is in the Law of the Lord. CHAP. I. Shewing that negative goodnesse is but a broken title to heaven AS the Book of the Canticles is called the song of songs by an Hebraisme it being the most excellent so this Psalme may not unfitly be entituled the Psalme of Psalmes for it containes in it the very pyth and quintescence of Christianity What Hierom saith of St. Pauls Epistles * Breves esse pariter ac longas Hierom. the same may I of this Psalme 't is short for the composure but full of length and strength for the matter * Psalmus hic reliquis anteponitur estenim quasi proâ—â—mium in univer sam sacram Scripturam Moller This Psalme carries blessednesse in the frontispiece it begins where we all hope to end It may well be call'd a Christians guide for it discovers the quicksands where the wicked sink down in perdition verse 1. and the firme ground on which the Saints tread to glory ver 2. The text is an epitome and breviary of Religion But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night Every word hath its Emphasis I begin with the first word But * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This But is full of spiritual wine we will broach it and taste a little then proceed But This is a tearme of opposition The godly man is described 1. By way of negation in three particulars 1. Verse 1. He walketh not in the councel of the ungodly He is none of the Councel he neither gives bad councel nor takes it 2. He standeth not in the way of sinners He will not stand among those who shall not be able to stand in the judgement verse 5.3 He sitteth not in the seat of the scornful Let it be a chaire of state he will not sit in it he knows it will prove very uneasie at last The word sitting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 implies 1. An habit in sinne * Moles imposita sepulchroipsa est vis dura consuetudinis qua premitur anima nec resurgere nec respirare possit Aug. in Mat. hom 45. Adeo sunt pertinaces suisque perfricta fronte peccatis addicti ut jam nihil cos pudeat sed omnem religionem habeant proludibrio Moller Psal 50.20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother 2. Sitting implies familiarity with sinners Psal 26.4 I have not sate with vaine persons that is I do not haunt their company The godly man shakes off all intimacy with the wicked * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Menander He may traffique with them not associate he may be civil to them as neighbours but not twist into a cord of friendship Diamonds and stones may lie together but they will not sodor and ceament II. The godly man is described by way of position or rather opposition But his delight is in the Law of the Lord. From this word But observe Doct. That negative goodnesse is not sufficient to entitle us to heaven To be no scorner is good but it is not enough There are some in the world whose religion runs all upon negatives they are not drunkards they are not swearers * Qui flagitium nou committit non est vir bonus sed tantum non malus natal com and for this they do blesse themselves See how that Pharisee vapours Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers c. Alas the not being scandalous will no more make a good Christian than a cipher will make a summe The godly man goes further He sits not in the seat of the scorner but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. We are bid not only to cease from evil but to do good Psalme 34.14 'T will be a poore plea at last Lord I kept my selfe from being spotted with grosse sin I did no hurt but quid boni inest What good is there in thee It is not enough for the servant of the vineyard that he doth no hurt there he doth not break the trees or destroy the hedges if he doth not work in the vine-yard he loseth his pay 't is not enough for us to say at the last day we have done no hurt we have liv'd in no grosse sin but what good have we done in the vine-yard where is the grace we have gotten if we cannot shew this we shall lose our pay and miss of salvation Use Use Do not content your selves with the Negative part of Religion * Virtutis est magis houesta agere quà m non turpia many build their hopes for heaven upon this crack'd foundation they are given to no vice none can charge them with any foule miscarriages and these are their letters of credence to shew to such persons I say three things 1. You may not be outwardly bad and yet not inwardly good You may be as far from grace as from vice though none can say black is your eye yet our soul may be dyed black Though your hands be not working iniquity your heads may be plotting it Though you do not hang out your bush yet you may secretly vent your commodity a tree may be full of vermine yet the fair leaves may cover them that they are not seen so the faire leaves of civility may hide you from the eye of man but God sees the vermine of pride unbelief covetousnesse in your heart Ye are they saith Christ that justifie your selves before men but God knows your hearts Luke 16.15 a man may not be morally evil yet not spiritually good He may be free from grosse enormity yet full of secret enmity against God like the snake which though it be of a fine colour yet hath its sting 2. If you are onely negatively good God makes no reckoning of you you are as so many ciphers in Gods Arithmitick and he writes down no ciphers in the book of life Take a piece of brasse though it be not so bad mettal as lead or iron yet not being so good as silver there is little reckoning made of it 't will not passe for currant coine though thou art not profane yet not being of the right mettal wanting the stamp of holinesse upon thee thou wilt never passe currant God slights thee thou art but a brasse Christian 3. A man may as well go to hell for not doing good as for doing evil he that beares not good fruit is as well fuel for hell as he that bears bad Matth. 3.10 Every tree which beareth not good fruit is hewen down and cast into the fire One may as well die with not eating food as with poison a ground may as well be spoil'd for want of good seed as with having tares sown in it They that were not active in works of charity were sadly sentenc'd Depart from me ye cursed c. for I was an hungred and ye gave me no meat Matth. 25.41 42. It is not said ye took away my meat
an high estimate upon the Word what the judgement prizeth the affections embrace he that values gold will delight in it we are apt through a principle of Atheisme to entertaine slight thoughts of Religion therefore our affections are so slight David prized Gods Statutes at a high rate more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold Psal 19.10 and hence grew that enflamed love to them I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes Psal 119.16 2. Pray for a spiritual heart an earthly heart will not delight in spiritual mysteries the earth puts out the fire Earthlinesse destroys holy delight get a spiritual pallate that you may rellish the sweetnesse of the Word He that tastes the sweetness of honey will delight in it If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.3 'T is not enough to hear a Sermon but you must taste a Sermon 't is not enough to read a promise but you must taste a promise when you have gotten this spiritual pallate then Gods Word will be to you the joy and rejoycing of your heart * Jer. 15.16 3. If you would delight in the Law of God purge out the delight of sinne sinne will poyson this spiritual delight If you would have Gods Law sweet let not wickednesse be sweet in your mouth Job 20.12 When sinne is your burden Christ will be your delight CHAP. IX Holy delight should cause thankfulnesse Use 5 WHat cause have they to be thankful who can find this spiritual delight in God Thankfulnesse How did David blesse God that he gave the people hearts to offer so chearfully to the building of the Temple Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort 2 Chron. 29.14 Their willingnesse was more than their offering so should a Christian say Lord when there are so many prest souldiers who am I that I should offer so willingly Who am I that I should have thy free Spirit should serve thee rather out of choice than constraint 't is a great blessing to have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this promptitude and alacrity in Gods service Delight doth animate and spirit duty now we act to purpose in Religion Christians are never drawn so powerfully and sweetly as when the chaine of delight is fastened to their heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Without this all is lost our praying and hearing is like water spilt upon the ground It loseth both its beauty and reward then blesse God Christian who hath oyl'd the wheeles of thy soule with delight and now thou canst run and not be weary For thy comfort be assur'd thou shalt not want any thing thy heart can desire Psal 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart A CHRISTIAN On the Mount OR A TEATISE concerning MEDITATION Wherein the necessity usefulnesse excellency of Meditation is at large discussed By THOMAS WATSON Minister of Stephens Walbrook in the City of LONDON Meditate upon these things 1 Tim. 4.15 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Psal 119.59 Amans Deum sublimia petit sumptis alis relicta terra in coelum volat Philo. lib. de victimis LONDON Printed by T. R. E. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchauge 1657. PSAL. 1.2 And in his Law doth he meditate day and night HAving led you through the chamber of delight I will now bring you into the withdrawing room of Meditation In his Law doth he meditate day and night CHAP. I. The opening of the words and the proposition asserted GRace breeds delight in God and delight breeds Meditation A duty wherein consists the essentials of Religion and which nourisheth the very life blood of it and that the Psalmist may shew how much the godly man is habituated and inured to this blessed work of Meditation he subjoynes in his Law doth he meditate day and night * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not but that there may be sometimes intermission God allows time for our calling he grants some relaxation but when it is said the godly man meditates day and night the meaning is frequently he is much conversant in the duty 'T is a command of God to pray without ceasing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 These 5.17 The meaning is not that we should be alwayes praying as the Euchites held but that we should every day set some time apart for prayer so Drusius and others interpret it We read in the old Law it was called the continual sacrifice * Juge sacrificium Num. 28.24 not that the people of Israel did nothing else but sacrifice but because they had their stated houres every morning and evening they offered therefore it was called the continual sacrifice thus the godly man is said to meditate day and night that is he is often at this work he is no stranger to meditation The Proposition that results out of the Text is this Doct. That a good Christian is a meditating Christian Psalme 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things Meditation is the chewing upon the truths we have heard The beasts in the old Law that did not chew the cud were uncleane the Christian that doth not by meditation chew the cud is to be accounted unclean Meditation is like the watering of the seed it makes the fruits of grace flourish For the illustration of the point there are several things to be discussed 1. I shall shew you what meditation is 2. That meditation is a duty 3. The difference between meditation and memory 4. The difference between meditation and study 5. The subject of meditation 6. The necessitie of meditation CHAP. II. Shewing the nature of Meditation IF it be enquired what meditation is I answer What meditation is meditation is the souls retiring of it selfe that by a serious and solemne thinking upon God the heart may be raised up to heavenly affections This description hath three branches 1. Meditation is the souls retiring of it self a Christian when he goes to meditate must lock up himselfe from the world The world spoiles meditation Christ went apart into the Mount to pray Mat. 14.23 So go apart when you are to meditate Isaac went out to meditate in the field Gen. 24.63 he sequestred and retired himself that he might take a walk with God by meditation Zacheus had a minde to see Christ and he got out of the crowd He ran before and climbed up into a sycamore-tree to see him Luke 19.3 4. So when we would see God we must get out of the crowd of worldly businesse we must climb up into the tree by retirednesse of meditation and there we shall have the best prospect of heaven The worlds musick will either play us asleep or distract us in our meditations When a more is gotten into the eye it
praise when we are dead and gone CHAP. VII Shewing the necessity of Meditation It is not enough to carry the book of Gods lawabout us but we must Meditate in it The necessity of Meditation wil appear in three particulars 1. The end why God hath given us his word written and preached is not onely to know it but that we should Meditate in it The word is a letter of the great God written to us now we must not runne it over in hast but meditate upon Gods wisdom in inditing and his love in sending it to us Why doth the Physician give his patient a receit is it that he should onely read it over and know the receit or that he should apply it The end why God communicates his Gospel receits to us is that we should apply them by fruitful meditatition would God think we ever have been at the pains of writing his lawwith his own finger only that we should have the Theory and notion of it is it not that we should Meditate in it would he ever have been at the cost to send abroad his ministers into the world to furnish them with gifts Eph. 4. and must they for the work of Christ be nigh unto death * Phil. 2.30 that Christians should onely have an empty knowledge of the truths published is it only speculation or meditation that God aims at 2. The necessity of meditation appears in this because without it we can never be good Christians a Christian without meditation is like a soldier without arms or a workman without tools 1. Without Meditation the truths of God will not stay with us the heart is hard and the memory slipery and without meditation all is lost meditation imprints and fastens a truth in the mind it is like the Selvedge which keeps the cloath from ravelling Serious Meditation is like the engraving of letters in gold or marble which endure without this allour preaching to you is but like writing in sand like pouring water into a sieve like throwing a bur upon chrystal which glides off and doth not stay Reading and hearing without Meditation is like weak Physick which will not work want of Meditation hath made so many sermons in this age to have a miscarrying womb and dry brests 2. Without Meditation the truths which we know will never affect our hearts Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this day shall be in thine heart How can the word be in the heart unless it be wrought in by Meditation as an hammer drives a nail to the head so Meditation drives a truth to the heart It is not the taking in of food but the stomacks concocting it which makes it turn to blood and spirits so it is not the taking in of a truth at the ear but the Meditating of it which is the concoction of it in the mind makes it nourish Without Meditation the word preached may encrease notion not affection There is as much difference between the knowledge of a truth and the meditation of a truth as there is between the light of a Torch and the light of the Sun set up a Lamp or Torch in the garden and it hath no influence The Sun hath a sweet influence it makes the plants to grow and the herbs to flourish So knowledge is but like a Torch lighted in the understanding which hath little or no influence it makes not a man the better but Meditation is like the shineing of the Sun it operates upon the affections it warmes the heart and makes it more holy Meditation fetcheth life in a Truth There are many truths ly as it were in the heart dead which when we Meditate upon they begin to have life and heat in them Meditation of a Truth is like rubbing a man in a swoon it fetcheth life T is meditation makes a Christian 3. Without Meditation we make our selves guilty of slighting God and his word If a man lets a thing lie by and never mindes it it is a sign he slights it Gods Word is the book of life not to meditate in it is to undervalue it If a King puts forth an Edict or Proclamation and the Subjects never minde it it is a slighting the Kings Authority God puts forth his Law as a Royal Edict if we do not Meditate in it it is a slighting his authority and what doth this amount to lesse then a Contempt done to the Divine Majesty CHAP. VIII Shewing the reason why there are so few Good Christians USE 1. IT gives us a true account why there are so few good Christians in the world namely Vse 1 Inform. because there are so few Meditating Christians we have many that have aures bibulas they are swift to hear but slow to meditate This duty is grown almost out of fashion people are so much in the Shop that they are seldom on the Mount with God Where is the Meditating Christian Diogenes in a full Market was seeking up and down and being ask'd what he sought for saith hominem quaero I seek for a man that was to say a wise man a Philosopher among the croud of Professors I might search for a Christian videl A Meditating Christian. Where is he that Meditates on sin hell eternity the recompense of reward That takes a prospect of heaven every day where is the Meditating Christian T is to be bewail'd in our times that so many who go under the name of Professors have banished good discourse from their Tables and Meditation from their Closets Surely The hand of Joab is in this The Devil is an Enemy to Meditation he cares not how much people read and hear nor how little they Meditate He knowes that Meditation is a means to compose the heart and bring it into a gracious frame Now the Devil is against that Satan is content that you should be hearing and praying Christians so that ye be not Meditating Christians he can stand your small shot provided you do not put in this bullet CHAP. IX A Reproof to such as do not meditate in Gods Law Use 2. Vse 2 IT serves to reprove those who Meditate indeed but not in the Law of God Reproof They turn all their Meditations the wrong way like a man that lets forth the water of his Mill which should grind his corn into the highway whereit doth no good So there are many who let out their Meditations upon other fruitless things which are no waies beneficial to their souls 1. The Farmer Meditates on his acres of land not upon his soul his Meditation is how he may improve a barren piece of ground not how he may improve a barren minde he will not let his ground lie fallow but he lets his heart lye fallow There is no spiritual culture not one seed of grace sown there 2. The Physitian meditates upon his receits but seldom on those receits which the Gospel prescribes for his salvation Faith and Repentance Commonly the Devil is Physitian to
4. Lord make me to know mine end and the me asure of my days what it is that I may know how frail I am The reason our affections are so chill and cold in spiritual things is because we doe warm our selves no more at the fire of meditation Illumination makes us shining lamps meditation makes us burning lamps What is it to know Christ by speculation and not by affection It is the proper work of meditation to excite and blow up holy passions What sparklings of love in such a soul When David had meditated on Gods law he could not chuse but love it Psalm 119.97 O how love I thy law it is my meditation all the day When the spouse had by meditation viewed those singular beauties in her beloved white and ruddy Cant. 5. she grew sick of love vers 8. Galeatius Caraccialus that famous Marquess of Vico who had been much in the contemplation of Christ breaks out into a holy Pathos let their mony perish with them who esteem all the gold in the world worth one hours communion with Jesus Christ 4. Meditation fits for holy duties The musician first put his instrument in tune and then he plaies a lesson meditation tunes the heart and then it is fit for any holy service as the sails to the Ship so is meditation to duty it carries on the soul more swiftly 1. Meditation fits for Hearing when the ground is softned then it is fit for the plough and the seed when the heart is softned by meditation now is a fit time for the seed of the word to be sown 2. Meditation fits for Prayer Prayer is Spiritualis pulsus the spiritual pulse of the soul by which it beats strongly after God There is no living without prayer a man cannot live unless he takes breath no more can the Soul unless it breathes out its desires to God Prayer Vshers in mercy and prayer sanctifies mercy * 1 Tim. 4.5 it makes mercy to be mercy prayer hath power over God vincit invincibilem * Luther Hosea 12.4 Prayer comes with Letters of mandamus to heaven Isa 45.11 Prayer is the spiritual Leech that sucks the poison of sinne out of the soul What a blessed shall I say duty or privilege is prayer Meditatio nutrix ora tionis Gerson Now meditation is an help to prayer Gerson calls it the nurse of Prayer Meditation is like oyl to the lamp the lamp of prayer will soon go out unless meditation cherish and support it meditation and prayer are like two Turtles if you separate one the other dies A cunning angler observes the time and season when the fish bite best and then he throws in his angle When the heart is warmed by meditation now is the best season to throw in the angle of prayer and fish for mercy After Isaac had been in the field meditating he was fit for prayer when he came home When the Gun is full of powder it is fittest to discharge So when the minde is full of good thoughts a Christian is fittest by prayer to discharge now he sends up whole volleys of sighs and groans to heaven Meditation hath a double benefit in it it powres in and poures out first it poures good thoughts into the mind and then it poures out those thoughts again in prayer meditation first furnisheth with matter to pray and then it furnisheth with a heart to pray Psalm 39.3 I was musing saith David and the very next words are a prayer Lord make me to know my end Hinc utilitas meditationis conspicitur quia animum Davidis ad pre candi studium erexit Calvin and Psalm 143.5 6. I muse on the works of thy hands I stretch forth my hands to thee the musing of his head made way for the stretching forth of his hands in prayer When Christ was upon the mount then he prayed So when the Soul is upon the mount of meditation now it is in tune for Prayer Prayer is the Child of meditation meditation leads the van and prayer brings up the Rear 3. Meditation fits for Humiliation When David had been contemplating the Works of Creation their splendor harmony motion influence he let the plumes of pride fall and begins to have Self-abasing thoughts Psalm 8.3 4. When I consider the Heavens the Work of thy fingers the moon and Starres which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindfull of him 5. Meditation is a strong antidote against sinne most sin is committed for want of meditation men sin through incogitancy and passion * Omnis passio inclinat cum impetu Tho. Quest 155. art 2. would they be so brutishly sensual as they are if they did seriously meditate what sin is Would they take this viper in their hand if they did but consider before of the sting Sin puts a worm in to conscience a sting into death a fire into hell did men meditate of this that after all their dainty dishes death will bring in the Reckoning and they must pay the Reckoning in Hell they would say as David in another sence Let me not eat of their dainties Psalm 141.4 The Devils apple hath a bitter kore in it Did men think of this sure it would put them into a cold sweat and be as the Angels drawn sword to affright them Judg. 22.23 Meditation is a golden Shield to beat back sin When Josephs mistress tempted him to wickedness meditation did preserve him How shall I do this Evil and sinne against God Meditation makes the heart like wet tinder it will not take the Devils fire 6. Meditation is a cure of Covetousness The covetous man is called an Idolater Col. 3.5 Though he will not bow down to an Idol yet he worships graven images in his coyn Now meditation is an excellent means to lessen our esteem of the World Great things seem little to him that stands high if we could live among the stars the earth would seem as nothing A Christian that stands high upon the pinacle of meditation how do all worldly things disappear and seem as nothing to him he sees not that in them which men of the world do He is gotten into his Tower and Heaven is his Prospect What is said of God He dwells on high he humbleth himself to behold the things done on the earth Psal 113.6 I may allude to with reverence The Christian that dwelleth on high by meditation accounts it an humbling and abasing of himself to look down upon the earth behold the things done in this lower Region Saint Paul whose meditations were sublime and seraphical looked at things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were not seen 2 Cor. 4. ult How did he trample upon the World how did he scorn it I am crucifled to the world Gal. 6.14 As if he had said it is too much below me to mind it He who is catching at a crown will not fish for gudgeons as Clopatra once said to Mark Anthony A Christian
this is the reason why men do not embrace Christ who is infinitely lovely because they know not his worth though they are not grossely ignorant of Christ yet they are spiritually ignorant To this day the vaile is upon their heart 3. Branch 3. Bran. Inform. If Jesus Christ be so lovely it shewes us the misery of a man out of Christ 1. That lives without Christ 2. That dies without Christ 1. Behold his misery that lives without Christ He is very deformed and unlovely for all lovelinesse flows from Christ A sinner in the state of nature is like an infant tumbling in its blood Ezek. 16.6 Thou wert in thy blood The Leper in the Law was but the sad emblem of a sinner 1. * Lev. 13. The Leper was to live alone as being unworthy to come into the congregation of the holy 2. The Leper did wear three marks to be known by his garments torne his head bare his mouth covered 3. He was to cry unclean unclean This spirituall leprosie is upon every Christlesse sinner Therefore a man in a state of unregeneracy is in Scripture compar'd to things most unlovely and unbeautiful To a dog Revel 22.15 a swine * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Pet. 2.22 a Viper Mat. 3.7 * Homines à bono deficientes humanam quoque amisere naturam evenit igitur ut quem vitiis transformatum videas hominem aestimare non possis Alienarum opum ereptor lupo similem dixeris Ferox in quietus cani aut leoni parem insidiator fraudibus surripuisse gaudens vulpeculis exaequetur pavidus fugax cervus habeatur immundis libidinibus se immergens porcae comparetur ita fit ut peccans vertatur in belluam Boetius lib. 4. prosa 3. a Devil Joh. 6.70 a sinners heart is a poysoned spring 'T is like a piece of muddy ground which defiles the purest water that runnes thorough it The Heathen had this kinde of notion ingraffed into them for as Authours report they had their stone pots of water set at the doores of their Temple where they used to wash before they went to sacrifice a sinner is blinde Rev. 3.17 and the more blinde because he thinks he sees He is dead * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost ad Pop. Anticch and though he may be decked with some moral vertues this is but like strowing flowers upon a dead corps * Non vivit homo qui superbia inflatur qui caeteris insicitur pestibus quia hoc non est vivere c. Bern. in Serm 1. de Apostol Ephes 2.1 dead things have no beauty in them a sinner out of Christ is a filthy excrementitious creature * Job 15.16 he runs nothing but dregs he is hell epitomized There 's no part of him sound Totum pro vulnere corpus The man who had his running issue in his flesh Levit. 15.2 was but a type of a sinner who hath the plague-sores of sinne running upon him 1 King 8.38 Oh how ghastly and deformed is every Christlesse soul God loathes him Zach. 11.8 My soul loathed them So abominable and unsavory is a sinner that God stands afar off Psalme 138.6 He will not come near the stench of him The sinner is so deformed and diseased that when he comes to be converted the first thing he doth is to loath himself Ezek. 36.31 Ye shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities Thus unlovely is every person out of Christ If he brags of his goodnesse it is because he never yet look'd his face in the glass of Gods Word that would discover his spots and blemishes 2. Behold his misery that dies without Christ Though Jesus Christ be so infinitely beautiful the sinner shall see none of his beauty Christ will put a vaile upon his face as Moses did when his face shined Exod. 34.33 Nay that is not all though Christ be so lovely in himself yet to an ungodly sinner he will be terrible to behold A wicked man shall see nothing in Christ that is lovely The Sunne of righteousnesse will be eclipsed to him his beauty will be changed into fury The Lamb will be turned to a Lion Christs visage will strike the heart of a sinner with horrour and amazement King Ahashuerus was pleasant to Queen-Esther to behold when he held forth the golden Scepter but how dreadful was his visage to Haman when he arose from the banquet of wine in his wrath Esther 7.7 His look did carry death in its face So though Christ be so lovely in himself and full of smiling beauty to his Saints yet to those who reject him and die in their sins O how gastly and affrighting will his look be His eyes will be as a flame of fire Revel 1.14 Christ is represented with a bewe and a crown Rev. 6.2 Give me leave to allude Christ will appeare to the Saints with a crown very lovely and glorious to behold but to the wicked he will appeare with his bowe to shoot at them with the arrows of his indignation We read Psalme 97.2 clouds and darknesse are round about him To beleevers Christ will shine forth with his rays of Majesty and beauty but to the wicked he will cover himself with a cloud of displeasure This will be the hell of hell to the damned they shall be shut out from a sight of Christs glory and shall behol donly a sight of his wrath They shall cry to the mountains to cover them from the face of him that sits on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb Rev. 6.16 The humane nature of Christ Hierom. saith Hierom will be as terrible to a sinner as the sight of hell fire Use 2 Use 2. Exhortation 1. Branch If Christ be so infinitely lovely Exhort 1. Bran. then let us labour to get a part in Christ that the cursed deformity of our nature may be taken away and the bespangled beauties of holinesse may shine in us 'T is little comfort for the soul to say Christ is altogether lovely unlesse it can also say My beloved is mine Cant. 2.16 Ignatius cared not what befel him so he had Christ * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist 12. ad Rom. Clear the interest The ground of priviledge is union There are saith Bernard many Christians who have nothing of Christ in them * Sine Christo Christiani Bern. Oh labour to be made one with Christ to have Christ not only in thy Bible but in thy heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renounce thy own beauty all thy parts moralities duties these are a rotten bough to hold by Phil 3.9 That I may be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse When Augustus Caesar desired the Senate of Rome to joyn some with him in Consul-ship The Senate answered that they held it a great disparagement to him to joyne any Consul with him * Sueton. in vit Aug. Caes So Jesus Christ takes it as a great