A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF THE DIVINE LOVE OF CHRIST. Sermon V. 1 Cor. 16. 22.. If any man love not the Lord Iefus Chrift,let him be had in execration, yea let him be accursed unto the death. N Ow the next thing wee have to doe, is to fhew what kinde of love the Lord accepts; for hee will not take any kinde of love that is offered him, but onely fuch a love as he calls for, as hee requires. Thou must love him with all thy might, and with all thy ftrength. A publike perfon may doe more then a private. His example may doe much, or or he may command others, if not to doe good, yet to refraine from evill. God defires that thou love him with all thy strength; if thou knoweft much, thou must doe much. Befides fome things thou canst doe, namely, which others cannot doe without great difficulty. As fome men are temperate, some patient by nature. If thou art fuch an one, God requires more of thee then of another, for he accounts that which thou canft doe, without fet ting thy might to it, as nothing. It is not enough for thee to love the Lord, but thou must love him with thy might. The might of rich man, of a Magiftrate, of a Scholler, or whatsoever thou art, when thou fhalt come to the Lord with a fmall pittance, when thou haft opportunity to doe a great deale more, the Lord will not take it at thy hands. As a Landlord will not receive a fmall parcell, when the Tenant may pay a grea ter fumme, Neither is this a thing indifferent, for you to doe, or not to doe for God requires much of him, to whom he hath given much.” Hee gives us all talents which he puts as prizes in our hands, which he expects we thould lay out accor ding as we have received. Paul did no worke of fupererogation, though he was abundant in the workes of the Lord, continually fetting hîmfelfe about the worke with his whole ftrength. Thou must love him above all things elfe; Above all creatures, above that which is molt deare unto thee, yea, above thy felfe. And ifthou doft not fo, thou loveft him but as a creature which will not ferve his turne. Hce hath done more for thee then any creatue bath or can doe. He hath dyed for thee, hath given himselfe crucified for thee, he deferves therefore more love then thy pleafures, profits, or then any friend thou haft. You are therefore to love him above all,to imbrace & cleave to him chiefly, to make him wholly thine. But how can he(you will fay)be whoil y mine, feeing fo many have their parts in him? Yes, hee is wholly thine, and thou must bee wholly his. He is infinite, and so hath no parts, but is entire to every one, as every line drawne to the Center, may challenge the whole Center for it's owne, though there be a thousand fines befide. But what? muft I fo love the Lord, that I may, not love earthly things? Yes thou mayeft love them, fo that it be not with an adulterous love. Thou mayeft love them for God,as by them you may be enabled to ferve God the better. ob. Anfw. sob. Anfw. ob. But how fhall I know this adulterous love? When you love any thing, fo as it leffens your love to your husband, that is an adulterous love. Anfw. As when thou loveft fome pleasure and delight fo, as it takes up the minde and hinders thee in hearing, and will n t fuffer thee to pray without diftraction, but thy thoughts must be upon it, this love is adulterate love. Thou mayeft rejoyce, yet so as if thou rejoyceft not. As this joy hinders not thy walking with God, fo thou may M eft ob. Answ. ob. Anfo. eft labour in thy calling with a love to it, yet fo as it doth not draw away thy heart from God. But this is very difficult (will fomesay.) No,it is eafic. When God hath put this love into thy heart, the neceffity of it may make it eafie. Thou mayeft doe it, or thou canst not bee aved. Indeede it is impoffible for a man that hath fet his heart on riches, to remove it off againe of himfelfe. And in this sense Chrift Tpeake's, when he fayes, It is fo hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven. But when God hath wrought this love in thee, and hath revealed to thee the emptineffe and vanity of other things, it will be eafie, But I am not able to love the Lord above my felfe and all other things Yes, thou mayeft, if once thou art throughly perfwaded that hee is thy chiefeft good, and how miferable thou art without him thou wilt then bee content to forfake all, and to cleave to bim alone. A man that fowes Corne is content it fhould die, foas it may bee quickned againe and bring forth encrease. And therefore Paul, though hee faw the outward building of his body goe to decay, he cared not, fo long as he was renewed in the inner. So when thou feeft thy good conteined in him more then in thy felfe, when thou feeft thy happineffe laid up in him, thou wilt eafily bee perfwaded to leave thy felfe to injoy him: For thou lofeft nothing by lofing thy felfe,thy whole happineffe is in God. Againe, |