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.
mihi p. 261 262. Curtius and Decius among the Romans are famous The former for leaping into the Earth when it opened it self and as was said would not be clozed till the best thing in Rome were cast into it The latter for rushing into the midst of the Enemies when his party were like to be overcome in Battel by them both to the loss of their own lives for the preservation of their Countrey c Idem ibidem p. 264. Codrus likewise among the Grecians is renowned who being King of Athens and understanding from the Oracle at Delphos that the War which then greatly wasted that Countrey would not be ended unless he were slain by the hand of the Enemy ventured incognito into the Enemies Quarters and by a wound given to one of the Souldiers provoked and procured his own death 2 We read of those who have ventured far in love to their friends Jonathans love to David was wonderful passing the love of Women 2 Sam. 1.26 He loved him as his own soul 1 Sam. 20.17 insomuch as he incurred his Fathers displeasure and hazarded his own life in his excuse and defence v. 27 to 34. Great was the love of d Valer. Max. lib. 4. cap. 7. p. 213. Damon and Pythias two Pythagorean Philosophers for when one of them was condemned to death by Dionysius the Tyrant the other offered to dye for him But greater the love of those who did indeed dye for their friends e Idem ibidem p. 210. as Volumnius did for Lucullus who hearing that M. Antonius had slain his friend because he took part with Brutus and Cassius made great lamentation for him and continued so to do till he was brought before Antonius to whom he spake after this manner Command me O Emperour to be forthwith carried to the Body of Lucullus and slain there for I ought not to survive him who have been the cause of his unhappy Warfare This was no sooner asked but it was granted and he being brought to the place where his dead friend lay after he had kissed his right hand and taken his head into his bosome he was presently beheaded besides him The like friendship was betwixt Tapeus and Zogius in the Kingdom of China and the like fate happened to them as I find it recorded by a late f Martinius Histor Sinicae Dec. prim p. 116. 117. Author Tapeus being by the Emperour condemned to dye for no just cause Zogius not able to bear it and being moved with the calamity of his friend exposed himself to apparent danger on his behalf often rebuking the Emperour for it with great freedome who at last being enraged said Thou openly discoverest thy self to be a Traytor who to favour a Friend art not afraid to offend a King To which Zogius for vindicating of himself answered boldly You are mistaken O Emperour He that is true to his Friend will be so to you nor is it fidelity towards you to forsake a guiltless Friend You have condemned to death my Friend who is innocent convicted of no crime against all Laws and the custome of good Kings Because I desire to preserve him I came under suspition of treason but what affinity hath Rebellion with faithfulness goodness and love I defend the cause of my Friend that you may not deal unjustly and tyrannically being faithful to both but more to you for both he that preserveth the innocent doth well but he that rectifies the erroneous doth better Then the Emperour in a fury said Either leave off your prating or dye with your Friend To whom Zogius answered It doth not become an honest man for the prolonging of his life to desert that which is lawful and right nor for the avoiding of death to confute by his deeds the things which he hath spoken agreeable to reason The things which I have spoken tend to this That you may see how unjust a death you occasion to Tapeus for where there is no fault there is no room for punishment The Emperour vexed at this constancy commanded them both presently to be slain not knowing sayes the Historian That it is more glorious to dye in the maintaining of friendship than to preserve ones life by unfaithfulness 3. We read of great love among other Relations g Clark's Mirror fol. p. 209 Vrbinius Papinian the Roman had a Servant who hearing that the Souldiers were about to slay him came to him and changed Apparel with him took his Ring and put it on his own finger and letting him out at the back-door went and lay down in his Masters Bed so that when the Souldiers came taking him for the Master they slew him who willingly chose death to save his Masters life This was great love in a Servant h Valer. Max. p. 202. Tiberius Gracchus having found two Snakes in his House was told that upon letting go the Male it would be sudden death to his Wife and to himself upon letting go the Female but he preferring his Wives life before his own commanded the Male to be killed and himself dyed soon after This was great love of a Husband to his Wife i Clark's Mirror fol. p. 293. Cabadis King of Persia being Deposed and shut up in close Prison and his Brother Blazes set up in his room the Wife of Cabadis first procures Horses to be laid in the wayes and then ingratiating her self with the Prison-Keeper got leave often to visit her Husband At last she changed Apparel with him and he getting thereby out of Prison fled upon those Horses and at last recovered his Kingdome again but she being discovered was by the command of Blazes cruelly put to death This was great love of a Wife to her Husband 'T was great love in David as a Father which made him mourn as he did for Absolom though an ungrateful and ungracious Son and to wish that he had dyed for him 2 Sam. 18.33 And it was great love of a Son to a Father which was shewed by one of Toledo as k Fulgos lib. 5. cap. 4. p. 159. Fulgosus relates the story whose Father being condemned to dye he never left entreating by prayers and tears till he obtained that his Father might be released and himself killed in his room I am sensible how far beyond my first intentions I have enlarged my self in the mention of these examples and therefore craving the Readers pardon for this excursion I shall quickly accommodate the whole to my present purpose when I have given one instance more of brotherly love among Christians the rule whereof is set very high That from the consideration of the love of Christ in laying down his life for us we ought to lay down our lives for the Brethren 1 Joh. 3.16 and this example which I am now to mention comes up to it In the seventh Persecution under Decius l Clark's general Martyrol p. 52. The same story I find in Ambrose his second Book concerning Virgins only the
ground of this undertaking was his pure and meer love it was his kind heart that killed him never was his love so plainly and fairly written as in the characters of that blood which he shed on the Cross which he that runs may read for r Si non diligeret non pateretur Bern. lib. de Pass cap. 41. p. 73. if he had not loved he would never have suffered Å¿ 1 Joh. 3.16 Hereby perceive we the love of God because he laid down his life for us Therefore we find his love and his suffering joyned together in Scripture t Gal. 2.20 Who loved me and gave himself for me u Eph. 5.2 As Christ hath loved us and given himself for us an offering and sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savour w v. 25. As Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it And this love was great exceeding great for if he had not loved much he would never have suffered so much as he did x In magnitudine passionis magnitudo consideretur charitatis Bern. ibid. Vulnera Christi sunt dolore livida amore fulgida Gerh. Homil Part 1. p. 805. the greatness of his love may be considered in the greatness of his Passion But here how easily might I lose my self in so large a Field were I not confined let it serve therefore to tell you in general That his pains were intolerable his sorrows unutterable his whole Passion unconceivable by any but himself who by enduring was fully acquainted with them His whole life from first to last was but one continued Passion but the extremity of all was in the cloze of all which doth more eminently bear that name Oh! how doleful a Tragedy was this what dreadful things did he suffer then from all hands Heaven Earth and Hell God Men and Devils all laying load on him y Totum pro corpore vulnus He endured much in his Body by spitting pricking buffeting scourging racking nailing piercing till it was all but one wound but he endured more in his Soul which indeed was the soul of his sufferings insomuch as he was z Mark 14.33 34. The words are all emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of which words see Dr. Pearson on the Creed mihi p. 385. 40. Cartwright on the Creed p. 160. Leigh's Crit. Sacr. sore amazed and very heavy exceeding sorrowful even unto death and being a Luk. 22.44 in an agony his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground this made him cry out b Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me till at last c Joh. 19.30 he bowed his head and gave up the Ghost-Blessed Lord whither did thy love carry thee and how great was that love which carried thee thus far for us The Jews said when he shed tears over dead Lazarus Behold how he loved him Joh. 11.36 but with much more reason may we say when he shed his heart-blood over us that were dead in trespasses and sins Behold how he loved us Because of that excessive love saith d Propter nimiam charitateÌ„ quâ nos dilexit Deus nec pater filio nec sibi filâ—us ipse pepercit verè nimiam quia mensuram excedit madum superat planè super-eminâ—ns universis Bern. Serm. in Pass p. 34. Bernard wherewith God loved us neither the Father spared the Son nor the Son himself that he might redeem a Servant truly excessive because it exceedeth all measure all bounds and plainly surpasseth all things As the e was no sorrow like to his sorrow so there was no love like to his love In the Greek Liturgy there is mention made and that justly of his unknown sufferings be sure then they were the fruit of his unknown love nothing but love could make him suffer and nothing but great love could make him suffer such grievous things as he did for our sakes e Per vulnera viscera Watsons Serm. Part 2. p. 495. Part. 1. p. 447. We may discern his bowels of love through his wounds he bled love at every vein his drops of blood were love-drops and the more blood he shed for us the more love he shewed to us and the more love he deserves from us Sect 5. 5. THat love whereby in his own due time he f Isa 55.5 Rom. 8 30. Joh. 17.6 cha 6.37 Eph. 3.17 1 Joh. 3.24 1 Cor. 1.9 Eph. 1.3 Joh. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.30 Eph. 1.5 6 7 13. Tit. 3.5 Eph. 5.25 26 27. Joh. 8.36 Rom. 5.1 Rom. 14.17 Tit. 3.7 Ps 110.3 Ezek. 16.8 2 Cor. 11.2 Rev. 1.5 6. Non lavisset nisi dilexisset quarè non priùs lavit et postea dilexit sed priùs dilexit postea lavit Rich. de S. Victore in lâ—c ut citatur à Gerh. in Homil. parte primâ p. 804. calls and coverts unto himself his Elect who from all eternity were given him by the Father and by vertue of Vnion with his Person through a spirit of faith gives them communion in his blessings and benefits as they are able to receive in this world giving them from his own fulness grace for grace Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Acceptance Adâ—ption Remission Obsignation Regeneration Sanctification Liberty Peace Joy in the Holy Ghost and whatever may make them happy in this world and hopeful as heirs of eternal life in the world to come In a word that whereby he loveth them and washeth them from their sins in his own blood and makes them Kings and Priests unto God and his Father which deserves that Doxology which is there annexed to it to be breathed forth by all who have an interest in it To him be glory and dominion for ever Amen Indeed it is a day of power in which a soul is brought into the participation of these priviledges yet it is power mixt with love called therefore a time of love Christ draws fortitèr suavitèr strongly by his power and yet sweetly by his love And though this love may lye hid and concealed for the present by reason of those convulsions and terrours which accompany some mens conversion yet it lyes at the bottome riseth up breaketh forth at last when the wooed soul is won to Christ and espoused to him as a chaste Virgin and hath tasted the sweetness of his fellowship and knows the richness of those possessions and priviledges in which he hath estated her then I say it appears and leaves the man full of gratitude yea of admiration upon sense of the exceeding greatness of that love which hath brought him to all this Thus it was with Paul x 1 Tim. 1.13 c. who upon consideration that he who was a blasphemer a persecutor and injurious should obtain mercy and that Christ Jesus should come into the world to save him the chiefest of sinners is raised and even ravished with the thoughts of it and cryes out y vers 14. The grace of our
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
for q Jenkins on Jude 4. Part 1. p. 152. as one sayes If every leaf and spire of grass nay all the stars sand atomes in the world were so many souls and Seraphims whose love should double in them every moment to eternity yet could not their love be enough for the loveliness of our God yet Christ that he may not fail of catching our love casts out the bait of his own love to allure ours to himself He beginneth and loveth that we may love him again 1 John 4.19 r Manton on Jude p. 100. As water is cast into a Pump when the springs lye low to bring up more water so Christ hath shed and poured out his love upon us that our love might rise up to him again by way of gratitude and recompence God loves that he may be loved sayes Å¿ Amat Deus ut ametur cum amat nihil aliud vuâ—t quam amari sciens amore esse beatos qui se amaverint Aug Man mihi p. 236. Austin and when he loves he desires nothing but to be loved again knowing that those who love him are happy in that love I have already made out the exceeding greatness of Christs love towards us in the undertaking and accomplishing of our Redemption the consideration whereof cannot without monstrous ingratitude but engage us to love him again 1. Can you think of Christs Undertaking for us and not love him That he not like Jonah would be cast into the Sea to allay a storm raised for his own sake but when our sins had raised a storm of Divine wrath would be cast in to allay it When he saw the misery of Mankind he said Let it come on me 2. Can you think of his Incarnation and not love him That he should divest himself of his Robes of Glory and condescend to take upon him the Rag of our flesh That he who was God and Lord of all should humble himself and empty himself and make himself of no reputation and be made in the likeness of man yea take upon him the form of a servant Phil. 2.6.7 3. Can you think of his Passion and not love him Indeed his Incarnation was a Passion and his whole life as continued suffering but I mean that which is emphatically so called that which he suffered at or immediately before his death which who can think of and not be all in a flame of love t Ambrose Looking unto Jesus p. 658. That the Judge of all the World should be accused judged and condemned That the eternal Son of God should be found struggling with his Fathers wrath That he who had said I and my Father are one should sweat drops of blood in his Agony and cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as he did on the Cross That the Lord of Life should with unconceivable pains breath out his soul and dye on the Tree of shame and curse 4. Can you think that all this should be for us and not love him That when he was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief u Manton on Jude p. 109. they were our griefs which he bore and our sorrows which he carried Isa 53.3 4. The very same griefs that we should have suffered so far as his holy person was capable of them his desertion was equivalent to our loss his Agonies to to our Curse and punishment of sense We were the Malefactors and the Kings Son chose our Chains and suffered in our stead 5. Can you think that he suffered all this for us very willingly and not love him When he had undertaken to be baptized with this baptism he was straightned till it was accomplished Luke 12.50 He did with the like indignation rebuke Peter disswading from his Cross as he did the Devil tempting him to Idolatry Get thee behind me Satan Mat. 16.23 compared with Mat. 4.10 He was satisfied with all the travel of his soul as it was the means of our salvation Isa 53.11 as if he had said Welcome Agonies welcome stripes and wounds welcome Curse welcome Cross welcome Death so that poor souls be saved 6. Can you think of his love in all this and not love him his infinite love far beyond his sufferings and the outward expressions of it as the Windows of the Temple were more large and open within than without Can you think of it and not love him 7. Can you think that all this was intended to constrain your love and not love him He made himself so vile that he might be the more dear and precious unto us every one of his wounds is a mouth open to plead for your love Certainly if love brought Christ from Heaven to Earth to the Cross to the Grave it should carry our hearts to him in Heaven again with ardent and fervent love w O duri induâ—ati obdurati filii Adam quos non emollit tanta benignitas tanta flaÌ„ma tam ingâ—ns ardor amoris Bern. Serm. in Pent. mihi p. 45. And oh hard and extreamly hardened Sons of Adam whom so great bounty so great a flame and heat of love doth not mollifie and melt into love again x Omnis equitas ditit ut dilectus diligentem diligat amatus amanti mutuam charitatem impendat Bern. de Caenâ Dom. Ser. 13. All equity dictates that he who is beloved should love him again by whom he is beloved and shall Christ only have love unjustly detained from him after he hath loved us y Magnes amoris amor Love is the Loadstone of love and were it not a shameful thing that Christs love should lose its attractive power upon us on whom it is most laid out It is not first love that is required of us but only a reflection of his own love back again and z Nimis durus est animus qui amorem si nolebat impendere nolit rependere Aug. de Catech. rud cap. 4. there is too much of the stone in that mans heart who if he will not begin and lead will not follow in this way of love and repay love for love Well for a cloze of this I shall shew you how the consideration of Christs love hath warmed and affected others hearts and leave it as a goad in your sides to quicken your imitation What should this but make us call upon our souls to the love of him who hath thus loved us as Austin did a O anima mea insignita Dei imagine redempta Christi sanguine desponsata fide dotata spiritu ornata virtutibus deputata cum Angelis Dilige illum a quo tantum dilecta es intende illi qui intendit tibi quaere quaerentem te amae am itorem tui a quo amoris cujus amore praeventaâ—s qui est causa amorâ—s us Aug. Man mihi p. 240. O my soul stampt with the Image of God redeemed with the blood of Christ espoused by faith endowed with the spirit adorned with graces committed
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-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.
plea Thy Father did command before he died saying So shall ye say to Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespass of thy Brethren c. Gen. 50.16 17. When Christ took leave of his Disciples he left this as his last charge that they should love one another and let us see how he propounds and sets this home that it might take place with them John 13.34 35 You may take the rise of this Discourse from the 33 verse where he gives this sweet and kind compellation Little children and he doth it to make the easier way for what he had to propound to them As if he had said p Gerh. Harm p. 849. It becommeth obedient children to bear in continuall remembrance the words of their dying Father and it is but necessary for you who are my children to keep and carry about with you for ever fixed in your hearts this which as my dying legacy I bequeath to you of loving one another When he coms to the matter you may see how he fils his mouth with Arguments as many arguments almost as words A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another c. You see 1. It is a commandement q Gerh. p. 852. not a bare advice and counsell which he leaves as an arbitrary matter for them either to do or not to do according to their own will and pleasure but he binds them to it by a weighty and serious command Now r Intonante divino praecepto â—on objicienduÌ„ sed obediendum Tert. When the sound of a divine precept enters into our ears we must leave off objecting and fall to obeying 2. It is a commandement of his own prescribing a commandement I give unto you s Gerh. ubi supra I who am your one and only Master Mat. 23.8 10. I to whom your audience and obedience hath been bespoken by a voice from the excellent glory Mat. 17.5 2 Pet. 1.17 I whom you own as your Lord and Master John 13.13 I command you to love one another and therefore it concerns you who are my Disciples and followers to observe me herein Again 3. It is a commandement which I give unto you as a special token and priviledge t Gurnal Christian Arm. part 2. p. 424. He was now taking his farewell of them and this was as the streakings of that milk wherewith he had fed them never dropt a sweeter discourse from his blessed lips he saved his best wine till last He was now making his last will and among other things which he bequeaths to his Disciples he takes this commandement as a Father would do his seal-ring off his finger and gives it unto them Yet this is not all for 4. He gives it them not barely as a commandement but as a new Commandement A new commandement give I unto you u Wats Perfume of Love p. 618. Which is not to be understood as if it were so new as never to have been heard of before for it it was as old as Moses written in the ancient Statutes and Records Lev. 19.18 Nay as old as Adam written in the Heart of Man by Nature as with the point of a Diamond in which respects it was an old commandment And yet new 1. Because Excellent for the Hebrews call that New Novum Hebraicâ dicitur phrasi non quia novum sed quia praestantissimuÌ„ Mald. which is Excellent Psal 33.3 a new song there is an excellent song and a new commandement here is a most excellent commandment as if he had said I have given you many commandments whiles I have been conversant with you but now I give you one which is instar omnium one instead of all one most excellent this of love Again new 2 Because renewed thus the Jews use to speak that which is renewed they call new thus Jer. 26.10 the new gate there is the gate that was but repaired and Ezek 36.26 the new heart is the renewed heart This commandement of loving one another Christ here calls a new commandment coming forth now in a new edition corrected and enlarged corrected and amended from the false glosses and corruptions of the Scribes and Pharisees and enlarged from his own example as it follows in the next words As I have loved you that ye also love one another Before it was only Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self now it is Love one another as I have loved you And yet he hath not done for 5. it is a commandment strengthend with the most forcible Motives 1. The first is in the words even now mentioned That you love one another as I have loved you This Motive is drawn from his own example his love which he hath shewed unto us and there are two things in Christs example which may engage our love one to another for from his Love towards us 1. We have the strongect Reason and ground for our love to Christians x Particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ponitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est quia ego vos ditexi ideò aequum est ut vos invicem diligatis Gerh. Har. p. 855. So some take this As here for Because as if the meaning were Because I have loved you it is but equal and reasonable that you should love one another Thus he propounds his own love towards us in taking our nature upon him coming in flesh living so lovingly and kindly among those with whom he conversed and at length sealing up all with his blood and death as a strong Obligation to us to love one another and so indeed it is What can be greater y Gâ—rnals Christian Armour Part 2. p. 424. What should not the love of Christ command a Christian if it were to lay down his life for the brethren would it be denied how much less when it is only to lay down our strifes and animosities and to embrace one another in love If Christ your Master and Lord your Head and your King hath thus loved you who are but Disciples Servants Members and Subjects much more ought you to love your fellow-servants members and subjects 2. We have the highest and best Rule and pattern for our love to Christians Christ by his love to us hath not only given us an Argument why but also a Direction how we should love one another and we are bound to conform to him herein He that saith he abideth in Christ ought himself also so to walk as Christ also walked 1 John 2.6 and We must walk in love as Christ also loved us sayes another Apostle Ephes 5.2 We must follow Christ in his love though we cannot do it passibus aequis We must write after his copy though we cannot make such fair Characters We must love one another as he loved us though we can never love as much as he in the same manner though we fall short in the measure z Gerh. Ub. supra p. 855. Jâ—â—â—es Schol. pract Divinity Part
goodness mixed with love Hosea 3.5 You see then that it is a meer slavish fear from which the people of God are redeemed so as that it shall not have the sole prevalency in their service though there will be some mixture of it with their love and will have some prevalency in their service in their present imperfect estate And this I take to be the true sence of this place Sect. 5. OBject 2. But it may be said where there is love there is none of this fear for there is no fear in love but perfect love casteth out fear as the Apostle hath it 1 John 4.18 Answ 1. It s true r Hildersh on Psalm 51. p. 365. that in love there is no such fear nothing is more contrary to the nature of love than these fears are but in the person that hath true love these fears may be 2. Perfect love will cast out all these fears and the perfecter our love to God is the more it will cast out these fears deliver us from them but the love of the best of Gods servants is imperfect and will be till we come to heaven for there and there only are the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 Having removed these Objections which may be of use for the convincing of some that fear is not so Anti-evangelicall as they are apt to mistake it to be and for the comforting of others who are ready to conclude against themselves because of those remainders of servile feare which they find in their hearts I resume my exhortation and renew my request unto you to fear the Lord. Suppresse all slavish fear as much as may be but cherish Reverential and Filial fear Fear the Lord and his Greatness so as to stand in awe of him and take heed of offending him in any thing and fear the Lord and his Goodness so as to be carefull to please him in all things There is one way of accomplishing both these and that is the way of Love nor can there be a better Gâ—t your hearts inflamed with love towards Christ and that will suppress slavish fear for it casts out the fear that hath torment 1 John 4.18 perfect love casts it quite out and according to a Christians growth in love will this fear decay in him But it will promote Reverential and Filial fear Å¿ In quantum quisque amat in tantuâ— timet As far as a man loves Christ so far will he thus fear him for t Res soliciti pleâ—â— timoris amor Love is full of that fear which makes a man solicitous to avoid what may offend and follow what may please him whom we love And you have as much reason to question the truth of your love from the defect of Reverential and Filial fear as from the excesse of Slavish fear And thus I have at last dispatched this first Direction concerning your Knowledge of the Love of Christ that it be Affectionate so as to love him in the Manner and Measure and to Express that Love in the Way prescribed so as to Desire and Delight in him to Trust in him and Fear before him I proceed to what remains CHAP. XI 2. LOok that your knowledge of the love of Christ be Cognitio â—ffectiva Direction 2. That it be an effectuall knowledg let it not be an empty barren ineffectual knowledge but such as is full fruitful and effectual And that these four wayes Sect. 1. 1. BY way of Application Experience By way of application with assurance to our selves and Assurance Content not your selves with the knowledge of Christ and his love at a distance but reach aster such a knowledge as may bring all home to your selves Be not satisfied to know that Christ is the Saviour of the world and hath born great and wonderful love to the Sons of Men but labor so to know his love and salvation as to apprehend appropriate and apply all to your own comfort and benefit To know within your selves as the Apostle speaks Heb. 10.34 to know in all your hearts and in all your souls as Joshua speaks Josh 23.14 viz. sensibly evidently experimentally assuredly that he is your Saviour stood in your room bore your sins and suffered Gods wrath for you whereby God is as well pleased with you as if you had suffered for them in your own persons in hell eternally that he bare a special love to you in particular and that you have a reall interest in a sure title to the priviledges and blessings which he out of his infinite love hath purchased at so dear a rate for poor sinners Such a knowledg as this would I have you look after and to help you forward herein there are two things which I would propound for your Encouragement 1. Such a knowledge of Christs love is attainable A Christian may know the love of Christ with assurance of his interest in it u Culverwels White Stone p. 134. This indeed is a most excellent truth the flos lactis the very cream of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sincere milk which is to nourish souls 't is the budding and blossoming of happiness the Antedating of heaven the prepossession of glory and therefore envied us by Satan who by his Romish instruments would wrest it out of our hands But we have more clear light from Scripture to discern the truth of what we hold in this particular than to be easily cheated of so fair a Jewel of our Crown as if it were counterfeit Here we see so many eminent Christians both in the Old and New Testament setting their Seals to this truth by their own experience that we cannot but subscribe to it Ab esse ad posse is a fair Argument and I shall use no other to prove what I assert Other Christians have attained a certainty in their knowledge of Christ and his Love not only Objectivè that there is a Christ and that there is such a love but also Subjectivè that this Christ is theirs and this love theirs And therefore so may you That others have is clear In Job 19.25 you may hear Job appropriating a Redeemer to himself I know that my Redeemer liveth He asserts his interest in Christ as his Redeemer and therefore no wonder if he be so confident of his being acquitted at Gods Tribunal as he is Chapter 13 18. I know that I shall be justified A believer then may arrive at assurance full assurance of interest in Jesus Christ Such an Application did Thomas make to himself when he cried out John 20.28 My Lord and my God See sayes x Vide Dei mirabilia quis credidisset ex tà m pertinaci incredulitate tantam futuram fidem Fer. in loc Ferus on the place the wonderful things of God who would have believed that so great faith should have risen out of such obstinate unbelief which he had discoverd just before And what should this teach us but as the same
his life will be full of trouble and his heart exceedingly tormented and disquieted if he know it not and though he go to heaven it will not be with such full sail he will not have an entrance administred so abundantly as otherwise it might f Wall None but Christ p. 52. Good and evil affect not till it be apprehended Job lamented not all his losses till a messenger related them to him nor did Jacob rejoyce that Joseph was alive till he knew it Who joyes in an inheritance fallen to him till he know it nor can we joy in Christ as a Saviour nor in his love till we know him to be our Saviour and that he hath loved us The best knowledge of the Sun is by seeing its light and feeling its influence the knowledge of Hony is by tast and the best knowledge of Christ and his love is by tasting and seeing that he is gracious Lay both these together and they may be a strong inducement to make you look after a knowledge of the love of Christ by way of Application Experience and Assurance which is the first particular Sect. 2. By way of Admiration 2. BY way of Admiration Know Jesus Christ in his love so as to admire him and it We are wont to supply the defect of our apprehensions about great and extraordinary matters with admiration now what more worthy of our admiration than Jesus Christ whose Name is wonderful Isaiah 9.6 and his Love which as the Text tells us passeth knowledge He is Wonderful in his Person and in his Works and no lesse wonderful in his Love which doth influence all his works of Wonder for our good We admire Mysteries which g MysteriuÌ„ est sacrum secretum secretam habens intelligentiaÌ„ Dav. in Col. p. 132 are holy secrets hardly understood and surely then we have reason to admire Christ to whom the great Mystery of godliness is reducible for what is it according to the Apostles account 1 Tim. 3.16 but God was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into Glory All which are meant whatever some have delivered to the contrary of Christ and as Hierom said of the Revelations Quot verba tot Sacramenta I may say of these words As many words so many mysteries and as many mysteries so many matters of admiration Study and meditate upon the Lord Jesus and his love as much as you can that you may have some understanding of him and it but when you have gone as farr as you can there will be still Plus ultrà The riches that are in Christ are unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 The love that he hath manifested unto us is unknowable love the dimensions of it for height dâ—pth length aâ—d breadth are unmeasurable verse 18.19 And therefore when you are at a losse in your search stand still in holy silence and fall to admiring what you fall so infinitely short of apprehending Admire him in his Philanthropie his love to mankind in general That the eternall Son of God should set his heart upon the Sons of Men and love them them rather than the Angels them when fallen as well as the Angels when ungodly rebels and enemies that he should love them so as to leave his Glory which he had from all eternity with his Father and be made flesh for them and lead a life full of miseries and necessities and aâ— last die a shameful painful accursed death for â—hem to pay their scores to Divine Justice and to bring in everlasting Righteousness eternal Redemption and Salâ—ation for them This is strange and extraordinary love worthy â—o bâ— admired for no reason c n be given of it hâ— loveâ— us thus because he loved us and upon no â—ther aâ—count Here then is a fit place to cry out with David Psalm 8.4 Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitests him What is man Enosh forgetful man as h Propriè obliviscenâ—em Enosh denotare videtur Euseb De praepar Evang. l. 11. miâ—i c. 4. p. 148. Eusebius wâ—ll have it deriving it from Nashah which signifies to forget forgetful of thee and of thy benefits towards him Or rather i Homo dicitur Enosh sed demum post aeâ—umnosum conditionem autegrâ—ssae praevâ—â—catâ—â— culpâ iâ— munâ—u i roductâ—â—â— ca vox â—am homiâ—em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inopâ—ae variae moleâ—â—ori morâ—is necâ—ssituâ— moriendi ut veâ—bo dicem adversis rebus obnoxium connotat Martinius Lexic Philol. in Praef. 〈◊〉 Sickly mortall miserable man as others who better derive it from Anash which signifies to be sick and in misery What is this man that thou shouldst be mindfull of him not so as barely to remember him but so as tâ— shew eminent care and kindnesse to him as words of memory in the hebrew language do import according to the learned k Rivet in loc Rivets observation on the place and what is the Son of Man the Son of Adam the Son of him whose originall was earth and dust as the word Adam signifies who by his Apostacy and rebellion had forfeited thy favour and love What was he that thou shouldst visit him not with a grievous but gracious visitation not to punish and destroy him as he had deserved but to redeem and save him What matchlesse admirable love was this Admire his singular special love to your souls you who are believers That when others after all this are left without the knowledge of Christ and his love he hath made it known to you by his Word and Gospel that when thousands among whom you live who hear of Christ and his love and have offers of both made unto them are left with the reins on their own necks to follow lying vanities and forsake their own mercy to refuse resist and rebel against all the offâ—rs of grace and you have hearts and natures as full of emnity and opposition against Christ as any and have manifested so much and gone on to maintain it for some time more or lesse yet the Lord hath at length turned the stream taken the stone out of your hearts overcame the resistance of your froward Spirits made you willing in the day of his power and drawn you effectually to run after him and close with him so that you are now in Christ partakers of his love having it shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto you and are under his care and keeping till you come to receive the end of your Faith the salvation of your souls to be filled with all the fulnesse of God to see him face to face whom now you see through a glasse darkly and to be for ever satitfied from that Fountain of love immediately whence you have but small snips and tastes through the Conduits of Ordinances here Is not this strange love and can any other
with sin And for Service reckon thus with your selves If the Lord Jesus hath thus loved me to suffer such indignities and hardships for me and bestow so many so great so wonderful blessings upon me surely I owe the greatest love duty and obedience to him y Sanè etiamsi millies pro ejus gloriâ possem sanguinem fundere mille annis maximos labores subire ne millessimaÌ„ partem vel unius beneficii possem compensare c. Less de Sum. bono lib 4. c. 4. p. 577. Surely were I able a thousand times to shed my blood for his glory and to undergo the hardest labours a thousand years I were never able to make a compensation for the thousand part of one of his benefits because all his benefits are of infinite worth and were we able to give it would require infinite love and service at our hands But because we cannot do that I firmly resolve to do that which I easily may through his assistance and wherewith the Divine goodness is well pleased namely with all care to keep all his Commandments so that I will rather die than wilfully break any of them yea I will devote my whole life to his service that all my thoughts words and actions may be directed to his glory Thus reason your selves into the obedience and service of Jesus Christ by the consideration of his great love towards you in being humbled and becoming obedient to the death of the Cross for you 2. Draw forth by faith the Power of Christs love in dying for you and rising again for the bringing you into conformity thereunto By faith believe that there is such a power and apprehend and apply it to your selves till you find That you are planted toge her with Christ in the likeness of his death and resurrection Rom. 6 5. So that what was done in him naturally and properly be done in you by way of Analogy and Proportion as z Quod in Christo sactum est per naturam id in nobis fieri intelligit per analogiam proportionem Chrys in loc Chrysostome expounds these words That as he died a true naturall death for sin by a real separation of his soul from his body so you may dy a true spiritual death to sin by a real separation of your souls from the body of sin not from this or that member but from the whole body and every member For a Non mundatur nisi qui omnibus peccatis renunciavit Quis enim mundum dixerit hominem qui vel in unâ tantùm cloacâ volatetur Paris de virtut cap. 22. as none will account that man clean who is found wallowing but in one filthy sink so neither is that Christian clean who hath not renounced all his sins As his was though violent and painful yet voluntary death he gave himself for â—our sins Gal. 1.4 and laid down his life freely John 10.17 18. So though in the mortification of your lusts you offer violence to them and suffer pain in your selves many an agony and soul conflict yet your dying to sin must be voluntary and the sacrificing of your lusts a freewill offering to the Lord. That as his Resurrection was to a new life so you may be raised up from the death of sin to walk iâ— newness of life Rom 6.4 having a new principle the Spirit and not the flesh a new rule the word and not the world a new end not your selves but God the praise and glory of God Phil. 1.11 For so Jesus Christ in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6.10 b In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza renders in gloriam thinking that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the Apostle intends by this clause to set forth the final cause of Christs resurrection which is the glory of the Father vide Bez. in loc To the glory of God the Father v. 4. As he being raised from the dead died no more death hath no more dominion over him v. 9. So you being raised from sin may no more be turned to folly sin may have no more dominion over you Thus conform your selves to Christ in his death and resurrection which because you cannot do of your selves by your own power exercise faith on the operation of God in raising of Christ from the dead till you come to know experimentally the power of his resurrection feeling the same power put forth in your selves for the raising you up to newnesse of life and making you conformable to his death So much for that second Direction concerning your knowledge of the love of Christ that it be effectuall There is yet one more which is this CHAP. XI Direct 3. That it be a progressive knowledge 3. LOok that your knowledge of the love of Christ be Cognitio progressiva a progressive knowledge and that in two respects Sect. 1. 1. IN respect of your selves In respect of our selvs Be not content that you have a true knowledge of Jesus Christ and his love nor take up your rest in any measure of that knowledge to which you have already attained but labour to abound and increase more and more Do you know the love of Christ with an affectionate and effectuall knowledge as you have been directed yet stay not here but go on to know him and it more affectionatly so as to love him more abundantly to desire him more ardently to delight in him more contentedly to trust in him more firmly and to fear offending him more solicitously go on to know him more effectually so as to apprehend his love more confidently and apply it to your selves more assuredly to admire it more humbly to be more cordially and fruitfully thankfull for it to be further removed from sin even the least appearance of it and more devoted to his service standing compleat and perfect in all the will of your God To this purpose consider 1. That it is the property of every true Christian thus to grow and encrease more and more The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more till it be perfect day Prov. 4.18 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17.9 You cannot evidence that you know Christ at all in truth unlesse you grow in the knowledge of him for Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Thus the Apostle Paul sayes of himself Phil. 3 12 13 14. Not as though I had attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Brethren I I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things that are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before I presse toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And because he knew that the experimental knowledge of the love of Christ would be a special means to keep them close to Christ and his Truth notwithstanding all discouragements therefore among other things he prayes That they being rooted and grounded in love might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And as it is in the Text to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge which love duly and rightly taken in would tend to their establishment as good rooting doth to a Tree and a firm foundation to a Building for so the words a Radicati propper agriculturam fundati propter aedificationem Aug. Epist 120. mihi p. 697. Duae similitudines quas adhibet exprimunt quà m firma constans debeat esse in nobis charitas Paulus vult cam penitùs animis nostris infixam esse ut sit quasi benè fuâ—datum aedificium profunda plantatio Calv. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted and grounded in the 17th Verse do import Sect. 2. The several Readings BUT I come to the words themselves and I meet with several readings and interpretations of them among Expositors which I shall mention and pitch upon that which I conceive most agreeable to the Apostles meaning in this place 1. The Syriack Translation as I find it rendred by b Ut cognâ—scatis magnitudinem chaâ—itatis Christi Trem. Tremelius runs thus That you may know the greatness of the love of Christ This is good those two words passing knowledge being supplyed by one word greatness yet it seems to be defective for according to the sense of this place there is not only a positive but a superlative greatness in the love of Christ an exceeding greatness as is expressed concerning Gods Power Eph. 1.19 2. The vulgar Latine runs thus Scire etiam supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi which Erasmus from the ambiguity of the word scientiae being both the Genitive and Dative Case is doubtful how to paraphrase whether according to the Dative Case To know the love of Christ which is greater than can be known or according to Ambrose which excelleth or hath the preheminence of our knowledge or else according to the Genitive Case To know the excellent love of the knowledge of Christ c Posterior sensus magis quadrat ad Graecum sermonem Eras in loc but he enclines to this latter sense as most agreeable to the Greek Of this Reading I shall speak more under the next Head and in the mean time I have this to say against Erasmus his drawing of the Vulgar Translation to this sense That I much question whether it be agreeable to the mind of that Interpreter whoever he was for its likely if he had intended any such thing he would have otherwise placed the words not Scire supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi but Scire supereminentem charitatem scientiae Christi Besides the great Patrons of this Translation I mean the Papists carry the sense quite another way at least those which I have seen as Dion Carthus Estius Tirinus A Lapide of whom more afterwards 3. The next Reading is that which was even now mentioned Vtque sciretis eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Christi And that you may know the excellent love of the knowledge of Christ Nor is Erasmus single in owning of it d Hieronâ—mus interpretatur eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Châ—isti Bez. in loc Beza fathers it upon Hierome e Det vobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut intelligatis excellentâ—m atque supereminâ—ntem amorem illius cognitionis Christi Hoc est quâ—m cùm ad cognitionem sui nos vocavit exhibuit ac declaravit nobis Christus Heins in loc Heinsius contends stiffly for it and expounds it to this sense That the Apostle prayes for their knowledge and understanding of that excellent transcendent and unspeakable love which Christ exhibits and declares to the Sons of Men when he calls them to the knowledge of himself f In his verbis potest esse trajectio quasi dicat Apostolus excellentem Dei charitatem in ipsâ Christi cognitione quae nobis contigit elucere Vorst Schol. in loc Vorstius is not against it and expounds it to the same sense g Summam illam dilectionem Dei scilicet proximi quae ex cognitione Christi oritur Grot. in loc Grotius allows it and gives this sense of it That they might know that is experience in themselves that love of God and their Neighbour which ariseth from the knowledge of Christ He tells us of a M. S. in which the words are thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sayes that it seems there were some Copies in Hierome's time which had it thus because he so expounds it And our English Annotator who treads in his steps Dr. Hammond makes mention of a M. S. of the Kings wherein the words are so placed And indeed if the words were so read in all or the most Copies it were indisputably on their side but seeing it is otherwife I crave leave to dissent and reserving all due reverence to the learned Authors forementioned to conclude with Beza h Quidam in hoc explicando loco frustrà se torserunt ut Hieronymus qui interpretatur eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Christi obscuro sensu trajectione ità violentâ ut admitti certè non possit Beza in loc That those who go this way do but in vain trouble themselves to produce an obscure sense of the words not without a more violent transposition than can be well admitted especially seeing they may be carried without any straining to a better sense another way 4. Another Reading is that of Ambrose who renders it Scire etiam supereminentem scientiam charitatis Christi as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus Augustine reads it in his 120th Epistle mihi p. 697. To know the transcendent knowledge of the love of Christ But this requires a greater mutation of the words than the former to make it good nor do I find or hear of any Original Copy to countenance it as the other hath Besides this Augustine mentions it only in transitu and though Ambrose thus renders the words yet his Comment is wholly agreeable to the sense I aim at if it were his which yet i Bellar. de script Eccles p. 64. Geth Patrolog p. 281. Rivet Crit. Sacr. lib. 3. cap. 18. many learned men do question I shall produce instances from him afterwards and in the mean time shall leave this and come to that which I conceive to be the main 5. In the last place therefore Beza reads the words thus Cognoscere charitatem illam Christi omni cognitione superiorem which our English Translatours follow and render it as you read And to know the love of Christ which
passeth knowledge Now from this Translation which is so generally known and received among us I am not willing to recede without just occasion which not finding as to this place I shall cloze with it and give you that which I conceive to be the true and proper sense and meaning of the words Sect. 3. The meaning of the words THE Apostle prayes That they might know that is k Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligitur non nuda simplex notitia sed affectiva cum desiderio appâ—obatione dilâ—ctione conjuncta Gen. Ha-Harm in Joan. 14.17 mihi p. 933. not by a bare notional but affectionate knowledge such as is accompanyed with desire approbation and love l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est in semet experiri Grot. in loc by an experimental knowledge m Ut possitis scire id est animo complecti pro dignitate aestimare charitatem Christi Estius in locum that they might know so as to embrace with the heart and esteem according to its dignity and worth this love of Christ The love of Christ which some extend to Christ and God the Father n Chariâ—otem Christi Dei Patris eandem intelligo Rolloc in locum others to God in Christ o Quam Christus Deus per Christum nobis exhibuit Tirinus in loc Quam exhibuit nobis Deus in Christo vel quâ Christus ipse Filius Dei nos complexus est Bez. in loc others leave it as indifferently applicable to the love which God hath shewed in his Son as John 3.16 Rom. 5.8 Or that love with which Christ himself the Son of God hath embraced us as John 15.13 p Post Dei Patris infinitam incomprehensibilem cognitionem inâ—narrabilem clementiam Christi quoque agnoscere nos vult charitatem Ambros in loc Ambrose restrains it to the love of Christ After the infinite and incomprehensible knowledge of God the Father and his unspeakable mercy he would have us also acknowledge the love of Christ q Charitatem Christi quam exhibuit nobis A Lapide in locum Quâ nos dilexit Est in loc The like doth A Lapide and Estius The love of Christ which he hath shewed to us and wherewith he hath loved us And in this sense I shall take it in the ensuing discourse having spoken of the love of God in Christ from another place 1 John 4.9 10. Which passeth knowledge This admits of a double interpretation 1. To take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge objectively for that habit of knowledge which a man hath attained in other things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excelling as it is used 2 Cor. 3.10 and then the meaning is this He prayes that they might know that love of Christ the knowledge whereof excells all other knowledge in the world whatsoever Now this is a great truth for our Apostle elsewhere as a Minister prefers it before all other knowledge 1 Cor. 2.2 and as a Christian before all other things Phil. 3.7 8. for which he had ventured the loss of all and in comparison of which he reckoned no more of any thing which he had parted with or had yet besides him but as loss and dung r Vid. Leigh's Crit. Sacr. in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs meat as the word signifies A very low and diminishing term yet hardly low enough to express any thing by which comes in competition with Christ and the knowledge of him Å¿ Charitatem quae procul dubiò caeterarum rerum excedit cognitionem Theoph. Exaggerat autem Apostolus scientiam charitatis Christi quum asserit eam â—xuperare omnâ—m aliam cognitioneÌ„ Marior è Sarcer Nor are there wanting such as countenance this exposion t Videri autem potest Apostolus respicere ad Gnosticos qui hoc superbo nomine sese nuncupaverunt á scientiâ quam sibi peculiaritèr venditabant utitur enim vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atqui longé majus est scire charitatom Christi utpote quae universam Gnosticorum omniumque Philosophorum scientiam excedit qâ—ià mysterium charitatis Christi quâ semetipsum pro nobis tradidit in cor hominis cujusquam non ascendit sicut in genere de huiusmodi mysteriis sapientiae Christianae testatur Apostolus 1 Cor. 2. Estius in loc See likewise Dr. Hammond on the place And some apply it particularly to that knowledge which the Gnosticks boasted of thinking that the Apostle in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had a particular respect to them 2. The next interpretation is to take knowledge subjectively for the faculty of knowing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for exceeding that is as we read it passing or surpassing and then the meaning is this He prayes That they might know that love of Christ which for its infinite greatness is without the compass beyond and above the reach of humane understanding nay it surpasseth all knowledge that is finite not only Humane but Angelical as u Omnem superat cognitionem nempè humanum atque adeò Angelicam Zanch. in loc Zanchy notes on the words To this sense the generality of Expositors both antient and modern Protestants and Papists which I have met with do interpret the place For Ambrose and Theophylact among the Ancients I shall have occasion to cite them in the ensuing discourse for others I refer the more intelligent Reader to the Margin w Sic alibi pax Dei quae superat omnem sensum custodiat carda vestra Phil. 4.7 Calv. in loc Paulus volens significare infinitatem rei incomprehensibilis in hunc moduÌ„ consuevit loqui sic Phil. 4.7 Sic hoc loco infinitatem hujus charitatis exprimens ait eam superiorem omni cognitione Rolloc Quae superat humani ingenii captum ut quidem plenè animo concipi possit Bez. Quae scientiam nostram superat seu quam nunquà m satis hâc in vitâ cognoscere vel expendere possumus Baldvin Scire charitatem Christi nostram notitiam suâ magnitudine excedeâ—em Dion Carthus Excedentem notitiam nostram ac majorem quà m ut penitùs a nobis intelligi possit ita paulò inferius dicitur Deum posse omnia facere supra quà m intelligimus Estius Excedentem omnem humanam cognitionem seu quae major sit quà m ut perfectè sciâ—i intelligi vel comprehendi possit Tirinus Quasi diceret charitas Christi tanta est ut superet omnem humanam cognitionem scientiam A Lapide Thus among the Criticks lately set forth together Scire charitatem Christi superantem captum humanum vel excellentiorem quà m ut cognosci possit Vat. Qâ—ae tà m inâ—ens est ut omnem hominum scientiam superet Isid Clar. where he may find their sense in their own words Among these x Est autem haec plana expositio cum superiore Metaphorâ prorsùs
names of the persons are not mentioned Operum Tom. 4. mihi p. 100. c. Masons Acts of the Church p. 11. Marc. Marul Spalat de institut benè vivendi lib. 3. cap. 2. p. 226. Andr. Hondors Theatrum Historicum mihi p. 499. at Antioch Theodora a godly Virgin refusing to sacrifice to the Idols was condemned by the Judge to the Stews which Sentence being executed there were many wanton young men ready at the door to press into the House where she was but one of the Brethren called Didymus putting on a Souldiers habit would have the first admittance and coming in he perswaded her to change garments with him and so she in the Souldiers habit escaped away and Didymus was left to the rage and wondring of the people being found a man Hereupon he was presented to the President to whom he presently confessed the whole matter professing himself to be a Christian and so was condemned which Theodora hearing of thinking to excuse him she came and presented her self to the Judge as the guilty party desiring that she might be condemned and the other excused but the cruel Judge neither considering the vertue of the persons nor the innocency of the cause most inhumanely condemned them both first to be beheaded and then burnt which was accordingly executed Here was great love and indeed I have all along singled out the most eminent instances which I have met with of love among the Children of Men. But yet all this lies far short of Christs love towards us For 1. There is so vast a difference betwixt the persons suffering that the best of them are not to be compared with Christ who is worth ten thousand of us and the life which he laid down infinitely more valuable than ten thousand of ours 2. The death which they underwent was a debt which must have been paid by all of them sooner or later whether they would or no but Christ lay under no obligation to dye only he voluntarily undertook it for our sakes 3. The objects for which they suffered were amiable and obliging It was for a Countrey for m Fateor equidem magna charitas est cum quis pro amico ponit animam vix inquit Paulus pro bono quis moriatur At haec charitas longè maior est quuÌ„ quis pro inimico ponit animam suam neque ejusmodi amor inter homines reperitur Christus autem pro inimicis suis mortuus est ergò singulari quodam amore cujus exemplum nullum extat inter homines nos pres cuius est Rolloc in Joan. p. 800. Friends for a Wife for a Husband for a Master for a Child for a Father for a fellow-Christian but it was otherwise here Christ died for ungodly sinners and enemies as I told you before so that if we consider Christ in the greatness and glory of his person and Man in his meanness vileness and opposition to himself and then consider love breaking forth from Christ so far towards such a one as to shed his blood and lay down his life for him and that upon no other account but his own free and undeserved love it may make us cry out with admiration How great is his goodness how great is his love This is that which raiseth the love of Christ so far above out of our sight and reach n Tantus nos dilexit tantùm gratis tantillos tales Ber. de dil Deo p. 296. That so great a person should love so low and vile ones as we were so much and that freely For to use the words of o Quis enim potest colligere mysterii hujus charitatis rationem ut Deus hominis causâ homo naesceretur deindè moreretur pro hominibus pro servis Dominus pro creaturâ Creator pro impiis Pius Propter quid ità nos dilexit Aut ut quid nostrum haberet qui nullius indiget nunquid non charitas haec super scientiam hominum est Aut quis hominum poterit hanc charitatem alicui exhibere quanquà m impar sit ac per hoc supereminet humana commenta Ambros in Text. Ambrose who can gather a reason of the mystery of this love that God for Mans sake should become Man and then dye for Men the Lord for Servants the Creator for his Creature the Holy One for the Vngodly Wherefore did he thus love us What was it to gain of ours who himself stands in need of nothing Is not this love above the knowledge of men or Who among the Sons of Men can shew this love to another though there be no compare and in this surpasseth all humane conception Was ever love like this No it is incomparable for as p Non enim est pater non mater non amicus non alius quisquam qui nos tantùm dilexcrit quantùm tu Domine qui fecisti nos Absoâ—beat igitur quaeso amantissime Domine mentem meam ab omnibus quoe sub coeâ—o sunt ignita melliflua vis tui amoris ut totus tibi inhaercam solâque suavitatis tuae dulcedine pascar delecter inebrier Idiot Contemplat de Amore Divino cap. 5. p. mihi 353. one speaks There is neither Father nor Mother nor Friend nor any other who hath loved us so much as thou O Lord who hast made us Let therefore I beseech thee O most loving Lord the hotly-flaming and sweetly-flowing force of thy love swallow up my mind from all things under Heaven that I may wholly cleave unto thee and be only fed delighted and even overcome with thy sweetness That 's the fourth Argument CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. MY next Argument shall be taken from the way which God takes for the representing and applying of this love to us Arg. 5. that we may have some apprehension of it and acquaintance with it 1. For Representation The love of Christ appears to be incomprehensible because the course which is taken for bringing us to some sight of it is by mediums and reflections The light of the Sun is so strong and piercing and our sight so weak and tender that our eyes are dazled when we look directly upon it and therefore the best sight we have of it is by some medium or reflection Such is the love of Christ the beams of it from the q Mal. 4.2 Sun of Righteousness are so strong that it would soon overcome our weak and dimm sight to look directly upon it and therefore he shadows it out to us and reflects it upon us that we may discern something of it You know how the Church under the Old Testament had Christ and his Love shadowed out under Types and Sacrifices and we have the representation of the same Christ and the same Love for r Heb. 13.8 he is the same yesterday to day and for ever under the Word and Sacraments which are the glasses by which we see darkly and know in part that love of Christ which we
last We may please our selves and it may be those that hear us too by preaching other things but we shall not save our selves and those that hear us unless we preâ—ch Jesus Christ We are but Prevaricators in our office if Jesus Christ be not the Vnum Magnum nay the Vnum Maximum in our Ministry This is also the great business of every Christian for himself to know Jesus Christ our life depends upon it according to our Saviours own words Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent For the excellency of this knowledge the Apostle Paul counted all things but dross and dung Phil. 3.8 This is the one thing necessary without which all a mans other knowledge will but hasten and heighten his condemnation Si Christum discis nihil est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis Englished thus If Christ thou know it will suffice Though else thou knowest naught If Christ be hid thou art not wise Though all else thou be taught Now the love of Christ is the main matter to be studied and known by every one who would study and know Jesus Christ and indeed we cannot miss of love in the study and knowledge of Christ for Christ is love His Name his Natures his Offices his Doctrine his Life his Death his Priviledges his Ordinances his All have a deep tincture of love in them and this love is to be known and that it may be known to be studied by us by all of us even the best of us If you say We hear this often enough Object and know this well enough I answer * Nunquà m satis dicitur quod nunquà m satis discitur That is never said enough Answ which is never learned enough And though you know the love of Christ do you know it as you ought to know it If you do not you must go over it again that you may know it better and you do not know Christ as you ought nor his love as you ought until you have him and it by heart You who know most and best are yet to seek you know but in part there are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hid in Christ Col. 2.3 unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 which can never be traced and found out You may be all your time searching and digging into them and yet though you should live never so long not come to the bottome at last but must breath out your soules with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conclusion oh the depth for this is a love which passeth knowledge Object If you say that it is an heartless hopeless work which I put you upon when I bid you study to know the love of Christ seeing it passeth knowledge Answ I Answer That it 's true the love of Christ is such as passeth knowledge the riches of Christ are unsearchable riches but yet the unsearchable riches of Christ should not make us idle but active in digging and searching them out as far as we can the unknowable love of Christ should not deaden and straiten but quicken and enlarge our appetite to endeavour after as full a knowledge as we may What wise man will stand still or go back because he cannot finish his journey in a day Will not men dig for Gold because they cannot get to the bottome of the Mine And shall we refuse to know as much as we can of this love of Christ because we cannot comprehend as much as there is Far be it from any of us to cherish any such thought for the checking whereof consider 1. That you may know enough of Christ and his love to serve for your souls salvation which its your great interest to mind and look after as the great end of your being 2. You shall not need fear to be cloyed and glutted in the study of this love Varietas delectat variety delights and there is so much variety in this one subject the love of Christ as renders the study of it very delectable 3. The deeper you go in this love of Christ the sweeter yea if as * Plut. Moral Tom. 2. Lat. 8. mihi p. 117. Plutarch notes Eudoxus was content to be burnt up by the Sun if he might have liberty first to stand so near as to learn the figure magnitude and form of a Star how much more and better should a Christian be content to enter upon and proceed in the search study knowledge and understanding of this love of Christ till he be at last swallowed up of that which he is never able fully to comprehend Sect. 2. IN the prosecution of this Exhortation I shall do these two things 1. I shall direct your knowledge that you may not mistake about it 2. I shall excite you to it by the encouragements which the Apostle layes down about the Text that you be not disheartned so as to decline your duty in this particular By way of Direction which is needful 1. Directions about our knowing the love of Christ for all knowledge of the love of Christ is not sufficient and saving there is a general notional speculative historical knowledge which will be prejudicial and not profitable in the end though this be good as far as it goes yet where there is no more it is not sufficient Those who know the love of Christ in the notion only for Discourse sake or for a Professions sake only will fall as short of Heaven as the most ignorant person yea those who know the love of Christ no better than thus will but descend the more learnedly into Hell and incurre the more severe condemnation Now that you may not mistake here nor miscarry hereafter in this business of knowing the love of Christ I shall direct you to mind the qualifications of your knowledge and I shall mention three Direction 1. That it be affectionate knowledge 1. Look that your knowledge of the love of Christ be Cognitio affectiva an affectionate knowledge let it not swimme in your heads only by empty Notions but sink down into your hearts in sweet savoury warming and lively affections towards him And Sect. 2. 1. SEE that you have such a knowledge of Christ and his love The first Branch of the first Direction That it be a knowledge accompanied with love as is accompanied with love to him True love is grounded in knowledge and true knowledge hath love built upon it Though your heads be never so full of the knowledge of Christ yet if your hearts be not also full of love to him it will neither be acceptable to Christ nor profitable to your selves The Apostle tells us how little the understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge will profit a man without love 1 Cor. 13. for as the t Multa scilicâ—t laudabilia atque admiranda possunt in homine reperiri quae sine
COnsider how strongly this love o◠Christ is urged in Scripture and from thence you may see further reason to love him He is not content barely to propound and prescribe it but useth such arguments a◠may allure or affright draw or drive perswade or force you to observance and obedience 1. As if there were something valuable in your love he doth invite and encourage you to love him by the great and precious Promises which he hath made unto it c Haec precatio vice oraculi habenda est c. Calv. in Ephes 6.24 That Apostolical benediction Ephes 6.24 may be understood in the nature of a Promise the words are Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Now Grace is as large a word for Blessing as Love for Duty of the same extent in the New Testament with Peace in the Old d Hebraeorum usitata salutatio erat Pax tibi At post patefactum redemptionis humanae mysterium in quo fontem gratiae Deus aperuit humano generi gratiam etiam adjungebant Dav. in Coloss p. 11. The form of Blessing among the Jews was Peace be unto you Gen. 43.23 but when the Mystery of Mans Redemption was revealed in which God opened a fountain of Grace to mankind it was changed into Grace be unto you as appears in the Epistles where Grace is wished by the Apostles unto Christians either by it self or in conjunction with Peace by way of Amplification By this Grace is meant the e Morn Exercise Part. 2. 40. pag. 218. Blessing of the Eternal God f Pink's Tryal of a Christians sincere love to Christ on that Text. All those precious Mercies and glorious Benefits which flow from the grace and favour of God It s a short but comprehensive word and contains all good in it yet this grace in its greatest fulness and utmost latitude is wished for and shall be bestowed on all those that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity To this you may add Joh. 14.21.23 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father c. In these two Verses there are four things promised to those who truly and obedientially love the Lord Jesus 1. There will be no love lost to lay it out upon Christ you shall have it again with advantage for if you love him so as to keep his Commandments Christ hath promised love for love his Fathers love his own love for your love He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him g Gerh. Har. in loc which is not to be understood of a general but special love not of first love but after love not of a love of benevolence but of friendship and complacency he will so shed abroad his love into your hearts by the Holy Ghost that you shall know and feel and taste the love of the Father and Son towards you which appears further from that which is promised afterwards Christs love to such as love him will not be an empty and idle but a full and operative love For 2. He sayes he will manifest himself to you I will love them and will manifest my self to them He will deal with you as with Friends and will make known to you whatsoever shall be necessary for your salvation John 15.15 he will impart a fuller knowledge of himself to you by the spirit of Wisdome and revelation Eph. 1.17 and larger tastes of his love You shall be kissed with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.2 brought into his Banqueting-house and his Banner over you love under the shadow whereof you shall sit with great delight and his fruit shall be sweet to your taste Cant. 2.3.4 He will so manifest himself in a way of love to his people as to give them occasion to cry out with that holy man * Aliquando intromittis me in affectum multùm inusitatum introrsùs ad nescio quam dulcedinem quae si perficiatur in me nescio quid erit quod vita ista non erit Aug. Conf. lib. 10. cap. 40. At some times thou inwardly infusest into me a delight that I am not usually acquainted with a sweetness of I know not what kind which could it be once perfected in me it should be I know not what manner of height which this life shall never arive unto Such manifestations will Christ give of himself to those who love him as none know but they who experience them nor can they themselves sufficiently express them But then 3. He sayes further that his Father and he will come unto you We will come to him that is We will make secret and sweet approaches to such a sould by the spirit for the further enlightning quickning comforting supporting and strengthning of him till he be sealed up to the Day of Redemption This is a great matter yet not all for 4. He promiseth that his Father and he will make their abode with you and make our abode with him whereby is signified the continuance and duration of that grace which is shown by the Father Son and Holy Ghost when they come to a beloved and loving soul They will not come as Sojourners but as Dwellers not turn aside to tarry with you for a night but abide with you for ever Now what greater thing can be promised unto or bestowed upon the Sons of men in this life than that which is comprehended in these words and yet these are promised to the love of Christ so that if a man should set his love to sale he cannot do it to more profit and benefit to himself than by laying it out upon Christ who is most rich and liberal in his rewards to his people for their love as appears from what hath been said though there be more yet even that which neither eye hath seen◠nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive which the Apostle sayes is prepared for those that love the Lord 1 Cor. 2.9 And if any evil befall them that also through the skill and care of their wise Physician Venenum pro remedio who can make a soveraign Treacle of the most deadly poyson shall co-operate for the good of those who love God according to the Promise Rom. 8.28 But these I leave to be enlarged in your own Meditations and pass on 2. If this golden Key of the Promises open not the door of your hearts to let Christ into the possession of your love behold the iron Hammer of the Threatnings ready to force it open Mens dead dull and disingenuous spirits need this as well as other wayes and Christ is so resolv'd upon our love that he will leave no means unattempted to procure it Know therefore that it is not an arbitrary matter whether you love Christ or no for necessity lies upon you and woe be to you if you love him not Love
to the tuition of Angels Love him by whom thou art so much beloved mind him who mindeth thee seek him that seeketh thee love thy Love by whom thou art loved who hath prevented thee with his love and is the cause of thy love But because we cannot so much as love him without his influence let us go to him as he doth b O ignis qui semper ardes nunquam extingueris O amor qui semper ferves nunquaÌ„ tepescis accende me accendor totus a te ut totus diligam te Minus eenim te amat qui tecum aliquid amat quod non propter te amat Diligam te Domine quoniam tu prior dilexisti me Aug. Solil p. 164. O fire which alway burnest and art never extinguished O love which art alway hot and never coolest kindle me let me be wholly enflamed by thee that I may wholly love thee for he loves thee too little who loves any thing with thee which he doth not love for thee Lord let me love yea with thine help I will love thee because thou hast first loved me Let Anselme conclude this matter who thus breaths after a loving Saviour c Certe Domine quia fecisti me debeo amori tuo meipsum totum quia me redâ—misti debeo meipsum totum quia tantum promittis debeo meipsum imo tantum debeo amori tuo plus quam mâ—ipsum quantum tu es major me pro quo dedisti teipsum cui promittis teipsum Fac precor Domine me gustare per amorem quod gusto per cognitionem sentiam per affectum quod sentio per intellectum Plus debeo quam meipsum totum sed nec plus habeo nec hoc ipsum possum per me reddere totum Trahe me Domine in amorem tuum hoc ipsum totum Totum quod sum tuum est conditione fac totum tuum dilectione Ansel Medit. de Gen. Hum. cap. 7. mihi p. 269. 16. Inter opera Tom. 3. mihi p. 199. Fol. Surely O Lord because thou hast made me I owe my whole self to thy love because thou hast redeemed me I owe thee my whole self because thou promisest so much I owe thee my whole self yea I owe to thy love as much more than my self as thou art greater than me for whom thou hast given thy self and to whom thou promisest thy self Cause me O Lord I beseech thee to taste that by love which I taste by knowledge let me feel by affection that which I feel by understanding I owe thee more than my whole self but I neither have more nor can I give thee this wholly of my self Lord draw me and that wholly into thy love All that I am is thine by condition make me all thine by love and affection Thus he And now lay these things together His loveliness in himself his love towards you surely it will strongly conclude that he deserves your love which should be a strong incentive to you to love him Give me leave to add one motive more and I have done Sect. 4. The fourth Reason 4. ALL true believers who have a saving knowledge of Christ and experienced his love towards themselves do and cannot but love him The Church testifies this saying to him in her conference with him Cant. 1.3 4. The Virgins love thee The Vpright love thee The Virgins that is d Ainsworth on the place those chosen called and faithful ones who with chaste and pure minds serve the Lord only and worship him in spirit and truth and stand with Christ on Mount Sion whom you find described Rev. 14.3 4. These love the Lord for the odour of his good ointments which they perceive by his Word and Spirit they love him because he first loved them and hath shed abroad his love in their hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to them It is said of the Israelites Numb 33.29 e Trap on the place That they removed their Tent from Mithcah which signifies Sweetness to Hashmonah which signifies Swiftness to teach us saith one that the Saints have no sooner tasted of Christs sweetness but they are carried after him with incredible swiftness For as f Amor Dei amorem animae parit cam intendere sibi facit Aug. Man p. 236. Austin observes The love of God doth breed and bring forth the love of the soul and makes it to be intent upon himself The Upright that is g Ainsworth those who have upright hearts and righteous conversations These upon the remembrance of the love of Christ manifested by his Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascension and the graces and benefits flowing from them to his Church do love him that is are confirmed and encreased in love to him more and more h Robotham on Cant. p. 80. As fire is encreased by adding of fuel unto it so is our love to Christ upon fresh and new manifestations of his great love towards us That the Church her self did love Christ is clear from the whole Book of Canticles i Watsons Christs loveliness p. 435. which is nothing else but a Divine Epithalamium or Marriage-Song in which are all the strains of holy love set forth in the purest Allegories and Metaphors such as do represent that dear affection and union which is betwixt Christ and his Church She calls him her Beloved Cap. 2.3 nor did she love him from the teeth outward as we say but with a love fetch'd as deep as the bottome of her heart O thou whom my soul loveth sayes she Cap. 1.7 k Jeanes Scholast pract Divin Part 1. on Col. 1.19 p. 221. The remembrance of his love to her had such an impression upon her heart as to make her sick of love Cant. 2.5 l Sibs Bowels open'd p. 305. A sickness not unto death but unto life a sickness that never ends but in comfort and satisfaction It wrought in her a love of a most powerful and unconquerable influence a love as strong as death Cant. 8.6 a love as forcible and irresistible as death trampling upon and breaking through all difficulties that occurre in performance of duties unto or undergoing of sufferings for Christ A love inflamed into jealousie and this jealousie as cruel or hard as the Grave as it there follows that is as inexorable unto all the enemies of Christ unto her most profitable and pleasant sins her darling and most indulged lusts A love of the same nature with fire the coales thereof are coals of fire which hath a most vehement flame ibid. For 1. As Fire is the hottest of Elements so her love of Christ was more solidly intense than her love of any creature whatsoever She was as it were all of a fire with the love of him 2. As the motion of fire is upwards towards Heaven so the Churches love of Christ was as a fiery Chariot whereby she was carried up into Heaven 3. As fire burns all things combustible so
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
neither things visible nor invisible so that I may but obtain Jesus Christ Let fire cross concourse of wild Beasts the cutting separating and breaking of my bones the dissipation of my members the destruction of my whole body and the torments of the Devil let all come upon me only that I may obtain Jesus Christ * Clarks Lives 4. Vol. 1. p. 7. 8. Polycarpus being urged by the Proconsul to blaspheme Christ with promise of his liberty returned this excellent answer Four score and six years have I served Christ neither hath he ever offended me in any thing and how can I then revile my King that hath thus kept me Being threatned with wild Beasts unless he would repent he answered Bring them forth for I have determined with my self not to repent and turn from the better to the worse When * Idem p. 145. Chrysostome had received a threatning message from Eudoxia the Empress he returned this answer Go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin If the Queen will let her banish me The Earth is the Lords and the fulness thereof If she will let her saw me asunder Isaiah suffered the same if she will let her cast me into the Sea I will remember Jonah if she will let her cast me into a burning fiery Furnace or among wild Beasts the three young men and Daniel were so dealt with if she will let her stone me or cut off my head I have Stephen and the Baptist my blessed companions if she will let her take away all my substance Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and naked shall I return thither again Thus he I shall add but the example of Moses who is an instance of this stedfast love in both parts of it as you find Heb. 11.24 25 26 27. When he was come to years he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter the pleasures of sin and the treasures of Aegypt Here was inviolable love He chose affliction with the People of God esteemed the reproach of Christ above the Worlds wealth feared not the wrath of the King Here was invincible love This is to love Christ aright and if you would love him as you ought you must learn thus to love him To love him as that z Disce O Christiane quemadmodum diligas Christum disce amare dulcitèr ne illecti prudentèr ne decepti fortitèr ne oppressi ab amore Domini avertamus Bern. in Cant. Ser. 20 p. 148. Father directs sweetly lest being enticed wisely lest being deceived and strongly lest being oppressed you be turned aside from your love of the Lord. a Sit fortis constans amor tuus nec cedens terroribus nec succumbens laboribus ibid. Let your love therefore as he goes on be strong and stedfast neither giving way to terrors nor sinking under labours b Non abduci blanditiis nec seduci fallaciis nec injuriis frangi 〈◊〉 corde toto animo tota virtuâ—e deligeâ—e est ibid. Not to be drawn away with flatteries nor seduced with fallacies nor broken and overcome with injuries this is to love him with all the heart with all the mind and with all the strength Thus love the Lord Jesus sincerely and stedfastly which is all the direction I shall give you for the quality of your love I now proceed to another Direction CHAP. VIII 2. LOok that your love to Christ be The second generall direction respects the measure of our love †Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo diligere Bâ—rn de dâ—l Dec. mihi p. 295. for the measure of it without measure There can be no excesse in loving Christ as there may be in loving other things the Woman in the Gospell loved much Luke 7.47 but not too much As his love to us was a transcendent love so must ours be to him it must transcend our love to all other things in the World We are to love him sayes a ‖ Reyn. of the Pass pag. 82. learned Man above all things 1. Appretiativè setting an higher price upon his Glory and Command than upon any other thing besides 2. Intensivè with the greatest force and intention of our spirit setting no bounds or measure to our love of him 3. Adaequatè as the compleat perfect and adequate object of all our love in whom it must begiâ— and in whom it must end Christ must be loved saith the * Reyn. on Psal 110. pag. 74. same Authour in another place with a principall and superlative love grounded on the experience of the soul in it selfe that there is ten thousand times more beauty and amiablenesse in him than in all the honours pleasures profits satisfactions which the world can afford that in comparison or competitiâ—n with him the dearest things of this World the Parents of our Body the Children of our Flesh the Wife of our Bosome the Bloud of our Veines the Heart in our Breast must not onely be laid down and lost as sacrifices but hated as snares when they draw us away from him * Preston of Love pag. 162. Indeed we do not love him as God but as a Creature if we do not love him above all to say we love him as God yet not to love him above all is a contradiction Nay we love him not at all if we love him not above all For as †Pinks Triall of Love pag. 33. one observes so much only do we love Christ as we love him more than we love any thing else besides though never so lovely 1. Because we have infinitely more reason to love him than it is possible we should have to love any thing else and therefore it is not to be accounted love unto him if we can afford as much and more to something else 2. Because if we love but one thing better than we do him that one thing may force us to despight forsake and betray him as accursedly as if we preferred an hundrd things before him yea he that resolvedly prefers but one thing before his Communion with Christ will quickly be intreated by his own heart to prefer more Sect. 1. IF you would have these things more particularized our Saviour hath done it in Luke 14.26.33 From whence I have sufficient ground to call upon you to love Jesus Christ as * Wals none but Christ pag. 62. I find Bernard professed himself to do Plusquam tua plusquam tuos plusquam te 1. Love Jesus Christ plusquam tua more than all your enjoyments of estate riches wealth Christ is to be loved above our enjoyments houses lands and whatever you have in this World for so sayes our Savior Luk. 14.33 Whosoever he be that forsaketh not all he hath he cannot be my disciple It was a true acknowledgement of Austin * Minus te amat qui tècum aliquid amat quod propter te non amat Aug. Confes lib. 10. cap. 29. See
excipere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Horn. Comment in Sulpit. Sev. loc supra dictum Hornius in his Commentary upon this Author and this place produceth a Testimony out of Eusebius concerning the Martyrs courage under this same Persecution which I have translated and inserted here for he sayes every Christian ought to know it and it is very suitable to the point in hand We beheld sayes the Historian the exceeding wonderfull and truely divine power and singular readiness of mind that was in those who believed in Christ For as soon as Sentence was pronounced against some that went before others from another place leapt out before the judgement seat and confessed themselves Christians making no reckoning of their severities and manifold torments but did speak for Religion without fear or terrour yea received the last Sentence of death with joy laughter and gladness in so much as they sang and sent up Hymns and Thanksgivings unto the God of all even to their last breath In the persecutions of latter times there was the like resolution courage and constancy in those who suffered * Wards life of Faith in death pag. 158. and pag. 160. If I had ten heads said Henry Voes they should all off for Christ God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing save in the Crosse of Christ. * Wards life of Faith in death pag. 158. and pag. 160. It is a small matter said another to dy once for Christ if it might be I could wish I might dy a thousand deaths for him †Masons Acts of the Church pag. 274. If every hair of my head were a man I would suffer death in the faith I am in said John Ardly a Martyr in Queen Maries dayes Thus hath the love of Saints towards Christ been strong as death and so must ours if we would love him aright Sect. 4. I Have been larger here then was at first intended and yet before I leave it I must crave leave to answer a double Objection Object 1. If this be so that we must love Christ above our lives if we would be his Disciples indeed then it seems there are none true Saints but such as are also Martyrs Answer It is so a See Pinks Trial pag. 44 45 c. but then you must thus distinguish There is Actual and Habitual Martyrdom 1. Actual then life is really laid down for the sake of Christ and his Gospell Such Martyrs have those been who in all ages generations have sealed the Truth with their blood and stood unto their profession of Christ even to the suffering of death from the hands of violent and bloody men 2. Habituall when there is Praeparatio animi a Readinesse of mind to lay down our life for Christ whensoever he shall call for it When there is faith enough to encourage and love enough to constrain us to be Martyrs if the honour of our Profession should require it Such a one was Paul who was ready to dy at Jerusalem for the Name of Christ as you have heard before Now there are none true Saints who are not Habituall Martyrs at least and Actuall too when they are called unto it They do not love Christ as they ought who do not love him a ove their lives so as actually to lay them down for his sake when he doth call for them and to be habitually disposed so to do if he should call for them Indeed Christ doth not alway put his followers upon such an expence as to lay down their lives for him he doth not alway call them to be Actuall Martyrs bâ—t yet it will concern every one who professeth the Name of Christ to looke that he have alway this habitual preparation of mind 1. Because these are the terms of Christianity at all times even in the most calm and serene estate of the Church in which if a Christian find not his heart disposed to lay himself and all that is near and dear to him even his life at the feet of Christ to serve his interest and promote his Glory he hath reason to question the truth of his profession 2. Because those things which have come from the mouth of Christ to this purpose in the Gospell have not come from him as Counsels of Perfection which concern only some particular persons who aim at an higher degree of Glory in the world to come than others have as the Papists would bear us in hand but as Precepts of Necessity which concern every one as if you look into the chapter so often mentioned Luke 14. Those words ver 26.33 were spoken to the great multitudes which followed Christ as appears from ver 25. and they run generally without exception 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If any man ver 26. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Every one of you ver 33. Nor do b Those forementioned p. 60 the grounds and reasons of loving Christ above all concern some only or some above others but all equally and indifferently and therefore there is no colour of pretence to think that some only are obliged by it 3. Because times and the state of things quickly change and alter nor doth the Church ever enjoy such a calm but a terrible storm may arise unexpectedly and quite dash it away and therefore there is no man though born in the most peaceable time of the Gospell but e're the glass of his life be run out he may meet with a fiery tryall And seeing this hath been the way of his providence towards the best of Churches and Saints what reason have any to expect exemption Shall the Earth be forsaken for us or the Rock removed out of his place as he in Job cap. 18.4 4. Because what ever indulgence and abatement may be given to the Church wherein you live yet as particular Professors and Christians though you live and dy during the publick tranquility of it yet you may be privately brought to that plunge that you must either hazard your life or else in some fearfull manner against your Conscience dishonour and deny Jesus Christ As may be the case of Merchants who travell into forein parts and may suddenly fall into such hands as may force them to deny Christ or dy for him Yea at home many may take away our lives who cannot take away our other contentments as Romish Assassinats have deprived Kings of their lives when they could not of their Kingdoms It is certain that whosoever cares not for his own life is master of another mans and by consequence of his Religion if he love his life above it How easie were it they are the words of the forecited reverend Author for a Ruffian that had no Religion of his own to pull such a one into a corner and with a naked blade to make him forswear his Religion as often as he pleased yea if the trick were in use such a one might be robbed of his Religion upon the highway seeing any man that were so disposed
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.
nimam nempè SpirituÌ„ ejus Sanctum Rolloc in loc He doth not say One people but One man to signifie the strictness of the Vnion not of Citizens of the same City so much as of Members of the same Body having one Head to wit Christ and as it were one Soul to wit his Holy Spirit And then you may further note 2. The way of accomplishing this Vnion n Non ait ut conjungeret quales erant sed ut conderet hoc est crearet denuò regeneraret utrumque populum inter se conjungendum Rolloc ibidem which was not by moulding them up together in the same condition wherein he then found them but by changing creating anew and regenerating of them first and then uniting them and therefore it is not said to make one man but one New man so making peace Christ begins this Reconciliation at Renovation 2. Privative And that is by taking away the occasion and cause of the diff rence Who hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us having abolished the enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances verse the fourteenth and fifteenth This Law of Commandments were those Rites and Ceremonies unto which the Jews were bound by the Lord under the Old Testament o Ceremonias has Inimicitas vocat quia praeter caeteros hic erat unus finis usus Caeremoniarum quòd per has Deus discrevit suum populum ab omnibus aliis gentibus Rollo in loc These were a wall of partition betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles whereby they were separated and distinguished one from another And they were the Enmity that is the ground of the Enmity that was betwixt them for which they were set one against another p Grot. in loc the Jew despising the Gentile and the Gentile hating the Jew upon the account of them These Jesus Christ abolished and took away thereby to unite the differing parties and make peace betwixt them By way of Proportion hereunto the Parts of the Peace betwixt God and us likewise two 1. One Positive Reconciliation That he might reconcile both unto God in one Body verse the sixteenth that is that he might make up the breach distance and estrangement which sin had made and bring us into that state of amity and friendship which we once enjoyed for that is the notion of Reconciliation as is observed q Reconciliare nihil aliud est quà m amiâ—â—tiaÌ„ offensione aliquâ gravi dicemptam resarcire sic iniinâ—cos in pristinam concordiam reducere Dav. in Col p. 101. by a learned man Where the phrase of reconciling us in one body is observable intimating sayes r Goodwin Ubi suprà pag. 2. 3. one That Christ in reconciling us to God himself carried it so and did it under such a consideration and respect as necessarily drew on and involved our reconciliation one with another 2. The other is Privative and that is Slaying the Enmity removing that which was the cause and occasion of the breach and difference betwixt God and us which was only sin which our Saviour took upon himself and thereby took away Now the Means of accomplishing both these is one and the same though diversly expressed In his flesh verse the fifteenth by the Crosse verse the sixteenth by his blood verse the thirteenth which comes all to one for this peace both with God and one another was wrought by the blood which he shed and the death which he suffered on the Crosse By all which you see that Christs eye in his suffering was upon the reconciling of man to man as well as of man to God Now that I may bring this home to my present purpose is there any thing that can be desired more effectual to unite the hearts of Christians together in love than the consideration of the Price which our Lord Jesus laid down for the purchase of it How can you Christians expect the fruit of Christs death in Reconciliation to God if you mind not the other fruit of Reconciliation to his people How unworthy a thing were it for you to uphold that enmity one against another which Christ came to put away and to put away that peace and love which he came to purchase Did it cost him so much even his Blood his Life to suppresse the one and advance the other and would it not be a shame for Christians by their indulged enmities and animosities against one another to make as much as in them lyes the Crosse of Christ of none effect and his blood to be shed in vain Consider this and that Jesus Christ may not loose this fruit of his great cost for your good see that yove love one another I have yet one consideration more to propound to you which should be of no small weight with such as professe themselves Christians and it is this Sect. 5. The fourth Motive from his Instituting his Supper 4. COnsider That one main end of his instituting the great Ordinance of the Supper was for the upholding and confirming of mutual Love among Christians Å¿ Reyâ— Medit on the Sacr. cap. 14. p. 103 c. This Sacrament is as it were the sinew of the Church whereby the faithfull being all animated by the same Spirit that makes them one with Christ are knit together in a bond of peace t Goodwins Peace-maker p. 41. As it was appointed to be a seal of the Covenant of Grace between God and us ratified thereby so also to be a Communion the highest outward pledge and ratification and testimony of love and amity among the members of Christ themselves That it is so is clear enough 1. From that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 10.17 For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread The very Elements signifieVnion One bread and One cup import one Body Though naturally their parts were separated in severall grains and grapes yet are they by the art of man moulded together and made up into one artificial body consisting of divers homogenious parts so Christians naturally as disjoynted in their affections as their beings are by the powerfull operation of Christs Spirit united into one spiritual body a Symbole and confirmation whereof they have in this Sacrament for by partaking of this one bread they are evidenced to be One Bread as the Sign and One Body as the thing signified And therefore the same Apostle tells them in the 11. Chapter verse 18 20. that because of their divisions and dissentions though they did come together it was not to eat the Lords Supper their very divisions crossing the end of its institution 2. This appears likewise from the very act of eating and drinking as at a Common Feast u Patricks Mensa Mystica Sect. 1. cap. 6. p. 122 123. c. It is generally known that among all Nations Jews and Gentiles their feasting together hath been for a sign of unity conjunction
ascribe glory to him to whom it of so much right belongs Luke 2.14 His heart hath been enlarged in love towards you and you are not straightned in him Oh! be not straightned in your own bowels but be you also enlarged in love and thankfulness unto him If the love of Christ be implanted in our hearts it will spring out at your lips and your mouths will shew forth his praise q If your Souls have been satisfied with this marrow and fatness o Ps 63.5 your mouths will praise him with joyfull lips Whereas he whose heart and lips are not filled with blessing and praise to Christ for his love gives clear evidence against himself that he hath neither part nor lot in this matter He never tasted of the love of Christ who is not thankfull for it Sect. 4. By way of Obligation to holiness and obedience 4. BY way of Obligation to Holiness and Obedience Know the love of Christ so as thereby to be restrained from sin and constrâ—iâ—ed to duty and service And here I would say two things 1. The love grace and mercy of Christ which he hath manifested in undertaking for us as our Mâ—diator and Redeemer is the strongest motive that can be to Holiness and Obedience This is that which the Scripture useth Rom. 6. The scope of that whâ—le Chapter is to advance Holinesse and Obedience and the prime and principall motive which he useth thereunto is the Grace of God in Christ Ver. 1. Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid And ver 15. Shall we sin because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid It s the Devils Logick to argue from grace to sin from love to looseness which the Apostle casts off with abhorrency as unworthy to be entertained by an ingenuâ—us gracious heart so much as in thought they are ungodly men who thus turn the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Jude 4. Again Rom. 12.1 2. I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God that you present your Bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world c. You see here that the mercies of God are the strong bonds by which the Apostle would draw these Romans from following the World in the corruptions and lusts of it and engage them to service and obedience and indeed the most naturall and proper inference from mercy is duty and seeing our infinite misery hath met with the infinite mercy of our God to relieve us in it redeem us from it what other can be the result of it with a serious Christian but the yeelding up of himself to the God of his mercies Thus 1 Cor. 6 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods The love of Christ in going to the price of our Redemption should be a strong obligation to us to glorifie him with those Bodies and Souls which he hath Redeemed at so dear a rate Thus the Apostle Peter exhorting to holinesse 1 Pet. 1.14 15 16. as obedient children not fashioning yoursâ—lvs according to the former lusts in your ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation c. makes the love of Christ in shedding his blood for them the great Motive Ver. 18 19. Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ So Cap. 4.1 He makes the love of Christ in dying for us a strong reason why Christians should conform to his crosse by crucifying their lusts Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh arm your selves with the same mind This love of Christ is so strong a Motive to Holinesse and Obedience r Nisi plusquà m ferrei simus facere non poterimus quin totos nos devoveamus Christo dum reputamus quanto amore nos prosectutus est quum mortem pro nobis subiit Calv. in 2 Cor. 5. that unlesse we are more hard than iron we cannot but devote our selves wholly to Christ when we consider how greatly he loved us when he shed his blood and laid down his life for us 2. The Love of Christ in the wayes whereby he hath expressed it to us especially in dying for us and rising again is the most effectual means to promote our holiness and obedience s Wal none but Christ pag. 68. I have read That five Monks were studying what was the best means to mortify sin One said to meditate on Death the second to meditate on Judgement the third to meditate of the joyes of Heaven the fourth to meditate on the torments of Hell the fifth and last to meditate of the love and sufferings of Christ Which indeed is the best means of all There are bands of love called by the Prophet The cords of a Man Hos 11.4 because the most proper means to prevail with and work upon Man who is a reasonable creature with these bands of love the Lord Jesus draws us from sin to himself and service as in the forementioned place and Jer. 31.3 These held the Apostle Paul fast bound to his duty and kept him from deviating and wandring from Christ see 2 Cor. 5.14 The love of God constraineth us He had before been speaking of the force that fear had to make him solicitous in the service of Christ because of the account which he was to give ver 10 11. And now he mentions the force of love the love of Christ which he shewed in dying for us and this sayes he constrains us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hems us in on every side as men in a besieged City or as beasts in a pinfold as t Leighs Crit. sacr in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some deduce the Metaphor that we cannot make an escape u Metaphora est in verbo constringendi quânotatur fieri non posse quin quisquis mirificum illum amorem quem testatus est nobis Christus morte suâ verè expendit reputat quasi ei alligatur arctissimo vinculo constrictus se in illius obsequium addicat Calv. in loc Or it keeps us fast bound as with cords and bands fortiter yet â—uaviter not forcedly but freely that we cannot turn aside to the crooked wayes of sin and disobedience to the displeasing of Christ but must go that we are led by him in the wayes of obedience and holinesse x Totos possidet ac regit amor Christi ut ejus affiatu quasi correpti agamus omnia Bez. in loc It hath the possession and rule of us so as we are acted by its influence and instinct Now the love of Christ is an effectual means of holinesse and obedience two wayes by Argument and by Power 1. By Argument This is clear by the forecited passage of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14.15 Where
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
also walked 1 John 2.6 and that is not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets them free from the law of sin and death Rom. 8.1 2. Again 4. It leaves them short of communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ for those only have fellowship with him who walk in the Light as he is in the Light but if we say that we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 1 John 1.6 7. Now how vain and unprofitable must that mans profession needs be which leaves him thus without Christ without the true knowledge of him relation to him union and communion with him surely it will never be available to salvation and therefore no wonder if 5. It leaves them short of acceptance with Christ at the last day and admission into glory for as the Scripture testifies Mat. 7.21 22 23. there be many who cry Lord Lord make a fair outward shew and profession who for want of doing his will seconding that profession with power and practice shall be turned off with a Non novi vos I know you not among the workers of iniquity 3 Without this your profession will but tend to agravate your sin and condemnation 1. Your Sin This reflects the greatest dishonour upon Christ and Religion for the Name of Christ is blasphemed among the Gentiles through such as these Rom. 2.24 and the way of truth is evil spoken of 2. Pet. 2.2 The unholy lives of Christians open the mouths of Turks and Infidels to speak against Christ and Christianity Lo these are they that worship Christ their religion is such as the professors are and as the Disciples are such is their Lord and Master as the worshippers are such is he who is worshipped by them as r Ecce quales sunt qui ChristuÌ„ colunt Talis profecto secta est quales sectatores Aestimari de cultoribus suis potest ille qui coliâ—ur Qâ—â—andò â—â—â—m bonus Magister est cujus tam malus videmus esse Discipulos Salv. de Gub. Dei lib. 4. pag. 149. Salvian brings them in blaspheming Thus they increase their own personal guilt by way of participation the guilt of others blasphemies redounding upon them by whom they were occasioned This makes Christians to be worse than Heathens for Thereby as the same s Ex hoc ipso utique deteriores sumus barbaris si non meliores sumus qui meliores esse debemus Criminosior enim culpa est ubi honestior flatus Salv. ibidem p. 133. Salvian excellently we are worse than they if we are not better because we should be better for the more honourable any mans state is the more criminal is his fault And again a little after t Nos qui Christiani esse dicimur si simile aliquid barborum impuritatibus facimus graviùs erramus Atrociùs enim sub sancti nominis professione peccamus Ubi sublimior est praerogativa major est culpa ipsa enim errores nostros religio quam profitemur accusat Salv. ibid. p. 154. If we who are called Christians do any thing that is like to the impurities of Heathens we err worse than they for we sin the more fouly under the profession of a holy Name where there is the higher priviledge there is the greater fault for that Religion which we profess doth accuse the offences which we commit 2. Your condemnation Such as professe to know Christ and yet in works deny him as they contract a greater guilt so they do deserve and incurre a greater and a sorer punishment The higher any are raised towards heaven by profession and priviledges the lower shall they be cast into hell if they walk not up thereunto This is the condemnation the very emphasis of damnation the sting of hell that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light John 3.19 It had been better for such not to have known Christ and the way of righteousness than to walk contrary thereunto 2 Peter 2.21 Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better in the day of Judgment and meet with an easier Hell than such shall Mat. 11.21 c. Their holy name increaseth their guilt and their profession of goodness makes their wickedness the more damnable as u Magis damnabilis est malitia quam titulus bonitatis accusat reatus impii pium nomen Salv. lib. 4 de Gub. Dei p. 154. Salvian observes Now that this may never be your case 1. Dwell upon the Love of Christ in Redeeming of you by Meditation till you be constrained by the Argument that it carryes along with it to hate and avoid all sin and to yield up your selves sincerely to his service Set your selves therefore to meditate how far his love carried him in doing and suffering for you Consider his Incarnation Life Death remember that it was sin which put him to all that paine and trouble that labour and sorrow which he endured that the removing of this evil of sin made him so willingly undergo all that evil of suffering which you read of And then As to Sin reason thus with your selves Was sin the great cause and instrument of Christs death were my sins the cords that bound him the whips that scourged him the thorns that wounded him the nails that fastned him the spear that pierced him and fetcht his heart-blood from him and shall I love the sins that kil'd my Saviour shall I use them kindly who thus abused him God forbid I would not embrace him as a friend who had slain my Father nor hug in my bosome that Serpent which had stung my friend to death and shall I entertain and cherish sin which hath dealt worse than so with my everlasting Father my best Friend far be it from me Again Did Jesus Christ do and suffer all this out of his love to me but extream hatred against sin and shall I so ill requite his love as to love that which he hated Did he come to take away sin and shall I resume and embrace it was he sent to condemn it and shall I justifie it was he manifested to destroy the works of the Devil and shall I save them did he die for sin x Clarks Lives quarto p. 189. The Glory of their times p. 471 and shall I live in it was he cut of to finish transgression and make an end of sins and shall I continue in sin that grace may abound doth he make daily approaches to me to turn me from mine iniquities and shall I as constantly return to them God forbid Methinks the consideration of these things should set a Christian as far from sin as Anselme was who said x That if he should see the shame of sin on the one hand and the pains of hell on the other and must of necessity choose one he would rather be trust into hell without sin than go into heaven
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
mixture of mercy or pity with those who now despise and refuse his love c Prov. 1.26 28. He will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh Then shall they call upon him but he will not answer they shall seek him early but they shall not find him Nor 2. shall they ever be able to escape it d Rev. 6.16 Though they call to the mountains to fall on them and the rocks to cover them that they may be hid from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb it shall not secure them Nor 3. shall they be able to abide it as it is unavoidable so it is intollerable Wicked men e Pâ—â— 2.12 perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little how then shall they abide it when it is throughly kindled when that f 〈◊〉 6.17 great day of his wrath is come who shall be able to stand for even of present wrath it is said g Nahum 1.6 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him And the sting of all is this 4. That there will never be any end or mitigation of it The Wrath of God is often compared to fire and this wrath to come which I am speaking of is h Mat. 3.12 unquenchable fire and the burnings of it i Isa 33.14 everlasting burnings It is wrath that shall k John 3.36 abide upon unbelievers and never be taken off to eternity Now l Ps 50.22 consider this you that forget God and slight Jesus Christ and neglect the great salvation which is offered to you lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you One would think that what hath been said should be sufficient to startle and awaken the most secure sinners And the Lord make it effectual to that end and purpose unto all such into whose hands this shall come Sect. 5. THe last Vse is by way of Consolation The Vse 3 consideration of the greatness of Christs love may administer abundance of comfort to the Saints who know it By way of Consolation to those who have a right knowledg of the love of Christ so as to have an interest in it If the love of Christ be so incomprehensible as you have heard then you need not fear to be supplied Your wants and necessities are many and great its true but there are unsearchable riches of love in Christ from whence you may have enough for your relief Notwithstanding all the communications which have been made of Christs love to the Saints in all ages and generations past he is as full as ever and will be as long as there is a Saint on this side heaven to need him he may be imparted but cannot be impaired he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebrews 13.8 What is it that troubles you against which you may not find strong Consolation from the love of Christ 1. Is it Sin that troubles you so that you bewail it and mourn and grieve for it and go bowed down all the day long because of it Truly this is the only thing that can justly create trouble to a Christian but this doth it necessarily because of the evil of it nor can he claim a title to the love of Christ to whom sin is not grievous for though the Gospel tells us That where sin hath abounded there grace much more abounds Rom. 6.20 yet it is only there where the sin that hath abounded in the life in the commission of it doth abound in the heart conscience in contrition for it detestation of it But yet even here there is relief from the love of Christ so far as to keep you from dejection desperation though not from a due sense and deep humiliation for 1. Is it the Guilt of your many and great sins which affrights you Consider there is love enough in Christ to pardon them Christs love can cover a multitude of sins and will cover all the sins of penitent sinners If mans love will do this 1 Pet. 4.8 Prov. 10.12 much more Christs whose wayes are not as our wayes nor his thoughts as our thoughts for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his wayes higher than our wayes and his thoughts than ours Isaiah 55.8 9. he means his thoughts and wayes of mercy and so sayes the Psalmist expresly Psalm 103.11 As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him She was a great sinner of whom he said Luke 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her The eye of favour and love as the m Favoris oculus velut nox est ad omnem labem Arab. prov ut citat a Culv. Act of Obliv p. 34. Arabick proverb hath it is as the night to every fault to hide and conceal it that it be not seen 2. Is it the power of your corruptions which you groan under and desire deliverance from There is love enough in Christ to subdue them Mich. 7.19 and by the law of the Spirit of life to make you free from the law of sin and death Romans 8.2 love enough to sanctifie you throughout and thoroughly throughout 1 Thes 5.23 as well as to justifie you 2. Is it Temptations from Satan that trouble you There is love enough in Christ to pity you because of them He was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin and therefore is such an High-priest as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 love enough to help and succour you in them for In that he himself suffered being tempted he is able also to succour them that are tempted Hebrews 2.18 love enough to save yout out of them for the God of Peace will bruise Satan under your feet shortly Romans 16.20 3. Is it the Snares and Dangers of this World that trouble you Know that as he had love enough to give himself for us that he might redeem us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 so he hath still love enough to make you partakers of his victory which he hath obtained over the world John 16.33 and to make you conquerors over it by faith 1 John 5.4 and in the mean time to keep you from the evil of the world though he doth not take you out of it John 17.15 4 Is it the Duties and Difficulties of your course which trouble you not in themselves but because of your weakness and infirmity by reason whereof you cannot deal with them There is love enough in Christ to help your infirmities by his Spirit Rom. 8.6 to assist you in your duties Phil. 4.13 to support you under and carry you through all the difficulties of your pilgrimage to be continually with you and hold you by the right hand to guide you with
his counsells and at last receive you to glory Psalm 73.23 24. 5. Is it your Afflictions you meet with that trouble you yet in Christs love you may have peace and comfort enough to chear you amidst all your Tribulations John 16.33 There is Favour enough in his love to answer all the frowns and displeasures of men Honour enough to answer all your abasements Riches enough to answer all your poverty Liberty enough to answer all your outward restraints Here is love enough to be your ease in pain your health in sickness your gain in losses your peace in war your joy in sorrow your life in death In a word here is love enough to keep you here and to crown you hereafter love enough for this and another world even for all Eternity Onely look to it by Meditation lay hold of it for your present subsistence by Faith plead it by Prayer and take heed of abusing it by making it an occasion to sin n Cùm gratia Dei sit mellen nè comedas eam totam If the grace of God be as Honey for sweetnesse do not make a prey of it and devour it all together by any ungodly practice take heed of turning it into wantonnesse Jude 4. by continuing in sinne that grace may abound Romans 6.1 for that will be bitterness in The END The Authors cited in this Treatise AVgustin Ambrose Anselm Aretius Ainsworth Is Ambros Melch. Adamus Arrowsmith Anon. The Glory of the times Alciat Aristotle Assembl Annot. Beza Bellarmine Bodius Bernard Bede Beverovicius Baldwin Boetius Bonaventure Brentius Brightman Baxter Brinsley Buxtorph Baine Basil Calvin Isid Clarius Camero Chrysostome Th. Cartwright Ch. Cartwright Clark Crashaw Cyprian Chemnitius Caryl Cotton Culverwel Calixtus Casaubon Dionys Carth. Davenant Durantus Damascen Despaigne Downham Erasmus Estius Eusebius Fagius Fulgosus Forbesius Fergusson Fulgentius Ferus Franzius Grotius Gerhardus Gouge Glanvil Goodwin Glassius Godwin Gilbertus in Cant. Greenham Gregorius A. Gellius Gurnal Heinsius Hammond Hall Hondorsius Herbert Hemingus Hardy Hildersham Hierom Holdsworth Hopkins Harmar Junius Trem. Idiota Jenkins Just Mart. Ignatius Isidor Jackson Jeanes Kempis A Lapide Edw. Leigh Luther Lessius Lyranus W. Leigh Lond. Min. Lorinus Lukin Lactantius Ludolphus Marlorat Maldonat P. Martyr Mart Martinius Mason Marc. Marula Manton Montanus Mercer Macarius Mede Musculus Marton Melancton Mat. Martinius Nieremberg Nicols Owen Pearson Plutarch Prosper Pink Pagnin Piscator Preston Perkins Pierce Patrick Parisiensis Pliny Rivet Rolloc Reynolds Ravanel Robotham Fr. Roberts Alex. Roberts Robinson Ribera Sibs Scapula Sulpitius Severus Spanhemius Salmeron Sixt. Senensis Staughton Scharpius Salvian Schrevelius Tertullian Tirinus Theophylact Trap Tollet Bp. Jer. Taylor D.T. Taylor Fra. Taylor Vorstius Vatablus Valerius Maximus Vsher Watson Ward Wall White Whitaker Zanchy Books Printed and are to be sold by Nathanael Webb at the Royal Oak in St. Paul's Church-yard and William Grantham at the Black Bear near the little North-door 1665. SErmons upon Solemn Occasions collected into one Volume in Quarto by Dr. Nathanael Hardy Dean of Rochester The first Epistle General of St. John unfolded and applied in Quarto by the same Author Mr. Isaac Ambrose's Works Containing The first middle and last things in three Treatises of Regeneration Sanctification with Meditations on Life Death Hell and Judgement Redeeming the time A Sermon Preached in Preston at the Funeral of the Lady Margaret Houghton in Quarto Three Gospel Ordinances viz. 1. War with Devils 2. Ministration of and Communion with Angels 3. Looking unto Jesus A view of the Everlasting Gospel or the Souls eying of Jesus as carrying on the great Work of Mans salvation from first to last in Quarto A Discourse of Ananias and Saphyra laying open their sin and punishment by Mr. Will. Houghton in Quarto Hadadrimmon Sive Threnodia Anglicana ob Regicidium A Sermon on the 30th of January 1660. being the Annual Solemn Fast for the horrid Murder of King Charls the I. on Davids Humiliation for cutting off the Royal Robe and detestation of cutting off the Royal Head of the Lords Anointed Noah's Dove with her Olive Branch or the happy tydings of the abatement of the Flood of Englands Civil Discords A Thansgiving Sermon for the Restauration of his Sacred Majesty Charls the II. by Will. Cole B. D. Knowledge and Practice or a Discourse of the chief things necessary to be known believed and practised in order to Salvation by Samuel Cradock B. D. Mr. Richard Vines A Treatise of the Institution right Administration and receiving of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper delivered in twenty Sermons at St. Lawrence Jury in Quarto History survey'd in a brief Epitome or a Nursery for Gentry comprised in an intermixed discourse upon Historical and Poetical relations in Quarto Mr. Walter Cradock Gospel Liberty in the Extention and Limitation of it in Quarto Mr. John Browning Concerning Publick Prayer and the Fasts of the Church six Sermons or Tracts in 4. Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum ex authoritate primum Regis Henrici 8. inchoata in Quarto Christ and the Church Parallels in three Books Quarto by Henry Vertue Irenicum or an Essay towards a Brotherly Peace and Union by Discipulus de Tempore Junior Learn of a Turk or Instructions and Advices sent from the Turkish Army at Constantinople to the English Army in London Mr. Rich. Lewthwait Vindiciae Christi obex errori Arminiano A Plea for Christ in Quarto Welsh Common-Prayer with the Singing-Psalms in Quarto John Ley Entituled A Discourse of Disputation chiefly concerning matters of Religion newly published in Quarto Mr. John Lawson's Gleanings and Expositions of some of the more difficult places of holy Scripture in Quarto Mr. Edward Thorp The new Birth or Birth from above in Quarto Roberti Heggi Dunelmensis aliquot Sacrae Paginae Loca Lectiones in Quarto The Beacon flaming with a non obstante against those that plead for liberty of Printing and publishing Popish Books in Quarto Mr. Nathanael Stephens A Precept for the Baptism of Infants out of the New Testament in Quarto Mr. Edmund Calamy The Monster of sinful Self-seeking Anatomized A Sermon Mr. John Warren of Hatfield Regis in Essex The Potent Potter A Sermon The unprofitable Servant A Sermon Preached at the Assize at Chelmsford in Essex in Quarto Mans Fury subservient to God's Glory A Sermon on the fifth of November Dr. Robert Gell A Sermon touching Gods Government of the World by Angels preached before the Astrologers in Quarto Noah's Flood returning A Sermon preached before the Right Worshipful Company of Drapers in London in Quarto Dr. John Whincop Gods Call to Weeping and Mourning A Sermon preached at a Fast before the Parliament in Quarto Mr. George Walker A Sermon Mr. William Good Jacob Raised A Sermon Mr. Thomas Goodwin The great Interest of States and Kingdoms A Sermon Mr. Samuel Kem The King of Kings His privy marks for the Kingdoms choice of Members A Sermon preached upon the choice of Burgesses for the Parliament in 4. M.
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