A Discovery of Glorious Love, Sermon 2
SERMON II.
EPHES. 3. ver. 19.
And to know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge.
CHRISTS love is the Saints life. Paul tells you, he was dead to the Law, that he might live to God. And the ground thereof was this, that hee lived by faith in Chriſt, who loved him, Galath. 2.20. As the life, ſo likewiſe the comfort of the Saints is wrapped up in the love of Chriſt. A beleever can neither live, nor rejoyce, if the Lord Jeſus ſmile not upon his ſoul: But if Jeſus Chriſt wil but ſmile, and ſhine in the light of love, Beleevers know, not only how to live, but alſo how to rejoyce, in all, even the worſt of times. Hence it was, that this Apoſtle praying to the Father of our Lord Jeſus, for the Epheſians, that they might not faint at his tribulations, He intreats, that, to this purpoſe, they might know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge.
Having briefly touched at the reality of Chriſts love to beleevers (as it is included in this place) I ſhall now ſpeak more largely to the royalty thereof (as it is ſet out in this phraſe) that it paſſeth knowledge. Whence our ſecond point was this, viz.
That love which Chriſt beareth to beleevers, is a tranſcendent love.
You ſee how fully this point lies in theſe words. It muſt needs bee tranſcendent, ſith the Apoſtle ſaith, it paſſeth knowledge.
I ſhall indeavour to open the point, and give you the meaning thereof, by bringing you to the top of this high hyperbolical expreſſion, in three ſteps or ſtaires.
Firſt, The love of Chriſt to Beleevers is tranſcendent, it being above expreſſion. Thoſe who enjoy Chriſts love, they know not how to expreſſe it, ſuch is the tranſcendency of the love, that it paſſeth their knowledge how to expreſſe it in any Language. The Scripture ſets out the height of things by this, that they are unſpeakable: So when it would heighten, and declare the tranſcendency of that rapture in which Paul was (when wrapped up to the third heavens) and the glory of that which he then heard, it ſets it down by this, that it was unutterable, He heard unſpeakable words, (which may be an Hebraiſm for things, word and thing being in the Hebrew convertible) which it was not poſſible for a man to utter, foreign apud Hebraeos eſt & verbum, & res.2 Cor. 12.14. In like manner when the Scripture ſpeaks of the tranſcendent joy which Beleevers rejoyce withall by beleeving, It uſeth this phraſe, that it was unſpeakable, 1 Pet. 1.8. Yee rejoyce with joy unſpeakable.
And it muſt not be paſſed by in ſilence, that the joy of which Peter ſpeaks, is that which Beleevers have by faith, which certainly is founded upon Chriſts love; So that if the joy in the faith of Chriſts love be unſpeakable, the love it ſelf is much more: For quod efficit tale, eſt magis tale (as the Logicians ſpeak) i. e. That which makes any thing ſo, or ſuch, is much more it ſelf ſo, or ſuch. This may be the firſt ſtep to aſcend the height of the expreſſion, and to declare the tranſcendency of Chriſt love to beleevers, It paſſeth knowledge in this, that no man (no, though he had the tongues of men and Angles) knows how to expreſſe it.
2 Chriſts love is tranſcendent, and may be ſaid to be above knowledge, in that it is above apprehenſion. As the Language of Beleevers cannot expreſſe, ſo neither can their knowledge apprehend the height of their Saviours love. Men often can apprehend more than they can expreſſe; when the tongue is ſilenced, the underſtanding may be comprehenſive. But now, in the love of Chriſt there is that, which poſeth and confoundeth the very intelectuals of men and Angels. It is ſo high, as that there is no reaching of it; ſo deep, as that there is no ſounding of it; ſo long, as that it exceeds meaſuring; and ſo broad, that there is no comprehending it. The moſt Spiritual Mathematician is not able to commenſurate Chriſts love in all its dimenſions. It is as poſſible for that little Creviſe of the body (the Eye) to let in all the light of the Sun, as it is for that great eye of the Soul (knowledge) to let in the luſtre of Chriſts love. The Holy Ghoſt, when hee would ſet out a thing as tranſcendent, he uſeth this phraſe, that it is ſuch as cannot be comprehended. As now, ſpeaking of the great▪ things which God doth, it is ſaid they are ſuch as wee cannot comprehend, Job 37.5. Without doubt, as the operation of the Fathers hand, ſo the expanſion of the Sons heart, is ſuch, as cannot be comprehended.
In this, the Fathers works, and the Sons loves, do equally tranſcend, that they paſſe knowledge, and are not able to be apprehended.
3 Chriſt bears to beleevers a tranſcendent love, & it paſſeth knowledge, in this, that it is above conception. Fancy can conceive that which Reaſon cannot comprehend. The Underſtanding being bounded by Reaſon, cannot go beyond its limits; and therefore where Reaſon cannot ſuggeſt, the Underſtanding cannot apprehend. But now fancy is winged, and it will fly: It doth (as Scaliger ſpeaks) Aſpernare caeterorum finium praeſcriptionem, It ſcorneth to be bounded, though by Reaſon it ſelf: It flyeth high, and will gueſſe (at leaſt) at the tranſcendent height of that which reaſon cannot reach. Yet ſuch (my beloved) is the love of Chriſt; It is ſo high, ſo ſuperlatively-tranſcendent, that let fancy looſe, and let it fly as high as it can, it is not able to ſoare to the top thereof. As the underſtanding going to its utmoſt bounds: So fancy flying beyond all bounds, is not able to conceive what is the love of Chriſt to Beleevers.
So that now when I ſay, the love which Chriſt Bears to Beleevers is tranſcendent, and when you read in the text, that it paſſeth knowledge, You may take the meaning thus; That it is above the expreſſion of the fineſt Oratory, the comprehenſion of the deepeſt Theory, and the conception of the ſublimeſt Fancy; In ſo much, as let Oratory ſpeak, Wiſdom ſtudy, Fancy fly, yet neither the one, nor the other, nor all, are, able to expreſs, apprehend, or conceive what is the love of Chriſt to beleevers. Indeed the love of Chriſt is ſuch, as heaven it ſelf (though it be the state of ſight) doth not (as hereafter we ſhal ſhew) exalt the Saints ſo high, as to make them able to comprehend that love, in the fields whereof they do walk and live. It is with the Saints in Heaven, as with the Fiſhes in the Sea; they ſwim up and down the mighty waters, but yet they do not, cannot comprehend that watry world in which they live: In like manner, the Saints above, though they ſwim up and down the infinite Ocean of love (which is in their Saviours boſom) yet they can no more comprehend that vaſt ſea of love, in which to eternity they ſhall bathe, and bleſſe their ſouls, than the little Fiſh can comprehend the great Sea in which it ſwims. Wherefore (ere I proceed further) let me premiſe this, That it is not in my thoughts, nor dare I preſume this, neither would I have you expect, that by any thing which I ſhall or can ſay, I ſhall be able to ſet out the infiniteneſs of that love (of which we ſhal treat) according to his full Latitude, and worth. No, this I deſpair of; only I deſire to let you ſee ſome of the glimmering beams of that tranſcendent love which is in Chriſts boſome towards beleevers, ſo as that you may wonder at it, and ſet about the exacter ſtudy of it. And look as a Painter, when he intends to draw out the Sea, or the World in a Map, hee maketh only ſome little ſhadows of the Earth and Sea, that ſo the beholder may be inabled to gueſſe at the vaſtneſſe thereof: In like manner I ſhall draw before you (in my Diſcourſe) ſome little ſhadowy pricks, or lines of Chriſts love, that thereby I may help you ſomewhat to imagine, what is that infinite tranſcendent love, which neither Saints nor Angels are able (in all its luſtre and dimenſions) to paint out or diſcover.
For the proof, I ſhall not need to adde more Scriptures, it being clear enough by what the Apoſtle ſpeaks in this place of Chriſts love, that it is tranſcendent. In the verſe before this, the Apoſtle hints, that there are all the dimenſions in Chriſts love, which may ſerve to declare any thing vaſt and infinite. There is a breadth, and length, and depth, and height in the love of Chriſt. And it is worth the noting, the Apoſtle doth not tell how great thoſe dimenſions were; He doth not ſay how broad, or how long, or how deep, or how high; but (as if the dimenſions of Chriſts love did tranſcend his knowledge) he paſſeth it by, and only adds this, that this love paſſeth knowledge.
I finde not this phraſe (to my beſt remembrance) but once more in the New Teſtament, and that is Philip. 4.7. where Paul ſpeaking of the tranſcendency of the Peace of God, he ſaith, it paſſeth underſtanding. Certainly, it is the glory of Chriſts love (as well as of his Fathers peace) that it alſo paſſeth underſtanding.
If at your leaſure you read, and reading ſpiritually conſider, what is preſented to faith, in the Book of the Canticles, you will ſee this truth (that the love of Chriſt to beleevers is tranſcendent) in the glory and convincing power, and proof thereof. It may be in your time you have miſſpent ſome hours in reading of ſome Romances, And you have wondred at ſome ſtrange Stories of Love which you have met withall: But alas! ſhould you compare the higheſt love that ever you read of, with the love of Chriſt to Beleevers, you wil be forced to confeſs; that that love, in compariſon of this, is but like the ſtory it ſelf, i. e. a meer fancy. If ever ſtrength of affection were ſet out in ſweetneſs of expreſſion, It is in that Book to a Spiritual eye: when I do but conſider the fourth Chapter only of that Song, I cannot chuſe but wonder at the high tranſcendency of Chriſts love to beleevers. Surely I conclude, the affections are ſweet, ſtrong, glorious, unconceivable, when the expreſſions thereof are ſo raviſhing, ſo great, ſo high, as in that Chapter they are.
I ſhall give one general demonſtration, to let you ſee the truth of the Doctrin, that Chriſts love to beleevers is tranſcendent: The demonſtration take thus; That love which includeth in it, and comprehends all kindes, acts, or demonſtrations of love whatſoever, muſt needs be a tranſcendent love.
But ſuch is the love of Chriſt to Beleevers, &c. Therefore, &c. I ſuppoſe the Major is clear enough, and needs no proof. The Painter took the direct, and undeniable way to make the Picture of Minerva tranſcend, and excel all other Beauties, when he epitomized, or contracted all the ſeveral rays, and particular beauties that were ſcattered up and down in other Perſons, or Pictures, in that one pecce. It is upon this ground an axiome indubitable, and beyond or above Diſpute, That the Sun doth farre tranſcend in Light, any, or all the other Lights, Moon, or Stars, &c. becauſe in its Light, all theirs is contained, and that in an eminent manner.
All the queſtion is about the Minor; whether that Chriſts love be ſuch to beleevers, as that it includes and contains in it, all other kindes or acts of love whatſoever. Now this I ſhall put out of queſtion by an Induction, or enumeration of the ſeveral kindes, or acts of love.
Amongſt other (how exactly I will not determine) the Moraliſts tell us of theſe four kindes of love, as the chief, viz.
1 A love of Friendſhip.
2 A love of Pity.
3 A love of Sympathy.
4 A love of Complacency.
In theſe four only, I ſhall inſtance (which I had rather call ſeveral demonſtrations, or degrees of one and the ſame paſſion of love, than particular kindes diſtinct) and ſhall ſhew that Chriſts love to Beleevers, includes, and contains in it all of them, and that therefore it muſt needs be tranſcendent.
1 The love of friendſhip is ſo called (not as if it were the habit of friendſhip it ſelf, but) becauſe it is that kinde, or act of love, whereby we proſecute or follow one, whom we look upon, and love as a friend; and to whom we wiſh good. Now this kinde (or rather degree) of love, is in the love of Chriſt to beleevers; Chriſt looks upon, and loves all beleevers as friends; hence it is, that he counts, and calls them all by that name, ye are my friends, Joh. 15.14. And that this is real, appears by his dealing with them. Therefore it is added, Henceforth I call you not ſervants; for the ſervant knoweth not what his Lord doth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of the Father, I have made known unto you, ver. 15. Thoſe whom we love as friends, wee open our minds unto; and it is their privilege, wee communicate to them ſecrets which we have heard. Chriſt dealeth thus with beleevers, and thus dealing, doth not he declare to them the love of friendſhip?
2 The love of pity. This falleth in, and followeth upon the former; for (as Job ſaith) To him that is afflicted pity ſhould be ſhewed by his friend, Job 6.14. This alſo is included in Chriſts love to beleevers. For upon that love of friendſhip which he bears to them, he acteth this of pity ſtill towards them; when no eye pitied them, his eye did. When ſinners, and Satan rather laugh at their miſery, and ſay, Aha, Aha, ſo would wee have it. Chriſt he as it were ſighs to ſee their ſorrows, and indeed pities their ſouls: Hence it is ſaid, Iſa. 63.9. In his love, and in his pity hee redeemed them (it was real pity it did work) and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.
3 The love of Sympathy (which in truth is but a high degree of pity) is alſo contained in the love of Chriſt to beleevers. Men ſympathize with thoſe whom they love; when they do (as it were) take up their miſeries upon themſelves, and be as if they were in their Friends caſe. Thus doth Jeſus Chriſt, when hee ſees any beleever groan either under ſin, or ſadneſs, he comes, and by a ſympathy doth afflict himſelf (For in all their afflictions (ſaith the Prophet) he was afflicted, Iſa. 63.9.) as if he himſelf was in their ſadneſs, and under their ſin. The Author to the Hebrews tells us, Wee have not an high Prieſt who cannot foreign i. e. ſympathize with our infirmities, cha. 4.15. His meaning is, that indeed our high Prieſt, Jeſus Chriſt, doth ſympathize with beleevers in their ſorrows. And in Chap. 5.2. it is ſaid of Chriſt, that he can have compaſſion of the ignorant; that word is foreign and it ſignifies as much as, Hee knoweth how to pity according to the meaſure of our miſery. Let the miſery be never ſo great (for with reference to great meaſure) I beleeve the Metaphor is uſed) Jeſus Chriſt knows how to meaſure out as great a meaſure of ſympathy, as is needful. So that Chriſts love to Beleevers you ſee contains in it alſo the love of ſympathy.
Laſtly, For the love of complacency (which indeed is the higheſt degree of love) this alſo is in Chriſts love contained. You have a deſcription of this love of complacency (and a demonſtration alſo of the thing in hand) Zeph. 3.17. The Lord thy God (which I underſtand of Chriſt) in the middeſt of thee, God is only ours in Chriſt. Chriſt is called, foreign i. e. God with us, or our God.is mighty, he will ſave, he will rejoyce over thee with joy: he will reſt in his love, he will joy over thee with ſinging. It is the nature of the love of complacency to reſt in its ſelf, and to rejoyce in its lettings out unto its object, as it were with ſinging. Thus doth Chriſt to beleevers: He firſt loves them, and then reſts in that love, and after ſolaceth himſelf in their ſouls, & rejoyceth with ſinging, while he reſts in his love, with them, over them, in them. Look as the Father did from all eternity, by his love of complacency, reſt in the Son, and took his delight in him, as it is, Prov. 8.30. So doth Jeſus Chriſt reſt in beleeverss, and he ſolaceth himſelf in their perſons; for as it is there added, ver. 31. His delights were in the ſons of men. Thus doth Chriſts love to beleevers (you ſee) comprehend in it this higheſt kinde, (or rather degree) of love, viz. that of complacency.
So that (now to wind up the demonſtration) Look as the Sea doth tranſcend all other Rivers, becauſe that they all come, and empty themſelves into it: In like manner doth the love of Chriſt excel all loves whatſoever, and is tranſcendent; In as much as all the kindes, acts, or degrees of love which run up and down among the creatures, (as it were in ſeveral Chanels) do all meet, and empty themſelves in Chriſts boſome, as into the vaſt ocean of love, and thence flow forth into the boſomes of Beleevers, as the ſole choyce peculiar Ciſterns of the ſame: great, high, tranſcendent love.
But becauſe my deſign is a little to loſe my ſelf in this Diſcourſe of love. I ſhall for the further making out, and diſcovery of the tranſcendency of Chriſts love to Beleevers, Speak to it more particularly: And at this time I ſhall touch at the ſubſtance and circumſtances of this love, and in both, ſhew how it doth tranſcend, and paſſe all knowledge.
1 For the ſubſtance of the love of Chriſt to Beleevers: It is ſuch as if rightly (i. e. ſpiritually) conſidered: will appear to be tranſcendent. There are (to omit others) but four things which I ſhall touch upon briefly, as the ſubſtantial declarations of the Hyperbolical excellency of this love.
viz.
1 The nature
2 The degrees
3 The duration
4 The operation
of this love.
1 To begin with the Nature of Chriſts love to Beleevers, It is tranſcendent, it being of the ſame nature that the Fathers is to him. Jeſus Chriſt loves beleevers with the ſame kind, or nature of love, with which the Father loves himſelf. His love to them, and his Fathers love to him, for nature are all one: And if there be tranſcendency in the one, (viz. the Fathers love to Chriſt) there muſt needs be alſo in the other, (viz. Chriſts love to Beleevers) for they are in their nature both the ſame. Chriſt himſelf bears record to this truth. As the Father hath loved me, ſo I have loved you, Joh. 15.9. That you may fully feel the weight of this demonſtration, take it in theſe three Concluſions briefly.
1 Of all love, that is the moſt tranſcendent love which is in God. For God (as the Spirit ſaith) is love, 1 Joh. 4.16. Water in the Fountain is the ſweeteſt, and love, in like manner, in God is cleareſt, for he is the God of love, 2 Cor. 13.11. Look as light in the Sun is the moſt tranſcendent; So love in God muſt needs tranſcend, becauſe love is in him, as light is in the Sun, i. e. In its primo, and proper orbe or ſeat. And indeed, as every beam of light is but the irradiation of the Sun, ſo all the love which is in the boſomes of Creatures, is but like ſome little drops of dew, which firſt fell from the Heaven of love, Gods boſome.
2 Of all the love which is in God, that is the moſt tranſcendent, which he lets out to Chriſt. It is Chriſts glory that he is crowned with the flower, beauty, and glory of the fathers love. Jeſus Chriſt was he, who is ſtill, not only the beloved, but the wel-beloved of the Father; in whom he was well pleaſed, i. e. In whom the Father did reſt in the higheſt degree of his love. And apparent it is, by all the actions of God, that he loyed Chriſt with the moſt tranſcendent kind of love. In as much as that he made all things for him, gives all things to him, and lets not out ſo much as a drop of love to any creature, but that it firſt runs into his boſome, and ſo through him to the Creature. The very ſpirits and quinteſsence of that love which is in Gods boſome, was let out (and that without meaſure) into Chriſts. Now,
3 That love which Chriſt bears to beleevers, is the ſame which he had from the Father. As it flowed from the Fathers boſome into his, ſo it flows from his boſome into beleevers; It is the ſame love for nature, and quality. As every drop of the Sea is the ſame for quality, that all the water in the Sea is: So every drop of love which falls in upon the boſomes of Beleevers, from Chriſts, is of the ſelf-ſame nature, and is the ſame for quality, which the Father bears to him. Indeed there is difference in the quantity. And the reaſon is, becauſe our Ciſternes are not ſo capacious as Chriſts Ciſtern. And yet ſo much as we can contain, we ſhall have, as I ſhall ſhew by and by.
So that now, herein is the firſt thing, wherein the tranſcendency of Chriſts love to Beleevers appeareth; It is the ſame for nature with that which the Father ſhews to himſelf. Hence it was, and is, that Chriſt both did, doth, and will, declare the Fathers name to beleevers, that (as it is, Joh. 17. ult.) the love wherewith the Father loved him, may be in them, as he himſelf is in them.
2 If we conſider the degrees in which, or the meaſure according to which Chriſt lets out his love to Beleevers, we ſhall ſee it is tranſcendent in that alſo. Chriſt fils the boſome of beleevers with is much love as they can hold. The creature when enlarged to the utmoſt, is not capable, neither can it contain more then they have, So that as the nature of the love is high; in like manner the degree is full. The Prophet Jeremiah ſpeaking of Gods wrath againſt ſinners, uſeth a Metaphor in which he compares Gods wrath unto Wine (as alſo the Pſalmiſt doth, Pſal. 75.8.) and ſinners unto bottles; and ſetting out the degree of that wrath, He ſaith, every bottle is full of wine, Jerem. 13.12. Beloved, Chriſts love is compared to Wine alſo, Cant. 1.4. And if you compare the boſomes of Beleevers unto bottles, (as you may) then certainly know, every boſome is full of the wine of Chriſts love. The Juſtice of the Father is not more exact to fill the boſome of ſinnets with his wrath, than the grace of the Son, is free to fill the boſomes of Beleevers with his love. Hence it is that he ſaith, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, Pſal. 81.10.
You read a Box of Oyntment, which when it was opened, the whole houſe was filled with the odour thereof, Joh. 13.3. ſuch a Box of Oyntment is the boſome of Chriſt, (as may bee gathered from Cant. 1.3. which being opened in the houſes, i. e. the hearts of beleevers, fills them [full] with the ſweet favour thereof. And indeed, as Chriſt bids beleevers ask the Father, that their joy might be full: So hee is as bountiful himſelf (as he would have his Father to be) and therefore without their asking (for he loveth firſt) he lets out, yea and fills them with his love. In this life beleevers have (at leaſt might) as much love as faith can let in; and if the ſoul be not full, it is only becauſe the mouth is narrow (as the bottle with the narrow neck in the Ocean;) And hereafter, as much as viſion it ſelf can ſwallow. So that now the tranſcendent fulneſſe of that degree in which Chriſt lets out his love to beleevers, doth evidently declare the love to be tranſcendent alſo.
3 Adde to both theſe the conſideration of the duration of Chriſts love to beleevers; and this will further demonſtrate its tranſcendency. As the nature is high, and the degree full, ſo the duration is conſtant, and perpetual. Having loved his own, he loved them, els foreign i. e, to the end; it may be, to the perfection, Joh. 13.1. Chriſts love is once and ever. It is of the ſame nature with himſelf, unchangeable. As nothing in Beleevers was ſo good as to make him to ſet his love upon them; ſo nothing is ſo bad, as doth make him take it off again. Indeed ſometime the viſible actings, or demonſtrations, may be concealed, but ſtill the love it ſelf remains ſure, and is never violated; That look as Divines ſay of Chriſt upon the Croſſe, The beatifical viſion was ſuſpended, but the hypoſtatical union was not diſſolved; In like manner, though the light of Chriſts love may be for a time obſcured, yet the life thereof is ſtill preſerved. The love may be dark ſometime, but dyes never. There is nothing, no not ſin, that can totally, and finally ſeparate between Chriſts love, and a beleevers ſoul. Paul asketh the queſtion, (to this day it is unanſwered, yea and unanſwerable) What ſhall ſeparate? Rom. 8.35. The mountains ſhall depart, and the hills ſhall be removed (ſaith Chriſt) but my kindneſſe ſhall not depart, Iſa. 54.10. Beleevers, thoſe high Hills which you ſometimes ſee, at whoſe ſight ye wonder: And the mighty mountains which you behold ſometime, and are amazed at their vaſtneſſe; thoſe very hills and mountains not only may, but ſhall depart: But yet the love of Chriſt towards you, is ſo tranſcendently high, and ſure, that it ſhall not, nay cannot depart. So that, as the very heavens themſelves wax old like a garment, and yet the perſon of Chriſt remaineth; even ſo ſhall heaven, earth, every creature wax old, decay, and dye; But ſtill the love of Chriſt towards beleevers, ſhall continue young, freſh, and flouriſhing: Such is its duration, ſuch ſhall be its continuance. Indeed the very life of Chriſt, muſt depart, and he dye again, ere his love to his can decay: For his love is not only the Beleevers life, but his own, (as was hinted formerly) O the tranſcendency of this love, which ſhall thus laſt.
4 Conſider now in the laſt place, the operation of Chriſts love to beleevers; and you ſhall ſee its tranſcendency anſwerable to its nature, degree, and duration. We gueſſe at the tranſcendency of things by the nobleneſſe of their operations. It is a certain rule, the more noble any thing doth operate, the more noble it is in its ſelf. Love of all the affections being the moſt noble, anſwerably it hath the moſt noble operations. Chriſts love will eaſily appear to be tranſcendent, if we conſider how much more nobly it operates than any other love in the world. From the firſt point of time untill this, yea and till time ſhall be no more; the operations of Chriſts love to beleevers, have been, are, and ſhall bee tranſcendently glorious and noble.
I ſhall not in this place ſo curiouſly ſearch into all actions of Chriſt (becauſe I ſhall more particularly ſpeak to them by themſelves) to let them therefore paſſe; I ſhall only inſtance in five particulars, and in them you ſhall ſee the tranſcendent operations of the love of Chriſt to beleevers.
1 There was no condition ſo low, unto which Christ did not condeſcend, to declare that his love did tranſcend. High love ſtoops low; and the higher ſtill the love is, the lower ſtill it ſtoops. You may take loves elevation, by its condeſcention; and the lower ſtill that you obſerve love condeſcendeth, the higher alway you muſt conclude it is elevated. I think it was but a fancy, which one reporteth of a great Prince, who (it is ſaid) took upon him both the habit, and imployment of a Dayſ-man, working to build a Houſe (in which his beloved was) that he might viſit her. Yet let me tell you, it is no fancy, but a reality in Jeſus Chriſt, that out of the height of his love to beleevers, hee took upon him both the form, and the imployment of a Dayſ-man, (which ſome think, though I do not, to be intended in that of Job 9.33.) to declare not only his obedience to his Father, but his love to beleevers. He emptied himſelf, or made himſelf vain (for ſo the word foreign may be tranſlated) and took upon him the form of a Servant, &c. Phil. 2.7. Chriſt became of no reputation, that his love to Beleevers might bee of high reputation. O how nobly did Chriſts love operate towards beleevers, when he ſtooped ſo low for their ſakes!
2 There was no action ſo mean, which he did not cheerfully undertake, to declare his love to beleevers. Royall love doth (as it were) debaſe the Soul, to any (though the meaneſt) ſervice, to declare it ſelf. Jacob will bee a Servant, and keep Sheep in the heat of Summer, and the cold of Winter, rather than not ſhew his love to Rachel. And Jeſus Chriſt will waſh his Diſciples feet (a mean imployment) and though he be Lord of all, will be a ſervant unto all his Diſciples, that hee may not only teach them humility, and love one unto another, but alſo that he may declare the height and tranſcendency of love unto them all.
3 There is no failing ſo foul, which he doth not paſſe by, to declare the ſurpaſſing greatneſs of his love to beleevers. Great love paſſeth by, and pardoneth, great faults; And the greater the faults are which be committed, the greater is the love by which they are pardoned. Peter failed groſly, when he denied, and forſwore his Maſter: But love operated tranſcendently, when it paſſed that by. What failing more groſſe againſt the bed of love, than Adultery? Surely the Sons of men will not paſſe it by; this fault doth tranſcend their love: yet though men will not, Chriſt will (as it is, Jer. 3.1.) His love tranſcends this fault. Chriſts love to beleevers is far greater, and doth much tranſcend the love of men to their Wives, and therefore he doth that which they will not, i. e. Paſſe by the foul failing of Adultery. I take the Prophet clearly and preciſely to ſpeak this of Chriſt; for it is he alone who, as it is verſe 14. is married unto beleevers. It is the glory of mans love (and then doth love operate nobly) when he paſſes by an offence: It is much more the glory of Chriſts love, and that ſhews it ſelf tranſcendently glorious in its operation, by paſſing by the groſſe, and greateſt failings which are in beleevers.
4 There was no gift ſo great, which Chriſt did not beſtow upon Beleevers. Love produceth gifts. Iſaacks love to Rebecca was ſeen to be great, by the great gifts he ſent her, A golden earing of half a ſhekel weight, and two bracelets of ten ſhekels weight of gold, Gen. 24.22. Chriſt gives Grace (which is far more precious than gold) to beleevers: Out of his fulneſſe we receive grace for grace, Joh. 1.16. Nay, ſo great was his bounty, and ſo large were his gifts, That he became poor for our ſakes (that was by giving) that by his poverty we might be made rich, 2 Cor▪ 8.9. But what greater gift than himſelf? yet ſuch is the tranſcendent operation of Chriſts love, that hee gave himſelf for Beleevers ſakes, and to their ſouls.
5 Adde to all theſe, this alſo, that ſuch is the tranſcendent love of Chriſt to beleevers, that there is nothing almoſt ſo mean in them, but he highly prizeth it. Love prizes every thing in the party beloved. Chriſt doth both prize, and praiſe mean things in beleevers, becauſe his love towards them is mighty. Their voyce (though inarticulate (for ſo the word foreign ſignifies) is ſweet, Cant. 2.10. Their love (though faint) is fair with him, Cant. 4.10. Their gifts (though ſmall) are ſo prized, that where-ever the Goſpel of his love ſhall be preached, the gifts of their love ſhall alſo be divulged, Mark 14.9. Thus you ſee all along, how tranſcendently glorious, and noble the love of Chriſt operates towards beleevers: And what doth it declare but this, that the love of Chriſt is indeed tranſcendent, paſſing knowledge?
Having thus briefly touched at ſome demonſtrations of the tranſcendency of Chriſts love to beleevers, ſubſtantially: I ſhall now adde but a word or two, to demonſtrate the ſame yet clearer, from ſome conſiderable circumſtances about Chriſts love to beleevers.
There be four Circumſtances, which I ſhall but mention, viz. The conſideration,
1 Of the Perſon loving.
2 Of the Perſons beloved.
3 Of the time of this love.
4 Of the end thereof.
1 Conſider the Perſon loving, i. e. Jeſus Chriſt. He being a tranſcendent Perſon, his love is like himſelf, tranſcendent alſo. Perſona eſt amoris menſura, According to the dimenſion of the Perſon, ſo are the dimenſions of the affection. The height of the lover, is the height alſo of the love. As the Moraliſts judge of the magnitude of Crimes, by the perſons againſt whom committed: So we may alſo conclude the greatneſſe of the love, from the greatneſs of him by whom it is declared. A little wrath revealed by God is great, becauſe he himſelf is great: And a little love let out by Chriſt, muſt be great love alſo, becauſe hee is great. Fire is by ſo much the greater, and hotter, by how much the fuel, or matter in which it is, is the more combuſtible: Love is fire, and the flames thereof tranſcend and exceed, according to the vaſtneſs of the boſome in which it burns. Fire in Wood makes a great flame, and gives a great heat, but Fire in Brimſtone flames more, and burns hotter; Love being in Chriſt, it is as fire in Brimſtone, or rather as fire in a Mount of Spices, it muſt needs therefore give a great heat, and make a great light; and that light will diſcover his love to be tranſcendent. As the man is, ſo is his ſtrength (ſaid they of Gidcon) Judg. 8.11. As the Lord is (may we ſay of Chriſt) ſo is his love. He is wonderful, and his love muſt needs bee ſo too. Becauſe wee are but little, therefore our love cannot be great; and becauſe Chriſt is great, his love cannot be little. The love of the Lord Jeſus cannot chuſe but bee tranſcendent, paſſing knowledge, becauſe himſelf is ſuch. But
2 Conſider the Perſons beloved, and this (eſpecially joyned with the former) will indeed demonſtrate that the love of Chriſt is tranſcendent. Who are beleevers, that are thus beloved? Are they of any note or name? nothing leſſe, Worms they are, and not Men. Nay not bigge, but poor Worms: For ſo Jacob is ſtiled, Iſa. 41.14. Hee that knoweth their frame, remembreth well they are but duſt, Pſa. 103.14. But this is not all: for as they are Worms, ſo worthleſs ones; and as they are but duſt, ſo defiled duſt too. Now that the rich Jeſus, ſhould love poor Jacob; That he who is ſo mighty, ſhould affect beleevers ſo mean; That he who is ſo pure, that hee is without ſpot, or blemiſh, ſhould open his heart to ſuch as are ſpotted all over, and whoſe very beauty (without him) is but a blemiſh; This heightens the love indeed, this declares that it doth tranſcend. He that knows how mean, worthleſſe, contemptible Creatures beleevers are (without Chriſt) will quickly (if he conſider that Chriſt loveth them) conclude that the love paſſeth knowledge.
3 If wee take into our thoughts the time of love, either when it was firſt ſet, or firſt drawn forth, we ſhall ſee by this alſo, that it is tranſcendent. For the beginning therefore, when it was firſt ſet, it bears date before time. Before time had either beginning, or being, Love had both, in Chriſts boſome, towards beleevers. Chriſts love to beleevers is an antienter building than the world: for when the one had no foundations, the other had.
Surely, if (as it is Proverbs 8.31.) his delights, were in the Sons of men, that is, Beleevers, (for you may call all the reſt of the World, Sons of Sathan rather than Sons of men) if (I ſay) his delights were with the Sons of men, before the fountains of the deep were ſtrengthened, or the foundations of the earth were appointed; Then certainly his love was alſo towards them before that time, for his love was the ground of that delight. Indeed the firſt words which Chriſt wrote, was, Love to beleevers, and this was written with glory (for it was before Gold was) upon his boſome, for then other Books were not. And if the love were begun time out of minde, (as we ſay) then certainly the love is paſſing knowledge (as the Text ſaith.)
And for the time when it was firſt declared, The Prophet tels us, it was at ſuch a time, as in which we were moſt unlovely, when we lay in our bloud, and were not ſo lovely, as to provoke any eye to pity us: Then did Chriſt paſſe by, and it was the time of his love; and then did his love break forth with the light of Life; for then he ſaid Live, as it is, Ezek. 16.
Surely hee did ſhew wit, who fancied the feigned beloved, all beſmeared with a poyſoned hand, and made leprous thereby, and yet ſtories, that the Love was as conſtant in love as ever: But we ſhall ſhew only the truth, and the tranſcendency of Chriſts love to Beleevers, if we affirm from Scripture Hiſtory, When beleevers were all poyſoned with the leproſie of ſin, and lay as Lepers by the way ſide, then Jeſus Chriſt came and took them by the hand, and opened the love of his heart, in letting out a ſtream of bloud to waſh them, and make them clean. Now, that before ever the fountains of the deep were laid, a fountain of love ſhould ſpring up in Chriſts boſome to beleevers, and that it ſhould be opened in his ſide, at ſuch a time as they lay in their filth; What doth this declare, but that Chriſts love to beleevers is tranſcendent, and (as it is in the Text) paſſeth knowledge; it being ſet, and declared at, or in ſuch a time? Yet.
Laſtly, take in the conſideration of that end which Chriſt aimes at in his love to beleevers, and this will declare it alſo to be tranſcendent. Chriſts love to beleevers is its own end: He loves that he may love; and this makes the love glorious. Jeſus Chriſt (Beleevers) in all the love which hee lets out to you, aimes not at himſelf, but at you. Hee loves you now, that he may love you ever. The end which he drives at in declaring love in a leſſer meaſure here, is, that he may declare love to you in a greater meaſure hereafter. He makes you veſſels of Grace in this world, that you may be veſſels of Glory in that which is to come. All the glory which hee aimed at for himſelf, was the glory of his Grace, and that ſhall be towards you: Chriſt delights to ſet the golden apple of his glory, in the ſilver picture of your good. He being Love, only aims that men may ſee the light thereof, and he choſe your boſomes (beleevers) as the golden Candleſticks to ſet up the glorious light of his love to ſhine in.
Now then, that ſo infinite a Majeſty as Chriſt is, ſhould love ſuch mean Worms as beleevers be; And that he ſhould ſet his love before the firſt of the times, and let it out in the worst of times, and that only for their good, as the end: Oh! who can conſider this, but muſt ſit down, and wonder, and cry out, O the tranſcendency of Chriſts love! How! how! doth it paſſe knowledge? Having thus demonſtrated a little, I would now apply this point, at preſent, in three uſes.
viz.
1 Of Conſolation.
2 Of Conviction.
3 Of Counſel.
1 In as much as Chriſt loveth beleevers with a tranſcendent love; How may this comfort Beleevers at all times! Thou complaineſt, O beleeving Soul, that the World doth not love thee; nay, thou ſayeſt it doth hate thee; Why, be of good comfort; though the World hateth, Chriſt loveth; and the World cannot hate thee ſo much, as hee will love thee; His love doth tranſcend the Worlds hatred. What the Angel told Daniel, that ſay I to every beleeving ſoul, who groaneth under the hatred of the World, Dan. 10.19. Fear not O man greatly beloved: Why complain you (O beleevers) for want of the puddle drops of the Creatures love? you have the pure ſpring of Chriſts love; what weakneſſe is it, to cry for want of the light of the Stars, ſo long as you have the light of the Sun? Thou haſt the Creators love (beleever) be not ſad therefore in wanting the love of the creature; eſpecially conſidering, what a tranſcendent love it is. Comfort your ſelves (O my brethren) with theſe thoughts, Jeſus Chriſt loves you, and that love of his which he bears to you paſſeth knowledge.
2 Let this be a word of Conviction unto ſinners. Wretches, be ye convinced, that however you ſay no body regardeth Beleevers, yet there is one who is greater than all, who regards them, and that in a high manner; know, that Chriſt loves them with a tranſcendent love. You break their ſouls in peeces, you ſlay them, and you murther them, and yet you ſay the Lord doth not ſee, neither doth the God of Iſrael regard it, Pſal. 94.7. But be convinced now to the contrary: The Lord Jeſus doth ſee, and he doth regard them; and ere long he will make you know, that (however you deal with them) they are dear unto him; though you love them not at all, yet he loves them highly. Were you not afraid (ſaith God) to ſpeak againſt my ſervant Moſes? Num. 12.8. God wonders that they were not afraid to ſpeak againſt a man, whom he loved ſo much. And who can chuſe but wonder, that ever any wretches ſhould be ſo vile, as to ſpeak, and act againſt thoſe, cruelly, whom Chriſt loves tranſcendently? But I pity yee (poor Creatures:) It may be you think that Chriſt ſlights them as you do; yet be convinced now, and take heed hereafter what you do; certainly whoever they bee, whom you oppoſe, if they be beleevers, be convinced, that the Lord Jeſus loveth them all with a tranſcendent love.
3 This Doctrin might be a Counſellor, and it counſels all to look after, and prize a part in the love of Chriſt, above all the loves of the world. O friends I why do you ſpend your ſelves, and lay out your ſouls in the purſute of that which is not love, at leaſt not tranſcendent love. I wiſh you would now bewiſe; you who court the creature, court them now no more: I ſhew you a more excellent way of love. Conſider the tranſcendent love of the Lord Jeſus, and be ye counſelled to labour to get a ſhare in it. O that the hearing of this, that Chriſt loveth beleevers with a tranſcendent love, might make you ſick in your ſouls, till you participate of this love.
When one heard of the great love which was between two choyce friends, he ſaid, Utinam tertius eſſem, i. e. O that I were but a third, that I might ſhare with them in their great love. Conſider it, you have heard of the high tranſcendent love which is between Chriſt and beleevers; Be on fire therefore, and burn with deſire, that you may partake of that love, and that at leaſt you may enjoy that love, which thoſe that have moſt, are not able to expreſſe, or conceive, it being a tranſcendent love, paſſing knowledge.