ΓNΩΘI ΣΑΥΤΟΠKnow thy selfe is highly worthy to be engrauen on the heart of euery man Did we but know our selues to be but men the very name of men would cause vs to cast away our proud plumes and remember our father Adam that was but earth The Prophet cryes out with an exclamation How art thou fallen from heauen O Lucifer the Son of the morning We on the other â—ide may cry O how art thou mounted to heauen O man the sonne of corruption Let vs know our selues and our places least in soaring too high the fiery beames of Gods wrath melt our waxen plumes and we fall headlong into the Sea of confusion The Elders that sate about the throne of God did cast their crownes before the throne and cryed saying Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power for thou hast created all things for thine owne pleasure If wee haue any crownes let vs cast them at the feete of God and say Thou art worthy O Lord to receiue glory honour and power for thou hast elected created redeemed preserued called sanctified and wilt hereafter glorifie vs not because we are worthy but because thou hast loued vs from eternity The second Vse of this point is for comfort vnto euery godly soule What greater comfort can a subiect haue in this life then this to be his Princes fauorite to be deare and precious in his eyes vpon whom he doth cast honours and conferre wealth gracing him with his countenance dignifying him with promotions and sheltring him from the furious tempests of malicious enuy if a mans happinesse could be confined to the world what could be desired more But this is nothing to the comfort of a Christian who hath God for his master yea I may say for his father heauen for his home celestiall happinesse for his reward the LORD of hoste for his shield and buckler What shall not the Christian solace himselfe more in God then the subiect in his Prince shall not his consolation be greater seeing his estate is more happy Comfort thou thy selfe thou that art begotten of God Esau is hated but if thou hast Iacobs heart thou shalt with Iacob be beloued of God the wicked man wants Gods loue therefore he wants all things the godly man inioyes Gods loue therefore he enioyes all things Gods loue was thine before thou wert thine owne thou hadst thy beginning within these few yeares Gods loue hath no beginning but like himselfe was from eternitie God did not beginne to loue thee when hee begun to make thee but he loued thee before the world was made and will loue thee after the world is dissolued What then if wicked men hate thee God loues thee What if men reiect thee God hath chosen thee What if men persecute thee Greater is he that is with thee then they that are against thee What if the Diuell assault thee Christ hath redeemed thee What if thy sins affright thee God hath washed and sanctified thee What if Satan would confound thee God wil glorifie thee Thus hast thou against all dangers Murum aheneuÌ„ Gods fauour as a wall of brasse to secure thee Feare not mans hatred God is loue Feare not Satans rage God is power Feare not thine owne sinnes God is mercy Let the rich man reioyce in his riches the strong man in his strength the wise man in his wisedome the ambitious man in his honour the Epicure in his pleasure let not vs reioyce in these things but that our names are written in heauen Reioyce in this that you are Gods beloued his loue is engrauen vpon your hearts The cause of their reioycing is momentany and shall perish with them our reioycing is eternalâ— which shall neuer fade God is eternall so is his loue his loue is eternal so shal our reioycing be God is loue he hath loued vs. Thus much touching Gods loue toward vs I come now to speake of our loue toward him againe Wee loue him Which words doe afford vs this Doctrine That to loue God truely is an essentiall property of the child of God That is an essentiall property according to the Schooles quod conuenit omni soli et semper which is found in euery indiuiduum of the same species in them onely and in them alwayes To loue God therefore is an essentiall property of the child of God because it is found in euery child of God onely the childe of God and the child of God alwayes First euery one that is regenerate doth loue God for where the cause is there must needes be the effect the worke of regeneration proceeds from Gods loue and where his loue is toward vs there he worketh in vs loue toward him That which Peter spake in his owne behalfe is generally belonging to euery one who is effectually called Lord thou knowest that I loue thee Saint Paul saith the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost Not onely in his but in the hearts of all his children For it was not a benefit peculiar to Paul but common to all that are regenerated by his Spirit Secondly this is not so common as that it is communicated vnto the wicked but is found solely in the godly for the wicked are like Saul before his conuersion persecuters of God and of Iesus Christ. The wisedome of the flesh that is the vnderstanding the will and the affections of the wicked are enimitie against God they are rebels against him and his Law Men vnregenerate are haters of God they neither loue him nor his glory Lastly that the godly doe loue God alwaies is plaine for whom God loueth he loueth to the end euen for euer therefore a man being once made partaker of Gods loue in the regeneration of his heart can neuer be distracted from God for the cause continuing the effect must needes follow Thus we see it briefly proued that to loue God is the property of euery childe of God But for the better explicating and opening of this doctrine of our loue toward God let mee shew you these particulars 1. What our loue toward God is 2. The markes or effects of it 3. The reasons or motiues perswading to it 4. The meanes to attaine it For the first What our loue toward God is wee may conceiue it by this definition Amor erga Deum est gratia infusa in cordibus sanctorum per spiritum sanctum proueniens ab amore Dei erga ipsos qua summa cum affectu Deum cognitum diligunt propter seipsum in ipsius fruitione tanquam in summo bono acquiescunt Our loue toward God is a spirituall grace infused into the hearts of the faithfull by the holy spirit flowing from Gods loue toward vs whereby wee knowing God do loue him with al our might with all our soule and that for his owne sake and in the enioyment of him doe rest contented First I say it is
first hath begotten in vs a holy loue toward him againe And as the Species or image that issueth from the countenance into the glasse is reflâ—cted backe into the eye of the beholder so the loue of God toward vs begeâ—teth in vs a loue toward him which is reflectâ—d backe to him which is the Author of all loue yea Loue it selfe like the riuers whose beginning is from the sea and whose recourse is into the seâ— againe The Apostle Saint Iohn in this Epistle doth exhort vnto three graces especially Faith Loue and Obedience and these duties he doth interchangeably mixe one with another but Loue is the grace hee doth chiefly insist vpon and oftnest exhort vnto And this loue he sheweth hath two obiects The one more principall which is God The other lesse principall which is man God we must loue simply for him selfe Man for God God because he is God Man because hee is Gods Thus as the obiects of our Loue are diuers so are their conditions yet not so diuers as that they are contrary but onely subordinate as the inferiour to the superiour The words of my Text do diuide themselues into these two branches First an affirmation of an effect wrought Secondly a declaration of the cause working The effect wrought in these words We loue him wherin obserue three things 1. The subiect Wee 2. The action of this subiect Loue. 3. The obiect of this action Him In the cause obserue foure things 1. The efficient God 2. His affection Loue. 3. The obiect Vs. 4. The extent First The Metaphrase of the words is this True indeede it is that all those which know God truely and are begotten againe by the immortall seede of his diuine Word and are indewed with the heauenly graces of his blessed spirit doe intirely and with ardent affection loue God their father who hath begot them But whence proceeds this loue is it from themselues or haue they it radically or naturally growing in them No questionlesse God is as a fountaine of loue who louing them first hath so conueyed his loue into their hearts by the powerfull operation of his holy Spirit that the streame returnes vnto himselfe againe and as the Sunne by his power with the motion of the heauens is the cause of all naturall heate in these sublunary creatures So is God by the motion of his owne diuine loue the efficient cause that worketh the heate of loue in all that feare him We loue him indeed but not of our selues but we loue him because he loued vs first Thus much for the meaning of the words Seeing by order of nature the cause is before the effect I suppose it is not so conuenient to handle the words as they lie in the Text for it seemes somewhat preposterous but I will rather begin with those words which are last in place but first in nature and so shall I shew first the loue of God to his children being the cause then our loue backe againe to God being the effect Touching the loue of God I lay downe this Doctrine That God before the foundation of the world hath doth and will loue those that are his elect For so must wee vnderstand the text the word vs implying the obiect of Gods loue is not generall to all men but particularly to be restrayned vnto those who doe rightly know God and in knowing him doe truely and faithfully serue him For as touching the wicked I may say of them as Peter said of Simon Magus They haue no part nor fellowship in this matter that is in the inheritance of Gods loue and till such time as they are regenerated and effectually conuerted they are in the gall of bitternesse and the bond of iniquity For the proofe of the Doctrine it is confirmed First by Scripture Secondly by Instances By scripture see Mal. 1.2 I haue loued yee saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loued vs Was not Esau Iacobs brother saith the Lord yet I loued Iacob And I hated Esau and laid his mountaines and heritage wast for the dragons of the wildernes The Israelites contest with God hee affirmeth he hath loued them but they being as they alwaies were an vngrateful and an vnthankefull nation with bolde and impudent faces doe not sticke to deny that euer God did testifie any loue to them yea they will not take Gods bare word but will put him to proue it Wherein hast thou loued vs O miserable hardnes of heart that hath continuall experience and yet will not take notice of Gods loue yet God shewes them plainly in particular wherin he testified his loâ—e toward them euen in Iacob whom of his free and meer mercy he chose to be heire of the promise froÌ„ whose loines they sprang through whom they were made the children of the couenant So againe Behold what loue the father hath shewed vs that we should be called the sons of God Where the Apostle doth prefixe the word Behold as a marke of attention and obseruation teaching all those that are the seruants of the most high and children of the immortall GOD that they should by no means be ignorant of the great loue that God had shewed vnto them And a most remarkable place is that of Ieremie I haue loued thee with an euerlasting loue therefore with mercies haue I drawn thee Where the Lord declares the greatnesse of his loue by the word euerlasting which shewes that it is eternall both a parte ante et a parte post as the Schooles speake that is both before the world was made and after the world shall be dissolued now whatsoeuer was before the world was eternall and whatsoeuer shall be after the world shall be eternall Many other testimonies might be alledged for the confirmation of this point but let vs a little see what this loue of God is Loue is nothing else but a strong affection and inclination to the thing beloued with a contenting of the minde in the thing obtained And so the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie Non solum aliquid velle verum etiam in eo iam comparato acquiescere not onely to loue desire but also to rest contented in the fruition of the thing desired So the Greeke word in the text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to loue signifies as much as to be content for so Cicero turnes it Phauorinus deriues it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seipsum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 altogether and with his whole minde to affect and giue himselfe to the thing beloued But others and that I thinke more fitly deriue it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod est valde perfecteque in re amata acquiescere greatly and perfectly to rest contented in the inioyment of the thing beloued So God himselfe pronounced from heauen touching Christ Hic est filius meus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my welbeloued Sonne and immediately
a supernaturall or a spirituall grace infused to teach vs that it is not naturally or habitually bred in vs for we are by nature as Adam was before the promise runne-awayes from God neither desiring to see him nor to heare him till the holy Ghost worke this loue in vs by his inspiration Secondly I say it is onely in the hearts of the faithfull for it is limited and restrained to them as to its proper subiect no wicked man partaking with them in that worke for hee that loues God must transcend nature and haue iustifying faith Hee onely loues God that keepes his Commandements and hee onely keepes Gods Commandements whose heart is enriched with a true faith for without Faith it is impossible to please God Hereby we may note the falsehood of the doctrine of the Church of Rome First for that they teach That before iustification there must be a disposition and aptitude in a man thereunto standing in the feare of hell and loue of God By this doctrine the loue of God in our hearts should goe before iustification whereas indeede it is a fruit and effect of it And if the loue of God were in the heart of any man before he be iustified it would follow that a man may be truely sanctified before â—e be iustified seeing where the loue of God is there is sanctification Secondly they teach that faith apprehendeth Christ by loue and not by it selfe which is false for loue by order of nature and time followeth faith which apprehendeth Christ there â—e is not apprehended by loue for â—irst wee beleeue and being knit vnto Christ by faith then our hearts are knit vnto God by loue Thirdly I say it proceedes from Gods loue toward vs. Zanchius calls it radius amoris Dei erga nos in Deum reflesux a beame of Gods loue toward vs reflected backe to him againe Gods loue like a loade-stone drawes our hearts to loue him Thou thy selfe who now loues the LORD before the manifestation of Gods loue to thee in thy conuersion didst not loue him thy heart went a whoring from God thou preferredst euery creature yea the satisfying of thine own lust before him It is thought comâ—monly among men an easie matter to loue God euery man abhors to be counted such a monster as not to loue God but they are much deceiued no man can loue God but hee that is beloued of him with a sauing loue Amor Dei animae parit amorem Gods eternall loue of vs begets in our soules a loue of him he is the Ocean of Diuine loue from whence we deriue and into which wee returne the streames of our loue Fourthly I say we must know God before we can loue him Quod latet ignotuÌ„ est ignoti nulla cupido Things vnknowne are vnaffected and loue is according to a mans acquaintance a man cannot loue God before he know what God is and that he is good and worthy to be beloued and such as is our knowledge such is our loue our knowledge of him in this world is not so perfect as it shall be in the world to come no more is our loue on earth so perfect as it shall be in the heauens And this is the reason why wicked men loue not God because they know him not did we but know God in his excellent goodnesse wee would be rauished with desire to loue him but the mistes of worldly vapours doe so interpose themselues that they darken our eyes and ouer-cloude this Sunne of righteousnesse that we see not we think not of his glory we desire not to know the perfection of his Maiesty Things vnknown are not beloued loue neuer shoots at a blind marke Let vs first labour rightly to know God theÌ„ shal we be sure truly to loue God Fiftly if we loue God truly I say then wee loue him with all our might and with all our soule Herein are contained these two properties of hoâ—y loue vnity and constancy we must loue God summo cum afâ—fâ—ctu wiâ—h the chiefest of our affections and strength Here is the vnitie of our loue we must not be diuided betweene God and the world we must not part stakes betweene Christ and Belial God is a iealous God and will admit no riuall wee must loue God principally and chiefly hee must haue our hearts other things which are good wee may loue in a lower degree but for Gods sake still reseruing the principall to God for he that loues not his Father Mother Wife and Children sinnes but he that loues them in summo gradu more then God is not worthy of God Non amat Christumâ— qui aliquid magis quam Christum amat He loues not Christ that loues any thing more then Christ. With the vnity in these words is contained the constancy we must loue him with all our strength euen for euer if we cease from louing God wee did neuer loue God truely if our loue slake by Apostacye then know it was but in hypocrisie Sixtly I said true loue loues God for himselfe for a mercenary loue is base when a man loues God onely for his gifts Thus Saul loued God but not for himselfe but for the continuance of his Kingdome Thus many wicked men seeme to loue God not for himselfe but for his benefits It was obiected by Sathan against Iob but falsely that he serued God for his riches But Iob manifested himselfe to be a true louer of God for then when he was depriued of all earthly comforts which God had giuen him yet did the loue of God continue in him The woman that loueth her husband onely because he is rich loueth not him but his riches The worldling who with the carnall Israelite doth loue God for his abundance of Corne Wine Oyle and the rest of those good things which hee bestowes on men he loues the gift more then the giuer and is but a hireling and not a chast louer of God and therefore in him is the old Prouerbe verified No penny no pater noster If God ceases to giue hee ceaseth to loue and worship if God withdraw his liberality he will cut him short in his seruice It is true loue to loue God simply for his own sake let vs loue his glory more then our owne benefit least we be found louers of our selues more then of God This is the reason why the loue of the godly is constant in aduersity though their riches and friends be gone yet God remaines and so long as the obiect remaines the action of their loue shall not cease if wee loue God wee must loue him for himselfe Lastly whereas I saide true loue doth rest contented in the enioyment of God whom it loueth It sheweth the delight and sufficiency it findes in God it cannot rest till it enioy him and he being enioyed it rests contented Augustine in his booke De substantia dilectionis Cap. 2. layes down this definition of Loue which containes
in it the two forenamed properties Amor est affectio cordis ad aliquid cum desiderio in appetendo et gaudio in perfruendo per desiderium currens per gaudium requicsâ—ens What is here spoken generally of loue may particuâ—arly be affirmed of the Loue of God First there is a desire whereby we are vnited vnto the Lord for as hatred doth disioyne and segregate so loue doth vnite and knit the desire of the louer to the thing beloued Secondly in the fruition there is rest and content hatred breeds dislike auersation and discontentednesse loue causeth ioy delight and contentment when loue hath once possessed God it mooues the soule to ioy in God and to account him her chiefest happinesse so that it wil cry out with Dauid Whom haue I in heauen but thee and whom haue I desired in earth with thee God is my strength and my portion for euer Thus haue I laide downe briefly as I could in this definition the intrinsecall properties of our loue of God which are in number seauen 1. It is a Diuine grace wrought by the Spirit 2. It is onely proper to the regenerate 3. It is an effect of Gods loue to vs. 4. It is accompanyed with the knowledge of God 5. It is constant in vnity and in perpetuity 6. It is not mercenary but free 7. It is eager for the enioyment and content in the fruition The second thing considerable is the markes and effects of our loue of God whereby we may truely try as by a touchstone whether our loue be sincere or adulterate the effects are many for number but I will onely recite those which are most principall and they are sixe First the loue of God doth quench all vnchast loues There are 3â— sorts of loue One is alwayes good the 2. is alwayes bad the 3. is good in it selfe but bad through our bad disposition That which is alwaies good is the loue of God in which it is impossible to sinne through excesse for we cannot loue God too much the measure of louing him is to loue him without measure That loue which is alwaies bad is the loue of that which is absolutely euill Actus distinguitur per obiectum an euill obiect makes an euill action and this is the loue of murder theft vnchast pleasures these haue no mediocrity for the least inclination to them is a sinne The loue which is good by nature and becommeth euill by accident is the loue of meate drinke riches honour and the like the loue of these things is made euill by the excesse and intemperance of the louer Now the former of these which is the loue of God doth quite extirpate and roote out the second which is the vnlawfull loue and it doth rectifie that loue which may be bad through our euill disposition for in meates drinkes and apparrell the loue of God moueth vs to satisfie our necessity not our curiosity in riches to labour for sufficiency not for superfluity Search therefore thine owne heart with an vndazeled and vndissembling eye and if vpon the inquiry thou finde all adulterate and vnchaste loue rooted out of thy heart and thy heart to be so wedded and marryed to the Lord that nothing can aâ—ienate it from him then perswade thy selfe the diuine and blessed loue of God dwelleth in thee and thrice happy is that soule where it hath his habitation The second marke of the loue of God is a care to keepe his commandements If yee loue mee saith Christ keepe my commandements And againe This is the loue of God that wee keepe his commandements True obedience is the fruit of â—oue If wee doe not performe obedience to God and weare his commaundements as a frontlet betweene our eyes and write them vpon the doores of our hearts that we may keepe them surely it is to be feared we loue not God The value of Christian loue is to be tryed by the touchstone not of words but of workes Yet how many are there that say they loue God and yet cast off all obedience to his lawes Can a woman play the harlot and prostitute her body to an adulterer and yet truely say shee loues her husband No more can any man call himselfe the childe of God if he doth deâ—ight to commit the workes of the Diuell Wherefore as the Iewes called Iesus their King and the souldiers said vnto him Haile King of the Iewes and bowed their knees before him but yet they spat in his face and buffetted him so the bastard Christians of this age cal Christ their Lord and bow their knees before him but by their â—innefull disobedience they crucifie him and tread his bloud of the couenant vnder their feete They both kisse and betray him with Iudas it is but a sceptâ—r of a reede they allow him for they obey him not in heart neither wiâ—l they giue him any command ouer their affections The third marke of our loue of God is an earnest desire to be ioyned to God This is a sure marke for if we truely loue God wee shall in desire soare aloft seeking to be there where God is carnall loue carryeth a man downeward to the earth which it loueth but holy loue being as Zanchius cals it ignis accensus a sparke of heauenly fire kindled in our hearts by the holy Ghost ascends continually toward heauen to his owne spheare drawing our hearts with it toward the Lord not suffering vs to rest till we enioy him Thus doth he that truely loues God as it were depriue himselfe of himselfe and bestoweth himselfe on God whom he loueth For the loue of God is of a rauishing nature by the which the louer is so wrapt out of himselfe that he in a manner forgets himselfe denies himselfe and is wholy in God whom he loueth And this is it that makes the faithful louer by frequent communication to counsell and consolate himselfe with God Being to deliberate vpon any matter of importance he first enquireth after the will of God and first consulteth with the oracle of Gods mouth not with his belly not with worldly hopes not with pleasure not with wicked friends but God is his teacher and the Law of God his Counseller This is a signe that we loue God if we loue to be taught by hâ—m Yet this is not all for true loue desires the fruition of God in his kingdome Paul loued Christ so dearely that he accounted all things as dung in respect of Christ and that made him deâ—ire to be dissolued and to be with Christ. This makes the loue-longing soule to complaine with Dauid Woe is mee that I must dwell in Meshech and haue my habitation among the tents of Kedar Woe is me that I soiourne in Egypt woe is me that I dwell in Cabull and doe not as yet possesse my Canaan This makes the louing soule cry Come Lord Iesus come quickely thou art my treasure therefore thou hast my heart and
as though he would giue a reason or etymologie of the word he addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in quo acquiesco in whom I rest or am well pleased So then there are in loue three things 1. An affection or passion whereby we are enclined vnto the thing beloued 2. There is a desire whereby wee are strongly carryed to the inioying of the thing beloued 3. A great ioy whereby we rest our selues contented in the possession of the thing desired In these three things doth Augustine in his booke De substantia delectionis make loue to consist Hence then we may easily see what loue is It is an ardent affection of the mind wherby the heart is moued towards that which either is truely or seemingly good desiring to draw that good vnto it selfe that it might enioy it and in the fruition of it rest contented Loue doth vnite and knit two things together that they become one and from this vnion ariseth a sympathie that the louer doth not lesse feele the griefes and afflictions of his beloued then he himselfe and the good and prosperity of the thing beloued is not more its then the louers But the loue of God is of another kinde and of another manner for loue in God is most perfect for that he is perfection it selfe but in vs loue is imperfect being not without some passion and weaknes of minde But such a loue is not in God for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 impatible and cannot be moued there being nothing in God that is seruile or base or that argues any the least imperfection but he is a diuine Maiesty most glorious most holy most absolute in perfection most free from any the least inclination to weakenesse And howsoeuer it pleaseth him in the Scripture to compare his loue to the loue of a Mother toward her Childe of a Henne toward her Chickens of a Pastour toward his Sheepe yea of a Father grieuing at the misery of his Sonnes and the like yet this is but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men that we may conceiue it idque ob nostram vtilitatem for our benefit as Zanchius speaks that we may be verily perswaded that the loue of God toward vs is most feruent most sincere and that from thence we may conceiue confidence to flye vnto him and to call vpon him But we must note that the loue of God consists in three things which are absolutely perfect without any passion or motion of the minde First in his eternall beneuolence that is his eternall good-will vnto his Elect and his euerlasting purpose of commiserating helping preseruing and redeeming his children For according to the saying of Saint Paul before the children did either good or bad yea before they were borne God hated Esau and loued Iacob What was this loue that God bare vnto Iacob before he was borne Euen his good-will that hee had toward him whereby he had decreed the good and saluation of his soule The second thing whereiâ— Gods loue doth consist is his actuall beneficence that is in the outward effects of his inward loue whether it be in things temporall and belonging to this life or eternall respecting the life to come And herein Gods loue is more excellent then Mans loue and more pure then the loue of any creature for God doth good to the creature not thereby to doe good to himselfe whereas the loue of man is not so much for the things sake beloued as for the profit pleasure or content it bringeth with it So that the second thing wherein the loue of God consisteth is his readinesse to doe all things hee thinketh good for his children and that not so much for his owne benefit as for theirs for so the Phylosopher defines true loue The third thing wherein the loue of God consists is that complacency oblectation delight content and well-pleasingnesse that God findes in his elect and in this sense wee finde it vsed The way of the wicked is an abhomination to the Lord but he loueth him that followeth after righteousnesse Here we see that the loue of God is taken neither for his beneuolence nor beneficence but for his approbation and delectation his delight he takes in those that worke righteousnesse and on the contrary he hates disalowes of and is discontented at the wicked wayes of the vngodly Thus wee see what the loue of God to his Elect is Euen his eternall purpose and decree of doing good vnto them and the expressing of this inward and secret loue by outward euident testimonies of grace and fauour and that freely delighting in them vniting himselfe vnto them not for his owne good but for theirs euen to make them partakers of his goodnesse Here then we are to obserue that there is a double loue in God First a generall loue wherewith hee loueth all his creatures and whereby he preserueth them being created and of this loue of God haue the wicked experience God louing them as they are his creatures and the workemanship of his hands but when they degenerate from their creation and become sinfull creatures then though God loue them with a generall loue as they are his creatures yet hee hates them with a particular hatred because they are sinfull their sins making themselues and all things accursed vnto them Secondly there is a speciall loue of God wherewith hee loueth his Elect in Christ not propâ—er opera praeuisa for the workes hee fore-saw neither Legall as the Papist nor Euangelicall as the Arminians teach but meerely from his owne good pleasure and from the desire he had to doe good vnto them And from hence it is that he is neuer called the God of Cain or of Esau or of Saul but the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the God of the faithfull whom he loueth for euer We see then that the loue of God is not equally vouchsafed vnto all men but the Elect haue more prerogatiue in his mercies and fauours then others haue Kings make choise of some particular persons whom they make either of their Counsell or their fauourites not affecting nor countenancing all alike so Gods loue is generall to all his creatures as the Kings to all his subiects but more particularly he chooseth some on whom his speciall loue and fauour is setled and of them it is said God is not ashamed to be called their God They being his spouse he hath knit himself vnto them by an indissoâ—uabâ—e band of vnion neuer to be violated or broken But because loue is an internall affection in God and wee cannot either conceiue or expresse it as it is in it selfe let me according to my promise by instance in the externall effects demonstrate it vnto you The speciall effects of Gods loue toward his children are these 1. Electionâ— 2. Creation 3. Preseruation 4. Redemption 5. Vocation 6. Sanctification 7. Glorification And first to speake of Gods loue to vs in our
Election God in his diuine wisedome before the world was created out of the lumpe of mankinde had called and elected a certaine number whom he pleased to make partakers of his loue and fauour being once elected according to Gods purpose it needes must be that all things in the world should work together for their good And this is made a testimony of Gods loue vnto his children God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue who hath predestinated vs to be adopted through Iesus Christ vnto himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will Here then we see what is the causa proëgumena the internal mouing cause of our election euen the meere loue and good-will of God according to that of Saint Paul He will haue mercy on whom he will haue mercy Gods election is without any merit of ours therefore meerely from his loue Againe the loue of God in our election is seene in that it is immutable vnchangeable so that they which are indeede chosen to saluation cannot perish but shall without doubt attaine to life eternall When Adam fell God might haue suffered him to haue lien in his fall but that he had ordained him vnto life wherefore for the execution of his decree he appointed all meanes to concurre for his saluation The purpose of God according to election must remaine firme and sure Such as Gods nature is such is his wil and counsell his nature and essence is vnchangeable I am Iehouah and â—hange not therefore his will and counsell must needes be immutable Here then wee see the first euidence of Gods loue toward vs it is neither to day nor yesterday that he hath begun to loue vs our election began not with our selues but before the Mountaines were made before the foundation of the world was laid euen from euerlasting to euerlasting the Lord is our God What creature then is able to disanull that which God hath willed before that euer any creature was Onely let vs labour that as our election is sure in it selfe so that wee may make it sure vnto our selues by walking with a good conscience in holinesse before the Lord and then we neede not feare what the Diuell or man can worke against it seeing the stormy gusts of Satans malice the rage of his temptations the power of the gates of hell can neuer frustrate the decree of God Wherefore let it be in our daily meditations to consider Gods infinite loue to his elect that whereas it was in his power to haue reprobated all men or to haue chosen the reprobate in their stead there being nothing in the one to moue him any more then in the other but his meere loue yet out of so many thousands to elect so few vnto himselfe and to decree them vnto saluation surely as it testifieth great loue in God so ought it to prouoke great feare in vs and to giue vnto God that diuine respect which is due vnto him And whereas Sathan stirres vp many tempests of trouble and blasts of temptation against the Church of God deâ—iring to sinke the ship or to driue it on the rockes Let vs be sure to cast the anchour of hope and to fasten it in heauen vpon the foundation of Gods election The second testimony of Gods great loue toward his children is in their Creation Man in respect of his creation and being was farre more excellent then any creature of the earth beside which appeareth in the text of the Scripture for whereas for the creation of the light of the heauens and earth and euery creature in them Gods bare command sufficed but when hee was to create man to shew the excellency of the creature hee consulteth with the whole God-head the Trinitie Let vs make man in our owne image In man therefore as he was created wee are to consider the integrity of his nature and the dignity of his person The integrity of his nature is seene in that he was indued with diuine wisedome knowing God his maker so far forth as was conuenient and possible for the creature to know his Creator hee knew the will and workes of God perfectly wherefore Zanchius tearmes Adam Insignem Theolâ—gum ac Philosophum of meere men the best Diuine and most excellent Philosopher He had habituall iustice whereby he was conformable vnto the will of God in his will defires inclinations and actions The dignity of man did consist principally in the communion he had with his God and maker lesse principally in the diuine essence of his soule in the beauty and maiesty hee had in his body aboue all earthâ—y creatures in his dominion and gouernment he had ouer them in his immunity from sicknesse wearinesse and all infirmities The dignity of man by creation is obserued in this that God hath made him a compound of all his creatures therefore he is called by the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The little world In respect of his soule he is like the Angels in respect of his body he hath affinity with earthly creatures there being no excellency in any terrestriall creature which man hath not in greater perfection Wherefore this must be vnto euery faithfull soule a testimony of Gods loue to him that whereas all creatures were in the hand of God as the clay in the hands of the Potter and that he might if it had pleased him haue made thee farre inferiour vnto that thou art God might haue created thee a Dog or a Toade or any other loathsome creature for neither was there anything to compell him or to resist him yet it pleased him of his meere loue to create thee after his owne image to endew thee with a reasonable soule that so thou mightest be capable of the knowledge and fruition of thy Creator To conferre good on any man for his good without either compuâ—sion or merit must needes proceed from loue why then shall not we ascribe the benefit of our creation to the meere loue of God seeing he could not be compelled nor could we merit Although the faithfull man onely is not made partaker of this benefit but the wicked also yet must we notwithstanding acknowledge it to proceed from Gods loue and to be a great bâ—essing for community doth not take away the nature of a benefit The third testimony of Gods loue to his Elect is their Redemption When God had created Adam he put him into the garden of Eden hee gaue him freewil ability either to stand in innocency or to fall from it but he through his disobedience dis-robed not onely himselfe but also his whole posterity of their garments of holinesse and made himselfe and vs slaues of Sathan and heires of eternall damnation GOD â—n his creation hath done his part but he became a rebell against his maker and so captiuated himselfe and his whole stocke vnder the Diuels bondage God in