The true Christians love of the unseen Christ, or, A discourse chiefly tending to…

SECT. VI.

I Come now to the Application: And here that I may to give to every one his Portion, I shall speak, 1. To you that have no Love unto Christ: 2. To you that have some Love to Christ, but are without these Manifestations. 3. To you that both love Christ, and have Manifestations of his love unto you.

Use 1. The First Use doth concern such as have no love at all unto Christ: Christ will manifest himself unto them ⟨p. 189⟩that love him, this is Children's Bread, and doth not belong to you, because you do not belong unto Christ; this is a choice and most rich Privilege, but you have nothing to do with it; Procul ite Profani. Avaunt all ye profane ones, all ye unclean ones, all ye ungodly ones, all Unbelievers whatsoever, who being without Faith, are also without Love to Christ; see that you come not near to lay your unclean hands upon this most excellent Promise; never look for any discovery of Christs love unto you whilst you go on in ways of Sin, whilst you are in your Natural Estate. I believe some of you may be ready to say, What if Christ doth not manifest himself unto us? let us have our Honours and Dignity, let us have our Wealth and Plenty, let us have our Friends and Delights, and let who will look after those airy and fanciful Satisfactions in Christs Manifestations. Sinners, is this your language either of tongue or heart? Let me tell you, one day you will sing another tune, you will be of another mind; one day you will acknowledge, that all the Happiness which you so eagerly pursued in the sweetest creature-enjoyments, was but a Fancy, that it was thin, light and airy; that it was ⟨p. 190⟩vain and empty, when all is fled away and left nothing behind but Stings and bitter Grief, but inward wounds, gripes, and dreads, upon the sight of approaching Death, and under apprehensions of approaching Wrath, and eternal Torments in Hell. Then what would you give for an Interest in Jesus Christ, and a well-grounded Persuasion of his special Love unto your Souls? Then the Manifestations of Christ will appear to be no airy thing, and that nothing besides this can rationally support your Souls when you come to the Borders of the Grave, and to the Confines of Eternity. And let me further tell you that have no love to Christ, that although Christ whilst you are such will never manifest himself unto you in a way of Love, yet there is a Day coming when he will Manifest himself unto you, but this Manifestation will be with a Vengeance, it will be in a way of most Furious anger;