when it was first declared The Prophet tels us it was at such a time as in which we were most unlovely when we lay in our bloud and were not so lovely as to provoke any eye to pity us Then did Christ passe by and it was the time of his love and then did his love break forth with the light of Life for then he said Live as it is Ezek. 16. Surely hee did shew wit who fancied the feigned beloved all besmeared with a poysoned hand and made leprous thereby and yet stories that the Love was as constant in love as ever But we shall shew only the truth and the transcendency of Christs love to Beleevers if we affirm from Scripture History When beleevers were all poysoned with the leprosie of sin and lay as Lepers by the way side then Jesus Christ came and took them by the hand and opened the love of his heart in letting out a stream of bloud to wash them and make them clean Now that before ever the fountains of the deep were laid a fountain of love should spring up in Christs bosome to beleevers and that it should be opened in his side at such a time as they lay in their filth What doth this declare but that Christs love to beleevers is transcendent and as it is in the Text passeth knowledge it being set and declared at or in such a time Yet Lastly take in the consideration of that end which Christ aimes at in his love to beleevers and this will declare it also to be transcendent Christs love to beleevers is its own end He loves that he may love and this makes the love glorious Jesus Christ Beleevers in all the love which hee lets out to you aimes not at himself but at you Hee loves you now that he may love you ever The end which he drives at in declaring love in a lesser measure here is that he may declare love to you in a greater measure hereafter He makes you vessels of Grace in this world that you may be vessels of Glory in that which is to come All the glory which hee aimed at for himself was the glory of his Grace and that shall be towards you Christ delights to set the golden apple of his glory in the silver picture of your good He being Love only aims that men may see the light thereof and he chose your bosomes beleevers as the golden Candlesticks to set up the glorious light of his love to shine in Now then that so infinite a Majesty as Christ is should love such mean Worms as beleevers be And that he should set his love before the first of the times and let it out in the worst of times and that only for their good as the end Oh! who can consider this but must sit down and wonder and cry out O the transcendency of Christs love How how doth it passe knowledge Having thus demonstrated a little I would now apply this point at present in three uses viz. 1 Of Consolation 2 Of Conviction 3 Of Counsel 1 In as much as Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love How may this comfort Beleevers at all times Thou complainest O beleeving Soul that the World doth not love thee nay thou sayest it doth hate thee Why be of good comfort though the World hateth Christ loveth and the World cannot hate thee so much as hee will love thee His love doth transcend the Worlds hatred What the Angel told Daniel that say I to every beleeving soul who groaneth under the hatred of the World Dan. 10.19 Fear not O man greatly beloved Why complain you O beleevers for want of the puddle drops of the Creatures love you have the pure spring of Christs love what weaknesse is it to cry for want of the light of the Stars so long as you have the light of the Sun Thou hast the Creators love beleever be not sad therefore in wanting the love of the creature especially considering what a transcendent love it is Comfort your selves O my brethren with these thoughts Jesus Christ loves you and that love of his which he bears to you passeth knowledge 2 Let this be a word of Conviction unto sinners Wretches be ye convinced that however you say no body regardeth Beleevers yet there is one who is greater than all who regards them and that in a high manner know that Christ loves them with a transcendent love You break their souls in peeces you slay them and you murther them and yet you say the Lord doth not see neither doth the God of Israel regard it Psal 94.7 But be convinced now to the contrary The Lord Jesus doth see and he doth regard them and ere long he will make you know that however you deal with them they are dear unto him though you love them not at all yet he loves them highly Were you not afraid saith God to speak against my servant Moses Num. 12.8 God wonders that they were not afraid to speak against a man whom he loved so much And who can chuse but wonder that ever any wretches should be so vile as to speak and act against those cruelly whom Christ loves transcendently But I pity yee poor Creatures It may be you think that Christ slights them as you do yet be convinced now and take heed hereafter what you do certainly whoever they bee whom you oppose if they be beleevers be convinced that the Lord Jesus loveth them all with a transcendent love 3 This Doctrin might be a Counsellor and it counsels all to look after and prize a part in the love of Christ above all the loves of the world O friends I why do you spend your selves and lay out your souls in the pursute of that which is not love at least not transcendent love I wish you would now bewise you who court the creature court them now no more I shew you a more excellent way of love Consider the transcendent love of the Lord Jesus and be ye counselled to labour to get a share in it O that the hearing of this that Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love might make you sick in your souls till you participate of this love When one heard of the great love which was between two choyce friends he said Utinam tertius essem i. e. O that I were but a third that I might share with them in their great love Consider it you have heard of the high transcendent love which is between Christ and beleevers Be on fire therefore and burn with desire that you may partake of that love and that at least you may enjoy that love which those that have most are not able to expresse or conceive it being a transcendent love passing knowledge SERMON III. EPHES. 3. ver 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge WE are lanched out into the great depth of our Saviours love wherein our souls may swim very sweetly and although I can neither sound ground nor see
cannot live longer than I have his love A. Neither dye nor doubt poor soul Thy Lord so loves thee that he will not leave thee or if he do for a time he will not alway Christs ☞ bowels burn with love and that fire however smothered for a time will break out in a flame at last Christs love is like himself immutable and unchangeable Love is Christs life as well as thine He will not surely kill himself by deserting thee Thou canst not live except Christ do love neither can Christ You Lord hath sworn and surely if he break his oath he dyes that the Mountains shall be removed but his love shall not leave thee Obj. Oh! But though Christ do love me yet men hate me I cannot be so cheerful in Christs love because I meet with the creatures wrath Rep. I pity thee poor Creature thou hast the love of the Potter and thou fearest the wrath of the Potsherd Why art thou so weak as to sink under the Creatures wrath while thou hast the Creators love Be of good comfort Christ can break in peeces all thy enemies with his Iron rod while in the mean time he will comfort thee with his Shepherds-crook Why dost thou droop at the hatred of him who dwelleth in a Tabernacle of clay and not rather triumph in the love of him who is set down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Look up Beleever Heaven is clear over thy head though the earth be dirty under feet though thou be in a storm among the creatures yet the Sun of love shines on thee from Christ He smiles and loves thee what though men frown and hate thee Fear not him who hates thy body and at worst can but destroy that rejoyce rather in him who loves thy soul and at the last will raise up thy body from the Grave and give thee a glorious body like unto his own and fill thy soul with eternal joy in the enjoyment of his everlasting love The last use of the point is-for counsel Sith Christ loves his Saints I would surely the point might and doth counsel both the world and beleevers First you men of the world If you have an ear to hear hear Christ loves beleevers be yee counselled to do the like Certainly Christ will take it well at your hands if you love them who are beloved by him His friends are sometime strangers in your Land use them well shew them love put it upon Christs score he loves them and he will reward you Jesus Christ doth so love beleevers as that he will not let a cup of cold water given to them in his name that is because hee loves them go unrewarded I say it again sith Christ is gracious and loves beleevers be ye wise and love them also However take heed that yee do not wrong them If you will not do them good beware you do them no hurt Beleeve it if you do Christ loves them and he will not bear it Tremble lest while you lift up your hand against beleevers that Jesus Christ who loves them dash you in peeces Beware of persecuting Christs beloved ones under pretences It will be but a poor excuse to say they were Schismaticks Christ knows them to be Saints Beleeve it the bloud of beleevers is very precious and as he will punish Antichristian wretches under what names or titles soever distinguished So also will he be avenged upon all those who dare touch beleevers under what nick-names soever disgraced Therefore if you will not be so wise as to love yet be not so mad as to hurt those whom Christ loves But secondly let this counsel beleevers sith the Lord Jesus loves them that they would walk worthy thereof Beleevers live as the objects of Christs love Advance his Kingdom imbrace his counsels love all his members be abundant in his work and service In all things shew that Christs love to you hath a constraining power in you at least be yee counselled to love Christ who loves you and that so much the rather because Christ deserves thy love though thou do not deserve his O let not the love of Christ plead against you and say I ranne out to them but they returned not in to me Let not Christ say I gave you counsel and you did reject it In love I gave you Commandements and you did transgresse them No but sith Christ loves you love him and if you love him keep his Commandements Rouse up your selves O beleeving souls and considering that Christ loveth you demean your selves accordingly If he call come If he bid you go go If his Kingdom be advancing joyn in the work it is the Kingdom of him that loves you If his Spirit counsel take it for it comes from love In a word in all things live as those who indeed are beloved of Christ And let your carriage be exactly obedient kinde and loving unto him who doth stoop so low as to love such poor creatures as you be And if any ask why you love and labour for Jesus Christ tell them it is because you love him And adde withall that did they but know how Christ loves you they would rather ask why you love him so little or do for him no more But if they demand how doth Christ love you Tell them that question is unanswerable Indeed say he loves you and that truly but withall transcendently That Christ loves you tell all the world of you know but how he loves tell them that passeth your knowledge yea and the knowledge of every creature for it is a love passing knowledge And this is the next thing and the chief thing which we shall speak of SERMON II. EPHES. 3. ver 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge CHRISTS love is the Saints life Paul tells you he was dead to the Law that he might live to God And the ground thereof was this that hee lived by faith in Christ who loved him Galath 2.20 As the life so likewise the comfort of the Saints is wrapped up in the love of Christ A beleever can neither live nor rejoyce if the Lord Jesus smile not upon his soul But if Jesus Christ wil but smile and shine in the light of love Beleevers know not only how to live but also how to rejoyce in all even the worst of times Hence it was that this Apostle praying to the Father of our Lord Jesus for the Ephesians that they might not faint at his tribulations He intreats that to this purpose they might know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Having briefly touched at the reality of Christs love to beleevers as it is included in this place I shall now speak more largely to the royalty thereof as it is set out in this phrase that it passeth knowledge Whence our second point was this viz. That love which Christ beareth to beleevers is a transcendent love You see how fully this point lies in these words It must needs bee
soul from fainting under trouble There is a strengthening power in spiritual joy to keep the souls of beleevers from fainting fits as was hinted in the beginning Now the knowledge of Christs love is that which is able to produce that divine joy and that divine joy keeping the heart from sinking under sadnesse it is easie to gather up this conclusion that the knowledge of Christs love is of speciall efficacy for keeping the soul from fainting under troubles Now you have seen in a generall way the efficacy of the knowledge of Christs love to support the spirit from fainting in times of trouble If you will see the summe of these five things reduced into one argument take it thus If freedom from fear about a mans eternall condition If assurance of a reward after all tribulations If resting upon Christ in a time of trouble If strength of love to Christ and also of divine joy through the Spirit be efficacious to keep the heart from fainting under troubles then the knowledge of the love of Christ must needs be efficacious because it produceth all these But now we have seen that freedom of the soul 1 From doubts about the eternall condition And 2 assurance of a reward after all tribulations And 3 an acquiescence or resting on Christ in time of trouble together with 4 strength of love to Christ And 5 divine joy is ever efficacious that way therefore c. But now more particularly I shall shew the efficacy of this cordiall the knowledge of this love to keep the heart from fainting under troubles in these four things First In that the knowledge of the love of Christ doth especially in such a nature as hath been described go to the heart and refresheth the Spirits of a beleever Therefore is any thing cordiall and refreshing because it goeth to the heart and hath a power on the Spirits As now wine hot water Spirits and quintessences c. doe therefore cherish because they warm the heart and revive the Spirits Thus now the knowledge of the love of Christ because it goeth to the very heart and reviveth the Spirits of the Saints which if revived there is no fainting therefore it must needs bee so efficacious as it is As now the fear of God is most soveraign to keep from evill because as the phrase is it is put into the heart so likewise the knowledge of the love of Christ is most soveraign and efficacious to support from fainting under trouble because it goeth to the heart and cheareth the Spirits Hence is that phrase of the shedding abroad the love of God in your hearts Secondly This knowledge of the love of Christ doth appear to bee efficacious to keep from fainting under troubles in that it maketh the faculties of the soul so intense Intension maketh insensible and so freeth from fainting Saul though hee were opposed and much mocked of the sonnes of Belial yet being newly lifted up to the kingdome was so intense upon that that hee did not at all mind the sonnes of Belial much lesse did hee faint at their fordid carriage 1 Sam. 10.27 Some conceive that therefore men in a frenzie doe not faint at any thing as others doe because of their intensivenesse what was it that kept the Apostle from fainting in affliction but the intensivenesse of his Spirit about everlasting and eternall objects For which cause saith he I doe not faint while wee look not at things which are seen but things which are not seen 2 Cor. 4. c. 16 18. Paul was so intense upon higher objects that hee did not faint at his tribulations Now the knowledge of the love of Christ maketh the soul very intensive in the contemplations of all its sweet dimensions Thus saith the soul that knoweth the love of Christ O the height and depth and length of the love of Christ O that so great a person as Christ is should love so mean a creature as I am Oh that one who is not onely man but God should set his heart upon mee who am not onely a man but a worm And thus now being intense in that contemplation of Christs love it is kept from fainting under tribulations Thirdly it appeareth that the knowledge of Christs love is efficacious c. because it maketh the soul to forget all the loves of men The reason why we are apt to faint under tribulations is because wee are apt to overprize the love of men Did wee not set our hearts so much on the love of men wee should not faint for the want of that love What though men yea all the sons of men shall hate and oppose so long as I doe not prize their love nor fear their hatred I shall never faint Now the contemplation of the love of Christ to the soul doth work this effect upon the heart It maketh a man to forget all love of men Peter forgat the earth when hee saw but a glimpse of glory in the Mount Mans glory is not seen when Christs glory doth appear the light of the Stars is not seen when the light of the Sun doth shine And while the soul is taken up in the meditation of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge hee doth not mind the loves of men and therefore hee is free from fainting at the want of them Fourthly and lastly the efficacy of the knowledge of Christs love c. will appear in that it hath a power to make a man forget all those tribulations which hee lieth under we give wine saith King Lemuel to them that be of heavy hearts strong drink to him that is ready to perish Prov. 30.6 let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more A soul that can make application and meditation of the love of Christ drinketh as it were that wine that maketh him forget his sorrows and remember his troubles no more Hence it is you shall have the poor beleever say I was so taken up with the remembrance of the love of Christ that I forgot I was in prison As Paul when hee wrot this Epistle being a prisoner at Rome yet was so taken up with the love of Christ as forgetting in a manner his imprisonment Note this he prayeth not for himself lest hee should faint at tribulations but hee powreth out his heart that way in the behalf of the Ephesians that they might not So that there is a divine spirituall intoxicating power in the love of Christ to cause a man not to mind or to remember the tribulations under which hee lyeth and surely the soul doth never faint under that which it doth forget Thus now wee have gone over the second thing and shewed you both generally and particularly wherein the power of the knowledge of the love of Christ as it helps in keeping the heart from fainting under troubles doth consist wee will wind up all in a word of Applition Now Use first for Information This point That the knowledge of
one thing which happily may be an occasion of doubt and that is the seeming unreasonablenesse of this part of Pauls prayer Doubt For may some say what reason is there that Paul should pray for that which he hints is impossible Why should he pray that the Ephesians might know that which he expresly saith was above knowledge The love of Christ which passeth knowledge There bee three things which may satisfie this scruple Satisfaction and demonstrate the reasonablenesse of this request 1 Admit the love of Christ be above knowledge yet 't is not unreasonable to desire to know it For look as albeit the fulfilling of Divine precepts be above our power yet notwithstanding it is to be in our endeavour In like manner albeit the knowledge of Christ of Christs love though it s above our intellectuals yet it may bee in our desires The same infiniteness which Grace puts in the Will making it endeavour to fulfill that which it cannot nay yea and doth also put on the desire for the obtaining of that which cannot be obtained But 2 To know the love of Christ may be said to be above knowledge with reference to men as men not unto Saints as such Indeed the spirit of man is not able to know or search into the love of Christ that is above its knowledge But the Spirit of Christ is able both to search into and to reveal his love And though Christians as men cannot attain to the knowledge of the love of Christ by the light of reason yet as Saints by the light of faith they may especially the Holy Ghost in the mean time shedding it abroad in their hearts as it is Rom. 5.5 3 The love of Christ may be said to be above knowledge in regard of its perfection of degrees not simply inregard of its parts 'T is true the perfect knowledge of Christs love passeth the understanding of men and Angels which is its glory But yet in some measure it may be known the which is our duty For that which cannot bee known perfectly in the highest degree may yet be known partially and in some measure Thus the Text may bee cleared from the doubt propounded Now there are four ways in which I shall look upon this Scripture and so speak unto it 1 As it includes the truth and reality of Christs love to the Saints Division of the word 2 As it concludes the height and royalty or transcendency of that love 3 As it holds out the Apostles desire that the Ephesians might know both 4 As it contains the ground of keeping up the Ephesians hearts from fainting at Pauls tribulations which is the drift and scope that Paul drives or aimes at in them And thus there will be four Doctrines which I shall take up and speak unto from these words I. There is love in Christs bosome towards all beleevers Doctrines from the words II. That love which Christ beareth to beleevers is a transcendent love III. It is a thing of necessary concernment for every Christian to know the transcendent love of Christ IV. The Spiritual knowledge of the transcendent love of Christ towards Beleevers is of special efficacy to keep up ther hearts from fainting under any trouble I begin with the first which however it might more fully be gathered from another Text yet because it will be a good foundation for the following Discourse and is clear enough in this place I shall briefly speak unto it now viz. There is love in Christs bosome towards all Beleevers I suppose it is clearly couched at least in these words Science supposes ens Paul would not doubtlesse pray that the Ephesians might know that which was not things must be ere they can be known Nothing falls under the understanding till it first bee in being I shall briefly open the Point Point opnened and then prove it and apply it How love may be said to be in Christ How love may be said to be in Christ as any other affection I shall not need to inquire though happily love may bee said to be in Christ as God for as hee is man there is no doubt of it in far more proper sense then any other passion may because it is as it were his essence God being as John saith love 1 Joh. 4.16 What Christs love is What the love of Christ is I shall not curiously define The Moral'sts have so many definitions of love that indeed it is hard among them as the Proverb is to finde this wood for trees i. e. to know what love is among their various definitions therof Passing by therefore their nicities I shall content my self with this plain description of love It is the commanding affection of the Soul Love described consisting in the expansion or going out of the heart towards a person or thing in wishings and workings for its good Cunctorumque Deum primum quaesivit amorem I call it an affection and the commanding one it being indeed on all hands assented unto Love is Queen regent in the Soul and it sits upon the Throne commanding all It is the Centurion in the bosome and hath the same power over all the affections which the Centurion hath over all his servants I say it consists in the expansion or stretching out of the heart Look as hatred contracts and gathers in so love opens and dilates the heart I adde that it consists in the general in wishings and workings for good I do not specifie the end for that describes and denominates the particular kinds of love therefore only in the general I say it consists in the going out of the heart in wishing and working for the good of the person or thing loved So that now when I say that there is love in Christs bosome towards all beleevers I mean that the commanding affections of Jesus Christ is set upon them that his heart is open and stretched out unto them and that the wishings and workings of his Soul are towards them for good Beleevers who they are described By Beleevers in a word I understand all those who close with Christ as tendred in the Gospel However there be difference between them in the degrees of their faith the ways of their light yet all agreeing in this that they see themselves lost without Christ and that God the Father doth freely tender him in the word of grace they do thereupon go our in the strength and sincerity of their souls to imbrace him as hee is tendred They are beleevers all of them and in this thing Christ puts no difference as it is Act. 15.9 between them but burns in his bosome with real love towards them all For proof Point proved I should but darkeâ— the point if I should bring all that cloud of witnesses which would gladly come and set seal to this sweet truth Ask John and he will witness that Christ loved him He was indeed a bosome-beloved Beleever
in truth there will be a communication of secrets But this I finde not in thee therefore I question whether thou indeed dost love me How ever Dalilah did or might argue thus against her Sampson Beleevers cannot argue so against their Saviours love The Lord Jesus unbosometh himself to Beleevers the secrets of his heart are with them Christ tells his Disciples that hee would manifest himself unto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. lny himself open Joh. 14. The men of the world are strangers to Christs affections and therefore they are so to his secrets Carnal people do not know the minde of the Lord because hee doth not love them But we saith Paul that is we who are beloved by Christ we have the minde of Christ 1 Corint 2.16 Look as the Father loveth the Son and declares it by this that he sheweth him all things which himself doth Joh. 5.10 In like manner the Son loveth beleevers and actually demonstrates it by this that he declares all things i. e. all these secrets which were needful for them to know that he heard of the Father Joh. 15.15 The secrets of Christs Cabinet-councel are with those whom hee loves 2 Christ often takes Beleevers to his house and feasts them Thus wee deal with our friends and thus we declare to them our loves Christ deals so with his The King hath brought me into his Chamber Cant. 1.4 Nay he hath brought me into his banqueting house Cant. 2.4 When David would declare his love to Barzillai he said Come thou over with me and I will feed thee with me at Jerusalem 2 Sam. 19.23 thus Christ often speaks and declares his love to beleevers Come thou to me poor soul and I will feed thee with me in Jerusalem Nay Christ declares his love not only by inviting and bringing beleevers to his house but also by coming to theirs He doth stand at their door and knock and if they will but open he will enter Apoc. 3.6 if they love him so much as to let him in hee will come and declare his love by dwelling with them Joh. 14.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. make out abode or long stay with And he will feast with them in their house i. e. their hearts And because he will declare hee comes to shew love he will make the feast at his own cost He hath gathered his myrrhe with his spice for this purpose as it is Cant. 5.1 3 Christ unites himself to beleevers and in that demonstrates that hee loveth them Affection begets union Austin long ago defined Love to be the juncture of two in one Amor est junctura duo copulans Love it makes one of two It is said of Jonathan and David that their souls were knit together 1 Sam. 18.1 Christ and beleevers are knit together it is Christs love which makes the knot It s a more than moral union which is between Christ and beleevers they are not only his friends and brethren but his Spouses and Members If he bee a Head they shall be the body and if he be a Vine they are the branches Nay the union between Christ and Beleevers is nearer than that of the vine and branches of no branch can it bee said properly that it is in the vine and the vine in it But of Beleevers it is said Christ is in them and they are in him This union demonstrates also the truth of Christs love to beleeving souls I shall now make a word of Application and conclude this point There be but three uses unto which I will speak viz. a use of Information Comfort and Counsel Use I. The point informs us of the sweetness of Christ to all the Saints O how sweet how kind how gracious is Jesus Christ to beleevers thus to minde then thus to set his heart upon them Beleevers the Lord loves you Is he not in this sweet unto you Ruth at the consideration of Roaz his love falleth on her face and faith Why have I found grace in thine eyes that thou shouldest take knowledge of me seeing I am a stranger Fall on your faces Beleevers you were once strangers to Jesus Christ but you have found grace in his eyes your names are written upon his heart in letters of love well may you say that Christ is sweet seeing he loves such strangers as you were The King of Israel is surely sweet in setting his love upon you who were strangers unto Israel O how happy art thou O poor beleever in being the object of thy Lords love The meanest beleever may raise up a very high structure of happinesse upon this corner stone Christs love O how blessed art thou in thy beloved poor soul and how sweet is hee to thee that hath alway a fire of love burning in his bosome towards thee II. This point is very comfortable to beleevers It is a cordial to you is it not O beleever that Christ doth love you doth it not revive your hearts my brethren to hear that hee who is the Lord of Life and glory in himself is a Lord of grace and love to you Jesus Christ who hath written upon his Garments Lord of Lords hath also written upon his bosome love to beleevers Certainly Beleevers could you but see how near you are to Christ how highly he prizeth you how dearly he loves you I should not need to bid you rejoyce or be glad or be of good comfort Object No will the soul say Indeed you need not if I could but see that Christ loved me but I doubt that Res Doubt it not O beleeving soul but be confident and in that confidence bee comforted Christ loves you and that as wee shall shew hereafter with a transcendent love Object But it is good to have a ground of confidence and in vain shall you comfort me if I see no reason in your words Why what reason is there that Christ should love mee Res Christs love is its own reason He therefore loves because he will It may be the vanity of our wanton love that we love meerly because we love But it is the glory of Christs love that he doth so ☜ Mark and mind this The reason why Christ loves thee O poor soul is in his own bosome If thou look in thine thou wilt not finde it because it is not there but look up into Christs bosome and there it is He will have mercy upon whom he will Christ will love thee and doth love thee O Beleever because he will Do not therefore stand questioning why he should but be comforted and rejoyce in this that he doth love thee even thee O poor soul Though it may bee thy faith be little yet Christs love to thee is true Q. But though he love me now will he love me still Will not Christ dislike me hereafter and upon that dislike desert me Sure I am I shall give him cause and I fear he will take it And certainly if Christ desert I dye I
there are all the dimensions in Christs love which may serve to declare any thing vast and infinite There is a breadth and length and depth and height in the love of Christ And it is worth the noting the Apostle doth not tell how great those dimensions were He doth not say how broad or how long or how deep or how high but as if the dimensions of Christs love did transcend his knowledge he passeth it by and only adds this that this love passeth knowledge I finde not this phrase to my best remembrance but once more in the New Testament and that is Philip. 4.7 where Paul speaking of the transcendency of the Peace of God he saith it passeth understanding Certainly it is the glory of Christs love as well as of his Fathers peace that it also passeth understanding If at your leasure you read and reading spiritually consider what is presented to faith in the Book of the Canticles you will see this truth that the love of Christ to beleevers is transcendent in the glory and convincing power and proof thereof It may be in your time you have mis-spent some hours in reading of some Romances And you have wondred at some strange Stories of Love which you have met withall But alas should you compare the highest love that ever you read of with the love of Christ to Beleevers you wil be forced to confess that that love in comparison of this is but like the story it self i. e. a meer fancy If ever strength of affection were set out in sweetness of expression It is in that Book to a Spiritual eye when I do but consider the fourth Chapter only of that Song I cannot chuse but wonder at the high transcendency of Christs love to beleevers Surely I conclude the affections are sweet strong glorious unconceivable when the expressions thereof are so ravishing so great so high as in that Chapter they are I shall give one general demonstration to let you see the truth of the Doctrin that Christs love to beleevers is transcendent The demonstration take thus That love which includeth in it and comprehends all kindes acts or demonstrations of love whatsoever must needs be a transcendent love But such is the love of Christ to Beleevers c. Therefore c. I suppose the Major is clear enough and needs no proof The Painter took the direct and undeniable way to make the Picture of Minerva transcend and excel all other Beauties when he epitomized or contracted all the several rays and particular beauties that were scattered up and down in other Persons or Pictures in that one pecce It is upon this ground an axiome indubitable and beyond or above Dispute That the Sun doth farre transcend in Light any or all the other Lights Moon or Stars c. because in its Light all theirs is contained and that in an eminent manner All the question is about the Minor whether that Christs love be such to beleevers as that it includes and contains in it all other kindes or acts of love whatsoever Now this I shall put out of question by an Induction or enumeration of the several kindes or acts of love Amongst other how exactly I will not determine the Moralists tell us of these four kindes of love as the chief viz. 1 A love of Friendship 2 A love of Pity 3 A love of Sympathy 4 A love of Complacency In these four only I shall instance which I had rather call several demonstrations or degrees of one and the same passion of love than particular kindes distinct and shall shew that Christs love to Beleevers includes and contains in it all of them and that therefore it must needs be transcendent 1 The love of friendship is so called not as if it were the habit of friendship it self but because it is that kinde or act of love whereby we prosecute or follow one whom we look upon and love as a friend and to whom we wish good Now this kinde or rather degree of love is in the love of Christ to beleevers Christ looks upon and loves all beleevers as friends hence it is that he counts and calls them all by that name ye are my friends Joh. 15.14 And that this is real appears by his dealing with them Therefore it is added Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all things that I have heard of the Father I have made known unto you ver 15. Those whom we love as friends wee open our minds unto and it is their privilege wee communicate to them secrets which we have heard Christ dealeth thus with beleevers and thus dealing doth not he declare to them the love of friendship 2 The love of pity This falleth in and followeth upon the former for as Job saith To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed by his friend Job 6.14 This also is included in Christs love to beleevers For upon that love of friendship which he bears to them he acteth this of pity still towards them when no eye pitied them his eye did When sinners and Satan rather laugh at their misery and say Aha Aha so would wee have it Christ he as it were sighs to see their sorrows and indeed pities their souls Hence it is said Isa 63.9 In his love and in his pity hee redeemed them it was real pity it did work and he bare them and carried them all the days of old 3 The love of Sympathy which in truth is but a high degree of pity is also contained in the love of Christ to beleevers Men sympathize with those whom they love when they do as it were take up their miseries upon themselves and be as if they were in their Friends case Thus doth Jesus Christ when hee sees any beleever groan either under sin or sadness he comes and by a sympathy doth afflict himself For in all their afflictions saith the Prophet he was afflicted Isa 63.9 as if he himself was in their sadness and under their sin The Author to the Hebrews tells us Wee have not an high Priest who cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. sympathize with our infirmities cha 4.15 His meaning is that indeed our high Priest Jesus Christ doth sympathize with beleevers in their sorrows And in Chap. 5.2 it is said of Christ that he can have compassion of the ignorant that word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifies as much as Hee knoweth how to pity according to the measure of our misery Let the misery be never so great for with reference to great measure I beleeve the Metaphor is used Jesus Christ knows how to measure out as great a measure of sympathy as is needful So that Christs love to Beleevers you see contains in it also the love of sympathy Lastly For the love of complacency which indeed is the highest degree of love this also is in Christs love contained You have a
bosome is full of the wine of Christs love The Justice of the Father is not more exact to fill the bosome of sinnets with his wrath than the grace of the Son is free to fill the bosomes of Beleevers with his love Hence it is that he saith Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 You read a Box of Oyntment which when it was opened the whole house was filled with the odour thereof Joh. 13.3 such a Box of Oyntment is the bosome of Christ as may bee gathered from Cant. 1.3 which being opened in the houses i. e. the hearts of beleevers fills them full with the sweet favour thereof And indeed as Christ bids beleevers ask the Father that their joy might be full So hee is as bountiful himself as he would have his Father to be and therefore without their asking for he loveth first he lets out yea and fills them with his love In this life beleevers have at least might as much love as faith can let in and if the soul be not full it is only because the mouth is narrow as the bottle with the narrow neck in the Ocean And hereafter as much as vision it self can swallow So that now the transcendent fulnesse of that degree in which Christ lets out his love to beleevers doth evidently declare the love to be transcendent also 3 Adde to both these the consideration of the duration of Christs love to beleevers and this will further demonstrate its transcendency As the nature is high and the degree full so the duration is constant and perpetual Having loved his own he loved them els 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e to the end it may be to the perfection Joh. 13.1 Christs love is once and ever It is of the same nature with himself unchangeable As nothing in Beleevers was so good as to make him to set his love upon them so nothing is so bad as doth make him take it off again Indeed sometime the visible actings or demonstrations may be concealed but still the love it self remains sure and is never violated That look as Divines say of Christ upon the Crosse The beatifical vision was suspended but the hypostatical union was not dissolved In like manner though the light of Christs love may be for a time obscured yet the life thereof is still preserved The love may be dark sometime but dyes never There is nothing no not sin that can totally and finally separate between Christs love and a beleevers soul Paul asketh the question to this day it is unanswered yea and unanswerable What shall separate Rom. 8.35 The mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed saith Christ but my kindnesse shall not depart Isa 54.10 Beleevers those high Hills which you sometimes see at whose sight ye wonder And the mighty mountains which you behold sometime and are amazed at their vastnesse those very hills and mountains not only may but shall depart But yet the love of Christ towards you is so transcendently high and sure that it shall not nay cannot depart So that as the very heavens themselves wax old like a garment and yet the person of Christ remaineth even so shall heaven earth every creature wax old decay and dye But still the love of Christ towards beleevers shall continue young fresh and flourishing Such is its duration such shall be its continuance Indeed the very life of Christ must depart and he dye again ere his love to his can decay For his love is not only the Beleevers life but his own as was hinted formerly O the transcendency of this love which shall thus last 4 Consider now in the last place the operation of Christs love to beleevers and you shall see its transcendency answerable to its nature degree and duration We guesse at the transcendency of things by the noblenesse of their operations It is a certain rule the more noble any thing doth operate the more noble it is in its self Love of all the affections being the most noble answerably it hath the most noble operations Christs love will easily appear to be transcendent if we consider how much more nobly it operates than any other love in the world From the first point of time untill this yea and till time shall be no more the operations of Christs love to beleevers have been are and shall bee transcendently glorious and noble I shall not in this place so curiously search into all actions of Christ because I shall more particularly speak to them by themselves to let them therefore passe I shall only instance in five particulars and in them you shall see the transcendent operations of the love of Christ to beleevers 1 There was no condition so low unto which Christ did not condescend to declare that his love did transcend High love stoops low and the higher still the love is the lower still it stoops You may take loves elevation by its condescention and the lower still that you observe love condescendeth the higher alway you must conclude it is elevated I think it was but a fancy which one reporteth of a great Prince who it is said took upon him both the habit and imployment of a Days-man working to build a House in which his beloved was that he might visit her Yet let me tell you it is no fancy but a reality in Jesus Christ that out of the height of his love to beleevers hee took upon him both the form and the imployment of a Days-man which some think though I do not to be intended in that of Job 9.33 to declare not only his obedience to his Father but his love to beleevers He emptied himself or made himself vain for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated and took upon him the form of a Servant c. Phil. 2.7 Christ became of no reputation that his love to Beleevers might bee of high reputation O how nobly did Christs love operate towards beleevers when he stooped so low for their sakes 2 There was no action so mean which he did not cheerfully undertake to declare his love to beleevers Royall love doth as it were debase the Soul to any though the meanest service to declare it self Jacob will bee a Servant and keep Sheep in the heat of Summer and the cold of Winter rather than not shew his love to Rachel And Jesus Christ will wash his Disciples feet a mean imployment and though he be Lord of all will be a servant unto all his Disciples that hee may not only teach them humility and love one unto another but also that he may declare the height and transcendency of love unto them all 3 There is no failing so foul which he doth not passe by to declare the surpassing greatness of his love to beleevers Great love passeth by and pardoneth great faults And the greater the faults are which be committed the greater is the love by which they are pardoned Peter failed grosly when
And the point will bear you out in it for you have such a love as is not to be found in all the world beside Having the love of Christ you have that love which passeth knowledge And surely beleevers if the men of the world think they have good ground to glory in this that they enjoy the Low love though of some seeming great creatures you have much more ground to rejoyce who enjoy this high love of him who is indeed greater than all the creatures Jesus Christ Do men think they have just ground to sit and glory in that they sip the puddle drops of creatures loves Have not you more ground and that juster and truer to sing and glory in this that you drink in the pure love of Jesus Christ which is so sweet so excellent and so transcendent as that it passeth knowledge Thirdly in as much as Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love then see here the rise and ground of all that which Christ doth for them You wonder beleevers at least you might and that justly whence it is that Christ doth so much for you One while he is filling you with his unsearchable riches another while he is crowning you with his own glory Now you have him giving you choice gifts and anon you have him bringing of you choyce graces In this duty you have him imbracing of your souls in his arms And in that duty you find him kissing you with the kisses of his lips and you are ready to cry out Whence is it that Christ doth all this for me One while thou art sick and Christ visiteth thee and maketh thy bed and sitteth by thy bed side other whiles thou goest abroad and Christ walketh with thee and thou leanest upon him as upon thy beloved Now thou art in the wildernesse it may be under some banishment and Christ commeth to thee And anon it may be thou art in prison under some restraint and Christ visiteth thee there too And all this maketh thee cry out Whence is it that my Lord should thus come to me Why see the Point and in that see the cause He loveth thee O beleever and he loved thee with a transcendent love And hence it is that he doth all that he doth for thee and giveth all that he bestoweth on thee You wonder why Christ should sanctifie such unsanctified hearts as yours are cleanse by the washing of water and by the word such impure spirits as yours be And you are ready to say Whence is it that the Lord of glory should stoop to wash such a creature as I am Whence is it that he at whose feet Angels fall and bow should come wash the feet of such a creature as you be Hence it is beleevers Christ hath loved you and that with a transcendent love Wonder not therefore henceforth unlesse it be with the wondring why Christ doth any thing or all things for you there is a reason yea great reason though not in you yet in himself It is this we have been speaking of i. e. the transcendent love he beareth to you Fourthly let this inform beleevers that sith Christ loveth them with a transcendent love at all times they have then a just ground to act their faith upon him in any case Why is it O beleever that thou doubtest whether Christ will do this for thee or give that to thee when as thou considerest he loveth thee with such a transcendent love upon all occasions act your faith O ye children of faith in your beloved what ever it is that you want and he hath what ever it be that thou wouldest have and he can give Beleeve that Christ will not let thee goe without it for why he loveth thee with a transcendent love In three cases more particularly this truth will inform you of the sure ground that beleevers have to act their faith on Jesus Christ First in case of hearing of their prayers These things I touched at in the first Ser. mon but not so fully Surely he that so transcendently loveth their persons will without doubt hear their prayers Thou sayest O beleeving soul thou hast great necessities and they force thee to make many prayers Thou sayest that Christ can help thee at all hands and therefore thou art calling upon him at all times But thou sayest will hee hear mee Why shouldest thou not beleeve that he will when thou considerest the transcendent love he beareth to thee The love that is in his bosome towards thee will open his ears to hear the breathings that come from thee Indeed sometimes hee may seem to be deaf and not hear thy prayers and sometimes also he may seem harsh and not accept of thy person But it is to try thy faith For notwithstanding hee will hear thee and accept of thee in what thou desirest according to his will for thy good that he may declare his transcendent love You know Christ called the woman of Canaan Dog and seemed to speak harsh to her and yet even all the while that hee looked as it were sourly upon her and spake as it were sadly against her yet even then did his bowels roule for her and even then was there love in his bosome to her And therefore though for a while he seemed to deny that hee might try the sincerity of her faith yet afterwards he granted her requests that he might declare the reality of his own love In this case therefore you have a sure ground of faith O beleevers Christ will not reject your prayers because he loveth your persons and the more transcendent his love is towards the one the more sure may you be that he will hear the other Secondly In case of obtaining counsell from Christ and knowing the mind of Christ This Point will inform us in a sure ground of faith and love O beleever love will open Christs bosome and let thee see the counsels that are there Surely hee will counsel thee in case of doubts because he loveth thee as he doth Thou sayest here is a Scruple and there is a question and I would fain know the mind of Christ concerning this or that But how can I hope that ever he will open his mind to me either in the one or about the other Why sayest thou so O beleever is not his transcendent love a good ground for the acting of thy faith in this case Verily because his heart is to thee therefore it will be with thee That I may allude to that phrase of Judges 16. v. 15. How ever Dallilah said to Sampson How canst thou say I love thee when thine hart is not with me thou hast no reason to say as she said in such a way as she did Thou mayest beleeve that his heart will be with thee because thou hearest that he loveth thee I would fain perswade my own heart and yours also in these times of doubting and of darknesse in which wee need counsell and would bee glad to
you too if I could but prevail with you to bee drawn to Jesus Christ with these cords of love However you are strangers to it now yet if you would but come in you should know the love of Christ and know the truth of this point Your own experience should bee forced to witnesse to this That Jesus Christ loveth beleevers with a transcendent love passing knowledge SERMON V. EPHES. 3. ver 19. And to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge THere is nothing of greater force to allure men than the desire of knowledge Iob tells us Job â—â— 12 Vain man desireth to bee wise though man be born like a wilde Asses colt Albeit it is our fate that since the fall we are subject to folly and in that sense we are vain yet there remaines at least so much wit in us as to approve of knowledge and to desire to be wise onely here is our misery that there is a great deal of vanity in our desiring knowledge Wee are all of us apt either to desire the knowledge of that that is above us and so unattainable or else beneath us and in that respect not so much desirable It was this golden apple of knowledge which was so taking and tempting with our Grandmother Eve that albeit the best that shee got by eating that apple was but the knowledge of evill which wee had all been better without yet shee was drawn to eat of the Apple Not onely as perswaded of its being pleasant to the taste but because it was desirable to make one wise And surely as our Grandmother did eat those sowre grapes so we all her children have ever since had our teeth set on edge with the same desire Hence it is that too too often out of an eager desire and affectation of knowledge we are apt upon the one hand for to five too high and to pry into those hidden secrets which God hath not revealed or else on the other hand wee are apt to stoop too low and to dive into niceties and vanities at least into the knowledge of such things in which we are not concerned but as the Apostle doth say I shall shew you a more excellent way by declaring how you may poise your desire of knowledge so as that you should be neither too high nor too low in the pursuit thereof Doe not say therefore who shall ascend to bring down Jesus Christ from above and to reveale the knowledge of hidden glories and unconceiveable mysteries Neither say who shall descend to raise him up from beneath but remember the word the Scripture is nigh even the Gospel which we preach Labour to know it and you shal know enough not only as to salvation but even as to the perfection of your knowledge Christ who is the Wisdome of God and in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge is fully and clearly revealed in the Gospel and by the study and the knowledge of it wee shall come to the knowledge of him Now of all knowledge the knowledge of Christ as it is most sacred so it is most satisfactory And of all things in Christ the knowledge of his love And as that is most satisfactory so it is most sweet It is this knowledge which the Apostle here prayeth that the Ephesians might obtain and by consequence that knowledge which all Christians ought to desire and labour for It concerneth you not so much to know Arts and Sciences though in themselves and their way they are necessary and of worth neither doth it concein you at least so much to be acquainted with other truths of the Scriptures which in their place are very precious But this is that which doth so mainly concern you viz. That you know the love of Christ passing knowledge Our third Point in order taken up and to bee spoken to from these words is this That it is a thing of necessary concernment for every Christian to know the transcendent love of Iesus Christ We have already endeavoured to hold out at least a beame of light towards the discovery of that bosome-love that is in Christ towards his And at this time my desire is to hint something which may at least put you on to endeavour to make a further discovery of the riches and the glory and the transcendency of that love For my designe is to make it appear That the study for the knowledge thereof is of very choice speciall and necessary concernment for you all Explication what knowledg we should labour for The subject of the point you see Is the knowledge of the love of Christ Now when I say That the knowledge of the love of Christ is of necessary concernment 1 A clear and full 1 I do mean not simply the bare beleeving of this truth but a clear and full understanding of it the substance and circumstances thereof There are divine and infinite dimensions in the love of Christ and it is our duty to labour for the knowledge of all these We should strive to be able to measure both the length and the breadth yea and also to take the height and to sound the depth of the love of Christ Christs bosome is a very glorious Mine of love and it concerneth us to dig very deep into it and not content our selves with a bare discovery of that Golden Oare or vein of love which is upon the superficies or top of the same Mine and in which we may easily discover as it were in the very letter of the Gospel but it doth concern us to endeavour to attain unto the deep and mysteriall discoveries thereof which Saints by the light of the Spirit come to attain 2 A spirituall and experimentall 2 Yea and not only so but also to endeavour to get an experimentall knowledge of this love That as the Painter curiously painted love by drawing the type of it out of his own bosome So we in like manner may be able by our Christian discourses to paint forth and to declare what the love of Christ is taking especially the grounds thereof out of our own bosomes our own experiences Divines observe that the Scriptures own not any thing for knowledge at least saving which is not experimentall And certainly that knowledge of the love of Christ whereof we shall now speak ought to be not only a bare head knowledge but especially a heart knowledge an experimentall knowledge This I thought good to adde for the explication of the subject of the Proposition Now for the predicate or the thing that we do affirm of this knowledge of the love of Christ you may do well for the clearer apprehending thereof to take it in these particulars First This knowledge is of concernment There are many things the knowledge whereof may be expedient but not of such concernment But this knowledge whereof we speak is such a knowledge as not onely may be expedient for us to know but also of concernment for us that
discoursed exactly concerning this subject viz. the transcendency of the love of Christ I have heard that that precious Divine Dr. Preston was wont to complain of the great defect this way Surely it is very sad to think that the knowledge of the love of Christ being of such necessary and high concernment hath been so little inquired into O what a gallant Gospel-designe were it for some one who is acquainted with the Spirit in a large measure to goe over the whole history of the Gospel and to observe the glorious shinings of the love of Christ to beleevers in all It would bee precious if some would take it in hand and perfect it to the purpose But it is sad to think it hath been neglected so long Secondly we may lament not onely to think this knowledge hath been but little advanced by the labours of any but especially that it is such that after all labour it can be but little gained We may weep to think how little of the love of Christ it is that those who have most knowledge of it doe or can know We read of a Book which was sealed and John wept much saith the Text because no man was found worthy in heaven or in earth that was able to open the Book or to look thereon Beloved the heart of Christ may be compared to a glorious Book in which the mysterious history of his transcendent love is written But alas who is there not onely in earth but in heaven that is able to open this Book and to discover the mysteries thereof Beloved when we shall come to heaven wee shall then be in a capacity of more perfect knowledge of the love of Christ But alas even then wee shall never be able to comprehend the love of Christ in the perfection thereof that is so fully as it may be known Then indeed we shall apprehend it in the perfection of our knowledge i.e. so far as it can bee known by the finite knowledge of creatures but yet then we shall not know it so full as it is The Schoolmen speak of knowledge as they doe of seeing Duplex plenitudo scientioe visionis viz Plenitudo 1 Subjecti 2 Objecti There is a twofold fulness of knowledge First a fulnesse in regard of the object i.e. such a fulness as regards the thing it self Secondly a fulnesse of knowledge in regard of the subject in which it is Now for mine own part I incline at least for present to conclude that although without doubt there shall be a fullnesse of knowledge of Christ in respect of our knowledge i.e. according to the utmost bounds or extents which our knowledge when it is perfected to the highest is capable of yet notwithstanding in regard of the fulnesse of knowledge as it relates to the thing it self viz. The love of Christ quoad essentiam virtutem intensivam extensivam i.e. when it is considered so far forth as it may be had unto all the effects and purposes whereunto that knowledge doth extend it self this I say I think wee shall not have but to all eternity wee shall be admiring and adoring of this love of Christ which passeth knowledge Wherefore then wee must needs lament to consider that although the knowledge of the love of Christ be of such necessary concernment yet it hath been but little searched after by many and when wee shall make the greatest search after it we shall never be able fully to attain it Use Secondly it may be a use of Reproof unto those who neglect this study of the knowledge of the love of Christ altogether Many there are who are little in the study of the Bible lesse in the study of the Gospel but least of all in this which is the light and lustre and glory of all the Gospel the love of Christ to beleevers And I cannot chuse but think those blame-worthy and to be reproved who in these times speak much of their parts and abilities in the beating out of some truths merely controversall which yet I speak not against in its place and yet neglect this knowledge which is of such necessary concernment I doe not altogether blame those who study this headship of Christ I mean this Government it being I think this present truth which is most controverted in these times yet notwithstanding to study so far the head of Christ as to neglect his heart so far to mind his government as to neglect his love is without doubt a thing to bee reproved But much more are those to bee reproved who study neither the one nor the other but spend all their time their pains and their parts in controversies and niceties prying either into unrevealed positions or being busied about needlesse questions neglecting in the mean time this one necessary thing viz. the knowledge of the love of Christ How many are there that may as one said of the Schoolmen bee like unto Travellers or men in a journey who have good bread about them but goe gnawing and biting upon hard stones so indeed some men who have at least means to have the bread of life Christs love but they neglect it and spend their time in gnawing upon hard trivialls at least not usefull questions Be reproved O all ye who so far spend your selves about the obtaining of any knowledge when in the mean time you doe neglect the study of this knowledge the love of Christ which is of necessary concernment Lastly we shall adde a word of Exhortation to stir up all to the study of the love of Christ You who have spent or rather mispent many a precious hour in reading of Romanses and fond histories of feigned loves yea you who spend all your time though it be about some matters of concernment but neglecting this be stirred up now to lay out your selves in the study of that which is sweet and necessary viz. the study of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge you must conceive that as I hinted in the explication my desire is that you would labour to be well versed and to be exact students in this businesse I would not have you content your selves in some generalls but labour to make a particular discovery of the love of Christ in its substance in its circumstances and in its sundry actions and declarations O remember that this knowledge includeth in it all that knowledge which is necessary to be known for salvation When you have studied it well you shall find that there is nothing in the whole doctrine of salvation which is not comprehended in this love of Christ as Calvin hath well observed upon the place This knowledge is both safe and sweet it is not such knowledge as wil puffe up the head but it will purifie the heart I doe not doubt that any can grow wanton who attaineth to any spirituall saving degree of this knowledge The love of Christ will constrain to duty and restrain from sin therefore betake your selves to
this study above all others Now I shall offer something as meanes to help you and as motives to encourage you Onely by way of caution learn to take heed of promising your selves too much Doe not think that you shall ever come to perfection of knowledge in this point at least while you are in this life It is a point which may take up the study of all the Saints happily so much may bee couched in the 18 verse of this chapter that you may bee able to comprehend with all Saints He speaketh as if it were a Text about which not onely every Saint is to set himself but as which doth require all the abilities of all the Saints Look as some great point doth require the abilities of many Scholars and all little enough when joyned together to make a good discovery thereof such is the love of Christ as that all the Saints may well spend themselves in the study of it and when they have brought all their notes together and added all their studies together they will bee able to make at least in this life but a very little discovery thereof Therefore take heed of promising your selves perfection in this study Now I adde this caution not to deter you from the study but to make you the more serious in it and also to keep you from casting of it off after you have begun to understand it It is with some Saints as with Scholars who having set about some study and after some progresse find the business so hard and high as that they can never come to the perfect knowledge thereof they begin to slack in their indeavours and to cast it off But now beloved consider it beforehand that you may not afterwards cast off the study of the love of Christ when you have spent your selves to the uttermost you shall never come to a perfection Yet let me adde this the least beames of the love of Christ have so much light in them as that they will bee very sweet and every peece or part of this knowledge will be of very speciall worth yea the low and imperfect knowledge of the love of Christ if experimentall and spirituall is of infinite more value than the high and perfect knowledge of Tenne thousand things besides Yea and one thing more let me adde it is possible for you to attain to a very sweet and satisfactory degree of this knowledge Qu. But what shall I do to attain a satisfactory degree of this knowledge of the love of Christ so as that albeit I cannot attain to the knowledge thereof fully yet I may be able to attain so much as may make me at least say as it is in the Text The love of Christ passeth knowledge Answ For that I shall offer some directions as concerning the means and helps how you may obtain the knowledge of the love of Christ And also as concerning the manner how wee should carry our selves in that study First For the meanes I shall name these particulars First Be much conversant in reading of the Gospel How ever the Bible in general doth give testimony concerning the person of Jesus Christ and also in some measure concerning his affection to the Saints yet the Gospel of all parts of the Bible doth in a more ample clear and satisfactory Way hold out the love of Christ to beleevers That which all the Prophets spake of him or of his love is so allegoricall and so darkly as that it is not easie at least for every one to observe the light of Christs love so clearly shining in them Indeed the sun shine of Christs love is in the firmament of the old Testament but as it is there it is much clouded much veiled But in the Firmament of the new Testament it shineth in its full brightnesse luster and glory And therefore bee most coversant in reading of it And while you read the Gospel be sure to carry this along with you that all that which you shall read there either ther in the life or death of Christ is still to be understood as a demonstration of his love to beleevers Secondly If thou wouldest know the love of Christ be sure to labour to get into the bosome of Christ that Soul knoweth little of Christs love in the power and sweetness and Spirituality thereof who knoweth only Christ in his head as being without him and is a stranger to the knowledge of Christ in his heart as being in him Labour therefore to have Christ revealed in thee as Paul speaks of himself otherwise all that knowledge which thou hast of the love of Christ will be to little or no purpose Look as Jesus Christ did therefore know the Father most because as the Scripture saith he lay in the Fathers bosome In like manner do thou labour to be in the bosome of Jesus Christ that thou mayest the better know what is his love to beleevers Thirdly Consule with Beleevers Ask those objects of love concerning the love of Christ to them They that have had experience of his love can best inform thee I make no question but that a poor beleever who hath tasted of the love of Christ and in some measure experienced the transcendent sweetnesse thereof is farre better able to helpe thee in this great study of the love of Christ than the greatest Scholar in the world is who it may bee hath read or heard something of his love but yet hath no experience thereof in his soul Fourthly Study thine own experiences Consider the carriage of Christ particularly towards thy soul Remember how long hee bare with thee whilst thou wast in the state of nature I and an enemy unto him How long did hee stand knocking at the door ere thou didst open How long did he come wooing of thy soul ere thou didst imbrace him How many ways did hee take to work upon thee to open thine heart to let him in that hee might love thee How freely did hee tender love to thy soul was there any other condition on which hee tendred himself to thee than thine acceptance of him Said he not when he came and knocked at thy door if thou wilt open I will come in and sup and thy heart shall be at no cost to prepare I have brought that with me that shall feast thee Said hee not if thou doe but thinst come and drink and if thy heart bee but willing eat the good things of my bosome and live for ever Thus mind those experiences of Christs acting towards thee Remember all the Feasts of love which hee hath given thee and by these thou wilt come to see how good how kind how loving he is Lastly Adde prayer to all these It is the choycest wisdome to be wise in the knowledge of Christs love And if you lack this wisdome James giveth you his advice ask it of God and if you ask of God a wise heart in this particular doubtless he will not deny thee for he giveth
bee little and grace much Ob. O but saith the poor soul I have lost Christ I think there was a day in which I saw that his love was my life and the consideration thereof was my comfort but I have lost the one and so cannot solace my self in the other A. Why yet beleever the consideration of Christs love may bee a choice cordiall here Didst thou consider the very nature of Christs love aright thou wilt know this to bee the glory thereof that once had it can never bee lost It may bee the Sun may bee in a cloud and thou not see it but it will appear again But the Sun shall sooner leave the Firmament than Christs love shall leave thee Didst thou but also consider the transcendency of Christs love thou wouldest know that though Christ seemeth to withdraw himself a while yet his love will not permit his withdrawing to bee long yet a little while and you shall not see mee It is but a little while that Christ is seemingly lost and yet a little while and you shall see mee again Christ knoweth your Spirits would faile if hee should bee long away Love therefore looks to it that it shall never bee so long as in the losse thereof thou shouldest faint and dye Didst thou know the transcendent nature of Christs love thou wouldest know this that though thou mayest faint a little yet thou shalt not dye Love will come and revive thee yea didst thou but consider the love of Christ aright it will bee a cordial in other particulars also in that it maketh a large amends for a little tarrying for a moments withdrawing it lets out everlasting kindnesse and it therefore departed for a season that thou mightest have it for ever O.b. O but saith the soul I faint to think that I have lost Christ through mine own defect I have been so base as to drive him out of my bosome and I faint to think that hee will never come again A. Why poor soul thou art ignorant of the nature of Christs transcendent love Couldest thou but know it thou wouldest easily resolve thy soul in this case and support it with a sweet cordial such is the nature of transcendent love that though you have been foolish to drive Christ away yet it is so powerfull to bring Christ again It was the folly and the fault of the spouse that though her beloved was knocking at her door till his locks were wet with the dew of the night yet she sluggishly lay in her bed and would not let him in Indeed hee went away that shee might see her folly but hee came again that hee might shew loves transcendency Ob. Nay saith the soul with all this I have violated and wronged conjugall love and the thoughts of these sink my Spirit I faint and dye to think of this for fear that Christ will not passe by these Answ Still I say beleever didst thou but know the nature of the transcendent love of Christ it would afford thee a cordial in this case also This is the glory of this love that it passeth by such violations Indeed the love of men will not but the love of Christ will passe by this foul transgression because that Christs love transcendeth mens love Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers yet return to mee Jerem. 3. ver 1. and surely saith hee as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband so have you dealt with mee O house of Israel yet return you back-sliding people and I will heal your backslidings O transcendent love which is in Christs bosome which knoweth how to pardon the defilement of the bed of love Indeed there is no failing so great but didst thou know the transcendency of Christs love thou wouldest see it to be greater than any failing of thine can conquer so that now in case this fear should bee able to disturbe thy comfort and to make thee faint yet the consideration of Christs love may support thy soul and bee a cordial unto thee even in this case Object But yet I hear others cry out and say how shall wee doe to draw out joy out of this well of salvation How shall wee make the consideration of Christs love a cordial to us in our troubles Quest Why what are your troubles poor souls which make you stand in need of the comfort of this consideration Answ I have lost much nay all for Christ because I stood to his cause I have lost all the creatures lands and livings too yea and house and houshold too c. I have lost all Answ But yet consider Christs love and it will comfort thee in the middest of this losse It is the nature of transcendent love to repair all losses that double in your land you shall possess double Isa 61.17 And there is no man that hath left for Christ Parents Brethren house or children but love will make up all that as Luke 18. ver 29. Transcendent love scorns to let any bee a loser by it May not this comfort thee Ob. O but saith another I have not onely lost all but am still opposed they have stripped mee to my change for Christs sake and yet oppose my very skin How shall I comfort my self with the consideration of Christs love now A. Why thus poor soul consider Christ will comfort as fast as men oppose transcendent love giveth the soul answerable consolation to any tribulation in which the soul can bee In the world you shall have tribulation saith Christ but bee of good cheer I have overcome the world and in mee you shall have peace Transcendent love giveth a smile for every frown a kisse for every buffet an imbrace for every blow this is the nature thereof consider it and bee of good comfort Ob. O but saith the soul I have not onely lost all and been stripped to the change but am brought to the stake how shall I fetch comfort out of Christs love now A. Consider thou dying soul Christs love hath provided a comfort for it It saith you shall have your life by thus losing of it You are in the way to secure your life by this you shall not dye but live thus saith transcendent love because I live you shall live also Joh. 14. v. 19. After one blast into Christs bosome It is but a wink with the eye and into the land of the living presently Thus you see whither to goe for comfort in any tribulation viz. to Christs bosome and there you may find in his love a cordial suitable to any tribulations whether within or without spirituall or corporal Be directed therefore upon all occasions O you beleevers to run to Christs love and to comfort your selves in the consideration thereof Use Fifthly it may bee an use of Terror to Christlesse creatures you hear the consideration of Christs love is a cordial able to support in any trouble but wretches that you are you have no right to it tribulation is for every soul that