Divine Justice and having not a farthing to pay his debts is dragged to prison by the spirit of Bondage and the Law now while in prison there is a motion made by the King's Son Christ that if the soul wil espouse him for her husband he wil pay al her debts this is good news indeed what wil the son of God enter into conjugal contract and friendship with such a sinful beggarly wretch as I am oh who would refuse such a good motion Content the bargain is made c. Thus the sinner is first driven into straits Yea to self-despair for such proud beggars are we al by nature as that no one ever attends to the wooings of Christ til he be forced to it by an holy self-despair wrought by the spirit of bondage but then being invited and wooed by Christ he chearfully and readily espouseth him as a friend and husband and the more familiar acquaintance and conversation he has with Christ the more is he satisfied in his choice of him so that whereas at first he was fired out of self by the spirit of bondage and forced to go to Christ as a sick man to his Physician or as a condemned malefactor to the King's Son More pute strains of friendship with Christ to beg his life yet now he sees al the reason in the World why he should love and embrace Christ now he can crie shame upon himself and al the world for being so unwilling to espouse Christ now al his life and happines lies wrapped up in Christ so that he fears no greater Hel than the losse of Christ and desires no greater Heaven than the enjoyment of Christ Thus the friends of Christ though at first they espouse Christ in order to life yet after some communion with him and contemplation of his ravishing glories as 2 Cor. 3.18 they then find by experience that their life is hid in him so that his presence makes a young Heaven and his absence Hel. And this discovers to us the true reason why the Lord in much wisdome and tendernes keeps many of his elect friends The Lords keeps many of his Elect long under bondage and hardnes of heart to make way for a more ful choice of Christ's Person a long time under a spirit of Bondage laboring and groaning under a drie withered parched hard and dead heart namely to drive them more thoroughly out of themselves to a ful closing with the person of their Lord that so they might learne to derive al grace from him for poor souls under a spirit of bondage and soul-troubles chiefly mind the affectionate workings and thence the ease and quiet of their own spirits more than the espousing of and depending on Christ their Lord wherefore in much pittie and compassion to the souls of his elect Christ oft' keeps them long under fruitlesse conflicts and vain attemts of their own barren bewildred frozen hearts that so they might be brought to a greater mesure of happy self-despair in order to a more complete entire election of him as their husband and best friend for himself Whence also we learne what is the mortal wound and plague of so many false friends of Christ The plague of false friends is that they close not with the person of Christ who may and oft' do go very far in the election of Christ as their Priest Prophet and King yea and receive many amicable love-tokens from him yea now and then a friendly visit and smile of his countenance yea some goodly ornaments of commun gifts and graces yea some commun Assistances influences enlargements and quickenings of heart in duties and yet al this while never come to any real conjugal Amitie with him What should be the cause of such a prodigious monstrous miscarriage why here lies the core and malignant root of this inveterate plague-sore such seeming friends of Christ being stung and galled with divine wrath may close with Christ in a great mesure as their Priest that so by his wounds and righteousnes their stripes may be healed that so his blood may be applied as a balsame to their wounds that so his merits may be imputed to them in order to the payment of their debts yea they may come unto him as their Prophet and Shepherd to guide them in this their labyrinth and wildernes-condition yea farther they may come unto him as their King and that not only to rule their persons but also very far to destroy their lusts at least to keep them in good order that so they may not be as thornes in their sides to prick and gal their consciences thus far I say may a false friend of Christ procede in the election of him and yet for want of a conjugal closing with the person of Christ continue a real enemie to him By al this we see of what moment and weight it is that the friends of Christ elect his person But more of this in what followeth SECT 6. The friends of Christ are to Elect his Spirit also for their friend 5. 5. Election of Christ's Spirit SUch as wil contract friendship with Christ must also elect his spirit for their friend Christ's Spirit is not only the same in Essence with himself but also his Viear-general Vice-gerent and Deputie amongst his friends in this lower Region of the Church they therefore that wil espouse Christ for their friend must in like manner espouse his Spirit as his Substitute here on earth to govern influence and conduct them til they arrive to the immediate and perfect vision and fruition of the Blessed Deitie The friends of Christ are as yet in their Non-age and therefore he has left them his spirit as their Tutor and Advocate So Joh. 14.16 17. Joh. 14.16 17. I wil pray the Father and he shal give you another Comforter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vox est Attica quae significantur illi quos in periculo accersimus ut nobis adsint consilio qui iidem Advocati dicuntur etiamsi non litigent in soro nostro nomine Camero fol. 221. which signifies such a comforter or Advocate as is ready in al our straits and difficulties to advise counsel assist and encourage us The Tutor according to the civil Law is to be a Defensor or Gardien of his Pupil and none were admitted to have Tutors but such as were free Pupils Such are the friends of Christ they are free-born pupils left by Christ under the Tuition Inspection and Protection of his spirit whom they chearfully elect and submit unto us as Christ's Delegate and Commissioner to order direct protect and influence their souls Are the friends of Christ oppressed and borne down by tyrannick boisterous lusts then where should they go but to the Spirit of Christ to quel and subdue those proud lusts so Esa 4.4 by the spirit of judgement and by the spirit of burning the bloud of Jerusalem is purged away Are they weak and
THEOPHILIE OR A DISCOURSE OF THE Saints Amitie WITH GOD in CHRIST Wherein is Explicated and Improved I. The Idea of Amitie in the General And more particularly the Laws both Fundamental Essential and Perfective of the Saints Amitie with God in Christ II. The Gracious Vouchsafements and Privileges which Christ Confers on his Friends By Theophilus Gale Philip. 3.8 Yea doubtlesse and I count althings but losse for the excellence of the knowlege of Christ Jesus my Lord c. London Printed by R. W. for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleet-street 1671. FOR My FRIENDS My Friends THE Idea of Friendship we al know is not lesse Beautiful and Pleasing than Commun Who so morose so rude so selfish so base-minded but would fain be if not really yet in vulgar estimation eminent both for Active and Passive Friendship Do not the most of men make it their main studie and labor how they may acquire friends and appear to be such to those whom they would make such to themselves Ask the poor blind Philosophers and they wil tel you what an incomparable Jewel a true Friend is So universally received so delicious and ravishing is the Notion of Friendship And yet Friends I must informe you that albeit the Notion of Friendship be so commun and pleasing yet the Thing it self is as rare and displeasing to this narrow-spirited selfish Age. a Aristotle was so sensible of the paucitie true friends that he cries out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O friends there is no friend Oh! what a doleful and sad contemplation is it to an Ingenuous and Noble not to adde a Christian Spirit to consider among the croud of men whoso much affect professe and glorie in this stile of being Your Friend how few there are who affect yea who do not in Truth contradict the Thing it self Do not most pretenders to friendship towards you appear to be at last friends to none but themselves Alas If the Notion of Friendship be so sweet and rare then how much more sweet and rare is the Thing it self He must needs be much Alienated from Human Nature who is not wel-pleased with the Name and yet how few are experimentally acquainted with the Thing The Designe therefore of this following Discourse is to Revive the true Idea and Character of Friendship both Human and Divine which seems much obliterated and defaced in these Last Times of Apostasie I have been My Friends long meditating how I might best expresse my Love to your Souls And after serious Inquisition I cannot find out a more effectual Expedient than this to acquaint you with and presse you unto Divine Amitie with God in Christ which is the only solid and substantial Foundation for Amitie among our selves For if we are not Friends of Christ we shal not be Good or Long friends each with other Wherefore my main work lies here to corroborate and fortifie the great Essentials and Vitals of friendship with Christ and then our Friendship among our selves wil follow as Light doth the Sun Heat Fire and the Shadow the Bodie For it is to me an Experiment or Observation clothed with eternal Truth that nothing hath a more efficacious and soverain Influence for the Production Conservation and Improvement of mutual friendship among Christians as Christians yea among men as men under al Relations than wel-grounded and Growing Friendship with Christ which is the first original Universal Idea or most perfect Exemplar of al other true Friendship And without al peradventure were Christians but better friends of Christ they would be better friends among themselves Whence arise those envenimed Spirits those proud Animosities those vexatious Heats and needlesse Controversies among the professing friends of Christ but from some very great gradual if not essential defect in that Friendship they professe towards Christ Doth not Christ make this an essential character of his friends that they love each other Joh. 15.12 17 Is not then the defect of Love and Friendship among Christians a black Marque of some defect in our Friendship towards Christ And is there any more effectual course to be taken for the Repairment and Restauration of the primitive love and friendship among Christians than the Restauration and Repairment of their languid dying Love and Friendship towards Christ Such an intimate essential Connexion with yea causal Dependence on friendship with Christ has Christian friendship among our selves both in its first Production and Improvement Having My Friends given you my designe I must a little acquaint you with the Material parts and Accidents of the following Discourse Finding my self under a deep sense of many intrinseck and essential Obligations some natural some civil some Christian and some mixed of some or al of these which have brought me under many particular Laws and Offices of Christian friendship towards you I have for the discharge of the same endeavored to comprehend under some one or t'other Head al your Cases and Conditions and O that you would al take your portion 1. Some of you are my Friends by Bloud and Nature For my Friend 's by bloud only and O that I could say we were al such by Grace and the Bloud of Christ also But Ah! Alas I fear some of you who are Dear yea very Dear friends to me by Bloud are yet Enemies to Christ And albeit I am not arrived to that mesure of Pure zele as to say with Paul Rom. 9.3 I could wish my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the Flesh Yet I hope I may in some poor mesure without vanitie say in the foregoing words of Paul v. 2. That I have great heavines and continual sorrow in mine heart for you to consider that any of us who are tied together by such a natural Bond of friendship founded in Bloud should be eternally rent and separated each from other If there were any place for sorrow and grief in Heaven how much of it would be found in the hearts of glorified Saints to think that while they are there bathing their hearts in the soul-satisfying river of Life part of their own flesh and bloud should be frying and boiling in the flames of Hel O that I could prevail upon you who are so near to me by bloud and yet as I fear too many of you far from Christ seriously to consider the weight of those Arguments offered to you in the following Treatise for Friendship with Christ What is it you mostly Intend or aim at Would you fain preserve your Names Families and Repute from being buried in the Grave of Oblivion Disgrace and Reproche I do not condemne your endeavor hereof provided that it be in Subordination to the Name and Interest of your Lord and in Subjection to his Soverain wil and Pleasure But yet remember I pray you 1. That a Name is but a Name when al is done and therefore but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Democrit a Shadow of a Thing 2.
infirme then must they go to this spirit to corroborate and confirme their spirits Do they labor under great Deadnesses spiritual Stupidities and hardnesses of heart who then can soften quicken and mollisie their hearts if not this quickening Head this Fire or flame of God with which Christ's friends are baptized Matth. 3.11 He shal haptize you with the holy Ghost and with fire Again are their souls straitned bound up and as it were fetter'd by many tentations and difficulties who then can enlarge their souls and set them at libertie but this their friend who where ever he comes brings libertie as 2 Cor. 3.17 is it not this free spirit that widens and enlargeth the heart to pour out it self before God in prayer Rom. 8.15 27. Farther are the friends of Christ wounded by Tentation or lust who then can heal their wounded hearts if not the Spirit of Christ is not he the healing virtue of the Sun of Righteousnes Mal. 4.2 Do they find spiritual languissements sensible consumtions abatements and decaies in their Affections to and communion with Christ Whence then may they expect nourishment growth and thriving herein if not from this living Head Col. 2.19 Are their hearts withered barren parched like a desert place and who can make them revive and spread forth their branches and make their beautie as that of the Olive tree or Lillie if not this fructifying spirit is not he as dew to Israel c. Hos 14.5 6 7. Esa 26.19 Lastly are the friends of Christ in a Wildernes-condition under many Desertions troubles fears hurries disquietments of spirit about their spiritual state who then can speak comfort if not this Divine Comforter where may they expect a door of hope if not in this valley of Achor Hos 2.14 15. Who can advise direct conduct and encourage them in their bewildred condition if not this their Tutor Advocate and friend These and such like considerations do deeply oblige and strongly engage those who contract friendship with Christ to elect and espouse his spirit as their Advocate Guide Protector and Tutor while absent from Christ SECT 7. The friends of Christ must elect his Yoke Members and Crosse 6. THE friends of Christ must elect 6. Election of Christ's waies and ordinances not only his person and Spirit but also his Yoke i. e. ordinances waies of worship and service So Psal 84.10 For a day in thy Court is better than a thousand Psal 84.10 Å¿ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elegi I had rather be a door keeper in the house of my God than to dwel in the Tents of Wickednes I had rather Heb. I have elected or chosen rather and so the LXX render it as if he had said This is my great option or choice I have what I would have might I but enjoy this Why what is it that he so electively desires 'T is to be but a Door-keeper in the house of his God the meanest office in the Church is more eligible and desirable in his eye than the highest preferments at Court A learned t Gatakâ—r Cinnus cap. 11. p. 297. Divine interprets it thus I had rather have mine ear bored at the Door of thine house and so he understands it as an allusion to that Ceremonial Institute or Rite of boring servants in the ear at the post of the door when they were willing to become perpetual servants And the Targum seems to incline to this sense in rendring it by a u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adharere word that signifies to adhere As if he had said I chuse rather to be a bond-slave and perpetual servant in thine house then to sit upon the Throne in the World Such was his option and election of Gods service They who pretend to elect Christ for their friend and yet reject his ordinances worship service and waies are guiltie of a flat contradiction and solecisme in Christianitie This was Israel's crime Hos 4.16 Hos 4.16 for Israel slideth back as a back-sliding Heifer i. e. as an Heifer w Lori impatiens impatient of the Yoke Israel could be content with the privileges but not with the duties of friendship with God the crown was beautiful and eligible but the Yoke burdensome Christ wil have al his friends espouse his yoke as wel as his crown Mat. 11.29 Take my yoke c. Hence we find a sad complaint of Christ against Ephraim for her false pretensions of friendship towards him Hos 10.11 Hos 10.11 And Ephraim is an Heifer that is taught and loveth to tread out the Corne but I passed over upon her fair neck Here is a tacit comparation between plowing and treading out the corne the latter Ephraim could chearfully submit unto but not the former and the reasons are because 1. Plowing work carries more restraint in it the Bullock was to submit its neck unto the yoke whereas in treading out of the Corne it was loose and free 2. In treading out the Corne there was not so much toil and labor as in Plowing 3. In treading out of the Corne there was not only libertie and ease but also profit and advantage for according to the Law it is said 1 Cor. 9.9 thou shalt not muzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne So that here is advantage as wel as labor whereas in Plowing work there was not only restraint and toil but also no profit No wonder therefore that Ephraim prefers treading out the Corne before plowing Is not this the case of a world of false friends who elect such service for Christ as carries libertie ease and profit in it but cannot submit to the yoke 7. Election of Christ's members for our friends The friends of Christ are to espouse his members and friends as wel as himself Christ's members are part of himself they are mystically Christ and therefore such as reject them do not cannot truely elect Christ as their friend But of this more in the perfective Laws of friendship 8. Lastly They who wil elect Christ Election of Christ's Crosse as their friend must in like manner elect and espouse his Crosse They can be no friends to Christ who are enemies to his Crosse Phil. 3.18 To renounce our crosse and sufferings for Christ is to renounce our interest in Christ his crosse and sufferings for us We are never more like Christ then on the Crosse and therefore never better friends to him then there None that are pleased with Christ wil be displeased with his Cross by renouncing Christ's Crosse we renounce friendship with him Heb. 10.25 Of this also in its proper place when we come to treat of that passive obedience which is due to Christ Thus we have shewn how whole Christ is to be elected his sceptre as wel as his crown his person as wel as his Righteousnes not only his privileges but also his duties his yoke as wel as his benefits his crosse
make Beautie to arise from the mixture of colors again others from the prevalence of light together with a due proportion of parts Al these notions of Beautie agree wel with that soul which elects and adheres to Christ for himself For when is the Spiritual Divine Nature which has the place of a forme in the soul more predominant over the carnal part than when it adheres most unto and depends most on Christ when does the Face of the soul shine with most beautiful color and rayes of Divine light if not when it beholds the glorious face of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 Did not Moses's face shine with sparkling light and Beautie when he had been conversing with the Lord on the Mount Among naturals i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what more beautiful and glorious than the lustre and brightnes of the Sun But oh how much more glorious is that soul which by adhering to Christ and beholding of his glorie is transformed into the same Image k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato Phileb 64. The Philosopher tels us that the very Images of things beautiful are also beautiful Oh! how beautiful then is that soul which is adorned with the beautiful glorious Image of Christ And where is there more of the glorious Image of Christ to be found than in those who adhere to him and behold his glorie was it not this that made David so much to long to dwel in the house and to behold the beautie of the Lord Psal 27.4 7. 7. Effect is Divine Pleasures The Election of Christ is that which brings with it the most real solid pure spiritual strong masculine permanent heart-ravishing soul-satisfying Pleasures Al pleasures are by so much the better by how much the more real and solid they are carnal pleasures are only opinionative feeble and flashy and therefore little worth But the pleasures that flow from communion with Christ for himself are most solid substantial and deep Again the more pure any pleasures are the better Now the pleasures that flow from the election of Christ for himself are most pure and immixed Al other pleasures are but feculent muddie and drossie in comparison of these l Voluptatis generatio fit ex infi iti fiaiti copulatione Plato Phileb The Philosopher saies That the generation of Pleasure is from the copulation of finite and Infinite His meaning is that there is no true pleasure but what springs from the soul's union to and communion with God Of al human pleasures those are certainly best which are most spiritual because such are most rational most connatural and most efficacious Now such are these Divine suavities which flow from election of and adherence to Christ for himself O! what Spiritual Delices are such friends of Christ master of at times Again those are the purest and noblest pleasures which admit of the least excesse For where there is excesse there is evil and miserie Now how doth this commend those Divine pleasures which follow upon the souls adherence to Christ for himself May we excede in or enjoy too much of those soul-satisfying delights which flow from Christ no surely Lastly The purest and best pleasures are those which are formed out of the sweetest and best Good and by how much the more intimate and entire communion the soul has with its choicest good by so much the more refined delicious and permanent are its pleasures Oh then what divine Suavities do the friends of Christ enjoy so far as they elect and adhere to him for himself So Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight Cant. 2.3 and his fruit was sweet to my tast Cant. 5.16 His mouth is most sweet Hebr. sweetnesses in the m Abstracta praedicantur de formis Al Treasures and Riches Abstract and plural number which notes a complexion of al sweetnesses 8. Lastly Election of Christ for himself is that which makes the friends of Christ masters of the best Treasures and Riches Al things are theirs if they are Christ's So 1 Cor. 3.21 For al things are yours i. e. al that you need 1 Cor. 3.21 23. as wel as al that you possesse what you want as wel as what you have For sometimes nothing doth us more good than our wants he that hath a spirit to bear contentedly the want of Riches enjoyes the real benefit of them yea much more than he that possesseth them in the greatest confluence without such a spirit of contentement It s the mind of man that makes him rich or poor not the fruition or want of things the contented friend of Christ though never so poor is yet Lord of al things because he knows how to want them his wants do him as much good as his enjoy ments what he possesseth not doth him as much yea more good than it doth those who are the actual owners of it what he enjoyes not is his in capite and therefore by a better title and for a better use than to them that enjoy these things Again Al things i. e. both life and death enemies as wel as friends Devils as wel as good Angels Are yours i. e. for your use and good not in possession but in free heritage and how so he tels you how v. 23. and ye are Christ's i. e. Because ye are Christ's by a firme election of him for himself therefore al things whereof he is Lord becomes yours As the Wife though of never so mean condition formerly by virtue of her Vnion with her Husband has a title and right to the whole of his goods so that she can say This house these fields are mine so the friends of Christ by electing him may lay claim to al that is his Thus we see how much the friend of Christ does advance himself by electing Christ for himself This will more fully appear by what follows CHAP. VII How and Why Christ is to be Elected for himself in regard of his Mediatorie excellences as Relative to God the Father SECT 1. Christ's Mediatorie excellences from the Designation of God the Father Heb. 2.5 6 7 8. Joh. 6.27 Heb. 3.2 Heb. 5.4 5. Act. 2.36 37. Eph. 5.2 HAving largely demonstrated That the friend of Christ does most seek and promote himself really considered by electing Christ for himself we now procede to demonstrate How and Why Christ is to be elected for himself I join both these considerations together because they mutually give to The Distribution of Christ's excellences which render him eligible for himself These are 1. Relative and receive from each other Light and Evidence And the more fully to explicate and demonstrate how and why Christ is to be elected for himself we must consider Christ in al his Excellences so far as he is held forth to his friends as eligible for himself Now the excellences of Christ may be considered 1. As Mediatorie and Relative or 2. As Absolute The Mediatorie excellences of Christ may be again
vouchsafed to his Creature and the most admirable Miracle of soverain Mercie towards sinners that ever was or may be The blessed God has taken great delight on al occasions to vouchsafe sensible Demonstrations and Arguments of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie and Good Nature towards Man yea al those rich ornaments and gracious Accomplishments or vouchsafements conferred on Adam in Innocence were but the Effects of his free Grace though in some regard they may be termed natural to Adam's first state And since the Fal the blessed Lord has not ceased to vouchsafe large tokens of his Divine Philanthropie or Bountie to his rebellious creature Ay but this unparalleld gift of his only begotten Son is the highest marque of favor and the richest manifestation of infinite Love free Grace and Mercie that poor sinners are capable to receive Wel therefore might our Emmanuel crie out Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son This little S O is such a great note and marque of Divine Philanthropie as that the lengths breadths depths and heights of this Love cannot be expressed or conceived as they ought to al Eternitie 2. Formally 2. The Love Mercie and Grace of God shine in Christ Formally as he is a perfect Idea or Miroir of Divine Love and Grace As also 3. 3. Effectively Effectively as al the Love and Grace of God the Father streameth through his heart unto the Elect Joh. 1.16 3. God's Justice shines in Christ The Infinite Glory of God the Father's Divine Justice shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively as he was the Object or But against which al the arrows of God's fiery indignation for sin were shot We have great Marques of Divine Justice on Cain and Judas and yet far more dreadful tokens thereof in Hel but yet we may safely affirme that al the black curses of the Law which their executions on sinners here yea that al the dreadful torments of the damned in Hel are nothing nigh so clear and ample Demonstrations of God's Justice and Severitie against sin as the sufferings of our dying Emmanuel O! come near and behold the Soverain pleasure of God the Father in bruising his only begotten Son and making his soul an offering for sin Esa 53.10 Oh! what a standing glorious monument of Divine Justice against sin is this red Glasse of Christ's bloud Herein we may behold God the Father's Justice as it were triumphing over his natural essential love to his only begotten Son 2. Again the Justice of God shines in Christ formally as also 3. Effectively in that al justice originally inheres in and flows from him 4. God's Holines shines in Christ 1 Objectively The Infinite Glorie of God's Holines shineth with a most transcendent Brightnes in Christ 1. Objectively and Demonstratively as God by making his soul an offering for sin gave the highest Demonstration that can be of his Infinite Antipathie and Hatred against Sin Yea it is supposed and that on good reasons That if Infinite wisdome should set it self on work never so much to find out an Argument to manifest God's hatred of sin there could not be a greater than this his dealing with his Son 2. Formally 2. God's Holines dwels in Christ formally as he is a perfect Idea Miroir or Glasse of al Holines infinitely beyond glorified Saints or Angels and therefore stiled The Holy One. 3. Effectively 3. God's Holines shines in Christ effectively as al the Saints Holines is derived from him Joh. 1.16 5. The power of God shines in Christ The Infinite Glorie of God's power shines most eminently in Christ 1. Objectively no work or effect of God's hand has such visible impresses of God's Omnipotence stamped on it as the Hypostatick Vnion of the Divine and Human Nature in one person whence it is called the power of the most high Besides Infinite power shined most gloriously in his Miracles Soul-sufferings Death and Resurrection more than in the Creation of Heaven and Earth 2. The omnipotence of God resides formally in Christ as the proper seat thereof 3. The omnipotence of God the Father shineth most effectively in al Christ's great works of Redemtion Conversion Conservation Protection and Gubernation of his Church c. Col. 1.11 Strenthened with al might according to his glorious power 6. The truth and faithfulnes of God shines in Christ The Truth and Faithfulnes of God the Father shines most gloriously in Christ 1. Objectively in that Christ was the greatest Promise that ever God gave to lost sinners yea in him al the Promises are Yea and Amen So that in sending him into the World to die for sinners God made good that great promise made four thousand years before Gen. 3.15 Yea by this means al the promises of God are fulfilled Whence the Veracitie and Fidelitie of God appears most conspicuous and bright in Christ's comming into the World c. And this indeed is one of the greatest aggravations of unbelief that when the Faithfulnes of God has so gloriously appeared in fulfilling that great Promise of sending his Son the accomplishment whereof was attended with such a world of difficulties I say that after this sinners should disbelieve or question the Faithfulnes of God in fulfilling other promises which have their Yea and Amen in Christ Gal. 3.16 Again 2. The Truth of God appears most glorious in Christ Formally in that he has to a tittle made good al his promises As Christ was the great Gift and Promise of God the Father so the Spirit is the great Promise and Gift of Christ Joh. 14 16 17 18.26 And is not Christ every way as good as his word in sending his Spirit is there any one promise that Christ made his friends at his Departure hence but has been and daily is fulfilled to a tittle 3. The Faithfulnes of God shines in Christ effectively in that he makes and keeps al his friends faithful and stedfast in their Covenant with him 7. Christ the Image of God's Immensitie and omnipresence Christ is a glorious Idea and Image of the Immensitie and Omnipresence of God as Joh. 3.13 The Son of man which is in Heaven The expression is very mysterious and deserves a particular Remarque How was the Son of man in Heaven Joh. 3.13 Was he not then on earth discoursing with them or could he be both in Heaven and on Earth at the same time Yes he might in different respects and by virtue of the Hypostatick Vnion 't is true his bodie being finite could not as some fondly dream be in two places at the same time that implies no lesse than a contradiction ay but yet Christ God-man by virtue of the personal Vnion of the two Natures was at that very time while he was discoursing with them on Earth in Heaven Oh! what a tremendous mysterie is this that the Son of man should be at the same time in Heaven and on Earth How difficult
Divine light that stream from Christ the Sun of Righteousnes Is Christ so ful of life and so willing to give it forth unto al that come unto him and shal sinners be unwilling to receive it What not willing to live Doth not this seem strange A reasonable creature and yet unwilling to be happie Is death a thing so amiable as to be preferred before life yea Immortal death before Immortal life Was it ever known that chains and fetters were more eligible than Libertie and freedome Oh! what a monstrous sin is this that poor undone sinners should wilfully contemne the Fountain of al life Who would ever have thought that a rational creature should be so sottish and mad as wilfully and electively to prefer sin the worst evil before Christ the chiefest good What a reproche and disgrace is this to human Nature that it should cordially embrace Satan the worst of enemies and wilfully reject Christ the best of Friends Can there be a greater sin than this for an Intelligent Being electively to chuse yea love Death and hate Christ who is life it self And yet this is the case of al those who embrace not Christ as their friend Prov. 8.36 Al they that hate me love death 3. 3. The mesure of this sin from its formal Nature The Aggravations of this sin not to mind or affect Amitie with Christ are lively represented in its Formal Nature and Idea The Definition or essential Idea of a thing gives you its formal nature portrait and Image and if you understand the Formal nature of a sin you may easily guesse at its Aggravations Now the general Idea and formal nature of al sin consists in an Obliquitie or transgression of some Divine Law And by how much the more forcible obligatorie and inviolable the Law is by so much the more there is of Obliquitie and Malignitie in that sin which is the Transgression of such a Law Now the Law which obligeth men to mind and affect Amitie with Christ is the Mediators Law an Evangelick Law which hath a double Sanction appendent to it not only that of a Creator but also that of a Redeemer And oh What an hainous crime is this to Transgresse this Evangelick Law of the Mediator which is twisted and composed of such silken cords of love such sweet obligations of Evangelick Grace and Mercie This Aggravation is set forth to the life Heb. 2.2 3. For if the word spoken by Angels i. e. the Law of Moses was stedfast and every Transgession and disobedience received a just recompense of reward How shal we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord c As if he had said Alas if the Transgression of the Mosaick Law was reputed so hainous and therefore had such dreadful curses pronounced against it what shal we say of such as transgresse the Mediator's Evangelick Law of Grace which offers life and salvation to sinners Oh! what a prodigious sin is this to neglect so great Salvation which the Son of God invites us to How deservedly do such perish But a little to examine the particular Ideas The particular Ideas of this sin and branches of this sin 1. 1. It 's ful of Atheisme and unbelief Not to mind and affect Amitie with Christ carries in its formal nature or bowels a world of Vnbelief and Atheisme Not to embrace Christ as our best friend what is it but to give God the Lie So 1 Joh. 5.10 1 Joh. 5.10 He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son Can there be a greater sin than this to make God who is veracitie it self and the first Truth a Liar And doth not every one that rejecteth Christ make God a liar because he believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son O remember sinner what thou doest when thou refusest friendship with Christ know that thereby thou makest the most faithful and blessed God a liar And so O the monstrous Blasphemie not to be mentioned without horror a Son of the Devil 2. 2. It is a crucifixion of Christ To reject Christ or neglect friendship with him is no lesse than a repeted Crucifixion of Christ and exposing of him to open shame Men crie Shame and Treacherie on Judas for betraying of his Lord They condemne Pilate for condemning the Lord of life Who so wicked as not to estime the Jews bloudie and cursed for embrewing their hands in the bloud of their Messias But know that every one who refuseth Christ and friendship with him betrayes him as much as Judas condemnes him worse than Pilate and embrews his hands in his Savior's bloud as wel as the bloud-thirstie Jews For it is most certain that Christ hath no worse Enemie than the Vnbeliever he who wil not eâ—â—ct him as his friend He that wil not embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel with his whole heart and adhere to him as his best friend is his worst enemie and one that daily crucifies the Lord of Glorie by his unbelief O consider the weight of this sin as described Heb. 6.6 Seing they Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame 3. 3. It is a blaspheming Christ Not to embrace Christ as offered in the Gospel for our friend is formal blasphemie in that it brings a scandal il report and reproche on Christ What is Blasphemie but to raise an il report or scandal on God whereby the most blessed Deitie is reproched Now what brings a greater reproche or Scandal on God than to contemne and disgrace the Son of God so far as to prefer any other friend either sin or self before him Can there be a greater reproche or disgrace cast on Christ than to elect Idâ—l-lusts or other lovers before him Is not this an high piece of Blasphemie to tel the World that that the Creature deserves our friendship more than Christ the Creator of al Oh think on this 4. 4. It is Saâ—râ—â—â—ge Not to make Christ our friend is in an high degree Sacrilege or robbing God of his due Al serious spirits hate and abhor the Imputation of Sacrilege both name and thing But what greater Sacrilege can there be than to rob and plunder Christ of his Diademe and Imperial Throne Is not Christ's Mediatorie Office his Diademe and is not the heart of his friends his chief Imperial Throne Do not then al such as refuse to make him their friend rob him of his Diademe and Throne Thus we see what the Aggravations of this sin are in regard of its formal nature and Idea 4. 4. The Aggravations of this sin not to Elect Christ from its Effects We may take a mesure of this sin not not to mind friendship with Christ by its Effects That must needs be a sin of the first magnitude which has a most Vniversal malignant Influence
endeavor to lay open before them 1. How Far they may procede in a seeming Friendship with Christ and yet continue real enemies to him And then 2. What a sinful foolish cursed and wretched state this is under a pretended Friendship with Christ to cover over and concele a real enmitie against him Q. 1. How far Refined Evangelick Hypocrites may procede in a seeming friendship with Christ and yet continue real enemies to him The very mention of this Question should make our flesh to Tremble especially if we consider what prodigious experiments and Instances we have had in this Age to ascend no higher to explicate and demonstrate the same O that we al had a deep quick lively and feeling sense of the weight of this Question How far many seeming friends of Christ may go and yet be but real enemies to him How should the Apprehensions of the Apostasies of these latter times possesse our Consciences with a Divine awe self-jelousie and Tremblement That must needs be a very hard heart that is not affected and afflicted under the sense of the great Back-slidings which many pretended friends of Christ lye under How many violent forced friends has Christ who crouch and bend the Knee to him under the Stormes and heats of divine wrath but turne their back again upon him when the storme is over How many accidental occasional friends hath Christ who fals in love with him so long as he fals in with their carnal or legal Interest But when Providence seems to crosse Promises or the Interest of Christ really crosseth their private Interest how soon do such bid Adieu and farewel to Christ Therefore to undeceive the deceived Professors of this backsliding Age take these following Propositions as a brief Resolution of the Question before us 1. Prop. 1. As to the Spirit of Bondage A seeming friend of Christ may procede very far in al the great preparative Convictions and Dispositions of the Spirit of Bondage Are the sincere Friends of Christ deeply convinced of burdened with and wounded for sin And may not the false friends of Christ very far share in these preparative works of the Spirit of Bondage Was not Cain greatly convinced of and burdened with his sin when he cried out my punishment is greater than I can bear Gen. 4.14 Did not Judas also the feel the weight of his sin which made him strangle himself Had not debauched Felix a mightie terror and Tremblement on his Conscience when Paul the Prisoner struck him in the right vein and made him sensible of his Intemperance Injustice and Judgement to come Act. 24.25 Yea have not many awakened convinced consciences at times been under great soul-confounding Terrors and perhaps greater than many sincere friends of Christ ever felt and yet after al grown more secure than ever yea open enemies to Christ Oh! how should this make our hearts to ake and tremble 2 Prop. 2. As to Aversion from sin and self A false friend of Christ may arrive to a very great mesure of partial Aversion from sin and self which are Christ's worst enemies Had not Balaam a great Indignation at least seemingly against the wages of unrighteousnes offered to him by Balak Yea doth he not make a solemne vow against it Numb 6.22 18. If Balak would give me his house ful of gold c. Had he not also many conflicts in his own spirit against this sin May not many false friends of Christ have not only some grosser and externe branches of sin lopped off but also some interne lusts quenched for a while Yea the whole masse of sin laid asleep and seemingly mortified for the present especially under violent heats of Conscience Doth not this seem to be the import of that Text Luk 11.25 Luk. 11.25 and when he cometh he findeth it swept and garnished And so in like manner for self-denial how far have many false friends of Christ proceded not only in the renunciation of carnal and sensual self but also of inward spiritual moral legal yea evangelick self and yet stil continued real enemies of Christ as before Chap. 2. Sect. 2 3 Prop. 3. As to Assent and Estime of Christ A false friend of Christ may arrive unto a great Assent unto and commun Estime of Christ as a very desirable Friend Had not those false friends of Christ a very strong assent to and estime of Christ as their Messias when they cried out Joh. 6.14 John 6.14 This is of a Truth That Prophet that should come into the world Yea their Assent and conviction was so prevalent as that they would needs make him their King v. 15. And yet the very same persons not long after turne professed enemies to him Yea were there not some of the awakened Jews so far taken with Christ as that they would presently without any more delay give him a solemne Inauguration and Enstalment as their Messias So Joh. 12.13 Joh. 12.13 Took branches of Palm-trees and went forth to meet him and cried Hosanna blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord. The branches of Palm-trees were tokens of their Joy and their crying Hosanna was a Rite whereby they recognized him as their Messias And yet Lo the very same persons as 't is most likely within a very few dayes crie Crucifie Crucifie him 4 Prop. 4. As to consent and closing with Christ A false friend of Christ may attain unto a considerable consent to and closing with Christ as his friend Did not many of the Rulers believe on Christ who yet durst not openly confesse him as their friend Joh. 12.42 Joh. 12.42 Mat. 8.19 Yea doth not the awakened ingenuous Scribe Mat. 8.19 make a solemne contract or covenant of Friendship with Christ saying Master I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest And yet Christ seems by what follows to put no confidence in him Yea may not the false friends of Christ very far close with him as the Objective matter of their Happines and yet come short of real friendship Doth not this seem to be the case of many awakened Jews Joh. 6.34 So Joh. 6.34 Lord evermore give us this bread And yet when Christ explicates more fully how they must feed on this bread of life how much are they scandalized at him v. 60 61 5 Prop. 5. As to Affections A false friend of Christ may have some superficial transient Affections for Christ and against what may appose him as his friend Did not many false friends gladly receive Christ Luk. 8.40 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. benigno voltu c. Luk. 8.40 The people gladly received him i. e. with a smiling joyous countenance they bid him welcome Did not Herod gladly hear John Baptist Did not Balaam desire to die the death of the Righteous Did not Pharaoh and Simon Magus desire the Prayers of Christ's Ministers Did not the Foolish Virgins desire the Oil of Grace to welcome
Rom. 11.9 5. 5. Christ leaves such to the plague of their own hearts Christ usually leaves his false friends to the plague of their own hearts And oh What a terrible curse is this Can there be a greater punishment of sin than to be left to the swindge of sin Is not sin in it self the greatest evil Need we then fear a greater curse than to be left by Christ under the Tyrannie of our own lusts And lo this is the curse of Christ's false friends Psal 81.11 12. Psal 81.11 But my people would not hearken unto my voice and Israel would none of me i. e. they contented themselves with the name picture or profession of me but yet would not embrace my person they were friends in profession but enemies in Affection And what follows v. 12. so I gave them up to their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels What a curse of curses is this can Hel produce a more terrible plague than this to be left to our own hearts lust Surely no. 6. 6. Christ puts a period to the day of Grace When Professors go on in a course of Hypocritick friendship with Christ he at last puts a period to their day of Grace Thus he dealt with the unbelieving Jews Luk. 19.42 Luk. 19.42 saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Israel had her day of Grace but now it 's gone now her Sun is set now farewel to al Gospel Grace and offers farewel to al wooings and strivings of the Spirit of Grace with her Oh! what a complicated twisted binding curse is here for al Christ's false friends How much better were it to part with the Sun out of the Firmament yea with life it self a thousand times over than to bid Adieu to the day of Grace 7. 7. Christ leaves them to Satan the God of this world Yet farther such as procede in a continued course of false Amitie with Christ he at length delivers them up to Satan the God of this world Thus he dealt with Judas that false friend and Traitor Luk. 22.3 Then entred Satan into Judas And what follows v. 4. And he went his way and communed how he might betray him When Christ after long wooings waitings and strivings cannot gain the hearts of his false friends he at last delivers them up to Satan the God of this World who comes with seven Devils and possesseth the heart Wilt thou not saith Christ after al my Wooings and Allurements of Free-grace after al my strivings by my Spirit give me thy whole Heart Why then farewel take him Satan seing he would not be my voluntarie and real friend let him be thy captive vassal and slave seing he would not bend his neck to mine easie yoke let him feel the dints and weight of thine Iron Chain What an Hel-bred eurse is this 8. 8. Christ self becomes a stone of stumbling Again Christ himself becomes a stone of stumbling and rock of offense unto such as persevere in false friendship with him When awakened convinced sinners have long professed much friendship towards Christ and yet stil retain some secret Haunts for beloved lusts or dare not venter the weight of their souls upon him the chief corner stone then he becomes a stone of stumbling to them This was the case of the unbelieving Jews Mat. 21.43 Mat. 21.43 44. Therefore I say unto you the Kingdome of God shal be taken from you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. For this very cause because you reject me the head corner-stone v. 42. therefore my Gospel and my Grace shal be taken from you and then it follows v. 44. And whosoever shal fal on this stone shal be broken c. i. e. I who am to my real friends the chief corner-stone wil be to you a stone of confusion and destruction 9. 9. Judicial Hardnes Hence follows a spirit of slumber Judicial blindnes and obduration or Hardnes of heart which Christ in righteous Judgement at last leaves such false friends unto Wilt thou not saith Christ see my Beautie hear my voice or embrace me with thine whole heart why then be content thou shalt not see or hear or embrace me as thy friend to al eternitie So Rom. 11.8 9 10. According as it is written God hath given them the spirit of slumber eyes that they should not see and ears that they should not hear to this very day c. Hence follows a spiritual stupor a. cauterized and callous Conscience and by how much the more senselesse conscience is by so much the deeper is its curse 10. 10. A liablenes to al the curses of the Law and Gospel Hence the false friend of Christ fals under al the curses both of the Law and Gospel yea Christ swears against him in wrath So Psal 95.11 Vnto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Oh! What a dreadful curse is this that comes from the Mediator the Fountain of al Blessings 11. 11. Al his Hopes passing but his sorrows eternal and intolerable Whence lastly al the hopes and comforts of Christ's false friend are momentary and vain but al his woes and miseries are eternal and intolerable Job 8.13 and the Hypocrites hopes shal perish Job 20.5 And the joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment So fleeting and passing are his hopes and Joyes But what are his sorrows surely they are swift unsupportable and eternal 1. His fears shal surprize him when he is least aware of it Esa 33.14 Fearfulnes hath surprized the Hypocrites Oh! what pannick fears wil surprize Christ's false friends one day 2. His disappointment shal be endlesse and without remedie 3. And then the hottest place in Hel is reserved for him Mat. 14.51 Such are the Plagues and curses of al Christ's false friends And that which is sum of al is this Christ himself wil be their eternal and worst enemie And wil not al this serve to awaken and convince the false friends of Christ how sad and cursed their state is Oh then What shal we say Who can imagine what are the Lengths Breadths Depths and Heights of this mysterie of Iniquitie this Hypocrisie this false Friendship towards Christ which is loged in the hearts of many professed friends yet real enemies of Christ The Lord effectually convince us al of this Plague CHAP. IX This Doctrine of Friendship with Christ improved in order to Heart-examens Exhortations and Directions touching sincere closure with a Christ as our friend SECT 1. Motives and Rules for the examining of our selves whether we are sincere or Hypocritick friends of Christ Vse 4. Use 4 4. Of Examination THis subject of Amitie with Christ as before Explicated may be usefully improved in order to Heart-examens and a more complete Judgement of our Christian state Is there so much required to the
to elect and inviolably adhere to Christ because hereby it wil in its mesure participate of Eternitie it self and eternal enjoyments 3. Another commun place of Arguments Mot. 3. From the Nature of Amitie with Christ to enforce this Exhortation is taken from the genuine Idea and Nature of Amitie with Christ What is Friendship with Christ but a Divine Confederation Alligation or binding of the Heart to God by a solemne League and Covenant of Friendship And can there be a greater Felicitie than to have the soul bound by an inviolable Covenant of Amitie to the great Jehovah What Is it possible that a rational Creature should refuse such a sweet and Divine Obligation as this of friendship with Christ Are not these silken and golden chains whereby a rational soul is bound fast to his chiefest good more desirable than the Iron chains whereby the heart is fetterd to sensibled good Is there any losse or pain to be feared by having the soul inseparably glued and knit to such an excellent friend as Christ is Is it not a sweet and delightsome death to die with longings for and soul-satisfying conversation with Christ our best friend What is Hel but separation from Christ Psal 73.27 and therefore what-greater Heaven may we expect or desire than an Immutable and Intimate union and communion with Christ as our best friend Psal 73.28 Is it not strange then that Human Nature indued with Judgement and Wil should be so averse to a Covenant of friendship with Christ What not adhere and cleave to Christ who is so good a friend yea sometimes an only friend Doth the soul receive any Dammage by entring into a strict Amitie with Christ Is it any shame or disgrace for Human Nature to be fettered and chained to Christ the Lord of Glorie Wil any thing render thee more Happie than the eternal Blessed Vision and fruition of the Deitie And is not this Appendent to yea formally contained in friendship with Christ 4. Mot. 4. From the effects of friendship with Christ Lastly To provoke our spirits to an entire Election of Christ as our friend let us consider a little the blessed Effects of such an Election 1. Divine Life 1. Is not life a very eligible thing Did not Satan speak the truth when he said Skin for skin and al that a man hath for his life And is not the life of the soul by so much the more desirable than the life of the bodie by how much more excellent the soul is than the bodie Now wherein consists the life of the soul but in friendship with Christ As the life of the bodie Consists in its union with the soul so doth not the life of the soul consist in union with Christ as its Friend What is spiritual Death but Disunion from Christ Can there be a more natural uniforme equal permanent excellent noble and perfect life than that which consists in conversation with Christ our choicest friend Is not al other life though never so seemingly splendid and glorious but a dream and metaphor of life or rather a Shadow of death if compared with this life Yea doth not this bring health out of sicknes life out of death Heaven out of Hel 2. 2. Strength Wherein consists the Vigor and Strength of Human Nature but in Election of and Adhesion to Christ as our friend Doth not al Infirmitie and Imbecillitie of bodie spring from some dis-union obstruction or distance between the part and the whole And do not al our Infirmities of soul arise from Dis-union or Distance from Christ our Head Is not the soul most firme and strong when it adhereth most firmely to Christ its first principle 3. 3. Honor. What is true Nobilitie Honor and Dignitie but Adhesion to and participation of the Fountain of al Honors Now as the King is the Fountain of Honor in his Kingdome so is not Christ the Fountain of Honor in his Kingdome And can there be an higher piece of Honor among Subjects than to be the King's Favorite and friend to have his eye and ear and power to command And is not this Honor vouchsafed to al Christ's friends Have they not his ear yea heart to command as C. 6. S. 5. 4. 4. Libertie Wherein consists the formal Idea of Divine Libertie but in a Divine Amplitude or Enlargement of State and Acts arising from subjection to God and the use of al other things in subordination to him And is not this the immediate and essential product of Amitie with Christ as before C. 6. S. 5. 5. 5. Riches What are Riches but the Affluence of many useful and precious Goods Now if Christ be your friend are not al things yours 1 Cor. 3.22 23 Yea has not he an admirable facultie of Spiritualizing temporal mercies Are not the very commun goods of his friends sugared and watered with special favor dipt in the bloud of the Son of God And doth not this turne curses into blessings povertie into riches salt crosses into sweet mercies Whereas to such as are not friends of Christ their best blessings are salted with the curse of God The sweetest comforts want spirit and bloud without Christ but to such as are his friends there can be no want an uncovered Tent a straw Bed a Pillow of stone an emtie Purse are great riches to such Yea by electing Christ for thy friend thou comest to share in fountain-goodnes and are not al things most pure most sweet and most copious in their Fountain Can he want any thing that is good who enjoyes the Fountain of al See C. 6. S. 5. 6. 6. Peace Wherein consists true Peace Joy and comfort but in a sweet Harmonie Vniformitie Order and Agreement of al parts And whence springs this Harmonie and Agreement in the soul but from its firme Adherence to Christ as its friend 7. 7. Interest What is the supreme Interest of a Rational Creature but to use and refer al inferior concernes to his Last end And is not this also the Immediate and proper Issue of Friendship with Christ Do any more effectually promote their supreme Interest and Last end than such as Elect and adhere to Christ as their best Friend Thus we see what Demonstrative Arguments Reasons and Motives there are to induce and provoke men unto a complete closure with Christ as their friend And oh what a prodigious piece of folie is it after al this for men to persist in open enmitie against or false friendship towards Christ SECT 3. Directions for such as are open enemies or Hypocritick friends of Christ to come to a cordial and complete Friendship with him WE procede now to the second part of this Use Divections for attaining to a complete friendship with Christ namely the Directions for attaining unto a complete Amitie with Christ Art thou firmely resolved or wel inclined to become a friend of Christ But art thou indeed and in good earnest disposed
hereto Then take the following Directions First In general Lay a good Foundation look wel to the Beginnings of thy friendship be sure thou lay a good Foundation Take this for an Infallible eternal Truth The progresse and perfection of your Amitie with Christ wil be proportionable to its Foundation and beginning Wherefore a good Beginning is more than half your work and on the contrarie a bad Beginning is worse than none at al. Let thy Conscience be never so deeply wounded by the Spirit of Bondage yea cast down to Hel under Despairing thoughts and Hellish Terrors yet if there be not a fiducial closing with Christ thou wilt prove at best but a conquered Enemie or slave not a faithful friend of Christ Again Let thine Heart be lift up to Heaven in spiritual Illuminations and Raptures of Joy yet if the inward Pondus or Weight i. e. the more prevalent Inclination and Bent thereof be not towards Christ thou wilt remain but an Apparent Hypocritick friend and real enemie of him Lastly let thy Profession and Conversation be gilded over with never so many Splendid Titles Artificial Formes and Habits of legal Mortification pretended Evangelick Sanctitie Puritie and Pietie seemingly Angelick yet if thine Heart be not sound and sincere al thy Glorious Titles and Formes of Godlines and Friendship with Christ are but begun in Hypocrisie and wil unavoidably end in Apostasie Therefore thou seest how greatly it doth concerne thee to look wel to the Foundations and Beginnings of thine Amitie with Christ For if it begin il it can never end wel Loose worke or any fundamental error in thy first Election of Christ wil cause a crack in the whole Structure of thy friendship with him If thou begin but a seeming Hypocritick friend thou wilt and a real and open enemie of Christ Oh then of what infinite concernement is it to use al manner of Caution Circumspection and Diligence in laying a good Foundation for a sound and lasting friendship with Christ O beware beware of false superficial or rotten foundations If thou wilt build a lasting Structure of Amitie with Christ such as may reach up to Heaven thou must lay the Foundation almost as low as Hel namely thou must dig deep not only into sin but also into self and never leave digging til thou come to an holy and humble self-despair which is a kind of felt Hel yet the Gate of Heaven and friendship with Christ For self-despair is a door to Faith and Hope in Christ But we descend to particulars As in man's Bodie there are two great and principal parts the Head which is the Fountain of Animal Spirits and thence the seat of Sense and Judgement as also the Heart which is the Fountain of vital Spirits and so the seat of Life and Affections b The life of Friendship consists in Freedome tempered with Wisdome and Faithfulnes The main Foundations of Friendship with Christ 1. A prudent Head So in like manner in al Friendship there are two great principal parts and Foundations 1. A prudent Head 2. A vital loyal or Faithful Heart Now proportionable hereto there are two main and principal parts and Foundations of our Amitie with Christ 1. A prudent sanctified Head or Judgement 2. A vital loyal Faithful or Honest Heart 1. One principal part and main Foundation of Amitie with Christ consists in a sanctified prudent Head or a wel-principled awakened and serious Judgement As the Head is the top of the bodie the seat of Animal Spirits and therefore the Guide of a man so spiritual Judgement is the Guide of a friend of Christ Saving Light and Sanctified Wisdome is the very life and Soul not only of our first closures with Christ but also of al the following parts of Christianitie And this is to me a great maxime in Divinitie That according to the Nature and mesure of our Light and Judgement touching Christ and his concernes such wil be the Nature and mesure of our Amitie with him If our Light be as Joh. 8.12 The light of life i. e. a real spiritual clear distinct certain feeling and Active Light or Judgement then wil our Election of him as our friend be single cordial complete and firme So also as to the mesure if our Light be intense strong growing and noon-tide then wil our friendship with Christ be exceding warme flourishing glorious and operative Such an intimate Connexion is there between saving Light or sanctified Wisdome and friendship with Christ But oh how rare is it to meet with such a sanctified Head such a saving Light of Life or Judgement Are there not a world of seeming friends of Christ who have their Heads stuffed and cram'd with airy Notions fine spun Ideas or curious speculations of Christ and Evangelick Truths who yet never had any one beam or spark of this true Light of life or sanctified Judgement A Sanctified prudent head Which implies 1. An Head wel principled with Habitual Notions of Christ Wherefore it is necessary that we give the true character the exact Idea or Just mesure of this sanctified Prudent Head which is so Fundamental to the constitution of a sincere Amitie with Christ 1. It must be an Head wel-principled or indued with a stock of sanctified habitual Ideas or Notions touching Christ and his evangelick concernes especially such as refer to friendship with him This is essential and fundamental to the constitution of a Divine Amitie with Christ For if there be not a considerable mesure of Habitual Light or Sanctified Evangelick Notions touching Christ his Excellences Laws and the Benefits we receive by him how can the soul fal in love with him Who ever judiciously loved that whereof he never had any right Notion or conception In brief if thou wilt become a good friend of Christ get a true Idea or right notion of Christ's Relative and Absolute perfections How ful of Grace and Truth he is what an Infinite plenitude of Life dwels in him How willing and readie he is to fil every emtie heart to enrich every poor soul to refresh every wearie and heavy laden sinner to heal every wounded soul to revive every dead and drooping spirit to justifie every self-condemned sinner that comes unto him Get also a right Notion of al the Absolute perfections of Christ touching those ravishing Beauties and Transcendent excellences that shine in his person as he is the Son of God and expresse Image of his Person Farther thou must have right Ideas of thine own sin and miserie and thence of thine absolute necessitie and need of Christ as also of the covenant of Grace and the Termes on which Christ is offered to thee 2. 2. An awakened Head It sufficeth not that thou hast an head wèl-principled with Habitual notions of Christ but thou must also have an awakened Head or an actual feeling Judgement of Christ and his Affairs Habitual Notions without an actual feeling consideration of things is but a sleepy and dreaming
last brings faith of Assurance There is no more effectual course for the discoverie of our faith in Christ than by putting forth fresh acts of faith on Christ For as by the vital acts of life we know we have life so by believing we come to know that we do believe Yea faith is not only in it self the best evidence of Grace but also it gives light life and spirit to al other evidences of Grace yea who are they to whom Christ most delights to give the Assurance of his love but such as most frequently love and elect him for himself Al this is confirmed to us by the lively feeling experiences of the best Saints who usually never find Christ nearer to them in the evidence of his love than when their hearts are nearest to him by such fiducial acts of Election and love I have known a Christian and indeed the greatest Saint that I ever knew who was much assaulted with a violent Tentation that he was but an Hypocrite but being brought to this Resolution That if he had been an Hypocrite hitherto yet now he would cast himself upon the Grace of God in Christ immediately the tentation vanished Thus we see what a soverain Influence fresh acts of adherence to Christ have to dispel douts and strengthen friendship with Christ SECT 3. The friends of Christ should endeavor to grow more Rooted and Built up in Christ Col. 2.7 3. 3. Advice to the friends of Christ to grow more rooted and built up in Christ HEnce follows another seasonable Admonition and Advice for the friends of Christ in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation and Profession namely that they would labor after a frame of spirit more rooted and built up in Christ This is a subsequent of the former and so it is brought in Col. 2.7 Paul having Col. 2.7 in the foregoing verse exhorted them to walk in Christ by frequent election of him in the same manner as they at first received him he here subjoins Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the faith The friends of Christ may not content themselves in the mere Repetition of their first Acts and Works but they ought to make progresse therein and grow more rooted and wel-grounded in Christ As if the Apostle had said Ye cannot walk in and with Christ as your friend unlesse ye are deeply radicated or rooted and firmely superstructed or built upon Christ Here is a twofold mecaphor the one taken from plants wel-radicated the other from Edifices or Houses wel-grounded He teacheth us therefore that Christ is our Root in which we ought to be daily more firmely radicated and our Foundation on which we ought to be continually more firmely edificated or built The first notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred by Erasmus So as you may have roots fixed in Christ as for the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being a participle of the present Tense it shews that this superstruction is successive and gradual as Ephes 2.21 In sum the Spirit and mind of this Advice is that the Friends of Christ would Endeavor after a Soliditie firmitude depth and strength in the great fundamental and vital acts of Faith So it follows and stablished in the faith f Idem absque figura repetit quod per Translationes dixerat Calv. in loc whereby he nakedly and without a Figure expresseth what he had before wrapped up in the two Metaphors of being rooted and built up in Christ Now the great Fundamental and vital Acts of Faith in Christ wherein the Friends of Christ should endeavor to be more deeply radicated or rooted and built up are these 1. 1. A solid and firme Assent to and Estime of Christ The Friends of Christ must labor after a greater Soliditie and depth as also Firmitude and Strength of Assent to and Estimation of Christ as their Friend The more deeply radicated solid and firme our Assent to and estime of Christ as our friend is the more shal we Live and Walk and Act according to the Laws of Friendship with him A superficial feeble Assent to or commun and cheap estime of Christ argues a very slender and narrow if any degree of sincere Amitie with Christ This proves the ruine of a world of pretended friendship to Christ that it wants this due soliditie Firmitude depth and vigor of Assent and Estime And without al peradventure the more the friends of Christ are radicated and wel-grounded herein the more they wil grow up to flourishing Trees and beautiful Structures of Amitie with Christ 2. 2. A strong and resolute Adherence to Christ Another Radical Fundamental and Vital part of Faith wherein the friends of Christ should endeavor after more soliditie depth and Firmitude is cordial Adhesion to Christ as their friend The friends of Christ should labor after a peremtorie resolute yea Head-strong Bent of wil in adherence to Christ The more tenacious violent and strong the wil is in adhering to Christ the better and more durable is its friendship with him This was the main of Barnabas's advice to the young Christians at Antioch Act. 11.23 Act. 11.23 And he exhorted them al that with purpose of Heart they would cleave unto the Lord. Barnabas was much rejoyced to see their young and green Amitie towards Christ ay but he would fain have them more solid and firme more deeply radicated in their Adherence to Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of Heart i. e. with a more peremtorie resolute determined fixed wil an heart more strongly bent more firmely and inviolably knit to Christ a wil more firmely determined for Christ but more undetermined for sin and self an Heart more and more resolved for Christ but more and more unresolved for other Lovers a wil more bent for Christ but more unbent for Idol-friends So much also is contained in the following notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to adhere or cleave to the Lord as the needle to the Loadstone as the Wife to her Husband as the Bodie to the soul This firme solid and deep Adherence of the wil to Christ is wel expressed Ps 73.26 Psal 73.26 my flesh and mine Heart faileth but God is the strength of mine Heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my rock He to whom mine heart adheres as a drowning man to his rock Or we may read it with R. Ezra thus the firme Adhesion of mine Heart is to God Hold fast Christ contend for him it is a lawful plea to go to holding for Christ Rutherf As if he had said I am wel nigh immersed and quite swallowed up in the Ocean of Tentations but yet the firme Adherence or rational Bent of mine Heart is to Christ here I am resolved to adhere and stick come what wil. And why because he is my portion for ever as it follows Christ loves a peremtorie resolved wil such as cannot part with him for the greatest good
may our Hopes leap and dance on this rock and bid defiance to Hel it self Satan's main work is to role the friends of Christ off this their rock and their main busines is to cast the Anchor of their Hope daily on Christ the Rock of Ages And this is matter of eternal encouragement to the real friends of Christ that albeit their Hopes are faint feeble and variable yet the Foundation on which they anchor is strong and immutable whereas the false friend of Christ may have strong hopes or rather presumtions yet he hath only a variable fleeting sandy foundation namely his own foolish heart and carnal confidences 5. 5. Joy and Complacence in Christ Another Affection wherewith the friends of Christ ought to entertain him is Joy complacence and delight When Christ infuseth himself into the hearts of his friends and gives them any tast of his satisfying sweetnesses and excellences how should they yield up themselves to Christ yea lose themselves in him k Est amicitiae proprium quâ—d alâ—quis in praesentia amici delectetur in eo consolationem contra omnes anxietates inveniat Aquin. Gent. contra l. 4. c. 24. Is it not a proprietie of friendship that a man solace himself in the presence of his friend and find consolation in him against al Anxieties Hence is it not the custome for men under al their griefs and discomfitures to have recourse unto their friends for comfort Thus the friends of Christ must make his presence the Spring and Matter of their Consolation and Joy As nothing should be so bitter to them as Christ's departure so nothing so sweet and joyous as his Returne As Christ's Absence makes up their Hel so his presence must make up the Heaven of his friends Christ wil not cannot have his abode long in that heart where any Idol-friend is more prised than himself Christ is the Element wherein his friends ought to live and breath and bath themselves in soul-satisfying delights Christ is such a Regal friend as that he expects a Throne al alone in the complacence of his friends He allows them to spend some loose Affections on Inferior friends provided that they reserve their highest complacence and delight for himself their best beloved This must be made over without Reversion and Reserve to Christ Cant. 2.3 Thus the Spouse Cant. 2.3 I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my tast She soon tasted the sweetnes and felt the ravishing delights of a present embraced Christ Thence it follows v. 4. He brought me to the banquetting house and his banner over me was love 6. 6. Godly Fear The friends of Christ should labor after as great a mesure as may be of Holy Fear towards Christ their joy in Christ's presence ought to be mixed with Godly fear and holy Tremblement of heart lest Christ should be displeased We find these two seemingly opposite Affections in conjunction Psal 2.11 serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling This is an excellent combination when spiritual joy and Godly fear are joined together Oh! what a lively character of sincere friendship is this when the heart is filled with Raptures of Joy in Christ's presence and yet at the very same time under an holy Tremblement and fear of displeasing Christ or doing any thing unworthy of friendship with him This seems implied in that Evangelick promise touching backsliding Israel Hos 3.5 Hos 3.5 And shal fear the Lord and his Goodnes in the latter dayes The false friends of Christ are said to fear the Lord and his Lions or Judgements but to fear the Lord and his goodnes or mercies this is peculiar to the real friend of Christ who hath never greater Tremblements of heart godly fear and self-jelousie lest he should displease Christ than when he lies under the most warme beams and Influences of Christ's presence This is a Mysterie that false friends are not skil'd in 7. 7. Zele for Christ The Friends of Christ should Endeavor after a burning flaming zele for Christ Zele in its largest notion is but the Fermentation Ebullition or boiling up of al the Affections But in its strict sense it imports a Spiritual Fervor or heat of Affection against whatever may oppose any desired Good As to our present case conjugal zele for Christ implies a fervent boiling Indignation against whatever may oppose the Name Honor Interest Glorie and Exaltation of Christ The friends of Christ ought to burne with a masculine zele for al the concernes of their Lord. Thus it was with David Psal 119.139 My zele Psal 119.139 158. hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy words Consumed me or quite drunk up my spirits eaten up my bowels dispirited my Soul So flaming was his zele The like v. 158. I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word and was grieved k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tedio afficit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies was wearied burdened or tired out Nothing was so burdensome tiresome and irksome to David's spirit as to see profane sinners live in professed disobedience to God's Word Such an heroick zele possessed his Heart Such a generous Zele should al the friends of Christ labor after SECT 5. The Friends of Christ must endeavor after a greater Latitude of interne Uniformitie with and externe Conformitie unto Christ 5. 5. Advice for an Uniformitie with and Conformitie to Christ THE friends of Christ should endeavor after the greatst Vniformitie with and Conformitie to Christ that may be This is another great Admonition and Advice for Christ's friends in order to their living up to their Dignitie and Relation l Omnes effectus tunc maxime perfecti suni quando maximè similantur Causae Aquin. contra Gent. l. 2. c. 46. Wherein consists the perfection of an Intelligent creature but in Divine Assimilation to or Ressemblance of Christ his Creator Are not al effects then most perfect when they most ressemble their First Cause And surely the more perfect Christ's friends are and the more like to him the better friends they wil approve themselves Again al friendship imports some kind of Vnion or Vnitie in Ends and designes Now there can be no real union or unitie in one commun end unlesse there be Vnion Vnitie or Vniformitie of wils and actions m Amicorum proprium est iaem Velle nolle Aqu. contra Gent. l. 3. c. 151. It is the proper character of friends to Wil and Nil to rejoice and grieve in the same things A singularitie of Wils and conformitie of Actions gives much perfection to friendship Al friendship requires some degree of interne Vniformitie as also externe Conformitie and the more Vniforme and Conforme friends are in what is good the better wil their friendship be Difformitie and dissimilitude in Spirits or Actions is that which makes a great breach on Amitie For al Friendship is founded in
he cannot have your hearts in the fulnes and abundance of al things he wil have them under the want of althings if his Gracious and sweet Visitations wil not allure you his bitter and severe Visitations shall drive you to him O then follow Christ while in waies of mercie draw near to him walk with him day by day in waies of Communion Indeavor after communion with Christ and then dout not but he wil walk with you in waies of Grace and Comfort keep close to him in al Times Conditions and States and he wil keep close to you 1. 1. In al Religious Duties and Ordinances Maintain daily communion with Christ in al Duties and exercices of Religion None live up to their Dignitie and Dutie as friends of Christ but such as eye and enjoy him in their Religious Duties and Exercices whether private or publick It 's good to be much in duties but it is better to be much with Christ in duties Religious duties and Ordinances they are Christs Galleries wherein he is held Cant. 7.5 by his friends that draw nigh to him therein but as for mere formal legal Duties wherein Christ is not minded they are the Devil's Galleries wherein he is held O! if ever you would be found to be real and faithful friends of Christ be sure you satisfie not your selves with duties done unlesse you meet and enjoy Christ therein 2 2. In al Providential occurrences If you would fulfil and walk up to your Relation and Dignity as friends of Christ then maintain communion with him in al Providential Occurrences whether Consolative or Afflictive smiling or frowning Remember that God's Providences are oft a good Comment on his Promises his Works frequently expound and explain his Word unto us and therefore his friends at least such as are wise wil understand the same as also the loving kindnes of God shining therein Psal 107.43 as Psal 107.43 Whoso is wise and wil observe those things even they shal understand the loving kindness of the Lord. He had discoursed here of the Works of God's Providence which his wiser friends would observe The friends of Christ when Providence smiles on them their hearts should be thereby allured to him it sufficeth not them to injoy mercies from Christ unlesse they can injoy Christ in their mercies And then for Afflictive frowning Providences if Christ sees it meet to withdraw comforts from them they must see it their dutie and endeavor to make it their practice to withdraw their Hearts from those comforts The lesse they injoy of the creature the more they should injoy of Christ in al his afflictive Visitations A great part of our communion with Christ consists in the fellowship of his Crosse and none usually prove more loyal friends of Christ than such as have got the Art and skil of communion with him on the Crosse As Christ was most exalted in Spirit when crucified in the flesh so the friends of Christ should endeavor conformitie to him herein To live a sublime high elevated life of faith in their lowest conditions As an humble self-abasing Spirit greatly adornes an high condition so an exalted sublime high Spirit or life of faith greatly adornes a low afflicted condition in the friends of Christ 3. 3. In creature-comforts and Inferior goods The Friends of Christ should make it their work to injoy Christ in al creature-comforts Inferior Relations and Injoyments Christ alone must be the matter of their Fruition and Satisfaction and al other things matter of use subservient to Christ Nothing is good farther than it comes from Christs heart and draws our hearts to him O! what rich and delicious lives might the friends of Christ lead would they but eye and injoy Christ in al their Creature-Comforts I have known one and indeed a great friend of Christ who I verily believe injoyed more of Christ and his Gracious presence in his Civil Employments and Creature-injoyments than many yea may I not say than most Christians do in their most spiritual duties and Ordinances O! What might we injoy of Christ in the visible Book of Nature and Creature-Comforts had we but spiritual hearts SECT 7. The Friends of Christ must make it their main Studie and Endeavor to give al the content that may be to Christ 7. 7. Advice to give Christ al the content that may be THe Friends of Christ should make it their main yea only Studie and Endeavor to give Christ al the Content that may be This is another great Admonition and Advice for the Friends of Christ such as affect to live up to their Relation and Dignitie f Per hoc quod aliquis Amicus consttuitur 〈◊〉 offeasa removetur Amicitia enim affensae contrariatur Aquinas cont Gent. l. 4. c. 21. For certainly none Act and Live and deport themselves as the friends of Christ but such as studie and endeavor to content and please him Disgustful and displeasing Carriages even among equals are very much unbecoming yea sometimes destructive to Friendship But how much more unbeseeming the friends of Christ who are so far inferior to him are all disguiful or ingrateful deportments towards Christ Is there any thing more becoming the friends of Christ than this that they studiously indeavor by al means possible to please and content so good a friend This implies these particulars 1. 1. Christ's friends must do nothing that may grieve Christ or his Spirit The friends of Christ must do nothing that may be disgustful and displeasing to Christ or his Spirit they must not grieve either one or t'other For if the Spirit of Christ be grieved he himself is also grieved So Esa 63.10 But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemie and he fought against them So far as men vexe the Spirit of Christ so far they vexe him and of a friend make him their enemie Thence Ephes 4.30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God c. If the friends of Christ can be so unkind as to grieve his Spirit they must expect that Christ wil be so just and faithful as not to passe by such unkindnesses without grief from them Now Christ and his Spirit are grieved and displeased 1. 1. Avoid visible Relapses or secret Indulgences By Visible Relapses into grosser sins or secret Indulgences in lesser sins For look as natural grief ariseth from the presence of any repugnant or displeasing object so proportionably Christ and his Spirit are grieved at the presence of any prevalent sin or lesser sin approved of Private Dalliances with any darling lusts yea smal omissions of known Duties if allowed of and lived in are great griefs to Christ and his Spirit And the better friend Christ has been to any of us the more he is grieved at the least Dalliances with or Indulgences in sin either of omission or commission 2. 2. Beware of Backslidings By Secret Backslidings of Heart or
The friends of Christ should obey the Gracious Inspirations of the Spirit as God himself n Fr. de Sales Introduct a la vie Devote ' These Inspirations are saith a devote Papist those Attractions Movements Reproches Interior Remorses and Illuminations which God workes in us preventing our heart by his Benedictions to the End that he may awaken excite and draw us unto Virtues and good Resolutions ' Now these the hearts of Christ's friends must be very flexible unto if they wil content Christ To resist Christ's Spirit provokes him much 5. 5. Fidelitie towards Christ Such as wil content Christ must studie and Endeavor after the greatest Fidelitie and Loyaltie towards him especially in difficult times Fidelitie is an essential part yea the Spirit and soul of Amitie We ought saith the serious Jansenist to studie fidelitie in the least occurrences o S. Cyraâ— Lett. Chrest p. 422. as a veritable friend who is more wounded in his own heart by the least Infidelitie which he commits than his friend against home he commits it is wounded ' An unfaithful friend gives Christ no better content than an open enemie 6. 6. Frequent Addresses to Christ Frequent Addresses and Applications to Christ for Grace and Conduct give much content to him As Absences Distances and Estrangements from Christ greatly displease him so daily Supplications to Dependences on and Converses with him are hugely pleasing to him None please him better than they who are most humbly confident and bold with him for Grace p Absenciae enemiga de Amor. Spanish Prov. Absence is a great enemie to Amitie and therefore very disgustful to Christ 7. 7. Civilitie and respects due to Christ The Friends of Christ must be very civil and respective towards him they must performe al Acknowlgements Respects and Ceremonies of friendship which are due to Christ Civilitie is the performance of those Ceremonies and Respects which are due And certainly if Rudenes and Incivilitie be a sin in any it is in the friends of Christ who give not their best Respects to Christ who most deserves and therefore may wel expect them Without dout the best breeding is to be Civil and Respective to Christ our best friend And the more friendly Christ is to any the more unkindly he takes al Incivilities and disrespects towards himself And this is to me a great Observation That the least disrespects or unkindnesses which Christ receives from his peculiar Confidents and friends especially such as have received great marques of favor from him are more displeasing to him than great provocations of other Professors who never received so great kindnesses from Christ O! Would the friends of Christ but walk in waies wel-pleasing to him how pleasing would al his waies be unto them Would they but make it their busines to content and please him what could discontent and displease them Would not al Duties Mercies Afflictions yea the whole Creation be pleasing and serviceable to them If our Lord be pleased what need we care who be displeased If he be a friend what matter is it who be our enemie If he smiles let the whole world frown it matters not Oh! Were our waies but obedient and complacential unto Christ how gracious how sweet how influential how complacential would his waies towards us be Could we but keep close to him in his waies of dutie how close would he keep to us in al our waies of suffering But alas alas here lies the worme of al our comforts the sting of al our sufferings we give not Christ our best friend that content which is due to him and therefore 't is no wonder we find no more content in duties or sufferings for him SECT 8. The Friends of Christ must take al their content in Christ both as the first Spring of Grace and also as the adequate object of their Beatitude 8. 8. Advice the friends of Christ must take al content in him Motives thereto OUr next Admonition and Advice to the Friends of Christ in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation is That they take al their content in Christ This indeed is the Top of Amitie with Christ and that which has an essential connexion with yea seems a main branch of the forgoing Advice For according to the mesure of content we take in Christ such a mesure of content we give unto him The Friends of Christ never give more contentement to Christ than when they take al contentement in him They must be content with Christ alone yea in point of Beatitude make him their Great Al or else they wil not give content to him no nor yet unto themselves For this Divine Art of finding al contentement in Christ is not more the Dutie than the Privilege Dignitie Perfection and Felicitie of the friends of Christ It is the Supreme Interest of the friends of Christ to make him their alone Wisdome Forces Riches Dignities Pleasures Peace Libertie Life Self and Al. Yea May we not say that Christ is and ought to be the main of his friends Heaven A little weight of Amitie and Confidence laid upon creature-friends wil soon break their back and turn them into Idols and broken reeds None can bear and therefore none ought to have the main Pondus or weight of our Friendship and Confidence but Christ Our main Errand into this world is but this in sum to give al content to Christ and take al content in him as our best friend If our Affections were more extensive than al the Affections of al the Angels united in one yet were they al yea infinitely more than al these due to Christ Other friends in themselves deserving if compared with Christ deserve nothing of our spiritually conjugal Amitie This made the Psalmist crie out Psal 73 25. Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee This good man had many friends in Heaven whom he loved wel there were his Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. whom he could not but greatly estime and love yet al these if compared with Christ were nothing he had some regard for them yet took not his main content in them in this regard he cries out Whom have I in Heaven but thee So also for his friends on Earth he had without dout many whom he much valued perhaps Wife and Children and Parents who were dear to him ay but if they come into compare with Christ he counts them not worth the naming he bids Adieu to al earthly friends crying out and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee As if he had said Lord I professe I can take my main content in none but thy self If thou take away al mine other friends from me and give thy self to me I count I lose nothing of mine essential felicitie if I lose al other friends and gain thy self I adjudge it an happie losse
Defertions Is there not much invisible love and Grace wrapt up in Christ's visible departure from his friends Paul saw much of love and mercie in the pricks of that thornie Tentation which Christ left him under to prevent the Tumur of Pride 2 Cor. 12.7 lest I should be lifted up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Meteor in the air above Mesure He knew the Cup was mixed by Christ's own hand and albeit it was very bitter yet there was no poison in it Doth not Christ oft hide himself that so his friends faith and Love may find him out Are not his delayes of returning intended as incentives to make his friends seek more earnestly after him True indeed the friends of Christ in time of Desertion think they are gone many degrees back ay but do they not really advance at least in several Graces in the end Do they not hereby gain more vile mean cheap and humble estime of themselves but more large and deep and high and broad thoughts of Christ Are not their longings and lovesicknesses after Christ more vehement Do they not arrive to a greater mesure of self-diffidence and confidence in Christ Is not their spiritual povertie and self-emtines much augmented Have they not a more tender deep sense of with stronger conflicts against sin Have they not more Evangelick and serious purposes of entertaining Christ more kindly at his returne Such are the sacred Benefits which oft attend Desertion and albeit the Lord's Retirement for a while be not formally an act of love yet is it not so intentionally on Christ's part Are not the Graces of his friends hereby drawen forth in their most glorious exercices namely to adhere to love and confide in an obsent angrie frowning Christ And is not the sinceritie and excellence of Grace hereby greatly tried and approved Doth not Christ oft intend most Grace where he sometimes most suspendeth the sweet refreshing tokens of his Presence Now these How the friends of Christ must live by faith under al his Absences with many others being the gracious fruits of Christ's Absence and Retirement from his friends for some time doth it not greatly concerne them to live by Faith under al such withdrawments of Christ Are not these some of the most noble raisures of Friendship with Christ firmely to adhere to and follow after an absent Christ yea although he may seem to turne as an enemie against the soul Ought not faith by fresh election and recumbence avouch Christ to be hers albeit Christ may seemingly denie the soul to be his Did not the Woman of Canaan discover Heroick strains of friendship towards Christ in this particular Mat. 15. Mat. 15.22 23 24 25 26 27. 1. She addresseth her self to him as an humble supplicant Mat. 22. V. 22. But what comfort doth he afford her Gold comfort indeed Mat. 23. for V. 23. He answered her not's word One would think her faith could pick little encouragement out of this What worse Hel can there be to a Believer that no answer from Christ Ay but doth not her faith spie somewhat of Heaven in this seeming Hel Doth she not apprehend somewhat of an answer in this filence of Christ Thence she continues to crie after him But yet he repels her again Mat. 24. V. 24. with I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Isracl What bottome has she for faith now Is not the door quite shut against her by this repulse Doth not this seem worse than no answer Is it not as much as if Christ had said Woman be gone I have not for thee I have nothing to do with thee Ay but yet her faith knows how to improve this seeming denial Though Christ would not own her for one of his lost Sheep yet she is resolved to own and avouch him for her Lord Mat. 25. So V. 25. Lord help me What answer doth Christ make now Mat. 26. V. 26. It 's not meet to take childrens bread and cast it to Dogs One would think her faith was now quite puzled and non-plust but indeed it was never more Victorious Mat. 27. as V. 27. and she said truth Lord c. Was not this also the posture of Job's Spirit when he resolved to retain his confidence in Christ though he should kil him And did not David's friendship with Christ greatly discover it self in this that he resolved to follow after Christ though he seemed to flie from him Psal 63.8 Is it not then a grand dutie incumbent on al the friends of Christ to live this generous life of faith under al spiritual Desertions and withdrawments of Christ Would not this turne their felt or apprehended Hel under Christ's Absence into a believed coming Heaven But to descend to some particulars of this life of Faith 1. 1 In keeping up good thoughts of Christ The friends of Christ must in al his Retirements on spiritual Desertions keep up good thoughts and maintain an high estime of Christ This is a great part of the life of faith under spiritual Desertions For how apt is Vnbelief to strike in and raise many black lies and false reports of Christ in his Absence Unbelief is a very cloudie dark thing and therefore extreme prone to cloth Christ with monstrous frightful shapes of wrath and severitie especially in the dark night of Desertion and such misjudgements of and Prejudices against Christ are greatly obstructive of a weltempered friendship with him The friends of Christ ought to expel al Vnbelieving jelousies of Christ in his withdrawments and persuade themselves there is much of love and kindnes even in Christ's frowns bowels of Sympathie and pitie under the cloak of wrath with which he seemes to be covered A quick-sighted faith may see something of Christ in al Desertions which yields matter of Hope and good opinion concerning him and although the cup that Christ gives his friends to drink of be very bitter and nauseous to flesh and bloud yet faith may tast and smel something of Christ therein Christ's absence from his friends albeit it be a kind of temporarie Hel yet it has something of Heaven engraven on it For Christ never deserts his friends so much as not to leave behind him some pledge and pawn of his Returne When Christ is gone al of Christ is not gone yea doth he not frequently in his most salt and bitter desertions send now and then a Messenger or love-token at least some invisible supports and insensible Inspirations of the Spirit of Grace which are sufficient Demonstrations that he has not totally left such souls but wil ere long return again Is it not then a great office of Faith to banish al these groundlesse jelousies surmises and misreports of Christ and to maintain high and candid thoughts of him in al his Retirements Alas what is Faith but an high noble generous and candid estime of Christ The friends of Christ may have as low estime of
similitude or likenes and the more like men are in virtuous Qualities the better friends they make I interpose virtuous Qualities as the foundation of this similitude and friendship because there is no genuine similitude or friendship but what hath its rise from Virtue Al vicious persons are difforme and dissonant not only from virtuous men but also among themselves Sin is but a Chaos or masse of Confusion difformitie and disagreement al lusts are irregular turbulent factious dissonant and jarring among themselves as wel as with Virtues Therefore vicious men whatever their pretensions may be can never attain to any sincere solid Amitie because they can never have any virtuous Vniformitie or Ressemblance It is the serious virtuous person only that may lay claim to true Vniformitie and friendship as Plato and other Philosophers have long since determined Now then this being the true Idea of al Amitie whether Divine or human that it be founded on some virtuous Vniformitie and Conformitie hence it necessarily follows that the more Vniforme with and Conforme to Christ his friends are the more they live and walk and Act up to the Dignitie of their Relation to him as friends 1. 1. Interne Uniformitie with Christ The friends of Christ should labor after the nearest interne Vniformitie with Christ their Spirits should rise up to the highest Ressemblance of Christ They should endeavor to have the Image of Christ drawen in more lively characters on their hearts Undoutedly the more the friends of Christ participate with him in the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 the more lively Impresses and Stampes of his Image they receive upon their souls the better friends they are Thus much is contained in that excellent Admonition and Advice of Paul Rom. 12.1 2. Rom. 12.1 2. v. 1. he exhorts them to present their bodies or whole persons a living Sacrifice holy acceptable unto God c. i e. to approve themselves what they professed real and loyal friends of Christ But how might they attain to this That he expresseth v. 2. And be not conformed unto this world i. e. Let not your hearts be shaped moulded or formed according to the Humors lusts fashions or any other deceitful Ideas of this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds i. e. Let your minds be stript of their old corrupt Forme received from the first Adam and be clothed with the new Divine Forme or Image of Christ the second Adam as Ephes 4.22 23. whence it follows that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect wil of God i. e. that ye may approve your selves Loyal friends of Christ The more the friends of Christ are transformed by the renewing of their minds into the Image of Christ the more they wil come to have one and the same Mind and Spirit with Christ the more they wil mind affect and delight in what Christ minds affects and delights in most Doth not the poor o Eadem velle ac eadem nolle ea demum vera Amicitia Heathen teach us that this is true friendship to wil and nil the same things What makes men better friends than an Vnitie or Similitude of Wils Must not then the friends of Christ Studie and affect a similitude yea Vnitie of Wil with Christ What makes a greater Schisme on friendship with Christ than Pluralitie of Wils Identitie or Samenes of Wil with Christ prevents a world of sin and is the Life of Grace A friend of Christ should have his wil broken to pieces that it may be made one With the Wil of Christ to mind and intend the same things with Christ Yea is not this one of the highest degrees of true Amitie with Christ Doth Christ mind and intend the Glorie of his Father most And shal not the friends of Christ endeavor after the same mind with Christ herein O what Strong Intention what pure aimes should they have at the Glorie of God How should al the concernes of self be quite melted into and swallowed up in the Concernes of God and his Glorie Again doth Christ Love and Affect Grace more than the whole Creation besides And shal not the friends of Christ love and affect Grace more than al things else Farther doth Christ delight in nothing so much as in doing and suffering his Father's Wil Was it his meat and drink to do and suffer the same O then how much should the friends of Christ delight in doing and suffering God's wil What complacence should they take in Active and Passive obedience Thus the friends of Christ should studie and affect a greater Latitude of interne Vniformitie with Christ in Mind Wil and Affection And without al peradventure the more they partake of one and the same Divine Nature and heart with Christ the more faithful and complete friends are they 2. 2. Externe Conformitie to Christ The friends of Christ must studie and endeavor not only Interne Vniformitie with but also externe Conformitie to Christ They must not only mind and affect but also Talk and Act and Live as Christ True friendship even among men requires not only Habitual and inward Ressemblance in Nature dispositions Principles and Affections but also actual and outward Conformitie in Conversation and Actions So here Divine Amitie with Christ implies not only interne habitual Assimilation to him but also externe actual Imitation of him and the greater Latitude of degrees the friends of Christ attain herein the more real and visible yea glorious wil their Amitie appear to be This was Paul's greatest Ambition to be an Imiâ—ator of Christ which he commends also to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11.1 1 Cor. 11.1 Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ So Ephes 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God Ephes 5.1 as dear Children It is the Ambition of pious Children to imitate their Parents in what is good As they partake with them in one and the same Nature and likenes so would they fain conforme to them by one and the same Actions and Mode of life Parents Exemples are usually more forcible and binding than their precepts to their Children And this ariseth from that natural friendship or Vniformitie of Nature which is betwixt Parents and Children Such should the Exemple of Christ be to his Children and friends by Grace as they have his Divine Nature communicated to them and thereby an Vniformitie of Spirits so also should they studie and affect a conformitie to or Imitation of him in al their Actions and Conversation Did Christ break thorow al Tentations and Difficulties to do and suffer his Father's Pleasure Should not then his friends arme themselves with the same mind in doing and suffering the wil of God Is it not greatly unbecoming a friend of Christ to be thrust off from a dutie either by the Frowns or Smiles of this lower world Was David that Noble friend of Christ scoffed off from his dutie by Michal Doth he not rather