A25478:73
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…
A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically resolved by sundry ministers
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1676
Sermon 1: Quest. How may we attain to love God with all our Hearts, Souls, and Minds? Serm. I.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. The knowledge of Spiritual things; did we but perfectly know the Nature of the most contemptible insect; nay, did we but know the Nature of Atoms, this would lead us to admire and love God; but then to know those things that no graceless person in the world cares for the knowledge of, e. g. the inward workings of Original Sin, and how to undermine it; the powerful workings of the Spirit of grace, and how to improve it; what are the joys of the Holy Ghost, and how to obtain them; would not such things insinuate the love of God into you? add then,
2. The knowledge of ordinary things in a Spiritual manner, so as to make the knowledge of Natural things serve Heavenly designs. Thus Christ in all the Metaphors, in all the Parables he used. To value no knowledge any further than it is reducible to such an use, this would lead us into the loving of God. Thus I name but one directing means, promoting means are various, not but that Spiritual knowledge doth singularly promote the love of God, but it's proper work lies in directing. The several things I shall name for inward means, your way of managing must make them so.
2. The knowledge of ordinary things in a Spiritual manner, so as to make the knowledge of Natural things serve Heavenly designs. Thus Christ in all the Metaphors, in all the Parables he used. To value no knowledge any further than it is reducible to such an use, this would lead us into the loving of God. Thus I name but one directing means, promoting means are various, not but that Spiritual knowledge doth singularly promote the love of God, but it's proper work lyes in directing. The several things I shall name for inward means, your way of managing must make them so.
1. Self-denial, this is so necessary, that no other grace can supply the want of it. It is among the graces of the Soul, as among the members of the Body, one member may supply the want of another, the defect of the Lungs may be supplied by other parts. The want of prudence may be supplied with Gospel-simplicity, which looks like quite another thing; but nothing can supply our want of love to God; nor can any thing supply our want of Self-denial in order to our loving of God. We can never have