Ambrose - Houston-Packer Collection BX5200 .A49 1674

Book VL 1Loohtng unto 'Jjefu.s. Chap. 2. Sect. 6. 635 ----:-:-::---:--=-:~::- joyed by one glorified Saint, all and evory one hath the whole Kingdom at ~is own will, cveryoneis fillcdwirhGod as ifrherewere no fellows there to lhare Wtthhtm. Oh tlm I may come under this blelfed fenrence! never was more love exprelfod in words, than Chrift exprelfeth in this fentence, Come ye ble!Jed, eh. 4· Chrifl: will take up all his Saints witlthim into glory; where 11\: will prefent them to his Father; and then be their all in all roall eternity. This is the height of Cluifl:'s love . this is the immediate love that comes our from the precious heart and bowels of Jefu; Chrirt; this is that Zenith of love, when fenli~ly and feelingly it burns at hottelt; it is true, that Chrilt's love breaks out in all thofe precedaneous ads, we have already fpoken . oh but what loves will he call: out from himfelf in glory? the more excellent the foyi is, and rhe nearerrhe Sun is, rhe tnore of Summer, and rhe more of day; the more delidom mufl: be the Apples•. the Pomgranares, the Rofes, the Liilies that grow there; furely Cht'ift in glory is a blclfed foyl ; Rofes, and Lillie>, and Apple·s of love, that are eternally Summer-green and fweer, grow our of him; the honey of Heaven is more than honey; the honey of love that is pure, and unmixt, and glorious in Chrift, mult needs be incomparable. I cannot fay, but that Chrifl:'s love, like himfelf, is the · f m"eyef/erday, and to day, andfor ever; there is no intenflon, or remiffion of his love . as in it felf; for God is love, he is elfenrially love ; and therefore admits of no degree!; 1 John4• e. yet in refpeCl: of the fenfe, or manifeltarion of this love of Chrilt, there mult needs be a difference; thus if he loved his Spoufe on Earth, how much more will he love her when his Bride in Heaven? If he loves us while !inners, and enemies to his holinefs, flow much more will he love us, when we are (ons, and perfected Samts in glory? he that could fpread his arms, and open his heart on the Crofs, will he not then open arms, and hean , and all to them that rdgn with hitn in his Kingdom? if in this life fuch is loves puilfance, thlt we ufually fay of Chrifl:, Though the head be in Heaven; yet he hatb left hi< heart on Earth with Jinners; what fhall We fay of Chri!l: in glory, where love like the Sun ever ftands in the Zenith? where the mmal God t5 the fouls everlafling re: Deu~ 33· 27; fu.ge, and Jmderneath are hU tfl/erlafting arms l 2. And if Chrifl: love thus; how lhould we.l~ve again for fud1 a love? Lord, what a fum of love are we indebtedtd thee'?' is it poffible that ever we lbould pay the debt? can we love as high, as deep, as broad, as long as l~ve it felf, or as Chrill: himfelf? no, no ; all we can do is but to love a lirtle; and oh t~~t in the conflderation of his love we could love a Jirde in !incetity ! Oh that we were but able feelingly to fay, why Lord t lovethec, I feel 1/ovethce, even M I feel !love my friend, or M I feel flo:ue my felf. Such arguments of love have been laid before us, as rhat now I know no more; we have feen tvhole Chria tap-a-pe; we have heard of the lov~s of Cbrifl:from eternity to eternity; We have had a view of rhe eyerla~ing Gofpd of Jefus,Cbrifl:, wherein his love is repre~ fenred to lls as hot as deato, or as tl\e flame~of God; and do v.re nor yet love hitn? bath Chrifl all this while opened his breofi and heart t<l us, faying, Friends, doves, csmei,, M'!d dwell in the holes of thisroclU And do we fcratch his breall:? do we turn oi'lr backs uponhim, and requite his Jove wirh ha~red? furely this is more than fin . for what is tlb but a mnfgrellion of the Law? bur this !in i; both a tranfgreffion of La~ and Gofpel. What? ro fpurn againft thew~tm bowels of love? to fpit on grace? to difdain him who is the white and ruddy, the faltefl of Heaven? oh the aggravation of this fin! its an heart of flint.and adamant that fpits at Evangelick love: Law-love is love, but Evange– lick loveis tilore than love ; irs the gold, the llower of Chrifl:'s wheat, and of his fine!l: love. Oh the many Gofpel-palfages of love that we bave heard! oh the fweet fiream~ of lov·e that we have followed, rill now that we are come to a Sea of love, to an Heaven of love, to an infinite, eternal, everlaltihg love in Heaven! I want words ro e1'prefs this love of Jefus; aSea of love is·nothing, i.t bath a bottO!Il ; an Heaven of love is no– thing, it hath a brim; but infinite, eternal, evetlalting love bath no bottom, no brim, no bounds, and do we not yet loV~ him? do we not yet.feel the fire of love break forth? if nor, it is time to turn our P~e1thing into Praying; 0 thoH wh• art the Element or Sun of love, come '&ir.h thy power, let amolzebeam, o~e ray, 'one gleam of love upon my foul, jhine hot itpon my heart, caffmy fo11l into alove~tranfo, remember thy promife to circumcifemyheart, Deut. 30. 6 that/may lovetheLordmyGod withallmyheart, ·andwithallmjfolll. Surely rhe great _ Marriage of the Lamb is co'n\ing on, he will cotne, and welcome all hi' Saints into hi• prHence, he will bid them inherit the Kingdom, and put them in apolfe!lion of the in– berilance; andrhenwecanno~ choofebur love our Jefuswirh all our hearts, and with all our for1ls; onely begin"we ir here; let us now be flck o~ ~ve, th~t "!'_emay rhen be Zzz 2 · wd \ --- . -

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