BOOK 5. THE MESSAGE.
CHAPTER 5.
5.5.6. Of Loving Jesus in that Respect.
Of Loving Jesus in that Respect.
Let us love Jesus as carrying on the great work of our salvation for us during his life. Now what is love, but "a motion of the appetite, by which the soul unites itself to what seems fair unto it?" And if so, O what a lovely object is the life of Christ? Who can read over his life? Who can think over his worthiness, both in his person, relations, actions, and several administrations, and not love him with a singular love? That which set the daughters of Jerusalem in a posture of seeking after Christ, was that description of Christ, which the spouse made of him. Cant. v. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. "My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousands. His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy and black, as a raven. His eyes are as the eyes of doves, by the rivers of water, washed with milk, and fitly set. His cheeks are as a bed of spices, and sweet flowers: his lips like lilies dropping sweet smelling myrrh," etc. By these are intimated unto us the government of Christ, the unsearchable councils of Christ, the pure nature of Christ, without any impurity or uncleanness; the gracious promises of Christ, the soul-saving instructions of Christ; the holy actions, and just administrations of Christ; the tender affections and amiable smilings of Christ, the gracious, inward, and wonderful workings of Christ; so that he is altogether lovely, or he is composed of loves: from top to toe there is nothing in Christ, but is most fair and beautiful, lovely and desirable. -- Now, as this description inflamed the daughters of Jerusalem, so, to act our loves towards the Lord Jesus Christ, take we a copy of the record of the Spirit in the scriptures: see what they say of Christ: this, was his own advice, "Search the scriptures, for -- they are they which testify of me," John v. 39.
O my soul, much hath been said to persuade thee to faith; and if now thou believest thy part in these several actings of Christ, why let thy faith take thee by the hand, and lead thee from one step to another; from his baptism to his temptations, from his temptations to his manifestations; and so on: is not here fuel enough for love to feed upon? Canst thou read the history of love (for such is the history of Christ's life) and not be all on flame? Come, read again? There is nothing in Christ but it is lovely, winning, and drawing; as, --
1. When he saw thee full of filth, he goes down into the waters of baptism, that he might prepare a way for the cleansing of thy defiled and polluted soul.
2. When he saw the devil ready to swallow thee up, or by his baits to draw or drag thy soul down to hell, he himself enters into the list with the devil, and he overcomes him, that thou mightest overcome, and triumph with Christ in his glory.
3. When he saw thee in danger of death, through thy own unbelief, for "except thou sawest in his hands the print of the nails, and put thy finger into the print of the nails;" except thou hadst clear manifestations of Christ even to thine own sense, thou wouldst not believe; he condescends so far to secure thy weakness as to manifest himself by several witnesses; three in heaven, and three on earth; yea, he multiplies his three on earth to thousands of thousands; so many were the signs witnessing Christ, that the disciple which testified of them, could say, John xxi. 25. "If they should be written every one, the world would not contain the books that should be written."
4. When he saw thee buying and selling in the temple, yea, making merchandize of the temple itself, I mean of thy soul, which is the temple of the Holy Ghost; he steps in to whip out these buyers and sellers, these lusts and corruptions; O (cries he) "will ye sell your souls for trash: O what is a man profited though he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?"
5. When he saw thee like the horse and mule, Prov. xxx. 2, 3. "More brutish than any man, not having the understanding of a man; thou neither learnedst wisdom, nor hadst the knowledge of the most holy;" He came with his instructions, adding line unto line, and precept on precept, "teaching and preaching the gospel of the kingdom," Matt. iv. 23. And sealing his truths with many miracles that thou mayest believe, "and in believing thou mightest have life through his name;" and O what is this but to make thee wise unto salvation!
6. When he saw thee a sinner of the Gentiles, a stranger from the commonwealth of Israel, and without God in the world, he sent his apostles and messengers abroad, and bade them preach the gospel to thee, q.d. "Go to such a one in the dark corner of the world, an isle at such a distance, from the nation of the Jews, and set up my throne amongst that people; open the most precious cabinet of love there, and amongst that people tell such a soul, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom he is one." O admirable love!
7. When he saw thee cast down in thyself, and refusing thy own mercy, crying, and saying, "What? is it possible that Jesus Christ should send a message to such a dead dog as I am?" Why, the apostles' commission seems otherwise. Matt. x. 5, 6. "Go not into the way of the Gentiles, or into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." "O I am a lost sheep, but not being of the house of Israel, what hope is there that ever I should be found?" He then appeared, and even then he spread his arms wide to receive thy soul: he satisfied thee then of another commission given to his apostles, "Go, teach all nations: and he cried even then. Come unto me, thou that art weary and heavy laden with sin, and I will receive thee into my bosom, and give thee rest there," Matt, xxviii. 19.
8. When he saw thee in suspence, and heard thy complaint, "But if I come, shall I find sweet welcome? I have heard, that his ways are narrow and strait:" oh it is an hard passage, an high ascent up to heaven, Luke xiii. 24. "Many seek to enter in but shall not be able: oh! what shall become of my poor soul?" Why, he told thee otherwise, that "all his ways were ways of pleasantness, and all his paths peace," Prov. iii. 17. He would give thee his Spirit, that should bear the weight, and make all light: he would sweeten the ways of Christianity to thee, that thou shouldest find by experience, that "his yoke was easy, and his burden was light," Matt. xi. 29.
9. When he saw the wretchedness of thy nature, and original pollution, he took upon him thy nature, and by this means took away the original sin. O here is the lovely object! what is it but the absolute holiness and perfect purity of the nature of Christ? This is the fairest beauty that ever eye beheld: this is that compendium of all glories: now if love be a motion and union of the appetite to what is lovely, how shouldst thou flame forth in loves upon the Lord Jesus Christ? This is rendered as the reason of those sparklings, "Thou art fairer than the children of men," Psal. xlv. 2.
10. When he saw thee actually unclean, a transgressor of the law in thought, word, and deed; then said he, Heb. x. 9. "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God;" And wherefore will he do God's will, but merely on thy behalf? O my soul, canst thou read over all those passages of love, and dost thou not yet cry out, "O stay me, comfort me, for I am sick of love." Can a man stand by a hot fiery furnace, and never be warmed? Oh for an heart in some measure answerable to these loves! surely even good natures hate to be in debt for love; and is there in thee, O my soul, neither grace nor yet good nature? O God forbid! awake, awake thy ardent love towards thy Lord Jesus Christ! why, art thou rock and not flesh, if thou be not wounded with these heavenly darts? Christ loves thee, is not that enough! Fervent affection is apt to draw love, where is little or no beauty; and excellent beauty is apt to draw the heart where there is no answer of affection at all; but when these two meet together, what breast can hold against them? See, O my soul, here is the sum of all the particulars thou hast heard, Christ loves thee, and Christ is lovely: his heart is set upon thee, who is a thousand times fairer than all the children of men: doth not this double consideration, like a mighty loadstone, snatch thy heart unto it, and almost draw it forth of thy very breast? O sweet Saviour, thou could say even of thy poor church, (though labouring under many imperfections) Cant. iv. 9, 10. "Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, thou hast ravished mine heart, with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse? How much better is thy love than wine, and the smell of thine ointments than all spices?" Couldst thou, O blessed Saviour, be so taken with the incurious and homely features of the church; and shall I not much more be enamoured with thy absolute and divine beauty? It pleased thee, my Lord, out of thy sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love, to say to thy poor church, "Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me," Cant. vi. 5. But oh, let me say to thee, "Turn thine eyes to me, that they may overcome me: my Lord, I would be thus ravished, I would be overcome, I would be thus out of myself, that I might be all in thee."
This is the language of true love to Christ; but, alas! how dully and flatly do I speak it? O my soul, how art thou out of frame? In creature communion, I usually feel thee warm, and vigorous; active, and very strong; but now thy heart is inditing of a good matter, thou art speaking of the things which thou hast made concerning the king: thy words do almost freeze between thy lips; how chill and cold art thou in thy converses with Jesus Christ? Oh! this puts me in mind of my deserts: surely had Christ's love been but like this faint and feeble love of mine, I had been a damned wretch without all hope. O Christ, I am ashamed that I love thee so little, I perceive thy loves are great by all those actings in thy life: come, "blow upon my garden," persuade me by thy Spirit, that I may love thee much: "Many sins are forgiven me," O that I may love thee much.