Remains of Joseph Alleine, Sacramental speech 3
A SACRAMENTAL Speech grounded on
Eph. 3. 19.
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.
Quest. WHerein doth the Love of Christ appear to be a surpassing love? This appears in his putting himself into our Nature. His putting himself into our room. Putting our lives into his purchase, putting his name into our bond. Putting our names into his will. Putting his spirit into our hearts. Putting his glory into our hands.
First, It appears in putting himself into our nature. What admirable love and condescention was this? as we were Creatures there was an infinite distance between us and Christ: much more as we are sinners, but this infinite condescention was nothing to the love of Christ. He stept from the Court of his angels, to the reproaches of men at one step. O what a step was this! for Christ to take our nature upon him, is more than for an Emperour to become a beggar. Yea there is no comparison that can express it. This was love indeed; surpassing love, that the Lord Jesus Christ should have such a love to man: that he should become of … to sinners: flesh of our flesh, and bone of our bone; here is matchless unparallel'd love.
Secondly, It appears in putting himself in our room. Christ did not onelyonly become man with us, he doth not onelyonly take the rags of our Nature upon him, but our condition upon him, the pain, shame, curse that was due to us upon him. He was content to be in our stead: to su…er, dy for us: herein is love, Christ knew, before hand, what it would cost him if he would become surety for us: he knew the death we had deserved, the wrath that was our portion; and yet he was content to put himself into our room, that we might be exempted and excused, Christ hath put in himself for us, not to be bound for us for a time: but did engage himself, resolving to pay for us that we might be excused. It was much that Christ did become man for us: but now that he should not onelyonly take our nature upon him, but our curse upon him too, and become sin for us, and a curse sor us, this makes it more wonderful. It is strange that Christ should take our nature upon him; but if you consider the end why he did it, this would be more wonderful: it was that he might be miserable, and become capable to be accursed for us! that he might be cursed and killed by the wrath of God! He had not become man, had it not been for this end. Now that he should become man for this end, how great was this? and yet this was his end. When Justice must have blood, that he would take his blood and give it for us: and that he might, he would take himself a humane body and soul.
Thirdly, It appears in putting our lives into his purchase. This is another strange expression of the love of Christ. O if Christ had dyed for others and not for us: if he had put in others names and not ours, then we might have passed our days with sorrow: and gone into the Mountains, and pined away in sadness. But now that he should leave out any others names and put in ours, O here is distinguishing love! did you ever hear of a man that took in a beggar from the door to be his heir? but suppose such a thing might be done: did you ever hear of a man that took in his enemy to be his heir, and made over all that he hath to him? thus hath Christ done for us. Ah Brethren, how may we stand astonished at this love, and say, as he, John 14. Lord whence is it that thou dost manifest thy self to us and not to the world? That thou hast put in our names and not others? surely here is great grace. O the free grace of God to us! though Christ hath dyed, yet you know the greatest part of the world shall be never the better for his death. Though he hath dyed for man, yet the most of men, through the obstinacy and hardnesse of their hearts do resist him: but he hath overcom the obstinacy of our hearts and hath made us partakers of his death.
Fourthly, It appears in putting his name into our bonds. Herein is the love of Christ manifested, in that he should become surety and bound for us. You know that the surety is to set his name to the bond. Now a man will be very wary sor whom he is bound; the man is not a man that is insufficient. Did you ever hear of a man that bound himself for one, that he knew that he should pay it himself? thus hath Christ done for us: he knew that all our debts would come upon him; and yet notwithstanding he did engage himself for us. Beloved, the debt of sin is a very formidable debt: it is such a debt as if so be, the debt of the least sin had been laid upon all the Saints and Angels in glory to give satisfaction for it, they had bin drowned in everlasting perdition. But now Christ undertook to pay for all out of his own stock, though he knew what it would cost him, if he did become bound for us, O what love is …!
Fifthly, It appears in putting our names into his will. Brethren, herein is the love of Christ seen towards his people, in that he hath distinguished between them and others. When he made his last VVill and Testament, he put in believers names and left out the rest, Rev. 21. 27. There shall in no wise enter any thing that …, &c. But they which are written in the …mbs book of Life. This is a priviledge indeed to have your names written in his book, upon his will. Our Saviour bid his disclples rejoyce in this that their names were written in heaven, in Christs book, and upon his will: this is matter of joy. But how shall we know whether our names are written in heaven? who shall ascend up into heaven to fetch it down from thence? I answer; we have the copy of his will here upon earth: This word is the copy of his will that is in heaven. If our names be in this book, our names are in his heart. Now let us go to the Law and Testimony, what saith that? that saith, if thou believe thou shalt be saved. If thou repent and be converted, thy sins shall be blotted out Act. 3. 19
Sixthly, It appears in putting his spirit into our hearts, Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my spirit within you. Brethren, herein is the infinite goodness and love of Christ seen, that he should bestow so great a gift upon so unworthy a receiver. O what love is this, that those hearts that have been the stables of unclean …, that Christ should take up his abode there! here is strange love indeed. Is it true indeed, will God dwell on earth, 1 Kings 8. 27. And if it were matter of wonder to Solomon, that God should shew some Token of his presence in so excellent a fabrick as that was; what matter of wonder is it that he should come, and make shew of his presence in our hearts!
Seventhly, In putting his glory into our hands. This is the greatest trust that can possibly be … into our hands, this is more worth than all the world: for all the world was made for this end, to promote Gods glory. Yea, it is better than the blood of Christ: for the end is better than the means. Now the blood of Christ was shed to this end, for the glory of God. Now then what a great trust is this, that is intrusted with you in your hands? surely he loves you well, that trusts his glory with you. Your unworthy walking will more dishonor Christ, than any thing in the world beside. None can honour Christ as you; and none can dishonor him as you: let me put in that by the way. They that have such a Jewel put into their hands, had need be careful. I hope by this time you are fully convinced that the love of Christ is a surpassing love.
Use, There are two things that I shall hence presse you to. 1. To Remember. 2. Answer and imitate this love of Christ.
First, To Remember this Love. O Christians, be sure that you never forget such love as this, Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy love more than Wine: this is the duty that I am pressing you to, thus to remember Christs love. Brethren, methinks it should be impossible for you to forget such love as this. Methinks it should be needlesse to bid you remember this love. Let my right hand forget her cunning rather than I should forget the love of Christ. Let my tongue forget to speak, rather than not to speak of this love. We should sooner forget to eat than for get Christ. And yet how apt are we notwithstanding, though we have to… much reason to remember him, to have the memory of Christ and his love out of our minds! the memory of Christ should be written upon us in Marble and Brasse, never to be blotted out. Consider this love is a mindful, and a memorable love.
First, A mindful love. Never had persons so mindful a friend a… we have in Christ: our names are ever before him, they are engraven upon the palms of his hands. He can as soon forget himself as forget us: he can as soon forget his heart as forget us. Exod. 28. 29. And Aaron shall bear the names of the Children in the breast-place of Judgement, upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually. Here you may see what a mindful friend Christ is, for these things were typical of Christ. Observe…, (1.) The place where the names were to be written; upon the breast-place of judgement upon his heart. (2.) The … why they were written there: For a memorial before the Lord. He hath your names there that he might never forget you. (3.) Observe the …petuity of this; for a memorial before the Lord continually. And observe, these were to be carryed by the high priest before God when he went into the high place. Christ hath not forgotten our names, now he is gone into the high place. You know how it was with the Butler when he was gone into Pharoahs presence, he forgot Joseph and all his afflictions. But Christ, he remembers Joseph and his afflictions all the while, though he be in heaven.
(Secondly,) It is a memorable Love. As Moses spake of the night of Israels deliverance, it is a night much to be remembered: so say I of this love of Christ; it is a love never to be forgotten. If Christ do bear your names upon his heart, methinks that you should ever bear his name upon you hearts. The love of Christ is worthy to be for a perpetual memorial upon our hearts. And therefore I may say to you of Christ, as they of him, he is worthy for whom thou shouldest do this.
Quest. But what kind of remembrance should we have of this love?
Answ. It must be a feeling, and a lasting remembrance.
First, A feeling remembrance, it should not be a bare Historical remembrance of Christ, but all your affections should be drawn out after Christ. He did not onelyonly remember you, his remembrance of you was an affectionate remembrance; he hath made it to appear with a witnesse. Such should our remembrance of Christ be.
(Secondly,) A lasting remembrance, it should not be at the quickning of a Sermon or the like, but an abiding remembrance of him. Brethren, our remembrance of Christ should be a living remembrance. It should be with us as with a loving husband that hath lost his wife; it seems that where ever he is, she should be with him: thus it should be with us, we should have Christ ever with us. VVhat Solomon speaks of the Law of Christ we should say of the remembrance of Christ. When we go it should lead us, when we awake it should talk with us, Prov. 26. 22. So Cant. 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrhe is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts. That is, say the Dutch Divines, the love of my beloved, especially of his death and sufferings, shall continucially be upon my heart; and I will keep it close with me, to be my Nose-gay: and the like. He shall lye between my breasts; that is, I will keep the remembrance of his love upon my heart to comfort me.
Secondly, As you should remember, so you should be careful to imitate and answer his love. Beloved, as the Apostle says of Gods love to you; what manner of love is this, &c. So it should be said of your love to Christ, what manner of love is this that you bear to Christ? It should be such a love, as that people may be forced to say, what manner of love is this that they bear to Christ? Labor to have such a love to Christ, so great a love, as that all other things may be nothing to you in comparison of the love of Christ. And when you have loved Christ as much as you can, weep that you can love him no more.