A godly and learned exposition or commentary upon the three first chapters of the…A godly and learned exposition or commentarie vpon the three first chapters of the…

Lastly, if this were true of this famous Church of Ephesus, which was founded and preserved by the Apostles, that she suffered her first love to decay; then how can it be otherwise with us, but that we should suffer our first love as well towards God as man, to lessen and diminish? and that this is so, our consciences will tell us, if we look to that love and zeal we had at our first calling: and though we have not felt this decay, yet we must know we be in danger of it continually. And therefore we must take heed that we suffer not our good affections in religion to diminish. Water that hath been once hot, will afterward be most cold, and freeze the hardest: even so, when our hearts have been once heated with the fire of the Lords altar, as true love, and other graces of the spirit, if we suffer them to decay, we shall become more frozen in iniquity than any others. The hawk while she is quick to take her prey, is set upon the hand of kings and nobles: but if she wax weak and die, she is cast off to the dunghill. Even so while we are hot and cheerful in love towards God and his church, we are carried as it were on Gods own hand: but if we faint and decay in love, we shall be cast lower than if we had never been so exalted. This love of God in us is like a little flame of fire, for the maintaining whereof we must do three things: First, take heed of all manner of sin, which quencheth love and other graces of the spirit, as water quencheth fire. In the old Testament the priests kept fire burning upon the altar day and night, to be always ready to sacrifice unto the Lord: and so must we keep the flame of love & other graces continually burning in our hearts, that thence we may offer up acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord. Secondly, we must stir up the gifts of grace that are in us, as Paul saith to Timothy, 2. Tim. 1.6. using a comparison from the fire, which burneth more bright and clear when it is stirred up. Lastly, we must exercise our selves in the duties of piety, as faith, repentance, love, and such like: & so shall they not decay. And thus much for the sin of this church.

Lastly, if this were true of this famous Church of Ephesus, which was founded and preserued by the Apostles, that shee suffered her first loue to decay; then how can it bee otherwise with vs, but that wee should suffer our first loue as well towards God as man, to lessen and diminish? and that this is so, our consciences will tell vs, if wee looke to that loue and zeale we had at our first calling: and though wee haue not felt this decay, yet we must know wee bee in danger of it continually. And therefore we must take heed that we suffer not our good affections in religion to diminish. Water that hath beene once hot, will afterward be most cold, and freese the hardest: euen so, when our hearts haue beene once heated with the fire of the Lords altar, as true loue, and other graces of the spirit, if we suffer them to decay, we shall become more frozen in iniquitie than any others. The hawke while shee is quicke to take her prey, is set vpon the hand of kings and nobles: but if shee wax weake and die, she is cast off to the dunghill. Euen so while we are hote and cheerefull in loue towards God and his church, wee are carried as it were on Gods owne hand: but if wee faint and decay in loue, we shall be cast lower than if wee had neuer beene so exalted. This loue of God in vs is like a little flame of fire, for the maintaining whereof wee must doe three things: First, take heed of all manner of sinne, which quencheth loue and other graces of the spirit, as water quencheth fire. In the old Testament the priests kept fire burning vpon the altar day and night, to be alwayes readie to sacrifice vnto the Lord: and so must we keep the flame of loue & other graces continually burning in our hearts, that thence we may offer vp acceptable sacrifices of praise and thanksgiuing vnto the Lord. Secondly, we must stir vp the gifts of grace that are in vs, as Paule sayth to Timothie,