Love to Christ, Chapter 2

Love to Christ · Chapter 2

p. 14CHAP. II.

SECT. I. The Doctrine and Method.

FRom this Text thus explained, Doct. this Doctrine clearly reſulteth. That whatſoever man hath not ſincere love to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, is in a deplorable condition, and ſhall be accurſed when the Lord comes. For his Sin is great, his Mind is blind, his Will perverſe, his Heart is hard and carnal, his Affections corrupt, and baſe and vile, and his Soul and Body ſhall then be doomed down to blackneſs of darkneſs, to extremity, and eternity of miſery, to pains and puniſhment, that no Tongue can expreſs, no Heart conceive, no Pen can write, how great, how terrible, how intolerable it will be found to be.

The method in treating on this Subject is caſt into theſe five general Heads.

1. What is the nature of this love to Chriſt; what kind or manner of Love it is, without which if man be found, he is Anathema, and ſhall be plagued with this heavy Curſe at the coming of the Lord?

2. That whoſoever is without this love to Chriſt, is in ſuch a miſerable condition; and dying without it, ſhall be damned when Chriſt ſhall come, is to be demonſtrated.

p. 153. What are the properties of this Curſe, that will make it ſo exceeding grievous and intolerable.

4. Why ſo great a ſtreſs is put upon ſuch Love, why the Lord inſiſts ſo much upon the love of man unto his Son, that whoſoever wants it, ſhall be thus accurſed.

5. The improving of this Doctrine by practical application.

In opening of the nature of this Love to Chriſt, I ſhall not only mention the formal reaſon of it, but alſo what is preſuppoſed, and neceſſarily requiſite to the raiſing or producing of it in the heart of man; my Apprehenſions concerning it I ſhall give you in theſe twelve following Particulars, which being taking up, and laid together, will contain a deſcription of this Love.

1. This Love ſuppoſeth the goodneſs of the Object.

2. It includes or implies the illumination of the Underſtanding to ſee and diſcern this incomparable goodneſs in Chriſt.

3. It includes a diſcovery of the ſuitableneſs of Chriſt unto the Soul in all reſpects.

4. As alſo a ſight of the communicability of that good that is diſcerned to be ſo ſuitable.

5. Higheſt valuation of Chriſt, greateſt eſtimation of him, which is called appretiating Love.

6. It contains the permanent volition of the Will, the ſetled inclination of the heart towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

7. It includes the prevailing and predominant degrees of our love to be to Chriſt more than to any thing elſe whatſoever.

p. 168. In this Love is the election of the Will, chooſing Chriſt for himſelf, and for the excellency of his own Perſon, tho not with the excluſion of our own advantage by him.

9. Chriſt as Lord as well as Saviour, is the Object of this Love; Chriſt in all his Offices, as Teacher, Ruler, as well as Benefactor, is beloved; in which reſpect the Love of all Hypocrites and carnal Goſpellers doth fail and come ſhort.

10. This Love is wrought by the powerful ſpecial operation of the Spirit of God upon the heart.

11. Whence follows a voluntary reſignation of a man's ſelf to Chriſt, without reſervation of himſelf, or any thing he hath, unto himſelf.

12. When all this is done, the Soul doth delighe in Chriſt, if preſent; or deſires after him, if abſent; or mourns for him, if it cannot find him; for one of theſe three ways Love will be working, and by theſe workings diſcover it ſelf.

SECT. II. The nature, requiſites, and the deſcription of this Love to Chriſt.

Friſt, This Love ſuppoſeth the goodneſs of the Object, as all Love doth: For nothing can be loved, but what is really good, or at leaſt appeareth ſo unto the Lover. This holy Love therefore being the choiceſt, chiefeſt Love, ſuppoſeth Chriſt to be the choiceſt, and the chiefeſt Good: That he is a good Saviour, a good Redeemer, a good Lord and Maſter; a Good excelling, tranſcending all inferior, ſublunary good; Good! not only good, but beſt; beſt in himſelf, and p. 17beſt for us. And becauſe he muſt be loved with ſuch a love, as that we be willing at his call to part with all other good for his ſake; therefore he is looked upon, and loved as an univerſal Good; whereas Riches, Honours, Friends, and all things of this World are but particular good, no one thing good for all things: Meat and drink are good to ſatisfy your hunger and thirſt, but not to clothe you; Clothes are good to cover you, but not to feed you, &c.

But the Soul whoſe love is fixed upon Chriſt, doth ſee and ſay, In poverty Chriſt will be my riches, in diſgrace Chriſt will be my honour, in bonds and impriſonment Chriſt will be my liberty, in pain Chriſt will be my eaſe, in death Chriſt will be my life, in the loſs of all things Chriſt will be better to me than the enjoyment of all theſe things. He that looks not upon Chriſt as an incomparable Object, doth not love him as he ought. Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. Prov. 3.14. Happy is the man that findeth wiſdom, and the man that getteth underſtanding; 14. For the merchandiſe of it is better than the merchandiſe of ſilver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15. She is more precious than rubies, and all the things thou canſt deſire, are not to be compared unto her. The Spouſe ſaw ſuch goodneſs in Chriſt, that ſhe was love-ſick for him: Cant. 5.8. I charge you, O daughters of Jeruſalem, if ye find my beloved, that ye tell him that I am ſick of love. Others wonder what a gracious Soul doth ſee in Chriſt, that it is ſo inflamed with love unto him. V. 9. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou faireſt among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that p. 18thou doſt ſo charge us? What is he? in a large deſcription of his Excellencies ſhe anſwereth to this Queſtion: 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefeſt among ten thouſand; proceeds in Verſ. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. and in the 16th concludeth, He is altogether lovely; this is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jeruſalem. What then? Doth the tranſcendent goodneſs of Chriſt thus diſplayed, draw the Heart, allure the Affections? yes verily, for it immediately follows, Cant. 6.1. Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou faireſt among women? Whither is thy beloved turned aſide, that we may ſeek him with thee?

1. Chriſt as God is incomparably good; for ſo he is originally good, infinitely good, eternally, immutably, incomprehenſibly good.

2. Chriſt as Man, is the moſt excellent of all men. Adam in innocency, the Prophets and Apoſtles in all their greateſt dignity, and the Saints in Heaven in perfect glory, are not comparable to the man Chriſt Jeſus.

3. Chriſt as God-man and Mediator, ſurpaſſeth in goodneſs all the holy Ones on Earth, and all the Angels in Heaven; Epheſ. 1.20. — And ſet him at his own right hand in the heavenly places: 21. Far above all principality and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but alſo in that which is to come. And though he call his People, his Brethren and his Fellows, Yet God hath anointed him with the oyl of gladneſs above all his fellows, Pſal. 45.7. is Chriſt thus in your Eyes, and to your Hearts?

p. 19SECT. III. The Second Requiſite of this Love.

SEcondly, This Love includes and implies the illumination of the Ʋnderſtanding, to ſee and diſcern this matchleſs goodneſs in Chriſt. Tho Knowledge be not (formaliter) Love, yet it is neceſſarily pre-requiſite to it, for this Love is not blind: Ignoti nulla cupido; What we do not know, we cannot love, nor deſire. John 4.10. — If thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith unto thee, give me to drink; thou wouldſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. You might love an UNSEEN Chriſt, but you cannot love an UNKNOWN Chriſt. 1 Pet. 1.8. whom having not ſeen, ye love; in whom, tho now ye ſee him not, yet believing, (and Faith includeth Knowledge) ye rejoice with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory.

Therefore the Prophet ſpeaking of graceleſs men, as diſliking, not deſiring, nor loving Chriſt, brings them in as ſaying, Iſa. 53.2. — He hath no form, nor comelineſs; and when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty that we ſhould deſire him. How! no comelineſs in him that is the brightneſs of the Father's glory, and the expreſs image of his perſon! yes, there was, there is, but they had not eyes to ſee it; as if a blind man ſhould ſay, the Sun is dark, becauſe he hath no eyes to behold the light thereof. How! when we ſhall ſee him, there is no beauty in him that we ſhould deſire him! It was, becauſe in ſeeing, they did not ſee: How ſhould they look upon him with an eye of Love, when they did not diſcern him with an eye of Faith?

p. 20But a ſanctified Soul, whoſe eyes are opened, ſeeth that ſuperlative Goodneſs, Beauty, and Excellency in Chriſt, that all other things that are good with an inferior goodneſs, ſeem to him as droſs and dung, Phil. 3.7. But what things were gain to me, thoſe I counted loſs for Chriſt. 8. Yea doubtleſs, and I count all things but loſs, for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord: for whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but (foreign quaſi foreign things caſt to dogs, or Dogs-meat, or) dung, that I may win Chriſt.

The ſanctified man, whoſe mind is ſavingly inlightned, can ſay, I ſee that goodneſs in the Saviour, that far ſurpaſſeth all the goodneſs of the Creature; tho the Stars in the coldeſt night might be ſeen, yet when the Sun ariſeth, they all diſappear; ſo in the night of Ignorance, when my Mind was blind, my Heart hard, and my Affections frozen, I was taken with the goodneſs of Riches, of Honours, and of worldly Pleaſure; yet when the Sun of Righteouſneſs with his radiant Rays did ſhine into my Soul, and with his warming Influences did thaw my benummed frozen Heart, when Chriſt the Day-Star aroſe in my Soul, then, O then, the glory of theſe things that did dazle mine eyes, did preſently vaniſh and wither away; then, in compariſon of Chriſt, I ſaw an emptineſs in all the Creatures fulneſs, I ſaw beggery in all its bravery, ſhame in all its glory, and poverty in its riches. I ſaw its greateſt reſplendent luſtre to be darkneſs, its wiſdom to be folly, its beauty appeared to me no better than deformity, when once I had got a view of Chriſt's tranſcendent lovelineſs.

p. 21SECT. IV. The Third Requiſite.

THirdly, This Love to Chriſt includes a diſcovery of the ſuitableneſs of Chriſt unto the Soul, as the moſt convenient Good. Appetibility is not the formal reaſon of goodneſs, but rather a conſequent of it; for a thing is not therefore good, becauſe it is deſirable; but it is therefore deſirable, becauſe it is good: Our Deſires do not make the goodneſs of the Object, but the goodneſs of the Object allures our Deſires and Love.

Suitableneſs is the ground of Love. A thing might be good in it ſelf, yet if we apprehend no ſuitableneſs in it to us, the love of our hearts is not upon it; therefore in pain, and ſickneſs, a man judgeth eaſe and health to be better for him than Gold and Silver, becauſe more ſuitable; a man in hunger and thirſt, eſteemeth Bread and Water to be better than Honours and Preferments, becauſe more ſuitable.

Love to Chriſt is grounded on the Apprehenſions that the Soul hath of the ſuitableneſs of Chriſt unto him, and ſaith, Food is not more ſuitable to an hungry man, nor Phyſick to a ſick man, nor Cloathing to a naked man, than Chriſt is to me, a poor, ſinful, and by my Sins a loſt man; an undone, periſhing and diſtreſſed man: For I am naked, and He will give me change of Raiment. I am blind, and He will reſtore my ſight. I am enſlaved to Sin and Satan, and He will give me liberty. I am loſt, He will ſave me. I am guilty, He will pardon me. I am polluted, He will purge me. p. 22I am an enemy to God, He will reconcile me. I am ignorant, He will teach me. I am indebted, He will be my Surety. I am poor, He will make me rich. I am a ſtranger to God, He will bring me into acquaintance with him. What ſhall I ſay? I am unfit for Heaven, but He will make me meet to be Partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Though I have Riches, I might be damned; but if I have Chriſt, I ſhall be ſaved. Though men admire me, yet God might loath me; but if I have Chriſt, the Lord will love me. Though I proſper in the World, in all my pomp, I might be walking in the way to Everlaſting Miſery; but if I have Chriſt, He will lead me in the paths unto Eternal Glory. Look, O my Soul, look round about thee, and thou ſhalt find none ſo ſuitable to thee, as the only Saviour: no! then only he ſhall have my prevailing love. Is there none for me like him? then none ſhall have love from me like him. This ſuitableneſs of Chriſt unto the Soul in every reſpect is to be more largely ſpoken to among the Arguments to perſuade you to ſet and ſix your Love on him.

SECT. V. The Fourth Requiſite of this Love.

FOurthly, Love includes a ſight of the communicability of that good that is diſcerned to be ſo ſuitable to the perſon that ſhould love it: poſſibility of participation is neceſſary to the begetting or raiſing of the Affection; for while we ſee a Good, though every way ſuitable, yet if it be impoſſible to be obtained, we can have no hope of it, but p. 23ſink under deſpondency and deſpair; and though Love reſpects its Object without the circumſtances of hard or eaſie to be obtained, but ſimply as good; yet that which is good in it ſelf, but impoſſible to us, is not a good to us, becauſe a good not to be poſſeſſed by us; and ſuch a Good cannot be loved with ſuch a Love as we ought to have to Chriſt, who is to be loved by us as good, and our good, or as attainable by us; for good as incommunicable to us ſo conſidered, may beget vexation, anguiſh and horrour, but not complacency, which yet Philoſophers make the formal reaſon of Love.

1. And this I judge might be one reaſon, why there is no love in Devils to Chriſt, nor can be. Why? are not Devils under unexpreſſible horrour? and would not deliverance be eſteemed by them as a good ſuitable to them? Do they not know that there is no Saviour but Chriſt? why then do they hate him? why? the Benefits of Chriſt are not communicable to them. The Sufferings of Chriſt, tho ſufficient to have redeemed all the Devils in Hell, yet were not ordained by God, nor endured by Chriſt for any ſuch end, or with any ſuch intention; Chriſt did not dye to make Salvation or Happineſs poſſible for Devils, or finally-unbelieving-impenitent Sinners. Therefore, though they know Chriſt to be good, and freedom from miſery would be ſuitable to them; yet this Good being incommunicable to them, they neither have, nor can have ſincere love unto him. Hence it is they hate Chriſt with an implacable hatred, and oppoſe his Kingdom and Intereſt with the ſtrongeſt oppoſition; Mat. 8.29. And behold they (the unclean Spirits) cried out, ſaying, p. 24What have we to do with thee, Jeſus, thou Son of God? art thou come to torment us before the time? As if they had ſaid, There is no good that we look ſhould come by thee to us; we expect no Salvation, no Deliverance from our Pain and Miſery; Thou art a Saviour to men, but not to us; Thou wilt have nothing to do with us in a way of mercy, and we have nothing to do with Thee, by any hopes of Redemption through thy Mediatory Undertakings; men on Earth might have to do with Thee, and therefore have cauſe to love Thee, and thou art come into the World to have to do with them, to ſeek them, and to ſave them: they may have Thee for a Redeemer, and a Saviour, but ſo may not we: They are fallen, and by Thee might be reſtored; but we are fallen, and muſt lie where we fell, without hope, without a poſſibility of recovering; there is no doing betwixt Thee and us for Heaven and Salvation; no dealings betwixt Thee and us for Life and Happineſs; none of thy Sufferings are to be for us; Thou art not come to offer us any terms of Mercy, or to make any Propoſitions of Peace betwixt God and us, and therefore our recovery is impoſſible; and therefore being fallen, do lie down in utter deſpair of any communication of the Benefits of thy Death and Sufferings unto us; and having no hope of merciful Redemption by Thee, we neither have, nor will, nor can have any love unto Thee.

2. The ſame is now the condition of Damned Souls, as that of Damned Devils. Men on Earth might have love to Chriſt, but in Hell they cannot; for on earth Chriſt had to do with them, and they with Chriſt; and Mercy had to do with them, and Grace and Patience had to do with them; but p. 25when once in Hell, Chriſt hath done with them, and the Spirit hath done with them; Grace, Mercy, and Patience of God hath done with them; no offer of Grace, no tender of Peace and Reconciliation, no overtures of Mercy more to all Eternity: But now Wrath hath to do with them, and vindictive puniſhing Juſtice hath to do with them; and they are fallen into the hands of the Living God; and being paſt all poſſibility of benefit and advantage by Chriſt, they cannot love him, but have more rooted hatred to him than ever. By the way let me note, That ye ſhould with fear and trembling diligently labour, fervently pray, ſpeedily repent, and turn from ſin, ſincerely believe, that ye might not at death be doom'd down to Hell, becauſe by damn'd Souls Chriſt cannot be loved.

3. But the caſe is otherwiſe with men on earth; with the worſt of you in this Congregation this day. The Swearer might yet have benefit, Pardon by Chriſt; the vileſt, the greateſt ſinner that ſtands here before God this day, may yet be ſaved, if he will hearken to the Voice of Mercy, to the Commands and Invitations of the only Saviour, to the Calls of Grace, and anſwer to thoſe Calls. Chriſt hath dyed for you, for every one of you ſo far, that Salvation yet is poſſible to you, and God reconcilable to you, and Chriſt and his Benefits upon the conditions of the Goſpel, communicable to you: For who dare ſay there is no difference between the ſtate of the damned in Hell, and the worſt of men upon earth? or that there is no more hope or poſſibility of Salvation by Chriſt for the greateſt ſinners upon the earth, than of the Devils themſelves; or that God is no more reconcilable, and the Benefits p. 26of Chriſt no more communicable to them, than to theſe; while to ſinners on earth Commands are given to repent, and believe, and turn to God in hopes of Mercy, and Conditional Promiſes of Life, and a conditional Grant of Pardon is given to them, which is not the caſe of Devils or damned Souls; and therefore we Study in hope, and Pray in hope, and Preach in hope of your Converſion and Salvation, when there is no hope of them that are gone down to death, and utter and eternal darkneſs.

Methinks this conſidered, ſhould win thy Love to Chriſt, and cauſe thee to break forth into ſuch Language as this, and ſay, O my Soul, as yet through the Mercy and Patience of God to thee, there is a wide difference betwixt thy ſtate, and the ſtate of damned ſouls; for tho thou hitherto haſt not loved Chriſt, which is thy hainous ſin, yet thou mayeſt, which is God's great Mercy to thee: For tho now thou art without Chriſt, which is thy miſery, yet thou mighteſt have Chriſt, which will be thy remedy; when the Damned love not Chriſt, nor can love him, for they have not Chriſt, nor can have him: Thou art yet in the land of hope, and under the means of hope, and thy remedy is at hand, if by thy wilful refuſals of recovering Grace, thou doſt not daſh this hope, when thoſe poor, wretched Souls, that are paſſed out of Time into Eternity, from Earth to Hell, from Hearing in this world, to Howling in the next, are now and there Chriſtleſs; and becauſe now and there Chriſtleſs, are therefore there, now, and for ever hopeleſs and remedileſs. O then, my Soul, look towards this Chriſt that thou mayeſt have! Behold! This Chriſt and all his Benefits, upon Goſpel-Conditions, are yet communicable unto thee for thine Everlaſting Good. Doſt thou p. 27not hear the Offers of Pardon, Peace, and Glory, made to thee in his name? Doſt thou not perceive him yet ſtanding at thy door, and knocking, crying, calling there, Open to me, and I will ſave thee? Doſt thou not feel his Spirit yet ſtriving with thee? Doſt thou not ſee Mercy hath not yet delivered thee into the hands of Juſtice, and to God's fiery Indignation? Here thou ſtandeſt, while others are lying, rowling in a Lake of burning Brimſtone; Doth not his Grace ſtill woo thee for thy Love? Doth not his Goodneſs ſtill intreat thee, and his Patience ſtill wait upon thee? If thou wilt be holy, yet thou mayeſt; if thou wilt have Mercy, Mercy thou mayeſt have; and if thou wilt have the fruit and benefits of Chriſt's Death, as yet it is not too late. Is not this enough to melt an heart of ſtone? To break an heart as hard as adamant? To diſſolve thee into tears? to kindle and inflame thy love? And with admiration cauſe thee to cry out and ſay, Is this thy Mercy, Lord, to me! to me! to me that have ſo long abuſed thy Grace, deſpiſed thy Mercy, and ſlighted thy Love! To me, that have lived ſo long, and never loved thee! To me, that might have been damned before this day, and ſo have been ſhut up under an impoſſibility of Salvation by thy Blood, and bloody Sufferings! Yea, have had the hatred of my heart fixed upon thee, and Love never bent towards thee! But foraſmuch as thou art pleaſed to this day to follow me with thy Calls of Mercy, with the Entreaties of thy Grace; and ſtill the voice of Love is ſounding in my ears, and thou ſayeſt to me, If thou wilt love me, I will pardon thee; if thou at laſt wilt give me thy heart, I will be thy Saviour; it is long that I have waited, but if now thou wilt hearken and conſent, all ſhall be thine own; my Righteouſneſs ſhall be thine, my Merits ſhall be thine, my Spirit ſhall be thine, and Heaven ſhall be thine. O p. 28Bleſſed Lord! I cannot withſtand this pleading Love; I can no longer gainſay this expoſtulating Grace. I have, but now. I cannot; I have, but now I will not. Thou ſayeſt that Thou wilt yet be mine, and the Bleſſings of the Covenant may yet be mine, and Heaven it ſelf may yet be mine. Deareſt Lord! thou haſt won my heart, thou haſt got my Love, and lo I give it all to thee, I place it all upon thee.

SECT. VI. The Fifth Requiſite of Love to Chriſt.

FIfthly, This Love to Chriſt includes higheſt Valuation of him, greateſt eſtimation, which is appretiating Love; for can we love him, and not prize him? Or can we love him moſt, and not prize him moſt? Or do you uſe to deſpiſe a thing or perſon, and yet love him? To have mean, low, and undervaluing thoughts of one, and yet love him more than another whom you do more highly eſteem and value? Doth not the Worldling that loves his Money more than other things, value it above other things? Doth not the Ambitious perſon, that loves his Honour and his Credit more than other things, ſtand upon it, and eſteem it more than other things? And will it not be ſo with him that loveth Chriſt? Or is not he a Curſed man that valueth any thing above Chriſt, and eſteems it more than Chriſt? As Chriſt is precious to him that doth Believe, 1 Pet. 2.7. ſo he is to him that Loves. Pearls are valued but as Pebbles, and Diamonds as Dirt, and Diadems as Dung, by a man that loveth Chriſt, when they ſtand in competition for our Love p. 29with Chriſt. In the practical judgment of a ſincere Lover of Chriſt, Chriſt cannot be valued with the Gold of Ophir, with the precious Onyx, or the Saphire; the Gold and the Chryſtal cannot equal him, and he would not exchange him for Jewels of fine Gold: With him no mention ſhall be made of Coral, or of Pearl; for the Worth of Chriſt is above Rubies: The Topaz of Ethiopia doth not equal him, neither ſhall the pureſt Gold, or the moſt refined Silver be weighed in the balance of his judgment, to be preferred before Chriſt: For to him he is more precious than Rubies: And all the things the heart of man can deſire beſides him, are not to be compared with him: For Chriſt is that Treaſure hid in a field, which when this Lover hath found, for joy thereof he goeth and ſelleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. He is that goodly Pearl of great Price, which when found, all ſhall be left, or loſt, and parted with, that this might be obtained, Mat. 13.44, 45, 46. And what a man gives all for, he values that more than all he giveth for it.

Can that man be judged to love Chriſt, that values his corruptible Silver above the incomparable Saviour? That eſteemeth Earth above Heaven? And the Creature more than God? Or is not he deſervedly to be reckoned an Anathema, that ſhall eſteem the Droſs of this World, above the Darling of God? Or thick Clay above him that doth excel the cleareſt Chryſtal? Or the things of Time, which are only for Time, above that Chriſt that is a Good for all Eternity?

p. 30SECT. VII. The Sixth Requiſite of Love to Chriſt.

SIxthly, This Love to Chriſt takes in the Permanent Volition of the Will, the ſetled Inclination of the heart towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For what elſe is Love, but the Volition of the rational Appetite? Or the Will's Volition of Good, apprehended by the Underſtanding. Or the Will's chuſing of him, and adhering to him. Averſation of the Will from Chriſt, is no better than hating of him: For as Volition and Complacency is Love, ſo Nolition and Diſplicency is hatred.

Can a man Love Chriſt, and yet not Will him? Can he love him, and yet not chuſe him? Can he love him, and the Will refuſe him? Was Nilling ever accounted loving? or turning of the Heart from an Object, ever taken for the cloſing with it? or is it not a contradiction? will not, and love not, is all one. John 5.40. Ye will not come to me— 42. I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you. What is the Object of the love of the Heart, is the Object of the choice of the Will: and ſuch as is the choice of your Wills, ſuch are ye: If thy Will chuſe the World before Chriſt, I dare boldly call thee a worldly man; or Pleaſures before Chriſt, I dare confidently declare thee a voluptuous man; but if Chriſt before all other things, I may term thee a truly gracious man.

Suppoſe then the World, and the Riches thereof, the Honours, and the Pleaſures of it, were ſet on the one hand, and Chriſt on the other, which would p. 31you really chuſe? It is an eaſie thing to think and ſay, you would chuſe Chriſt, and not the world; but my queſtion is, Which you would really chuſe? Canſt thou ſay, and appeal to God that knows thy heart; Lord, thou that knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I chuſe Chriſt before Riches, Chriſt before Pleaſures, Liberty, Life, or any thing that is dear unto me in this world. Thou knoweſt that I would rather have Chriſt without the World, than the World without Chriſt; I would rather have the Lord Jeſus with Diſgrace, with Poverty, and with the Croſs, than all the Treaſures of the world. This muſt be a man's Will, and this muſt be a man's Choice, or cannot be ſaid to have ſincere Love to Jeſus Chriſt.

SECT. VIII. The Seventh Requiſite in Love to Chriſt; or the Sincerity of it.

SEventhly, This Love conſiſts in the prevailing and predominant degrees of Affections unto Chriſt: For if he be not loved above all, he is not ſincerely loved at all. There might be love of other things ſubordinate with the Love of Chriſt, but not coordinate or equal with it, much leſs ſuperior to it. You might love your Friends, and love your Enjoyments, and love the Comforts of your life, but you muſt love Chriſt more. The love of theſe muſt be ſwallowed up in the love of Chriſt, and be ſubordinate unto it.

But you may ſay, This is that offenſive Doctrine that … the difference betwixt common and p. 32ſpecial Grace, to be only gradual, and not ſpecifical; and God forbid that we ſhould think that God will damn a man for want of further degrees of Grace, when he hath it in truth and kind, and the degrees do not vary the kind.

1. The degrees do not vary nor alter the kind in things natural, but they may, and do, in things moral. For Example, The degrees of Reaſon, acuteneſs of Wit, ſolidity of Judgment, that one man might have, more than another man, doth not make him more a man as to his Species or kind, than another man that is in thoſe reſpects inferior to him; for both (quoad Speciem) as to Kind, are men; have the Human Nature, and the ſpecifical difference whereby they are diſtinguiſhed from things of any other kind: but yet degrees might make a ſpecifical difference in morals, where the act as natural is ſtill of the ſame kind. For inſtance: In eating and drinking little or much, the natural act of both is ſtill the ſame; but in morality, if a man eat and drink for quantity and quality according to the rules and guidance of Prudence, and no more; this is a virtue called Temperance; but if in degrees he doth exceed, and eateth more, and drinketh more than that Mediocrity, quoad nos, preſcribed by Prudence (in which the nature of this Virtue doth conſiſt) doth admit of, then though eating and drinking conſidered Phyſically, be of the ſame kind, yet in a moral reſpect it alters the kind, and is called quite by another name, viz. Intemperance, Gluttony, and Drunkenneſs.

2. The degrees of Love might be conſidered in a twofold reſpect:

p. 331. In reſpect of other Lovers of Chriſt; of which one might have degrees of Love that is ſincere, more and above what another man might have, whoſe Love is yet ſincere: And of this More, or degree of Love, is Chriſt's queſtion to Peter to be underſtood, John 21.15. Simon, ſon of Jonas, Loveſt thou me more than theſe? viz. Other Diſciples love me; where the comparative More, reſpects THESE as other Agents in Love, or Lovers; and therefore Peter anſwers in the Poſitive, I love thee; not in the Comparative, More than they all do love thee. But the Comparative, More, doth not reſpect THESE, as the Object of Peter's Love, as if Chriſt had asked, Loveſt thou me, more than thou loveſt theſe: To which, doubtleſs, Peter could have readily replied, Yea, Lord, I love thee more than I love theſe, or all men or things in this world: And in this ſenſe God doth not damn any for want of more degrees of Love, or other Graces.

2. Degrees of Love might be conſidered in reſpect of the things loved, or the object of our Love. That the word, More, means, Do you love Chriſt more than the World, Sin, Self; or do you love Theſe more than Chriſt? And then, I ſay, this Doctrine is ſo far from being offenſive, that I judge it is of great concernment, and neceſſary for every man that hath a Soul that muſt be damned or ſaved, to know and underſtand: For I do not fear to ſay, for want of theſe degrees of Love, whereby a man's Love is leſs to Chriſt, than to the World, and Sin, and carnal Self, God will ſurely damn him. Doth this grate upon any Chriſtian ears, That a man that loveth not Chriſt, more than Sin, and more than Pleaſures and Profits, hath no ſincere p. 34Love to Chriſt, nor ſhall be ſaved by him? Surely ſuch a man would judge in another caſe, if he had a Wife that loves him, yet loves another man more than himſelf, ſhe had not ſincere Conjugal Love to him.

3. The plaineſt, fulleſt, and, I hope, no offenſive Anſwer, ſhall be the Words of Chriſt himſelf, ſhewing wherein ſincerity of Love to him doth conſiſt, Mat. 10.37. He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth ſon or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. 38. And he that taketh not his croſs, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39. He that findeth his life ſhall loſe it, and he that loſeth his life for my ſake, ſhall find it. And all the love to all inferior things, in compariſon of the degrees of love we ſhould have to Chriſt, more than unto theſe, is rather Hatred than Love, Luke 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and ſiſters, yea, and his own life alſo, he cannot be my diſciple. What Interpretation can theſe words bear? This? That no real Diſciple of Chriſt may or ought to have true love to Father or Mother, Brother or Siſter, Wife and Children, or to his own Life? Abſurd and irreligious ſenſe; being contrary to the Law of Nature, and Chriſt's conſtant Doctrine in his Word. What then? This? That a true Diſciple of Chriſt muſt and ought to love theſe things leſs than Chriſt, and Chriſt with more (till they be prevailing) degrees; and Love in the heart to Chriſt (be like the Biaſs to the Bowl, that) make it incline more to Chriſt than to all other things: This is that which is aſſerted; and being the ſenſe of Chriſt's Words, I hope, will not offend p. 35any that have more Love to Chriſt, than to all theſe things; and for the reſt, that love theſe things more than Chriſt, they ſhall find that for this very thing, Chriſt with them will be offended.

SECT. IX. The Eighth Requiſite in Love to Chriſt.

EIghthly, This Love chuſeth Chriſt for himſelf, and for the Excellency of his own Perſon; tho not with the excluſion of our own Benefit and Salvation by him. Our own Benefits by Chriſt might be looked at by the returning ſoul at firſt, as ordine prima, but not quoad dignitatem praecipua & ultima. The Soul might firſt be allured and drawn to look after Chriſt, and to love him, by the conſideration of the matchleſs Good and Benefits it might have by him, which the convinced ſinner ſeeth he can find in no other; but in proceſs of time, and in his progreſs in the way to Heaven, he learns and ſees that Excellency and Beauty in Chriſt, that he is in himſelf more amiable than all the Objects of his former Love.

To ask therefore, Whether we are to love Chriſt for himſelf, or for his Benefits we have by him? is to propound a queſtion which yet I have not obſerved in the Scripture, nor disjunctively anſwered therein; for one is ſubordinate to the other, and ſubordinata non ſunt oppoſita, nec pugnant. I am to love Chriſt for himſelf, and for the Goodneſs, Excellency, and Amiableneſs of his own Perſon; and I am to love Chriſt for the good I have received by p. 36him, and for the benefits I hope further for his ſake to be made partaker of; and the one is an help unto the other: Though I am to love Chriſt more for himſelf, than for my advantage by him; yet in loving of him, I do not conceive I am to caſt away the conſideration of the benefits by him.

As we ſhould not put the ſeeking of God's Glory, and our own Salvation, in oppoſition, but in ſubordination, tho God's Glory and the pleaſing of his Will be the ultimate end, and our Salvation to be ſought by us in order thereunto: Wherefore in ſeeking after an evidence of Grace, and Title to Heaven, I think it is a needleſs and unwarrantable puzzling of our ſelves; and that which hath ſorely afflicted ſome gracious perſons, and filled them with unneceſſary doubts, and fears, and torments of mind, to demand of our ſelves, Whether we could be content to be damn'd, to go to Hell, to ſuffer everlaſting Torments, and the burning, fiery, flaming Wrath of God poured out upon the damned, ſo that God may be thereby glorified. I ſhall forbear to judge the ſtate of my Soul by this, as a Character of Grace, and Preaching of it unto others, till ſome ſhall ſhew me this is propounded in the Goſpel as a Condition of the Pardon of my Sin, and the Salvation of my Soul, which hitherto I have not obſerved: For how can I earneſtly deſire to be Saved, and yet be willing and content to be Damned? Long to be with him, and yet content to be for ever ſeparated from him? I do find God threatens men with Hell, to awaken them to look after Heaven, and deliverance from Hell, but I do not find God propounding as a condition of Salvation, to be content to go to Hell, that we might be received up to Heaven. That I leave and p. 37loathe my ſin, repent and turn to God, believe and love him above all, thankfully accept him for my Lord and Saviour, is plainly required from me; and upon the ſincere performance of theſe conditions, and perſevering therein unto the end of my life, for Chriſt's ſake, beloved and believed on, I may comfortably, well-groundedly hope, wait for, and expect through the Riches and Freeneſs of his Grace, Everlaſting Happineſs.

In like manner, I judge it a perplexing queſtion, Whether we ſhould love Chriſt for himſelf, or for the Benefits by him. Lord, help me to love Chriſt for himſelf, and for all the good I have and hope for by him; but the one ſubordinately, the other ultimately; for ſuch love I read there was in David, Pſal. 116.1. I love the Lord, becauſe he hath heard my voice and my ſupplications.

SECT. X. The Ninth Requiſite in Love to Chriſt.

NInthly, Sincere Love to Jeſus Chriſt doth reſpect him, and is placed upon him, as he is Prophet, Prieſt, and King. In which reſpect, the love of Hypocrites and carnal Goſpellers, doth fail and come ſhort. Moſt will profeſs love to Chriſt, as he is Jeſus, a Saviour, to deliver them from the Guilt of Sin, and Puniſhment of Hell, and the Wrath that is to come; but will not love him, nor have him, as a Teacher and a Ruler. As if a woman ſhould love her husband, as he makes proviſion for her, and doth protect her from wrongs and injuries; p. 38but as he is her Head, to guide, to rule and govern her, ſo ſhe cannot endure him: Would you not in ſuch a caſe cry out againſt ſuch love, and ſay, this is but partial and pretended love? And do not you ſee you deal as deceitfully and hypocritically with Chriſt, when in one reſpect you ſay you like and love him, but indeed in other reſpects you do diſlike and hate him? And do you think that Chriſt will ſave you from Hell, if he do not ſave you from your ſins? That he will make you happy, if you be never holy? Or do you hope that he will bring you to Heaven, without your being made meet and fit for Heaven? Doth not your own Reaſon and Conſcience, if you conſult them, condemn ſuch hopes of happineſs, that is built upon ſuch partial Love? Muſt Sin be loved as a Lord, and Chriſt loved as a Saviour? Do you think if Sin be your Lord, Chriſt will be your Saviour? What is the meaning then that the Object of ſuch love, that you muſt have, if you would not be Anathema, in the Text is ſet down, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt? What meaneth then that ſlaughter at the laſt day, among them that never would ſubmit to Chriſt as Lord and Ruler, nor love him in that relation? Whom Chriſt looks upon not as Lovers of him, but as Enemies to him; and will deal with them, not as Lovers, but as Enemies, Luk. 19.27. But thoſe mine enemies which would not that I ſhould reign over them, bring hither, and ſlay them before me. What is the meaning then, that Lord and Saviour, ſo often in Scripture with a Conjunction Copulative are put together, if as the Object of your Love they are to be parted aſunder? Rom. 8.39. and 7.25. 1 Cor. 1.2. 1 Cor. 15.57. 2 Cor. 1.2. Gal. 1.3. Eph. 1.2, 3. Phil. 1.2. Col. 1.2. 1 Theſ. p. 391.1. and 2.1, 2. 1 Tim. 1.2. and 2.1, 2. Tit. 1.4. Jam. 1.1. 1 Pet. 1.3. and 2 Pet. 1.1, 2. In theſe Texts and many more, Lord and Saviour, Lord and Jeſus, Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are ſet together, and in all theſe reſpects propounded to us, to be loved and received by us, if we would have Grace, Mercy, and Peace from God, and Salvation by him: And as he is offered, ſo he muſt be loved and accepted, or you muſt go without him and his benefits for ever.

SECT. XI. The Tenth Requiſite to Love to Chriſt, or the Worker of it.

TEnthly, This Love to Chriſt is wrought by the Powerful Operation of the Spirit of God upon the heart. For tho there is Affection of Love naturally in all men, yet there is not the Grace of Love naturally in any man. There is love to ſin, and to the world, and there might be love of man to man, and ſome common love in man to God, by ſome common workings of the Spirit; but there can be no ſpecial Saving Love to Jeſus Chriſt, but by the ſpecial Operations of the Holy Ghoſt. It is a Flower that doth not grow in Natures Garden, but is planted by the Spirit of God: Therefore ſpiritual holy Love is ſaid to be a fruit of the Spirit, Gal. 5.22. And if any, ſuch ſurely is ſincere and ſaving Love to Chriſt.

p. 40SECT. XII. The Eleventh Thing required in it.

ELeventhly, This Love includes a Reſignation of a man's ſelf to Chriſt, without reſervation of any thing he is or hath, unto himſelf. A Lover of Chriſt doth ſo devote, dedicate, and give up himſelf unfeignedly to Chriſt, as to his rightful Owner, and bountiful Benefactor, that he looks upon himſelf to be Chriſt's, more than his own; to live to Chriſt, and not to himſelf, and to ſeek Chriſt in all, and not himſelf. As in Conjugal Love there is a mutual giving each to other; the one, I give my ſelf to thee; the other, and I give my ſelf to thee; ſo in this holy Spiritual Love between Chriſt and the Soul, Chriſt gives himſelf unto the Soul, and ſays, I am thine, my Righteouſneſs is thine, my Merits are thine, and all my Benefits ſhall be thine: So the Soul in love with Chriſt, ſaith, Lord, I give my ſelf to thee, my Underſtanding ſhall be thine, my Will, my Heart, my Eſtate, my All ſhall be thine, at thy Command, at thy Diſpoſal, for me to have, to uſe, to leave or loſe, as thou ſhalt pleaſe. Cant. 2.16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. Hoſ. 2.23. I will have mercy upon her that had not obtained mercy; and I will ſay to them which were not my people, Thou art my people; and they ſhall ſay, Thou art my God.

p. 41SECT. XIII. The Workings of this Love, as it is Delighting, Deſiring, or Mourning Love.

TWelfthly, When all this is done, the Soul doth Delight in Chriſt, if preſent; Deſireth after him, if abſent; or mourneth for him, if it cannot find him. One of theſe Three ways Love will diſcover it ſelf. There are Three ſorts of Love.

Firſt, Delighting Love; If a man finds Chriſt's gracious quickning Preſence in his Soul, diſcovering and manifeſting himſelf and Love unto him; he rejoiceth in it more than in all Riches, and ſaith, My Life is a Pleaſure, my Heart is filled with Comfor, my Soul with Heavenly Delights. Pſal. 4.6. There be many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. 7. Thou haſt put gladneſs in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increaſed. Cant. 2.3. As the apple-trees among the trees of the wood, ſo is my beloved among the ſons. I ſate down under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet unto my taſte. 4. He brought me into the banquetting-houſe, and his banner over me was love. John 20.16. Jeſus ſaith unto her, Mary, ſhe turned her ſelf, and ſaith unto him, Rabboni, which is to ſay, Maſter. 18. Mary Magdalen came and told the diſciples, That ſhe had ſeen the Lord, and that he had ſpoken theſe things unto her. 20. And when he had ſo ſaid, (Peace be unto you) he ſhewed unto them his hands and his ſide. Then were the diſciples glad when they ſaw the Lord.

p. 42Secondly, Deſiring Love: If Chriſt be withdrawn, the Soul doth long, doth pant, doth thirſt, and cannot reſt till Chriſt returns; O whither is my Beloved gone? where ſhall I ſeek him? when ſhall I find him? how long! how long will it be! Oh ſtay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am ſick of love, Cant. 2.5. And Pſal. 42.1. As the heart panteth after the waterbrooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God. 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God; when ſhall I come and appear before God? Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee: my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee.— Pſal. 84.2. My ſoul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my fleſh crieth out for the living God. foreign the firſt word is the Radex, or primitive word, from whence cometh a word that ſignifieth Silver: Whence I note, that as a man that loveth Silver, deſireth Silver; ſo a man that loveth Chriſt, deſireth Chriſt. Oh bleſſed Love, whereby a man loveth Chriſt, and deſireth Chriſt with that earneſt, ardent, continual love, as a Lover of the World loveth and deſireth the Silver, and Gold, and the Riches of the World! the other word tranſlated ſainteth, ſignifieth to be conſumed; anxiouſly to expect, q. d. My ſoul deſireth, yea alſo deſireth; is conſumed with deſires after God.

Thirdly, Mourning Love: The Soul doth grieve, and is filled with ſorrow, when it hath not the thing that it doth deſire. Alas! that I ſhould go from Duty to Duty, to look for Chriſt, and cannot find him; to ſeek him, but cannot ſee him! Alas! it grieves, it groans and weeps, for the abſence of its beloved Lord. In company you might ſee his tears; in ſecret, were you near him, you might hear his p. 43groans, and bitter ſorrowful complaints, My Lord …s gone; my Love, the dearly beloved of my Soul, carrieth himſelf as a ſtranger to me: Like Mary, John 20.13. They ſaid unto her, Woman, why weepeſt thou? ſhe ſaith unto them, Becauſe they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

The ſum of all theſe Particulars opening the nature of this Love, being contracted and laid together, make up this Deſcription.

SECT. XIV. The Deſcription of Love to Chriſt.

LOVE to Chriſt is a ſpecial Grace wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God, inlightning the mind, whereby the Soul diſcenring the incomparable goodneſs, ſuitableneſs and communicability of Chriſt unto him, and in his judgment having a ſuperlative valuation of him, the Will doth chuſe him before all; primarily for himſelf, and ſecondarily for his Benefits: and giving to him the predominant degrees of his Affections, reſigneth himſelf to Chriſt in all his Offices; delighting in him, if preſent; deſiring after him, if abſent; or mourning for him, if he cannot find him.

This is the Love you muſt have to Chriſt, if you would not be Anathema, accurſed when the Lord ſhall come.