A Divine Cordial, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Discovering the Signs, or Fruits of love to God.
Vse 2. LEt us try our selves impartially,Vse 2. Tryal. whether we are in the number of those that love God. For the deciding of this, (our love will be best seen by the Fruits of it) I shall lay down fourteen Signs, or Fruits of love to God, and it concerns us nearly to search, whether any of these Fruits grow in our Garden.
1. The first Fruit of love is, musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love,1. Fruit of love. his thoughts are still upon the Object: He who loves God, is ravished and transported with the Contemplations of God, Psal. 139.17. When I awake, I am still with thee. The thoughts are as travellers in the mind: Davids thoughts kept Heaven-Road, I am still with thee. God is the Treasure, and where the Treasure is, there is the heart. By this we may try our love to God: What are our thoughts most upon? Can we say we are ravished with delight when we think on God? Have our thoughts got wings? are they fled aloft? Do we contemplate Christ and Glory? Oh how far are they from being lovers of God, who scarce ever think of God? Psal. 10.4. God is not in all his thoughts. A sinner crowds God out of his thoughts; he never thinks of God, unless with horror, as the Prisoner thinks of the Judge.
2. The Second Fruit of love is, desire of Communion: 2. Fruit.Love desires familiarity and intercourse, Psal. 84.2. My heart and flesh cryeth out for the living God. King David being debarred the House of God, where was the Tabernacle, (the visible token of his presence) he now breaths after God, and in an holy Pathos of desire, cryes out for the living God. Lovers would be parlying together. If we love God we prize his Ordinances, because there we meet with God: He speaks to us in his Word, and we speak to him in Prayer. By this let us examine our love to God. Do we desire intimacy of communion with God? Lovers cannot be long asunder. Such as love God, have an holy fondness, they know not how to be from him; they can want any thing but Gods presence; they can want health and friends, they can want a full Table, but they cannot want God: Psal. 143.7. Hide not thy face from me, least I be like them that go down into the Grave. Lovers have their foreign, fainting fits: David was ready to faint away, and dye, when he had not a sight of God. They who love God cannot be contented with having Ordinances, unless they may enjoy God in them; that were to lick the glass, and not the honey.
What shall we say to them who can be all their lives long without God? they think God may be best spared: They complain they want health and trading, but not that they want God. Wicked men are not acquainted with God; and how can they love who are not acquainted? nay, which is worse, they do not desire to be acquainted with God, Iob 21.14. They say to God, depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes. Sinners shun acquaintance with God, they count his presence a burden; and are these Lovers of God? Doth that woman love her husband, who cannot endure to be in his presence?
3. The Third Fruit of love is grief. Where there is love to God,3. Fruit. there is a grieving for our sins of unkindness against him. A Child that loves his Father cannot chuse but weep for offending him. The heart that burns in love, melts in tears: O that I should abuse the love of so dear a Saviour! Did not my Lord suffer enough upon the Cross, but must I make him suffer more? shall I give him more Gall and Vinegar to drink? How dis-loyal and dis-ingenious have I been? how have I grieved his Spirit, trampled upon his Royal Commands, sleighted his Bloud? this opens a Vein of godly sorrow, and makes the heart bleed afresh. Mat. 26.75. Peter went out, and wept bitterly. When Peter thought how dearly Christ loved him; he was taken up into the Mount of Transfiguration, Christ shewed him the Glory of Heaven in a Vision; now that he should deny Christ after he had received such signal love from him, this broke his heart with grief, he went out, and wept bitterly.
By this let us try our love to God: Are our hearts spiritual Lymbecks, dropping the water of godly tears? Do we grieve for our unkindnesses against God, our abuse of mercy, our non-improvement of Talents? How far are they from loving God, who sin daily, and their hearts never smite them! they have a Sea of sin, and not a drop of sorrow; they are so far from being troubled, that they make merry with their sins, Ier. 11.15. When thou dost evil, then thou rejoycest. Oh wretch, did Christ bleed for sin, and dost thou laugh at it? These are far from loving God: Does he love his friend, that loves to do him an injury?
4. Fruit.4. Another Fruit of love is Magnanimity. Love is valourous, it turns cowardise into courage: Love will make one adventure upon the greatest difficulties and hazards; Amor nescit difficultates. The fearful Hen will fly upon a Dog or Serpent, to defend her young ones. Love doth infuse foreign, a spirit of Gallantry and Fortitude into a Christian. He that loves God will stand up in his Cause, and be an Advocate for him: Acts 4.20. We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. He who is afraid to own Christ, hath but little love to him. Nicodemus came sneaking to Christ by night, John 3.2. He was fearful of being seen with him in the day time. Love casts out fear. As the Sun expels Fogs and Vapours; so doth Divine Love in a great measure expel carnal Fear. Doth he love God, that can hear his blessed Truths spoken against, and be silent? He who loves his friend, will stand up for him, and vindicate him when he is reproached. Doth Christ appear for us in Heaven, and are we afraid to appear for him on Earth? Love animates a Christian; it fires his heart with zeal, and steels it with courage.
5. The fifth Fruit of love is, sensibility. If we love God,5. Fruit. our hearts ake for the dishonours done to God by wicked men: To see, not only the Banks of Religion, but Civility, broken down, and a Flood of wickednesse coming in; to see Gods Sabbaths prophaned, his Oath violated, his Name dishonoured; if there be any love to God in us, we shall lay these things to heart. Lot's righteous soul was vexed for the unclean conversation of the wicked, 2 Pet. 2.17. He took the sins of Sodom, and made Spears of them to pierce his own soul. How far are they from loving God, who are not at all affected with his dishonour? if they have but Peace and Trading, they lay nothing to heart. A man who is dead drunk, though another be bleeding to death by him, he never minds, or is sensible: so, many being drunk with the wine of Prosperity, when the honour of God is wounded, and his Truths lye a bleeding, they are not sensible. Did men love God, they would grieve to see his Glory suffer, and Religion it self become a Martyr.
6. The sixth Fruit of love is, Antipathy against sin. 6. Fruit.Fire purgeth the Drosse from the Metal. The Fire of Love purgeth out sin. Hos. 14.8. Ephraim shall say, what have I to do any more with Idols? He that loves God, will have nothing to do with sin, unlesse to give battel to it. Sin is Dei-cidium, it strikes not only at Gods Honour, but his Being. Doth he love his Prince, that harbours him who is a Traitor to the Crown? Is he a friend to God, who loves that which God hates *Quomodo amas Deum, cum adhuc amas quod …dit Deus? Austin.? The love of God, and the love of sin, cannot dwell together: The Affections cannot be carried to two contraries at the same time. A man cannot love health, and love poyson too: so, one cannot love God, and sin too. He who hath any secret sin in his heart allowed, is as far from loving God, as Heaven and Earth are distant one from the other.
7. Another Fruit of love is, Crucifixion. 7. Fruit.He who is a Lover of God, is dead to the world, Gal. 6.14. I am crucified to the world; I am dead to the honours and pleasures of it. He who is in love with God, is not much in love with any thing else *Cui Christus dulcescit, mundus am…rescit. Bern.: His love to God moves as the Sun in the Firmament, swiftly; but his love to the world, is as the motion of the Sun upon the Dial, which is very slow. The love of God, and the violent love of the world, are inconsistent *Fortis est ut mors amor; sicut mors violentèr separat animas a corpor…, ita amor Dei violentèr segregat hominem a mundano amore. Isidor.. 1 Iohn 2.15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Love to God swallows up all other love; as Moses's Rod swallowed up the Egyptian Rods. If a man could live in the Sun, what a small Point would all the Earth be! So when a mans heart is raised above the world, in the admiring and loving God, how poor and slender are these things below! they seem as nothing in his eye. It was a sign the Primitive Christians did love God, their money did not lye near their heart, but they laid down their money at the Apostles feet, Acts 4.35.
Try by this your love to God. What shall we think of such as have never enough of the world? they have the dry Dropsie of Covetousnesse, thirsting insatiably after riches, Amos 2.7. That pant after the dust of the earth. Never talk of your love to Christ (saith Ignatius) foreign, when you prefer the world before the Pearl of price; and are there not many such who prize their gold above God? If they have a South-Land, they care not for the water of life; they will sell Christ and a good Conscience for money. Will God ever bestow Heaven upon them, who so basely undervalue him, preferring glittering dust, before the glorious Deity? what is here in the Earth that we should so set our hearts upon it? only the Devil makes us look upon it through a Multiplying Glasse. The world hath no real intrinsecal worth; it is but Paint and Alchymy. The world hath two Breasts, the one Breast is dry, it is vanity; the other Breast runs blood, it is vexation.
8. Fruit.8. The next Fruit of love is fear. In the Godly love and fear do kisse each other. There is a double fear ariseth from love. 1. A fear of displeasing. The Spouse loves her husband, therefore will rather deny her self, than displease him. The more we love God, the more fearful we are of grieving his Spirit, Gen. 39.9. How then can I do this great wickednesse, and sin against God? When Eudoxia the Empresse threatned to banish Chrysostome, Tell her (saith he) I fear nothing but sin. That is a blessed love which puts a Christian into an hot fit of zeal, and a cold fit of fear, making him shake and tremble, and not dare willingly to offend God.
2. A fear mixed with jealousie, 1 Sam. 4.13. Elies heart trembled for the Ark. It is not said, his heart trembled for Hophni and Phinehas, his two sons, but his heart trembled for the Ark, because if the Ark were taken, then the glory was departed. He that loves God is full of fear least it should go ill with the Church; he fears least prophaness (which is the plague of Leprosie) should encrease, least Popery get footing, least God should go from a People. The presence of God in his Ordinances, is the beauty and strength of a Nation. The Trojans had the Image of Pallas, and they had an opinion that as long as that Image was preserved among them, they should never be conquered. So long as Gods presence is with a people, so long they are safe; but the soul inflamed in love to God, fears least the visible tokens of Gods presence should be removed.
By this Touch-stone let us try our love to God. Many fear least peace and Trading go, but not least God and his Gospel go; are these Lovers of God? He who loves God is more afraid of the losse of spiritual blessings than temporal. If the Sun of Righteousnesse remove out of our Horizon, what can follow but darknesse? What comfort can an Organ, or Antheme give, if the Gospel be gone? is it not like the sound of a Trumpet, or a Volley of shot at a Funeral?
9. Fruit.9. If we are lovers of God, we love that which God loves. 1. We love Gods Word. David esteemed the Word, for the sweetnesse of it, above honey, Psal. 119.103. and for the value of it, above gold, Psal. 119.72. The Lines of Scripture are richer than the Mines of Gold. Well may we love the Word; it is the Load-Star that directs us to Heaven, it is the Field in which the Pearl is hid. That man who loves not the Word, but thinks it too strict, and could wish any part of the Bible torn out (as that Adulterer did the seventh Commandement) he hath not the least spark of love in his heart.
2. We love Gods day; we do not only keep a Sabbath, but love a Sabbath. Isa. 58.13. If thou call the Sabbath a delight. The Sabbath is that which keeps up the face of Religion amongst us; this day must be consecrated as glorious to the Lord. The house of God is foreign, the Palace of the Great King; on the Sabbath God shews himself there, through the Lattice. If we love God, we prize his day above all other dayes. All the week would be dark, if it were not for this day; on this day Manna falls double; now, if ever, Heaven-gate stands open, and God comes down in a golden shower: This blessed day the Sun of Righteousnesse riseth upon the soul. How doth a gracious heart prize that day, which was made on purpose to enjoy God in?
3. We love Gods Laws. A gracious soul is glad of the Law, because it checks his sinful exorbitances. The heart would be ready to run wilde in sin, if it had not some blessed restraints put upon it by the Law of God. He that loves God, loves his Law, the Law of repentance, the Law of self-denyal. Many say they love God, but they hate his Laws, Psal. 2.3. Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. Gods precepts are compared to cords, they bind men to their good behaviour; but the wicked think these cords too strait, therefore they say, let us break them. They pretend to love Christ as a Saviour, but hate him as a Prince. Christ tells us of his yoak, Mat. 11.29. Sinners would have Christ put a Crown upon their head, but not a yoak upon their neck. He were a strange King should rule without Laws.
4. We love Gods picture, we love his Image shining in the Saints, 1 Iohn 5.1. He that loves him that begat, loves him also that is begotten of him. 'Tis possible to love a Saint, yet not love him as a Saint; we may love him for something else, for his ingenuity, because he is affable and bountiful. A beast loves a man, but not quatenus homo, as he is a man, but because he feeds him, and gives him provinder. But to love a Saint as he is a Saint, this is a sign of love to God. If we love a Saint for his Saint-ship, as having something of God in him, then we love him in these four Cases.
1. We love a Saint though he be poor. A man that loves gold, loves a piece of gold though it be in a rag: So though a Saint be in rags, we love him, because there is aliquid Christi, something of Christ in him.
2. We love a Saint though he hath many personal failings. There is no perfection here; in some, rash anger …revails; in some, inconstancy; in some, too much love of the world. A Saint in this life is like gold in the ore, much drosse of infirmity cleaves to him, yet we love him for the grace that is in him. A Saint is like a fair face with a scar: We love the beautiful face of holinesse, though there be a scar in it. The best Emerald hath its blemishes, the brightest Stars their twinklings, and the best of the Saints have their failings. Thou that canst not love another because of his infirmities, how wouldst thou have God love thee? hast not thou good store▪
3. We love the Saints though in some lesser things they differ from us. Perhaps another Christian hath not so much light as thou, and that may make him erre in some things; wilt thou presently un-Saint him, because he cannot come up to thy light?☜ Where there is union in Fundamentals, there ought to be union in Affections.
4. We love the Saints though they are persecuted. We love precious Mettal though it be in the furnace. St Paul did bear in his boby the marks of the Lord Jesus, Gal. 6.17. Those marks were like the Souldiers scar, honourable. We must love a Saint as well in Chains, as in Scarlet. Constantine did kisse the hole of Paphnusius his eye, because he suffered the losse of his eye for Christ. If we love Christ, we love his persecuted Members.
If this be to love God, when we love his Image sparkling in the Saints, Oh then, how few Lovers of God are to be found! Do they love God, who hate them that are like God? Do they love Christs person, who are fill'd a spirit of revenge against his people? How can that wife be said to love her husband, that tears his picture? Surely Iudas and Iulian are not yet dead, their spirit lives in the world. Who are guilty but the innocent? What greater crime than holinesse, if the Devil may be one of the grand Jury? Wicked men seem to bear great reverence to the Saints departed; they canonize dead Saints, but persecute living. In vain do men stand up at the Creed, and tell the world, They believe in God, when they abominate one of the Articles of the Creed, namely, The Communion of Saints. Surely, there is not a greater sign of a man ripe for Hell, than this, not onelyonly to want grace, but to hate it.
10. Another blessed sign of love, is, to entertain good thoughts of God. He that loves his friend construes what his friend doth in the best sence. 1 Cor. 13.5. Love thinketh no evill. Malice interprets all in the worst sence; Love interprets all in the best sence; it is an excellent Commentator upon Providence▪ It thinks no evill. He that loves God, hath a good opinion of God; though he afflicts sharply, yet the soul takes all well. This is the Language of a gracious spirit: My God sees what an hard heart I have, therefore drives in one Wedge of affliction after another, to break my heart; he knows how full I am of bad humors, how sick of a Plurisie, therefore lets me blood to save my life; this severe dispensation is either to mortifie some corruption, or to exercise some grace: How good is God that will not let me alone in my sins, but smites my body, to save my soul! Thus he that loves God, takes every thing in good part. Love puts a candid glosse upon all Gods actions. Thou who art apt to murmur at God, as if he had dealt ill with thee, be humbled for this; say thus with thy self, if I loved God more, I should have better thoughts of God. 'Tis Satan that makes us have good thoughts of our selves, and hard thoughts of God. Love takes all in the fairest sence, it thinketh no evill.
11. The eleventh Fruit of love is Obedience, Iohn 14.21. He that hath my Commandements, and keepeth them, 11 Fruit.he it is that loveth me.—Pater adsum, impera quid vis—*Plaut.. 'Tis a vain thing to say we love Christs person, if we slight his Commands. Doth that Child love his Father, who refuseth to obey him †Am…re Deum. & obedire, duae sunt alae, quibus evoles ad coelos, tr…nsveharis ad sanctos, inseraris inter Angelos. Austin. de vis. infi▪? If we love God, we will obey him in those things which crosse flesh and blood:
1. In things difficult.
2. In things dangerous.
1. In things difficult. As 1. In mortifying sin. There are some sins which are not onelyonly near to us as the garment, but dear to us as the eye; if we love God, we will set our selves against these, both in purpose and practise. 2. In forgiving our enemies. God commands us upon pain of death to forgive, Eph. 4.32. Forgiving one another *foreign.. This is hard, 'tis crossing the stream; we are apt to forget kindnesses, and remember injuries; but if we love God, we will passe by offences. When we seriously consider how many Talents God hath forgiven us, how many affronts and indignations he hath put up at our hands, this makes us write after his Copy, and endeavour rather to bury an injury, than retaliate it.
2. In things dangerous. When God calls us to suffer for him, we will obey. Love made Christ suffer for us; love was the Chain that fastned him to the Crosse: So if we love God, we shall be willing to suffer for him. Love hath a strange quality, it is the least suffering grace, and yet it is the most suffering grace: It is the least suffering grace in one sence; it will not suffer known sin to lye in the soul unrepented of, it will not suffer abuses and dishonours done to God, thus it is the least suffering grace; yet it is the most suffering grace, it will suffer reproaches, bonds, imprisonments, for Christs sake, Acts 21.13. I am ready not onelyonly to be bound, but to dye for the name of the Lord Iesus. 'Tis true, every Christian is not a Martyr, but he hath a spirit of Martyrdome in him, …he saith as Paul foreign I am ready to be bound, he hath a disposition of mind to suffer, if God call. Love will carry men out above their own strength. Tertullian observes how much the Heathen suffered for love to their Countrey. —Vicit amor Patriae—If the Spring-head of Nature riseth so high, surely Grace will rise higher. If love to their Countrey will make men suffer, much more should love to Christ. 1 Cor. 13.7. Love endureth all things. Basil speaks of a Virgin condemn'd to the fire, who having her life and estate offered her, if she would fall down to the Idol, answered, Let life and money go, welcome Christ *Valeat vita, pereat pecunia.. It was a noble and zealous speech of Ignatius, Let me (saith he) be groun'd with the teeth of wilde beasts, if I may be Gods pure Wheat †foreign. Ignat.. How did divine affection carry the Primitive Saints above the love of life, and the fear of death? St Steven was stoned, St Luke hanged on an Olive Tree, St Peter crucified at Hierusalem with his head downward *Euseb.. These divine Hero's were willing to suffer, rather than by their cowardise to make the name of God suffer. How did St Paul rattle his Chain that he wore for Christ *Act. 28.20.? he did glory in it, foreign as a woman that is proud of her Jewels, saith Chrysostome. And holy Ignatius did wear his Fetters as a Bracelet of Diamonds. Heb. 11.35. Not accepting deliverance. They refused to come out of Prison on sinful terms, they preferred their innocency before their liberty.
By this let us try our love to God, have we a spirit of Martyrdome? Many say they love God, but how doth it appear? they will not forgoe the least comfort, or undergo the least crosse for his sake. If Jesus Christ should have said to us, I love you well, you are dear to me, but I cannot suffer, I cannot lay down my life for you, we should have questioned his love very much; and may not Christ suspect us, when we pretend love to him, yet will endure nothing for him? They who bear true affection to God, will according to their vow in Baptisme, fight under his Banner to the death, and make Christs Crown flourish in their ashes.
12 Fruit.12. He who loves God, will endeavour to make him appear glorious in the eyes of others. Such as are in love will be commending, and setting forth the amiablenesse of those persons whom they love. The Love-sick Spouse describes Christ in all his beauty, Cant. 5.11.13. His head is as the most fine Gold, his cheeks are as a bed of Spices. If we love God, we will spread abroad his excellencies, that so we may raise his fame and esteem, and may tempt others to fall in love with him. Love cannot be silent, we shall be as so many Trumpets, sounding forth the freenesse of Gods Grace, the Transcendency of his Love, the Glory of his Kingdom. Love is like fire; where it burns in the heart, it will break forth at the lips, it will be elegant and pathetical in setting forth Gods praise: Love must have vent.
13. The Thirteenth Fruit of love is,13 Fruit. To long for Christs appearing. 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is a Crowne of Righteousnesse laid up for me, and not for me onelyonly, but for them which love Christs appearing. Love desires union, Aristotle gives the reason, because joy flows from union. When our union with Christ is perfect in glory, then our joy will be full. He that loves Christ, loves his appearing. Christs appearing will be an happy appearing to the Saints. His appearing now, is very comfortable, when he appears for us as an Advocate, Heb. 9.24. But the other appearing will be infinitely more, when he shall appear for us as our Husband; he will at that day bestow two Jewels upon us. 1. His love; a love so great and astonishing, that it is better felt than expressed. 2. His likenesse, 1 Iohn 3.2. When he shall appear, we shall be like him. And from both these, Love and Likenesse, infinite joy will flow into the soul. No wonder then he who loves Christ, longs for his appearance. Doth not the Bride long for the Marriage-day? The Spirit and the Bride say come, even so come Lord Iesus, Revel. 22.17. By this let us try our Love to Christ. A wicked man who is foreign self-condemned, is afraid of Christs appearing, he wisheth he would never appear; but such as love Christ, are joyful to think of his coming in the Clouds; they shall then be delivered from all their sins and fears, they shall be acquitted before men and Angels, and shall be for ever translated into the Paradise of God.
14 Fruit.14. Love will make us stoop to the meanest offices. Love is an humble grace, it doth not walk abroad in state, it will creep upon its hands, it will stoop and submit to any thing whereby it may be serviceable to Christ. As we see in Ioseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus, both of them Honourable Persons, yet one takes down Christs body with his own hands, and the other embalms it with sweet odours; it might seem much for persons of their rank to be employed in that service, but love made them do it. If we love God we shall not think any work too mean for us, wherein we may be helpful to Christs Members. Love is not squemish, it will visit the sick, relieve the poor, wash the Saints wounds. The Mother that loves her child, is not coy and nice, she will do those things about her child, which others would scorn to do. He who loves God will humble himself to the meanest office of love to Christ and his Members. These are the fruits of love to God. Happy are they, who can find these Out-Landish Fruits growing in their souls.