which they are ignorant of they know not the hearts of men 1 Kings 8.39 nor many things to come Isa 41.23 nor the time when the Day of Judgement shall be Mat. 24.36 This great mystery of Christ and his love in redeeming and saving of Man the very Angels themselves knew not at the first for as the Apostle speaks Eph. 3.9 It was from the beginning of the World hid in God nor could they have known it at all by a natural knowledge If all the Angels in Heaven had sate in counsel from the beginning of the World to this day for contriving a way to save man salvâ Dei justitia they could never have found it out nor could they have known it when it was contrived if he who contrived had concealed it but they came to know it at the first by revelation from God How soon it was revealed to them is not revealed unto us and therefore cannot be determined by us yet this appears that the knowledge which they had of it by revelation was not compleat at first but was improved by observation and experience * Leigh's Body of Divinity p. 271. Hence that distinction of the knowledge of Angels among the Schoolmen into Natural Revealed and Experimental Their natural knowledge was improved quoad speciem by Revelation by it they know that which they knew not before and their knowledge by revelation was improved quoad gradum by Experience by it they knew in fuller measure what they knew before they knew the substance of it by revelation but the circumstances of it more clearly and fully by experience and observation Gods revealing it to them at first in the general hath made them more eager in pursuit of the particulars hence it is said 1 Pet. 1.12 That the Angels desire to look into the mystery of Christ and the Gospel and the words there used are emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies an earnest strong and unsatisfied desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a diligent and accurate inspection to look and pry narrowly by stooping down to see the inside of things that are obscure and under cover It 's thought to be an allusion to the posture of the Cherubims which were put upon the Mercy-seat with their faces looking down into it Exod. 25. Now there are two wayes especially by which the knowledge of Angels in the Mystery of Christ and his love seems to be improved 1. By the Church This is clear from Ephes 3.8 9 10. where the Apostle tells us that the manifold Wisdome of God is made known by the Church to the Principalities and Powers in heavenly places that is the Angels so called r Angelâ— sic id ò nuncupantur quòd Deus per ipsorum manum suam potestatem virtutem dominationë exeâ—ceat Calv. in Eph. 1.21 because of their Princely power under God over the Kingdomes of the World and this he sayes was one intent of his preaching the Gospel If it had not been for the Churches sake that God would reveal so glorious a mystery the Angels in Heaven must have been for ever ignorant of it and after they had received notice of it by private revelation from God yet was their knowledge of it encreased by Gods dispensations to and in the Church by reason whereof the Church was Å¿ Pauli autem verba hunc habent sensuÌ„ quòd Ecclâ—sia ex Judaeis pariter ac gentibus collecta qu si speculum sit in quo contemplantur Angeli mirificam Dei sapientiam quam priùs nescierant Calv. in Eph. 3.10 a glass in which they saw and observed the manifold Wisdome of God and got further and fuller experience of the mystery of Christs love and our redemption thereby Thus by the Prophecies and Promises of the Old Testament and by the performances and preaching of the New and by the Providences and Ordinances of both whereof the Church was the seat and center the Angels came to further acquaintance with Christ and the way of mans salvation by him which they desired to look into 2. By Christ himself by beholding and attending upon him in our nature both as humbled on Earth and exalted to glory in Heaven This is that which the Apostle reckons as a part of the great Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 that Christ was seen of Angels They knew Christ was to come into the World by Divine Revelation they knew more of him by those Prophetical Praedictions which were made of him more yet by attending upon him ministring unto him whiles he was in our flesh upon Earth carrying on the Work of our Redemption and yet more by beholding of him now he is glorified in Heaven sitting in our nature at his Fathers right hand And yet even now they know not all of Christ and his love towards us there is that in Christ which dazles the sight and exceeds the comprehension of the glorious Angels Now if the love of Christ passeth their knowledge surely it must needs surpass ours And thus I hope I have sufficiently cleared and confirmed the truth of my Assertion That the love of Jesus Christ is exceeding great and incomprehensible CHAP V. I proceed now to Application Applic. THE first and main Use which I shall make of this point Vse 1. The first Use of Exhortation to labour to know the love of Christ shall be to turn this Prayer of the Apostle for these Ephesians into an Exhortation unto every one that shall read these lines that he would make it his great business study and endeavour to know the Lord Jesus and that in his love Sect. 1. MY great desire The Preface to the handling of it and design is to bring you nearer to Christ and to that end I lay before you this grand attractive of his love to draw you unto more acquaintance and familiarity with him and it therefore I first preached and now publish it and I make it my earnest request to you all to whom this shall come that you would not lay aside this advice which I now give you of studying this love of Christ and getting a sound saving knowledge of it especially seeing it is a matter of so general so great and necessary concernment so general as that none can exempt himself so great as that your All depends upon it and so necessary as that you are undone without it This is the great business of a Gospel Minister for himself and his People to study know and preach Jesus Christ This was Pauls determination among the learned Corinthians 1 Cor. 2.2 to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified for indeed this was the end of his Apostleship as he tells the Ephesians Chap. 3. 8. to preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ All our studies and preaching which are not Christ directly or reductively are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things by the by and will not tend to any comfortable account at
COnsider how strongly this love o◠Christ is urged in Scripture and from thence you may see further reason to love him He is not content barely to propound and prescribe it but useth such arguments a◠may allure or affright draw or drive perswade or force you to observance and obedience 1. As if there were something valuable in your love he doth invite and encourage you to love him by the great and precious Promises which he hath made unto it c Haec precatio vice oraculi habenda est c. Calv. in Ephes 6.24 That Apostolical benediction Ephes 6.24 may be understood in the nature of a Promise the words are Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity Now Grace is as large a word for Blessing as Love for Duty of the same extent in the New Testament with Peace in the Old d Hebraeorum usitata salutatio erat Pax tibi At post patefactum redemptionis humanae mysterium in quo fontem gratiae Deus aperuit humano generi gratiam etiam adjungebant Dav. in Coloss p. 11. The form of Blessing among the Jews was Peace be unto you Gen. 43.23 but when the Mystery of Mans Redemption was revealed in which God opened a fountain of Grace to mankind it was changed into Grace be unto you as appears in the Epistles where Grace is wished by the Apostles unto Christians either by it self or in conjunction with Peace by way of Amplification By this Grace is meant the e Morn Exercise Part. 2. 40. pag. 218. Blessing of the Eternal God f Pink's Tryal of a Christians sincere love to Christ on that Text. All those precious Mercies and glorious Benefits which flow from the grace and favour of God It s a short but comprehensive word and contains all good in it yet this grace in its greatest fulness and utmost latitude is wished for and shall be bestowed on all those that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity To this you may add Joh. 14.21.23 He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father c. In these two Verses there are four things promised to those who truly and obedientially love the Lord Jesus 1. There will be no love lost to lay it out upon Christ you shall have it again with advantage for if you love him so as to keep his Commandments Christ hath promised love for love his Fathers love his own love for your love He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him g Gerh. Har. in loc which is not to be understood of a general but special love not of first love but after love not of a love of benevolence but of friendship and complacency he will so shed abroad his love into your hearts by the Holy Ghost that you shall know and feel and taste the love of the Father and Son towards you which appears further from that which is promised afterwards Christs love to such as love him will not be an empty and idle but a full and operative love For 2. He sayes he will manifest himself to you I will love them and will manifest my self to them He will deal with you as with Friends and will make known to you whatsoever shall be necessary for your salvation John 15.15 he will impart a fuller knowledge of himself to you by the spirit of Wisdome and revelation Eph. 1.17 and larger tastes of his love You shall be kissed with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.2 brought into his Banqueting-house and his Banner over you love under the shadow whereof you shall sit with great delight and his fruit shall be sweet to your taste Cant. 2.3.4 He will so manifest himself in a way of love to his people as to give them occasion to cry out with that holy man * Aliquando intromittis me in affectum multùm inusitatum introrsùs ad nescio quam dulcedinem quae si perficiatur in me nescio quid erit quod vita ista non erit Aug. Conf. lib. 10. cap. 40. At some times thou inwardly infusest into me a delight that I am not usually acquainted with a sweetness of I know not what kind which could it be once perfected in me it should be I know not what manner of height which this life shall never arive unto Such manifestations will Christ give of himself to those who love him as none know but they who experience them nor can they themselves sufficiently express them But then 3. He sayes further that his Father and he will come unto you We will come to him that is We will make secret and sweet approaches to such a sould by the spirit for the further enlightning quickning comforting supporting and strengthning of him till he be sealed up to the Day of Redemption This is a great matter yet not all for 4. He promiseth that his Father and he will make their abode with you and make our abode with him whereby is signified the continuance and duration of that grace which is shown by the Father Son and Holy Ghost when they come to a beloved and loving soul They will not come as Sojourners but as Dwellers not turn aside to tarry with you for a night but abide with you for ever Now what greater thing can be promised unto or bestowed upon the Sons of men in this life than that which is comprehended in these words and yet these are promised to the love of Christ so that if a man should set his love to sale he cannot do it to more profit and benefit to himself than by laying it out upon Christ who is most rich and liberal in his rewards to his people for their love as appears from what hath been said though there be more yet even that which neither eye hath seen◠nor ear heard nor can enter into the heart of man to conceive which the Apostle sayes is prepared for those that love the Lord 1 Cor. 2.9 And if any evil befall them that also through the skill and care of their wise Physician Venenum pro remedio who can make a soveraign Treacle of the most deadly poyson shall co-operate for the good of those who love God according to the Promise Rom. 8.28 But these I leave to be enlarged in your own Meditations and pass on 2. If this golden Key of the Promises open not the door of your hearts to let Christ into the possession of your love behold the iron Hammer of the Threatnings ready to force it open Mens dead dull and disingenuous spirits need this as well as other wayes and Christ is so resolv'd upon our love that he will leave no means unattempted to procure it Know therefore that it is not an arbitrary matter whether you love Christ or no for necessity lies upon you and woe be to you if you love him not Love
Royall Oake 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 OR The Transcendency of CHRISTS LOVE towards the Children of Men. Laid down by the Apostle St. Paul in Ephes 3.19 A Treatise formerly Preached but now enlarged and published for common benefit By Peter Williams Preacher of the Gospel I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 Christ is all in all 〈◊〉 3.11 As the Father hath â—…d me so have I loved you Joh. 15.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isidor Pelus lib. 1. Epist 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar Hom. 16. p. 237. Jesus Christus totus suavis est totus salubris est totus delectabilis totus denique secundum Sponsae vocem desiderabilis Bern. Ser. 2. post Epiph. p. 22. LONDON Printed by E. M. for Nathanael Webb and are to be sold at his Shop at the Sign of the Royal Oak in St. Pauls Church-yard near the little North door 1665. IMPRIMATUR Joh. Hall R. P. D. Episc Lond. à Sac. Domest Ex Aedibus Londinens Octob. 15. 1664. THE DEDICATION To his Christian and Dearly Beloved Friends in YORK and elsewhere THE AUTHOR as a publick and permanent Testimonial of his unfeigned affection to them and real Gratitude for their Respect and Favour towards him Humbly dedicates this ensuing Treatise being the First-fruits of his Labours in this kind Earnestly beseeching the God of all Grace that he would grant them such a knowledge of this in it self incomprehensible Love of Christ as may tend unto and end in their being filled with all the fulness of God And that through 〈◊〉 â—urrence of his Spirit and Blessing this 〈◊〉 â—â—â—atise may be made somâ— way useful and serviceable thereunto The Epistle to the Readers IF you would know why I have made this adventure to appear thus publickly it is That I might Evangelizare manu scriptione and speak among the people with whom I have been conversant when I am dead and gone For though Speech hath * Hâ—bet â—n sciâ— quid laten is energiae viva vor in auâ—oâ— discipuli de doctoâ—is ore tranâ—susa sortiu sonâ—â— Jer. a wonderful secret Energy accompanying of it and * Multo magis viva vox assicit Plin. Epist lib. 2. Epist 3. Nep. p. 95. Eras â—â—g p. 218. a living voyce is more affecting and perswasive than a dead letter and therefore God hath appointed Preaching to be a standing Ordinance in his Church as the most ready and likely way of conveying Sacred Truths to the minds and hearts of men yet herein * Ward Verba volant Scâ—ipta manent Writing hath the advantage of Preaching that whereas this is confined only to a few that is extended to many and whereas this requires presence and continues but for a while that hath its use in absence and is more permanent Sermons are like showers of rain which water for the instant Books are like Snow which lies longer on the Earth these may preach when the Author cannot and which is more when he is not As for this present Book it Treats of a Subject altogether unexceptionable it being as noble sweet and of as necessary concernment as any I could pitch upon What Subject more Noble than Jesus Christ * Col. 2.3 in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge * Field of the Church lib. 1. cap. 4. p. 8. out of Naz. Orat. 4. de sil 1. p. 133. In whom all things appear full of mercy and full of marvel God before all Eternity and yet made man in time born of a Woman and yet a Virgin wrapped in swadling bands and yet glorified by the Angels c. What more sweet than Love And what love more sweet than the love of Christ This is that which the Church sayes * Cant. 1.2 3. Delici is omnibus lantitiis potiores amores tuos duco Merc. in loc is better than Wine and makes his Name as Oyntment poured forth to the attracting of hearts to himself This is that * Cant. 3.10 firm pavement on which Believers may stand confidently without fear of falling That victorious * Cant. 2.3 4. Banner under the shelter whereof they may sit down chearfully without fear of being foiled by their Enemies and find his fruit sweet to their taste What is of greater concernment to us than to know this love of Christ as we ought to know it so as in heart and life in affection and conversation to be in some measure assimilated and conformed thereunto Our present Justification and Sanctification depend upon it for by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many * Isa 53.11 sayes the Lord by his Prophet And * Phil. 3.10 by knowing him we become conformable to his death sayes the Apostle And our future salvation no less for * John 17.3 this is life Eternal to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent saith our Saviour These are the matters here Treated of which I confess are fitter for a David to handle * 2 Sam. 23.1 The man raised on high the anointed of the God of Jacob the sweet Psalmist of Israel Or for a Paul * 2 Cor. 12.4 who was caught up into Paradise and heard 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unspeakable words than for one every way so inconsiderable as I am Nay it s more fit for one of those Purae intelligentiae the Angels that are about the Throne than for any dark and dim-sighted Mortal to discourse of these things And therefore the sense of my own weakness and insufficiency hath been all along a grand discouragement and still is a ground of fear to me lest this excellent Subject should be too much debased in so low a hand and prove to be but * Salv. Ornamentum in luto by so mean handling of it Yet such as it is I have adventured it to publick View and when I have added a few Lines to give the Readers a just account concerning my self and it I shall discharge them of any further trouble by way of Preface And for my self I have this to say That though I fall short of what should be done upon such a Subject and might be done by others of greater abilities and better accomplishments yet I have done as I was able not serving Christ and his Church * 2 Sam. 24.25 with that which cost me nothing which I trust is accepted with the Lord and shall be with his people Indeed I can challenge little for my own besides the Method and Substratum having gathered most of the enlargements and superstructure elsewhere which I the rather chose to do because I thought it might perhaps render the whole the more acceptable to some Readers nor shall I herein I hope incur from any that are candid and ingenuous the imputation of Plagiarism because I punctually and faithfully quote the Authors themselves and thereby * Pliny's Epistle to Vespas
before his Nat. Hist confess by whom I have profited The reason of the silent Dedication foregoing made to many Friends in general without mention of any one in particular if any be inquisitive about it was this because that * The Lady Mary Lister Relict of Sir William Lister of Thornton in Craven in Yorkshire who exchanged this life for a better Aug. 14. 1664. truly honourable person to whom it was intended * Isa 57.2 was entred into peace and brought to rest in the bed of silence before I could get it published and thereby made uncapable of it but infinitely to her advantage who I verily believe was taken from studying to know the love of Christ on Earth that she might be filled with all the fulness of God in Heaven where I leave her and having given this account of my self I shall add what I have to say concerning the present work and its this It was never intended to please the captious but to profit the conscientious nor to tickle the fancies of the curious but to warm the hearts of the devout and pious and therefore I have studied * Nos qui rerum magis quà m verborum amatores utilia potiùs quà m plausibilia sectamur c. in scriptiunculis nostris non lenocinia esse volumus sed remedia c. Salv. de Gub. Dei Praes p. 2. sound matter rather than fine words and to be profitable rather than plausible So that if you are nice and delicate and seek after strong lines quaint expressions high notions and * 1 Cor. 2.4 the enticing words of mans wisdom here is not for you but if you are serious and sollicitous for savoury and wholsom Truths these I can promise you which meeting with a quick appetite and good digestion may through the blessing of God to be * John 6.63 Spirit and life to your souls And that they may be so I would advise every one of you that when you begin to read this Book you would at least send up some short Ejaculation to that God * Hos 14.8 from whom all our fruit is found that there may be a blessing in it to our selves and all others into whose hands it shall come in the attainment whereof I shall think my labour well bestowed and abundantly recompensed especially if you will gratifie with your remembrance at the Throne of Grace the unworthy Author who is Your Servant for Jesus sake PETER WILLIAMS YORK December 24. 1664. The Contents of the Book CHAP. I. Sect. 1. THe coherence of the Words Page 1 Sect. 2. The several Readings Page 2 Sect 3. The meaning of the Words Page 6 The Objections answered which are made against the sense asserted Page 10 Sect. 4. The sense of the Apostles Prayer Page 13 Three Observations raised ibid. CHAP. II. The first Observation Page 14 Sect. 1. An Introduction to the handling of it ib. The Method propounded Page 15 Sect. 2. What love is here meant in general Page 16 More particularly ibid. Sect. 3. The three first particulars Page 18 Sect. 4. The fourth particular Page 20 Sect. 5. The fift particular Page 23 Sect. 6. The sixth particular Page 25 CHAP. III. The greatness of Christs love confirmed by Arguments Page 27 Sect. 1. The first Argument ibid. Sect. 2. The second Argument Page 30 Sect. 3. The third Argument Page 34 Sect. 4. The fourth Argument Page 40 CHAP. IV. Sect. 1. The fifth Argument Page 51 Sect. 2. The sixth Argument Page 54 Sect. 3. The seventh Argument Page 61 Sect. 4. The eighth Argument Page 63 CHAP. V. The Application of the first Vse for exhortation to labour to know this love of Christ Page 67 Sect. 1. The Preface to the handling of it ibid. Sect. 2. Directions about our knowledge of Christs love 1. That it be an affectionate knowledge Page 71 Sect. 3. The first Branch of the first Direction That it be a knowledge accompanied with love to Christ Page 73 CHAP. VI. Reasons why we should love Christ Page 75 Sect. 1. The first Reason ibid. Sect. 2. The second Reason Page 78 Sect. 3. The third Reason Page 88 Sect. 4. The fourth Reason Page 98 CHAP. VII Rules for our love to Christ Page 103 Sect. 1. The first Rule about the Manner ib. Sect. 2. The first Branch of the first Rule That it be sincere Four Characters of sincere love Page 106 Sect. 3. The second Branch of the first Rule That it be stedfast and constant Wherein this constancy appears Page 112 CHAP. VIII Tbe second Rule The Measure Page 113 Sect. 1. Christ to be loved above enjoyment Page 114 Sect. 2. Christ to be loved above Relations Page 118 An Objection answered ibid. Sect. 3. Christ to be loved above our lives Page 125 Sect. 4. Objections answered Page 134 CHAP. IX The third Rule about expressing our love to Christ Page 145 Sect. 1. By love to all men Page 146 Sect. 2. By love to the Saints especially Page 149 Sect. 3. Mutual love commanded by Christ Page 157 Sect. 4. Christs Prayer for it Page 165 Sect. 5. One main end of instituting the great Ordinance of the Supper Page 172 CHAP. X. The second Branch of the first Direction Let your love run to him by desire and rest on him by delight Page 182 Sect. 1. Desire after Christ ibid. Sect. 2. Rest on him by delight Page 185 Sect. 3. Let trust and fear be attendants Page 191 Sect. 4. Objections answered Page 194 Sect. 5. Objections answered Page 199 CHAP. XI The second Direction about our knowledge of Christs love That it be an effectual knowledge Page 201 Sect. 1. By way of Application with experience and assurance to our selves Page 201 Sect. 2. By way of Admiration Page 208 Sect. 3. By way of Gratulation Page 213 Sect. 4. By way of Obligation Page 216 CHAP. XII The third Direction That it be a progressive knowledge Page 232 Sect. 1. In respect of our selves Page 233 Sect. 2. In respect of others Page 241 CHAP. XIII General motives to know this love of Christ Page 246 Sect. 1. The double evidence that it carries with it Page 247 Sect. 2. The influence it hath Page 251 Sect. 3. A Question answered Page 255 Sect. 4. The second Vse for Caution Page 264 Sect. 5. The last Vse for consolation Page 271 The transcendency Of CHRISTS Love towards the Children of Men. EPHES. 3.19 The former part of the Verse And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge CHAP I. Sect. 1. THese words are a branch of the Apostles Prayer for the Ephesians The coherence of the Text with the Verses foregoing begun at the fourteenth Verse and reaching to the end of the Chapter made indeed upon design but a holy and good one viz. To prevent their fainting at his present tribulations for the Gospel v. 13.14 I desire that you faint not at my tribulations for you which is your glory For this cause I bow my knees unto the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. And because he knew that the experimental knowledge of the love of Christ would be a special means to keep them close to Christ and his Truth notwithstanding all discouragements therefore among other things he prayes That they being rooted and grounded in love might be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height And as it is in the Text to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge which love duly and rightly taken in would tend to their establishment as good rooting doth to a Tree and a firm foundation to a Building for so the words a Radicati propper agriculturam fundati propter aedificationem Aug. Epist 120. mihi p. 697. Duae similitudines quas adhibet exprimunt quà m firma constans debeat esse in nobis charitas Paulus vult cam penitùs animis nostris infixam esse ut sit quasi benè fuâ—datum aedificium profunda plantatio Calv. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted and grounded in the 17th Verse do import Sect. 2. The several Readings BUT I come to the words themselves and I meet with several readings and interpretations of them among Expositors which I shall mention and pitch upon that which I conceive most agreeable to the Apostles meaning in this place 1. The Syriack Translation as I find it rendred by b Ut cognâ—scatis magnitudinem chaâ—itatis Christi Trem. Tremelius runs thus That you may know the greatness of the love of Christ This is good those two words passing knowledge being supplyed by one word greatness yet it seems to be defective for according to the sense of this place there is not only a positive but a superlative greatness in the love of Christ an exceeding greatness as is expressed concerning Gods Power Eph. 1.19 2. The vulgar Latine runs thus Scire etiam supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi which Erasmus from the ambiguity of the word scientiae being both the Genitive and Dative Case is doubtful how to paraphrase whether according to the Dative Case To know the love of Christ which is greater than can be known or according to Ambrose which excelleth or hath the preheminence of our knowledge or else according to the Genitive Case To know the excellent love of the knowledge of Christ c Posterior sensus magis quadrat ad Graecum sermonem Eras in loc but he enclines to this latter sense as most agreeable to the Greek Of this Reading I shall speak more under the next Head and in the mean time I have this to say against Erasmus his drawing of the Vulgar Translation to this sense That I much question whether it be agreeable to the mind of that Interpreter whoever he was for its likely if he had intended any such thing he would have otherwise placed the words not Scire supereminentem scientiae charitatem Christi but Scire supereminentem charitatem scientiae Christi Besides the great Patrons of this Translation I mean the Papists carry the sense quite another way at least those which I have seen as Dion Carthus Estius Tirinus A Lapide of whom more afterwards 3. The next Reading is that which was even now mentioned Vtque sciretis eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Christi And that you may know the excellent love of the knowledge of Christ Nor is Erasmus single in owning of it d Hieronâ—mus interpretatur eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Châ—isti Bez. in loc Beza fathers it upon Hierome e Det vobis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut intelligatis excellentâ—m atque supereminâ—ntem amorem illius cognitionis Christi Hoc est quâ—m cùm ad cognitionem sui nos vocavit exhibuit ac declaravit nobis Christus Heins in loc Heinsius contends stiffly for it and expounds it to this sense That the Apostle prayes for their knowledge and understanding of that excellent transcendent and unspeakable love which Christ exhibits and declares to the Sons of Men when he calls them to the knowledge of himself f In his verbis potest esse trajectio quasi dicat Apostolus excellentem Dei charitatem in ipsâ Christi cognitione quae nobis contigit elucere Vorst Schol. in loc Vorstius is not against it and expounds it to the same sense g Summam illam dilectionem Dei scilicet proximi quae ex cognitione Christi oritur Grot. in loc Grotius allows it and gives this sense of it That they might know that is experience in themselves that love of God and their Neighbour which ariseth from the knowledge of Christ He tells us of a M. S. in which the words are thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sayes that it seems there were some Copies in Hierome's time which had it thus because he so expounds it And our English Annotator who treads in his steps Dr. Hammond makes mention of a M. S. of the Kings wherein the words are so placed And indeed if the words were so read in all or the most Copies it were indisputably on their side but seeing it is otherwife I crave leave to dissent and reserving all due reverence to the learned Authors forementioned to conclude with Beza h Quidam in hoc explicando loco frustrà se torserunt ut Hieronymus qui interpretatur eximiam dilectionem cognitionis Christi obscuro sensu trajectione ità violentâ ut admitti certè non possit Beza in loc That those who go this way do but in vain trouble themselves to produce an obscure sense of the words not without a more violent transposition than can be well admitted especially seeing they may be carried without any straining to a better sense another way 4. Another Reading is that of Ambrose who renders it Scire etiam supereminentem scientiam charitatis Christi as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thus Augustine reads it in his 120th Epistle mihi p. 697. To know the transcendent knowledge of the love of Christ But this requires a greater mutation of the words than the former to make it good nor do I find or hear of any Original Copy to countenance it as the other hath Besides this Augustine mentions it only in transitu and though Ambrose thus renders the words yet his Comment is wholly agreeable to the sense I aim at if it were his which yet i Bellar. de script Eccles p. 64. Geth Patrolog p. 281. Rivet Crit. Sacr. lib. 3. cap. 18. many learned men do question I shall produce instances from him afterwards and in the mean time shall leave this and come to that which I conceive to be the main 5. In the last place therefore Beza reads the words thus Cognoscere charitatem illam Christi omni cognitione superiorem which our English Translatours follow and render it as you read And to know the love of Christ which
passeth knowledge Now from this Translation which is so generally known and received among us I am not willing to recede without just occasion which not finding as to this place I shall cloze with it and give you that which I conceive to be the true and proper sense and meaning of the words Sect. 3. The meaning of the words THE Apostle prayes That they might know that is k Per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intelligitur non nuda simplex notitia sed affectiva cum desiderio appâ—obatione dilâ—ctione conjuncta Gen. Ha-Harm in Joan. 14.17 mihi p. 933. not by a bare notional but affectionate knowledge such as is accompanyed with desire approbation and love l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est in semet experiri Grot. in loc by an experimental knowledge m Ut possitis scire id est animo complecti pro dignitate aestimare charitatem Christi Estius in locum that they might know so as to embrace with the heart and esteem according to its dignity and worth this love of Christ The love of Christ which some extend to Christ and God the Father n Chariâ—otem Christi Dei Patris eandem intelligo Rolloc in locum others to God in Christ o Quam Christus Deus per Christum nobis exhibuit Tirinus in loc Quam exhibuit nobis Deus in Christo vel quâ Christus ipse Filius Dei nos complexus est Bez. in loc others leave it as indifferently applicable to the love which God hath shewed in his Son as John 3.16 Rom. 5.8 Or that love with which Christ himself the Son of God hath embraced us as John 15.13 p Post Dei Patris infinitam incomprehensibilem cognitionem inâ—narrabilem clementiam Christi quoque agnoscere nos vult charitatem Ambros in loc Ambrose restrains it to the love of Christ After the infinite and incomprehensible knowledge of God the Father and his unspeakable mercy he would have us also acknowledge the love of Christ q Charitatem Christi quam exhibuit nobis A Lapide in locum Quâ nos dilexit Est in loc The like doth A Lapide and Estius The love of Christ which he hath shewed to us and wherewith he hath loved us And in this sense I shall take it in the ensuing discourse having spoken of the love of God in Christ from another place 1 John 4.9 10. Which passeth knowledge This admits of a double interpretation 1. To take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge objectively for that habit of knowledge which a man hath attained in other things and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for excelling as it is used 2 Cor. 3.10 and then the meaning is this He prayes that they might know that love of Christ the knowledge whereof excells all other knowledge in the world whatsoever Now this is a great truth for our Apostle elsewhere as a Minister prefers it before all other knowledge 1 Cor. 2.2 and as a Christian before all other things Phil. 3.7 8. for which he had ventured the loss of all and in comparison of which he reckoned no more of any thing which he had parted with or had yet besides him but as loss and dung r Vid. Leigh's Crit. Sacr. in verbo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs meat as the word signifies A very low and diminishing term yet hardly low enough to express any thing by which comes in competition with Christ and the knowledge of him Å¿ Charitatem quae procul dubiò caeterarum rerum excedit cognitionem Theoph. Exaggerat autem Apostolus scientiam charitatis Christi quum asserit eam â—xuperare omnâ—m aliam cognitioneÌ„ Marior è Sarcer Nor are there wanting such as countenance this exposion t Videri autem potest Apostolus respicere ad Gnosticos qui hoc superbo nomine sese nuncupaverunt á scientiâ quam sibi peculiaritèr venditabant utitur enim vocabulo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Atqui longé majus est scire charitatom Christi utpote quae universam Gnosticorum omniumque Philosophorum scientiam excedit qâ—ià mysterium charitatis Christi quâ semetipsum pro nobis tradidit in cor hominis cujusquam non ascendit sicut in genere de huiusmodi mysteriis sapientiae Christianae testatur Apostolus 1 Cor. 2. Estius in loc See likewise Dr. Hammond on the place And some apply it particularly to that knowledge which the Gnosticks boasted of thinking that the Apostle in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had a particular respect to them 2. The next interpretation is to take knowledge subjectively for the faculty of knowing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for exceeding that is as we read it passing or surpassing and then the meaning is this He prayes That they might know that love of Christ which for its infinite greatness is without the compass beyond and above the reach of humane understanding nay it surpasseth all knowledge that is finite not only Humane but Angelical as u Omnem superat cognitionem nempè humanum atque adeò Angelicam Zanch. in loc Zanchy notes on the words To this sense the generality of Expositors both antient and modern Protestants and Papists which I have met with do interpret the place For Ambrose and Theophylact among the Ancients I shall have occasion to cite them in the ensuing discourse for others I refer the more intelligent Reader to the Margin w Sic alibi pax Dei quae superat omnem sensum custodiat carda vestra Phil. 4.7 Calv. in loc Paulus volens significare infinitatem rei incomprehensibilis in hunc moduÌ„ consuevit loqui sic Phil. 4.7 Sic hoc loco infinitatem hujus charitatis exprimens ait eam superiorem omni cognitione Rolloc Quae superat humani ingenii captum ut quidem plenè animo concipi possit Bez. Quae scientiam nostram superat seu quam nunquà m satis hâc in vitâ cognoscere vel expendere possumus Baldvin Scire charitatem Christi nostram notitiam suâ magnitudine excedeâ—em Dion Carthus Excedentem notitiam nostram ac majorem quà m ut penitùs a nobis intelligi possit ita paulò inferius dicitur Deum posse omnia facere supra quà m intelligimus Estius Excedentem omnem humanam cognitionem seu quae major sit quà m ut perfectè sciâ—i intelligi vel comprehendi possit Tirinus Quasi diceret charitas Christi tanta est ut superet omnem humanam cognitionem scientiam A Lapide Thus among the Criticks lately set forth together Scire charitatem Christi superantem captum humanum vel excellentiorem quà m ut cognosci possit Vat. Qâ—ae tà m inâ—ens est ut omnem hominum scientiam superet Isid Clar. where he may find their sense in their own words Among these x Est autem haec plana expositio cum superiore Metaphorâ prorsùs
consentiens atque etiam cum eo quod scripsit suprà vers 8. Bez. in loc Beza commends this as a plain exposition altogether agreeing with the foregoing Metaphor and with that which was written in the 8th Verse of the unsearchable riches of Christ y Haec Graecorum expositio est eademque facilis perspicua ut non sit opus alioruÌ„ duriores minùs probabiles interpretationes hùc adferre Estius in loc Estius in like manner commends it as the exposition of the Greek Interpreters and that both easie and plain so that there is no need of adding any other more difficult and less probable interpretations Nor do I find any thing opposed so considerable as to disswade me from assenting to them in this Exposition As for what is objected by that late Reverend and learned z Dr. Hammond on the place Annotator of our own who thinks this cannot probably be the meaning of the place that this passing knowledge should signifie unsearchable and unintelligible because the Apostle at the same time prayes that they may know it it hath been long since answered nor do I think it sufficient to invalidate this interpretation Yet lest it should lye still as a stumbling block in the Readers way I shall endeavour the removal of it and so proceed to that observation which I mainly intend In this sense therefore the words contain an Orthodox Paradox for the Apostle gives the love of Christ this character That it passeth knowledge and yet at the same time makes it his prayer for these Ephesians That they might know it and both true nor doth he make a vain prayer which I shall labour to clear in these particulars 1. The love of Christ passeth the knowledge of every natural man His natural capacities can never reach the understanding of it it is not obvious to sense and reason nor can a humane knowledge comprehend how or why it should be or what it is a Paulus scientiam hic statuit quae sit omni notitiâ superior meâ—itò nam si hùc facultas humana conscenderet frustrà peteret nunc Paulus ipse a Deo donari Calv. in loc Object If it did not exceed the comprehension of mans natural abilities the Apostle would never have prayed for it as a gift from God And if he have a notion that it is as he may from the light of Scripture yet his natural corruptions keep him from any saving acquaintance with it from any taste and experience of it 1 Cor. 2.14 The blindness of his mind keeps him that he cannot know it and the emnity of his heart keeps him that he will not receive it But he writes to believers and prayes for them such as he calls Saints and faithful in Christ Jesus Chap. 1.1 Answ They were a visible Church wherein probably all the members were not real Saints though in the judgement of charity he writes to them and prayes for them as such But grant they were all real Saints yet the love of Christ might be said to pass their knowledge For 2. Though by the help of the Spirit every believer doth know and that not only notionally but experimentally by spiritual sight taste and feeling the love of Christ for the Spirit of God doth make believers b 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 5.5 know the things that are freely given them of God and c Quisque spiritu Dei fretus pro modulo suo tantum percipiat quantum est satis ad salutem Bez. in loc sheds abroad this love of Christ into their hearts so that every one who is partaker of the Spirit of Christ doth according to his measure perceive as much of this love as is sufficient to their salvation Yet their present condition being imperfect they cannot now perfectly comprehend this love in its fulness and dimensions for d 1 Cor. 13.12 what we know we know but in part and what we see we see but as through a glass darkly in this life The perfect knowledge of this love is reserved for Heaven though even there Christ in his love will be e 2 Thes 1.10 admired as much as apprehended and therefore I think f CharitateÌ„ hanc Christi mens humana capit non capit atque in eo capit quòd rapitur in admirationeÌ„ videt aliquid superesse quod persentiscere quidèm potest attamen nonità percipere ut possit explicare totum Camer de Eccles mihi p. 220. Et in Myroth p. 250. Camero states the matter right when he sayes The mind of man even of him who is most spiritual and most clearly enlightened for to him I apply it doth receive this love of Christ and doth not receive it receiving it so as to be drawn into admiration seeing alway somewhat remaining which he can perceive indeed but yet not so as to be able to explain the whole of it Thus he And to this sense doth g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in loc Theophylact expound this place for propounding this Question Seeing it passeth knowledge how shall we know it he gives this Solution First The Apostle sayes indeed that it passeth knowledge that is humane knowledge but you shall know it not by humane knowledge but by the Spirit Again He doth not say that you shall know this love how great it is but only that it is great and passeth all knowledge And h Nullus sapiens est adeò in hâc vitâ qui possit perfectè lantam charitatem considerare sed in futuro saeculo scietur haec charitas Ansel in loc Anselm excludes the best from a perfect understanding of it here There is none so wise sayes he in this life who can perfectly consider so great love but in the world to come it shall be known Object But if they knew the love of Christ already in part and could not know it perfectly to what purpose doth he pray for it Answ To very good purpose For 3. That knowledge which the Saints have of the love of Christ in this life is capable of further measures and degrees i Etsi in hâc vitâ praesenti plenum hujus rei nec sensum nec cognitioneÌ„ assequamur tamèn eo usque per spiritum Dei sanctum in ejusdem sensu apprehensione proficimus ut ex ipsâ effectuuÌ„ magnitudine causam fonteÌ„ hunc dilectionis majoreÌ„ immensioreÌ„ esse in Deo ipso statuamus quà m ut ab ullo corde humano ab ullo intellectu creato tota ejus amplitudo capi possit contineri Bodius in Ephes p. 401. and though they could not know it perfectly here yet they might know more of it and know better what they had already known and this is that which the Apostle prayes for that they might have a further and fuller measure of knowledge of this love of Christ which in it self is so great as that it cannot be perfectly known in this life and
indeed Christians should in their prayers and desires be reaching after that both in respect of grace and comfort for themselves and others which they shall not fully enjoy till they come to heaven Thus Paul for himself reached after such a measure of holiness as the Saints shall have at the resurrection of the dead k Phil. 4.11 That perfection of holiness that acâ—ompanieth the estate of the resurrection Trap. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead And thus he prayes here for these Ephesians That they might know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge and be filled with all the fulness of God Sect. 4. BY this time I hope you perceive the Apostles meaning He prayes The sense of the Apostles Prayer that these Ephesians might know that is know more with more clearness certainty experience and assurance of the love of Christ that singular eminent excellent love which yet in it self is so great that it is without the reach of humane understanding even that which is most sanctified to comprehend it fully in the dimensions of it Having given you this account of the words The Observations raised the Observations which I might draw from them are three That the love of Jesus Christ to mankind is an exceeding great and incomprehensible love 1. It is called love passing knowledge The knowledge of this love and improvement therein ought to be the study of every Christian in this life 2. The Apostle prayes for it as that which they should long and labour after for themselves Acquaintance with Jesus Christ in the greatness of his love is an excellent help to stedfastness in the profession of the Gospel amidst all the difficulties and discouragements of the world 3. That is the ground of his prayer It is the first of these which I mainly intend yet in the handling of this I shall have occasion to speak something of the other two CHAP II. The Point then is this THat the love of Jesus Christ which he hath shewed to the Children men Doct. is an exceeding great and incomprehensible love A love that passeth knowledge Sect. 1. An Introduction to the handling of the Doctrine THE very first letter of his Name is wonderful Isa 9.6 and he is as wonderful in his love as in any thing else This is the Golden Mine in the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 There are unsearchable riches in Christ Eph. 3.8 and this is the vein that runs through all these riches The Apostle calls Godliness a mystery a great mystery 1 Tim. 3.16 and this love of Christ is the golden string that runs through all these mysteries and on which they hang together l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ultimus scopus aedeoque centrum Scripturae ad quod omnia referuntur est Christus Jesus Gech Exeg de Sacr. Scrip. p. 27. As Christ is the Center of the whole Scripture so the love of Christ is the Center of all that vast circumference of good things which poor Christians have or hope for by him A love as far beyond the thoughts and understandings of men to comprehend as it is beyond their merits to deserve so that in handling hereof I may say as a m Chrysost as he is cited by Mr. Trap on the Text. Father doth upon the same subject I am like a man digging in a deep Spring I stand here and the water riseth upon me I stand there and the water still riseth upon me and no hopes of ever fathoming this Abysse of love But if you say Why then do you take such a subject in hand I answer Though we can never know it all yet we may and must grow in the knowledge of this love of Christ and dive into this Sea that hath neither bank nor bottome and where as in the Salt Waters the deeper the sweeter So that the mysterious depth and unsearchableness of this love is no Supersedeas to our studying and preaching nor to your hearing and learning of it We cannot preach Christ but we must preach love for he is Love you must give us leave therefore to speak of it though we do but balbutire stammer it out for we can do no more we can tell you that it is exceeding great though how great it is we cannot tell only because it passeth knowledge you cannot think we speak too highly of it for n Christus non patitur Hyperbolen Christ admits of no Hyperbole and if we speak not all you cannot blame us for who can declare it neither Men nor Angels And yet in speaking and hearing of it we may say It is good to be here that when we cannot comprehend this love of Christ we may be comprehended by it which is worth our labour In the prosecution of this point The Method propounded I shall shew you what love I mean and give you arguments of its incomprehensibleness and so apply it Sect. 2. What love here meant In general TO shew you what love I mean I told you it was the love of Christ before and I mean in general his Redeeming love that love which he hath manifested and magnified in the redemption and salvation of sinners which work lay mainly on the hands of Christ as to the management and accomplishment of it a work appointed and undertaken on purpose to magnifie love and grace as the work of Creation was to magnifie power which it doth in an unspeakable and unconceivable manner More particularly In particular 1. I mean that love of the Lord Jesus whereby when from all eternity he was the darling and delight of his Father o Prov. 8.30 ever by him as one brought up with him and was daily his delight v. 31. rejoycing alway before him yet even then his delights were the Sons of Men. p Hoc tamèn foelicissimo non abstante quem apud patrem fruebar statu sic filiis hominum delector ut cum iis versari lubet benedictiones omni genere communicare Cartwright in loc Notwithstanding his most blessed condition with his Father yet so great was his Philanthropie his love to mankind that he was so delighted in us as to be willing to converse with us and communicate all kind of blessings to us 2. That love whereby he so freely and readily undertook the great and costly work of fallen mans recovery that when man could not help himself and all the Angels in Heaven were not able to administer sufficient help for his restoration but mans redemption had ceased for ever in respect of any possible assistance from the creature to advance and effect it then he willingly submitted to it q Psal 40.6 7. 8. Heb. 10.5 6 7. that when sacrifice and offering burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin would not do then he said Lo I come to do thy will O God Yea it was his delight to do this will of God in saving
dust of the Earth in a measure and weigh the Mountains in scales and the Hills in a ballance as the Prophet speaks Study it we may and must make it the chief of our studies to know it experimentally and savingly but yet after our most diligent study and the highest knowledge of it which we can attain unto in this life we must sit down content with that learned mans Motto in reference to Science in general z QuantuÌ„ est quod nescimus Quo magis studiis incumbimus eo magis nos vidâ—mus quòd nihil sciamus Bever Epistol Quest de Ter. vitae p. 86. How much is there which we know not and say as Father Paul of Venice was wont to say The more we study it the more we see how little or nothing we understand of it Even Agur himself though a very wise man yet in his own thoughts in respect of the knowledge of God and Christ was but at the first beginning of his Catechism a Prov. 30.4 What is his Name and what is his Sons Name But to shut up this As soon may a man find out God who is unsearchable as find out the love of Christ to perfection for God is love and Christ is God and his love like himself infinite That 's the first Sect. 2. MY next Argument shall be formed out of Christs own words Joh. 15.9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you From whence I thus argue If Christ hath loved us as his Father loved him then his love is exceeding great and incomprehensible But Christ hath loved us as his Father loved him Therefore c. The Minor is proved from the place forementioned which will strongly conclude that which I bring it for There is no doubt but as the Father is Fons Deitatis the Fountain of the Deity so he is Fons amoris the Fountain of love and as he is the Fountain of love surely he lets out the largest measures of love upon Jesus Christ b Omnia diligit Deus quae fecit inter ea magis diligit creaturas rationales in illis eas ampliùs quae sunt mâ—mbra â—nigeniti sui multo magis ipsum â—nigenitum Gerh. loc com Exeges p. 295. ex Augustin God loves all he made especially rational creatures more especially believers but above all his only begotten Son Pater diligit filium secundum utramque ejus naturam quia secundum naturam divinam diligit cum tà m perfectè fervidè sicut seipsum viz. amore immenso secundum naturam verò assumptam diligit eum amore praecipuo magis viz. quà m cuncta simùl creata Dion Carth. in loc mihi p. 854. The Father loves the Son according to both his natures according to his divine nature he loves him so perfectly and ardently as himself that is with an unmeasurable love according to his humane nature he loveth him with a principal love above all the creatures besides Now Christ sayes here that he hath loved us as his Father loved him which questionless is in a most transcendent manner I know there are that expound this Scripture to another sense which must not pass without some consideration that it may not prejudice the conclusion which I would draw from it c Unum comparationis membruÌ„ Sicut dilexit me pater ego vos dilexi alterum verò Manâ—te in dilectione meâ Mald. Maldonate would have the words to run thus As the Father hath loved me and I have loved you so continue in my love taking love in the last clause for that love by which we love Christ and the two former branches for a double Argument to urge continuance in that love as if the meaning were d Discipulos ad di igendum se hortatur idque duas ob causas alteram quòd se quoque pater diligat aequum sit ut illi diligant quem pater tantoperè dilexit alteram quòd ipse quoquè eos diligat ità rec procum eos sibi amorem debere Idem Continue in your love to me because my Father loveth me and it is but equal that you should love him whom the Father loves so much and likewise because I have loved you and therefore you ought to love me again But he confesseth e Omnes quos legerim interpretes existimant comparationem Christum non nisi inter se patrem facere Idem that all the Interpreters which he had read do take the comparison to lie betwixt the love of the Father to himself and his love to his Disciples and I shall not follow him in his singularity when the commâ—nly received sense is so clear and plain Nor is love in the last clause to be taken for that love which believers bear to Christ as he would have it but for that love which Christ bears to them 1. The very words sound to this sense for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza well translates Manete in illâ meâ charitate Continue in that my love f In charitate quâ ego vos prosequor Bez. in loc Vide plura in Gerh. Harmon in loc p. 1008. which I bear towards you as he expounds it 2. Besides this best agrees with that which goes before and that which comes after Immediately before he mentions his love to them and therefore this cannot well be expounded to any other sense than their taking care for to demean themselves as that they may continue in the experience of his love towards them And immediately after he compares his Fathers love and his own again v. 10. and prescribes them the same means for abiding in his love which himself used for abiding in his Fathers love viz. Obedience Now as the Fathers love signifies his Fathers love to him in one part of the verse so Christs love in the other part signifies his love to them It appearing then by these considerations that Christs love to them is here meant the Argument which he useth for their continuing in his love is drawn from the greatness of it in respect whereof it would be not only their duty but their priviledge to continue in it â—â—d the greatness of this love he sets forth by way of comparison which because he could not find on earth for as to any humane comparison it is altogether matchless as I shall shew you more afterwards he fetcheth one from heaven and sayes he loved them as his Father loved him and that must needs be with an exceeding great and incomprehensible love So Interpreters generally expound it a taste whereof I shall give you in the words of some of them g Sicut impensè infinitè me dilexit pater sic ego vos impensè insinite diligo Cart. Har. Metaphr in loc p. 927. As my Father hath loved me greatly and infinitely so do I love you greatly and infinitely thus doth Mr. Cartwright paraphrase it h Significat non vulgareÌ„ dilectionem
cannot see directly as it is nor know perfectly in this life Indeed ours have advantage of theirs in point of clearness but still the representations which we have are by mediums not immediately which we cannot bear Thus throughout the Scripture we have the love of Christ to his people shadowed out under the resemblance of such relations as are nearest and most obvious to us and best known by us As of a Å¿ Isa 40.11 Joh. 10.11 Shepherd to his Flock of a t Isa 49.15 Heb. 2.13 Mother to her Children of a u Ephes 5.23.30 Head to the Body of one w Joh. 15.14 Friend and x Heb 2.11 Brother to another of a y Eph. 5.25 26 27. Husband to his Wife c. Now God doth hereby condescend to speak to us as it were in our own Idiom and language that we might have some glimpse of that love reflected through these relations which we cannot fully conceive nor understand as it is in it self To which I add this also That the main end of Christs coming in the flesh and taking our nature upon him was to bring himself nearer to us not only that he might be capable of expressing his love to us in such a way as we needed by dying and suffering for us but also that we might be more familiarly acquainted with his own and his Fathers love towards us as he gave an z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.18 Exegesis and declaration of it in our nature which in it self passeth knowledge 2. For Application The love of Christ appears to be great and incomprehensible forasmuch as after it hath been declared and represented in that plain and familiar way which you have heard of yet so far short are we of understanding it to any good purpose by our own reason and abilities of nature that without the help of the Spirit we cannot attain unto any saving knowledge of it This therefore is the great work which the Spirit hath to do in the Church and for which he proceeds from the Father and the Son namely to bring the Elect to a sight taste and experience of this love of Christ and to lead them on unto further measures and higher degrees in this knowledge and experience till they attain perfection To this end our blessed Saviour being to leave the world leaves a promise of the Holy Ghost to supply his absence Joh. 16.7 and he tells us what his office and business should be both in reference to to the World and in reference to Believers In reference to the World that were yet Strangers his business was to bring them to Christ to know and taste of his love and that by convincing them of sin righteousness and judgement v. 8 9 10 11. In reference to Believers that were already called and converted his business was to bring them to further acquaintance with Jesus Christ and fuller experience of his love Thus he tells them v. 14. a Nequè enim nos illuminat Spiritus ut abducat vel tantillum a Chrislo sed ut thesauros illos qui in Christo sunt absconditi reseret In summâ non aliis quà m Christi divitiis nos locupletat Spiritus ut ejus gloriam per omnia illustret Calv. in loc He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shew it unto you He shall give you further insight into the mysteries of my love which I could tell you of my self but that you cannot bear them now v. 12. The Apostle confirms this who tells us That as no man knows the things of a man but the spirit of man which is in him so no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 But how then come any of us to know them Why sayes he God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit v. 10. who is therefore given to believers that they may know the things that are freely given them of God b Apostolus per Dei dona ipsum Christum impâ—imis imò fere unum intelligit quum nihil nobis nisi in Christo sit laâ—gitus Bez. in loc v. 12. and among other things they come to know the love of Christ and to know it more abundantly by the Spirit for sayes the same Apostle The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us Rom. 5.5 The first sight and further tastes of the love of God in Christ is from the Holy Ghost Now as the gift of the Spirit is in it self a great gift of love and indeed next to the gift of Christ the greatest the Evangelist makes it equivalent to all good things Luke 11.13 compared with Mat. 7.11 so it argues the love of Christ to be exceeding great that the glorious Spirit of God is given on purpose to bring us to acquaintance with it If we were able to comprehend it of our selves there would be no need of the Holy Ghosts influence and assistance to bring us to the right understanding of it That 's the fifth Argument Sect. 2. Arg. 6. MY next Argument is this The love of Christ must needs be a love passing knowledge because those who have attained to the highest pitch in the knowledge of this love do yet fall far short of knowing it to perfection in this life and yet the present fruits and effects of what they do attain unto are very great and incomprehensible This Argument hath two Branches and both tend to confirm the truth in hand 1. Those who have attained to the highest pitch in the knowledge of this love of Christ do yet fall far short of knowing it to perfection in this life which is an undoubted evidence of its incomprehensible greatness Alas it is but little very little which the best of Saints do know of it here upon Earth in comparison of what is to be known and shall be known of it by them in Heaven Even Paul himself who went as far as any in the knowledge of Christ and his love yet confesseth that he c 1 Cor. 13.12 saw but through a glass darkly and knew but in part When he speaks of Christ he speaks of him as one in whom are d Eph. 3.8 unsearchable riches and when he mentions the love of Christ in the Text he he calls it a love which passeth knowledge Ask a Saint that hath had the fullest and longest knowledge and experience of Christ and his love and he will tell you he hath gotten no more than what leaves him admiring the fulness which is in Christ which he is never able to comprehend he will tell you of a plus ultrà still which which he can never reach an Abysse of love which he can never fathome It pleaseth him indeed to live and dye in the study and meditation of it yet without hopes of coming to the perfect knowledge of it though he should live Methuselahs age he will confess himself at last
of me Oh how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful is thy love Oh thy love is unspeakable that hast dealt so graciously with me Oh I feel thy mercies and oh that my tongue and heart were able to sound forth thy praises as I ought and as I willingly would do Afterwards she had these expressions Now blessed Lord thy comfortable presence is come yea Lord thou hast had respect to thy Handmaid and art come with fulness of joy and abundance of consolations O blessed be thy Name O Lord my God! Again a Christian Friend coming to see her and marvelling at her exceeding joyes desired the continuance of them whereupon she burst out and said Oh the joyes the joyes the joyes that I feel in my soul oh they be wonderful they be wonderful they be wonderful And again not long after she said to a Minister who came to see her Oh! my soul hath been compassed about with terrours of death fear within and fear without the sorrows of Hell were upon me knots and knorres were upon my soul and a roaring Wilderness of woe was within me but blessed blessed blessed be the Lord my God who hath not left me comfortless but like a good Shepherd hath he brought me into a place of rest even to the sweet running Waters of Life that flow out of the Sanctuary of God and he hath led me into the green Pastures where I am fed and exceedingly comforted c. Oh! blessed be the Lord Oh! blessed be the Lord that hath thus comforted me and hath brought me now to a place more sweet unto me than the Garden of Eden Oh the joy oh the joy the delightsome joy that I feel Oh how wonderful how wonderful how wonderful is this joy Oh! praise the Lord for his mercies and for this joy which my soul feeleth full well Praise his Name for evermore And thus she continued till at last she slept in the Lord. Now from all this put together I conclude That seeing the love of Christ shed abroad in the hearts of his people hath such admirable effects to the filling of them with such unspeakable joy and comfort and seeing it is but little in comparison which the highest best and most priviledged Saints do know and taste of this love here below surely this love must needs have an exceeding great and incomprehensible fulness in it self That 's the sixth Argument Sect. 3. MY next Argument is this Arg. 7. It appears to be a love which passeth knowledge because when the spirits of just men shall be made perfect in Heaven where they shall know and receive most of this love yet even then they shall not be able to comprehend all of it but rather be comprehended by it It s true that in Heaven the capacities of the Saints shall be enlarged to the utmost and they shall be filled according to that enlargement they shall want nothing to make them perfectly blessed they shall have as much of this love in the beatifical fruits of it as they can hold and shall be able to hold incomparably more than now they can but yet even then and there they will not be able to hold it all for that which is infinite can never be comprehended by that which is finite there being no proportion betwixt them So that what is said of the joy of our Lord in Mat. 25.21 is true of the love of our Lord it s too big to enter into us therefore we must enter into it As a large Vessel put into the Ocean takes in of the water till it be full yet cannot contain it all but when it can hold no more is swallowed up so the Saints who here sip and taste of the love of Christ shall in Heaven drink more of it till they be everlastingly swallowed up by it Jesus Christ even at his second coming when he shall take up his Saints to be where he is Joh. 14.3 to behold that is enjoy his glory Joh. 17.24 will even then be admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 admired for that love which brought them thither and admired for that glory which they shall enjoy there as the fruits of this love n Dr. Sclater on Thes p. 50. The measure of the glory will be so great as shall fill the enjoyers with wonder at the grace beholders with no less than admiration at the power of the bestower When a glorified Saint shall consider himself raised from the dust yea the dunghill to sit with Princes to be made like and equal to the Angels to see God and enjoy an exceeding and eternal weight of glory when he hath deserved no such matter but the contrary and thousand yea millions of men his equals if nos his betters passed by how will it fill such a one with extolling and admiring the rich grace and love of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ We our selves sayes o Nos ipsi sentimus effundi amorem Dei in corda nostra câ—piosâ copiâ per SpirituÌ„ Sanctum qui datus est nobis sed totum semèl comprehendere in hâc vitâ non possumus In alterâ verò vitâ stupebimus ad admirabileÌ„ illam dilectionem neque tamen etiam tùm animus creaturae etiam glorificatae poterit infinitam illam totam comprehendere quae in Deo est saltèm id scimus quòd illâ charitate toti implebimur cùm Deus erit omnia in omnibus Rolloc in Joan. p. 7â—6 Rolloc do now perceive the love of God to be shed abroad in great plenty into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us but we are not able to comprehend it altogether at once in this life And in the life to come we shall be amazed at that admirable love though even then the mind of a glorified creature shall not be able to comprehend all that infinite love which is in God Yet this at least we now know That we shall be altogether filled with that love when God shall be all in all To conclude this how exceeding great must that love needs be which the Saints in glory shall not be able fully to comprehend That 's the seventh Argument Sect. 4. MY last Argument Arg. 8. wherewith I shall conclude what I have to say as to the Doctrinal part of this Proposition is this The love of Christ must needs pass all humane p Omnem superat cognitionem nempè humanam adeoque Angelicam Zanch. in loc ut suprà for it surpasseth all Angelical knowledge The Angels being purae Intelligentiae of pure Intelligences and of larger capacities than the rest of the creatures do know more than we yet their knowledge is but like that of the creatures finite and limited q Certissimum est Angelos etsi multa sciant mâ—l a lamen etiam nescire Estius in Sentent lib. 2. dist 7. p. 75. though by their natural knowledge they know many things yet not all things There are many things
last We may please our selves and it may be those that hear us too by preaching other things but we shall not save our selves and those that hear us unless we preâ—ch Jesus Christ We are but Prevaricators in our office if Jesus Christ be not the Vnum Magnum nay the Vnum Maximum in our Ministry This is also the great business of every Christian for himself to know Jesus Christ our life depends upon it according to our Saviours own words Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent For the excellency of this knowledge the Apostle Paul counted all things but dross and dung Phil. 3.8 This is the one thing necessary without which all a mans other knowledge will but hasten and heighten his condemnation Si Christum discis nihil est si caetera nescis Si Christum nescis nihil est si caetera discis Englished thus If Christ thou know it will suffice Though else thou knowest naught If Christ be hid thou art not wise Though all else thou be taught Now the love of Christ is the main matter to be studied and known by every one who would study and know Jesus Christ and indeed we cannot miss of love in the study and knowledge of Christ for Christ is love His Name his Natures his Offices his Doctrine his Life his Death his Priviledges his Ordinances his All have a deep tincture of love in them and this love is to be known and that it may be known to be studied by us by all of us even the best of us If you say We hear this often enough Object and know this well enough I answer * Nunquà m satis dicitur quod nunquà m satis discitur That is never said enough Answ which is never learned enough And though you know the love of Christ do you know it as you ought to know it If you do not you must go over it again that you may know it better and you do not know Christ as you ought nor his love as you ought until you have him and it by heart You who know most and best are yet to seek you know but in part there are all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge hid in Christ Col. 2.3 unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 which can never be traced and found out You may be all your time searching and digging into them and yet though you should live never so long not come to the bottome at last but must breath out your soules with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the conclusion oh the depth for this is a love which passeth knowledge Object If you say that it is an heartless hopeless work which I put you upon when I bid you study to know the love of Christ seeing it passeth knowledge Answ I Answer That it 's true the love of Christ is such as passeth knowledge the riches of Christ are unsearchable riches but yet the unsearchable riches of Christ should not make us idle but active in digging and searching them out as far as we can the unknowable love of Christ should not deaden and straiten but quicken and enlarge our appetite to endeavour after as full a knowledge as we may What wise man will stand still or go back because he cannot finish his journey in a day Will not men dig for Gold because they cannot get to the bottome of the Mine And shall we refuse to know as much as we can of this love of Christ because we cannot comprehend as much as there is Far be it from any of us to cherish any such thought for the checking whereof consider 1. That you may know enough of Christ and his love to serve for your souls salvation which its your great interest to mind and look after as the great end of your being 2. You shall not need fear to be cloyed and glutted in the study of this love Varietas delectat variety delights and there is so much variety in this one subject the love of Christ as renders the study of it very delectable 3. The deeper you go in this love of Christ the sweeter yea if as * Plut. Moral Tom. 2. Lat. 8. mihi p. 117. Plutarch notes Eudoxus was content to be burnt up by the Sun if he might have liberty first to stand so near as to learn the figure magnitude and form of a Star how much more and better should a Christian be content to enter upon and proceed in the search study knowledge and understanding of this love of Christ till he be at last swallowed up of that which he is never able fully to comprehend Sect. 2. IN the prosecution of this Exhortation I shall do these two things 1. I shall direct your knowledge that you may not mistake about it 2. I shall excite you to it by the encouragements which the Apostle layes down about the Text that you be not disheartned so as to decline your duty in this particular By way of Direction which is needful 1. Directions about our knowing the love of Christ for all knowledge of the love of Christ is not sufficient and saving there is a general notional speculative historical knowledge which will be prejudicial and not profitable in the end though this be good as far as it goes yet where there is no more it is not sufficient Those who know the love of Christ in the notion only for Discourse sake or for a Professions sake only will fall as short of Heaven as the most ignorant person yea those who know the love of Christ no better than thus will but descend the more learnedly into Hell and incurre the more severe condemnation Now that you may not mistake here nor miscarry hereafter in this business of knowing the love of Christ I shall direct you to mind the qualifications of your knowledge and I shall mention three Direction 1. That it be affectionate knowledge 1. Look that your knowledge of the love of Christ be Cognitio affectiva an affectionate knowledge let it not swimme in your heads only by empty Notions but sink down into your hearts in sweet savoury warming and lively affections towards him And Sect. 2. 1. SEE that you have such a knowledge of Christ and his love The first Branch of the first Direction That it be a knowledge accompanied with love as is accompanied with love to him True love is grounded in knowledge and true knowledge hath love built upon it Though your heads be never so full of the knowledge of Christ yet if your hearts be not also full of love to him it will neither be acceptable to Christ nor profitable to your selves The Apostle tells us how little the understanding of all mysteries and all knowledge will profit a man without love 1 Cor. 13. for as the t Multa scilicâ—t laudabilia atque admiranda possunt in homine reperiri quae sine
Iryn page 879. Grynoeus wrote in a Letter to Chytraeus a little â—efore his death where not only the wound of contention is cured but the scarr which is â—ere oft left upon the place is not to be seen â—here to disfigure the beauty of its rest and â—eace the consideration whereof hath made b Spero me brevi ex his rixis migraturuÌ„ esse ad Ecclesiam in quâ sine Sophisticâ Deus celebrabitur Melanct. Epist p. 224. Spero me brevi in Ecclesiam Coelestem migraturum esse procul remotam ab illis furiis quae nunc Ecclesiam horribiliter turbaâ—t Idem pag. 514. Cupio ex hâc vitâ migrare propter duas causas 1 Ut fruar desiderato conspectu Filii Dei Coelestis Ecclesiae 2 Ut liberer ab immanibus implacabilibus odiis Theologorum Melch. Ad. in Vit. Strigel p. 427. some pious precious souls weary of earth and willing to be dissolved wishing and desiring the wings of a Dove with the Prophet David Psalm 55.6 that they might flee away and be at rest in that place where there is a Rest remaining for the people of God as from all other evils so from this of divisions and dissentions among Brethren Heb. 4.9 And thus much shall suffice to have been spoken concerning the first Affection Love to the Lord Jesus on whom I have given the longer Attendance and served with the more solemnity because of her Royalty as Queen Regent in the soul As for the rest which are her Train of Handmaids waiting on her I shall dispatch them with the more ease and brevity yet can I not wholly omit them forasmuch as Love her self is not compleat without them Briefly thus CHAP. IX The second branch of the first Diâ—â—â—tion about 〈…〉 of Christs Love 2. LET your Love to the Lord Jesus run towards him by Desire and rest on him by Delight which a Amor currit per desiderium quiescit per gaudium it is proper for true Love to do Know him so as to love him and love him so as to desire him and delight in him Sect. 1. Thaâ—â—t be accompanied with Desire 1. LET your Love to Christ run towards him in desires earnest hungring and thirsting desires afterVnion and Communion with him The tidings which you have of him in his word as the Desire of all Nations b Whitak Serm. on the place p. 46. Haggai 2. 7. because of his desirableness in himself and in comparison of other things Cant. 5.10.16 Proverbs 3.15 because of the c Desideratus cunctis gentibus dicitur quoniaÌ„ omnes gentes illius adventu redemptione multùm indigebant unaquaeque res quasi pondere naturae appetit id quo maximè indiget Riber in loc absolute need which all have of him without whom they can neither live comfortably nor die happily as being without God and without hope so far as they are without Christ Ephes 2.12 and because of his desire towards them to do them good and communicate of his fulness to them Prov. 8.31 Cant. 7.10 this should render him desirable unto you whatever he is in the thoughts and esteem of the blind unbelieving world Isaiah 53.2 and should make him actually desired by you even by all of you that you may tast and see how good and gracious how loving and lovely he is Psalm 34.8 And every tast which any of you who know and love and believe in him have had of his sweetness and fulness should set you on longing for more not with pain as at first but with pleasure Know Christ therefore so as to love him and love him so as to d Amor est pondus animi quocunque fertur amore fertur animus in Deum tanquà m in centrum aeternae quietis Aug. de civ Dei lib. 11. ca. 28. p. 677. Less de sum bono lib. 2. cap. 11. p. 201 202. long after him long to know him more long to love him more long to enjoy him more on earth till your knowledge love and longing shall be perfectly satisfied in heaven e Sistitur appetitus in viâ satiatur in patriâ Indeed a Christians appetite is stayed with what he hath from Christ for a Viaticum in his present pilgrimage but it is not fully satisfied till he come home to his own Country and Fathers House in which respect our present life is but a life of desires in comparison and the life to come most properly the life of enjoyments Whiles the men of the world make choyce of many things to be the objects of their desires do you pitch upon Christ who alone is sufficient to satisfie your desires which all other things never can When you hear many say Who will shew us any good and place that good in some outward thing do you with David say Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me Psalm 4.6 Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee e Arrowsmiths Armil Catech Aph. 1. Exerc. 4 page 59. Psalm 73.25 f Let Diotrephes say It is good for me to have the preheminence Judas It is good for me to bear the Bag Demas It is good for me to embrace this present world But do you conclude with David Psalm 73.38 It is good for me to draw nigh to God And in drawing nigh to him let your souls follow hard after him Psalm 63.8 Panting after him as the Hart panteth after the Water brooks Psalm 42.1 Thirsting and longing for him as the dry and thirsty land for water Psalm 63.1 Thus pant and thirst and long for his manifesting himself to you in mediate communion in grace Let him kisse ne with the kisses of his mouth Cant. 1.2 Stay me with Flagons comfort me with apples for I am sick of Love Cant. 2.5 Let my beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Cant. 4.16 Make hast my beloved and be thou like a Roe or a young Hart upon the mountains of spices Cant. 8.14 And 2. for his coming to take you up into immediate communion with himself in Glory O! when shall I come and appear before God in Glory Psal 42.2 When wilt thou shew me the path of life that I may come into thy presence where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psalm 16.11 When shall I behold thy face in righteousness so as to be satisfied with thy likeness Psalm 17.15 I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Phil. 1.23 Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Revel 22.20 I conclude this in the words of that Devout Soul Come Lord my head doth burn my heart is sick Herberts Poems Home p. 99. While thou dost ever ever stay Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick My Spirit gaspeth night and day O shew thy self to me Or take me up to thee Sect. 2. 2. LET your Love to Christ rest on him by Delight With
Author y Non satis est credere quòd Dominus Deus sit nisi credas quòd Dominus Deus tuus sit Fer. ibidem hath it a little after That it is not enough to believe that Christ is Lord and God unless we believe that Christ is Lord and our God Thus the Apostle Paul Gal. 2.20 I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me See how he applys to himself the love of Christ and the fruits of it This is so clear as the adversaries themselves cannot deny but that many choice ones have had a full and satisfying light springing in upon their souls and clearing their eternal condition to them but then they say it is by way of extraordinary revelation a speciall priviledge vouchsafed to some few of Gods choicest Worthies by a rare indulgence And yet as to the matter in hand the way and manner of the Apostles expressing themselves in this particular shews that this is not a priviledge peculiar only to a few but common to all believers I shall bring two places to prove this the one is 1 John 4.16 the other Rom. 5.5 in both which places besides their asserting the thing it self the great point of assurance in most significat tearms they speak of it in the plurall number and make mention only of common means for obtaining of it Let us consider the places In the one place sayes the Apostle John We have known and believed the love that God hath to us In the other place sayes the Apostle Paul The love of Christ is shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Now both the one and the other do 1. Assert assurance John speaks of knowing the love of God and the word he useth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Significat veâ—e certò solide cognoscere Leighs Crit. sacr to know truly and certainly and it is a knowledge with Application We know the love that God hath to us Paul speaks of the shedding abroad the love of God which is no other than witnessing of this love to our hearts as a Dei dilectio effusa dicitur id est abundamer tâ—sâ—ata hominum animis Grot. in loc Grotius observes The sence of this love wherâ—by we perceive that we are beloved by him and tast that he is gracious as b Charitas Dei dicitur effusa in cordibus nostris quia scâ—sus illius charitatis est effasus â—eaâ—imus eâ—im â—os à Dâ—o diligi gustamus quà m bonâ—â— sâ—â—vis est Dominus Gerh. in loc Gerhard notes It is a Metaphoricall expression and can signifie nothing else than this for as c Quod largâ—tâ—r effunditur in corda noâ—tra id corda replet quod corda replet id non potest anlatere quin certissiâ—â—e sentiatur Pareâ—s in loc Pareus hath it That which is plentifully poured out into our hearts doth fill our hearts and that which doth fill our hearts cannot be hid but must certainly be perceived by us And they do 2 Expresse it in such a way as shews it to be a thing not peculiar to some few but common to many for first It is expressed plurally not I know the love of God to me as of one but we know the love of God to us as of many besides himself and The love of God is shed abroad not into my heart only but into our hearts intimating that it was not peculiar to himself but common to other believers with himself And then Secondly They both mention a common means of obtaining it John mentions faith We have known and believed that is as d Cognovimus credendo talis enimnotitia non nisi fide percipitur Calv. in loc Calvin observes We have known by believing because such a knowledge springs from faith Now though all men have not faith 2 Thes 3.2 yet all true Christians have and such a faith as is capable of improving into assurance And then Paul mentions the Holy Ghost the love of God is shed abroad into our hearts by the Holy Ghost whereby we come to know the things that are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now all who have reall interest in Christ are partakers of this Spirit for If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his All have him as a Sanctifier and many have him as a Sealer So that this assurance of Christs love is not so peculiar unto some nor vouchsafed to them in such an extraordinary way but that others may attain unto it Seeing therefore it hath been attained by others and is attainable by you in an ordinary way let the consideration of it quicken your endeavours after it Indeed it is not a thing which will be done Sedendo votis by sitting still and wishing for it no it will cost you labour and diligence 2 Pet. 1.10 before you come to it but think not much of a little pains to obtain that which will make such abundant recompence for the pains bestowed about it when it is obtained Content not your selves therefore with a low measure of faith but go on from faith to faith till you come from affiance to confidence so as to know the love which God hath unto you And beg beg hard the Spirit of Christ which is promised to those who ask him Luke 11.13 that you may know the things which are freely given you of God and particularly this love having it shed abroad into your hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto you 2. Such a knowledge of Christs love when attained is exceeding sweet and comfortable I confesse your future safety and happiness lyes in this that Christ loves you but your present comfort lyes in your knowing that he loves you e Robinsons Essayes p. 11. He whom God loves though he know it not is an happy man but he that knows it knows himself to be happy and that is most comfortable It 's true that the love of Christ in it self is better than Wine sweeter and more delightfull than all earthly delicates and creature-comforts whatsoever but it is not sweet to us till it be shewed and sealed manifested and assured by the kisses of his mouth which are the tokens and pledges of his love which made the Church so earnest in desiring of them Cant. 1.2 Indeed there is no comfort without it Quid est Deus nisi meus What is God if he be not mine is a true saying and what is the love of Christ to me if I have no share in it And there is but little difference as to present comfort betwixt having no share in it and not knowing whether we have or no. A condemned man that hath his pardon granted though he shall not die yet he hath little comfort in his life till he know it And though a Christian who is beloved of Christ shall not perish yet
his life will be full of trouble and his heart exceedingly tormented and disquieted if he know it not and though he go to heaven it will not be with such full sail he will not have an entrance administred so abundantly as otherwise it might f Wall None but Christ p. 52. Good and evil affect not till it be apprehended Job lamented not all his losses till a messenger related them to him nor did Jacob rejoyce that Joseph was alive till he knew it Who joyes in an inheritance fallen to him till he know it nor can we joy in Christ as a Saviour nor in his love till we know him to be our Saviour and that he hath loved us The best knowledge of the Sun is by seeing its light and feeling its influence the knowledge of Hony is by tast and the best knowledge of Christ and his love is by tasting and seeing that he is gracious Lay both these together and they may be a strong inducement to make you look after a knowledge of the love of Christ by way of Application Experience and Assurance which is the first particular Sect. 2. By way of Admiration 2. BY way of Admiration Know Jesus Christ in his love so as to admire him and it We are wont to supply the defect of our apprehensions about great and extraordinary matters with admiration now what more worthy of our admiration than Jesus Christ whose Name is wonderful Isaiah 9.6 and his Love which as the Text tells us passeth knowledge He is Wonderful in his Person and in his Works and no lesse wonderful in his Love which doth influence all his works of Wonder for our good We admire Mysteries which g MysteriuÌ„ est sacrum secretum secretam habens intelligentiaÌ„ Dav. in Col. p. 132 are holy secrets hardly understood and surely then we have reason to admire Christ to whom the great Mystery of godliness is reducible for what is it according to the Apostles account 1 Tim. 3.16 but God was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the world received up into Glory All which are meant whatever some have delivered to the contrary of Christ and as Hierom said of the Revelations Quot verba tot Sacramenta I may say of these words As many words so many mysteries and as many mysteries so many matters of admiration Study and meditate upon the Lord Jesus and his love as much as you can that you may have some understanding of him and it but when you have gone as farr as you can there will be still Plus ultrà The riches that are in Christ are unsearchable riches Ephes 3.8 The love that he hath manifested unto us is unknowable love the dimensions of it for height dâ—pth length aâ—d breadth are unmeasurable verse 18.19 And therefore when you are at a losse in your search stand still in holy silence and fall to admiring what you fall so infinitely short of apprehending Admire him in his Philanthropie his love to mankind in general That the eternall Son of God should set his heart upon the Sons of Men and love them them rather than the Angels them when fallen as well as the Angels when ungodly rebels and enemies that he should love them so as to leave his Glory which he had from all eternity with his Father and be made flesh for them and lead a life full of miseries and necessities and aâ— last die a shameful painful accursed death for â—hem to pay their scores to Divine Justice and to bring in everlasting Righteousness eternal Redemption and Salâ—ation for them This is strange and extraordinary love worthy â—o bâ— admired for no reason c n be given of it hâ— loveâ— us thus because he loved us and upon no â—ther aâ—count Here then is a fit place to cry out with David Psalm 8.4 Lord what is man that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitests him What is man Enosh forgetful man as h Propriè obliviscenâ—em Enosh denotare videtur Euseb De praepar Evang. l. 11. miâ—i c. 4. p. 148. Eusebius wâ—ll have it deriving it from Nashah which signifies to forget forgetful of thee and of thy benefits towards him Or rather i Homo dicitur Enosh sed demum post aeâ—umnosum conditionem autegrâ—ssae praevâ—â—catâ—â— culpâ iâ— munâ—u i roductâ—â—â— ca vox â—am homiâ—em 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inopâ—ae variae moleâ—â—ori morâ—is necâ—ssituâ— moriendi ut veâ—bo dicem adversis rebus obnoxium connotat Martinius Lexic Philol. in Praef. 〈◊〉 Sickly mortall miserable man as others who better derive it from Anash which signifies to be sick and in misery What is this man that thou shouldst be mindfull of him not so as barely to remember him but so as tâ— shew eminent care and kindnesse to him as words of memory in the hebrew language do import according to the learned k Rivet in loc Rivets observation on the place and what is the Son of Man the Son of Adam the Son of him whose originall was earth and dust as the word Adam signifies who by his Apostacy and rebellion had forfeited thy favour and love What was he that thou shouldst visit him not with a grievous but gracious visitation not to punish and destroy him as he had deserved but to redeem and save him What matchlesse admirable love was this Admire his singular special love to your souls you who are believers That when others after all this are left without the knowledge of Christ and his love he hath made it known to you by his Word and Gospel that when thousands among whom you live who hear of Christ and his love and have offers of both made unto them are left with the reins on their own necks to follow lying vanities and forsake their own mercy to refuse resist and rebel against all the offâ—rs of grace and you have hearts and natures as full of emnity and opposition against Christ as any and have manifested so much and gone on to maintain it for some time more or lesse yet the Lord hath at length turned the stream taken the stone out of your hearts overcame the resistance of your froward Spirits made you willing in the day of his power and drawn you effectually to run after him and close with him so that you are now in Christ partakers of his love having it shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto you and are under his care and keeping till you come to receive the end of your Faith the salvation of your souls to be filled with all the fulnesse of God to see him face to face whom now you see through a glasse darkly and to be for ever satitfied from that Fountain of love immediately whence you have but small snips and tastes through the Conduits of Ordinances here Is not this strange love and can any other
he shews how himself and others came to be constrained by the love of Christ and that is by way of Argument The love of Châ—ist saiyes he constraineth us because we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again As if he had said when we set our selves seriously to consider the love of Christ in the eminent greatness of it as carrying him to the Crâ—sse the Grave to Death for us we find out and conclude upon theâ—e two things 1. The miserable condition of the objects of it for if one died for all we determine thus That then were all dead y Morte scilicet peccati per quod irae Dei aeternisque poenis facti obnoxii quid enim attinebat pro omnibus mori nisi omnes reas mortis invenisset Calixt in loc dead in sin and thereby liable to the wrath of God and eternal punishment for why should he else die for all if he had not found all in a state of death 2. The Holiness of the end of it And that he died for all that they who live c. This is our holy reasoning and reckoning that the end of his love in dying for us was that they who live who by his favour and benefit are redeemed from warth and damnation should not henceforth live unto themselves not order their lives according to their own will nor serve the lusts and desires of the flesh but unto him that died for them and rose again that is be ruled wholly by his will and dedicate themselvs to his service living for his use and glory and renouncing whatsoever is contrary to him Now this says he constraineth us These are arguments so full and forcible that we are surrounded by them no gap left open for sin and licentiousness but we are wholly bound up and constrained in service obedience to him who hath thus loved us 2. By Power As there is an Argument in the love of Christ engaging Christians to holiness and obedience so there is a vertue and power flowing from thence which doth enable believers thereunto The death and resurrection of Christ wherein his love most eminently appeared is not only the meritorious and exemplary cause of our dying to sin and living to God but also the efficient cause of it by a secret power and vertue issuing from thence to those that believe z Nam ut humanitatem Verbo unitaÌ„ virtute Verbi excitavit à morte sic etià m nos sibi unitos insitos eâdem virtute exuscitat ad novam vitam gratiae Dav. in Colos p. â—07 For as the Humanity being united to the Word was by the power of the Word raised from the dead so those who are united to him and implanted in him are by the same power raised from the death of sin to the life of grace That there is such a power is clear from Phil. 3.10 where the Apostle shews that the height of his ambition was to know Christ yet not by a notional and empty but a powerful and effectual knowledge That I may know him and the power of his resurrection that is a Brinsley Mystical Implant p. 191. a power and vertue flowing from his resurrection working the like effect in himself in raising him to the life of grace here and glory hereafter And the fellowship of his sufferings b Calv. in loc Not only that which is external and stands in the bearing of the Cross but also that which is inward and stands in the mortifying of the flesh and the crucifying â—f the old man And this by being made conformable unto his death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conformis factus or Configuratus c Brinsley ubi suprà p. 132. Not conforming my self by way of imitation but being made conformable by a power out of my self the power and vertue of Châ—ists death d NaÌ„ quisquis hoc facit non idagit propriis viribus sed cum Christo sepultus est in Christo resurrexit est igitur in Christum insitus Spiritu Christi vivificatus Dav. in Col. p. 207. For whosoever conforms to Christs death and resurrection by dying to sin and rising again to newness of life doth it not by any power or ability of his own but is buried with Christ and raised in Christ and is therefore implanted into him and quickened by his Spirit Now this power and vertue is drawn forth from Christ by Faith as appears from Col. 2.12 Buried with him in Baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised him from the dead In which words we have the outward Sign which doth represent a Christians communion with Christ in his death and resurrection and that is Baptism As also the inward Grace whereby a Christian comes to be really conformable to Christ in both by the death of sin and life of grace and that is Faith which is set forth both in it self as it is the Instrument whereby we become real partakers of the benefits of Christs death and resurrection which are signified in Baptism And also in its Author and Worker which is God called therefore Faith of the operation of God to distinguish it from a false faith of our own fancying and likewise in its Exercise for it pitcheth upon the power of God put forth in raising of Christ from the dead and thence derives a power for the raising of the soul from the sptritual death in sin to a spiritual life of grace that is the meaning of that clause which is added who hath raised him from the dead as the e Objectum particulare quod fides potissimùm hâc in re intuetur est Dei potentia excitans Christum ex mortuis pro salute nostrâ Dav. in loc p. 208. Reverend Davenant hath observed Now what is all this for Christians but to perswade you to labour after such a knowledge of Christ and his love as may be effectual to your Holiness and Obedience And I beseech you be not satisfied without it for 1. Without this you cross and thwart Jesus Christ in one main end and design of his love in undertaking acting and suffering for us which was not loosness and licentiousness but holiness and obedience that we might serve him as well as be saved by him and that we might be saved from sin as well as from wrath and from the filth and power of sin as well as the guilt and condemnation of it Why was he manifested in our flesh but to take away our sins and that hâ— might destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3.5.8 Why was he called Jesus but that he mighâ— save his people from their sins as you find it f See Hopkins Treat on that Scripture Mat. 1.21 Why did he sanctifie himself by
with sin And for Service reckon thus with your selves If the Lord Jesus hath thus loved me to suffer such indignities and hardships for me and bestow so many so great so wonderful blessings upon me surely I owe the greatest love duty and obedience to him y Sanè etiamsi millies pro ejus gloriâ possem sanguinem fundere mille annis maximos labores subire ne millessimaÌ„ partem vel unius beneficii possem compensare c. Less de Sum. bono lib 4. c. 4. p. 577. Surely were I able a thousand times to shed my blood for his glory and to undergo the hardest labours a thousand years I were never able to make a compensation for the thousand part of one of his benefits because all his benefits are of infinite worth and were we able to give it would require infinite love and service at our hands But because we cannot do that I firmly resolve to do that which I easily may through his assistance and wherewith the Divine goodness is well pleased namely with all care to keep all his Commandments so that I will rather die than wilfully break any of them yea I will devote my whole life to his service that all my thoughts words and actions may be directed to his glory Thus reason your selves into the obedience and service of Jesus Christ by the consideration of his great love towards you in being humbled and becoming obedient to the death of the Cross for you 2. Draw forth by faith the Power of Christs love in dying for you and rising again for the bringing you into conformity thereunto By faith believe that there is such a power and apprehend and apply it to your selves till you find That you are planted toge her with Christ in the likeness of his death and resurrection Rom. 6 5. So that what was done in him naturally and properly be done in you by way of Analogy and Proportion as z Quod in Christo sactum est per naturam id in nobis fieri intelligit per analogiam proportionem Chrys in loc Chrysostome expounds these words That as he died a true naturall death for sin by a real separation of his soul from his body so you may dy a true spiritual death to sin by a real separation of your souls from the body of sin not from this or that member but from the whole body and every member For a Non mundatur nisi qui omnibus peccatis renunciavit Quis enim mundum dixerit hominem qui vel in unâ tantùm cloacâ volatetur Paris de virtut cap. 22. as none will account that man clean who is found wallowing but in one filthy sink so neither is that Christian clean who hath not renounced all his sins As his was though violent and painful yet voluntary death he gave himself for â—our sins Gal. 1.4 and laid down his life freely John 10.17 18. So though in the mortification of your lusts you offer violence to them and suffer pain in your selves many an agony and soul conflict yet your dying to sin must be voluntary and the sacrificing of your lusts a freewill offering to the Lord. That as his Resurrection was to a new life so you may be raised up from the death of sin to walk iâ— newness of life Rom 6.4 having a new principle the Spirit and not the flesh a new rule the word and not the world a new end not your selves but God the praise and glory of God Phil. 1.11 For so Jesus Christ in that he liveth he liveth unto God Rom. 6.10 b In the Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza renders in gloriam thinking that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that the Apostle intends by this clause to set forth the final cause of Christs resurrection which is the glory of the Father vide Bez. in loc To the glory of God the Father v. 4. As he being raised from the dead died no more death hath no more dominion over him v. 9. So you being raised from sin may no more be turned to folly sin may have no more dominion over you Thus conform your selves to Christ in his death and resurrection which because you cannot do of your selves by your own power exercise faith on the operation of God in raising of Christ from the dead till you come to know experimentally the power of his resurrection feeling the same power put forth in your selves for the raising you up to newnesse of life and making you conformable to his death So much for that second Direction concerning your knowledge of the love of Christ that it be effectuall There is yet one more which is this CHAP. XI Direct 3. That it be a progressive knowledge 3. LOok that your knowledge of the love of Christ be Cognitio progressiva a progressive knowledge and that in two respects Sect. 1. 1. IN respect of your selves In respect of our selvs Be not content that you have a true knowledge of Jesus Christ and his love nor take up your rest in any measure of that knowledge to which you have already attained but labour to abound and increase more and more Do you know the love of Christ with an affectionate and effectuall knowledge as you have been directed yet stay not here but go on to know him and it more affectionatly so as to love him more abundantly to desire him more ardently to delight in him more contentedly to trust in him more firmly and to fear offending him more solicitously go on to know him more effectually so as to apprehend his love more confidently and apply it to your selves more assuredly to admire it more humbly to be more cordially and fruitfully thankfull for it to be further removed from sin even the least appearance of it and more devoted to his service standing compleat and perfect in all the will of your God To this purpose consider 1. That it is the property of every true Christian thus to grow and encrease more and more The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more till it be perfect day Prov. 4.18 The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger Job 17.9 You cannot evidence that you know Christ at all in truth unlesse you grow in the knowledge of him for Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord Hos 6.3 Thus the Apostle Paul sayes of himself Phil. 3 12 13 14. Not as though I had attained either were already perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Brethren I I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things that are behinde and reaching forth to those things which are before I presse toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God
sayes in his last prayer to his Father John 17.26 I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it and to Nathaniel John 1.50 Believest thou thou shalt see greater things than these There is more to come and therefore we should not rest in present experiences He were a foolish builder who would rest in the middle of his work and because the foundation is laid never mind the super structure and they are no wise Christians who content themselves that they are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and do not take care to grow into an holy Temple in the Lord Ephes 2.20 21. As we must not alway stick in principlss but go on to perfection so those who have made the greatest progresse will find cause by reason of what is still lacking in them of making further proficiency till they come to be perfect men and women and reach the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4.13 Even Paul as you heard before did not count that he had attained but saw a need of pressing forward Phil. 3. and then surely much more we That 's the second Consideration 3. Consider that this is the duty of every Christian It is not enough that you have grace and knowledge but you must grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so you are required to do 2. Pet. 3.18 It is not enough that you be in Christ rooted in him but you must grow up into him in all things and be built up in him Ephes 4.15 Col. 2.7 The Christian must be like the Crocodile that as o Arist de Hist Anim lib. 5. cap. 33. Franz Hist Anim sacr p. 199. some affirm grows as long as it lives and ceaseth to be when it ceaseth to grow p Jenkins on Jude p. 162. Christianity knows no Enough the degrees of a Christians grace and knowledge of Christ must be like numbers the highest whereof being numbred a higher than that may yet be named The Motto of every Christian should be that of Charles the fifth q Rivet on Hos p. 653 Plus ultrà accounting that there is More yet beyond to be attained unto We are never gotten far enough till we are gotten home nor must we ever cease growing till we grow into heaven If perfection be our pattern proficiency is our duty r Mant. on Jude pag. 121 123. Jesus Christ himself grew when he was upon earth we read not that he grew in grace but we read that he grew in knowledge Luke 2.40 He grew in wisdom and stature the meaning is his human capacity was enlarged by degrees according to his progress in age and strength for in all things he was like us except sin and our reason is ripened and perfected together with our age Now Christians must be conformed to Christ in all things and grow in grace and knowledge as he grew in wisdom That 's the third Consideration 4 Consider that it is such a Duty as hath much profit or dammage entailed upon the observance or neglect of it 1. There is much profit redounds to them who put in practice this duty of growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ for besides their present honour in the sight of others and comfort in their own bosoms it will add to their Crown and Glory hereafter s Jenkins on Jude p. 165 166 If any shall follow the Lamb in whiter and larger robes of glory than others they are those whom he hath adorned most with the robes of grace here If any shine brighter than others in heaven they shall be those who have been brightest in grace upon earth Though glory be not bestowed for any merit in grace yet I see no inconvenience to hold that 't is bestowed according to the proportion of grace If the more grace a Saint hath the more he be fitted for glory then the more grace he hath the more it is likely he shall be filled with glory The more the soul is widened with grace the more capacious will it be of glory The heaviest Crowns are fittest for the strongest heads 2. On the other side there is no small dammage redounds to such as neglect to grow and increase t Gurnals Christian Armour Part 3. pag. 694. There is no such thing in Religion as a saving Trade of godliness some men in their worldly Trade can say at the years end that they have neither got nor lost but you cannot say thus at the days end that you are in the evening neither better nor worse than you were in the morning We are like those who are upon a swift stream if they let their Oar misse its stroke they are driven back again like those who are going up a sandy hill who sink lower if they get not up higher u In viis Domini non proficere est deficere non progredi est regredi Balduin in Eph. mihi p. 175. In the wayes of God not to make proficiency is to decline not to go forward is to go backward There is no standing at a stay in Christianity x Aut ascendas necesse est aut descendas si attentas stare ruas necesse est Bern. Epist 91. p. 230. Either we ascend or descend and if we attempt to stand still we must needs fall down The grace which a true Christian hath will soon be less if he add not to it and that which a hypocrite seemed to have will be none at all if he stick in that condition Hypocrisy without repentance will end in Apostacy y Mant. on Jude p. 118 119. We cannot keep that which we have received if we do not labour to increase it He that would not improve his Talent lost it Mat. 25. so here we wast and consume what we have if we do not improve it There are no stinted Trees in Christs Garden if they leave off to grow they prove doâ—ted or rotten Trees An active nature such as mans is must either grow worse or better therefore we should be careful of the increase of grace as we would be cautions of the loss of grace Wherefore to conclude this As you would be Christians indeed As you would answer the imperfection of your present condition As you would be obedient to the command of God As you would not lose that which you have wrought but receive a full reward labour to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Thus let it be a progressive knowledge in respect of your selves Sect. 2. 2. IN respect of others Do what you can for propagating the knowledge of Christ unto others To help this forward a little In respect of others consider 1. That if you are Christâ—ans indeed you will do it There is nothing more covetous or prodigall than grace is a Saint loves to be receiving from God and imparting unto others z Reyn. on Hos 14. Ser. 5. p.
41 The nature of grace is too manifest it self and by that means to allure others and gather to its own quality It is set forth in Scripture by the names of Light which shines abroad of Ointment and Perfume which cannot be hid of Leaven and Salt which deriveth its own nature and relish upon a whole lump Therefore the Holy Ghost was given in Tongues fiery Tongues and a rushing wind all which have a quality of self manif station notifying themselvs to others a Jeak on Jude pag 164 The whole country fareth the better for arich Cristians he keepeth open House the more he hath the more he gives he labors to make all like himself his bonds only excepted The lips of the righteous feed many sayes Solomon Prov. 10.21 David promiseth upon his own experiencing Gods mercy to himself to teach Transgressors his wayes Psal 51.13 and so he did Psal 34.8 11. O taste and see that the Lord is good Come yee children hearken unto me and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. As soon as Andrew had met with-Christ he found out and brought his brother Simon to him John 1.40 41 42. As soon as Philip was called to Christ he found out Nathaniel and brought him to Christ also verse 43 45. When the Woman of Samaria had met with Christ she went and called her friends and neighbours out of the City to come to him John 4.28 29 30. Nor can it be otherwise b See Hildersham on the 4th of John Lect. 49. which is all on this subject for the love which they bear to Christ constrains them to do all they can to enlarge his Kingdom and the love they bear to their neighbours makes them do all they can to further the good of their souls Consider further 2. You shall be no losers in so doing for besides the glory which redounds to Christ whose honour as King of Saints is in the multitude of Converts as an earthly Kings is in the multitude of his Subjects Proverbs 14.28 it will tend much to your own benefit and advantage and that both in grace here and in glory hereafter 1. In grace here There is no better way to grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ your selves than by communicating what you have unto others c Hildersh ubi suprà The more you draw unto the knowledge of Christ the more will your own knowledg of him increase Rom. 1.11.12 This is like casting of seed into the earth which brings it back again with great increse Because God knew Abraham would make good use of that which he knew for the instruction of his Family therefore he would hide nothing from him Gen. 18.19 2. In glory hereafter for being employed as Instruments in carrying on this highest and noblest of works the converting of men and so saving their souls from death and hiding a multitude of sins James 5. ult they shall receive the greater recompence of reward Dan. 12.3 They that turn many to righteousnesse shall shine as the Stars for ever and ever Let these considerations move you to set upon this work in those ways whereby it is most likely to be accomplished Now though there are some wayes which are peculiar to some particular persons yet there are others common unto all Christians The Ministers of the Gospell are to disperse the knowledge of Christ by preaching that the sweet savour thereof may through the good hand of God upon them be manifested in all the places whither they are sent to the attracting and drawnig of Souls to come in unto him 2 Cor. 2.14 Magistrates are to do it by their authority providing Orthodox Ministers for the work forementioned and encourageing them in it Thus did Jehosaphat 2 Chron. 17.8 9. and Hezekiah 2 Chron. 30.22 Learned men are to do it by their pens recording and transmitting to posterity the truth as it is in Jesus Rich men are to do it by their purses who are to honour the Lord with their Substance Prov. 3 9. nor can they do it better than by employing what they have to further the propagation of the Gospell for the increase of the knowledge of Christ among the Sons of men But besides these there are three things which all Christians may and ought to do towards the progresse of the knowledge of Christ among others and I advise all into whose hands this shall come that upon the former considerations they would seriously mind the doing of them 1. The first is Prayer This is Primus vagitus infantis Christiani the first cry of an Infant Christian nor is he a child of God who is no acquainted with it Now look that one strain in your Prayers sound this way That the Lord of the harvest would send forth labourers into his harvest Mat. 9.38 That he would give pastors after his own heart to feed his people with knowledge and understanding Jer. 3.15 That he would â—pen unto them whom he sends forth a door of vtterance that they may speak the mysterie of Christ boldly as they ought to speak Col. 4.3 4. Eph. 6 19 20. That they may be delivered from unreasonable men who believe not and their service may be excepted of the Saints 2 Thes 3.2 Rom 15 30 31. That a great doâ—r and effectuall may be opened among their people though they have many adversaries 1 Cor. 16.9 That they may come in the fulnesse of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15.29 and the savour of his knowledge may be manifested by them in every place 2 Cor. 2.14 That thus the d Bishop Taylors Grand Exempl p. 359. Dr. Hamon Plact Cat. p. 310. 4o. Kingdome of Christ may come Mat. 6.10 and his Gospell run and be glorified 2 Thes 3.1 and his way may be known upon earth his saving health among all Nations Psal 67.2 and the Earth may be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea Isaiah 11.9 This is one excellent way 2. The second is I struction Let those who know Jesus Christ themselves teach the knowledge of him to others as they have ability and opportunity especially their Families Friends Relations and Neighbors Instruct the ignorant in the ways of Christ admonish the unruly who wander from him and stand out against him encourage the towardly support the weak comfort the feeble minded 1 Thes 5.14 Tell those with whom you have to do how good the Lord is what he hath done for your souls tell them of Christs unsearchable riches his infinite love the great things which he hath done and suffered for poor sinners their misery without him their happinesse in him and perswade them to come in to him and close with him and taste how good and gracious he is Psal 66.16 Psal 34.8 that 's another way 3. The third is Example the good conversation of Christians do notably adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2.10 and win such as are without to professe
the same Gospell and embrace the same Christ with themselves 1 Pet. 3.1 whereas their evill conversation opens the mouths and heardens the hearts of evill men against Christ and his wayes Rom. 2.24 2 Pet. 2.2 Look then That your conversation be such as becometh the Gospell Phil. 1.27 That you be blamless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation shining as lights in the world Phil. 2.15 That you deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2.12 That as he which hath called you is holy so you be holy in all manner of conversation 1 Pet. 2.15 Take heed that your lives be not contradictory to your prayers lest you pull down with the one hand more than you build with the other but let all go together fervent prayers solemn instructions and an holy life whereby you may become hopefully instrumental for propagating the knowledge of Christ unto others Thus look that your knowledge of the love of Christ be not only Affectionate and Effectual but also Progressive in those two particulars which have been mentioned And this is all which I have to say by way of Direction in this point of knowing the love of Christ CHAP. XIII General Motives to labour after this knowledg of Christs Love THere is yet one thing more to be done before I shut up this Vse and that is to lay down some Motives for the exciting of you to look after this knowledge of the love of Christ This indeed hath been done already but the former Motives have been suited to the particulars through which we have gone what I have now to add will respect the whole matter the knowledge of Christs love in general And these Motives shall be only those encouraging ones which are laid down by the Apostle within the veiw of the Text that you may not be disheartned from the pursuit and persecution of that to which you have been exhorted Now these are drawn 1. From the Evidence that this knowledge of Christs love gives unto 2. From the Influence that it hath upon those that have attained unto it Sect. 1. 1. FRom the Evidence which this knowledge of Christs love gives unto those who have attained unto it 1. Labour to know this love of Christ as you have been directed for this will be an evidence of your present Saintship I gather it from what the Apostle speaks ver 18. That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints c. All that bear the name of Christ should study to know the love of Christ it is their duty but onely such as are partakers of Christ and are real Saints are able to comprehend it All they are able not all alike but every one according to his measure all in part not any perfectly and only they e Jennes Scholast Pract. Div. Vol. 1. Of Christs fulnesse pag. 223. The knowledge of Christs love is the priviledge of the Saints common to all believers yet so proper and peculiar to them as that it belongs to none but Saints So that if you have an effectionate effectuall growing knowledge of the love of Christ then you are Saints but on the other side if you live in ignorance of the love of Christ or content your selves with a notional ineffectual stinted knowledge of it you can have no evidence of your Saintship Many are called to be Saints which yet cannot be called Saints some are called Saints which yet are not Saints if you would be Saints indeed as well as called to be such or called such be sure you be not found without the knowledge of the love of Christ and such a knowledge as hath been propounded to you 2. It will be an Evidence of your Title unto and interest in that Glory which is to be revealed in the World to come This follows upon the former for those who are gracious Saints on earth may be confident they shall be glorious Saints in heaven whereas those who are not Saints here cannot be saved hereafter Without sanctification no salvation 2 Thes 2.13 Without holiness no seeing the face of God Heb. 12.14 And this is evidenced from a true knowledge of Christ for this the Apostle makes the end of his praying that these Ephesians might know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge viz. That they might be filled with all the fulness of God as it immediately follows the Text. Which though some understand of that which is to be enjoyed here yet I rather take it as relating to the glory and happiness of heaven For though it hath pleased the Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell Col. 1.19 and all believers do from his fulness receive grace for grace John 1.16 and they are compleat in him Col. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filled in him the same word with that in the Text and that in this life yet you must understand it aright f Bodius in Ephes p. 402. They are compleat in him not in themselvs but in him who is their Head and they by vertue of Vnion with him as Members with their Head may lay claim to his fulness Again they are compleat with such a fulness as is agreeable to their present state that is they have found in him all things requisite to their perfect Redemption Justification Sanctification Adoption and eternal Salvation so that they need not go out to any other to make up what is wanting in him And therefore taking it in reference to eternal glory it is not meant of a simple and absolute compleatness but of such as so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in some sence only that is initiall not perfect by faith and hope not full fruition jure potiùs quà m re by right to it rather than possession of it They are compleat in him as expectants of a glory to come not as spectators of a glory that is present as militant not as triumphant as passing towards not reigning in their heavenly country with a fulness competent to their present condition not with all the fulness of God which is not enjoyed by any till they come among the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12.23 which is only in heaven g Fergus on the place p. 214. So that the Apostle when he speaks of being filled with all the fulness of God seems to aim at the setting forth of that most glorious and blessed estate of believers in heaven where the Saints shall have the most immediate and fullest enjoyment of God that they are capable of h Jeanes ubi suprà p. 224. There will be a full knowledge of God in the beatifical vision the full Image of God a full participation of the Divine Nature a full union with and fruition of God full and immediate influences from God according to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.28 where he sayes God shall be all in all that is in all
the elect he shall be vice omnium instead of all Ordinances to their souls and instead of all means and helps to their bodies And I saw no Temple therein saith Saint John Rev. 21.22 23. for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof The meaning of the place is that God shall immediately by himself supply the room of all external means unto his glorified Saints in heaven There they shall be filled with all this fulness of God Though the Saints even in heaven shall not take in all of God for that is impossible for finite creatureâ— yet as much as is possible for them they shall and as much as is necâ—ssary to make them perfectly blessed here when they have gotten most there is something yea much wanting but then they shall be filled as full as they can hold The Vessels of glory will then be enlarged to take in more than now is possible for them and according to that capacity they shall be filled with all the fulness of God Now forasmuch as this knowledge of the love of Christ which hath been treated of is a good evidence of right and title to this blessed condition it may be a strong Motive to you to labour to be filled with the knowledge of the love of Christ here that you may be filled with all the fulness of God hereafter Sect. 2. 2. FRom the Influence which it hath upon all those who have attained unto it Now a right knowledge of the love of Christ hath a strong influence upon Christians as a preservative to keep them from fainting at the tribulations which accompany the Gospel their own or others This may be gathered from the whole scope of the Apostle in the latter part of this Chapter In the 13th verse he desires these Ephesians that they would not faint at his tribulations h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not shrink back i Leighs Crit. sacr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vinci à malo Animum despondere quasi pedem in certamine referre succumbere Gerh. Har. p. 564 as cowards in battel nor give place in afflictions and dangers as the word imports Not be overcome of the evils of sufferings which accompany the Gospel in the preaching and professing of it so as to yield and go back from their duty Now that they might not he prayes for them verse 14 15 c. For this cause I bow my knees c. And there are three things which he prayes for them that they may be kept from fainting 1. Coroboration and Confirmation by the Spirit of God verse 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man 2 A further Vnion with Jesus Christ verse 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith 3. Intimate acquaintance with Jesus Christ in his love verse 17 18 19. That you being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the bredth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge In which words there are three things observable 1. That as a Tree or House cannot stand fast and firm against boisterous winds and storms unless the one be well rooted and the other have a sure foundation so neither can a Christian hold out in those Trials which he is like to meet with in his course unless he be well rooted and grounded 2. That the root and foundation whereon a Christian is kept firm and stedsast in times of trial and trouble is Love That ye being rooted and grounded in love which some take for our love to God but rather it is meant of Gods love in Christ Christs love to us for as i one well notes Our love is rather a branch than a root it is the love of Christ in which we take firm rooting that nothing can shake us and therefore we are said to be rooted in him Col. 2.7 3. The way whereby Christians come to be rooted and grounded in love is by the knowledge of it such a knowledge whereby they apprehend and apply it to themselves and have the comfortable experience of it in their own hearts Thus the Apostle goes on That you may be able to comprehend with all Saints c. and to know the love of Christ c. So that by vertue of the coherence of this part of the Apostles prayer with his design in making of it this must be a true inference k Baine on Eph. p. 412. l Jeanes ubi suprà p. 224. That a feeling efficacious knowledge of Christs love and the dimensions thereof will embolden and hearten the Saints in their own and others sufferings and as a soveeign cordial keep them from all despondency and sinking of Spirit There are other places to prove this The Church Cant. 2.4 sayes Christs love was a banner over her His banner over me was Love m Engl. Annot. the larger on the place Jackson also on the place l The preaching of the Gospel or Christ in the preaching of the Gospel is a Standard Banner or Ensign displayed Isa 11.10 whose Motto or Device is Love and among others this may be one reason Because as Souldiers are by their Banner and Ensign encouraged heartned to fight manfully against their enemies and not to shrink but keep close to their colours in hope of Victory so by the discovery of Christs love in the Gospel Christians who have faith to apprehend and apply it are emboldened to withstand couragiously all their spiritual enemies and are continually supported and inwardly strengthened and so are enabled to hold out unto the end under all the trials and troubles which they meet with in assured expectation of Victory at the last But I return to our Apostle who in two other places doth confirm this truth not by barely asserting that it is so but by laying down the grounds and reasons why it is so One place is Rom. 5. In the 3d. verse you hear him speak of glorying in tribulations We glory in tribulations So far were they from fainting under them that they gloryed in them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a high word and the same which he useth in reference to hope of the glory of God in the foregoing verse A Christian hath ground of glorying in his Present crosse as well as in his future crown n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.10 Non modo aequo moderato animo sumus sed etiam magna laetitiâ perfusi Bez. in loc Gloriari est gestu verbis exultare Par. in loc The word signifies contentment with taking pleasure in and exultation under suffâ—rings We are so far from sinking under tribulations by
mixture of mercy or pity with those who now despise and refuse his love c Prov. 1.26 28. He will laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh Then shall they call upon him but he will not answer they shall seek him early but they shall not find him Nor 2. shall they ever be able to escape it d Rev. 6.16 Though they call to the mountains to fall on them and the rocks to cover them that they may be hid from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb it shall not secure them Nor 3. shall they be able to abide it as it is unavoidable so it is intollerable Wicked men e Pâ—â— 2.12 perish from the way if his wrath be kindled but a little how then shall they abide it when it is throughly kindled when that f 〈◊〉 6.17 great day of his wrath is come who shall be able to stand for even of present wrath it is said g Nahum 1.6 Who can stand before his indignation and who can abide the fierceness of his anger his fury is poured out like fire and the rocks are thrown down by him And the sting of all is this 4. That there will never be any end or mitigation of it The Wrath of God is often compared to fire and this wrath to come which I am speaking of is h Mat. 3.12 unquenchable fire and the burnings of it i Isa 33.14 everlasting burnings It is wrath that shall k John 3.36 abide upon unbelievers and never be taken off to eternity Now l Ps 50.22 consider this you that forget God and slight Jesus Christ and neglect the great salvation which is offered to you lest he tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver you One would think that what hath been said should be sufficient to startle and awaken the most secure sinners And the Lord make it effectual to that end and purpose unto all such into whose hands this shall come Sect. 5. THe last Vse is by way of Consolation The Vse 3 consideration of the greatness of Christs love may administer abundance of comfort to the Saints who know it By way of Consolation to those who have a right knowledg of the love of Christ so as to have an interest in it If the love of Christ be so incomprehensible as you have heard then you need not fear to be supplied Your wants and necessities are many and great its true but there are unsearchable riches of love in Christ from whence you may have enough for your relief Notwithstanding all the communications which have been made of Christs love to the Saints in all ages and generations past he is as full as ever and will be as long as there is a Saint on this side heaven to need him he may be imparted but cannot be impaired he is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Hebrews 13.8 What is it that troubles you against which you may not find strong Consolation from the love of Christ 1. Is it Sin that troubles you so that you bewail it and mourn and grieve for it and go bowed down all the day long because of it Truly this is the only thing that can justly create trouble to a Christian but this doth it necessarily because of the evil of it nor can he claim a title to the love of Christ to whom sin is not grievous for though the Gospel tells us That where sin hath abounded there grace much more abounds Rom. 6.20 yet it is only there where the sin that hath abounded in the life in the commission of it doth abound in the heart conscience in contrition for it detestation of it But yet even here there is relief from the love of Christ so far as to keep you from dejection desperation though not from a due sense and deep humiliation for 1. Is it the Guilt of your many and great sins which affrights you Consider there is love enough in Christ to pardon them Christs love can cover a multitude of sins and will cover all the sins of penitent sinners If mans love will do this 1 Pet. 4.8 Prov. 10.12 much more Christs whose wayes are not as our wayes nor his thoughts as our thoughts for as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his wayes higher than our wayes and his thoughts than ours Isaiah 55.8 9. he means his thoughts and wayes of mercy and so sayes the Psalmist expresly Psalm 103.11 As the heaven is high above the earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him She was a great sinner of whom he said Luke 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven her The eye of favour and love as the m Favoris oculus velut nox est ad omnem labem Arab. prov ut citat a Culv. Act of Obliv p. 34. Arabick proverb hath it is as the night to every fault to hide and conceal it that it be not seen 2. Is it the power of your corruptions which you groan under and desire deliverance from There is love enough in Christ to subdue them Mich. 7.19 and by the law of the Spirit of life to make you free from the law of sin and death Romans 8.2 love enough to sanctifie you throughout and thoroughly throughout 1 Thes 5.23 as well as to justifie you 2. Is it Temptations from Satan that trouble you There is love enough in Christ to pity you because of them He was in all points tempted as we are yet without sin and therefore is such an High-priest as is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 love enough to help and succour you in them for In that he himself suffered being tempted he is able also to succour them that are tempted Hebrews 2.18 love enough to save yout out of them for the God of Peace will bruise Satan under your feet shortly Romans 16.20 3. Is it the Snares and Dangers of this World that trouble you Know that as he had love enough to give himself for us that he might redeem us from this present evil world Gal. 1.4 so he hath still love enough to make you partakers of his victory which he hath obtained over the world John 16.33 and to make you conquerors over it by faith 1 John 5.4 and in the mean time to keep you from the evil of the world though he doth not take you out of it John 17.15 4 Is it the Duties and Difficulties of your course which trouble you not in themselves but because of your weakness and infirmity by reason whereof you cannot deal with them There is love enough in Christ to help your infirmities by his Spirit Rom. 8.6 to assist you in your duties Phil. 4.13 to support you under and carry you through all the difficulties of your pilgrimage to be continually with you and hold you by the right hand to guide you with