374 SERMON s upon Seim. )(L V I forgotten ? Nay one mercy is the pledge of another, 2 Cor. 1. to Who bath delivered f1 from fo great a death, and doth deliver; in whom we trufi that he will yet deliver us. Ttìerefote whatever troubles come upAi us, we are more than conquerors, from him that loved us. 5. This Triumph is put into the mouths of a people deeply affl ed, or expofed to tribulation, diftrefs, perfecution, famine, nakednefs, peril, lµr id; 'sis thefe fay, We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Partly, to flew, that Chrift is not eftranged from his people by their afRiftions and troubles; th. íe do not vacate their intereft, nor caute his affeftion to ceafe. Whom the Lord loveth he rebuheth and chafineth, Rev. 3. 19. He doth not ceafe to love them, but rather is more tender of them, more willing to let out more of his love to them, the more they are wronged by others, And partly allo, to beget confidence; Chrifts love is more powerful to lave us, than the worlds hatred to deltroy us; for here,to the moil direful effeäs of the worlds hatred, is oppoled nothing but the love of Chrift, as a ground of triumph : we make too much of the worldshatred, if we think we are not fafe enough in Chrifts love, John 16. 33 In the world ye flail have tribulation, but in me ye [hall have peace; And finely Quilts peace Ihould counter- ballance all the worlds troubles. Judge you where we are be(t pro- vided for, by the worlds friendfhip, and Chrifts hatred; or by the worlds hatred, and Chrifts friendfktip. 2. The proof of the point. r. By Scripture; and there I (hall produce. two metaphors, the firft where Chrifts love is compared to a banner, Cant. 2. 4 His banner over me is love. A banner is a Mi- litary enfign : The Church is elfewhere defcribed to be terrible as an Army with ban- ners, becaufe of its order and ftrength; now what is the banner under which the Church fighteth with joy and vilory, again(tSin, Satan, and the World ! Chrifts enfign is his love to her that love by which he Redeemed u', and converted us, giveth us everla- fling confolation, and good hope through grace; this is the love that giveth us vi lory over all temptations. The other Metaphor, where Chrifts love is compared to the lining of a Chariot, Cant. 3. io. His Chariot is paved with love. Meaning, that Chariot where- in the Saints ride in triumph to Heaven. Love doth all for us; all the promifes run like pipes with 4reams of love ; all providences, or Chrifts difpenfations towards his people, are nothing elle but love.: a. By reafons taken from the properties of Chrifts love. i. 'Tis a tranlcendent love. All love, where it is real, 'cis carnal and vehement ; much more the love of Chrilt; for that is not to be meafured by an ordinary (tandard; for the Apoftle faith, Eph. 3.19. That you may know the love of Chrift which path hnow- ledge. The loveof Chrift to loft (inners, is fo vaft, boundlefs, and infinite, that there is no parallel whereby we may come to the knowledge of it, Rom. 5. 17, 18. We may know it as to admiration, but we cannot know it as to comprehenfion tothe full. Some- what we may know by what is fpoken of it in the Scripture; fomewhat by what we feel in our ['elves of the effefts of it : yea, we not only may know ir, but we ought to know -it fo far as may inflame our hearts with a love to God, and enable us to be faith- ful to him, whatever troubles we endure for his fake; now what may we not promife out (elves from fuch a love, as is not only above our exprefïton, but above'our corn. prehenlion ? He that dyed for fit.nets, will be not be kind to his people ? 2. 'Tis a tender love, and fuch as maketh him folicitous for our welfare : we the to fay, Res eft foliciti, plena timoris amor. Love is a follicitous thing, feareth not the danger or trouble of what is beloved. As Jacob was follicitous about Benjamin, left mifchief Ihould befall him in the way. As Epaphroditus had a follicitous care of the Philipians, and of any. trouble or forrow that might happen to them, Phil. 2. 26. Such is the care of Chrift over his people, efpecially when they are mofi in danger, then his love is molt at work for them, to provide help and cordials againit all temptations. He know. eth our weaknef and infirmities; for his people are ingraven on the palms of his bands, Lir 49. 16 yea, carryed in his heart, as the names of the Tribes on the'breaf of the High Prieft. So Chrift calleth his own fheep by name, and leadeth them, John lo. 3: Now knowing the danger to which they are expofed, his love doth incline him to pity them, and give them renewed proof of his affe&ion and care over them in their extremities, and doth ltrangely prefetve them in manifold dangers. 3. 'Tis
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=