Christ or you are lost and undone for ever See what the Scripture speaks in this particular Psalm 2.12 Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little h Osculari p o amare obedire obsequi se humilitèr subjicere hoâ—um signum qâ—ippe antiquitùs osculuâ—s erat Glass Rhet. Sacr. p. 1094. Osculum in sacrâ Scripturâ significat unionem charitatem pacem reverentiam Durand Rat. Div. Offic. lib. 4. cap. 53. mihi p. 202. The custome of Kissing of old was a sign of affection or subjection and thus it is used in Scripture to signifie 1. Affection Thus Esau kissed his Brother Jacob in token of love and good will being reconciled to him Gen. 33.4 Thus the Primitive Christians did Salute one another with an holy Kiss Rom. 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab amore cujus signuÌ„ est Rivet in Psal 2. pag. 29. This was signified in the Word and more from the Apostle Peters Adjunct where he calls it the Kiss of Charity 1 Pet. 5.14 k Precibus finitis mutuo nos invicem osculo salutamus Just Mart. Apol 2. Justin Martyr mentions this as a practice in his time When Prayers are ended we salute one another with a Kiss 2. It signifies likewise Subjection Reverence and Obedience Thus Samuel kissed Saul when he had anointed him King in token of subjection and obedience to him 1 Sam. 10.1 Thus Idolaters kissed their Idols in token of Reverence 1 Kings 19.18 Hos 13.2 Now this place may be understood of both these and all men even the greatest of men Kings and Judges of the Earth are charged to kiss the Son to love and submit themselves to the Lord Jesus and that under a dreadful penalty if they do it not lest he be angry You cannot change the nature of Christ by your not loving of him he will be loving and will love still â—ut you may change the property of it as to â—our selves he will not love you nay you will â—urn it into anger against your selves He can â—e angry and he will be angry with you if â—ou love him not * Habebitis Judicem severum quem benignum dominum recusastis Rivet ubi suprà p. 30. You shall find him a severe â—udge whom you have refused as a mild and â—entle Lord. And a little of this anger is enough â—or your destruction for you shall perish from â—he way if his wrath be kindled but a little â—ou'll perish at the rebuke of his countenance â—sal 80.16 Perishing signifies eternal death â—nd misery in opposition to eternal life and happiness Joh. 3.15 and here it holds forth â—his unto us That those who do not love and obey the Lord Jesus Christ do cast themselves out of the way of Life Salvation and Happiness â—n to a state of Death Destruction and Misery which will certainly be their portion from the just wrath and displeasure of him whom they have provoked by their enmity and disobedience And shall not this awaken you But take another Scripture Prov. 8.36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul all they that hate me love death It is no wrong to the Text to understand these words as spoken by Jesus Christ who having declared his antient love to the Sons Men calls upon them to hearken unto him and receive his counsel and having encouraged them unto it by telling them it would be their wisdome and happiness that they should have life and favour this way v. 32.33.34.35 lest this should not pâ—evail he concludes by laying open the danger of such as refuse in the words forementioned Where you may note 1. That they who refuse the counsel of Christ are sinners against him and that in the highest degree they are Christ-haters 2. That it is of dismal consequence to be in the number of those who love not but hate Christ and not to love him is to hate him there is no medium betwixt them the consequence whereof is 1. That they wrong their souls l Injurius est animae suae Pagn They are injurious to their souls m Expoliat anâ—mam suam Mont. They spoil and rob their souls n Vâ—m addit animae suae Jun. They offer force and violence to their souls o Rapit anâ—maâ— suam Merc. in Lexic Pag. in loc They ravenously devour their souls as the words are variously rendered by Interpreters but to the same purpose p Chamas significat apertam injuriam violentiaÌ„ Merc. The word signifies open injury and violence But besides this 2. They love death q Quia impudentes sibi exitium accersunt dùm me negligunt mortem amare vidâ—ntur quia in exitium suum ruunt Merc. in loc Because as Mercer notes upon the place they foolishly call destruction upon themselves Whiles they neglect me they seem to love death because they violently rush upon their own ruine Now besides that destruction is the portion of those who are enemies to Jesus Christ these two things are observable from this place 1. That 't is self-murder in all those who love not the Lord Jesus it is felo de se their destruction is from themselves they themselves lay violent hands on their own souls 2. That it is wilful self-murder They do wilfully rush upon their destruction and will not be with-held from it as if they were in love with their own death and ambitious of everlasting burnings than which what can tend more to aggravate their sin and condemnaâ—ion And shall not this move you Well I shall shut up this with that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha which is a denunciation of the heaviest curse against that man or woman who in the midst his profession doth not sincerely and unfeignedly love the Lord Jesus But this being a place of some difficulty it may not be amiss to spend a little time in the opening of the words and giving you the sense of them r August Epist 178. mihi p. 921. Pinks Sermon upon this place p. 3. The words here used which render the place difficult are Anathema Maranatha the former of which is a Greek word and signifies accursed separated devoted to the Curse It 's questioned whether Å¿ Beza in loc Pet. Martyr Eras Pareus Ravanell in verbo Maranatha Maranatha be one or two or three words but most agree that 't is of the Syriack dialect and signifies the Lord cometh or our Lord cometh Now for the better understanding of the place you must know that it is generally conceived by the learned that the Apostle in these expressions had a special respect to the Jewish way of Excommunication which we are therefore necessarily to take into our consideration for the better clearing of that which lyes before us And here I find some difference about the several kinds and
244. John 10.15 †He did not only spend himself in all to his life but spent life and all that we might not perish though he were the Prince of life Acts 3.15 yet he became obedient to death even the death of the Cross that we might live Phil. 2.8 And this he did meerly out of his great love to us Eph. 5.2 Now if the Lord Jesus did so love us as to give his life a ransom for ours Mat. 20.28 He may well expect that we should not stumble at parting with our lives when he hath need of them and may get himself glory by our death * Wards ubi supra p. 144. My Saviour began to me in a bitter cup and shall I not pledge him said Mr. Saunders when he was at the Stake and ready to be offered 2. It is the truest self-love for a man to hate himselfe for Christ as he hath told us John 12.25 He that loveth his Life shall lose it but that hateth his life in this World shall keep it unto life eternall He that loveth his Life that is with an excessive and preposterous love for so the word is here to be understood as †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 de amare nimio et praepostero hic usurpatur Gerh. Har. p. 127. Gerhard notes He that so loves his life as that from a desire and endeavour of keeping it he denyes me and my Gospell He shall lose it He shall not onely not keep it but destroy it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies not to lose but destroy to bring unto utter destruction for that is the force of the word here and in other places as the * Perdere hic non significat amittere aut facere â—…i charae jacturam sed exitio tradere Calv. in loc Vis hujus verbi iâ— transitivâ significatione usurpati est in extremum exitium adducere Ger. Har. p. 128. Learned observe The meaning is That his study to preserve his temporall life upon these terms doth expose him to eternall death and destruction for it is to be taken in opposition to eternall life in the close of the verse But he that hateth his life †Non simpliciter vita odio habenda sit quae merito censetur inter summa Dei beneficia sed quia eam libenter objicere debent fideles quum eos à Christi accessu remoratur Calv. in loc Hoc comparativè est dictum quia spernenda sit vita quoties nobis impedimento est ne deo vivamus Idem ibid. Not simply for so it is to be reckoned among the cheifest of earthly blessings to be highly prized and carefully preserved but in reference to Christ and his Gospell out of love to whom life it self is to be undervalued neglected and cast away if it hinder us from living to God and be a Remora in our way to Christ Now he that thus hateth his life and will freely part with it when called thereunto for Christs sake for it is not to be understood * Vide Tolet. Calv. in loc as if a man might desperately destroy himself and put an end to his life upon every slight occasion such a one shall keep it unto life eternall Though it may seem in the eyes of vain and foolish men a throwing away of their life yet it is the safest and wisest way of preserving it It is not Jactura but Mercatura Their parting with a temporall life in this World shall be abundantly recompensed with the gain of eternal life And it is observable what variety of words are used by the Evangelists in this matter which probably might be for the help of our Faith in so difficult a case as this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Shall keep it Sayes this Evangelist here Though it be a reall parting with it in one sence viz. temporally yel it is as real a keeping of it in another and better sence viz. eternally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Shall find it So another hath it Mat. 10.39 Though it be lost it is not utterly lost lost at is as to this World but it shall befound again in the World that is to come the Glory and happinesse whereof will make sufficient amends for what they leave and lose here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 †Shall save it So a third hath it Mark 8.35 Though they lose the Cabinet they save the Jewel they lose the life of the Body bâ—â— save the life of the Soul which is far better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Shall preserve it So it is Luke 17.33 A Word that is but once more used in the New-Testament and that is Acts 7.19 which hath respect to Pharaohs command to cast the Israelitish males into the River as soon as they were born Exod. 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end they might not live †Verbum significat soetum vivum parere Chemn Lyser Har. in loc Vivum animal producere Scap. The word signifies to bring forth a living creature Beza renders it by Vivificabit and makes it the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shall quicken it Our Translation renders it Shall preserve it Christ doth hereby very fitly expresse the frailty of our present life as * Conciâ—â—è expriâ—it Christus praesentis vitae fragilitatem quum dicit animas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est generari in vitam ubi perditae fuerint periâ—â—e est ac si homines negaret in terrá vivere quia verae demum solidae vitae initium est renunciare mundo Calv. in loc Calvin notes when he makes use of this word and it is as if he should deny men to to live upon the earth because then do men begin to live a true and solid life when they leave the World The meaning of the word which surely is very emphaticall seems to be this Whosoever shall lose his life now shall bring it forth alive again in Eternity The loss of life for Christ is but a misterious Midwifery towards eternall life And it may be upon this account the Passion-dayes of the Martyrs were called by the Antients Natalitia Salutis The Birth days of Salvation We shall not end our lives in the fire said * Clarks enâ—â— Mâ—â— p. 176. Mr. Julines Palmer the Martyr but onely change them for a better life yea for coales we shall receive pearls Thus doth Christ bring meat out of the eater and out of the strong sweetnesse to his bâ—loved and loving ones making death it self to be a womb of life to those who lay down their lives for him So that it is our greatest gain to lose for Christ and our greatest befriending of our selves to be enemies to our own lives upon the account of his Name and Gospel For as †Quicquid impietate conservaveris â—oc certissâ—me amittis quicquid autem pictate amiseris hoc certâ—ssimè coaservas Brent Hom. 20. in Luc. 17. pag. 383.
one notes Whatsoever thou keepest by impiety thou most certainly losest but that which thou losest in the way of Godliness thou most certainly preservest 3. All that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity do love him above themselves and their own lives Thus the Apostle Paul in his Farewell Sermon to the Church of Ephesus Acts 20.22 23 24. And now behold I go bound in the Spirit to Jerusalem not knowing the things that shall befall me there Save that the holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying that bonds and afflictions abide me But none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus Neither count I my life dear unto my self * Tantum abest vincula metuam ne moâ—tem quidem defugio Hebraeis praetiosam habere vitam dicitur qui ei parcit 2 Reg 1.13 14. contra nullo pretio babere qui noâ— parcit Ezec. 36.5 Grot. in loc I am so far from fearing bonds that I avoid not death it self There is an Hebraism in the words for according to that dialect he is said to count his life dear who spares it and he counts is not dear who doth not spare it as Grotius observes †Turpe est caeco vivendi amore sic nos teneri ut propter vitam perdamus vivendi causas Neque enim simplicitèr vitaÌ„ naÌ„ pro â—ihilo ducit sed ejus respectum obliviscitur ut cursum suum absolâ—at ministerium suum compleat quod à Christo accepit Calv. iâ— loc Nor doth he simply make nothing of his life but only forgets his respect of it in reference to the honour and service of Jesus Christ in the Ministry of the Gospell and the finishing his own course with joy and indeed it is a base thing for a man to be so in love with life as for it to lose the ends of his being it was otherwise with our Apostle who counted not his very life dear to himself Again in the very next chapter Acts 21.13 when Agabus had foretold the danger that would attend him upon his going to Jerusalem and friends disswaded him from going thither he answered What mean you to weep and break my heart I am ready not onely to be bound but to die also at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus * Ecce verè strenuus miles ardens amatâ—r sorâ—ts pagnator impâ—rterritus praeâ—a quem nihil seperare potest á charitate Dâ—i quae est in Christo Jesu Domino nostro Lorin in loc é Carthus behold a truely stout souldier an ardent Lover a valiant Champion an undoubted Preacher whom nothing can seperate from thâ— love of God w ch is in Christ Jâ—sus our Lord †Suo responso declarat Paulus non nisi mortis contemptu pâ—â—â—â—os fore Chr sti servos ad praestandum efficium nec probè unquam animateâ—â—ore ad vivendum Domino nisi qui vitam suam pro testimonio verâ—tatis libenter deponat Calv. in loc By which answer Paul declares that the servants of Christ will never be ready to perform their duty but by the contempt of death nor will they ever be well animated to live unto the Lord unlesse they will freely lay down their life for the testimony of the Truth Thus it is said of the faithfull ones in Rev. 12.11 That they loved not their lives to the death that is * Mede in loc They valued their life at nothing or spent it freely for Christ as Mr. Mede expounds it †Brightman in loc They loved not their lives unto the death more than God or they neglected or contemned them that is in respect of the Truth as Mr. Brightman hath it * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dr. Tâ—o Taylor in loc pag. 618. They slighted dispised their lives and rather exposed them to hazard and losse than to be removed from their holy profession as Dr. Taylor notes †Semetipsos parvi duxerunt pro Christo etiam instantemortis periculo Grot. They set themselves at a low rate for Christ even when they were in present danger of death so Grotius * Non dilexerunt vitam suam magis quà m mortem pro Christi gloriâ oppetendam Par. in loc They loved not their life more than suffering death for the Glory of Christ so Pareus The meaning is They loved not their lives so farre as to avoid death for Christs sake but freely ventured and laid down their lives and suffered death it self in witnessing to the Truth of the Gospell and professing the Name of Christ Thus have the Martyrs in all ages loved Christ who have offered up their lives as a sacrifice for Christ not onely with patient submission but also with earnest desire yea with stedfast resolution to offer them up all though they had never so many A Noble Gentleman in the persecution of the Church of Christ in the Valtoline †Clarks Gen. Martyr p. 327. as my Author reports being threatned with death unless he would abjure his Faith answered God for bid that to save this temporall life I should deny my Lord Jesus Christ who with his precious blood upon the Crosse redeemed me at so dear a rate and having so long freely and publickly professed him should now hazard the losse of eternal life to which I was elected before the foundation of the World I say God forbid whereupon they murthered him †〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ign. Epist ad Rom. Edict Usser mihi p. 86. Oh that I were with the wilde beasts which are prepared for me said Ignatius I would allure them to make a quick dispatch of me and if they would not I would provoke them Sulpitius Severus in his History writing concerning the persecution in the time of Diocletian and Maximinian hath this observation of the Christians readinesse to suffer death for Christs sake * Certatim gloriosa in certamina â—uebatur multoque avidiùs tum Martyria gloriosis mortibus quaerebantur quà m nunc Episcopatus pravis ambitionibus appetuntur Sulpit. Ser. Hist sacr lib. 2. p. 385. They rushed sayes he with strife and emulation into those glorious conflicts and much more greedily were Martyrdoms soughâ—â—y glorious deaths than Bishopricks now are coveted with corrupt ambitions And Georgius †Memorabilis Eusebii locus quem quisque Christianus scire debet Quo tempore de hâc persecutione loquitur mirandam supra modum alacritatem vimque reverà divinam singularem animi propensionem eorum qui in Christum crediderunt intuebamur Simulatque enim sententia contra priores pronuntiata fuit alii aliundè ad tribunal judicis prosilierunt seque Christianos confiteri acerbitates multiplicia tormenta pro nihilo ducere absque metu terrore pro religione loqui cum gaudio denique risu laetitiâ postremam mortis sententiam
wherewith the Saints are inflamed is such as cannot be quenched with any calamities or persecutions whatsoever Thus Mercer takes it o Persecutiones possumus â—ccipere adversatorum terrorem minas ne hae quidem amorem Ecclesiae in Christum extiguere possint minùs bland tâ—ae illecebrae Merc. in loc By Waters and Floods sayes he we may understand Persecutions and the terrour and threats of Adversaries even these cannot quench the love of the Church to Christ how much less can flatteries and allurements do it To this purpose is that of the Apostle Rom. 8.35 ad fin What shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or Sword c. I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor thingt to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. I know these words are generally taken by p Grot. Vorst Calv. Bez. Eras Pareus Pisc Expositors for that love with which the Lord loveth us yet some of the q Ambros Ansel Theoph. Ancients take them for that love which we have towards him And r Nec inepta nec impia est sententia Pet. Mart. in loc Peter Martyr though he follow it not sayes it is no ill or unfit sense I think Deodat doth well who takes in both senses What grief or calamity can make us doubt that Christ hath withdrawn his love from us and make us cease loving him So he and the Commentators forementioned on that place in the Canticles do make this Scripture parallel with that And it is a great truth that as none of these things can make Christ cease loving those whom he hath once loved so neither can they make a Christian cease loving of Christ whose heart is sincerely pitch'd upon him in a way of love It is every ones duty Å¿ Qui non est paratus omnia pati ad voluntateÌ„ stare dilecti non est dignus amatoâ— appellari Opoâ—tet amantem omnia dura amara propter dilectuÌ„ lib nâ—èr amplecti nec ob contraria accidâ—ntia ab eo deflecti A Kempis de Imit Christi lib. 3. cap. 5. p. 152. He who is not ready to suffer all things and to stand to the will of his beloved is not worthy to bear the name of a lover It becomes him who loves to embrace willingly all hard and bitter things for his sake whom he loves nor for all contrary occurrences to be turned aside from him And it is the property of every upright Christian This hath been verified in the whole noble Army of Martyrs in all Ages who have with the strongest resolution and most invincible stedfastness entertained all the threats and torments of their enemies rather than deny Christ or be separated from his love Upon this account they have been tortured not accepting deliverance that they might obtain a better resurrection Others had tryal of cruel mockings and scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment They were stoned they were sawn asunder were tempted were slain with the Sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted and tormented as you have it Heb. 11.35 36 37. Thus the t Nec retardali estis ab aâ—itormentorum metused ipsis tormentis magis estis ad aciem provocati sortes stabiles ad maximi certaminis praelium prompta devotione prodistis Cypr. Epist 9. Father speaks of the Martyrs and Confessors in his time as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ That they were not retarded from the battel by fear of torments but were more provoked to the battel by those very torments coming forth strong and stedfast with ready devotion to that battel which had the greatest conflict u Ita animati ut incorruptam fidei firmitâ—tem non blanditiae decipiant non minae terreant non cruciatus ac tormenta devincant Nec plus ad dejiciendum potest terrena poena quam ad erigendum tutela diviua Nor did flatteries deceive nor threats terrifie nor pains and torments overcome the incorrupt firmness of their faith which wrought by love as true faith doth Gal. 5.6 Nor was any earthly punishment more able to cast them down than Divine protection was to raise them up w Tolerâstis usque ad consummationem gloriae durissimam quaestionem nec cessistis suppliciis sed vobis potiùs supplicia cesserunt Idem ibid. Steterunt torti torquentibus fortiores pulsantes ac laniantes ungulas pulsata ac laniata membra vicerunt Inexpugnabilem fidem superare non potuit diu saeviens plaga repetita quamvis rupta compage visâ—crum torquerentur in servis Dei jam non membra sed vulnera Idem ibid. They endured the most grievous Inquisition to the consummation of their glory nor did they yield unto punishments but punishments rather yielded unto them And a little after The tormented stood stronger than their tormentors their beaten and torn members overcame those instruments of cruelty wherewith they were beaten and torn Cruel stripes of long continuance and often renewed could not overcome their impregnable faith no not though their very bowels were digged out and not so much the members as the wounds of the servants of God were tormented In another place having written to some Martyrs they return him an answer wherein among other things they tell him x Hostes veritatis non tantum non perhoâ—rescimus sed provocamus inimicos Dei jam hoc ipso quòd non câ—ssimus vicimus Epist 26. inter Cypr. Epist Now we are not only not afraid of the enemies of the Truth but we provoke them and in this very thing that we yield not to the enemies of God we overcame them And a little before they tell him That it was the Trumpet of the Gospel which animated them to this combat And among other places these are two there mentioned which gave them great encouragement He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10.37 and that fore-cited Rom. 8.35 c. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ c. It was their love to Christ which made them invincible in all their sufferings for Christ and this was an evidence of the truth and rightness of it that it was stedfast and invincible I might give you innumerable instances of this as many Martyrs so many instances I shall content my self with naming two or three Ignatius whose heart was enflamed with love to Christ as I hinted before kept this fire in amidst the waters and floods of Persecution which he met with Hear what he sayes whiles he was a Prisoner a little before his suffering y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist ad Roman Edit Usser mihi p. 86. Now I begin to be a Disciple I care for
qu si demergamus Calv. in Eph. 3.18 Calvin well notes upon these words The love of Christ which is propounded to us is so large a subject that we may exercise our selves in the meditation of it day and night and plunge our selves into this boundless bottomless Ocean till we be swallowed up of it but we can never perfectly understand it That 's the third Argument Sect. 4. MY fourth Argument is this The love of Christ must needs be exceeding great and incomprehensible because it never had nor is capable of a parallel instance among the Sons of Men. If Men were able to express such a love as this of Christs they might be able to know his love as I can understand the love of man to man because I am able to express the same to others but Christs love never was nor ever can be parallel'd his love to mankind is as much above theirs one to another as the Heavens are above the Earth Isa 55.8.9 If all the affection of the whole Creation were resident in one particular person yet it would lie as much short of the love of Christ as finite doth of infinite and therefore our Saviour fetcheth a comparison from Heaven whereby to set it forth and sayes He loved us as his Father loved him John 15.9 which I made my second Argument * Gerhard Harmon p. 1016. The degrees of love are to be measured both by the object and matter of it 1. In respect of the object the lowest degree is when a man loves one that loves him and doth good to him Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 33. The next is when one loves him by whom he is not beloved and from whom he receives no benefit The highest is when one loves his enemy who doth not only not love him but hate him nor only doth him no good but heaps injuries upon him Mat. 5.44 Luke 6.35 2. In respect of the matter three degrees likewise may be reckoned the lowest when one doth good to his Neighbour out of the substance which he hath the next when he bestows all the goods which he hath of body mind and estate upon his Neighbour the highest when he layes down his life Now though there may be found who will lay out themselves and their estates for the good of those who love them and are beneficial to them nay of those that love them not and are no way beneficial to them yea that hate them and have done them ill turns yea though there may be some but very rarely found that have laid down their lives for their lovers and friend yet where can we find an instance of those who have laid down their lives for enemies and injurious ones save this of Christs laying down his life for us The height of all humane affection is expressed in two places of Scripture John 15.13 Rom. 5.6 which amounts to no more than this The laying down of life for friends for good men scarcely for a righteous man which circumstances render it unworthy to be laid in the ballance with the love of Christ who laid down his life for the ungodly for sinners and enemies Rom. 5.6 8 10. in consideration whereof Bernard breaks out thus pathetically * Majorem charitatem nemo habet quà m ut animam suâ—m ponat quis pro am cis suis Tu maâ—o 〈◊〉 hâ—buisti Domine ponâ—ns cam pro inimicis cum enim adhuc inimici essemus per mortem tuam tibi reconciliati sumus patri Qâ—aenam aâ—â—a videdebitur esse vel fuisse vel fore huic simâ—lis charitati Vix pro justo quis moritur tu pro impiis passus es moriens propter delicta nostra qui venisti justificare gratis peccatores servos facere fratres captivos cohaeredes Exules Reges Bern. de Pass Dom. mihi pag. 34. Greater love than this hath no man that a man lay down his life for his friends but thou O Lord hadst greater love who didst lay down thy life for thine enemies for when we were yet enemies we were reconciled by thy death both to thy self and to thy Father What other love either is or was or shall be seen like to this love Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye but thou sufferedst for the ungodly dying for our sins who camest to justifie sinners freely to make servants brethren captives co-heirs and Exiles Kings Thus he Give me leave here to lay before you some examples of the love of the children of men towards one another as they are recorded in Sacred Writ or in other Histories and we shall still find the love of Christ beyond the highest and noblest of them 1. We read of those who have gone far in love to their Countrey and the people with whom they have lived Moses and Paul for their Countreymen the Jews the one sayes to God If thou wilt not forgive their sin blot me I pray thee out of the Book which thou hast written Exod. 32.32 The other sayes I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh Rom. 9.3 which words whether we understand them of a temporal death absolutely according to Hierome or of eternal death conditionally if it might be if it were possible as others take them y Vocâ—s illae fuerunt eximiâ— stupendi amoris Rivet in Exod mihi p. 1190. were words of eminent and stupendious love as the learned Rivet observes who though he saw no inconvenience in either sense yet preferreth the former as less liable to exception and attended with fewer difficulties and sufficient to express the affection of these holy men who chose to dye rather than live to see their People destroyed and rejected z Multum charitatis in isto Rege apparet Pet. Martyr in loc It was great love and affection in David towards his People when he desired that the Lords hand might be stretched out against himself and Family rather than against them 2 Sam. 24.17 It was no less love that moved Esther to hazard her own life for saving of the Jews who were her own Countreymen and designed to destruction by the plot of wicked Haman resolutely venturing into the Kings presence uncalled and against Law which if the golden Scepter had not been held forth had cost her her life Esther 4.16 Even among the Heathens there have been found those who out of love to their Countrey and People have parted with the lives of their Children yea their own lives a Fulgoâ— de dictis factisque memorab lib. 5. cap. 6. p. 152. C. Marius waging War against the Cimbrians was warned in a dream that if he sacrificed his Daughter Calphurnia he should obtain the Victory which he did and overcame his enemies The like did Erecteus as the same Author informs me and adds That the greatness of his love to his Countrey overcame his fatherly affection towards his Daughter b Valer. Max. lib. 5. cap. 6.
of me Oh how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful is thy love Oh thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with me Oh I feel thy mercies and oh that my tongue and heart were able to sound forth thy praises as I ought and as I willingly would do Afterwards she had these expressions Now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea Lord thou hast had respect to thy Handmaid and art come with fulness of joy and abundance of consolations O blessed be thy Name O Lord my God! Again a Christian Friend coming to see her and marvelling at her exceeding joyes desired the continuance of them whereupon she burst out and said Oh the joyes the joyes the joyes that I feel in my soul oh they be wonderful they be wonderful they be wonderful And again not long after she said to a Minister who came to see her Oh! my soul hath been compassed about with terrours of death fear within and fear without the sorrows of Hell were upon me knots and knorres were upon my soul and a roaring Wilderness of woe was within me but blessed blessed blessed be the Lord my God who hath not left me comfortless but like a good Shepherd hath he brought me into a place of rest even to the sweet running Waters of Life that flow out of the Sanctuary of God and he hath led me into the green Pastures where I am fed and exceedingly comforted c. Oh! blessed be the Lord Oh! blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me and hath brought me now to a place more sweet unto me than the Garden of Eden Oh the joy oh the joy the delightsome joy that I feel Oh how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful is this joy Oh! praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well Praise his Name for evermore And thus she continued till at last she slept in the Lord. Now from all this put together I conclude That seeing the love of Christ shed abroad in the hearts of his people hath such admirable effects to the filling of them with such unspeakable joy and comfort and seeing it is but little in comparison which the highest best and most priviledged Saints do know and taste of this love here below surely this love must needs have an exceeding great and incomprehensible fulness in it self That 's the sixth Argument Sect. 3. MY next Argument is this Arg. 7. It appears to be a love which passeth knowledge because when the spirits of just men shall be made perfect in Heaven where they shall know and receive most of this love yet even then they shall not be able to comprehend all of it but rather be comprehended by it It s true that in Heaven the capacities of the Saints shall be enlarged to the utmost and they shall be filled according to that enlargement they shall want nothing to make them perfectly blessed they shall have as much of this love in the beatifical fruits of it as they can hold and shall be able to hold incomparably more than now they can but yet even then and there they will not be able to hold it all for that which is infinite can never be comprehended by that which is finite there being no proportion betwixt them So that what is said of the joy of our Lord in Mat. 25.21 is true of the love of our Lord it s too big to enter into us therefore we must enter into it As a large Vessel put into the Ocean takes in of the water till it be full yet cannot contain it all but when it can hold no more is swallowed up so the Saints who here sip and taste of the love of Christ shall in Heaven drink more of it till they be everlastingly swallowed up by it Jesus Christ even at his second coming when he shall take up his Saints to be where he is Joh. 14.3 to behold that is enjoy his glory Joh. 17.24 will even then be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 admired for that love which brought them thither and admired for that glory which they shall enjoy there as the fruits of this love n Dr. Sclater on Thes p. 50. The measure of the glory will be so great as shall fill the enjoyers with wonder at the grace beholders with no less than admiration at the power of the bestower When a glorified Saint shall consider himself raised from the dust yea the dunghill to sit with Princes to be made like and equal to the Angels to see God and enjoy an exceeding and eternal weight of glory when he hath deserved no such matter but the contrary and thousand yea millions of men his equals if nos his betters passed by how will it fill such a one with extolling and admiring the rich grace and love of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ We our selves sayes o Nos ipsi sentimus effundi amorem Dei in corda nostra câ—piosâ copiâ per SpirituÌ„ Sanctum qui datus est nobis sed totum semèl comprehendere in hâc vitâ non possumus In alterâ verò vitâ stupebimus ad admirabileÌ„ illam dilectionem neque tamen etiam tùm animus creaturae etiam glorificatae poterit infinitam illam totam comprehendere quae in Deo est saltèm id scimus quòd illâ charitate toti implebimur cùm Deus erit omnia in omnibus Rolloc in Joan. p. 7â—6 Rolloc do now perceive the love of God to be shed abroad in great plenty into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us but we are not able to comprehend it altogether at once in this life And in the life to come we shall be amazed at that admirable love though even then the mind of a glorified creature shall not be able to comprehend all that infinite love which is in God Yet this at least we now know That we shall be altogether filled with that love when God shall be all in all To conclude this how exceeding great must that love needs be which the Saints in glory shall not be able fully to comprehend That 's the seventh Argument Sect. 4. MY last Argument Arg. 8. wherewith I shall conclude what I have to say as to the Doctrinal part of this Proposition is this The love of Christ must needs pass all humane p Omnem superat cognitionem nempè humanam adeoque Angelicam Zanch. in loc ut suprà for it surpasseth all Angelical knowledge The Angels being purae Intelligentiae of pure Intelligences and of larger capacities than the rest of the creatures do know more than we yet their knowledge is but like that of the creatures finite and limited q Certissimum est Angelos etsi multa sciant mâ—l a lamen etiam nescire Estius in Sentent lib. 2. dist 7. p. 75. though by their natural knowledge they know many things yet not all things There are many things
degrees of the Jewish censures and the enumeration of them t Deusius and Buxtorph as I find them cited by Forbes in his Instruct Histor Theol lib. 12. cap. 3. Sect. 14. Godwin Jewish Antiq lib. 5. cap. 2. Leighs Critic Sacr. in the word Maranatha Some make three kinds which they reckon thus Niddui Cherem Shammatha Niddui which was the first and lowest and signifies separation was that whereby the Offender was separated from alâ— commerce and society with man or woman within the distance of four cubits for the space of thirty dayes Cherem which was the next and signifies the same with Anathema devoted tâ— the Curse was that whereby the Offender was iâ— the publick audience of the whole Church excluded from its Communion without any limitation of time and with Curses annexed out of the Law of Moses Shammatha which was the last and highest and signifies as some think then is death or rather as others the Lord cometh was that whereby the excommunicated person having besides all other maledictions ouâ— of the Law this clause superadded Our Lorâ— cometh was left as desperate and quite forlorn without all hope of pardon or restitution into the hands of the Lord to receive from him an heavy doom at his coming This u Goodwin ibid. p. 185. Shammatha is by some conjectured to be of Enoch'â— constitution and that in the inflicting of it w Forbes ibid. Sect. 16. his own Prophecy was used in the words of the Apostle Jude v. 14. 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him But Jacobus Capellus as I find him mentioned by a x Forbes ubi suprà Sect 14. learned man condemns this enumeration and though he make three kinds yet he makes two of those forementioned to be but one and adds another reckoning them thus The first was called Nesipha whereby the party was shut out from the Camp seven dayes as Miriam was Numb 12.14.15 The second Niddui as before The third Cherem or Shammatha for he makes them both one was that whereby the Offender was driven from all communion and all humane commerce and society interdicted him as one cut off till he repented y Itaque commodiùs quoque videtur distribui excommunicatio in duas species c. Bez. in loc Grotius in loc in Luc. 6.22 Pinks Sermon pag. 3. 4. Others make but two kinds and reckon the third only the highest degree of the second thus The first Niddui the second Cherem Now to this Cherem the Apostles Anathema here doth correspond and of this there were two degrees The single and lesser Anathema which is the same with Cherem and the greater the extream z Qui in eo damnatus esset Domino quasi in manus citra ullam veniae spem dederetur Bez. in loc Vide etiam Sclaterum in loc the compounded Anathema which had Shammatha according to the Jews or Maranatha according to the Apostles phrase added to it This Grotius calls Gravissimum Cherem and Beza with Calvin take it to be the form by which the most grievous and extream Excommunication was performed the sense and signification whereof was x That he who was condemned by it was given up into the hands of the Lord without hope of pardon and a Eoque significatur DominuÌ„ in adventu suo certò perditurum esse talem peccatoreÌ„ Ravanel in verbo Maranatha That the Lord at his coming would certainly destroy such a sinner Now the Apostle being to denounce judgement against those who love not the Lord Jesus makes choice of this way and form to express himself by as the most grievous and dreadful which he could find out the meaning whereof is this Let such a one as loves not the Lord Jesus not be barely accursed but accursed as the Jews curse the most obstinate Offenders in their greatest Excommunication that is as b Non sit ci Wilâ—s adventus ejus qui jam completus est sic ad damnationem sit ei secundus qui adhuc futuâ—us est Ansel in loc Anselme interprets it Let him have no benefit by his first coming which is past and let his second coming which is to come be to his damnation Or c Pinks Ser. p. 5. as another Let him be accursed and that in the most desperate manner expecting due vengeance from the Lord when he cometh with his holy millions to execute judgement upon all and to convince all that are ungodly as it is Jude 14.15 So that as ever you would escape the Curse and obtain the Blessing as ever you would have the appearing of Christ at the last day to be to your salvation and not to your most fearful and intolerable condemnation it will concern you to look that you be found in the number of those who love him in this day The thrid Reason Sect. 3. 3. COnsider how well he deserves your love and that upon a double account 1. Upon the account of his great loveliness d Of Christs loveliness as described by the Church in Cant. 5. See Owen of Communion with God p. 78. to 87. If you will not credit this without testimony you have it both from Heaven and Earth From Heaven God the Father from the excellent Glory by a voice declared concerning him 2 Pet. 1.17 This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased e Morn Exercise Part 2. pag. 241. He knew of whom he spake for he was his Son and he doth not say he was pleased with him only but well-pleased that is delighted and satisfied And was he worthy of Gods love and can you doubt whether he hath deserved yours From Earth you have his Churches character and commendation of him Cant. 5.16 He is altogether lovely f Color caput comae oculi genae labia manus venter crura pes guttur omnia haec figuratè describuntuâ— in laude sponsi quasi in clausulâ brevi capitulo totum concludens totus inquit desiderabilis Gilbertus in loc inter Bernard opera She had been from the tenth Verse describing him in all his lineaments and setting forth the perfections of every part his head hair eyes cheeks lips hands belly legs countenance and mouth and in the cloze summs up all in this short but full Encomium That he is altogether lovely g Totus desideria Pag. Totus desideratissimus Jun. Ainsworth Sibs Bowels opened p. 373. All every whit of him is desires much to be desired wholly amiable As if she had said Why should I stand upon particulars whatever I have said or can say of him is infinitely short of his worth and therefore I 'le shut up all in this that he is altogether lovely all over from top to toe amiable
and dearliest loved by us so as that when it comes to this that we cannot enjoy both to leave them and cleave unto Christ to undervalue any advantages which we may have by them in comparison of those which come by Christ and to be hardned against all their tears entreaties and offers which tend to the keeping or drawing us from His service Thus have the Saints loved Him Hierom deserves to lead the way in the instances which shall be produced for that noble resolution recorded of him in these words * Clarks lives part 1. p. 132. If my Father stood weeping on his knees before me and my Mother hanging on my neck behind me and all my Brethren Sisters Children and Kinsfolk howling on every side to retain me in a sinfull life I would fling my Mother to the ground run over my Father despise all my Kindred and tread them under my feet that I might run to Christ When †Clarks â—n â—rtyrol â—g 93 94 Saturus a nobleman in Africk was threatned by Genserick that if he would not turn Arian he should forfeit his house and goods that his Children should be sold and his Wife given to the Camel-driver his Wife hearing of her doom went to him with her garments rent her hair disheveled her Children at her heels and a sucking infant in her hands whom casting at her Husbands feet she said to him Have compassion of me thy poor Wife and of these thy Children look upon them let them not be made slaves let not me be yoked to a base marriage that which thou art required to do thou dost it not willingly but by constraint and therefore it will not be laid to thy charge But he gave her answer in the words of Job Thou speakest like a foolish Woman Thou actest the Devils part If thou lovedst thy Husband thou wouldest never seek to draw him to sin which will prove the second death I am resolved therefore as my Lord commands me to forsake Wife Children Lands House c. that I may be his Disciple Thus * Idem p. 249. George Carpenter a Bavarian Martyr said to one that came to him in prison and bad him recant his errors that he might return to his Wife and Children My Wife and my Children are so dear to me that they cannot be bought from me with all the riches and possessions of the Duke of Bavaria but for the love of my Lord God I willingly forsake them all Thus †Masons Acts of the Church p. 332. Richard Woodman an English Martyr being perswaded by the Bishop of Chichester to look to his Wife and Children answered God knoweth how dearly I love my Wife and Children in him but they are in Gods hands and I have them as if I had them not but regard the pleasing of God more than all other things * Clarks English Martyrol p. 211. A poor woman in Cornwall another Martyr in Q Maries time being bid by the Bishop to remember her Husband and Children answered I have them and I have them not whilest I was at liberty I enjoyed them but now standing here as I do in the cause of Christ and his truth where I must forsake Christ or my Husband I am content to stick to Christ only my heavenly Spouse and to renounce the other Many other such Testimonies might be produced but I shall close with that of one †Wards Life of faith in death among his Sermons p. 162. Kilian a Dutch Schoolmaster who to such as asked whether he loved not his Wife and Children answered Yes If all the world were gold and were mine to dispose of I would give it to live with them but yet my soul and Christ are dearer to me than all And thus must we love Christ if we would love Him aright when we are called to it as they were I shall conclude this branch with that notable saying of the same Author who ended the former * Fligeâ—dis est magis totum muadum habere contrariuÌ„ quà m Jâ—suâ— ossâ—â—sum 〈◊〉 oâ—â—â—bus Câ—â—â—â—â—â—â—is sâ—â— fesâ—s solus dilectus specialis Diligantur omnes propter Jesum Jâ—â—â—s aâ—â—â—em propter seipsum Solus Jesus Christus est singulariter aâ—â—â—lus qui solus bonus fidelis prae omnibus invenitur amicis A. Hemp. de Imit Christi lib. 2. cap. 8. pag. 114. It is more eligible to have the whole world against us than to have Jesus Christ offended and therefore among all that are dear unto you let him alone be your beloved in a special manner Let all others be loved for his sake but he for his own sake Jesus Christ alone is singularly to be loved who alone is found good and faithfull above all other friends Sect. 3. 3 LOve Jesus Christ plusquam te More than thy self than thy own life Above our own lives This is one of the things which our Saviour requires us to hate if we would be his Disciples indeed in the place forementioned Luke 14.26 If any man come to me and hate not besides Father and Mother c. as before even his own life he cannot be my Disciple The meaning whereof is this When we cannot preserve our life without being treacherous to Christ renouncing our profession of him and quitting our affection and service to him we must so far hate our own lives as to part with them freely upon the hardest terms rather than forsake him Every Christian is bound to love his neighbour as himself Mat. 22.39 That is * Mant. on James p. 262. pursue his good with the same heart and in the same way that he would do his own But he must love his Saviour more than himself It s true †Caryll on Job Vol. 1. p. 240. that life is a mans most precious treasure and the most excellent thing in nature which every one loves so dearly and prizeth so highly as that * Nihil quicquam est carius pensiusque nobis quam rosmet ipsi Anl. Gel. Noct. Attic lib. 12. cap. 5. mihi p. 269. nothing is more dear and precious therefore will a man part with any thing with all things for the preservation of it 'T was a great truth though the Father of lyes spake it Job 2.4 Skin for Skin yea all that a man hath will he give fâ—r his life And yet this precious life so it is called Prov. 6.26 must be neglected under valued and parted with as a sacrifice when called for on Christs behalf When a Christian is driven to this straight that life and sin or death and Christ lie before him and one cannot be avoided death with Christ is to be chosen and preferred and life with sin against Christ is to be refused with abhorrency This is Christs demand and expectation from his followers nor is there any unreasonableness in it if we consider 1 That we owe our lives to Christ who laid down his life for us Caryll on Job Vol. 1. p.
all his confidence when it came to it played the Apostate and turned Papist when the other by the goodnss and power of God helping his infirmities sealed the truth with his blood Remember therefore in the midst of the sense of your own weakness and infirmity that His grace is sufficient for you 2. Cor. 12.9 And that it is given and that on the behalf of Christ who purchased it by his blood upon earth and sues it out by his intercession in heaven not only to believe that you may be Christians but also to suffer for his sake that you may be constant and crowned Christians Phil. 1.29 Not only the occasion of suffering is given by his providence but also the ability to suffer by his influence and assistance without this you cannot but fall with this you shall be sure to stand 3 God hath abundantly provided by his word and works for the encouragement of the weakest Christian if truly such against the strongest triall For thou maist be confident if thou art one of his that either he will not call thee out to such suffering or if he do that he will support thee under it and carry thee through it All have not the Martyrs faith nor shall all have the Martyrs fire yet if this should prove to be the portion appointed for thee never fear but if thou art a true believer he who gave thee power to believe at the first which (l) Noâ— minùs difficile est homini credere quà m cudaveri volare thou couldest no more do of thy self than a dead man can fly he will not deny thee power to suffer whatever he calls thee out unto seeing this as well as the other is his gift as was said before and the purchase of Christs blood especially if you consider his promises Of giving power to the faint and increasing strength to them that have no might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Leighâ— Crit Sacâ— Isaiah 40.29 Of giving his Spirit to help our infirmities Rom. 8.26 to help with us over against us as the word signifies Of not suffering us to be tempted above what we are able and making a way for our escape that we may be able to bear it 1 Corinth 10.13 Of making his strength perfect in the weakness of her servants 2 Cor. 12 9. Besides God is never more for us than when we are mâ—st for him whose glory lyes at stake as well as our lives and he is more curious of that than we can be of this Moreover your Saviour having had experience of all the amazements and horrors of death when he suffered it for you cannot forget both to pity and succour you when you suffer it for him for in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able and no lesse willing to succour those that are tempted as the Apostle infers Heb. 2.18 And his being heard in the days when he offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears to him that was able to save him from death Heb. 5.7 may be a strong ground of encouragement to hope and believe that we praying for the removall of such a bitter Cup with submission to the Will of God shall obtain as he did though not the removall of it yet strength under it Adde unto all this the instances of Gods presence and power in such cases enabling the weakest and most timerous even Women and Children to undergo this triall for his names sake Wherefore 4 For a close I commend this to the troubled and trembling heart for his Direction in such a case Do not torment thy self with anxious fears and cares concerning thy holding out in a fiery triall but rather mind thy present duty and cast the burden of such things as are to come upon him who careth for thee and will sustaine thee in so doing neither will he ever suffer the righteous to be moved Psal 55.22 1 Pet. 5.7 Sufficient to such a day will he the evil of it when it comes Mat. 6.34 and therefore do not anticipate and make it double to what otherwise it would be Lukin Life of faith Pref. to the Reader Direct 2. p. 8. 9. by your cares and fears about it before it come It is true that a prudent foresight of evil is good Proverbs 22.3 that is so to foresee as to prepare for what we cannot avoid that is our duty as was said before but then let me tell you there is no better way of preparing for it then by minding our present duty And therefore instead of being thus over-solicitous concerning that which is to come Do you examine and prove your selves whether you be in the saith and Christ be in you according to your profession 2 Cor. 13.5 Give all diligence to make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 Acquaint your selves with God and be at peace with him Job 22.21 Make this your constant exercise to have a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men Acts 24.16 Draw nigh to God and keep close to him in humble Communion and Walk as before him in holy upright heavenly Conversation Psal 73.28 Gen. 17.1 Make daily improvements in sanctification mortifying corruption and growing in Grace cleansing your selves from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 Stand upon your guard against sins of daily incursion and take heed of those that wast the conscience Psal 19.12 13. Keep your selves from your own iniquity Psalm 18.23 and Watch against those temptations to which you ly exposed by reason of your present condition from Satan the World and the Flesh Mat. 26.41 Revel 16.15 And in simplicity of heart resign up your selves to the will and disposall of him whose you are and whom you serve Mat. 6.10 And thus doing you may be confident that neither tribulation nor distresse nor persecution nor famine nor nakedness nor peril nor sword nor life nor death nor the other thing shall be able to seperate you from any love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord Rom. 8 35. c. And thus I have shewed you that Jesus Christ is to be loved for the measure of it above all not onely our Enjoyments aâ—d Relations but also our Lives And to use u Beatus 〈◊〉 qui inlâ—diget quid sâ—t ama e Jesum contemnere scipsum propâ—er Jesum A Kemp. de Imit Christi lib. 2. cap. 7. pag. 111. à Kempis his words for a close of this head Blessed is that man who knows what it is to love the Lord Jesus and to contemn himself f r Jesus his sake The difficulty whereof may make us breath out our desires to him that helpeth to will and to do in the words of the same devout Author o Amem te plusquam nec me nisi propter te Idem lib. 3. cap 5. pag. 151. Oh! grant that I may love thee more than my self nor my self at all unlesse for thee CHAP.
he shews how himself and others came to be constrained by the love of Christ and that is by way of Argument The love of Châ—ist saiyes he constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again As if he had said when we set our selves seriously to consider the love of Christ in the eminent greatness of it as carrying him to the Crâ—sse the Grave to Death for us we find out and conclude upon theâ—e two things 1. The miserable condition of the objects of it for if one died for all we determine thus That then were all dead y Morte scilicet peccati per quod irae Dei aeternisque poenis facti obnoxii quid enim attinebat pro omnibus mori nisi omnes reas mortis invenisset Calixt in loc dead in sin and thereby liable to the wrath of God and eternal punishment for why should he else die for all if he had not found all in a state of death 2. The Holiness of the end of it And that he died for all that they who live c. This is our holy reasoning and reckoning that the end of his love in dying for us was that they who live who by his favour and benefit are redeemed from warth and damnation should not henceforth live unto themselves not order their lives according to their own will nor serve the lusts and desires of the flesh but unto him that died for them and rose again that is be ruled wholly by his will and dedicate themselvs to his service living for his use and glory and renouncing whatsoever is contrary to him Now this says he constraineth us These are arguments so full and forcible that we are surrounded by them no gap left open for sin and licentiousness but we are wholly bound up and constrained in service obedience to him who hath thus loved us 2. By Power As there is an Argument in the love of Christ engaging Christians to holiness and obedience so there is a vertue and power flowing from thence which doth enable believers thereunto The death and resurrection of Christ wherein his love most eminently appeared is not only the meritorious and exemplary cause of our dying to sin and living to God but also the efficient cause of it by a secret power and vertue issuing from thence to those that believe z Nam ut humanitatem Verbo unitaÌ„ virtute Verbi excitavit à morte sic etià m nos sibi unitos insitos eâdem virtute exuscitat ad novam vitam gratiae Dav. in Colos p. â—07 For as the Humanity being united to the Word was by the power of the Word raised from the dead so those who are united to him and implanted in him are by the same power raised from the death of sin to the life of grace That there is such a power is clear from Phil. 3.10 where the Apostle shews that the height of his ambition was to know Christ yet not by a notional and empty but a powerful and effectual knowledge That I may know him and the power of his resurrection that is a Brinsley Mystical Implant p. 191. a power and vertue flowing from his resurrection working the like effect in himself in raising him to the life of grace here and glory hereafter And the fellowship of his sufferings b Calv. in loc Not only that which is external and stands in the bearing of the Cross but also that which is inward and stands in the mortifying of the flesh and the crucifying â—f the old man And this by being made conformable unto his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conformis factus or Configuratus c Brinsley ubi suprà p. 132. Not conforming my self by way of imitation but being made conformable by a power out of my self the power and vertue of Châ—ists death d NaÌ„ quisquis hoc facit non idagit propriis viribus sed cum Christo sepultus est in Christo resurrexit est igitur in Christum insitus Spiritu Christi vivificatus Dav. in Col. p. 207. For whosoever conforms to Christs death and resurrection by dying to sin and rising again to newness of life doth it not by any power or ability of his own but is buried with Christ and raised in Christ and is therefore implanted into him and quickened by his Spirit Now this power and vertue is drawn forth from Christ by Faith as appears from Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead In which words we have the outward Sign which doth represent a Christians communion with Christ in his death and resurrection and that is Baptism As also the inward Grace whereby a Christian comes to be really conformable to Christ in both by the death of sin and life of grace and that is Faith which is set forth both in it self as it is the Instrument whereby we become real partakers of the benefits of Christs death and resurrection which are signified in Baptism And also in its Author and Worker which is God called therefore Faith of the operation of God to distinguish it from a false faith of our own fancying and likewise in its Exercise for it pitcheth upon the power of God put forth in raising of Christ from the dead and thence derives a power for the raising of the soul from the sptritual death in sin to a spiritual life of grace that is the meaning of that clause which is added who hath raised him from the dead as the e Objectum particulare quod fides potissimùm hâc in re intuetur est Dei potentia excitans Christum ex mortuis pro salute nostrâ Dav. in loc p. 208. Reverend Davenant hath observed Now what is all this for Christians but to perswade you to labour after such a knowledge of Christ and his love as may be effectual to your Holiness and Obedience And I beseech you be not satisfied without it for 1. Without this you cross and thwart Jesus Christ in one main end and design of his love in undertaking acting and suffering for us which was not loosness and licentiousness but holiness and obedience that we might serve him as well as be saved by him and that we might be saved from sin as well as from wrath and from the filth and power of sin as well as the guilt and condemnation of it Why was he manifested in our flesh but to take away our sins and that hâ— might destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.5.8 Why was he called Jesus but that he mighâ— save his people from their sins as you find it f See Hopkins Treat on that Scripture Mat. 1.21 Why did he sanctifie himself by
themselvs the most excellent graces such as patience is Afflictions do minister matter and occasion for patience and they call for patience and through the blessing of God sanctifying these afflictions and helping a Christians infirmities by his Spirit patience is produced whiles a Christian is helped to consider 1. That these afflictions come from the providence of God that God who is his Father who sends them in love and for his good 2. That hereby he is conformed to his Head Jesus Christ 3. That there are great and precious promises made unto them and that there shall be a gracious issue out of them in due time Nor is it barely produced but also increased and perfected for as Habits are perfected by Acts so are graces perfected by exercise And patience experience This is the second good Fruit. Now many and manifold are the experiences which Christians have by bearing afflictions and that 1 In respect of themselves Thus they experience 1. How depraved their nature is whereby if God should leave them they would murmur and complain quarrel and blaspheme instead of suffering patiently when they are afflicted 2 How weak they are in themselves who would sink under the least burden if not supported by divine manutenency 3. In what state and condition they are spiritually that they are the children of God because conformed to Jesus Christ in the Image of his sufferings which all Gods children are predestinated unto Rom. 8.29 and because they are enabled to bear them as children with patience and submission 4. What grace they have though grace be in them and known to be there by the Lord yet it is not so well known to themselves and others as when it is drawn out now afflictions are a notable means to draw it out and give them the experience of it x Nos enim sumus tanquà m quae dam aromata quorum odor nisi ea contuderis non sentitur sumus velutilapides Pyritides qui non exerunt vim eam quam habent ad comburendum nisi cum premuntur digitis Mart. in loc For we are like some kind of spices who yield not their fragrant smell till they are beaten we are like y Dâ— Pyritide viâ—esis Plin. Nat. hist lib. 37 cap. 11. Nicols Aâ—c Gem. p. 236. fire-stones who shew not their burning quality till they are rub'd with ones fingers 2. In respect of God They experience 1. His Wisedome in ordering their afflictions for them in their nature measure and continuance 2. His Power and all sufficiency in upholding and strengthning of them 3 His Mercy and goodnesse in passing by their infirmities and not dealing in strictnesse and severity with them 4 His Faithfullnesse in not leaving them in their distresses not suffering them to be tempted above what they are able and making a way for their escape 1 Cor. 10.13 3. In respect of the sufferings themselves they experience what they are and know how to carry under new troubles without fear and dread and how to advise and comfort those who are in the like condition z Pareus in loc As a souldiewho hath endured the brunt of many a battle hath run through many hazards and endured many hardships gets experience in war and is called an expert souldier because he doth not so much fear dangers and enemies and knows how to manage military affairs which one that is raw and untrained doth not so Christians grow expert by the afflictions which they indure and by being inured to them can tell the better how to deal with them So that they will esteem that a light burden which others that are but young beginners judge almost intollerable and will carry away with ease that which others groan and are ready to sink under And experience hope This is the third good Fruit. Hope that as he hath been with them in troubles past so he will be with them now a Heb. 13.5 and never leave them nor forsake them for the future but will be b Ps 48.14 their God and guide unto the death That there shall be an end at last of all their sufferings and that a glorious end c Tim. 2.12 that having suffered with Christ they shall reign with him d James 1.12 Rev. 2.10 that having endured temptation and been faithfull unto the death they shall receive the Crown of Life e Rev. 7.14 15. that having come out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb they shall be before the Throne of God and serve Him day and night in his Temple f that the triall of their faith should be found to praise and honour and glory 1 Pet. 1.7 at the appearing of Christ not according to their merit but according to his gracious promise And hope maketh not ashamed This is the Crown of a Christians hope that it shall not meet with disappointment and end in shame and confusion to him that hath it as other hopes do Worldly hope from men is often frustrated because bottomed upon a slippery foundation the words and promises of a mutable creature that may deceive whence arose that German proverb g Sperare expectare multos reddit stultos Pisc in loc That hope and expectation makes many fools The wicked hypocrites hope from God himself is sure to be disappointed because grounded on their own vain and false opinions therefore compared to the giving up of the ghost Job 11.20 to the spiders web which shall be cut off Job 8.14 These hopes make ashamed but so doth not the hope of a true Christian because being set upon an unmoveable basis the infallible word of the God of truth and proceeding from the full assurance of faith and being cherished and strengthened by the earnest of Gods Spirit in their hearts it shall most â—erta nly be accomplished Now lay all this together and if those who know the love of Christ do enter into tribulation justified from Guilt and at peace with God and being in can look through it to aâ— Eternity of glory with joyful hope and confidence and do reap so many sweet fruits from it for the present it need not be doubted but such have sufficient to keep them from fainting in a day of trouble The other place which I shall but name is Rom. 8.35 37 38 39. where we find the Apostle so far from fainting under tribulations that he triumphs over them upon the knowledge and sense of Christs love and that upon a double account 1. Because a true believer is never the lesse beloved by Jesus Christ notwithstanding all his sufferings What shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famin or nakedness or perill or sword verse 35. that is none of these shall and verse 38 39. Neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. What a Cordial is this to a Christian under all the evils and enemies which he meets with to consider that none of them can separate him from the love of Christ His estate his liberty his relations his life may be taken from him but the love of Christ can never be taken from him He may have many and mighty enemies Men and Devils set against him but Jesus Christ is his friend and will abide so for ever having loved him once he will never cease loving of him but will love him to the end John 13.1 and this is his Cordial of strong consolation to chear and refresh his spirits in all that he endures 2 Because a believer shall be conqueror and obtain a glorious Victory after all his conflicts through Christ â—erse 37. Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us mark it They are conquerors already yea more than so if there be any thing more or better than conquest and victory they have it vertually in and through Christ at present and they shall be really so declared and appear to be so at last Nor doth this arise from a doubtful opinion or probable conjecture but from a full perswasion and assured confidence I am perswaded c. verse 39. g Pareus in loc perswaded from the unchangeable purpose of God his infallible promise and sure covenant from the costly satisfaction and constant intercession of Jesus Christ and from the inward testimony of the Spirit in my heart which cannot faile Thus I hope the matter is sufficiently cleared and confirmed Wherefore Christians seeing you are told by our Saviour That in the world you shall have tribulation John 16 33. and by his Apostles That through much tribulation you must enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14.22 and seeing you know not what evil may be upon the earth Eccles 11.2 nor how soon you may be called to bear your cross in following after Christ and have your share in great and much affliction let me advise and perswade you to prepare for it and because the love of Christ apprehended and applied by faith is so excellent a cordial against fainting at such a time let me again beseech you to labour after the knowledge of the love of Christ and to know it more and more To this end be much and earnest in prayer for the plentiful effusion of this love into your hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto you Vt totus figatur in corde qui totus fuit fixus in Cruce That he who was wholly fastened to the Cross may be wholly fixed in your hearts as the h August Father speaks Then come what will what can come you need not fear you need not faint whatever you be separated from you shall not be separated from Christ and his love and whatever conflicts you have now you shall be conquerors more than conquerors in the end through him that loved you And thus I have at last dispatched this first and main Use There is something to be superadded by way of Caution and Comfort with which I shall briefly conclude the whole matter Sect. 4. Vse 2 THE next Vse is by way of Caution Take heed of despising and rejecting this Love in the Offers of it by the Ministry of the Gospel Of Caution that we despise not this Love in the Offers of it Hath the Lord Jesus thus loved you and is he still at the cost of sending i 2 Cor. 5.20 Embassadors to make tenders of love to you and will you not accept them shall motions of love be made to your souls from the Lord of Life and Glory as there are in his Word and Ordinances and will you not hearken to them Doth he make Proclamation to all that will k Rev. 22.17 to come and drink of the water of Life freely l Isa 55.1 to buy wine and milk without money and without price to tast how gracious and loving he is and will you still m verse 2. lay out your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not Doth he n Rev. 3.20 stand at the door and knock o Isa 30.18 waiting to be gracious to you and bestow his love upon you even p Cant. 5.2 till his head be filled with dew and his locks with the drops of the night and will you not open to him and give him admission will you q Jona 2.8 for the following of lying vanities forsake your owne mercy Wilt thou O covetous Worldling slight and refuse the love of Christ for the dung and dross of this present world Wilt thou O voluptuous Epicure prefer thy Cups and Queans thy base perishing lusts before it Wilt thou O ambitious wretch choose an aery title of honour a preferment to some slippery place in the Kingdoms of this world which are but Fancies and Fallacies before an interest in this love Alas Sirs do you not know that this r Rev. 6.16 Lamb of God can be angry that he hath Wrath as well as Love and Wrath as infinite as his Love for s Ps 90.11 Who knows the Power of it according to his Fear so is his Wrath and for whom can you imagine this Wrath to be reserved but for his t Nah. 1.2 enemies and such are they who slight and refuse his Love Take heed then what you do Take heed of flying from the arms of his Love till you fall headlong into the fire of his Wrath If you have refused and rebelled hitherto yet now come in and u 2 Chro. 30.8 yield your selves to the Lord and be no more stiff-necked Now x Ps 2.12 kiss the Son lest he be angry Take heed of persisting any longer in your enmity and opposition for y Job 36.18 19. Because there is wrath he may take you away with a stroak and then a great ransom cannot deliver thee He will not esteem thy riches no not gold nor all the forces of strength But if he continue to exercise the z Rom. 2.4 5. riches of his goodness in his forbearance and longsuffering towards you and you go on to despise it and are not led to repenâ—ance by it know this from the Lord that you do but treasure up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Beware therefore betimes and a Heb. 3.7 8. to day whiles it is called to day harden not your hearts but hear his voice and accept of the offers of grace which are made unto you lest you feel at last by woful experience the truth of that which you will not now believe that b Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God who in that great and terrible day will deal 1. In pure wrath without any