People Christs Love is abiding Love Christ Abiding doth not carry it towards a Christian as Ammon towards Tamar 2 Sam. 13.15 who seemed to love one day and hate another who seemingly loved one hour and really hated another 'T is said the Man was sick for her till he had satisfied his Lust upon her but then he hated her exceedingly or according to the Margent he hated her with great hatred greatly So that the hâ—tred wherewith he hated her was greater then the Love wherewith he loved her But Christs Love is an abiding Love Jo. 13.1 Having lovâ—d his own which were in the World he loved them unto the end that is World without end Christs Love is a â—asting yea an everlasting Love this Love will last as long as the Christian lasteth as long as Christ lasteth Semèl Simùl ONCE and EVER is Loves Motto Christ once loving ever loveth is not this then a peculiar Love Christs Love is a constraining Love Constraining 2 Cor. 5.14 The Love of Christ constraineth us because we thus judge that if one dyed for all then were all dead The Love of Christ constraineth or hemmeth in keepeth in The Love of Christ hath a mighty Influence it hemmeth in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keepneth in as the Greek word signifieth It is a Metaphor taken from a Creature that is hemmed in so that there is no evasion Go into the high wayes Luke 14.23 and hedgeâ— and compel them to come in thâ— my House may be filled Not iâ— a way of hasty violence but 〈◊〉 a way of gracious Influence Oâ— go and preach my Love anâ— this shall have a singular and 〈◊〉 signal Influence Is not thâ— then a peculiar Love Christs Love Delighting is a delightinâ— Love Love is Christs Element and he is in his Element wheâ— he is loving and manifestinâ— his Love Pro. 8.31 His Delights were wiâ—â— the Sons of Men There is 〈◊〉 Love of pity thus Christ be held the profound Moralist anâ— loved him There is also 〈◊〉 Love of Complacence and Deâ— light Mich. ult 18. He retaineth not his Angeâ— for ever because he delighted iâ— Mercy Is not this now a peculiar Love Christs Love Overcomming is overcome ming Love If Christ lay Seige to a Soul in a way of Mercy in 〈◊〉 way of tender Mercy in a way â—f Bowels of tender Mercy he â—â—kes the Soul captive Belovâ—d Christ hath a better way to â—ke Souls then Generals have â—o take Castles c. they lay â—eige and are necessitated many â—imes to storm the Castle to â—cals the Walls c. But Christ when he lays Siege in a way of â—iscriminating Love he preâ—ently works the Souls unto a â—endition he makes the Soul willing to give up it self to him â—y way of Surrender as it takes Christ for Saviour so it gives â—p it self to Christ as Soveraign A Roman General besieging a Town a Friend of his asked â—n Account of his proceedings â—o whom he replied in three words I came beheld Veni Vidi Vici and overcame Thus Christ make a quick Dispatch with the Soul He did but speak for Matthew anâ— he had him Mathew was gathering the Emperors Tolls anâ— Tributs now Christ did buâ— say to him Mat. 9.9 Follow me but hâ— arose and followed him Nâ— sooner did Christ lay siege to Zacheus but he made a Conquest upon him and made him a Captive to his Love Luke 19.5 6. Makâ— hast saith Christ and come down for I must abide at thy house 〈◊〉 And he made hast and came down and received him joyfully Christ soon made his way into the house of Zacheus and into the heart of Zacheus too Amor omnia vincit The Love of Man may overcome many things as Hunger and Thirst and Nakedness c. but the Love of Christ who is God-Man overcome all things this make a Conquest upon the heart and make that a Captive to God and Grace is not this then a peculiar Love Christs Love Preventing Psal 59.10 is preventing Love The God of my mercy shall prevent me Mark the expression 'T is the God of Mercy that prevent and he prevent in a way of Mercy Beloved To be delivered out of an evil is a Mercy but to be prevented from falling into any evil is a greater Mercy To be delivered out of an sickness is good but to be prevented from falling into sickness is better To be delivered in great danger is a great Mercy but to be prevented from being endangered is greater Mercy Ps 79.8 Oh remember not against us former Iniquities let thy tender Mercies speedily prevent us for we are brought very low 'T is the God of Mercy and the Mercy of God that prevent and is not this then peculiar Mercy Christs Love is preserving Love Preserving Christs Love is preservative Amulet the best preservative in the World against poysoning against infecting against destroying Neah and those with him are Arcked Gen. 7.1 Come thou and all thy house into the Arke God prepared them an Arke that they rode securely when the waters covered all the Mountains Arked they were and so preserved they were Peter while upon the water hath his head kept above water Christ out of Love to Peter preserve Peter God if I may so speak rains Hell out of Heaven upon Sodom but Lot is preserved Though the lot of Loâ— was cast in Soâ—om Vivus in sepulchro Basil the Man is preserved Zoar opens unto him As Peter was preserved above water so Jonah was preserved under water a Whale the greatest wonder in the Deep houseth him And as Loâ— was preserved from flames Dan. 3.21.27 so the Three Children were preserved in flames Oh my Soul glut thy self with a hoâ—y and a heavenly wonderment what preserved above water and under water what preserved from flames and under flames Is not this peculiar Love Christs Love is Posing Love Pâ—sing Beloved Christs Love is above expression the greatest Cicero and Demosthenâ—s in the World the greatest Logician and Rhetorician in the World the greatest Oracle and Orator in the World is not able to express Christs Love to the Life Yea Sirs let me say Christs Love is not only above Expression but above Apprehension and Conception We use to say Man is vaster in Conception then in Expression but Christs Love poseth not only Expression but Conception Eye hath not seen 1 Cor. 2.9 nor ear keard neither hath it entred into the heart the things that God hath prepared for them that love him Christs Love is a Love that passeth knowledge And to know the Love of Christ that passeth knowledge Eph. 3 19. that ye might be filled with all the Fulness of God The Line of Nature Yea the Line of Grace is not able to sound this Depth Is not this then a peculiar Love Christs Love Lastly Surpassing is surpassing Love Oh Souls Christs Love out-bids and
out-vies all other Loves and that in a manifold Respect Suffer me to give you who have tasted that the Lord is gracious a Tast of the Incomparableness of Christs Love In respect of the freeness of it Wine and Milk yea Grace and Glory may be had Psa 84 11. with out Money and without price He giveth Grace and Glory Beloved You have and that to the Life the Portraiture of a person in his Naturals Ezeck 16 6 When I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine own Blood or according to the Margent troden under Foot in thine own Blood is not this a sad state for a man to be troden under Foot for a man to be tumbling and wallowing in his own Blood But what then Did Christ leave the Man as he found him No I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live Yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live There was no Merit here nor Motive here there was nothing but free-grace here meer Mercy here Now was the time of the Creatures greatest defilement Ezeck 16.8 and deformity and yet this was the time of Christs Love Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of Love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness Yea I swear unto thee and entred into a Covenant with thee saith Jehovah God and thou becammest Mine Is not this a peculiar Love In respect of the firstness of it Christ is first in Love Christ loves before he is loved 1 Jo. 4.19 We love him why because he first loved us Christs Love is primary Ours secundary His the cause Ours but the effect Had not Christ fired our hearts with Love we had never bestowed a spark of spiritual Affection upon him Had not Christ first loved us we lived and dyed without loving him Christ loveth before loved is not this then peculiar Love In respect of the Sameness of it Christ and those that are Christs have the same Love Jo. 17.26 I have declared unto them thy name and I will declare it that the love where with thou hast loved me may be in them and I in them Is not this now peculiar Love In respect of the Sureness of it As it is the same Love so it is a sure Love Isa 55.3 Incline your ears and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live but what then and I will make an even lasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Thou mayst loose thy Wifeloose thy Child loose thy Estate yea loose thy Life but thou canst not loose this Love Is it not then a peculiar Love In respect of the Goodness of it Psal 30.5 This Love is Life In thy Favour is Life Yea Sirs this Love is better then Life better then Lifes Psa 63.3 so the Hebrew Because thy loving kindness is better then Lifes Mechajim my lips shall praise Thee Christs Love is better then Life then Lives that is 't is better then Life it self and all sorts of Life whatsoever 'T is better then Life and all the concerns of Life 't is better then many better then all Lives bundled together bound up together Is natural Life nothing Is not life the best Monosyllabe in the World but this is a spiritual Life yea this is an eternal Life And is not this then a peculiar Love In respect of the Greatness of it All Love may be reduced to three Heads Carnal Moral Spiritual And yet Christs Love out-bids any of these out-vies all these But to these distinctly Carnal Now this Carnal Love may fall under three heads the World Self and Sin The World Souls Christs Love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy Love to the World have been The love of the World is a great Sin and looks like a Sin inconsistent with the truth of Grace 1 Jo 2.15 If any Man any one so the Greek Man or Woman love the World the Love of the Father is not in him or her Tim. 6.10 The love of Money is called the root of all evil But now Christs love to Thee is greater then thy love have been to the world so say my Text Who loved us and washed us Here 's washing as well as loving yea washing the Effect and Consequent of loving Is not this then a peculiar Love Self Christs love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy love have been to thy Self Self-Love is a great Sin for a Man is to deny himself not to love himself Mat. 16.24 If any Man will come after Me let him deny himself But now Christs Love to Thee is greater then thy Love hath been to thy Self witness my Text Who loved us and washed us Here is loving and washing out of Love 't is now a peculiar Love Sin Christs love to Thee if thou beest Christs is greater then thy love have been to Sin Thy love and my love to sin have been great greatly great Lovers of pleasure 2 Tim. 3.4 more then Lovers of God Thou hast served diverse lusts and pleasures thy Soul have been a Vessel of Sin and a Vassal unto Satan but now Christs love to Thee is greater then thy love have been to Sin witness the Text Who loved us and washed us but from what From our Sins in his own Blood Is not this then a peculiar Love Moral As Christs Love is greater then carnal so then Moral Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Master to the Servant For 1. The Centurions Love was great to his Servant 't is expresly said that he had a Servant who was dear unto him but he was sick and ready to dye Now hearing of Jesus Luke 7.2 3. he sent unto him the Elders of the Jews beseeching him that he would come and heal his Servant The Masters Love was great desiring his Servant might be healed but Christs was greater Luke 7.10 for he healed the Servant They found the Servant whole Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Father to the Child Jacob Love to Benjamin was great the Fathers life was bound up in the Lads life Davids love to Absalom was great 2 Sam. 18.33 if not too great That I had ayed for thee oh Absalom my Son my Son But Christs is greater When my Father and my Mother forsake me then Jehovah will gather me Psa 27.10 When my Father cast me out of his Arms and my Mother cast me off her knees then Jehovah will gather me into the Arms of beginningless and endless Mercy Christs Love is greater then the Love of the Mother to the Child The Mothers Love is a great Love if not the greatest Love Isa 49.15 Can a Woman forget her sucking child from having compassion on the child of her womb Is there such a Women among Women Yea they may forget yet will I not forget Thee Christs Love is
greater then the Love of the Husband to the Wife Conjugâ—l Love is at least ought to be great Love The Love of Abraham to Sarah was great of Isaac to Rebecca was great of Jacob to Rackel was great of Elkanah to Hannah was great of Augustus to his Livia was great who dyed in the Embraceme is of her with these words Livia nostri Conjugii memoresto vive vale which may thus be Englished Livia remember we were one live and farewell Man and Wife are one flesh and if both be living one Spirit so that this Love must needs be great but Christs is greater Husbands Eph. 5.25 love your Wives as Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it Where is there a Husband that gives himself for his Wife that gives himself to death for his Wife Or if he should what would it signifie She could never say with the Text who loved me and washed me from my Sins in his Blood This must not be said of any blood but Christs is not this then a peculiar Love Spiritual Christs Love is greater then the Spiritual Love of Christians Jonathans love to David was great and Davids love to Jonathan was great but Christs is greater what 's a spark to the Furnace a drop to the Ocean Such is the Love of Man to the Love of Christ God manifest in the flesh 'T is true David speaks very honourably of Jonathans Love 2 Sam. 1.26 Thy Love to me have been wonderfull passing the Love of Women But Christs Love is greater Christs Love is greatest Jo. 14.13 Greater Love hath no Man then this that a Man lay down his life for his Friend Christ laid down his life for Enemies as Enemies when and while Enemies Is not this now a peculiar Love What use may be made of this Lastly that Christ hath a peculiar Love for his peculiar People Hath Christ a peculiar Love for his peculiar People USE This then may be useful by way of Caution by way of Comfort by way of Councel Is Christs Love a peculiar Love By way of Caution take heed then of turning Love into Lust and loving kindness into lasciviousness To do evil that good may come and to be sinful because God is merciful and to be lustful because Christ is Love-ful is the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Dost argue from Grace to Sin from Love to Lust from Mercy to Iniquity from Immunity unto Impiety this is the Dialect of Hell and the Sophistry of the Prince of Darkness Rom. 3.8 Oh how do the Apostle thunder against such we are slanderously reported and some affirm that we say Let us do evil that good may come whose damnation is just Art loved be joyous Soul thou art more then a Conquerour through him that loveth By way of Comfort Oh you that have the Love of Christ shed abroad in your hearts by the Spirit of Christ this Text as a Cordial under your fainting Fits Who loved us Art tempted or troubled pained or panged distressed or disserted yet loved Me Duce vinces Rom. 8.37 who loved us Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors but how through him that loved us Not only Conquerors but more then Conquerors It is a compound word and signifies more then simply to overcome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we greatly overcome we over and above overcome we overcome above measure or exceeding gloriously we do more then overcome we do Over-overcome as the Greek seem to read it It may well be read thus But in all these things we Over-overcome through him that loved us In all these things but what things were these These things ye may run and read Rom. 8.35 What shall separate us from the Love of God shall Tribulation or Distress or Persecution or Famine or Nakedness or Peril or Sword Here are seven bitter Dishes and shall these No In all these things we do Over-overcome Is not any one of these Dishes enough for any pallate in the World yet not one of these not any of these yea not all these shall separate from the Love of God But in all these things we do Over-overcome but how through him that loved us Now that thy Cup may be filled with Joy and Peace like the water pots of Galilee up to the very Brim suffer me to tell thee that Christs Love is the most sutable and soveraign Cordial Christs Love is the most sutable Cordial Those Cordials are most efficacious that are most natural and most suiting the Spirits Gal. 2.20 Christs Love is the Christians Life I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Christs Love falls in with the Life of a Christian and therefore most sutable Christs Love is the most soveraign Cordial As Gods Love when he gave Christ is put for all Causes Jo. 3.16 So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son So Christs Love when Christians get comfort is put for all Cordials Is not that a lofty as well as a lovely Expression of the great Doctor of the Gentiles Rom. 8.38 39. For I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers Nor things present nor things to come Nor Height nor Depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Soul Christs Love contain in it the sum of the Gospel Christ being the sum of the Gospel and Love the sum of Christ God so loved the World that he gave Christ and Christ so loved the World that he gave himself contain in it the Pith and Marrow of all the Gospel This little word Love written in the golden letters of free-Grace in the blood of Jesus Christ is an Epitomy of the Gospel The Life of Christ was a perfect Mirror of his Love every action of it was full of Love and if we put all the Actions of his life together we may conclude that he was not born so much to Live as to Love Was there a word that dropped from his Lips but was sull of Love And as for his works they all speak Love so loud that the deafest ear may hear it Should we begin at the Temple where Christ disputed with the Doctors and â—low him to the Mount where 〈◊〉 was crucified by the Soulâ—ers we should see all the way â—ewed with Love-Reses Now 〈◊〉 loved then this Christ is â—hy Christ and this Love â—hy Love and is not this â—â—tter of Joy Go away then â—â—d be filled with Joy and â—ace through Believing Oh but there are Achans withâ—â— Object 1 Sauls within the Sons of â—erviab within Oh there are â—any Blots in my Scutcheon â—any Weeds in my Garden â—uch Rubbish in my House â—any Holes in my Coat much â—eâ—ven in my Heart Oh no â—eart like unto Mine Soul Solut. Christs Loâ—â— is greater â—en thy Lust and his Mercy â—en thine Iniquity If the Sun â—e
as he did to them Mat. 6.30 O thou of little Faith Well art unbelieving yet loved 2 Tim. 2.13 If we believe not yet he abideth faithful he cannot deny himself Art hated yet loved Oh say the Soul 2 Cro. 18.7 I am hated hated by the World hated by Neighbours hated by Relations Oh say the Soul I am hated hated by these and one saith concerning Me as the false King said concerning the true Prophet There is yet one Man by whom we may enquire of the Lord the same is Mecajah but I hate him Well art hated yet loved It is thus with Thee so it is with Me Art hated by Man yet loved by God-Man Ye shall be hated of all Nations Mark 13.13 for my names sake but he that endureth to the end the same shall be saved Art hardned yet loved Oh say the Soul my Heart is hard very hard exceedingly hard unexpressively hard Oh say the Soul as mine Eye is like a Pumice so my Heart is like an Adamant Oh my Heart is hard as a Stone hard as an Adamant-stone concerning which they say that nothing but Goats blood will soften it Oh my Heart is hard hard as a stone hard as a Mil-stone hard as a piece of the nether milstone Well art hardned yet loved I will take away thy stony Heart out of your Flesh and will give you a Heart of Flesh I that can do it will do it Art distressed yet loved Oh say the Soul as my weaknesses are many so my wants are many My Corruption is strong but my Grace is weak my unbelief strong but my Faith weak my pride strong but my Humility weak my Passion strong but my Patience weak Oh say the Soul though I do not want Grace yet I am wanting in Grace though I am not without Grace Glory to the God of Grace for the Grace of God yet I have but a little Grace Oh Sir I am wanting in Grace wanting in every Grace Oh Sir may not I say concerning any Grace yea I do say concerning every Grace as the great Doctor of the Gentiles saith concerning the Churches Faith Night and Day 1 Thess 3.10 praying exceedingly that we might see your Face and might perfect that which is lacking in your Faith Well art distressed yet loved art wanting in Grace in every Grace yet loved My God shall supply all your need Phil. 4.19 according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus Art disserted yet loved Lastly Oh say the Soul 't is Night with Me I am in the dark yea walking in darkness and have no light Oh there 's a cloud interposing between my Soul and my Saviour The Face of God is eclipsed and he seems to cover my Soul with a cloud in his anger Oh say the Soul as it is said Nic. 3 6. the Sun shall go down over the Prophets so the Sun of righteousness is gone done upon my Soul Oh Sir the Lord hath forsaken me Isa 49.14 and my God hath forgotten me Oh I am not only out of the hand of God but also out of the heart of God! Oh I am not forsaken only but forgotten also Well Soul art disserted Isa 54.7 yet loved For a smal Moment have I forsaken Thee but with great Mercies will I gather Thee Beloved Dissertion is the lowest Dreg of a Believers Cup All the Hell that he shall have he hath here he shall have Heaven but nothing but Heaven hereafter Thus Soul ballance Christs Love against all thy SORROWS under all thy SOLITUDES But as I did begin so I must end and where I did begin there I shall end If Christ hath a peculiar People and a peculiar Love for this peculiar People suffer then the words of Exhortation and hold fast this Truth this Text Who loved us Let the World go and Sin go let Self go and Satan go But let not this Text go this Truth go Who loved us Who loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood And washed us from our Sins iâ— his own Blood THat Christ Loving his Meditation out of Love washeth his and that from their Sins in his own Blood Beloved If the Master of the Assembly please to influence a methodical Discourse to Edification suffer then an innocent Inquiry after these six things 1. What this washing is that is by Christs own Blood 2. What this Sins is that is washed from in Christs own Blood 3. Whether Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood 4. How Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood 5. Why Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood 6. What use may be made of this that Christ washeth from Sin in his own Blood What this washing is that is Method by Christs own Blood To this Negatively and then Positively What this washing is not 1 Negatively to this generaly and then partilarly To wash is to purge 1 Generally and make clean Thus the Fishermen were gone out of their Ships washing their Nets Luke 5.2 That is making clean their Nets for Nets by washing are made clean but thus you are not to understand it here There 's a Natural washing 2 Particularly There 's a washing of the hands and feet a washing of the Body and Cloathes for the Body Thus Matth. 15.20 To eat with unwashed hands defileth not a Man But thus you are not to understand it here in the Text And washed us There 's a Moral washing Thus Psa 26.6 I will wash my hands in Innocency so will I compass thine Altar Jehovah But thus you are not to understand it here And washed us There 's a Ceremonial washing Thus Heb. 9.10 Which stood only in Meats and Drinks and divers washings until the time of Reformation But thus you are not to understand it here And washed us There 's a superstitious washing Thus Matth 15.2 Why do thy Disciples transgress the Traditions of the Elders for they wash their Hands when they eat Bread But thus you are not to understand it here And washed us There 's a Miraculous washing Thus John 9.11 Go and wash and I went and washed and I received sight But thus you are not to understand it here And washed us There 's a Spiritual washing 2 Positively There 's a washing from the Guilt of Sin and from the Filth of Sin There 's a Deliverance from a Conscience of Sin and from a Conversation of Sin There 's a washing Sin from off the Soul and so justifying it and a washing the Soul from off Sin and so sanctifying it To these distinctly To wash is to justifie To wash is to redeem and restore Thus Revel 5 9. Thou art worthy to take the Book and open the Seals thereof why for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy Blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation To wash is to Sanctifie As to wash is to redeem and restore so to
LOVE to the LIFE Or some MEDITATIONS UPON LOVING and WASHING In the Blood of Christ TOGETHER With a Tast of Gospel-Promises as the CHURCHES STOCK or BELIEVERS PATRIMONY By R. M. the Benjamin of his Fathers house As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you continue ye in my Love Jo. 15.9 If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me Jo. 13 8. If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and Heirs according to the promise Gal. 3.29 Mala mea purè mala sunt mea sunt Bona autem mea nec pure bona sunt nec mea sunt London Printed for B. Harris at the Stationers Arms in Swithins Alley Anno 1674. To the Christian and Candid Reader READER THou mayst wonder to see Me the Benjamin of my Fathers House to add to the Heap and Pile of Books If my wickedly-wicked heart deceive me not not Glory unless of God nor Gain unless of Souls have been the wheels on which I have moved and the grand Incentives to Midwife the Babe into the World A Book may preach when the Author dare not when the Author cannot yea which is more when the Author is not I hope I can say without a Flourish that this Babe had been stifflled in the womb and not seen the Light had not my highest Ambition notwithstanding Brotherly Solicitation been my Fathers Glory and my Fellow Creatures Good Eccl. 12 12 Though of making Books there is no end and much reading is a weariness to the Flesh Yet there are some Books of which I may say as some Phisicians speak of their Pills there are Pilula sine quibus that is sine quibus esse nolo without which they would not be 'T is true the Bible is the Book of Books for that is Gods Book yet there are some Libelli sine quibus some little Books without which I would not be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If this little Tract have been preached to the Ear and shall be preâ—ented to the Eye then the strength of Israel imprint it upon the Heart Reader If thou findest not in this Book Much in a Little yet wonder not Job 8.9 for I am but of yesterday and know nothing or not according to the Margent If any say why do this Dwarf trouble the World that 's under a Glut of Books already I shall modestly reply that though wordly praise and profit be the two Lackeys of most mens Labours yet through Grace I have been hunting after neither The Pen by far spreads it self farther then the Voice can reach the Pen is an artificial Tongue and sheaks to the Absent as well as the present yea it speaks not to the present Age only but to the succeeding Ages also The Pen is a kind of Image of Eternity and will make a Man live when He is dead Zach. 1.5 Though the Prophets do not live for ever yet their Labours may Heb. 11.4 ana Abel though dead yet speaketh or is spoken off What Solon saia concerning Laws that there were many good Laws made but there wanted one Law to make them put all those Laws in Execution So I may â—ay concerning Books there are many good Book written but there wanteth one Book to make us put those â—ood Books in practise Oâ— such a Book were worth writing and worth reading Augustine with Ciceroes Hortensius I havâ— read of one that was much taken with the Book of anothâ—r but not finding the name of Christ in it he could not cordyally affect it Reader I doubt not but the Name of Christ who hath a Name above every Name will be Legible in this little little Book for 't is a Narrative according to my Stature of Christs Loving and Washing out of Love I would hope I shall never have cause to say concerning this Book as Nero did concerning a piece of his ultinum nescissem Literas wishing it had never been written God hath two Books his Works and his Word the Book of the Creatures and the Book of the Scriptures As for this latter Book the Holy Scriptures of Truth they are Christs Letters of Credence that when a poor desponding doubting and drooping Souls cannot see Christ it may read of a Christ and hear of a Christ and so hear from a Christ Now though for this Book especially we are to bleâ—s God for as there is a different Reading and what is said of a part is trâ—e of the whole Rev. 1.3 Blessed is he or she that reaâ—eth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those sayings which are written therein Yet there are many other good Books for which I can bless God especially where there is much of a Christ most of a Christ as Saviour and Soveraign Reader Was not that a sad day when the Apostles who were so good Preachers were forbidden preaching Acts 4.17.18 They called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus So was not that a sad and sinful day in the time of Justin Martyr Clarks Eccles Hist 7. The Proconsul in Asia forbad that Christians should read any Books that spake of Christ In this little little Book thou mayest read of a Jesus the Loving of a Jesus the Washing of a Jesus whose Name is Honey to the Mouth Melody to the Ear and Musick to the Heart Pauls Epistles and Peters Epistles are Ours though not in their Inscriptions yet in their Benefit Words pass away and are forgotten when writing remain Every new Tide blots out a writing in the Sand and every new Term shews the former forgotten but writing deceives even Death it self If this Book should turn to the Good of None yet shall I sing but to the same Tune that others of Gods Servants have done before Me witness this place among others Isa 49.4 Then I said I have laboured in vain I have spent my strength for nought and in vain yet surely my Judgement is with the Lord and my work or reward with God Reader A pretention to satisfie every Reader were as ridiculous as his Attempt who studied to make a Vestement for the Moon that might fit her for every Interchange If therefore thou beest curious and critical I cannot pretend to the least hope of pleasing Thee for thou wilt I fear be finding faults besides the faults that are to be found But least this Epistle should swell and become tympanious I will give it a timely Check As it is true there is a so believing for there must be a believing with the Heart yea Acts 8.37 with the whole Heart If thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest And as there is a so repenting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for there must be sorrowing after a godly manner or as the Greek is a sorrowing according to God And 2 Cor. 7.9 as there is a so running So run 2 Cor. 9.24 that ye may obtain And as there
washed Sin yea Sins Who loved us and washed us from our Sins That by which they are washed Blood not water but Bood yea his Blood yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his own Blood or the Blood of himself in his own Blood or the Blood of himself Who loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood The words thus divided from them these Meditations may be deduced That Christ hath a peculiar People Meditations and a peculiar love for his peculiar People Us Not All but Us not Most but Us not every Individual but Us and these loved who loved Us. That Christ washeth whom he loveth and that from their Sins in his own Blood And washed us from our Sins in his own Blood That Christ hath a peculiar People Meditat. 1. and a peculiar Love for this peculiar People I begin with this and shall engage it as I am more or less under a divine Gale and Gust Now if the most excellent Glory please to smile a Methodical Discourse unto spiritual Advantage I shall digest my Discourse into this Method Inquiring Whether Christ hath a peculiar People Whether Christ hath a peculiar Love for this peculiar People What use may be made of this That Christ hath a peculiar People and a peculiar Love for his peculiar People Whether Christ hath a peculiar People That God and Christ have a People a peculiar People a People above any other People a People above all other People is evident Thus God and Christ had under the Old Testament witness these places Thou art a holy People unto the Lord thy God and the Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar People unto himself abâ—ve all the Nations that are upon the Earth Deut. 14.2 The Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar People as he hath promised thee and that thou shouldest keep all his Commandements Deut. 26.18 Thus God and Christ also had under the New Testament wisness these places Who gave himself for us that he might reaeem us from all iniquity and purifie to himself a peculiar People zealous of good works Tit. 2.14 But ye are a chosen generation a royal Priesthood a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises or vertues of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 But take one place more which comprehend the peculiar People of God and Christ both under the Old and New Testament For Jah hath chosen to himself Jacob and Israel for his inheritance Psalm 135.4 So that what was promised under the Old Testament is performed by Christ in redeeming and purifying his peculiar People under the New Whether Christ hath a peculiar Love But 2. for this peculiar People Beloved I shall endeavour an evincement of this Truth in giving you a Tast of what manner of Love Christ hath to his People As Christ hath a peculiar People which I have already proved so he hath a peculiar Love to this peculiar People now this will appear by the Quantity or Measure of it and by the Quality or Manner of it In reference to the Measure of it There 's the Affection of Love which is natural and the Grace of Love which is supernatural There 's the Affection of Love and that 's natural This is or ought to be in all Men or Women Hath not the Husband a natural Affection to the Wise and Children Hath not the Wife a natural Affection to the Husband and Children The Apostle Rom. 1.31 reckons and ranks those among capital and cardinal Sinners that are without natural Affection There 's the Grace of Love and that 's supernatural Now the Grace of Love is in Christ formally and causally Formally Love is in Christ as the subject of it 1 Jo. 4.8 he is the God of it God is Love Not onely lovely and loving but Love in the Abstract God is Love Jo. 1.1 Christ is God In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God As is the Height of the Lover so is the Height of the Love The Moralists judge of the Magnitude of Crimes by the Persons against whom they are committed And as it was said of Gideon as the Man is so is his Strength Thus it may be said of Christ as He is Isa 9.6 so is his Love but he is wonderfull his name shall be called wonderfull so is his Love as his name is wonderful so is his Love Christ is a Bundle of Love all the dispersed Excellencies and Loves that are in the World meet in him as all the Lines meet in the Center Causally Love is in Christ as the Fountain of it Beloved As Christ is the God of Love so he is the Giver of Love to this my Text speaks who loved us In reference to the Manner of it But 2. As this appears by the Quantity or Measure of it so it appears by the Quality or Manner of it Now in a Discussion of the Manner of Christs Love to his peculiar People there will be a Discourry of it to be a peculiar Love But what Manner of Love Question is Christs Love What manner of Love Solution is Christs Love is that the Question What manner of Love Give me leave then to say 't is much more easie to say what it is not then what it is My Line is too short to sound this Bottom what 's a Muscle-shel to empty an Ocean In Christ there are deep Riches that cannot be sounded and rich Deeps that cannot be exhausted I shall therefore promise but a Tast of this Love Christs Love is attracting Love Attracting 'T is no more connatural to the Loadstone to draw Iron to it then for the Love of Christ to draw Love out of the Christian 'T is said of Mary Magdalene Luk. 7.4.7 that much was forgiven her for she loved much Not that her much Loving was the cause of her much Forgiving but Christ forgiving her much she loved much Hos 11.4 I drew them with Cords of a man with bands of Love As the Banner Christ display so the Cord by which he draw is Love His Love hath a Magnetick vertue Christs Love is abounding Love Abounding Had David a Cup running over Oh what hath Christ then the Lord of David But David saith Psal 23.5 Thou preparest a Table before me in the presence of mine Enemies thou anointest mine head with Oyl my Cup runneth over Beloved The Cup of Christs Love is not only full but it runs over This Nilus overflows her Banks in Winter as well as Summer Christ loveth his as he loveth himself Yea he seemeth to love his above himself for he loveth them and out of Love dyeth for them I lay down my life for the Sheep Je. 10.15 Now hath not Christ a peculiar People and is not this a peculiar Love that he hath for this peculiar