Use 3 1If GOD be so exceeding great, then there is no love enough, no affection, no desire answerable to him. If our love were perfect, yet it could not reach to him, whose greatness doth ⟨p. 143⟩far exceed it: but being imperfect, as it is, it falls exceeding short of him. Therefore let no man fear that he can go too far, that there can be too much holiness and strictness in our ways: but let him remember the great GOD of heaven and earth, and what is due to him, and then think how far thou fallest short of that which thou shouldest do to him. It is an expression of CHRIST, Luke 14.26. Mat. 10.37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. That which I would have observed out of these places is, He is not worthy of me: that is, if men considered my greatness, and excellency, they would easily see me worthy of more love, than this of friends; and except you can do so, except you can prize my love above these things, yea even hate them all, if they come into competition with me, you are not worthy of me. Consider therefore, how much love he is worthy of, and see if there be not reason for the commandment, where we are commanded to love the Lord with all our strength: that is, if you would love God with that love that he is worthy of, you would love God with all your strength: that is, whatsoever strength a man hath, his love should put it forth to do service to God. If a man be rich, he is able to do more for God than a poor man; if he be a Magistrate, he can do more than a private man; if he hath learning and knowledge, he hath much more strength than another: now the improvement of these to the glory of God, ⟨p. 144⟩this is to love him with all our strength. And if you consider how great a God he is, you will see great reason why you should love him thus with all your strength. Therefore we should check our selves when we see the dullness of our hearts, how ready and how apt we are to bestow our love upon any besides him: we should observe all those riverets wherein our love goes out, and runs to other things, and bring them back again into the right channel. For if you consider the greatness of God, you will see, that there is no love to spare.
Vse 3 1If GOD be so exceeding great, then there is no love enough, no affection, no desire answerable to him. If our love were perfect, yet it could not reach to him, whose greatnesse doth ⟨p. 143⟩farre exceede it: but being imperfect, as it is, it falls exceeding short of him. Therefore let no man feare that he can goe too farre, that there can be too much holinesse and strictnesse in our wayes: but let him remember the great GOD of heaven and earth, and what is due to him, and then thinke how farre thou fallest short of that which thou shouldest doe to him. It is an expression of CHRIST, Luke 14.26. Mat. 10.37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me. That which I would have observed out of these places is, He is not worthy of me: that is, if men considered my greatnesse, and excellency, they would easily see me worthy of more love, than this of friends; and except you can doe so, except you can prize my love above these things, yea even hate them all, if they come into competition with me, you are not worthy of me. Consider therefore, how much love he is worthy of, and see if there be not reason for the commandement, where we are commanded to love the Lord with all our strength: that is, if you would love God with that love that he is worthy of, you would love God with all your strength: that is, whatsoever strength a man hath, his love should put it forth to doe service to God. If a man be rich, he is able to doe more for God than a poore man; if he be a Magistrate, he can doe more than a private man; if he hath learning and knowledge, he hath much more strength than another: now the improvement of these to the glory of God, ⟨p. 144⟩this is to love him with all our strength. And if you consider how great a God he is, you will see great reason why you should love him thus with all your strength. Therefore we should check our selves when we see the dulnesse of our hearts, how ready and how apt wee are to bestow our love upon any besides him: we should observe all those riverets wherein our love goes out, and runnes to other things, and bring them backe againe into the right channell. For if you consider the greatnesse of God, you will see, that there is no love to spare.
- 1That no affection or obedience in us is great enough for him, and therefore not to […] our selves in either.That no affection or obedience in us is great enough for him, and therefore not to 〈…〉 our selves in either.
