Christ's Love to the Church

Husbands, love jour wives, even as Gkrist also loved the Church, ud gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that he misht present it to himself t glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; bok that it should be holy and without blemish.^* — Eph. v. 25-27.

In this passage tHe apostle, under the guidance of the Spirit, is teaching wires and husbands their duties to one another. To the wives, he enjoins submission — a loving yielding to their husbands in all lawful things; to the husbands, love; and he puts before them the highest of all patterns — Christ and his Church.

I. Christ’s love to his Church,

1. ITie object of his love. The Church — all who are chosen, awakened, believing, justified, sanctified, glorified — all who are finally saved — all who shall stand with the Lamb — the hundred and forty and four thousand redeemed ones — all looked on as the bright company; the Church — all who are awakened and brought to Christ — all who shall sit down at the marriage supper. I believe Jesus had compassion for the whole world. He is not willing that any should perish. He willeth all men to be saved. He shed tears over those who will finally perish. Still, the peculiar object of his love was the Church. He loved the Church. On them his eye rested with peculiar tenderness before the world was. He would often say: These shall yet sit with me on my throne; or, as he read over their names in his book of life, he would say: These shall yet walk with me in white. When they lived in sin, his eye was upon them. He would not let them die, and drop into hell: “I have much people in this city.” I have no doubt, brethren, Christ is marking some of you, that are now Christless, for his own. When they came to Christ, he let out his love toward them on the land where they dwelt — a delightsome land. His eye rests on the houses of this town, where his jewels live. Christ loves some streets far better than other a -Hsome spots of earth are far dearer to him than others.

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Christ loved his ChurclL Just as a husband at sea loves the spot where his dear wife dwells, so does the Lord JesQs: ‘^ I have graven thee upon the palms of mj hands.” — Isa. xliii. 4. He loves some in one house far more than others. There are some apartments dear to Christ — where he is often present — where his hands are often on the door: “Open to me, my love.”

2. The state of the Church whenjlrst loved. (1.) They were all under the curse of God — under condemnation — exposed to the just wrath of God — deserving nothing but wiath; for “he gave himself for it” The Church had no dowry to attract the love of Jesus, except her wrath and cane. (2.) Impure, For he had to ^’ sanctify and cleanse it/* unholy within — opposed to God — no beauty in the eye of Jesus: I am black, spotted, and wrinkled. (3.) Nothing Id draw the love of Christ. Nothing that he could admire m them. He admires whatever is like his Father. He had eternally gazed upon his Father, and was ravished with that beauty; but he saw none of this — not a feature — no beauty at all. Men love where they see something to draw esteem — Christ saw none. (4.) Everything to repel his love: Polluted in thine own blood” — cast out — loathsome (£zek. xvi.); yet that was the time of his love. Black — ^unoomely: “Thou hast loved me out of the pit of corruption.” (5.) fiot from ignorance. Men often love, where they do not know the true character, and repent after. But not so Christ He knew the weight of their sins — the depths of their wicked heart.

Nothing is more wonderftd than the love of Christ. Learn the Jreeness of the love of Christ, It is unbought love. “If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would be utterly contemned.^’ — Song viii. 7. He drew all his reasons from himself: ‘’ I knew that thou wast bbstinate.” You have no cause to boast. He loved you, because he loved you — for nothing in you. O what a black soul wast thou, when Christ set his love upon thee!

3. The greatness of that love: ‘^ He gave himself.” This is unparalleled love. Love is known by the sacrifice it will make. In a fit of love, Herod would have given away the half of his kingdom. If you will sacrifice nothing, you lore not Hereby we know that men love not Christ — they will saciifice nothing for him. They will not leave a lust — a same — a companion, for Christ ‘^ Greater love than this hadi no Dian.” But Christ gave himself. Considei y7^ ti

158 SERMON xxin.

self. If he had created ten thousand millions of worlds, and given them away, it had been great loye-^had he given a million of angels; but he gave the Lord of angels — the Creator of worlds. “Lo, I come.” He gave the pearl of heaven. O what a self! — Jesus! — all-lovelinessl

4. What he gave himself to. He gave himself to be pot in their place — to bear their wrath and curse, and to obej for them. We shall never know the greatness of tins gift He gave himself to bear the guilt of the Church. Then cannot be a more fearful burden than guilt, even if there be no wrath. To the holy soul of Jesus, this was an ovrM burden. He was made sin: ^’ Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up.” — Ps. xL ^’ Mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.” — Ps. xxxviiL He endured the cross, despising the shame. He ;laid his soul under their guilt — shame and spitting; silent like lamb. li ’

To bear their wrath. A happy soul shrinks from suffering. Ask one that has always been in the love of God, what would he give to cast himself out of that love — to bear as much wrath as he is bearing love-^-to receive the lightning instead of the sunshine? Not for ten millions of worlds. Yet this did Jesus. He became a curse for us: Pour it out on me. See how he shrunk back from it in the garden. Yet he drank it

‘^ God commendeth his love to us, in that, while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us.” Pray to know the love of Christ. It is a great ocean, without bottom or shore.* In the broken bread you will see it set forth, so that a child may understand: “This is my body, broken for you;” “This is my blood, shed for many.”

II, His purpose in time Verse 26. Christ’s work

is not done with a soul when he has brought it to pardon — when he has washed it in his own blood. Oh, no! the better half of salvation remains — his great work of sanctification remains.

1. Who is the author? He that gave himself for the Church — the Lamb that was slain. God having raised his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning every one of

* It is as if a child could take the globe of earth and set in hia two short taxDB.’^-^mud Muiharford,

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on away from your iniquities. He is exalted by the right and of God, and, having obtained the promise of the ather, sheds him down. There is no hand can new create le soul, but the hand that was pierced. Many look to a rong quarter for sanctification. They take pardon from hrist, then lean on themselves — their promises, &c« — pfor )]iness. Ah, no! you must take hold of the hand that as pierced — lean on the arm that was racked — lean on le Beloved coming up from the wilderness. You might I well hold up the sun on its journey, as sanctify yourself.

needs divine power. There are three concerned in it. he Father — for this is his will; the Son — he is the Shep- yd of all he saves; the Holy Ghost.

2. The means: “The Word.” I believe he could sanctify ithout the Word, as he created angels and Adam holy, id as he sanctifies ints whose ear was never opened; It I believe in grown men he never will, but through the ^ord. When Jesus makes holy, it is by writing the Word

the heart: “Sanctify them through thy truth.” When mother nurses her child, she not only bears it in her ms, but holds it to her breast, and feeds it with the ilk of her own breast; so does the Lord. He not only dds the soul, but feeds it with the milk of the Word. le words of the Bible are just the breathings of God’s art. He fills the heart with these, to make us like God. ‘hen you go much with a companion, and hear his words, u are gradually changed by them into his likeness; so len you go with Christ, and hear his words, you are saneied. Oh, there are some whom I could tell to be Christ’s, ’ their breathing the same sweet breath! Those of you %t do not read your Bible, cannot turn like God — you onot be saved. You are unsavable; you may turn like 3 devil, but you never will turn like God. Oh, believers, ize the Word!

3. The certainty of it. Some are afraid they will never holy: “I shall fall under my sin.” You shall be madely- It was for this Christ died. This was the grand ject he had in view. This was what was in his eye to build a holy Church out of a world of lost sinners — pluck brands out of the fire, and make them trees of inteousness — to choose poor, black souls, and make them r brothers and sisters round his throne. Christ will not 16 this object* Look up J then — be not afraid: He redeemed you to inak jou holy. Though you had a million of worids oppooBg you, he will do it: He is Mthful, who also will do it*

in. His purpose in eternity — twofold.

1. Its perfection: “A glorious Church.” At present believers are sadly imperfect. They have on the perfect righteousness that will be no brighter above; but they are not perfectly holy; they mourn over a body of sin — spots and wrinkles. Neither are they perfectly happy. Often crushed; waves go over them; like the moon wading. But they shall be peifectly glorious. Perfect in righteousness — White robes, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Perfect in holiness — Filled with the Holy Spirit. Perfect in happiness-Ibis shall be. It is all in the covenant.

2. He will present it to himself-^He will be both Faihef and Bridegroom. He has bought the redeemed — he will give them away to himself. The believer will have great neamess-^he shall see the king in his beauty. Great intimacy — walk with him — speak with him. He shall have oneness with him — ‘^ All that I have is thine.”

St Peter% Jan. 1841. — (Action Sermon.)