say no more of this thing The next Consectarie doth arise from the second thing Consect 2. VVhy the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was Because they are inclosed in him From thence observe this Consectarie That it is the priviledge of the Saints not onely to be of but actually and really to live in Jesus Christ This I have spoken largely of already But that which we may learne from this is First To teach us what the reason is Vse 1 why few men understand the life of a Saint It is Because they goe to understand it where it is not Every thing is understood rightly when it is understood in that Element where it lives It is impossible for men that live below Christ to understand the glory of that life that saints enjoy in Christ It is high it is glorious it is full of misterious wonders their life is in Christ their life is very Christ Iohn 14.6 their life is caused by Christ their life is hid with God in Christ Col. 3.3 All this sheweth that it is a high and glorious mistery Therefore this should teach you not to wonder though men speak so darkely of it and have so little affection to it It cannot be that the Earthly as Earthly should owne the Heavenly It cannot bee that those that are in the flesh as in the flesh should owne the spirit But when I speak thus of the flesh I doe not onely meane that which men commonly call the flesh but that which the Apostle intendeth by flesh when he saith We knew Christ after the flesh but now know wee him so no more â— Cor. 5.16 Now Dearest friends VVhat need you care or be troubled though they that are after the flesh persecute you that are after the spirit See what the Apostle saith Gal. 4.29 For as then he that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit even so it is now But I shall say no more of that thing but only this In the midst of all trouble consider that you are wrapt up above all trouble in the inclosure of him who is your life The third Consectary doth arise from the third particular Consect 3. why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was because they bring forth fruit through the enjoyments of him From whence observe this Consectary That in-comes from Christ is the cause of our bringing forth fruit to Christ Every effect is produced by a cause sutable to it selfe All our loves longings desirings and gaspings after Jesus Christ is not a Cause but a fruit of Christ as the onely cause The Vse of this is Vse 1 First Deare friends Look not upon your desires and your loves as causing Christ to come into your spirits but as that which flowes from Christ being already in you And therefore what shall wee think of those men who without Christ seeke in their prayings lovings and longings to gaine a Christ Deare Soule know Christ is taken with nothing but what lookes like himselfe and nothing lookes like him but what is produced by him Secondly Vse 2 This should also teach us to owne things as Christ ownes them He ownes that love longing and desire in us that flowes from himselfe And so ought wee Thirdly Vse 3 This should teach us to give Christ the glory Ioh. 15.4 as of our priviledges in him so also of all the duty wee performe to him Gal. 5.22 beeing but fruits of in-comes from him Fourthly Vse 4 This informes us what a priviledge it is to performe duties to Christ when as they flow from an enjoyment of Christ Eph. 1.5 6. first There is a certaine acceptance with him for he cannot chuse but love and like the returnes of his owne love Besides it is a priviledge in this That we are not to carry the power of duty Luke 4.32.36 but the power of duty carries us to it selfe How easie must that command be when the party commanding is the party performing By this not onely you but all may see how sweetly how Evangelically how heavenly those Soules act that act from an enjoyment of Christ Eph. 1.19 3.20 they doe not only act to but in the power of Christ they doe not only act to heaven but from the power of heaven In the last place Vse 5 This may inform us when the time is of a saints fruitfullnesse and of a saints barrennesse If Christ with-hold his displayings of love life and glory in us so farre there is a cessation of heavenly actings by us and this is a Saints barren time And when Christ is pleased to bring downe the discoveries of the hidden mysteries of Divine glory to raise up a poore spirit into the glory of it selfe It no sooner sees but it doth conceive it no sooner lookes but it presently loves and as it loves so it longs for a perfection of enjoyment of the thing beloved But I say no more of this Vse nor of this Consectarie The last Consectarie doth arise from the last thing Consect 4. Why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was Because they looke like him From thence observe this Consectarie That a saint as a saint as he is of 1 Ioh. 4.17 so also he looks like Jesus Christ VVould you see the face not of the earthly Adam but of him that is from heaven VVould you see his heart VVould you see the glorious earnings of the eternall bowells of love and sweetnesse You may read this in the heart of a saint who is sprinckled enriched and garnished with these sweet beames of these Divine loves even the heart of Jesus The Vse of this may be Vse 1 first To shew us the strange conceit of some men who say they love the heart of Christ and yet love not the spirit of saints Poor soule thou mayest love the heart of Christ in the flesh â— Cor. 3.26 but not in the spirit if thou dost not love the spirit of saints God gave downe the highnesse of his glory â— Ioh. 4.7.8 and the mistery of his love in the comming of Christ to us the image and likenesse of his glory was given to the saints by the commings in of Christ in them You may read the first Adam in the heart of every carnall man you may read also the second Adam in the heart of the spirituall man VVast thou ever wrapt up into those hidden treasures I mean the Bosome of Christ Didst thou there read his Name and Nature Look and behold Is not the like in a saint How can you sleight condemne and judge him that loves and lookes like Christ The second Vse of this Vse 2 is to saints Is it of you I speake that looke like Christ As your heart doth represent Christ spiritually in the spirit Phil. 1.27 1 Pet. 1.15.2.11 so let your actions present Christ glorious and lovely ourwardly amongst men It is the
it by that power and authority in it and in so doing they take upon them the sole work of God himself But I shall say no more of that thing nor of the first terme in the Proposition What I mean by the Church of Christ 2. Why the Church is called a Garden The second thing to be unfolded is Why the Church of Christ is called a Garden Or wherein it may fitly be compared to a Garden I answer The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in these things First In that it is inclosed common fields have common fences 1. Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Because it is inclosed but no special enclosure In a special manner to be enclosed is the property of a Garden and therein may the Church of Christ fitly bee called a Garden Cant. 4.12 A Garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse and so Isa 5. I had a Vineyard and I set a Wall about it saith Christ and I hedged it c. All this discovers thus much That the Church of Christ which is Christs Garden is specially enclosed and this enclosure is not a bare external discipline to separate them from the World Rom. 8.35 But it is also the special love Iohn 14.21.15.12 13.17.15 and power and sweetnesse of Christ to secure them from the evil that is in the world 2. Because there is more fruit there then elsewhere Secondly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more special fruit there then elsewhere In common fields and road-waies there may be common fruits but your special and choice fruits are in your enclosed Gardens so it is in the Church of Christ In the men of the world there may be some common gifts to declare Christ and some civil and legal conformity to Christ and also a love to Christ from a supposed good by Christ when they can love themselves in loveing of Christ and the same we may say of sorrow for sin and joy in duty c. But if you look for a choise love and a choise light Eph. 3.29.5.19 you must look for it where it is Mat. 11.27 and that is either in the heart of Christ the Gardiner 1 Iohn 2.20.27 or else in the saints who are the Garden Every stream looks like its own Fountain and every beam like its own Body from whence it flowes Therefore if you desire to see a choise love 2 Cor. 7.11 and a choise light a choise joy and a choise sorrow you must view it onely and alone in the heart of saints They who are possessed with Christ and so live with Christ that all living acts flow from Christ they are not carried out to love from an apprehension of good without them presented to them But they love from a power of good seated in them They do not love to gain life but they so love from a power of life that it is a gain to them to love That love that is in the heart of Saints to God flowes from no lesse then the very heart of God It looks like him it is owned by him it wraps up and involves the spirit loving in the glory of him these are the choise fruits and spices Christ speaks of in the CANTICLES And so we are to understand the words of Christ Mat. 5.47 where he saith What is in you more then in another implying that there is some singular thing in the heart of Saints that is not else where You may finde light and love and sorrow and joy in the heart of men yet unacquainted truely with God But if you will finde these Purely and Truely Singly and Transcendently you must expect it no where but where Christ dwells with a Soule and a Soule with Christ And therefore under that second consideration The Church of Christ may fitly bee called a Garden 3. Because there is more care taken of it Thirdly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more Care taken of it and more speciall watching over it then of other places Where the Lord saith Esa 27.3 I watered it and watched it night and day that none should burt it Men take a common care of their common fields But they take a speciall care of their enclosed Gardens So it is with God himselfe Psal 145.9 Whose mercy is over all his works But his choycest Loves Light Iohn 14 21.23 and Life is displayed in the heart of Saints and they are not onely under a common Providence but a Fatherly and Friendly care I might here speake something of the White stone and also of the choice ownings and imbracings betwixt Christ and his Saints But I shall leave that to the experience of them that doe enjoy it 4. Because Christ takes satisfaction and delight in it Fourthly The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in referrence to the sweet Refreshings Satisfaction and Content Christ takes in it Which content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare and is made manifest by these things First In Christ's sweet discoveries and friendly manifestations in a secret way to them Iohn 14.21 It is here betwixt Christ and his Church as it is betwixt friends If men desire to have a friendly discourse with a friend they commonly go not into the common fields but into enclosed Gardens where they may discover their mindes as privately so freely and friendly So it is betwixt Christ and his Church who when he hath any choice matter to discover from the heart of his Father He presently retires to the heart of Saints Iohn 15.15 where he doth and can speake as fully so freely And in his discovery of himselfe and his Father to them hee takes great delight And herein the content and satisfaction of Christ in the Saints doth appear Secondly The content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare in that Christ is pleased not onely to carry them by a common hand of Providence but hee carries them in his Bosome Esa 40.11 He delights for them to ly in his heart and for Him to live in them Thirdly Not onely so But the content of Christ appeares in divers expressions which he takes up to expresse himselfe in and declare himselfe by to his Churches Hag. 2.23 Sometimes he calls them the Signet upon his finger Sometimes hee desires to bee Set as a seale upon their heart Cant. â— 6 Sometimes hee cries out and saith Turne away thine eyes from me Cant. 6.5 for they have overcome me And sometimes hee cries out Shew me thy Countenance Let mee heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice Cant. â— 14 and thy Countenance comely It is here with Christ as it is with one that delights not only in a Garden but in the variety of fruits in that Garden So Christ is pleased by the sweet and glorious scituation and indwelling of himselfe
A GARDEN INCLOSED and WISDOM JUSTIFIED ONLY OF HER CHILDREN Being two Exercises discovering the Glory Beauty and Perfection of the Love of God to Saints that are so comprehended and in such a glorious inclosure And also the sweet Reflections in and from Saints in Iustifying Wisdom Which were delivered at New-port Pagnell about a yeare and a half since for declaration whereof the Authour was then imprisoned and since accused for delivering of Blasphemie by Paul Hobson Cant. 8.13 Thou that dwellest in the Gardens the Companions hearken to thy voice cause me to hear it Mat. 11 19. But wisdom is justified of her Children Acts 4.20 For we cannot but speak the things we have seen and heard LONDON Printed by Iames and Ioseph Moxon for Henry Overton and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-head Alley and for Giles Calvert at the spread Eagle at the west end of Pauls 1647. To the Impartiall Reader THE Sonnes of Strife delight in striving but my soule shall rather strive to salve then to encrease that sore Were myself alone concerned I should rather passe over mens judgements and sentences with silence then bring forth this my ensuing discourse to a publicke view It is now above a yeare and a halfe since for delivering of this following Treatise to some friends in a quiet and peaceable manner in New-port Pagnell and Lathbury in the County of Puckinghamshire I was imprisoned by the Governour of New-port But since that not my selfe alone but the Truth becomes a sufferer through the sunday reproachfull Epithites of Mr Pryn his brother Gangâ—aena and some that had a hand in my imprisonment affirming that what I delivered there was Blasphemy But what shall I say I could be I hope through the power of God as voluminous to answer folly as folly is constantly voluminous against Truth but to strive to answer contentious spirits gains no honour to truth and that makes me unwilling to write an answer to such men as they are I could wish that all the sons of Sion and the Israel of the most high God would rather spend their time in prayers and teares to God for their deliverance out of that unexpressible and incomprehendible Prison of darknes as they have formerly sought God for Mr Pryns deliverance out of his past imprisonment which I my selfe Cordially desire to do for I had rather spend twenty dayes in tears for them then spend one houre in giving an answer to them And had not the Vindication of truth commanded me I should not have brought forth this to the view of all men but knowing that the sonnes of Truth are best able to judge of truth makes mee bold to present this to them desiring thee courteous Reader whosoever thou art not to looke upon this or me or any scandalous reports of the people of God through the multiplying Glasse of mens envious expressions of which these times are full but lay it to the rule of Truth and what truth you finde in it give Truth the glory of it But if you finde it within the Verge of Condemnation for Blasphemy as Mr Pryn affirmes let me beg that favour as to receive a loving information if thou canst afford it from thee I must confesse I was something unwilling in my selfe to come in publick view in this way conceiving myself the leost of all Saints and not worthy to be a servant of the most high God But in relation to the precedent reasons recited and expressed and seeing God hath made me worthy to hold forth his Name I cannot hold my peace I must speake the things that I have seene and heard And therefore that Truth may be triumphant over Falshood to the reall discovery of Blasphemers and Blasphemy is the reall desire of Thine really PAUL HOBSON Errata Page 44. line 20. read he that knows God p 68. l 21. for upholding r upbraiding p 71. l 9 for have r hath p 74 l 23 24 for afterward r affirmed A GARDEN enclosed and WISDOME justified of Her CHILDREN CANTICLES 8.13 Thou that dwellest in the Gardens the Companions hearken to thy voice cause me to hear it I Shall not at this time speak any thing of the CANTICLES in general which of all Scriptures is so full of the discoveries of the Saints glorious priviledges in Christ and sweet relation and onenesse with Christ as also that sweet exchange of love that is betwixt Christ and them which is so transcendent in the nature of it so full of light and life in the operation of it that no soule can truly declare it but he that doth enjoy it and he that doth declare this love from the enjoyment of love is so swallowed up in love that he is never weary of declaring love for love enjoyed is a sufficient power and life to the soul enjoying to carry him out to declare it self by him that so enjoyes it And as this CANTICLES doth discover the exchange of Love betwixt Christ and the Saints so it also discovereth the love that is in each Saint to one another chap. 8.1 2. and 8 9. verses But I shall say no more of the CANTICLES in general but come to this verse in particular And in the Verse there is these two things considerable First A sweet acknowledgement or declaration Secondly A sweet desire or thirsting First A sweet acknowledgement or declaration in these words Thou that dwellest in the gardens the companions hearken to thy voice Secondly A sweet desire or thirsting in these words Cause me to hear it 1 A sweet acknowledgement or declaration In the acknowledgement or declaration consider these things First The party acknowledging Secondly The matter acknowledged Thirdly The manner of the acknowledgement 1 The party acknowledging First The party acknowledging and that is a soul possessed with Christ who was able from the enjoyment of Christ to understand as priviledges in him so the sweet and glorious communion the Saints have with him And from thence we will observe this conclusion That they Doctr. and they onely are sit to declare Christ Ioh. 14.17.19 20 21. who understand Christ from enjoyment Ioh. 15.4 5â— verse 6. Others that do not enjoy him and go about to declare him onely speak of him as one that speaketh of a thing at a distance and so speak of him at random and may assoon speak out themselves as Christ for that is the onely reason and cause that mens judgements of Christ do so often alter It is just in this case as it is with some men that understand the nature of Forreigne Countries by a Globe or secondary declarations and that is the cause men give such sundry descriptions of one and the same place But he that hath been at those places and understandeth them not at the second but first hand he onely is able to give a right description of places and things So it is with those men that have no understanding of Christ but what they fetch in
sufficient ground to admit one into Church fellowship But a bare beleeving of Christ without may be in the men of the world and therefore that is not a sufficient ground to admit one into Church-fellowship The major is clear And for the minor I prove thus That which the Divel may do a man of the world may do in matter of beleeving But the Devils did believe and know a Christ without Jam. 2.19 and yet did not enjoy a Christ within Therefore a wicked man or a man of the world may do the same And therefore that is not a sufficient ground to admit one into Church-fellowship Fifthly As the Apostles owned men Reason 5 so ought we to owne men But the Apostles knew no man after the flesh 2 Cor 5.16 that is as I conceive by flesh he meaneth all external acts of righteousnesse which he calleth flesh in Phil. 3.4 Therefore I conceive the Apostle meaneth they know no man after the flesh that is according to their external actings but according to their internal enjoyments And so ought we Sixthly Reason 6 That which is the onely way to bring distractions into the Church of Christ that ought not to be practised by the Church of Christ but the admitting of members upon so slight a ground as a bare believing of a Christ without when they do not know and enjoy a Christ within is the cause of distractions in the Church of Christ and therefore ought not to be practised If you aske me Quest. What are the distractions it may or doth produce I Answer Ansvv The distractions are such as these First Distract 1. A continued fear that men will or may fall off from them For if men hold themselves in the profession of Truth 1 Ioh. 2.19 and are not held in by the power of Truth then they will at first or last fall off from Truth Secondly Distract 2. This is that which openeth the mouths of some that are not yet in external fellowship not onely to speak against it but it maketh them also afraid to submit to it because they fear that we center and put too much in outward Ordinances and too little in inward enjoyments This maketh them fear that they shall not enjoy that amongst them that professe outward Ordinances which they do enjoy amongst others Thirdly It is a grief and trouble Distract 3. and sadnesse to the spirits of them that are already in fellowship For insteed of being built up with the exchanges of experiences they meeting many times with some who are admitted upon confession and profession of a Christ without when they do not so enjoy Christ within as to see an interest in him and have a sensible communion with him insteed of the exchanges of experiences that may refresh the souls of each other they give out nothing but external declarations about external administrations which is so far from refreshing that it doth exceedingly damp the heart of a soul that liveth with God And it is no better then pouring cold water upon a warmed spirit For though external Ordinances are very good in reference to the will of God yet it is not an outward Ordinance but God in the Ordinance that is the life of a Saint Seventhly Reason 7 That which is held out in the Gospel for men to believe that ought to appear in men when they do professe themselves to believe before they are admitted into Church-fellowship But that which the Gospel holdeth out for men to believe is not a bare believing of Christ presented to them but to believe an interest in Christ Ioh. â— 15.14.6 so as to enjoy life by him Gal. 2.20 1 Ioh. 1.7 And untill men can declare that they see an interest in Christ and sensibly enjoy Christ there is no ground for us to believe that they do so believe as to admit them into Church-fellowship And so much concerning the first consectarie That the Church of Christ are believers in Christ The second consectary is Consect 2. That the Church of Christ are such as are sweetly overcome and fetch'd in to Christ by the commings in of Christ By those expressions my meaning is First That that heart that is truly possessed with Christ is sweetly overcome by the sweet love and lovelynesse of Christ so that he hath nothing to say against him or any thing that is required by him but doth sweetly submit to him Secondly He is fetch'd in by that I mean not onely a fetching into an external Ordinance but to the enjoyment of an internal glory he is not barely fetch'd in from a seeming power of death to live under the shadow of life but he is really fetch'd from the power of death into the glory of life In a word he is fetch'd into the bosome of God to live in him so that he is sweetly wrapt up in the mysterie of that glory which is involved in the bosome of God And so much for that consectarie The third consectarie is Consect 3. That the Church of Christ must worship Christ And that this is their duty is cleer from these Scriptures 2 Kings 17.36 1 Chron. 16.29 Psal 29.2 and 96.9 John 4.23 24. Acts 24.14 Rom. 12.1 Phil. 3.3 And had I time I should speak somthing of the word Worship for Worship in Scripture is taken either for Moral or Instituted Worship but I shall say nothing of that Onely in a word the people of God are to acknowledge God in all things both external and internal that are required of them by God But I shall not at this time speak any more of this consectary The fourth consectary is Consect 4. That the word of Christ is the Rule of the worship of Christ Esai 8.20 Every King must and doth rule by a Law sutable to himself Kings that govern and rule in civill things are to govern and rule by a civil Law but Christ who is a King spiritual ruleth and regulateth his Church by a spiritual Law civil Lawes cannot reach Christs government Neither hath Christ centred any power in the civil authority to regulate mens spirits in the worship of Christ Gen. 49.10 though that was formerly in the Church of the Jewes which was a type of Christ it is now ended by Christ and all power in matter of worship is called home to him Esa 9.6.7 and resides in him Mat. 11.27 and those men that indevour by the power of a civil Law to constrain men to a spiritual worship Ioh. 3.35 they take upon them the authority and prerogative of Jesus Christ Nay in a word they in that act deny Christ come in the flesh and it is not onely sinful but poor and beggarly for they would have all men see with their eyes and all mens spirits in nature and measure sutable to their Law and if they see more they must be fetched back by the power of it and if they see lesse the must be fetched up to
in the soul to cause the soul to bring forth choice fruits unto himselfe and Christ loves to view the fruits of his own love and the Beames of his owne Beauty And it is impossible for any Gardiner to take so much delight in any Garden as Christ takes in the heart of Saints For Christ is not carryed up by them but hee carries up them to Himselfe The Spirit of Christ is not revived by any stream in a Saint besides Himselfe but all the refreshment of a Saint and of himselfe flowes from himselfe as the onely Fountaine And these wayes and many other doth the content that Christ takes in his Church appeare And so you see how the Church of Christ may fitly bee compared to a Garden And for the Third thing 3. Why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden Why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden I Answer It may fitly be called Christs Garden upon these grounds First Because it was planted by Him Secondly It is inclosed in Him Thridly It is made fruitfull through the enjoyments of Him Fourthly It looks like him 1. Of the first 1. Because it is planted by him It is planted by Him It is the same thing that Christ saith Esa 5.2 Hee planted it with a choice Vine Every one may lay claime to the workmanship of his own hand There is nothing in the heart of a Saint considered spirituall and heavenly but it was planted there by Jesus Christ and thus consider the hearts of Saints centred and placed in any divine enjoyment they are placed and seated there as with so by Jesus Christ Ephes 2. Looke upon all the Loves Joyes Desires and Longings of a Saint If you aske me Whose they are I tell you they belong to him that planted them and that is the Lord Christ All the out-goings of the heart of Saints to God in Christ they are but the reflections of the Divine beame of eternall glory the head and fountaine of which is in God himselfe If you looke upon any Divine enjoyment where a Saint is planted or placed If you ask me Who brought up a low Spirit to those high enjoyments I Ansvver It is the work of Christ who at one and the same time liveth with God in the heighth of his glory and with poore creatures that are here below bringing down Gods highnesse to their weaknesse and bringing up their weaknesse to Gods highnesse So then in this first sence they may well be called the Garden of Christ because in all their plantings they are planted by Christ Secondly 2. Because it is inclosed in him As they are planted by him so they are inclosed in him Every Garden hath a particular inclosure But Christs Garden more high and glorious They are not onely inclosed by a common Providence to protect and secure them but they are inclosed within the choice limits of Christs Loves They are carryed in his bosome Esa 40.11 they are borne up in his armes Was there ever a place more secret high and glorious in the heart of Christ then where a Saint lives He should be drawn up to a higher enjoyment then yet he hath or shall have But the truth is the Lord Christ locks up and incloseth his Garden in his choisest closset and that is in no lesse then in the heart Of what Even of himselfe Nay of his Father and they are so inclosed in the heart of him that there they live in the midst of all his Loves They are comprehended within the Divine beames of his eternall delights love and content And this is the second ground 3. Because they are made fruitfull through the enjoyments of him why they may be called Christs Garden because as they are planted by him so they are inclosed in him Thirdly They are made fruitfull through the enjoyments of him The thoughts of which doth exceedingly transport my spirit in the viewing of it that we who are low should bee advanced into the highnesse of Gods presence who have not onely admittance to but interest in the heart of Iesus This with much more is our priviledge And for our fruitfullnesse toward our God in the acknowledgement of these high priviledges we enjoy by God From whence flow they Is our priviledge gained by the strength of our duty Or Is our duty produced by the power of our priviledges It is that we dwell with Christ Col. 3.1 or rather that Christ dwells with us which is the onely cause of our bearing fruit to Christ Eph. 3.17 And what the sweet distillings of that eternall dew and spirituall watering is no soule knowes but hee that doth enjoy it See what Christ saith Esa 27.3 I the Lord do keepe it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keepe it night and day This watering the heart of Saints it is by the sweet displayings and glorious unfoldings of the Fathers good will to the Saints through which beames there is power and life begot in them through which life and power there is duties performed by them So that all the duties Saints bring to the heart of Jes us Christ it is but the returnes of his own streames and the reflection of his own beams Col. 3.3 How hard dead and unsencible is a Saint when Eclipsed by Christ How high how spirituall how Evangelicall is a Saint in his actings to Christ when hee acts from an enjoyment of Christ See but what Christ saith John 15.1.2 I am the Vine and ye are the branches This doth not onely shew the choice relation that is betwixt Christ and his Spouse but also sheweth the sweet conveyance of life from himselfe to his Spouse for as the branch in a Vine cannot bring forth fruit but as it receiveth sappe from the root neither can a Saint who is made one with Christ bring forth fruit unlesse he hath in-comes from Christ Therefore he saith verse 15. Without me ye can do nothing And so much of this third thing They are made fruitfull through the enjoyments of him Fourthly They looke like him 4. Because they looke like him Adam begot a Sonne like unto himselfe This second Adam who is from Heaven and therefore Heavenly 1 Cor. 15.45 47.48.49 all the Saints that are made one with him who are involved in him Eph. 1.4 who are made fruitfull by him they looke like him 1 Joh. 4.17 As he is so are we in this world Look you that have experience of the enjoyments of Christ You I say who are wont to sit down amongst the Loves of Christ viewing and beholding the heart of Jesus Doe but behold the heart of a Saint and there is a sweet sutablenesse or likenesse each to other If you aske me From whence cometh this I tell you it is because whatsoever is considered in the heart of a Saint as a Saint it is really one with Christ it really flowes from Christ I told you before that
every beame is like its own Body So it is here that Love that is in a saint to Christ it is but a Sonne 1 Ioh. 4.9.10 it is but a fruit of the Love that is in Christ to us The love that is in a saint is not onely begot by him but it really flowes from him as one with him And what you may say of Love you may say of all that is considered in the heart of a saint as a saint Insomuch that if you should call the love that is in a saint to Christ Choice Love you could neither wrong a saint nor Christ in that thing Dearest friends Behold in this a great wonder Christ in the givings out of himselfe to us requires returnes of himselfe in an acknowledgement of so great a priviledge But behold all the returnes in us to Christ flowes from Christ as the originall Fountaine and Well-head of all those streames And so much of this fourth thing They look like him And now I have done with unfolding the termes of the second Doctrine to you which was that Christs Church is Christs Garden Vse of Information The first Vse is a Vse of Information to informe us of many Truths which I shall draw from the Proposition or Conclusion and that shall be in drawing severall Consectaries from the particulars in every terme Onely the first terme viz. what I meant by the Church of Christ I have at large handled it already and therefore I shall speak no more of that at this time But I shall come to draw Consectaries from the second and third things First From the second Why the Church of Christ is called a Garden And I gave you four Reasons why it may fitly be called a Garden First Because it is inclosed Secondly Because there is more speciall fruit there then else where Thirdly Because there is more care taken of it and watchfullnesse over it Fourthly Because Christ takes more Content and Delight in it then elsewhere From thence observe these four Consectaries First From the first thing Consect 1. That Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Because it is inclosed From thence observe this Consectarie That Christs Church is not a scattered confused but an inclosed Company It is the property of idle shepherds to let their sheepe goe scattered up and downe not knowing them nor them knowing him But the Lord Christ taketh care to inclose his Garden within the limits of that Light Life and Glory that maketh known himselfe to them and them to himselfe Ioh. 10.14 that wheresoever a Saint is he is still inclosed by Christ hee is not without the Pale but hee is still within the borders of the limits of that strong wall Esa 26.5 And therefore wee may say here as Christ saith Cant. 4.12 A Garden inclosed is my sister my spouse What this inclosure is in the fellowship of the Saints in any sence at this time I shall not speak having spoke so largely to this before But this I am sure of That Christs Church is an inclosed Garden Wee might in the way of Vse of this Consectarie come a little to parralell the Church of England with the Church of Christ Vse And whether that bee an inclosed Garden or a confused wildernesse I leave to you to judge For looke upon the Church of England as a National Church so considered it is that which rather breeds and bringeth forth that which opposeth and endeavours to destroy the Church of Christ the Lillies of Christ then any waies lookes with a face like Christ himselfe And what we may say of a Nationall Church we may say the same of a Parochiall Church But I shall say no more of that thing but only this That Christs Church is an inclosed Garden The Second Consectarie is drawne from the second thing Consect 2. which was this That the Church of Christ may fitly bee called a Garden because there is more speciall fruit there then else-where Thence observe this Consectarie That the fruits in a Saint placed thereby Jesus Christ They are choice fruits The highest title that Christ can give them he gives to them There is no excellent spices no wines no fruits but Christ takes up to expresse the glory and excellency and beauty of those fruits that grow and live in a Saint I say here as I said before There is common fruits in common fields but your choice fruits are in your Gardens Men go to refresh their spirits with a sight of Lillies and Roses and other choice fruits in enclosed Gardens Behold if you would looke upon the choice Lillies of Love The Rose of Sharan Looke what is planted and placed in the heart of saints there is the Rose of Sharan there dwells the Lilly of the Valleys Cant. 2.1 even Christ in them Ioh. 14.17.20 And all the fruit of love thankfullnesse or acknowledgement in Praying or speaking to or of Jesus Christ it flowes from Christ as dwelling in them and therefore must needs bee a choice fruit Truely it sads my spirit to see that in these dayes when there is so much light Copper should goe for the purest Gold My meaning is That common borrowed Religions should be owned as the Religion that Christ himselfe ownes But I shall not at this time largely expresse my selfe in this thing Onely thus much take notice of That there is a Religion considered onely in reference to Reason A Religion in reference to a Law without and not a Law and Love within A Religion in reference to a Letter when men endeavour by the strength of Religion to finde out the spirit and there Religion is not produced by beeing found out by the spirit it selfe and that causeth all the confusion that is now-a-dayes in the world for if reason goes to trade with law and letter it converts both law and letter into no higher glory then into the light of it self and all the fruit that is in such a mans spirit considered in every act of Religion it is poore it is beggarly it is low it is legall it is but a Religion in the letter and not in the spirit If you aske me Why I call this a Religion Quest. I Answer I call it so in reference to man Answ and not to God If you aske me what I mean by a Religion in reference to Reason Law Quest. and Letter Answ 1 What Religion in referrence to Reason is In a word I Answer thus first For that Religion which is in reference to Reason It is when Reason is the highest Light that a man enjoyeth and that Reason is put forth as in directing men so in convicting when men vary from that direction through the power of which there is wrought a certaine conformitie to the light of it selfe And this is that which some men looke upon as Religion which is meere Civilitie 2. What Religion in referrence to a Law without and not within is Secondly for that Religion
which is in referrence to a Law without and not answering to a Law and a power of Love within It is when men have not onely the light of Reason but convictions from the light of a Law which sets men at work not rightly understanding this Law without from the power and spirit of a Law within Rom. 3.2 they in conforming to it to seeke good by it they onely worke in a low legall way seeking life by working and not to acknowledge life in their working This is such a Religion that men who live in it may fall from it But those Saints who act in Religious acts sutable to Christ the Law is written in them that is a Rule for them and the Law that regulates them in an act is the Spirit and Life and Power of the act and so Christ is All in all 3. What Religion in referrence to a Letter is Thirdly For that Religion which is in referrence to a Letter It is only when men by the strength of Reason trade with the Letter to finde out the spirit and the Spirit doth not trade with their spirits And the truth is this kinde of way of eyeing Truth admits of strange constructions that vary from Truth and that is the cause why one man is Legall and another man seemes to be Evangelicall but it is only in the notion and not in the power If you aske me then Quest. Wherein is the difference between a Saint and them Answ My Answer is That Saints understand the Letter from the Spirit Iohn 14.26 But the other goe about to apprehend the Spirit onely from the Letter And in so acting they act in a Region below that Divine glory that lives in the minde of the Spirit Rom. 8.27 And herein doth the priviledge of the Saints transcend the apprehension of all men that doe not enjoy it the saints are comprehended in the Spiritualitie of the Letter while they understand the Letter The Spirit preacheth Divinitie within and that makes them understand Divinity without But no man knowes this but he that doth enjoy it What then shall wee thinke of those men that say No man can declare the minde of God but hee that knowes the Originall If by the Originall they mean the Originall in the Letter Wade as farre as you can in that Fountaine you are but still in the Letter But if you speak truely of the Originall I say No man can preach or declare God till hee knowes the Originall But then we must know what the Originall of the Letter is It is the Spirit If you aske mee Quest. What is the Originall of the Breathings of the Spirit I tell you Answ It is the heart of Jesus Therefore hee knowes God from God hee knowes Truth from the Originall And hee that knowes Christ in the enjoyment of Christ hee knowes the Originall and the Originall knowes him If you Object Object and say This is but a poore ground for men to dwell upon I Answer Ansvv I had rather have Gods promise to bee my ground in teaching mee by his Spirit then my labouring in the Letter to understand the Spirit But I shall say no more of this But the Lord teach us from himself Onely in the way of Vse Vse Let mee speak a word to you Many of you seem to have Religious actions performed by you I desire wee may take notice from what fountaine these streames flow Is Reason the deepest Fountaine Is a Law without the Well-head Is the Letter the highest Region Poore Soule Thou tradest too low to live like a Saint I tell thee though the world scoffs at Truth in the Spirituallity Owne Truth in the Spirit and thou shalt understand Truth in the Letter But wee can never owne Truth in the Spirit till the Truth in the Spirit ownes us But Behold a wonder The fruits in a saint and acts of Religion here upon the earth the head of them is as high as Heaven The Originall of the apprehensions of saints is as high as spirituall as glorious as the Heart of Christ And so much of this thing Onely one word of Vse more from the Consectarie Vse 2 To inform us what to thinke of those men that professe themselves to be the Garden of Christ and yet bring forth thornes instead of Figgs and Bryars instead of Lillies Vnsavory speeches Vnsutable carryages doth not become a saint Who Thou who dwellest in the heart of Christ Canst thou sinne against him It cannot bee Truely sinne is unsutable in any man but in a saint sinne lookes out of measure sinfull And I know the knowledge of Love within tyes more then a Lavv without Let it so appeare in all your carriages yee Sonnes of Love But I say noe more of this thing The third Consectarie ariseth from the third thing Consect 3. which was this That the church of Christ may fitly be called a garden because there is more special care taken of them and watchfulnes over them then of other places as you may see Esa 27. From thence observe this Consectary That you that are Christs you are under his special protection All in a sence may bee said to stand by him and receive good from him But you in a more especiall manner His eye is over you His heart is with you His thoughts of good runne out for you there is nothing that doth befall you that can take you from under the care of Christ All afflictions in words in actions from the men of the world are ordered by Christ as a potion in which potion there are the sweet ingredients of his owne Loves This should teach us First Vse 1 To avoid all carnall and corrupt care for our selves casting all our cares upon him that careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 Matth. 6.25 Phil. 4.6 Truely friends Care in the use of meanes and not caring for the successe but leaving that to God takes away the burthen and Labour of all undertakings ôh how may a Saint live His life is without Care I meane not the care in use of meanes but in the successe of meanes which alone belongs to Jesus Christ Secondly Vse 2 This should teach us not to feare the secret and cunning plottings and contrivings of all wilde Boars and Foxes who endeavour to undermine and weary the flock of Christ Know this Christs care is for you his eye is over you Cant. 8.3 his Arme of love is under you he takes care so as to undertake for you to engage with you so as to get the victory Nay 1 Cor. 15.57 it s got already for you therefore wee are said to bee more then Conquerours Rom. 8.37 Oh! What need a Saint fear who stands by a conquering strength whose strength is an eternall Christ Thirdly Vse 3 This should teach us to be resolute without feare in the way of Christ a King 6.16 for hee that is with us is more then they that are against us Oh friends
Endeavour not to worke out your safety by policie neglecting duty but leave all your safety to him who is your life being resolute in your duty What if men oppose If God command let us go on What if men contrive If Christ take care let us not draw back You are Christs Garden hee watcheth over you night and day There may some Foxes rise up but see what Christ saith Cant. 2.15 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the Vines for our Vines have tender grapes But I say no more of that thing The fourth Consectarie is raised from the last thing wherein Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Consect 4. which was That Christ takes great delight in it and content in the injoyment of it From thence observe this Consectarie That Christs delight or the delight of Christ is in and with the heart of Saints This same is not a new thing but that which of old was declared concerning Christ Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable part of the earth and my delights were with the sonnes of men What Christ saith of himselfe before wee were hee expresseth severall times since wee are by him brought home to him Christ loves us and delights so to do Christ lives in us it s his content to be there Christ carries out our spirits in love to answer love Christ delights to see the returnes of his own Beames the fruits of his own love the effects of his owne power It is the joy of a Saint to dwell with Christ and it is no lesse but the joy and content of Christ to live with a saint Where a saint is Iohn 17.22 Christ must bee for they are one Where Christ is the saint must bee that they may behold his glory Christ came downe to make out his highnes through the lownesse of the flesh â— Cor. 8.9 that he might draw us up above the flesh into the glory of the spirit This was the work of Christ to which he was designed by God the Father and thus to do was his meat and drinke Hee takes such delight in them that hee will not nor cannot with-hold any good from them what God gives to Christ Christ gives to a saint as a fruit of his love to them in whom his soule delights The Vse of this may bee Vse 1 First To refresh our spirits what greater refreshment can a soule have then to bee delighted in by him whom his soule loves Christs love transcends yours his delight in you transcends your apprehensions Oh that we could alwaies be ravished with his loves Certainly Friends were we taken up more in this Fountain we should not bee troubled though the streames grow dry What if outward relation faile and externall accomodations cease Christ lives and in that hee lives you shall live also Joh. 14.19 Truely friends There is more in a pound then can be in a penny more in a pearle then can be in both why then should you be cast down Though the creatures frowne Christ smiles It s not much trouble to a woman espoused to a man though other men withdraw themselves if her husbands love continue Oh that it could be so amongst the Saints Secondly Vse 2 This should heighten our spirits to live at a higher rate then now we doe Vpon no lower principles then the loves and delights of Christ And the truth is friends we should live more upon Christs delighting and loving us then upon our delighting and loving Christ One is the streame and the other the Fountaine One is but the fruit the other the cause Nay it is that unchangeable foundation that standeth firme as well to raise us when wee fall as to comfort us when wee stand Thirdly Vse 3 If Christ delight in us It is but reason we should delight in him Christ in the givings out of his love to his spouse calls for love It is all Christ calls for and the truth is it is but the fruit of his owne Vine Deny him not his owne Did Christ become low to make us high or did he appeare in the lownesse of the flesh to make out the heighth and glory of the spirit that through that highnesse wee might bee made high Oh you that are thus made high by him My desire is That you would willingly bee made low for him Mee thinks the still streames of Christs smiles should carry us cheerefully through the worlds frownes But I shall say no more of this Vse nor of this Consectarie The other Consectaries do arise from the third particular and that was How Christs Church appeares to bee Christs Garden And that appeares from these foure Considerations First It is planted by him Consect 1. Secondly It is inclosed in him Thirdly It is made fruitfull through the enjoyments of him Fourthly It lookes like him First It is planted by him From thence observe this Consectarie That Christs Church is Christs plant And that this is a truth I have proved already But the Vses that we are to make of this truth are these First Vse 1 What shall we thinke of those that goe to plant Churches and not by Christ but rather by the power of a Civil Law which Lawes admits of alteration and therefore so often as they are altered the Church must bee new planted And secondly They are onely lawes that can reach the flesh and not the spirit therefore not fit to plant a spirituall plant as a choice piece for Jesus Christ Therefore let all such as endeavour thus to do take heed what they doe for in their going about thus to resemble Christ they will make themselves obnoxious to men and to Christ and expose themselves to the exercise of the Kingly power of Christ whose office alone it is to plant his Chruch In the second place Vse 2 This teacheth us the folly of those men that goe about to pull up Christs plants Let us consider what they doe first They goe about that which is impossible to be done for can any disanull or make void the worke of Christ It is impossible Therefore in so doing they will in the close render themselves not wise but fooles Besides In these their actings they act against Christ in going about to unplant Christs plants And when the Lord saith Psal 105.15 Touch not mine annointed this is also intended as well as immediate oppositions against Christ for a saint is Gods annointed as well as Christ 2 Cor. 1.21 In the third place Vse 3 This should comfort all the saints It is impossible for that tree to be made barren which Christ planteth especially which hee planteth by the rivers of water You are planted in the heart of Christ and those sweet streames of eternall glory that runs forth from God to us through Christ are the watering streams And what if the son of persecution without looks upon you the Sonne of righteousnesse lives in you Malec 4.2 which brings healings for you But I shall
transitory thing for that soul which Christ hath spread his skirt of love over and revealed his Son in is of a more noble life then for the glory and smiles of creatures to maintain Does creatures frown if Christ smiles the heart lives Psal 4.6.7 17.14 12 Does creature oppresse Saints with Thornes and Christ deck them with crownes a Saints spirit cannot die the reason is because Saints though they live in the world yet they live by influences of that love and light which the world is not capable of 1 Cor. 2 11 14. nor by all their opposition can cause an obstruction in Ioh. 16.33 Habacuk 3.16 17. Fifthly It looks like him Adam begat a son like unto himself so that child or son of Wisdom which is in the heart of Saints looks like Jesus Christ and as Christ is the Image of the Father Hebr. 1.2 this is the Image of the Son 1 Cor. 15.49 and thus Saints are said not onely to bear the Image of the Earthly but likewise of the Heavenly this is the cause why Christ delights to behold the face of Saints Cant. 2.14 and a Saint loves to behold the face of Christ Can. 6 12. Christ beautifies a Saint with his owne beauty Ezek. 16.14 and then he loves to behold his owne beauty in a Saints spirit every thing loves its like this is the cause of so much soul-feasting in a Saints spirit even this they are beheld by Christ and are employed in the beholding of Christ and so much of this thing what is meant by wisdoms children Now the reason why none but wisdoms children can justifie wisdom are these First Reason 1 None can so justifie wisdom but they which understand wisdom Ioh. 15.21 but none understand wisdom but wisdoms sons 1 Iohn 3.1 therefore none but wisdoms sons can justifie wisdom It s true that many may from the outward teaching of Christ declare somthing of Christ but they alone truly understand him that live in him and truly and really understand that excellency and divine sweetnesse that is proper to him therefore they onely can truly justifie him Secondly Reason 2 Every effect is caused by a power sutable to its self but no power is sutable to the acknowledging of the glorious excellency of Christ but that which flowes from and is really one with the spirit of Jesus the truth is the glories of Christ are too high for spirits that live at a distance from Christ to acknowledge and that is the cause why the men of the world are so farre from justifying that they condemn Christ though not under the notion of his name yet it is his name both in himself and saints that the world condemns Thirdly All other spirits beside the spirit of Saints is so far from being capable of justifying that they are altogether condemners of that Light which is come into the World Iohn 3.19 Darknesse cannot justifie Light nor evil will not justifie good no more can the spirit of wicked men justifie Christ its true that light takes advantage by darknesse for the further displaying of its owne glory but this is to honour it self by it and not to receive honour from it so Jesus Christ in the glorious displayings of life and love takes an advantage even of wicked men leaving of them without excuse but it s onely proper to them that know and have power from and are one with wisdom to justifie wisdom and so much for the reasons The Vse is of Information Vse to inform you of many things which will be drawn from the particular termes in the conclusion and I shall draw them forth by way of brief conclusions or consectaries every particular admitting of a particular consectarie as thus First I told you what wisdom was It 's Christ And why he is called Wisdom He may be so called under these considerations First He is the Fountain retaining Secondly He is the way causing Thirdly He is the Object employing Fourthly He is wisdom essentially as the life of a Saints light From which four reasons we may observe these four consectaries or conclusions First Consect 1. There is no wisdom in Saints but what was first in Christ for them Ioh. 1.9.16 Secondly Consect 2. None can truly understand the mistery of the Father Mat. 11.27 but by the Son Iohn 15.15 Or thus The understanding of the Father Iohn 14.5 is the work of the Son Thirdly Consect 3. That soule that is made wise by Christ Eph. 1.17 18 19. is employed in the understanding of the mysterie of the Father in Christ Gal. 2.20 Or thus Christ is the object of a Saints wisdom Fourthly Consect 4. ohn 1.4 oh 14.19 That light in saints which truly flowes from Christ as Christ the life of that light is Christ I shall make use of these four conclusions-together as thus Vse 1 Is Christ the Fountain retaining wisdom for you Is Christ the way communicating wisdom to you Is Christ the object of wisdom Is Christ the life of that light which is thus called wisdom Then note first Coloss 2.9 That Christ is all in all to a saints spirit Colos 3.11 What hast thou which thou hast not received and what way receivest thou but by Christ and if so 1 Cor. 4.7 then give the sole and whole glory of that thy wisdom to Christ Iohn 14.6 There is no such ingratitude as this for men not to return an acknowledgement to him from whence all flowes to glory in our own as Christ is a great sin against Christ but to make that to be ours which is proper to Christ so as to give the glory of that good to our selves Ezek. 16.15 16 17. or to any thing else besides Christ is and will be taken unkindly by him The second Vse is of singular comfort to all saints Vse 2 Is Christ the Fountain retaining and the way causing and the life of thy light preserving and the Object of thy light implying What canst thou desire more There are these three things that maketh any thing eminent The rise from which The nature of which and the place whither Thy wisdom ôh saint is one with Christ it rises and raises thee in its rising to be employed in the glorious beholdings of Christ What can thy soul desire more The mysterie of the Father and the Son Iohn 14.7 is the object of thy eye This is that which out-gloryeth all glory below it self This supplies thee with all good when all things depart from thee but it self Those streams can never grow dry whose fountain alwaies flowes forth to fill them That heart can never be at alosse who is alwaies employed amongst and in the enjoyment of eternal gaines This should therefore in an eminent sense comfort all Saints It should also comfort you against all the oppositions you meet with in the world Do men labour to interrupt the