The Valley of Vision, Sermon 4 – Title page 3
SERMON IIII.
James 1.12.
Which the Lord hath promiſed to them that love him.
IN the handling of theſe words I ſhall fall upon my laſt dayes argument, The Crowne of life, but with new variety, with other Meditations, I ſhall preſent it againe; but as our bleſſed Saviour appeared to the two Diſciples in another forme, and other conſiderations then before. Before I let you ſee it as a Crowne of poſſeſſion, now, as a Crowne of promiſe: I then ſet it before you as the Apoſtle doth in the former words, as Corona praeliantium, the Crowne of Conqueſt, of thoſe that fight; and now I muſt preſent it to you as Corona amantium, the Crowne of thoſe that love. The variety ariſeth from the diverſity of the words as they are here ſet downe by the Apoſtle; for here are three gradations of the deſcription of this Crowne of glory.
Communis
Propria
Magis propria
Firſt, it is ſet downe to us in a generall word, which comprehends all the ſeverall branches and excellencies of that glory, by the name of bleſſedneſſe, Bleſſed is the man.
Then there is a ſpeciall word of that generall, when it is called, the Crowne of life.
Then laſt of all, there is another ſpeciall, a more ſpeciall of that ſpeciall, when it is referred to the grace of love; the Crowne of life which God hath promiſed to them that love him. So this is the part that I am now to ſpeak of, which is the cloſe of the verſe. And there are two things that are obſerveable in it.
One on Gods part, it is Corona promiſſa, the Crowne promiſed.
Another on our part, it is Corona amantium, the Crown of them that love him.
Theſe are the two things I am to ſpeake of.
I begin with the firſt of theſe, the firſt branch of this laſt part of the deſcription, that hath reſpect to him that gives the glory, Corona repromiſſa, the Crowne that is promiſed. The Apoſtle adds theſe words out of a great deale of wiſdome, and foreſight. He lets us ſee by this word that he adds here, both who is the Donor, and what is the conveyance of this excellent glory.
If you aſke about the Donor, the ſame is he that performes, that promiſeth, that is God. He that gives us our firſt being, it is he onelyonly that gives us our well being. The being of nature is from him, and ſo is the being of glory. Nam ille ſolus, &c. (as St. Auſtin ſayth very well) he onelyonly can make man happy, that made man at the firſt. It is that that we all ſhall know one day, if we be ſo happy as to inherit it, when God tranſlates us thither, that it is Chriſts glorious hand that ſets on this Crowne. I but God will have us know it now before we come to it; therefore leaſt any man ſhould be ignorant, he doth not reſerve the knowledge, as long as he doth the thing, the thing ſhall be given then, it is promiſed now, in the meane time, it is God that hath promiſed it, it is God that gives it. That is the firſt thing that the Apoſtle implies.
Then if we look to the manner of the conveyance, it is in this word, it is by promiſe, it comes to us by deed, by good deed, good aſſurance. There is no better deed then that that is written by the Finger of God, and ſealed to us by the blood of Chriſt. The promiſe depends both upon the merit of Chriſt, and upon the truth of God. He lets us ſee therefore the conveyance in this word, that though we cannot yet come to ſee the glory of the crown in the thing, we may ſee it in the conveyance and promiſe. As he that is the Heire apparent to any great matter, but is not come to the poſſeſſion, though he cannot behold the inheritance as his owne with the eye of ſence, he may with the eye of reaſon; if he cannot read it where it is Scituated, he may in his deeds and conveyances. It is all that the Saints had to ſhew for Heaven, when they were on Earth, they could ſee Heaven in the promiſe, they could ſee and read it in the conveyance. Abraham did ſee Chriſts day, and he that ſees Chriſts day of his firſt appearing, by faith can ſee his ſecond appearing. The Apoſtle tells us Heb. 11. of all the Saints in the Old Teſtament, though they inherited not the poſſeſſion of the promiſes, they ſaw them a far off in the tenure of the promiſes. God deales with us, as he did with Moſes, becauſe he would not bring him to the Land of Canaan, he carries him to the Mount, and ſhews it him there; he ſhews it in a Viſion, in the Viſion, and glaſſe of the promiſes, before he tranſlates us, he ſhews us what Heaven is. Indeed when we come to Heaven, there we ſhall ſee from the Mount of Viſion, but here we may look from the Valley of Viſion; that we may know what the conveyance is, whence it comes, the Apoſtle adds this word, The Crowne of life, the Crowne promiſed.
Yet he tells us not where it is promiſed, nor in what place of Scripture. The Apoſtles were full of quotations, yet ſometimes they did forbeare them too. It had been but an eaſie labour, but yet it was needleſſe, being a promiſe of a thing ſo precious, as indeed all the promiſes are precious promiſes, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks: being a promiſe ſo precious, he ſuppoſed that every man that was converſant in the word of God, would be ſure to treaſure up theſe Scriptures, of all Scripture, promiſes, and of all promiſes, thoſe that concerne Heaven are moſt precious. A man that accounts the Book of God a Jewell, the moſt precious of all the Jewells, are theſe promiſes that concerne Heaven. He ſuppoſed that every man would pluck theſe, and treaſure, and lay them up in the Store-houſe of his heart, that he may pick comfort from them in the time of need; he names them not therefore that every man might get theſe.
It was needleſſe in another reſpect too; there is hardly any Booke in the whole Bible, in which there are not promiſes of …alvation. It is the ſum of both Teſtaments, there are promiſes of the Crowne of life every where. In the Pſalmes oft times; With thee is the Well of life. In thy preſence, is fullneſſe of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleaſures for evermore. When I awake I ſhall behold thy face in righteouſnes. You have it in the Book of the Proverbs oft repeated, Length of dayes are in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and glory. You have it in the Prophets oft. Thoſe that are juſt ſhall ſhine as the ſtars of the Firmament, in glory. It dropt oft from the mouth of Chriſt, and oft from the mouths and pens of the Apoſtles. What need was there to point out any place where the promiſe was made, when it is made in every place? A man cannot open the Bible almoſt but he ſhall hit on it. God would plant this foundation of faith in every part; any man that is not converſant in reading the whole, let him caſt his eye on any part, he ſhall meet with this: there are frequent iterations of it, it was renewed daily, being the grand promiſe of the reſt, it was fit it ſhould have many repetitions, and many renovations.
There was no way it could be conveyed to us by any aſſurance, but by promiſe, even the leaſt bleſſings; there is no bleſſing that we look for in act, but it is conveyed by promiſe. If it be comfort to a diſtreſſed man, that is oft repeated. Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will eaſe you. If it be the promiſe of ſupport and ſtrength in ſickneſſe, that is repeated. He ſhall make all his bed in his ſickneſſe. What ſay I more? If there be promiſes of leſſe bleſſings, there muſt needs be of the greateſt, that that comprehends all in it, the promiſe of glory, the Crowne of life, it is the courſe that God obſerves in Scripture, he gives all by promiſe, he gives it twice, becauſe he would be ſure to give Heaven to us, he gives Heaven in the PROMISE; that is, Heaven in hope, and then in act, that is in poſſeſſion and fruition.
There is a great deale of reaſon, if we look on our ſelves, or on God.
Firſt, look on God, it was fit he ſhould give it by promiſe.
Partly, for the better teſtification of his truth, that he might appeare to be Deus verax, a God of his word. The truth of God could not appeare, unleſſe there were a word to make good, and fullfill his gift, and that could not be, but by promiſe; this glorious Attribute would fall to the ground but for that; there might be ſome ſuppoſitions of him to be a God of infinit goodneſſe, and purity, but we had not had experience of it but by promiſe.
And then for the demonſtration of his wiſdome, that he would not give Heaven, without adviſe and deliberation and not as we give, raſhly. He took counſell, the gift of glory is a work of counſell: a work of counſell in the firſt ordaining, Epheſ. 1. We are predeſtinate according to the Counſell and purpoſe of his will. God doth all adviſedly, as he begins with counſell, ſo he carries it along with counſell: there is no better teſtimony of his wiſdome, then to give it firſt by promiſe, he diſpoſeth it by degrees, that he may appeare to be a wiſe God, he gives it by deliberation, and therefore by promiſe.
Laſtly, for the better demonſtration of his goodneſſe, that he might appeare to be Deus bonus. Promiſe is a kind of debt; he that gives a promiſe, makes himſelfe a Debtor. Whereas we are all Debtors to God, debtors to his juſtice, in regard of our ſins; debtors to his love, for our ſelves, and all that we have, ſee his goodneſſe, that whereas we are debtors to him, he condiſcends to make himſelfe by promiſe, and ſtipulation, debtors to us, as St. Auſtin very well, Ʋt ſicut, &c. That as we ſhould praiſe God as the Donor of all the good we have, ſo we ſhould depend upon him as the holy debtor of all the good we look for, to teſtify this great goodneſſe, he gives it, firſt …y promiſe, and that becauſe it is a long time before we come to poſſeſſion: God ſtaies our ſtomacks by a promiſe, as a bit before the heavenly ſupper: When that Supper comes, then we have fruition, and becauſe we may have deſires hot towards Heaven, and our ſtomacks ſharp, God ſtaies them, and gives us a little of the firſt fruits, and theſe are in the promiſes.
And then there is good reaſon, if we conſider our ſelves. The reaſon that we are ſo fraile, and weak in faith, and have ſo much trouble, and conflicts, and agonies in our ſpirits, is becauſe we doe not converſe with the promiſes, we treaſure not up theſe. The promiſes are a great ſupport of three graces.
Firſt, they are the great ſupport of faith, faith would ſinck, and lag, unleſſe it were for the promiſes. The promiſes are to faith, as Aaron, and Hur, were to Moſes. Moſes hands were feeble, and then Aaron, and Hur, bring a ſtone, and ſet it under. When Moſes had the ſtone under, and Aaron and Hur ſupported his hands, then Iſrael prevailed, Moſes was ſtrengthened. The promiſe is as that ſtone, it brings the Rock Chriſt, it makes us look to the Rock that is higher then our ſelves: It brings the Rock and ſets it not onelyonly above us, but under us. The promiſe underſets faith, and keeps the building from tottering. Nothing can ſupport it more then the promiſe. For in that the promiſe ſupports it, God ſupports it, and all in all his attributes. There is ſomwhat of all the attributes of God in the promiſe of his wiſdome, of his truth, of the power, and juſtice of God, all theſe ſupport ſaith. A man hath enough if he have but one Attribute to ſupport him in any exigent: How ſtrong is he that hath all theſe in the promiſe? Becauſe God is fai…hfull, and juſt, and true, the promiſe it is the ſupport of faith.
As it is the ſupport of faith, ſo it is of hope, and of patience. There is no grace that hath ſo great correſpondency with the promiſe, as hope, and patience.
The promiſe teacheth hope to live by Providence, whereas every man can live by the preſent, the promiſe ſupports hope, and makes it live by the future, by reverſion, it inſtructs hope to live by providence, not onelyonly in temporalls, but ſpiritualls.
And as it inſtructs hope, ſo it doth patience, it is a great cheriſher of patience. Patience is the grace that waits, and ſo doth hope; hope is patience Siſter, or if you will, Patience is the Daughter of hope, and the promiſe is the ſupporter of both. The promiſe will teach hope, and patience to depend upon God, not onelyonly for the thing he gives, but for the time, there is a great deale of comfort in the time, it will make it ſubmit to Gods order, and method. What is Gods method? This, before he gives poſſeſſion, he gives reverſion, the promiſe is the reverſion, the promiſe is the ſupport of hope, and patience, there is a great deale of comfort comes to a Chriſtian this way.
A worldly man is all for the preſent, he cares not for the future, if he can be happy for the preſent, that is the pitch he goes to. A worldly man deſires to take (if it be poſſible) his wages before hand, he cares not for taking any thing at the laſt day. He is nothing for reverſion, he would take all, as much as he could before. That is the reaſon he is left voyd of comfort at the howre of death, becauſe he took up all, he knowes not where to take up more, as Chriſt ſaith, He hath his reward, he hath his portion in this life: he hath no more to take, unleſſe it be that, Son, remember thou in thy life-time receivedſt pleaſure, and likewiſe Lazarus paine, now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, he cannot take it, and expect it. A godly man contrary, he deſires not to work for preſent payment, but he works to a day, he knowes that God is a good Pay-maſter, he would not have all for the preſent; he knowes the leſſe he hath now, the more he ſhall have after, becauſe he lives by the promiſe, he lives by hope, and hope makes him patient, and the promiſe ſupports them both.
It is the grace of hope that ſets a man in Heaven, when he is on Earth, and the promiſe ſets hope in Heaven: Hope cannot goe to Heaven, but by the promiſe. A Chriſtian could not goe to Heaven on Earth, and take a ſpirituall flight, but for hope. The promiſe brings downe Heaven to the heart; it inverts that Speech of St. Paul, he ſayth, While we are preſent in the body, we are abſent from the Lord. But hope turnes it, and makes it while we are in the body, it teacheth us how to be preſent in Heaven. Here is the benefit of hope, and becauſe of hope, therefore of the promiſe.
Therefore if we would looke for comfort, let us look to the treaſuring up of the promiſes, the promiſes ſupport. There is no condition that befalls a Chriſtian in this life, but there is a promiſe for it, there is ſome promiſe for it; whither it be of proſperity or adverſity, of life, or of death, of falling, of want, there are promiſes for all, and the promiſe will ſtill keep the head above water, what ever the affliction be, it will ſtill keep life and ſoul together. If there be no b…ame of comfort appeare, yet the promiſe will ſupport in the middeſt of all diſtreſſe. If a man graſp but a promiſe, he is well enough. If the ſoul be in perplexity, and doubting, it will ſettle it; if it be in affliction, the promiſe will comfort it; if it be in any diſtreſſe, the promiſe will afford conſolation, therfore make much of the promiſes. If ſalvation be promiſed to believers, it is hope that preſently graſps, and layes hold of it, it doth it by the promiſe. If forgiveneſſe be promiſed to the penitent, hope looks after it, and layes hold of it, and it doth that by the promiſe. If it be the Crowne to …erſeverance, hope looks after that too, and layes hold of it, it doth it ſtill by the promiſe. Hope is the Watch-man, or the Sentinell, among the graces, as a Watch-man upon a Tower will diſcover before all others that are below, when day breaks; if there be but the breaking of any day light, any beame of comfort to be ſeene, hope will diſcover it, and pick it up.
Though every grace be as an eye, and hereupon the Apoſtle ſayth that the Saints in the Revelations, are full of eyes before and behind. It is not onelyonly true of the ſtate of glory, but of grace, every grace is an eye, devotion, and prayer, that is as an eye, by which the devout ſoul looks up to God. And faith that is an eye by which a beleiving ſoul ſpies God; patience, that is as an eye to look after comfort in affliction. Every grace is as an eye, but hope that is an eye that ſees for all; the ſight of hope is ſerviceable to all other graces, whatſoever they are. It is the ſame to the ſoul, that an Anchor is to the Ship, the promiſe is the ſame to hope, as hope, is to the ſoul; the promiſe is the Anchor of hope, as hope is the Anchor of the ſoul. It is better then other Anchors, for in other Anchors the ſhip is above the Anchor, that is let downe below, it takes hold upon the Earth in the Bottome. But here the contrary, the ſhip of the ſoul that is below, but the Anchor is above, the Anchor is in Heaven, there a man hath his hold, hope is that Anchor; hope is in Heaven, becauſe the promiſe is in Heaven, Hope and the Promiſe cannot be Severed, hope is therefore an Anchor in Heaven, becauſe the promiſe is ſeated there. There being ſo much comfort to be drawne from the promiſe, ſo much ſupport to faith, and hope, and patience, ſo many diſcoveries of the goodneſſe, and wiſdome, and truth of God, that all theſe might appeare together, and all be couched under one word, hereupon after he had told us of the Crowne of life, he adds this word, ſo full of comfort, and enjoyment for the preſent, as well as for the future; therefore he ſayth, that God hath promiſed. That is the conſideration in reſpect of God. Now I goe on to another conſideration on our part… there is another clauſe, the Crowne that is promiſed to them that love God. Here is that that is required on our part, to get our title, and intereſt in the promiſe. A man would think that the Apoſtle ſhould rather have varied it in this clauſe, though love be an excellent grace, and as much interreſſed in the promiſe, as any other, yet it was not ſo pertinent one would think to mention the love of God in this, after he had ſpoken of ſuffering, if it had run ordinarily, and regularly, it ſhould have run thus, Bleſſed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he ſhall receive the Crowne of life, which God hath promiſed to thoſe that ſuffer for him. Having made mention of tribulation before, a man would have thought he would have continued in the courſe of ſpeaking, to thoſe that ſuffer for him. As Chriſt doth, Bleſſed are thoſe that ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake, for theirs is the Kingdome of Heaven. Or if the Apoſtle would have ſet it larger, yet he might have annexed it to other graces that are comprehenſive as well as love, as the Crown that is promiſed, Timentibus, to thoſe that feare him. Or Vincentibus, to them that overcome and perſevere. Or Credentibus, to thoſe that beleive. Or Colentibus to thoſe that ſerve him; all theſe have intereſt in the Crowne of life: But he could not ſet it better, it is ſet by the ſpirit of God, but we may ſee good reaſon that the Crowne is promiſed to thoſe that love him.
It is not Improper,
It is not Straite,
It is not Excluſive,
It is not improper, having begun to ſpeak of ſuffering, bleſſed are they that endure, and ſuffer tribulation, & tentation, he ends with love why ſo? there is good reaſon: nothing enables a man more to ſuffer for the name of god, then love. God never thinks we ſuffer for him, if we doe not love him. There is no burthen ſo light, but it is heavy if love be wanting; and there is no burthen ſo heavy, but it is light where love is. As Bernard ſayth, there is nothing that love cannot make eaſie, and light, every yoake, Solus amor, &c. As St. Auſtin ſayth well, love is onelyonly that that finds no difficulty, it leaps over every impediment, and obſtacle, there is nothing can ſtand in the way of love, to keep it from Chriſt. Nothing is hard to love, God cannot give a Command ſo ſevere to the eye of fleſh, and blood, he cannot lay ſo much weight of ſuffering, but love will beare it, it makes all things eaſie. The Apoſtle St. John, he tells us in 1 John 1. of keeping the Commandements by Love; and then followes, This is love to keepe his Commandements, and his Commandements are not grievious. Why are they not grevious? Love accounts every thing eaſie. Therefore, becauſe he would ſhew the way how we are to ſuffer, and to come to the Crown, he ſayth he hath reſerved it, For them that love him, becauſe love will endure, and beare all things, love will endure any thing for God. There is good reaſon, and it was very proper, that the Apoſtle ſhould place it ſo.
Secondly, it is not excluſive, it doth not exclude other graces that are not mentioned. The Crowne is promiſed in other places, to other vertues. There is no vertue but hath the promiſe of the Crowne made to it in ſome place.
See the wiſdome of the ſpirit of God, he ſo gives honour to one grace, that he paſſeth not by another. As you have it concerning the Saints in the Old Teſtament, there is an honour done to every Saint, ſometimes to one, ſometimes to another. Sometimes Job is memorable for patience, ſometimes Abraham for faith, David for repentance: There is no Saint of God in Scripture, but hath ſome remarkable note of commendation; God ſo honours one, that he doth not forget the reſt, every one in his way and kind. So it is with graces, they are all amiable, and lovely, and have commendation from Heaven, but not all at the ſame time. Every one interreſſeth in the Crowne, but ſometime one hath the promiſe, ſometimes another, to encourage us to all. That we may be encouraged to patience, there is the promiſe to that, that we may be ſtirred up to purity, it is promiſed to that. Againe, to faith, the promiſe is made to that, and ſo of the reſt, every grace hath the promiſe: therefore becauſe in other places the promiſe is made to feare, and faith, and patience, and purity, the Apoſtle here ſingles out the Miſtris grace, and ſettles the promiſe on her, on love, they are not excluded though they be not named.
Laſtly, it is not a ſtrait, narrow expreſſion, but very full, ſo full that it comprehends all other expreſſions. Tell me what grace you would have, cannot I find it in love? Becauſe love is the Bond of perfection; in that it is made to love, it is made to all; there is none wanting, where love is, Love is the fullfilling of the Law, it is all the Commandements, in that it is all the Commandements, it is all duties, all duties are in love; in that it is all duties, it is all graces; if love be named, all is named. As there is no grace that is in graine, that hath the true ſtamp, if love be wanting, and there is no grace that ſhall ever carry the Crowne, where love is not. St. Paul makes it cleare, 1 Cor. 13. Knowledge, faith, Almſ…deeds, ſuffering afflictionss are all nothing without love. Though I have all knowledge, and all faith, that I could remove Mountaines; though I ſpake with the tongue of men and Angels, though I ſhould give my body to be burned, and feed the poore with my goods, and have not love, all is nothing. There is no grace, if love be wanting, that c…n have intereſt in the Crowne, becauſe there can be no truth of grace, there can be no truth of faith, no truth of obedience to God, where love is wanting. As all is wanting, if love be wanting, ſo …very grace is preſent, if love be preſent; therefore in that the promiſe is made here to love, it is made to all; there is good reaſon of the variation. That you may ſee the reaſon of it, the Apoſtle St. Paul in 1 Cor. 2. when he quotes that place out of Iſaiah 46. he varies the word, being guided by the Spirit of God: the word in Iſaiah is, Eye hath not ſeene, nor …are hath heard, the things that God hath prepared for them that waite on him. The Apoſtle quotes the place, Eye hath not ſeene, nor eare heard, the things that God hath prepared for them that love him. Implying, that where there is love, there is waiting, where there is love, there is all. So, though ſuffering be not mentioned, ſuffering is there, and every grace, it is a larg expreſſion.
Therefore that we may ſee it is large, the number is varied, there is an alteration of the number, as well as of the grace. He begins the Propoſition in the Singular number, Bleſſed is the man. See the wiſdome of the Apoſtle, it ſhould according to the tenure of the ſame number, run thus, He ſhall receive the Crowne of life which God hath promiſed to him that loves him. No, he varies the number, and ſayth, That God hath promiſed to them that love him. Leaſt any that are not called to ſuffering ſhould doubt of the Crowne, they are bleſſed, and ſhall receive the Crowne of life that ſuffer, but God hath not called me to afflictions; he ſets a gap open of comfort for them here, it is for them, and for all that love him.
It is ordinary in Scripture to enlarge the promiſe, Chriſt inlargeth the precept, That which I ſay to one, I ſay to all, watch. As he there inlargeth the precept, ſo in another place he inlargeth the promiſe, I pray not for theſe alone, but for all that ſhall beleive in my name to the end of the World. St. Paul follows it, 2 Tim. 4. The Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day. I, Paul ſhall have it, but none elſe? Yes, not onelyonly to me, but to all that love him. So St. James here varies in a heavenly ſtraine, he pronounceth, Bleſſed is the man that endureth tribulation, for when he is tried, he ſhall receive the Crowne of life. I, he ſhall, but none elſe? yes, not onelyonly he, but it is promiſed to all that love him. It is no ſtrait expreſſion.
To draw all to a head, you ſee the ſum of it is thus much. It ſets downe the qualification of the perſon that ſhall be capable of the Crowne of glory, here is the qualification, he muſt be one that loves God. It ſets downe againe the qualification of that perſon that will ſtoutly, and valiantly endure tribulations, he muſt get abundance of the love of God in his heart. If we ſuffer not, if God lay it on us, we ſhall never reigne, and if we love not, we will never ſuffer.
There is no promiſe of God, but hath a qualification going along with it. It is a great errour among us, we are ready to catch at the promiſe, but never to take notice of the qualification. There is never a promiſe made, but the perſon muſt be ſo and ſo qualified, there is a condition goes along with the promiſe. The condition is the qualification. As if it be the promiſe of forgiveneſſe, the qualification of the perſon is, it is to thoſe that are penitent, that repent, God never gave forgiveneſſe, where there was not the work of repentance. If it be the promiſe of Salvation, there is the qualification of the perſon, he muſt be a Beleiver, faith comes in: God never gives Salvation, where he doth not firſt work faith, to lay hold of it. If it be the promiſe of glory, there is a qualification too, perſeverance, To thoſe that continue in well doing, there ſhall be glory, and honour, and immortality; there ſhall be eternall life to them.
God never gave the Crowne of glory, nor never will, but where he gives the grace of perſeverance to hold out, here is the qualification. If it be this Crowne that is here ſpoken of; here is the qualification, thoſe that ſuffer tentation, there is one; thoſe that love God, there is the great qualification.
If therefore we look to have a true infallible intereſt in the promiſe, let us look to get the propriety of the qualification. If we be not perſons qualified, we have no intereſt in the promiſe. Many men goe on in ſin, and ſtill flatter themſelves with hope in the promiſe, preſumptuous men talke of forgiveneſſe as familiarly as if it were written by the hand of God. Impenitent men that forſake not ſin, talk of glory, and Heaven, and of inheriting the Crowne, and hope for that; it is a poore hope, there is no qualification, God never gave them a promiſe. There can be no hope of Heaven, where there is not a promiſe; there can be no intereſt where there is not a promiſe; God never gave a promiſe of forgiveneſſe to the impenitent, to men that goe on in ſin, but that forſake them; he never promiſed Heaven to the preſumptuous man, but to him that layes hold of it by faith. If we will have intereſt in the promiſe, we muſt get the qualification.
On the other ſide, where there is this condition, and qualification, though our names be not written upon the promiſe, yet the names of all that are ſo qualified, are as good as written. There is no promiſe, but hath the names of all the perſons that are ſo qualified, graven on it, not expreſly, but virtually. If the promiſe be made to faith, every beleiver is in that promiſe. If it be a promiſe to repentance, every penitents name is written there, as if it were ſet there, he hath an intereſt: where there is a qualification, there cannot be a miſſing of the promiſe. Look for the qualification, and for this qualification of love, Thoſe that love God.
It is true, there are no limits, or bounds ſet downe, that is our great comfort; it is not ſaid thoſe that love God much, nor thoſe that love God moſt, but ſimply to thoſe that love him, to let us ſee, that as much love ſhall have a great reward, ſo any love if it be but little, ſhall have ſome; God will not quench the ſmoaking flax, if it be but a ſpark of love, he will cherriſh that. If it be leſſe then a ſpark, a ſmoake of love, he will cherriſh that. Yet labour to get abundance, it muſt not be a weak remiſſe love that is beſtowed on God, the object is infinite, the act muſt anſwer the object. We muſt make our love, we cannot make it infinite, we muſt extend it as neare infinite, as we can come. It muſt not be Amor remiſſus, or Intermiſſus, but perfectus, and aſſiduus. True love obſerve; no meane, it keeps no meaſure; no bounds can be ſet to true love, the love of God will enlarge, and break out more and more. We ſhould love him wholly, and ſolely, we ſhould love him ſo, as to love nothing beſides, we ſhould love him ſo, as to love all things in him, and for him, and without him nothing. We ſhould love him with all our heart, and ſoul, and mind, and ſtrength; there are foure things; that is, to love him with every faculty, and with the ſtrength of every faculty. If I had foure ſouls (as ſome Philoſophers dreamed that we had 3.) all thoſe foure were too little; were a man all ſoul, all love, all that were too little to be beſtowed on God. It is a high reach, it is true indeed, but we need not deſpaire, though it be a high reach, it is attainable by us, becauſe it hath beene attained by others. The Saints before, are magnified in Scripture, for their love of God. We have the ſame meanes, the ſame helps, and motives, and the ſame encouragements. If love be wanting (as it is very much in the World) the reaſon is, becauſe men doe not labour to thrive, and grow in the love of God. God deprives us of the comfort of the love of himſelfe, becauſe we have no more love one to another. But yet if we will apply our ſelves to the meanes, love is recoverable, it is not all dead, nor all the ſparks of love, it may be blowne to a greater flame. The meanes are various.
One way whereby we may profite in the love of God, is this, to empty our hearts of all carnall love, whither it be the love of the World, or of our ſelves. There is nothing that ſtands more betweene the love of God, and the heart, then carnall, Worldly love, and above all, this doting love of our ſelves. Every man is for himſelfe, we all ſeeke our ſelves, and not the things that are Chriſts, ſayth the Apoſtle, and we all love our ſelves, and not the things that belong to God, it is very rare to be found, the love of God, in ſincerity. The reaſon is, the love of our ſelves, is ſo ingrafted, and Printed in our hearts, that it cannot be gotten out. As he that will take his hand full of Corne, muſt firſt empty his hand, if it be full of Sand, or Earth, or Gravell. So, if we will repleniſh our hearts with the love of God, there muſt firſt be an evacuation, an emptying, an expulſing, and carrying out of carnall love, the love of the great World about us, and the love of the little World, the love of our ſelves. If any man be a lover of the World, the love of the Father is not in him, ſayth St. John. The love of the World, and the love of God cannot conſiſt together. That is the firſt ſtep to be taken, to love God, to put the World out of our hearts, and to goe out of our ſelves. Chriſt therefore gives that rule, He that will come after me, let him deny himſelve. He that will love God muſt unlove himſelfe. We dote upon our ſelves, we are all for our ſelves, therefore we are nothing for God.
That is one ſtep, to love God.
When we have emptied our hearts of all carnall ſelfe-love, and Worldly love, then there is another meanes, to conſider with our ſelves oft, to call ourſelves to thoſe meditations, what thoſe motives are, that make God ſo amiable; how much beauty, and goodneſſe there is in God. So much beauty, that all the beauty of the creatures, even of the Angells, further then there is ſomthing of God in them, is deformity to the excellency of God; all the glory of Heaven, further then it is a reflexion of Gods glory it is nothing to Gods beauty.
And the goodneſſe of God, how great it is, and how great to us, to love us, and to love us when we were Enemies, and in ſo great a meaſure to love us, as to give his Son to die for us; to love us ſo much as to prepare a place for us. If his love reflect upon our hearts, it will beget love againe; if we come once to think how much God loves us, how will it reflect love back? One reaſon we love him ſo little is, we doe not conſider how he hath loved us, and how Beautifull, and Amiable his preſence is.
When we have brought our ſelves to theſe meditations, another ſtep is to be frequent, and converſant in the word of God, it is the lively picture of the love of God. There are veines, and paſſages of Gods love, and incentives to love him in every part; we ſhall not meet with any peice of Scripture, but it will kindle ſome part of love to God. He that would Print love, let him Print the Bible in his heart; if we converſe with the word of God, that gives documents everywhere of the love of God.
That is another ſtep.
Then the fourth, that is the ſtep, and aſcent of prayer. A man cannot love God without divine prayer. He that loves God, will knock at the gate of love, love is not to be had, but from the God of love. Sayth St. Auſtin, pray if you will get the love of God, that he would open the door. Prayer will fetch every grace, ſo prayer will fetch love; for prayer is an argument of love. We cannot have recourſe to God in prayer, but there will be the flight and aſcent of love, when any Love-ſuite is ſent to God, it is not loſt, he that begs love, begs all; Lord that I may love thee: How much love will this prayer fetch? That is another ſtep to attaine the love of God.
Then, when we have made this ſtep, there is one more, the oft inquiſition, that we make into our owne hearts, and blame our ſelves that we love him ſo little. O when a man is offended with himſelfe for any thing that is contrary, it makes him diligent to attaine it. A Chriſtian that knowes what belongs to the love of God, how doth he blame, and condemne himſelfe, that he loves God ſo little? That he began to love him ſo late? How doth he grudg that any thing ſhould carry any part of his heart, or of his love from God? He thinks the love loſt that is caſt upon the Creature, he thinks himſelfe a thiefe that he ſhould ſteale any love from God, that we ſhould rob God of our love, and obedience, we rob him then of all, there is nothing that God deſires, but our love, therefore in this regard it is, that the Apoſtle ſets here the qualification, Thoſe that love him.
If we take love ſingle, then the promiſe is made to love, to love firſt of all graces, love hath the firſt promiſe, it hath preheminence in the graces, and preheminence in the Crowne, it hath the firſt portion.
Then take it as it is joyned, and is in concatination with other graces, it hath not onelyonly the chiefe place in the promiſe, but all, becauſe it is all, it includes all graces, & gifts, being accepted of God, as all; the Apoſtle ſets it downe, to ſtir us up above all things to take care to have our hearts fill'd & repleniſh'd with the love of God: the promiſe is made to love, They ſhall inherite, and receive the Crowne of life, which God hath promiſed to them that love him. *⁎*
THE SAINTS HERITAGE: DELIVERED IN ONE SERMON, BY That Learned, & reverend Divine, RICHARD HOLSWORTH, Doctor in Divinity, ſomtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge; Maſter of Emmanuell Colledge, and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON.
Pſal. 16.6.
The lines are fallen unto me in pleaſant places, yea, I have a goodly Heritage.
LONDON, Printed by M. Simmons in Alderſ-gate-ſtreete. 1650.