Containing Motives and Arguments to Persuade Us Unto the Love of Christ, and to Be Espoused to Him.
The sermon emphasizes the importance of loving Christ and being espoused to Him, highlighting the glory of Christ, the role of the ministry, and the motives for loving Him.
Thomas Shepard preaches about the importance of having a deep, intimate relationship with the Lord Jesus, comparing it to a marriage where our affections and love are solely directed towards Him. He emphasizes that true faith is one that is fueled by love, as seen in Galatians 5:6. Shepard urges the congregation to choose Christ above all else, to set their hearts and affections on Him, and to allow Him to reign in their hearts as the ultimate love. The sermon focuses on three groups: those who have never loved Jesus genuinely, those who struggle to love Him deeply, and those whose love for Him has grown cold. Shepard's main goal is to present pure and devoted souls to Christ, likening the ministry's role to that of a friend speaking on behalf of the bridegroom, as seen in John 3:29.
Text
Is there no communion to be had with the Lord Jesus, unless virgins --unless espoused to him? O, therefore, here is a match for you; choose him, get your affections, if entangled, to come off if insnared to any other thing, and set your hearts, bestow your love upon him. For it is not a dead faith (but such a faith as is animated by love) that does espouse you to him. Gal. 5:6, "Faith which works by love." And, therefore, as the love of other things (not worth looking after) has got the sovereignty and royalty of thy heart, so this is a conjugal love, when it bears rule in the heart. Let Christ have this love. And as you have loved creatures for themselves, now love the Lord Jesus for himself. And as they have easily enticed you to set your hearts upon them, now be persuaded to set your dearest affections on him. It is said of John Baptist, he was the bridegroom's friend, to speak for him. John 3:29. And truly it is the main work of the ministry to woo for Christ, and so to present chaste virgins to Christ. This shall be my work now, which may be seasonable in this decaying time. Therefore I shall chiefly bend my speech to three sorts.
1. To them that never yet loved the Lord Jesus, unless it be from the teeth outward.
2. Those that have been striving for this; yet can not, to their own feeling, come to this.
3. Those that have so; but their affections are dried up, and love is parched away, "iniquity abounds," etc. And my motives shall be these four:--
1. Consider the glory of the person whom I shall be a spokesman for this day.
2. Consider he makes love to thee.
3. Consider that all he seeks for is love.
4. Consider what he will do for thee, how he will love thee, if thou wilt love him.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Necessity of Being Espoused to Christ
- A. Faith without love is dead
- B. Love is the animating force of faith
- C. Christ desires our love
- II. The Work of the Ministry
- A. To woo for Christ
- B. To present chaste virgins to Christ
- III. The Glory of Christ
- A. Consider His glory
- B. Consider His love for us
- IV. The Motives for Loving Christ
- A. He makes love to us
- B. He seeks only our love
- C. He will love us in return
Key Quotes
“Faith which works by love.” — Thomas Shepard
“It is not a dead faith (but such a faith as is animated by love) that does espouse you to him.” — Thomas Shepard
“Let Christ have this love.” — Thomas Shepard
Application Points
- We must choose to love Christ above all else and give Him our hearts.
- The ministry's role is to woo for Christ and present chaste virgins to Him.
- We must consider the glory of Christ, His love for us, and what He will do for us if we love Him.