Bowels Opened, Sermon 6
THE SIXT SERMON.SERM. VI.
CANT. V. II.
It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, open unto me, my love, my dove, my undefiled, &c.
IN the first part of this verse, hath beene handled the Churches own condition which shee was in, after some blessed feelings that shee had of the love of Christ.
Now in the next words the Church sets downe an acknowledgement of the carriage of Christ to her in this her sleepie condition. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocks, saying, Open to mee my Sister, my Love, my Dove, &c. She acknowledgeth Christs voice in her sleepie estate, and sets downe his carriage thus, how hee knockes, and then also speakes, Open to mee, And then sets downe what hee suffered for her, My head is filled with dew, and my locks with the dropps of the night. And that nothing might be wanting that might moove her heart to respect this his carriage towards her, he useth sweete titles, a loving compellation, Open to mee (saith he,) my Sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled, as so many cords of love to draw her, so here wants neither loving carriage, sweet words, nor patience; It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh.
The Church as she takes notice of the voice of Christ, so shee doth also of the meanes he useth, and seeth his love in them all. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh, saying, open to mee, &c. Here is also an other distinguishing note of a sound Christian from an unsound, A sanctified spirit sees Christ in the meanes, this is, sayes the heart, the word of Christ, and this the, merciemercy of Christ to take such paines with my soule, to send his Ministers, to provide his ordinances,Ephes. 4. 12. to give gifts to men, and men to the Church. It is the voice of my Beloved that knocketh.
But wee must especially understand it of the Ministeriall voice,That Christs knocking is especially by the Ministery of the Word. whereby Christ doth chiefly make way for himselfe into the heart, and that by all kind of wayes dispensed therein: as gifts of all so…ts, some rougher, some milder, all kind of Methods and wayes in the Ministery to make way for himselfe, First of all by the threatnings of the Law, and by terrours, as Iohn was sent before Christ, and as the storme, went before the still and calme voice,1 King. 19. 12. wherein God came to Elias, so he useth all kind of courses in the Ministery; and Ministers by the direction of the Spirit turne themselves, as it were, into all shapes and fashions both of speech and Spirit to win people to God, in so much that God appeales to them, What could I have done more for my Church,Isa. 5. 1. that I have not done?
Therefore let us take notice of this voyce of Christ in the vvord,Vse. and not thinke as good Samuel thought,1 Sam. 3. 5. that Eli spake, when God spake; let us thinke that God speakes to us in the Ministery, that Christ comes to woe us, and win us thereby.
And wee Ministers are the friends of the Bridegroome, who are to heare what Christ saith and would have said to the Church, and we must pray to him, that he would teach us what to teach others. We are to procure the contract, and to perfect it till the marriage be in heaven, that is our worke.
And you that are hearers if you doe not regard Christs sweete voyce in the Ministery, which God hath appointed for the governement of the world, know, that there is a voice that you cannot shake of. That peremptorie voice at the day of judgement,Mat. 25. when he will say, Goe yee cursed into hell sire, &c. And that God who delights to be stiled a God hearing prayer, will not heare thee, but saith Such a one as turnes his care away from hearing the Law, Prov. 28. 9.his prayer is abominable. It is a dolefull t hing, that hee that made us, and allureth us in the Ministery, that followes us with all evidences of his love, and adds together with the Ministery many sweet motions of his Spirit, that he should delight in the destruction of his creatures, and not indure the sight of them, Depart away from me yee cursed into hell fire, &c. There are scarce any in the Church, but Christ hath allured at one time or other to come in, and in many he opens their understandings in a great measure, and knocks upon their hearts, that they (as it were) halfe open unto Christ, like Agrippa that said to Paul, Thou almost perswadest mee to be a Christian. Act. 26. 28.So Herod did many things, and he heard gladly. Mark. 6. 20.They are halfe open, seeme to open, but are not effectually converted, but at last they see, that further yeelding will not stand with that which they resolve not to part with; their lusts, their present condition that they make their God, and their heaven, whereupon they shutte the doore againe, when they have opened it a little to the motions of Gods Spirit, they dare give no further way, because they cannot learne the first lesson in Christs schoole, to denie themselves, and take up their crosse.
This is an undoubted conclusion, our blessed Saviour giveth such meanes and motions of his Spirit to the vil…st persons in the Church, that their owne hea…ts tell them, they have more meanes and …ecter motions, then they yeeld to, a…d that the sentence of c…nd…mnation is not pronounced upon them for meerely not knowing of Christ, but upon some grounds of rebellion, in that they goe not so farre as they are provoked, and put on by the Spirit of God, they resist the holy Spirit.Acts. 7 31. There can bee no resistance where there is not a going beyond the desire and will of him whom hee resisteth. A man doth not resist, when hee gives way as farre as he is mooved. There is no wicked man in the Church, that gives so much way as he is mooved and stirred to by the Spirit and word of God.
Away then with these impudent, ungracious Objections about Gods Decree for matter of Election, let us make it sure, and for any ill conceits that may rise in our hearts about that other of reprobation let this dampe them all, that in the Church of God, hee offers unto the vilest wretch so much meanes with the motions of his Spirit, as he resisting, proves inexcusable, his owne rebellion therefore being the cause of his rejection. Let men cease from cavilling, God hath that in their owne breast, in the heart of every carnall man, which will speake for God against him, and stop his mouth that hee shall be silent,Mar. …2. 12., and speechlesse at the day of judgement.
Thus we see that Christ doth condescend so low as to account it almost a part of his happinesse to have our soules for a Temple to dwell in, to rule there. Therefore he makes all this earnest suit, with strong expressions what he suffereth.
And since Christ beares this great and large affection to his poore Church, It may incourage us to pray heartily for the same, and to spread before God the state thereof. Why Lord? it is that part of the world that is thy Sister, thy Love, thy Dove, thy undefiled: the Communion with whom thou livst above all the world besides. It is a strong argument to prevaile with God. Therefore let us commend the state of the Church at this time, or at any time with this confidence. Lord, it is the Church that thou lovest. They thought they prevailed much with Christ when thy laboured to bring him to Lazarus, Ioh. 11. 3.saying, Lord, Hee whom thou lovest is sicke. So say wee, Simile.The Church whom thou lovest, that is thy only love, In whom thy love is concenterate (as it were) and gathered to abead, (as though thou hadst no other love in the world but thy Church) this thy love is in this state and condition. It is good to thinke of prevailing arguments, not to moove God so much, as our owne hearts, to strengthen our faith to prevaile with God, which is much, fortified with the confideration of Christs wonderous loving expression to his poore Church. Then, come to Christ, offer thy selfe, and he will meet thee. Are not two loving well-wishers well met? When th… offerest thy selfe to him, and hee seekes thy love, will hee reject thee when thou …mmest to him that seekes thy love, and seeketh it in this passionate, affectionate manner, as hee doth? Therefore, be of good comfort. Hee is more willing to entertaine us then we are to come to him.
And for those that have relapsed any kind of way,That the Relapsed need no… desp…rately to be discouraged▪ let them not be discouraged to returne againe to Christ; the Church here was in a drowsie sleepie estate, and used him unkindly, yet he is so patient, that hee waites her leisure as it were and saith, Open to mee my Sister, my love, &c. Thomas was so untoward, that hee would not beleeve, Vnlesse hee did see the print of the na…es, &c. in Christs bodie. Yet Christ was so gratious as hee condescendeth to poore Thomas, so to Peter after hee was fallen, and to the Church after backsliding.
Open to me my Sister, &c.
Hence Observe further,
That Christ hath never enough of his Church till he hath it in Heaven, Obs…rv.where are indeed the kisses of the Spouse, and of Christ, In the meane while Open, Open still. Christ had the heart of the Spouse in some measure already, but yet there were some corners of the heart that were not so filled with Christ as they should be, hee was not so much in her understanding, will, joy, delight, and love, as hee would be: therefore, Open thy understanding more and more to imbrace me, and divine truths that are offered thee; open thy love to solace me more and more. For God in Christ having condescended to the tearmes of friendsh…p nay to intimate tearmes of friendship in marriage with us. Therefore as the Church in her right temper, hath never enough of Christ, but desires further union, and communion still, It being the defcription of the people of God, that they love the appearance of Christ, as they loved his first appearance,2 Tim. 4. 18. and waited for the consolation of Israell; Revel. 21. 20.so they love his second appearing, and are never quiet, till hee comes againe in the flesh, to consummate the marriage begun heere: so Christ also he is as desirous of them, yea they are his desires that breed their desires; Open to mee my Sister, my love, my dove, &c. Againe his Love and pittie mooves him to desire further to come into us: Christ knowes what is in our hearts, if he bee not there, there is that, that should not bee there. What is in the braine where Christ is not? a deale of worldly projects nothing worth. What is in our joy, if Christ bee not there? worldly joy, which cleaves to things worse then it selfe. If a man were anatomized, and seene into, hee would be ashamed of himselfe, if hee did see himselfe, Christ therefore out of pittie to our soules, would not have the Divell there; Christ knowes it is good for our soules to give way to him, therefore he useth all sweet allurements, Open to mee my Sister, my love, &c. Christ hath never his fill, till he close with the soule perfectly, so that nothing be in the soule above him, nothing equall to him, therfore Open, Open, still.
Againe, He sets downe to moove the Church the more to open to him the inconveniences that hee indured, My head is filled with dew, &c. wherein hee shewes what he suffered, which sufferings are of two sorts. In himselfe. In his Ministers. In himselfe and in his owne blessed person, what did he endure? what patience had hee in enduring the refractorie spirits of men when he was here? how many indignities did he digest in his Desciples after their conversion? Towards his latter end, his Head was not onelyonly filled with the dropps, but his bodie filled with drops of bloud. Drops of bloud came from him, because of the anguish of his Spirit, and the sense of Gods wrath for our sinnes. Upon the Crosse, what did hee indure there? that sense of Gods anger there was onelyonly for our sinnes.Mat. 27. My God my God, why hast thou forsaken mee? What should wee speake of his going up and downe doing good, preaching in his owne person, setting whole nights apart for prayer; And then for what hee suffers in his Minister? there he knocks, and saith, Open in them. And how was hee used in the Apostles that were after him, and in the Ministers of the Church ever since, What have they indured? for he put a spirit of patience upon them. And what indignities indured they in the Primitive Church, that were the publishers, of the Gospell, those sweet publishers thereof, drawing men to open to Christ, were killed for preaching. So cruell is the heart, that it offereth violence to them, that love them most, that love their soules. And what greater love, then the love of the soule? yet this is the Satanicall temper and disposition of mens hearts, they hate those men most, that deale this way most truely and lovingly with them. It is not that the Gospell is such an hard message. It is the word of Reconciliation, and the word of life, but the heart hates it, because it would draw men from their present condition, and Therefore Condemnation is come into the world, in that men hate the light,Iohn. 3. 19. because their workes are evill. Is there any thing truely and cordially hated but Grace? and are any persons heartily and cordially hated in the world so much as the Promulgers and Publishers of Grace, and the Professours of it, because it upbraids most of all, and meddles with the corruptions of men, that are dearer to them then their owne soules.
Now what patience is there in Christ to suffer himselfe in his messengers, and his children to be thus used? Nor it is not strange to say that Christ stands thus in his Ministers, for 1 Pet. 3. 19. It is said, That Christ by his Spirit preached in the daies of Noah to the soules now in prison, Christ preached in Noahs time before he was Incarnate, much more doth he preach now: and as he was patient then to endure the old World, unto whom Noah preached a hundred and twenty yeares, so he is patient now in his Ministers to preach still by the same Spirit, Even to us still, and yet the enteatainement in many places is (as Paul complaines,) though the more I love you, 2 Cor. 12. 1….yet she lesse I am beloved of you.
Let these things moove us to be patient towards God and Christ, Vse. 1.if we be corrected in any kind, considering that Christ is so patient towards us, and to waite upon him with patience. How long hath he waited for our conversion? how long doth hee still waite for the through giving up of our soules to him? Shall we thinke much then to waite a little while for him?
And let this Spirit of Christ strengthen us likewise in our dealing with others, Vse. 2.as to beare with evill men, and as it is. 2 Tim. 2. 25, 26. To waite if God will at any time give them repentance. Neither may we be so short spirited that if we have not an answer presently to give over. Wee should imitate Christ heere, never give over as long as God continues life with any advantage and opportunitie to doe good to any soule, waite, if God at any time will give them Grace. Open to mee my Sister, my love, &c.
Let this aga…ne worke upon us, that our Saviour Christ here would thus set forth his love, and his patience in his love, in bearing with us thus under the resemblance of a silly suitor that comes afarre off and stands at the doore, and knocks, that Christ should stoope thus in seeking the good of our soules, Let this winn, and quicken our hearts with all readinesse, and thankfullnesse to receive him when hee comes to worke in our soules, considering, that Christ hath such a care of us by himselfe, his Ministers, and the motions of his Spirit, who joynes with his Ministrie; let not us therefore be carelesse of our owne soules; but let it moove our hearts to melt to him. The motives may be seene more in the particular compellations, Open to mee my Sister, my Love, &c.
My Sister.
This was spoken of before in the former verse. The Church of God is Christs Sister and Spouse, we are knit to him both by Consanguinitie, and by Affinitie. The neerest as…initie is Marriage: and the neerest Consanguinitie is Sister. So that there are all Bonds to knit us to Christ; Whatsoever is strong in any bond, he knits us to him by it. Is there any love in an Husband, Math. 12.a Brother, a Mother, a Friend, in an Head to the members? in any thing in the world? Is there any love scattered in any relation, gather it all into one, and all that love, and a thousand times more then that, is in Christ in a more eminent manner, therefore he stiles himselfe in all these sweet relations, to shew that he hath the love of all, will a Sister shut out a Brother, when the Brother comes to visit her, and doe her all good? is this unkindnesse even in Nature to looke strangely upon a man that is neere a kin, that comes and saith, Open to mee my Sister? If the Sister should shut out the Brother, were it not most unnaturall? And is it not monstrous in Grace? when our Brother comes for our good, and in pittie to our soules to let him stand without doores? Remember that Christ hath the same affections, to account us Brothers and Sisters now in Heaven, as he had when hee was upon the Earth, For after his resurrection (saith he to his Disiciples) I goe to my God, Ioh. 20. 17.and to your God, to my Father, and to your Father; hee calls himselfe our Brother, having one common Father in Heaven, and one Spirit, and one inheritance, &c, This is a sweet relation, Christ beeing our Brother, his heart cannot but melt towards us in any affliction. Ioseph dissembled a while out of politicke wisedome, Gen. 42.but because hee had a Brothers heart to Benjamin, therefore at last hee could not hould, but melted into teares, though hee made his countenance, as though he had not regarded. So our Ioseph now in Heaven, may seeme to withdraw all tokens, and signes of Brotherly love from us, and not to owne us, but it is onelyonly in shew, hee is our Brother still, his heart first or last, will melt towards his Bretheren to their wonderfull comfort. My Sister, &c.
My Love.
That word we had not yet. It is worthy also a little standing on; for all these foure words bee (as it were) the attractive cords to draw the Spouse, not onelyonly by shewing what hee had suffered, but by sweet titles, My Love, My Dove.
What had Christ no love but his Spouse? did his love goe out of his own heart to her (as it were?) It is strange, yet true, Christs love is so great to his Church and Children, and so continuall to it, that his Church and People and every Chirstian soule is the seate of his love, That love in his owne breast beeing in them, Ioh. 17. ult.they are his love, because hee himselfe is there, and one with them.
Hee loves all his Creatures, they have all some beames of his goodnesse, Which hee must needes love, therefore hee loves them as creatures, and as they be more or lesse capable of a higher degree of goodnesse; but for his Church and Children, they are his love indeed.
But what is the ground of such love?
1. Hee loves them at hee beholds them in his Fathers choise, as they are Elected of God, and given unto himselfe in Election:Ioh. 17. 6. Thine they are thou gavest them mee; Christ looking on us in Gods Election and choyce, loves us.
2. Againe, Hee loves us, because he sees his owne Graces in us, he loves what is his in us. Before we be actually his, he loves us with a love of good will, to wish all good to us; But when we have any thing of his Spirit, that our natures are altered and changed, he loves us with a love of the intimatest friendship; with the love of an Head, Husband, Friend, and what we can imagine; hee loves his owne Image. Paul saith,1 Cor. 11. 7. That the Wife is the glorie of her Husband; because what soever is in a good Husband, the Wife expresseth it by reflection. So the Church is the glory of Christ, shee reflects his excellencies, though in a weake measure, they shew forth his Vertues or prayses, as Peter speakes, thus hee sees his owne Image in her, and the Holy Ghost in his Church, hee loves her, and these in her: so as whether we regard the Father, or himselfe, or his Spirit, the Church is his Love.
If we consider also what he hath done and suffered for her, wee may well say the Church is his love. Besides the former favours, (not to speake of Election, hee choosed us before we were) In time hee did choose us by actuall Election by which he called us: we had an existence, but we resisted, he called us when we resisted; and then also he justified us, and cloathed us with his owne Righteousnesse, and after feedes us with his owne Bodie. As the soule is the most excellent thing in the world, so he hath provided for it the most excellent ornaments. Jt hath foode and ornaments proportionable. What love is this, that he should feede our soules with his owne Bodie, and cloathe us with his owne Righteousnesse.Gal. 2. 20. Hee loved mee (saith Paule) what was the effect of his love? Hee gave himselfe for mee. Hee gave himselfe both that wee might have a Righteousnesse to cloathe us with in the sight of God, and he gave himselfe, that he might be the bread of life,Joh. 6. 55. My flesh is meate indeed, and my bloud is drinke indeed. The guiltie, the selfe accusing soule feedes upon Christ dying for its sinnes. Againe, Revel. 1. 6. you have his love set forth, Hee loved us, and how doth he witnesse it? Hee hath washed us with his owne bloud, and hath made us Kings, and Priests, &c. the like you have, Ephes. 5. Hee loved us, and gave himselfe a swee…e Sacrifice to God for us. When this world is at an end, we shall see what his love is; hee is not satisfied, till we be all in one place. What doth he pray for to his Father, Ioh. 17. 24. Father I will, that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, &c. runne through all the whole course of Salvation, Election, Vocation, Justification, Glorification, you shall see his love in all of them. But it were an infinite argument to follow, to shew the love of Christ, which is beyond all knowledge,Eph. 4. 16. and it is too large for us to know all the dimensions of it, to see the height, breadth, depth, and length of it, which wee should ever thinke speake and meditate of, because the soule is then in the most fit temper to serve, love, and glorifie God, when it is most apprehensive of his great love.
This phrase imports diverse things,Deductions out of the word Love. That there is not saving love to any out of the Church, which is his love. It is (as it were) confined in the Chruch, as if all the beames of his love met in that center, as we see when the beames of the Sunne meete in a glasse, they burne, because many are there united. So in the Church all his love doth meete.
Then the Church is his love also, Because whatsoever shee hath or hopes for, is from his love, and is nothing but his love. The Church as it is a Chruch is nothing but the love of Christ. that there is a Church so endowed, so graced, so full of the hope of glorie, it is out of his love.
And for the properties of it.Properties of it. It is a free love, a pr…venting love; he loved us before ever we could love him; he loved us when we resisted him, and were his enemies.
It is a most tender love, as you have it Isa. 49. 15. C…n a mother forget her sucking child, if she should yet will not I forget thee? thou art written on the palmes of my hands, &c. He hath us in his hart, in his eye, in his hand, in a mothers hart,Deut. 33. 2. and beyond it; he hath a tender eye and a powerfull hand to maintaine his church.
It is a most transcendent, and carefull love, all comparisons are under it.
And it is a most intimate invinsible love, that nothing could quench it, as we se heere the Church droupeth, and had many infirmities, yet she is Christs love, so that the love of Christ is a kinde of love that is unconquerable, no water will ever quench it, no sinne of ours, no infirmitie; So as it is very comfortable that the Church considered under infirmities is yet the love of Christ, I sleepe, but my hart waketh, yet Christ comes with my love, my dove, &c.
But what cannot Christ see matter of weakenesse,Quest. sinfullnesse, hatred, and dislike in the Chruch?
Oh yes, to pitty, helpe, and heale it,Answ. but not at all to diminish his love, but to manifest it so much the more. His love is a tender love, sensible of all things wherewith we displease him, yet it is so invincible and unconquerable, that it overcomes all. Againe he sees ill indeed in us, but he sees in us some good of his owne also, which moves him more to love, then that that is ill in us, moves him to hate, for what he sees of ours, he sees with a purpose to vanquish, mortifie, and ea…e it out; the Spirit is as fire to consume it, He is as water to wash it, but what he sees of his owne, he sees with a purpose to encrease it more and more, and to perfect it, therefore he says my Love, notwithstanding that the Church was a sleepe.
This therefore serves greatly for our comfort,Vse. to search what good Christ by his Spirit hath wrought in our harts, what faith, what love, what sanctified judgement, what fire of …oly affections to him, and to the best things, O let us value our selves by that that is good, that Christ hath in us. We are Christs love notwithstanding we are sleepie, if we be displeased with this our state, that as Christ dislikes it, so if we by the Spirit dislike i…, the matter is not what sinne we have in vsus; but how we are affected to it. Have we that ill in us, which is truly the griefe of our harts and soules, which as Christ dislikes, so we abhorre it, and would be purged, and ridd of it; and it is the griefe of our harts and soules, that we cannot be better, and more lovely in Christs eye? then let us not be discouraged. For Christ estemes of his Church highly, even as his very love, even at that time when she was sleepie. And may …each us in time of temptation not to hearken to Sathan, who then moves us to looke altogether upon that which is naught in us, thereby to abate …ur love to Christ and our apprehension of his to us; for he knowes if we be sensible of the love of Christ to us, we shall love him againe. For love is a kinde of fire, an active quality, which will set us about glorifying God, and pulling downe Sathans kingdome; As we say in nature (fi…e doth all) what worke almost can a man worke without fire, by which all instruments are made and heated &c. So grace doth all with love; God first doth manifest to our soules his love to us in Christ, and quicken us by his Spirit, witnessing his love to us wherewith he warmes our harts, kindles and insta…es them so with love, that we love him againe, which love hath a constraining sweet violence to put us upon all duties, to suffer, to do, to resist any thing. If a man be in love with Christ, what will be harsh to him in the world? the divell knowes this well enough, therefore one of his maine engines, and temptations is to weaken our harts in the sence of Gods love and of Christs. Therefore let us be as wise for our soules as he is subtill, and politique against them; as watchfull for ou… owne comfort, as he is to discomfort us, and make us despaire. Let us be wise …o gather all the arguments of Christ love, that we can.
But how shall we know that Christ loves us in this peculiar manner?Quest.
First,Answ. Search what course he takes and hath taken to draw thee neerer unto him; Heb. 12.he chastiseth every one that he loveth. Seasonable corrections sanctified is a signe of Christs love, when he will not suffer us to thrive in sinne, when we cannot speake nor doe amisse; but either he lasheth us in our conscience for it, and by his Spirit checks us, or else stirrs up others, one thing or other to make us our of love with sinne.
Againe, we may gather Christs love by this, if we have any love to divine things and can set a great price upon the best things, upon the word, because it is Christs word; upon grace, prizing the image of Christ, and the new creature, when we can set an high value upon communion with Christ, the sence of his love in our hearts and all spirituall prerogatives, and excellencies above all things, this is an excellent argument of Christs love to us, Our love is but a reflection of his, and therefore if we have love to any thing that is good, we have it from him first. If a wall that is cold become hot, we say, the Sunne, of necess…ry must shine on it first, because it is nothing but cold stone of it selfe. So if our hearts, that are naturally cold be heated with the love of divine things, certainely we may say, Christ hath shined here first: for naturally our harts are of a cold temper, there is no such thing as spirituall love growing in our natures and harts.
You have many poore soules helped with this, who cannot tell whether Christ love them or noe, but this helpes them a little, they can find undoubted arguments of their love to Christ, his Image and servants, and of relishing the word, though they find much corruption; and this their love to divine things tells them by demonstrations from the effects, that Christ loves them, because there is no love to divine, and supernaturall things without the love of Christ first. And the graces in our hearts, they are love tokens given to the spouse. Common favours he gives, as Abraham gifts to his servants and others, but speciall gifts to his spouse, if therefore there be any grace, a tender and soft heart, a prizing of heavenly things, love to Gods people and truth, then we may comfortly conclude Christ loves us, not only because they are reflections of Gods love, but because they are iewels and ornaments that Christ onelyonly bestowes upon his spouse, and not upon reprobates,Ioh 15. 15. such pretious iewells as these.Psal. …5.
By discovering his secrets to us, for that is an argument of love. Doth Christ by his Spirit discover the secret love the hath borne to us before all worlds? doth he discover the breast of his father, and his owne heart to us? this discovery of secret affections, of intire love sheweth our happiestate; for that is one prerogative of freindship, and the cheefest discovery of secrets, when he gives us a particular right to truthes, as our owne, that we can goe challenge them, these are mine, these belong to me, these promises are mine, this discovery of the secret love of God,Vse. 1. and of the interest we have in the promises, is a signe that Christ loves us, and that in a peculier manner we are his love.
Let us be like our blessed Saviour,Reproofe▪ that where wee see any saving goodnesse in any let us love them: for should not our love meete with our Saviours love. Shall the Church of God be the love of Christ, and shall it be our hatred? Shall a good christian be Chists love, and shall he be the object of my hatred and scorne? can we imitate a better patterne? O let us never thinke our estate to be good, excepet every child of God be our love as hee is Christs love. Can I love Christ, and cannot I love him in whom I see Christ? It is a signe that I hate himselfe, when I hate his Image. It is to bee wondered at that the Divell hath prevailed with any so much, as to thinke they should be in a good estate,Reproofe. when they have hearts rising against the best people, and who as they grow in grace, so they grow in there dislike of them. Is heere the Spirit of Christ? And let them likewise be here reproved, that are glad to see any Christian hault, slip, and goe awry. The best Christians in the world have that in part, which is wholly in another man; he hath flesh in him. Shall we utterly distaste a Christian for that? The Church was now in a sleepie condition, and yet notwithstanding Christ takes not the advantage of the weakenesse of the Church to casheere, and to hate her, but he pitties her the more, and takes a course to bring her againe into a good state and condition. Let us not therefore be glad at the infirmities and failings of any, that discover any true goodnesse in them; it may be our owne case ere long, it casts them not out of Christs love, but they dwell in his love still, why should we then cast them out of our love and affections? Let them be our love still, as they are the love of Christ, notwithstanding their infirmities.
The end of the Sixt Sermon.