ter. us. I preach, saith he, among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ: or those riches of Christ that cannot by searching, be found out in the all of them: The riches, the riches of his love and grace. The riches of his love and grace towards For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be made* rich.' 2 Co. viii. 9. Ye know the grace, that is so far, and so far every believer knows it: for that his leaving heaven and taking upon him flesh, that he might bring us thither, is manifest to all. But yet, all the grace that was wrapped up in that amazing condescension, knoweth none, nor can know: for if that might be, that possibility would be a flat contradiction to the text: The love of Christ which passeth knowledge.' Wherefore the riches of this love in the utmost of it, is not, cannot be known by any: let their understand ing and knowledge, be heightened and improved what it may. Yea, and being heightened and improved, let what search there can by it be made into this love and grace. That which is afar off, and exceeding deep, who can find out?' Ecc. vii. 24. And that this love of Christ is so, shall anon be made more apparent. But at present we will proceed to particular challenges for the making out of this, and then we will urge those reasons that will be for the further confirmation of the whole. First, This love passes the knowledge of the wisest saint, we now single out the greatest proficient in this knowledge; and to confirm this, I need go no further than to the man that spake these words; to wit, Paul, for in his conclusion he includes himself. The love of Christ which passeth knowledge, even my knowledge. As who should say; though I have waded a great way in the grace of Christ, and have as much experience of his love as any he in all the world, yet I confess myself short, as to the fulness that is therein, nor will I stick to conclude of any other, That he knows nothing yet as he ought to know.' 1 Co. viii. 2. and xiii. 12. Second, This love passeth the knowledge of all the saints, were it all put together, we, we all, and every one, did we each of us contribute for the manifesting of this love, what it is, the whole of what we know, it would amount but to a broken knowledge; we know but in part, we see darkly, 1 Co. xiii. 9-12. we walk not by sight, but faith. 2 Co. v. 7. True, now we speak of saints on earth. Third, But we will speak of saints in heaven; they cannot to the utmost, know this love of Christ. For though they know more thereof than saints on earth, because they are more in the open visions of it, and also are more enlarged, being spirits per * Bunyan quotes this passage from the puritan version; valgarly called 'The Breeches Bible.' The present authorized translation is 'might be rich.' fect, than we on earth. Yet, to say no more now, Fourth, We will join with these, the angels, and when all of them with men, have put all and every whit of what they know of this love of Christ together, they must come far short of reaching to, or of understanding the utmost bound thereof. I grant, that angels do know, in some certain parts of knowledge of the love of Christ, more than saints on earth can know while here; but then again, I know that even they do also learn many things of saints on earth, which shews that themselves know also but in part; Ep. iii. 10. so then, all, as yet, as to this love of Christ, and the ut most knowledge of it, are but as so many imperfects, 1 Pe. i. 12. nor can they all, put all their imperfects together, make up a perfect knowledge of this love of Christ; for the texts do yet stand where they did, and say, his riches are unsearchable, and his love that which passeth knowledge. We will come now to shew you, besides what has been already touched on, THE REASON why this riches is unsearchable, and that love such as passeth knowledge; and the Reason First is, Because It is eternal. All that is eternal, has attending of it, as to the utmost knowledge of it, a fourfold impossibility. 1. It is without beginning. 2. It is without end. 3. It is infinite. 4. It is incomprehensible. 1. It is without beginning: That which was before the world was, is without a beginning, but the love of Christ was before the world. This is evident from Proverbs the eighth, 'his delights,' before God had made the world, are there said to be, with the sons of men.' Not that we then had being, for we were as yet uncreated; but though we had not beings created, we had being in the love and affections of Jesus Christ. Now this love of Christ must needs, as to the fulness of it, as to the utmost of it, be absolutely unknown to man. Who can tell how many heart-pleasing thoughts Christ had of us before the world began? Who can tell how much he then was delighted in that being we had in his affections; as also, in the consideration of our beings, believings, and being with him afterwards. In general we may conclude, it was great; for there seems to be a parallel betwixt his Father's delights in him, and his delights in us. I was daily his delight, and my delights were with the sons of men.' Pr. vii. 22, 30, 31. But I say, who can tell, who can tell altogether, what and how much the Father delighted in his Son before the world began? Who can tell what kind of delight the Father had in the Son before the world began? Why there seems to be a parallel betwixt the Father's love to Christ, and Christ's love to us; the Father's delight in Christ, and his delight in us. Yea, Christ confirms it, saying, 'As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you, continue ye in my love.' Jn. xv. 9. I know that I am not yet upon the nature of the word eternal; yet since, by eternal, we understand, before the world began, as well as forward, to an endless for-ever: We may a little enquire of folks as they may read, if they can tell the kind or measure of the love wherewith Christ then loved us. I remember the question that God asked Job, Where,' saith he, wast thou when I laid the foundation of the earth? declare if thou hast understanding:' Job xxxviii. 4. Thereby insinuating that because it was done before he had his being, therefore he could not tell how it was done. Now, if a work so visible, as the creation is, is yet as to the manner of the workmanship thereof wholly unknown to them that commenced in their beings afterwards: How shall that which has, in all the circumstances of it, been more hidden and inward, be found out by them that have intelligence thereof by the ear, and but in part, and that in a mystery, and long afterwards. But to conclude this, That which is eternal is without all beginning. This was presented to consideration before, and therefore it cannot to perfection be known. 2. That which is eternal is without end, and how can an endless thing be known, that which has no end has no middle, wherefore it is impossible that the one half of the love that Christ has for his church should ever by them be known. I know that those visions that the saved shall have in heaven of this love, will far transcend our utmost knowledge here, even as far as the light of the sun at noon, goes beyond the light of a blinking candle at midnight; and hence it is, that when the days of those visions are come, the knowledge that we now have, shall be swallowed up. 'When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.' 1 Co. xiii. 10. And although he speaks here of perfections, when that which is perfect is come,' &c., yet even that per| fection must not be thought to be such as is the perfection of God; for then should all that are saved be so many eternals and so many infinites, as he is infinite. But the meaning is, we shall then be with the eternal, shall immediately enjoy him with all the perfection of knowledge, as far as is possible for a creature, when he is wrought up to the utmost height that his created substance will bear to be capable of. But for all that, this perfection will yet come short of the perfection of him that made him, and consequently, short of knowing the utmost of his love; since that in the root is his very essence and nature. I know it says also, that we shall know even as we are known. But yet this must not be understood, as if we should know God as fully as he knows us. It would be folly and madness so to conclude; but the meaning is, we are known for happiness; we are known of God, for heaven and felicity; and when that which is perfect is come, then shall we perfectly know, and enjoy that for which we are now known of God. And this is that which the Apostle longed for, namely, If by any means, he might apprehend that for which he was also apprehended of Christ Jesus. Phi. iii. 12. That is, know, and see that, unto the which he was appointed of God and apprehended of Christ Jesus. 'Tis said again, We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' 1 Jn. iii. 2. This text has respect to the Son, as to his humanity, and not as to his divinity. And not as to his divinity, simply, or distinctly considered; for as to that it is as possible for a spirit to drink up the sea, as for the most enlarged saint that is, or ever shall be in glory, so to see God as to know him altogether, to the utmost, or throughout. But the humanity of the Son of God, we shall see throughout, in all the beauty and glory that is upon him; and that was prepared for him before the foundation of the world. And Christ will that we see this glory, when he takes us up in glory to himself; Jn. xvii. 24. but the utmost boundlessness of the divine majesty, the eternal deity of the Son of God, cannot be known to the utmost or altogether. I do not doubt, but that there will then in him, I mean in Christ, and in us, break forth these glorious rays and beams of the eternal majesty, as will make him in each of us admirable one to another; 2 Th. i. 10. and that then, that of God shall be known of us, that now never entered into our hearts to think of. But the whole, is not, cannot, shall never be fully known of any. And therefore the love of Christ, it being It may be said, They there rest from their labours.' True, but not from their delights. All things then that once were burthensome, whether in suffering or service, shall be done away, and that which is delightful and pleasureable shall remain. But then will be a time to receive, and not to work. True, if by work you mean such as we now count work; but what if our work be there, to receive and bless. The fishes in the sea do drink, swim and drink. But for a further discourse of this, let that alone till we come thither. But to come down again into the world, for now we are talking of things aloft: cannot essential to himself, cannot be known because of the endlessness that is in it. I said before, that which has no end, has no middle, how then shall those that shall be in heaven eternally, ever pass True, I know over half the breadth of eternity. that all enjoyments there will be enjoyments eternal. Yea, that whatever we shall there embrace, or what embraces we shall be embraced with, shall be eternal; but I put a difference betwixt that which is eternal, as to the nature, and that which is so as to the durableness thereof. The nature of eternal things we shall enjoy, so soon as ever we come to heaven, but the duration of eternal things, them we shall never be able to pass through, for they are endless. So then, the eternal love of Christ, as to the nature of it, will be perfectly known of saints, when they shall dwell in heaven; but the endlessness thereof they shall And this will be their happinever attain unto. For could it be, that we should in heaven ever reach the end of our blessedness: (as we should, could we reach to the end of this love of Christ) why then, as the saying is, We should be at the land's end, and feel the bottom of all our enjoy-afore, we must necessarily know the nature of sin, ments. Besides, whatsoever has an end, has a time to decay, and to cease to be, as well as to have a time to shew forth its highest excellencies. Wherefore, from all these considerations it is most manifest, that the love of Christ is unsearchable, and that it passes knowledge. ness. 3. and 4. Now the other two things follow of course, to wit, That this love is infinite and incomprehensible. Wherefore here is that that still is above and beyond even those that are arrived to the utmost of their perfections. And this, if I may so say, will keep them in an employ, even when they are in heaven; though not an employ that is laboursome, tiresome, burthensome, yet an employ that is dutiful, delightful and profitable; for although the work and worship of saints in heaven is not particularly revealed as yet, and so 'it doth not yet appear what we shall be,' yet in the general we may say, there will be that for them to do, that has not yet by them been done, and by that work which they shall do there, their delight will be delight unto them. The law was the shadow and not the very image of heavenly things. He. x. 1. The image is an image, and not the heavenly things themselves He. ix. 23. (the heavenly things they are saints) there shall be worship in the heavens. Nor will this at all derogate God from their glory. The angels now wait and serve him; Ps. ciii. 20. the Son of God, is now a minister, and waiteth upon his service in heaven; He. viii. 1,2, some saints have been employed about service for God after they have been in heaven; Lu. ix. 29–32. and why we should be idle spectators, when we come thither, I see not reason to believe. VOL. II. upon Reason Second, This love of Christ must needs be beyond our knowledge, because we possibly know the utmost of our sin. Sin is that which sets out, and off, the knowledge of the love of Christ. There are four things that must be spoken to for the clearing of this. 1. The nature 3. The ut2. The aggravations of sin. of sin. 4. And the perfect knowmost tendencies of sin. ledge of all this. 1. Before we can know this love of Christ, as that is, what sin is, what sin is in itself. But no Besides, there are many sins committed by us, dropping from us, and that pollute us, that we are not at all aware of; how then should we know that love of Christ by which we are delivered from them? Lord, who can understand his errors?' said David. Ps. xix. 12. Consequently, who can unD derstand the love that saves him from them? more over, he that knows the love of Christ to the full, must also know to the full that wrath and anger of God, that like hell itself, burneth against sinners for the sake of sin: but this knows none. Lord, who knoweth the power of thine anger?' said Moses. Ps. xc. 11. Therefore none knows this love of Christ to the full. The nature of sin is to get into our good, to mix itself with our good, to lie lurking many times under the formality and shew of good; and that so close, so cunningly, and invisibly, that the party concerned, embraces it for virtue, and knows not otherwise to do; and yet from this he is saved by the love of Christ; and therefore, as was hinted but now, if a man doth not know the nature of his wound, how should he know the nature and excellency of the balsam that hath cured him of his wound. 2. There are the due aggravations that belong to sin, which men are unacquainted with; it was one of the great things that the prophets were concerned with from God towards the people, Je. ii. (as to shew them their sins, so) to shew them what aggravations did belong thereto, Je. iii. and Eze. xvi. There are sins against light, sins against knowledge, sins against love, sins against learning, sins against threatenings, sins against promises, vows and resolutions, sins against experience, sins against examples of anger, and sins that have great, and high, and strange aggravations attending of them; the which we are ignorant of, though not altogether, yet in too great a measure. Now if these things be so, how can the love that saveth us from them be known or understood to the full? Alas! our ignorance of these things is manifest by our unwillingness to abide affliction, by our secret murmuring under the hand of God; by our wondering why we are so chastised as we are, by our thinking long that the affliction is no sooner removed. Or, if our ignorance of the vileness of our actions is not manifest this way, yet it is in our lightness under our guilt, our slight thoughts of our doings, our slovenly doing of duties, and asking of forgiveness after some evil or unbecoming actions. 'Tis to no boot to be particular, the whole course of our lives doth too fully make it manifest, that we are wonderful short in knowing both the nature, and also the aggravations of our sins: and how then should we know that love of Christ in its full dimensions, by which we are saved and delivered therefrom? 3. Who knows the utmost tendencies of sin? I mean, what the least sin driveth at, and what it would unavoidably run the sinner into. There is not a plague, a judgment, an affliction, an evil under heaven, that the least of our transgressions has not called for at the hands of the great God! nay, the least sin calleth for all the distresses that | are under heaven, to fall upon the soul and body of the sinner at once. This is plain, for that the least sin deserveth hell; which is worse than all the plagues that are on earth. But I say, who understandeth this? And I say again, if one sin, the least sin deserveth all these things, what thinkest thou do all thy sins deserve? how many judgments! how many plagues! how many lashes with God's iron whip dost thou deserve? besides there is hell itself, the place itself, the fire itself, the nature of the torments, and the durableness of them, who can understand? But this is not all, the tendencies of thy sins are to kill others. Men, good men little think how many of their neighbours one of their sins may kill, As, how many good men and good women do unawares, through their uncircumspectness, drive their own children down into the deep? Ps. cvi. 6, 7. We will easily count them very hardhearted sinners, that used to offer their children in sacrifice to devils; when 'tis easy to do worse ourselves: they did but kill the body, but we body and soul in hell, if we have not a care. Do we know how our sins provoke God? how they grieve the Holy Ghost? how they weaken our graces? how they spoil our prayers? how they weaken faith? how they tempt Christ to be ashamed of us? and how they hold back good from us? And if we know not every one of all these things to the full, how shall we know to the full the love of Christ which saveth us from them all? 4. Again, But who has the perfect knowledge of all these things? I will grant that some good souls may have waded a great way in some one, or more of them; but I know that there is not any that thoroughly know them all. And yet the love of Christ doth save us from all, notwithstanding all the vileness and soul-damning virtue* that is in them. Alas! how short are we of the knowledge of ourselves, and of what is in us. How many are there that do not know that man consisteth of a body made of dust, and of an immortal soul? Yea, and how many be there of those that confess it, that know not the constitution of either. I will add, how many are there that profess themselves to be students of those two parts of man, that have oftentimes proved themselves to be but fools as to both? and I will conclude that there is not a man under heaven that knoweth it all together: For man is fearfully and wonderfully made:' Ps. cxxxix. 14. nor can the manner of the union of these two parts be perfectly found out. How much more then must we needs be at loss as to the fulness of the knowledge of the love of Christ? But, Reason Third, He that altogether knoweth the * 'Virtue,' secret agency: efficacy without visible or material action. 'Walker's Dictionary.'-Ed. THE SAINTS' KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE. love of Christ, must, precedent to that, know not | must be such, because love in the root of it, is only all the wiles of the devil; but also all the essential to his nature, as also I have proved now, plottings, contrivings and designs and attempts of as is the root, such are the branches; and as is that wicked one; yea, he must know, all the times the spring, such are the streams, unless the chanthat he hath been with God, together with all the nels in which those streams do run, should be cormotions that he has made that he might have leave rupted, and so defile it; but I know no channels to fall upon us, as upon Job and Peter, to try if through which this love of Christ is conveyed unto But us, but those made in his side, his hands, and his he might swallow us up. Job i. and ii. Lu. xxii. 31. who knows all this? no man, no angel. For, if feet, &c. Or those gracious promises that dropt the heart of man be so deep, that none, by all his like honey from his holy lips, in the day of his actions, save God, can tell the utmost secrets that love, in which he spake them: and seeing his love are therein; how should the heart of angels, which is conveyed to us, as through those channels, and in all likelihood are deeper, be found out by any so by the conduit of the holy and blessed spirit of mortal man. And yet this must be found out God, to our hearts, it cannot be that it should before we can find out the utmost of the love of hitherto be corrupted. I know the cisterns, to Christ to us. I conclude therefore from all these wit, our hearts, into which it is conveyed, are things, that the love of Christ passeth knowledge: unclean, and may take away much, through the or that by no means, the bottom, the utmost bounds damp that they may put upon it, of the native savour and sweetness thereof. I know also, that thereof can be understood. there are those that tread down, and muddy those streams with their feet; Eze. xxxiv. 18, 19. but yet neither the love nor the channels in which it runs, should bear the blame of this. And I hope those that are saints indeed, will not only be preserved to eternal life, but nourished with this that is incorruptible unto the day of Christ. Reason Fourth, He that will presume to say, this love of Christ can be to the utmost known by us, must presume to say that he knoweth the utmost of the merits of his blood, the utmost exercise of his patience, the utmost of his intercession, the utmost of the glory that he has prepared and taken But I presume that there possession of for us. is none that can know all this, therefore I may without any fear assert, there is none that knows, that is, that knows to the full, the other. We come now more particularly to speak of the knowledge of the love of Christ; we have spoken of the love of Christ; and of the exceeding greatness of it: and now we come, I told you before, that in the hour of temptation, it will be hard for the soul to hold fast to these things; that is, to the true definition of this love; for then, or at such seasons, it will not be admitted that the love of Christ is either transient, or mixed; but we count that we cannot be loved long, unless something better than yet we see in us, be found But these THIRD, To speak of the knowledge of it; that is there, as an inducement to Christ to love, and to continue to love our poor souls. Is. lxiv. 6. to say, we will shew the Christian at length gets over; for he sees, by WHAT KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST'S LOVE IS ATTAINABLE experience, he hath no such inducement; De. ix. 5. IN THIS WORLD, under these three heads. As to this, First, It This is general knowledge, and this is common among the saints, at leastwise in the notion of it. Though I confess, it is hard in time of temptation, practically to hold fast the soul to all these things. But, as I have said already, this love of Christ also, that Christ loves freely, and not for, or be- |