Thirdly, Christ seeks thy love; here is the admiration of mercy, that our Saviour that hath been rejected by a company of sinful creatures, should seek their love: for shame refuse him not, but let ⟨p. 288⟩him have love before he go. Had the Lord received us when we had come unto him, and humbled our hearts before him with deep importunity; and had he heard us when we had cried unto him, nay, when we had spent all our days, and all our strength in begging and craving one good look from heaven, and at the day of our departure taken compassion upon us, it had been an infinite mercy; but when the Lord Jesus Christ shall seek to us by his messengers (as all the Ministers are his messengers) to accept of his love, this is beyond all expression: I say, if he had only sent a love letter from heaven, and said that he was willing to match with us, and had left us to find out the way and the means, it had been beyond all wonder; but that the Lord Jesus Christ should come and wait upon us, and seek our love, it is the wonder of mercies. When a company of base lusts and sinful desires have found acceptance with us, and the door hath been open upon all occasions to talk with them, though the Lord Jesus Christ hath often come and said, Oh muse upon my name, and not upon the world and these lusts; and we would not hear him: when, I say, you and your adulteresses have been upon the bed of dalliance, and Christ hath been at the door, and could get no audience, nor acceptance: yet after all this, he hath not only called, but seriously besought us to be reconciled to him, that is, to love him, and to be beloved of him, and blessed by him for ever; these are the terms of his love. What shall I answer the Lord? will the Lord seek ⟨p. 289⟩our love? then return him this answer, and say, Shall he seek love and not have it? shall he crave it, and I not give it? Oh God forbid. Can the Lord Jesus Christ be in love with me? In truth Lord I am out of love with my self, by reason of my base heart, and filthy thoughts; I have abused thy Majesty from time to time, by following my base lusts, adulteries and abominations; I have not only loved the world, but filled my self therewith: and thus my adulterous heart hath gone away from thee to them. But will the Lord Jesus love such a wretch as I am? Yes, he will; for the Lord saith, Hosea 14.5.
Thirdly, Christ seeks thy love; here is the admimiration of mercy, that our Saviour that hath been rejected by a company of sinfull creatures, should seeke their love: for shame refuse him not, but let ⟨p. 288⟩him have love before he goe. Had the Lord received us when we had come unto him, and humbled our hearts before him with deepe importunity; and had he heard us when we had cryed unto him, nay, when we had spent all our daies, and all our strength in begging and craving one good looke from heaven, and at the day of our departure taken compassion upon us, it had beene an infinite mercy; but when the Lord Jesus Christ shall seeke to us by his messengers (as all the Ministers are his messengers) to accept of his love, this is beyond all expression: I say, if he had onely sent a love letter from heaven, and said that he was willing to match with us, and had left us to finde out the way and the means, it had beene beyond all wonder; but that the Lord Jesus Christ should come and wait upon us, and seek our love, it is the wonder of mercies. When a company of base lusts and sinfull desires have found acceptance with us, and the doore hath been open upon all occasions to talke with them, though the Lord Jesus Christ hath often come and said, Oh muse upon my name, and not upon the world and these lusts; and we would not heare him: when, I say, you and your adulteresses have beene upon the bed of dalliance, and Christ hath beene at the doore, and could get no audience, nor acceptance: yet after all this, he hath not onely call'd, but seriously besought us to be reconciled to him, that is, to love him, and to be beloved of him, and blessed by him for ever; these are the tearmes of his love. What shall I answer the Lord? will the Lord seek ⟨p. 289⟩our love? then returne him this answer, and say, Shall he seeke love and not have it? shall he crave it, and I not give it? Oh God forbid. Can the Lord Jesus Christ be in love with me? In truth Lord I am out of love with my selfe, by reason of my base heart, and filthy thoughts; I have abused thy Majesty from time to time, by following my base lusts, adulteries and abominations; I have not only loved the world, but filled my selfe therewith: and thus my adulterous heart hath gone away from thee to them. But will the Lord Jesus love such a wretch as I am? Yes, he will; for the Lord saith, Hosea 14.5.
