Love to Christ, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Ten Queſtions by way of Conviction, that many, very many, have no ſincere Love to Chriſt; from whence alſo Characters of ſincere love to him, by the right reſolving of theſe Queſtions, might be gathered, and our Love tried, whether ſincere or counterfeit.
MUST a man that loves not Chriſt ſincerely, be Anathema when Maranatha? Muſt he love, or be curſed if he do not? Then, as Chriſt did put the Queſtion unto Peter, Joh. 21.15. Simon Son of Jonas, loveſt thou me? And 16. the ſecond time, and 17. the third time. Simon Son of Jonas, loveſt thou me? So do thou put this Queſtion to thy ſelf, O my Soul! loveſt thou the Lord Jeſus? And when thy heart may forwardly return an anſwer, ask it the ſecond time, O my Soul! art thou not miſtaken? Dost thou indeed love the Lord Jeſus? And becauſe the matter is of everlaſting moment, put the Queſtion a third time, and ſo often, till to this Queſtion, O my Soul! Dost thou ſincerely love the Lord Jeſus? Thou haſt ſuch proof out of the Scripture, as will hold trial, when this ſhall be in queſtion at the great day of Judgment. But alas! What great grounds of jealouſie are there, that the love of many is but ſuppoſed love to Chriſt, that think they do, that hope they do, but indeed do not? For whoſe conviction I ſhall deſire them to give in a ſerious anſwer to the following Queſlions, as trials of the ſincerity of their love.
I. Dost thou love Christ ſincerely, and live in wilful diſobedience to the known commands of Chriſt? Doſt thou know his will, and willingly every day act contrary to it, and yet pretend to love him? Doſt thou ſlight his commands, and love his perſon? Doth Chriſt command thee to be the death of thy ſins, and thou ſuffer them to live and rule, and yet love him? Doth Chriſt command thee to pray continually, and thou doſt neglect it continually, and yet have the face to ſay thou loveſt Chriſt? Doth Chriſt command thee not to ſwear profanely at all, nor to take Gods name in vain, and doſt thou do this often in a day, and yet defie that man that calls in queſtion thy love to Chriſt?
But whatever be thy confidence, I do declare to thy face, it is a great and Soul-damning miſtake; for as Love and Obedience are conjoined in the Scripture, ſo they are never parted in the true and ſincere Lover.
Weigh theſe Scriptures, and thou wilt find thy Love pretended to without obedience, to be ſo light, that it will be driven away by the evidence of the Word, like chaff before the wind. Exod. 20.6. And ſhewing mercy unto thouſands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. The ſame words repeated, Deut. 5.10. and Deut. 7.9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him, and keep his commandments, to a thouſand generations. And 11.13. And it ſhall come to paſs, if ye ſhall hearken diligently unto my commandments, which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to ſerve him with all your heart, and with all your ſoul—Neh. 1.5. I beſeech thee, O Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him, and obſerve his commandments. Joh. 14.15. If ye love me, keep my commandments. 21. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is, (yes, that is the man) that loveth me—23. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, if a man love me, he will keep my words—24. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my ſayings.—Do ye ſee how in all theſe Texts Obedience is joined with Love? If Love go before, Obedience follows after, and the latter is a proof of the former.
Then the man amongſt you, that is not openly profane, but of a moral converſation, and moreover a Profeſſor, will ſay as Saul did to Samuel, Bleſſed be thou of the Lord. I have performed the commandment of the Lord, 1 Sam. 15.13. But Samuel replied, ver. 16. What meaneth then this bleating of the ſheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the Oxen which I hear? So ye ſay, we love the Lord; how do ye prove it? Why we have performed the Commandments of the Lord. Have ye ſo? What meaneth then the neglect of Prayer in your Families that I hear of? What meaneth then your Idling away the Lords day, or polluting it by worldly Diſcourſe? What meaneth, I pray you, the allowed dead Praying, and dull performances, not ſtriven againſt, nor lamented for? But if you would not deceive your ſell, mind that, that Obedience which proves ſincerity of love to Chriſt muſt be,
1. Ʋniverſal, and that in regard of the object; all the Commandments of God, thoſe that are more hard, as thoſe that be more eaſie; thoſe that croſs and condemn your beſt beloved ſin, as well as thoſe you could more eaſily and readily part with; thoſe commands that reſpect the inward as well as the outward Man, and do enjoin the manner as well as the matter of your Duties. Pſal. 119.6. Then ſhall I not be aſhamed, when I have reſpect to all thy commandments; and Univerſal, in regard of the ſubject, that your obedience be done with the whole heart. Deut. 10.12. And now, Iſrael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to ſerve the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul.
2. Obedience that is a proof of Love must be chearful, for Love obeyeth with delight. It is not a burden to Pray, but a pleaſure; hard Duties become eaſie to Love, and the time ſeems not long, nor tedious. As Jacoh, for the Love of Rachel, Gen. 29.20. And Jacob ſerved ſeven years for Rachel, and they ſeemed unto him but foreign as ones days, tranſlated as few days, for the love he had unto her. Seven years to love ſeem but as one day. One day in an holy Duty to one that wanteth love, ſeemeth as ſeven days, if not as ſeven years, which ſeem to paſs away ſooner, and with more delight, than one day ſpent in Fleſh diſpleaſing Duties, where there is no love to take off the rediouſneſs of it to the Fleſh.
3. Such Obedience muſt be the choicest: Sincere Lovers of Chriſt will ſerve him with the beſt they have, and in the beſt manner they can. Love thinks nothing too good for God and Chriſt, elſe it is but deceitful and pretended love. Mal. 1.13. Ye ſaid alſo behold what a wearineſs is it, and ye have ſnuffed at it, ſaith the Lord of hoſts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame and the ſick; thus ye brought an offering: ſhould I accept this of your hands? ſaith the Lord? You bring Prayers, but they are ſleepy Prayers; thus ye Pray. Ye Pray, but with your minds roving becauſe of the prevailing habitual love ye have unto the World; THUS ye Pray. Could ſincere Love find no better Service? Give no better Duties than ſuch for which a man is a Deceiver, and Accurſed? v. 14. But curſed be the deceiver, which hath in his ſlock a maele, and voweth and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, ſaith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen. That is ſtrange then, that it ſhould be no more dreadful among his people that pretend to love him, that they are not afraid to bring and offer ſuch Duties to him as do ſo much provoke him, and are ſo greatly diſpleaſing to him; that give him only words when they have (a Male in their Flock) an heart in their breaſt to give him.
4. Such Obedience as is a proof of Love, muſt be perſevering to the end, expreſſed not by ſtepping into Gods ways, but by walking in them. One that loves not Chriſt might ſtep into a good way, but he that loves doth walk therein. Deut. 11.1. Therefore thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments alway. And 19.9. If thou ſhalt keep all theſe commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways.—Such then as have made great ſhews of love to Chriſt, and now are revolted, and have forſaken his holy Commandments, by this might judge what kind of love it was to Chriſt, that they once made profeſſion of; and more by their partial, irkſom, and refuſe Obedience, might be convinced, that their love to Chriſt is unfound, and only ſuppoſed Love.
II. Do you love Chriſt, while you maintain the Love of Sin in your Heart? Can the love of Sin, and the love of Chriſt, dwell together in higheſt degrees? Can the affection of love in that manner be carried out to two contrary objects at the ſame time? And is there any thing in the World more contrary than Chriſt and Sin? Is there more oppoſition between Light and Darkneſs, extreamly Sweet, and extreamly Sowre? Can you love your Health and Poyſon too to be in your Stomach? Can you love Chriſt, and yet love what he doth hate? Can you love Chriſt and delight in Sin, which took away the Life of your Lord? Could you carry that Knife continually in your Boſom with delight, that was the Inſtrument of Death unto your deareſt Friend? You might as ſoon look down upon the Earth, and up unto the Heavens at the ſame inſtant, as thus love Sin and Chriſt together. Pſal. 97.10. Ye that love the Lord, hate evil; and the hatred to Sin, that proves ſincere Love to Chriſt, muſt be
1. Ʋniverſal, to the Darling Sin as well as others, to the Sin that hath been to you as your Right Hand, or Right Eye. Hatred is to the kind; he that hates a Toad: It is not this one, or that in particular, but all. He that Loves Chriſt ſincerely, hates Sin as a man hates a Toad, not only as to the degree, but alſo as to the extent, all and every one. Pſal. 119.104 I hate every falſe way.
2. Implacable: Anger might be pacified, but Hatred planted in the Nature is irreconcileable. Antipathy cannot be rooted out, nor turned into Love. A man might be angry at Sin that loves not Chriſt, but be friends again; might turn from it, and afterwards return unto it; but the hatred to Sin implanted in the new Creature is implacably bent againſt Sin, that the words might have ſome place here by way of alluſion, relating the Love and Hatred of Amnon to Tamar. 2 Sam. 13.15. Then Amnon hated her exceedingly, (Hebrew is, with great hatred greatly) ſo that the hatred wherewith he hated her, was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her; and Amnon ſaid unto her, Ariſe, be gone. With like deteſtation will the Lover of Chriſt pack away his Sin; Ariſe, be gone, with greater hatred than before he loved it.
3. Therefore it is mortal and deſtructive to Sin that is the object of it. Eſau hated Jacob becauſe of the Bleſſing wherewith his Father bleſſed him; and Eſau ſaid in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand, then will I ſlay my brother Jacob, Gen. 27.41. So the Lover of Chriſt, that hateth Sin, is reſolved to be the deſtruction of it. Shall not I be the death of that curſed Sin that was the death of my bleſſed Lord? Shall I ſuffer that to live in my heart, which would not ſuffer Chriſt to live in the World? Did Sin ſhed my Saviours Blood, and ſhall not I be avenged on my … Did Sin make my Saviour Groan, and Sweat in a bloody Agony, and ſhall I take delight therein? Was my Sin the Nails that did faſten him to the Croſs? The Spear that did pierce his bleſſed Side? And the Thorns that Crowned his Sacred Head? And ſhall I lodge it in my Boſom? Did Chriſt in love unto my Soul dye for my Sin, and ſhall not I, in love unto my Lord, cauſe Sin to dye in me?
III. Do you love Chriſt ſincerely, when the things of this World have the predominant degrees of your affections? As Sin is not to be loved at all by them that love Chriſt, ſo things that are good, muſt not be loved above Chriſt, nor are by them that love him. Mat. 10.37. If any man love father or mother more than me, he is not worthy of me. Doth that Woman love her Husband with a ſincere Conjugal Love, that though ſhe love him truly, yet loveth another more than him?
Do you love Riches, Pleaſures, Honours, Relations, Self, Life, more than Chriſt, and yet ſincerely love Chriſt? As he is better than all, greater than all, more ſuitable, more durable, more ſweet, more ſatisfying, than all other good things, ſo he muſt be loved above, and more than all. 1 Joh. 2.15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. Jam. 4.4. Ye Adulterers and Adultereſſes, know ye not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God? Whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Though one that is ſincere in his love to Chriſt might not love Chriſt more than ſome other perſons love him, yet he loves Chriſt more than he loves other perſons or things. But do you love Chriſt more than you love other things, and yet,
1. Your thoughts are habitually ſet, and actually run out upon other things more than upon Chriſt? Can you think on the World with delight, but not on Chriſt? And love to have a thouſand thoughts on other things for one you have of Chriſt? It is a pleaſure to you to think on your Pleaſures, your Profits, your Children, but a burden to you to think of Chriſt, and keep your thoughts upon him. Are not the thoughts much upon the object of love; Pſal. 139.17. When I awake, I am ſtill with thee. But if you cannot ſleep in the Night, your Head is full of the thoughts of the World, becauſe your Heart is full of the love of the World. Is it not a ſign the World, and not Chriſt, is loved as your Treaſure? for where the treaſure is, there the heart will be alſo, Mat. 6.20, 21.
2. Do you love Chriſt more than other things, when your labour is more for other things than for Chriſt? Did you ever take that pains, that care, to get an Intereſt in Chriſt, as you have done for the Riches of this Life? If you had, might you not have had him, whereas now you are without him? You Sweat for the World; you are Cold in your Praying for Chriſt; you lay out your ſtrength in working for the World; you are ſloathful in endeavouring after Chriſt; you are lively upon the Exchange; quick in your Counting-Houſe; with might and main you act in your Shop, but dull in your Cloſet upon your Knees, if you at any time are there ſo imployed. Is this your love to Chriſt more than to other things? Or,
3. When your care is more to keep other things than that Chriſt, you conceit you love? Let Chriſt go to keep your outward Poſſeſſions, and yet ſay you love Chriſt more; who do you think will believe what you ſay? Will not a man that loveth his Child more than his Gold, and all his Goods, if his Houſe were on Fire, loſe all to ſave his Child? So would you for Chriſt, if you loved him more than all.
IV. Do you love Chriſt and never grieve, nor groan, nor repent for the Sin whereby you have diſhonoured him? Can there be love to any perſon without grieving for the unkindneſs that you have done unto him? Doth a Child love as a Child, that is not grieved becauſe he did offend his Father? If your Heart did burn in Love, would not your Eyes flow with Tears? If the fire of Love were kindled in your Breaſt, would not the waters of Sorrow run down your Cheeks, and make thee ſay, Oh! What have I done, that I ſo long have ſlighted this loving Lord? Oh! What did I mean to ſtop mine Ears againſt his Calls of Love and Mercy? That I let him ſtand without Door, when the World and Satan were admitted in? Did my Lord ſuffer for my Sins, ſhould I then have ſinned thus againſt my ſuffering Lord? Was he Nailed to the Tree for my ſake, and muſt I yet wound him more? Oh! That I could not behold my bleeding Lord without a weeping Eye! I am grieved, dear Saviour, I am grieved, to remember how I ſlighted thee, and trampled thy Royal Commands under my feet. O Lord, I bluſh and am aſhamed, that I did ſpurn againſt ſuch tender Bowels, that I did undervalue ſuch invaluable Love! and did prefer the Dung of this World before ſuch an incomaprable Saviour!
But you can daily ſin, and your Soul not ſigh, nor ſob, nor grieve, nor groan. You can ſin and rejoyce at the thoughts of it. Jer. 11.15. When thou doſt evil, then thou rejoyceſt. Thou canſt ſin and make a ſport at it, like a fool. Prov. 14.9. Fools make a mock at ſin. Oh thou Loveleſs Sinner! Did Chriſt bleed for Sin, and doſt thou laugh at it? Was Chriſt ſerious, and his Soul ſorrowful even to the Death for ſin, and doſt thou make a ſport of it? Haſt thou a Sea of Sin, and not a drop of Sorrow for it? Surely thou art the man that haſt not one Dram of ſincere love to Jeſus Chriſt.
V. Doſt thou love Chriſt, and live without communion with him? And when he is abſent from thy Soul, art never troubled at it? Doth not Love deſire ſweet converſe, and familiar entercourſe, with the perſon that is the object of thy Love? Can Lovers be long aſunder, and not deſire a meeting? Canſt thou account the preſence of the beloved object a burden to thee? Or is not his abſence really ſo? Doſt thou think that he doth love thee, that is weary of thy company, or never deſirous of it? Or ſhuns the place where thou doſt wont to be? If indeed thou loveſt Chriſt, thou couldſt be content to be without any thing than without him: Thou couldſt better be without thy health than without Chriſt, without thy deareſt friend next to Chriſt, than without Chriſt; that is to thee the deareſt of all, if thou doſt love him. Without thy Meat and Drink, even thy neceſſary Food, than without Chriſt. How is it then that thou canſt take up contentedly without Praying, and without Hearing, or with theſe without Chriſt in them? Is it not for want of Love? Lovers have their fainting Fits, ready to faint and dye away when the object cannot be enjoyed. Cant. 2.5. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples, for I am ſick of love. Cant. 3.1. By night on any bed I ſought him whom my Soul loveth; I ſought him but I found him not. 2. I will riſe now, and go about the City in the ſtreets, and in the broad ways I will ſeek him whom my ſoul loveth; I ſought him but I found him not. 3. The watchmen that go about the city found me: To whom I ſaid, Saw ye him whom my ſoul loveth? 4. It was but a little that I paſſed from them, but I found him whom my ſoul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go—The Soul in love with Chriſt is reſtleſs in his abſence, and never leaves ſeeking till it find him, and having found him, holds him faſt by Faith and Love, and will not let him go. The Soul that loves doth long, doth thirſt, doth breathe and pant, after the beloved object; for what is deſire but love in motion, as love is deſire at reſt? And though a gracious heart finds complacency and reſt in love to Chriſt, yet if Chriſt be not enjoyed, Love cannot reſt, but moveth, in deſiring of him, like David, Pſal. 42.1. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after God. 2. My ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God; when ſhall I come and appear before God? And is early and earneſt in ſeeking after him, and every full condition to him is empty, and every fruitful ſtate to him is barreh, and he ſeeth weakneſs and diſgrace in all worldly Strength and Honour, till he is filled and made fruitful by the enjoyment of Chriſt, and doth ſee his Power and his Glory in his Ordinances. Pſal. 63.1. O God, thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee: my ſoul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirſty land, where no water is. 2. To ſee thy power and thy glory, ſo as I have ſeen thee in the ſanctuary.
VI. Do you love Chriſt, and yet hate what he doth love? Doth not true love make you love ſuch as are beloved by him whom you do love? Do you love Chriſt and hate his Word? Did not David that loved God, eſteem his Word, for the ſweetneſs of it, more than Honey? Pſal. 119.103: And for the worth of it, more than Gold? Pſal. 119.72. Do you love Chriſt the Lord, and take no delight in the Lords-day, that is ſet apart for the commemoration of the wonderful work of mans Redemption, and filling us with joy at the remembrance of his Reſurrection? Can you idle away this day? Can you ſpend it in Pleaſures, and profane it with your vain Diſcourſe and worldly Talk, when you ſhould be delighting your ſelf with the thoughts and ſpeech of the great things that Chriſt did ſuffer, and by ſuffering procure for his People? Do not they that love and honour an earthly King, delight themſelves, and ſhew their joy, on his day of Coronation? I cannot be induced to believe that any man loveth Christ, that takes no care, and makes no conſcience of the holy obſervation of the Lords-day.
Do you love the Lord Jeſus, and yet hate his people? Cannot you endure a real, holy, humble, ſin-fearing Chriſtian, and yet impudently ſay, You are a Lover of Chriſt? Can you revile them, and magnifie Chriſt? Do you love him, and hate ſuch as are like him? Doth a Woman love her Husband, that with indignation tears his Picture? In this God himſelf doth declare thee to be a Liar, when thou doeſt this, and ſaith thou art a Chriſt-lover. 1 Joh. 4.20. If any man ſay, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath ſeen, how can he love God, whom he hath not ſeen? 21. And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother alſo. 1 Joh. 5.1.—And every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alſo that is begotten of him. Did not Chriſt ſhew his love unto his people, by laying down his life for them? And do you ſhew your love to Chriſt, in taking their lives away from them that love him, becauſe out of love unto him they will not, dare not ſin againſt him as you do, and dare; when true love to Chriſt and them, in due circumſtances, will cauſe a man, that is a ſincere Lover, to lay down his life for them? 1 Joh. 3.16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, becauſe he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. Did you love God and Chriſt, you would have a free heart, and open hand, to receive his people in their Need and Neceſſities. And do you love God and Chriſt, when you can find both heart and hand to ſpoil them of their Goods, and thereby bring them into Poverty and Want? Is it a certain ſign of want of love to Chriſt, when you do not according to your power ſupply their wants? And is it not then a certain ſign of hatred unto Chriſt, when you take away their Supplies, and bring them, drive them into want? 1 Joh. 3.17. But whoſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother hath need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? How indeed? Who can tell or conceive how it ſhould?
VII. Do you love Christ, when you had rather ſin against him than ſuffer for him? Is that your Love, when you had rather forſake him, than in danger follow him? When you had rather deny him, than dye for him? And though you do as Peter did, you do not repent, and weep bitterly as Peter did. Did not Love move Chriſt to ſuffer and dye for us? Was not Love the chain that did faſten him to the Croſs? And if you loved Chriſt, would the Waters of Affliction and Perſecution quench your Love? You love him, but cannot ſuffer for him. Worthy Love! but ſuch as with which Chriſt doth not count you worthy of him, or to have any ſaving benefit by him, Mat. 10.37, 38. The Martyrs loved Chriſt, when they did go to Priſons for him, and went to the Stake, and were burned into Aſhes for him. You would think it a hard ſaying, to aſſert, None but Martyrs love Chriſt. But with a diſtinction, I think it is a true ſaying, A Martyr is either actually ſo, or intentionally. It is the purpoſe and reſolution of the Heart, to dye for Chriſts ſake, if called to it; he is one that doth dye for Chriſt, or is ready, willing, and b… the help of Grace is reſolved to loſe his Life, than leave Chriſt. And then it is ſafe to ſay, That he that loves his Life more than Chriſt, and will part with Chriſt, rather than his Life, hath no ſincere love to Chriſt; for Chriſt doth ſay it, Mat. 10.37, 38. And this was the reſolution, and diſpoſition of Paul's heart, before he was actually put to death. Act. 21.13. Paul ſaid, What mean ye to weep, and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but alſo to die at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus.
VIII. Do you love Chriſt, that never were convinced of your need of Chriſt? Of your undone and loſt eſtate? Of your deplorable cendition without Chriſt? Are you ignorant of your Malady, and can you then value the Remedy? Doth not the Soul, firſt feeling its wounds by Sin, enquire what to do to be ſaved? And then upon the ſight of the power of Chriſt, that he is able to ſave, and of the freeneſs of Chriſt, that he is willing to help, the Soul is drawn to love him, and to ſet his heart upon him. Bleſſed Lord! wilt thou help me out of my miſery? When none can deliver, wilt thou? I am undone! Wilt thou ſuccour me? I am loſt! Wilt thou ſave me? Why, poor Sinner, ſaith Chriſt, I do pity thee: my bowels yearn over thee: I will keep thee: I will ſave thee both from Sin and Hell. Wilt thou ſo, dear Lord? Thou ſhalt have my heart; my love ſhall be to thee.
IX. Do you love Chriſt, and yet will not ſubmit unto him in all his Offices? When you ſay you love Chriſt, whom do you mean? Or in what reſpect do you conſider him? As a Prieſt only, that died for your Sins? As a Jeſus, to deliver you from Hell, to free you from the torments that your very Nature is againſt? Did you ever know a Drunkard, a Swearer, or the vileſt-debauchedſt Wretch, that hath heard of Hell and Chriſt, but was willing and deſirous, on his own terms, but not on Chriſts, to be ſaved from the torments? And upon that account will you ſay, That this man continuing in his open Sins doth love Chriſt? But Chriſt in this one reſpect conſidered only, is not that Chriſt that is Preached, and offered to you in the Goſpel, but alſo Chriſt as Prophet and King. Is this then your love to him, to divide him? Is this your love, to dethrone him from his Kingly Office? No, it is plain hatred to him. Luk. 19.14. But his citizens hated him, and ſent a meſſage after him, ſaying, We will not have this man to reign over us. But thoſe mine enemies which would not that I ſhould reign over them, bring them hither, and ſlay them before me.
X. Do you love Chriſt, and never care if he never come again? Nay, you could be glad you might never leave this World, if you might have your pleaſures and enjoyments in it; but that Chriſt ſhould come to you by Death, or at Judgment, you have no deſire, but ſorrow at the thoughts thereof. Doth that Woman love her Husband that is gone a Journey, and the tidings of his coming back is ſorrowful News unto her? The loving of the coming of Chriſt, is a character of ſuch as ſhall be crowned when he comes. 2 Tim. 4.8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſs, which the Lord the righteous judge ſhall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them alſo that love his appearing. And the Spouſe that was inflamed with Love, concludeth that Song of Love with this Requeſt, Cant. 8.14. Make haſte, my beloved, and be thou like to a Roe, or to a young Hart upon the mountains of ſpices. And when in the laſt words (ſave one verſe) of all the Book of God, Chriſt promiſeth his laſt and ſpeedy coming; the Church that loveth Chriſt, catcheth the promiſe out of his mouth, and turns it into a Prayer. Rev. 22.20. He which teſtifieth theſe things, ſaith, Surely I come quickly, Amen. Even ſo, come Lord Jeſus. But your heart ſaith rather, Oh not ſo, Lord Jeſus; great love in the mean time in your heart. Yet one that truly loveth Chriſt might be ſometimes filled with fear at the thoughts of Chriſts coming, not becauſe he doth not love and deſire it, but becauſe he thinks he is not prepared for his coming, leſt Chriſt ſhould find him unfitted and unready at his coming, to enter with him into his glory; but while he doth defer his coming, the loving Soul is haſting in his preparations for it: As a Woman that is told her Suiter is coming, is greatly troubled, not becauſe he is coming, but becauſe ſhe fears he might come before ſhe he adorned as ſhe doth deſire.
What ſay ye now, Sirs? Do ye love Chriſt, or do ye not? Upon the laying theſe things to your heart, by examination of your heart by them, can ye upon mature deliberation, ſay that ye find the love of Chriſt is there? Then I ſhall ſhew in the cloſe of this ſubject, what cauſe of joy in God ye have, what comfort for the preſent, and what ground of expectation of better, greater things for the future, and for ever this love to Chriſt might be unto you.
But is this the caſe of all you in this Congregation? I would to God it were! Is love to Chriſt in every heart among you? I wiſh it were, but I fear it is not. I hope ſome of you do love Chriſt, but can I hope ſo of you all? If I would never ſo fain I cannot, while ſome are ignorant, and ſome are prophane, and too many are excluded by the former characters of Love, from having, for the preſent, the Grace of Love. Oh that I my ſelf had more love to Chriſt, that I might grieve more, that bleſſed Jeſus is not loved by more among you! Oh that for Jeſus ſake I had more love to your Souls, that I could weep abundantly over you, that neither for Jeſus ſake, nor your own, have hitherto loved the Lord Jeſus! What then? Have ye not? Good God pardon it. Will ye not? Good God forbid it! What ſhall I do? Take it for granted that many of you do not love the Lord Jeſus? Yea, I have proved that ye do not. And oh! how bitter are theſe thoughts to me, that ſo many of you do not love the ſweeteſt Jeſus! Shall I take it for granted that ye will not? This were enough, if my heart were not a ſtone, to break it to pieces. Shall I let you alone without this Love? I dare not. Shall I try to gain your Love, not to me, but to my Lord? I am afraid ye will deny me. Deny me! In this that is of everlaſting concernment to your Souls, ſhall I take a denial and be gone? At your firſt denial I will not be gone, I know ye muſt have love unto him, or be curſed by him; how then can I acquieſce in a denial from you?
I know the Sinner doth not know what he ſaith, when he doth deny to give Chriſt his love, and therefore in hopes he might come to a better underſtanding of himſelf, and what makes for his own eternal good, I will proceed to the fourth Uſe, by which I hope God will change ſome of your hearts and minds, and win the love of ſome of you for Chriſt, that all you that yet do not love him, will not give this as your final anſwer, That ye will not love him.