of Divines which were very great in those days Grynaeus a great Scholar when he came to die said O happy day when I may depart out of this troublesome and sinful world and to go to those blessed Souls before departed He writing to his friend Chytraeus said If we never see one another again in this world yet we shall meet in that place where Luther and Zuinglius agree very well together Mr. Bolton on his dying bâ—d said I am now drawing on apace to my dissolution Hold out faith and patience your work will quickly be attained That great Magazine of Learning Mr. John Selden when he came to die said That he accounted all his Learning nothing at all in comparison of Christ. Mr. Giles Workman a worthy Minister of the Gospel in Glocester shire a little before his death said That he had a little sincerity of heart and that was a comfort to him Mr. John Ferriby a Minister of the Gospel in Essex when he was dying said That he left his Wife and Children with God and his gracious promises Mr. Gifford a Minister in Northampton-shire said to his Children upon his Death-bed That if they feared God to which he earnestly exhorted them they should not want but if they did not fear God he wisht that they might want till they did fear him Mr. Samuel Hieron a rare Minister whose excellent writings praise him in the gate on his Death-bed said That the same God who took care for the Ravens and Sparrows would likewise take care for the young Hierons And so it came to pass for God stirred up the hearts of some charitably affected persons who carefully educated his Children and so those young Hierons were well provided for I shall conclude this head with the words of the Psalmist Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 116. 15. Surely he shall not be moved for ever the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance Psal 112. 6. And I will only add words of Solomon Prov. 10. 9. The memory of the just is blessed CHAP. XV. Containing the Happiness of the Saints in Heaven or the inexpressible Consolations which the Godly even all sincere-hearted Persons enjoy in Heaven to all Eternity IN the third and last place let 's consider 3. The comforts of the godly afteâ— death Sect. 1. or rather admire at the happiness even the perfection of all comforts and happiness which the Saints shall enjoy after death in the highest Heavens to all eternity As for all those who lived in hypocrisie and dissimulation and lived without repentance and so died and as for all such who lived without God in the world having no fear of God before their eyes but have committed sin with greediness and have run into all excess of riot and so die in their unbelief and impenitency these are the Goats which shall stand on Christs left hand and against them he will pronounce that dreadful sentence of condemnation Matth 25. 41. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels But all upright and sincere-hearted Christians who are only Christs sheep they shall stand at Christs right hand and he will pronounce to them that comfortable soul-ravishing sentence of absolution Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world verse 34. However such who are Gods Jewels and precious in sight are vilisied and trampled on by the wicked of the world as if they were no better than the filth of 1 Cor. 4. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world and the off-scouring of all thingsâ— yet at the general resurrection both of just and unjust there will be a resurrection of the names and of the causes of the righteous however in this world they have been traduced and scorned Then the meanest of glorified Saints whom this world thought they could not think bad enough shall have the preheminence and superiority above all the ungodly though they have been never so great in this present world for so saith the Psalmist Psal 49. 14. the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning From this Scripture it plainly appears that at the general resurrection the godly shall be known to the whole world to have dominion and Quamvis â—â—c demersis sit iâ— teâ—ebris mund is exâ—riâ—tur subito nâ—vaâ— manè quod faciem verae aeâ—etaae vâ—â—e â—obis restituet Calv. in Loc. preheminence above all the ungodâ—y men of this world And that all such who truly fear God though in this world they were in a poor and abject condition yet at that great day they shall be in a better condition every way rich and honourable and infinitely happier than any ungodly great and rich men can be in this present world Farther the godly in glory shall partake of nothing else but joy and happiness and the perfection of both but damned wretches shall be for ever debar'd from all manner of joy and partake of nothing else but hopeless sorrow and endless misery At the general Judgment when all without exception shall appear before the Judgment-seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. of Christ then there shall appear a great and wide difference between gâ—od and bad chaff and wheat sheep and goats that day will make a great and clear distinction Then all the Enemies of Christ and of his Church who rejoyced in persecuting Christ here on Earth in his Members would be glad to creep into holes if possible that they might hide themselves from the wrath of the Lamb. Then they will wish that the mountains might fall upon them and that Rocks and Hills Dens or Caves might shelter and cover them from the face of the Lamb incensed against them Theâ— those bloudy Persecutors of Christ shall see him whom they have pierced zech 1â— 10. Judas who betrayed Christ with a hypocritical kiss Pilate who notwithstanding the reluctancy of his own conscience condemned Christ to please the people and released Barabb as an infamous Thief and Murtherer the Soldiers who crucified him and after they had first been his Executioners were his Executors to take his Garments All these and all other Enemies of Jesus Christ shall see him at that great Day to their terror and condemnation Those giddy-pated people who a little before cried to Christ Hosanna and afterwards cried Crucifie him Crucifie him shall appear before Christs Judgment-seat and then receive their sentence Those cursed Jews who wisht that the bloud of Christ might be upon them and their Children except such only who are washt in Christ's bloud shall to their dread and horror be condemn'd for embrewing their hands in the innocent bloud of Christ Sect. 2 At the day of Judgment all fals Judgments and unrighteous sentences past on earth shall be reverst Pontius Pilate who past an unjust judgment against Christ shall have a just judgment past upon him Luther used to say that At the day
affections before all the Kingdoms of the world and the glory of them Christ is compared to a Fountain which is beyond compare with any Zech. 13. 1. other for it is a Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness Christ is likewise compared to a Stone and to such a one as excelleth others in admirable Properties Isai 28. 16. Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Zion for a Foundation a Stone a tryed Stone a pretious corner Stone a sure Foundation He that believeth shall not make hast Farther Christ is compared to the Pearle of great Price Matth. 13. 45. 46. Again the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a Merchant man seeking goodly Matt. 13. 45 46. Pearls who when he had found one Pearâ— of great price he went and sold all that hâ— had and bought it Whatever we esteeâ— highly of must go for Christ the Pearl oâ— Price If we possess Christ in our hearts bâ— faith we are enriched with that possession which is infinitely more worth theâ— all the possessions of the Vniverse Mucâ— value is set upon the Eastern and Western treasures of the Indies and greaâ— pains is taken to get them Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos Yeâ— they are not worth the nameing in comparison of the Riches of Christ Thâ— knowledg of Christ is the most inriching knowledge for Col 2. 3. In him are hiâ— O Thesauris omnibus opulentior notitia Christi all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge Whosoever hath a saving Interest iâ— Christ is richer then the greatest Emperour who is ignorant of him Sect. 2 And hereunto Where there iâ— such a high valuation of Christ in thâ— Judgment there will of necessity follow ardency strength of affection toward 2 Cor. 5. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 constringit cohibet i. e. totos possidet ac regit ut ejus afflatu quasi correpti agamus omnia Beza Jesus Christ The apprehension of thâ— exceeding great love of Christ to uâ— should constrain us to love him with a reciprocal love Love is the Loadstone oâ— love and love will never be paid nor bâ— contented and satisfied but with its own coyn I mean love answering love And the greatest love which we can express to Jesus Christ is only the reflection of those Beams which he first darted upon us Whatever love we manifest towards God is only the Return of that love which he first shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us Rom. 5. 5. 1 Joh. 4. 19. We saith the Apostle love him because he first loved us Where Christ is highly prised that soul is inflam'd with ardent love to him Neither is this an ordinary and common but an extraordinary and special love This love is in the highest degree above the apprehension of Philosophers They tell us That there is Calor ad octo and this is in gradu intenso non in gradu remisso Somthing that expression represents but we 'l set forth the vehemency of Love in the Scripture Phrase Love Psal 120. 4. is hotter then the coals of Juniper and to such an extensive heat so that Cant. 8. 7. many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it But as for all those who love not the Lord Jesus they are cursed in this world and in the world to come For saith the Apostle 1 Cor. Read Pynk in Loc. 16. 22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathama Maranatha An Anathama alone is a dreadful Curse but that 's not all there is a Maranathâ— Maran-Domiaus Athan-venit Maranatha extrema ultima species excommunicationis quae Ebraeis Samatha dicitur Drus added to the Anathema and this Maranatha is reserved until the second coming of Christ to judgment and oh how dreadful must their condition be at that great and terrible day who love not the Lord Jesus Christ Against them Christ will pronounce that dreadful sentence of condemnation Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels CHAP III. A heart in love with holiness evidenced in a holy life and conversation is a Character of a sincere Heart A Third Character of Sincerity is a Character Third A heart in love with holiness Heart in love with holiness Sect. 1 For when the Heart is emptied of all self-love and self-confidence and made throughly sensible of its own vileness and wretchedness then Christ is highly valued and entirely loved and cordially embraced and delighted in Every true Believer loves holiness for it self because it is the image of God And as Bucer us'd to say where there is Aliquid Christi i. e. any impression of the image of Christ there we ought to place our love Wherefore the Apostle gives a strict Eph. 4. 23. 24. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Command Be renewed in the spirit of your mind And that ye put on the new man which after the image of God is created in righteousness and true holiness Where this image of God is which consists in righteousness and true holiness Sanctitas veritatis est vera sincera minime fucata Drus. Tali innocentia sanctitate quâ— sint in esse non in videri Grot. it is stampt upon the heart and is visible in the life and there is such a transcendent beauty purity and excellency and amiableness in all the waies of holiness as the least glimpse of them are abundantly sufficient to delight rejoyce and ravish the soul of every true believer What plato said of Moral vertue much more may be said of Theological vertue i. e. Si Virtus humanis ocutis possit cerâ—i admirabile sui desiderium excitaret-Plato Soul-saving grace and holiness that if it could be discerned by Corporal eyes it would raise the heart to a wonderfull desire thereof Oh! how did David love the Law of God! He profest that Gods Law was his Delight and that Psal 119. 77. he loved the commandments above Gold yea above fine gold Psal 119. 127. Thy Testimonies saith he I have taken Psal 119. 111. 〈…〉 n Heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart O! What sweet ness did David suck out of the Judgments of the Lord for saith he Thâ— Psal 19. 9. 10. Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether More to be desired arâ— they then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter also then honey and the honeâ— comb There is a great reward in thâ— very work of holiness For it follows iâ— the next words Moreover by them iâ— thy Servant warned and in keeping oâ— them there is * Utilitas non mediocris sedingens sequitur etiamsi illi respectum retributionis alicujus non habeant sed simplici ac sincerâ— corde in viâ mandatorum Dei currant unum hoc spectantes ut Domino Deo suo
we are more then conquerors through him that loved us CHAP. XIV Containing the Comforts which sincere-hearted Persons enjoy in their Deaths Sect. 1 HAving represented in the former Chapter the great comforts which such whose hearts are sincere with God receive in their lives in the second place I come to discover the comforts of them in their deaths Although by no means may we make a judgment of the course of the life by reason of some distempers and passions which oftentimes proceed from strength of Diseases yet usually we read of the deliberate composed and serious professions of many good Christians which they have made on the bed of languishing Solomon saith Prov. 14. 32. The righteous hath hope in his death And hope grounded on Divine promises affords us superabundant consolation When the Prophet Isaiah was sent to Hezekiah to give him warning of his death which was suddenly approaching then Hezekiah recollects his serious thoughts and reflects upon his upright walking with God in his whole life and conversation the remembrance whereof administred ground of singular consolation unto his Soul The History is on record in holy Scripture 2 Kings 20. 1 2 3. In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death and the Prophet Isaiah the son of Amos came to him and said unto him Set thine house in order for thou shalt die and not live Then he turned his face unto the wall and prayed unto the Lord saying I beseech thee O Lord remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight Likewise St. Paul apprehending the time of his dissolution to draw near thus raiseth to himself a ground of strong consolation 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. For saith he I am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at hand I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them that love his appearing We commonly say That the house of Death is the house of Truth and where the senses are exercised and the memory and judgment are not extinct there will be plain dealing and there will be made plain discoveries As for such for them only I now mention whose hearts are upright with God the remembrance of the sincerity of their hearts next to the consolations of Gods spirit will revive their spirits on their beds of languishing Sect. 2 Let us consider before hand that we shall all die for Death is the common lot and portion of all mankind Heb. 9. 27. it is Gods appointment Would we not then be glad when we are cast upon our Death-beds to have something at that time â—o comfort us when we are leaving of these houses of Clay and unclothing of our selves of our mortal Bodies what is that which will be a ground of comfort to bear up our spirits Will thousands of Gold and Silver purchase the Favour of God can the greatest Mannors Lordships and Revenues of the World Can an Imperial Diadem bâ—ibâ— Death to stay a longer time Can all the Grandees and Potenâ—ates of this World should they all unite as one man avail any thing to make our peace with God No questionless For no great Personages nor great Riches can either dâ—â—â—â—er themselves or us from the stroke of Death nor pacifie their own nor our Consciences nor make any peace and reconciliation either for themselves or for us at that day Some in this World being arrested for Debt have made the Serjeant drunk and so have made an escape out of his hands But it is altogether impossible to deal so with the grim Serjeant Death none can escape Deaths dart wherever they run Death will strike them to the heart Now then when all the Gold and Silver which the Universe can afford when all the interest of Friends though great and potent cannot administer any comfort peace and satisfaction to us when we lie upon our Death-beds then Oh then is that necessary instant when the light of Gods gracious countenance shining upon us in the face of Christ can only revive our spirits and give us real and durable joy peace and comfort when all creature comforts are Physicians of Job 13. 4. no value empty Cyphers insufficient and unable to give us any satisfaction This then is that good which the Psalmist had experienced and prayed for it above all besides Psal 4. 6 7 8. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness in my heart more then in the time that their corn and wine increased I Aspice nos sereao vultu ostende te nobis favere recipe noâ— in gratiam consolare to laetifica no. tuâ praesâ—â—tiâ id non famus soliciti quid fiat in hoc mundo car impit per veniâ—at ad summas opeâ— ecclesia misere â—â—primatur Mollerus will both lay me down in peace and sleep for thou Lord only makest me dwell in safety Hence it evidently appears that the only saving good consists in the light of Gods gracious countenance For this we must be earnest and indefatigable solicitors at the Throne of Grace However the men of the World may frown on us and the Riches of the World may forsake us yet if God smile on us and be reconciled to us in Christ he will never leave us nor forsake us no not when we are gray-headed and upon our beds of languishing and when our natural strength fails and our diseases do much afflict us and the pains thereof make us roar the reflection of our well-spent time in giving up our strength to the service of God and of improving of our health to glorifie God will be even our Death-beds singular ground of consolation even the reviving of the memory of such time strength and health so imployed in the service of God When the faithfulest of our Friends and such as are most willing to do us good are not able to help us at all when learned Physicians have given us over as altogether desperate and incurable and when the pains and pangs of a long wasting lingring and tormenting disease even a complication of diseases are inexpressible and our throats rattle and the abundance of Phlegm is ready to suffocate us and our eye-strings are ready to break and our eyes are dim and gastly and every breath we take though with much difficulty is like to be our last breathing Oh! then is the time that the testimony of a good conscience that as the Apostle professeth 2 Cor. 1. 12. in simplicity and in godly sincerity we had our conversation in this world will abundantly comfort us and the apprehension of the love of God in Christ will revive our fainting spirits and give
of Judgment John Huss and Jerome Luth. Loc. Com. of Prague shall appear to be good men when the Pope and his Cardinalls shall appear to be vile and wicked wretches St Bernard us'd to say That the Day will Veniet Veniet Dies quando male judicata rejudicabit Deuâ— Bern. come it will certainly come when God will judg over again all false judgment But as for all those whose hearts were upright with God whilst they liv'd in this world these after death are translated into an estate of glory and happiness and in the highest heavens receive consolations beyond all expression and a weight of glory beyond the capacity of any mortal man which Christ gives to all his Children who in their Pilgrimage on earth endeavoured with their whole heart and strength to serve the Lord in sincerity and in truth All those who were on earth Sincere-hearted and real Saints shall be acknowledged to be such by Christ himself at the Day of Judgment No sin no failing nor imperfection shall at all be layd to their Charge in that day for all failings and sins and all manner of imperfections shall be washt away in the bloud of Jesus Christ What ever good things the Saints have done on earth shall be all remembred and not any one thing forgotten at the day of judgment But whatever was bad and sinfull that they committed on earth shall not be layd to their Charge but shall be blotted out of the Book of Gods Remembrance and God will cast them into the depth of the sea O What a joyfull day and full of Comfort will the day of judgment be to all the Children of God! Then they shall lift up their heads with Comfort and behold him who is their Judg as their Redeemer Advocate Intercessor and Flder Brother and he will pronounce for them a sentence of Absolution At that day all glorified Saints shall have their bodily eyes irradiated with the splendor of glory and they shall be inabled to behold the Beatificall Vision and this is he Happiness of all Happiness and this only is their portion and appropriated to them alone who are pure in heart Thâ—y are blessed as our Saviour pronounceth them Who are pure in heart for they shall see God Then the Saints in glory shall sit in Judgment as Assessors with Christ and shall approve of the righteous sentence of Christ in Condemning their unrighteous Judges Then they shall see the Omniporent Eternal Jehovah the Beeing of all Beeings the first person in Trinity uncreated unbegotten and unproceeding Then they shall see Christ the Mediator of thâ— New Covenant their only Saviour and Redeemer uncreated but begotten and not proceeding who is the second Person in Trinity Then they shall see the holy Ghost the third Person in Trinity neither created nor begotten but proceeding from both The Glorifyd Saints what they believed when they were militant on earth shall in heaven understand the great Mystery of the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity One glorified Saint shall know more then all the Learned men in the world I 'le conclude with this Doxology Now to the holy and blessed Trinity and one God in Vnity Father Son and Holy Ghost be ascribed all Honour and Glory Praise and Thanksgiving Dominion and Obedience henceforth and unto all Eternity Amen THE Contents of this Treatise CHAP. I. OF spiritual poverty p. 1. Sect. I. Spiritual poverty consists in emptying of the heart of what is self ibid. Sect II. Every humble spirited man is low vile and abject in his own eyes p. 3. Sect. III. One who is spiritually poor meditates frequently and seriously upon the promises and makes particular application of them p. 6. Sect. IV. One that is poor in spirit is weak fiâ—k and in a distressed condition as to his own apprehension and makes haste unto Christ for help p. 9. CHAP. II. Concerning the highest prizing and valuing of Jesus Christ p. 11. Sect. I. It 's an infallible sign of a true Believer to value and prefer Christ before all the riches of the world p. 11. Sect. II. Of ardâ—ney and strength of affection to Jesus Christ p. 14. CHAP. III. Of a heart in love with holiness evidenced in â— holy life and conversation p. 16. Sect. I. Every true Believer loves holiness for it self because it is the image of God ibid. Sect. II. Where holiness is in the heart it is fruitful in the life p. 19. CHAP. IV. Of ingenuous sorrow for sin p. 24. Sect. I. Ingenuous sorrow is more for the sin than the punishment ibid. Sect. II. There is a great difference between the mournings of Cain Ahab Judas c. and the mournings of David Paul Peter c. p. 25. Sect. III. There 's a great difference between the mourning of slaves and mourning of children p. 30. CHAP. V. Of sorrowing and mourning for others sins p. 33. Sect. I. A godly mourner mourns for others sins ibid. Sect. II. We must be affected with and afflicted for the sins of others remembring that we are men of like passions p. 37. CHAP. VI. Of approving our hearts unto God p. 42. Sect. I. A sincere-heâ—rted Christian labours to aprove his heart to God and put himself upon God's trial ibid. Sect. II. Though we are subject to many infirmities we must groan under the burthen of them p. 44. CHAP. VII Of pressing forward towards perfection p. 49. Sect. I. It 's an Apostolical character and Apostolical practice to press forward towards perfection ibid. Sect. II. Instances in particulars whether we press forward towards perfection p. 52. CHAP. VIII Of a strict watch set upon the heart against bosome sins p. 55. Sect. I. A sincere heart endeavors to keep it self from every beloved sin ibid. Sect. II. No sin so little but deserves damnation p. 59. Sect. III. An illustration by similitudes p. 61. CHAP. IX An endeavor against every sin and for the practice of every duty p. 65. Sect. I. The desire and endeavor must be against every sin ibid. Sect. II. The endeavor must be to obey all commands and practice all duties p. 69. CHAP. X. Of a heart without guile p. 73. Sect. I. The heart must be without guile ibid. Sect. II. Every person that is upright is compounded of three words viz. simplicity singleness and sincerity p. 74. CHAP. XI Of mortification of the deeds of the body p. 80. Sect. I. The deeds of the body i. e. all lusts ought to be mortified ibid. Sect. II. Questions propounded and answered p. 83. CHAP. XII Vivisication of the fruits of the Spirit p. 91. Sect. I. Beside mortification of the deeds of the body there must be a vivification of the fruits of the Spirit ibid. Sect. II. How this is to be discerned p. 93. CHAP. XIII Containing the comforts of sincere Christians p. 95. Sect I. Sincere Christians have comforts in their lives ibid. Sect. II. Sincere Christians are sensible of their sins and mourn for them p. 98. CHAP. XIV Sincere-hearted Christians have comforts in their deaths p. 102. Sect. I. The comfortable deaths of such as are sincere p. 102 Sect. II. We ought to prepare for deatâ— p. 10â— Sect. III. The â—ying speeches of Saints p. 109 CHAP. XII Containing the happiness of the Saints iâ— Heaven p. 115 Sect. I. The Saints in Heaven receive per fection of happiness ibid Sect. II. At the day of Judgment all falâ— judgments shall be reverst p. 118 FINIS
a ground for Liberum facio cuilibet veniendi neminem ex cludo prorsus omnes venire subeo Omnes venite accipite aquas Domino â—t gloria Bulling Free-will I answer That all those Invitations abundantly manifest the Free grace of God and ascribe nothing to mans Free will which if we trust to it will prove an Aegyptian reed to deceive us We read Ezrah 1. 5. Then rose the cheif of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem Before we can come to Christ and accept of the Gospel Invitation God raiseth up our hearts For saith our Saviour Joh. 6. 44. No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent mâ— draw him But when he draws us wâ— can run as the spouse professeth Can. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after the. Before we can run the waies of Gods Commandments he inlargeth our hearts So saith the Psalmist Psal 119. 32. I will run the way of thy Commandments When thou shalt enlarge my heart Sect. 4. He that is poor in spirit is weak sick and in a distressed condition as to his own apprehension and therefore of necessity all delaies being laid aside he must repair to Christ and beg strength health Comforts even all from him as the only skilfull Physitian who alone can Work an effectual cure And Christ is the only Physitian and his blood is the only Medicine and both the Physitian and his Medicine are of infinite dignity price value For no Physitian nor no Medicine can work that cure which Christ works Psal 103. 3. For he pardoneth all iniquities and healeth all diseases Christ prepares and prescribes the Medicine our Duty is to apply it to our wounds For the most Soveraign Medicine cures not in preparation but in Application Wherefore we must imitate the Apostle by making a particular Application of of Christ and all his merits unto our own souls For saith he Gal. 2. 20. I am crucisied with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life with I now live in the Flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gâ—ve himself for me After Thomas had a demonstrative Conviction of Christ's personal appearance after his resurrection he made use of a Pronoun Possessive to his comfort saying Joh. 20. 28. My Lord and my God Whoever he be that is so poor in spirit as to be nothing and less then nothing in his own accompt and value Christ above all and as the Apostle phraseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Est Christus sese scilicet uniens reâ—atis eosque regenerans omnia scilicet ad salutem necessaria Omnibus ni mirum fidelibus sanctificatis Christo copulatis Est illis omnia meritoriè Daven in Loc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar Hom. 16. it Col. 3. 11. All in All he questionless is in the state of blessedness for saith our Saviour Matth. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven Observe how low the Foundation is laid even in Poverty of spirit But Christ setts a high Roof and glorious superstructure upon so low a Foundation even the Kingdome of heaven CHAP. II. Concerning the highest priceing and valueing of Jesus Christ A Second Character of a sincere Heart Character 2. The highest priseing and valuing of Jesus Christ is to set the highest Price Value and Estimation upon Jesus Christ Sect. 1 This is an infallible Sign of a true Beleiver whose heart is upright with God to Price Value Esteem and Preferr Christ in our judgments and affections before all the Riches of the World in their greatest Estate and confluence This the Apostle sets down as an infallible Sign of a true Believer 1 Pet. 2. 7. Vnto you therefore which believe he is prelious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O! how high an Estimation did the Love-sick Spouse discover concerning Jesus Christ For said she Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy the cheifest Jesus Christus totus suavis est totus salubris est totus delect ibâ—lis totus denique secuadnÌ„ sponsae Vocem desiderabilis Beza among ten thousand Christ is white by his innocency purity and immaculate righteousness but he is ruddy by reason of his bloody sufferings and the effusion of his pretious blood To which the Prophet Isaiah alludes in a lofty piece of Retorick Esa 63. 1 2 3. Who is this that cometh from Edom with died Garments from Bozrah This is to be understood of Christ as may appear Loquitur Ecclesia Christum ipsum alloquitur Quare vestes tuae rubidae sunt Piscator in Loc. more evidently by what followes viz This that is glorious in his apparell travelling in the greatness of his strength I that speak in righteousness mighty to save Wherefore art thou red in apparrell and thy garments like him that treadeth the wine fat This scripture represents the meritorious sufferings of Christ in pouring out his most pretious blood out of his veins His body was pierced with a Spear and forthwith came thereout Joh. 19. 34. Rev. 19 13 Amictus cruentus indicat victorem reducem ab hostium strage Parae Tinctum non piorum sanguine ut Roma sed impiorum Grot. blood and water St. John in the Revelation gives us a farther Evidence And he was cloathed with a vesture dipt in blood and his name is called the word of God Oh! what an inestimable value should we have of Christ who bought us and paid for the purchase the greatest price that ever was paid even the price of his innocent meritorious and most pretious blood The Apostle observes the Doctrine and injoyns us to make particular application thereof For saith Haec correctio estquod admonet corpus non minus quam animam subjectum esse Deo Calv. Ezek. 34. 29. Hag. 2. 7. he 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are Gods Christ is called by the Prophet Ezekiel a Plant of renown Christ is called by the Prophet Haggai The Desire of all Nations and by Malachy The Angel of the Covenant and by Zachary the Branch of Mal. 3. 1. Zech. 3. 8. Dan. 9. 26. Righteousness and by Daniel The Messiah Add farther by way of Singularity and excellency and incomparable Benefit Christ is call'd our Advocate and 1 Joh. 2. 1. Propitiation our Redeemer and only Mediator Job 19. 25. Christ hath trodd the wine press alone 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is Isa 63. 3. none other given under heaven whereby we must be saved but by the name of Jesus Act. 4. 11. 12. Christ therefore as he is of infinite value and dignity in himself so we ought to have the highest estimation of him and to preferr him both in judgment and