Book II. C H R I S T A B R I D E G R 0 0 M. METAPHO~ PARALLEL above a/! the Galileans, becauft they Juffered fuch 'l'hings? I tellyou nay, exceptye repent, yejhalt all lihwife perijh, Luke xiii. 2, 3. VIII. A Lover makes Offers of VIII. Jefus Chrifl: offer~ his Love unto Sinners; Love unto the Perfon he has fixed Chewing how willing he is to embrace them in the his Eye upon, and ufes divers ArArms of his Mercy. He commends his Favor guments, to perfuade her to yield and good Will to Sinners many ways: Fir.ft,. By or confent unto hiS Requefl:. hiS taking our Nawre upon hrm, and commg mto the World. Secondly, By thofe hard Things he met with in this Life for our fakes. 'l'hirdly, By fhedding of his Blood. Fourthly, He commends his Love by the continual Motions of his Spirit upon our Hearts, and by thofe inward Checks of Confcience, be/ides thole bleifed Offers and Tenders of Grace, which dropped from his gracious Lips: If any Man thir.ft, let him come unto me and drink, Job vii. 37· Look unto me, and befaved, allye Ends of the Earth, Ifa. xlv. 22; Come to me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I wilt gi·ve you Re.ft, Matt. xi. 28. Behold ljland at the Door, and knock: If any Man hear my Voice, and open the Door, I will come in unto him, and fup with him, and he with me, Rev. iii. 20. IX. A true Lover refpects his IX. J efus Chrifl: loves poor Sinners, not for intended Bride, more than Wealth, any Thing he fees in them, not for Beauty, Riches, Beauty, ec. It is not the Portion, &c. for naturally Mankind hath nothing that may but the Perfon his Eye is princirender them any way defirable in Chrift's Eye ; pally fet upon. he might fee enough in them to loath them, but X. Such a Perfon fues hard, ufes weighty Arguments to prevail, and will not quickly take a Denial. nothing to love them. X. Jefus Chrifl: fues hard, is very importu– nate, ufes many powerful and weighty Arguments to prevail with Sinners to accept of the Terms of Grace, and join in an holy Contract of Love with him. r. One is taken from the Dignity of his Perfon, being the Root and Off·./Pring of D11vid; David's Lord, as well as David's Son. I (faith he) and my Father are one. 2. From that early Love and good Will he bore to them: When tl:iere were no Depths, was I brought forth: When he gave the Sea his Decree,-'l'hcn was I by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his Delight, rejoicing always before him: Rejoicing in the ha– bitable Parts of the Earth, and my Delights were with the Sons of Men, Prov. viii. 24, 29, 30, 31. And in another Place, I have loved thee with an everla.fting Love, therefore with Loving-kindnefs have I drawn thee, Jer. xxxi. 3· From the Intention or Purpofe of his coming fo long a Journey; I am come that ye may have Life,-Not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance :-Come to ftek and to fave that which was loft. 4· His great Abafement and Condefcenfion. 5· From his Suffering: I lay down my Life for my Sheep. Can there be a greater Argument than this? 6. He argues with Sinners from the Confideration of their own Mifery, and that abfolute Neceffity there is of clofing with him, and the blefi'ed Effects of it: He that believeth on the Son, bath e·verlaj/ing Life; and he that believeth not the Son, Jhall not fee Life, but the Wrath of God abideth on him, John iii. 36. XI. A faithful Suitor waits long, and hath much Patience, before he will defifl: or give over his Suit and yet thinks nothing too much that he fuffers or does endure for her Sake; as appears concerningJacob, who ferved feven Years for Rachel: And they feemed unto him but a few Days, for the Love he had to her, Gen. xxix. 20. Locks with the Drops of the Night, XII. One that intends to make a Perfon his Bride, and only Con– fort, expreffes great Love ; his Love is iOmetimes much more than he can well exprefs ; it is very XI. Jefus Chrifl: waits long, and hath much Pati• ence, before he doth delifl: from his Suit, and leave Sinners to perifh in their Iniquities. How long did infinite Patience wait upon the old World? was it not one hundred and twenty Years? and forty Years upon Ifrael in the Wildernefs: I hive (faith he) .JPread ot1t my Hands all the Day unto a rebellious People, Ifa. lxv. 2. But if he prevails at lafl:, he thinks nothing too much that he has fuf– fered for Sinners. He waits at the Door of his Spoufe, until his Head is wet with Dew, and his Cant. v. 2. yet does he not think all too much. XII. J e!i.Js Chrifl: doth exprefs and manifefl: great Love to Sinners, which he intends to take into Covenant-Relation with himfelf. His Love, like the Nile, overflows all Banks and Bounds; his Grace is without Limits, beyond the Love of Jo4 K nathmt
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