themselves so much against it The more violent others are against the truth the more valiant the Saints are for it Living fish swim against the stream the more the Tyde of sin comes in the more the Godly swim against it The impieties of the times provoke holy passion in the Saints that anger is without sin which is against sin The sins of others are as a Whet-stone to set the sharper edge upon us they whet our zeal and indignation against sin the more 5. The sins of others work for good as they make us more earnest in working out our salvation When we see wicked men take such pains for Hell this makes us more industrious for Heaven The wicked have nothing to encourage them yet they sin they venture shame and disgrace they break through all oppositions Scripture is against them and Conscience is against them there is a flaming sword in their way yet they sin Lam. 5.9 We gat our bread with the peril of our lives Sinners eat the bread of wickednesse with the peâ—il of their souls Godly hearts seeing the wicked thus mad for the forbidden fruit and hacknying our themselves in the Devils service are the more emboldned and quickned in the wayes of God they will take Heaven as it were by storm The wicked are swift Dromedaries in sin Ier. 2.23 and do we creep like Snails in Religion shall impure sinners do the Devil more service than we do Christ shall they make more hast to a Prison than we do to a Kingdom are they never weary of sinning and are we weary of praying have not we a better Master than they are not the paths of vertue pleasant is not there joy in the way of duty and Heaven at the end The activity of the sons of Belial in sin is a spur to the Godly to make them mend their pace and run the faster to Heaven 6. The sins of others work for good as they are Glasses in which we may see our own hearts Do we see a flagitious impious sinner behold a picture of our hearts such should we be if God did leave us what is in other mens practise is in our nature Sin in the wicked is like fire on a Beacon that flames and blazeth forth sin in the Godly is like fire in the Embers Christian though thou dost not break forth into a flame of scandal yet thou hast no cause to boast for there is much sin raked up in the Embers of thy nature thou hast the root of bitterness in thee and wouldst bear as hellish fruit as any if God did not either curb thee by his power or change thee by his grace 7. The sins of others work for good as they are a means to make the people of God more thankfull When you see another infected with the plague how thankful are you that God hath preserved you from it It is a good use that may be made even of the sins of others to be more thankfull why might not God have left us to the same excess of riot Think with thy self O Christian why should God be more propiâ—ious to thee than to another why should he take thee out of the wild Olive of nature and not him how may this make thee to adore free grace What the Pharisee said boastingly we may say thankfully Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are Extortioners Vnjust Adulterers c. So we are to adore the riches of grace that we are not as others Drunkards Swearers Sabbath-breakers Every time we see men ranâ—ing it in sin we are to blesse God we are not such If we see a franâ—ique person we blesse God it is not so with us Much more when we see others under the power of Satan we are to make our thankfull acknowledgement that it is not our condition 8. The sins of others work for good as they are a means to make Gods people better Christian God can make thee a gainer by anothers sin The more unholy others are the more holy thou art The Roses that grow neer Garlick are sweetest So anothers unsavouriness makes a Christians graces send out a more fragrant perfume The more a wicked man gives himself to sin the more a godly man gives himself to prayer Psal. 109.4 But I give my self to prayer 9. The sins of others work for good as they give an occasion to us of doing good Were there no sinners we could not be in such a capacity for service The Godly are often a means to convert the wicked their prudent advise and pious example is a lure and bait to draw sinners to the embracing of the Gospel The disease of the Patient works for the good of the Physician by emptying the Patient of noxious peccant humours the Physitian enricheth himself So by converting sinners from the errour of their way our Crown comes to be enlarged Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to righteousness shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Not as Lamps or Tapers but sicut Stelia as the Stars for ever Thus we see the sins of others work for our good 2. Our own sins shall work for good This must be understood warily when I say the sins of the goâ—ly work for good not that there is the least good in sin Sin is like poyson which corrupts the blood infects the heart and without a Soveraign Antidote brings death Such is the venemous naâ—uâ—e of sâ—n 't is deadly and damning Sin is worse than Hell but yet God by his mighty over-ruling power makes sin in the issue turn to the good of his people God can make a Treacle of this poyson Hence that golden saying of St. Austin God would never permit evil if he could not bring good out of evil The Reliques and remains of corruption in the Saints work for good several wayes 1. Sin makes them weary of this life That sin is in the godly is sad but that it is a burden is good St. Paul's afflictions pardon the expression were but a play to him in comparison of his sin he rejoyced in tribulation 2 Cor. 7.4 But how did this bird of Paradise weep and bemoan himself under his sins Rom. 7.24 Who shall deliver me from the body of this death A Believer carries his sins as a Prisoner his shackles Oh how does he long for a Goal-delivery This sensibility of sin is good 2. This in-being of corruption makes the Saints prize Christ more He that feels his sin as a sick man feels his sickness how welcome is Christ the Physitian to him He that feels himself stung with sin how precious is the brazen Serpent to him When Paul had cryed out of a body of death how thankful was he for Christ Rom. 7.25 I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord. Christs bloud saves from sin and is the sacred oyntment which kills this Quick-silver 3. Sin works for good as it is an occasion of putting the soul upon six rare
dedolency Or 2. A withdrawing in regard of Comfort when God with-holds the sweet manifestations of his favour he doth not look with such a pleasant aspect but vails his face and seems to be quite gone from the soul. God is just in all his withdrawings we desert him before he deserts us We desert God when we leave off close communion with him when we desert his Truths and dare not appear for him when we leave the guidance and conduct of his Word and follow the Ignis fatuus of our own corrupt affections and passions We usually desert God first therefore we have none to blame but our selves Desertion is very sad for as when the light is withdrawn darknesse follows in the aire So when God withdraws there is darknesse and sorrow in the soul. Desertion is an Agony of Conscience as Alstead calls it God holds the soul over Hell Iob 6.9 The Arrows of the Almighty are within me the poyson whereof drinks up my spirits It was a custom among the Persians in their wars as Drusius notes to dip their Arrows in the poyson of Serpents to make them more deadly Thus did God shoot the poysoned Arrow of desertion into Iob under the wounds whereof his spirit lay bleeding In times of desertion the people of God are apt to be dejected they dispute against themselves and think that God hath quite cast them off therefore I shall prescribe some comfort to the deserted soul. The Marriner when he hath no star to guide him yet he hath light in his Lanthorn which is some help to him So when the poor soul is sailing in the dark of desertion and wants the bright morning star I shall lay down four Consolations which are as the Mariners Lanthorn to give some light 1. None but the Godly are capable of desertion Wicked men know not what Gods love means nor what it is to want it they know what it is to want health friends trading but not what iâ— is to want Gods favour Thou fearest thou art not Gods child because thou art deserted whereas none but the Godly are deserted The Lord cannot be said to withdraw his love from the wicked because they never had it The being deserted evidenceth thee to be a Child of God How couldest thou complain that God hath estranged himself if thou hadst not sometimes received smiles and love-tokens from him 2. There may be the seed of grace where there is not the flower of joy The earth may want a crop of Corn yet may have a Mine of Gold within A Châ—istian may have grace within though the luscious fruit of joy doth not grow Vessels at Sea that are richly fraught with Jewels and Spices may be in the dark and be â—ossed in the storm A soul enriched with the treasures of grace may yet be in the dark of desertion and so tossed as to think it shall be cast away in the storm David in a state of disconsolacy prays Take not away thy holy Spirit from me Psal. 51.11 He doth not pray saith Austin Lord Give me thy Spirit but Ne tollas spiritum Take not away thy Spirit so that still he had the Spirit of God remaining in him 3. These deserâ—ions are but for a time Christ may go into the withdrawing â—oom and leave the soul a while but he will come again Isa. 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy on thee When it is dead low water the Tyde will come in again Isa. 57.6 I will not be alwayes wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the souls which I have made The tender Mother sets down her child in anger but she will take it up again into her arms and kisse it God may put away the soul in angeâ— but he will take it up again into his dear embraces and display the banner of love over it 4. These desertions woâ—k for good to the Godly and that seaven manner of wayes 1. Deseâ—tion works a cure upon the soul. 1. It cures sinful somnolency We find the Spouse fallen upon the bâ—d of sloath Caâ—t 5.2 I sleep and pâ—eâ—ently Châ—ist was gone Vers. 6. My beloved had withdrawn himself Who will speak to one that is drowsie 2. Desertion cures inordinacy of affection â—o â—he world 1 Iohn 2.15 Love not the world We may hold the world as a Posie in our hand but it must not lye too near our heart we may use it as an Inne where we take a bait but it must not be our home Perhaps these secular things steal away the heart too much Good men are sometimes sick with a Surfeit and drunk with the luscious delights of prosperity and having spotted their silver wings of grace and much defaced Gods Image by rubbing it against the earth the Lord to recover them of this hides his face in a Cloud this Eclipse hath good effects it darkens all the glory of the world and causeth it to dis-appear 2. Desertion works for good as it makes the Saints prize Gods countenance more than ever Psal. 63.3 Thy loving-kindnesse is better than life yet the commonnesse of this mercy abates the price of it When pearls grew common at Rome they began to be slighted God hath no better way to make us value his love than by withdrawing it a while If the Sun did shine but once a year how would it be prized when the soul hath been long benighted with desertion Oh how welcome now is the return of the Sun of Righteousnesse 3. Desertion works for good as it is a means to imbitter sin to us Can there be a greater misery than to have Gods displeasure what makes Hell but the hiding of Gods face and what makes God hide his face but sin Iohn 20.13 They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him So our sins have taken away the Lord and we know not where he is laid The favour of God is the best Jewel it can sweeten a prison and unsting death Oh how odious then is that sin which robs us of our best Jewel Sin made God desert his Temple Ezek. 8.6 Sin causeth him to appear as an enemy and dress himself in armour This makes the soul pursue sin with an holy malice and seek to be avenged of it The deserted soul gives sin Gall and Vinegar to drink and with the Spear of mortification le ts out the heart-blood of it 4. Desertion works for good as it works these three gracious effects 1. It sets the soul a weeping for the losse of God When the Sun is gone the dew falls and when God is gone tears drop from the eyes How was Micah troubled when he had lost his gods Iudg. 18.24 Ye have taken away my gods and what have I more So when God is gone what have we more It is not the Harp and Viol can comfort when God is gone Though it be sad to want Gods
below 't is this that 〈◊〉 the Iâ—gredients and makes up the whole Compound 2. It shews us the happy condition of every Child of God All things work for his good the best and worst things Psal. 112.4 Vnto the upright ariseth light in darknesse The most dark cloudy Providences of God have some Sun-shine in them What a blessed condition is a true Believer in when he dyes he goes to God and while he lives every thing shall do him good affliction is for his good What hurt doth the fire to the gold only purifie it What hurt doth the Fan to the Corn only separate the Chaffe from it What hurt do Leeches to the body only suck out the bad bloud God doth never use his staff but to beat out the dust Affliction doth that which the Word many times will not it opens the ear to Discipline Job 36.10 When God lays men upon their backs then they look up to Heaven Gods smiting his people is like the Musicians striking upon the Viol which makes it put forth a melodious sound How much good comes to the Saints by affliction when they are pounded and broken they send forth their sweetest smell Affliction is a bitter root but it bears sweet fruit Heb. 12.11 It yeeldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse Affliction is the High-way to Heaven though it be Flinty and Thorny yet it is the nearest way Poverty shall starve our sins sicknesse shall make grace more healthfull 2 Cor. 4.16 Reproach shall cause the Spirit of God and of Glory to rest upon us 1 Pet. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death shall stop the Bottle of Tears and open the Gate of Paradice A Believers dying day is his ascension day to glory Hence it is the Saints have put their afflictions in the Inventory of their riches Heb. 11.26 Themistocles being banished his own Country grew afterwards in favour with the King of Egypt whereupon he said Periissem nisi periissem I had perished if I had not perished So may a Child of God say If I had not been afflicted I had been destroyed if my health and estate had not been lost my soul had been lost 3. See then what an encouragement here is to become Godly All things shall work for good Oh that this may tempt the world to fall in love with Religion Can there be a greater Load-stone to piety Can any thing more prevail with us to be good than this All things shall work for our good Religion is the true Philosophers stone that turns every thing into Gold Take the sowrest part of Religion the suffering part and there is comfort in it God sweetens sufferings with joy he candies our Wormwood with Sugar oh how may this bribe us to Godlinesse Iob 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace so good shall come unto thee No man did ever come off a loser by his acquaintance with God thereby good shall come unto thee abundance of good the sweet distillations of Grace the Hidden Manna yea every thing shall work for good Oh then get acquaintance with God espouse his Interest 4. It shews us the miserable condition of wicked men To them that are godly evill things work for good to them that are evill good things work for hurt illis qui oderâ—â—t deum etiam bona cedunt in malum 1. Temporal good things work for hurt to the wicked Riches and Prosperity they are not munera but insidiae as Seneca speaks Worldly things are given to the wicked as Michael was given to David for a snare 1 Sam. 18.21 The Vulture draws sickness from a perfume so do the wicked from the sweet perfume of Prosperity Their mercies are like poysoned bread given to Dogs Their Tables are sumptuously spread but there is a hook under the bait Psal. 69.22 Let their Table become a snare All their enjoyments are like Israels Quails which were sauced with the wrath of God Numb 11.33 Foeâ—us pecuniae funus animae Pâ—ide and Luxury are the Twins of Prosperity Deut. 32.15 Thou art waxen fat then he forsook God Riches are not only the Spiders web unprofitable but the Cockatrice egge pernicious Eccl. 5.13 Riches kept for the hurt of the Owner Et transeunt et vulnerant The câ—mmon mercies wicked men have are not Loadstones to draw them nearer to God but Milstones to sink them deeper in Hell 1 Tim. 6.9 Their dilicious dainties are like Hamans Banquet after all their Lordly fare death will bring in the Reckoning and they must pay the reckoning in Hell 2. Spiritual good things work for hurt to the wicked from the flower of heavenly blessings they suck poyson â— The Ministers of God work for their hurt The same wind that blows one Ship to the Haven blows another Ship upon a Rock The same breath in the Ministry that blows a godly man to Heaven blows a prophane sinner to Hell They who come with the Word of Life in their mouth yet to many are a savour of death Isa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat and their ears heavy The Prophet was sent upon a sad Message to preach their Funeral Sermon Wicked men are worse for preaching Amos 5.10 They hate him that rebukes in the Gate Sinners grow more resolved in sin let God say what he will they will do what they list Ier. 44.16 As for the word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord we will not hearken unto thee The word preached is not healing but hardning And how dreadful is this for men to be sunk to Hell with Sermons 2. Prayer works for their hurt Pro. 8.15 The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord. A wicked man is in a great strait if he prays not he sins if he prays he sins Psal. 109.7 Let his prayer become sin It were a sad Judgment if all the meat a man did eat should turn to ill-humors and breed diseases in the body So it is with a wicked man that Prayer which should do him good works for his hurt he prays against sin and sins against his prayer his Duties are tainted with Atheism fly-blown with Hypocrisie God abhors them 3. The Lords Supper works for their hurt 1 Cor. 10.31 Ye cannot eat of the Lords Table and the Table of Devils Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie Some of the Iews kept their Idol Feasts yet would come to the Lords Table saith the Apostle Do you provoke the Lord to wrath Prophane persons feast with their sins yet will come to feast at the Lords Table This is to provoke God To a sinner there is death in the Cup he eats and drinks his own damnation 1 Cor. 11.29 Thus the Lords Supper works for hurt to impenitent sinners After the Sop the Devil enters 4. Christ himself works for hurt to desperate sinners he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence 1 Pet. 2.7 He
is so accidentally and occasionally through the pravity of mens hearts instead of believing in him they are offended at him The Sun though in its own nature is pure and pleasant yet it is hurtful to sore eyes Jesus Christ is as well for the fall as the rising of many Luk. 2.34 Sinners stumble at a Saviour and pluck Death from the Tree of Life As Chymical Oyles recover some Patients but destroy others So the Bloud of Christ though to some it is medicinable to others it is damnable Here is the unparallel'd misery of such as live and dye in sin The best things work for their hurt Cordials themselves kill 5. See here the wisdom of God who can make the worst things imaginable turn to the good of the Saints he can by a divine Chymistâ—ie extract Gold out of dross 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God! Rom. 11.33 It is Gods great design to set forth the wonder of his wisdom The Lord made Iosephs prison a step to preferment There was no way for Ionah to be saved but by being swallowed up God suffered the Egyptians to hate Israel Psal. 106.41 and this was the means of their deliverance St Paul was bound with a Chain and that Chain which did bind him was a means to enlarge the Gospel Phil. 1.12 This wise Physitian can of the Viper make a Treacle God doth enrich by impoverishing he causeth the augmention of Grace by the diminution of an Estate When the Creature goes further from us it is that Christ may come nearer to us God works strangely he brings Order out of Confusion Harmony out of Discord he makes use many times of unjust men to do that which is just He is wise in heart Job 10.4 He can reap his Glory out of mens fury Psal. 76.10 Either the wicked shall not do the hurt which they intend or they shall do the good which they do not intend God often helps when there is least hope and saves his people in that way which they think he will destroy He made use of the High-Priests malice and Iudas his Treason to redeem the World God hath sometimes much adoe to please us through indiscrete passion we are apt to find fault with things that fall out which is as if an illiterate man should censure Philosophy or a blind man find fault with the work in a Landskip Iob 11.12 Vain man would be wise Silly animals will be taxing Providence and calling the wisdom of God to the Barr of Reason Gods wayes are past finding out Rom. 11.33 They are rather to be admired than fathomed There is never a Providence of God but hath either a mercy or a wonder in it How stupendious and infinite is that wisdom that makes the most crosse perplex dispensations work for the good of his children 6. How little cause have we then to be discontented at outward tryals and emergencies What discontented at that which shall do us good All things shall work for good There are no sins Gods people are more subject to than unbelief and impatience they are ready either to faint through unbelief or fret through impatience When men fly out against God by discontent and impatience it is a sign they do not believe this Text. Discontent is an ungrateful sin because we have more mercies than afflictions and it is an irrational sin because afflictions work for good Discontent is a sin which puts us upon sin Psal. 37 8. Freâ— not thy self to do evil He that frets will be ready to do evil Fretting Ionah was sinning Ionah Chap. 4.9 The Devil blows the coals of passion and discontent and then warms himself at the fire Oh let us not nourish this angry Viper in our Breast Let this Text breed patience All things shall work for good to them that love God Shall we be discontented at that which works for our good If a friend should throw a bag of money at another and in throwing it should break his head he would not be troubled much seeing by this means he hath got a bag of money So the Lord may bruise us by afflictions but it is to enrich us these afflictions work for us a weight of glory and shall we be discontented 7. See here that Scripture fulfilled Psal. 73.1 God is good to Israel When one looks upon cross Providences and sees the Lord covering his people with ashes and making them drunk with Wormwood Lam. 3.15 he would be ready to call in question the Love of God and to say that he hath dealt hardly with his people Oh no yet God is good to Israel because he makes all things work for good Is not he a good God who turns all to good he works out sin and works in grace is not this good 1 Cor. 11.32 We are chastned of the Lord that we should not be condemned with the world The Hell of affliction is to save us from the Hell of damnation Let us always justifie God when our outward condition is never so bad let us say yet God is good 8. See what cause the Saints have to be frequent in the work of thanksgiving Christians are herein defective though they are much in supplication yet little in gratulation The Apostle saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In every thing giving thanks 1 Thess. 5.18 Why so because God makes every thing work for our good We will thank the Physitian though he gives us a biter Pill which makes us sick because it is to make us well we will thank any man that doth us a good turn and shall not we be thankful to God who makes every think work for good to us God loves a thankful Christian. Iob thanked God when he took all away Iob 1.21 The Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord Many will thank God when he gives Iob thanks him when he takes away because he knew God would work good out of it We read of Saints with Harps in their hands Rev. 14.2 an Emblem of praise We shall meet many Christians who have tears in their eyes and complaints in their mouths but few with Harps in their hands who in affliction praise God to be thankful in affliction is a work peculiar to a Saint Every Bird can sing in Spring but some Birds will sing in the dead of Winter Every one almost can be thankful in prosperity but a true Saint can be thankful in adversity A good Christian will blesse God not only at the Sun-rising but at the Sun-setting Well may we in the worst that befals us have a Psalm of thankfulnesse because all things work for good Oh be much in blessing of God we will thank him that doth beâ—riend us 9. If the worst things work for good to a Believer what shall the best things Christ and Heaven How much more shall these work for good If the Crosse hath so much good in it what hath the Crown If such precious Clusters grow in
waters cannot quench love Neither the sweet waters of pleasure nor the bitter waters of persecution love to God abides firm to the death Ephes. 3.17 Being rooted and grounded in love Eight things as Chaffe and Feathers are quickly blown away but a tree that is rooted abides the storm he that is rooted in love endures True love never ends but with the life 5. The Degrees of love We must love God above all other objects Psal. 73.25 There is nothing on earth I desire in comparison of thee God is the quintessence of all good things he is superlatively good now the soul seeing a super-eminency in God and admiring in him that constellation of all excellencies is carried out in love to him in the highest degree The measure of our love to God saith Bernard must be 〈◊〉 love him without measure God who is the chief of our happinesse must have the chief of our affections Cant. 8.2 I would cause thee to drink of my spiced Wine of the juice of my Pomgranate If the Spouse hath any love better than oâ—her a Cup more juicy and spiced Christ shall drink of that The creature may have the Milk of our love but God must have the Cream Love to God must be above all other things as the Oyl â—wims above the Water 1. We must love God more than Relations As in case of Abraham's offering up Isaac Isaac being the son of his old age no question he loved him entirely and doated on him but when God saith Abraham offer up thy son though it were a thing might seem not only to pose his Reason but his Faith for the Messiah was to come of Isaac and if he be cut off where shall the world have a Mediator yet such was the strength of Abraham's faith and the ardency of his love to God that he will take the sacrificing Knife and let out Isaac's blood Our blessed Saviour tells us of hating Father and Mother Luk. 14.26 Christ would not have us unnatural but if our dearest Relations lye in our way and would hinder us from Christ either we must step over them or tread upon them Deut. 33.9 Though some few drops of love may run beside to our Kindred and Alliance yet the full torrent must run out after Christ Relations may lye in the bosome but Christ must lye in the heart 2. We must love God more than Estate Heb. 10.34 Ye took joyfully the spoyling of your goods They were glad they had any thing to lose for Christ. If the world be laid in one Sâ—ale and Christ in the other he must weigh hâ—aviest And is iâ— thus Hath God the highest room in our affections Plutarch saith When a Dictator was created in Rome all other Authority was for the time suspended So when the love of God bears sway in the heart all other love is suspended and is as nothing in comparison of this love CHAP. VIII Containing a sharp Corrective to those that do not love God Vse 1. THis may serve for a sharp Reprehension to such as have not a dram of love to God in their hearts And are there such Miscreants alive He who loves not God aut lapis est aut belluae he is a Beast with a mans head Oh wretch Dost thou live upon God every day yet not love him If one had a friend that fed him continually with money and gave him all his allowance were not he worse than a Barbarian that did not respect and honour that friend Such a friend is God he gives thee thy breath he bestows a livelihood upon thee and wilt thou not love him Thou wilt love thy Prince if he saves thy life and wilt thou not love God who gives thee thy life What Load-stone so powerful to draw love as the blessed Deity He is blind whom beauty doth not tempt he is sottish who is not drawn with the Cords of love When the body is cold and hath no heat in it it is a sign of death That man is dead who hath no heat of love in his soul to God How can he expect love from God who shews no love to him Will God ever lay such a Viper in his bosome as spits forth the poyson of malice and enmity against him This Reproof falls heavy upon the Atheists of this Age who are so far from loving God that they do all they can to spight him They declare their sin as Sodom Isa. 3.9 They set their mouth against the Heavens in pride and blasphemy and bid open defiance to God These are Monsters in Nature Devils in the shape of men Let them read their doom 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maran-athâ—â— that is let him be accursed from God till Christs coming to Judgment let him be heir to a curse while he lives and at the dreadful day of the Lord let him hear that heart-rending sentence pronounced against him Go thou cursed CHAP. IX Discovering the Signs or Fruits of love to God Vse 2. LEt us try our selves impartially 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 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 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
give you that which shall satisfie Psal. 17. ult When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness When I awake out of the sleep of death and shall have some of the rayes and beams of Gods glory put upon me I shall then be satisfied with his likeness 2. If you love worldly things they cannot remove trouble of mind if there be a thorn gotten into the conscience all the world cannot pluck it out King Saul being perplexed in mind all his Crown-Jewels could not comfort him 1 Sam. 28.15 But if you love God he can give you peace when nothing else can he can turn the shadow of death into the morning Amos 5.8 He can drop in Christs blood which is a cooling Julip he can whisper his Love by the Spirit and with one smile scatter all your fears and disquiets 3. If you love the world you may love that which may hinder you from Heaven Worldly contentments may be compared to the Waggons in an Army while the Souldiers have been victualling themselves at the Waggons they have lost the Battel Mark 10.23 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God Prosperity to maâ—y is like the sail to the Boat which quickly overturns it So that by loving the world you may love that which will endanger you but if you love God there is no fear of losing Heaven he will be a Rock to hide you but not to hurt you By loving him we come to enjoy him 4 You may love worldly things and they cannot love you again You love Gold and Silver but your Gold cannot love you again you love a picture but the picture cannot love you again you give away your love to the Creatuâ—e and receive no lâ—ve back but if you love God he will love you again Iohn 14.23 If any man love me my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him God will not be behind-hand in love with us for our dâ—op we shall receive an oâ—ean 5. When you love the world you love that which is worse than your selves The soul as Damascen saith is a sparkle of Celestial brigâ—â—ness it carries in it an Idea and resemblance of God while you love the World you love that which is infinitely below the worth of your souls Will any one lay out cost upon sackcloth when thou layest out thy love upon the world thou layest out gold upon dung thâ—u hangest a Pearl upon a Swine thou lovest that wâ—ich is inferiour to thy self As Christ spâ—aks in another sence of the Fowls of the aiâ— Matth. 6.26 Are not ye much better than they So I say of woâ—ldly things Are not ye much better than they You love a fair house a beautiful picture are not you much better than they but if you love God now you place your love on the most noble sublime object you love that which is better than your selves God is better than the Soul better than Angels better than Heaven 6. You may love the world and have hatred for your love Iohn 15.19 Because ye are not of the world therefore the world hateth you Would it not vex one to lay out money upon a piece of ground and instead of bâ—inging forth Corn or Grapes it should yeild nothing but Nettles Thus it is with all sublunary things we love them and they prove Nettles to sting The world is a Step-mother instead of giving the breast it draws out the sword we meet with nothing but either disappointment or discourtesie Iudg. 9.15 Let fire come out of the Bramble and devour the Cedars of Lebanon While we love the Creature fire comes out of this Bramble to devour us But if we love God he will not return hatred for love Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me God may chastise but he cannot hate Every Believer is part of Christ and God can as well hate Christ as hate a Believer 7. You may over-love the Creature You may love Wine too much Silver too much but you cannot love God too much If it were possible to exceed excess here were a vertue but it is our sin we cannot love God enough Ezek. 16.30 How weak is thy heart So it may be said How weak is our love to God 't is like water of the last drawing from the Still which hath less Spirit in it If we could love God far more than we do yet it were not proportionable to his worth So that there is no danger of excess in our love to God 8. You may love worldly things and they dye and leave you Riches take wings Relations drop away The Romans painted the vanity of worldly things in the form and shape of a man in his right hand a Rose in his left hand a Lilly under his feet Wormwood An Emblem of the world The Rose is sweet the Lilly fair but both fading and under the feet Wormwood at death all the delights of the world will be bitter There is nothing here abiding the Creature hath a little honey in its mouth but it hath wings it will soon flie away Vitae primordium mortis prodromum But if you love God he is a portion for ever Psal. 73.26 As he is called a Sun for comfort so a Rock for eternity he abides for ever Thus we see it is better to love God than the world Secondly It is better to love God than sin What is there in sin that any should love it 1. Sin is a debt Forgive us our debts It is a debt which binds over to the wrath of God why should we love sin doth any man love to be in debt 2. Sin is a disease Isa. 1.5 The whole head is sick And wilt thou love sin will any man hug a disease will he love his plague-sores 3. Sin is a pollution The Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthiness Iames 1.21 It is compared to Leprosie to poyson of Asps to Vomit Gods heart riseth against sinners Isa. 11.8 My soul loathed them Sin is a mishapen Monster lust makes a man brutish malice makes him devillish What is in sin to be loved shall we love deformity 4. Sin is an enemy It is compared to a Serpent Prov. 23.32 It hath four stings Sâ—ame Guilt Horror Death Will a man love that which sâ—eks his death Surely then 't is better to love God than sin God will save thee sin will damn thee is not he bewitched who loves damnation 12. The relation we stand in to God calls for love There is near affinity Isa. 54.5 Thy Maker is thy Husband And shall not a Wife love her Husband He is full of tenderness his Spouse is to him as the Apple of his Eye he rejoyceth over her as the Bâ—idegroom over the Bride Isa. 62.5 He loves the Believer as he loves Christ Iohn 17. ult the same love for quality though not equality If God be an Huâ—band shall we not love him
Duties 1. It puts the soul upon self-searching A child of God being conscious to himself of sin takes the Candle and Lanthorn of the Word and searcheth into his heart he desires to know the worst by himself as a man who is distempered in body desires to know the worst of his disease Though our joy lies in the knowledge of our graces yet there is some benefit in the knowledge of our corruptions Therefore Iob prays Make me to know my transgressions Job 13.23 'T is good to know our sins that we may not flatter our selves or take our condition to be better than it is 'T is good to find out our sins least they find us out 2. The inherency of sin puts a child of God upon self-abasing Sin is left in a godly man as a Cancer in the breast or a bunch upon the back to keep him from being proud Gravel and Dung are good to ballast a Ship and keep it from overturning The Dung of sin helps to ballast the soul that it be not overturned with vain-glory We read of the spots of Gods children Deut. 32.5 When a godly man looks his face in the glass of Scripture and sees the spots of infidelity and hypocrisie this makes the plumes of Pride fall they are humbling spots 'T is a good use may be made even of our sins when they occasion low thoughts of our selves Better is that sin which humbles me than that duty which makes me proud Holy Bradford uttered these words of himself I am saith he a painted hypocrite and Hooper Lord I am Hell and thou art Heaven From the Thorn of sin the Saints have gathered the Grape of Humility 3. Sin puts a child of God upon self-judging he is sui Iudex he passeth a Sentence upon himself Pro. 30.2 I am more brutish than any man 'T is dangerous to judg others but it is good to judg our selves 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would judge our selves we should not be judged When a man hath judged himself now Satan is put out of Office When he lays any thing to a Saints charge he is able to retort and say It is true Satan I am guilty of these sins but I have judged my self already for them and having condemned my self in the lower Court of Conscience God will acquit me in the upper Court of Heaven 4. Sin puts a Child of God upon self-conflicting Spiritual-self conflicts with carnal-self Gal. 5.17 The Spirit lusts against the flesh Our life is a wayfaring life and a warfaring life there is a duel fought every day between the two Seeds A Believer will not let sin have peaceable possession If he cannot keep sin out he will keep sin underâ— though he cannot quite overcome yet he is overcoming Rev. 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him that is overcoming 5. Sin puts a Child of God upon self-observing He knows sin is a Boâ—om-Traytor therefore narrowly observes himself A subtil heart needs a watchful eye The heart is like a Castle that is in danger every hour to be assaulted this makes a Child of God lye alwayes Centinel and keep a Guard about his heart A Believer hath a strict eye over himself least he fall into any scandalous enormity and so open a sluce to let all his comfort run out 6. Sin puts the soul upon self-reforming A child of God does not only find out sin but drive out sin one foot he sets upon the neck of his sins and the other foot he turns to Gods Testimonies Psal. 119.59 Thus the sins of the Godly work for good God makes the Saints Maladies their Medicines But let none abuse this Doctrine I do not say that to an impenitent person sin works for good no it works for his damnation but it is to them that love God And for you that are Godly I know you will not draw a wrong conclusion from this either to make light of sin or to make bold with sin if you should do so God will make it cost you dear Remember David he ventured presumptuously on sin and what got he he lost his peace he felt the terrours of the Almighty in his soul Though he had all helps to cheerfulnesse he was a King he was of a ruddy sanguine complexion he had skill in Musick yet nothing could administer comfort to him he complains of his broken bones Psal. 15.8 And though he did at last come out of that dark Cloud yet some Divines are of Opinion that he never recovered his full joy to his dying day If any of Gods people should be tampering with sin because God can turn it to good though the Lord doth not damn them he may send them to Hell in this life he may put them into such bitter agonies and soul-Convulsions as may fill them full of horrour and make them draw nigh to despair Let this be a Flaming Sword to keep them from coming near the forbidden Tree And thus I have shewn that both the best things and the worst things by the over-ruling hand of the great God do work together for the good of the Saints CHAP. V. Shewing the Reason of the Proposition THe grand Reason why all things shall work for good is the near and dear interest which God hath in his people The Lord hath made a Covenant with them Ier. 32.38 They shall be my people and I will be their God By vertue of this compact all things do and must work for good to them Psal. 50.7 I am God even thy God This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy God is the sweetest word in the Bible it implies the best relations and it is impossible there should be these relations between God and his people and every thing not work for their good This expression I am thy God implies 1. The relation of a Physitian I am thy Physitian God is 1. A Skilful Physitian therefore knows what is best God observes the several tempers of men and knows what will woâ—k most effectually some are of a more sweet disposition and are drawn by mercy others are more rugged and knotty pieces these God deals with in a more forcible way Some things are kept in Sugar some in Brine God doth not deal alike with all he hath Tryals for the stâ—ong and Cordials for the weak 2. God is a Faithful Physiâ—ian therefore will turn all to the best If he doth not give thee ad voluntatem it shall be ad sanitatem If God doth not give thee that which thou likest he will give thee that which thou needest A Physitian doth not so much study to please the taste of the Patient as to cure his distemper We complain such sore tryals lye upon us let us remember God is our Physitian therefore he labours rather to heal us than humour us Gods dealings with his children though they are sharp yet they are safe and in order to a Cure Deut. 8.16 That he might do thee good in the
14.8 Shew us the Father and it sufficeth 3. A love of Benevolence which is a wishing well 〈◊〉 the Cause of God He that is indeared in affection to his friend wisheth all happinesse to him This is to love God when we are well-wishers we desire that his Interest may prevail our Vote and Prayer is that his name may be had in honour that his Gospel which is the Rod of his strength may like Aarons Rod blossom and bring forth Almonds 4. The Properties of love 1. Our love to God must be entire and that ex parte subjecti in regard of the Subject it must be with the whole heart Mark 12.30 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with all thy heart In the Old Law an High Priest was not to marry with a Widow nor with an Harlot not with a Widow because he had not her first love nor with an Harlot because he had not all her love God will have the whole heart Hos. 10.2 Their heart is divided The true Mother would not have the child divided nor God will not have the heart divided God will not be an Inmate to have only one Room in the heart and all the other Rooms let out to sin It must be an entire love 2. It must be a sincere love Eph. 6.24 Grace be with all them that love our Lord Iesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sincerity Sincere quasi sine cera it alludes to Honey that is pure and hath no Wax in it Our love to God is sincere when it is pure and without self-respects This the School-men call Amor amicitiae a love of friendship We must love Christ propter Christum as Austin saith for himself as we love sweet Wine for its taste Gods Beauty and Love must be the two Load-stones to draw our love to him Alexander had two freinds Ephestion and Craterus Ephestion saith he loves me because I am Alexander Craterus loves me because I am King Alexander The one loved his person the other loved his benefits Many love God because he gives them Corn and Wine and not for his intrinsecal excellencies Lycurgus would have Virgins to be married without dowry because their Husbands should marry them purely for love We must love God more for what he is than for what he bestows True love is not mercenary You need not hire a Mother to love her child A soul deeply in love with God needs not be hired by rewards he cannot but love him for that oriency of beauty that sparkles forth in him 3. It must be a fervent love The Hebrew word for love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ardency of affection Saints must be Seraphims burning in holy love To love one coldly is all one as not to love him The Sun shines as hot as it can Our love to God must be intense and vehement like the Coales of Iuniper which are most acute and fervent Psal. 120.4 Our love to transitory things must be indifferent we must love quasi non as if we loved not 1 Cor. 7.30 But our love to God must flame forth The Spouse was amore perculsa Sick of Love to Christ Cant. 2.5 We can never love God as he deserves As Gods punishing us is less than we deserve Ezra 9.13 so our loving him is lesse than he deserves 4. Love to God must be active it is like fire which is the most active element it is called The Labour of Love 1 Thes. 1.3 Love is no idle grace it sets the head a studying for God the feet a running in the wayes of his Comandments The love of Christ constrains 2 Cor. 5.13 Pretences of love are insufficient True love is not only seen at the Tongues end but at the Fingers end 't is the labour of love Those living creatures Ezek. 1.8 had wings and hands under their wings an Emblem of a good Christian he hath not only the wings of faith to flie but hands under his wings he works by love he spends and is spent for Christ. 5. Love is Liberal it hath Love-tokens to â—estow 1 Cor. 13.4 Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is â—ind Love hath not only a smooth tongue but a kind heart Davids heart was fired with love to God and he would not offer that to God which cost him nothing 2 Sam. 24.24 Love is not only full of Benevolence but Beneficence Love which enlargeth the heart never straitens the hand He that loves Christ will be liberal to his Members he will be eyes to the blind feet to the lame the backs and bellyes of the poor shall be the furrows where he sows the golden Seeds of liberality Some say they love God but their love is lame of one hand they give nothing to good uses Indeed faith deals about invisibles but God hates that love which is invisible Love is like new Wine which will have vent it vents it self in good works The Apostle speaks it in honour of the Corinthians that they gave to the poor Saints not only to but beyond their power 2 Cor. 8.2 Love is bred at Court it is a Noble Munificent grace 6. Love to God is peculiar He who is a Lover of God gives him such a love as he bestows upon none else As God gives his children such a love as he doth not bestow upon the wicked electing adopting love so a gracious heart gives to God such a special distinguishing love as none else are sharers in 2 Cor. 11.2 I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast Virgin to Christ. A Wife espoused to an Husband gives him such a love as she hath for none else she doth not part with her conjugal love to any but her husband So a Saint espoused to Christ gives him a peculiarity of love a love incommunicable to any other namely a love joyned with adoration Not only the love is given to God but the soul Cant. 4.8 A garden enclosed is my Sister my Spouse The heart of a Believer is Christs Garden the Flower growing in it is love mixed with Divine Worship and this Flower is for Christ alone to smell to the Spouse keeps the Key of the Garden that none may come there but Christ. 7. Love to God is permanent it is like the â—ire the Vestal Virgins kept in Rome it doth not go out true love boyls over but doth not give over Love to God as it is sincere without hypocrisie so it is constant without apostacy Love is like the Pulse of the body alwayes beating 't is not a Land-floud but a Spring As wicked men are constant in love to their sins neither shame nor sickness nor fear of Hell will make them give over their sins so nothing can hinder a Christians love to God Nothing can conquer love not any difficulties or oppositions Cant. 8.6 Love is strong as the Grave The Grave swallows up the strongest bodies so Love swallows up the strongest difficulties Cant. 8.7 Many