Thirdly, Then there shall be an open manifestation, and glorious declaration of the dearest love of the Lord toward them; before the great day of marriage comes, there is love expressed, concluded between the parties, and it may be some few know of it, as Friends, and some of the Family; but the open declaration is at the day of marriage; so Christ loves his people now, &c. and will not only love them then, but openly declare his love before all the world; Come ye blessed; he shall declare then his own love, Matth. 10. 32. Luke 12, 8. He that hath made it his glory to confess Christ in a holy life, Christ will confess him before God and before Angels; and so before all the world: Men in great place will not know their poor friends, especially in open places; but the Lord Jesus will, and he will divulge the Fathers love to them also, Act, 3. 19. You blessed of the Father, Joh. 17. 22, 23, 24. I have given them that glory, united them and made them flesh of my flesh, that the world may know thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Here the Lord doth love his people dearly, but it is not so known; the Sun shines on good ⟨p. 112⟩and bad; the world hates and persecutes them as Hypocrites; civil men think them like themselves; worldlings think them as little loved as any, their estates thrive not; Hypocrites bear a base esteem of them; and if they love them, 'tis because they love them; Saints themselves many times suspect them; or if not, yet they judge as well of others as them; nay it may be they are so disfigured sometimes by those sores that break out of them; that they know not themselves; but now the Lord will openly declare his love to them, and to all the world besides; These are the men which I have born on my breast, and carried on my shoulders; for whom I have built and planted Churches, and destroyed enemies, and trod the wine-press alone, and preferred above mine own life, and blood and glory; whose hairs have been numbered by me, whose walls have been continually before me. No greater misery to a holy heart than this: Psal. 42. 10. Where is now thy God? So when conscience saith, and men say it here: Oh what a mercy is it that then it shall be heard, I am now come to comfort thee!
Thirdly, Then there shall be an open manifestation, and glorious declaration of the dearest love of the Lord toward them; before the great day of mariage comes, there is love expressed, concluded between the parties, and it may be some few know of it, as Friends, and some of the Family; but the open declaration is at the day of mariage; so Christ loves his people now, &c. and will not only love them then, but openly declare his love before all the world; Come ye blessed; he shall declare then his own love, Matth. 10. 32. Luke 12, 8. He that hath made it his glory to confess Christ in a holy life, Christ will confess him before God and before Angels; and so before all the world: Men in great place will not know their poor friends, especially in open places; but the Lord Jesus will, and he will divulge the Fathers love to them also, Act, 3. 19. You blessed of the Father, Ioh. 17. 22, 23, 24. I have given them that glory, united them and made them flesh of my flesh, that the world may know thou hast loved them as thou hast loved me. Here the Lord doth love his people dearly, but it is not so known; the Sun shines on good ⟨p. 112⟩and bad; the world hates and persecutes them as Hypocrites; civil men think them like themselves; worldlings think them as little loved as any, their estates thrive not; Hypocrites bear a base esteem of them; and if they love them, 'tis because they love them; Saints themselves many times suspect them; or if not, yet they judge as well of others as them; nay it may be they are so disfigured sometimes by those sores that break out of them; that they know not themselves; but now the Lord will openly declare his love to them, and to all the world besides; These are the men which I have born on my brest, and caried on my shoulders; for whom I have built and planted Churches, and destroyed enemies, and trod the wine-press alone, and prefered above mine own life, and blood and glory; whose hairs have been numbred by me, whose walls have been continually before me. No greater misery to a holy heart than this: Psal. 42. 10. Where is now thy God? So when conscience saith, and men say it here: Oh what a mercy is it that then it shall be heard, I am now come to comfort thee!
