was lawfull onely for the High-Priest to enter into it and that but once a yeare Great in this regard is our preeminence now above Gods ancient people they might not passe so much as into an earthly Sanctuary inclosed with materiall walls and coped with a roofe but wee have licence and leave to enter into a farre more holy and undefiled place Christ hath consecrated or initiated a way for us hee hath trod the path first as our fore-runner and hee hath done it by his bloud or as the Apostle speakes through the vaile that is to say his flesh he alludes to the vaile of blew and purple scarlet and fine twined linen which was to divide the holiest of all from the rest of the Tabernacle That vayle was a type of Christs flesh Now as the High-priest of old entred into the holiest by removing of the veile so Christ by the death of his body did as it were turne aside the veile and so hath entred into heaven the holy of holies there to make intercession for us Yea by the renting and tearing of that veile of his flesh upon the crosse he hath for ever opened a way for all Beleevers a new and a living way that of old is obsolete and vanished this is such as the vigour thereof shall never decay that of old being by the bloud of beasts could not give life to the comers this being by the bloud of Christ revives and raises up them that are dead in trespasses and sinnes and doth also conferre eternall life upon them O how precious beyond all thought and conceit is the bloud of Jesus Christ the bloud of a most righteous person most noble bloud the very life and heart-bloud the bloud of God justifying sanctifying redeeming bloud bloud purchasing eternall redemption for us bloud that quickeneth us and conferres both spirituall and everlasting life upon us Lastly Bloud that opens to us a never decaying way into Heaven How precious I say is this bloud of Christ and how doth it call upon us to stirre up our affections to embrace Christ to lay hold of him and to love him with a most ardent and unfained love who hath bestowed such a precious gift upon us Secondly Christ hath bestowed upon Beleevers precious Graces Grace is called by the Apostle the renewing of the Holy-Ghost and the forming of Christ in us It consisteth in the rectitude and conformitie of our will unto the will of God and to Christ the absolute patterne of all grace and holinesse the image of the invisible God the expresse character of his Fathers brightnesse the Sun of righteousnesse the morning starre most eminently and gloriously above all others chiefest of ten thousand for sweet and gracious deportment How precious are those qualities of the soule which come neare such a patterne as this which imitate resemble and take after such unmatchable beautie Now all grace is precious but the Scripture gives that Epithite especially to faith 2 Pet. 1. 1. and that for these Reasons First Because it is the roote and wombe as I may say of all grace it is the inward fountaine and principle from whence all grace flowes it is the mother grace it purgeth the conscience and purifieth the heart and so breedeth every needfull grace in us You may see this genealogie or pedigree of grace notably delineated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 5. There we finde that charitie or love which is the fulfilling of the commandement of God and a chiefe grace or Christian vertue flows from a pure heart and a pure heart springs from a good conscience and a good conscience is the off-spring of faith Faith is the Genetrix and breeder of Grace as Eve was the mother of all mankinde I speake so in respect of an internall principle for if we regard externall causes the race and genealogie may be stretched farther as thus faith comes by hearing of the word of God the word of God is declared by the mouth of a Preacher and every true Preacher is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sent from heaven But I must speake ad rhombum though there be sundry externall efficients and workers of grace yet faith is the internall roote and principle of it and that is one reason why it is called precious Secondly it is precious in respect of its Author which is the Father Sonne and Spirit The Father draws us unto Christ Joh. 6. 44. And hence wee are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be taught of God and to heare and learne of him The Sonne likewise draws us draw me we will run after thee saith the Spouse Christ is both the Author and the finisher of our faith Heb. 12. 2. He casts in the first seed of it and also makes it to persevere he layes the foundation of it and brings it up to the roofe as I may say he makes us first to apprehend him and then leads us to the end of our faith which is the salvation of our soules Whence it is that he is called the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is he is the teacher of our faith and the Captain thereof Lastly the Holy-Ghost is likewise the Author of our faith No man can say that Jesus is the Lord saith the Apostle but by the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. And in the ninth verse of that Chapter faith is reckoned among the gifts of the Spirit Faith then must needs be very precious having God the Father God the Son and God the Holy-Ghost for the Author of it Thirdly Faith is precious in respect of the object thereof that is to say the thing upon which it leanes or rests which is God himselfe or God in Christ God is said to be in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe and not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. Now this is the highest and most excellent object of faith Christ also as Mediatour is the object thereof David prayeth Lead me unto the rocke that is higher then I Psal 61. 2. And the rock that he speaks of is Christ he is the strong rocke on which his Church is built firmely and unmoovably Needs then must faith be precious while it leanes on such a solid and stedfast foundation Againe the promises are metonymically an object of faith because they are made unto us in Christ they are in him as adjuncts in their subject we rest upon the power and truth of Christ for the obtaining of that good which is in the promises All the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. He is mediate or in the middle between the promises and us God makes the promises and Christ is his pledge and assurance for the accomplishment of them so that faith rests on the promises of God mediante Christo through the mediation of Christ and anon you shall see what precious things those promises are in the meane while we may conclude even from them likewise that faith
is the safest adventure that you can make Christ will be a rich gaine unto you here and when you come into that endlesse world he will set the never-withering crowne upon your heads So prayeth Your much obliged servant JOHN ROBOTHAM TO THE CHRISTIAN READER THou art not I conceive such a stranger to these times but thou knowest that there is a spirit of bitternesse and contention among us whereby abundance of Gospel-love is lost and our affections become unprofitable unto us if wee could live more in the love of Christ wee should live more in the love one of another this following Treatise being first preached through the earnest importunity of many friends is now printed for to elevate thy affections and cause them to mount up with wings as Eagles unto Christ who is the delight of all delights and abstract of all prayses The Subject of this discourse is the pearlesse and unmatchable excellency of Christ wherein is discover'd his rarity price usefulnesse with the high esteeme that the Father puts upon him in which respect he is precions to Beleevers Love is the attractive Lord-stone of Love and never was there such a love-deserving object as Christ upon whom should Saints place all their sweet affections that are to be exercised upon good as love joy and delight but upon him who is the brightnesse of Gods face and the expresse Image of his glory It will be worth thy time to study the absolute necessity and transcendent excellency of Christ he is precious and excellent in all relations whether as man as Mediatour as God he is attractive in his love ravishing in his beauty winning and delightfull in all his graces he is absolute gaine without losse he is absolute for all supply in a word all the riches of Gods love the brightnesse of his glory and the shining of his face are treasured up in Christ and by our union with him we come to enjoy them Now this excellency of Christ must not lie as a contemned thing but it calls for the strength of our soules and the height of our affections to be fixed upon it There is no object in the world but there is a will relating to it and inclinable to close with it Now what better object can the will of man have then Christ if wee be not here what doe we differ from beasts and a beast in the shape of a man is worst of all 'T is good for us that God hath placed such sweet affections of love of joy of delight and the like in our soules but it is much better that God hath provided such an object for them as Christ who is the summum bonum and the top of all felicity and happinesse It is pitie we should lose so much of our affections as we doe upon the world when we cast our affections upon Christ they be not lost he onely makes them heavenly and gracious and gives them to us againe if we lay down our lives for him they be not lost but gain'd unto eternall life Thus I have shewed thee whereon this discourse is grounded namely in setting forth Christ in his beauty in his love in his graces in his offices in his riches and in all the operations of his Spirit in all those rich and costly gifts which he doth bestow upon Beleevers redeeming of them with his precious bloud sanctifying of them with his precious graces enriching of them with his precious premises reviving of them with his precious love comforting of them with his precious Spirit and ennobling of them with precious priuiledges and all this is as an attractive Load-stone to attract and draw our hearts unto him Now if thou wilt but take a view of all the high perfections and supereminent excellencies of Christ if thou wilt anotomize him in every particular and particularize him in every excellency thou wilt find him to be lovely in all the parts of his Mediatorship in his person in his natures all Offices and Graces yea he is the chiefe or Standard-bearer of ten thousand he is altogether lovely be is wholly delectable Now it is my earnest desire that as God hath honour'd his Sonne and Angels they venerate him and Saints highly esteeme of him that hee might be precious unto thee which is the chiefe thing I can desire for my selfe or for thee who am June 4. 1647. Thine in the service of the Gospel JOHN ROBOTHAM A Table of the maine things contained in this following TREATISE THe coherence of the Text. p. 1. 2. What is meant by precious p. 2. 4. What the faith is that esteems Christ precious p. 5 6 7. The division of the Text with the Doctrines contained in it p. 8 9. The maine Doctrine propounded viz. that though Christ be slighted and undervalued by unbeleevers yet he is exceeding precious to those that doe beleeve p. 10. The Doctrine is proved by three eminent ex-examples p. 11. In the prosecution of the Doctrine three things are insisted on 1. some demonstrations 2. Some illustrations 3. Grounds and Reasons of the point p 12. 1. Demonstrations and they are foure 1. Beleevers are impatient of Christs absence ibid. 2. Beleevers make diligent search after Christ when absent p. 13. 1. They seeke Christ diligently in the use of all meanes p. 14. 2. They seek Christ constantly without intermission ibid. 3. Beleevers have a prudentiall care in keeping Christ when they have found him p. 15. 4. Beleevers doe bewaile Christs absence seeke him with diligence and keep him with prudence out of a principle of love p. 19. Love what it is ibid. The will cannot be forced ibid. The will must have a sutable object to draw it out p. 21. Christ is a sutable good to the soule of a Beleever ibid. 22. A second thing in the prosecution of the Doctrine is the illustrations viz. 1. Rarity 2. Esteeme 3. Price 4. usefulnesse p. 23. 1. The rarity and scarcenesse of a thing makes it to be precious ibid. Christ is rare in the world ibid. 2. The high esteeme that is cast upon a thing makes it precious p. 24. Christ is highly prized by the Father p. 25. By Angels p. 26. By Saints p. 27. 3. The great and excessive price that is given for a thing makes it precious p. 29. Much hath been given for Christ p. 30. 4. The usefulnesse and profitablenesse of a thing makes it precious p. 31. Christ is precious for all things but especicially for Justification p. 32 Sanctification p. 34. The parts of Sanctification are two viz. Mortification Vivification p. 35. Beleevers are sanctified by an influence of grace flowing from Christ their Head page 36. 37. The third thing in the prosecution of the Doctrine is the grounds and reasons why Beleevers doe soe highly esteeme of Christ p. 38. 1. Reason Beleevers are in some measure convinc'd 1. Of their misery without Christ ibid. 2. Of their inability to help themselves ib. 2. Reason Beleevers apprehend an infinite treasure and
In speciall thus 1. Christ shines as the Sunne in all perfection and sufficiency of wisdome power goodnesse love Majesty glory p. 128. all these perfections are originally in Christ ibid. 3. All perfections of vertue are in Christ in the abstract they are his essence page 129 130. some conclusions are drawne from the God-head of Christ by Scripture aphorismes to set forth the preciousnesse of Christ p. 131 132 133 134 135. A fourth Reason why Christ is precious to Beleevers vâ—z he is absolute for all manner of supply and the supply which he makes to Beleevers is full sutable and constant page 136. 1. Christ makes a full supply to the soule as is manifested by many types and shadowes which of old had relation to him page 137 138. 2. The supply that we have by Christ is sutable ibid. p. 139. 3. Christ makes a constant supply of grace p. 140 141 142. A fifth Reason Christ is the most gainfull object in the world for the soule p. 143. 1. He is absolute gaine ib. 2. He is universall gaine p. 144. 1. In respect of all persons ibid. 2. In respect of all times 145. 3. In respect of all things ibid. 3. Christ is gaine in and for himsef p. 146. A sixt Reas Christ is precious to Beleevers because of the attractivenesse and alluring vertue Of his love Of his beauty p. 147. Of his grace 1. Christs love is very winning and conciliating drawing the affections of the soule to Christ p. 148 149. 2. Christ is winning and attractive in his beauty ibid. He is of a faire comely complexion p. 150 He is proportionable in all parts p. 151. 3. Christ is attractive in his graces consider'd 152. 1. As inherent in himselfe p. 153. 2. As bestowed upon the Saints p. 154 155. Beleevers are the glory of Christ p. 156. Reason 7. Christ is precious to Beleevers from that evidence of Interest right propriety that they have in him p. 157. 1. In all his works performances p. 158. 2. In all his dignities and honours p. 159. 3. In all his Offices and administrations p. 160. 4. In all his blessed influences graces ib. The application of the point 1. Use It shewes us the reason why the most in the world doe despise Christ and care not for him namely because they have no faith p. 161. Where Christ seemes a despicable and worthlesse thing there 's no faith as appeares 1. By their ignorance ib. p. 162. 2. By their stumbling at Christ p. 163 164 3. Their not improving of Christ p. 165. 4. By their carelesnesse of the things of Christ p. 166 167 168 169. 5. By their refusing to receive Christ p. 170 171. 6. By their being satisfied without Christ p. 172 173. 2. Use The discovery of a fit object for our affections p. 174. The affections of the Saints are some more and some lesse intensive upon Christ p. 175 176. 3. Use The discovery of the singular effects the excellency of Christ have upon Beleevers drawing out their affections unto him p. 177. We may judge of all our affections by the affection of love ibid. Love is the height of our esteeme and there are in it three acts or effects viz. 1. Complacency or well pleasednes p. 178. 1. What the love of complacency is being referred to Christ ib. Cheist is an exceeding pleasing object to a beleeving soule p. 179. Christ is welcome to a Beleever however he represents himselfe p. 180. The Saints are wel-pleased with Christ in spirituall desertions p. 181 182. Christs sweetnesse doth swallow up all his bitternesse p. 183. The force of that pleasantnesse which is in Christ is such that nothing can make his Saints weary of their profession p. 184 185. 2. From complacency flowes a desire of union ib. The love of union desires to enjoy Christ p. 186. Christ is enjoyed 1. In his Ordinances ibid. 2. In his secret sweet appearances to the soule p. 187 188. 3. In his personall presence p. 198. 190. 3. From complacency and desire of union flowes benevolence or good-will p. 191. Benevolence being referred to Christ is an affection whereby we desire his name may be glorified ib. A Beleevers love to Christ is a constraining love p. 192. 4. Use We are to consider the unmatchable excellency preciousnes of Christ p. 193. We are to consider by way of motive those rich and costly gifts which Christ hath bestowed upon in they are such as these Precious bloud Precious Graces viz. Precious Promises Precious Love p. 194. Precious Spirit Precious Priviledges 1. Motive The bloud of Christ is precious in these respects 1. From the purity of his humane nature ib. 2. It was noble bloud p. 195. 3. It was his Life-bloud p. 196. 4. From his personall union of his Manhood with his God-head p. 197 198 5. In the blessed effects thereof p. 199. 1. It saves from wrath ibid. 2. It is the price of redemption p. 200. 201. 3. It is the bloud of entrance into heaven by which Christ entred p. 102. By which Beleevers enter p. 103 104. 2. Mot. Christ hath bestowed upon Beleevers precious graces p. 205. Faith is called a precious grace and that for these reasons 1. It is the roote grace p. 206. 2. In respect of its Author p. 207. 3. In respect of its obiect p. 208. 4. From the effects and workings of it p. 209 210. 3. Mot. The Promises of Christ are great and precious if we consider 1. The nature of the Promise p. 211 212 213. 2. Of the Antiquity of the Promise p. 214 215 216 217 218 219. 3. The precious things contained in the Promises which doe appertaine 1. To temporall life p. 220 221. 2. To spirituall grace p. 222 123. 3. To eternall glory p. 224. 225. 4. Mot. Christ hath bestowed precious love and precious it is because 1. Infinite p. 226. 2. Gracious p. 227. 3. Liberall p. 228 229. 4. Eternall p. 230 231. 5. Mot. Christ bestowes upon Beleevers his precious Spirit which doth these things 1. It illuminates our mindes p. 232 233. 2. It sanctifies our natures and therefore compared to wind p. 234 235 236. To fire p. 237 238. To water ibid. 3. The Spirit seales our adoption p. 239 240. 6. Mot. Christ bestowes upon Beleeevers Priviledges namely 1. Accesse to the throne of Grace p. 241 242. 2. Good Successe of their suites p. 2â—â— 244 245 246 247 〈◊〉 THE PRECIOUSNESSE OF CHRIST Unto BELEEVERS 1 PETER 2. 7. Unto you therefore which beleeve he is precious THE particle wherefore in the beginning of this Chapter intimates a connexion and consequently the Apostles going on with his exhortation begun in the precedent The first thing he exhorts to is to love the word of God ver 2. As new-borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word To this he doth both prepare and also give suitable and agreeable reasons His preparation is in the first verse laying aside all malice and
without any Light lying under shame and dishonour under the guilt of sinne and not able to deliver it selfe this cannot but make it looke out for it selfe and seeke with great importunity for a Saviour The Dove could find no rest for the soale of her foot till she returned into the Arke It is a perfect hyeroghyphick or resemblance of a wounded Spirit as Solomon calls it when it is as the blessed Redeemer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surrounded with sorrow and it is full of restlesse vexations fluctuating and tumbled up and downe in a whole Ocean of perplexities and feares and can see no shoare no Land no creek or haven of comfort then it must into the Arke then it uses the soliloquie of the Psalmist returne unto thy res◠ô my soule then it cries out with the blessed Martyr ô none but Christ none but Christ there 's my Arke ther 's my rest there 's my refuge there I shall find reliefe and refreshment or else no where Christ will be a calme to me after a storme he will dispell and drive away all these clouds he will hold my head above water and keep me from sinking he will be light and joy and unspeakable solace after all these distempers thus the poore afflâ—cted soule as a prisoner of hope as the Prophet speakes Zach. 9. 12. returnes unto Christ as to its strong hold The misâ—rable soule seeks for cure the whole need not the Physition saith Christ but the sick sin-sick sinners will enquire and seek after the Physition of soules The sense of misery is the primum mobile the first mover that sets us on seeking for Christ The more wee know our owne misery the more we know how to prise Christ and set a true value upon him Againe Beleevers are likewise convinced of the impotency and weaknesse of the creature in respect of any help or succour that it can afford None can by any meanes redeeme his brother nor givâ— to God a ransome for him Psal 49. 7. iâ— not redemption from temporall death much lesse from eternall Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rammes saith the Prophet or with ten thousand rivers of oyle shall I give my first borne for my transgression the fruit of my body for the sinne of my soule The truth is should all the Angels in Heaven and righteous men upon Earth joyne their goodnesse together and offer it up to God as a sacrifice it would not be sufficient to expiate so much as one sinne Now when the soule is sensible of this it crieth out as Peter in another case help Lord or else I perish Solomon saith that as good newes from a farre Country so is cold water to a thirsty soule Prov. 25. 25. So it is with a poore distressed soule when it seeth it selfe as it were in a farre Countrey farre from God farre from â—oy and farre from any deliverance in it selfe or in any other then if one bring him newes of a Saviour of a Redeemer this is welcome newes indeed this is as cold water to a thirsty soule An instance of this is seen in the Prodigall who when he came to himselfe that is when he saw what a wretched and helplesse creature he was he cast his thoughts upon his Fathers house he loathed any longer to feed upon the huskes and hogs meat of the world then he desires the bread of his Fathers hired servants Nothing but home will content him farewell feasting and revelling and all filthy pleasures that I have lived in I have gotten nothing by them but wounds and sorrowes and vexation of Spirit I will home to my Fathers house there is bread and durable cloathing there is whatsoever I can wish or desire here I starve and die there I shall live and sweetly enjoy my selfe here I want all things but there I shall lack nothing This is a lively pourtraiture of a thirsty and wearied soule flying unto Christ for ease and comfort This then is one reason why Christ is precious to Beleevers namely because they are in some measure convinced of their misery with him and of their owne impotency and utter inability to help themselves therefore Christ is precious unto them Secondly Beleevers are not onely Reas II convinced of their owne misery without Christ and of their impotency and inability to help themselves but also they see and apprehend an infinite treasure of good and happinesse that God hath treasured up in Christ and that to be joyned unto him is the onely way to obtaine these blessings Viz. the Fathers Love Pardon of sinne Manifestation of Gods face The love of God being infinite like himselfe cannot be conferred upon any creature for its owne sake the causa procuratrix or the procuring cause of this love must of necessity be infinitely meritorious now this is not found among the sonnes of men but onely in Christ the eternall Sonne of God onely in Christ who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man as I may say Immanuel God with us or God in our flesh God that he might be a fit object for the infinite love of his Father and man that he might derive and bring that love to us God first loves his Sonne and then Beleivers through him It is impossible that the infinite love of the infinite God should bee drawne out but by an infinite motive and where is this motive but in the second person coe-eternall co-essentiall and co-equall with the Father were it not for his Sonne God should have no object for his love in the world Love is as fire which must have fewell to maintaine it Now let all the Creatures men and Angels be set before God yet they all with all their excellencies and lovely parts cannot deserve the least minute or tittle of his Love God loves himselfe in his Sonne and his creatures for his beloved Sonnes sake God will supply saith the Apostle all your need according to his riches in Glory by Jesus Christ Philip. 4. 9. The treasures of Gods love and riches are first in Christ and by our union with him wee come to enjoy them So Ephes 1. 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he hath ingratiated us through that Beloved Gods love and his favour is undeserved on our parts wee finde grace in his sight through Christ Notable to this purpose is the order of the three persons which the Apostle sets Cor. the last and the last The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Ho-Ghost be with you all Amen You must know now that this is not a right naturall order for by order of nature the Father whom the Apostle cal's God in a personall sense as John 1. the word was with God that is with the Father I say by order of nature the Father is first of himselfe not begotten the Son is from the
lost Marie's good part which she had chosen could never be taken from her The Saints and their graces are in the hand of God and who can snatch them out of that mighty and powerfull hand Mount Zion standeth fast for ever and the Lord is about his people â—s the Mountaines are about Jerusalem they are therefore in a most safe and persevering condition In Solomons Temple there were two pillars the one was called Jachin and the other Boaz 1. Kings 1 Kings 7. 21. 21. as much as to say stability and strength now what doth this figure unto us but the more then brazen stedfastnesse and strength of the Church of God of all the members of it and of all their saving graces which can never perish never decay but shall dure beyond the world unto all eternity never to be broken as the two staffes Beauty and Bands were which the Prophet Zach. 11. 10. 14. speakes of but still to be supplyed by the Spirit of Christ with fresh strength and abilities and so to last for ever and ever Fifthly looke upon Christ as upon Reas 5 the most gainfull and profitable thing to the soule that can bee imagined nothing more commodious nothing more enriching then Christ is And verily Christ is absolute gaine Universall gaine And gaine for himself First he is absolute gaine absolute because whatsoever we give unto him we lose it not there is no alienation of it but it is ours still and ours in a farre safer custody and keeping then in our owne if wee cast our affections upon Christ they be not lost hee onely makes them better if wee give them to the world they differ little or nothing from the affections of beasts but if Christ have them he makes heavenly and gracious and such as will fit us for the presence of God if wee lay downe our lives for him they be not lost neither but gained unto life eternall Matth. 10. 39. Againe the necessity of getting Christ makes him to be absolute gaine to such as have him the necessity of a thing puts worth upon it it is not absolutely necessary to be rich or honourable or great in the world but Christ being the life of our soules and one without whom wee cannot subsist happily he must needs be of absolute necessity and therefore absolute gaine unto us Without me saith Christ you can doe nothing Joh 15. 5. As the branch cannot beare fruite except it abide in the vine and if it beare no fruit men cast it into the fire and burne it so if we bee not in Christ and abide in him we can beare no good fruite and for such as beare no good fruite the fire of Gehenna is prepared how absolutely necessary theâ— is Christ and how absolutely gainfull to us if once wee have him Secondly Christ is universally gaine First universall for all persons rich and poore young and old noble and ignoble Learned and unlearned bond and free there is no man rich without Christ neither is there any poore that have him none noble without him none ignoble with him none learned or free without him none bond or unlearned with him There be distinctions in the world among men honouring some and debasing others exalting some and depressing others but in the body of Christ they are not to be found There is neither Jew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Galat. 3. 28. Secondly Christ is universall gaine in respect of all times All things are beautifull in their season saith Solomon Musick is good but it is so onely in a time fit for mirth food is good but it is so onely when men are hungry cloathing is good but it is then for them that are naked and Physicke also is good but it is when men are sick and distempered but Christ is seasonable at all times he is that tree of life that beares twelve sorts of fruit and before the old store is done new comes for it yeilds fruit every moneth Revel 22. 2. Christ is never out of season and therefore universally gainfull Thirdly Christ is gaine also to all things In Christ are made unto us promises of all sorts both of this life and of that which is to come for which cause the Apostle saith that Godlinesse is profitable for all things When the Prophet saith that the just shall live by Hab. 2. 4. his Faith we must conceive that it is true as well of food and rayment and temporall deliverance as of Justification Sanctification and eternall salvation this is not so well observ'd by Christians as it ought to be for many can trust Christ with their soules but not with their bodies not with their Estates Peter rested upon him for salvation thou hast the words of eternall life saith he but hee could not trust him with the safety of his flesh for going to him on the water he doubted and began to sinke But beleeve it whatsoever our weaknesses are whatsoever our ignorance ouâ— doubting our forgetfulnesse Christ is profitable for all things both for soule and body for this life and for the life to come for ever Thirdly Christ is gaine for himself other things are gainefull in aspect and relation to their ends as wealth is good to supply want food to maintaine life cloathes to keep off the cold aire a staffe to support feeble legges a bed to rest wearie limbes on and the like but Christ is a rich and inestimable treasure to the soule without reference to a further end then himselfe he is to be desired even for himselfe Wisdome is better then Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Proverb 8. 11. And doubtlesse Christ is the wisdome there spoken of Now then if Christ be the most gainefull thing in the world absolute gaine universall gaine and gaine for himselfe without aime at some better thing if Christ be thus gainefull I say who can denie him to be most precious and excellent I passe to a sixt Reason Sixtly then Christ is precious to Beleevers Reas 6 because of the attractivenesse and alluring vertue Of his Love Of his Beauty Of his Grace First of his love Magnes amoris est amor Love is the attractive Load-stone of Love and never was there such a love as Christs love to his Elect free and undeserved from everlasting to everlasting cast upon them even when they were enemies and in their stomachous grassations and rebellions overcoming all difficulties and oppositions all peevish frowardnesse and prevarications after reconcilement never wearled or tired out with any provocations a love lifting up Adam Earthly man as high as Heaven and translating Enoch miserable and enthralled man into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God a love infinite and past comprehending so that well might the Apostle set a Behold to it Behold saith he what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Joh. 3. 1. and the Father was not alone in this Love but the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost too if the love of the Saints to Christ be so hot that many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the flouds of persecution drowne it if it will not be scourced or exchanged for any wealth if it be strong as death and cruell as the grave urging and constraining them to lay downe life and all for him if the coales thereof be coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame as we reade Cant. 8. 6 7. What is then the love of Christ to his people who is not onely loving but love it selfe in the very abstract certainly such a love as this cannot but be very attractive and drawing very conciliating and winning it must needs like the first wheele move and turne about all our affections our desire to enjoy Christ our joy in the fruition of him our love toward him our feare to displease him our anger when he is offended our jealousie of losing him Our nature is such that wee will love where we are first loved as the heat of the Sunne-beames reflects from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflection of ours upon him ours is but a sparke of his we love him saith the Apostle because hee loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. when he reveales his love to us such a fire must needs kindle and melt our affections be they never so key-cold and frozen Secondly the beauty of Christ is likewise very attractive I doe not meane it of the aspect and face of the outward lineaments and proportion of his body although his comlinesse in that behalfe need not to be doubted of being formed in the sanctified wombe of a Virgine by the Holy-Ghost but of his spirituall beauty and gracefulnesse Now wee know that true beauty consists In fairenesse of complexion And in a just symmetry or proportion of parts Neither of these was wanting in Christ First he was of a faire and comely complexion as the Church describeth him Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy saith she the mixture of these two colours makes a beautifull and good complexion White and red as they shew the best temperature in man so here it may signifie in Christ his God-head and manhood God appeared in a vision all white as snow and pure as fine wooll Dan. 7. 9. And man had his name Adam from the red mould or Earth that his body was made of and Christ vouchsafed to be like unto us in this Againe the red colour may signifie the bloudy sufferings of Christ and the white his righteousnesse thereby inherent in himselfe but conveyed to all his members by Gods free imputation righteousnesse is so described by white linnen Revel 19. 8. Now this temperament and mingling of white and red after such a mysticall way in Christ denotes the surpassing beautie of Christ makes him precious to the Saints and inflames their affections to embrace him and follow him Secondly in Christ there is also a comely proportion of parts from the correspondency and agreement of parts ariseth a feature compleatly beautifull and lovely This every faithfull soule findes in Christ The Church enumerates and reckons up all his parts Cant. 5. 10. c. his head as most fine gold his lockes bushie and blacke as a Raven excellently well agreeing with a faire face his eyes as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set his cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe his hands as gold Rings set with the Berill his belly as bright Ivorie overlaid with Saphires his legges as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his counteance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars and his mouth or voyce most sweet What a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts is here figuring unto us the supreame and absolute Government of Christ his unsearchable Councells his pure nature hating all impurity and uncleannesse his amiable and delightfull smilings upon his Saints his gracious promises and soule-saving instructions all his actions and administrations just and holy his mercies and inward affections very precious like the Saphire that glittereth with golden points the workings of his spirit in his Saints most firme and stedfast like marble pillars the whole shew and cast of his person most glorious most excellent most Majesticall and yet most delightfull like the forrest of Lebanon and the stately Cedars that grew in it so that he is altogether lovely all over from top to toe as we say desirable and the chiefest among ten thousand as much as to say matchlesse and incomparable on earth and in all the world there is not his like who is made without spot or blemish yea who is made and not made a creature and yet the mighty Creatour of all things God and man in one person wholy excellent and beautifull every part sutable a most ravishing and wooing object Thirdly Christ is attractive in his graces considered either as inherent in himselfe Or infused into Beleevers First as they be inherent in himselfe they transcend in excellency all the thought and conceit both of men and Angels they have if I may so speake a most fragrant smell and allicient quality in them compared therefore to sweet spices and ointments as myrrhe aloes frankincense spikenard and the like As these are delightfull to our senses so are the graces of Christ to a beleeving soule attracting the affections winning the love of the heart making all other things vile and base in comparison of him that the soule loathes them and spues at them as I may say when they offer to stand in competition with him It was the grace of Christ that made him so glorious as we read of Joh. 1. 14. We beheld his glory saith the Apostle as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth that is wee beheld him glorious in all perfection of grace wisdome goodnesse and Mercy It is the gemme or Diamond in a ring that makes it very precious and beautifull so it is the grace that God hath treasured up in Christ which makes him so glorious so attractive and so alluring as he is Secondly Christ is attractive in his graces bestowed upon the Saints As a Father is dignified by having a worthy sonne and a School-master by the learning and proficiency of his Scholars so is Christ by the Graces of his people A Master is honoured by his livery which his servants weare now the graces of love and humility and meeknesse and patience and the like are as I may say Christs livery by which wee are distinguished and known to be his servants and he is much honoured by those badges By this shall all men know saith Christ that you are my Disciples if you love one another Joh.
13. 35. The holy lives and blessed examples of the Saints are very fruitful they advance the Kingdome of Christ and are very attractive things to tole and draw on others to a liking of his wayes Yee wives saith the Apostle be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be wonne by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast or modest conversation coupled with feare 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Not that the examples even of the best can convert a sinner for that is done onely by the preaching of the Gospel but they may doe this they may shew a sinner the vilenesse and the danger of his own way because they be light they may also allure him and draw him on to approve of the holy wayes of Christ and so prepare him to heare that word which is of power to beget faith and to save the soule And hither tends that of the Prophet Hosea 14. 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon The meaning of it is this that Ephraim being converted others that dwell under his shadow beholding his wayes and approving them shall returne he shall cast forth such a sweet savour of holy conversation that others not yet wrought upon shall revive as the corne after the dead winter flourish like the vine and give a sent as fragrant and delightfull as the wine of Lebanon The graces then of the Saints doe very much decorate and adorne Christ himselfe As a faire and beautifull woman vertuous and holy is a credit to her husband â—o are the godly to Christ they are his Spouse they are his Members they are his Children they are his Servants they are his Scholars and therefore whatsoever is excellent and commendable in them it redounds to his praise They be branches of his planting and the worke of his hands and he is glorified in them as the Prophet speaks If the visible heavens do declare the glory of God as the Psalmist saith how much more then doe the new heavens I meane the new creature the persons of men new moulded and formed in holinesse and righteousnesse to the similitude and likenesse of God how much more I say doe these declare the glory of Christ whose handy-worke they are Hence is that saying of the Apostle If our Brethren be enquired of they are the messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. And in another place he saith that Christ presents his Eph. 5. 27. Church to himselfe a glorious Church The glory of the Church reflects upon Christ who first founded and formed it Every childe of God at his conversion puts on Christ whence it followeth that whatsoever beauty and comelinesse the Saints have it is Christs beauty and comelinesse and he hath the praise of it Thus you see that Christ is very attractive in his love in his beauty and in his graces both his own and his Saints therefore he must needs be very precious There is one Reason more which Reas 7 may not be omitted Christ is precious to Beleevers from that evidence of interest right and propriety that they have in him Much hath been said of his peerelesse and unparallel'd excellency but what were all if to himselfe alone and not to us What is all the gold of the Indies to me if I my selfe languish in poverty What are the feasts and full feeding of others to mee if I my selfe starve for hunger or what is all the helpe in the world to mee if I cannot have it at my need Here then is the ultima lima as I may say and the complement of all that Christ is every way excellent and the Saints enjoy him as their own they have a comfortable interest In all his workes and performances In all his dignities and honours In all his offices and administrations In all his blessed influences and graces First all Christs workes and performances are in a peculiar respect for every Beleever his making of the world setling of policies and governments rooting up of Kingdomes executing of judgements in the earth rewarding some and punishing others raising up wise learned valiant active just and mercifull men in their times in all these and in all other generall and providentiall workes of Christ the beleeving soule hath a kind of interest propriety next unto his own glory Christ aimed at the good of his Church in all these things and hath still either immediately or in the upshot and close of all made them instrumentall for her wellfare in which sence are those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours saith he whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Secondly Beleevers have a kinde of claime also in the dignities and honours of Christ There is a reciprocation as I may say between him and his Saints they are mutually and interchangeably glorified in one another as Christ is glorified in them Joh. 17. 10. so they are unspeakeably dignified and graced by him The glory of children saith Solomon are their Fathers Prov. 17. 6. If the Father be heroicall or learned or any way excellent this is the sonnes glory unlesse he degenerate now the Saints are called the seede and the children of Christ whatsoever therefore he excells in it is their dignity and their glory Besides Christ doth impart of his honours to them making them like himselfe Is Christ a sonne and heire of all so are they sonnes and heires and co-heires with Christ shall he judge the world so shall they in some sort doth he breake in pieces the Nations with a rod of iron so doe they is he ascended into glory so shall they ascend There is not any whit of his glory unlesse it be that which is utterly incommunicable but they have a touch of it if I may so speake yea and that which is so incommunicable redounds to their glory as you heard before Thirdly Beleevers have interest in the offices of Christ Every Saint may say of Christ he is my Prophet and Teacher he is my Priest and reconciler he is my King and governour yea the godly have such an interest in these offices of Christ that vertue comes out of him to make even them Prophets and Priests and Kings also Prophets in some measure to teach themselves and others Priests to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ and Kings to rule over their own lusts and corruptions Lastly Beleevers have also interest in the graces of Christ he that hath the field hath also the treasure that is hid in it It was the greatest consolation and joy of the Spouse that shee could say My Beloved is mine All that is in Christ a Beleever may appropriate to himselfe he may say
with unspeakable delight his riches his love his goodnesse his greatnesse his power and all that is his is mine I have interest in all those transcendent graces of his his mercy his truth his promises they are all mine Now this must needs render Christ very precious when he is not onely in himselfe whatsoever is excellent and desirable but also the Saints may justly challenge and claime him for their own I come now to the application of the Vse 1 Point And first of all it shews us the reason why the most in the world doe despise Christ and care not for him namely because they have no faith they are infidells and unbeleevers and therefore they set light by him Christ is very precious but it is onely to Beleevers worldlings have no faith and therefore Christ seemes a despicable and worthlesse thing to them Now that they have no faith this appeares First by their ignorance Most have not so much as the theory or doctrinall knowledge of Christ they are like Festus who tould Agrippa that Pauls adversaries had questions against him concerning one Jesus Act. 25. 19. So let these be asked and they can answer nothing truly nothing rationally nothing punctually of Christ Christ is to them as Logicians speake an Individuum vagum quidam homo a certain man one Jesus but they for their part know little of him onely they have a wilde hope that if he be good for any thing they shall have a share in it as well as others and therefore Jesus Christ have mercy on us is a frequent and high point of their devotion they have it by tradition to receive Christ but what he is and how made ours they know not Others there be that have pretty store of knowledge they can reason and discourse of Christ distinctly and satisfactorily but they have no experimentall knowledge of him they have not felâ— the work of his Spirit upon their hearts they have not tasted how gracious thâ— Lord is they may perhaps have a flashiâ—â— relish and light tast of him such as their is of whom the Apostle speaks Heb. 6 4 5. Temporary gusts apprehensionâ— of Christs sweetnesse causing joy for â—â— while but they doe not sit downe with Christ at his Table to eate even to saturation as I may say and to make a full meale of his spirituall dainties the heavenly Manna the marrow of fatnesse neither have they drunke abundantly as the charge is Cantic 5. 1. of wine on the lees well refined out of Christs wine-cellar In a word they have not a thorough and saving experience of Christ though their braines have some print of him yet their hearts are strangers to him and therefore they have no faith They that know Christs name will put their trust in him Psal 9. 10. But these know it not they know not the power they know not the vertue they know not the worth of Christ neither doe they know their owne misery without him And what faith can there be where there is no knowledge Knowledge is so necessary to breed and beget faith that sometimes it includes faith and faith beares the name of it as Esa 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many and againe Not having mine own righteousnesse saith the Apostle which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. That is one token then that men have no faith because they have no knowledge Secondly It appeares by their stumbling at Christ Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence to the disobediâ—nt as the Apostle saith and disobedient ones are opposed to beleevers unbeliefe is the greatest disobedience in the world 't is to make God a liar and it is the mother and damme of all other disobedience because men beleeve not therefore they are so vicious so prophane so ungodly and so disobedient as they are and therefore it is that Christ seemes so vile and so base to them as he doth therefore it is that they are offended with him and stumble at him overmuch hast makes a man to stumble now the Prophet saith that he which beleeveth shall not make hast Esa 28. 16. Had the Jewes beleeved they had never stumbled at Christ his poverty and depressed condition had never been any scandall to them but they not beleeving looked for a Saviour and a Messias that should come in the riches in the glory in the pompe and magnificence of an earthly Monarch which wheâ— it failed they were â—ffended and said Wee will not have this man to reigne over us The Prophet Eâ—â—y brings forth carnall people speaking thus of Christ He hath no forme nor comelinesse and wheâ— weâ— shall see him there is no beauty that â—â— should desire him Chap. 53. 2. This is noâ— meant of the bodily visage and countenance of Christ but of the strict lawes of his Kingdome and of the hard terms upon which he offers himselfe he tells men that if they will be his followers and will have him for a Saviour then they must deny themselves renounce their own wills take up his Crosse suffer mocks and reproaches bonds and imprisonment be hated and persecuted in the world and resist even to bloud and losse of life if need be These are the termes conditions upon which Christ offers himselfe and these are very unsavory most cannot relish them they will not downe Christ is very offensive being so tendred without forme without comelinesse without beauty a most nauseous and loathsome object Now where it is thus it is evident that men have no faith a man will not rest or relye upon that which he hath no good conceit of Thirdly It appeares to be so also when men doe not improve Christ True faith is a growing thing and makes all other graces to grow it is not idle and lazie but active and advancing and still pressing forward What is ground if not goodded and manured What is a Ship if not rigged and sent to Sea What is a trade if not driven and made use of So what is Christ if not working not acting not improved in us What is his incarnation death resurrection intercession if wee receive no vertue or vigorous impresse no accession or augmentation from them the businesse of Christ in a soule is not a matter of words and names as Gallio thought but it is a work of the highest and greatest concernment that can be the aimes of it are above all created excellencies and therefore where it is true and not fained it is ever in agitation ever girding forward to the marke ever building ever running ever growing if not so it is manifest that men haw no faith and if they have no faith it is no wonder that they should despise Christ Fourthly When a man is carelesse and regardlesse of the things of Christ this
is also an argument of a faithlesse and unbeleeving soule Phil. 2. 20 21. the Apostle opposes Timothy whom elsewhere he commends for his unfained faith unto such carelesse ones I have no man like minded saith he who will naturally care for your state for all seeke their own and not the things which are Jesus Christs But how doth he meane it did Timothy care for the Philippians as a naturall man No but as one that was by faith implanted into Jesus Christ and so had a new nature and by the motions and inclinations of that new nature he did as indearedly and affectionately tender the good state of the Philippians as parents do naturally care for their children By this Antithesis then or opposition it appeares that those who sought their own privacies and not the things of Jesus Christ had no faith They might perhaps and did in all likelihood make profession of the faith but not regarding the community and publick good of the Saints it is evident that all their Religion was but a vaine empty flourish a meere shukke or shadow without heart without life without truth and substance of grace had they been truly of the body of Christ they would have had more publique spirits and considered others as well as themselves So writes the Apostle The members have the same care one for another 1 Cor. 12. 25. And this was his own practice I please all men in all things saith he not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10. last And in the very same Chapter he gives in precept that no man should seeke his own but every man anothers wealth I confesse that both these sayings of his doe offer some hold for cavill and exception as where he saith that he pleased all men in all things it may seeme that he was then a flatterer and a time-server but yet wee must not so understand it for he intends it no question of his care not to give offence to any as appeares by the context And againe whereas he saith Let no man seeke his owne but every man anothers wealth wee must not conceive that he doth enjoyne selfe-neglect but onely he gives a charge against self-love to wit that no man should so seeke his owne as wholly to neglect the benefit of others and especially their spirituall benefit yet thus it is with many in the world who notwithstanding make a glorious shew of better things let the cause of Christ let his Church and people sinke or swimme t is all one to them like Gallio they care for no such matters Eli's heart trembled when he heard that the Arke of God was taken but let newes of the ill successe of the Saints come to these and it never troubles them they will make some shew of sorrow with their tongues but there is not a whit in their hearts Now certainly here can be no faith T is the right guise of Infidells to call the Church an outcast and to say This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Jer. 30. 17. Josephus * Antiqu lib. 8. c. 2. writes that Solomon was not so intent and earnest in building of his own pallace as he was in the structure of the Temple because the one was for God but the other for Kings Cleane contrary to which was the practise of those that dwelt in their seeled houses and let the house of God lie wast Hag. 1. 4. Doubtlesse where there is such slighting of God and of his people and such intensive care of private concernments there can be no faith As a man beleeves so he cares for the things of Christ Fiftly When men procrastinate and delay their seeking of Christ putting off this great and necessary work from day to day giving the prime the morning and the virginity of their affections as I may say to the world prostituting their precious soules to such base vile and worthlesse thinge this is also a signe of a faithlesse heart and consequently that Christ is little set by Yee cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6. 24. Mammon is a rabinicall word signifying plenty of riches and worldly wealth some say it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multitude now as Beleevers dilating upon the copious theame of the love of Christ doe as it were lose their hearts and affections in the bottomlesse depth of his unsearchable riches and grace so worldlings doe in like manner ingurgitate and drowne their spirits in the endlesse and unsatiable desire of worldly riches and pleasures and when they thus serve Mammon how can they doe the worke of God to beleeve on him whom he hath seat The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life that is the inordinate desire of earthly pleasures and riches and honours these are of the world as the Apostle saith and we all know that the world and the Elect are ê regione as wee say diametrically opposite and contrary one to the other and if so then certainly where there are those lusts and inordinate desires there can be no faith for faith is proper to the Elect and therefore it is called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Neither will it serve the turne for men to say within themselves as many doe that there will be time enough to seeke Christ hereafter for the present it will be best to follow after pleasures and to pursue the world when gray haires and old age comes then 't will be rathe enough to look after God after Christ after grace certainly this is a most desperate resolution for know assuredly that though many seeme to seeke Christ in the twilight as I may say and evening of their lives yet in the upshot and close of all he is not found though men seeme to leave their sinnes when they be old yet for the most part it is not so but rather sinne leaves them for were they young and lusty as they have been they would be as forward to act it as ever Now where there is no seeking nor receiving of Christ there cannot be any faith at all Sixtly When men can sit down contented and satisfied without Christ never misse him never feele the want of him this doth also argue a state of unbeliefe Every true Beleever makes Christ the center and rest of his soule All things tend naturally to their proper place as light things upward and heavie things downward so the nature of faith is to flie up unto Christ who is as I may say the bosome of perfect rest and repose Those that have been most eminent for faith could never endure the absence of Christ they have still borne it very impatiently very eagerly and discontentedly The Church professes her selfe to be sicke of love for him Cantic 2. 5. Davids soule panted after him as the hunted or chased Hart doth after the water-brookes And the people of God say The desire of our
soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my sâ—ule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee early Esa 26. 8 9. Now I must tell you that it was faith which caused such love-sicknesse in the Spouse such panting and thirsting in David and such soule-desires such incessant seeking of Christ in those godly ones that wee reade of Give me children or else I dye said Rachell so certainly nothing can quiet and content the minde of a Beleever but union and communion with Christ It argues then a dead darke a hopelesse a faithlesse condition when the soule can goe whole moneths and yeares pleasing it selfe with rattles and toys as I may say and never labour for sweet intercourse or commerce with Christ at the very best here can be no better then a divided esteeme of Christ which is nothing worth When the heart is divided between Christ and the world there is alwaies a disproportion the world hath most and Christ least yea even then when Christ seemes to have most yet it is but occasionall dangers feares the ficke bed a spirit of bondage stings of conscience and the like may perhaps make Christ most relishable for a spirt but when the fit or storme is over and God gives respit then the heart is hardened like Pharaohs and there is a returning with the dogge 2 Pet. 2. 22. to his vemit and with the washed Sow to wallowing againe in the mire It is possible for a man to esteeme of Christ meerely for ease he would be freed from anguish but not from sinne he would be eased of the burden of sinne I meane those horrors and terrors and wounds and affrightments which it workes he would be delivered from paine and the hell of sinne but he cares not to be purged from the impurity and filthinesse of it Now where Christ is welcome and accepted onely for such an end as this truely he counts himselfe to be but little set by such an esteeme of Christ is but an occasionall esteeme of him a divided esteeme a disproportionable esteeme which he doth nothing esteeme of and it declares a soule quite destitute of faith and Christ cannot be precious where there is no faith Secondly Here is discover'd to us a Vse 2 fit object whereupon to spend the marrow of our best affections wee should labour to place all our sweet affections that are to be exercised upon good as love joy and delight upon this love-deserving object Christ It is pittie wee should lose so much of our affections as wee doe upon worldly things when we suffer a pure streame to run through a dirty channell our affections to run after the things of the world wee doe but lose our affections and they become unprofitable unto us I confesse that the love of Christ is not alike in all the Saints some are more and some lesse intensive in their love to Christ Wee all know that in the naturall body there is not so much strength in a finger as there is in the arme so in the mysticall body of Christ the members have not all of them the like measures and abilities of grace And it is possible also to sleepe spiritually while the heart that is to say the life and inmost affection of the soule is waking I sleepe saith the Spouse but my heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. The meaning is that shee was somewhat secure and kept not that watch against the pleasures of this life and the baits of this world as shee should doe and yet her heart was upright still So the wise Virgins slumbred and slept as well as the foolish Mat. 25. 5. And yet they had oyle in their Lamps and were ready to go in with the bridegroome The spirit may be willing when the flesh is weake as our Saviour saith Neverthelesse it were to be wished that every childe of God had heavenly affections in him at the height and like an arrow drawn up to the head And wee must take heed that our pusility and dwarfishnesse in them do not flow from a vicious and adulterate love love of the world love of ease love of any thing more then Christ Many of Gods deare ones are not without some tincture of this they have as it were fits of it sometimes as we may see by those excuses which the Spouse makes when Christ did knock at the doore of her heart for entrance I have put off my coat saith shee how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Cant. 5. 3. 'T is a Metaphor taken from those that are gone to bed and are loath to rise for any mans pleasure and the meaning may be this that shee had now shaken off many feares and troubles shee was free from persecution delivered from many afflictions and miseries formerly endured shee had now thrown off these things as one going to bed doth his garments shee had washt them off as in the Eastern Countries travailers were wont to wash off the soile of their feet when they went to their rest and shee was now in the bed of fleshly ease and worldly contentment loath to disrest her selfe loath to rise and to be pincht with cold againe loath to set her feet into the dirt of former sufferings though in her heart shee preferr'd Christ above all yet so sweet were those earthly accommodations that shee would rather forbeare intercourse with him for a while then lose her share in them Thus it was with her but this was a naughty temper and cost her deare to be purg'd of it The true and healthfull temper of the soule is when Christ is a joy to us even in the absence and want of all other things when wee can say with the Prophet Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruite be in the vines the labour of the olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Habac. 3. 17 18. Thirdly This may discover unto us what singular effects the excellency of Christ have upon the hearts of Beleevers and how eminently their affections are drawn out toward him Wee may judge of our esteeme by our affections and chiefly by the affection of love Love is the height of our esteeme and there are in it these three acts or effects viz. 1. Complacency or well-pleasednesse 2. Desire of union or enjoyment 3. Benevolence or good will First Complacency or well-pleasednesse being referred to Christ is an affection whereby wee doe approve and like of all that is in him resting in his goodnesse as in the most lovely and desireable object in the world Thy love is better then wine saith the Church because of the savour of thy good ointments thy Name is as ointment powred forth
cut off the race and succession of them There is a remarkable passage to this purpose In Josephus * Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 4. At that time saith he meaning when Pilate was Governour was Jesus a wise man if it be lawfull to call him a man for he was the performer of diverse admirable workes and the instructure of those who willingly entertaine the truth And he drew unto him divers Jewes and Greekes to be his followers this was Christ who being accused by the Princes of our Nation before Pilate and afterward condemned to the crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbeare to love him for the ignominy of his death for he appeared unto them alive the third day after according as the Divine Prophet had before testified the same and divers other wonderfull things of him And from that time forward the race of Christians who have derived their name from him hath never ceased Here you see what an honourable testimony this Jew that was no Christian gives of Christ and his Disciples so precious and desirable was hee notwithstanding his suffering notwithstanding all the shame and trouble that came upon his followers for him that they never would forsake him neither could the generations of them be rooted out of the Earth unto this day This is my beloved and this is my friend ô daughters of Jerusalem Secondly from complacency or wel-pleasednes flowes another thing in love viz. a desire of union or enjoymeÌ„t When the soule eyes a tempting or tickling object as I may say it presently covets the possession and fruition of it there is by and by a kinde of clasping or closing with it or a strong appetion of peculiarity or private Intrest Whence it is that the French Divine writeth Molinus thus of love Love saith he is that point of our spirits whereby it joyneth it selfe unto objects That which is weight in heavie things love is the very same in our soules for as weight moveth earthly bodies toward the place of their rest so love moveth our soules toward that object which promiseth rest and contentment Now Beleevers highly esteeming Christ desire nothing more then the possession and enjoyment of Christ Now Christ is enjoyed In his Ordinances In his secret and sweet appearances to the soule and in his personall presence First Christ is enjoyed in his Ordinances The Ordinance is as I said before a walke wherein Christ is wont to meet with his people a Beleever therefore doth with great delight and study put himselfe upon that way that he may enjoy Christ in it But Secondly Christ is enjoyed in his secret and sweet appearances to the soule What are all holy Ordinances but dead and heartlesse things without such revelations Job tells us of Ordinances of Heaven and Jeremiah in like manner of the Ordinances of the Sun of the Moone and of the Starres these are naturall Ordinances but to what purpose were they if this inferiour world did not partake of their light and heat and sweet influence Wee read also of politick and Judiciall Ordinances which God constituted and set in the common-wealth of Israel but to what purpose were these likewise or what benefit could an Israelite reape by them if he lived in such corrupt and lawlesse times that he could not have them administred so what are all heavenly and sacred Ordinances to a Beleever if he finde not the vertue the life and the power of them enjoying Christ in the Ordinance and finding an influence of his spirit and grace flowing in upon his soule As there is a desire in a Beleever to communicate his heart unto Christ so Christ communicates his grace unto a Beleevers heart Christ as a Fountaine sends forth his streames of comfort and joy and as a Sunne sends forth his glorious beames of grace and love into a Beleevers soule Now a Beleever doth account prayer preaching Sacraments and all other meanes of his soules welfare to be nothing unlesse the Spirit of Christ comply with them flowing in upon the soule with such heart-ravishing discoveries of his grace as no tongue can possible expresse Hence it is that a Beleever sets open the windowes of his soule desiring that Christ may shine into it with the bright and glorious beames of his grace and favour but if Christ eclipse and hid himselfe from the soule there is nothing but darknesse and complaining sorrow and mourning and no rest at all untill the mist be dispelled and the cloud blowen over and the day-starre arise in the heart againe untill Christ come and refresh the soule with new supplies of revelations The Church never left off seeking Christ untill she had found him till the King had brought her into his bed-chamber and into the banqueting-house and imparted some of his love unto her Oh how precious is that sweet and secret communion which a Beleever enjoyes with Christ ô what a delight is it to sit under Christs shadow and to enjoy him in such a way at this is Thirdly Christ is enjoyed in his personall presence at his second coming The Saints are described to be such as long and looke for Christs appearing 1 Cor. 1. 7. you come behind in no gift saiâ—h the Apostle waiting for the comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revelation of Jesus Christ It is called the revelation of Christ because the glory and Majesâ—y of Christ it now hid but then his brightnesse shall appeare and be manifested for he shall come in the clouds and great glory And the Apostle saith in 1 Thess 2. 10. that Christ shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve that is the Saints seeing themselves to shine as the Starres for evermore and to be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ they shall infinitely admire his grace and Mercy unto them Hence it is Beleevers wait for the consolation of the second coming of Christ as they did for the consolation of his first coming because here they receive good in promise but then they shall receive it in the fruit of the promise here they receive the first fruites of his Spirit then a full harvest of joy and blessednesse here they see Christs glory at a distance and through the lattesse but then in the luster and brightnesse of it Christ is the object of a Beleevers affections and nothing but fruition will give him satisfaction his heart is never at rest untill it come to his proper place of rest and repose agreeable to that of the Father fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescit in te thou hast made us ô Lord for thy selfe and our heart is never at rest till it rest in thee Now whence is it that a Beleever desires to enjoy Christ in his Ordinance in that sweet and secret communion in his personall presence but from this love of union when he sees such a glorious object as Christ is
Jesus Christ the eternall Son of God The Elect are called the sâ—ede of Christ Esa 53. 10 and his children Heb. 2. 13. Now as wee were in Adams loyns when he transgressed so as touching the decree and counsaile of God we were as I may say in the loynes of Christ from all eternity and before the world began and so the promise was made to him for us or to us in him before all moments or measures of time But you will aske mee perhaps where we finde such a promise I answer that wee have such a promise Psal 2. 7 8. I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee Aske of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession In this Scripture marke two things First That God the Father saith of his Sonne this day have I begotten thee And this day signifies both time and eternity Time as touching the resurrection of Christ from the dead that was done in time as you know and the Apostle applyes the words of the Psalmist unto that very matter of Christs resurrection Acts 13. 33. And to the same purpose he is called elsewhere the first begotten of the dead Againe this day signifies eternity It is most certainly to be beleeved that God did beget his Sonne before all time even from everlasting There is a place to this purpose Heb. 1. 4 5. where the Apostle saith that Christ hath a more excellent Name then the Angells because God the Father said of him Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee which he never did say unto any of the Angells And marke I pray the Apostle saith that Christ obtained this more excellent name by inheritance as being Gods naturall Sonne and therefore he had it from everlasting Secondly In this day of eternitie if I may so call it God makes unto his Sonne a promise of a Church to be gathered among the Heathen This promise was stipulated in the nature and manner of a decree and all Gods decrees are eternall and co-etaneous with himselfe most true is the theoreme of the Philosopher a voluntate antiqua non procedit actio nova from the ancient will he means from Gods will there doth not proceed any new act God doth not begin to will any thing he doth not will any thing afresh because whatsoever he wills from all eternitie he will'd it his will from everlasting to everlasting is one most pure and simple act it is sometimes called a decree but yet in respect of himselfe it is no such thing for a decree supposeth some intervall of time to be between the purpose and the execution and so there is I confesse in respect of us but to God it is not so for he is without all predicament of time one day is as a 1000 yeares and a thousand years as one day with him those things that are past and to come with us are eternally present with him But to come to the point Though the counsells of God be not properly decrâ—es in respect of himselfe fâ—r the reason before alledged yet they are from eternitie and that is the thing that we drive at The forementioned decree of gathering a Church from among the Heathen was made when the Sonne of God was begotten and he was begotten of old from everlasting as we have prooved And it was not onely a decree but a promise also it runnes plainly in the forme and tenor of a promise Aske of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the ends of the earth for thy possession Now then consider how precious is that promise that was made in a familiar parlie and conference between the Father and the Sonne from all eternity Christ was foreseene and ordained even of old to be our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mediator upon this ground God makes even then a gracious promise to him for us a promise of giving us to him and consequently of giving us eternall life through him So that here wee have plainly the reason why the Apostle saith that God promised eternall life before the world began Namely because Christ was even then in the counsell and purpose of God our Mediaâ—our And hence in another place he saith that the grace of God whereby wee are called with an holy calling and consequently everlastingly saved was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Christ Jesus was even then lookt upon as our Redeemer God stipulates and promises to him and he againe restipulates to undertake for us Certainly then the promise of eternall life must needs be exceeding precious being the substance of that Dialogue as I may say and communication which passed between the Father and the Sonne before the world was created And if that great promise be so ancient then questionlesse so are all promises because eternall life doth eminently containe in it all other blessings just as the heaven of heavens doth all inferiour parts of the world Now how should the consideration of this stirre up our hearts to love Jesus Christ who received promises for us not onely before wee our selves were but even before there was any time or creature made Thirdly Consider the precious things that are couched in the promises and they appertaine either to temporall life or to spirituall grace or to eternall glory First Great and precious are the promises which doe appertaine unto this life Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promise of this life as well as of that which is to come And even in this respect God hath promised never to leave us nor forsake us Heb. 13. 5. There are in this place no lesse then five negatives to strengthen and confirme our faith in the truth of the promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if he should have said I will in no wise whatsoever come of it at any time forsake thee mine eye shall be still upon thee and I will watch over thee for good continually And marke I pray what the Prophet saith Esa 63. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pitie hee redeemed them and carried them all the dayes of old The place may be read interrogatively thus Was he not afflicted c. That is did he not take to heart the wrongs done to his people in Aegypt Was not Christ the Angel of Gods presence their Conductor and Saviour Did hee not beare them as a tender Mother or Nurse doth her young childe Did he not carry them as the Eagle doth her broode with such care that shee her selfe may not hurt them and at such a height as others may not reach them In such manner doth Christ for ever protect his people In Zech. 2. 5. he promises to be a wall of fire round about them where the Holy-Ghost alludeth to the practice of
Christ hath a head most glorious and excellent most splendent and shining as pure as gold This denotes unto us the beautie dignity eminency and government of Christ As gold is of a splendent and durable nature so is the government and dignity of Christ everlasting and durable it is Divine and heavenly and of a glorious extent 2. His locks are curled and black as a Raven verse 11. Blacke and curled locks are a signe of a hot braine and they doe argue quicknesse and dexterity of wit and strength this denotes to us the vigour and strength of Christ and the depth of all his counsels 3. His eyes are as Doves eyes by the streames of waters washed with milke and fitly set verse 12. that is his eyes are pure as Doves so that he cannot behold any evill with the least approbation and they are quick to search all things and they are white as milke in that he doth behold his people in grace and mercy Lastly his eyes are fitly set that is as a Diamond in a ring or as the fiâ—ling stones which were set in the hollow places of the golden Ephod Exod 25. 7. and those stones were called stones of fulnesse because they did fit the hollow places in that golden Ephod In like manner Christ hath steady eyes he is not goggle eyed as we say but his eyes are steady and firme they are as a stone set in a gold ring which cannot be turned out of its place so are Christs eyes evermore guiding his fight to looke perfectly into all things both into the depth of Gods Counsels and into the depth of mans heart and understanding 4. Christs cheekes are as a bed of spices as sweet flowers verse 13. that is he is like a bed of sweet spices or growne plants that serve for persume This denotes and shewes unto us Christs beauty and grace his comelinesse and gravity to all that doe behold him All Christs graces are sweet and his fight countenance hath a transforming vertue in it it makes those that behold Christ to be like unto him while others behold his glory they are transformed into the same Image of his glory from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3. 18. 5. His lips are like dropping sweet smelling myrrhe verse 13. The Lillies are faire and sweet of themselves yet hee addes they dropp pure myrrhe This is to be referred unto the holy heavenly sweet and gracious Doctrine of Christ Honey and myrrhe that is love and mercy grace and goodnesse did flow out of Christs lips so it s said in Psal 45. 1. grace was in his lips Christs heart was a treasure full of all Divine grace and goodnesse then needs must his lips bee sweet yea and farre surpasse in sweetnesse honey and myrrhe 6. His hands are as gold Rings set with a berill or Chrysolite verse 14. The hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put for Chrysolite signifieth a precious stone The hands of Christ are set forth with all ornaments and precious stones and shining rings of Gold This denotes unto us not onely the person of Christ but also his actions and workings The operations of Christ are admirable and full of Majesty if we consider them in the course of the creatures in the Sunne Moone Starres in the growth of hearbs and plants so in all the Creation of the world in gubernation in ordering of the event of all things and the like The workes of God are incomprehensible as in Job 9. 12. who shall say unto him what dost thou that is the things which he doth are too high for mans understanding Now as all the government of Egypt went through the hands of Joseph so all the workes of God goe through the hands of Christ The Father hath committed all his Judgements and workes into the hands of his Sonne glorious therefore are the workes which Christ doth performe both in Heaven and in earth 7. His breast or belly is overlaid with Saphires as bright Ivory ver 14. Ivorie and Saphires are precious and beautifull and with these Christ hath his belly overlaid This denotes unto us the bowels and inward affections the tender mercy and pitifull commiserations of Christ toward his Saints and Children 8. His legges are as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine gold ver 15. That is Christs wayes are full of Majesty and power and as Marble pillars they are firme and constant having sockets of Gold to sustaine them and to beare up his feet whereby his way is perfect by which hee walkes safely treading downe his enemies under his feet and bringeth glad tidings of peace unto his people 9. His lookes or countenance is as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars ver 15. that is Christ was of a goodly and tall stature like unto the Cedars of Lebanon a goodly Mountaine on the north side of the Land of Canaan This shewes the Majesty and countenance of Christ when he shall plead for his Church and people against their Enemies 10. His mouth or palate is sweet ver 16. this is the same with his lips and shewes how sweet and comfortable how gracious and amiable the Doctrine of the Gospel is this expression is here againe repeated to shew that Christ is better knowne in Sion then in any other place All the workes of Christ are glorious but his Gospel exceeds them all in glory The Gospel is the glasse wherein wee see the glory of Christ more clearely then in any other way therefore the words of Christ are much more sweet to a Beleevers taste then honey or the most sweetest of spices are unto the mouth Lastly Christ is precious and amiable in his whole selfe yea he is altogether lovely ver 16. that is Christ is lovely in generall and he is lovely in particular he is lovely in all parts and altogether yea he is altogether lovely As if the Church should have said what shall I say more of my beloved he is all over and altogether lovely Christ was lovely to God to Angels to Saints hee was lovely in his nature and person in his Offices and graces yea he is all over lovely he is wholly delectable The Church having thus described her beloved shee concludeth with an exclamation this is my beloved and this is my friend oh daughters of Jerusalem this is he that I sought with so much diligence and for whom I was sick of love this is he that shall have my best affections in whom I desire to glory in this is my friend oh yee daughters of Jerusalem In the next words wee may take notice of the effect that this commendation of Christ hath upon the daughters of Jerusalem Whether is thy Beloved gone oh thou fairest among women whether is thy Beloved turned aside that wee may seeke him with thee The daughters hearing such a high commendation from the Church of her Beloved hearing of his riches and glory and of his beauty and excellency she is enflamed with a desire to seek Christ also