THE POWER OF LOVE.  
LONDON, Printed by R. C. for John Sweeting, at the sign of the Angel in Popes-head Alley.  
1643.   

To every Reader.  
FOr there is no respect of persons with God▪ and whosoever is possessed with love, judgeth no longer as a man, but godlike, as a true Christian. What's here towards? (says one) sure one of the Family of love: very well! pray stand still and consider: what family are you of I pray? are you of God's family? no doubt you are: why, God is love, and if you be one of God's children be not ashamed of your Father, nor his family: and be assured that in his family, he regards neither fin● clothes, nor gold rings, nor stately houses, nor abundance of wealth nor dignities, and titles of honour, nor any man's birth or calling, indeed he regards nothing among his children but love. Consider our Saviour saith, He that hath this world's goods, and seethe his brother lack, how dwelleth the love of God in him? Judge then by this rule who are of God's family; look about and you will find in these woeful days thousands of miserable, distressed, starved, imprisoned Christians: see how pale and wan they look: how coldly, raggedly, & unwholsomely they are clothed? live one week with them in their poor houses, lodge as they lodge, eat as they eat, and no oftener, and be at the same pass to get that wretched food for a sickly wife, and hungerstarved children; (if you dare do this for fear of death or diseases) then walk abroad, and observe the general plenty of all necessaries, observe the gallant bravery of multitudes of men and women abounding in all things that can be imagined: observe likewise the innumerable numbers of those that have more than sufficeth. Neither will I limit you to observe the inconsiderate people of the world, but the whole body of religious people themselves, and in the very Churches and upon solemn days: view them well, and see whether they have not this world's goods; their silks, their beavers, their rings, and other divises will testify they have; I, and the wants and distresses of the poor will testify that the love of God they have not. What is here aimed at? (says another) would you have all things common? for love seeketh not her own good, but the good of others. You say very true, it is the Apostles doctrine: and you may remember the multitude of believers had all things common: that was another of their opinions, which many good people are afraid of. But (says another) what would you have? would you have no distinct on of men, nor no government? fear it not: nor fly the truth because it suits not with your corrupt opinions or courses; on God's name distinguish of men and women too, as you see the love of God abound in them towards their brethren, but no otherwise; And for that great mountain (in your understanding) government, 'tis but a molehill if you would handle it familiarly, and be bold with it: It is common agreement to be so governed: and by common agreement men choose for governor's, such as their virtue and wisdom make sit to govern: what a huge thing this matter of trust is made of? and what cause is there that men that are chosen should keep at such distance, or those that have chosen them be so sheepish in their presence? Come, you are mightily afraid of opinions, is there no other that you fear? not the Anabaptists, Brownists, or Antinomians? Why do you start man? have a little patience, would you truly understand what kind of people these are, and what opinions they hold? If you would; be advised by some learned man, and with him consult what hath learnedly been written of the most weak and and vicious amongst any of them that could be found, and make your conclusion (according to custom) that they are all such: but if you would free yourselves from common mistakes concerning those your brethren, then acquaint yourselves with them, observe their ways, and inquire into their doctrines yourself, and so make your conclusion, or judge not of them; visit them, hear them out, stand clear from all prejudging: and then see what dangerous people they are that are generally so called: particulars being absurd rules of judging; for so the Turk is misled in his judgement of Christianity: and no marvel since he judgeth thereof by the doctrine and life of the most superstitious, Idolatrous, and vicious amongst them. Well, what next are you afraid of? for some men take delight to be under the spirit of bondage, and do not think themselves in good estate except they be in fear: but come, fear nothing, you are advised by the Apostle to try all things, and to hold fast that which is good: to prove the Spirits whether they be of God or not: 'tis yourself must do it, you are not to trust to the authority of any man, or to any man's relation: you will find upon trial that scarcely any opinion hath been reported truly to you: and though in every one of them you may find some things that you cannot agree unto, you will yet be a gainer, by discovering many excellent things that you as yet may be unsatisfied in, and by due consideration of them all perfect your own judgement. Read the ensuing discourse impartially, and you will find the mind of him that hateth no man for his opinion; nor would have any man troubled for any opinion, except such, as make the blood of Christ ineffectual, or such as would destroy all that will not submit to their opinions; he seems to be of the Apostles mind, that considered all other things in love: (and that in matters of moment too, even where some observed a day unto the Lord, & others not observed) He bids you walk in love, as Christ hath loved you, and gave himself for you, an offering and a Sacrifice; you that love your brother so poorly, as that you cannot allow him the peaceable enjoyment of his mind and judgement would hardly lay down your life for him; let brotherly love continue, and let every one freely speak his mind without molestation: and so there may be hope that truth may come to light, that otherwise may be obscured for particular ends: plain truth will prove all, sufficient for vanquishing of the most artificial, sophistical error that ever was in the world; give her but due and patiented audience, and her persuasions are ten thousand times more powerful to work upon the most dull refractory mind, than all the adulterate allurements and deceive of art. What is here published is out of fervent love to the Communion of Christians: that they might taste and see how good the Lord is, In whose presence there is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore: Wherefore rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice: and let your song be always, Glory be to God on high, in earth peace, good will towards men. Let truth have her free and perfect working, and the issue will be increase of believers: let faith have her perfect working, and the issue will be increase of love: and let love have her perfect working, and the whole world will be so refined, that God will be all in all; for he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, in whom, ever far you well, and be cheerful.   

THE POWER OF LOVE.  Tit. 2. 11, 12. The grace (or love) of God that bringeth salvation unto all men hath appeared, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, & godly in this present world. 
IT is evident (though it be little regarded or considered, the more is the pity) that in natural things all things whatsoever that are necessary for the use of mankind, the use of them is to be understood easily with out study or difficulty: every Capacity is capable thereof; and not only so, but they are all likewise ready at hand, or easily to be had: a blessing that God hath afforded to every man, insomuch, that there is no part of the habitable world, but yields sufficient of useful things for a comfortable and pleasant sustentation of the inhabitants; as experience testifieth in all places; and Saint Paul witnessed that God left himself not without witness, in that he did good, gave them rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, feeding their hearts with food and gladness: by all which it plainly appears; that God ever intendeth unto man a pleasant and comfortable life: you know it is said, that God made man righteous, but he sought out many inventions: that is, he made him naturally a rational creature, judging rightly of all things, and desiring only what was necessary, and so being exempt from all labour, and care of obtaining things superfluous, he passed his days with abundance of delight and contentment: until he sought out unto himself many inventions: inventions of superfivous subtleties and artificial things, which have been multiplied with the ages of the world, every age still producing new: so now in these latter times we see nothing but men's inventions in esteem, and the newer the more precious; if I should instance in particulars, I should or might be endless, as in diet, yourselves know to your costs, (for it costs you not only your monies, but your healths, and length of days) that this fruitful nation sufficeth not to furnish scarce the meanest meal you make, but something must be had to please the luxurious palate from foreign and fare countries: and ever the farther the better, and the dearer the more acceptable; you know likewise the excessive provision that is made for entertainments and set meetings, where all gross meats (you know my meaning) must be banished, and nothing admitted but what is rare and fine, and full of invention, in the dresses, sauces, and manner of service: where all the senses must be pleased to the height of all possible conceit. If I should reckon up your new inventions for buildings, and furniture for your houses, and the common costliness of your apparel, and should set before you the manifold vexations, perplexities, distractions, cares, and inconveniences that accrue unto you by these your vain and ridiculous follies, I might be endless therein also, and lose my labour; for there is no hope that I should prevail for a reformation of these things, when your daily experience scourges you continually thereunto, in one kind or other, and all in vain; yet I shall take leave to tell you that in these things, you walk not as becometh the gospel of Christ, but are carnal and walk as men, as vain, fantastical, inconsiderate men; such as very heathen and mere natural men would be a shamed of: their experience (that a life according to nature, to be content with little, with what was ever ready, and easy to be had, was the most pleasant life and exempt from all vexations) was instruction sufficient unto many of them, to frame themselves thereunto, and to abandon all kinds of superfluities, without retaining the least; & thereby obtained a freedom to apply themselves to the consideration and practice of wisdom and virtue.  
It is a wonderful thing to my understanding, that men should call themselves Christians, and profess to be religious, and to be diligent readers of Scripture, and hearers of Sermons, and yet content themselves to be indeed in many things carnal, and to walk as did the most indiscreet and inconsiderate Gentiles. Doth the Scripture teach no more than nature teacheth? though it do infinitely, yet your practice compared with wise considerate natural men declares it doth not; how extremely then (think you) do you cause the name of God to be blasphemed? Do you think it is sufficient that you are not drunkards, nor adulterers, nor usurers, nor contentious persons, nor covetous? beloved, if you will truly deserve the name of Christians, it is not sufficient: but you are to abandon all superfluities, all poring after vain superfluous things, and thereby to exempt yourselves from all unnecessary cares that choke the Word, and be at liberty to consider, and to apply yourselves freely to the continual contemplation of the infinite love of God, evidently and plainly set forth unto you in his blessed word: as in the words that I have read un-you: for as it is in natural things, so holds it in spiritual: God hath dealt abundantly well with us; there being nothing that is necessary either for the enlightening of our understandings, or the peace of our minds, but what he hath plainly declared and manifestly set forth in his Word: so plainly, that the meanest capacity is fully capable of a right understanding thereof, and need not to doubt but that he is so. I will not say that God is not more good unto us, than we are hurtful to ourselves, (for his goodness is more available to our welfare, than our evil can be to our misery) but we are as evil to ourselves in all things as we can be possible: and that not only in natural things, but likewise in spiritual and divine things too, for therein also we have our inventions; the plain and evident places of Scripture manifestly declaring our peace and reconciliation with God, is become nauseous to us: they make salvation too easy to be understood, and tender it upon too easy terms, and too general: this Manna that comes to us without our labour, industry, study, and watching, is two fulsome, something that hath bones in it must be found out, and will become more acceptable: every child or babe in Christ's School can understand these: We are full grown men in Christ, we have spent our time in long and painful studies, and have full knowledge in all Arts and sciences: there is no place of Scripture too hard for us: show us the mysteries we cannot reveal: the Parables that we cannot clearly open: the Prophecies that we cannot interpret: a word or Syllable that we cannot fitly apply, or the most palpable seeming contradiction that we cannot reconcile; nay it is to be doubted (we have seen the vain humour of man puffed so high, and the world so filled and pestered with works and labours of this vain nature) lest there are some such daring undertakers, that like as Alexander the great is said to have wept that there were no more worlds to conquer, so these Champions are grieved that there are n● harder places for their brains to work upon: or (which is more to be lamented) one would fear● they are much troubled that the most necessary truths are so easy to be understood: for that when they treat upon some very plain place of Scripture, even so plain as thi● which I have read unto you, yet in handling thereof they make it difficult, and darken the clear meaning thereof with their forced and artificial glosses: but as I wish there were no such dealers in divin● things, so have I in myself resolved to avoid these extreme evils: for as in natural things I am fully assured there is nothing of necessary use but what is easily understood and even ready at hand, so also doth my experience tell me, that we have no bettering of our understandings, or quieting of our minds (the end for which God hath vouchsafed his word) from any places of Scripture that hath any obscurity in them, but from such as are clearly exempt from all difficulty. You know God frequently complains by his Prophets, saying, My people will not consider, they will not understand: and when I consider that your own experience schools you not sufficiently against your dotage upon the vain superfluities of this world, wherein you know yourselves to be carnal, and to walk as men, heaping unto yourselves vexation upon vexation; I do wonder that it doth not stagger the Ministers of God in their publishing of things divine to a people so qualified, so extremely inconsiderate: indeed it would make one to suspect the doctrine that you continually hear, that it were not powerful nor from heaven, but weak and fitted to your corrupt humours, and customs, since after so long time, it hath not subdued your worldly mindedness. Sure I am, and I must have leave to tell you, that there is utterly a fault amongst you, nay those expressions are too soft, you have almost nothing but faults amongst you, and you will not consider, which you must do, and seriously too, or you will never reduce yourselves into such a condition, as will be really suitable to the blessed name of Christians. Beloved I have seriously considered it, and it is not your case alone, but it is the universal disease. I know not any that is not infected therewith, nor to whom it may not be said, Physician heal thyself; the milk we have sucked, and the common air hath been totally corrupted: our first instructions, and all after discourses have been indulgent flatterers to our darling superfluities: and therefore he that undertakes the cure, must be sure to be provided of a fit and powerful medicine, and to be diligent and faithful in his undertaking; it is a task that I have proposed unto myself, and though I should meet with the greatest discouragements, (as, the world is like enough to furnish his utmost forces to preserve his Kingdom) yet considering whose service I have undertaken, and whose works it is, I shall not despair of success. I am not ignorant that this work hath oftentimes been attempted, and persisted in: but with little fruit; through the universal mistake, that men are sooner persuaded from their vanities, through pressures of the law, and affrighting terrors of wrath and hell, then by the cords of love: which yet I abundantly prefer, as you may perceive by this text which I have chosen: for when all is done, It is the love of God bringing salvation, that teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. I must entreat your most earnest attention, as being full of hope that I shall do you much more good than you conceive: for I must tell you, I cannot cure you of your earthly mindedness, of your dotage upon superfluities, till I have first shown you your peace and reconciliation with God, and have wrought in you (through the power of God's word) peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost. You are then seriously to consider what is said, and understanding will succeed. The love of God I know is often spoken of: a theme that hath begotten abundance of books and discourses: yet none in no comparison like the Scriptures: most (if not all) discourses, that ever I have read or heard, do in some sense or other, or in in some measure injure and wrong those blessed discourses thereof.  
The love and favour of God (saith David) is better than life itself; What man in the whole world doth not gladly hear the joyful tidings of the love of God? But it is good that every man rightly understand, and mistake not himself in this so blessed and delightful Subject. I shall lay down therefore some infallible principles which concern the same. And I shall tell you nothing but what yourselves know: and that is, that God doth most vehemently hate all manner of sins, and that it is impossible for him to do otherwise, as being directly opposite to his most righteous nature: and to that righteous nature wherein at first man was created, for in the likeness of God created he him: and whilst you consider this, I shall advise you not to flatter yourselves as the Pharisee did, saying, Lord I thank thee I am not as other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, drunkards, covetous, proud, or licentious; can you say you have no sin? if you should, the word of God would contradict you, which testifieth that he that saith he hath no sin is a liar, and the truth is not in him; and if sin be in every one, necessarily it follows where sin is, there is God's hatred; nor doth it any whit excuse or exempt those from the hatred of God, that can say their sins are few in number, and of very mean condition compared to others: whosoever you are that are thus indulgent to your selves, you do but deceive yourselves, for God's hatred, his wrath and anger, is so exact against all and every sin, and so odious it is in his sight, than he denounceth, saying, Cursed is every one that continueth not to do all that is written in the book of the law: So as every mouth must be stopped, and all the world stand guilty before God; and though the sense and deep apprehension of this woeful condition, do work in you the deepest of sorrow, though you should spend your days in weeping, and your nights in woeful lamentation, though you should repent yourselves in dust and ashes, and cover yourselves with sackcloathes: though you should fast yourselves into paleness, and hang down your heads always: though you should give all your goods to the poor; nay, though you should offer up the fruit of your bodies, for the sin of your souls; all this and more could be no satisfaction for the least sin, nor bring any peace to your minds: but you must of force cry out at last, as Saint Paul did, (stating this sad condition of all mankind under the law) Ob wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! Justly is it called a body of death; for man is of a frail and weak condition at the best: a considerate man hath death always before him: What joy or comfort then can he take all his life long; being in the hatred of God, a vessel of wrath, and liable to eternal death in hell fire for ever? What can he look upon that can give him content? Present a man that walks in the sense of his sinful condition, with all the pleasures the world afford, and his sad heart turns all into death; his conscience continually afflicts him; terrors, and fears, and eternal torments are ever in his thoughts: and such a wounded Spirit, who can bear? My beloved, I would not be mistaken in what I have said of this woeful condition, as though I presented it to your thoughts, as a means to terrify you from any your sinful courses: I know full well it is not the way, it is not God's way: nor do I wish this sad condition to be any of yours: though happily it may be thus with many of you: many of you may through sense of sin, and of wrath due for sin, walk in a very disconsolate condition: fears and terrors may abound in you: to whom (I doubt not) though great heaviness may endure for a night, yet greater joy shall come in the morning: which as much as in me lies, I shall endeavour to produce in every one of you.  
I have presented this woeful condition of all mankind under the law, thus sadly and truly, because I find generally men do not seriously consider the bottomless depth of the misery from the which they are redeemed: I am not a preacher of the law, but of the gospel; nor are you under the law, but under grace: the law was given by Moses, whose minister I am not: but grace and truth came by jesus Christ, whose minister I am: whose exceeding love, hath appeared: and because I would have you fully to see and consider his love, therefore did I show the woeful condition, from which only by his love you are delivered.  
Another principle I shall pray you to consider, is that God loves nothing but what is pure and holy, without spot or blemish: so as it is a vain and delusive doctrine, to say that God passes by our daily infirmities, accepting our wills for our performances: our desire to be obedient to his Commandments, for obedience: for where there is the least defect, God hates for that very defect, and loves not but where there is perfect holiness and righteousness: which makes this truth appear, that by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. It is a sad favour that the law ever did unto mankind, to make his sin appear out of measure sinful, stopping every man's mouth, admitting no plea or excuse on man's behalf; And yet it is so natural to think that he is still bound to do something for obtaining the love and favour of God, that you will find it is the hardest thing in the world to free yourselves from it, though it be the grossest Antichristian error that ever was; for if righteousness come by the law, than Christ died in vain; It it such an error that until it be removed out of your minds, it will be but labour lost to endeavour to work any truth upon your minds; and I have much cause, to fear your minds are tainted therewith, because our public catechisms, books, and Sermons are for the most part corrupted therewith, so as we suck this error in even with our very milk, and it becomes one substance with many of us even to our old age; It was so in the Apostles times, as may be seen in Acts the 15, from the 5. verse to the end of the chapter, where you shall find that some that believed affirm●● that it was necessary to circumcise, and to keep the law: but you will find by the story it was their error; Also in the second to the Corinthians, the third to the end, where you shall find the law styled the ministration of death, written in tables of stone (which was the 10 Commandments) and verse the 11. to be done away, and a more glorious ministration to take place and remain: and yet the breeding of the jews being under the law, (though they did believe the coming of Christ) yet still (even to that day the Apostle wrote) their minds were blinded, and the veil remained at the reading of the old Testament, which veil is done away in Christ. These things (beloved) you are to consider seriously, for that until you do undoubtedly see yourselves not to be under the law, no not in the least respect, you cannot see yourselves to be under grace: that is, in the favour and love of God, until when you cannot with sound judgement affirm, that which my text affirmeth, that is, that the love of God hath appeared: for he that in any measure conceiveth himself to be under the law, doth not clearly discern the love of god: for that veil is before his eyes; you all give credit to the word of God: let S. Paul then be your guide to lead you out of this sad Egyptian bondage who knew all things that concerned the law, yet cries out, I account all things as loss and dung, that I may be found in Christ, not having my own (or man's) righteousness, which is of the law, but the righteousness which is of God in him: make it your own cases by sound consideration, for ye are all justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in jesus Christ: your fears, nor sins, nor doubtings, cannot alter that condition which Christ hath purchased for you, for though the sting of death be sin, & the strength of sin be the law, yet thanks be unto God, for he hath given us the victory through our Lord jesus Christ: so as you may all boldly say, Oh death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? And that none of you may doubt of his exceeding love, and your perfect reconciliation with God, I will read unto you certain passages (in the 5 chapter, to the Romans,) which if well weighed, will leave you without all scruple, (verse,6) When we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for the ungodly: you see there that ungodliness did not hinder, but that Christ died for thee that art ungodly: dost thou stand amazed, and canst not throughly believe? the Apostle grants that to man's judgement it is incredible; for amongst men, scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man one would even dare to die: but to confirm thy timorous heart (verse 8.) God commendeth his love towards us, in that whilst we were yet sinners Christ died for us, (v. 9) much more being then justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him, (v. 10.) for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life: so as now thou hast cause to joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom thou hast received the atonement: and to take from thee all staggering (in the 18. v.) he confirms thee, saying, As by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation: even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to justification of life: and (in ●he 20. verse.) because he knew thy proneness to make questions still about the Law, he tells thee the Law entered that sin might abound, but withal assures thee, that where sin abounded, grace (or love) did much more abound: that as sin had reigned unto death, even so grace (or love) might reign through righteousness unto eternal life through Christ our Lord.  
(Beloved) God by the power of his Word hath begotten so full assurance of these things in me, as that thereby he hath made me an able Minister of the New Testament: not of the Letter, (or the Law) but of the Spirit: for the Letter killeth, but the Spirit (that is the Gospel) giveth life. Nor do I see any cause why any of you here present should so much as doubt your salvation; I am a Minister of reconciliation, and am thereby bound to tell you (for woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel, as in the 2 Cor. 5. 19) that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation; Now than we are Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you to be reconciled unto God; for he hath made him to be sin for us, that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; so as (however we may vainly conceive to our own prejudice) God considers us not as we see ourselves full of sin, full of iniquity, but as we should consider ourselves, agreeable to all these passages of his blessed Word, fully and perfectly washed from all our sins by the blood of his Son (which every one of us do believe, though we do not consider) and then with unspeakable joy we shall see that we are reconciled to God by the death of his Son: that we are justified freely by his grace: that for our lost righteousness of the Law, we are made the righteousness of God In him: having peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost, by whose word these blessed truths are declared unto us. Are these things so indeed, doth God accept me a poor miserable sinner, as righteous in his sight, and freed from sin, from all sin? Hear still the Word of God, he hath borne our sins in his body on the tree, and it is the blood of Christ that cleanseth thee from all sin: he by his one oblation once offered, hath made a full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction, and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; and if we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world. This work of your redemption and reconciliation with God was perfected when Christ died: and nothing shall be able to separate you from his love then purchased: neither infidelity, nor impenitency, nor unthankfulness, nor sin, nor any thing whatsoever can make void his purchase: no, though with the Jews you should deny the Lord that bought you: so powerful was his bloodshed ding, and of so full value for discharging of all our debts, past, present, and to come; so infinite is his goodness, so free is his love, and so abundantly happy is our condition, though many of us have been too too ignorant thereof: and for want of this knowledge many of us have walked very uncomfortably, spending our time in fasting, weeping, and mourning; in praying, reading, and hearing, and in performance of other duties, as you call them, and all to get Christ: our fear distracts our judgements, that we consider not what the Scripture sets forth unto us: if we did, we should see aparently that it sets forth salvation wrought and perfected for ever: to whom doth it manifest the same? to sinners, to the ungodly, to all the world: a work perfected, depending on no condition, no performance at all; What would people have to give peace to their minds? you do wrong yourselves through nice distinctions: the word of God is given to declare these truths, and that he is our peace: the word of God you do believe, and so cannot but be comforted, the only end for which it is preserved unto you: that you might read, and know, and understand your blessed condition: for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: and you are to look for no other testimony: nor are you to doubt yourselves: for though your present comfort depends upon your believing this word, yet the work of Christ depends not on your believing: and though you should not believe, yet he is faithful and cannot deny himself to be your redeemer, your peacemaker, your Saviour. Men are not pleased except salvation be proved to be very difficult to be obtained, it must still depend either on our believing, or doing, or repenting, or selfe-deniall, or Sabbath-keeping, or something or other, or else man is not pleased: too easy? good God that free love should be suspected: that because it is easy to be had, we should put it fare from us; why, God knew full well thou wert dead, he considered that thou wert but dust; suppose he had required any thing of thee, without which thou shouldst have no part in Christ, what a sad case hadst thou been in? go thy ways, and with cheerfulness possess his infinite love, and declare unto thy brethren what the Lord hath done for all our souls; tell them that the love of God bringing salvation hath appeared, teaching us to deny all ungodliness, and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. And I shall desire to know of all that hear me this day, whereof some may happily be addicted to the corruptions of this world: for our times though we call them times of light, yet do abound with gluttony, drunkenness, and whoredom, usury, pride, oppression, and all kind of wickedness, such as is not to be named amongst Christians, (what shall I say to these things? it will be in vain for me to reprove you for them: for men never reform their vices, till first their judgements be well informed, and then they kindly reform themselves) I shall only demand whether the love of God doth more appear unto you now, than it hath done formerly? surely it is impossible but you must be sensible of his love, it is so full and absolute, so free and unexpecting love. How is it possible you should hear and not consider? had it not been for this unexpressible and unexampled love, you had been eternally wretched and miserable, companions of Devils, and damned spirits in Hell for ever, where the Worm never dieth, and the fire never goeth out; me thinks you should embrace this love with open arms, and meditate thereupon day and night: it deserveth to be entertained with the greatest respect, and to be esteemed above ten thousand lives: for (beloved) though it comes freely to you, and costs you nothing, no not so much as a sigh or tear, yet if you read over the story of our Saviour's passion, and sufferings, you will find it was purchased at an excessive price, excessive pains, and excessive torments: nay it is even past wonder that he that thought it no robbery to be equal to God, should be in the form of a servant, and become obedient to death, even the most bitter death of the Cross for our sins: that he should be made sin for us that knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; me thinks these and the like considerations should be powerful in your minds, that your spirits should even burn within you, until you found out some way to express your thankfulness for so great, so infinite love. I cannot suspect the most vicious man in the world, but that hearing these things his heart will make strict enquiry, what he shall render unto the Lord for all his benefits? and his heart once moving in thoughts of thankfulness will instantly be inflamed with love, which in an instant refines the whole man. God is love, and love makes man Godlike; and henceforth let me pray you to mark the workings of love in your own souls, and you shall find that when your long accustomed corruptions (by which you have wounded your own consciences, and brought dishonour to God, and reproach to the holy name of Christians) do tempt to the like abominable actions, your love to God that so freely hath loved you, will be so prevalent with you, that you will resolve rather to lose your lives then to show yourselves so basely ungrateful: the vanities you have delighted in will become odious unto you: all your labour will be that your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, nay you will shun the very appearance of evil: and if your brother offend you in any kind whatsoever, you will find no difficulty to forgive; if you do, do but think of the love wherewith Christ hath loved you, and nothing can be imagined so abominably injurious but you will gladly forgive. And if you have this world's goods, and that brother lacke, you will rejoice that you have an occasion and means to make known unto the world how powerfully the love of God dwelleth in you: you will be able to do all things through love that strengthens you. Love will be as a new light in your understandings by which you will judge quite otherwise of all things, then formerly you haved on: the vanities and superfluities which in the beginning of my discourse I reckoned up unto you, will seem odious unto you, and you will no longer fashion yourselves like unto this world, but will walk as becometh the Gospel of Christ: you will no longer mind high things, but make yourselves equal to men of low degree: you will no longer value men and women according to their wealth, or outward shows, but according to their virtue, & as the love of God appeareth in them: nay if you be studious in this work of love, nothing will be more dear unto you then the glory of God (who hath so infinitely loved you) so as you will be most zealously opposite to whatsoever is opposite unto God, you will finde it nothing to hazard your lives for God, in defence of his truth from error; in defence of your brother or neighbour from oppression or tyranny: love makes you no longer your own but God's servants, and prompts you to do his will in the punishment of all kind of exorbitances, whether it be breach of oaths, breach of trust, or any kind of injustice in whomsoever, and to be no respecter of persons; nor will any one's greatness oversway or daunt your resolutions, but you will be bold as Lions, not fearing the faces of men: you will when need requires, that is, when tyrants and oppressors endeavour by might and force to pervert all Laws, and compacts amongst men, and to pervert the truth of God into a lie, interpreting his sacred word as patron of their unjust power, as if any unjust power were of God, and were not to be resisted: I say, such insolences as these will inflame your zeal, and set you all on fire manfully to fight the Lords battle, and to bring into subjection those abominable imaginations and ungodly courses of men: your judgements will be so well informed, as you will know these things are by God referred unto you, and you will not resign them up to him, but willingly sacrifice your lives and fortunes, and all that is near and dear unto you, rather than suffer his name to be so blasphemed, or your innocent brethren, or your wives and children to become a prey to wicked and bloodthirsty men. The politicians of this world would have religious men to be fools, not to resist, no by no means, lest you receive damnation: urging God's holy Word, whilst they proceed in their damnable courses; but (beloved) they will find that true Christians are of all men the most valiant defenders of the just liberties of their Country, and the most zealous preservers of true Religion: vindicating the truths of God with their lives, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men: making thereby the whole world to know that true Christianity hates and abhors tyranny, oppression, perjury, cruelty, deceit, and all kind of filthiness; and true Christians to be the most impartial, and most severe punishers thereof, and of all kind of wickedness, of any men whatsoever.  
Great is the power of love, for love makes men to be of one mind: and what can be too strong for men united in love? and therefore I shall warn you to mark and consider those that make divisions amongst you. I pray mistake me not, I doubt you are too apt in this case to make a wrong application: I do not mean that you should mark those, that are different from you in judgement, with any ridiculous or reproachful names: but my advice is that you mark those that make divisions amongst you, and those are they that have invented a name of reproach for every particular difference in judgement: and in their public Sermons and private discourses, endeavour might and main to keep at the widest distance, and by odious tales and false imputations make you irreconciliable: nay make you even ready to cut one another's throats; or by this division prepare you for your common adversaries to cut both yours and theirs too; difference in judgement there will be, until love have a more powerful working in our hearts: we should therefore like wise men at least bear with one another's infirmities: love will cover all that can be called infirmity; but resolved malice love itself will punish. Such opinions as are not destructive to humane society, nor blaspheme the work of our Redemption, may be peaceably endured, and considered in love: and in case of conspiracy against our common liberty, what a madness is it for men to stand in strife about petty opinions? for who are all those that are so much railed at by our common Preachers? who are they say they? why, they are the most dangerous Anabaptists, Brownists, and Separatists: that are enemies to all order and decency, that cry down all learning and all government in the Church, or Commonwealth. (Beloved) to my knowledge these things are not true of any of them: it is true, they cannot do all things so orderly and decently as they would, because they are hunted into corners, and from one corner to another, and are not free to exercise their consciences, as had they liberty they might, and would; And as for learning, as learning goes now adays, what can any judicious man make of it, but as an Art to deceive and abuse the understandings of men, and to misled them to their ruin? if it be not so, whence comes it that the Universities, and University men throughout the Kingdom in great numbers are opposers of the welfare of the Commonwealth, and are pleaders for absurdities in government, arguers for tyranny, and corrupt the judgements of their neighbours? no man can be so simple as to imagine that they conceive it not lawful, or not useful for men to understand the Hebrew, Greek, or Latin: but withal, if they conceive there is no more matter in one language then another, nor no cause why men should be so proud for understanding of languages, as therefore to challenge to themselves the sole dealing in all spiritual matters; who (I say) can blame them for this judgement? they desire that a man's ability of judgement should be proved by the clear expression of necessary truths, rather than by learning: and since the Scriptures are now in English, which at first were in Hebrew, Greek, or Syriack, or what other language; why may not one that understands English only, both understand and declare the true meaning of them as well as an English Hebrician, or Grecian, or Roman whatsoever? I, but says some politic learned man, a man that doth not understand the Original language, cannot so perfectly give the sense of the Scripture, as he that doth: or as one that makes it his study for ten or twenty years together, and hath no other employment: every man being best skilled in his own profession wherein he hath been bred and accustomed. I did well to say some politic learned man might thus object: for indeed what is here but policy? for if it be as such men would imply, I pray what are you the better for having the Scripture in your own language: when it was locked up in the Latin tongue by the policy of Rome, you might have had a learned Friar for your money at any time to have interpreted the same: and though now you have it in your own language, you are taught not to trust your own understanding, (have a care of your purses) you must have an University man to interpret the English, or you are in as bad a case as before but not in worse; for, for your money you may have plenty at your service, & to interpret as best shall please your fancy. Let me prevail with you to free yourselves from this bondage, and to trust to your own considerations in any thing that is useful for your understandings and consciences: and judge more charitably of your brethren, & understand what learning is, and to mark those that cause divisions among you, and you shall find that they are learned men, & not unlearned. The learned man must live upon the unlearned, and therefore when the unlearned shall presume to know as much as the learned, hath not the learned man cause to bestir his wits, and towrangle too when his Copyhold is in such danger? I pray what was the cause that Demetr. and the Craftsmen cried out, great is Diana of the Ephesians, whom all Asia and the world worship? was it the love to the goddess or her worship? no, we find it was their covetousness and particular gain? What is it else to cry out, great is learning, great are the Universities, who shall answer an adversary? (money answereth all things) ambition, covetousness, disdain, pride, and luxury are the things aimed at: and if it be not so, by the fruits you shall certainly know. As for government, those that are accused are not guilty, for they are enemies only to usurpations, and innovations, and exorbitances in government: indeed they are haters of tyranny, and all arbitrary power, but no other: and therefore those that falsely accuse them, are they that cause and foment divisions amongst you: therefore mark them, and be not deceived by their dissembled insinuations to hold you in division, whilst they have opportunity to make a prey of you. You know there are Wolves in Sheep's clothing: be wise as Serpents, able to discover them, innocent as Doves, gently bearing with the infirmities of the weak, having nothing in more esteem than love: thus you will answer love with love: that henceforwards your own soul●s may constantly witness to yourselves (what this Scripture expresseth) That the love of God bringing salvation to all men hath appeared, teaching you to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world: Now unto him that hath loved us, and washed away our sins in his own blood, be praise and glory for ever,  
Amen.  
FINIS.