Interest is the worst in the world to make a friend of because he usually fails his friend most when he has most need of his friendship namely in times of difficultie The selfish man wil part with his best friend Self violates al the laws of friendship rather than with his carnal Interest Yea inordinate lawlesse self will not stick to offer violence to al the fundamental and essential Laws of true Amitie and friendship For 1. q Arist Rhet. l. 2. c. 4. A friend is to be chosen for himself i. e. not for what good we are to receive from him but for what good we see and enjoy in him This a selfish man minds not he sees nothing desirable in his friend but what good he receives from him 2. Again true Amitie requires a likenes yea some kind of unitie and onenesse in principles humours dispositions wils and Affections But a selfish man can no longer conforme to his friend than his friend conformes to his Interest Irregular self is ful of crosse principles humors dispositions and Affections 3. The Philosopher as well as Reason tels us that al true Amitie is founded in virtue and thence that there is no sound friendship but among virtuous persons but now the selfish person knows no virtue but what promotes his great Idol self 4. Farther true friendship requires mutual communion communication and resignation of al things This a selfish person can no way approve of mine and Thine are his fundamental Laws he chuseth rather to enjoy his carnal interest than his friend he had much rather break a thousand times with his friend than once with carnal self 5. Again confidence and dependence is essential to true friendship but a selfish man has no confident but self he can trust his best friends no longer than he has trial of them Jelousie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 suspicion and disbelief is the first Article of his Creed 6. True friendship requires that we do or suffer any thing for our friend But now a selfish person can do but little and suffer much lesse for his friend 7. Lastly Fidelitie and constance is fundamental and necessary to true Amitie But alas how mutable how inconstant how disloyal is a selfish man to his best friends Hence the Philosopher concludes q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Conviv fol. 184. That friendship is not to be taken up for riches or any politick Interest because such an Amitie has nothing stable in it but its Instabilitie or inconstance And thus much experience tels us that friendship taken up on base selfish Interests is most inconstant for the least mistakes prejudices crosse humors passions or dissatisfactions oft' turnes such friendship into secret if not open enmitie By al which it appears that they who enter into a league of friendship for base selfish ends wil soon come to an end of their friendship Whence also it is manifest that self-denial is essential and fundamental to al true friendship Neither is this self-abnegation fundamentally necessary to human friendship only but also to Divine Self-love Christ's greatest enemie in 7 regards Spiritual Amitie with Christ is no interessed Love that lawlesse Lord or rather Tyrant Self-love is the greatest enemie Christ has For 1. whatsoever pretensions of Amitie to Christ it may make yet the intrinsick and secret mesure of al its kindnes to Christ is self-interest so much the Philosopher assures us r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist that the self-lover acts wholly for himself either according to his proffit or pleasure 2. Again self-love fils the heart with a world of prejudices against Christ O! What unbelieving Jelousies what groundles surmises and suspicions what cruel severe and hard thoughts of Christ have self-seeking professors 3. Whence also comes that obstinacie contumacie stout-heartednes and inflexibilitie or stubbornes of wil which is in many pretenders of friendship to Christ but from proud self ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suidas for self is the proudest thing in the world it affects no lesse than a Deitie or equalitie with God and Christ and therefore its wil must be its law it is impatient of any yoke though never so sweet and easie 4. Self-love is the greatest enemie to Christ because it is ful of self-flatterie presumtion and carnal securitie Holy Self-despair is the best foundation for friendship with Christ because it makes sinners see and feel their absolute necessitie of Christ I must have Christ or I die saies the self-despairing soul t Coecus sui amor hominibu◠persuadet Nihil odiosum sibi inesse Calv. But now self-love fils the soul with groundles presumtions and carnal confidences if sin be but asleep or sick self persuades the sinner that sin is dead if there be but a few seeming good actions self-self-love presumes that there are also good Affections If there be some legal sorrow for sin this affection of self-self-love falsely concludes there is an hatred of sin c. 5. Lawlesse self is a great bar to friendship with Christ in that it is the cause of al sin and so of difformitie from and rebellion against Christ That self-self-love is the cause of al sin the poor blind u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Leg. 5. f. 731. Philosopher can instruct us for saith he he that loves is blind about that he loves and so he imagines there is greater honor due to himself than truth Again al sin springs from an inordinate appetite of some lower good and the true cause why any do inordinately love any lower good is because they do inordinately love themselves Hence 6. self-Self-love puts another bar to Divine Amitie with Christ in that it is the cause of al manner of confusion and disorder in the soul Friendship with Christ is as we have before Chap. 2. shewn a very barmonious regular and orderly thing But now that lawlesse Tyrant self breeds al kind of confusion So Plato excellently philosophiseth shewing w 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Plato Repub. 9. fol. 575 577. how Tyrannick self-love lives as an absolute Monarch in al manner of confusion and irregularitie c. 7. Lastly lawlesse self is most obstructive of Divine Amitie with Christ in that it makes men double minded disloyal and unconstant in al the offices and duties of friendship towards Christ Self-seeking professors are indeed friends to none but their own humors lusts and Interests whatever fair pretences they make to Christ yet in truth al their friendship is concluded within their own sphere self is the centre and circumference where al the lines terminate 'T is true they wil perhaps in some lesser concernes where self is not invaded appear for Christ that so they may in concernes of greater consequence act for themselves they live and die within the circle of their own private Interests they really adore and worship no God but self Whence 't is impossible that such whose ends differ so vastly
c. Jansenius August To. 3. l. 5. de Gratia cap. 10. fo 225. Jansenius that great patron of Grace and the cause of Christ who acutely and solidly discusseth and determines this case whether a regard to our reward or Happines be inconsistent with our love to God for himself Thus Jans August Tom. 3. De Gratia l. 5. c. 10. ' It is no smal error saith he to imagine that our own salvation and the vision of God and the whole complexum or sum of our Felicitie may not be sincerely loved with true charitie As if a Christian were otherwise commanded to love himself than in loving God for God For in this doing he does mostly love himself neither does he love himself truly if he does otherwise love himself than in loving God for himself For by a most profound oblivion and forgetting of himself he does most deeply love himself For our good saith Augustin is nothing else but to adhere to God c. ' CHAP. VI. That the friend of Christ does most promote himself by electing Christ for himself is demonstrated both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election SECT 1. That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From Christ the Object HAving resolved that great Case How far the friends of Christ may in their election of him regard themselves and in part demonstrated that they never more truely and spiritually regard seek and promote themselves than when they most abjuring their carnal legal and private self elect Christ for himself Our main work now wil be 1. To prosecute the Demonstration begun by several convincing Evidences or Discoveries that the friends of Christ do most really seek and advance their spiritual best selves by clecting of Christ for himself and then 2. To explicate How and Why the friends of Christ must elect him for himself That the friends of Christ do most really seek That the friends of Christ do most advance themselves by electing Christ for himself is proved 1. From the object Christ considered and advance their spiritual best selves by electing Christ for himself is evident both from the Object Act and Effects of this Election 1. As for the Object of this election who is it but God-man or God himself clothed with human Nature 1. When the friends of Christ elect him whom do they elect but God himself the most infinitely perfect and first Being and last End And is not God to be elected for himself Or can the friends of Christ promote themselves more than by electing him who is their Last end 1. As the last End and chief-est Good and chiefest Good for himself Is not the last end the first mesure and rule of al means and Actions and is not every Subject or Facultie by so much the more noble and perfect by how much the more perfect and noble its last end is Wherein consists the Rectitude of an Intelligent Creature but in his inviolable adherence unto God as his Last end q Libertas electionis importat accessam ad infinitum recessam ab inferioribus Gibieuf What doth the true notion of Libertie import but a Recesse from Inferior Goods and Accesse to the infinite supreme Good Ought not al multitude to be reduced to and governed by the one simple and choicest good Doth not the formal reason of loving al particular goods result not from their own goodnes but from that of the universal and most comprehensive good Now is not Christ our last end and choicest good Is not al God and whole God in him Can then the friends of Christ more advance themselves than by electing of and living in him who is their last end and chiefest good Is not this an happy losse when the friends of Christ lose themselves and al other private goods in the enjoyment of Christ for himself How do they resigne up themselves as captives to his love when once they come to see and tast and smel and feed on the Divine satisfactions of his presence In short have not al creatures an Appetite of Vnion or desire after their last end and that for it self and does not their perfection consist in the firme adhering or cleaving thereto Is there any other mesure for our love of the last end and chiefest good but to love him without al mesure and end infinitely and for himself And what can more commend to us the election of Christ for himself Is he not his friend's last end and best good Do not al manner of Divine suavities and attractive satisfactions flow from him when their hearts do in any good mesure comprehend the wonders of his Love Grace and Goodnes are they not then filled with most satisfaction yea with the fulnes of God as Eph. 3.19 And do not such satisfying sights of Christ lift up their souls so far above al Idol-lovers as that these are in no capacitie to reach or inveigle their hearts as formerly 2. What is more attractive drawing 2. As the first Beautie and alluring than the supreme first Beautie which converts the eyes of al Intelligent Beings to it self And is not Christ that expresse Image and Brightnesse of the Fathers glorie the first and supreme Beautie Is it not then the Interest of his friends to chuse him for himself Has not Christ the most amiable beautiful face that ever was Doth not the most beautiful essence and al the Divine perfections of the Deitie shine in him What are visible Beauties but mere Deformities in comparison of Christ In the visible World what is there so beautiful as light and in the Intelligible World what so beautiful as Truth Now is not Christ the first light and Truth Oh the infinite Beauties of Christ's Intelligibilitie What infinite harmonie what exact proportion and forme is there in al his excellences Again how natural is Christ's Beautie What are al created Beauties but borrowed colors and paint if compared with Christ What an infinite quantitie of beautiful and glorious Truths are there in Christ What a splendor effulgence and amiable amenitie of al Divine Attributes shine in him Wel might the Spouse say Cant. 1.16 Behold thou art fair my beloved yea pleasant or amiable acceptable Certainly such is the soul-ravishing Beautie of Christ as that the contemplation thereof by faith transformes his friends into a like Image 2 Cor. 3.18 Plato saies that the contemplation of the first Beautie makes us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 friends of God 3. 3. As the first principle of Dependence Again Is not Christ the first principle of Dependence as wel as the last end of fruition And does not the life Interest and perfection of every derived borrowed Being consist in the firme adhesion unto and intimate immediate Dependence on its first Principle r Praemotio Divina est conversiva ad Deum sepaâ—ative à creaturis Gibleuf Lib. Is it not the interest of the rivulet and stream to
concerned and in a mesure afflicted for some of you who are good friends of Christ and yet may peradventure find some Disappointment if not occasion of spiritual trouble from this Treatise and that both as to Matter and Forme First as to its Matter you may perhaps find something above your Intellectual capacitie to apprehend and others above your Moral or Gracious capacitie to practise 1. As for such Notions you may here meet with above your Apprehensive capacitie you may be pleased to consider 1. That these Notions here explicated are not mere idle fruitlesse speculations but Scriptural Mysteries such as are ful of spiritual sap and juice and have a mightie efficacious Influence on our walking with God as our friend 2. If your capacitie be too short to wade thorow or fadome the Depths of these Divine Mysteries yet remember 't is worth your while to stand on the banks of this bottomlesse Ocean and crie out with Paul Rom. 11.33 O the Depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowlege of God! If we can comprehend or apprehend but a little of such Transcendent mysteries it is of great moment 3. Remember also that Paul Rom. 1.14 counted himself a debtor to the wise as wel as to the unwise 4. Though in the explication of some great Scriptural Mysteries I have gone perhaps beyond ordinary capacities yet I have in other parts especially in the application endeavored to condescend to vulgar capacities 2. As for such Truths as may seem to be above your moral or gracious capacitie in point of practice particularly that of electing Christ for himself and the like be pleased to take notice 1. That we treat of Friendship with Christ in its universal Idea or abstract Nature not in its Concrete or Subject we shew what our Friendship ought to be not what we alwaies attain unto 2. Know that it is one thing to practice Truths and another thing to know we practice them The meanest Christian doth daily more or lesse practise this Truth of electing Christ for himself albeit he knows not that he doth it Lastly Some of you My dear friends may perventure scruple at the Forme of this Discourse as being too artificial and clothed with too much of the Aegyptian Spoils or human Learning But let such remember 1. That what Earings or Jewels we have taken from the Aegyptians or Pagans are only used to adorne the Lord of Glorie from whom they al came 2. We use them not as essential parts of our Discourse but only as Accidents to illustrate and set off the Truth we deliver that so carnal hearts may thereby be allured to come and see what excellences are in our Lord. 3 It must be considered that there is a vast difference between the Word preached and Printed Discourses thereon In Preaching the Word the Minister acts as the Ambassador of Christ and invested with his Autoritie and therefore the more he arrogates or assumes of Human Autoritie the more he seems to derogate from the Autoritie of Christ The word Preached the more it is clothed with its own native virgin simplicitie and the lesse mixture it has of human wisdome and Autorities the more Autoritie and Efficacie it has as I conceive on Conscience But now in Printed Discourses the case seems much different For 1. The Author acts under a more private capacitie by virtue of his Gifts 2. In Printed Exercices I see no reason to the contrarie but that the Author may have diverse ends though al subordinate to God's Glorie and so a mixture of different Materials and Subjects some Human some Divine Which is a sufficient Apologie for what mixture of human Argument you may find in this following Discourse which is intended as an Idea as wel of Civil as of Divine Friendship that so the Former may allure and make way to the latter and the Latter give Spirit and Perfection to the former Thus my dear friends I have given you some account of the Spirit and Bodie the designe and matter of the following Treatise What remains but that we now enter on not only the Studie and Contemplation but also the practice of the ensuing Subject Which that we may with Life and Power engage in and performe and so out-go and out-live al false Hypocritick friends of this back-sliding age ought to be our daily Prayer which is greatly desired of you beause greatly needed by him who conceives himself under many essential obligations to be first entirely and inviolably the Lords and in him entirely and inviolably Yours in al Christian friendship and Service Theophilus Gale TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAP. 1. Of Friendship in General John 15.14 NAtural Friendship Page 2 Human Friendship Page 2 3 Divine Friendship Page 3 4 No true Amitie but what is founded on Amitie with Christ Page 4 The Paraphrase and Explication of John 15.14 Page 5 The Laws of Friendship fundamental or perfective Page 6 Al Friendship is founded on Election Page 9 CHAP. 2. Christian prudence the foundation of friendship with Christ PRudence necessarie to the Election of Christ p. 10 The parts of Christian prudence p. 14 Prudence necessarie 1. For the discoverie of the right End and Object of our frendship which is termed spiritual Sagacitie p. 14 What this Sagacitie is and how greatly useful in order to a complete friendship with Christ p. 15 19 2. Spiritual Providence or Consultation about the Means very useful for friendship with Christ p. 19 24 3. Dexteritie in the Disposement of means a fundamental ingredient of friendship with Christ p. 24 25. This Dexteritie stiled 1. Pâ—spicacitie p. 26 2. Experience p. 27 3. Facilitie of learning p. 28 4. An easie Method of procedure p. 29 5. Dexteritie properly so termed p. 29 34 CHAP. 3. The Election of a single Christ in opposition to Sin Self the World and the Law THE Saints Friendship with Christ is Conjugal p. 35 36 Conjugal Friendship with Christ requires a single object of its Election c. p. 36 44. 1. Reprobation of sin essential to friendship with Christ p. 45 47. How far a false friend of Christ may precede in the Reprobation of sin p. 47 1. As to Judgement p. 48 2. As to Wil p. 49 3. As to Affections p. 50 What are the postures of the sincere friends of Christ towards sin 1. As to judgement p. 51 2. As to their Consciences ibid. 3. As to Wil and conflicts against sin p. 51 52 53. 2. The Election of Christ presupposeth the Renunciation of Self p. 55 Self violates al the Laws of friendship p. 56 57. self-Self-love is Christ's greatest enemie in 7. regards p. 58 64 Where Self is the cause of friendship it is also the Ruine of the same p. 62 63 A character of Hypocritick self-denial p. 64 65 An Idea of true self-denial springing from a sight of our selves and of God p. 65 66. The parts of this Self-denial p. 67 68. Abraham's self-denial the ground of his friendship with God p.
or refuse him though attended with the greatest suffering A Reverend and holy Divine of this Age gives us a great experiment of this tenacious peremtorie Adherence to Christ ' Sin saith he hath made us as tender as if we were made of Paper or Glasse I am oft thinking what I would think of Christ and burning quick together of Christ and torturing and hot melted Lead poured in at mouth and navel Yet I have some weak experience that suppose Christ and Hel's torments were maried together and if therewere no finding of Christ at al except I went to Hel's furnace that there and in no other place I could meet with him I trow if I were as I have been since I was his prisoner I would beg loging for God's sake in Hel's hottest Furnace that I might rub souls with Christ ' Such a determined peremtorie and resolute wil and Adherence unto Christ is that which gives a mightie Spirit Vigor Beautie Life Growth Exercice and perfection to our Amitie with Christ And on the contrary the more faint languid superficial and undetermined our wil is in its Adherence to Christ the more danger it is in of partial if not of total and final backsliding from him especially in times of Tentation Remember so far as your Hearts are undetermined and unresolved for Christ so far they are determined and resolved against him for sin and the world and any other Idol-friends 3. 3. Resignation to and Recumbence on Christ The last radical and fundamental part of Faith consists in a chearful and complete Resignation of al concernes to Christ with entire Recumbence and Dependence on him for Influence and Assistance in order to the performance of al Duties and Offices both Active and Passive incumbent on the friends of Christ And the more soliditie and depth the more Firmitude and Strength the friends of Christ gain in these Fundamental Radical and vital Acts of Resignation to and Recumbence or Dependence on Christ the more wil they live and walk up to those Laws and Duties of friendship they owe to Christ What more agreable to the Notion Resignation of al to Christ and Relation of a friend than Absolute Resignation of al concernes into the hands of our friend Are any reputed better confidents or more intimate friends than they who can most absolutely Recumb and Depend on us for Advice Conduct and Assistance in their most important Affairs There is such an intimate and essential connexion betwixt confidence and Amitie as that the termes are frequently used interchangably each for other For a confident and Friend are used as termes Equivalent And assuredly nothing more directly conduceth to the Strength Improvement and Exercice of friendship with Christ than confidence in him both in regard of Resignation to and Recumbence on him in al the momentous Affairs of our Life Such was the Spirit of Abraham's Amitie with Christ in the Relinquishment of Chaldea and Resignation of his only Son Isaac which were two Heroick pieces of confidence in and Friendship with Christ James 2.23 What is Friendship but to make our friends Wisdome Wil Interest and Force ours O blessed he that can Sacrifice his own Wit Wil Strength and Designes by a complete Resignation of al to Christ The Wil of Christ's friend must be as that of a servant who is then best when he retains the least of his own wil and most of his Master's O! what an happy thing is it to be quite stript and spoiled of every rag of self that so Christ may stand in the room of self The friends of Christ should subscribe a blank Resignation and put it into the hands of Christ They must take al Laws from him but give none to him He must be Absolute King over their Persons Wils Interests c. And so for Dependence on Christ for Assistance Dependence on Christ for Grace and Influence it must be Absolute Immediate Total and Constant The friends of Christ never attain to higher raisures of friendship with Christ than when by faith they most eye and depend on that Grace that dwels in him For according to the mesure of our Dependence on Christ for Grace such is usually the mesure of his communications to us Why was it that Christ received such an infinite plenitude of Grace Was it for himself or was it not rather for his friends that want it most And who are they that find Christ nearest to them in the quickening enlarging fructifying corroborating and supporting Influences of his Grace but his fainting friends such as have the most Actual Immediate and Absolute Dependence on his Grace as Esa 40.29 30 31 And why is it that Christ keeps many of his dear friends under great spiritual Desertions Barrennesses Languishments Deadnesses and Abatements of first love Is not this the main cause of al that hereby they may be taken off more fully from their own self-dependences and so be brought to a more complete Dependence on Christ for al Grace both Actual and Habitual Yea are not the most eminent friends of Christ sometimes foiled in their most eminent Graces and that by a smal Tentation when they depend on their own Graces and neglect their Dependence on Christ And on the contrary are not fainting and weak Christians by virtue of their Dependence on Christ oft very strong and impregnable under the most violent Tentations Certainly the friend of Christ is but a poor passive dependent thing he has no spiritual wings to flie no legs to go no hands to work no breath to pray no food to eat no fire to warme him but what he receives from Christ his Graces are but creatures and therefore cannot preserve themselves or act farther than they are acted by Christ Thus the Friends of Christ must live wholly in Christ in a way of Resignation and Dependence and then he wil live wholly in them by gracious Influences and communications the more deep and rooted their Faith and confidence in Christ is the more green and flourishing wil their Amitie with him be The best bargain they can make is to sel themselves without Reversion unto Christ for hereby they come to have and injoy a more Noble Laudable Ample and Free self in Christ SECT 4. The Friends of Christ should reserve for him their spiritually conjugal choicest and best Affections 4. 4. Advice for Christ's friends to loge him in their choicest Affections ANother Admonition and Advice to the friends of Christ is that they would entertain and loge Christ in their choicest and best Affections Affection mixed with prudence and Fidelitie is the Spirit and Soul of Friendship And the more rational spiritual pure and Efficacious our Affections are the more solid refined permanent and influential wil our Friendship be Such therefore as wil live up and fulfil to the Dignitie of their professed Amitie with Christ must labor after the most refined and elevated Affections that may be for him Oh! what pitie is it that
not this substantial essential Image of God cal for the highest Admiration Adoration Election and Affection What deserves Admiration and election for it self if not this first Beautie and Image of God Lastly is our Emmanuel a Divine Miroir or looking-Glasse in which shines al the Glorious Attributes of God the Father Oh! What an essential and binding Obligation doth this lay upon al that are or wil be friends of Christ to stand alwaies poring and gazing on this Glasse that so their hearts may be transformed into the same Image from Glorie to Glorie as 2 Cor. 3.18 Who would not elect such a Divine and glorious Miroir for it self to be alwaies contemplating loving and enjoying those soul-satisfying Perfections of the Deitie which center and shine therein with such a Glorie 3. Farther The Friends of Christ in Imitation of the Human Nature in Christ should get as near him and love him as purely for himself as possibly it may be the way and manner of the Human Nature's being glorified namely by its being assumed and personally united to the God-head doth both demonstrate and instruct the friends of Christ how they must elect and love him for himself For whereas God communicates his Goodnes to other Creatures by created Emanations and effluences thereof God the Son communicates his Goodnes to his Human Nature not by a created emanation or effluxe of Goodnes from himself but by an Assumtion and personal union of the Human Nature with himself So that the Human Nature in Christ is glorified not by any emission or communication of goodnes from Christ but by a reception into or hypostatick union with himself Now albeit the friends of Christ may not expect or presume to be Christed or taken into an hypostatick personal union with Christ no that is no lesse than blasphemie to affect or desire yet they should and ought in imitation of their human Nature assumed by Christ both to desire and endeavor as intimate an union as possibly they may with Christ their friend and farther elect and love him as purely and entirely for himself as they can For the lesse the friends of Christ eye and regard the good things that flow from him though spiritual and the more purely and entirely they intend elect and enjoy Christ for himself and those glorious excellences they see in him the nearer they arrive unto and the more they partake of that beatifick Glorie which their human Nature assumed into a personal union with Christ is invested with I say as the Human Nature in Christ hypostatically or personally united to the Deitie is wholly swallowed up with and satisfied in the Vision and Fruition of Christ for himself so in like manner the friends of Christ should aspire in Imitation of their human Nature espoused by and taken into personal union with Christ though not to have a personal union with Christ yet to come as near as they may without diminution of Christ's Glorie to the blessed vision election and Fruition of Christ for himself 4. Hence also it naturally follows Christ's friends should present themselves fit Temples c. for Christ that the friends of Christ ought in Imitation of their human Nature espoused by Christ by al means possible to present themselves fit Temples Characters Faces Images and Miroirs or looking-Glasses of Christ that so they may be made partakers of his Glorie and enjoy him more fully for himself Is Christ's human Nature ful of Grace Does the plenitude of the Deitie dwel therein bodily or personally as in a Temple Oh then how much does it concerne the friends of Christ to get their human Natures sanctified to the utmost they may that so they may present themselves living and holy Temples fit for Christ to dwel in by his Spirit This was that which Paul exhorts to every where 1 Cor. 3.16 17. as 1 Cor. 3.16 know ye not that ye are the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you What doth he conclude hence v. 17. If any defile the Temple of God him shal God destroy for the Temple of God is holy which Temple ye are As if he had said Do you consider friends what you do in defiling your human Nature Is it not the Temple of God and is it lawful to defile the Temple of God ought not the Temple of God to be holy Wil not God destroy such as defile his Temple his Holy place O beware what you do remember your human Nature is the Temple of God The like 1 Cor. 6.18 Flee Fornication c. and he gives the reason of it v. 19. What 1 Cor. 6.18 know ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.16 c. so 2 Cor. 6.16 and what agreement hath the Temple of God with Idols For ye are the Temple of the living God c. What suffer Idol-lovers and lusts to loge in your hearts which are the Temple of God Oh! What monstrous Sacrilege What notorious blasphemie is this There is no one consideration does more deeply engage the friends of Christ to presse after Holines than this that as their human Nature was so far honored by Christ as to be taken into a personal union with the Deitie so they in their mesure are taken into a mystick union with Christ and thence become Temples wherein he dwels graciously and spiritually though not bodily or personally as in his own human Nature Oh! what a cogent Argument should this be to the friends of Christ to studie and endeavor how they may beautifie and adorne their human Nature that so it may be a fit Temple for Christ to dwel in as the Human Nature assumed by Christ is the Temple wherein the Fulnes of the Deitie dwels bodily the very thought how far human Nature is raised and dignified in Christ how far should it raise our thoughts studies and important endeavors after Holines that so our own human Natures may be presented to Christ as holy and living Temples fit for his gracious inhabitation Ah! what a sad contemplation is it to consider how much many seeming friends of Christ abuse and abase human Nature which is raised to so great a dignitie by suffering vile Idol-lovers and base lusts to inhabite therein Could the blind Heathens see so much cause why men should not abase but honor human Nature because the soul dwels in it Oh then how much greater cause have the friends of Christ to honor and adorne human Nature with Grace because Christ their best friend dwels therein CHAP. VIII This Doctrine of Amitie with Christ improved by Doctrinal Corollaries and practick Uses for the conviction of open Enemies and Hypocritick Friends of Christ SECT 1. Doctrinal Corollaries from this first part of friendship with Christ HAving explicated Doctrinal Corollaries from this first part of Friendship with Christ and demonstrated the general constitution of the object how and why the friends of Christ must elect him
gain courage by al her scoffes and crie out if this be to be vile I wil be more vile yet True friendship gains force and strength by opposition the more its Conformitie to Christ is opposed the more zelous and active is it therein Again Did Christ take upon him the Forme of a Servant humble himself and become obedient even to the Death O then how lowly how humbly how self-abasedly should the friends of Christ walk Phil. 2.5 This is wel improved by Paul Phil. 2.5 6 7 8. Having v. 3 4. Exhorted them to Humilitie and Self-denial he brings Christ's Humilitie and Self-denial as a copie and patterne v. 5. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus c. As if he had said was Christ so humble And is it not a shame that Christians who professe friendship with him should be so stately so proud It is a good observation of Divines that Christ's Human Nature though clothed with so much Glorie is the humblest Creature that ever was O then what a prodigious thing is it that our black Natures which are clothed with so much Deformitie and stuffed out with so much Malignitie and Venome of sin should be so proud as they are Think on this and ever more abhor pride So for the other parts of Christian Conversation the Exemple of Christ should be the Soverain Motive as also an Vniversal Idea and Copie of his friends Imitation Would the friends of Christ when they are about any irregular undertakement consider Would Christ if he were on earth do so and so Is this becoming the Dignitie of that Amitie I professe towards Christ Wil this please my Lord Do I herein imitate that Copie and patterne he has set me I say would the friends of Christ thus reason and argue themselves into an Imitation of and Conformitie to Christ how harmonious beautiful visible flourishing and efficacious would their friendship be But ah alas how far short of Conformitie to and Imitation of the Life of Christ that Admirable and most glorious miroir of Sanctitie do many professed friends of Christ come Yea have not the best of Christ's friends great cause to be daily humbled and ashamed of their defects as to this piece of Divine Conformitie SECT 6. The friends of Christ should aspire after more intimate Union and Communion with Christ in al Ordinances Duties Providential occurrences and creature-Injoyments 6. 6. Advice for Union and Communion with Christ THE Friends of Christ should aspire after and contend for a more intimatt deep Vnion and Communion with Christ in al Ordinances Duties providential Occurrences and Creature-injoyments This Admonition and Advice is of grand moment in order to the fulfilling and living up to the Relation and Dignitie of friendship with Christ For al friendship implies union and communion and by how much the more strict spiritual and deep this union and communion is by so much the more perfect wil the friendship be Where God implants a gracious Sympathie and strict Amitie betwixt two souls there is such an intimate union and communion as that no separation or distance of Place or Time can make a breach thereon but it is stil maintained in al Absences of the persons by means invisible as much as or more than other Vnions and Communions are by the most potent and visible means And thence Moses Deut. 13.6 makes the union of friends to be the highest among men even as that with thine own soul But now the union and communion which is between Christ and his friends is of an higher Nature We shal speak 1. 1. The friends of Christ should confirme and improve their union with Christ Of that Vnion with Christ which his friends ought daily to aspire after Al true friendship whether Natural Civil or Divine consists in Vnion or rather Vnitie And by how much the more intimate and deep the Vnion or Vnitie is by so much the more inviolable and complete is the Friendship a A Dionysio dicitur quod amor est unitiva virtus Quanto ergo id unde Amans est unâ—m cum amato est majus tanto est amor intersior rursus Quanto id ex quo est unio est magis intimum amanti tanto amor est firmior Aquinas contra Gent. l. 1. c. 91. In Civil Amitie that between conjugal Relations is most entire and inseparable til death make a breach because the Vnion or Vnitie between Man and Wife is most intimate For these are by the Law of their Creation one flesh Gen. 2.23 Ephes 5.28 Hence Christ makes use of this conjugal Amitie as a symbolick Image or lively shadow of that conjugal Vnion and Friendship which is between himself and his Church Ephes 5.32 And indeed al other Vnions in the World are but Metaphors and Shadows if compared with this Vnion between Christ and his friends Hence therefore it necessarily follows that the more the friends of Christ Confirme and Improve this their conjugal Vnion with Christ the better friends to him wil they approve themselves This Amicable Vnion with Christ admits of a great Latitude both of Kinds and Degrees wherein the friends of Christ ought to make daily procedure in order to the Improvement of their Amitie with Christ 1. 1. Relative Union The friends of Christ have a Relative Vnion with Christ as he is their publick Representative Suretie Advocate commun Head and Husband This Relative Vnion they ought daily to improve in order to the Justication of their Persons and Sanctification of their Natures Did Christ as a publick person make himself a Piaculum and Anathema or Curse for his friends O then how should they make themselves blessed in him Did he as their Suretie die for them Should not they then as poor Bankrupts Live in and upon him Was not this Paul's Ambition and life Phil. 3.9 10 2. 2. Habitual Union with Christ The Friends of Christ have an Absolute and positive Vnion with Christ which is either Habitual or Actual 1. Habitual Vnion with Christ ariseth from the Inhabitation of the Spirit and those Divine Habits of Grace infused by him Now this Habitual Vnion is improved by a singular indulgent regard to the Spirit of Christ with Immediate Absolute Total Incessant Dependence on him for al Grace Doth the Spirit of Christ inhabit and take up his abode in the Hearts of Christ's friends O! what a tender regard then should these have to such an Inmate How delicately and friendly should they treat such a Guest 2. 2. Actual Union As for Actual Vnion with Christ it is either Intellectual or Moral 1. 1. Intellectual Intellectual Vnion with Christ consists in those glorious Ideas or Notions and Images of Christ whether Contemplative or Active which are impressed on the mind For look as the eye hath an Ideal Vnion with the Sun or any other object by having its Image impressed on it self Just so the believing mind hath an Ideal
Give thy self and take al else I am content I may seem miserable but I cannot be so because thou art mine Al the alone object of my contentement in whom I take infinite complacence and satisfaction Al things without thee are nothing thou thy self without althings or any thing else art enough to me Thus this great friend of Christ solaced and contented himself with God in Christ alone And Oh! of what infinite moment and concernement is it to the Friends of Christ to content themselves with him alone What are other contentements under Heaven but night-shadows sick-dreams childish toyes pleasing Fables painted Metaphors fools Idols fair nothings yea black salt sour bitter vanities and vexations sugared over with vain conceits Can the heart therefore find an easie logement or contentement in any thing below Christ Ought not he to be the Root and top the Flour and Spirit of al our delight and Satisfaction Is not every squint-eye every oblique Regard to this adulterous Idol-world spiritual Fornication as Jam. 4.4 Doth not our Lord tel us Mat. 5.28 29. he that casteth a lustful look or regard on a Woman commits Adulterie Must not then every wanton glance on any Idol friends for the satisfaction of our hearts be reputed spiritual Adulterie And is it not infinite unkindnes for the friends of Christ who are his by conjugal contract to expect content in any other lovers Doth the World or Idol-friends deserve your hearts better than Christ your Husband What can content you in a day of visitation and death which cannot be far save this your friend Wil not contentement in this your Husband make you find contentement in every crosse and rod Is there not a time coming when nothing wil or can content your hearts but the favor of this your friend Yea is he not content with you Doth any thing in the world please and content him so much as the hearts and companie of his friends And wil you not be content with him Is he wholly and entirely for you and wil you not be wholly and entirely for him Have you a better friend in the World more able and willing to support feed comfort and content your hearts than Christ Can you expect to mend your choice or better your contentement by exchange You have long hunted for content among the creatures but did you ever find it there Is there any thing but bloud to be drawen from those Breasts Do you not feed on Ashes as Esa 44.20 Wind Vapor Froth and Smoke so long as you feed on creature-contents Is it not an ignoble dishonorable thing to prefer eye-pleasing contents before the Infinite sweets and satisfactions that are in Christ Again doth it not argue great Disloyaltie and Disingenuitie towards Christ to expect contentement from any thing besides himself Is it not disloyal yea indecent for the Wife to expect content from any but her Husband Doth not this provoke Christ your Husband to extreme Jelousie Has Christ given you any Just cause for such usage If you grow indifferent towards Christ may you not expect that he also grow indifferent towards you If his Beautie Goodnes Amiablenes and Suavities wil not draw your hearts to take al your contentment in Christ What may you expect but that his rods drive you from your Idol-lovers to himself Such of Christ's friends as wil not take up their content in and with Christ in the Abundance of al things how justly how kindly doth Christ deal with them when he strips them of al other Lovers thereby to gain their hearts wholly to himself But to speak a little distinctly to the manner Directions How the friends of Christ must content themselves in Christ alone how the friends of Christ must content themselves in and with Christ alone 1. The Friends of Christ must content themselves in him alone as the first principle of their spiritual Life the commun Head and Root of al Grace Al veins of carnal confidence and self-dependence must be abandoned 1. As the spring of al Grace There must be an Vniversal Absolute Immediate total and particular Dependence on Christ for al Grace both Habitual and Actual Justifying and Sanctifying Preventing Quickening Confirming Enlarging Sin-mortifying World-crucifying and soul-transforming Grace Christ must be al in al as to Grace But of this before Sect. 3. 2. 2. As the matter of their Happines The friends of Christ must content themselves in and with him as the matter of their Felicitie and Beatitude 1. 1. Christ must he loved for himself 〈…〉 They must regard affect and injoy Christ for himself For whatever we content our selves in and with as the matter of our Happines that we eye love and injoy for it self If we do not regard and love it for it self we do not make it the matter of our contentement but that other thing for which we regard and adhere to it A rational Being much more the friends of Christ may love and injoy nothing for it self but God in Christ who is the alone object of their contentement The friends of Christ should have their hearts rent from al Reflexions on or Regards to themselves and althings else for themselves that so they may love and injoy nothing but God in Christ for himself And hence it wil follow that by how much the more they forget yea lose themselves and injoy Christ for himself by so much the more true content wil they find O! what an admirable piece of Divine contentment is this to find al fulnes in Christ by being emtied of our selves al riches in Christ by the relinquishment of al for him al contentements in Christ by discontenting our selves Christ wil have his friends to affect and rejoyce in nothing but himself as the object of their supreme content And certainly it s the Interest of Christ's friends to love and injoy nothing for itself but God in Christ That is a perverse crooked inordinate adulterous Love which takes more content in the Rings and Love-tokens than in the Lover To take Christ only for some inferior Goods that flow from him without regard to those superior Goods that are in himself alas what is it but to make Christ serve a turne only and then bid farewel to him q To love God for himself as the last end and also for his Benefits as incicements and motives to love him may stand wel together as a child loveth his Mother because she is his Mother and he loveth her also for an Apple Rutherf It 's true Christ allows his friends to have an eye to and Affection for his Benefits But how not for themselves as the only Reason and bottome of their Love but as Motives and Means conducing to the Injoyment of himself who is the adequate object or matter of al content Christ's friends may retain some room in their hearts for his Attendents and Benefits provided that it be in subordination to himself they must alwaies love and delight in