Epistle wherein my Text lyeth was written by Peter the Apostle of the Circumcision and is directed to the Strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bâ—thynia as in the first v. of this Chapter By these Strangers we are to understand the scattered Iews who were Strangers in these several Countries where they did Inhabit We read in the 2d of the Acts that there came up many of these Iews from these and other Countries unto Ierusalem to Worship and in the temple hearing the Apostles speak with divers Tongues which were of use in the divers places where they did live and that without Instruction from Man but as the Spirit gave them utterance they were Amazed and Confounded and afterward hearing Peter preach through the Wonderful Power of the Spirit three thousand of them were Converted by one Sermon unto the Christian Faith and added to the Christian Church When the Feast of Pentecost was over these Converted Iews returned into their Countries where their several Dwellings Families and Callings were which Countries being Heathenish and Idolatrous no doubt but there they met with Opposition and Suffering upon the account of the Christian Religion which they became Zealous Professors of besides what they endured from their own Countreymen or Unconverted Iâ—ws who hated Christianity more than the Heathens did The Apostle doth seem to have a respect unto these in this Epistle wherein he doth encourage them under their sufferings for the sake of Christ by many Consolatory Arguments In the 2d v. he wisheth that Grace and Peace might be multiplyed in them and towards them and then though their Sufferings did abound their Consolations would abound much more In the 3d 4th and 5th ver He blesseth God for his abundant Mercy towards them in begetting them unto a lively Hope of the glorious and never fading Heavenly Inheritance which was reserved for them through Gods Infinite Grace and unto which they were reserved and kept through Faith by Gods infinite power In the 6th and 7th verses he telleth them however they were in heaviness through manifold Temptations that is Afflictions which are the Worlds left-hand Temptations yet he giveth them to understand that these afflictions they were but for a season weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning they were but needful to humble them to purifie them to crucifie them to the world to make them conformable to their head the Lord Jesus Christ and that they were for the tryal of their faith that the truth of it might appear both to themselves and others and that the worth of it might appear how much more precious than Gold when it is tryed in the Fire which carrying them thorow their sufferings might be found both to their own praise and their Masters honour at the appearing of Jesus Christ and then the Apostle doth take occasion in the text to speak of their Love which they did bear unto this Jesus Christ and of that unspeakable and glorious joy which doth result from believing in him although they had no sight of him which no trouble or affliction could overwhelm or hinder Whom having not seen ye love in whom though now ye see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Hence observe Doct. 1. That it is the Property and duty of true Christians to Love Iesus Christ whom they have never seen Whom having not seen ye Love Doct. 2. That true Christians do Believe in an unseen Christ. In whom though now ye see Him not yet believing Doct. 3. That true Christians do or may rejoice in Believing with unspeakable and glorious joy In whom though now ye see him not yet Believing ye rejoice with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory Here are three great points to be treated of 1. Concerning the Love of Christians unto Christ. 2. Concerning the faith of Christians in Christ. 3. Concerning the Joy of Christians in Believing For the present I shall speak only of the Love of Christians unto Christ under the first Doctrine the other two I may have opportunity to treat of afterwards Section I. Doct. THat it is the Property and duty of true Christians to love the Lord Iesus Christ whom they have never seen In handling of this point I shall speak 1. Concerning true Christians who do love Jesus Christ. 2. Concerning Jesus Christ whom they have never seen the Object of their Love 3. Concerning the Love which they bare unto this unseen Christ. 4. Shew that it is the Property of true Christians to Love Jesus Christ whom they have never seen 5. That it is their Duty to love him 6. How they ought to love Him 7. Why they do love Him where I shall give the reasons of the point 8. Make some Use and Application 1. Concerning true Christians whose property it is to love Jesus Christ whom they have never seen whom having not seen yee love ye love that is ye who are true Christians who are so in reality as well as profession and of these true Christians that do love Christ the Apostle doth give a description in the 2d ver where he calls them Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father thâ—ough Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. True Christians are Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father they are such whom God according to the Councel of his own will according to his own purpose and grace did choose from all Eternity to be a holy and peculiar people to himself to glorifie him here on Earth and that they might be glorifyed by him hereafter in heaven And this election doth evidence it self in the Sanctification of the Spirit true Christians are sanctified being separated and set apart from the rest of the world for Gods use and service God hath sealed them for himself and hereby distinguished them from all others the Motto of which seal is this Holiness unto the Lord. See a description of them in this respect 2 Tim. 2. 21. If any man purgeâ— himself from these he shall be a vessel unto Honour sanctifyed and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work they are purged from the defilement of sin which doth pollute and dishonor them they are vessels unto honour like those of Silver and Gold in a great house which are adorned with Pearls and precious stones they are adorned with all sanctifying graces which are of more worth than the richest Jewels and hereby they are both beautiful in Gods eye and they are made meet for Gods use being hereby prepared and enabled unto every good work This the Apostle prays for in the behalf of the Thessalonians 1 Thess. 5. 23. And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly and I pray God your whole Spirit and Soul and Body be preserved blamelesse unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ. True Christians are sanctifyed wholly in their whole man though they
THE True Christians Love OF THE UNSEEN CHRIST OR A Discourse chiefly tending to excite and promote the decaying Love of Christ in the hearts of Christians With an Appendix concerning Christs Manifestation of himself to them that Love him 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man Love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha By Thomas Vincent Minister sometime of Maudlins Milkstreet London London Printed by I. R. for Samuel 〈◊〉 at the Blew-Bell in Little-Brittain 1677. To the Reader OVr Saviour sent an Epistle from heaven to the Church of Ephesus wherein he reproveeth her because she had left her first love and threatneth the Removal of her Candlestick that he would take away her light if she did not recover her Love By the same hand at the same time he sent another Epistle to the Church of Laodicea wherein he reproveth her Lukewarmness and threatneth because she was neither hot nor cold he would spue her out of his mouth Rev. 2. 4 5. 3. 15 16. And are Christians in England under no such sin in no such danger when some scoff at the flames of love to Christ like dogs that bark at the Moon so far above them when the most nominal Christians are wholly strangers to this Love whatever their notional knowledge be the former looking upon it as but a fancy the latter having it onely in the Theory and when amongst those Christians who love Christ in sincerity there are so few that know what it is to Love Christ with fervour and ardency when there is so General a decay of Love to Christ in the Land Lord what is like to become of England Have we not provoked the Lord to take away our Candlestick to suffer the worse than Egyptian darkenes to over spread us again and cover our Light because it shineth with such cold beams because the Light of Knowledge in the head is accompanied with so little warmth of Love to Christ in the hearts of most Christians Every one will fetch water to quench fire in a general conflâ—gration surely there is need in a day of such General decay of Love to Christ that some should fetch fire fire from heaven use bellows too Arguments I mean to enkindle and blow up the spark of Love to Christ which seems so ready to expire Reader The following discourse concerning the True Christians Love of the unseen Christ is not finely spun and curiously woven with neatnesses of wit and language it is not flourished and set off with variety of Metaphors Hyperbolies Rhetorical Elegancies or Poetical Fancies and fragments it is not adorned and fringed with the specious show of many Marginal Quotations excerpted out of divers Authors The discourse is plain but the Author hath endeavoured that it might be warm his design being more to advance his Master than Himself in thy esteem and if he have less of thy praise so his Lord may have more of thy love his great end is attained The chief part of this discourse concerning the love of Christ is Application and about two thirds of it Exhortation there being generally in this knowing age more need of excitation than information where thou hast variety of arguments motives to stir up and provoke unto the love of Christ together with divers directions how to attain this love in the truth and strength of it and wherein the strength of love to Christ should evidence it self There is also an appendix added for further encouragement unto the love of Christ concerning Christs manifestation of himself unto such as love him The whole discourse is practical nothing in it controversal not only Protestants but Papists too will verbally acknowledge the obligation which Christians have to love Christ and none will oppose this that are true Christians none but Turks Infidels and Devils are professedly against it That this little Book may be blessed by the Lord to be a means to warm and inflame thine heart with love to the unseen Christ is the earnest prayer of A hearty well-wisher to thy soul. Thomas Vincent The True Christians Love of the Unseen CHRIST 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not Seen ye Love in whom though now ye see him not yet Believing ye Rejoyce with Ioy unspeakable and full of Glory THE Life of Christianity doth consiâ—t very much in our love unto Christ. Without Love unto Christ we are as much without Spiritual Life as a Carkass when the Soul is fled from it is without Natural Life Faith without Love to Christ is a dead Faith and a Christian without Love to Christ is a dead Christian dead in Sins and Trespasses Without Love to Christ we may have the Name of Christians but we are wholly without the Nature we may have the Form of Godliness but are wholly without the Power Give me thine Heart is the language of God to all the Chrildren of Men Prov. 23. 26. And Give me thy Love is the language of Christ unto all his Disciples Christ knoweth the command and influence which Love to him in the Truth and Strength of it hath How it will Engage all the other Affections of his Disciples for Him that if he have their Love their Desires will be chiefly after Him their Delights will be chiefly in Him their Hopes and Expectations will be chiefly from Him their Hatred Fear Grief Anger will be carried forth chiefly unto Sin as it is Offensive unto Him He knows that Love will Engage and Employ for him all the Powers and Faculties of their Souls their Thoughts will be brought into Captivity and Obedience unto Him their Understandings will be employed in Seeking and Finding out his Truths their Memories will be Receptacles to retain them their Conscience will be ready to Accuse and Excuse as his Faithfull Deputies their Wills will Choose and Refuse according to his Direction and Revealed Pleasure All their Senses and the Members of their Bodies will be his Servants their Eyes will See for him their Ears will Hear for him their Tongues will Speak for him their Hands will Work for him their Feet will Walk for him All their Gifts and Tâ—lents will be at his Devotion and Service If he have their Love they will be ready to Do for him what he requireth they will be ready to Suffer for him whatever he calleth them unto If they have much Love to him they will not think much of Denying themselves taking up his Cross and following him wherever he leadeth them love to Christ then being so Essential unto true Christianity so earnestly look'd for by our Lord and Master so Powerfully Commanding in the Soul and over the whole Man so Greatly Influential on Duty I have made choice of this subject of Love to Christ to Treat on and my chief Endeavor herein shall be to Excite and Provoke Christians unto the Lively and Vigorous Exercise of this Grace of Love unto the Lord Jesus Christ of which Incentives there is a Great and Universal need The
which they have seen but can you say that you sincerely and chiefly do love Jesus Christ whom you have not seen the love of the most doth arise from the notice which the Eye doth give of the Objects beloved but doth your love arise from the notice which the Ear hath given by the word of the Amiableness which here is in Christ Qu. How may we know whether we have true love to Iesus Christ Ans. You may know the truth of your love to Jesus Christ 1 By your desires after Christs presence 2 By your prizing and frequenting those wayes wherein Christ is to be found and seeking him therein 3 By your love of Christs image 4 By your Obedience to Christs Commandements First By your desires after Christs Presence wherever there is a great love to any person there is a desire after the presence of that person do you sincerely and earnestly desire Christs presence there is a twofold presence of Christ His gracious presence here and his Glorious presence at the last day 1. There is Christs Gracious presence here Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you You desire that such Friends and Relations would come unto you but do you desire chiefly that Christ would come unto you Christ cometh to his Disciples in a way of gracious communication in a way of Gracious Manifestation and in a way of sweet Consolation which doth result from both 1 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious communication are your desires after communication of Spiritual Light from Christ to teach and guide you of Spiritual Life from Christ to quicken and encourage you of Spiritual Strength from Christ to support you under Burdens and Enable you unto Duties do you earnestly desire communications of all kinds and further degrees of grace out of that fullness of Grace which is in Christ do you Hunger and Thirst after Christs Righteousness not only that it may be imputed to you for your Justification but also that it may be more and more imparted unto you for your further Sanctification that you might be brought and hereby wrought into a more perfect conformity and likeness unto Jesus Christ this is an Evidence of true love 2 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious Manifestation Joh. 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Do you Earnestly desire the fulfilling of this promise that Christ would discover to you more of the loveliness of his person and of the love of his Heart are you grieved when your beloved doth withdraw himself when the curtain is drawn and a cloud doth interpose between you and this Sun of Righteousness when he Hideth and Veileth his Face from you and do you long after Christs returns and the Discoveries of himself unto you Come Lord Iesus Come quickly Be as a Roe or young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Leap over the Mountains and Skip over the Hills and make haste unto my Soul which is sick of Love for thee in thy Absence from me O that I might see thy Face which is so Fair that I might hear thy Voice which is so Sweet that I might feel thy Presence which is so Refreshing O that I might behold thy Heart-ravishing Smiles Say Lord that I am thine and thou art mine that thou hast loved me and given thy self for me that thy love to me was from Everlasting and that it is Vnchangeable Are these or such like the breathings of your Souls Such are the breathings of love to Christ. 3 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of sweet consolation which doth result from this communication and Manifestation are you desirous after the Oil of Gladness which Christ is Anointed withal that he would give you of the Unction of the Spirit not only to Sanctifie you but also to comfort you do you desire that your Hearts might be filled with Spiritual joyes the joyes of the Holy Ghost which are unspeakable and full of Glory do you desire the comforts which Christ doth give beyond all the comforts which the World and the Flesh can give the comforts which come in at the door of Faith beyond all the comforts that come in at the door of Sense those joyes which are in Christ beyond all joyes that can be found in the most sweet and desireable creature-enjoyment this evidenceth true love to Christ. Thus do you desire Christs Gracious presence 2. And do you desire also Christs glorious presence at the Last day When he promiseth Surely I come quickly can your hearts make answer as Rev. 22. 20. Amen even so come Lord Iesus are you glad you live so near the End of the World that the Lord is at hand that the coming of the Lord draweth nearer and nearer every day can you lift up your heads with joy when you look towards the place where the Lord Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty on High and think with comfort that yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not now tarry much longer that within a while Christ will descend from Heaven with a shout the Lord with the Sound of the Trumpet and that your Eyes shall see him in the brightness of his Glory and Majesty Do you look and long for the day of Christ's glorious appearance from heaven when you shall be awakened out of your Graves where you may take a short sleep before and be gathered together by the Angels and be caught up in the clouds and there in shining Garments of Immortality on your Bodies and of Christs unspotted Righteousness in your Souls be brought with Shoutings and Acclamations of Joy and Triumph into his Presence who will then acquit you Graciously from all Sin and Punishment own you openly for his Faithful Servants crown you Gloriously before the whole World and receive you to Live and Reign with him to all Eternity Have you such desires as these If some of you say you are afraid of Christs Glorious appearance lest then you should be rejected because you fear you are not ready and prepared yet can you say also from your Hearts that you Desire above all things that you may be ready that you Endeavour to make ready that it is your Grief you are no more ready and that if you were ready and were assured of your Interest in Christ you could desire that Christ would come immediately and that you desire no greater Happiness and Felicity than to live with Christ in Glory and that you account the Presence of Christ in Heaven to be the Happiness of Heaven These are Evidences of true desires after Christ's Glorious presence and of sincere love to Christ. Secondly You may know your love to Christ by your Prizing and Frequenting those wayes wherein Christ is to be found
of Glory who hath All power and authority both in Heaven and Earth can you love such as have Wisdom and Learning though it be terrene and not love Jesus Christ who is the wisdom of the Father who knoweth all things and whose wisdom is divine can you love such as are liberal and bountiful and not love Christ whose bounty is superlative and whose gifts are most rich and transcendent can you love friends that are kind and not love Jesus Christ who is the best friend that ever the children of men had can you love a Benefactor that feeds you and cloathes you and giveth money to you and yet not love Christ who offereth to feed your hunger-starv'd souls with the bread of life to cloth your naked souls with the robes of His Righteousness and to give the spiritual Riches of Grace to you the least dram of which is of more worth than all the riches of the Earth can you love Riches and not love Christ in whom there are treasures and by whom you may have not only spiritual riches here but also the heavenly inheritance hereafter can you love honours and not love Christ by whom you may have the highest dignities the honour of children to the King of Heaven now and a Crown of Glory in the other world can you love liberty and not love Christ by whom you may be made free from the Slavery of the Devil and your own lusts can you love safety not love Christ who is the only Saviour of mankind and who alone puts you in safety from the reach of the worst of Enemies the worst of Evils can you love peace and not love Christ by whom you may have peace with God and peace in your own conscience can you love pleasures and delights and not love Christ by whom you may have joys unspeakable and full of glory besides those everlasting pleasures which are to come without love to Christ you are under the guilt of all your sins neither your orginal sin nor any of your actual sins are pardoned they all lye upon your own score and you must answer for all your selves and how fearful is your account like to be without love to Christ you are under the curse not only under the curse of the Law for your breach of the Law but also under the curse of the Gospel for disobedience to this command of the Gospel which requireth you to love the Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Iesus Christ let him be Anathama Maranatha that is let him be cursed till the Lord come and when the Lord cometh will he take off the curse from you no he will come in flaming fire to take vengeance upon you having threatned then to punish all such with everlasting destruction as shall be â—ound to have disobeyed the Gospel and what then is like to become of you Sodom and Gomorrha those wicked Cities will then be punished dreadfully with a worse fire than that which was rained down from heaven and consumed their persons habitations together I mean with the fire of Hell which will be kindled and kept alive unto Eternity by the breath of the Almighty but you who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ notwithstanding all discoveries of him invitations to him and proffers of kindnesses by him you will be punished more dreadfully than the wicked Sodomites it will be more tollerable in the day of Judgment for them than for you the torments of Hell will be intollerable by any but they will be most intollerable by Gospel-sinners the fire of Hell will burn upon you the most fiercely and the scourge of Conscience will lash you the most furiously Consider this all yee that have no love to Christ otherwise when he cometh to judgment he will tear you to pieces and there will be none to deliver you if you have not the sweet fire of love to Christ enkindled in your hearts here you will be thrown into the dreadfull fire of Hell which will burn you Everlastingly 2. This reproves such of you as have some love but it is very little love to Jesus Christ you that love Christ is not your love very small not only in comparison with the love to you but also in comparison with the love which some Christians have attained unto how strong was the love of the Apostles unto Christ when they left all and followed him especially after the resurrection of Christ and his Ascention into Heaven when the Holy Ghost was sent down and sat in the likeness of fiery tongues upon them O! what a fire of love unto Christ was there then enkindled within them Hence that bold profession which they make of Christ before the chief Priests and Elders Act. 4. Hence their rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ when they were beaten for their owning and preaching of him Act. 5. 41. The love of Peter and Iohn was great unto Christ and the love of Paul was not inferiour unto the love of the chiefest Apostles hence it was that he took such pains to preach the Gospel in so many parts of the world even from Ierusalem round about unto Illyricum Rom. 15. 19. See also how he approves himself to be a Minister of Christ and giveth evidences of his strong love to his Master 2 Cor. 11. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Are they Ministers of Christ I speak as a fool I am more in labours more abundant in stripes above measure in prisons more frequent in Deaths oft of the Iews five times received I forty stripes save one Thrice was I beaten with rods once was I stoned thrice I suffered Shipwrack a Night and a Day I have been in the deep in journeying often in perils of Waters in perils of Robbers in perils by mine own Countreymen in perils by the Heathen in perils in the City in perils in the Wilderness in perils in the Sea in perils among false brethren in weariness and painfulness in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakedness Besides those things which are without that which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches who is weak and I am not weak who is offended and I burn not and chap. 12. 10. I take pleasure in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake The ground of all which was the love of Christ which did constrain him as 1 Cor. 5. 14. he had such a love to Christ that he professeth Phillip 1. 21. To me to live is Christ and to dye is gain Christ was his life and his life was wholy at Christs devotion But where is such love now to be found I might speak also of the love of some ancient Fathers Ignatius Polycarp Ierome and others take one instance in Ierome who thus expresseth his love unto Christ If my Father were weeping on his Knees before me
much forgiven have not your sins been very numerous and very heinous and hath Christ obtained the pardon of them all and will not you love Christ much 4. You have the Robes of Righteousness from Christ you are born naked of Original Righteousness and you could not work out any actual Righteousness for your selves that might cover your nakedness whatever you wrought your selves it was rags that could not cover you and it was filthy rags which did pollute and defile you Christ hath given you the Robes of his perfect Righteousness to cover and adorn you withall and therein you are accepted as perfectly Righteous in the sight of God O how should we love the Lord Jesus for this Garment if your Bodies were naked and one should give you clothes to cover you especially if they were rich clothes you would love such a person and will you not love the Lord Jesus Christ who hath given you a garment to cover your Souls and that a very rich one even the Robes of his most pure and unspotted Righteousness which by Faith is put upon you 5. You have peace of Conscience from Christ. This is that peace which the Scripture telleth us passeth all understanding Phil. 4. 7. It passeth all understanding to know the worth of it such as have this peace would not leave it upon any account they would part with Estate or Liberty or Life rather than part with their peace and those which have it noâ— but now do slight and neglect it yet if they be awakened by the sides of the Grave and when they are come to the confines of Eternity then they would value this peace and would give all the world were it at their dispose for it Thâ—â— Jewel of peace you have from Jesus Christ he hath purchased it for you the chastisement of your peace was upon him and he hath promised and bequeathed it in his last will and Testament unto you Iohn 14. 27. My Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you In his reconciling you unto God he hath laid a Foundation for this peace in all you that are true believers and if he have moreover spoken peace to you in giving you well grounded evidences of your Reconciliation if after raising a Storm he hath sent a calm into your Spirits and given a sweet fâ—renity unto you in the testimony of his Spirit to and with your Spirits that your peace is made with God O how should this draw sorth your love to Christ 6. You haâ—e the Joyes of the Holy Ghost from Christ. We read of the Thessalonians that they received the Word in much Affliction with Ioy of the Hâ—ly Ghost 1 Thess. 1. 6. Such are â—hose Joys spoken of in the Text which are unspeakable and full of Glory These are not Carnal joys but Spirâ—tual which are of a higher nature and sweeter relish that have a higher object and are the beginnings of Eternal Joys if you have these joys in any measure you have them from Chriâ—â— he sends the Holy Ghost from heaven to be your Comforter to fill your Hearts with Spiritual joys and shall not your hearts then be filâ—ed with love to the Lord Jesus who is the Author of them 7. You have the richeâ— of Grace from Christ if any of you were poor and ready to starve with hunger and cold and a rich man should give or send to you a chest full of Gold and Sâ—lver or a Câ—binet full of Jewels worth many thousand pounds would you not love such a Bâ—nefactor the Lord Jesus hath given you the riches of Grace the least measure of which is really of more worth than the vastest treasures of Gold Silver and precious Stones that ever was gathered together â—nd heaped up by the most wealthy man that ever lived upon the face of the Earth and will you not love Jesus Christ who hath given you these ineâ—timable riches 8. You have the Dignity of Children from Christ 1 Iohn 3. 1. Behold 〈◊〉 manner of Love the Father hath bestowâ—â— upon us that we should be called the Sons of God! this priviledge of Adoption is bestowed upon you not only by the Father but also by the Son Iohn 1. 12. But as many as received him to them gave he Power to be come the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name We read of some raised from the dust and lifted up from the dunghill to sit with Princes Psal. 113. 7 8. It is a far higher advancement to be lifted up from the dâ—ngâ—ill of sin and of slaves to luâ—ts and Children of the Devil to be made the Soâ—s and Daughters of the Lord Almighty This honour have all the Saints and it is Jesus Christ who hath conferred this honour upon you and will not this endear your love to Chriâ—t 8. You have the Spirit of Prayer from Christ being Sons the Spirit of the Son is sent down into your Hearts whereby you are enabled to say Abba Father Gal. 4. 6. through Christ you have access unto God by the Spirit Eph. 2. 18. It is the Spirit of Christ which helpeth your infirmities in Prayer that formeth your Petitions that enableth you to Pray with Faith and Life and Fervour Through Christ you have free Admittance to the Throne of Grace through Christ you have Assiâ—â—ance by his Spirit to Pray in Prayer through Christ you have Audience and Gracious Returns O how are you beholden unto Christ and how should you love him 10. You have a Title to the Kingdome of Heaven from Christ. Through Christ you are Children and through Christ you are Heirs It is Christ that gives the first Fruits of the Heavenly Canaan the earnest of the future Treasure and Inheritance which he hath promised and the foretastes sometimes of those Soul ravishing Pleasures which the Saints shall have in Fulness and to Eternity when they are received up into Glory And it is Christ that hereafter will give Possession unto you of the Kingdome of Heaven At the Day of His Glorious Appearance after he hath owned you before the whole World of Angels and Men and Honoured you to be His Assessors in His Judging and Condemning the Wicked he will receive you with Acclamations of Joy and Triumph into the Glorious Pallace of the New Ierusalâ—m where you shall have the Beatifical Vision and Fruition of the Glorious Iehovah and be made partakers of such Glorious Felicity as hath not now entred into your Hearts to conceive And will not the Consideration of all this set your hearts on fire with love to Christ Christiâ—â—s is there any Person like to Christ's Person is there any love like to Chriâ—â—'s love are there any benefits like to Christs benefitâ— No no he is imcomparable in all methinks then you should by this tâ—me â—eel your love to Christ like Fire to burn within with 〈◊〉 flame or methinks your love to Christ should be like water I mean the waters of the Sanctuary spoken of Ezeâ—
fields are clothed with grass in the Spring or enriched with corn in the summer If you have seen the most pleasant Brooks and Streams and Fountains of water the most stately Groves with losty and broad shadowing Trees the most flourishing Orchards most richly laden with variety of the most delicious fruit the most delightfull Gardens with variety of the choisest Flowers casting forth the most fragrant smell If you have seen all sorts of Birds and fowls in the Air All sorts of Beasts on the Earth All sorts of fish in the Sea If you have seen the most goodly men that ever were born the fairest women with the most sparkling beauty What is the sight of all these things and the most lovely objects that ever were visible to the eye of the body the sight of all is but mean and contemptible and not worthy to be named in comparison with the sight of the Lord Jesus by the eye of the Soul Whatever beauty and loveliness there is to be found in any or in all visible Creatures there is infinitely more beauty and loveliness in Jesus Christ all visible beauty is but a shadow in Christ there is substantial beauty all visible beauty is fading like the flower that soon withereth like the leaf that soon fadeth but in Christ there is permanent beauty all visible beauty is inferiour and mean yea deformity compared with Christ's transcendent loveliness There is no discovery to the eye of the mind comparable to the discovery of Christ unto the eye of Faith the light of Nature in the greatest improvement of it is but a weak and dim light in comparison with the spiritual light of the knowledge of Christ no light so clear and bright no light so pure and sweet as that which makes discovery of the Lord Jesus unto the Soul This discovery of Christ doth dispel clouds from the Mind and exhale lusts from the Heart it doth brighten the understanding and cleanse the Affections it doth warm the Heart with love and fill the Heart with comfort it quiets the Conscience and purifies it it gives a most sweet peace and tranquillity to the spirit and withall brings in such spiritual joy as is unspeakable and full of Glory O how then should you admire the Riches of the Grace and Kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto you that he should give unto you this discovery of himself when the discovery is so admirable so excellent so desirable so useful and which doth list you up into a far higher degree of excellency than the otherwise most accomplisht persons in the world that are without this discovery 3dly To conclude If you have these manifestations of Christ and his love unto you labor to retain these manifestations In a word take heed of indulging your selves in any sins which may provoke him to depart from you and withdraw the sweet and comfortable influences of his Spirit and be diligent in the use of all means and ordinances publick private and secret whereby you may maintain daily Communion and Fellowship with him FINIS Books Printed for and sold by Samuel Sâ—int at the Bell in Little Brittain THe vanity of Mans Present state proved and applyed in a Sermon on Psal. 39. 5. with divers Sermons of the Saints Communion with God and safety under his protection in order to their future Glory on Psal. 73. 23 24 25 26 By the late painful Minister of the Word Mr. Iohn Wilson A Treatise concerning the Lords Supper with Three Dialogues for the more full information of the weak in the Nature and Use of this Sacrament by Thomas Dolittle from 1 Cor. 11. 24. This do in Remembrance of me the ninth Edition Time and the end of Time in two Discourses The first about the Redemption of Time the second about consideration of our latâ—r end by Iohn Fox Godly Fear or the Nature and Necessity of Fear and its usefullneâ—â—â— both to the driving Sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians on in a Godly Life through the several parts and Duties of it till they come to Blessedness Heb. 12. 20. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly Fear The Door of Heaven opened and shut opened to the Ready and Prepared shut against the unready and unprepared or Discourse concerning the absolute necessity of a timely Preparation for a happy Eternity by Iohn Fox Minister of the Gospel and Author of the Discourse concerning Time and the end of Time
filled with perplexing fears he could conceal himself no longer from them as in Gen. 45. 1. Then Ioseph could not refrain himself before all that stood by him he wept alou◠and said unto his brethren I am Ioseph and ver 4. Ioseph said unto his brethren come near me I am Ioseph your brother whom ye sold into Egypt So Christ may conceal himself for a while from his people whatever love he hath to them and whatever they have to him some unkindnesses they have shewn may be the cause of this hiding but when they are sensible of their fault full of grief and perplexity for their offences his Love will not permit him to hid himself much longer His Love will engage Him to manifest and discover himself and say I am Jesus your Saviour come near me my brethren come near me that you may have a clearer view of me that ye may know me and know that I do love you The Word also of Christ doth engage him manifest Himself unto them that Love Him It is Christs promise here in the Text He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will Love him and will manifest my self unto him Christs word is sure True and faithfull is Christs name the ordinances of the heaven may sooner fail than Christ fail of His Word and Promise Section III. 3. HOw Christ doth manifest Himself unto them that Love him 1. Christ doth here in this world manifest himself but in part and darkly The soul is not now capable of the fullest and clearest Manifestation of Christs This is a happiness reserved for the other world 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Ioh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me It is Hereafter that Christs Disciples shall be perfectly like unto Christ and shall have a perfect manifestation of Christ that they shall see him as he is It is Hereafter that they shall behold his glory The lustre and brightness of Christs glory is so great that should he now let forth the beams thereof upon them it would dazle and amaze them it would strike them blinde yea it would strike them dead there is need because of their weakness that Christ should keep a veil on his face when he makes discovery of himself they cannot now bear the full patefaction and manifestation of Christ therefore Christ doth discover himself but in part As the Queen of Sheba saith concerning Solomons wisdom and prosperity 1. King 10. 6 7. It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and thy wisdom howbeit I believed not the words until I came and mine eyes had seen it and behold the one half was not told me thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame thereof It is not the one half which Christs Disciples do now hear or can discern of their masters excellencies It hath not now entred into their hearts to conceive what Beauties and Glories and most admirable perfections there are hid in their Beloved not only Christ's Love but also Christ's Loveliness doth pass their knowledge there are such dimensions of most wonderful Glory in Christ's person as do infinitely transcend the capacity of the most elevated minds fully to comprehend Christ doth manifest himself truly to them that Love him yet it is but partly and that but a little part it is but darkly by the beams of a more obscure light 1 Cor. 13. 9 10 11 12. For we know in part and prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away When I was a child I spake as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things For now we see thorow a glass darkly but then Face to Face Now I know in part then I shall know as I am known We Ministers 〈…〉 part we can tell you but a little of what there really is in Christ and both we and you know but in part our conceptions of Christs excellencies and our expressions now are childish hereafter there will be a perfect manifestation of Christ and then all imperfections of knowledge will be removed Now you may see Christ but it is through a glass darkly hereafter face to face Indeed it is said 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed c. There is a comparative open discovery of Christ now in Gospel-times over what there was under the Law the veil of Types and Figures which covered and in a great measure hid Christ from the view is now removed our face is now open from that veil but Christs face is not fully open there is glass still between our eye and Christ's face the glass of Ordinances which though it doth help us to see him yet it keeps us from the clearest discovery of him we see but thorow a glass darkly our eyes now need this glass to help our weakness and that we may see what we do see there is a time coming when we shall be above the need and use of the Ordinance-glasses I mean when we shall see Christ face to face and know him in heaven as we are known by him 2. Christ doth now manifest himself gradually unto them that Love him Christ doth not shew at once altogether what he means to discover of himself and of his Love but he doth it by degrees a little at one time and a little at another time a little in this Ordinance and a little in that now he lets down some comfortable beams of the light of his countenance into the soul by and by clouds do arise and obscure this light and darkness is upon the spirit Sometimes Christ opens the curtain and looks upon the soul gives gracious smiles by and by the curtain is drawn and his face is hid now he appears and then he disappears he manifesteth himself at one time withdraws himself at another time and so leads his people on from one discovery of himself unto another until he bringeth them at last unto the full discovery of himself in Glory 3. Christ doth manifest himself most sweetly unto them that Love him especially after long absence When the soul hath been seeking and cannot finde him wandring in the wilderness under amazing fears perplexing doubts doleful despondencies sinking and heart-overwhelming grief after a black night of deep desertion Oh how sweet is the day-spring from on high Oh how comfortable are the bright beams of the morning light when he shineth upon their dark and despised and sorrowful spirits giving them to know assuredly that they are