Mount Ebal, or A heavenly treatise of divine love Shewing the equity and necessity of his being accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ. Together with the motives meanes markes of our love towards him. By that late faithfull and worthy divine, John Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

Mount Ebal, or A heavenly treatise of divine love Shewing the equity and necessity of his being accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ. Together with the motives meanes markes of our love towards him. By that late faithfull and worthy divine, John Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

Table of contents

Title page

A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF Divine Love.

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A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF Divine Love.

1 CORINTH. 16. 22.‘If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be accursed; yea let him be had in execration even to the death, or let him be Anathema Maranatha.’

THESE words have little or no dependance on the words before going, which are these; The salutation of me Paul by mine owne hand: and the reason why he thus writes is, because there were many false Apostles, and counterfeit Epistles went abroad in the world, if not under his name; [Page] but hereby (saith he) you shall know me from them all, even by this my salutation, and subscription, as by mine owne hand; for in all my Epistles so I write, The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all, Amen.

Wherefore to consider them in themselves, St. Paul hating those (as we use to doe) who speake evill of them we love, doth here pronounce a curse against them that love not the Lord Iesus Christ; and the reason why he doth so, is, because he cannot endure to heare him evill spoken of by any blasphemous tongue.

So that this then is the scope and drift of the Apostle in this place, namely, to commend Love unto us, and above all other, the love of the Lord Iesus Christ, and to exhort us by all meanes thereunto; in which exhortation, let me desire you to observe with me these two reasons why we should thus love him. Whereof the

first is taken from the Necessity of it, he is accursed that loves him not.

second is taken from the Equity, or object of his love, the Lord Iesus Christ.

If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ, let him be &c.

There is not much difficulty in the words, yet fome there is; for clearing whereof, I will shew [Page] you what is meant by these two termes, Anathema, Maranatha, and so proceede: for the first (Anathema) it is a Greeke word, and it is as much as elevari, & suspendi, to be lift up, or be hanged, and it signifies accursed, by way of allusion to that opprobrious and cursed kinde of death, which was inflicted upon notorious and hainous Malefactors, who for their offence were hanged up upon a tree, gibbet, or any such engine, according as it is said, cursed is every one that hangeth Deut. 21. 23. &c. which place is againe alledged by this our Apostle St. Paul, to prove that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is Gal. 3. 13. &c.

Secondly, for the word (Maranatha) it is an Assyrian word taken from an Hebrew root, which signifies execration or cursing, (and therefore I so rendered it in the reading of it unto you) now in that the Apostle useth two words of diverse Languages, for the fuller expression of this his so fearefull a malediction and curse, as if one word were not enough, or that out of his zealous affection he could not so content himselfe with it, we may note that by how much the more the curse is greater, by so much the more grievous is the duty omitted, from which premisses we may make this conclusion, or draw this point of Doctrine. viz.

That he is worthy to be curst,Doct. (yea to bee curst [...]ith all execration) that loves not the Lord Iesus [...]rist.

[Page] For the further unfolding and opening whereof, consider with me these three things following, to wit.

First, what Love is in generall.

Secondly, what love to the Lord Iesus Christ is.

Thirdly, some reasons why he is worthy to be accursed that loves him not: of each of these in their order; and first of the first. What Love is in generall, and for that take this briefe description of it, viz.

Love is an inclination of the will, whereby it inclines to some good thing agreable to it selfe.

First, (I say) its an inclination of the will] where we may take notice of two things, both of the subject or seate, which is not any inferior part or faculty of the soule, but the will, one of the most supreme and potentest of all the rest. And what is the nature and property, the quality and condition of it? it is elicita, non coacta, not forced, but free; inclined, not constrained, for voluntas (as say the Phylosophers) est libera, the will is of a most absolute and free power, so that though a man may be compelled to doe something against his liking, yet he can never be forced to doe any thing against his will, at lest his will cannot be forced, that like a Queene in her Throwne is alwayes free.

Secondly, I say its an inclination of the will unto good; aut verum, aut apparens, either for that it is so indeede, or at least (for the present) appeare [...] and seemes so to be unto it, according to [...] [Page] trite and true axiome of the Schooles too, bonum est objectum voluntatis, the Adequate object of the will is onely good, yet not every good neither, but bonum sibi conveniens, such a good as is agreeable to it selfe, that onely is the object of love. Now by this you conceive the second thing, what love to the Lord Iesus Christ is: and it is nothing else but an intensive bending of the mind unto Christ, as the most necessary and suitablest thing for it that may be, the Summum bonum, the chiefest good of all that it can desire, so that it desires and loves nothing like him.

Now the properties whereby we shall know, whether our love to the Lord Iesus Christ be such or not, are especially these three.

First, it alwayes desires to have the thing it loves, cannot be contented with any thing else but him, as being the proper Center of the soule, which is never at quiet so long as it is out of his place; agreeable to that of a Father, Fecistinos Domine ad te, & inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescit in te, Thou hast made us O Lord, and our heart is never at rest till it rest in thee, it is his fruition that gives it satisfaction: againe, as it desires the fruition of him, so it desires as much,

Secondly, the conjunction and union with him, to be one with him and he with us; and therefore it hates whatsoever may hinder it, and seekes whatsoever may helpe it therein: and being thus once conjoyned, and enjoying it, it finally

Thirdly, seekes and endeavours the protection [Page] and preservation of the thing it loves, as it on the other side shunnes and avoids ought that might endanger the destruction thereof; and if notwithstanding it meete with it, interposeth it selfe betwixt it and that to defend it, as the arme wards the blow from the head, albeit it be to the wounding of it selfe.

And when these three concurre together, when our love hath these three concommitants, and is attended with these fruits and effects, as you heard before, that it thus desires the

fruition

conjunction

preservation

of Christ.

Then may we distinguish it from all sensuall and carnall love; for there be many sorts of love in the world, but it is all but worldly love, not spirituall and Heavenly love.

First, ther's a love of pitty, as when we bewaile a mans case, but hate his deeds, so are Malefactors beloved.

Secondly, ther's a love of desire, as when the stomacke desires sweete meates, the eare delightsome sounds, and the eye fine sights, &c.

Thirdly, ther's a love of complusment, when one lusts or longs after a thing with the whole heart or soule, so as he cannot subsist without it; as a woman with child lusteth and longeth after a thing she hath a minde to, which she cannot fafely goe without.

[Page] Fourthly, ther's love of friendship, when one man loves another for some courtesie or kindenesse he hath received from him.

Fiftly and lastly, ther's a love of dependance, when a man loves God more then himselfe, more then his life, and depends upon him for all good things belonging to body or soule. Or to be more briefe ther's a

naturall

sinfull

spirituall

Love.Deut. 21. 23.

The first, is betwixt parents and children, and in it selfe is neither good nor evill.Gal. 3. 13.

The second, ariseth from evill habits bred in the soule, and it is most hatefull to God, and makes us worse then the brute beasts.

The third, is that divine gift and grace of God which the Holy Ghost puts into our hearts, whereby we are more then men, and desire Holy things for themselves; and this is that love which the Apostle here calls for in this place.

Now if our love to the Lord Iesus Christ be such, we shall further know it by these two things which alwayes proceede and goe before it, as the former followed after it. viz. humiliation for sinne past, and faith in Christ for the time to come.

First humiliation for sinne past;Doct. for till a man come to have a sight and sense of himselfe by reason of his sinnes, he will never [Page] care for Christ; and when he hath beene thus cast downe, yet

Secondly, without faith in Christ, whereby he applies him to himselfe, and is perswaded that he is reconciled unto him, he will not yet love him, but rather hate him of the twaine.

Now the manner or meanes of getting of both these, and so consequently of love into our hearts, is by the preaching of the word of God, by prayer, and taking him when he is offered and given unto us in the same for that end.

But now we must take Christ as an husband takes a wife, or a wife an husband, out of love to their persons, not to their portions, and then shall we be the better subject unto him; but except we be first humbled (as was before said) for our sinnes, and consider in what neede thou standest of him, how that without him thou must perish; till then (I say) thou canst not sufficiently set by him, nor love him aright: but when thou knowest how necessary he is for thee, how alsufficient, and affectionate he is towards thee, then thou beginnest to looke at Christ as a condemned person doth at him that brings a pardon for him whom he loves and longs after, joyes and rejoyceth in.

And yet all this is but a preparative to our love of him; it is faith, that is the first fountaine, whereby we so love him, as that we can cleave unto him, with purpose of heart to serve and please him in all things, and this love which thus ariseth from faith, doth not onely beleeve that [Page] Christ is mercifull, and will forgive thee thy sinnes upon thy supplication and repentance unto him for the same, but also that he is most fit and conformable for thee, so that thou couldst finde in thy heart to be anathaematized for his sake, and to be divorced from all things in the world for love of him: And so much for the second thing also, I come now to the last; to wit,

Thirdly, to the reasons, why he is worthy to be had in execration, and to be cursed even to the death that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ? and they are chiefly these five.

First,Reas. because when Christ shall come and be a Sutor unto us to love him, and we refuse to doe it, and to be reconciled unto him and receive him, then he growes angry to the death; you may see this in the Parable of the Marriage of the Kings sonne, how wroth he was when he heard they had abused and beaten his servants which he sent to call them to theMat. 22. 1. 2. wedding: and therefore the Prophet David bids us kisse the Sonne lest he bee angry, Psal. 2. 12. and so &c. that is, as if he should say, when he offers himselfe to kisse you with the kisses of his mouth, be not too coy and curious, but imbrace his offer, returne his curtesie with the like kindnesse, and kisse him againe, lest he take it in great indignation at your hands; and be so angry with you, that you die for it.

Indeede when we knew not the Gospell, he was content, though we were froward and fruitlesse; but now that he sends his Desciples to [Page]preach unto all Nations, then if they bring not forth fruits worthy amendment of life, he tells them, the axe is laid unto the rootes, &c.

Secondly, because he that in old time brake the law, was accursed; now this was the Lords Commandement,Matth. 22. 37. that we love him.

But you will say, we are not able to fulfill the law of our selves;Object. and how then shall we doe it?

I answer,Sol. ther's a two-fold obedience, Legall, and Evangelicall, that requires exact obedience in our owne persons; but this requires no more but onely our endeavour, and faith in Christ.

Thirdly, because he loves something else more then God, and so commits Adultery; now shee that in the old law did commit Adultery, had a drinke of bitter water given her, which made her belly swell &c. Numb. 5. 15. so that shee died; how much more worthy of death is he then that thus deales with God, and going a whoring after it, commits spirituall fornication.

Fourthly, because that commonly belongs to Hypocrites, they are a cursed crew, to whom Christ shall say at the last day, goe ye cursed &c. Now all such as love him not, are, no better nor worse, but wretched and damnable Hypocrites.

Fiftly, because love governes the whole man, its as the Rudder of a ship, which turnes it any wayes; and so which way soever this affection of love goes, it carries the whole man along with [Page] it, and makes him leade his life accordingly.

Thus much then for the proofe of the point, before propounded.

Now for the application of it to our selves, that so we may the better make some use of it, for the direction and reformation of our lives and conversations therein: if it be so (as so you have heard it is) that it is such a sinne not to love the Lord Iesus Christ, that he is worthy to be accursed that loves him not; yea, to be had in execration &c. Then first it may teach us to looke to our selves,Vse. and be sure that we love him; and so looke at others, as that out of a godly zeale thou canst sincerely and truely say with Saint Paul here, let him be accursed, for this is an infallible and sure signe of this love which proceeds from faith, that when we see Christ trampled under feete, our hearts burne within us, as his did: there are some (saith he) of which I told you before, and now tell you againe with teares or weeping, that they goe about to pervert and turne others from the wayes of God: so that we may here see Saint Pauls disposition, he doth not say, cursed be he, but cursed is hee; from whence we may also note the difference betwixt the curses of the Law, and [...]f the Gospell: for the Law faith, cursed is he that continueth not in all &c. but the Gospell saith, cursed is he that loves not the Lord, &c.

Now if we love him, we will desire (as was said but a little before) to be joyned unto him, and to have his company, for how can that woman be [Page] said to love her husband that cares not for his company; so how canst thou say thou lovest the Lord Iesus Christ when thou lovest not his society?

Againe, if we love him, we will be content to have him upon any condition; for love is impulsive, the love of Christ constraines us (as the Apostle speakes) to doe what it desires; yet, so as not against, but with our wills, which it inclines thereunto: now if we doe not finde these things in us, we doe not love the, &c.

And therefore this Doctrine that he that loves him not is &c. it should teach us to consider our owne conditions, how we stand affected towards him, and whether we love him or not; and wee shall know it for certaine whether we doe, or doe not, by examining our selves by these quaeries.

First vvhether vvhatsoever good things vve have done, vve have done them out of love to God, and desire of his glory, more then of our ovvne profit, or out of custome; for othervvise all that vve doe is nothing vvorth; Christ respects nothing but vvhat comes from love, and that love from faith, if that be not the primum mobile, the first moover that sets us on vvorke, if vve goe not upon this ground, vve vvere as good doe [...]othing, for all the good vve shall get by it: ô that thou, that most of all despisest Religion, and scoffest at the zealous Professors thereof, vvouldest but throughly consider of this one thing, that he is accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ, and that all the good duties of piety, or charity which [Page] thou performest, if thou dost them not out of love, but more for custome then conscience sake, are rather abominable then any whit pleasing unto God; for then wouldst thou no longer content thy selfe with the forme of godlinesse, but labour for the power thereof.

But thou wilt say, how shall I know whether this that I doe,Quest. I doe it out of love to his name, rather then out of any hypocrisie, or love to my selfe? I answer.

You shall feele it, for love is of a stirring nature,Answ. and moves all the rest of the affections, as desire and longing after him, with hope that thou shalt obtaine him, and feare least thou shouldst faile of it; but yet still let me give thee this caveat, beware thou love him not more in regard of his Kingdome, then of his person, for then I tell thee true, thou lovest him not aright.

Secondly, consider whether (as was said) thou love his company, and delight in his presence, to have communion with him, to be talking to him by prayer, or to have him speaking unto thee by his word; so then dost thou pray not by constraint, but willingly; dost thou heare, reade, receive the Sacrament &c. not for fashion sake, but of faith unfained, in obedince to his commandement, then dost thou love him, but otherwise thou dost not.

Thirdly, dost thou love his appearing at the last day, canst thou say in the uprightnesse of thy soule, come Lord Iesus, come quickly? dost thou [Page] thinke it long first? and art not afraid when thou hearest of it, as Felix was, who trembled when he heard Paul discourse of Temperance, Righteousnesse, and Iudgment to come; but dost rather desire it, and wouldst be glad of it, and the sooner, the better? then (I say) also mayst thou resolve upon it, that thou dost assuredly love him, and that when he shall so come, he shall come without sinne unto thy salvation.

Fourthly, whether thou lovest him as well in health as in sicknesse, and in sicknesse as in health, as well in poverty as in aboundance, and in adversity as in prosperity, for so thou wilt, if thou love him truely for himselfe, and not for these.

Fiftly, marke this with thy selfe too, whether thy love be bountifull, as was that womans that had the box of oyntment, which shee powred on Jesus head, and as Abrahams was, who would have offered his Sonne, his onely Sonne Isaac for his sake; so (I say) examine thy selfe hereby, whether thou be content to part with the best things for his sake, as thy living, thy lusts, thy life; for he that loves any thing truely, will forgoe and give all he hath to purchase it.

Sixthly, looke whether thou seeke to doe the Lords will, and what may please him best; for love seekes not her owne, we see it in men who will take any paines, be at any cost, to get that thing for them whom they love, which they love to have, and so will we doe for Christ, if we love him, we will keepe his Commandements, and [Page] they will not be grievous unto us; yea rather it will be our meate and drinke to doe his will, and the dearer it costs us, the dearer will it be unto us.

Seventhly, examine thy selfe by this rule also, whether thou be content to doe much for him, not some things, and not othersome, but whether thou have an eye to all his Commandements, and all false wayes thou utterly abhorre; for faith (you know) workes by love, and love that proceeds from faith is not idle but operative, so that what is spoken of faith, may as truely be said of love, that its dead without workes, and therefore Saint Paul professeth of himselfe, that he laboured more then they all, which was an argument, that he loved much because he was in labour much; and so when our Saviour asked Peter whether he loved him, he puts him to worke, and sets him his taske saying, feede my sheepe; and last of all,

Eighthly, whether thou wouldest not onely doe, but suffer much for his sake, as David, when his wife Michal laughed at him for dancing before the Arke, he was contented to beare it, because he did it to the Lord; and so the Apostles rejoyced because they wer [...] counted worthy to suffer for his name Act. 5. 41.. And Saint Paul likewise when the people intreated him with teares, not to goe up to Ierusalem, because he should be bound, as Agabus had signified by the spirit unto him, answered them, Why doe yee rent my heart, I am ready not onely to be bound, but also to dye for &c. Act. 21. 13.

[Page] But thou wilt say,Object. I have no such occasions now adayes, if I had, I know not what I should doe.

But I answer,Answ. is it so? hast thou no such occasions? yes, thou hast occasions enough, as when he takes away thy wife, thy child, thy friends, thy goods, thy good name &c. if then (I say) thou canst beare it patiently with Iob, and say, it is the Lord giveth, and the Lord &c. or with Ely, it is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good: then thou lovest him, and yet thou must doe more then that, thou must not onely beare it patiently, but ioyfully too, as you heard before the Apostles did; lay thy selfe to these rules then, and try impartially whether thou love the Lord Iesus Christ or not; and forthy further helpe and more infallible notice thereof, to know whether thy love to him be pure and unfained, or whether it be false and counterfeit, take these more particular proofes of it; for assure thy selfe if thou love him aright (as we touched before) that then,

First thou wilt be content with nothing but love againe, so that as Absolon (though in hypocrisie) said, when as David had fetch'd him out of banishment, and confined him to his owne house that he might not see the Kings face, what doe I here, seeing I may not see the Kings face 2 Sam. 14. 32.? so wouldest thou say out of love to the love of God; what doe I here, since I cannot behold the faire beauty of the Lord? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon mee, or else what good will my life doe me; but if thou doe so, [Page] then thou shalt make my heart more joyfull and more glad, then they that have had their Corne and Wine and Oyle increased Psal. 4..

Secondly, thou wilt love the brethren, for they are like him, though he exceede them in the degrees and measures of goodnesse, as the Ocean doth a drop of a bucket, this is a pregnant proofe hereof, and therefore deale squarely with thy selfe herein. And the reason why thou canst not love the Lord if thou love not the Brethren, is because its an easier matter to love man whom thou hast seene, then it is to love God whom thou hast not seene; for use (we know) makes them comlier and hansomer; wherefore Saint Iohn saith, If any man say he loves God, and yet hates his Brother, he is a lyer, he deceives himselfe, and there is no truth in him 1 Ioh. 4. 20..

But thou wilt say, thou lovest them well enough. Dost thou so? then thou wilt love their company; for what we love and delight in, we are never well without it, nor cannot endure it out of our sight; and therefore when the Psalmist had said That all his delight was in the Saints, and upon such as excell in vertue Psal. 16., if you would know, how to know it was so, he afterwards tells us, That he was a companion of them that feare him, &c. Psal. 119.

But thou wilt say againe,Object. though thou dost not love them, yet God forbid thou shouldst be so bad but that thou shouldst love the Lord Iesus Christ. Sol. But I answer thee againe to that too; If thou dost so, then thou wilt love his appearing, for if thou [Page] wish in thy heart there were no generall iudgement, thou lovest him not, say what thou wilt to the contrary; as a loving and loyall wife cannot love her husband but shee will reioyce at his comming home when he is abroad, and the neerer the time approacheth, by so much the more ioyfull and glad will shee be.

Thirdly, if thou love him thou wilt speake well of him upon all occasions, and in every place where thou commest, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh; so that if thou speake well of God, but for fashion sake, not out of any true affection, but of feare, thou lovest him not; for he that loves him will be much in his praise, as we have an instance in David, so that if the heart be inflamed, the mouth will be open, thou wilt not be tongue-tied, nor ashamed of him, no not before Princes.

But thou wilt say, I am no scholler,Object. I cannot speake eloquently; if I could, then indeede I should not be so afraid, nor ashamed to doe it, as now I am, because I can doe it no better, nor Rhetorically then now I can.

But let me tell thee for thy comfort,Sol. let that never trouble thee, speake as well as thou canst, and thou needst care for no more, for that will beget more and more love in thee, and love that will make thee eloquent; we have a notable presedent for this in the Spouse, who because shee loved Christ, see how shee sets him forth, my beloved is all beautifull &c*. and it is most sure,Cant. 5. it [Page] will be so with thee; if thou love the Lord, thou wilt shew it by thy speeches, for thou canst not well speake well of him whom thou lovest not; but if thou hast no good thought of him, thy words will bewray thee; yea thou wilt not onely speake well of him, and of his wayes, but thou wilt also walke in the same, nor wilt thou stand pausing upon it, to consider whether thou wert best doe it, or no; but if it be about a good duty, as suppose keeping of the Lords day, hearing of the word &c. thou wilt doe it without any more adoe, yea though there were no promise nor profit to be got by it, for else thou dost no more but as a servant, not as sonne, in hope of wages, and not out of love, looking for nothing for thy paines: so did Saint Paul, he would preach the Gospell, though he had nothing but chaines and imprisonment for his labour; and why will he so? why? because God commands it, and its a good duty; so that if thou make a question of it, whether thou wert best to doe this or that good duty, or wilt doe no more then thou must needs, thou lovest not the Lord, for he that loves him, will doe whatsoever he can for him, and yet thinke all too little when he hath done too.

Fourthly, as thou wilt speake well of him thy selfe, so thou wilt not endure to heare others speake ill of him, but thy heart will be mooved within thee at them, and at any thing that might impeach and hurt his glory; as to see his Church lye wast, his word corrupted &c. so Ely was [Page] not mooved so much with the death of his Sonnes, as to heare that the Arke of God was taken*. 1 Sam. 13. and indeede they are bastards and not sons that can heare their father reviled, and railed on, and never be affected, nor offended at it.

Fiftly, if thy love to the Lord Iesus Christ be sincere and sound, thou wilt be loath to lose him, for we will rather lose all we have, then lose the favour and affection of a friend, whom we love intirely; and as thou wouldst be loath to lose him, so thou wouldst be as loath to offend him, or doe any thing whereby thou mightest be like so to doe; or if so be thou hast, thou wilt never be at quiet till thou hast gained his good will againe, whatsoever it cost thee to get it.

Sixtly, thou wilt linger and hang after him, as we may see in the woman of Canaan, she would not be said nay, but let him say or doe what he would, she would not leave him, but she still staid by him till he had granted her suite.

Examine thy selfe then narrowly by these signes likewise, and when thou hast done so, and findest thy selfe guilty in any, or all of these particulars, then confesse thy sinne unto the Lord, and beg the pardon of it at his hands, leave him not till he hath heard thee, and granted thee the request of thy lips, by saying unto thy soule, I am thy salvation; and witnessing with thy spirit, that thou art his child by adoption and grace. And so as I have hitherto shewed you some reasons, why he is accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ, [Page] ought to love him, and whereby thou mayst be incited and stirred up thereunto; for as David said in another case, the Lord is worthy to be praised, so may I say, the Lord is worthy to be beloved, and that in many respects; as

First, because he hath all the glory and beauty in himselfe that ever thou sawest in any creature, it is in its full perfection in him; whereas it is but in part in any creature, as the light is in its full lustre and strength in the Sunne; whereas the Starres and Planets have but a glimpse or beame of it, and tha by participation, and not in it selfe, as in a fountaine; and therefore the Spouse in the Canticles saith, that he is all glorious, or that all glory is in him; and this is the reason why some love him, and others love him not, because he hath manifested and revealed himselfe and his glory to some, and not to others, as unto Moses, Abraham, &c.

Secondly, he is unchangeable, ther's no man but that thou shalt at some time or other, see that in him, which might make thee not to love him, but in God we cannot finde any such matter, for he is Iehovah, semper idem, yesterday, to day, Iames 1. 17. &c. there's no variablenesse nor shadow, &c.

Thirdly, because he is Almighty, he can doe whatsover he will; there is nothing impossible to him; and as he is able to doe all he will, so he will doe all that he is able, so farre forth as it may make for his owne glory and thy good.

But thou wilt say,Object. why? is this such a loadstone of love?

[Page] Yes verily that it is, for by his omnipotency are understood all the excellency and glory, all the grace and vertues that are in God.

But thou wilt say,Object. I have often offended him, will he then yet heare me, or accept of my love for all that?

Yes that he will,Solu. for he is gracious and mercifull.

Oh,Object. but I have nothing in me, but am ready to offend him againe.

What if thou be,Sol. yet he is long suffering, so that he will not cast thee off, if so be thou wilt cleave to him?

Oh,Object. but how shall I know that?

I answer,Sol. thou shalt know it by his word; and that is truth it selfe; search the Scriptures therefore, and there thou shalt heare him say asmuch in plaine termes, he that commeth to me, Ioh. 6. 37. I will in no wise &c.

Oh,Obiect. but my sinnes are such strange ones, as no bodies are.

Suppose they were,Sol. yet his mercy is infinite, and farre more then thy sinnes are, or can be: but yet that is not so as thou sayst, for there have bin as great sinners as thou, whatsoever thou art, which yet neverthelesse upon their faith and repentance, have beene received into grace and favour againe; as were, Mary Magdalen, Peter, David, and diverse others besides them.

Oh,Obiect. but for all that I am not worthy of his love, and it will be a disparagement for him to set his love upon such a one as I am.

[Page] But what is that to thee?Sol. if he thinke thee worthy; as so he doth, for he sues unto thee, what needst thou stand upon that, why shouldst thou care for any more? now this is all the dowry and duty he askes of thee, for what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, ô Israel, but that thou love him*? Deut. 10. 12.

And moreover, besides this, consider that it is he that first gave thee this affection, that thou shouldst love him; and that ther's none other on whom thou canst better bestow it, or who more deserves it at thy hands, then he doth.

And finally, consider that thou hast engaged thy selfe unto him by vow in Baptisme, so that as Ioshua said unto the Children of Israel, yee are witnesses against your selves, that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him; so are yee against your selves, and every time that ye receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, you renew your covenant; so that if you love and serve not the Lord, you are so many times witnesses against your selves.

And here let us make some little stand to reckon up the severall circumstances that doe engage us to love him; as,

First, that he is our Lord, and hath bought us at a very high rate; now if a condemned person, or a man taken by the Turkes, should bee repleeved or ransomed by another, we would all thinke it his duty that he should love him as long as hee lives for it: and so stands the case with us, we all sate in darkenesse and in the shadow of death, and were taken Captive by Satan, at his pleasure; and [Page] Christ hath redeemed us from that his more then AEgyptian bondage,1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. and that not with corruptible things, as silver or gold, but with his precious blood, as of a Lambe without, &c. and doth not he then deserve thy love? canst thou deny him such a small thing as that is? Againe consider

Secondly, what he hath done for thee, even from thy youth up, how he hath fed thee, forgiven thee thine offences, and paid the debt for thee, when thou wast ready to goe to prison for it, so that now the Lord begins to grow angry with thee, if thou wilt not yet love him for all this; and yet this is not all, and therefore

Thirdly, consider also that he loves thee; now as fire begets fire, so doth love beget love, therefore saith Saint Iohn, we love him, because he loved us first; that is, his love to us should make us love him againe: but especially we cannot but love him, if we consider in the last place,

Fourthly, what his love is, for its unspeakeable, Ephes. 3. 19 and passing knowledge; we can never conceive the height and length &c. All which, what should it teach us, but these two things?

First, that if we will not love the Lord, Rom. 9. 22. he will shew his wrath, and make his power knowne upon us, that we are but vessells of wrath, fitted for destruction, as it is said. Againe,

Secondly, it should exhort us to love the Lord Iesus Christ; and therefore to provoke us thereunto, we should often consider, and thinke in these things, what right and title he hath to us, [Page] how much he hath done for us, and how greatly he loves: yea and more then all this, wee shall thereby also have these and these things, wee shall by this meanes reape these and these benefits.

First, we shall have his spirit, the spirit of truth, the Comforter which shall leade us into all truth, and enable us to fullfill his Commandements, and with facility and ease, whereas else they would be grievous unto us; as for example, Saint Paul would soone have beene weary of preaching and suffering so much as he did, if he had not had this love in him; and why doe parents thinke nothing too much for their children, but because they love them? therefore it is that though they bee froward and untoward, yet still they beare with them: if then we cannot finde in our hearts to be quiet, untill they looke to the Lord, like as the needle of a compasse which is toucht with a Loadstone, will never stand still till it comes to the North-pole; then may this be a testimony unto us, that may distinguish us from Hypocrites, and witnesse to our soules that we love the Lord Iesus Christ; for they keepe the Commandements of God in some sort, and abstaine from some one kinde of sinne, but not out of love to him, nor in any obedience and conscience of his word, but in love to themselves.

Secondly, this is a marke of thy Resurrection from the death of sinne, to the life of righteousnesse, hereby shall yee knew that yee are translated [Page] from death to life, because yee love the brethren, now yee cannot love them, but you must love the Father that begot them.

Thirdly, thou shalt get by this thy love to him, for when thou givest him thy heart, he will give it thee againe, he will onely alter the object, but let thee keepe the affection still, onely it shall be better then it was before, he will purifie it from all its corruptions, and cleanse it from all its sins: Nor shall this be any thing out of thy way, it shall be as much for thy profit as ever it was before, for when thy heart is set to keepe his Commandements, when it inclines to his statutes, (as so hee will incline it) then whatsoever thou dost, Esay 58. 14. it shall prosper: so that as its said of the Sabbath, that it was made for man; that is, for mans good; so may we say the same of all the rest of the Commandements, that it is made for man; that is, for his good and benefit,Deut. 5. 33. and therefore the promise of life and happinesse is made to all alike.

And here by the way take this difference along with thee, to distinguish thy love from selfe love, for that is all for it selfe, but this is all for him whom thou lovest; if then thou love the Lord for thine owne good, it is selfe love, but if thou love him for himselfe, simply without any respect to the recompence of reward, then is it true love indeede.

Fourthly, wee shall receive much comfort by loving the Lord: now what is that keepes us from loving of him but our pleasures? we are [Page] loath to part with them, and yet alas we shall receive much more, and they farre more substantiall, sollider, and sounder comfort by loving of him, then ever we should by loving of the world, or the things of the world. Now doe but thinke how good a thing it is to love one that is but like thee? much rather shouldst thou love one that died for thee; wherefore if thou wouldst have thy heart filled with joy and comfort, love him; for so thou shalt have joy unspeakeable and glorious. And last of all, if thou wouldst indeede unfainedly love the Lord Iesus Christ; consider,

Fiftly, that it makes thee a more excellent man then thou wast before; for every man is better or worse according to his love, as it is set on things better or worse; now Christ is the Summum bonum, the chiefest good, and if thou love him, thou art united unto him, and to his God-head, for love is of a uniting nature.

Thou wilt say,Quest. these are indeede good motives to make us to love him, but how shall I come by this love? or by what meanes shall I get this love into my heart?

For answer whereunto, I tell thee, first of all,Answ. that if thou canst but unfeinedly desire to love him, thou hast halfe done this worke already; and that thou mayst have such a desire, meditate often upon those motives before.

This is the answer Christ himselfe gave to his Disciples, when they asked him, how they should get faith; why, saith he, if you have faith [Page]but as a graine of mustard feed, you should say to this mountaine, be thou removed, and be thou throwne into the midst of the Sea, &c. thereby shewing them the excellency of it, that so he might the more enamour them with the love of it, and make them desire it above all that they could imagine and thinke of besides, in comparison thereof: but if thou wouldst (as thou sayst thou desirest to) love the Lord Iesus Christ indeede, with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with &c. I answer, and add againe, thou canst not use a better meanes to attaine thereunto, and get the love of him into thy heart then these.

First, pray unto God for it, for all graces are his gifts, they are meere Donatives, and hee hath promised to heare them that aske in his Sonnes name, and to give the spirit to them that aske it, that is, to give the gifts and graces thereof unto them; nor is he any niggard, for he giveth liberally, and obraideth not.

But thou wilt say,Quest. how doth prayer beget love?

I answer, it begets it two wayes.

First,

Answ.

by prevailing with God.

Secondly, by familiarity with him.

First, I say, by prevailing with God; so did Iaacob, and the woman of Canaan, for considering that he hath condescended to their request; that he hath granted their suite, and heard their petition, and that in such a matter, as they are never able to make him any part of amends; as the [Page] forgivenesse of their sinnes; why, then they thinke that to love him, is one of the least things they can doe for him, so Mary Magdalen loved much, because much was forgiven her.

Secondly, by familiarity with him, we have a saying, that nimium familiaritatis contemptum parit, that too much familiarity breeds contempt; and however amongst some men it may sometimes fall out so, yet its seldome seene amongst those that are intimate friends indeede; or say it should, yet I say, it never so comes to passe betwixt God and the faithfull soule; but by how much the more familiar and frequent they are together, by so much the more fervent and indissoluble is their love: and this is most certaine, that a man that is a stranger may with thee well, but cannot truely love thee, till he be acquainted with thee; so neither canst thou love the Lord as thou shouldst, so long as you are strangers one to another; and what brings us and the Lord better acquainted together, then prayer? wherein (as it were) thou talkest familiarly with God; even as a man talketh with his friend face to face: this is the first meanes.

Secondly, desire the Lord to shew himselfe unto thee, as Moses did, for this is a strong motive and meanes to make thee love him; therefore (saith our Saviour to his Disciples that) hee that loveth him, shall bee beloved of his Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my selfe unto him*,Ioh. 14. 21. which is, as if he had said, if you would know how [Page] you shall come to love me, or my father, it shall be by this way or meanes; I will manifest my selfe unto you, I will shew you my glory, and then you cannot choose but love mee, though you loved me not before.

Now the ordinary way and meanes whereby he reveales himselfe unto any one, is by the preaching of the word, which though it be but a dead letter in it selfe, yet when hee puts life and spirit into it, and opens our hearts, as he did open Liddeahs thereby, then we see and conceive his mercy and our owne wretched vilenesse, whereupon we cannot but love him, knowing how hee hath loved us, and gave himselfe for us: and therefore the Apostle prayeth, That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ would give the Ephesians the spirit of knowledge, Ephes 1. 17, 18. wisdome, and revelation, that the eyes of their understanding being enlightened, they may know what is the hope of his calling, and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in his Saints*; as if he had said, if you know but these things, then there is no doubt to be made of it but that you will love him, as well as one would desire: for this is one sure ground why we love him not, or love him no better then we doe, because wee know him no better; we are ignorant of him, and ignoti nulla cupido (as it is said) there is no love, no longing desire after that which we know not, or know not the worth and necessity of it: as a sicke man hath no thought after the soveraigne druggs in the Apothecaries shop, because hee is [Page] ignorant of any such matter; whereas the skilfull Physitian seekes out and sends for them: and as an ordinary rusticke, cares not for a precious pearle, but casts it away when he findes it; which if an expert Lapidary had it, hee would set much by it, because he knowes the price and worth of it well enough: and thence it is, that when the Prophet David had professed his love to God, saying, I will love thee ô Lord my strength; Psal. 18. 1. hee afterwards addes (as it were) the reason or ground of that his love towards him; because hee bowed the Heavens and came downe. Whats that? why that he had made himselfe knowne unto him:ver. 9. he had declared his power and might in his deliverance, and that was it that made him love him; if therefore thou wilt but desire (I say) to love him, he will inflame thy heart with the love of him; yea he will open the Heavens, and thou shalt see him sitting on the right hand of God;Act. 7. 56. as Saint Steven did.

But thou wilt say, all these are the workes of God, and they extraordinary ones too;Quest. but what must I doe for my part, to have the love of God in my heart? to which I answer.

First, no; it is no such extraordinary thing for God to reveale himselfe to his Saints;Answ. it is an usuall manner with him; but yet,

Secondly, thou must doe these things thy selfe: First, thou must looke how he hath revealed himselfe in the Scriptures, to be a most glorious and gracious God, a mercifull Father in Iesus [Page]Christ, slow to anger, and of much mercy; and now when we perceive him to be such a one, we cannot but love him, and long after him with all our hearts.

Secondly, we must consider our owne misery; this made Mary to seeke after him, and were it not but that we stand in neede of him, but that wee know wee are undone and damned without Christ, wee should never care so much for him, for the whole have no neede of the Physitian, that is, they care not for his skill, nor his helpe; but they that are sicke, they that know their owne wants and weakenesses, they know how to value and esteeme of him: and so we, when we see we are wounded by sinne, and sicke unto death, then will we enquire and seeke out for the spirituall Physitian of our soules, Christ Iesus.

Thirdly, we must humble our selves before him confessing our sinnes, and that in particular, as many as we can, by the omission of such and such good duties, and the commission of these and these sinnes: especially we must confesse our beloved bosome-raigning sinnes; so the Prodigall Sonne confessed, that he had sinned especially against Heaven, and before his father, by ryotous living, Luke 15. 19. whereby he was unworthy to be called his sonne, and did desire onely to be as one of his hired servants: and now when he saw his father notwithstanding make him so welcome, who had so meane a conceit of himselfe, that he put a ring upon his finger, and shooes on his feete, &c. then [Page] he loved him much more:Psal. 4. and so it is with Christ and us, when we are once out of love with our selves, and yet perceive that he loves us, who are not worthy to be beloved, then that makes us love him againe, and the more lowly we are in our owne eyes, the more highly doe we esteeme Christ, and Christ us.

Fourthly, and lastly, thou must first of all get faith, for as thy faith is stronger or weaker, so is thy love more or lesse; if thou hast but a little faith, thou hast but a little love, for faith is the ground of love, as the promises are the ground of faith. Now so long as thou dost not beleeve that he hath satisfied the divine wrath and justice of God for thee, and that God hath accepted the attonement for thee in him, thou canst never love him as a brother or friend, but rather feare him as an enemy or Judge; pray therefore with the Desciples, Lord encrease our faith, and therefore ply the ministery of the word, for that is the meanes whereby faith is wrought and begotten in any one*;Rom. 10. 17. else (I say) againe, thou canst never truely love him, but as thou dost another man which thou knowest not whether hee love thee againe, or no; and so thou mayst hate him againe at some time or other for all that: but labour for faith, and that will breede love; and then if thou love him he will surely love thee; yea, indeede, thou couldst neither love nor beleeve in him, were it not but hee loves thee first.

But thou wilt say, how shall I know that?Quest. I answer.

[Page] It is the Apostle Saint Iohns owne words,Ans. or rather his words by that his Apostle; wee love him, 1 Ioh. 4. 19. because hee loved us first. And besides his word (though that were enough) thou hast his seale, he hath given thee his Sonne, who hath given his life for thee, and shed his most precious blood for thy salvation; and would he have done this for thee (thinkest thou) if he had not loved thee? no, but herein is love, not that wee loved God, but that God loved us, and sent his Sonne to die for us, that so by the blood of the new Testament hee might seale the same unto us*;1 Ioh. 4. 10. and even yet by his spirit, hee still sues unto us for our love, as a further testimony thereof.

Oh but (thou wilt say), I am not worthy of so great love,Object. for I am a sinner, disobedient, and rebellious.

But I answer, what dost thou tell him of that? what if thou wert the chiefe of sinners;Answ. he knew that before he gave thee his Sonne; and he gave him unto thee the rather, because he knew thou wast so, for he justifies the ungodly; that is, those that condemne and judge themselves to be so; so that if thou wilt but beleeve in him, and imbrace him, it is as much as he desires of thee.

But thou wilt say,Object. it may be he is affected to this or that person, and not to me: to which I answer againe.

That his commission is generall;Solu. Goe preach unto all nations, Matth. 28. 19. baptizing them &c. And so is his invitation too;Matth. 11. 28. Come unto mee all you that labour &c. [Page] so that if thou wilt but beleeve and come in unto him, thou shalt be saved; for he casts out none that come in unto him (as you heard before) Ioh. 6. 37.

And when thou hast considered this, then begin to argue and reason thus with thy selfe; sith the promise is made to all, I know I am one of that number, and then thou wilt begin to love him for all thou art a sinner, yea thou wilt love him so much the more for that, to consider that for all that he loved thee.

Oh but (thou wilt say) I see I sinne dayly and hourely, and that againe and againe, against many vowes and promises,Obiect. against many mercies and meanes of better obedience

But I answer; what though thou dost?Sol. remember that as there's a spring of sinne and corruption in thee, so there's a spring of mercy and compassion in God; and that spring is set open for sinne and for uncleanesse, to wash and purge thee from the same, so that still (I say) if thou wilt but love and beleeve in him, he will love thee; for notwithstanding all this, hee still woes and sues unto thee for thy love, and therefore stand no longer out with him, but come in with all the speede thou canst make, which that thou mayst the better doe, thou must remove these two hinderances out of the way

Strangenesse,

Worldly mindednesse.

[Page] First, Strangenesse] for strangenesse begets coldnesse of love, whereas familiarity (as I told you) procures boldnesse in the day of judgment.

But (thou wilt say) how shall I come to be acquainted with God?Quest.

How?Answ. why be much in his praise, in hearing of the word, and receiving of the Sacrament, there is a communion of Saints (you know) and so there's a communion of God with the Saints; let us therefore be carefull to maintaine this communion betwixt us; by having recourse unto him in his ordinances, and seeking unto him for comfort in all our troubles and adversities.

Secondly, Worldly mindednesse] that also begets coldnesse of affection, and want of love to the Lord Christ, and therefore hee circumcises the heart;Deut. 30. 6. that is, he puts off all carnall and worldly affections from it, that so thou mayst not love the world, nor the things of the world, but may love him with all the heart, and with all &c. for the love of the world is enmity with God, so that if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him, for you cannot serve God and Mammon; and therefore our Saviour saith, That we must not onely forsake, but hate father, and mother, and wife, and children, and house, and lands for his sake and the Gospells; or else we cannot be his Disciples: so did the Apostles, we have forsaken all and followed thee. Wherefore let us not set these things too neere our hearts, but considering what it is that keepes us asunder; as vaine [Page] hopes, worldly feares, fantasticke pride, pleasures, profits, and the like, let us cashiere them, and cast them from us; for what are all these, and all such as these are? but vaine things that cannot profit in the evill day.

And therefore as Samuel exhorts the people of Israel, Turne not aside from the Lord unto them, either to the right hand or to the left; for they cannot profit, because they are vaine.

But (thou wilt say) will God then be content with any love?Quest.

I answer, no truely that he will not neither;Answ. what then? Answer.

First, thou must love him withall thy strength, and with all thy power, with all the parts and faculties of soule and body.

Now it may be thou art a Magistrate, a master of a family, a Minister, a Tutor, or any other governour, and then thou must doe God more service then another private and inferiour person; thou mayst compell them that are under thee, to love the Lord by thy authority and example; God lookes for this (I say) at thy hands; for to whom much is given, of them much shall be required; thou art but as a servant sent to market, which must give an account for what hee hath received, and the more money hee hath given him to bestow and lay out, the more commodities his master lookes he should bring home with him for it; so the more wit or understanding, or learning, or knowledge, or authority, and power [Page] thou hast, the more love must thou beare unto Christ, and shew it by thy bringing forth more fruits thereof unto him, then others that have none of all these oportunities, or not in so great a measure as thou hast, this is the first thing.

Secondly, thou must love him above all things in the world besides, whether it be pleasure, or honour, or pride, or profit, or what else thou wilt, or canst name besides; yea thou must love him above thy selfe and thine owne salvation; so that if his glory, and any, or all of these come in competition together, thou canst be content to be accursed for his sake, to have thy name razed out of the booke of life, and to be Anathema for Christ; then is thy love such as God will accept of, for this is that selfe-deniall which Christ himselfe speakes of, and calls for of us.

But thou wilt say,Object. durus est hic sermo, this is an hard saying, how shall I be able to doe this? to which I answer.

Thou shalt doe it the better,Sol. by considering that he is better then all things, and that the whole world is not to be compared with him;Rom. 8. 18. I count that all the afflictions of this life, are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed (saith the Apostle) and that made him endure such persecutions for the Gospell as he did, with joy and patience; and so if thou be once come to that passe as to know and be perswaded in thy conscience, of the incomparable worth and excellency of Christ, thou wilt make more reckoning of him, then of all [Page] the world besides; for as he himselfe said of himselfe, He that will not deny himselfe, and take up his crosse, and follow mee, is not worthy of mee; so he that loves any thing else above, or equall with Christ, is not worthy of him; no, thou must be wholly his as he is, as he is wholly thine, Hos. 2. 19. and hath betroathed thee unto himselfe; so that as a Virgin that hath betaken her selfe to an husband, must forsake all other, and cleave or keepe her constantly unto him, so long as they both shall live; so wee, being married unto Christ, must not play the Harlot, and goe a whooring after other Gods, but must be wholly his, as he is wholly thine.

But thou wilt say, he is not wholly mine, for he is the Saints too.Object.

To which I answer; he is indivisible,Solu. hee is not divided, but is wholly thine as wel as theirs, so then if thou wilt love the Lord Christ truely and purely, as he would thou shouldst, thou must love him so, as that all that is within thee be set upon him.

But (thou wilt say againe yet further) what,Quest. must wee love nothing else but him then? to which I answer.

Yes that thou mayst,Ans. so as it be with a subordinate, and not with an adulterous love, as a woman may love another man besides her husband, but it must not be with such a love as she loves her husband withall, she may not love his bed; it must be onely with a neighbourly and civill, but [Page] not with a conjugall or matrimoniall love, and so thou mayst love thy lands, thy life, thy friends, &c. but so as thou art ready to part with all for love of Christ: so that hereby shalt thou know whether thy love be an adulterous love or not, if when he bids us follow the duties of our callings, and we suffer our selves to be drawne away by vaine delights,1 Cor. 7. 24. and doe not therein abide with God (as the Apostle speakes;) that is, use it not to the glory of God, and the good of the Church and Common-wealth wherein we live; and so for any other matter, if we cannot be content it should give place to Christ, then is our love unlawfull and adulterous, yea if our lives lay upon it, if we doe not yet preferre him before them, wee are not worthy of him, we love our selves more then him, it is no true love of Christ.

But thou wilt say,Object. this is impossible, that a man should thus love God more then himselfe, more then his soule.Sol.

I answer, I deny not but that it may seeme so to flesh and blood; but yet thou must know, that to a man truely regenerate it is not so; for (as Saint Paul saith) I am able to doe all things through Christ that strengthens me: those things that to the eyes of carnall reason seeme hard and difficult, to them that are spiritually enlightened, are facile and easie to be done, and so is this.

Thirdly, If thou wouldst have thy love pleasing to God; thou must have it grounded on him, and that requires two things.

[Page] First, It must be grounded on faith in his promises, revealed unto thee in his word; for without faith, it is impossible to please God, neither is it so much love, as presumption that hath not this foundation.

Secondly, it must be grounded on his person, not on his prerogatives or priviledges which thou shalt get thereby, for if we love him onely for his Kingdome, and not for his person (as we doe when we cannot be content to suffer temptation and persecution for his sake) then he cares not for thy love, because it is selfe love, and not love of the Lord Iesus Christ, for then if it were, thou wouldst respect nothing else but him.

Fourthly, thy love must be a diligent love, ready to reforme any thing that is amisse in thee, or which may dislike him;1 Thes. 1. 3. which whether it be so or no, thou mayst try it by these three markes or tokens following.

First, it will cause thee to put on new apparrell; a woman that loves her husband, will attire her selfe according as she thinkes it will please him best, and give him most content, especially when shee is to be married unto him, then she will have a wedding garment that may set her forth, so as he may take the better liking in her: so thou, if thou hast put off the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceiveable lusts of the flesh, and hast put on the new man, which after God is created in knowledge, righteousnesse, and true holinesse; if thou be cloathed with the wedding garment [Page] of Christs righteousnesse, and givest diligence thereunto, to make thy calling and election sure, then mayst thou be sure thou lovest him, and that he accepts of that thy love from thee.

Secondly, It will open and enlarge thy heart towards him, so as thou wilt dayly love him more and more, (so saith the Apostle Saint Paul) my heart is enlarged towards you ô yee Corintheans; it is not any scanty or niggardly kinde of love that hee will like of, but a full, free, and liberall one; so that if thou canst not be content to be at some cost and charges for the maintenance of the Gospell, and the enjoyment of his love, thou lovest him not, or at least he regards not thy love whosoever thou art.

Thirdly, it cleanseth thy heart, what is said of hope, is as true of love; he that hath this love in him,1 Ioh. 3. 3. purifies himselfe as he is pure, and of faith it purifies the heart, and so doth love; therefore saith the Apostle againe, Ye were thus and thus, but yee are washed, 1 Cor. 6. 11. but yee are sanctified, but yee are justified, &c. so that if you would not lose your labour, if you would have Christ accept of your love, and you would know that he doth so; suffer not any sluttishnesse, any sinne and filthinesse to rest in your hearts, but sweepe and cleanse them with the beesome of repentance, from all such things.

And so hitherto of the necessity of your loving the Lord Iesus Christ, together with the meanes, motives, and markes thereof, and in all these, the [Page] equity and justice of God, how worthy hee is to bee accursed that loves him not; now

Secondly, followes the object of this our love, which is (the Lord Iesus Christ) who may be considered three wayes. as being our

Lord,

Saviour,

Messiah.

First, as our Lord] to whom of due, we doe owe our love and obedience: now as he that runnes away from his earthly Lord is worthy to be hanged for it, so he that runnes away from the Lord Christ, and will not love and serve him, is most worthy to be accursed: but I have spoken of this sufficiently in the former part of our text, and therefore because I have beene so large therein, I will now be more briefe in this, and therefore so much for the first consideration we must love him also.

Secondly, as our Saviour, or Jesus, and Redeemer, who hath bought and chosen us unto himselfe, a peculiar people, zealous of good workes; and therefore let us not deferre it,1 pet. 4. 7. for now are the last times, the end of all things is at hand, so that if yee doe not love him now, it will bee too late hereafter to doe it, if we would never so faine, and its a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Thirdly, he is the Messiah, the annoynted of the [Page] Lord, the light that should come into the world, the high Priest of the new Covenant, ordained and consecrated of God to offer sacrifice for us, even a peace offering of his precious body and blood, to bee a reconciliation for us unto the Father, and to set us at one againe with him, who before were utter enemies one to the other, haters of God, and hated of him, therefore is he also called our peace, our Mediator, and Advocate, and the like: but yet he is not onely made and appointed to be a Priest unto us, to reconcile us unto his Father; but withall a King too, to rule over us and subdue us, if so bee wee will not bee reconciled and come in unto him; therefore these two words, Lord, and Iesus, are here, (and in diverse other places elsewhere) joyned together. And so Saint Peter gives him two the like titles, saying that he is a Prince, and a Saviour; not a Saviour onely, but also a Prince to them that would not that hee should raigne over them. Acts 5. 31.

So that wee must marke this then, wee doe not preach Christ in the Gospell a Saviour onely, but a Prince, and a Lord also; and they that love him must be content to take him as both, aswell a Lord and King, as a Iesus and Saviour; as a wife takes her husband, to honour and obey him aswell as to love him, or have him keepe and cherish her in sicknesse and in health: and thus if wee bee content to take Christ upon these conditions, then wee shall [Page] have him with all his influences, all the fruits and benefits of his passion: but otherwise thou hast no part nor portion therein, Christ shall profit thee nothing, but thou art and shalt bee accursed to the death notwithstanding hee died.

It may be thou wilt say,Object. thou carest not for that.

But let me aske thee one question;Sol. dost thou know what it is to bee so accursed? if thou dost, consider more seriously of it, if thou dost not, know it is this; First, he curseth thy soule, and that in a double respect of

Grace,

Glory.

First, hee curseth it from the excellency of grace; that is, from the effectuall and powerfull working of it, so that thou shalt bee never the better,Rom. [...]. 5. but rather the worse for all the meanes of grace and salvation; and shalt goe on in thine impenitency and hardnesse of heart, which cannot repent &c.

But thou wilt still say, thats nothing;Object. Is it not so, then

Secondly, hee curseth thee from his presence, in whose presence is the fullnesse of joyes, and at whose right hand, &c. so hee did Caine, Gen. 4. 16. the text saith, hee went out from the presence of the Lord*, that hee cast off all care of him (as it were in this life) so as let what [Page] would befall him, hee would never pitty, nor protect him.

But it may be, thou wilt say,Object. that is nothing neither.

Is it not so?Sol. is it not a great griefe for a man to be confind to his house, so that hee must never come to the Court, nor see the Kings face any more? much more griefe then is it, and a farre greater judgment must it bee for any poore soule to be excluded from the presence of the King of Kings. And however (for the present) thou dost not now thinke it so much, yet the time will come thou shalt finde it to bee one of the most fearefullest things that can bee; when thou shalt behold Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob in the Kingdome of God, and thou thy selfe out, to have thy portion with the Devill and his Angels; and therefore the Schoolemen are not afraid to say, that the punishment of losse is greater then the punishment of sense.

But thou wilt say,Object. these are all spirituall things, wee feele not these curses; and so as wee have no crosses nor curses in our outward man, our estates, our goods, and good name, wee care not a straw for these, wee neither feele nor feare them.

To this therefore I answer,Solu. that you shall not escape so, but even in your outward man, in your body and goods shall you be cursed also, for the earth shall not yeild her increase unto [Page] thee, but the Heavens shall bee as brasse, and the Earth as iron; thou shalt sow much and reape little; and thou shalt bee a vagabond and a runnagate upon the face of the earth all the dayes of thy life; and whosoever meeteth thee shall slay thee, as the Lord also said to Caine.

But thou wilt say yet againe;Object. wee see no such matter as I speake of, for you know them that love him as little as your selves, and yet they thrive and doe well enough, yea better then many other that love him a great deale better.

To which I answer, it is true, it may bee so,Sol. they may proser a while, but they shall be plagued at the last; either here, or hereafter in hell fire for evermore. And now doe but consider seriously of Eternity, what a lamentable thing it is, that when thou hast beene there ten thousand times, ten thousand yeares, thou shalt yet be as farre from ever comming out, or having of any end of thy torments as thou wast at the very first moment thou wentest thither: and therefore remember for this purpose these two places of Scripture, which here I desire thee to looke and reade with mee; the one is, where the wise man saith, that though a man live many dayes, and rejoyce in them all, Eccles. 11. 8. yet hee shall remember the dayes of darkenesse, for they are many, and all that commeth is vanity*; that is, all his delights shall have an end, but [Page] his damnation shall bee eternall, it shall never have either ease or end. The other place is this; where the Apostle, with such as thus despised the bountifulnesse, Rom. 2. 7, 8. 9. and patience, and long suffering, and forbearance of God, not knowing that his mercy, &c. he tells them that they did but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, &c. for God will render unto every man according to his workes, to them that through patience in well doing seeke glory and honour &c. and to them that are contentious, and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousnesse, tribulation, and anguish, and wrath, &c. that is, as if hee should say, let men please themselves in sinne as long as they list, yet they shall pay deere for it at the last upshot; for, for all these things. God will bring them to judgment, and reward them according to their workes, whether they bee good or evill: so that however some drops of his mercy may light upon them here in this world, yet then the greate deepe of his judgements, and the vast gulfe of his justice shall bee broken up, and hee shall raine upon them fire and brimstone, storme, and tempest,Psal. 11. [...]. this shall bee their portion to drinke.

This then may reach thee not to deceive thy selfe any longer, but to know for certaine that hee that will not now take the Lord Jesus, and love Christ whilst hee is offered unto thee, shall undoubtedly be accursed, and that with such a curse as is here described; for [Page] God will not have his Sonne mocked and derided by us, there is nothing that angers him more; and therefore its said (as I said before in the beginning) kisse the Sonne least he be angry. Obiect. And let us not dreame that it will bee soone enough then to receive him when his wrath is once kindled: For if we will not take him now,Sol. then we shall not be able to doe it, but shall bee afraid to come in unto him, for then will his wrath burne like fire, and scoarch like a flame,Revel. 1. 14. 1 [...]. and therefore Saint Iohn saith, That his feete are of burning brasse, and his eyes of flaming fire, as if from top to toe he were all on a raging flame.

But thou wilt say;Obiect. what though I doe not receive him now, I may receive him hereafter, before hee be so throughly mooved, and angry with mee, as that he will not be pacified.

To which I answer, indeede I cannot deny it,Sol. but that the time of this life is the time of grace, & offering of reconciliation, and that so long as there is life, there is hope; but yet I tell thee withall, that there is a time set downe and decreed of God, beyond which thou shalt not receive Christ; for then it may be he hath sworne in his wrath thou &c. he doth never reject, till they reject him, and then when they will not imbrace his offer but refuse him, it is just with God to refuse them; so that afterwards though they would receive him, yet they shall not doe it; thus when the Jewes had once reiected and refused his Sonne, then he left them; and so [Page] when the Israelites refused the good land, then he refused them; and swore in his wrath that they should never &c.

And here, for a conclusion, let us note that the Gospell bringeth a swifter and severer curse then the Law doth; so that (as Saint Paul to the Hebrewes hath it) if hee that despised Moses law died without mercy, under two or three witnesses, of how much soarer punishment shall hee be thought worthy that trampleth under feete &c. Heb. 10. 28, 29. Wherefore as it is there also said in that Epistle; Whilst it is time, whilst hee stands at the dore and knockes, open unto him and receive him, even now whilst its called to day, harden not your hearts as in the provocation, &c. least hereafter he sweare in his wrath &c. And so to say no more, consider what I have said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things. Amen.

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

MOVNT EBAL, OR A HEAVENLY TREATISE OF DIVINE LOVE. Shewing the Equity and Necessity of his being accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ. Together with the

Motives

Meanes

Markes

of our love towards him. By that late Faithfull and worthy Divine, JOHN PRESTON, Doctor in Divinitie, Chaplaine in Ordinary to his Majestie, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

PSAL. 31. 26. Love the Lord, O all yee his Saints, &c.

PSAL. 145. 20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him, and scattereth abroad all the ungodly.

LONDON, Printed by M. P for Iohn Safford, and are to be sold at his house in Black horse Alley in Fleet-street. 1638.

§

§

[Page]

November, 30. 1637. Imprimatur

THO: VVYKES.

Information about this book

Title statement

Mount Ebal, or A heavenly treatise of divine love Shewing the equity and necessity of his being accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ. Together with the motives meanes markes of our love towards him. By that late faithfull and worthy divine, John Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.

Preston, John, 1587-1628.

Edition statement

1638

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2004-11 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A09984

ID [STC]

STC 20238

ID [STC]

ESTC S115085

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99850304

ID [PROQUEST]

99850304

ID [VID]

15495

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A09984)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 15495)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1252:17)

Source

— Mount Ebal, or A heavenly treatise of divine love Shewing the equity and necessity of his being accursed that loves not the Lord Iesus Christ. Together with the motives meanes markes of our love towards him. By that late faithfull and worthy divine, John Preston, Doctor in Divinitie, chaplaine in ordinary to his Majestie, master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne., Preston, John, 1587-1628..

Extent

[4], 51, [1] p. : port. (metal cut)

Printed by M[armaduke] P[arsons] for Iohn Stafford, and are to be sold at his house in Black horse Alley in Fleet-street,. London :: 1638.. (The words "equity and necessity" and "motives meanes markes" are each enclosed in double brackets on title page.) (Printer's name from STC.) (Running title reads: A heavenly treatise of divine love.) (Variant: imprint has "Safford".) (Reproduction of the original in the Union Theological Seminary (New York, N.Y.). Library.)

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