Invisibles Realities Demonstrated in the Life and Death of John Janeway, Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
His Exhortations to ſome of his friends.
ANd that he might ingage others in more ardent affections to God, he put words into their mouths; Let us then (ſaith he) behold Him, till our hearts deſire, till our very ſouls are drawn out after him, till we are brought to acquaintance, intimacy, delight in him! O that he would love me! O that I might love him! O bleſſed are they that know him, and are known of him! It is good for me, to draw near to God. A day in his Court is better than a thouſand elſewhere; My ſoul longeth, yea fainteth for the Courts of the Lord, my heart and my fleſh crieth out for the living God. Oh that I were received into converſe with him, that I might hear his voice and ſee his countenance! For, His voice is ſweet and his countenance is comly! Oh that I might communicate my ſelf to God, and that he would give himſelf to me! O that I might love him! That I were ſick of love, that I might die in love! That I might loſe my ſelf in his love, as a ſmall drop in the unfathomable depth of his love! That I might dwell in his eternal love! O (ſaith he to a dear friend under ſome fears as to his ſtate) ſtand ſtill and wonder, behold his love and admire; now, if never yet, conſider what thou canſt diſcover in this precious Jeſus. Canſt thou not ſee ſo much till thou canſt ſee no more, not becauſe of its ſhortneſs, but becauſe of thy darkneſs?
Here's a Sea: fling thy ſelf into it, and thou ſhalt be compaſſed with the height, and depth, and breadth, and length of love, and be filled with all the fulneſs of God. Is not this enough! VVhat wouldſt thou have more? Fling away all beſides God, God is Portion enough, and the only proper portion of the Soul. Haſt thou not taſted, haſt thou not known, that his love is better than wine? Haſt thou not ſmelt the ſavour of his precious ointments, for which the virgins love him? This, this is he who is altogether lovely. And, while I write, my heart doth burn, my ſoul is on fire, I am ſick of love.
Dear ſoul, come near and look upon his face, and ſee whether thou canſt chooſe but love him. Fall upon him, imbrace him, give him thy deareſt choiceſt love: all's too little for him; let ſaith and love kiſs him: You ſhall be no more bold than welcome. Fix thine eyes again and again upon Him, & look upon His lovely ſweet and royal face; till thou art taken with this beautiful perſon, who hath not his fellow upon the earth, his equal among the Angels. Come near, ſtill contemplate his excellency, review each part, and thou wilt find him to be made up of love; winde thy affections about him; bind thy ſoul to him, with the cords of love. Thus ſhalt thou find a new life to animate thy ſoul; thou ſhall then feel a new warmth to melt thy heart; a divine fire to burn up corruption, and to break forth into a flame of heavenly love; Dwell in this love, and thou ſhalt dwell in God, and God in thee. But now, me-thinks, I ſee you almoſt all in tears becauſe thou feeleſt not ſuch workings of love towards God. Weep on ſtill; for, Love hath tears as well as grief: and tears of love ſhall be kept in his bottle, as well as they; yea, they ſhall be as pretious jewels, and as an excellent ornament. Haſt thou felt ſuch meltings of loving-grief? Know, that they are no other than the ſtreams of Chriſts love flowing to you, and through you and from you to Him again. And thus is Chriſt delighted in beholding of his own beauties, in his Spouſes eye.
I have prayed for a bleſſing for you, and on theſe related to you, and if they prove of any power by the ſpirit of God to you, it will be matter of joy and praiſe, by your dear friend, John Janeway.