all guile c. his reasons follow the Text and the first is edification in these words That you may grow thereby The second is taken from the Subject or maine Argument of the word and that is Christ propounded unto us by taste if so be yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious ver 3. Now that Christ is the primary Subject and cheife Argument of the word is declared from the fourth verse unto the eleventh First in beleevers adhering to Christ by Faith set forth to us under the terme of coming to whom coming saith the Apostle Then wee have the reasons of this duty First because Christ is the foundation of the spirituall edifice or building called therefore a livingst one verse 4. Secondly because Beleevers are thereby also made lively stones verse 5. Christ is the foundation and Beleevers are the superstructure Both these reasons are illustrated First Christ was chosen and precious Secondly Beleivers were a holy Priesthood Now that Christ is a lively and precious stone the Apostle confirmes by testimony of Scripture verse 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elect and precious This Testimony is explicated by the contrary affections of men viz. to Beleivers he is precious to unbeleivers a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence Vnto you which beleeve hee is precious here for expositions sake wee must observe in the words two things first what is meant by the word precious Secondly what manner of faith it is that is here spoken of He is precious the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour as if the Apostle had said he is to you that believe an honour or honourable Prayse glory and honour are promiscuously and indifferently taken for one and the same thing but if we respect their propriety they differ thus First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praise is when we make honourable mention of others this is externall and expressed by the tongue or pen. Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glory is a reverend and venerable opinion that we have of others this is internall lying in the mind Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour comprehends both those being a testification of the opinion that wee have of other mens excellency and worth declared by outward signes as respectfull salutations uncovering the head bowing the knee and the like Wee have a double expression 2 Pet. 1. 17. Christ re-received from his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour and glory as much as to say transcendent glory glory in the highest degree The Hebrew word importing honour and glory is properly of weightinesse as Paul mentioneth the weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kabad signifieth to aggravate adde or increase so must * Thâ—â—â—a â—stud signâ—ficatâ— gâ—â—vâ—sâ—ere fecâ—t in Hâ—pâ— Buxâ— in Lâ—xiâ— wee adde excellency price estimation and weight of honour unto Christ not that we can really and substantially adde the least cubit unto the stature of his glory of his beauties and perfections for he is rich and full and absolute without us but we must adde condigne and worthy prayses to him and so acknowledge him to be that which he is wee adde not any worth unto Christ but onely an agnition or acknowledgement of his worth I come to the second question namely what manner of Faith it is that the Apostle speakes of The Divine speakes of three kinds of Faith naturall legall and Evangelicall The naturall Faith is to beleive that God is or that there is a God Hebr. 11. 6. generally all reasonable Creatures both Angels and men have such a Faith as this the Devils beleeve that there is a God and tremble saith the Apostle Legall faith is to beleive that God speaks Truth in the Scriptures or that the word of God is true Histories Prophesies Promises threatnings every line of that sacred Text as it was indighted by the Spirit of God they all breath out Truth without the least jot or tittle of falshood in them Now the Faith that assents to this is called Legall because the Law and particularly the first Commandement injoynes me to honour God and I doe honour him when I beleeve that which he saith is true Evangelicall Faith is to beleive God in Christ God is objectum ultimum fidei the ultimate or the highest object of Faith and Christ is objectum mediatum the mediate object thereof Christ is the Medium by which we goe unto God by him we beleeve in God 1 Peter 1. 21. and saith Paul we trust through Christ to Godward 2 Cor. 3 4. True Evangelicall Faith is that whereby the soule doth roll or cast it selfe upon Christ as upon a sufficient and faithfull Saviour And that this is the nature of Faith is declared by these phrases of Scripture To leane upon the Lord the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to leane produces and brings forth the word that signifieth a a staffe because we leane upon it now Faith in Scripture is set forth by both these termes in respect of Faith the Lord is said to be the staffe of his people 2 Sam. 22. 19. and they are said to leane or to stay themselves upon him Esa 10. 20. Againe the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both confidence hope and security all which are effects of Faith the radicall word is used to expresse the act of Faith Psal 40. 3. And very significant and choyce to declare the worke of Faith is that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and applyed unto David and to Christ Psal 22. 8. as much as to say to roll ones selfe on the Lord. Arius Montanus renders it volve ad Dominum roll to the Lord the Hebrew word besides the primative sigsignification of rouling imports also a confident committing of ones selfe unto another Againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith signifies a steady or firme resting upon the Promises of God It is said Exodus * Aâ—nsw in Loc. 17. 12. that Moses his hands were steady untill the going downe of the Sunne where the same word is used for steady as for Faith Now then seeing that to beleive in God is to leane upon him as on a staffe or a supporter to roule our selves to him or on him as Creatures that cannot subsist happily separated from him and also to rest steadily in him as in God al-sufficient and the very life and Salvation of our soules certainly this cannot be done by an act of the understanding but by an act of the will Confidence indeed is a fruit of Faith but yet you must take it thus as it relates to God in dependance on him for some future good so it is hope But as it respecteth him offering himselfe to us in Christ at present so it is faith and hence are those phrases of the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being fully perswaded Rom. 4. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance or ground of things hoped for and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
way If he finde not Christ present his spirit failes the soule is in a syncope or fit of swooning there is a swift and a sudden failing of strength But Christ being once found this is as life from the dead The Ordinances therfore in which Christ presents and offers himselfe are very precious to a Beleiver The soule that hath once felt the quickning power of those Ordinances will hardly or never be kept from them Secondly the true Beleiver seekes Christ constantly he seeks him without intermission or ceasing See a pattern of this Cantic 3. 1 2 3. By night on my bed I sought him saith the Church and what was the successe for the present she found him not how then did she give over no but she sought him in the streets and yet she found him not ver 2. Well she is not contented but she seekâ— him againe she askes the watchmen for him such as were in place of superintendency and Ministry such as pretended at least to have the greatest care of her she inquires of them for him saw yee him whom my soule loveth saith she but even they satisfie her not therefore she goes further waiting patiently for the Revelation of Christ and so at length she hath blessed successe she found her beloved it is not lost labour to seeke and waite for Christ constantly and perseveringly such labour in the Lord shall never be in vaine and verily they doe highly esteeme of Christ who seek him so Thirdly a true Beleiver doth not only Dem. III seeke Christ diligently and constantly but also he hath a prudentiall care in keeping him when he hath found him I held him saith the Church and would not let him goe Cant. 3. 4. she came by him hardly and therefore she will not part with him lightly it cost her hot water as I may say to get him she gat him with much hazard and danger much losse and suffering and therefore she will not leave him for the greatest advantage in the world She knowes that nothing under Heaven can countervaile or repaire the losse of him she knowes that nothing in this great and wide Universe though never so lovely and desireable can be equivalent to such a Jewell She knowes that with him is the well-spring of life and of all blessing therefore she cannot be induced or perswaded upon any tearmes to part with him Many of Christs followers forsooke him and went no more with him but will yee also forsake me saith he to his Apostles Peter answers for himselfe and the rest Lord whither shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life Joh. 6. 68. as if he should have said Lord if wee leave thee we leave our life and our comfort wee forsake our owne mercy it was motive enough to stay by him and to keep closse to him to consider that eternall Life and consequently the very quintessence of all happinesse was with him The Merchant that found a treasure of great price went and hid it and joyfully sold all that he had to purchase it and therefore he will not part with it for any good This Merchant-man is an Embleme or figure of a sound beleiver who when he hath found Christ will not forgoe him by any meanes no but he will say of him whom have I in Heaven but thee and on Earth there is none that I desire in comparison of thee Christ is the strength of his heart and his portion for ever Psal 73. 25 26. 'T is the voyce of the Church the Lord is my portion saith my soule not onely her tongue without but even her soule and her spirit within speakes it with unconceiveable joy and delight she was in deep affliction when she spake it Lament 3. 24. Yet the apprehension of such a portion as the Lord was solace and refreshing enough to her And David is in the same moode too the Lord is my portion and mine inheritance saith he the lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places yea I have a goodly heritage Psal 16. 5 6. He alludes to the manner of dividing the Land of Canaan to the children of Israel which was done by line O terque quaterque beati unspeakably happy are they that have such an heritage can wee thinke now that they will be such fooles as to part with it no verily they will not so dote on any thing in the world as to leave Heaven for earth infinite and eternall joyes for a short blaze or a little flash of mirth like the crackling of thornes under a pot they will not be so overseen and besotted as to part with such an heritage as Christ is rich fat alwayes fruitfull and never decaying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle saith 't is an inheritance where there is no dirt no winter or withering no decay or dying of fruites but ever green ever flourishing ever bearing infinitely profitable and delightfull to the possessors of it who can be so foolish as to part with such an inheritance as this If Naboth would not part with the heritage of his Fathers how can wee imagine that the Saints will part with theirs Naboths was his but for his life time onely but the heritage of the Saints is everlasting Naboths was subject to many hazards and casualties fire inunâ—â—ation robbery blasting wormes and utter losse as the event declared but the heritage of the Saints the portion that they have in Christ is quite above and beyond all such detriment they will not then be such fooles as to part with it Fourthly consider the principle from Dem. IV whence flowes the soules bewailing of Christs absence diligent and constant seeking of him and keeping him with much care and jealousie when she hath found him that principle is love I sought him whom my soule loveth saith the Church Cantic 3 4. Now love is the inclining or closing of the will with something that is at least apprehended to be excellent and agreeable to it selfe I say apprehended to be excellent because sometimes the object is not excellent indeed but onely fansied and conceited to be such but here the case is otherwise as I trust it shall appeare In the meane time observe the nature of the will it is elicita not coacta inclined and drawne forth not compelled and constrained not ravished as I may say or forced will should be no will if it were so the will is absolute and free it sits as Empresse in the soule commanding there in chiefe as we say no violence can be offered to it or if there be any yet it is very pleasing full of tiâ—â—â—â—ation full of tickling and delight I confesse the old saying is ducimus volentem and trahimus â—olentem we lead him that is willing and we draw him that is unwilling but when the Father is said to draw us Joh 6. 44. and Christ also is said to draw us Cantic 1. 4. we must know that here is no compulsion or coaction but it is done by the
must needs be precious which hath such precious props and pillars to uphold it God Christ and a sure word of promise all the wisdome and power of the Father and the Sonne and the Spirit all that they can doe to establish and confirme their own word and that is more then enough Lastly The preciousnesse of faith appeares from the nature from the effects and workings of it The nature of it is piously to know and to affect the things of God to cleave unto God in Christ to rest upon him for the obtaining of the promises Faith joynes us to God who is our life in whom the lives of our soules are bound up as Jacobs life was bound up in his darling Benjamins Faith filleth the soule with solace unspeakable with peace passing all understanding and with joy everlasting As bloud is in the veines dispersing it selfe into all parts of the body so giving life and heate and continuall nourishment thereunto such is faith in the soule it works upon all the affections it diffuseth and sheddeth abroad in our hearts the love of God in Christ it attracts and draws our spirits to delight in nothing more then in Christ it entertaineth the soule with feasts of fatted things and of wines refined it leadeth it into the wine-cellar it invites us unto those apples and flâ—ggons of pleasure which Christ hath prepared it sweetens the crosse it makes us to rejoyce in tribulation and that with joy unspeakable and glorious it workes in us a childe-like confidence toward God whereby wee approach boldly to him crying Abba Father it carrieth the soule up to heaven and giveth ravishing sights of God and Christ and the joys of eternitie it brings us into communion with God whereby we have most intimate and familiar conference with him it brings us into his bed-chamber into his galleries of love In a word it enlightens justifies sanctifies and saves us for ever because it lays hold on Jesus Christ who is made 1 Cor. 1. 30. unto us of God wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saith O how precious is faith that hath such wonderfull vertues and operations as these how precious also are those graces that flow from it as love and the feare of God and humilitie and patience and the like But above all the rest how precious is Jesus Christ and how highly to be esteemed of who hath bestowed upon us such precious such royall and such rich gifts as these Thirdly Consider likewise the promises Mot. of Christ these are also exceeding great and precious as they be called 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises saith the Apostle I confesse that by promises he meanes the effect of the promises or the things themselves that are promised which are of no small value and worth and therfore the promises themselves are of no little weight and moment This will easily appeare if wee consider The nature of the promiser The antiquity of the promises And the precious things which they containe First God who hath promised is by nature wise and powerfull true and unchangeable God is infinitely wise he hath a profound reach his counsells are very deepe even his foolishnesse is wiser then men as the Apostle saith and he knows wayes beyond our imagination and capacity how to bring about his owne ends and to accomplish his promises He is also almighty to effect and bring to passe his designes he can doe above all that wee can either aske or thinke And againe he is true and cannot lie and therefore he is called the God of Amen by the Prophet Esa 65. 16. And lastly he is unchangeable he cannot repent there is no variablenesse or shadow of turning with him all these are the fulera the props and supporters of the promises on which they stand firme and sure and cannot fall to the ground The saying is Pollicitis dives quilibet esse potest Every man can be rich in his promises even a beggar may be as rich as a King in promises but all the question and doubt is about the performance of them Among men it is frequently thus they are facile and forward in making of promises but they are ignorant of the meanes how to fulfill them or if they know the way yet they want power and abilitie or if they be both knowing and able yet they want a will they have a heart and a heart as the Scripture speakes they pretend what they never intend The children of men are deceitfull upon the ballances or lastly though they know how to be as good as their word though they can doe it yea though for the present they doe really intend what they promise yet Multa cadunt inter ealicem supremaque labra many things fall out between the pot and the lip as the proverb is they are fickle and inconstant well instructed how to play fast and loose unstable as water like Reuben and so their promises prove to be nothing worth perhaps the fault may be in their intellect and understanding though they be wise to day yet after a while they may grow sots and fooles and so know not how to steere their course and to wheele about their purposes or perchance the default is in their hands though they be in possibility of performing their promises to day yet to morrow their armes may be cut off and they are left shiftlesse or if not so yet it may be worse the fault may lie in their affections they may be honest now and after a while dishonest and so say and unsay promise and change their mindes Thus it is with men oftentimes but with God it is not so he knows how to performe his promises he is able to make them good and he is most true and faithfull in all his proâ—essions yea he is ever wise ever powerfull ever true ever the same never altred or changed in the lest measure how precious then and sweet are his promises and how lovely also ought Christ to be by whom we enjoy them Thus much of the nature of the Promiser Secondly Consider the antiquity of the promises The maine and chiefe promise of God is that which concerneth eternall life and this was made at the beginning of the world unto Adam when God said that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head yea it was made before the world began Tit. 1. 2. In hope of eternall life saith the Apostle which God that cannot lie promised before the world began Here by the way we learne that the promise being before all time it must needs be absolute and without all condition But let that passe The question is to whom that so ancient a promise was made when there was yet no world nor any men created to receive it to whom did God make it I answer that it was made to him that even then was ordained to be our head and Mâ—diatour even the Lord
were in our naturall filthinesse and uncleanenesse which we drew from our first Parents God loved us freely and not for our worth or merit not for our beautie or comelinesse wee had no worth in us nor no beauty upon us yet he loved us and said unto us live that is he made us to live spiritually he did put the life of grace into us he did breath into the nostrills of our soules as I may say the breath of heavenly life his saying in this new Creation was as his saying was in the first Creation of all things he did but speak the word and it was done Againe he addes in the forementioned Prophesie verse the eight I spread my skirt over thee He alludeth to a custome or Ceremony of the Jewes whereby at Mariages the Husband in token of his Interest and propriety and also as a pledge of his most tender love and endeared affection to his wife did cover her with a lappe or skirt of his garment now this matrimoniall rite was a figure of the merit of Christ who hath by his righteousnesse covered all our sinnes and transgressions veiled all our filthinesse and polutions and hid all our spirituall nakednesse and deformities and that most freely most graciously most undeservedly according to that Hosea 14. 4. I will heale their back-sliding I will love them freely Thirdly Christs love to his Saints is a liberall love a munificent a magnificent and bountifull love this appeares plainely by those hard and bitter things that he underwent for us Philip 2. 7. the Apostle saith that he made himselfe of no reputation he tooke upon him the forme of a servant and was made in the likenesse or habit of men The originall word in the place signifieth that he emptied himselfe or redegit se ad nihilum he brought himselfe as it were to nothing he devested and stript himselfe of the robes of Divine Majesty laying them his Throne his Crowne and his Scepter of Glory aside for a while Through the extremity of his agony his body did sweat drops of bloud he did exhaust such an infinitely rich and precious treasure as all Heaven and earth could not recompense and make up againe It is reported of the Pelioan that she openeth her breast with her bill and feedeth her young ones with the bloud distilling from her and therefore saith mine Author the Egyptians did make that kinde an hieroglyphick of Piety and pitie and upon that consideration they spared them at their Tables Now this creature is a lively picture and Embleme of Christ he parted with that which was most deare unto him the soule in his body the bloud in his veines and which was more then all the rest the sweet and ravishing apprehensions of his Fathers love eclipsed and darkned in his agonies and so totally eclipsed that he cryed out with a loud voyce my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And all this he did in his infinite pitie and love to us the Apostle saith that he loved his Church and gave himselfe for it Ephes 5. 25. Lastly Christs love is eternall and everlasting a love that never decayes or waxeth cold like the stone Asbestos of which I read in Solinus that being once hot it can * Iul. Solin polyhistor cap. 12. never be cooled again The love of Christ is like a Fountaine ever flowing and never dried up or like the sacred fire which never went out I have loved thee with an everlasting love saith he Jer. 31. 3. and in another place with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercy upon thee Though the Saints offend Christ often yet he loves them still he onely purges them and heales them of their spirituall maladies which cannot be done without some smart but he doth not a whit lesson or detract his love from them Though his people come upon him every day for new favours and new supplies yet his good-will is never wearied or tired out yea though thousands millions of his Saints presse upon him at once yet hee hath for them all and the Fountaine of his love is never emptied I like the matter of the Poet very well although I confesse his verse be something jiggish and toying Sumit unus sumunt mille Quantum isti tantum iâ—e Neque sumpius absumitur One Beleever drawes water of life and supply of all needfull blessings out of this well of salvation and a thousand like gracious soules doe the like and the one drawes as much as the thousand and yet the well is never drawne drie Now then a little to recapitulate If the love of Christ unto his Saints be infinite boundlesse and unmeasurâ—ble if it be gracious free and undesâ—rved â—r it be liberall rich and bountifull Lastly if it be eternall everlasting and never decaying ô what a whetstone should this be to our affections what a spurre to our Spirits and what a bellowes to blow up and kindle the fire of our love to Christ nothing doth more conciliate and attract love then love it selfe it were horrible ingratefulnesse not to spend and be spent as the Apostle speakes for one that hath loved us so much as Christ hath done certainely if love doe not draw us unto him nothing will The acts of Christs love are the cords wherewith he drawes soules unto himselfe I drew them with the cords of a man with bands of love saith hee Hosea 11. 4. and in another place with Jer. 31. 3. loving kindnesse have I drawne thee* 'T is an Argument then that wee are not drawne at all if love doe not effect it Fiftly Christ bestowes upon Beleevers Mot. 5 his precious Spirit This is that which Christ promiseth to his Disciples Joh. 14. 26. The comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name saith Christ he shall teach you all things c. Now let us consider how excellent the Spirit is in all the workings of it upon our hearts and then we shall see what a precious and lovely gift this is The Spirit of Christ doth these things It illuminates our minds It sanctifies our natures It seales our adoption First of all the Spirit of Christ doth illuminate the mind and understanding it opens the windowes of the soule as I may say and sets up a new Light in it it brings in light upon light Even by nature men have some Light such as it is by Art and industry they acquire more but the saving Light of the Spirit of Christ farre excelleth all that of the naturall man as the Light of the Sunne doth the light the Moone or as the Light of seven dayes doth the light of one hence is that Spirit by an excellency called the Spirit of wisdome and understanding and it is said to lead us and to guide us into all truth Joh. 14. 16. I have many things saith Christ to say unto you but you cannot beare them now but when the spirit cometh he shall lead you into all truth
THE PRECIOUSNESSE OF CHRIST Unto BELEEVERS OR A Treatise wherein the absolute necessity the transcendent excellency the supereminent Graces the beauty rarity and usefulnesse of Christ is opened and applyed By JOHN ROBOTHAM Preacher of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 3. 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PHIL. 1. 2. Malim praesente Christo esse in Inferno quam absence Christo in Caelo Luther in Genes LONDON Printed by M. Symmons and are to be sold by Hannah Allen at the signe of the Crown in Popes head Alley 1647. TO THE HONOURABLE Colonell Stapely and William Cawley Esquires both Members of the Honourable House of Commons Justices of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenants of the County of SUSSEX Honourable Sirs IT is a rare and comely sight to see greatnesse and goodnesse together both are concentring and met in you unwearied you have been in your paines faithfull in your trust a refuge for the oppressed not onely in these times when mâ—ny are assertors of Religioâ— because it should protect theâ— and because it is in fashion bâ— even then when it was the greâ—test crime to be godly it hatâ— been the counsell of others to bâ— still on the strongest side bâ— their aime being false they shoâ— wide of the marke God hatâ— given you a more spiritual judgement which hath madâ— you to stand like a Rocke unmâ—veable venturing all when others out of timorousnesse havâ— unworthily betrayed their trusâ— and left a perpetuall blot upoâ— their names Your wisdome and fidelity iâ— an honour and a joy to then that chose you and to the wholâ— Kingdome which hath greaâ— cause to blesse God for you iâ— any doe otherwise yet knoâ— for your comfort that youâ— wages in your worke as the harâ—est is in the seed Whatsoever â—ou expend for God in God â—ou shall find it againe the â—ore publick your spirits are â—he nearer you come to that cenâ—er of all perfection Selfe â—n a man is a base and poore end â—ea it is proudly to sit downe â—n the place of God to whom â—lone it is proper to worke for â—imselfe even the best of Creaâ—ures must acknowledge their â—ubordination unto him the â—ore we doe so the greater reâ—ection of honour and blessing â— begets subordination in some â—espects may bee between two â—nely but sometimes there is â— series or concatenation of â—hings subjected one to another â— which the Logicians call subâ—ternation and here there is a â—oking upward and downeâ—ard and so doe you to God and to inferiours I should bâ— in gratefull either to deny oâ— forget it You have engaged me witâ— often manifold choise undeserved unrequitable favours â— have consulted what to returneâ— pauperis est numerare pecus Thâ— ensuing discourse you have already had by word of mouth â— the acceptance that it founâ— with you when it was first delâ—vered hath emboldened me tâ— present it unto you againe witâ— some enlargements Solinâ— writes that the African Elephants are dwarfes to the Indâ—ans and therefore are loath tâ— bee seen of them * Iul. Solin polyhistor cap. 38. quasi parvâ—tatis suae conscij it is myne owâ— case in relation unto your Honours I much revere you Judgements that which make me ventrous is your unsuspected candour and ingenuity you shall have as the Oratour speakes levidense crasso filo but the preciousnesse of the subject matter will make amends for that Christ the Lord of life and the most precious one of the Father I doubt not but he is such to you also and perhaps this Treatise such as it is will draw out your hearts and affections farther You know not what tentations and trialls God may yet bring you through Christ the Angel of his presence will be with you your safety will be in him infinite is that distance between the favour of God and us without him Rest then upon this rocke of ages goe to this fountaine of strength he will fortifie you against fears without and terrours within and when opposition is at the highest he will raise your spirits to a sutable height he will carry you as on Eagles wings you shall be above the creature above your selves you shall as it were walke in heaven while you live on earth Honourable Sirs give mee leave to leave with you this monument and witnesse of my thankfulnesse for your many unmerited favours towards mee I have abundant reason to think that your hearts are right for God and for the Kingdome of Christ some cannot lay downe themselves enough if it were not so whereas they doe some good they would doe much more Selfe-deniall makes a fat and fruitfull soule Blessed be God for your obedience in this behalfe then we love our selves best when wee love God more then our selves the matter of this discourse will much promove it I know no better Loadstone to attract and draw out affections to God ward then Christ laid open in all the sinews and joynts in all the veines and arteries of his Fathers love to mankinde I have done it very jejunely and brokenly I leave the many defects of it to be made up by your meditation how soever I have handled it I am confident the subject is such that you will receive it as I present it with the right hand I have adventured to cast this poore mite into the publique treasury although I am conscious to my selfe of mine own inability for such a worke What though a man cannot contend with Lynceus in quick-sightednesse must he therefore be reckoned stark blind What though he cannot run with the swiftest must he therefore have his heels tript up What if he cannot climb to the highest fastidge and top must they therefore disturb him and throw him down from his station * Zech. 4. 10. Wee should not despise the day of small things inest sua gratia parvis there is a foot in the body as well as an eye and the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diversities of gifts 1 Cor. 12. 4. And divers they be as well in measure as in kinde I much rejoyce I know nothing by my selfe by the grace of God I am that I am it is he that hath stir'd me up to the best studies and I shall be willing to doe good according to the dispensations of his grace Now the Lord make you so to eye and apprehend the preciousnesse of Christ in his person in his graces in his offices in his members in his ordinances in all the operations of his Spirit that you may be willing to spend and be spent for him to adventure all your worldly interest and to throw downe all your honour at his feet as the foure * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foure living creatures and not four living beasts as our traÌ„slation hath it living creatures and foure and twenty Elders did their crowns this is the way to take up all againe with unspeakable advantage this is the best traffique and trading in the world this
the Argument or demonstration of things not seen Hebr. 11. 1. Having shewed what is meant by Precious and what is the faith that esteemes Christ so I come to the division of the Text. In the words observe First the person esteemed or honoured Christ Secondly the persons so esteeming or honouring Beleevers Thirdly the ground or reason of all implyed in the word Therefore It is a relative particle importing some antecedent or fore-going reasons of the preciousnesse of Christ to Beleevers as 1. That he is found to be a precious stone verse 4. 2. That Beleivers also are made by him lively stones as wee read in the fift verse 3. There is likewise testimony of Scripture alledged to confirme the excellency of Christ therefore he must needs be precious The words afforde us these Doctrines or Observations First Christ is very honourable and precious Christ is honoured in Heaven and Earth by God the Father by the Holy-Ghost in the Scriptures by his Angels and by Beleevers all these put such worth upon him that hehe is the chiefest of ten thousand Cantic the fift chap. verse the tenth Secondly however Christ be undervalued by such as have no faith and doe not beleive yet he is exceeding precious to those that doe beleive Thirdly Christ is precious to Beleevers because of his proper and inherent excellency called therefore a precious stone because of his usefulnesse being a Foundation to build â—pon because of his blessed efficiency or operation making them that build upon him to become living or lively stones and finally because all these beauties and lovelinesses of Christ are not shucks and shadowes but Truths and realities being confirmed by a sure and infallible word of Prophecie I shall make bold to wave the first Doctrine because the substance and matter thereof shall be laid open in the second which was this That though Christ be slighted and undervalued Doctrine by unbeleevers yet he is exceeding precious to Beleevers Where there is faith to beleive there Christ is highly esteemed of and precious above all the things in the world Hence it is that the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 13. 44. is likened to treasure hid in a field and to a goodly Margarite or pearle which the Merchant having found he selleth all to buy it Marke I pray First it is a Merchant man and Merchants commonly are well stored with mony and of the richest sort of men it was much then for such an one to part with all that he had surely that thing must nâ—eds be superlatively excellent that could move him to doe thus Secondly it is a Merchant the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Merchant doth also signifie a Seeker or searcher because Merchants doe search up and downe in diverse Countries for their precious things this notes the great paines that is taken about the Pearle Thirdly when he hath made up his resolution thus to forsake all observe his policy he hides the Pearle and the treasure craftily he conceales it and keeps it close that so he may make it sure to himselfe and that no man may deprive him of it Fourthly he selleth all to shew that he values it above all things in the world and would rather part with all then misse of such a bargaine Fifthly he selleth all with joy that which he doth he doth with a very good will so farre from any sticking at it so farre from any repenting or wavering so farre from any changing of mind that he persists in his resolution with a cheerefull and joyfull heart Now what is the ground and reason of all this verily it is Christ a treasure a Pearle of inestimable and unvaluable price this is the thing that the soule like a politick Merchant-man eyes all this while and is glad to leave all to enjoy it See this in the Apostle he counted all things but losse for the excellency of Christ yea he counted them but dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dogs-meate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may winne or gaine Christ saith he that is that I may get more neare communion with him and that I may be satisfied with a larger portion of his fulnesse Moses also counted the worst of Christ better then the best of sinne nothing can be imagined worse of Christ then reproach and affliction yet Moses sets these against the pleasures of sinne and the treasures of Egypt he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproacb of Christ better riches then the treasures of Egypt Hebr. 11. 26. Now beside these examples I will endeavour further to prove and illustrate the Doctrine in this method First I will shew the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so Secondly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so And thirdly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is so In the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall appeare by these demonstrations First Beleevers are very impatient of Christs absence Christ may vaile I Dâ—monstration himselfe for a while and withdraw his Light and comfort from the soule though he take not away his loue yet he may suspend the acts of it he may seeme to frowne he may so abscond so hide and ecclipse himselfe that the soule for a while loseth sense and feeles not its owne happinesse Now when it is thus with a Beleiver Christ is gone the comfort and assurance of his Love is gone joy and Light is gone ô how dejected how disconsolate is the soule then so far as a man is spirituall the flame of love to Christ is kindled in him * Malim praesente Christo esse in inferno quà m absente Christo in Coelo Luther in Genes and then he cannot sit down without him He is the fountaine of all supply he is the staffe of strength the support of joy and the very life of the soule ô that I might see him saith the Beleiver oh that I might live in his presence nothing in the world will content him neither honour nor riches nor pleasures nor friends nor any thing else will content him till he find him whom his soule loveth till he finde the Lord Jesus Christ whom formerly with unspeakable pleasure he enjoyed Demo. II Secondly consider that earnest inquisition and diligent search which the Beleiver makes after Christ when absent He seekes him diligently and constantly First his diligence appeareth in that he searcheth for Christ in the use of all holy Ordinances who so esteemeth Christ the same person can slight no Ordinance of Christ hearing prayer meditation conference with the godly and the like he hath found such sweetnesse in all these that he cannot give over his search and inquirie untill he hath found Christ Those Ordinances are as I may say a walke wherein Christ is wont to meet with his people a Beleiver therefore doth with great eagernesse delight and study put himself upon that
sweetnesse and efficacy of grace it is done by the secret operation and working of the Spirit inclining the heart and swaying the will I conclude then that if the will be so impassible and cannot be forced Christ must needs be a Load-stone as I may say very attractive and an object very tempting and alluring else certainly hee could never have such power over mens wills to incline them to draw them to bend them and bow them as he doth he could never make the Wolfe to dwell with the Lambe and the Leopard to lie downe wiâ—h the Kid as 't is in the Prophet he could never tame the fierce natures and the ravenous dispositions of persecutors he could never change mens mindes and alter the constitution of their soules so as he doth if there were not excellency in him super-humane and above all that which any creature can boast of doubtlesse it must argue the excelling dignity and preciousnesse of Christ when our wills which are subject to no enforcement are so kindly and so sweetly swayed and commanded by him Againe we must know that the object of the will according to the mind of the Philosopher is something that is good bonum est objecium voluntatis saith the Moralist whether it be bonumreale a reall and substantiall good or bonum apparens a shadowish and seeming good it is so both are the object of the will but Christ is altogether substance and no shadow no lye no falshood no fuke no varnished appearance of good but the most solid and absolute blessing that is in the world so revealed by the Spirit and so apprehended by the Saints and therefore it is that he is so choyce and precious to them That excellent glory that transcendent good that spirituall beauty that supereminent worthinesse that overflowing fountaine of Grace and the shining of Gods face in Christ these make him to be the best object these set a high rate and price upon him these incline the will attract the heart and draw the love of our soules to him Againe observe that the object of the will must be a thing sutable bonum sibi conveniâ—ns a good agreeable to it selfe Now such an object is Christ he is most sutable and agreeing too us in all his Offices in all his communications sutable in his bloud for pardon in his grace to adorne us yea in his very debasements to lift us up sutable in his love for lost sinners in his fulnesse for for empty and beggerly soules yea the summum bonum the chiefest good that wee can desire or be possest of this makes a child of God to love nothing so well as him there is none on earth that I desire besides thee saith the Psalmist If Christ were not very precious to beleevers dâ—ubtlesse they would not overlooke all the world to claspe and close with him as they doe A second thing illustrating the Doctrine is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it is so there are foure things spoken of in the Scripture which make a thing to be preciâ—us viz. the Rarity The Esteeme The Price And the usefulnesse thereof First the rarity and scarcenesse of a Illustration I thing makes it to be precious for this cause is the word of God viz. the word of Prophesie called precious 1 Sam. 3. 1. It is said there that the word of God was precious that is it was rare in those days so is Christ rare in the world few and rare they be that find him one of a City and two of a Tribe as 't is in the Prophet Christ is a Pearle yea a Pearle of highest price as in Matth. 13. Pearles are rare in the world the Merchant onely that seekes farre obtaines them there are more wayes to misse then to hit the marke the stoney ground and the young man in the Gospel came neare the Kingdome of God but yet missed it 't is rare to see a soule embellished and adorned with such a Jewell as Christ is this then must needs make him to be precious If things excellent were common the plentinesse of them would take off the price of them it is said 1 Kings 10. 21. that all Solomons drinking vessels and all the vessels of the Forrest house in Lebanon were of pure gold none were of Silver it was nothing accounted of in the dayes of Solomon the King made it as common as stones in Jerusalem as we read in verse 27. The excessive and superabounding quantity of that mettall made it so cheape and so worthlesse as it was had it been rarer it would have been more precious this then confirmes the exceeding preciousnesse of Christ because they be thinne sowne and come up as thinly that have him for their portion the paucity and fewnes of such as are enriched with him argues his dignity and worth not a little Secondly the high esteeme that is cast upon a thing makes it also to be precious Illustration II so is Gold and Silver precious because men make great account of it Neither doth Christ come short of this Argument whatsoever worldlings account of him it skils not fooles and mad-men cannot judge of excellencies Let the foolish Gadarens esteeme more of their swine then of Christ we will not lay him in such a balance looke upon God the Father and see what reckoning he makes of him he calls him choyce and precious as we reade 1 Peter 2. 6. Behold I lay in Sion a chiefe corner stone elect and precious God hath honoured Christ committed all Judgement even the full administration of all things to him that all men might honour him Christ was in the bosome of the Father he was from all eternity privie to all his counsels and decrees as we finde Prov. 8. 22 23 24. c. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his workes of old the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is there used put for eternity à parte antè as we say as if Christ should have said even from all eternity before his workes made in the Creation of the world I was my fathers Darling when he made the Heavens girded the Sea and gave the unresistable decree that it should keep in its bounds I was as one brought up with him I was as a child with the Father I was dayly his delight the originall word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 delights in the plurall number intimating that the eternall Sonne was the greatest delight of his Father hee was variety of delights unto him while God was making of the world he tooke infinite pleasure in him in so much that he made all things by him every creature hath a beame of the Fathers wisdome in it and the wisdome of God is the Sunne This is a great mystery but God speaks of it in tearmes very quaint and familiar Christ speaking of the dayes of eternity and everlastingnesse saith that he was alwayes rejoycing before God the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as
unwillingnesse to undergoe the taske that his Father had set him to but first of all we must know that his mind was so stricken with the infinite wrath of God with which he was then conflâ—cting so astonished and overwhelmed with that insupportable pressure that all the powers and faculties of his soule were for a while interrupted suspended confounded so that he knew not well what to say nor whether to turne himselfe this appeares by his words Job 12. 27. Now is my soule troubled and what shall I say Secondly when he prayed so wee must conceive that as a man subject to frailties like us yet without sinne he thought he had been utterly lost and undone if his Father should not deliver him from that houre and excuse him from drinking of the cup. His sense of dolour was so vehement and he so amazed with it that it wruâ—g from him a signification of Natures feares and reluctance yet all the while his holy his pure and unblemished mind was throughly bent and resolved to goe through stitch with the worke whatsoever came of it Thirdly we see that when he prayed Father save me from this houre he presently and immediately subjoynes but for this cause came I unto this houre Father glorifie thy name likewise when he prayed that the Cup might passe from him he desires it no otherwise then with condition of his Fathers will Also in that ruefull vociferation and crying out why hast thou forsaken me wee see that he did not let goe his hold but remembred to say my God my God so that here was no diffidence no sinne no disobedience all this while Lastly all this was so carried and punctually related by the Evangelists to shew us these things viz. 1. The exceeding atrocity and hainousnesse of sinne 2. A mirrour of Gods infinite mercy in Christ 3. Our Nature really and truly suffering in him 4. The fulnesse of his expiation and satisfaction 5. The certainty of his Fathers good-will towards us whereof wee are the lesse to doubt by how much the more we see that the eternall Sonne was humbled and made an abject for our sakes Fourthly Christ as a man likewise was perfect in all graces The Prophet tells that there should come a Rod out of the stemme of Jesse and a branch out of his rootes and the Spirit of the Lord was to rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of Counsell and of might the spirit of Knowledge and of the feare of the Lord Esa 11. 12. yea so eminent was the Lord Jesus this way that even at twelve yeares old be sate in the Sanadrim disputing with the Doctors and asking them questions It is said that God gave not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. that is he did not bestow it upon him imperfectly and in part onely but fully and entirely for measure is not opposed to infinite as the Eutychians would have it to confirme their opinion of Ubiquity for they thought that if the Spirit were given unto the Manhood of Christ unmeasurably then even the Manhood would be capable of Divine properties and consequently the flesh of Christ would be no where circumscribed but every where present but I say that measure in the place before mentioned is not opposed to that which is infinite and unmeasurable but to that which is not whole entire and perfect Christ in the gifts of the Spirit was not lame and imperfect but omnibus suis numeris absoluâ—us full and compleate as Adam was before he fell and yet farre excelling Adam for Adam was set in a mutable condition but Christ is stedfast and abiding for ever confirmed in grace like the Holy Angels of God Yesterday and to day and the same for ever In respect of vertue and the Faith of Beleevers even his manhoode before it was in being was cloathed with perfection of grace and so continueth for ever Againe Adam was a meere man and alone by himselfe but in Christ the humane nature was hypostatically unâ—ted unto the Divine and hence it comes topasse that Christ even as man had a greater measure of knowledge and Revelations of grace and heavenly gifts then ever Adam had The Apostle saith that in Christ dwels all the fulnesse of the God-head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily Col. 2. 9. that is not by a naked and bare communicating of vertue as God is said to dwell in his Saints but by a substantiall union of the two Natures Divine and humane the eternall Word and the Man consisting of a soule and body whereby they become one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person or subsistence Now from this admirable and wonderfull union of the two Natures in Christ there flowes unto the Manhood a plenitude and fulnesse of all Spirituall wisdome and grace such as was never found in any meere man no not in Adam while he stood in his integrity and uprightnesse Now then to draw to a conclusion of this head If Christ even according to his humanity were perfectly innocent and holy if he were in his Divine celfitude and highnesse voluntarily debased if he were exactly obedient in all things to his Fathers commands and if he were compleate in all heavenly wisdome and graces then certainly even as he was man he was of all other most precious most lovely and desirable Adde hereunto that his flesh never saw corruption that it rose againe from the grave it being impossible for the bands of death to detaine it Also as man he came of the race of Kings As man he shall judge the world Acts 17. 31. As man he was wonderfully borne of a Virgin called therefore by a peculiar name Shiloh which signifieth a Secundine or after-birth Genes 49. 10. the word comes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies tranquillum esse intimating that Christ is he who hath brought us peace and tranquility and that he might be our Peace-maker it was necessary that he should be Shiloh borne of the sanctified seed of a woman without the seed of a man The Apostle expounds the name Galat. 4. 4. where he saith of Christ that he was made of a woman not of a man and a woman both but of a woman alone without a man Againe Christ as man was foretold by the Prophets and by sundry types attended upon at his birth by holy Angels a peculiar Starre created for him Christ as man was in one hypostasis or person with God called therefore Ithiel Proverb 30. 1. a word as Junius writes compounded of three parts as if one should say the strong God with mee the name comes all to one with Immanuel and the Apostle expounds both 1 Tim. 3. 16. where he saith of Christ that he was God manifest in the flesh and this he affirmeth also to be without controversie a great Mystery and a Mystery of godlinesse In every Art and profession there is a Mystery but this holds forth a Mystery of Godlinesse for he that was Ithiel
certainly we must needs grant him even by this argument to be very precious and excellent Thirdly Consider Christ as a King and in this also his glory his dignitie and his excellency shines forth most eminently Christ is a King above all other Kings and that in these respects First of all his Kingdome is a spirituall Kingdome he rules over the soules and consciences of men other Kings may subject the bodies and the estates of such as are under them but not their consciences Indeed there hath been usurpation in this kinde but never tolerated and allowed by Christ One and the chiefest of all Babylons merchandize are the soules of men Revel 18. 13. by her curses excommunications pardons purgatory and the like inventions shee hath made merchandize of the soules and domineer'd over the consciences of men Episcopacy in all places more or lesse hath trodden in the same path let the Reformists of these times have a care that nothing be obtruded and thrust upon tender consciences which they cannot beare the heart the soule and the conscience is properly the subject of Christs Kingdome neither will he endure the subjection thereof to any other then himselfe domination and lordship over the soule is a part of his glory which he will not give to another The Church speaks it with indignation that her own mothers sonnes such as seemed to be of her numbers and corporation being inflamed with rage against her made her the keeper of other vines and to neglect her own that is they forced her to serve in part their phansies and pleasures * Mr. Dudley Fenner in his exposition upon the place printed at Middelburgh 1587. while shee abated of her diligence in doing those duties which God required of her Cant. 1. 6. God challengeth the persons of the Israelites as his own servants neither must they be sold as bondmen because he brought them forth out of the land of Egypt Levit. 25. 42. Now the like reason doth the Apostle give why wee should not subject our hearts and consciences to the ordinances of men in matters of religion yee are bought with a price saith he be not yee the servants of men 1 Cor. 7 23. that is doe not mancipate and enslave your consciences to any humane devise in matters meerely spirituall Christ alone is the King and Lord of our spirits his Kingdome is spirituall his Lawes are spirituall his people are spirituall he rules in the Kingdomes of men and meddles in their secular affaires all in order to his own spirituall Kingdome Heathenish people have been tamed and civiliz'd that way might be made for their embracing of the Gospel All the warres of the Nations all their policies and governments all their risings and decayings all the great works that ever were done in the world have tended by degrees at least to the advancement of Christs spirituall Kingdome Christ hath still made them his prudentialls to bring about his own ends The Assyrian first subdued the Nations after him the Babylonian then the Persian and the Grecian followed him but the Roman went farther then them all and when God had thus shaken the earth and the Kingdomes of the world then it was high time for Christ the desire of all Nations to come and the Gospel to be more clearly preached then before I speake this to shew how that Christ mingles himselfe even in worldly agitations and affaires that thereby he may further and set forward his own spirituall Kingdome and it should teach us to rule and steere our course in such things not carnally and grossly as the Heathen doe but spiritually as Christ doth his Kingdome iâ— a spirituall Kingdome so he tells Pilate My kingdome saith he is not of this world Joh. 18. 36. that is saith Mr. Luther he reigneth not according to the flesh and the world but he ruleth and sanctifieth in spirituall and heavenly things as righteousnesse truth wisdome peace salvation not as though all things of this world and even of Hell it selfe were not also in subjection unto him otherwise how could he pâ—eserve us and defend us from them all but because his Kingdome doth not consist either in them or of them Christs Kingdome is in heavenly spirituall things as in binding and loosing of the conscience captivating the affections and subduing the heart in obedience to himselfe and so bringing us by degrees unto glory There be them that tell us of a Monarchicall Kingdome of Christ whereby he shall in proper person reigne a thousand yeares upon the earth before the end and consummation of the world which if it be a truth yet I leave the opinion thereof to be scan'd and disputed of by the judicious Truth and falshood are brought to light by travaile industry and disputation Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased Dan. 12. 4. Secondly the Kingdome of Christ according to his Mediatorship is a universall Kingdome First Universall it is in respect of all Nations There was given him dominion and glory and a Kingdome that all people and Nations and languages should serve him Dan. 7. 14. The heathen are bis inheritance and the ends of the earth his possession The Monarchs of the world have Psa 2. 8. stretched their Empiers farre Nebuchadnezzars Kingdome in Strabo reached as farre as Spain as Mr. Broughton delivers out of that Author The Persians pierced farther Alexander farther then they and the Romans farther then them all but none of all these subdued the whole habitable as Christ hath done his subjects have been and are to be gathered from the foure winds all over the universe The Apostle speaking of the preachers of the Gospel saith That their sound went into all the earth their words unto the ends of the world Rom. 10. 18. Secondly Christs Kingdome is universall in respect of all sorts ranckes and conditions of men Noahs Arke was a shadow of the Church Now as into that Arke came creatures of every kindes so into the Church which is the Kingdome of Christ are received people of all ages sexes professions and conditions whatsoever if their conditions be such as thwart the laws and ordinances of that Kingdome they are laid downe they are changed in the very act of their reception This Kingdome doth not refuse any that will submit to it but all sorts of people may come and be accepted This is elegantly set forth by the Prophet Esa 41. 19. where God promiseth to plant in the Wildernesse the Cedar the Sitath tree the Myrtle the Oyle-tree the Firre-tree the Pine and the Box-tree together This also is signified by the Net cast into the Sea which gathereth fish of Mat. 13. 47 48. every kinde and so also of every kinde are reserved as good this net is an embleme of the Gospel preached called the kingdome of heaven because it doth forme promove and advance that Kingdome The fish of every sort which the net catches doe declare that people
lost Marie's good part which she had chosen could never be taken from her The Saints and their graces are in the hand of God and who can snatch them out of that mighty and powerfull hand Mount Zion standeth fast for ever and the Lord is about his people â—s the Mountaines are about Jerusalem they are therefore in a most safe and persevering condition In Solomons Temple there were two pillars the one was called Jachin and the other Boaz 1. Kings 1 Kings 7. 21. 21. as much as to say stability and strength now what doth this figure unto us but the more then brazen stedfastnesse and strength of the Church of God of all the members of it and of all their saving graces which can never perish never decay but shall dure beyond the world unto all eternity never to be broken as the two staffes Beauty and Bands were which the Prophet Zach. 11. 10. 14. speakes of but still to be supplyed by the Spirit of Christ with fresh strength and abilities and so to last for ever and ever Fifthly looke upon Christ as upon Reas 5 the most gainfull and profitable thing to the soule that can bee imagined nothing more commodious nothing more enriching then Christ is And verily Christ is absolute gaine Universall gaine And gaine for himself First he is absolute gaine absolute because whatsoever we give unto him we lose it not there is no alienation of it but it is ours still and ours in a farre safer custody and keeping then in our owne if wee cast our affections upon Christ they be not lost hee onely makes them better if wee give them to the world they differ little or nothing from the affections of beasts but if Christ have them he makes heavenly and gracious and such as will fit us for the presence of God if wee lay downe our lives for him they be not lost neither but gained unto life eternall Matth. 10. 39. Againe the necessity of getting Christ makes him to be absolute gaine to such as have him the necessity of a thing puts worth upon it it is not absolutely necessary to be rich or honourable or great in the world but Christ being the life of our soules and one without whom wee cannot subsist happily he must needs be of absolute necessity and therefore absolute gaine unto us Without me saith Christ you can doe nothing Joh 15. 5. As the branch cannot beare fruite except it abide in the vine and if it beare no fruit men cast it into the fire and burne it so if we bee not in Christ and abide in him we can beare no good fruite and for such as beare no good fruite the fire of Gehenna is prepared how absolutely necessary theâ— is Christ and how absolutely gainfull to us if once wee have him Secondly Christ is universally gaine First universall for all persons rich and poore young and old noble and ignoble Learned and unlearned bond and free there is no man rich without Christ neither is there any poore that have him none noble without him none ignoble with him none learned or free without him none bond or unlearned with him There be distinctions in the world among men honouring some and debasing others exalting some and depressing others but in the body of Christ they are not to be found There is neither Jew nor Greeke there is neither bond nor free there is neither male nor female for yee are all one in Christ Jesus saith the Apostle Galat. 3. 28. Secondly Christ is universall gaine in respect of all times All things are beautifull in their season saith Solomon Musick is good but it is so onely in a time fit for mirth food is good but it is so onely when men are hungry cloathing is good but it is then for them that are naked and Physicke also is good but it is when men are sick and distempered but Christ is seasonable at all times he is that tree of life that beares twelve sorts of fruit and before the old store is done new comes for it yeilds fruit every moneth Revel 22. 2. Christ is never out of season and therefore universally gainfull Thirdly Christ is gaine also to all things In Christ are made unto us promises of all sorts both of this life and of that which is to come for which cause the Apostle saith that Godlinesse is profitable for all things When the Prophet saith that the just shall live by Hab. 2. 4. his Faith we must conceive that it is true as well of food and rayment and temporall deliverance as of Justification Sanctification and eternall salvation this is not so well observ'd by Christians as it ought to be for many can trust Christ with their soules but not with their bodies not with their Estates Peter rested upon him for salvation thou hast the words of eternall life saith he but hee could not trust him with the safety of his flesh for going to him on the water he doubted and began to sinke But beleeve it whatsoever our weaknesses are whatsoever our ignorance ouâ— doubting our forgetfulnesse Christ is profitable for all things both for soule and body for this life and for the life to come for ever Thirdly Christ is gaine for himself other things are gainefull in aspect and relation to their ends as wealth is good to supply want food to maintaine life cloathes to keep off the cold aire a staffe to support feeble legges a bed to rest wearie limbes on and the like but Christ is a rich and inestimable treasure to the soule without reference to a further end then himselfe he is to be desired even for himselfe Wisdome is better then Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Proverb 8. 11. And doubtlesse Christ is the wisdome there spoken of Now then if Christ be the most gainefull thing in the world absolute gaine universall gaine and gaine for himselfe without aime at some better thing if Christ be thus gainefull I say who can denie him to be most precious and excellent I passe to a sixt Reason Sixtly then Christ is precious to Beleevers Reas 6 because of the attractivenesse and alluring vertue Of his Love Of his Beauty Of his Grace First of his love Magnes amoris est amor Love is the attractive Load-stone of Love and never was there such a love as Christs love to his Elect free and undeserved from everlasting to everlasting cast upon them even when they were enemies and in their stomachous grassations and rebellions overcoming all difficulties and oppositions all peevish frowardnesse and prevarications after reconcilement never wearled or tired out with any provocations a love lifting up Adam Earthly man as high as Heaven and translating Enoch miserable and enthralled man into the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God a love infinite and past comprehending so that well might the Apostle set a Behold to it Behold saith he what manner of love
the Father hath bestowed upon us that wee should be called the Sonnes of God Joh. 3. 1. and the Father was not alone in this Love but the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost too if the love of the Saints to Christ be so hot that many waters of affliction cannot quench it nor the flouds of persecution drowne it if it will not be scourced or exchanged for any wealth if it be strong as death and cruell as the grave urging and constraining them to lay downe life and all for him if the coales thereof be coales of fire which hath a most vehement flame as we reade Cant. 8. 6 7. What is then the love of Christ to his people who is not onely loving but love it selfe in the very abstract certainly such a love as this cannot but be very attractive and drawing very conciliating and winning it must needs like the first wheele move and turne about all our affections our desire to enjoy Christ our joy in the fruition of him our love toward him our feare to displease him our anger when he is offended our jealousie of losing him Our nature is such that wee will love where we are first loved as the heat of the Sunne-beames reflects from a wall so Christs love to us cannot but cause a reflection of ours upon him ours is but a sparke of his we love him saith the Apostle because hee loved us first 1 Ioh. 4. 19. when he reveales his love to us such a fire must needs kindle and melt our affections be they never so key-cold and frozen Secondly the beauty of Christ is likewise very attractive I doe not meane it of the aspect and face of the outward lineaments and proportion of his body although his comlinesse in that behalfe need not to be doubted of being formed in the sanctified wombe of a Virgine by the Holy-Ghost but of his spirituall beauty and gracefulnesse Now wee know that true beauty consists In fairenesse of complexion And in a just symmetry or proportion of parts Neither of these was wanting in Christ First he was of a faire and comely complexion as the Church describeth him Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy saith she the mixture of these two colours makes a beautifull and good complexion White and red as they shew the best temperature in man so here it may signifie in Christ his God-head and manhood God appeared in a vision all white as snow and pure as fine wooll Dan. 7. 9. And man had his name Adam from the red mould or Earth that his body was made of and Christ vouchsafed to be like unto us in this Againe the red colour may signifie the bloudy sufferings of Christ and the white his righteousnesse thereby inherent in himselfe but conveyed to all his members by Gods free imputation righteousnesse is so described by white linnen Revel 19. 8. Now this temperament and mingling of white and red after such a mysticall way in Christ denotes the surpassing beautie of Christ makes him precious to the Saints and inflames their affections to embrace him and follow him Secondly in Christ there is also a comely proportion of parts from the correspondency and agreement of parts ariseth a feature compleatly beautifull and lovely This every faithfull soule findes in Christ The Church enumerates and reckons up all his parts Cant. 5. 10. c. his head as most fine gold his lockes bushie and blacke as a Raven excellently well agreeing with a faire face his eyes as the eyes of Doves by the rivers of water washed with milke and fitly set his cheekes as a bed of spices as sweet flowers his lips like Lillies dropping sweet-smelling mirrhe his hands as gold Rings set with the Berill his belly as bright Ivorie overlaid with Saphires his legges as pillars of Marble set upon sockets of fine Gold his counteance as Lebanon excellent as the Cedars and his mouth or voyce most sweet What a pleasant harmony and specious consent of parts is here figuring unto us the supreame and absolute Government of Christ his unsearchable Councells his pure nature hating all impurity and uncleannesse his amiable and delightfull smilings upon his Saints his gracious promises and soule-saving instructions all his actions and administrations just and holy his mercies and inward affections very precious like the Saphire that glittereth with golden points the workings of his spirit in his Saints most firme and stedfast like marble pillars the whole shew and cast of his person most glorious most excellent most Majesticall and yet most delightfull like the forrest of Lebanon and the stately Cedars that grew in it so that he is altogether lovely all over from top to toe as we say desirable and the chiefest among ten thousand as much as to say matchlesse and incomparable on earth and in all the world there is not his like who is made without spot or blemish yea who is made and not made a creature and yet the mighty Creatour of all things God and man in one person wholy excellent and beautifull every part sutable a most ravishing and wooing object Thirdly Christ is attractive in his graces considered either as inherent in himselfe Or infused into Beleevers First as they be inherent in himselfe they transcend in excellency all the thought and conceit both of men and Angels they have if I may so speake a most fragrant smell and allicient quality in them compared therefore to sweet spices and ointments as myrrhe aloes frankincense spikenard and the like As these are delightfull to our senses so are the graces of Christ to a beleeving soule attracting the affections winning the love of the heart making all other things vile and base in comparison of him that the soule loathes them and spues at them as I may say when they offer to stand in competition with him It was the grace of Christ that made him so glorious as we read of Joh. 1. 14. We beheld his glory saith the Apostle as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth that is wee beheld him glorious in all perfection of grace wisdome goodnesse and Mercy It is the gemme or Diamond in a ring that makes it very precious and beautifull so it is the grace that God hath treasured up in Christ which makes him so glorious so attractive and so alluring as he is Secondly Christ is attractive in his graces bestowed upon the Saints As a Father is dignified by having a worthy sonne and a School-master by the learning and proficiency of his Scholars so is Christ by the Graces of his people A Master is honoured by his livery which his servants weare now the graces of love and humility and meeknesse and patience and the like are as I may say Christs livery by which wee are distinguished and known to be his servants and he is much honoured by those badges By this shall all men know saith Christ that you are my Disciples if you love one another Joh.
13. 35. The holy lives and blessed examples of the Saints are very fruitful they advance the Kingdome of Christ and are very attractive things to tole and draw on others to a liking of his wayes Yee wives saith the Apostle be in subjection to your own husbands that if any obey not the Word they also may without the Word be wonne by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast or modest conversation coupled with feare 1 Pet. 3. 1 2. Not that the examples even of the best can convert a sinner for that is done onely by the preaching of the Gospel but they may doe this they may shew a sinner the vilenesse and the danger of his own way because they be light they may also allure him and draw him on to approve of the holy wayes of Christ and so prepare him to heare that word which is of power to beget faith and to save the soule And hither tends that of the Prophet Hosea 14. 7. They that dwell under his shadow shall returne they shall revive as the corne and grow as the vine the sent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon The meaning of it is this that Ephraim being converted others that dwell under his shadow beholding his wayes and approving them shall returne he shall cast forth such a sweet savour of holy conversation that others not yet wrought upon shall revive as the corne after the dead winter flourish like the vine and give a sent as fragrant and delightfull as the wine of Lebanon The graces then of the Saints doe very much decorate and adorne Christ himselfe As a faire and beautifull woman vertuous and holy is a credit to her husband â—o are the godly to Christ they are his Spouse they are his Members they are his Children they are his Servants they are his Scholars and therefore whatsoever is excellent and commendable in them it redounds to his praise They be branches of his planting and the worke of his hands and he is glorified in them as the Prophet speaks If the visible heavens do declare the glory of God as the Psalmist saith how much more then doe the new heavens I meane the new creature the persons of men new moulded and formed in holinesse and righteousnesse to the similitude and likenesse of God how much more I say doe these declare the glory of Christ whose handy-worke they are Hence is that saying of the Apostle If our Brethren be enquired of they are the messengers of the Churches and the glory of Christ 2 Cor. 8. 23. And in another place he saith that Christ presents his Eph. 5. 27. Church to himselfe a glorious Church The glory of the Church reflects upon Christ who first founded and formed it Every childe of God at his conversion puts on Christ whence it followeth that whatsoever beauty and comelinesse the Saints have it is Christs beauty and comelinesse and he hath the praise of it Thus you see that Christ is very attractive in his love in his beauty and in his graces both his own and his Saints therefore he must needs be very precious There is one Reason more which Reas 7 may not be omitted Christ is precious to Beleevers from that evidence of interest right and propriety that they have in him Much hath been said of his peerelesse and unparallel'd excellency but what were all if to himselfe alone and not to us What is all the gold of the Indies to me if I my selfe languish in poverty What are the feasts and full feeding of others to mee if I my selfe starve for hunger or what is all the helpe in the world to mee if I cannot have it at my need Here then is the ultima lima as I may say and the complement of all that Christ is every way excellent and the Saints enjoy him as their own they have a comfortable interest In all his workes and performances In all his dignities and honours In all his offices and administrations In all his blessed influences and graces First all Christs workes and performances are in a peculiar respect for every Beleever his making of the world setling of policies and governments rooting up of Kingdomes executing of judgements in the earth rewarding some and punishing others raising up wise learned valiant active just and mercifull men in their times in all these and in all other generall and providentiall workes of Christ the beleeving soule hath a kind of interest propriety next unto his own glory Christ aimed at the good of his Church in all these things and hath still either immediately or in the upshot and close of all made them instrumentall for her wellfare in which sence are those words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 21 22. All things are yours saith he whether Paul or Apollo or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours Secondly Beleevers have a kinde of claime also in the dignities and honours of Christ There is a reciprocation as I may say between him and his Saints they are mutually and interchangeably glorified in one another as Christ is glorified in them Joh. 17. 10. so they are unspeakeably dignified and graced by him The glory of children saith Solomon are their Fathers Prov. 17. 6. If the Father be heroicall or learned or any way excellent this is the sonnes glory unlesse he degenerate now the Saints are called the seede and the children of Christ whatsoever therefore he excells in it is their dignity and their glory Besides Christ doth impart of his honours to them making them like himselfe Is Christ a sonne and heire of all so are they sonnes and heires and co-heires with Christ shall he judge the world so shall they in some sort doth he breake in pieces the Nations with a rod of iron so doe they is he ascended into glory so shall they ascend There is not any whit of his glory unlesse it be that which is utterly incommunicable but they have a touch of it if I may so speake yea and that which is so incommunicable redounds to their glory as you heard before Thirdly Beleevers have interest in the offices of Christ Every Saint may say of Christ he is my Prophet and Teacher he is my Priest and reconciler he is my King and governour yea the godly have such an interest in these offices of Christ that vertue comes out of him to make even them Prophets and Priests and Kings also Prophets in some measure to teach themselves and others Priests to offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Christ and Kings to rule over their own lusts and corruptions Lastly Beleevers have also interest in the graces of Christ he that hath the field hath also the treasure that is hid in it It was the greatest consolation and joy of the Spouse that shee could say My Beloved is mine All that is in Christ a Beleever may appropriate to himselfe he may say
with unspeakable delight his riches his love his goodnesse his greatnesse his power and all that is his is mine I have interest in all those transcendent graces of his his mercy his truth his promises they are all mine Now this must needs render Christ very precious when he is not onely in himselfe whatsoever is excellent and desirable but also the Saints may justly challenge and claime him for their own I come now to the application of the Vse 1 Point And first of all it shews us the reason why the most in the world doe despise Christ and care not for him namely because they have no faith they are infidells and unbeleevers and therefore they set light by him Christ is very precious but it is onely to Beleevers worldlings have no faith and therefore Christ seemes a despicable and worthlesse thing to them Now that they have no faith this appeares First by their ignorance Most have not so much as the theory or doctrinall knowledge of Christ they are like Festus who tould Agrippa that Pauls adversaries had questions against him concerning one Jesus Act. 25. 19. So let these be asked and they can answer nothing truly nothing rationally nothing punctually of Christ Christ is to them as Logicians speake an Individuum vagum quidam homo a certain man one Jesus but they for their part know little of him onely they have a wilde hope that if he be good for any thing they shall have a share in it as well as others and therefore Jesus Christ have mercy on us is a frequent and high point of their devotion they have it by tradition to receive Christ but what he is and how made ours they know not Others there be that have pretty store of knowledge they can reason and discourse of Christ distinctly and satisfactorily but they have no experimentall knowledge of him they have not felâ— the work of his Spirit upon their hearts they have not tasted how gracious thâ— Lord is they may perhaps have a flashiâ—â— relish and light tast of him such as their is of whom the Apostle speaks Heb. 6 4 5. Temporary gusts apprehensionâ— of Christs sweetnesse causing joy for â—â— while but they doe not sit downe with Christ at his Table to eate even to saturation as I may say and to make a full meale of his spirituall dainties the heavenly Manna the marrow of fatnesse neither have they drunke abundantly as the charge is Cantic 5. 1. of wine on the lees well refined out of Christs wine-cellar In a word they have not a thorough and saving experience of Christ though their braines have some print of him yet their hearts are strangers to him and therefore they have no faith They that know Christs name will put their trust in him Psal 9. 10. But these know it not they know not the power they know not the vertue they know not the worth of Christ neither doe they know their owne misery without him And what faith can there be where there is no knowledge Knowledge is so necessary to breed and beget faith that sometimes it includes faith and faith beares the name of it as Esa 53. 11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many and againe Not having mine own righteousnesse saith the Apostle which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection Phil. 3. 9 10. That is one token then that men have no faith because they have no knowledge Secondly It appeares by their stumbling at Christ Christ is a stone of stumbling and a rocke of offence to the disobediâ—nt as the Apostle saith and disobedient ones are opposed to beleevers unbeliefe is the greatest disobedience in the world 't is to make God a liar and it is the mother and damme of all other disobedience because men beleeve not therefore they are so vicious so prophane so ungodly and so disobedient as they are and therefore it is that Christ seemes so vile and so base to them as he doth therefore it is that they are offended with him and stumble at him overmuch hast makes a man to stumble now the Prophet saith that he which beleeveth shall not make hast Esa 28. 16. Had the Jewes beleeved they had never stumbled at Christ his poverty and depressed condition had never been any scandall to them but they not beleeving looked for a Saviour and a Messias that should come in the riches in the glory in the pompe and magnificence of an earthly Monarch which wheâ— it failed they were â—ffended and said Wee will not have this man to reigne over us The Prophet Eâ—â—y brings forth carnall people speaking thus of Christ He hath no forme nor comelinesse and wheâ— weâ— shall see him there is no beauty that â—â— should desire him Chap. 53. 2. This is noâ— meant of the bodily visage and countenance of Christ but of the strict lawes of his Kingdome and of the hard terms upon which he offers himselfe he tells men that if they will be his followers and will have him for a Saviour then they must deny themselves renounce their own wills take up his Crosse suffer mocks and reproaches bonds and imprisonment be hated and persecuted in the world and resist even to bloud and losse of life if need be These are the termes conditions upon which Christ offers himselfe and these are very unsavory most cannot relish them they will not downe Christ is very offensive being so tendred without forme without comelinesse without beauty a most nauseous and loathsome object Now where it is thus it is evident that men have no faith a man will not rest or relye upon that which he hath no good conceit of Thirdly It appeares to be so also when men doe not improve Christ True faith is a growing thing and makes all other graces to grow it is not idle and lazie but active and advancing and still pressing forward What is ground if not goodded and manured What is a Ship if not rigged and sent to Sea What is a trade if not driven and made use of So what is Christ if not working not acting not improved in us What is his incarnation death resurrection intercession if wee receive no vertue or vigorous impresse no accession or augmentation from them the businesse of Christ in a soule is not a matter of words and names as Gallio thought but it is a work of the highest and greatest concernment that can be the aimes of it are above all created excellencies and therefore where it is true and not fained it is ever in agitation ever girding forward to the marke ever building ever running ever growing if not so it is manifest that men haw no faith and if they have no faith it is no wonder that they should despise Christ Fourthly When a man is carelesse and regardlesse of the things of Christ this
is also an argument of a faithlesse and unbeleeving soule Phil. 2. 20 21. the Apostle opposes Timothy whom elsewhere he commends for his unfained faith unto such carelesse ones I have no man like minded saith he who will naturally care for your state for all seeke their own and not the things which are Jesus Christs But how doth he meane it did Timothy care for the Philippians as a naturall man No but as one that was by faith implanted into Jesus Christ and so had a new nature and by the motions and inclinations of that new nature he did as indearedly and affectionately tender the good state of the Philippians as parents do naturally care for their children By this Antithesis then or opposition it appeares that those who sought their own privacies and not the things of Jesus Christ had no faith They might perhaps and did in all likelihood make profession of the faith but not regarding the community and publick good of the Saints it is evident that all their Religion was but a vaine empty flourish a meere shukke or shadow without heart without life without truth and substance of grace had they been truly of the body of Christ they would have had more publique spirits and considered others as well as themselves So writes the Apostle The members have the same care one for another 1 Cor. 12. 25. And this was his own practice I please all men in all things saith he not seeking mine own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 10. last And in the very same Chapter he gives in precept that no man should seeke his own but every man anothers wealth I confesse that both these sayings of his doe offer some hold for cavill and exception as where he saith that he pleased all men in all things it may seeme that he was then a flatterer and a time-server but yet wee must not so understand it for he intends it no question of his care not to give offence to any as appeares by the context And againe whereas he saith Let no man seeke his owne but every man anothers wealth wee must not conceive that he doth enjoyne selfe-neglect but onely he gives a charge against self-love to wit that no man should so seeke his owne as wholly to neglect the benefit of others and especially their spirituall benefit yet thus it is with many in the world who notwithstanding make a glorious shew of better things let the cause of Christ let his Church and people sinke or swimme t is all one to them like Gallio they care for no such matters Eli's heart trembled when he heard that the Arke of God was taken but let newes of the ill successe of the Saints come to these and it never troubles them they will make some shew of sorrow with their tongues but there is not a whit in their hearts Now certainly here can be no faith T is the right guise of Infidells to call the Church an outcast and to say This is Zion whom no man seeketh after Jer. 30. 17. Josephus * Antiqu lib. 8. c. 2. writes that Solomon was not so intent and earnest in building of his own pallace as he was in the structure of the Temple because the one was for God but the other for Kings Cleane contrary to which was the practise of those that dwelt in their seeled houses and let the house of God lie wast Hag. 1. 4. Doubtlesse where there is such slighting of God and of his people and such intensive care of private concernments there can be no faith As a man beleeves so he cares for the things of Christ Fiftly When men procrastinate and delay their seeking of Christ putting off this great and necessary work from day to day giving the prime the morning and the virginity of their affections as I may say to the world prostituting their precious soules to such base vile and worthlesse thinge this is also a signe of a faithlesse heart and consequently that Christ is little set by Yee cannot serve God and Mammon saith our Saviour Mat. 6. 24. Mammon is a rabinicall word signifying plenty of riches and worldly wealth some say it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a multitude now as Beleevers dilating upon the copious theame of the love of Christ doe as it were lose their hearts and affections in the bottomlesse depth of his unsearchable riches and grace so worldlings doe in like manner ingurgitate and drowne their spirits in the endlesse and unsatiable desire of worldly riches and pleasures and when they thus serve Mammon how can they doe the worke of God to beleeve on him whom he hath seat The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life that is the inordinate desire of earthly pleasures and riches and honours these are of the world as the Apostle saith and we all know that the world and the Elect are ê regione as wee say diametrically opposite and contrary one to the other and if so then certainly where there are those lusts and inordinate desires there can be no faith for faith is proper to the Elect and therefore it is called the faith of Gods Elect Tit. 1. 1. Neither will it serve the turne for men to say within themselves as many doe that there will be time enough to seeke Christ hereafter for the present it will be best to follow after pleasures and to pursue the world when gray haires and old age comes then 't will be rathe enough to look after God after Christ after grace certainly this is a most desperate resolution for know assuredly that though many seeme to seeke Christ in the twilight as I may say and evening of their lives yet in the upshot and close of all he is not found though men seeme to leave their sinnes when they be old yet for the most part it is not so but rather sinne leaves them for were they young and lusty as they have been they would be as forward to act it as ever Now where there is no seeking nor receiving of Christ there cannot be any faith at all Sixtly When men can sit down contented and satisfied without Christ never misse him never feele the want of him this doth also argue a state of unbeliefe Every true Beleever makes Christ the center and rest of his soule All things tend naturally to their proper place as light things upward and heavie things downward so the nature of faith is to flie up unto Christ who is as I may say the bosome of perfect rest and repose Those that have been most eminent for faith could never endure the absence of Christ they have still borne it very impatiently very eagerly and discontentedly The Church professes her selfe to be sicke of love for him Cantic 2. 5. Davids soule panted after him as the hunted or chased Hart doth after the water-brookes And the people of God say The desire of our
soule is to thy Name and to the remembrance of thee With my sâ—ule have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within mee will I seeke thee early Esa 26. 8 9. Now I must tell you that it was faith which caused such love-sicknesse in the Spouse such panting and thirsting in David and such soule-desires such incessant seeking of Christ in those godly ones that wee reade of Give me children or else I dye said Rachell so certainly nothing can quiet and content the minde of a Beleever but union and communion with Christ It argues then a dead darke a hopelesse a faithlesse condition when the soule can goe whole moneths and yeares pleasing it selfe with rattles and toys as I may say and never labour for sweet intercourse or commerce with Christ at the very best here can be no better then a divided esteeme of Christ which is nothing worth When the heart is divided between Christ and the world there is alwaies a disproportion the world hath most and Christ least yea even then when Christ seemes to have most yet it is but occasionall dangers feares the ficke bed a spirit of bondage stings of conscience and the like may perhaps make Christ most relishable for a spirt but when the fit or storme is over and God gives respit then the heart is hardened like Pharaohs and there is a returning with the dogge 2 Pet. 2. 22. to his vemit and with the washed Sow to wallowing againe in the mire It is possible for a man to esteeme of Christ meerely for ease he would be freed from anguish but not from sinne he would be eased of the burden of sinne I meane those horrors and terrors and wounds and affrightments which it workes he would be delivered from paine and the hell of sinne but he cares not to be purged from the impurity and filthinesse of it Now where Christ is welcome and accepted onely for such an end as this truely he counts himselfe to be but little set by such an esteeme of Christ is but an occasionall esteeme of him a divided esteeme a disproportionable esteeme which he doth nothing esteeme of and it declares a soule quite destitute of faith and Christ cannot be precious where there is no faith Secondly Here is discover'd to us a Vse 2 fit object whereupon to spend the marrow of our best affections wee should labour to place all our sweet affections that are to be exercised upon good as love joy and delight upon this love-deserving object Christ It is pittie wee should lose so much of our affections as wee doe upon worldly things when we suffer a pure streame to run through a dirty channell our affections to run after the things of the world wee doe but lose our affections and they become unprofitable unto us I confesse that the love of Christ is not alike in all the Saints some are more and some lesse intensive in their love to Christ Wee all know that in the naturall body there is not so much strength in a finger as there is in the arme so in the mysticall body of Christ the members have not all of them the like measures and abilities of grace And it is possible also to sleepe spiritually while the heart that is to say the life and inmost affection of the soule is waking I sleepe saith the Spouse but my heart waketh Cant. 5. 2. The meaning is that shee was somewhat secure and kept not that watch against the pleasures of this life and the baits of this world as shee should doe and yet her heart was upright still So the wise Virgins slumbred and slept as well as the foolish Mat. 25. 5. And yet they had oyle in their Lamps and were ready to go in with the bridegroome The spirit may be willing when the flesh is weake as our Saviour saith Neverthelesse it were to be wished that every childe of God had heavenly affections in him at the height and like an arrow drawn up to the head And wee must take heed that our pusility and dwarfishnesse in them do not flow from a vicious and adulterate love love of the world love of ease love of any thing more then Christ Many of Gods deare ones are not without some tincture of this they have as it were fits of it sometimes as we may see by those excuses which the Spouse makes when Christ did knock at the doore of her heart for entrance I have put off my coat saith shee how shall I put it on I have washed my feet how shall I defile them Cant. 5. 3. 'T is a Metaphor taken from those that are gone to bed and are loath to rise for any mans pleasure and the meaning may be this that shee had now shaken off many feares and troubles shee was free from persecution delivered from many afflictions and miseries formerly endured shee had now thrown off these things as one going to bed doth his garments shee had washt them off as in the Eastern Countries travailers were wont to wash off the soile of their feet when they went to their rest and shee was now in the bed of fleshly ease and worldly contentment loath to disrest her selfe loath to rise and to be pincht with cold againe loath to set her feet into the dirt of former sufferings though in her heart shee preferr'd Christ above all yet so sweet were those earthly accommodations that shee would rather forbeare intercourse with him for a while then lose her share in them Thus it was with her but this was a naughty temper and cost her deare to be purg'd of it The true and healthfull temper of the soule is when Christ is a joy to us even in the absence and want of all other things when wee can say with the Prophet Although the fig-tree shall not blossom neither shall fruite be in the vines the labour of the olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flocke shall be cut off from the fold and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Habac. 3. 17 18. Thirdly This may discover unto us what singular effects the excellency of Christ have upon the hearts of Beleevers and how eminently their affections are drawn out toward him Wee may judge of our esteeme by our affections and chiefly by the affection of love Love is the height of our esteeme and there are in it these three acts or effects viz. 1. Complacency or well-pleasednesse 2. Desire of union or enjoyment 3. Benevolence or good will First Complacency or well-pleasednesse being referred to Christ is an affection whereby wee doe approve and like of all that is in him resting in his goodnesse as in the most lovely and desireable object in the world Thy love is better then wine saith the Church because of the savour of thy good ointments thy Name is as ointment powred forth
cut off the race and succession of them There is a remarkable passage to this purpose In Josephus * Antiq. lib. 18. cap. 4. At that time saith he meaning when Pilate was Governour was Jesus a wise man if it be lawfull to call him a man for he was the performer of diverse admirable workes and the instructure of those who willingly entertaine the truth And he drew unto him divers Jewes and Greekes to be his followers this was Christ who being accused by the Princes of our Nation before Pilate and afterward condemned to the crosse by him yet did not those who followed him from the beginning forbeare to love him for the ignominy of his death for he appeared unto them alive the third day after according as the Divine Prophet had before testified the same and divers other wonderfull things of him And from that time forward the race of Christians who have derived their name from him hath never ceased Here you see what an honourable testimony this Jew that was no Christian gives of Christ and his Disciples so precious and desirable was hee notwithstanding his suffering notwithstanding all the shame and trouble that came upon his followers for him that they never would forsake him neither could the generations of them be rooted out of the Earth unto this day This is my beloved and this is my friend ô daughters of Jerusalem Secondly from complacency or wel-pleasednes flowes another thing in love viz. a desire of union or enjoymeÌ„t When the soule eyes a tempting or tickling object as I may say it presently covets the possession and fruition of it there is by and by a kinde of clasping or closing with it or a strong appetion of peculiarity or private Intrest Whence it is that the French Divine writeth Molinus thus of love Love saith he is that point of our spirits whereby it joyneth it selfe unto objects That which is weight in heavie things love is the very same in our soules for as weight moveth earthly bodies toward the place of their rest so love moveth our soules toward that object which promiseth rest and contentment Now Beleevers highly esteeming Christ desire nothing more then the possession and enjoyment of Christ Now Christ is enjoyed In his Ordinances In his secret and sweet appearances to the soule and in his personall presence First Christ is enjoyed in his Ordinances The Ordinance is as I said before a walke wherein Christ is wont to meet with his people a Beleever therefore doth with great delight and study put himselfe upon that way that he may enjoy Christ in it But Secondly Christ is enjoyed in his secret and sweet appearances to the soule What are all holy Ordinances but dead and heartlesse things without such revelations Job tells us of Ordinances of Heaven and Jeremiah in like manner of the Ordinances of the Sun of the Moone and of the Starres these are naturall Ordinances but to what purpose were they if this inferiour world did not partake of their light and heat and sweet influence Wee read also of politick and Judiciall Ordinances which God constituted and set in the common-wealth of Israel but to what purpose were these likewise or what benefit could an Israelite reape by them if he lived in such corrupt and lawlesse times that he could not have them administred so what are all heavenly and sacred Ordinances to a Beleever if he finde not the vertue the life and the power of them enjoying Christ in the Ordinance and finding an influence of his spirit and grace flowing in upon his soule As there is a desire in a Beleever to communicate his heart unto Christ so Christ communicates his grace unto a Beleevers heart Christ as a Fountaine sends forth his streames of comfort and joy and as a Sunne sends forth his glorious beames of grace and love into a Beleevers soule Now a Beleever doth account prayer preaching Sacraments and all other meanes of his soules welfare to be nothing unlesse the Spirit of Christ comply with them flowing in upon the soule with such heart-ravishing discoveries of his grace as no tongue can possible expresse Hence it is that a Beleever sets open the windowes of his soule desiring that Christ may shine into it with the bright and glorious beames of his grace and favour but if Christ eclipse and hid himselfe from the soule there is nothing but darknesse and complaining sorrow and mourning and no rest at all untill the mist be dispelled and the cloud blowen over and the day-starre arise in the heart againe untill Christ come and refresh the soule with new supplies of revelations The Church never left off seeking Christ untill she had found him till the King had brought her into his bed-chamber and into the banqueting-house and imparted some of his love unto her Oh how precious is that sweet and secret communion which a Beleever enjoyes with Christ ô what a delight is it to sit under Christs shadow and to enjoy him in such a way at this is Thirdly Christ is enjoyed in his personall presence at his second coming The Saints are described to be such as long and looke for Christs appearing 1 Cor. 1. 7. you come behind in no gift saiâ—h the Apostle waiting for the comming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 revelation of Jesus Christ It is called the revelation of Christ because the glory and Majesâ—y of Christ it now hid but then his brightnesse shall appeare and be manifested for he shall come in the clouds and great glory And the Apostle saith in 1 Thess 2. 10. that Christ shall be glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that beleeve that is the Saints seeing themselves to shine as the Starres for evermore and to be made conformable to the glorious body of Christ they shall infinitely admire his grace and Mercy unto them Hence it is Beleevers wait for the consolation of the second coming of Christ as they did for the consolation of his first coming because here they receive good in promise but then they shall receive it in the fruit of the promise here they receive the first fruites of his Spirit then a full harvest of joy and blessednesse here they see Christs glory at a distance and through the lattesse but then in the luster and brightnesse of it Christ is the object of a Beleevers affections and nothing but fruition will give him satisfaction his heart is never at rest untill it come to his proper place of rest and repose agreeable to that of the Father fecisti nos Domine ad te inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescit in te thou hast made us ô Lord for thy selfe and our heart is never at rest till it rest in thee Now whence is it that a Beleever desires to enjoy Christ in his Ordinance in that sweet and secret communion in his personall presence but from this love of union when he sees such a glorious object as Christ is
that is he shall open your understandings he shall enlarge your capacities and shall make you able to comprehend those Divine and heavenly Mysteries of the Kingdome of God which shall be dispenced unto you Yee have an unction from the Holy one saith the Apostle and yee know all things 1 Joh. 2. 20. The Holy one here spoken of is the whole Trinity God the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the unction is not the Spirit it selfe but a thing different from the essence and substance thereof viz. the grace of illumination and saving Knowledge wherewith the eyes of our minds being anointed as with an unction wee come to know all things not absolutely and omnisciently as God doth but to know all things that are needfull to be knowne unto salvation And hence in the 27. verse the same anoynting is said to teach us and that wee need no other teaching but that it is called eye-salve Revel 3. 18. Secondly the Spirit of Christ sanctifieth the hearts and natures of Beleevers whereby they are really changed from the filthinesse of sinne unto the purity of Gods Image that as Christ himselfe is holy so are they in some measure by an inherent holinesse their love and their hatred their joy and their sorrow all their passions and affections are not such as they were before but they are quite altred and changed new-moulded and fashioned made after Gods owne heart and conformed to his holy will This is the blessed worke of the Spirit We are sanctified through the Spirit and beleefe of the truth saith the Apostle 2 Thess 2. 13. The Spirit is principall in stamping the Image of God upon the soule the Spirit it is that doth convey the efficacie of Christs death and bloud unto us Hence it is called in Scripture wind fire water and the like First it is a winde Awake ô North and come thou South Cant. 4. 16. and that for these reasons As wind allayeth heate so the sanctifying Spirit of God asswageth hot and burning distempers in the soule it suppresses inordinate and lustfull desires moderating all our affections and keeping them in a good temper Againe as wind purges the aire and dries up superfluous moysture in the earth so the Spirit purgeth our corrupt natures and dries up the excrementious humours of sinne which are Enemies to spirituall health Also * Favâ—nius the West-wind dicâ—â—ur à savendo from cherishing of fruits and other things as the wind is a great fructifier causing the fruits of the earth to spring out so the Spirit of God makes that soule which naturally is as a barren and dry wildernesse no plants of grace growing in it but the weeds of sinne rankling every where to be a fruitfull and flourishing garden where Christ delights to walke and to take his repast beholding how his trees of Righteousnesse doe spread and blossome and beare most pleasant fruit When the wind of the Spirit doth blow upon the garden of the soule then the spices of grace flow out then Christ may come into his garden and eate his delicious fruits of union and Sanctification The soule is not now an emptie vine neither doth it beare wilde grapes it doth not beare grapes of gall and bitter clusters but fruites of Righteousnesse and holinesse most sweet and well relishing most pleasing and acceptable to Christ Againe the wind is a quickning and enlivening thing the breath of every living creature is a winde Come from the foure winds ô breath and breath upon these slaine that they may live saith the Prophet Ezek. 37. 9. Now such is the Spirit of God also it raiseth up the soule from the death of sinne and puts the life of grace into it it sets us upon our feet and makes us to walke before God in the Light and in the land of the living Lastly As the winde is not in the power of any man it bloweth where it listeth as our Saviour saith and it is impossible to hide it Prov. 27. 16. So the Spirit of regeneration is not at the arbitrement will and disposing of any creature but it is sui juris at its owne choice and disposing at its own pleasure when where and how it will breath and dispense grace Of his owne will begat he us with the word of truth saith the Apostle Jam. 1. 18. Secondly the Spirit of sanctification is also called fire in the Scriptures He shall baptize you with the Holy-Ghost and with fire Mat. 3. 11. It resembles fire in the purging property thereof as fire is a great purger attracting and drawing corrupt aires to it selfe segregating severing pure substances from drosse as wee see in the trying of gold and silver so doth the fire of the Spirit draw away from our soules all pestilent and infectious sents of sinne and by little and little purges away all the drosse of our corruptions Againe The Spirit resembles fire in the consuming property thereof fire purgeth onely when it meets with a substance that can endure it but when it lights upon combustible matter then it wasts and consumes so the fire of the Spirit doth no more then purge the hearts of the Elect yet it wasts and consumes their lusts because they be things to be wasted and abolished Lastly The Spirit of grace resembles fire in the assimilating property thereof fire turns other things that are approximate into its owne nature it makes things hot as it selfe is hot it propagates and spreads it selfe increasing its own flames by licking up and catching in other things to it selfe so the sanctifying Spirit of God doth fire our hearts and affections heating them with his own heate kindling them with his own sacred sparkes assimilating and making us like unto himselfe holy as he is holy pure as he is pure and perfect as he is perfect The soule being acted and wrought upon by the Spirit is changed into the same glory and becomes spirituall like it selfe Wee know that a paper will smell of the muske or civet that is put in it so a soule endued with the Spirit of grace cannot but become gracious it must have the same savour the same odoriserous and pleasing sent that the Spirit it selfe hath Thirdly The precious Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is called water also because as water washeth away the filthinesse of the flesh so doth that Spirit the uncleannesses of the soule And againe as water hath a softning and suppling vertue with it so the gracious Spirit of Christ doth mollifie and soften hard hearts making them of impenetrable and insensible to become broken and contrite of stubborne and froward to be flexible and pliable unto Gods holy will so that though they were before like Leviathans heart as hard as a piece of the neither milstone yet now they can tremble at judgements submit to commands and be glad to close with the promises of Christ Thus you see that the Spirit which Christ bestows upon his Saints is a sanctifying a