To give but two instances: — (1.) His condescension to assume our human nature passes all our comprehension. No man can fully un- derstand the mystery of the assumption of our nature into the per- sonal subsistence of the Son of God. Some dispute whether we shall understand the mystery of the incarnation in heaven; here we believe it. It is love which passes knowledge, that the eternal Son of God
1 Owen seems desirous, by this paraphrase, to express the full meaning of the original word, •xxfu.Kv-^a.i. — Ed.
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should take our nature into personal union with himself: it is that we may admire, and ought to admire ; and God help us, we are such poor earthly creatures, that we cannot admire it as we ought, though it be much in our nature to admire what we cannot comprehend.
(2.) We cannot fully understand his passion and sufferings. God alone knows what is in the curse of the law; we do not know it. God alone knows what is the true desert of sin ; it cannot be fully understood by any but himself. They who undergo it must suffer to eternity; there is no end, — they never see, never know, what sin deserved. How do we know, then, what Christ suffered, when the punishment due to our sin, when all our iniquities met upon him, with the curse of the law? God only knows what is in these things. The fruits and effects of this love in himself, in his incarnation and pas- sion, are past our knowledge; therefore the love itself surpasses our knowledge.
4. Give me leave to say, the very fruits of it in ourselves do p>ass knowledge. No man that lives knows what there is in these three general heads of the fruits of Christ's love, — in justification and par- don of sin, — in the renovation and sanctification of our natures, and in the inhabitation and consolations of the Holy Spirit. No man living can find out these things to perfection. None of us fully un- derstands and comprehends what it is to be justified in the sight of God, to have sin pardoned, to have our natures renewed and trans- formed into the likeness of God, and to have the Holy Ghost dwell in us. The love of Christ, therefore, passes all knowledge ; for the very fruits of it in ourselves are beyond what we can comprehend, — there is a greatness in them we cannot reach unto. Why, then, my brethren, let us labour to have our hearts affected with this love. If God would be pleased to give unto every one of us some sense and impression of the greatness of this love of Christ, glance it into our hearts, beam it upon us in this ordinance, — we should have cause to bless him all the days of our lives. The faith and light of it issue in admiration ; the light of glory will bring us to comprehension. Let us have such a sense as may cause us to admire what we cannot now comprehend.
(1.) I could speak something, but I will not now, to the actings of faith in admiration ; it being the proper nature of faith to issue itself in the admiration of that which is infinite. If we can get our souls up to a holy admiration of this love, we have some gracious sense of it upon our hearts, if we can go no farther.
(2.) Let us learn to run up all the mercies we are partakers of, whatsoever it be we value, to the proper spring : " Who loved me, and gave himself for me." If we have any relief, or supply, or re- freshment of soul, in a sense of pardon of sin, in spiritual light or con- solation, pray let us exercise ourselves to run up all these things to
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the fountain : — it is all from the love of Christ, that unspeakable love which passes knowledge.
(3.) In this let us be ashamed, [that] seeing the love of Christ to us is such as passes our knowledge, our love to him is so weak, that some- times we know not whether we have any or not For this let us be greatly humbled. This is not the way to answer that love which passes knowledge, to know not whether we love Christ again or not. Let us be ashamed for our want of love.
And lastly, let us abound in praise and thanksgiving for his love, and all the fruits of it.
For my part, I do not know whether that vision in Rev. v. 9 does express the rejoicing of the church above, or the duty of the church beloiu; but both, I am sure, are of so near affinity, that apply it to which you will, you do not miss it. And what do they there? Why, it is said, " They sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made us unto our God kings and priests/' etc. And it is said again, " Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing ;" and again he repeats it in verse 13. I say, I know not whether this be a representation of the re- joicing of the church above, or a representation of the duty of the church below ; but I can conclude from it, that the enjoyment of the one and the duty of the other consist greatly in continual giving praise and thanks to Christ for his unspeakable love in our redemption.