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 pardon'd and as fully pardon'd as if they had never sin'd 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 Mediatour 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 cloathed 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 novâ 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 therfore loved 3. Because they are his Propriety is the ground of Love We love our own our own Relations our own Enjoyments Houses Lands c. A Believer is Christ's own and therefore loved Cant. 7. â—0 I am my beloved's and then 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 chuse 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 it self 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 Bloud of Bulls and Goats Hebr. 10. 4. nor the Blood of meer 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 Dealings 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 chasten'd every Morning Psal 73. 4. to 7 14. Answ It is true God doth often exercise his People with cross Providences contrary Dealings 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 Ruine and not correct him would you not judge he rather hated then lov'd 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 undoe 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 belong'd to God surely I should not be so afflicted As David My Foot had almost slipt 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 judgments 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 Tryals 1 Pet. 1. 6 7. If need be ye are in heaviness There is the first Particular to correct them and then it follows for the Tryal of their Faith Tribulations are to try the Saints Faith Love Patience Humility Self-denial c. Tryals have discover'd many to be far otherways than they expected To try their Faith Whether they can trust God under his chidings 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 Tryal To
at the Last Day Oh ye vain Temporizers that are for the Love and Favour of Men more then the Love of Christ Oh ye besotted blind secure Ones that are setled 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 shewn We may say of them as is said of the Children of Israel Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt c. 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 Christs 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 turn'd 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 c. 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 Damn'd 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 offer'd 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 offer'd 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 then 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 your selves 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 your selves shut out This will cause gnashing of Teeth I had the same Means and Opportunities as they I had Christ offer'd me as well as they I sate 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 â—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
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 Searchings into and Discoveries of the Love of Christ the most we can doe 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 heighth 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 convey'd 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 Sâ—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 doe 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 excelâ—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 doe 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 suffer'd in his Soul which were the highest Sufferings 1. He endur'd 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 astonish'd at this Love Christ had the Curse that thou might'st have the Blessing Christ had the Wrath that thou might'st have the Love Christ had the Misery that thou might'st 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 satisfie Therefore the Damned must suffer for ever because they cannot satisfie 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 pray'd he mourn'd he liv'd 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 Bloud 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 c. It was the meer 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 Chusing 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 thaâ— a little Breath to shew there was nothing done to procure thâ—â— 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 Husbanâ— 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 suffer'd for them A greater Demonstration he could not give than his Dying for them Joh 15. 3â— 5. Christ's Love to Believers is a Superlative Love a Love of the Highest degree a Love above aâ—â— 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 lay'd down his Life for another and that was a Child for his Father A Citizen of Toledo being condemn'd to die his Son offer'd 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 undertook 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 suffer'd 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 hid 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 Chusiâ— 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 magnifie 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 Godâ— Grace in Christ Psal 4. 3. These are they the Lord set apart foâ— 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
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 sinn'd against him Mich. 7. 9. Yea and I will bear it willingly patiently thankfully It is a Sick-Bed 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 then 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 dealings 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 rejoycing Here you may learn what that of the Apostle means Phil. 4. 4. Rejoyce in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoyce 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 Flouds 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 encreasing the Saint's Graces strengthning their Faith inflaming their love raising their Joys 1 Pet. 1. 8. He spake 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 rejoyced with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory 2 Cor. 4. 11. We are deliver'd 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 c. 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 chear him rejoyce his Heart And observe how this is usher'd 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 rejoyce in him to remember his Love more than Wine Cant. 1. 4 He makes them a Banquetting-house to his Children and his Banner over them is Love He stays them with Flagons He gives them not only sips tasts 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 then 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 express'd 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 Bed-rid 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 preferr or seek after any thing more than this Love of Christ Oh ye vile Drunkards that preferr a Lust a Pot-Companion before this Christ Oh ye covetous Worldlings that preferr a good Bargain Corn and Wine and Oil before this Christ Oh ye voluptuous Ones that preferr 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