Selected quad for the lemma: love_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A44690
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A sermon directing what we are to do, after strict enquiry whether or no we truly love God preached April 29, 1688.
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Howe, John, 1630-1705.
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1696
(1696)
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Wing H3038A; ESTC R23981
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9,855
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16
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A SERMON Directing What we are to do AFTER Strict Enquiry whether or no we truly Love GOD. Preached April 29. 1688. The Second Edition LONDON Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel 1696. The Epistle YOV may remember what a Solemn Awe was upon our Congregation lately at the Preaching of this ensuing Sermon and that not a few tears drop'd at the hearing of it This engaged some of us to entreat our Reverend Pastor to give way that by this Publication it might be accommodated to your review We know it is no more than one single Thred that belongs to many other Discourses upon the same Subject which have preceded and to others which we hope will follow but such as by your Notes and Memories may easily be wrought into the whole Piece It is but a Thred yet a golden one and may contribute to the service of the Tabernacle as in Exod. 25. We know it is a great condescension in him to suffer such an imperfect Piece to come abroad but when the Reverend Dean of C. and other learned Persons of the Church of England have denyed themselves by suffering such small Prints for the general good we are persuaded though he gave not a positive Judgment for it he will not dislike that which is for your Service and is intended to go no farther Receive it therefore read it over and over and allot some times for the putting in practice the grand Examination urged upon us and do your utmost to persuade all under your Roofs and Commands to do the like that that which was Preached with so much holy Fervor and Affection may beget in us and ours a bright flame of Divine Love to our good LORD to whom we commend you and are Your Affectionate Brethren and Servants c. John 5.42 But I know you that ye have not the love of God in you YOU have heard several Discourses from this Scripture and from another in the same Gospel That we spoke to alternately with this at several times Thou knowest all things Lord thou knowest that I love thee c. 20.17 and that which after Doctrinal Explication hath hitherto been insisted on was an enquiry into the state of our own case in reference hereunto Are we lovers of God in Christ or are we not There have been many things signified to you by which this case might be discerned And that which remains and most naturally follows hereupon is to direct you what you are to do supposing your case upon enquiry to be this or that Why such an enquiry if it hath been attended to at all amongst us it must have signified somewhat It must one would think have some or other result and what should we suppose it to result into but either this I do not love God or I do These are most vastly different Cases it 's a Tryal upon the most important Point that could have been discust among us and supposing there should be two sorts among us the effect of it is as if a parting Line should be drawn through a Congregation severing the living from the dead here are so many living and so many dead Souls Indeed it is a very hard Supposition to suppose that there should be any one in all this Assembly that doth not love God A very hard Supposition I am extreamly loth to make such a Supposition 〈…〉 me is not suppose it For truly it were a very sad case that we should agree so far as we do in many other things and not agree in this That is that we should agree so many of us to come all and meet together here in one place agree to Worship God together agree to sing his Praises together to seek his Face together to call upon his Name together to hear his Word together and not agree all to love God together The God whom we worship whom we invocate whose Name we bear and unto whom we all of us pretend For who is there among us will say I have no part in God And it were a most lovely thing a most comely desirable thing that all such Worshipping Assemblies even this Worshipping Assembly at this time and all times could still meet together under this one common Notion truly and justly assumed as so many lovers of God We are sure there will be an Assembly a General Assembly in which no one that is not a lover of God will be found an Assembly of Glorious Angels and of the Spirits of Just Men made perfect a numerous an innumerable Assembly in which not one but a sincere lover of God What a blessed thing were it if our Assemblies on Earth were such But we cannot speak more gently than to say there is cause to fear they are not such It hath been actually otherwise among a People professing the true Religion They come before thee and sit before thee as my People and with their mouth shew much love with their face or in external appearance and shew ore tenus they are lovers of God and they hear thy words but they will not do them Ezek. 33.31 If such a Case hath been actually it is still possible and is still too much to be feared to be but too common a case But now supposing that there be different Cases amongst us in reference to these different Cases there must be very different Deportments and a very different management of 〈◊〉 selves This Text more naturally leads me to direct what is to be done upon the Supposition of the sadder case most deplorably sadder that one is no lover of God though we must be led on thereto by some things common to both cases Therefore that I may proceed by steps this is requisite in the first place that is that we make one Judgment of our case or another that is that we bring the matter some way to a Judgment not let so great a thing as this hang always in suspence It 's very plain a little to press this That First While the case hangs thus in suspence it suspends the proper subsequent Duty too that should follow hereupon What canst thou do that is certainly fit and proper for thy own Soul when thou dost not understand the state of its case How canst thou guide thy course or tell which way to apply or turn thy self And Secondly to press it further consider That the not bringing or omitting to bring this matter to a Judgment if it proceed from indifferency and neglect speaks the greatest Contempt that can be both of God and thine own Soul the greatest that can be That is now supposing the Question be askt dost thou love God or dost thou not And thou unconcernedly answerest I can't tell I don't know Why what to be carelesly ignorant whether thou lovest God or lovest him not There could not be a more concluding medium against thee that thou dost not love him It speaks thee at once to despise both God and thy self
What to have this matter hang in indifferency through neglect whether thou lovest God or lovest him not It shews that neither regard to God nor a just value of thy self makes thee care whether thou art an holy Man or a Devil For know that the loving God or not loving him does more distinguish a Saint from a Devil than wearing a Body or not wearing it can do A Devil if he did love God were a Saint A Man that doth not love God he is no other though he wear a Body than an incarnate Devil It 's the want of love to God that makes the Devil a Devil makes him what he is Secondly For further Direction Take heed of passing a false Judgment in this case a Judgment contrary to the truth for first That 's to no purpose it will avail thee nothing you can't be advantag'd by it for yours is not the supream Judgment there will be another and superior Judgment to yours that will controul and reverse your false Judgment and make it signifie nothing it is therefore to no purpose And Secondly It is a great piece of Insolency for it will be to oppose your Judgment to his certain and most authoriz'd Judgment Who if this be your case hath already judg'd it and tells you I know you that you have not the love of God in you It belongs to him by Office to Judge The Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son as a little above in this Chapter From what will you depose him dethrone him disannul his Judgment condemn him that thou may be righteous to borrow that Job 40.8 Thirdly It 's most absurd supposing such Characters as you have heard do conclude against a Man in this case yet to judge himself a lover of God If against the Evidence of such Characters a Man should pronounce the wrong Judgment it would be the most unreasonable and absurd thing imaginable For then let us but suppose how that wrong Judgment must lye related to those fore-mention'd Characters that have been given you Let me remind you of some of them He that never put forth the Act of love to God cannot say he hath the Principle He that is not inclin'd to do good to others for the sake of God 1 John 3.17 He that indulges himself in the inconsistent love of this World 1 John 2.15 He that lives not in obedience to his known Laws John 14.15 1 John 5.3 with many more Now if you will pass a Judgment of your case against the Evidence of such Characters come forth then let the matter be brought into clear light put your sense into plain words and this it will be I am a Lover of God or I have the love of God in me though I can't tell that ever I put forth one act of love towards him in all my Life I have the love of God in me though I never knew what it meant to do good to any for his sake against the express words of Scripture How dwelleth the love of God in such a man I have the Love of God in me though I have constantly indulged my self in that which he maketh an inconsistent love Love not the World nor the things which are in the World If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him I have the love of God in me though I would never allow him to Rule me though I never kept his Commandments with a design to please him and comply with his wâ—ll I have the love of God in me though I never vaâ—ued his Love I have the love of God in me though I never cared for his Image for his Presence for his Converse for his Interest and Honour I beseech you consider how all this will sound Can any thing be more absurdly spoken And shall it be upon such improbabilities or impossibilities as these that any Man will think it fit to venture his Soul I 'll pawn my Soul upon it I 'll run the hazard of my Soul upon it I am a lover of God for all this Would you venture any thing else so besides your Soul Would you venture a Finger so an Eye so It 's to place the name where there is nothing of the thing It 's to place the name of a thing upon its contrary The Soul of Man can't be in an indifferency towards God but if there be not love propension there is aversion and that 's hatred And what is hatred to be called love If you bear that habitual disposition of Soul towards God to go all the day long with no inclination towards him no thought of him no design to please him to serve him to glorifie him If this be your habitual temper and usual course will you call this Love Shall this contrariety to the love of God be call'd love to him You may as well call water fire or fire water as so grosly mis-name things here and therefore again In the Third place That we may advance somewhat Plainly and positively pass the true Judgment If the Characters that you have heard do carry the matter so come at last plainly and positively to pass the true Judgment of your own case though it be a sad one and tell your own Souls Oh my Soul Though I must sadly say it I must say it All things conclude and make against thee The love of God is not in thee Why is it not as good this should be the present issue at your own Bar and at the Tribunal of your own Conscience as before God's Judgment-Seat Why should you not concur and fall in with Christ the authorized Judge Whose Judgment is according to truth Why this is a thing that must be done the case requires it and God's express Word requires it 1 Cor. 11.31 Other previous and preparatory Duty plainly enjoyned doth by consequence enjoyn it and requires that it follow 2 Cor. 13.5 What is Examination for but in order to Judgment It must therefore be done and I shall shew how it must be done and proceed to some farther Directions First You must do it solemnly Take your selves aside at some fit season or another Inspect your own Souls review your Life Consider what your wonted frame and your ordinary course has been And if you find by such Characters as heretofore were given this is the truth of your case then let Judgment pass upon deliberation Oh my Soul Thou hast not the love of God in thee Whatsoever thine appearances hitherto have been And whatsoever thy Peace and Quiet hath been thou hast not the love of God in thee Let it be done with Solemnity Secondly Do it in the sight of God as before him as under his Eye as under the Eye of Christ That Eye that is as a flame of fire that searches Hearts and tries Reins Arraign thy self before him Lord I have here brought before thee a guilty Soul a delinquent Soul a wretched an horrid delinquent a Soul that was breathed