10 The thing loved is much desired and sought after, whereby we may take a trial of1 our love to God, or of our love to the world. First look, what we love indeed, we spend much time in it, and can be content to afford hours, days, weeks, years, yea and age• too in it. And yet with all the contentions we may, we get not to the worship of God, Davids seven times a day, nor his morning, noontide, and evening exercises, hardly we afford the Lord his Sabbath. Secondly, we bestow our thoughts and our affections much2 and liberally on the thing we love: the Apostles were so troubled with bread, that they could not understand Christ speaking of the leaven of hypocrisy. Thirdly, our love to a3 thing is showed, when we are skilful and painful in commending the thing loved. The Spouse in the song of Solomon was very perfect in setting forth the parts of her beloved: she knew the time of his going, she was acquainted with his attire: she was ravished with his beauty: she was privy to his coming to her. Men show forth their love to earthly things in their great skill in buying and selling, Amos. 8. in the signs of heaven & colours of the sky Matth. 16. in our statutes & penal laws. Micah. 6. but in the law of God they be scarcely weighed. Fourthly, a man shall see his love by his great zeal, whereby he is carried to bring4 the thing to that he loveth, as Isaiah 9. 7. when the zeal of the Lord is said to bring our redemption to pass. Certainly, every man is eaten up with one zeal or other. The godly seek gain by honest means if they can, but rather than the wicked will loose their gain, away with honesty, away, say they, with Christ, as Judas. Fifthly, the great rejoicing which5 we have, bewrayeth our love, as David doth, Psal. 4▪ 7. after that he had the thing he desired, the countenance of the Lord, he saith, he had more joy of heart, than they of the world had, when their wheat and their wine did abound. But immortality, the blessing of the right hand, is less esteemed among us, than riches, which are the blessings but on the left hand, Prover. 3. Blessed indeed are the people, which are in such a case, but more blessed6 are the people, which have the Lord for their God. Sixthly what we fear to forgo, that we love7 to have. Pilate cared not to forgo Christ, but he was afraid to loose Caesars favour.
10 The thing loued is much desired and sought after, whereby we may take a triall of1 our loue to God, or of our loue to the world. First looke, what we loue indeed, we spend much time in it, and can be content to affoord houres, daies, weekes, yeares, yea and age• too in it. And yet with all the contentions we may, we get not to the worship of God, Dauids seuen times a day, nor his morning, noonetide, and euening exercises, hardly we affoord the Lord his Sabbath. Secondly, we bestow our thoughts and our affections much2 and liberally on the thing we loue: the Apostles were so troubled with bread, that they could not vnderstand Christ speaking of the leauen of hypocrisie. Thirdly, our loue to a3 thing is shewed, when we are skilfull and painfull in commending the thing loued. The Spouse in the song of Salomon was very perfect in setting forth the parts of her beloued: she knew the time of his going, she was acquainted with his attire: she was rauished with his beautie: she was priuy to his cōming to her. Men shew forth their loue to earthly things in their great skill in buying and selling, Amos. 8. in the signes of heauen & colours of the skie Matth. 16. in our statutes & penall lawes. Micah. 6. but in the law of God they be scarsly wained. Fourthly, a man shall see his loue by his great zeale, whereby he is caried to bring4 the thing to that he loueth, as Esay 9. 7. when the zeale of the Lord is said to bring our redemption to passe. Certainly, euery man is eaten vp with one zeale or other. The godly seeke gaine by honest meanes if they can, but rather than the wicked wil loose their gaine, away with honestie, away, say they, with Christ, as Iudas. Fiftly, the great reioycing which5 we haue, bewrayeth our loue, as Dauid doth, Psal. 4▪ 7. after that he had the thing he desired, the countenance of the Lord, he saith, he had more ioy of heart, than they of the world had, when their wheat and their wine did abound. But immortalitie, the blessing of the right hand, is lesse esteemed among vs, than riches, which are the blessings but on the left hand, Prouer. 3. Blessed indeed are the people, which are in such a case, but more blessed
- 1How we may try our love 1 to God, or rather to the world.How we may trie our loue 1 to God, or rather to the world.
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- 6Psal. 144.
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