more friendly and actively useful wil such be in al Relations and Capacities Hence it appears that the Saints Amitie or friendship with Christ God-man whether we consider it objectively in regard of Christ or subjectively in regard of the Saints is the most perfect Idea exemplar or patterne of al human friendship Yea we may be bold to say that there is no real and cordial Amitie among men but what has its Foundation in No true Amitie but what is founded on Amitie with Christ and Derivation from this Divine Amitie or friendship 'twixt Christ and his friends He that is not a friend to God in Christ is not truly a friend to any other no nor yet to himself We must therefore have recourse to this Divine Amitie with Christ not only as the right patterne but as also the spring of al Amitie amongst our selves The Designe therefore of this Treatise is to explicate and demonstrate what are the Laws and Privileges of the Saints friendship with Christ which wil also give us the best Idea Foundation and expedients for friendship amongst our selves under al Relations States and Conditions both as men and Christians SECT 2. The Paraphrase and Explication of the Text John 15.14 AS for the Foundation of this Discourse we shall fixe it on part of our Lords farewel-Sermon Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you These words as to the letter of them The mind of the words Joh 15.14 are plain and familiar Their mind and sense you may take in the following paraphrase and explication Friends are best known at parting Christ is now at parting-point with his Disciples they seem to condole his departure and hang about him as loth to part especially seeing his departure was like to prove so prejudicial both to him and them But our blessed Lord to solace their spirits and revive their faith gives them to understand they should be no losers by his absence for Ye are my friends As if he had said t is true I leave you in a persecuting temting dirty world yet be not overmuch concerned about mine absence Be assured I have such a bleeding sense of your condition such a fire of Affection such tendernesses of compassion such warme bowels an heart so large so gracious so sympathetick towards you as that I may as soon forget my self as forget you Know that I am now going to bleed to die for you that you may live and reign with me I go to take up my logement for three dayes in a cold grave that shadow of darknes for you that so you may loge with me for ever in mansions of Glorie and after that I shal ascend up to Heaven for you and yet leave mine heart with you on earth It s true I shal not then any more sigh or weep or bleed for you yet shal I not be without a deep sense of your sighing weeping and bleeding for and after me Know that distance of place shal make no distance in mine Amitie and friendship towards you Remember in al your straits you have a friend in Heaven who is not unmindful of you on earth albeit the world may lode you with disgrace reproches and a world of il-wil yet I shal nevertheles own you as my friends yea I shal then own you most when the world and perhaps your worldly friends do most scorne and reject you You may expect most of my friendly regards affectionate care and gracious vouchsafements even then when you are most despised persecuted and hated by the World In brief assure your selves you shall find me alwaies your best friend and sometimes your only friend for believe me you are my friends Only with this Proviso if ye do whatsoever I command you i.e. If you approve your selves friends to me by observing al my commands both particular such as I have newly mentioned and more general as it becometh friends Or else we may understand the words thus Ye are my friends i. e. Ye shal approve your selves to be my friends it being usual with some pen-men especially this Evangelist to expresse the notification or manifestation of a thing by a verb that signifies its essence or being so Joh. 15.8 So shal ye be i. e. manifest your selves to be my Disciples To obviate a mistake here we are to consider that in this conditionate proposition and promise whereas there seems as some wil have it to be a causal connexion between the Antecedent and Consequent as if Christs friendship with us had a dependence on our obedience to him as the moral cause thereof Christ intends no such thing hereby for he addes v. 16. Ye have not chosen me but I have chosen you c. i. e. my friendship to you depends not on your friendship to me as the productive meritorious moral cause thereof but on the contrary your Friendship and obedience towards me depends on my election of you Whence it is evident that the conditional connexive particle If in our text doth not connote 1. Any general decree or universal Intention immanent in Christ of friendship towards al. 2. Nor yet any power in corrupt Nature to performe such an obedience to Christs commandements as may entitle men to this privilege of being the friends of Christ 3. Nor yet any causal Dependence or suspension of Christs friendship on our obedience But Christ useth here as elsewhere this conditionate mode of proposing the termes of his friendship 1. As a way most convenient and agreable to human Nature 2. To shew the connexion between mans Dutie and his favor as also how pleasing obedience is to him 3. As an Instrument in and by which he conveigheth the condition required Thus we see the words contain two parts 1. A gracious vouchsafement or privilege on Christs part Ye are my friends 2. A duty required if ye do whatsoever I command you The proposition I collect hence and lay as the Foundation of the following Discourse is this That there are certain universal and commun Laws of friendship even amongst men which being duely observed by Believers towards Christ he is not ashamed to own them as friends and vouchsafe to them al such privileges as correspond therewith For the more ful explication of this Proposition we shal resolve it into these two Questions 1. What are those universal Laws of friendship among men which Believers ought to observe towards Christ 2. What are those gracious vouchsafements or privileges which Christ confers on his friends SECT 3. The first Law of friendship in Election AS for the Laws of friendship amongst men they are either fundamental and essential The Laws of friendship such as tend to the constitution and Being of friendship or they are perfective such as conduce though not to the very Being yet to the Improvement and Perfection of friendship We shal begin with the essential and fundamental Laws of friendship The first universal fundamental Law of Amitie or friendship among men
considered as relative 1. To God the Father or 2. To his friends and members Christ's Mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father may be farther referred 1. To the Father's Divine Designation and Appointment whereby Christ was furnished with a Facultie and commission for his Office or 2. To the Father's Divine Adaptation and Qualification which gave Christ an Aptitude or fitnes for his Office as Mediator We shal with the Lord's Assistance treat of each in their order 1. We shal begin with Christ's Mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father's Designation or Appointment Christ's mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father's Designation whereby he received to speak in the Civilian's Phrase a Facultie or commission for his Mediatorie Office As in Nature so in Grace it seemed good to God to elect one commun Principle or Person which should be as an Head or Fountain through which al the streams of his Grace should flow Å¿ Haec agendi ratio convenit cum Axiomate Philosophico Dari in unoquoque genere aliquod summum primum excellentissium a quo reliqua ejusdem generis descendant accipiant quod est illius generis c. Caâ—â—â—o fol. 35. This is most agreable to the Infinite Wisdome and Bountie of God yea to that Principle of Reason which wil have one chief Head or first and most excellent in every kind from which al the rest which belong to that kind must descend and receive what appertains to their kind Thus in Nature and the Creation the first Adam thus also in the world of Grace or the Recreation and reparation of corrupt Nature Christ the second Adam was by God constituted a commun Head and principle of life So Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shal many be made righteous i. e. look as the first Adam was a commun Head to al his posteritie and so by his sin brought death on al so Christ the second Adam is a commun Principle to al his elect seed and by his obedience brings life to al Heb. 2.5 6 7. The World to come What it is as v. 21. The like Heb. 2.5 6 7 8 9. where we are told that the world to come that is the world of Grace was not made subject to Angels but to Christ that so by the Grace of God he should tast Death for al his seed We may here consider as it were two worlds the one old and sinful subject to Adam as the commun root and parent thereof This old sinful world is ful of Rebellion against God miserie weaknes bondage reproche sin and Death and is now under the power and tyrannie of Satan the God of this world as 2 Cor. 4.4 The other world restored by Christ is ful of Grace Peace Righteousnes Holines Obedience Life and the Favor of God This is here called v. 5. the world to come and so is distinguished from the old past world of sin not so much in regard of time For this new world began also even from Adam's fal as in regard of State for the sinful world whereof Adam was the first principle is called the old past world in respect of its sinful state and the world of Grace is stiled the world to come and the new world in regard of its renewed state as it is a state of grace life and salvation whereas Adam's world was a state of sin Death and condemnation Thus Esa 65.17 for behold I create new Heavens and a new earth and the former shal not be remembred Where this world to come is called the new world and so opposed to the former old world of sin So in like manner we find mention of the old and new man in Believers which referrs to the different principles of Nature and Grace Thus we see what is here meant by the world to come namely the elect believing World the new Kingdome of Grace Now this world of Grace is said to be put in subjection not to Angels or any other Creature but to Christ Heb. 2.5 v. 5 9. For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come c. i. e. God the Father hath not made Angels Commission-officers or invested them with a Facultie and Autoritie to Governe this New world of grace Neither they nor any other creatures are designed Mediators Purchasers or Dispensors of Grace in this new world but the Son of God alone So Heb. 2.8 v. 8. Thou puttest al things in subjection under his feet c. i. e. The Son of God and he alone is invested by God the Father with al Autoritie to change the old sinful ruinated world into a new repaired world of Grace and Righteousnes neither is there the least tittle or pin in this world to come which is not subject to Christ so it follows For in that he put al in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him By which it is evident that no part of this new world can be subject to or dependent on any creature no not Angels the whole being by the Designement and Appointment of God the Father made subject to Christ alone This is farther manifest from that comprehensive notion World v. 5. Where Christ's Kingdome of Grace appointed him by God the Father is called the world to come to note the universal Restitution or Recreation and Renovation of al things in this new world by Christ it being he alone who is impowered to change the old world of sin and miscrie into a new world of Grace and Righteousnes Thus Deering on this place ' For seing the world to come noteth al the Restitution which is by Christ the ful change of al that ever was by sin it 's therefore named world because we should assuredly know there is nothing excepted If then no part of this world be subject to any Creature no not to Angels in whom else then can we trust to have any part of this wrought for us we are al as our fathers were men by Nature of the old world c. ' Thus we see how the whole Kingdome of Grace stiled here the world to come is by the ordination of God the Father made subject to Christ alone in opposition to Angels and al other Creatures Hence Christ is stiled Esa 9.6 the Father of Eternitie Which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The father of the world to come We have another great and convictive Testimonie to prove Christ's Designation by God the Father Joh. 6.27 Joh. 6.27 How Christ is Sealed For him hath God the Father sealed Christ as Mediator was sealed by God the Father many waies 1. He had the privy-seal of God the Father's election whereby he was constituted Head of al the Elect t Quod si in Christo sumus electi non â—n nobis ipsis reperiemus electionis nostrae certitudinem ac ne in Deo quidem
take in his glorie as Mediator resulting from his incarnation in which regard he is oft' called the Son of God as Heb. 5.5 Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee And that this sense must be taken in is evident both from what precedes and what follows z Illud notandum voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae eadem sono significatu est cum Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alludi ad conspicuam Divinae Majestatis praesentiam quae Chaldaeo Paraphrastae etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grot. in loc for he speaks here of the Word Incarnate and of that glorie which resulted from him as such and was apprehended by the believing Jews who had conversation with him alluding as it seems to the Divine Shekina or Gods glorions dwelling in the Temple which was but a Type of Christ's buman Nature This appears from that notion dwelt among us for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seems evidently derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so it is an allusion to the visible presence of the Divine Majestie in the Temple which the Hebrews cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Inhabitation and thence the Evangelist addes and we beheld his glorie This also seems exegetick of what precedes and therefore the Chaldee Paraphrast is wont to expresse the Divine Shekina by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies Glorie So Rom. 9.4 the Ark which was the visible symbol of God's presence and a particular type of Christ is called the Glorie because God's glorie shone there Farther that John speaks here of Christ's mediatorie generation and glorie seems also evident from what follows ful of grace and truth That this must be understood of his Mediatorie Plenitude is evident 3. In that it is said Christ is Ful of Grace and Truth we must hereby understand al those habitual graces or gracious habits and Dispositions which are loged in Christ's human Nature and by Virtue of the Hypostatick union may be said to be infinite in order of Grace though in order of Being they are finite and of the same kind with our Grace as the y Iâ— Christo suit gratia habitualis caque ejusdem specici cum nostrá finita in genere entis quamvis â—ici solet infinita in genere gratiae Petr. Joseph Thes p. 19. Scholes determine Hence this plenitude or fulnes which is ascribed to Christ is not the fulnes of a vessel such as is the fulnes of Angels and glorified Saints but it is the fulnes of a fountain or inexhaustible Ocean which can never be drawen drie whence it is said Joh. 1.16 v. 16. and of his fulnes have al we received and Grace for Grace Christ clothed himself with human flesh and bloud that so he might become an infinite masse and boundlesse Sea of Visible speaking breathing weeping bleeding living dying Grace Al the glorified Saints and Angels are but living monuments and ever-living Tenants of this Free-Grace This Grace of Christ perfumeth Heaven and Earth Al that Grace which God doth or can put forth for the salvation of sinners is laid up in and exhibited by Christ He has broad and strong shoulders which can bear to Heaven the most heavie lumps of Hel. There is more force and omnipotence in Christ's infirmitie and sufferings than in al the strength and efficacie of men and Angels There is more life in Christ's death more riches in his povertie more victorie in his hanging on the Crosse than in al the world besides Yea Christ's very sighs tears sweat stripes thirst reproches and faintings have a soverain efficacie in them for the procuring and conferring Grace on his Redeemed ones Thence we receive of Christ's fulnes Grace for Grace i. e. look as the child receiveth from his parent limb for limb member for member or as the Sons of Adam receive al of his fulnes sin for sin lust for lust so Christ's regenerated sons receive of his fulnes Grace for Grace There is not any Grace in the heart of Christ but his members have an Impartment and Ressemblance thereof Now this infinite plenitude of Grace in Christ which renders him so glorious procedes originally from the election of God the Father For al the Treasures of Grace are originally loged in the soverain good pleasure or heart of God the Father who has elected and ordained Christ as mediator through whom al are to be conveighed to the elect This ought greatly to be remarqued or heeded by the friends of Christ that albeit the Divine essence and soverain wil of God be the Original fountain of al Grace yet he has determined Al Grace passeth through and from Christ as an infinite Ocean that not one drop of this Grace shal be derived unto sinners but through Christ as mediator This is the great mysterie of the Gospel the great wonder of Heaven and Earth that the blessed God who is the fountain of al Grace should so far condescend to sinners as to assume buman Nature and make it a receptacle and vehicle to conveigh al Grace unto them And oh what an infinite plenitude of Grace is there loged in Christ What admirable blossomes of Grace and Glorie doth this most beautiful Rose of Sharon daily send forth How doth every leaf of this Tree of life serve for the healing of the Nations What everliving Springs Seas Flouds and Rivers of Grace have for almost sixe thousand years flowed from this Fountain of life and Grace Suppose the Sun to be multiplied into millions of millions of Suns and those filled with infinite mesures of light and heat yet al these would be nothing in comparison of those infinite Treasures of Grace that are in Christ Yea suppose al the elect Angels and Men to have existed from al eternitie which is yet impossible and received out of Christ ' fulnes Grace for Grace yet notwithstanding such an eternal effluxe or issue of Grace Christ would never be exhausted or wearie of giving forth Grace For as Christ can never cease to be Christ so he can never cease to be an eternal infinite overflowing Ocean of boundlesse Grace And as this Grace of Christ is infinite in it self so also in the manner of its emanation it is infinitely free efficacious and soverain Doth not this Grace oft surprise the most gracelesse persons Did it not transforme Saul a black-mouthed Blasphemer and bloudie Persecutor into a St. Paul How many ugly lumps of Hel has this soverain Grace of Christ transformed into a beautiful Heaven Yea what is Heaven but an house filled with standing Miracles and living Monuments of this Grace Should Christ strip glorified Saints of his Jewels and ornaments of Grace what would remain but poor naked Nature surely there is as much Grace spent in Heaven as on earth yea the more Glorie the more Grace Saints in Heaven are as poor and naked without Christ as we So infinite and essential are our obligations to Christ In short God
God who can with one glance thereof make al in Heaven and Earth to smile yea ravish and overcome the hearts of his worst enemies Oh! What an heart-charming and victorious Beautie must there be in his face where al the ravishing glories and excellences of the God-head center t Hammond on this place and Beza Alludit persetâ—ò ad Mosis taciem illam non anertam ut clara esset Dâ—i Imago c 3.13 sed operram Beza in l. Some wil have this Phrase The face of Jesus Christ to refer to the Storie of Moses desirous to see the Glorie of God Exod. 33.18 c. with which sight Moses's face was irradiated and became glorious yea so glorious that the purblind Israelites could not contemplate the same ay but now the face of Jesus Christ has another-gets irradiation than Moses's had al the essential and substantial rayes of the Father's Glorie shine in this lovely face 2 Cor. 4.4 Image of God Hence v. 4. He is called the Image of God u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ocant Graecâ— non quanvie picturam sed quae sit vivi instar Unde Iconicâ—â—pictores quos vâ—lâ—o voramus qui peignent au vif Beza The Excellence of a thing is seen in its Image or picture if wel drawn 1. Christ is the essential substantial and most lively Image of God the Father in his face as God-man shines al the glorious Attributes of God as you have oft in the Child's face a living Image or Ressemblance of the Parent It 's true there are some vestigia or foot-steps of God in the sensible World ay but the Image of God is not there w Imago est Repraesentatio causae quantum ad similitnainem formae non solum causalitatis quod pertinet ad Vestigium Aquin. Summ. Vestigia or foot-steps have only some Impresses or notices of causalitie but an Image is a Representation of a cause according to the similitude of his forme and not only of his causalitie Again Adam had and the Saints here have though imperfectly as the Saints in Heaven perfectly have the Image of God shining on them ay but al this is but a created Accidental Image or a similitude in Qualitie or the accidental forme of Grace x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipâ—tur etiam pro ipsa essentiali similitudine Beza in Heb. 10.1 it is Christ alone that is the increated substantial Image of the Father's Glorie he is clothed with the specifiek forme if we may so speak in the Scholes Dialect or with not only a similitude but Vnitie of the Divine Essence his Likenes to God the Father consists not in an Accidental imperfect but in a substantial and perfect Vnitie or Identitie of Essence Thus Christ is the essential Image of God as the plenitude of the Deitie dwels in him personally and essentially 2. Christ may be stiled the Image of God in regard of y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. in quo sciâ—sum perspicuè conspiciendum praebet Deus nec allo quà m officii ipsius respectu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aliqui libri addunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut indicetur Deam alio juin incomprehensibâ—lem in Christo tamen conspici Beza in l. manifestation as the Glorie of the invisible God becomes in and by Christ visible to an eye of faith wherefore some copies adde here to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible i. e. God who is in his own nature invisible or incomprehensible doth in Christ his essential Image become visible to the believing world So it answers to Col. 1.15 where Christ is called the Image of the invisible God Namely because as the species forme and figure of a man is known by his Image so in and by Christ the wisdome power mercie and Grace with al the other Attributes of God are made manifest Hence the Hebrews cal their Messias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of God SECT 6. Christ an Essential Glasse wherin al the Glorie of the Deitie shines and from which it is reflected on the Believing World 2 Cor. 3.18 With the Explication THE like excellent Character of Christ we have 2 Cor. 3.18 In a Glasse 2 Cor. 3.18 But we al with open face beholding as in a Glasse the Glorie of the Lord are changed into the same Image c. We have here a parallel Antithesis betwixt the Grace of the Gospel and the Law Under the Law the Grace of God was veiled and wrapped up in Types and Shadows which were but a dark adumbration but under the Gospel the Glorious Grace of God shines as in a Glasse A Glasse t Speruium praeter Intem colorem etiam expressam imaginem reflectit Keck Optic besides light and color reflects the expresse Image of its object u Imago in Specuio est forma speculi Estius in l. Yea the Image in a glasse is the very forme of the Glasse and therefore the word here used signifies to contemplate his forme in a glasse w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vocat speculum Apostolus filium Dei in carne manifestatum qui nobis in ipsius Evangelio spectandus proponiter Mosi velato opponitur Beza in locum The Son of God incarnate is the orignal glasse wherein al the Glorie of God is to be contemplated by believers and that with open face in opposition to Moses's covered face By the glorie of God we are to understand al the glorious Attributes of God as his Wisdome Goodnes Grace Holines Justice Mercie c. Which are al to be seen in Christ as a man's face is seen in a Glasse The blessed Deitie has as we may speak deposited al his glorious rayes or Attributes in Christ that Essential glasse His wisdome mercie justice c. is no where so visible as here There is no saving ray of Glorie darted from the Creator to the Creature but what is reflected from this Divine Glasse Albeit the Essential Attributes of God are in al the three persons of the Trinitie yet the Mediatorie irradiation of these Attributes is only in the Son in whom they al meet as in an Vniversal Essential Glasse There are varietie of Glasses wherein the Glorie of God shines Some rayes of his glorious wisdome power and goodnes shine in the Glasse of the Creatures some beams of his holines and puritie shine in the Glasse of the Moral Law the Glorie of his Grace is seen in the Glasse of the Gospel and Evangelick Administrations Yea Hel it self is a glasse wherein shines the Glorie of God's Justice as in Heaven and Believers the glorie of his mercie and grace But al these are but created partial and dim glasses in comparison of Christ who is an increated universal and most bright Miroir or Glasse of the Father's Glorie We may suppose for illustration sake an universal living transforming Glasse such in which al the beams of the Sun that ever were or shal be or possibly may be are
vouchsafed to his Creature and the most admirable Miracle of soverain Mercie towards sinners that ever was or may be The blessed God has taken great delight on al occasions to vouchsafe sensible Demonstrations and Arguments of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie and Good Nature towards Man yea al those rich ornaments and gracious Accomplishments or vouchsafements conferred on Adam in Innocence were but the Effects of his free Grace though in some regard they may be termed natural to Adam's first state And since the Fal the blessed Lord has not ceased to vouchsafe large tokens of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie to his rebellious creature Ay but this unparalleld gift of his only begotten Son is the highest marque of favor and the richest manifestation of infinite Love free Grace and Mercie that poor sinners are capable to receive Wel therefore might our Emmanuel crie out Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son This little S O is such a great note and marque of Divine Philanthropie as that the lengths breadths depths and heights of this Love cannot be expressed or conceived as they ought to al Eternitie 2. Formally 2. The Love Mercie and Grace of God shine in Christ Formally as he is a perfect Idea or Miroir of Divine Love and Grace As also 3. 3. Effectively Effectively as al the Love and Grace of God the Father streameth through his heart unto the Elect Joh. 1.16 3. God's Justice shines in Christ The Infinite Glory of God the Father's Divine Justice shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively as he was the Object or But against which al the arrows of God's fiery indignation for sin were shot We have great Marques of Divine Justice on Cain and Judas and yet far more dreadful tokens thereof in Hel but yet we may safely affirme that al the black curses of the Law which their executions on sinners here yea that al the dreadful torments of the damned in Hel are nothing nigh so clear and ample Demonstrations of God's Justice and Severitie against sin as the sufferings of our dying Emmanuel O! come near and behold the Soverain pleasure of God the Father in bruising his only begotten Son and making his soul an offering for sin Esa 53.10 Oh! what a standing glorious monument of Divine Justice against sin is this red Glasse of Christ's bloud Herein we may behold God the Father's Justice as it were triumphing over his natural essential love to his only begotten Son 2. Again the Justice of God shines in Christ formally as also 3. Effectively in that al justice originally inheres in and flows from him 4. God's Holines shines in Christ 1 Objectively The Infinite Glorie of God's Holines shineth with a most transcendent Brightnes in Christ 1. Objectively and Demonstratively as God by making his soul an offering for sin gave the highest Demonstration that can be of his Infinite Antipathie and Hatred against Sin Yea it is supposed and that on good reasons That if Infinite wisdome should set it self on work never so much to find out an Argument to manifest God's hatred of sin there could not be a greater than this his dealing with his Son 2. Formally 2. God's Holines dwels in Christ formally as he is a perfect Idea Miroir or Glasse of al Holines infinitely beyond glorified Saints or Angels and therefore stiled The Holy One. 3. Effectively 3. God's Holines shines in Christ effectively as al the Saints Holines is derived from him Joh. 1.16 5. The power of God shines in Christ The Infinite Glorie of God's power shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively no work or effect of God's hand has such visible impresses of God's Omnipotence stamped on it as the Hypostatick Vnion of the Divine and Human Nature in one person whence it is called the power of the most high Besides Infinite power shined most gloriously in his Miracles Soul-sufferings Death and Resurrection more than in the Creation of Heaven and Earth 2. The omnipotence of God resides formally in Christ as the proper seat thereof 3. The omnipotence of God the Father shineth most effectively in al Christ's great works of Redemtion Conversion Conservation Protection and Gubernation of his Church c. Col. 1.11 Strenthened with al might according to his glorious power 6. The truth and faithfulnes of God shines in Christ The Truth and Faithfulnes of God the Father shines most gloriously in Christ 1. Objectively in that Christ was the greatest Promise that ever God gave to lost sinners yea in him al the Promises are Yea and Amen So that in sending him into the World to die for sinners God made good that great promise made four thousand years before Gen. 3.15 Yea by this means al the promises of God are fulfilled Whence the Veracitie and Fidelitie of God appears most conspicuous and bright in Christ's comming into the World c. And this indeed is one of the greatest aggravations of unbelief that when the Faithfulnes of God has so gloriously appeared in fulfilling that great Promise of sending his Son the accomplishment whereof was attended with such a world of difficulties I say that after this sinners should disbelieve or question the Faithfulnes of God in fulfilling other promises which have their Yea and Amen in Christ Gal. 3.16 Again 2. The Truth of God appears most glorious in Christ Formally in that he has to a tittle made good al his promises As Christ was the great Gift and Promise of God the Father so the Spirit is the great Promise and Gift of Christ Joh. 14 16 17 18.26 And is not Christ every way as good as his word in sending his Spirit is there any one promise that Christ made his friends at his Departure hence but has been and daily is fulfilled to a tittle 3. The Faithfulnes of God shines in Christ effectively in that he makes and keeps al his friends faithful and stedfast in their Covenant with him 7. Christ the Image of God's Immensitie and omnipresence Christ is a glorious Idea and Image of the Immensitie and Omnipresence of God as Joh. 3.13 The Son of man which is in Heaven The expression is very mysterious and deserves a particular Remarque How was the Son of man in Heaven Joh. 3.13 Was he not then on earth discoursing with them or could he be both in Heaven and on Earth at the same time Yes he might in different respects and by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion 't is true his bodie being finite could not as some fondly dream be in two places at the same time that implies no lesse than a contradiction ay but yet Christ God-man by virtue of the personal Vnion of the two Natures was at that very time while he was discoursing with them on Earth in Heaven Oh! what a tremendous mysterie is this that the Son of man should be at the same time in Heaven and on Earth How difficult
the visible Church on earth crouded with many secret enemies to who seem good friends of Christ Yea what Throngs and Crouds of Hypocrites are there now roaring in Hel who once passed for great friends of Christ in the visible Church Assuredly real Friendship with Christ is very rare and difficult It is an easie matter to be a friend in Name but O! how difficult is it to be so indeed I verily believe that one great designe of al God's Providences towards his Church is to discover the Rottennesses and Hypocrisie of false friends of Christ And I am not without great and I fear too rational fears that many of those who now passe for generally avowed friends of Christ wil one day appear to be but hollow-hearted and masqued enemies of him O that there were not too great grounds for such fears 10. 10. True friendship among men very rare From the general Idea and notion of Friendship we may collect That there is little yea very little real and solid Amitie to be found amongst men each towards other It 's true there is nothing among men more affected and commun than this stile Your Friend and yet what more rare than the Thing The Notion of Friendship is Sweet and Amiable and therefore al lay claim to it but the practice of the Thing it self is very difficult and rare especially in this self-seeking Age and therefore it is no wonder that the most of men even among those who assume to themselves the name are so much strangers to the thing Alas How few are there who do or can elect their friend for himself Wil not the most of men break with their best friends when they crosse their Humors or Interests Do not the Philosophers teach us that al true Amitie is founded in Virtue And is there any virtue beyond Friendship with Christ May we not then hence conclude That there is no true Amitie among men as men but what springs from Amitie with Christ I am strongly persuaded that there was never lesse Friendship among men as men than now adayes and the reasons to me are evident namely from the strength of mens private passions their Inordinate love to this World the Soverain prevalence of self and the decay of that ancient Simplicitie Integritie and publick-spiritednes which formerly flourished among men These I say seem to be the genuine Reasons and Causes why there now is lesse natural or civil Amitie among men than in the dayes of old 11. 11. The folie of such as refuse to make Christ their friend Hence also we may conclude That such as refuse to elect Christ for their friend are deservedly branded with the blackest marque of Fools and Mad men Is Christ indeed so amiable and eligible for himself Doth al the Glorie and perfection of the blessed Deitie dwel bodily in him Is it man's supreme Dignitie Libertie and perfection to elect and adhere to him for himself Oh then how desperately foolish how notoriously mad are al they who reject or neglect the election of such a friend Alas what is it to have al the World thy friend if Christ be thine enemie Wil not al the Glorie of this fading world at the last conflagration be burnt up and contracted into its first nothing at least as to matter of happines What canst thou be said to have or enjoy if thou wantest Christ How poor would thy gain be if al the earth were thine and Christ not thine But on the contrarie what a blessed losse is that if thou shouldest lose al things to gain Christ Are not al things without Christ nothing and nothing with Christ as good as al things Is it not notorious folie for a rational soul to hunger after the jejune emtie pleasures of a vexatious World and to neglect the Divine suavities and delices of an increated eternal Good Doth it not argue a sottish bewitched mind to stand gazing on a blasted Sun-burnt flour of sensible good and mean-while to turne the back on the Sun of Righteousnes that first Light and Beautie Alas Alas that Rational creatures should be so raving mad as to lavish their Affections on such deformed Harlots and black Idols of clay and yet find so little love for the best friend that ever was O the Monstrous folie O the unconceivable madnes of blind sinners That Beautie it self should have so few eyes gazing on it that the supreme eternel most comprehensive most diffusive most permanent and best good should have so few hearts fettered and chained to it That he who is the wonder of Heaven and Earth the only Beloved of the Father should have so little share in the hearts of men O bewitched fools O blind souls What ails you that such an incomparable friend is despised by you How comes it to passe that you are so desperately mad as to part with your love and souls for mere nothing When wil men â—e wise SECT 2. A practick Improvement of this Doctrine touching Amitie with Christ in order to the conviction of secure sinners who reject Christ Use 1 Of conviction to secure sinners who mind not Friendship with Christ HAving dispatched the Doctrinal Corollaries we now procede to some practick Improvements of this great Doctrine touching Friendship with Christ And the first great practick Vse I would make of this Doctrine is of convincement to secure sinners who neither Mind nor Affect this great concerne of Divine Amitie with Christ This Vse I shal branch forth into two parts 1. The conviction of the Sin 2. The conviction of the Miserie of such as neither mind nor Affect Friendship with Christ 1. 1. The Aggravation of this Sin not to mind friendship with Christ mesured To convince secure sinners of their sin in rejecting or neglecting Friendship with Christ we may consider its Aggravations both in regard of its Object Subject Formal Nature and Effects 1. 1. By its Object The Aggravations and weight of this sin wil greatly appear if we seriously weigh and consider the Object against which it strikes For it is a Maxime evident to the Light of Nature and so universally granted by al considerate persons That the Aggravation of an offense is to be mesured by the Object or Person against whom it is committed Now then let us consider what there is in Christ that Aggravates their sin who refuse Divine Amitie with him 1. 1. It is against Christ the alone Author of life Is not Christ the alone Spring and Source of Spiritual life Can any but Christ give life to dead souls Did he not die that dead sinners might live Is not his bloud a Soverain balsame for wounded bleeding souls O then how comes it to passe that bleeding dying sinners reject him who is the alone Soverain physician of Souls Was it ever known that a condemned Rebel refused to be reconciled to and receive a pardon from his Soverain Prince Is it possible that a wretched Malefactor hung up in Chains
And can we imagine that the spiritual fixed contemplation of Christ's ravishing Beauties and Glories by an eye of Faith wil not have a more efficacious Influence on his friends to inflame their hearts with friendship towards him O! Would men but studie pore on and admire the incomparable excellences and perfections of Christ what admirable friends would they be How would their Hearts be ravisht with Love unto him What infinite complacence and satisfaction would they find in communion with him 1. 1. Studie the Beauties of Christ's person What more Attractive than Amiable Beautie And is there any thing imaginable so Beautiful as Christ What is Beautie but a connatural Amenitie or sweet Amiablenes of forme and figure arising from a natural wel-tempered complexion situation and proportion of al parts And are these Ingredients of Beautie any where to be found in such a super-eminent degree as in Christ Is he not in regard of his complexion stiled white and ruddie Cant. 5.10 which are estimed colors most predominant in Beautie Doth not the Spouse give him this Character Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my Beloved yea pleasant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. amiable beautiful acceptable every way heart-ravishing Is there any thing in the world more Beautiful than the Sun and its light shining in its Meridian Glorie And is not Christ's Beautie set forth by that of the Sun shining in its strength Rev. 1.16 Oh! what an Infinite Glorious Sun of Righteousnes is Christ How Beautiful are the beams of his Glorious light O come come al ye friends of Christ and behold this your King in his Beautie as Esa 33.17 O gaze gaze for ever on this your friend let the eyes of your understandings spend their vigor in Heart-affecting contemplations and views of those admirable glories that shine in the person of this your dearest and best friend and never desist til your hearts be ravished with and captivated to him 2. 2 Studie Christ's Good-Nature love and compassions towards his friends Studie admire and adore greatly the suavities or sweeinesses of Christ's Nature the wonders of his love and the Tendernesses of his compassions towards his friends Oh! What an incomparably good-Nature hath Christ How admirably sweet-humored is he towards his friends Were any of Christ's friends ever troubled with causelesse crosse Humors and vexatious carriges from Christ Is not his Nature made up of unparalled sweetnesses O studie and dive deep into Christ's good-Nature and sweet Humor What Divine Suavities possesse his Nature How wel-tempered his spirit is How free from al morose sour il humors his Nature is There are many eminent Qualities in Christ which render him of an incomparably sweet Nature 1. His Nature as curiously framed by the spirit of God is of a surpassing finer make than al other human yea Angelick natures 2. His Human Nature was Graced in and from the Womb. It 's sin that makes our Human Nature so morose so sour so il-conditioned but Christ's nature is clothed with pure Grace and therefore most sweet most benigne most wel-tempered 2. Christ's Love Studie also and admire the wonders of Christ's Love to his friends O that ever such an Infinite Masse of pure spotlesse Love should mingle with Sinful Dust and Ashes Oh! What a free undeserved Love is this Who could ever have imagined that poor deformed bankrupt Rebels should obtain a share in such love and that without hire What was our Emmanuel content to espouse human clay and assume it into such a substantial mariage or hypostatick union with the Deity thereby to reconcile Heaven and Earth Did he borrow a human Heart and Affections to embrace us Human bowels and compassions to Sympathise with us human eyes to weep for us human breath to groan for us a human tongue to plead for us human flesh to sweat drops of bloud for us a human Head to be crowned with thornes for us human armes and legs to be pierced for us a human bodie to bleed for us a human soul and life to die for us O the Altitudes the Profundities the Latitudes and Longitudes of this Love That the Soverain Lord of Glorie should breath forth such flames of insinite love in human flesh and bloud O the Infinite condescensions of this Love What doth the Lord of Glorie stoop so low as to embrace poor wormes crawling on the dunghil of sin Is the King of Kings content to enter into a league of Amitie with miserable captives Doth the great God wooe and beseech his sinful ercature to become his friend Oh! What a boundlesse bottomlesse love is here What vigor and force is there in this Love How heart-charming and soul-conquering is it What delight doth it take in gaining and triumphing over stout rebellious hearts How much doth love in Christ out-run sin in us Did not Christ begin with love to us albeit we begin with hatred to him Was not our Heaven first framed in the Heart of Christ Did not his love contrive the way to Heaven for us long before we had being much lesse love for him Doth not he love such as others hate even Enemies And doth not his love out-work Devils and Hel Is there any power so strong and efficacious as Christ's love How Industrious laborious and unwearied is it How ineffable how unsearchable is it O Studie Studie what are the Lengths Breadths Heights and Depths of this Love Believe it this is the sweetest and best yea only studie for the friends of Christ The more we studie this Love of Christ the more we may studie it there are fresh veins of excellence new Treasures and riches to be found in it every day This wil be the wonder of glorified Saints and Angels to al Eternitie Alas why is it that our hearts sink and despond under our Discouragements How comes it to passe that our Hearts are no more inflamed with Love to Christ Is not this one main Reason because we do not Studie and Admire this Love of Christ as we ought to do What vigor and strength doth the studie of this Love infuse into al the Iniâ—uragements of faith How much doth it raise up the soul under al its Discouragements What a veil of Disgrace and Contemt doth it cast on al the goodlines of the Creature How greatly is the soul raised to communion with Christ by the studie of his Love 3. Christ's compassion and tender nesses Studie also the Tendernesses of Christ's care and compassion towards his friends Is he not mindful of them when they are forgetful of him Doth he not think much good for them oft when they think il of him Though he may be sometimes out of sight yet is not even then his heart with them Doth he not long for and bleed over them when he seems to be departed from them It 's true he sometimes suspends the tokens of his love and marques of Divine favor ay but are not these his suspensions wrapped up in many secret
invifible influences and gracious Assistances Or if at times he may suspend the sensible quickenings and enlargements of his Grace yet doth he not then most intend Grace when he seemeth to suspend the same Doth he not thereby humble the soul and bring it to a life of faith and Dependence Is not his withdrawment of himself oft an high act of Grace Did not Peter receive the more Grace in that Grace was suspended for a season Doth Christ upbraid his friends with old debts or reckon with them in a legal way for infirmities Has he not drunk Hel drie and left none of that salt dead Sea for them to drink O studie the Tendernesses of Christ towards his friends How much it grieves him to see them grieved what a bleeding sense he has of al their wounds How chearfully he burdens himself with al their burdens Heb. 4.15 How patiently he bears with al their froward humors morose conditions peevish pettish and murmuring frames even as a Nurse doth with her child Act. 13.18 How much he considers and condescends to their Infirmities by laying no more upon them than he inables them to bear by upholding them when they fal by performing al manner of servile offices for them even to the making their bed for them in their sicknesses c. Oh! what delicious and rich matter is here for the studie and contemplation of Christ's friends 3. 3. Studie the Riches of Grace in Christ The Friends of Christ should also much studie admire and adore the plenitude and Riches of his Grace Has he not Infinite Treasures of Grace loged in him as Mediator And was it not for his friends that he received al these Immense Treasures of Grace Doth he not also give forth and impart these his Riches of Grace Freely abundantly universally constantly and unweariedly unto al that come unto him Can the friends of Christ be more willing to have than he is to give Grace Oh! what an increated Sun of Righteousnes is here to illuminate dark souls what an eternal fire is here to heat and melt frozen Affections What an Infinite Ocean is here to water refresh mollifie fructifie and satisfie drie parched hard withered and panting souls What strange Miracles can and doth his efficacious Grace continually work Oh! what a Felicitie have the friends of Christ in that their salvation is not rolled on the wheels of their own Free wil Happie O thrice happie are they who have such a rich strong yea omnipotent Mediator for their friend d O if I could yoke in amongst the thickâ— of Angels and Seraphims and now glorified Saints and could raise a new love-song of Christ before al the World I am pained with wondering at the new opened Treasures in Christ If every finger member bone and joint were a torch burning in the hottest fire in Hel I would they could al send out Love-praises to that Plant of Renown c. Rutherfurd Oh! what a compassionate eye what an healing hand what a bleeding Heart what an Omnipotent Arme has he who saveth to the utmost al his Friends Paul tels us Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should al fulnes dwel Here is 1. Fulnes 2. Al fulnes Col. 1.19 3. Al fulnes dwelling in Christ which denotes the everlasting permanence of al Grace in Christ as in its Fountain And that which addes a farther excellence to this Grace is that it dwels in Christ as clothed with our Nature and so flowing from him as such becomes more connatural and agreable to us So that the Grace we are made partakers of flows not immediately from God simply considered but from Christ as God-man one that is near akin and allied to us And oh what an admirable tincture what an excellent perfume has this Grace as it issues from the heart of Christ As waters that passe thorow Minerals receive some tincture and relish of the Mines they passe thorow so the Grace of God passing thorough the Golden mine of God-man receives a tincture thereof which renders it mightie sweet and admirable O studie then the excellent Qualities of this Grace as it streams thorough the heart of Christ God-man Studie also the Infinite Quantities of this Grace O the infinitude of Christ's Grace Who can sufficiently admire the vast treasures of Grace in Christ O come and dive into this infinite Abysse and Ocean of Grace what fresh wonders are here to be seen day by day The more we studie this Grace the more we shal admire it the more we shal trust in it the more we shal be sensible of our infinite and essential obligation to it Come and see if there be not boundlesse Treasures of Grace in Christ Who ever perisht for want of a sufficience in Christ to save him O Studie muse on yea let your thoughts be quite swallowed up and confounded in the Contemplation and Admiration of these inexhaustible Treasures of Grace that are in Christ O prie into this curious Golden Arke in which the plenitude of the Deitie dwels bodily or personally What pen though dipt in the bloud of the Lamb can write What tongue though bedewed with the water of life can expresse What Heart though of never so vast and Angelick make can conceive the ineffable incomprehensible Riches of Grace that are in this incomparable Mediator O! What vast created emanations of Grace have for almost sixe thousand years flowed from Christ unto his friends and yet he stil is as ful of Grace as ever Joh. 1.16 What Evangelick matter of contemplation and Admiration is here for al Eternitie Is not this the Heaven of Heavens to employ an Eternitie in the Beatifick Vision Fruition and Adoration of this wonder of Heaven and Earth the Lord of Glorie to view and never out-view to admire and never over-admire this wonder of wonders our dear Lord And should not the friends of Christ be much conversant in digging into this golden Mine in surveying this Celestial Canaan Alas how little do we yet understand of Emmanuel's Name and Land What a shame is it for the friends of Christ that there should be such admirable excellences in Christ and they want eyes to view them O that al other vain Beauties fond Loves and Idol-friends might wither and die away that so the vigor intention and force of our Meditation Admiration and Adoration might be expended on this most Beautiful Affectionate and Gracious Lord What an Heaven would this be on Earth What Life in Death How far short do they come of living up to that friendship they professe towards Christ who content themselves with commun loose feeble cheap mean low and vulgar contemplations and Estimes of him How much doth the Claritie and Spiritualitie of our Light the fervor and heat of our Affections the vigor Beautie Growth perfection exercice and Glorie of our Graces depend on our Studies Contemplations Admirations and Adorations of Christ SECT 2. The friends of Christ should daily Repete their
whorish Lovers and Idol-friends should share in that conjugal Affection which is due to Christ Alas what folie is it to divide that little narrow piece of Love which is not enough for the best beloved Christ among bastard Lovers which are so far from giving satisfaction as that the more we embrace them the more they sting us Christ expects nothing from us more than our Love and nothing lesse wil he accept As Christ gives his friends a conjugal pledge namely the Earnest of his Spirit so he expects from them a conjugal Love Mariage-love is indivisible it wil not serve for two corrivals Christ must loge his alone there He that enters into a covenant of conjugal Amitie with Christ must bid Adieu to al other Lovers Christ wil have Integritie and Honestie or nothing And therefore usually he Wooes and Elects his friends in the furnace of Affliction he allures them into a Wildernes of many Difficulties Tentations and Desertions there to win and gain their Affections entirely to himself as Hos 2.14 15. The Friends of Christ are not neither can they be Masters of two predominant Loves and therefore Christ must be their Althings or he is nothing to them Alas how little do the friends of Christ owe to the flattering or frowning World Is not a good look too much for Idol-friends who would take up Christ's room in our Affections over his Head Woe woe to him who hath such a friend as Christ is and yet wants Affection for him Can our Affections sleep securely or find satisfaction any where but in Christ's bosome What gain we by spending our Affection 's on this smoking World but vapors and sick dreams instead of ease and content Fie fie that whorish Idols should possesse our conjugal Affection due to so good a friend as Christ is Oh! what cursâ—â— Affection is that which streameth towards any other Lover but Christ How much should the friends of Christ disdain that any thing but their Lord should touch theiâ— spiritual conjugal Affections What an holy Ambition should they have of entertaining Christ and none but Christ in their choicest Affections How greatly should they scorne al secret dalliances with an Adulterous World But to descend to particulars 1. 1. Conjugal Love to Christ The first and main Affection which the Friends of Christ should entertain him with is a conjugal love Love as it fulfils the Law so also Amitie with Christ And the more Discrete Solid Spiritual Virgin Equal Intimate Passionate Commensurate and Transformative our Love to Christ is the more Raised Wel-grounded Conjugal Permanent Noble and Operative wil our friendship with Christ be The Friends of Christ ought to cast their choicest Love into no mould but Christ's that so it may be for him and for none other Thus the Spouse Cant. 2.7 My Love Pathetically Cant. 2.7 as if she had said him on whom al my conjugal love centers the delight of mine eyes the joy of mine heart the Ocean into which al my little love streams mine only Love So much is implied for Abstracts speak Formes and Essences The friends of Christ must give him their virgin Love the Elixir Essences and Spirits of their Love A green young love may not suffice for Christ he must have the flour and vigor of our Love That little narrow spark of Divine Love which was inspired and breathed by Christ into the Hearts of his Friends must respire or breath forth live and inhabit no where but in the bosome of Christ Alas where should the stream emtie it self but in the Ocean whence it received its first emanation Oh! what pitie is it that so much of our Love should passe by Christ and terminate on Idol-lovers Who is the Proprietor of our Love but Christ and Christ alone where is there an object adequate to the Saints love but Christ where are there such ravishing Beauties such delicious Suavities such surpassing excellences such Transcendent glories to feed our Love with al as in Christ Can we then put our conjugal-love into better hands than Christ's Is it not natural to love to spend its choicest spirits and vigor on the fairest and most amiable object Is it not sad that Christ should have so much Beautie Sweetnes Excellence for his friends and yet they should have so little Love for him Alas Alas that clay-Gods that Time-Idols that beautiful shadows and gilded Nothings should run away with so much of our love and so little of it be reserved for Christ Oh! what folie is it to have an oblique and squint-regard to skin-deep Beauties and golden dreams when as there is such substantial Amiablenes in Christ O the prodigious madnes of those who find love for pleasing toyes for beautiful vanities for faiâ— nothings and yet can find no love for Christ the best beloved Certainly a little creature-love is enough or too much but much yea the most Christ-love is too little for the friends of Christ who have espoused him for their Husband What is Heaven if this be not Heaven to lye under the beatifick vision Love and Fruition of Christ And who injoy more of Heaven upon earth than such whose hearts are most transformed into and ravished with the fiducial Contemplation Admiration and Love of Christ Spiritual pure and passionate Love to Christ gives the friends of Christ a possession of himself yea a secret and efficacious Transformation into the Image of Christ For the Heart silently steals into and becomes one with what it strongly loves Love the world greatly and thine heart wil soon become worldly Love Christ greatly and thine heart wil grow up and be gradually transformed into the Image of Christ-Such a Soverain and Efformative virtue hath Love especially that of Friendship if it be in any eminent predominant degree O then Love Love Love Christ much 2. 2. Desires after Christ Another Affection which the friends of Christ ought to be much in the exercice of towards Christ is conjugal desire after him f Iâ— omâ—i diligente causatur desideriâ—m ut uâ—iatur suo dilecto ia quantum possibâ—le est Aquin. Contra Gent. l. 3. c. 153. Desire is the first-borne of Love the feet of the soul whereby it goes forth to meet its beloved And undoutedly none live and aci more as friends of Christ than such as are possessed with the strongest desires after him O! how pleasing is it to Christ to see his friends ful of love-sick desires and longings after himself Christ cannot be long absent from such as are sick at heart and pained with desires after him Thus it was with the love-sick Spouse Can. 2.5 6. Cant. 2.5 g O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in Christ's bosome I would frist Heaven for many years to have my fil of Jesus in this life I cannot tel you what sweet pain and delightsome torments are in Christ's love c. Rutherf L. For I am sick of love and what
The friends of Christ should obey the Gracious Inspirations of the Spirit as God himself n Fr. de Sales Introduct a la vie Devote ' These Inspirations are saith a devote Papist those Attractions Movements Reproches Interior Remorses and Illuminations which God workes in us preventing our heart by his Benedictions to the End that he may awaken excite and draw us unto Virtues and good Resolutions ' Now these the hearts of Christ's friends must be very flexible unto if they wil content Christ To resist Christ's Spirit provokes him much 5. 5. Fidelitie towards Christ Such as wil content Christ must studie and Endeavor after the greatest Fidelitie and Loyaltie towards him especially in difficult times Fidelitie is an essential part yea the Spirit and soul of Amitie We ought saith the serious Jansenist to studie fidelitie in the least occurrences o S. Cyraâ— Lett. Chrest p. 422. as a veritable friend who is more wounded in his own heart by the least Infidelitie which he commits than his friend against home he commits it is wounded ' An unfaithful friend gives Christ no better content than an open enemie 6. 6. Frequent Addresses to Christ Frequent Addresses and Applications to Christ for Grace and Conduct give much content to him As Absences Distances and Estrangements from Christ greatly displease him so daily Supplications to Dependences on and Converses with him are hugely pleasing to him None please him better than they who are most humbly confident and bold with him for Grace p Absenciae enemiga de Amor. Spanish Prov. Absence is a great enemie to Amitie and therefore very disgustful to Christ 7. 7. Civilitie and respects due to Christ The Friends of Christ must be very civil and respective towards him they must performe al Acknowlgements Respects and Ceremonies of friendship which are due to Christ Civilitie is the performance of those Ceremonies and Respects which are due And certainly if Rudenes and Incivilitie be a sin in any it is in the friends of Christ who give not their best Respects to Christ who most deserves and therefore may wel expect them Without dout the best breeding is to be Civil and Respective to Christ our best friend And the more friendly Christ is to any the more unkindly he takes al Incivilities and disrespects towards himself And this is to me a great Observation That the least disrespects or unkindnesses which Christ receives from his peculiar Confidents and friends especially such as have received great marques of favor from him are more displeasing to him than great provocations of other Professors who never received so great kindnesses from Christ O! Would the friends of Christ but walk in waies wel-pleasing to him how pleasing would al his waies be unto them Would they but make it their busines to content and please him what could discontent and displease them Would not al Duties Mercies Afflictions yea the whole Creation be pleasing and serviceable to them If our Lord be pleased what need we care who be displeased If he be a friend what matter is it who be our enemie If he smiles let the whole world frown it matters not Oh! Were our waies but obedient and complacential unto Christ how gracious how sweet how influential how complacential would his waies towards us be Could we but keep close to him in his waies of dutie how close would he keep to us in al our waies of suffering But alas alas here lies the worme of al our comforts the sting of al our sufferings we give not Christ our best friend that content which is due to him and therefore 't is no wonder we find no more content in duties or sufferings for him SECT 8. The Friends of Christ must take al their content in Christ both as the first Spring of Grace and also as the adequate object of their Beatitude 8. 8. Advice the friends of Christ must take al content in him Motives thereto OUr next Admonition and Advice to the Friends of Christ in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation is That they take al their content in Christ This indeed is the Top of Amitie with Christ and that which has an essential connexion with yea seems a main branch of the forgoing Advice For according to the mesure of content we take in Christ such a mesure of content we give unto him The Friends of Christ never give more contentement to Christ than when they take al contentement in him They must be content with Christ alone yea in point of Beatitude make him their Great Al or else they wil not give content to him no nor yet unto themselves For this Divine Art of finding al contentement in Christ is not more the Dutie than the Privilege Dignitie Perfection and Felicitie of the friends of Christ It is the Supreme Interest of the friends of Christ to make him their alone Wisdome Forces Riches Dignities Pleasures Peace Libertie Life Self and Al. Yea May we not say that Christ is and ought to be the main of his friends Heaven A little weight of Amitie and Confidence laid upon creature-friends wil soon break their back and turn them into Idols and broken reeds None can bear and therefore none ought to have the main Pondus or weight of our Friendship and Confidence but Christ Our main Errand into this world is but this in sum to give al content to Christ and take al content in him as our best friend If our Affections were more extensive than al the Affections of al the Angels united in one yet were they al yea infinitely more than al these due to Christ Other friends in themselves deserving if compared with Christ deserve nothing of our spiritually conjugal Amitie This made the Psalmist crie out Psal 73 25. Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee This good man had many friends in Heaven whom he loved wel there were his Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. whom he could not but greatly estime and love yet al these if compared with Christ were nothing he had some regard for them yet took not his main content in them in this regard he cries out Whom have I in Heaven but thee So also for his friends on Earth he had without dout many whom he much valued perhaps Wife and Children and Parents who were dear to him ay but if they come into compare with Christ he counts them not worth the naming he bids Adieu to al earthly friends crying out and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee As if he had said Lord I professe I can take my main content in none but thy self If thou take away al mine other friends from me and give thy self to me I count I lose nothing of mine essential felicitie if I lose al other friends and gain thy self I adjudge it an happie losse
is said to be the Character or expresse Image hereby is also denoted the permanence and subsistence of the Deitie in Christ he is not a superficial transient Image but an expresse lively subsistant and essential character or Idea of the Father's person as a Child that bears the Image of his Father and partakes of the same nature with him In that he cals Christ r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Expressa effigies vel insculpta figura In speculo quidem apparet Imago hominis fed non character unde character plus est quam Imago quae in Gera vel alia quapiam re est nam character est Ima o permanâ—â—s Oecolampad in Heb. 1.3 Character praeter figuram requirit ut sit expressus ad Archetypum adaequatus essentialiter ut possit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. rebus adis sâ—ris im rimere suam Imaginem Sic caim voâ—at inscusptam formam ut ab omni adumbrata vel inani Imagine distinguat the Character it is much more emphatick than if he had said an Image For there appears in a Glasse the Image of a thing but not the character which denotes a true solid lively forme or expresse Image exactly representing the Archetype as the character of the Seal impressed on Waxe So that character here imports that Christ is a most perfect adequate absolute essential and expresse Image of God such as gives a most certain and evident representation of his Father answerable to Phil. 2.6 where he is said to be in the Forme of God which implies more than a figure or bare Image namely an essential character 'T is true there are some f He is the engraven forme of the person of the Father noting hereby the Unitie of substance as in whom the Fulnes of the Godhead dwels bodily Col. 1.9 Even as Paul cals him the Image of God distinguishing him by this name from al shadows Heb. 10.1 Deering on Heb. 1.3 stampes impresses or dark characters of God on the Visible sensible World There was also a more legible and fair character or Image of God on Adam's soul in Innocence There is yet a more noble character or Impresse of the Divine Glorie on Glorified Saints and Angels but yet al these characters are infinitely short of our Emmanuel as he is the substantial character or expresse Image of his Father's Person which notes not only an unitie in Qualitie but in Substance not only similitude but also Indentitie or samenes in essence as also Paritie and Equalitie in Glorie Thus Christ is the Character of his Father's person which also renders him infinitely eligible for himself But how Christ is the Image of his Father's Person wil farther appear in what follows on 2 Cor. 4.4 6. SECT 5. The Explication of 2 Cor. 4.6 4. WE find another great Character of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 In the Face of Jesus as he is the expresse Image of his Father's Glorie 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowlege of the Glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ Here are several gradations which render the whole but especially Christ the center of the whole very beautiful and glorious 1. He saies that God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts Paul here counts al his notional knowlege before Conversion but darknes yea such thick darknes as was upon the face of the Chaos before God Created light Gen. 1.2 So that nothing but the creative power of God could bring saving light out of his confused pharisaick darknes 'T is true he had head-knowlege before ay but now saies he God has shined in our hearts and made them a living Glasse for what Why 2. To give the knowlege of God Yea 3. The light i. e. the clear and evident manifestation of the knowlege of God The face of Christ What But how is this possible Surely no way but 4. In the face of Jesus Christ f Per Angelum faciei Jehorae Esa 63.9 Filius Dei intelligitur dictus faciei ipsius Angelus quia est ille qui visibili specie columnae sâ—il nubis ignis Israelitas in deserto duxit saciem Dei quast conspâ—ciâ—aâ— populo fâ—it idâ—quod Jehovae ipsi ad cribitur Exod. 14.24 Alii appellationem hanc illi dafam esse volunt quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.15 Glass Rhetor. s The Face is the most celestial beautiful majestick lovely and visible part in a man's bodie wherein the invisible Characters and Dispositions of the soul are oft very visible if there be any goodlines or excellence in the creature it usually appears very far in the face By face here we may understand the whole Forme of Christ as Mediator t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeis id omne significat quod sensibus exterioribus perci itar Giot. in l. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies al that which is obvious to externe sense and in general the whole person Whence the Face of a man is frequently in the Scripture-Phrasiologie put for his whole person so to accept the Person is in the Original to accept the face Luk. 20.21 as elsewhere because the excellences of the person shine most in the face Much of the Majestie Glorie beautie and lovelines of a man shines in his face Thus Christ is the face of God Oh! What an infinite Majestie beautie and Glorie doth there shine in Christ How lovely amiable sweet and heart-ravishing are the manifestations of God in Christ Alas what is there to be seen of God but what shines in Christ Is not al God and whole God manifest in the face of Christ May we expect the least mediatorie manifestation of the Divine Love Grace and Mercie but in the Son Is there not a confluence of al the lovely qualities al the drawing Attributes al the ravishing Beauties of the Deitie in Christ And doth not the contemplation of these glorious perfections which shine in the face of Christ draw life out of Death beautie out of deformitie strength out of infirmitie order out of confusion happines out of miserie yea Heaven out of Hel Thus in the face of Christ the Majestie Beautie Amenitie Amiablenes Grace with the other Divine Characters and Invisible Glories of God the Father become visible and intelligible to the renewed mind It 's confest there is much of the glorious light or knowlege of God shines in the Face of the creatures and more in the Face of the Ceremonial and Moral Law and yet more in the Face of the Gospel and Gospel-ordinances and yet more in the Faces of Believers and glorified Saints But alas What are al these Faces if compared with the glorious lovely face of our Emmanuel but mere deformities yea nothing Oh! What a beautiful glorious face has this Son of