power Col. 2.3 all things Colossi 1.19 all fulnesse Colossians 2.9 even the fulnesse of the Divinity Mat. 28.18 Iohn 3.35 so that hee was and is altogether lovely called the Fathers Well-beloved Now notwithstanding that CHRIST was the great and chiefe object of the FATHER'S love the delight of his eye and pleasure of his soule yet Him hath hee given unto the Sonnes of men for their life John 10.10 For their light and learning John 8.12 Matth. 11.29 For their livelihood John 6.51 For their redemption forgivenesse Gal. 3.13 Colossians 1.14 For their peace and reconciliation Eph. 2.14.16 For their righteousnesse Jerem. 23.6 Rom. 10.4 For their sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 For their Covenant Esa 42.6 For their Councellour Esay 9.6 For their Consolation Hebrews 2.25 For their Mediatour 1 Timothy 2.5 For their Advocate 1 John 2.1 For the Shepheard and Bishop of their Soules 1 Peter 2.25 For their Sanctuary Esay 8.14 For their supply John 1.16 For their hope Acts 28.20 For their Foundation Ephes 2.20 For their Father Esay 9.6 For their Physitian Luke 4.18.10.34 For their Salvation Luke 1.69 And for their Glory Luke 2.32 The Father therefore having given his dearely and deepely beloved Sonne unto us for such ends and purposes wee should not doubt but that hee will be all these unto us This Author in the first part of his Elaborate worke layeth open the yernings of Christs bowels towards all his languishing Friends Reader if thou be one of them here 's an Optick Glasse in which thou maist clearly see how the Heart and Bowels of CHRIST stand towards poore sinners and so towards wards thy selfe What wouldst thou have which from him is not haveable Dost thou want life light maintenance countenance is' t pardon peace purity thou wouldst have speake is' t Righteousnesse Councell Comfort friend-ship safety thou needest Art thou wounded and wantest healing Art thou pursued by the Enemie and wantest deliverance is' t grace or glory thou desirest wouldst thou have a word spoke for thee to the great KING of HEAVEN have thy Cause pleaded for thee there Is' t resolution assurance salvation thou sighest and seekest after In CHRIST who is All thou mayest finde all Looke into this Treatise it sweetely sets out the Samaritanesse or compassionatenesse of Christ it shews thee how readie he is to supply thy wants and satisfie thy longings Here thou shalt feele him drawing thy heart unto himselfe and shewing thee the sight of glorious Mysteries It 's our ignorance of Christs love and bowells that fills us with feares doubts and jealousies that keepes us under bondage and causeth us to rest in shadowes and low things The Author hath provided a good Remedie hee hath opened Christs heart to thee to draw thy heart to Him and where should Saints hearts be but where the heart of the Father is and that 's in Christ His transcendent worth affects him his transcendent worth and bowells should affect us Love to any thing changes the heart into the likenesse of the thing loved If a man love earthly things hee 's vir terrenus an earthly man and his love is earthly If a man love heavenly things he 's vir caelestis a heavenly man and his worke is heavenly Wouldst thou bee a heavenly man and love with heavenly love This Worke will teach thee to love Christ which will change thy heart into the nature of Christs heart and so thy selfe and love will both become heavenly the more heavenly thou art the more fit for heavenly visions and glorious Mysteries Reader this Treatise needs not my penne it speakes for it selfe thou mayest accovnt it amongst thy treasures It hath that in 't is better then the Red earth of the world The God of all truth teach thee by his spirit to know prize and practise all truth Thine if thou love the truth W. Greenhil A Table of some few Heads contained in this Book Part. 1. CHAP. 1. WHat 's ment by loving page 1. c. How men are said to be Christs owne all are Christ's owne by right of dominion for he 's Lord of all page 4. Christs flock bis own by a six-fold right page 4. 5. 6. End what it signifies p. 7. 8. 9. Chap. 2. THe love of Jesus Christ what for kind 1. Sincere without mixture 2. Not selvish he loves not for rewards 3. Chast undefiled 4. Full immense page 11. 5. Free and acts freely p. 17. Christs love in what respects free page 21. c. 6. A tractive drawing p. 25. 26. 7. Coersive constraining p. 27. 8. Immutable it cannot change and why in three particulars p. 28. CHAP. 3. CHrists love what for degree 1. Christs love 's more then a friend and how cleared by divers instances page 34 c. 2. Christ loves more then a Father page 39. 3. More then a Husband p. 40. 4. Christ loves man more then he loves himselfe made evident in many particular cases page 41 c. 5. The love betwixt Christ and christians greater then that love which is betwixt the Soule and the bodie page 44. 6. Christ loves man more then man loves Christ Three reasons of that Ibid c. CHAP. 4. CHrist's love how discovered to his in two particulars By words or works By words there are 3. sorts of Christs loue-discovering words page 50. c. Christ prayes to his Father for Saints and to what end 1. That their graces faile not page 56. 57. And therein Christ peswades the soule of two things to comfort confirme it 1. That hee ha's prayed for as bad as that soule can be 2. That he alwayes prevailed for what he prayed page 58 c. 2. Hee prayes that their natures soile not page 61. Christ prayes to the Father in Sts. how and in what sence page 62. Christ putting words in his Disciples mouths and how p. 65 c. Christ's love how discovered by workes 1. By doing for them 2. By suffering for them 3. By suffering with them p. 74 75. Doing for them and that 1. in serving of them Ibid. 2. In making his services easie to them six wayes p. 76 ctc. Christ discovering his love by suffering for his page 82. The glory of the grace and favour of Jesus Christ to his how discovered in suffering for them shewed in sixe things page 83 c. The glory of that great worke glimps'd out by five things more page 94 c. Christ discovering heartie love to his followers by suffering with them and how page 103 c. CHAP. 5. TO what end Jesus Christ sets his love on lovelesse sinners and sinfull soules Christ loves a poore polluted Soule to make it lovely in his owne blessed sight and unto his owne glorious selfe page 111 c. 2. To present his object blamelesse both to himselfe and also to his Father page 113. How Christ differs from other lovers in this respect page 114. 3ly To present his beloved ones spotlesse he sets his love on
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nocumenta Documenta Schola cruis Schola lucis Detrimenta corpotum incrementa virtutum Greg. Iam. 1.17 and hee will not suffer his faithfulnesse to faile towards them Psal 99.32 23. Christ can scourge his friends for and from their sinnes as well as for the exercise of their graces and yet love them dearly constantly and ardently In him is no variablenesse nor shadow of turning Not so much as a shadow colour of alteration or mutation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he will in no wise cast you out Joh. 6.37 and he that escapes the Lords affliction may suspect his owne adoption 1 Qui excipiturd munero flagellatorum excipitur à numero filiorum Trees are rooted the more firmely by shaking m Deus unicum habet filium sine peccato nullum sine flagello The Persian Kings shunned familiarity with their Subjects and were seldome seene that they might be the more honoured n Persona Regis sub specie Majestatis occulitur Iust l. 1. so Christ serv's Christiās 1. 'T is not length of time that can worke or occasion an alteration in his love It 's everlasting I have loved thee with an everlasting love Hos 2.19 Jer. 31.3 Behold I will betroth thee unto me for ever Wee may through tract and length of time forget and be forgotten As Joseph forgot his Brethren and was forgotten of them Length of time may either wholly weare out out affections or else coole and lessen their heat and strength towards our familiars But Christ's love tak's not cold is not cooled towards his 't is alwayes firme free full fervent Heb. 13.5 Hee hath said I will ne'r leave thee nor forsake thee The words are emphaticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a duplication of the subject of the Promise I will not leave I will not forsake and a multiplication of Negatives o Est negationis conduplicatio ut fit vehementior pollicitatio Estius in locum there are five negatives in the promise by which he intimates he will not yea he will not surely he will not forsake his servants he will never totally reject them he will not utterly forsake them I will not leave you comfortlesse or as Orphanes as children without parents p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non descrit etiamsi dese rere videatur non deserit etiamsi deserat Austin Nam non dicessit Deus quando recessit Secondly no distance of place were it never so great yea although 't were as great as that which is betwixt the lowest earth and highest heaven yet cannot this part Christ and Christians or impare the strength of his affections towards them worke the least alteration in his love yea even now although his glorious Majesty possesseth the heavens yet his heart is where 't was 't is towards his Saints on earth You blessed babes and friends of Christ your head in the heavens prayes for you pleads for you takes notice of you and all your sufferings he 's in Heaven enter'd before you but 't is to make way for you fit a place for you and preserve your roomes till you come assure your selves he cannot forget you doe not you forget him Thirdly nor can strength of deformity worke a change in his love he can love Job on the dunghill with his filthy carcase Jerymiah in the d'ungeon with his rotten ragges q Anima quae nunc pannoso vestitu servili habitu tegi putatur in regno Coelorum Regina nobilis Regi astans reperitur Basil l. de vera Virg. Lazarus whil'st begging with his running sores Jonah in the Whale's belly though his head 's bound up with weeds Abel tumbling in his own bloud Paul and Silas in the stocks with contemptible chaines as he is no respecter of persons so neither is hee a respecter of conditions hee ne'r withholds his affection from his people in affliction CHAP. III. Of the degrees or rather the immensities of of Christ's unsearchable love INfinitnesse ha's no demensities by finite considerations Christ's love is of an infinite nature There 's a measure in every thing sait's our Proverb but Christ's love out-vies the worlds Proverb 't is without me asure ha's no measure in it It 's nothing above Geometrie that 's an Art that may teach to measure the earth but the Heavens are not so farre from the Earth as the degrees of Christ's love are above all Arts and parts of men Can you measure him who ha's measur'd the waters in the hollow of his hand Isaiah 40.12 and meeted out Heaven with a span Christ's love's immense knowing Christians can tell you so and that no mortall can describe its measure we 'l illustrate its greatnesse a little as the earthlinesse of the instrument will permit and leave the rest to be revealed in Heaven to all heavenly minds THe degrees of love as well as the truth strength force and ardencie thereof are as the relation is in which it acts which may be shadowed out thus First Christ loves more then friends there may be a knitting of soules among friends as in Jonathan and David but did you ever heare of a knitting of natures 1 Sam. 18.1 vide 2 Sam 1.26 friends of Christ Christ hath knit your natures to his you are one nature as well as one flesh are you glad on 't can the two natures of two friends be united in one person Christ hath don 't this is the mystery of perfect love The Law commands love thy neighbour as thy selfe but extends no farther but Christ hath done a great deale more marke beleeving soule Christ's love to thee hath excell'd the love of friends For Christ lov'd thee not onely as himselfe as his Father commanded but also more then himselfe as his love constrain'd Hath hee not given his owne life to save thine was not his soule wearie to the death to refresh thine under the powers of that death which is death indeed 't is the second death I meane to which the first is but a shadow Hee was as a sheep led to the slaughter to free his sheep from such shambles I lay downe my life for my sheep that 's the heavenly voice doe you heare it you sheep of Christ Joh. 10.15 Can Paul crie up some that would for his good have pull'd out their right eyes so well they lov'd him oh sanctified soules you have greater cause to crie up Christ for hee would and did draw out both his eyes yea his precious soule to doe you good both now and in your latter end also so well be lov'd you and he is the same hee was you blessed babes of Christ Secondly Friends may peradventure die for friends and that 's the greatest love that man can shew Joh. 15.13 but Christ's love is more he died for foes r Non existentes immo resistentes Ber. sup Cant. ser 20. Rom. 5.8 Christ can bleed freely to make a resisting rebell live sweetly the life
of God Christ will crowne those with glory that had a heart to crowne him with thornes Å¿ Pudeat sub spinato Capite Membrum fieri delicatum Bern. in festo omn. Sanct. ser 5. if they 'l receive him he 's kind to the unthankfull that 's his goodnesse hee can blesse them that have curs'd him love them that hate him pray for them that persecute him oh flesh and bloud thou canst not doe these things This is the praise of Christ's love if you say he died for his friends we may answer as he did for his friends indeed as being heartily lov'd of Christ t Pro jam amicis nondum quidem amantibus sed tamen tam amatis Bern. in Psal qui habitat though like unkind friends they loved him not againe Or as Aquinas not his friends as loving him any thing onely his friends as lov'd by him alone v Non amici quasi amantes tantum amici ut amati Thom. Aquin in Johan uti Barrad to 4. l. 4. c. 15. And which is more Christ in suffering was no murmurer in the least measure he was led as a sheep to the slauohter and open'd not his mouth closed his blessed lips and was silent Oh Lamb of God! thou art exceeding good when wee suffer for friends there is some heart-risings in us some harsh and hard expressions fall from us discontented words are utter'd by us yea much more when wee suffer for our enemies But Christ was free from this did not charge his God with folly what ever he brought on him Some grudge to doe him service who never grudg'd to save them would they once accept of his love Sweet Christ's ill serv'd of some who have been well serv'd of him some thinke all too much they doe for Christ who thought all too little that he could doe for them would they come in But they 'l not come to him that they may have life sad soules I 'le sigh for you thus he refuseth his owne cure who acquaints not the Physitian with his griefe vv Ipse sibi denegat ceram qui medico non publicat causam Aug. Epist 118 hee dies deservedly who refuseth Christ bringing life eternally x Merito peritaegrotuâ— qui medicum non vocat sed ultrò venienentem respuit Musculus Prima pars sanitatis est velle sanati Seneca Secondly Christ loves more then a Father he loves children of Light more then Parents can doe theirs David may wish hee had dyed for his Absolom but the heart 's deceitfull and chiefly delusive in its affections That love may seeme strong which in great undertakings and workings may prove weake Christ did not onely wish a death once to preserve his from dying twice but did also embrace it will you heare his comfortable sayings in two or three words 't is this I lay downe my life no man takes it from me few words but full of worth They came from his heart had David died he could but have kept one alive and that not long but Christ's dying hath kept millions alive who shall never die the second death Christians what say you to your heavenly Father can you love as you are beloved how can you forget his goodnesse you cannot live much lesse die without the comforts of his love without him yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me severed from me y Calv. Camer c. Thirdly Christ loves more than a husband where 's the husband that will marry with a black deform'd and adulterous wife and when he hath got her so love her as to lay downe his life for her z Quis enim potest sic ducere ut moriatur pro ea quam vult ducere Si enim mori pro ea quam vult ducere voluerit non eâ—it qui ducat Securus autem ille pro sponsa mortous est quam resurgens eâ—at ducturus Aug. in Psal 122. Christ hath done it and thou knowest it beleeving soule if thou know'st what thou wert when Christ betroth'd thee to him Christ matcheth like Moses Moses his spouse could not be more defective in nature and outward comelinesse than was Christ's Spouse in grace and inward comelinesse and yet thou Spouse of Christ consider Moses could not doe that for his Spouse which Christ hath done for thee Moses married a certaine Ethiopian but could not metamorphise or change her colour a Moses Eâ—â—iâ—yssâ—uâ— quandâ—m duxit uxorem sed ejus non potuit mutare colorem Bern dom 1. â—ost octa Epiph ser 2. she was as black when made his wife as ever she was before But Christ makes of black white findes foule but makes faire b In sola anima pulchritudo turpitudo apparent ideo is solus vir pulcher est qui est virtute preditus Alexan. poedog l. 2. c. 12. that 's his method Psal 45.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the glory of the Kings Daughter is within as the Septuagint read the words 'tas ever been Christ's lot to light of spiritually uncomely Spouses sweet Lord thou marriest meerely for love when Christ seekes a soule he ne're askes the question what is she or what hath she he 'le have her if she 'l have him so great 's his love 'T is not dowry or feature he have it all he aimes at is love for love c Quam quaeris alium inter sponsus necessitudinem vel connexionem praeter amari amare Bern. in Cant. ser 31. Fourthly Christ loves man more than man loves himselfe all men seeme to love themselves but really they doe it not thy soule 's thy selfe and that 's neglected whence are all those cares and paines about thy carcase why lay'st thou so much out on dust Is the bodies worth like the soule 's d Quid de te tu ipse tà m malè meiuisti ut inter bona tua nolis aliquod esse malum nisi tcipsum Aug. in serm de temp was not he found a foole that heaped up goods for many yeares and plac'd felicity in them and in one night lost them soule and all canst thou say thou lov'st thy selfe and yet workest not towards Heaven for thy soule thy better part what shall the body be sed warmely clad sweetly accommodated and shall onely the soule be brought to poverty Is this self-selfe-love to let self die for ever for lack of looking too wilt thou bury a living soule in a dead body who for many years hath given life to thy members at the close of dayes wilt thou lodge it in a hell of torment e Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te Aug. Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum oh noble soule thou art a spirit whose nature 's to be active and act upward but thy prison the body hath been thy ruine Blessed God! what a bad case is such a soule in Others seem to seek out for their soules
But Christs flock are his owne thus 1. By right of donation God hath given some to Christ and what 's more a mans owne then that which is given him The great God gives great gifts like himselfe millions of soules had Christ given him 1 Tim. 2.6 2. By right of purchase and Redemption Jesus Christ hath bought some 1 Cor. 6.20 given precious d Fortasis epithetum pretiosa nonnullum habet respectum ad pretium sanguinis Christi meritorium ejus Lorinus in locum bloud for some precious soules 1 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he gave himselfe for us not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ransome but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a counter-ransome for all our sinnes Oh thou man of God ponder these things well in thine owne minde Christ gave his owne selfe for thy selfe and art not thou then his owne canst thou then have the heart to act such a part of unkindnesse against him as to serve thy selfe God forbid 3. By right of conquest hee hath conquerd some with kindnesse and overcome some with unexpressible love he hath subdued them to himselfe and their sinnes with Satan downe to the dust and therefore they may well be his and shall not he have the greatest share in them May not Christ say to a subjected soule as Paul to Philemon thou owest mee even thine owne selfe Me think 's the soule should thus reply yea Lord and take me and all mine for thine owne use my soule Spirit strength what I am or may be for it 's thine owne 4. By right of stipulation Ezek. 16.8 or Covenant-making I entred into a Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I entred into a contract or bargain with thee and shall not the Lord have his bargaine 5. By right of a gracious communication some are sweetly sanctified to the use of Christ to the service of Christ and no other The Lord hath set apart him that 's godly for himselfe Some are vessells of honour fitted for their Masters use Jo. 17.19.22 Ps 4.3 6. A Beleever is Christs owne by a right of Regeneration as he 's begotten againe in and after Christ's owne Image God the Father through Christ by his Spirit hath begotten them againe into Christ's owne likenesse The first Adam begat a sonne in his own likenesse after his owne Image e Gen. 5.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel ut aliqui volunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genuit secundum figuram suam the second Adam did so too And being begotten againe in his likenesse as children truly like their owne heavenly Father they are truly and properly call'd his own children End signifies diversly f Denique Erasmus tandem Beza ad finem usque i. e. indesinentur Piscator Omni tempore hoc est semper perpetuò First the continuation of a thing Psal 102.17 18. He shall regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise it this shall be written for the Generations to come i. e. inperpetuum for ever Isal 9.7 The Lord shall endure for ever * Assiduè Drusius this sence from the place Nazian perpetuò vulg lat in finem Where the Chaldie hath it in saeculum the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ loves his owne with an everlasting love Christians doe yee sometimes doubt through misapprehensions and mistakes 't is without cause given on Jesus his part Secondly end 's put sometimes for extremitie as misery sorrow and suffering is the end of sinning death is the end of life sorrow misery and death is mans extremity Messiah loves his owne in all their extremities 3. Sometimes it signifies perfection g The Graecians significantly call end and perfection by one and the same terme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat tam perficio quam finem facio fineo obeo or consummo benevertit ergo Poeta Phyllirides pucrum citharâ perfecit Achillem also as growth is the end of youth i. e. the perfection of youth Glory is the end of grace viz. the perfection of grace for grace is initiall glory glory begun a christian that is sanctified seasoned and set apart to the Lords use begin's to live the life of glory even here in the Kingdome of grace Grace is glory inchoate Glory is grace consummate 4. Sometimes the scope or finall cause h Scopus seu causa finalis Rom. 10.4 1 Tim. 1.5 significat etiam exitus seu eventus Phil. 3.19 James 5.11 of things Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every man that beleeveth viz. that perfection of holinesse and that exquisite righteousnesse with greatest fulnes which the most holy God and his most holy Law aimed at and which is more he did compleatly answer and fully satisfie the exactest mandates and precepts of the same strictest Law for every beleeving soule Christ loves his to the same end the Law aimes at viz. to make them holy and present them blamelesse before his Father with exceeding great joy Ah Lord who is wise and see'th not strength of love shed abroad by the Spirit in the hearts of thine In this text it 's put for death onley he loved them to the end i. e. to the death not that death could put an end to Christ's love by which he adhered and doth adhere to his * Christ's love's immortall Mors igitur non finit omnia Death only ends mortall things Death was not able to breake the bands of friendship which were betwixt head and members Christ and christians that could not destroy the power of union betwixt him and his for how could death put an end to that which tooke away its sting from it Christ's love to his subdu'd him to incounter with Death Hell and the grave who is now triumphing over all principalities and Powers The sence then may be such as this that it put an end to his terrene and mortall life and conversation amongst them here i Mors vocatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non quòd omnia in morte cum morte siniantur quia etiam de Christi morte haec appellatio usurpatur sed quia terrenae mortali huic vitae ac mundanae conversationi finem imponit Gerh. in locum comin Joh. 13.1 and so hee loved them to the end of that course he steered with them here in the body For 't was come to this that bodily presence must now for a time be suspended corporall fellowship certainly ended though very sad newes to the hearts of his followers Disciples yet all in love Now he and his must be taken asunder for a time that they may be joyn'd together againe when time shall be no more Thus when Jesus knew the houre was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father loving his owne he loved them did cleave to them even unto the end The note from the words then may be such as this Christ loves
christians with a lasting yea an everlasting love Loving he loved and that to the end CHAP. II. Of the nature of Christs Love ALl motion is as the propension is in the primum mobile first moover God is good that 's his nature and he does good that 's the fruit of his peerelesse goodnesse some descriptions have their bounds but can you limit limitlesse love Christ's love is such as himself is full of all amiable glory Christ's goodnes is not hid we 'le shew you first what it is then the degrees on 't FIrst Christ's love unto beleeving soules is for kind sincere without mixture a love without hatred a liking without loathing The sonnes of men love with a mixed kind of love there love hath some ingredient of dislike in it which is soone discovered as occasion serves But the Sonne of God doth not so is not so easily incensed against those he loves Men hate the persons of men men when they are offended with the failings of others doe forthwith if they can avenge themselves upon the persons of those by whom they are injured But Christ takes vengeance onely on sinne thou wast a a God that forgavest them saith the Prophet though thou took'st vengeance on their inventions Ps 99.8 Christ seeth himselfe in christians whom sinne cannot destroy he loves them for his owne sake hee accepts what 's his forgives what 's theirs k Accipit suum remittit tuum Christ loves them because himselfe is in them and cannot loath them for as hee cannot deny himselfe so neither can he dislike himselfe 2. It is not self-ish he loves not for rewards if hee did where should he have them other lovers aime at themselves so much in loving others as that oft-times they loose themselves in selfe-love every man had rather be better to himselfe then to another l Omnes sibi melius esse malle quam alteri Teren. But Christ may truly say to his friends 2 Cor. 12.14 as Paul did to the Corinthians I seeke not yours but you he 's better to others then to himselfe suffer'd for many but brought not suffering on any Christ seeks not himselfe but thy selfe Oh soule hath hee any dowry with thee when hee makes thee his spouse thou hast nothing of thine owne to give him but thy sinne thou art nothing of thy selfe for him but a heape of earth senselesse a meere rudis indigestaque moles what is there in thee that so great a Majestie should set his love upon thee Or if there were something in thee for Christ as there is not is he a gainer by it can he receive that hee doth not possesse already m Talis est dilectio Dei erga nos quatenus nihil boni à nobis ipsi propriè accrescit Amesius de consc ejus cas l. 4. c. 10. 2 Cor. 4.15 Nay are not we receivers and he a giver Consider his love he is what hee is for your sakes you sonnes of love and chosen friends all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanks-giving of many redound to the glory of God Speaking in the antecedent verse of Christs resurrection he died and was buried for you and is risen againe for your sakes Loe see an infallible character of a non-selfe lover hee sanctified himselfe Joh. 17.19 set apart himselfe for you herein is the praise of his grace that when hee was rich he became poore for your sakes 2 Cor. 8.9 that you through his poverty might be made rich And you know it saith Paul God hath made you to know it that this was his free Grace that he sought not yours but you Thirdly it is chaste undefiled whence those Epithites Love Dove undefiled sister Cant. 5.2 to take away the suspition of unchaste love n Ut tolleretur suspicio foedi amoris Hirom adver Iovinian lib. 1. Tam à me pudica est quam mea si soror sit Plautus for this name sister implies a detestation of all fleshly impurity Ignatius that holy Martyr call'd Christ by this name my love saith he was crucifi'd carnall eares eyes and hearts take in carnall conceits of Christs love sport themselves with the Letter but the series of the letter is nothing serious as Bernard notes o Nihil enim serium habet literae series Ber. sup Cant. serm 6. And therefore let the spirituall Spouse of Christ conceive spiritually of such heavenly and sweet expressions of love p ut spiritualis audi spiritualitèr amatoria verba cantai Orig. in Cant. hom 2. Non virum foeminam sed verbum animam sentias Ber. ibid. view not so much the outside of the phrase as the inside of the sence He loves you christians with a pure perfect and undefiled love Breake the bone of the letter and thou shalt find the marrow of the sence q frange os literae invenies medullam intelligentiae Petrus Bles Ser. 3. 'T is the property of beasts to live on chaffe of men to live on corne r Fumentorum est paleis hominum frumentis vesci Greg. proeam in Cant. goe forth therefore from the sence of the flesh to the understanding of the mind ſ Egredimini desensu carnis ad intelctum mentis Ber in Epipha ser 2. Fourthly It is full in him all fulnesse dwells t Omne imperfectum redigitur ad perfectum si nos ad Christum à quo omnis perfectio descendit Savanat Expos 4. orat Domini Col. 1.19 it hath height and depth length and breadth in it of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 Christ had not grace by measure in this he was anointed above his fellowes who had grace only by measure There is not onely in Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sufficiency but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a redundancie of grace as the Philosopher distinguisheth for this the Apostle affirmeth he hath a sufficiency and Fulnesse of grace 2 Cor. 9.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every necessity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at every time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of every grace fulnesse is for emptinesse and 't is the joy and glory of Christians my friends that their fulnesse is in their head That 't is where 't is safe and from whence it flowes fully and sweetly into their soules Christ is the well thou beleeving soule let downe thy bucket and drinke and live Christ loues out of the abundance of goodnesse because hee expects no profit out of us for wee are unprofitable servants but our love to him is out of the want of goodnesse because wee stand in need of God u Sed ejus amor ex abundantia bonitatis quia nullum è nobis commodum expectat nos enim servi sumus inutiles Deo Luk. 17.10 nostra autem erga eum est ex indigentia quia Deo indigemus Amesius in medul l. 2. cap. 7. Christ hath in him the fulnesse of
a fountaine give he ne're so much out to us he hath ne'r the lesse in himselfe hee is an inexhaustible well-spring of life he is not only full in himselfe and for himselfe but also communicatively unto others Fifthly Christ's love is free vv Non habet quo intret gratia ubi meritum occupavit Bern. in cant serm 67. acts freely in dispensation to every spirituall soule I will love them freely Hos 14.4.2 Cor. 5.4 men oft-times doe not the good they might when they have opportunity but Christ seeks for an opportunity waites for it goes about doing good You have some lovers that will love but then there is this defect in their love it is onely extorted from them by kindnesses and curtesies done to them and received by them from them whom they affect but can you force love from Christ x Omnia quae de Christo legeris non necessitate sed sponte facta reperies Orig. in gen hom 8. Matth. 10.8 if you could you need not for he love's freely he 's free enough freely you have received Christ's bowells yerne fully all his gifts are given freely come from him freely Rom. 8.32 Rom. 3.24 Justification comes freely Sanctification Glorification freely The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number then any people for ye were the fewest of all people but because he loved you Deut 7.7 8. he did it not from any motive arising from you for there was nothing in you to draw and kindle his love but he did it because he did it y Amat quia amat Bern. He chooseth none worthy of himselfe but by choosing them makes them worthy z Nullū eligit dignum sed eligendo efficit dignum Aug. cont Iuli Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. These things demonstrate freenes of grace to be in Christ to flow from him into beleevers First in that when hee sets his love upon a soule hee finds nothing in that soule worthy of love he findes much matter of loathing but nothing that's matter of love as an object fit and sutable for Divine love to fasten upon When a poore sinner lieth buried in pollutions and fleshly defilements and hath no cause in him moving Christ to love hee makes lovely and then loves though he findes that soule loathsome Ezek. 16. from the third to the eight Christ himselfe became uncomely Isa 53.2 that hee might the better cover their uncomely parts with his comelinesse he was without forms and comelinesse and when men saw him there was no beauty that they should desire him this he was for your sakes Christ doth as wee our selves doe upon those members that we thinke to be lesse honourable 1 Cor. 12.23 even on them we bestow more abundant honour and on our uncomely parts more abundant comelinesse Christ bestoweth on the more uncomely sinner receiving him the more abundant comelinesse so that the greatest sinners make the most gracious Saints Paul was once one of the chiefe of sinners the worst of men but after the Lord Christ in mercy look'd on him and wrought kindly upon his Spirit he became then one of the best of men in labours more abundant for Christ then all others Oft-times it falls out that such as are most rejected of men are most respected of God A lame Mephibosheth a halting creeple a blind Pharisee a leprous Samaritan Luk. 12 16. an ulcerous Lazarus a woman with a bloudy issue Mark 5.34 Persons uncleane and contemptible objects of disdaine in the eyes of men a Non desormitate corporis animus foedatur sed pulchritudine animi corpus ornatur Senec. he hath chosen also persons of meane employments as Amos a heards-man Gideon a thrasher Abel a shepheard Noah a husbandman Joseph a Carpenter Peter and Andrew fishers James and John fishers mending their nets were called and a Jaylor with many others of this world 's poore who were rich in Faith when chosen Mary a harlot Rachel a harlot Paul a blasphemer some of all sorts of sinners have been and shall bee saved through the riches of his grace yet God forbid you should sinne that Grace may abound doe not so sinne against Christ for if yee are Christ's yee dare not Secondly in that he comes upon a lovelesse sinner and sinfull soule unseene unsought and not desired 1. Unseen a man by nature is borne spiritually blind hee see 's not his owne wants nor Christ's worth the sinfulnesse of sinne nor the goodnesse and sweetnesse of a Saviour he see 's not his owne misery perceives not the nature of the Lords mercy he considers not his spirituall penury Christ comes upon the spirits of men invisibly unseen which shewes 't is from free love and that no provision can be made in any soule for the Lord Christ but what hee brings along with him Secondly unsought I am found of them that sought me not I said behold me behold me to a people that was not called by my name I saiah 65.1 viz. the heathen Gentiles that could not seek nor grope for and after Jesus Christ a people that had not so much as a good name to commend them if it were possible to Christ much lesse good natures What then moved this blessed lover to set his love upon them was it any thing they had for Christ or to bring unto Christ surely no. What then 't was the freenesse of Christ's will to doe good that moved him to love freely I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy that 's his determination He 's unsought not sought of them but they are sought of him He 's the seeker before conversion if there be any which must needs be if there be any reconcilement betwixt God and the soule Luke 9.10 I am come to seek and to save that which is lost Christ seekes us before we doe or can seek him we are lost till then Christ elects us also before we can elect him Joh. 15.6 you have not chosen mee saith Christ but I have chosen you you see then Christ's love is free and acts freely towards such as he will save Thirdly Christ workes on the soules of men when not desired naturall men doe not know him are not acquainted with him Iob. 21.14 his outgoings and incommings before them b Scientia non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem Tolerabilior est paena vivere non posse quam nescite Senec. they are enemies to the knowledge of a crucified Christ and it is certaine there can be no desire of unknowne objects When we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him Isaiah 53.2 The Prophet predicts what carnall and naturall men would thinke and conceive of Christ in their naturall conditions If men see no beauty in Christ no lovelinesse and sweetnesse in him it is impossible they should desire him for 't is the excellencie luster and beauty of an object that strengthneth
desires towards it and fixeth the eye of the intellect the understanding upon it Christ loves when not desired and therefore loves freely Fourthly it 's free for that it acts against repulses * Christ sometimes workes his workes on crosse and perverse natures some Christians have as crosse spirits by nature as can be in nature found yet he chooseth them when better and sweeter natures are refus'd Ah Lord what a great mystery of godlinesse is this love cannot be acquired by doing injuries deserved by repulses and therefore free Isaiah 65.23 I stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face Was this the way to be beloved of God much lesse to procure love was it not the direct way to be ruined stripped of God Christ and all goodnesse c Maium est agere quod prohibetur sed agere quia prohibetur pessimum Joh. 21.14 and yet you see he stretcheth out his arme he not onely put 's it forth but also stretcheth it forth as if he should straine himselfe to embrace those that will come out of darknesse into marvellous light and liberty Is not this grace free what so free as this Naturall men before Christ's Spirit comes into their hearts in powerfull workings they cry out Lord depart from us we will none of thy wayes and did not the Lord in love draw nigh to them where were they what would their end be Christ's love is free Sixtly it 's attractive it 's a drawing love I have drawne thee with loving kindnesse Jer. 31.3 Some lovers love dearely but cannot draw their objects nigh to them they love but are not loved againe their love is fruitlesse But Christ's love begets love love like it selfe Draw me saith the Spouse and I will runne after thee Christ could draw teares from Peters eyes with one looke of love and he wept bitterly d Petrus tunc flevit quando in cum Christus respexit Bern. de mod benè viv ser 10. Petrus flevit tacuit quia quod defleri solet non solet excusari quod defendi non potest ablui potest Ambr. 10.3 ser 46. Greg. Homil. 30. in Evang. saith the Text. Christ's love is magnes amoris the Loadstone of love it drawes Iron hearts to it and makes them melt before the Sun of Righteousnesse when it shines upon them sweetly Christ's love is a heart ravishing love he can snatch a Paul into the third heavens and fill him with joy peace and glory invisibly he can so wrap him up in the thoughts of his love and fruits of his goodnesse as that the man is lost in God is in an extasie cannot tell you what hee ha's seen felt or heard Gracious spirits you can say Amen to the truth of these things Ha's not his love served you as zeale did David ha's't not eaten you up 't will first or last serve you so yee favourites of Heaven Christ's effectuall love is not laid out in vaine for loving to the end hee holds his object close to himself till he hath it where it cannot get from him even in his owne mansion and dwelling place Christ drawes with bands of love Hosea 11.3 Christians if words will not fasten you to your Saviour deeds must he hath bands for you and if hee get you in bands he 'l hold you fast Seventhly it 's coercive both within himselfe and also in all his members What made him to veile his glory become flesh and save his people but love e Nihil enim est quod non toleret qui perfectè diligit he loved me and what followes he gave himselfe for me when once you have his love you have his heart whatsoever he is and hath heare the Father speake to dejected soules Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever f Quod omnibus promittitur singulis promittitur beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life So lov'd viz. so infinitely so transcendently so incomprehensibly there 's a sic without a sicut marke that wisely and well Doth thy unsutablenesse to Christ and unworthinesse of Christ afflict thee Remember his love will cause him to stoope to thee and make thee worthy in himselfe And that very apprehension if cordiall and reall if hearty and sincere even that I say is a fruit of Christ's love shed abroad in thy heart already this abasing of thy selfe is a lifting up of Christ in thine own soule who hath already made thy heart his home What force is that which moved him who of himselfe is so violent in all victory to be so vanquished with all violence g Quae est ista quaeso vis tam violentia ad victoriam tam victam ad violentiam Bern. super Cant. ser 64. Nulla vis major pietate verá est Triumphat de Deo amor Id. Ibid. Amor est nothing but the force of love Nazianzen calls love a sweet tyrant h Dulcis tyrannus Nazianzen orat 28. in Maxim In his members what gives life and motion to all the parts of his body mysticall but love all action of theirs are the product of his affection to them the more Christ's love ha's its perfect worke on a beleeving soule the more lively and lovely are the reachings out of that soule towards Christ the blessed light of the Lords favourable countenāce shining out unto a Spirituall soule makes labours many after Messiah's presence love's coercive Eightly 't is immutable cannot change varie or alter neither length of time distance of place nor strength of deformity can worke an alteration in his love The love of man is very variable we love by fits and so doth every foole he loves in his mood while the pang lasteth But as the torrent is up and downe so it is with many lovers they are either as high as the skies or else as low as hell either those they love are the best with them or the worst living because they are unsteady constant in nothing but in inconstancy But the love of Christ is alwayes the same the injuries we doe to Christ although they have their fruit in discomfort and occasion the hiding of his face with the suspension of the manifestations of his love for a season which indeed is a hell on earth to a sanctified soule i Substractio gratlae est maxima poena Alst in sent l. 2. tract 30. q. 2. Yet these injuries even these I say doe not alter or lessen his love to his k Nube solet pulsa candidus esse dies Ovid. Afflictio dat intellectum quos Deus diligit castigat Deus optimum quemque aut mala valetudine aut luctu afficit Seneca Unde datum est vulnus contigit inde salus for God can visit transgressions with arod and iniquities with stripes neverthelesse his loving-kindnesse shall continue with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
seeme to shew some love to themselves but doe no more then grope after true blisse Some seeke to be and doe well in their latter end but 't is but as the Sodomites grop'd for Lots doore in the darke Reach after it they doe but 't is onely ignorantly as some worship they know not what so some seeke they know not what others seeke they know not where vitam beatam quaerunt in regione mortis They seeke Heaven in Hell Is est homo calamitatis fabula insoe-Ncitatis tabula the living among the dead a living Christ in wayes of death Is this to love thy selfe The Lord bee good to such a soule Christ loves thee more then thou lovest thy selfe for his care is more for thy soule then is thine owne Thou canst let slip away precious opportunities of soule refreshing rarities and ne're observe the emptinesse of all seene things but Christ watcheth alwayes ne'r slumbreth ne'r sleepeth waites that hee may be gracious to thy gracelesse selfe Oh sinner what 's the frame of thy heart when thou ponder'st these things Did'st thou ever heare of such a friend that could over-love thy selfe in thee seeke things for thy owne peace like to Christ Is not this love of the highest degree do's not this speake him an inlarging good when thou art straitning thine owne bowells against and towards thy selfe in the things of thine owne welfare Fifthly Christ loves more then a soule For first a soule may leave her bodie in the dust but cannot raise 't up againe but Christ will raise his body though buried in bottomes of greatest depth Secondly the soule quickens with a borrowed life but Christ quickens with his own life Christ loves his owne bodie more then the soule can love her owne body Two things shew the soule 's strength of love to her owne body 1. Feare of death 2. Loathnesse to die For the first men tremble to thinke of that separation which is then made betwixt soule and body it 's as he calls it a terrible separation f Horrendum divortium Bern. sup Cant. ser 26. not onely of the dead from the living but also of the dead from it selfe a separation of the dead body from its owne soule which is it selfe Timore casto autem timeat homo separationem à Deo Bern. Secondly loathnesse to dye the soule shrink's at the bodies dissolution and they each of them grieve to part with each other Is there not in them who shall live for ever a loathnesse to die which loathnesse arising neither from a desire of possessing present pleasures nor from a feare of suffering future torments in hell fire must needs spring from this root the love that is betwixt soule and body Hylarion when he was about to die spake to his soule thus Goe out my soule goe out what fearest thou what doubtest thou g Egredere anima mea Egredere quid times quid dubitas Hierom. in vita Hillarion discovering that his soule was loath to leave her earthly home loath to goe to her heavenly Father the onely Father of Spirits oh the love it selfe of none but of such an one who is love its selfe * D. Wals ser lise death of Christ 1 Joh. 4.8 God is love Christ's and Christians union is greater then that of soule and body thus 1. The soule is truly and properly said to be in the body but the body cannot truly and properly be said to be in the soule for 't is impossible h Ultra posse non est esse But Christ is said to be in his and they are said to be in him 2. There is a greater union between the one then is between the other i Caput corpus unus est Christus Aust and therefore the greater love for the more the unitie is the more is the amity Sixthly Christ loves man more then man loves God though you take in the best of men within the limits of this conclusion Abraham may give a Sonne an onely sonne k Sint in hoc parenti triplicata supplicia silius charissimus quem diligis Orig. in locum Fulmen non minus terribile Abrahamo quam si jubetur cor sibi cruere immo secum universo mundo in Infernum praecipitare Paraeus in Gen. 22. a sonne he lou'd to the Lord his God in love through many straits and yet not be so much in love with God as he 's in love with him a man may give his owne life selfe and soule to Jesus Christ and yet not love as he 's belov'd For first love in this life is little and can you think its acts are so great Nothing acts beyond the compasse of its owne abilities Secondly wee are the Lords debtors our lives are his by right but Christ is debtor to none he paid many debts of many thousands but ow'd not a mite to any l Promittendo se fecit debitorem Aug. 3. Christ's love to us is greater then ours to him for 'tas a greater fruit his love makes lovely but ours addes nothing to his beauty wee may get by him but what gaines he by us can we augment his glory that were to help the Sunne to shine whose glory needs no increase Deare friends tell mee what thoughts have you of Christ's love and what worke doth it make on your spirits can you at last admire the height depth length and breadth of such a grace in such a person as Christ is you see friends of Christ all these lovers have done worthily Prov. 31.29 and yet as Solomon saith of the vertuous woman many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so may I say of Christ and much more many lovers have done worthily but thou excellest them all CHAP. IV. Of the Discoveries and manifestations of Christs love SOme things have a greater shew than substance but the things of Christ are no such things Some men have got an Art to seeme what they are not these doe like themselves not like Christ for Christ cannot doe so He 's as good as he seemes but cannot seeme the halfe of that he is in himselfe and unto his while they live in this inferiour world Some want Bowells or else shut up those they have in time of others need but Christ abounds with Bowells and they are alwayes open never shut against his chosen Hence is that multiplication of that mercifull word Hosea 11.8 How shall I give thee up how shall I deliver thee how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim and the Lord gives you the reason of this his arguing within himselfe his heart was turned his repentings were kindled set on fire within his bless'ed brest Christ's love and the discoverie on 't doe passe th' apprehension of mortall weights but unto you who must put on immortality bee it shadowed out thus DIscoveries of love are either verball or actuall and practicall Christ discovers
his love to his by words or workes expressions or actions By words Christ lets his know hee loves them speaking good to them and of them to his Father First by words of nomination by the sweet Epithets hee gives them as is usuall among all lovers save that in this Christ outstrips them all when hee is verball he is alwayes reall so are not other lovers These sweet words demonstrate love 2 Chron. 20.7 Joh. 15.15 Mark 3.35 Cant. 4.12 Mal. 3.17 Zach. 2.8 Ioh. 21.5 Cant. 2.10 Dent. 32.9 Cant. 4.11 Cant. 5.2 Love Dove undefiled and those other words elsewhere my friend my brother my sister my Jewells the apple of mine eye my children my faire ones my portion my Spouse Are not these expressions full of love doe not these words of Christ speake you beloved We take it mighty kindly when the great ones of this world speake friendly to us and we thinke it a favour a friendship more worth then gold How will some plot contrive and lay their heads together for a few good words from an earthly Monarch Prince or Potentate Let such behold the King of Kings putting out himself freely in sweetest termes His Spouse lov'd to heare him speake let me heare thy voyce Cant. 2.14 for it 's sweet and thy countenance is comely Saints feele sweetnesse in their Saviours words he gives his beloved good names which are better then precious oyntments Christ also knowes his by those names Thou hast told me saith Moyses that thou knowest me by name Exod. 33.12 Though those hee hath elected may keep from him many yeares and not come at him untill their through conversion yet when they come to him hee can call them by their names he can call out Saul Saul goe to such a place thou art a chosen vessell Though afflictions both of body and mind may so change men as Job was changed by his noysome body poore estate meane dwelling which was on a dunghill Or as Lazarus was changed with running fores so as that a man that had seen them before would say that is not Job this is not Lazarus yet God hath not forgotteÌ„ them he knowes them yea he knowes them by name he can say this is my friend Abraham this is my servant Job this is my son Adam tho'other is my child David a man after my owne heart hee calls them together as you doe your children by name Fetch mysonnes from far saith the Lord he cannot forget his What the Heathen Oratour spake flatteringly of Julius Caesar namely that hee was wont to forget nothing but wrongs and injuries a Nihil oblivisci solet nisi injurias Jer. 31.34 Heb. 8.12 chap. 10.17 is most true of God and Christ He forgets nothing but the sinnes of his people I will forgive and remember their finnes no more The Lord blots out their sinnes that they condemne them not puts them away that they hurt theÌ„ not casts them behind his back as though he regarded them not casts them into the Sea that they drowne them not covers them that they appeare not in the Judgement doth not impute them as if they were not A second sort of love discovering words that fall from Christ's sweetest lips are words of consolation Comfort yee comfort yee my people saith your God speake you comfortably to Jerusalem I saiah 40.1.2 O yee rectified Christians consider the fruit of Christ's words what fruits words spoken of Christ have 'T is said of Elizabeth when she heard the salutations of Mary with the tidings of a Jesus that the babe leapt in her belly and she was filled with the Holy Ghost The good woman was transported above her selfe that not onely the babe but her self also leaped for Joy Luke 2.41 to 5. and she brake out into singing of God's great goodnesse to her Consider what soule-ravishing comfort there is in words spoken by Christ Christ's words warme well as farre as they goe Did not our hearts burne within us Luk 24.32 when he talked with us spake to us were wee not inflam'd with love ravish'd with joy yea ravish'd in spirit especially when he opened to us the Scriptures those precious sountaines of living waters when Christ speakes to the heart with power he speakes from his heart in love and such kind of speaking must needs be very taking in and upon the Spirits of Saints Tell me ô yee servants of the most High when you feed where he feedes his flock when you rest with him at noone in the scorching times of trouble from within and from without tell me I say Is not this fruit sweet to your taste did you ever taste the like Cant. 2.3 what have you not found your hearts raised your Spirits quickned your doubts resolved your soules filled with his marrow and fatnesse Psal 63.5.6 and that invisibly b Pulcherrimam insulam videmus etiam cum non videmus Lyps ep ad Cambdâ—â— my soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse and my mouth shall prayse thee with joyfull lips when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches saith the Prophet as if hee should say I cannot once think on thee and thy goodnesse but it fattens my soule and strengthens mee as a man is strengthned with marrow much more in the multitude of my thoughts within me doe thy comforts delight my soule Psal 94.19 and elsewhere the good man is so full of the comforts of his good God after hee had spoken peace and comfort to him that his mouth is too narrow for his heart and observation and breakes out thus 139. Psal 17 18. How precious are thy thoughts to me oh God How great is the summe of them If I should count them they are more then the sands when I awake I am still with thee viz. I cannot be from thee I cannot be without thee thou art so good to me Thou man of God admire his goodnesse deplore thine own vilenesse A third sort of Christ's love discovering words are words of Promise c Quaelibet divina promissio est dilectionis Dei erga nos testimonium Calv. l. 3. Jnst c. 2. Policitis dives in praestatione ditior promissary words he discovers his love by sweerest promises made to them he loves even as 't is usuall amoÌ„g all lovers Promises that doe assure d In Dei promissis nulla falsitas est quia infacienais nulla est omnipotenti difficultas Fulgent them of spirituall helps and sufficiencies First that he prayes to his Father for them Secondly that he prayes to his Father in them he prayes to his and their Father for them First that their graces faile not Secondly that their natures soile not That their graces faile not Peter saith Christ Satan hath desired to have you that he might winnow you and sift you as wheat he would have you in his sive to sift out your grace and preserve nothing but the chaffe of your
qui nos ipsos non perfectè cognoscimus non possimus ad plenum scire quid nobis expediat ideò necesse est ut à Deoditigamur protegamur qui omnia novit omnia potest Aqu. sum 2 â— q 109. a. 9. crying Christians when you crie unto God Christ by his Spirit is crying in you and calling out Abba Abba Father Father can you then doubt of being heard when Christ prayes in you whom the Father heares alwayes Secondly Christ in them poures forth their requests to the Father and that by words sutable to his Majesty and their necessity this is called the help of the Spirit by reason of mans infirmity and this help is afforded because we know not what to pray for as we ought 'T is good to have a helper when wee goe into the presence of a great God especially when wee are helplesse for did not the Spirit help who else can give supplie in such a case Or what can be pleasing to God save that which comes from God can any thing lead to God ascend unto him besides that which descended from him surely nothing onely he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because that makes intercession according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 God and Christ puts words in his peoples mouthes as is clear from Hos 14.2 Turning to the Lord say these words take away our iniquities remove our sinnes from us receive us graciously be favourable to us so shall wee render to thee the calves of our lips that is we will bee thankfull so Luke 11. from the first to the fift When the Disciples desired Christ to teach them to pray hee puts words into their mouthes saying when yee goe to my God and your God speake thus call him Father the very name prayes for us k Ipsum nomen â—rat pro noâ—is pray him to sanctifie his owne name to let his Kingdome come his Kingdome of grace into the hearts of the gracelesse to let his will be done upon you in you and by you and for manner so an earth as 't is done in heaven viz. willingly chearefully readily with much willingnesse without any the least wearinesse aske for bread for the day all necessaries for the comfortable being of the outward man aske forgivenesse of sinnes for he is blessed to whom the Lord imputes not sinne though hee hath little of the things and necessaries of this life Beg you be not lead into temptation viz. not suffer'd to be tempted or else be kept from falling under the temptation l Jubet orare ne in tentationem dueantur i. e. ne ab câ vincantur Aug. l. de Cor. grat c. 6. and from being overcome of it and that you may bee delivered from all evill of sinne and suffering Yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done unto you if yee continue in mee and my words abide in you Joh. 15.7 aske and ye shall have Christ names not what shall be given to let us know that gift is above all that can be named m Non dicitur quid dabitur quia donum supra omne nomen Aug. Secondly or without words for prayer is mentall as well as vocall and although a Spirit of son-ship is a Spirit of Prayer and every son of God is a man of prayer yet some sweet soules as deare to Christ as others cannot sometimes by reason of some distempers and distractions of body and mind I say they cannot utter their minds by words at the Throne of grace Rom. 8.26 Now Christ by his Spirit helps n Est metaphora ab onerious sumpâ—a quae utrinque admotis manibus sublevantur Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Luk. 10.40 The Greek worâ—â—'s a decompound and there 's great force in it these sometimes even to sigh out their wants and sorrowes before him and obtaine o sometimes to groane out their desires unto him sometimes by weeping shedding teares which have a secret language and voyce in the eares of the Lord of rests Psal 6.8 Thou hast heard the voyce of my weeping and Christ himselfe hath wept for some * ChristuÌ„ flevisse legimus rifisse nunquam Salvian l. 6. Cum Spiritus hominis suspiâ—or Spiritus Dei aspirat Cyprian Matth. 6. sometimes the heart 's so full of sorrow so sad and heavie that nothing can bee said or done then even then the Spirit helps and all through love Christ ha's promised his beloved friends corporall succours every morsell a Saint receives hee hath it in way of a promise The Lord feedes others too but 't is onely so as he doth the beasts of the field in an ordinary way of providence wicked men may have much and yet inherit nothing because they possese not God in their injoyments injoy not him in conjunction and connection with the Creatures Take no thought saith Christ what ye shall eate or what yee shall drinke or wherewithall yee shall be cloathed It 's enough for a Gentile a Heathen a stranger to God and Christ to bee cuttingly carefull for these things that hath ne'r a heavenly Father to provide for him Doth your heavenly Father feed the fowles of the Heavens and shall hee not much more feed you Doth he cloath the Lillies of the field better than Solomon in all his glory and cloath the grasse of the field * Wicked men are like the grasse of the field with their gloria brevis whose end 's to be burn'd which remaines but for a time and shall hee not cloath thee who shalt live for ever abide for ever these are some of Christ's comfortable love discovering words And many other such like there be which for number are as the Starres of the Firmament that cannot be told 'T is said that one Crane a precious Christian though of meane estate in outward things being about to die and it being demanded by his friends what should become of his children hee answered thus God that provided for the Ravens will also certainly provide for the young Cranes and according to the good mans faith so it was that all his children were well provided for in this evill world Psal 34.9 There is no want to them that feare him that is of what is good for them and to misse an evill thing is no injurie to them If the Lord of his goodnesse doth foresee that riches will be a snare to one or other his sonnes of love and therefore withholds them from them what doth that child want save something which if hee had 't would make him more wanting in better things Some have much of the world and this hath been the fruit of it the cares of getting and keeping together with the feares of loosing the things of this life 'tas almost drunke up all that delight Joy and content they should and might have had in a spirituall God Christ and spirituall things If any man loves this world the love of the Father
Christians here 's your comfort that Christ's work doth never over-match the strength of the Operator 1 Cor 10.13 The faithfull God saith Paul will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able to beare it is a worke of Christ and his service to endure temptation Christ's servants consider your Masters love what if Satan assaults you 't is not you he encounters withall but the power of Christ in you and so you shall bee able to reassault Satan His grace is sufficient * 2 Cor. 12.9 for thee z Sufficit mihi gratia tua cum deficiâ— virtus mea Bern. apud Cornel. à lapide in locum and which is more the Lord Christ gives thee a medicine with the maladie a cure with the disease Oh spirituall soule thy straits and reliefes come hand in hand unto thee a meanes of escape with the temptation this instance may suffice Thou mayst see by this how sweetly God season 's crosses with comforts Secondly by a continuation of intrinsecall supplies while 's they are ingaged by him that there be no impairing of the strength of his servants Services of men doe oft-times wast and consume the strength of servants some are even worne out by them have done so much for their Masters as that they can doe nothing for themselves But in Christ's services the Saints are as able at the last as first for Alpha and Omega is with them Such as waite on the Lord shall renew their strength Such mount up with wings like Eagles runne and shall not be weary walk not faint The services of Christ are all strengthning not at all weakning Thirdly by frequent forbearances when they offend hee shews love in that other Masters are prone to make the worst of every fault But Christ doth not tax thus discourage dishearten and discomfort so for every fault You righteous Enoch's that walke with God can speake better things of God than so if your indeavours be at the highest that you doe what you are able he makes no words of the sinnes of your services to discourage you Lam. 3.22 his compassions faile not a Compassio impassibilitate perdurat Bern. de grad humil his bowells cease not yerning towards his Psal 78.38 being full of compassion he forgave them their iniquity and destroy'd them not many a time turned he his anger away and did not stirre up all his wrath many a time often Christ is frequent in forbearances he can suffer much and suffer long Christians is he to you a patterne of like piety Fourthly by exacting no more from them than he hath promised to worke in them If God will have onenesse of heart newnesse of Spirit contrition faith patience love Ezek. 36.27 c. 11.19 20. he worke it in you b Is dat qui mandat qui jubet ille juvat Friends many complaine of want of power to serve Christ they cannot doe this or that or the other but is it not want of will Christ supplies thy former want c Da domine quod jubes jube quid vis Aug. He will put his Spirit within you and cause you to walke in his Statutes and yee shall know his Judgements and doe them you shall be his people and he will be your God and if want of will be the burthen he 'l supply that want also My people shall be willing in the day of my power d Juvat idem qui jubet Auson power and will goe hand in hand when Gods goodnesse workes kindly in us Fifthly by a continuation of his presence with them for their assistance when they faile in point of a right performance e Cum nullum agens secundum a gat nisi in vertute primi sitquè caro spiritur perpetuò rebillis uon potest homo licet jam gratiom consecutus per seipsum operare bonum vitare peccatum absquè novo auxilio Dei ipsum moventis â—irigentis protegentes quamvis alia habitualis gratia ad hoc ci necessaria non est via Aqui. sum 1. q. 2 â— q. 103. d. g. 'T is some ease to a servants mind when his Master will put to his hand to set forward the worke even so Christ do's speed the performances of his people by putting under his hand Will not this incourage what can be more inlivening to living Christians my soule followes hard after thee saith David hee was much in the thoughts of God God was with him and he with God but what 's the reason thy right hand upholds mee Psal 63.8 Christ's followers take hold on his Crosse and Christ will lay hands on 't too yea and beare the heavier end for them 'T is with a Christian as with plants which the heat and influence of the Sunne makes to thrive when Christ the Sunne of Righteousnesse shines upon them is present with them they prosper all things grow in their hands and their comfort 's in the hands of Christ such as is his presence with them such is their life and no other Sixthly by setting before them the same Joy that his Father set before him in all his doings and sufferings the best way to encourage a servant in his worke is to set the reward before his eye thus God the Father served his Christ * Heb. 12.2 consider him therefore least you be weary of well doing and faint in your mindes * vers 3. Christians you are apt and prompt to wearinesse in spirituall services to faintnesse under the Crosse of Christ But saith the Lord * ver 2. looke unto Jesus consider his patience his suffering and remember for your comfort how hee now raignes the greatnesse and goodnesse of Christ's pay smoth's the the roughnesse of heavens way Secondly in suffering for them f Multo efficatior Christi mors in bonum quam peccata nostra in malum Christus potentior ad salvandam quam Daemon ad per dendum Bern. true lovers will suffer to their losse that they may gaine the thing they desire and having got that they love their hearts are at rest Christ suffered losse even of his glory for a season that the travaile of his soule might prosper in his hands and that he might inherit the sonnes of his love his peculiar portion Christ suffered both in life and death and for their sakes he lov'd not his life to the death Consider the greatnes of that work of dying for them by the worthinesse and fitnesse of the person which makes the salvation more glorious then else it could have beene which appeares to have in it a heavenly glory thus First that onely Christ and his death could be able to part that strife which was betwixt an offended God and offending man he is our peace saith the Scripture who hath made both one and broken downe the middle wall of partition between us he abolish'd the enmity in his flesh he made in himselfe of twaine one new man * Ephes
eyes from the things of your peace lest you discover your selves to bee lost to whom the glorious Light of the glorious Gospell is hid to whom the way of peace is unknowne for God will put resplendent glory upon his Justice in the fall of some as well as rise of others the damnation of some as well as salvation of others Thirdly doth not his wisdome and Mercy deserve to be sharers in the glory too doubtlesse his wisdome was infinitely seene in this h Sapientiae Dei quasi perdix fovet filios quos non peperit quasi gallina congregat pullas sub alis quafi Aqulla provocat ad volandum Bern. sent for who but the Lord himselfe and what but the wisdome of a God could find out such a way to satisfie his Justice and propagate his mercy that austerity and lenity should dwell together in the same brest That 's a mirrour of Miracles and are not his mercies above all his workes who dare deny it Mercy and Judgements doe proceed from God as honie and the sting come from the Bee Honie comes from the Bee naturally is not forced but comes sweetly and freely But the sting comes forth by provocation stimulation So Mercy comes from God sweetly and freely i MagnaÌ„ injuriâ—â— Deo facit qui diffidet de ejus miserecordia Aug. without forcing for who can extort from him force him k Bonitas invicti non vincitur infiniti miserecordia non finitur Fulgent 't is as naturall for God to doe good as to be good it 's as impossible for him to cease to doe as to cease to be Mercy is his delight Now acts of Justice are more strange acts to him l Tua quidem malitia mensuram habet Dei autem miserecordia mensuram non haber tua malitia circumscripta est c. Chyes hom 3. de poenitent and they are called his strange Acts in the Scriptures Judgement comes not from him till he be provok'd and incenced by us against our persons And there is this reason of Gods proceeding in this kind the motive or moving cause to his mercy is in himselfe but the motive or moving cause to acts of Justice is without himselfe within us m Deus Pater miserieordiarum sed quòd judicat condemnat nos eum quodammodo cogim us Bern. de nat Dom So that when the proper cause which is sin in us is removed then that reall product of sinne that fruit and effect of sinne which is an incurring of the Lords displeasure is no more existent Hence those sayings of the Lord to Asa The Lord is with you while yee are with him but if you forsake him hee forsakes you When wee keep up society with God and Christ he cannot be against us nor can he ever forsake us untill he be forsaken of us n Deus nifi deserentem se non deserit non nos deserit fons si nos fontem non deseramus Aug. in Johan 32. Tu me non deseris nisi prius ego te deseram Aug. in solilo c. 14. you see the cause and the effect Then who is a God like to our God that forgives iniquitie transgression and sinne and is not angrie for ever because he delights in Mercy You have seen you children of Light the fitnesse worthinesse and sufficiency of your Saviours person parts and courage to suffer for you and how truly hee hath made o're what he hath been and don even to you for your good Doth not this speake you beloved doe you not see God in the face and acts of Christ smiling upon you Consider was he thus fit to suffer for you and is hee now fit to reigne for you Then account him most fit to reigne in you and to be exalted by you But we 'l glimpse out the glory of this great worke a little more First that highest Majesty should bow it selfe to lowest indignity we are but as wormes to him o Altus est Deus humilis est Christianus si vult ut altus Deus vicinetur illi ille humilis fiat magna mysteria fratres Deus super omnia est Erigis te non illum tangis humilias te ipse ad te descendit Aug. in Psal 34. What that the glorious God should seeke for a Harmony with unglorious man fallen man man that had lost all his comelinesse man that is borne like a bruit that he who had for his associates a glorified God glorified Angels should veile his glory come downe from Heaven become flesh and be like other men yea the meanest of them even a servant Is not this glorious all glorious is not this love expressed drawne out ad vivum to the life Secondly the cohabitation of two natures in one and the same person with harmony Is it not the property of contrarieties to disagree not to exist peaceably in one and the same subject Fire ye know resists water when injected with a fiery hissing yet Christ you see hath effected and accomplish'd this naturall impossibility He made his Godhead and manhood to dwell together in one person with peace and strong was the union Herein even in this sense was that fulfilled in him which was typed out concerning him by the pillar of God the cloudy pillar there was Light and darknesse two contraries in one pillar Were not our natures darkenes it self till he joyned his Light with them in one person Thirdly in that mans rising by Christ and living the life of grace and glory should bee contrived both by Father and Sonne from all eternity even before man was and had fallen by sinne from his God Christ's bloud was effectuall before existent p Sanguis Christi profuit antequam fuit Bern. that hee should be and not be at one and the same time be in God and yet not in the wombe or world God hath chosen you in Christ saith the Apostle before the foundation of the world then certainly before you had being in the world This Christ was for the good of Christians and thus Christians were through the goodnesse of God and Christ Christians you were in Gods favour before your generation before you were begotten and conceiv'd and God discovers it unto you and that you are beloved hee speakes you beloved by Regeneration This may fitly be called a third part of the workes glimpsed glory q Qui in factis Dei rationem non videt infirmitatem suam considerans cur non videat rationem videt Greg. in Job c. 9. 4. In that there is now such a firme league of friendship betwixt God and his people as if they had never been ad oddes in a way of enmitie Christ and his people are good friends now they speake together conferre together teed together dwell together lodge together and live together r Omne bonum concordiae cognatum est Spond in homilia 2. Now saith Christ my Father is pleased all is well and wee are well pleased
loose you can you tell I tell you that to die here is to begin to live for ever hereafter Secondly in Infringements and imprisonments of the body hee suffers with them gives rest unto them z Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia qaictum aspiceâ—e quiescere est Bern. in Cant. 23. is it not better you sensible soules to be in prison with Christ than to bee at Liberty without him nay is it not better to be in Hell with him than in heaven without him if such a thing could be doth not his presence prove a Heaven a Christus nobiscum 1. Politicè ut Rex in Regno Dux in exercitu 2. Occonomicè ut Pater in domo 3. Ethicè ut ratio in homine 4. Physicè ut anima in corpore Cornel. à lapide what 's the Heaven above but the fruition of God and Christ and Christians tell me when you injoy much of Christ in the closet or Congregation when you feele the warmth heat and vigour of all his love and spirituall graces working upon your drooping Spirits doe they not revive you put much life in you his words are Spirit and life much more then are his works Is it not your Heaven to enjoy and for your soules to possesse their beloved's presence b Heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Bern. in Cant. ser 13. Res delicata est Spiritus Dei Tertu Memor sum quanta pace fruebar cum in Domino gaudebam ideò nunc magis doleo quia scio quid perdidi scio quà m maxima bona amisi redde quod per peccatum mihi abstuli redde quod meâ culpâ perdidi Savanarol medit in Psal Miserere c. Thirdly in wounds or hurts of the body or mind if Saul goes to Damascus and treads but on the feet of Christ the meanest and lowest of his servants Doth not Christ bow his head yea all his body to save them will it not make him crye out Saul Saul why doest thou tread on my feet persecute me in the least of my members yea certainly had he ne'r opened his mouth before yet then as the dumbe sonne of Craesus by straining his voice had the strings of his tongue unloosed when he saw his Father like to be butchered crying Oh! kill not King Craesus so Christ could the former be which cannot be in him yet then when they suffer he suffers with them and cries as to Saul Kill not my children pierce me not cut mee not in pieces rob not imprison me not he now plainely speakes this in our eares by his word could wee but mind it Christians when you are touch'd with a hurtfull touch so sensible is hee that he is touch'd in the apple of his eye too his eye smarts whose you are and hee that made eyes assure your selves will soone heale that eye sore when 't is seasonable to doe it Lastly in hurts of the mind Are you wounded in Spirit troubled in mind tempted he is tempted with you wounded with you troubled with you is not this love discover'd Now hee is in Heaven he is touch'd with a feeling of your infirmities on earth c Inchoata in incarnatione completa in ascensione Cornel. à Lapide Are you tempted so was he and that in all points like to you sinne being excepted viz. sinne did not tempt him as it doth you but then he was tempted by Satan to sinne as well as Satan tempts you to sinne d This I take to be the sense of the place instance that sore temptation to cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple to murther himself and that temptation hee tempted him withall to commit Idolatrie to fall downe and worship a Devill like a Heathen hee also tempted him to distrust infidelity when he would have had him make bread of stones as though God could not live without bread or as though there were not enough of God in the blessed man to sustaine him a little longer yea for ever if he pleased without food CHAP. V. Of the ends of Chrisi's love EVery thing hath its end * Prov. 23.18 and every thing is such as its end is as the thing is towhich it tends all 's well that ends well that 's the Proverb not more ancient then true 't is the end that crowns the action when God would prove a person action or thing to be good or evill he takes this course observes and bids us observe also what the end of the person or thing is at which it aimes or tends marke the perfect man and behold the upright man saith the Lord for the end of that man is * Psal 37.37 peace though hee ha's trouble in his beginning and progresse yet ha's he peace in his end viz. his way tends to peace though hee sowes in teares yet hee reapes in joy for Light is sowne for the Righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart men sow to the end they may reape Thus he proves an upright man to be a good man by his good end So saith he the end of the wicked shall be cut off Viz. He shall misse of all that hee aimes at hee thinkes whatsoever his life be his death shall be good he aimes at happines after a sort but takes asunder the meanes from the end when such an one dies all his thoughts perish where is his hope when God takes away his soule saith Job either his sinne with himselfe shall have no end for sinne in its fruits goe to hell with him lives for ever with him sinnes are his workes and they follow him or secondly his end shall be and that most certainly the beginning of his never ending torment by paine of losse and sense together viz. his sinne tends that way leads thither Some desire Heaven but 't is not so much for the societie of God and Christ as from a carnall conceit that there 's no want there they shall have fulnesse Doe not carnall men dreame of carnall eating in Christ's Kingdome happie said the Jewes are they who shall eat bread with thee in thy Kingdome but this end shew'd their desire was carnall for Christ reproves them when he tells them the Kingdome of Heaven consists not in meats or drinkes but in Righteousnesse and true holinesse Every true lover propounds to himselfe his end ha's his end and that 's true of Christ hee hath ends for which he loves and to which his love tends His ends are such as these 1. To make his object lovely 2. To present his Spouse blamelesse 3. To keep the soule stainlesse 4. To save the soule harmelesse FIrst he loves to make his lovely in his owne blessed sight and unto his owne glorious selfe Christ loves comely Christians Christ's frame on a Christians spirit is a Christ-aluring beautie a choice Spouse's distance from her loyall husband is a cord of love to draw his presence to her long suspension of personall fellowship makes communion sweeter
when injoy'd Christ's presence is good to Christians and communion with them is good to him a soules distance from her husband Christ is verie great yet many pledges of dearest love passe betwixt them something of Christ being in the soule brings all Christ to dwell there he loves himselfe and delights to dilate where himselfe is Some love to fulfill lust and natures fancie but Christ loves that his object may be lovely to himselfe and all his off-spring The bridegroome loves to see his Bride adorn'd on a bridall day would have her as neat as hand can make her that her aspect may bee pleasing to him Christ loves to cloath his people with a heavenly glory hee loves a soule that he may present it to himselfe a glorious Creature 't is inward Glory I now speake of Christ hath no lust to feed sinnes not found in him he seekes nelther bodies pelfe nor the minds riches sweet Messiah thy ends are good Christ sets his love on naked soules In some parts of the world some buy their wives and cloath them so doth Christ in every corner of the earth gives himselfe for them and then puts a glory upon them Christ's glory is transforming some have seene it as in a glasse and have been changed by it into the same Image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord * 2 Cor. 3.18 Christ himselfe assum'd our nature that he might cloath and adorne us with his like to like saith the Proverb Christ loves his object to make it like him and then clos'es with it cannot stick loose to it so pure's his love Other lovers may alter in their love because they cannot augment their objects lustre amiable aspect but Christ can make his object as comely as hee will then where is the ground of change not in the object not in the Subject therefore not at all I the Lord change not that 's his saying who is immutable Secondly Christ loves to present his object blamelesse both to himselfe and also before his Father Some lovers will find no fault in the objects they list to embrace but having receiv'd them find nothing else in them but faults is this to love in truth you earthlie sensuall lovers Christ findes out faults before he espouses a soule to himselfe but then through love covers them buries them forgets them Christ never upbraids a soule with what he hath formerly been and done God upbraids no man Some speak well of that they like untill they have got it and then the worst word they have's too good for 't but Christ speakes worst of soules before hee 's wedded to them but when of twaine they are one flesh he speaks and makes the best he can of them and the least good that 's in them hee cannot breake a bruised reed nor can hee quench the smoaking flax hee cannot rip up old breaches betwixt his Spouse and him but he 's good at kindling smallest sparkes of saving grace though buried in a heap of ashes he is wont to make much weaknesse little and little strength much Some Lovers will hide nothing they know by those they have seem'd to love will you call this love 't is perfect hatred but heavenly favourites your heavenly husband 's not so unkind he covers all evills and uncovers all good in them hee loves Prov. 16.12 'T is said he 's able to present blamelesse before his Father with exceeding great joy * Iude 24. and he 's as active as able in such a kind of presentation Thirdly he loves to present his object spotlesse Christ sets his love on soules to cleanse them * Eph. 5.27 and sanctifie them to his owne and his Fathers use Satan loves to have soules that he may staine them pollute them bereave them of their glorie and Christ's Image that 's in them he 's all for soiling of soules that he may foile them insnare them but Christ takes out the spots of his owne flesh he sets his love on a soule to wash it from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit Ezek. 16.6.7 the soules time of miserie is Christ's time of mercy when thou wast in thy bloud I said to thee live and thy time was the time of love John tells the seven Churches of Asia Christ lov'd us and then wash'd away our sinnes by his bloud heavenly husband thou lov'st to good purpose Christ loves to make holy as well as happie he would have her without blemish spot or wrinckle Fourthly Christ love's that he may save harmelesse preserve his object free from danger Satan loves to destroy but Christ loves to save All Christ's favours run into this the soules salvation of whom he loves he 's cal'd the Saviour of his body the Church Eph. 5.23 the head you know contrives and advise's for the whole body Such a head is Christ he came to save as well as seeke lost soules When Christians are in Christ their selves and soules are in safe hands Job 10.29 no man shall pluck them out of my Fathers hand saith Christ what power 's like to his Spouse of Christ thou mayst trust thy selfe with thy heavenly Husband put thy life in his hand for hee came not to destroy the beleeving world but to save it Oh you sonnes of Sion how carefull is Christ of you his eye is upon you his eare open to your cry Christ watcheth his children as you watch yours he 'l not let a child goe out of his sight least he catch a fall and bruise or maime himselfe and spoile his beauty and when he do's get a fall Christ's eares are open hee can quickly heare him crie and then he gives him a helping hand till he 's risen againe You are in his hand and in his heart and shall hereafter dwell in his heavens what would you more And now my friends that Christ hath shew d his affection by doing and suffering for you he expects action from you towards him and for him Consider intelligent hearts First is not he active for you he praies for you pleads for you at the Throne of grace against the accuser of the brethren then drink not in forsaken sins against which both your selves and Saviour also hath put up prayers with teares and strong cries in the dayes of his flesh Secondly are not Satans vassalls active for their Prince of darknesse Doe they not lay their heads and hearts together unite all their forces to follow that Prince who rules in the aire and workes in the children of disobedience to advance his Kingdome inlarge his Dominion as Hell hath inlarg'd her selfe doe not they seeke to make his Proselites many and shall the children of darknesse be wiser and more active in their generation and for their Prince then are the children of Light in their generation for their King and Saviour * 2 Sam. 1.20 Jesus Christ God forbid Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon least the daughters of the Philistims rejoyce and least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph Love deserves love oh you children of Light you cannot give warmth to your garments but you shall receive 't againe Oh then bee rooted and grounded in faith with love Comprehend you with all the Saints what the height length depth breadth of Christ's love is Then shall you sing Hallelujah to God in the highest Heavens when the time of refreshment shall bee in the presence of the Lambe with exceeding great Joy to Just ones e Secundum laborem accipient non secundum proventum Bern. Non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis Aug. Deus coronat dona sua non merita nostra FINIS