then come unto Christ as labouring under the intollerable Burthen of sin for sin is a heavy burthen although multitudes in the world count it light as may be seen by their chearful countenances merry hearts jovial lives and running and drawing under this burthen into Eternity being very little concerned for the weight of it Holy David was sensible of the ponderosity of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onus grave when he cried out Psal 38.4 Mine iniquities are gone over my head as agrievous they are too heavy for me The pressure of sin lay so hard upon poor David that it made his back bend his heart pant his tongue roar and his groanings to multiply as may be seen in that 38. Psal at large So Psal 40.12 Innumerable evils have compassed me about mine Iniquities have taken hold of me so that I am not able to look up they are more than the hairs of my head therefore my heart forsaketh me He was so bowed down under this burthen that he could not elevate himself nay it made his very heart forsake him when he considered the gravity and innumerable number of them but what did David do in this case why he goes to God through Christ for ease from this great and heavy burthen Psal 25.11 For thy Name sake O Lord pardon mine Iniquity for it is great great both for weight and number therefore for thy Names sake magnify thy grace and what was the Issue see Psal 32.5 I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord and thou forgavest the Iniquity of my Sin He went with this Burthen to the Lord and found Mercy and Pardon from him so must thou do Go to Christ under the sense of the weightiness of your sins and beg him according to his promise to ease thee of thy burthen which otherwise will sink thee down into eternal misery for it weighed Angels out of Glory and now confines them under Chains of darkness therefore come unto Christ for he will not refuse thee because of the greatness of thy burthen but rather imbrace thee for the Exaltation of his free grace 3ly Come labouring under a deep sense of the immense and intollerable weight of the wrath of God for who can endure if he be inraged or what can stand and oppose if God be the Antagonist Job 9.34 by nature we are all under this burthen Eph. 2.3 And were by Nature Children of wrath even as others i. e. by nature we are subject and liable to Divine vengeance because the imputation of the guilt of Adams transgression abides upon us and the corruption of Nature is derived unto us The extream weightiness of this wrath makes damned Angels and wicked Spirits roar lament and gnash their teeth It is more tollerable * Poets Fiction Atlas-like to bear the Heavens upon our shoulders or to lye under Rocks Mountains thousands of years then to abide under this wrath but a day nay an hour nay a minute for it burns yet never utterly consumes it presseth heavy without mitigation now there is no releasement from the obnoxiousness to this wrath but from a deep sense of the grievousness of it by applying our selves speedily to the Lord Jesus for it is he alone that can deliver from the wrath that is to come 1 Thes 1.10 come unto Christ with a sense of it upon thy heart whilst thou art here that thou maist not see the intollerableness of it hereafter 4ly Come to Christ as labouring under and being heavy laden with the curse of the Law and the Empire of death I mean by the Empire of death not only our obnoxiousness to the stroke of death upon our bodys but the sting of death and the eternity of it in regard of our Souls Death has raigned by reason of sin Rom. 5. over the bodys of all two or three excepted and over the Souls of most even from Adam to Moses and from Moses untill Christ and from Christ even to our days Death is a universal Monarch his Empire is from East to West and from North to South There is no escaping his fatal blow Only believers then take their flight from a dead Corps to Christ who is their life from a muddy Tabernacle to a glorious city Rev. 21.22.23 Col. 3.3 Heb. 12.28 Rom. 2.15 from a tottering Cottage to a firm Kingdom from a dark and mortal state to a splendent and immortal glory for although the body dyes yet the life of the Soul is secure as Being hid with Christ in God Col. 3.4 Believers can never dye take it in a Spiritual sence so long as God and Christ live but yet I say the way to be freed from the eternal Bondage of this deadly Monarch is to come unto Christ for Ease from this burthen also Moreover the burden of the curse of the Law must be taken away or else the former Emperor will keep his dominion Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse for it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them But seeing we have not continued in all things to do them and therefore are under the curse what must we do now but go unto Christ who was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us Now the Judge when he gives forth pardon to the Malefactor expects that he should be sensible of the greatness of his guilt and also of his desert the sentence of Condemnation having passed upon him so Christ expects a sensible owning the Curse and Misery we are under that his grace may be magnified in our relief succour and Salvation 5thly Come unto Christ as labouring under the cruel tyrany of Satan for Satan is the Prince of the Powers of the Air Magnitudo mali in quatuor consistit quae sunt peccati gravita quae Dei immensum intollerabile pondus Mortis imperium Tyrannis Diaboli quae tollere abolere placare vincere nemo potuit nisi Deus Bucan and he rules in and over the children of disobedience and there is none that can deliver from this tyranny but Christ for as one reasoning why it behoved Christ the Redeemer to be God said it was for two causes 1. Ob magnitudinem mali For the greatness of the Evil by which mankind was pressed down 2. Ob magnitudinem Boni For the magnitude of the good which could be restored by no man nor Angel unto mankind but only by him who is God now the greatness of the Evil which Christ underwent and in fine overcame consisted in bareing the weight of Sin the intollerable burden of Gods wrath and in conquering Death and the tiranny of Satan which none could or was able to do but he that was God-man by his own mighty Power so that seeing Christ hath done these things for all those that
who when he was sick sought not to the Lord but to Physitians of no value 2 Cron. 16.12 and so he perished in his affliction If thou mountest up to Heaven and from thence goest down to the Deep if thou compassest the whole Universe to seek for another Saviour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it will be but Labour spent in vain Isa 45.22 Christ saith Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is none other therefore none other Saviour because there is no other God for he that is any thing less then God who is altogether Infinite is no way sufficient neither can he be a compleat Saviour to Poor Sinners Thy transgressions O Sinner are infinite thou hast broken the pure spiritual Law of thy Creator thou canst not make satisfaction because it requires that which is infinite Men or Angels cannot do it for thee the Pope himself with all his Church-treasures cannot satisfy for the least of his own Transgressions it may be said to him as Agesilaus said to the Thasians when for some great Favour received of him they built him a Temple and deified him and withal sent Embassadors to certify him of it Can your Country men said he make Gods of men To which Zenophon answering him they could Let them first make themselves Gods replyed he and then I will believe they can make me one so say I when the Pope can save himself I shall have greater grounds to expect help from him But Further thou art obnoctious to eternal Punishments and dost thou think any can deliver and redeem thee but the Lord Jesus Christ who can pacify the wrath of an angry God who can satisfy Infinite Justice and who can undergo and yet overcome Infinite Torments None O none but Christ therefore Poor Soul hasten unto him 4ly Let Christs willingness to imbrace and ease thee be a motive to thee to come unto him never let the greatness of thy Labour the weightiness of thy burden the deceitfulness of Sin or the subtilty of Satan keep thee back or impede thy coming unto him if Christ were not willing to receive thee he would never invite thee Ho every one that Thirsteth come Drink freely Jo. 17.37 for Christ is freely willing Christ is troubled for thy unwillingness Jo. 5.40 Reason then with thine own Soul and say is Christ willing to ease me and shall I still lay under my burdens is Christ willing to give me life and shall I still remain in a state of Death will Christ make me free with the freedoms of the Sons of God and shall I still abide in slavery to Sin and Satan is Christ willing to give me peace and rest and to keep my Soul in that state Isa 26.3 He will keep them in peace whose minds are staid upon him And shall I still keep my Soul in perpetual perplexity Hose 13.9 shall I be a Self Murtherer when Christ is a willing and Merciful Saviour O this would be horrid impiety and I might then cry out with the rest Heu patior telis vulnera facta meis a lass I suffer wounds made with mine own Darts and yet slight such an able Chirurgion sick even to Death and yet neglect so willing and kind a Physitian I say thus reason thy self out of thy unwillingness from the consideration of Christs willingness as in my Text Come unto me 5ly Consider as a motive who it is that invites thee I have shewed thee in the Former part that he is God Tit. 2.13 he is the great God therefore able he is Jesus therefore Willing If a King should invite thee and make great offers unto thee I am perswaded thou wouldst not as Diogenes Quint. Curt. scorn and refuse them but consider this is not a Cyrus who can promise only Towns or Citys to his Subjects neither an Alexander that may promise an Earthly Kingdom to thee but he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The King of Kings Rev. 19.16 Rev. 5.10 Heb. 12.28 and Lord of Lords He can make thee a King and give unto thee an heavenly and glorious Kingdom a Kingdom that cannot be shaken Imploy thy thoughts a little upon this consideration who the Inviter is and this will inflame thee and ingage thee without delay to come unto him 6. Motive Consider what and who thou art that by so glorious a Person art invited Thou art by Nature a Child of wrath Ephes 2.3 Under the wrath of God Under the Curse Gal. 3.10 and the power of Satan a lost undone perishing sinner Luk. 19.10 an Enemy to God to Christ to Goodness to thy own Soul by nature Rom. 5.10 Whilst we were yet Enemies Christ dyed for us Thou art under the Yoke of Bondage a Poor Needy Indigent creature and it is he alone that can supply thee if thou hadst been a glorious Angel thou wouldst then have needed Christ to confirm and establish thee but thou art not such Mat. 9.13 Luk. 18.13 thou art a Sinner and he a glorious Saviour consider that well in thy meditations what a Sinner it implys a miserable State and person yet Christ invites thee 7. Motive Consider what thou mayst be if thou comest unto him from a Child of wrath thou wilt become the Son of God from an Heir of Hell to be an Heir of Glory from being under the Power of Satan to serve the Liveing God and be kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto Salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 If thou comest unto him thou shalt be for ever happy Blessed in Body Blessed in Soul Blessed in Time Blessed in and to Eternity Rev. 14.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam nunc Blessed are the Dead which Die in the Lord. In the very moment of their entring upon eternity they are Blessed and shall be so for ever so saith the Apostle Paul And so we shall be for ever with the Lord Thou shalt be made like unto God in Righteousness and true Holyness 1 Thes 17. Eph. 4.24 1 Epis 3.2 Beloved saith the Apostle John Now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know when he shall appear we shall be like him Who is not ambitious of being a Prince and Heir to an Earthly Crown and Kingdom how much more shouldst thou be desirous of being Son and Heir to the King of Glory and this is the only way by coming to the Lord Jesus No coming to the Father but by the Son Eph. 1 4 5 6. According as he hath chosen us in him and he has adopted us to be Children by Christ to himself And if Children then Heirs Heirs with God and joint Heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Here see and meditate well what thou shalt be if thou comest to Christ it may be thou art a poor distressed dejected dispised Creature here among the men of the World it may be thou art a Servant
away from Christ and put a great distance between us and him and if we would have our Burdens taken off we must return unto him Adam when he had eaten the Forbidden fruit ran away from God and we his Children descended from him by ordinary generation have imitated and followed his steps for as the Prophet saith Isa 53.6 We all like sheep have gone astray This has been our practice to wander from God and Christ we Prodigal-like 1 Pet. 2.25 have forsaken our Fathers house but now we should return to the Shephard and Bishop of our Souls now seeing that in Adam we like the Evil Angels fell from our primitive state of holyness and perfection and so turned away from God and also that we our selves have been personally active in departing from the living God there is therefore a necessity of our returning to him that we may lay hold on eternal life which is to be obtained by coming to the Lord Jesus and turning wholly from all sin and beloved lust And this was the great blessing God gave the Jews as we read Act. 3.26 Unto you first God having raised up his Son Jesus Christ sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from his Iniquity and as there is a turning from iniquity so there is a turning to God Joel 2.12 Therfore also now saith the Lord turn ye even to me with all your hearts 3. Coming to Christ implys an acceptation and reception of him for when Christ saith come unto me He thereby intimates as if he should say receive and accept of me now in the tenders of the Gospel now whilst the day of grace lasts Jo. 1.11 it is said Christ came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his own but yet they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not imbrace or accept of him his own Country men his own Relations and kinsfolk in the flesh yet they rejected and refused him but there were some in that degenerate age that received and imbraced him as in John 1.12 they received him upon Gospel terms scil Christ and a whole Christ Christ and nothing but a Christ in point of justification Christ Jesus in his Kingly as well as in his Priestly office not only righteousness to cloath the naked Sinner but also regnant power to rule govern the soul not only to be a Redeemer but a Sanctifier too 1 Cor. 1.30 the Soul that comes to Christ receives Christ alone without any competitors as Christ saith of his Spouse Cant. 6.9 my Dove my undefiled is but one so saith the Soul that is come to Christ by receiving of him my Saviour is but one the only one and the choice one of my Soul Hos 2.19.20 I must not be betrothed to another for he hath receivme and I have received him he hath made choice of me and I have made a Sole and full choice of him and so am become one spirit with him they who are joyned to the Lord are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one spirit 1 Cor. 6.17.4 And that principally coming unto Christ implys a believing in him for faith is pes Animae the foot of the Soul by which it goes unto Christ and makes a continual progressive motion heavenward Now that the proper meaning of coming is believing or that believing in Christ is expressed by this phrase Come unto me These Scriptures prove it He that cometh unto me shall never hunger Jo. 6.35.37.44 and he that believeth in me shall never thirst In these words the latter are exegetical to the former for that which is called coming in the first part in the latter is expressed by believing â—so 37. All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out no man can come unto me except the Father draw him These Scriptures can be understood no other way than believing in Christ for there is now no other way to come to him seeing his residence is in glory at the Right hand of God the Father so also Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me that ye may have life in the 44. verse it is termed believing how can ye believe who receive honour one of another i. e. How can you come to believe in and imbrace me who respect more the honour of men than the honour of God true faith leads the Soul to Christ and so it seeks that honour that is from God alone Jo. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink in the 38. verse it is called believing he that believeth on me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into me Faith is the leading grace which carrys a man 1. Out of himself 2. To Christ 3. Into Christ 1. Out of himself out of all self confidence or self righteousness which is the ruin of many pretious Souls because they take up a vain presumption founded upon false principles and foundations instead of a real saving faith which leads the Soul to live upon invissibles faith is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 11.1 the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen faith so leads the man from all terrene things or any thing he finds in himself either of vertue or morality that the Soul lives wholly on an * 1 Pet. 1.8 unseen Christ not any thing short of Christ will the Soul rest upon like the great Apostle Phil. 3.3 having no confidence in the †Gal. 2.20 flesh i. e. birth priviledges ceremonial or moral Righteousness high profession great zeal all which he accounts but carnal and vain therefore he looks on them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meat in comparison of Christ as may be seen from verse 3. to 10. 2. True Faith leads the Soul to Christ I mean to understand and believe the Deity of Christ and to apprehend the benefits of his death and apply his righteousness to the Soul the Soul goes by faith to him who is God-man for it was the blood of God which redeemed his Church Act. 20.28 He who is * Rom. 9.5 God blessed for ever suffered in that humane nature which he assumed therefore it rests not short of him so likewise it goes to the benefits which flow from the death of Christ as grace and peace here glory hereafter access with boldness now vision and fruition for ever after the Soul has made entrance within the gates of glory joy and exhileration at present halleluiahs and triumphings in bliss to all Eternity hereafter Moreover it leads the Soul to the righteousness of Christ for God the Father hath made Christ Jesus to be a 1 Cor. 1.30 righteousness for believers he was made b 2 Cor. 5.21 sin for us who knew no sin that we might become the righteousness of God in him and therefore Christ is called * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jehovah Zidkenu i. e. c Jer. 23.6 the Lord our Righteousness Now the Soul goes
by faith and apprehends and applies this to it self 3 It not only leads to Christ but into Christ The Soul when once brought out of all self-confidence will rest and center in Christ when it has wandred about like the silly Dove and can find no safe rest she returns to the Ark Christ Jesus and seeks admittance into him for the Soul is not content only to behold Christ but also desires to enjoy him not only to come unto him but to get into him thus it was with the Apostle Paul Phil. 3.9 He would be found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him though stript naked of all his righteousness yet be found in him alone in him in life in him at death for ‖ Rev. 14.13 blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Faith is the uniting and implanting grace whereby the Soul is ingrafted into Christ and so becomes a living branch of that living Vine the Lord Jesus Joh. 15.5 I am the Vine ye are the branches This is the import of the expression believe ‖ Joh. 3.36 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into Christ thus we see that by coming to Christ is meant believing in him So much for the invitation Come 2dly I come now to the second particular and that is to shew who this person is that invites weary laden sinners to come to and believe in him for I know the sinner may be ready to say who is he he makes a fair invitation but can he give rest can he make good his promise I answer yea he can to the uttermost make good his promise for he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man 1 Tim. 3.16 God manifest in the flesh Rom. 9.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God blessed to eternity he is not a created Angel as Ebion saith neither is he one Person with the Father as Sabellius attested neither is he one that God only dwelt in as Nicholaus said but know this for thy consolation thou heavy laden and labouring Soul that he is the true God and eternal life Joel 5.20 He is the a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 same divine Essence with the Father and not like unto it Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Essence 1 Joh. 15.7 these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one speaking of the Trinity of Persons in the Unity of Essence the Lord Jesus and his Father are not b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissimiles essentiâ unlike in Essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of diverse Essences for God is indivisible as to his simple and eternal essence neither are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sicut homines like men a eadem essentiâ sed non innumero the same in essence but not in number for they are coessential and consubstantial having one and the same Essence Basil contra Eunomium calleth the Lord Jesus b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goodness itself life it self and righteousness it self in the very abstract and how can he be otherwise when there dwells in him the fulness of the Godhead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Coll. 2.9 The Father and the Son Christ Jesus are at c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 once and together in nature as the Sun and light the one hath the priority in order but not in nature so God the Father and God the Son both persons were from eternity the Father in order first but not in nature But let us go to the d melius est petere fontes quà m sectari rivulos fountain scil the holy Writ to the Law and to the Testimony Is 8.20 for if our speech and proofs be not according to that there will be no light in us Therefore we will see whether or no from thence we may more perspicuously and evidently understand this divine truth for the Scripture doth best discover this great verity scil that Christ is God-man in two distinct natures and one person therefore seeing the right understanding of this is the ground of our encouragement to come unto him and to forsake all others and relye upon him alone for ease and rest I shall endeavour to prove that the Person that invites sinners to come unto him is the true and living God therefore those that come unto him shall not fail of rest 1. Argument shall be taken from what the Scripture saith of his divine Original he is called John 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The only begotten of the Father Heb. 1.6 the first begotten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that Joh. 1.1 In the begining was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God The divine Apostle being guided by an infallible Spirit did foresee that this truth would meet with Opposers therefore he is positive in his assertion that he who was the eternal Word is God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and if all Socinians deny this evident Scripture or put false interpretations upon it and call for humane arguments and reasons we are not to believe them for here is that in the word of God which doth far transcend all Philosophical notions and Scholastick distinctions which do rather darken than illustrate this truth for the Spirit of God was the dictator of it and he wants not wisdom to apprehend nor sutable words to express aright this fundamental point in Divinity I shall not make it my business in this Discourse to enter upon Controversy but labour to confirm this weighty point In 1 Joh. 5.20 Christ Jesus is called the Son of God in one part of the verse and in the other part he is called the true God and eternal life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What ever the Socinians say of this text is invalid for it is evident to any truly enlightned mind that the main scope of the words is to prove the Divinity of the Son of God this were sufficient grounds for faith if there were no other Scriptures to prove the Deity of Christ when Christ asserted that he was one with the Father Joh. 10.30 the unbelieving Jews did rightly apprehend the words but could not understand or conceive the thing for they said that he by this expression who was but a meer man as they thought made himself God vers 33. therefore they term it blasphemy which yet Christ never sought to deny or vindicate himself from so enormous a crime if it had been blasphemy but goes on to confirm it Joh. 10.36 37 38. he owns that he said he was the Son of God which must necessarily be understood that it was by eternal generation therefore one with the Father in essence But I shall wave all prolixity and contract in as narrow compass as I may not being prejudicial to the truth moreover knowing that it is more learnedly and copiously handled by many worthy Divines My work shall be only to touch upon particulars to prove this point and to confirm
the things of the World for if any man love the world the love of the father is not in him Here the divine Apostle gives a reason which withal proves that these two are not consistent for as Christ said Luk 16.13 You cannot serve God and Mammon one will have the preheminence and where this true evangellick Love is there the Love to the World is but flat and cold 2ly And possitively what are the true adequate and constant objects of this Evangellick Love in general all spiritual divine holy objects to which our Love is commanded or required by the Holy Word of God there is nothing which the believer apprehends to be truely divine but the Soul Loves entirely fervently and constantly for these objects are sutable to the State of a Believer he can perceive a greater excellence in them then in any other therefore the Soul is carried forth to love them above all others but more particularly and yet succinctly 1. God is the object of this Evangellic Love he is the chief and supream good therefore supreamly to be beloved even with all the heart with all the Soul and with all the strength Mat. 22.37 The Soul that is come to Christ by believing in him loves God not only as a Creator but as a reconciled Father in and through Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 Now it looks upon it self as oblieg'd and bound to love God who hath manifested such Love Joh. 3.16 as to give his only begotten Son that whoever believes should not perish but have everlasting life if God out of his infinite love had not been willing to give his Son to die for Sinners Christ would not have been willing to come and give himself for and to those who are his The Father out of his Love elected some to be Heirs of God and Co-heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Now the consideration of these things doth inflame the heart with Love to God as the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 4.19 We love him because he first loved us The fruits and effects of the Love of God shed abroad in the Soul makes it now to love God with an impartial and superlative Love Modus diligendi Deum est sine modo Bern. it Loves God as one saith the measure of loving him should be without measure 2ly Christ Jesus is the object of this Love O how the Believer loves Christ the Soul is so fired with Love to the Lord Jesus that it knows not how to express it words are too mean actions too low and the Soul thinks all too little to express and manifest its Love unto the Lord Jesus When the Believer considers Christ in the transcendent excellency of his person that he is God blessed for ever that he is the Eternal Son of God beloved of him adored of Angels then he says with the Spouse Cant. 5.10 My beloved is the chiefest among ten thousand and as it is in the 16. vers He is altogether lovely Further when he considers the extremity infiniteness and ignominy of the Passion and Suffering Christ underwent for him and that he should express his Love at so dear a rate to one altogether indeserving it doth so inflame the Soul that it vehemently longs to get above the clouds into the bosom of Jesus and that it may drink of the celestial Fountain and Springs of life Rev. 7.17 Moreover when it considers what Christ hath purchased and what he is doing now for his Elect and Redeemed ones that he hath procured Pardon Reconciliation with God Grace and Glory Life and eternal Bliss for those who were sometimes dead in Trespasses and Sins 2 Tim. 4.8 1 Pet. 5.4 Eph. 2.5 and that he continues interceeding by the vertue of his Blood and Merits that all his may have these blessings confered upon them and at last be crowned with a Diadem of Righteousness and Glory O the consideration of these things doth so incendiate the Soul with the flames of Divine Love that many waters cannot quench it neither can floods drown it Cant. 8.7 nay Afflictions Persecutions or Death cannot seperate this Soul from the Love of Christ When the Believer looks upon Christ in his Offices and in that near Relation between them this doth still elevate and heighten his Love so that the Soul is full and as it were immerged and swallowed up with Love to Christ who is the Head and the all of Believers Col. 3.11 3ly This Divine Evangelick Love hath for its object the holy Spirit he who is the alone Author is now become the Object the Spirit is he who infuseth and operateth this grace in the Soul Gal. 5.22 The Fruit of the Spirit is Love now seeing this is a Fruit of the Spirit it has reflex actings so that it leads the Soul to love affectionately and intirely the holy Spirit knowing that except he cooperates nothing can profit the Soul and that if he work not Joh. 16.15 there will be no exception of grace it is he which leads and guides into the way of all truth which is the alone way of Salvation he teacheth the Soul to know God and Christ and to know it self he fills the heart with Divine blessings which make the Believer greatly to admire and love him Try your Love by these objects see whether Carnal or Divine objects have the Supremacy in your affections for these are infallible ways to try your Love by and to discern a true Evangelic Love from all others whatsoever 4ly Holy Angels are greatly beloved of Believers because they are to be their Companions to Eternity and bear part in that Celestial quire where they shall sing eternal Hallelujahs to their God and Father in the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Heb. 12.28 and further because they are a Life-guard to them here and Ministring Spirits sent forth for the good of all those who are Heirs of Salvation Heb. 1.14 5ly All Saints as such are the objects of this Divine Love without any distinction or difference Because they perceive their Fathers Image shine forth in such therefore that which is so amiable in them doth attract and draw their affection to it The Apostle John in several places puts this down as a Character by which we may prove our Love if it be right nay the only way to know whether we Love God or no 1 Joh. 4.20 If a man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a Lyar for he who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen David saith Psal 16.2 3. O my Soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my Lord my goodness extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the Earth and to the excellent ones in whom is all my delight Here this holy man declares that the Saints were excellent in his eye and all the delight of his Soul but why were they so but because they were Saints they were holy ones born from above and