The True Christian's Love of the Unseen Christ — Section 3

Thirdly, concerning the love which true Christians do bear to this unseen Christ. Love is the going forth of the heart to the object beloved; and the love which true Christians do bear to Jesus Christ, is a grace wrought by the Spirit in their hearts, whereby upon discovery and believing apprehensions of Christ's infinite loveliness and excellency, his matchless love, grace, and mercy; their hearts do go forth towards him in earnest desires after union to him, and communion with him, wherein they take chief complacency; and this accompanied with a yielding and dedication of themselves to his will and service.

1. The love of Christians to Christ, is a grace wrought in their hearts by the Spirit. It is a flower most sweet and fragrant, but there is no seed of it in the nature of any man since the fall, it is planted in the soul by the Spirit of God. Love to Christ is a divine spark, that comes down from above; a fire which is kindled by the breath of the Lord, whose [reconstructed: Essence] is Love.

2. The ground of this love to Christ, is the discovery and believing apprehensions of Christ's loveliness and love. There must be first a discovery of Christ as a suitable object for love, and not a bare notion of this, but believing apprehensions of it, that Christ is infinitely lovely, superlatively excellent; and that his love is matchless and transcendent towards the children of men, that there is a treasury in him, and a storehouse of all graces, and the most needful and rich supplies; otherwise there will be no going forth of the heart in love to him.

3. The actings of Christians' love to Christ, is in their desires after union to, and communion with Christ. It is the nature of love to desire union to the object beloved; especially of this love to Christ: and this union being attained, the desires are after communion with Christ, converse and fellowship with him; no converse is so desirable as with the persons whom we most dearly love: and this communion being attained, there is chief complacency therein, the soul does sweetly rest and repose itself in Christ, and rejoices in his presence and love.

4. The concomitant of this love which true Christians have to Christ, is a yielding and dedication of themselves to his will and service. Lovers do give themselves to those whom they love; this accompanies the marriage union: and such as love Christ, they are espoused and joined to Christ; and they give themselves to Christ to be his, and wholly at his dispose, as the wife gives herself to the dispose of her husband.