of those thoughts and dispositions which may reach to the least proportion of thine infinite bounty who of a poor worm on earth hast made me an heir of the kingdome of heaven Wo is me how subject are these earthly principalities to hazard and mutability whether through death or insurrection but this Crown which thou hast laid up for me is immarcescible and shall sit immovably fast upon my head not for years not for millions of ages but for all eternity Oh let it be my heaven here below in the mean while to live in a perpetuall fruition of thee and to begin those Alelujahs to thee here which shall be as endlesse as thy mercy and my blessednesse SECT 1. The improvement of our love to Christ for the mercy of his deliverance of the tuition of his Angels of the powerfull working of his good Spirit HAdst thou been pleased to have translated me from thy former Paradise the most delightfull seat of mans originall integrity and happinesse to the glory of the highest heaven the preferment had been infinitely gracious but to bring my soul from the nether most hell and to place it among the Chore of Angels doubles the thank of thy mercy and the measure of my obligation How thankfull was thy Prophet but to an Ebedmelech that by a cord and rags let down into that dark dungeon helpt him out of that uncomfortable pit wherein he was lodged yet what was there but a little cold hunger stench closenesse obscurity Lord how should I blesse thee that hast fetcht my soul from that pit of eternall horrour from that lake of fire and brimstone from the everlasting torments of the damned wherein I had deserved to perish for ever I will sing of thy power unto thee O my strength will I sing for God is my deliverer and the God of my mercie But O Lord if yet thou shouldst leave me in my own hands where were I how easily should I be rob'd of thee with every temptation how should I be made the scorn and insultation of men and devils It is thy wonderfull mercy that thou hast given thine Angels charge over me Those Angels great in power and glorious in Majesty are my sure though invisible guard O blessed Jesu what an honour what a safety is this that those heavenly spirits which attend thy throne should be my champions Those that ministred to thee after thy temptation are ready to assist and relieve me in mine they can neither neglect their charge because they are perfectly holy nor fail of their victory because they are under thee the most powerfull I see you O ye blessed Guardians I see you by the eye of my faith no lesse truly then the eye of my sense sees my bodily attendants I do truly though spiritually feel your presence by you gratious operations in upon and for me and I do heartily blesse my God and yours for you and for those saving offices that through his mercifull appointment you ever do for my soul But as it was with thine Israelies of old that it would not content them that thou promisedst and wouldst send thine Angell before them to bring them into the Land flowing with milk and honey unlesse thy presence O Lord should also go along with them so is it still with me and all thine wert not thou with and in us what could thine Angels do for us In thee it is that they move and are The same infinite Spirit which works in and by them works also in me From thee it is O thou blessed and eternall Spirit that I have any stirrings of holy motions any breathings of good desires any life of grace any will to resist any power to overcome evill It is thou O God that girdest me with strength unto battell thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation thy right hand hath holden me up thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies Glory and praise be to thee O Lord which alwaies causest us to triumph in Christ who crownest us with loving kindnesse and tender mercies and hast not held us short of the best of thy favours Truly Lord hadst thou given us but a meer beeing as thou hast done to the lowest rank of thy creatures it had been more then thou owest us more then ever we could be able to requite to thy divine bounty for every beeing is good and the least degree of good is farre above our worthiness But that to our beeing thou hast added life it is yet an higher measure of thy mercy for certainly of thy common favours life is the most precious yet this is such a benefit as may be had and not perceived for even the plants of the earth live and feel it not that to our life therefore thou hast made a further accession of sense it is yet a larger improvement of thy beneficence for this faculty hath some power to manage life and makes it capable to affect those means which may tend to the preservation of it and to decline the contrary but this is no other then the brute creatures enjoy equally with us and some of them beyond us that therefore to our sense thou hast blessed us with a further addition of reason it is yet an higher pitch of munificence for hereby we are men and as such are able to attain some knowledge of thee our Creator to observe the motions of the heavens to search into the natures of our fellow-creatures to passe judgement upon actions and events and to transact these earthly affairs to our own best advantage But when all this is done wo were to us if we were but men for our corrupted reason renders us of all creatures the most miserable that therefore to our reason thou hast superadded faith to our nature grace and of men hast made us Christians and to us as such hast given thy Christ thy Spirit and thereby made us of enemies sons and heirs co-heirs with Christ of thine eternall and most glorious kingdome of heaven yea hast incorporated us into thy self and made us one spirit with thee our God Lord what room can there be possibly in these strait and narrow hearts of ours for a due admiration of thy transcendent love and mercy I am swallowed up O God I am willingly swallowed up in this bottomelesse abysse of thine infinite love and there let me dwell in a perpetuall ravishment of spirit till being freed from this clog of earth and filled with the fulness of Christ I shall be admitted to enjoy that which I cannot now reach to wonder at thine incomprehensible blisse and glory which thou laid up in the highest heavens for them that love thee in the blessed communion of all thy Saints and Angels thy Cherubim and Seraphim Thrones Dominions and Principalities and Powers in the beatificall presence of thee the ever-living God the eternall Father of Spirits Father Son holy Ghost one infinite Deity in three co-essentially co-eternally co-equally glorious persons To whom
come down to us in the likenesse of man and as man conversed with men what a disparagement do we think it was for the great Monarch of Babylon for seven years together as a beast to converse with the beasts of the field Yet alas beasts and men are fellow-creatures made of one earth drawing in the same ayre returning for their bodily part to the same dust symbolizing in many qualities and in some mutually transcending each others so as here may seem to be some terms of a tolerable proportion sith many men are in disposition too like un to beasts and some beasts are in outward shape somewhat like unto men But for him that was and is God blessed for ever eternall infinite incomprehensible to put on flesh and become a man amongst men was to stoop below all possible disparities that heaven and earth can afford Oh Saviour the lower thine abasement was for us the higher was the pitch of thy divine love to us SECT 5. His love in his sufferings YEt in this our humane condition there are degrees One rules and glitters in all earthly glory another sits despised in the dust one passes the time of his life in much jollity and pleasure another wears out his dayes in sorrow and discontentment Blessed Jesu since thou wouldst be a man why wouldst thou not be the King of men since thou wouldst come down to our earth why wouldst thou not enjoy the best entertainment that the earth could yeeld thee Yea since thou who art the eternall Son of God wouldst be the son of man why didst thou not appear in a state like to the King of heaven attended with the glorious retinue of blessed Angels O yet greater wonder of mercies The same infinite love that brought thee down to the form of man would al so bring thee down being man to the form of a servant So didst thou love man that thou wouldst take part with him of his misery that he might take partwith thee of thy blessednesse thou wouldst be poor to enrich us thou wouldst be burdened for our ease tempted for our victory despised for our glory With what lesse then ravishment of spirit can I behold thee who wert from everlasting cloathed with glory and Majesty wrapped in rags thee who fillest heaven and earth with the majesty of thy glory cradled in a manger thee who art the God of power fleeing in thy mothers arms from the rage of a weak man thee who art the God of Israel driven to be nursed out of the bosome of thy Church thee who madest the heaven of heavens busily working in the homely trade of a foster-father thee who commandest the Devils to their chains transported and tempted by that foul spirit thee who art God all-sufficient exposed to hunger thirst wearinesse danger contempt poverty revilings scourgings persecution thee who art the just Judge of all the world accused and condemned thee who art the Lord of life dying upon the tree of shame and curse thee who art the eternall Son of God strugling with thy Fathers wrath thee who hadst said I and my Father are one sweating drops of bloud in thine agony and crying out on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me thee who hast the keyes of hell and of death lying sealed up in another mans grave Oh Saviour whither hath thy love to mankinde carryed thee what sighs and groans and tears and bloud hast thou spent upon us wretched men How dear a price hast thou paid for our ransome What raptures of spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of thy so infinite mercy Be thou swallowed up O my soul in this depth of divine love and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world when thou hast such a Saviour to take them up SECT 6. His love in preparing heaven for us BUt O blessed Jesu if from what thou hast suffered for me I shall cast mine eyes upon what thou hast done for my soul how is my heart divided betwixt the wonders of both and may as soon tell how great either of them is as whether of them is the greatest It is in thee that I was elected from all eternity and ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a world we are wont O God to marvell at and blesse thy provident beneficence to the first man that before thou wouldst bring him forth into the world thou wert pleased to furnish such a world for him so goodly an house over his head so pleasant a Paradise under his feet such variety of creatures round about him for his subjection and attendance But how should I magnifie thy mercy who before that man or that world had any beeing hast so far loved me as to pre-ordain me to a place of blessednesse in that heaven which should be and to make me a co-heir with my Christ of thy glory And oh what an heaven is this that thou hast laid out for me how resplendent how transcendently glorious Even that lower Paradise which thou providedst for the harbour of innocence and holinesse was full of admirable beauty pleasure magnificence but if it be compared with this Paradise above which thou hast prepared for the everlasting entertainment of restored souls how mean and beggerly it was Oh match too unequall of the best peece of earth with the highest state of the heaven of heavens In the earthly Paradise I finde thine Angels the Cherubim but it was to keep man off from that Garden of Delight and from the tree of life in the midst of it but in this heavenly one I finde millions of thy Cherubim and Seraphim rejoycing at mans blessednesse and welcomming the glorified souls to their heaven There I finde but the shadow of that whereof the substance is here There we were so possessed of life that yet we might forfeit it here is life without all possibility of death Temptation could finde accesse thither here is nothing but a free and compleat fruition of blessednesse There were delights fit for earthly bodies here is glory more then can be enjoyed of blessed souls That was watered with four streams muddy and impetuous in this is the pure river of the water of life clear as Crystall proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb There I finde thee onely walking in in the cool of the day here manifesting thy Majesty continually There I see only a most pleasant Orchard set with all manner of varieties of flourishing and fruitfull plants here I finde also the City of God infinitely rich and magnificent the building of the wall of it of Jasper and the City it self pure gold like unto clear glasse and the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of precious stones All that I can here attain to see is the pavement of thy celestiall habitation and Lord how glorious it is how be spangled with glittering starres for number for magnitude equally admirable What is
Vera Effigies Reverendi Do ni Iosephi Hall Norwici nuper Episcopi HOLY RAPTURES OR PATHETICALL MEDITATIONS OF THE LOVE of CHRIST TOGETHER With a TREATISE OF CHRIST MYSTICALL OR The blessed UNION of CHRIST And his MEMBERS ALSO The CHRISTIAN laid forth in his whole Disposition Carriage By Jos. HALL D. D. B. N. London Printed by E. C. for John Sweeting at the Angel in Popeshead-alley 1652. TO The onely Honour and Glory of his blessed SAVIOUR and REDEEMER AND To the comfort and benefit of all those members of his Mysticall Body which are still labouring and warfaring upon EARTH Jos Hall their unworthiest Servant humbly dedicates this fruit of his old age I Have with much comfort and contentment perused these divine and holy Meditations entituled Christ Mysticall An holy Rapture and The Christian laid forth or characterized in his whole disposition and carriage and relishing in them much profitable sweetnesse and heavenly raptures of spirituall devotion I do license them to be Printed and published JOHN DOVVNAME The CONTENTS of the first PART § 1. HOw to be happy in the apprehending of Christ § 2. The honour and happinesse of being united to Christ § 3. The kind manner of our union with Christ. § 4. The resemblance of this union by the head and members of the body § 5. This union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife § 6. This union resembled by the nourishment and the body § 7. The resemblance of this union by the branch and the stâ—ck the foundation the building § 8. The certainty and indissolublenesse of this union § 9. The priviledges and benefits of this union The first of them life § 10. A complaint of our insensiblenesse of this mercy and an excitation to a chearfull recognition of it â— 11. An incitement to a joy and thankfulnesse for Christ our life § 12. The duties we owe to God for his mercy to us in this life which we have from Christ § 13. The improvement of this life in that Christ is made our Wisdome § 14. Christ made our Righteousnesse § 15. Christ made our Sanctification § 16. Christ made our Redemption § 17. The externall priviledges of this union 〈◊〉 right to the blessings of earth and of heaven § 18. The means by which this union is wrought § 19. The union of Christs members with themselves First those in heaven § 20. The union of Christs members upon earth First in matter of judgement § 21. The union of Christians in matter oâ— affection § 22. A complaint of Divisions and notwithstanding them an assertion of unity § 23. The necessary effects and fruits of thâ— union of Christian hearts § 24. The union of the Saints on earth wiâ—â— those in heaven § 25. A recapitulation and sum of the whâ—â—â— Treatise CHRIST MYSTICALL OR The blessed UNION of CHRIST and his Members SECT 1. How to be happy in the apprehending of Christ THere is not so much need of Learning as of Grace to apprehend those things which concern our everlasting peace neither is it our brain that must be set on work here but our heart for true happinesse doth not consist in a meer speculation but a fruition of good However therefore there is excellent use of Scholar-ship in all the sacred imployments of Divinity yet in the main act which imports salvation skill must give place to affection Happy is the soul that is possessed of Christ how poor so ever in all inferiour endowments Ye are wide Oye great wits whiles you spend your selves in curious questions and learned extravagancies ye shal finde one touch of Christ more worth to your souls then all your deep and laboursome disquisitions one dram of faith more precious then a pound of knowledge In vain shall ye seek for this in your books if you misse it in your bosoms If you know all things and cannot truly say I know whom I have beleeved 2 Tim. 1. 12. you have but knowledge enough to know youâ— selves truly miserable Wouldst thoâ— therefore my son finde true and solâ—d comfort in the hour of temptation in the agony of death make sure work for thy soul in the daies of thy peace Finde Christ thine and in despight of hell thou art both safe and blessed Look not so much to an absolute Deity infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious alas that Majesty because perfectly and essentially good is out of Christ no other then an enemy to thee thy sinne hath offended his justice which is himself what hast thou to do with that dreadfull power which thou hast provoked Look to that mercifull and all-sufficient Mediator betwixt God and man who is both God and man Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Tim. 2. 5. 1 Joh. 2. 1. It is his charge and our duty Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me Joh. 14. 1. Yet look not meerly to the Lord Jesus as considered in the notion of his own eternall being as the Son of God co-equall and co-essentiall to God the Father but look upon him as he stands in reference to the sons of men and herein also look not to him so much as a Law-giver and a Judge there is terror in such apprehension but look upon him as a gracious Saviour and Advocate and lastly look not upon him as in the generality of his mercy the common Saviour of mankinde what comfort were it to thee that all the world except thy self were saved but look upon him as the dear Redeemer of thy soul as thine Advocate at the right hand of Majesty as one with whom thou art through his wonderfull mercy inseparably united Thus look upon him firmly and fixedly so as he may never be out of thine eies and what ever secular objects interpose themselves betwixt thee and him look through them as some slight mists and terminate thy sight still in this blessed prospect Let neither earth nor heaven hide them from thee in whatsoever condition SECT 2. The honour and happinesse of being united in Christ ANd whiles thou art thus taken up see if thou canst without wonder and a kinde of ecstaticaâ—l amazement behold the infinite goodnesse of thy God that hath exalted thy wretchednesse to no lesse then a blessed and indivisible Union with the Lord of glory so as thou who in the sense of thy miserable mortality maist say to corruption Thou art my father and to the worm Thou art my mother and my sister Job 17. 14. canst now through the priviledge of thy faith bear the Son of God say unto thee Thou art bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Gen. 2. 23. Eph. 5. 30. Surely as we are too much subject to pride our selves in these earthly glories so we are too apt through ignorance or pusillanimity to undervalue our selves in respect of our spirituall condition we are far more noble and excellent then we account our selves It is our faith that must raise our thoughts to a due estimation of our greatnesse
our best then unholy creatures full of pollution and spirituall uncleannesse It is his most holy Spirit that must cleanse us from all the filthinesse of our flesh and spirit 2. Cor. 7. 1. and work us daily to further degrees of sanctification He that is holy let him be holy still Rev. 22. 11. neither can there be any thing more abhorring from his infinite justice and holinesse then to justifie those souls which lie still in the loathsome ordure of their corruptions Certainly they never truly learnt Christ who would draw over Christs righteousnesse as a case of their close wickednesses that sever holinesse from justice and give no place to sanctification in the evidence of their justifying Never man was justified without faith and wheresoever faith is there it purifieth and cleanseth Act. 15. 9. But besides that the Spirit of Christ works thus powerfully though gradually within us That he may sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water by the word his holinesse is mercifully imputed to us That he may present us to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that we should be holy and without blemish Eph. 5. 26 27. so as that inchoate holinesse which by his gracious inoperation grows up daily in us towards a full perfection as abundantly supplyed by his absolute holinesse made no lesse by imputation ours then it is personally his when therefore we look into our bosoms we finde just cause to be ashamed of our impurity and to loath those dregs of corruption that yet remain in our sinfull nature but when we cast up our eyes to heaven and behold the infinite holinesse of that Christ to whom we are united which by faith is made ours we have reason to bear up against all the discouragements that may arise from the conscience of our own vilenesse and to look God in the face with an awfull boldnesse as those whom he is pleased to present holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight Col. 1. 22. as knowing that he that sanctifieth and they than are sanctified are all of one Heb. 2. 11. SECT 16. Christ made our Redemption REdemption was the great errand for which the Son of God came down into the world and the work which he did whiles he was in the world and that which in way of application of it he shall be ever accomplishing till he shall deliver up his Mediatory Kingdome into the hands of his Father in this he begins in this he finishes the great businesse of our salvation For those who in this life are enlightned by his wisdome justified by his merits sanctified by his grace are yet conflicting with manifold temptations and strugling with varieties of miseries and dangers till upon their happy death and glorious resurrection they shall be fully freed by their ever-blessed and victorious Redeemer He therefore who by vertue of that heavenly union is made unto us of God Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification is also upon the same ground made unto us our full Redemption Redemption implies a captivity We are naturally under the wofull bondage of the Law of sinne of miseries of death The Law is a cruell exactor for it requires of us what we cannot now do and whips us for not doing it for the Law worketh wrath Rom. 4. 15. and as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Gal. 3. 10. Sinne is a worse tyrant then he and takes advantage to exercise his cruelty by the Law For when we were in the flesh the motions of sins which were by the Law did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 7. 5. Upon sin necessarily followes misery the forerunner of death and death the upshot of all miseries By one man sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. From all these is Christ our Redemption from the Law for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. From sin for we are dead to sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord Rom. 6. 11. Sin shall not have dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. From death and therein from all miseries O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law But thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1. Cor. 15. 55 56 57. Now then let the Law do his worst we are not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. The case therefore is altered betwixt the law and us It is not now a cruell Task-master to beat us to and for our work it is our Schoolemaster to direct and to whip us unto Christ It is not a severe Judge to condemn us it is a friendly guide to set us the way towards heaven Let sinne joyne his forces together with the Law they cannot prevail to our hurt For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Rom. 8. 3 4. Let death joyn his forces with them both we are yet safe For the Law of the spirit of life hath freed us from the Law of sin and of death Rom. 8. 2. What can we therefore fear what can we suffer while Christ is made our Redemption Finally as thus Christ is made unto us Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption so whatsoever else he either is or hath or doth by vertue of this blessed union becomes ours he is our riches Eph. 1. 7. our strength Psal 27. 1. 28. 7. our glory Eph. 1. 18. our salvation 1 Thes 5. 9. Esa 12. 2. our all Col. 3. 11. he is all to us and all is ours in him SECT 17. The externall priviledges of this union a right to the blessings of earth and heaven FRom these primary and intrinsecal priviledges therefore flow all those secondary and externall wherewith we are blessed and therein a right to all the blessings of God both of the right hand and of the left an interesse in all the good things both of earth and heaven Hereupon it is that the glorious Angels of Heaven become our Guardians keeping us in all our wayes and working secretly for our good upon all occasions that all Gods creatures are at our service that we have a true spirituall title to them All things are yours saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 22 23 and ye are Christs and Christ Gods But take heed my son of mislaying thy claim to what and in what manner thou ought'st not There is a civill right that must regulate our propriety to these earthly things
of Christs members with themselves First those in heaven HItherto we have treated of this blessed union as in relation to Christ the head It remains that we now consider of it as it stands in relation to the members of his mysticall body one towards another For as the body is united to the head so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly compleat Thus the holy Ghost by his Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so is Christ From this entire conjunction of the members with each other arises that happy communion of Saints which we professe both to beleeve and to partake of This mysticall body of Christ is a large one extending it self both to heaven and earth there is a reall union betwixt all those farre-spred lims between the Saints in heaven between the Saints on earth between the Saints in heaven and earth We have reason to begin at heaven thence is the originall of our union and blessednesse There was never place for discord in that region of glory since the rebellious Angels were cast out thence the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. must needs agree in a perfect unity neither can it be otherwise for there is but one will in heaven one scope of the desires of blessed souls which is the glory of their God all the whole chore sing one song and in that one harmonious tune of Allelujah We poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth professe to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end the honour of our Maker and Redeemer but alas at our best we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit or pleasure We professe to sing loud praises unto God but it is with many harsh and jarring notes above there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever Oh how ye love the Lord all ye his Saints Psal 31. 23. Oh how joyfull ye are in glory Psal 149. 5. The heavens shall praise thy wonders O Lord thy faithfulnesse also in the congregation of the Saints Psal 89. 5. O what a blessed Common-wealth is that above The City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem ever at unity within it self Psal 122. 3. and therein the innumerable company of Angels and the generall Assembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven the spirits of just men made perfect and whom they all adore God the judge of all and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament Heb. 12. 22. All these as one as holy Those twenty thousand chariots of heaven Psal 68. 17. move all one way When those four beasts full of eyes round about the throne give glory and honour and thanks to him that sits upon the throne saying Holy holy holy Lord God Almighty which was and is and is to come then the four and twenty Elders fall down before him and cast their crowns before the throne Rev. 4. 6 7 8 9 10. No one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs all accord in one act of giving glory to the Highest After the sealing of the Tribes A great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands And cryed with a loud voice Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb And all the Angels stood about the throne and about the Elders and the four beasts and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and glory and wisdome and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be unto God for ever and ever Revel 7. 4 9 10 11 12. Lo those spirits which here below were habited with severall bodies different in shapes statures ages complexions are now above as one spirit rather distinguished then divided all united in one perpetuall adoration and fruition of the God oâ— spirits and mutually happy in God in themselves in each other SECT 20. The union of Christs members upon earth First in matter of judgement OUr copy is set us above we labour to take it out here on earth What do we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls which is eminent in that empyreall heaven may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality For having through Christ an accesse by one spirit unto God the Father being no more strangers and forainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 18 19. we cease not to pray Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven Mat. 6. 10. Yea O Saviour â—hou who canst not but be heard hast prayed to thy Father for the accomplishment of this union That they â—â—â—y be one even as we are one I in them and thou in me that they may be perfect in one Joh. 17. 22 23 What then is this union of the members of Christ here on earth but a spirituall onenesse arising from an happy conspiration of their thoughts and affections For whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions the brain the heart the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union from the one our thoughts take their rise our affections from the other in both the soul puts it self forth upon all matter of accord or difference The union of thoughts is when we minde the same things when we agree in the same truths This is the charge which the Apostle of the Gentiles layes upon his Corinthians 1 Cor. 1. 10. and in their persons upon 〈◊〉 Christians Now I beseech you brethreâ— by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing aâ—â— that there be no divisions among yoâ— but that ye be perfectly joyned togethâ—â— in the same minde and in the saâ—â— judgement And this is no other thâ—â— that one faith Eph. 4. 5. which make up the one Church of Christ upoâ— earth One both in respect of timâ— and places Of times so as the Fathers of the first world and the Patriarchs of the next and all Gods people in their ages that lookt togethâ—â— with them for the redemption of Israâ—â— are united with us Christians of the laâ—â— dayes in the same beleef and make 〈◊〉 one entire body of Christs Catholiâ— Church Luk. 2. 23. Of places 〈◊〉 as all those that truly professe thâ— name of Christ though scattered into the farthest remote regions of thâ— earth even those that walk with theâ—â— feet opposite to ours yet meet with us in the same center of Christian faith and make up one houshold of God Not that we can hope it possible that all Christians should agree in all truths whiles we are here our minds cannot but be more unlike to each others then our faces yea it is a rare
and prevalent Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in heaven saith our Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount Mat. 5. 16. and his great Apostle seconds his charge to his Philippians Phil. 2. 15 16. That ye may be blamelesse and harmlesse the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom ye shine as lights in the world holding forth the word of life Lo the world sits in darknesse and either stirs not or moves with danger good example is a light to their feet which directs them to walk in the wayes of God without erring without stumbling so as the good mans actions are so many copies for novices to take out no lesse instructive then the wisest mens precepts By admonition the sinner is in danger of drowning Seasonable admonition is an hand reacht out that layes hold on him now sinking and drawes him up to the shore The sinner is already in the fire seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burnings Jude v. 23. The charitable Christian may not forbear this oft times thanklesse but alwayes necessary and profitable duty Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin upon him Lev. 19. 17. By exhortation The fire of Gods Spirit within us is subject to many damps and dangers of quenching seasonable exhortation blowes it up and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame Even the best of us lies open to a certain deadnesse and obdurednesse of heart seasonable exhortation shakes off this perill and keeps the heart in an holy tendernesse and whether awfull or chearfull disposition Exhort one another daily whiles it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sin Heb. 3. 13. By consolation We are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions seasonable comforts lift and stay us up It is a sad complaint that the Church makes in the Lamentations Lament 1. 21. They have heard that I sigh there is none to comfort me and David Psal 69. 20. sets the same mournfull ditty upon his Shoshannim Reproach hath broken my heart and I am full of heavinesse and I looked for some to take pity and there was none and for comforters but I found none Wherefore hath God given to men the tongue of the learned but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary Esa 50. 3. That they may strengthen the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees and say to them that are of a fearfull heart Be strong fear not Esa 35. 3. The charge that our Saviour gives to Peter Luk. 22. 32. holds universally Thou when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren By prayer so as each member of Christs Church sues for all neither can any one be shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all Gods Saints upon earth There is a certain spirituall traffique of piety betwixt all Gods children wherein they exchange prayers with each other not regarding number so much as weight Am I weak in spirit and faint in my supplications I have no lesse share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants then in my own All the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects whiles there is life in their faithfull devotions I cannot go away unblessed Lastly where there is a communion of inward graces and spirituall services there must needs be much more be a communication of outward and temporall good things as just occasion requireth Away with those dotages of Platonicall or Anabaptisticall communities Let proprieties be as they ought constantly fixed where the lawes and civill right have placed them But let the use of these outward blessings be managed and commanded by the necessities of our brethren Withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof when it is in the power of thy hand to do it Say not unto thy neighbour Go and come again tomorrow and I will give it when thou hast it by thee Prov. 3. 27 28. These temporall things were given us not to engrosse and hoard up superfluously but to distribute and dispense As we have therefore opportunity let us do good untoall men especially them who are of the houshold of faith Gal. 6. 10. Such then is the union of Gods children here on earth both in matter of judgement and affection and the beneficiall improvement of that affection whether in spirituall gifts or good offices or communicating of our earthly substance where the heart is one none of these can be wanting and where they all are there is an happy communion of Saints SECT 24. The union of the Saints on earth with those in heaven AS there is a perfect union betwixt the glorious Saints in heaven and a union though imperfect betwixt the Saints on earth So there is an union partly perfect and partly imperfect between the Saints in heaven and the Saints below upon earth perfect in respect of those glorified Saints above imperfect in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again Let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight far distant in another world and we are here toyling in a vale of tears we have therefore lost all mutuall regard to each other no there is still and ever will be a secret but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth The present happinesse of those heavenly Citizens cannot have abated ought of their knowledge and charity but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both They therefore who are now glorious comprehensors cannot but in a generality retain the notice of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below panting towards our rest together with them and in common wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage in the fruition of their glory That they have any Perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants is that which we finde no ground to beleeve it is enough that they have an universall apprehension of the estate of Christs warfaring Church upon the face of the earth Rev. 6. 10. and as fellow-members of the same mysticall body long for a perfect glorification of the whole As for us wretched pilgrims that are yet left here below to tug with many difficulties we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory O ye blessed Saints above we honour your memories so far as we ought we do with praise recount your vertues we magnifie your victories we blesse God for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world and for your estating in that blessed immortality We imitate your holy examples we long and pray for an happy consociation with you we dare not raise Temples dedicate Altars direct prayers to you we dare not finally
offer any thing to you which you are unwilling to receive nor put any thing upon you which you would disclaim as prejudiciall to your Creator and Redeemer It is abundant comfort to us that some part of us is in the fruition of that glory whereto we the other poor labouring part desire and strive to aspire that our head and shoulders are above water whiles the other lims are yet wading through the stream SECT 25. A recapitulation and sum of the whole Treatise TO winde up all my sonne if ever thou look for sound comfort on earth and salvation in heaven unglue thy self from the world and the vanities of it put thy self upon thy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Leave not till thou findest thy self firmly united to him so as thou art become a limb of that body whereof he is head a Spouse of that husband a branch of that stem a stone laid upon that foundation Look not therefore for any blessing out of him and in and by and from him look for all blessings Let him be thy life and wish not to live longer then thou art quickned by him finde him thy wisdome righteousnesse sanctification redemption thy riches thy strength thy glory Apply unto thy self all that thy Saviour is or hath done Wouldst thou have the graces of Gods Spirit fetch them from his anointing Wouldst thou have power against spirituall enemies fetch it from his Soveraignty Wouldst thou have redemption fetch it from his passion Wouldst thou have absolution fetch it from his perfect innocence Freedome from the curse fetch it from his crosse Satisfaction fetch it from his sacrifice Cleansing from sin fetch it from his bloud Mortification fetch it from his grave Newnesse of life fetch it from his resurrection Right to heaven fetch it from his purchase Audience in all thy suits fetch it from his intercession Wouldst thou have salvation fetch it from his session at the right hand of Majesty Wouldst thou have all fetch it from him who is one Lord one God and Father of all who is above all through all and in all Eph. 4. 5 6. And as thy faith shall thus interesse thee in Christ thy head so let thy charity unite thee to his body the Church both in earth and heaven hold ever an inviolable communion with that holy and blessed fraternity Sever not thy self from it either in judgement or affection Make account there is not one of Gods Saints upon earth but hath a propriety in thee and thou mayst challenge the same in each of them so as thou canst not but be sensible of their passions and be freely communicative of all thy graces and all serviceable offices by example admonition exhortation consolation prayer beneficence for the good of that sacred community And when thou raisest up thine eyes to heaven think of that glorious society of blessed Saints who are gone before thee and are now there triumphing and reigning in eternall and incomprehensible glory bless God for them and wish thy self with them tread in their holy steps and be ambitious of that crown of glory and immortality which thou seest shining upon their heads AN HOLY RAPTURE OR A PATHETICALL MEDITATION OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST By J. H. B. N. The Contents § 1. THe love of Christ how passing knowledge how free of us before we were § 2. How free of us that had made our selves vile and miserable § 3. How yet free of us that were professed enemies § 4. The wonderfull effects of the love of Christ 1. His Incarnation § 5. 2. His love in his sufferings § 6. 3. His love in what he hath done for us and 1. in preparing heaven for us from eternity § 7. His love in our redemption from death and hell § 8. His love in giving us the guard of his Angels § 9. His love in giving us his holy Spirit § 10. Our sense and improvement of Christs love in all the former particulars and first in respect of the inequality of our persons § 11. A further improvement of our love to Christ in respect of our unworthinesse and of his sufferings and glory prepared for us § 12. The improvement of our love to Christ for the mercy of his deliverance of the tuition of his Angels of the powerfull working of his good Spirit for the accomplishment of our salvation AN HOLYRAPTURE OR A Patheticall Meditation of the love of CHRIST SECT 1. The love of Christ how passing knowledge how free of us before we were WHat is it O blessed Apostle what is it for which thou dost so earnestly bow thy knees in the behalf of thine Ephesians unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Even this that they may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge Eph. 3. 14. 19. Give me leave first to wonder at thy suit and then much more at what thou suest for Were thine affections raised so high to thine Ephesians that thou shouldst crave for them impossible favours Did thy love so far over-shoot thy reason as to pray they might attain to the knowledge of that which cannot be known It is the love of Christ which thou wishest they may know and it is that love which thou sayest is past all knowledge What shall we say to this Is it for that there may be holy ambitions of those heights of grace which we can never hope actually to attain Or is it rather that thou supposest and prayest they may reach to the knowledge of that love the measure whereof they could never aspire to know Surely so it is O blessed Jesu that thou hast loved us we know but how much thou hast loved us is past the comprehension of Angels Those glorious spirits as they desire to look into the deep mystery of our redemption so they wonder to behold that divine love whereby it is wrought but they can no more reach to the bottome of it then they can affect to be infinite For surely no less then an endless line can serve to fadome a bottomelesse depth Such O Saviour is the abysse of thylove to miserable man Alas what dowe poor wrethed dust of the earth go about to measure it by the spans and inches of our shallow thoughts Far far be such presumption from us Onely admit us O blessed Lord to look at to admire and ad ore that which we give up for incomprehensible What shall we then say to this love Oh dear Jesu both as thine and as cast upon us All earthly love supposeth some kinde of equality or proportion at least betwixt the person that loves and is loved Here is none at all so as which is past wonder extreams meet without a mean For lo thou who art the eternall and absolute Being God blessed for ever lovedst me that had no being at all thou lovedst me both when I was not and could never have been but by thee It was from thy love that I had any being at all much more that when thou hadst given me
be blessing honour glory and power for ever and ever Amen Allelujah THE CHRISTIAN LAID Forth in his whole DISPOSITION AND CARRIAGE By J. H. D. D. B. N. London Printed by E. Cotes for John Sweeting at the Angell in Popes-head Alley 1652. The Contents The Exhortatory Preface § 1. THe Christians disposition § 2. His expence of the day § 3. His recreations § 4. His meals § 5. His nights rest § 6. His carriage § 7. His resolution in matter of religion § 8. His discourse § 9. His devotion § 10. His sufferings § 11. His conflicts § 12. His death An Exhortary Preface to the Christian Reader OVt of infallible rules and long experience have I gathered up this true character of a Christian A labour some will think might have been well spared Every man professes both to know and act this part Who is there that would not be angry if but a question should be made either of his skill or interest Surely since the first name given at Antioch all the beleeving world hath been ambitious of the honour of it how happy were it if all that are willing to wear the livery were as ready to do the service But it fals out here as in the case of all things that are at once honourable and difficult every one affects the title few labour for the truth of the atchievement Having therefore leisure enough to look about me and finding the world too prone to this worst kinde of hypocrisie I have made this true draught not more for direction then for tryall Let no man view these lines as a stranger but when he looks in this glasse let him ask his heart whether this be his own face yea rather when he sees this face let him examine his heart whether both of them agree with their pattern And where he findes his failings as who shall not let him strive to amend them and never give over whiles he is any way lesse fair then his copy In the mean time I would it were lesse easie by these rules to judg even of others besides our selves or that it were uncharitable to say there are many Professors few Christians If words and forms might carry it Christ would have Clients enow but if holinesse of disposition and uprightnesse of carriage must be the proof woe is me In the midst of the Land among the people there is as the shaking of an Olive tree and as the gleaning Grapes where the Vintage is done Esai 24. 13. For where is the man hath obtained the mastery of his corrupt affections and to be the Lord of his unruly appetite that hath his heart in heaven whiles his living carkasse is stirring here upon earth that can see the invisible and secretly enjoy that Saviour to whom he is spiritually united That hath subdued his will and reason to his beleefe that fears nothing but God loves nothing but goodnesse hates nothing but sin rejoyceth in none but true blessings Whose faith triumphs over the world whose hope is anchored in heaven whose charity knows no lesse bounds then God and men whose humility represents him as vile to himself as he is honorable in the reputation of God who is wise heaven ward however he passes with the world who dares be no other then just whether he win or lâ—se who is frugally liberall discreetly couragous holily temperate aâ— who is even a thrifty manager of his houres so dividing the day betwixt his God and his Vocation that neither shall finde fault with a just neglect or an unjust partiality whose recreations are harmlesse honest warrantable such as may refresh nature not debauch it whose diet is regulated by health not by pleasure as one whose table shall be no altar to his belly nor snare to his soul who in his seasonable repose lies down and awakes with God caring only to relieve his spirits not to cherish sloth Whose carriage is meek gentle compliant beneficiall in whatsoever station in Magistracy unpartially just in the Ministery conscionably faithful in the rule of his family wisely provident and religiously exemplary Shortly who is a discreet and loving yoke-fellow a tender and pious parent a dutious and awfull sonne an humble and obsequious servant an obedient and loyall subject Whose heart is constantly setled in the main truthes of Christian Religion so as he cannot be removed in litigious points neither too credulous nor too peremptory whose discourse is such as may be meet for the expressions of a tongue that belongs to a sound godly and charitable heart whose breast continually burnes with the heavenly fire of an holy devotion whose painfull sufferings are overcome with patience and chearfull resolutions whose conflicts are attended with undaunted courage and crowned with an happy victory Lastly whose death is not so full of fear and anguish as of strong consolations in that Saviour who hath overcome and sweetned it nor of so much dreadfulnesse in it selfe as of joy in the present expectation of that blessed issue of a glorious immortality which instantly succeeds it Such is the Christian whom we doe here characterize and commend to the world both for tryall and imitation neither know I which of these many qualifications can be missing in that soul who layes a just claim to Christ his Redeemer Take your hearts to task therefore my dear brethren into whose hands soever these lines shall come and as you desire to have peace at the last ransack them thoroughly not contenting your selves with a perfunctory and fashionable over-sight which wil one day leave you irremediably miserable but so search as those that resolve not to give over till you finde these gracious dispositions in your bosoms which I have here described to you so shall we be and make each other happy in the successe of our holy labours which the God of heaven blesse in both our hands to his owne glory and our mutual comfort in the day of the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen THE CHRISTIAN SECT 1. His Disposition THE Christian is a man and more an earthly Saint an Angell cloathed in flesh the only lawfull Image of his Maker and Redeemer the abstract of Gods Church on earth a modell of heaven made up in clay the living Temple of the holy Ghost For his disposition it hath in it as much of heaven as his earth may make room for He were not a man if he were quite free from corrupt affections but these he masters and keeps in with a strait hand and if at any time they grow testâ—y and headstrong he breaks them with a severe discipline and will rather punish himself then not tame them He checks his appetite with discreet but strong denials and forbears to pamper nature lest it grow wanton and impetuous He walks on earth but converses in heaven having his eyes fixed on the invisible and enjoying a sweet communion with hâ—s God and Saviour Whiles all the rest of the world sits in darknesse he lives in