is insatiable It is much the Moad to be in the Optative Mood The most of men are for wishings and wouldings He that is nothing but Desires shall have nothing that he desires but he that addeth good Endeavours unto his good Desires can desire nothing that is good if for his good but he may have it It is a Maxim in Philosophy All things desire good Christ is the Desire of Nations Hag. 2.7 I will shake all Nations and the Desire of all Nations shall come The desire of the Righteous as Righteous is only good Bonum in quo omnia sunt bona and alway good for as they desire Christ above all so they desire Christ in all in whom is all good and nothing but good Ask a convinced Soul a Soul convinced of the exceeding sinfulness of sin and ask a deserted Soul a Soul tossed with tempest and not comforted what they desire above all things in the world and they will tell you a Christ above all a Christ in all a Christ under all a Christ after all Psa 73.25 Gen. 30.1 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee A Child or I die said the woman a Christ or I die say the Soul and am damned too Christ is a delectable Saviour An Hypocrite delights not in God nor the things of God It is an Axiome in Nature that things are so much delightful as they are seasonable This is confirmed by more than humane Authority Marg. Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken spoken upon his wheels is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver Jonathan delighted much in David A Christian of Christs making delights much in Christ the Son of David the Lord of David To delight in Christ is a Christians Duty Psal 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart To delight in Christ is a Christians Mercy Psal 94.19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul If we delight notin Christ only we delight not in Christ at all As it is true it is the spirit of sinfulness to delight in sin it is as true it is the spirit of godliness to delight in God As Christ is the Object of the Fathers delight Behold my servant whom I uphold Isa 42.1 mine elect in whom my soul delighteth so Christ is the Object of their delight who are the Fathers Cant. 2.3 As the Apple-tree among the trees of the wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I delighted and sate down under his shadow and his fruit was sweet unto my taste or palat What was said of Titus Vespatian to be the delight of Mankind is infinitely more true of Christ he is a delectable Saviour and the Object of their delight who are actually his Christ is a faithful Saviour Christ Jesus the Lord is the faithful witness Rev. 1.5 One man will be faithful to another so long as the Sun of Peace and Plenty the Sun of Profit and Prosperity shines upon him but when the cold and nipping Frosts of Affliction and Adversity come of Exigency and Indigency come then look to thy self But it is not thus with Christ for he is most near when the Christian hath most need Socrates Plato Oh my Friends saith one I have not a Friend A Friend saith another is a mutable creature Summer-Friends are not worth the owning but Winter-Friends are worth their weight in gold Husband and Wife are one flesh Soul and Body are one person but Friend and Friend are as it were one Soul 1 Sam. 18.1 Prov. 20.6 The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul No flatterer can be a true Friend A faithful friend who can find was the complaint of Israels Sage He was never a Friend that is not ever a Friend A friend loveth at all times Prov. 17 17. and a Brother is born for Adversity Such a Friend and such a Brother Christ is if once a Friend ever a Friend This was the Motto of Valentinian An old Friend is the best Friend Amicus veterimus optimus Prov. 18.24 Matth. 8.24 25 26. Such a Friend Christ is he was thy Friend when thou wast his Foe If Soloman may be credited There is a Friend that sticketh closer than a Brother Such a Friend Christ is Christ was in the Ship when the winds did rise and the waves did roar charming the winds which were prodigious and calming the waves which were impetuous That Bottom is not like to sink where Christ is Dan. 3.24 25. When the three Children were in the fiery Furnace Christ gave a meeting and made up that blessed Mess Christ and the Christian in the Ship together in the Shop together Christ and the Christian in the Field together in the Fire together Oh immence mercy Christ is a fruitful Saviour The Cedar tree hath fruit on it at all times of the year Seneca A Heathen could say I had rather be dead than live dead Christians are to be fruitful and by their bringing forth much fruit God is glorified Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit so shall ye be my Disciples There is no plant in Gods Vineyard but he will have glory from it by its bearing or glory upon it by its burning Psal 1.3 The tree planted by the Rivers of waters bringeth forth fruit in season I have read of an Isle in the Carthaginian Sea scituated between Syria and Cilicia so fruitful that it was called the happy Isle Certainly that Soul is the happy Soul which is fruitful for if the fruit be unto holiness Rom. 6.22 the end is everlasting life To be fruitless is to be useless and to be useless is in a sense to be essenceless We are as if we had no being while we reach not at least while we reach not after the Ends of our Being Job 6.21 Job's Rhetorick goes a degree farther and denies that he hath been for he is as if he had never been a meer nothing For now ye are nothing Hos 14.8 Psal 87.7 The Christians fruit is from Christ From me is thy fruit found A Christians growing depend upon Christs watering All my springs are in Thee A Christians running depend upon Christs drawing Cant. 1.4 Draw me and we will run after Thee A Christians bearing depend upon Christs blessing Joh. 15.4 As the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me Christ is an incomparable Saviour Christ is a Saviour without compare Aut Caesar aut Nihil yea a Saviour without a Competitor Caesar would not have a Superiour nor Pompey an Equal Christ hath no Competitor and will endure no Corrival Christ will be All or nothing at all Isa 40.18 To
his Child The Father feeds 2 Cor. 12.14 Psa 84.11 and cloaths the Child he takes care of the Child at present and takes care of the Child for the future Thus Christ He giveth grace and glory he provideth for the Soul here and hereafter And no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly He provideth also for the Body A natural Father teacheth his Child I know Abraham Gen. 18.19 that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Churches are taught by Christ. As Christ is the Churches Priest Mat. 5.1 c. and Prince so Prophet Christ is the Prophet of Prophets Christ sate down and taught his Disciples A natural Father leadeth his Child Some Children need leading Prov. 8.20 yea all very young Children stand in need of leading Christ is the Leader of the Christian. I lead in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Judgment Though a Child of Nature may go without leading yet a Child of Grace cannot David was as good as others at going Psa 31.3 and yet he cries for leading Thou art my Rock and my Fortress therefore for thy names sake lead me and guide me A natural Father counselleth his Child The Child consulteth the Father 1 King 2.1 2 3. and is counselled by the Father When the daies of David drew nigh that he should die what grave and gracious counsel did he give to Solomon his Son Thus Christ it is a Dialect becoming a Deity Isa 46.10 My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Apollo was the Oracle of the Heathen but Christ is the Oracle of the Christian and he consults him as his Oracle A natural Father heareth his Child A Man will hear a Stranger hear a Servant Gen. 22.7 8. Psa 34.15 but especially a Son If Isaac speak Abraham hears Thus Christ the eyes of Jehovah are upon the righteous and his eares are open unto their cry A natural Father loveth his Child Had not Jacob a great love for Benjamin Gen. 44.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 8.5 when the life of the Father was bound up in the life of the Son But as a Feather to a Mountain as a Spark to the Furnance as a Drop to the Ocean so is the Love of Man to the Love of God-Man In due time or according to time Christ died for the ungodly A natural Father correcteth his Child He that spareth the rod hateth the Son Prov. 13.24 Isa 57.17 but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes Thus Christ For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him Where is the Child but sometimes needs the Rod A natural Father preferreth his Child The Son not the Servant hath the preferrence Mal. 3.17 Cant. 5.2 Voces amatoriae I will spare them as a Father his Son that serveth him Thus Christ He calls the Church his Love Open to me my Sister my love my dove my undefiled Are not these lofty and lovely Strains of Love Do not these drop like Honey-combs sweetness of Affection Is not the Son next unto the Father A natural Father pardoneth his Child Absalom conspireth against David 2 Sam. 14.33 Luk. 7.48 but the Father pardoneth the Conspiracy of the Son Thus Christ He said to the City-sinner Thy sins are forgiven Sin must be pardoned and Christ must be the pardoner Fear not Death for Christ is thine and he is a Friend As Christ is the worst Foe Cant. 5.16 so he is the best Friend This is my Beloved and this is my Friend oh Daughters of Jerusalem But what manner of Friend is Christ Quest Sol. 1. Christ is a rich Friend Who can empty the Ocean with a Muscle-shell It would pose Men yea puzzle Angels to bring in the riches of Christ Eph. ◠8 That I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. They are not unsearchable in point of seeking but in point of finding There are in Christ deep Riches that cannot be sounded and rich Deeps that cannot be exhausted Christ is a Mine of Mercy Christ is a righteous Friend There was no Weed in his Garden no Seam in his Coat no Dross in his Gold no Rubbish in his House no Leaven Heb. 4.15 in his Heart Though he was not temptation-less yet he was corruption-less though he was not sorrow-less yet he was sin-less Christ is a real Friend He is not counterfeit but currant Coin There is a Friend which sticketh closer than a Brother This is most true of Christ. Husband and Wife are one Flesh Soul and Body are one Person but Friend and Friend are if I may so write one Soul The Soul of Jonathan was knit with the Soul of David David had some real Friends as Jonathan Hushai and Ittai but such Friends now seem to be gone in Pilgrimage and their Return is very uncertain Now Christ is a real Friend Rev. 1.3 He is the true and faithful witness Christ is a ready Friend He is ready to give and forgive Christ is ready to give 1 King 3.5 Ask what I shall give thee It is but asking and having yea sometimes having without asking Oh infinite Mercy Christ is ready to forgive Psal 86.5 Christ is a present Help a Help at Hand Christ is most neer when the Christian hath most need Thou Lord art good saith the Psalmist and ready to forgive Christ is a strong Friend He is the Strength of Israel He is strong to deliver and strong to destroy Christ is strong to deliver Zach. 2.5 And I saith Jehovah will be a wall of fire not of Mud though that may be strong nor of Brick though that may be stronger nor of Stone though that may be strongest but of Fire a wall of Fire round about her and of glory in the midst of her What Force or Fury can be a match for that Christ who is the Friend of a Christian Christ is strong to destroy Pharaoh and his Host are drowned if not damned The enemy said Exod. 15.9 10. I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil my lust shall be satisfied upon them I will draw my sword my hand shall destroy them They say but God do Thou didst blow with thy wind the Sea covered them they sank like lead in the mighty waters Christ is a loving yea everloving Friend Prov. 17.17 A Friend loveth at all times and a Brother is born for adversity Such a Friend is Christ who as he can as soon cease to be God as cease to be good so he can as soon cease to live as cease to love His Essence and Attributes are of the same continuance and will not admit of termination Christ is a lasting yea everlasting Friend Men are mutable and mortal Rev. 1.8 11. but Christ is an immutable and immortal Friend He is Alpha
your need The supplies of Grace shall quadrare with and be adaequate unto all your need God shall supply all your need That God supplies those who are Christs with Grace according to his Riches of Grace in their times of need According to his Riches in Glory It is here called Riches in Glory but in another place called Riches of Glory That he would grant you according to his Riches of Glory Eph. 3.16 to be strengthened with all might in the inner man It is also called Riches of Grace In whom we have redemption thorough his blood Eph. 1.7 the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Grace and Glory are near akin and differ not in kind but in degree for Grace is Glory Militant and Glory is Grace Triumphant That those who are Christs are thorough Christ supplied with Grace in all their times of need By Jesus Christ God shall supply all your need according to his Riches of Grace by Jesus Christ. As all in Egypt so all in Israel but all in Egypt went thorough the hands of Joseph and all in Israel goes thorough the hands of Jesus Christ is the Disposer and Dispenser of all Grace As he is the Fountain from which all our mercies flow so anion with him is the channel in which all our mercies run That Assurance of Interest in the God of Grace thorough the Grace of God is attainable and obtainable in this life My God But my God shall supply all your need according to his Riches of Grace by Christ Jesus My God Felicity is bound up in Propriety My God But Quest what are these times of need which those who were Christs had and those who are Christs have or may have A time of Poverty Sol. 1. is a time of Need. It is said the rich men of Italy are the richest and the poor the poorest men in the world Poverty is a Snare though not so great a Snare as Plenty It was the saying of one Gregory That contented Poverty is true Riches As there are the Worlds Poor so there are Christs Poor The Poor saith Christ ye have always with you but me ye have not always The poor man cryed and the Lord heard him Luther and Calvin were poor Herne Perkins and Lactantius dyed very poor Dod for many years together had nothing but Providence to live upon Ainsworth they say had but Nine-pence per week to live upon It was the holy Prayer of holy Agur Give me neither Poverty Prov. 30.8 9. nor Riches not Poverty lest I steal and take thy Name in vain not Riches lest I be full and deny thee Is not Poverty now coming in like a prodigious Torrent as if it would bear down and break down all before it Is it not the design of some in our Bowels and of some in our Borders yet to reduce England to a more astonishing Ebb The poorest Christian that lives in a Cottage hath great treasure in his heart though little in his house Smyrna was the poorest of the seven Asiatick-Churches yet had the richest price set upon her though she was poorest in Goods Rev. 2.9 yet richest in Grace I know thy poverty but thou art rich Gods poor as they are often poor in purse so they should be always poor in spirit for the poorer we are in spirit the richer we are in spirituals It is a mercy to be denied superfluities but a misery to be denied necessaries The Heathens could say Adversity finds few Friends 1 Cor. 4.11 Even unto this present time we both hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted and have no certain dwelling place These holy and heavenly ones these believing and beloved ones had hunger and thirst and yet naked were naked and yet buffeted yea after all this had no certain dwelling place was not this a time of need and did not they now stand in need of supply from the God of Grace of the Grace of God A time of Plenty is a time of Need. Though Poverty be a great Snare yet Plenty is a greater It is an Affliction to be poor for want of Riches but it is a Curse to be poor in the possession of Riches He Eccl. 5.10 nor that loveth silver shall not be satisfied therewith nor he that loveth abundance with increase It is far better to be rich in Grace than in Gifts in Godliness than in Gold in Goodness than in Goods It is far better to be rich in Love than in Lands in Righteousness than in Riches in Mercy than in Money A prosperous state is more dangerous than an adverse and a plentiful than a poor Who ever richer than Adam in Paradise Who ever poorer than Job on the dunghil yet in Paradise Satan worsted Adam when upon the dunghil Job worsted Satan In my prosperity I said Psal 30.6 I shall never be moved Prosperity leads unto security here is Sun-shine weather the Sun of prosperity peace and plenty shined upon the mans Tabernacle and he was secure I shall never be moved the bitterness of death is pâ—se now but after a calm a storm a state of security is like a City without Gates and Bars the Enemy may enter when he will and where he will A man in a secure state is like a man upon the top of a Mast in the midst of the Sea under a stupendious storm It is said of an Hypocrite or wicked man that in the fulness of his sufficiency Job 20.22 he shall be in straits Dives out of plenty goes to Hell Lazarus out of poverty goes to Heaven Is not a time of prosperity as well as poverty a time of need and do not men then stand in need of supply from the God of Grace of the Grace of God A time of Debauchery is a time of Need. Sin begins in turning from God and Sin ends in turning against God now to be turned from God and also turned against God is not this a time of need and do not those that thus sih stand in need of Grace It was a time of great provocation in the days of Noah when God brought a deluge upon the old world and sent all but eight persons to the bottom Luke 17.26 27 28 29. they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage It was the like time in the days of Lot when God rained as it were Heh out of Heaven Fire and Brimstone upon the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrah they did eat drink buy sell build plant But could those times vie with this time for these things and worse things than these Is not cheating and circumventing now called Ingenuity Are not Oaths accounted the greatest Rheterick Is not Adultery a veniai Sin And Polygamy the Grandeur of a Person Ah Sin Sin Sin a complex evil upon the reflection of which one said That he had rather be thrust into Hell without Sin Anselm than go into Heaven with Sin That