Sunbeams of Gospel Light, To the reader 1
To the Reader of these pious and plaine Sermons, Grace and PEACE.
CHristian Reader, it was an old complaint of an Heathen, that the noise of the old Philosophers opinions did hinder their dung-hill gods from hearing their prayers: And it is no very new complaint of a Christian, that the many idle subtleties of the Schoole have so drawn up Divinity to the highest pegge of a curious mind, that it hinders the heart from moulding it into Prayers and practice.
This grave and serious Divine, whose living Sermons are here commended to thee when hee is dead, saw it with both eyes. Therefore though he was no small master in subtleties, yet all his thoughts were bent to draw them downe from the floating braine, to the feeling heart; that his hearers might be better brought to know and doe. As this hath been his course in all his writings before extant; so is it in this, that now comes to thy hands. How might he have hid himselfe in the thornes of speculation? How high might hee have flowne in the curious extracts of every word of this Text? But he, that delighted to speake ten words to edification, rather then ten thousand that could not pierce every ordinary braine, contented himselfe to fill up deepe foards to make them passable, and to wade the sweete and shallow streames of the love of the Lord Iesus.
He might, from hence, have set himselfe upon the mount of cursings, and showred downe worse then fire and brimstone upon delinquents: but the meeknesse of his spirit carries him up to the mount of blessings, to learne good soules through death to finde life, through threatnings to meete with comforts.
Hee, being lifted up by the Divine love of Christ, doth describe love, and our love to Christ: He soares to the equity, and necessity of it: He rests not before he have given you the meanes, motives, markes, gaines qualifications, and obiects of this love. How faine would he have thee love the Lord Iesus, that thou maiest avoid the curse, and enioy the blessing! Hee knew nothing more necessary for a good Christian then this love. First, he must be a Christian by faith; next, hee must live a Christian by faith and love too: Hee can doe neither without the love of Christ to him; and this hee can not have but in his time: hee shall have faith in Christ, and love to the Lord Iesus.
There is neither thing, nor love in all the world more comfortable to a good man then this: Sinne presseth hard downe, and pulls him back from heaven; Satan baites both the hands, and hookes of the world, prosperity, and adversity, to entangle him; Death brings him downe to the bed of darkenesse, the land of oblivion, and laies him up as a despised lumpe: But if hee have this love, when all vanishing bubbles flie away; this mounts him up into the bosome of God. As water, be it conveyed in Pipes never so low, yet in the same Pipes it will rise up as high as the Spring head: so this love springing from the bosome of God, though it bee shed abroad, and runne through the channels of our hearts on earth, yet with a willing motion it mounts up to Christ againe, and carrieth us along with it in despite of stormes. Where we love, we live: where wee love, we desire to be; and God hath so ordered, that this appetite shall not be in vaine.
And as for other Loves, see whether the Love of the Lord Iesus doe not surpasse them all Love other things, and yet often they slide away from thee, so that in them thou hast but a momentany joy: But love thy Lord, and, doing so he he abides with thee for ever, and is to thee a spring of everlasting joy. Love other things, and they cannot know the sincerity of thy heart, how much, and in what manner and measure thou lovest them: But love thy Lord, and hee knowes better the love of thy heart then thy selfe: Thou maist say unto him, as did Peter, Thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee; and shalt find entertainment answerable. Love other things, and thou hast vexing care over them, both about their gaining, keeping, and losing: But love thy Lord, and thy care is sweete for him; yea, he careth for thee in all thy wayes. Thou canst lose nothing by it, no not thy heart, which though it goe out to him, and he keepes it, yet hee gives it to thee againe, and that better then it was, to comfort thee in thy whole course.
Love other things, and thou findest not them at all times, nor so often as thou wouldest: when thou hast need thou canst not speake to them so often as thou wouldst, neither doe they harken to thy words as thou couldst wish: But love thy Lord, and hee is with thee alwaies to the end of the world: Thou maiest speake to him at any time, by night, or by day; he heareth thee at all times, and gives thee thy hearts desires. Love other things, and thou canst not know their secrets; there may bee something in them which may bee vexations unto thee in the issue; there may lye a snake under the greene grasse, a filthy loade under a sweet flower, and a worme in the heart of a defired apple. But love thy Lord, and he will reveale the mystery of Godlinesse, and his hidden secrets of truth unto thee according to his word; yea, thou shalt see that nothing but that which is glorious in it self, and good for thee, is either in him, or about him.
Love other things, and they put thee to many a trouble; they hinder thee in thy prayers, and all thy service to God, because thou dost alwaies think, and dote upon them: But love thy Lord, and hee bringeth into thy heart and conseience, peace which passeth all understanding. The more thou lovest him when thou prayest, the more hee gives thee to thy selfe; yea, the more he gives thee to himselfe, and fills thee with holy comfort. Love othe… things, and they are without thee still; thou canst never bring them to any more intimate communion, save that which is common to thee with Epicures: But love thy Lord, and he dwelleth in thee, and thou in him, for he is Love.
Love other things, and they seeke at thy hands a profit and gaine to themselves, or else they perish in thy love. They will take advantage upon thy love to worke upon thee for their owne perfections: But love thy Lord, and hee seekes thy profit and perfection: he alwaies endures to glorifie himselfe in doing thee good. Love other things, and most times they will deceive thee, they are often lyars, variable, and inconstant: But love thy Lord, and thou shalt be assured: hee is most true, and unchangeable, and thou maist build upon him, that hee will not faile thee nor forsake thee.
Love other things, and ofttimes they cause griefe and heavinesse, and so doe highly displease thee: But love thy Lord, and it banisheth feare and sad confusion of face, because thou canst see nothing in him that can displease thee. Lastly, love other things, and thou knowest not assuredly whether thou art loved of them again: But love thy Lord, and thou maist bee assured that he answereth thee with the same; yea, with better; for hee cannot but love a blessed child of the begetting of his owne will.
By how much more excellent this love is then the love of all things else, by so much the more must thou presse to enjoy and practice it. Every thing naturally desires that which is best for it. If it have it not, it is from the errour about the object, or the miscariage of the appetite. That therefore thou maiest faile in neither, but mayest have the best object, and the best appetite cleared from clouds of ignorance and sin unto thee, these five Sermons of an experienced master in Israel are tendred unto thee. If thou reapest benefit by them, give glory to God, who would not have this lampe of love kept under a bushel, and buried in oblivion. If thou receivest the least encouragement, from these foregoing lines, to make use of this light, know that they proceede from the love of thee in Christ, in him, who desires thy prayers, that hee may love the Lord Iesus both in life and death. Farewell.