A DISCOURSE ON The Love of Christ. BY WILLIAM SHEPPARD, A. M. and Minister of the Gospel at Oundle in Northamptonshire. LONDON, Printed for Tho. Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside, near Mercers-Chapel, 1695. EPHES. iii. 19 — And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. THE Apostle Paul was here diving into the deeps of the Love of Christ; and diving into it, fell into a Labyrinth, and an immense Ocean, which set him into an Admiration. Indeed, after our greatest Search into, and Discoveries of the Love of Christ, the most we can do, is admire, not comprehend: So it was with the Apostle here; when he set to search, he found it unsearchable; his Line was too short, his Measure too narrow to reach this height, and depth, and length, and breadth: Therefore he draws this Conclusion, That it is a Love beyond Knowledge. We may Express much, but we may Conceive more: This Love is not only above all we can express, but also above all we can conceive; above Knowledge. To know the Love of Christ] Not excluding, but including the Love of the Father. It is called the Love of Christ, because the Love of the whole Trinity is conveyed to us in and through Christ. Which passeth Knowledge.] Excelleth, exceedeth Knowledge, (as the word in the Original signifies; viz. wholly to comprehend. Every true Believer knoweth so much of it, by the teaching of the Spirit of God, as is necessary to Salvation; yet the more he knoweth, the more he knoweth it to be Incomprehensible, and past Knowledge. We may take Three general Notes from the words: 1st. That the Love of Christ to Believers is so rich and unsearchable, so vast and boundless, so matchless and unparallel, so immense and infinite, that the best of Saints cannot understand it fully, so as to be able to express the infinite and unsearchable Riches of it: They have a true knowledge of it, but they know it but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9 2dly. Though this Love of Christ be unsearchable, yet every true Believer may and does attain to a certain measure of the knowledge of it; so far as to know it to be infinite and unsearchable: They may know it so far, as to stand and wonder, stand and admire, not being able perfectly to comprehend it: and this is the Work of S●ints. 〈◊〉 That the Unsearchableness of the Love of Christ should 〈◊〉 far from discouraging Believers, that it should so much the more encourage and engage them to search after it: for he seemeth to add this, passeth knowledge, to provoke the more to seek after it. The Doctrine we shall insist upon, as containing the sum and marrow of the words, is this: Doct. That the Love of Christ to Believers is a surpassing Love, an infinite, unparallel Love: Therefore we read of the Unsearchable Riches of Christ, Ephes. 3. 8.— Here are Two things to be shown: I. What this Love of Christ is. II. Why Christ loves Believers with such a surpassing Love. 1. What this Love of Christ to Believers is? And here, what shall we say? Doth not the Text say, it is past knowledge? Have not we already said, it is such as we cannot express? such as we cannot conceive? How shall we dare to attempt such an Undertaking as this? May not the Lord say, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Job 38. 2. May we not say here, as St. Paul speaks of his Revelation? 2 Cor. 12. 4. He was caught up into Paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful (you may read, not possible) for a man to utter: The Original is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, worldless words; such things as words will not bear, cannot bear: The Tongue of Men nor Angels cannot declare this Love in the unsearchable, infinite nature of it: Therefore the most we can do, is to speak something of the Properties of it; which we shall endeavour to give some hints of, according to Scripture-light 1. It is great Love. So great as surpasseth Knowledge. The Love of Christ to Believers is so great, and they are so dear to him, that he thought nothing too much for them: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, supereminens, sublimis, excel●a magnitudo: He thought nothing too much to give; therefore, because he could give them no greater, he gave them Himself: Nothing too much to do for them: as Jacob served twice seven Years for Rachael, and they seemed to him but a few Days, because he loved her, Gen. 29. 20. Nothing too much to suffer for them. 1. He suffered in his Body, Reviling, Spitting, Buffeting, Scourging: His whole Life was but a Suffering; He suffered to his Heart's Blood, Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8. 2. He suffered in his Soul: which were the highest Sufferings. 1. He endured the Curses, yea, all the Curses of the Law, which his People should have borne. Oh, the thousands of dreadful Indictments the Law had against thee! The Thunder and Lightning it denounces! The fire and Brimstone it spits at thee! All this did this loving Jesus bear for thee that art a true Believer, and bear away, Gal. 3. 13. 2. He endured the Wrath of God, Isa. 53. 4, 5, 6. Oh, what Love was this! Christ hath borne Griefs, but they were our Griefs! He carried Sorrows, but they were our Sorrows! He was wounded for Transgressions, but they were our Transgressions! He was bruised, but it was for our Iniquities! He was chastised, but it was that we might have Peace! He had Stripes, but it was that we might be healed! O Believer, be astonished at this Love! Christ had the Curse, that thou mightst have the Blessing! Christ had the Wrath, that thou mightst have the Love! Christ had the Misery, that thou mightst have th' Glory! 3. He endured Dereliction of God, at least in his own apprehension, for a time. Believer, Think thou hearest Christ crying out, My God My God Why hast thou forsaken me? As Man, he crieth out, Why hast thou forsaken me? as God, My God My God and all this for thee! Nay, Christ was really forsaken of God for a time, as to the sensible and comfortable Manifestations of God's Presence. 4. He endured the Torments of Hell. Not that Christ did descend into the Local Hell, though I believe there is a Place▪ where the Damned suffer the Vengeance of Eternal Fire; that was not consonant with the Dignity of his Person, nor Office of a Mediator: But, Christ did endure such Torments as did tantamount the Torments of Hell: Psal. 18. 5. The sorrows of hell compassed me about: For Christ endured all that Wrath that was due for all the Sins of all the Elect, from the Beginning to the End of the World, which they must else have endured to all Eternity; they must have suffered, but could never satisfy: Therefore the Damned must suffer for ever, because they cannot satisfy for ever: Christ suffered and satisfied. Oh, what Love was here to Believers! Christ emptied himself of all his Glory for them: He came down from Heaven to Earth: He took their Nature, their Sins, their Curse, their Wrath, their Hell: He fulfilled the Law, he satisfied Divine justice; He prayed, he mourned, he lived, he died for them: Lo, how he loved them! 2. Christ's Love to Believers is a Free Love. 1. Undeserved Love, Ezek. 16. 3, 4, 5, 6, 8. They were polluted in their Blood; and when they were in their Blood, Christ said to them, Live. And why? Why, it was a time of Love, Tit. 3. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. They were also, sometimes, as well as others, foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers Lusts and Pleasures, etc. It was the mere Kindness and Love of God appeared to them, justifying them freely by his Grace, Rom. 3. 24. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. We can provoke him to Wrath, but not move God to Love: it ariseth from Himself; God's Choosing, Calling, Justifying, Adopting, Saving Love, is all free, undeserved Love. 2. Undesired Love, Isai. 65. 1. This is the Voice of the Lord, I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them 〈◊〉 sought me not. Not so much as a Prayer! What could be less tha● a little Breath, to show there was nothing done to procure th●● Love? It is Free Love. 3. Christ's Love to Believers is a singular Love, a distinguishing Love. It is not to all, but to some; not to many, but a 〈◊〉 Amos 3. 2. You only have I known: Jer. 3. 14. One of a city, two 〈◊〉 family: two in a bed, the one taken, and the other left; the 〈◊〉 band taken, and the Wife left; the Wife taken, and the Husban● left; the Child taken, and the Parents left. Oh, this makes it 〈◊〉 nishing Love, Joh. 14. 22 Believer, Dost not thou find this 〈◊〉 Love ravish thy Heart? Doth not thy Heart burn within thee, whilst thou readest these Lines? 4. The Love of Christ to Believers is a Sincere Love; a True, Unfeigned, Cordial Love: His Heart is in it: Cant. 4. 9 It is Christ's Voice to his Spouse; his Heart was set upon her, even to Ravishment: so it is upon every sincere Believer: And it will appear to be no counterfeit Love, if you consider what he hath done, what he hath suffered for them: A greater Demonstration he could not give, than his Dying for them, Joh 15. 3● 5. Christ's Love to Believers is a Superlative Love; a Love of the Highest degree; a Love above a●● above all his, above his Glory, for he left it for them; above his Life, for he laid it down for them; a Love above all other; a Love to the Believer above all other Persons; to pass by thousands, and love thee: a Love above all other Love, to lay down his Life; and that, not for a near, dear, choice Friend, but a vile, wicked, cruel Enemy. I never heard nor read but of one in all my Life, that laid down his Life for another, and that was a Child for his Father: A Citizen of Toledo being condemned to die, his Son offered to die for him, and was accepted. This was a Child for his Father: not an Enemy, nor an ordinary Friend; but the best of Friends, a Father. But Christ died, not for a Father, a Friend, but an Enemy, a Wretch, a Rebel, Rom. 5. 8, 10. 6. Christ's Love to Believers is an Insuperable Love; a Love that nothing can pose: No Difficulty that Christ met with could pose it: When Christ had undertaken, and God stood upon the fulfilling all Righteousness, and satisfying Justice to the full; that after he had, by his active Obedience, done all that could be required, there must be passive Obedience too: yet Christ did not shrink at this neither; and after he had suffered much, many Indignities from Men, and Severities from God, as in the Garden he sweat Drops of Blood; yet it must come to his Life: He did not spare that neither: Joh. 15. 13. Was there ever any love like unto this love? Certainly we may say here, as David of Jonathan, Thy love passed the love of women. 7. Christ's Love to Believers is an inseparable Love. Here are Two things: 1. It is Constant Love. Men will love to day, and hate to morrow; but when once God sets his Love upon a Soul, he never takes it off more: where he loves, he always loves: whatsoever their Carriage is towards Him, when they deserve to be hated; whatsoever His Carrriage seems to be towards them: When he chides, he loves; when he hides, he loves. 1. When he chides, he loves, Rev. 3. 19 He chastens, yet he loves, Heb. 12. 6. He visits with the Rod, yet still loves, Psal. 89. 30, 31, 32, 33. 2. When he hides, he loves, Isa. 54. 7, 8, 10. For his iniquity I was wroth, and smote him: I hide me, says God, Isa. 57 16, 17, 18. It seems as if it was God's Expectation that he should turn: But did he turn? No, he went on frowardly in the way of his Heart. What might we expect that the Lord should say now, but that I will take away my Love for ever! I will curse him. Plague him, Damn him! But is it so? No, he loves still Oh, to be admired Love! See what follows in ver. 18. I will heal him, yea, and restore comforts to him, and to his mourners too. 2. It is permanent and abiding Love; lasting, yea, everlasting Love: It reaches from Eternity to Eternity, from eternal Chusi● to eternal Glorifying: an unchangeable Love. Though Christ's Face change, sometime smile, sometimes frown; though his Hand, his Actions change, sometimes Hand-mercies Comforts, sometimes Hand-strokes: yet his Heart never changes: whom he loves, he loves to the end, Joh. 13 1. II. Why Christ loves Believers with such a surpassing Love. 1. Because these are they on whom the Riches of Grace shall be advanced for ever. This is the great and glorious Design that was upon God's Heart from all Eternity, to advance the Riches of his Grace in Christ upon poor Sinners. Now, these are the Souls that this glorious Design shall be advanced on; and they must needs be beloved Ones, that serve for the advancement of this glorious Design. God may magnify his Justice upon Persons, and yet hate them; but he never magnifies his Mercy and Grace on any, but he loves them. O Believers! all the great things that ever God did, was for You! Creation was for you; Christ for you; Redemption was for you: That's the first Reason why Believers are so beloved 〈◊〉 because they are Persons set apart to advance the Riches of God● Grace in Christ, Psal. 4. 3. These are they the Lord set apart fo● himself, for himself to enjoy, for himself to converse with, for himself to delight in to all Eternity. 2. Because they are lovely in his sight: not as they are in themselves, but as they are in him; by his Righteousness imputed, his Graces communicated, Cant. 4. 1. Behold, thou art fair, my Love, behold, thou art fair. 1. By his Righteousness imputed: Christ is made Righteousness to them, 1 Cor. 1. 30. And they are made Righteous, accounted Righteous in him: nay they are made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now Christ looks upon us in this Righteousness, and so accounts us lovely. Hence he is said to see no iniquity in Jacob: not that there was none, but he sees it not; looking on us in his own Righteousness. Now they are pardoned, and as fully pardoned, as if they had never sinned: Therefore we read, Jer. 50. 20. The iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: Why? for I will pardon them. Before they were in their Blood, Filthiness, Pollution, and so ugly, loathsome; but now they are, by this Righteousness, beautiful, lovely, and so loved. There is Christ's essential, personal Righteousness as God; this cannot be communicated: but there is his mediatory Righteousness, wrought as Mediator. This is imputed to them; and by virtue of this they stand justified in God's sight, and therefore loved. 2. By his Graces imparted: They are clothed with Rubies, and Saphires, and all the shining Graces of the Spirit. See how Christ adorns them, Ezek. 16. 9, to 14. And how lovely they are in his sight, by reason of these Ornaments! Christ is the common Stock of Grace, and they derive from him Grace for Grace, viz. of every Grace according to their measure; Gratiam nouâ gratiâ comulatam. The Father loves his Child, because he is like him. Believers are changed into God's Image from Glory to Glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Now they are glorious in his Eyes, and therefore loved. 3. Because they are his. Propriety is the ground of Love: We love our own, our own Relations, our own Enjoyments, Houses, Lands, etc. A Believer is Christ's own, and therefore loved, Cant. 7. ●0. I am my beloved's; and than it follows, his desire is towards me. They are his Friends, his Favourites, his Members, his Spouse, his Hephzibahs, his Beulahs, Isa. 62. 4. his Jewels, Mal. 3. 17. his Treasure; and where the treasure is, there will the heart be also, Matth. 6. 21. 1. They are his chosen Ones, John 15. 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you. Indeed there is nothing to cause him to choose, but his own Love. Misericordia ejus praevenit secundum gratiam, non secundum debitum, Aug. God's Love is Eternal, and therefore can have no cause but itself: for, Non est gratia, si praecesserint merita, as Aug. 2 Tim. 1. 9 There purpose and grace are put together. Christ loved them, therefore he hath chosen them; now he hath chosen them, therefore loves them. 2. They are his purchased Ones: They are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. and that not a little one neither. They are purchased at a dear rate; they cost no less than Blood: and that, not the the Blood of Bulls and Goats. Hebr. 10. 4. nor the Blood of mere Man, but the Blood of Christ: nothing but Blood could do it, precious Blood, and that the precious Blood of the precious Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19 nay farther, the Blood of God, Acts 20. 28. for if the Divine Nature had not been hypostatically united to the human, it would not have made the Purchase. O what a Price is here! surely these must needs be precious Souls, dearly beloved Souls, that cost such a price; and Christ must needs love them highly, for they are all the Fruit of his precious Blood, all the Income that he is ever like to have for this inestimable Price. Thus we see that there is great Reason (though all from himself) why Christ loves Believers with such a surpassing Love. Object. It doth not appear by God's Deal with them in the World, as if he loved them so; but rather, as if he loved others more, and hated them: Others have the sweet, and they have the bitter; others have their Eyes stand out with fatness, and have more than Heart can wish: when the Godly are chastened every Morning, Psal. 73. 4. to 7, 14. Answ. It is true, God doth often exercise his People with cross Providences, contrary Deal: They are in Trouble, when others are in Peace; they are in Sorrow, when others are in Joy: but this is in infinite Wisdom and Love to them. These, if rightly understood, speak Love; and God should not love them so much, if he did not deal thus with them. 1. It is to correct them for their Miscarriages. If a Father should see his Child run on in ways tending to his own Ruin, and not correct him, would you not judge he rather hated than loved him? So when God sees his Child grow undutiful, disobedient, fall into such ways as tend to his Perdition, Is it not his great Love to use his Rod, rather than lose his Child? Whom I love, I rebuke and chasten, Rev. 3. 19 I rebuke, but yet I love; yea, I rebuke, because I love. The Reason is evident; it is to take away his Sin, which would undo him, Isaiah 27. 9 By this shall the Iniquity of Jacob be purged, and it shall be the Fruit of it, to take away his Sin. As the Rod is better than Death, than Hell; so it is greater Love to scourge him, then to spare his Child. God had one Son without Sin, but never a Son without Sorrow, Heb. 12. 6, 10. Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. But is this Love? Yea, for it is for our profit, that we may be made partakers of his Holiness. I know, the Children of God are often crying out, If I belonged to God, surely I should not be so afflicted: As David, My Foot had almost slipped, Psal. 73. 2, 3. But thou that art a Child of God, if thou weighest these Things, may'st see how thou art beholding to God for Afflictions, and cross Providences; and instead of questioning his Love, bless his Name, that he will take so much pains, and be at so much trouble with thee. Therefore let thine Apprehensions be rectified herein; and say as David, Psal. 119. 75. I know, O Lord, that thy judgements are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 2. It is to exercise them; to exercise their Graces. This was God's End, as far as appears by the Text in Job's great Afflictions and Trials, 1 Pet. 1. 6, 7. If need be, ye are in heaviness: There is the first Particular, to correct them; and than it follows, for the Trial of their Faith. Tribulations are to try the Saint's Faith, Love, Patience, Humility, Self-denial, etc. Trials have discovered many to be far otherways than they expected. To try their Faith; Whether they can trust God under his chide, and hidings, as well as his shinings. It was in this School of Affliction, that Job learned this great Lesson: Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, Job. 13. 15. But how often do Souls find the contrary? O, saith a Soul, I never thought there were so much Unbelief, Impatience, Pride, Stubborness in my Heart, as I found under such a Trial. To try their Love; Whether they can love God when he strips them. Oh this is a sweet frame for a Soul to experience: Well, let God deal with me as he please, I will love him still. To try their Submission to the Divine Will and Pleasure: I will bear the Indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, Mich. 7. 9 Yea, and I will bear it willingly, patiently, thankfully: It is a Sickbed, it might have been a Bed of Flames: It is a sharp Providence, but it might have been Fire and Brimstone: And I will wait patiently too the Lord's Wise and Gracious Disposal. For he will bring me forth to the Light, and I shall behold his Righteousness. Here take this Note: Note, If thou Child of God art enabled to put forth but one Act of Grace, in an Affliction and Trouble, thou art partaker of an infinite Benefit and Advantage, which thou hast cause to bless God for ever for: For there is more good in one Act of Grace, than there is evil in all the Afflictions and Troubles of the World. And the Reason is evident; for that Evil is but temporary, but this Good is eternal. Every Act of Grace shall have an eternal Reward, an exceeding and eternal weight of Glory. O what great Mistakes, not only the World, but the Children of God themselves lie under, by reason of God's deal with his here. The Wicked are ready to bless themselves in their evil Ways, harden themselves against God's holy and blessed Ways, censure the People of God; and the Children of God are ready to be discouraged and give up all their hopes. But you see (precious Souls) that these things are not matter of desponding to you, but rejoicing: Here you may learn what that of the Apostle means, Phil. 4. 4. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again, I say, Rejoice: And that, Rom. 5. 3. We glory in tribulation. 3. It is to better them. To better their Hearts, their Duties, their Graces, their Comforts, their Experiences, their Evidences, they are to humble them, to wean them, to win them, Psal. 37. 37. Let the way be never so uncomfortable, the End shall be blessed. There are Four Times, precious Believers have cause infinitely to admire and adore their God and Father for. 1. A time of more than ordinary Enjoyment of Christ's special Presence. God often makes Times of Trouble, Times of special Enjoyments, that some of his People have been sometimes ready to wish for such a Trouble again. Indeed we need not matter where we are, so we have God with us; nor what Condition we are in, if we have Christ's Presence: Which made Luther say, He had rather be in Hell with Christ, than in Heaven without him. Christ's Presence makes every Place, and every Condition an Heaven; Sickness an Heaven, Poverty an Heaven, a Prison an Heaven. And this is that Christ vouchsafes to his in all Conditions: ordinarily, the greater their Trouble, the more of his presence, Isa. 43. 2. By Fire, and Floods of Water, we are to understand great Troubles: And in these they have God's presence, Isa. 63. 9 In all their afflictions he is afflicted, and the angel of his presence saves them: in his love and pity he redeems, and bears and carries them. Have not Saints cause to admire God in all this? Is not this Love? 2. A Time of greater Conveyance of Divine Grace. God makes Times of Trouble, Times of increasing the Saints Graces, strengthening their Faith, inflaming their love, raising their Joys, 1 Pet. 1. 8. He spoke before, ver. 6. of a Time of Heaviness. I have known Souls experience this: They have been at such Times so filled with Joy, that they have rejoiced with Joy unspeakable, and full of Glory, 2 Cor. 4. 11. We are delivered unto Death, we are in deep Troubles, that we may have more of Jesus: And how then are we beholding to Jesus? 3. A Time of clearer Revelation of Divine Love. This is a Time Believers are to bless God for, and this God often makes Times of Trouble to be, 2 Hos. 14. Therefore, behold, I will bring her into the wilderness, and there will I allure her: I will speak comfortably to her. As if God had said, I will bring such a Child of mine into a Wilderness-Condition, a Wilderness of Trouble; he shall not know which way to go, what to do, etc. And what then? Then I will speak comfortably to him; Loquar ad cor, as the Word signifies: I will speak a Word to him, that shall do him good at Heart, revive him, cheer him rejoice his Heart. And observe how this is ushered in: Behold; as if it were said, Behold, ye Children of God, how ye are beholding to your God and Father for your Troubles: Behold what cause ye have to bless him for them: Behold what cause you have to admire him for them. God often makes them as the King's Chamber to his People; wherein he makes them glad, and rejoice in him; to remember his Love more than Wine, Cant. 1. 4 He makes them a Banqueting-house to his Children, and his Banner over them is Love: He stays them with Flagons: He gives them not only sips, tastes, cups, but Flagons of Love, of the Wines of his Consolations. Now are not Believers infinitely beholding to their God and Father for such a time as this? Cant. 2. 4, 5. 4. A Time of fuller manifestation of his Glory: Acts 7. 54, 55, 56. when Stephen had the Storm of Stones coming about his Ears, than he had the Vision of the Glory of God, and Jesus at the Right-hand of God. I knew a gracious Woman, upon a sick Bed, in violent Bodily Pains, and also great Distress of Soul, after a little time, the Lord was pleased to break in upon her with such glorious Light (as she expressed it) as filled her with such Joy and Consolation, that all her Bodily Pains were immediately gone, and she felt not the least Bodily Grievance. Another, by reason of Bodily and Soul Distress together, was become Bedrid, seemingly at the Gates of Death; and upon a Minister's Praying with her, she cried out, He is come! He is come! He is come! and she was filled with Joy unspeakable and Glorious. Lay all these together, and it will fully appear, notwithstanding all Objections to the contrary, that this Doctrine stands firm and invincible; that the Love of Christ to Believers is a Surpassing Love. Use 1. Then, Oh! the Misery of those that have no part in this Love of Christ! that are not taken with Christ, notwithstanding this Love! that prefer, or seek after any thing more than this Love of Christ! Oh, ye vile Drunkards, that prefer a Lust, a Pot-Companion before this Christ! Oh, ye covetous Worldlings, that prefer a good Bargain, Corn, and Wine, and Oil, before this Christ! Oh, ye voluptuous Ones, that prefer vain empty Pleasures before this Christ, so full of Love, and Grace, and Glory! how will ye answer it at the Great Day! how will ye look this Christ in the Face at the Last Day! Oh, ye vain Temporizers, that are for the Love and Favour of Men, more than the Love of Christ! Oh, ye besotted, blind, secure Ones that are settled on your Lees! see not your need of this Christ! What will become of you? Are there not many that see no Need of him, no Beauty in him, that they should desire him? that say of him, as the Daughters of Jerusalem to the Spouse, What is thy beloved more than another beloved? They see no such Excellency and Glory in him, (as hath been shown.) We may say of them, as is said of the Children of Israel, Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt, etc. Psal. 106. 7. Great and Wonderful Things the Lord did for them; but they saw no Glory therein: Wonderful Things have been spoken of the Love of Christ's but they see no Glory in it: Their Hearts are not taken with it. Oh, how shall we be able to lament their Misery, that are not taken with this Love of Christ! It was a Saying of one of the Fathers, If all the World were turned into Tears, they were not sufficient to lament the Misery of that Soul, that sees not Excellency in Jesus Christ. I may say here, If all the World, from the Earth to the Empyrean Heaven, were full of Tears, yea, Tears of Blood, they were not sufficient to lament the Misery of your Souls, that have not an Interest in this lovely Jesus. We are not able to express your Misery: Words will not bear it; the Tongue of Men and Angels cannot declare it. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maran-atha, 1 Cor. 16. 22. Let him be accursed with the greatest Curses. The dreadfullest Curses that Law or Gospel can denounce, are the Portion of Unbelievers: therefore, when our Saviour would denounce the greatest Torments, he saith, Let them have their portion with the hypocrites and unbelievers.— This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light, etc. Joh. 3. 19 Christ hath brought Light into the World, the Light of Grace and Glory: but the generality of Men love Darkness, dark Company, dark Practices, Ways; live in Darkness: and this is the Condemnation. (The) Condemnation; What is that? Oh! we are not able to express that, how great Condemnation it is, how dreadful Condemnation it is! Oh, that Sinners might dread it before they feel it. 1. It is Dreadful, because Wilful: Sinners Wilfulness will add to the Dreadfulness of it: Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life, Joh. 5. 40. Oh, how will this torment, I might have had Christ, but would not! Grace and Glory, but would not! I would not Pray! I would not Mourn for my Sins! I would not be Godly! I would have my Lusts! I would be Damned! Oh! my Wilfulness hath brought me to this Place of Torment! 2. Your Condemnation will be inexcusable, and therefore dreadful: Friend, how camest thou hither, without the wedding-garment? And he was speechless, Mat. 22. 12. Sinners, Tremble to think of this! You will be speechless; you will have no Excuse: You cannot say, Christ was not offered you. Now, we Ministers come to deal with you; we offer you Christ; we beseech you to come to him: but you have many Excuses, as Luk 14. 16, 17, 18. they were called to the Supper, viz. Christ and his Benefits, but they made their Excuses to the Servant: But when the Lord himself comes to deal with you, as Mat. 22. 11. Friend, how camest thou hither, without the wedding-garment? How comest thou to be without a Christ? Was he not offered thee? Then he will call his Servants, his Ministers, and ask the Question. Did not you offer Christ to this Man? Then they will answer, Yes, Lord; I was earnest with him, I did beg of him, as on my Knees, and labour with all my might to bring him in, but could not persuade him. Oh, than you will be speechless; you will not have one word to say: How will this torment! 3. Your condemnation will be intolerable, and therefore dreadful, Luk. 13. 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, and yourselves thrust out. There shall be gnashing of teeth; it speaks, their intolerable Torment. Oh, how will this torment, to see the Husband taken into Heaven, and the Wife shut out? the Wife taken into Heaven, and the Husband shut out? the Child taken into Heaven, and the Parent shut out? the Servant taken into Heaven, and the Master shut out? your Neighbour taken into Heaven, and yourselves shut out? This will cause gnashing of Teeth; I had the same Means and Opportunities as they; I had Christ offered me as well as they; I sat under the same Sermons; I had the same Calls, but I would not come in. The Refusals of Christ will make Damnation intolerable. 4. Your Damnation will be Eternal, therefore Dreadful: Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me, ye cursed into everlasting fire. Oh, Dreadful! Fire, the Lake of Fire, Rev. 20. 15. and that for ever, to be burning and ever burning; where the worm dies not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark 9 44. The Christless Sinner shall burn and roar, and roar and burn, and that for ever; after you have been as many thousands of millions, and millions of thousands of Years,; Ages, as as there are Hairs on your Head, Piles of Grass on the Earth, Stars in the Sky, Sands in the Sea, Drops in the Ocean, you will be no nearer coming out, than at the beginning. O Eternity! Eternity! Eternity! This will cut to the Heart: Then you shall seek Death, and shall not find it: O Death, whither art thou gone? Oh, come and end this doleful Life! Oh, that these Pains would break my Heart, and end my Being! Oh, that I might once die! Oh, that I had been a Dog or Toad! Oh, that I had never had a Being! Oh, Sinner, lay 〈◊〉 to heart! Remember, Everlasting Torment is dreadful Torment 〈◊〉 Time is almost gone; Eternity is ready ●o swallow you up; 〈◊〉 haste, Make haste to the City of Refuge, before the Avenger 〈◊〉 Blood overtake you. Use 2. For Exhortation to come in to Christ: Sinners, Come, lay in for a share in this Love. Oh, what infinite Pity it is, that any poor Soul should miss of this Love! 1. God is earnest for your Coming; He would never have sent his Son else: Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world, that he sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. God so loved; it was so great a Love, that we cannot express: Ezek. 33. 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I take no pleasure in the death of sinners, but that they turn and live: Turn ye, turn ye; why will ye die? The God of Truth swears it; doubles the Call, Turn ye, turn ye, expostulates the Case with you; Why will ye die? If you come not, you die; I would not have you: that if you die, it is because you will die. God is so earnest, that he entreats you to come and live. God offers Reconciliation in his Son, and sends his Ambassadors to beseech you to come and accept, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. Oh, how earnest is he? You are Guilty, Condemned Malefactors, and will ye not accept of a Pardon? You are under Wrath, and will ye not accept of Free Love? How shall ye escape, if ye neglect so great salvation? 2. Christ is willing: so willing, that he took our Nature, and died, Heb. 10. 5, 6, 7. compared with Psal. 40. 6, 7, 8. It is spoken of Christ: Christ delighted in Dying, and bearing the Wrath of God for poor Sinners; lo, I come, and I delight in it; lo, I must take your Nature, and I delight in it; and if I take your Nature, I must take your Sins too, and I delight in it: lo, I must take your Curse and Wrath, and I delight in it: lo, I must endure your Death and Hell, and I delight in it: I must have the Curse, that you may have the Blessing: I must have the Wrath, that you may have the Love: I must die, that you may live: I must have the Hell, that you may have Heaven, and I delight in it. Oh, how willing is Christ to save poor Sinners! Ah, Sinners! do you not find your Hearts taken with this Love? When Christ was in the World, did he cast away any one that came to him for Bodily Healing? He came to save Souls; will he then refuse Souls that come to him? He sat among Sinners; he wept over Sinners. When he was near the Cross, he saith, I have a baptism to be baptised with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished? Luk. 12. 50. He means his Passion: as if Christ had said, I must endure a bitter Agony in the Garden, sweat Drops of Blood, and how do I long? I am to die a shameful, painful, cursed Death upon the Cross at Jerusalem, and how do I long till it be accomplished? When he was upon the Cross, he prayed for his Murdere●s: when he was risen, he sends his Apostles to preach the Gospel, and offer the Benefits of his Death, first at Jerusalem, Act. 3. 14, 15, 16. O Love indeed! They who shed his Blood, must have the first Offer of his Blood. And when he was ascended, he appears to John at Patmos, and gave him Commission to write to the Churches, Rev. 1. 11. And what does he write? Even a Call to Sinners to come and partake of the Salvation he hath wrought out, Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come: And let him that heareth, say, Come: And let him that is a-thirst, come: And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. How earnest Christ is! Come, Sinners; Come, Come, Come, take me and my Benefits freely: Christ is willing, and art not thou willing? Sinner, consider how this will aggravate thy Damnation. Oh, that every Soul that hears or reads these lines may come! 1. Labour tosee your Need of Him: You have infinite Need of him, whether you see it or no; and your Misery is the greater, that do not see it. Christ is offered to you, and to the greatest of Sinners; but you must see your Need, before you will come. Let a Physician come to two Men, the one well, and the other sick: the Well-Man doth not regard him; the Whole need not a Physician; but the Sick-Man is glad of him, to have his Directions, and follow his Prescriptions. 2. Take heed of putting off this work of Believing any longer. Delays are dangerous: Come in to Christ speedily: Make haste, the Judge standeth behind the Door; the Avenger of Blood is at your Heels: If you will have a Christ, take him now; to Morrow may be too late: This Night thy Soul may be required of thee. Art thou Young? Consider that Text, Prov. 27. 1. that is the Young Man's Text, Boast not thyself of to morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Heb. 3. 7, 8. To day, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. If you do not take him, and take him to day, it is the Hardness of your Heart. Art thou an Old Man? Consider that Text, Hos. 7. 9 10. that is the Old Man's Text; it is said of Ephraim, Strangers have devoured his strength, and he knoweth it not; yea, grey hairs are here and there upon him, and he knoweth not. Yet they do not return to the Lord, nor seek him, for all this. Oh, this is a sad case? What, an Old Man, and a Christless Man! an Old Man, and a Prayerless Man! an Old Man, and not turn to the Lord, nor seek him, for all this? Many will be for putting off the Work till Sickness, or Death: Take heed of it; then God may justly seal you up to Destruction. Now, Satan will say, Repent at Death, but then he will say, It is too late. There was a Man that in Sickness cried out, When I was well I would not go to God, but now I have no God to go to. than the Devil bid me repent at death; but now he tells me, It is too late. Take heed that this be not your Case. 3. Consider the danger of neglecting this gracious Offer of a Christ. If you go away, and wallow in your Sins, than Condemnation will come upon you to the uttermost, Mat. 11. 22, to 24. Christ is there upbraiding the Cities where he had made the Offers of his Grace, and they refused: And see how dreadful he declares their Case to be, how many Woes he pronounces against them; he tells them, It shall be worse with them, then with Sodom, at the Day of Judgement. Worse than with Sodom! certainly this must needs be a dreadful Condition indeed; for Sodom must needs be a very wicked People. We read Genesis 19 24. That the Lord reigned Brimstone and Fire from Heaven upon them: Yet you that refuse Christ, shall have a hotter Hell than they; more dreadful Torments than Sodom and Gomorrah. O tremble, Sinners, to think of missing of Christ. Souls, why should you be worse for Christ? Christ, that is the greatest Mercy that ever came into the World. It will be the greatest Mercy that ever was to you, if you get into him; but if you miss of him, you will be infinitely and eternally the worse for him. In some Countries, where they burn their Malefactors, they pour Oil into the Flames to make them more grievous. O fear and tremble to miss of Christ; for this will be as Oil to the Flames: Every Offer of Christ will be Oil to the Flames in Hell; every Sermon will be as Oil to the Flames; every Sabbath, and Soul-opportunity, will be as Oil to the Flames in Hell. What sayest thou Sinner? Dost thou find these things affect thee? Dost thou find thy Heart coming? O away to Christ, go and cry for a Christ, and wrestle for a Christ, and be restless for Christ Day and Night; or I tell thee from the Lord, thou wilt certainly lament it when it is too late, and that to Eternity: for it is not I, but the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. O remember, I beseech you, and forget not, that this very Call will be as Oil to the Flames in Hell. O how will this torment! yonder is my Father in Heaven, my Brother in Heaven, my Neighbour in Heaven; and I was offered Christ as well as they: I might had Christ but would not; I must be for ever burning, and tormented in these Flames. May we not imagine and expect, that Souls, upon these Considerations, should fly to Christ, as Doves to the Windows? And do they not? What is the Reason? Oh they are under delusion about it; they think they are in Christ already; they hope to be saved by Christ. And is not this thy case that readest these Lines? But are not thou deceived? Look well to it, look again and again to it, that thou and others may be undeceived. I shall come to a use of Trial: And the Lord help thee to apply every Mark to thy own Heart, diligently, faithfully. Use 3. For Examination. The Love of Christ to Believers is a surpassing Love: But have we an Interest in this Love? as one said, when he looked on the Rainbow, and therein read God's Covenant never to drown the World more, Ah! but what is that to me, if I be be drowned? So here Christ hath infinite Love for his. But what if I have no part in it? as he said, Christ is to me a Grief and a Torment, because I have refused him, rejected him, have no part in him. Ah Souls! look and search narrowly into it, that you be not mistaken: How many Souls are undone merely by Mistakes! Therefore Paul presseth so hard this Work of Examination, 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine, prove know your own States; see what Grounds you build upon, that you may not think yourselves loved of God, when you are Reprobates, such as God will never own. 1. Where the Love of Christ is, there is the Image of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new Creature; he is transformed into the same Image, 2 Cor. 3. 18. He hath a Participation of God: He is holy, as God is holy. Christ's Beloved's are Holy Ones. 2. Where the Love of Christ is, there is the Spirit of Christ: If any man hath not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his, Rom. 8. 9 And they that have the Spirit of Christ, are led by the Spirit, ver. 14. Gal. 5. 16, 25. Christ's beloved Ones are spiritual Walkers. Here is a Touchstone for Professors. 3. Where the Love of Christ is upon a Soul, that Soul is a true Lover of Jesus Christ, Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine, and I am hi●. Love is the Loadstone, the attractive of Love. We love him, because he first loved us, 1 John 4. 19 Object. Many will reply here, If this be a Mark of the Love of Christ, than we hope all is well: We do not question but we love Christ as well as any other; and it is pity they should live that do not love Christ. Answ. It is true indeed: But how many deceive themselves with this? Who questions his Love to Christ? except it be a few weak doubting Souls: It is hard to persuade them that they do love Christ. The generality of the World, though ignorant, carnal, profane, will pretend to love Christ, though they love the World better, a Lust better: But this is a Love Christ will never own. Therefore I shall give you some Characters of true and saving Love to Christ; such Love as Christ will own. 1. A true Lover of Christ loves nothing in comparison of Christ, nothing in competition with Christ. 1. He loves nothing in comparison of Christ: To one that is a stranger to Christ, the World is lovely, Sins, Lusts lovely; there is a great deal of Beauty and Glory in worldly Riches and Honours: But when a Soul hath a right view of Christ, then transit gloria mundi, than all worldly Glory is eclipsed, Phil. 3. 7, 8. Now all Paul's former Gains are loss, dross, dung; not only his worldly, but Pharisaical Gains too. Before, a Man hath a Righteousness of his own, which he highly values, but now all is as filthy Rags. 2. He loves nothing in competition with Christ. If Houses, Lands Friends, yea Life itself, stand in competition with Christ; that he must forsake these or Christ: True love of Christ bears down all before it. Now he is enabled to say after Christ, Mat. 16. 24, 25, 26. and follow the Example of that noble Marquis: Farewell Crown, Kingdom, Wife, Children, and All, that I may go to Christ. Now what sayest thou Soul? Judge righteous Judgement: Thou lovest Christ, thou sayest; but dost thou not love something else better? Thou canst not part with a Lust, or petty Vanity for him. This then is a Love which Christ will never own. But, poor doubting Believer! thou may'st be here gathering Evidences: Thou art afraid thou dost not love Christ savingly. But dost thou love any thing else better? If thou find it really in thine own Heart, there is nothing whatsoever that thoulovest better than Christ; thou may'st conclude thou dost truly love Christ: For there is never an Unbeliever in the World, but there is something or other which he loves better than Christ. 2. A true Lover of Christ loves all Christ; and all Christ above all things. 1. He loves all Christ. 1. The Person of Christ, 1 Cor. 2. 2. He sees Beauty and Glory in Christ: John 1. 14. We beheld his glory, said the Disciples. You see desireableness in his Benefits, but not in his Person; then your Love is not right. 2. The People of Christ: Psal. 16. 3. My delight is in the Saints, saith a true Lover of Christ; these are the excellent in the earth. 3. The Ordinances of Christ. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! my Soul longs for them, saith a Lover of Christ, Psal. 84. 1, 2. There I was wont to meet with my Beloved; there I have had glorious views of him, sweet tastes, precious Solacements, delightful Communions; there I have sat under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet unto my taste: He hath brought me into his banqueting-house, and his banner over me was love, Cant. 2. 3, 4. There I have eaten of his Bread, and drank of the Wine which he hath mingled; there I have been ravished with his Loves. 4. The Ways of Christ: A Beloved of Christ loves his holy Laws and Government; he can experience David's Language, Psal. 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I taken as mine heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. A Lover of Christ accounts his ways, not his bondage, but his heritage; not his slavery, but his liberty; and that not for a fit, as a Carnalist, Formalist may seem to do, but for ever. Now Soul, thou that art deluded about thy Love to Christ, lay these things together, and apply them faithfully, and thou may'st find it. Thou sayest thou lovest Christ; that is, his Benefits: but as to his Person, thou sayest, as Isa. 53. 2. There is no form, nor comeliness, no beauty that we should desire him. You say, you love Christ, but his Ordinances are of no value to you. You love Christ, but you hate his People, scoff at, revile them: 1 John 5. 1. That Text tells you, That he that loves God, loves him also that is begotten of him. You say, you love Christ, but hate Holiness; you cannot endure the power of Godliness: Holy Duties, Religious Exercises are not your heritage, but your bondage; not your liberty, but your slavery. Soul, do not let Satan gull thee; that love of thine is but a counterfeit Love, which thou may'st go to Hell with. 2. He loves all Christ above all things: 1. Above all things on Earth 2. Above all things in Heaven. Cant. 5. 10. Christ is the chief among ten thousand to him; yea, as verse last, altogether lovely. All desires: (1.) Above all things on Earth, Mat. 10. 37. If any man love father or mother more than me, he is not worthy of me. Father and Mother are instanced as the chief of all worldly Objects; Son, and Daughter, and Life: Yet if Christ be not preferred above all these, our Love is such as Christ will not own. (2.) Above all things in Heaven, Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee; and there is none in earth I desire in comparison of thee. Soul, apply this to yourself: Do you love Christ above all things? Then it is a Love which Christ will own. 3. A True Lover of Christ, his Heart is taken up with Christ; his Life is taken up with Christ. 1. His Heart is taken up with Christ: Christ is much in his Thoughts, Desires, Meditations, Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. Can you say you love Christ, and he is little in your thoughts? Lover's cannot but have their thoughts run upon one another. The World is much in your thoughts: vain Company, Pleasures, the Profits of the World much in your thoughts, and Christ but little in your thoughts: These things show you have but little Love to Christ. It is the Character of a Beloved of Christ; Christ shall be as a bundle of myrrh to me: Myrrh was of fragrant smell, and delightful: Christ shall be sweet unto my Thoughts; Christ shall delight my Heart, saith a gracious Soul. 2. His Life is taken up with Christ. 1. He speaks Christ much, Psal. 37. 30, 31. The mouth of the righteous is as choice silver, and his tongue talketh of judgement. Lovers are much talking of one another. Is Christ little in your Mouth? It is a sign he is little and low in your Heart. 2. He lives Christ, Gal. 2. 20. The life that I live, I live by the faith of the son of God: His Care and Endeavour is to live a Christ-like Life, a Gospel-life. Do you love Christ, and live in sin and wickedness in open rebellion against Christ? You have not so learned Christ, Ephes. 4. 20. to 24. If you love Christ, and have learned Christ, you will put off the old Man with his corrupt Deeds, and put on the new Man of Righteousness and True Holiness, or else your Love to Christ is but a Fancy. Object. If this be a Character of a Beloved of Christ, I am afraid I have not a dram of True Love to Christ: O how little do I live Christ! How contrary do I live to Christ? This may be the Objection of a weak Believer. Answ. You must not judge of yourself by the measure of Grace, but by the truth of Grace. Christ will not bring a pair of Balances to weigh your Graces, but a Touchstone to try the Truth of them. The best of Saints are far short of the Life they ought to i●e; far short of the Pattern Christ hath set them. You must not expect to attain it legally, but evangelically; not perfectly, but sincerely. But is it your chief Care and Business? Thus it is with every Beloved of Christ. Can you in truth and sincerity say with David, Psal. 119. 5, 6, 7, 112. The best of Saints are more in desires and endeavours than attainments. Here is the Mercy, we have to deal with God in a Covenant of Grace: And this is the Glory of it, That it accepts of sincerity for perfection. According to the tenor of it, a Christian is what he sincerely desires and endeavours to be, 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted, according to what a man hath, and not according to that a man hath not. Doubting Soul, Are these the real Workings of thy Heart? ● that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! O that there were such an Heart in me! O that I could wholly live to God O that I might never sin more! O that I could come up to the whole Will of God; that I could attain to the top of Holiness! This, according to the Covenant of Grace, is living Christ: And here thou hast an Evidence of true Love to Christ. 4. A true Lover of Christ earnestly longs for a nearer conjunction to Christ, fuller communion with Christ in Grace, in Glory. 1. In Grace: Isa. 26. 8, 9 The desire of the Soul is to his Presence; it cannot live without the Presence of Christ: When it goes to a Duty, it is the Presence of Christ it breathes after. O 〈◊〉 wilt thou come unto me? Psal. 101. 2. O that I may have communion with thee! Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where th●● feedest, where thou meetest with thy flocks: O let me not be of th●● that turn aside, Cant. 1. 7. My soul breaketh with longing, etc. Psal. 119. 20. Doubting Soul, Canst thou read these in thy Heart? thou 〈◊〉 an Evidence of true Love to Christ. But thou (Soul) that 〈◊〉 live without the Presence of Christ; canst go all the Day, all 〈◊〉 Week without his presence, and be quiet; company of 〈◊〉 worldly Enjoyments can content thee: Thou hast cause to 〈◊〉 nay thou mayest conclude, thou hast not a dram of Saving-love 〈◊〉 Christ in thy Soul. 2. In Glory, Psal. 42. 1, 2. O when shall I come and appear 〈◊〉 thee? When shall I have the full Enjoyment of Thee? These 〈◊〉 the workings of a gracious Soul. I have had some glympses 〈◊〉 times; Oh, how glorious are they! Oh, when shall I see his 〈◊〉 Rev. 22. 4. We have some little Enjoyment of his Presence 〈◊〉 times; some times solace ourselves with Love: and blessed be the Lord for them. But how soon are they lost again? Oh, when will the time come, when we shall enjoy him fully, without cessation, without intermission, for ever, and ever, and ever! when we shall be for ever with the Lord: 1 Thes. 4. 17. I desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ— Moriar Domine, ut te videam; nolo vivere, volo mori, August. Let me die, Lord, that I may see thee; I will not live, I will die. — Make haste, my Beloved, and be like to a roe or hart on the mountains of spices, Cant. 8. ult. Come, Lord Jesus; Come quickly. Note, Because I would not discourage the weakest Believer, You may take notice, That Love may be considered in the spark, or in the flame; and that this last Particular speaks Love rather in the flame. 5. A true Lover of Christ thinks nothing too much to do, nothing too much to suffer for Christ. 1. Nothing too much to do for Christ. Lovers think they can never do too much for one another: Gen. 29. 20. Jacob served seven Years for Rachel, and they seemed but as a few Days, for the Love he had to her. A Beloved of Christ thinks he can never Pray too much, Hear too much, Do too much in the Work of Christ. Is it not otherwise with thee? Thou thinkest thou canst never do too much for the World. Is not this thy Character, we read of, Eccles. 4. 8? There is no end of all his labours for the World, Ploughing, Sowing, Riding, Running, Carking, Caring for the World; early and late, thou never thinkest this too much; but thou takest little Pains for Christ. If one hour will not serve for the World, thou wilt rise sooner: But I appeal to thy own Heart, when didst thou an hour the earlier for Prayer, to cry to God for a Christ? Thou art soon weary of these, and thinkest it more ado than needs. This speaks little Love to Christ. 2. Nothing too much to suffer for Christ. 1. He thinks not too much to suffer Reproaches for Christ, Heb. 11. 26. He accounts them his Riches, Glory, 1 Pet. 4. 14. He thinks not too much to suffer Losses for Christ, loss of Goods, of Good Name, Heb. 10. ●4. He believes he shall be no Loser by it, Mat. 19 29. He hath this Principle rooted in his Heart, That he may lose much for Christ, but shall never lose by Christ. 3. He thinks it not too much to suffer Death for Christ, Rev. 12. 11. They loved not their Lives unto the death, Act. 21. 13. 6. A true Lover of Christ is exceedingly cast-down at the withdrawings of Christ, and solaced with the returns of Christ. 1. He is exceedingly cast-down at the withdrawings of Christ. All his Peace and Comfort is gone, when Christ is gone. The Spouse lost Christ; He withdrew himself: And how was it with her? Her Soul failed; she was as swooning, dying. As Jacob's life was bound up in the Lad's life, so is a Believer's life, and all the comforts of it, in Christ. He saith, as Absalon, when shut out from his Father's Presence, Let me die, if I may not see his face; so saith the Beloved of Christ. And I have heard some Souls crying out most hideously, under Divine Withdrawing, Oh, I cannot bear these Withdrawing! I cannot live without God's Presence! I had rather die a thousand Deaths, than be in this Condition! Woe! Woe! Woe is me! I sojourn in Mesech, and dwell in the Tents of Kedar! Thou Soul, that knowest not what these things mean, canst read these in thine Heart, whatever thy Doubtings and Misgivings of Heart may be, about thy love to Christ, thou may'st look upon them as Evidences of it: let not Satan rob thee of thy peace and comfort: be not faithless, but believing; and believing, rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory. But if thou that readest these lines, art one that can endure distance from God, you cannot bear distance from Friends, and those you love, but it is a great disquiet to you; but you can be without God, and it never troubles you: let not Satan gull thee, nor thy Heart deceive thee; for I tell thee from the Lord, That thou hast not the least spark of Saving Love to Christ. 2. He is exceedingly revived, rejoiced at the returns of Christ. He saith, as Mephibosheth, Let him take all, since my Lord is come back. Let Worldlings take the World, so I may have Christ: Let Profane Ones take their Lusts, so I may love Christ: let Voluptuous Ones take their Pleasures, so I may have Christ: let Ambitious Ones take their Honours, so I may have Christ. I have enough: The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage, Psal. 16. 5, 6. Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee, Psal. 116. 6, 7. Use 4. What Encouragement is here for poor awakened Soul●● that are distressed for a Christ? Oh, here is a Jesus full of love matchless love! away to him: He is all love to coming Souls; he is all wrath to Unbelievers, to Sinners that stand it out against him: he saith, Those mine Enemies that will not come, bring hither and 〈◊〉 before me. But he is all love to coming souls; he stands with open Arms ready to receive them: his Heart is full of love, Hands full of love; Come, poor Sinners, here is my Blood, my Love, my Purchases, my Benefits, all for thee; away with all your doubts and fears; do not dispute yourselves out of Christ. Obj. Oh, but I am vile! so vile, I dare not come! Ans. What if thou art never so vile, if Christ hath love enough to swallow up all thy vileness, than this need not hinder thy coming to Christ; his love is infinite, boundless, bottomless: thy sin is but the sin of a finite Creature, his love is the love of an Infinite God: Jer. 3. 12, 13, 14. Go and proclaim these words, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee; for I am merciful, saith the Lord. God gives Commission to his Ministers to go and proclaim, That if Sinners will come to him, they shall have Mercy: Soul, this I have commission from the Lord to tell thee, That if thou wilt come in to the Lord, thou shalt have Mercy: the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Obj. Oh, but I am a great Sinner! If I were not so great a Sinner, I could hope! Ans. What if thy sins are never so great, if the love of Christ be greater? Isa. 1. 18. Come, saith the Lord; and though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. As if he had said, Let your Sins be never so great, of never such a Crimson dye; yet if you will but come, you shall have Mercy: Though thy sins have weakened the Law, and made that unable to save thee; yet it hath not weakened Christ, Rom. 8. 3. Christ came to do that, which the Law could not do: Heb. ●. 25. 26 That Text tells you, That he is able, to the uttermost, to save those that come: Christ is able, to the uttermost of your sins, to the uttermost of your doubts and fears, neither quantity nor quality of your sins can pose Christ. There is not so much evil in all thy sins as there is fullness in Christ, Mark 9 23. Let thy sins be what they will, pardon and salvation are possible, if thou dost believe. The Blood of Christ is sufficient to drown Mountains as well as Molehills. If thou seest still more and more sins, though legions of Lusts and Devils, yet all shall not hinder thy salvation, if they do not hinder thy coming to Christ Obj. Oh, but my Sins are so many, immumerable Evils compass me about, that I am not able to dare to look up. Ans. What if thy sins are never so many, if the love of Christ be much more? Why should this hinder thy coming? And this he hath declared, Rom. 5. 20. Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. If thy Sins be never so abundant, if the Grace of Christ shall abound much more, why should they hinder coming? Isa. 55. 7. Oh, come, Soul, throw away all thy Doubts, and come, and the Lord will multiply to Pardon: He will make his Pardons more th●● thy Sins. Oh, away to Christ! Obj. Oh, but I am afraid it is too late! If I had gone sooner, I might have had mercy; but now I fear it is too late. Ans. It is never too late, whilst Christ calls: And Christ calls thee, after all this: Jer. 3. 6, 7. Judah there had multiplied her Abominations; yet says the Lord, I said, after she had done all these things, Turn unto me. This is the Voice of the Lord Jesus to thee. Ah, Sinner, thou halt multiplied thy Transgressions; yet I say unto thee, after all these, Come unto me. Ah, poor Soul! thou art going headlong to Destruction; I pity thee; my Bowels yearn towards thee: come to me; here is my Blood, my Love, my Grace, my Glory, my All: come, and I am thine, and all mine are thine. Dost thou not yet believe? Oh, dreadful! Then thou makest God a Liar, 1 Joh. 5. 10. What? make Christ a Liar! It is a plain case, Christ saith, Come, and I will pardon, love, save thee. Thou fay'st, He will not; you dare not believe him; you dare not come. But to plead a little further with thee: O that thou wouldst come! come and ●ee! come and try! come and venture! 1. Come! The Designation of Christ is for thee, Isa. 61. 1, 2, 3. It is spoken of Christ: He is anointed for this very end, appointed of the Lord to bind up broken Hearts, comfort mourning Souls, to deliver poor Sinners from their captivity to Sin, the Devil, and Hell, Mat. 9 13. If thou were not a Sinner, thou wert not such a one as Christ came to save; for he came to save Sinners. 2. Come! The Invitation of Christ is to thee. Art not thou distressed for a Christ? Then be of good comfort; Rise, he calleth thee, Mat. 11. 28. Art not thou a-thirst? Dost thou not long for Christ? Then be of good comfort; Come, he calls thee, Isa. 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. It is every one that is burdened, it is every one that is a-thirst; therefore thou. 3. Come! And the Promise is to thee, Joh. 6. 37. Him that cometh, I will in no wise cast out. It is, whosoever cometh; therefore it is thou, if thou comest: thou shalt certainly be received; by no means in the world rejected: Joh. 3. 16. Whosoever believes in him, shall have everlasting life: Whosoever doth it; therefore, if you come, the Promise is yours: It is not said, If you be not a great Sinner; If you have not abundance of sins; If you have not continued long in sin: No, No; it is, Whosoever cometh; be he a great Sinner, an old Sinner, if he comes, he shall have Eternal Life: Come then, and the Promise is to thee: Christ is thine; the Promise thine; Eternal Life thine. 4. Come! The Heart of Christ is towards thee: Hos. 2. 14. I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her.— Postquam perduxero eam, (as Tremellius hath it.) God humbled the Fathers in the Wilderness, and then brought them to Canaan. Hath God humbled thee? broke thy Heart for thy Sins? Come to him, and he will speak a word to thee, that shall do thee good at heart: He will tell thee, His Christ is thine; His Love is thine, etc. ver. 19 I will betrothe thee to me in righteousness and judgement, and in lovingkindness and mercy. The Scripture makes mention of Espousals, and of Marriage, to express the great Mystery of the Grace of God to Souls. It is observable, That this gracious Promise comes in after the mention of their great Wickedness, ver. 3. What doth all this speak to thee, but as if God should say, Thou hast been a vile Wretch, and I might justly cast thee off for ever; but I am merciful, I am gracious; come to me; and if thou dost come, as surely as thou comest to me, I will marry thee? As I am a Righteou; God, as I am a God of Faithfulness, yea, I will marry thee in lovingkindness: my Bowels are in it; I will, I will, I will; I will betrothe thee to me in Faithfulness, and thou shalt be mine. Soul, Dost yet Believe? Wilt thou venture upon Jesus Christ? 5. It is for his Interest to receive thee: As Christ's Heart is upon the Work, so his Interest is in it: He will lose his Blood else, as to you, Isa. 53. 11. His Soul is in travail for thee: He will not be satisfied till thou comest. Will not this Argument prevail with thee? Oh, go and satisfy Christ's Travail! 6. Come, for it is Christ's Office to receive those Souls that come, and he is faithful, Hebr. 2. 17. He is an Highpriest: It is his Office to make Reconciliation for Sins; and he is faithful. Christ would not be faithful if he should refuse one Sinner that comes to him. O what Encouragement is here for poor Sinsick Souls that are distressed for a Christ! Lay all these Things together: Christ is appointed for thee; Christ calls thee to come to him; he promises to receive thee if thou comest; his Heart is upon it; it is for his Interest to receive thee; he should not be faithful if he refuse thee. O away, away to Christ: Cast away all thy Doubts and Fears; venture again upon Christ: Cast thyself upon him in the Promise, and he is thine. Beno more faithless, but believing. Will you not yet believe? Will you not yet come? If you do not 1. You lessen the Grace of Christ: You make the Grace of Christ to be less than your Sins: You want only a view of the Greatness, Riches, Infiniteness of the Grace of God in Christ, Ephes. 2. 6, 7, 8. Here is Grace, Riches of Grace, exceeding Riches of Grace in Christ: 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15. Lo the Gradations; Grace, Riches of Grace, exceeding Riches of Grace, exceeding abundant Grace Here is Grace abundantly exceeding all your Sins. O let this Grace constrain you to believe: Come to Jesus. 2. You limit the Grace of Christ: As if it were enough for others, such a Sinner, and such a Sinner, but not for you. It was ● Brand upon the Israelites that they limited the Holy One of 〈◊〉 They spoke against God. What did they say? Can God furnish a 〈◊〉 in the wilderness? He clavae the rock, and the waters came: Can ●e 〈◊〉 bread also? Psal. 78. 19, 20, 41. O the unreasonableness of Unbel●●●● Certainly he that could turn the Rock into Water, could (if he plea●● turn it into Bread. Is not this your Case? As if you should 〈◊〉 He can pardon others, but can he pardon me? Can he over 〈◊〉 all my Sins? This is to limit the Grace of Christ. 3. You dishonour the Grace of God His Wisdom: As if th● might a better way been found out. His Love: As if htere 〈◊〉 not enough for you. His Power: As if he was not able to pass 〈◊〉 so many Offences. His Truth: And so make him a Lyar. 〈◊〉 to deny him to be a God: For if he be God, he is Truth, yea 〈◊〉 itself. Abraham honoured him herein, Rom. 4. 20. He 〈◊〉 not at the promise of God, through unbelief; but was strong in faith, 〈◊〉ving glory to God. O it is a clear case, it is your unbelief: be 〈◊〉 of it. 4. You displease God by your unbelief. Luther lay under 〈◊〉 for a time: but when he was lead to this, that nothing was 〈◊〉 pleasing to God, then to believe in his Son; the Work was easy to 〈◊〉 Ah Soul! thou dost not think how pleasing it is: Thou canst 〈◊〉 please God better, then by believing in Jesus. 5. You grieve Christ, and his Spirit, Psal. 95. 10, 11. 〈◊〉 years was I grieved with this generation, and swore they should not 〈◊〉 into my rest. Who were they that he was so grieved with? 〈◊〉 may see, if you compare it with Hebr. 3. 17, 18, 19 They 〈◊〉 those that believed not. 6. You provoke God. A Man is provoked, when we will 〈◊〉 believe him, Psal. 95. 8. Harden not your hearts as in the 〈◊〉 What was the Provocation? Psal. 78. 22. Because they 〈◊〉 in God, and trusted not in his salvation. Therefore the Lord was 〈◊〉 a fire was kindled against Jacob; and anger came up against Israel. 〈◊〉 sweet Soul! dread this unbelief. 7. You lose all the sweet Sights and Tastes of Christ, and Grace. I shall say to thee, (as Christ to Martha) John 11. 40. If thou wouldst believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God. O the glorious Grace, and Love you should see! You should see Christ glorious in pardoning Love, comforting Love, saving Love. Doubting Soul, here is an open Door, And wilt thou not enter? O venture, venture upon Christ: As Esther 4. 16. If I perish, I perish: As the Lepers at the Gate of Samaria, 2 Kings 7. 3, 4. If they went into the City they died; if they stayed there they died. The Syrians were their Enemies, they might expect death from them; but being in this dilemma, they ventured, and had good Success. Soul, this is just thy case: If thou stay in thy Sins thou diest; thou may'st look upon Christ as thine Enemy: He may justly curse thee, damn thee; but thou must be damned if thou goest not to him Thou canst but perish; therefore venture on him: Go, and believe, and thou shalt certainly have good Success. Never any perished in this way. Believe, and you exalt the Grace of Christ. Christ is exalted; Acts 5. 31. Grace is exalted; Isa. 30. 18. Are your Sins as great as the Mountains? Are there Mountains of vileness, and unworthiness in the way? Grace is exalted above them all. What is the great Mountain before Zerubbabel! It shall be made a Plain, and thou shall at last cry, Grace, Grace, Zech. 4. 7. Use 5. [1. Consolat.] To all Believers, both weak and strong. O blessed are ye of the Lord; ye are partakers of this matchless, unparallel Love. Christ loves you with a surpassing Love: A Love that cannot be expressed; a Love that cannot be comprehended: We cannot express the Love that ye are loved with, neither can ye conceive it. Ye are loved, even as Christ is, John 17. 23. with a great, with an infinite, with an everlasting Love. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived, the things which God hath prepared for you, 1 Cor. 2. 9 For Direction, harken to these Counsels. 1. Admire this Love, as Paul here doth: Indeed you cannot sufficiently admire, but be admiring. Cry out as the Apostle; Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdom and goodness of God How unsearchable are his ways, and past finding out! Rom. 11. 33. O the height, and depth, and length, and breadth, of this Love of Christ! Ephes. 3. 18. Call in the Help of all the Beloved of Christ: Help me, all my Fellow-Disciples; help me, all ye Friends of the Bridegroom: Join in this Choir, all ye Angels and Archangels. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his Nametogether. 2. Labour to return Love for Love. Doth Christ love you? O d● you love him? Are you dear to Christ? O let Christ be dear to you● Say as the Spouse, Cant. 5. 16. This is my beloved, this is my friend. Love him with a Love of desire: Love him with a Love of 〈◊〉 light: Love him with a Love of admiration: Love him with 〈◊〉 Love of Satisfaction: Love him with the Love of Adhaesion. 〈◊〉 you cannot say you are sick of Love; be sick, that you can 〈◊〉 him no more. 3. Take heed, O take heed of abusing this Love. What a 〈◊〉 thing will it be to abuse this Love? Is this thy Kindness to 〈◊〉 Friend? may Christ say. Quest. When do we abuse this Love? Answ. 1. When we indulge ourselves in Sin. Every Beloved 〈◊〉 Christ should say, as Joseph, Gen. 39 9 How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against Christ? 2. When we grow remiss in Duty. 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15. O 〈◊〉 Love of Christ should constrain to be more humble, holy, actium diligent; careful to please, fearful to offend, live at a higher 〈◊〉 for Heaven. 3. When we doubt and question his Love: Give way to 〈◊〉 giving Thoughts, the Unbelieving of our own Hearts. Christ 〈◊〉 needs take this very ill at our Hands, when he hath given 〈◊〉 demonstrations of his Love, that greater cannot be given, John 〈◊〉 13. Rom. 5. 8. Herein God commended his Love, as if a great 〈◊〉 Testimony could not be given. Walk answerably to this Love. Oh, how should a People so 〈◊〉 loved walk! How earnestly doth the Apostle press this? Ephes. 4. 〈◊〉 He beseeches them to walk worthy. So Colos. 1. 10. That ye may 〈◊〉 worthy of the Lord, unto all pleasing. (Believers) Be ye Humble, 〈◊〉 Heavenly, Spiritual, Zealous of Good Works, Tit. 2. 14. Be Zeal 〈◊〉 for Christ's Honour, Zealous for his Glory. Lover's can never 〈◊〉 they do enough for one another; are tender of one another. 〈◊〉 tender of Christ's Name and Interest; study his Love; endeavour to exalt his Name, his Love, his Honour and Glory. Oh, 〈◊〉 manner of Persons ought ye to be, in all holy Conversation and ●●●liness? 2 Pet. 3. 11. Make this the Care and Business of your 〈◊〉 love Christ, live Christ, glorify Christ: And when Christ, who 〈◊〉 your Life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in Glo●● FINIS.