The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church, Sermon 30
Sermon XXX.
Cant. 1. 4.
The Ʋpright love thee. Or Heb. Ʋprightneſſes love thee.
STill it is the Spouſe that ſpeaketh. She had prayed, Draw me, and promiſed, that being drawn, both ſhe and others would run after Chriſt. She had received a gracious anſwer to her prayer. The King had brought her into his Chambers. In this ſhe hath Triumphed, We will be glad, and rejoice in thee. For this ſhe hath covenanted that ſhe would remember the Loves of her Beloved, more then all the pleaſant, or profitable things in the world, Which ſhe expreſſeth under the Metaphoricall notion of Wine. Now leſt any ſhould ſay to her, Why ſo fond (O thou faireſt amongſt women?) to juſtify her ſelf in this rapture of Joy, this extacy of love ſhe may be conceived to add theſe words. The upright love thee, or as the Hebrew is, Uprightneſſes love thee the words may be variouſly rendred with conſiſtency enough to the Grammar of the Hebrew text.
1. Uprightneſſes [or right things] love thee. The Same word is uſed Pſal. 17. 2. Thine eyes ſhall behold right things foreign comes from foreign to be right, or to appear ſo. The word is uſed in the form that it is here, Pſal. 9. 9. He ſhall judge the World in righteouſneſs and the People foreign in uprightneſſes. It is uſed Prov. 1. 3. Iſ. 33. 15. Prov. 2. 9. Pſal. 75. 2. If we expound the phraſe (as it is literally) according to the abſtract, Righteouſneſſes, or Right things, the Queſtion will be whether it ſhould be read as in the Nominative caſe, Uprightneſſes love thee, or as in the Oblique caſe (which the Heb. prefix ſeems to import) In Uprightneſſes they love thee, accordingly the ſenſe will be very different, for if we read it, as in the Nominative caſe, the import of it ſeems to be, to ſet out the Excellency of her beloved as he who was the very ſeat of all excellent things, in whom did all fulneſs dwell, even the fulneſs of the God-head, all righteouſneſs, all Equity, whatſoever is good. If we read it as in the Ablative caſe (as the prefix in the Hebrew ſeemeth to guide us) The import of it ſeems to be to expreſs to us the nature of the Saints love to God, which is not in word, or in tongue onelyonly, but in deed, and in truth, in uprightneſſes, that is (as Buxtorf expoundeth it) Rectiſſime, fortiter, moſt intirely, intenſely ſincerely, thus I ſay it denoteth the truth, and reality of the believing Souls love to Chriſt.
2. But our tranſlators have thought fit to tranſlate it otherwiſe conceiving the abſtract here put for the concrete, Uprightneſſes, for upright men poſſeſſed of uprightneſs, this is very uſual in the Hebrew dialect, and indeed in moſt languages; ſo the ſenſe is this: Do not wonder, that I love Chriſt, and am ſo affected, with the injoyment of him, there is never an upright Soul in the world but loves him, all upright Souls love him; Thus the Propoſition is plain.
Propoſ. Upright Souls love Chriſt. To this I ſhall Speak in my ordinary method by Explication, Confirmation, & Application. Under the firſt, I ſhall give you the true notion of Uprightneſs and an üpright ſoul, & ſhew you in what ſenſe the Propoſition is true.
The Queſtion may well be propounded, Who is the upright, who is the righteous man? For the Pſalmiſt tells us, & the Apoſtle, Rom. 3. confirmeth it, There is none righteous, no not one, and although God at firſt made man upright Eccleſ. 7. 29. Yet the world is ſo warped, by men ſeeking out to themſelves inventions, that the prophet Micah, 7. 2. Tells us, there is none upright amongſt men. To reſolve this difficulty, I ſhall firſt give you two or three diſtinctions concerning righteouſneſs, or uprightneſs, without which we ſhall hardly underſtand the true notion of an upright man.
1. There is an uprightneſs of heart. Pſal. 32. 11. Shout for joy all you upright in heart; ſo Pſal. 94. 11. Judgment ſhall return unto righteouſneſs, and all the upright in heart ſhall follow it. And there is an uprightneſs of way or converſation Prov. 29. 27. The upright in his way is an abomination; ſo… Pſal. 37. 14. The wicked man ſeeketh to ſlay ſuch as be of upright converſation. Indeed it is true, there is no man, who is upright in his heart, but he will alſo be upright in his way, for the upright directeth his way, Prov. 21. 29. but there is a ſeeming uprightneſs of way, when the heart is not upright with God. Prov. 14. 12. There is a way which ſeemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. The Propoſition muſt be underſtood of ſuch as are upright not in their way only ſeemingly, but both in heart and in way.
2. Secondly there is a Legal, and there is an Evangelical righteouſneſs or uprightneſs. The legal righteouſneſs, or uprightneſs lyeth in a full and perfect conformity to the Law of God. In this ſenſe it is as true, That there is none righteous, no not one, none upright amongſt men, as that there is none who liveth, and ſinneth not againſt God, for the leaſt Flye maketh this box of ointment to ſtink; all Sin is crookedneſs, and the leaſt crookedneſs ſpoileth this rightneſs. But then there is an Evangelical righteouſneſs, and uprightneſs, and thus every Soul, that is juſtified by grace through the imputation of Chriſts righteouſneſs is a righteous Soul; and every Soul that is Sanctifyed and renewed, the bent of which is towards God, and whoſe heart is ſincere before God, is an upright and righteous Soul. In this Senſe, the upright heart is the Sincere heart. Thus David ſaith of himſelf, I was upright before him, 2 Sam. 22. 24. And God ſaith of Job, He is a perfect, and an upright man. The Propoſition muſt be underſtood of the latter, he that is Evangelically righteous, or upright; for there are none of the former upon the Earth, none that are legally righteous.
3. Thirdly. As there are degrees of Sanctification, ſo there are degrees of uprightneſs. The text ſeems to ſpeak of the higheſt degrees, Uprightneſſes. It is very ordinary with the Hebrew to expreſs the Superlative degree, by the plural number; beſides this is Signified by putting the Abſtract for the Concrete, we uſually call men notoriouſly vile and wicked, by the Abſtract names of vice, and perſons eminently good and virtuous, by the Abſtract Names of virtue and goodneſs. Thoſe that are higheſt in grace, & who do moſt excel in holineſs are fulleſt of love to Chriſt. Love teacheth every Child of God, the weakeſt babe in grace to cry after Chriſt, and the grown Chriſtian to delight in him, and to walk up and down in his name. Every righteous, every upright Soul loveth Chriſt, and that with a true, ſincere love, though not in an equal degree, ſhe (ſaith our Saviour) who hath much forgiven will love much. Having premiſed theſe diſtinctions, let me a little further inquire into the true Notion of theſe upright men, upright by this Evangelical rectitude.
In ſhort they are ſuch as are juſtified, and Sanctified, made righteous through Chriſts righteouſneſs imputed to them, & holy, through the Sanctification of his Spirit. 1. Such as are juſtified. This is the firſt thing requiſite to an upright, right man, let the unjuſtified Soul, be what it will, do what it can, it cannot be upright, either in heart or way. Suppoſe a ſtick naturally crooked, you may pare it and paint, and colour it, and cover its crookedneſs alittle, but until it hath been in the fire, and bended right, it will be crooked ſtill; the natural man, the Soul not juſtified by grace, not waſhed with the blood of Chriſt may be pared by education, and brought off from ſome flagitious, and enormous practices, he may be coloured, and painted over by ſome acts of moral vertue, and ſome formal performances of religious duties, but ſtill in Gods Eye the Soul is a crooked Soul, until the Lord hath made it right, till it be juſtified by faith. 2. To this uprightneſs is required not only juſtification, or the removal of the Souls guilt, and imputation of a righteouſneſs, a perfect righteouſneſs, but the ſanctification of the heart, God never ſanctifieth any, whom he doth not juſtify, hence no Soul can be ſaid to be an upright Soul, that is not juſtified, nor doth the Lord at any time juſtify a Soul, but he at the ſame time alſo reneweth, and ſanctifieth it; hence the upright Soul muſt be a renewed, Sanctified Soul. But yet in regard our regeneration, and ſanctification, is not as to degrees perfect, (though as to parts Divines ſay it is, that is, the whole man is renewed) it may be yet worthy to be inquired from what degrees of Regeneration, and Sanctification, a man may be denominated an upright man; the rectitude of any thing is to be judged from its conformity to ſome rule. The rule of mans uprightneſs is the Lords Statutes, which are right, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 19. 8. holy, and ſpiritual, and juſt, and good, Rom. 7. Thy judgments are right, ſaith David, Pſal. 119. 75. 128. It is ſaid ſo of nothing elſe, ſo as from a conformity to this rule, muſt rightneſs, or uprightneſs be judged. And thus,
1. There is an uprightneſs of judgment, when the Soul judgeth according to truth, both concerning notions, and practices, when it judgeth aright concerning truth, and is not warped by error, and when it judgeth aright concerning the ways of God, then the Soul is upright, with reſpect to the underſtanding and judgment.
2. There is an uprightneſs of the whole Soul, with reſpect to the ſcope and bent of it, when the heart of man doth not ſtand inclined, and bent to ſin, but the Soul can ſay with David, I hate vain thoughts; but thy law do I love, I hate every falſe way, &c. The man that in all his actions, deſigneth, and intendeth the honour and glory of God, and obedience to his will, though in many things he cometh ſhort, and offendeth, yet this man is an upright man, his end, and general ſcope is right.
3. There is an uprightneſs of will; in this the uprightneſs of a mans intention diſcovereth itſelf, when to will is preſent with the Soul, as St. Paul ſaith, Rom. 7. Though he wanteth a ſtrength to perform; the man or woman in heart willeth the honour and glory of God, and this not by fits, but ſteadily, and certainly, and is really unwilling to do any thing by which God may be diſhonoured, though through ignorance he may offend, and through a natural impotency, not being able to love the Lord with all his heart, and ſtrength, yea, and through moral impotency, and a mixt infirmity, through the great power of temptations, whether from the ſeduction of luſt, or the violent motions, and impreſſions of Satan.
4. There is an uprightneſs of action, which lieth in a true, and ſincere endeavour to do the will of God, and by this both the uprightneſs of intention, and will alſo is to be judged. This is the upright man, though he may ſtumble and fall, and oft doth fail (who liveth, and ſinneth not againſt God?) And as theſe holy diſpoſitions are found in the Soul in more remiſs, or intenſe degrees, ſo the Soul is more or leſs upright, and the man deſerves this honourable denomination leſs or more. Theſe now are the Souls that love Chriſt.
To love any object, whether perſon, or thing, ſignifieth to take a delight, and complacency in it. Whether in the thoughts of it (if abſent) as the Apoſtle ſaith, whom we having not ſeen, yet love, or in the contemplation, and fruition in converſe, and communion with it, if more preſent.
This Praedicate concerning the upright, that they love Chriſt, is to be underſtood excluſively, and incluſively, concerning the Perſon of Chriſt, and whatſoever beareth his image, and ſuperſcription.
1. Excluſively, theſe, and none but theſe love him. Others may talk of loving Chriſt, but it is but a talk and pretence, they love but in word, and tongue only, not in deed, and truth, there is ſomething elſe, either luſt or the world, ſomething or other that hath more of their affection, more of their heart then Chriſt hath.
2. Incluſively. Theſe, and all theſe love Chriſt, there is not an upright Soul in the world but loves Chriſt, and takes a pleaſure & complacency in him, and preferreth him before his chief joy.
3. They love the perſon of Chriſt. He is in their Eyes altogether deſires, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand. there is nothing in the world ſo ſweet, and pleaſant to their thoughts, as to think of Jeſus of Nazareth, him that was incarnate of the Virgin, that died upon the croſs for ſinners; all their contemplations, and meditations of him, are exceeding ſweet, and their hearts exerciſed about them melt in them.
4. They love whatſoever bears the image, and ſuperſcription of Chriſt. The Goſpel, that gives them the hiſtory of Chriſt, and revealeth to them his will, the ordinances of Chriſt, in which the loves of Chriſt are ſet forth, repreſented, opened, applied to the Souls of people. The members of Chriſt, even every Soul in which they can but ſee aliquid Chriſt… (as Bucer ſpeaks) any thing of the features of Chriſt. This is enough to have ſpoken for the explication of the Propoſition. For the proof of it,
1. Look into the Word of God, ſee if you can find an inſtance either of an upright man, who did not love Chriſt, or of an bypocrite, or unregenerate man that did love him. Abraham believed, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſs, he was one that walked with God, and was perfect, that is, upright, he loved Chriſt. Our Lord ſaith of him, Abraham ſaw my day and rejoyced. Simon, and Anna, and Peter, and Mary Magd…lene, all were upright Perſons, they all loved Chriſt. On the other ſide there is not ſo much as one inſtance of an unjuſtified, unregenerate Soul, that had any real love for Chriſt, no not when they ſaw him here in the fleſh. It is ſaid of the young Phariſee, who came to our Saviour, Mat. 19. that when Chriſt ſaw him, he loved him, but he had no love for Chriſt, for when he bid him go ſell all that he had, and he ſhould have treaſures in Heaven, it is ſaid he went away ſorrowful, for he had great poſſeſſions. Judas followed Chriſt, and ſo did the Capernaites, but Judas carried the bag, and the Capernaites followed him for the loaves. None of them loved Chriſt in ſincerity and truth. We need no other inſtances then what our own age affordeth us. But we need no Scripture in this caſe. Reaſon will evince the neceſſary truth of this Propoſition, if we conſider, that all love is founded, either, 1. In the apprehended goodneſs and excellency of the object beloved: Or, 2. In ſome ſimilitude, and likeneſs, &c. Or …loweth, 3. From ſome inſtinct, of which we can give no very juſt account. I will begin with the laſt firſt.
1. Love to another often proceeds from ſome inaccountable inſtinct; we ſee this very ordinary amongſt us, the heart of a woman cleaveth to a man, or of a man to a woman, …o the heart of one friend is knit to another, and we are able to give our ſelves no great account of it, the man loveth the woman, to whom he had a former averſion, and the woman loveth, and chuſeth the man for her Husband, that ſhe did never think of, and they can give themſelves no account of the change which they find in themſelves, this is undoubtedly a providential inſtinct or influence, of which we can give no account. The Souls love to Chriſt, alſo floweth from an inſtinct of God, an influence of ſpecial grace, for certainly if we muſt be taught of God, to love one another, to love the brethren, whom we have ſeen, and daily do ſee, and much that is lovely in them, we have much more need to be taught of God to love Chriſt, whom we have not ſeen, and whoſe excellency, and amiableneſs, is only matter of faith to us. Hence it appeareth, that no unrenewed, no unſanctified heart, none but the upright Soul can poſſibly love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, for this love is no natural habit, no man by nature loveth Chriſt, nor is it any acquired habit, but an infuſed habit, and indeed a piece of regeneration.
2. Love to an object is founded in an apprehenſion of ſome goodneſs and excellency in that object, we cannot love any object, that appeareth to us evil, or unlovely. Now none but the renewed, and regenerate Soul can poſſibly ſee any goodneſs and excellency in Chriſt, for it is ſpiritually diſcerned, beſides, the reaſon of love in us to any object, is not ſo much the abſtracted goodneſs, and excellency of the object, as its relative goodneſs unto us; now none but the Soul that is juſtified, and regenerate Soul hath in any thing taſted of the love of God, or hath found him in any degree good as to it.
3. Laſtly, Whereas love is founded in likeneſs, in ſome ſimilitude of nature, or diſpoſition, and qualities, there is ſuch a diſſimilitude between a natural man, whether he be one that is profane and flagitious, or meerly moral, and formal, and hypocritica…, that this Soul cannot love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who is holy, and harmleſs, and ſeparate from ſinners; and the very ſame reaſons make it neceſſary for every Soul to love Chriſt, for every ſuch Soul is renewed, and regenerate, and taught of God to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, every ſuch Soul is beloved of him, and under ſome apprehenſions, and experience of the love of God in Chriſt unto it; every ſuch Soul (finally) hath the Image of God renewed in it, in righteouſneſs and holineſs, and by grace wrought up into a conformity to Chriſt, and the more upright the Soul is, the more is the image of God renewed in it, the more it hath taſted the ſpecial love of Chriſt, the more it hath received of the potent influences of Divine Grace, hence it muſt needs love Chriſt more. I now come to the application.
Uſe 1.In the firſt place, This may let us know, That Chriſt is a moſt excelling object, and the non-adherence of our hearts to him, is a piece of the natural crookedneſs, and defection of the Soul of man. The goodneſs or excellency of an object is not to be determined from a vulgar judgment. Learning is an excellent thing, the fooliſh ignorant perſon doth not ſo judge it, nor look after it, this detracts nothing from the excellency of it. Wiſe men value it. It hath no enemies but the ignorant man. Now the judgment of the beſt and wiſer part of the world, their value, and prizing of it, is enough to commend it, though fools hate knowledge. So the upright mans loving Chriſt, is a ſufficient evidence of the tranſcendent goodneſs, and excellency that is in him, tho the looſe, and profane man, the formal, hypocritical man hath no love at all for him. There are thouſands in the world (in the Chriſtian world) whoſe converſations teſtify, that they can ſee no beauty, no excellency in Chriſt at all, to them he grows up as a root out of a dry ground, in their Eyes he hath no beauty, no comelineſs at all. They ſtand, and admire what ſweetneſs Gods people have in their meditations, and contemplations of him, what is that ſometimes makes them ſo ſick of love for him, ſo breaking with longings after him (as holy David expreſſeth it.) The buſineſs is not what fools judge of Wiſdom in the mean time, Wiſdom is juſtified of her Children. It is enough that the upright love him. The upright men, are the beſt men in the world. But you will ſay, were there ſuch a beauty, ſuch an excellency in Chriſt, why ſhould not every rational man enquire after him, and love him? The anſwer is eaſy. Becauſe his beauty, his excellency is not obvious to the Eye of ſenſe, or to the Eye of reaſon, working from its own principles, but only to the Eye of faith, & that of reaſon, working upon revealed principles. The goodneſs & excellency of Chriſt conſidered as Mediator, doth not lie in a ſuitableneſs to our bodily wants, no nor to the wants of our Souls, conſidered only as rational and ſpiritual Beings; but in his ſuitableneſs to our Souls conſidered as lapſed, and fallen from the happy ſtate wherein they were at firſt created, and by that fall expoſed to the wrath of God, here, and hereafter. Now this is revealed only in Holy Writ, and is to be diſcerned only by the Eye of faith. So as thoſe who do not by a firm and ſteady aſſent, agree to the revelation of the word, cannot poſſibly ſee any excellency in Chriſt as a Saviour, and Mediator between God and Man.
Uſe. 2.Secondly, Every gracious Soul is from this Propoſition juſtified in all their pangs of love for, and toward Chriſt, and in all their actions, and ſufferings in evidence of this love. That there is ſuch a thing as a ſpiritual love ſickneſs is evident to all thoſe who know any thing of the ways of God with the Soul, or the motions of the Soul toward God: Let perſons of atheiſtical, and profane hearts mock ſo long as they pleaſe; no Soul that I know of, expreſſeth more of this nature, then his who is ſtiled by God, the man according to Gods own heart, Pſal. 119. 20. My heart breaketh with the longings, which it hath to thy judgments at all times, Pſal. 42. 1. As the Hart panteth after the Water-brooks, ſo panteth my Soul after thee O God, my Soul thirſteth for God, for the living God, Pſal. 63. 1. My Soul thirſteth for thee, my fleſh longeth for thee. Our Saviour I am ſure bleſſeth thoſe who hunger and thirſt after Righteouſneſs, Mat. 5. (what work would the unhallowed wits of our Age have made with ſuch metaphors as theſe in their Books of drollery, &c.) they are all expreſſive of thoſe pangs of love that ſometimes affect good Chriſtians in the ſeveral ſtates of their Souls, and beſides theſe more inward motions, the Souls of good Chriſtians cannot but expreſs their love, by a zeal for his glory, a love to his inſtitutions, a regard to all his commandments, and durſt not do many things (as to which their Neighbours find no difficulty) becauſe they love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath ſaid, If you love me, keep my Commandments. For Chriſt, that they may ſhew their love by their obedience unto him, they are ready to ſuffer the loſs of all things, yea, and do count them but dung, that they may win Chriſt; for this the men of the world mock them, let them mock on; The upright love him. I remember in the ſtory of David, we read, 2 Sam. 6. 20. That Michal, his Wife (the Daughter of Saul) mocked him, for his dancing before the Ark in a linnen Ephod. How glorious (ſaith ſhe) was the King of Iſrael to day, who uncovered himſelf to day, in the Eyes of the handmaids of his Servants, as one of the vain fellows, ſhameleſly uncovereth himſelf. The holy man gives her a very ſmart anſwer; ſaith he, It was before the Lord, which choſe me before thy Father, to appoint me to be a ruler over the people of the Lord, over Iſrael, therefore will I play before the Lord. And I will yet be more vile then thus, &c. Whiles carnal men mock at the ſecret ſighings, and groanings of Gods people, at their frequency, and ſtrictneſs at, in, or to religious duties, and call it all whining, and canting, and what comes next to the end of their lewd Tongues, the Child of God is juſtified in this, that the upright love Chriſt, and all theſe their expreſſions of love are for, and towards him who hath choſen their Souls to Eternal life, and the uſe of all means which he hath made neceſſary in order to that Salvation, and who (for ought yet appeareth) hath paſſed over the Souls of theſe Scoffers, and left them to periſh in their gainſayings. When ch. 5. of this Song, the Spouſe chargeth the Daughters of Hieruſalem, that if they found her beloved, they ſhould tell him ſhe was ſick of love: They reply; What is thy beloved more then another beloved, O thou faireſt among Women, what is thy beloved more then another beloved, that thou doſt ſo charge us? Cant. 5. 8. 9. See into what an elogy of her beloved, ſhe breaks out to the end of that Chap. My beloved (ſaith ſhe) is white and reddy, the chiefeſt of ten thouſand, &c. when the men of the world ſee a gracious Soul panting, ſighting, and breathing after Chriſt▪ they are ready to ſpeak to the ſame ſenſe, tho in ruder language, what is the beloved of this Soul, more then anothers beloved; what makes theſe people ſo full of prayers, and tears, ſo full of duty, ſo fond of the ordinances of Chriſt? This juſtifies ſuch Souls in all their pantings after Chriſt, in all the paſſions of their Souls for him, The upright love him.
Thirdly. From hence Chriſtians may take meaſures of themſelves, and make up a judgment of their Souls, whether they be upright Souls, yea, or no, very much lieth upon this, many are the promiſes that in Holy Writ we ſhall find made to upright Souls. Perfection of degrees is our mark, but what in this life we cannot attain unto, all perfection we are capable of, is uprightneſs, this may be attained, we are therefore highly concerned to inquire upon our uprightneſs. By this we ſhall know it; The Soul that truly loveth Chriſt, that is an upright Soul, ſo as that which we have to examine, is the truth of our love to Chriſt. This inquiry alſo is conſiderable in reſpect of the Apoſtolical Anathema, 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, let him be Anathema Maranatha. It is a great point, how a Chriſtian ſhall certainly know his ſpiritual ſtate? he ſhall know it by his uprightneſs? how ſhall he know his uprightneſs? that is to be known by his love to Chriſt. But will ſome ſay, is not this as hard to be diſcerned as any thing elſe? I anſwer; ſurely no. If it be no hard thing for a man to know whether he loves ſuch a woman, or a woman to know that ſhe loveth ſuch a man, or for any to know they love ſuch a friend, ſuch a companion, why ſhould it be ſo hard for a Soul to know whether it loveth Chriſt or no? love will work much in the ſame manner towards all its objects, and though the viſibility, and ſenſibility of ſome objects, may draw out more of our paſſion, and exceſſes of affection, yet the reality and truth of our love may certainly be as well diſcerned rewards a ſpiritual, and inviſible object as to one, that is more the object of our exteriour ſenſes, let us therefore try thoſe meaſures, and ſee how we will make up our judgment of the truth of our love to a fellow creature; what is that which we call love, but the delight, and complacency, and ſatisfaction of the Soul in an object beloved, declared by the pantings and breathings of the heart after it, when abſent, for an union, or re-union with it, the acquieſcence and meltings of the heart upon it, when preſent, and an union with it is obtained, or apprehended; the Souls intercourſe and communion with it, and free communications of its ſelf unto it, its kindneſs to every perſon or thing, to whom, or which the object beloved, hath any relation, its patient, and pleaſing bearing his reproofs, its readineſs to go, or run, or do any thing at the will, and command of ſuch a perſon, its ſtanding up in the defence of him or her, its riſing up againſt any that would do them injury, or that it hears ſpeak reproachfully, or diminutively of him. It's readineſs to ſuffer any thing for his ſake, &c. Surely by ſome or all theſe notes we may try our love to Chriſt, and be as certain of it, as we can be of the ſincerity of our love to any fellow creature; let me therefore deſire you to propound theſe few queſtions to your ſelves.
1. How far is Chriſt the object of thy thoughts? We ſay, … amor ibi oculus, where love is, there the Eye will be; the reaſon of that is, becauſe our thoughts are much imployed about the object of our love, where our treaſure is (ſaith our Saviour) there will our hearts be alſo, the Pſalmiſt therefore ſpeaking of the wicked man who hath no love for God, ſaith, God is not in all his thoughts. Pſal. 10. 4. So long as we live in the world, the things of it are ſo much, and ſo continually the objects of our ſenſes, that it is not to be expected, but that our thoughts ſhould in a great meaſure be exerciſed about the things of it, ſo that I would not put the iſſue upon that, whether the world or Chriſt have moſt of our thoughts? but certainly Chriſt will be much in the thoughts of that Soul in whom the love of Chriſt is, Te veniente die, te decedente canebat (ſaith the Poet of the lover) the Soul that loveth Chriſt, will think of him in the evening when he lieth down, and in the morning when he riſeth up, and David had his waking thoughts in the night ſeaſon with God. God will not have all of the beſt mans thoughts, becauſe he is but fleſh, and hath ſome thoughts to take about what he ſhall eat, and drink, and put on, but God will have much of his thoughts. Chriſt will be much in the thoughts of that Soul that truly loveth him. Secondly.
2. How are the motions of thy Soul after an abſent Chriſt? Chriſt as to his perſon is alwaies abſent, that the Heavens muſt contain till the end of the World, but he is or may be graciouſly preſent in his inſtitutions, and with reſpect to his gracious influences, and with reſpect to both theſe he is often, or may be abſent; the firſt makes up the deſertion of a Church, when it is general, or a particular perſon, when it is only the affliction of a particular Soul in ſome caſes, and by ſome ſeverer providences kept from the ordinances of God; the ſecond is, the particular deſertion of a gracious Soul, not as to neceſſary, but as to gradual influences; now how is thy Soul affected to Chriſt abſent, when thou canſt not enjoy the Ordinances of Chriſt, as thou haſt formerly enjoyed them? You ſee the heart and affection of David in this cafe, in divers Pſalms, particularly Pſal. 42. Pſal. 63. Pſal. 84. what breathings, what longings, what impatience doth he there expreſs? So when thou ſuſpecteſt his abſence as to the particular ſpecial influences of his grace, how doth thy heart move toward him? doth it move as the heart of the Spouſe moved in the third and 5th Chapters of this admirable Song, Seeking him, ſighing after him, enquiring of all like to inform thee, how thou mighteſt recover thy loſt peace, being reſtleſs till thou haſt recovered it? This is a ſign of love.
3. How is thy heart affected in any preſence or enjoyment of Chriſt? What pleaſure, what delight and complacency hath thy Soul in the inſtitutions of Chriſt, in the manifeſtations of his love to thy Soul. See the inſtance of the Spouſe as to this, Can. 3. 4. I found him whom my Soul loveth, I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my Mothers Houſe, and into the Chamber of her that conceived me. v. 5. 1 charge you O you Daughters of Hieruſalem, by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, that you ſtir not up, nor awake my love, until he pleaſe. A rejoycing in the ſigns of his love, being glad, and reſolving not again to part with him, a fear of offending him, and care to pleaſe him, are all of them ſigns of a love to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
4. A freedom of converſe, and communion with him, alſo ſpeaketh love. Chriſt proves himſelf his Diſciples friend, becauſe he had made known to them whatſoever he had received from the Father, Joh. 15. 15. Dalilab challenged Sampſon for want of love to her, becauſe he had concealed his ſecrets from her. The withholding of prayer from God, the want of frequency, freedom, and boldneſs in prayer, ſpeaks want of love to Chriſt in the Soul; frequency, freedom, and boldneſs, holy boldneſs ſpeaks a Soul full of love to Chriſt.
5. What affections haſt thou to thoſe things and perſons, that have a relation to Chriſt, that bear his image and ſuperſcription, the Word and Ordinances of God, the Miniſters and People of God; by this you ſhall know your love to Chriſt. Again—
6. How canſt thou bear the reproofs of Chriſt? Our nature doth not love reproof, we muſt love thoſe very well, from whom we take reproof quietly. Let the righteous ſmite me (ſaith David) it ſhall be as an excellent Oil, which ſhall not break my head When a Chriſtian can bear the verbal reproofs of Chriſts Word, and Miniſters, and the real reproofs and chaſtenings of his rod It is a ſign of love.
7. What zeal haſt thou for the honour and glory of Chriſt? Canſt thou not hear him reproached, but that his reproaches fall on thee, thy blood riſeth, and thy heart is troubled? It is an argument of little love for God or Chriſt, when we can patiently hear them abuſed, and diſhonoured, Pſal. 69. 9. The zeal of thine houſe (ſaith David) hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen on me.
8. I muſt not forget that of our Saviour, If you love me, keep my Commandments. No Soul can ſo much as pretend to a love to Chriſt, that makes no conſcience of keeping the Commandments of Chriſt.
9. The Soul, laſtly, that hath a love for Chriſt, will ſuffer any thing for his ſake, it will rather ſuffer the loſs of all things, then the loſs of Chriſts favour. By theſe and ſuch like queſtions, and notes as theſe, it will be no hard matter for a Soul to judge of its love to Chriſt, and by that it will be able to judge, and determine concerning its uprightneſs.
Uſe. 3.In the laſt place doth every Soul that is upright love Chriſt, and are the degrees of the Souls uprightneſs according to the degrees of the Souls love, How do we then all ſtand concerned to love Chriſt? In order to it,
1. The Soul muſt be diſpoſſeſt of other loves inconſiſtent, and incompetent with the love of Chriſt. Such is the love of all luſt of any thing that is contrary to the will of God. Such is the exceſſive and immoderate love of the world. Love not the world, nor the things that are in the world (ſaith John, 1. Joh. 2. 25.) If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; in like manner we may ſay, If any man love the world, the love of Jeſus Chriſt is not in him.
2. Do what in thee lies to perſuade thy ſelf of the ſuitableneſs of Chriſt to the ſta…e, and needs of thy Soul; we love nothing but what appeareth good, that is ſome way ſuitable to, and convenient for us. All we can do as to this, is to read the Scriptures, which alone give a true account of the ſtate of Souls: To hear them opened, and applied to our conſciences by able and faithful Miniſters, to meditate upon what we read, and hear. Chriſt muſt appear to our Souls an amiable object before we can love him.
3. Laſtly, Pray for the Spirit of Grace; both effectually to diſcover Chriſts lovelineſs to you, and alſo to draw out your hearts to love him, if we muſt be taught of God to love our Brethren, whom we have ſeen, we muſt much more be taught of God to love Jeſus Chriſt whom we have not ſeen. Thoſe that think man hath a power in his own will to love God, do not conſider that we have not a power, in and of our ſelves (as we often find upon experience) to love a creature, whom yet it were our great intereſt to love. O pray, pray without ceaſing, that you may love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt remember, that the upright love him, there is no upright Soul in the World but loves him. 2. Thus thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelf to be upright. Nothing more diſcovereth an upright heart, then a ſincere Love to Chriſt. Now of how great moment it is for a Chriſtian to diſcern his uprightneſs, I need not tell you. I ſhall conclude with a bare naming of ſome Scriptures containing promiſes made to uprightneſs, leaving them to you at your leiſure to meditate upon them. Pſal. 7. 10. The Lord ſaveth the upright in heart, Gods Righteouſneſs belongeth to the upright in heart, Pſal. 36. 10. The End of the upright man is Peace, Pſal. 37. v. 37. Gladneſs belongeth to the upright in heart, Pſal. 97. v. 11. The Generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed, Pſal. 112. v. 2. Light ſhall ariſe upon them in obſcurity, v. 4. They ſhall dwell in Gods preſence, Pſal. 140. 13. They ſhall dwell in the land, Prov. 2. 21. The way of the Lord is ſtrength unto them, Prov. 10. 29. The integrity of the upright ſhall guide him, Prov. 11. 3. His Righteouſneſs ſhall deliver him. v. 6. The upright in the way are the Lords delight, v. 20. Righteouſneſs keepeth him that is upright in the way, but wickedneſs overthroweth the Sinner, Prov. 13▪ 6.