Immanuel, Book 1 · Sermon 2
SERMON II.
Eph. 3. verſ. 17, 18, 19.
That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love,
May be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height:
And to know the love of Chriſt which paſſeth knowledge.
WE have already heard three Properties of Chriſts love, viz. that it is ancient, free, peculiar. The fourth Property of Chriſts love is, that it is an intenſe and a ſtrong love. He is ſaid to have the greateſt and ſtrongeſt love to another that intends moſt good to another, and is willing to be at the greateſt coſt and charges to procure that good for him. If a father intend to ſettle ſuch an inheritance upon his child, and will lay out all the money he hath to purchaſe that inheritance, it is a ſign he loves that child well. So is it in this caſe: the things that God intends to beſtow upon his people are the greateſt things, and he hath been at the greateſt coſt and charges to bring them to this inheritance.
1. God beſtows upon his people the greateſt things, and therein he ſhews how ſtrong his love is to them. What things are they? no leſs than himſelf, his own glory, and bleſſedneſs, all the riches of Heaven; Heirs of God, coheirs with Chriſt, Rom. 8.17. Heirs of God, what is that? We ſhall inherit God himſelf for our portion, we ſhall enjoy all that he is, all that God hath, ſo far as we are capable, or according to the meaſure and capavity of creatures.
2. As the things are great in themſelves which God beſtows upon his people, ſo God hath been at great charge and expences to bring us to this inheritance. He hath given us his Son, his Spirit, his Promiſes, his Providences, his Ordinances, to bring us to this inheritance. All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpoſe, Rom. 8.28. Obſerve the laſt expreſſion, the called according to his purpoſe. Thoſe whom God hath a purpoſe to ſave, thoſe whom he hath laid out his eternal love upon, all things are ordered to bring them to that happineſs he hath purpoſed to beſtow upon them. God lays the train of all his providences ſo as to bring his Elect to that happineſs he hath choſen them to.
3. The love of Chriſt is conſtant, unchangeable, and everlaſting. The unchangeableneſs of Gods love ariſeth from the unchangeableneſs of his nature: Mal. 3.6. I am the Lord, I change not, therefore the ſons of Jacob are not conſumed. As much as if God ſhould have ſaid, My nature is unchangeable, and that is the reaſon my love and mercy towards you is never changed. The manifeſtation of Gods love may be changed towards us; we may not apprehend the ſame effects of love at one time as at another; therefore doth the Church complain, Lam. 5. ult. Thou haſt utterly rejected us, thou art very wroth againſt us: but yet the root and fountain of Gods love is ſtill the ſame. Whom the Lord loves he rebukes and chaſtens, Rev. 3.20. Gods correction of his people proceeds from his love. Not but that God is truly diſpleaſed with the ſins of his people: when his people give way to ſuch particular ſins, he diſapproves of ſuch particular acts of theirs, and diſapproves of them in relation to thoſe acts; therefore when David committed that ſin in taking Ʋriah's wife, the Text ſaith expreſly, but the thing which David did, diſpleaſed the Lord, 2 Sam. 11. ult. It is contrary to the nature of God, who is Holineſs it ſelf, to approve of the ſins of his people, or of them with relation to ſuch ſinful acts: nay God may be ſo far angry for particular miſcarriages in his people, as to take up the rod and correct them; yet in this very caſe Gods original love remains. The Scripture is very clear to this purpoſe, Pſal. 89.30, 31. If his children forſake my law, &c. then will I viſit their tranſgreſſion with the rood, &c nevertheleſs my loving-kindneſs will I not utterly take from him. Here we ſee Gods paternal diſpleaſure or his fatherly corrections may conſiſt with his love: yea in ſome ſenſe Gods corrections are the Fruit of his love. 1 Cor. 11.32. We are chaſtened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world; he therefore chaſtens, that he may not condemn. Gods love to his people is a fixed, unalterable thing. Gods love is founded in his eternal purpoſe: now there is no changing of Gods purpoſe. It is a great expreſſion that of the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.11. That the purpoſe of God according to election might ſtand. The purpoſe of God in election ſtands firm, and this is matter of ſingular and unſpeakable comfort to the Saints of God. If thou canſt once ſee a line of electing love drawn forth upon thee, thou mayſt conclude the purpoſe of God remains unalterable concerning thee. Now it is poſſible a Saint may know his election, 1 Theſſ. 1.4. Knowing, beloved, your election of God. A Saint may know his Election by his Vocation, 2 Pet. 1.10. Give diligence to make your calling and election ſure. Now if thou canſt find out thy election, thou mayſt conclude the purpoſe of God ſtands unalterable to thee. Chriſts love is from Eternity, and his love never ends. Having loved his own, he loved them to the end, Joh. 13.1.
2. Having ſpoken of the Properties of Chriſts love, I come to ſpeak of the love that is to be found in both his Natures, in the Divine and in the humane nature.
The Love of Chriſt is a great love, if we conſider the love that is to be found in each of his Natures, the Divine and humane nature. Eph. 5.25. it is ſaid, Chriſt hath loved the Church, and given himſelf for it. Chriſt, as God, hath loved the Church from Eternity; therefore is it ſaid, I have loved thee with an everlaſting love, Jer. 31.3. Now to this ancient and first love of his there was a new love added, and that was the love of Chriſt as Man: this love which is founded in his humane nature had a beginning, even as the humanity it ſelf had a beginning: but yet it is ſuch a love as never ſhall have an end. Chriſt therefore loves his Church with a twofold love, with a Divine and a humane love, each of which is the moſt ſincere, the greateſt, the moſt perfect, the moſt conſtant, and abiding love. I ſhall ſpeak
1. Of the love that is in his humane nature, becauſe that will help us to conceive the better of the love that is in his Divine nature: the love that is in the humane nature is the product or effect of the love that is in his Divine nature: and if the love of his humane nature be ſo great, the love of his Divine nature muſt needs be far greater, as we ſhall hear.
The love which is in his humane nature is exceeding great. To underſtand which, we muſt conſider, as there are two natures in Chriſt, the Divine and humane nature; ſo there are two wills, the Divine and humane will: and as there are two wills in Chriſt, ſo we muſt neceſſarily ſuppoſe a twofold operation of thoſe wills, and ſo by conſequence a twofold love in Chriſt; for love is nothing but the efflux of the will, ſome motion in the will whereby ſome good is willed to another: now the love that is in Chriſts humane nature is exceeding great. It is true, that which the School men call Habitual grace, which is in the ſoul of Chriſt, is not ſimply infinite, and the reaſon that they give is this: The humane ſoul of Chriſt being but a creature, and not infinite, the habits of grace which do inhere in his humane ſoul, as the ſubject, they themſelves cannot be ſuppoſed to be infinite; for the habits cannot exceed the capacity of the ſubject: if the humane ſoul of Chriſt be but a created thing, then the habits of grace which are in it, are not ſimply infinite; yet notwithſtanding this, the love which is to be found in Chriſts humane nature, is exceeding great, and a love ſurpaſſing the love of men or Angels: and the reaſon is, the humane ſoul of Chriſt hath the Divinity inhabiting in it: now as the Son receives all the Father hath in the eternal Generation, (the whole ſubſtance of the Father is communicated to the Son in the eternal Generation, there is no perfection that is in the Father but it is to be found in the Son) therefore by conſequence it follows, that the love of the Father muſt neceſſarily be communicated to the Son, and doth reſide in the Son, and there is but one and the ſame Divine love both in the Father and in the Son. Now the Son, the ſecond perſon in Trinity, taking our nature, both the love of the Father and the Son (for, as an Holy man obſerves, Sweet is this contemplation) doth in ſome ſort abide and reſide in our nature; therefore the humane Soul of Chriſt being inflamed and ſet on fire with the fire of Divine love (which is ſo near it, which inhabits and dwells in it) muſt needs be fuller of love than any creatures heart ever was. The humane nature of Chriſt by means of its Union and Conjunction with the Divinity, takes in the influence of the Divinity; and the Divinity thus perſonally united to the Humanity, muſt needs fill his ſoul with that love that no creature was ever filled with: therefore we muſt neceſſarily ſuppoſe there was the greateſt love imaginable in Chriſts humane ſoul, the greateſt as was poſſible there could be in any created nature. The Godhead dwelling in Chriſt bodily, that infinite love of God muſt be ſuppoſed in ſome ſenſe to dwell in the heart of Chriſt Man. How loving, how tender, how affectionate muſt that heart be that hath all the love of the Father and the Son poured out into it? For conſider it, the Son receives all from the Father by eternal Generation, the Son takes up our nature and dwells in it; the humane nature united to the Son, takes in the influence of the Fathers and the Sons love by means of its perſonal Union with the Son. And thus the humane nature is not only warmed, but wholly ſet on fire by the Divinity inhabiting in it. Therefore it is well obſerved by one of the Ancients, There is ſome warmth, ſome heat that comes from Chriſt the eternal Word into all the Saints hearts; In hac anima ipſe ignis divinus ſubſtantialiter requieviſſe credendus eſt. Orig.but in Chriſts humane Soul the very fire of Divine love dwells ſubſtantially: there it reſted ſubſtantially; for in him the fulneſs of the Goahead dwells bodily, Col. 2.9. Therefore there is the greateſt love imaginable to be found even in the humane Soul of Chriſt. More particularly the love that was in the humane Soul of Jeſus Chriſt may be deſcribed and ſet forth under three conſiderations.
1. The heart of Chriſt-Man was filled with the moſt ſweet, tender, merciful, compaſſionate diſpoſitions, that ever any heart was filled with. Hence is it, that we have thoſe expreſſions, that he is a merciful and a faithful High Prieſt, Heb. 2.17. that he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Heb. 3.15. We read alſo of the bowels of Chriſt, the meekneſs, the gentleneſs of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 10.1. Never were there ſuch words of love and ſweetneſs ſpoken by any man as by him: never was there ſuch a loving and tender heart as the heart-of Jeſus Chriſt, Grace was poured into his lips, Pſal. 45.3. Certainly never were there ſuch words of love, ſweetneſs, and tenderneſs ſpoken here upon this earth as thoſe laſt words of his which were uttered a little before his Suffering, and are recorded in the 13, 14, 15, 16, & 17 Chapters of John. Read over all the Books of love and friendſhip that were ever written by any of the ſons of men, they do all come far ſhort of thoſe melting ſtrains of love that are there expreſſed. So ſweet and amiable was the converſation of Jeſus Chriſt, that it is reported of the Apoſtle Peter in the Eccleſiaſtical Hiſtory, that after Chriſts Aſcenſion he wept ſo abundantly, that he Quoties recordaretur illius ſuaviſſimae converſationis Chriſti.was always ſeen wiping his face from the tears; and being asked why he wept ſo, he anſwered, He could not chuſe but weep as often as he thought of that moſt ſweet converſation of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. The love of Chriſt as Man, or which was in his humane nature, may be ſeen in the compliance of his humane will with the Divine will in point of ſuffering. It is true, it was the Divine will that gave up the humane nature to ſuffer, Joh. 6.51. The bread which I will give is my fleſh, which I will give for the life of the world. It was the Divine will that gave up the humanity to ſuffer, yet his humane will complied with the Divine will: Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt. There is a will and a will in Chriſt, a Divine will and a humane will, and the humane will complies with the Divine will. Father, ſave me from this hour, nevertheleſs for this cauſe came I to this hour, Joh. 12.27. Hence is it, that the Apoſtle tells us he was obedient unto the death, Phil. 2.8. The Lord Jeſus knew right-well how great a burden the weight and preſſure of his Fathers wrath was, and yet he was content to undergo this burden for our ſakes. The cup which my Father hath given me to drink, ſhall not I drink of it? Joh. 18.11. I have a baptiſm to be baptized with, and how am I ſtraitned till it be accompliſhed, Luk. 12.50. It is true, had he not been God, he could never have ſtood under ſuch a burden as the burden of Divine wrath: and had not his love been more than a created love, had his love been the love of a meer creature, he would never have undertaken ſuch a work. But being ſupported by the Godhead, he was inabled to undergo his Sufferings, and alſo his humane will influenced by the Deity, was made willing to ſuffer: therefore it is ſaid, For their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, Joh. 17.19. There was a concurrence of his Divine and humane will in his ſuffering: the Divine will in the perſon of the Son ſanctifies and ſets apart the humane nature to ſuffer; the humane will concurs with the Divine, and is made willing to ſuffer, Joh. 10.17, 18. Therefore doth my Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life. The perſon that lays down his life is the Son of God incarnate, the life which he lays down is the life of his Humanity; for the life of his Divinity could never be laid down. Now the Divine perſon had the humane ſoul and body united to himſelf in the bond of perſonal Ʋnion. The Divine perſon gives up the humane ſoul and body to be ſeparated from each other at his death, and yet holds them both to himſelf in the bond of perſonal Union. Divines uſe an apt ſimilitude to illuſtrate this by: It is as if a man held a ſword in his hand ſheathed, and ſhould draw forth the ſword out of the ſheath: the ſword and ſheath are ſeparated one from the other, yet the hand holds both. Here then is the acting of the Divine will, the Divine will in the perſon of the Son gives up the humane nature to ſuffer; this is intimated in thoſe expreſſions, No man taketh away my life from me, but I lay it down of my ſelf; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. Now the humane will knowing that it is the pleaſure of the Divine will that the humanity ſhould be given up to ſuffer, ſubmits unto, and complies with the Divine will: this is implied in that expreſſion, This commandment have I received of my Father, Joh. 10.18. The Divine will of the Father and of the Son are all one. Now the humane will knowing that it was the pleaſure of the Divine will, that the humane nature ſhould be given up to ſuffering and death, complies with the Divine will herein.
3. The third conſideration to ſet forth the love of Chriſt, as he is Man, or in his humane nature, is this: The love of Chriſt, as he is Man, may be ſeen in the Petitions he offered up to the Father for us whilſt he was here on earth. Much of that love which dwelt in his humane ſoul may be ſeen by the prayers and petitions he offered up to the Father for us. It is true, Chriſts Interceſſion is a work that belongs to him as Mediator: now Chriſt is Mediator not according to one nature only, but according to both natures; and there is a communion of both natures in this action of his praying for us, as well as in the reſt of his Mediatory actions: but yet although the perſon praying for us be God-man (that very perſon who ſubſiſts in both natures) yet that nature in which he is moſt properly ſaid to pray, is his humane nature: as in his ſufferings, the perſon ſuffering is God-man, yet the nature according to which he is ſaid to ſuffer, is the humane nature; therefore he is ſaid to be put to death in the fleſh, 1 Pet. 3.18. So in his praying for us, the perſon praying is Godman, but the nature in which he prays, is the humane: the whole action proceeds from the perſon, but the proximate and immediate principle is the humane will. Chriſts praying was the act or deſire of his humane will, though it be true, that will was acted, influenced, and governed by the Divine will. Hence is that ſaying of the Ancients, Chriſtus orat ut homo, ut Deus adoratur, ut homo orat Patrem.Chriſt prays as he is man, as he is God ſo he is prayed unto: as he is man ſo he intercedes, prays, and ſupplicates to the Father for us.
Now we may conſider the love of Chriſt in the deſires that were in his humane will for us. It is true, it was the Godhead that directed and inclined his humane will to thoſe deſires, and gave that virtue and efficacy to his prayers. If they had been the prayers of a meer man, they had not had ſuch efficacy. But yet we may conſider the love that was in his humane ſoul when he prayed here on earth for us. There was no ſmall love in the Humane ſoul of Chriſt, when he asked ſuch great things for us a little before his going out of the world. It is true, his humane love is not all or the principal thing to be conſidered in the great things he asked for us. If his love had not been more than the love of a man, he could not have asked ſuch great things for us, as we read of in Joh. 17. yet certainly there was a great deal of love in his humane ſoul, which was filled by the Divinity inhabiting in it. His heart was brim-full of love when he came to make that laſt prayer of his to the Father for us. Judge of his love by the things he asks for us. Cujus Chriſtiani cor non liqueſcit dum manifeſtè cognoſcit Filium Dei aeternum pro ſe rogâſſe Patrem, ut unum ſit cum ipſis?What are the things Chriſt asks? No leſs than Union with himſelf and the Father, Joh. 17.21, 23. It is a good ſpeech of one of the Ancients: What Chriſtian heart is it that doth not melt when he doth clearly underſtand that the eternal Son of God did ask for him in particular, that he might be one with him and the Father? Can we deſire a greater happineſs than this, to be one with the Father and the Son? This is the happineſs Chriſt asks for us, that we might be one in the Father and the Son. And as he prays for this Union, the top of all, ſo he prays for many other bleſſings; as,
1. That the Father would keep all that are his through his own Name, verſ. 11. How would he have them kept? He would have them kept unto this union. So it follows, That they may be one as we are one. As the Father and the Son had intended the Elect unto this union, ſo he prays that they may be preſerved unto this union: preſerved unto eternal life, preſerved from miſcarrying, that they might come unto that union the Father and the Son had elected them unto. What comfort is this, that our Lord Jeſus hath prayed we may be kept to our laſt happineſs, that God would be his own power keep us to Salvation? The Salvation of the Elect muſt needs be ſecure, when Chriſt hath prayed the Father, that he would keep all his by his own power to Salvation.
2. He prays that we might be kept from the evil of the world, verſ. 15. You that fear to be overtaken with any ſcandalous ſin, you may know the worth of this prayer.
3. He prays for our Sanctification, verſ. 17.
4. He prays that we might be where he is, verſ. 24.
5. He prays that we might have a ſhare in his Glory; not only that we might be with him, but alſo behold the glory that the Father had given him. What love muſt that heart needs be filled with, that prays for ſuch things. It is true, it was not the love of a meer man that could ask ſuch things; but it was the Divine love filling his humane ſoul and acting of it, that carried him forth to ask ſuch things. And thus I have finiſhed the conſideration of the love that was in the humane nature of Chriſt.
2. There is the love that is in Chriſts Divine nature. The love which is in the humane nature is very great; but the love of the Divine nature is infinitely greater. The love which is in the Divine nature is the fountain and ſpring of all the love that is in the humane nature, and it was meet we ſhould contemplate a little the love that was in Chriſts humane nature, that by this conſideration we might riſe up to contemplate the love of the Divine nature, which is the fountain and head-ſpring. Now to help us a little to conceive of the love which is in the Divine nature of Chriſt, I ſhall propound you three conſiderations to illuſtrate it.
1. All the love of the Father reſides and is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son. The Scripture, when it ſpeaks of the love of God, doth all along commend and ſet forth the love of God the Father. Behold what manner of love the Father hath ſhewed us, 1 Joh. 3.1. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the love of God, &c. 2 Cor. 16.14. The love of God, that is, the love of the Father: for when Chriſt and God are ſet in diſtinction, by God we are to underſtand the firſt perſon of the Trinity, the Father. So Joh. 3.16. God ſo loved the world, that is, God the Father. Still we ſee the Scripture deſcribes the Father to us as the fountain of love. As the Father is the Fountain of the Deity, foreign.ſo he is the fountain of love. Now then if all the love of the Father reſides and is to be found in the Son, then certainly the Divine nature of the Son muſt needs be full of love: but ſo it is, the whole intire love of the Father is to be found in the Divine nature of the Son; and the reaſon is, becauſe there is but one and the ſame Divine nature in the Father and in the Son. Non foreign, ſed foreign.The Father and the Son are not of alike Eſſence, but they are of the ſame Eſſence, and becauſe of the ſameneſs of the Eſſence in the Father and in the Son, there is the ſame love in the Father and in the Son. Love is an eſſential property belonging to the Eſſence of God; there being the ſame Eſſence both in the Father and the Son, there muſt needs be the ſame love in both. The Father communicates all he is and hath to the Son in the eternal Generation, Joh. 16.15. All that the Father hath is mine: therefore the Son receiving all from the Father in the eternal Generation, the whole intire love of the Father is communicated to him, and reſides in him. Therefore he is called the expreſs image of his perſon, the brightneſs of his glory, Heb. 1.3. The whole nature of the Father is to be ſeen and is made conſpicuous in the perſon of the Son. Therefore if we conclude, that there is the higheſt and moſt immenſe love in the Father, we muſt neceſſarily conclude there is the ſame love in the Son, who is the expreſs image of his perſon. Hence is that expreſſion of our Saviour, Joh. 14.21. If any man love me, he ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him. Obſerve it, my Father will love him, and I will love him. We may not conceive there is a twofold love, one of the Father, and another of the Son, but both Father and Son do love with the ſame love. There is but one and the ſame Divine love in the Father and the Son. It is true, if we underſtand it as ſome do, of the love that is in Chriſts humane nature, then we may ſuppoſe a twofold love; and ſo there is a Learned man that gives this ſenſe, My Father will love him, and I will love him, i. e. I will love him, not as God only (for ſo the Father and the Son love with one love) but I will love him as man alſo. Quomodo Pater ſine Filio, aut Filius ſine Patre diligeret, quomodo cùm inſeparabiliter operentur, ſeparabiliter diligant? Aug.But I incline rather to underſtand it as Auſtin of the Divine Love, there is but one and the ſame Divine love in the Father and the Son. It is Auſtins Expoſition upon the Text: How is it poſſible the Father ſhould love without the Son, or the Son without the Father? How is it poſſible, when the Father and the Son work inſeparably, their love ſhould be divided and ſeparated? The Son having all the Fathers love in him, and the Scripture deſcribing the Father to be the fountain of all love, the Divine nature of the Son muſt needs be full of love.
We come now to make a little Uſe of what hath been opened. Ʋſe. We have heard a little of the ſweetneſs of Chriſts love, not only in the properties of it, but as this love is to be found in both his natures. Behold here matter for new wonder. Well may we cry out with the Apoſtle, O the heights, and depths, and breadths, and lengths of the love of Chriſt! Here is love, the moſt glorious love in both the natures of the Lord Jeſus, in his humane, and in his Divine nature.
1. Great was his love in his humane nature; his humane nature was filled with that love that no creature was filled with: great are the affections that are ſeated in his humane heart, never ſo much ſweetneſs, kindneſs, tenderneſs, compaſſionateneſs to be found in any heart as his. Never any thing ſo ſweet, ſo lovely, ſo amiable in the whole Creation of God as the Humanity of Jeſus Chriſt. Thou art fairer than the ſons of men, Pſal. 45.2. The humane ſoul of Chriſt was compoſed and made up all of love and ſweetneſs: yea, the humane nature was the receptacle as it were, into which the Divinity poured forth all its love. In him dwells all the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily, Col. 2.9. It is not a particle or ſome ſmall portion of the Divinity, but the fulneſs of the Godhead; and if all the fulneſs of the Godhead, then all the fulneſs of Divine love dwells in the humane nature aſſumed. Not that the love of the Humanity is formally and eſſentially the ſame with the Divine love, or that the love which immediately flows from his humane will and affections, is ſimply infinite as the Divine love is, (although it is a far greater love than ever was found in the heart of any creature) but thus we may conceive of it. The Humanity is as it were the ſeat of the Divine perſon; in this humane nature that perſon (who is love it ſelf) dwells. Gods nature is love: now in the humane nature aſſumed, that very perſon (who is love it ſelf) dwells and takes up his abode; how ſweet, how full of love muſt the heart of Chriſt be, that hath love it ſelf dwelling and inhabiting in it!
2. Here is the love of the Divine nature: and how great that love is, no heart can conceive, no tongue can expreſs. A few words from hence to Sinners, and to the Saints of God.
O that poor Sinners would be perſwaded to look after a ſhare in this love. Ʋſe 1 Never will you find any love to match this love: you may go from creature to creature, but never find any love like the love of Chriſt. Look upon the love of Chriſt-man, it is the ſweeteſt love that ever was, never any created love like to his; but then look to his Divine love, and where will you find a parallel? What are a few drops to the Ocean? All the love that is ſcattered among the creatures, is but as a drop; the Godhead, that is the Sea and Ocean of love. Here are you drawn by a double cord of love, by the love of his humanity and his Divinity. When Chriſt would win upon ſouls, how doth he do it? He ſets his love before them, I love them that love me, Prov. 8.17. If any man love me, he ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, Joh. 14.21. Love is the thing which is moſt naturally loved: who can withſtand the power of love? Can you hear of all this love in the heart of this amiable perſon the Lord Jeſus, and not find it in your hearts to love him? Never will you find ſo much love and ſweetneſs any where elſe as in the Lord Jeſus. The things that have been ſet before you are the greateſt realities, and not meer notions of words or love. We hear much of love in this world, men ſpeak much of love; but the love that is ſpoken of in the world, is for the moſt part nothing but words and air, there is little reality in it; but the love of Chriſt is the moſt real, ſolid, ſubſtantial love. Here is the love of God himſelf, the love of the Divinity, here is love lodged in a part of your own nature, lodged in that nature which is akin to you: here is the love of your own fleſh and blood: ſhould not the conſideration of this ſweet matchleſs love of Chriſt joyned with the conſideration of your extreme miſery and neceſſity make up the moſt powerful argument to draw ſouls to Chriſt? Here you have the ſweeteſt and moſt glorious love in the world to invite you on the one hand, and on the other you have the neceſſity of your own miſery. Ʋnleſs you believe that I am he, you ſhall dye in your ſins, Joh. 8.24. He that believes not on the Son, the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3. ult. As many as are under the law are under the …erſe, Gal. 3.10. If you deſpiſe and reject this Lord Jeſus, do you know where to find another Saviour? If ever you be ſaved, Divine Juſtice muſt be ſatisfied, an angry God muſt be pacified, your debts muſt be diſcharged, otherwiſe your …ns will be all charged upon you another day. If you neglect ſuch a Saviour whoſe love is moſt ſweet, and your need of him ſo great, your condemnation will be moſt juſt. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus, let him be anathema maranatha.
You that are the Saints of God, Ʋſe 2 learn from hence to ſtudy and contemplate the love of Chriſt more and more. Ye complain your hearts are cold and frozen, ye cannot get them inflamed with love to Chriſt; warm your cold and frozen hearts by the fire of Chriſts love. Love is the Load-ſtone of love. Conſider well the love that …s in both his natures; conſider the ſweetneſs of his humane nature; conſider the ſweet, kind, compaſſionate, ſympathizing heart of Chriſt as man; conſider that love is lodged in the heart of one that is your elder Brother: that it is ſeat…d in that nature that is near akin to you, and …s in all things made like to you, ſin only except…d: and then conſider the fulneſs and perfection …f his Divinity: conſider well the infinite trea…ures of love and kindneſs that are lodged in his Divine nature; let us ponder and conſider theſe things, ſurely our hearts are hard frozen indeed, if they will not melt under theſe conſiderations.
The end of the ſecond Sermon.