Sermons on John 17

Sermon XL

By Thomas Manton

I come now to the second observation, that God loveth the saints as ho loved Christ

The expression is stupendous; therefore divers interpreters have sought to mitigate it, and to bring it down to a commodious interpretation.

First, \~kaywv\~, as, is a note of causality as well as similitude. He loveth us because he loved Christ Therefore it is said: Eph. i. 6, 'He hath made us accepted in the beloved.' The elect are made lovely, and fit to be accepted by God, only by Jesus Christ; accepted both in our state and actions as we are reconciled to him; and all that we do is taken in good part for Christ's sake, who was sent and intrusted by the Father to procure this favour for us, and did all which was necessary to obtain it The ground of all that love God beareth to us is for Christ's sake. There is indeed an antecedent love showed in giving us to Christ, and Christ to us: John iii. 16, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son—That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The first cause of Christ's love to us was obedience to the Father; the Son loved us, because the Father required it; though afterwards God loved us because Christ merited it. All consequent benefits are procured by the merit of Christ The Father, that is first in order of persons, is first in order of working, and can have no higher cause than his own will and purpose. And besides, there is an obligation established to every person. Absolute elective love is the Father's property and personal operation; but then his eternal purpose is brought to pass in and through Jesus Christ In the carriage of our salvation, Christ interposeth; so we are chosen in him as head of the elect, Eph. i. 4, pardoned, justified, sanctified, glorified in and through him. All these benefits and fruits of God's love are procured by Christ's [Pg. 77] merit; not only as it is the more for the freedom of grace that the reasons why man should be loved should be without himself, and so the obligation is increased; and not merely neither for the greater fulness of our comfort; for if God should love us in ourselves, it would be a very imperfect love, our graces being so weak, and our services so trained. But whence should we have this grace at first, which is the object of his love? He could never find in us any cause why he should love us. God could not love us with honour to himself, if his wisdom had not found out this way of loving us in Christ There was a double prejudice against us—our nature was loathed by God's holiness, and then God s justice had a quarrel against us.

1. For God's holiness. What communion could there be between light and darkness? God is holy by nature, and we are sinners by nature. Nature being corrupted, God cannot love it, unless he see it in such a person as Christ is: Ps. v. 4, 5, 'For thou art not a God that hast pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight, thou hatest all workers of iniquity;' not only the work, but the person. Therefore we are hidden in him, found in him; as when a man loathes a pill, we lap it up in something which he affects. God abhorred the sight of man till found in Christ.

2. God's justice had a quarrel against us. God dealt with man by way of covenant, and so hated man not only out of the purity of his nature, but out of justice; his righteous anger was kindled because of the breach of the covenant. When subjects are fallen into displeasure with their prince, such an one as the king loveth must mediate for them. So 'God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,' 2 Cor. v. 19. How cometh God, who seemed to be bound in point of honour to avenge himself on sinners, to be reconciled? In Christ he received satisfaction. God was resolved to manifest an infinite love to man, but he would still manifest an infinite hatred against sin; which could not be more fully manifested than by making Christ the ground of our reconciliation. Thus the wisdom of God hath taken up the difference between us and his holiness, and between us and his justice, that so divine love may be like itself, not blind, but rational. This was the great prejudice—how could the holy God, the just God, who is not overcome with any passion, love such vile and unworthy creatures as we are? The question is answered—he loveth us in Christ, and for Christ's sake.

Secondly, Take the particle \~kaywv\~, as, in the ordinary acceptation. So it signifieth smilitude and likeness; but then it signifieth not an exact equality, but some kind of resemblance: 'Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,' Mat. v. 48; 'One as we are one.' So here —(1.) There is a disparity; (2.) A likeness.

1. A disparity; for in all things Christ hath the pre-eminence, both as God and as mediator.

[1.] As God; he is most perfect, in whom God hath found all complacency and delight: Prov. viii. 30, 'Then I was by him, as one brought up with him; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.'' He was God, we are creatures; he the natural Son: Ps. ii. 7, 'Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.' We the [Pg. 78] adopted children: John i. 12, 'To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.' God's love to Christ was necessary, ours is a free dispensation: John iii. 16, 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.'

[2.1 As mediator; so he is the first beloved. God loves Christ as the first object of his love; after Christ, he loveth those that are Christ's. The relation begins with him: John xx. 17, 'Go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your God.' He is loved as the head of the mystical body, we as members; the head first then the members. He is loved for his own sake, we for his.

2. Yet there is a likeness. God loveth us with a like love.

[1.1 Upon the same grounds—nearness and likeness.

(I.) Nearness. He loveth Christ as his Son, so he loveth us as his children: 1 John iii. 1, 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God.' There is a threefold ecce in scripture. (1.) Ecce demonstrantis, as pointing with the finger: John i. 29, 'The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.' It referreth to a thing or person present, and it noteth the certainty of sense, as there he pointed at him as present; or to a doctrine, and then it noteth the certainty of faith: Job v. 27, 'Lo this, we have searched, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good;' believe it as a certain truth. (2.) There is ecce admirantis, as awakening our drowsy minds more attentively to consider of the matter; as Lam. i. 12, 'Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.' So here, entertain it with wonder and reverence as an important truth. (3.) Ecce exultantis, vel gratulantis, as rejoicing and blessing ourselves in the privilege: Ps. cxxi. 4, 'Behold, he that keepeth Israel, he neither slumbers nor sleeps.' Now all these take place here. Behold it with faith and confidence, as a certain truth; behold it with reverence and wonder, as a high dignity; behold it with joy and delight, as a blessed privilege: as it is a certain truth, we should believe it more firmly; as it is an important truth, we should consider it more seriously; as it is a comfortable truth, we should improve it more effectually, to our great joy and satisfaction in all conditions. The wisdom of God tindeth out relations between God and us, to establish a mutual love between us. He would be known, not only as our creator, but our father; and indeed none is so much a father as God is. Earthly parents have but a drop of fatherly compassion suitable to their finite scantling; never had any such bowels and affections as our Father which is in heaven. If we look to his fatherly bowels, none deserveth the title but he: lea. xlix. 15, 'Can a mother forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the fruit of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will not I forget thee;' Mat. vii. 11, 'If ye then, being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?' Ps. xxvii. 10, 'When my father and mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.' Certainly God excelleth all temporal relations; never father had such bowels [Pg. 79] and affections. We were never in the bosom of God, to know his heart; but the only Son of God, that came out of his bosom, he hath told us tidings of it, and hath bidden us come boldly and call him Father. 'When ye pray, say, Our Father.'

(2.) Likeness is another ground of love. God loveth Christ, not only as his Son, but as his image, he being' the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person,' Heb. i. 3. So he loveth the saints, who are by grace renewed after his image: Col. iii. 10, 'And that ye put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him;' and who are thereby made 'partakers of the divine nature.' 2 Peter i. 4. We lost by Adam the image of God and the favour of God; now, first his image is repaired in us, then his love and favour is bestowed on us; without this we could not be lovely in his eye, for we are amiable in the sight of God by reason of that comeliness he has put upon us.

[2.] There are like properties.

(1.) It is free. So was God's love to Christ's manhood; as much of his substance as was taken from the virgin was chosen out of grace. Christ for his whole person deserved love, but as to his human nature, he was himself an object of elective love as we are; and this being assumed into the unity of his person, Christ was set apart by God for the work of mediation: Isa. xlii. 1, 'Behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon him.' Choice supposeth the preferment or acceptance of one, and refusal of another; so was Christ chosen as man. This the virgin acknow-ledgeth: Luke i. 48, 'He hath regarded the low estate of his handmaid.' He had done her an honour, the greatest that was done to any of his servants, among which she acknowledged herself the un-worthiest So much of the substance of the virgin as went to the person of Christ, and his human soul, was chosen out of mere grace. Nay, hi his divine person there was a choice which is to be referred to the wisdom and pleasure of the Father: Col. i. 19, 'It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.' The same account as is given of our salvation: Mat. xi. 25, 26, 'I thank thee, 0 Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.' So is God's love to us free and undeserved; his love is the reason of itself; he loved us because he loved us: Deut. vii. 7, 8, 'The Lord did not set his love on you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; but because the Lord loved you.' There is the last cause, God's act is its own law and reason, we can give no other account

(2.) It is tender and affectionate. There is a full complacency and delight in Christ: Mat iii. 17, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.' His heart was taken up with him, he was full of contentment in him; as a husband is called 'the covering of the eyes,' because a woman should look no further. So Prov. viii. 31, 'I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.' So tenderly affectioned is God to the saints: Isa. lxii. 5, 'As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee;' then affections are in their reign and height. So tender is God of his people; [Pg. 80] Zech. ii. 8, 'He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.' The eye is the most tender part, and so is the apple of the eye. Can there be a more endearing expression?

(3.) It is eternal. Christ as mediator was loved before the foundation of the world in God's purpose: John xvii. 24, 'Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me may be with me where I am, that (hey may behold my glory that thou hast given me; for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world.' And in loving Christ he loved us; and in choosing Christ as head of the church, the members were included in that election, for head and body cannot be severed. This grace was given us in Christ before the world began: 2 Tim. i. 9, 'Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.' Some are not called as soon as others, but all are loved as soon as others, even from eternity. God's love is as ancient as himself, there was no time when God did not think of us, and love us. We are wont to prize an ancient friend; the ancientest friend we have is God, who loved us not only before we were lovely, but before we were at all He thought of us before ever we could have a thought of him; after we had a being in infancy, we could not so much as know that he loved us; and when we came to years of discretion, we knew how to offend before we knew how to love and serve him; we cared not for his love, but prostituted our hearts to other things. Let us measure the short scantling of our lives with eternity, wherein God showed love to us. As to our beings, we are but of yesterday; as to the constitution of our souls, we are sinners from the womb; and when we are convinced of it, we adjourn and put off the love of God to old decrepit age, when we have spent our strength in the world, and wasted ourselves in deceitful and flesh-pleasing vanities. Now it should shame us when we remember God's love is as ancient as his being. Some look after God sooner than others; but if you look after God never so soon, God was at work before us; those that began earliest, as Josiah, John Baptist, find God more early providing for their eternal welfare.

(4.) It is unchangeable; as to Christ, so to us; from eternity it began, to eternity it continueth: it began before the world was, and will continue when the world shall be no more: Ps. ciii. 17, 'The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting, upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children.' It is man's weakness to change purposes; we have good purposes, but they are suddenly blasted; but God s eternal purpose, that shall stand. We are mutable, and frequently change, out of the levity of our nature or the ignorance of futurity; therefore upon new events we easily change our minds; but God, that seeth all things at once, cannot be deceived; the first reasons of God's love to man are without man, and so eternal. Among the persons of the Godhead, the Son loveth because the Father required it; the Father, because the Son merited it; and the Holy Ghost, because of the purpose of the Father; and the purchase of the Son abideth in our hearts, to preserve us unto God's use, and to keep afoot his interest in us. [Pg. 81]

Thirdly, There are the like fruits and effects of it I shall instance in some which are like his love to Christ.

1. Communication of secrets. All things are in common amongst those that love one another. Said Delilah to Sampson, Judges xvi. 15, 'How canst thou say, I love thee, when thy heart is riot with me? thou hast mocked roe these three times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth.' Now Jesus Christ knoweth all the secrets of God: John i. 18, 'No man hath seen God at anytime; the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' Christ, lying in the Father's bosom, knoweth his nature and his will. So it is with the saints: John xiv. 21, 'He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.' As God manifested himself to Christ, so Christ will to us. Christ hath treated us as friends: John xv. 15, 'Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knoweth not what hie Lord doeth; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.' The knowledge of God's ways is a special fruit of his love.

2. Spiritual gifts. God's love to Christ was a bounteous love: John iii. 34, 35, 'God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him: the Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands.' God's love was showed to Christ in qualifying the human nature with such excellent gifts of grace. As to us, God's love is not barren; as a fruit of God's- love, Christ received all things needful for us. You will perhaps say, as they replied to God when he said, 'I have loved you, Wherein hast thou loved us?' Mal. i. 2, because he hath not made you great, rich, and honourable. If he hath given us such a proof of his love as he gave to Christ, namely, such a measure of his Spirit as is fit for us, we have no reason to murmur or complain. The Spirit of illumination is better than all the glory of the world: Prov. iii. 32, 'The froward is an abomination to the Lord; but his secret is with the righteous.' The Spirit of regeneration, to convert the heart to God and heaven: 1 Cor. ii. 12, 'Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God.' The Spirit of consolation, to evidence God's love to us, and our right to glory: 2 Cor. i. 22, 'Who hath sealed us, and given the earnest of his Spirit in our hearts;' 2 Cor. v. 5, 'Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.' As the end of his love to Christ's human nature was to bring it to heaven, so the end of God's love to us is to sanctify us, and so to make way for glory.

3. Sustentation, and gracious protection during our work and service. This was his love to Christ: Isa. xlii. 1, 'Behold my servant whom I uphold;' ? am not alone, my Father is with me,' John viii. 16. His enemies could not touch him till his time came: John xi. 9, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.' As long as the time of exercising his function here lasted, there was such a providence about him as did secure him from all danger; and till that time was past, and the providence withdrawn, he was safe; and when that [Pg. 82] was out, and he seemed to be delivered to the will of his enemies, all the creatures were in a rout, the sun was struck blind with astonishment, the earth staggered and reeled. So God will carry us through our work, and keep us blameless to his heavenly kingdom; but if we are cut off by the violence of men, all the affairs of mankind are put in confusion, and carried headlong, besides the confederacies of nature disturbed, and divers judgments (as in Egypt, and the land of the Philistines) ensue; odium in religionis professores; the world shall know how dear and precious they are to God.

4. Acceptance of what we do. God accepted all that Christ did; it was -very pleasing to God: Eph. v. 2, 'Walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.' In every solemn sacrifice for the congregation, the blood of it was brought unto the mercy-seat with a perfume; but Christ's sacrifice received value from his person, he being one so dear to God, so excellent in himself. This kind of love God showeth to us, the persons of the upright are God's delight; and then their prayers: Cant. v. 1, 'I am come into my garden, my sister, my spouse; I have gathered my myrrh with my spice, I have eaten my honeycomb with my honey.' Though our services are mingled with weaknesses and imperfection, they shall be accepted: 'But the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, much more when he bringeth it with an evil mind,' Prov. xv. 8.

5. Reward. Christ was gloriously exalted; after his sufferings he entered into glory, and was conducted to heaven by angels, and welcomed by the Father, who, as it were, took him by the hand: Ps. ii. 7, 8, 'Thou art ray Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.' So if we do what he did, we shall fare as he fared: John xii. 26, 'If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.' When we die, we shall be conveyed to heaven by angels: Luke xvi. 22, 'The beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom;' our souls first, then our bodies: Phil. iii. 21, 'Who shall change our vile bodies, that they may be like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things to himself.' And at last we shall have a solemn welcome into heaven: Mat xxv. 21, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.' Christ is not only purchaser, but first possessor, and is gone into heaven to prepare a place for us, to which he will at last bring us: John xiv. 2, 3, 'In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you; and if I go to prepare a place, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.'

Use 1. Information, to show what ground we have of patience, comfort, and confidence.

1. Of patience in afflictions from God. Would we be loved otherwise than Christ was loved? We see in the person of Christ that love may stand with fatherly correction. Christ was beloved by God, [Pg. 83] yet under poverty, disgrace, persecution, hunger, thirst, &c. When Christ was hungry, the devil came unto him: Mat. iv. 3, 'If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.' So he taketh advantage of our troubles and afflictions to make us question our adoption; but we may retort the argument: Heb. xii. 7, 8, 'If ye endure chastisement, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.' Brambles are not pruned, but vines. God loved Christ in the lowest degree of his abasement, as much as at other times. Shall I desire to be otherwise beloved of God than Christ was? Nay; God's love may stand with sad suspensions of soul-comforts: Mat. xxvii. 46, 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' The natural Son was in the love of God when at the worst; God loved him still, though he appeared to him with another face; as the sun is the same when it shineth through red glass, only it casts a more bloody reflection. God had one Son without sin, but none without suffering.

2. Comfort when we meet with ill-usage in the world. Our Lord Jesus prayeth that the world may be convinced that God loved them as he loved Christ. When the world entreated Christ ill, how was the world convinced that God loved him? There was an eclipse at his death, which was a monument of God's displeasure: Mat. xxvii. 54, 'When the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things which were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.' So when Christ's members are evil-entreated, there are public monuments of God's displeasure, the courses of nature are altered, droughts, inundations, pestilences, famines, unseasonable weather, confusions, Ac. If this be not, when God smileth, though the world frowneth you will convince them by bearing up with courage and confidence. The more the world is set against us, the more do the fruits of his love appear before men.

3. Confidence in the midst of dangers and temptations. When once we are assured of God's love, what shall separate us from it? Rom. viii. 38, 39, 'For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Can anything alienate God's love in Christ? If it were God's love in us, that were an uncertain ground of hope; but it is God's love in Christ. Get but an assurance of his love, and you will never be ashamed. What can alienate the heart of God from you, while you are faithful to him, and have the sure pledge of his love, his Spirit in your heart? Love or hatred is not known by anything that is before us. But if you have a heart to seek him, fear him, obey his laws; this is the favour of his people, and this was his love to Christ.

Use 2. Direction.

1. Whereby chiefly to measure God's love; by his spiritual bounty: John iii. 34, 35, 'God giveth not the Spirit by measure to him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hands.' So the gifts and graces of the Spirit are the special effects of his love; [Pg. 84] for he loved us as he loved Christ, and thus he manifested his love to Christ: Ps. cvi. 4, 'Remember me, Lord, with the love that thou bearest to thy people.' When one gave Lather gold, he said, Valde protestatus sum, me nolle sic a Deo saliari. Be not satisfied till God love you with such a love as he loved Christ. Inward excellences, though with outward crosses, these are the best fruits of his love; a heart to seek him, to fear his name, to obey his laws, an understanding to know his will. God's love is best known by the stamp of his Spirit, that is his mark set upon us. Let us leave outward things to God's wisdom. Love or hatred is not known by all that is before us. Let us labour for a share in his peculiar love: Ps. cxix. 132, 'Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.' Lord, I do not ask riches, nor glory, nor preferment in the world; I ask thy love, thy grace, thy Spirit. Doth our Saviour care for outward things? Other things are given promiscuously, these to his favourites. God's love is conveyed through Christ: Rev. i. 5, 'To him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.' He loved us, and sanctified us: Eph. v. 25, 26, 'Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.' Nothing more worthy, nothing more suitable to Christ's love.

2. It directeth us what to do when we are dejected through our own unworthiness. Look upon God's love in Christ If God did take arguments and grounds of love from the creature, where would he have found objects of love? God hath proclaimed it from heaven: Mat. iii. 17, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased;' and 'We are accepted in the beloved,' Eph. i. 6. Jesus Christ is worthy; desire 'to be found in him, not having thine own righteousness.' Lord, for the merits of thy blessed Son, accept of me. Christ, being beloved of the Father, is the storehouse and conduit to convey that love to his people.

Use 3. Exhortation, to endeavour after the sense and apprehension of this love in our own hearts. Surely this is our duty; for Christ afterward saith, ver. 26, 'That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them.' There is a love of God towards us, and a love of God in us; so Zanchy, citing the text His love, ergo nos, towards us, is carried on from all eternity; but nondum in nobts, it is not in us, but in time. He loved us before the foundation of the world, though we know it not, feel it not; but now this love beginneth to be in us when we receive the effects, and God is actually become our reconciled Father in Christ. God's love from everlasting was in purpose and decree, not in act. God's love in us is to be interpreted two ways—both in the effects and the sense. In the effects, at conversion: Eph. ii. 4, 5, 'But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.' In the sense, when we get assurance, and an intimate feeling of it in our own souls. Both are wrought in us by the Spirit: Rom. v. 5, 'And hope maketh us not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, that is given to us.' A man may have the effects, [Pg. 85] but not the sense. God may love a man, and he not know it, nor feel it But we are to look after both. Therefore I shall do two things—. (1.) Press you to get the sense; (2.) Speak to the comfort of them that have indeed the effects but not the sense.

First, I shall press you all to get the sense and comfortable apprehension of this love, that God loved you as he loved Christ.

1. Motives: The benefits are exceeding great.

[1.] Nothing quickeneth the heart more to love God. Certainly we are to love God again, who loved us first, 1 John iv. 19. Now though it be true that radius reflexus languet, that God loveth us first, best, and most, yet the more direct the beam, the stronger the reflection; the more we know that God loveth us in Christ, the more are we urged and quickened to love God again: 2 Cor. v. 14, 'For the love of Christ constraineth us.' And this consideration is the more binding; if you expect those privileges which Christ had, you must express your love by suitable obedience: John vi. 38, 'I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me;' John iv. 34, 'My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work;' John viii. 29, 'And he that sent me is with me; the Father hath not left me alone, for I do always those things that please him.' You must love him as Christ loved him. Will you sin against God, that are so beloved of him? Thus we must kindle our hearts at God's fire, for love must be paid in kind.

[2.] It maketh us contented, patient, and joyful in tribulations and afflictions: Rom. v. 3, 'And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also;' and 1 Peter i. 8, 'Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.'

[3.] Nothing more emboldeneth the soul against the day of death and judgment than to know that God loveth us as he loved Christ, and therefore will give us the glory that Christ is possessed of: 1 John iv. 17, 'Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is so are we in the world;' the greater apprehension we have of the love of God in Christ, the more perfect our love is.

2. Means that this may be increased in us.

[1.] Meditate more on, and believe the gospel. It is good to bathe and steep our thoughts in the remembrance of God's wonderful love to sinners in Christ: John xvii. 26, 'I have declared to them thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.' Fervency of affection followeth strength of persuasion, and strength of persuasion is increased by serious thoughts.

[2.] Live in obedience to the Spirit's sanctifying motions; for this love is applied by the Spirit: Rom. viii. 14, 'For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God;' compared with 16th verse, 'The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God.' The Spirit obeyed as a sanctifier will soon become a comforter, and fill our hearts with a sense of the love of God.

[3.J Take heed of all sin, especially heinous and wilful sins: [Pg. 86] Isa. lxix. 2, 'Your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you that he will not hear;' Eph. iv. 30, 'And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption.' Otherwise you may lose the sense of God's love once evidenced. Men that have been lifted up to heaven in comfort, have fallen almost as low as hell in sorrow, trouble, and perplexity of spirit One frown of God, or withdrawing the light of his countenance, will quickly turn our day into night; and the poor forsaken soul, formerly feasted with the sense of God's love, knoweth not whence to fetch any comfort and support.

Secondly, I shall seek to comfort them that have but the effects, not the sense. For many serious Christians will say, Blessed are they who are in Christ, whom God loveth as he loved Christ; but what is this to me, that know not whether I have any part in him or no? To these I will speak two things—(1.) What comfort yet remaineth; (2.) Whether these be not enough to evidence they have some part in Christ

1. What may yet stay their hearts.

[1.] The foundation of God still standeth sure: 'The Lord knoweth those that are his.' 2 Tim. ii. 19. He knoweth his own, when some of them know not they are his own; he seeth his mark upon his sheep, when they see it not themselves. God doubteth not of his interest in thee, though thou doubtest of thy interest in him; and you are held faster in the arms of his love than by the power of your own faith; as the child is surer in the mother's arms than by its holding the mother.

[2.] Is not God in Christ willing to show mercy to penitent believers? or to manifest himself to them as their God and reconciled Father? Did not his love and grace find out the remedy before we were born? And when we had lived without God in the world, he sought after us when we went astray; he thought on us when we did not think on him, and tendered grace to us when we had no mind and heart to it: Isa. lxv. 1, 'I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not'

[3.] Hast thou not visibly entered into the bond of the holy oath, and consented to the covenant, seriously at least, if thou canst not say sincerely? Or dost thou resolve to continue in sin rather than accept of the happiness offered or the terms required? Then thou hast no part in Christ indeed. But if thou darest not refuse his covenant, but cheerfully submittest to it, then God is thy God: Zech. xiii. 9, 'I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The Lord is my God.' If thou consentest that Christ shall be thy Lord and Saviour, thou art a part of the renewed estate whereof Christ is the head.

[4.] If thou wantest a sense of his love, because of thy manifoldings, it is unreasonable to think that all will end in wrath, which was begun in so much love. If he expressed love to thee in thy unconverted estate, and hath brought thee into God's family, will he destroy thee, and turn thee out again upon every actual unkindness? The Lord doth gently question with Jonah in his fret: 'Dost thou well to be angry?' Jonah iv. 9. When the disciples fell asleep in the night of Christ's agony, he doth not say, Ye are none of mine, because [Pg. 87] ye could not watch with me one hour; but rather excuseth it: Mat. xxvi. 41, 'The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' This great love of God overcometh all the unkindnees of his children.

2. What may evidence they are concerned in this love.

[1.] There is some change wrought in you; thou art now no despiser of God and his holy ways; the heart of thy sensuality, pride, and worldliness is broken, though too much of it still remaineth in thee. Now it is good to be in the way to a further progress; and we begin with mortification: 2 Cor. v. 17, 'If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.' Every change for the better is either the new creature or a preparation to it

[2.] The gift of the sanctifying Spirit is more prized by thee than all the riches and honours in the world. Now without holiness we cannot esteem holiness, and practically prefer it about other things. God loveth Christ as he bore his image; so he loveth us as we are sealed by the mark of the Spirit: Ps. cvi. 4, 'Remember me, ? Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: ? visit me with thy salvation;' and Ps. cxix. 132, 'Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.'

[3.] Thou lovest and preferrest Christ's people, and that for their holiness, and therefore seekest to discountenance all sorts of wickedness: Ps. xv. 4, 'In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he lionoureth them that fear the Lord.' He laboureth to discountenance all sorts of wickedness, and desireth to bring goodness and godliness into a creditable esteem and reputation, and payeth a hearty honour and respect to those that excel therein: so Ps. xvi. 3, 'But to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight.' He doth value them, and esteem them, above the greatest men in the world, because they are so loved, prized, and set apart by God.

[4.] You labour more and more to be such, whom God loveth as he loved Christ. Jesus Christ was the express image of his person; we strive to be such in the world as Christ was, 1 John iv. 17, hating what God hateth, and loving what God loveth; then we make it our business to walk as he walked, 1 John ii. 6, doing his will, seeking his glory. God loved Christ for that spirit of obedience that was in him, who shrunk not in the hardest duties, but, whatever it cost him, was faithful in his work.

Observe, thirdly, that God would have the world know so much, and be convinced of this great love which he beareth to the saints: 'That the world may know that thou hast loved them,' &c.

1. The necessity of the world's knowledge.

[l.] Because the world is blinded with ignorance and prejudice against the children of God; they cannot, or rather will not see: 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' They will not see, because they have a mind to hate.

[2.] The life that floweth from this union is a hidden thing: Col. iii. 3, 'For our life is hid with Christ in God.' It is hidden, because Maintained by an invisible power; the spiritual life is hidden under [Pg. 88] he veil of the natural life: Gal. ii. 20, 'The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.' It is obscured by infirmities. The best show forth too much of Adam, and too little of Jesus. It is hidden under afflictions: Heb. xi. 37, 38, 'They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins, and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy,' &c.; and the world's reproaches: 2 Cor. vi. 8, 'By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true.'

2. The means whereby the world is convinced.

[1.] The promises of the word show God's great love to the saints, and hereby he hath engaged himself to do great things for them: 2 Peter i. 4, 'Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.' He hath engaged to pardon their sins, accept their persons, sanctify their natures, keep them blameless to his heavenly kingdom, and finally, to translate them to glory: Deut. xxxiii. 29, 'Happy art thou, ? Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, and who is the shield of thy excellency I thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places;' Ps. cxliv. 15, 'Happy is that people that is in such a case; yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.'

[2.] By the visible fruits of the mystical union. The gift of the Spirit cannot be hidden, they have a power and presence with them which others have not: 1 Peter iv. 14, 'The Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' They live contrary to the course of this world, so as to become the world's wonder: 1 Peter iv. 4, 'Wherein they think it strange that you run not with them to the same excess of riot.' And reproof: Heb. xi. 7, 'By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear prepared an ark for the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world.'

[3.] By the wonderful blessings of God's providence; they are hidden in the secret of his presence, strangely preserved: Ps. iv. 3, 'But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself'' not only as instruments of his glory, but as objects of his special favour and grace.

[4.] This is more fully seen for the utter confusion of the wicked at the last day: 2 Thes. i. 10, 'When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe.' Now it is for their conviction or conversion, then for their confusion; these are those whose lives we judged madness, and ways folly!

3. Why Christ was so earnest that the world should know this.

[1.] To restrain their malice: 1 Cor. ii. 5, 'Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.' If God loveth believers, it should stop the violence and malice of the world against them; they are the beloved ones of God whom they malign, and against whom their heart riseth.

[2.] It stirreth them up to come out of their wicked condition, that is, out of a state of nature: Ps. vii. 11, 'God is angry with the wicked every day.' [Pg. 89]

[3.] To put in for a share in this blessed estate, that they may be some of those whom he loveth as he loved Christ.

Use 1. Caution to the carnal world. Do not hate those whom God thus loveth. To you they are accursed, but God counteth them precious: Isa. xliii. 4, 'Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.' To you they are the scurf and offscouring: 1 Cor. iv. 13, 'We are made as the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things to this day.' But to God they are jewels: Mal. iii. 17, 'They shall be mine, saith the Lord, in the day when I make up my jewels.'

Use 2. Advice to the children of God, to promote the conviction and conversion of the carnal: 1 Peter ii. 12, 'Having your conversation honest amongst the Gentiles; that whereas they speak against you as evil-doers, they may by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.' Herein you imitate your master, and your own safety lieth in it.