Love Of Christ

 How can a frozen-hearted creature warm his hearers' hearts, and en kindle them with the love of God? But he whom the love of Christ constrains, his lively recommendations of Christ, and speeches of love, shall sweetly constrain others to love him. Above all loves, it is most true of this, that none can speak sensibly of it, but they that have felt it. Our most requisite pulpit-orators, yea, speak they with the tongues of men and angels, without the experience of this love, are no fit ambassadors for Christ, for his embassy is a love-treaty. Such men are but sounding brass, and tinkling cymbals. The sublimest and best contrived of their discourses, glow-worm like, or as those foolish fires, may have some light with them, heat they have none. When a man speaks of reconciliation and happiness, as if he had some interest therein himself, when his words are animated with affection, as he is like to beget some affection where there is none, so, a pious hearer that is already gained to Christ, finds the embassy drawing him effectually nearer Heaven: blowing that Divine fire that is within him, and causing it to mount upwards. As in water, face answered, to face, so doth the heart of man to man, saith the wise man, Prov. xxvii. 19. There is a certain peculiar sympathy and sweet correspondence betwixt souls that lodge the same spirit. Those that are united to the same Head, Christ, by reconciliation, find their hearts agreed, and they relish the discourses one of another. Thus important is it every way, both for the begetting and for the strengthening of grace, that the ambassador thereof be a reconciled person. R. Leighton

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