the nature of justifying faith hath weaued the words of David Ps 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better then life into his compleat definition of that faith whereby the iust doe liue 2. Though all the Disciples of Christ must assent to so much be their faith expresse if need bee so much by their loue yet according as those tasts and relishes of heaven imprinted in their soule by the spirit vpon which the assent of faith and fervency of loue are grounded are more or lesse liuely and pleasant the faith and loue of Christians admit sundry degrees and measures but not properly in regard of their esteeme of the object for all as I haue shewed must esteeme it better then life but in respect of the radication and setling of this esteeme in themselues so that howsoever all faithfull Christians iudge and esteeme their hopes by Christ to bee better then life yet they may bee more or lesse in their iudgement and those apprehensions which cause this esteeme may be more or lesse cleere and distinct 3. T is true that to dye for the profession of Christ is the greatest possible expression of loue vnto him for the matter of it there may bee great diversity and accordingly by severall degrees of faith and loue may bee expressed by it Amongst so many thousands as haue beene crowned with martyrdome in Primitiue and latter times no doubt but there was infinite variety of degrees of faith and loue all which had but one common expression for the matter but for the maner of it some laid down their liues more cheerefully and triumphantly reioycing that it was giuen to them not only to beleeue but also to suffer others with more deliberation staggering reluctancy some with Peter denied Christ divers times before they would dye for him recanted aâ—iured and runne through a hundred of base sights before they would come to the stake others behaued themselues more honourably heroically and being glad of such speedy conveyance to heaven died with a kinde of Angelicall Majestie To drawe towards a conclusion if any honest tender heart which vses to tremble at the word and to mourne for its own infirmities be brought into dumps by this doctrine causing it to thinke thus with it selfe if every one that loues Christ to any purpose must loue him better then life and be able to dye for him then sure al my loue vnto him is nothing worth â—â— When I am in my best moodes his louing kindnesse is dearer vnto mee then thousands of gold and silver and I am of Davids mind that it is better then life but yet if my life were in question for it I know not what would become of me sure I should never hold out but flinch most shamefully For comfort and direction vnto such a soule I commend these considerations 1. This feare of flinching is a good signe that thou wouldest not flinch for feare you know what Peters loud protestation though all men forsake thee yet will not I came to not long after you know the story of D r Pendleton or you may reade it in M r Fox vnlesse thy life were exceeding deare vnto thee it would be no such great testimony of thy loue vnto him to part with it for his sake vnlesse death were very terrible Martyrdome would not bee either such an acceptable sacrifice vnto God or glorious wonder amongst men To feare martyrdome yea and to pray against it with submission vnto Gods will is warranted by our Saviours owne example when he prayed so earnestly that if it were possible the Cup might passe away from him but still with submission vnto his fathers pleasure That place concerning our Saviour Heb. 5. 7. is very remarkable who in the daies of his flesh when he had offered vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was heard in that he feared I stand not vpon the words in that hee feared for indeed the construction of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very vncertaine that which I especially note is that it is said here our Saviouor was heard how was hee heard Marke how and thence will spring a second branch of comfort His Father heard him not in remouing the Cup from him but in strengthning him to drinke it with victory so art thou sure to be heard if thou prayest as hee did either the Cup shall bee removed from thee or sweetned vnto thee Remember withall that God is never more for vs then when wee are most for him that his glory lies at stake as well as thy life and that hee is more curious of that then thou canst bee of this God is faithfull who will noâ— suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we are able but will with the temptation also make away to escape that we may be able to beare it 1. Cor. 10. 13. Remember that thy Saviour hath had experience of all the amazemets and horrors of death when he suffered it for theâ—e and therefore cannot forget both to pitty and succour thee when thou art to suffer it for him for in that he himselfe hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted as the Apostle sweetly infers Heb. 2. 18. Lastly let mee commend this caution vnto the trembling soule Anxious distrustfull care for the future in matters of the soule is more dishonourable and displeasing vnto God then in matters of the body Remember therefore thy Saviours advice care not for to morrow let that care for it selfe Afflict not thy selfe with such sad supposals what if Queene Maries daies should come againe what if I should bee brought before such a fellow as Bonner remember thy Saviours reason for his advice sufficient for the day is the evill thereof Which as it is too true for matters of this life so it 's much more true in businesse of our spirituall life If thou art indeed entred into a covenant with God if thou hast seriously and advisedly resolued to liue the rest of thy time in the flesh by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued thee and giuen himselfe for thee if thou art indeed one who knowes what an infinite endlesse vnwearied diligence is required to a constant close walking with God why then thou hast every day every houre omissionâ— and commissions to looke vnto thou hast continuall swarmes of thoughts words and actions most warily and precisely to watch over thou must tread every step as nicely and gingerly as if thou wentest amongst snaâ—es and walkedst vpon pinnacles thou must ever and anon chaine vp thy beloued affections shorter and deale roughly with those lusts which perhaps are as deare vnto thee as thy life What hast thou thus much businesse every day and hast thou time to make suppositions for the future and to torment thy selfe with presages Let to morrow care for it selfe abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against thy soule and most
of those who vnderstand what a wofull thing it is to bee a stranger vnto Christ to be yet vnreconciled vnto God by him is that they would with yerning bowels commiserate the lamentable condition of their poore ignorant brethren which they shall meet with every where especially in most country Villages I haue obserued vpon occasions much table merriment which hath beene made by tales which passe about of such absurd senselesse answers as silly Christians haue given being demanded a reason of their faith perhaps vpon their death-beds or at their comming to the Lords table Let such vnnaturall mirth be farre from those who are to striue to haue the same minde in them which was in Christ Iesus You who by the blessed change wrought in your soules haue passed from death vnto life consider with a thankefull reflexion vpon the Father of lights that had not he vouchsafed you a more ingenuous education fairer opportunities to grow acquainted with the mysteries of grace more distinct call of his fanctifying spirit and more illuminated apprehensions to discerne them you might haue groped and stumbled in a thicker mist of stupidity then now befooles your vnnurturd brethren you might haue dishonoured that blessed name by which you are called by as wild miscoâ—â—â—its and horrid follies as any come from them and whatsoever is ridiculous in them might haue bin more prodigoius in you you know what price to set vpon your owne soules You know the soule of the meanest idiot is of equall value with yours and that it cost the redeemer of the World as many stripes and wounds as yours O then pitty thy brethren so likely to perish for whom Christ died yea the rather because they being stuffed with sottish conceipts will be ready to laugh at those who shall pitty them Take all opportunities to doe them some spirituall good as occasion shall be offered conferring with them and praying for them and let Christian sympathies bee the least you can afford them you know what you meane when you pray daily that Gods kingdome may come remember you pray not in earnest vnlesse you doe your faithfull endenuour to helpe it forward as in your owne hearts so in the hearts of your brethren with which at any time you converse Consider I beseech you what a dismall fogge of Popery doth yet darken this Iland Popery which few thinkes of I meane that blind absurd implicite faith of beleeuing as the Church beleeues For there is not a pin to choose betweene him that beleeues in grosse what the Church of England beleeues and him that beleeues as that synagogue of Satan the Church of Rome beleeues it neither knowes any thing explicitly what either Church beleeues Meditate on this and what zeale what conrage what indignation you feele in your breasts against the Antichristian impostures of Rome let them fly I beseech you vpon all occasions against this Protestant Popery But I see no hope but that the Colliars faith will haue the greatest number of professors whilst accurate Catechizing of all sorts of people which did so much good in the primitiue Church is in ours so generally neglected But I conclude bespeaking you in the words of S. Iude But yee beloued building vp your selues on your most holy faith praying in the holy Ghost Keepe your selues in the loue of God looking for the mercies of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life And of some haue compassion making a difference And others saue with feare pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh O thou father of mercies and God of all consolations looke downe from thy throne of eternity and take notice of vs thy poore servants who doe now desire to muster vp all the faculties which thou hast given vs and to employ theÌ„ in an acceptable thankesgiuing vnto thee O Lord wee desire to spend our best spirits even to exhale our dearest soules in thankefull ejaculations vnto thee for that most incomprehensibly admirable contrivance of our salvation by the death of the sonne of thy loue O Lord we desire to be transported with a holy amazement as often as wee thinke of this mystery of mysteries and even to empty our hearts of their secrets in halleluiahs and voices of exultation Most holy Lord wee praise thee for the marvelous light of thy Gospell which hath acquainsed vs with those wonders of mercy which thy Christ hath performed for our soules for those comfortable evidences of our justification by him with which our bruised consciences haue beene most gratiously revived Wee praise thee likewise for those wounders of a new creation which thy blessed spirit hath begunne in our hearts for that it hath begunne to weaken and wast the body of sinne to crucify those corruptioÌ„s which heretofore hath beene most insolent in vs to weane vs froÌ„ those vanities which heretofore haue beene our chiefe comforts and to make vs more willing to bee kept within a holy compasse O Lord we desire wee desire with most enlarged hearts to blesse thy infinite goodnesse for all those ravishing irradiations and glorious Prefaces of our blessed immortality by which thy coÌ„forting spirit hath so often encouraged vs to patient continuance in well doing Wee blesse thee for all the heavenly thoughts affections desires resolutions which thou hast put into vs at any time wee praise thee for that portiou of thy good word which thou hast afforded vs at this time O thou that delightest to pardon abundantly pardon all the errours imperfections which haue come either from me in delivering or any of thy people in entertaining thy message Let it not bee a savour of death vnto death vnto any maÌ„ who hath beene within the sound of it but let it some way or other bee beneficiall vnto him in respect of thy kingdome And now oh thou that dwellest in vnapprochable splendor quite out of the ken of mortality seeing thou hast suffered dust and ashes to approch so neere to thee in thy ordinances dismisse not any one of vs wee beseech thee without a blessing send not any one of vs without a comfortable beame of thy countenance shining into his heart Thou art the fountaine of holinesse send vs not therefore out of thy presence without some more cleerenesse in our apprehensions of thy saving mysteries and heavenlinesse in our affections vnto them Send vs not from thy throne of grace but with a heavenly calme in our soules or with such tempests of repentance as may prepare vs for an everlasting serenity O Lord send vs not away but either with that joy which passeth all vnderstanding or that godly sorrow which may prepare vs for it To thee O Father with thy beloued Sonne and blessed Spirit three most glorious Persons one infinite Deity be ascribed all Honour Power Praise Might Majestie and Dominion by vs poore sinners here militant on earth and all the glorified companies triumphant in Heaven from this time forth for evermore Amen Amen
bee moued to more tender passions by a Tragicke fable created by the braine of a Poet cannot sympathise with his Sauiour in that passiō which should haue beene his cannot by his serious cōpunction share with him in those agonies which should haue been all his owne cannot take these mercies so deepely to heart as with the earnest pangs of yerning affections to desire to bee crucified with Christ as S. Paul speakes of himselfe Gal. 2. 20. and to liue the rest of his life in the flesh by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued him and gaue himselfe for him questionlesse that man offers his Sauiour the most cutting iniury and does him the most villanous spight that it 's possible for a mortall wretch to offer vnto the Lord of Glory That mans ingratitude is more painefull vnto Christ Iesus then all the thornes were in his head and wounds him more deepely then the nayles did his hands and feete and therefore wee cannot imagine a lighter curse then Anathema Maranatha to bee due vnto him For by his sottish neglect of that death of which his sins aswel as any mans else were a cause he becomes guilty of the murther of the Sonne of God yea one of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I vnderstang 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and English it who crucifie as much as in them lies the sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and expose him like a◠malefactour to publique shame Heb. 6. 6. 3 Lastly whosoever instructed in the Gospell doth not in earnest loue Christ Iesus hee vexes grieues the third person in Trinity the Holy spirit whose chiefe businesse here below is to worke our our hearts vnto the loue of Christ and as I said before to solicite the match betweene him and our soules And this is one reason why our saviour being to leaue this world speakes so much in Saint Iohn of what the comforter should doe for him after his departure He shall testify of me Iohn 13. He shall glorify mee 16. 14. Whosoeuer therefore makes the Holy spirit to labour in vaine not suffering his perswasions to make any impressions vpon his heart or to get thence any glory for him whose agent hee is but thinkes hee does Christ Iesus kindnesse enough in that he suffers himselfe to be called a Christian rather then a Iew or a Mahumetan or Protestant rather then a Papist In what a fit of discontent in what a chafe may we thinke doth that man send or rather driue away the spirit of Grace All that I haue said in this second consideration is comprised in that terrifying place Hebr. 10. 28. 29. which I know is there applyed vnto Apostates but wee must note that all hypocrites are Apostates in Gods fight and therefore what wee may apply vnto an Apostate in particular because hee discouers the rottennesse of his heart in the sight of men wee may apply vnto hypocrites in generall because there is in them the same evill heart of vnbeliefe though wee cannot so particularly smell them out the words are Hee that despised Moses Law died without mercy vnder two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee be thought worthy who hath troden vnder foote the sonne of God and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the blood of a common man or a malefactor not as the blood of a sacrifice and hath done despight vnto the spirit of grace Applic. You see the fearefully accursed estate of those professors of Christianity who deale falsely with their Saviour and loue him not at the heart you see vpon what slippery tearmes wee stand betweene the greatest curses and the greatest blessings If wee haue indeed made Christ Iesus our portion if wee haue beene so feelingly affected with his favours towards vs that now with the Spouse in the Canticles wee are even sicke with loue of him If as the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians Wee are so rooted and grounded in loue that we can bring good proofes that with a constant resolution we preferre the intellectuall pleasures which issue from his reconciled countenance before whatsoeuer else is most pretious and deare vnto vs O then we may hugge our selues as men over-joyed for as sure as God is God all his rich promises in Christ Iesus shall be yea and Amen vnto vs. But on the contrary if those heauenly raptures and glorious trances of sweetest entercourse betweene Christ and our soules sound as Phantastique dreames harsh Paradoxes vnto vs if wee stupidly content our selues with an empty profession of his name and heartlesse conformity vnto the outward garb of the Gospell never striuing either to expresse or to feele the inward power of it if wee goe on in a heavy sluggish dull manner never retiring vnto our Saviour but in some melancholy moodes which wee are quickly weary of blindly presuming of much from him and caring not how little hee hath from vs O then we most grossely delude our selues for the curse of curses Anathema Maran-atha doth most certainely belong vnto vs I presume almost there is not any man in this assembly but would thinke himselfe much wronged if one should seriously tell him hee did not loue Christ Iesus Not loue Christ Why we imagine wee all doe it naturally wee take it as the custome of the country to say so It is not my purpose to dishearten any man would to God that the least sparke of loue vnto Christ in any mans heart here were a glorious flame But yet I would haue no man to deceiue himselfe in this point then which nothing more easy nothing more dangerous God is not mocked he requireth truth in the inward parts and the exactest kinde of loue that can be imagined Doe you thinke beloued but that the Iewes in our Saviours time were confidently perswaded that they loued God they persecuted our Saviour indeed because they could not apprehend him to be the sonne of God but for God himselfe they made full account that they and none but they loued him aright Here was I dare say as strong a perswasion of loue to God if confidence would beare out the matter as in the greater part of Christians of their loue vnto Christ But behold how miserably they were deceaued Joh. 5. 42. our Saviour expressely tels them But I know you that yee haue not the loue of God in you The like grosse deceit of the Iewes may be observed in the same chapter about their loue vnto Moses why they were 〈◊〉 and naile for Moses The Law and name of Moses was the glory of their nation for which no doubt but many if they had beene put to it would resolutely haue lost their liues in our Saviours time as their ancestors had done before or their posterity since so that one would haue thought hee might haue sworne they loued Moses but yet when the matter
partaker of the blessed Sacraments but what better reason can hee giue why these Sacraments can doe his soule good then a Turke may why his circumcision should be beneficial vnto him hee hath heard the Scriptures read and expounded but what better reason can he giue why he supposeth the Scriptures to be the word of God then the Turke will why he is so confident that the Alcoran came downe immediatly from heaven in that laylatto-Hanzâ—li as they call it the night of demission Lastly he stifly conceits himselfe to be one of the only true faith and all Turkes to be abhorred infidels but what peculiar evidences hath hee that the Turkes are mistaken and not himselfe seeing they are as coÌ„fident on the other side that Christians are Cafirouna Infidels as they tearme vs that themselues are the onely Moslimina or Musulmans that is right beleeuers If then the Christians being pressed with these demands can produce nothing from any supernaturall alteration which hee hath felt wrought in himselfe if he be not able from spirituall selfe experience of that cutting convincing power of the Scriptures and of those admirable vertues comfortable influences of the Sacraments if he be yet altogether vnacquainted with those caelestiall flashes irradiations and inward testimonies of the spirit which vse to put all these things out of questioÌ„ in soules truly Christianiz'd Lastly ' if for want of better Apologie he be forced to retire to those poore dishonourable impertinent rather excuses then reasons of his religion taken form the lawes and customes of his countrey it is too too manifest that hee adheres vnto Christ vpon no better motiue then others blaspheame and persecute him and even spit at the motion of his name But here some may put in howsoever such a Christian may be out-braved yet that which he saies and thinkes is true he is in the right though he cannot demonstrate like a Scholler how he came to it therefore hee is sure howsoever men may prate to speed well enough No such matter it is a very disputable case whether such a one as liues and dies a Christian vpon custome or a Turke be in the grosser error This may seeme very harsh but you may easily espie the truth of it if you please to remember that both the assent of our vnderstandings and choice of our wills may bee misguided into errour two waies either by assenting vnto and approving that as true and good which in it selfe is false and evill or by assenting vnto or approâ—ing that which is both true and good in it selfe vpon weake incoherent insufficient inducementes I cannot stand to comment vpon this distinction and it is so triviall that I conceaue it need not much to bee exemplified Applied vnto my purpose it cleerely shewes the ignorant Christian not to bee a whit more in the right then the Turk The obiect of his assent and loue is most right absolutly in it selfe because it is not an object vnto him for that truth and goodnesse by which it 's distinguished from all other objects but for those coÌ„mon corrupt grounds which abstractly considered equally encline the soule to any object as well to the grossest errors as the purest truth to the extreamest evil as to the chiefest good So that this comparison is like to light most heavily vpon the Christian seeing the goodnesse of the object will not excuse or justifie but rather shame and condemne him who professing much loue vnto it passeth by that which alone was louely in it For the present indeed the Christians case is infinitely the better because hee may with more ease correct his errour and hath all requisite opportunities to that purpose but if he neglect to doe it hereafter the Turke will get the better of him wheÌ„ at the day of judgement he that hath died such a Christian will bee glad to change places with him In the meane time there is not any difference in their errors discernable to reason for this is certaine that diversity of objects cannot put any difference in the assents where the grounds are exactly the same yea if some of the acutest moderne disputers haue rightly determined that the assent vnto the premises and the coÌ„clusion is but one and the same assent being originally to those and terminatiuely to this I can scarce allow the difference to be so great For then it skills not how false or true the conclusioÌ„ be absolutly in it selfe but how strongly or weakly it 's inferred out of it's premises and therefore though one conclude an infallible truth and another a monstrous falshood out of the same faulty premises the errour of both is the same if they assent vnto their conclusions vpon no other medium then this insufficieÌ„t one vpoÌ„ which they both agree For example the principle vpon which the ignorant Christians assent vnto the Gospell stands is this That Religion which my Parents haue taught mee my Soveraigne commanded me and the common cry of my country approued is surely the best The Turke changing only the appropriating circumstances supposeth likewise that religion which his Sulâ—an Parents and Countrey men haue commended vnto him to bee questionlesse the best Both then proceed vpon the same medium and therefore though by the intervention of other casualties the Turke bee cast vpon execrable blasphemies impieties and the Christian vpon heavenly and holy truths their error is directly the same though more fortunate in one then in the other And howsoever such a ChristiaÌ„ hath his assent imaginary loue by lot of his birth and education actually fixed vpon sauing truths yet vntil he bethinke himselfe of more proper and solid reasons for his choice he retaines still in his breast habitually and implicitly the seeds of all those hellish impostures which by other men in other places haue beene entertained and swallowed vpon the same occasions Suppose a Christian who can make no better defence for his profession then such a one as I haue laboured to make him ashamed of immediatly after his birth in England had beene conveyed into Turkie and there insteed of Baptisme circumcised after the Turkish manner and there so cunningly trained vp in the Turkish superstition that hee had no occasion giuen him to suspect himselfe not to haue beene borne a Turke no question but he would haue bene as zealous there for the rascall Mahomet as now being bred in England he is for the blessed Lord of the world And no marvel for the very same occurrences which haue made him a christiaÌ„ here must needs haue made him a Mahometan at Constantinople seeing that whatsoeuer arguments drawn from lawes customes birth educatioÌ„ pleade here for Christ would there perswade as effectually for Mahomet Neither speake I this as if this would argue any notorious imperfection in the man for doubtles this would be any mans case Suppose any of those renowned Champions of Christ whoÌ„ Queene Mary sent to
subdivided 1. Into Ordinary loue which proceeds from a weaker degree of that last act of faith and though sincere yet being imperfect is mixed with anxiety in the same proportion as that is with doubting And 2. into Heroicall loue which springeth from a more eminent and transcendent pitch of perswasion concerning our owne reconciliation in particular this is that perfect loue which S. Iohn saies casteth out all feare to wit of distruste bringing vs into a more intimate familiarity with God I call the first Ordinary because most Christians though effectually called doe ordinarily feele but such a timorous loue in themselues The second which I call Heroicall in that sense in which eminent vertues haue their Epithite is constantly only in such as either beside the evidence of the word and spirit haue had some speciall revelation to put them out of all doubt concerning their estate to Godward on such as by a constant close walking with God haue beene long exercised in a Christian course haue often entertained Christ Iesus at supper in their hearts and habituated themselues into a more familiar acquaintance with that holy spirit which brings all the good news from heauen to those diligent soules which carefully wait for it Thus haue I according to the skill that is giuen mee proued the originall of the syncere loue of a sinner vnto Christ Iesus blessed for ever to be a serious tender apprehension of his own extreame need of Christ and of Christs superabundant loue vnto him I haue likewise explained this truth and vindicated it from such exceptions as crossed my way I come now to discouer the demonstratiue reason of this truth and after I haue shewed that it is so to shew you now why it must be so Wee are all borne into the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of God and while wee continue in that naturall stupid condition wherein we were borne wee are all strangers both vnto God and Christ yea enemies in our mindes through wicked workes as the Apostle speakes Col. 1. 21. We retaine indeed some obscure cloudy notions of a God but not the darkest intimations of a Saviour or least suspition of any need we haue of one In a word albeit wee are borne and bred within the shrillest sound of the Gospell yet as long as we continue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meere animall naturall men it will not sinke into our heads that we are in such miserable case as Preachers would make vs beleeue wee are how ill its like to goe with vs vnlesse we laboriously enquire after Christ and get to be reconciled vnto God by him Now what more effectuall method can we imagine to beate vs out of this naturall antipathy against our Creatour and Redeemer yea what other contrivance may there be to worke such peeuish wretches such froward rebels out of one extreame into another out of deadly hatred to sincere loue of the eternall Father and his only Sonne to pull downe their proud stomackes to make them crouch and craule vnto his throne of grace then to make them see in what a hell they are while they stand in this distance from him to awake their consciences against them and to make them a terrour vnto themselues to let the Law thunder and lighten into their soules vntill their wits and spirits beginne to faile them and then amidst all these amazing tempests to let the glorious Gospell of Christ shine vpon them to shew them Christ Iesus with his armes of mercy stretched out and vndertaking to free them out of all these confusions and to make their peace with his father if they will but come vnto him and trust their selues with him if they will but lay to heart and learne to esteeme admire those wonders of redemption which he hath compassed for them Had the prodigall sonnes stocke held out and hee lyen still afloate in the full-tide of his sinfull pleasures hee had set vp his staffe in that faâ—â—e country and quite forgot that hee ever had a father yea when the tide was gone and had left him vpon the sands when the revells were ended his bravery quite worne out into beggery and himselfe preferred to be an attendant of a company of hogs if he could but haue got his belly full of huskes he would hardly haue thought of returning home but when these were denyed him and hee could see nothing but death before him O now hee comes to himselfe and begins to thinke of a father hee had and resolues to goe vnto him though he might well suspect his entertainment Well whatsoever that may proue he is sure hee goes to a father and therefore on he goes and when hee was yet a farre off full of aboding feares and disconsolate muâ—ings behold his father about his necke before he was a ware of him acting an over-joyned man hee hangs about him and kisses him trims him vp with a robe and a ring conducts him home in a kinde of triumph and welcomes him with the solemnity of a feast and musicke Here was a change for the prodigall enough to haue turned his braines as we say but sure it could not but turne his heart Had that beene of marble or adamant this could not but melt it into loue O what a swelling a thronging a wrastling did hee now feele in his bowels of tendrest passions impatient for want of expression O how did he now lay about him with teares of sorrow and teares of joy being much pulled whether it would best become to prosecute his joy most or his sorrow in briefe how mad is hee with himselfe that hee had beene such a sonne to such a Father I haue insisted the longer vpon the prodigals case because indeed it is our owne For ordinarily our heavenly father vseth the same method to fetch vs his prodigall children home vnto him and to bring vs in loue with his beloued sonne Iesus Christ We are all as soone as we are born gotten into a farre country where we mispend and misemploy all those faculties and endowments with which our Creator hath furnished vs in the revels of sinne and vanity walking on merrily and confidently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle speakes Ephes 2. 2. according to the course of this world professing indeed for fashion sake loue both vnto God and Christ but all the while denying and disclaiming them both in our hearts and conversations But God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith hee hath loued vs. Ephes 2. 4. when hee hath let vs runne our selues even out of breath in these riotous courses and even tyred our selues in our journey to hell thinkes it sit to stop our progresse and first to make vs vnderstand our selues that we may the better esteeme of him and whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ First then hee inspires vs with so much spirituall life as may make vs feele our spirituall burden consisting of our sinnes and his curses
the King of heaven would commend his loue vnto vs as the Apostle excellently expresseth it Rom 5. 8. In this saith Saint Iohn 1. 4. 9. was manifested the loue of God towards vs that he sent his onely begotten some into the world that we might liue through him manifested in this Why in what not so it is in every bit of bread we eate in every sup of aire we take in O but the noblest blessings of this life are such poore curtesies in comparison of what we hope for by Christ that Gods loue though most eminent too doe's scarse appeare in them being eclipsed by that most orient and everlasting blaze of his loue in Christ Wherefore to conclude my first consideration it is no wonder if the justice of God which is to see that his Glory receiue no damage require that our esteeme of this his greatest mercy which himselfe values so farre aboue all his other mercies should so far exceed our esteeme of any other matters though otherwise most excellent in themselues and deare vnto vs that our very esteeme of them may be but a disesteeme and a hatred if compared to our esteeme of his loue in Christ Consid 2. If a man professe never so much loue vnto Christ if hee doe indeed preferre him before never so many conveniences of this life yet if hee loue but any one thing in the world never so little better then hee doth Christ he doth him in effect as much dishonour as he that never lookes after him at all Thus much I intimated before but what I did but touch vpon and in reference to God the father I will now amplify with speciall references vnto God the sonne It is all one as I said before not to esteeme a pearle at all and to esteeme it lesse worth then a barley-corne in like manner though wee preferre Christ before never so many profits and pleasures yet if there remaine behind one darling contentment which wee are resolued to keepe whatsoever may become of his glory or our interest in him wee doe in the issue esteeme him not at all because wee still wittingly value him below that which is infinitely worse then dung in comparison of him When a saleable commodity is offered vpon reasonable price we vse to say that if it be not worth that it 's worth iust nothing Now our part in Christ is so infinitely overworth any thing that wee can possibly giue for it that by farre better reason wee may say that he that thinkes it not cheape bought with all that he hath even to his last breath indeed thinkes it worth nothing at all Let a woman loue her husband better then a million of men yet if shee loue but any one man in the world better then her husband hee will giue her but little thankes for louing him aboue so many others But to amplify this point more distinctly let vs briefly consider that transcendent pitch of loue we owe first vnto the benefits of Christ secondly vnto his person All those inestimable benefits which wee make account of by Christ may bee reduced to 2. heads 1. a ransome 2. an inheritance The ransome is from horrours and those torments which are infinite for smart variety and duration which wee haue all deserved a thousand times over and therefore the case being thus with vs though wee looked for nothing but such a ransome by our Saviour though he had procured vs only this that after this life wee should spend eternity in a Limbus vnacquainted with any paine or pleasure yea though hee had procured vs only the mortality of our soules that they might perish with our bodies I say this alone had beene beyond all proportion better for vs then the whole world seeing what would a thousand worlds doe vs good if after a while wee must bee packed out of them all into that place where we shall everlastingly curse the day that ever wee were borne or made reasonable creatures But now that besides all this wee make first account for an inheritance by him an inheritance immortall vndefiled reserved in heaven for vs seeing wee expected to be made heires with Christ in that glory which hee had with his father before the beginning of the world of that glory the least sparke of which if visible to bodily eyes would shame all the beauty pompe and bravery of the world and whatsoever the Magnifico's of the earth are proud of it is a stupidity worse then any madnesse to conceiue we esteeme sufficiently of such glorious hopes if vpon deliberate choice we make much but of any one indearement of this life which may any way hinder our assurance of them 2. for our loue vnto the person of Christ equity requires that we should loue him with a loue yet more overtopping then either our ransome or inheritance and therefore it will be yet a more intollerable extremity of madnesse to imagine we loue him with an acceptable degree of affection as long as we dare to bring the most louely obiect that wee can picke out of the store-house of nature within the compasse of a comparison with him I say reason requires that wee should loue his person more entirely then his benefits that wee should preferre his glory before eternall life it selfe Our Saviour is contented that our feare of misery and desire of happines should first enter vs into the loue of him that til we know him better wee should loue him onely for our owne sakes and his benefits but after that he hath sent his spirit to expound the mystery of his loue vnto vs more clearely to make vs lay to heart not onely what he hath purchased for vs but also how deare the purchase cost him how though he was rich yet for our sakes hee became poore that wee through his poverty might be made rich as the Apostle passionately deliuers it 2. Cor. 8. 9. how being every way equall with God Phil. 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was faine to emptie and strip himselfe as it were of all his royaltie that he might compasse these great matters for vs for whom hee had not the least reason to doe the least good when his spirit hath effectually melted our hearts with these considerations we shall perceaue our loving him chiefly for our owne salvation to be somewhat too grosse and mercenary loue being not much different from that of a woman who loues her joynture better then her husband or that of a sonne who loues his Father chiefly for his patrimony And though hitherto wee haue loued Christ only because wee hope to get by him yet now that we know what the kisses of his mouth meane that which we principally loue in him is his loue hauing before loued the giuer for the gift by a kinde of regresse in our affection wee henceforth striue to loue gift for the giuer But this point though many of Gods children knowe it to bee most