The True Christians Love of the Unseen Christ, Appendix

The True Christians Love of the Unseen Christ · Appendix

An APPENDIX Concerning Christ's Manifestation of Himself unto them that love him.

Joh. XIV. latter part of vers. 21.

—And he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self unto him.

WE read, Luk. 4. 22. And all bare him witness, and wondred at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. Never did such gracious and sweet words drop from the lips of any man that ever lived, as those from the lips of Christ when he was here upon the Earth; and of all Christ's words, those which he spake to his Disciples in his last Sermon, before his last Suffering, in the 14, 15, and 16 Chapters of Iohn, are superlatively sweet, and none more sweet in this Sermon than the words of my Text read unto you, And p. 172he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self unto him. In the former part of the verse we have the Character of one that doth truely love Christ: He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. In the latter part of the verse which is my Text, we have the Priviledge of one that doth truely love Christ, and that is in three Promises which Christ doth make unto him: 1. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father. 2. And I will love him. 3. And will manifest my self unto him. It is the last of these Promises which I shall speak unto by way of Appendix unto my Treatise of the Love which true Christians have and ought to have unto Christ, and that is the Promise of Christs manifesting himself unto such as love him. And the Doctrine is this.

Doct. That Christ will manifest himself unto such as love him.

In handli…g of this point I shall shew, 1. What it is for Christ to manifest himself. 2. That Christ will manifest himself to them that love him. 3. How Christ doth manifest himself unto such. 4. When Christ doth manifest himself unto such. 5. Where Christ doth manifest himself unto such as love him. 6. And lastly, make some Application.

p. 173Section I.

1. WHat it is for Christ to manifest Himself?

1. Christ doth manifest himself when he maketh a clearer discoverie unto His Disciples of the excellency of His Person, when he doth further unveil himself, and lets forth some beams and rays, with greater lustre and brightness, to discover more of the oriency and transcendency of his soul-ravishing beauty unto them, which they had but a dimme… sight and darker apprehensions of before; and this is done when Christ doth more fully impart of the spirit of wisdom and revelation unto them. Upon this account the Apostle did pray in the behalf of the believing Ephesians, that the Lord would give them the spirit of wisdom and revelation to enlighten their understandings in the knowledge of him, Eph. 1. 16, 17, 18. they had the spirit before and some knowledge of Christ before, but he prayes that God would give them fuller measures of the spirit, to make a clearer discovery of Christ, that the eyes of their understandings might be more and more p. 174enlightened unto a more spiritual discerning of the surpassing Beauty and Excellency in Christ's person, in the knowledge of whom the most enlightned Christians are capable of further growth unto the end of their life, hence that Exhortation of the Apostle Peter, 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ.

2. Christ doth manifest himself, when he maketh a deep impression, and giveth a sweet sense to his Disciples of his presence; Christ is never really absent from such as Love him, but he may Seem to be so sometimes, they may apprehend him to be a far off, he may and often doth withdraw the sense of his presence; Cant. 5, 6. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone. Christ doth manifest himself, when he doth draw near to his people, and maketh them feel that he is near, giving them a sweet sense of his presence through the powerful breathings of his Spirit upon them, whereby their hearts are quickned and enlarged, and drawn forth towards himself, and their graces excited unto powerful exercise.

3. And chiefly Christ doth Manifest Himself, when He makes discovery of p. 175His Love unto them that love him; when He gives them to see not only the beauty of His face, but also the smiles of His face, when He gives them to behold the amiableness of His countenance, and withall lifts up upon them the light of His countenance, when he sheddeth abroad the sense of His Love into their hearts, giving them a full perswasion of His special Love unto them, and also a sweet sense thereof. Thus Christ doth sometime look kindly, and speak kindly unto his people, and this sweet Language is not spoken to the ear of the body, but inwardly by His Spirit to to their souls, when he saith to the soul, I am thy salvation and thy Saviour, I have loved thee with an everlasting Love, and my Love is vnchangeable; The Mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but my loving kindness shall never depart, and be removed from thee; I have given my self for thee, and I have given my self unto thee, and I will never repent of this gift; I have chosen thee for my self, called and joyned thee unto my self, and I will never repent of this choice, nor suffer thee to be disjoyned from me for ever; I have thee upon my heart, and keep thee in my hand, and no powers of Earth or Hell shall p. 176be able to pluck thee thence; I have given thee my grace, and I will shew thee my glory, and ere long I will appear in the world and receive thee to my self, that where I am there thou mayest be also. Dry up then thy tears, clear up thy countenance, banish thy fears, droop no longer, dispond no more, but be of good chear, thy sins are forgiven thee, thy name is written in my book which none can blot out, Thou hast a true Love for me, and my Father himself loveth thee, and I love thee with a most endeared Love, and therefore do not question or doubt of my Love any more. Thus Christ doth manifest himself and his Love sometimes unto drooping disponding souls.

Section II.

2. THat Christ will manifest himself unto them that love him, appears, in that His Love doth engage Him, and His word doth engage Him hereunto. His Love doth …ngage Him, The Love of Christ is like fire, that cannot conceal it self long, and no fire so strong, and hath such a vehement flame as the Love of Christ to His people. Ioseph had a great love to his Brethren notwithstanding all p. 177their unkindness, and although he concealed himself for a while, and spake roughly unto them, yet after they were sensible of their fault, and were filled with perplexing fears, he could conceal himself no longer from them, as in Gen. 45. 1. Then Ioseph could not refrain himself before all that stood by him, he wept alou…, and said unto his brethren, I am Ioseph, and ver. 4. Ioseph said unto his brethren, come near me, I am Ioseph your brother whom ye sold into Egypt. So Christ may conceal himself for a while from his people, whatever love he hath to them, and whatever they have to him; some unkindnesses they have shewn may be the cause of this hiding, but when they are sensible of their fault, full of grief and perplexity for their offences, his Love will not permit him to hid himself much longer; His Love will engage Him to manifest and discover himself, and say, I am Jesus your Saviour, come near me my brethren, come near me, that you may have a clearer view of me, that ye may know me and know that I do love you. The Word also of Christ doth engage him manifest Himself unto them that Love Him: It is Christs promise here in the Text, He that loveth me shall be loved of p. 178my Father, and I will Love him, and will manifest my self unto him. Christs word is sure, True and faithfull is Christs name; the ordinances of the heaven may sooner fail, than Christ fail of His Word and Promise.

Section III.

3. HOw Christ doth manifest Himself unto them that Love him.

1. Christ doth here in this world manifest himself but in part and darkly. The soul is not now capable of the fullest and clearest Manifestation of Christs, This is a happiness reserved for the other world, 1. Ioh. 3. 2. Beloved now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet 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, Ioh. 17. 24. Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me. It is Hereafter that Christs Disciples shall be perfectly like unto Christ, and shall have a perfect manifestation of Christ, that they shall see him as he is: It is Hereafter that they shall behold his glory; The lustre p. 179and brightness of Christs glory is so great that should he now let forth the beams thereof upon them, it would dazle and amaze them, it would strike them blinde, yea it would strike them dead; there is need, because of their weakness, that Christ should keep a veil on his face, when he makes discovery of himself, they cannot now bear the full patefaction and manifestation of Christ; therefore Christ doth discover himself but in part. As the Queen of Sheba saith concerning Solomons wisdom and prosperity, 1. King. 10. 6, 7. It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts, and thy wisdom; howbeit I believed not the words, until I came and mine eyes had seen it; and behold the one half was not told me, thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame thereof. It is not the one half which Christs Disciples do now hear or can discern of their masters excellencies. It hath not now entred into their hearts to conceive what Beauties and Glories and most admirable perfections there are hid in their Beloved; not only Christ's Love but also Christ's Loveliness doth pass their knowledge; there are such dimensions of most wonderful Glory in Christ's person, as do infinitely transcend the capacity of the most p. 180elevated minds, fully to comprehend. Christ doth manifest himself truly to them that Love him, yet it is but partly, and that but a little part, it is but darkly by the beams of a more obscure light, 1 Cor. 13. 9, 10, 11, 12. For we know in part, and prophesie in part; But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away: When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things: For now we see thorow a glass darkly, but then Face to Face; Now I know in part, then I shall know as I am known. We Ministers … part, we can tell you but a little of what there really is in Christ, and both we and you know but in part; our conceptions of Christs excellencies and our expressions now are childish, hereafter there will be a perfect manifestation of Christ, and then all imperfections of knowledge will be removed. Now you may see Christ, but it is through a glass darkly; hereafter face to face: Indeed it is said, 2 Cor. 3. 18. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord are changed, &c. There is a comparative open discovery of Christ now in Gospel-times, over what there was under p. 181the Law; the veil of Types and Figures, which covered and in a great measure hid Christ from the view, is now removed, our face is now open from that veil, but Christs face is not fully open, there is glass still between our eye and Christ's face (the glass of Ordinances which though it doth help us to see him, yet it keeps us from the clearest discovery of him) we see but thorow a glass darkly; our eyes now need this glass to help our weakness, and that we may see what we do see: there is a time coming when we shall be above the need and use of the Ordinance-glasses, I mean when we shall see Christ face to face, and know him in heaven as we are known by him.

2. Christ doth now manifest himself gradually unto them that Love him, Christ doth not shew at once & altogether what he means to discover of himself and of his Love, but he doth it by degrees, a little at one time, and a little at another time, a little in this Ordinance, and a little in that; now he lets down some comfortable beams of the light of his countenance into the soul, by and by clouds do arise and obscure this light, and darkness is upon the spirit: Sometimes Christ opens the curtain p. 182and looks upon the soul, gives gracious smiles, by and by the curtain is drawn, and his face is hid; now he appears, and then he disappears; he manifesteth himself at one time, withdraws himself at another time, and so leads his people on from one discovery of himself unto another, until he bringeth them at last unto the full discovery of himself in Glory.

3. Christ doth manifest himself most sweetly unto them that Love him, especially after long absence. When the soul hath been seeking and cannot finde him, wandring in the wilderness under amazing fears, perplexing doubts, doleful despondencies, sinking and heart-overwhelming grief; after a black night of deep desertion, Oh how sweet is the day-spring from on high! Oh how comfortable are the bright beams of the morning light! when he shineth upon their dark and despised and sorrowful spirits, giving them to know assuredly that they are the dearly beloved of his Soul, that he hath not forgotten them, that he will not forsake them, that he hath a more tender Love unto them than the mother to her sucking child! Oh the ravishments of spirit! Oh the transports of soul which do arise from p. 183hence! O the songs which are then in their mouths. This is our beloved, we have waited for him! this is our dear Redeemer we have trusted in him! Tongue cannot express the delight, the joy and gladness of heart, which doth arise from the manifestation of Christ's presence and love; the joy of harvest, the joy of the Bridegroom on the wedding day, the joy of victory and taking great spoils, spoils from an Enemy, the joy of a poor man in finding great treasures; and the greatest delight which ever was found in the sweetest sensual enjoyment is not worthy to be compared with the joys and exaltings of heart, in the manifestation of Christ unto the Soul.

SECT. IV.

4. WHen doth Christ manifest himself unto them that love him?

1. Sometime Christ doth quickly manifest himself, after a little seeking; some young Converts have early and soon disscoveries of Christ and his love; they are cast down for a little while, and Christ soon comes unto them and lifts them up again; weeping endures but for a night, p. 184and that a short summer night, and joy cometh early in the morning; they have the spirit of bondage who awakeneth them to fear, by & by the Spirit of Adoption doth graciously visit them, and make discovery of their relation to the Father, the love of their Saviour, and sheddeth abroad the sense of his love into their hearts.

2. Sometimes Christ is long before he manifest himself; it is long before some do seek Christ, and it is long before such do find him: Christ waites long to be gracious unto them, & Christ doth often make them wait long before he manifesteth to them his loving kindnesses; yea sometimes early seekers are not early finders; Christ makes some wait a long time to try their faith and patience, the…r love and obedience, and that he may prepare them for more than ordinary comforts and sweetness which he intendeth to give in the discovery of himself unto them.

3. Sometimes Christ doth suddenly manifest himself unto them that love him, Cant. 6. 12. Or ever I was aware my Soul made me like the Charets of Aminadab, or ever they are aware they see the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof, and p. 185the Lord Jesus doth come unto them in the Chariots of Salvation with such Glory and Lustre as doth transport and amaze them. Some Christians that truely love Christ, have sought him in this Ordinance, and have not found him, and they have sought Christ in that Ordinance, and have not found him; they have been looking and waiting and hoping that at this time Christ would discover himself, or at that time he would discover himself, and still he hath hid himself, still they have come off with disappointment; this hath been their Grief, this they have complained of before God, and they have been under fears lest they should never see him, never meet with him at all; hereupon their Spirits have been ready to fail and sink within them, and in discouragement they have been ready to say or think that all their labour would be in vain; and yet they have resolved to seek him to their death, and though he should kill them, to put their trust in him: And behold on a sudden, when they have had the least expectation, and their hope hath been ready to give up the Ghost, they have met with Christ, and found him whom their Soul loveth; on a sudden the Veil of the Temple p. 186hath been rent, and they have seen their Beloved in the Holy of Holies; on a sudden the clouds have fled, their darkness hath passed away, and the light hath shined; the North-wind of trouble hath ceased, and the sweet Southern Gales have blown upon them; I mean they have been under such shinings and breathings of the Spirit, that they have seen and felt the presence of Christ; and such a sweet sense of his Love, as hath filled them with Soul-revishing Joy.

4. Christ doth manifest himself Seasonably unto them that Love him. Though he doth not alwayes manifest himself when they most desire, yet he doth manifest himself when they have most need, and then they have most need when they are most low, when they are most low in their Spirits, most poor and mean in their own esteem, as well as most low in their condition through Affliction and Trouble; Humility and Patience under Affliction, doth make way for the Experience of Christ's manifestation; Christ doth many times reserve his Cordials for the Fainting sits, and the sweetest Consolations in the discoveries of his Love for the time of the greatest Adversity; especially, p. 187when the trouble is for his sake, he is graciously present; Iohn had his Visions when he was Banished for the sake of Christ unto the Isle Patmos. And when all men forsook Paul at his answer before Nero, then the Lord came to him, stood by him and strengthned him.

Sect. V.

5. WHere doth Christ manifest himself unto them that love him? This is in the way of his Ordinances, there he doth walk, there he doth appear unto his People; sometimes Christ doth manifest himself in the way of private Ordinances, when they seek him in their Families, or in their Closets, when they speak of him in conference, or when they think of him in their Meditation and Contemplation; sometimes Christ doth manifest himself unto them that love him in the way of Publick Ordinances, in Publick Prayer or Fasting, in hearing of the Word, or when they are Feasting at his Table, especially in this …ast mentioned Ordinance Christ doth frequently manifest himself unto his Disciples most p. 188sweetly: At the Lords Table, the Lord doth appear; in breaking of Bread he discovers himself, as to the Disciples that went to Immaus; in his Banquetting-house he gives them to feast on his Love; There are many who can say by experience, that if ever they met with Christ in their Lives, and in any Ordinance, they have met with him at the Sacrament, there he hath unveiled his face, there he hath revealed his Love, there he hath breathed upon them by his Spirit, there they have found and felt the Lord to be near.

SECT. VI.

I Come now to the Application: And here that I may to give to every one his Portion, I shall speak, 1. To you that have no Love unto Christ: 2. To you that have some Love to Christ, but are without these Manifestations. 3. To you that both love Christ, and have Manifestations of his love unto you.

Vse 1. The First Use doth concern such as have no love at all unto Christ: Christ will manifest himself unto them p. 189that love him, this is Childrens Bread, and doth not belong to you, because you do not belong unto Christ; this is a choise and most rich Priviledge, but you have nothing to do with it; Procul ite Profani. Avant all ye profane ones, all ye unclean ones, all ye ungodly ones, all Unbelievers whatsoever, who being without Faith, are also without Love to Christ; see that you come not neer to lay your unclean hands upon this most excellent Promise; never look for any discovery of Christs love unto you whilest you go on in wayes of Sin, whilest you are in your Natural Estate. I believe some of you may be ready to say, What if Christ doth not manifest himself unto us? let us have our Honours and Dignity, let us have our Wealth and Plenty, let us have our Friends and Delights, and let who will look after those aiery and fancifull Satisfactions in Christs Manifestations. Sinners, is this your language either of tongue or heart? Let me tell you, one day you will sing another tune, you will be of another mind; one day you will acknowledge, that all the Happiness which you so eagerly pursued in the sweetest creature-enjoyments, was but a Fancy, that it was thin, light and aiery; that it was p. 190vain and empty, when all is fled away and left nothing behind but Stings and bitter Grief, but inward wounds, gripes, and dreads, upon the sight of approaching Death, and under apprehensions of approaching Wrath, and eternal Torments in Hell. Then what would you give for an Interest in Jesus Christ, and a well-grounded Perswasion of his special Love unto your Souls? Then the Manifestations of Christ will appear to be no aiery thing, and that nothing besides this can rationally support your Souls when you come to the Borders of the Grave, and to the Confines of Eternity. And let me further tell you that have no love to Christ, that although Christ whilest you are such will never manifest himself unto you in a way of Love, yet there is a Day coming when he will Manifest himself unto you, but this Manifestation will be with a Vengeance, it will be in a way of most Furious anger; I mean, at the last day of Judgement, when Christ will be revealed from Heaven, not onelyonly to those that Love him, but also to those that Hate him, for every eye shall then see him, and he will come in flaming Fire to take Vengeance upon you that have not obeyed this Gospel-Precept, to Love p. 191him. The Consideration of this should awaken you to fear and fly from Sin, which otherwise will be your ruine and eternal Perdition; and O that withall you would be perswaded to apply your selves unto the Lord Jesus Christ by Faith, that you may hereby have Interest in him, and in that great Salvation which he hath purchased for you, and which in the Gospel in freely tendred unto you! and this Faith in Christ would work Love to Christ, and put you in a capacity of these Manifestations of Christ's Love unto your Souls.

Sect. VII.

Vse 2. THe second Use concerneth such of you as have some Love unto Christ, but are without these Manifestations; and there are two sorts of such: 1. Some of you never had these Manifestations. 2. Some of you have had these Manifestations, but have lost them.

1. Some of you never had these Manifestations of Christ's Love. It may be you are young and raw Christians, a little p. 192while ago you were forward Scholars in the School of the Devil, and served divers lu…ts with all your might and strength; the Lord hath lately hedg'd up your way with thorns, hath opened your eyes to see your sins, and made you sensible of your danger, but as yet your eyes are not open as to any comfortable sight of your Saviour; Indeed Christ hath been revealed unto you as able and willing to save you, and you have been drawn by the Word and Spirit to take hold on him, and to give up your selves unto him; but as yet you are in the da…k as to your Spiritual Estate; you are under doubts and fears of unsoundness and rottenness at heart, that you are Hypocrites, and shall fall away, as other Professors like your selves have done; you fear you shall one day perish by the hand of Saul, that the Devil and your own Lusts will be too hard for you, and prevail so far with you, as to pull you back into wayes of S…n, and thereby to pull yo… down into the bot…omless Pit of Hell: This causeth a dread upon your spirits, and fearf…ll apprehensions of Gods wrath and future Vengeance; this f…tcheth many a sad and heavy sigh from your breasts, many a brinish tear from your eyes, you p. 193are troubled, bowed down greatly, and go mourning all the day: Yet you are resolved to give your attendance still unto Ordinances, and there to wait upon the Lord, and for the Lord; you are resolved, notwithstanding all discouragements, that you will be the Lords, though you know not whether he be yours; you are resolved that Christ shall have your hearts, and you will venture your Souls upon him, though you know not whether you are accepted by him. This may be a Use of Encouragement unto you; certainly you are such as love Christ, and are beloved by Christ, and Christ will manifest himself unto such as have such Love; let me tell you, that Christ is not far from you, whatever you may apprehend, though he be out of your sight, yet you are not out of his, his eye is upon you, and his heart is towards you; he hears all your sighs, he sees all your tears, he pities you, and sympathizeth with you in all your Griefs; he loves you, and ere long will let you know it; he is now preparing you for sweet discoveries of himself, and ere long he will give you those discoveries. If you follow on to seek him, he will certainly and may suddenly be found of you: And p. 194who knows but this may be the time of Christ's manifesting his Love? It may be whilest you are Reading this Discourse, you may have a glimpse of his face, and hear his Vo…ce saying unto you, Be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven you. Lift up the Hands that hang down, lift up the Heart that is cast down; Look up then dejected Soul, thy Saviour is before thee, open thine Eyes and look, look with the Eye of Faith, canst thou not see a marvellous Beauty in his countenance? dost thou not perceive some smiles in his Face, some Smiles upon thy Soul? Dost thou not feel his Spirit sweetly breathing upon thine heart, perswading thee, and giving thee a sweet sense of Christ's peculiar Love unto thee? Dost thou not perceive some inward knockings at the door of thine heart, and hear some inward callings? Open to me, and I will come in and sup with thee: This is the Voice of thy Beloved; make haste and open to him, open all the Faculties of thy Soul, lift up the Everlasting Gates to this King of Glory; send forth the Handmaids of thy Desires to invite the Lord in, let thy Faith take hold on him and usher him into thy Soul, and then embrace him in the Arms of thy p. 195dearest Love, and give him such entertainment that he may abide with thee for ever.

2. There are others of you have had some manifestations of Christ unto you formerly, but you have lost them: your beloved hath withdrawn himself and is gone, you call and he giveth no answer, you seek him, but you cannot find him. Time hath been when your Lord was present, and gave you Gracious visits frequently, many a secret smile you have seen in his face, many a comfortable word you have had from his mouth, many a love-token you have received at his hand: Time hath been when you had your evidences written out fair and clean, with the Seal of the Spirit set unto them, and how exceedingly did you then rejoice in the sense of Christ's love? how did you feast your selves upon his rich entertainment of Gospel-priviledges which through him you were invested withal? And O the admirings which then you had of free Grace! O the sweet meltings of heart in the kindly sense of sin! O the enlargements of desire which you had in your Prayers! O the burnings of love to Christ which you have often felt in your bosomes! O the lively hopes which you p. 196had, and ineffable delight in hope of the Glory of God! But now there is a strange decay within you of Grace, and Alteration as if you were not the same Men and Women as you were before. You have withdrawn your selves from Christ, and he hath withdrawn himself from your Souls: you have let down your watch, and the Devil hath got advantage against you by his devices, he hath watched his opportunity and entangled you in the snares of some sins; whilst you have heedlesly gone to the utmost confines of duty, and been upon the borders of sin, the Devil hath sent forth a …quadron of temptations not with fiery darts, but with silken cords, which have treated and parlyed with you to entice and perswade to go a little further, they have told you what pleasant fru…t doth grow within those borders most sweet and delicious to the t…ste; that there are Silver and Golden Mines which you might quickly dig up, and find precious substance; that there you might have honour and esteem, and what would you turn your back upon all these? would you be so nice and strict as not to despense with a little duty, as not to step over the hedge a little way, where the delights and advantage would be so great. p. 197And if you have hesitated, they have told you that it was very disputable, whether the confines of duty did not reach beyond the place which they would bring you unto, propounding the example of others of the same Religious Profession, that have frequently gone so far, and why should you scruple: or if it were a transgression it was but a little transgression, they would not desire you to go far, and who is there that lives and doth not transgresse those bounds? and you might easily repent and find mercy if God were offended; you might quickly retire and return into your former limits; then whilst you have been parlying with temptations, the silken cords have been fastned about you, and e're you have been aware you have been drawn along, partly willing and partly unwilling, and enticed unto some kind of sins, and complyed with some kind of lusts, indulging your selves to give them satisfaction, whereby you have been beguil'd, and befool'd, whereby you have been secretly wounded and inwardly defiled; and thus your evidences for Heaven have been miserably blotted, so that now you are not able to read them. Time hath been when worldly Affections seemed to be mortified within you, to p. 198be dead and buryed, many a sore thrust and wound you had given unto them, and how did they bleed and faint, and grew so weak that they seemed to be giving up the Ghost, and you have thought sure…y they would never …ir much in you any more; and then your love to Christ was strong and active, it did burn and flame within you▪ and O the zeal which you then had for your Masters honour, and you seemed to have no interest to carry on in the world but the interest of Christ, and you minded not your own things upon your own account, but all your interests were swallowed up in the interest of Jesus Christ, which you chiefly minded and cared for, and made every thing else to truckle under it, and to be subservient unto it; but now your affections to Christ are strangely cooled; if there be the fire of love to Christ still within you, it is not fire in burning coals, or in a vehement flame, but it is a fire in a few scattered sparks, and those raked over that they give neither light nor heat, and are hardly, if at all, discernable by you; and your wordly Affections which seem'd to be dead, they have gotten Spirit and Life and Vigour, and Strength: O the eager desire which you have after the world, and p. 199the things in the world, and these accompanied with eager prosecution of the world, now the world hath your thoughts in contrivements about it, and the world hath your tongues in your most frequent discourse of it, now the world hath your hand and your time, but that which is worst of all, the world hath your heart too, the world hath justled Christ off of his Throne and for the present doth usurp his seat. And is it then a wonder if your beloved be offended that you should thus decline in your love, that your hearts should go a whoring from him unto the Creature, in your giving those affections unto any thing in the world which are his due? Hence it is that Christ hath shut up his count…nance from you, or if he looks, it is with frowns upon you; you have lost your first love, and you have lost your first sights, and your first tastes of the Love of Christ; now your spiritual joys and comforts are fled out of sight, they are lost and gone, and the bare remembrance of them only doth remain, and whatever delights you have they are only such as come in at the door of sense, you have none at all that come in at the door of faith, and your sensual delights have expelled and banished your spirituall; p. 200now the rich Gospel-priviledges have not that savor and sweet relish with you as heretofore; your minding and savouring so much the Earth and Earthly things, hath disrelished your spiritual appetite. O the mischief which indulged sin hath done unto you! O the unfelt wounds, but so much the more deep and dangerous, which sin hath given you! O the defilements of sin in your Consciences, and the stains & blots which sin hath cast upon your profession! O the havock which sin hath made amongst your graces, and amongst your comforts! Leaves you have still of an outward profession, but where is your fruit to be found? If you have some fruit, is it not withered fruit, …our and ill-rellished, not such ripe and mellow and sweet fruit as heretofore in your flourishing estate? Surely the Lord is at a … distance from such of you, and are there not too many such amongst you? And what need have you to remember whence you are to fallen, to ransack your hearts to find out your sins, to humble your selves deeply, to repent and grieve and mourn, to turn your laughter into weeping, and your joy into heaviness, and to return unto the Lord speedily and do your first works▪ p. 201otherwise some fearefull judgements are like to befall you, and the Lord may be even forced to awaken you with a vengeance, and make you a terrour unto your selves and unto all about you: Don't provoke the Lord, by your thus running away from him, to follow you with a storm as he did Ionas, and to devour you in the floods and waves of dreadfull afflictions, that hereby he may reduce and restore you, and keep you from being drowned in utter perdition and eternal destruction. It may be the Lord hath scourged some of you for your faults with the rods of some crosses and disappointments, some outward losses and troubles; it may be he hath put bitternesse upon those breasts which you have been sucking, and mingling gall in the cup of your pleasures which you have been drinking; and you have begun to think of your evil wayes, and seen what an evil thing and bitter it is to backslide from the Lord; and you have thought it was best with you when you were nearest unto Christ. It may be God hath dealt with you as he telleth his backsliding people he would do with them, Hos. 2. 6, 7. Behold I will hedge up thy way with thorns, and make a wall that she shall not find her paths: Aud she shall follow p. 202after her Lovers, but she shall not overtake them, and she shall seek them, but she shall not finde them; Then shall she say, I will go and return to my first husband, for then it was better with me than now. And now you are seeking after your Beloved, but he hath withdrawn himself from you, and seems to take no notice of you; you call and cry, and sigh, and weep, and lament, and complain, and seek, and wait, and yet he withholds from you all special discoveries of his Love: Possibly doubts may hence arise, and fears grow upon your spirits, and you are ready to sink, and sometimes are almost overwhelmed with inward trouble. Let this Doctrine be an encouragement to you still to seek diligently and wait patiently, for the Lord will manifest himself again unto you in his own time, which is the best time: He may try you for a while whether you will follow him in the dark, he may suffer you to wait some time for him, who have made him to wait so long time for you; But if you persevere to seek him diligently in his wayes, you shall finde that it will not be in vain. And what would you say, ye backsliding souls, if the Lord should manifest himself unto you at this time? would you p. 203not abuse his kindness? if he should discover his Love to you again, would you not grow wanton and carnally secure? if he should now renew your evidences and give them fair written, and easie to be read by you, would you not blot them again by your sins? if he should now speak peace unto your Consciences, would you not again return unto folly? If he should now restore unto you the joyes of his salvation, and send down the Holy Ghost from Heaven to come unto you, to be your comforter and to dwell with you, would you not griev and quench the Spirit and provoke him to another retirement, and more dreadfull withdrawings than before? It may be the Lord will try you; it may be the Lord may draw near and make some discovery of himself, and discovery of his Love unto you: it may be the Lord may look kindly now upon you, and secretly by hi… Spirit speak kindly unto you: you are now looking and longing, and hoping, and waiting, possibly this may be the time of your seeing his face, and the smiles that are there, of your feeling the sweet sheddings abroad of his Love into your hearts by his Spirit, at least he may give you a glimpse, a glance, a little taste, such as shall p. 204ravish your hearts. However wait for him, and with earnest desires and importunate requests, plead with him for his returns, and these manifestations, and that in such kinde of Language as this: Come Lord Iesus, Come quickly, make haste O my beloved, make haste to my soul that thirsteth for thee, as the parched land after the sweet showers that fall from heaven, as the h…nted Hart after the cooling and refreshing streams of the water-brooks. O when shall I drink of those waters of Life which thou hast to give, who art the fountain and spring from whence they flow? when shall I taste again how good thou art? when shall I see thee again, and feed, and feast my soul again with thy love? when Lord, O when wilt thou come unto me? wilt thou cast off for ever? wilt thou be favourable no more? hast thou in anger shut up thy bowels? shall this cloud alwayes sit upon thy brow? shall this curtain alwayes be drawn before thy face? Truth Lord, I have grievously sined, and greatly offended thee; but have I not, do I not truly repent? is there any thing in the world so grievous unto me as the remembrance of my miscariages? I acknowledge my offence, my folly and horrid ingratitude; but shall my sins be alwayes a wall of separation between me and my beloved? p. 205are not thy bowels tender? are not thy mercies plentifu…l? is there not forgiven…s with thee that thou mayest be feared and the more dearly beloved? dost thou not forgive freely without upbraiding? hast thou not promised to be found of all them that diligently seek thee? and didst thou ever fail in thy word unto any? and shall I be the first? are …ot the desires of my Soul after thee, and that Chiefly, and that Earnestly? Is there not dearth and drought in all things beneath thy self, nothing that can give me satisfaction? have I not renounced the World for my Portion? Thou mightest send me to the World for help and comfort, to the World which I have over-earnestly desired and loved, and over-eagerly …ought for contentment and happiness in; But is this thy wont, and thy way, and the manner of thy dealing with them that are grieved for their Sin, and ashamed of their Folly? Hast thou not promised to manifest thy self unto them that love thee? and do not I love thee? dost not thou who knowest all things, know that I love thee? though my Love be imperfect, yet is it not true? though it be weak, yet is it not sincere? else whence are these desires after Thee above all Persons and Things in the World? are not these the product of true p. 206Love? and wilt thou not make good thy Promise then, to manifest thy self unto me? and if I had the Manifestations of thy Love, would not my love grow and encrease hereby? Should I not love the more dearly and strongly, if I had clear discoveries, and were perswaded assuredly of thy love unto me? Truth Lord, I am altogether unworthy of such a favour; but didst thou ever bestow this favour upon any for their deserts? are not all thy Gifts free? and am not I as capable as any of Free-grace? the more unworthy, the more I shall admire thee; the more is forgiven, I shall love the more; And may I not now have a taste of thy Loving kindness? Hasten my Beloved, O hasten unto me, and be as a Roe upon the Mountains of Spices! Do not veil thy face from me any longer, do not conceal thy love, but now, O now draw near, and make me exceeding glad in the light of thy Countenance, and in the beauty of thy Face, and smiles thereof. Such desires and pleadings as these might prevail with the Lord forthwith to return again unto you, and to say, Well Soul, I have heard thy Prayer, thy breathing, and thy cry; thy pleadings have prev…ed with me, and I am now come unto thee, and be it to thee according p. 207to thy Desires; Come Soul, and look up, lift up thine eyes, and see, Here I am, Behold me, Behold me; this day I am come to bring glad tydings of great Ioy unto thee. I assure thee, that I am thine, and all mine is thine, and thou art mine, and shalt be mine for ever. And what words can found so sweet and yield such comfort, as these or such like, spoken by the Spirit unto the hearts of those from whom Christ is withdrawn?

SECT. VIII.

Vse 3. THe Third Use doth concern you that do love Christ, and have the Manifestations of his Love to your Souls: Three things be exhorted unto; 1. Rejoyce in the Lord. 2. Admire his Free Grace. 3. Labour to retain these Manifestations.

1. You that have the Manifestations of the Love of Christ, Rejoyce in the Lord; of all Persons in the world, you have most reason to rejoyce, you are the happiest men and women alive. It is not p. 208Wealth in the greatest abundance which can make men happy, the richest Persons have often thorns of the greatest discontent to pierce their hearts, and Stings of the greatest guilt to wound their Consciences: It is not the highest Honour and worldly Dignity which can make men happy; the vilest men are often exalted, and those that are in the Highest places, are in the most Slippery places, from whence they are soon cast down into destruction, and whatever security they have in Life, yet they are usually consumed utterly with Terrours when grim Death doth appear and summon them to depart. It is not the sweetest sensual Delight which can make men happy; Vanity is the Attendant, and Vex…tion of Spirit is the Consequent of all those pleasures that are sensual and sinfull, which are the seed also of Pain and Everlasting torment: Such onelyonly can be said to be happy in truth, as are really united and related unto Jesus Christ, and through him reconciled unto God, and entituled unto the Kingdom of Heaven; but you are the most happy, and have reason to take the most comfort, who have not onelyonly Relation unto Christ, but also the Manifestations of him; who know that p. 209Christ is yours, and you are his, that Christ loveth you, and that his Love, as it had no beginning, so it is without changing, and will know no ending. If you know that Christ loveth you, you have reason to rejoyce, because hereby you may know assuredly that you are Elected, that God by an eternal and unchangeable Decree hath chosen you, when he hath chosen so few of fallen Men, and none of the fallen Angels, and when there was not the least foreseen Motive to induce him hereunto; the assurance of this may yield unexpressible sweetness unto you. If you know that Christ loveth you, you may know assuredly your Effectual Calling, Conversion, and wonderfull Union unto Christ; and O what matter of Joy is it to think, how God hath called you out of Darkness into his marvellous Light! how he hath delivered you out of the Snare of the Devil, and the bonds of your own Lusts, and set your Souls at liberty! how he hath wrought a Miracle in your first Resurrection from the Grave and spiritual death of Sin, & put forth the same power in your New Creation & change of your Natures, as in his first Creation of the World! how he hath dissolved and made p. 210a divorce between your hearts and your sins, and so wonderfully United and espoused you unto the Lord Jesus, and by this Conjunction and Relation given you an Interest in all the Priviledges which Christ hath purchased. If you know that Christ doth love you, you m…y know assuredly that you are Justified through his Merits and Mediation, and O what matter of Joy is this, to think that all your sins Original and Actual, are pardoned, that none can lay any sin to your charge, because God hath justified you! that there is none that shall condemn you, because Christ hath loved you, and out of Love hath dyed for you, and is now making Intercession for you at the right hand of God, Rom. 8. 33, 34. to be acquitted from all Guilt, and no more lyable unto future wrath than if you had never offended; and when you had no Righteousness of your own, to be accepted as perfectly Righteous in the sight of God, through the Imputation of Christ's perfect Righteousness! Who have reason to rejoyce, if you have not reason? If you know that Christ loveth you, you may assuredly say, that you are the Sons and Daughters of the Lord Almighty; and will you not rejoyce, when p. 211of Children of the Devil, Children of Disobedience, Children of Wrath, you are made the Children of God, the Glorious Jehovah, that is the Supream Sovereign and King of the whole World, and when you have not an empty Name onelyonly, but are intituled to all the Priviledges of his Children? If you know that Christ doth love you, you may know assuredly that he will keep alive his Interest in you, preserve his Grace in your hearts, and enable you to persevere in Faith and Holiness, notwithstanding all the alluring Temptations which you may meet withall in the World, notwithstanding all the Suggestions and Oppositions of Sathan, and notwithstanding all the powerfull workings of your remaining lusts and corruptions, all which do combine together, and use all their power and policy (which is great) to extirpate your Grace, to draw you unto sin, to entice or force you out of the wayes of God; and O what matter of comfort is it, that the Lord Jesus who loveth you, hath undertaken for you, to keep you in his hand, and by his unseen but mighty power to enable you to resist and overcome, to hold on in his wayes, and hold out unto the end, so that you may triumph p. 212with the Apostle, and say, as Rom. 8. 35, 37. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or disiress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us. And you may be perswaded as Paul was, and greatly rejoyce therein, that, as v. 38, 39. Neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor heighth, nor depth, nor any other Creature shall be able to separate you from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus your Lord. If you know that Christ doth love you, you may know assuredly that your Prayers have audience with God, that whatever imperfections and sinfull mixtures they have, yet that they are mingled with the sweet Incense of Christ's Merits, through which they are persumed and accepted; and what comfort is this, that whatever you ask of the Father in the Name of your dear Lord Jesus, if it be for his Glory and your good, he will certainly procure it for you. To conclude, If you know that Christ doth love you, you may know assuredly that you are Heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven, and p. 213that as certainly as you are alive, you shall attain eternal Felicity in the Beatifical Vision and Fruition of your Lord; as certainly as you have the first Fruits, so certainly shall you have the Harvest; as certainly as you have the Earnest, so certainly shall you have the Inheritance; as certainly as you see Christ by Faith here, so certainly shall you have the Beatifical Vision of his Person and Glory in Heaven, and be made perfectly happy in the eternal and full Enjoyment of him; O how should you then rejoyce in the Lord, rejoyce in his Person, rejoyce in his Love, rejoyce in his Benefits, rejoyce in what you have, and rejoyce in what you hope to have by him; rejoyce in what you see now, and feel now, and taste now; and rejoyce in the foresights and foretastes of your Happiness to come. Rejoyce in the Lord always, and again I say Rejoyce.

2. If you have Manifestations of Christs Love unto you, Admire his Free Grace in these Manifestations; as Ioh. 14. 22. when Christ had promised to manifest himself unto such as love him, Iudas (not Iscariot, he was the Traytor, and had no true love to his Master, but Iudas p. 214the Brother of Iames) saith to him, Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us, and not unto the World? This Question is not a Question of Enquiry concerning the Way and Manner how Christ would manifest himself unto them, but it is a Question of Admiration concerning the Thing; foreign. What is done? or What is come to pass? How is it? or Whence is it? His Question did not expect an Answer, neither do we find any to it, but onelyonly expressed his Wonder that Christ should manifest himself unto them. And how should you wonder then that the Lord Jesus should manifest himself unto you! That the Lord Jesus, whose Name is Wonderfull, and hath so many Wonders in him, a Person of so great Eminency and Excellency, who hath such a Crown of Glory upon his Head, such Robes of Glory upon his Back, and on the Vesture of his Garment and his Thigh a Name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; that this most excellent Person should manifest himself unto You, such as You, when he conceals himself from the greatest Princes of the Earth, who by their Interest, Authority and Influence might that highly promote his Glory, he p. 215should manifest himself unto You, who for the most part are low and mean, poor and despised in the World; that when he hideth himself from most of the Wise and Prudent, and great Scholars in the world, who by their Parts and Learning might magnifie his Name, and spread his Fame, he should manifest himself unto you, who for the most part are persons of mean parts and Education; that when Christ hideth himself from many Moralists, who have escaped the grosser Pollutions which are in the World, he should reveal and manifest himself unto you, some of whom before Conversion were notoriously guilty of most foul sins; that when Christ manifesteth himself unto so Few, that you should be in the Number of those Few; how many wonders are here! That this Glorious Person should send down another Glorious Person, I mean the Holy Ghost, from Heaven, (which is more than if he had sent down all the Glorious Angels which are in Heaven) to make this Discovery of himself unto you; That he should make use of the Foolishnesse of Preaching as a Means to effect this great thing, that while a man of like passions and infirmities with your selves is p. 216opening and applying the Scriptures, the Lord by this means should unveil himself and open the treasures of his Love unto you: that your humble fervent and believing prayers here on Earth should ascend up to the throne of God that is in Heaven, and move the Lord Jesus that is there to come down, thence, though not in person, yet by his Spirit; that prayer should open heavens gate, and have such a prevalency for this manifestation and discovery of Christ; though the best prayers of the best men are not without mixture of sin: that whilst you are sitting at the Lords table, the Lord himself should give you a visit, and whilst you are eating bread and wine at the Sacrament, he should give you to see and feel and taste himself and his Love by your spiritual senses. It was wonderful humiliation in Christ that when he could have commanded the most, stately Horses, yea Lions, Elephants, or Unicorns, he should ride to Ierusalem upon an Ass, and when Christ hath the Chariots of so many thousand glorious Angels, which he could command and ride triumphantly in, when he makes discovery of himself unto his people, that he should make use of the Chariots of so mean Ordinances in the discovery of himself p. 217unto you; how many wonders are here? how should you admire his wonderful Grace and Love, and say, what is man that thou art thus mindful of him, or any of the sons of men, that thou shouldst thus visit them? what are we unworthy wretches? and why shouldst thou manifest thy self unto us? even so dear Jesus because it seemed good in thy sight: especially you have reason to wonder and admire at the manifestations which Christ hath given of himself and love to you, when you consider the excellency of these manifestations and discoveries beyond all other discoveries. If you have seen the most rare works of Art and Human Invention, the most curious Pictures, the most stately Edifices, or any other works of the most ingenious contrivement: If you have viewed the works of nature which do far exceed those of Art, the beautiful frame of the Heavens over your heads, and the glorious Luminaries of Sun, Moon, and Stars, in their wonderful light and motion; the Earth under your feet when it hath got on its best attire, when the fields are clothed with grass in the Spring, or enriched with corn in the summer; If you have seen the most pleasant Brooks and Streams, and Fountains of water, the most stately p. 218Groves with losty and broad shadowing Trees; the most flourishing Orchards, most richly laden with variety of the most delicious fruit; the most delightfull Gardens with variety of the choisest Flowers casting forth the most fragrant smell; If you have seen all sorts of Birds, and fowls in the Air, All sorts of Beasts on the Earth, All sorts of fish in the Sea; If you have seen the most goodly men that ever were born; the fairest women, with the most sparkling beauty: What is the sight of all these things, and the most lovely objects that ever were visible to the eye of the body? the sight of all is but mean and contemptible and not worthy to be named in comparison with the sight of the Lord Jesus by the eye of the Soul; Whatever beauty and loveliness there is to be found in any, or in all visible Creatures, there is infinitely more beauty and loveliness in Jesus Christ; all visible beauty is but a shadow, in Christ there is substantial beauty; all visible beauty is fading, like the flower that soon withereth, like the leaf that soon fadeth, but in Christ there is permanent beauty; all visible beauty is inferiour and mean, yea deformity compared with Christ's transcendent loveliness. There is no discovery to the eye of the p. 219mind comparable to the discovery of Christ unto the eye of Faith; the light of Nature in the greatest improvement of it, is but a weak and dim light in comparison with the spiritual light of the knowledge of Christ; no light so clear and bright, no light so pure and sweet, as that which makes discovery of the Lord Jesus unto the Soul. This discovery of Christ doth dispel clouds from the Mind, and exhale lusts from the Heart; it doth brighten the understanding and cleanse the Affections; it doth warm the Heart with love, and fill the Heart with comfort; it quiets the Conscience and purifies it; it gives a most sweet peace and tranquillity to the spirit, and withall brings in such spiritual joy, as is unspeakable and full of Glory. O how then should you admire the Riches of the Grace, and Kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ unto you! that he should give unto you this discovery of himself, when the discovery is so admirable, so excellent, so desirable, so useful, and which doth list you up into a far higher degree of excellency, than the otherwise most accomplisht persons in the world, that are without this discovery.

3dly. To conclude, If you have these manifestations p. 220of Christ and his love unto you, labor to retain these manifestations. In a word, take heed of indulging your selves in any sins, which may provoke him to depart from you, and withdraw the sweet and comfortable influences of his Spirit, and be diligent in the use of all means and ordinances, publick, private and secret, whereby you may maintain daily Communion and Fellowship with him.

FINIS.

Books Printed for, and sold by Samuel S…int at the Bell in Little Brittain.

THe vanity of Mans Present state proved and applyed in a Sermon on Psal. 39. 5. with divers Sermons of the Saints Communion with God, and safety under his protection, in order to their future Glory, on Psal. 73. 23, 24, 25, 26, By the late painful Minister of the Word Mr. Iohn Wilson.

A Treatise concerning the Lords Supper, with Three Dialogues, for the more full information of the weak, in the Nature and Use of this Sacrament, by Thomas Dolittle▪ from 1 Cor. 11. 24. This do in Remembrance of me, the ninth Edition.

Time, and the end of Time, in two Discourses, The first about the Redemption of Time, the second about consideration of our lat…r end, by Iohn Fox.

Godly Fear, or the Nature and Necessity of Fear, and its usefullne… both to the driving Sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians on in a Godly Life, through the several parts and Duties of it, till they come to Blessedness, Heb. 12. 20. Let us have Grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly Fear.

The Door of Heaven opened and shut; opened to the Ready and Prepared, shut against the unready and unprepared; or Discourse concerning the absolute necessity of a timely Preparation for a happy Eternity, by Iohn Fox Minister of the Gospel, and Author of the Discourse concerning Time and the end of Time.

End of the text · Thomas Vincent, The True Christians Love of the Unseen Christ (1677)