or Intellectual Vnion with Christ by having the glorious Idea or Image of Christ impressed on it self as 2 Cor. 3.18 Now the more real spiritual distinct evident deep affective and effective Notions of Christ his friends have the more prevalent and efficacious wil this their mental Vnion and Friendship with Christ be Oh! what Admirable incomparable friends of Christ might we be had we but more feeling clear lively particular and efformative Notions or Ideas of Christ in our Understandings 2. 2. Moral Union Moral Vnion with Christ is either Adhesive or Affective 1. Adhesive 1. Adhesive Vnion consists in the Wils Contract with and Adhesion to Christ as its friend As the Mind is one with its Object by the Reception of its Idea and Image into it self so the Wil is one with its object by Egresse and Adhesion thereto And undoutedly this moral Adhesion of the Wil to Christ greatly conduceth to the Improvement of friendship with him For Friendship in its formal Notion implies a kind of Indivisibilitie Friends give up themselves entirely each to other and hence they are to abide and live out of themselves each in other And so Christ expects the Hearts of his Friends should be wholly for and with him as he is wholly for and with them As Christ abides cotinually in and with them by his Spirit so their Wils must abide continually in and with Christ by firme Adherence as Hos 3.3 Thou shalt not be for another man so wil I also be for thee This greatly improves friendship with Christ 2. 2. Affective Moral Affective Union with Christ consists in the effluence or flowing forth of spiritual and passionate Affections towards Christ as before Sect. 4. b A nicitia ex duobus facit unum per affectum Aquin. And O! how much doth this conduce to the Improvement of Conjugal Vnion and Amitie with Christ as Cant. 8.6 7. Set me as a seal upon thine heart c. 2. 2. The friends of Christ must make daily procedure in communion with Christ The friends of Christ should aspire after and contend for a more Intimate deep spiritual and sensible communion with Christ and that in al Ordinances Duties Providences and Injoyments Vnion with Christ layes the Foundation but communion gives the formal Spirit Reason and Life to our Amitie with Christ p Perfectio secunda in rebus addit supra primam Sicut autem esse natura rei consideratur secundum primam perfectionem ita operatio secundum perfectionem secundam Oportet igitur in Deum redire non solum secundum similitudinem Naturae sed etiam secundum similitudinem Operationis Aquinat contra Gent. l. 2. c. 46. As in nature the second Act or Operation addes an higher degree of perfection to the first Act Habit or Principle So here Communion with Christ which consists in Divine and gracious Operations addes much perfection to the first Act Habit or Principle of friendship with Christ For al first Acts or Habits are ordained for and so perfected in and by their second Acts or Operations and as God is in himself a pure simple eternal Act So the more our habitual friendship exerts it self by gracious Acts of communion with him the more Assimilation to God it partakes of Again mutual conversation and Fruition is the main end and therefore the most essential part of friendship For why do friends confederate and link themselves together by such intimate inviolable bonds of Amitie but for more complete and uninterrupted conversation And what is more q Delectabilissimum est amicis convivere Aquin. contr Gent. l. 3. c. 103. delectable and pleasing to friends than to converse together and injoy each other Thus it is apparent that communion is the end and perfection of friendship among men r Item hoc videtur esse amicitiae manimè proprium simul conversari cum amico conversatio autem hominis cum Deo est per contemplationem Aquin contra Gent. l. 4. c. 22. And we need no way dout but that according to the mesure of communion with Christ such wil be the mesure of Friendship with him As amongst men frequent visits and familiar conversation or communion doth mightily confirme and improve Friendship so here familiar conversation and communion with Christ is very efficacious for the Improvement of Friendship with him Shinesses Distances and Estrangements are the gangrene of civil but much more of Divine friendship Alas the friends of Christ neither Think nor Affect nor Talk nor Act nor Live as such longer than they Think Affect Converse and Live with Christ Al we mind say or do without this comes to Nothing Whatever conduceth not to the Injoyment of Christ is but lost The Life Work and Busines of a friend of Christ consists in conversation with Christ Al we do without this even in the highest Duties of Religion is but a loitering dreaming sleepy Formalitie Neither may the Friends of Christ expect that he wil walk with them in waies of Conduct Grace Peace and Comfort unlesse they walk with him in waies of Communion Yea is not this the Suburbs of the celestial Jerusalem the entrance into our eternal Rest And may we expect a complete Heaven hereafter if we are unwilling to begin our Heaven here Is not communion with Christ the richest sweetest noblest best and most satisfying Life Have the friends of Christ ever more Strength Warmth Peace and Comfort than when they are nearest unto Christ Doth not the Health vigor and exercices of the New creature depend wholly on the soul 's abiding in Christ and his abiding in the soul by daily mutual communion as Joh. 15.5 What is it that brings the friends of Christ into a state of Divine Amplitude or Libertie but Intimate communion with Christ as their friend Whence springs the Firmitude Stabilitie and Harmonie of Grace but from continual uninterrupted Dependence on and conversation with Christ the Fountain of al Grace Do the Friends of Christ ever shine with a more visible Lustre and glorie Are their Graces ever more Illustrious and beautiful than when they have been with Christ on the Mount Was it ever known that the friends of Christ came to visit him and returned emtie-handed Doth not Christ alwaies follow his friends with fresh communications of Grace and Peace when they follow him by Acts of Faith and Love with other parts of communion How then comes it to passe that the friends of Christ are so much strangers to him Alas what can support you in a day of trouble but the companie of Christ your friend And can you expect his Gracious and comfortable presence in evil daies if you wil not walk and converse with him in your good daies If Christ cannot have your hearts and companie in Canaan may you not justly expect that he bring you again into a Wildernes Believe it if you are real friends of Christ he must and wil have your companie first or last If
Defertions Is there not much invisible love and Grace wrapt up in Christ's visible departure from his friends Paul saw much of love and mercie in the pricks of that thornie Tentation which Christ left him under to prevent the Tumur of Pride 2 Cor. 12.7 lest I should be lifted up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Meteor in the air above Mesure He knew the Cup was mixed by Christ's own hand and albeit it was very bitter yet there was no poison in it Doth not Christ oft hide himself that so his friends faith and Love may find him out Are not his delayes of returning intended as incentives to make his friends seek more earnestly after him True indeed the friends of Christ in time of Desertion think they are gone many degrees back ay but do they not really advance at least in several Graces in the end Do they not hereby gain more vile mean cheap and humble estime of themselves but more large and deep and high and broad thoughts of Christ Are not their longings and lovesicknesses after Christ more vehement Do they not arrive to a greater mesure of self-diffidence and confidence in Christ Is not their spiritual povertie and self-emtines much augmented Have they not a more tender deep sense of with stronger conflicts against sin Have they not more Evangelick and serious purposes of entertaining Christ more kindly at his returne Such are the sacred Benefits which oft attend Desertion and albeit the Lord's Retirement for a while be not formally an act of love yet is it not so intentionally on Christ's part Are not the Graces of his friends hereby drawen forth in their most glorious exercices namely to adhere to love and confide in an obsent angrie frowning Christ And is not the sinceritie and excellence of Grace hereby greatly tried and approved Doth not Christ oft intend most Grace where he sometimes most suspendeth the sweet refreshing tokens of his Presence Now these How the friends of Christ must live by faith under al his Absences with many others being the gracious fruits of Christ's Absence and Retirement from his friends for some time doth it not greatly concerne them to live by Faith under al such withdrawments of Christ Are not these some of the most noble raisures of Friendship with Christ firmely to adhere to and follow after an absent Christ yea although he may seem to turne as an enemie against the soul Ought not faith by fresh election and recumbence avouch Christ to be hers albeit Christ may seemingly denie the soul to be his Did not the Woman of Canaan discover Heroick strains of friendship towards Christ in this particular Mat. 15. Mat. 15.22 23 24 25 26 27. 1. She addresseth her self to him as an humble supplicant Mat. 22. V. 22. But what comfort doth he afford her Gold comfort indeed Mat. 23. for V. 23. He answered her not's word One would think her faith could pick little encouragement out of this What worse Hel can there be to a Believer that no answer from Christ Ay but doth not her faith spie somewhat of Heaven in this seeming Hel Doth she not apprehend somewhat of an answer in this filence of Christ Thence she continues to crie after him But yet he repels her again Mat. 24. V. 24. with I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Isracl What bottome has she for faith now Is not the door quite shut against her by this repulse Doth not this seem worse than no answer Is it not as much as if Christ had said Woman be gone I have not for thee I have nothing to do with thee Ay but yet her faith knows how to improve this seeming denial Though Christ would not own her for one of his lost Sheep yet she is resolved to own and avouch him for her Lord Mat. 25. So V. 25. Lord help me What answer doth Christ make now Mat. 26. V. 26. It 's not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to Dogs One would think her faith was now quite puzled and non-plust but indeed it was never more Victorious Mat. 27. as V. 27. and she said truth Lord c. Was not this also the posture of Job's Spirit when he resolved to retain his confidence in Christ though he should kil him And did not David's friendship with Christ greatly discover it self in this that he resolved to follow after Christ though he seemed to flie from him Psal 63.8 Is it not then a grand dutie incumbent on al the friends of Christ to live this generous life of faith under al spiritual Desertions and withdrawments of Christ Would not this turne their felt or apprehended Hel under Christ's Absence into a believed coming Heaven But to descend to some particulars of this life of Faith 1. 1 In keeping up good thoughts of Christ The friends of Christ must in al his Retirements on spiritual Desertions keep up good thoughts and maintain an high estime of Christ This is a great part of the life of faith under spiritual Desertions For how apt is Vnbelief to strike in and raise many black lies and false reports of Christ in his Absence Unbelief is a very cloudie dark thing and therefore extreme prone to cloth Christ with monstrous frightful shapes of wrath and severitie especially in the dark night of Desertion and such misjudgements of and Prejudices against Christ are greatly obstructive of a weltempered friendship with him The friends of Christ ought to expel al Vnbelieving jelousies of Christ in his withdrawments and persuade themselves there is much of love and kindnes even in Christ's frowns bowels of Sympathie and pitie under the cloak of wrath with which he seemes to be covered A quick-sighted faith may see something of Christ in al Desertions which yields matter of Hope and good opinion concerning him and although the cup that Christ gives his friends to drink of be very bitter and nauseous to flesh and bloud yet faith may tast and smel something of Christ therein Christ's absence from his friends albeit it be a kind of temporarie Hel yet it has something of Heaven engraven on it For Christ never deserts his friends so much as not to leave behind him some pledge and pawn of his Returne When Christ is gone al of Christ is not gone yea doth he not frequently in his most salt and bitter desertions send now and then a Messenger or love-token at least some invisible supports and insensible Inspirations of the Spirit of Grace which are sufficient Demonstrations that he has not totally left such souls but wil ere long return again Is it not then a great office of Faith to banish al these groundlesse jelousies surmises and misreports of Christ and to maintain high and candid thoughts of him in al his Retirements Alas what is Faith but an high noble generous and candid estime of Christ The friends of Christ may have as low estime of
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
Christ than they who suffer most for him Neither are there any pieces of friendship more difficult and rare than such as are attended with most sufferings for Christ Hence it wil easily appear of what a mighty use faith is to the friends of Christ in order to the conserving and improving their friendship with him under the crosse What is there that can bring to the suffering friends of Christ Gain out of Lesses Libertie out of Slaverie Glorie out of Shame a centuple or hundred fold out of al deprivements yea victorie and life out of Death it self but this victorious efficacious life of faith What is it that keeps the suffering friends of Christ from being persecuted out of their professed friendship with Christ but a lively Faith Faith assures the soul it 's better to weep with Christ than to rejoyce with the world to be poor with Christ than to be rich with worldlings to be in prison with Christ than to be at libertie with his enemies to bleed and die with and for Christ than to live and reigne with men Faith knows ful-wel that al the sufferings of Christ's friends are transient and short but their joyes coming and eternal yea that their Ils worke for Good whereas the Goods of worldlings work for their il Faith alters the nature of the Crosse and makes it a great blessing to the friends of Christ it takes out the sting and poison and infuseth a medicinal virtue into every crosse Such with many others are the advantages of faith in al sufferings for Christ But now to get this Divine Art Directions for a life of faith under the Crosse and skil of faith for the right management of the Crosse take these following Directions and Rules 1. 1. Give no way to to hard thoughts of the Crosse Give not way to unbelieving hard thoughts of Christ's Crosse Unbelief fils the mind with many dismal black ugly gastly and hard Apprehensions of Christ's Crosse it looks-upon the Crosse as a bitter sour black fruitlesse Crab-tree and therefore possesseth the heart with deep disgusts and prejudices against it Wherefore one main office of Faith is to remove the scandal and il report that Unbelief brings on the Crosse Now this faith doth by discovering the admirable Benefits and sweet fruits of the Crosse how much libertie of Spirit is gained by bonds for Christ how much peace of conscience by troubles from men how much spiritual gain by temporal losses for Christ how much Christian Glorie by the reproches of men yea faith teacheth the friends of Christ that the worst of temporal Crosses even death it self for Christ is better than the most flourishing Crown or treasures of Aegypt Heb. 11.26 Heb. 11.26 Estiming the reproche of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt Moses's faith preferred the reproche tears losses bonds sighs and banishment of and for Christ before the Glorie worme-eating joyes gains laughter and delices of Pharaoh's Court. Farther faith sheweth that the evils of the Crosse are but Imaginarie and transient that it's alarming fears and noises are worse than it self Lastly faith shews the blessed fruits of the Crosse how ful of Divine Admonitions and Instructions it is What a friend it is to Grace though an enemie to Nature what a soverain Antidote against sin it is how much it humbles for smal sins how much the scum of sin is drawn off by this furnace of Christ what a great mesure of faith love and other Graces grow on this blessed Tree how much free Grace is enhanced hereby c. 2. 2. Keep under lawlesse self and soft nature Another office of faith in order to the right management of the Crosse is to keep under lawlesse self and soft nature which is very apt to murmur despond or faint under the Crosse Now this faith performes by discovering 1. What wise and infinite reasons there are why Christ's friends should chearfully submit unto and lie level before his Crosse 2. What a brutish blasphemous sin discontent under Christ's Crosse is how much madnes and folie lies wrapt up herein in that it deprives men of themselves and turnes reason out at doors whereas Divine contentement keeps the heart fixed in the greatest storme and makes men masters of themselves which is the greatest securitie 3. Faith keeps down self and soft nature by nailing them to the Crosse of Christ and thence deriving influence for their Destruction 3. 3. Faith must espouse the Crosse Faith must not only submit unto but chearfully espouse the Crosse of Christ There lies an absolute and essential obligation on al Christ's friends to espouse his Crosse as wel as his Person This faith alone enables them to performe and that by discovering the intimate connexion there is between Christ and his Crosse as also by drawing down influence from Christ whereby the heart is enabled readily to embrace delight in and improve his Crosse Thus are Christ's friends maried to the Crosse 4. 4. Faith must triumph over the Crosse Another main office of faith consists in it's triumph over the Crosse Though the Crosse be never so broad and thick and dark yet faith can see thorow it and take a Prospect of coming Glorie Be the burden of sufferings for Christ never so heavie faith can make it as light as a feather Yea faith converts our Crosse into armor of proof whereby we prove victorious it makes our sufferings our garland and Crown yea as Christ by dying overcame death so his friends by faith in him even in and by death overcome death in and by weaknes povertie disgrace slaverie and wants they overcome al these 5. 5. Faith must improve every Crosse The last work of faith is to make a wise and sanctified Improvement of al Crosses or sufferings for Christ Faith in the bloud of Christ has an admirable dexteritie and miraculous Art for the Improvement of Crossesâ— it can melt a Crosse of Lead into a Golden Crosse of Humilitie it can suck the Milk of Medicinal Grace out of the bloudie breasts of persecution it can by the fire of God's furnace transforme an hard iron-heart into an heart of flesh The Crosse of Christ as managed and improved by faith becomes a good Purgatorie of sin and food for Grace Yea faith in Christ can and oft doth make an old Crosse long out of date become as new and green in fruit-bearing and use as at beginning Such are the admirable virtues of faith as to the Management and Improvement of the Crosse which gives us abundant demonstration of what great use this life of Faith is in order to our Improvement of friendship with Christ I have now finisht our Directions for walking with Christ as our friend O that the friends of Christ would resolve in good earnest to set about this work Is it not high time after the Lord has been so long contending with us from Heaven by Pestilence Sword and Fire for our friendship and choicest love to give it to him I pretend not to a Spirit of Prophecie but this I verily believe and dare avouch that it wil never be wel with us til Christ has more of our Thoughts Estime Dependence Intention Friendship and best Affections FINIS
69 John Baptist's self-denial the foundation of his friendship with Christ p. 70 71 3. How far the World is to be rejected in order to the Election of Christ for himself p. 73 4. How far the Law is to be rejected by Christ's friends p. 79 Notes of a soul 's being maried to the Law p. 80 How Christ's friends are dead to the Law p. 80 81. How the friends of Christ are alive to the Law as a rule p. 81 82 CHAP. 4. The Election of whole Christ c. A Complete Christ the Object of the Saints friendship p. 84 85 1. The friends of Christ must Elect him as their King p. 86 88 2. Christ's friends Elect him as their Priest p. 89 91 3. The Election of Christ as our Prophet p. 92 94 4. The Election of Christ's Person a fundamental part of our friendship with him p. 95 102 Self the first Motive that draws sinners to Christ p. 98 More pure strains of friendship with Christ p. 99 100 The plague of false friends is that they close not with the Person of Christ p. 101 102 5. The friends of Christ must elect his Spirit also as their Friend p. 102 105 6. Christ's Yoke Waies and Ordinances must be elected p. 105 107 7. Election of Christ's Members p. 107 8. Election of Christ's Crosse p. 107 CHAP. 5. How far the friends of Christ may regard themselves CHrist must be elected for himself p. 109 111 What it is to Elect Christ for himself p. 111 112 No regard is to be had to sinful or carnal self p. 113 How the Elect while under a Spirit of Bondage aim at legal self only p. 114 False friends of Christ ruined by legal self p. 114 115 The friends of Christ may not elect him for the advance of an Evangelick self-sufficience p. 116 117 Christ's friends may not elect him merely for the sweet Accidents of his presence p. 118 119 Christ may not be elected for a carnal Heaven or to avoid a carnal Hel. p. 120 121 122 The friends of Christ may not elect him for self as their last end or on their own Conditions p. 123 125 The friends of Christ may eye freedome from Hel. p. 126 127 The friends of Christ may have a regard to Heaven p. 128 130 Christs friends may desire ease from their burdens p. 131 The friends of Christ may regard themselves any way in subordination unto Christ p. 132 The essential connexion 'twixt the Interest of Christ and that of his friends p. 132 134 CHAP. 6. That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself 1. THis is proved from the object Christ considered 1. As the Last end p. 136 137 2. As the First Beautie p. 137 138 3. As the First Principle of Dependence p. 138 139 2. From the Act of Electing Christ which is 1. Most Natural p. 140 141 2. Most living and lively p. 142 3. Most Rational p. 143 145 4. Most Voluntarie p. 145 146 3. From the Effects of electing Christ for himself which are p. 146 1. Participation of the Divine Nature p. 146 147 2. Libertie both natural civil and Divine p. 148 154 3 Divine life with al its Issues p. 155 1. Spiritual Health p. 156 2. Divine Strength p. 157 158 3. Growth in Grace p. 159 160 4. Spiritual Sense p. 160 161 5. Divine Motion p. 161 162 4. Divine Honor. p. 163 164 5. Divine Harmonie and Order p. 164 165 6. Divine Beautie and Glorie p. 165 166 7. Divine Pleasures p. 166 168 8. Divine Treasures p. 168 169 CHAP. 7. How and why Christ is to be elected for himself in regard of his Mediatorie excellences as Relative to God the Father THE Distribution of Christ's Excellences p. 170 Christ's Designement to Office p. 171 182 Heb. 2.5 6 7 8. largely explicated p. 172 175 Joh. 6.27 Sealed What p. 175 Heb. 3.2 Appointed p. 176 177 Act. 2.36 God hath made c. p. 177 178 Ephes 5.1 A sweet smelling savor p. 178 179 How the friends of Christ must eye his Divine Constitution p. 180 182 Christ's Aptitude for his Office p. 183 Joh. 1.14 largely explicated p. 183 186 Joh. 1.16 And of his fulnes c. p. 186 187 Al Grace passeth from Christ as its Fountain p. 187 189 How al Divine perfections dwel in Christ as in a Temple Col. 2.9 p. 190 195 Heb. 1.3 Explicated in each particular p. 196 208 2 Cor. 4.6 The Face of Jesus what p. 209 212 2 Cor. 4.4 How Christ is the Image of God p. 212 213 2 Cor. 3.18 Christ an Essential Glasse c. p. 214 218 How the Believing soul is transformed into the Image of God shining in Christ p. 216 217 How al the Attributes of God shine in Christ p. 219 226 The Wisdome of God in Christ p. 220 The Love and Grace of God in Christ p. 220 221 God's Justice in Christ p. 222 God's Holines in Christ p. 222 223 God's Omnipotence in Christ p. 223 God's Faithfulnes in Christ p. 224 God's Immensitie in Christ p. 225 God's Independence in Christ c. p. 226 Contemplate the Glorious Ideas of God in Christ p. 227 230 Election and Fruition of God's excellences in Christ p. 230 231 Imitation of Christ's human Nature p. 231 232 Christ's friends should present themselves fit Temples for Christ p. 233 234 CHAP. 8. The Doctrine of Amitie with Christ improved by Doctrinal Corollaries and practick Uses DOctrinal Corollaries from this Subject p. 235 248 1. The condescendence of Free-Grace p. 236 2. The Dignitie of Religion p. 237 3. The highest Wisdome is to make Christ our friend p. 238 4. Al by nature Enemies to Christ p. 239 5. Al friendship with Christ from God p. 240 6. The contradictions of many seeming Friends p. 241 7. How far false friends of Christ may go p. 242 243 8. How easie a thing it is to miscarrie in the beginning of our friendship p. 244 9. Much seeming friendship with Christ not real p. 245 10. True Friendship among men rare p. 245 246 11. The folie of such as refuse Christ p. 247 248 Use 1. The Aggravations of this sin not to mind friendship with Christ p. 249 259 1. As to its Object it is against Christ 1. The Author of life p. 250 2. Most willing to give life p. 251 3. Most excellent in himself p. 252 2. The Aggravations of this sin as to its Subject p. 253 255 3. The Aggravations of this sin in regard of its formal Nature p. 255 556 1. It 's ful of Atheisme p. 257 2. Of Crucifying Christ p. 257 3. Of Blasphemie against Christ p. 258 4. Of Sacrilege p. 258 4. The Aggravations of this sin from its Effects p. 259 The miserie of such as refuse friendship with Christ p. 259 263 Use 2. For conviction to Refined Hypocrites p. 263 How far refined Hypocrites may procede in false friendship with Christ p. 264 273 As to 1. The Spirit of Bondage p. 265
2. Aversion from sin and self p. 266 3. Assent and Estime of Christ p. 267 4. Consent and closing with Christ p. 267 268 5. Affections p. 268 6. Union with Christ p. 269 7. The Image of Christ p. 269 8. Active Obedience p. 270 9. Passive Obedience p. 270 10. Dependence on Christ p. 271 11. Service and Assistances p. 271 12. Praises 13. Communion of Saints p. 272 14. Communion with Christ p. 272 15. Prelibations of Glorie c. 273 c. The Sinfulnes of false friendship with Christ p. 276 1. It is a mocquing Christ p. 276 2. It is a Wearying Christ p. 277 3. Is is most lothsome to Christ p. 277 4. It doth Christ most mischief p. 277 278 The Folie of false friendship with Christ p. 279 It is 1. Self-flatterie 2. Self-delusion p. 279 3. Self-ruine 4. Self-confidence 5. Self-contradiction p. 280 6. It shal be manifest folie p. 280 7. It is courting of shadows p. 280 The Curse of false friendship with Christ p. 281 1 It is the Root of many Spiritual sins p. 281 2. It Poisons the best Mercies p. 282 3. It puts a sting into al Afflictions p. 282 4. Christ leaves such under the snares of this world p. 282 5. Christ leaves such to the Plague of their own hearts p. 283 6. Christ puts a period to the day of Grace p. 284 7 Christ leaves them to Satan p. 284 8. Christ becomes a stone of stumbling to such p. 285 9 Hence follows Judicial hardnes p. 285 10. Such are exposed to al the Curses of the Law c. p. 286 11. Al the Hopes of such perish p. 286 CHAP. 9. Heart-Examens Exhortations and Directions touching a sincere closure with Christ as our friend Use 3. FOR Examination p. 288 Motives 1. From the Difficulties that attend friendship with Christ p. 289 2. From the Facilitie of being mistaken herein p. 290 3. From the Danger of such mistakes p. 291 Distinctive Characters of true and false friends of Christ p. 292 As to 1. Estimation p. 292 2. Aversion from sin p. 293 294 3. Self-denial and Exaltation of Christ p. 295 297 4. The Law p. 297 298 5. Crucifixion to the World p. 299 6. The Election of a whole Christ with the whole Heart p. 300 7. Closures with Christ's person for himself p. 301 303 Vse 4. Exhortation to a thorough closure with Christ p. 304 Motive 1. From the Excellences of Christ p. 304 307 Mot. 2. From the Condition of the Soul its Origine Nature Capacitie Activitie Immortalitie p. 307 311 Mot. 3. From the Nature of Amitie with Christ p. 311 311 Mot. 4. From the Effects of Amitie with Christ p. 312 315 Directions for a complete closure with Christ p. 316 In general lay a good Foundation p. 316 317 1. Get a Sanctified Head which implies p. 319 1. An Head wel-principled with Evangelick notions p. 320 2. An awakened Head p. 321 3. A Serious Head p. 321 2. Get a Loyal Heart which implies p. 322 1. A Broken Heart p. 323 2. A Sound Heart which implies p. 324 1. A living Heart p. 325 2. A Single Heart both as to object and Motives p. 326 327 3. An Entire Heart p. 328 329 4. A Flexible Heart p. 330 331 5. An Honest Heart p. 331 332 CHAP. 10. Advice to the friends of Christ for the living up to the Dignitie of this their Relation Vse 5. DIrections for Christ's friends c. Direct 1. Tudie and admire Christ's Excellences p. 333 1. Studie the Beauties of Christ's Person p. 335 336 2. Studie Christ's Good-Nature Love and Tendernesses p. 336 340 3. Studie the Riches of Grace in Christ p. 340 344 Direct 2. Daily repete your first Election of Christ p. 344 The Benefits of such repeted Elections of Christ As to 1. Gradual separation from sin and Self c. p. 345 2. The confirmation of our Union with Christ p. 346 3. The Radication of Grace p. 347 4. The Enlargement of Affections p. 348 5. Recoveries out of Backslidings p. 349 6. Communion with Christ p. 350 7. The life of faith p. 350 351 8. Assurance of salvation p. 352 354 Direct 3. Grow more rooted and built up in Christ Col. 2.7 As to 1. Assent and Estime of Christ p. 355 356 2. Strong Adherence to Christ p. 357 358 3 Resignation to and Dependence on Christ p. 359 362 Direct 4. Get spiritual Conjugal Affections for Christ p. 363 c. 1. Conjugal Love to Christ p. 365 367 2. Conjugal Desires after Christ p. 367 369 3. Conjugal Grief for Christ's absence p. 369 370 4. Lively Hopes of Christ's Returnâ— p. 371 372 5 Joy and Complacence in Christ's Presence p. 373 6 Conjugal Fear of displeasing Christ p. 374 7. Conjugal Zele for Christ p. 375 Direct 5. Endeavor after the greatest interne Uniformitie with and externe Conformitie to Christ p. 376 1. Interne Uniformitie with Christ p. 378 2. Externe Conformitie to Christ p. 380 Direct 6. Aspire after more intimate Union and Communion with Christ c. p. 383 1. Confirme and Improve Union with Christ p. 384 1. RelativeVnion with Christ p. 385 2. PositiveVnion with Christ p. 385 1. Habitual p. 385 2. Actual which is 1. Intellectual p. 386 2. Moral which is 1. Adhesive p. 387 2. Affective p. 387 2. Aspire after more intimate communion with Christ p. 388 391 1. In al Duties of Religion p. 391 2. In al Providential occurrences p. 392 3. In Creature-comforts and inferior goods p. 393 Direct 7. Give al Content to Christ p. 394 1. Do nothing that may displease Christ p. 395 Christ is displeased and grieved 1. By visible Relapses or secret Indulgences in sin p. 395 2. By secret Backslidings of Heart p. 395 397 2. Grow up more into the Image of Christ p. 397 3. Displease Self p. 397 4. Be Flexible towards Christ's Wil and Grace p. 398 1. Towards his Wil of Precept and Providence p. 399 2. Towards his gracious Inspirations p. 400 5. Studie Fidelitie towards Christ p. 400 6. Frequent Addresses to Christ p. 401 7. Civilitie and Respects due to Chri. p. 401 402 Direct 8. Take al Content in Christ p. 403 407 1. As the Spring of al Grace p. 408 2. As the Matter of our Happines and so p. 408 1. Christ must be loved for himself p. 408 409 2. Christ must be injoyed as the best good p. 410 3. Christ must be the spring of our Satisfaction p. 411 4. Christ must be injoyed without Mesure p. 411 Direct 9. Live by faith in al States and Conditions of suffering by or for Christ p. 412 1. Vnder al Sufferings immediately from Christ p. 413 Christ has many Gracious Ends in Desertion p. 414 415 How the friends of Christ must live by faith under al his Absences and Desertions p. 416 417 1. By keeping up good Thoughts of Christ p. 418 419 2. By humble Submission unto Christ p. 420 3. By firme Adherence unto Christ p. 421 422 4.
stiled Prudence which is defined h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Def. Plat. A facultie or power of it self productive of human happines This Prudence contains in it these parts 1. A Sagacitie or a spirit of Discretion for the finding out the right end and object 2. An Vniversal providence or provision of al such means as conduce to the attainment of our desired end 3. A Facilitie and dexteritie for the disposing of these means in the best manner and method in order to the prosecution of our end Prudence necessarie 1. To discover the right end and object of our friendship Al these parts of Prudence are very requisite to al friendship but especially to the choice of Christ as our friend 1. There must be a spiritual sagacitie or judgement of Discretion to find out the right end and object of our friendship This is indeed of huge concernement in order to the right constitution of friendship for the last end in morals has the same place with the first principles in speculatives and with the Forme in Naturals The last end infuseth sweetnes goodnes forces and life into al the means therefore if this be naught our friendship can never be good i Tu verò Omnia cum amico delibera sed de ipso prius post amicitiam credendum est ante amicitiam judicandum Seneca In our Amitie with Christ the last end and ultimate object of our choice must be no other than Christ himself there is therefore required a spiritual sagacitie to discover the excellences of Christ Sagacitie is said to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Def. fol. 412. an Acumen or sharpnes of Vnderstanding whereby we easily and speedily penetrate or dive into the nature and qualitie of things Amongst irrational creatures the Dog is thought to partake of a very great shadow hereof k Plato makes the Dog to be endued with a very great natural Sagacitie for the differencing his friends from his enemies Plato Rep. 2. fol. 376. Life of Padre Paul pag. 60. in that he can at the first glance discover his friend And it is said of Padâ—e Paul the Venetian that great Master of Prudence ' That he could immediately penetrate the nature inclinations and designes of men and like a perfect Musician make his judgement of the Instrument by the first touch so by making men speak he knew their ends their Interests their drifts their resolutions upon busines and with most admirable quicknes the very answers they could make and so he regulated himself in al procedings ' Such a sugacitie or sharp-sightednes is extremely useful in the choice of a friend especially of Christ who is imcomparably the best of friends Oh! were men so quick-sighted and sage as to discerne those infinite beauties and ravishing glories of Christ's person that Divine suavitie and good-nature of his Disposition those warme compassions and sweet tendernesses of his bowels those wonders and condescensions of his Grace in brief had men eyes to see what an ancient laborious industrious bleeding burning rich free unwearied invincible love Christ bears towards sinners they could not choose but choose him for their friend But ah alas here lies the sinner's Hel he is quick-sighted towards Idol-lovers but he has no eyes to see Christ the mysteries and wonders of his beautie Grace and Glorie and therefore 't is no wonder that Christ has so few friends in the world Would the blind World but take Philip's advice and Nathaniel's practice John 1.47 Joh. 1.47 Come and see what transcendent perfections what imcomparable excellences sweetnesses and heart-conquering mysteries of Grace and Love are to be found in Christ what a croud of friends might he have come and see wil speak more for Christ to set forth his excellences than the tongues of men or Angels can do But alas men wil not come men wil not see and dive into the glorious mysteries of Christ and therefore 't is no marvel that Amitie or friendship with him is so rare The Philosopher tels us l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 206. That a wise man does not praise his beloved ' til after some familiaritie he knows him wel The wise men of the world commend not Christ as the best friend because they know him not and they know him not because they have no familiaritie or acquaintance with him Al men that have inward feeling experimental familiaritie with Christ commend and extol him as the best friend no man that ever came to him and tasted how good and gracious he is went away with repenting and hard thoughts of him David as a figure of Christ blesseth the Lord for this spiritual sagacitie as Psal 16.7 Psal 16.7 I blesse the Lord who hath given me counsel What counsel does he mean why counsel or sagacitie to chuse God for his friend and portion as it 's evident from v. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance c. He is so far from envying of the wicked their portions and friends or from repenting of his choice that he blesseth God al his daies for this spiritual sagacitie or counsel which he gave him to chuse God himself and none but God for his friend Yea he is so much taken and satisfied in his choice as that he cries out to al the world Psal 34.8 Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is good This spiritual sagacitie is a Divine instinct wrought by the spirit of God whereby the soul first tasts and then sees the excellences of Christ So Tyndal on John 10.4 5. fol. 265. ' If they ask how we know that it is the Scripture of God ask them who taught the Eagles to spie out their prey even so the Children of God spie out their father ' Divine instinct backt with inward sense and spiritual reason gives the soul a clear spiritual affective sight of Christ and so engageth the heart to move strongly towards him For no knowlege works more powerfully than instinct of nature strengthened by reason Those who have an inward feeling tast of Christ's admirable sweetnesses wil see and know what an excellent friend he is The Philosopher defines m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Platon Def. fol. 413. election a right experimental probation such as the Goldsmith has of metals This is most true here the more inward experimental and familiar probation or trial we have of Christ the more chearful firme and inviolable wil our election of and Amitie towards him be 'T is true every friend of Christ has not a feeling sense of his interest in Christ yet he has deep sense of the superlative excellence of Christ Some good friends of Christ have not the sweet joyous sense of Christs presence yet they have the bitter bemoaning sense of his absence which argues some forgoing tast how sweet friendship with Christ is Thus it was with the Spouse even when she had lost his sweet
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
c. Jansenius August To. 3. l. 5. de Gratia cap. 10. fo 225. Jansenius that great patron of Grace and the cause of Christ who acutely and solidly discusseth and determines this case whether a regard to our reward or Happines be inconsistent with our love to God for himself Thus Jans August Tom. 3. De Gratia l. 5. c. 10. ' It is no smal error saith he to imagine that our own salvation and the vision of God and the whole complexum or sum of our Felicitie may not be sincerely loved with true charitie As if a Christian were otherwise commanded to love himself than in loving God for God For in this doing he does mostly love himself neither does he love himself truly if he does otherwise love himself than in loving God for himself For by a most profound oblivion and forgetting of himself he does most deeply love himself For our good saith Augustin is nothing else but to adhere to God c. ' CHAP. VI. That the friend of Christ does most promote himself by electing Christ for himself is demonstrated both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election SECT 1. That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From Christ the Object HAving resolved that great Case How far the friends of Christ may in their election of him regard themselves and in part demonstrated that they never more truely and spiritually regard seek and promote themselves than when they most abjuring their carnal legal and private self elect Christ for himself Our main work now wil be 1. To prosecute the Demonstration begun by several convincing Evidences or Discoveries that the friends of Christ do most really seek and advance their spiritual best selves by clecting of Christ for himself and then 2. To explicate How and Why the friends of Christ must elect him for himself That the friends of Christ do most really seek That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From the object Christ considered and advance their spiritual best selves by electing Christ for himself is evident both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election 1. As for the Object of this election who is it but God-man or God himself clothed with human Nature 1. When the friends of Christ elect him whom do they elect but God himself the most infinitely perfect and first Being and last End And is not God to be elected for himself Or can the friends of Christ promote themselves more than by electing him who is their Last end 1. As the last End and chief-est Good and chiefest Good for himself Is not the last end the first mesure and rule of al means and Actions and is not every Subject or Facultie by so much the more noble and perfect by how much the more perfect and noble its last end is Wherein consists the Rectitude of an Intelligent Creature but in his inviolable adherence unto God as his Last end q Libertas electionis importat accessam ad infinitum recessam ab inferioribus Gibieuf What doth the true notion of Libertie import but a Recesse from Inferior Goods and Accesse to the infinite supreme Good Ought not al multitude to be reduced to and governed by the one simple and choicest good Doth not the formal reason of loving al particular goods result not from their own goodnes but from that of the universal and most comprehensive good Now is not Christ our last end and choicest good Is not al God and whole God in him Can then the friends of Christ more advance themselves than by electing of and living in him who is their last end and chiefest good Is not this an happy losse when the friends of Christ lose themselves and al other private goods in the enjoyment of Christ for himself How do they resigne up themselves as captives to his love when once they come to see and tast and smel and feed on the Divine satisfactions of his presence In short have not al creatures an Appetite of Vnion or desire after their last end and that for it self and does not their perfection consist in the firme adhering or cleaving thereto Is there any other mesure for our love of the last end and chiefest good but to love him without al mesure and end infinitely and for himself And what can more commend to us the election of Christ for himself Is he not his friend's last end and best good Do not al manner of Divine suavities and attractive satisfactions flow from him when their hearts do in any good mesure comprehend the wonders of his Love Grace and Goodnes are they not then filled with most satisfaction yea with the fulnes of God as Eph. 3.19 And do not such satisfying sights of Christ lift up their souls so far above al Idol-lovers as that these are in no capacitie to reach or inveigle their hearts as formerly 2. What is more attractive drawing 2. As the first Beautie and alluring than the supreme first Beautie which converts the eyes of al Intelligent Beings to it self And is not Christ that expresse Image and Brightnesse of the Fathers glorie the first and supreme Beautie Is it not then the Interest of his friends to chuse him for himself Has not Christ the most amiable beautiful face that ever was Doth not the most beautiful essence and al the Divine perfections of the Deitie shine in him What are visible Beauties but mere Deformities in comparison of Christ In the visible World what is there so beautiful as light and in the Intelligible World what so beautiful as Truth Now is not Christ the first light and Truth Oh the infinite Beauties of Christ's Intelligibilitie What infinite harmonie what exact proportion and forme is there in al his excellences Again how natural is Christ's Beautie What are al created Beauties but borrowed colors and paint if compared with Christ What an infinite quantitie of beautiful and glorious Truths are there in Christ What a splendor effulgence and amiable amenitie of al Divine Attributes shine in him Wel might the Spouse say Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant or amiable acceptable Certainly such is the soul-ravishing Beautie of Christ as that the contemplation thereof by faith transformes his friends into a like Image 2 Cor. 3.18 Plato saies that the contemplation of the first Beautie makes us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends of God 3. 3. As the first principle of Dependence Again Is not Christ the first principle of Dependence as wel as the last end of fruition And does not the life Interest and perfection of every derived borrowed Being consist in the firme adhesion unto and intimate immediate Dependence on its first Principle r Praemotio Divina est conversiva ad Deum sepaâ—ative à creaturis Gibleuf Lib. Is it not the interest of the rivulet and stream to
motus Anioâ—i est eontemplatio Dei Plato Timaeo That the healing of any thing consists in giving it its proper diet and motion and then he addes That the proper motion of the mind consists in the contemplation of God Does not this greatly evince and prove that the health of the soul consists in an intimate union and adherence to Christ For what more proper diet can the renewed soul have than Christ himself and is there any motion more decent and becoming the friends of Christ than a close and uninterrupted communion with Christ himself And the same Philosopher informes us Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Repub. 4. fol. 444. That the right method of restoring health is to restore al the humors and parts of the bodie to their natural order for what is sicknes but some disorder c. And then he more particularly affirmes That the health of the soul consists in virtue Does not this infallibly demonstrate that the Health of the soul is maintained and improved by adherence to Christ for himself For what order what virtue can there be in the soul without this adherence So Mal. 4.2 With healing under his wings and Rev. 22.2 2. 2. Strength Another issue of life is Strength and stabilitie of parts which is a consequent of health and consists mostly in the Vigor and Activitie of the Spirits Hence we find both these joined together as the proper effect of the soul's adherence to God in Christ Prov. 3.7 Fear the Lord Prov. 3.7 8. and depart from evil i. e. Cleave to God in Christ for himself which according to the Old Testament phraseologie is expressed by fear and bid adieu to sin What then v. 8. It shal be health or medicine to thy Navel As if he had said look as the Navel administers nourishment and medicine to Infants lodged in their Mothers womb for the restauration and confirmation of al parts so this filial fear or obsequious adhesion of thy soul to God in Christ shal feed nourish confirme and restore al parts of thy spirit Whence it follows and marrow to thy bones or irrigation or watering to thy bones i. e. look as the marrow by the moisture it affords to the bones doth very much confirme and strengthen the same as Job 21.24 so in like manner doth the soul's adherence to God in Christ greatly confirme and strengthen it The Nerves though most flexible are judged the strongest part in the bodie because they are the vehicule of the Animal Spirits And how does this notion of bodily strength commend the soul's election of Christ which is the spiritual Nerve that conveigheth spirits and strength from Christ the Head unto the believing soul Again the strength of every thing is said to consist in its adherence to its first principles of Dependence the strength of the branch consists in its adherence to and communion with the stock and root And does not then the strength of Christ's friends consist in continued adherence to and dependence on him is not he the Vine and are not they the branches and can the branch get any strengch save by adhering to the Vine Was not this Christ's main errand into the world to bind up the broken-hearted Esa 61.1 The Philosopher could imforme us t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Hippias fol. 375. That by how much the more righteous any soul is the stronger it is And are there any more truely righteous and holy than those who adhere most firmely to Christ for himself Does not the vigor and strength of Grace consist in this that it is as a pondus or weight to incline the whole soul to contemplate love and enjoy God in Christ for himself u Ordo sive Amor est pondus quo res omnis ad finem ut ad centrum quietem stabilitatem vergit Gib What is Divine Love but an impetus or strong impulse and bent of wil whereby it adheres to God for himself Is not al spiritual strength conveighed to the soul by this means 3. 3. Growth in Grace Another issue of life is augmentation or growth And what more effectually promotes the growth of the new creature than repeted Election of and Adherence unto Christ for himself The Improvement of Grace consists not merely in the Depuration of opposite principles nor yet in a greater Disposition of the subject but in the acquirement of a greater Latitude of spiritual life both intensive and extensive which ariseth from the soul 's firme Adhesion to and Dependence on Christ for himself For nothing doth more transforme the heart into the glorious Image of God than the fiducial intuition of the glorie of God in Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 And it is most certain that none arrive to higher raisures of Grace in this life than those that live most in actual Dependence on and communion with Christ for himself Does not the child thrive most when it adheres most unto and sucks the mother's Breasts And is not Christ the same to his friends as the Mother is to the child 1 Pet. 2.2 3 when is the branch more green and flourishing than at spring when it abides most in and receives most juice and sap from the Vine and is there not the same ressemblance between Christ and his friends Joh. 15.5 Who are they that go forth and grow up as Calves of the stal but Christ's friends who adhere to him and so lie under the warme beams of the Sun of Righteousnes who ariseth on them with healing under his wings Mal. 4.2 4. 4. Sense Another issue of life in the new Creature as wel as in the old is spiritual inward sense w Vitâ nihil sensibilius Life is of al things most sensible and the more spiritual and excellent the life is the more quick and lively are its senses x Quanto le cose sono piu materiali tanto è la lor ' insensibilita La Fisonomia Dela Belliere For by how much the more material any life is by so much the greater is its insensibilitie O then what a quick sense hath the friend of Christ so far and so long as by repeted acts of election he adheres to him as the fountain of his spiritual life It 's true peradventure he has not the grateful sense of the sweet Accidents of Christ's presence yet has he not the doleful sense of Christ's absence He has not the feeling sense of Christ's fulnes in him yet has he not a deep sense of his own emtines out of Christ He has not perhaps the refreshing sense of his Interest in Christ yet has he not a lively sense of the transcendent excellence of Christ and what a bitter thing the losse of Christ is According to the sweet sense we have of any Felicitie enjoyed such wil be our bitter sense of the losse thereof Now it is most certain that none have a more feeling bitter sense of the Absence or losse of
the Father having Treasures of free-grace by him from al Eternitie not for himself but for sinners he was not content to have them loge to al eternitie within his own heart and bowels but found out this admirable way so far above Nature of rich and condescendent Love and Grace for the conveighing of his Grace through his Son incarnate or God-man who is as an Vniversal living Glasse on which al the Beams of Divine Grace immediately shine and from whence they are reflected unto the hearts of sinners for the illuminating animating and transforming of them as 2 Cor. 3.18 of which more anon z Whether the Grace of Christ received any Augmentation See Janes against Hammond We shal not enter on that Schole-Dispute Whether this Graee of Christ after its first Infusion into the human Nature received any intension or Augmentation but content our selves with the received commun Persuasion not only of Protestants but also of the Popish Scholes a Haec Gratia Christi de lege ordinar a augeri non potuit absolutè tamen potuit St. Joseph Thes 44. That the Grace of Christ albeit it received gradual extension as to fresh objects and Acts in which regard Christ is said to grow in Grace c. yet it received not any gradual intension or Augmentation as to the principles or habits thereof but was at the first moment of the Hypostatick Union perfect not absolutely for so only God is perfect but so far as it was according to God's Divine ordination requisite for the Human Nature to be invested with Grace in order to Christ's being a perfect mediator Thus we have shewn how Christ as Mediator was by God the Father made the Receptacle or Ocean of al Grace to be conveighed to the Elect which indeed renders him surpassing glorious and eligible for himself SECT 3. How al Divine perfections dwel in Christ the Mediator as in a Temple Col. 2.9 BUT yet to penetrate How the Deitie and Divine Perfections dwel in Christ as Mediator or dive more deeply into this great Evangelick Mysterie and wonder of Angels and men we are to consider how that not only the Grace of God in a Divine plenitude according to moral estimation infinite was communicated to the human nature of Christ but also the whole Deitie and al the Divine Attributes perfections and excellences of God by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion dwel therein which renders Christ as Mediator Infinitely Glorious and desirable for himself See Amâ—s Medul Theol. l. 1. c. 17. For Christ the second Person of the Trinitie although he has but one subsistence yet has he a double manner of subsisting one in the Divine Nature from eternitie the other in the Human Nature upon his Incarnation which latter manner of subsisting agrees to the Son of God by reason of the Vnion which he has with the Human Nature assumed by and inseparably subsisting in the Divine Person yet without any commixtion or confusion of the Deitie in Christ with the Humanitie or of the Humanitie with the Deitie So Mat. 1.23 Emmanuel God with us and Job 1.14 b Ex hac unione sequitur persenalis communicatie proprietatum quae non est realic transfusio sed est communio vel concursus ad easdem operationes Hinc fit quod omnes Actiones Passiones Christi referuntuy propriè ad ejus personam tanquam ad terminum corum proprium Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 17. Thes 21.22 Hence follows a communication of proprieties so that whatsoever belongs to either Nature may be attributed to and predicated of the Divine Person Thus he who is the eternal son of God is said to be borne in time he who was the Creator of al the World becomes a creature he who was David's Lord becomes a son of David as Luk. 20.44 which puzled al the Jewish Doctors he who was the immortal Lord dies on the Crosse 1 Cor. 2.8 Al this is said of the Divine person though not of the Divine Nature And oh what a wonder of wonders is here that the Divine and Human Nature which were at such an infinite distance should be reconciled in Emmanuel God with us What Does the same person who is God become man yea God and man bypostatically united Is our Emmanuel as verily God as man and as verily man as God Oh! what a great mysterie of Godlines is this God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 How much does this our Emmanuel deserve to be Elected for himself Hence it is said Col. 2.9 Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth al the fulnes of the Godhead bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in loc V. T. Deus in Templo Hierosol Et super Acca soederis in propitiatorio habitabat sed tantummodo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at postquam venit pleaitudo temporis toto pleaitutudo Deitatis non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè modo eminentissimo personaliter in Christi natura humana inhabitat Glass Philolog S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 1. Really in opposition to al Types and Shadows The God-head dwelt also in the Temple at Jerusalem but it was only as in a Type of Christ's human and Mystick bodie So v. 17. the Ceremonial rites are called shadows of things to come but the bodie is of Christ i. e. Christ is the truth and substance of al those Ceremonial Types Thus also Joh. 1.14 ful of Grace and Truth and Joh. 4.24 in Spirit and in Truth where truth seems to be opposed to the ceremonial Shadows and Types 2. Bodily i. e. Essentially and Substantially in opposition to men or Angels Thus the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie essence according to the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used for essence as wel as bodie 'T is true the Deitie dwels essentially in every creature in some regard and graciously in the Saints Christ's mystick bodie ay but he dwels in the human bodie of Christ in a far more essential substantial and glorious manner the Saints are not Godded or made essentially and substantially one with God neither are they espoused and maried to God by an hypostatick Vnion as the Human Nature of Christ is Whence 3. By Bodily we may understand personally For so frequently both in sacred and Profane Authors Bodie signifies a Person Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.1 imports persons Then he saies that al the plenitude of the Deitie dwelleth This seems to be an allusion to the Divine Shekinah or Inhabitation of the Deitie before mentioned Joh. 1.14 Look as God once had a visible glorious residence in the Holy of Holies as in a Type of Christ's human nature so he now dwelleth in the Antitype really essentially and personally For al the fulnes of the Deitie dwelleth in Christ's human Nature not only essentially but also personally by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion And oh what a
glorious and admirable Mysterie is this that Human Nature should be extended and elevated to such a raised capacitie and glorious dignitie as to be by an Hypostatick personal union espoused to the Son of God and so become a Temple wherein al the plenitude of the Deitie dwels really essentially and personally What doth the fulnes of the Deitie so far condescend as to come down and dwel bodily or personally in Human Nature Is it possible that there should be such a Name and Thing as God-man Oh! what an ineffable incomprehensible unparalled Name and Thing is this What a glorious miracle what an astonishing wonder is Emmanuel God with us Mat. 1.23 Mat. 1.23 Who can declare his generation May not we conclude with Augustin that our Emmanuel was the Angel that said unto Manoah Judg. 13.18 Why askest thou after my name seing it is secret or admirable monderful Is not every letter yea tittle of this name Emmanuel God with us or God dwelling bodily in Human Nature beyond al mesure wonderful Oh! what infinite wonders of condescendent love what transcendent riches of Free-Grace are wrapt up in this one Name Emmanuel How could poor mortals yea sinners whose eyes are so weak and dim have ever hoped to behold the dazling lustre and shining glories of the Infinite Deitie had he not thus vouchsafed to come down and dwel bodilie in human Nature Are our bodily eyes so dim and weak as that they cannot in a direct line behold the Sun in its Noon-day Glorie and brightnes but must wait for some reflexe Image in a Bason of water or some such glasse how impossible then is it for a created understanding so much enfeebled by sinful distillations and humors to contemplate the glorious and dazling Deitie should he not reflect the beams and lustre of his shining Majestie on the Glasse of Emmanuel's human Nature Does not al this render Christ God-man infinitely eligible for himself seing al the fulnes of the Godhead dwels in him bodily really essentially personally Surely if al the beams of the Father's love Grace and Glorie centre in the human Nature of Christ and are from him reflected on his friends wel may they elect him for himself deservedly is he the object of their contemplation admiration adoration and Fruition to al Eternitie O! how should the friends of Christ studie gaze on and ravish their hearts with so amiable and glorious a friend in whom dwels al the fulnes of the God-head bodily What an excellent curious rare piece of work is this human Nature of Christ formed and framed by the Spirit of God Luk. 1.35 i Give me leave to think that there was more of God in the human Nature of Christ as Nature is a vessel coming out of the Porters house than ever was in Adam created according to Gods Image Rutherfurd's Christ's Dying c. p. 5. How far does it out-shine the Nature of Adam even in his Innocent state What a noble Fabrick is the human bodie of Christ which was framed and sanctified by the overshadowing power of the most High Of what a glorious make is Christ's human soul which was so curiously framed adorned and beautified with such an infinite masse of pure Grace In sum what a glorious Temple must Christ's Human Nature needs be wherein the plenitude of the Deitie dwels bodily SECT 4. The Explication of Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnes of his Glorie and expresse Image of his Person c. WE find another excellent Character of Christ's Mediatorie perfection Heb. 1.3 Who Being the Brightnes as relative to God the Father in Heb. 1.3 Who being the brightnes of his Glorie and expresse Image of his Person c. Oh! what an admirable Description is here how weighty and wonderful is every word hereof 1. Who being the Brightnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Effulgentiae relutentia Greg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulgidus lucidus Hesych the Effulgence Splendor Lustre or shining brightnes Some take it to be a figurative terme borrowed from luminous or lightsome bodies which continually cast forth their rayes thereby to signifie that the Son of God procedes from the Essence of the Father and is inseparably the same with him dwelling in his inaccessible Glorie and manifesting the same to the World The word in its primary notation signifies the splendor or bright lustre of the Sun in its Noon-tide Glorie either direct or reflexe as it appears in a clear glasse Hence the Verb whence it is immediately derived signifies l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. in Orat. de Pasch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accipitur etiam pro Die ut apud Nicand in Ther. See more Hen. Stephâ— in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Refulgentia quomodo radius à sole resplendet unde non nulli deradiationem vertunt â—stius in locum the Sun's irradiating and illuminating the World and the original root is sometimes used to signifie the splendor of the Sun as it causeth Day A learned Critick makes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to signifie the reflexion of the Divine Majestie such as is the parelius or reflexe Image of the Sun on an opposite Cloud Christ is indeed a Divine parelius of God ' The Father saith Rutherford on this Text is as it were al Sun and al pearle the Son Christ is the substantial rayes light-shining the eternal and essential irradiation of this Sun of Glorie The Sun's Glorie is manifested to the World in the light and beams that it sends out to the Word and if the Sun should keep its beams and light within its bodie we should see nothing of the Sun's Beautie and glorie No man no Angel could see any thing of God if God had not had a con-substantial Son begotten of himself by an eternal generation but Christ is the beams and Splendor the consubstantial shining of God and as God incarnate he reveles the excellence Glorie and Beautie of God ' Thus he This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Splendor or Brightnes of this Glorie may come under a double consideration 1. It may be considered in regard of the Father whence by an ineffable Generation it eternally shone as light from light so much the force of the preposition here affixed doth indicate And look as the splendor of the Sun alwayes attends the Sun and cannot be plucked from it So Christ the shining splendor of God the Father is co-eternal to him and cannot be separated from him 2. A second consideration of this shining splendor is in regard of men and the manifestation which the Father gives thereof by his Son Christ the Splendor of his Father's Glorie was sent by him into this world to become incarnate that so in and by his human Nature as an instrument he might illuminate vivificate and transforme the Elect into the glorious Image of God Thus Christ is the splendor or shining lustre of his Father's Glorie God the Father is
is said to be the Character or expresse Image hereby is also denoted the permanence and subsistence of the Deitie in Christ he is not a superficial transient Image but an expresse lively subsistant and essential character or Idea of the Father's person as a Child that bears the Image of his Father and partakes of the same nature with him In that he cals Christ r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Expressa effigies vel insculpta figura In speculo quidem apparet Imago hominis fed non character unde character plus est quam Imago quae in Gera vel alia quapiam re est nam character est Ima o permanâ—â—s Oecolampad in Heb. 1.3 Character praeter figuram requirit ut sit expressus ad Archetypum adaequatus essentialiter ut possit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. rebus adis sâ—ris im rimere suam Imaginem Sic caim voâ—at inscusptam formam ut ab omni adumbrata vel inani Imagine distinguat the Character it is much more emphatick than if he had said an Image For there appears in a Glasse the Image of a thing but not the character which denotes a true solid lively forme or expresse Image exactly representing the Archetype as the character of the Seal impressed on Waxe So that character here imports that Christ is a most perfect adequate absolute essential and expresse Image of God such as gives a most certain and evident representation of his Father answerable to Phil. 2.6 where he is said to be in the Forme of God which implies more than a figure or bare Image namely an essential character 'T is true there are some f He is the engraven forme of the person of the Father noting hereby the Unitie of substance as in whom the Fulnes of the Godhead dwels bodily Col. 1.9 Even as Paul cals him the Image of God distinguishing him by this name from al shadows Heb. 10.1 Deering on Heb. 1.3 stampes impresses or dark characters of God on the Visible sensible World There was also a more legible and fair character or Image of God on Adam's soul in Innocence There is yet a more noble character or Impresse of the Divine Glorie on Glorified Saints and Angels but yet al these characters are infinitely short of our Emmanuel as he is the substantial character or expresse Image of his Father's Person which notes not only an unitie in Qualitie but in Substance not only similitude but also Indentitie or samenes in essence as also Paritie and Equalitie in Glorie Thus Christ is the Character of his Father's person which also renders him infinitely eligible for himself But how Christ is the Image of his Father's Person wil farther appear in what follows on 2 Cor. 4.4 6. SECT 5. The Explication of 2 Cor. 4.6 4. WE find another great Character of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 In the Face of Jesus as he is the expresse Image of his Father's Glorie 2 Cor. 4.6 For God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowlege of the Glorie of God in the face of Jesus Christ Here are several gradations which render the whole but especially Christ the center of the whole very beautiful and glorious 1. He saies that God who commanded the light to shine out of darknes hath shined in our hearts Paul here counts al his notional knowlege before Conversion but darknes yea such thick darknes as was upon the face of the Chaos before God Created light Gen. 1.2 So that nothing but the creative power of God could bring saving light out of his confused pharisaick darknes 'T is true he had head-knowlege before ay but now saies he God has shined in our hearts and made them a living Glasse for what Why 2. To give the knowlege of God Yea 3. The light i. e. the clear and evident manifestation of the knowlege of God The face of Christ What But how is this possible Surely no way but 4. In the face of Jesus Christ f Per Angelum faciei Jehorae Esa 63.9 Filius Dei intelligitur dictus faciei ipsius Angelus quia est ille qui visibili specie columnae sâ—il nubis ignis Israelitas in deserto duxit saciem Dei quast conspâ—ciâ—aâ— populo fâ—it idâ—quod Jehovae ipsi ad cribitur Exod. 14.24 Alii appellationem hanc illi dafam esse volunt quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1.15 Glass Rhetor. s The Face is the most celestial beautiful majestick lovely and visible part in a man's bodie wherein the invisible Characters and Dispositions of the soul are oft very visible if there be any goodlines or excellence in the creature it usually appears very far in the face By face here we may understand the whole Forme of Christ as Mediator t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeis id omne significat quod sensibus exterioribus perci itar Giot. in l. So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answers to the Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies al that which is obvious to externe sense and in general the whole person Whence the Face of a man is frequently in the Scripture-Phrasiologie put for his whole person so to accept the Person is in the Original to accept the face Luk. 20.21 as elsewhere because the excellences of the person shine most in the face Much of the Majestie Glorie beautie and lovelines of a man shines in his face Thus Christ is the face of God Oh! What an infinite Majestie beautie and Glorie doth there shine in Christ How lovely amiable sweet and heart-ravishing are the manifestations of God in Christ Alas what is there to be seen of God but what shines in Christ Is not al God and whole God manifest in the face of Christ May we expect the least mediatorie manifestation of the Divine Love Grace and Mercie but in the Son Is there not a confluence of al the lovely qualities al the drawing Attributes al the ravishing Beauties of the Deitie in Christ And doth not the contemplation of these glorious perfections which shine in the face of Christ draw life out of Death beautie out of deformitie strength out of infirmitie order out of confusion happines out of miserie yea Heaven out of Hel Thus in the face of Christ the Majestie Beautie Amenitie Amiablenes Grace with the other Divine Characters and Invisible Glories of God the Father become visible and intelligible to the renewed mind It 's confest there is much of the glorious light or knowlege of God shines in the Face of the creatures and more in the Face of the Ceremonial and Moral Law and yet more in the Face of the Gospel and Gospel-ordinances and yet more in the Faces of Believers and glorified Saints But alas What are al these Faces if compared with the glorious lovely face of our Emmanuel but mere deformities yea nothing Oh! What a beautiful glorious face has this Son of
contacted whence shining upon the world it should by its Vivisick transformative Efficacie not only conveigh the glorie of the Sun but change dead Creatures into so many glorious living Suns surely this would be a very glorious Glasse How the believing foul is transformed into the glorious Image of God shining in Christ Such an Vniversal living transformative glasse is Christ al the beams of the glorious Deitie are contracted in him neither ever did or shal or may there any one soul-saving ray of the Diving glorie shine upon the dark sinful world but what is reflected from this glorious glasse Yea such is its vivifick transformative efficacie as that those who by a sanctified eye of faith behold the glorie of God therein are transformed into the same Image c. Jesus Christ God-man having al the glorious Ideas of God's Image and Grace shining in him as in a Glasse he reflects the same in and by the glasse of the Gospel on the hearts of Believers who by faith contemplating the same are by the efficacious working of the Spirit of grace transformed into the same glorious Image even from Glorie to Glorie i. e. from one degree of glorious Grace unto another Thus the believing soul by faith contemplating the wisdome meeknes patience kindnes justice c. of God shining in Christ is by the effectual concurrence of the Spirit of Christ transformed into a wise meek patient kind and just spirit Faith by contemplating the Glorie of God in Christ brings into the soul spiritual Ideas of the same glorious Image a divine light and life bearing some Ressemblance to the life of God or Divine Nature So that Christ the essential glasse of God hath nor only a manifestative but also a transformative changing glorie shining in him Christ ressembles best your vitreous Miroirs Christ ressembled to a Miroir or locking-glasses which reflect the Image most lively for glasse because it is rare and pellucid receives the Species or Image with more facilitie but by reason of its pelluciditie it does not so easily fixe and retain the Image received wherefore Art succurring Nature to the Glasse she addes lead or quick-silver which by reason of its densitie fixeth the Image received by the Glasse This indeed is a lively shadow of our Emmanuel as he is the miroir or Looking-glasse of God the Father's glorious Image For his Deitie is as it were the glasse which is most pellucid and clear and his Human Nature is as it were the lead or quick-silver which fixeth the Image of the Father's glorie and so makes it reflexible to us Such a glorious miroir or Looking-glasse of the Father's glorie is Christ as God-man and how infinitely eligible for himself does this render him What do al the rayes of the Father's glorious Attributes center on Christ Is there not any one beam of the Glorie of God shining on the sinful World with the saving light of life but what is reflected from this living transforming glorious glasse God-man Oh then What a pleasing thing is it to have an eye of faith fixed on this glorious Miroir or Looking-Glasse whereon al the Father's Glorie shines Oh! what a sweet death is it to have the sanctified mind stand gazing on this Glorious heart-transforming glasse til its eye-strings even break by continued Contemplation Admiration Adoration and Fruition of those soul ravishing perfections that shine therein who would not crie Sorrow Shame and Hel upon al those who wil not elect our Emmanuel the substantial glasse of the Deitie for himself Ah! What an Hel is it to reject him Believe it there is no life so pure so holy so lovely so sweet so flourishing so active so generous so noble so harmonious so glorious so admirable so perfect as that which is most spent in the spiritual Intuition or fiducial Vision Election and Fruition of the glorious Image of God which shines in this Glasse God-man He that would have a dead barren hard back-sliding heart transformed into a lively fruitful tender flourishing heart let him come hither and be much in the spiritual contemplation of Gods glorious Attributes which shine in this Glasse Christ SECT 7. How al the Attributes of God shine in Christ namely his Wisdome Goodnes Justice Holines Power Truth Omnipotence Independence c. WE have shewn in the general How al the Attributes of God shine in Christ how al the glorious Perfections of God shine in Christ as in a Temple where the Deitie dwels bodily as on a Theatre where al the shining Brightnes of the Father's Glorie is displayed as in a character of the Father's Person as in a Face and Image wherein appears the Beautie and excellence of God and as in a Glasse which reflects al the glorious Beams of the Divine Attributes But now to take some particular view and consideration of those glorious Attributes of God which shine in Christ as God-man wil greatly conduce to the explication and Demonstration of our conclusion that Christ is eligible for himself In the general the Attributes of God may be said to shine in Christ 1. Objectively as he was the object-matter or Theatre on which they acted or 2. Formally as they al reside in him or 3. Effectively as issuing from him and acting on the Creature We shal consider them though very briefly under al these regards 1. 1. God's Wisdome shines in Christ 1. Objectively The Infinitely glorious Wisdome of God shines most glorious in Christ and that 1. Objectively in that Divine Wisdome found out such an admirable contrivement for the reconcilement of Mercie and Justice Sinners and God by the Mediation and Satisfaction of God-man Oh! What a glorious designe of Infinite Wisdome does there appear in Christs comming to save sinners beyond what is manifest in al the other works of God Does not the shining Brightnes of God's wisdome in this great plot of Redemtion by Christ much out-shine yea seem comparatively to cast a veil on that wisdome which shines in al other works of God Surely if it be lawful to make comparisons between the works of God this of Redemtion by Christ was the master-piece of Divine Wisdome 2. Formally 2. The Wisdome of God shines in Christ formally as al the treasures of wisdome are loged in him Colos 2.3 In whom are hid al the Treasures of Wisdome and Knowlege 3. Effectively 3. The Wisdome of God shines in Christ effectively as al that Divine Wisdome which is communicated to the Saints flows from him 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made to us Wisdome c. 2. 2. The goodnes love grace and mercie of God shines in Christ The Infinite Glorie of God the Father's Goodnes Love Grace and Mercie shines most gloriously in our Emmanuel and that 1 Objectively 1. Objectively Christ is the highest expression of Divine Goodnes the richest token of the Father's love the most glorious monument of God's free Grace
vouchsafed to his Creature and the most admirable Miracle of soverain Mercie towards sinners that ever was or may be The blessed God has taken great delight on al occasions to vouchsafe sensible Demonstrations and Arguments of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie and Good Nature towards Man yea al those rich ornaments and gracious Accomplishments or vouchsafements conferred on Adam in Innocence were but the Effects of his free Grace though in some regard they may be termed natural to Adam's first state And since the Fal the blessed Lord has not ceased to vouchsafe large tokens of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie to his rebellious creature Ay but this unparalleld gift of his only begotten Son is the highest marque of favor and the richest manifestation of infinite Love free Grace and Mercie that poor sinners are capable to receive Wel therefore might our Emmanuel crie out Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son This little S O is such a great note and marque of Divine Philanthropie as that the lengths breadths depths and heights of this Love cannot be expressed or conceived as they ought to al Eternitie 2. Formally 2. The Love Mercie and Grace of God shine in Christ Formally as he is a perfect Idea or Miroir of Divine Love and Grace As also 3. 3. Effectively Effectively as al the Love and Grace of God the Father streameth through his heart unto the Elect Joh. 1.16 3. God's Justice shines in Christ The Infinite Glory of God the Father's Divine Justice shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively as he was the Object or But against which al the arrows of God's fiery indignation for sin were shot We have great Marques of Divine Justice on Cain and Judas and yet far more dreadful tokens thereof in Hel but yet we may safely affirme that al the black curses of the Law which their executions on sinners here yea that al the dreadful torments of the damned in Hel are nothing nigh so clear and ample Demonstrations of God's Justice and Severitie against sin as the sufferings of our dying Emmanuel O! come near and behold the Soverain pleasure of God the Father in bruising his only begotten Son and making his soul an offering for sin Esa 53.10 Oh! what a standing glorious monument of Divine Justice against sin is this red Glasse of Christ's bloud Herein we may behold God the Father's Justice as it were triumphing over his natural essential love to his only begotten Son 2. Again the Justice of God shines in Christ formally as also 3. Effectively in that al justice originally inheres in and flows from him 4. God's Holines shines in Christ 1 Objectively The Infinite Glorie of God's Holines shineth with a most transcendent Brightnes in Christ 1. Objectively and Demonstratively as God by making his soul an offering for sin gave the highest Demonstration that can be of his Infinite Antipathie and Hatred against Sin Yea it is supposed and that on good reasons That if Infinite wisdome should set it self on work never so much to find out an Argument to manifest God's hatred of sin there could not be a greater than this his dealing with his Son 2. Formally 2. God's Holines dwels in Christ formally as he is a perfect Idea Miroir or Glasse of al Holines infinitely beyond glorified Saints or Angels and therefore stiled The Holy One. 3. Effectively 3. God's Holines shines in Christ effectively as al the Saints Holines is derived from him Joh. 1.16 5. The power of God shines in Christ The Infinite Glorie of God's power shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively no work or effect of God's hand has such visible impresses of God's Omnipotence stamped on it as the Hypostatick Vnion of the Divine and Human Nature in one person whence it is called the power of the most high Besides Infinite power shined most gloriously in his Miracles Soul-sufferings Death and Resurrection more than in the Creation of Heaven and Earth 2. The omnipotence of God resides formally in Christ as the proper seat thereof 3. The omnipotence of God the Father shineth most effectively in al Christ's great works of Redemtion Conversion Conservation Protection and Gubernation of his Church c. Col. 1.11 Strenthened with al might according to his glorious power 6. The truth and faithfulnes of God shines in Christ The Truth and Faithfulnes of God the Father shines most gloriously in Christ 1. Objectively in that Christ was the greatest Promise that ever God gave to lost sinners yea in him al the Promises are Yea and Amen So that in sending him into the World to die for sinners God made good that great promise made four thousand years before Gen. 3.15 Yea by this means al the promises of God are fulfilled Whence the Veracitie and Fidelitie of God appears most conspicuous and bright in Christ's comming into the World c. And this indeed is one of the greatest aggravations of unbelief that when the Faithfulnes of God has so gloriously appeared in fulfilling that great Promise of sending his Son the accomplishment whereof was attended with such a world of difficulties I say that after this sinners should disbelieve or question the Faithfulnes of God in fulfilling other promises which have their Yea and Amen in Christ Gal. 3.16 Again 2. The Truth of God appears most glorious in Christ Formally in that he has to a tittle made good al his promises As Christ was the great Gift and Promise of God the Father so the Spirit is the great Promise and Gift of Christ Joh. 14 16 17 18.26 And is not Christ every way as good as his word in sending his Spirit is there any one promise that Christ made his friends at his Departure hence but has been and daily is fulfilled to a tittle 3. The Faithfulnes of God shines in Christ effectively in that he makes and keeps al his friends faithful and stedfast in their Covenant with him 7. Christ the Image of God's Immensitie and omnipresence Christ is a glorious Idea and Image of the Immensitie and Omnipresence of God as Joh. 3.13 The Son of man which is in Heaven The expression is very mysterious and deserves a particular Remarque How was the Son of man in Heaven Joh. 3.13 Was he not then on earth discoursing with them or could he be both in Heaven and on Earth at the same time Yes he might in different respects and by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion 't is true his bodie being finite could not as some fondly dream be in two places at the same time that implies no lesse than a contradiction ay but yet Christ God-man by virtue of the personal Vnion of the two Natures was at that very time while he was discoursing with them on Earth in Heaven Oh! what a tremendous mysterie is this that the Son of man should be at the same time in Heaven and on Earth How difficult
Divine light that stream from Christ the Sun of Righteousnes Is Christ so ful of life and so willing to give it forth unto al that come unto him and shal sinners be unwilling to receive it What not willing to live Doth not this seem strange A reasonable creature and yet unwilling to be happie Is death a thing so amiable as to be preferred before life yea Immortal death before Immortal life Was it ever known that chains and fetters were more eligible than Libertie and freedome Oh! what a monstrous sin is this that poor undone sinners should wilfully contemne the Fountain of al life Who would ever have thought that a rational creature should be so sottish and mad as wilfully and electively to prefer sin the worst evil before Christ the chiefest good What a reproche and disgrace is this to human Nature that it should cordially embrace Satan the worst of enemies and wilfully reject Christ the best of Friends Can there be a greater sin than this for an Intelligent Being electively to chuse yea love Death and hate Christ who is life it self And yet this is the case of al those who embrace not Christ as their friend Prov. 8.36 Al they that hate me love death 3. 3. The mesure of this sin from its formal Nature The Aggravations of this sin not to mind or affect Amitie with Christ are lively represented in its Formal Nature and Idea The Definition or essential Idea of a thing gives you its formal nature portrait and Image and if you understand the Formal nature of a sin you may easily guesse at its Aggravations Now the general Idea and formal nature of al sin consists in an Obliquitie or transgression of some Divine Law And by how much the more forcible obligatorie and inviolable the Law is by so much the more there is of Obliquitie and Malignitie in that sin which is the Transgression of such a Law Now the Law which obligeth men to mind and affect Amitie with Christ is the Mediators Law an Evangelick Law which hath a double Sanction appendent to it not only that of a Creator but also that of a Redeemer And oh What an hainous crime is this to Transgresse this Evangelick Law of the Mediator which is twisted and composed of such silken cords of love such sweet obligations of Evangelick Grace and Mercie This Aggravation is set forth to the life Heb. 2.2 3. For if the word spoken by Angels i. e. the Law of Moses was stedfast and every Transgession and disobedience received a just recompense of reward How shal we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord c As if he had said Alas if the Transgression of the Mosaick Law was reputed so hainous and therefore had such dreadful curses pronounced against it what shal we say of such as transgresse the Mediator's Evangelick Law of Grace which offers life and salvation to sinners Oh! what a prodigious sin is this to neglect so great Salvation which the Son of God invites us to How deservedly do such perish But a little to examine the particular Ideas The particular Ideas of this sin and branches of this sin 1. 1. It 's ful of Atheisme and unbelief Not to mind and affect Amitie with Christ carries in its formal nature or bowels a world of Vnbelief and Atheisme Not to embrace Christ as our best friend what is it but to give God the Lie So 1 Joh. 5.10 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Can there be a greater sin than this to make God who is veracitie it self and the first Truth a Liar And doth not every one that rejecteth Christ make God a liar because he believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son O remember sinner what thou doest when thou refusest friendship with Christ know that thereby thou makest the most faithful and blessed God a liar And so O the monstrous Blasphemie not to be mentioned without horror a Son of the Devil 2. 2. It is a crucifixion of Christ To reject Christ or neglect friendship with him is no lesse than a repeted Crucifixion of Christ and exposing of him to open shame Men crie Shame and Treacherie on Judas for betraying of his Lord They condemne Pilate for condemning the Lord of life Who so wicked as not to estime the Jews bloudie and cursed for embrewing their hands in the bloud of their Messias But know that every one who refuseth Christ and friendship with him betrayes him as much as Judas condemnes him worse than Pilate and embrews his hands in his Savior's bloud as wel as the bloud-thirstie Jews For it is most certain that Christ hath no worse Enemie than the Vnbeliever he who wil not eâ—â—ct him as his friend He that wil not embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel with his whole heart and adhere to him as his best friend is his worst enemie and one that daily crucifies the Lord of Glorie by his unbelief O consider the weight of this sin as described Heb. 6.6 Seing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame 3. 3. It is a blaspheming Christ Not to embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel for our friend is formal blasphemie in that it brings a scandal il report and reproche on Christ What is Blasphemie but to raise an il report or scandal on God whereby the most blessed Deitie is reproched Now what brings a greater reproche or Scandal on God than to contemne and disgrace the Son of God so far as to prefer any other friend either sin or self before him Can there be a greater reproche or disgrace cast on Christ than to elect Idâ—l-lusts or other lovers before him Is not this an high piece of Blasphemie to tel the World that that the Creature deserves our friendship more than Christ the Creator of al Oh think on this 4. 4. It is Saâ—râ—â—â—ge Not to make Christ our friend is in an high degree Sacrilege or robbing God of his due Al serious spirits hate and abhor the Imputation of Sacrilege both name and thing But what greater Sacrilege can there be than to rob and plunder Christ of his Diademe and Imperial Throne Is not Christ's Mediatorie Office his Diademe and is not the heart of his friends his chief Imperial Throne Do not then al such as refuse to make him their friend rob him of his Diademe and Throne Thus we see what the Aggravations of this sin are in regard of its formal nature and Idea 4. 4. The Aggravations of this sin not to Elect Christ from its Effects We may take a mesure of this sin not not to mind friendship with Christ by its Effects That must needs be a sin of the first magnitude which has a most Vniversal malignant Influence
hereto Then take the following Directions First In general Lay a good Foundation look wel to the Beginnings of thy friendship be sure thou lay a good Foundation Take this for an Infallible eternal Truth The progresse and perfection of your Amitie with Christ wil be proportionable to its Foundation and beginning Wherefore a good Beginning is more than half your work and on the contrarie a bad Beginning is worse than none at al. Let thy Conscience be never so deeply wounded by the Spirit of Bondage yea cast down to Hel under Despairing thoughts and Hellish Terrors yet if there be not a fiducial closing with Christ thou wilt prove at best but a conquered Enemie or slave not a faithful friend of Christ Again Let thine Heart be lift up to Heaven in spiritual Illuminations and Raptures of Joy yet if the inward Pondus or Weight i. e. the more prevalent Inclination and Bent thereof be not towards Christ thou wilt remain but an Apparent Hypocritick friend and real enemie of him Lastly let thy Profession and Conversation be gilded over with never so many Splendid Titles Artificial Formes and Habits of legal Mortification pretended Evangelick Sanctitie Puritie and Pietie seemingly Angelick yet if thine Heart be not sound and sincere al thy Glorious Titles and Formes of Godlines and Friendship with Christ are but begun in Hypocrisie and wil unavoidably end in Apostasie Therefore thou seest how greatly it doth concerne thee to look wel to the Foundations and Beginnings of thine Amitie with Christ For if it begin il it can never end wel Loose worke or any fundamental error in thy first Election of Christ wil cause a crack in the whole Structure of thy friendship with him If thou begin but a seeming Hypocritick friend thou wilt and a real and open enemie of Christ Oh then of what infinite concernement is it to use al manner of Caution Circumspection and Diligence in laying a good Foundation for a sound and lasting friendship with Christ O beware beware of false superficial or rotten foundations If thou wilt build a lasting Structure of Amitie with Christ such as may reach up to Heaven thou must lay the Foundation almost as low as Hel namely thou must dig deep not only into sin but also into self and never leave digging til thou come to an holy and humble self-despair which is a kind of felt Hel yet the Gate of Heaven and friendship with Christ For self-despair is a door to Faith and Hope in Christ But we descend to particulars As in man's Bodie there are two great and principal parts the Head which is the Fountain of Animal Spirits and thence the seat of Sense and Judgement as also the Heart which is the Fountain of vital Spirits and so the seat of Life and Affections b The life of Friendship consists in Freedome tempered with Wisdome and Faithfulnes The main Foundations of Friendship with Christ 1. A prudent Head So in like manner in al Friendship there are two great principal parts and Foundations 1. A prudent Head 2. A vital loyal or Faithful Heart Now proportionable hereto there are two main and principal parts and Foundations of our Amitie with Christ 1. A prudent sanctified Head or Judgement 2. A vital loyal Faithful or Honest Heart 1. One principal part and main Foundation of Amitie with Christ consists in a sanctified prudent Head or a wel-principled awakened and serious Judgement As the Head is the top of the bodie the seat of Animal Spirits and therefore the Guide of a man so spiritual Judgement is the Guide of a friend of Christ Saving Light and Sanctified Wisdome is the very life and Soul not only of our first closures with Christ but also of al the following parts of Christianitie And this is to me a great maxime in Divinitie That according to the Nature and mesure of our Light and Judgement touching Christ and his concernes such wil be the Nature and mesure of our Amitie with him If our Light be as Joh. 8.12 The light of life i. e. a real spiritual clear distinct certain feeling and Active Light or Judgement then wil our Election of him as our friend be single cordial complete and firme So also as to the mesure if our Light be intense strong growing and noon-tide then wil our friendship with Christ be exceding warme flourishing glorious and operative Such an intimate Connexion is there between saving Light or sanctified Wisdome and friendship with Christ But oh how rare is it to meet with such a sanctified Head such a saving Light of Life or Judgement Are there not a world of seeming friends of Christ who have their Heads stuffed and cram'd with airy Notions fine spun Ideas or curious speculations of Christ and Evangelick Truths who yet never had any one beam or spark of this true Light of life or sanctified Judgement A Sanctified prudent head Which implies 1. An Head wel principled with Habitual Notions of Christ Wherefore it is necessary that we give the true character the exact Idea or Just mesure of this sanctified Prudent Head which is so Fundamental to the constitution of a sincere Amitie with Christ 1. It must be an Head wel-principled or indued with a stock of sanctified habitual Ideas or Notions touching Christ and his evangelick concernes especially such as refer to friendship with him This is essential and fundamental to the constitution of a Divine Amitie with Christ For if there be not a considerable mesure of Habitual Light or Sanctified Evangelick Notions touching Christ his Excellences Laws and the Benefits we receive by him how can the soul fal in love with him Who ever judiciously loved that whereof he never had any right Notion or conception In brief if thou wilt become a good friend of Christ get a true Idea or right notion of Christ's Relative and Absolute perfections How ful of Grace and Truth he is what an Infinite plenitude of Life dwels in him How willing and readie he is to fil every emtie heart to enrich every poor soul to refresh every wearie and heavy laden sinner to heal every wounded soul to revive every dead and drooping spirit to justifie every self-condemned sinner that comes unto him Get also a right Notion of al the Absolute perfections of Christ touching those ravishing Beauties and Transcendent excellences that shine in his person as he is the Son of God and expresse Image of his Person Farther thou must have right Ideas of thine own sin and miserie and thence of thine absolute necessitie and need of Christ as also of the covenant of Grace and the Termes on which Christ is offered to thee 2. 2. An awakened Head It sufficeth not that thou hast an head wèl-principled with Habitual notions of Christ but thou must also have an awakened Head or an actual feeling Judgement of Christ and his Affairs Habitual Notions without an actual feeling consideration of things is but a sleepy and dreaming
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
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-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
or refuse him though attended with the greatest suffering A Reverend and holy Divine of this Age gives us a great experiment of this tenacious peremtorie Adherence to Christ ' Sin saith he hath made us as tender as if we were made of Paper or Glasse I am oft thinking what I would think of Christ and burning quick together of Christ and torturing and hot melted Lead poured in at mouth and navel Yet I have some weak experience that suppose Christ and Hel's torments were maried together and if therewere no finding of Christ at al except I went to Hel's furnace that there and in no other place I could meet with him I trow if I were as I have been since I was his prisoner I would beg loging for God's sake in Hel's hottest Furnace that I might rub souls with Christ ' Such a determined peremtorie and resolute wil and Adherence unto Christ is that which gives a mightie Spirit Vigor Beautie Life Growth Exercice and perfection to our Amitie with Christ And on the contrary the more faint languid superficial and undetermined our wil is in its Adherence to Christ the more danger it is in of partial if not of total and final backsliding from him especially in times of Tentation Remember so far as your Hearts are undetermined and unresolved for Christ so far they are determined and resolved against him for sin and the world and any other Idol-friends 3. 3. Resignation to and Recumbence on Christ The last radical and fundamental part of Faith consists in a chearful and complete Resignation of al concernes to Christ with entire Recumbence and Dependence on him for Influence and Assistance in order to the performance of al Duties and Offices both Active and Passive incumbent on the friends of Christ And the more soliditie and depth the more Firmitude and Strength the friends of Christ gain in these Fundamental Radical and vital Acts of Resignation to and Recumbence or Dependence on Christ the more wil they live and walk up to those Laws and Duties of friendship they owe to Christ What more agreable to the Notion Resignation of al to Christ and Relation of a friend than Absolute Resignation of al concernes into the hands of our friend Are any reputed better confidents or more intimate friends than they who can most absolutely Recumb and Depend on us for Advice Conduct and Assistance in their most important Affairs There is such an intimate and essential connexion betwixt confidence and Amitie as that the termes are frequently used interchangably each for other For a confident and Friend are used as termes Equivalent And assuredly nothing more directly conduceth to the Strength Improvement and Exercice of friendship with Christ than confidence in him both in regard of Resignation to and Recumbence on him in al the momentous Affairs of our Life Such was the Spirit of Abraham's Amitie with Christ in the Relinquishment of Chaldea and Resignation of his only Son Isaac which were two Heroick pieces of confidence in and Friendship with Christ James 2.23 What is Friendship but to make our friends Wisdome Wil Interest and Force ours O blessed he that can Sacrifice his own Wit Wil Strength and Designes by a complete Resignation of al to Christ The Wil of Christ's friend must be as that of a servant who is then best when he retains the least of his own wil and most of his Master's O! what an happy thing is it to be quite stript and spoiled of every rag of self that so Christ may stand in the room of self The friends of Christ should subscribe a blank Resignation and put it into the hands of Christ They must take al Laws from him but give none to him He must be Absolute King over their Persons Wils Interests c. And so for Dependence on Christ for Assistance Dependence on Christ for Grace and Influence it must be Absolute Immediate Total and Constant The friends of Christ never attain to higher raisures of friendship with Christ than when by faith they most eye and depend on that Grace that dwels in him For according to the mesure of our Dependence on Christ for Grace such is usually the mesure of his communications to us Why was it that Christ received such an infinite plenitude of Grace Was it for himself or was it not rather for his friends that want it most And who are they that find Christ nearest to them in the quickening enlarging fructifying corroborating and supporting Influences of his Grace but his fainting friends such as have the most Actual Immediate and Absolute Dependence on his Grace as Esa 40.29 30 31 And why is it that Christ keeps many of his dear friends under great spiritual Desertions Barrennesses Languishments Deadnesses and Abatements of first love Is not this the main cause of al that hereby they may be taken off more fully from their own self-dependences and so be brought to a more complete Dependence on Christ for al Grace both Actual and Habitual Yea are not the most eminent friends of Christ sometimes foiled in their most eminent Graces and that by a smal Tentation when they depend on their own Graces and neglect their Dependence on Christ And on the contrary are not fainting and weak Christians by virtue of their Dependence on Christ oft very strong and impregnable under the most violent Tentations Certainly the friend of Christ is but a poor passive dependent thing he has no spiritual wings to flie no legs to go no hands to work no breath to pray no food to eat no fire to warme him but what he receives from Christ his Graces are but creatures and therefore cannot preserve themselves or act farther than they are acted by Christ Thus the Friends of Christ must live wholly in Christ in a way of Resignation and Dependence and then he wil live wholly in them by gracious Influences and communications the more deep and rooted their Faith and confidence in Christ is the more green and flourishing wil their Amitie with him be The best bargain they can make is to sel themselves without Reversion unto Christ for hereby they come to have and injoy a more Noble Laudable Ample and Free self in Christ SECT 4. The Friends of Christ should reserve for him their spiritually conjugal choicest and best Affections 4. 4. Advice for Christ's friends to loge him in their choicest Affections ANother Admonition and Advice to the friends of Christ is that they would entertain and loge Christ in their choicest and best Affections Affection mixed with prudence and Fidelitie is the Spirit and Soul of Friendship And the more rational spiritual pure and Efficacious our Affections are the more solid refined permanent and influential wil our Friendship be Such therefore as wil live up and fulfil to the Dignitie of their professed Amitie with Christ must labor after the most refined and elevated Affections that may be for him Oh! what pitie is it that
similitude or likenes and the more like men are in virtuous Qualities the better friends they make I interpose virtuous Qualities as the foundation of this similitude and friendship because there is no genuine similitude or friendship but what hath its rise from Virtue Al vicious persons are difforme and dissonant not only from virtuous men but also among themselves Sin is but a Chaos or masse of Confusion difformitie and disagreement al lusts are irregular turbulent factious dissonant and jarring among themselves as wel as with Virtues Therefore vicious men whatever their pretensions may be can never attain to any sincere solid Amitie because they can never have any virtuous Vniformitie or Ressemblance It is the serious virtuous person only that may lay claim to true Vniformitie and friendship as Plato and other Philosophers have long since determined Now then this being the true Idea of al Amitie whether Divine or human that it be founded on some virtuous Vniformitie and Conformitie hence it necessarily follows that the more Vniforme with and Conforme to Christ his friends are the more they live and walk and Act up to the Dignitie of their Relation to him as friends 1. 1. Interne Uniformitie with Christ The friends of Christ should labor after the nearest interne Vniformitie with Christ their Spirits should rise up to the highest Ressemblance of Christ They should endeavor to have the Image of Christ drawen in more lively characters on their hearts Undoutedly the more the friends of Christ participate with him in the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the more lively Impresses and Stampes of his Image they receive upon their souls the better friends they are Thus much is contained in that excellent Admonition and Advice of Paul Rom. 12.1 2. Rom. 12.1 2. v. 1. he exhorts them to present their bodies or whole persons a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God c. i e. to approve themselves what they professed real and loyal friends of Christ But how might they attain to this That he expresseth v. 2. And be not conformed unto this world i. e. Let not your hearts be shaped moulded or formed according to the Humors lusts fashions or any other deceitful Ideas of this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds i. e. Let your minds be stript of their old corrupt Forme received from the first Adam and be clothed with the new Divine Forme or Image of Christ the second Adam as Ephes 4.22 23. whence it follows that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect wil of God i. e. that ye may approve your selves Loyal friends of Christ The more the friends of Christ are transformed by the renewing of their minds into the Image of Christ the more they wil come to have one and the same Mind and Spirit with Christ the more they wil mind affect and delight in what Christ minds affects and delights in most Doth not the poor o Eadem velle ac eadem nolle ea demum vera Amicitia Heathen teach us that this is true friendship to wil and nil the same things What makes men better friends than an Vnitie or Similitude of Wils Must not then the friends of Christ Studie and affect a similitude yea Vnitie of Wil with Christ What makes a greater Schisme on friendship with Christ than Pluralitie of Wils Identitie or Samenes of Wil with Christ prevents a world of sin and is the Life of Grace A friend of Christ should have his wil broken to pieces that it may be made one With the Wil of Christ to mind and intend the same things with Christ Yea is not this one of the highest degrees of true Amitie with Christ Doth Christ mind and intend the Glorie of his Father most And shal not the friends of Christ endeavor after the same mind with Christ herein O what Strong Intention what pure aimes should they have at the Glorie of God How should al the concernes of self be quite melted into and swallowed up in the Concernes of God and his Glorie Again doth Christ Love and Affect Grace more than the whole Creation besides And shal not the friends of Christ love and affect Grace more than al things else Farther doth Christ delight in nothing so much as in doing and suffering his Father's Wil Was it his meat and drink to do and suffer the same O then how much should the friends of Christ delight in doing and suffering God's wil What complacence should they take in Active and Passive obedience Thus the friends of Christ should studie and affect a greater Latitude of interne Vniformitie with Christ in Mind Wil and Affection And without al peradventure the more they partake of one and the same Divine Nature and heart with Christ the more faithful and complete friends are they 2. 2. Externe Conformitie to Christ The friends of Christ must studie and endeavor not only Interne Vniformitie with but also externe Conformitie to Christ They must not only mind and affect but also Talk and Act and Live as Christ True friendship even among men requires not only Habitual and inward Ressemblance in Nature dispositions Principles and Affections but also actual and outward Conformitie in Conversation and Actions So here Divine Amitie with Christ implies not only interne habitual Assimilation to him but also externe actual Imitation of him and the greater Latitude of degrees the friends of Christ attain herein the more real and visible yea glorious wil their Amitie appear to be This was Paul's greatest Ambition to be an Imiâ—ator of Christ which he commends also to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.1 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ So Ephes 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God Ephes 5.1 as dear Children It is the Ambition of pious Children to imitate their Parents in what is good As they partake with them in one and the same Nature and likenes so would they fain conforme to them by one and the same Actions and Mode of life Parents Exemples are usually more forcible and binding than their precepts to their Children And this ariseth from that natural friendship or Vniformitie of Nature which is betwixt Parents and Children Such should the Exemple of Christ be to his Children and friends by Grace as they have his Divine Nature communicated to them and thereby an Vniformitie of Spirits so also should they studie and affect a conformitie to or Imitation of him in al their Actions and Conversation Did Christ break thorow al Tentations and Difficulties to do and suffer his Father's Pleasure Should not then his friends arme themselves with the same mind in doing and suffering the wil of God Is it not greatly unbecoming a friend of Christ to be thrust off from a dutie either by the Frowns or Smiles of this lower world Was David that Noble friend of Christ scoffed off from his dutie by Michal Doth he not rather
Abatements and Remisnesses of our first Love are exceding grievous to Christ and his Spirit The Physician tels us Omnis dolor ex solutione continui River Prax. Medic. That al grief in the bodie procedes from the solution of the continuum If any bone be out of its place or any member rent from the bodie this cannot but cause grief in the Head and whole Bodie This holdeth most true here the Backsliding heart is out of joint it has left it's place and therefore this cannot but greatly grieve Christ Thence we find Christ sadly complaining of backsliding Israel Jer. 2.2 5. Jer. 2.2 I remember thee the kindnes of thy youth the Love of thine espousals 5. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me c Oh! this grieves Christ to the heart it makes him fetch many a deep sigh and groan to speak in the Scripture phrase that those who have entred into a Covenant of Conjugal Amitie with him should turne aside from him to Idol-lovers So Joh 6.67 Then said Jesus to the twelve John 6.67 wil ye also go away Christ having made a sublime Sermon touching spiritual Manducation or the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud these were but enigmes or hard sayings to the carnal Jews they could not bear such Spiritual Mysterious Doctrine and therefore they turned their Backs on Christ and bid him Adieu Yea some of his true Disciples begin to shrink and hesitate Wherefore Christ turnes short upon them with this sharpe rebuke Wil ye also go away What Ye my friends who have entred into a Covenant of friendship with me and have received from me such signal Marques of Love Honor and Favor who have had such particular Regards and Indulgences from me Wil ye now leave me Oh! this breaks mine heart I cannot bear so great unkindnesses Who would ever have imagined that you my friends would have dealt so unkindly with me True indeed I never expected other usage from yond croud of carnal friends are they gone fare wel to them I mind them as little as they mind me they cannot be more weary of me than I am weary of them by reason of their Unbelief But oh as for you my friends who have professed so much Friendship to me and received such high marques of friendship from me it wil deeply wound mine heart if ye go away 2. 2. Christ's friends must content him by growing up more into his Image If we would give content to Christ we must endeavor to grow up more and more into the Ressemblance and Image of Christ The more like we are to Christ the more content he takes in us Every one delights in the Reflexions of his own Image God and Christ take complacence in nothing but their own Infinite perfections and the finite emanations and Reflexions of the same Glorious Image in their friends Christ has a love of Benevolence and Goodwil for al the Elect but his love of Complacence and delight terminates no where but on the Saints his regenerated friends And the more any friend of Christ partakes of his Image the more delight Christ takes in him There is nothing in the world so beautiful and glorious as Grace and therefore nothing can give Christ more content 3. 3. We must please Christ by displeasing Self Christ is most contented and pleased when self is most discontented and displeased As when Self is gratified Christ is most disgusted so the more we disgust yea abjure and abandon Self whether Natural Moral or Religious Self the more we gratifie and please Christ And the reason is evident because Christ has not any Enemie more diametricly opposite than Proud Self Self-Wisdoms Self-conceits Self-humors Self-wil Self-interests Self-forces Self-righteousnesses and other Self-sufficiencies Wherefore the Renunciation and Abnegation of this Monstrous Idol Self must needs be most contentsome and pleasing to Christ 4. 4. Flexibilitie towards Christ contents him most Flexibilitie towards Christ his Soverain Wil and Grace gives most content to him n Amicitiae propriâ—m est consâ—ntire amicoâ—ia his quae vult Aquin. contra Gent. l. 4. c. 22. It is made a main Proprietie of Friendship to consent to our friend in those things that he wils Now the Wil of Christ is explicated to us in his Precepts Promises and Providences the two first expresse to us his reveled legislative Wil which is the rule of our Doing and Believing the latter namely his Providential Wil declares to us what God has decreed by his secret Wil and so gives us matter of submission and suffering Now the Hearts of Christs friends should be flexible to al these his Wils That iron sinew which is in proud wil must be broken that so it may fal in pieces yea lie in the Dust at Christ's feet as it was with Abraham Esa 41.2 Called him to his foot c. His wil was so flexible as that it lay level with the Wil and Providence of God Our Wils naturally are Adamantine flintie and hard and Christ has not a prouder enemie out of Hel than an obdurate inflexible Wil. Grace alone makes the Wil flexible The friends of Christ should be inflexible and stiffe against al the blandissements and Allurements of Idol-friends but very flexible and pliable towards Christ his Wil and Spirit of Grace 1. 1. Towards Christ's wil of Precept and Providence The friends of Christ ought to be exceding flexible towards the Soverain Wil and Pleasure of Christ either Preceptive or Providential Open or secret Repugnances and Rebellions against Christ's Wil of Precept as also froward vexatious Humors or pettish discontented murmurs against his Wil of Providence are very disgustful and displeasing unto Christ Christ's friends are stiled 1 Pet. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.14 Children of obedience or such as have an ear to hear when ever or where ever Christ has a mouth to speak either by Word or Providence an obedient flexible ear and heart Opposite to these are Colos 3.6 Children of Disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. such children as have insuasible inflexible ears or stiffe hard disobedient hearts that cannot complie with Christ's Soverain Wil of Precept and Providence 2. 2. Towards the gracious Movements of Christ's Spirit Christ's friends must be very flexible towards his Promises Termes and Spirit of Grace Christ vouchsafeth his friends many secret sweet Inspirations and Gracious Movements of the Spirit for the reception and Improvement whereof they ought to have very flexible Spirits They ought to be very obsequious to the Spirit 's Motions As their hearts should be very flexible to the Words of Christ so also to the Works of his Spirit It 's good striking whiles the Iron is hot and sailing whiles the Wind blowes the Spirit saith Christ blows where he lists When the Spirit of Grace inspires or breathes in pious Motions the heart must respire or breathe back pious Affections towards Christ
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
And can we imagine that the spiritual fixed contemplation of Christ's ravishing Beauties and Glories by an eye of Faith wil not have a more efficacious Influence on his friends to inflame their hearts with friendship towards him O! Would men but studie pore on and admire the incomparable excellences and perfections of Christ what admirable friends would they be How would their Hearts be ravisht with Love unto him What infinite complacence and satisfaction would they find in communion with him 1. 1. Studie the Beauties of Christ's person What more Attractive than Amiable Beautie And is there any thing imaginable so Beautiful as Christ What is Beautie but a connatural Amenitie or sweet Amiablenes of forme and figure arising from a natural wel-tempered complexion situation and proportion of al parts And are these Ingredients of Beautie any where to be found in such a super-eminent degree as in Christ Is he not in regard of his complexion stiled white and ruddie Cant. 5.10 which are estimed colors most predominant in Beautie Doth not the Spouse give him this Character Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my Beloved yea pleasant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. amiable beautiful acceptable every way heart-ravishing Is there any thing in the world more Beautiful than the Sun and its light shining in its Meridian Glorie And is not Christ's Beautie set forth by that of the Sun shining in its strength Rev. 1.16 Oh! what an Infinite Glorious Sun of Righteousnes is Christ How Beautiful are the beams of his Glorious light O come come al ye friends of Christ and behold this your King in his Beautie as Esa 33.17 O gaze gaze for ever on this your friend let the eyes of your understandings spend their vigor in Heart-affecting contemplations and views of those admirable glories that shine in the person of this your dearest and best friend and never desist til your hearts be ravished with and captivated to him 2. 2 Studie Christ's Good-Nature love and compassions towards his friends Studie admire and adore greatly the suavities or sweeinesses of Christ's Nature the wonders of his love and the Tendernesses of his compassions towards his friends Oh! What an incomparably good-Nature hath Christ How admirably sweet-humored is he towards his friends Were any of Christ's friends ever troubled with causelesse crosse Humors and vexatious carriges from Christ Is not his Nature made up of unparalled sweetnesses O studie and dive deep into Christ's good-Nature and sweet Humor What Divine Suavities possesse his Nature How wel-tempered his spirit is How free from al morose sour il humors his Nature is There are many eminent Qualities in Christ which render him of an incomparably sweet Nature 1. His Nature as curiously framed by the spirit of God is of a surpassing finer make than al other human yea Angelick natures 2. His Human Nature was Graced in and from the Womb. It 's sin that makes our Human Nature so morose so sour so il-conditioned but Christ's nature is clothed with pure Grace and therefore most sweet most benigne most wel-tempered 2. Christ's Love Studie also and admire the wonders of Christ's Love to his friends O that ever such an Infinite Masse of pure spotlesse Love should mingle with Sinful Dust and Ashes Oh! What a free undeserved Love is this Who could ever have imagined that poor deformed bankrupt Rebels should obtain a share in such love and that without hire What was our Emmanuel content to espouse human clay and assume it into such a substantial mariage or hypostatick union with the Deity thereby to reconcile Heaven and Earth Did he borrow a human Heart and Affections to embrace us Human bowels and compassions to Sympathise with us human eyes to weep for us human breath to groan for us a human tongue to plead for us human flesh to sweat drops of bloud for us a human Head to be crowned with thornes for us human armes and legs to be pierced for us a human bodie to bleed for us a human soul and life to die for us O the Altitudes the Profundities the Latitudes and Longitudes of this Love That the Soverain Lord of Glorie should breath forth such flames of insinite love in human flesh and bloud O the Infinite condescensions of this Love What doth the Lord of Glorie stoop so low as to embrace poor wormes crawling on the dunghil of sin Is the King of Kings content to enter into a league of Amitie with miserable captives Doth the great God wooe and beseech his sinful ercature to become his friend Oh! What a boundlesse bottomlesse love is here What vigor and force is there in this Love How heart-charming and soul-conquering is it What delight doth it take in gaining and triumphing over stout rebellious hearts How much doth love in Christ out-run sin in us Did not Christ begin with love to us albeit we begin with hatred to him Was not our Heaven first framed in the Heart of Christ Did not his love contrive the way to Heaven for us long before we had being much lesse love for him Doth not he love such as others hate even Enemies And doth not his love out-work Devils and Hel Is there any power so strong and efficacious as Christ's love How Industrious laborious and unwearied is it How ineffable how unsearchable is it O Studie Studie what are the Lengths Breadths Heights and Depths of this Love Believe it this is the sweetest and best yea only studie for the friends of Christ The more we studie this Love of Christ the more we may studie it there are fresh veins of excellence new Treasures and riches to be found in it every day This wil be the wonder of glorified Saints and Angels to al Eternitie Alas why is it that our hearts sink and despond under our Discouragements How comes it to passe that our Hearts are no more inflamed with Love to Christ Is not this one main Reason because we do not Studie and Admire this Love of Christ as we ought to do What vigor and strength doth the studie of this Love infuse into al the Iniâ—uragements of faith How much doth it raise up the soul under al its Discouragements What a veil of Disgrace and Contemt doth it cast on al the goodlines of the Creature How greatly is the soul raised to communion with Christ by the studie of his Love 3. Christ's compassion and tender nesses Studie also the Tendernesses of Christ's care and compassion towards his friends Is he not mindful of them when they are forgetful of him Doth he not think much good for them oft when they think il of him Though he may be sometimes out of sight yet is not even then his heart with them Doth he not long for and bleed over them when he seems to be departed from them It 's true he sometimes suspends the tokens of his love and marques of Divine favor ay but are not these his suspensions wrapped up in many secret
invifible influences and gracious Assistances Or if at times he may suspend the sensible quickenings and enlargements of his Grace yet doth he not then most intend Grace when he seemeth to suspend the same Doth he not thereby humble the soul and bring it to a life of faith and Dependence Is not his withdrawment of himself oft an high act of Grace Did not Peter receive the more Grace in that Grace was suspended for a season Doth Christ upbraid his friends with old debts or reckon with them in a legal way for infirmities Has he not drunk Hel drie and left none of that salt dead Sea for them to drink O studie the Tendernesses of Christ towards his friends How much it grieves him to see them grieved what a bleeding sense he has of al their wounds How chearfully he burdens himself with al their burdens Heb. 4.15 How patiently he bears with al their froward humors morose conditions peevish pettish and murmuring frames even as a Nurse doth with her child Act. 13.18 How much he considers and condescends to their Infirmities by laying no more upon them than he inables them to bear by upholding them when they fal by performing al manner of servile offices for them even to the making their bed for them in their sicknesses c. Oh! what delicious and rich matter is here for the studie and contemplation of Christ's friends 3. 3. Studie the Riches of Grace in Christ The Friends of Christ should also much studie admire and adore the plenitude and Riches of his Grace Has he not Infinite Treasures of Grace loged in him as Mediator And was it not for his friends that he received al these Immense Treasures of Grace Doth he not also give forth and impart these his Riches of Grace Freely abundantly universally constantly and unweariedly unto al that come unto him Can the friends of Christ be more willing to have than he is to give Grace Oh! what an increated Sun of Righteousnes is here to illuminate dark souls what an eternal fire is here to heat and melt frozen Affections What an Infinite Ocean is here to water refresh mollifie fructifie and satisfie drie parched hard withered and panting souls What strange Miracles can and doth his efficacious Grace continually work Oh! what a Felicitie have the friends of Christ in that their salvation is not rolled on the wheels of their own Free wil Happie O thrice happie are they who have such a rich strong yea omnipotent Mediator for their friend d O if I could yoke in amongst the thickâ— of Angels and Seraphims and now glorified Saints and could raise a new love-song of Christ before al the World I am pained with wondering at the new opened Treasures in Christ If every finger member bone and joint were a torch burning in the hottest fire in Hel I would they could al send out Love-praises to that Plant of Renown c. Rutherfurd Oh! what a compassionate eye what an healing hand what a bleeding Heart what an Omnipotent Arme has he who saveth to the utmost al his Friends Paul tels us Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should al fulnes dwel Here is 1. Fulnes 2. Al fulnes Col. 1.19 3. Al fulnes dwelling in Christ which denotes the everlasting permanence of al Grace in Christ as in its Fountain And that which addes a farther excellence to this Grace is that it dwels in Christ as clothed with our Nature and so flowing from him as such becomes more connatural and agreable to us So that the Grace we are made partakers of flows not immediately from God simply considered but from Christ as God-man one that is near akin and allied to us And oh what an admirable tincture what an excellent perfume has this Grace as it issues from the heart of Christ As waters that passe thorow Minerals receive some tincture and relish of the Mines they passe thorow so the Grace of God passing thorough the Golden mine of God-man receives a tincture thereof which renders it mightie sweet and admirable O studie then the excellent Qualities of this Grace as it streams thorough the heart of Christ God-man Studie also the Infinite Quantities of this Grace O the infinitude of Christ's Grace Who can sufficiently admire the vast treasures of Grace in Christ O come and dive into this infinite Abysse and Ocean of Grace what fresh wonders are here to be seen day by day The more we studie this Grace the more we shal admire it the more we shal trust in it the more we shal be sensible of our infinite and essential obligation to it Come and see if there be not boundlesse Treasures of Grace in Christ Who ever perisht for want of a sufficience in Christ to save him O Studie muse on yea let your thoughts be quite swallowed up and confounded in the Contemplation and Admiration of these inexhaustible Treasures of Grace that are in Christ O prie into this curious Golden Arke in which the plenitude of the Deitie dwels bodily or personally What pen though dipt in the bloud of the Lamb can write What tongue though bedewed with the water of life can expresse What Heart though of never so vast and Angelick make can conceive the ineffable incomprehensible Riches of Grace that are in this incomparable Mediator O! What vast created emanations of Grace have for almost sixe thousand years flowed from Christ unto his friends and yet he stil is as ful of Grace as ever Joh. 1.16 What Evangelick matter of contemplation and Admiration is here for al Eternitie Is not this the Heaven of Heavens to employ an Eternitie in the Beatifick Vision Fruition and Adoration of this wonder of Heaven and Earth the Lord of Glorie to view and never out-view to admire and never over-admire this wonder of wonders our dear Lord And should not the friends of Christ be much conversant in digging into this golden Mine in surveying this Celestial Canaan Alas how little do we yet understand of Emmanuel's Name and Land What a shame is it for the friends of Christ that there should be such admirable excellences in Christ and they want eyes to view them O that al other vain Beauties fond Loves and Idol-friends might wither and die away that so the vigor intention and force of our Meditation Admiration and Adoration might be expended on this most Beautiful Affectionate and Gracious Lord What an Heaven would this be on Earth What Life in Death How far short do they come of living up to that friendship they professe towards Christ who content themselves with commun loose feeble cheap mean low and vulgar contemplations and Estimes of him How much doth the Claritie and Spiritualitie of our Light the fervor and heat of our Affections the vigor Beautie Growth perfection exercice and Glorie of our Graces depend on our Studies Contemplations Admirations and Adorations of Christ SECT 2. The friends of Christ should daily Repete their