〈◊〉 Arâ—st Rhet. Lovers grieve together Thus if we love Christ we shall grieve for those things that grieve him Psalme 119.158 I beheld the transgressors and was grieved We shall grieve to see truth bleeding Heretiques increasing Victa jacet pietas * Ovid. We shall grieve to see tolleration setting up its Mast and Top-saile and multitudes sailing in this ship to Hell Tolleration is the grave of Reformation It was a charge drawn up against the Angel of Pergamos that he had them there nestling and brooding who held the doctrine of Balaam Revel 2.14 by tolleration we adopt other mens sinnes and make them our own I pray God this doth not hasten Englands Funerals He who loves Christ will lay these things to heart 3. 3. Fruit of love He who loves Christ will endeavour to preserve his memory Friends that beare respect will preserve the memory of those persons they love by keeping their pictures letters love-tokens sometimes by preserving their monuments Herein Artemisia Queen of Caria shewed an act of singular love to her husband Mausolus for he being dead she caused his body to be reduced to ashes and to be mingled in her drink every day so making her body a living Tomb to hold her dead husband Thus the soule that loves Christ will be often eating his body and drinking his blood in the Sacrament that he may remember Christs death till he come They that live without Sacraments shew plainly that they have no love to Christ because thee do not desire to preserve his memory among them 4. 4. Fruit of love He that beares love to Christ this lovely object will not entertaine any other Lovers What have I to do any more with idols Hosea 14.8 The Hebrew word is with sorrowes * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed sinne raiseth a tempest of sorrow in the soule and he that is espoused to Christ hath now changed his judgement those sinnes he before looked upon as Lovers now he looks upon as sorrowes He that loves Christ can look a tentation in the face and turne his back upon it * Posse peccare nolle nobile est Ambr. When Cyrus would have tempted the chaste wife of Tygranes she took no notice of him though a King she had a husband at home When sinne like Mercuries rod with a snake about it would winde it selfe subtilly into the soule he that loves Christ dares not give it entertainment he saith all the rooms are taken up already for Christ and a better ghuest cannot come for He is altogether lovelie 3. Branch 3. Bran. If Christ be so lovelie in himself then you that professe Christ labour to render him lovely in the eyes of others And that two wayes 1. By commending him and telling others of his beauty that they may admire him So the Spouse in this Chapter labours to pourtray and set him forth in his glory My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefe among ten thousand Tell others that Christ is all marrow all sweetnesse He is the richest jewel in the cabinet of Heaven Set up the trophies of his honour triumph in his praises that you may tempt others to fall in love with his person The tongue is the Organ of praise 'T is pity the Organs are so oft out of tune in murmuring and complaining Oh let these Organs be still going let our tongues sing forth the praises of him who is altogether lovely Daughters of the blood Royal have the pictures of Kings brought to them and by seeing the pictures they fall in love with their persons and are marryed to them By our commendations of Christ we should so paint out Christ to others and draw his picture that when they see his picture they may fall in love with him and the match may be presently struck up 2. Render Christ lovely in the eyes of others by adorning his Gospel and walking worthy of Christ Colos 1.10 It is an honour to a Master to have good servants and how doth it proclaime Christ to be lovely and glorious when they that professe him are eminent for piety 1 Peter 2.9 Christ appeares lovely in the holy lives of his people Brethren there are some persons among us whose scandalous impieties masked over with Religion hath made Christ appeare unlovely in the eyes of others it is enough to make men afraid to have any thing to do with Christ As if he did abet men in their sinne or at least connive at them The blood of some will not make reparation for the injury which their teares have done to Christ I have read of certaine images which on the out-side were covered with gold and pearle resembling Jupiter and Neptune * Lucian but within nothing but spiders and cobwebs and have not we many who have been covered with the gold and pearle of profession resembling the Saints of the most high but within as Christ saith full of all uncleannesse Matthew 23.27 insomuch that we may see the spiders creeping out of them O that all who professe the Name of Christ might dedepart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 that they might set a Crown of honor upon the head of Christ make him appear lovely in the eyes of others Use ult Use 3. Consolat Here is comfort to them who are by faith married to Christ this is their glorious priviledge Christs beauty and lovelinesse shall be put upon them They shall shine by his beames This is as learned Davenant saith caput honoris the apex and crown of honour the Saints shall not only behold Christs glory but be transform'd into it 1 John 3.2 We shall be like him that is irradiated and enameld with his glory Christ is compar'd to the beautiful Lily * Lilium flos emnium gratissimucob uiâ—â— veum candorem Guadalâ— pensâ—s Cant. 1.2 His Lily-whitenesse shall be put upon his Saints A glorified soul shall be a perfect mirrour or chrystal where the beauty of Christ shall be transparent Moses married a blackamore but he could not make her faire but whomsoever Christ marries he alters their complexion he makes them altogether lovely Other beauty causeth pride Fastus inest pulchris but no such worm breeds in heaven The Saints in glory shal admire their own beauty * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gr. Nazian but not grow proud of it Other beauty is soon lost The eye weeps to see its surrowed browes the cheeks blush at their own palenesse Nec semper violae nec semper lilia florent Et riget amissis spina relicta rosis * Ovid. But this is a never-fading beauty age cannot wither it it retaines its glossinesse the white and vermilion mixed together to all eternity Think of this O ye Saints who mourn now for your sinnes and bewaile your spiritual deformities you are comely yet black remember by vertue of your union with Christ you shall be glorious creatures then shall your cloathing be of wrought gold then shall you
way of duty CHAP. IV. Shewing a characteristical difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite Use 1 IT shews us a discriminating difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite the one serves God cum animi prolubio from a principle of delight the other doth not The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold silver Psalm 119.72 With what delight doth a covetous man tell over his thousands I but Gods Law was better to David than thousands a child of God looks upon the service of God not only as his duty but his priviledge A gracious heart loves every thing that hath the stamp of God upon it The Word is his delight Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jerem. 15.16 The Sabbath is his delight Isaiah 58.13 If thou turne away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight Prayer is his delight Isa 56.7 I will make them joyful in my house of prayer Hearing is his delight Esay 60.8 Who are these that flie as Doves to to the windows The gracious soul flies as a Dove to an Ordinance upon the wings of delight The Sacrament is his delight On this day the Lord makes a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Esay 25.6 A Sacrament-day is a soul-festival day here Christ takes the soul into his banqueting-house and displays the banner of love over it Cant. 2.4 Here are dulcissima fercula as Austin saith heavenly delicacies set before us Christ gives us his body and blood * In vulneribus Christi dormio securus requiesco intrepidus Aug. This is Angels food this is the heavenly Nectar here is a cup perfum'd with the divine nature * Sanguis Christi salus Christiani Salvian here is wine spiced with the love of God The Jews at their feasts poured oyntment upon their guests and kissed them Here Christ poures the oyle of gladness into the heart and kisses us with the kisses of his lips * Cant. 1.2 This is the Kings Bath where we wash and are cleansed of our leprosie The withered soul after the receiving this blessed Eucharist hath been like a watered garden Esay 58.11 or like those Egyptian fields after the overflowing of Nilus fruitful and flourishing and do you wonder that a childe of God delights in holy things He must needs be a volunteer in Religion But it is not thus with an hypocrite though he may facere bonum yet not velle he may be forced to do that which is good but not to will that which is good he doth not serve God with delight Job 27.10 Will he delight himselfe in the Almighty That he hath none of this complacency and delight appears thus because he serves God grudgingly * Vir'us nolentium nulla est he brings his sacrifice with a wicked minde Prov. 21.27 Such an one was Cain It was long before he brought his offering * Gen. 4.3 it was not the first fruits and when he did bring it it was grudgingly 't was not a free-will-offering Deut. 16.10 'T is probable 't was the custome of his fathers family to sacrifice and perhaps conscience might check him for forbearing so long at last the offering is brought but how as a task rather than a duty as a mulct or fine rather than a sacrifice Cain brought his offering but not himself What Seneca saith of a gift I may say of a sacrifice * Multum interest in ter materi am benefi cii beneficium itaque nec aurum nec argentum beneficium est sed ipsa tribuentis voluntas Sen. de benef 'T is not gold and silver makes a gift but a willing minde if this be wanting the gold is only parted with not given So 't is not prayer and hearing makes a sacrifice but it is a willing minde Cains was not an offering but a tax not worship but pennance CHAP. V. Two Cases of conscience resolved BUt here are two Cases to be put Case 1 1. Whether a regenerate person may not serve God with wearinesse Answ 1 Answ Yes but 1. this delight in God is not wholly extinct This lassitude and wearinesse in a childe of God may arise From the in being of corruption Rom. 7.24 'T is not from the grace that is in him but the sinne as Peters sinking on the water was not from his faith but his fear yet I say still a regenerate persons will is for God Rom. 7.15 Paul found sometimes an indisposition to good Rom. 7.23 yet at the same time he professeth a complacency in God ver 22. I delight in the Law of God in the inner man one may delight in musick or any recreation yet through wearinesse of body be for the present dull'd and indisposed a Christian may love Gods Law though sometimes the clog of the flesh weighing him down he findes his former vigour and agility remitted Answ 2 2. I answer that this faintnesse and wearinesse in a regenerate person is not habitual 't is not his constant temper when the water ebbes a while it is low-water but there is soon a spring-tyde againe it is sometimes low-water in a Christians soul he findes an indisposition and irksomness to that which is good but within a while there is a spring-tyde of affection and the soule is carried full saile in holy duties 'T is with a Christian as with a man that is distempered when he is sick he doth not take that delight in his food as formerly nay sometimes the very sight of it offends but when he is well he falls to his meat again with delight and appetite so when the soule is distempered through sadnesse and melancholy it findes not that delight in Word and Prayer 〈…〉 erly but when it returnes to its healthful temper again now it hath the same delectability and cheerfulnesse in Gods service as before Answ 3 3. I answer That this wearinesse in a regenerate person is involuntary he is troubled at it he doth not hug his disease but mournes under it He is weary of his wearinesse When he findes a heavinesse in duty he goes heavily under that heavinesse he prays weeps wrastles useth all means to regain that alacrity in Gods service as he was wont to have David when his chariot-wheels were pull'd off and he did drive on heavily in Religion how oft doth he pray for quickning grace Psalme 119.25 37 40 88. When the Saints have found their hearts fainting their affections flagging and a strange kinde of lethargy seasing on them they never leave till they have recovered themselves and arrived at that freedome and delight in God as they were once sencible of 2. The second Case is Case 2 whether an hypocrite may not serve God with delight I answer he may Herod heard John Baptist
was in the Ark The Ark was a Type of Christ 4. The Soul is still with God because of those dear relations it hath to God There are all the terms of Consanguinity God is our Father John 20.17 and where should the child be but with its Father he is our Husband Isa 54.5 and where should the wife be but with her husband he is our friend Joh. 15.15 now friends desire to be still together God is our Rock 2 Sam. 22.2 where should Christs Doves be but in the Cliffs of this blessed Rock God is the Saints Treasure and where the Treasure is there will their hearts be also 5. The gracious soul is still with God because of those rare excellencies which are in God 1. Fulness Every one desires to be at a full fountain Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell Observe Christ is not only said to be full in the concrete but fullness in the abstract nay in him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fullness a vessel may be full of water but that is not all fullness 't is not full of Wine a Chest may be full of silver but that is not all fullness 't is not full of Pearl but in Christ is all fullness * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 macar He is bread to strengthen John 6.48 Wine to comfort Joh. 15.1 Gold to inrich Rev. 3.18 He is all and in all Col. 3.11 Thus there is a variety of fullness in the Lord Jesus O Christian what is it thou needest Dost thou want quickning grace Christ is the Prince of life Act. 3.15 Dost thou want healing grace Christ hath made a medicine of his own body to cure thee * Corpus Christi aegris medicina languorem sanans sanitatem servans Bernard Isa 53 5. Dost thou want cleansing grace there is the bath of his bloud to wash thee 1 John 1.7 The bloud of Jesus cleanseth us from all our sin Let not the Poets tell us of their Aonia and Castalia Fountains in which they supposed their Nymphs to have washed These waters distill'd out of Christs sides are infinitely more pure Pliny saith that the Water-courses of Rome are the worlds wonder Oh had he known these sacred Water-courses in Christs bloud how would he have been stricken with admiration and do you wonder the soul is still with Christ when there is all fulness in him Nay but that all is not all the Apostle goes further it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To note the Duration of this fullness 't is not Transient but Immanent This fulness is not in Christ as the water in the pipe or spout the Spout may be full of water but it continues not there Water doth not dwell in the spout but this fulness is in Christ as light in the Sun it dwells there Christs fulnesse is a never-failing fulness what can be said more nay but the Apostle carries it yet higher in him dwells all the fulness of the God-head if Christ had all the fullness of the Creation the Treasures of the earth the holiness of the Angels yet this could not satisfy the soul In him there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The fulness of the Godhead the riches of the Deity are in him and the communication of this blessed fulness * Eph. 3 19. Pro cujusque membri medulo Beza so far as there is a capacity to receive * is that which satisfyes the Soul and fills it brim full and if there be such a plenitude and fullness in God no wonder a gracious heart desires to be still with God 2. Sweetness God is love 1 John 4.19 Every one desires to be with them from whom they receive most love The Lord doth often make himself known to the soul in an ordinance as he did to the disciples in breaking of bread Luke 24.35 He manifests himself in the comforts of his Spirit Gal. 5.22 which are so sweet and ravishing that they passe all understanding and do you wonder the soul is so strongly carried out after God Truly if it be still with God to speak with reverence 'T is long of God He gives those Jewels and Bracelets those love-tokens that the soul cannot but desire to be still with God Vse 1 It shews us an art how to be in heaven before our time namely by being still with God A Good Christian begins his heaven here Grace translates him into the paradise of God Sunt pennae volucres mihi quae celsa conscendant poli Boetius Eliah left his Mantle behind but hewas taken up in a fiery Chariot So it is with a Saint the mantle of the flesh is left behind but his soul is carried up in a fiery Chariot of love Vse 2 2. Use is of Reproof and it consists of two branches 1. It reproves them that are never with God Branch they live without God in the world Ephes 2.12 'T is made the characteristical note of a wicked man God is not in all his thoughts Psalm 10.4 He never thinks of God unlesse vvith horrour and amazement as the Prisoner thinkes of the Judge and the Assizes and here two sorts of sinners are indicted 1. Such as are still with their sinnes A child of God though sin be with him yet he is not with sin his will is against sin Rom. 7.15 Minus est nocens qui sponte sua non est nocens Sen. That which I do I allow not he would fain shake this viper into the fire he forsakes sin but sin will not forsake him so that though sin be with him yet he is not with sin but a wicked man and sin are together as two Lovers mutually solacing and embracing a wicked man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Worker of iniquity Luke 13.27 like a workman that followes his Trade in his Shop 2 Such as are stil with the world T is counted a piece of a miracle to find a diamond in a vein of gold and t is as great a miracle to find Christ that precious stone in an earthly heart The world is mens Diana they minde earthly things Phil. 3.19 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the Ostrich though she hath wings yet by reason of the weightiness of her body cannot fly high most men are so weighed down with thick clay * Hab. 2.6 that they cannot soar aloft they are like Saul hid among the stuff * 1 Sam. 10.22 like Sisera who had his head nalied to the earth * Judg. 4.21 so their hearts are nailed to the earth Absaloms beauty stole away the hearts of Israel from their king 2 Sa. 15.6 the worlds bewitching beauty steals away men hearts from God * Curvae in terras a nim ae et caelestium inanes T is sad whē the husband sends his wife a jewel she so fals in love with the jewelthat she forgets her husband an
disparagement to him to joyne our Duties in equipage with his Merits O sinner cast away thy beggars rags that thou mayest put on Christs lovely robes I would not take thee off from duty but from confidence in duty Noahs Dove might make use of her wings to flie but she did not trust to her wings but to the Ark. A man makes use of his feet to go over a bridge but he trusts to the bridge for safety Christians while they walk with the feet of obedience must trust to Christ as the bridge to lead them over the devouring sea of hell in short if thou wouldst get an interest in Christ rely on Christ by faith and resigne up thy self to Christ by service A beleever with one hand receives Christ with the other hand gives up himself to Christ Christ saith to a beleever with my body yea with my blood I thee endow and a beleever saith to Christ with my soule I thee worship Oh Christian part with all for a part in this lovely Saviour 2. Branch 2. Bran. If Christ be thus full of sparkling beauties then fall in love with this lovely object and with the Spouse be sick of love to Christ Beauty doth draw love Ministers are Paranymphi friends of the bride groom This day I come a wooing for your love Love him who is so lovely Let Christ lie as a bundle of myrrhe alwayes between your breasts If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Mara-natha 1 Cor. 16.22 Love saith Chrysostome is the diamond that only the Queen weares viz. The gracious soul Oh that all these surpassing beauties of Christ might kindle a flame of divine love in Christians hearts Christ is maxime diligibilis as the Schoolmen speak he is the very extract and quintescence of beauty he is a whole Paradise of delight * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 31. He is the flower of Sharon enriched with orient colours and persum'd with the sweetest savour Oh wear this flower not in your bosome but in your heart and be alwayes smelling to it and shew your love to this lovely Saviour 1. By the degrees of it 2. By the effects of it 1. By the degrees of it Love him above all other things * Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat Aug. let him carry away the crown and the glory from the creature 1. Love him plusquam tuos more than thy relations Matth. 10.37 He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Nay our love to relations must be hatred in iin comparison of our love to Christ Luke 14.26 Great is our love to relations The creatures void of reason teach naturall affection the young stork feeds the damme and helps to carry her when she is old and can hardly flie * Ciconiae parentes senio confectos nutriunt volando fessos juvant Pliny Aristot Unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children should exceed and out-flie the stork in affection There is a story in the French Academy of a daughter who when her father was condemned to die by famine she made meanes to get to him and gave him suck with her own breasts which being made known she obtained his pardon But Christ must be dearer to us than all He must weigh heavier than relations in the ballance of our affections for He is altogether lovely If parents lie as a stumbling-block in our way to Christ if they either come in competition with Christ or stand in opposition against Christ here odium in suos is pietas in Deum * Hierom. We must either leap over them or tread upon them 2. Love Christ plusquam tua more than thy Estate Gold is but shining dust though it may be lovely yet it is not altogether lovely 1. Gold is worse than thy selfe it is of an earthly extract If thou lovest any thing love something which is better than thy selfe and that onely is Christ who is altogether lovely 2. Riches availe not in the day of wrath Proverbs 11.4 Riches are no life guard to defend us from divine fury but how lovely is Christ who can screene off the fire of Gods wrath from thee Oh then love him more than these perishable things * Non satis magni à nobis fit Christus nisi tanti aestimemus ut reliqua omnia quae homines reddere solent bonorabiles prae hoc uihili putemus Davenant Christs gleanings are better than the worlds Vintage Be not like Noahs Raven which when it had found a carrion to feed on cared not for returning home to the Ark. He that loseth all for Christ shall finde all in * Qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit omnia inveniat in Christo Hierom. ad Paulin. Christ 3. Love Christ plusquam te more than thy Life Revel 12.11 They loved not their lives to the death They carried their sufferings as ensignes of their glory They had pangs of love stronger than the pangs of death Did the Curtii die for the Romans the Codri for the Athenians and shall not we be willing to lay downe our lives for Christ who is so infinitly lovely 2. Shew your love to this lovely Saviour by the Effects of love 1. 1. Fruit of love The first of love is desire of converse * Ps 42.2 Love is a transporting of the affections Lovers desire to be often talking and conversing together before the Marriage day Christ converseth with the soule by his Spirit and the soul converseth with him by prayer and meditation The soule that loves Christ desires to be much in his presence He loves the Ordinances he thinks it is good lying in the way where Christ passeth by Ordinances are vehicula salutis The chariots of salvation Christ rides into the Beleevers heart in these chariots Ordinances are convivium pinguium the feast of fat things Isa 25.6 The soule feasts with Christ here Cant. 2.4 He brought me to the banquetting house c. In the Hebrew it is ad domum vini * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He brought me to the house of wine Word Prayer Sacraments are to a Christian The house of wine Here often Christ turnes the water of teares into of wine How lovely is this house wine The Ordinances are the lattice where Christ looks forth and shewes his smiling face to his Saints Christs parents found him in the Temple Luke 2 46. The soul that loves Christ desires conference with him in the Temple 2. 2. Fruit of love Where there is love to Christ there is sympathy Friends that love do grieve and rejoyce together They have sympathizing spirits Homer describing Agamemnons griefe when he was forced to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia brings in all his friends weeping with him and accompanying him to the sacrifice in mourning And I remember Aristotle in his Rhetorique spends almost a whole chapter upon this proving a sympathy among friends * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉