considered as relative 1. To God the Father or 2. To his friends and members Christ's Mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father may be farther referred 1. To the Father's Divine Designation and Appointment whereby Christ was furnished with a Facultie and commission for his Office or 2. To the Father's Divine Adaptation and Qualification which gave Christ an Aptitude or fitnes for his Office as Mediator We shal with the Lord's Assistance treat of each in their order 1. We shal begin with Christ's Mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father's Designation or Appointment Christ's mediatorie excellences as relative to God the Father's Designation whereby he received to speak in the Civilian's Phrase a Facultie or commission for his Mediatorie Office As in Nature so in Grace it seemed good to God to elect one commun Principle or Person which should be as an Head or Fountain through which al the streams of his Grace should flow Å¿ Haec agendi ratio convenit cum Axiomate Philosophico Dari in unoquoque genere aliquod summum primum excellentissium a quo reliqua ejusdem generis descendant accipiant quod est illius generis c. Caâ—â—â—o fol. 35. This is most agreable to the Infinite Wisdome and Bountie of God yea to that Principle of Reason which wil have one chief Head or first and most excellent in every kind from which al the rest which belong to that kind must descend and receive what appertains to their kind Thus in Nature and the Creation the first Adam thus also in the world of Grace or the Recreation and reparation of corrupt Nature Christ the second Adam was by God constituted a commun Head and principle of life So Rom. 5.19 For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shal many be made righteous i. e. look as the first Adam was a commun Head to al his posteritie and so by his sin brought death on al so Christ the second Adam is a commun Principle to al his elect seed and by his obedience brings life to al Heb. 2.5 6 7. The World to come What it is as v. 21. The like Heb. 2.5 6 7 8 9. where we are told that the world to come that is the world of Grace was not made subject to Angels but to Christ that so by the Grace of God he should tast Death for al his seed We may here consider as it were two worlds the one old and sinful subject to Adam as the commun root and parent thereof This old sinful world is ful of Rebellion against God miserie weaknes bondage reproche sin and Death and is now under the power and tyrannie of Satan the God of this world as 2 Cor. 4.4 The other world restored by Christ is ful of Grace Peace Righteousnes Holines Obedience Life and the Favor of God This is here called v. 5. the world to come and so is distinguished from the old past world of sin not so much in regard of time For this new world began also even from Adam's fal as in regard of State for the sinful world whereof Adam was the first principle is called the old past world in respect of its sinful state and the world of Grace is stiled the world to come and the new world in regard of its renewed state as it is a state of grace life and salvation whereas Adam's world was a state of sin Death and condemnation Thus Esa 65.17 for behold I create new Heavens and a new earth and the former shal not be remembred Where this world to come is called the new world and so opposed to the former old world of sin So in like manner we find mention of the old and new man in Believers which referrs to the different principles of Nature and Grace Thus we see what is here meant by the world to come namely the elect believing World the new Kingdome of Grace Now this world of Grace is said to be put in subjection not to Angels or any other Creature but to Christ Heb. 2.5 v. 5 9. For unto the Angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come c. i. e. God the Father hath not made Angels Commission-officers or invested them with a Facultie and Autoritie to Governe this New world of grace Neither they nor any other creatures are designed Mediators Purchasers or Dispensors of Grace in this new world but the Son of God alone So Heb. 2.8 v. 8. Thou puttest al things in subjection under his feet c. i. e. The Son of God and he alone is invested by God the Father with al Autoritie to change the old sinful ruinated world into a new repaired world of Grace and Righteousnes neither is there the least tittle or pin in this world to come which is not subject to Christ so it follows For in that he put al in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him By which it is evident that no part of this new world can be subject to or dependent on any creature no not Angels the whole being by the Designement and Appointment of God the Father made subject to Christ alone This is farther manifest from that comprehensive notion World v. 5. Where Christ's Kingdome of Grace appointed him by God the Father is called the world to come to note the universal Restitution or Recreation and Renovation of al things in this new world by Christ it being he alone who is impowered to change the old world of sin and miscrie into a new world of Grace and Righteousnes Thus Deering on this place ' For seing the world to come noteth al the Restitution which is by Christ the ful change of al that ever was by sin it 's therefore named world because we should assuredly know there is nothing excepted If then no part of this world be subject to any Creature no not to Angels in whom else then can we trust to have any part of this wrought for us we are al as our fathers were men by Nature of the old world c. ' Thus we see how the whole Kingdome of Grace stiled here the world to come is by the ordination of God the Father made subject to Christ alone in opposition to Angels and al other Creatures Hence Christ is stiled Esa 9.6 the Father of Eternitie Which the LXX render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The father of the world to come We have another great and convictive Testimonie to prove Christ's Designation by God the Father Joh. 6.27 Joh. 6.27 How Christ is Sealed For him hath God the Father sealed Christ as Mediator was sealed by God the Father many waies 1. He had the privy-seal of God the Father's election whereby he was constituted Head of al the Elect t Quod si in Christo sumus electi non â—n nobis ipsis reperiemus electionis nostrae certitudinem ac ne in Deo quidem
indeed is an high degree of Blasphemie against Christ in that the Hypocrisie and Apostafie of such when it breaks forth gives a mortal wound to Religion and so brings a scandal on Christ and his wayes so great is the Blasphensie of al Christ's false friends 2. 2. The folie of false friendship with Christ in that it is We have in some mesure discovered the mysterie of Iniquitie that lyes wrapt up in al false friendship with Christ We shal now a little examine the Folie and Madnes that lies couched in the bowels of this sin 1. 1. Selffla terie Is it not judged by wise men an egregious piece of folie for a man to be his own Flatterer especially if thereby he receive any considerable dammage Such a fool is every false friend of Christ for he flattereth himself in his own eyes til his iniquitie be found to be hateful Psal 36.2 2. 2 Self-delusion What greater folie can there be than self-delusion And is not every false friend of Christ a self-deluding yea a soul-deluding sinner Esa 44.20 A deceived heart hath turned him aside c. So Prov. 1.18 And they lay in wait for their own bloud and lurke privily for their own lives 3. 3. Self-ruine Is it not notorious folie for a man man to concele a wound or plague-sore which if not discovered and searched wil unavoidably prove his ruine And is not this the case of every false friend of Christ What more mortal wound or plague of the Soul can there be than hypocritick Amitie with Christ O the madnes of such false friends 4. 4. Self-confidence Doth not our blessed Lord tel us that it 's egregious folie to build a goodly structure on a sandy Foundation And is not every false friend of Christ such a notorious fool Doth he not build al his hopes and Heaven on the sandy foundation of his own carnal presumtions and confidences Such an one is branded with the black marque of a Fool by the wisest of mere men Prov. 28.26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool c. 5. 5. Self-contradiction Is not self-contradiction a great piece of Folie And oh What a self-contradiction is every false friend of Christ Doth he not contradict his own Convictions Profession Vows Covenants Experiences Yea and his own supreme Interest and Happines What a world of self-contradictions are there in false friendship with Christ 6. 6. It shal â— be manifest What notorious folie is it for a man to studie the concelement of his offense from men when his Judge sees it and wil at last make it manifest before al the World Such is the case of al false friends 2 Tim. 3.9 2.3 9. Their folie shal be manifest to al men God sees it now and men shal see it hereafter Death and Judgement strips us of al vizards masques and false pretensions of seeming Amitie with Christ We may deceive others though never so quick-sighted Yea and our selves too now but can we deceive Christ Is he not said to be of a quick understanding or sent Esa 11.3 and therefore able to smel out the most perfumed Hypocrisies of false friends to prie into every vein of it 7. 7. It is a courting a picture Is it not stupendous folie to court the picture and embrace the shadow of our beloved but to neglect the person And is not every false friend of Christ such a fool in grain What is the profession of friendship to Christ without a real espousing of his person but the espousing a Name and rejecting the Thing a courting the Picture or Shadow but despising the person of our friend 3. 3. The curse of false Amitie with Christ As the sin and folie of false friendship with Christ is very notorious so also the curse and plague thereof is extreme malignant 1. 1. It is the root of a world of spiritual sins False friendship with Christ is a monstrous pregnant curse in that it hides feeds foments strengthens and improves a world of spiritual sins How much is Vnbelief strengthened by it What a soverain Influence hath it on carnal presumtion and securitie How many grosse and refined errors are produced and maintained by it Yea the whole bodie of Antichristianisme is but the product of false friendship with Christ as 2 Thes 2.10 Again how much doth it swel the heart with spiritual pride How weak impotent and instable doth it render the heart as Jam. 1.6 8 Whence springs al hard thoughts of and murmurs against God but from this evil bitter root Exod. 6.9 What feeds carnal confidence and self-dependence more than this false friendship Is not this also the spirit of self-love and self-seeking Farther whence springs cursed Formalitie but from this root Lastly What hardens the heart and inclines it to Apostafie so much as this evil spirit of false friendship with Christ Heb. 3.13 Such an efficacious and malignant Influence has it for the Concelement Confirmation and Improvement of swarmes of spiritual lusts 2. 2. It poisons the best mercies False Amitie with Christ as it is the food and nurse of the worst sins so also the poison and curse of the best mercies It not only infuses a curse into temporal mercies but also into spiritual it turnes the meanes of Grace into a means of hardening it makes the word of God which is in it self the savor of life unto life to be the savor of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 Is it not a dreadful curse to have not only our sins but also our best duties privileges gifts commun Graces evangelick Assistances ministerial services for Christ and Divine consolations from him converted al into poison and fuel for our lusts And yet this is the case of every false friend of Christ 3. 3. It puts a sting into al Afflictions False friendship with Christ puts a sting into al Afflictions whether spiritual or temporal As the worst of Afflictions work together for good to the real friends of Christ Rom. 8.28 So al work together for evil to his false friends A sincere heart finds some of his sweetest and best mercies in his most bitter and worst trials but a rotten false heart finds al cursed to him 4. 4. Christ leaves such to the â—â—ares of this world False friendship with Christ provokes him to deliver up such to the efficacious Inveiglements Blandissements and Enchantments of a bewitching alluring world If Christ cannot obtain the whole heart he will relinquish and leave it to be possessed by this heart-ensnaring world that great Idol-God And albeit some sensual secure sinners may account it their Libertie to be captivated by the golden chains and fetters of a smiling world yet let them know by how much the more pleasing the world's chains are by so much the more miserable is their curse Oh! What a deep curse is it to have our Table our Relations our Al become a snare as
a contradiction in Christianitie What a friend of Christ and yet reserve secret haunts for beloved lusts a friend of Christ and yet indulge thy self in secret if not open sins a friend of Christ and yet one that doest allow thy self in known provocations against Christ a friend of Christ and yet as vain in thine apparel and gestures as frothy in thy discourses as voluptuous and flesh-pleasing in thine use of the creatures as proud and scornful in thy behavior as vain-glorious in self-exaltation as worldly and greedy of lucre as other worldlings oh what a monstrous contradiction is this Again art thou a pretender to friendship with Christ or yet a frequent yea wilful neglecter of Christian duties both private in thine alone or retirements and more publick in thy relations Art thou an Angel in the Church but a Devil in thy Familie at least in thine own heart Certainly if this be good friendship with Christ then Hel is crouded with a world of good friends of Christ Such false friends were those apostatizing Jews Zeph. 1.5 who swear by the Lord Zeph. 1.5 and by Malcham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto not by the Lord and to Malcham i. e. they professe friendship to God yea bind themselves to him by an oath of Allegiance and Supremacie to be for him and for none other but yet under hand they swear also to Malcham i. e. their Idol Molock to whom they give allegiance and homage as wel as to God Which indeed was a flat contradiction For God and Baal can no more be reconciled than Heaven and Hel. This is the commun case of a world of seeming friends They swear both to the Lord and to Malcham they professe conjugal friendship to Christ and yet retain some Idol-lust some Image of Jealousie which must go halves with Christ Thus do many false friends of Christ studie and meditate how they may mediate a league between Christ and lust Christ they must have to quiet the clamors of conscience and lust they must have to quiet and content their hearts hence they compound al differences betwixt Christ and lust This is an Hel-bred friendship yet too commun among the croud of Professors How far a false friend of Christ may procede in the reprobation of sin Neither wil every laxe and partial reprobation of sin suffice to constitute a sincere election of and conjugal friendship with Christ Many a seeming friend of Christ may procede very far in turning from sin and yet never turne to Christ yea continue stil a secret and at last turne an open enemie to him How far did Herod go in joyful attendence on John's Ministerie and Reformation til it came to part with his Herodias and then he chuseth to part with John's head and life by Christ rather than with her as Marc. 6.10 Luke 3.18 Did not Demas procede far and cleave long to Christ was he not much estimed by the Apostles Do they not make honorable mention of him in their writings And yet did not the love of this world so far prevail upon him as that at last he left Paul and the work of the Ministerie and turnes Merchant 2 Tim. 4.10 he hath forsaken me and loved this present world he forsakes Christ and Christ forsakes him 1. As to judgement 1. A false friend of Christ may have many dreadful apprehensions of the damning nature of sin yea he may feel some scorching terrors and heats of Divine wrath in his conscience for sin which may fil him with great indignation against sin so far as it carries a sting and torment in it and yet al this while he allows and approves of it in his 〈◊〉 as sweet or profitable he may have â—â—â—â—gement of conviction and Discretion against 〈◊〉 as it is the fuel of Divine wrath or heâ—â—â—re and yet he may have a judgement of Approbation for sin as pleasing to corrupt nature 2. As to wil. 2. Neither may the false friend of Christ have his Judgement only turned against sin but his heart also may in some mesure by many faint wishes partial vows and legal Covenants against sin very far depart from it How many pretending friends of Christ are there who make solemne vows against their sins but after their vows make inquiries as Solomon observes how they may reconcile their Lusts and Christ Do not many with solemne protestations turne out sin at the street door as a rebellious son and yet soon after take it in again at some back-door Are not many mens covenants against sin 1. Either extorted and wrung from them by reason of the heats and gals of their conscience 2. Or partial they covenant against some sins that so they may retain other sins with more securitie 3. Or legal they covenant against sin in their own strength and so soon fal into the hands of that sin they covenant against 4. Or conditional they covenant to quit sin provided it wil not be a more dutiful obedient servant 5. Yea do not the most of mens covenants against sin serve as a blind to concele their sins yea as food to nourish strengthen and improve sin at least inward heart-lusts Thus do many seeming friends of Christ make al their Vows and Covenants against their sins but as expedients subservient to the concelement strength and growth of sin In brief the bent of their heart is towards sin while they seem with many protestations and vows to reprobate the same they have fatherly bowels rolling towards sin whiles they seem most displeased with it they are offended at sin not because God is offended at it but because it offends their peace and troubles their consciences c. 3. As to conflicts with and mortificaons of sin 3. Yet farther a false friend of Christ may arrive not only to some faint inclinations and protestations of heart against sin but also to some sharp combats with and some seeming mortifications of sin The light of conscience may fight against the lusts of his heart as it was with Balaam Numb 22.18 externe branches of sin may be lopped off Acts of sin may be suspended some sins may be pursued even to death Yea not only outward Acts but inward lustings may be in part quenched Yea the root of sin may seem very far withered And al this but feigned conflicts and superficial mortification of sin which determine in the greater prevalence and sovereigntie of sin For al their combats and struglings against sin do but more miserably entangle them in sin while the acts of sin grow more feeble and weak the inward Dominion of sin grows stronger and more violent like a torrent pent up with banks The more emty the streams of sin are the fuller is the fountain when sin seems most asleep it is oft least mortified and most lively within As in malignant diseases when the humor strikes in it grows more incurable Mat. 22.25 28. This is the case of many a seeming friend of Christ But now
it is far otherwise with those who really chuse Christ as their friend What are the postures of Christ's sincere friends towards sin 1. As to their judgement 1. As to their Judgements they ha'nt only a conviction but also a reprobation of sin they see sin not in the Devils minorating glasse but in the magnifying glasse of Gods law they contemplate sin not only in the notion and Idea but really and intuitively they see the thing it self and that in its monstrous ugly shapes and aggravations whence sin appears to them exceding sinful Rom. 7.13 Rom. 7.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They see in sin al moral and natural evil al weaknes povertie servitude shame reproche deformitie and debasement of human Nature And these their convictions of sin are real spiritual deep feeling and constant their eye lids are kept open so that fresh light and convictions of sin break in every day more than other as it was with Asaph Psal 77.4 Thou holdest mine eyes waking 2. As to their consciences 2. The true friends of Christ do not only see sin in its colors but also feel the weight of it though perhaps they have not the melting sense of Christs love yet they have the bitter sense of sin 't is true they feel not alwaies the workings of their friendship to Christ yet they feel the burden of their provocations against Christ which is to them the worst of Hels they find more malignitie and bondage in The least moral evil of doing than in the greatest natural evil of suffering 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then wil◠3. Hence the loyal friend of Christ has the Bent of his heart strongly set against sin his displeasure against sin boils up to an high degree of hatred revenge and Antipathie which is the most deep and rooted emnitie that which springs from an instinct or Law of Nature and vents it self against the whole kind So great is his hatred against sin Psal 79.10 Prov. 8.13 Yea he hates the very sin he commits and loves the good he omits Rom. 7.15 16. He has also a spring of godly sorrow in his heart he is troubled and grieved for sin not only because it grieves and troubles his conscience but also because his best friend Christ is grieved and wounded thereby his heart bleeds for sin because it caused the heart of his Lord to bleed to death his spirit is broken for sin because the law of his God is broken thereby his sorrow for sin is very fruit-bearing 2 Cor. 7.9 10. 4. Again the real friend of Christ does not only hate and mourne for sin but also fight the Lord's Battels against sin His heart takes part with God against sin even when his members are engaged for sin against God Rom. 7.15 16 19. He fights against sin not with carnal or legal but with evangelick and spiritual weapons 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mightie c. He takes unto him the whole Armor of God Ephes 6.13 14 c. He takes the sword of the spirit whereby he lets forth the heart-blood of sin Rom. 8.13 H◠makes use of the shield of faith dipt in the blood of Christ which is very efficacious to keep off the fierie darts of lust Heb. 9.14 Neither are his conflicts against sin at a distance only but very intimate and close in the same facultie Divine light against carnal wisdome love to Christ against sinful lusts godly sorrow against carnal grief these fight hand to hand in the mind wil and Affections Neither does he fight against grosser sins only but also against more spiritual refined lusts as spiritual pride unbelief self-love hypocrisie carnal confidence presumption formalitie in duties hard-heartednes carnal seouritie and spiritual sloth Moreover he has more vehement conflicts with his beloved darling lusts such sins as are most flesh-pleasing or profitable most presuming and domineering Psal 19.13 which do more easily beset him and for which corrupt nature does most cater and provide But above al sins he is mostly vexed with and therefore most vehemently set against his corrupt Nature which is the heart the cursed root of bitternes the poisoned fountain that gives life malignitie and venome to al other sins he strikes not only at the branches but laies the axe to this root of sin he endeavors not only to purge the streams but also to sweeten the fountain his main work is not only to cure the botches and breakings forth of sin but to drive the malignitie from the heart though sin may gain some loging in his externe members yet he wil allow it no quiet abode in the heart Rom. 7.22 23. In short the sincere friend of Christ albeit he may be oft foiled by sin yet he riseth again yea he fals forward and gains ground by his fals his being foiled by sin does end in his greater victorie over sin in that it makes him more humble self-denying believing c. So that oft when the Acts of sin are most violent and strong the Dominion of sin is most impotent and weak as it is with nature in dying pangs he even then overcomes most when he seems most overcome by sin Sin is not only asleep or Sick but dead in him and the death of sin is the life of his friendship with Christ His reprobation of sin ends in the election of Christ Heb. 6.1 These are the postures of Christ's friends towards sin SECT 3. The Election of and Amitie with Christ presupposeth the Renunciation of irregular self 2. 2. The Election of Christ presupposeth a renunciation of irregular self ANother great corrival which sues for an interest in that conjugal Amitie and friendship which is due to Christ alone is self This is a more secret and slie competitor with Christ but by so much the more dangerous Self is a more masqued enemie which oft carries the face of a friend not only towards the soul but towards Christ also and yet there is not a greater enemie in the world either to Christ or the soul than irregular inordinate and lawlesse self 'T is therefore great folie yea madnes to imagine there can be any true election of and Amitie with Christ unlesse there be first a divoroe from and Abjuration of Self so far as it stands in opposition to and competition with Christ This is evident even from the universal Idea or general nature of Friendship Self-denial essential to al Friendship The Philosopher can tel us that p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 4. c. ◠they are avaricious sordid persons who seek to gain by their friends to whom they ought to give i. e. they who make self the only measure of their friendship are good friends to none but themselves for you may expect friendship from them no longer than they may expect advantage and profit from you He that regards himself only and converts al his thoughts and studies to his own
Divine light that stream from Christ the Sun of Righteousnes Is Christ so ful of life and so willing to give it forth unto al that come unto him and shal sinners be unwilling to receive it What not willing to live Doth not this seem strange A reasonable creature and yet unwilling to be happie Is death a thing so amiable as to be preferred before life yea Immortal death before Immortal life Was it ever known that chains and fetters were more eligible than Libertie and freedome Oh! what a monstrous sin is this that poor undone sinners should wilfully contemne the Fountain of al life Who would ever have thought that a rational creature should be so sottish and mad as wilfully and electively to prefer sin the worst evil before Christ the chiefest good What a reproche and disgrace is this to human Nature that it should cordially embrace Satan the worst of enemies and wilfully reject Christ the best of Friends Can there be a greater sin than this for an Intelligent Being electively to chuse yea love Death and hate Christ who is life it self And yet this is the case of al those who embrace not Christ as their friend Prov. 8.36 Al they that hate me love death 3. 3. The mesure of this sin from its formal Nature The Aggravations of this sin not to mind or affect Amitie with Christ are lively represented in its Formal Nature and Idea The Definition or essential Idea of a thing gives you its formal nature portrait and Image and if you understand the Formal nature of a sin you may easily guesse at its Aggravations Now the general Idea and formal nature of al sin consists in an Obliquitie or transgression of some Divine Law And by how much the more forcible obligatorie and inviolable the Law is by so much the more there is of Obliquitie and Malignitie in that sin which is the Transgression of such a Law Now the Law which obligeth men to mind and affect Amitie with Christ is the Mediators Law an Evangelick Law which hath a double Sanction appendent to it not only that of a Creator but also that of a Redeemer And oh What an hainous crime is this to Transgresse this Evangelick Law of the Mediator which is twisted and composed of such silken cords of love such sweet obligations of Evangelick Grace and Mercie This Aggravation is set forth to the life Heb. 2.2 3. For if the word spoken by Angels i. e. the Law of Moses was stedfast and every Transgession and disobedience received a just recompense of reward How shal we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord c As if he had said Alas if the Transgression of the Mosaick Law was reputed so hainous and therefore had such dreadful curses pronounced against it what shal we say of such as transgresse the Mediator's Evangelick Law of Grace which offers life and salvation to sinners Oh! what a prodigious sin is this to neglect so great Salvation which the Son of God invites us to How deservedly do such perish But a little to examine the particular Ideas The particular Ideas of this sin and branches of this sin 1. 1. It 's ful of Atheisme and unbelief Not to mind and affect Amitie with Christ carries in its formal nature or bowels a world of Vnbelief and Atheisme Not to embrace Christ as our best friend what is it but to give God the Lie So 1 Joh. 5.10 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Can there be a greater sin than this to make God who is veracitie it self and the first Truth a Liar And doth not every one that rejecteth Christ make God a liar because he believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son O remember sinner what thou doest when thou refusest friendship with Christ know that thereby thou makest the most faithful and blessed God a liar And so O the monstrous Blasphemie not to be mentioned without horror a Son of the Devil 2. 2. It is a crucifixion of Christ To reject Christ or neglect friendship with him is no lesse than a repeted Crucifixion of Christ and exposing of him to open shame Men crie Shame and Treacherie on Judas for betraying of his Lord They condemne Pilate for condemning the Lord of life Who so wicked as not to estime the Jews bloudie and cursed for embrewing their hands in the bloud of their Messias But know that every one who refuseth Christ and friendship with him betrayes him as much as Judas condemnes him worse than Pilate and embrews his hands in his Savior's bloud as wel as the bloud-thirstie Jews For it is most certain that Christ hath no worse Enemie than the Vnbeliever he who wil not eâ—â—ct him as his friend He that wil not embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel with his whole heart and adhere to him as his best friend is his worst enemie and one that daily crucifies the Lord of Glorie by his unbelief O consider the weight of this sin as described Heb. 6.6 Seing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame 3. 3. It is a blaspheming Christ Not to embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel for our friend is formal blasphemie in that it brings a scandal il report and reproche on Christ What is Blasphemie but to raise an il report or scandal on God whereby the most blessed Deitie is reproched Now what brings a greater reproche or Scandal on God than to contemne and disgrace the Son of God so far as to prefer any other friend either sin or self before him Can there be a greater reproche or disgrace cast on Christ than to elect Idâ—l-lusts or other lovers before him Is not this an high piece of Blasphemie to tel the World that that the Creature deserves our friendship more than Christ the Creator of al Oh think on this 4. 4. It is Saâ—râ—â—â—ge Not to make Christ our friend is in an high degree Sacrilege or robbing God of his due Al serious spirits hate and abhor the Imputation of Sacrilege both name and thing But what greater Sacrilege can there be than to rob and plunder Christ of his Diademe and Imperial Throne Is not Christ's Mediatorie Office his Diademe and is not the heart of his friends his chief Imperial Throne Do not then al such as refuse to make him their friend rob him of his Diademe and Throne Thus we see what the Aggravations of this sin are in regard of its formal nature and Idea 4. 4. The Aggravations of this sin not to Elect Christ from its Effects We may take a mesure of this sin not not to mind friendship with Christ by its Effects That must needs be a sin of the first magnitude which has a most Vniversal malignant Influence
constitution of a sincere Amitie with Christ Are there so many who by their profession seem good friends of Christ but yet in their Affection are real enemies to him Wil so much of that which now passeth for Friendship with Christ be one day found to be no better than enmitie against him And is it so sinful so foolish so dangerous a thing for any to delude themselves with false Ideas Pictures and Shadows of Amitie with Christ O then how greatly doth it concerne us al to examine narrowly every vein of our friendship with Christ Are we not told in the Sacred Writ that few are saved yea that the Righteous shal scarcely be saved Doth it not then much concerne us to take al the heed that may be that we be not left out of that smal number Oh! how sad is it to have any fundamental error yea any loose pin in this great work of friendship with Christ And the more effectually to provoke our spirits Motives to examine our friendship with Christ to a more thorough Inquisition into and examination of our Friendship with Christ Consider 1. 1. From the Difficulties that attend it How many difficulties attend a true and sacred Friendship with Christ Is it not extreme difficult to part with right eyes and hands beloved Idols and darling lusts which are professed enemies to Christ Is it not very hard to offer violence to corrupt Nature to disloge sin and self from the Bent of the heart that so Christ may loge and inhabit there O! how difficult yea impossible without omnipotent Grace is it to win an inch of ground on self-wisdome self-wil self-humor self-strength and self-righteousnes What a painful death is it to die to that adulterous cursed Idol Self that so we may live to Christ Whoever overcame sin and self without a world of Difficulties And how can we ever hope for friendship with Christ til we have our hearts rent from these his professed enemies It is an easy matter to become a false bypocritick friend of Christ but O! how hard is it to be really such there is no great pain or difficultie in attaining to a Name and profession of Friendship with Christ but what a world of pain and labor is there required to obtain the Thing it self He that is not sensible of the difficulties it 's a black signe he knows not what the thing it self means Now then if it be so difficult a thing to arrive unto a sincere Amitie with Christ doth it not greatly concerne us al to examine wel whether that which we professe be of the right make Doth not the difficultie of gaining real friendship with Christ lay an essential obligation on al Professors to make a narrow Scrutinie and Inquisition into their hearts touching the sinceritie of that which they professe 2 Cor. 13.5 know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2. 2. From the facilitie of being mistaken about the truth of our friendship with Christ Consider how easie a thing it is to be mistaken in our perfuasions about the sinceritie of our friendship with Christ As the thing it self is most difficult so our mistake about the truth of it is most easie Though the distance 'twixt true Amitie with Christ and false be vast and in a sense infinite yet the latter doth so much ressemble the former as that it is very easy to mistake therein Alas how much watered brasse is there that passeth for pure gold How many Idol-Christs are there which passe for the true Christ Is there not much bastard spurious knowlege that passeth for true saving light Are there not many adulterous whorish Affections which passe for true conjugal Affections to Christ How fearfully are thousands of awakened Professors deluded with the shadow or dream of friendship with Christ when as they are indeed at heart real enemies to him Have we not cause then to sift our hearts to the very bran to shake our selves out of our selves and to demand of our selves such questions as these What aâ—t thou as to Friendship with Christ How doth thy soul stand disposed and framed towards him It 's true thou hast professed long and much Amitie to him ay but doest thou really and strongly intend what thou pretendest to be Thou doest pretend to give him thy heart but is there no Image of Jelousie no darling lust loged there in the room of Christ Thou hast arrived to some partial superficial conformitie unto Christ but yet is there not an inward Difformitie and disagreement from him Oh! how much should this verisimilitude or Ressemblance betwixt counterfeit and sincere friendship with Christ awaken and excite our spirits to a serious and accurate scrutinie into our own hearts and states as to this particular 3. 3. From the danger of mistakes herein Consider how dangerous a mistake about our friendship with Christ is Is not friendship with Christ the most fundamental part of Christianitie Is not then the least error or flaw herein fundamental Of what use is a false persuasion of true friendship with Christ but to make you steal quietly to Hel in a sweet sleep or golden dream of carnal securitie For what serves the Name and Notion of a friend without the thing but to make thee a more cunning and effectual enemie to Christ and thine own soul Alas Alas a Name is but a Name or shadow of a thing and unlesse thou hast the Thing it self the Name of being a friend to Christ wil but serve as a vizard or disguise to concele a rotten heart and sink thee deeper into the Abysse of sin and miserie Doth it not then nearly concerne us al to examine thoroughly what our friendship with Christ is O that the professed friends of Christ would be very serious and punctual in this particular and never desist til they have brought this grand Question or rather Controversie to some Head and Conclusion of this or the like import Am I or am I not a real friend of Christ Have I elected him for himself or have I not Is mine heart strongly bent for him or is it not Now to come to a ful Resolution of this Question Distinctive Characters of Christ's false and true friends I shal lay down some criterial notes or distinctive Characters of Christ's false and real friends 1. 1 In point of Essimation The true friend of Christ estimes nothing worse than sin and nothing better than Christ and friendship with him he fears and feels no worse Hel than sin that deprives him of Christ he hopes for and desires no better Heaven than Christ and the Injoyment of him Psal 73.25 whom have I in Heaven but thee c. Christ's Presence makes up his Heaven and Christ's Absence makes up his Hel. But now is it thus with the false friend of Christ Hath he not some thing better than Christ and something worse than sin Do not some notwithstanding al their pretensions to Amitie