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
in heaven p. 80. We are not capable of the joyes of heaven here p. 87. Meditation of heaven steeres a Christians life here p. 88. Faith sets heaven in our eye by it conquers the world p. 89. The nature of hope id What inforceth to keepe a good conscience p. 91. Vse How to abase our selves p. 93. Vse Of thankefulnesse p. 94 Every petty crosse will not cast downe a believer p. 97. Vse Comfort our selves against the slightings of the world p. 98. Why men are drowned in the world p. 100. How to get the conquest in any temptation p. 104. Religion not an empty thing p. 106. What are the greatest ils 109. They that desire to growbetter they shall grow to perfection p. 113. Rejoyce in beginnings of grace 112 Admire at those things that eye hath not c. 113 To know whether these things are prepared for us or no. 116 Labour to know thine inheritance more and more ibid. God prepares them for greaâ— matters for whom they are prepared 117 For whom all these things are prepared 120 Faith a hidden grace 120 Obs. God doth qualifie all those in this world that hee hath prepared happinesse for in an other woâ—ld 125 A natural man cannot see heaven nor desire it as holy 126 Take heed of vaine hopes 128 Look within thee for thy evidences 131 Look to thy affection 132 God prepared happinesse before all eternitie 136 That happinesse which the world shewes is not the true happinesse because it can be seene 141 It 's base to be too much in love with the world 144 Try thy selfe by this love 145 Wee may know heaven to bee ours by the disposition of our hearts 147 God hath not ordained heaven for his enemies 149 Merit confuted 151 There goes somewhat of ours and somewhat of Gods together to witnes to us what God doth 153 Love a commanding affection 154 Our actions are but still-borne without affection 157 Begin not first with election but see if God hath taught thee to love God p. 159. What it is to love God p. 160. Foure things in this sweet affection of Love observeable p. 162. When a man puts God in stead of himselfe p. 166 How to know we have a sanctified judgement p. 168 If we esteeme God we shall part with any thing besides 172. where is true love there is a desire of union p. 175 Try whether wee have this branch of love p. 178 Where wee love wee shall consult p. 181. Where union there is a desire of death it selfe p. 182 God able to fill our soule p. 188 Whither to fly if a confusion of all things should come p. 190 In losses and crosses thou wilt fetch what thou loosest out of the love of God p. 192. Provide that for God that hee loves p. 194. Love will purge your heart 196 Love from faith wounds Christ 198 Men under the Gospell live unworthy of it 202 Those that love God love his members 204 If wee love God wee shall love whatever is divine 205 Love wil make us please God in all things 207 Love to God studies how to please God 207 Study in thy place how to put out the best of thy endeavour 209 In heaven all promises are fulfilled indeed p. 2. 3 God gives his a taste aforehand 2. 4 A Christians knowledge of his title to heaven makes him work 2. 5 Love the fittest grace to describe a Christian. 2. 7 What the affection passion Grace of love is 2. 8 Vse of examination how our affections are byassed 2. 11 Ob. May we not love the creatures at all 2. 12 Ob. How shall I know I love God 2. 14 Ob. My love to God is saint how to be maintained and cherished 2. 17 Ob. Why mean poore Christians have more tender love to God than great schollers 2. 19 How to love God with all our might 2. 25 God expects more love in a Magistrate than otherâ— 2. 26 The may to love God is to see our misery 2. 27 Another way consider Gods mercie goodnesse 2. 31 Hee feedes our soules with his owne son 2. 32 Benefites will worke on a beast 2. 35 Consider with what love those of old loved the law when we have Gospell and yet love not 2. 39 Converse much with those that love God 2. 39 Get a new nature then thou wilt love without provocation 2. 40 Dwell on the meditation of the love of God 2. 43 Love will carry us through all duties and difficulties 2. 48 Love increaseth by suffering 2. 50 Consider the vanitie of our affections being set on any thing else 2. 54 Be ashamed of the want of love to God when thou hast such meanes to kindle it 2. 57 HIDDEN SECRETS Revealed by the GOSPEL 2 COR. 2. 9. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Eare heard neither have entred into the heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him THE holy Apostle St. Paul the Trumpet of the Gospell the vessell of election was ordained to bee a messenger of reconciliation and to spread the sweet savour of the Gospell every where And answerably to his calling hee makes way for the excellencie of his Ambassage into the hearts of those he had to deale with This he doth by the commendation of his function And that he might the better prevaile hee removes all objections to the contrary There were some that would debase his Office saying that the Gospell he taught Christ crucified was no such great matter Therefore in the 6. verse of this chapter hee shewes that the Gospell is Wisedome and that among them that are perfect among the best and ablest to judge St. Paul did not build as the Papists doe now upon the blindnesse of the people But it were not Poperie if they did not infatuate the people St. Paul sayth to this effect Wee dare appeale to those that are the best and of the best judgement let them judge whether it be wisedome or no the more perfect men are the more able they are to judge of our wisedome It might bee objected again You see who â—ares for your wisedome neither Herod nor Pilate nor the greatmen and Potentates the Scribes and Pharisees great learned men and withall men of innocent lives notable for carriage Therefore sayth he Wee speak not the wisedome of this world or the Princes of this world that come to nought Doe not tell us of such mens wisedome they and their wisedome will come to nought too Wee teach wisedome of things that are eternall to make men eternall As for the Princes of the world they and all that they know their thoughts and all their plots and devises perish But wee speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie That is the wisedome of Gods revealing a deepe wisedome a mysterie that God or dained before the world Ancient wisedom not a yesterdayes knowledge tho lately discovered the preaching of the Gospell is the discovery of that
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
his goodnesse and the streaming of it our to the Creature The whole Earth is full of the goodnesse of the Lord. What are all the Creatures but Gods goodnesse Wee can see nothing but the goodnesse of God what is all the Creatures but Deus explicatus God unfolded to our senses he offers himselfe to our bodies and soules all is Gods goodnesse And then see this goodnesse fitted to us it is a fit goodnesse that comes from God he is good and doth good and so fitly he proportions his goodnesse for hee hath fitted every part of us soule and body with goodnesse all the senses with goodnesse what doe we see but goodnesse in colours What doe we heare but his good in those delights that come that way We tast and feele his goodnesse against the cold we have cloathing in hunger wee have food in all necessities in all exigences wee have fit considerations of God for all necessities whatsoever outward But then for our soules what food hath he for that the death of CHRIST his owne sonne to feed our soules The soule is a spirituall substance and hee thought nothing good enough to feed it but his own sonne wee feed on Gods love in giving CHRIST to death and on CHRISTS love in giving himselfe to death The soule being continually troubled with the guilt of some sinne or other it feeds on this it is nourished with CHRIST every day more and more especially at the Sacrament Thus we see how GOD hath fitted his goodnesse to us And then in particular dangers how hee fits us with severall deliverances so seasonably as we may see Gods love in it Then as GODS goodnesse is great and fit so it is neare us it is not a goodnesse a farre off but GOD followes us with his goodnesse in whatsoever condition wee bee hee applies himselfe to us and hee hath taken upon him neare relations that hee might bee neare us in goodnesse hee is a Father and every where to maintaine us Hee is a Husband and every where to helpe hee is a friend and every where to comfort and counsell so his love it is a neare love therefore hee hath taken upon him the nearest relations that we may never want God and the testimonies of his love And then againe this goodnesse of God which is the object of love it is a free goodnesse meerely from himselfe and an overflowing goodnesse and an everlasting goodnesse it is never drawn drie hee loves us unto life everlasting he loves us in this World and followes us with signes of his love in all the parts of us in body and soule till hee hath brought body and soule to Heaven to enjoy himselfe for ever there These and such like considerations may serve to stirre us up to love God and direct us how to love God Benefits will worke upon a beast as it is Isaiah â— Heare oh Heavens and hearken oh earth the Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters Cribbe but my people have forgotten mee Proud men become baâ—er and more brute then the very brutes benefits will moove the very brute Creatures So I say these favours to us in particuler should moove us except wee will bee more brute then the brutes themselves Especially to moove us all consider some particularities of favours to us more then to others for specialties doe much increase love and respect Consider how God hath followed thee with goodnesse outwardly when others have beene neglected Thou hast a place in the World and Riches and Friends when many other excellent persons want all these There are some common favours to all Christians as the favour wee have in CHRIST forgivenesse of sins Sanctification and such other favours But there bee some specialties of Devine providence whereby it appeares that GODS providence hath watched over us in some particulars more then others those bee speciall ingagements And is there any of us that cannot say that GOD hath dealt specially in giveing them some mercie more then to others I adde this therefore to the rest Againe to helpâ— us to stirre up this grace of love consider those examples of loveing of those that have then lived in former times take David and Paul and other holy men David wonders at his owne love Lord how doe I love thy Law And have wee not more cause comparing the grounds of our affection when wee have more then they in those times What did hee wonder at his love of GODS Law when the Canon was so short they had onely Moses and some few Bookes and wee have the Canon inlarged wee have both the old and new Testament shall not wee say much more how doe I love thy Law thy Gospell and Divine truthes This should shame us when they in darke times so loved the truth of GOD and wee see all cleare and open and yet are cold Likewise it is good in this case to converse with those that are affectionate as face answereth face so spirit answers spirit as Iron sharpneth Iron so one sharpens another Conversation with cold ones will make one cold For the abundance of iniquitie the love of many shall wax cold Conversing with sinfull cold people casts a dampe upon us but let us labour if we will bee wise for our soules when wee finde any coldnesse of affection to converse with those that have sweete and heavenly affections it will mervaylously worke upon our hearts I might say much this way to stirre us up and direct us how to love God But indeed nothing will so much inable us to love God as a new nature nature will love without provocation the fire will burne because it is fire and the water will moysten because it is water and a holy man will love holy things because hee is holy a spirituall soule will love spirituall things because hee is spirituall therefore besides all adde this that our natures bee changed more and more that they be sanctified and circumcised as God hath promised I will circumcise your hearts that yee may love me There must bee a circumcised heart to love God wee must bee sanctified to love God for if nature bee not renewed there cannot bee this new Commandement of love Why is love called a new Commandement and an old Commandement It is called old for the Letter because it was a command in Moses time thou shalt love the Lord with all thy soule But now it is a new Commandement because there is abundance of spirit given by CHRIST and the spirit sanctifies us and writes this affection in our hearts It was written in stone before but now it is written in our hearts by the spirit And now there are new incentives and motives to love since CHRIST came and gave himselfe for us new incouragments and provocations to love therefore it is a new Commandement from new grounds and motions that are more a great deale then before Christ. But there must be a new heart to obey this new command of love
the old heart will never love Therefore we must with all the meanes that may be used begge the spirit of sanctification especially beg the discovery of Gods love to us for our love is but a reflection of Gods love we cannot love God except he love us first now our love being a reflection of Gods love we must desire that he would give us his spirit to reveale his love that the spirit being a witnesse of Gods love to us may thereupon be a spirit of love and sanctification in us And let us labour to grow more in the assurance of Gods love and all the evidences of it let us dwell long in the meditation of these things the dwelling in the meditation of Gods love it will make us to love him againe as many beames in a burning glasse meeting together they cause a fire many thoughts of the many fruites of Gods love in this World and what hee intends us in the World to come our hearts dwelling on them these beames will kindle a holy fire in our hearts Many are troubled with cold affections and wish oh that they could love they forget the way how to love they will not meditate and if they doe meditate they thinke to worke love out of their owne hearts They may as well worke fire out of a Flint and water out of a stone our hearts are a barren Wildernesse Therefore let us begge the spirit that God would alter our hearts with meditation and all other helpes that God would sanctifie us and discover his love to us and that hee would give us his spirit for hee doth the one where he doth the other when God doth so then wee shall bee enabled to love him Wee must not thinke to bring love to God but we must fetch love from God wee must light our Candle at his fire thinke of his love to us and begge the spirit of love from him love is a fruit of the spirit That is the course wee ought to take for GOD will teach our hearts to love Now to stirre us up the more to adde some motives and incouragments to labour more to get this affection Let us consider seriously that without this love or God we are dead and whatsoever comes from us it is still-borne it is dead without love wee are nothing without love all that comes from us is nothing without love I am as a tinkling Cymball sayth Paul For a man to be nothing in Religion and all that comes from him to be dead and still-borne to bee abortive actions who would bee in such a cafe Therefore let us labour before we doe any thing that is good to have our hearts kindled with the love of God and then we shall be somebody and that that we doe will be acceptable for love sweetens all performances It is not the action but the love in the action as from God it is not the dead favour that comes from him that comforts the soule of a Christian so much as the love and sweetnesse of God in the favour that is better then the thing it selfe when we have favour from God in outward favours Consider the sweetnesse tast and see how gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. The tast of the love and favour of God in the blessing is better then the thing is selfe for it is but a dead thing And so from us back againe to God what are the things wee performe to him they are dead but when they are sweetned with the affection of love done to him as a father in Christ he tasts our performances as sweet love makes all wee doe to have a relish and all that he doth to us therefore wee should labour for this sweet affection And with all consider that we may be called to doe many things in this World surely there are none of us but wee have many holy actions to performe wee have many things to suffer and indure in the World many temptations to resist what shall or will carry us through all Nothing but love if we have loving and gracious hearts this affection will carry us through all good actions through all oppositions and temptations for love is strong as death Considering therefore that there are so many things that will require this affection this blessed wing and winde of the soul to carry us along in spight of all that is contrary through all opposition let us labour for love and that affection will carry us through all Indeed if we have that it is no matter what a man suffers a man can never be miserable that hath this affection of love if this heavenly fire be kindled in him he cannot be miserable take him in what condition you will take him upon the wrack S. Paul in the dungen sung at midnight in the dungeon in the stocks at an uncomfortable time and place when he had been misused his heart was inlarged to sing to God out of love Nay every thing increaseth it the things we suffer increaseth this flame let a man love God whatsoever he suffers in a good cause it increaseth his love hee shall find his love increased with it the more hee loves the more he can suffer and the more he suffers the more he loves God and the more he increaseth in a joyfull expectation of the times to come and love is alway with joy hope and other sweet affections it drawes joy with it alwayes and hope of better things and as joy increaseth and hope increaseth so a mans happinesse increaseth in this World Therefore it is no matter what a man suffers that hath a gracious and loving heart enlarged by the Spirit of God let him never thinke of what he suffereth of paine of losses and crosses if God discover his fatherly breast and shine on him in Christ and he looke on God reconciled and tast of the joyes of Heaven before hand if you tell him of sufferings you tell him of that that incourageth him It is an argument I might be long in and to great purpose for if we get this holy fire kindled once we shall need little exhortation to other duties it would set us on worke to all and like the fire of the Sanctuary that never went out so it is such an affection that if it bee once kindled in the heart it will never out It is a kinde of miracle in ill when we love other things besides God baser then our selves it is as much as if a River should turne backward For man that is an excellent Creature to be carried with the streame of his affection to things worse then himselfe it is a kind of monster for a man to abuse his understanding so What a base thing is it for a man to suffer such a sweete streame as love a holy current to run into a sinke who would turne a sweete streame into a sinke and not rather into a garden into a sweet place to refresh that Our love is the best
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.