f --~\ · 'The'Parable ofthe •. I dens he1rts; breaks your peace, and grieves the Lord fo as he is forced ro lend ) ~any fad af!l.icl:ioRs , becaufe you lie in your f.t ll~ .' Oh b~ nor long, nor far from 1 bun. He returns to thee when rbou an moft un•md ro htm: rerum when he is \ ever kind. He returns ro thee though he harh no need of thee , thou h.tft of hi•n; I \ He will not leave thee: Oh leave not him! . 1 i xo. Heharhfrom before all worlds loved thee, when no reafon for ir, Jer. 3r, 1 x, z, 3• Thou haH negleeted eo love him long, all rhy yoU[h, nay it mty be all ' thy life; Oh you beloved of the Lord begin ro do it no,v, whe:1rhe<e is al"t reJfo: 1 for it , when Heaven calls for it, Earth calls for it , Ordin,mce; ple,1d for ir, Spil rir fai'rh come , and calls for ir wo. It may be rhy life is nor long. vVhat nor yer? . · \ But how fha/11 come to do this, thm to love the Lord? The Lord only can Flant, can water this Grace, yet becaufe the Lord &>rh ir by I meanes, I will give you fo:ne now. _I. Labour to find out the rrue fweernelf~ '·and ro ~afie the birterneffe of rhe deceuful fweernelfe of all Cre.1rures, for rhts ts a rule 111 reafon , a mans alfeetions \like Hreams mull run fome way: and 'ris a rule in Theology, Hop rhe affeetions from running to rhe Creature, and in aGncere heart it will run unto Chrilt, Ho[. 2. 6,7. if it be from all creatures : N:>w then rhe affection is rurnedfrom the Cre.lture, when it finds the bitternelfe of the deceiving fweernelfe of ir: and Secondly finds out the re.;! lweetnelfe of it ; for make it as a rule, when a 'mans heart · cannot love Chrifi(unlelfe it be when it is benU!~med) 'cis bec1ulehe hath fomewhl~ elle ro joy hishem; mw lee the Crearure yeild you no more joy, and Chrifl: harh your love : indeed you may and mu!t joy i.n the real fweemefie of it, and this will encreafe,andnot diminiJ11 your love. <l!!,e(!. what is the real fweetnejfe of the Creature ? Anfw. ChriHs love : Oh fee this, ifChrifi lhould not love thee , Would not thy life be death , thy Salvation from many dangers be Damnation, rhy Friends miferable comforters, thy joyes farrows? what good would any chin~ do rhee if thou hadH rhele thoughts, all there I have, but wrath with them? What comfort c~n aman take in his FeaH, if news were then brought thatafrer 'tis done, you muft go ro the !take to be burnt? You that joy in your paftimes, one frown of Chrilt would blafi all. Oh fee this, Pfalm 63. Thy loving-kjndnejfe is better than life, in thy f.avour is life. Now joy for this, and this will knit your heart nearer ro him. For Jefus fake ponder this Point. Now 2. Taile rhe~irternelfe ofthelweernelfe remaining now. 'tis difiilled; and Satan !hews a Three-fold fweernels , before, in , and afrer the enjoying of it. Now I. Before, remember how rhey have drawn aw•y and .held thy heart from God, done thee more hurc than all affiittions, many a lweet fmile hadil thou had from God, but for them. 2. In the enjoying of it 'tis lweet, but when 'tis fweer to thee, 'tis rhen moft bitter to the heart of God ; when rhy joy is kindled , the lords lorrow is fiirred up and provoked. 3· After. I. Irwilldrawthyhearcfrom God: and 2. It will bebirter in thy belly at lafi. Whatever fweetne!fe draws thee from the love of Chrilt, Oh ir will be bitter. Rom.6. 21. Chew upon Ehis, and fee if any thing here be worthy of your JOY, and if nor, then return to your firlt Husband. · II.Tafierhe allfufliciency of the love of Chritl:aWoman that is not-conrenr with her Husbands love, lhe will n~t love him as 'ris fir. So when other things make love to us, and rhe Lords love is nor enough, Cant. I. 4· More than wine: hence de upright lvve thee. Do bur lit down and chink what this is: If once he love~ thee, wnar-ever he can he will do for thee, he will order all thy life, not one rhing !hall hurt thee, every thing in providence J11all work for chy glory, Gns, forrows, &c. Co as thou J11alr fay his cis'!nyals are better than his gifts , his blows better th;tn
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