Cant. 2.5 Stay me with flaggons and the reason is because the houre is not yet come when Christ useth to give the soule such plenty but he reserves that plenty for heaven when he fills the soule with the wine of inconceivable pleasure and joy in his presence when hee will turne all the waters of afflictions into the wine of consolation and the soule shall have accesse to Christ the fountaine of all comforts there to fill and satisfie it selfe with what the heart is capable of there being then a more intimate communion betwixt Christ and a beleever in heaven than upon earth a more intimate fellowship and a fuller participation of that unspeakeable content that the soule takes in Christ the soule cannot but (w) Quemadmodum Iacobus magna cum alacritate migravit in Egyptum ut ibi videret gloriam Iosephi Gen. 45.18 sic nos ad caelum properemus ut ibi videamus gloriam Christi Chem. Harm Evang. p. 1679. long for and desire with Paul to be dissolved and to be with Christ with Iacob it cannot but waite for the Salvation of God with Simeon it cannot but desire to depart in peace where it may see Christ face to face and never lose that beatificall vision of him againe Hence was it that good (x) Quid hic faciemus cur non ocyus migramus cur non hinc avolamus Monica the mother of Augustine cryed what doe we here why depart we not swifter why flye we not away from hence Hence was it that her sonne (y) Mori desidero ut videam Christum salutare meum vivere renuo ut cum Christo vivam Chem. haâ—m Evang. p. 1675. Augustine sayd I desire to dye that I may see Christ my Saviour I refuse to live that I may live with Christ It is with a beleeving soule in this life as with a man in a journey in a strange Country who though at his Inne where he lodgeth he hath a warme Chamber good fire wholesome victualls a soft and refreshing bed yet he is ever and then thinking on home his thoughts and meditations ever and then speaking thus within him true it is I have a good lodging kinde entertainement wholesome victualls but what are all these to my fare at home my bed at home to the society of my wife and children at home home though homely is ever in his minde ever in his desires so it is with a Christian espoused to Christ though he enjoyes a confluence of all outward comforts though hee takes great delight in this life and as it were swimmes in all worldly contentments having a loving wife dutifull children faithfull servants his barnes stuft with graine his pastures stockt abundantly with Oxen and sheepe his coffers replenished with the most precious of metalls so that hee lackes nothing that can give an honest heart content yet he cannot but bee ever and then thinking within himselfe I have wife children lands livings but what are these to the society with my sweetest Saviour and most delightfull Bridegroome desiring to leave all to bee with Christ which is best of all Examine thy heart O soule by this property Is there any thing in the world so deare unto thee be it wise sonne or daughter land or house yea life it selfe that thou art not content to leave that thou mayst have that intimate communion with Christ in heaven Thou mayst justly feare thou never wast espoused to Christ neither ever hadst any acquaintance with him for if thou hadst the best of worldly excellencies could not retaine thy soule from a desire to bee with Christ in heaven In the third place 3. Symptome this Spirituall marriage is discovered by the affection of love (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Aust l. 2. Oeconom c. ultima A soule married to Christ loveth all that have any alliance with Christ A wife that truely loves her husband loves her husbands kindred and friends in like manner are the friends of Christ deare unto his Spouse now who they be that have alliance and friendship with him Christ himselfe declares First that those are his brethren Marke 3.35 who doe the will of God whose Father is his Father whose God is his God and for his friends Christ shewes who they be Iohn 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye doe whatsoever I command you as it was betwixt Iehosaphat and Ahab 2 King 3.7 when they agreed together to goe against Moab to battell Iehosaphat sayd I am as thou art my people as thy people my horses as thy horses so is it with all the members of Christ that are espoused to him Christs cause is their common cause Christs friends their friends embracing Christ with the dearest affection and mutually one another for Christs sake By this mayest thou examine thy self whether thou beest espoused to Christ or not to wit by thy love to all those that stand in the same relation to Christ as thou dost seest thou a poore member of Christ in the wrinckles of whose face as in so many lines thou mayest read Lectures of miserie and want here is a friend of Christ if thou beest the Spouse of Christ thou canst not but have some pitty love and compassion on this his friend seest thou any eminent for grace holy in life frequent in duty zealous for piety and purity of heart this is a friend of Christ standing in the same relation to Christ as thou doest if thou beest espoused to him and therefore thou canst not but love him for the image of Christ thou seest in him In the third place the consideration Vse 3 of this point serves for consolation to Christs Spouse in many particulars First against the clamour of the guilt of sinne Christ being an husband to the Soule undertakes all its debts the Widdow of the Prophet 2 Kings 4.1.2 complaines that the Creditour was come to take her sonnes captives but the Spouse of Christ needes feare no such arrest of any creditour the soule hath many creditours that out of Christ it is subject and lyable to satisfie the Law arrests the soule with a cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the Law to doe them Gal. 3.10 Againe Conscience arrests the soule and seconds the Law with this assumption that the soule hath not continued in the Law but broken it the Devill will arrest the soule with many accusations Death and Hell have their arrests too but Christ being the husband of the soule becomes the undertaker for all these arrests and debts by sinne Sathan Conscience Death or Hell when the Law shall urge its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rigorous exaction of perfect obedience then may the beleeving soule answere my husband Christ hath payd it for me when the Law calls for penalty upon the violation of it selfe the beleever may answere Christ my husband hath payd it for me who is made unto me wisdome righteousnes sanctification and redemption as
borne it he himselfe enjoynes it (e) Is dat quimandat qui jubet illo juvat and hee himselfe supports his spouse in bearing of it this yoke of Christ doth his spouse willingly beare in performing universall cheerefull sincere and constant obedience to all Christs commands in full purpose and desire of the heart in the earnest endeavour of the whole man which Evangelicall obedience Christ accepts and accounts as perfect obedience for his owne sake The fourth consequent of this spirituall marriage of Christ and his Spouse is that mutuall adhaering and cleaving to one another in ardency of (f) Quam quaeris aliam inter sponsos necessitudinem vel connexionem praeten amari amare Bern. Ser. 31. in Cant. affection and dearest love First for the love of Christ to a beleever it is transcendent and differing from a Christians love to Christ First in time secondly in degree thirdly as a cause differs from an effect First in time Christs love is the preventing love and this magnifies the love of Christ it is a chiefe porperty of great love when it is (g) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Rhet. c. 9. preventing and therefore the Apostle Iohn calls it love indeede that Christ loved us first Secondly Christs love differs and exceedes the love of his Spouse in degree he being the fountaine of love and the love of a Christian but a streame flowing from that fountaine hee the Sonne of Righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 From whom the beames of mercies flow dayly upon the hearts of his beloved ones their love being but a beame comming from that Sonne therefore God is sayd to bee love it selfe in the abstract in regard of the transcendencie of his love surpassing the love of all Thirdly Christs love differs from a Christians love as the cause differs from the effect for the love of a Christian to Christ is nothing but an heavenly sparke kindled by the fire of Gods Spirit and the fervencie of his affection to a Christian the heate that is in the inferiour region of the ayre is nothing but an effect of the reverberation of the beames of the Sunne upon the earth the heate of a Christians heart that burnes within him with a love and zeale to the Lord Jesus is nothing else but a reflection of those hot sunne beames of Christs mercies shed abroad in the heart of a beleever Our cloathes in the morning receive heate first from our bodies but being heated by our bodies they keepe our bodies warme all the day following A Christians heart must first be cloathed with the sunne of righteousnesse and so warmed with his beames being but once throughly warmed it ever after glowes within towards Christ in love againe now as Christ beares a love to a Christian farre exceeding the love of the fondest Bridsgrome to his endeared Spouse so there is a retaliating affection in every beleeving soule towards Christ We may as well imagine fire without a power to give heate as to imagine Christs love bestowed upon a soule without this affection in the heart to whom Christ hath made his love knowne by betrothing himselfe (h) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. lib. 2. c. 4. Aristotle speaking of a friend describes him to be such an one that loves and is loved againe And againe in another place affirmes that to bee true friendship where love is (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. magni moral c. 11. reciprocall if then love amongst friends be mutuall much more betwixt (k) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 2. Oeconomie c. 2. man and wife betwixt Christ and his Spouse the very name of Bridsgroome calls for love (l) Ludolphus de vita Christi ex Gregorio It is the observation of a Father sometimes God calls himselfe by the name of a Father sometimes by the name of a Master sometimes by the name of a Bridsgrome when he would produce a filiall feare in the hearts of his children hee calls himselfe by the name of a Father If I be a Father where is my feare when he would produce homage and service in his servants hee calls himselfe by the name of a Lord. If I bee your Master and Lord where is me honour and service When hee would beget love and affection in them hee stiles himselfe a Bridsgroome If I bee a Bridsgroome where is my love Now this love that a Christian oweth and giveth to Christ as the Spouse of Christ hath severall distinct properties whereby it is discerned from the love that worldlings may pretend to Christ First it is such a love that will drive the soule to sicknesse in case the thing loved bee delayed Conticles cap. 1. vers 5. I am sicke of love saith the Church concerning Christ her Bridsgrome this sickenesse of the soule for love is nothing but a fainting and languishing for desire of Christ whom the soule loveth this the wise man expresseth Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sicke now the soule hoping for those soule-transporting pleasures to bee found in the apprehension of Christs favour and sense of his presence and yet obtaines not the inward apprehension of his gracious residence in the soule upon this the heart begins to faint and languish and to bee sicke of love the desire of a Christian towards Christ is not any faint and remisse desire but a longing desire such a desire that stretcheth the affection to the highest straine and therefore expressed in Scripture by the metaphors of thirsting gasping panting now as experience teacheth in some cases longing brings danger when the thing longed for is not obtained whereas an ordinary desire will not hurt in the deniall of the thing desired as the effects of longing are dangerous when the thing longed for is delayed as fainting sownding languishing it is so in spirituall longing for Christ the soule thirsting for Christ and finding him not falls a sownding fainting and grows to a kinde of Sprituall sicknesse for love and desire of Christ This love is a kinde of doting love that carries the soule to a spirituall distraction this we may see in Peter who in the transfigration was so transported with affection so ravished with the love of Christ that like a man spiritually distracted he knew not what hee sayd saith the text Marke 9.6 So Saint Paul in his rapture into the third heaven he speakes like a man besides himselfe for the present 2 Corinth 12.2.3 and 5. I knew a man in Christ above foureteene yeares agoe whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth such an one caught up to the third heaven and I knew such a man whether in the body or out of the body I cannot tell God knoweth verse 5. Of such an one will I glory of my selfe I will not glory here wee see the Apostle for the present in a blessed kinde of spirituall distraction in love to Christ and heaven whereunto hee
was caught This love in the third place is a (m) Amat profecto castè quae ipsum quem amat quaerit non aliud quid praeter ipsum Bern. Serm. 7. in Cantiâ— Sponsa non petit libertatem non mercedem non haereditatem sed osculum more planè castissimae sponsae ac sacrum spirantis amorem nec â—omnino valen t is flammam dissimulare quam patitur osculetur inquit me osculo oris sui quasi dicat quid mihi est in coelo a te quid volui super terram Bern. ibid. free love whereby the beleeving soule cleaves unto Christ for himselfe and those glorious excellencies it sees in our Saviour Christ this property distinguisheth it from that (n) Cave anima ne quod absit meretrix dicaris si munera dantis plus quam amantis affectum diligis Aug. medit l. 2. c. 4. meretritious and mercenary love in worldlings that follow Christ as Christ upbraided some of the same stampe for the fishes and bread wherewith hee fed them Iohn 6.26 This hired love the (o) Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium si quaerit singere quod non est ut in Iob. quanto magis objicere quod est Aug. de temp Serm. 234. Devils objected against Iobs sincerity Doth Iob feare God for nought but Iob cleaving to God upon the dunghill and in the lowest condition proved the Devill in that particular as hee was from the beginning to be a lyar The fourth property of a Christians love to Christ the Bridsgroome of his soule is that it is a strong and peremptory love it will carry a Christian through all (p) Amemus nos Christum ejusque semper quaeramus amplexus facile videbitur omne difficile brevia putabimus universa quae longa sunt jaculo illius vulnerati perhorarum momenta dicemus Heus me quia pereginatio mea prolongata est Hier. scribeus ad Eustochium difficulties and straights to Christ The love of Rachel carried Iacob through 14. yeares of hard service the love of Christ will carry a Christian through more difficulties than Labans service had in it Cant. 8.6.7 It is sayd to be as strong as death that conquers the greatest gyant and the mightiest Monarch zeale that is love inflamed is as inexorable as hell it selfe it is sayd to have fiery coales that pierce the heart which fiery coales of love all the waters be it a deluge and inundation of miseries and calamities persecutions and temptations are not able to quench Love is of that strength that it facilitates the greatest difficulties This we see in the ordinary bodily recreations many men take a pleasure in a toyle as in hunting running leaping ringing wrastling and the like and all out of love to these recreations much more is the love of Christ able to sweeten the hardest duty that Christ imposeth upon his Spouse What was it that made the fiery faggots to those blessed witnesses of the truth to seeme as beds of Roses but love What made the Disciples to forsake all but Christ and that love they beare to him What made Paul and Silas sing in Prison and the Apostles to returne from the Councill rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ but love to Christ What made the renowned Champion Stephen valiant in the midst of death but the sight of the Sonne of God standing at the right hand of his father and I am perswaded that if it had beene offered to Stephen that hee should have beene delivered from his present paine upon condition he should have beene deprived of his present vision of Christ by the opening of the heavens the love of Christ would not have suffered Stephen to have accepted of deliverance upon such condition so we reade of those strong ones in faith though weake in sexe they would not accept of deliverance in the middest of their torturings that they might obtaine a better resurrection Heb. 11.35 To conclude this Paul being armed with this love challengeth all the powers and peeres of hell it selfe Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword as if he had sayd shall this or that if there be any more put them all into the scale and weigh but the love of Christ against them all and they shall bee found too light to sway my heart from the love of the Lord Jesus The fifth property the love of Christs Spouse is a bountifull love this the Apostle 1 Cor. 13.4 makes a property of true Charity that it is bountifull (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. l. 8. c. 13. bounty is the fruite of love and it is exercised towards any thing according to love if a man love his body nothing is thought too dainty to feede it too gorgeous to cloath it if a man love his pleasure nothing is counted too deare to maintaine it so where there is any true conjugal affection in a Christian heart that heart will rellish any thing that tends to the honour of Christ it will downe with frequent prayer humble and dayly confession of sinne zealous and Godly walking with God sincere universall and constant obedience to Christ though it be with the parting of the most dearely beloved sinnes that soule will thinke no teares of repentance no hearing reading singing no duties publicke or private too much whereby the honour of Christ may be advanced and its love to Christ better expressed Luke 7.47 Mary Magdalen is sayd to love much and this her great love was expressed to Christ by her bounty in washing his feete in anointing his head in wiping his feete with the haires of her head and Christ himselfe accepts of her washing anointing kissing and all other of her acts of bounty as Characters of her great inward affection The sixth property of this love is that it is intire as Moses his serpent devoured all other serpents because his serpent was from God so the love of God being from God eates and consumes the love of all things besides as it is sayd of Ioseph that there was none greater in Pharaohs Court and in the land of Aegypt than himselfe the like may be sayd of Christ in a beleeving heart there is none greater than Christ he is the Pilot that governes the ship the King that governes the whole man the Master and Lord that keepes the house of a sanctified heart to whom as King and Lord all the powers of the whole man submit all doe homage all performe respect feare and love and if there be love bestowed upon any other thing besides Christ as upon our selves and our neighbours yet it is for Christs sake and in subordination to him whom to love in due measure is to love without measure The seventh property of a Christians soules love to Christ is that it is a constant love it is no great matter to professe love
not his claiming of interest in Christ will availe him nothing Mat. 7.22.23 Many will say to Christ at the last day Lord Lord we have Prophesied in thy Name we have in thy Name cast out Devils and done many wonderfull workes here is a faire interest in Christ pretended but Christ disclaimes them as having no interest in them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity But it is otherwise with the true Christian and sincere beleever as he is able to say that Christ is his Saviour Lord and Bridesgroome so is he able to affirme by the Testimony of his Conscience that Christ hath interest in him as his obedient servant and faithfull spouse thus we see the particulars wherein this spirituall Marriage doth consist This spirituall Marriage will further appeare if in the third place wee consider the consequents of this spirituall espousing The consequents are of two kindes First some are mutuall and reciprocall betwixt Christ and beleevers Secondly some are proper and peculiar either to Christ or to his Church and beleevers 1. the mutuall and reciprocall consequents betwixt Christ and beleevers are these The first is that mutuall delight and content that Christ takes in his Spouse and his Spouse in Christ This the Prophet Isaiah expresseth on Gods part that his people should be called Hephzibah that is my delight is in her and thy land Beulah that is married and affirmeth that as the Bridsgroome rejoyceth over his Bride so the Lord would rejoyce over his people this delight is so great that Christ takes in his Spouse that Christ affirmes hee was ravished in his heart by his Spouse Cant. 4.9 and acknowledgeth himselfe to bee bound in her galleries Cant. 7.5 That is tyed in bonds of love towards his Spouse and as Christ delights thus in his Spouse so the satisfied soule delights in Christ and that many wayes First in the contemplation of his person his beauty and comelinesse Cant. 5.10 My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand Secondly Christs Spouse delights in his presence Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruite was sweete to my taste So David makes this his chiefe desire and his onely desire to dwell in the house of God Psal 27.4 and this he desires that he may behold the beauty of the Lord. Thirdly Christs spouse delights in hearing her bridsgroomes voyce Cant. 2.8 It is the voyce of my beloved This is the Churches acclamation for joy at the hearing of Christs voyce the word of Grace and the Gospell Christ gives this as an eare-marke to his sheepe My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me Iohn 10.3.4 and the Baptist makes this a signe of a friend to the Bridsgroome that hee standeth by and rejoyceth greatly because of the Bridesgroomes voyce Iohn 3.29 Fourthly Christs Spouse delights in his Lawes His delight saith David is in the Law of God speaking of the blessed man Psal 1.2 Thy Lawes are my delight my Counsellours sweeter than the Honey and the Honey combe dearer than thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. Lastly a beleever delights in communing with Christ and speaking unto him in prayer heare what sweete expressions have proceeded from a sanctifyed soule Lord I have loved the habitation of thine house I was glad when they sayd let us goe to the house of the Lord which is the house of prayer The second consequent of this spirituall marriage that is mutual betwixt Christ and his spouse is cohabitation (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethâ—c l. 8. c. 5. a cohabitation is necessary to the making conserving of true friendship much more to the preservation of conjugall affection therefore (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist lib. 2. Oeconomic c. 2. Aristotle thinketh nothing to be more due to bee performed of an husband to his wise than an holy society this blessed societie is maintained betwixt Christ and his spouse expressed by Christ Iohn 15.4 Abide in me and I in you and by his Disciple whom he loved 1 Iohn 3. ult He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him This society is performed on Christs part when hee is present by his spirit in the Temple of the beleevers heart confirming comforting and refreshing of him by his spirit in the assurance of his love so Christ told his Disciples he would not leave them Orphans but he would come unto them and be with them to the end of the world though not in his personall presence yet by the Comforter his holy spirit againe this mutuall society is performed on the soules part with Christ whilst the soule with Henoch and Noah walkes with God having God alwayes before its eyes alwayes awed with an apprehension of his glorious presence conforming it selfe to his will in all things often hearing him speake in his house often speaking unto him by prayer often frequenting his Sacraments often communing with holy meditations heavenly soliloquies and ejaculations this is the second consequent A third consequent mutuall betwixt Christ and a beleever is a mutuall bearing of one anothers burden (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Arist l. 2. Oeconomicae â—â—n principio A good husband saith the Philosopher undertakes the care of things abroad a good wife undergoes the burden of domesticke affaires and businesses to bee done within doores and thus hath the wise disposer of all things appointed man and wife their severall employments agreeable to their severall sexes and distinct conditions Solomon speaking of the wife saith that she should be as the pleasant Hind and young Roe now as (d) Cervi Cervae cum fretum ad insulam transeunt pascuorum gratia sic se ordinant ut onera capitum suorum quae gestant in cornibus super invicem portent ita ut posterior super anteriorum cervice projecta caput collocet vicibus id agere dicuntur ita invicem onera sua portantes fretum transeunt ad terrae stabilitateÌ„ Aug. q. â—1 Augustine notes the Hart and Hinde are serviceable one to another in bearing one anothers burden It is so with Christ and his Church he takes the burden off his Spouse and layes it upon himselfe and gives his Spouse a command to take upon her his yoke Math. 11.28 Come unto me all yee that are weary and heavie laden and I will ease you here Christ beateth the yoke of his spouse v. 29. Take my yoke upon you here Christ enjoyneth his spouse to take up his yoke as he hath borne here the yoke that Christ beareth for his spouse is the yoke of sinne and the burden of Gods wrath under which all the creatures in heaven and upon earth would have sunke downe to have undergone therefore Christ both God and man undertakes to beare it for his spouse and the burden and yoke that Christ imposeth on his spouse to beare is the yoke of obedience called Christs yoke because he himselfe hath
deformity of sinne though never so cunningly and curiously disguised by the Art of Sathan from this true sight of sinne ariseth that detestation of sinne in the heart of a Christian that he thinkes it a more fearefull sight to behold the horrid face of sinne committed in his soule than to behold the Lake of Brimstone in the lowest hell hence was it that holy (x) Et si multi gehennam omnium malorum supremum atque ultimum putant Ego tamen sic censeo sic affiduò predicabo multo acerbius esse Christum offendere quam gehennae malis vexari Chrysost in Mat. Hom. 37. Chrisostome affirmed this to bee a truth that hee would dayly Preach That it was a more bitter and intollerable thing to offend Christ than to be tormented with the flames of hell it selfe The fourth secret that Christ communicates to his Spouse is the vanity and emptinesse of the Creatures Man lookes upon the world and the vanity thereof as a glorious and amiable object hee lookes upon worldly things as his substance his profit his glory but Christ shewes unto his Spouse that riches in steade of being glorious are but as thicke clay Hab. 2.6 opened in what regard riches compared to clay Hab. 2.6 which is first a common thing at every mans doore secondly a soyling thing thirdly a slippery thing So riches but common blessings polluting the possessors of them and defiling their Consciences slippery they are also and inconstant taking wings they flye away Againe Christ sheweth his spouse that wordly things are not substance but shaddowes Psal 39.6 not profits but losses being compared with the true gaine Luke 16.11.12 A naturall man priseth pleasure as his great Diana preferment as the top of happinesse but Christs Spouse is acquainted with this secret by her husband that the one is vanity and the other but a spiders web He that is unskilfull in the Arts and Sciences and lookes upon the earth thinkes it to be some spacious and great body and admires it for its immensity but let the Mathematitian come and compare the earth and the heavens together he knowes upon infallible demonstrations that the body of the earth is but like a (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 1. Meteorolog c. 14. point or nothing being compared with the circumference of the heavens So let a man never instructed by Christ looke upon earthly things hee admires them for their excellencie but let a Christian whom Christ hath taught this lesson of the vanity of the creature come to judge of these outward and sublunary things and compare them with heavenly things with grace with Christ with glory with heaven hee findes them being weighed with these to bee lighter than vanity it selfe Let Paul be judge who accounted all things but dung in regard of Christ The fifth secret is the excellencie of Christ Mark 4.11 Christ tells his Disciples that to them it was given to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God but to them that were without all things were done in Parables that seeing they might not see c. a naturall man perceives not the things of God and those glorious excellencies that are in Christ though there be abundance of light beauty and glory in the Sun yet a man that is borne blinde cannot see any of them it is so with the natural man in regard of the Sonne of Righteousnesse First there is abundance of light beauty glory heate refreshing and reviving vertue in Christ yet none of these can the naturall man see Cant. 5.9 There are some that askes Christs Spouse what she saw in her beloved that made her sicke of love thereby intimating that they for their parts saw no such amiablenesse in him but the spouse answeres that she saw something in him that did attract her heart to him My beloved saith she is white and ruddie the chiefest of ten thousand though the men of the world see nothing in Christ desireable and amiable yet his spouse sees his eminent excellencies which Christ revealeth to her by his Spirit and therefore Mat. 16.17 Peter confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of God and so perceiving salvation by him alone Christ tells him that flesh and blood had not revealed that unto him but his Father which is in heaven the excellencies in Christ discerned onely of the Saints are prised and desired onely of them hence was it that Peter desired to abide in Christs presence Lord whether shall we goe thou hast the Words of eternall life and having but a taste of Christs excellencie and glory in the transfiguration he cryed It is good to be here Peter had beene in many excellent places for pleasure and delight but never said before It is good to be here forgetting wife lands and living he cryes It is good to be here so sweete is the presence of the Lord Jesus especially when the soule obtaines a sight of his excellencies A sixth secret is the gaine of godlinesse a secret that the worldling is ignorant of that counts gaine to be Godlinesse as the Apostle speakes 1 Tim. 6. A man of this world thinkes there is no profit but in purchasing of Lands and revenewes no honour but in the favour of earthly Potentates no beauty but that of the body no pleasure but in Epicurisme surfetting drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse but Christ shews his spouse againe in godlinesse Secondly honour in being in favour at the Court of heaven Thirdly beauty in grace and lastly pleasure in walking in the wayes of God First Christ shewes his Spouse a gaine in godlinesse this Christ had taught blessed Paul Phil. 3.7 those things that were gaine to him he counted losse for Christ Christ being sufficient gaine to him as he avoucheth Phil. 1.21 For me to live is Christ and to dye is gaine Secondly honour in the favour of God this the Psalmist was acquainted withall Psal 149.9 concluding the Psalme with this Epiphonema Such honour have all his Saints This Saint Luke knew well who stiles Theophilus a lover of God most Noble Theophilus Luke 1.3 and the Bereans more honourable than them of Thessalonica for their piety and devotion this David knew well when hee desired rather to be a doore keeper in the house of God than to dwell in the tents of the ungodly Thirdly Beauty in grace (q) Non deformitate corporis animius faedatur sed pulchritudine animi ◠corpus ornatur Senica this secret Salomon knew when he affirmes Eccles 8.1 Wisedome maketh the face to shine Lastly pleasure in the wayes of God and the pathes of righteousnesse this Salomon avoucheth Prov. 3.17 The wayes of Wisedome are pleasantnesse and all her pathes peace this David witnesseth Psal 119. Thy testimonies are my delight sweeter unto me than the honey and honey combe to this purpose cryed holy Augustine O luxuriose ubi major delectatio quam in Gemmè dulcissimo deo Aug. O thou luxurious fellow where is there greater
Christian to accept of Christs offer and willing to match with him but yet fearing and secretly saying within it selfe I am afraide that Jesus Christ will not match himselfe with me who have nothing in mee that may move Christ to love me and I finde so much deformity in my soule by sinne so much filthinesse in my inward man that Christ I feare will turne away his eyes from me as an unfit object of his love To this I answere what saw God in his people that might move him to love them Ezek. 16.5.6 They lay tumbling in their blood in their filthinesse and abominations and then was the time of love when God pittied them and entred into covenant with them and they became his owne It is not with Christ as with a man in choosing a Spouse man lookes after proportion and portion but Christ regards not the soule for any thing in it selfe for he hath riches and beauty enough for himselfe and the soule his Spouse too If the soule hath any riches or righteousnesse of its owne Christ will not marry himselfe unto it and therefore the Apostle affirmes that the Israelites going about to establish their owne righteousnesse did not submit themselves to the righteousnesse of God which is the righteousnesse of Christ layd hold on by faith Rom. 10.3.4 As therefore Abraham sayd Gen. 14.23 unto the King of Sodom that he would not take from him so much as a thread lest the King of Sodom should say I have made Abraham rich so Christ when he Marries himselfe to any soule he will not have with it the least righteousnesse of his owne lest the soule should boast of it selfe or that it had any riches but what it got by its Marriage with Christ Therefore in that thou sayest thou art poore base blinde naked miserable and wretched and if withall thou art truely sensible of this thy poverty thy filthinesse and wretchednesse touched also with a deepe apprehension of thine own unworthines to be joyned in Marriage to Christ thou hast spoke a word ere thou wert aware that may give thee comfort and hope that thou art such a one to whom Christ will espouse himselfe wert thou rich in thine owne conceite as the Church of Laodicea (f) Non habet quo intret gratia ubi meritum occupavit Bern. in Cantie Serm. 67. Christ would despise thee but being vile in thine owne eyes he will sooner regard thee who useth to fill the hungry with good things and to send the rich empty away to resist the proud but to give grace to the humble there is nothing that winnes respect more from God than for the soule to bee truely humble To him will I looke even to him that is of a contrite and humble spirit Isaiah 57.15 I dwell in the humble heart though God dwells in the highest heavens yet withall in the lowest heart and therefore saith Mary Luk. 1.48 He had respect to the low estate of his hand-maide Excellent is the expression of Holy (g) Altus est Deus humilis est Christianus Si vult ut altus Deus v. cinetur illi ille humilis sit magna mysteria fratres Deus super omnia est Erigris te non illum tangis humilias te ipse ad te descendit Aug. in Psal 34. Augustine to this purpose God is high saith he a Christian is low if he desires that the high God should come neare him let him be lowly A great mystery brethren saith he God is above all thou liftest up thy self and yet touchest him not thou humblest thy selfe and he descends unto thee so then as Abigails speech to David desiring Marriage of her that she was not worthy to wash the feete of Davids servants allayed not Davids affection neither hindred her preferment neither will thy poverty if thou beest truly sensible of it hinder thy espousing to Christ who as the (h) Nullum eligit dignum sed eligendo efficit dignum Aug. cont Iuli. Pelag. l. 5. c. 3. Father notes chooseth none worthy of himself but by choosing them maketh the worthy To conclud this it was a good policie in the Gibeonites Iosh 9.4 5 6. that they might move Ioshuah to enter into covenant with them they workt wittily taking old sackes upon their Asses and wine bottles old and rent old shooes and garments It would be as good a policie for a poore soule in moving Christ to enter into league and covenant with it to come unto Christ with an abased naked and ragged heart rent in peeces with deepe contrition and sense of Gods wrath for this is the most ready way for the soule to finde favour in the eyes of Christ whose order is first to deject then to erect and raise up first to wound by the sense of misery and then to heale by the sense of Mercy first to make the soule apprehensive of its owne misery and then to bestow himselfe upon the soule to enrich it But in the second place some poore soule may object Object 2 I am content to be married to Christ but loath I am to part with such a sinne that affords me so much honour credit dignity and riches To this I answere he that truely accepts of Christ must take him on his own tearmes to be the Lord and chiefe Commander of his soule and the soule must give a bill of divorcement to every sinne to give entertainement to Christ alone whereas then the soule pretends a willingnesse to accept of Christ and yet withall an unwillingnesse to part with some darling sinne the reason is because the soule consults with flesh and blood with corrupt nature that alwayes as Ahab sayd of Michaiah in another case prophesieth evill to the soule opposing it selfe against the eternall welfare thereof Accept of me saith Christ to be the Bridegroome of thy soule the soule askes counsell of flesh and blood whether it should obey in accepting of Christ refuse saith flesh and blood wilt thou forsake thy former delights thy Dalilahs in whose lap thou hast tooke so many a contentfull sleepe wilt thou forsake such a way of gaine which hath beene the maintenance of thy selfe and family Hereupon the soule resolves upon a plaine deniall or if not so yet of an accepting but not on his owne termes yet Christ indeede shall be called the husband of the soule but withall resolves to retaine its sinnes still which in truth is aequivalent to a plaine refusall would the soule then accept of Christ in his owne way the best direction that can be given to the soule in such a case is that it should not consult with flesh and blood and corrupt nature in this case but to doe as Paul did Gal. 1.16 Who upon Gods call and the Revelation of his Sonne in him immediately obeyed and consulted not with flesh and blood The (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist â—â—eter l. 1. c. 9. Philosopher tells us it is absurd to consult about things that must