Sovereign Grace Church

The heaven for height, and the earth for depth, and the heart of kings is unsearchable.

(Proverbs 25:3)

Reader, “If the love of relations will not afford us a just measure for the love of Christ; let us see if there be any thing else in the whole scale of nature that may furnish us with a line commensurate to it.—And we can no sooner think of making the inquiry, but we propose to ourselves the height of heaven, the breadth of the earth. ‘The heaven for height, and the earth for depth’ (Proverbs 25:3). But we must despair of finding any thing that may measure or circumscribe this love [in creation], since the apostle has assured us, that ‘the riches of Christ’ are ‘unsearchable,’ (Ephesians 3:8), such as we must expect ‘no footsteps of’ in the whole creation (Psalm 77:19). The apostle might preach it, but could not fully reach it: for ‘we know in part, and we prophesy in part’ (1 Corinthians 13:9).

The treasures of gold and silver which wise providence has hid so deep in the bowels of the earth, yet the vein may be pursued so far, till it is worn out; but this treasure of love in the heart of Christ is so deep, and is so rich, that we can neither find out nor exhaust the fulness of it. When God would give us some shadow of His love, He represents it by the height of the heavens; not that His love reaches no higher, but because there is nothing in created nature higher to represent it by. ‘For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him’ (Psalm 103:11). The love of God is only to be measured by itself, that is, by Himself; for ‘God is love’ (1 John 4:8). No creature, no saint, no angel, can fathom the love of God’s heart: ‘I know the thoughts that I think toward you’ (Jeremiah 29:11).

And we must say the same of Christ’s love, [that it is unsearchable]. There is one dimension more in the love of Christ than in the creation, that you [beloved, being found in Him] ‘may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.’ (Ephesians 3:18-21)” — Copied / 1844