seeme to shew some love to themselves but doe no more then grope after true blisse Some seeke to be and doe well in their latter end but 't is but as the Sodomites grop'd for Lots doore in the darke Reach after it they doe but 't is onely ignorantly as some worship they know not what so some seeke they know not what others seeke they know not where vitam beatam quaerunt in regione mortis They seeke Heaven in Hell Is est homo calamitatis fabula insoe-Ncitatis tabula the living among the dead a living Christ in wayes of death Is this to love thy selfe The Lord bee good to such a soule Christ loves thee more then thou lovest thy selfe for his care is more for thy soule then is thine owne Thou canst let slip away precious opportunities of soule refreshing rarities and ne're observe the emptinesse of all seene things but Christ watcheth alwayes ne'r slumbreth ne'r sleepeth waites that hee may be gracious to thy gracelesse selfe Oh sinner what 's the frame of thy heart when thou ponder'st these things Did'st thou ever heare of such a friend that could over-love thy selfe in thee seeke things for thy owne peace like to Christ Is not this love of the highest degree do's not this speake him an inlarging good when thou art straitning thine owne bowells against and towards thy selfe in the things of thine owne welfare Fifthly Christ loves more then a soule For first a soule may leave her bodie in the dust but cannot raise 't up againe but Christ will raise his body though buried in bottomes of greatest depth Secondly the soule quickens with a borrowed life but Christ quickens with his own life Christ loves his owne bodie more then the soule can love her owne body Two things shew the soule 's strength of love to her owne body 1. Feare of death 2. Loathnesse to die For the first men tremble to thinke of that separation which is then made betwixt soule and body it 's as he calls it a terrible separation f Horrendum divortium Bern. sup Cant. ser 26. not onely of the dead from the living but also of the dead from it selfe a separation of the dead body from its owne soule which is it selfe Timore casto autem timeat homo separationem à Deo Bern. Secondly loathnesse to dye the soule shrink's at the bodies dissolution and they each of them grieve to part with each other Is there not in them who shall live for ever a loathnesse to die which loathnesse arising neither from a desire of possessing present pleasures nor from a feare of suffering future torments in hell fire must needs spring from this root the love that is betwixt soule and body Hylarion when he was about to die spake to his soule thus Goe out my soule goe out what fearest thou what doubtest thou g Egredere anima mea Egredere quid times quid dubitas Hierom. in vita Hillarion discovering that his soule was loath to leave her earthly home loath to goe to her heavenly Father the onely Father of Spirits oh the love it selfe of none but of such an one who is love its selfe * D. Wals ser lise death of Christ 1 Joh. 4.8 God is love Christ's and Christians union is greater then that of soule and body thus 1. The soule is truly and properly said to be in the body but the body cannot truly and properly be said to be in the soule for 't is impossible h Ultra posse non est esse But Christ is said to be in his and they are said to be in him 2. There is a greater union between the one then is between the other i Caput corpus unus est Christus Aust and therefore the greater love for the more the unitie is the more is the amity Sixthly Christ loves man more then man loves God though you take in the best of men within the limits of this conclusion Abraham may give a Sonne an onely sonne k Sint in hoc parenti triplicata supplicia silius charissimus quem diligis Orig. in locum Fulmen non minus terribile Abrahamo quam si jubetur cor sibi cruere immo secum universo mundo in Infernum praecipitare Paraeus in Gen. 22. a sonne he lou'd to the Lord his God in love through many straits and yet not be so much in love with God as he 's in love with him a man may give his owne life selfe and soule to Jesus Christ and yet not love as he 's belov'd For first love in this life is little and can you think its acts are so great Nothing acts beyond the compasse of its owne abilities Secondly wee are the Lords debtors our lives are his by right but Christ is debtor to none he paid many debts of many thousands but ow'd not a mite to any l Promittendo se fecit debitorem Aug. 3. Christ's love to us is greater then ours to him for 'tas a greater fruit his love makes lovely but ours addes nothing to his beauty wee may get by him but what gaines he by us can we augment his glory that were to help the Sunne to shine whose glory needs no increase Deare friends tell mee what thoughts have you of Christ's love and what worke doth it make on your spirits can you at last admire the height depth length and breadth of such a grace in such a person as Christ is you see friends of Christ all these lovers have done worthily Prov. 31.29 and yet as Solomon saith of the vertuous woman many daughters have done vertuously but thou excellest them all so may I say of Christ and much more many lovers have done worthily but thou excellest them all CHAP. IV. Of the Discoveries and manifestations of Christs love SOme things have a greater shew than substance but the things of Christ are no such things Some men have got an Art to seeme what they are not these doe like themselves not like Christ for Christ cannot doe so He 's as good as he seemes but cannot seeme the halfe of that he is in himselfe and unto his while they live in this inferiour world Some want Bowells or else shut up those they have in time of others need but Christ abounds with Bowells and they are alwayes open never shut against his chosen Hence is that multiplication of that mercifull word Hosea 11.8 How shall I give thee up how shall I deliver thee how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim and the Lord gives you the reason of this his arguing within himselfe his heart was turned his repentings were kindled set on fire within his bless'ed brest Christ's love and the discoverie on 't doe passe th' apprehension of mortall weights but unto you who must put on immortality bee it shadowed out thus DIscoveries of love are either verball or actuall and practicall Christ discovers
desires towards it and fixeth the eye of the intellect the understanding upon it Christ loves when not desired and therefore loves freely Fourthly it 's free for that it acts against repulses * Christ sometimes workes his workes on crosse and perverse natures some Christians have as crosse spirits by nature as can be in nature found yet he chooseth them when better and sweeter natures are refus'd Ah Lord what a great mystery of godlinesse is this love cannot be acquired by doing injuries deserved by repulses and therefore free Isaiah 65.23 I stretched out my hands all the day to a rebellious people a people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face Was this the way to be beloved of God much lesse to procure love was it not the direct way to be ruined stripped of God Christ and all goodnesse c Maium est agere quod prohibetur sed agere quia prohibetur pessimum Joh. 21.14 and yet you see he stretcheth out his arme he not onely put 's it forth but also stretcheth it forth as if he should straine himselfe to embrace those that will come out of darknesse into marvellous light and liberty Is not this grace free what so free as this Naturall men before Christ's Spirit comes into their hearts in powerfull workings they cry out Lord depart from us we will none of thy wayes and did not the Lord in love draw nigh to them where were they what would their end be Christ's love is free Sixtly it 's attractive it 's a drawing love I have drawne thee with loving kindnesse Jer. 31.3 Some lovers love dearely but cannot draw their objects nigh to them they love but are not loved againe their love is fruitlesse But Christ's love begets love love like it selfe Draw me saith the Spouse and I will runne after thee Christ could draw teares from Peters eyes with one looke of love and he wept bitterly d Petrus tunc flevit quando in cum Christus respexit Bern. de mod benè viv ser 10. Petrus flevit tacuit quia quod defleri solet non solet excusari quod defendi non potest ablui potest Ambr. 10.3 ser 46. Greg. Homil. 30. in Evang. saith the Text. Christ's love is magnes amoris the Loadstone of love it drawes Iron hearts to it and makes them melt before the Sun of Righteousnesse when it shines upon them sweetly Christ's love is a heart ravishing love he can snatch a Paul into the third heavens and fill him with joy peace and glory invisibly he can so wrap him up in the thoughts of his love and fruits of his goodnesse as that the man is lost in God is in an extasie cannot tell you what hee ha's seen felt or heard Gracious spirits you can say Amen to the truth of these things Ha's not his love served you as zeale did David ha's't not eaten you up 't will first or last serve you so yee favourites of Heaven Christ's effectuall love is not laid out in vaine for loving to the end hee holds his object close to himself till he hath it where it cannot get from him even in his owne mansion and dwelling place Christ drawes with bands of love Hosea 11.3 Christians if words will not fasten you to your Saviour deeds must he hath bands for you and if hee get you in bands he 'l hold you fast Seventhly it 's coercive both within himselfe and also in all his members What made him to veile his glory become flesh and save his people but love e Nihil enim est quod non toleret qui perfectè diligit he loved me and what followes he gave himselfe for me when once you have his love you have his heart whatsoever he is and hath heare the Father speake to dejected soules Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever f Quod omnibus promittitur singulis promittitur beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life So lov'd viz. so infinitely so transcendently so incomprehensibly there 's a sic without a sicut marke that wisely and well Doth thy unsutablenesse to Christ and unworthinesse of Christ afflict thee Remember his love will cause him to stoope to thee and make thee worthy in himselfe And that very apprehension if cordiall and reall if hearty and sincere even that I say is a fruit of Christ's love shed abroad in thy heart already this abasing of thy selfe is a lifting up of Christ in thine own soule who hath already made thy heart his home What force is that which moved him who of himselfe is so violent in all victory to be so vanquished with all violence g Quae est ista quaeso vis tam violentia ad victoriam tam victam ad violentiam Bern. super Cant. ser 64. Nulla vis major pietate verá est Triumphat de Deo amor Id. Ibid. Amor est nothing but the force of love Nazianzen calls love a sweet tyrant h Dulcis tyrannus Nazianzen orat 28. in Maxim In his members what gives life and motion to all the parts of his body mysticall but love all action of theirs are the product of his affection to them the more Christ's love ha's its perfect worke on a beleeving soule the more lively and lovely are the reachings out of that soule towards Christ the blessed light of the Lords favourable countenāce shining out unto a Spirituall soule makes labours many after Messiah's presence love's coercive Eightly 't is immutable cannot change varie or alter neither length of time distance of place nor strength of deformity can worke an alteration in his love The love of man is very variable we love by fits and so doth every foole he loves in his mood while the pang lasteth But as the torrent is up and downe so it is with many lovers they are either as high as the skies or else as low as hell either those they love are the best with them or the worst living because they are unsteady constant in nothing but in inconstancy But the love of Christ is alwayes the same the injuries we doe to Christ although they have their fruit in discomfort and occasion the hiding of his face with the suspension of the manifestations of his love for a season which indeed is a hell on earth to a sanctified soule i Substractio gratlae est maxima poena Alst in sent l. 2. tract 30. q. 2. Yet these injuries even these I say doe not alter or lessen his love to his k Nube solet pulsa candidus esse dies Ovid. Afflictio dat intellectum quos Deus diligit castigat Deus optimum quemque aut mala valetudine aut luctu afficit Seneca Unde datum est vulnus contigit inde salus for God can visit transgressions with arod and iniquities with stripes neverthelesse his loving-kindnesse shall continue with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
1. By the price they put on glory the thoughts they have of Heaven page 113. 2. By the language they speak page 114. 3. A strangers mind motion is home-ward though he lacks nothing page 116 c. The practice of S t s making good this principle and how Ibid. 4. Strangers in a strange Land content themselves only with things needful page 119. 5 Strangers ingage not themselves too much in the affairs of the natives of strange Lands page 123. How little cause Saints have to love this strange Land or be loth to leave it 1. Till then they 're far from their best friends chiefest favours they are in a farre Countrey whilst from their Fathers house page 124. Other considerations to loosen the Saints from the world p. 125 126. 2. They should not love it be loth to leave it for till then they 'l be foiled vex'd soil'd with filthy sins page 127. Saints being strangers what they should be and doe whilst ranging through this earthly region p. 128. CHAP. 4. SAints have their appointed time of change To be changed what 'T is to have a different manner of being 't is the cessation of a person or thing from being what it once was page 130. The sundry sorts of changes what in 3 particulars p. 131 132 133. 134 To be gloriously chang'd what page 135. A three-fold imployment for Saints in order to a disposing of them for their last greatest and best of changes page 136 c. Saints have need to be chang'd two reasons of that p. 140 c. CHAP. 5. GLory what page 182. What things concur to make up everlasting glory page 183 c. To be glorified compleatly what page 196 c. The glory of the soule in heaven what page 197 c. What the glory of the body shall bee in the Kingdome of heaven page 199 c. What the glory is that soule body shall possesse joyntly p. 206 c. The adjuncts of glory what page 224 c. The Errata Part 1. PAge 1. l. 3. r. acts are p. 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 8. l. 12. r. p. 8. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 3. l. 10. r. usuall p. 30. r. crucis p. 34. l. 11. r. meted p. 55. l. r. his p. 65. l. 25. r. on p 67. r. risisse p. 80. r. rebellis p. 93. r. nisi p. 114. l. 10. r. shee p. 65. r. nobis p. 73. murorum p. 30. r. numero p. 42. r. Aethyopissam quandam p. 56. l. 12 r. promisory p. 80. r. protegentis dele via Part 2. Page 33. r. in cum p. 62. r. perfecte p. 56. r. absentia p. 68. r. judicant p. 3. l. 19. r. Center p. 56. l. 21. r. Ieopardy p. 59. l. 26. r. Ishmael Part 3. Page 8. l. 7. r p. 12. l. t. r he p. 14. l. 2. r. thy p. 34. l. 23. r. afflictions p. 47. l. 8. r. loth p. 46. l. 2. dele to p. 54. l. 21. r. it s so l. 22. p. 61. l. 24. â— this p. 80. l. 20. r. doubtfull p. 106. l. 8. r. wearie p. 116. l. r. r. those p. 52 l. 14. r. soule p. 158. l. 3. r hearing p. 182. l. 10. dele to p. 183. l. 1 dele where p. 206. l. 4. r. eternally p. 167. r. exosumer esse Christo p. 212. r. Coacreatae Some other lesser faults there bee which the Printer Corrector desire the Reader to relieve with his penne THE YERNINGS OF Christs bowells towards his languishing FRIENDS Joh. 13.1 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end * Quum dilex isset suos qui erant c. Montanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligo simpliciter amo CHAP. I. Of the sence of the words and their usefulnesse unto all Christ-obeying Christians WHere affection is the spring of action and operation love is perfect to perpetuitie Christ act's as he is he 's with out end so is his love Things of Heaven are all lasting everlasting you may guesse at their beginnings but never at their endings The word in the originall * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies to love something by adhering to it with the mind and heart a Suidas seu aliquem amore complector cum aliquo amicitiam colo as 1 Joh. 2 10. Mat. 6.24 cha 22.37 Mark 10.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so to be content and satisfied with it as that a man desires nothing else b Me aut amabis aut quo contentus sum diliges Cic. Others say 't is more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as comâ—ounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valdè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acquiesco quae enim diligimus in iis acquiescimus Alsied in Lexic signisicat contentum esse acquiescere Casaub in Mar. 10.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apud LXX Interpretes non semper pro diligere sed pro amicis blandisque verbis compellare laudare sumitur ut Cant. 1.14.2 Paral. 18.2 'T is hearty love Christ is said* to love the young man viz. hee spake friendly to him and dealt gently with him as the word there imports Blessed Messiah the Saints Saviour at his last departure from them adhered to them with all his might soule mind and strength and was so fully satisfied with them tooke such great content in them as that he desir'd no other portion besides them And thus speaking sweetly and kindly to them call's them his owne c Peculiaritèr destinatus Thess 1. v. 5. peculiaris ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cujus est certa quaedam minime cum caeteris communis idea Cajet 1 Cor 11.6 vide Bezam in loc The Lord Christ is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God's owne Sonne quod sit filius Dei per aeternam generationem as being his peculiar portion His owne every word of Christ hath its weight every word drop's sweetnesse as the hony combe Christians you see your blessed lot you are Christ's owne and Christ is your owne This comfortable kind of speaking to Christians is very usefull in Scripture as Jesus Christ is the faithfull's owne so the faithfull are Jesus Christ's own Rom. 14.4 God is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beleeving Christians owne master he shall be holden up by his owne Master for God is able to make him stand Christians have you had experience of the powerfull workings of Gods love towards you and on your Spirits and doe you feare a finall falling a partiall or totall declining from Jesus Christ and his sweetest wayes of soule-ravishing contentments Remember God's your owne he both can and will make you stand Those that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion that shall never be removed In generall consider Christ hath and may claime title to all by a right of dominion and so all then are Christs owne as he 's Lord of all creatures
of God Christ will crowne those with glory that had a heart to crowne him with thornes Å¿ Pudeat sub spinato Capite Membrum fieri delicatum Bern. in festo omn. Sanct. ser 5. if they 'l receive him he 's kind to the unthankfull that 's his goodnesse hee can blesse them that have curs'd him love them that hate him pray for them that persecute him oh flesh and bloud thou canst not doe these things This is the praise of Christ's love if you say he died for his friends we may answer as he did for his friends indeed as being heartily lov'd of Christ t Pro jam amicis nondum quidem amantibus sed tamen tam amatis Bern. in Psal qui habitat though like unkind friends they loved him not againe Or as Aquinas not his friends as loving him any thing onely his friends as lov'd by him alone v Non amici quasi amantes tantum amici ut amati Thom. Aquin in Johan uti Barrad to 4. l. 4. c. 15. And which is more Christ in suffering was no murmurer in the least measure he was led as a sheep to the slauohter and open'd not his mouth closed his blessed lips and was silent Oh Lamb of God! thou art exceeding good when wee suffer for friends there is some heart-risings in us some harsh and hard expressions fall from us discontented words are utter'd by us yea much more when wee suffer for our enemies But Christ was free from this did not charge his God with folly what ever he brought on him Some grudge to doe him service who never grudg'd to save them would they once accept of his love Sweet Christ's ill serv'd of some who have been well serv'd of him some thinke all too much they doe for Christ who thought all too little that he could doe for them would they come in But they 'l not come to him that they may have life sad soules I 'le sigh for you thus he refuseth his owne cure who acquaints not the Physitian with his griefe vv Ipse sibi denegat ceram qui medico non publicat causam Aug. Epist 118 hee dies deservedly who refuseth Christ bringing life eternally x Merito peritaegrotuâ— qui medicum non vocat sed ultrò venienentem respuit Musculus Prima pars sanitatis est velle sanati Seneca Secondly Christ loves more then a Father he loves children of Light more then Parents can doe theirs David may wish hee had dyed for his Absolom but the heart 's deceitfull and chiefly delusive in its affections That love may seeme strong which in great undertakings and workings may prove weake Christ did not onely wish a death once to preserve his from dying twice but did also embrace it will you heare his comfortable sayings in two or three words 't is this I lay downe my life no man takes it from me few words but full of worth They came from his heart had David died he could but have kept one alive and that not long but Christ's dying hath kept millions alive who shall never die the second death Christians what say you to your heavenly Father can you love as you are beloved how can you forget his goodnesse you cannot live much lesse die without the comforts of his love without him yee can doe nothing Joh. 15.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seorsim à me severed from me y Calv. Camer c. Thirdly Christ loves more than a husband where 's the husband that will marry with a black deform'd and adulterous wife and when he hath got her so love her as to lay downe his life for her z Quis enim potest sic ducere ut moriatur pro ea quam vult ducere Si enim mori pro ea quam vult ducere voluerit non eâ—it qui ducat Securus autem ille pro sponsa mortous est quam resurgens eâ—at ducturus Aug. in Psal 122. Christ hath done it and thou knowest it beleeving soule if thou know'st what thou wert when Christ betroth'd thee to him Christ matcheth like Moses Moses his spouse could not be more defective in nature and outward comelinesse than was Christ's Spouse in grace and inward comelinesse and yet thou Spouse of Christ consider Moses could not doe that for his Spouse which Christ hath done for thee Moses married a certaine Ethiopian but could not metamorphise or change her colour a Moses Eâ—â—iâ—yssâ—uâ— quandâ—m duxit uxorem sed ejus non potuit mutare colorem Bern dom 1. â—ost octa Epiph ser 2. she was as black when made his wife as ever she was before But Christ makes of black white findes foule but makes faire b In sola anima pulchritudo turpitudo apparent ideo is solus vir pulcher est qui est virtute preditus Alexan. poedog l. 2. c. 12. that 's his method Psal 45.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the glory of the Kings Daughter is within as the Septuagint read the words 'tas ever been Christ's lot to light of spiritually uncomely Spouses sweet Lord thou marriest meerely for love when Christ seekes a soule he ne're askes the question what is she or what hath she he 'le have her if she 'l have him so great 's his love 'T is not dowry or feature he have it all he aimes at is love for love c Quam quaeris alium inter sponsus necessitudinem vel connexionem praeter amari amare Bern. in Cant. ser 31. Fourthly Christ loves man more than man loves himselfe all men seeme to love themselves but really they doe it not thy soule 's thy selfe and that 's neglected whence are all those cares and paines about thy carcase why lay'st thou so much out on dust Is the bodies worth like the soule 's d Quid de te tu ipse tà m malè meiuisti ut inter bona tua nolis aliquod esse malum nisi tcipsum Aug. in serm de temp was not he found a foole that heaped up goods for many yeares and plac'd felicity in them and in one night lost them soule and all canst thou say thou lov'st thy selfe and yet workest not towards Heaven for thy soule thy better part what shall the body be sed warmely clad sweetly accommodated and shall onely the soule be brought to poverty Is this selfe-love to let self die for ever for lack of looking too wilt thou bury a living soule in a dead body who for many years hath given life to thy members at the close of dayes wilt thou lodge it in a hell of torment e Qui fecit te sine te non salvabit te sine te Aug. Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum oh noble soule thou art a spirit whose nature 's to be active and act upward but thy prison the body hath been thy ruine Blessed God! what a bad case is such a soule in Others seem to seek out for their soules
too You are now no more a farre off but are made nigh by my bloud 't is now I in you and you in me and both of us one with the Father hee is my God and your God my Father and your Father Is not here matter for a sweet song yee Singers of Israel and sonnes of God cannot you make melodie in your hearts with the heroick acts of your Master Should you not sing praises for the Victorie of your King the King of Saints you could not shew your selves Roylists of the Court of Heaven Fifthly in that there should be such a sutablenesse and usefulnesse of the worke unto the desires and exigencies of Saints Things may be good in thēselves and yet notwithstanding not being found to sute with the wants of the needie they are not good unto them As the body is not satisfied with things Spirituall so the soule is not content with things Corporall Externall things may satisfie the body help it relieve it in distresse but when the soule is in distresse all the world is to it but like a great Cypher it amounts to nothing There must be a fitnesse in the object the eare is not pleased with light and colours nor is the eye with soundes ſ Eis solum fruimur in quibus voluntas delectata quiescit Aquin. S. P. 1.2 q. 11. a. 3. The spirituall man is carried to spirituall things as the naturall man to naturall things and as in motion there is no rest till in a fit place so in this case you cannot quiet a spirituall soule with a thousand worlds Interest in God must doe her good or nothing Every thing is fitted for its object What comfort doth a piece of flesh yeild to a sheep and of what use is a rich pasture to a man that onely is comfortable to us that is good to us and that onely is good to us that agrees to us The best dish agrees not with him who hath an antipathy against it Silver and Gold Pearles and things precious yea and many more seen things as honour preferment and the like may bee good in themselves and for their usefulnesse as they serve mens turnes But applie seen things to an unseen soule and you 'l find she cannot relish them she feeles no savour in them no more then in a drie chip as our Proverb runs and why because they doe not agree to her as shee is a Spirituall substance therefore not good to her Now of all other good God is the summum bonum t Omne bonum in summo bono and his workings towards his children are about the application of things necessarie for them and sutable to them This great worke of Christ's dying for you hath such a fruit as will fulfill all your desires supplie all your wants redresse all your grievances for in all your comfortlesse conditions ye may fetch comfort from Christ's sufferings and death for you you may fetch sweetnesse thence as thus when you want you may argue did Christ die for a time that I may live for ever and shall I thinke he will not keep me alive here u Dic nobis qui praeparas quid praeparas replebimur bonis dcmus sed qui bus c. quaerimus qued oculus non videt c. Bern. ser 11. in Cant. explicans illud Isayae c. 64.4 for a time also did the Lord give Christ to me and will he not with him give me a conveniency of other things at least as much as is good for me Thus little children you may possesse your soules in peace that passeth understanding Thus the Apostle did my God shall supply all wants yours and mine and Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his owne Sonne but delivered him up for us all how shall hee not with him freely give us all things even all that he hath The distinction of goods in Augustine is exceeding memotable remarkable and sweet There is saith hee Bona Throni and there is bona scahelli goods of the Throne of blisse and grace as God Christ and whatsoever spirituall good hee conferres Secondly goods of the footstoole as the Creatures and comforts of this life the accommodations of this world whence wee may inferre That God and the godly Christ and Christians as they have but one Throne which is heavenly and that to them all so also they have but one footstoole Now God makes the earth his footstoole so should the godly doe also vv Si terram amas terra es si Deum amas quid vis ut dicam Deus es Aug. Christians ought in a good sense to lay the world and the things of the world under the soles of their feet x Quam sordet mihi terra cum Coelum intueor Adrian Pedibus duntaxat terram tangentibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chryst hom 2. de incomp Dēi nat and not make them and prize them as the Crowne of their head And especially when they hinder you from being crowned with Christ's Crowne which is a Crowne of glory and your greatest dignitie Now Christians consider by this and what hath been said what Christ and this blessed act of Christ is to you how that you have the goods of the Throne and now God having given you Christ having procured for you ablessed Throne to set your selves upon what cause have you to be troubled if he denies you or takes from you a footstoole whereon to set your feet Let not your hearts be troubled you beleeve in God beleeve also in Christ and be established for ever yea beleive his Prophets and you shall prosper The second discoverie of love by suffering on the behalfe of his is his suffering with them In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence sav'd them In his love and his pitie hee redeemed them and he hare them and carried them all the dayes of old 'T is some comfort to have a companion in suffering y Comes in via pro vehiculo est 't is much more comfortable to have a helping companion that will take off some of a mans burthen Hee hath laid help on one that 's mighty First Christ is with his in losses he beares a share of those losses they shall not be all losse to them that feare him he will give them something againe yea some better thing then what they have lost for him and in following or going along with him and though the world bee but as losse to a soule yet Godlinesse is great gaine with contentment He that loseth his life for Christ and the Gospels sake shall save it Mark 8.35 Christ will make up and repair the losse againe and do's not hee give a better thing than this life in the roome on 't What 's this life and all the accommodations thereof to that life which is above the life of the world 's ignoble most mean and passing poore to the life of God and the glorified in Heaven Then friends what
loose you can you tell I tell you that to die here is to begin to live for ever hereafter Secondly in Infringements and imprisonments of the body hee suffers with them gives rest unto them z Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia qaictum aspiceâ—e quiescere est Bern. in Cant. 23. is it not better you sensible soules to be in prison with Christ than to bee at Liberty without him nay is it not better to be in Hell with him than in heaven without him if such a thing could be doth not his presence prove a Heaven a Christus nobiscum 1. Politicè ut Rex in Regno Dux in exercitu 2. Occonomicè ut Pater in domo 3. Ethicè ut ratio in homine 4. Physicè ut anima in corpore Cornel. à lapide what 's the Heaven above but the fruition of God and Christ and Christians tell me when you injoy much of Christ in the closet or Congregation when you feele the warmth heat and vigour of all his love and spirituall graces working upon your drooping Spirits doe they not revive you put much life in you his words are Spirit and life much more then are his works Is it not your Heaven to enjoy and for your soules to possesse their beloved's presence b Heu Domine Deus rara hora brevis mora Bern. in Cant. ser 13. Res delicata est Spiritus Dei Tertu Memor sum quanta pace fruebar cum in Domino gaudebam ideò nunc magis doleo quia scio quid perdidi scio quà m maxima bona amisi redde quod per peccatum mihi abstuli redde quod meâ culpâ perdidi Savanarol medit in Psal Miserere c. Thirdly in wounds or hurts of the body or mind if Saul goes to Damascus and treads but on the feet of Christ the meanest and lowest of his servants Doth not Christ bow his head yea all his body to save them will it not make him crye out Saul Saul why doest thou tread on my feet persecute me in the least of my members yea certainly had he ne'r opened his mouth before yet then as the dumbe sonne of Craesus by straining his voice had the strings of his tongue unloosed when he saw his Father like to be butchered crying Oh! kill not King Craesus so Christ could the former be which cannot be in him yet then when they suffer he suffers with them and cries as to Saul Kill not my children pierce me not cut mee not in pieces rob not imprison me not he now plainely speakes this in our eares by his word could wee but mind it Christians when you are touch'd with a hurtfull touch so sensible is hee that he is touch'd in the apple of his eye too his eye smarts whose you are and hee that made eyes assure your selves will soone heale that eye sore when 't is seasonable to doe it Lastly in hurts of the mind Are you wounded in Spirit troubled in mind tempted he is tempted with you wounded with you troubled with you is not this love discover'd Now hee is in Heaven he is touch'd with a feeling of your infirmities on earth c Inchoata in incarnatione completa in ascensione Cornel. à Lapide Are you tempted so was he and that in all points like to you sinne being excepted viz. sinne did not tempt him as it doth you but then he was tempted by Satan to sinne as well as Satan tempts you to sinne d This I take to be the sense of the place instance that sore temptation to cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple to murther himself and that temptation hee tempted him withall to commit Idolatrie to fall downe and worship a Devill like a Heathen hee also tempted him to distrust infidelity when he would have had him make bread of stones as though God could not live without bread or as though there were not enough of God in the blessed man to sustaine him a little longer yea for ever if he pleased without food CHAP. V. Of the ends of Chrisi's love EVery thing hath its end * Prov. 23.18 and every thing is such as its end is as the thing is towhich it tends all 's well that ends well that 's the Proverb not more ancient then true 't is the end that crowns the action when God would prove a person action or thing to be good or evill he takes this course observes and bids us observe also what the end of the person or thing is at which it aimes or tends marke the perfect man and behold the upright man saith the Lord for the end of that man is * Psal 37.37 peace though hee ha's trouble in his beginning and progresse yet ha's he peace in his end viz. his way tends to peace though hee sowes in teares yet hee reapes in joy for Light is sowne for the Righteous and gladnesse for the upright in heart men sow to the end they may reape Thus he proves an upright man to be a good man by his good end So saith he the end of the wicked shall be cut off Viz. He shall misse of all that hee aimes at hee thinkes whatsoever his life be his death shall be good he aimes at happines after a sort but takes asunder the meanes from the end when such an one dies all his thoughts perish where is his hope when God takes away his soule saith Job either his sinne with himselfe shall have no end for sinne in its fruits goe to hell with him lives for ever with him sinnes are his workes and they follow him or secondly his end shall be and that most certainly the beginning of his never ending torment by paine of losse and sense together viz. his sinne tends that way leads thither Some desire Heaven but 't is not so much for the societie of God and Christ as from a carnall conceit that there 's no want there they shall have fulnesse Doe not carnall men dreame of carnall eating in Christ's Kingdome happie said the Jewes are they who shall eat bread with thee in thy Kingdome but this end shew'd their desire was carnall for Christ reproves them when he tells them the Kingdome of Heaven consists not in meats or drinkes but in Righteousnesse and true holinesse Every true lover propounds to himselfe his end ha's his end and that 's true of Christ hee hath ends for which he loves and to which his love tends His ends are such as these 1. To make his object lovely 2. To present his Spouse blamelesse 3. To keep the soule stainlesse 4. To save the soule harmelesse FIrst he loves to make his lovely in his owne blessed sight and unto his owne glorious selfe Christ loves comely Christians Christ's frame on a Christians spirit is a Christ-aluring beautie a choice Spouse's distance from her loyall husband is a cord of love to draw his presence to her long suspension of personall fellowship makes communion sweeter
when injoy'd Christ's presence is good to Christians and communion with them is good to him a soules distance from her husband Christ is verie great yet many pledges of dearest love passe betwixt them something of Christ being in the soule brings all Christ to dwell there he loves himselfe and delights to dilate where himselfe is Some love to fulfill lust and natures fancie but Christ loves that his object may be lovely to himselfe and all his off-spring The bridegroome loves to see his Bride adorn'd on a bridall day would have her as neat as hand can make her that her aspect may bee pleasing to him Christ loves to cloath his people with a heavenly glory hee loves a soule that he may present it to himselfe a glorious Creature 't is inward Glory I now speake of Christ hath no lust to feed sinnes not found in him he seekes nelther bodies pelfe nor the minds riches sweet Messiah thy ends are good Christ sets his love on naked soules In some parts of the world some buy their wives and cloath them so doth Christ in every corner of the earth gives himselfe for them and then puts a glory upon them Christ's glory is transforming some have seene it as in a glasse and have been changed by it into the same Image from glory to glory even by the Spirit of the Lord * 2 Cor. 3.18 Christ himselfe assum'd our nature that he might cloath and adorne us with his like to like saith the Proverb Christ loves his object to make it like him and then clos'es with it cannot stick loose to it so pure's his love Other lovers may alter in their love because they cannot augment their objects lustre amiable aspect but Christ can make his object as comely as hee will then where is the ground of change not in the object not in the Subject therefore not at all I the Lord change not that 's his saying who is immutable Secondly Christ loves to present his object blamelesse both to himselfe and also before his Father Some lovers will find no fault in the objects they list to embrace but having receiv'd them find nothing else in them but faults is this to love in truth you earthlie sensuall lovers Christ findes out faults before he espouses a soule to himselfe but then through love covers them buries them forgets them Christ never upbraids a soule with what he hath formerly been and done God upbraids no man Some speak well of that they like untill they have got it and then the worst word they have's too good for 't but Christ speakes worst of soules before hee 's wedded to them but when of twaine they are one flesh he speaks and makes the best he can of them and the least good that 's in them hee cannot breake a bruised reed nor can hee quench the smoaking flax hee cannot rip up old breaches betwixt his Spouse and him but he 's good at kindling smallest sparkes of saving grace though buried in a heap of ashes he is wont to make much weaknesse little and little strength much Some Lovers will hide nothing they know by those they have seem'd to love will you call this love 't is perfect hatred but heavenly favourites your heavenly husband 's not so unkind he covers all evills and uncovers all good in them hee loves Prov. 16.12 'T is said he 's able to present blamelesse before his Father with exceeding great joy * Iude 24. and he 's as active as able in such a kind of presentation Thirdly he loves to present his object spotlesse Christ sets his love on soules to cleanse them * Eph. 5.27 and sanctifie them to his owne and his Fathers use Satan loves to have soules that he may staine them pollute them bereave them of their glorie and Christ's Image that 's in them he 's all for soiling of soules that he may foile them insnare them but Christ takes out the spots of his owne flesh he sets his love on a soule to wash it from all filthinesse of flesh and Spirit Ezek. 16.6.7 the soules time of miserie is Christ's time of mercy when thou wast in thy bloud I said to thee live and thy time was the time of love John tells the seven Churches of Asia Christ lov'd us and then wash'd away our sinnes by his bloud heavenly husband thou lov'st to good purpose Christ loves to make holy as well as happie he would have her without blemish spot or wrinckle Fourthly Christ love's that he may save harmelesse preserve his object free from danger Satan loves to destroy but Christ loves to save All Christ's favours run into this the soules salvation of whom he loves he 's cal'd the Saviour of his body the Church Eph. 5.23 the head you know contrives and advise's for the whole body Such a head is Christ he came to save as well as seeke lost soules When Christians are in Christ their selves and soules are in safe hands Job 10.29 no man shall pluck them out of my Fathers hand saith Christ what power 's like to his Spouse of Christ thou mayst trust thy selfe with thy heavenly Husband put thy life in his hand for hee came not to destroy the beleeving world but to save it Oh you sonnes of Sion how carefull is Christ of you his eye is upon you his eare open to your cry Christ watcheth his children as you watch yours he 'l not let a child goe out of his sight least he catch a fall and bruise or maime himselfe and spoile his beauty and when he do's get a fall Christ's eares are open hee can quickly heare him crie and then he gives him a helping hand till he 's risen againe You are in his hand and in his heart and shall hereafter dwell in his heavens what would you more And now my friends that Christ hath shew d his affection by doing and suffering for you he expects action from you towards him and for him Consider intelligent hearts First is not he active for you he praies for you pleads for you at the Throne of grace against the accuser of the brethren then drink not in forsaken sins against which both your selves and Saviour also hath put up prayers with teares and strong cries in the dayes of his flesh Secondly are not Satans vassalls active for their Prince of darknesse Doe they not lay their heads and hearts together unite all their forces to follow that Prince who rules in the aire and workes in the children of disobedience to advance his Kingdome inlarge his Dominion as Hell hath inlarg'd her selfe doe not they seeke to make his Proselites many and shall the children of darknesse be wiser and more active in their generation and for their Prince then are the children of Light in their generation for their King and Saviour * 2 Sam. 1.20 Jesus Christ God forbid Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askelon least the daughters of the Philistims rejoyce and least the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph Love deserves love oh you children of Light you cannot give warmth to your garments but you shall receive 't againe Oh then bee rooted and grounded in faith with love Comprehend you with all the Saints what the height length depth breadth of Christ's love is Then shall you sing Hallelujah to God in the highest Heavens when the time of refreshment shall bee in the presence of the Lambe with exceeding great Joy to Just ones e Secundum laborem accipient non secundum proventum Bern. Non meritis operantis sed miseratione donantis Aug. Deus coronat dona sua non merita nostra FINIS