The Life of James Renwick | Page 7

give some testimonies of love. Think ye that ye love him? Will
ye then show that? I would expostulate for some testimonies of your

love. When Peter confessed that he loved Christ, our Lord desires him
to show that by feeding His lambs and sheep. It is true, you cannot
show your love that way, for ye are not called to that office; but ye
ought to show it in the way that is competent to you in your stations. So
as I was saying before, I expostulate with you for some testimonies of
your love. "Make a free and full resignation of yourselves and your all
to Christ, that ye may say with the spouse, I am my Beloved's! Oh, ye
should not prig (higgle) with Him about anything. Some prig with Him
about their hearts, and will have a part thereof in their darling idols,
which they cannot think to quit. Some prig with Him about their time,
and will make religion but their by-work. If their worldly employments
be throng, they will neglect the worship in their families, and prayer in
secret. Others, if they keep any family worship, it is in the evening:
ordinarily they are impatient, and haste to an end in it: and neglect it in
the morning altogether. Oh, what a sad prigging is this. Some prig with
him about their relations. They will not quit these when He calls them
to suffer for His sake; but will tempt them, or will insinuate upon them
to comply, and deny His cause. Some prig with Him about their
possessions, and yielding to this or that iniquity, will keep their houses
and lands, they will not quit them. And some will prig with Him about
their lives; and if the swearing of a sinful oath, the subscribing to an
iniquitous bond, or denying of His cause, will save their lives, they will
not lose them. Oh, what sad prigging is this! Oh, be ashamed of it. Will
ye lay all at his feet, and count it your honour and joy that He dispose
of the same as He pleaseth? Give this testimony of your love to Christ,
rejoice in Him when present, and keep His room empty when absent. I
say rejoice in him when present. I need not press you much to do this,
for in his presence there is great joy: though the enjoyment of Him here
be imperfect, yet it brings exceeding gladness with it. Therefore saith
the Psalmist,--'Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than when
corn and wine are increased.' But when He is absent, see that ye keep
His room empty for Him. When He sees it meet at any time for your
correction, trial, and instruction, to withdraw Himself, or hide His face,
then idols or other lovers will readily present themselves, and seek to
possess His room. But, be chaste and true to your Beloved, as the
spouse who, in His absence, could not be contented, but used all means
and diligence until she found Him."

In a sermon on Song v. 16,--"His mouth is most sweet, yea, He is
altogether lovely. This is my Beloved, and this is my friend, O ye
daughters of Jerusalem,"--the following affecting views are presented:
"The second property of Christ's love is, that it is a strong love, which
appears from what He hath done for sinners. He has done great things
for sinners. He took upon Himself all the sinless infirmities of human
nature--not sinful nature. Yea, He endured a shameful and lingering
death, besides a flood of wrath that he waded through, such a flood of
wrath as would have drowned all the sons and daughters of Adam to all
eternity. Thus 'He who knew no sin became sin for us, that we might be
made the righteousness of God in Him.' Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Oh, my friends, if ye
will follow Christ through all the steps of his humiliation, ye may see
that the love of Christ is strong love, which makes him endure such
things for sinners. He gives great things to sinners, whereby He shows
the strength of his love to them; for He gives grace and glory, and no
good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly; for He
saith, 'Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given me, be with
me where I am, that they may behold my glory which Thou hast given
me.' Christ gives the believer union with himself and communion in
glory with the Father, even a share of that glory which the Father giveth
Him, He giveth them. He gives them a crown of righteousness which
shall never fade away; and He