A64995:139
The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to…
The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to excite and promote the decaying love of Christ in the hearts of Christians with an appendix concerning Christs manifestation of himself to them that love him / by Thomas Vincent.
London: printed by J.R. for Samuel Sprint, 1677
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
6. Consider the Necessity of this love unto Jesus Christ.
1. The love of Christ is universally necessary: some of you have need to do this thing, and others of you have need to do that; but all of you have the greatest need to love Christ: some of you have need of this Friend, and to love him, that you ⟨p. 106⟩may keep him, and others of you have need of another Friend, one Friend; cannot serve the necessities of all; but all of you have need of Christ for your Friend: he is the only Friend that can serve all your necessities, and you have need to love him above all Friends; it is necessary that you who are poor should love Christ, who have but few or no Friends; and it is necessary that you who are rich should love Christ who have many Friends; Christ being a Friend instead of all to them that have none, and better than all to them that have the most.
2. The love of Christ is absolutely and indispensably necessary: it is not necessary that you should climb up into a high seat of dignity and honour; but it is absolutely necessary that your Affections should climb up and ascend to Jesus Christ who is above; it is not necessary that you should abound in wealth, that you should have full bags, and full coffers, and much riches in your houses, but it is absolutely necessary that you should have the Riches of this Grace of love to Jesus Christ in your Hearts. Food is not so necessary to satisfy your hunger, clothes are not so necessary to cover you• nakedness, houses are not so necessary to shelter ⟨p. 107⟩you from the injury of the Weather; the most needful thing is not so necessary to you• bodies, as this love to Jesus Christ is necessary to your Souls. You may be poor and in the lowest condition here on Earth, and yet be truly happy whilst you live, and Eternally happy in the other world, if you have this love, to Jesus Christ; but without this love whatever your Riches, and Honours, and Friends, your Earthly delights and enjoyments be though never so desirable, never so plentiful, yet you are miserable, and shall be, miserable. You may love other Persons and Things in the world subordinately, but you must love Jesus Christ chiefly, otherwise you are under the curse both of the Law and Gospel, and you cannot escape the vengeance of Hell.