Christ Crucified, Sermon 44
SERMON XLIV.
ISAIAH LIII.XI.
Verſ. 11. He ſhall ſee of the travell of his ſoul, and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhal… my righteous ſervant juſtifie many; for he ſhall bear their iniquities.
ALL Scripture is given by inſpiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for inſtruction in righteouſneſs, that the man of God may be made perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good works; and that His People may be made wiſe unto ſalvation; Yet theſe Scriptures wherein our Lord Jeſus is holden forth more clearly, are eminently uſefull: He being the Foundation and Ground of all; To whom the Law and the Prophets bear witneſs; and they are only profitable to us, in the Eſtate wherein we are, in ſo far as they relate to to Him, and point Him out to us; And we may further ſay, that theſe Scriptures, wherein His Sufferings, and Death are holden forth, in the Richneſs and Fruitfulneſs of them are ſingularly ſo; that being the very Life of the Covenant, and the very Door, by, and through which, we ſtep from Death to Life; And whatever they be to others, ſure they have a ſpeciall Sweetneſſe in them to ſenſible Sinners; And therefore the Sum of the Goſpel, and of Saving Knowledge is by the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 2.2. Compended in the knowledge of Chriſt, and of him crucified, which unfolds His very Heart and Bowells to us.
The Prophet hath been pointing out this, in ſeverall Verſes, and hath hinted at the effects of His Sufferings, in the former verſe: And now in theſe Words, he puts a new Title on them, calling them the travel of Chriſt's ſoul; Not only to ſet out the exceeding greatneſs of them, but with reſpect to th… foregoing Words; wherein it's ſaid, He ſhall ſee his ſeed; Which is repeated here, when it's ſaid; He ſhall be ſatisfied; So that as a Mother is in Travell, for bringing forth of a Child; So ſayes he, ſhall Chriſt be put to Soul-travell, for bringing Life and Immortality to the Seed given to Him, to be ſaved by Him; And ſeing He is put to Travell, He muſt needs bring forth, and ſee his ſeed: Here we may allude that of Iſaiah 66.9. Shall I bring to the birth, and not cauſe to bring forth? ſaith the Lord; ſhall I cauſe to bring forth, and ſhut the womb? ſaith thy God.
We have ſpoken of the Nature and Greatneſs of theſe Sufferings; Now ere we proceed to any moe Obſervations, we would ſpeak a Word further to the Uſe of this; It being indeed an Eater, out of which comes Meat; and a Strong, out of which comes Sweet; Theſe pangs having calmed and quieted the Pangs and Showres (to ſpeak ſo) of many Travelling Souls, and brought forth a Birth at laſt.
And therefore, beſide what I ſpake to in the Uſe, the laſt day, I would add this, That we would endeavour to have the ſolid Faith, not only of His Sufferings, but of the Greatneſs of His Sufferings imprinted deeply on our hearts; That (I ſay) the Sufferings of a Dying, Blood-ſweating Chriſt, Wreſtling and Strugling, even to His being in an Agony, with the Wrath of God, and puting up ſtrong Cryes with Tears, may be born in on our hearts; and that we may throughly be perſwaded of the greatneſs of the Work of Redemption, and that it was a moſt Dear and Coaſtly Bargain to Chriſt; For it was not Gold nor Silver, it was not Kingdoms nor viſible Worlds, nor Angells that were given as a Price for Elect Sinners; but it was the precious Blood of the Son of God; Nay, it was the bitter and ſharp Soul-travell, S…dneſs, Sorrow, and Agony of our Lord Jeſus; which (to ſpeak comparatively) was beyond the ſhedding of His Blood; And what a Price do ye think this to be? That He, that made all, and preſerved all in their Being, and was before all things, ſhould come thus low, as to be a Man, and a m…an ſorrowfull ſuffering, and dying Man; yea▪ to be a curſed Man, and to go out of …his Life, as being under a Curſe, yet being alwayes the beloved Son of the Father; And being even then, when at His loweſt, the Prince of the kings of the earth, and ſhining forth gloriouſly, in the Pow…r▪ and Riches, and Freeneſs of His Love and Grace; ſure this wonderfull low ſtooping, and humbling of Himſelf, Preaches out the Love that ſtraitned, and conſtrained Him to run upon that which was His own Death; there being no hands that could have taken away His Life, had He not willingly laid it down, which He did with delight; Could we make uſe of this, there is much here to be ſaid for our uſe.
We ſhall draw what we would ſay on it, to theſe four heads. 1. To ſomething for Inſtruction. 2. To ſomething for Conſolation. 3. To ſomething for Exhortation. 4. To ſomething for Reproof, and Expoſtulation.
I ſay, 1. It ſerves for Inſtruction, and ye would from it be Inſtructed in ſeveral things. 1. How to think aright of the great Severity of the Juſtice of God, and of the Horrour of Wrath, and of the dreadfull Conſequ nts of Sin, which it will moſt certainly have following on it; May it not make your Souls to tremble to think upon, and conſider that our Lord Jeſus was brought to ſuch a paſs, as to be in ſuch an Agony, to be ſo exceeding ſorrowfull, and even amazed; To be ſo troubled in Soul, that he was thereby made to ſweat great drops of blood, and to be wreſtling with ſomewhat, that His holy Humane Nature had a ſcarring at: O! the deſert and wages of Sin is dreadfull, when the Law purſues its Controverſie, and when Juſtice exacts what a broken Covenant deſerves; Alace! The moſt of men believe not this, but its here that may convince us▪ wh… an evil thing Sin is, and what a dreadfull thing it is to fall into the hands of an angry God; O! that ye would think upon it, that ye may beware of Sin, by all means, and may alwayes be minding that Word which our Saviour hath, If theſe things be done in the green tree, what ſhall be done in the dry? If it was ſo done with Him? who in the Action (if I may ſo call it) was performing His Fathers will, and giving an admirable proof of His reſpect to the Honour of God, What wi…l He do to the dry Sticks, the Damned Reprobat, who have ſlighted the offer of His Grace, deſpiſed the Sufferings of a Mediator, and diſdained to be reclaimed? Hear it, and tremble, and be perſwaded, that the Horror that Sin ſhall bring upon the Sinner, when God comes to reckon with him, is inexpreſſible. 2. Be Inſtructed, and ſee here, how great the difficultie is of making peace with God, when once His Law is broken; A thing that is little believed by moſt, who are diſpoſed to think that they will get God ſooner pleaſed and pacifi…d, th…n they will get their Neig…bour, or Maſter pacified and pleaſed; which ſayes That either they they think nothing, or but very little of His Wrath, or that they will ſoon get it put by, that a word will do that; Hence it is, that they think, that an equivalent Price is not neceſſary for Satisfying the Juſtice of God, and for prev…n…ing of His Wrath; but if it be ſo eaſie a thing to pacify God, and to ſatisfy His Juſtice, Why did Our Lord undertake the Debt? Why did He become ſo low and pay ſo dear a Price, to procure a Diſcharge of it? Why was His Soul put to ſuch travel, when no Shame, nor R…proach, nor Pain on His bleſſed Body could do it, but H…s Soul in the ſore travel thereof, behov…d to be made a Sacrifice for Sin? Sinners groſly ignorant miſtakes of the Juſtice of God, appear palpably in this; There was never a Perſon that was called to it, and did undertake to remove God's Wrath from others, but our Lord Jeſus; And ye ſee here what it coſt Him; And what do ye imagine will be the lot of others, who ſhall lye under it eternally. 3. See here the Worth and Weight of a Soul, and the great moment of the Salvation of a Soul; Immortal Souls are of much worth, and though Men often ſell them at an cheap and eaſie Rate, yet our Lord Jeſus bought Souls dear; It's true, Souls conſidered in themſelves, are not worthy of the Price laid down for them; But being conſidered with reſpect to the end for which they are deſigned; to wit, the glorifying of the Riches of the Grace and Mercy of God, and their injoying of Him, They are of much worth; Ah! that men ſhould ſell that Soul ſo very cheap, when our Lord bought Souls ſo very dear. 4. See here, the Solidity, Fulneſs, and Satisfactorineſs of the Price that Jeſus Chriſt gave to Juſtice, for the Souls of His People? It cannot ſure but be a fully ſatisfying Price, that ſuch a Perſon ſhould Suffer, and Suffer ſo much; Even to be put to Soul-travel; for which there could be no Reaſon, neither could it have any other End, but the ſatisfying of Divine Juſtice, for the Sins of the Elect; And conſidering theſe, His Sufferings in the Degrees of them, which was ſo very high; And in the uſe of them, in Gods Purpoſe and Decree, and in the End of them, which was to ſatisfy the Juſtice of God, and to make His Grace Glorious, It cannot but be a moſt Solid, Full, and Satisfying Price; So that a Soul may have here a ſufficient ground to build its Salvation upon; And the more low-that the Mediator was brought by His Sufferings, the more ſolid and ſicker is the ground of our Faith, yea, this is the End why He came ſo low. 5. See here how greatly we are in Chriſt's Debt, That when Juſtice was provoked, and Sinners had loſed themſelves; and when nothing elſe could be admitted, but all other Sacrifices were rejected, He was graciouſly pleaſed to yeeld Himſelf to be the Sacrifice, by His extream, and moſt exquiſit Sufferings; moſt pleaſantly and heartſomly, ſaying, Lo, I come in the volum of thy book, it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God; By the which will, ſayeth the Apoſtle Heb. 10. We are ſanctified; And by it we have acceſs to Eternall Life; It had been much, if He had made a New World for Believers to dwell in, nay it had been much if He had provided Angels to Mollify, and Mitigat their Sufferings, and to give them drops of water to cool their Tongues in Hell; But that He His own bleſſed ſelf, ſhould decline no Soul-travel beſide Bodily Sufferings, to redeem them from the Curſe; How much, how unſpeakably much are they oblidged to Jeſus Chriſt? If we were ſuitably ſenſible of our hazard, and clear, as to our Intereſt in theſe Sufferings, it could not be, but our Souls would leap ſomeway within us, as the Babe did in Elizabeths womb, on this conſideration, that a Cautioner, and Saviour hath come, and payed the Price that was due by us, to the Juſtice of God; This is a greater obligation then His making of the World, for an habitation to Sinners, Nay a greater obligation then His giving of Heaven to us, if abſtracted from Chriſt: O! So well as it would become us, in reading of theſe Words, to ſtand and pauſe, and to ſay, Is it ſo indeed, that Chriſt gave Himſelf thus for Sinners, and for me? This is it which opens the door of Acceſs to God, and makes a Bridge over the Gulf, that is betwixt God and Sinners; He was ſmitten, that by His Stroaks, and Strips health might be brought to us; He was content to undergo ſore Soul-travel, that thereby Life might be brought to us.
That which we mainly aim at in this Branch of the Uſe, is, That ye would look to the Mercy purchaſed by this Soul-travel, as your great obligation; And at what a Rate you have the Offer of Grace, and acceſs to Heaven; When He made the World, Heaven, and Earth, Sun, Moon, Stars, &c. He ſpake the Word, and it was done, their needed no more, but let ſuch a thing be and it was, but the work of Redemption was of another ſort, and brought about at a high and dearer Rate; Therefore among all the things which the Goſpel holds out, put a ſpeciall Price on theſe things that are the fruits of Chriſts Soul-travel; and conſider what a flight it will be, and what guilt it will involve you in, that He ſhould purchaſe Redemption ſo dear, and make offer of it ſo freely, and ye ſhould care little or nothing for it. 6. Be Inſtructed anent the abſolute neceſſity of being in Chriſts Debt, for the Uſe making and Application of His purchaſe; is there any man that can merit it, or render Him a recompence for it? If not; And if there be a neceſſity of making H…aven and Salvation, then ſure there is a n…ceſſity of being in Chriſts Debt, and of making uſe of His purchaſe, for the attaining of that which He hath purchaſed; And men are not hardly delt with, nor ill come to, when this bleſſed neceſſity is impoſed upon them, not to ſatisfie for themſelves (For what can they bring that will be an equivalent Price;) but to acquieſce in His Satisfaction made to Juſtice for them, and the rather, that they cannot bind Him to make application of it: Folk are very readily given to one of theſe two, either to miſken, and paſs by the Mediator, and ſo to preſume to make a new bargain for their Peace, by offering to drink themſelves for themſelves, of that Cup which Chriſt drank of, for that only was the Price of Souls; Or if they eſteem of Chriſts Satisfaction, they think to oblidge Him, and to procure from Him the Application of His Purchaſe, by their Prayers and good Living: But what is there in this, more then is in the former? What Price is there that can be given to Him, that is equivalent to His Sufferings? It muſt therefore of neceſſity come to this, That as it was freely purchaſed, ſo it is freely applyed; and it were very ſuitable for Sinners to carry the Faith of this along with them in their boſome; If He procured Heaven to us by His Soul-ſuffering and Travel, we cannot procure it to our ſelves, and therefore a neceſſity lyes on all that would be at Heaven, to be in Chriſt's common for it; And this is the up-ſhot of all, that Dyvour Sinners may know, that they are in His common: As for His Purchaſe, ſo for the Applic…tion of it.
Uſe 2. This Doctrine yeelds much Conſolation, and it is the Fountain and Riſe of it; His Soul travel bought it all, and makes way to the bringing of us to the poſſeſſion of it: And in many reſpects, our Conſolation depends on it; We ſhall look upon it as the riſe thereof more generally, in theſe reſpects. 1. That to a poor Sinner lying under the Curſe, there is a poſſibility of getting it put by, and kept off, that Heaven is not deſperat, and that the fear of coming before the Tribunal of Juſtice is not abſolute; for our Lord hath ſatisfied Juſtice; the Price that He laid down was not for nought, but levelled at this very Scope, as the Apoſtle hath it, 2 Cor. 5. ult. He was made ſin for us, that knew no ſin, that we Sinners might be made the righteouſneſs of God in, or through him? and what ſtrong Conſolation is this; for a Sinner under the Curſe of God, to have this word ſpoken to him, though thou cannot ſatisfy Juſtice for thy ſelf, yet there is a way laid down to ſatisfy it for thee; the Mediator having the Price that was required propoſed to Him, did not ſtick at the Terms, but held the Bargain, and hath accordingly actually performed it. 2. It is a Conſolation in this reſpect, That not only is there a Compleat Satisfaction given to Juſtice, but a willing Saviour, ready to make that Satisfaction forthcoming, and to make it forthcoming freely; can there be a greater proof of our Lord Jeſus His Love to Sinners then this? That when they were conſidered with all their Debt lying on their heads, He undertook this Soul-travel for them, to procure them Salvation from Wrath and Juſtice; This is more then His giving them His Word for it, though that had been enough; it's more then the giving them His Oath, thus to commend His Love, As it is, John 15.13. Greater love hath no man then this, that a man ſhould lay down his life for his f…iend; but, ſayes the Apoſtle, Rom. 5.8.10. God commends his love to us, that while we were yea ſinners, yea enemies Chriſt died for us; This good Shepherd laid down His Life for His Sheep. 3. It's a Conſolation in this reſpect, That there is alſo a willingneſs to the Lord Jehovah, the provoked Party, to accept of this Satisfaction, and to abſolve the Elect on account of this Satisfaction; For what I pray was all this Soul-travel that the Lord underwent? But Jehovah His transferring of the Debt of the Elect on Him, according to the transaction that had paſt in the Covenant of Redemption; He would never have made the Sword of His Juſtice to awake againſt the man that was His Fellow, if He had not been content to accept of His Satisfaction for them that ſhould make uſe of it; for we have not only the Mediator, and His Satisfaction to look upon in this Soul-travel, but alſo the contrivance of the Covenant, called in the former words, The pleaſure of the Lord; who, while we were enemies gave His Son, and was content to want Him for a time (to ſpeak ſo) and to be a diſtinct party to purſue Him; Is not this then a good Bargain, when we have a willing Mediator, and Merchant, content to give the Price and Satisfaction, and a gracious and willing God, content to accept of this Satisfaction, and both of them content to make the Application of it to us freely, As it is, Revel. 3.18. Here is matter of ſtrong Conſolation, the ground whereof will not fall, to wit, The mediators Soul-travel, and the Lord Jehovah will not caſt the Bargain; When the poor Sinner ſayes, I have nothing to pay, but there is a Price in Chriſt's Satisfaction offered in the Goſpel, and the Judge ſayes, admits it for the Sinner that lays claim to it, as if the Sinner had never Sinned, or had actually payed the Price himſelf.
But 4. Look a little further, and we will find more Conſolation, though this be much; conſider a Sinner in a tempted condition, and under Sad-ſoul-exerciſe, that wots not what to do with Unbelief, with the Devil, and with the Wrath of God, all which are like to overwhelm and ſwallow them up, and the heart is like to ſink, here is the native and kindly Fountain for ſuch a Soul to drink at; That our Lord Jeſus ſuffered more, and that it was another ſort of Cup that He drank of, and drank out; And for theſe Ends 1. To take away the Sting and Bitterneſs of thy Cup. 2. To procure, and Meritoriouſly to Purchaſe a Freedom and Out-gate from theſe Temptations to thee. 3. Alſo, that He might be made a Sympathizing High-Prieſt, and the more compaſſionat towards the Perſon that ſhould be ſo Tempted, according to that, Heb 2. ult. For that he himſelf hath ſuffered, being tempted, he is able alſo to ſuccour theſe that are tempted; He was Tempted, that He might have kindly ſympathy with Tempted Souls, and therefore when ſuch are ready to fall a ſwoon, He dates and dandles them, as it were on His Knee, and when they are in hazard to turn their backs in the Conflict, He comes up with freſh ſtrength, and recruits them; So, Heb. 4.15. We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin; We have ſuch an High Prieſt, as was not only mocked, and ſcorned of Men, and ſome way deſerted of God, but who was tempted, though not from Sin within (for He was without Sin) yet to Sin, for He was aſſaulted by the Devil, and tempted to unbelief, and other groſs Sins, As is clear, Matth. 4. though, (as He ſayeth Himſelf) The prince of this world had nothing in him; And He was not only tempted to Sin, but as if He had actually Sinned, He met with Wrath from all, there is a ſweet and ſtrong Sympathy flowing from ſuch bowels, as one Brother hath towards another, yea, inconceivablie beyond the tendereſt bowels, that the moſt warmly loving Brethren in all the World have one towards another; And therefore he knows well what Apprehenſions, Temptations riding thick (to ſpeak ſo) will attempt to beat in upon poor Souls, and can from experience Sympathy with them; It is not ſo to be underſtood, as if there were any additionall degree made to His Kindneſſe, Skill, and Grace, as He is God, Theſe being infinit in Him, as ſo confedred, yet He being Man, as well as God, or having a humane Nature, He hath from His Perſonal experience a Sympathy, and that in a humane way, though infinitely above what we can conceive, with His own under their Temptations, and ſad Soul-exerciſes: And ſeing the Scripture holds out ſuch a thing as this, That our High Prieſt is a Man that hath bowels of Sympathy, it may ſufficiently warrand a Believer to expect much good, this, and other wayes from Chriſt, He having Grace infinit in Him, as God, and a tender heart as Man to befriend them, and to communicat, and let out of that Grace unto them: And this is great ground of Conſolation to Believers, under any Croſs and piece of hard exerciſe, to know that we have a Mediator, who knows in experience, though not the ſinfulneſſe that accompanies theſe hard exerciſes in us, yet what theſe fears are, of being ſhut out from God, and how dreadfull a thing it is to be at controverſie with Him; and is like to theſe, who having come thorow a ſad Tryall, and Piece of Exerciſe themſelves, are thereby the more ready to Sympathize with others under it. 5. and laſtly. The conſideration of this may comfort Believers even in their outward afflictions; it had been another ſort of Croſſes that they would have been made to meet with, if He had not taken this Cup of Wrath and dunken it for them; and therefore they would be comforted, and bleſs God, who hath taken this Soul-travel from off them, and made way for a Retreat and Shelter for them in Him; and it ſhould even ſhame Believers, who are ready to think ſo much of any little Bit of inward Exerciſe, or of outward Affliction, ſeing our bleſſed Lord Jeſus endured ſo much, not only outwardly, and Bodily Affliction, but alſo ſo much inward Trouble, and Soul-travel, that thereby their Burden might be made light, and their yoke eaſie.
Uſe 3. For Exhortation, ſeing our Lord Jeſus was put to ſuch ſore Soul-travel, ſure it layes a great obligation on them, for whom he Suffered, to endeavour to make ſome Suitable and Gratefull Return; ſeing therefore we are ſo much in His Common, and Debt, we ſhould give Him a friendly meeting in theſe Four, which this calls for, 1. It calleth for Love to Him, that vented ſuch Love to us. 2. It calleth for Faith, That ſeing He gave ſuch a Price for us we ſhould truſt our Souls to Him. 3. It calleth for Holineſs and Obedience, even living to Him, and to the Glorifying of Him that hath bought us; This Argument will ſure weigh with you, who, on ſolid grounds lay claim to His Purchaſe. 4. It calleth for Thankfulneſs, and Praiſe, in magnifying His Grace and Love, that hath ſo Loved us; And are not all theſe very ſuitable and becoming, that Sinners ſhould Love Him, and that theſe who Love Him not, ſhould be Anathema Marenatha, accurſed to the coming of the Lord; that Sinners ſhould believe on Him, and be obedient to Him, and thankfull?
1. If ye believe this Truth, this Comfortable, and Soul-raviſhing Truth, let me exhort you, and be exhorted and prevailed with t… love Our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and to give Him that anſwerable reſpect, meeting and welcome that becomes; If we may plead for any thing from you, ſure we may plead for this; If it be true that He ingadged in ſuch a Bargain, in which, if He had not ingadged Himſelf, we had inevitably gone to the pit; and if He hath actually payed the P…e which He undertook to pay, let your Conſciences ſpeak, if it ſhould not melt the hearts of ſuch to whom the benefit of this is offered, with Love to Him? And if ye have the Faith of the Doctrine, can ye deny, but this obligation lyeth upon you? Look in on your Conſciences and Hearts, and ſee if ye be able to ſhift it; and if ye had ſuitable Palaces for intertaining Him in, if ye be not bound to open to Him, and give Him patent entry to them, and if your Eyes were Fountains Tears, if it would not become you to waſh His Feet with them, and to wipe them with the Hair of your Heads? Would to God that you were under the ſuitable impreſſion of this, and that ye were by the Goſpel, and the Priviledges ye have by it conſtrained to love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, It may be ſome of you think, if this be all that is called for, He ſhall not want it, We aſſure you it is called for, My Son (ſayeth He) give me thine heart; But we are afraid, that though ye will confeſs, that this is your duty, and that ye ſhould have Love to Him, yet the moſt part of you want it: For when we ſpeak of Love to Ch…iſt, it is not a Pretext or Apprehenſion of Love, that will be taken for Love, but ſuch Love as hath theſe Qualifications. 1. If Chriſt be Loved, He will be eſteemed of, as the moſt excellent Thing, or Perſon, the moſt excellent Bargain, the moſt Kind Friend, the moſt Loving Huſband, and as the moſt Full, Compleat, and abſolute Sufficiency, or Sufficient One; As He is ſpoken of, and eſteemed of by the Spouſe, Can. 5. His countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, his mouth is moſt ſweet, he is altogether lovely; The heart is brought to eſteem of Him, and to prefer Him beyond all that it can ſet the eye upon; It were indeed ſomewhat, if ye were brought under Conviction, and through Perſwaſion of this, that Jeſus Chriſt is the incomparable beſt thing that a Sinner can have a Title to; But, alace! He is diſpiſed, and rejected of Men, though He be the chiefest of ten thouſands; And Men play the fool egregiouſly, in preferring other things to Him, who is infinitely worthy of the Preference u…, and of the Preheminency above them all. A 2d. Evidence of Love is, the hearts longing and panting after the injoyment of Him, and after the injoyment of Him, as the moſt excellent Object, quite ſurpasſing all other Objects; And when the thirſt and longing of the Soul is ſo carried out after Him, as it cannot be ſatisfied without Him, which is to be Sick of love for Him, as it is Can. 2:5. and 5. v. 8. To be in a manner ſwooning and f…inting becauſe of His abſence, and even greening (to ſpeak ſo) for His preſence, to have the bent of the Souls Deſignes, and Deſires towards making …f that Glorious Conqueſt, whereof the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Philip. 3. Even to count all things to be but loſs and dung, and to caſt all things as it were over Board, to win to him, and to be found in him; To count of Him, as the pearl of price, and as the treaſure hid in the field; For the ſake of which, ye would ſtrip your ſelves to the Skin, and ſell all that ye have to buy it. 3. This Love to Chriſt Jeſus hath in it a Satisfying Delight in Him, and the Souls bleſſing of it ſelf in Him, it's contenting it ſelf with Him? and it's rejoycing in that Sweetneſs which it findeth to be in Him, as being the only Attractive Object, that hath ſuch a Lovelineſs in it, as breeds Satisfaction; Which Satisfaction begets a Kindly Warmneſs in the Heart to Him again, even till the Soul be put in a Holy Low, or Flame of Love to Him; more of this Love would make Chriſt and the Goſpel much more Sweet, and would make every one of theſe words, that expreſſeth His Love in His Sufferings to be like Marrow and Fatneſs, and would alſo make the Promiſes to be like Breaſts full of Conſolation; It would withall cauſe, that there would not be ſuch miſtakes of Chriſt, nor ſuch gaddings and whorings from Him, and ſuch preferrings of Idols to Him, as alace! there are; Where this Love is not, there can be no other thing that will be acceptable: We ſhall ſay no more for the time, but only this, That we do appeal to your Conſciences, if there be not here an excellent and non-ſuch Object of Love, and if there be not here much reaſon to be in Love with that Object? A very Heathen will return Love for Love, and ſhould not we much more do ſo in this caſe? God Himſelf kindle this Love in us, and make us know more the great advantages of it.