Isaac Ambrose

At this time, there is a coal of burning love in the breast of Christ. This fire was indeed from everlasting, but the flames are as hot this day as ever. Now it is that Christ loves and lives, and [why does He live] but only to love us and to intercede for us? Christ makes our salvation His constant calling; He is ever at His work: “Yesterday, and to day, and for ever’’ (Heb 13:8). There is not one hour in the day, nor one day in a year, nor one year in an age, in which Christ is not busy with His Father in this heavenly employment of interceding for us. He loved us before He died for us, His love being the cause why He died for us; and He loves us still in that now He intercedes for us. It is as much as to say, “Christ hath loved us, and He repents not of His love.” Love made Him die for us; and if it were to do again, He would die over again. Yes, if our sins had so required that for every elect person Christ must die several deaths, love, love would have put Him willingly upon all these deaths.

Oh, the love of Christ towards our poor souls…He carries us on His shoulders, as a man found his sheep, and “layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing” (Luk 15:5). Nay, I must yet come nearer; for Christ by His intercession sets us nearer yet: “his left hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me” (Song 2:6). He wears us in heaven as a bracelet about His arms, which made the spouse cry out, “Set me as a seal…upon thine arm” (Song 8:6). He stamps and prints us on the palms of His hands, “Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands” (Isa 49:16), as if our names were written in letters of blood upon Christ’s flesh. He sets us as a seal upon His heart; that is the expression of the spouse too, “Set me as a seal upon thine heart” (Song 8:6).

Nay, so precious are the saints to Jesus Christ that they lodge in heaven in His bowels and in His heart, for they dwell in Christ: “Hereby know we that we dwell in him” (1Jo 4:13). And they dwell in God, and dwell in love: “God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God” (1Jo 4:16). I know not what more to say. You know, the manner of the high priests was to carry the names of the children of Israel into the holy of holies on their shoulders and on their breasts; but was it ever heard that any high priest—besides the great “High Priest of our profession” (Heb 3:1)—should carry the names of thousands and millions on his shoulders, on his arms, on his hands, on His bosom, and on his heart…as a memorial before the Lord? Oh, unmatchable love!

Courtesy of Chapel Library