Section 2

2. That Christ will manifest himself to them that love him, appears, in that His love does engage Him, and His word does engage Him to this. His love does engage Him, the love of Christ is like fire, that cannot conceal itself long, and no fire so strong, and has such a vehement flame as the love of Christ to His people. Joseph had a great love to his brothers notwithstanding all their unkindness, and although he concealed himself for a while, and spoke roughly to them, yet after they were sensible of their fault, and were filled with perplexing fears, he could conceal himself no longer from them, as in (Genesis 45:1). Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all that stood by him, he wept aloud, and said to his brothers, I am Joseph, and verse 4, Joseph said to his brothers, come near me, I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt. So Christ may conceal himself for a while from his people, whatever love he has to them, and whatever they have to him; some unkindnesses they have shown may be the cause of this hiding, but when they are sensible of their fault, full of grief and perplexity for their offenses, his love will not permit him to hide himself much longer. His love will engage Him to manifest and discover himself, and say, I am Jesus your Savior, come near me my brothers, come near me, that you may have a clearer view of me, that you may know me and know that I do love you. The word also of Christ does engage him to manifest Himself to them that love Him: it is Christ's promise here in the text, He that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Christ's word is sure, true and faithful is Christ's name; the ordinances of the heaven may sooner fail, than Christ fail of His word and promise.