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

1. There is Christs Gracious presence here, Joh. 14. 18. I will not leave you comfortless, I will come unto you. You desire that such Friends and Relations would come unto you, but do you desire chiefly that Christ would come unto you? ⟨p. 35⟩Christ cometh to his Disciples in a way of gracious communication, in a way of Gracious Manifestation, and in a way of sweet Consolation which doth result from both.

1 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious communication? are your desires after communication of Spiritual Light from Christ to teach and guide you; of Spiritual Life from Christ to quicken and encourage you, of Spiritual Strength from Christ, to support you under Burdens, and Enable you unto Duties? do you earnestly desire communications of all kinds, and further degrees of grace out of that fullness of Grace which is in Christ? do you Hunger and Thirst after Christs Righteousness, not only that it may be imputed to you for your Justification, but also that it may be more and more imparted unto you for your further Sanctification, that you might be brought and hereby wrought into a more perfect conformity and likeness unto Jesus Christ: this is an Evidence of true love.

2 Do you desire that Christ would come unto you in a way of Gracious Manifestation? Joh. 14. 21. He that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest my self unto him. ⟨p. 36⟩Do you Earnestly desire the fulfilling of this promise? that Christ would discover to you more of the loveliness of his person, and of the love of his Heart? are you grieved when your beloved doth withdraw himself? when the curtain is drawn, and a cloud doth interpose between you and this Sun of Righteousness; when he Hideth and Veileth his Face from you? and do you long after Christs returns, and the Discoveries of himself unto you? Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly; Be as a Roe or young Hart, upon the Mountains of Spices; Leap over the Mountains, and Skip over the Hills, and make haste unto my Soul, which is sick of Love for thee in thy Absence from me: O that I might see thy Face which is so Fair! that I might hear thy Voice which is so Sweet! that I might feel thy Presence which is so Refreshing! O that I might behold thy Heart-ravishing Smiles! Say Lord that I am thine, and thou art mine; that thou hast loved me, and given thy self for me; that thy love to me was from Everlasting, and that it is Unchangeable. Are these or such like, the breathings of your Souls? Such are the breathings of love to Christ.