Section 1

Doctrine: That it is the property and duty of true Christians to love the Lord Jesus Christ, whom they have never seen.

In handling of this point I shall speak: 1. Concerning true Christians who do love Jesus Christ. 2. Concerning Jesus Christ whom they have never seen, the object of their love. 3. Concerning the love which they bore to this unseen Christ. 4. Show that it is the property of true Christians to love Jesus Christ whom they have never seen. 5. That it is their duty to love him. 6. How they ought to love him. 7. Why they do love him, where I shall give the reasons of the point. 8. Make some use and application.

1. Concerning true Christians whose property it is to love Jesus Christ whom they have never seen, whom having not seen you love, you love, that is, you who are true Christians, who are so in reality as well as profession; and of these true Christians that do love Christ, the Apostle does give a description in the 2nd verse, where he calls them, Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through Sanctification of the Spirit to obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. True Christians are Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, they are such whom God according to the Counsel of his own will, according to his own purpose and grace, did choose from all eternity to be a holy and peculiar people to himself, to glorify him here on earth, and that they might be glorified by him hereafter in heaven. And this election does evidence itself in the Sanctification of the Spirit, true Christians are sanctified being separated and set apart from the rest of the world, for God's use and service: God has sealed them for himself, and hereby distinguished them from all others, the motto of which seal is this, Holiness to the Lord. See a description of them in this respect (2 Timothy 2:21): If any man purges himself from these, he shall be a vessel to honor, sanctified and meet for the Master's use, and prepared to every good work: they are purged from the defilement of sin, which does pollute and dishonor them, they are vessels to honor, like those of silver and gold in a great house, which are adorned with pearls and precious stones; they are adorned with all sanctifying graces, which are of more worth than the richest jewels; and hereby they are both beautiful in God's eye, and they are made meet for God's use, being hereby prepared and enabled to every good work. This the Apostle prays for in the behalf of the Thessalonians (1 Thessalonians 5:23): And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly, and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. True Christians are sanctified wholly, in their whole man, though they be not sanctified thoroughly: they are sanctified in every part, though they are not sanctified in the highest degree. Their whole spirit is sanctified — that is the higher faculties of the soul, namely the understanding and the will — their understandings are enlightened by the Spirit to a spiritual discerning both of good and evil, beyond what any natural man does or can attain to; their wills are bowed, or rather rectified, and made straight, being inclined to God and his law. Their souls are sanctified in the inferior faculties, in all the affections belonging both to the concupiscible and the irascible appetite; their liking affections of love, desire, delight and hope are towards God and Christ and things above; their disliking affections of hatred, fear, grief and anger are towards sin. Their bodies also are sanctified being made members of Christ, and instruments of righteousness; their eyes, ears, tongues, hands, feet and every part being devoted to God and made use of for his glory; thus true Christians are sanctified by the Spirit. And they are sanctified to obedience, the graces which are wrought by the Spirit in their hearts, do appear in the obedience of their lives; the course of their lives is a course of obedience to the laws of Christ: they are sanctified to obedience and they are sanctified to sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ; God has set them apart to be sprinkled with the blood of the immaculate Lamb, who takes away sin that they might be pardoned and saved, such are true Christians who love Christ whom they have not seen.