The Glorious Epiphany with the Devout Christians Love, Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. More expreſſions of this devout affection, towards our Lords Appearing; and the way whereby we may excite them.
THis is ſome of the language of Love; which wiſhes every knee would bow to Jeſus, and every tongue confeſs that he is the Lord; to the glory of God the Father, who hath thus highly exalted him. For its deſires are unlimited; and its kindneſs, like the fountain of it, is inexhauſtible and infinite. It is the brighteſt image of Jeſus. There is nothing repreſents him ſo lively to the world. He now appears moſt in thoſe who love moſt; and who long and wait with pure and ardent deſires to ſee him come in all his glory. For they will keep his commandment without ſpot, unrebukeable, until his appearing: which in his times he will ſhew, who is the bleſſed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee; to whom be honour and power everlaſting. Amen.
Why then, O my ſoul, do we not let this bleſſed gueſt be lodged in our heart? Or why do we not entertain it ſo that it may ſtay with us; and we may feel it ſtirring there in reſtleſs motions towards Jeſus? What is the cauſe that we who are made to love, ſhould not let our love turn divine; and addreſs it moſt devoutly to him, who beſt deſerves the Love of all the world? Or what may it be, that keeps us from running with the whole current of our affections, towards that heavenly Lover; who ſues ſo earneſtly to us for our hearty love? Hath he not loved us enough to make us love him? Was he a cold and indifferent Lover, that could not touch the heart with a ſenſe of his kindneſs? Was he perfectly frozen and careleſs in our concerns, when the urgent wants of our ſouls, called for his kind and compaſſionate relief? Or did he pretend a great deal of kindneſs, and made long proteſtations of his love; but did juſt nothing to merit our affection?
There need no anſwer to ſuch queſtions; which ſerve only to reproach and confound our inſenſibleneſs and negligence; who have nothing to ſay, why we do not love him. For ſo apparent is his love, ſo confeſſedly great, ſo coſtly and expenſive, ſo tender and obliging; that as it had no example, nor can be ever exactly imitated; ſo it muſt needs attract all thoſe and fill them with the greateſt love, who do not turn away their eyes, and their ears, and their hearts from this Lord of love.
Let us but liſten a while to him, and we ſhall hear him ſay; was there any love like unto my love? What is it that you would have had me done for you, more than I have done (without your deſire) to win your love? Hath any man greater love than this, that he lay down his life for his Friends?. But what were you, for whom I died? Herein God commended his love towards you, in that while you were yet ſinners, I dyed for you. And what was the purchaſe I made by that price, which I laid down for you? Who is it that hath the keys of Hell and death? To whom is all power given in Heaven and in Earth? Can any but I forgive your ſins; and open to you the Kingdom of Heaven; and reſtore you to the joys of Paradiſe; nay, make you eat of the tree of life in the midſt of the Paradiſe of God?
Where do you read of any King, who, at his Coronation, gave ſuch royal gifts to men? From whom do you expect the Crown of righteouſneſs, and an eternal inheritance; of which I gave the earneſt ſo long ago? Can you think of any thing comparable to the glory of my appearing? Or is there any doubt whether I will come or no; or whether you ſhall appear with me in that celeſtial glory? What would you have me do to ſatisfie and aſſure you, more than I have already done; by my Word, and by my Blood, and by my Angels, and by my Holy Spirit; which I have ſent down from Heaven to bear witneſs to me, and to tell you that I will certainly come again, and give you the Kingdom prepared for you, from the foundation of the world? Believe it, I will as ſurely come again, as I died; and roſe from the dead; and viſibly aſcended into Heaven; and according to my promiſe poured out the Holy-Ghoſt upon my Apoſtles, and inſpired them to proclaim this in all tongues and languages; that I ſtill live; and that, becauſe I live, you ſhall live alſo.
And is it poſſible for us to think we hear him ſpeaking to us in this manner (as he doth in his bleſſed Goſpel) and not be provoked to ſummon all the powers of our ſoul, to offer up themſelves in devout and hearty love to him? What hath the deareſt friend, whom we love with ſo much paſſion; nay, even our tendereſt Parents done for us, in compariſon with this love? Or what can the favour of all the Princes on earth (ſhould they unite all their powers to love and honour us) beſtow and heap upon us, worthy to be named together with this miraculous love? It ought to call us from all vain delights. Our minds ſhould continually ſtudy to comprehend the breadth and length, the depth and height: and to know the love of Chriſt; which paſſeth knowledge. Our wills ought to be more paſſionately bent towards him; and grow every day ſtronger in his love. Our memories ſhould be a moſt faithful Treaſury of the manifold tokens of his Love. Our tongues and our hearts ſhould never ceaſe to meditate and ſing the praiſes of his wondrous love.
For if we could ſpeak to him (as we may conceive him ſpeaking to us) and ask him what he did before the world; he would tell us that, He loved. If we could ask him what moved his Almighty Wiſdom to make the world; he would tell you that he loved. If we could further ask what he hath done ever ſince; he would ſtill ſay, he loved. And what brought him down from Heaven (if we could ask again) to be partaker of our miſeries; he would tell you again that he loved. And could we ask again why he would humble himſelf ſo low as to take the form a ſervant, and dye a baſe, ſervile and ignominious death, the death of the Croſs, he would again tell you, that he loved. And if you could ſtill go on to ask what moved him to ſend the Holy Ghoſt and give ſuch gifts to men; you would ſtill receive the ſame anſwer, becauſe he loved. And could you beſeech him not to be angry and you would inquire again, what he hath been doing ſince thoſe days, and what he now does; he would give you no new anſwer, but that he loves. And if you ſhould pray him once more to tell you what he loves; he would let you know, it is nothing but love, abundance of love.
This is the thing he would win by his love. This is all that he asks and deſires at our hands; though he hath obliged us ſo much. For this he ſolicites and beſeeches; having ſet his heart upon it, as the fruit of his incomparable love. He intreats for this, as if it were for his life, that we would be at laſt ſo ſenſible of all his kindneſs, as to let him have our unfeigned love. For he being Love himſelf, loves nothing elſe but ſincere and hearty love.
O bleſſed Jeſus, ſhould all our hearts then ſay, how much doth thy love differ from ours! Love brought thee down from Heaven to us; but how few of us (and how ſlowly) doth it carry up thither unto thee? Love made thee dye the moſt ſhameful death; but it doth not make us live the moſt glorious life. It made thee endure the ſoreſt pains; but, alas! it doth not make mankind take the pleaſure of following thy ſteps to the greateſt happineſs. It made thee think perpetually on ſuch poor wretches as we are; but how ſeldom are our minds fixed, or how ſmall is the number whom love inclines to think, upon ſo glorious a perſon as thy ſelf?
It perſwaded thee to come to us, when there was nothing to call thee but only our great miſeries; but it doth not bring us all to thee, when we are moved by the merits, and the pretious promiſes of ſo great a love. Thy Preaching was Love, thy Miracles were love, thy whole Life was love, thy Death was the moſt ſingular love, thy laſt breath, in a manner, was love, one of thy laſt words was love, even to the bittereſt enemies, thy Sacraments are love, the Holy-Ghoſt the Comforter is love, thy Embaſſadors were love, thou art, we ſee All love; and yet, dull and ſtupid blocks that we are, we are nothing leſs than this Divine love.
O ſweet Saviour, what wilt thou do with ſuch vile, ſuch wretched hearts, as theſe of ours? Canſt thou endure ſo much as to look upon ſuch ſouls, as are ſo frozen before thy fires? Canſt thou ſhed one beam more upon ſuch icy hearts, that are ſo inſenſible of all thy flames? Is it poſſible that thou ſhouldeſt be ſo patient, as to bear with the prayers of thoſe, whoſe breaſts are ſo full of love, ſo propenſe to this affection, ſo free to pour it out to every thing; and yet allow ſo few or no drops of it unto thee, who deſerveſt all the love we have?
O Deareſt Lord, if there be any room ſtill left in thy heart for ſuch as we are, be pleaſed once more to caſt thine eyes upon us moſt miſerable ſinners. If thou canſt lend thine ears to the requeſts of ſuch fooliſh, ſuch obſtinate hearts, as have been ſo ſenſleſly deaf to all thy gracious intreaties; hear the ſighs and the groans of all thoſe penitent ſouls who cry unto thee and ſay, Lord Jeſus look upon us. Spare us, Good Lord, if it be but one dram of thy pity and tendereſt compaſſion. O ſpare us but the leaſt touch more from thine all-powerful hand; if thou art not weary of ſtriking ſuch rocky hearts, as now petition thee for thy love. O mollifie them, moſt gracious Lord, mollifie them, we beſeech thee, with thy Dear love towards us. Now that they are a little tender and yielding to thee, melt and diſſolve them into the like love towards thee. Enter into all our hearts; O that thou wouldſt enter, and fill them with thy love. Overcome them with this powerful engine, thy mighty, thy wonderful Love.
Thy love, I ſay, thy moſt ſtupendious love; for no word pleaſes me ſo much as love. Give me leave therefore to repeat it over again, and to pray thee by thy love, by thy dear and tender love, that thou wilt not paſs by this heart of mine (among all the reſt) which now at laſt would fain be repleniſhed with thy love. I lye here in the humbleſt devotion proſtrate at thy feet, and, gaſping there before thee, my ſoul pants and ſays; O Love, inſpire me: O Love, breath thy ſoul and life into me. As thou haſt overcome, ſo poſſeſs this heart intirely, and vouchſafe to dwell in me.
And do thou, my incomprehenſibly loving Saviour, make me ever thus to ſigh and groan, out of the very center of mine heart, after thee. Make me always to be ſaying thus to thee; O my life, my joy, my hope, my all, do not deſpiſe this languiſhing ſoul, which intreats thee to dwell in it, by thy ſurpaſſing love. Draw me after thee, and touch me ſo, that I may look upon nothing ſo much as thy love. Turn my heart about; and bend it wholly to thy love. Make me to ſpeak of nothing, with ſuch delight, as of thy love: to breath nothing, to ſtudy nothing, to deſire, to do nothing, but only love.
Let no day, at leaſt, paſs without ſome ſerious meditations of thy love. Let no Sun ſhine, but what ſhows me thee and thy love, ſhining brighter by far upon me. Let no night cloſe mine eyes, but do thou ſhut up a ſenſe of thy ſelf and thy love in my breaſt. Let no friend come to viſit me, but give him thy love to bring along with him; and let him preſent thy ſelf unto me. Let the ſight of him, enkindle thy love in me. Let the embraces of him, knit me in faſter affection to thee. Let the remembrance of him and his kindneſs, recall to mind thy infinitely greater love to me. Let every motion of my heart towards him, reſt at laſt in the love of thee: who art the hope and the ſatisfaction both of him and me.
Still may I therefore think of thee more frequently. Still may I deſire thee more paſſionately. Still may I obey the more univerſally. May the following acts of love and vertue, ſtill out-ſtrip the former: and one conqueſt of my ſelf, make way for a nobler. May thine Almighty love ſtill grow and prevail; till there be no affection that dare appear, no paſſion that dare preſume to ſhow its head, againſt the ſoveraign power of thy love in mine heart.
And now, O my Lord, I know not how to leave thee, untill I hear thee ſay, Thou loveſt me. Proſtrate ſtill will I here lye at thy feet, for I cannot have the heart to riſe up again; unleſs thou wilt ſpeak that kind, that gracious word, and tell me, that thou doſt not ceaſe to love me. Nay, I dye unleſs thou loveſt me. I ſhall make my grave here in this very place; and expire with theſe words in my mouth; LORD WHETHER I LIVE OR DYE IT MATTERS NOT; LET ME BƲT KNOW THAT THOƲ LOVEST ME.
And may I be ſo bold as to conclude thou haſt ſome love to me, becauſe I feel my heart beat thus paſſionately towards thee, and my ſoul thirſts and cryes thus after thee? Will it not be too great a preſumption to think thou haſt not forſaken me, becauſe I cannot forſake my requeſt; but above all things long and labour to be beloved of thee? Is this love thou haſt wrought in my heart to thee, an incouragement to hope thou loveſt me? Truly then, my Lord, I am well ſatisfied. Then I know thou beareſt a favour to me. For my ſoul follows hard after thee; it cleaves unto thee; it loves thy memory; and delights it ſelf in thy Commandments.
It ſayes continually, nothing but more of thy love; nothing, but abundance of thy love. I open my heart unto thy exuberant love. I expoſe my ſelf to the power of thy tranſcendent love. I chuſe and deſire the pleaſures of thy love; above all the delights, wherewith the world can entertain me. Above the admired heaps of wealth, and the dazling heights of honour. Above the loudeſt praiſes of fame, and the bewitching applauſe of numerous ſpectators. Above the charms of beauty, and the more inticing delights of curious knowledge. Nay, above the ſolid joyes of health, and the moſt neceſſary refreſhments of nature. Above all, that even thine own bounty can give, to thoſe that love thee.
O let me but love thee; make me but always thus to love thee; alwayes deſpiſe all other delights, compared with thoſe of loving thee; do but fill my heart with that love and with thoſe delights: and I am perfectly ſatisfied. I am at reſt now I have given my ſelf to thee intirely. And if I had a thouſand hearts, they ſhould be devoted to thy ſervice, with the moſt affectionate love to thee.
But yet, alas! when I think of thy wondrous love, I am apt to conclude again that I did amiſs to ſay, I was ſatisfied. All this, upon better thoughts, ſeems a great deal too little; and I am as ſhort, me thinks, of thy love, as if I loved thee not at all. For what have I given thee, when I have paid thee all my acknowledgements? What have I beſtowed on thee, when I have given thee my ſelf, and abſolutely offered all my affections to thee? What is my heart, what are a thouſand ſuch hearts as this worth; that I ſhould think ſuch a preſent will be of any eſteem with thee? If all my life were nothing elſe, but the moſt affectionate, the moſt cheerful obedience to thee; what requital ſhould I have made thee for all thy love to me?
Alas! I have ſo little ability to do any thing worthy of thee; that I have not the skill how to ſpeak, as becomes me, of my duty to thee. What do I talk of acknowledgements to thee? That's as if I could number or value thy favours. And it is a worſe abſurdity to ſpeak of giving thee my affections (as if I were not a debtor to thee) and of beſtowing my heart on thee; For that's as if I had any thing I received not from thee. But it is worſt of all (I am aſhamed of it) to mention a requital of thy favours; for that's as if they were ſo ſmall or ſo few, as to admit of any return like a recompenſe unto thee.
No, No, I am nothing at all. I have nothing, I can do juſt nothing, but what is thine more than mine; if it be worth any thing. I here moſt ſolemnly proteſt that I think my ſelf indebted to thee, for all I have. I my ſelf am thine; my love is thine; my prayers and deſires are thine; my praiſes and thanksgivings are thine; ſo is my Faith and my Hope, my comforts and my joyes, they are all thine. I cannot ſo much as confeſs my debts and obligations; but it is from thee. I cannot be ſenſible of my faults; but I contract a new debt to thee. That I can ſo much as ſee and ſay, I am nothing, I owe it unto thee.
What ſhall I do therefore? How ſhall I expreſs my ſelf to thee? Or in what manner ſhall I approach thee? All that I can think of is only this; ſtill to caſt down my ſelf in the humbleſt devotion before thee, and all thawed and diſſolved with thy love to pour out my heart unto thee, ſaying; LORD, WORK THINE OWN GOOD PLEASƲRE IN ME. Make me what thou thy ſelf beſt likeſt and loveſt. And when thou haſt loved and obliged me as much as thou pleaſeſt here; compleat thine own benefits and crown them with as great a glory, as thine own great love can beſtow hereafter.