634 Book VI, JLooltmg unto jlefug, Chap.2.SecL6. SECT. VI. Of loving {if m in that refPeEf. 6. LET us love_ Jefm, as carrying on the great work of our falvation for us-in his fecond commg. In profecuuon of tb1s, I muft firfl fet down Chri!l's love to us and then our love to ~hri~; that is the caufe, and tlris the effrd ;- that is the fpring: and thiS the frream; In vatn flwuld we perfwade our hearts to love the Lord, if in the flr!l: John4. 19. place we were not khfib_Inhat o.u~ Lord loves us: We love him (faith the Apofile ) be, caufo he jirff loved m; 1t IS Chnft sway of w•nnmg beans, he draws a lump of love out of hisownhearr, and calls it into the !Inner's hearr, and fo he loves him. Come then le~ us fir!\ take a view elf Chrin:s love.ro us, and fee if from ·henre any fparks of"love wlll fall on our hearts to love !urn agam. Should I make a table of C.hri,1's a<'hoflove, and free-grace r_o us, I ~ight begin with thateternit¥ of hi> love before the beginning, ~nd n~ver end ull I draw 11 d~wn to that eternity of h1s love Without all ending, his J,ve 1~ as h1s mercy_, from everla!\m~ tO everla~m~; he Joyed us bef~re ume, in the begin– .l)lng of tllll'e, m the fulnefs of nme, at thiS ume the flames of h1s love are as hot in his; · --~ .-~ Breft as they were at fidl:, and when time lhall be no more he will love us !!ill . this fire of Heavrn is everlalling; there is in the breft of Chrill an eternal coal of b~rning love, that nev~r. never fl.all be quenched. But I have in fome meafure already difcovered all thofe aCl.s of his grace and love, till his fecond coming: and therefore I begin there. · · , I. Chri!\ will come; is not this love ? as his d~pa~ture was. a rich te!limony of hi 5 John 14 ., 8• love. lt u expedient for you that I go away; fo ".Ills retur~m.g, I will not le,we yo 11 comfortlefs, 1 wz/1come unto you; Ohho~can we thmk of Chnt1 s returmng, and not meditate on the grearnefs·of h1s love? m1ght he not fend hiS Angels, bar he .ou!l come himfelf? is it not frate and majelly enough to have the Angels come for U<, but that he himfelf mull come with his Angels, to meet us more than half the way? what King on Earth would adopt a brggar, and after his adoption wouJJ bimfelf go in prrfon, to fetch him from the dungh•l to his Throne? we are filthy lazars, from the crown of our heads to the foles of our feet we are full of fares, and yet the King of Heavenpu son his bell attire, and comes in perfon with all his retinue -of glory, to fetch us from our graves, to his own Coun of Heaven. Oh the loves of Chrifl in this one act, he will come again, he is bur gone for a while, but he will come again in hi. own perfon. 2. Chri!l will weko'lle all his Saints into his prefence; and is not this love? after he is come down from Heaven; he !lays for them awhile in the clouds and commanding his Angels to bring them thither, anon they come; and oh how his heart fprings within him at their coming! what throbs and pangs of love are in his heart at the fir!! view .of them? as they draw near , and fall down at his feer, ond worlbip him; fo he draws near, and'falls upon their necks, and welcomes them. Methinks I hear him fay, Come ble!fedfouh,youare my purcha[t, for. whdm I CIYZJenantedwith my Father from eternity; 0 you ar. dearly rveloome to your Lord, in rhttt now I have you in my arm!; I feel the fruit of my death, the accrpttttion ofmy {acrificr, the return •f my prayrn; for thu I WM born and ilyed, for thi< I Yo{e again and afctnded into Hea'ven, for tht! I have interceded 11 Prieff in Het~vm thefe many years ; ·artd how I have the end and dejign of d/1 my aEtings anilfHjferingi f•r you, how u. my joy .ft<ljilled! look<!~ at the meeting of rwo Joyers there is great joy, efpwally tf the d1ftance bath been great, and the defires of enJOY· ing one another vehement ; fo is the meeting of Chrill: wiJh hi. Saints; the j~y is fo great that it runs over, and wets.the fa1r brows, and beaureous locks of Cherub1ms and Seraphims . and all the Angels have a parr of thi; banquet at this day. 3. Chrifr will fentence his Saints for eternal life; here is love indeed, every word of the fenten€e is full of lo•e ; it contains the reward of his Saints, a reward beyond their work, andbeyond their wages, and beyond the promife. and beyond their thoughts, and beyond rheii· underflaqding; it is a participation of the joys of God, and of the inheritance of the Judge himfelf: Come enter into your Majfm joy, inherit the IGng– do>l1. Oh but if all the Saints have onely one Kingdom, wl1ere is my room? ltar not 0 my foul, thou lhlt have room enough; though but one Kingdom, yet all the Inha– bitants rl1ere are Kings; whole Heaven is fuch aKingdom, as is intiuly, and fully injoyed
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