Sermons Volume 2

SERMON XXIV.

I Have chosen this Scripture to speak of the love of gratitude, or that thankful return of love which we make to God, because of his great love to us in Christ. Before I go on further in this discourse, I shall handle some cases of Conscience;

1. About the reason and cause of our love. Whether God be only to be loved for his beneficial goodness, and not also for his essential, and moral perfections. The cause of doubting is this; Whether true love doth not rather respect God as amiable in himself, than beneficial to us? The ancient writers in the Church seemed to be of this mind; Lombard out of Augustine defineth love to be that grace, by which we love God for himself, and our neighbor for God's sake.

Ans. 1. There are several degrees of love.

1. Some love Christ for what is to be had from him, and that he may be good to us. There we begin. The first invitation to the creature is the offer of pardon, and life, Matth. 11.28, 29. Come unto me, all you that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me▪ for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your Souls. And Heb 11.6. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a Rewarde • of them that diligently seek him. Self-love, and the natural sense of our own misery, and the sense of our burden, and the desires of our happiness, have a marvelous influence upon us, yea wholly govern us in our first address to God by Christ▪ Now this is not altogether to be blamed and condemned. Partly, Because there is no other dealing with mankind; tell a malefactor of the perfections of his Judge, this will never induce him to love him. And Partly, Because we may and must love Christ as he hath revealed himself to our love. Now he hath revealed himself as a Savior, as a pardoner, as a rewarder, for surely we may make use of God's motives; he suffereth us to begin in the flesh, that we may end in the Spirit; there is some grace in this very seeking love. You are affected with the true cause of misery, not outward necessity, but sin; you seek after the right remedy, which is in Christ, & there is some Faith in that in taking Christ at his word. The defect of this love is, that you mind your own personal benefit and safety, rather than the pleasing, obeying, and glorifying of God; so far there is weakness in this act, but this is the only way to bring in the creature; as when a Prince offereth pardon to his Rebels, with a promise that he will restore them to their forfeited privileges, in case they will lay down their arms, and submit to his mercy. Self-Interest moveth them at first, but after love, and duty to their Prince, holdeth them within the bounds of their Duty and Allegiance. I will ease you, saith Christ, you shall find rest to your Souls; I will be a rewarder to you, and give you eternal life. As lost creatures we take him at his word, and afterwards love him, and serve him, upon purer motives. Or take the similitude thus; In a treaty of marriage, the first proposals are grounded upon estate, suitableness of age, and parentage, and neighbourhood, and other conveniences of life; conjugal affection to the person groweth by society, and long converse Fire at first kindling casts forth much smoke, but afterwards it is blown up into a purer flame.

2. Some love him for the good which they have received from him. Not so much that he may be God, but because he hath been good; and indeed the love of gratitude is a true Christian and Gospel love, and hath a greater degree of excellency, than the former, because thankfulness is the great respect of the creature to the Creator, and because so few return to give God the glory of what they have received; but one of the healed lepers returned back, and glorified God, Luke 17.15, 18. And because gratitude hath in its nature something that is more noble than self-seeking, and bare expectation; for common reason tells us that 'tis better to give than to receive, and in this returning love, we seek to bestow something upon God, in that way we are capable of, of doing such a thing, or God of receiving it. This returning love is often spoken of in Scripture, as a praise worthy thing, Psa. 116.1. I will love the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. And, Rom. 12.1. I beseech you • herefore Brethren by the mercies of God, that you present you • bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. God hath the honor of a precedency, but we of a return, 1 John 4.16. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us. There's the true Spirit of the Gospel in such a love, for Gospel obedience, and Service, is a life of love, and praise, and thankfulness.

3. Some love God because he is good in himself. Not only that he may be good to us, or because he hath been good to us, but because he is good in himself. God's essential goodness, which is the perfection of his Nature, his infinite and eternal Being, and his Moral Goodness, which is the perfection of his will, or his holiness and purity, is the object of love, as well as his beneficial goodness▪ or that goodness of his which promoteth our Interest. I prove it: Partly, because God is the object of love, though we receive no good by it. Love and goodness are as the Iron, and the load-stone, nature hath made them so. Now God, considered in his infinite perfection, is good, as distinguished from his doing good, Psa. 119 68. And, Partly, Because God loveth himself first, and the creature for himself, Pro. 16.4. The Lord hath made all things for himself. The first object of the Divine complacency, is his own being, and the last end of all things is his own glory and pleasure, Rev. 4.11. For thy pleasure they are, and were created. Now this is a reason to us, because the perfection of holiness standeth in an exact conformity to God, and by grace we are made partakers of a Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.4. Which mainly discovereth its self in loving as God loveth, and hating as God hateth. And therefore we must love him in and for himself, and ourselves for him. And, Partly, Because if God were only to be beloved for the effects of his benignity, and beneficial goodness, this great absurdity would follow, that God is for the creature, and not the creature for God, for the supreme act of our love would terminate in our happiness, as the highest end, and God would be only regarded in order thereunto. Now to make God a means is to degrade him from the dignity, and preeminence of God. Partly, Because we are bound to love the creatures as good in themselves, though not beneficial to us: Therefore much more God, as good in himself; if we are to love the Saints as Saints, not because kind, and helpful to us, but because of the Image of God in them, though they never did us any good turn, Psa. 16.3. But to the Saints that are in the Earth, and to the Excellent, in whom is all my delight. If we are to love the Law of God, as 'tis pure, then we are to love God, because of the Moral goodness of his nature, Psa. 119.140. These things are out of Question clear and beyond all controversy; why not God then, in whom is more purity and holiness? If indeed we are persuaded of the real •• y, and excellency of his being. Now in this last rank there are degrees also.

1. Some love Christ above his benefits. They do not love Pardon and salvation so much as they love Christ, 1 Pet. 2.7. To them that believe Christ is precious. To love the gifts more than the person, the Jointure more than the Husband, in a Temporal cause, would not be counted a sincere love. The truth is at first the benefits do first lead us to seek after God. Man usually beginneth at the lowest, and loveth God for his love to us, but he riseth higher upon aquaintance: First he loveth God for that taste of his goodness which we have in the Creatures; then for that goodness God exhibiteth in the Ordinances, for that help he offereth us there, for our greatest necessities; then as in graces, Justification, and Sanctification; then as in Christ, as the fountain of all; then God above Christ as Mediator, as the ultimate object of love.

2. Possibly some may come to such a degree as to love Christ without his benefits. The height of Moses and Paul is admirable, who loved God's glory above their own Salvation, Exod. 32.32. Blot me out of thy Book. And, Rom. 8.3. I could even wish myself accursed from Christ, for my Brethren and kinsfolk in the flesh. Lay all his personal Benefit, or the happy part of his Portion, at God's feet in Christ, for a greater end, to promote his glory; but this extraordinary zeal is very rare, if attained by any other in this life.

3. Some love the benefits for his sake: Heaven the better, because Christ is there; pardon the better, because God is so much glorified in it: Holiness, as 'tis a conformity to God; and the work for the works sake. Not but the other considerations tend to this, and have an influence upon this, so much obliged to Christ that everything is sweet as it cometh from him, or relateth to him.

2. Sinful respect to the benefits and rewards of religion bewrayeth its self in four things.

1 When Christ is loved for worldly advantages. We must always distinguish between our Spiritual Interests and our Carnal. To respect Christ for our Temporal advantage, is that which God abhorreth; as those that followed Christ for the loaves, John 6.28. To be fed with a 〈◊〉 without labor, and pains. 〈◊〉 , vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesam : Scarce is Jesus loved for Jesus sake. And still Christ's name is reverenced, but his office, and saving grace, are disregarded, and men are content with his common gifts, not seeking after his special benefits. 'It is no great matter to own that which is publicly esteemed, and now Christ is everywhere received, to make a general profession of being Christians. (Saith Gilbert ▪ Now the Doctrine of Christ is handled in Councils, disputed of in the Schools, preached in Assemblies, and his religion made the public profession of Nations. 'It is no great matter of thanks to own the general belief of Christianity. There are many bastard motives of closing with Christ, and his ways, as fame, and ease, and carnal honor, and the • un-shine of Worldly countenance. These are quite another thing than when a poor Soul out of the sense of his lost estate, would desire Christ, and would fain part with anything • o gain Christ, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. And a sound conviction of our misery and a sense of his excellency, and our suitableness maketh us to close with him. The other followed him for the loaves: Indeed because his bread was buttered with worldly conveniencies. By a respect to such base motives religion is prostituted to secular interests.

2. When we have a carnal notion of the true rewards of godliness. Carnal men look upon Heaven as a place of case, and pleasure, when Christ had spoken of the bread that will make men live forever, John 6. 34. They cried out, evermore give us of this bread of life. They thought no more than of an everlasting continuance in the present earthly estate; such carnal notions have men of Heaven, as of a Turkish paradise; but to know God and love God, and have the Soul filled up with God, to be with Christ and to be perfected in holiness, these things work little upon them. The Heaven of Christians is to enjoy an everlasting communion with God: To live in the belief and hopes of such an Heaven, and to delight our Souls in the forethought of the endless sight and love of God: This is a true act of sincere love to Christ, seeking its full satisfaction. Here we see him but as in a glass, there face to face. We shall behold the Glory of God in Heaven, and the delights of love will then be perfect. But usually men have a carnal notion of Heaven, by a voluptuous life, without labor and pain and trouble, and this tainteth their hearts; their apprehensions of benefit by Christ, are Faeculent, Earthly, and drossy.

3. When our respects to benefits are disorderly, not in the frame wherein God hath set them. As for instance▪ when we desire some benefits, and not others, or hate his ways, and love his benefits, Numb. 23.10. Oh that I might die the death of the righteous. They love him as a Redeemer▪ but hate him as a Law-giver. A carnal man would sever the benefits from the duties. As Ephraim is as an heifer not taught, which would tread out the Corn, but not break the clods, Hosea 10.11. Their threshing was by the feet of Oxen shod with Iron: Now the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the Corn was not to be muzzled: But harrowing, and breaking the clods, was a mere labor, and no privilege; they would do the one but not the other. If you love Christ's benefits, you must love them altogether: Not taking one, and leaving out another; you shall not have pardon without sanctification. nor the comforts of his Spirit without his quickening and purifying influence: Nor freedom from Hell, without freedom from sin. Christ must guide you, and rule you, dwell in you, and bless you, and justify you, and what ever he is made of God, that he must be to you, 1 Cor. 1.30 He will not give you any such grace as shall discharge you from duty, and be a kind of license and privilege to sin.

4. When we rest in the lowest acts of love, and do not go on the perfection. The first acts have more of self-love in them than love to God; you must go on from them to gratitude, and from gratitude to adoration, an humble adoration of the Divine excellencies, for the Divine excellencies are lovely in themselves, as well as his benefits are comfortable to us, and by an acquaintance with God in Christ, we must settle into a more entire friendship with him, and delight as much in praising him for his excellencies, as we do in blessing him for his benefits. The Angels and blessed Spirits, that are above, do admire, and adore God, because of the excellencies of his Nature, not only for the benefits they have received from him; they are represented as crying out, Isa. 6.3. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of Hosts. By admiring, and being affected with his Holy Nature and Sovereign Majesty, and dominion, and are we no way concerned in this? Surely God must be lauded and served on Earth, as he is in Heaven, and though we cannot reach to their degree, yet some kind of this respect belongeth unto us. In the Revelations the Four living Weights, and TwentyFour Elders, are brought in, Rev. 4 8. Saying, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come. Now by the four Beasts, or four living Weights, and the TwentyFour Elders the Interpreters generally understand the Gospel Church, who are continually praising God for the Unity of his Essence, the Trinity of Persons, together with his Eternity, Omnipotency and Holiness; to show we should love these things, and be affected with these things as well as his bounty and goodness to us. Indeed a Christian is like a River, when it first boileth up out of the fountain, it contenteth its self with a little hole, but afterwards it seeketh for a larger channel, but is still pent within banks and bounds, but when it emp •• et • itself into the Ocean, it expatiateth and enlargeth its self, and is wholly mingled with the Ocean.

2. Case is about the actual persuasion of God's love to us. For since this love of gratitude ariseth from a sense, or apprehension of God's love to us in Christ; Therefore God's Children are troubled when they cannot make particular application, as Paul, and say▪ he loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 2.20.

Ans. 1. A particular persuasion of God's love to us is very comfortable. Things that do most concern us do most affect us; as a man is more pleased with legacies bequeathed to him by name, then left indefinitely to those who can make friends; if I can discern my name in God's Testament, it is unquestionably more satisfactory, and more engaging than when with much ado I must make out my Title, and enter myself an heir, Eph. 1.13. After that we heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your Salvation. It is not sufficient to know that the Gospel is a Doctrine of salvation in general, or to others only, but everyone should labor by a due application of the promises of the Gospel unto themselves, to find it a Doctrine of salvat • on unto themselves. Salvation by Christ is a benefit, which we need as much as others, and therefore should give all diligence to understand our part and interest in it. God's love to us is the great reason of our love to God; ours a reflection; the more direct the beam, the stronger the reflection. It is the quickening Motive to the Spiritual life, Gal. 2.20. Certainly they are much to blame who can so contentedly sit down with the want thereof; so they may be well in the world: If God will love them with a common love, so as they may live in Peace, and Credit, and Mirth, and Wealth among men. Our joy, comfort, and peace much dependeth on the sense of our particular interest, Luke 1. 46. My Soul doth rejoice in God my Savior. And Rom. 5.11. We rejoice in God as those that have received the atonement. 'It is uncomfortable to live in doubts and fears, or else to live by Guess▪ and uncertain conjectures. Well then▪ if we would maintain the joy of faith, the vigor of holiness, we should get our interest more clear.

2. It is not absolutely necessary : Because love is the fruit of faith, not of assurance only, Gal. 5.6. Faith working by love. Love is not so grown indeed where there are fears, and doubts of our condition. 1 John 4. • 8. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Yet a love he hath to God. If love did wholly depend upon an actual persuasion of God's special love to us, it could never be rooted, and grounded, for this actual persuasion is an uncertain thing, often interrupted by the failings of God's Children, and Spiritual desertions, and frequent Temptations; we do not sail to Heaven with a like tide of comforts: Our evidences are many times dark, doubtful, and litigious, but the grounds of faith are always clear, fixed, and stable: And therefore the serious Christian may make a shift to love Christ, though he doth not know that he loveth him with a special love, so as to be absolutely assured of it; he is not so necessarily a Comforter, as a Sanctifier: And though he doth not fill us with joy, yet he may work a strong & earnest love in our hearts, which is as much seen in unutterable groans, as in unspeakable joys: Love is one of our greatest evidences, and therefore goeth before assurance, rather than followeth after it: And assurance is rather the fruit of love, than love of assurance. See John 14.21, 23. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our • bode with him. 'It is because we love God so little, that we want the fruits of his manifested love. So that you must not cease to love God, before you are assured of his love to you: But you must love him sincerely, and strongly, and then you will know God loveth you: In the love of benevolence God beginneth; but as to complacency, the object must be qualified. We must have a good measure of grace before we can so clearly discern it, as to be certain of it.

3. There are many considerations which are proper to our state, everyone of us have cause enough to love God, if we have but hearts to love him. Not only as he created us out of nothing, but as he redeemed us by Christ: Cannot I bless God for Christ, without reflection on my own particular benefit? His general love in sending a Savior for mankind▪ John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he sent his only begotten Son into the World, that whosoever believed in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. As they reasoned, Luke. 7.5. He loved our Nation, and hath built us a Synagogue. Few did enjoy the benefit of it, but 'twas love to the Nation of the Jews. So his Philanthropy, his man-kindness should put that home upon us, that there is a sufficient foundation for the truth of this Proposition, that whosoever believeth shall be saved: That Christ is an all-sufficient Savior, to deliver me from wrath, and to bring me to everlasting life, that such a doctrine is published in our borders, wherein God declareth his pleasure, that he is willing all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth, 1 Tim. 2.3. That the door is wide enough, if you will get in; and if you have no interest, you may have an interest: We must not think that general grace is no grace: The life of Christianity lieth in the consideration of these things: In the free offers of grace, all have alike favor, and none have cause to murmur, but all to give thanks: All that God looketh for is a thankful acceptance of the grace, made for us in Christ; surely when we think of God's goodness, and kind-heartedness to miserable, and unworthy sinners, and do often and seriously think what he is in himself, and what he is to you, what he hath done for you, and what he will more do for you, if you will but consent, and accept of his grace: Such serious thoughts cannot but warm your hearts, and through the Lord's blessing, awaken in you a great love to God. In short the love of God shed abroad in the Gospel, is the great and powerful object, that must be meditated upon: And the love of God shed abroad in your hearts, the most effectual means, to keep these objects close to the heart. And then doubts will vanish.

4. The mercies of daily providence declare much of the goodness of God to you, and to make him more amiable. Christians are much wanting to themselves and to their duty to God, when they do not increase their sense of God's goodness, by their ordinary comforts, Deut. 30 20. Thou shalt love him, for he is thy life, and the length of thy days, 1 Tim. 6.17, 18. 'It is the living God, who giveth us richly to enjoy all things in this present World. And Psa. 68.19. The God of our Salvation, who daily loadeth us with his benefits. Every days and hours experience, should indear God to us. 'It is his Sun that shineth to give thee heat and influence, and cherishing. 'It is out of his storehouse, that provisions are sent to thy Table. He furnisheth thy dishes with meat, and filleth thy cup for thee: He did not only clothe man at first, Gen. 3.21. Unto Adam and his Wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them : When he turned unthankful man out of paradise, he would not send them away without a Garment: As he performed that office then, so still he causeth the silk-worm to spin for thee, and the sheep to send thee their fleeces, only there is a wretched disposition in man, we do not take notice of that invisible hand, which reacheth out our comforts to us: Acts of kindness in our fellow Creatures affect us, more than all those benefits we receive from God. [What should be the reason? Water is not sweeter in the dish than in the fountain; man needeth himself, never giveth so freely and purely as God doth, but out of some self respect.] No kindness deserveth to be noted, but the Lord's, who is so high and Glorious; so much above us, that he should take notice of us: nothing but our unthankfulness, is the cause of this disrespect, and forgetting the goodness of his daily providence, and our looking to the next hand, and to the Ministry of the Creature, and not to the supreme cause.

3. Case of Conscience about love, is about the intenseness and degree of it : The Soul will say, God is to be loved above all things, and to have the preferment in our affections, choice, and endeavors: For he is to be loved with all the Heart, and all the Soul, Deut. 6.5. And earthly things are to be loved, as if we loved them not: Now to find my heart to be more stirred towards the Creatures, than to God, and seem to grieve more for a worldly loss, then for an offense done to God by sin: To be carried out with greater violence, and sensible commotion of Spirit, to carnal objects, than to Jesus Christ; I cannot find these vigorous motions, or this constraining efficacy of love over-ruling my heart.

Answer, 1. Comparison is the best way to discover love, comparing affection with affection; our affections to Christ with our affections to other matters; for we cannot Judge of any affection aright, by its single exercise, what it doth alone as to one object, but by observing the difference and disproportion of our respects to several objects The Scripture doth often put us upon this kind of trial, 2 Tim. 3.4. Lovers of pleasure, more than lovers of God. Singly and apart a man cannot be so well tried, either by his love to God, or his love to pleasure; there being in all some kind of love to God, and a lawful allowance of Creature delights, provided they do not most take us: But when the strength of a man's Spirit is carried out to present delights, and God is neglected, or little thought of, the case is clear that the interest of the flesh prevaileth in his heart▪ above the interests of God. So Luke 12.21. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself▪ and is not rich towards God : Mindeth the one, and neglecteth the other; namely to enrich his Soul with Spiritual and Heavenly treasure: That followeth after Spiritual things in a formal and careless manner, & earthly things with the greatest earnestness. The objection proceedeth then upon a right supposition, that a respect to the World, accompanied with a neglect of Christ, showeth that the love of Christ is not in us, or doth not bear rule in us.

2. That God in Christ Jesus is to have the highest measure of our affections, and such a transcendent superlative degree, as is not given to other things, Luke 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Sisters, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. He that loveth any contentment above Christ, or equal with him, will soon hate Christ. So Matth. 10.37. He that loveth Father, or Mother, Son or Daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me. And the sincere are described, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9, 10 The nearest and dearest relations, and choicest contentments all trampled upon, all is dung and dross in comparison of the excellency of the knowledge of our Lord.

3. Love is not to be measured so much by the lively act, or the sensitive stirring of the affection, as the solid esteem, and the settled Constitution. A thing may be loved intensively, as to the sensitive discovery of the affection, or appretiated by our deliberate choice, and constant care to please God. Partly because the vigorous motion is hasty, and indeliberate▪ is the fruit of fancy, rather than faith: Some by constitution have a more moveable temper, and are like the Sea easily stirred, the reading the story of Christ's passions, will draw tears from us, though we regard not God's design in it, nor how far our sins were accessory to these passions and sufferings. This qualm is stirred in us by fancy rather than faith; the story of Joseph in the Pit will work the like effect, as of Jesus on the cross, yea the fable of Dido, and Aeneas : In all passions the settled constitution of the heart showeth the man, more than the sudden stirrings of any of them: Men laugh most when they are not always best pleased: We laugh at a toy, but we joy in some solid benefit. True joy is a secure thing, and is seen in the judgment and estimation, choice and complacency, rather than in the lively act. So love is not to be measured, by these earnest motions, but by the deliberate purpose of the heart to please God. And partly because the act may be more lively, where the affection is less firm, and rooted in the heart: The passions of suitors are greater than the love of husbands: yet not so deeply rooted, and do not so intimately affect the heart: Straw is soon enkindled, but fire is furnished with fit materials, and burneth better, and with an even and more constant heat: These raptures and transports of Soul, fanatical men fell them oftener than serious Christians, who yet for all the World would not offend God. And partly because sensible things do more affect us, and urge us in the present state, while we carry a mass of flesh about with us▪ our affections will be more sensibly stirred by things which agree with our fleshly nature; our senses, which transmit all knowledge to us, will be affected with sensible things rather than Spiritual. I confess 'tis Good to keep up a tenderness, and we should be affected with God's dishonor, more than if we had suffered loss, Psa. 119.136. Rivers of tears run down mine eyes, because men keep not thy Law. But in some tempers grief cannot always keep the rode, and vent itself by the eye: Certainly the constant disposition of the Soul is a surer note to Judge by: sensible stirrings of affection are more liable to suspicion, and not so certain signs of grace, as the acts of the understanding and will; there is a possibility of a greater decay in them; you cannot weep for sin, but you would give all that you have to be rid of sin: A man may groan more sorely under the pains of the tooth-ach, which is not mortal, than under the languishings of a Consumption.

4. The effects of solid esteem are these:

1. When Christ is counted more precious than all the World, no affections to the Creature can draw us to offend him, 1 Pet. 2.7. But all our love to them is still in subordination to an higher love: Love was principally made for God, and 'tis many ways due to him: Those excesses and heights which are in the affections, will become no other object: The Genius, or Nature of it, showeth for whom 'twas made: However as God hath placed some love and holiness in the Creature, so some allowance of affection there is to them. Worldly comforts are valuable as they come from God, and lead to him, as effects of his bounty, and instruments of his Glory and service: All the value we put upon them should be this, that we have something of value, to esteem as nothing for Christ: And when God trieth us, when Christ and Worldly matters come in competition, then to be found faithful, and despise the riches, pleasures, and honors of the World: This is a sensible occasion to show the sincerity of our love; which do you choose? the favor of God, or earthly friends? The light of his countenance, or the prosperity of the World?

2. When you can for God's sake incur the frowns and displeasure of the Creature, Luke 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not his Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren, and Sisters, yea and his own Life also, he cannot be my disciple.

3. When a man maketh it his main care rather to please God, than to gratify the flesh, and promote his carnal interests : Your great business, is to walk worthy of God to all pleasing, Col. 1.10. You labor to get Christ above all, and to live in his love. All cares and businesses give way to this, and are guided and directed by this: His favor is the life of thy love; and his love is thy greatest happiness: And thou darest not put it to hazard, nor obscure the sense of it, by any indulgence to carnal satisfactions: And thy greatest misery is his displeasure, and thereupon sin, which is the cause of it, is most hateful to thee. This is our constant trial, and certainly showeth how the pulse of the Soul beateth.

SERMON XXV.

THe fourth case of Conscience is about the decay of love : The heart is not so deeply affected as it was wont to be, with the love of God in Christ, nor is there such a strong bent of heart towards him, nor delight in him, and we grow more remiss in our work, feeble in the resistance of sin, some that thus decay in love, are not sensible of it, others from the decay infer a nullity of love: Therefore because this is a disease incident to the new Creature, something must be said to this case, both to warn men, and to direct them in the judging of it. In answering this doubt take these Propositions:

1. Leaving our first love is a disease not only incident to Hypocrites, but God's own Children. To Hypocrites, Matth. 24.12. The love of many shall wax cold. To God's own Children, Revel. 2.4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. They were commended for their labor in the Lord's work, zeal against Hypocrites, patience in adversity, yet I have some what against thee; what's that? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; only here is this difference, though the disease be common to both, yet with some difference as to the event, and issue: Hypocrites may make a total defection, and there may be in them an utter extinction of love: In others there is not a total failing, but only some degrees of their love abated. The love of Hypocrites, may utterly miscarry, and vanish; many seem to be carried on with great fervor, and affection in the ways of God, for a while, yet afterwards fall quite away: Partly because it was a love built upon foreign motives; as the favor of the times, the air of education, the advantage of good company: Christ might be the object, but the World the ground and reason of all this love. Jesus is not loved for Jesus sake. He must be both object, and reason, otherwise when the reasons of our love alter, the object will not hold us: When times grow bad we grow bad with them; 'tis no wonder to see hirelings prove changelings; and many that loved a Christ triumphing, to forsake and hate a Christ crucified: When the grounds alter their affections are removed: Their affections to Christ's Cause and Servants will cease, also: As Artificial motions cease, when the poise is down by which they are moved: flying Meteors when the matter that feedeth them is spent, will vanish and disappear, or fall from Heaven like lightning, when the Stars, those constant fires of Heaven, shine forth with a durable light, and brightness, What is in one Evangelist, take from him that which he hath, is, take from him that which he se • meth to have, in another, Luke 8.18. Partly because if Jesus were loved for Jesus sake, yet not with such a prevalent, radicated love, as could subdue contrary affections. There is a love of God, and a delight in his ways▪ which is cherished in us, upon right motives and reasons: Such as the offer of pardon, and Eternal Life by Christ, but this did but lightly affect the heart, not change it. A taste of the good word, Heb. 6 4, 5, 6. At first men find a marvelous sweetness, in the way of godliness, hugely pleased with the possibility of pardon, and Happiness: But these sentiments of Religion are afterwards choked by the cares of this World, and voluptuous living, and all that delight and savor, which they had, is lost, and comes to nothing, when Temptations rise up in any considerable strength. Therefore we are warned to keep up the confidence, and rejoicing of hope; Heb. 3.6, 14. That well-pleasedness of mind, that liking, that comfortable savor, which we had in the serious attending upon the business of Religion.

2. God's own Children may find their love cold and languishing, and that they go backward some degrees, and suffer loss in the heat and vigor of grace; but though grace do decay, 'tis not utterly abolished. The Church of Ephesus left her first love, but not utterly lost it. The seed of God remaineth in them, 1 John 3.9. There is some vital grace communicated in regeneration, which cannot be lost. This is more radicated than the former; 'tis a deeper sense of God's love, and doth more affect the heart, that 'tis not so easily controlled by contrary affections; but chiefly because 'tis preserved by the influence of God's grace, with respect to his covenant, wherein he hath undertaken not to depart from us, so to keep afoot that love and fear in our hearts, that we shall no depart from him, Jer. 32.40. In the new covenant God giveth what he requireth, donum perseverantiae, as well as, praeceptum. Well then, though this love may suffer a shrewd abatement, yet 'tis not totally extinguished. Gradus remittitur, actus intermittitru, sed habitus non amittitru. Not only may the acts and fruits be few, but the measure of their inward love toward Christ may be abated, and yet not the habit lost, or totally fail.

2. That we may understand this disease the better, let us consider what is not it.

1. Not every lighter distemper, which the gracious heart observeth, and rectifieth. There are failings, and infirmities during the present state, and nothing is so uncertain as to Judge of ourselves by particular actions; in every act love doth not put forth its self so strongly, as at other times, but a coldness and deadness seizeth upon us, which we cannot shake off: Or there may be failings, and we walk in darkness, Isa. 64.7. for one act, or so, and yet cannot be called a decay of love; every act of known sin is not apostasy, and defection, nor a degree of it, as every feverish heat after a meal in the spring, is not a fever. Alas for the generation of the just, if every vain thought, or idle word, or distempered passion, were a decay of love! Some obstruction of love there may be for the present, which the Soul taketh notice of, and retracts with sorrow and remorse, but still we hold on our course; yet 'tis a stopping in our course, Gal. 5.7. Ye did run well, who did hinder you?

2. Every loss and abatement of those ravishments, and transports of Soul, or love qualms, which we feel sometimes, is not this decay. There are some raised operations of love which cannot be constant; in two cases especially we find them.

1. At first conversion. There are then strong joys, and liftings up of Soul upon our first acquaintance with God. Partly, From the newness of the thing; new things strangely affect and transport us, and no doubt, there are greater and more express admirations of grace, when first called out of darkness into light. And that's the reason why 'tis called marvelous light▪ 1 Pet. 2.9. The change is more admired by them, who are newly plucked out of that woeful condition they were in before, and possessed of such excellent Privileges as they have in their new estate, it makes them wonder the more at their own happiness: as a man in deep thirst, hath a more sensible pleasure when he first cometh to meet with drink; his taste is more lively then, though he be thankful to God for the comfort of ordinary meals. Partly, because then our Love wholly showeth its self in sensitive expressions, whilst as yet love is not dispersed, and diffused into the several channels of obedience, the tide may be high and strong, our only work at first being the thankful entertainment and welcome of grace, but when a man cometh to see how many ways he is to express his love to God, he may have a true zeal▪ and affection to God, in his Christian course, a more rooted and grounded love, though he have not those ravishments and transports of Soul, Eph. 3.17. And, Partly, Because the first edge of our affections is not yet blunted by change of cases. A young Christian may be dandled upon the knee, have a more plentiful measure of God's sensible presence than afterwards is afforded to him, not yet tried with smiles and frowns, and variety of conditions, and things prosperous and adverse. And do you think that the seasoned Christian doth not love God as well as he, who hath been faithful to him in all estates, and not only past the pangs of the new-birth, but sundry encounters of temptations. Surely the tried man hath the stronger love, though it may be not such stirrings of affections, as he who is under God's special indulgence, and from whom God for a while restraineth the violent assaults of furious Temptations, till he be a little more confirmed, and engaged in the profession of godliness.

2. After great comforts and enlargements In the days of God's royalty and magnificence, sometimes a Christian hath high affections to God, and joys in the sense of his love, when God hath feasted him, and manifested himself to him, Psa. 63.6. My Soul is filled as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. There are rich experiences of the love of God in his Ordinances, which are vouchsafed to us, to which all the pleasures of the creature are no way comparable. Now these are very great mercies, but very doubtful evidences to try our estate by, for these overflowings of love, are accidental things. Possunt adesse & abesse. They are fitted for special spiritual occasions. We cannot always bear up under them. A settled calm, and the peace of the Soul, is a greater mercy than these Spiritual suavities, or passionate joys; if we have have our taste kept up, and our relish of Heaven, and Spiritual things, or a fixed bent of heart towards them, 'tis a more constant and less deceiving experience▪ Paul had his raptures, but withal his thorn in the flesh, to keep him humble, 2 Cor. 12.7. We cannot expect that God should entertain us always with a feast, if he give us the constant diet, and allowance of his family, let us be thankful. And though we are not to rest in a dull quietness, but raise our hearts often to delight in God, in more than an ordinary manner, yet no wise man can expect this should be our constant frame.

3. Though we should not lightly judge ourselves guilty of a decay of love, yet we should not lightly acquit ourselves of it. For it is a great evil, and a common evil, and many that are surprised with it are little sensible of it.

1. 'It is a great evil. Partly, Because the highest degree of love does not answer to the worthiness of Christ, nor to the duty of the regenerate, who are called by him from such a depth of misery to such a height of happiness. And therefore when a man falleth from his first love, and that measure which he had attained unto, and doth come short not only of the rule, but of his own practice, it is the more grievous. To come short of the rule is matter of continual humiliation to us, but to come short of our own attainments, is matter of double humiliation, and the rather, because he that pleaseth himself in such an estate doth in effect Judge the first love to be too much, as if he had been too hot and earnest, and done more than he needed, when he had such a strong love to Christ: His former Love is really condemned, and thereby Christ is disesteemed, as if not worthy to be beloved with all the Soul, and all the might, and all the strength. And, Partly, Because as our love decayeth, so doth our work; either 'tis wholly omitted, or else we put off God with a little constrained, compulsory service, which we had rather leave undone, than do; our delight in our work is lessened. As when the root of a tree perisheth, the leaves keep green for a while, but within a while, they wither and fall off: So love, which is the root and heart of all other duties, when that decayeth, other things decay with it: The first works go off with the first love, at least, are not carried on with that care and delight, and complacency, as they should be. And, Partly, Because of the punishment which attendeth it. Christ is jealous of his people's affection, and cannot endure that he should not beloved again by those whom he so much loveth, and therefore hasteneth to the correction of this distemper, and those that allow themselves in it, Rev. 2.5. Behold I will come against thee quickly. He threateneth to that Church a removal of their candlestick, when their zeal of Christianity was abated. When a People grow weary o • Christ, they shall know the worth of him by the want of him. So when particular Christians grow weary of God, and suffer a coldness and indifferency to creep upon their hearts, he cometh by some smart Judgment to awaken them, and will make them feel to their bitter cost, what it is to despise or neglect a loving Savior, 2 Chron. 12.8.

2. 'It is a common evil. For 'tis an hard matter to keep up the fervency of our love, therefore are there so many exhortations even to the best. The commended Thessalonians are thus prayed for, 2 Thes. 3.5. And the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God. And, Jude 21. keep yourselves in the love of God. The best are apt to remit something of their delight in God, and their constant study to please him: And our watchfulness is mainly to preserve this grace. There is so much self-love in us, love of our own ease, and carnal satisfaction, so much love of the World, and such a constant working, warring principle to draw us off from God, and Heavenly things, that we cannot sufficiently stand upon our guard, and take heed to ourselves, that we do not quench this heavenly fire that should always burn in our bosoms. The generality of Professors have no such care; if they do not wholly cast off Religion▪ they are satisfied, though their love to God be exceeding cold; and as the Hen as long as she hath 1 or 2 of her brood to follow her, doth not mind the loss of the rest; so they, as long as they do a few things for God, mind not the loss of many degrees of grace.

3. Many that are surprised with it, are little sensible of it. Because spiritual distempers are not laid to heart, till they openly appear in their effects, and fruits; a man may be much in external duties, and yet his love may be cold; the life of his duties may be decayed, though the duties themselves be not left off; as the Pharisees tithed Mint and Cumin, and all manner of herbs, but passed over Judgment▪ and the love of God, Luke 11.42. Some small thing the flesh may spare to God, when as yet the heart is in a great measure withdrawn from him. There may be a decay in the degree of love, when there is no total falling from former acts; he may continue his course of outward duty, though he doth not act so vigorously from love as he was wont to do; he is colder in obedience, and his delight in God is not so great, as formerly; his work is carried on with more difficulty, and regret, and 'tis more grievous to obey; the acts and fruits are fewer, though they do not wholly cease, & are not animated with such a working, active love. Therefore many times men are so insensible, that they throw off all e're they mind their distemper: As the Glory of God in Ezekiel removed from the Temple by degrees, first from the holy place, then to the Altar of burnt offerings, then to the outer Court, then the City, then rested on one of the hills which encompassed the City, to see if they would bring him back again. So in this case men grow cold towards God. God is first cast out of the heart, then out of the closet, then out of the family, then more Indifferent as to public duties, then sin beginneth to hurry us to practices inconvenient; first we sin freely in thought, then foully in act, and all because we did not observe the first declinings.

4. The decay of love is seen in two things. The remission of degrees, or the intermission of acts.

1. The remission of degrees of our love to Christ, or to God in Christ. To understand this we must know what is the essential disposition of love? 'It is an esteeming, valuing, and prizing God above all things, which is manifested to us by a constant care to please him, a fear to offend him, a desire to enjoy him, and a constant delight in him. Now when any of these are abated, or fail, as to any considerable degree, your love is a chilling or growing • old. 1. Our constant care to please him. They that love God, and prize his favor and have a sense of his mercy in Christ deeply Impressed upon their hearts, they are always studying how they shall appear thankful for so great a benefit, Psa. 116.12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me? Therefore their business and work is to please God, Col 1 10. Walk worthy of the lord unto all pleasing. And, Isa. 56.4. That choose the things that please thee, and take hold of thy covenant. And, 1 Thes. 4.1, As you have learned how to walk, and how to please God, so abound therein more and more. A study to please, is the true fruit of thankfulness. Whilst love is in vigor, and strength, this disposition beareth sway in the heart: But now when 'tis a more Indifferent thing, whether God be pleased, or displeased, or not so greatly minded; when a man beginneth to please his flesh, or men, and can dispense with his duty to God, and our intention is less sincere, not so much to please and honor God, as to gratify ourselves, then love is decayed. 2dly. The next is like it a fear to offend. If you can be content to do anything, and suffer anything, rather than displease God, and lose his favor: God's love is dearer than life, his displeasure more formidable than death its self. Love is strong, Gen. 39.9. How can I do this wickedness, and sin against God. Put when this fear to offend is weakened, your love decayeth. 3dly A desire to enjoy him in Christ. A strong bent and tendency of heart towards God, argueth a strong love. When we cannot apprehend ourselves happy without him, count all things dung and dross, Phil. 3.7, 8, 9. When we desire a sense of his love, or our reconciliation by Christ. This vehement desire after Christ cannot endure to want him; if we are deeply affected with that want, and make hard pursuit after him, Psa. 63.8. My Soul followeth hard after thee. We desire his grace, or sanctifying Spirit, are here hungering and thirsting after righteousness, and the perpetual vision of him hereafter; as our desires abate, so there is some abatement of the degree of our love. 4ly, Delighting in him. Or in the Testimonys of his favor, more than in worldly thing, Psa. 4.6. Thou hast put more gladness into my heart, then in the time when their Corn and Wine is increased. And Psa. 119.14 I delight in the way of thy Testimonys more than in all riches. Accordingly there is an observing of his coming and going, his presence or absence; we mourn for the one, Matth. 9.15. We rejoice in the other, when God is favorable and propitious, either manifesting his love to us, or helping us in our obedience to him.

2. Intermission of acts ; Or effects of love: These more sensibly declare the former; for the weakness or strength of the decree is seen by the effects, when the heart grows cold, and listless, and loose in our love to God, the Soul is not made fruitful by it. Now the effects of love do either concern God, sin, or the duties of obedience.

1. With respect to God. love as to the effects of it is often described. First by thinking and speaking often of him, Psa. 63.6. I remember thee on my Bed, and meditate of thee in the night • atches. And, Psa. 104.24. My meditation of him shall be sweet. The wicked are described to be those that forget God, Psa. 9.17. And seldom or never think of his name, Psa. 10.3. God is not in all their thoughts. 'It is the pleasure of the Soul to set the thoughts on work upon the object of our love.

Now when our hearts, and minds swarm with vain thoughts, and idle imaginations, and thoughts of God are utter strangers to us, if they rush into our minds, they are entertained as unwelcome guests, you have no delight in them, 'tis to be feared your love is decayed. For surely a man that loveth him will think often upon him, and speak reverently of him, and be remembering God both in company, and alone, upon all occasions, his main business lieth with God. He is still to do his will, to seek his glory, and to live as in his sight and presence, and subsists by the constant supports he receiveth from him. 2dly. As love Implieth a desire of nearer communion with him, so we will be often in his company in duties. Frequency, and fervency of converse with God in prayer, and other holy duties, is an effect of love; there cannot a day pass, but they will find some errand or occasion to confer with God, to implore is help, to ask his leave, counsel, and blessing, to praise his name, Psa. 119.164. Seven times a day will I praise thee. Now when men can pass over whole days and weeks, and never give God a visit, it argueth little love, Jer. 2.32. My people have forgotten me days without number. There is little love where there is a constant strangeness, Psa. 26 8. I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honor dwelleth. They love Ordinances, because there they meet with God, and Psa. 63.2. That I may see thee as I have seen thee. They cannot let a day pass, nor a duty pass. God is object, and end, they seek him, and serve him. Love is at least cold, if not stark dead, when God is neglected, when we have no mind to duties, or God is neglected in them.

2. With respect to sin. When the sense of our obligation to Christ is warm upon the heart, sin doth not scape so freely; love will not endure it to live and act in the heart. Grace will teach us to war and strive against it, Titus 2.12. Do we thus requite the Lord? Or is this thy kindness to thy Friend? Sin is more bewailed: As she wept much, because she loved much, Luke 7.47. Now when you wallow in sin without remorse, have lost your conscientious tenderness, can sin freely in thought, and sometimes foully in act, spend time vainly, have not such a lively hatred of evil, Psa. 97.10. let loose the reins to wrath and anger, the heart is not watched, the tongue is not bridled, speeches are idle, yea rotten, and profane, wrath and envy tyrannize over the Soul, you are become vain and careless, more bold and venturous upon temptations, and snares, less complaining of sin, or groaning under the relics of corruption, surely love decayeth.

3. With respect to the duties of obedience. Love where it remaineth in its strength, 1. Breedeth self-denial So that the Impediments of obedience are more easily overcome, and so we are the more undaunted, notwithstanding dangers, as Daniel : More unwearied in the work of the Lord: Patient under labors, difficulties, and sufferings. Love will be at some expense for the party beloved, and will serve God whatever it costs us: Nay, counts that duty worth nothing, that costs nothing, 2 Sam. 24.24. Now when every lesser thing is pleaded by way of bar, and haesitancy, and all seemeth too much, and too long, and too grievous to be born, love is not kept in vigor; an unwilling heart is soon turned out of the way, and everything is hard & toilsome to it. 2dly. It maketh us act with sweetness, and complacency, 1 John 5.3. His commandments are not grievous. Acts of love are sweet, and pleasing: Therefore when you have left the sweetness, and complacency of your obedience, the fervor of your love is decayed, otherwise it would be no burden to you to be Imployed for a good God. 3 It puts a life into duties, Rom. 12.12. Not slothful in business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. Otherwise the worship of God is performed perfunctorily, and in a careless, stupid manner, sin is confessed without remorse, or sense of the wrong done to God; Prayer for spiritual blessings, without any such ardent desire to obtain them; returning thanks without any esteem of the benefits, or affection to God in the remembrace of them; Singing without any life, or affection or delight in God, or spiritual melody in our hearts; conference of God, and Heavenly things, either none, or very slight, and careless hearing without attention; Reading, without a desire of profit. Our whole service like a carcass without a Soul. As Faith enliveneth our opinions, so doth love our practices. And as dry reason is a dead thing to Faith, so without love everything done Godward, is done slightly; why do we find more life in our recreations, than in our solemn duties, but because our love is decayed.

5. Having now found the sin, let us consider the causes of it.

1. One cause or occasion may be the badness of the times. The Best Christians may decay in bad times. The reason is given, Matth. 24.12. Because iniquity doth abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Iniquity beareth a double sense; either a general, or a more limited sense. When there is a deluge of wickedness, sin by being common, groweth less odious: The limited sense is, taking iniquity for persecution, because of the sharpness of persecution many shall fall off from Christianity. This should not be so; Christians should shine, like stars, brightest in the darkest night, Phil. 2.15, 16. Or like fire▪ or a fountain, hottest in coldest weather, as David, in Psa. 119.126, 127. It's time for thee, Lord, to work, for they have made void thy Law. Therefore I love thy Commandments above Gold, above fine Gold. But 'tis hard to maintain the fire, when the World keepeth pouring on Water: There is a certain liberty, which we are apt to take in evil times, or a damp and deadness of Spirit, which groweth upon us.

2. It cometh from a cursed satiety and fullness. Our affections are deadened to things to which we are accustomed; and we are soon cloyed with the best things: The Israelites cried out, Nothing but this Manna ! A full stomach loatheth an honey comb: When first acquainted with the things of the Spirit, Communion with God, and Intercourses with Heaven, we are affected with them, but afterwards glutted: But this should not be, because in Spiritual things, there is a new inviting sweeetness, to keep our affections fresh, and lively: as in Heaven God is always to the blessed Spirits new and fresh every moment: And proportionable in the Church, where there is more to be had, still greater things than these. In carnal things this satiety is justifiable, because the imperfections of the Creature, which formerly lay hid, are discovered upon fruition: And all earthly things are less in enjoyment, than they were in expectation: But it is not so in Spiritual things, every taste provoketh new appetite, 1 Pet. 2.2, 3.

3. From a negligence or sluggish carelessness. We do not take pains to keep our graces alive, we do not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 2 Tim. 1.6. Rowse up the gift, that is in us. As the Priests in the Temple were to keep in the holy fire: So we by prayer, and diligent meditation, constantly keeping love a work, watchfulness against the encroachments of worldly, and fleshly lusts; and when we neglect these things, love decreaseth.

4. Sometimes it cometh from freeness in sinning. Neglect is like not blowing the Fire hid in the Ashes; sinning is like pouring on water, 1 Thes. 5.10. Quench not the Spirit. Secure dalliance with the pleasures of sin brings a brawn and • eannes upon the heart, and God is neglected, and our love to him very cold.

6. There remaineth nothing more, but the cure and remedy against this evil ; and that concerneth prevention, or recovery.

1. The remedy, by way of prevention, is,

1. That we should labor to get love more fixed and rooted, Eph. 3.17. That ye may be rooted, and grounded in love : At first our affection may hastily put forth its self, like the hasty blossoms of the Spring, which are soon nipped: But a Christians business is to get a solid affection, and bent of heart towards God; That love may be as it were the very constitution of our Souls: And the frame of our hearts may be changed into an addictedness, and devotedness to God. Many content themselves with flashes, and good moods, and meltings at a Sermon, which soon vanish, and come to nothing, because they have no root. The word of grace, which revealeth the love of God, is not engrafted in their Souls, so as that it may be the very frame, and temper of their hearts: Many receive this word with joy, Matth. 13.21. But he hath no root in himself. They were once affected with the offers of remission of sins, and Eternal Life: But this affection is not so great, so deep, as to control contrary affections: Christ doth not dwell in the heart by faith: A visit there is, but not an abode; A transie • t motion of the Spirit, but not a constant habitation; a draught of the running stream, but they have not the fountain within them, John 4.14.

2. You must increase and grow in love, if you mean to keep it, Phil. 1.9. I pray, that your love may abound more and more, 1 Thes. 4.1. As ye learned how to walk, and to please God, so abound in it, more and more: At first love is but weak, but progress of it is to be endeavored, otherwise a small measure of it meeteth with so many things to extinguish it, that it cannot maintain itself. Nothing conduceth to a decay more than a contentment with what we have received; and there is no such way to keep what we have, as to go on to perfection: They that row against the stream, if they do not ply the oar, will be driven back by the force of the Tide: Therefore every day you should hate sin more, and love self less, the world less, yet Christ more, and more: Love being as it were the heart of the New Creature, he that hath most love, hath most grace, and is the best and strongest Christian.

3. Love must still be excited, and kept in act or exercise : Not lie as a sleepy, useless habit, in the Soul: It must be the principle and end in every duty, that is, we must work from love, and for love: From love, for 'tis not an act of thankful obedience, if love be not acted in it. Oh beg that this Grace may be more increased in us! all graces, Ordinances. Word, Sacraments, tend to keep in this love-fire, and keep it a burning: All these institutions serve but till love is perfect, and then they cease, but love remaineth: Besides all this, if love be not excited and kept a work, carnal love will prevail, a corrupt and base treacherous heart, had need be watched, and kept from starting back. The back-bias of corruption will again recover strength: For love cannot lie idle in the Soul, either it must be directed, and carried forth to God, or it will look out to worldly things: If our love ceaseth, concupiscence ceaseth not: And within a while the World will become superior in the heart, and Mammon be placed in God's room and stead, be respected as our end, and happiness: For man cannot live, but he must have some last end of his actions: Nor can he long cease from owning, and respecting that end: But the Soul will set up another in its stead. Therefore the more we desist from loving God, the more we entangle ourselves with other things, which get strength, and secure their interest in our Souls, as they are confirmed by multiplied acts: Therefore the love of God must still be kept a-foot, that no other thing be practically preferred before him, John 4.14. It must always be springing up, and flowing forth.

4. Observe the first declinings. For these are the cause of all the rest: Evil is best stopped in the beginning: If when first we begun to grow careless, we had taken heed, it would never have come to that sad issue it doth afterwards; an heavy body, running downwards, gathers strength by running, and still moveth faster: Look then to your first breaking off from God, and remitting your watch, and Spiritual fervor: 'It is easier to crush the the egg, than kill the serpent: He that keepeth a house in constant repair, prevents the fall and ruin of it: When first the evil heart beginneth to draw us off from God, and to be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, then we must, Heb. 3.12, 13. humble our Souls betime, that we may stick close to Christ.

2. By way of recovery, where there hath been a decay: Take the advice of the Holy-Ghost, Rev. 2.5▪ Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works.

1. A serious consideration of our condition, in those words, remember from whence thou art fallen. Recollect, and sadly consider, what a difference there is between thee and thyself; thyself living, and acting in the sense, and power of the love of God, and thyself, now under the power of some worldly and fleshly lust: Consider what an advantage thou hadst against Temptations of the Devil, the World, and the Flesh, when love was in strength, and how much the case is altered with thee now, how feeble, and impotant in the resistance of any sin: Say as Job, Job 29.2, 3. Oh that it were as in the months past? In the day when God preserved me, when his candle shined upon my head. Or as the Church, Hosea 2.7. It was better with me then, than now. In our returning, we should have such thoughts as these: I was wont to spend some time every day with God, 'twas a delight to me, to think of him, or speak of him; or to him; now I have no heart to pray, or meditate: 'Twas the joy of my Soul, to wait upon his Ordinances; the returns of the Sabbath were well-come unto me: But now what a weariness is it? Time was when my heart did rise up in arms against sin, when a vain thought was a grief to my Soul, why is it thus with me now. Is sin grown less odious; or God less lovely?

2. The next advice is, repent. That is, humble yourselves before God, for your defection: 'It is not enough to feel yourselves fallen, many are convinced of their fallen and lapsed estate, but do not humble, and judge themselves for it in God's presence, bewailing their case, smiting on the thigh, praying for pardon: 'It is a great sin to grow weary of God, Isa. 43.22. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; Thou hast been weary of me, Oh Israel. And Mich. 6.3. Oh my people, what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testify against me. His honor is concerned in it; therefore you must the more feelingly bewail it.

3. Do thy first works. We must not spend the time in idle complaints. Many are sensible that do not repent: Many repent ( i. e. ) seem to bewail their case, but languish in idle complaints, for want of love, but do not recover this loss, by serious endeavors: You must not rest till you recover your former seriousness, and mindfulness of God: 'It is one of the deceits of our hearts to complain of negligence, and not redress it. The Nazarite who had broken his vow, he was to begin all again, Numbers 6.12. So you that have broken with God, you must do what you did at first conversion, let your work be sin-abhorring every day, and engaging your heart anew to God; And make no reservation, but so give up yourselves to the Lord, that his interests may prevail in your hearts again, above all sinful and vile inclinations, or whatever hath been the cause of the withdrawing your hearts from God, and the decay of your love to him.

SERMON XXVI.

WE come now to the fifth case of Conscience, about loving God with all the heart, a thing often required in Scripture; the original place is, Deut. 6.5. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and all thy Soul, and all thy might : 'It is repeated by our Lord, Matth. 22.37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy Soul, and all thy mind. But in, Mark 10.30. And Luke 10.27. With all thy heart, and all thy Soul, and all thy mind, and all thy strength. This sentence was famous, 'twas one of the four Paragraphs, which the Jews were wont to write upon their Phylacteries, and fastened to their door posts, and read in their houses twice a day. Mark, here is variety of words, sometimes three words are used, and sometimes four; some go about accurately to distinguish them, by the heart interpreting the will; by the Soul, the appetite, and affections; by the mind, the understanding; and by might, bodily strength; All put together with that intensive particle (all) imply great love to God. Now a doubt ariseth hereupon, how this is reconcilable with the defects of God's Children, and the weaknesses of the present state: Yea it seemeth to confine our affections, that there will be love left for no other things: For if God have all the heart, and all the Soul, and all the mind, and all the strength, what is there left for Husband, Wife, Children, Christian Friends, and other Relations? Without which respect human society cannot be upheld, and preserved. The doubt may be referred to two heads.

• 1. The irreconcilableness of the rule with present defects.
• 2. The confinement intimated is destructive of our respect to our natural comforts, and relations.

1. Concerning the first, how it is reconcilable with those many partibilities and defects of God's Children.

I answer, First, By distinguishing ; this sentence may be considered, as an exaction of the Law. Or as a rule of the Gospel.

1. As an exaction of the Law : And so it serveth to show us, what duty the perfect Law of God requireth; complete love without the least defect: All the heart, all the Soul, and all the might; a grain wanting maketh the whole unacceptable: As one condition not observed forfeiteth the whole lease, though all the rest be kept. That this reference is not to be altogether slighted, appeareth by the occasion: A Lawyer asked him a Question, tempting him, saying, Master, which is the great Commandment of the Law? Matth. 22.35. Now Christ's aim was to beat down his confidence by proposing the rigor of the Law, Luke 10.28. This do, and thou shalt live. The best course to convince self-justiciaries (such as this Lawyer was) thereby to rebate their confidence, and to show the necessity of a better righteousness: And so 'tis of use this way for a double end.

First. To convince us of the necessity of looking after the grace of the Redeemer.

Secondly. To prepare us to entertain it with the more thankfulness.

1. Of the impossibility of keeping the Law, and so the necessity of the use of the Redeemer. For to fallen man the duty of the Law is impossible, and the penalty of it intolerable. Therefore all men by this Covenant, according to this Covenant, are enclosed within a curse, shut up, and necessitated to seek the grace of the Gospel, Gal. 3.23. But before Faith came, we were kept under the Law shut up unto the Faith, which should afterwards be revealed. The Law cannot be satisfied, unless the whole man obey wholly, in all things, which to corrupt nature is impossible, and so it inevitably driveth us to Christ, who accepteth us upon more equitable terms.

2. To make us thankful for our deliverance by Christ. When you read these words, all the heart, all the Soul, all the might, all the strength, bless the Lord Jesus in thy heart, that God doth not deal with us upon these terms; that we are rid of this hard bondage, exact obedience, or eternal ruin; That the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the Law of sin and death, Rom. 8.2. ( i. e. ) Of that rigorous covenant, which, to man fallen, ferveth only to convince of sin, and to bind over to death; if God should sue us upon the old bond, a straggling thought, a wandering glance, might make us liable to the curse.

2. As a rule of the Gospel. [Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. ] With all, this is not wholly antiquated, and out of date in the Gospel; we must distinguish what is required by way of Precept, and what is accepted by way of Covenant; for the rule is as strict as ever, but the covenant is not so strict, to wit, that we must necessarily perish, if we break it in the least jo • or tittle. The rule is as strict as ever, and admitteth of no Imperfection, either of parts, or degrees, but the Covenant is not so strict, but accepteth of a perfection of parts, and of such a degree, as is dominating and prevailing, or doth infer truth of God's Image, or a single hearted disposition to love, and serve God, to the uttermost of our power. Let me prove both these.

1. That the rule is as strict as ever. That's necessary; Partly, With respect to the Lawgiver, for no imperfect thing must come from God: And, Partly, with respect to the time when it was given us, in innocence: And Partly, With respect to us, who are under the rule of Law; for if the rule did not require a perfect love, our defects were no sins, for. where there is no Law, there is no transgression, Rom. 4.15. And that this particular Law is still in force, appeareth by that of Christ, Matth. 22.37, 40. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and thy neighbor as thyself; on these two hang the Law and the Prophets. Surely that Law and Prophets include all known Scripture that is binding to us.

2. But the covenant is not so strict. For where weaknesses are bewailed, striven against, and in some measure overcome, they shall not be prejudicial and hurtful to our salvation; for in the new covenant God requireth perfection, but accepteth sincerity, and though we cannot bring our graces to the balance, tis enough that we can bring them to the touchstone, Gen. 17.1. Walk before me, and be thou upright : Though not perfect, yet if upright, though there be a double principle, flesh and Spirit, yet if not a double heart. A sincere love, in the language of the Holy-Ghost, is loving God with all the heart, and all the Soul. So 'tis said of David ▪ 1 Kings 14.8. He kept my commandments, and followed me with all his heart, to do only that which was right in mine eyes. David had shrewd failings, yet because of his habitual purpose, so the Lord speaketh of him. So of Josiah, 2 Kings 23.25. Like unto him there was no King, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and all his Soul, and all his might, according to all the Law of Moses. Josiah also had his blots and Imperfections, yet his heart was prevalently set towards God. So that all the heart, and all the Soul may be reconciled with the Saints infirmitys, though not with a vicious life.

2. I shall show you how far we are obliged to love God with all the heart, and all the Soul, and all the mind, and all the strength, if we would not forfeit our covenant claim of sincerity.

1. We are bound to strive after perfection ; and as much as may be to come up to the exactness of the rule. The endeavor is required, though as to success, God dealeth graciously with us, Phil. 3.12. Not as though I were already perfect or had already attained, but I follow after, that I may apprehend that, for which I am apprehended of Christ. The perfection of our love to God is part of our reward in Heaven; but we are striving after it: we cannot arrive to the perfectness of the glorified estate, but we are pressing towards it; allowed failings cannot stand with sincerity, for he that is contented with a little grace, hath no grace; that is to say, he that careth not how little God be loved, provided he may be saved, doth not sincerely love God. A true Christian will endeavor a constant progress, & aim at no less than perfection. Christians, this is still your rule, all the heart and all the Soul, and all the might; the Lord hath such a full right to your love, that coldness is a kind of an hatred. And the grace which we received in conversion will urge us to it. For, tendentia mentis in Deum, is the fruit of conversion, and God is not respected as a means, but as an end; we do more unlimitedly desire the end, then the means, the whole latitude of understanding, will and affections is due to him, without division or derivation to other things.

2. We are so far obliged as to bewail defects, and failings. As Paul groaneth under the relics of corruption, Rom. 7.24. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death ? A true Christian would love God more perfectly, delight in him more abundantly, bring every thought and practice into subjection to his will; if not, they are kept humble, it is a burden and trouble, they cannot allow themselves in this Imperfect estate; the same new nature which checketh sin before it is committed, mourneth for it, after it hath got the start of us: Resistance is the former dislike of the new nature, and remorse the latter dislike after we are overcome; none have such cause to bewail failing, as the Children of God, they sin against more light, and love, and if Conscience be in a right frame, they will bemoan themselves, and loath themselves, for their sins; and their love, which is seen in a care to please, is also seen in sorrow for offenses, when they break out, and a trouble at the lower degrees of love.

3. We are so far obliged as in some measure to get ground upon them. For a Christian is to grow in grace. There are some sins which are not so easily, or altogether avoidable by the ordinary assistances of grace vouchsafed, as sins of ignorance, sudden surreption and daily incursion; and there are other sins which may be and are avoided so far by God's Children, so as that they do not frequently, easily, and constantly lapse into them. There are other grievous evils which Christians do not ordinarily fall into, unless in some rare cases. A Christian may lapse into them, as being overborn by the violence of a temptation, as Noah's Drunkenness, Lots Incest, David's Adultery, foul sins, but there was no habitual aversation from God; but yet a foul fall cuts the strength of a Christian resolution, being over-born by some violent Temptations. Now against the first of these, striving against unavoidable infirmities is conquering. The second must be mortified, and weakened. In the other 'tis not enough to strive against them, or to bewail them, but forsake them and grow wiser for the future.

As to the Second part of the case, the confinement;

Ans. God doth not require that we should love nothing, think of nothing but himself. The state of this life will not permit that: But God must have all the heart, so far, First, That nothing be loved against God. A prohibited object is forbidden; sin must not be loved, as they loved darkness more than light, John 3.19. 2dly. Nothing above God ; with a superior love, Matth. 10.37. He that loveth Father, or Mother, more than me, is not worthy of me. 3dly. Not equally with God. Other things are excluded from an equal love, for then our love to God is but a partial and half love, divided between God and the creature; no, Luke 14.26. We must hate Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, &c. God above all, and our neighbor as our self. God can endure no Rival; this love to man is but the second commandment, and must give way to the first. 4thly. Nothing apart from God, But as subordinate to him, Psa. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none on earth I desire besides thee. I must love my Friends in him, and my foes for him, his people because of his Image, all because of his command; God in his creatures, Christ in his members; myself, Wife, Children, natural comforts▪ in God, and for God: to set up anything as a divided end from God, is a great evil; as well as to set up anything as an opposite end to him, it may be a damnable sin to love any Worldly comfort, without subordinating it to God, Jam. 4.4. Ye adulterers, and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity to God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God, 1 John 2.15. Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World; if any man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. Apart from God is spiritual adultery.

6 Case. How shall I do in short to know that I have the love of God in me ? What is the undoubted evidence, by which I may Judge of my state, or know that my love to God is sincere?

Ans. It concerneth us more to act grace, than to know that we have it : Do you set yourselves with all your hearts, and with all your Souls to love God, and you shall soon know that you love him; things will discover themselves, when in any good degree of predominancy, and love when it's in any strength cannot well be hidden from the party that hath it, as a man burning hot will soon feel himself warm, but small things are hardly discerned, a weak pulse seemeth to be as none at all. Many languish after comforts and spend their time in idle complaints, and so continue the mischief they complain of. Up and be doing, and bestow more time in getting and increasing, and acting grace, than in anxious doubtings whether you have any; comfort cometh sooner by looking to precepts, which tell us what we should do, than signs, which tell us what we are, and the acting of love, is the best way to have it manifested: So Christ telleth us, John 14.21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. There is the way to get the manifestation of grace, and of Christ's owning us. Give God his due obedience, and you shall not want comfort; 'tis a purer respect that we show to God, by minding his interest rather than our own; and to love him, and wait for the time when we shall know that we love him.

2. Yet 'tis our duty to try seriously the sincerity and soundness of our respects to Christ: Partly, Because the heart is very deceitful, and we must search warily: Christ putteth Peter to the Question thrice, John 21.15. to 19. Lovest thou me? 'It is some conviction to a liar, to make him repeat his tale; a deceitful heart will be apt to reply, that he is not worthy to live who doth not love Christ; but urge it again, and again, do I indeed love Christ? Yea leave not till you can appeal to God himself; for the sincerity of your love, Lord thou knowest all things, and thou knowest that I love thee. And, Partly also, Because there is a great deal of counterfeit love; therefore the Apostle saith, Eph. 6.24. Grace be with all them that love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Many profess love, whose love, when it cometh to be tried, will be found counterfeit and unsincere. Our Lord Jesus telleth the Pharisees, who were Quarrelling with him for healing a man upon the Sabbath day, John 5.42. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. They pretended great love, and zeal for the Sabbath, and therefore opposed the working of that Miracle: men may pretend zeal for God's glory, and his ordinances, who yet have no true love to God; as many pretend great esteem of the memory of Christ, yet hate his Servants, and slight his ways.

3. The great standing evidence of love is obedience, or an universal resolution, and care to please God in all things. I shall prove to you from Scripture first, that it is so; then from reason.

1. From Scripture, John 14.15. If ye love me keep my Commandments. None truly love Christ but those that make conscience of obedience. So verse 21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. So, verse 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words. So, John 15.14. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Friendship consisteth in an harmony of mind & will; there is such a real friendship between Christ and believers, which maketh them cordial, cheerful, zealous, and constant in their obedience to him, 1 John 2.5. But who so keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected. That is hath produced its consummate effect. So, 1 John 5.3. This is love to keep his Commandments. Love implieth the doing of those things which are most grateful, and acceptable to the party beloved; and this is the prime, if not the only way, of demonstrating our love to God, which the Scripture so much insisteth upon. So Exod. 20.6. That love me, and keep my commandments.

Now for the Reasons : Our love to God is not the love of courtesy that passeth between equals▪ but a love of dutiful subjection, such as is due from an Inferior to a Superior, such as is that of Servants to their Master, Subjects to their Prince and Governor, creatures to their Creator; and therefore is not discovered by a fellow like familiarity, so much as by obedience: God's love to us is an act of bounty, our love to him is an act of duty, and therefore he will see that the trial of this love of gratitude, or this returning love, be sincere, if it produce an uniform, and constant obedience, or an universal care to please God in all things; faith is known by love, and love by obedience, Gal. 6.15. and, Gal. 5.6.

4 This obedience, which love produceth, must be active, constant, and pleasant.

1. Active and laborious. Love will not rest in word and profession only, or lie lurking, in the heart as an idle habit, but will break out in sensible proofs, and endeavors, and keep us hard at work for God, Rom. 12.11. Not slothful in business, fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord. So 'tis where there is love; but for others, everything is tedious to flesh, and blood; and where love is cold men cannot overcome a little ease, and sloth of the flesh. Now how can they know the love of God who will do nothing for him, or no great thing for him? Till you abound in the work of the Lord, love doth not discover its self: Love will be working and laboring, and ever bringing forth fruit, and that is not real, and sincere, which is not such, which will not be at the pains and charge of obedience.

2. Constant. For, one act or two will not manifest our love to God, but a course of holiness, John 15.10. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept the Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. And love must show its self as by obedience, so by a constant obedience. And therefore it requireth some competent space of time before we can be fully assured of the sincerity of it; when we find it growing, it's very comfortable, and when we have rode out so many Temptations, 'tis an encouragement still to go on with God.

3. It must be pleasant, 1. John 5.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. And, Psa. 112.1. Blessed is the man that delighteth greatly in his commandments. When we cheerfully practice all that he requireth of us; love sweeteneth all things; 'tis Meat and Drink to do his will; the thing commanded is excellent, but 'tis sweeter as commanded by him. A man is never thoroughly converted, till he delighteth in God, and his service, and his heart is overpowered by the sweetness of his love. A slavish kind of religiousness, when we had rather not do, than do our work, is no fruit of grace, and cannot evidence a sincere love.

5. In the course of our obedience, God ordereth some special seasons, for the discovery of our sincere love to him. As Abraham had his trial, so we, Heb. 11.17. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac. And God trieth, non ut ipse hominem inveniat, sed ut homo se inveniat, Gen. 22.12. For now I know thou fearest God. That is a document, a sensible proof of the reality, and sincerity of grace, as under sore trials, God doth most manifest himself to us; upon these occasions, when put upon great self-denial, we have a sensible occasion to see which we love most; 'twas a nice case before: When faithfulness to God's interest is dearer to us, than our own credit, liberty, life, then is a special sensible occasion to improve the sincerity of our love. Such things are pleaded, Psa. 44.17. All this is come upon us, yet have we not forsaken thee, nor dealt falsely in thy covenant. God's choicest comforts are for them that overcome temptations.

7 Case of Conscience. But how shall we do to get, or increase this love to Christ ? Is there anything that man can do towards it, since love is of God, and a fruit of his Spirit?

Ans. 1. 'It is true that a man in his natural estate, cannot by his own power bring his heart to love God. Partly, Because men naturally are lovers of themselves, that is, of their carnal selves, and so lovers of pleasure, more than God, 2 Tim. 3.4. So addicted to vain and sensual delights; the flesh and World have intercepted their love and delight, John 3.6. That which is born of flesh, is flesh. Will a nature that is carnal, resist and overcome the flesh? And can men be brought by their own inclination, to abhor the sin they dearly love? And a worldly mind overcome the World? Therefore till grace heal our natures, we cannot love God, or Christ: First the carnal love must be mortified, Deut. 30.6. The Lord thy God shall circ • mcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy Soul, that thou mayest live. Till God pare away our foreskin, and mortify our carnal love and inordinate passions, there can be no love to God, or Christ, raised or enkindled in our hearts. And, Partly, Because men are haters of God, Rom. 1.30. Enemies to him, as standing in the way of their desires, and keeping them by his laws, from things which they affect, as forbidden fruit, Col. 1.21. And you that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your minds, by evil works. And, Rom. 8.7. Because the carnal mind is enmity to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. And, Jam. 4.4. Know ye not that the friendship of the World is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the World is the enemy of God. There is a mixture of love, palpable and evident by nature, and though men might be imagined to have some kind of love to God, as a Creator, and Preserver, and Benefactor, yet they hate him as a Law-giver, and a Judge. Therefore till this enmity be broken, there is no hope of bringing the heart to love God.

2. Since God worketh it, it must be in the first place begged of him. As the Apostle prayeth for others, so do you for yourselves, Eph. 3.17, 18. That ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and be filled with all the fullness of God. We have but light apprehension of the love of God in Christ, it leaveth no Impression upon us, 2 Thes. 3.5. And the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God: Set straight your hearts, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; they are fluttered abroad to all manner of vanities. And therefore the Psalmist prayeth, Psal. 86.11. Unite my heart to thy fear.

3. Though we pray to God, yet we must not neglect to use the means. For God will meet with us in our way, in a way proportionable to our reason, and we are to meet with him in his way, in a way of a duty and means. God doth not over-rule us by a brutish force, nor raise an inclination in our wills, but in the way of understanding; the ordinary way of working upon man is by the Understanding and so upon the Will. What are the means of raising our love?

1. A knowledge of our necessity, and the excellency, and worth of Christ and his Beneficialness to us, John 4.10. If thou knewest the gift. We love little, because we know little; Saints and Angels, who know him most, love him best; in Heaven there is complete love, because there is perfect knowledge; that the Apostles prayer showeth, how we are rooted and grounded in love, Eph. 3. • 7, 18, 19.

2. Serious consideration. The more you lay out your thoughts in the serious consisideration of these things, which most tend to feed, and breed love: Objects and moving reasons kept much upon the mind, by serious thoughts, are the great means and instruments appointed both by nature, and grace, to turn about and move the Soul of man; consideration frequent, and serious, is God's great instrument to convert the Soul, Psal 119 59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies : And to get, keep, and increase grace; witness this Text, For we thus Judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead ▪ Therefore the total want of love, or the weakness of love, comes for want of consideration. Oh then, think often of God's goodness, amiableness, and kind heartedness, to miserable and unworthy sinners, what he is in himself, a pardoning God; none like him, Micah. 7.17. What he hath done for you, from your youth upward. Everyone should be his own historian, Psal. 139.17. How precious are thy thoughts to me, O God, how great is the sum of them? Every morning come to a new account, and audit, what he is willing yet to do for you in Christ; to pardon all your sins, to sanctify you by his Spirit, and to give you eternal life and a portion among his people.

3. You must increase love by a constant familiarity and communion with God. strangeness dissolveth friendship, but our hearts settle towards them with whom we frequently converse, Job 22.21. Acquaint thyself now with him, and be at peace. When men neglect prayer, their hearts set loose from God. Therefore upon all occasions maintain a constant commerce between God and you.

4. If there be a breach, be soon reconciled again. If a man was unclean, he was to wash his clothes before even, Eph. 4 26▪ Let not the Sun go down upon thy wrath. As between man and man, so between God and man: forgive us this day, as well as give us this day. When discontents settle they are hardly removed, Jer. 8.4. Shall they fall, and not arise, turn away, and not return? 'It is spoken to backsliding Israel. A candle newly put out sucketh light again, if you kindle it before it stiffeneth and groweth cold; so the sooner we recover ourselves, the less breach is made by it.

5thly. Mortify love to the World. This is baneful to the love of the Father, 1 John 2.15. Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World; if any man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him. When the Soul is filled with one object, it cannot attend upon another, though more excellent. The love of the World is that which first kept us from God, and still it dulleth the edge of our affections, and diverteth us from him; therefore watch against the enticements of the flattering world, and love the creature in subordination to God.

Now let me exhort you to the love of Christ.

1. The genius and disposition of love showeth it is fit for nothing but God. As he that looketh upon an ax will say it is fit to cut, so he that looketh upon love will say it was made for God; love is for that which is good, 'tis the motion of the Soul to what is good for us. Good is the object of love. The more good anything is, the more it must be loved; this is the disposition of nature, and grace doth direct it, and set it right. Now who is so good as God, who hath all goodness in himself? All that goodness which is in the creature is derived from him, and dependeth on him; he hath given us all the good which we have received, and that out of mere love, yea he hath given us love its self. Now whom will you love, if he that is love its self seem not lovely to you? All loveliness is in him and from him; the creature hath none of its self, nor for itself. Is sin such a thing, that for the love of it▪ you will fly from God, and goodness?

2. Love is but for one object. The affection is weakened by dispersion, as a River divided into many Channels▪ • n conjugal Society, which is the highest instance of love, Mal. 2.15. And did not he make one? Yet had he the residue of the Spirit▪ and wherefore one? That he might seek a Godly seed : God in the beginning made but one Man for one Woman, and one Woman for one man, yet he could, if he would, have created more persons at once; 'twas not out of defect of power, but wise choice, that their affections might be the stronger: Conjugal affection would be weakened, if, as they are in the brutes, they were scattered promiscuously to several objects. The true object indeed of love is but one, and that is God; he is loved for himself, and other things for his sake: All Lines end in the Center, so all the inclinations of the creature should terminate in God. Love was planted in us for this purpose, that other things might be loved in God, and for God.

3. The force and vehemency of love showeth it was made for God; First, 'tis a vehement affection, that swayeth the whole Soul ; God only deserveth these heights, and excesses, which are in love: We make God's of other things, when we love them without subordination to him. Sampson was led about like a Child by Delilah : Men contemn all things, honor, name, credit, riches, for their love, ease, pleasure: Turn this to money, covetousness is Idolatry, Eph. 5.5. To pleasure, and the belly becometh 2 God, Phil. 3▪ 19.

2. 'It is love maketh us good, or bad men. Men are as their love is: We are not determinated from our knowledge, but our affections; a man may know evil, and yet not be evil; he is a carnal man, that hath carnal desires, love is the inclination, and bias of the will: Such as a man is, so is his love, a man's heart is where his love is, rather than where his fear is: 'It is love transformeth the heart, it changeth us into the nature of what is loved: This is the difference between mind, and will: The mind draweth things to itself, and refineth and purifieth them: But the will followeth the things it chooseth, and is drawn after them, made like them: As the wax receiveth the stamp and impression of the seal. Carnal objects make it carnal; and earthly things earthly; and Heavenly things Heavenly: The love of God godly, Psa. 115.8. They that make them are like unto them; so are all they that put their trust in them, stupid, senless, as their Idols. Love transformeth into the things we love: Therefore without love, all is nothing, 1 Cor. 13.1.

3. So much of the Spirit of God as you have, so much love : For Love to God is the proper gift of the Spirit, to all the adopted Sons of God, to cause them with filial affection and dependence to cry, Abba Father, Gal. 4.6. Not always seen in challenging an interest in him, as coming in a childlike affection, and a Spirit of love.

4. The sad consequence of not loving Christ. 'It is no arbitrary matter, the Apostle suiteth his threatening to the form of the highest curse among the Jews, 1 Cor. 16.22. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, Let him be an Anathema Maranatha, cursed till the Lord come. Suspension from the congregation, casting-out, giving over all hopes of the party offending, and leaving them till the Lord's coming. There is no hope for you: Though you do not hate▪ yet if you love not, there is a curse that will never be repealed. God made Christ's love so exemplary, to astonish us with kindness: Anathema is too good for him, the Apostle cannot express it under a double curse, you will be cast out of the assembly of the first born if you repent not.

5. Consider what advantages we have by love. An interest in all the promises, Eph. 6.24. Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. And Rom. 8.28. All things shall work together for good to them that love God. And Jam. 1.12. Blessed is the man that endureth temptations, for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him, Jam. 2.5. Hath not God chosen the poor of the World, to be rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him. Faith giveth a right, but love a sensible interest: We cannot take comfort in the sense, till sure of the Condition, and qualification; our faith is not right, till it beget love.

6. 'It is not only among the graces, but the rewards: Intire love is a part of our Happiness in Heaven▪ 'tis our only employment there to Love God, to love what we see, and possess what we love: So that love is the end and final Happiness of man: Love is the final act, as God is the final object: The fear of God is the beginning of Wisdom, and love is the perfection of it.

SERMON XXVII.

In the words observe two things.

• 1. THe force and operation of love.
• 2. The reason of it. For we thus Judge, &c. In which two things.
  • 1. The instance of Christ's love to us ; One died for all.
  • 2. The means of improving it ; We thus Judge.

In the Instance, or Argument which love worketh upon, you have,

• 1. The act of Christ's love; He died.
• 2. The peculiarity of it to him; He alone died.
• 3. The benefit that redounds to others; One for all.

2. The means of improving; We thus Judge, to wit, after due deliberation and thinking upon the matter. It Implyeth, First, Consideration. And Secondly, Determination.

1. Consideration; if one ; if one, or since one; 'tis a suppositional concession, if one appointed to die, and accepted in the name of all the rest.

2. Determination ; we so far conclude thence: The Determination of the Judgment maketh way for the resolution of the Will: The one is formally expressed, the other implied.

Doct. That Christ's dying one for all, is the great Instance, and Argument, that should be improved by us, to breed and feed love.

Here let me inquire,

• 1. What, dying one for all, signifieth.
• 2. How the great love of God therein appeareth.
• 3. How suited this Argument is to breed that love which God expecteth: A Thankful return of obedience.
• 4. In what way this must be improved ; we thus Judge, by considering and judging upon the case.

1. What dying one for all signifieth : 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; 'tis not only in bonum eorum, for the good for all, but loco & vice omnium in the room, and stead of all: As appeareth by the double notion, by which Christ's death is set forth, as a ransom and a sacrifice: A ransom, Matth. 20.28. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and to give his life a ransom for many, 1 Tim. 2.6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , who gave himself a ransom for all. The ransom was paid in the captives stead; therefore if Christ did die as a ransom for us, it was not only for our good, but in our stead. The other notion is that of a Sacrifice, Eph. 5.2. He gave himself as a Sacrifice, and an offering to God, a sweet smelling savor. So Heb. 9.26. He appeared to put away sin, by the Sacrifice of himself. Now the Sacrifice was offered instead of the Worshippers: and therefore if Christ were our sin offering, he died not only for our good, but in our stead: When the Ram was taken, Isaac was let go; so the sinner escapeth, and Christ was substituted into our room and place: he suffered what we should have suffered, and died that we may live: Deliver him from going down to the pit, for I have found a ransom, Job. 33.24. This dying one for all proveth two things.

• 1. The verity of his Satisfaction.
• 2. The sufficiency of his Satisfaction.

1. The verity and truth of his Satisfaction : For when all should have died, Christ died one for all: We were all dead with respect to the merit of our sins, and the righteous constitution of God's Law: and Christ came to die one for all, he represented our persons, and took our burden upon himself, and did enough to case us. First, He represented our persons, as a Surety, and so took the person of a debtor, Heb. 7.22. By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament.: Or as a common person appeareth in the name of all that are represented in him: That Christ was a common person, appeareth by Rom. 5.14. Where Adam is said to be, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , namely, as Adam was a common Person, representing all his Posterity▪ and as his act had a public influence on all descended from him; one was enough to ruin, and one enough to save: And Christ was as powerful to save, as Adam to destroy: Yea there is a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 on Christ: The value of Adams act depended upon mere institution: And Christ was not only instituted, but had an intrinsic worth in his person, as God: Therefore the Apostle saith, Not as the offense, so also is the free gift, verse 15. For if through the offense of one, many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Christ Jesus, hath abounded unto many: And verse 16 th. The Judgment was by one to Condemnation; so the free gift is of many offenses, unto Justification. And the 18 verse, As by the offense of one the Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation; so by the Righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to Justification of life. And 19 verse, As by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, many were made Righteous. So also, 1 Cor. 15. Adam and Christ are compared, representing both their seeds: And we read there of the first Adam, and the last Adam, verse 45. And the First man, and the Second man, verse 47. Those two men were all mankind in representation. Well then, we see Christ sustained our persons, and stood in our place, and room, as Mediator, we must look upon him, as a Father carrying all his Children on his back, or lapped up in his Garment, through a deep River, through which they must needs pass, and as it were saying to them, Fear not, I will set you safe on Land: So are you to look upon Christ with all his Children, wading through the Floods of Death, and Hell, and saying, Fear not worm Jacob, fear not poor Souls, I will set you safe.

2. As he took our persons, so he took our burden upon himself : For we read that he was made sin, and made a curse for us.

1. Made sin, 2 Cor. 5.21. He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him. To be made is to be ordained or appointed; as Christ made twelve Disciples, Mark 3.14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 appointed. And Jesus Christ is said, to be made Lord and Christ, Acts 2.38. So Christ was made sin, that is, ordered and appointed to bear the punishment of sin, or to be a Sacrifice for sin: Some times the punishment of sin is called sin; as Gen. 4.13. My sin is greater than can be born ; that is, the punishment. So verse 7 th. Sin lieth at the door ; that is, the punishment is at hand: So Christ cometh without sin, Heb. 9.28. To bear the sins of many, and to them that look for him, he shall appear the Second time without sin, unto Salvation : Not liable anymore to bear the punishment of it. Sometimes 'tis put for a Sacrifice for sin. So the Priests are said to eat the sins of the people, Hosea 4.8. That is, the Sacrifices. And Paul saith, Rom. 8.3. That by sin, he condemned sin in the flesh. That is by a sin-offering. Well then, Christ who knew no sin, had no inherent guilt, was made sin, that is, liable and responsible to God's Justice for our sakes: As we are made the Righteousness of God in him; so was he made sin for us: Not by inhaesion, which ariseth from inherent guilt, but by imputation or voluntary susception: That is, took upon himself an obligation to satisfy the demands of Justice for our sakes, as if he had said, what they owe I will pay.

2. Made a curse for us, Gal. 3.13. Christ as a Surety did suffer our punishment, and endured what we have deserved, Isa. 53.4. Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows. The sorrows of the sinner were the sorrows of Christ: The law had said, cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things, that are written in the book of the Law, to do them; Gal. 3.10. Now the sentence or curse of the Law must not fall to the ground: For then the end of God's governing of the World could not be secured; his Law would seem to be given in jest, and his threatenings would be interpreted, to be a vain Scar-crow; and the sin of the Creature would not seem so odious a thing▪ if the Law might be transgressed, and broken, and there were no more ado about it: Therefore Christ must come, and bear this curse. But you will say then, that Christ should have suffered Eternal Death, and the pains of Hell, which were due to us.

I Ans. He suffered what was equivalent to the pains of Hell: So much of the pains of Hell, as his holy person was capable of: In the curse of the Law, we must distinguish the essentials from the accidentals: The essentials consist in two things, poena damni, and poena sensus : The poena damni is the loss of God's presence, and the comfortable and happy fruition of him: The poena sensus lieth in falling into the hands of the living God: Or being Tormented with his Wrath: Now both these Christ endured in some measure: He was deserted, Matth. 27.26. There was a suspension of all sensible and actual comforts flowing from the God-head; and his Soul was filled with a bitter sense of wrath, and there he was made heavy unto Death, Matth. 26.39. And Isa. 53.10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief : Which occasioned great agonies. Now for the accidentals, the place, we should forever have suffered in Hell, the prison of the damned; but the circumstance was abated to Christ; he suffered upon earth: One that is bound as a surety for another, needeth not go to prison, provided that he pay the debt; all that Law and Justice requireth, is, that the Surety pay the debt, which if he doth not or cannot do, then he must go to prison: So here the Justice, and Holiness of God, must be satisfied, but Christ needed not to go into the place of Torment.

2. The time of continuance. The damned must bear the Wrath of God to all Eternity, because they can never satisfy the Justice of God, and therefore they must lie by it, World without end: As one that payeth a thousand pounds by a shilling, or a penny a week, is a long time in paying the debt; whereas a rich and able man layeth it down, in cumulo, in one heap, all at once. Or as a payment in Gold taketh up less room than a payment in pence, or brass farthings, yet the sum is the same. Christ made an infinite satisfaction, in a finite time, and bore that Wrath of God in a few hours, which would have overwhelmed the Creatures; the Eternity of Wrath is abundantly recompensed in the infiniteness of the Person, and the greatness of the sufferings. His Blood was the Blood of God, Acts 20.28.

3. Another circumstance accompanying the pains of the Second Death, and unavoidably attending it in reprobates, is desperation, and a fearful looking for of the fiery indignation of God, Heb. 10.7. But this is accidental to the punishment its self, and only occasioned by the sinners view of their woeful and irremediless Condition; but this neither did, nor could possibly befall the Lord Jesus, for he was able by his Divine Power, both to suffer, and satisfy, to undergo, and overcome this dreadful brunt of the Wrath of God; and therefore expected a good issue in his conflict, Psa. 16.9, 10. My flesh shall rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, nor suffer thy holy one to see corruption: 'It is applied to Christ, Acts 2. A shallow stream may easily drown a Child, whereas a grown man may hope to escape out of a far deeper place, yea a skillful swimmer out of the ocean: Christ passed through that Sea of Wrath, which would have drowned all the World; yea came safe to shore. Well then, it showeth the reality and truth of his Satisfaction.

2. It showeth the fullness and sufficiency of his Satisfaction : And that Christ undertook no more, than he was able to perform: For though but one, yet he is accepted for all: As one Sacrifice offered by the high Priest, was enough for all the congregation. The burnt offering for private men, and for the whole congregation, was the same; a young bullock without blemish: All had but one Sacrifice, only for private men, the Burnt-offering was offered by common Priests, and for the congregation by the high Priest. Or as the same sun serveth for everyone, and also for all the World: So the same Christ, the Sun of Righteousness serveth for all. Or as one Adam was enough to ruin all: So one Christ was enough to save all: Yea much more, as in Christ the Divine Power is more effectual. The Scripture often insisteth upon the oneness of the Person, and the oneness of the Sacrifice; as in that oracle which dropped from the mouth of Caiaphas, it is expedient for one to die for all the people, John 11.51, 52. Which is interpreted of the Redemption of the Elect; He prophesied that Jesus should die for that Nation; and not for that Nation only, but that he should gather together in one the Children of God, which were scattered abroad ▪ This one Christ is accepted for all: For 'tis more than if all the World had died. God was more pleased with this Sacrifice, than he was displeased with Adams sin, or the sins of all the World, 1 Tim. 2.6. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus : As one Mediator, so one sacrifice, Heb 10.10. We are sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ, once for all. And verse 14. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. And Heb. 9.26. He once in the end of the World appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And 28 verse. So Christ was once offered to 〈◊〉 the sins of many. The Scripture doth so emphatically, insist upon this circumstance, to show that there needeth no more to be done, to satisfy God's Justice: That is sufficiently done already, which is a great comfort to us: For you are not left under the care of making Satisfaction for your own sins: But only of accepting the Redeemer, who hath satisfied; and if you perish, it will be for want of Faith in you, not for want of Satisfaction in Christ: The business is even brought to your doors, and left upon your hands, whether you will accept of the grace offered.

2. How the great Love of God appeareth in this.

1. In that he would not prosecute his right against us, who were fallen in Law, and unable to recover ourselves: Noxa sequitur caput. The Soul that sinneth shall die, Exod. 32.33. He might have refused any Mediation, and all our necks might have gone for it: 'Twas great love, that God would think of a Surety; he might have exacted the whole debt of us; thou hast sinned, and thou shalt pay. 'It is some relaxing of the rigor of the Law, that he would take person for person. Moses was rejected, when he interposed as a Mediator, but so was not Christ.

2. That he would take one for all : Justice would not let go the sinner without a ransom, but 'tis the wonderful grace of God, that he would take Satisfaction from one man, in the name of all those for whom he offered to satisfy: That God would accept of Christ, Heb. 2.9. 'It is said that by the grace of God, he should taste death for everyone. That which moved God to transfer the punishment of our sins upon Christ, was his mere grace, and the special favor of God.

3. This one so dear to him ; his own Son, the Son of his love, his only begotten Son, he is the person that must be our surety, John 3.16. God so loved the World, that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life. And Rom. 8.32. He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all. Oh the unspeakable love of God! We are fond; Eli would not let fall one rough word to his Children; God had but one Son, and he was made a Sacrifice for sin.

4. This one so worthy in himself : Person for person is the hardest bargain: In some Wars Captives are redeemed with money: But we are not redeemed with Silver and Gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of God, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. If there be man for man, proportion is observed, and men of like quality are exchanged: You never heard of such a demand, that a king should be given to ransom a Servant: We were slaves, and Christ was the Heir of all things: The prince was given for Slaves: The just for the unjust: The Lord God Almighty, who filleth Heaven and Earth with his Glory, was given for poor worms: The King of all the Earth came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his Life a ransom for many, Matth. 20.28.

5. And he given unto death. One died for all; if Christ had come on earth to take a view of our misery, it had been another matter; Captive Princes have kingly entertainment, but he came to be fold for the price of a slave, thirty pieces, Exod. 21.31. The ransomer is not bound to suffer, and be ruined if the Party be so: But our redeemer must die, 1 Pet. 3.18. But Christ hath suffered for sin, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Till death there was no full Satisfaction, if ever any had cause to love his life, Christ had; his Soul dwelt with God in a Personal Union. 'It is no great matter to quench and put out such glimering Candles; as we are: We are often a burden to our own selves; Christ had more to lose, than all Angels and men. They said of David, 2 Sam. 17.3. Thou art better than ten thousand of us : Every man's life is valuble, 'tis the Creatures best inheritance; what was Christ's life, which was enriched with the continual presence of God?

6. This one to die so willingly, Psa. 40.7. Lo I come to do thy will : You cannot Meditate enough on these places, Pro. 8.31. Rejoicing in the habitable parts of the earth, and my delights were with the Sons of men. And Isa. 53.11. He shall see of the travail of his Soul, and be satisfied. He had contentment enough in the Father, right enough to the Creatures, rich in all the Glory of the God-head, what need had he to become man, and die for sinners, but only that he loved us, and gave himself for us, for me and thee, Gal. 2.20.

7. That he should die such a painful and accursed death. He bore the iniquities of us all, Isa. 53.6. The little finger of sin is heavier than the loins of any other trouble. David that bore his own sins, cried out, Psa. 38.4. They are a burden too heavy for me. What was it for him to bear the iniquities of us all? This made his Soul heavy to death, filled up with such bitter agonies, that he did sweat drops of blood. Alas sometimes we feel what 'tis to bear one sin; what is it to bear many? To bear all? He did not only bear them in his body, but in his Soul; this put him upon tears, and fears, and amazement. Now is my Soul troubled, what shall I say? John 12.27. As to bodily pains, many of the Martyrs suffered more, and with cheerful minds: But Christ stood in the place of sinners, before God's tribunal. Well then, you see what a powerful Argument this is to breed and feed love.

3. How this Argument is suited to breed that love which God expects, even a thankful return of obedience. 'It is proper for that purpose.

1. From the end of Christ's death. Which was to sanctify us, Eph. 5.25, 26, 27. Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he mighty sanctify, and cleanse it by the washing of Water, through the word; that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish. And Titus 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people. Not only redeem us from wrath, but redeem us from sin, to restore the Image of God, which we had lost, as well as his favor. Now unless we would have Christ to be frustrate of his end, and die in vain, we should endeavor to be holy; did he die for sin, that we might take liberty to practice it; come to unloose our cords, that we might tie them the faster, pay our debt that we might run on upon a new score? Make us whole, that presently we might fall sick; or give us an antidote, that we might the more freely venture to poison ourselves? No; this is to play the wanton with his grace.

2. The right which accrueth to our Redeemer, by virtue of the price paid for us. When a slave was bought with Silver and Gold, his strength, and life, and all belonged to the buyer, Exod. 21.21. He is his money. So we are purchased by Christ, redeemed to God, Rev. 5.9. And we are bound to him that bought us, to serve him in righteousness and holiness all our days, Luke 1.74. To glorify him in our bodies and Souls which are his, 1 Cor. 6.20.

3. The pardon ensuing, and depending on his death. 'It is that God may be more loved, reverenced, feared, and obeyed, Psa. 130.4. But there is forgiveness with thee▪ that thou mayest be feared: Luke 7.47. She loved much, because much was forgiven to her. They are bound to love most to whom most is forgiven, Psa. 85.8. For he will speak peace to his people, but let them not return to folly. The remission of sins past is not for a permission of sin to come, but a great bridle and restraint to it. His mercy in remitting should not make us more licentious in committing, otherwise we build again the things we have destroyed; when we sought for pardon, sin was the greatest burden which lay upon our consciences, the wound that pained us at heart, the disease our Souls were sick of; and shall that which we complained of as a burden, become our delight; shall we tare open our wounds, which are in a fair way of healing? And run into bonds, and chains again, after we are freed of them?

4. The greatness of Christ's sufferings showeth the heinousness and filthiness of sin. 'Twas God's design to make sin hateful to us by Christ's agonies, blood, shame, and death, Rom. 8.3. By sin he condemned sin in the flesh. That is, by a sin offering. God shown a great example of his wrath by that punishment which lighted upon our Surety, or the flesh of Christ; his design was forever to leave a brand upon it by his sin offering, or ransom for Souls. Now shall we make light of that which cost Christ so dear? And cherish those sins which put our Redeemer to grief and shame? If the stain and filthiness of sin could not be washed out, but by the blood of Christ, shall we think it no great matter to pollute and defile ourselves therewith? This were to crucify Christ afresh, Heb. 6. And to trample the blood of the covenant underfoot, Heb. 10.24.

5. The terribleness of God's wrath, which can be appeased by no other sacrifice. And shall not we reverence this wrath, so as not to dare to kindle it again, by our sins; for 'tis a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. 10.31. Christ's Instance showeth that; for if this be done in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

6. But the great argument of all is a grateful sense of our obligation to God and Christ. For God so loved the World, that when nothing else was fit for our turn, he sent is Son, and his Son loved us, and gave himself to die for us. Where we see the love of God putting forth its self, for our help in the most astonishing way, that can be imagined; this is such an engaging instance▪ so much surpassing our thoughts, that we cannot sufficiently admire it, A mystery without controversy great. We may find out words to paint out anything that man can do to us, or for us. The garment may be wider than the body: But things truly great strike us dumb. God being the chiefest good would act in a way suitable to the greatness of his love. Therefore let us love him, and delight in him, who hath called together all the depths of his wisdom, and counsel, to save a company of forlorn sinners, in such a way, whereby his wrath may be appeased, his Law satisfied, and full contentment given to his Justice, that his Mercy may have the freer scope, the sinner saved, and the sin branded and condemned. Oh what shall we render to the Lord for so great a benefit? Let us unboundedly give up ourselves to be governed, and ordered by him at his will and pleasure, no • loving our lives to the death, Rev. 12.11. Life must not be excepted out of this resignation, Luke 14.26.

4. How this must be improved. First by consideration. Secondly, By determination. For 'tis said, we thus Judge.

1. Consideration. Whereby spiritual truths are laid close to the heart, the Soul and the object are brought together, by serious thoughts; God will not govern us as bruits, and rule us with a Rod of Iron, by mere power, and force; the heart of man is overpowered, by the weight of reason, and serious inculcative thoughts which God blesseth to the beginning, and increase in our Souls: Therefore cast in weight after weight, till the Judgment be poised▪ and you begin to judge, and determine how just and equal it is, that you should give up yourselves to God, and to Christ, who have done those great things for you. God often complaineth for want of consideration, Isa. 1.3. But my people will not consider. And, Deut. 32.29. Oh that my people would be wise, and consider their latter end. And Psa. 50.22. Consider this, ye that forget God. Most of our sin and folly is to be charged upon our inconsideration; so also our want of grace. 'It is God doth renew and quicken the Soul, yet consideration is the means. The greatest things in the World do not work upon them that do not think of them. Therefore how shall the power of the word be set on work, but by serious and pressing thoughts? The truth lieth by, reason is asleep, till consideration quicken it. The fault of the highway ground is, they hear the word, but understand it not.

The first help of grace is attention, Acts 16.14. She attended to the things that were spoken by Paul. What is this attending, but a deliberate weighing in order to choice, minding, esteem and pursuit? Those invited to the wedding, Matth. 22.5. They made light of it. Non-attendency, is the bane of the greatest part of the World, they will not suffer their minds to dwell upon these things.

2. There is determination, or a practical decree. We thus Judge in all reason, when we have considered of it we cannot Judge otherwise; the Scripture often speaketh of this, Acts 11.23. He exhorted them all with full purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord ; 2 Tim. 3.

This, like a bias in a bowl, carrieth the authority of a principle in the heart; these decrees enacted in the heart are frequently mentioned in Scripture, in the case of religion in general, as, Psa. 119.57. Thou art my portion, O Lord, I have said I would keep thy words. Sometimes some particular duty, when the heart is backward, Psa. 32.5. I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord. Sometimes in compliance with some divine motion, Psa. 27.8. I said, thy face Lord will I seek. Sometimes after a doubtful traverse, or conflict with temptations, Psa. 73.28. It is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God. Generally 'tis a great help against a sluggish and remiss will. Christians are so weak, and fickle, and inconstant, because they do not use this help of decreeing, or determining for God, and binding and engaging their Souls to live to him.

VSE. It exhorts us,

1. To affect our hearts and ravish our thoughts, with this great instance of the love of God. 'It is the commending circumstance to set it forth, John 15.13. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. And, Rom. 5.8. God commended his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. God hath not another Son to bestow upon us a better Christ to die for us▪ love is gone to the utmost, nor can we be redeemed at a dear rater. That we may be affected with it,

1. Let us not look upon it only as an act of heroical friendship, but in the mediatory notion; for so 'tis most penetrating, and sinketh into the very Soul; and that's the way to draw solid comfort, whereas the other only begetteth a little fond admiration; we look upon it as an act of generosity, and gallantry, and that begets an ill Impression in our minds. But to look upon it as a mediatorial act breedeth the true, broken-hearted sense, and thankfulness which God expecteth. We all stood guilty before the Tribunal of Divine Justice, and he was surrogated by the covenant of redemption, and made sin and a curse for us. He was to be responsible for our sins, according to the pact and agreement between him and his Father, Isa. 53.10. There is the covenant of redemption described, When thou shalt make his Soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 'It is not to be looked upon as a strange history, and so to stir up a little wonder, or a little fond pity, as at a tragical story, but to fill us with a broken-hearted sense, and deep thankfulness, that the Son of God should come to recover our forfeited mercies: When we were sentenced to death, by a righteous Law, and had sold ourselves to Satan, and cast away the mercies of our creation, and by our multiplied rebellions, made ourselves ready for execution, then the Son of God pitied our case, undertook our ransom, and paid it to the utmost farthing.

2. Consider the Consequent benefits, both here, and hereafter, Isa. 53.5. But he was wounded for our transgr • ssions, he was bruised, for our iniquities, and the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. And, Rev. 1.5, 6. Who hath loved us, and washed us in his blood, and made us Kings, and Priests unto God. In the Heavenly Priest-hood nothing will appear in us displeasing to God. The love and praise of God will be our whole Employment. In expectation of this happy hour we must begin our sacrifices here.

3. Let us not by affected scruples blunt the Edge of our comfort. Christians would know too soon their peculiar interest in God's love, whether intended to us, and so disoblige ourselves from our duty. These affected scruples are a sin, because secret things do not belong to us, but the open declarations of God concerning our duty, Deut. 29.29. 'It is the part of a deceitful heart to betray a known duty by a scruple; we would not do so in case of temporal danger, if a boat be overturned, we will not make scruples, when any come to our help, whether they shall be accepted or not. Do not refuse your help and cure, but improve the offer, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a true and faithful saying. Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief. If Christ came to save sinners, I am sinner enough for Christ to save, creeping in at the back-door of a promise. God hath opened the way for all; if they perish 'tis through their own default. He hath sent Messengers into the World, Mark 16.16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned. And if you are within hearing the Gospel, you have more cause to hope than to scruple▪ Acts 13.26. To you is the word of salvation sent. Not brought, but sent. Know it for thy good, Job. 5.27. And rouse up yourselves; what shall we say to these things, Rom. 8.39. If God be for us, who can be against us ?

4. Though weak in faith and love to God, yet Christ died one for all. The best have not a more worthy Redeemer then the worst of sinners. Go preach the Gospel to every creature. Exod. 30.15. The Rich and Poor have the same ransom. 1 Cor. 1.2. Jesus Christ, theirs and ours. And, Rom. 3.22. Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all that believe, for there is no difference. And, 2 Pet. 1.1. To them who have obtained like precious faith with us. A Jewel received by a Child, and a Giant, 'tis the same Jewel: So strong, and weak faith, are built upon one and the same righteousness of Christ.

2. Let us devote ourselves to God, in the sense of this love, to walk before him in all thankful obedience. Christ hath born our burden, and instead thereof offered his burden which is light and easy; he took the curse upon him, but we take his yoke, Mat. 11.29. He freely accepted the work of Mediator, Heb. 10.7. Will you as freely return to his service.

SERMON XXVIII.

WE have handled the intensiveness of Christ's love, he died; the extent, how for all is to be interpreted; now the fruit, dying to sin, and living to righteousness. The first in this last clause. [ Then were all dead ] not carnally in sin, but mystically in Christ, dead in Christ to sin. In the Original the words run thus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , not dead in regard of the merits of sin, but dead in the merits of Christ, for the Apostle speaketh here of death, and life, with reference and correspondence to Christ's death, and resurrection, as the original pattern of them, in which sense we are said to die when Christ died for us, and to live when he rose again.

2. He speaketh of such a death as is the foundation of the Spiritual life; he died for them, then were all dead; and he died for them, that they might live to him that died for them, and rose again. Our translation seemeth to create a prejudice to this exposition [were dead] in the Greek, 'tis 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , all died, or all are dead, that is, to sin, the World, and self interes • s. And besides it seemeth to be difficult to understand, how all Believers were dead when Christ died, since most were not then born, and had no actual existence in the World, and after they are converted, they feel much of the power of sin in themselves.

Ans. They are comprised in Christ's act done in their name, as if they were actually in being, and consenting to what he did. In short, they are dead mystically in Christ, because he undertook it: Sacramentally in themselves, because by submitting to baptism, they bind themselves, and profess themselves engaged to mortify sin. Actually they are dead, because the work at first conversion is begun, which will be carried on by degrees, till sin be utterly extinguished.

Doct. That when Christ died, all Believers were dead in him, to sin, and to the World.

'It is the Apostles inference [then were all dead.] The expression should not seem strange to us, for there are like passages scattered everywhere throughout the Word.

1. Therefore I shall show you first, that this truth is asserted in Scripture.

2. I will show you how all can be said to be dead, since all were not then born, and had no actual existence in the World.

3. How they can be said to be dead to sin and the World, since after conversion they feel so many carnal motions.

4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect to make us die to sin and the World.

1. That this truth is asserted in Scripture. To this end I shall propound and explain some places. The first is, Rom. 6.6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should no longer serve sin. In that place observe,

1. The notions by which sin is set forth. 'It is called by the names of the old man, and the body of sin, and simply and nakedly; possibly by the old man natural corruption may be intended; by the body of sin, the whole mass of our acquired evil customs; by sin actual transgression. Or take them for one and the same thing diversely expressed, in-dwelling sin is called an old man. A man it is, because it spreadeth its self throughout the whole man. The Soul; for Gen. 6.5. 'tis said, every Imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually. The Body, Rom. 6.19. As you have yielded up your members Servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity, unto iniquity. And 'tis called an old man, as grace is called a new man, and a new creature; and it is so called because it is of long standing; it had its rise at Adams fall, Rom. 5.12. Whereas by one man sin entered into the World, and death by sin; so that death passed upon all, because all had sinned. And it hath ever been conveyed since from Father to Son, unto all descending from Adam, Psa. 51.5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my Mother conceive me. So that 'tis born and bred with us. And, Partly, because in the godly 'tis upon the declining hand; and draweth towards its final ruin and expiration. De jure, 'tis an old antiquated thing, not to be cherished, but subdued: De facto, 'tis upon declining, and weakening more and more. And this old man is afterwards called the body of sin, the whole Mass of habitual sins, composed of divers evil qualities, as the body of divers members; this is our enemy.

2. Observe in the place, the privilege that we have by Christ's Death: That our old man was crucified with him : That is, when Christ was crucified: And the Apostle would have us know this, and lay it up as a sure principle in our hearts; the meaning is then, there was a foundation laid for the destruction of sin, when Christ died, namely as there was a merit and a price paid, and if ever our old man be crucified, it must be by virtue of Christ's death.

3. Observe the way how this merit cometh to be applied to us : Something there must be done on God's part, in that expression that the body of sin may be destroyed : Which intimateth the communicating of the Spirit of grace, for weakening the power, love, and life of sin: And something done on our part, that henceforth we should not serve sin. There was a time when we served sin, but being converted, we changed Masters, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 6.18. Being made free from sin, ye became the Servants of Righteousness. Now he that hath been Servant to a hard and cruel Master, is the better trained up to be diligent and faithful in the service of a gentle, loving, and bountiful Master: Before regeneration everyone of us pleased the flesh, but when our eyes are opened by grace, we see the folly, mischief, and unprofitableness of such a course; and therefore can the better brook another service, which will be more comfortable, and profitable to us. And in this new estate we do as little service for Sin, as formerly we did for Righteousness, Rom. 6.20. When you were the Servants of Sin, ye were free from Righteousness ; when Righteousness had no power, and dominion over you; had no share in your time, strength, thoughts, affections, endeavors, you took no care▪ made no conscience of doing that which was truly good; you must now as strictly abstain from Sin, as then you did from Righteousness, yea, you must do as much for grace, as formerly you did for sin, verse 19 th. As you have yielded your members Servants unto uncleanness, and to iniquity▪ unto iniquity: So now yield your members Servants to Righteousness, unto Holiness : As watchful, as earnest, as industrious to perfect holiness. The next place is that, 1 Pet. 4.1. For as much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: For he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin. In that place there are three things notable.

• 1. The ground and foundation of the Apostles Argument.
• 2dly. The exhortation built thereon.
• 3dly. The reason connecting and joining both.

1. The foundation of his Argument is, that Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh. That is, hath in our name and nature, suffered the wrath due to us for sin.

2. The inference of duty built thereon; as that we should arm ourselves with the same mind. That is, we must follow, and imitate Christ also in suffering in the flesh: Or which is all one, a dying unto sin: This should be armor of proof to us, against all Temptations. If we had the same mind that he had, or could put on the same resolution, to wit, to suffer in the flesh, or crucify our carnal nature, lusts and passions: Strongly resolve to desist from sin, for which Christ hath suffered, how pleasant soever it be to our flesh.

3. The reason which joineth both the Argument and Inference of duty together, for he that hath suffered in the flesh, hath ceased from sin. This last clause cannot be understood of Christ, who never sinned, but of the believer; how shall we understand it of him? How hath he suffered in the flesh? And so ceased from sin? There are two expositions of it.

First thus; One that hath suffered in the flesh, that is, is crucified in his carnal nature, hath mortified his flesh; it hath not respect to suffering afflictions, but mortifying of sin, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath ceased from sin, no more to serve it henceforward, that he should no longer live the rest of his time in the lusts of the flesh, but according to the will of God: This exposition inferreth it from Christ's sufferings for us; that our mortification is in correspondence, and conformity to Christ's Death: And as necessarily flowing from the virtue of his cross, and the obligation left thereby on all believers. But the Second exposition maketh it clearer thus.

The believer is reckoned a sufferer in Christ: He hath suffered in the flesh; when Christ suffered judicially in his Surety, whatever sufferings were inflicted on Christ, the same are reckoned as inflicted on believers. And so to have ceased from sin, in regard of Christ's undertaking to make him cease from it: And the obligation which Christ suffering in his room, putteth upon him to mortify it: The matter is as certain, as if it were already done. Another place is that, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ. There are three Propositions included in that short speech: That Christ is crucified; that we are crucified; that we are crucified with Christ. It doth not imply any fellowship with him; in the act of his Mediation▪ there he was only taken, but we are spared: As Isaac was dismissed, when the Ram was taken for an offering, Gen. 22. And God saith, Job 33.24. Deliver him from going down to the p • t, for I have found a ransom. Or as Christ told his persecutors, John 18.8. If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way. His offering himself in that sort, was a pledge of his offering himself to the curse of the Law, and punishment due to sin, to exempt us from it. What then doth our being crucified with Christ signify? It implieth our participation of the benefits of his Mediation, as if we were crucified in our own Persons.

4. Considerations will clear it to you.

1. That Christ in dying, did not stand as a private, but public person, in the place and room of all the Elect; for he is their Surety.

2. That the benefits which are purchased in his Cross and Passion, are thereby made ours, as if we had been crucified in our own persons: We are really made partakers of the fruits of Christ's Death.

3. The great benefit of his cross, or Sacrifice of himself, was to put away sin, Heb 9.26.

4. Sin is put away, either as to the removal of the guilt of it, Matth. 26.28. This is the Blood of the New Testament which was shed for many, for the remission of sins: Or for subduing the strength of it, 1 Pet. 2.24. He bore our sins in his own Body upon the tree. That he being dead unto sin, might live unto Righteousness: He died not only to obtain forgiveness of sins, and reconciliation with God: But that we might die unto sin: So that his redeemed ones are strictly urged to mortify sin: Because the old man of indwelling corruption did receive the stroke of death, by his death: So that either in point of Justification, when Justice challengeth us for sins, we may send it to Christ, who died one for all, & may plead; I am crucified in Christ, he hath satisfied for me: Or in point of Sanctification we may, in the way which God hath appointed, expect the subduing of sin, as if we had merited this grace ourselves: 'It is a great advantage, when we can say, I am crucified with Christ. The next place is that, Col. 3.3, 5. Ye are dead, therefore mortify : 'It is spoken as a thing done already, ye are dead, yet there is a thing to be further done, therefore mortify. But how are we dead? Partly, in regard of the certainty, to assure us it shall be done: And Partly, to oblige us the more strongly to endeavor it. And Partly, because we have consented to this obligation in Baptism. All the members of the Church have engaged themselves to employ the death, and strength of Christ, for the subduing of sin, they are dead, as they have upon this encouragement undertaken its death, and in part already begun it.

2. How all can be said to be dead, when Christ died? Since most of the Elect were not then born or yet in being.

Answer, 1. When Christ was upon the cross, be sustained the relation of our head or Common Person. 'Twas not in his own name, that he appeared before God's Tribunal, but in ours, not as a private, but as a public person: So that when he was crucified, all believers were crucified in him, for the act of a Common Person is the act of every particular Person represented by him: As a Knight or Burgess in Parliament, serveth for his whole Borrough, and Country: Now that Christ was such a Common Person, appeareth plainly by this, that Christ was that to us in grace, what Adam was to us in nature, or sin: The First Adam was said to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Rom. 5. • 4. The figure of him that was to come. And Christ is called the Second Adam, 1 Cor. 15.45. The Second Common Person: So that as we had a death in sin from the First Adam ; so a death to sin from the Second: As we stood in Adam in Paradise; so we stood in Christ upon the Cross: Adams act in Paradise, was in effect ours: In Adam we all died, 1 Cor. 15.21. So Christ's act was in effect ours: In Christ we all died Spiritually, and mystically: Adam did as it were lend his Body in Paradise, we saw the forbidden fruit with his eyes, gathered it with his hands, eat it with his mouth, that is, we were ru • ned by these things, as if we had been by, and actually consented to his sin: So in Christ's representation on the Cross, all believers are concerned as if they had been by, and actually present, and had been crucified in their own Persons, and born the punishment of their own sins; for all this was done in their name, and • ead, that they might have the benefit.

2. Christ was on the Cross, not only as a Common Person, but as a Surety and Vndertaker. I say in his death there was not only a Satisfaction for sin, but an obligation to destroy it: There was an undergoing, and an undertaking. As he is set out in the Scripture under the notion of a Second Adam: So also of a Surety, Heb. 7.22. Christ is called the Surety of a better Testament. Now he was a Surety mutually, on God's part, and ours: First he was to engage for us to God, and in the name of God engaged himself to us: The tenor of both engagements is in Rom. 6.6. That the body of death should be destroyed, that we should from thenceforth no longer serve sin: As soon as we consent to this stipulation, this taketh effect: On God's part, Christ undertook to destroy the body of sin, by the Power of his Spirit, which should be given to us, to become a principle of Life in us, and of death to our old man, Titus 3.5. More particularly, we mortify the deeds of the body by the help of the Spirit, Rom. 8.13. The Holy-Ghost when he reneweth the heart, puts into it a principle and seed of Enmity against sin, 1 John 3.9. He cannot sin, because the seed abideth in him. And as that is cherished & obeyed, sin is resisted, and mortified: And he actuateth and quickeneth it yet more and more, that it may prevail against the sin which dwelleth in us. 2dly. As our Surety he undertook that we should no longer serve sin, that we should not willingly indulge any presumptuous acts, nor slavishly lie down in any habit; or course of sin: Or under the power of any arnal distemper, but also should use all godly endeavors, for the preventing, weakening, or subduing it; Christ's act being the act of a Surety, he did oblige all the Parties interested, he purchased grace at God's hands, and bound us to use all holy means of watching, striving, humiliation, cutting off the provisions of the flesh, avoiding occasions, weaning the heart from earthly things, which are the bait and fuel of sin, that keep it alive.

3. Our consent to this engagement is actually given when we are converted; and solemnly ratified in Baptism.

1. 'It is actually given when we are converted, Rom. 6.13. As those that are alive from the dead, yield yourselves to God, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , weapons ; we then give up ourselves to work, and first as to do his work, so to war in his warfare against the Devil, the World, and the flesh. Till the merit of Christ's death be applied by faith to the hearts of sinners, they are alive to sin, but dead to righteousness, but then they are dead to sin, and alive to righteousness and as alive from the dead, and then yield up themselves to serve, and please God, in all things.

2dly. That this is solemnly done or implied in Baptism. For when we were baptized into Christ we were baptized into his death, Rom. 6.3, 4, 5. In Baptism we did, by solemn vow, and profession, bind ourselves to look after the effects of Christ's death, to mortify the deeds of the body, or which is all one, renounce the Devil, the World, and the flesh. The Devil as the great architect, and principle of all wickedness, the World as the great bait, and snare, the flesh as the rebelling principle. Our Baptism is certainly an avowed death to sin, it implieth a renunciation by way of vow, for 'tis the answer of a good conscience towards God: And the ancient covenants were made by way of question, and answer, 1 Pet. 3.21. The very washing implieth it; washing is a purifying, and after purifying, we must not return to this mire again, 2 Pet. 1.19. He hath forgotten he was purged from his old sins. We promised to give over our old sins or as 'tis our first ingrafting and implanting into Christ, and his death, if when we are baptized, we are reckoned to be dead. The death of Christ, was mainly to put away sin, and to take away sin 1 John 3.5. And, Heb. 9.26. Now sins were not taken away, that men may resume and take them up again. The great condemnation of the Christian world is, that when Christ would take away their sins, they will not part with their sins.

3dly. How they can be dead to sin and the World, since after conversion they feel so many carnal motions.

Ans. 1. By consenting to Christ's engagement they have bound themselves to die unto sin. When we gave up our names to Christ, we promised to cast off sin, and therefore we are to reckon ourselves as dead to • in, by our own vow, and obligation, and accordingly to behave ourselves, Rom. 6.2. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? 'It is an argument not so much ab impossibili as ab incongruo: And ye are dead, therefore mortify your members that are upon earth, Col. 3.3, 5. If dead already why should they mortify? Dead, that is, bound to be dead. So a sinner when he giveth up himself to God doth honestly resolve and firmly bind himself to subdue corruption, root and branch, and to depart from all known sin.

2. When the work is begun, corruption is wounded to the very heart. And the dominion and reign of sin being shaken off, Rom. 6.14. Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the Law, but under grace. Sin is dead where it doth not extinguish the life of grace, but the life of grace doth more and more extinguish sin; there its dominion is taken away, though its life be prolonged for a season.

3. The work is carried on by degrees, and the strength of sin is weakened by the power of grace, though not totally subdued, Gal. 5.17. Ye cannot do the things ye would. They are not so active in sin, nor delighted in it; sin dieth, when the love of it dieth, and the pleasure of it is gone. Now the love of sin is weakened in their hearts, they hate it, though sometimes they fall into it, Rom. 7.15. What I hate that do I; 'tis enabling a Christian to die to sin and the World every day.

4. Christ hath undertaken to subdue it wholly in them ; and at length the Soul shall be without spot, blemish or wrinkle; Eph. 5.27. We and corruption die together; when Christ removeth the veil of the flesh, and taketh home the Soul to Heaven, 'tis without spot; the glorified saints have not one fleshly thought, or carnal motion, but are wholly swallowed up in the love of God. Therefore let Christ alone with his work, he will not cease till sin be wholly abolished. The foolish builder begun, but was not able to make an end; it cannot be said so of our redeemer; he that hath begun a good work will perfect it, Phil. 1 6. and, 1 Thes. 5.23, 24. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly. I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body, be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we come • o Heaven we shall not complain of hard hearts, or carnal affections, or unruly desires; as Naomi said to Ruth, Sit still my Daughter, the man will not rest till he have finished. This thing, God's work, now is but half done, continue with patience, in well doing, and in time it will come to perfection; Christ will not cease till all be done.

4. What use the death of Christ hath to this effect, to make us die unto sin and the World.

1. This was Christ's end. He died not only to expiate the guilt of sin, but also to take away its strength, and power, 1 John 3.8. That the interest of the Devil may be destroyed in us, and the interest of God set up with more glory and triumph. Now shall we make void the end of Christ's death, and go about to frustrate his intention, which was to oppose, weaken, and resist sin; shall we cherish that which he came to destroy? God forbid. There are some that abuse the death and merits of Christ for a quite contrary end, than he intended, namely to feed lusts, not to suppress them; Christ died to sinners, they say, and they resolve to be sinners still; these crucify Christ afresh, Heb. 6.6. They are not crucified with him, that was his end. Nothing maketh the Devil such a triumph, as when he supposeth God is beaten with his own Weapon; and that which should prove the destruction of sin proveth the great promotion of it, and the great hindrance of Christ and the Gospel, when poison is conveyed by this perfume. The Apostle never mentioneth this abuse of grace without abhorrence, Rom. 6.1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound ? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And, Rom. 6.15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law, but under grace? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . And, Gal. 2.17. Shall I make Christ the Minister of sin? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; absit a vobis haec cogitatio. Calvin. Christians should abominate the thought of it, as blasphemy and absurd. But again others reflect upon Christ's death only for the comfort of it; that is but half the end; you should prize the virtue, as well as the comfort. Paul desired not his righteousness only, but his power, Phil. 3.9, 10. Lusts trouble us as much as guilty fears. This being Christ's end, we should comply with it. Paul gloried in the cross as by it crucified to the World, Gal. 6.14.

2. By way of representation, the death and agonies of Christ do set forth the heinousness and hatefulness of sin. 'It is the best Glass to discover it to us, in its own colors it smileth upon the Soul with a pleasing aspect, but if you would know the right complection of it, go to Golgotha, and as you like the agonies of the Garden, and the sorrows of his cross, so you may continue your dalliance with sin, and indulgence to carnal pleasures. 'It is a sport to us to do evil; but it was no sport to Christ to suffer for it, it made his Soul heavy unto death. Never believe the enticing blandishments whereby it would inveigle you; think of the drops of blood, the tears and fears, and strong cries of Jesus Christ, the rending of the rocks, the darkening of the Sun, the frowns of an angry God, Christ's desertion, the burden he felt when he bore our sins Christ was the Son of God, knew his sufferings short, and a prospect of the glory which was to ensue, had no inherent guilt, knew not what it was to commit sin. He knew no sin, 2 Cor. 4.21. Though he knew what it was to suffer for sin. Cast in the dear affection that was between God and Christ, and it will make you tremble, to consider what he endured; it pleased the Father to bruise him. Oh know what an evil & bitter thing it is, what it will bring upon you, if you allow it.

3 It worketh on love. It should make sin hateful, to consider what it did to Christ our dearest Lord and Redeemer; surely we should not think it fit to go on in that course, which brought such sufferings upon Christ. By his love manifested in his sufferings, he hath powerfully constrained us, not to take pleasure in what put him to such pain and grief. We gush at the sight of one that hath murdered a friend of ours. When the Prophet saw Hazael he wept, and said thou art the murderer. We hate the Jews, and detest the memory of Judas ; the worst enemy is in our own bosoms; 'tis sin hath slain the Lord of Glory; the Jews were the Instruments, but sin was the meritorious cause. In this sense we made him serve with our fins, Isa. 43.24.

4. By way of merit. Christ shed his blood not only to redeem us from the displeasure of God, and the Rigour of the Law, but from all iniquity, Titus 2.14. From a vain conversation, 1 Pet. 1.18. From this present evil World, Gal. 1.4 Our dying to sin is a part of Christ's purchase, as well as pardon; he purchased a virtue and a power to mortify sin, bought sanctification as well as other privileges, paid down a full price to provoked Justice, to deliver us from the slavery of fin, and that the word and Sacraments might be sanctified, to convey, and apply this grace to us, Eph. 5.26. That we might be encouraged.

5. By way of pattern. Christ hath taught us how to die to sin, by the example of his own death, that is, he denied himself for us, that we might deny ourselves for him, and suffered pain for us, that we might the more willingly digest the trouble of mortification; when Christ pleased not himself, will you make it your business to please the • lesh and gratify the flesh? When he loved you, and gave himself for you, will not you give up your lusts which are not worth the keeping? 'It is true our sinful nature is not extinguished without grief, and pain and trouble; but was not Christ's death a death of sorrow and trouble, of all deaths most painful, and shameful? shall we wallow in fleshly delights, when Christ was a man of sorrows? The World must be crucified, Gal. 6.14. And the flesh crucified, Gal. 5.24. That is, it is to be put to death. It implieth crucifixion with grief, and shame; as sin is rooted in self love, and a love of pleasure, so it must be mortified by self denial, and godly sorrow. If nature shrink and cannot brook this discipline, remember Christ's agonies.

1. USE. To press us to make use of Christ's death for the mortifying of sin. 'It is useful two ways especially.

1. By way of obligation and engagement. As Christ dying bound all those that profess union with him, to die also; to die to sin, as he died for • in; which obligation we consented to in baptism: Therefore unless we mean to disclaim all union with Christ, to rescind and disannul our baptismal vow, or make it a mere mockery, we are strongly engaged to oppose, resist, & set about the Mortification of sin, in which the spectacle of Christ's hanging, and dying upon a cross will be a great help to us, and his love shown therein strengthen the obligation, and his self denial, and not pleasing himself, a notable pattern for us to write after him: Christ undertook that serious worshipers should serve him; 'twas a part of his Stipulation on the cross. We that are baptized into Christ, have put on Christ, consented to his engagement, and count ourselves dead in his death. Therefore we should cast away sin with indignation, Hes. 14 8. What have I anymore to do with Idols ? But because 'tis not done in act, as soon as 'tis done in vow, and resolution. Therefore let us every day grow more sensible of the evil of it, Jer. 31.18. More careful to eschew the occasions of it, Job 31.1. I made a covenant with mine eyes. Let us use all the means which tend to the subduing of it by prayer. For this I sought the Lord thrice, 2 Cor. 12.8. And, Col. 3.5. Mortify your members which are upon earth. Let us weaken the root of it, which is an inordinate love of the World, and hear the word with this end, that sin may be laid aside, and we grow in mortification, as well as vivification, 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. Let us deal with it, as the Jews served Christ, and let this be our daily task.

2. By way of encouragement. Depend on the virtue and grace purchased by his blood, and sufferings. There is a double encouragement in this work.

1. Because of the great virtue purchased ; and strength and assistance vouchsafed, Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.

2. The certainty of the event. 'It is secured to the serious Christian, and therefore the Scripture speaketh of it as done already: We are dead, your old man is crucified with Christ. I am crucified with Christ: Which giveth great strength, and courage in our conflicts with sin, we may triumph before the victory.

SERMON XXIX.

WE are still upon the second fruit of Christ's purchase, he died, that we might die in a conformity to his death; and he died that we might live with a respect to his resurrection. His death is the merit of it, but his resurrection is the pattern, pledge, and fountain of this new life. I propounded to speak,

• 1. Of the fruit its self ; the grace of the new life wrought in us, in conformity to Christ's resurrection.
• 2. The aim and tendency of that life. Which is to refer all our actions to God, that they which live should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him that died for them, and rose again. The Aim is propounded,
  • 1. Negatively ; Not to themselves.
  • 2. Affirmatively ; But to him that died for them, and rose again.

1. Negatively; Not to themselves : to their own ease, honor, and profit, their own wills own interests, and own ends.

2. Positively; To him : According to his will, for his honor, and Glory.

Doct. The duty and property of the spiritual life is to refer all our actions not to self, but to God.

For proof of the point take one place for both, Rom, 14.7, 8. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto God, or whether we die, we die unto the Lord; for whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. A Christian is not his own man, and therefore liveth not to himself, but he is the Lord's in his person, all his relations, enjoyments, conditions, interests, he is the Lord's by every kind of right & title, & hath not power over the least action that he doth, or comfort he enjoyeth; if health, wealth, uses it for God; if Children loves them in order to God; and therefore referreth all to God. In the Text the Apostle saith, none of us, none of those that are in Christ; the Apostle speaketh of weak, and strong Christians, they all agree in this, and he shrewdly implieth, that he tha • liveth to himself, is none of Christ's. Now not to self▪ for self denial is required as our first lesson, Matth. 16.24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself. Christ telleth us the worst at first. So see how peremptory Christ is, Luke 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not Father, and Mother, Wife, and Children, Brethren, and Sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. 'It is to late for the vote of man and foolish reason to interpose, out of hope to get this Law repealed. No, 'tis unalterably stated, that no interest of ours, no not life its self, which maketh us capable of enjoying all other worldly interests, can be pleaded in bar to our duty, or by way of exception, or reservation in our subjection to Christ. Now if self must be denied, & all the interests of it renounced, certainly we must not live to ourselves. God taxeth his people for their self-seeking▪ & self-aiming, Hos. 101.1. Israel is an empty vine, that bringeth forth fruit to himself. As a vine that only maketh a shift to live, and to draw • ap to its self, but bringeth forth no fruit to the owner. Certainly as in the Spiritual we receive all from Christ, we use all for him; as Rivers run into the Sea, from whence their Channels are filled; they do not live in Christ, that do not live to Christ. Visible, nominal Christians are as the Ivy, that closeth about the bark, but bringeth forth no Berries by virtue of its own root; but these really engrafted into Christ, do bring forth fruit to Christ.

2. To God, Gal. 2.19▪ I through the Law am dead to the Law, that I may live to God. There the Apostle showeth the ordination of the Spiritual life; as soon as we are alive by grace, we are alive unto God, and the stream of our affections, respects and endeavors, are turned into a new channel. So Rom▪ 7.4. Married to Christ, that we may bring forth fruit unto God. This, unto God, is explained, Col. 1.10. That we may walk worthy of God unto all pleasing. That is, agreeable to his will or word, wherein he hath declared his pleasure and stated the rule of our actions, so 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God. That's the end, and aim of all our actions, sacred or civil, spiritual or natural. God is the beginning and must be the end of all things. He is the absolute Lord, and the infinite and inestimable Good, in the enjoyment of whom our happiness lieth.

I shall observe something from the Text, and as the point is delivered in this place.

1. I observe, That this end of the new life is propounded disjunctively, for a man cannot do both : He cannot live to himself, and God too. A man cannot live to God till he hath denied himself. Before the fall there was no such things as self, opposite to God, and separate from him. But when man forsook God as his chief good, and last end, then self was set up as an Idol, in the place of God; for lay aside God, and self interposeth as the next heir; and what kind of self do we set up but carnal self? The pleasing of the flesh, or the advancement of a kind of carnal felicity to ourselves, in opposition to God, and disjunction from him: Thence we are bidden to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts. Before we can give up ourselves to the Service of God, Titus 2.12. mark the two things to be denied; ungodliness, and Worldly lusts. For when we fall from God, we fall to the World, or some inferior good thing, wherewith we please the flesh, and so make the earthly life, and the pleasure we expect therein, to be our chief good, and ultimate end, and bestow all our time and care upon it. Thence that dissuasive, Rom. chap. 13. verse. 14. Make not provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof. The unrenewed part of mankind do altogether spend their time in providing for the flesh, and seeking the happiness of the animal, and earthly life, apart from God, or in opposition to him. Now this disposition must be mortified, and cured, before we can live unto God. We must not live to ourselves; self is only to be regarded in a pure subordination to God, not as opposite to him, not as separated, and divided from him; only as self respects would tempt us not only to disobey God, but also to forget, and neglect God. Most will grant that we are not to mind self in opposition to God, but few consider that we are not to mind self apart from him; but God must be at the end of all our desires, motions, actions, enjoyments, though this latter be as evident a truth as the former. Natural self is to be denied▪ as well as corrupt self, as appeareth by the example of Christ, who had no corrupt self to deny, and yet 'tis said, Rom. 15.3. He pleased not himself. Christ had an innocent natural will, by which he loved his natural life, and peace; Father let this cup pass. But he submitted it to God; Not my will, but thine be done, Matth. 26.39. Therefore we also must not only deny self as corrupted by sin, but self as separate from God. How else shall we submit to God in these things wherein he may lay a restraint upon us, or put us to trial about them, whether we love them in order to him, they being things which otherwise we may affect. And besides, to love anything apart from God, and to seek it apart from God and rejoice in it apart from God, without any reference and respect to God, is to make the creature the last end, in which the action terminateth. Which is an invading of God's prerogative. But if these things be so, who then can be saved? For do not all love themselves, and please themselves, and seek their own things? If they do not love the creature, so as to fall into Gluttony, Drunkenness, Adultery, Oppression, and the like? Yet in the temperate and lawful use of the creature, who looks to God? I answer all the godly should, or else they are not godly, for there is no living to God, and ourselves, in an equal, or violent degree, as a man cannot go two ways at once, but yet there is self in the faithful in a remiss degree, even self-inordinately affected, that is either in opposition to God, or apart from him, in some particular acts, but the main drift and course of their lives, is to God and for God. Living to God or self must be determined by what the man is principally set to maintain, promote and gratify the end which he doth principally design, and endeavor after; what his heart is most set upon, what he seeketh in the first place, Matth. 6.33. The pleasing or glorifying of God, or the pleasing and glorifying of the flesh, in some inferior good thing. What is it they live for? So nothing in the World is so dear to you, but you can leave it for God. Nothing you love so well, but you love God better and can part with it for his sake, and lay it at his feet; nothing you would use and do but in order to God. But on the other side you give God a little respect, such as the flesh can spare, with the Fragments and scraps of the Table, when the flesh is full, and is satisfied; some crumbs of your estate, time, strength, but your life, and love is employed about other things; not careful to live to God, to serve him in all your affairs, to eat, and drink, and trade, to his Glory, and to redeem your time, to attend upon him: This they understand not, mind not, and therefore still live to themselves.

2. I observe that which is spoken of is living to self, and living to God. Living doth not note one single action, but the trade, course, and strain of our conversations, whether it be referred to self, or God; every single act of inordinate self-love is a sin, but living to ourselves, is a state of sin: A man lives to self, when self is his principle, his rule, and his end▪ The governing principle that sets him on work, or the spring that sets all the wheels a going; the great end they aim at, & the rule by which they are guided, & measure all things; if it be for themselves they have a life in the work. So the Apostle, Phil. 2.21. All seek their own things and not the things of Jesus Christ. Their own things are their worldly ease, and profit, and credit, when the things wherein Christ's Honor and Kingdom are concerned, are neglected: Any interest of their own maketh them ready, industrious, zealous, it may be, for Christ, when there are outward incouragments to a duty, but when no encouragements rather the contrary, then cold and slack: So on the other side, we live to God, when his grace, or the new nature in us is our principle, his service our work, or the business of our lives, and his Glory our great end and scope. When we have nothing, and can do nothing, but as from God, and by him, and for him, Phil. 1.11. Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the praise and Glory of God.

3. That love to God is the great principle that draweth us off from self to God: For 'tis said; The Love of Christ constraineth us : That's the beginning of all this discourse, such as a man's love, inclination, and nature is, such will be the drift of his life: And therefore self-denial is never powerful, and thorough, unless it be caused by the Love of God: But when a man once heartily loveth God, he can lay all things at God's feet, and suffer all things, and endure all things for God's sake: Men will not be frightened from self-love, it must be another more powerful love, which must draw them from it; as one na • l driveth out another: Now what can be more powerful than the love of God, which is as strong as death? Many waters cannot quench it, nor will it be bribed, Cant. 8.7. This overcometh our natural self-love, so that not only time, and strength, and estate, but life, and all shall go for his Glory, Revel. 12.11. They loved not their lives to the death: Self-love is so deeply rooted in us, especially love of life, that it must be something strong, and powerful, that must overcome it; what's nearer to us than ourselves? This is Christ's love. None deserveth their love so much as Christ. I know no Happiness but to enjoy his love, & glory; this prevaileth beyond their natural inclination.

4. The great thing which breedeth, and feedeth this love, is Christ's dying, that we might be dead to sin, and the World, and might also be alive to God. The object of love is goodness; now such goodness as this should beget love in Christ. This may be considered,

1. As to the intention of the Redeemer, Surely if he aimed at this, the love and service of his redeemed ones, 'tis fit that he should obtain this end: Now this was Christ's end, Rom. 14.9. For this end Christ died, and rose again, and revived, that he might be Lord of dead and living : Christ had this in his eye, a power and dominion over us all: That he might rule us, and govern us, and bring us into a perfect obedience of his will, that none of us might do what liketh him best, but what is most acceptable to Christ.

2. The grace and help merited. He obtained a new life for us, that we might be made capable to live, not to ourselves, but unto him: If he had obliged us only in point of duty to live unto God, and not obtained necessary grace to enable us to perform it, the love had not been so great; no, he hath obtained for us the gift of the Spirit, and the great work of the Holy-Ghost is, by sanctifying grace, to bring off the Soul from self to God, John 16.14. He shall take of mine and glorify me. This grace is not given us to exalt, or extol any other thing, but Christ alone, as Christ his Father, John 15.8. That grace we have from Christ, and the Spirit inclineth us to make God our end and scope.

3. The obligation left on the Creature, by this great and wonderful act of mercy and kindness, doth persuade us to surrender, and give up ourselves to the Lord's use, Rom. 12.1. I beseech you therefore, Brethren, by the mercies of God▪ that ye present your bodies, a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Take the Argument either from the greatness of his sufferings, or the greatness of the benefits purchased; still the Argument and motive is exceeding 〈◊〉 and prevailing; shall the Son of God come and die such a painful, shameful death for us? And shall not we give up ourselves to him, to love him, and serve him, all our days?

2dly. I shall prove it by reasons.

1. The title that God hath to us, we are not our own, and therefore we must not live to ourselves; but we are God's, and therefore we must live unto God: This reason is urged, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. What! know ye not that your Body is the Temple of the Holy-Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God: And ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price; therefore Glorify God in your Body, and in your Spirit, which are God's. How are we God's? By Creation, Redemption Regeneration and Consecration; in all which respects, God is more truly owner of you, than you are of anything you have in the World.

1. We are his by Creation, 'tis he that made us, not we ourselves, Psa. 100.3. What one member was made at our direction, or request? Much less by our help, and assistance: No, God framed us in the secret parts of the belly: Now if the Husbandman may call the Vine his own, which he hath planted, God may much more call the Creature his own, which he hath made: God made us out of nothing. The Husbandman cannot make a vine, he doth only set it, and dress it; but God made us, and not we ourselves; the Creature is wholly and solely of him, and from him, and nothing else; Therefore it should be wholly and solely to him, and for him. Self-love is God's prerogative, he alone can love himself, and seek himself, because he alone is from himself, and without dependence on any other, but we that are creatures, and depend upon God every moment, for his providential assistance, and supportation, are under the dominion and rule of him upon whom we do depend: And every motion and inclination of ours is under a rule: If we could any moment be exempt from the influence of his providence, we might be supposed to be exempted in that moment, from his Jurisdiction, and government: But man wholly depending upon God for being, and preservation, cannot lay claim, or title to himself, or anything that is his, no not for a moment: They were rebels against God's government, who said, Psa. 12.4. our tongues are our own, who is Lord over us. By what right can we call our tongue our own? We neither made it, nor can keep it longer than God will. He is the maker of all things, and therefore should be the governor and end of all things: 'It is a robbery, and usurpation of God's right, when you divert your respects from him, and set up self in his place.

2. By Redemption. That right is pleaded, 1 Cor. 6.20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God with your Bodies and Souls, which are God's : By Creation we owe ourselves to God, but by redemption we owe ourselves to him by a double, and a more comfortable right, and title: A man bought with another's money, if he died by his stripes, if he continued a day or two, his friends had no plea against his Master; the Law giveth this reason, for he is his money, Exod. 21.21. That is, his own purchase by money; but God hath bought us at a higher rate, with the Blood of his Son, 1 Pet. 1.18. The precious Blood of Christ.