seen by the effects, when the heart grows cold, and listless, and loose in our love to God, the Soul is not made fruitful by it. Now the effects of love do either concern God, sin, or the dutys of obedience.
1. With respect to God. love as to the effects of it is often described. First by thinking and speaking often of him, Psa. 63.6. I remember thee on my Bed, and meditate of thee in the night …atches. And, Psa. 104.24. My meditation of him shall be sweet. The wicked are described to be those that forget God, Psa. 9.17. And seldom or never think of his name, Psa. 10.3. God is not in all their thoughts. 'Tis the pleasure of the Soul to set the thoughts on work upon the object of our love.
Now when our hearts, and minds swarm with vain thoughts, and idle imaginations, and thoughts of God are utter strangers to us, if they rush into our minds, they are entertained as unwelcome guests, you have no delight in them, 'tis to be feared your love is decayed. For surely a man that loveth him will think often upon him, and speak reverently of him, and be remembring God both in company, and alone, upon all occasions, his main business lieth with God. He is still to do his will, to seek his glory, and to live as in his sight and presence, and subsists by the constant supports he receiveth from him. 2dly. As love Implieth a desire of nearer communion with him, so we will be often in his company in duties. Frequency, and fervency of converse with God in prayer, and other holy dutys, is an effect of love; there cannot a day pass, but they will find some errand or occasion to confer with God, to implore is help, to ask his leave, counsel, and blessing, to praise his name, Psa. 119.164. Seven times a day will I praise thee. Now when men can pass over whole days and weeks, and never give God a visit, it argueth little love, Jer. 2.32. My people have forgotten me days without number. There is little love where there is a constant strangeness, Psa. 26 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. They love Ordinances, because there they meet with God, and Psa. 63.2. That I may see thee as I have seen thee. They cannot let a day pass, nor a duty pass. God is object, and end, they seek him, and serve him. Love is at least cold, if not stark dead, when God is neglected, when we have no mind to dutys, or God is neglected in them.
2. With respect to sin. When the sense of our obligation to Christ is warm upon the heart, sin doth not scape so freely; love will not endure it to live and act in the heart. Grace will teach us to war and strive against it, Titus 2.12. Do we thus requite the Lord? Or is this thy kindness to thy Friend? Sin is more bewailed: As she wept much, because she loved much, Luke 7.47. Now when you wallow in sin without remorse, have lost your conscientious tenderness, can sin freely in thought, and sometimes foully in act, spend time vainly, have not such a lively hatred of evil, Psa. 97.10. let loose the reins to wrath and anger, the heart is not watched, the tongue is not bridled, speeches are idle, yea rotten, and profane, wrath and envy tyrannize over the Soul, you are become vain and careless, more bold and venturous upon temptations, and snares, less complaining of sin, or groaning under the relicks of corruption, surely love decayeth.
3. With respect to the dutys of obedience. Love where it remaineth in its strength, 1. Breedeth self-denyal So that the Impediments of obedience are more easily overcome, and so we are the more undaunted, notwithstanding dangers, as Daniel: More unwearied in the work of the Lord: Patient under labours, difficulties, and sufferings. Love will be at some expence for the party beloved, and will serve God whatever it costs us: Nay, counts that duty worth nothing, that costs nothing, 2 Sam. 24.24. Now when every lesser thing is pleaded by way of bar, and haesitancy, and all seemeth too much, and too long, and too grievous to be born, love is not kept in vigour; an unwilling heart is soon turned out of the way, and every thing is hard & toilsome to it. 2dly. It maketh us act with sweetness, and complacency, 1 John 5.3. His commandments are not grievous. Acts of love are sweet, and pleasing: Therefore when you have left the sweetness, and complacency of your obedience, the fervour of your love is decayed, otherwise it would be no burden to you to be Imployed for a good God. 3 It puts a life into dutys, Rom. 12.12. Not sloathful in business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. Otherwise the worship of God is performed perfunctorily, and in a careless, stupid manner, sin is confessed without remorse, or sense of the wrong done to God; Prayer for spiritual blessings, without any such ardent desire to obtain them; returning thanks without any esteem of the benefits, or affection to God in the remembrace of them; Singing without any life, or affection or delight in God, or spiritual melody in our hearts; conference of God, and Heavenly things, either none, or very slight, and careless hearing without attention; Reading, without a desire of profit. Our whole service like a carcass without a Soul. As Faith enliveneth our opinions, so doth love our practices. And as dry reason is a dead thing to Faith, so without love every thing done God-ward, is done slightly; why do we find more life in our recreations, than in our solemn dutys, but because our love is decayed.
5. Having now found the sin, let us consider the causes of it.
1. One cause or occasion may be the badness of the times. The Best Christians may decay in bad times. The reason is given, Matth. 24.12. Because iniquity doth abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Iniquity beareth a double sense; either a general, or a more limitted sense. When there is a deluge of wickedness, sin by being common, groweth less odious: The limited sense is, taking iniquity for persecution, because of the sharpness of persecution many shall fall off from Christianity. This should not be so; Christians should shine, like stars, brightest in the darkest night, Phil. 2.15, 16. Or like fire▪ or a fountain, hottest in coldest weather, as David, in Psa. 119.126, 127. It's time for thee, Lord, to work, for they have made void thy Law. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold, above fine Gold. But 'tis hard to maintain the fire, when the World keepeth pouring on Water: There is a certain liberty, which we are apt to take in evil times, or a damp and deadness of Spirit, which groweth upon us.
2. It cometh from a cursed satiety and fulness. Our affections are deadned to things to which we are accustomed; and we are soon cloyed with the best things: The Israelites cryed out, Nothing but this Manna! A full stomach loatheth an hony comb: When first acquainted with the things of the Spirit, Communion with God, and Intercourses with Heaven, we are affected with them, but afterwards glutted: But this should not be, because in Spiritual things, there is a new inviting sweeetness, to keep our affections fresh, and lively: as in Heaven God is always to the blessed Spirits new and fresh every moment: And proportionable in the Church, where there is more to be had, still greater things than these. In carnal things this satiety is justifiable, because the imperfections of the Creature, which formerly lay hid, are discovered upon fruition: And all earthly things are less in injoyment, than they were in expectation: But it is not so in Spiritual things, every tast provoketh new appetite, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3.
3. From a negligence or sluggish carelesness. We do not take pains to keep our graces alive, we do not foreign, 2 Tim. 1.6. Rowse up the gift, that is in us. As the Priests in the Temple were to keep in the holy fire: So we by prayer, and diligent meditation, constantly keeping love a work, watchfulness against the incroachments of worldly, and fleshly lusts; and when we neglect these things, love decreaseth.
4. Sometimes it cometh from freeness in sinning. Neglect is like not blowing the Fire hid in the Ashes; sinning is like pouring on water, 1 Thes. 5.10. Quench not the Spirit. Secure dalliance with the pleasures of sin brings a brawn and …eannes upon the heart, and God is neglected, and our love to him very cold.
6. There remaineth nothing more, but the cure and remedy against this evil; and that concerneth prevention, or recovery.
1. The remedy, by way of prevention, is,
1. That we should labour to get love more fixed and rooted, Eph. 3.17. That ye may be rooted, and grounded in love: At first our affection may hastily put forth its self, like the hasty blossoms of the Spring, which are soon nipped: But a Christians business is to get a solid affection, and bent of heart towards God; That love may be as it were the very constitution of our Souls: And the frame of our hearts may be changed into an addictedness, and devotedness to God. Many content themselves with flashes, and good moods, and meltings at a Sermon, which soon vanish, and come to nothing, because they have no root. The word of grace, which revealeth the love of God, is not ingrafted in their Souls, so as that it may be the very frame, and temper of their hearts: Many receive this word with joy, Matth. 13.21. But he hath no root in himself. They were once affected with the offers of remission of sins, and Eternal Life: But this affection is not so great, so deep, as to controul contrary affections: Christ doth not dwell in the heart by faith: A visit there is, but not an abode; A transie…t motion of the Spirit, but not a constant habitation; a draught of the running stream, but they have not the fountain within them, John 4.14.
2. You must increase and grow in love, if you mean to keep it, Phil. 1.9. I pray, that your love may abound more and more, 1 Thes. 4.1. As ye learned how to walk, and to please God, so abound in it, more and more: At first love is but weak, but progress of it is to be endeavoured, otherwise a small measure of it meeteth with so many things to extinguish it, that it cannot maintain it self. Nothing conduceth to a decay more than a contentment with what we have received; and there is no such way to keep what we have, as to go on to perfection: They that row against the stream, if they do not ply the oar, will be driven back by the force of the Tide: Therefore every day you should hate sin more, and love self less, the world less, yet Christ more, and more: Love being as it were the heart of the New Creature, he that hath most love, hath most grace, and is the best and strongest Christian.
3. Love must still be excited, and kept in act or exercise: Not lye as a sleepy, useless habit, in the Soul: It must be the principle and end in every duty, that is, we must work from love, and for love: From love, for 'tis not an act of thankful obedience, if love be not acted in it. Oh beg that this Grace may be more increased in us! all graces, Ordinances. Word, Sacraments, tend to keep in this love-fire, and keep it a burning: All these institutions serve but till love is perfect, and then they cease, but love remaineth: Besides all this, if love be not excited and kept a work, carnal love will prevail, a corrupt and base treacherous heart, had need be watched, and kept from starting back. The back-bias of corruption will again recover strength: For love cannot lye idle in the Soul, either it must be directed, and carryed forth to God, or it will look out to worldly things: If our love ceaseth, concupiscence ceaseth not: And within a while the World will become superiour in the heart, and Mammon be placed in Gods room and stead, be respected as our end, and happiness: For man cannot live, but he must have some last end of his actions: Nor can he long cease from owning, and respecting that end: But the Soul will set up another in its stead. Therefore the more we desist from loving God, the more we intangle our selves with other things, which get strength, and secure their interest in our Souls, as they are confirmed by multiplied acts: Therefore the love of God must still be kept a-foot, that no other thing be practically preferred before him, John 4.14. It must always be springing up, and flowing forth.
4. Observe the first declinings. For these are the cause of all the rest: Evil is best stop'd in the beginning: If when first we begun to grow careless, we had taken heed, it would never have come to that sad issue it doth afterwards; an heavy body, running downwards, gathers strength by running, and still moveth faster: Look then to your first breaking off from God, and remitting your watch, and Spiritual fervour: 'Tis easier to crush the the egg, than kill the serpent: He that keepeth a house in constant repair, prevents the fall and ruin of it: When first the evil heart beginneth to draw us off from God, and to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, then we must, Heb. 3.12, 13. humble our Souls betime, that we may stick close to Christ.
2. By way of recovery, where there hath been a decay: Take the advice of the Holy-Ghost, Rev. 2.5▪ Remember from whence thou art faln, and repent, and do thy first works.
1. A serious consideration of our condition, in those words, remember from whence thou art faln. Recollect, and sadly consider, what a difference there is between thee and thy self; thy self living, and acting in the sense, and power of the love of God, and thy self, now under the power of some worldly and fleshly lust: Consider what an advantage thou hadst against Temptations of the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, when love was in strengh, and how much the case is altered with thee now, how feeble, and impotant in the resistance of any sin: Say as Job, Job 29.2, 3. Oh that it were as in the months past? In the day when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head. Or as the Church, Hosea 2.7. It was better with me then, than now. In our returning, we should have such thoughts as these: I was wont to spend some time every day with God, 'twas a delight to me, to think of him, or speak of him; or to him; now I have no heart to pray, or meditate: 'Twas the joy of my Soul, to wait upon his Ordinances; the returns of the Sabbath were well-come unto me: But now what a weariness is it? Time was when my heart did rise up in arms against sin, when a vain thought was a grief to my Soul, why is it thus with me now. Is sin grown less odious; or God less lovely?
2. The next advice is, repent. That is, humble your selves before God, for your defection: 'Tis not enough to feel your selves faln, many are convinced of their faln and lapsed estate, but do not humble, and judge themselves for it in Gods presence, bewailing their case, smiting on the thigh, praying for pardon: 'Tis a great sin to grow weary of God, Isa. 43.22. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; Thou hast been weary of me, Oh Israel. And Mich. 6.3. Oh my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. His honour is concerned in it; therefore you must the more feelingly bewail it.
3. Do thy first works. We must not spend the time in idle complaints. Many are sensible that do not repent: Many repent (i. e.) seem to bewail their case, but languish in idle complaints, for want of love, but do not recover this loss, by serious endeavours: You must not rest till you recover your former seriousness, and mindfulness of God: 'Tis one of the deceits of our hearts to complain of negligence, and not redress it. The Nazarite who had broken his vow, he was to begin all again, Numbers 6.12. So you that have broken with God, you must do what you did at first conversion, let your work be sin-abhorring every day, and ingaging your heart anew to God; And make no reservation, but so give up your selves to the Lord, that his interests may prevail in your hearts again, above all sinful and vile inclinations, or whatever hath been the cause of the withdrawing your hearts from God, and the decay of your love to him.