have interest in Christ and in all his Benefits If you ask me what this Faith is that gives an interest in Christ what it is to believe I answer out of Iohn 1. 12. that it is to receive Christ. But to as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God even to them that Believe in his Name Be perswaded then to receive Christ and accept of him upon the terms of the Gospel Receive and take hold of Christ by the hand of Faith And that you may do this 1. You must let go your hold of sin if your hugg sin in your bosom if you harbour base Lusts in your Hearts you cannot receive and give entertainment to Christ there you must thrust sin out if you would let Christ in 2. You must let go your hold on the World I don't say you must let it go out of your hands and throw away the estates which God hath given except it be to part with some proportion in a way of Mercy and Charity and except you be called to leave all rather than to forgo Christ or any of his Truths but you must let the World go out of your Hearts the World must not sit upon the Throne of your Hearts that seat must be reserved for Christ cheif love and inordinate love to the world and things in the world must be taken off 3. You must let go hold of self your own Righteousness and all self-confidences must be parted with you must be humbled and emptied of your selves if you would be prepared for the receiving of Jesus Christ and receiving of that fulness which there is in him And then 1. Receive Jesus Christ as your High-Priest to reconcile you unto God trusting alone in his Merits and Mediation 2. Receive Jesus Christ as your Prophet to instruct and lead you in all Truth by his Word and Spirit 3. Receive Jesus Christ as your Soveraign Lord and King to Rule you 4. Receive Jesus Christ as your Captain to tread down your Spiritual Enemies under your feet 5. Receive Jesus Christ in all his Relations of Shepherd Friend Brother and especially in the Relation of an Husband and joyn your selves to him and make over your selves to him dedicating and devoting your selves to him and giving up your selves to be guided guarded provided for and governed by him This is to receive Christ and this is to Believe this gives Union and Relation and interest in the Lord Jesus and if you do thus joyn your selves to Christ by Faith you will quickly feel love to Christ to spring forth to work and act and that vigorously and to bring forth such fruit in the life as shall evidently shew that love to Christ is rooted in the Heart 4. If you would attain Truth of love to Jesus Christ be diligent in the use of all those means which God hath appointed for the working of it I shall instance only in two means 1. Be diligent in Hearing the Word Preached as Faith cometh by Hearing so love to Christ is wrought by the same means Hear and your Souls shall live saith the Prophet Isa. 55. 3. and I may say hear that your Hearts may love that where the Eye cannot the Ears may affect the Heart with love to the Lord Jesus Whilst Lydia was hearing Paul Preach her Heart was opened Act. 16. 14. and whilst you are hearing Ministers Preach of Christ your Hearts may be opened to receive him and to embrace him in the arms of your dearest love See Act. 11. 15. As I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning whilst Peter was Preaching and the Gentiles were hearing the Holy Ghost was sent down from Heaven and fell upon upon and so whilst you are hearing the Word God may give forth of his Spirit to work this Grace of love to Jesus Christ in your Hearts 2. Be diligent and earnest in Prayer unto God for this love confess and bewail before him your want of this love tell him you deserve a double Anathema because you do not love Christ and withall tell him you cannot of your selves love him that you can as easily lift a Mountain to Heaven as lift up your hearts unto Christ but desire that he would draw up your love to Christ by his Spirit Beg of him that he would put out the fire of Lust and all inordinate creature-love and that be would enkindle a fire of love in you to this most lovely Jesus which no corruption in your Hearts may be able extinguish And in your Prayers present your Hearts to the Lord Jesus offer them up freely to him and desire that he would accept of them that he would take hold of them and take possession of them and erect his Throne in them and an Everlasting habitation for himself Section XVI HAving given directions how you may attain the Truth of love to Christ where you are without it I come now to give directions how you may attain much of this love to Christ where you have it but in a low degree and weak measure Would you attain much love to Christ 1. Be much in Contemplation of Christ consider often what motives there are of love in him presse them upon your Spirits and labour to awaken and rouze up your Hearts unto the vigorous exercise of this love Spend time in secret retirement and there think and think again of the Superlative Excellencies and Perfections which are in Christ's Person how wonderfull and matchless his love is what heigths in it that cannot be reached what depths in it that cannot be fathomed what other dimensions which cannot be comprehended Meditate often of his benefits how incomparable his love-tokens be and whilst you you are musing you may feel the fire burning whilst you are looking you may feel your Hearts leaping whilst you are taking a view of him ere you are aware your Hearts like the Chariots of Aminadab may run to him O the ravishments of love the transports of Soul which some Believers have found in their retired thoughts and views of Christ. Get often into the Mount of Divine Contemplation and there look upwards unto Heaven and think with your selves Yonder Yonder above the shining Sun is the more Glorious Son of Righteousness there at the right hand of the Throne of God is my beloved Iesus the Son of God seated and though he be so high above me both in place and dignity yet he thinketh upon me and pleadeth for me and many a gift hath he thence sent by his Spirit conveyed unto me and I can ask nothing of the Father in his name but if it be really for my good I have it by his means O dear Iesus how lovely art thou in thy self the darling of heaven the Delight of the Father the Admiration of Angels O what brightness of Glory what shining lustre art thou arrayed with thou art clothed with most excellent Majesty and Honour thou art girded
be his and wholly at his dispose as the Wife giveth her self unto the dispose of her Husband Section IV. Fourthly THe Fourth thing is to shew that it is the Property of all true Christians to Love this unseen Christ. True Christians are differenced and distinguished not only from all Heathens and Infidels but also from all bare Nominall Christians by their Love to Jesus Christ. It is the Property of Covetous Persons to love Worldly Wealth and Riches It is the Property of Ambitious Persons to love Worldly Honour and Dignities It is the Property of Voluptuous Persons to love Sensual Pleasures and Delights And it is the Property of True Christians to Love Jesus Christ whom they have never seen None but such as are True Christians do Love Christ and all those that are True Christians do love him The Loveliness of Christ doth appear not to the Eye of Sense but to the Eye of Faith they that do not see him with this Eye they cannot love him and they that do see him with this Eye they cannot choose but love him Such as do not love Christ it is not because Christ wants Beauty but because they are blind Now all true Christians have this Eye of Faith to discern Christ's Excellencies and none but True Christians have this Eye the Essence of Christianity doth consist in Believing Reason makes us Men but Faith makes us True Christians It being therefore the property of True Christians to believe it is their property also to love this Unseen Christ. Section V. Fifthly THe Fifth thing is to shew that it is the Duty of all True Christians to love this unseen Christ. This will appear if you look into John 21. 15. 16 17. Peter was one of the boldest and forwardest of all Christs disciples but he had been withal too self-confident which was the introduction unto and laid the foundation for his fall and thrice shameful denial of his Master a look from his Lord put him in remembrance and brought him to Repentance with bitter weeping for his sin so soon as it was committed After our Saviour was risen from the dead he appears unto Peter with other of his disciples and in this place he asketh the same question in the same words three times Simon Son of Ionas lovest thou me Whereby as he doth tacitly upbraid him for his great sin in his three times denyal of him which had there not been a defect in his love he would never have done so he doth also give a signification that love to himself is the great duty and the great thing which he doth look for in all his disciples Section VI. THe 6th thing is to shew how Christians ought to Love this unseen Christ. 1. Christians ought to love Christ with Sincerity of Love Eph. 6. 24. Grace be with all them that Love our Lord Iesus Christ in Sincerity It was the great sin of Iudah Ier. 3. 10. That she turned not to the Lord with her whole heart but feignedly so it is a great sin to love Christ with a feigned and hypocritical love the love of Christians to Christ ought to be sincere in regard of the habit inward workings of it they must love him not only in show word and outward profession but their love must be cordial in the heart and so a love indeed and in truth and the love of Christians to Christ must be sincere in regard of the object of it they must love Christ for himself and not chiefly for what they get by him to love Christ only for Temporal gain is hypocritical love to love Christ cheifly for other gain is not so spiritual but to love Christ for his own excellencies and perfections is most sincere and generous this sincerity of love to Christ is every ones duty 2. Christians ought to love Christ with Supremacy of love they must place him in the highest seat of their hearts he is a Great King and he looks for the Throne and that all Creatures should be placed beneath him and stand at his Footstool Math. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than mee is not worthy of Me he that loveth Son or Daughter more than Me is not Worthy of Me. They are the words of our Saviour Christians may love Father and Mother the Law of God and Nature doth require it they may love Husband and Wife the Word of God enjoyneth the Husband to love his Wife as his own Body and as Christ loved the Church they may love Sons Daughters Brethren Sisters Kindred Friends yea Enemies and they ought to do it yet all must be with a Subordinate love but they must love Christ with their chief love otherwise they are not worthy to stand in the Relation of Disciples 3. Christians ought to love Christ with Ardency of Love Luk. 24. 32. And they said one to another did not our Hearts burn within us while he talked with us by the Way and while he opened to us the Scriptures This burning love Christ enkindled in the heart of his Disciples and this burning love Christ requireth of all Christians Canâ— 8. 6 7. Love is strong as Death the coals thereof are coals of Firâ— which hath a vehement Flame Many Waters cannot quench Love neither can the Floods drown it Such a strong vehement ardent flaming love Christians should have unto Jesus Christ which all the waters of Affliction may not be able to quench which no Flouds of Temptations or Persecution may be able to drown and oveâ—whelm Therefore 4. Christians ought to love Christ with Constancy of Love Having begun to love him they ought to continue to love him and to love him unto the end as they ought to be constant in their Obedience and to persevere in their other Graces so they ought to be constant and to persevere in this Grace of love to Christ. SECT VII Seventhly THE Seventh thing is to shew why true Christians do Love Christ whom they have never seen Rea. 1. True Christians do love Christ because of the Need which they have of him Men do love their Necessary Food without which their Bodies would starve with Hunger Men do love their Necessary Raiment and Habitations without which in Winter Seasons their Bodies would starve with Cold. Men do love their Necessary Friends upon whom under God they have their Dependance and from whom they have all their Subsistence But no Thing in the World or Friend in the World is so Needful to the Body as the Lord Jesus Christ is unto the Soul and as the Excellencies of the Soul are far beyond the Excellencies of the Body so the Necessities of the Soul are far beyond the Necessities of the Body which Necessities can be answered by none but Jesus Christ and therefore True Christians do love him At first Conversion when they were convinced of Sin awakened out of their carnal security O what Need had they and did they see they had of Christ they perceived themselves to be
Body the Church who is the beginning the First-born from the Dead that in all things he might have the Preeminence For it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell If we read believe and consider this great Description of Christ we must needs see and say that Christ is most Excellent and Amiable and that no beloved is like to the Beloved of true Christians therefore it is that true Christians do love Christ because of his loveliness Rea. 3. True Christians do love Christ because of His love His love which he doth bear to them He loves them with a First love and with a Free love He loves them with a tender and compassionate love with an active or doing love with a passive or suffering love His love is Infinite without Bounds or Limits it is Superlative without comparison Transcendent beyond comprehension Everlasting without change and which will have no end or conclusion He lov'd them when they were polluted in their sins and washt them with his own blood he loved them when they were Naked in their Souls and clothed them with the Robes of his Righteousness He loves them in their sickness and sorrows and is their Comforter He loves them in their wants and Straits and is their Benefactor He loves them in Life and is the Life of their Souls He loves them at Death and is the Stay of their Hearts And he loves them after Death and will be their Portion for ever There is great Reason that true Christians should love Christ because of his loveliness and there is further reason that they should love him because of his love especially when both are incomparable both are incomprehensible I shall further speak God willing unto both these with other reasons under the motives in the Exhortation to excite Christians to the love of Christ. SECT VIII Vse 1. FOR Information hence learn that there are but few true Christians in the world because there are so few that love this unseen Christ. There are many Christians in Name few Christians in deed and in truth The time hath been when openly to profess the Name of a Christian did argue true love unto Jesus Christ I mean in the Primitive times when Christians were Persecuted by the Heathens as in the Ten first dreadful Persecutions under the Heathen Emperours when the world was watered with Christian blood then especially at some times and in some yea most places whoever openly acknowledged themselves to be Christians they exposed themselves unto Imprisonments Racks Tortures Burnings and the most cruel deaths It was the Truth and Strength of Love unto Jesus Christ which carried them thorow such great sufferings as many did in those dayes undergo for the sake of Jesus Christ But now there are Multitudes of bare nominal Christians they call themselves Christians being baptized in Christ's name but they are altogether without love to Christ whose Name they bare Surely there are but few not only in the Christian World but even in England where Christianity is to be found in as great purity as in any place that love Jesus Christ in sincerity No grossely ignorant persons do truly love Christ such as don't know Christ they can't love him ignoti nulla cupido there is no desire after nor love unto an unknown thing An unknown evil cannot be hated and an unknown good cannot be loved No grossely Erroneous persons do truely love Christ such as do not receive Christ's Truths they cannot love Christ's Person Joh. 14. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words The words of Christ do include not only the words of his Precepts but also the words of his Doctrine Such as erre grossely I mean in the Fundamental Truths of Christianity they are no friends to Christ but his Enemies so far are they from true love unto him No grossely wicked persons do truly love Christ such as profane persons who Blaspheme the name of God in their hideous Oaths the love of Christ doth teach an Holy Awe and Reverence of Gods Name such are Persecuters of Gods people for Righteousness sake How can they love the Head that hate the Members Christ accounteth himself to be persecuted in the perseution of his Members Act. 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecut est thou me and v. 5. I am Jesus whom thou persecutest and surely persecutors of Christ do not love Christ. Such are Scoffers at Religion who deride Holiness and mock at the name of a Saint or Godly person whereby they evidently shew their contempt of the Holiness of Christ from whom the Saints derive all theirs and how can they love Christ that do contemne him and his Image No unrighteous persons do truly love Christ whether they be so in regard of distributative justice or in regard of commutative justice whether they be unrighteous in Execution of judgement in distribution of Rewards or Punishments whether they be unrighteous in their Traffick and Dealingâ— Christ strictly requireth justice and Righteousness and how can they love him that do not keep this Commandement No Covetous persons do truly love Christ the Apostle saith 1 Joh. 2. 15. If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him And I may say that if any man love the world that is with his chief love the love of the Son is not in him the love cannot be chiefly set upon things below here on Earth and upon Christ who is above in Heaven No Licentious persons do truly love Christ no Drunkards Adulterers or any that indulge themselves in unlawful delights the love of Christ doth teach us to deny such Lusts and to Mortifie them No meer civil persons that are unconverted no Hypocrites that have a forme of Godliness but are without the power of it do truly love Christ the former may be loving and courteous unto men but they have no love to Christ the latter may Profess love to Christ and Seem to love him but they do not really love him In a word none who are under the reigning power of any sin do truly love Christ The Reign of sin is in the heart and this is inconsistent with the love of Christ in the Heart Now let us separate all these forementioned persons from the rest Grossely Ignorant persons grossely erroneous persons grossely wicked persons the Profane the Persecutors of Gods people the Scoffers at Religion all Unrighteous persons all Covetous Persons Drunkards Adulterers and all Licentious Persons meer Civil persons Hypocrites and all that are under the reigning power of sin and how few will there be left that do truly love Christ and by Consequence there will appear but very few that are true Christians SECT IX Vse 2. FOR Examination Here you may know whether you are true Christians by the Tryall of your love unto Jesus Christ. Examine your selves therefore whether you love Jesus Christ whom you have never seen the most in the world do love truly those persons and things only
which they have seen but can you say that you sincerely and chiefly do love Jesus Christ whom you have not seen the love of the most doth arise from the notice which the Eye doth give of the Objects beloved but doth your love arise from the notice which the Ear hath given by the word of the Amiableness which here is in Christ Qu. How may we know whether we have true love to Iesus Christ Ans. You may know the truth of your love to Jesus Christ 1 By your desires after Christs presence 2 By your prizing and frequenting those wayes wherein Christ is to be found and seeking him therein 3 By your love of Christs image 4 By your Obedience to Christs Commandements First By your desires after Christs Presence wherever there is a great love to any person there is a desire after the presence of that person do you sincerely and earnestly desire Christs presence there is a twofold presence of Christ His gracious presence here and his Glorious presence at the last day 1. There is Christs Gracious presence here Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you You desire that such Friends and Relations would come unto you but do you desire chiefly that Christ would come unto you Christ cometh to his Disciples in a way of gracious communication in a way of Gracious Manifestation and in a way of sweet Consolation which doth result from both 1 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious communication are your desires after communication of Spiritual Light from Christ to teach and guide you of Spiritual Life from Christ to quicken and encourage you of Spiritual Strength from Christ to support you under Burdens and Enable you unto Duties do you earnestly desire communications of all kinds and further degrees of grace out of that fullness of Grace which is in Christ do you Hunger and Thirst after Christs Righteousness not only that it may be imputed to you for your Justification but also that it may be more and more imparted unto you for your further Sanctification that you might be brought and hereby wrought into a more perfect conformity and likeness unto Jesus Christ this is an Evidence of true love 2 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious Manifestation Joh. 14. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and will manifest my self unto him Do you Earnestly desire the fulfilling of this promise that Christ would discover to you more of the loveliness of his person and of the love of his Heart are you grieved when your beloved doth withdraw himself when the curtain is drawn and a cloud doth interpose between you and this Sun of Righteousness when he Hideth and Veileth his Face from you and do you long after Christs returns and the Discoveries of himself unto you Come Lord Iesus Come quickly Be as a Roe or young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Leap over the Mountains and Skip over the Hills and make haste unto my Soul which is sick of Love for thee in thy Absence from me O that I might see thy Face which is so Fair that I might hear thy Voice which is so Sweet that I might feel thy Presence which is so Refreshing O that I might behold thy Heart-ravishing Smiles Say Lord that I am thine and thou art mine that thou hast loved me and given thy self for me that thy love to me was from Everlasting and that it is Vnchangeable Are these or such like the breathings of your Souls Such are the breathings of love to Christ. 3 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of sweet consolation which doth result from this communication and Manifestation are you desirous after the Oil of Gladness which Christ is Anointed withal that he would give you of the Unction of the Spirit not only to Sanctifie you but also to comfort you do you desire that your Hearts might be filled with Spiritual joyes the joyes of the Holy Ghost which are unspeakable and full of Glory do you desire the comforts which Christ doth give beyond all the comforts which the World and the Flesh can give the comforts which come in at the door of Faith beyond all the comforts that come in at the door of Sense those joyes which are in Christ beyond all joyes that can be found in the most sweet and desireable creature-enjoyment this evidenceth true love to Christ. Thus do you desire Christs Gracious presence 2. And do you desire also Christs glorious presence at the Last day When he promiseth Surely I come quickly can your hearts make answer as Rev. 22. 20. Amen even so come Lord Iesus are you glad you live so near the End of the World that the Lord is at hand that the coming of the Lord draweth nearer and nearer every day can you lift up your heads with joy when you look towards the place where the Lord Jesus Christ is at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty on High and think with comfort that yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not now tarry much longer that within a while Christ will descend from Heaven with a shout the Lord with the Sound of the Trumpet and that your Eyes shall see him in the brightness of his Glory and Majesty Do you look and long for the day of Christ's glorious appearance from heaven when you shall be awakened out of your Graves where you may take a short sleep before and be gathered together by the Angels and be caught up in the clouds and there in shining Garments of Immortality on your Bodies and of Christs unspotted Righteousness in your Souls be brought with Shoutings and Acclamations of Joy and Triumph into his Presence who will then acquit you Graciously from all Sin and Punishment own you openly for his Faithful Servants crown you Gloriously before the whole World and receive you to Live and Reign with him to all Eternity Have you such desires as these If some of you say you are afraid of Christs Glorious appearance lest then you should be rejected because you fear you are not ready and prepared yet can you say also from your Hearts that you Desire above all things that you may be ready that you Endeavour to make ready that it is your Grief you are no more ready and that if you were ready and were assured of your Interest in Christ you could desire that Christ would come immediately and that you desire no greater Happiness and Felicity than to live with Christ in Glory and that you account the Presence of Christ in Heaven to be the Happiness of Heaven These are Evidences of true desires after Christ's Glorious presence and of sincere love to Christ. Secondly You may know your love to Christ by your Prizing and Frequenting those wayes wherein Christ is to be found
and seeking him therein Such are the wayes of his Ordinances both publick and private Christ's way is in his Sanctuary and in his Ordinances he may be found do you give your attendance unto Ordinances Publick prayer the Preaching of the word the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and do you prize these Ordinances because of the Stamp of Christ's Institution upon them because of Christ's presence in them and because they are a meanes of bringing you and Christ together and when you are under Ordinances do you diligently seek after Christ in Ordinances Don't you rest in the outside and carnall part of Ordinances in meeting with Gods People there or do you design desire and endeavor after something more inward and Spiritual and incomparably sweet that you meet with Christ there that you may have Fellowship with the Father and the Son therein and upon this account can you say as David How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord and A day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand Psal. 84. 1 And One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Psal. 27. 4. Do you also seek after Christ in your Families and in your Closets do you seek him in secret prayer and meditation your love to Christ doth express it self in your desires your desires do shew themselves in your seeking after Christ in his wayes Thirdly you may know your love to Christ by your love of Christ's Image there is the Image of Christ on his Word and there is the Image of Christ on his People 1. Do you love the Image of Christ on his Word as Caesar's Coin did bear Caesar's Image and Superscription so the Word of the Scriptures which is the Word of Christ doth bear Christ's Image and Superscription Do you love the Scriptures because of Christ's Image which is upon them do you love the Word of Doctrine in the Scripture because of the Image of Christs Truth and Wisdom upon it do you love the Word of Precepts in the Scriptures because of the Image of Christ's Holiness upon it do you love the Word of Threatnings in the Scriptures because of the Image of Christ's Righteousness upon it do you love the Word of Promises in the Scriptures because of the Image of Christ's Goodness Grace and Love upon it You have Christ's Word in your Bibles and sometimes sounding in your Ears but doth the Word of Christ dwell in your Hearts you receive Christs word in the Light of it do you receive his Word in the Love of it 2. Do you love Christ's Image on his People If you love not your Brother whom you have seen how can you love your Lord whom you have not seen All Christ's Disciples do bear Christ's Image if you love the Original you will love the Picture although it be but imperfectly drawn If you love the perfect Goodness and Holiness which is in Christ you will love the Goodness and Holiness which you see in the Saints although they have it but in an imperfect Measure do you love Christ's Disciples â— and that because of Christ's Image although they differ from you in some opinions which are circumstantial Fourthly You may know your love to Christ by your Obedience unto his Commandements Joh. 14. 15. If you love me keep my Commandements and ver 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me You Have Christ's Commandements do you Keep them you Know them do you Practice them your Love to Christ is known by your Obedience unto Christ. If Christ be your Beloved he is also your Lord if you have true affection for him you yeild Subjection unto him If you Love Christ you are carefull to Please Christ you are not the Servants of the Flesh to take care to please the Flesh but you are the servants of Christ to take care above all persons and all thing to please Christ if you love Christ you are fearful of giving just occasion of offence unto men but above all you are fearful of displeasing and offending your Lord. Do you labour so to walk that you may please Christ in the way of sincere and universal obedience are you hearty in your obedience unto Christ have you a respect to all his Commandments is it your greif that you fall short in your obedience unto Christ if you can say in the presence of the Lord and your hearts do not give your tongues the lye that you don't live and allow your selves in the practice of any known sin which Christ forbiddeth nor in the neglect of any known duty which Christ commandeth this is a sure evidence of true love to Jesus Christ. Thus for the tryal of your love unto Christ. Section III. Vse 3. FOr reproof 1. Of all such as have no love at all unto this unseen Christ and will not the use of Information together with the use of tryal leave a conviction upon many of you that you are without this love Suffer then the word of reproof what are you Creatures made By Christ and made For Christ and yet have no love to him are you Rational Creatures have you souls capable of knowing him and loving him and yet have no love are you Christians and not love Christ baptized in Christ's Name and yet have you no love to Christ's person are some of you Professors and yet not love Christ make a show of devotion and yet without any true affection to the object of your worship Sinners though you have not seen Christ yet have you not heard of him and have you not heard enough to engage and draw forth your love unto Christ. What do you think is there such a person as Jesus Christ or is there not have you no Bibles and if you have have you not read therein the History concerning Jesus Christ and what do you think of that History is it true or is it false do you think the Gospel to be a cunningly devised fable are not the Scriptures which contain this Gospel the very word of the true God who cannot lye are there not such characters of Divinity upon them as are sufficient to evince their divine original to any that search into them and do not willfully shut their eyes against the light which there doth shine And if it be so that there is indeed such a person as Jesus Christ as there is nothing more true how is it that you have no love unto him do not the Scriptures reveal and set forth Christ as the most excellent and amiable person and yet do you not love him can you love persons and things that are but Imperfectly lovely and not love Jesus Christ who is Altogether lovely can you love one of great honour that hath but some inferior power and authority and not love Jesus Christ who is the Lord
have such fulness and plenty as the Lord Jesus Christ and none so willing to communicate of his fulness unto the wants of such as are poor in Spirit and sensible of their need Col. 1. 19. It hath pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell There is not only Plenty in him but fulness not the fulness of the cistern but the fulness of the Fountain not the fulness only of sufficiency for himself but the fulness of redundancy for his people not some fulness for some things but all fulness for all things that are good not fulness for some time and to continue but for a while but all fulness doth dwell in him and abide for all his people throughout all Generations and this not to depend upon the pleasure of men whose minds may alter but it hath pleased the Father it dependeth upon the pleasure of the Father who is always the same and whose good will to his people is unchangeable There is a twofold fulness in Christ for his people here besides his fulness of Glory which hath a reference to Eternity There is a fulness of Merit and a fulness of Spirit 1. A fulness of Merit in that full and perfect Righteousness which he hath wrought out for them and which he doth impute unto them for their Justification 2. There is a fulness of Spirit in Christ the Spirit being given unto him without measure which he doth impart and communicate unto them for their Sanctification and Consolation Christians you are empty Christ is full you are poor Christ is rich you are indigent Christ is All-sufficient and will not you love Christ who is able to do for you beyond what you are able to ask or think and is as willing as he is able to supply all your Spiritual necessities will you not love Christ who is an Overflowing Everflowing â—ountain of Good who hath inexhaustible treasures of Graces and Comforts in him which are set open before you and unto you and every day you may freely come and fetch such jewels out of this Treasury as are of higher worth and greater use than any Earthly Riches in the greatest Plenty and abundance 6. Consider Christs kindness and mercy All the kindness of Men is unkindness compared with the kindness of Christ all the Mercies of Men are Cruelty compared with the Mercies of Christ. He is all kindness all bowels all compassion all pity all grace all mercy to miserable lost mankind I shall not enlarge here because this will fall under the second head of Arguments taken from the consideration of Christs Love And if you add the kindness and mercy of Christ to all his other excellencies and perfections surely he will appear to have incomparably the greatest attractives in him for Love unto any that have not a very thick veil of unbelief before their Eyes to hide him from their view Secondly Consider what Christ is to the Father 1. He is most nearly related to him 2. He is most dearly beloved by him 1. Christ is most nearly Related and with all most perfectly like unto the Father All the Creatures are related to God as their Maker but Gods Children are more nearly related the Saints are nearly related to God who are his Children by Adoption and Regeneration the Angels are more nearly related to God who are his Sons by Creation and never were separated from him by sin but the Lord Jesus Christ is most nearly related unto God who is his Son by Eternal Generation thus Christ is the only Begotten Son of God and doth bear his Image most perfectly being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person This near Relation of Christ and his likeness to the Father doth call for your strongest love if you have reason to honour the Father on the same account you have reason to honour the Son if you have reason to love the Father you have the same reason to love the Son You will love the Sons of Princes and will you not love the Son of God you will love your own Children who bear your Own Image and will not you love Christ who is the express Image of God we read of Christ Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God Christ without Robbery or Derogation unto God is equal with God in all Glorious Excellencies and Perfections and therefore your highest and strongest love is his due and without robbery you cannot withhold it from him 2. Christ is most dearly beloved by the Father 2 Pet. 1. 17. For he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a voice to him from the Excellent Glory This is my beloved Son in Whom I am well pleased he then that is wortâ—y of the Fathers love surely is worthy of yours he that is cheifly beloved by the Father should chiefly be beloved by you Thirdly Consider what Christ is unto all true Christians if you be such Christ is your Shepherd he feedeth you in green Pastures he hath laid down his life for his Sheep and will you not love such a Shepherd he is your Captain who hath conquered all your Enemies for you and leadeth you on to take the spoils and will you not love such a leader He is your Prophet who teacheth you the most excellent things that ever were taught the highest mysteries the most Glorious Truths which are of the greatest concernment to know and believe and he teacheth you in the most excellent way by his word and Spirit opening your understandings as well as his Truths giving you light and an eye to discern this light and will you not love such a teacher He is your High-Priest who hath made satisfaction for you and withall maketh intercession for you to reconcile â—ou unto God and his intercession is incessant and prevalent and will you not love such an Advocate He is your King who ruleth you most powerfully and righteously most Wisely and Graciously and will you not love such a Soveraign He is your Benefactor the most kind and bountiful and no gifts are comparable unto his gifts and will you not love such a friend He is your Brother and if he be not a shamed to own you for his Bretheren and Sisters will it not be a shame if you should withhold from him your hearts He is your Husband and you are joyned to him by the Spirit and Faith in such Bonds as cannot be broken and will not you embrace him in the arms of your dearest love He is your Redeemer who rescued and delivered you from Sin and Sathan from Death and Wrath He hath redeemed you by price the price of his blood and hath he not then given the greatest price for your Love he hath redeemed you also by conquest and shall he not make a conquest of your hearts Surely you are altogether unworthy of these relations if you do not present Christ with your
most endeared and choisest Affections Thus far the Motives drawn from the Consideration of what Christ is SECT XII THe 2d sort of Motives to excite your Love to Christ may be drawn from the consideration of Christs love unto true Christians If you are Christians indeed Christ loveth you 1. with the Freeest Love 2. With the Truest Love 3. With the Strongest Love 4. With the surest Love 1. Consider that Christ Loveth you with the Freest Love There are many motives and attractives for your Love to Christ but Christs love to you is most free nothing in your selves to draw and engage his love except deformity and enmity to him except filthiness which he loatheth and wickedness which his soul hateth be motives There is no man in the world that loveth you but he findâ—th or fancyeth some loveliness in you something to be a motive to draw his love to you witt is a motive to some wealth to others beauty to some strength to others near Relation to some dear love to others liberality to some service to others greatness to some goodness to others likeness whether it be in good or evil is a motive to the love of the most But Christs first love to you is altogether free that which is a motive to men and induceth their love to you is no motive to incline the Love of Christ the sin which you brought into the world with you and the many sins which since you came into the world have been committed by you are enough to shut out all motives of Love in Christ unto whom all sin is so odious and abominable Whatever motive induced Christ to love you it was not drawn from your selves but it was drawn from his own bowels And will not this free love of Christ incline you to love him Doth he love you most freely and will not you love him most dearly Did Christ love you without any motive to draw his love and will not you love Christ in whom there are so many motives to draw your love Did Christ begin to love and will not you make a return Did Christ love you under your deformity and will not you love him in whom there is such perfect beauty If you now have any spiritual beauty it is through the comeliness which Christ hath put upon you but Christs first love was free which is Matter of the greatest admiration and should be a Motive unto the greatest Affection 2. Consider that Christ loveth you with the Truest love There is little true love in the world you have many that truly hate you few that truly love you and there is much dissimulation in the pretended love and affection of some all that Flatter you do not truly love you love in shew and outward appearance in good words and fair speeches is common but love in deed and in truth that evidenceth it self in real offices of Love where there is the greatest need this is rarely to be found Iob complaineth Iob 6. 15 16 17. My brethren have dealt deceitfully like a brook and as the stream of brooks they pass away which are blackish by reason of the ice and wherein the snow is hid what time they wax warm they vanish when it is hot they are consumed out of their place In the prosperity of Iob he had many friends and their love and friendship did seem to have some strength and consistency like the ice upon the brook but when heat of trouble and calamity came upon Iob then the love of his friends did melt and vanish away like ice and snow before the warm beams of the Sun the Love of the most is selfish for their own ends and therefore when their love is not like to be beneficial but rather create trouble and prejudice to themselves it cometh to nothing True Christianity doth teach another kind of Love and those that are powerfully Religious have a true love which is ready to shew it self most in an Adverse estate But none do or can love you with such a true love as Jesus Christ there is no flattery or dissimulation in his Love his love is not in the least counterfeit it is not in the least selfish and for his own ends he doth not love you to Receive good from you but that he might Do good unto you He loveeth you not onely in Prosperity but chiefly He doth evidence his love in Affliction and adversity He is a present help in the time of trouble and then doth give the most tender demonstrations of his Love he is touched with the feeling of your infirmities when you are tempted and sympathizeth with you in your sorrows when you are afflicted He shewes his Love in visiting you under your troubles in supporting you in relieving you and in delivering you Oh! what Love should you have unto the Lord Jesus Christ who Loveth you with such a True love 3. Consider thâ—t Christ Loveth you with the Strongest Love His love is more strong than Death more ardent than the Fire which hath a most vehement Flame The strength of Christs Love to you doth shew it self in the activity of his Love in his Doing for you and this will appear in three things 1. In what he hath done for you 2. In what he is doing for you 3. In what he will do for you 1. The strength and activity of Christs Love to you doth shew it self in what Christ hath done for you I shall briefly name some particulars 1. It was the strong Love of Christ which brought him down from heaven for you to assume your Nature what manner of love was this that God should become man that Spirit should become flesh that he who made the world should be born of a mean Virgin and all for your sakes 2. It was the love of Christ which made him to fullfil all righteousness for you He yielded perfect obedience to the Law both Moral and Ceremonial that you might have the benefit of it It was the Love of Christ which made him submit himself to the temptations of the Devil for you that he suffering being tempted might be able to succour you when you are tempted 4. It was the Love of Christ which made him endure the contradictions of sinners for you he bore many affronts contumelies envyings and blasphemies of wicked men that he might give you an example how to carry your selves under the like circumstances 5. It was the Love of Christ which made him lay down his Life for you Ioh. 15. 13 14. Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend ye are my friends That such a person as Christ so excellent so innocent should undergo death and such a death as that of the Cross so disgraceful so painful that he should submit to such Ignominy and endure such Agony such tearings in his flesh such pressures in his spirit and that with such resolution and willingness with such submission and patience and that
your pleadings with him at the Throne of Grace for further supplyes of his Grace and that you may be brought into more intimacy of acquaintance with him Every day you should express your love to Christ especially on the Lords day when almost the whole day is to be spent in publick and private Exercises of Religious Worship in all your love to Christ should be in exercise in your attendances upon him in Ordinances you most bring not only your Bodies before him but present your Hearts unto him this you should be carefull to do in publick Prayer and Hearing of the Word Preaching and Singing Psalms often should you endeavour in every Ordinance to lift up your hearts unto the Lord but above all when you approach the Lords Table all your Graces should there and then be in exercise especially this Grace of love to Jesus Christ your Eye there should affect your Heart when you see the representations of your crucified Lord and think what manner of Love he did bear to you that he should submit himself unto such a Death for you how should this affect your hearts And if ever then your Love to Christ should shew it self and act with the greatest vigour and strength SECT XVII HAving given Directions how to attain love to Christ in the truth and in the strength of it I come now to the last sort of Directions wherein you should shew your love to Jesus Christ. More generally shew your Love to Christ in your Obedience unto Christ Ioh. 14. 15. If ye love me keep my Commandements Be faithfull in the performance of all known Duâ—ies which Christ doth command and be carefull in the forbearance of all known sins which Christ doth forbid let your great care be to please Christ whoever is displeased and your great fear be of offending Christ whoever be offended with your strictness Shew your love 1. In the Sincerity of your Obedience 2. In the Willingness of your Obedience 3. In the Vniversality of your Obedience 4. In the Constancy of your Obedience 1. Shew your love to Christ in the Sincerity of your Obedience Hypocrites will do some things which Christ commandeth but it is from carnal Motives and with carnal Designs But let love to Christ be the Motive and the Honour of Christ the End of your Obedience obey Christ because you love him and with a design to please him what you do do heartily unto the Lord and above all things desire and endeavour that what you doe may find acceptation with him 2 Cor. 5. 9. Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him 2. Shew your love to Christ in the Willingness of your Obedience some will obey Christ but it is with great Backwardness they will perform Duties but they are burdensome a weariness and toilsome and the Commandements of Christ are grievous unto them they are scarce ready unto any Duty but when they are scourg'd unto it by the Rods of Affliction or spurr'd and prickt forward by the goads of Conscience O the listlesness and indisposition in the most unto the most spiritual part of the Service of Christ which is an evident proof of the defect of love either in the truth of it or at least in the measure and degree of it Let your love shew it self in the willingness of your Obedience serve the Lord with a willing and ready mind with alacrity and chearfulness of spirit looking upon the Service of Christ as your Honour and esteeming every Duty to be your Priviledge If you have any constraints unto Obedience let them be the constraints of love as 2 Cor. 5. 14. If you be forced to obey Christ let there be no violence but the violence If love if you be drag'd to Duty let it oe with no other cords than the cords of bove let love be the Spur and Goad to prick you forward that you may not onely walk but run in the wayes of Christs commandements with an enlarged heart 3. Shew your love to Christ in the Vniversality of your Obedience Hypocrites wiâ—l perform some Duties which are for their turn and will serve their carnal designs other duties they omit and totally neglect let your love to Christ discover it self in your respect to all his Commandments though you cannot here attain Perfection of Obedience yet lâ—t your Obedience be universal obey Christ not only in open Duties which men are witnesses of but also in secret Duties and spiritual Duties which depend upon the exercise of the Mind such as Meditation Contemplation Self-search and Ejaculation as also in the spiritual part of all Duties which no Eye can be witness unto but the Eye of God and hereby you may be distinguished from all Hypocrites in the world 4. Shew your love to Christ in the Constancy of your Obedience Gal. 5. 7. Ye did run well who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth Some Hypocrites are zealous Professors for a while and at first setting out seem to outstrip many that are sincere but they soon tire and are weary not onely in well-doing but of it they quickly sâ—umble and fall and not onely fall down but fall off not only fall back but fall away and turn fearfull Apostates Shew your love to Christ not onely in setting out well but in continuing your Christian course well unto the end of the course of your Lives begin well and patiently continue in well-doing Persevere in your Obedience Be not weary in well-doing knowing that in due time ye shall reap if ye faint not Gal. 6. 9. And if you be faithfull unto death Christ hath promised to give you the Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. More particularly shew your love to Christ 1. In your learning keeping asserting and maintaining of Christ's truths 2. In your publick spiritedness and zeal for Christs honour and interest 3. In your vigorous resistance and opposition of Christs Enemies 4. In your Following of Christ's example 5. In your readiness to take up and patiently to bear Christs cross 6. In your desires after Christs presence here a longing for Christ's second appearance at the last day 1. Shew your love to Christ in your learning keeping asserting and maintaining Christ's Truths 1. Learn Christ's Truths acquaint your selves by diligent reading of the Scriptures and other books that may be a help hereunto with all fundamental truths of the Christian Religion in the first place and so go on and proceed further to learn those truths which are superstructory and whatever truths you find a Foundation for in the Scriptures which are the word of Truth receive them not only in the light of them but also in the love of them if the branches of truths be in your heads and the leaves of them in your profession and the fruit of them in your actions let the root of them be in your Hearts 2. Having learned the truths of Christ as they are in Jesus let them not hang loose