Selected quad for the lemma: love_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	affection_n	love_v	true_a	4,053	5	4.6245	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A04831	The marriage of the lambe Or a treatise concerning the spirituall espousing of Christ, to a beleeving soule, wherein the subject is fully handled in the nature of it, in the effects, priviledges, symptomes, with the comforts that arise to a beleever from this relation, wherein also the excellencie of Christ, and many other spirituall truths flowing from the subject are by way discovered. By Benjamin King, minister of Gods Word at Flamsteed in Hartford-shire.	King, Benjamin, b. 1611 or 12.	1640 (1640)	STC 14963; ESTC S103355	46,240	182

borne it he himselfe enjoynes it (e) Is dat quimandat qui jubet illo juvat and hee himselfe supports his spouse in bearing of it this yoke of Christ doth his spouse willingly beare in performing universall cheerefull sincere and constant obedience to all Christs commands in full purpose and desire of the heart in the earnest endeavour of the whole man which Evangelicall obedience Christ accepts and accounts as perfect obedience for his owne sake The fourth consequent of this spirituall marriage of Christ and his Spouse is that mutuall adhaering and cleaving to one another in ardency of (f) Quam quaeris aliam inter sponsos necessitudinem vel connexionem praeten amari amare Bern. Ser. 31. in Cant. affection and dearest love First for the love of Christ to a beleever it is transcendent and differing from a Christians love to Christ First in time secondly in degree thirdly as a cause differs from an effect First in time Christs love is the preventing love and this magnifies the love of Christ it is a chiefe porperty of great love when it is (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. preventing and therefore the Apostle Iohn calls it love indeede that Christ loved us first Secondly Christs love differs and exceedes the love of his Spouse in degree he being the fountaine of love and the love of a Christian but a streame flowing from that fountaine hee the Sonne of Righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 From whom the beames of mercies flow dayly upon the hearts of his beloved ones their love being but a beame comming from that Sonne therefore God is sayd to bee love it selfe in the abstract in regard of the transcendencie of his love surpassing the love of all Thirdly Christs love differs from a Christians love as the cause differs from the effect for the love of a Christian to Christ is nothing but an heavenly sparke kindled by the fire of Gods Spirit and the fervencie of his affection to a Christian the heate that is in the inferiour region of the ayre is nothing but an effect of the reverberation of the beames of the Sunne upon the earth the heate of a Christians heart that burnes within him with a love and zeale to the Lord Jesus is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sunne beames of Christs mercies shed abroad in the heart of a beleever Our cloathes in the morning receive heate first from our bodies but being heated by our bodies they keepe our bodies warme all the day following A Christians heart must first be cloathed with the sunne of righteousnesse and so warmed with his beames being but once throughly warmed it ever after glowes within towards Christ in love againe now as Christ beares a love to a Christian farre exceeding the love of the fondest Bridsgrome to his endeared Spouse so there is a retaliating affection in every beleeving soule towards Christ We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heate as to imagine Christs love bestowed upon a soule without this affection in the heart to whom Christ hath made his love knowne by betrothing himselfe (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4. Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved againe And againe in another place affirmes that to bee true friendship where love is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. magni moral c. 11. reciprocall if then love amongst friends be mutuall much more betwixt (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconomie c. 2. man and wife betwixt Christ and his Spouse the very name of Bridsgroome calls for love (l) Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio It is the observation of a Father sometimes God calls himselfe by the name of a Father sometimes by the name of a Master sometimes by the name of a Bridsgrome when he would produce a filiall feare in the hearts of his children hee calls himselfe by the name of a Father If I be a Father where is my feare when he would produce homage and service in his servants hee calls himselfe by the name of a Lord. If I bee your Master and Lord where is me honour and service When hee would beget love and affection in them hee stiles himselfe a Bridsgroome If I bee a Bridsgroome where is my love Now this love that a Christian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ hath severall distinct properties whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ First it is such a love that will drive the soule to sicknesse in case the thing loved bee delayed Conticles cap. 1. vers 5. I am sicke of love saith the Church concerning Christ her Bridsgrome this sickenesse of the soule for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for desire of Christ whom the soule loveth this the wise man expresseth Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke now the soule hoping for those soule-transporting pleasures to bee found in the apprehension of Christs favour and sense of his presence and yet obtaines not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soule upon this the heart begins to faint and languish and to bee sicke of love the desire of a Christian towards Christ is not any faint and remisse desire but a longing desire such a desire that stretcheth the affection to the highest straine and therefore expressed in Scripture by the metaphors of thirsting gasping panting now as experience teacheth in some cases longing brings danger when the thing longed for is not obtained whereas an ordinary desire will not hurt in the deniall of the thing desired as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed as fainting sownding languishing it is so in spirituall longing for Christ the soule thirsting for Christ and finding him not falls a sownding fainting and grows to a kinde of Sprituall sicknesse for love and desire of Christ This love is a kinde of doting love that carries the soule to a spirituall distraction this we may see in Peter who in the transfigration was so transported with affection so ravished with the love of Christ that like a man spiritually distracted he knew not what hee sayd saith the text Marke 9.6 So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven he speakes like a man besides himselfe for the present 2 Corinth 12.2.3 and 5. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth verse 5. Of such an one will I glory of my selfe I will not glory here wee see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kinde of spirituall distraction in love to Christ and heaven whereunto hee

was caught This love in the third place is a (m) Amat profecto castè quae ipsum quem amat quaerit non aliud quid praeter ipsum Bern. Serm. 7. in Canti● Sponsa non petit libertatem non mercedem non haereditatem sed osculum more planè castissimae sponsae ac sacrum spirantis amorem nec ●omnino valen t is flammam dissimulare quam patitur osculetur inquit me osculo oris sui quasi dicat quid mihi est in coelo a te quid volui super terram Bern. ibid. free love whereby the beleeving soule cleaves unto Christ for himselfe and those glorious excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ this property distinguisheth it from that (n) Cave anima ne quod absit meretrix dicaris si munera dantis plus quam amantis affectum diligis Aug. medit l. 2. c. 4. meretritious and mercenary love in worldlings that follow Christ as Christ upbraided some of the same stampe for the fishes and bread wherewith hee fed them Iohn 6.26 This hired love the (o) Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium si quaerit singere quod non est ut in Iob. quanto magis objicere quod est Aug. de temp Serm. 234. Devils objected against Iobs sincerity Doth Iob feare God for nought but Iob cleaving to God upon the dunghill and in the lowest condition proved the Devill in that particular as hee was from the beginning to be a lyar The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroome of his soule is that it is a strong and peremptory love it will carry a Christian through all (p) Amemus nos Christum ejusque semper quaeramus amplexus facile videbitur omne difficile brevia putabimus universa quae longa sunt jaculo illius vulnerati perhorarum momenta dicemus Heus me quia pereginatio mea prolongata est Hier. scribeus ad Eustochium difficulties and straights to Christ The love of Rachel carried Iacob through 14. yeares of hard service the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Labans service had in it Cant. 8.6.7 It is sayd to be as strong as death that conquers the greatest gyant and the mightiest Monarch zeale that is love inflamed is as inexorable as hell it selfe it is sayd to have fiery coales that pierce the heart which fiery coales of love all the waters be it a deluge and inundation of miseries and calamities persecutions and temptations are not able to quench Love is of that strength that it facilitates the greatest difficulties This we see in the ordinary bodily recreations many men take a pleasure in a toyle as in hunting running leaping ringing wrastling and the like and all out of love to these recreations much more is the love of Christ able to sweeten the hardest duty that Christ imposeth upon his Spouse What was it that made the fiery faggots to those blessed witnesses of the truth to seeme as beds of Roses but love What made the Disciples to forsake all but Christ and that love they beare to him What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison and the Apostles to returne from the Councill rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ but love to Christ What made the renowned Champion Stephen valiant in the midst of death but the sight of the Sonne of God standing at the right hand of his father and I am perswaded that if it had beene offered to Stephen that hee should have beene delivered from his present paine upon condition he should have beene deprived of his present vision of Christ by the opening of the heavens the love of Christ would not have suffered Stephen to have accepted of deliverance upon such condition so we reade of those strong ones in faith though weake in sexe they would not accept of deliverance in the middest of their torturings that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 To conclude this Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peeres of hell it selfe Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as if he had sayd shall this or that if there be any more put them all into the scale and weigh but the love of Christ against them all and they shall bee found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus The fifth property the love of Christs Spouse is a bountifull love this the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.4 makes a property of true Charity that it is bountifull (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. l. 8. c. 13. bounty is the fruite of love and it is exercised towards any thing according to love if a man love his body nothing is thought too dainty to feede it too gorgeous to cloath it if a man love his pleasure nothing is counted too deare to maintaine it so where there is any true conjugal affection in a Christian heart that heart will rellish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ it will downe with frequent prayer humble and dayly confession of sinne zealous and Godly walking with God sincere universall and constant obedience to Christ though it be with the parting of the most dearely beloved sinnes that soule will thinke no teares of repentance no hearing reading singing no duties publicke or private too much whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced and its love to Christ better expressed Luke 7.47 Mary Magdalen is sayd to love much and this her great love was expressed to Christ by her bounty in washing his feete in anointing his head in wiping his feete with the haires of her head and Christ himselfe accepts of her washing anointing kissing and all other of her acts of bounty as Characters of her great inward affection The sixth property of this love is that it is intire as Moses his serpent devoured all other serpents because his serpent was from God so the love of God being from God eates and consumes the love of all things besides as it is sayd of Ioseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court and in the land of Aegypt than himselfe the like may be sayd of Christ in a beleeving heart there is none greater than Christ he is the Pilot that governes the ship the King that governes the whole man the Master and Lord that keepes the house of a sanctified heart to whom as King and Lord all the powers of the whole man submit all doe homage all performe respect feare and love and if there be love bestowed upon any other thing besides Christ as upon our selves and our neighbours yet it is for Christs sake and in subordination to him whom to love in due measure is to love without measure The seventh property of a Christians soules love to Christ is that it is a constant love it is no great matter to professe love

to Christ when nothing comes in competition with him but when pleasure profit liberty and preferment comes in the way that either a man must forsake these or the profession of his love to Christ then for to cleave unto Christ proves our love to be conjugall The young man in the Gospell made many shewes of his love to Christ but when Christ bad him goe and sell all that he had he went away sorrowfull The Rulers many of them professed faire love to Christ but yet when it came to this passe that they which confessed Christ must be cast out of the Synagogue Iohn 12.42 they would not confesse him any longer so that it is constancie in our love to Christ that proves our love to bee a true conjugall affection Thus much of the consequents of this spirituall marriage which are mutuall betwixt Christ and his spouse the consequents that are proper and peculiar follow and these are either Such as are exparte sponsi on Christs part Such as ere ex parte sponsae on a beleevers part First such as are on Christs part which are two 1. A communication of secrets 2. A communication of goods First a communication of secrets The 1. consequent on Christs part Christ will communicate those secrets to a beleeving soule espoused unto him that hee will not communicate to a stranger a man will communicate much to his friend according to the Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things amongst friends are common but much more will a man communicate to the wife of his bosome Dalilah Sampsons wife could get the meaning of the riddle out of Sampson that all the Philistines could not finde out so is the Spouse of Christ privie to those secrets that all the wise and learned being not espoused to Christ are ignorant of The secrets of the Lord are to them that feare him Psal 25.13 He revealeth his secrets to his Servants the Prophets Amos 3.7 My beloved had me into his Chambers saith the Spouse of Christ Cant. 1.4 Cant. 1.4 opened Now as Chambers are places of safety as the Prophet sheweth Isay 26.20 Come my people enter into my chamber so chambers are places of greatest secrecie hence in Scripture they are called privie chambers and secret places opposed to the house top 2 King 6.12 Luke 12.3 Mat. 6.6 for Christ then to have his Spouse into his Chambers is nothing else but to make her privie to his secrets for this priviledge our blessed Saviour broke forth into a Doxologie unto his father Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes Quest What are those secrets that Christ will communicate to his Spouse that hee will not communicate to a soule that is not married to him Solution (r) Dic nobis tu qui preparas quid preparas replebiniur bonis domus tuae sed quib●s bonis vine olco f●umento sed haec novimus videmus fastidimus id quaerimus quod oculus non vidit Bern. Serm. 11. in Caniic Such secrets as Eye hath not seene neither eare heard neither can it enter into the heart of man to conceive 1 Cor. 2.9.10 to instance in some particulars The first secret is the pardon of sinne the most blessed newes and most joyfull tidings that can come to the soule of a reasonable creature when the soule with Heman Psal 88.7 lyeth crying day and night under the indignation of the Lord with David roaring for very disquietnesse of Spirit with Iob the arrowes of the Lord drinking us its spirit then for Christ to whisper unto the soule in secret by his Spirit and to say unto it Spouse be of good comfort Thy sinnes are forgiven thee this is a secret Christ will communicate to none but unto his spouse But some may say how may a poore soule know whether this voyce of Christ by his spirit be not a delusion of Satan Answ It is true that the devill can suggest falsely into his owne children what Christ in truth suggests into the hearts of his owne people and that often he can counterferfeite this testimony of the Spirit concerning the pardon of sinne putting in thoughts of comfort mercy and remission of sinne and of peace to the soule when God makes himselfe ready for Warre But by this may Christs voyce comforting the soule be knowne from Sathans flatteries and false perswasions How Christs voyce is known from Sathans illusion concerning the pardon of sin from the time and condition the soule is in when these thoughts of Mercy and tidings of pardon of sinne come unto the soule if the soule as before be in a disconsolate condition by reason of the sense of the burthen of sinne and deepe apprehension of Gods wrath then for the soule to receive comfort and to entertaine thoughts of mercy lifting up the soule as it were from the gates of hell to the suburbs of heaven this is a good signe it is the work of Christ and his voyce by his Spirit communicating this secret of mercy and pardon of sinne because this is against the policy of Sathan to comfort the soule and to lift it up when it is in sinking through the sense of Gods wrath but on the contrary his ordinary course is when the soule is in heavinesse dejection and anguish and inclining to desperation to follow the soule close to drive it into the further degree of despaire till it be swallowed up of it But if the soule shal have thoughts of mercy and assurance of salvation suggested into it when it hath never felt the burden of sinne the spirit of bondage never beene truely humbled for sinne this is a signe of an illusion of Sathan to drive the soule to perish by presumption which is a more frequent Rocke against which the soule splits it selfe than desperation The second secret is the experimentall knowledge of the worke of regeneration a secret and mysterie that few are privie unto Nicodemus though a teacher in Israel yet ignorant in this point till Christ instructed him in it and at Christs first relating of it unto him it seemed a (s) What a parable is regeneration to many even old men Masters and teachers and rulers in Israel who knew no other nativity but one of Adam and Eve no progenie of God and his Church no other parents but such as beger earthly children to a naturall life c. D. Taylor on Tit. p. 65. riddle unto him till Christ shewed him how and in what manner it was wrought Iohn 3.4.5 Many can talke of the dangers of Warre of the wonders of the Sea of the Indies and remote places who yet never were in warre upon the sea or in any fore-mentioned Countries but they that have beene in hot skirmishes of warre that have gone down into the deepe and occupied ships in the great waters they that have seene the Indies and remote places have bought their

acquaintance had Moses with God Ioshua 20.12 Exod. 17.11 by the holding up of whose hand Israel prevailed such an acquaintance had Ioshuah who by his prayer caused the Sunne to stand still upon Gibeon and the Moone in the valley of Ajelon and such an acquaintance and intimatenesse hath the Spouse of Christ with Christ that upon all occasions if any thing perplexe and molest the soule it can goe unto Christ and make its case knowne unto him with a full perswasion that he will relieve and comfort it neither hath the soule acquaintance onely with Christ but by Christ with the Father and the blessed Spirit as Isaac taking Rebecca to be his wise brought her into his mothers tent Gen. 24.67 So Christ marrying a beleeving soule brings that soule into his Fathers presence to have acquaintance with him this the Apostle sweetely expresseth Ephes 3.12 Ephes 3.12 opened In whom we have boldnesse and accesse the word boldnesse in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and it signifieth boldnesse of face in speaking shewing that a beleever by Christ hath boldnesse to goe to God by prayer againe the Apostle saith in him that is Christ we have not onely boldnesse but accesse in the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies such an accesse which is by manuduction as Isaac took Rebecca so Christ takes the soule espoused to him by the hand and leads it into his Fathers presence and into acquaintance with him so that the soule which before this spirituall marriage was a stranger to God and God an angry God with the soule through sinne now apprehends God in Christ reconciled and an indulgent Father and last of all the Apostle sheweth how the beleever hath this boldnesse of speech this accesse and this confidence it is by faith of him faith is the eye of the soule by which the soule lookes upon God reconciled Now as to the bodily sight there is required not onely a well disposed Organ but a (h) Arist l. 2. de Anima c. 7. perspicuous medium a lightsome ayre or the like through which the species of the visible object must be received into the Organ of the eye so in the spirituall sight of the soule which it hath of God there is required a diaphanous and perspicuous medium which is Christ the mediator through whom the soule by faith sees him that is invisible it is Christ that drawes neere unto God for his friends Iohn 20.17 and they draw neere to God by Christ Heb. 10.19.22 The application of this subject The application of this point is fourefold the first is for instruction in two particulars First it teacheth the dignity of the Saints Secondly the duty of the Saints First their (i) Vnde tibi ô humana anima unde tibi hoc unde tam in aestimabilis gloria ut ejus sponsa merearis esse in quem deside●ant Angeli prospicere unde tibi hoc ut ipse fit sponsus tuus cujus pulcritudinem Sol Luna mirantur ad cujus nutum universa mutantur Bern. Ser. 2. Dom 1. post Epist 1. dignity David thought it a great dignity to match into the stocke of Saul that was King of Israel 1 Sam. 18.18 Who am I c. greater honour and dignity it is to match into the stocke of God even unto his onely begotten sonne and so to be called the Kings daughter Psal 45. The Kings Spouse and beloved well may the soule enter into an holy admiration of this favour and cry out with the Psalmist Lord what is man or the Sonne of man that thou so regardest him and hast crowned him with so great a favour as to bee called the Spouse of Christ who as Abigail sayd to David offering marriage I am not worthy to wash the feete of the Lords Servants It was a great dignity for Ruth to bee espoused to Boaz but a greater honour and favour for a poore soule to be married to Christ whose nature is goodnesse whose greatnesse is infinitenesse whose power is omnipotencie whose worke is mercy whose anger is justice whose throne is sublimity whose will is equity whose life is felicity and whose age is eternity Let the heavens stand amazed at this honour and favour without comparison Secondly this point teacheth the duty of the Saints that seeing they are the Spouse of Christ First then they must adorne themselves that Christ may take delight in them all delight proceedes from some correspondencie in comelinesse affection and action The Heathen (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 1. Oec c. ● Philosopher could say that dissimilitude of manners and diversity of carriage is not apt either to beget or preserve love and delight so that Christ may take content and delight in his Saints espoused unto himselfe they must adorne themselves whereby they may become like unto him hee is cloathed with holinesse and righteousnesse as with a garment he is full of beauty and enamouring comelinesse that like then may rejoyce in like the soule must bee adorned that Christ may say of the soule as Sampson did of Dalilah Iudg. 14.3 She pleaseth me well this the Psalmist sweetly expresseth Psal 45.14 The Kings daughter shall bee brought unto the King in a rayment of needle worke so shall the King that is Christ take pleasure in her beauty if it be asked what this needleworke of divers colours is I answere not any outward ornament mentioned Esay 3.18.19.20 not that strange apparell condemned by the Prophet Zephan 1.8 (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconom c. 1. These outward ornaments are not the ornaments wherewith Christs Spouse must be cloathed that Christ may take delight in her these make the soule many times more deformed in the sight of Christ these are the worlds Livery which the servants of the world for the most part are cloathed withall therefore the Psalmist Psal 45.13 expresseth what the ornaments of Christs Spouse are The Kings daughter is all glorious within the (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagints read the words thus All the glory of the Kings daughter is within A beleever in outward appearance hath little glory therefore the Church complaines Cant. 1.5 I am blacke but comely blacke in the opinion of the world not seeing my beauty which is inward blacke through persecution and the scorching flames thereof but comely in the eyes of Christ who lookes on my inward beauty that cannot be seene by the world so then the inward (n) In sola anima pulchritudo turpitudo apparent ideo is solus verè puicher est qui est virtute praeditus Clem. Ale●an Padog l. 2. c. 12. Illis ampla satis forma pudicitia Tibullus Elig l. 1. Eleg. 2. Palchritudo tua fit bona vita stude itaque placere Christo non pretiosis vestibus sed bonis ●oribus non pulchritudine carmò sed pulchritudine mentis Beru de modo bene vivend● Sor. 9. Ezek. 16.8.9.10

Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons and the reason is because the houre is not yet come when Christ useth to give the soule such plenty but he reserves that plenty for heaven when he fills the soule with the wine of inconceivable pleasure and joy in his presence when hee will turne all the waters of afflictions into the wine of consolation and the soule shall have accesse to Christ the fountaine of all comforts there to fill and satisfie it selfe with what the heart is capable of there being then a more intimate communion betwixt Christ and a beleever in heaven than upon earth a more intimate fellowship and a fuller participation of that unspeakeable content that the soule takes in Christ the soule cannot but (w) Quemadmodum Iacobus magna cum alacritate migravit in Egyptum ut ibi videret gloriam Iosephi Gen. 45.18 sic nos ad caelum properemus ut ibi videamus gloriam Christi Chem. Harm Evang. p. 1679. long for and desire with Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ with Iacob it cannot but waite for the Salvation of God with Simeon it cannot but desire to depart in peace where it may see Christ face to face and never lose that beatificall vision of him againe Hence was it that good (x) Quid hic faciemus cur non ocyus migramus cur non hinc avolamus Monica the mother of Augustine cryed what doe we here why depart we not swifter why flye we not away from hence Hence was it that her sonne (y) Mori desidero ut videam Christum salutare meum vivere renuo ut cum Christo vivam Chem. ha●m Evang. p. 1675. Augustine sayd I desire to dye that I may see Christ my Saviour I refuse to live that I may live with Christ It is with a beleeving soule in this life as with a man in a journey in a strange Country who though at his Inne where he lodgeth he hath a warme Chamber good fire wholesome victualls a soft and refreshing bed yet he is ever and then thinking on home his thoughts and meditations ever and then speaking thus within him true it is I have a good lodging kinde entertainement wholesome victualls but what are all these to my fare at home my bed at home to the society of my wife and children at home home though homely is ever in his minde ever in his desires so it is with a Christian espoused to Christ though he enjoyes a confluence of all outward comforts though hee takes great delight in this life and as it were swimmes in all worldly contentments having a loving wife dutifull children faithfull servants his barnes stuft with graine his pastures stockt abundantly with Oxen and sheepe his coffers replenished with the most precious of metalls so that hee lackes nothing that can give an honest heart content yet he cannot but bee ever and then thinking within himselfe I have wife children lands livings but what are these to the society with my sweetest Saviour and most delightfull Bridegroome desiring to leave all to bee with Christ which is best of all Examine thy heart O soule by this property Is there any thing in the world so deare unto thee be it wise sonne or daughter land or house yea life it selfe that thou art not content to leave that thou mayst have that intimate communion with Christ in heaven Thou mayst justly feare thou never wast espoused to Christ neither ever hadst any acquaintance with him for if thou hadst the best of worldly excellencies could not retaine thy soule from a desire to bee with Christ in heaven In the third place 3. Symptome this Spirituall marriage is discovered by the affection of love (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aust l. 2. Oeconom c. ultima A soule married to Christ loveth all that have any alliance with Christ A wife that truely loves her husband loves her husbands kindred and friends in like manner are the friends of Christ deare unto his Spouse now who they be that have alliance and friendship with him Christ himselfe declares First that those are his brethren Marke 3.35 who doe the will of God whose Father is his Father whose God is his God and for his friends Christ shewes who they be Iohn 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you as it was betwixt Iehosaphat and Ahab 2 King 3.7 when they agreed together to goe against Moab to battell Iehosaphat sayd I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses so is it with all the members of Christ that are espoused to him Christs cause is their common cause Christs friends their friends embracing Christ with the dearest affection and mutually one another for Christs sake By this mayest thou examine thy self whether thou beest espoused to Christ or not to wit by thy love to all those that stand in the same relation to Christ as thou dost seest thou a poore member of Christ in the wrinckles of whose face as in so many lines thou mayest read Lectures of miserie and want here is a friend of Christ if thou beest the Spouse of Christ thou canst not but have some pitty love and compassion on this his friend seest thou any eminent for grace holy in life frequent in duty zealous for piety and purity of heart this is a friend of Christ standing in the same relation to Christ as thou doest if thou beest espoused to him and therefore thou canst not but love him for the image of Christ thou seest in him In the third place the consideration Vse 3 of this point serves for consolation to Christs Spouse in many particulars First against the clamour of the guilt of sinne Christ being an husband to the Soule undertakes all its debts the Widdow of the Prophet 2 Kings 4.1.2 complaines that the Creditour was come to take her sonnes captives but the Spouse of Christ needes feare no such arrest of any creditour the soule hath many creditours that out of Christ it is subject and lyable to satisfie the Law arrests the soule with a cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Againe Conscience arrests the soule and seconds the Law with this assumption that the soule hath not continued in the Law but broken it the Devill will arrest the soule with many accusations Death and Hell have their arrests too but Christ being the husband of the soule becomes the undertaker for all these arrests and debts by sinne Sathan Conscience Death or Hell when the Law shall urge its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rigorous exaction of perfect obedience then may the beleeving soule answere my husband Christ hath payd it for me when the Law calls for penalty upon the violation of it selfe the beleever may answere Christ my husband hath payd it for me who is made unto me wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption as