of the Pale of the Church Yea let the Sinners in Zion be afraid for Fearfulness will soon surprize the Hypocrite These without Repentance must dwell with devouring Fire and everlasting Burnings How many times doth our Saviour say that Hypocrites and Vnbelievers shall have their Portion in Fire that cannot be quenched 5. To all Backsliders Apostates and abominable Revolters will God be a consuming Fire But some may object and say How can it be so seeing God saith of himself Fury is not in me and that one of his chiefest Attributes is Love and that God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son c. Answ. God is set forth as and said to be a consuming Fire in respect to his Justice God is just as well as gracious a righteous and severe Judg and he will deal with Men according to the Penalties of his just Law So that for rebelling against him and not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ his well-beloved Son his Wrath is kindled and seizeth upon such Men. II. This terrible Doctrine of God's being a consuming Fire may justly strike Terror into the Hearts of all ungodly Men The Day is coming that he will burn them up and leave them neither Root nor Branch III. An Use of Consolation to the Saints This great God that to the Wicked is a consuming Fire to them is a loving Father and a reconciled God The Arm of God Deut. 33.27 And underneath are the Everlasting Arms. Isa. 33.2 Be thou their Arm every Morning SOmetimes by an Anthropopathy an Arm is attributed to God by which we are to denote his Strength and Power because the Strength of a Man is known by the Strength of his Arm whether it be in Labour Fight c. Exod. 15.16 Job 40.4 Psal. 77.16 79.11 89.11 14. Isa. 30.30 51.9 c. Sometimes a stretched out Arm is ascribed to him as Psal. 136.11 12. Jer. 32.17 But here God is by a Metaphor said to be an Arm upon which we will produce the following Parallel Metaphor I. THe Arm is an essential and noble Part of Man II. The Arm is a very useful Limb or Member of the Body what can the Body do for it self or others that hath no Arms III. The Arm guards protects defends and saves the Body from many Blows and other imminent Dangers IV. The Arm is a very useful and ready thing to take hold of and to bear such up that are weak and feeble We commonly say to such especially whom we dearly love Take hold and lean upon my Arm. V. The Body hath and needs two Arms and cannot by any means spare either of them VI. The Arm is not only ready for Defence but also to offend those Enemies that would destroy and ruine the Body VII With our Arms we embrace our Friends and those we dearly love Thus Lâ—â—ban embraced Jacob and Jacob his Sons before he died 'T is a Sign our Wrath is pacified to those that have offended us thus Esau embraced Jacob at their Meeting VIII The Arms of a mighty Man are said to be very strong Sampson broke the two Cords wherewith he was bound the Cords that were upon his Arms became as Flax and by the Strength of his Arm with the Jaw-bone of an Ass he slew a thousand Men and afterwards overthrew the House where the Lords of the Philistins were IX In our Arms we carry our weak and young Children if they cannot go we that way shew our Care and Bowels of Compassion towards them X. The Arm or Hand is the Instrument of Action and Administration 't is that by which all our Works are performed without Arms we can do nothing There is a necessity of Arms to get our Bread and afterwards to feed our Mouths c. XI A Man usually stretches out his Arms when he calls a Child to him that hath been rebellious whom he is willing to pardon Parallel I. POwer is an Essential of the Divine Being or one of the glorious Attributes of God II. The Power of God is very useful and profitable unto the Saints of the same use that the Arm is to the Body is God to Believers III. God guards protects defends and saves the Church which is his mystical Body from those cursed Assaults and Blows of Satan and other Dangers they are exposed to in this World IV. God's Power is useful and ready to bear up and support all sincere tho weak and feeble Saints nay there is none can go alone walk and not stumble unless God takes hold of them He led them 't is said by the right Hand of Moses with his glorious Arm. V. We read not only of the Arm but Arms of God Vnderneath are the everlasting Arms. There is the Arm of his Mercy as well as the Arm of his Power and the Church can by no means spare either of these Arms of God VI. The Arm of the Most-High is not only for Defence and Protection to the Church but also to offend and destroy their implacable Enemies He shall thrust out his Enemies from before thee and shall say Destroy them Thou hast smitten all mine Enemies on the Cheek-bone and hast broken the Teeth of the Vngodly VII God in his Arms of Grace and Merâ—â—y embraces all those that submit themselves unto him in an humble and sincere manner and by this shews that his Wrath is appeased And Christ is said to embrace the Spouse His left Hand is under my Head and his right Hand doth embrace me As the Heart signifieth inward Love so the Arm of Christ signifieth the Manifestation of that Love saith a Reverend Author VIII God is mighty in Power Who hath an Arm like the Arm of God Who knoweth the Power of his Anger or who can shew the Strength of his Love There is nothing too hard for the Arm of God to do nay nothing is hard to him With his Arms he will deliver his People My own Arm brought Salvation With the Strength of his Arm he will dash the Wicked in pieces and overthrow the Strong-Holds of Babylon I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it IX The Lord manifesteth his Bowels of Compassion and tender Care over his poor young and weak Children by carrying them in his Arms He shall feed his Flock like a Shepherd he shall gather the Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his Bosom X. Without God we can do nothing he it is that works and labours for the Good of his Church Lord thou hast ordained Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our Works in us He provides us Bread and then feeds us also Open thy Mouth wide and I will fill it XI God is said to stretch forth his Arms when he calls upon rebellious Sinners shewing how willing he is upon their Repentance to pardon and forgive them
gentle and mild ways to reclaim them XVIII If a mild Fatherly intreaty and gentle usage will not reclaim them the Father uses a Rod and chastises them because he loves them XIX A Father corrects his Children not that he delights in it but because it is absolutely necessary he proportions the punishment to the Crime his Bowels yerning upon them the while and when the Chastisement has effected its end he is ready with open Arms to receive them as in the case of the Prodigal XX. A Father provides a Portion for his Children and takes care of their future maintenance and subsistence it being his duty to lay up for them PARALLEL I. GOd is the Author of Spiritual Being to his People Of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope c. Hence Believers are called his Children begotten by his holy Word and Spirit II. God the Spiritual Father nourishes and with Parental tenderness brings up his Children hence 't is said they are born up by him from the Belly and carried from the Womb To be laid to the Breast like new-born Babes that they may receive the sincere Milk of the Word III. God Cloaths his Saints He that so Cloaths the grass of the field shall he not much more Cloath you O ye of little Faith He Cloaths them with the Garments of Salvation covers them with the Robe of Righteousness and adorns them with the graces of his Spirit and Evangelical Holiness that he might take the more delight in him IV. God so loved his children that he sent his only begotten Son to save them In love to their Souls he delivers them they are precious in his sight and honourable and therefore he hath loved them c. Like as a Father pitieth his Children so the Lord pitieth them that fear him V. God saves and defends his Children from their Soul-Enemies as Sin Satan Spiritual Wickedness in high places which without his help would be too strong for them therefore he covers them with his wing from the rage and malice of Persecutors he is always ready to take their part If it had not been the Lord who was on our side says David when men rose up against us then they had swallowed us up quick c. What a strict charge does the Lord give to the Ungodly touching his Israel When they went from Nation to Nation and from one Kingdom to another people he suffered no man to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed and do my Prophets no harm VI. God is exceeding tender and thoughtful of the Babes and weak ones among his people and gives particular charge concerning them unto his Ministers Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees And in another place Comfort the feeble minded support the weak He is said to gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and gently to lead those that are with young VII God provides Food for his people and whatsoever else they want The young Lyons do lack and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing There is no want to them that fear him He abundantly blesses Sions provision and satisfies her poor with bread Gives meat to them that fear him for he is ever mindful of his Covenant He provides Physick for their Soul-Diseases Bless the Lord O my Soul says David who forgiveth all thine iniquities who healeth all thy diseases VIII The Lord takes great delight to hear his little Children his Babes in Christ learn to pray and open their wants to him and though they stammer out a request or sigh or lisp out a Petition he is willing to hear and answer them His Spirit helps their infirmities for they know not what they should pray for as they ought and maketh intercession for them with unutterable groans Though like the Prophet they chatter like a â—â—rane yet he will not despise them but rather lend his Ear to them than to the vain pomp and empty Ceremonies of Formalists and the specious performances of the Hypocrite IX God is proposed by Christ as a holy patern and example to his Saints Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect And in another place Be ye merciful as your Father also is merciful God is not soon angry but patient and long-suffering so should his Children be c. X. The Lord God loves such of his Spiritual Children best who walk closest with him who are holy as he is holy pure as he is pure who are changed into his Image made partakers of the Divine Nature Daniel was greatly beloved and David recorded to be a Man after Gods own heart by way of Eminency and John is called the beloved Disciple after the same manner For it is agreeable to Reason and Equity that where there is the nearest similitude there should be the dearest love and Vnion XI None teacheth like the heavenly Father none more careful to train up and instruct his Children in right ways he hath given them his holy Word which is able to make them wise to salvation Prophets Evangelists Apostles Pastors and Teachers to instruct them Rules to walk by Precepts of behaviour towards Enemies and Friends high and low rich and poor I will teach you saith the Lord what ye shall do He teaches sinners in the way He teacheth the hand to war it is he only that teacheth to profit Isa. 48.17 In a word he hath given them the Lord Jesus in whom are hid all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledge XII The Ears of the Lord are ever open to the crys of his Children Ask and ye shall receive c. whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing ye shall receive This is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the Petitions that we have desired of him XIII The Lord God knows what 's best for his Children and never fails to supply them if they ask in Faith He never refuses but when they ask amiss Ye ask and receive not says the Apostle James because ye ask amiss c. XIV The heavenly Father when Israel would be going on in a course of Idolatry and sin tells them he will hedge up their way with thorns and make a wall c. that is to stop Israels pursuit insomuch that she shall not overtake her Lovers As the Lord has a hedge of protection to secure his people from evil Isa. 5.5 Job 1.10 so he has a hedge of affliction to keep them from evil The hedge of thorns is a Metaphor and signifies much trouble and difficulty of
that he is very pitiful and of tender Mercy 4. We must always imprint this as an undoubted Truth and sure Maxim in our Minds That tho God sometimes afflicts 〈◊〉 may afflict his Children as a bare Act of his Sovereignty Sin being not directly the Occasion thereof yet nothing God doth or can do is unjust I know O Lord that thy Judgments are right and that thou in Faithfulness hast afflicted me All his Ways are Judgment a God of Truth and without Iniquity just and righteous in all his Ways That is his Administrations or his Doings as Mr. Ainsworth noteâ—â— are Judgment that is judicious equal A God of Truth or Faithful without Iniquity or there is in him no Iniquity no injurious Evil Right or righteous is he Consider further 5. That the greatest and sorest Afflictions that godly Men may meet with are no sufficient Ground to conclude they are cast out of God's Favour For the best of Saints and dearest Servants of God have been from the beginning under the greatest Exercise of Affliction As many as he loves he rebukes and chastens 6. Another thing that we should premise is That the Afflictions which we meet with in this World come not by chance They are all measured out by God's ordering Providence in matter and manner for kind and quality And tho the Judgments and Dealings of God are sometimes very secret and hard to be understood at first we ought with Patience to bear them and humbly wait till God is pleased to shew us his Mind and Pleasure in them 7. We must consider that it is our Duty to acknowledg all our Troubles and Afflictions and whatever they be as coming from God and look beyond Instruments and secondary Causes Is there any Evil in the City and I have not done it He breaketh me with Breach upon Breach and runneth upon me like a Giant He Why some may say It was the Devil and his Agents viz. the Sabeans and Chaldeans c. Job knew that no Devil or wicked Man could hurt or touch him if God did not give them leave and open the Door for them These things being premised I now shall give you five or six Reasons why God ran thus upon Job or breaks forth after this manner upon sincere Persons when Sin is not the Cause It is necessary to note this by the way That God doth frequently single out the most eminent and choicest of his Children to undergo the sharpest and sorest Affliction because they have the greatest Strength Joseph excelled for Grace and Vertue and therefore he is singled out from all his Brethren to hard Works and Sufferings No Man like Job in all the Earth in his Day for a perfect and upright Man and what a Man of Sorrows and Afflictions was he Those that have received most Grace from God are able to bear most Afflictions from God A General of an Army chuseth out the most valiant and experienced Souldiers to put them upon hard Adventures It is not prudent to put a Fresh-water Souldier upon difficult Service As Christ saith I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now and therefore deferred till they had got more Strength So God saith of a young Christian one that is newly converted Thou hast great Afflictions to undergo before thou diest but thou art not fit to bear them yet I will defer thy Trial till thou art grown more hardy and fit for that Encounter as our Saviour told Peter John 21.18 1 Reason One Reason why God ran thus upon Job like a Giant or brings sore and severe Trials upon his dearest Servants is That he may fit them for eminent Work and Service Hereby they learn Experience and Knowledg not only how to carry themselves in dark and dismal Days but to teach others also how to behave themselves under Trials 2. That God might crucify them unto all the things of this World They do not only this way come to see the Vanity and Emptiness of them but to be dead unto them In Prosperity the Hearts of the best of Men are ready to be ensnared with the World therefore God brings Adversity upon them And indeed it is every way as good and useful for a Saint as Winter and sharp Frosts are to the Fruits of the Earth which kills the Worms and Weeds that otherwise would greatly hurt and injure them God's Jobs have a Body of Sin and Death in them as well as others and nothing like Affliction tends to destroy it The Corruptions of our Hearts are compared to Chaff and Dross which the Furnace of Affliction burns up and purges away No Man is so pure and clean but he needs to be made more pure and more holy Job was very good before but God made him much better by the Rod before he had done with him He was Gold before his Trial but afterwards refined Gold When I am tried I shall come forth as Gold to wit refined Gold 3. God brings his Jobs under great Exercises and Afflictions for the Trial of their Graces Grace never shines forth in its real Splendor and Glory until it comes to be tried A Saint knows not what his Faith can do until it is brought under Exercise Abraham knew not the Strength of his Faith and Love until he was called to offer up his Son Isaac He with-held not his Son his only Son Isaac whom he loved such was his Love to God And if we respect his Faith 't is said He believed in Hope against Hope that he might become the Father of many Nations According to that which was spoken so shall thy Seed be He being not weak in Faith considered not his own Body being now dead when he was about an hundred Years old neither the deadness of Sarah's Womb He staggered not through Vnbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God By Faith he offered him up accounting that God was able to raise him up even from the Dead From whence also he received him in a Figure How did Job's Patience shine forth when it came under Exercise by all those sore and bitter Afflictions he met withal The greater the Temptation or Trial is if the Soul can resist it and bear up under it the greater Demonstration there is of the Strength and Power of that Grace the Soul possesseth The Almighty shews hereby the Strength and Unmoveableness of Faith how unconquerable it is what kind of Omnipotency there is in Grace He would have all the World know that a godly Person is in vain assaulted by Friends or Enemies by Men or Devils by Wants and Wounds tho he be even benighted in his Spirit tho God himself takes away the Light of his Countenance from him and runs upon him like a Giant yet that over all these things God's Grace can make him stand and cause him to be more than a Conqueror For in the Book of Job we may say is an
flower which withereth and passeth away in a Moment You gentle Youths whose chaster Breasts do beat With pleasing Raptures and Loves generous heat And Virgins Kind from whose unguarded eyes Passion oft steals your hearts by fond surprize Behold the Object this alone is hee Ah none like Christ did ever mortals see He is all fair in him 's not one ill feature Ten thousand times more fair than any Creature That lives or ever lived on the earth His beauty so amazingly shines forth Angelick nature is enamor'd so They Love him dearly and admire him too His head is like unto the purest Gold His curled Tresses lovely to behold And such a brightness sparkles from his eyes As when Aurora gilds the morning Skies And though so bright yet pleasant like the Doves Charming all hearts where rest diviner loves Look on his beauteous cheeks and thou'lt espy The Rose of Sharon dect in Royalty His smiling Lips his speech and words so sweet That all delights and joy in them do meet Which tend at once to Ravish Ear and Sight And to a Kiss all heavenly Souls invite The image of his Father 's in his face His inward parts exce he 's full of Grace If heaven and earth can make a rare complexion Without a spot or the least imperfection Here here it is it in this Prince doth shine He 's altogether lovely all Divine If you his beauty saw his Riches weigh 'T will charm your eyes your best affections sway And in dark minds spring an eternal day He 's fairer than all others Beauty such As none can be enamor'd on too much This Object choose yield him a holy Kiss That thou at last mayst sing Raptur'd in Bliss My Well beloved's mine and I am His. Secondly Christ is glorious in respect of his Offices as Mediator See Mediator also King Priest and Prophet Thirdly As the gospel is glorious upon the Consideration of the Revelation or Discovery which is made therein of Jesus Christ in respect of the excellency of his Person and Perfections so likewise 't is glorious as it reveals or makes known his glorious love to the Children of Men. Christs Love held forth in the gospel is glorious Love 1. From the earliness of it he loved us from Everlasting We love him because he first loved us he loved us when we had none to him nay when we were his Enemies and hated him 2. Christs Love is a glorious Love upon the account of the freeness of it there was no constraint laid upon him to fix his eye upon fallen man the Soul is Christs own free and voluntary Choice and he doth not grutch us his Love he doth not think he is too High too Rich too Honourable or too good for poor sinners 3. Christs Love held forth in the gospel is a glorious Love in that it is a drawing engaging or attracting Love it is like Elijahs mantle which he cast upon Elisha Christs Love hath a kind of Compulsion in it not by Violence but by sweet Influence 4. Christs Love held forth in the gospel is a glorious Love in that it is an undeserved love an unmerited love VVhere 's the soul that can say it deserves Christs Love some will say O such a person is worthy she deserves and merits your Love but it can't be said so here 5. Christ's Love held forth in the gospel is glorious Love in respect of the strength of it what Solomon speaks of Love Cant. 8.6 is true in respect of Christ his love is stronger than death 1. Consider from whence it brought him 2. Consider whether it brought him 3. Consider how it stript him and disrobed him 4. Consider what he endured and underwent as the Effect of his great Love and Affection 6. Christs Love held forth in the gospel is glorious Love because 't is a matchless Love 't is wonderful 't is so deep no finding of a bottom so long no measuring of it none never loved as Christ loved us he hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood 7. Christs Love is a glorious Love in that 't is a conjugal or an espousal Love Christ loves not as the Master loves his Servant nor only as the Father loves his dear Child but as a Bridegroom his Spouse the choice and delight of his heart or as a man loves his dear VVife 8. Christs love held forth in the gospel is glorious love in that 't is an abiding and eternal love nothing can separate the Soul from Christs love having loved his own that were in the world he loved them unto the end 9. Christs love is glorious love because it is a love of complacency he takes delight in his love and in the soul beloved Christ loves all men with a love of pity but he loveth his Elect with a love of Complacency 10. Christs love held forth in the gospel is glorious love because it draws forth or doth beget glorious love in the Soul to him the love which is in us to him is but the glorious Effects of his love to us It makes us to love him so as to admire him not being able to set his worth and excellency forth Glorious love causeth a longing and languishing till the soul enjoys Christ 't is with the soul as 't was with Ahab touching Naboths Vineyard Christ runs much in the Mind and Thought of such yea and it makes them willing to go through hardships and difficulties for him as Jacob did for Rachel such will abide with Christ in Adversity as Jonathan did with David it carries the Soul to love Christ above all other things Glorious love is attended with fruit Simon son of Jonah lovest thou me more than these feed my sheep If you love me keep my Commandments Such delight in Christs Presence and greatly prize every token of his Divine love and grace and mourn at Christs absence nothing will comfort if Christ be gone Glorious love leads the Soul to visit Christ often and to love them that he loves and and long to look for his appearing Thirdly The gospel is glorious in respect of the glorious subject of it viz. Jesus Christ upon the consideration of the discovery there is made therein of his glorious Riches 1. The gospel shews that Christ is Rich. 2. In what respect he is Rich. 3. That he is gloriously Rich it also Reveals why he is held forth to be so Rich. 1. Riches imply plenty and plenty of good things whether it lie in Money Lands Houses Wares c. He that hath abundance of either having absolute propriety in them is accounted Rich. In Christ are hid all the Treasuries of Wisdom and Knowledge 1. Christ is Rich in Wisdom 2. Christ is Rich in Grace Eph 1.7 3. Christ is Rich in Goodness Rom. 2.4 4. Christ is Rich in Glory Eph. 1.18 Chap. 3.16 How did Christ come by his Riches 1. He was Rich from
unto Christ and spiritual Intimacy and Communion with him O when wilt thou come unto me 'T is the Voice of my Beloved that knocketh With my Soul have I desired thee in the Night IV. The Spouse desires such Favour and Manifestations of Christ's Love and Grace that she may never forget his Love We will remember his Love more than Wine V. The Spouse desires as doth every gracious Soul that Christ would lay himself under such Obligations of Love and Friendship to her that he may never forget her The Death of Christ is the greatest Expression of his Affection to his Elect. Let him seal up his Love to us by the Kisses of his Mouth viz. by his gracious Promises and we are sure enough VI. The Spouse desires the greatest Confirmation of Christ's Love and gratious Affection to her to have clear Evidence of her Union with him and eternal Life VII Manifestations of Christ's Love do belong properly to the Church and covenanted People of God Hence the Spouse presumes to speak thus unto her Beloved Let him kiss me with the Kisses of his Mouth I have the Liberty and Privilege to request it of him VIII Manifestations of Christ's Love are greatly prized by gracious Persons after there hath been a seeming Strangeness or Breach in their Apprehension between them knowing they were wholly in the fault and the only Cause of the Breach IX The Love-Tokens or Expressions of Christ's blessed Favour to the Spouse make the Daughters of Jerusalem to long after Christ's Love and Favour as well as she Whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among Women that we may seek him with thee This was after she had declared His Mouth is most sweet he is altogether lovely X. How sweet and exceeding comfortable are the Kisses of Christ's Mouth or Evidences of his Love after a long time of spiritual Desertion XI Manifestations of Christ's and the Father's Love are glorious Tokens or Acts of Acceptance of poor Sinners who having been very vile and rebellious return home at last to their Father's House and embrace a precious Saviour XII The Kisses of Christ's Mouth who is the only King and blessed Potentate of Heaven and Earth are an infinite Honour can a poor Creature be more eminently dignified Let him kiss me with the Kisses of his Mouth BY Mouth Annotators generally understand is meant his holy Word or his own lovely and gracious Doctrine that is Let me have expressions or give evidence of thy Love to me from thy Word Kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mouth by a Metonymy of the Cause viz. Cum causa organica sive sermonis formandi instrumentum pro ipso sermone sive loquelâ ponitur That is when the Organical Cause or the Instrument that forms Speech is put for the Speech it self as the Mouth is put for Testimony Deut. 17.6 15.19 Mat. 18.16 which is expounded John 8.17 It is also written in your Law that the Testimony of two Men is true The Mouth is also put for a Command or Appointment as Gen. 45.21 where the Mouth of Pharaoh so 't is in the Hebrew signifies the Command of Pharaoh So the Mouth of the Lord is put for his Command Word and Appointment Exod. 17.1 Numb 3.16 39. 20.24 27.14 Deut. 1.26 43. 34.5 Where the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 juxta Os Domini at the Mouth of the Lord with us translated Word is by the Targum attributed to Jonath Vziel rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad osculum Verbi Domini To the Kiss of the Word of the Lord. Lying Lips do not become a Prince that is lying Words Now the Reason why the Church desires Kisses of Christ's Mouth may be as followeth METAPHOR KIsses of the Mouth are Expressions of high Favour much more than to kiss the Hand II. Kisses of the Mouth have Virtue in them they tend to encrease Love in the Object or beget more ardent Affection III. Kisses of the Mouth are plain and visible Evidences of cordial Affections and many times put a Person out of doubt about the Reality of the Giver's Love IV. The Mouth is the Instrument or Medium to convey the inward Conceptions of the Heart and Mind whether it respects Thoughts or Actions to the Knowledg and Understanding of others Parallel CHrist in a high manner expresses his Favour and exceeding great Affection unto his People in his Word I lay down my Life for my Sheep Greater Love than this hath no Man II. Evidences of Christ's Love from his Word and gracious Promises are full of Life and Virtue they wonderfully draw out the Soul in Love and Longings after Christ. How did that sweet Word or Kiss of Christ to Mary endear her to the Lord Jesus Woman thy Sins are forgiven thee III. Evidences or Manifestations of Christ's Love to a believing Soul are clear Demonstrations of Christ's real Affection When a Promise is set home and imprinted upon the Soul or Spirit of a doubting Christian it causes all his Fears to flie away Remember thy Word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope IV. The Word of Christ is the Way or glorious Medium he makes use of to convey or make known those gracious high and eternal Conceptions of his Heart and Mind to his Elect also hereby he opens and explains to us the End of his Coming into the World and his Design in dying and in all things he did which otherwise would have been hard to us to have found out METAPHOR OThers many times kiss them they do not love out of Complement II. Others give sometimes a flattering and dissembling Kiss like that of Absalom's kissing the People thinking thereby to steal away their Hearts from David his Father III. Others salute Persons oftentimes with an unchast and wanton Kiss IV. Others kiss when they design to murther Thus Joab kissed Abner and slew him Judas our Saviour and thereby betrayed him Disparity CHrist never vouchsafes any the Kisses of his Mouth but to those that he dearly loves II. Christ always when he vouchsafes his gracious Favour to any Soul doth it in all Simplicity and Integrity of Heart in his Heart is no Guile or Deceit III. All Christ's Kisses are holy chast heavenly harmless and innocent IV. Christ's design is to save those whom he kisses He came to seek and to save that which was lost I come that ye might have Life Inferences FRom hence we may perceive what a vast difference there is betwixt the Godly and the Wicked The one have their Hearts set upon heavenly Objects the other on carnal the Desires of the one are holy heavenly and spiritual the Desires of the other are fleshly earthly and sensual II. If the Kisses of a Saviour or Evidences of his Love are so sweet methinks this should stir up all to desire Kisses of Christ's Mouth III. It may be some Souls are ready to enquire How may I come to
us and renders our Services acceptable to God 10. Wo wo to them that have not Christ their Surety what will Sinners do without a Saviour If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your Sins Lastly For Trial. Have you Christ for your Surety examine your selves by these Marks following 1. Did you ever see the Need of Christ's Suretiship Or do you adventure to come to God for more Goods in your own Name In this take heed for your Credit is gone 2. Hath Christ taken you as a Door off the old Hinges Have you seen your Want and Beggary and from hence chosen Christ for your Surety 'T is only the broken Man that seeks to his Friend for Security 3. Is the Law written in your Hearts have you that new Spirit put within you are you changed Ones I will put my Fear in their Hearts c. Do you love the Word of God because of the Purity of it Would you be holy as well as happy 4. Do you lay the Stress of your Salvation upon Jesus Christ Is he the Foundation of your Faith and Hope Have you fled to him for Refuge 5. Is Christ a Pearl of great Price to you To them that believe he is precious If Sin be in thy Sight the greatest of Evils and that which thou loathest above all things and Christ the rarest Jewel in thy Esteem whom thou preferrest before thy chiefest Joy then Peace be unto thee Christ is thy Surety For Caution O let none from the consideration of this glorious Grace shining forth in this great and wonderful Mystery take encouragement to run further into Debt if any should so do let them know that there is nothing can be a greater Evidence against them that they have no Part nor Lot in this Matter Christ a Bridegroom Mat. 25.6 Behold the Bridegroom cometh go you out to meet him John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom but the Friend of the Bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's Voice This my Joy therefore is fulfilled THis Metaphor of a Bridegroom as it is exceeding useful so it is as comfortable and pleasant a Metaphor as most we meet with in the holy Scriptures A Bridegroom presupposes two things First a Person in a single capacity and as so considered he is a Suitor Secondly a Person in a married Estate and as so considered he is a Head or Husband In both these respects Christ may be considered and is held forth in the Word of God He first acts as a Lover or Suitor to engage the Love and Affections of Sinners to himself and then joins himself in a glorious mystical Marriage-Relation with them and accordingly acts towards the Sons of Men Of which take this following Parallel Metaphor I. A Man that intends or is disposed to marry is not contented or thinketh it not convenient to abide in a single Condition how happy soever he is otherwise in the enjoyment of all outward good things in his Father's House II. An obedient and wise Son takes advice and consults with his Father being fully resolved to change his Condition and enter into a Contract of Love and Marriage-Union and then fixes upon a particular Object III. When a Man hath fixed upon an Object that he intends to espouse unto himself he contrives the way and method of his Proceeding in making known his Mind and to bring about his Design and many times will chuse to send Messengers to treat with the Person about the Business and discover his Affection before he goes himself in Person IV. After this a Lover usually his Heart being enflamed with Love and ardent Affection to the Person tho she be in another Country very far off takes a Journey resolving to give her a Visit and in order thereunto he suits himself in a fit Garb and Cloathing that so he might every way render himself a Person acceptable and meet likely and capable of winning and enjoying of her V. If the Person or Suitor be a Prince and known commonly at his Arrival he is much congratulated and welcomed by the Nobility and Persons of Honour VI. A Lover when he goes to visit a Person he intends to espouse unto himself usually sends his Friend or takes him along with him to signify not only what and who he is but also his Intention and Purpose in coming VII A Man propounds Questions to the Person he loves to discover whether she be preingaged to any other and if he perceives she is entangled through great Folly and in danger to be utterly undone thereby he strives to undeceive her and save her from Ruin VIII A Lover makes Offers of Love unto the Person he has fixed his Eye upon and uses divers Arguments to persuade her to yield or consent unto his Request IX A true Lover respects his intended Bride more than Wealth Beauty c. 'T is not the Portion but the Person his Eye is principally set upon X. Such a Person sues hard uses weighty Arguments to prevail and will not quickly take a Denial XI A faithful Suitor waits long and hath much Patience before he will desist or give over his Suit and yet thinks nothing too much that he suffers or does endure for her sake as appears concerning Jacob who served seven Years for Rachel And they seemed unto him but a few days for the Love he had to her XII One that intends to make a Person his Bride and only Consort expresses great Love his Love is sometimes much more than he can well express 't is very strong as strong as Death many Waters cannot quench it nor can the Floods drown it There is an unsatisfied Desire in the Person until the Object beloved be enjoyed XIII Such an one is greatly concerned and grieved at the Unkindnesses of his Friend and ungrateful Repulses and many times from hence doth withdraw himself and carry it as a Stranger XIV A Suitor nevertheless such is the Nature of his Affection knows not how to give her up he therefore sends Letters thereby further expressing the Ardency of his Desire and how loth he is to take his final Farewel XV. Moreover besides all this he sends faithful Messengers to her as Spokesmen to answer her Objections that so if it be possible he might bring her at last to a compliance who use also many Arguments in order thereunto This Abraham's Servant acted when he went to take a Wife for Isaac XVI A Suitor also sends Love-Tokens to the Person he intends to make his Bride Isaac sent unto Rebekah Ear-rings and Bracelets of Gold XVII A Lover cannot endure Corrivals nor permit that another should have a part or an equal share in the Affection of the Object beloved XVIII Some Lovers have fought great Battels and met with great Opposition from Enemies for the sake of those Persons they have set their Hearts upon XIX A Man will not make a Contract of
excellency and what dost thou less who dost not believe in him embrace him and apply his precious Blood and Grace for Help and Healing Exhort If this be so then labour whoever thou art to accept of Christ. Dost think to do better what Object canst thou find that more deserves thy Affection 1. He is great honourable a King the King of Kings all other Kings are his Subjects he is King of Heaven Earth Hell 2. Great in Power He has led captive the King of Darkness has spoiled the Principalities of Sin that so long tyrannized over Thousands yea Millions of Thousands has overcome Death the King of Terrors that none of the Mighty could ever encounter with 3. He is the amiablest Object in the World his Beauty far exceeds the Beauty of the Luminaries much fairer than the Children of Men. 4. He is rich unsearchable in Riches What wouldst thou have or canst thou desire but 't is in him Wouldst thou know the ready way to be espoused unto him Then 1. First of all break off that Affinity thou holdest with Sin and get thy Heart off from the inordinate Love of this World 2. Thou must become dead to the Law and thine own Righteousness 3. Labour to see an absolute Necessity of marrying with him 4. Get thy Judgment well enlightned in the Mysteries of Grace and Glory that come by Jesus Christ. 5. Hearken to the Motions of thy own Conscience for Conscience is employed when throughly awakened and rightly informed as a Spokesman for Christ. 6. Take heed of a divided Heart never rest till thy Will is brought over to accept of Christ and the Offers of Grace 7. Labour to chuse Christ singly a naked Christ. Christ is able every way to make thee happy and fully answer all thy Desires take heed therefore of going after other Lovers give not his Headship and Sovereignty away IV. This shews what a happy State the Godly are in Can the Soul be poor that has such a Friend and Husband as Christ is If David concluded he should not want because the Lord was his Shepherd be sure thou shalt not because Christ is thy Husband The Bridegroom takes more care and is more tender of his Bride than any Shepherd of his Sheep or Lambs V. This speaks great Terror to the Wicked that oppress and misuse God's People and make a Spoil of his Church What will they do when the Bridegroom rises up to plead the Cause of his Darling He will not spare his Arrows but tread them down in his Fury Lastly Be prepared you that are Virgins the Bridegroom is coming the Midnight-Cry will soon be heard get your Lamps trimmed and Oil in your Vessels An EPITHALAMY on the Soul's Marriage with CHRIST By E. D. THe Match is made and Crouds of Angels come Prepar'd to sing an Epithal'mium Diffusive Sparkles of Seraphick Fire Exalt the Musick of the raptur'd Quire An universal Chorus loudly votes To grace this Wedding with their shrillest Notes Hail Glorious Prince The universal Air Eccho's Hosannahs to the Illustrious Pair Let no Parenthesis of Clouds obscure This blessed Day but still as bright endure As now Let Mortals in sweet Consort sing Anthems to Thee in an eternal Spring December's Frost the scorching Heat of June Shall no more put thy Singers out of Tune Hail Glorious Prince whose unexampled Love Brought thee from those bright Royalties above To court thy Spouse Tho no Magnifick Dress Did set thee forth thy Glory 's nev'r the less Tho thou wert treated with perverse Disdain Myriads of Angels waited on thy Train Shepherds inspir'd thy joyful Welcome sing Star-guided Sophies their Oblations bring O bless'd Espousals that our Freedom bought O happy Match that our Redemption wrought Hail Glorious Spouse for ever blest in Him That crowns thy Brows with Heaven's Diadem Amazing Change unparallel'd in Story A Slave advanc'd to everlasting Glory A Virgin fettered in the Bonds of Sin Vnbound espous'd made glorious all within From base Estate beyond a Queen in Honour A peerless Beauty now bestow'd upon Her Since Words are narrow and Conception's weak T' express my Joy in Extasies I 'le speak Entranc'd in sacred Raptures I 'le rejoyce Rather than fail to melt into a Voice Where Cherubs Hallelujahs do rebound I 'le Eccho like reverberate a Sound For Heaven 's shrill Quire and Earth do joyn in one To quaver out this Epithalmion Christ the express Image of the Father Heb. 1.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Character of of his Substance We translate it The express Image of his Person THe Term Character is a Metaphor taken from the Image Figure or Impression of a Seal representing the Proto-type or first Pattern in every thing The Word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 charattein which signifies to ingrave the Father having as it were most indelibly engraven his whole Essence and Majesty upon this his Eternal Son and drawn his own Effigies upon him from everlasting being his substantial Image and exact Representation Which Explication fairly agrees with this Mystery leading our Mind to such Discoveries as will stir us up to desire the gracious participation of its Fruit and Efficacy For it opens the Secret of eternal Generation and the Love of the Heavenly Father A Seal is more highly valued and more closely kept than other things See Isa. 42.1 Mat. 3.17 17.3 John 3.35 17.24 Through an Union with this blessed Image the lost Image of God is restored in Believers now inchoatively or with respect to Beginning after Death consummatively or with respect to Perfection Col. 3.10 1 Pet. 1.4 not by Essential Transmutation but by a Mystical Vnion Metaphor I. AN Image is the Likeness of or doth represent and express the Person whose it is II. An express Image represents a Person unto others III. An express Image represents a Person unto us whom we many times cannot see personally because absent and at a great Distance from us IV. An Image and the Person it represents are not the same V. An express Image brings him who is held forth or represented by it into our Minds whereby we call to remembrance what manner of Person he is and thereby contemplate upon his Beauty and excellent Accomplishments which before probably might be forgot VI. An express Image if it represents some noble or renowned Person one that hath an endeared Love and Affection to him or her to whom it is sent their great and only Benefactor or a dear Relation is exceedingly prized and valued by the Receiver VII An express Image of a Person is curiously drawn and is a most rare and admirable Piece of Workmanship it is viewed and commended by all skilful and discerning Persons in that Art Parallel I. CHrist is the Likeness of the Father the true Form Figure Character or Representation of him This Similitude saith a Reverend Divine relates to the Persons of the Godhead 't is borrowed from the Impression of
a Signet The Son in himself is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the likeness of God II. Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of God representing him unto Men he manifesteth God unto us He is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Image of the Invisible God because partaking of the Nature of the Father the Goodness Power Holiness Grace and all other glorious Properties of God do shine forth or are represented declared and expressed to us III. Christ represents God the Father to Believers in his true Form Character or Likeness whom we see not as he is in himself nor can see he dwelling in inaccessible Light at an infinite distance of Divine Nature and manner of Being from our Apprehensions and Conceptions No Man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the Bosom of the Father he hath declared him IV. Christ respecting his Essence is the same God with the Father but the Subsistences or Persons of the Father and Son are different and so not the same V. Christ being the express Image of the Father brings into our Minds what kind or manner of God the Almighty is his Excellencies and glorious Perfections are hereby presented as it were to our view By which means we are taken up into holy Meditations and Contemplations of him whom by reason of Sin we had forgotten and lost the true knowledg of VI. Christ being the express Image of God the Father who is the blessed and only Potentate and the glorious King of Heaven and Earth who hath dear and tender Love to us his poor Creatures who is our Friend Husband Father gracious and chief Benefactor causes all true Believers greatly to prize love and esteem the Lord Jesus not only for his own sake but for the sake of him whom he doth resemble and represent VII Christ God-Man in one Person or God manifested in the Flesh the glorious Representation of the Father to Sinners is the Admiration of Saints and Angels 't is a great Mystery and comprehends the Depths of God That the Glory of God should shine forth in the Nature of Man is and will be the Wonder of both Worlds t is judg'd by all the Godly to be the Master-piece of Divine Wisdom Metaphor I. AMong Men the Substance of a Thing hath the precedency or is before the Sign or Image of it the Person and then the Picture or Emblem of it II. An Image Figure or Character among Men cannot fully and perfectly in every thing express or represent the Person 't is made for it differs in Matter Life and Motion c. III. 'T is gross Idolatry to worship Images or the Likeness of any Thing in Heaven above or the Earth beneath IV. Other Images are soon marr'd and pass away Disparity I. THat which is said of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being or existing and subsisting in the Form of God that is being so essentially for there is no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Form in the Deity but what is essential unto it This Christ was absolutely antecedently to his Incarnation the whole Nature of God being in him and consequently he being in the Son of God II. Christ is a lively perfect and compleat Image Character and Representation of all the glorious Attributes Excellencies and Perfections of the Father the Fulness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him Were it not so he could not gloriously represent unto us the Person of the Father nor could we by contemplation of him be led to an Acquaintance with the Person of the Father 1. The Father is from Everlasting so is the Son 2. The Father is a perfect Divine Person or Subsistence so is the Son 3. The Father hath Life in himself so hath the Son Life in himself 4. The Father created the World so did the Son 5. The Father upholds all things by the Word of his Power so doth the Son 6. All things were made for the Father so all things were made for the Son 7. The Father is to be worshipped so is the Son 8. The Father knows all things and searches the Heart so doth the Son 9. The Father is in the Son so is the Son in the Father The Father is in me and I in him The Father being thus in the Son and the Son in the Father all the glorious Properties of the one shine forth in the other The Order and Oeconomy of the Blessed Trinity in Subsistence and Operation requires that the Manifestation and Communication of the Father to us be through the Son 10. All other Perfections of the Father shine forth in Christ 't is he that makes them manifest to us according to that of the Apostle For God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ. The Wisdom of the Father is great and infinite many ways but wherein doth it shine more gloriously than in the Son 's working about our Redemption in reconciling Justice and Mercy in punishing Sin and pardoning the Sinner To the intent that now unto the Principalities and Powers in heavenly Places might be made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God 11. The Father is still of Goodness and Love to Man this appears in his making of him Supreme over all Creatures on Earth But what is this Favour and Goodness to that which is manifested in and by Christ in raising him up when a Rebel and vile Traitor to the Honour and Dignity of a Son and to accomplish this to give his only begotten Son to die in his stead He made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us There was much Favour and Love in the Blessings and Privileges of Creation but in Redemption Mercy is magnified likewise to admiration and shines in equal Glory 12. God the Father is infinitely holy just and righteous His Holiness and Justice appeared in casting off the fallen Angels and by executing his Severity upon our first Parents and by destroying Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them and in several other respects Yet how much more abundantly doth his Holiness and Justice shine forth in the Son the Image of the Father when he came forth to redeem Mankind in that he made his Soul an Offering for Sin God letting out his Wrath upon him sparing him not when he stood in the place of the Sinner For the Transgressions of my People was he stricken As Mr. Burroughs observes there is nothing sets out God's Justice Holiness and infinite Hatred of Sin like this c. Our Nature is united to the Divine Nature of God that so by that mystical Union Grace and Holiness might be communicated in a