signified by that name In the eyes of worldlings a Christian is despised and accounted but the offskowring of the earth the cause of this contempt is their ignorance they see the earthen vessell but know not the treasure which is within it or else for loue of the treasure they would imbrace the vessell But against this contempt of men wee haue to set that honourable estimation which God hath of a Christian for the high and honourable stiles which Gods giues him testifie that in the Lords account the Christian is an high and honourable person Againe the manifold names which are giuen him declare that it is not one grace onely but manifold graces of God which must concurre to make vp a Christian and this doth teach vs that it is not so easie a thing to be a Christian as commonly is supposed Last of all the honourable stiles giuen the Christian admonish him to walke worthy of his calling that he may answere the names which God hath giuen him since hee is the free-man of God the brother and the member of Christ why shall he abase himselfe to the seruitude of Sathan and sinne The Censure But now the contrary conuersation of many proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name THE SECOND PART WHEREIN IS DISCRIBED THE DISPOSITION OF HIS INWARD MAN CHAPTER I. Of his Inward Man The Lords Command MAN looketh to the outward appearance 1. Sam. 16. 7. but I am the Lord who searcheth the heart and the reynes Iere. 11. 20. therefore my Sonne keepe thine heart with all diligence Prou. 4. 23. wash it from thy wickednesse Ierem. 4. and giue it vnto mee Pro. 23. 26. Let the hid man of the heart be vncorrupt 1. Pet. 3. 4. and keepe thy selfe in thy spirit Malach. 2. 15. Cast off concerning the conuersation in time past which is corrupted and put on the new which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse Eph. 4. 22. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord my God I know that thou tryest the heart and hast pleasure in righteousnesse and that the man is blessed in whose heart are thy wayes therefore O Lord take away from mee the stony heart and giue me a heart of flesh put a new spirit into my bowels let neuer mine heart be diuided from thee O my God but let it be vpright in thy statutes and faithfull before thee knit it to thee that I may feare thy Name so shall I neuer be ashamed Another O Lord my God who brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus the great Shepheard of the sheepe through the bloud of the euerlasting couenant worke I beseech thee that which is pleasant in thy sight and grant according to the riches of thy grace that I may be strengthened by the spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in mine heart by faith and so my whole Spirit soule and body may be kept blamelesse to the comming of the Lord Iesus to whom be praise and glory for euer The Christians Practise of this Command I Haue prepared mine heart to seeke the Law of the Lord and to doe it Ezra 7. 10. I will not regard wickednesse in mine heart Psal. 66. 18. for I haue set the Lord as a seale on my heart and signet on my arme Cant. 8. 6. My heart abhorres all labour that is wrought vnder the Sunne Eccles. 2. 20. onely I delight in the Law of God as concerning the inward Man Rom. 7. When the Lord saith to me seeke yee my face my heart answereth O Lord I will seeke thy face Psal. 27. My heart is purified in obaying the truth 1. Pet. 1. 22. and it shall cleaâ—…e to the Lord without separation 1. Cor. 7. 35. THE OBSERVATIONS THE Christian soiourning in the body consisteth of an outward Man and an inward eyther of them hauing their owne kinde of life senses actions and operations of so contrary qualitities that as saith the Apostle when the one is decaying the other is renuing By the one he walkes among men and hath his conuersation honest in the world by the other hee walkes with God as Henoch did and hath his conuersation in heauen In all his outward behauiour hee sheweth himselfe an example of godlinesse so that euen in his countenance gesture and language hee carries a print of godlinesse as the high Priest had grauen on his fore-head holines to the Lord but his chiefe care is to deck the hid Man of the heart which before God is a thing much set by But in this age many carry the name of Christians who neuer knew what this inward Man is and farre lesse hath felt the power of his spiritual life they are not the holy temples of God which should be more beautifull within then without as was Ierusalems Temple but are painted sepulchers pleasant without full of rottennesse within hauing the faces of men and the hearts of beasts If the Lord Iesus whose eyes are like fire and who with one looke can see them both within and without come to iudge them hee will not giue sentence of them as hee did of Nathaniel Behold an Israelitie in whom there is no guile but will charge them with that which Simon Peter said to Simon Magus I see that thou art in the gall of bitternesse and band of iniquitie and that thy heart is not right in the sight of God The Censure And hereby also it may be knowne that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER II. Of his New Minde The Lords Command THE light of the body is the eye if the eye be single the whole body shall be light but if thine eye be wicked then all the body shall be darke wherefore if the light that is in thee be darknesse how great is the darknesse Math. 6. 22. Take heed then that the light which is in you be not darkenesse Luke 11. 35. for yee are the children of light therefore sleepe not as others doe but watch and be sober 1. Thes. 5. 6. not as vnwise but vnderstanding what the good will of the Lord is Ephe. 5. 17. Not as other Gentiles who walke still on in the vanitie of their minde hauing their cogitation darkned and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them Ephe. 4. 17. but be yee changed by the renuing of your minde that yee may proue what is the good and acceptable will of God Rom. 12. wise in that which is good simple as concerning euill Rom. 16. 19. But be not wise in your selues neyther high minded Rom. 12. 16. If any man thinke that hee knowes any thing the same knowes nothing as he ought 1. Cor. 8. 2. An high mind goes before a fall Prou. 29. 23. Neyther will the Lord
Naturall inability to fulfill these commandements he turneth all the precepts of God into prayers the vse whereof I hope in all the parts of thy life shall not be vnprofitable for thee And last of all hee liues in a continuall practise of those duâ—…ties of godlinesse which God in his word hath commanded him and he himselfe doth pray for Now in the end I haue onely to obuiate two sorts of men by the one it is surmized that I haue plowed with the Heifer of another specially of Cashmannus who hath written before me de nouo homine by the other it may be obiected that I haue presented an imperfect image of a Christian and haue left out many things which profitably might haue beene pointed out concerning him For the first as I giue thanks to God for the labours of that worthy man so if I had borrowed any thing from him I would neuer thinke shame to confesse it nam ingenui pudoris est vt ait Plinius fateri per quos profecerimus haec quasi merces authori iure optimo pensitanda est ne fures esse videamur but the truth is that many yeares before he came in this Country this Anatomie was drawne and portraited as now you see it As for the second I humbly confesse it Malim tamen aliquid agendo maiorem à me doctrinam sapientiam desiderari quam nihil agendo prudentior doctiorque iudicari It was a commendable policy of these Indian Philosophers called Gymnosophista qui à suis discipulis seuerius otis quà m negotiâ—… rationem exigendam esse arbitrabantar What I haue done in this little labour is a part of my negotiation with that one talent I haue receiued from the Lord and which hee hath charged me to put to the vttermost profit And therefore had I rather by doing of some good lay open my infirmities to the censure of men then to hide by idlenesse my talent in the earth and so to incurre the indignation of my Maister I know my selfe I haue not done what I should nay not what by the grace of God I could yet that which in regard of my daily labour in the worke of the Ministerie I might Accept therefore from me this image of a Christian in a Christian manner apply it to thy selfe and looke what similitude or dissimilitude thou findest betweene thee and it Doe as Elizeus did to the widdowes sonne when he raised him from death to life he stretched himselfe ouer the childe hee put his mouth on the childes mouth his eyes on his eyes his hands on his hands and therewithall he ioyned prayer and the childe reuiued so compare thou thy selfe with this ensample thy minde thy will thy affections thy words thy actions with these of the new man where thou â—…indest a conformity giue thanks to God for the beginning of the worke of his grace in thee where not pray to God further to quicken thee that thou mayest grow in an holy similitude and conformity with him to the glory of his holy name and thy euerlasting comfort in Christ Iesus to whom be praise glory and honour for euer Thine in the Lord Iesus Mr. VVILLIAM COWPER Minister at Perth PSAL. 49. Come and I will tell you what the Lord hath done to my soule THE ANATOMIE of a Christian. CHAPTER I. OF HIS NEW BIRTH OR REGENERATION The Lords Command concerning it I Knew that thou art obstinate and thy necke is an yron sinew and thy brow brasse Esa. 48. 4. I knew that thou wouldst grieuously transgresse therefore haue I called thee a transgressor from the wombe vers 8. In thy natiuitie when thou wast borne thy nauill was not cut thou wast not washed with water I saw thee polluted in thine own blood Ezech. 16. 4. 6. Neuerthelesse for my names sake and for my praise haue I refrained my wrath from thee that I cut theâ—… not off Esa. 48 9. Yea euen when thou wast in thy blood I said vnto thee thou shalt liue â—… sware vnto thee and entred into a couenant with thee saith the Lord and thou art become mine Ezech. 16. 8. For why shall I cause others to trauaile and bring forth and shall I remaine barren saith the Lord Esa. 66. 9. No But in the middes of my children the worke of mine hands shall my name be sanctified Esa. 29. 23. Thou shalt call me father and not turne from me Ierem 3. 19. And I will put a new spirit in thy bowels that thou maist walke in my statutes Ezech. 11. 19. Old things are passed away behold all things are made new if any man be in Christ let him become a new creature 2. Cor. 5. 17. Verely I say vnto you except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Ioh. 3. 3. Be yee therefore renewed in the spirit of your mind Eph. 4. 23. Putting on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him who created him Coloss 3. 10. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this command O Lord since flesh and blood cannot inherit thy kingdome and none can see thee but the pure in heart and such as are like thee I beseech thee Lord to transform me into thine image from glory to glorie by thy spirit that where thou art there I may be to behold thy glory It lies not in my power to change one haire of my head to make it white which is blacke farre lesse can I change mine heart to make it cleane which is filthy No man can tame the nature of man that which is crooked he cannot make straight but O Lord that which is impossible with man is possible with thee thou giuest sight to the blind thou raisest vp the crooked thou turnest a barren wildernesse into a fruitfull land thou sendest forth thy Spirit and renewest the face of the earth thou callest things which are not and makest them to be yea thou raisest vp the dead O Lord declare this thy great power in mercie vpon me turne the barren wildernesse of mine heart into a fruitfull garden water it with the dew of thy grace that receiuing a blessing from thee it may bring forth fruit vnto thy glorie Send forth thy Spirit and breath life into my dead soule that I may liue and praise thee O God of my saluation for euer thorough Iesus Christ. Amen The Christians Practise of this command I Was conceiued and borne in sinne Psal. 51. I walked as a child of wrath according to the course of the world after the spirit that workes in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2. But now I am receiued to mercie 1. Tim. 1. 16. and am by the grace of God 1. Cor. 15. 10. the workemanship of God created in Christ Iesus to good workes Eph. 2. 10. And this the Lord hath made me I made not my selfe Psal. 100. 3. he quickened me when I
beleeues in me should not abide in darkenesse vers 46. While therefore ye haue the light walke in the light that ye may be the children of light Ioh. 12. 36. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obey this command LOrd remoue from me that curse that in seeing I should not see and in hearing I should not vnderstand quicken me according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keep the testimonies of thy mouth Specially worke faith in my heart for it is thy gift I beleeue O Lord but help thou my vnbeleefe Increase my faith that mine eyes may be opened to see the wonders of thy law Speake to the heart of thy seruant that I may get cares to heare what thy Spirit saith that I may tast how gracious thou art that I may smell the sauour of life in thy Gospel and may so touch thee that in beleeuing I may get life through thy holy name and may so bee ioyned with thee that I may become one spirit with thee through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for euer The Christians Practise of this command I Was borne of my naturall mother deafe dumbe and blind but now the Lord hath opened mine eares Esa. 50. 5. so that I discerne the voyce of my shepheard and will not heare the voyce of a stranger Ioh. 10. 5. for the Lord hath giuen vnto me eares to heare what the spirit saith Reuel 2. he hath also annoynted mine eyes with eye-salue Reu. 3. 18. I looke not on things which are seene but on things which are not seene 2. Cor. 4. 18. And haue attained to some in-sight of that glorious inheritance prepared for the Saints Eph. 1. Yea with open face I behold as in a mirrour the glory of the Lord 2. Cor. 3. 18. I haue smelled the sweet sauour of his garments Psal. 45. 8. and of his oyntments for which I loue him Cant. 1. 2. I haue tasted how gracious the Lord is Psal. 34. 8. his word is sweeter to my mouth then the hony or the hony combe Psal. 119. And I haue touched my Lord and his vertue hath staied the filthy issue of my sinne Luk. 8. 44. THE OBSERVATIONS THe Naturall man liues not till fourtie and fiue daies after his conception be expired but the Christian begins to liue as soone as he is conceiued The principall effects of life are Sense and Motion and the more excellent the life is the Sense and Motion is In the Naturall man Motion goes before Sense at least before the vse of the Senses but in the Christian Sense goes before Motion For it is the new Sense which causes the heart to moue and stirre in a new manner Therefore is it that first wee will speake of the Christians Senses and then of his motion or disposition Naturall parents often times bring out their children either dead or wanting some Sense or mutilate of some member but in the new generation it is not so for the Lord begets no dead no senselesse no imperfect children but liuing indued with all their Senses and perfect in regard of the number of their parts The first Sense by regeneration restored to the Children of God is the Sense of Hearing As the eare was the first port by which death was conuayed to the soule so is it the first by which life enters into it Euah by hearing what the Serpent said was brought to a delectation in sinne and the Christian by hearing what the Spirit saith is brought to a contrary hatred of sinne The Spirit of God opens our eares before he open our eyes if we refuse to heare the Lord wee shall neuer see him Auditus est gradus ad visum Hearing is a step to Seeing As Adam after his Apostacie heard the Lord when he cried to him but saw him not so is it with all his children we may liue in the body and heare him but no man can liue and see him It is the order appointed by God that wee should heare him before we come to see him Auditus aspectum restituet we lost our sight by transgression of Gods word we get it againe by obedient hearing thereof Sanet itaqúe auditus oculum qui turbatus est vt serenus vi leat quem turbatus non potuit Let vs therefore by hearing learne how to cure our eye that the eye being made cleare may see the Lord whom it cannot see so long as it is troubled then shall wee sing As we haue heard so haue wee seene in the citie of the Lord of Hoasts Oh what a fearefull sentence they seale against themselues who delight not to heare the word of the Lord Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing of the Law euen his prayer shall be abhominable for if on earth they get not accesse to God when they pray to him how shall they in heauen get accesse to see him A iust punishment of mans rebellion if hee will not heare when God speakes God shall not heare when he prayes and shall neuer admit him to see his face in heauen But the eares required in the Christian are internall by which he may heare what the spirit saith Of these speakes our Sauiour He that hath eares let him heare All that heard him saith Augustine had eares and yet few of them had eares Omnes habebant aures audiendi paâ—…ci aures obediendi Eares to heare but not eares to obey like those of Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth and of Dauid I will hearken what the Lord God will say for he will speake peace to his people and Saints that they turne not againe to follie And they who haue receiued these eares doe heare in such sort that they are sanctified by hearing according to that of our blessed Sauiour Now are ye cleane through the word which I haue spoken to you But alas how great is the number of them who after so long a hearing of the Gospel doe still retaine the filthinesse of their old sinnes they are hearers onely and not doers of the word deceiuing themselues for either else when they heare the word they vnderstand it not or if they vnderstand it they are not moued with it or if they be mooued they are not mended by it their motion beeing but like that of Foelix and their repentance like vnto the morning dew but few they are whose ears God hath opened by the grace of Regeneration The second Sense we receiue in the Regeneration is the Sense of Seeing Sathan promised to our parents that if they would eat of the forbidden tree they should become like God in knowledge but like a false deceiuer as he is hee made them like vnto himselfe for the knowledge of good which they had by creation instantly they lost it by their transgression and
the praise of Gods mercy and if their sinne had not beene punished where should haue beene the praise of his iustice but the Lord Iesus hath vindicated the glory of both For this law of a Redeemer found out by the meruailous wisedome of God as the Lord Iesus did willingly accept it for the loue hee bare to the glory of his Father and saluation of his brethren so hath hee perfectly fulfilled it In his blessed body hee bare our sinnes on the cursed tree the chastisement of our peace was laid vpon him hee hath satisfied the Iustice of his Father and so hath purchased a righteousnesse not for himselfe hee needed it not but that as I said hee might communicate it to his brethren And this garment of righteousnesse is so perfect that it couers all our nakednesse from head to foot both of the Soule and Body for in both he suffered His blessed head was crowned with thornes that hee might satisfie for the proud imaginations of our braine His hands and feete which neuer offended were pierced with Nayles that hee might satisfie for the vnrighteous deedes wee haue done with our hands and feet and so of the rest of his sufferings As Iacoh couered with the garment of his elder brother got the blessing so wee couered with the sweet smelling garment of our elder Brother the Lord Iesus are acceptable to God for in him the Father is well pleased The second garment which vnder this the Christian puts on is the garment of sanctification compact as wee said of many vertues both these at one instant are giuen to the Christian the one defends him from the wrath of God the other sanctifieth and reformeth corrupted Nature Other garments may couer the nakednesse and filthie sores of the bodie but cannot cure them This garment both couers and cures our filthy nakednes it turnes our sicknes into health our darknesse into light for whosoeuer puts on the Lord Iesus for his righteousnesse to iustification puts him on also for holinesse to sanctification so full of Grace and Vertue is the Lord Iesus that not onely by the merit of his sufferings doth hee pacifie the wrath of God towards all them in whom hee is but also by his vertue sanctifieth them by creating a new minde and a new heart in them hee maketh them new creatures The third is a suite of complete armour most necessarie for the Christian for Sathan enuying this new happinesse of man endeuours continually to defile or rent in pieces our garment of holinesse sometime hee assaults our Patience sometime our Temperance c. so that it is not possible for the Christian to keepe vnviolated the seuerall pieces of his holy garment vnlesse hee put on the whole complete armour of God The seuerall pieces of armour requisite to preserue the seuerall graces of the Spirit are set downe Ephes. 6. called there the armour of God both because it is that God furnisheth vs with them and also because no other then these can serue vs in the spirituall warre-fare For in the bodily war-fare men commonly doe resist their aduersaries by such weapons as their enemies doe impugne them with all but in the spirituall if wee sight against Sathan in his Instruments with such weapons as they vse in sighting against vs the aduersarie shall easily ouercome vs. And therefore as Dauid cast from him the armour of Saul and tooke him to weapons farre vnlike those that Goliah brought against him so must wee when wee goe out in the name of God against that vncleane vncircumcised Philistim cast from vs carnall weapons and take vs to the armour of God if we would be sure of victory That is wee must not render euill for euill nor rebuke for rebuke but if our enemies curse vs let vs blesse them if they persecute vs let vs pray for them that so we may ouercome euill with good The last garment is his Sabboth dayes garment which in this life is not put vpon him but is kept in his Fathers Treasure till his warre-fare be ended then shall he be decked with all those excellent ornaments whereof we haue spoken The Censure But the want of these garments proueth that all are not Christians indeed who now vsurpe the Christian name CHAPTER VI. Of his New Names THe Christian being born againe as we haue said is aduanced by the Lord with many honourable stiles in holy Scripture for he is called The Son of God 1. Ioh. 3. the heire of God Rom. 8. Christs brother Iohn 20. Christs fellow-heyre Rom. 8. a spirituall man who discerneth all things 1. Cor. 2. 15. a new creature 2. Cor. 5. a free-man Ioh. 8. a holy man 2. Cor. 6. a Citizen with the Saints and Burges of heauenly Ierusalem Ephes. 2. 19. the Lords domestique or houshold man Eph. 2. the Lords annoynted 1. Iohn 3. a branch of a wilde Oliue contrary to nature ingrafted into the right Oliue Rom. 11. 14. an Israelite in whom there is no guile Ioh. 1. one of the congregation of the first borne Heb. 12. 23. one of Gods peculiar people 1 Pet. 2. 9. a member of Christ 1 Cor. 6. the Temple of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. a royall Priest 1 Pet. 2. 9. the elect man of God Col. 3. 12. a vessâ—…ll of mercie Rom. 9. a childe of the marriage Chamber Mat. 9. an excellent one Psal. 16. 3. The Christians Prayer for Grace to answere these Names O Lord who promised that thy Children should be called with a new Name which the mouth of the Lord should name and according there to hast put thy name vpon thy Children confirme I beseech thee all this great goodnesse which thou hast spoken to thy seruant let it please thee to blesse mee and I shall be blessed teach me to chuse that which pleaseth thee and to take hold of thy couenant that thy name may be sanctified in me and I may walke worthy of my heauenly vocation so shalt thou fully performe to me thy promise and giue mee that euerlasting name which shall neuer be â—…ut out and thy name shall be stable and magnified for euer praise and honour and glory without â—…nd appertayning to thee THE OBSERVATIONS THE first man being blessed of God in the day wherein hee was created had his name called Adam to remember him that hee was taken from the dust but now higher stiles and names are giuen by God to the Christian to declare that high honour and dignitie wherevnto by Christ hee is aduanced in this his new Creation For albeit it be customable among men to vsurpe stiles which do far surmount their estate for there hee that is a vessell of dishonour oftentimes is named honourable and many slaues of Sathan goe vnder the name of great Lords Yet is it not so with God for to whom soeuer hee giues a name to them also hee giues the thing
in time he repent and turne from his euill wayes And wonderfull it is how this shall conuince the wicked man in the houre of death when their conscience shall stand vp before the supreame Iudge and testifie against him in this manner O Lord I haue giuen this man according as thou deputed me warning euery day for his sinnes and hath terrified him for them but hee would not receiue my correction Oh that impenitent men could consider how this despising of Conscience shall be a great augmentation of their iudgement But on the other part to the children of God Conscience of his speciall mercy is giuen for these two vses first it is as a Paedagoge appointed by God to guide his children in the right way Secondly when they goe wrong it is a diuine warner within them which suffers them neyther to eate nor sleepe long in rest till they returne to the Lord by repentance for as Peter was wakened by the crowing of the Cock and made to weepe bitterly for his sinnes so is the crowing and accusing voyce of Conscience to the godly Thus we see how it is a great benefit to Gods children to haue a liuing feeling and wakeing Conscience for eyther it keepes them that they do not euill or that they continue not in it as we may see in Dauid whose Conscience was more troubled for cutting the lap of Sauls garment then Saul was for cutting off the liues of fourescore seruants of the Lord. Wheras on the contrary the Lord in his anger suffers Sathan so to benumbe the conscience of the wicked as if they were burnt with an hot yron whereof it comes to passe that being past feeling they commit iniquitie with greedines Surely a good conscience is mans paradice vpon earth therefore Salomon called it a continuall feast it is the fruit of righteousnesse and euer bringeth out peace and ioy in these three stands the beginning of eternall life But as Sathan enuyed Adam dwelling in his Paradice so doth he enuy euery Christian that dwels in the Paradice of a good Conscience and therefore doth what he can to entise him to sinne that so he may driue him out of it for which cause we haue neede by daily repentance to take away the euill wee haue done and by godly circumspection to eschew his snares in time to come The Censure But now the small regard which is made of a good Conscience proues that all haue not the Christians disposition who now vsurpe the Christians name CHAPTER V. Of his Affections And first Of his Loue. The Lords Command LOue ye the Lord al his Saints Psal. 31. 23. for they who loue him shall he as the Sun when he riseth in his might Iudg. 5. 31. If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be had in execration yea excommunicated to the death 1. Cor. 16. 22. Loue not the world nor the things that are in the world if any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him 1. Iohn 2. 15. Hee that loueth siluer shall not be satisfied and he that loueth riches shall be without the fruit thereof Eccles. 5. 9. but keepe you your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Iude. 21. A new commandement also I giue vnto you that you loue one another Iohn 13. 34 yea that you serue one another by Loue Gal. 3. and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which you are called in one body and be ye amiable Colos. 3. 15 He that loueth his brother abideth in the light and there is no occasion of euill in him 1. Iohn 2. 10. but hee that loueth not knoweth not God for God is Loue 1. Iohn 4. 7. and Loue commeth of God Euery one that loues is borne of God 1. Iohn 4. 7. therefore loue one another without faining with a pure heart and feruently 1. Pet. 1. 22. that your loue may be without dissimulation Rom. 12. 9. not in word nor in tongue onely but in very deed and in truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. Moreouer loue your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you pray for them that persecute you for if ye loue them that loue you what reward shall yee haue doe not the Publicanes the same Mat. 5. 44. Finally let all your things be done in Loue. 1. Cor. 16. 14. The Christians Prayer for Grace to obay this Command O Lord I know that though I speake with the tongue of Angels if I haue not loue I am but as a sounding brasse or tinckling Cymball and though I had the gift of prophecie and knew all secrets and knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had no loue I were nothing therefore guide thou mine heart in thy Loue Encrease me also and make me to abound in Loue towards all men Another O God of all patience and consolation grant vnto vs that wee may be all alike minded one toward another according to Christ that with one minde and with one mouth wee may praise thee endeuouring to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace and so our Loue may yet more and more abound in all knowledge and in all iudgement to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ. The Christians Practise of this Command I Loue thee dearly O Lord my God Psal. 18. 1. the desire of my soule is to thy name to the remembrance of thee whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none on earth with thee Psal. 73. 25. Surely as the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God Psal. 42. 1. My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Psal. 143. 6. and waites on thee more then the morning watch waites for the morning Psal. 130. 6. Yea it fainteth O Lord for thy saluation Psal. 119. 81. And as for the Lord Iesus Christ albeit as yet I haue not seene him yet I loue him and reioyce in him with ioy vnspeakable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. And as for thy Law except it had beene my delight I should now haue perished in my affliction Psal. 119. 92. for thy promises are sweeter then hony to my mouth Psal. 119. 103. and I loue thy Commandements aboue gold Psal. 119. 127. O how loue I thy Law it is my meditation continually Psal. 119. 97. yea for the loue I beare to thy Law I loue the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honor dwelleth Psal. 26. 8. and I desire nothing more then this one that I may dwell in the house of my God all the dayes of my life to behold the beautie of the Lord and to visit his holy temple Psal. 27. 4. for thy Tabernacles are amiable to mee blessed are they who dwell in thy