Sermons Volume 2, 2 Corinthians 5 · Sermon 23
SERMON XXIII.
2 Cor. 5.14.
For the Love of Christ constraineth us, because we thus Iudge, that if one dyed for all, then were all dead.
IN the Context the Apostle is rendering the reason of his fidelity in the Ministry, which exposed him to hard labour, and sundry Calamities. His three grand Inducements were, First, The hope of a blessed Immortality. Secondly, The terrour of the Judgment. Thirdly. The love of Christ. This threefold cord is not easily broken. His hopes are professed in the beginning of the Chapter: His sense of the Terrour of the Lord, and the weightiness of his account, verse 10, 11. With an answer to objections, thou art proud, mad or transported, verse 13th. Now the last from his end, and principle, which bringeth in the third inducement, the Love of God. All together is enough to set the most rusty Wheels a going: Motives strong enough to move the hardest heart. Here are the strongest Arguments to perswade▪ the greatest Terrours to affright, yet all will not work without the force of love: Rewards allure, and incourage, Terrours keep aweful, and serious, but 'tis love that must inwardly incline men, and constrain the heart. For the love of Christ constraineth us, &c.
In the words,
1. We have the force and operation of love.
2. The reason why▪ and how it cometh to have such a force, and operation: Because we thus Judge, that if one died for all, then are all dead. The reason of our love to Christ, is Christs love to us; which is described,
1. By the special act of his love; he died for us▪ one for all.
2. The end and aim of it; then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live, should not henceforth live to themselves, but to him that died for them, verse 15. Christs end was,
1. Our dying to …n and Worldly Interests.
2. Our living in a dedicated and consecrated way wholly to the Service and Glory of Christ.
1. I begin with the force and operation of love; the love of Christ constraineth us. 'Twas love which put bands upon him, and made him forget himself, and only speak, and do those things, which concern the glory of Christ, and the good of the Church.
Let us a little explain the words.
[The love of Christ.] It may be taken passively, or actively; passively for that love with which Christ loveth us; Actively for that love which we bear to Christ: I take it for this latter, our love to Christ, founded on his to us, [constraineth us] foreign, compresseth the Spirit with a mighty force, as Paul, foreign, was pressed in Spirit, Acts 18.5. When the Spirit within him constrained him to speak: The same word expresseth that passionateness of desire which Christ had to dye for us, Luke 12.50. I have a Baptism to be Baptised with, foreign, and how am I straitned till it be? As a Woman in travail striveth to be Delivered of her burden. The word is emphatical, and noteth the sweet violence, and force of love, by which the heart is over-swayed and over-powered, that it cannot say nay. Beza glosseth, totos nos possidet, & regit. It doth wholly possess us, and ruleth us, and hath us in its power, to make us do what it would have us. Paul was wholly guided, and ruled by love, that he forgot himself for Christs sake.
Doct. That the love of Christ hath such a great force and efficacy upon the Soul, that it inclineth us to a willing performance of duties of the greatest difficulty, and danger.
To evidence this to you, this Scripture sufficeth; for this is the account which Paul giveth of his zeal, and diligence, in his Apostleship. To preach the Gospel was a work of much labour and hazard; they went abroad to bait the Devil, and hunt him out of his Territories; they contended not only with the corruptions and lusts, but the prejudices of men. The Gospel was then a novel Doctrine, advancing its self against the bent of corrupt nature, and the false religion then received in the World; if they had met with a ready compliance, there was labour enough in it, to run up and down, and compass Sea and Land, to invite men into the kingdom of God, but the World was their enemy. The Gods of the nations had the countenance, and assistance of Worldly powers, and every where they kicked against the pricks, yet Paul was as earnest in it, as if it were a pleasing and gainful Imployment. If you ask, What was the reason the love of Christ constrained him?
In the managing of this point I shall enquire,
1. What love to Christ is.
2. What influence it hath upon our duties and actions.
3. Whence if cometh to have such a force upon us.
1. What is love to Christ? I shall consider the peculiar reference of it to this place.
I must distinguish of the love of God. First, There is a love of God largely taken, for all the duty of the upper Hemisphere in Religion, or of the first Table, or where Christ divides the two tables into love to God▪ and love to our neighbour, Matth. 22.37, 38, 39. So 'tis confounded with, or compounded of, faith and repentance, and new obedience; for all religion is in effect but love acted; faith is a loving and thankful acceptance of Christ; Repentance is mourning love, because of the wrongs done to our beloved; obedience is but pleasing love; hope an earnest waiting for the full and final fruition of God, whom we love.
2. Strictly, it is taken for our complacency, and delight in God. Divines distinguish of a twofold love; a love of Benevolence and a love of Complacency. The love of Benevolence is the desiring of the felicity of another. The love of Complacency is the well pleasedness of the Soul in a suitable good. God loveth us both these ways, with the love of Benevolence, for so God loved the World, &c. John 3.16. with the love of Complacency, and so the upright in the way are his delight. But we love God with but one of these, not with the love of Benevolence; for he is above our injuries and benefits, and needeth nothing from us to add to his felicity; therefore we cannot be said to love him with the love of Benevolence, unless very improperly, when we desire his glory; but we love him with a love of Complacency, when the Soul is well pleased in God, or delights in him, which is begun here, and perfected hereafter. This is spoken of, Psal. 37, 4. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. And 'tis seen in this, when we count his favour and presence our chiefest happiness, and value an Interest in him above all the world, Psal. 16.6, 7. And Psal. 4.6, 7. And when we delight in other things, as they belong to God, Psa. 119.…4. I will delight my self in thy commandments, which I have loved.
3. Love is sometimes put in Scripture for that which is properly called a desiring, seeking love: Which is our great duty in this life, because now we are in via, in the way to home, in an estate of Imperfect fruition, and therefore our love venteth it self most by desires, and by an earnest seeking after God. The River is contented to flow within its Banks till it come into the Ocean, and there it expatiateth its self. 'Tis described by the Psalmist, Psal. 63.8. My Soul followeth hard after thee. And, Isa. 26.9. With my Soul have I desired thee in the night. This love we shew when the mercy of God is most desired, valued, and sought after, and those mercies most of all, which do shew us most of God Himself, and do most help up our love to him, as when we desire Spiritual blessings, above temporal; wisdom and grace, rather than wealth and honour: For spiritual wisdom is the principal thing Prov. 4.7. For it revealeth most of God to us, and is a less impediment in the ascending of our minds, and hearts to him, than wealth, or honour, or secular learning, or whatsoever subserveth the interest of the flesh. The World is full of allurements to the flesh, and since we have separated the creature from God, and love it apart from God▪ these temporal mercies, which should raise the mind to him, are the greatest means to keep it from him. Therefore the Soul of one that loveth God, tho' it doth not despise the bounty of his daily providence, yet it is mainly bent after those mercies, which are the distinguishing, & peculiar Testimonies of his favour, and do more especially direct the Soul to him. Set your affections on things that are above, and not on things which are on earth, Col. 3.2.
4. To omit other distinctions, the love which we are upon is the love of gratitude, and thankfulness. Not the general love which comprizeth all religion, either in its own nature or in its means, and fruits; not the particular love of delight, and complacency, by which we delight in God, and all the manifestations of himself to us. Nor, Thirdly, Not the seeking and desiring love, by which we seek to get more of God into our hearts, and above all do desire and seek the endless injoyment of him in glory. These work not so expresly, as this love of gratitude, concerning which observe three things.
1. The general nature of it. 'Tis a gracious, and holy love, which the Soul returneth back to God again, upon the apprehension of his love to us. Gospel love is properly a returning love, a thankful love. Love is like a Diamond that is not properly wrought upon, but by its own dust. 'Tis love that begetteth love, 1 John 4.19. We love him because he loved us first. As Fire begets Fire, or as an Eccho returneth what it receiveth. 'Tis a reflection or a reverberation, or casting back of Gods beam upon himself. As a cold wall sendeth back a reflection of heat, when the Sun hath shone upon it, so our cold hearts, being warmed with a sense of Gods love, return love to him again, Cant. 1.3. Thy name is an Ointment poured forth, therefore the virgins love thee. When the box of Spikenard is broken, and the savour of his good ointments she abroad, then the Virgins love him: Hearts are attracted to him. The more Gods love to us is known and felt, the more love we have to God.
2. The special object of this love is God as revealed in Christ. Partly, Because thereby God, who is otherwise terrible to the guilty Soul, is thereby made amiable, and a fit object for our love. And therefore in studying Christ, it should be our principal end to see the Goodness, Love, and Amiableness of God in him. A condemning God is not so easily loved, as a gracious and reconciled God. Mans fall was from God unto himself, especially in the point of love, he loved himself instead of God, and therefore his real recovery must be by the bringing up his Soul to the love of God again; now a guilty condemned sinner can hardly love the God, who in Justice will condemn, and punish him, no more than a malefactour will love his Judge, who cometh to pronounce sentence upon him. Tell him that he is a grave and comely person, a just and an upright man; but the guilty wretch replyeth, he is my Judge. Well then nothing can be more conducing, and essential to mans recovery to God, than that God should be represented as most amiable. A Father of mercies, a God of pardons, one that is willing to pardon and save him, in and by Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself. So he is represented comfortably to us, and inviting the heart to close with him. And Partly, Because so we have the highest ingagement to love him. We are bound to love God as a Creator, and as a Preserver, to love him as he is the strength of our lives, and the length of our days, Deut. 30.20. To love him, because he heareth the voice of our supplications, Psa. 116.1. As our deliverer, and the horn of our Salvation, Psa. 18.2. To love him as one who daily loadeth us with his benefits. There is a gratitude due for these mercies. But chiefly as he is our God, and Father in the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the great instance of Gods love, Rom. 5.8. God commended his love towards us, that while we were yet sinners, Christ dyed for us. And 1 John 4.10. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins. That was the astonishing expression of it. A mystery without controversy great, that he was pleased to save us at so dear a rate, & by so blessed & glorious a person, that we might more admire the Glory of his Love to sinners so wonderfully declared unto us. God made Christs love so exemplary, that he might overcome us by kindness.
3. The singular effects of this gratitude or returning love. It causeth us to devote the whole man to Christs service, will, and honour, and to bring back all his mercies to him, as far as we are able, to his use, and Glory. God in Christ being so great a benefactor, all that have received the benefit with a due sense, and esteem of it, will resolve to Love God again, and to serve him with all their powers, Rom. 12.1. Who deserveth our love, and obedience more than God? And our thankful remembrance, more than Christs? Therefore if we be affected with the mercy of our Redemption, we will devote our selves, and our all to him, and use our all for him: Our whole lives will be imployed for him, and all our actions will be but the effects of inward love, streaming forth in thankfulness to God. So Paul here being in the bonds of love, and under lively apprehensions of this infinite love of Christ, utterly renounced himself, to dedicate himself wholly to the service of God, and his Church: And surely if we are thus affected, we will be like minded, perfectly consecrating to him our life and strength.
2. What influence it hath upon our duties and actions.
1. Love is an ingenuous, and thankful grace, that's thinking of a recompence, or a return to God, or paying him in kind love for love. The reasonableness of this will appear, by what it done between man and man: We expect to be loved by those whom we love, if they have any thing of good nature left in them: The most hard-hearted men are melted, and wrought upon by kindness. Saul wept when David spared him, when he had him in his power; and shall God not only spare us, but Christ come and m…e a plaster of his own blood to cure us, and heal us, and shall we have no sense of the Lords kindness? Usually we are taken more with what men suffer for us, than with what they do for us, and shall Christ do and suffer such great things, and we be no way affected? … men plead one with another. Consider the words of Jehu to Jonadab the Son of R…chab ▪ 2 Kings 10.15. Is thy heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? Dost thou in truth affect me, as I do thee? And Paul to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 6.11, 12, 13. O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open to you▪ our heart is inlarged, ye are not straitned in us, but ye are streightened in your own bowels. Now for a recompence in the same, be ye also inlarged. That is, my kindness and affection is great, my whole Soul is open to you, and at your service: It would be a just return, if you would be back again as kind and affectionate towards me, as I have been to you. And again, when we are not loved by those whom we love, we use to expostulate it with them▪ as the same Paul to the Corinthians, 2 Cor. 12.15. I will very gladly spend my self, and be spent for you: though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am beloved of you. Or as Joab to David. 2 Chron. 19.6. Thou lovest thine enemies, and hatest thy friends. Men think they reason well, when they plead thus, for they presume it of love, that it will be ingenuous, and make suitable returns. Well then, the like we may with better reason expect from all those, who have a due sense of their Redeemers love, that they will return affection for affection: And accordingly honour, and serve him, who dyed for them: Gods love hath more worth and merit in it, than mans. No mans love is carryed on in such an astonishing way, nor with such condescension: God had no reason to love us at so dear a rate: But we have all the reason in the World to love God, and serve him. Therefore if he hath prevented us with his love, the thankful Soul will think of a return, and recompense, such as Creatures can make to God: Gods love of bounty will be required, by a love of duty on our part.
2. Love is a principle that will manifest and shew its self. Of all affections it can least be concealed: 'Tis a fire that will not be hidden. Men can concoct their malice, and hide their hatred, but they cannot hide their love: It will break out, and express its self to the party loved, by the effects, and Testimony of due respects, Pro. 25.5. Open rebuke is better, than secret love. When a man beareth another good will, but doth nothing for him, how shall he know that he loveth him? Can a man love God, and do nothing for him? No; it must shew its self by some over act, love suffereth a kind of imperfection, till it be discovered, ti…l it break out into its proper fruits, 1 John 2.5. He that keepeth his word, in him is the love of God perfected: As lust is perfected, when it bringeth forth sin, Jam. 1.15. It hath produced its consummate act, and discovered its self to the full.
3. It bendeth and inclineth the heart to the thing loved. Amor meus est pondus meum, … feror, quocun que feror. 'Tis the vigorous bent of the Soul, and it so bendeth and inclineth the Soul to the thing loved, that it is fastened to it, and cannot easily be separated from it: We are brought under the power of what we love, as the Apostle speaketh of the Creatures, 1 Cor. 6.12. But I will not be brought under the power of any. 'Tis deaf to counsel, in its measure; 'tis true of our love to Christ, if we love him, we will cleave to him. A man is dispossessed of himself, that hath lost the Dominion of himself, as Sampson, like a Child led by Dalilah: So is a man ruled and governed by his love to Christ.
4. To a most kindly principle to do a thing for another out of love: What is done out of love is not done out of slavish compulsion, but good will: Not an act of necessity, but choice, 1 John 5.3. This is love, that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous. That's bad ground that bringeth forth nothing, unless it be forced. Natural Conscience worketh by fear▪ but Faith by love. Love is not compelled, but it worketh of it self, sweetly, kindly, it taketh off all irksomness, lessens difficulties, facilitates all things, and maketh them light and easie: So as we serve God cheerfully: Where love prevaileth, let it be never so difficult, it seemeth light and easie: Seven years for Rachel seemed to Jacob as nothing, made him bear the heat of the day, and cold of the night, Gen. 29.10. But where love is wanting, all that is done seemeth too much.
5. 'Tis a most forcible, compelling principle, non persuadet sed cogit, one glosseth the Text so: It cometh with commanding intreaties, reasoneth in such a powerful, prevailing manner, as it will have no denyal, Titus 2.11, 12. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us that denying all ungodliness, and worldly l…sts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present World. Nothing will … your hearts to your work so much as love: Lay what bands you will upon your selves, if a temptation cometh, you will break them, as Sampson did his cords, wherewith he was bound: Promises, Vows, Covenants, Resolutions, former experiences of comfort, when put to tryal, all is as nothing to love: But now let a mans love be gained to Christ, that's band enough: quis legem dat amantibus? major lex amor sibi est. Love so far as love needeth no Penalties, nor Laws, nor Enforcements, for it is a great Law to its self, it hath within its bosom as deep obligations, and ingagements to any thing that may please God, as you can put upon it. Indeed if there were not an opposite principle of aver…eness, this were enough, but I speak of love as love; fear and terror is a kind of external impulse, that may drive a Soul to a duty; but the inward impulse is love, that will influence and over-rule the Soul, and ingage it to please Christ, if it beareth any mastery there.
6. 'Tis laborious; it requireth great diligence to be faithful with Christ. Now love is that disposition which puts us upon labours▪ this, if any thing▪ will keep a man to his work, Heb. 6.10. God is not unrighteous to forget your work, and labour of love. And 1 Thes 1.3. Remembring without ceasing your work of Faith, and labour of Love. 'Tis not an affection that can lye bashful and idle in the Soul. So Revel. 2.4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love ▪ Till love be lost, our first works are never left. Our …ord when he had work for Peter to do, gageth his heart, John 21.15. Simon Peter▪ lovest thou me? Love sets all a going.
7. It dilateth and inlargeth the heart, and so 'tis liberal to the thing loved: I will praise him yet more and more, I will not serve the Lord with that which cost me nothing. Other things will not go to the charge of obedience to God. It will be at some cost for God, and Christ, and maketh us obey God against our own interest, and carnal inclination: It was against the hair, but the young man deferred not to do the thing, because he delighted in Jacobs Daughter, Gen. 34 19.
8. 'Tis an invincible, and unconquerable affection, Cant. 8.6. Love is strong as death: …ealousy is cruel as the grave: The coals thereof are as the coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame: Many waters cannot quench love: Neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned. There is a vehemency and an unconquerable constancy in love, against and above all afflictions▪ and above all worldly baits and profits. The business is, of whose love this is to be interpreted; of Christs, or ou…s. If we understand it of Christs love, then 'tis really verified: Christs love was as strong as death, for he suffered death for us, and overcame death for us, he debased himself from the height of all Glory to the depth of all misery, for our sakes, Phil. 2.7, 8. And 2 Cor. 8, 9. Overcame all difficulties, by the fervency of his love: despising the cross, and enduring the shame, on the one hand, Heb. 12.2 on the other refusing the offers of preferment, Matth. 4.9, 10. The Devil maketh an offer of all the World to Christ. Of ease; Matth. 16.22, 23. And Peter begun to rebuke him saying, be it far from thee, Lord. Of honour, Matth. 27.40, 43. Thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three days, save thy self, if thou be the Son of God. He trusted in God, let him deliver him, now if he will have him; for he said, I am the Son of God. But is also verified of Christians in their measure, who love not their lives to the death, overcome all difficulties, Acts 21.13. Willing to die at Jerusalem: Indure all afflictions, Psa. 44.17. All this is come upon us, yet we have not forsaken thee: And suffer the loss of all worldly comforts, Matth. 19▪ 27. Behold we have forsaken all, and followed thee. And Luke 14.26. If any man come to me, and hate not Father, and Mother, and Wife, and Children, and Brethren▪ and Sisters, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. But rather I apply it to the latter, for 'tis rendred as a reason, why they beg a room in his heart; the love that presseth us is of such a Vehement Nature, that it cannot be resisted, no more than death▪ or the grave, or fire can be resisted: Nothing else but Christ can quench it; and satisfy it, such a constraining power it hath, that the persons that have it are led captive by it: an ardent affection and love to Christ is of this Nature, and when it is strong and vigorous, it will make strong and mighty impressions upon the heart; no opposition will extinguish it: Waters will quench fire, but nothing will quench this love, Rom. 8.37. Nay in all those things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. There are two sorts of tryals that ordinarily carry away Souls from Christ; the first is from the left hand, from crosses; these carry away some, but not all, though the stony ground could not, yet the thorny ground could abide the heat of the Sun; yet the Second sort of tryals, the cares of the World, the deceitfulness of riches, and voluptuous living, which are the Temptations of the right hand, will draw away unmortified Souls, and choak the Word. Pleasures, Honours, Riches, are a more strong and subtile sort of Temptations, than the other: But yet these are too weak to prevail with that heart, which hath a sincere love to Christ, planted in it: They will not be tempted, and inticed away from Christ: If a man would give all the substance of his house, such a Soul will be faithful to Christ, and these offers and treaties are in vain: If love be true and powerful, 'tis not easily ensnared, but rejects the allurements of the World, and the flesh, with an holy disdain, and indignation, all as dung and dross that would tempt it from Christ, Phil. 3.9. And these essays to cool it, and divert it, and draw it away, are to no purpose. Well then, this warm love to Christ is the hold and bulwark, that maintaineth Christs Interest in the Soul: The Devil, the World, and the Flesh, batter it, and hope to throw it down, but they cannot, nothing else will serve the turn in Christs room.
3. Whence love to Christ cometh, to have such a force upon us, or, which is all one, how so forcible a love is wrought in us?
I answer, 1. Partly by the worth of the object. And 2. Partly by the manner how it is considered by us, and applyed to us.
1. From the worth of the object: When we consider what Christ is, what he hath done for us, and what love he hath shewed therein, how can we choose but love, with such a constraining, unconquerable love, as to stick at no difficulty, and danger, for his sake? The circumstances which do most affect our hearts, are these; our Condition and Necessity; when he came to shew this love to us, we were guilty sinners, in a lost and lapsed estate, and so altogether hopeless, unless some means were used for our recovery: kindness to them that are ready to perish, doth most affect them: Oh how should we love Christ, who are as men fetched up from the Gates of Hell, under sentence of condemnation, when we were in our blood! Ezek. 16. Had sold our selves to Satan, Isa. 52.3. Cast away the mercies of our Creation, and had all come short of the Glory of God, Rom. 3.23. When sentenced to death, John 3.18. And ready for execution, Eph. 2.3. Then did Christ, by a wonderful act of love, step in to rescue and recover us: Not staying till we relented, and cryed for mercy: but before we were sensible of our misery, or regarded any remedy, then the Son of God came to die for us.
2. The astonishing way in which our deliverance was brought about, by the incarnation, death, shame, blood and agonies of the Son of God: Who was set up in our natures, as a glass and pledge of Gods great love to us, 1 John 3.16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us. We had never known so much of the love of God, had it not been for this instance. He shewed love to us in Creation, in that he gave us a reasonable Nature, when he might have made us Toads and Serpents. He sheweth love to us in our daily sustentation, in that he keepeth us at his expence, though we do him so little service, and do so often offend him: But herein was love, that the Son of God himself must hang upon a cross, and become a propitiation for our sins. We now come to learn by this instance, that God is love, 1 John 4.8. What was Jesus Christ but love incarnate, love born of a Virgin, love hanging upon a cross, laid in the grave, love made sin, love made a curse for us.
3. The consequent benefits. I'le name three, to which all the rest may be reduced.
1. Justification of our persons, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God. And Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins. And Rom. 5.9. Being justified by his blood, we are saved from wrath, through him. To be at present upon good terms with God, and capable of Communion with him, and access to him, with assurance of welcome, and audience: To have all acts of hostility cease, this is to stop mischief at the fountain head: For if God be at peace with us, of whom should we be afraid? Then to have sin pardoned, which is the great ground of our bondage, and terror, that which blasteth all our comforts, and maketh them unsavory to us, and is the venom and sting of all our crosses and miseries; the great make-bate between God and us. Once more, to be freed from the fear of Hell, and the Wrath of God, which is so deservedly terrible to all serious persons, that are mindful of their Condition: So that we may live in an holy security, and peace. Oh how should we love the Lord Jesus, who hath procured these benefits for us!
2. To have our natures sanctified, and healed, and freed from the stain of sin, as well as the guilt of it, and to have Gods impress imprinted upon our Souls, this is also consequent of the death of Jesus Christ, Eph. 5.26. That he might sanctify, and cleanse it, by the washing of water. And Titus 2.14. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. So that being delivered from the thraldom of sin, which is a great ease to a burdened Soul, and fitted for the service of God; for Christ came to make a people ready for the Lord, to be cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and Spirit, and to have a Nature Divine, and heavenly: Let diseased Souls desire worldly greatness, swine take pleasure in the mire, and ravenous beasts feed on dung, and carrion: An inlarged Soul must have those higher blessings, and looketh upon holiness, not only as a duty, but a great priviledge, to be made like God, and made serviceable to him: This is that which indears their hearts to Christ, he hath loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, that we might be Kings and Priests unto God, Revel. 1.5.
3. Eternal Life and Glory, 1 John 3.1, 2. Behold what manner of love the Father hath shewed us! That we should be called the Sons of God: It doth not appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him: For we shall see him, as he is. This is the end of all, for this Christ dyed, and for this we believe, and hope, and labour, even for that happy estate, when we shall be brought nigh God, and be companions of the Holy Angels, and for ever behold our glorified Redeemer, and see our own Nature united to the God-head, and have the greatest, and nearest intuition, and fruition of God, that we are capable of, and live in the fullest love to him, and delight in him: And the Soul shall for ever dwell in a glorified Body, that shall be no clog, but an help to it; and be no more troubled with infirmities, necessities, and diseases, but for ever be at rest with the Lord, lauding his name to all Eternity. Now shall all this be done for us, and shall we not love Christ? Certainly if there be faith to believe this, there will be love: And if there be love, there will be obedience, be it never so tedious, and irksome to our natural hearts.
2. The strength of love ariseth from the manner, how it is considered by us, and applyed to us.
1. Partly, by Faith.
And 2. Partly ▪ by Meditation.
And 3. Partly, by the Spirit.
1. Faith; nothing else will inkindle, and blow up this holy fire of love, in our hearts: For affection followeth perswasion: Till we believe these things, we cannot be affected with them: To a carnal natural heart, the Gospel is but as a fine speculation, or a well contrived fable, or a dream of a shower of rubies falling out of the clouds, in a night: But Faith, or a firm perswasion, that affecteth the heart, and therefore the Apostle speaketh of Faith, working by love, Gal. 5.6. Faith reporteth to the Soul, and filleth the Soul with the apprehensions of Gods love in Christ, and then maketh use of the strength and sweetness of it to carry forth all acts of obedience to God.
2. By meditation. The most excellent things do not work if they be not seriously thought of. Affections are stirred up in us by the inculcation of the thoughts: As by the beating of the steel upon the flint the sparks fly out: As the Apostle perswadeth to this, Eph. 3.17, 18. That ye being rooted, and grounded in love, may be able with all Saints to comprehend what is the height, and depth, and length of the love of God in Christ, and may know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. This is the blessed Imployment of the Saints, that they may live in the consideration, and admiration of this wonderful love, that so they may ever keep themselves in the love of Christ. Nothing exciteth us to our duty so much as this, therefore we should not content our selves with a superficial view of it, but dwell upon it in our thoughts. 'Tis our narrow thoughts, our shallow apprehensions of Gods love in Christ, our cold, and unfrequent meditation of it, which maketh us so barren, and unfruitful as we are.
3. The Spirit maketh all effectual. The Gospel containeth the matter; meditation is the means to improve it, but if it be an act of the humane Spirit only, it affecteth us not; the thoughts raised in us by bare and dry reason, are not so lively, as those raised in us by Faith, that puts a life into all our notions; Now the acts of faith are not so forcible, as when the Spirit of God sheddeth abroad this love in our Souls, Rom. 5.5. We must use the Gospel, must use reason, must use faith in meditation on the Love of Christ, but we must beg the effectual operation of the Holy Ghost, who giveth us a tast and feeling of this love, and most thankfully to entertain it.
USE. It sheweth us how we should excite and rowse up our selves in every duty, especially in those that are difficult, & displeasing to the flesh. The Apostle Paul indured prisons, stripes, reproaches disgraces, yea death it self, out of the unconquerable force of love. Therefore if you have any great thing to do for God; and would work to the purpose, let faith by the Spirit set love a work. Faith is needful, the work of redemption being long since over, and our Lord is absent, and our rewards future; and love is necessary, because difficulties are great▪ and oppositions many; the Flesh would fain be pleased, but when Faith telleth love, what great things God hath done for us in Christ, the Soul is ashamed when it cannot deny a little ease, pleasure or profit.