A discovery of glorious love, or, The love of Christ to beleevers opened, in the truth, transcendency, and sweetness thereof together with the necessity that lyes upon every beleever, to strive after the spirituall and experimentall knowledge of it : being the sum of VI sermons preached upon Ephesians 3.19 / by John Durant ...

To the Right Honourable Robert Earl of Warwick, &c.

My Noble Lord,

I Presume your Lordship well knows, that Christs love is our soul (and therefore sole) life: Then (and indeed not till then) do wee live, when wee injoy divine love: Our bosomes cannot breath forth the breath of life, before Christ breaths in the breath of love.

Indeed, its the misery of most, that they are strangers to this truth. To speak to many of the Lord Jesus, and to tell them of a life in love, above what sence feels, and of a comfort, a glory, a happinesse flowing from thence, far surmounting what sight fees, is a mystery, which they cannot perceive (nor indeed beleeve) for tis foolishnesse unto them. Not onely the News-mongers at Athens counted

this News which they never heard of; But even the Philosophers there them∣selves accounted Pauls preaching of these things a strange doctrine.

But I hope I may without either falsenesse or flattery say: your Honour is well acquainted with these things. As experimentally knowing, that all your honour, joy, felicity, lyes in this, that you know the love of Christ passing knowledge.

And this is one ground of this de∣dication of these ensuing Sermons; But its not the onely ground. For,

I desire by this also to declare to the world, and your self, how sensible and mindfull I am of those obligations, which your Honour hath laid upon mee, not onely by your owning of, and respect unto my person, but (which I prize most) my Ministry.

His person is above my praise, whose pen hath blotted the common way of dedications.* 1.1 But his ground was, because for the most part they on∣ly flatter. And yet hee allows of dedi∣cations, when the argument of the

Book agrees with the person whom its dedicated to.* 1.2 The consid••ration of which I hope (as hath been hinted) will secure mee from his, or others censure.

Besides, I know, there is a difference between flattery, and gratitude; though the one bee odious, as a vice; yet the other is amiable, as a vertue: And tis at this which I have aimed in this dedication.

I know that the bare remembrance (how gratefull soever) of favours re∣ceived, is no requital. But yet, though it serves not to remunerate the favour, yet 'twill to vindicate the benefactor, that hee hath not ill bestowed his be∣nefits.

My Lord, If I say that I cannot requite all your favours, its no more than all know: And if I say, that Christ can, its no more than I know you beleeve, and I desire. Twill bee no over-exalting of Christs love, nor any diminution unto your favours; If I say, that the least grain of love from Christ to you, will abundantly compensate all the weight of your

love to mee. And this (My Lord) is not onely my prayer, but my beliefi in your behalf.

I shall not trouble your Lordship with many words. Onely let mee have leave ••o sound in your ears, two words of the Lord Jesus; the one was a word of Prophecie, the other of Advice.

1. His word of Prophecie was, The love of many shall wax cold. Its your duty to search,* 1.3 and twill bee your honour to find, that there is no fulfilling of that in your soul. But alas! who can say, that hee sees not too great a fulfilling of this in himself! Oh! the decay of love, zeal, activity, appearance, &c. in the things of Christ that is every where! Its a thing that calls for bloody tears; that be∣sides the abounding: of iniquity in enemies, there is such waxing cold of love in friends. I have sometimes thought Christ spake this Prophecie (as Paul did his rehearsall,* 1.4 viz) weeping.

II. Christs word of advice was this, Strengthen the things that remain,

that are ready to dye.* 1.5 Its well that under spirituall decayes wee have any thing that remains (happy they who have not lost all.) Its wisdome to strengthen that which languisheth; (holy they that strive to do thus:) and the following Sermons may bee help∣full herein. If the Spirit lay this truth upon our hearts, That Christ loves us with a transcendent love; 'twill at once make us bleed for cool∣ings, and burn (yea blaze) a fresh with the fire (internally) and flames (externally) of love to Christ, his peo∣ple, his truths, his designes, &c.

But I have gone beyond my inten∣tions, though I hope not beyond your acceptation. If you will permit mee to adde, that I am in the number of those, who both praise, and pray for you, and professe to bee much ob∣liged to you. I shall trouble you no further, save with the sincere sub∣scription, that I am, My Lord.

Your Honours singularly obliged Soules servant. JOHN DURANT.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Quia lau∣datur ••lau∣datoviro est la is vera.
• * 1.2

  Sir Francis Bacon de augment. s••en. lib. 1. page. 19.
• * 1.3

  Mat. 24.12.
• * 1.4

  Phil. 3.18.
• * 1.5

  Apoc. 3.2.