Meditation 1
The sermon explores the nature and extent of God's love, and the desire to experience it fully.
Edward Taylor passionately preaches about the incomprehensible love of God, which transcends all boundaries of infinity and finity, uniting His divine nature with humanity through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He marvels at the overwhelming love that fills not only heaven but overflows into every corner of existence, even reaching into hell to save the elect. Taylor longs for God's love to ignite his heart with fervent love in return, acknowledging his own limitations and pleading for God to enflame his soul with divine love.
Text
What Love is this of thine, that Cannot bee
In thine Infinity, O Lord, Confinde,
Unless it in thy very Person see,
Infinity, and Finity Conjoyn'd?
What hath thy Godhead, as not satisfide
Marri'de our Manhood, making it its Bride?
Oh, Matchless Love! filling Heaven to the brim!
O're running it: all running o're beside
This World! Nay Overflowing Hell; wherein
For thine Elect, there rose a mighty Tide!
That there our Veans might through thy Person bleed,
To quench those flames, that else would on us feed.
Oh! that thy Love might overflow my Heart!
To fire the same with Love: for Love I would.
But oh! my streight'ned Breast! my Lifeless Sparke!
My Fireless Flame! What Chilly Love, and Cold?
In measure small! In Manner Chilly! See.
Lord blow the Coal: Thy Love Enflame in mee.
Sermon Outline
- The Nature of God's Love
- The Extent of God's Love
- The Desire for God's Love
- To be Filled with Love
- To be Enflamed with Love
Key Quotes
“Oh, Matchless Love! filling Heaven to the brim!” — Edward Taylor
“What hath thy Godhead, as not satisfied Marri'de our Manhood, making it its Bride?” — Edward Taylor
“Lord blow the Coal: Thy Love Enflame in mee.” — Edward Taylor
Application Points
- We should desire to be filled with God's love and to be enflamed with love.
- God's love is infinite and finite, conjoined in Christ, and it overflows to the world.
- We should pray for God to blow the coal of love in our hearts and to enflame us with love.