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
makes men sooner mad than to be drunk with too much felicitie Our Heads and Hearts are so weak and infirme as that they are soon overcome with the sweet wine of worldly good And therefore he that will be a friend of Christ needs much wisdome and Christian Temperance as to the Desire Vse and Fruition of these lower goods The Philosopher saies in down right termes b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato that it is impossible to be exceding rich and exceding good Which comes near our Lord 's great Aphorisme That it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. as 't is explained for one that trusts in his riches which is the usual practice of rich men who therefore are most unfit to make friends of Christ Certainly great confluences of inferior goods are great impediments to friendship with Christ Because they make men usually 1. Very c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 19. proud 2. Very soft-natured and unable to bear and manage the crosse 3. Very voluptuous and sensual 4. Very formal dead-hearted and strangers to God in al their waies 5. Very confident in themselves 6. Very earthy and base-minded Which are al very obstructive to friendship with Christ We have sufficifient instances hereof in those who pretended friendship to Christ So the young man Mat. 19.21 Mat. 19.21 22. 22. what kept him from closing with Christ but his possessions he had rather part with Christ than with his riches He that wil make Christ his friend must ungod the World Now the Worlds Deitie or if you wil Trinitie consists in the Lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2.16 1 Joh. 2.16 i.e. according to the usual explication the act being by reason of its near alliance set for the object Sensual pleasures Riches and Honors Which as the Cynick wittily expresseth it d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogen Cyn. are the masques of Vices yea and the fuel of them So Philo the Jew tels us e Philo in Decalog That all sin comes from the lust after pleasures or riches or glorie These therefore must be so far rejected as they stand in competition with Christ Thus Christ enjoines the young man Matth. 19.21 Mat. 19.11 Go and sel what thou hast and give to the poor Christ commands him to part with al if he would partake of him To part with al why or how so 1. Every friend of Christ must part with al habitually in the habitual frame and bent of his heart Christ must be loved more than al thence the friends of Christ are required to hate al in comparison of Christ that is to love al with a lesser love which is comparative hatred This the young man came short in for he loved his riches more than Christ as v. 22. 2. The friend of Christ must part with al actually when Christ cals for it which Christ does in some cases As 1. In those first times of the Gospel Christ required that his friends should lay down al at his feet and live on a commun stock and therefore it was this young man's sin that he would not obey Christ's command and part with al at his injunction which was also the sin of Ananias and Saphira and it cost them their lives Again 2. Christ commands his friends to part actually with al so far as his Churches shal need require it for the maintaining of his worship and ordinances Which seems the meaning of that Scripture Gal. 6.6 7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocqued for what a man sows that also shal he reap c. His designe is to instruct us that we may not grudge any thing to Christ for the maintaining of his Worship 3. We are actually to part with al for Christ so far as it may stand in competition with Christ which oft happens in times of Persecution we must lose al to keep Christ and a good Conscience So our Lord informes us Mat. 6.24 Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two masters ye cannot serve God and Mammon i. e. as Chrysostome paraphraseth on these words f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost no one can serve God and Mammon because they require opposite things Christ commands that we part with what we have Mammon commandt that we catch at what we have not There is also an emphase in that notion serve which implies to be under the Dominion and to depend on the beck of those we serve He that is under the Dominion of Christ as his husband and friend must use the World as his servant not as his friend or Lord. In brief How the World is to be used in subordination to Christ the right use of the World in subordination to our friendship with Christ consists in these particulars 1. In al creature-goods to have a single intention on and pure Affection for Christ as our chiefest good and best friend This Christ injoines in the fore-cited Scripture Mat. 6.22 if the eye i. e. the Intention be single the whole bodie is ful of light To the friends of Christ the whole World should be but a glasse wherein they see and enjoy Christ their friend 2. There must be moderation in the use of al creature-comforts and contentation in the losse of them Al sensible goods are to the friends of Christ but things indifferent and therefore they must use them indifferently they must learne with Paul Phil. 4.12 Phil. 4.12 to want in al their abundance and to abound in al their wants What is wanting in their provision they must make up by contentment and what is over or abundant they must by Christian moderation and charitie learne to want 3. The friends of Christ must use things to be used and enjoy things to be injoyed i. e. they must use the World as their servant and injoy Christ as their friend For he that makes the World his friend makes Christ his enemie Jam. 4.4 So Jam. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitie with God c. so irreconcilable is the feud 'twixt Christ and the World when they come in competition as that he who is a friend of the World must needs be an enemie to Christ and he that is a friend to Christ is necessarily engaged to be an enemie to the World How far the friends of Christ must reject the frowns of the World we intend to shew God willing when we come to their dutie as to bearing Christ's Crosse SECT 5. How far Divorce from the Law is pre-requisite to the Espousement of Christ as our friend 4. How far the Law is to be rejected in order to the espousement of Christ WE now procede to the last grand competitor with Christ namely The Law which is not simply and absolutely an enemie to Christ but only so far as under the notion of an Husband or
to us not only by addition of something to him but also by substraction or diminution of something from him As we may not therefore adde either sin or self or world or Law to Christ so neither may we substract or withdraw any thing from Christ A divided as wel as a compound Christ is but an imaginary friend or rather real enemie to us Wherefore he that will really make Christ his friend must elect him completely as wel as singly Now to chuse Christ completely imports two things 1. To chuse whole Christ And 2. To chuse whole Christ for himself Of these in their order First 1. The friends of Christ must elect a whole Christ Those who will contract an Amitie with Christ must elect or chuse whole Christ Though I cannot as yet satisfie mine own thoughts with that persuasion which supposeth justifying faith as such and under that reduplication to regard Christ as Lord and King as wel as Priest because this is as I conceive with submission to confound the differing formes of faith as justifying and as sanctifying whereof the former speaks a relation to Christ as Priest the latter to Christ as King chiefly Besides I have not as yet any sufficient reason which might persuade me to quit that received opinion That faith justifies as an Instrument not physick but moral or rather federal depending wholly on the institution of God and hence not as an Active but Passive or Receptive and Applicative Instrument whereby the Righteousnes of Christ is received and made ours Though I cannot I say for these and such like considerations force my mind to assent that justifying faith as such regardeth Christ as Lord and King yet I easily grant yea shal demonstrate that sanctifying faith which is one great ligament or essential bond of the souls friendship with Christ closeth with whole Christ as wel Prophet and King as Priest c. SECT 2. The friends of Christ must Elect him as their King 1. 1. The friends of Christ must elect him as King THE true friend of Christ doth espouse him not only as Jesus a Savior but also as Christ an anointed King he elects Christ not only as a Priest to deliver him from Hel but also as a King to deliver him from his lusts To take Christ only to save us from wrath and not to save us from sin is a black character of a rotten heart and false friend Joh. 1.11 So Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not He came unto his own i. e. Christ came to the Jews who pretended great friendship to the Messias and therefore when they heard he was come oh how were they overjoyed at so good news how do they rejoyce and sport themselves in the light of his Gospel as Joh. 5.35 what Hosanna's and Songs of deliverance do they sing Mat. 21.9.15 Joh. 12.13 How greedy are they to make him their King Joh. 6.15 How is it said then that they received him not why they received him not as k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non receperunt illum ut Dominum Grot. in locum Lord and King to rule over them and destroy their lusts They could be content to receive him as a Savior to deliver them from their enemies the Romans as also from the wrath of a sin-revenging God such tidings were very joyous to them but when Christ comes to convince them of and rebuke them for their unbelief hypocrisie pride formalitie and other great Abominations O then they would hear no more of him away with him he was not for their turne Thus they received him not as Lord and King But then he addes v. 12. But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God i. e. Those who received whole Christ as Lord and King as wel as Savior those he dignified with the title of sons and friends The friends of Christ must bespeak him in this or such like language Lord here is an inflexible stiffe hard perverse stubborne obstinate stout proud heart wilt thou bend melt meeken soften stoop and humble it by thy royal Sceptre and Soveraign Grace shal it be made flexible pliable and conformable to thy royal wil and pleasure Again Lord here are inordinate tumultuous rebellious Affections which love what they should hate and hate what they should love which hope what they should fear and fear what they should hope c. Now good Lord wilt thou subdue these thy lawlesse enemies shall they by the power of thy Grace have a sweet Harmonie Vniformitie and Order infused into them may it please thee to enable me to love what thou lovest to hate what thou hatest c Farther Lord here are many spiritual refined lusts here is an Hel of Atheisme unbelief presumption carnal-securitie self-love spiritual pride carnal confidence formalitie hypocrisie c. Wilt thou dear Lord wash thy feet in the blood of these thine Adversaries Shal thy garments be died red in their bloud Lastly O Lord thou seest here is a wretched cursed old man a bodie of sin a root of bitternes a tyrannick lawlesse Law of rebellion an envenomed poisoned fountain of sin a corrupt nature dwelling in me may it now please thee to nail it to thy crosse to pierce it thorough with the spear of thy Spirit that so its heart-blood may issue forth as it sometime made thine to gush forth Thus the friends of Christ must elect him to be Lord and King over their lusts as wel as persons As for those who pretend to be friends of Christ but yet are not willing to have their lusts slain by him Christ pronounceth an heavy doom against such Luk. 19.27 But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them Plutarch in the Life of â—yâ—â—rgus bring hither and slay them before me The Soveraigntie and Interest of a Prince consists chiefly in his wisdome and sufficience to governe for the faithful obedience of the subjects depends much upon the wisdome and sufficience of their Prince he that governs wel is usually wel obeyed As the Art of a good Rider is to make his horse flexible and tractable even so the Wisdome of a good King consists in teaching his subjects to obey This King-craft or Regal-wisdome is transcendently and incomparably in Christ and hence it is that his subjects and friends so willingly and chearfully elect him for their King Psal 110.3 Thy people shal be willing or willingnesses c. SECT 3. Christ's friends elect him as their Priest 2. 2. Christ's friends chuse him for their Priest CHrist's friends elect him as their Priest They own no other purgatorie of sins guilt but the bloud of Christ no other Intercessor at the Throne of Grace but the Lamb of God l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Conviv fol. 188. The blind Philosopher could see and acknowlege thus much that al Sacrifices were to conciliate or breed Reconciliation Amitie
therefore his due an entire complete Heart be wholly for him and then expect that he be wholly for thee Let al other suiters stand by and Christ alone possesse the conjugal Bent of thine Heart Know that Christ's Jelousie wil not admit a Division of thine Heart a little love for other friends may be too much but much love for Christ is too little in a soul espoused to Christ If thou wilt be a loyal friend of Christ thou must get a determined resolute peremtorie wil for him thou must contend and wrestle with an holy violence for Christ and resolve not to be put off with any thing but Christ Yea though Christ seems to turne his back on thee yet follow him stil even to the Gates of Hel and then thou shalt with the Syrophenician woman find a Heaven of Friendship with him Christ loves such holy Importunitie and contention love-violence is very pleasing unto Christ He that wil not be denied shal be sure to find Christ 4. 4. Get a flexible Heart A sound Heart is a flexible heart A dead Heart is very stiffe and inflexible but a living sound heart is very Flexible and yielding to Christ It 's so in Nature dead Carcasses are very stiffe and unpliable but a living bodie has its parts very pliable If then thou wouldest have a sound Heart towards Christ be sure that thy heart be very flexible towards him Flexibilitie is essential to the constitution of Amitie amongst men If both or each be of inflexible crosse stiffe Humors there wil never be a lasting friendship Stout-hearted sinners are in Divine estimation far from Christ and friendship with him Esa 46.12 If thou art ambitious of being a loyal friend of Christ thine Heart must be flexible and pliable 1. To the Termes of his Covenant and his Evangelick offers of Grace 2. To his Royal Laws especially such as relate to friendship with him 3. To the workings and operations of his spirit of Grace 4. To his providential occurrences in a way of passive subjection and submission Thus thine heart must be flexible towards Christ albeit inflexible and resolute against sin and al Idol-friends 5. 5. Get an Honest sincere Heart A sound Heart is an Honest sincere Heart such as really intends what it pretends unto such an heart is essential to true Amitie with Christ So Luke 8.15 An honest and good heart are joined together This honest heart is opposed to a guileful deceitful lying Heart which is repugnant to friendship with Christ So Esa 63.8 The friends of Christ are called Children that wil not lie i. e. they really Intend what they pretend unto there is an Harmonie and conformitie betwixt their Affection and Profession they would really be what they professe they are there is no guile found in their mouths or profession Rev. 14.5 Such a friend was Nathaniel Joh. 1.47 An Israelite indeed in whom is no guile If thou hast any prevalent degree of Hypocrisie or guile in thine Heart thy friendship with Christ wil never be good or sound It 's true the friends of Christ find and feel too many Reliques and Spices of Guile and Hypocrisie in their Hearts ay but this is their burden which they groan under and hate and conflict against neither have these Remains of Hypocrisie any prevalent Dominion in the soul neither doth the Bent of the Heart mingle with Eph. 6.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox ad animun relata legitur I it 2.7 In â—lossarâ—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incortuâ—tus Utuntur Plato Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensu â—odem Grot. in loc or approve of them Look wel then to this that thine heart be honest and sincere with Christ Ephes 6.24 Grace he with al them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. with a pure virgin incorrupt love such as has no prevailing mixture of Guile or adulterous Affection such as by no blandissements of this heart-hewitching world by no solicitations of sin and Satan can be inveigled or enticed from Christ O studie labor contend pray wait and seek for such an honest sincere heart such and such alone makes a sound-hearted friend of Christ CHAP. X. Admonitions and Advice to the friends of Christ for the Living up to the Dignitie of this their Relation SECT 1. To Studie and Admire the excellences of Christ's Person Love and Grace Vse 5. Use 5 5. Of Admonition and Advice to the Friends of Christ THis Doctrine of Amitie with Christ furnisheth us also with much matter of Admonition and Advice to such as are indeed the friends of Christ that they would make it their main Studie and Endeavor to Act Walk and Live up to the Dignitie of their Relation and State This use may be branched forth into many particulars 1. 1. To Studie and Admire Christ's Excellences Is Christ so good a friend so much eligible for himself O then how much are the friends of Christ obliged hereby to Studie Admire and Adore the Superlative Transcendent excellences of this their friend What is there more efficacious to improve friendship amongst men than familiar and fresh contemplations of the excellences that are loged in our friend Is not this ingeniously expressed by the Moralist g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes al love to come from contemplation Who are they that sleight Christ but those blind sinners who say Cant. 5.9 10. Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved They wanted eyes to contemplate his Beauties and therefore no wonder if they wanted hearts to love and embrace him as their friend But as for the Spouse who wel understood his excellences Oh! how doth she crie him up What a great friend was he in her eye and heart What an admirable Character doth she give of him v. 10. My Beloved is white and ruddie c. She had wel studied the incomparable excellences of Christ her friend and therefore her heart was inflamed with Affections towards him Oh! what infinite Attractives are there in Christ to draw forth the Attention Intention Admiration and Adoration of his friends Is there any thing in the World that may be compared with Christ Take the most excellent and glorious pieces of the Creation and what are they but mere Vanitie and poor withered shadows if compared with Christ What is the World 's Al but pure nothing if compared with the transcendent Glorie of Christ the great Al O ponder muse on the attractive excellences of Christ What a soverain Influence have musing pondering thoughts or Spiritual deep contemplation of Christ's excellences on our friendship with him Is it not thus amongst men Do not lively and fresh Thoughts of our friend though absent mightily inflame the heart with love unto him What is it that makes many impotent effeminate amorous Lovers so much to dote on their beloved Idols but frequent eye-pleasing views and porings on their Skin-deep fading Beautie
strong and vehement as Jer. 2.2 I remember thee the kindnes of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wildernes in a Land that was not sowen Oh! what pure virgin passionate tenacious violent warme melted efficacious Affections had Israel towards Christ after her Wildernes-condition when she first made a solemne contract with and espousement of him at the valley of Achor Was she not then Holines to the Lord c. as v. 3. And what more effectually preserves such conjugal Affections towards Christ than the frequent Repetition of this first conjugal contract 5. 5. As to Recoveries out of backsliding Nothing is more effectual to recover the friends of Christ out of their Spiritual Relapses and Backslidings of Heart and waies than such fresh espousements of Christ This is the main of Christ's Advice to the backsliding Church of Ephesus Revel 2.4 5. Rev. 2.4 5. Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works What were those first works but the great vital fundamental Acts of electing Christ and recumbence on him And is there any thing more effectual for the Reduction of the backsliding soul to its first-Love than this Repeted election of Christ Was not this the main essential Act Whereby the soul was at first implanted into Christ And can there be any thing more soverainly efficacious for the Reducement of the soul under its Departures from Christ than the like revived repeted choice of him 6. 6. As to communion with Christ A main part of our communion with Christ consists in such frequent Repetitions of our first choice of him Certainly none enjoy more of Christ than they who most firmely adhere to him Now wherein consnis the souls Adhesion to Christ if not in such revived Elections of him Thus in that fore-named Text Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him As if he had said Do'nt you remember what glorious Ideas what lively and precious thoughts what firme Adherence of wil what a torrent of melted Affections you had for and towards Christ at first Conversion Why then walk in the same endeavor to keep up and maintain the same in daily communion with Christ 7. 7. As to the life of Faith The choicesi part of the life of Faith and the soul 's daily expectation of its absent Lord consists in frequent repeted elections of Christ The Life of Faith is the Life of our friendship with Christ We never are better friends to him than when we believe most on him and are daily under lively expectations of his second coming and 〈◊〉 not this wrought by fresh election of him No wonder indeed that many professed friends of Christ live so much by sense on present sensible goods seing their Hearts are so much strangers to these great vital Acts of Faith Have not the friends of Christ very frequent deep and lively Apprehensions of and Affections for Christ's second coming and coming Glorie at first conversion Yea is not their faith in this particular sometimes clearer and stronger at first Conversion than in some following parts of their life Have not many young Converts more contemtible cheap and vile estime of sensible good with more raised and sublime conceptions of future Injoyments at first turning to Christ than afterwards Are not visible present Goods and Ils made really invisible and Absent as also Invisible and Absent Goods and Ils made really visible and present to their eye of faith Thus it was with those young Converts the Thessalonians in the beginning of their Friendship with Christ 1 Thes 1.9 10. where he comprehends their first conversion under these two Heads Ye turned to God from Idols 1. To serve the living and true God 2. And to wait for his Son from Heaven So that this waiting for the second coming of Christ which is else where made one of the highest parts of the life of faith these Thessalonians even in their first conversion arrived unto And whence came this to passe but from the Realitie â—â—â—idence and Efficacie of their Assent conjunct with the Force and Firmitude of their consent and Adherence to Christ And O! what firme deep Expectations of Christ's second coming What lively views yea prelilabitions of his Coming Invisible Glories might the friends of Christ arrive unto were they but much in the exercices of these Vital Acts of Faith 8. 8. As to Assurance Reiterated and daily-fresh Elections of Christ have a mightie soverain influence for the production and conservation of Assurance The Assurance of our union with Christ has an efficacious influence for the Improvment of our friendship with him For the knowlege of our Interest in the heart of Christ gives him a greater Interest in our hearts we love Christ most when we are most assured of his love to us and this is mostly got by fresh elections of him What a vast quantitie of sincere Christians are there who labor under pannick fears and vexatious douts touching their eternel state Oh! what would they give for a wel-grounded firme assurance of a sincere friendship with Christ how welcome would pale-faced Death be to them the next moment after their arrive unto such an Assurance What irksome toil and labors do they undergo in corporal severities How much do they pore on their hearts to find out any glimmering marques or signes of their sinceritie Al this is good in its kind and season But yet let me say it next to the broad Seal and actual Inspiration of the Spirit of Adoption who is the principal Agent there is as I conceive nothing more efficacious either for the procurement or preservation of a grounded Stable Assurance than repeted and frequent Elections of and Recumbences on Christ And I verily believe would the douting friends of Christ spend but half that time which they usually spend in unbelieving complaints and porings on their Hearts for signes of Grace in such fresh and vigorous Elections of and Adherences unto Christ they would far sooner arrive to their desired Haven of Assurance than otherwise they are like to do For albeit sanctification be in it self alwaies an Infallible marque of Justification yet it is not alwaies such as to our sense Spiritual arguing from the Effect to the Cause is Orthodoxe and sound Logick in Christ's Schole but yet how oft do the Mists and Clouds of an unbelieving scrupulous heart interpose and hinder the conclusion from following though the premisses be good So great a darknes is there oft upon gracious signes and evidences of our sinceritie But now by repeted elections of and Recumbences on Christ he is engaged to give forth fresh light and Influences for the discoverie of our Graces Direct Acts of Adherence to Christ make way for the reflexe Acts of Assurance touching our Interest in Christ Repeted faith of Recumbence at
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
as wel as his rewards CHAP. V. That grand Case how far the friends of Christ may regard themselves stated both in the Negative and Affirmative SECT 1. Christ must be elected for himself TO make up a complete constitution of Christ Christ must be chosen for himself as the object of the Saints Amitie it is requisite not only that whole Christ be elected but also that he be elected for himself This indeed seems the most essential and fundamental part or the formal Idea and constitutive reason of all true friendship that our friend be chosen z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. for himself Without this qualification al friendship even amongst men as men is reputed by the wiser Heathens but as spurious and bastard that which wil soon when occasion serves degenerate into secret dislike if not open enmitie Thence the Philosopher gives this Idea or Definition of a true friend a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. pag. 27. That he is such a one as seriously wisheth and studiously endeavors the good of his friend for his friends sake Though this Idea of friendship may possibly prove too narrow for the Saints Amitie with Christ yet thus far it holds good that Christ must be desired for himself For friendship with Christ must be taken up not upon contingent occasions or commun grounds but upon immediate reasons and proper motives arising from an apprehension of Christ's special excellences An Heathen could say to his friend b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates ad Alcibiad Plat. Alcib I am only a lover of thy self others are lovers of thy good things How much more should the friends of Christ bespeak him their best friend in such language certainly that must needs be the most pure and noble Amitie which is leaft interessed and most purely carried out to Christ for himself The lesse mixture of self and carnal respects there is in any friendship The more pure respects we have to Christ for himself the more perfect is our friendship to him whether human or Divine the more it terminates and centers on our friend for himself and the more the heart terminates and centers on its friend for himself the more it corresponds or answers unto the universal and most perfect Idea of human and Divine Amitie This the poor Heathens saw so much beautie and glorie in as that they affected nothing more than to seem thus generous in electing and loving their friend for himself So c Attalus Philosophus diâ—ere olâ—bat jucundius esse amicum sacere quà m habere Sen. ad Luc. Attalus the Philosopher said That it was more pleasant to make a friend i. e. by love and kindnesses expressed to him than to have one i.e. for our use and benefit And the moralist gives us this general character of his wise man d Seneca ad Luc. Epist 9. That albeit he is content with himself yet be desires to have a friend were it only for this that he might exercise friendship that so a virtue of such excellent use might not lie uselesse Why addes he do I elect a friend that I may have one for whom I can die Such pure and dis-interessed strains of Divine Amitie the friends of Christ should aim at and endeavor after towards Christ For by how much the more they intend love What it is to elect Christ for himself desire hope for and delight in Christ for himself by so much the more pure noble generous divine and inviolable is their friendship towards him Now the friends of Christ may be said to elect him for himself when he himself gives rest and satisfaction to their souls in the want and enjoyment of al things For the first principle or element of electing Christ for himself consists in seeing al our satisfaction and rest laid up in him and not in our selves or any thing else Where ever the heart finds complete rest that it lives on loves and enjoyes for it self and the deprivement of that is death and Hel unto it Again what we elect for it self that we make our last end and best good Now the last end and choicest good is the first priaciple in morals and so the most universal Idea and perfect mesure of al good and thence the spring of al rest and satisfaction So that none elects Christ for himself but such as can content and satisfie themselves in Christ not in themselves and the more pure and disinteressed our regards to Christ for himself are the better friends we are In Heaven al these poor low interessed selfish respects which draw sinners to friendship with Christ whiles in this lower Region of Clay-tabernacles wil there be perfectly swallowed up and drowned in the beatifick Vision and fruition of Christ for himself and for himself alone But yet while the friends of Christ are in this their non-age and child-bood he does indulge them in many childish selfish humors They are now in a wildernes-condition absent from the Celestial Canaan where Christ their friend resides and therefore much strangers to those transcendent excellences and ravishing Beauties which shine in his person no wonder then if they have many oblique and squint Regards many private and interessed Affections mixed with their Amitie towards Christ Yea al the friends of Christ at their first contract with him are allured and drawn to him by what good they hope to receive from him rather than by what good they see in him and many good friends of Christ under Desertion or tentation are more intent on what Grace and Comfort they may receive from Christ than on what they may enjoy in himself Upon these and such like considerations it wil be necessary that we state and determine that great case of Conscience How far the friends of Christ may regard themselves their own spiritual Interest life and happines in their election of and Affection to Christ as their friend This case being duely stated and limited we shal the more clearly and satisfactorily procede in determining the Christians dutie in electing and affecting Christ their friend for himself SECT 2. How far Christ's friends may in the Election of him regard themselves AS for that case How far the friends of Christ may regard themselves in the Election of Christ how far the friends of Christ may regard themselves in the election of Christ it may be resolved by these following propositions some of which are exclusive or negative others inclusive or positive 1. The exclusive or negative Propositions are such as follow 1. Prop. The friends of Christ in their election of him may not regard sinful carnal or legal self This is evident because so far as they regard either of these selfs so far they compound Christ and so elect only a false Christ an Idol of their own brain To have a squint eye on some beloved lust or the world or the law in our election of Christ is a black
seems the most to exalt him 4. 4. As to the Law of God The true friend of Christ is dead to the Law but Maried to Christ He expects not life by Doing but by Believing It 's true he is alive to the Law as it is an evangelick Rule of the Divine Life but he is dead to it as a Covenant Rom. 7.4 He has an intimate Vnion with Love for Delight in Christ's Royal Law of Libertie as it is an exact Idea and Image of the Divine Nature but yet he abandons and abjures the Moral Law as a covenant of works Yea the very Faults and Aberrations from the Law which a true friend of Christ is obnoxious to do in the end make him more in love with it and obedient to it as a rule Whereas on the contrarie his love and obedience to the Law as a Rule doth indeed alienate his heart the more from it as a Covenant And the formal reason of both these contrarie regards and affections is one and the same namely love to and dependence on Christ which under his failures and defects make him more humble dependent and watchful and under his performances to the Law more thankful affectionate and regardful to Christ But now the false friend of Christ notwithstanding al his pretensions to Christ he stil remains dead to him and maried to the Law It 's true he comes to Christ as a Mediator but why is it is it not to have a legal or Evangelick Righteousnes of his own to depend on Doth he not performe al his duties in obedience to the Law as his Husband thereby to quiet Conscience Is it not his grand designe to exalt the Law as a Covenant of works Doth he not desire Grace more to pay his debts to the Law than to walk with or injoy Christ Is it not greater joy and satisfaction to him to content and satisfie the Law than to content and satisfie Christ Doth he not make it his work and busines to bring forth fruit to the Law rather than to bring forth fruit to Christ Rom. 7.4 These are black characters of being Maried to the Law 5. 5. As to Crucifixion to the World The genuine friend of Christ makes Christ alone his friend but the world Christ's and his own servant He makes the world the object not of his Fruition but Vse only nothing but God in Christ is the matter of his conjugal Amitie Fruition and satisfaction So long as he can injoy Christ he accounts that he wants nothing i. e. no essential part of his Beatitude albeit he lies under the Deprivement of Al things and so on the contrarie although he has a confluence and abundance of al things yet he injoyes nothing but Christ as the matter of his Felicitie Thus it was with Paul Phil. 4.12 Phil. 4.12 he knew how to abound in al his wants and how to want in al his Abundance he had got the Art of contentation in the losse of al things and of moderation in the injoyment or use of them because he made Christ alone his friend and the world a servant to Christ and himself But is it thus with the false friend of Christ Doth he indeed make Christ alone his Friend and the world his servant Doth he not rather make Christ his Servant and the world alone his friend Are not al his Thoughts Studies Affections and Labors laid out chiefly on the World Doth he not make some lower inferior good the chief object and matter of his Fruition Complacence and Satisfaction and Christ only a matter of use or means subsvervient to his Idol-good Hence is he not altogether a stranger to that great Evangelick Mysterie of abounding in al his wants and of wanting in al his abundance When the World smiles on him with the Affluence of al things doth not his heart adhere unto and commit adulterie with it And if the world frown upon him is not his heart ful of murmurs stormes and vexatious Anxieties Such an Adulterous Whorish heart has every false friend of Christ as he is described to the life Jam. 4.4 6. 6. As to the election of a whole Christ with a whole heart A sincere friend of Christ takes a whole Christ with the whole heart He Elects not only the Crown but also the Crosse the yoke as wel as the wages the work as wel as the reward of Christ And as he embraceth a whole Christ so also with a whole heart Psal 119.2 i.e. the Pondus weight Bent or most prevalent Inclination of his heart is towards Christ It 's true he has some Wil and at times a Lust for inferior goods ay but yet he has a stronger Wil and Bent for Christ he is in a remisse degree unwilling but in an Intense degree willing to be Christ's But is it thus with the false friend of Christ Doth he indeed take an whole Christ or doth he not rather pick and chuse out that of Christ which best serves his turne It 's true the notion of a Savior is sweet to his wounded Conscience ay but is not the notion of a Lord bitter to his rebellious heart A view of Christ's Crown is pleasing but is not the contemplation of his Crosse sad and terrible to him Again as he takes a divided false Christ so is it not with a divided false heart He is in some degree willing to be Christ's but is he not in a greater degree unwilling He has a faint languishing superficial wil for Christ but hath he not a far firmer deeper and more violent wil for Idol friends so greatly is his heart divided Jerem. 3.10 Judah hath not turned to me with her whole heart A divided Christ or heart makes a false friend 7. 7. As to closures with Christ's person for himself A sincere friend of Christ closeth with the person of Christ and that for himself He comes to Christ not only for sâ—me good things from him but for those good things in him It 's true he loves the Gifts of Christ wel ay but he loves the Giver better yea he loves the Gifts for the Giver's sake He comes not to Christ merely as a beggar to a rich man's door as a Client to his Lawyer as a sick woman to her Physician only to serve a turne and away again but he comes to Christ as a sick woman to her Husband and friend who is both able and willing to cure her of her maladies and also to satisfie her with himself It 's true that which first inclines the friends of Christ to come unto him is the sense of their need ay but they know there is no way to have those needs supplied but ay a closure with his person and after some familiar conversation with him they then find by sweet experience that al their needs are supplied in the fruition of Christ for himself they at first seek and injoy Christ for themselves but afterwards they seek and injoy themselves in Christ
knowlege that which wil never work the Heart to any real closure with Christ as our friend The Head is the Fountain of the senses and if these be bound up by vapors or decay of spirits sleep presently follows So here if Conscience which is the seat of spiritual sense be bound up by the vapors of sin what follows but spiritual slumber and dreams which dis-spirit our Friendship with Christ The more awakened actual and Feeling our Judgement of Christ is the more firme wil our friendship with him prove A sleepy dreaming and infensible knowlege of Christ breeds only a loose broken variable and false Amitie with him 3. 3. A serious Head A Sanctified prudent Head implies also a serious considering deliberative Judgement None make better friends of Christ than such as pounder must and pore most upon him A rash unadvised Head is a very bad Foundation for Friendship with Christ The plodding contriving Head if it fixe on a right matter is usually attended with a fixed Resolution and invariable wil. If thou desirest to be a Loyal friend of Christ be much in spiritual consideration consultation and advice touching Christ and thine Adherence to him The wisest friend if good is usually the best 4. 4. A working Head A sanctified Head is also a working Head Active prudence if it pitch on a right object is alwaies best Nothing so strong as a sanctified Judgement backt with experience and Affection And if the Judgement be wel-grounded and strong the friendship cannot be weak or staggering A lazy slothful Judgement ever breeds a loose superficial Amitie with Christ So much for the first Foundation namely a sanctified prudent Head 2. 2. Foundation for friendship with Christ is a Loyal Heart If thou wilt arrive to a solid entire Amitie with Christ get not only a sanctified prudent Head but also a Loyal faithful and sincere Heart This is the main fundamental and principal part of Friendship with Christ A prudent Head without a faithful and sincere Heart never makes a good friend either of men or Christ Now this Loyal sincere Heart consists of two parts 1. A Broken Heart 2. A Sound Heart Of each in order 1. 1. A Broken Heart If thou wilt lay a good foundation for friendship with Christ thou must be sure to get a Broken Heart For a Broken heart is best disposed to close with receive and entertain a whole Christ A broken spirit he wil not despise Psal 51.17 The Sacrifices of God are a Broken spirit c. Now this Broken Heart implies 1. An Heart Broken for sin 1. An heart deeply Broken and wounded for sin Corrupt Nature is extreme loftie stout-hearted and unbroken it cannot bend or stoop to termes of Reconcilement with Christ yea it makes a sport of Christ ' til the Spirit of Bondage come and break it to pieces the secure sinner sleeps on and never wakes ' til the Law by its terrors and fears shake him Christ and Heaven are most sweet to them who have been shaken over the flames of Hel and almost sinothered by the smoke thereof there is an Evangelick sense of Hel which much conduceth to Christ's Heaven ' Christ's Palace-work saith t Rutherâ—â— a Reverend Divine and his new dwelling laid upon Hel felt and feared is most firme and Heaven-grounded and laid upon such an Hel is surest work and wil not wash away with Winter stormes It were good that Professors were not like young Heirs who come to their rich Estate long ere they come to their Wit and so lavish it ' It cannot be expected that the soul should be raised up to faith and Amitie with Christ before it hath been cast down by fears and terrors of Conscience at least so far as to make it sensible of the need it hath of Christ 2. 2. An Heart Broken off from fin and self A Broken heart includes an Heart Broken off from sin and self That Freindship with Christ which is not founded on aversion from sin and self is but emtie and airy and wil serve only as wings to carrie you to Hel such a Forme of Amitie with Christ is without life and power it makes you only more cunning enemies to Christ and your own souls There must be a plowing up the fallow ground of sin and self before the seed of friendship with Christ wil spring up 2. 2. A sound Heart Ps 119.80 If thou wouldest lay a sure foundation for a stable Amitie with Christ thou must get not only a Broken but also a sound Heart So Psal 119.80 let mine heart be sound in thy Statutes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immaculate entire perfect or wanting nothing The wise man tels us the heart of a fool is nothing worth and why Because he wants the best part of his heart he is hollow-hearted or rotten at the Core unsound in heart and therefore shal be one day ashamed of his folie and hypocrisie But saith David Let mine heart be sound in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed i e. that I may approve my self a loyal friend to thee and so never be ashamed of my profession It 's true David was subject to many imperfections he had many specks and defects as some sound Apples have ay but yet he was not rotten at the Core as Hypocrites are the inward frame and Bent of his heart was sincere and sound Though the friends of Christ be subject to many imperfections yet the inward constitution and frame of their hearts is sound and upright and this keeps them Loyal and Faithful to Christ whereas the rotten-hearted friend of Christ be his profession never so golden and splendid yet because rottennes possesseth the frame and Bent of his heart he shal at last be ashamed and confoundèd A rotten hollow Heart although it may seem never so beautiful and Glorious alwayes proves disloyal to Christ There is no durable friendship but what springs from a sound Heart which implies 1. 1. A living Heart A living Heart Life they say begins at the Heart so doth Amitie with Christ Art begins with externes but Nature and life begin with Internes The Heart is the first that lives and the last that dies so here true friendship with Christ begins with a living Heart Therefore if thou wouldest really be what thou doest professe thou art a friend of Christ be sure thou mind more the inward life and power of Grace in thine Heart than externe Formes Apparences and Shadows thereof It is Sage and great Advice which the serious Jansenist gives to young Converts c S. Cy an I. tty Chrest Max. 14. ' In the beginning of Conversion we should not affect to appear devout before the eyes of the World by some promt and exterior change which comes under publick view but retain our selves and the new sentiments of pietie which Grace inspires within the secret of our Hearts that so the Renovation of our souls be discovered rather by our Actions than
by our externe mines gestes and behavior ' O that green and young friends of Christ would observe this and more studiously intend the interne Life and power of Grace in the Heart than the externe Forme thereof 2. If thou desirest to approve thy self a loyal friend of Christ 2. A single Heart which Implice then industriously labor after a single Heart This is another essential branch or part of a sound Heart Now this single Heart implies both a single Object and also single Motives or Ends. 1. The Election of a fingle Christ 1. If thou wilt have a single Heart towards Christ thou must let a single Christ possesse thine Heart For such as the object under its formal constitution is such wil our Hearts be If thou elect a double Christ i.e. adde any thing to or compound any thing with Christ thou wilt have a double Heart O beware beware how thou mixe the World the Law Sin or Self with Christ Fie Fie on that adulterous whorish Heart which would fain loge somewhat besides Christ in the bed of its Affections Christ must lie his alone in the Bent of the wil or he wil have nothing to do with that soul Alas how many make a commun Strumpet of their Heart let it lie in commun for Christ and for any Idol-lover Thou must defie right-hands right-eyes and al other Idol-lusts or Lovers if thou wilt be a loyal friend of Christ Yea self in its whole latitude whether wise conceited Religious moral Righteous or Evangelick self must stand by as a mere cipher that so Christ may possesse the room of self Thou must die to al other Lovers if thou wilt live to and with Christ as thy Friend We have al too much of an adulterous love and whorish Heart which is inclined to loge something besides Christ in his Royal Bed and therefore the Lord is pleased to allure such as belong unto the Election of his Grace into a Wildernes-condition of much spiritual Bondage Tentations Desertions Deadnesses Discomfitures Hurries and other Afflictions not a few thereby to banish al Idol-lovers from the Heart Oh then Why wil not poor awakened souls fal in with the designe of their Lord and let him have his alone in the Royal bed of their conjugal Affections Christ wil be Al or None 2. 2. Single Motives of our Election If thou wilt have a single Heart towards Christ then let the Motives of thy Friendship to him be single As thou must elect a single Christ for thy friend so also the motives of thine Election must be single Now the motives of any action are of the same Nature and have the same Influence with the end for the Last end is the supreme motive of every Action So then to have single motives of our friendship with Christ is to have a single Intention or Intuition of right ends in our election of him This is called in Scripture a single eye Mat. 6.22 Mat. 6.22 If therefore thine eye be single i. e. If thou hast a single pure Intention if there be no squint eye no oblique regards to private ends A single heart takes Christ not only for the Loaves but for himself not only as the way to profit but as the way to life not only to cool the heats of Conscience but also to quench the fire of lust in the heart not only to satisfie the Law and its demands but also to satisfie the Heart with the Fruition of Christ himself Such are the motives of a single Heart and such ought to be the motives of thy friendship with Christ Thus the Spouse Characteriseth the friends of Christ Cant. 1.4 Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee i.e. such as have an upright single Intention right ends or strait motives they and they alone have a sound sincere love of Friendship for thee such as have a double heart or as the Psalmist Psal 12.2 an Heart and an Heart an Heart for Christ and an heart for Idol-lovers such are false friends 3. 3. An Entire Heart A sound Heart is an Entire Heart As thou must take Christ with a single Heart which refers to the Object and Motives so also with an Entire whole Heart or thou wilt never make a loyal friend of Christ This indeed follows on the former for if the Heart be double as to the object and motives it can never be in it self Entire The Composition or Duplicitie of the object ever breeds a Division in the Facultie or Subject which destroyes al friendship with Christ Integritie of Heart is Essential to al true Amitie with men but much more with God Ps 119.2 So Psal 119.2 Blessed are they that seek him with the whole Heart i.e. 1. They who seek nothing but God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if they seek any thing else but God it is for himself Thus God is to be loved with the whole heart i. e. he is to be loved alone or if any thing else besides God be loved it must be loved for God and in God For he that loves any thing besides God which he loves not for God loves that thing more than God and so makes an Idol of it they that love Christ with the whole heart love nothing but Christ for it self 2. To seek God in Christ with the whole heart is to have the prevalent part of the heart towards him and they who have the prevalent Pondus or Bent of their Hearts toward Christ they are indeed sound-hearted and Loyal friends In moral estimation the major prevalent part passeth for the whole if Christ hath the prevalent part or Bent of the wil he was the whole but if you give him only the lesser part i. e. some Velleitie or conditionate wil some wishings and wouldings some loose desires you give him nothing If you give Christ only a faint languishing incomplete wil you are so far from becoming his Friends as that you do indeed render your selves more spiritual cunning and mortal enemies to him thereby For such imperfect Velleities or conditionate languid desires and wil towards Christ being soon overcome and born edown by the prevalent Bent of the Heart towards Idol-lusts and other Lovers they serve only to concele corroborate and improve those seeds of enmitie which lie dormant in the Heart against Christ O then take heed how thou content thy self with some languid faint wishes or conditionate desires after Christ believe it he wil have the Bent of the wil or nothing If thou divide Christ or divide thine heart 'twixt Christ and the World thou wilt never have him As thou must reserve nothing of the Bent of thy heart for any but Christ Believe it as a piece of Christ wil not suffice thee so a piece of thine heart wil not suffice Christ Beware then how thou divide thy narrow Heart remember al is too little for Christ it wil not serve him and any Idol he wil have al or none Give Christ
last brings faith of Assurance There is no more effectual course for the discoverie of our faith in Christ than by putting forth fresh acts of faith on Christ For as by the vital acts of life we know we have life so by believing we come to know that we do believe Yea faith is not only in it self the best evidence of Grace but also it gives light life and spirit to al other evidences of Grace yea who are they to whom Christ most delights to give the Assurance of his love but such as most frequently love and elect him for himself Al this is confirmed to us by the lively feeling experiences of the best Saints who usually never find Christ nearer to them in the evidence of his love than when their hearts are nearest to him by such fiducial acts of Election and love I have known a Christian and indeed the greatest Saint that I ever knew who was much assaulted with a violent Tentation that he was but an Hypocrite but being brought to this Resolution That if he had been an Hypocrite hitherto yet now he would cast himself upon the Grace of God in Christ immediately the tentation vanished Thus we see what a soverain Influence fresh acts of adherence to Christ have to dispel douts and strengthen friendship with Christ SECT 3. The friends of Christ should endeavor to grow more Rooted and Built up in Christ Col. 2.7 3. 3. Advice to the friends of Christ to grow more rooted and built up in Christ HEnce follows another seasonable Admonition and Advice for the friends of Christ in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation and Profession namely that they would labor after a frame of spirit more rooted and built up in Christ This is a subsequent of the former and so it is brought in Col. 2.7 Paul having Col. 2.7 in the foregoing verse exhorted them to walk in Christ by frequent election of him in the same manner as they at first received him he here subjoins Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith The friends of Christ may not content themselves in the mere Repetition of their first Acts and Works but they ought to make progresse therein and grow more rooted and wel-grounded in Christ As if the Apostle had said Ye cannot walk in and with Christ as your friend unlesse ye are deeply radicated or rooted and firmely superstructed or built upon Christ Here is a twofold mecaphor the one taken from plants wel-radicated the other from Edifices or Houses wel-grounded He teacheth us therefore that Christ is our Root in which we ought to be daily more firmely radicated and our Foundation on which we ought to be continually more firmely edificated or built The first notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Erasmus So as you may have roots fixed in Christ as for the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being a participle of the present Tense it shews that this superstruction is successive and gradual as Ephes 2.21 In sum the Spirit and mind of this Advice is that the Friends of Christ would Endeavor after a Soliditie firmitude depth and strength in the great fundamental and vital acts of Faith So it follows and stablished in the faith f Idem absque figura repetit quod per Translationes dixerat Calv. in loc whereby he nakedly and without a Figure expresseth what he had before wrapped up in the two Metaphors of being rooted and built up in Christ Now the great Fundamental and vital Acts of Faith in Christ wherein the Friends of Christ should endeavor to be more deeply radicated or rooted and built up are these 1. 1. A solid and firme Assent to and Estime of Christ The Friends of Christ must labor after a greater Soliditie and depth as also Firmitude and Strength of Assent to and Estimation of Christ as their Friend The more deeply radicated solid and firme our Assent to and estime of Christ as our friend is the more shal we Live and Walk and Act according to the Laws of Friendship with him A superficial feeble Assent to or commun and cheap estime of Christ argues a very slender and narrow if any degree of sincere Amitie with Christ This proves the ruine of a world of pretended friendship to Christ that it wants this due soliditie Firmitude depth and vigor of Assent and Estime And without al peradventure the more the friends of Christ are radicated and wel-grounded herein the more they wil grow up to flourishing Trees and beautiful Structures of Amitie with Christ 2. 2. A strong and resolute Adherence to Christ Another Radical Fundamental and Vital part of Faith wherein the friends of Christ should endeavor after more soliditie depth and Firmitude is cordial Adhesion to Christ as their friend The friends of Christ should labor after a peremtorie resolute yea Head-strong Bent of wil in adherence to Christ The more tenacious violent and strong the wil is in adhering to Christ the better and more durable is its friendship with him This was the main of Barnabas's advice to the young Christians at Antioch Act. 11.23 Act. 11.23 And he exhorted them al that with purpose of Heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Barnabas was much rejoyced to see their young and green Amitie towards Christ ay but he would fain have them more solid and firme more deeply radicated in their Adherence to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of Heart i. e. with a more peremtorie resolute determined fixed wil an heart more strongly bent more firmely and inviolably knit to Christ a wil more firmely determined for Christ but more undetermined for sin and self an Heart more and more resolved for Christ but more and more unresolved for other Lovers a wil more bent for Christ but more unbent for Idol-friends So much also is contained in the following notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adhere or cleave to the Lord as the needle to the Loadstone as the Wife to her Husband as the Bodie to the soul This firme solid and deep Adherence of the wil to Christ is wel expressed Ps 73.26 Psal 73.26 my flesh and mine Heart faileth but God is the strength of mine Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my rock He to whom mine heart adheres as a drowning man to his rock Or we may read it with R. Ezra thus the firme Adhesion of mine Heart is to God Hold fast Christ contend for him it is a lawful plea to go to holding for Christ Rutherf As if he had said I am wel nigh immersed and quite swallowed up in the Ocean of Tentations but yet the firme Adherence or rational Bent of mine Heart is to Christ here I am resolved to adhere and stick come what wil. And why because he is my portion for ever as it follows Christ loves a peremtorie resolved wil such as cannot part with him for the greatest good
follows V. 6. His left hand is under mine Head and his right hand embraccth me She no sooner longs for him but feels his embracements yea he longs for her as much or infinitely more than she longs for him Oh! what a pleasing pain is it to be pained with desires after Christ what a sweet living death is it to die with longings after him O! what monstrous unkindnes is it that Christ should long after his friends and yet they not long after him O hunger and thirst after Christ hunger after his Grace thirst after Christ's Love and the sense of it hunger after his person yea hunger and thirst after Spiritual hunger and thirst after Christ there is a young Heaven in Hunger and Thirst after Christ None injoy more of Christ at least of his spiritual and gracious presence than such as have most infinite thirsts and longings of soul after him Get as near Christ as thou mayest by thy Desires if they cannot run let them creep towards Christ never leave ' til thine Heart be chained and fettered to Christ by desires if not by more sensible Fruition Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 3.3 Cant. 3.3 Him Saw ye him whom my soul loveth Saw ye Him There is a great Emphase and Efficace in this manner of speech h Vis max ima est in co dicendi genere nam Relativum fine Antecedente est maximè Emphaticum Sanctius in loc Here is a Relative Him without an Antecedent which argues the force and Stength of her desires She thought al the World knew whom she meant and desired after her desires are so ardent as that they wil not permit her to expresse his Name al that she can say is Saw ye Him c. Him what Him doth she mean Must the Watch-men needs understand her broken language Yes her desires were so pressing as that she had not leisure to say more than this saw ye him whom my soul loveth The like affectionate desires after Christ we find in Marie Joh 20.15 Sir If thou hastborne him hence Joh. 20.15 tel me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away Here is nothing but Him and Him and Him her desires after Christ were so vehement as that she had not time to expresse whom she meant she saies tel me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away Alas poor woman the strength of her desires made her excede the bounds of rational discourse Surely nothing that is dutie seems impossible or burthensome to affectionate desires after Christ The stronger our desires after Christ are the Stronger and more invincible wil our Amitie with him be 3. 3. Grief for Christ's Absence Again the friends of Christ should labor after a more conjugal grief for and bitter sense of Christ's Absence especially for and of sin the cause thereof The friends of Christ when they have not the sweet sense of a felt and injoyed Christ they ought to have the bitter sense of an Absent displeased Christ A true conjugal friend of Christ knows no wounds no pains no torments like those of an angry withdrawen Christ i To love Christ and to want him wants little of Hel. Ruth Death and Hel to him consists in separation and distance from Christ The sense of losse to him is worse than the sense of pain Yea it is his greatest pain that he hath lost his best friend he sees al the curses and Plagues of God wrapt up in the losse of Christ Cant. 5.6 So it was with the Spouse Cant. 5.6 I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake c. My soul failed Christ's Parting farewel put his Spouse into a fainting swooning dying fit Her heart was gone when her Lord was gone when he left her she left her self her spirits evaporated Oh! what languishments what swoonings and failures of spirits should the friends of Christ have when he bids Adieu to them especially if their sin be the cause of his Departure from them Should they not be greatly afflicted in Spirit that Christ's withdrawment from them was occasioned by the withdrawment of their Hearts from Christ What should wound and grieve them if not this that they have wounded and grieved their best friend and so made him at least seemingly to turne against them as an enemie Can there be a worse Hel on this side Hel to the friends of Christ than this that their departure from Christ has made him depart from them and leave them under a wildernes-condition of many Tentations Desertions Difficulties c O mourne mourne for Christ's Absence and for sin the cause thereof as the worst Hel. 4. 4. Lively Hopes of Christs Returne As the friends of Christ should maintain a deep bitter sense of and grief for Christ's Absence so ought they no lesse to keep up a wel-grounded lively Hope of his Returne Hope is according to the Scripture stile the Anchor of the soul Heb. 6.19 if this fail Heb. 6.19 how soon wil the Heart fail and sink down into the Gulf of despair In times of Desertion Satan and our own unbelieving Hearts make many black lies and raise many slanders on Christ therefore if Hope dies al dies Wel-grounded Hope is a seed of Heaven it is a good Prophet which alwaies Prophecies glad tidings of Christ's Returne Yea take a friend of Christ in his lowest ebbe of comfort and darkest mist of Desertion and Tentation yet even then he hath some insensible negative Hopes so that he dares not say peremtorily Christ wil never returne or if he say it 't is but in a fit of Vnbelief and therefore he soon recollects himself again and cannot but cherish some secret hopes which though not perceptible or sensible yet he wil not part with them for a thousand worlds Thus it was with Jonah ch 2. v. 4. Though I said Jonah◠2.4 I am cast out of thy sight yet I wil look towards thine holy Temple Jonah in the Whales bellie cast a wist eye of Hope towards the Temple the Symbol of Christ which kept up his soul from sinking when his bodie was sunk unto the bottome of the Sea Thence saith David Ps 119.81 Psal 119.81 my soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word He had long expected salvation and should have given up al for lost had he not hoped in God's word of Promise Christ breathes in a word of Promise into his Heart and he breaths forth fresh and lively hopes every day into Christ's bosome The friends of Christ must remember that the Cable to which the Anchor of their Hope is fastened is not their own mutable ambulatorie wil or the fallible word of men but the immutable Oath and infallible word of the eternal God who is Veracitie it self Heb. 6.17 18. Oh! what a strong Foundation what an immobile Rock is here for our Hopes to anchor on How
Give thy self and take al else I am content I may seem miserable but I cannot be so because thou art mine Al the alone object of my contentement in whom I take infinite complacence and satisfaction Al things without thee are nothing thou thy self without althings or any thing else art enough to me Thus this great friend of Christ solaced and contented himself with God in Christ alone And Oh! of what infinite moment and concernement is it to the Friends of Christ to content themselves with him alone What are other contentements under Heaven but night-shadows sick-dreams childish toyes pleasing Fables painted Metaphors fools Idols fair nothings yea black salt sour bitter vanities and vexations sugared over with vain conceits Can the heart therefore find an easie logement or contentement in any thing below Christ Ought not he to be the Root and top the Flour and Spirit of al our delight and Satisfaction Is not every squint-eye every oblique Regard to this adulterous Idol-world spiritual Fornication as Jam. 4.4 Doth not our Lord tel us Mat. 5.28 29. he that casteth a lustful look or regard on a Woman commits Adulterie Must not then every wanton glance on any Idol friends for the satisfaction of our hearts be reputed spiritual Adulterie And is it not infinite unkindnes for the friends of Christ who are his by conjugal contract to expect content in any other lovers Doth the World or Idol-friends deserve your hearts better than Christ your Husband What can content you in a day of visitation and death which cannot be far save this your friend Wil not contentement in this your Husband make you find contentement in every crosse and rod Is there not a time coming when nothing wil or can content your hearts but the favor of this your friend Yea is he not content with you Doth any thing in the world please and content him so much as the hearts and companie of his friends And wil you not be content with him Is he wholly and entirely for you and wil you not be wholly and entirely for him Have you a better friend in the World more able and willing to support feed comfort and content your hearts than Christ Can you expect to mend your choice or better your contentement by exchange You have long hunted for content among the creatures but did you ever find it there Is there any thing but bloud to be drawen from those Breasts Do you not feed on Ashes as Esa 44.20 Wind Vapor Froth and Smoke so long as you feed on creature-contents Is it not an ignoble dishonorable thing to prefer eye-pleasing contents before the Infinite sweets and satisfactions that are in Christ Again doth it not argue great Disloyaltie and Disingenuitie towards Christ to expect contentement from any thing besides himself Is it not disloyal yea indecent for the Wife to expect content from any but her Husband Doth not this provoke Christ your Husband to extreme Jelousie Has Christ given you any Just cause for such usage If you grow indifferent towards Christ may you not expect that he also grow indifferent towards you If his Beautie Goodnes Amiablenes and Suavities wil not draw your hearts to take al your contentment in Christ What may you expect but that his rods drive you from your Idol-lovers to himself Such of Christ's friends as wil not take up their content in and with Christ in the Abundance of al things how justly how kindly doth Christ deal with them when he strips them of al other Lovers thereby to gain their hearts wholly to himself But to speak a little distinctly to the manner Directions How the friends of Christ must content themselves in Christ alone how the friends of Christ must content themselves in and with Christ alone 1. The Friends of Christ must content themselves in him alone as the first principle of their spiritual Life the commun Head and Root of al Grace Al veins of carnal confidence and self-dependence must be abandoned 1. As the spring of al Grace There must be an Vniversal Absolute Immediate total and particular Dependence on Christ for al Grace both Habitual and Actual Justifying and Sanctifying Preventing Quickening Confirming Enlarging Sin-mortifying World-crucifying and soul-transforming Grace Christ must be al in al as to Grace But of this before Sect. 3. 2. 2. As the matter of their Happines The friends of Christ must content themselves in and with him as the matter of their Felicitie and Beatitude 1. 1. Christ must he loved for himself 〈…〉 They must regard affect and injoy Christ for himself For whatever we content our selves in and with as the matter of our Happines that we eye love and injoy for it self If we do not regard and love it for it self we do not make it the matter of our contentement but that other thing for which we regard and adhere to it A rational Being much more the friends of Christ may love and injoy nothing for it self but God in Christ who is the alone object of their contentement The friends of Christ should have their hearts rent from al Reflexions on or Regards to themselves and althings else for themselves that so they may love and injoy nothing but God in Christ for himself And hence it wil follow that by how much the more they forget yea lose themselves and injoy Christ for himself by so much the more true content wil they find O! what an admirable piece of Divine contentment is this to find al fulnes in Christ by being emtied of our selves al riches in Christ by the relinquishment of al for him al contentements in Christ by discontenting our selves Christ wil have his friends to affect and rejoyce in nothing but himself as the object of their supreme content And certainly it s the Interest of Christ's friends to love and injoy nothing for itself but God in Christ That is a perverse crooked inordinate adulterous Love which takes more content in the Rings and Love-tokens than in the Lover To take Christ only for some inferior Goods that flow from him without regard to those superior Goods that are in himself alas what is it but to make Christ serve a turne only and then bid farewel to him q To love God for himself as the last end and also for his Benefits as incicements and motives to love him may stand wel together as a child loveth his Mother because she is his Mother and he loveth her also for an Apple Rutherf It 's true Christ allows his friends to have an eye to and Affection for his Benefits But how not for themselves as the only Reason and bottome of their Love but as Motives and Means conducing to the Injoyment of himself who is the adequate object or matter of al content Christ's friends may retain some room in their hearts for his Attendents and Benefits provided that it be in subordination to himself they must alwaies love and delight in
the Bridegroom himself more than in his Gifts His comforts are sweet but himself ought to be sweeter to his friends who may not dâ—te upon his love or any thing below Himself 2. 2. Christ our most universal Good and so the chief matter of Fruition Hence if we wil take al our content in Christ as the matter of our Happines we must intend affect and injoy him as the most universal comprehensive choicest and best Good This follows on the former for whatever we eye and affect for it self we look on and make our supreme and chiefest Good and thence the alone object of our Fruition There is no true contentement but what springs from Fruition and there is no regular Fruition but what is conversant about the chiefest Good Fruition is the end of Love but the beginning of contentement none loves any thing as his best good but what he would fain injoy and none would injoy any thing but what he would fain find contentement in For to injoy any thing in a proper sense is as Augustin wel observes by love to adhere unto it for it self Whence it is evident that nothing properly is or may be the object of our Fruition but God in Christ We may use the Creatures as means subservient to this higher end but we may Injoy nothing but God in Christ as the matter of our Happines 3. 3. Christ the spring of our satisfaction To content our selves in and with Christ as our objective Felicitie implies thus much also that we make him the alone spring of our satisfaction For whatever we make the commensurate formal object of our Happines that also we make the Fountain of our Satisfaction so Psal 17.15 I shal be satisfied when I awake with thy likenes Satisfaction can be formed out of nothing but the chiefest good and the more intimate and complete our Fruition thereof is the more contentement and satisfaction we find therein The more the friends of Christ are swallowed up and as it were lost in the fruition of Christ their chiefest Good the more contentement they find O then how should they hunger thirst long and breath after and solace themselves in those Divine satisfactions that are in Christ 4. 4. Christ to be injoyed without mesure To content our selves with Christ as the matter of our Happines implies an Infinite thirst or boundlesse desire after the Injoyment of him For whatever we make the Adequate object of our Happines that we can never excede in the Injoyment of The only mesure of our love and fruition of the chiefest Good is to love and injoy it without al mesure He that contents himself with Christ as his choicest good thinks he can never injoy too much or enough of him 5. 5. Christ the mesure of other Goods He that contents himself with Christ as his best good makes him the Vniversal Idea and mesure of al other Goods For our chiefest Good is alwaies our Last end and what we make our Last end that we ever make the first mesure or standard of al other Goods The first in every kind is the mesure of al the rest So that if Christ be our best Good he is also our Last end and thence the first mesure of al our Goods Al other inferior Goods must subserve the Injoyment of him as our supreme choicest Good SECT 9. The Friends of Christ must live by Faith in al states and conditions of suffering immediately by or for Christ 9. OUR last great Advice in order to the Filling up and Improving this Relation of Friendship with Christ is In al states and conditions of suffering to live by Faith Faith is the Life and Soul of friendship with Christ and the more we live by faith the more we live as the friends of Christ Faith is the master Vein that conveigheth vital spirits to al the laws of friendship What makes the friends of Christ more intimately one with him that firme Adhesion to him by lively acts of faith Doth not this keep their hearts close to Christ and Christ's heart close to them What is there that breeds more self-jelousie and confidence in Christ than clear repeted acts of faith Who are they that depend least on themselves and most on Christ but such as live most by Faith Is not the believing soul so far as his faith is predominant most zelous for and obedient to Christ and yet most poor in Spirit and Dependent on Christ Doth not Faith make the friends of Christ so diligent in the use of means as if there were no Grace to be trusted in and yet so absolutely dependent on Christ as if there were no means or diligence to be used And is not this to mention no more one of the purest strains of friendship with Christ But to speak more distinctly to this Head The life of Faith hath a great latitude it regards varietie both of Notions Persons and Things and these both present and future But we shal at present treat of it only as it regards a suffering condition and that 1. Immediately By Christ 2. For Christ 1. 1. The life of faith as it regards a suffering-condition by Christ We shal begin with the life of Faith as it regards a suffering condition immediately by Christ He that wil deport and demean himself as a friend of Christ must live by Faith under al sufferings by or from Christ namely under al Christ's Absences Retirements withdrawments of Gracious or Consolative Influences c. Christ has many Wise and Gracious ends which induce him oft to retire and withdraw at least as to al sensible marques of favor Christ has many wise and gracious ends in his spiritual withdrawments from his best friends Christ is resolved to be Lord of his own presence and love-visits the most excellent Spirits shal sometimes want the same that so they may learne to live by faith on an absent Christ Many good friends of Christ do too oft dote on the sweet refreshments and honey-dews of Christ's presence and therefore he sees it fit at times to suspend the same that so they may love him more purely for himself his own essential excellences We are too apt to conceit that Christ's presence is a matter of debt that which is due to us and therefore he wil take a libertie to go and come as he pleaseth that so his friends may see that his Manifestations are most free and undeserved Doth not Nature take her times to go and come as it pleaseth her and shal not Christ the God of Nature have the same libertie allowed him Yea is there not also much soverain love and Grace as wel as much soverain wil in Christ's Absences and Retirements from his friends It 's true Christ's Absence from his friends is a kind of temporarie Hel ay but doth not he bring a young Heaven out of this seeming Hel Do not Apples of life spring out of this bitter root of spiritual