our selves with the assurance of Gods favour and love in Jesus Christ. Being justified by faith we have peace with God and rejoyce in God as it is Rom. 5. wee rejoyce in God as ours Therfore those that goe to outward contentments that run out to them as if there were not enough in God and divine things to content their soules but they must be beholding to the divell aâ—d to the flesh for contentments this is not to rest in God Hee is over-covetous whom God cannot content If we be in covenant with him hee is able to fill our soule and all the corners of it hee is able to satisfie all the delights and desires of it hee is a gracious father in Christ. Whither should wee goe from him for contentment why should wee goe out of religion to content our selves in â—vain recreations pleasures of sinne for a season when wee have abundance in God And where there is contentment there will be trusting in him and relying upon him A man will not rely upon riches or friends or any thing for where we place our contentment we place our trust So farre as we love God so farre wee repose affiance and trust in him he will be our rock castle strength Wouldest thou know whether thou restest in him or no In the time of danger whither doth thy soule run to thy purse if thou bee a rich man or to thy friends if thou bee a worldly minded man Every man hath his Castle to flye to But the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower hee that is a childe of God flieth thither for refuge and there hee covereth himselfe and is safe He enters into those chambers of divine providence and goodnesse and there he rests in all troubles Therefore aske thy affections whither thou wouldest runne if there should come a confusion of all things when men are apt to say Oh! what will become of us and they think of this and that A good Christian hath God to rest in he hath God reconciled in Christ and in his love he plants himselfe in life and death He makes God his habitation and his Castle as it is Psalm 18. I love the Lord dearly my Rock and my Fortresse And Moses in Psalm 90. for his Psalme it is Thou hast been our habitation from everlasting to everlasting Wee dwell in thee though in the world we are tossed up and downe and live and die yet wee alway dwell with thee So a Christian hath his contentment and his habitation in God he is his house he dwells in his rocke his resting place his centre in which he rests Come unto mee and yee shall finde rest to your soules When a man is beat out of all contentments he may know by this whether he love God or no As David when hee was beat out of all and they were ready to stone him but hee trusted in the Lord his God So in losses and crosses hast thou contentment in God thou wilt fetch what thou losest out of the love of God and what thou art crossed in thou wilt fetch out of Gods love thou wilt say this and that is taken from mee but God is mine I can fetch more good by faith from him than I can lose in the world A soule that is acquainted with God when hee loseth any thing in the world he can fetch it out of the â—cuntain and spring He is taught to love God he is skilfull this way to pitch his hope and affiance in God where he hath enough for all crosses Let us labour to bring our souls more and more to this and then wee shal know what it is to love God by this placing of our contentment in him Take all from me sayth holy Aâ—stin so thou leave mee thy selfe So a Christian can say take all from mee so I have God Indeed where shall a man have comfort in many passages of his life if he finde it not in religion What will become of a man in this uncertaine world if hee have not somewhat where hee may place his content Oh! he will finde before hee die that hee is a wretched man hee knowes not where to finde rest and contentment before he die hee will bee beat out of all his holds here either by sicknesse or one thing or other The fourth and last is where the true affection of love to God is it stirs up the soule to give all contentment to God to doe all things that may please him This is the nature of love it stirs up to please the partie loved Isaacks sons saw that their father loved Venison therfore they provided venison for him Those that know what God loves will provide what they can that that God may delight in He loves a humble and a believing heart Thou hast wounded me with one of thine eyes The eye of faith when the soule can trust in the word humbly go out of it self his delight is in a broken yeelding heart that hardnes not it selfe against his instructions but yeelds A broken heart that lies low heares all that God saith Oh it is a sacrifice that God is much delighted in a humble spirit is such a spirit as God dwels in He that dwels in the highest heavens dwels in a humble spirit Doth God delight in a meeke broken humble spirit Oh then it will be the desire of a Christian to have such a spirit as God may delight in A meeke soule is much esteemed the hidden man of the heart is much prized search in Gods word what hee delights in and let us labour to bring our selves to such a condition as God may delight in us and we in him then it is a signe wee love him when wee labour to procure all things that may give him content You know that love where it is it stirres up the affections of the partie to remove all things that are distastfull to the partie it loves Therefore it is a neat affection for it will make those neat that otherwise are not so because it will not offend much more this divine heavenly affection when it is set on a right object upon God it is a neat cleanly affection it will purge the soule it will worke upon the soule a desire to bee cleane as much as can bee because God is a pure holy God and it will have no fellowship with the workes of darknesse Therfore as much as humane frailtie will permit the soule that loves God it will studie puritie to keep it selfe unspotted of the world It will not willingly cherish any sinne that may offend the Spirit Those therefore that are carelesse of their wayes and carriage and affections that make nothing of polluting and defiling their affectictions and their wayes there is not the love of God in their hearts It stirres up shame to be offensive in the eyes of such a one especially if they be great there is both love and
in the Word and Sacrament c. If a man desire strangenesse that he cares not how seldome hee receive the Sacrament or come into Gods presence is here love how can love and strangenesse stand together thou art a strange person from God and the things of God thou hast no joy in his presence where thou mayest enjoy his presence here in holy things in this world if thou delight not in his presence and in union with him how canst thou say thou lovest him Can a man say he loves him whose company hee cares not for Thou carest not for Gods company thou mayest meete him in the Word and Sacraments and in good company Where two or three are gathered together I will be in the middest Doest thou pretend thou lovest GOD if thou carest not for these thou hast no fellowship in this businesse all that rellish not heavenly things they doe not love Now to try whether we have this branch of love that is a desire of union Where therefore there is a desire of union with the partie loved of uniting to that person for we speake of persons there wil bee a desire of communion a desire of Vnion will breed a desire of Communion that is there will be a course taken to open our mindes if we have a desire of communion with GOD wee will open our soules often to him in prayer and we will desire that hee will open himselfe in speaking to our hearts by his Spirit And wee will desire that he will open his minde to us in his Word wee will bee carefull to heare his Word and so maintain that sweet and heavenly Commerce betweene him and our soules by this entercourse of hearing him and speaking to him Where two or three are gathered together I will bee in the midst Therefore thâ—se that make no conscience either of hearing the word or of prayer publicke and private aâ—d of using the glorious libertie wee have in Christ of free accesse to the Throne of Grace that doe not use this prerogative and priviledge to cherish that union and communion they may have with God they love not God and Christ Strangenesse is opposite to love and it dissolves and disunites affections therefore when wee are strange to God that we can goe from one end of the weeke to the other and from the beginning of the day to the end of it not be acquainted with God and not open our soules to him it is a signe wee have no love because there is no desire of union and communion with him Againe where wee love we consult and advise and rest in that advice as comming from a loving person especially if he bee as wise as loving so in all our consultations wee will goe to God and take his counsell and when wee have it wee will account it the counsell of one that is wise and loving Those therefore that trust to their owne wits to policie and such like what doe they speake of love when they make not use of that Covenant that is betweene God and them they consult not with him they make not his word the man of their counsell they goe not to him by prayer for advice they commit not their wayes to him as the Psalmist speaketh And this distinguisheth a good Christian from another man A good Christian hee is such a one as acquaints himselfe with his God and wil not loose that entercourse hee hath with God for all the world As Daniel hee would not but pray they could not get him from it with the hazard of his life Againe where this desire of union and joyning is there is a desire even of death it selfe that there may be a fuller union and a desire of the consummation of all things Therefore so farre as wee are afraid of death and tremble at it so farre we want love When the contract is once made betweene Christ and the soule of a Christian for him to feare the making up of the mariage when wee are now absent from the Lord to feare the sweet eternal communion wee shall have in heaven where we shall have all things in greater excellencie and abundance it is from want of faith and love Therefore we should bee ashamed of our selves when wee finde such thoughts rising in our hearts as they will naturally to bee basely and distrustfully afrayd of death Saint Paul sayth I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ that is good nay it is much better for mee nay it is best of all to bee with Christ therefore you see it stirred up his desire I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ. Come Lord Iesus come quickly sayth the Church Revel 22. and the spirit in the Spouse stirres up this desire likewise Come the Spirit and the Spouse say Come And wee should rejoyce to thinke there are happier times to come wherein there will bee an eternall meeting together that nothing shall dissolve as the Apostle sayth 1 Thessal 4. 17. when wee shall bee for ever with the LORD Oh! those times cheare up the heart of a Christian before hand Now where these things possesse not the soule how can wee say that wee love God In Cant. 1. the Church beginnes Let him kisse mee with the kisses of his mouth shee desires a familiar communion with Christ in his word and ordinances Let him kisse me c. Let him speake by his Spirit to my heart In this world Christ kisseth his Church with the kisses of his mouth But in the latter end of the Canticles Make haste my beloved she desires his second coming thinks it not enough to have the kisses of his mouth Make haste my beloved and bee as the young Roes upon the mountaines of Spices that is come hastily from heaven the mountaine of Spices and let us meet together my beloved These things be somwhat strange to our carnall dispositions but if wee hope ever to attaine to the comfort of what I say wee must labour that our hearts may bee brought to this excellent condition to desire the presence of Christ that is the second propertie of love The third is to rest pleased and contented in the thing when wee are joyned with it so farre as wee are joyned with it to place our contentment in it and it is in the nature of that affection to place contentment in the thing wee desire to have whenwe have it once Now wee may know this our contentment whether wee rest in GOD or no by the in ward quiet and peace of the soule in all conditions when whatsoever our condition be in this world yet wee know wee have the light of GODS countenance and can rest and bee content in it more than worldly men in their corne and wine and oyle as David sayth Psalm 4. I rejoyce more in the light of thy countenance than when they have their corne and wine and oyle When wee can joy and solace
thing in the World and who deserves it better then God and Christ we can never returne any thing but this affection of love wee may againe And can wee place it better then upon devine things whereby we are made better our selves doth God require our affections for himselfe No it is to make us happy It advanceth our affection to love him it is the turning of it into the right streame It is the making of us happy that God requires it For consider all things that may deserve this affection It will keepe us from all sin what is any sin but the abuse of love for the crookednesse of this affection turnes us to present things that is the cause of all sinne For what is all sin but pleasure and honours and profits the 3. Idolls of the World all sin is about them And what are all good actions but love well placeâ— the well ordering of this affection is the well ordering of our lives and the misplacing of this affection is the cause of all sinne And to make us the more carefull this way consider that when wee place our affections upon any thing else consider the vanity of it we loose our love and the thing and our selves For whatsoever else wee love if we love not God in it and love it for God it will perish and come to nothing ere long The affection perisheth with the thing we loose our affections and the thing and loose our selves too misplaceing of it These are forcible considerations with understanding persons And if we would use our understanding and consideration and meditation and our soules as wee should to consider of the grounds and incouragments we have to love God and the best things whereby we may be dignified above our selves it would not be as it is we should not bee so devoyd of grace and comfort It was a miracle that the 3. yong men should bee in the middest of the furnace and bee there as if they were in another place no hotter And it is a miracle that men should be in the middest of all incouragements that we have to love God as there is not the like reasons for any thing in the World to keepe our soules in a perpetuall heat of affection to love God no motives or arguments or incentives all are nothing to the multitude of arguments we have to inflame our affections and yet to be cold in the middest of the fire it is a kind of a miracle to have darke understandings and dead affections that notwithstanding all the heavenly meanes we have to keepe a perpetuall flame of love to God yet to be cold and darke in our soules let us bewayle it and be ashamed of it What doe we professe our selves Christians heires of Heaven so beloved of God as that he gave his owne Sonne to deliver us being rebells and enemies in so cursed a state as we are all in by nature poore Creatures inferiour to the Angells that fell that he should love man sinfull dust and ashes so much as to give his owne Son to free us from so great misery and to advance us to so great happinesse to set us in heavenly places with Christ and to have perpetuall communion with him in Heaven to have such incouragements and to be cold and dead hearâ—ed nay wilfully opposite in our affections to bee enemies to the goodnesse of God and grace having such arguments to love God And yet how many spirits edged by the Divell oppose all that is good and will not give way to Gods Spirit God would have them Temples they will be styes God would marry them nay they will be harlots GOD would have them happy here and here after no they will not they will have their owne lusts and affections Let us bee affrayd of these things as we love our owne soules and ourselvâ—s and consider what incouragments wee have to love God for which such great things are reserved as neyther Eye hath seen nor Eare heard nor hath entred into the heart of man to conceive FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes Aug. 1638. The coherence The best Ministers will not shun to be tried by the best judgments Scope of the words and explication The mysteries of the Gospell hidden from naturall men Isai. 64. 4 The way to set forth divine things 1. Pet. 1. What is meant by those things the eye hath not seen Dâ—â—trines A question God reveals secret things that are excellent to his children Three degrees of revelation Vers. 11. The Gospell is hid without the Spirit to discover the minde of God 1 Iohn 3. 2. 1. Vse Instruction Why so many heresies touching the Gospel 2. Instruction In dâ—vine truths above nature wee are not to trust to reason too much An use of direction How to study and read divine truths GODS course with his children to shew them these mysteries Supernaturall objects require supernatural senses Simile Of knowledge joyned with feeling 1 Cor. â— 14. 15. Concerning spirituall sight It is not in nature to shew us these divine mysteries Another use of Inâ—struction A rule to value things by Iâ— is the best wisedome to be wise to salvation Augustine Value the Scriptures Ground of the Martyrs patience A godly man suffers these things in his senses for those that are above his senses Rom. 8. What Popery is Isai. 64. Merit hath no proportion with glory We cannot be too exact in holy duties The scopâ— coherence division more cleared The wisedom of God hâ—d from wise men 1 Point Observation Naturall wits conceive not the Gospel Wicked men talk of repentance but do not rerepent A holy man feeles sin heavy Carnall men hate the light They know them but by a common light An objection answered for explicatioÌ„ 1. Answ. Ephes 3. By way of negation By way of eminence What tho we should have of the world What true râ—ches are What true beautie is Gods children have a taste of heaven before they come there What peace in heaven is Heaven on earth 1 Ioh. 3. Reasons 1 Reason 2 Reason 3 Reason If wee would see God as he is we must die Use. I. The meditation of the life hereafter steeres a Christians life here 2 Vse 3 Vse Ephes. 1. 1 Pet. 1. Every petty crosse will not cast downe a believer 4 Vse Hee comforts himselfe with his hopes of heaven against the slightings of the world Envie not wicked men but pitty them joy unspeâ— 1 Ioh. 3. To be called a son of God is to be so Vse Why men are drowned in the world How to get the conquest of any temptation The fourth particular Some questions answered for explication 2 Quest. Answ. Fâ—ith a hidden grace Quest. Answ. 4 Quest. Answ. For whom these are prepared Observ. Râ—asons No gettâ—ng to heaven without change of our natures A carnall man-wants eyes to see heaven Vse Take heed of vaine hope Gâ—eatnesse nor honoâ—s can pacifie conscience 2 Vse Look within thee for the evidences Looke to thy affections A briefe recapitulation of some former things with addition God prepared happinesse for us before all eternitie It is a base thing to be too much in love with any earthly thing Try thy selfe by thy love Wee may know heaven to bee ours by the disposition of our hearts 1 Pet. 1. God hath not ordained heaven for his enemies Observ. Merit confuted Love a commanding affection Our actions are but still-born withâ—out affections When a man puts God in stead of himselfe There must be an esteeme of God and Christ. Psal 73. Heb. 11. Ioh. 6. Psal. 27. If we esteeme God wee shall part with any thing besides 2 Where there is true love there is a desire of union Strangenesse is opposite to lovâ— Psal. â—7 Where thiâ— uâ—ion is there is a desire of death it selfe Revel 22. 1 Thess. 4. 17. Cant. 1. Desire the presence of Christ. Psal. 4. Rom. 5. God can fill our soules Psal. 18. Psal. 90. Augustine Seâ— what God loves delight in that and provide it for him Isai. 65. Loveâ— will purge your heart Love from faith woundeth the breast of Christ. If we love God wee shall love whatever is divine or toucheth on God Love to God studies how to please God Studie in thy place how to put forth the best of â—hy indevours to please God 〈◊〉 1. Psal. 34.