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A81376 Certaine observations concerning the duty of love, and of the contrary evill, vncharitablenesse. VVritten by Thomas Devenish. Devenish, Thomas. 1642 (1642) Wing D1213; Thomason E142_21; ESTC R8292 21,289 34

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wicked persons and thereby alienates our affections by little and little from duty till at length we fall into liking of their evill wayes it is we know a dangerous thing for a man that is apt to take infection to keepe company with an infected person againe the credit and estimation of the world is a strong allurement to draw us from the love of Christ and from the sincerity of Religion how strangely doth our nature desire this and labour to fit all our performances that they may credit us before men yea even in the worship and service of God as in the duty of prayer we desire to get an habit of words and expressions such as may please our selves and others and so neglect the powring out of our soules before God that which is indeed prayer Thus we see the things of this world and the glory of them are a strange bait and lookes like that fruit in the midst of Paradise which beguiled our parents a faire outside promises much but performes nothing The Divell told Eve it would mak● her like God but she was deceived in her expectation so will the things of this world deceive us wee are apt to make them our confidence and thinke if we have honour credit riches friends strength and such like we shall be able to doe well with little or no Religion It is true commonly that at first looking upon the wayes of God and our enterance into fellowship with Christs children wee seeme to neglect these outward things a little and being surprised with our new acquaintance wee are very free for a time and all for good duties and love to the Saints and what not I remember when at first I was entred into this way the love of Gods people was precious and I rejoyced in their love and so ready and willing to any good there was no sonne of consolation should doe that thing but I would carefully follow but afterwards finding many professors that had been longer in the way and better acquainted cold in their practice And in places eminent for Religion they would doe no more then would please the Prelates I grew by little and little into a luke-warme temper and could be content in all things to learne discretion Take heed of this It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God Hebr. 10.31 This many of God Saints are able to witnesse from their owne experience how dreadfull the apprehension of Gods wrath hath beene when their sinnes have been made to appeare when their owne conscience shall stand up and say this hast thou done thou hast beene afraid to confesse me before the world O what answer shall a poore soule make how shall he be able to behold the angry countenance of his God whom hee hath so grievously offended how hardly shall wee be able to apply the sweet promise to our selves when we heare God speaking in the holy Scriptures Whoseover shall deny me before men him will I deny also before my Father which is in Heaven Matth. 10.33 but we will be ready to answer with those wicked persons Mat. 25.44 When did we doe this Christ will tell us when and how that wee shall not be able to reply as wee may see Tit. 1.16 They professe they know God but by workes they deny him and are abominable c. Here we see plainly that to walke in wicked wayes is to deny God neverthelesse in the time of prosperity this is not thought on untill God in tender love and compassion strip us of these outward things which wee trust in and makes us see there is nothing can helpe in the day of wrath but onely the Lord it is good that these outward thing faile us here that wee may see there is no trust to be put in them I have many times had great confidence in friends as I have thought upon good grounds but when I have had most need they have beene taken away or have left mee and proved unconstant just as it was with the Apostle Paul 2 Tim 4.16 At my first answering no man assisted me but all forsooke me c. O then trust in God and he will never leave nor forsake you and take heed of setting your affection upon any thing but God alone it is a very hard matter to enjoy these outward things but they will steale away our hearts from the love of God I never yet found but that the plentifull enjoyment of them did more hurt then the want of them yet all experience can hardly restraine our desires from these things the reason is our diffidence in Gods all-sufficiency and feare of falling into poverty which through error of judgement wee account a very great evill though sent by God for our good and many times fall to murmuring and so lose the benefit that we might reape thereby and provoke God against us I remember a good speech of a wise man to this purpose In a feast saith hee Wee content ourselves with that is set before us thinking it an impudent and vile part to a ke any other thing of him that entertaineth us And how can we be so impudent and shamelesse in this world as to aske those things of God which he will not give us It is the last remedy that God useth to reclaime us from our evill wayes to take f om us those things wherein we trusted that we might cast our selves wholly upon him which is his honour and our safety without which we are in a miserable condition O let every one make haste to fly unto God now is the time this is the day of expectance when he knocketh at the doore of our hearts by affliction if therefore God gives us any tendernesse of heart lay fast hold of it and keepe a tender conscience as we keepe our lives take heed of deading our hearts with giving the least allowance to sin or omitting any duty It is a hard matter when wee have neglected the constant use of performing duties to bring our hearts to that pitch againe from which wee have slipt as in hearing praying conference meditation and such like let us then hold fast and keepe close our acquaintance with God if any thing be omitted at one time double it the next especially prayer that is it whereby we have familiar accesse to his glorious Majesty and the ground of our faith In the next place wee must be carefull in reading and hearing the Word and however it be of meane esteeme in the world wee must know it's Gods Ordinance that which leads men into error and makes them ignorant of their duty is want of knowledge in the Scriptures and mis-interpreting of them not making one place to cleare another I know we must not now looke for divine revelation from heaven but God hath left us his holy Word by which wee may be taught all things necessary to our salvation and howsoever it is true that many are and more shall be in
of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall and to that purpose in the last verse of this Chap●er the Apostle adviseth us to desire the best gifts having formerly mentioned divers but concludes in that verse that hee will shew them a more excellent way which he shewes in the next Chapter to be love and makes it plaine that without that all the other were or would prove unto them unprofitable it is most singularly set forth unto us in that 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 7. and in conclusion he crowneth love with this above all the rest that it shall never fall away verse the 8. Love doth never fall away c. and therefore the Apostle adviseth us Col. 3.14 And above all things put on love which is the bond of perfectnesse this indeed ties all together and when this bond is broken we cannot performe our duty as we ought we see Nabal he could not helpe David he had no love The fourth motive is every man lookes that others should love him and supply his wants is it not most equall we should do the like to them See what Christ speaketh to this purpose Mat. 7.12 Therefore whatsoever yee would that men should doe unto you the same doe yee unto them c. want of love then is a most unreasonable sinne There are divers motives also to this duty in respect of our brethren first in regard of the neere relation we have to them they are of our own flesh Esa 58.7 we would not hurt our owne flesh but we know there should be a neerer relation of the same spirit Secondly there is not the worst but hath some thing in him to be beloved or whereby we may exercise our love that is delight or pity Thirdly the poorest and meanest may help the richest as we see David used the help of the poore Egyptian 1 Sam. 30.11 Also the poorest are or may be beloved of God Now to shew what this love is It is a fruit of the grace of Gods spirit no fruit of the flesh Gal. 5.22 and hence it is said 1 Iohn 4.7 love commeth of God and the Apostle Saint Paul saith that hee need not write unto them of this duty for this was taught them by God himselfe 1 Thes 4.9 But as touching brotherly love yee need not that I write unto you for yee are taught of God to love one another Thus we see then we have not love by nature Now there are divers conclusions may be drawne from this First that must needs be an error in such as maintaine that the first act of love is in man by nature wee may see this cleared by that the Apostle speakes Col. 3.14 And above all things put on love shewing that by nature men are without it so likewise see to that purpose Tit. 3.3 The second conclusion What may be in man by nature is not love as we see Iohn 3.6 The third conclusion That love which friend beares to friend parents to children c. is not this love 1 King 3.26 so the very Heathen may doe Mat. 5.46 The fourth conclusion if love be a fruit of Gods Spirit then wicked men can never love one another as we see betwixt the men of Shechem and Abimelech such friendship we shall finde in the Alehouse amongst drunkards the greatest shew of love when perhaps that was the first of their acquaintance and before they part one stab another it 's little better with all carnall men they cannot love never therefore keepe company with such neither trust a wicked man for at best he will be sure to leave thee in time of greatest need thus we see Ahab left Iehosaphat 1 King 22.30 and of this the Prophet David complains Psal 41.9 Yea my familiar friend whom I trusted which did eate of my bread c. See also an example in Judas Christ made him not onely an Apostle but also an especiall officer amongst the Apostles yet hee could not love him such mens friendship is like that of Iupiters Priests and the rest of the people mentioned Acts 14.13 that would have sacrificed to the Apostles and in the 19. verse were ready to stone them The fifth conclusion then may be this Labour all wee can to intrust our selves in the affections of Gods children for if there be any love it is amongst them this did the Prophet David Psal 16.3 To the Saints that are on earth and to the exellent all my delight is in them Let us now see the generall nature of love it is ready to doe good c. therefore the Lord is said to wait Esa 30.18 Thus it is also in men or at least should be See what the Apostle speakes Act. 21.13 What doe yee weeping and breaking my heart for I am ready not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus thus also to the brethren Rom. 1.15 Therefore as much as in mee is I am ready c. So 2 Cor 12.14 See likewise what is said in commendation of the people 2 Cor. 9.12 For I know your readinesse of minde c. this also is commanded 1 Tim. 6.18 Now the readinesse is seene in these two things First when we doe good without intreatie as we see the Disciples did Act. 11.28 29 30. Whensoever they heard of the wants of the Saints sent them succour Secondly when we doe good at the first motion as Hyram 1 King 5.7 he rejoyced at the motion thus it 's said of that wisedome which is from above Iames 3.17 Easie to be intreated c. Some will performe an act of love with much intreatie as the unjust Judge Luke 18.36 this was not love for love will constraine us as we see Acts 16.15 of Lydia But when men are troubled and thinke much that any man should move them to this duty it 's an ill signe we ought to lay downe our lives as Saint Iohn speakes Iohn 10.11 and to doe good as the Prophet David speakes Psal 122.9 and so Heb. 13.16 To doe good and to distribute forget not c. Love is like the good woman spoken of Prov. 31.12 She will doe him good and not evill all the dayes of her life Hence ariseth three conclusions First love consisteth not in words and complements as Iames 2.16 This is no more love then the sonnes was obedience who said that hee would doe it but did it not see what Saint Iohn adviseth 1 Iohn 3.18 My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue onely but in deed and in truth The second conclusion is this If a man doe that which pleaseth a friend and is not good this is not love as wee see by the counsell given to Amnon 2 Sam. 13.4 5. And hence it is said Prov. 13.24 hee that spares the rod hates the childe because hee doth him no good The third conclusion such as say they hurt no body and yet doe no good have not love the
the Church complaining that whilest shee slept that is followed the things of this world she had lost her beloved Christ see what a charge she laies upon the daughters of Ierusalem in the 8. verse I charge you O daughters of Ierusalem that if yee find my welbeloved that yee tell him that I am sicke of love Those that had not tasted the sweet of Christs love admired this strange manner of enquirie and demand in the 9. verse What is thy beloved more then others that thou dost so charge us Why shee tels them in the following verses and sets forth by all possible wayes of expression the beauty of our sweet Saviour in so much that the faithfull hearing of the excellency of Christ desire to know how to finde him also as is sweetly set forth in the last verse O thou fairest among women whither is thy welbeloved gone whither is thy welbeloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee O let this be the desire of all the Saints Give mee Christ and take all the world besides Let us then consider where this comfortable enjoyment of Christ is to be had it 's in that Garden the Church which is spoken of Cant 5.1 There are all those sweet fruits of Christs gracious presence O then let us strive to set up Christs Ordinances and order according to his owne institution and amongst all the other blessings that God hath bestowed upon us praise his holy name for those great hopes of reformation wherewith hee hath at this time filled our hearts nothing doubting but hee that hath begun will perfect it amongst his servants God hath left us a sufficient rule for the matters of his worship and service in his holy Word if wee would but lay aside all carnall policy and apply our selves to that the businesse were ended but we having a long time accustomed our selves to be guided by the Ordinances of man in the service of God can hardly find a way out of it but rather fit our selves with some bad arguments to maintaine our old practice not much unlike the Papists that because their fathers did so they will believe it to be right though it may be it 's more then their fathers did to believe it though their practice were so but we see by experience the conceit of a former received opinion is a great barre to keepe men from embracing the truth it behooves us therefore as in all things so especially in that which more immediatly belongs to the service of God to looke unto the rule Thus it was stil urged upon the Israelites so in the Gospel Christ alwayes directs us to the rule and indeed when we forsake that wee are apt to fall upon any thing though never so dishonourable to God as we see Exod. 32.1 the people would have Aaron make them Gods so many amongst us would have some one or other make us such gods we know what they were to make us a Religion or a way of worship which worke belongeth to God onely Let us take heed of this and let our love to Christ carry us through all difficulties that we meet with for if wee consult with flesh and blood in Gods service wee are not worthy to be his neither can wee have any assurance that wee love him as we ought but we shall still finde our selves apt to leave the wayes of God as hard and troublesome and so take our leave of Religion as Orpha did of her mother in law and die in Moab let not therefore an old received opinion honour credit riches friends or any thing separate our affections from the love of Christ but take up that resolution to follow him in all his O●dinances as Ruth did to follow Naomi Ruth 1.17 Where thou diest will I die and there will I be buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death do part thee and me See what this good woman did for the love of one which shee confesseth death might deprive her of how should this very consideration knit and unite our love to our deare Saviour death cannot separate us neither shall our love if it be true ever have end All then that hath beene formerly said being considered one would thinke it strange that all should not love Christ but indeed it 's as strange that any should love him if wee consider our naturall inclination to sinne and to follow our sensuality Oh how faine would a man have Heaven and earth Christ and the world part with nothing but would faine goe to heaven at other mens cost but our Saviour teacheth us another lesson Matth. 18.45.46 The Kingdome of Heaven is like to a Merchant man that seeketh good pearles who having found a pearle of great price went and sold that he had and bought it certainly wee must part with all for Christ and this I am perswaded is many times the desire and resolution of Gods children but the flesh so prevailes by the helpe of our common adversary that wee are strangely carried away as I am able to witnesse from mine owne sad experience for upon such meditations as these formerly mentioned I have resolved sure I will follow Christ nothing shall draw my heart from my Saviour but such hath beene the frailty of nature that I have suffered such thoughts speedily to cold and die as if they had never been sometimes the Divell takes advantage of necessity when he sees us in some straights as 1 Sam. 21.2 and thereby weakens our faith and dependance in the all-sufficiency of our good God and so yeeld to that which is unlawfull and unwarrantable as if when in all ordinary wayes we see no supply presently conclude there is none it was that the Divell tempted Christ withall But how should our Saviours answer be a strength to our weake faith in such cases Matth. 4.4 Man shall not live by bread onely but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God God can make any thing besides bread serve for his purpose he can supply our wa t s any way and deliver us out of all straights and will surely doe it in such a measure as is fit for us if we can forbeare our owne unwarrantable wayes againe I found the example of other men a strong temptation to draw away from the love of God I have thereupon thought it a faire smooth way to walke as others doe to stand right in their opinion however the case stands betwixt God and my soule againe another thing hath beene the desire I have had to please and ingratiate my selfe with great persons yea and many times have thought this a very good way to helpe and further the way of Gods providence and so have made shipwracke of a good conscience to keepe their friendship againe our company is a great meanes to draw us either way for the Divell who wants no malice nor diligence to effect our ruine watcheth such opportunity when wee are in company with
the divellish proverbe Every man for himselfe and God for us all wee may well say and the Divell for us all Fourthly when one is hardly drawne to communicate any thing for the good of his brother we know 1 Cor. 13.4 Love is bountifull and Psal 112. A good man is mercifull which is also a fruit of love and Esai 32.8 A liberall man deviseth liberall things c. Fifthly when we blase abroad other mens faults casting them many times in the teeth with them when they have repented or at least might have done if wee had carefully put in practice our Saviours rule Math. 18. see a sweet Scripture Prov. 10.12 Love covereth all trespasses but there is commonly in good people a strong disposition to this evil they are very apt to offend in this to whisper secretly other mens faults as if they should thereby render themselves to their hearers to be religiously wise when indeed they doe the contrary for we are directed Gal. 6.2 to beare one anothers burthen and are said therein to fulfill the law of Christ Now there is no sorer burthen then sinne against God it 's able to breake of the strongest Christian without Gods help what an uncharitable thing then is this to lay upon such a poore soule all our hard and uncharitable speeches this is so farre from easing such as are overladen or helping to breake their burthen that wee hereby help to breake their backe as it commeth to passe Sixtly when men are inwardly vext at the good of others thus was Saul against David 1 Sam. 18.9 Thus many times men doe upon the same ground of Sauls hatred that is they thinke other mens goodnesse darkens and eclipses their glory and this I have knowne amongst men about matters of Religion when one is in a more forward way of reformation or differing something in judgement how doe they labour to finde some Spot or Blemish in that person or persons which thus stands in their way I can speake this by experience there are many aggravations of this sinne of uncharitablenesse As first when it s done to them that love us as wee may see the Prophet David complaine Psal 109.5 And they rewarded me evill for good and hatred for my friendship also when men hate such to whom they are bound in any speciall bond Husband wife Parents Children c. Secondly When they hate others for performing the chiefe Office of love thus we may see Amos 5.10 or when they hate others for godlinesse sake because they follow the thing that is good Psal 38 20. Thirdly when they carry a shew of love and hate them inwardly this was the practise of Ioab 2. Sam. 20.9 Thus also dealt Iudas with his Master and the Devill with Evah see then the evills of this sinne of uncharitablenesse spoyles and sowers all we doe and makes that God will not accept it it 's like that leaven of maliciousnesse 1 Cor. 5.8 see what wee are commanded 1 Tim. 2.8 I will therefore that men pray every where lifting up pure hands without wrath see also what is said 1 Iohn 3.15 and Math. 6.15 It 's said if we forgive not God wil not forgive us How should we then strive for a loving disposition in respect of God our selves and our brethren In respect of God consider first it 's his command 1 Iohn 4.21 So Ioh. 13.34 A new Commandement give I unto you that you love one another c. It is good for us to consider upon what occasion and at what time this was spoken by our blessed Saviour he was then to have them and it was just before his passion we alwayes take notice of the words of our dying friends and account that the strongest obligation marke also Christ calls it a new Commandement Why new not in regard of the matter of it But first in regard Christ renewes the practice of it Againe it was proposed by a new example the like was never heard of such love wherewith Christ loved his children neither indeed hath any man such love for our Saviour saith Ioh. 15.13 Greater love then this hath no man then to bestow his life for his friends see the height of mans love and this is very rare too as we may see Rom. 5.7 Doubtlesse one will scarce dye for a righteous man but yet for a good man it may be one dare die but see what Christ did as is set forth in the 8. verse whilest we were sinners Christ died for us when we were at greatest enmity against God We see now that if this duty be neglected we sinne not only against our brethren but against God himselfe as indeed there is no sinne whatsoever but it is against God this appeareth by Iosephs answer to his Masters wife Gen. 39.9 There is some resemblance of this in the lawes of our land for if a man steale from his neighbour the indictment runs thus against the King his Crowne and Dignity because he breaks the Kings lawes just so is the case betwixt God and us all our sinne whatsoever is against the great Law-giver let us consider this was the counsell of a dying friend that sweet Saviour of our soules how should this pierce the hearts of Gods children when they thinke of the wonderfull neglect of this duty If a dead father should know his last words sleighted would he like it much more then the Lord Christ for what ever he requires must be done if Abraham be commanded to sacrifice his sonne Let us learne then of the servants of Naman who said to their Master if the Prophet had required some great matter wouldst thou not have don it how much more when he saith Wash and be cleane so we love is all God requires and why desires he this he gaines nothing by it we have the benefit our selves Saint Iohn in 1 Joh. 3.16 sets before us Christs owne practice to move us to the performance of this duty see also farther 1 Iohn 4.9.10 11. Herein was the love of God made manifest c. Shall he that is every way infinite doe this and we neglect it that are so many thousand degrees below There are divers motives to this duty also in respect of our selves as first hee that loveth not his brother is a murtherer 1 Ioh. 3.15 If God should not punish such how should he be just we know what we say or at least thinke many times of a Judge or Jury when a murtherer is suffered to escape see also what is said 1 Iohn 2.9 The second motive he that hath this vertue of love may be able to resolve that great question of being in the state of Grace 1 Iohn 4.7 Iohn 13.35 There is also something to this purpose 2 Pet. 1.7.8 9 10. and we know that love hath this promise never to faile The next motive in respect of our selves is This inableth us to performe what ever God requires to be done to our brethren it is said 1 Cor. 12.7 The manifestation
question whether Ionathan were a better sonne or friend in that he did Next wee should give our friends the best counsell we can Luke 12.4 And I say unto you my friends be not afraid of them that kill the body c. The next duty wee should beare a part with them in any affliction Psal 35.14 I behaved my selfe as to my friend or as to my brother I humbled my selfe mourning as one that bewaileth his mother Change of estate should not change friendship Prov. 17.17 A friend loveth at all times and a brother is borne for adversity So also in the first of Ruth 16.17 And Ruth answered intreat mee not to leave thee nor to depart from thee c. There are divers things wherein this love is abused as when the ground of it is our owne advantage and wee look upon them whilest the sunne of prosperity shines Next when our agreement in evill is the cause of our friendship also when we honour our friends in stead of giving them good counsell as Ionadab to his brother to abuse his sister 2 Sam. 13.5 and thus one drunkard gives counsell to another we shall see a notable example of such counsell in Zeresh Hamans wife and his friends Hest 5.14 where they gave advice that a gallowes of fifty cubits high should be set up to hang Mordecai it was notable counsell and so it proved at last Such also offend against this law that leave their friends in the time of their greatest necessity thus wee may see how Iobs friends left him Iob. 6.20 Yea many times they betray their friends as Iudas did his Master of this we have plenty of examples Let us then consisider how this duty of love is neglected yea almost out of use amongst us now in 2 Sam. 15.31 it was told David for strange tidings that Achitophel was one of the conspirators I thinke we cannot now account it strange to see one that hath beene a familiar friend as this Counseller was to David found amongst the conspirators but it were more to be admired to finde him any where but there especially when the sunne of our prosperity is setting as Davids was then thought to be we shall be sure to finde greene leaves after the strongest Winter frost and stormes as to finde a friend stand fast in the time of adversity but they will doe as Davids friends mentioned Psal 38.11 My lovers and my friends stand aside from my plague and my kinsmen stand afarre off This is not onely found amongst those fained friends as the world is full of but even amongst such from whom wee should expect better as we see in Iobs friends they were such as would be thought good men as may appeare by all their discourse and yet see how cruelly they deale with their poore friend in his affliction farre worse then Davids friends spoken of formerly they were strange and stood a farre off but these came neere to helpe to grieve and vexe Iob in his greatest extremity as if that were all they had now to doe for their poore friend to strive who should grieve him most It is a sad thing to finde this love wanting in our friends from whence we expect better and this made the Prophet David to utter that bitter complaint against his hollow hearted Counseller It was my familiar friend c. Psal 41.9 But what may the Lord say Looke backe David how was Vriah that poore friend of thine dealt with his life taken from him in the highst proofe of his friendship Thus wee complaine of the want of love in others but doe not thinke of our want of love to them but are of the same minde with Simon the Pharisie whose formality made him believe his condition to be better then it was as Christ shewes him and all us by setting before our eyes that penitentiall patterne Luke 7.44 Then he turned to the woman and said unto Simon seest thou this woman I entered into thy house and thou gavest me no water to my feet but shee hath washed my feet with teares and wiped them with the hayre of her head thou gavest me no kisse but shee since the time I came in hath not ceased to kisse my feet c. and then concludes Vers 47. That where little is forgiven they will love little who can reade this Scripture with dry eyes to see how short we come of this woman which the Pharisee thought so vile that it made him to call in question whether Christ were a Prophet because he admitted her to come so neere him shee came behind not presuming to behold that holy Saviour and at his feet accounting it happinesse enough to enjoy the meanest place about Christ and then see how she exprest her love she washt his feet with teares wiping them with the hayres of her head kissing and anoynting them her love forc'd all this from her but the sense of her sinne stopt her mouth we heare no word she spake our practice is contrary we speake much and with boldnesse but we have no other expressions but our words where is our love to the Saints where is our washing weeping and anoynting sure the want of these shew that wee are ignorant of that great love of our sweet Saviour to us and by the little love we have witne● to God and the world that we thinke little is forgiven us and as little do we consider what is given us How hath God blest this Kingdome of England made it fruitfull suffered none to prevaile against us but delivered us in a most unheard-of way and left us to praise his name and made other nations examples for us of his displeasure when hee might in Justice have made us examples for them but this is nothing to what he hath done hee hath given us his glorious Gospell our Saviour testifieth of John that there was not a greater borne of woman Math. 11.11 and yet he that is least in the Kingdome of Heaven is greater then he this is our condition in this Kingdome of grace Moses desired to see God and could not God hath manifested himselfe unto us in his Sonne Christ who is the image of the invisible God Col 1.15 so Heb. 1.3 What more can be said in him he hath given us all things How should these meditations raise our thoughts from the things here below and settle all our love upon Christ and all his Saints for hee takes that as done to himselfe take h ed how wee deny him any thing that hath given us all things that are fit for us hee hath redeemed our soules from hell set him have soule body wife children strength credit riches honour and all for Christ tells us hee that will not part with all for him is not worthy of him reade that heart-melting fifth of Cantic it 's a most sweet place of Scripture wherein is most lively set forth the most glorious perfect beauty of Christ how worthy hee is of our love above all things