Quest. But how shall we know that Christ loves us in this peculiar manner?
Ans. 1. First, search what course he takes and hath taken to draw thee nearer unto him. 'He chastiseth every one that he loveth,' Heb. xii. 6. Seasonable corections sanctified, is a sign of Christ's love ; when he wiU
Cant. V. 2.] 'my love.' 75
not suffer us to thrive in sin ; when we cannot speak nor do amiss ; but either he lasheth us in our conscience for it, and by his Spirit checks us, or else stirs up others, one thing or other to make us out of love with sin.
2. Again, we may gather Christ's love by this, if ice have any love to divine thimis, and can set a great price upon the best things ; upon the word, because it is Christ's word ; upon grace, prizing the imago of Christ, and the new creature. When we can set an high value upon communion with Christ, the sense of his love in our hearts, and all spiritual prerogatives and excellencies above all things, this is an excellent argument of Christ's love to us. Our love is but a reflection of his ; and therefore if we have love to anything that is good, we have it from him first. If a wall that is cold become hot, we say, the sun of necessity must shine on it first, because it is nothing but cold stone of itself. So if our hearts, that are naturally cold, be heated with the love of divine things, certainly we may say, Christ hath shined here first; for naturally our hearts are of a cold temper. There is no such thing as spiritual love growing in our natures and hearts.
You have many poor souls helped with this, who cannot tell whether Christ love them or no ; but this helps them a little, they can find undoubted arguments of their love to Christ, his image, and servants, and of relishing the word, though they find much corruption : and this their love to divine things tells them by demonstrations from the effects, that Christ loves them, because there is no love to divine and supernatural things without the love of Christ first. And the graces in our hearts, they are love tokens given to the spouse. Common favours he gives, as Abraham gifts to his servants and others, but special gifts to his spouse. If therefore there be any gi-ace, a tender and soft heart, a prizing of heavenly things, love to God's people and truth, then we may comfortably conclude Christ loves us ; not only be- cause they are reflections of God's love, but because they are jewels and ornaments that Christ only bestows upon his spouse ; and not upon re- probates, such precious jewels as these, John xv. 15.
3. Bg discovering his secrets to lis, Ps. xxv. 14, for that is an argument of love. Doth Christ by his Spirit discover the secret love he hath borne to us before all worlds ? Doth he discover the breast of his Father, and his own heart to us? This discovery of secret affections, of entire love, sheweth our happy state. For that is one prerogative of fiiendship, and the chiefest discovery of secrets, when he gives us a particular right to truths, as our own, that we can go challenge them, these are mine, these belong to me, these pro- mises are mine. This discovery of the secret love of God, and of the interests we have in the promises, is a sign that Christ loves us, and that in a peculiar manner we are his love.
Use 1. Let us be like our blessed Saviom-, that where we see any saving goodness in any, let us love them ; for should not our love meet with our Saviour's love? Shall the church of God be the love of Christ, and shall it be our hatred ? Shall a good Christian be Christ's love, and shall he be the object of my hatred and scorn ? Can we imitate a better pattern ? 0 let us never think our estate to be good, except eveiy child of God be our love as he is Christ's love. Can I love Christ, and cannot I love * him in whom I see Christ ? It is a sign that I hate himself, when I hate his image. It is to be wondered at that the devil hath prevailed with any so much, as to think they should be in a good estate, when they have hearts rising against the best people, and who, as they grow in grace, so they gi'ow iu their dislike of them. Is here the Spirit of Christ ? * That is, ' can I not love.' — Ed.
76 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON Vll
Usc2. And let them likewise be here reproved that are glad to see any Chris- tian halt, slip, and go awry. The best Christians in the world have that in part, which is wholly in another man ; he hath flesh in him. Shall we utterly distaste a Christian for that 7 The church was now in a sleepy con- dition, and yet, notwithstanding, Christ takes not the advantage of the weakness of the church to cashier, •!= and to hate her, but he pities her the more, and takes a course to bring her again into a good state and condition. Let us not therefore be glad at the infirmities and failings of any, that dis- cover any true goodness in them. It may be our own case ere long. It casts them not out of Christ's love, but they dwell in his love still ; why should we then cast them out of our love and affections ? Let them be our loves till, as they are the love of Christ, notwithstanding their infirmities.