3. And as the weakness of our Faith, so also the coldness of our Love is exceedingly discovered by our unwillingness to dye. Love doth desire the nearest conjunction, the fullest fruition, and closest communion; Where these desires are absent, there is only a naked pretence of Love: He that ever felt such a thing as Love working in his breast, hath also felt these desires attending it. If we love our friend, we love his company: his presence is comfortable; his absence is troublesome: when he goes from us, we desire his return: when he comes to us, we entertain him with welcome, and gladness: when he dyes, we mourn, and usually over-mourn:1 to be separated from a faithful friend, is to us as the renting of a member from our bodies; And would not our desires after God be such, if we really loved him? Nay should it not be much more then such, as he is above all friends most lovely? The Lord teach us to look closely to our hearts, and take heed of self-deceit in this point: For certainly what ever we pretend or conceit, if we love either Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Child, Friend, Wealth,2 or life more then Christ, we are yet none of his sincere Disciples. When it comes to the trial, the question will not be, ⟨p. 577⟩Who hath preached most, or heard most, or talked most? but who hath loved most? when our account is given in, Christ will not take Sermons, Prayers, Fastings, no, nor the giving of our goods, nor the burning of our bodies in stead of love, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2,3 3, 4, 8, 13. & 16.22. Ephes. 6.24. And do we love him, and yet care not how long we are from him? If I be deprived of my bosom friend, me thinks I am as a man in a wilderness, solitary, and disconsolate: And is my absence from God, no part of my trouble? and yet can I take him for my chiefest friend? If I delight but in some Garden, or Walk, or Gallery, I would be much in it: If I love my Books, I am much with them, and almost unweariedly poring on them. The food which I love▪ I would often feed on; the clothes that I love, I would often wear; the recreations which I love, I would often use them; the business which I love, I would be much employed in: And can I love God, and that above all these; and yet have no desires to be with him? Is it not a far likelier sign of hatred then of love; when the thoughts of our appearing before God, are our most grievous thoughts;
3. ANd as the weakness of our Faith, so also the coldness of our Love is exceedingly discovered by our unwillingness to dye. Love doth desire the neerest conjunction, the fullest fruition, and closest communion; Where these desires are absent, there is only a naked pretence of Love: He that ever felt such a thing as Love working in his brest, hath also felt these desires attending it. If we love our friend, we love his company: his presence is comfortable; his absence is troublesome: when he goes from us, we desire his return: when he comes to us, we entertain him with welcome, and gladness: when he dyes, we mourn, and usually over-mourn:1 to be separated from a faithful friend, is to us as the renting of a member from our bodyes; And would not our desires after God be such, if we really loved him? Nay should it not be much more then such, as he is above all friends most lovely? The Lord teach us to look closely to our hearts, and take heed of self-deceit in this point: For certainly what ever we pretend or conceit, if we love either Father, Mother, Husband, Wife, Childe, Friend, Wealth,2 or life more then Christ, we are yet none of his sincere Disciples. When it comes to the tryall, the question will not be, ⟨p. 577⟩Who hath preached most, or heard most, or talked most? but who hath loved most? when our account is given in, Christ will not take Sermons, Prayers, Fastings, no, nor the giving of our goods, nor the burning of our bodies in stead of love, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2,3 3, 4, 8, 13. & 16.22. Ephes. 6.24. And do we love him, and yet care not how long we are from him? If I be deprived of my bosom friend, me thinks I am as a man in a wilderness, solitary, and disconsolate: And is my absence from God, no part of my trouble? and yet can I take him for my chiefest friend? If I delight but in some Garden, or Walk, or Gallery, I would be much in it: If I love my Books, I am much with them, and almost unweariedly poaring on them. The food which I love▪ I would often feed on; the clothes that I love, I would often wear; the recreations which I love, I would often use them; the business which I love, I would be much employed in: And can I love God, and that above all these; and yet have no desires to be with him? Is it not a far likelier sign of hatred then of love; when the thoughts of our appearing before God, are our most grievous thoughts;
- 1Amicus animae dimidium. Aug.
- 2Mat. 10.37.
- 3Solus est qui sine Amico est. Aust.
