whorish Lovers and Idol-friends should share in that conjugal Affection which is due to Christ Alas what folie is it to divide that little narrow piece of Love which is not enough for the best beloved Christ among bastard Lovers which are so far from giving satisfaction as that the more we embrace them the more they sting us Christ expects nothing from us more than our Love and nothing lesse wil he accept As Christ gives his friends a conjugal pledge namely the Earnest of his Spirit so he expects from them a conjugal Love Mariage-love is indivisible it wil not serve for two corrivals Christ must loge his alone there He that enters into a covenant of conjugal Amitie with Christ must bid Adieu to al other Lovers Christ wil have Integritie and Honestie or nothing And therefore usually he Wooes and Elects his friends in the furnace of Affliction he allures them into a Wildernes of many Difficulties Tentations and Desertions there to win and gain their Affections entirely to himself as Hos 2.14 15. The Friends of Christ are not neither can they be Masters of two predominant Loves and therefore Christ must be their Althings or he is nothing to them Alas how little do the friends of Christ owe to the flattering or frowning World Is not a good look too much for Idol-friends who would take up Christ's room in our Affections over his Head Woe woe to him who hath such a friend as Christ is and yet wants Affection for him Can our Affections sleep securely or find satisfaction any where but in Christ's bosome What gain we by spending our Affection 's on this smoking World but vapors and sick dreams instead of ease and content Fie fie that whorish Idols should possesse our conjugal Affection due to so good a friend as Christ is Oh! what cursâ—â— Affection is that which streameth towards any other Lover but Christ How much should the friends of Christ disdain that any thing but their Lord should touch theiâ— spiritual conjugal Affections What an holy Ambition should they have of entertaining Christ and none but Christ in their choicest Affections How greatly should they scorne al secret dalliances with an Adulterous World But to descend to particulars 1. 1. Conjugal Love to Christ The first and main Affection which the Friends of Christ should entertain him with is a conjugal love Love as it fulfils the Law so also Amitie with Christ And the more Discrete Solid Spiritual Virgin Equal Intimate Passionate Commensurate and Transformative our Love to Christ is the more Raised Wel-grounded Conjugal Permanent Noble and Operative wil our friendship with Christ be The Friends of Christ ought to cast their choicest Love into no mould but Christ's that so it may be for him and for none other Thus the Spouse Cant. 2.7 My Love Pathetically Cant. 2.7 as if she had said him on whom al my conjugal love centers the delight of mine eyes the joy of mine heart the Ocean into which al my little love streams mine only Love So much is implied for Abstracts speak Formes and Essences The friends of Christ must give him their virgin Love the Elixir Essences and Spirits of their Love A green young love may not suffice for Christ he must have the flour and vigor of our Love That little narrow spark of Divine Love which was inspired and breathed by Christ into the Hearts of his Friends must respire or breath forth live and inhabit no where but in the bosome of Christ Alas where should the stream emtie it self but in the Ocean whence it received its first emanation Oh! what pitie is it that so much of our Love should passe by Christ and terminate on Idol-lovers Who is the Proprietor of our Love but Christ and Christ alone where is there an object adequate to the Saints love but Christ where are there such ravishing Beauties such delicious Suavities such surpassing excellences such Transcendent glories to feed our Love with al as in Christ Can we then put our conjugal-love into better hands than Christ's Is it not natural to love to spend its choicest spirits and vigor on the fairest and most amiable object Is it not sad that Christ should have so much Beautie Sweetnes Excellence for his friends and yet they should have so little Love for him Alas Alas that clay-Gods that Time-Idols that beautiful shadows and gilded Nothings should run away with so much of our love and so little of it be reserved for Christ Oh! what folie is it to have an oblique and squint-regard to skin-deep Beauties and golden dreams when as there is such substantial Amiablenes in Christ O the prodigious madnes of those who find love for pleasing toyes for beautiful vanities for faiâ— nothings and yet can find no love for Christ the best beloved Certainly a little creature-love is enough or too much but much yea the most Christ-love is too little for the friends of Christ who have espoused him for their Husband What is Heaven if this be not Heaven to lye under the beatifick vision Love and Fruition of Christ And who injoy more of Heaven upon earth than such whose hearts are most transformed into and ravished with the fiducial Contemplation Admiration and Love of Christ Spiritual pure and passionate Love to Christ gives the friends of Christ a possession of himself yea a secret and efficacious Transformation into the Image of Christ For the Heart silently steals into and becomes one with what it strongly loves Love the world greatly and thine heart wil soon become worldly Love Christ greatly and thine heart wil grow up and be gradually transformed into the Image of Christ-Such a Soverain and Efformative virtue hath Love especially that of Friendship if it be in any eminent predominant degree O then Love Love Love Christ much 2. 2. Desires after Christ Another Affection which the friends of Christ ought to be much in the exercice of towards Christ is conjugal desire after him f Iâ— omâ—i diligente causatur desideriâ—m ut uâ—iatur suo dilecto ia quantum possibâ—le est Aquin. Contra Gent. l. 3. c. 153. Desire is the first-borne of Love the feet of the soul whereby it goes forth to meet its beloved And undoutedly none live and aci more as friends of Christ than such as are possessed with the strongest desires after him O! how pleasing is it to Christ to see his friends ful of love-sick desires and longings after himself Christ cannot be long absent from such as are sick at heart and pained with desires after him Thus it was with the love-sick Spouse Can. 2.5 6. Cant. 2.5 g O what would I give to have a bed made to my wearied soul in Christ's bosome I would frist Heaven for many years to have my fil of Jesus in this life I cannot tel you what sweet pain and delightsome torments are in Christ's love c. Rutherf L. For I am sick of love and what
Garden enclosed is my Sister Cant. 4.12 my Spouse a spring shut up a fountain sealed i. e. her conjugal friendship is wholly reserved for Christ and for none other Whence v. 8. he cals upon her Cant. 4.8 to come from the Lions dens from the montains of the Leopards i. e. to renounce friendship with al old lovers which were either open or secret enemies to him For as the Lion signifies an open fierce enemie so the Leopard or Panther implies a cunning slie enemie which under pretence of friendship does more effectually hurt h Non patitur Divinus sponsus illam quan tori sociam habere vult morari in sylvestribus locis ubi Leonum sunt pardâ—run cubilia Sanctius in l. For this Beast is estimed a friend to all Beasts except the Dragon and thence by the beautie of his skin or sweetnes of his smel allures all beasts to him Whence Antichrist that great enemie of Christ is Rev. 13.2 ressembled under this symbolick Image of a Leopard which sets forth his secret cunning enmitie masqued under a pretext of seeming friendship So Hos 13.7 We have the Lion and the Leopard joyned together as expressive of Gods open and secret enmitie against his backsliding people Thus Christ admonisheth his spouse to refuse friendship with al old lovers which were either Lions or Leopards open enemies or false friends to him that so she might be as a garden enclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed for himself and himself alone The like Admonition Christ gives his contracted spouse Psal 45.10 11. Psal 45.10 Hearken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy fathers house 11. So shal the King greatly desire thy beautie for he is thy Lord and worship thou him That this is spoken of the Spouse or friends of Christ the very Title of the Psalme imports which is a song of loves i. e. betwixt Christ and his conjugal friends What then does Christ exhort his conjugal relations unto 1. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both diligent Attention and also Obedience To bearken i. e. to give diligent attention to those conjugal Articles or Laws which were incumbent on her to observe 2. Not only diligently to attend but also to consider i.e. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which denotes vigilant circumspection and deep deliberation to consult deliberate and weigh exactly what are the most proper expedients and means for the completing and perfecting her conjugal union and communion with her Lord. And then the Psalmist proposeth 3. That she l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Bend thine heart to a readie closure ineline her ear i. e. not only consider and advise warily about the means but also chearfully to consent unto and embrace such as were most expedient for the accomplissment of her end She was to consider and debate long and maturely about such means as were best for the accomplissement of this so happy match but the deliberation and consultation being over she was to incline her ear i. e. chearfully to consent and speedily to execute those means which were judged fittest for the attaining her end Thence 4. the Psalmist acquaints us what the first and main of these means were namely Forget also thine own people and thy fathers house As if he had said look as those who enter into conjugal friendship and relation have their conjugal Affections so far melted and dissolved into their beloved friend as that they do in a manner forget al old relations though never so near allied by bloud even Father Mother c. m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et Obliviscere populi tui Domut patris tui i. e. Morum patriae rituâ—m Vates sponsam admonet si sponsam velit amore sui accendere necesse esse ut suae Gentis aâ— paternae Domus corumque oâ—nnium quae antea charissiâ—a habuit prorsus obliviscatur ac marito tantum placere studeat Muis. so must thou have thine heart divorced from al old lovers though never so near akin to thee if thou wilt enter into a conjugal friendship with thy Lord. Conjugal Affection and relation contracts and gathers in the Affections which lie loose and in commun among many friends to one single person so must the conjugal friend of Christ cal home his scattered and wandering affections and cause them al to center on their best beloved Whence it follows 5. v. 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beautie i. e. Be thou wholly for him and he wil be wholly for thee let thy Affections be taken off al old Lovers and Knit entirely to him and his Affections shall be entirely knit to thee be thou content with him and he shal be content with thee let the King have his Throne al alone in thy heart and his heart shal be as it were alone set on thee So shal the King desire thy beautie n Rationâ—m adfâ—rt cur studere debeat ut placeat marito Muis. And thence 6. follows the second reason why she should forget her own people and fathers house For he is thy Lord and worship thou him i. e. He is not only thy Husband but Soverain Lord to whom al Divine Adoration and worship doth appertain wherefore if thou reservest in the supreme conjugal bent of thine heart which is thy Lords Temple and Throne any secret haunt for old lovers thou art guiltie not only of spiritual Adulterie but also of Idolatrie for he is thy Lord whom alone thou must adore or worship with spiritual-conjugal faith love and obedience Thou art mistaken if thou thinkest to mediate a league of friendship betwixt thy New Lord and old lovers no he wil have his alone in the inmost bent of thine heart which is his sacred Temple or rather the Holy of Holies where none may enter or Loge but himself there is room for other Lovers in the out-loges of the Affections but none here in this sacred Bent of thine heart save for thy Lord he alone must be extolled and worshipped here He that studies and indeavours to make a composition betwixt Christ and any old friend so as to allow them both a share in the inmost bent of his spiritually conjugal love does but delude himself with a framed shadow or Idol-Christ of his own fancie A compound-Christ is a false Christ if we chuse not a single Christ for our friend we chuse nothing but a coined Idol of our own deluded hearts he that addes any thing to Christ as a copartner in his spiritual conjugal friendship destroyes the whole of Christ as to benefit Al this is set forth to the life in that Parable Hosea 3.1 2 3. v. 1. Hos 3.1 2 3. Then said the Lord unto me go yet love a woman beloved of her friend yet an adulteresse according to the love of the Lord toward the Children of Israel who look to other Gods and love flagons of Wine
makes men sooner mad than to be drunk with too much felicitie Our Heads and Hearts are so weak and infirme as that they are soon overcome with the sweet wine of worldly good And therefore he that will be a friend of Christ needs much wisdome and Christian Temperance as to the Desire Vse and Fruition of these lower goods The Philosopher saies in down right termes b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato that it is impossible to be exceding rich and exceding good Which comes near our Lord 's great Aphorisme That it is impossible for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of Heaven i. e. as 't is explained for one that trusts in his riches which is the usual practice of rich men who therefore are most unfit to make friends of Christ Certainly great confluences of inferior goods are great impediments to friendship with Christ Because they make men usually 1. Very c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 19. proud 2. Very soft-natured and unable to bear and manage the crosse 3. Very voluptuous and sensual 4. Very formal dead-hearted and strangers to God in al their waies 5. Very confident in themselves 6. Very earthy and base-minded Which are al very obstructive to friendship with Christ We have sufficifient instances hereof in those who pretended friendship to Christ So the young man Mat. 19.21 Mat. 19.21 22. 22. what kept him from closing with Christ but his possessions he had rather part with Christ than with his riches He that wil make Christ his friend must ungod the World Now the Worlds Deitie or if you wil Trinitie consists in the Lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and the pride of life as 1 Joh. 2.16 1 Joh. 2.16 i.e. according to the usual explication the act being by reason of its near alliance set for the object Sensual pleasures Riches and Honors Which as the Cynick wittily expresseth it d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diogen Cyn. are the masques of Vices yea and the fuel of them So Philo the Jew tels us e Philo in Decalog That all sin comes from the lust after pleasures or riches or glorie These therefore must be so far rejected as they stand in competition with Christ Thus Christ enjoines the young man Matth. 19.21 Mat. 19.11 Go and sel what thou hast and give to the poor Christ commands him to part with al if he would partake of him To part with al why or how so 1. Every friend of Christ must part with al habitually in the habitual frame and bent of his heart Christ must be loved more than al thence the friends of Christ are required to hate al in comparison of Christ that is to love al with a lesser love which is comparative hatred This the young man came short in for he loved his riches more than Christ as v. 22. 2. The friend of Christ must part with al actually when Christ cals for it which Christ does in some cases As 1. In those first times of the Gospel Christ required that his friends should lay down al at his feet and live on a commun stock and therefore it was this young man's sin that he would not obey Christ's command and part with al at his injunction which was also the sin of Ananias and Saphira and it cost them their lives Again 2. Christ commands his friends to part actually with al so far as his Churches shal need require it for the maintaining of his worship and ordinances Which seems the meaning of that Scripture Gal. 6.6 7 8. Be not deceived God is not mocqued for what a man sows that also shal he reap c. His designe is to instruct us that we may not grudge any thing to Christ for the maintaining of his Worship 3. We are actually to part with al for Christ so far as it may stand in competition with Christ which oft happens in times of Persecution we must lose al to keep Christ and a good Conscience So our Lord informes us Mat. 6.24 Mat. 6.24 No man can serve two masters ye cannot serve God and Mammon i. e. as Chrysostome paraphraseth on these words f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost no one can serve God and Mammon because they require opposite things Christ commands that we part with what we have Mammon commandt that we catch at what we have not There is also an emphase in that notion serve which implies to be under the Dominion and to depend on the beck of those we serve He that is under the Dominion of Christ as his husband and friend must use the World as his servant not as his friend or Lord. In brief How the World is to be used in subordination to Christ the right use of the World in subordination to our friendship with Christ consists in these particulars 1. In al creature-goods to have a single intention on and pure Affection for Christ as our chiefest good and best friend This Christ injoines in the fore-cited Scripture Mat. 6.22 if the eye i. e. the Intention be single the whole bodie is ful of light To the friends of Christ the whole World should be but a glasse wherein they see and enjoy Christ their friend 2. There must be moderation in the use of al creature-comforts and contentation in the losse of them Al sensible goods are to the friends of Christ but things indifferent and therefore they must use them indifferently they must learne with Paul Phil. 4.12 Phil. 4.12 to want in al their abundance and to abound in al their wants What is wanting in their provision they must make up by contentment and what is over or abundant they must by Christian moderation and charitie learne to want 3. The friends of Christ must use things to be used and enjoy things to be injoyed i. e. they must use the World as their servant and injoy Christ as their friend For he that makes the World his friend makes Christ his enemie Jam. 4.4 So Jam. 4.4 Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitie with God c. so irreconcilable is the feud 'twixt Christ and the World when they come in competition as that he who is a friend of the World must needs be an enemie to Christ and he that is a friend to Christ is necessarily engaged to be an enemie to the World How far the friends of Christ must reject the frowns of the World we intend to shew God willing when we come to their dutie as to bearing Christ's Crosse SECT 5. How far Divorce from the Law is pre-requisite to the Espousement of Christ as our friend 4. How far the Law is to be rejected in order to the espousement of Christ WE now procede to the last grand competitor with Christ namely The Law which is not simply and absolutely an enemie to Christ but only so far as under the notion of an Husband or
to us not only by addition of something to him but also by substraction or diminution of something from him As we may not therefore adde either sin or self or world or Law to Christ so neither may we substract or withdraw any thing from Christ A divided as wel as a compound Christ is but an imaginary friend or rather real enemie to us Wherefore he that will really make Christ his friend must elect him completely as wel as singly Now to chuse Christ completely imports two things 1. To chuse whole Christ And 2. To chuse whole Christ for himself Of these in their order First 1. The friends of Christ must elect a whole Christ Those who will contract an Amitie with Christ must elect or chuse whole Christ Though I cannot as yet satisfie mine own thoughts with that persuasion which supposeth justifying faith as such and under that reduplication to regard Christ as Lord and King as wel as Priest because this is as I conceive with submission to confound the differing formes of faith as justifying and as sanctifying whereof the former speaks a relation to Christ as Priest the latter to Christ as King chiefly Besides I have not as yet any sufficient reason which might persuade me to quit that received opinion That faith justifies as an Instrument not physick but moral or rather federal depending wholly on the institution of God and hence not as an Active but Passive or Receptive and Applicative Instrument whereby the Righteousnes of Christ is received and made ours Though I cannot I say for these and such like considerations force my mind to assent that justifying faith as such regardeth Christ as Lord and King yet I easily grant yea shal demonstrate that sanctifying faith which is one great ligament or essential bond of the souls friendship with Christ closeth with whole Christ as wel Prophet and King as Priest c. SECT 2. The friends of Christ must Elect him as their King 1. 1. The friends of Christ must elect him as King THE true friend of Christ doth espouse him not only as Jesus a Savior but also as Christ an anointed King he elects Christ not only as a Priest to deliver him from Hel but also as a King to deliver him from his lusts To take Christ only to save us from wrath and not to save us from sin is a black character of a rotten heart and false friend Joh. 1.11 So Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not He came unto his own i. e. Christ came to the Jews who pretended great friendship to the Messias and therefore when they heard he was come oh how were they overjoyed at so good news how do they rejoyce and sport themselves in the light of his Gospel as Joh. 5.35 what Hosanna's and Songs of deliverance do they sing Mat. 21.9.15 Joh. 12.13 How greedy are they to make him their King Joh. 6.15 How is it said then that they received him not why they received him not as k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non receperunt illum ut Dominum Grot. in locum Lord and King to rule over them and destroy their lusts They could be content to receive him as a Savior to deliver them from their enemies the Romans as also from the wrath of a sin-revenging God such tidings were very joyous to them but when Christ comes to convince them of and rebuke them for their unbelief hypocrisie pride formalitie and other great Abominations O then they would hear no more of him away with him he was not for their turne Thus they received him not as Lord and King But then he addes v. 12. But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the sons of God i. e. Those who received whole Christ as Lord and King as wel as Savior those he dignified with the title of sons and friends The friends of Christ must bespeak him in this or such like language Lord here is an inflexible stiffe hard perverse stubborne obstinate stout proud heart wilt thou bend melt meeken soften stoop and humble it by thy royal Sceptre and Soveraign Grace shal it be made flexible pliable and conformable to thy royal wil and pleasure Again Lord here are inordinate tumultuous rebellious Affections which love what they should hate and hate what they should love which hope what they should fear and fear what they should hope c. Now good Lord wilt thou subdue these thy lawlesse enemies shall they by the power of thy Grace have a sweet Harmonie Vniformitie and Order infused into them may it please thee to enable me to love what thou lovest to hate what thou hatest c Farther Lord here are many spiritual refined lusts here is an Hel of Atheisme unbelief presumption carnal-securitie self-self-love spiritual pride carnal confidence formalitie hypocrisie c. Wilt thou dear Lord wash thy feet in the blood of these thine Adversaries Shal thy garments be died red in their bloud Lastly O Lord thou seest here is a wretched cursed old man a bodie of sin a root of bitternes a tyrannick lawlesse Law of rebellion an envenomed poisoned fountain of sin a corrupt nature dwelling in me may it now please thee to nail it to thy crosse to pierce it thorough with the spear of thy Spirit that so its heart-blood may issue forth as it sometime made thine to gush forth Thus the friends of Christ must elect him to be Lord and King over their lusts as wel as persons As for those who pretend to be friends of Christ but yet are not willing to have their lusts slain by him Christ pronounceth an heavy doom against such Luk. 19.27 But those mine enemies which would not that I should reign over them Plutarch in the Life of â—yâ—â—rgus bring hither and slay them before me The Soveraigntie and Interest of a Prince consists chiefly in his wisdome and sufficience to governe for the faithful obedience of the subjects depends much upon the wisdome and sufficience of their Prince he that governs wel is usually wel obeyed As the Art of a good Rider is to make his horse flexible and tractable even so the Wisdome of a good King consists in teaching his subjects to obey This King-craft or Regal-wisdome is transcendently and incomparably in Christ and hence it is that his subjects and friends so willingly and chearfully elect him for their King Psal 110.3 Thy people shal be willing or willingnesses c. SECT 3. Christ's friends elect him as their Priest 2. 2. Christ's friends chuse him for their Priest CHrist's friends elect him as their Priest They own no other purgatorie of sins guilt but the bloud of Christ no other Intercessor at the Throne of Grace but the Lamb of God l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Conviv fol. 188. The blind Philosopher could see and acknowlege thus much that al Sacrifices were to conciliate or breed Reconciliation Amitie
c. Jansenius August To. 3. l. 5. de Gratia cap. 10. fo 225. Jansenius that great patron of Grace and the cause of Christ who acutely and solidly discusseth and determines this case whether a regard to our reward or Happines be inconsistent with our love to God for himself Thus Jans August Tom. 3. De Gratia l. 5. c. 10. ' It is no smal error saith he to imagine that our own salvation and the vision of God and the whole complexum or sum of our Felicitie may not be sincerely loved with true charitie As if a Christian were otherwise commanded to love himself than in loving God for God For in this doing he does mostly love himself neither does he love himself truly if he does otherwise love himself than in loving God for himself For by a most profound oblivion and forgetting of himself he does most deeply love himself For our good saith Augustin is nothing else but to adhere to God c. ' CHAP. VI. That the friend of Christ does most promote himself by electing Christ for himself is demonstrated both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election SECT 1. That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From Christ the Object HAving resolved that great Case How far the friends of Christ may in their election of him regard themselves and in part demonstrated that they never more truely and spiritually regard seek and promote themselves than when they most abjuring their carnal legal and private self elect Christ for himself Our main work now wil be 1. To prosecute the Demonstration begun by several convincing Evidences or Discoveries that the friends of Christ do most really seek and advance their spiritual best selves by clecting of Christ for himself and then 2. To explicate How and Why the friends of Christ must elect him for himself That the friends of Christ do most really seek That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From the object Christ considered and advance their spiritual best selves by electing Christ for himself is evident both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election 1. As for the Object of this election who is it but God-man or God himself clothed with human Nature 1. When the friends of Christ elect him whom do they elect but God himself the most infinitely perfect and first Being and last End And is not God to be elected for himself Or can the friends of Christ promote themselves more than by electing him who is their Last end 1. As the last End and chief-est Good and chiefest Good for himself Is not the last end the first mesure and rule of al means and Actions and is not every Subject or Facultie by so much the more noble and perfect by how much the more perfect and noble its last end is Wherein consists the Rectitude of an Intelligent Creature but in his inviolable adherence unto God as his Last end q Libertas electionis importat accessam ad infinitum recessam ab inferioribus Gibieuf What doth the true notion of Libertie import but a Recesse from Inferior Goods and Accesse to the infinite supreme Good Ought not al multitude to be reduced to and governed by the one simple and choicest good Doth not the formal reason of loving al particular goods result not from their own goodnes but from that of the universal and most comprehensive good Now is not Christ our last end and choicest good Is not al God and whole God in him Can then the friends of Christ more advance themselves than by electing of and living in him who is their last end and chiefest good Is not this an happy losse when the friends of Christ lose themselves and al other private goods in the enjoyment of Christ for himself How do they resigne up themselves as captives to his love when once they come to see and tast and smel and feed on the Divine satisfactions of his presence In short have not al creatures an Appetite of Vnion or desire after their last end and that for it self and does not their perfection consist in the firme adhering or cleaving thereto Is there any other mesure for our love of the last end and chiefest good but to love him without al mesure and end infinitely and for himself And what can more commend to us the election of Christ for himself Is he not his friend's last end and best good Do not al manner of Divine suavities and attractive satisfactions flow from him when their hearts do in any good mesure comprehend the wonders of his Love Grace and Goodnes are they not then filled with most satisfaction yea with the fulnes of God as Eph. 3.19 And do not such satisfying sights of Christ lift up their souls so far above al Idol-lovers as that these are in no capacitie to reach or inveigle their hearts as formerly 2. What is more attractive drawing 2. As the first Beautie and alluring than the supreme first Beautie which converts the eyes of al Intelligent Beings to it self And is not Christ that expresse Image and Brightnesse of the Fathers glorie the first and supreme Beautie Is it not then the Interest of his friends to chuse him for himself Has not Christ the most amiable beautiful face that ever was Doth not the most beautiful essence and al the Divine perfections of the Deitie shine in him What are visible Beauties but mere Deformities in comparison of Christ In the visible World what is there so beautiful as light and in the Intelligible World what so beautiful as Truth Now is not Christ the first light and Truth Oh the infinite Beauties of Christ's Intelligibilitie What infinite harmonie what exact proportion and forme is there in al his excellences Again how natural is Christ's Beautie What are al created Beauties but borrowed colors and paint if compared with Christ What an infinite quantitie of beautiful and glorious Truths are there in Christ What a splendor effulgence and amiable amenitie of al Divine Attributes shine in him Wel might the Spouse say Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant or amiable acceptable Certainly such is the soul-ravishing Beautie of Christ as that the contemplation thereof by faith transformes his friends into a like Image 2 Cor. 3.18 Plato saies that the contemplation of the first Beautie makes us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends of God 3. 3. As the first principle of Dependence Again Is not Christ the first principle of Dependence as wel as the last end of fruition And does not the life Interest and perfection of every derived borrowed Being consist in the firme adhesion unto and intimate immediate Dependence on its first Principle r Praemotio Divina est conversiva ad Deum sepaâ—ative à creaturis Gibleuf Lib. Is it not the interest of the rivulet and stream to
therefore his due an entire complete Heart be wholly for him and then expect that he be wholly for thee Let al other suiters stand by and Christ alone possesse the conjugal Bent of thine Heart Know that Christ's Jelousie wil not admit a Division of thine Heart a little love for other friends may be too much but much love for Christ is too little in a soul espoused to Christ If thou wilt be a loyal friend of Christ thou must get a determined resolute peremtorie wil for him thou must contend and wrestle with an holy violence for Christ and resolve not to be put off with any thing but Christ Yea though Christ seems to turne his back on thee yet follow him stil even to the Gates of Hel and then thou shalt with the Syrophenician woman find a Heaven of Friendship with him Christ loves such holy Importunitie and contention love-violence is very pleasing unto Christ He that wil not be denied shal be sure to find Christ 4. 4. Get a flexible Heart A sound Heart is a flexible heart A dead Heart is very stiffe and inflexible but a living sound heart is very Flexible and yielding to Christ It 's so in Nature dead Carcasses are very stiffe and unpliable but a living bodie has its parts very pliable If then thou wouldest have a sound Heart towards Christ be sure that thy heart be very flexible towards him Flexibilitie is essential to the constitution of Amitie amongst men If both or each be of inflexible crosse stiffe Humors there wil never be a lasting friendship Stout-hearted sinners are in Divine estimation far from Christ and friendship with him Esa 46.12 If thou art ambitious of being a loyal friend of Christ thine Heart must be flexible and pliable 1. To the Termes of his Covenant and his Evangelick offers of Grace 2. To his Royal Laws especially such as relate to friendship with him 3. To the workings and operations of his spirit of Grace 4. To his providential occurrences in a way of passive subjection and submission Thus thine heart must be flexible towards Christ albeit inflexible and resolute against sin and al Idol-friends 5. 5. Get an Honest sincere Heart A sound Heart is an Honest sincere Heart such as really intends what it pretends unto such an heart is essential to true Amitie with Christ So Luke 8.15 An honest and good heart are joined together This honest heart is opposed to a guileful deceitful lying Heart which is repugnant to friendship with Christ So Esa 63.8 The friends of Christ are called Children that wil not lie i. e. they really Intend what they pretend unto there is an Harmonie and conformitie betwixt their Affection and Profession they would really be what they professe they are there is no guile found in their mouths or profession Rev. 14.5 Such a friend was Nathaniel Joh. 1.47 An Israelite indeed in whom is no guile If thou hast any prevalent degree of Hypocrisie or guile in thine Heart thy friendship with Christ wil never be good or sound It 's true the friends of Christ find and feel too many Reliques and Spices of Guile and Hypocrisie in their Hearts ay but this is their burden which they groan under and hate and conflict against neither have these Remains of Hypocrisie any prevalent Dominion in the soul neither doth the Bent of the Heart mingle with Eph. 6.24 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox ad animun relata legitur I it 2.7 In â—lossarâ—o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incortuâ—tus Utuntur Plato Demosthenes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sensu â—odem Grot. in loc or approve of them Look wel then to this that thine heart be honest and sincere with Christ Ephes 6.24 Grace he with al them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. with a pure virgin incorrupt love such as has no prevailing mixture of Guile or adulterous Affection such as by no blandissements of this heart-hewitching world by no solicitations of sin and Satan can be inveigled or enticed from Christ O studie labor contend pray wait and seek for such an honest sincere heart such and such alone makes a sound-hearted friend of Christ CHAP. X. Admonitions and Advice to the friends of Christ for the Living up to the Dignitie of this their Relation SECT 1. To Studie and Admire the excellences of Christ's Person Love and Grace Vse 5. Use 5 5. Of Admonition and Advice to the Friends of Christ THis Doctrine of Amitie with Christ furnisheth us also with much matter of Admonition and Advice to such as are indeed the friends of Christ that they would make it their main Studie and Endeavor to Act Walk and Live up to the Dignitie of their Relation and State This use may be branched forth into many particulars 1. 1. To Studie and Admire Christ's Excellences Is Christ so good a friend so much eligible for himself O then how much are the friends of Christ obliged hereby to Studie Admire and Adore the Superlative Transcendent excellences of this their friend What is there more efficacious to improve friendship amongst men than familiar and fresh contemplations of the excellences that are loged in our friend Is not this ingeniously expressed by the Moralist g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who makes al love to come from contemplation Who are they that sleight Christ but those blind sinners who say Cant. 5.9 10. Cant. 5.9 What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved They wanted eyes to contemplate his Beauties and therefore no wonder if they wanted hearts to love and embrace him as their friend But as for the Spouse who wel understood his excellences Oh! how doth she crie him up What a great friend was he in her eye and heart What an admirable Character doth she give of him v. 10. My Beloved is white and ruddie c. She had wel studied the incomparable excellences of Christ her friend and therefore her heart was inflamed with Affections towards him Oh! what infinite Attractives are there in Christ to draw forth the Attention Intention Admiration and Adoration of his friends Is there any thing in the World that may be compared with Christ Take the most excellent and glorious pieces of the Creation and what are they but mere Vanitie and poor withered shadows if compared with Christ What is the World 's Al but pure nothing if compared with the transcendent Glorie of Christ the great Al O ponder muse on the attractive excellences of Christ What a soverain Influence have musing pondering thoughts or Spiritual deep contemplation of Christ's excellences on our friendship with him Is it not thus amongst men Do not lively and fresh Thoughts of our friend though absent mightily inflame the heart with love unto him What is it that makes many impotent effeminate amorous Lovers so much to dote on their beloved Idols but frequent eye-pleasing views and porings on their Skin-deep fading Beautie
And can we imagine that the spiritual fixed contemplation of Christ's ravishing Beauties and Glories by an eye of Faith wil not have a more efficacious Influence on his friends to inflame their hearts with friendship towards him O! Would men but studie pore on and admire the incomparable excellences and perfections of Christ what admirable friends would they be How would their Hearts be ravisht with Love unto him What infinite complacence and satisfaction would they find in communion with him 1. 1. Studie the Beauties of Christ's person What more Attractive than Amiable Beautie And is there any thing imaginable so Beautiful as Christ What is Beautie but a connatural Amenitie or sweet Amiablenes of forme and figure arising from a natural wel-tempered complexion situation and proportion of al parts And are these Ingredients of Beautie any where to be found in such a super-eminent degree as in Christ Is he not in regard of his complexion stiled white and ruddie Cant. 5.10 which are estimed colors most predominant in Beautie Doth not the Spouse give him this Character Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my Beloved yea pleasant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. amiable beautiful acceptable every way heart-ravishing Is there any thing in the world more Beautiful than the Sun and its light shining in its Meridian Glorie And is not Christ's Beautie set forth by that of the Sun shining in its strength Rev. 1.16 Oh! what an Infinite Glorious Sun of Righteousnes is Christ How Beautiful are the beams of his Glorious light O come come al ye friends of Christ and behold this your King in his Beautie as Esa 33.17 O gaze gaze for ever on this your friend let the eyes of your understandings spend their vigor in Heart-affecting contemplations and views of those admirable glories that shine in the person of this your dearest and best friend and never desist til your hearts be ravished with and captivated to him 2. 2 Studie Christ's Good-Nature love and compassions towards his friends Studie admire and adore greatly the suavities or sweeinesses of Christ's Nature the wonders of his love and the Tendernesses of his compassions towards his friends Oh! What an incomparably good-Nature hath Christ How admirably sweet-humored is he towards his friends Were any of Christ's friends ever troubled with causelesse crosse Humors and vexatious carriges from Christ Is not his Nature made up of unparalled sweetnesses O studie and dive deep into Christ's good-Nature and sweet Humor What Divine Suavities possesse his Nature How wel-tempered his spirit is How free from al morose sour il humors his Nature is There are many eminent Qualities in Christ which render him of an incomparably sweet Nature 1. His Nature as curiously framed by the spirit of God is of a surpassing finer make than al other human yea Angelick natures 2. His Human Nature was Graced in and from the Womb. It 's sin that makes our Human Nature so morose so sour so il-conditioned but Christ's nature is clothed with pure Grace and therefore most sweet most benigne most wel-tempered 2. Christ's Love Studie also and admire the wonders of Christ's Love to his friends O that ever such an Infinite Masse of pure spotlesse Love should mingle with Sinful Dust and Ashes Oh! What a free undeserved Love is this Who could ever have imagined that poor deformed bankrupt Rebels should obtain a share in such love and that without hire What was our Emmanuel content to espouse human clay and assume it into such a substantial mariage or hypostatick union with the Deity thereby to reconcile Heaven and Earth Did he borrow a human Heart and Affections to embrace us Human bowels and compassions to Sympathise with us human eyes to weep for us human breath to groan for us a human tongue to plead for us human flesh to sweat drops of bloud for us a human Head to be crowned with thornes for us human armes and legs to be pierced for us a human bodie to bleed for us a human soul and life to die for us O the Altitudes the Profundities the Latitudes and Longitudes of this Love That the Soverain Lord of Glorie should breath forth such flames of insinite love in human flesh and bloud O the Infinite condescensions of this Love What doth the Lord of Glorie stoop so low as to embrace poor wormes crawling on the dunghil of sin Is the King of Kings content to enter into a league of Amitie with miserable captives Doth the great God wooe and beseech his sinful ercature to become his friend Oh! What a boundlesse bottomlesse love is here What vigor and force is there in this Love How heart-charming and soul-conquering is it What delight doth it take in gaining and triumphing over stout rebellious hearts How much doth love in Christ out-run sin in us Did not Christ begin with love to us albeit we begin with hatred to him Was not our Heaven first framed in the Heart of Christ Did not his love contrive the way to Heaven for us long before we had being much lesse love for him Doth not he love such as others hate even Enemies And doth not his love out-work Devils and Hel Is there any power so strong and efficacious as Christ's love How Industrious laborious and unwearied is it How ineffable how unsearchable is it O Studie Studie what are the Lengths Breadths Heights and Depths of this Love Believe it this is the sweetest and best yea only studie for the friends of Christ The more we studie this Love of Christ the more we may studie it there are fresh veins of excellence new Treasures and riches to be found in it every day This wil be the wonder of glorified Saints and Angels to al Eternitie Alas why is it that our hearts sink and despond under our Discouragements How comes it to passe that our Hearts are no more inflamed with Love to Christ Is not this one main Reason because we do not Studie and Admire this Love of Christ as we ought to do What vigor and strength doth the studie of this Love infuse into al the Iniâ—uragements of faith How much doth it raise up the soul under al its Discouragements What a veil of Disgrace and Contemt doth it cast on al the goodlines of the Creature How greatly is the soul raised to communion with Christ by the studie of his Love 3. Christ's compassion and tender nesses Studie also the Tendernesses of Christ's care and compassion towards his friends Is he not mindful of them when they are forgetful of him Doth he not think much good for them oft when they think il of him Though he may be sometimes out of sight yet is not even then his heart with them Doth he not long for and bleed over them when he seems to be departed from them It 's true he sometimes suspends the tokens of his love and marques of Divine favor ay but are not these his suspensions wrapped up in many secret
strong and vehement as Jer. 2.2 I remember thee the kindnes of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when thou wentest after me in the Wildernes in a Land that was not sowen Oh! what pure virgin passionate tenacious violent warme melted efficacious Affections had Israel towards Christ after her Wildernes-condition when she first made a solemne contract with and espousement of him at the valley of Achor Was she not then Holines to the Lord c. as v. 3. And what more effectually preserves such conjugal Affections towards Christ than the frequent Repetition of this first conjugal contract 5. 5. As to Recoveries out of backsliding Nothing is more effectual to recover the friends of Christ out of their Spiritual Relapses and Backslidings of Heart and waies than such fresh espousements of Christ This is the main of Christ's Advice to the backsliding Church of Ephesus Revel 2.4 5. Rev. 2.4 5. Neverthelesse I have somewhat against thee because thou hast left thy first love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works What were those first works but the great vital fundamental Acts of electing Christ and recumbence on him And is there any thing more effectual for the Reduction of the backsliding soul to its first-Love than this Repeted election of Christ Was not this the main essential Act Whereby the soul was at first implanted into Christ And can there be any thing more soverainly efficacious for the Reducement of the soul under its Departures from Christ than the like revived repeted choice of him 6. 6. As to communion with Christ A main part of our communion with Christ consists in such frequent Repetitions of our first choice of him Certainly none enjoy more of Christ than they who most firmely adhere to him Now wherein consnis the souls Adhesion to Christ if not in such revived Elections of him Thus in that fore-named Text Col. 2.6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him As if he had said Do'nt you remember what glorious Ideas what lively and precious thoughts what firme Adherence of wil what a torrent of melted Affections you had for and towards Christ at first Conversion Why then walk in the same endeavor to keep up and maintain the same in daily communion with Christ 7. 7. As to the life of Faith The choicesi part of the life of Faith and the soul 's daily expectation of its absent Lord consists in frequent repeted elections of Christ The Life of Faith is the Life of our friendship with Christ We never are better friends to him than when we believe most on him and are daily under lively expectations of his second coming and 〈◊〉 not this wrought by fresh election of him No wonder indeed that many professed friends of Christ live so much by sense on present sensible goods seing their Hearts are so much strangers to these great vital Acts of Faith Have not the friends of Christ very frequent deep and lively Apprehensions of and Affections for Christ's second coming and coming Glorie at first conversion Yea is not their faith in this particular sometimes clearer and stronger at first Conversion than in some following parts of their life Have not many young Converts more contemtible cheap and vile estime of sensible good with more raised and sublime conceptions of future Injoyments at first turning to Christ than afterwards Are not visible present Goods and Ils made really invisible and Absent as also Invisible and Absent Goods and Ils made really visible and present to their eye of faith Thus it was with those young Converts the Thessalonians in the beginning of their Friendship with Christ 1 Thes 1.9 10. where he comprehends their first conversion under these two Heads Ye turned to God from Idols 1. To serve the living and true God 2. And to wait for his Son from Heaven So that this waiting for the second coming of Christ which is else where made one of the highest parts of the life of faith these Thessalonians even in their first conversion arrived unto And whence came this to passe but from the Realitie â—â—â—idence and Efficacie of their Assent conjunct with the Force and Firmitude of their consent and Adherence to Christ And O! what firme deep Expectations of Christ's second coming What lively views yea prelilabitions of his Coming Invisible Glories might the friends of Christ arrive unto were they but much in the exercices of these Vital Acts of Faith 8. 8. As to Assurance Reiterated and daily-fresh Elections of Christ have a mightie soverain influence for the production and conservation of Assurance The Assurance of our union with Christ has an efficacious influence for the Improvment of our friendship with him For the knowlege of our Interest in the heart of Christ gives him a greater Interest in our hearts we love Christ most when we are most assured of his love to us and this is mostly got by fresh elections of him What a vast quantitie of sincere Christians are there who labor under pannick fears and vexatious douts touching their eternel state Oh! what would they give for a wel-grounded firme assurance of a sincere friendship with Christ how welcome would pale-faced Death be to them the next moment after their arrive unto such an Assurance What irksome toil and labors do they undergo in corporal severities How much do they pore on their hearts to find out any glimmering marques or signes of their sinceritie Al this is good in its kind and season But yet let me say it next to the broad Seal and actual Inspiration of the Spirit of Adoption who is the principal Agent there is as I conceive nothing more efficacious either for the procurement or preservation of a grounded Stable Assurance than repeted and frequent Elections of and Recumbences on Christ And I verily believe would the douting friends of Christ spend but half that time which they usually spend in unbelieving complaints and porings on their Hearts for signes of Grace in such fresh and vigorous Elections of and Adherences unto Christ they would far sooner arrive to their desired Haven of Assurance than otherwise they are like to do For albeit sanctification be in it self alwaies an Infallible marque of Justification yet it is not alwaies such as to our sense Spiritual arguing from the Effect to the Cause is Orthodoxe and sound Logick in Christ's Schole but yet how oft do the Mists and Clouds of an unbelieving scrupulous heart interpose and hinder the conclusion from following though the premisses be good So great a darknes is there oft upon gracious signes and evidences of our sinceritie But now by repeted elections of and Recumbences on Christ he is engaged to give forth fresh light and Influences for the discoverie of our Graces Direct Acts of Adherence to Christ make way for the reflexe Acts of Assurance touching our Interest in Christ Repeted faith of Recumbence at
last brings faith of Assurance There is no more effectual course for the discoverie of our faith in Christ than by putting forth fresh acts of faith on Christ For as by the vital acts of life we know we have life so by believing we come to know that we do believe Yea faith is not only in it self the best evidence of Grace but also it gives light life and spirit to al other evidences of Grace yea who are they to whom Christ most delights to give the Assurance of his love but such as most frequently love and elect him for himself Al this is confirmed to us by the lively feeling experiences of the best Saints who usually never find Christ nearer to them in the evidence of his love than when their hearts are nearest to him by such fiducial acts of Election and love I have known a Christian and indeed the greatest Saint that I ever knew who was much assaulted with a violent Tentation that he was but an Hypocrite but being brought to this Resolution That if he had been an Hypocrite hitherto yet now he would cast himself upon the Grace of God in Christ immediately the tentation vanished Thus we see what a soverain Influence fresh acts of adherence to Christ have to dispel douts and strengthen friendship with Christ SECT 3. The friends of Christ should endeavor to grow more Rooted and Built up in Christ Col. 2.7 3. 3. Advice to the friends of Christ to grow more rooted and built up in Christ HEnce follows another seasonable Admonition and Advice for the friends of Christ in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation and Profession namely that they would labor after a frame of spirit more rooted and built up in Christ This is a subsequent of the former and so it is brought in Col. 2.7 Paul having Col. 2.7 in the foregoing verse exhorted them to walk in Christ by frequent election of him in the same manner as they at first received him he here subjoins Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith The friends of Christ may not content themselves in the mere Repetition of their first Acts and Works but they ought to make progresse therein and grow more rooted and wel-grounded in Christ As if the Apostle had said Ye cannot walk in and with Christ as your friend unlesse ye are deeply radicated or rooted and firmely superstructed or built upon Christ Here is a twofold mecaphor the one taken from plants wel-radicated the other from Edifices or Houses wel-grounded He teacheth us therefore that Christ is our Root in which we ought to be daily more firmely radicated and our Foundation on which we ought to be continually more firmely edificated or built The first notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Erasmus So as you may have roots fixed in Christ as for the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being a participle of the present Tense it shews that this superstruction is successive and gradual as Ephes 2.21 In sum the Spirit and mind of this Advice is that the Friends of Christ would Endeavor after a Soliditie firmitude depth and strength in the great fundamental and vital acts of Faith So it follows and stablished in the faith f Idem absque figura repetit quod per Translationes dixerat Calv. in loc whereby he nakedly and without a Figure expresseth what he had before wrapped up in the two Metaphors of being rooted and built up in Christ Now the great Fundamental and vital Acts of Faith in Christ wherein the Friends of Christ should endeavor to be more deeply radicated or rooted and built up are these 1. 1. A solid and firme Assent to and Estime of Christ The Friends of Christ must labor after a greater Soliditie and depth as also Firmitude and Strength of Assent to and Estimation of Christ as their Friend The more deeply radicated solid and firme our Assent to and estime of Christ as our friend is the more shal we Live and Walk and Act according to the Laws of Friendship with him A superficial feeble Assent to or commun and cheap estime of Christ argues a very slender and narrow if any degree of sincere Amitie with Christ This proves the ruine of a world of pretended friendship to Christ that it wants this due soliditie Firmitude depth and vigor of Assent and Estime And without al peradventure the more the friends of Christ are radicated and wel-grounded herein the more they wil grow up to flourishing Trees and beautiful Structures of Amitie with Christ 2. 2. A strong and resolute Adherence to Christ Another Radical Fundamental and Vital part of Faith wherein the friends of Christ should endeavor after more soliditie depth and Firmitude is cordial Adhesion to Christ as their friend The friends of Christ should labor after a peremtorie resolute yea Head-strong Bent of wil in adherence to Christ The more tenacious violent and strong the wil is in adhering to Christ the better and more durable is its friendship with him This was the main of Barnabas's advice to the young Christians at Antioch Act. 11.23 Act. 11.23 And he exhorted them al that with purpose of Heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Barnabas was much rejoyced to see their young and green Amitie towards Christ ay but he would fain have them more solid and firme more deeply radicated in their Adherence to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of Heart i. e. with a more peremtorie resolute determined fixed wil an heart more strongly bent more firmely and inviolably knit to Christ a wil more firmely determined for Christ but more undetermined for sin and self an Heart more and more resolved for Christ but more and more unresolved for other Lovers a wil more bent for Christ but more unbent for Idol-friends So much also is contained in the following notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adhere or cleave to the Lord as the needle to the Loadstone as the Wife to her Husband as the Bodie to the soul This firme solid and deep Adherence of the wil to Christ is wel expressed Ps 73.26 Psal 73.26 my flesh and mine Heart faileth but God is the strength of mine Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my rock He to whom mine heart adheres as a drowning man to his rock Or we may read it with R. Ezra thus the firme Adhesion of mine Heart is to God Hold fast Christ contend for him it is a lawful plea to go to holding for Christ Rutherf As if he had said I am wel nigh immersed and quite swallowed up in the Ocean of Tentations but yet the firme Adherence or rational Bent of mine Heart is to Christ here I am resolved to adhere and stick come what wil. And why because he is my portion for ever as it follows Christ loves a peremtorie resolved wil such as cannot part with him for the greatest good
stiled Prudence which is defined h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Def. Plat. A facultie or power of it self productive of human happines This Prudence contains in it these parts 1. A Sagacitie or a spirit of Discretion for the finding out the right end and object 2. An Vniversal providence or provision of al such means as conduce to the attainment of our desired end 3. A Facilitie and dexteritie for the disposing of these means in the best manner and method in order to the prosecution of our end Prudence necessarie 1. To discover the right end and object of our friendship Al these parts of Prudence are very requisite to al friendship but especially to the choice of Christ as our friend 1. There must be a spiritual sagacitie or judgement of Discretion to find out the right end and object of our friendship This is indeed of huge concernement in order to the right constitution of friendship for the last end in morals has the same place with the first principles in speculatives and with the Forme in Naturals The last end infuseth sweetnes goodnes forces and life into al the means therefore if this be naught our friendship can never be good i Tu verò Omnia cum amico delibera sed de ipso prius post amicitiam credendum est ante amicitiam judicandum Seneca In our Amitie with Christ the last end and ultimate object of our choice must be no other than Christ himself there is therefore required a spiritual sagacitie to discover the excellences of Christ Sagacitie is said to be * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Def. fol. 412. an Acumen or sharpnes of Vnderstanding whereby we easily and speedily penetrate or dive into the nature and qualitie of things Amongst irrational creatures the Dog is thought to partake of a very great shadow hereof k Plato makes the Dog to be endued with a very great natural Sagacitie for the differencing his friends from his enemies Plato Rep. 2. fol. 376. Life of Padre Paul pag. 60. in that he can at the first glance discover his friend And it is said of Padâ—e Paul the Venetian that great Master of Prudence ' That he could immediately penetrate the nature inclinations and designes of men and like a perfect Musician make his judgement of the Instrument by the first touch so by making men speak he knew their ends their Interests their drifts their resolutions upon busines and with most admirable quicknes the very answers they could make and so he regulated himself in al procedings ' Such a sugacitie or sharp-sightednes is extremely useful in the choice of a friend especially of Christ who is imcomparably the best of friends Oh! were men so quick-sighted and sage as to discerne those infinite beauties and ravishing glories of Christ's person that Divine suavitie and good-nature of his Disposition those warme compassions and sweet tendernesses of his bowels those wonders and condescensions of his Grace in brief had men eyes to see what an ancient laborious industrious bleeding burning rich free unwearied invincible love Christ bears towards sinners they could not choose but choose him for their friend But ah alas here lies the sinner's Hel he is quick-sighted towards Idol-lovers but he has no eyes to see Christ the mysteries and wonders of his beautie Grace and Glorie and therefore 't is no wonder that Christ has so few friends in the world Would the blind World but take Philip's advice and Nathaniel's practice John 1.47 Joh. 1.47 Come and see what transcendent perfections what imcomparable excellences sweetnesses and heart-conquering mysteries of Grace and Love are to be found in Christ what a croud of friends might he have come and see wil speak more for Christ to set forth his excellences than the tongues of men or Angels can do But alas men wil not come men wil not see and dive into the glorious mysteries of Christ and therefore 't is no marvel that Amitie or friendship with him is so rare The Philosopher tels us l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fol. 206. That a wise man does not praise his beloved ' til after some familiaritie he knows him wel The wise men of the world commend not Christ as the best friend because they know him not and they know him not because they have no familiaritie or acquaintance with him Al men that have inward feeling experimental familiaritie with Christ commend and extol him as the best friend no man that ever came to him and tasted how good and gracious he is went away with repenting and hard thoughts of him David as a figure of Christ blesseth the Lord for this spiritual sagacitie as Psal 16.7 Psal 16.7 I blesse the Lord who hath given me counsel What counsel does he mean why counsel or sagacitie to chuse God for his friend and portion as it 's evident from v. 5 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance c. He is so far from envying of the wicked their portions and friends or from repenting of his choice that he blesseth God al his daies for this spiritual sagacitie or counsel which he gave him to chuse God himself and none but God for his friend Yea he is so much taken and satisfied in his choice as that he cries out to al the world Psal 34.8 Psal 34.8 O tast and see that the Lord is good This spiritual sagacitie is a Divine instinct wrought by the spirit of God whereby the soul first tasts and then sees the excellences of Christ So Tyndal on John 10.4 5. fol. 265. ' If they ask how we know that it is the Scripture of God ask them who taught the Eagles to spie out their prey even so the Children of God spie out their father ' Divine instinct backt with inward sense and spiritual reason gives the soul a clear spiritual affective sight of Christ and so engageth the heart to move strongly towards him For no knowlege works more powerfully than instinct of nature strengthened by reason Those who have an inward feeling tast of Christ's admirable sweetnesses wil see and know what an excellent friend he is The Philosopher defines m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Platon Def. fol. 413. election a right experimental probation such as the Goldsmith has of metals This is most true here the more inward experimental and familiar probation or trial we have of Christ the more chearful firme and inviolable wil our election of and Amitie towards him be 'T is true every friend of Christ has not a feeling sense of his interest in Christ yet he has deep sense of the superlative excellence of Christ Some good friends of Christ have not the sweet joyous sense of Christs presence yet they have the bitter bemoaning sense of his absence which argues some forgoing tast how sweet friendship with Christ is Thus it was with the Spouse even when she had lost his sweet
The case stood thus The Jews had entred into a conjugal covenant of friendship with God as you have it Jer. 2.2 3. I remember the kindnes of thy youth the love of thine espousals c. But Israel had broken her conjugal covenant with God as this Prophet Hosea declareth at large chap. 1.2 whence She is here stiled an Adulteresse because albeit she retained the profession and worship of God in part yet she looked to other Gods and loved flagons of Wine o Propter voluptates colunt Idola magis de victu quam de Dei cultu solliciti Tarnovius Intellige hoâ— de Idololatrarum â—oâ—viviis plerumque enim haec conjunguntur superstitio luxus Rivet i. e. she found good emolument or incomes of pleasures and riehes by the flagons of Wine or drink offerings which were poured forth to other Gods therefore she looks towards them or gives them a share in that conjugal friendship and worship which was due to God alone as Zeph. 1.5 Yet for al this though Israel had thus broken wedlock with God yet he had an affectionate compassionate eye towards her she was beloved of her friend though an adulteresse God had a mind to enter into a new covenant of conjugal friendship with her but how would God be content that Israel should lie in commun for him and Idol-Gods No but first he redeems her Affections by out-bidding other lovers and so wil have her as a garden enclosed and a fountain sealed proper to himself So v. 2. So I bought her to me for fiveteen pieces of Silver c. V. 3. And I said unto her thou shalt abide for me many daies thou shalt not play the Harlot and thou shalt not be for another man so wil I also be for thee As if the Lord had said O my backsliding Spouse I have yet once again ransomed thee both by price and power from thine Idol-lovers look wel to it that thou play not the Harlot again be thou for me and not for any other lover and I wil be for thee approve thy self a loyal friend to me and dout not but that I shal approve my self so to thee Thus Cant. 6.3 Cant. 6.3 I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine i. e. I am wholly and singly for my Beloved as he is wholly and singly for me Siâ—ut speculum figuram nullam habet sed illam admittit quam is quem habet coram objicit sic spoâ—sa fidelis praeter sâ—onsum nullum ad asâ—octâ—m admittit Sanctius I am in regard of conjugal love and subjection not mine own but his as he is in point of conjugal love and care not his own but mine It s true my beloved ceaseth not to be his own when he becomes mine but yet he demeaneth himself as if he were not his own he assumeth such intimate Relations and bowels of an husband friend savior c. as bespeaks him wholy mine and therefore it is my dutie to make over my self my Thoughts Admirations Affections Person and al to him so that I am now to mind admire live in possesse enjoy and delight in him and not my self I am to reject every Idol-lover and friend Thence God tels the Israelites that he would not deliver them til they had put away their false Gods Judges 10.13 14. Judg. 10.13 14 15. Yet ye have forsaken me and served other Gods wherefore I wil deliver you no more Go crie unto the Gods ye have chosen and let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation God upbraids them with their Idol-Gods and false lovers But yet when the Israelites had put away their Idols and humbled themselves before God it is said the Lord's sâ—ul was grieved for their miserie v. 15 16. The like Hos 14.3 4. Hos 14.3 4 8. When Israel is brought to renounce al Idol-lovers and false Gods then and not til then Christ comes in as a friend promising to heal her backslidings So v. 8. Ephraim shal say what have I any more to do with Idols and what follows I have heard him and observed him c. Christ wil never hearken to us as a friend so long as we have to do with Idols Thus Hos 2.15 Hos 2.15 16. 16 17. when God takes Israel again into Covenant with himself he wil have her forget the names of Baalim her old Idol lovers and cal him Jshi her Husband Thus the soul that enters into a conjugal friendship with Christ must be for him singly and for none other he must not adde to or compound any thing with Christ but must bid adieu unto and abandon al old lovers which may pretend unto or aim at the least share in the bent of the heart or that conjugal Affection which is alone due to Christ SECT 2. Reprobation of sin by the friends of Christ BUT now to descend to particulars Four old lovers which pretend a share in our conjugal love there are 4 old friends or lovers which pretend unto and aim at an interest in that conjugal affection and friendship which is alone due to Christ and those are 1. Sin 2. Self 3. The World 4. The Law as a Covenant The first two are interne and bosome-friends and therefore more apt to betray us the latter albeit more externe and forrein yet are they exceeding dangerous and very prone either by their smiles or frowns to get a share in that conjugal friendship which is due to Christ Whoever therefore does really intend and desire to enter into a solemne League and Covenant of Amitie with Christ must abandon each of these so far as they stand in opposition to or competition with Christ who must have his royal Throne al alone in the bent of the heart And this indeed suits with the nature of al election formally considered For n Cujus est approbare ejus est reprobare al election in its strict notion does import a reprobation of something he that elects one thing reprobates another So he that elects Christ for his friend must reprobate or refuse al these old Idol-lovers so far as they pretend unto any share in that conjugal Affection which is due to Christ and to him alone 1. 1. The friend of Christ must reprobate and reject sin He that wil espouse Christ for his friend must absolutely renounce yea bid open defiance unto sin that bosome inmate which pretends much kindnes for us but is indeed a sworne enemie not only unto Christ our best friend but also to our selves The Philosopher could tel us o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. That those who are truly friends have the same enemies and friends This holds most true here he that is a friend to Christ is an enemie to sin and so on the contrary he that is a friend to sin is an enemie to Christ To pretend unto an election of Christ as our friend without any sincere reprobation of sin is
Interest is the worst in the world to make a friend of because he usually fails his friend most when he has most need of his friendship namely in times of difficultie The selfish man wil part with his best friend Self violates al the laws of friendship rather than with his carnal Interest Yea inordinate lawlesse self will not stick to offer violence to al the fundamental and essential Laws of true Amitie and friendship For 1. q Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. A friend is to be chosen for himself i. e. not for what good we are to receive from him but for what good we see and enjoy in him This a selfish man minds not he sees nothing desirable in his friend but what good he receives from him 2. Again true Amitie requires a likenes yea some kind of unitie and onenesse in principles humours dispositions wils and Affections But a selfish man can no longer conforme to his friend than his friend conformes to his Interest Irregular self is ful of crosse principles humors dispositions and Affections 3. The Philosopher as well as Reason tels us that al true Amitie is founded in virtue and thence that there is no sound friendship but among virtuous persons but now the selfish person knows no virtue but what promotes his great Idol self 4. Farther true friendship requires mutual communion communication and resignation of al things This a selfish person can no way approve of mine and Thine are his fundamental Laws he chuseth rather to enjoy his carnal interest than his friend he had much rather break a thousand times with his friend than once with carnal self 5. Again confidence and dependence is essential to true friendship but a selfish man has no confident but self he can trust his best friends no longer than he has trial of them Jelousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspicion and disbelief is the first Article of his Creed 6. True friendship requires that we do or suffer any thing for our friend But now a selfish person can do but little and suffer much lesse for his friend 7. Lastly Fidelitie and constance is fundamental and necessary to true Amitie But alas how mutable how inconstant how disloyal is a selfish man to his best friends Hence the Philosopher concludes q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Conviv fol. 184. That friendship is not to be taken up for riches or any politick Interest because such an Amitie has nothing stable in it but its Instabilitie or inconstance And thus much experience tels us that friendship taken up on base selfish Interests is most inconstant for the least mistakes prejudices crosse humors passions or dissatisfactions oft' turnes such friendship into secret if not open enmitie By al which it appears that they who enter into a league of friendship for base selfish ends wil soon come to an end of their friendship Whence also it is manifest that self-denial is essential and fundamental to al true friendship Neither is this self-abnegation fundamentally necessary to human friendship only but also to Divine Self-love Christ's greatest enemie in 7 regards Spiritual Amitie with Christ is no interessed Love that lawlesse Lord or rather Tyrant Self-love is the greatest enemie Christ has For 1. whatsoever pretensions of Amitie to Christ it may make yet the intrinsick and secret mesure of al its kindnes to Christ is self-interest so much the Philosopher assures us r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist that the self-lover acts wholly for himself either according to his proffit or pleasure 2. Again self-love fils the heart with a world of prejudices against Christ O! What unbelieving Jelousies what groundles surmises and suspicions what cruel severe and hard thoughts of Christ have self-seeking professors 3. Whence also comes that obstinacie contumacie stout-heartednes and inflexibilitie or stubbornes of wil which is in many pretenders of friendship to Christ but from proud self ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas for self is the proudest thing in the world it affects no lesse than a Deitie or equalitie with God and Christ and therefore its wil must be its law it is impatient of any yoke though never so sweet and easie 4. self-Self-love is the greatest enemie to Christ because it is ful of self-flatterie presumtion and carnal securitie Holy Self-despair is the best foundation for friendship with Christ because it makes sinners see and feel their absolute necessitie of Christ I must have Christ or I die saies the self-despairing soul t Coecus sui amor hominibu◠persuadet Nihil odiosum sibi inesse Calv. But now self-love fils the soul with groundles presumtions and carnal confidences if sin be but asleep or sick self persuades the sinner that sin is dead if there be but a few seeming good actions self-love presumes that there are also good Affections If there be some legal sorrow for sin this affection of self-love falsely concludes there is an hatred of sin c. 5. Lawlesse self is a great bar to friendship with Christ in that it is the cause of al sin and so of difformitie from and rebellion against Christ That self-love is the cause of al sin the poor blind u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Leg. 5. f. 731. Philosopher can instruct us for saith he he that loves is blind about that he loves and so he imagines there is greater honor due to himself than truth Again al sin springs from an inordinate appetite of some lower good and the true cause why any do inordinately love any lower good is because they do inordinately love themselves Hence 6. Self-love puts another bar to Divine Amitie with Christ in that it is the cause of al manner of confusion and disorder in the soul Friendship with Christ is as we have before Chap. 2. shewn a very barmonious regular and orderly thing But now that lawlesse Tyrant self breeds al kind of confusion So Plato excellently philosophiseth shewing w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Repub. 9. fol. 575 577. how Tyrannick self-love lives as an absolute Monarch in al manner of confusion and irregularitie c. 7. Lastly lawlesse self is most obstructive of Divine Amitie with Christ in that it makes men double minded disloyal and unconstant in al the offices and duties of friendship towards Christ Self-seeking professors are indeed friends to none but their own humors lusts and Interests whatever fair pretences they make to Christ yet in truth al their friendship is concluded within their own sphere self is the centre and circumference where al the lines terminate 'T is true they wil perhaps in some lesser concernes where self is not invaded appear for Christ that so they may in concernes of greater consequence act for themselves they live and die within the circle of their own private Interests they really adore and worship no God but self Whence 't is impossible that such whose ends differ so vastly
from Christ's should maintain entire and long friendship with him Divine Amitie with Christ is lined with a world of difficulties and therefore it needs a world of courage and resolution Cowards wil make no good friends of Christ because they are below the lowest office of friendship But self-love is mighty cowardly and timorous as also slothful and lazy it cries there is a Lion in the way if but any shadow of danger 'T is true a selfish friend may go like Orphah with her mother a furlong or two with Christ so long as the way lies fair and direct for his own Interest but yet he soon parts at the first crosse way x Quia adhuc nimis inordinatè te diligis ideò plenè te resignare aliorum voluntati trepidas Gerson de Imitat Christi l. 3. c. 13. One keeps on with Christ til he comes to the crosse way of shame or reproche another he walks with Christ til he comes to the crosse way of povertie or need others march with Christ til they come to some fiery trial of persecution This is most certain that friendship with Christ begun on base selfish grounds will end in secret or open enmitie for when such seeming friends have atained their ends on Christ they care not to have any more to do with him We find this fully exemplified in many selfish friends that followed Christ while on earth for the loaves or bag or some such carnal interest So Joh. 6.15 Joh. 6.15 26. there are some seemingly such zelous friends of Christ as that they would come and take him by force and make him a King Ay but Christ puts no confidence in them he knew their selfish designe and upbraids them with it v. 26. verily ye seek me because ye did eat of the loaves and were filled y Quos sportula secit amicos Juven Sat. Such basquet-friends are reproched by the Heathens Neither were they long-lived-friends of Christ for v 60 61. they are offended at him and so quit his companie The like instance we have Joh. 2.23 24. where many commit themselves to Christ but he would not commit himself to them because he saw they were but selfish false-hearted friends which would ere long prove open enemies to him We have also a great instance hereof in zelous Jehu 2 King 10.15 16. 2 King 10.15 16. where he seems a forward and hearty friend of God and cries out to Jehonadab come with me and see my zele for the Lord. He pretends much zelous friendship for God but he intends al for himself Jehu seems to go far in the work of Reformation oh what an huge zele has he seemingly for God But when it came to the hazard of his Crown then the golden Calves must he set up he would rather venture the losse of Religion Christ and al than the losse of his Kingdome 2 King 10.29 31. 2 King 10.29 31. He regarded not to walk in al the commandments of the Lord Albeit he went far in Reformation yet he durst not go farther than his Interest attended him when Reformation and Interest crosse each other Where self is the cause of friendship 't is also the ruine of the same then he breaks with God and so God breaks with him as v. 32. And 't is worth our remarque that the very same self-interest namely his ambitious desire of the Kingdome which made him seem so zelous a friend of God against Ahab's house was that which at last turned his seeming friendship into open emnitie against God For the same self-interest that engaged him for God against Ahab's familie in order to the obtaining of the Kingdome engaged him against God and a thorow Reformation lest thereby he should again lose the Kingdome which seems to be aimed at Hos 7.1 Hos 7.1 when I would have healed Israel then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discovered and the wickednes of Samaria Jehu's ambition was very wel pleased to join in the work of Reformation so far as it conduced to his gaining of the Kingdome but having gained it the same self-love hindred him from joining too far in Reformation lest thereby he should again lose his Kingdome Thus the same Idol-self which at first made him a seeming friend at last made him an open enemie to God So mutable and variable a thing is self and al friendship founded and rolling thereon And as Ambitious self thus far prevailed with Jehu so Avaricious or covetous self no lesse influenced Judas both in the election and reprobation of Christ as his friend For the same avaricious humor which made him continue a friend of Christ namely that he might have his bag or purse supplied for Judas was Christ's Bursar as Joh. 13.29 the same at last inclined him to sel his master and friend for thirty pieces of Silver Such a visible curse is there upon al selfish friendship as that self-love is both the effective and destructive cause thereof By al which it is evidently manifest that inordinate self is the Gangrene of al true friendship so that nothing is more essential and fundamental to the election of Christ as our friend than the Reprobation abnegation and abjuration of tyrannick lawles self Renunciation of sin without the renunciation or rejection of self does but make men more secret and cunning enemies of Christ And as there can be no espousement of Christ for our friend A character of hypocritick partial self-denial ' til there be a divorce from self so neither is it every partial superficial carnal externe legal and hypocritick self-denial that wil serve the turne to constitute a sincere friendship with Christ For it is most evident that many denie themselves in some things As to 1. Self-wisdom that so they may seek themselves more effectually in other-some Others denie themselves much in profession that so they may exalt themselves the more in Realitie Some seemingly abase their own wisdome that so they may the more cunningly advance the same as the Academicks and Scepticks of old 2. Self-humor Others professedly crosse thwart their own Inclinations and humors that so they may promote their own merits 3. Self-merit Others renounce their own merits and self-righteousnes in profession that so they may the more establish the same in their hearts self- 4. The causes of self-denial 1. From self-love How much seeming self-abnegation is there in the world which springs only from self-love How many are there who seem to abase themselves in their own and the worlds eyes that so they may be extolled by other men does not many mens self-denial spring only from carnal fear of Divine wrath 2. From carnal fear or 3. Spiritual pride 5. Its effects or from spiritual pride and vain glorie is not the self-denial of many made use of only as an artificial blind or masque to cover over a rotten base heart do'nt they under a forme of self-abnegation hide the power of lust
What made Abraham so eminent for friendship with God as that he is stiled with an emphase or accent The Friend of God Was it not his self-abnegation Abraham's friendship with God founded on self-denial that laid so good a foundation for his so great Amitie with God Were not al the great and noble exploits of Abraham's friendship with God founded on self-denial His first great act of friendship towards God for which he is stiled Esa 41.2 8. the friend of God consisted in his forsaking Chaldea his nearest relations and eye-pleasing delights to follow God he knew not whither as a Pilgrime al his daies Was not this an high piece of self-abjuration Again the second great Act of friendship for which he is recognized and openly proclaimed the friend of God James 2.23 was his offering up his only Son Isaac And O! what a world of self-denial was there in this Act I might run thorow that little Book of Martyrs Other Scripture-instances Heb. 11. or white rol of Christ's Confessors and friends Hebrews 11. and discover unto you what visible veins of self-denial ran thorow al their friendship towards God For faith which was the soul and life of their friendship is the greatest self-denier in the World Do but in your meditations which is too large a Theme for me run over those noble friends of Christ there mentioned even from Abel to the end of the Chapter and you 'l see pure and high strains of self-denial which were the chief corner stones of their confidence in and friendship with God in Christ Again let us contemplate Christ's New Testament friends and we shal find much of self-renunciation at the bottome of al their Amitie with Christ Was not John Baptist a rare John Baptist's friendship with Christ grounded on self-denial choice friend of Christ and who more eminent for self-denial than he especially when it came it came to a competition with Christ Mat. 3.11 So Mat. 3.11 he confesseth he was not worthy to bear Christs's Shooes Joh. 3 26 30. But more particularly John 3.26 30. v. 26. Some of John's Disciples seem much offended that Christ had more Disciples than he whereupon John v. 27 28. rebukes them and v. 29. declares solemnely that for his part he was but the friend of Christ the Bridegroom and therefore 't was joye enough for him to hear his voice Yea addes he v. 30. He must increase but I must decrease As if he had said Let my name lie in the dust and rot sobeit that his name be exalted and made glorious let me be disgraced and despised provided that he be dignified and extolled let my root wither and drie away so that his branch may flourish let my Sun set and be turned into a black cole that his Sun may shine forth more brightly not my Kingdome but his Kingdome come let me be nothing so that he may be al things These are noble strains of self-denying friendship I might shew you the like in other Evangelick friends of Christ as the Thief on the Crosse Luk. 23.42 and Paul who Rom. 9.3 seems content to suffer an innocent and sinlesse Hel for the interest of his Lord and every where when he speaks of himself he draws a veil over his own excellences that so Christs glorie might shine forth more conspicuously as Gal. 2.20 Yet not I but Christ liveth in me that modest corrective not I argues much self-denying friendship But I must contract By these and the like exemplifications and instances we see what an essential and fundamental connexion there is betwixt self-denial and Friendship with Christ I shal close this particular with an observation of the Philosopher z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 1. c. 1. who notes that young men usually are more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friendly and sociable than other ages because they rejoice in societie and mind not their profit or self-interest as friends ought not The reason holds good in al friendship and the observation very far in friendship amongst men because the elder men grow usually if they are not clothed with a Divine nature the more selfish they are But it 's quite contrary in Divine friendship with Christ Young Christians though they oft have the largest affections for Christ yet have they the least friendship towards him and the reason is because there is much of self in al their Affections and duties they mind more what they receive from Christ than what they give unto him they love Christ in themselves more than themselves in Christ whereas grown and mature Christians though perhaps their Affections and friendship to Christ be not so juicy and sappy yet are they more spiritual and lesse selfish they love Christ now more for what good is in himself than for what good they receive from him and whereas at first they loved Christ for themselves they now love themselves in and for Christ the more they are acquainted with Christ the more they love him for himself which is the purest strain of freindship Thus we see how essential self-denial is both to the Being and Perfection of al friendship and particularly of Divine SECT 4. How far the World must be reprobated in order to the Election of Christ as our friend 3. How far the World is to be rejected in order to the Election of Christ as our friend WE have finisht the two great interne competitors of Christ sin and self we now procede to the externe corrivals of Christ which are the World and the Law These are not formally and in themselves enemies to Christ but only objectively and indirectly as they by their frowns or smiles inveigle and entice the heart away from Christ We shall therefore examine them more cursorily and begin with the World which is so far to be rejected as it stands in opposition to or competition with Christ The world has a double face the one smiling and the other frowning by the former it endeavors to allure by the latter it strives to terrifie the soul from Christ In both these respects the World must be denied though principally as to the former For generous spirits are sooner overcome by the smiles than by the frowns of the World 1. The Allurements of the World As for the Allurements and blandissements of the World they are very bewitching and heart-inveigling things Al things in excesse are hurtful but the intemperance of prosperitie is most dangerous a Magnam so turam magnus animus decet qui risi se ad illam extulit altior stetiâ— illam quoquâ— infra terram deduâ—it Seneca He need have a great mesure of Grace who has great worldly enjoyments for if his heart be not much above them with God he wil be soon brought under and made a slave by them The world albeit it promise fair is very faithlesse and deceitful it usually then deceives us most when we most love or trust it Nothing
as wel as his rewards CHAP. V. That grand Case how far the friends of Christ may regard themselves stated both in the Negative and Affirmative SECT 1. Christ must be elected for himself TO make up a complete constitution of Christ Christ must be chosen for himself as the object of the Saints Amitie it is requisite not only that whole Christ be elected but also that he be elected for himself This indeed seems the most essential and fundamental part or the formal Idea and constitutive reason of all true friendship that our friend be chosen z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. for himself Without this qualification al friendship even amongst men as men is reputed by the wiser Heathens but as spurious and bastard that which wil soon when occasion serves degenerate into secret dislike if not open enmitie Thence the Philosopher gives this Idea or Definition of a true friend a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Rhet. pag. 27. That he is such a one as seriously wisheth and studiously endeavors the good of his friend for his friends sake Though this Idea of friendship may possibly prove too narrow for the Saints Amitie with Christ yet thus far it holds good that Christ must be desired for himself For friendship with Christ must be taken up not upon contingent occasions or commun grounds but upon immediate reasons and proper motives arising from an apprehension of Christ's special excellences An Heathen could say to his friend b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates ad Alcibiad Plat. Alcib I am only a lover of thy self others are lovers of thy good things How much more should the friends of Christ bespeak him their best friend in such language certainly that must needs be the most pure and noble Amitie which is leaft interessed and most purely carried out to Christ for himself The lesse mixture of self and carnal respects there is in any friendship The more pure respects we have to Christ for himself the more perfect is our friendship to him whether human or Divine the more it terminates and centers on our friend for himself and the more the heart terminates and centers on its friend for himself the more it corresponds or answers unto the universal and most perfect Idea of human and Divine Amitie This the poor Heathens saw so much beautie and glorie in as that they affected nothing more than to seem thus generous in electing and loving their friend for himself So c Attalus Philosophus diâ—ere olâ—bat jucundius esse amicum sacere quà m habere Sen. ad Luc. Attalus the Philosopher said That it was more pleasant to make a friend i. e. by love and kindnesses expressed to him than to have one i.e. for our use and benefit And the moralist gives us this general character of his wise man d Seneca ad Luc. Epist 9. That albeit he is content with himself yet be desires to have a friend were it only for this that he might exercise friendship that so a virtue of such excellent use might not lie uselesse Why addes he do I elect a friend that I may have one for whom I can die Such pure and dis-interessed strains of Divine Amitie the friends of Christ should aim at and endeavor after towards Christ For by how much the more they intend love What it is to elect Christ for himself desire hope for and delight in Christ for himself by so much the more pure noble generous divine and inviolable is their friendship towards him Now the friends of Christ may be said to elect him for himself when he himself gives rest and satisfaction to their souls in the want and enjoyment of al things For the first principle or element of electing Christ for himself consists in seeing al our satisfaction and rest laid up in him and not in our selves or any thing else Where ever the heart finds complete rest that it lives on loves and enjoyes for it self and the deprivement of that is death and Hel unto it Again what we elect for it self that we make our last end and best good Now the last end and choicest good is the first priaciple in morals and so the most universal Idea and perfect mesure of al good and thence the spring of al rest and satisfaction So that none elects Christ for himself but such as can content and satisfie themselves in Christ not in themselves and the more pure and disinteressed our regards to Christ for himself are the better friends we are In Heaven al these poor low interessed selfish respects which draw sinners to friendship with Christ whiles in this lower Region of Clay-tabernacles wil there be perfectly swallowed up and drowned in the beatifick Vision and fruition of Christ for himself and for himself alone But yet while the friends of Christ are in this their non-age and child-bood he does indulge them in many childish selfish humors They are now in a wildernes-condition absent from the Celestial Canaan where Christ their friend resides and therefore much strangers to those transcendent excellences and ravishing Beauties which shine in his person no wonder then if they have many oblique and squint Regards many private and interessed Affections mixed with their Amitie towards Christ Yea al the friends of Christ at their first contract with him are allured and drawn to him by what good they hope to receive from him rather than by what good they see in him and many good friends of Christ under Desertion or tentation are more intent on what Grace and Comfort they may receive from Christ than on what they may enjoy in himself Upon these and such like considerations it wil be necessary that we state and determine that great case of Conscience How far the friends of Christ may regard themselves their own spiritual Interest life and happines in their election of and Affection to Christ as their friend This case being duely stated and limited we shal the more clearly and satisfactorily procede in determining the Christians dutie in electing and affecting Christ their friend for himself SECT 2. How far Christ's friends may in the Election of him regard themselves AS for that case How far the friends of Christ may regard themselves in the Election of Christ how far the friends of Christ may regard themselves in the election of Christ it may be resolved by these following propositions some of which are exclusive or negative others inclusive or positive 1. The exclusive or negative Propositions are such as follow 1. Prop. The friends of Christ in their election of him may not regard sinful carnal or legal self This is evident because so far as they regard either of these selfs so far they compound Christ and so elect only a false Christ an Idol of their own brain To have a squint eye on some beloved lust or the world or the law in our election of Christ is a black
though he depart from them to approve themselves friends to him although he may appear to be an enemie to them But now 't is quite otherwise with the false friends of Christ 'T is true as long as they can sit at the High table and be feasted with the delices and sweet wine of Divine consolations oh none but Christ he is then a great friend in their account ay but when Christ leaves them in a barren wildernes-condition to live upon a drie faith and absent Lord then farewel to al friendship with Christ when he withdraws the sweet refreshments of his presence from them they withdraw their hearts and friendship from him This is but a bastard mercenarie Amitie arising from that bitter root of self-self-love which is content to feed on sweet-meats and good things that flow from Christ but minds not those Divine suavities and good things that are in Christ The friends of Christ may not be thus selfish SECT 5. Christ may not be elected for a carnal Heaven or to avoid a carnal Hel. 4. Christ's friends may not elect him as a means to procure a carnal Heaven Prop. CHrist must not be elected by his friends as a means whereby they may gain a mistaken false Heaven or the true Heaven in a mistaken false way 1. The friends of Christ neither do nor may elect him as a means whereby they may gain a mistaken false Heaven This is the great error of many carnal friends of Christ who having glad tidings of the infinite delices sweetnesses pleasures joys and satisfaction to be enjoyed in Heaven they seem excedingly ravisht with such good News especially if they have met with disasters crosses and disappointments in this World and hence they seem chearfully willing and ready to embrace Christ as their friend to conduct them to this their desired Heaven But al this while they little think or consider what Heaven is they understand not that Heaven consists in perfect holines continued communion with and praises of God No they dream of a fools Paradis a sensual carnal Heaven wherein they may enjoy both their lusts and Happines Such an Heaven did the carnal Jews expect by their Messias John 6.34 So John 6.34 Lord evermore give us this bread Christ having discoursed of the bread of life that came down from Heaven they seem very forward to tast of it but alas 't was but a carnal Heaven that they desired they knew not what the true bread of life was They pleased themselves in their malice and enmitie against Christ and yet having their consciences a little awakened at Christ's reports of life and happines they pretend friendship to him and seem willing to share in his bread from Heaven f Aliud est appetere bâ—atitatem sub notione universali qui appetitus naturalis est aliud est cam appetere sub notione particulari hoc est beatitatem definitam Camero fol. 356. Man has an innate natural appetite after life and happines under its universal notion though he hate it as defined and bound up under the particular notion of holines and communion with God which is the saints Heaven and life 2. The friends of Christ may not elect Christ as a means to gain the true Heaven in a mistaken false way There are many false waies in which the false friends of Christ would make use of his help to bring them to Heaven I shal only name one which is when men would fain purchase Heaven as the reward of their own good works This is natural to corrupt proud Nature to desire to be saved by doing rather than by believing thus the unbelieving Jews John 6.28 What shal we do that we may work the works of God They would fain get Heaven by doing have wages for their work g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Aristotle's notion of merit The friends of Christ may not elect Christ to avoid Hel merely as penal as hirelings whereas Christ tels them v. 29. faith is the best work 5. Propos The friends of Christ may not elect him as a means to avoid Hel considered merely as a punishment or an offense to and diminution of their particular private good I do not say that the friends of Christ may not elect Christ as a means to save them from the punishments of Hel for this is justifiable as we may shew anon but I say they ought not to elect Christ to save them from Hels punishment merely as a purishment without regard to the sin which also is found in Hel and is indeed the worst part of it To desire Deliverance from Hel only as it is offensive to our particular good or penal and not as it is sinful and so offensive to God is a servile desire SECT 6. The friends of Christ may not elect him for self as their last end or on their own conditions c. 6. Prop. THE friends of Christ may not elect him to enjoy content The friends of Christ may not elect him for themselves as their last end and satisfie themselves in themselves as the ultimate object of their fruition To make self the last end of our desires and satisfaction is as much Idolatrie as to make self the first principle of our Dependence Therefore the friend of Christ must chuse him in opposition not only to self-dependence but also to self-satisfaction He must neither seek nor find rest and satisfaction in any thing below Christ yea he must find rest and satisfaction in Christ alone even in the want of al things A sincere friend sees al his good laid up in Christ and not in himself and therefore he makes Christ his last end and the matter of his satisfaction he studies to please Christ more than himself yea he pleaseth himself most in pleasing Christ hence he converts every part of his private self into a Christ-self self-wisdome into Christ's wisdome self-wil into Christ's wil self-confidences into confidences in Christ c. And thus the friends of Christ As they must give al contentement to him so must they take up al contentement in him To chuse Christ only to give contentment to or take contentment in our selves is a black marque of an adulterous friend of Christ The friends of Christ must studie first how they may content and satisfie Christ and then how they may content and satisfie themselves in the fruition of Christ their best friend To make private self the last end of our satisfaction or to convert the commun graces or good things we receive from Christ to the interest of a particular self abstract from Christ smels too rankly of a false friend such as endeavors to please himself more than Christ 7. Prop. The friends of Christ may not elect him Christ may not be elected upon our own conditions to be enjoyed by them upon their own conditions This is also a sad symtome of a rotten-hearted friend to be willing to chuse Christ for his friend
the Agent 5. Is not this to destroy Heaven and Hel the souls immortalitie the last judgement and al Gospel-obedience to denie That the friends of Christ ought to have any regard to the recompense of reward What was it that gave foundation to that damnable doctrine of the Sadduces denying the Resurrection c was it not this if we may credit the l See Camero fol. 177. Hebrews that Antigonus instructing his Scholar Saduk That he must not serve God merely as a servant for reward but as if there were no reward Saduk mistaking his Master's mind concluded there was then no reward of good works and thence no Resurrection c 6. Yea to denie the friends of Christ any regard to the recompense of reward what does it but strip them not only of their Christianitie but also of their m Sunt quidam qui dicunt abhorrere ab ingenio pii hominis benefacere intuitu mercedis At illi mihi videntur hominem homine exuere Camero fol. 45. humanitie or manhood 7. The very nature of Heaven does approve yea engage the friends of Christ to have an eye thereto in the election of him For what is Heaven but a constant vision and fruition of God in Christ as their supreme happines So that should not the friends of Christ have a regard to this Heaven they should not regard the main of their Amitie with Christ 'T is true to mind Heaven merely as a reward n Obedience which is only for reward without al respect or motive of love and dutie is the obedience of an hireling but not that which acknowledgeth the reward no otherwise due than of his Father's free love c. See Mede Diatr 2. pag. 334. or as a reward to be given as hire for our labor or as a reward that consists in some imaginary felicitie distinct from the enjoyment of God such an eye on Heaven is too mercenary and smels too much of carnal legal and sordid self as before But to eye Heaven as it consists in the enjoyment of God and Christ and as it is a reward given us out of the liberalitie of a tender-hearted Father and purchased by the bloud of our dearest friend and so given also by him as an image or remembrance of his free love this is not mercenary but a necessary part of our friendship with Christ SECT 9. The friends of Christ may elect him in order to their present relief under Tentations and Afflictions c. 3. Prop. THE friends of Christ may The friends of Christ may desire ease from their burdens in their election of him so far regard themselves as to desire relief under and deliverance from their present burdens whether of Conscience or Heart This is likewise manifest 1. Because Christ is thus offered in the Gospel to weary and heavy laden sinners as Mat. 11.28 Come unto me al ye that labor and are heavy laden and I wil give you rest 2. This is the main of Christ's office as Mediator to save those who are lost to bind up the broken-hearted to heal the sick to relieve the poor and needy c. 3. Hereby the friends of Christ are both morally and effectively or efficaciously rendred more amicable and serviceable unto Christ For by being eased of their burdens both of tentation and sin they not only lye under greater and more essential obligations but also are efficaciously and effectually enabled to act more friendly towards Christ Now surely this is a noble and generous strain of self-love to desire to have our burdens both of the guilt of sin which lode the Conscience and of the power of sin which lode the wil taken off that so we may the more chearfully trust love honor and obey Christ our friend 4. The friends of Christ may regard themselves any way in subordination to Christ Prop. The friends of Christ may elect him with regard to themselves their own spiritual good any way so far as self stands in direct subordination or subservience to Christ his interest and glorie 'T is true if the friend of Christ should eye himself as his sole or supreme end above and beyond the glorie of Christ or if he should eye himself as a partial lower end that stands in opposition to or competition with Christ and his honor this would smel too rankly of sordid proud carnal self Ay but to regard himself and his spiritual good or comfort servato ordine finis in subordination to the glorie of Christ this is a pure generous Divine self-love which greatly promotes Amitie with Christ He that thus regards himself in part and in subservience unto Christ only needs not dout of Christ's regards to him as his friend 5. An essential connexion and samenes 'twixt the Interest of Christ and his friends Prop. Christ has constituted such an essential and intimate connexion between his own and his friends Interest as that they never seek or promote themselves more than when they most denie themselves and elect Christ for himself Thus the true spiritual self and interest of Christ and his friends are so far from being opposite each to other as indeed they are not distinct ends but one and the same So that what Satan maliciously reproched Job with Job 1.9 Job 1.9 Doth Job fear God for nought o That the friends of Christ do not elect and serve him for nought See Caril on this Job 1.9 pag. 109. and Mede Diatr 2. pag. 333. and Cameron Opera fol. 45.46 But particularly Jans Aug. To. 3. l. 5. c. 10. fol. 225. may in a strict and spiritual sense be applied to al the friends of Christ who do not elect Christ for nought There are none in the World greater self-seekers in a spiritual and true sense than the friends of Christ For the more they denie and abase themselves for Christ the more they are dignified and exalted by him Luk. 9.44 and 18.14 So far is the Interest of Christ from crossing the real interest of his friends as nothing more promotes it They can't conceive a more compendious way to advance themselves than by electing Christ for himself in opposition to their carnal private self and interest What a sweet and glorious contemplation election and fruition of themselves the friends of Christ have in the contemplation election and fruition of Christ for himself wil fully appear with the Lord's Assistance from what follows in the next Chapter At the present we shal conclude with an observation of p Ita mirabili modo fit ut sit nobis utilitatis nostâ—ae contemtus in diligendo gratis Deo utilissimus Amoris enim Dei non est digna retributio nist ipser Deus Ex quo fit ut propter mercedem operari non sit oculos à Deo ad se reflectere aliquid extra Deum expectare sed Deus ipse magis adhuc gratuitò diligendus in aeternitate sit merces Amor enim amoris Retributio erit
Friends of Christ than to elect him for himself Is it not al the reason in the World that sinners should elect their Savior for himself Is not Christ the most rational object yea wisdome it self and therefore most attractive of our wisdome and election What takes a rational Being more than Reason And hath not Christ the most convincing the most invincibly binding Reasons to attact the heart to himself for himself The election of Christ for himself imports not only Head-logick but Heart-logick also it is the elixir and Spirits of Reason the deepest and profoundest wisdome to contemplate adhere to and love Christ for himself Friendship with Christ carries in it an Ocean a Sea of sublime reason yea the flour of Reason The Prodigal never came to himself Luk. 15.17 i. e. to a sound and sober mind to acts of reason and judgement til he could by the Art of Divine Logick dispute himself into a resolution of returning to his Fathers house where was bread enough to elect and adhere unto Christ for himself Such is the spiritual Logick of Christ's friends Is it not their highest wisdome to adhere unto their first Principle and last End Is it not al the reason in the world that the friends of Christ should elect him for himself who gave himself a ransome for them what mroe reasonable than that they should live and die with him who lived and died for them This seems such a Demonstrative binding constraining Argument to Paul as that it quite overcame 2 Cor. 4.14 15. not only his Reason but his Affection also 2 Cor. 5.14 For the love of Christ w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. totos nos possidet regit us ejus afflatu quasi correpti agamus omnia alludit enim ad vatum suroren Beza constraineth us i. e. does wholly overcome and captivate our Reason like the ecstatick impulses and raptures of the Prophets our Judgements as wel as Affections are ravished with the consideration hereof How so because we thus judge or we thus syllogize dispute or reason in our selves that if one died for al then were al dead V. 15. And that he died for al that they which live should not hence forth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Oh! saies Paul if Christ died for us what reason have we to elect and live to him whence he concludes V. 16. wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh c. i.e. we are now resolved to live to and upon Christ for himself we see al the reason that may be for it because he has been so good a friend to us Such a Divine Logick is there in Amitie with Christ 4. 4. Most Voluntarie To Elect Christ for himself is most Perfective of Human Nature because most voluntarie and pleasing to the renewed wil in the friends of Christ By how much the more voluntarie any act of the wil is by so much the more agreable to and perfective of its nature such an act is Now what more spontaneous and voluntarie than the electing of Christ for himself Oh! what a sweet pain is love-sicknes for Christ how golden are those chains how silken are those cords whereby the heart is fetter'd and bound to Christ Yea is it not the most pleasing death to the friends of Christ to die bleeding with love and adherence to Christ 'T is true the friends of Christ have their wils drawen to and confirmed in the election of Christ by no lesse than a pul of omnipotence But yet oh x Repugnanti non volenti necessitas est in volente necessitas non est Seneca how sweetly and chearfully does it adhere to Christ what an happy necessitie what a blessed constraint what a sweet and pleasing violence is that which knits and keeps the hearts of Christ's friends close unto himself It 's a voluntarie necessitie a love-violence every thread of this Divine election is twisted out of love Hos 11.4 Hos 11.4 I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love And what can be more free and pleasing than bands of love The Philosopher tels us y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Conviv that love knows no force but which is voluntarie and sweet for every one voluntarily obeyes Love Is not this most true here is not the heart most voluntarily though necessarily and invincibly bound to Christ to elect love and enjoy him for himself But of this more in what follows Thus we have demonstrated that the election of Christ for himself is an Act most perfective of Human Nature and therefore most for the promotion of true self SECT 3. Demonstr 3. From the blessed Effects that follow upon the Election of Christ for himself 1. The Divine Nature 2. Libertie 3. 3. Demonst From the effectâ— of electing Christ for himself Which are THat the friend of Christ does most promote himself by the election of Christ for himself may be farther Demonstrated from the Effects of this Election for the tree is known by its fruits the cause by its effects Certainly the friends of Christ by the election of him for himself attain unto many glorious Effects and Fruits which greatly conduce to the advance of their true â— Participation of the Divine Nature spiritual and best self 1. Hereby they are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 The Divine Nature as it is in God wherein does it consist but in the immutable Adhesion to himself his own essential Goodnes and infinite perfection Now the friends of Christ so far as they elect and adhere to Christ for himself so far are they partakers of this Divine Nature The Christian Philosopher tels us z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joan. Grammat in Aristot de Anima That this is the great endeavor of Nature to beget a natural effect like to it self This holds true here the Divine Nature in Christ produceth a Divine nature in some degree like in his friends so that as he loves and enjoyes himself for himself so they love and enjoy him for himself also only with this difference that it is natural and essential to Christ to adhere to and enjoy himself as God which his friends have only by participation and of Grace yet so as that they partake of some shadow and dark ressemblance of that self-sufficience that is in Christ as God For look as God saies Exod. 3.14 I am that I am Exod. 3.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 15.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. I am the first infinite self-sufficient Being so Paul in his proportion by virtue of his electing of and adhering to Christ for himself saies 1 Cor. 15.10 by the Grace of God I am what I am Though Paul knew ful wel his infinite Distance from God as a creature yet by a Quod Deo competit per Naturam nobis co â—pet tâ— per Gratiam Gig. de Libert p.
Christ than they who elect and adhere to him for himself Oh! What a quick and deep sense have such of sin which is the cause of Christ's departure How do their wounds of Conscience bleed under the fresh and lively sense of smal miscarriages against Christ Such are their spiritual senses One of the Philosophers y Protagoras dixit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 held That the soul was nothing else but sense Is not this in a sense true of the renewed soul so far as it adheres to Christ for himself has it not then al its spiritual senses exercised as Heb. 5.14 Does not Paul pray for the Philippians That they might abound in al sense Phil. 1.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and how may this be attained unto but by adhering unto Christ that quickning Head 5. 5. Motion The last great issue of life is Motion and by how much the more noble and raised the life is by so much the more active and perfect wil the motion be For the manner of acting is according to the manner of existing By how much the more perfect the Forme is by so much the more perfect is the life and thence according to the perfection of the life we may mesure the perfection of the operation springing thence And can there be a more noble and perfect life than continued Election of and Adhesion unto Christ for himself Does not the z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Timaeo Philosopher assure us That the contemplation of God is the proper motion of the mind And who may expect the contemplation of God if not the friends of Christ who elect him for himself What is there more efficacious to draw forth every Grace in its exercice than transforming sights of God in Christ by faith And who are there that enjoy more of such transforming sights than such as most firmely and constantly elect and adhere unto Christ for himself O! what uniforme harmonious beautiful yea glorious exercices of Grace do such friends of Christ live under Are not these the pure in heart to whom the blessed vision and fruition of God is promised Mat. 5.8 do not these behold in Christ that Divine Miroir or Glasse the Glorie of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 In short what spiritual motion can the Saints exert without adherence to and dependence on Christ their Head Joh. 15.5 without me or separated from me ye can do nothing Thus the friends of Christ by continued election of and Adhesion to him for himself are made partakers of the Divine life and al the issues thereof SECT 5. Divine Honor Order Beautie Pleasures and Riches from the election of Christ for himself 4. 4. Effect is Divine Honor. ANother great effect of electing Christ for himself is Divine Dignitie Honor and Advancement What is Honor even in the estime of the poor Philopher but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. l. 4. the reward of virtue given to good men And what greater virtue can there be than an intimate Adherence to Christ for himself Again is not the King the fountain of Honor and are not they estimed most Honorable who stand in his presence and receive marques of Honor and Favor from him b Nemo altero nobilior nisi cui rectius ingenium Qui imagines in Atrio exponâ—nt noti magis quà m nobiles sunt Seneca Surely this makes much for the Honor of Christ's friends who elect him for himself for such are Heavens Courtiers they stand in the presence of Christ the King of Kings yea they are his Assessors who set with him upon the Throne Luk. 22.30 That ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdome and sit on Thrones c. What higher marque of Honor can there be than to have Christ's and his Father's name written on their forheads as Ezech. 9.4 Rev. 14.1 c Altum quiddam est virtus excelsum regale invictum In regno nati sumus Deo parere libertas est Seneca Is it not a singular favor that such have Christ's ear and heart to command Can there be a greater Dignitie than to be of Christ's Cabinet-Counsel Psal 25.14 Is it not an high marque of Honor to receive friendly visits and manifestations of love from Christ as Joh. 14.21 15.15 Farther what greater Nobilitie amongst men than to be of the bloud-Royal And are not those who elect and adhere to Christ for himself most allied and akin to him as Mat. 12.49 50. Behold my Mother c. The Philosopher defines d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. Definit 1 Chron. 4.9 Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nobilitie a virtue of Noble manners And what more Noble manners can there be than to adhere to Christ for himself What was it that made Jabez 1 Chron. 4.9 more honorable or weighty or glorious than his brethren Why we are told v. 10. Jabez called on the God of Israel c. Jabez elected God and clave unto him for himself c. Such honor have they who cleave to Christ 5. 5. Effect is Divine Harmonie and Order The Election of Christ for himself is that which Produceth Conserves and Promotes the most that may be a Divine Harmonie and good order in the soul and its Operations The Philosophers saw so much Beautie and excellence in Harmonie and Order as that One e Plato makes it the soul of the World f Pythagoras held 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diog. Laert Another held That Virtue and al things else that were desirable consisted in Harmonie Whence Plato called Virtue the Musick of the soul and Justice the Symphonie or concent of Virtues And what puts the soul into a better Order Harmonie and Vniformitie than Adherence to Christ for himself g It is said of Padre Paul the Venetian that that which made him most admired was the coupling together of Virtues that are seemingly opposite as Knowledge and humilitie c. Life of Father Paul Oh how uniforme and harmonious are al the motions of the friends of Christ so far and so long as they adhere to him what a sweet composure and concent is there of Contemplatives and Actives of Prudence with Meeknes of Wisdome with Humilitie of Seriousnes with Chearfulnes of Affabilitie with Severitie of Solitude with Service and Activitie Thus Graces seemingly opposite do sweetly conspire and meet together by virtue of that Divine Harmonie which attends the soul's adhering to Christ for himself 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8. 6. 6. Effect is Divine Beautie and Glorie The Election of and Adhesion unto Christ for himself infuseth a Divine Beautie and Glorie into the soul as also into its Acts so far as they spring from this root h See Les Beaux Esprits Tom. 1. Confer 26. de la Beautè Plato makes Beautie to arise from the Forme so far as it is predominant over the matter which is of it self without forme and beautie Others
the Father having Treasures of free-grace by him from al Eternitie not for himself but for sinners he was not content to have them loge to al eternitie within his own heart and bowels but found out this admirable way so far above Nature of rich and condescendent Love and Grace for the conveighing of his Grace through his Son incarnate or God-man who is as an Vniversal living Glasse on which al the Beams of Divine Grace immediately shine and from whence they are reflected unto the hearts of sinners for the illuminating animating and transforming of them as 2 Cor. 3.18 of which more anon z Whether the Grace of Christ received any Augmentation See Janes against Hammond We shal not enter on that Schole-Dispute Whether this Graee of Christ after its first Infusion into the human Nature received any intension or Augmentation but content our selves with the received commun Persuasion not only of Protestants but also of the Popish Scholes a Haec Gratia Christi de lege ordinar a augeri non potuit absolutè tamen potuit St. Joseph Thes 44. That the Grace of Christ albeit it received gradual extension as to fresh objects and Acts in which regard Christ is said to grow in Grace c. yet it received not any gradual intension or Augmentation as to the principles or habits thereof but was at the first moment of the Hypostatick Union perfect not absolutely for so only God is perfect but so far as it was according to God's Divine ordination requisite for the Human Nature to be invested with Grace in order to Christ's being a perfect mediator Thus we have shewn how Christ as Mediator was by God the Father made the Receptacle or Ocean of al Grace to be conveighed to the Elect which indeed renders him surpassing glorious and eligible for himself SECT 3. How al Divine perfections dwel in Christ the Mediator as in a Temple Col. 2.9 BUT yet to penetrate How the Deitie and Divine Perfections dwel in Christ as Mediator or dive more deeply into this great Evangelick Mysterie and wonder of Angels and men we are to consider how that not only the Grace of God in a Divine plenitude according to moral estimation infinite was communicated to the human nature of Christ but also the whole Deitie and al the Divine Attributes perfections and excellences of God by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion dwel therein which renders Christ as Mediator Infinitely Glorious and desirable for himself See Amâ—s Medul Theol. l. 1. c. 17. For Christ the second Person of the Trinitie although he has but one subsistence yet has he a double manner of subsisting one in the Divine Nature from eternitie the other in the Human Nature upon his Incarnation which latter manner of subsisting agrees to the Son of God by reason of the Vnion which he has with the Human Nature assumed by and inseparably subsisting in the Divine Person yet without any commixtion or confusion of the Deitie in Christ with the Humanitie or of the Humanitie with the Deitie So Mat. 1.23 Emmanuel God with us and Job 1.14 b Ex hac unione sequitur persenalis communicatie proprietatum quae non est realic transfusio sed est communio vel concursus ad easdem operationes Hinc fit quod omnes Actiones Passiones Christi referuntuy propriè ad ejus personam tanquam ad terminum corum proprium Ames Medul Theol. l. 2. c. 17. Thes 21.22 Hence follows a communication of proprieties so that whatsoever belongs to either Nature may be attributed to and predicated of the Divine Person Thus he who is the eternal son of God is said to be borne in time he who was the Creator of al the World becomes a creature he who was David's Lord becomes a son of David as Luk. 20.44 which puzled al the Jewish Doctors he who was the immortal Lord dies on the Crosse 1 Cor. 2.8 Al this is said of the Divine person though not of the Divine Nature And oh what a wonder of wonders is here that the Divine and Human Nature which were at such an infinite distance should be reconciled in Emmanuel God with us What Does the same person who is God become man yea God and man bypostatically united Is our Emmanuel as verily God as man and as verily man as God Oh! what a great mysterie of Godlines is this God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 How much does this our Emmanuel deserve to be Elected for himself Hence it is said Col. 2.9 Colos 2.9 For in him dwelleth al the fulnes of the Godhead bodily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen in loc V. T. Deus in Templo Hierosol Et super Acca soederis in propitiatorio habitabat sed tantummodo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at postquam venit pleaitudo temporis toto pleaitutudo Deitatis non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè modo eminentissimo personaliter in Christi natura humana inhabitat Glass Philolog S. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. 1. Really in opposition to al Types and Shadows The God-head dwelt also in the Temple at Jerusalem but it was only as in a Type of Christ's human and Mystick bodie So v. 17. the Ceremonial rites are called shadows of things to come but the bodie is of Christ i. e. Christ is the truth and substance of al those Ceremonial Types Thus also Joh. 1.14 ful of Grace and Truth and Joh. 4.24 in Spirit and in Truth where truth seems to be opposed to the ceremonial Shadows and Types 2. Bodily i. e. Essentially and Substantially in opposition to men or Angels Thus the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used to signifie essence according to the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is used for essence as wel as bodie 'T is true the Deitie dwels essentially in every creature in some regard and graciously in the Saints Christ's mystick bodie ay but he dwels in the human bodie of Christ in a far more essential substantial and glorious manner the Saints are not Godded or made essentially and substantially one with God neither are they espoused and maried to God by an hypostatick Vnion as the Human Nature of Christ is Whence 3. By Bodily we may understand personally For so frequently both in sacred and Profane Authors Bodie signifies a Person Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 12.1 imports persons Then he saies that al the plenitude of the Deitie dwelleth This seems to be an allusion to the Divine Shekinah or Inhabitation of the Deitie before mentioned Joh. 1.14 Look as God once had a visible glorious residence in the Holy of Holies as in a Type of Christ's human nature so he now dwelleth in the Antitype really essentially and personally For al the fulnes of the Deitie dwelleth in Christ's human Nature not only essentially but also personally by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion And oh what a
yea impossible is this to be understood without understanding some thing of the Hypostatick Vnion But yet that thus it is this Scripture makes it clear and hence it follows that God's Omnipresence which is one of his incommunicable Attributes must be in like manner attributed to our Emmanuel as he is God-man though not in regard of his manhood The like Luke 22.69 8. Christ an Idea of God's Independence Our Emmanuel as God-man is a glorious Idea and Miroir of God the Father 's Independence This is another of God's incommunicable Attributes which yet is deservedly given to and assumed by Christ Joh. 5.26 Joh. 5.26 So hath he given to the Son to have life in himself Christ's Human Nature and al its glorious accomplishments have Dependence on none but Christ himself al the Personal and Mediatorie excellences of our Emmanuel depend upon no other than his very Person 9. Christ the Idea of al the other incommunicable Attributes of God The same may be affirmed of al the other incommunicable Attributes of God namely of his Al-sufficience his Simplicitie his Immutabilitie his Eternitie his Infinitude his Incomprehensibilitie of al which Christ is a most glorious Idea Character Image Temple and Glasse wherein they shine with Infinite glorie and brightnes and whence they are reflected on the eye of faith SECT 8. Several particular Improvements of this first Character of Christ's Mediatorie excellences HAving largely demonstrated The application of al the foregoing Characters of Christ how al the glorious Ideas of God's Attributes shine in Christ as God-man the Temple Theatre Splendor Character Face Image and Miroir or Glasse of the Father's Glorie what remains but that we now contract al these shining and flaming rayes in a burning glasse of some useful meditations thereby to inflame the hearts of Christ's friends to studie contemplate elect and enjoy this their Emmanuel for himself 1. 1. Contemplate those glorious Ideas that shine in Christ Is the Glorie of the Lord reveled and may al flesh see it together in this our Emmanuel as Esa 40.5 O then come hither al flesh come and behold the most glorious Ideas Characters and Images of the Father's Glorie shining so brightly and yet so sweetly so pleasingly so agreably in this Increated eternal universal Infinite transforming Miroir or Glasse of Christ God-man The old saying under the Law was that no man can see God and live This holds true stil if we consider God out of Christ u Pater qui immâ—nsus est in filio finitus est quia sâ—â—aâ— modulum nostrum accommodavit ne meates nost as Imm â—nsitatâ— suae Gloâ—ae absurbeat Calvin Ay but now God the Father who is in himself infinite invisible unintelligible is in this our Emmanuel visible and intelligible he has in this his Son accommodated himself to our module and capaeitie that so our minds may not be swallowed up with the Immensitie of his Glorie O that the friends of Christ would set him who is the Divine Miroir and looking-Glasse of al the Father's Glorie ever before their eyes and never leave musing poring contemplating on him til they find their hearts transformed into a flame of Divine love to and delight in this their Emmanuel for himself O that the friends of Christ would come and pore on this glasse come and look into this Ark come and worship in this Temple come and gaze on this most resplendent and beautiful Face in which shines al the Glorie of the Deitie Hear Christ himself making solemne Proclamation to his friends of the New-Jerusalem to come Esa 40.9 and behold his Glorie Esa 40.9 say unto the Cities of Judah behold your God! O come and behold what wonders of Grace Beautie and Glorie dwel in this your God! Yea he invites his Elect friends among the Gentiles Esa 65.1 to come and behold his Glorie Esa 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said Behold me Behold me c. Christ seeks them that seek not after him he is found of them that ask not after him and unto such he cries Behold me Behold me The Doublement of the Word argues how desirous Christ is to exhibit his most beautiful and glorious face to the contemplation of sinners O then come come behold behold this so glorious a face Why wil you not come What an heart-ravishing sight is here The fixing of an eye of faith on Christ in a way of spiritual Meditation and contemplation what a mighty Soverain Efficacious influence has it to ravish the heart into an admiration and election of him for himself Ah! What a shame is it that those who professe themselves friends of Christ have no more raised deep fixed Apprehensions of those glorious excellences that shine in him What deserves our most elevated contemplation and admiration if not those glorious Ideas of Divine perfections which meet and center in Christ Is there any thing more admirable more beautiful more heart-captivating than the incomparable excellences of Christ how comes it to passe then that he has no more eyes gazing on him no more hearts ravished with him no more friends of and for himself Oh the folie the madnes the brutishnes of the blind World w Christus virtute unionis Hypostaticae etiam in cruce pendens suit gloriosior omnibus creaturis etiam Angelis gloriosissimis Twissus Vind. Grat. Take Christ in his lowest humiliation even when he hung upon the Crosse yet even then by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion he was infinitely more glorious and eligible for himself than the most glorious creatures even glorified Angels and yet how few beholders of his Glorie has he No wonder therefore that so few elect him for himself 2. Election and fruition of those Glorious excellences that shine in Christ Does al the plenitude of the Deitie dwel bodilie in Christ as in a Temple Oh then what a Beautiful glorious Temple is this How should we admire adore elect serve and enjoy the Deitie in this so glorious a Temple what deserves to be elected and loved for it self if not the Deitie Certainly God must needs be the most alluring drawing heart-ravishing thing that may be for when you say God you say al what can you say more Again is Christ the Effulgence Splendor lustre or shining Brightnes of the Father's Glorie yea the substantial and so infinitely the fairest character of his person And is not this a mightie taking alluring drawing binding character of Christ's excellence which layeth an essential obligation on al his friends to elect love and enjoy him for himself Farther doth al the Beautie Amenitie Majestie Sweetnes Amiablenes of God the Father shine in the lovely Face of Christ Yea he is the lively Image of al the Father's Glorie And must not then the Friends of Christ elect admire and love this his so beautiful majestick and yet sweet heart-charming Face for it self Does
the visible Church on earth crouded with many secret enemies to who seem good friends of Christ Yea what Throngs and Crouds of Hypocrites are there now roaring in Hel who once passed for great friends of Christ in the visible Church Assuredly real Friendship with Christ is very rare and difficult It is an easie matter to be a friend in Name but O! how difficult is it to be so indeed I verily believe that one great designe of al God's Providences towards his Church is to discover the Rottennesses and Hypocrisie of false friends of Christ And I am not without great and I fear too rational fears that many of those who now passe for generally avowed friends of Christ wil one day appear to be but hollow-hearted and masqued enemies of him O that there were not too great grounds for such fears 10. 10. True friendship among men very rare From the general Idea and notion of Friendship we may collect That there is little yea very little real and solid Amitie to be found amongst men each towards other It 's true there is nothing among men more affected and commun than this stile Your Friend and yet what more rare than the Thing The Notion of Friendship is Sweet and Amiable and therefore al lay claim to it but the practice of the Thing it self is very difficult and rare especially in this self-seeking Age and therefore it is no wonder that the most of men even among those who assume to themselves the name are so much strangers to the thing Alas How few are there who do or can elect their friend for himself Wil not the most of men break with their best friends when they crosse their Humors or Interests Do not the Philosophers teach us that al true Amitie is founded in Virtue And is there any virtue beyond Friendship with Christ May we not then hence conclude That there is no true Amitie among men as men but what springs from Amitie with Christ I am strongly persuaded that there was never lesse Friendship among men as men than now adayes and the reasons to me are evident namely from the strength of mens private passions their Inordinate love to this World the Soverain prevalence of self and the decay of that ancient Simplicitie Integritie and publick-spiritednes which formerly flourished among men These I say seem to be the genuine Reasons and Causes why there now is lesse natural or civil Amitie among men than in the dayes of old 11. 11. The folie of such as refuse to make Christ their friend Hence also we may conclude That such as refuse to elect Christ for their friend are deservedly branded with the blackest marque of Fools and Mad men Is Christ indeed so amiable and eligible for himself Doth al the Glorie and perfection of the blessed Deitie dwel bodily in him Is it man's supreme Dignitie Libertie and perfection to elect and adhere to him for himself Oh then how desperately foolish how notoriously mad are al they who reject or neglect the election of such a friend Alas what is it to have al the World thy friend if Christ be thine enemie Wil not al the Glorie of this fading world at the last conflagration be burnt up and contracted into its first nothing at least as to matter of happines What canst thou be said to have or enjoy if thou wantest Christ How poor would thy gain be if al the earth were thine and Christ not thine But on the contrarie what a blessed losse is that if thou shouldest lose al things to gain Christ Are not al things without Christ nothing and nothing with Christ as good as al things Is it not notorious folie for a rational soul to hunger after the jejune emtie pleasures of a vexatious World and to neglect the Divine suavities and delices of an increated eternal Good Doth it not argue a sottish bewitched mind to stand gazing on a blasted Sun-burnt flour of sensible good and mean-while to turne the back on the Sun of Righteousnes that first Light and Beautie Alas Alas that Rational creatures should be so raving mad as to lavish their Affections on such deformed Harlots and black Idols of clay and yet find so little love for the best friend that ever was O the Monstrous folie O the unconceivable madnes of blind sinners That Beautie it self should have so few eyes gazing on it that the supreme eternel most comprehensive most diffusive most permanent and best good should have so few hearts fettered and chained to it That he who is the wonder of Heaven and Earth the only Beloved of the Father should have so little share in the hearts of men O bewitched fools O blind souls What ails you that such an incomparable friend is despised by you How comes it to passe that you are so desperately mad as to part with your love and souls for mere nothing When wil men â—e wise SECT 2. A practick Improvement of this Doctrine touching Amitie with Christ in order to the conviction of secure sinners who reject Christ Use 1 Of conviction to secure sinners who mind not Friendship with Christ HAving dispatched the Doctrinal Corollaries we now procede to some practick Improvements of this great Doctrine touching Friendship with Christ And the first great practick Vse I would make of this Doctrine is of convincement to secure sinners who neither Mind nor Affect this great concerne of Divine Amitie with Christ This Vse I shal branch forth into two parts 1. The conviction of the Sin 2. The conviction of the Miserie of such as neither mind nor Affect Friendship with Christ 1. 1. The Aggravation of this Sin not to mind friendship with Christ mesured To convince secure sinners of their sin in rejecting or neglecting Friendship with Christ we may consider its Aggravations both in regard of its Object Subject Formal Nature and Effects 1. 1. By its Object The Aggravations and weight of this sin wil greatly appear if we seriously weigh and consider the Object against which it strikes For it is a Maxime evident to the Light of Nature and so universally granted by al considerate persons That the Aggravation of an offense is to be mesured by the Object or Person against whom it is committed Now then let us consider what there is in Christ that Aggravates their sin who refuse Divine Amitie with him 1. 1. It is against Christ the alone Author of life Is not Christ the alone Spring and Source of Spiritual life Can any but Christ give life to dead souls Did he not die that dead sinners might live Is not his bloud a Soverain balsame for wounded bleeding souls O then how comes it to passe that bleeding dying sinners reject him who is the alone Soverain physician of Souls Was it ever known that a condemned Rebel refused to be reconciled to and receive a pardon from his Soverain Prince Is it possible that a wretched Malefactor hung up in Chains
indeed is an high degree of Blasphemie against Christ in that the Hypocrisie and Apostafie of such when it breaks forth gives a mortal wound to Religion and so brings a scandal on Christ and his wayes so great is the Blasphensie of al Christ's false friends 2. 2. The folie of false friendship with Christ in that it is We have in some mesure discovered the mysterie of Iniquitie that lyes wrapt up in al false friendship with Christ We shal now a little examine the Folie and Madnes that lies couched in the bowels of this sin 1. 1. Selffla terie Is it not judged by wise men an egregious piece of folie for a man to be his own Flatterer especially if thereby he receive any considerable dammage Such a fool is every false friend of Christ for he flattereth himself in his own eyes til his iniquitie be found to be hateful Psal 36.2 2. 2 Self-delusion What greater folie can there be than self-delusion And is not every false friend of Christ a self-deluding yea a soul-deluding sinner Esa 44.20 A deceived heart hath turned him aside c. So Prov. 1.18 And they lay in wait for their own bloud and lurke privily for their own lives 3. 3. Self-ruine Is it not notorious folie for a man man to concele a wound or plague-sore which if not discovered and searched wil unavoidably prove his ruine And is not this the case of every false friend of Christ What more mortal wound or plague of the Soul can there be than hypocritick Amitie with Christ O the madnes of such false friends 4. 4. Self-confidence Doth not our blessed Lord tel us that it 's egregious folie to build a goodly structure on a sandy Foundation And is not every false friend of Christ such a notorious fool Doth he not build al his hopes and Heaven on the sandy foundation of his own carnal presumtions and confidences Such an one is branded with the black marque of a Fool by the wisest of mere men Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool c. 5. 5. Self-contradiction Is not self-contradiction a great piece of Folie And oh What a self-contradiction is every false friend of Christ Doth he not contradict his own Convictions Profession Vows Covenants Experiences Yea and his own supreme Interest and Happines What a world of self-contradictions are there in false friendship with Christ 6. 6. It shal â— be manifest What notorious folie is it for a man to studie the concelement of his offense from men when his Judge sees it and wil at last make it manifest before al the World Such is the case of al false friends 2 Tim. 3.9 2.3 9. Their folie shal be manifest to al men God sees it now and men shal see it hereafter Death and Judgement strips us of al vizards masques and false pretensions of seeming Amitie with Christ We may deceive others though never so quick-sighted Yea and our selves too now but can we deceive Christ Is he not said to be of a quick understanding or sent Esa 11.3 and therefore able to smel out the most perfumed Hypocrisies of false friends to prie into every vein of it 7. 7. It is a courting a picture Is it not stupendous folie to court the picture and embrace the shadow of our beloved but to neglect the person And is not every false friend of Christ such a fool in grain What is the profession of friendship to Christ without a real espousing of his person but the espousing a Name and rejecting the Thing a courting the Picture or Shadow but despising the person of our friend 3. 3. The curse of false Amitie with Christ As the sin and folie of false friendship with Christ is very notorious so also the curse and plague thereof is extreme malignant 1. 1. It is the root of a world of spiritual sins False friendship with Christ is a monstrous pregnant curse in that it hides feeds foments strengthens and improves a world of spiritual sins How much is Vnbelief strengthened by it What a soverain Influence hath it on carnal presumtion and securitie How many grosse and refined errors are produced and maintained by it Yea the whole bodie of Antichristianisme is but the product of false friendship with Christ as 2 Thes 2.10 Again how much doth it swel the heart with spiritual pride How weak impotent and instable doth it render the heart as Jam. 1.6 8 Whence springs al hard thoughts of and murmurs against God but from this evil bitter root Exod. 6.9 What feeds carnal confidence and self-dependence more than this false friendship Is not this also the spirit of self-self-love and self-seeking Farther whence springs cursed Formalitie but from this root Lastly What hardens the heart and inclines it to Apostafie so much as this evil spirit of false friendship with Christ Heb. 3.13 Such an efficacious and malignant Influence has it for the Concelement Confirmation and Improvement of swarmes of spiritual lusts 2. 2. It poisons the best mercies False Amitie with Christ as it is the food and nurse of the worst sins so also the poison and curse of the best mercies It not only infuses a curse into temporal mercies but also into spiritual it turnes the meanes of Grace into a means of hardening it makes the word of God which is in it self the savor of life unto life to be the savor of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 Is it not a dreadful curse to have not only our sins but also our best duties privileges gifts commun Graces evangelick Assistances ministerial services for Christ and Divine consolations from him converted al into poison and fuel for our lusts And yet this is the case of every false friend of Christ 3. 3. It puts a sting into al Afflictions False friendship with Christ puts a sting into al Afflictions whether spiritual or temporal As the worst of Afflictions work together for good to the real friends of Christ Rom. 8.28 So al work together for evil to his false friends A sincere heart finds some of his sweetest and best mercies in his most bitter and worst trials but a rotten false heart finds al cursed to him 4. 4. Christ leaves such to the â—â—ares of this world False friendship with Christ provokes him to deliver up such to the efficacious Inveiglements Blandissements and Enchantments of a bewitching alluring world If Christ cannot obtain the whole heart he will relinquish and leave it to be possessed by this heart-ensnaring world that great Idol-God And albeit some sensual secure sinners may account it their Libertie to be captivated by the golden chains and fetters of a smiling world yet let them know by how much the more pleasing the world's chains are by so much the more miserable is their curse Oh! What a deep curse is it to have our Table our Relations our Al become a snare as
by our externe mines gestes and behavior ' O that green and young friends of Christ would observe this and more studiously intend the interne Life and power of Grace in the Heart than the externe Forme thereof 2. If thou desirest to approve thy self a loyal friend of Christ 2. A single Heart which Implice then industriously labor after a single Heart This is another essential branch or part of a sound Heart Now this single Heart implies both a single Object and also single Motives or Ends. 1. The Election of a fingle Christ 1. If thou wilt have a single Heart towards Christ thou must let a single Christ possesse thine Heart For such as the object under its formal constitution is such wil our Hearts be If thou elect a double Christ i.e. adde any thing to or compound any thing with Christ thou wilt have a double Heart O beware beware how thou mixe the World the Law Sin or Self with Christ Fie Fie on that adulterous whorish Heart which would fain loge somewhat besides Christ in the bed of its Affections Christ must lie his alone in the Bent of the wil or he wil have nothing to do with that soul Alas how many make a commun Strumpet of their Heart let it lie in commun for Christ and for any Idol-lover Thou must defie right-hands right-eyes and al other Idol-lusts or Lovers if thou wilt be a loyal friend of Christ Yea self in its whole latitude whether wise conceited Religious moral Righteous or Evangelick self must stand by as a mere cipher that so Christ may possesse the room of self Thou must die to al other Lovers if thou wilt live to and with Christ as thy Friend We have al too much of an adulterous love and whorish Heart which is inclined to loge something besides Christ in his Royal Bed and therefore the Lord is pleased to allure such as belong unto the Election of his Grace into a Wildernes-condition of much spiritual Bondage Tentations Desertions Deadnesses Discomfitures Hurries and other Afflictions not a few thereby to banish al Idol-lovers from the Heart Oh then Why wil not poor awakened souls fal in with the designe of their Lord and let him have his alone in the Royal bed of their conjugal Affections Christ wil be Al or None 2. 2. Single Motives of our Election If thou wilt have a single Heart towards Christ then let the Motives of thy Friendship to him be single As thou must elect a single Christ for thy friend so also the motives of thine Election must be single Now the motives of any action are of the same Nature and have the same Influence with the end for the Last end is the supreme motive of every Action So then to have single motives of our friendship with Christ is to have a single Intention or Intuition of right ends in our election of him This is called in Scripture a single eye Mat. 6.22 Mat. 6.22 If therefore thine eye be single i. e. If thou hast a single pure Intention if there be no squint eye no oblique regards to private ends A single heart takes Christ not only for the Loaves but for himself not only as the way to profit but as the way to life not only to cool the heats of Conscience but also to quench the fire of lust in the heart not only to satisfie the Law and its demands but also to satisfie the Heart with the Fruition of Christ himself Such are the motives of a single Heart and such ought to be the motives of thy friendship with Christ Thus the Spouse Characteriseth the friends of Christ Cant. 1.4 Cant. 1.4 The upright love thee i.e. such as have an upright single Intention right ends or strait motives they and they alone have a sound sincere love of Friendship for thee such as have a double heart or as the Psalmist Psal 12.2 an Heart and an Heart an Heart for Christ and an heart for Idol-lovers such are false friends 3. 3. An Entire Heart A sound Heart is an Entire Heart As thou must take Christ with a single Heart which refers to the Object and Motives so also with an Entire whole Heart or thou wilt never make a loyal friend of Christ This indeed follows on the former for if the Heart be double as to the object and motives it can never be in it self Entire The Composition or Duplicitie of the object ever breeds a Division in the Facultie or Subject which destroyes al friendship with Christ Integritie of Heart is Essential to al true Amitie with men but much more with God Ps 119.2 So Psal 119.2 Blessed are they that seek him with the whole Heart i.e. 1. They who seek nothing but God himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or if they seek any thing else but God it is for himself Thus God is to be loved with the whole heart i. e. he is to be loved alone or if any thing else besides God be loved it must be loved for God and in God For he that loves any thing besides God which he loves not for God loves that thing more than God and so makes an Idol of it they that love Christ with the whole heart love nothing but Christ for it self 2. To seek God in Christ with the whole heart is to have the prevalent part of the heart towards him and they who have the prevalent Pondus or Bent of their Hearts toward Christ they are indeed sound-hearted and Loyal friends In moral estimation the major prevalent part passeth for the whole if Christ hath the prevalent part or Bent of the wil he was the whole but if you give him only the lesser part i. e. some Velleitie or conditionate wil some wishings and wouldings some loose desires you give him nothing If you give Christ only a faint languishing incomplete wil you are so far from becoming his Friends as that you do indeed render your selves more spiritual cunning and mortal enemies to him thereby For such imperfect Velleities or conditionate languid desires and wil towards Christ being soon overcome and born edown by the prevalent Bent of the Heart towards Idol-lusts and other Lovers they serve only to concele corroborate and improve those seeds of enmitie which lie dormant in the Heart against Christ O then take heed how thou content thy self with some languid faint wishes or conditionate desires after Christ believe it he wil have the Bent of the wil or nothing If thou divide Christ or divide thine heart 'twixt Christ and the World thou wilt never have him As thou must reserve nothing of the Bent of thy heart for any but Christ Believe it as a piece of Christ wil not suffice thee so a piece of thine heart wil not suffice Christ Beware then how thou divide thy narrow Heart remember al is too little for Christ it wil not serve him and any Idol he wil have al or none Give Christ
first conjugal Election of him Col. 2.6 2. 2. Advice to the Friends of Christ to repete daily their first Election of Christ ANother piece of Admonition and Advice for the Friends of Christ in order to their living up to their professed Amitie with him is daily to revive and repete their first Election of and closure with Christ And O that I had Affections Expressions and Opportunitie to presse home this great piece of Sacred Advice on the friends of Christ What can there be said of greater moment for the Preservation The Benefits of such repeted elections of Christ Improvement and Perfection of our Friendship with Christ than this that our Hearts be frequently yea daily and deeply engaged in this great Fundamental and Vital Act of Electing and closing with Christ 1. 1. As to gradual separation from sin self the World and Law Did not this solemne Election of Christ at first make that happie divorce between the Heart and Sin with al other Christ's Enemies And is not the Heart daily more alienated from Sin and Self and the World and the Law by such revived closures with Christ Doth not the prevalence and predominance of spiritual pride carnal Confidence self-Self-love Earthly-mindednes Hypocrisie with other spiritual lusts arise from our defects of such renewed closures with Christ e Be not discouraged at broken and spilt Resolutions but to it and to it again Wooe about Christ ' til ye get your soul espoused as a chast Virgin to him Rutherf Is there any thing that doth more effectively quench the flames of violent passions or break the impetuous force of unmortified Dispositions and irregular Inclinations than fresh Adherences to and Recumbences on Christ What more efficaciously shuts the door of the Heart against the Blandissements and Inveiglements of an Heart-bewitching world than to have it laid open for Christ and the election of him Is not the Heart also by such fresh espousements of Christ more powerfully rent from the Law as a Covenant of works This seems to be the import of our Saviors exhortation Mat. 7.13 14. Mat. 7.13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate c. i. e. Make it your daily work to bid Adieu to al Beloved Idol-friends which are enemies to Christ get your Hearts every day more and more stript of and rent from Sin Self the World and the Law as a Covenant And how may this be accomplished but by more continued Election of and Adhesion to Christ The Strait Gate takes in not only Aversion from Idol-friends but also Conversion to Christ our best friend and the daily Repetition of the latter gives no sinal perfection to the former The Heart is never turned more effectually from sin self the world and Law than when it is most firmely and frequently turned to Christ 2. 2. As to the confirmation or our union with Christ This repeted and daily Election of Christ is that which Corrâ—borates and confirmes the Soul's bond of Vnion or Covenant of Amitie with Christ For what is it that first knits the Heart in a Covenant of Friendship with Christ Is it not the Believers Election of Christ as his friend And doth not the Repetition of the same Election mightily confirme and strengthen this bond of Vnion Cant. 2.16 Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 2.16 my Beloved is mine and I am his Here she makes a fresh and solemne espousement of or conjugal Covenant with Christ As if she had said He is wholly for me and shal not I be wholly for him and for non other Hos 3.3 He has given me a large room in his Heart and shal not I give him a Regal Throne in mine heart Is he content with me poor sinful unworthy me and shal not I be content with Him most excellent alsufficient incomparable Him Thus by repeted election of Christ she strengthens her union with him Is not the Heart hereby kept close to Christ and thence Christ kept close to the Heart Do not such repeted frequent Elections of Christ bring the soul into a more intimate and firme Adhesion unto Him so that the Heart cannot be long absent from Christ nor Christ long absent from the Heart 3. 3. As to the Radication of Grace Such reiterated and frequent Elections of Christ do greatly radicate and Strengthen the Root of Habitual Grace in the Heart According to the mesure of our actual Dependence on Christ and his Impartment of Grace to us such is the Vigor and Strength of Habitual Grace Now this reiterated Election of Christ is that which brings the soul into the most Absolute Dependence on Christ and engageth him to give forth the most efficacious influences of his Grace The more we Elect Christ the more we depend on him and the more we depend on him the more we receive from him in point of Grace So Col 2.6 Col. 2 6 7. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus so walk ye in him i. e. keep up the same frame of spirit towards Christ wherewith ye first received him be much in the repetition of your first election of him A Christians coversion-work is never at an End ' til his life be at an end His new-birth is never perfectly over so long as he continues in this imperfect life He ought daily to enter in at the strait Gate that so he may walk in the narrow way Mat. 7.13 14. Peter had a second Conversion after his great Relapse into that sin of denying his Lord And so the friends of Christ have their Second Third Fourth c. Conversions as to fresh turnings from sin unto God Can'st thou remember with what frame of spirit thou first receivedst Christ What deep convictions and feeling sense of sin thou hadst What breaches for and from sin were made on thy soul What solemne closures with Christ thy soul made Why then as thou at first didst receive Christ so walk in him keep up the same frame and posture of spirit towards sin and Christ And what follows V. 7. Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith The Radication of Grace and the establishment of the soul in faith depends on our walking in Christ as we first received him i. e. on the fresh Election of him 4. 4 As to the Enlargement of Affections This repeted Espousement of Christ is that which gives us an huge enlargement of Affections towards Christ Oh! What strong and raised desires after Christ What Intimate and inviolable Embracements of Christ in the Armes of Love What Infinite Satisfaction and Complacence in his Presence What bitter Lamentations and mournings after him in his absence What Infinite thirsts and longings for as also lively Hopes of his Returne And what Implacable zele against whatever may oppose Christ would his friends have were they much in this repeted Election of Christ The Love of Espousals and kindnes of youth which young Converts give unto Christ is usually most
follows V. 6. His left hand is under mine Head and his right hand embraccth me She no sooner longs for him but feels his embracements yea he longs for her as much or infinitely more than she longs for him Oh! what a pleasing pain is it to be pained with desires after Christ what a sweet living death is it to die with longings after him O! what monstrous unkindnes is it that Christ should long after his friends and yet they not long after him O hunger and thirst after Christ hunger after his Grace thirst after Christ's Love and the sense of it hunger after his person yea hunger and thirst after Spiritual hunger and thirst after Christ there is a young Heaven in Hunger and Thirst after Christ None injoy more of Christ at least of his spiritual and gracious presence than such as have most infinite thirsts and longings of soul after him Get as near Christ as thou mayest by thy Desires if they cannot run let them creep towards Christ never leave ' til thine Heart be chained and fettered to Christ by desires if not by more sensible Fruition Thus it was with the Spouse Cant. 3.3 Cant. 3.3 Him Saw ye him whom my soul loveth Saw ye Him There is a great Emphase and Efficace in this manner of speech h Vis max ima est in co dicendi genere nam Relativum fine Antecedente est maximè Emphaticum Sanctius in loc Here is a Relative Him without an Antecedent which argues the force and Stength of her desires She thought al the World knew whom she meant and desired after her desires are so ardent as that they wil not permit her to expresse his Name al that she can say is Saw ye Him c. Him what Him doth she mean Must the Watch-men needs understand her broken language Yes her desires were so pressing as that she had not leisure to say more than this saw ye him whom my soul loveth The like affectionate desires after Christ we find in Marie Joh 20.15 Sir If thou hastborne him hence Joh. 20.15 tel me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away Here is nothing but Him and Him and Him her desires after Christ were so vehement as that she had not time to expresse whom she meant she saies tel me where thou hast laid him and I wil take him away Alas poor woman the strength of her desires made her excede the bounds of rational discourse Surely nothing that is dutie seems impossible or burthensome to affectionate desires after Christ The stronger our desires after Christ are the Stronger and more invincible wil our Amitie with him be 3. 3. Grief for Christ's Absence Again the friends of Christ should labor after a more conjugal grief for and bitter sense of Christ's Absence especially for and of sin the cause thereof The friends of Christ when they have not the sweet sense of a felt and injoyed Christ they ought to have the bitter sense of an Absent displeased Christ A true conjugal friend of Christ knows no wounds no pains no torments like those of an angry withdrawen Christ i To love Christ and to want him wants little of Hel. Ruth Death and Hel to him consists in separation and distance from Christ The sense of losse to him is worse than the sense of pain Yea it is his greatest pain that he hath lost his best friend he sees al the curses and Plagues of God wrapt up in the losse of Christ Cant. 5.6 So it was with the Spouse Cant. 5.6 I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake c. My soul failed Christ's Parting farewel put his Spouse into a fainting swooning dying fit Her heart was gone when her Lord was gone when he left her she left her self her spirits evaporated Oh! what languishments what swoonings and failures of spirits should the friends of Christ have when he bids Adieu to them especially if their sin be the cause of his Departure from them Should they not be greatly afflicted in Spirit that Christ's withdrawment from them was occasioned by the withdrawment of their Hearts from Christ What should wound and grieve them if not this that they have wounded and grieved their best friend and so made him at least seemingly to turne against them as an enemie Can there be a worse Hel on this side Hel to the friends of Christ than this that their departure from Christ has made him depart from them and leave them under a wildernes-condition of many Tentations Desertions Difficulties c O mourne mourne for Christ's Absence and for sin the cause thereof as the worst Hel. 4. 4. Lively Hopes of Christs Returne As the friends of Christ should maintain a deep bitter sense of and grief for Christ's Absence so ought they no lesse to keep up a wel-grounded lively Hope of his Returne Hope is according to the Scripture stile the Anchor of the soul Heb. 6.19 if this fail Heb. 6.19 how soon wil the Heart fail and sink down into the Gulf of despair In times of Desertion Satan and our own unbelieving Hearts make many black lies and raise many slanders on Christ therefore if Hope dies al dies Wel-grounded Hope is a seed of Heaven it is a good Prophet which alwaies Prophecies glad tidings of Christ's Returne Yea take a friend of Christ in his lowest ebbe of comfort and darkest mist of Desertion and Tentation yet even then he hath some insensible negative Hopes so that he dares not say peremtorily Christ wil never returne or if he say it 't is but in a fit of Vnbelief and therefore he soon recollects himself again and cannot but cherish some secret hopes which though not perceptible or sensible yet he wil not part with them for a thousand worlds Thus it was with Jonah ch 2. v. 4. Though I said Jonah◠2.4 I am cast out of thy sight yet I wil look towards thine holy Temple Jonah in the Whales bellie cast a wist eye of Hope towards the Temple the Symbol of Christ which kept up his soul from sinking when his bodie was sunk unto the bottome of the Sea Thence saith David Ps 119.81 Psal 119.81 my soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word He had long expected salvation and should have given up al for lost had he not hoped in God's word of Promise Christ breathes in a word of Promise into his Heart and he breaths forth fresh and lively hopes every day into Christ's bosome The friends of Christ must remember that the Cable to which the Anchor of their Hope is fastened is not their own mutable ambulatorie wil or the fallible word of men but the immutable Oath and infallible word of the eternal God who is Veracitie it self Heb. 6.17 18. Oh! what a strong Foundation what an immobile Rock is here for our Hopes to anchor on How
Abatements and Remisnesses of our first Love are exceding grievous to Christ and his Spirit The Physician tels us Omnis dolor ex solutione continui River Prax. Medic. That al grief in the bodie procedes from the solution of the continuum If any bone be out of its place or any member rent from the bodie this cannot but cause grief in the Head and whole Bodie This holdeth most true here the Backsliding heart is out of joint it has left it's place and therefore this cannot but greatly grieve Christ Thence we find Christ sadly complaining of backsliding Israel Jer. 2.2 5. Jer. 2.2 I remember thee the kindnes of thy youth the Love of thine espousals 5. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me c Oh! this grieves Christ to the heart it makes him fetch many a deep sigh and groan to speak in the Scripture phrase that those who have entred into a Covenant of Conjugal Amitie with him should turne aside from him to Idol-lovers So Joh 6.67 Then said Jesus to the twelve John 6.67 wil ye also go away Christ having made a sublime Sermon touching spiritual Manducation or the eating his flesh and drinking his bloud these were but enigmes or hard sayings to the carnal Jews they could not bear such Spiritual Mysterious Doctrine and therefore they turned their Backs on Christ and bid him Adieu Yea some of his true Disciples begin to shrink and hesitate Wherefore Christ turnes short upon them with this sharpe rebuke Wil ye also go away What Ye my friends who have entred into a Covenant of friendship with me and have received from me such signal Marques of Love Honor and Favor who have had such particular Regards and Indulgences from me Wil ye now leave me Oh! this breaks mine heart I cannot bear so great unkindnesses Who would ever have imagined that you my friends would have dealt so unkindly with me True indeed I never expected other usage from yond croud of carnal friends are they gone fare wel to them I mind them as little as they mind me they cannot be more weary of me than I am weary of them by reason of their Unbelief But oh as for you my friends who have professed so much Friendship to me and received such high marques of friendship from me it wil deeply wound mine heart if ye go away 2. 2. Christ's friends must content him by growing up more into his Image If we would give content to Christ we must endeavor to grow up more and more into the Ressemblance and Image of Christ The more like we are to Christ the more content he takes in us Every one delights in the Reflexions of his own Image God and Christ take complacence in nothing but their own Infinite perfections and the finite emanations and Reflexions of the same Glorious Image in their friends Christ has a love of Benevolence and Goodwil for al the Elect but his love of Complacence and delight terminates no where but on the Saints his regenerated friends And the more any friend of Christ partakes of his Image the more delight Christ takes in him There is nothing in the world so beautiful and glorious as Grace and therefore nothing can give Christ more content 3. 3. We must please Christ by displeasing Self Christ is most contented and pleased when self is most discontented and displeased As when Self is gratified Christ is most disgusted so the more we disgust yea abjure and abandon Self whether Natural Moral or Religious Self the more we gratifie and please Christ And the reason is evident because Christ has not any Enemie more diametricly opposite than Proud Self Self-Wisdoms Self-conceits Self-humors Self-wil Self-interests Self-forces Self-righteousnesses and other Self-sufficiencies Wherefore the Renunciation and Abnegation of this Monstrous Idol Self must needs be most contentsome and pleasing to Christ 4. 4. Flexibilitie towards Christ contents him most Flexibilitie towards Christ his Soverain Wil and Grace gives most content to him n Amicitiae propriâ—m est consâ—ntire amicoâ—ia his quae vult Aquin. contra Gent. l. 4. c. 22. It is made a main Proprietie of Friendship to consent to our friend in those things that he wils Now the Wil of Christ is explicated to us in his Precepts Promises and Providences the two first expresse to us his reveled legislative Wil which is the rule of our Doing and Believing the latter namely his Providential Wil declares to us what God has decreed by his secret Wil and so gives us matter of submission and suffering Now the Hearts of Christs friends should be flexible to al these his Wils That iron sinew which is in proud wil must be broken that so it may fal in pieces yea lie in the Dust at Christ's feet as it was with Abraham Esa 41.2 Called him to his foot c. His wil was so flexible as that it lay level with the Wil and Providence of God Our Wils naturally are Adamantine flintie and hard and Christ has not a prouder enemie out of Hel than an obdurate inflexible Wil. Grace alone makes the Wil flexible The friends of Christ should be inflexible and stiffe against al the blandissements and Allurements of Idol-friends but very flexible and pliable towards Christ his Wil and Spirit of Grace 1. 1. Towards Christ's wil of Precept and Providence The friends of Christ ought to be exceding flexible towards the Soverain Wil and Pleasure of Christ either Preceptive or Providential Open or secret Repugnances and Rebellions against Christ's Wil of Precept as also froward vexatious Humors or pettish discontented murmurs against his Wil of Providence are very disgustful and displeasing unto Christ Christ's friends are stiled 1 Pet. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 1.14 Children of obedience or such as have an ear to hear when ever or where ever Christ has a mouth to speak either by Word or Providence an obedient flexible ear and heart Opposite to these are Colos 3.6 Children of Disobedience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. such children as have insuasible inflexible ears or stiffe hard disobedient hearts that cannot complie with Christ's Soverain Wil of Precept and Providence 2. 2. Towards the gracious Movements of Christ's Spirit Christ's friends must be very flexible towards his Promises Termes and Spirit of Grace Christ vouchsafeth his friends many secret sweet Inspirations and Gracious Movements of the Spirit for the reception and Improvement whereof they ought to have very flexible Spirits They ought to be very obsequious to the Spirit 's Motions As their hearts should be very flexible to the Words of Christ so also to the Works of his Spirit It 's good striking whiles the Iron is hot and sailing whiles the Wind blowes the Spirit saith Christ blows where he lists When the Spirit of Grace inspires or breathes in pious Motions the heart must respire or breathe back pious Affections towards Christ
Give thy self and take al else I am content I may seem miserable but I cannot be so because thou art mine Al the alone object of my contentement in whom I take infinite complacence and satisfaction Al things without thee are nothing thou thy self without althings or any thing else art enough to me Thus this great friend of Christ solaced and contented himself with God in Christ alone And Oh! of what infinite moment and concernement is it to the Friends of Christ to content themselves with him alone What are other contentements under Heaven but night-shadows sick-dreams childish toyes pleasing Fables painted Metaphors fools Idols fair nothings yea black salt sour bitter vanities and vexations sugared over with vain conceits Can the heart therefore find an easie logement or contentement in any thing below Christ Ought not he to be the Root and top the Flour and Spirit of al our delight and Satisfaction Is not every squint-eye every oblique Regard to this adulterous Idol-world spiritual Fornication as Jam. 4.4 Doth not our Lord tel us Mat. 5.28 29. he that casteth a lustful look or regard on a Woman commits Adulterie Must not then every wanton glance on any Idol friends for the satisfaction of our hearts be reputed spiritual Adulterie And is it not infinite unkindnes for the friends of Christ who are his by conjugal contract to expect content in any other lovers Doth the World or Idol-friends deserve your hearts better than Christ your Husband What can content you in a day of visitation and death which cannot be far save this your friend Wil not contentement in this your Husband make you find contentement in every crosse and rod Is there not a time coming when nothing wil or can content your hearts but the favor of this your friend Yea is he not content with you Doth any thing in the world please and content him so much as the hearts and companie of his friends And wil you not be content with him Is he wholly and entirely for you and wil you not be wholly and entirely for him Have you a better friend in the World more able and willing to support feed comfort and content your hearts than Christ Can you expect to mend your choice or better your contentement by exchange You have long hunted for content among the creatures but did you ever find it there Is there any thing but bloud to be drawen from those Breasts Do you not feed on Ashes as Esa 44.20 Wind Vapor Froth and Smoke so long as you feed on creature-contents Is it not an ignoble dishonorable thing to prefer eye-pleasing contents before the Infinite sweets and satisfactions that are in Christ Again doth it not argue great Disloyaltie and Disingenuitie towards Christ to expect contentement from any thing besides himself Is it not disloyal yea indecent for the Wife to expect content from any but her Husband Doth not this provoke Christ your Husband to extreme Jelousie Has Christ given you any Just cause for such usage If you grow indifferent towards Christ may you not expect that he also grow indifferent towards you If his Beautie Goodnes Amiablenes and Suavities wil not draw your hearts to take al your contentment in Christ What may you expect but that his rods drive you from your Idol-lovers to himself Such of Christ's friends as wil not take up their content in and with Christ in the Abundance of al things how justly how kindly doth Christ deal with them when he strips them of al other Lovers thereby to gain their hearts wholly to himself But to speak a little distinctly to the manner Directions How the friends of Christ must content themselves in Christ alone how the friends of Christ must content themselves in and with Christ alone 1. The Friends of Christ must content themselves in him alone as the first principle of their spiritual Life the commun Head and Root of al Grace Al veins of carnal confidence and self-dependence must be abandoned 1. As the spring of al Grace There must be an Vniversal Absolute Immediate total and particular Dependence on Christ for al Grace both Habitual and Actual Justifying and Sanctifying Preventing Quickening Confirming Enlarging Sin-mortifying World-crucifying and soul-transforming Grace Christ must be al in al as to Grace But of this before Sect. 3. 2. 2. As the matter of their Happines The friends of Christ must content themselves in and with him as the matter of their Felicitie and Beatitude 1. 1. Christ must he loved for himself 〈…〉 They must regard affect and injoy Christ for himself For whatever we content our selves in and with as the matter of our Happines that we eye love and injoy for it self If we do not regard and love it for it self we do not make it the matter of our contentement but that other thing for which we regard and adhere to it A rational Being much more the friends of Christ may love and injoy nothing for it self but God in Christ who is the alone object of their contentement The friends of Christ should have their hearts rent from al Reflexions on or Regards to themselves and althings else for themselves that so they may love and injoy nothing but God in Christ for himself And hence it wil follow that by how much the more they forget yea lose themselves and injoy Christ for himself by so much the more true content wil they find O! what an admirable piece of Divine contentment is this to find al fulnes in Christ by being emtied of our selves al riches in Christ by the relinquishment of al for him al contentements in Christ by discontenting our selves Christ wil have his friends to affect and rejoyce in nothing but himself as the object of their supreme content And certainly it s the Interest of Christ's friends to love and injoy nothing for itself but God in Christ That is a perverse crooked inordinate adulterous Love which takes more content in the Rings and Love-tokens than in the Lover To take Christ only for some inferior Goods that flow from him without regard to those superior Goods that are in himself alas what is it but to make Christ serve a turne only and then bid farewel to him q To love God for himself as the last end and also for his Benefits as incicements and motives to love him may stand wel together as a child loveth his Mother because she is his Mother and he loveth her also for an Apple Rutherf It 's true Christ allows his friends to have an eye to and Affection for his Benefits But how not for themselves as the only Reason and bottome of their Love but as Motives and Means conducing to the Injoyment of himself who is the adequate object or matter of al content Christ's friends may retain some room in their hearts for his Attendents and Benefits provided that it be in subordination to himself they must alwaies love and delight in
Defertions Is there not much invisible love and Grace wrapt up in Christ's visible departure from his friends Paul saw much of love and mercie in the pricks of that thornie Tentation which Christ left him under to prevent the Tumur of Pride 2 Cor. 12.7 lest I should be lifted up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Meteor in the air above Mesure He knew the Cup was mixed by Christ's own hand and albeit it was very bitter yet there was no poison in it Doth not Christ oft hide himself that so his friends faith and Love may find him out Are not his delayes of returning intended as incentives to make his friends seek more earnestly after him True indeed the friends of Christ in time of Desertion think they are gone many degrees back ay but do they not really advance at least in several Graces in the end Do they not hereby gain more vile mean cheap and humble estime of themselves but more large and deep and high and broad thoughts of Christ Are not their longings and lovesicknesses after Christ more vehement Do they not arrive to a greater mesure of self-diffidence and confidence in Christ Is not their spiritual povertie and self-emtines much augmented Have they not a more tender deep sense of with stronger conflicts against sin Have they not more Evangelick and serious purposes of entertaining Christ more kindly at his returne Such are the sacred Benefits which oft attend Desertion and albeit the Lord's Retirement for a while be not formally an act of love yet is it not so intentionally on Christ's part Are not the Graces of his friends hereby drawen forth in their most glorious exercices namely to adhere to love and confide in an obsent angrie frowning Christ And is not the sinceritie and excellence of Grace hereby greatly tried and approved Doth not Christ oft intend most Grace where he sometimes most suspendeth the sweet refreshing tokens of his Presence Now these How the friends of Christ must live by faith under al his Absences with many others being the gracious fruits of Christ's Absence and Retirement from his friends for some time doth it not greatly concerne them to live by Faith under al such withdrawments of Christ Are not these some of the most noble raisures of Friendship with Christ firmely to adhere to and follow after an absent Christ yea although he may seem to turne as an enemie against the soul Ought not faith by fresh election and recumbence avouch Christ to be hers albeit Christ may seemingly denie the soul to be his Did not the Woman of Canaan discover Heroick strains of friendship towards Christ in this particular Mat. 15. Mat. 15.22 23 24 25 26 27. 1. She addresseth her self to him as an humble supplicant Mat. 22. V. 22. But what comfort doth he afford her Gold comfort indeed Mat. 23. for V. 23. He answered her not's word One would think her faith could pick little encouragement out of this What worse Hel can there be to a Believer that no answer from Christ Ay but doth not her faith spie somewhat of Heaven in this seeming Hel Doth she not apprehend somewhat of an answer in this filence of Christ Thence she continues to crie after him But yet he repels her again Mat. 24. V. 24. with I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Isracl What bottome has she for faith now Is not the door quite shut against her by this repulse Doth not this seem worse than no answer Is it not as much as if Christ had said Woman be gone I have not for thee I have nothing to do with thee Ay but yet her faith knows how to improve this seeming denial Though Christ would not own her for one of his lost Sheep yet she is resolved to own and avouch him for her Lord Mat. 25. So V. 25. Lord help me What answer doth Christ make now Mat. 26. V. 26. It 's not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to Dogs One would think her faith was now quite puzled and non-plust but indeed it was never more Victorious Mat. 27. as V. 27. and she said truth Lord c. Was not this also the posture of Job's Spirit when he resolved to retain his confidence in Christ though he should kil him And did not David's friendship with Christ greatly discover it self in this that he resolved to follow after Christ though he seemed to flie from him Psal 63.8 Is it not then a grand dutie incumbent on al the friends of Christ to live this generous life of faith under al spiritual Desertions and withdrawments of Christ Would not this turne their felt or apprehended Hel under Christ's Absence into a believed coming Heaven But to descend to some particulars of this life of Faith 1. 1 In keeping up good thoughts of Christ The friends of Christ must in al his Retirements on spiritual Desertions keep up good thoughts and maintain an high estime of Christ This is a great part of the life of faith under spiritual Desertions For how apt is Vnbelief to strike in and raise many black lies and false reports of Christ in his Absence Unbelief is a very cloudie dark thing and therefore extreme prone to cloth Christ with monstrous frightful shapes of wrath and severitie especially in the dark night of Desertion and such misjudgements of and Prejudices against Christ are greatly obstructive of a weltempered friendship with him The friends of Christ ought to expel al Vnbelieving jelousies of Christ in his withdrawments and persuade themselves there is much of love and kindnes even in Christ's frowns bowels of Sympathie and pitie under the cloak of wrath with which he seemes to be covered A quick-sighted faith may see something of Christ in al Desertions which yields matter of Hope and good opinion concerning him and although the cup that Christ gives his friends to drink of be very bitter and nauseous to flesh and bloud yet faith may tast and smel something of Christ therein Christ's absence from his friends albeit it be a kind of temporarie Hel yet it has something of Heaven engraven on it For Christ never deserts his friends so much as not to leave behind him some pledge and pawn of his Returne When Christ is gone al of Christ is not gone yea doth he not frequently in his most salt and bitter desertions send now and then a Messenger or love-token at least some invisible supports and insensible Inspirations of the Spirit of Grace which are sufficient Demonstrations that he has not totally left such souls but wil ere long return again Is it not then a great office of Faith to banish al these groundlesse jelousies surmises and misreports of Christ and to maintain high and candid thoughts of him in al his Retirements Alas what is Faith but an high noble generous and candid estime of Christ The friends of Christ may have as low estime of
he cannot have your hearts in the fulnes and abundance of al things he wil have them under the want of althings if his Gracious and sweet Visitations wil not allure you his bitter and severe Visitations shall drive you to him O then follow Christ while in waies of mercie draw near to him walk with him day by day in waies of Communion Indeavor after communion with Christ and then dout not but he wil walk with you in waies of Grace and Comfort keep close to him in al Times Conditions and States and he wil keep close to you 1. 1. In al Religious Duties and Ordinances Maintain daily communion with Christ in al Duties and exercices of Religion None live up to their Dignitie and Dutie as friends of Christ but such as eye and enjoy him in their Religious Duties and Exercices whether private or publick It 's good to be much in duties but it is better to be much with Christ in duties Religious duties and Ordinances they are Christs Galleries wherein he is held Cant. 7.5 by his friends that draw nigh to him therein but as for mere formal legal Duties wherein Christ is not minded they are the Devil's Galleries wherein he is held O! if ever you would be found to be real and faithful friends of Christ be sure you satisfie not your selves with duties done unlesse you meet and enjoy Christ therein 2 2. In al Providential occurrences If you would fulfil and walk up to your Relation and Dignity as friends of Christ then maintain communion with him in al Providential Occurrences whether Consolative or Afflictive smiling or frowning Remember that God's Providences are oft a good Comment on his Promises his Works frequently expound and explain his Word unto us and therefore his friends at least such as are wise wil understand the same as also the loving kindnes of God shining therein Psal 107.43 as Psal 107.43 Whoso is wise and wil observe those things even they shal understand the loving kindness of the Lord. He had discoursed here of the Works of God's Providence which his wiser friends would observe The friends of Christ when Providence smiles on them their hearts should be thereby allured to him it sufficeth not them to injoy mercies from Christ unlesse they can injoy Christ in their mercies And then for Afflictive frowning Providences if Christ sees it meet to withdraw comforts from them they must see it their dutie and endeavor to make it their practice to withdraw their Hearts from those comforts The lesse they injoy of the creature the more they should injoy of Christ in al his afflictive Visitations A great part of our communion with Christ consists in the fellowship of his Crosse and none usually prove more loyal friends of Christ than such as have got the Art and skil of communion with him on the Crosse As Christ was most exalted in Spirit when crucified in the flesh so the friends of Christ should endeavor conformitie to him herein To live a sublime high elevated life of faith in their lowest conditions As an humble self-abasing Spirit greatly adornes an high condition so an exalted sublime high Spirit or life of faith greatly adornes a low afflicted condition in the friends of Christ 3. 3. In creature-comforts and Inferior goods The Friends of Christ should make it their work to injoy Christ in al creature-comforts Inferior Relations and Injoyments Christ alone must be the matter of their Fruition and Satisfaction and al other things matter of use subservient to Christ Nothing is good farther than it comes from Christs heart and draws our hearts to him O! what rich and delicious lives might the friends of Christ lead would they but eye and injoy Christ in al their Creature-Comforts I have known one and indeed a great friend of Christ who I verily believe injoyed more of Christ and his Gracious presence in his Civil Employments and Creature-injoyments than many yea may I not say than most Christians do in their most spiritual duties and Ordinances O! What might we injoy of Christ in the visible Book of Nature and Creature-Comforts had we but spiritual hearts SECT 7. The Friends of Christ must make it their main Studie and Endeavor to give al the content that may be to Christ 7. 7. Advice to give Christ al the content that may be THe Friends of Christ should make it their main yea only Studie and Endeavor to give Christ al the Content that may be This is another great Admonition and Advice for the Friends of Christ such as affect to live up to their Relation and Dignitie f Per hoc quod aliquis Amicus consttuitur 〈◊〉 offeasa removetur Amicitia enim affensae contrariatur Aquinas cont Gent. l. 4. c. 21. For certainly none Act and Live and deport themselves as the friends of Christ but such as studie and endeavor to content and please him Disgustful and displeasing Carriages even among equals are very much unbecoming yea sometimes destructive to Friendship But how much more unbeseeming the friends of Christ who are so far inferior to him are all disguiful or ingrateful deportments towards Christ Is there any thing more becoming the friends of Christ than this that they studiously indeavor by al means possible to please and content so good a friend This implies these particulars 1. 1. Christ's friends must do nothing that may grieve Christ or his Spirit The friends of Christ must do nothing that may be disgustful and displeasing to Christ or his Spirit they must not grieve either one or t'other For if the Spirit of Christ be grieved he himself is also grieved So Esa 63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemie and he fought against them So far as men vexe the Spirit of Christ so far they vexe him and of a friend make him their enemie Thence Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God c. If the friends of Christ can be so unkind as to grieve his Spirit they must expect that Christ wil be so just and faithful as not to passe by such unkindnesses without grief from them Now Christ and his Spirit are grieved and displeased 1. 1. Avoid visible Relapses or secret Indulgences By Visible Relapses into grosser sins or secret Indulgences in lesser sins For look as natural grief ariseth from the presence of any repugnant or displeasing object so proportionably Christ and his Spirit are grieved at the presence of any prevalent sin or lesser sin approved of Private Dalliances with any darling lusts yea smal omissions of known Duties if allowed of and lived in are great griefs to Christ and his Spirit And the better friend Christ has been to any of us the more he is grieved at the least Dalliances with or Indulgences in sin either of omission or commission 2. 2. Beware of Backslidings By Secret Backslidings of Heart or
the Bridegroom himself more than in his Gifts His comforts are sweet but himself ought to be sweeter to his friends who may not dâ—te upon his love or any thing below Himself 2. 2. Christ our most universal Good and so the chief matter of Fruition Hence if we wil take al our content in Christ as the matter of our Happines we must intend affect and injoy him as the most universal comprehensive choicest and best Good This follows on the former for whatever we eye and affect for it self we look on and make our supreme and chiefest Good and thence the alone object of our Fruition There is no true contentement but what springs from Fruition and there is no regular Fruition but what is conversant about the chiefest Good Fruition is the end of Love but the beginning of contentement none loves any thing as his best good but what he would fain injoy and none would injoy any thing but what he would fain find contentement in For to injoy any thing in a proper sense is as Augustin wel observes by love to adhere unto it for it self Whence it is evident that nothing properly is or may be the object of our Fruition but God in Christ We may use the Creatures as means subservient to this higher end but we may Injoy nothing but God in Christ as the matter of our Happines 3. 3. Christ the spring of our satisfaction To content our selves in and with Christ as our objective Felicitie implies thus much also that we make him the alone spring of our satisfaction For whatever we make the commensurate formal object of our Happines that also we make the Fountain of our Satisfaction so Psal 17.15 I shal be satisfied when I awake with thy likenes Satisfaction can be formed out of nothing but the chiefest good and the more intimate and complete our Fruition thereof is the more contentement and satisfaction we find therein The more the friends of Christ are swallowed up and as it were lost in the fruition of Christ their chiefest Good the more contentement they find O then how should they hunger thirst long and breath after and solace themselves in those Divine satisfactions that are in Christ 4. 4. Christ to be injoyed without mesure To content our selves with Christ as the matter of our Happines implies an Infinite thirst or boundlesse desire after the Injoyment of him For whatever we make the Adequate object of our Happines that we can never excede in the Injoyment of The only mesure of our love and fruition of the chiefest Good is to love and injoy it without al mesure He that contents himself with Christ as his choicest good thinks he can never injoy too much or enough of him 5. 5. Christ the mesure of other Goods He that contents himself with Christ as his best good makes him the Vniversal Idea and mesure of al other Goods For our chiefest Good is alwaies our Last end and what we make our Last end that we ever make the first mesure or standard of al other Goods The first in every kind is the mesure of al the rest So that if Christ be our best Good he is also our Last end and thence the first mesure of al our Goods Al other inferior Goods must subserve the Injoyment of him as our supreme choicest Good SECT 9. The Friends of Christ must live by Faith in al states and conditions of suffering immediately by or for Christ 9. OUR last great Advice in order to the Filling up and Improving this Relation of Friendship with Christ is In al states and conditions of suffering to live by Faith Faith is the Life and Soul of friendship with Christ and the more we live by faith the more we live as the friends of Christ Faith is the master Vein that conveigheth vital spirits to al the laws of friendship What makes the friends of Christ more intimately one with him that firme Adhesion to him by lively acts of faith Doth not this keep their hearts close to Christ and Christ's heart close to them What is there that breeds more self-jelousie and confidence in Christ than clear repeted acts of faith Who are they that depend least on themselves and most on Christ but such as live most by Faith Is not the believing soul so far as his faith is predominant most zelous for and obedient to Christ and yet most poor in Spirit and Dependent on Christ Doth not Faith make the friends of Christ so diligent in the use of means as if there were no Grace to be trusted in and yet so absolutely dependent on Christ as if there were no means or diligence to be used And is not this to mention no more one of the purest strains of friendship with Christ But to speak more distinctly to this Head The life of Faith hath a great latitude it regards varietie both of Notions Persons and Things and these both present and future But we shal at present treat of it only as it regards a suffering condition and that 1. Immediately By Christ 2. For Christ 1. 1. The life of faith as it regards a suffering-condition by Christ We shal begin with the life of Faith as it regards a suffering condition immediately by Christ He that wil deport and demean himself as a friend of Christ must live by Faith under al sufferings by or from Christ namely under al Christ's Absences Retirements withdrawments of Gracious or Consolative Influences c. Christ has many Wise and Gracious ends which induce him oft to retire and withdraw at least as to al sensible marques of favor Christ has many wise and gracious ends in his spiritual withdrawments from his best friends Christ is resolved to be Lord of his own presence and love-visits the most excellent Spirits shal sometimes want the same that so they may learne to live by faith on an absent Christ Many good friends of Christ do too oft dote on the sweet refreshments and honey-dews of Christ's presence and therefore he sees it fit at times to suspend the same that so they may love him more purely for himself his own essential excellences We are too apt to conceit that Christ's presence is a matter of debt that which is due to us and therefore he wil take a libertie to go and come as he pleaseth that so his friends may see that his Manifestations are most free and undeserved Doth not Nature take her times to go and come as it pleaseth her and shal not Christ the God of Nature have the same libertie allowed him Yea is there not also much soverain love and Grace as wel as much soverain wil in Christ's Absences and Retirements from his friends It 's true Christ's Absence from his friends is a kind of temporarie Hel ay but doth not he bring a young Heaven out of this seeming Hel Do not Apples of life spring out of this bitter root of spiritual