be like unto the Deity God is Light and Knowledge and the more we partake of it the more like wee are to him Now by how much the likelier Note wee are unto God by so much the nearer we come up to perfection Knowledge is exceeding precious It must needs be so sith it tends to perfection Indeed as Aquinas saith of seeing Though the object of sight be mean in it self yet the very act of seeing is sweet So also hee determines of Knowing that however the object be low and poor yet the very act it self of knowledge is high and precious Now of all knowledge there is none so precious nor so perfecting as that which is Divine Other Knowledge viz. Human can make us perfect only as men This knowledge viz. Divine gives us a perfection as Saints But Of all Divine knowledge the knowledge of Jesus Christ in the light of love as most precious as tending most to the perfection of our souls As ther are degrees of lustre in the heavenly lights so there are degrees of glory in Divine truths Every Star in the Firmament hath a glorious light but yet the light of the Sun exceeds them all in glory And every truth which is as a Starre in the heaven of Divinity hath a peculiar excellency in it and the knowledge thereof is precious But Jesus Christ who is as the Sunne in Divinity 's heaven hath a transcendent excellency in him and to know him doth sarre more tend to the perfecting of our souls than the knowledge of any or all Divine truths else besides Therefore it is that Paul accents this knowledge with an excellency Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtlesse saith he I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. And certainly Paul might well say thus for albeit he had attained the knowledge of other things yet without this he had been at a losse in point of Soul-sacred perfection So that however other knowledge as being some way perfecting and precious be desirable yet there is no knowledge which is so to be desired at least by Saints as the knowledge of Jesus Christ But yet as although the Sun be the most glorious of the heavenly Lights yet Mortals receive more comfort by its heat than by its light In like manner though the knowledge of Jesus Christ bee the most transcendent of divine truths yet our souls receive more sweetnesse by the warmth of his love than by the lustre of his light Look as Moses could not see the glory of God and live and yet must dye except he saw his grace Even so our souls cannot see the lustre of the bright beams of Christs glory and live wee must dye ere we can behold that yet notwithstanding we must see the light of the bosome-love of Jesus or else we dye If this light dawn not upon our bosoms if this knowledge shine not into our hearts we shall sink and dye in our souls especially if wee are in fear of any troubles Hence it was that the Apostle Paul among the rest of those precious Petitions which he puts up to the Father of our Lord Jesus in the behalf of the Ephesians lest they should faint at his tribulations hee adds this that they might know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge I shal briefly give you the context that it may give some light to the text The Apostle having hinted in the first verse of this Chapter Context that hee was a prisoner of Jesus Christ for the Ephesians who were Gentiles and having also upon that spoken something of the excellency of the Gospel and the warrant which hee had to preach the same unto them which two things were as two great supporters of him in his sufferings hee comes in the fourteenth verse to pray for the Ephesians that they might not faint at his tribulations Now there might be a double ground of the Apostles fear why the Ephesians might faint at news of his tribulations 1 Sympathy It is usual with Saints to sympathize each with other in their tribulations And Paul upon this ground might rightly think that the tidings of his imprisonment would be sad to these Ephesians and happily he might fear that out of their tender love both to his person and preaching they would be over-sad by sympathy to understand that now their Preacher was in prison 2 Fear lest themselves might meet with the like sufferings For what might they think Is Paul in prison for Preaching the Gospel then sure may we fear the like for receiving the Gospel It is commonly seen that the receivers of Gospel-truths suffer as well as the revealers Note And certainly the Ephesians might say we shall be accounted as faulty for our faith in as Paul is for his Preaching of the Gospel This peradventure they might argue and fear and faint Therefore the Apostle bendeth his knees to him who alone is able to keep from and support in faintings i. e. To the Father of our Lord Jesus And three things he beggeth in the behalf of the Ephesians that they might not upon any ground faint at his tribulations 1 Divine strength That he would grant according to the riches of his glory that they might be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner man ver 16. The spirit of man the Apostle knew was weak and so would faint unless God did strengthen it therefore he begs the Spirit of God which is the power from on high for their strengthening in the inner man that they might not faint in their outward man 2 Christs inhabitation That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith saith he v. 17. If any thing will keep up the heart from fainting Note it is the indwelling of Christ with the soul Christs presence creates comfort and there is no such fence against fainting under any fears as Christ in the soul The inhabitation of Christ within will support the soul from its faintings at tribulation for Christ without 3 The knowledge of Christs love That they might know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge as it is in the text Paul well knew the power of Christs love and the efficacy thereof this way So that now you may gather up the Apostles Petitions into one Prayer and you may conceive him pouring out his heart after this manner Thou Father of our Lord Jesus sith thou art the God of all comforts and comfortest thine in all their tribulations so that they faint not vouchsafe to grant according to the riches of thy grace that the Ephesians may not faint at my tribulations And to this end strengthen them by thy Spirit of power in their inner man fill them by the glorious presence of Christ dwelling in them but above all let them know the love of Jesus Christ which passeth knowledge Thus you see by the Context the drift and scope of the Text. But before I speak any further to it I must clear
say ah but will Christ dwell in my heart I would fain beleeve it but what ground have I for such a beleef Hee is the high and the lofty one and I am mean and a poor creature Hee is not only the brightnesse of his fathers glory but the fulnesse of the fathers holinesse And will such a pure person as hee is come and dwell in such a polluted house as I am Thus the soul would or might reason but now all this reasoning is quieted and this doubting will bee easily resolved by the knowledge of Christs love for hee that knoweth the love of Christ knoweth how willing Christ is to come into the heart of a poor beleever and how that daily and hourely hee doth stand at the door knocking for entrance So that I say the very Spirits of the other cordials and as it were their quintessence lying in this the knowledge of the love of Christ It is very plain That the knowledge of the love of Christ is of speciall vertue and efficacy to keep the hearts of beleevers from fainting under tribulations But I shall a little more demonstrate this point First By opening wherein this knowledge of the love of Christ doth consist Secondly By shewing wherein the speciall efficacy of that knowledge doth appear for the supporting of the soulâ— from fainting fits in the time of trouble And then in the cloze of all I shall make some Use and Application For the first Wherein doth the knowledge of Christs love consist or what kind of knowledge of the love of Christ is it which keepeth the heart from fainting In the generall I hinted it in that expression the spirituall knowledge of the love of Christ That is such a knowledge of Christs love as the soul hath by the revelation of the Spirit acting by the shedding abroad of that love even upon the spirit of a beleever Look as the carnall knowledge of Christs person the knowledge of him after the flesh as the Apostles phrase is is not saving neither is it sweet So neither is the carnall knowledge of his love It is the spirituall knowledge of his person and the spirituall knowledge of his love which furthereth the everlasting happinesse of a soul hereafter and the sweetnesse and comfort of a soul here But more particularly I shall hint two words for the explication of the knowledge of Christs love what it is First Negatively It consisteth not in the bare notion of it All divine knowledge whatsoever it bee is without any efficacy if it bee but barely in the notion Look as in reference to duty knowledge is not effectually imperative to put the soul upon doing unlesse it sink deep into the soul for the word falling among stones and wanting root did not arise up in fruit In like manner with reference unto joy knowledge is no way efficaciously restorative although it bee the knowledge of Christs love unlesse it sink down from the head into the hearts of beleevers But as the Apostle putteth the knowledge of the glory of God the father as to salvation in this viz. that God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes had shined into their hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 In like manner hee putteth the vertue of the knowledge of the love of God in making the soul patient in its waitings and by consequence not fainting in his troubles in this that the Lord would direct the Thessalonians hearts into the love of God the Lord saith he direct your hearts into the love of God 2 Thes 3.5 wherefore then this is the first thing by way of negation that you may know wherein the knowledge of the love of Christ doth not consist it is not the bare notion or apprehension thereof in the head Secondly and positively The right knowledge of the love of Christ in reference to the matter in hand I conceive chiefly doth consist in two things First In a particular application of the love of Christ to the soul by faith i.e. that the soul should be able to lay home that to himself in particular which he understandeth to be in the heart of Christ to every beleever in generall The soul should bee able to say of the love of Christ it is mine for else as hee said quid haec mihi nisi mea what is all this to me if it bee not mine In like manner will the soul say what is it to mee if there be a transcendent love in the bosome of Christ to beleevers if I have not a share in it Look as the preaching of the word doth not profit them in whom it is not mixed with faith i.e. in the particular application thereof to themselves In like manner neither doth the love of Christ comfort any if it bee not mixed with faith i.e. particularly applyed to their own souls this is a faithfull saying saith Paul that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of which I am chief 1 Tim. 1.15 Herein was the truth of the saying that Christ came to save sinners but herein was the joy and comfort of Paul that hee could say I am chief It is most clear that the knowledge of the love of Christ is comforting but the efficacy of it doth lye in the application Just as now how choyce soever the cordiall bee that is prescribed by the Doctor it is of no comfort to cure the patient if it bee not taken In like manner though the knowledge of the love of Christ bee one of the choisest cordialls which is revealed yet it is of no vertue to the soul unlesse it bee taken i.e. particularly applyed by faith This is the first thing wherein the right knowledge of the love of Christ as it is efficacious to comfort in troubles doth consist But secondly It consisteth not only in the particular Application but in a serious Meditation thereof being applyed Application taketh the cordiall as it were in the mouth and lets it down into the stomach But meditation sucketh out the sweetness thereof And therefore it is said my Meditation on him shall bee sweet Psal 104.4 Not only the knowing and beleeving of it to bee the souls but also the meditation is that which maketh it more sweet if the cordiall which the patient taketh bee never so sweet yet if it be spit out again and not chewed as it were or swallowed down it affords but little refreshing In like manner though the love of Christ bee surpassing sweet yea and albeit it bee as it were applied in the generall If it bee not meditated upon it will bee but of little efficacy to keep the heart from fainting Wee will bee glad and rejoyce in thee saith the Spouse Cant. 1. v. 4. yea but wherein would they find them joy it followeth in thy love But how would they find out the sweetnesse of that joy out of that love it is hinted in this I will remember thy love more than wine The remembrance or the meditation upon the love of Christ
soul from fainting under trouble There is a strengthening power in spiritual joy to keep the souls of beleevers from fainting fits as was hinted in the beginning Now the knowledge of Christs love is that which is able to produce that divine joy and that divine joy keeping the heart from sinking under sadnesse it is easie to gather up this conclusion that the knowledge of Christs love is of speciall efficacy for keeping the soul from fainting under troubles Now you have seen in a generall way the efficacy of the knowledge of Christs love to support the spirit from fainting in times of trouble If you will see the summe of these five things reduced into one argument take it thus If freedom from fear about a mans eternall condition If assurance of a reward after all tribulations If resting upon Christ in a time of trouble If strength of love to Christ and also of divine joy through the Spirit be efficacious to keep the heart from fainting under troubles then the knowledge of the love of Christ must needs be efficacious because it produceth all these But now we have seen that freedom of the soul 1 From doubts about the eternall condition And 2 assurance of a reward after all tribulations And 3 an acquiescence or resting on Christ in time of trouble together with 4 strength of love to Christ And 5 divine joy is ever efficacious that way therefore c. But now more particularly I shall shew the efficacy of this cordiall the knowledge of this love to keep the heart from fainting under troubles in these four things First In that the knowledge of the love of Christ doth especially in such a nature as hath been described go to the heart and refresheth the Spirits of a beleever Therefore is any thing cordiall and refreshing because it goeth to the heart and hath a power on the Spirits As now wine hot water Spirits and quintessences c. doe therefore cherish because they warm the heart and revive the Spirits Thus now the knowledge of the love of Christ because it goeth to the very heart and reviveth the Spirits of the Saints which if revived there is no fainting therefore it must needs bee so efficacious as it is As now the fear of God is most soveraign to keep from evill because as the phrase is it is put into the heart so likewise the knowledge of the love of Christ is most soveraign and efficacious to support from fainting under trouble because it goeth to the heart and cheareth the Spirits Hence is that phrase of the shedding abroad the love of God in your hearts Secondly This knowledge of the love of Christ doth appear to bee efficacious to keep from fainting under troubles in that it maketh the faculties of the soul so intense Intension maketh insensible and so freeth from fainting Saul though hee were opposed and much mocked of the sonnes of Belial yet being newly lifted up to the kingdome was so intense upon that that hee did not at all mind the sonnes of Belial much lesse did hee faint at their fordid carriage 1 Sam. 10.27 Some conceive that therefore men in a frenzie doe not faint at any thing as others doe because of their intensivenesse what was it that kept the Apostle from fainting in affliction but the intensivenesse of his Spirit about everlasting and eternall objects For which cause saith he I doe not faint while wee look not at things which are seen but things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4. c. 16 18. Paul was so intense upon higher objects that hee did not faint at his tribulations Now the knowledge of the love of Christ maketh the soul very intensive in the contemplations of all its sweet dimensions Thus saith the soul that knoweth the love of Christ O the height and depth and length of the love of Christ O that so great a person as Christ is should love so mean a creature as I am Oh that one who is not onely man but God should set his heart upon mee who am not onely a man but a worm And thus now being intense in that contemplation of Christs love it is kept from fainting under tribulations Thirdly it appeareth that the knowledge of Christs love is efficacious c. because it maketh the soul to forget all the loves of men The reason why we are apt to faint under tribulations is because wee are apt to overprize the love of men Did wee not set our hearts so much on the love of men wee should not faint for the want of that love What though men yea all the sons of men shall hate and oppose so long as I doe not prize their love nor fear their hatred I shall never faint Now the contemplation of the love of Christ to the soul doth work this effect upon the heart It maketh a man to forget all love of men Peter forgat the earth when hee saw but a glimpse of glory in the Mount Mans glory is not seen when Christs glory doth appear the light of the Stars is not seen when the light of the Sun doth shine And while the soul is taken up in the meditation of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge hee doth not mind the loves of men and therefore hee is free from fainting at the want of them Fourthly and lastly the efficacy of the knowledge of Christs love c. will appear in that it hath a power to make a man forget all those tribulations which hee lieth under we give wine saith King Lemuel to them that be of heavy hearts strong drink to him that is ready to perish Prov. 30.6 let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more A soul that can make application and meditation of the love of Christ drinketh as it were that wine that maketh him forget his sorrows and remember his troubles no more Hence it is you shall have the poor beleever say I was so taken up with the remembrance of the love of Christ that I forgot I was in prison As Paul when hee wrot this Epistle being a prisoner at Rome yet was so taken up with the love of Christ as forgetting in a manner his imprisonment Note this he prayeth not for himself lest hee should faint at tribulations but hee powreth out his heart that way in the behalf of the Ephesians that they might not So that there is a divine spirituall intoxicating power in the love of Christ to cause a man not to mind or to remember the tribulations under which hee lyeth and surely the soul doth never faint under that which it doth forget Thus now wee have gone over the second thing and shewed you both generally and particularly wherein the power of the knowledge of the love of Christ as it helps in keeping the heart from fainting under troubles doth consist wee will wind up all in a word of Applition Now Use first for Information This point That the knowledge of
when it was first declared The Prophet tels us it was at such a time as in which we were most unlovely when we lay in our bloud and were not so lovely as to provoke any eye to pity us Then did Christ passe by and it was the time of his love and then did his love break forth with the light of Life for then he said Live as it is Ezek. 16. Surely hee did shew wit who fancied the feigned beloved all besmeared with a poysoned hand and made leprous thereby and yet stories that the Love was as constant in love as ever But we shall shew only the truth and the transcendency of Christs love to Beleevers if we affirm from Scripture History When beleevers were all poysoned with the leprosie of sin and lay as Lepers by the way side then Jesus Christ came and took them by the hand and opened the love of his heart in letting out a stream of bloud to wash them and make them clean Now that before ever the fountains of the deep were laid a fountain of love should spring up in Christs bosome to beleevers and that it should be opened in his side at such a time as they lay in their filth What doth this declare but that Christs love to beleevers is transcendent and as it is in the Text passeth knowledge it being set and declared at or in such a time Yet Lastly take in the consideration of that end which Christ aimes at in his love to beleevers and this will declare it also to be transcendent Christs love to beleevers is its own end He loves that he may love and this makes the love glorious Jesus Christ Beleevers in all the love which hee lets out to you aimes not at himself but at you Hee loves you now that he may love you ever The end which he drives at in declaring love in a lesser measure here is that he may declare love to you in a greater measure hereafter He makes you vessels of Grace in this world that you may be vessels of Glory in that which is to come All the glory which hee aimed at for himself was the glory of his Grace and that shall be towards you Christ delights to set the golden apple of his glory in the silver picture of your good He being Love only aims that men may see the light thereof and he chose your bosomes beleevers as the golden Candlesticks to set up the glorious light of his love to shine in Now then that so infinite a Majesty as Christ is should love such mean Worms as beleevers be And that he should set his love before the first of the times and let it out in the worst of times and that only for their good as the end Oh! who can consider this but must sit down and wonder and cry out O the transcendency of Christs love How how doth it passe knowledge Having thus demonstrated a little I would now apply this point at present in three uses viz. 1 Of Consolation 2 Of Conviction 3 Of Counsel 1 In as much as Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love How may this comfort Beleevers at all times Thou complainest O beleeving Soul that the World doth not love thee nay thou sayest it doth hate thee Why be of good comfort though the World hateth Christ loveth and the World cannot hate thee so much as hee will love thee His love doth transcend the Worlds hatred What the Angel told Daniel that say I to every beleeving soul who groaneth under the hatred of the World Dan. 10.19 Fear not O man greatly beloved Why complain you O beleevers for want of the puddle drops of the Creatures love you have the pure spring of Christs love what weaknesse is it to cry for want of the light of the Stars so long as you have the light of the Sun Thou hast the Creators love beleever be not sad therefore in wanting the love of the creature especially considering what a transcendent love it is Comfort your selves O my brethren with these thoughts Jesus Christ loves you and that love of his which he bears to you passeth knowledge 2 Let this be a word of Conviction unto sinners Wretches be ye convinced that however you say no body regardeth Beleevers yet there is one who is greater than all who regards them and that in a high manner know that Christ loves them with a transcendent love You break their souls in peeces you slay them and you murther them and yet you say the Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Israel regard it Psal 94.7 But be convinced now to the contrary The Lord Jesus doth see and he doth regard them and ere long he will make you know that however you deal with them they are dear unto him though you love them not at all yet he loves them highly Were you not afraid saith God to speak against my servant Moses Num. 12.8 God wonders that they were not afraid to speak against a man whom he loved so much And who can chuse but wonder that ever any wretches should be so vile as to speak and act against those cruelly whom Christ loves transcendently But I pity yee poor Creatures It may be you think that Christ slights them as you do yet be convinced now and take heed hereafter what you do certainly whoever they bee whom you oppose if they be beleevers be convinced that the Lord Jesus loveth them all with a transcendent love 3 This Doctrin might be a Counsellor and it counsels all to look after and prize a part in the love of Christ above all the loves of the world O friends I why do you spend your selves and lay out your souls in the pursute of that which is not love at least not transcendent love I wish you would now bewise you who court the creature court them now no more I shew you a more excellent way of love Consider the transcendent love of the Lord Jesus and be ye counselled to labour to get a share in it O that the hearing of this that Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love might make you sick in your souls till you participate of this love When one heard of the great love which was between two choyce friends he said Utinam tertius essem i. e. O that I were but a third that I might share with them in their great love Consider it you have heard of the high transcendent love which is between Christ and beleevers Be on fire therefore and burn with desire that you may partake of that love and that at least you may enjoy that love which those that have most are not able to expresse or conceive it being a transcendent love passing knowledge SERMON III. EPHES. 3. ver 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE are lanched out into the great depth of our Saviours love wherein our souls may swim very sweetly and although I can neither sound ground nor see
breadth and length O the transcendency of Christs love to beleevers 3. But how came Christ here Came he in pomp with glory Came hee with the sound of a Trumpet that all might know that though hee did come into a cottage yet he was a Prince No but rather in a poor mean way Indeed when Christ was born an heavenly Hoast appeared praising of God and singing But that was rather to discover unto the World that the Saints lover was come into their Country than any way to dignifie him who indeed was above all glory Some expound that place Isa 42.12 He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voyce to be heard in the streets c. As if it did mean that Christ should not carry the matter about which he came in an outward glorious manner with pomp but that in a silent way he should both come and do all that unto which his Fathers love and his own did design him And if you consider the History of his Nativity you will say that Christ came not with any great show hee was born not the Son of some great Queen but the Infant of a poor Virgin His reputed Father was not a mighty Monarch but a mean Carpenter This was it with which he was twitted in the teeth as disgraceful Is not this the Carpenters Son O how mean did Christ come into the World when he was born in an Inne and that happily none of the best for there were not many Lodgings in it and therefore his travelling Mother was fain to lye in the stable and there was hee brought forth And how did hee lye when being swadled with some homely Cloaths his Mother laid him in the Cratch He that was wont to sit upon the Throne amidst the Cherubims was content to bee found in the Cratch among Brutes Verily while we consider this we must needs conclude that Christs love was surpassing great in that he would vouchsafe to seem at least yea and in a Human way to be so little and to lye so low for your sakes But 4 Joyn to all these the end of Christs coming into the World and this will exceedingly heighten the demonstration and evince that indeed the love of Christ passeth knowledge Why for what did he come upon what design came the King of glory from Heaven to Earth in so mean a way came he to take the Crowns off from the heads of Kings and to put them upon his own Indeed Herod feared this but without ground for Christ came for no such end But the end for which he came was love His design was to declare make known that love which lay hid from eternity in his own and Fathers bosome unto beleevers Therefore it was that he was born in time viz. that beleevers might see and know that love which hee bare to them from before time I will in a word mention omitting others six particular ends for which Christ was born and came into the world and you will see them like so many several lines in a Compass meet all in love as in their alone center 1 The first end for which he was born was to redeem the precious souls of beleevers from that slavery in which they lay yea and their bodies also from that vanity unto which with the rest of the Creatures they were subjected Christ saw his beloved Captives in Sathans Kingdom bound with chains and made slaves unto his will This sight went to his Soul and his love could not contain it self but he must come that his beloved might bee set free That this was the end of his Nativity the Apostle witnesseth Gal. 4.4 When saith he the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son and he readily came made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of sons You were once slaves beleevers and Christ was born that you might be sons And a part of that adoption to which you were redeemed is not only the redemption of your souls though that bee the chief but also the redemption of your bodies as it is clear Romans 8.23 This was the end why Christ was born and I think I need not say it was an end of love for you cannot consider this but you must confess that 2 Another end which Christ aimed at in his Nativity was to be fitted to suffer for Beleevers sakes As Christ was God and shined with the glory and Majesty of the Deity buffetings spittings binding c. could not durst not take hold upon him when he spake but that word I AM HEE the glory of his God-head shining through it as through a crevise it is said they that came to seize him went backward and fell to the ground Joh. 18.6 Christ knew that as hee was God he could not suffer and yet a necessity he saw of suffering for beleevers sakes therefore he was contented to cloud the glory of his Deity with the mantle of the seed of Abraham that so he might be fitted to suffer for them When Codrus saw that his death would profit his Country and that while he had on his Imperial robes none durst slay him the Historian saith Depositis imperii insignibus famularem cultum induit c. i. e. He laid aside the royal robe and put on an homely habit that he might be fit to dye in that disguise My beloved the Lord Jesus saw that the bloud of Bulls and Goats could not take away sins he saw also that yet if ever beleevers lived it must be by bloud And therefore the Father having prepared him a body as it is Heb. 10.5 his heart had this law of love written in it that he took the Body that thereby he might bee fit to bleed Surely you are blind if you see not love in this end viz. That Christ was born to be fit to dye 3 A third end why he was born was that hee might bee like beleevers Love tends to likenesse Christ because he loved would bee born that he might be like to them in all things whom he loved above all things He was made saith the spirit in the likenesse of man Phil. 2.7 He beheld his beloved in the form of servants and he would bee born that he might be in their form Christ saw his dear ones cloathed with the sackcloth of Human Nature for that compared with the Angelical is but as hair to silk and therefore stoopt to a Nativity that he might be in the same fashion and appear in the same suite Though the Human Nature especially cloathed with infirmities were but a very mean array yet his Divine love made him esteem it above the Angelical Therefore passing by the nature of Angels he took upon him the nature of man and was born that he might be like unto beleevers Surely this was love But 4 Christ in his Nativity aimed at another end as like in love the former as might be and that
discoursed exactly concerning this subject viz. the transcendency of the love of Christ I have heard that that precious Divine Dr. Preston was wont to complain of the great defect this way Surely it is very sad to think that the knowledge of the love of Christ being of such necessary and high concernment hath been so little inquired into O what a gallant Gospel-designe were it for some one who is acquainted with the Spirit in a large measure to goe over the whole history of the Gospel and to observe the glorious shinings of the love of Christ to beleevers in all It would bee precious if some would take it in hand and perfect it to the purpose But it is sad to think it hath been neglected so long Secondly we may lament not onely to think this knowledge hath been but little advanced by the labours of any but especially that it is such that after all labour it can be but little gained We may weep to think how little of the love of Christ it is that those who have most knowledge of it doe or can know We read of a Book which was sealed and John wept much saith the Text because no man was found worthy in heaven or in earth that was able to open the Book or to look thereon Beloved the heart of Christ may be compared to a glorious Book in which the mysterious history of his transcendent love is written But alas who is there not onely in earth but in heaven that is able to open this Book and to discover the mysteries thereof Beloved when we shall come to heaven wee shall then be in a capacity of more perfect knowledge of the love of Christ But alas even then wee shall never be able to comprehend the love of Christ in the perfection thereof that is so fully as it may be known Then indeed we shall apprehend it in the perfection of our knowledge i.e. so far as it can bee known by the finite knowledge of creatures but yet then we shall not know it so full as it is The Schoolmen speak of knowledge as they doe of seeing Duplex plenitudo scientioe visionis viz Plenitudo 1 Subjecti 2 Objecti There is a twofold fulness of knowledge First a fulnesse in regard of the object i.e. such a fulness as regards the thing it self Secondly a fulnesse of knowledge in regard of the subject in which it is Now for mine own part I incline at least for present to conclude that although without doubt there shall be a fullnesse of knowledge of Christ in respect of our knowledge i.e. according to the utmost bounds or extents which our knowledge when it is perfected to the highest is capable of yet notwithstanding in regard of the fulnesse of knowledge as it relates to the thing it self viz. The love of Christ quoad essentiam virtutem intensivam extensivam i.e. when it is considered so far forth as it may be had unto all the effects and purposes whereunto that knowledge doth extend it self this I say I think wee shall not have but to all eternity wee shall be admiring and adoring of this love of Christ which passeth knowledge Wherefore then wee must needs lament to consider that although the knowledge of the love of Christ be of such necessary concernment yet it hath been but little searched after by many and when wee shall make the greatest search after it we shall never be able fully to attain it Use Secondly it may be a use of Reproof unto those who neglect this study of the knowledge of the love of Christ altogether Many there are who are little in the study of the Bible lesse in the study of the Gospel but least of all in this which is the light and lustre and glory of all the Gospel the love of Christ to beleevers And I cannot chuse but think those blame-worthy and to be reproved who in these times speak much of their parts and abilities in the beating out of some truths merely controversall which yet I speak not against in its place and yet neglect this knowledge which is of such necessary concernment I doe not altogether blame those who study this headship of Christ I mean this Government it being I think this present truth which is most controverted in these times yet notwithstanding to study so far the head of Christ as to neglect his heart so far to mind his government as to neglect his love is without doubt a thing to bee reproved But much more are those to bee reproved who study neither the one nor the other but spend all their time their pains and their parts in controversies and niceties prying either into unrevealed positions or being busied about needlesse questions neglecting in the mean time this one necessary thing viz. the knowledge of the love of Christ How many are there that may as one said of the Schoolmen bee like unto Travellers or men in a journey who have good bread about them but goe gnawing and biting upon hard stones so indeed some men who have at least means to have the bread of life Christs love but they neglect it and spend their time in gnawing upon hard trivialls at least not usefull questions Be reproved O all ye who so far spend your selves about the obtaining of any knowledge when in the mean time you doe neglect the study of this knowledge the love of Christ which is of necessary concernment Lastly we shall adde a word of Exhortation to stir up all to the study of the love of Christ You who have spent or rather mispent many a precious hour in reading of Romanses and fond histories of feigned loves yea you who spend all your time though it be about some matters of concernment but neglecting this be stirred up now to lay out your selves in the study of that which is sweet and necessary viz. the study of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge you must conceive that as I hinted in the explication my desire is that you would labour to be well versed and to be exact students in this businesse I would not have you content your selves in some generalls but labour to make a particular discovery of the love of Christ in its substance in its circumstances and in its sundry actions and declarations O remember that this knowledge includeth in it all that knowledge which is necessary to be known for salvation When you have studied it well you shall find that there is nothing in the whole doctrine of salvation which is not comprehended in this love of Christ as Calvin hath well observed upon the place This knowledge is both safe and sweet it is not such knowledge as wil puffe up the head but it will purifie the heart I doe not doubt that any can grow wanton who attaineth to any spirituall saving degree of this knowledge The love of Christ will constrain to duty and restrain from sin therefore betake your selves to
one thing which happily may be an occasion of doubt and that is the seeming unreasonablenesse of this part of Pauls prayer Doubt For may some say what reason is there that Paul should pray for that which he hints is impossible Why should he pray that the Ephesians might know that which he expresly saith was above knowledge The love of Christ which passeth knowledge There bee three things which may satisfie this scruple Satisfaction and demonstrate the reasonablenesse of this request 1 Admit the love of Christ be above knowledge yet 't is not unreasonable to desire to know it For look as albeit the fulfilling of Divine precepts be above our power yet notwithstanding it is to be in our endeavour In like manner albeit the knowledge of Christ of Christs love though it s above our intellectuals yet it may bee in our desires The same infiniteness which Grace puts in the Will making it endeavour to fulfill that which it cannot nay yea and doth also put on the desire for the obtaining of that which cannot be obtained But 2 To know the love of Christ may be said to be above knowledge with reference to men as men not unto Saints as such Indeed the spirit of man is not able to know or search into the love of Christ that is above its knowledge But the Spirit of Christ is able both to search into and to reveal his love And though Christians as men cannot attain to the knowledge of the love of Christ by the light of reason yet as Saints by the light of faith they may especially the Holy Ghost in the mean time shedding it abroad in their hearts as it is Rom. 5.5 3 The love of Christ may be said to be above knowledge in regard of its perfection of degrees not simply inregard of its parts 'T is true the perfect knowledge of Christs love passeth the understanding of men and Angels which is its glory But yet in some measure it may be known the which is our duty For that which cannot bee known perfectly in the highest degree may yet be known partially and in some measure Thus the Text may bee cleared from the doubt propounded Now there are four ways in which I shall look upon this Scripture and so speak unto it 1 As it includes the truth and reality of Christs love to the Saints Division of the word 2 As it concludes the height and royalty or transcendency of that love 3 As it holds out the Apostles desire that the Ephesians might know both 4 As it contains the ground of keeping up the Ephesians hearts from fainting at Pauls tribulations which is the drift and scope that Paul drives or aimes at in them And thus there will be four Doctrines which I shall take up and speak unto from these words I. There is love in Christs bosome towards all beleevers Doctrines from the words II. That love which Christ beareth to beleevers is a transcendent love III. It is a thing of necessary concernment for every Christian to know the transcendent love of Christ IV. The Spiritual knowledge of the transcendent love of Christ towards Beleevers is of special efficacy to keep up ther hearts from fainting under any trouble I begin with the first which however it might more fully be gathered from another Text yet because it will be a good foundation for the following Discourse and is clear enough in this place I shall briefly speak unto it now viz. There is love in Christs bosome towards all Beleevers I suppose it is clearly couched at least in these words Science supposes ens Paul would not doubtlesse pray that the Ephesians might know that which was not things must be ere they can be known Nothing falls under the understanding till it first bee in being I shall briefly open the Point Point opnened and then prove it and apply it How love may be said to be in Christ How love may be said to be in Christ as any other affection I shall not need to inquire though happily love may bee said to be in Christ as God for as hee is man there is no doubt of it in far more proper sense then any other passion may because it is as it were his essence God being as John saith love 1 Joh. 4.16 What Christs love is What the love of Christ is I shall not curiously define The Moral'sts have so many definitions of love that indeed it is hard among them as the Proverb is to finde this wood for trees i. e. to know what love is among their various definitions therof Passing by therefore their nicities I shall content my self with this plain description of love It is the commanding affection of the Soul Love described consisting in the expansion or going out of the heart towards a person or thing in wishings and workings for its good Cunctorumque Deum primum quaesivit amorem I call it an affection and the commanding one it being indeed on all hands assented unto Love is Queen regent in the Soul and it sits upon the Throne commanding all It is the Centurion in the bosome and hath the same power over all the affections which the Centurion hath over all his servants I say it consists in the expansion or stretching out of the heart Look as hatred contracts and gathers in so love opens and dilates the heart I adde that it consists in the general in wishings and workings for good I do not specifie the end for that describes and denominates the particular kinds of love therefore only in the general I say it consists in the going out of the heart in wishing and working for the good of the person or thing loved So that now when I say that there is love in Christs bosome towards all beleevers I mean that the commanding affections of Jesus Christ is set upon them that his heart is open and stretched out unto them and that the wishings and workings of his Soul are towards them for good Beleevers who they are described By Beleevers in a word I understand all those who close with Christ as tendred in the Gospel However there be difference between them in the degrees of their faith the ways of their light yet all agreeing in this that they see themselves lost without Christ and that God the Father doth freely tender him in the word of grace they do thereupon go our in the strength and sincerity of their souls to imbrace him as hee is tendred They are beleevers all of them and in this thing Christ puts no difference as it is Act. 15.9 between them but burns in his bosome with real love towards them all For proof Point proved I should but darkeâ— the point if I should bring all that cloud of witnesses which would gladly come and set seal to this sweet truth Ask John and he will witness that Christ loved him He was indeed a bosome-beloved Beleever
transcendent sith the Apostle saith it passeth knowledge I shall indeavour to open the point and give you the meaning thereof by bringing you to the top of this high hyperbolical expression in three steps or staires First The love of Christ to Beleevers is transcendent it being above expression Those who enjoy Christs love they know not how to expresse it such is the transcendency of the love that it passeth their knowledge how to expresse it in any Language The Scripture sets out the height of things by this that they are unspeakable So when it would heighten and declare the transcendency of that rapture in which Paul was when wrapped up to the third heavens and the glory of that which he then heard it sets it down by this that it was unutterable He heard unspeakable words which may be an Hebraism for things word and thing being in the Hebrew convertible which it was not possible for a man to utter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud Hebraeos est verbum res 2 Cor. 12.14 In like manner when the Scripture speaks of the transcendent joy which Beleevers rejoyce withall by beleeving It useth this phrase that it was unspeakable 1 Pet. 1.8 Yee rejoyce with joy unspeakable And it must not be passed by in silence that the joy of which Peter speaks is that which Beleevers have by faith which certainly is founded upon Christs love So that if the joy in the faith of Christs love be unspeakable the love it self is much more For quod efficit tale est magis tale as the Logicians speak i. e. That which makes any thing so or such is much more it self so or such This may be the first step to ascend the height of the expression and to declare the transcendency of Christ love to beleevers It passeth knowledge in this that no man no though he had the tongues of men and Angles knows how to expresse it 2 Christs love is transcendent and may be said to be above knowledge in that it is above apprehension As the Language of Beleevers cannot expresse so neither can their knowledge apprehend the height of their Saviours love Men often can apprehend more than they can expresse when the tongue is silenced the understanding may be comprehensive But now in the love of Christ there is that which poseth and confoundeth the very intelectuals of men and Angels It is so high as that there is no reaching of it so deep as that there is no sounding of it so long as that it exceeds measuring and so broad that there is no comprehending it The most Spiritual Mathematician is not able to commensurate Christs love in all its dimensions It is as possible for that little Crevise of the body the Eye to let in all the light of the Sun as it is for that great eye of the Soul knowledge to let in the lustre of Christs love The Holy Ghost when hee would set out a thing as transcendent he useth this phrase that it is such as cannot be comprehended As now speaking of the great things which God doth it is said they are such as wee cannot comprehend Job 37.5 Without doubt as the operation of the Fathers hand so the expansion of the Sons heart is such as cannot be comprehended In this the Fathers works and the Sons loves do equally transcend that they passe knowledge and are not able to be apprehended 3 Christ bears to beleevers a transcendent love it passeth knowledge in this that it is above conception Fancy can conceive that which Reason cannot comprehend The Understanding being bounded by Reason cannot go beyond its limits and therefore where Reason cannot suggest the Understanding cannot apprehend But now fancy is winged and it will fly It doth as Scaliger speaks Aspernare caeterorum finium praescriptionem It scorneth to be bounded though by Reason it self It flyeth high and will guesse at least at the transcendent height of that which reason cannot reach Yet such my beloved is the love of Christ It is so high so superlatively-transcendent that let fancy loose and let it fly as high as it can it is not able to soare to the top thereof As the understanding going to its utmost bounds So fancy flying beyond all bounds is not able to conceive what is the love of Christ to Beleevers So that now when I say the love which Christ Bears to Beleevers is transcendent and when you read in the text that it passeth knowledge You may take the meaning thus That it is above the expression of the finest Oratory the comprehension of the deepest Theory and the conception of the sublimest Fancy In so much as let Oratory speak Wisdom study Fancy fly yet neither the one nor the other nor all are able to express apprehend or conceive what is the love of Christ to beleevers Indeed the love of Christ is such as heaven it self though it be the state of sight doth not as hereafter we shal shew exalt the Saints so high as to make them able to comprehend that love in the fields whereof they do walk and live It is with the Saints in Heaven as with the Fishes in the Sea they swim up and down the mighty waters but yet they do not cannot comprehend that watry world in which they live In like manner the Saints above though they swim up and down the infinite Ocean of love which is in their Saviours bosom yet they can no more comprehend that vast sea of love in which to eternity they shall bathe and blesse their souls than the little Fish can comprehend the great Sea in which it swims Wherefore ere I proceed further let me premise this That it is not in my thoughts nor dare I presume this neither would I have you expect that by any thing which I shall or can say I shall be able to set out the infiniteness of that love of which we shal treat according to his full Latitude and worth No this I despair of only I desire to let you see some of the glimmering beams of that transcendent love which is in Christs bosome towards beleevers so as that you may wonder at it and set about the exacter study of it And look as a Painter when he intends to draw out the Sea or the World in a Map hee maketh only some little shadows of the Earth and Sea that so the beholder may be inabled to guesse at the vastnesse thereof In like manner I shall draw before you in my Discourse some little shadowy pricks or lines of Christs love that thereby I may help you somewhat to imagine what is that infinite transcendent love which neither Saints nor Angels are able in all its lustre and dimensions to paint out or discover For the proof I shall not need to adde more Scriptures it being clear enough by what the Apostle speaks in this place of Christs love that it is transcendent In the verse before this the Apostle hints that
there are all the dimensions in Christs love which may serve to declare any thing vast and infinite There is a breadth and length and depth and height in the love of Christ And it is worth the noting the Apostle doth not tell how great those dimensions were He doth not say how broad or how long or how deep or how high but as if the dimensions of Christs love did transcend his knowledge he passeth it by and only adds this that this love passeth knowledge I finde not this phrase to my best remembrance but once more in the New Testament and that is Philip. 4.7 where Paul speaking of the transcendency of the Peace of God he saith it passeth understanding Certainly it is the glory of Christs love as well as of his Fathers peace that it also passeth understanding If at your leasure you read and reading spiritually consider what is presented to faith in the Book of the Canticles you will see this truth that the love of Christ to beleevers is transcendent in the glory and convincing power and proof thereof It may be in your time you have mis-spent some hours in reading of some Romances And you have wondred at some strange Stories of Love which you have met withall But alas should you compare the highest love that ever you read of with the love of Christ to Beleevers you wil be forced to confess that that love in comparison of this is but like the story it self i. e. a meer fancy If ever strength of affection were set out in sweetness of expression It is in that Book to a Spiritual eye when I do but consider the fourth Chapter only of that Song I cannot chuse but wonder at the high transcendency of Christs love to beleevers Surely I conclude the affections are sweet strong glorious unconceivable when the expressions thereof are so ravishing so great so high as in that Chapter they are I shall give one general demonstration to let you see the truth of the Doctrin that Christs love to beleevers is transcendent The demonstration take thus That love which includeth in it and comprehends all kindes acts or demonstrations of love whatsoever must needs be a transcendent love But such is the love of Christ to Beleevers c. Therefore c. I suppose the Major is clear enough and needs no proof The Painter took the direct and undeniable way to make the Picture of Minerva transcend and excel all other Beauties when he epitomized or contracted all the several rays and particular beauties that were scattered up and down in other Persons or Pictures in that one pecce It is upon this ground an axiome indubitable and beyond or above Dispute That the Sun doth farre transcend in Light any or all the other Lights Moon or Stars c. because in its Light all theirs is contained and that in an eminent manner All the question is about the Minor whether that Christs love be such to beleevers as that it includes and contains in it all other kindes or acts of love whatsoever Now this I shall put out of question by an Induction or enumeration of the several kindes or acts of love Amongst other how exactly I will not determine the Moralists tell us of these four kindes of love as the chief viz. 1 A love of Friendship 2 A love of Pity 3 A love of Sympathy 4 A love of Complacency In these four only I shall instance which I had rather call several demonstrations or degrees of one and the same passion of love than particular kindes distinct and shall shew that Christs love to Beleevers includes and contains in it all of them and that therefore it must needs be transcendent 1 The love of friendship is so called not as if it were the habit of friendship it self but because it is that kinde or act of love whereby we prosecute or follow one whom we look upon and love as a friend and to whom we wish good Now this kinde or rather degree of love is in the love of Christ to beleevers Christ looks upon and loves all beleevers as friends hence it is that he counts and calls them all by that name ye are my friends Joh. 15.14 And that this is real appears by his dealing with them Therefore it is added Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you ver 15. Those whom we love as friends wee open our minds unto and it is their privilege wee communicate to them secrets which we have heard Christ dealeth thus with beleevers and thus dealing doth not he declare to them the love of friendship 2 The love of pity This falleth in and followeth upon the former for as Job saith To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed by his friend Job 6.14 This also is included in Christs love to beleevers For upon that love of friendship which he bears to them he acteth this of pity still towards them when no eye pitied them his eye did When sinners and Satan rather laugh at their misery and say Aha Aha so would wee have it Christ he as it were sighs to see their sorrows and indeed pities their souls Hence it is said Isa 63.9 In his love and in his pity hee redeemed them it was real pity it did work and he bare them and carried them all the days of old 3 The love of Sympathy which in truth is but a high degree of pity is also contained in the love of Christ to beleevers Men sympathize with those whom they love when they do as it were take up their miseries upon themselves and be as if they were in their Friends case Thus doth Jesus Christ when hee sees any beleever groan either under sin or sadness he comes and by a sympathy doth afflict himself For in all their afflictions saith the Prophet he was afflicted Isa 63.9 as if he himself was in their sadness and under their sin The Author to the Hebrews tells us Wee have not an high Priest who cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. sympathize with our infirmities cha 4.15 His meaning is that indeed our high Priest Jesus Christ doth sympathize with beleevers in their sorrows And in Chap. 5.2 it is said of Christ that he can have compassion of the ignorant that word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies as much as Hee knoweth how to pity according to the measure of our misery Let the misery be never so great for with reference to great measure I beleeve the Metaphor is used Jesus Christ knows how to measure out as great a measure of sympathy as is needful So that Christs love to Beleevers you see contains in it also the love of sympathy Lastly For the love of complacency which indeed is the highest degree of love this also is in Christs love contained You have a
shoar yet I am loath to desire to be from this Sea for it were delight in the highest manner to be drowned here The love of Christ is so surpassing sweet in it self and so infinitely necessary for our souls as that it is my desire at least to make some further discovery of its transcendency You see what an Hyperbole the Apostle useth to express the greatness of Christs love by viz. That it passeth knowledge The last time wee gave out the meaning of the expression and entred upon the proof of it in the prosecution of this point of Doctrine viz. That the love which Christ beareth to Beleevers is a transcendent love This being the main thing which I eye in the Text and indeed the main thing which every soul ought to eye and live upon I shall proceed further in the prosecution thereof All which I spake the last time for the demonstration of the truth of the Doctrin was but in a general way I shall therefore now go on to demonstrate the love of Christ to be transcendent from a brief survey of the course of his life Indeed Christs Life was as it were but one great act of love begun at his Birth and carried on even to the time of his Death If we follow this Lamb in the whole tract of his Life we shall see that from his Cradle unto his Crosse the whole way was paved as the bottom of Salomons Chariot was with love There be three Heads or demonstrations which I shall now touch upon that the transcendency of Christs love to Beleevers may appear yet more full and glorious They are these 1 His Birth and Incarnation 2 His Life and Conversation 3 His Death and Passion Each of these seriously considered will abundantly demonstrate the love of Christ to beleevers to be transcendent First consider his Birth and Incarnation How doth Christs love transcend in this act The low condescension of Christ in becoming Man doth evidently declare the high transcendency of his love to beleevers Had it not been great love in the Lord Jesus to have taken upon him the Angelical nature Sure it had If Christ would have come into the World with tidings of love and life he might have came as an Angel of glory not as a pe ce of clay and such a condescension as that had been much But he passed by the nature of Angels and took upon him the nature of man that in this act he may declare love to beleevers The Apostle tells us that he took not upon him the nature of Angels Heb. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in no wise at no hand would he take upon him the Angelical Nature but he took upon him the seed of Abraham to declare his love to the Children of Abraham That we may see a little more clearly how the love of Christ doth transcend in his birth I shall speak to this head in some particulars and by all of them you shall see how Christs love unto beleevers did appear and shine gloriously in this act of his when he became man and was born for their sakes Here I shall consider therefore particularly under this Head these four things 1 Whence Christ came 2 Where Christ came 3 How Christ came 4 Why Christ came when he was incarnate And out of all these you will see the transcendency of Christs love 1 Consider whence he came Christ was in the bosome of the Father where hee lay and lived in his Fathers love hence he came to declare love to beleevers John tells us hee came down from Heaven Joh. 6.38 Jesus Christ from all eternity was in Heaven There he had his Fathers company There he enjoyed his Fathers love There he was blessed in his Fathers bosome for so the Scripture saith he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.18 He was living in the light of the Fathers love And being with God he solaced himself in God In that very light and glory in which God himself was in that same light and glory did Christ triumph And yet from this from this he came for beleevers sakes He forg at as it were his Kindred and Fathers house to bee born for beleevers To undertake a long journey and from a rare place for any doth declare much love to them O how long a Journey did Christ undertake and from what a Paradise of pleasure did hee come unto beleevers when he was born Surely great was his affection transcendent is his love who came at least for a time from the house of Love his Fathers bosome to open to Beleevers the fountain of love his own bosome 2 But where did Christ come when he came from Heaven was it into some Goshen some land of light was it into some Paradise some land of life was it into some Elysium some place of pleasure Nothing lesse The place to which he came was Aegypt where beleevers sat in darknesse It was the Wildernesse where beleevers were in the shadow of death It was into this World where nothing is but vanity and vexation Here it was that Christ came for beleevers sakes And on what transcendent love was it that brought Christ here His eyes saw that his beloved ones were in a defiled place which therefore could not be their rest as it is Micha 2.10 his love therefore prevailed with him to come here to fetch his beloved hence It was great love which Ebedmelech the Aethiopian shewed unto Jeremiah when hee came to the brink of that filthy Dungeon in which the Prophet was and put down cords to draw him thence But what great love had it been if Ebedmelech had not only come to the brink of the Dungeon but come down into the Dungeon and not only drew him up with ropes but carried him up in his arms this had been love indeed Why let me tell you beleevers you were in this World in a worser Dungeon than Jeremiah was in which you were ready to dye for hunger and to be drowned in the mire thereof And the Lord Jesus Christ came when hee was born not only to the brink of the Dungeon with cords to draw you up but into the Dungeon it self to take you up in his very bosome and to bring you out from perishing here I came forth from the Father saith Christ that was great love but he addeth I came into the world Joh. 16.28 Here was love indeed For Christ to come from Heaven the Fathers Throne into the world Satans Kingdom For Christ to come from the place in which glory shines Heaven unto a place which lies in evil the world For Christ to come out from the presence of the Father who always smiled upon him and to come into the place of men who ever frowned upon him For him to come from thence where he always heard the Hallelujahs of Angels to come here where his ears were filled with the revilings of sinners 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the height and the depth O the
me If he layeth me in his bosome why is it that he suffereth me to lye at the worlds feet Answ 1. This may consist with love tell me thou weak soul was not Christ the dearly beloved of the Father and yet did not the father permit wicked men to persecute him Canst thou be reviled buffeted scourged or crucified worse than he yet notwithstanding all he was beloved of the Father and that in a transcendent manner in like manner thou mayest be the beloved of Christs soul and yet be delivered into the hands of thine-enemies as it is Jer. 12.7 Nay this is not onely consisting with love but 2 It is an act of love for while Christ permits these sufferings of thine hee maketh thee like unto himself It is desired of Paul as it makes him conformable unto Christ Phil. 3.10 Even a mourning garment is glorious when it is the same that Christ weareth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. We boast in a glorying manner What soul is there that may not as it were be proud and glory in its tribulations as the word signifieth Rom 5.3 when he considereth in them he is made like to Christ yea a suit of sackcloth is to a spirituall soul brave and fine when the Lord of glory goeth in the same fashion Object 2 But some will object further and say I do not question whether Christ loves me transcendently because of the sufferings I lye under but rather because of the desertions in which I am Alas I question whether he loveth me at all because he withdraweth himself from me so long much more reason have I to question whether be loveth me transcendently while I see him altogether deny me his company Indeed in a sense I think that the love of Christ passeth knowledge for I know but little of Christ Methinks I see him withdrawn I will not deny but he hath sweet smiles but I am a stranger to those smiles Time was when I thought hee loved me transcendently but now I fear hee loveth me not at all for hee deserteth me Answ To such a soul as objects thus I would say but three words First These withdrawings of Christ whereof thou complainest are but in shew not in substance The Sun is but absent in shew when it doth not shine it is prerent still though behind a cloud I have often thought that Christs withdrawing in this respect may be called rather his concealed presence Note this than his real absence He was close by Mary although she did not see him He was in the company of his Disciples though they knew it not His presence was not manifest not because his person was not there but because their eyes were held that they should not know him Luke 24 v. 16. Secondly These withdrawings whereof thou complainest are not total Christ never so withdraweth from the beleever but he leaveth something behind he putteth in his hand before he goeth as it is Cant. 5. v. 4. And surely his hand was never empty ☞ Mind this If he be absent in shining he is present in strengthning though he doth not appear rich in love yet he is still present upholding thy life The very breath that thou breathest poor deserted creature doth declare that Christ is present in some measure It were impossible that thou shouldest breath if Jesus were not within thy bosome thy weepings after him are demonstrations that in some measure he is with thee Thirdly Christs departure will not be final hee will be found again though he be not felt now And when he cometh he will make rich amends for his absence This said Mr. Peacock after this desertion The Sea is not more full of water nor the Sun more full of light than my heart is full of joy the joy that I feel in my heart is incredible Ah said another poor soul that had cryed Christ was gone He is come he is come he hath kissed me with the kisses of his lips his love is better than wine he hath not deceived me neither will he deceive any I shall therefore retort the Argument thus Though beleevers give Christ occasion to goe away very often yet Christ never goeth away altogether but even in his conceived absence vouchsafeth a concealed presence and at his sensible return maketh rich amends for his staying and going away What doe these declare but that his love is transcendent and as the Text saith passing knowledge Four words I shall adde by way of Application viz. A word of 1 Information 2 Reproof 3 Exhortation 4 Perswasion First for Information in as much as it is thus clear that Christ loves his with transcendent love then it may inform us of these four things First in the deservednesse of that great and dreadfull curse which Paul denounceth against those who love not Christ 1 Cor. 16.22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be Anathema Maranatha That is let him be cursed with the highest and greatest degree of cursing that may be possible for of those three degrees of cursing which the Jews used in their threefold excommunication this of Anathema Maranatha was the highest and it includes as much as this Let the Lord come and strike this person with eternall perdition And tell me do not those deservedly expose themselves to this dreadfull curse who do not love such an one as Jesus Christ is who loveth all his with a transcendent love Mind this wretches you who love not the Lord Jesus what can you say for your selves that you should not lye under this curse Why do not you love Jesus Christ what reason have you for it Is not he lovely fairer than the sons of men Is not he loving Doth not his love to his pass the love of women Were Christ unkind you might with some pretence plead that you have reason not to love him but being so kind so loving as that he openeth his bosome and letteth out transcendent love to all that are his Certainly you may expect and that justly to be accursed in this high degree for not loving Christ Secondly See here the true ground of a beleevers glory Is it not a ground of glory to be beloved of Christ with such a transcendent love as you have heard Well may beleevers make their boast of Christ all the day long and well may they glory in the love that they enjoy for why that love is transcendent passing knowledge None of all the sonnes or daughters of men have any such just ground of glory though they should enjoy the love of all the creatures as beleevers have who do enjoy only the love of Christ For that love they have in him transcends and excells and that infinitly all that love which any can have from all the creatures Let the world falsly and fondly brag of their creature-loves and pity them Oh beleevers when you see them do so But rejoyce your selves in the mean time with joy exceeding great and full of glory
And the point will bear you out in it for you have such a love as is not to be found in all the world beside Having the love of Christ you have that love which passeth knowledge And surely beleevers if the men of the world think they have good ground to glory in this that they enjoy the Low love though of some seeming great creatures you have much more ground to rejoyce who enjoy this high love of him who is indeed greater than all the creatures Jesus Christ Do men think they have just ground to sit and glory in that they sip the puddle drops of creatures loves Have not you more ground and that juster and truer to sing and glory in this that you drink in the pure love of Jesus Christ which is so sweet so excellent and so transcendent as that it passeth knowledge Thirdly in as much as Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love then see here the rise and ground of all that which Christ doth for them You wonder beleevers at least you might and that justly whence it is that Christ doth so much for you One while he is filling you with his unsearchable riches another while he is crowning you with his own glory Now you have him giving you choice gifts and anon you have him bringing of you choyce graces In this duty you have him imbracing of your souls in his arms And in that duty you find him kissing you with the kisses of his lips and you are ready to cry out Whence is it that Christ doth all this for me One while thou art sick and Christ visiteth thee and maketh thy bed and sitteth by thy bed side other whiles thou goest abroad and Christ walketh with thee and thou leanest upon him as upon thy beloved Now thou art in the wildernesse it may be under some banishment and Christ commeth to thee And anon it may be thou art in prison under some restraint and Christ visiteth thee there too And all this maketh thee cry out Whence is it that my Lord should thus come to me Why see the Point and in that see the cause He loveth thee O beleever and he loved thee with a transcendent love And hence it is that he doth all that he doth for thee and giveth all that he bestoweth on thee You wonder why Christ should sanctifie such unsanctified hearts as yours are cleanse by the washing of water and by the word such impure spirits as yours be And you are ready to say Whence is it that the Lord of glory should stoop to wash such a creature as I am Whence is it that he at whose feet Angels fall and bow should come wash the feet of such a creature as you be Hence it is beleevers Christ hath loved you and that with a transcendent love Wonder not therefore henceforth unlesse it be with the wondring why Christ doth any thing or all things for you there is a reason yea great reason though not in you yet in himself It is this we have been speaking of i. e. the transcendent love he beareth to you Fourthly let this inform beleevers that sith Christ loveth them with a transcendent love at all times they have then a just ground to act their faith upon him in any case Why is it O beleever that thou doubtest whether Christ will do this for thee or give that to thee when as thou considerest he loveth thee with such a transcendent love upon all occasions act your faith O ye children of faith in your beloved what ever it is that you want and he hath what ever it be that thou wouldest have and he can give Beleeve that Christ will not let thee goe without it for why he loveth thee with a transcendent love In three cases more particularly this truth will inform you of the sure ground that beleevers have to act their faith on Jesus Christ First in case of hearing of their prayers These things I touched at in the first Ser. mon but not so fully Surely he that so transcendently loveth their persons will without doubt hear their prayers Thou sayest O beleeving soul thou hast great necessities and they force thee to make many prayers Thou sayest that Christ can help thee at all hands and therefore thou art calling upon him at all times But thou sayest will hee hear mee Why shouldest thou not beleeve that he will when thou considerest the transcendent love he beareth to thee The love that is in his bosome towards thee will open his ears to hear the breathings that come from thee Indeed sometimes hee may seem to be deaf and not hear thy prayers and sometimes also he may seem harsh and not accept of thy person But it is to try thy faith For notwithstanding hee will hear thee and accept of thee in what thou desirest according to his will for thy good that he may declare his transcendent love You know Christ called the woman of Canaan Dog and seemed to speak harsh to her and yet even all the while that hee looked as it were sourly upon her and spake as it were sadly against her yet even then did his bowels roule for her and even then was there love in his bosome to her And therefore though for a while he seemed to deny that hee might try the sincerity of her faith yet afterwards he granted her requests that he might declare the reality of his own love In this case therefore you have a sure ground of faith O beleevers Christ will not reject your prayers because he loveth your persons and the more transcendent his love is towards the one the more sure may you be that he will hear the other Secondly In case of obtaining counsell from Christ and knowing the mind of Christ This Point will inform us in a sure ground of faith and love O beleever love will open Christs bosome and let thee see the counsels that are there Surely hee will counsel thee in case of doubts because he loveth thee as he doth Thou sayest here is a Scruple and there is a question and I would fain know the mind of Christ concerning this or that But how can I hope that ever he will open his mind to me either in the one or about the other Why sayest thou so O beleever is not his transcendent love a good ground for the acting of thy faith in this case Verily because his heart is to thee therefore it will be with thee That I may allude to that phrase of Judges 16. v. 15. How ever Dallilah said to Sampson How canst thou say I love thee when thine hart is not with me thou hast no reason to say as she said in such a way as she did Thou mayest beleeve that his heart will be with thee because thou hearest that he loveth thee I would fain perswade my own heart and yours also in these times of doubting and of darknesse in which wee need counsell and would bee glad to
you too if I could but prevail with you to bee drawn to Jesus Christ with these cords of love However you are strangers to it now yet if you would but come in you should know the love of Christ and know the truth of this point Your own experience should bee forced to witnesse to this That Jesus Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love passing knowledge SERMON V. EPHES. 3. ver 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge THere is nothing of greater force to allure men than the desire of knowledge Iob tells us Job â—â— 12 Vain man desireth to bee wise though man be born like a wilde Asses colt Albeit it is our fate that since the fall we are subject to folly and in that sense we are vain yet there remaines at least so much wit in us as to approve of knowledge and to desire to be wise onely here is our misery that there is a great deal of vanity in our desiring knowledge Wee are all of us apt either to desire the knowledge of that that is above us and so unattainable or else beneath us and in that respect not so much desirable It was this golden apple of knowledge which was so taking and tempting with our Grandmother Eve that albeit the best that shee got by eating that apple was but the knowledge of evill which wee had all been better without yet shee was drawn to eat of the Apple Not onely as perswaded of its being pleasant to the taste but because it was desirable to make one wise And surely as our Grandmother did eat those sowre grapes so we all her children have ever since had our teeth set on edge with the same desire Hence it is that too too often out of an eager desire and affectation of knowledge we are apt upon the one hand for to five too high and to pry into those hidden secrets which God hath not revealed or else on the other hand wee are apt to stoop too low and to dive into niceties and vanities at least into the knowledge of such things in which we are not concerned but as the Apostle doth say I shall shew you a more excellent way by declaring how you may poise your desire of knowledge so as that you should be neither too high nor too low in the pursuit thereof Doe not say therefore who shall ascend to bring down Jesus Christ from above and to reveale the knowledge of hidden glories and unconceiveable mysteries Neither say who shall descend to raise him up from beneath but remember the word the Scripture is nigh even the Gospel which we preach Labour to know it and you shal know enough not only as to salvation but even as to the perfection of your knowledge Christ who is the Wisdome of God and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge is fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel and by the study and the knowledge of it wee shall come to the knowledge of him Now of all knowledge the knowledge of Christ as it is most sacred so it is most satisfactory And of all things in Christ the knowledge of his love And as that is most satisfactory so it is most sweet It is this knowledge which the Apostle here prayeth that the Ephesians might obtain and by consequence that knowledge which all Christians ought to desire and labour for It concerneth you not so much to know Arts and Sciences though in themselves and their way they are necessary and of worth neither doth it concein you at least so much to be acquainted with other truths of the Scriptures which in their place are very precious But this is that which doth so mainly concern you viz. That you know the love of Christ passing knowledge Our third Point in order taken up and to bee spoken to from these words is this That it is a thing of necessary concernment for every Christian to know the transcendent love of Iesus Christ We have already endeavoured to hold out at least a beame of light towards the discovery of that bosome-love that is in Christ towards his And at this time my desire is to hint something which may at least put you on to endeavour to make a further discovery of the riches and the glory and the transcendency of that love For my designe is to make it appear That the study for the knowledge thereof is of very choice speciall and necessary concernment for you all Explication what knowledg we should labour for The subject of the point you see Is the knowledge of the love of Christ Now when I say That the knowledge of the love of Christ is of necessary concernment 1 A clear and full 1 I do mean not simply the bare beleeving of this truth but a clear and full understanding of it the substance and circumstances thereof There are divine and infinite dimensions in the love of Christ and it is our duty to labour for the knowledge of all these We should strive to be able to measure both the length and the breadth yea and also to take the height and to sound the depth of the love of Christ Christs bosome is a very glorious Mine of love and it concerneth us to dig very deep into it and not content our selves with a bare discovery of that Golden Oare or vein of love which is upon the superficies or top of the same Mine and in which we may easily discover as it were in the very letter of the Gospel but it doth concern us to endeavour to attain unto the deep and mysteriall discoveries thereof which Saints by the light of the Spirit come to attain 2 A spirituall and experimentall 2 Yea and not only so but also to endeavour to get an experimentall knowledge of this love That as the Painter curiously painted love by drawing the type of it out of his own bosome So we in like manner may be able by our Christian discourses to paint forth and to declare what the love of Christ is taking especially the grounds thereof out of our own bosomes our own experiences Divines observe that the Scriptures own not any thing for knowledge at least saving which is not experimentall And certainly that knowledge of the love of Christ whereof we shall now speak ought to be not only a bare head knowledge but especially a heart knowledge an experimentall knowledge This I thought good to adde for the explication of the subject of the Proposition Now for the predicate or the thing that we do affirm of this knowledge of the love of Christ you may do well for the clearer apprehending thereof to take it in these particulars First This knowledge is of concernment There are many things the knowledge whereof may be expedient but not of such concernment But this knowledge whereof we speak is such a knowledge as not onely may be expedient for us to know but also of concernment for us that