Endeavour not to worke out your safety by policie neglecting duty but leave all your safety to him who is your life being resolute in your duty What if men oppose If God command let us go on What if men contrive If Christ take care let us not draw back You are Christs Garden hee watcheth over you night and day There may some Foxes rise up but see what Christ saith Cant. 2.15 Take us the Foxes the little Foxes that spoile the Vines for our Vines have tender grapes But I say no more of that thing The fourth Consectarie is raised from the last thing wherein Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Consect 4. which was That Christ takes great delight in it and content in the injoyment of it From thence observe this Consectarie That Christs delight or the delight of Christ is in and with the heart of Saints This same is not a new thing but that which of old was declared concerning Christ Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable part of the earth and my delights were with the sonnes of men What Christ saith of himselfe before wee were hee expresseth severall times since wee are by him brought home to him Christ loves us and delights so to do Christ lives in us it s his content to be there Christ carries out our spirits in love to answer love Christ delights to see the returnes of his own Beames the fruits of his own love the effects of his owne power It is the joy of a Saint to dwell with Christ and it is no lesse but the joy and content of Christ to live with a saint Where a saint is Iohn 17.22 Christ must bee for they are one Where Christ is the saint must bee that they may behold his glory Christ came downe to make out his highnes through the lownesse of the flesh â— Cor. 8.9 that he might draw us up above the flesh into the glory of the spirit This was the work of Christ to which he was designed by God the Father and thus to do was his meat and drinke Hee takes such delight in them that hee will not nor cannot with-hold any good from them what God gives to Christ Christ gives to a saint as a fruit of his love to them in whom his soule delights The Vse of this may bee Vse 1 First To refresh our spirits what greater refreshment can a soule have then to bee delighted in by him whom his soule loves Christs love transcends yours his delight in you transcends your apprehensions Oh that we could alwaies be ravished with his loves Certainly Friends were we taken up more in this Fountain we should not bee troubled though the streames grow dry What if outward relation faile and externall accomodations cease Christ lives and in that hee lives you shall live also Joh. 14.19 Truely friends There is more in a pound then can be in a penny more in a pearle then can be in both why then should you be cast down Though the creatures frowne Christ smiles It s not much trouble to a woman espoused to a man though other men withdraw themselves if her husbands love continue Oh that it could be so amongst the Saints Secondly Vse 2 This should heighten our spirits to live at a higher rate then now we doe Vpon no lower principles then the loves and delights of Christ And the truth is friends we should live more upon Christs delighting and loving us then upon our delighting and loving Christ One is the streame and the other the Fountaine One is but the fruit the other the cause Nay it is that unchangeable foundation that standeth firme as well to raise us when wee fall as to comfort us when wee stand Thirdly Vse 3 If Christ delight in us It is but reason we should delight in him Christ in the givings out of his love to his spouse calls for love It is all Christ calls for and the truth is it is but the fruit of his owne Vine Deny him not his owne Did Christ become low to make us high or did he appeare in the lownesse of the flesh to make out the heighth and glory of the spirit that through that highnesse wee might bee made high Oh you that are thus made high by him My desire is That you would willingly bee made low for him Mee thinks the still streames of Christs smiles should carry us cheerefully through the worlds frownes But I shall say no more of this Vse nor of this Consectarie The other Consectaries do arise from the third particular and that was How Christs Church appeares to bee Christs Garden And that appeares from these foure Considerations First It is planted by him Consect 1. Secondly It is inclosed in him Thirdly It is made fruitfull through the enjoyments of him Fourthly It lookes like him First It is planted by him From thence observe this Consectarie That Christs Church is Christs plant And that this is a truth I have proved already But the Vses that we are to make of this truth are these First Vse 1 What shall we thinke of those that goe to plant Churches and not by Christ but rather by the power of a Civil Law which Lawes admits of alteration and therefore so often as they are altered the Church must bee new planted And secondly They are onely lawes that can reach the flesh and not the spirit therefore not fit to plant a spirituall plant as a choice piece for Jesus Christ Therefore let all such as endeavour thus to do take heed what they doe for in their going about thus to resemble Christ they will make themselves obnoxious to men and to Christ and expose themselves to the exercise of the Kingly power of Christ whose office alone it is to plant his Chruch In the second place Vse 2 This teacheth us the folly of those men that goe about to pull up Christs plants Let us consider what they doe first They goe about that which is impossible to be done for can any disanull or make void the worke of Christ It is impossible Therefore in so doing they will in the close render themselves not wise but fooles Besides In these their actings they act against Christ in going about to unplant Christs plants And when the Lord saith Psal 105.15 Touch not mine annointed this is also intended as well as immediate oppositions against Christ for a saint is Gods annointed as well as Christ 2 Cor. 1.21 In the third place Vse 3 This should comfort all the saints It is impossible for that tree to be made barren which Christ planteth especially which hee planteth by the rivers of water You are planted in the heart of Christ and those sweet streames of eternall glory that runs forth from God to us through Christ are the watering streams And what if the son of persecution without looks upon you the Sonne of righteousnesse lives in you Malec 4.2 which brings healings for you But I shall
say no more of this thing The next Consectarie doth arise from the second thing Consect 2. VVhy the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was Because they are inclosed in him From thence observe this Consectarie That it is the priviledge of the Saints not onely to be of but actually and really to live in Jesus Christ This I have spoken largely of already But that which we may learne from this is First To teach us what the reason is Vse 1 why few men understand the life of a Saint It is Because they goe to understand it where it is not Every thing is understood rightly when it is understood in that Element where it lives It is impossible for men that live below Christ to understand the glory of that life that saints enjoy in Christ It is high it is glorious it is full of misterious wonders their life is in Christ their life is very Christ Iohn 14.6 their life is caused by Christ their life is hid with God in Christ Col. 3.3 All this sheweth that it is a high and glorious mistery Therefore this should teach you not to wonder though men speak so darkely of it and have so little affection to it It cannot be that the Earthly as Earthly should owne the Heavenly It cannot bee that those that are in the flesh as in the flesh should owne the spirit But when I speak thus of the flesh I doe not onely meane that which men commonly call the flesh but that which the Apostle intendeth by flesh when he saith We knew Christ after the flesh but now know wee him so no more â— Cor. 5.16 Now Dearest friends VVhat need you care or be troubled though they that are after the flesh persecute you that are after the spirit See what the Apostle saith Gal. 4.29 For as then he that was after the flesh persecuted him that was after the Spirit even so it is now But I shall say no more of that thing but only this In the midst of all trouble consider that you are wrapt up above all trouble in the inclosure of him who is your life The third Consectary doth arise from the third particular Consect 3. why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was because they bring forth fruit through the enjoyments of him From whence observe this Consectary That in-comes from Christ is the cause of our bringing forth fruit to Christ Every effect is produced by a cause sutable to it selfe All our loves longings desirings and gaspings after Jesus Christ is not a Cause but a fruit of Christ as the onely cause The Vse of this is Vse 1 First Deare friends Look not upon your desires and your loves as causing Christ to come into your spirits but as that which flowes from Christ being already in you And therefore what shall wee think of those men who without Christ seeke in their prayings lovings and longings to gaine a Christ Deare Soule know Christ is taken with nothing but what lookes like himselfe and nothing lookes like him but what is produced by him Secondly Vse 2 This should also teach us to owne things as Christ ownes them He ownes that love longing and desire in us that flowes from himselfe And so ought wee Thirdly Vse 3 This should teach us to give Christ the glory Ioh. 15.4 as of our priviledges in him so also of all the duty wee performe to him Gal. 5.22 beeing but fruits of in-comes from him Fourthly Vse 4 This informes us what a priviledge it is to performe duties to Christ when as they flow from an enjoyment of Christ Eph. 1.5 6. first There is a certaine acceptance with him for he cannot chuse but love and like the returnes of his owne love Besides it is a priviledge in this That we are not to carry the power of duty Luke 4.32.36 but the power of duty carries us to it selfe How easie must that command be when the party commanding is the party performing By this not onely you but all may see how sweetly how Evangelically how heavenly those Soules act that act from an enjoyment of Christ Eph. 1.19 3.20 they doe not only act to but in the power of Christ they doe not only act to heaven but from the power of heaven In the last place Vse 5 This may inform us when the time is of a saints fruitfullnesse and of a saints barrennesse If Christ with-hold his displayings of love life and glory in us so farre there is a cessation of heavenly actings by us and this is a Saints barren time And when Christ is pleased to bring downe the discoveries of the hidden mysteries of Divine glory to raise up a poore spirit into the glory of it selfe It no sooner sees but it doth conceive it no sooner lookes but it presently loves and as it loves so it longs for a perfection of enjoyment of the thing beloved But I say no more of this Vse nor of this Consectarie The last Consectarie doth arise from the last thing Consect 4. Why the Church of Christ is called Christs Garden which was Because they looke like him From thence observe this Consectarie That a saint as a saint as he is of 1 Ioh. 4.17 so also he looks like Jesus Christ VVould you see the face not of the earthly Adam but of him that is from heaven VVould you see his heart VVould you see the glorious earnings of the eternall bowells of love and sweetnesse You may read this in the heart of a saint who is sprinckled enriched and garnished with these sweet beames of these Divine loves even the heart of Jesus The Vse of this may be Vse 1 first To shew us the strange conceit of some men who say they love the heart of Christ and yet love not the spirit of saints Poor soule thou mayest love the heart of Christ in the flesh â— Cor. 3.26 but not in the spirit if thou dost not love the spirit of saints God gave downe the highnesse of his glory â— Ioh. 4.7.8 and the mistery of his love in the comming of Christ to us the image and likenesse of his glory was given to the saints by the commings in of Christ in them You may read the first Adam in the heart of every carnall man you may read also the second Adam in the heart of the spirituall man VVast thou ever wrapt up into those hidden treasures I mean the Bosome of Christ Didst thou there read his Name and Nature Look and behold Is not the like in a saint How can you sleight condemne and judge him that loves and lookes like Christ The second Vse of this Vse 2 is to saints Is it of you I speake that looke like Christ As your heart doth represent Christ spiritually in the spirit Phil. 1.27 1 Pet. 1.15.2.11 so let your actions present Christ glorious and lovely ourwardly amongst men It is the
transitory thing for that soul which Christ hath spread his skirt of love over and revealed his Son in is of a more noble life then for the glory and smiles of creatures to maintain Does creatures frown if Christ smiles the heart lives Psal 4.6.7 17.14 12 Does creature oppresse Saints with Thornes and Christ deck them with crownes a Saints spirit cannot die the reason is because Saints though they live in the world yet they live by influences of that love and light which the world is not capable of 1 Cor. 2 11 14. nor by all their opposition can cause an obstruction in Ioh. 16.33 Habacuk 3.16 17. Fifthly It looks like him Adam begat a son like unto himself so that child or son of Wisdom which is in the heart of Saints looks like Jesus Christ and as Christ is the Image of the Father Hebr. 1.2 this is the Image of the Son 1 Cor. 15.49 and thus Saints are said not onely to bear the Image of the Earthly but likewise of the Heavenly this is the cause why Christ delights to behold the face of Saints Cant. 2.14 and a Saint loves to behold the face of Christ Can. 6 12. Christ beautifies a Saint with his owne beauty Ezek. 16.14 and then he loves to behold his owne beauty in a Saints spirit every thing loves its like this is the cause of so much soul-feasting in a Saints spirit even this they are beheld by Christ and are employed in the beholding of Christ and so much of this thing what is meant by wisdoms children Now the reason why none but wisdoms children can justifie wisdom are these First Reason 1 None can so justifie wisdom but they which understand wisdom Ioh. 15.21 but none understand wisdom but wisdoms sons 1 Iohn 3.1 therefore none but wisdoms sons can justifie wisdom It s true that many may from the outward teaching of Christ declare somthing of Christ but they alone truly understand him that live in him and truly and really understand that excellency and divine sweetnesse that is proper to him therefore they onely can truly justifie him Secondly Reason 2 Every effect is caused by a power sutable to its self but no power is sutable to the acknowledging of the glorious excellency of Christ but that which flowes from and is really one with the spirit of Jesus the truth is the glories of Christ are too high for spirits that live at a distance from Christ to acknowledge and that is the cause why the men of the world are so farre from justifying that they condemn Christ though not under the notion of his name yet it is his name both in himself and saints that the world condemns Thirdly All other spirits beside the spirit of Saints is so far from being capable of justifying that they are altogether condemners of that Light which is come into the World Iohn 3.19 Darknesse cannot justifie Light nor evil will not justifie good no more can the spirit of wicked men justifie Christ its true that light takes advantage by darknesse for the further displaying of its owne glory but this is to honour it self by it and not to receive honour from it so Jesus Christ in the glorious displayings of life and love takes an advantage even of wicked men leaving of them without excuse but it s onely proper to them that know and have power from and are one with wisdom to justifie wisdom and so much for the reasons The Vse is of Information Vse to inform you of many things which will be drawn from the particular termes in the conclusion and I shall draw them forth by way of brief conclusions or consectaries every particular admitting of a particular consectarie as thus First I told you what wisdom was It 's Christ And why he is called Wisdom He may be so called under these considerations First He is the Fountain retaining Secondly He is the way causing Thirdly He is the Object employing Fourthly He is wisdom essentially as the life of a Saints light From which four reasons we may observe these four consectaries or conclusions First Consect 1. There is no wisdom in Saints but what was first in Christ for them Ioh. 1.9.16 Secondly Consect 2. None can truly understand the mistery of the Father Mat. 11.27 but by the Son Iohn 15.15 Or thus The understanding of the Father Iohn 14.5 is the work of the Son Thirdly Consect 3. That soule that is made wise by Christ Eph. 1.17 18 19. is employed in the understanding of the mysterie of the Father in Christ Gal. 2.20 Or thus Christ is the object of a Saints wisdom Fourthly Consect 4. ohn 1.4 oh 14.19 That light in saints which truly flowes from Christ as Christ the life of that light is Christ I shall make use of these four conclusions-together as thus Vse 1 Is Christ the Fountain retaining wisdom for you Is Christ the way communicating wisdom to you Is Christ the object of wisdom Is Christ the life of that light which is thus called wisdom Then note first Coloss 2.9 That Christ is all in all to a saints spirit Colos 3.11 What hast thou which thou hast not received and what way receivest thou but by Christ and if so 1 Cor. 4.7 then give the sole and whole glory of that thy wisdom to Christ Iohn 14.6 There is no such ingratitude as this for men not to return an acknowledgement to him from whence all flowes to glory in our own as Christ is a great sin against Christ but to make that to be ours which is proper to Christ so as to give the glory of that good to our selves Ezek. 16.15 16 17. or to any thing else besides Christ is and will be taken unkindly by him The second Vse is of singular comfort to all saints Vse 2 Is Christ the Fountain retaining and the way causing and the life of thy light preserving and the Object of thy light implying What canst thou desire more There are these three things that maketh any thing eminent The rise from which The nature of which and the place whither Thy wisdom ôh saint is one with Christ it rises and raises thee in its rising to be employed in the glorious beholdings of Christ What can thy soul desire more The mysterie of the Father and the Son Iohn 14.7 is the object of thy eye This is that which out-gloryeth all glory below it self This supplies thee with all good when all things depart from thee but it self Those streams can never grow dry whose fountain alwaies flowes forth to fill them That heart can never be at alosse who is alwaies employed amongst and in the enjoyment of eternal gaines This should therefore in an eminent sense comfort all Saints It should also comfort you against all the oppositions you meet with in the world Do men labour to interrupt the
it by that power and authority in it and in so doing they take upon them the sole work of God himself But I shall say no more of that thing nor of the first terme in the Proposition What I mean by the Church of Christ 2. Why the Church is called a Garden The second thing to be unfolded is Why the Church of Christ is called a Garden Or wherein it may fitly be compared to a Garden I answer The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in these things First In that it is inclosed common fields have common fences 1. Christs Church may fitly bee called a Garden Because it is inclosed but no special enclosure In a special manner to be enclosed is the property of a Garden and therein may the Church of Christ fitly bee called a Garden Cant. 4.12 A Garden enclosed is my sister my Spouse and so Isa 5. I had a Vineyard and I set a Wall about it saith Christ and I hedged it c. All this discovers thus much That the Church of Christ which is Christs Garden is specially enclosed and this enclosure is not a bare external discipline to separate them from the World Rom. 8.35 But it is also the special love Iohn 14.21.15.12 13.17.15 and power and sweetnesse of Christ to secure them from the evil that is in the world 2. Because there is more fruit there then elsewhere Secondly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more special fruit there then elsewhere In common fields and road-waies there may be common fruits but your special and choice fruits are in your enclosed Gardens so it is in the Church of Christ In the men of the world there may be some common gifts to declare Christ and some civil and legal conformity to Christ and also a love to Christ from a supposed good by Christ when they can love themselves in loveing of Christ and the same we may say of sorrow for sin and joy in duty c. But if you look for a choise love and a choise light Eph. 3.29.5.19 you must look for it where it is Mat. 11.27 and that is either in the heart of Christ the Gardiner 1 Iohn 2.20.27 or else in the saints who are the Garden Every stream looks like its own Fountain and every beam like its own Body from whence it flowes Therefore if you desire to see a choise love 2 Cor. 7.11 and a choise light a choise joy and a choise sorrow you must view it onely and alone in the heart of saints They who are possessed with Christ and so live with Christ that all living acts flow from Christ they are not carried out to love from an apprehension of good without them presented to them But they love from a power of good seated in them They do not love to gain life but they so love from a power of life that it is a gain to them to love That love that is in the heart of Saints to God flowes from no lesse then the very heart of God It looks like him it is owned by him it wraps up and involves the spirit loving in the glory of him these are the choise fruits and spices Christ speaks of in the CANTICLES And so we are to understand the words of Christ Mat. 5.47 where he saith What is in you more then in another implying that there is some singular thing in the heart of Saints that is not else where You may finde light and love and sorrow and joy in the heart of men yet unacquainted truely with God But if you will finde these Purely and Truely Singly and Transcendently you must expect it no where but where Christ dwells with a Soule and a Soule with Christ And therefore under that second consideration The Church of Christ may fitly bee called a Garden 3. Because there is more care taken of it Thirdly The Church of Christ may fitly be called a Garden Because there is more Care taken of it and more speciall watching over it then of other places Where the Lord saith Esa 27.3 I watered it and watched it night and day that none should burt it Men take a common care of their common fields But they take a speciall care of their enclosed Gardens So it is with God himselfe Psal 145.9 Whose mercy is over all his works But his choycest Loves Light Iohn 14 21.23 and Life is displayed in the heart of Saints and they are not onely under a common Providence but a Fatherly and Friendly care I might here speake something of the White stone and also of the choice ownings and imbracings betwixt Christ and his Saints But I shall leave that to the experience of them that doe enjoy it 4. Because Christ takes satisfaction and delight in it Fourthly The Church of Christ may fitly be compared to a Garden in referrence to the sweet Refreshings Satisfaction and Content Christ takes in it Which content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare and is made manifest by these things First In Christ's sweet discoveries and friendly manifestations in a secret way to them Iohn 14.21 It is here betwixt Christ and his Church as it is betwixt friends If men desire to have a friendly discourse with a friend they commonly go not into the common fields but into enclosed Gardens where they may discover their mindes as privately so freely and friendly So it is betwixt Christ and his Church who when he hath any choice matter to discover from the heart of his Father He presently retires to the heart of Saints Iohn 15.15 where he doth and can speake as fully so freely And in his discovery of himselfe and his Father to them hee takes great delight And herein the content and satisfaction of Christ in the Saints doth appear Secondly The content and satisfaction of Christ doth appeare in that Christ is pleased not onely to carry them by a common hand of Providence but hee carries them in his Bosome Esa 40.11 He delights for them to ly in his heart and for Him to live in them Thirdly Not onely so But the content of Christ appeares in divers expressions which he takes up to expresse himselfe in and declare himselfe by to his Churches Hag. 2.23 Sometimes he calls them the Signet upon his finger Sometimes hee desires to bee Set as a seale upon their heart Cant. â— 6 Sometimes hee cries out and saith Turne away thine eyes from me Cant. 6.5 for they have overcome me And sometimes hee cries out Shew me thy Countenance Let mee heare thy voice for sweet is thy voice Cant. â— 14 and thy Countenance comely It is here with Christ as it is with one that delights not only in a Garden but in the variety of fruits in that Garden So Christ is pleased by the sweet and glorious scituation and indwelling of himselfe
eating nor drinking they have something against him crying out he hath a devil Christ comes another way and takes away that occasion for he comes eating and drinking but that wil not cause them to affect Truth but as they accuse the one so they accuse the other as Christ said then we may say now The spirit of Saints are alwaies too high 16 or 11.15 or too low in the judgement of the world Acts 2.13 If Saints rejoyce in their soule refreshings they enjoy by Christ then they are drunke with new wine or they say of them as they said of Iohn in another case he hath a devil or if they groan under sinne then the world cryes out they are foolish or mad and thus the spirit of the world will still except against Truth and they will seeme to take offence at some externall acting to raile against the internall glory of wisedome saying I was not against such men and women as they were Godly though the truth is that is their chiefest ground but one cries out I cannot love such a man or woman because they are Presbyterians others cries out they cannot affect such and such because they are Independents this bitternesse the Devil hath cast in amongst men and men would seeme to cover it by laying the difference on the externall forme rather then in that spirituall difference that is betwixt them and Christ but the truth is were all outward occasions in externall formes removed yet the world cannot love Mat. 10.22 but must condemne Truth Mark 13 13. The first Reason is Reason 1 Because there is an antipathie betweene the spirit of the world Rom. 8. 5.6 7 8 9. and the spirit of Saints the one is the spirit of Christ the other is the spirit of the Devil and this antipathy is expressed by God himselfe Gen. 13.15 where he saith I have put enmitie betweene the seede of the woman and the seede of the serpent the seed of the serpent is the spirit of the world and the seede of the woman is Jesus Christ The spirit of the world as it is the worlds spirit and the spirit of Christ cannot close therefore we may take up those expression vvhom God hath joyned together none can separate and those spirits that God have separated none can joyne together Secondly Reason 2 The spirit of the world and the spirit of Christ are not like each other therefore the spirit of the world cannot love Christ everything loves its like therefore by the rule of contraries Iohn 8.23 they will hate that which is unlike themselves Rom. 8.5 The third Reason which will further demonstrate the thing is this Reason 3 if all outward occasions were removed that the world cries out against yet still the world would hate Saints if an Independent turne Presbyterian or Presbyterian turne Independent if so they appeare Godly the world will hate them but if they appeare in either of these formes so they sute with the spirit of the world the world will love them but if Godly the world will hate them and the reason is because they are not of the vvorld Ioh. 15.19 The first Vse is to informe us Vse 1 that no uniformity without can cause peace within the spirit of the world towards Saints doe they hate Iohn because hee eats not Christ takes away this occasion and comes eating yet their hatred is the same If this be so then this shewes the folly of those men that thinke because of an uniformity without they shall have peace with the spirits of the world this cleerly discovers that these men understand not where the difference lyeth it is not in the forme without but in the spirit within This shews also the folly of those professors who thinketo gaine the love of the world by changing their formes which is impossible if they appeare Godly for if they appeare Godly either in a Presbyteriall or Independent form the world will hate you or in the deniall of either of them you shall enjoy no better therefore for a conclusion If any lire Godly in Christ Iesus they must suffer persecution 2. Tim. 3.12 The second Vse is of Exhortation Vse 2 to exhort all Saints not to think it strange that the world condemne them Ioh. 15.18.20 is truth hated in the Fountaine Mat. 10.24.25 and doe you thinke it shall be loved in the streames it is impossible doth the world hate Christ and do the Saints think to bee beloved of the world that 's a contradiction therefore this should also comfort those who suffer not as evil-doers but onely for holding forth the truth of Christ Let such remember what a naturalist said in an other cause It is the Crowne of a wise man to bee hated of a foole for speaking wisely and I am sure the ground why the world hates Saints is because saints in their words and actions speak forth the goodnesse and wisedom of God amongst men God is pleased to worke great things in them and great things by them and we may say when the world scornes and imprisons Saints as Christ said in another case for which of the good vvorkes that God hath done in them doe they imprison them But they are apt to excuse themselves as the Jewes did to Christ saying It is not for thy good vvorks but because thou blasphemest so they are apt to say we doe not oppose or imprison you for any good wrought in you or done by you but because you take upon you to declare the minde of God and walke in this or that kinde of form in your professing God as a Presbyteriam or an Independent form the truth is the world cannot bear the weight and worth of a Saints spirit though poor soules they thinke to cover themselves and their practises Esa 66.5 with the afore-named things Luke 20.19 20 21.22 yet God will one day uncover them Mat. 10. 26. but let this comfort Saints in the consideration that though the world condemns yet Wisedome is justified of her children And so I come to the words of the text which is a sweet affirmation and vvee may observe something from the party affirming and the matter afterward and the manner of the affirming with the occasion and the end of it but we shall draw up all into one conclusion and that is this It is the property of the sonnes of wisedome Doct. and them onely to justifie wisedome Luke 7.35 For the better understanding of this conclusion I shall observe this method First To shew you what is meant by wisedome Secondly What is meant by justifying Thirdly What is meant by wisedomes Children Fourthly The Reasons why none but wisedoms children can justifie wisedome Fifthly The Vse and applycations First Of the first What is meant by wisedome and in that wee shall observe two things First Who it is that is so called Secondly The ground why hee is so called First Who it is that is
so called It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the sonne of God the elect of God Esa 42.1 the delight of God the expresse image of the Father and hee that calls himselfe Wisedome Proverbs 8. and is so called Proverbs 9. The Reasons why he is so called are these First Reason 1 Because he is the fountaine retaining wisedome for us Matth. 11.27 Coll. 2.3 All the light and wisedome that is enjoyed by us was first in Christ for us and is but streams of that fountain and beams of that body Secondly Reason 2 He is not onely the fountaine retaining wisedome for us but the way to communicate wisedome to us Iohn 14.6 No man knovves the Father but him to vvhom the sonne reveals him Mat. 11.27 and vvhat ever the Father reveals to him that he reveals to you Ioh. 15.15 Thirdly Reason 3 He may be called wisedom in that hee is the object of wisedome 2 Cor. 3. last looking upon him as in a glasse 2 Cor. 5.19 vve savv God in Christ when once a soule is made wise by Christ the object of his wisedome is to understand the mistery of the Father in Christ for no other way is God as a father to bee understood and the truth is when once the soule is enlightned by Christ hee is so imployed in the understanding of that mystery in Christ that all things besides Christ is clouded and out-gloryed by it and so Christ is wisedom as hee is the object of wisedom Fourthly He is wisedome Reason 4 not only as the Fountain retaining and the way causing and the object in which wisedom is imployed but hee is wisedome Essentially for he is not onely the cause of light in us but he is the cause of life in that light therefore the Apostle sayes Gal. 2.20 Not I but Christ lives in me for when once Christ hath enlightned a soule he is then the life of that light Eph. 1.17 18 19. imploying that soule in the understanding of Divine Love And so much for the first thing what is meant by wisedome The second thing is what is meant by Justification And in that consider two things First How we are not to understand Justification Secondly How we are to understand it How wee are not to understand it the word Iustifie is taken many wayes in scripture First Sometimes to make a thing just that was not so and so God is said to justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 so wisedomes Children cannot justifie wisedome Secondly Sometimes to present men and actions just when they are not so and this is the property of a wicked man Prov. 17.15 vvho goes about to condemne the righteous and justifie the vvicked Esa 5.23 neither of these waies can wisedomes Children justifie wisedome Luk. 16.15 Thirdly But Iustifying in this place is to acknowledge a thing Just that is so and so wisedomes Children are said to justifie wisedome by acknowledging that in him which is proper to him and so also wisedoms Children by conforming to him doe Justifie or acknowledge the authoritie of the command given out by him and by their speaking or declaring him they doe acknowledge or justifie the excellency of the nature of him or divine sweetnesse in him and thus wisedomes Children doe justifie wisedome not by adding anything to him but by acknowledging what there is in him or approving and owning what there is done by him and so much of the second thing The third thing is what is meant by wisedomes Children According to Scripture wee are to understand them these two waies First Improperly and so Relatively Secondly Properly and so Really First Improperly and so Relatively so all men and women that are brought over to beleeve in him are called sonnes and daughters and so they are sonnes and daughters adopted and that which gives them the denomination of Christians or Sonnes is because they are elected in the election of Gods electing Christ or Christianizing by Christ that which makes Christ a Christ makes Christians to bee Christians Christ signifies annointed so that unction or annointing of Christ gives Christ that denomination of being called Christ so the name of Christ hath relation to and flowes from the annointing and so that which gives a man or woman to be called a Christian is the unction or annointing they receive from the holy one 1 Joh. 2.20 Christ being one with the Deitie is the naturall Sonne Pet. 1.1 4. we partaking of the Deitie by him Gal. 4.5 are adopted sons But that which is properly the son of wisedome or the sonne of Christ is the anointing unction or spirit which is within which is not onely caused by Christ but is one with Christ it is not another spirit but the same spirit Rom. 8.9.1 Joh. 4.13 and may properly be called wisedomes childe for these reasons First It is conceived in the womb of him Secondly It is brought forth by him Thirdly It is one with him Fourthly It lives by influences of him Fifthly It looks like him For the first It is conceived in the womb of him which expression is metaphorically and not to bee understood carnally but spiritually and I doe expresse my selfe thus because that all light love life and annointing that is in time brought home to saints and revealed in saints was before time by God Eph. 1.3 4. conserved and laid up in Christ for saints 2 Tim. 1.9.10 Secondly It is brought forth by Christ and so Christ is not onely the fountaine in which good is retained for us but is also the way to communicate good to us therefore hee calls himselfe the way Ioh. 14.6 he is the way to bring downe the Father and what is in the Father to us and also to bring us up through himselfe to the Father by his spirit which knowes God and is known of God Thirdly It is one with Christ Psal 133. â— The annointment which was poured out upon Aarons head and ran downe to the skirts of his garments held forth the annointing of Christ and Christians the annointing that was upon the garments was one with that which was upon the head so that unction or annointing which is in us Eph. 1.4 5. is one with that unction or annointing of Christ Christ is the publicke person elected by God and all that are elected are elected in his Elections so Christ is the publicke person annointed by God and all that are anointed are anointed by Christ and from the anointing of Christ and not onely as a thing caused by it but as that which is one with it Fourthly it lives by influences and incomes of him Every effect is maintained by the in-comes of the first cause that which is caused by a heat or light natural cannot be maintained and carried on by a heat or light artificial So that life in Saints which is produced by a sublime cause or the springing forth of the Father through the Son cannot be maintained and carried on by a sublunary and
Thou art unto them as one that can sing well and they delight to hear thee While he was new he was matter of joy and so was Iohn to the Jews Now then herein is a great deceit in the heart of men Iohn 5.35 they may be wrapt up and ravished with not onely the largenest of their apprehensions but the newness of the thing apprehended and yet both false But a saints refreshment flows from the excellency and glory of what he apprehendeth and that is the cause why a saint never grows weary of viewing and never flaggs in his delight and joy in his Beholding but runs more sure at last then at first like a bowl that is cast out of a mans hand though it runs violently at first yet afterwards more soberly and a great deal more sure So saints may be carryed on with a great deal of violence at first because they are carryed on as from the excellency of the Nature of so from the Newness of the Object apprehended but the apprehension of the Nevvness in a sense doth cease but the excellencie of the Nature of the thing apprehended and enjoyed doth not cease but encrease daily Now therefore consider dear friends Have ye refreshings and soul revivings are they false or true are they such as are proper onely to saints or to men that are yet unacquainted with Jesus Christ Consider doth not your Joy flow from one of these three things either the sutableness apprehended betwixt an Act and a Rule or the largeness of your apprehensions and not the thing apprehended Or from the newness of the Object and not the glorious nature of it If it do it will one day fail But if it be purely from Christ leading out your soul in all conformity to live above all upon Christ it will never cease If you ask me what signes or symptomes there may be to discover this pure and true in-comes of Christ which is the cause of refreshments in saints from all other I answer These in-comes where they are try all things and cannot be made manifest by any thing without it self though it doth shew it self in things yet those things doth not manifest it to us or to the spirit where it dwells though it self manifests it self by those things to others But to us it doth manifest the truth of it self and the truth of those things that flow from it though its true that all souls that enjoy such in-comes are alwaies carried out to lie low before God with sweet heart endeerings to God and with a sweet upright walking before God yet they do not know these in-comes by first knowing the truth of these effects but they know the truth of both from it self In a word whosoever enjoyes these refreshings finds this thing that I now speak of wheresoever Christ comes in self goes out though self appears more then ever and stirs with more motion then ever yet the soul is confounded in himself for being selfish and lies low in that understanding before God All filling refreshments empties the soul of all self fulness But I say no more Onely the Lord give us to understand this That souls possest with Christ onely live by influences of Christ The Vse is to inform us of the folly of men Vse who stand and wonder that saints live so cheerfully before God though they undergo so much oppression for God Remember they have bread that you knovv not of Remember that Christ communicates light and life in a hidden way There are secret distillings of Christs love that is full of power which produceth more life then your threatnings and scorns can produce death Their bottle of oyl and their barrel of meal in the use of it increases dayly endeavour ye o men to detract from it it 's Christs way to communicate to it If you endeavour to empty and Christ fill who think you will bee weary first and betwixt both who is he that gaines It 's a poore soule that lives by Christ nay lives in Christ Col. 3.3 he is one with Christ Rom. 8.33.34 and cannot be destroyed if Christ be maintained And so much of that Consectary In the last place the Consectary is drawn from the last particular Consect 5. It looks like him Adam begot a sonne like unto himselfe The Vnction and Spirit in Saints is of Christ It s one with Christ It lives by Christ It lookes like Christ And that is the cause why Saints love to behold Christ and Christ loves to behold them The soul cries out Cant. 5. Where is hee whom my soul loves and Christ calls out Cant. 2. Let mee hear thy voice Let me see thy Countenance for sweet is thy voice Vse and thy countenance comly If this be so then consider the condition of Saints Cant. 2.14 6.13 and the condition of the world The condition of Saints Christ loves to behold them and they love to behold Christ They are like each other The condition of the world who think one day to delight in the beholdings of Christ and are now oppressed in the beholdings holdings of Saints doth the beams oppresse you and will the body refresh you Is the streams a scorn and shall the fountain be a delight It 's a strange thing Iohn saith 1 Ioh. 4.20 Hee that loveth not his brother vvhom he hath seen hovv can hee love God vvhom he hath not seen But I say no more I should now draw something from the reasons and also make use of the point in generall But I shall say onely thus much Wisedome is justified of her Children Let Saints expect that Christ should bee justified by no other Let them not think it strange â— Pet. 4.12 if they be condemned by all others The Pharisees cannot owne Truth neither in Iohn nor in Christ Do you think the world should now affect Truth It 's also impossible Therefore for Conclusion of all remember that Wisdom is justified of her Children FINIS