CHRIST MYSTICAL; OR, The blessed union of Christ and his Members. Also, AN HOLY RAPTURE: OR, A Pathetical Meditation of the Love of Christ. Also, The Christian laid forth in his whole Disposition and Carriage. By J. H. D. D. B. N. LONDON, Printed by M. Flesher, and are to be sold by William Hope, Gabriel Beadle, and Nathaniel Web. 1647. TO The only Honour and Glory of his blessed Saviour and Redeemer: And to the comfort and benefit of all those members of his Mystical Body, which are still labouring and warfaring upon earth; I. H. their unworthiest servant, humbly dedicates this fruit of his old age. The CONTENTS. § 1. HOw to be happy in the apprehending of Christ. § 2. The honour and happiness of being united to Christ. § 3. The kind and manner of our union with Christ. § 4. The resemblance of this union by the head and members of the body. § 5. This union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife. § 6. This union resembled by the nourishment & the body. § 7. The resemblance of this union by the branch, and the stock; the foundation, and the building. § 8. The certainty and indissolublenesse of this union. § 9 The privileges and benefits of this union: The first of them life. § 10. A complaint of our insensibleness of this mercy, and an excitation to a cheerful recognition of it. § 11. An incitement to a joy and thankfulness for Christ our life. § 12. The duties we owe to God for his mercy to us in this life, which we have from Christ. § 13. The improvement of this life; in that Christ is made our Wisdom. § 14. Christ made our Righteousness. § 15. Christ made our Sanctification. § 16. Christ made our Redemption. § 17. The external privileges of this union, a right to the blessings of earth and of heaven. § 18. The means by which this union is wrought. § 19 The union of Christ's members with themselves. First, those in heaven. § 20. The union of Christ's members upon earth. First, in matter of judgement. § 21. The union of Christians in matter of affection. § 22. A complaint of Divisions, and notwithstanding them, an assertion of unity. § 23. The necessary effects and fruits of this union of Christian hearts. § 24. The union of the Saints on earth with those in heaven. § 25. A recapitulation and sum of the whole Treatise. I Have with much comfort and contentment perused these divine and holy Meditations, entitled Christ Mystical, An holy Rapture, and The Christian, laid forth, or characterised in his whole disposition and carriage; and relishing in them much profitable sweetness and heavenly raptures of spiritual devotion, I do licence them to be Printed and published. JOHN DOWNAME. CHRIST MYSTICAL; OR, THE BLESSED Union of CHRIST and his Members. THERE is not so much need of Learning, § 1. How to be happy in the apprehending of Christ. as of Grace, to apprehend those things which concern our everlasting peace; neither is it our brain that must be set on work here, but our heart; for true happiness doth not consist in a mere speculation, but a fruition of good: However therefore there is excellent use of Scholar-ship in all the sacred employments of Divinity, yet in the main act which imports salvation, skill must give place to affection. Happy is the soul that is possessed of Christ, how poor so ever in all inferior endowments: Ye are wide, O ye great wits, whiles you spend yourselves in curious questions, and learned extravagancies; ye shall find one touch of Christ more worth to your souls, than all your deep, and laboursome disquisitions; one dram of faith more precious than a pound of knowledge: In vain shall ye seek for this in your books, if you miss it in your bosoms: If you know all things, and cannot truly say, I know whom I have believed, 2 Tim. 1. 12. you have but knowledge enough to know yourselves truly miserable. Wouldst thou therefore, my son, find true and solid comfort in the hour of temptation, in the agony of death? make sure work for thy soul, in the days of thy peace; Find Christ thine; and, in despite of hell, thou art both safe, and blessed; Look not so much to an absolute. Deity, infinitely and incomprehensibly glorious: alas, that Majesty (because perfectly, and essentially good) is, out of Christ, no other than an enemy to thee; thy sin hath offended his justice, which is himself; what hast thou to do with that dreadful power which thou hast provoked? Look to that merciful, and all-sufficient Mediator betwixt God and man, who is both God and man, 1 Tim. 2. 5 Jesus Christ the righteous: It is his charge, 1 Joh. 2. 1. and our duty, Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Yet look not merely to the Lord Jesus, as considered in the notion of his own eternal being, as the Son of God, coequal and coessential to God the Father, but look upon him, as he stands in reference to the sons of men: and herein also look not to him so much, as a Lawgiver, Luther in Gal. and a Judge, (there is terror in such apprehension) but look upon him, as a gracious Saviour and Advocate; and lastly, look not upon him, as in the generality of his mercy, the common Saviour of mankind, (what comfort were it to thee, that all the world except thyself were saved?) but look upon him, as the dear Redeemer of thy soul, as thine Advocate at the right hand of Majesty; as one, with whom thou art through his wonderful m●rcy, inseparably united: T●us, thus, look upon him firmly and fixedly; so as he may never be out of thine eyes; and what ever secular objects interpose themselves betwixt thee and him, look through them, as some slight mists, and terminate thy sight still in this blessed prospect: Let neither earth, nor heaven hide him from thee in whatsoever condition. And whiles thou art thus taken up; § 2. The honour and happiness of being united to Christ. see if thou canst without wonder and a kind of ecstatical amazement, behold the infinite goodness of thy God, that hath exalted thy wretchedness to no less than a blessed and indivisible Union with the Lord of glory; so as thou, who in the sense of thy miserable mortality, mayst say to corruption, Job 17. 14. Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister, canst now through the privilege of thy faith, hear the Son of God say unto thee, Gen. 2. 23. Thou art bone of my bone, Eph. 5. 30. and flesh of my flesh: Surely, as we are too much subject to pride ourselves in these earthly glories, so we are too apt, through ignorance, or pusillanimity, to undervalue ourselves in respect of our spiritual condition; we are far more noble and excellent than we account ourselves. It is our faith that must raise our thoughts to a due estimation of our greatness; and must show us how highly we are descended, how royally we are allied, how gloriously estated: that only is it, that must advance us to heaven, and bring heaven down to us: Through the want of the exercise whereof, it comes to pass, that, to the great prejudice of our souls, we are ready to think of Christ Jesus as a stranger to us: as one aloof off in another world; apprehended only by fits, in a kind of ineffectual speculation, without any lively feeling of our own interest in him; whereas we ought by the powerful operation of this grace in our hearts, to find so heavenly an appropriation of Christ to our souls, as that every believer may truly say, I am one with Christ, Christ is one with me. Had we not good warrant for so high a challenge, it could be no less than a blasphemous arrogance to lay claim to the royal blood of heaven; but since it hath pleased the God of heaven so far to dignify our unworthiness, as in the multitudes of his mercies to admit and allow us to be partakers of the divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. it were no other than an unthankful stupidity not to lay hold on so glorious a privilege, and to go for less than God hath made us. Know now, § 3. The kind and manner of this union with Christ. my son, that thou art upon the ground of all consolation to thy soul, which consists in this beatifical union with thy God and Saviour, think not therefore to pass over this important mystery with some transient, and perfunctory glances; but, let thy heart dwell upon it, as that which must stick by thee in all extremities, and cheer thee up, when thou art forsaken of all worldly comforts: Do not then conceive of this union, as some imaginary thing, that hath no other being but in the brain; whose faculties have power to apprehend, and bring home to itself, far remote substances; possessing itself in a sort of whatsoever it conceives: Do not think it an union merely virtual, by the participation of those spiritual gifts and graces which God worketh in the soul; as the comfortable effects of our happy conjunction with Christ; Do not think it an accidental union in respect of some circumstances and qualities wherein we communicate with him who is God and man; nor yet a metaphorical union by way of figurative resemblance; but know that this is a true, real, essential, substantial union, whereby the person of the believer is indissolubly united to the glorious person of the Son of God; know, that this union is not more mystical than certain; that in natural unions there may be more evidence, there cannot be more truth; neither is there so firm and close an union betwixt the soul & body, as there is betwixt Christ and the believing soul: for as much as that may be severed by death, but this, never: Away yet with all gross carnality of conceit; this union is true, and really existent, but yet spiritual; and if some of the Ancients have termed it natural and bodily, it hath been in respect of the subject united, our humanity, to the two blessed natures of the Son of God met in one most glorious person; not in respect of the manner of the uniting: Neither is it the less real, because spiritual. Spiritual agents neither have, nor put forth any whit less virtue, because sense cannot discern their manner of working; Even the Loadstone though an earthen substance, yet, when it is out of sight, whether under the Table, or behind a solid partition, stirreth the needle as effectually, as if it were within view: shall not he contradict his senses, that will say, it cannot work because I see it not? Oh Saviour, thou art more mine, than my body is mine, my sense feels that present, but so as that I must lose it; my faith sees and feels thee so present with me, that I shall never be parted from thee. There is no resemblance, § 4. The resemblance of this union by the head & body. whereby the Spirit of God more delights to set forth the heavenly union betwixt Christ and the believer, then that of the head and the body: The head gives sense and motion to all the members of the body; And the body is one; not only by the continuity of all the parts held together with the same natural ligaments, and covered with one and the same skin; but much more by the animation of the same soul quickening that whole frame; in the acting whereof, it is not the large extent of the stature, and distance of the limbs from each other, that can make any difference; The body of a child that is but a span long, cannot be said to be more united, than the vast body of a giantly son of Anak whose height is as the Cedars; and if we could suppose such a body as high as heaven itself, that one soul which dwells in it, and is diffused through all the parts of it, would make it but one entire body: Right so, it is with Christ and his Church; That one Spirit of his which dwells in, and enlives every believer, unites all those far-distant members, both to each other, and to their head; and makes them up into one true mystical body: So as now every true believer may, without presumption, but with all holy reverence, and all humble thankfulness, say to his God and Saviour; Behold, Lord, I am (how unworthy soever) one of the limbs of thy body; and therefore have a right to all that thou hast, to all that thou dost; Thine eye sees for me; thine ear hears for me; thine hand acts for me; Thy life, thy grace, thy happiness is mine: Oh the wonder of the two blessed unions! In the personal union, it pleased God to assume and unite our humane nature the Deity; In the spiritual and mystical, it pleases God to unite the person of every believer to the person of the Son of God: Our souls are too narrow to bless God enough for these incomprehensible mercies: Mercies, wherein he hath preferred us (be it spoken with all godly lowliness) to the blessed Angels of heaven; Heb. 2. 16. For verily he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham; Neither hath he made those glorious spirits members of his mystical body, but his saints; whom he hath (as it were) so incorporated, that they are become his body, and he theirs; according to that of the divine Apostle; For as the body is one and hath many members, 1 Cor. 12. 12. and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so also is Christ. Next hereunto, § 5. This union set forth by the resemblance of the husband and wife. there is no resemblance of this mystery either more frequent, or more full of lively expression, then that of the conjugal union betwixt the husband and wife; Christ is, as the head, so the husband of the Church; The Church and every believing soul is the Spouse of this heavenly Bridegroom; Esa. 62. 5. whom he marrieth unto himself for ever in righteousness, Hose. 2. 19 and in judgement, and in loving kindness, and in mercies; and this match thus made up, fulfils that decretive word of the Almighty, They twain shall be one flesh: Ephe. 5. 31. O happy conjunction of the second Adam, Gen. 2. 24. with her which was taken out of his most precious side; Oh heavenly and complete marriage, wherein God the Father brings, and gives the Bride; Gen. 2. 22. (All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, Joh. 6. 37. saith Christ) wherein God the Son receives the Bride, as mutually partaking of the same nature; Joh. 1. 14. and can say, This now is bone of my bones, Gen. 2. 23. and flesh of my flesh; wherein God the holy Ghost knits our wills in a full and glad consent, to the full consummation of this blessed wedlock: And those whom God hath thus joined together, let no man (no Devil can) put asunder: What is there then, which an affectionate husband can withhold from a dear wife? He that hath given himself to her; what can be deny to impart? He that hath made himself one with her, how can he be divided from his other-self? Some wild fancies there are that have framed the links of marriage of so brittle stuff, as that they may be knapped in sunder upon every sleight occasion, but he that ordained it in Paradise, for an earthly representation of this heavenly union betwixt Christ and his Church, hath made that, and his own indissoluble. Here is no contract in the future, which upon some intervenient accidents may be remitted; Cant. 6. 3. but, I am my welbeloveds, and my well-beloved is mine, Cant. 2. 16. And therefore each is so others, that neither of them is their own; Oh the comfortable mystery of our uniting to the Son of God The wife hath not the power of her own body, 1 Cor. 7. 4. but the husband. We are at thy disposing, o Saviour, we are not our own; Neither art thou so absolutely thine, as that we may not (through thine infinite mercy) claim an interest in thee. Thou hast given us such a right in thyself, as that we are bold to lay challenge to all that is thine; to thy love, to thy merits, to thy blessings, to thy glory: It was wont of old, to be the plea of the Roman wives to their husbands, Where thou art Caius, I am Caia; and now, in our present marriages, we have not stuck to say, With all my worldly goods I thee endow; And if it be thus in our imperfect conjunctions here upon earth, how much more in that exquisite oneness which is betwixt thee, o blessed Saviour, and thy dearest Spouse, the Church? What is it then that can hinder us from a sweet and heavenly fruition of thee? Is it the loathsome condition of our nature? Thou sawst this before, and yet couldst say, when we were yet in our blood, Ezek. 16. 6. Live: Had we not been so vile, thy mercy had not been so glorious: thy free grace did all for us; Thou washedst us with water, 〈…〉 16. and anointedst us with oil, 〈…〉 11, and cloathedst us with broidered work, and girdedst us about with fine linen, and coveredst us with silk, and deckedst us with ornaments; and didst put bracelets upon our hands, and a chain on our neck, and jewels on our foreheads, and earrings on our ears, and a beautiful crown on our heads; What we had not, thou gavest; what thou didst not find, thou madest; that we might be a not-unmeet match for the Lord of life: Is it want of beauty? Cant. 1. 5. Behold, I am black, but comely: what ever our hue be in our own, or others eyes; it is enough that we are lovely in thine. Behold, thou art fair, Cant. 1. 16 my beloved, behold, thou art fair, yea pleasant; Thou art beautiful, Cant. 6. 3. O my love, Cant. 7. 6. as Tirzah, comely as Jerusalem. How fair and how pleasant art thou, O Love, for delights! But, oh Saviour, if thou take contentment in this poor unperfect beauty of thy Spouse the Church, how infinite pleasure should thy Spouse take in that absolute perfection that is in thee, who art all loveliness and glory? And if she have ravished thy heart with one of her eyes, Cant. 5. 16. how much more reason hath her heart to be wholly ravished with both thine, Cant. 4. 9 which are so full of grace and amiableness? and in this mutual fruition, what can there be other then perfect blessedness? The Spirit of God, § 6. The resemblance of this union by the nourishment and the body. well knowing how much it imports us both to know and feel this blessed union whereof himself is the only worker, labours to set it forth to us by the representations of many of our familiar concernments which we daily find in our meats and drinks, in our houses, in our gardens and orchards; That which is nearest to us is our nourishment; What can be more evident, then that the bread, the meat, the drink that we receive is incorporated into us, and becomes part of the substance whereof we consist? so as, after perfect digestion, there can be no distinction betwixt what we are, and what we took: Whiles that bread was in the b'ing, and that meat in the shambles, and that drink in the vessel, it had no relation to us, nor we to it; yea, whiles all these were on the Table, yea, in our mouths; yea, newly let down into our stomaches, they are not fully ours; for upon some nauseating dislike of nature, they may yet go the same way they came; but if the concoction be once fully finished, now they are so turned into our blood, and flesh, that they can be no more distinguished from our former substance, then that could be divided from itself; now they are dispersed into the veins, and concorporated to the flesh; and no part of our flesh and blood is more ours, then that which was lately the blood of the grapes, and the flesh of this fowl, or that beast: Oh Saviour, thou who art truth itself hast said, Joh. 6. 51. I am the living bread, that came down from heaven. My flesh is meat indeed, 55. and my blood is drink indeed; and thereupon hast most justly inferred; 56. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him: and, as a necessary consequent of this spiritual manducation, 54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: Lo, thou art bread indeed; not the common bread, but Manna; not the Israelitish Manna; alas, that fell from no higher than the region of clouds; and they that ate it died with it in their mouths; but thou art the living bread that came down from the heaven of heavens, of whom whosoever eats lives for ever: Thy flesh is meat, not for our stomaches, but for our souls; our faith receives and digests thee, and makes thee ours, and us thine: our material food in these corruptible bodies runs into corruption; thy spiritual food nourisheth purely, and strengthens us to a blessed immortality; As for this material food, many a one longs for it that cannot get it; many a one hath it, that cannot eat it; many eat it, that cannot digest it; many digest it into noxious and corrupt humours; all that receive it, do but maintain a perishing life, if not a languishing death: but this flesh of thine, as it was never withheld from any true appetite, so it never yields but wholesome and comfortable sustenance to the soul, never hath any other issue then an everlasting life and happiness. O Saviour, whensoever I sit at mine own Table, let me think of thine; whensoever I feed on the bread and meat that is set before me, and feel myself nourished by that repast, let me mind that better sustenance, which my soul receives from thee, and find thee more one with me, than that bodily food: Look but into thy Garden, or Orchard; § 7. This union resembled by the branch and the stock; the foundation and the building. and see the Vine, or any other fruit-bearing tree how it grows, and fructifies; The branches are loaden with increase; whence is this, but that they are one with the stock; and the stock one with the root? were either of these severed, the plant were barren and dead: The branch hath not sap enough to maintain life in itself, unless it receive it from the body of the tree; nor that, unless it derived it from the root; nor that, unless it were cherished by the earth: Joh. 15. 5, 6▪ Lo; I am the Vine, (saith our Saviour) Ye are the branches; He that abideth in me; and I in him; the same bringeth forth much fruit; If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; were the branch and the body of the tree, of different substances, and only closed together in some artificial contiguity, no fruit could be expected from it; it is only the abiding in the tree as a living limb of that plant, which yields it the benefit and issue of vegetation. No otherwise is it betwixt Christ and his Church; the bough and the tree are not more of one piece, than we are of one substance with our Saviour; and branching out from him, and receiving the sap of heavenly virtue from his precious root, we cannot but be acceptably fruitful: But if the Analogy seem not to be so full, for that the branch issues naturally from the tree, and the fruit from the branch, whereas we by nature have no part in the Son of God; take that clearer resemblance which the Apostle fetches from the stock and the griffe, or cion: The branches of the wild olive are cut off; Rom. 11. and are graffed with choice cions of the good olive; those imps grow, and are now, by this insition, no less embodied in that stock then if they had sprouted out by a natural propagation: neither can be any more separated from it then the strongest bough that nature puts forth: In the mean time that cion altars the nature of that stock; and whiles the root gives fatness to the stock, and the stock yields juice to the cion, the cion gives goodness to the plant, and a specification to the fruit: so as whiles the imp is now the same thing with the stock, the tree is different from it was; So it is betwixt Christ and the believing soul: Old Adam is our wild stock, what could that have yielded but either none, or sour fruit? we are imped with the new man, Christ; that is now incorporated into us, we are become one with him; our nature is not more ours, than he is ours by grace; now we bear his fruit and not our own; our old stock is forgotten, all things are become new; our natural life we receive from Adam; our spiritual life and growth from Christ; from whom after the improvement of this blessed insition we can be no more severed, than he can be severed from himself. Look but upon thy house (that from vegetative creatures, thou mayst turn thine eyes to those things which have no life) if that be uniform, the foundation is not of a different matter from the walls; both those are but one piece; the superstructure is so raised upon the foundation, as if all were but one stone; Behold, Christ is the chief corner stone, 1 Pet. 2. 6. elect and precious; neither can there be any other foundation laid then that which is laid on him; we are lively stones built up to a spiritual house, 1 Cor. 3. 11 on that sure and firm foundation; 2 Pet. 2. 5. some loose stones perhaps that lie unmortered upon the battlements, may be easily shaken down, but whoever saw a squared marble laid by line and level in a strong wall upon a well-grounded base, fly out of his place by whatsoever violence; since both the strength of the foundation below, and the weight of the fabric above, have settled it in a posture utterly unmoveable? Such is our spiritual condition, O Saviour; thou art our foundation, we are laid upon thee, and are therein one with thee; we can no more be disjoined from thy foundation, than the stones of thy foundation can be disunited from themselves: So then, to sum up all; as the head and members are but one body, as the husband and wife are but one flesh, as our meat and drink becomes part of ourselves, as the tree and branches are but one plant, as the foundation and walls are but one fabric; so Christ and the believing soul are indivisibly one with each other. Where are those then that go about to divide Christ from himself; § 8. The certainty & indissolublenesse of this union. Christ real, from Christ mystical; yielding Christ one with himself, but not one with his Church: making the true believer no less separable from his Saviour, then from the entireness of his own obedience; dreaming of the uncomfortable, and self-contradicting paradoxes of the total and final Apostasy of saints: Certainly, these men have never thoroughly digested the meditation of this blessed union whereof we treat: Can they hold the believing soul a limb of that body whereof Christ is the head; and yet imagine a possibility of dissolution? Can they affain to the Son of God a body that is unperfect? Can they think that body perfect that hath lost his limbs? Even in this mystical body the best joints may be subject to strains, yea, perhaps to some painful and perilous luxations; but, as it was in the natural body of Christ, when it was in death, most exposed to the cruelty of all enemies, that (upon an overruling providence) not a bone of it, could be broken; so it is still and ever with the spiritual; some scourge and blows it may suffer, yea, perhaps some bruises, and gashes, but no bone can be shattered in pieces, much less dissevered from the rest of the body: Were we left to ourselves, or could we be so much as in conceit, sundered from the body whereof we are, alas we are but as other men, subject to the same sinful infirmities, to the same dangerous and deadly miscarriages: but since it hath pleased the God of heaven to unite us to himself, now it concerns him to maintain the honour of his own body by preserving us entire. Can they acknowledge the faithful soul married in truth and righteousness to that celestial husband; and made up into one flesh with the Lord of glory; & can they think of any Bills of divorce written in heaven? can they suppose that which by way of type was done in the earthly Paradise, to be really undone in the heavenly? What an infinite power hath put together, can they imagine that a limited power can disjoin? Can they think sin can be of more prevalence than mercy? Can they think the unchangeable God subject to after-thoughts? Even the Jewish repudiations never found favour in heaven: They were permitted, as a lesser evil to avoid a greater, never allowed as good; neither had so much as that toleration ever been, if the hardheartedness, and cruelty of that people had not enforced it upon Moses, in a prevention of further mischief 〈◊〉 what place can this find with a God, in whom there is an infinite tenderness of love and mercy? No time can be any check to his gracious choice; the inconstant minds of us men may alter upon sleight dislikes; our God is ever himself; Jesus Christ the same yesterday, Heb. 13. 8. and to day, and for ever; Jam. 1. 17. with him there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning; Mal. 2. 16. Divorces were ever grounded upon hatred; No man (saith the Apostle) ever yet hated his own flesh: Eph. 5. 29. much less shall God do so, 1 Joh. 3. 16. who is love itself: His love and our union, is like himself, everlasting: Having loved his own (saith the Disciple of Love) which were in the world, Joh. 13. 1. he loved them to the end. Mal. 2. 16. He that hates putting away, can never act it; so as in this relation we are indissoluble: Can they have received that bread which came down from heaven, and that flesh which is meat indeed, and that blood which is drink indeed, can their souls have digested it by a lively faith, and converted themselves into it, and it into themselves, and can they now think it can be severed from their own substance? Can they find themselves truly ingraffed in the tree of life, and grown into one body with that heavenly plant, and as a living branch of that tree, bearing pleasant, and wholesome fruit, Rev. 22. 2. acceptable to God, and beneficial to men; and can they look upon themselves, as some withered bough fit only for the fire? Can they find themselves living stones surely laid upon the foundation Jesus Christ, to the making up of an heavenly Temple for the eternal inhabitation of God, and can they think they can be shaken out with every storm of Temptation? Have these men ever taken into their serious thoughts that divine prayer and meditation which our blessed Redeemer now at the point of his death left for an happy farewell to his Church, in every word whereof, there is an heaven of comfort; Neither pray I for these alone; Joh. 17. 20 21, 22. but for them also which shall believe in me through their word; That they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one with us; And the glory that thou gavest me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them, and thou in me. Oh heavenly consolation; oh indefeasible assurance! what room can there be now here for our diffidence? Can the Son of God pray and not be heard? For himself he needs not pray, as being eternally one with the Father, God blessed for ever; he prays for his; & his prayer is, That they may be one with the Father & him; even as they are one. They cannot therefore but be partakers of this blessed union; and being partakers of it they cannot be dissevered: And to make sure work, that glory which the Father gave to the Son of his Love, they are already (through his gracious participation) prepossessed of; here they have begun to enter upon that heaven, from which none of the powers of hell can possibly eject them: Oh the unspeakably happy condition of believers! Oh that all the Saints of God, in a comfortable sense of their inchoate blessedness, could sing for joy, and here beforehand begin to take up those Hallelujahs, which they shall ere long continue (and never end) in the Chore of the highest Heaven. § 9 The privileges & benefits of this union: Having now taken a view of this blessed union, in the nature and resemblances of it; The first of them Life. it will be time to bend thine eyes upon those most advantageous consequents, and high privileges, which do necessarily follow upon, and attend this heavenly conjunction. Whereof the first is that, which we are wont to account sweetest, Life: Not this natural life, which is maintained by the breath of our nostrils; Alas, what is that but a bubble, a vapour, a shadow, a dream, nothing? as it is the gift of a good God, worthy to be esteemed precious; but as it is considered in its own transitoriness, and appendent miseries, and in comparison of a better life, not worthy to take up our hearts. This life of nature is that which ariseth from the union of the body with the soul, many times enjoyed upon hard terms; the spiritual life which we now speak of, arising from the union betwixt God and the soul, is that wherein there can be nothing but perfect contentment, and joy unspeakable and full of glory. Yea, this is that life which Christ not only gives, but is: he that gave himself for us, gives himself to us, and is that life that he gives us; When Christ, which is our life, Col. 3. 4. shall appear; saith the Apostle: Phil. 1. 21. And Christ is to me, to live: and most emphatically, Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ; Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; Lo, it is a common favour, that in him we live but it is an especial favour to his own, that he lives in us: Know you not your own selves, 2 Cor. 13. 5 (saith the Apostle) how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? and wheresoever he is, there he lives; we have not a dead Saviour, but a living; and where he lives, he animates: It is not therefore Saint Paul's case alone; it is every believers; who may truly say, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: now, how these lives, and the authors of them are distinguished, is worth thy carefullest consideration. Know then, my son, that every faithful man's bosom is a Rebeccaes' womb, Gen. 25. 22. wherein in there are twins: a rough Esau, and the seed of promise; the old man, and the new; the flesh, and the spirit; and these have their lives distinct from each other; the new man lives not the life of the old, neither can the old man live the life of the new; it is not one life that could maintain the opposite struggle of both these: Corrupt nature is it that gives and continues the life of the old man; It is Christ that gives life to the new; we cannot say but the old man, or flesh, is the man too: Rom. 7. 18 For I know (saith the chosen Vessel) that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: but the spiritual part may yet better challenge the title. Rom. 7. 22 For I delight in the Law of God after the inward man: That old man of ours is derived from the first. Adam: as we sinned in him, so he liveth in us; The second Adam both gives, and is the life of our regeneration, like as he is also the life of our glory; the life that follows our second resurrection: I am (saith he) the resurrection and the life. What is it then whereby the new creature lives? surely no other than the Spirit of Christ; that alone is it, that gives being and life to the renewed soul. Life is no stranger to us, there is nothing wherewith we are so well acquainted; yea, we feel continually what it is, and what it produceth; It is that, from whence all sense, action, motion floweth; it is that, which gives us to be what we are: All this is Christ to the regenerate man: It is one thing what he is, or doth as a man; another thing what he is, or doth as a Christian: As a man, he hath eyes, ears, motions, affections, understanding, naturally as his own: as a Christian he hath all these from him with whom he is spiritually one, the Lord Jesus; and the objects of all these vary accordingly: His natural eyes behold bodily and material things; his spiritual eyes see things invisible; His outward ears hear the sound of the voice; his inward ears hear the voice of God's Spirit, speaking to his soul; His bodily feet move in his own secular ways; his spiritual walk with God in all the ways of his Commandments. His natural affections are set upon those things which are agreeable thereunto; he loves beauty, fears pain and loss, rejoices in outward prosperity, hates an enemy; his renewed affections are otherwise, and more happily bestowed; now he loves goodness for its own sake; hates nothing but sin, fears only the displeasure of a good God, rejoices in God's favour which is better than life: His former thoughts were altogether taken up with vanity, and earthed in the world; now he seeks the things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; Col. 3. 1. Finally, he is such, as that a beholder sees nothing but man in him; but God and his soul find Christ in him, both in his renewed person and actions; in all the degrees both of his life, and growth of his sufferings, and glory: Gal. 4. 19 My little children (saith Saint Paul) of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be form in you. Lo, here Christ both conceived and born in the faithful heart; Formation follows conception, and travel implies a birth: 1 Cor. 3. 1. Now the believer is a newborn babe in Christ, 2 Pet. 2. 2. and so mutually Christ in him; from thence he grows up to a 1 John 2. 14. strength of youth; and at last to b Ephes. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 13. 9 Heb. 6. 1. perfection, even towards the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; And in this condition he is dead with Christ; c Rom. 6. 8 He is buried with Christ; d Rom. 6. 11. He is alive again unto God through Christ, e Col. 3. 1. he is risen with Christ, f Rom. 8. 17. and with Christ he is glorified; Yea, yet more than so, his g Col. 1. 24 sufferings are Christ's, Christ's sufferings are his; h Rom. 8. 17. He is in Christ an heir of glory; i Col. 1. 27 and Christ is in him, § 10. A complaint of our insensibleness of this mercy, & an excitation to a cheerful recognition of it. the hope of glory. Dost thou not now find cause (my son) to complain of thyself (as, I confess, I daily do) that thou art so miserably apt to forget these intimate respects between thy Christ and thee? art thou not ashamed to think, how little sense thou hast had of thy great happiness? Lo, Christ is in thy bosom, and thou feelst him not; It is not thy soul that animates thee in thy renewed estate, it is thy God and Saviour, and thou hast not hitherto perceived it; It is no otherwise with thee in this case, then with the members of thine own body; there is the same life in thy fingers and toes, that there is in the head, or heart, yea, in the whole man, and yet those limbs know not that they have such a life: Had those members reason as well as sense, they would perceive that, wherewith they are enlived; thou hast more than reason, faith; and therefore mayst well know whence thou hast this spiritual life, & thereupon art much wanting to thyself, if thou dost not enjoy so useful and comfortable an apprehension: Resolve therefore with thyself that no secular occasion shall ever set off thy heart from this blessed object; and that thou wilt as soon forget thy natural life, as this spiritual: and raise up thy thoughts from this dust, to the heaven of heavens: Shake of this natural pusillanimity, and mean conceit of thyself as if thou wert all earth, and know thyself advanced to a celestial condition, that thou art united to the Son of God, and animated by the holy Spirit of God; Gal. 2. 20. so as the life which thou now livest in the flesh, thou livest by the faith of the Son of God, who loved thee, and gave himself for thee. See then and confess how just cause we have to condemn the dead-heartedness wherewith we are subject to be possessed: and how many worthy Christians are there in the world who bear a part with us in this just blame; who have yielded over themselves to a disconsolate heartlessness, and a sad dejection of spirit; partly through a natural disposition inclining to dumpishness, and partly through the prevalence of temptation: For Satan well knowing how much it makes for our happiness cheerfully to reflect upon our interest in Christ, and to live in the joyful sense of it, labours by all means to withdraw our hearts from this so comfortable object; and to clog us with a pensive kind of spiritual sullenness: accounting it no small mastery if he can prevail with us so far as to be reave us of this habitual joy in the holy Ghost, arising from the inanimation of Christ living, and breathing within us: So much the more therefore must we bend all the powers of our souls against this dangerous and deadly machination of our spiritual enemy; and labour, as for life, to maintain this Fort of our joy against all the powers of darkness; and, if at any time we find ourselves beaten off, through the violence of temptation; we must chide ourselves into our renewed valour: and expostulate the matter with our shrinking courage▪ (with the man after Gods own heart) Why art thou cast down, Psal. 42. 11 43. 5. O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance and my God. § 11. An incitement to joy and thankfulness for Christ our life. Neither is here more place for an heavenly joy, then for height of spirit, and raptures of admiration at that infinite goodness and mercy of our God, who hath vouchsafed so far to grace his elect, as to honour them with a special inhabitation of his ever-blessed Deity: Yea, to live in them, and to make them live mutually in, and to himself; What capacity is there in the narrow heart of man to conceive of this incomprehensible favour to his poor creature? Oh Saviour, this is no small part of that great mystery wherein to the Angels desire to look, 1 Pet. 1. 12 and can never look to the bottom of it! how shall the weak eyes of sinful flesh ever be able to reach unto it? When thou in the estate of thine humane infirmity offeredst to go down to the Centurion's house, that humble Commander could say; Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof: What shall we then say, that thou in the state of thine heavenly glory, shouldst vouchsafe to come down, and dwell with us in these houses of clay; 1 Cor. 6. 19 and to make our breasts the Temples of thy holy Ghost? When thine holy mother came to visit the partner of her joy, thy forerunner then in the womb of his mother, Luk. 1. 44. sprang for the joy of thy presence, though distermined by a second womb; how should we be affected with a ravishment of spirit, whom thou hast pleased to visit in so much mercy, as to come down into us, and to be spiritually conceived in the womb of our hearts, and thereby to give a new and spiritual life to our poor souls; a life of thine own, yet made ours; a life begun in grace, and ending in eternal glory? Never did the holy God give a privilege where he did not expect a duty: § 12. The duties we owe to God for his mercy to us, in this life which we have from Christ. he hath more respect to his glory, then to throw away his favours; The life that ariseth from this blessed union of our souls with Christ, as it is the height of all his mercies, so it calls for our most zealous affections, and most effectual improvement. Art thou then thus happily united to Christ, and thus enlived by Christ? how entire must thou needs be with him, how dear must thy valuations be of him, how heartily must thou be devoted to him? The spirit of man (saith wise Solomon) is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly; Pro. 20. 27 and therefore cannot but be acquainted with his own inmates; and finding so heavenly a guest as the Spirit of Christ in the secret lodgings of his soul, applies itself to him in all things: so as these two spirits agree in all their spiritual concernments; The Spirit itself (saith the holy Apostle) beareth witness with our spirit, Rom. 8. 16 that we are the children of God; and not in this case only, but upon whatsoever occasion, the faithful man hath this Urim in his breast, & may consult with this inward Oracle of his God for direction, and resolution in all his doubts: neither can he, according to the counsel of the Psalmist, Psal. 4. 4. common with his own heart, but that Christ who lives there, is ready to give him an answer. Shortly, our souls and we are one; and the soul and life are so near one, that the one is commonly taken for the other▪ Christ therefore, who is the life and soul of our souls, is and needs must be so intrinsecall to us, that we cannot so much as conceive of our spiritual being without him. Thou needest not be told, my son, how much thou valuest life; Besides thine own sense, Satan himself can tell thee, (and in this case thou mayst believe him) Skin for skin, Job 2. 4. and all that a man hath will he give for his life; What ransom can be set upon it, that a man would stick to give? though mountains of gold; Ps. 49. 7. though thousands of ●●ms, or ten thousand rivers of oil? Micah 6. 7. Yea, how readily do we expose our dear limbs, not to hazard only, but to loss for the preservation of it? Now alas, what is our life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, Jam. 4. 14. and then vanisheth away▪ And if we do thus value a perishing life, that is going out every moment, what price shall we set upon eternity? If Christ be our life, how precious is that life, which neither inward distempers, nor outward violences can bereave us of; which neither can be decayed by time, nor altered with cross events? Hear the chosen Vessel; Phil. 3. 7, 8 What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ; Yea, doubtless I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things; and do count them but dung that I may win Christ; and, as one that did not esteem his own life dear to him, in respect of that better; Act. 20. 24 always (saith he) bearing about in the body, the dying of the Lord Jesus, 2 Cor. 4. 10 that the life also of Jesus, might be made manifest in our body: How cheerfully have the noble and conquering armies of holy Martyrs given away these momentany lives, that they might hold fast their Jesus, the life of their souls? and who can be otherwise affected that knows and feels the infinite happiness that offers itself to be enjoyed by him in the Lord Jesus? Lastly, if Christ be thy life, than thou art so devoted to him that thou livest, as in him, and by him, so to him also; aiming only at his service and glory, and framing thyself wholly to his will and directions: 1 Cor. 10. 31▪ Thou canst not so much as eat or drink but with respect to him; Oh the gracious resolution of him that was rapt into the third heaven, worthy to be the pattern of all faithful hearts; Phil. 1. 20, 21. According to my earnest expectation and my hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death: For to me to live is Christ▪ and to die is gain. Our natural life is not worthy to be its own scope; we do not live merely that we may live: our spiritual life, Christ, is the utmost and most perfect end of all our living; without the intuition whereof, we would not live, or if we should, our natural life were no other than a spiritual death: Oh Saviour, let me not live longer than I shall be enlived by thee, or then thou shalt be glorified by me: And what rule should I follow in all the carriage of my life but thine? thy precepts, thine examples, that so I may live thee, as well as preach thee? and in both may find thee, as thou hast truly laid forth thyself, Joh. 14. 6. the way, the truth, and the life; the way wherein I shall walk, the truth which I shall believe and profess, and the life which I shall enjoy: In all my moral actions therefore teach me to square myself by thee; what ever I am about to do, or speak, or affect; let me think: If my Saviour were now upon earth, would he do this that I am now putting my hand unto? would he speak these words that I am now uttering? would he be thus disposed as I now feel myself? Let me not yield myself to any thought, word, or action which my Saviour would be ashamed to own: Let him be pleased so to manage his own life in me, that all the interest he hath given me in myself may be wholly surrendered to him; that I may be as it were dead in myself, § 13. The improvement of this life; in that Christ is made our wisdom. whiles he lives and moves in me. By virtue of this blessed union, as Christ is become our life; so (that which is the highest improvement not only of the rational, but the supernatural and spiritual life) is he thereby also made unto us of God, Wisdom, Righteousness, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification, and Redemption. Not that he only works these great things in and for us, (this were too cold a construction of the divine bounty) but that he really becomes all these to us, who are true partakers of him. Even of the wisest men that ever nature could boast of, is verified that character which the divine Apostle gave of them long ago; Their foolish heart was darkened; professing themselves to be wise, Rom. 1. 21, 22. they became fools; and still the best of us (if we be but ourselves) may take up that complaint of Asaph: So foolish was I and ignorant; Ps. 73. 22. I was as a beast before thee; and of Agur the son of Jake; Prov. 30. 2, 3. Surely I am more brutish than man; and have not the understanding of a man; I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy▪ and if any man will be challenging more to himself, he must at last take up, with Solomon; I said I will be wise, Eccl. 7. 23. but it was far from me; But how defective soever we are in ourselves, there is wisdom enough in our head, Christ, to supply all our wants: He that is the wisdom of the Father, is by the Father made our wisdom: Col. 2. 3. In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, saith the Apostle: So hid, that they are both revealed, and communicated to his own: 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ: In and by him hath it pleased the Father to impart himself unto us; He is the image of the invisible God; Col. 1. 15. even the brightness of his glory, Heb. 1. 3. and the express image of his person. It was a just check that he gave to Philip in the Gospel; Have I been so long time with you, John 14. 9 and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me, hath seen the Father: And this point of wisdom is so high and excellent, that all humane skill, and all the so much admired depths of Philosophy are but mere ignorance and foolishness, in comparison of it; Alas, what can these profound wits reach unto, but the very outside of these visible and transitory things? as for the inward forms of the meanest creatures, they are so altogether hid from them, as if they had no being; and as for spiritual and divine things, the most knowing Naturalists are either stone-blind, that they cannot see them, or grope after them in an Egyptian darkness: 1 Cor. 2. ●4 For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned; How much less can they know the God of Spirits, who (besides his invisibility) is infinite, and incomprehensible? only he, who is made our wisdom enlighteneth our eyes with this divine knowledge; Mat. 11. 27 No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Neither is Christ made our wisdom only in respect of heavenly wisdom imparted to us; but in respect of his perfect wisdom imputed unto us: Alas, our ignorances' and sinful misprisions are many and great, where should we appear, if our faith did not fetch succour from our alwise, and all-sufficient Mediator? Oh Saviour, we are wise in thee our head, how weak soever we are of ourselves: Thine infinite wisdom and goodness both covers and makes up all our defects; The wife cannot be poor, whiles the husband is rich; thou hast vouchsafed to give us a right to thy store; we have no reason to be disheartened with our own spiritual wants, whiles thou art made our wisdom. It is not mere wisdom that can make us acceptable to God; § 14. Christ made our Righteousness. if the serpents were not in their kind wiser than we, we should not have been advised to be wise as serpents: That God, who is essential Justice, as well as Wisdom, requires all his to be not more wise, then tightly righteous: Such, in themselves they cannot be; For in many things we sin all; such therefore they are, and must be in Christ, their head, who is made unto us of God, together with Wisdom, Righteousness; Oh incomprehensible mercy! He hath made him to be sin for us, 2 Cor. 5. 21 who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him; what a marvellous and happy exchange is here? we are nothing but sin; Christ is perfect righteousness; He is made our sin, that we might he made his righteousness; He that knew no sin, is made sin for us; that we who are all sin, might be made God's righteousness in him; In ourselves we are not only sinful, but sin; In him we are not righteous only, but righteousness itself; Of ourselves, we are not righteous, we are made so; In ourselves, we are not righteous, but in him; we made not ourselves so, but the same God in his infinite mercy who made him sin for us, hath made us his righteousness: No otherwise are we made his righteousness, than he is made our sin: Our sin is made his by God's imputation; so is his righteousness made ours; How fully doth the second Adam answer, and transcend the first; Rom. 5. 18 By the offence of the first, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; by the righteousness of the second, the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. Rom. 5. 19 As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous; righteous, not in themselves, (so death passed upon all, Rom. 5. 12 for that all have sinned) but in him that made them so, 5. 11. by whom we have received the atonement: How free then, and how perfect is our justification? What quarrel may the pure and holy God have against righteousness? against his own righteousness? and such are we made in, and by him: what can now stand between us and blessedness? Not our sins; for this is the praise of his mercy, that he justifies the ungodly; Rome 4. 5. Yea, were we not sinful, how were we capable of his justification? sinful, as in the term from whence this act of his mercy moveth, not, as in the term wherein it resteth; his grace finds us sinful, it doth not leave us so: Far be it from the righteous Judge of the world to absolve a wicked soul continuing such: Pro. 17. 15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are an abomination to the Lord: No, but he kills sin in us whiles he remits it; and, at once cleanseth, and accepts our persons: Repentance and remission do not lag one after another; both of them meet at once in the penitent soul: at once doth the hand of our faith lay hold on Christ, and the hand of Christ lay hold on the soul to justification: so as the sins that are done away, can be no bar to our happiness: And what but sins can pretend to an hindrance? All our other weaknesses are no eyesore to God, no rub in our way to heaven; What matters it then how unworthy we are of ourselves? It is Christ's obedience that is our righteousness: and that obedience cannot but be tightly perfect, cannot but be both justly accepted as his, and mercifully accepted as for us. There is a great deal of difference betwixt being righteous, and being made righteousness; every regenerate soul hath an inherent justice, or righteousness in itself; He that is righteous, Rev. 22. 11 let him be righteous still, saith the Angel: But at the best this righteousness of ours, is like ourselves full of imperfection; If thou, Lord, Ps. 130. 3. shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? Behold, Ezra 9 15. we are before thee in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before thee, because of this; How should a man be just with God; Job 9 2, 3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. So then, he that doth righteousness is righteous, 1 Joh. 3. 7. but by pardon and indulgence, because the righteousness he doth is weak and imperfect; he that is made righteousness, is perfectly righteous by a gracious acceptation, by a free imputation of absolute obedience. Woe were us, if we were put over to our own accomplishments; for, Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the Law to do them; Deut. 27. 16. and, If we say that we have no sin, 1 Joh. 1. 8. we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us; Lo, if there be truth in us, we must confess we have sin in us; and if we have sin, we violate the Law; and if we violate the Law, we lie open to a curse. But here is our comfort, that our surety hath paid our debt: It is true, we lay forfeited to death; Justice had said, Ezek. 18. 4 The soul that sinneth shall die: Mercy interposeth, and satisfies; The Son of God (whose every drop of blood was worth a world) pays this death for us: Rom. 8. 33 34. And now, Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Our sin, our death is laid upon him, and undertaken by him; Esa. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisements of our peace were upon him, and with his stripes we are healed; His death, his obedience is made over to us; So then, the sin that we have committed, and the death that we have deserved is not ours; but the death which he hath endured, and the obedience that he hath performed, is so ours, as he is ours, who is thereupon made of God our righteousness. Where now are those enemies of grace that scoff at imputation; making it a ridiculous paradox, that a man should become just by another man's righteousness? How dare they stand out against the word of truth, which tells us expressly that Christ is made our righteousness? What strangers are they to that grace they oppugn? How little do they consider that Christ is ours? his righteousness therefore by which we are justified, is in him our own; He that hath borne the iniquity of us all hath taught us to call our sins our debts; Esa. 53. 6. those debts can be but once paid; Mat. 6. 12. if the bounty of our Redeemer hath staked down the sums required, and canceled the bonds; and this payment is (through mercy) fully accepted as from our own hands, what danger, what scruple can remain? What do we then, weak souls, tremble to think of appearing before the dreadful tribunal of the Almighty? we know him indeed to be infinitely, and inflexibly just; we know his most pure eyes cannot abide to behold sin; we know we have nothing else but sin for him to behold in us: Certainly, were we to appear before him in the mere shape of our own sinful selves, we had reason to shake and shiver at the apprehension of that terrible appearance; but now that our faith assures us, we shall no otherwise be presented to that awful Judge then as clothed with the robes of Christ's righteousness, how confident should we be, thus decked with the garments of our elder brother, to carry away a blessing? whiles therefore we are dejected with the conscience of our own vileness, we have reason to lift up our heads in the confidence of that perfect righteousness which Christ is made unto us, and we are made in him. At the bar of men many a one is pronounced just who remains inwardly foul and guilty; § 15. Christ made our Sanctification. for the best of men can but judge of things as they appear, not as they are; but the righteous Arbiter of the world declares none just whom he makes not holy. The same mercy therefore that makes Christ our righteousness, makes him also our sanctification; of ourselves, wretched men, what are we other at our best, then unholy creatures, full of pollution and spiritual uncleanness? it is his most holy Spirit that must cleanse us from all the filthiness of our flesh and spirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. and work us daily to further degrees of sanctification, (He that is holy, Rev. 22. 11 let him be holy still) neither can there be anything more abhorring from his infinite justice and holiness, then to justify those souls which lie still in the loathsome ordure of their corruptions. Certainly, they never truly learned Christ, who would draw over Christ's righteousness, as a case of their close wickednesses; that sever holiness from justice, and give no place to sanctification, in the evidence of their justifying: Never man was justified without faith; and wheresoever faith is there it purifieth and cleanseth; Acts. 15. 9 But besides that the Spirit of Christ works thus powerfully (though gradually) within us, That he may sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water, Eph. 5. 26, 27. by the word, his holiness is mercifully imputed to us, That he may present us to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that we should be holy and without blemish: so as that inchoate holiness, which by his gracious inoperation grows up daily in us towards a full perfection, is abundantly supplied by his absolute holiness, made no less by imputation, ours, than it is personally his: When therefore we look into our bosoms, we find just cause to be ashamed of our impurity, and to loathe those dregs of corruption, that yet remain in our sinful nature; but when we east up our eyes to heaven and behold the infinite holiness of that Christ, to whom we are united, which by faith is made ours, we have reason to bear up against all the discouragements, that may arise from the conscience of our own vileness, and to look God in the face with an awful boldness, as those whom he is pleased to present holy, Col. 1. 22. and unblameable, and unreprovable in his sight: Heb. 2. 11. as knowing that he that sanctifieth, and they that are sanctified are all of one. § 16. Christ made our Redemption. Redemption was the great errand for which the Son of God came down into the world; and the work which he did while he was in the world; and that, which (in way of application of it) he shall be ever accomplishing, till he shall deliver up his Mediatory Kingdom into the hands of his Father; in this he begins, in this he finishes the great business of our salvation: For those who in this life are enlightened by his wisdom, justified by his merits, sanctified by his grace, are yet conflicting with manifold temptations, and struggling with varieties of miseries and dangers, till upon their happy death, and glorious resurrection, they shall be fully freed, by their ever-blessed and victorious Redeemer: He therefore, who by virtue of that heavenly union, is made unto us of God, Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification; is also upon the same ground made unto us our full Redemption. Redemption implies a captivity; We are naturally under the woeful bondage of the Law, of sin, of miseries, of death: The Law is a cruel exactor; for it requires of us what we cannot now do; and whips us for not doing it; Rom. 4. 15 for the Law worketh wrath; Gal. 3. 10. and, as many as are of the works of the Law, are under the curse. Sin is a worse tyrant than he, and taketh advantage to exercise his cruelty by the Law; For when we were in the flesh, Rom. 7. 5. the motions of sins, which were by the Law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death; Upon sin necessarily follows misery, the forerunner of death; and death the upshot of all miseries; By one man sin entered into the world, Rom. 5. 12 and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. From all these is Christ our Redemption; from the Law; Gal. 3. 13. for Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us: Rom. 6. 11 From sin▪ for we are dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord; Sin shall not have dominion over you, 6. 14. for ye are not under the Law, but under Grace. From death, and therein from all miseries: O death, where is thy sting? 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57 O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the Law: But thanks be to God which giveth us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Now then, let the Law do his worst, we are not under the Law, Rom. 6. 14 but under Grace. The case therefore is altered betwixt the Law and us. It is not now a cruel Taskmaster, to beat us to, and for our work; it is our Schoolmaster, to direct, and to whip us unto Christ: It is not a severe Judge, to condemn us, it is a friendly guide to set us the way towards heaven. Let sin join his forces together with the Law, they cannot prevail to our hurt; For what the Law could not do, Rom. 8. 3, 4. in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit. Let death join his forces with them both, Rom. 8. 2. we are yet safe; For the Law of the spirit of life, hath freed us from the Law of sin, and of death; What can we therefore fear, what can we suffer, while Christ is made our Redemption? Finally, as thus Christ is made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, & Redemption; so whatsoever else he either is, or hath or doth, by virtue of this blessed union, becomes ours; he is our riches a Eph. 1. 7. , our strength b Psal. 27. 1 28. 7. , our glory c Eph. 1. 18 , our salvation d 1 Thes. 5. 9 Esa. 12. 2. 3 , our all e Col. 3 11 : he is all to us; and all is ours in him. From these primary and intrinsical privileges therefore, flow all those secondary and external, § 17. The external privileges of this union, a right to the blessings of earth and heaven. wherewith we are blessed; and therein a right to all the blessings of God, both of the right hand and of the left; an interest in all the good things both of earth and heaven: Hereupon it is that the glorious Angels of Heaven become our Guardians, keeping us in all our ways, and working secretly for our good upon all occasions; that all God's creatures are at our service; that we have a true spiritual title to them; 1 Cor. 3. 22, 23. All things are yours (saith the Apostle) and ye are Christ's, and Christ Gods. But take heed, my son, of mis-laying thy claim to what, and in what manner thou ought'st not. There is a civil right, that must regulate our propriety to these earthly things; our spiritual right neither gives us possession of them, nor takes away the right and propriety of others; Every man hath and must have what by the just Laws of purchase, gift, or inheritance is derived to him; otherwise there would follow an infinite confusion in the world; we could neither enjoy nor give our own; and only will, and might must be the arbiters of all men's estates; which how unequal it would be, both reason and experience can sufficiently evince. This right is not for the direption or usurpation of that which civil titles have legally put over to others; there were no theft, no robbery, no oppression in the world, if any man's goods might be every man's: But for the warrantable and comfortable enjoying of those earthly commodities in regard of God their original owner, which are by humane conuciances justly become ours; The earth is the Lords and the fullness of it; in his right what ever parcels do lawfully descend unto us, we may justly possess as we have them legally made over to us from the secondary and immediate owners. There is a generation of men who have vainly fancied the founding of Temporal dominion in Grace; and have upon this mistaking outed the true heirs as intruders, and feoffed the just and godly in the possession of wicked inheritors; which whether they be worse Commonwealthsmen, or Christians is to me utterly uncertain; sure I am they are enemies to both; whiles on the one side, they destroy all civil propriety, and commerce; and on the other, reach the extent of the power of Christianity so far, as to render it injurious, and destructive both to reason and to the Laws of all well-ordred humanity▪ Nothing is ours by injury and injustice, all things are so ours, that we may with a good conscience enjoy them as, from the hand of a munificent God, when they are rightfully estated upon us by the lawful convention or bequest of men. In this regard it is that a Christian man is the Lord of the whole universe; and hath a right to the whole creation of God: how can he challenge less? he is a son; and in that an heir; and (according to the high expression of the holy ghost) a co-heir with Christ; As therefore we may not be highminded, but fear; so we may not be too low-harted in the under-valuing of our condition; In God we are great, now mean soever in ourselves: In his right the world is ours, what ever pittance we enjoy in our own; how can we go less when we are one with him who is the possessor of heaven and earth? It were but a poor comfort to us, if by virtue of this union we could only lay claim to all earthly things: alas, how vain and transitory are the best of these? perishing under our hand in the very use of them, and in the mean while how unsatisfying in the fruition? All this were nothing, if we had not hereby an interest in the best of all God's favours, in the heaven of heavens and the eternity of that glory which is there laid up for his Saints; far above the reach of all humane expressions, or conceits; It was the word of him who is the eternal word of his father; joh. 17. 24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me; and not only to be mere spectators, but even partners of this celestial bliss together with himself; joh. 17. 22. The glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. Oh the transcendent and incomprehensible blessedness of the believers, which even when they enjoy they cannot be able to utter, for measure infinite, for duration eternal! Oh the inexplicable joy of the full & everlasting accomplishment of the happy union of Christ & the believing soul, more fit for thankful wonder and ravishment of Spirit then for any finite apprehension! Now that we may look a little further into the means by which this union is wrought; § 18. The means by which this union is wrought. Know, my Son, that as there are two persons betwixt whom this union is made, Christ and the believer; so each of them concurres to the happy effecting of it; Christ, by his spirit diffused through the hearts of all the regenerate, giving life and activity to them: the believer, laying hold by faith upon Christ so working in him; and these do so re-act upon each other, that from their mutual operation results this gracious union whereof we treat. Here is a spiritual marriage betwixt Christ and the soul: The liking of one part doth not make up the match, but the consent of both. To this purpose Christ gives his spirit; the soul plights her faith: What interest have we in Christ but by his spirit? what interest hath Christ in us but by our faith? On the one part; He hath given us his holy Spirit, saith the Apostle; 1 Thes. 4. 8 and (in a way of correlation) we have received not the spirit of the world, 1 Cor. 2. 12 but the spirit which is of God; And this spirit we have so received, as that he dwells in us; Rom. 8. 11 and so dwells in us, as that we are joined to the Lord; 1 Cor. 5. 2. and he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Gal. 2. 20. On the other part, we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God▪ Ephes. 3. 17 so as now the life that we live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the son of God; who dwells in our hearts by faith▪ O the grace of faith (according to St. Peter's style) truly▪ precious; 2 Pet. 1. 1. justly recommended to us by S. Paul above all other graces incident into the soul; Ephes. 6. 16 as that, which if not alone yet chiefly transacts all the main affairs tending to salvation: for faith is the quickening grace a Gal. 2. 20 Rom. 1. 17▪ , the directing grace b 2 Cor. 5. 7. , the protecting grace c Ephes. 6. 16. , the establishing grace, d Rom. 11. 20▪ 2 Cor. 1. 24. the justifying grace, e Rom. 5. 1. the sanctifying and purifying grace; f Act. 15. 9 faith is the grate that assents to, g Heb. 11. 1 apprehends, applies, appropriates Christ, and hereupon the uniting grace, and (which comprehends all) the saving grace. If ever therefore we look for any consolation in Christ, or to have any part in this beatifical union, it must be the main care of our hearts to make sure of a lively faith in the Lord Jesus, to lay fast hold upon him, to clasp him close to us, yea to receive him inwardly into our bosoms; and so to make him ours, and ourselves his, that we may be joined to him as our head, espoused to him as our husband, incorporated into him as our nourishment, engrafted in him as our stock, and laid upon him as a sure foundation. Hitherto we have treated of this blessed union as in relation to Christ the head; § 19 The union of Christ's members with themselves; First, those in heaven. it remains that we now consider of it, as it stands in relation to the members of his mystical body, one towards another▪ For as the body is united to the head, so must the members be united to themselves to make the body truly complete: Thus the holy ghost by his Apostle: 1 Cor. 12. 12. As the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body, so is Christ. From this entire conjunction of the members with each other, arises that happy communion of Saints, which we profess both to believe and to partake of; This mystical body of Christ is a large one, extending itself both to heaven and earth; there is a real union betwixt all those farre-spred limbs: between the Saints in heaven; between the Saints on earth; between the Saints in heaven and earth. We have reason to begin at heaven, thence is the original of our union and blessedness: There was never place for discord in that region of glory, since the rebellious Angels were cast out thence; the spirits of just men made perfect must needs agree in a perfect unity; Heb. 12. neither can it be otherwise, for there is but one will in heaven; one scope of the desires of blessed souls, which is the glory of their God; all the whole chore sing one song, and in that one harmonious tune of Allelujah. We poor parcell-sainted souls here on earth profess to bend our eyes directly upon the same holy end, the honour of our Maker and Redeemer, but, alas, at our best, we are drawn to look asquint at our own aims of profit, or pleasure; We profess to sing loud praises unto God, but it is with many harsh and jarring notes; above, there is a perfect accordance in an unanimous glorifying of him that sits upon the throne for ever; Ps. 31. 23. Oh, how ye love the Lord, all ye his Saints, Oh how joyful ye are in glory. Ps. 31. 23. The heavens shall praise Ps. 149. 5. thy wonders, O Lord; thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the Saints: Ps. 89. 5. O what a blessed Commonwealth is that above! The City of the living God, Heb. 12. 22 the heavenly Jerusalem (ever at unity within itself) & therein the innumerable company of Angels, Ps. 122. 3. and the general Assembly and Church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven; the spirits of just men made perfect, and (whom they all adore) God the judge of all; and Jesus the Mediator of the New Testament: All these as one, Ps. 68 17. as holy: Those twenty thousand chariots of heaven move all one way; When those four beasts full of eyes, round about the throne give glory, Rev. 4. 6, 7. and honour, and thanks to him that sits upon the throne, saying, Holy, holy, Rev. 4. 8, 9, 10. holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come; then the four and twenty Elders fall down before him, and cast their crowns before the throne; No one wears his crown whiles the rest cast down theirs, all accord in one act of giving glory to the Highest. Rev. 7. 4. After the sealing of the Tribes, V. 9, 10. A great multitude, which no man could number, of all Nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne, and before the Lamb clothed with white robes and palms in their hands. And cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb; And all the Angels stood about the throne, Revel. 7. 11, 12. and about the Elders, and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto God for ever and ever. Lo, those spirits which here below were habited with severalll bodies, different in shapes, statures, ages, complexions, are now above as one spirit rather distinguished, then divided; all united in one perpetual adoration and fruition of the God of spirits; all mutually happy in God; in themselves, in each other. Our copy is set us above; § 20. The union of Christ's members upon earth: First, in matter of judgement. we labour to take it out here on earth; What do we but daily pray that the blessed union of souls, which is eminent in that empirical heaven, may be exemplified by us in this region of mortality? For, having through Christ an access by one spirit unto God the Father, Eph. 2. 18, 19 being no more strangers and forainers, but fellow Citizens with the Saints, and of the household of God, we cease not to pray, Thy will be done in earth, Mat. 6. 10. as it is in heaven: Yea, O Saviour, thou, who canst not but be heard, hast prayed to thy Father for the accomplishment of this union; That they may be one even as we are one; Joh. 17. 22 23. I in them, and thou in me; that they may be perfect in one. What then is this union of the members of Christ here on earth, but a spiritual oneness arising from an happy conspiration of their thoughts and affections? for whereas there are two main principles of all humane actions and dispositions, the brain and the heart; the conjuncture of these two cannot but produce a perfect union; from the one our thoughts take their rise; our affections from the other; in both, the soul puts itself forth upon all matter of accord, or difference. The union of thoughts is, when we mind the same things, when we agree in the same truths: This is the charge which the Apostle of the Gentiles lays upon his Corinthians, and, in their persons, upon all Christians; 1 Cor. 1. 10 Now I beseech you, Brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing; and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement; And this is no other than that one faith, Eph. 4. 5. which makes up the one Church of Christ upon earth; One, both in respect of times and places. Of times: so as the Fathers of the first world, and the Patriarches of the next, and all God's people in their ages, that looked (together with them) for the redemption of Israel; are united with us Christians of the last days in the same belief; Luke 2. 38 and make up one entire body of Christ's Catholic Church: Of places; so as all those that truly profess the name of Christ (though scattered into the farthest remote regions of the earth) even those that walk with their feet opposite to ours, yet meet with us in the same centre of Christian faith, and make up one household of God. Not that we can hope it possible that all Christians should agree in all truths; whiles we are here, our minds cannot but be more unlike to each others, than our faces: yea, it is a rare thing for a man to hold constant to his own apprehensions. Lord God what a world do we meet with of those, who miscall themselves several Religions, indeed, several professions of one and the same Christianity? Melchites, Georgians, Maronites, Jacobites, Armenians, Abysines, Cophti, Nestorians, Ruffians, Mengrellians; and the rest that fill up the large Map of Christianography; all which, as whiles they hold the head Christ, they cannot be denied the privilege of his members; so being such, they are, or should be indissolubly joined together in the unity of spirit, and maintenance of the faith which was once delivered unto the Saints. Judas 3. It is not the variety of by opinions that should, or can exclude them from having their part in that one Catholic Church; and their just claim to the communion of Saints: whiles they hold the solid and precious foundation, it is not the hay, or stubble, which they lay upon it, 1 Cor. 3. 12 that can set them off from God, or his Church: But in the mean time, it must be granted, that they have much to answer for to the God of peace and unity, who are so much addicted to their own conceits, and so indulgent to their own interest, as to raise and maintain new Doctrines, and to set up new Sects in the Church of Christ, varying from the common and received truths; labouring to draw Disciples after them▪ to the great distraction of souls, and scandal of Christianity: With which sort of disturbers, I must needs say, this age into which we are fallen, hath been, and is above all that have gone before us, most miserably pestered: What good soul can be other then confounded to hear of, and see more than an hundred and fourscore new, (and some of them dangerous and blasphemous) opinions broached, and defended in one (once famous and unanimous) Church of Christ? Who can say other, upon the view of these wild thoughts, than Gerson said long since, that the world now grown old, is full of doting fancies; if not rather that the world now near his end, raves, and talks nothing but fancies, and frenzies? How arbitrary soever these self-willed fanatics may think it, to take to themselves this liberty of thinking what they list; and venting what they think, the blessed Apostle hath▪ long since branded them with an heavy sentence; Now I beseech you, Rom. 16. 17. brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them; For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words, and by fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. But notwithstanding all this hideous variety of vain and heterodoxal conceptions; he who is the truth of God, and the Bridegroom of his Spouse the Church, hath said, Cant. 6. 9 My Dove, my undefiled is one. One, in the main, essential, fundamental verities necessary to salvation; though differing in divers misraised Corollaries, inconsequent inferences, unnecessary additions, feigned traditions, unwarrantable practices: the body is one, though the garments differ; yea, rather (for most of these) the garment is one, but differs in the dressing; handsomely and comely set out by one, disguised by another; Neither is it, nor ever shall be in the power of all the fiends of hell, the professed make-bates of the world, to make God's Church other then one; which were indeed utterly to extinguish, and reduce it to nothing: for the unity, and entity of the Church, can no more be divided then itself. It were no less than blasphemy to fasten upon the chaste and most holy husband of the Church any other then one Spouse; In the Institution of Marriage did he not make one? Mal. 2. 15. yet had he the residue of the spirit; and wherefore one? that he might seek a godly seed: That which he ordained for us, shall not the holy God much more observe in his own heavenly match with his Church? Here is then one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism; One Baptism, by which we enter into the Church, one Faith, which we profess in the Church, and one Lord whom we serve, and who is the head, and husband of the Church. How much therefore doth it concern us, § 21. The union of Christians in matter of affection. that we who are united in one common belief, should be much more united in affection; that where there is one way, there should be much more one heart? Jer. 32. 39 This is so justly supposed, that the Prophet questions, Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together, except they be agreed? if we walk together in our judgements, we cannot but accord in our wills: This was the praise of the Primitive Christians, and the pattern of their successors; Acts 4. 32. The multitude of them that believed were of one heart, and of one soul; Yea, this is the Livery which our Lord and Saviour made choice of, whereby his menial servants should be known and distinguished; Joh. 13. 35 By this shall all men know that ye be my Disciples, if ye have love to one another: In vain shall any man pretend to a Discipleship, if he do not make it good by his love to all the family of Christ. The whole Church is the spiritual Temple of God; every believer is a living stone laid in those sacred walls; what is our Christian love but the mortar or cement whereby these stones are fast joined together to make up this heavenly building? without which that precious fabric could not hold long together, but would be subject to disjointing by those violent tempests of opposition, wherewith it is commonly beaten upon: There is no place for any loose stone in God's edifice; The whole Church is one entire body, all the limbs must be held together by the ligaments of Christian love; if any one will be severed, and affect to subsist of itself, it hath lost his place in the body; Thus the Apostle, Eph. 4. 15, 16. That we being sincere in love may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ; From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth; according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love. But in case there happen to be differences in opinion, concerning points not essential, not necessary to salvation, this diversity may not breed an alienation of affection. That charity which can cover a multitude of sins, may much more cover many small dissensions of judgement: We cannot hope to be all, and at all times equally enlightened; at how many and great weaknesses of judgement did it please our merciful Saviour to connive, in his domestic bless? They that had so long sat at the sacred feet of him that spoke as never man spoke, were yet to seek of those Scriptures, which had so clearly foretold his resurrection; Joh. 20. 9 and after that were at a fault for the manner of his kingdom; Acts 1. 6. yet he that breaks not the bruised reed, nor quenches the smoking flax, falls not harshly upon them for so foul an error, and ignorance, but entertains them with all loving respects, not as followers only, but as friends: And his great Apostle, Joh. 15. 15. after he had spent himself in his unweariable endeavours upon God's Church; and had sown the seeds of wholesome, & saving doctrine every where, what rank and noisome weeds of erroneous opinions rose up under his hand, in the Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Colosse, Philippi, and Thessalonica? These he labours to root out, with much zeal, with no bitterness; so opposing the errors, as not alienating his affection from the Churches; These, these must be our precedents, pursuing that charge of the prime Apostle, Finally, 1 Pet. 3. 8. be ye all of one mind; having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: and that passionate and adjuring obtestation of the Apostle of the Gentiles; Phil. 2. 1, 2. If there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any bowels and mercies; Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be like minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. This is it that gives beauty, strength, glory to the Church of God upon earth; and brings it nearest to the resemblance of that Triumphant part above, where there is all perfection of love and concord; in imitation whereof, the Psalmist sweetly; Behold, Ps. 133. 1. how good and joyful a thing it is brethren to dwell together in unity. § 22. A complaint of divisions, and, notwithstanding them, an assertion of unity. So much the more justly lamentable it is to see the manifold and grievous distractions of the Church of Christ, both in judgement and affection. Woe is me, into how many thousand pieces is the seamlesse coat of our Saviour rend? Yea, into what numberless atoms is the precious body of Christ torn and minced? There are more Religions, than Nations upon earth; & in each Religion as many different conceits, as men. If Saint Paul, when his Corinthians did but say, I am of Paul, 1 Cor. 1. 12, 13. I am of Apollo, I am of Cephas, could ask, Is Christ divided? when there was only an emulatory magnifying of their own Teachers, (though agreeing and orthodox) what (think we) would he now say, if he saw hundred of Sect-masters and Heresiarches (some of them opposite to other, all to the Truth) applauded by their credulous and divided followers? all of them claiming Christ for theirs, and denying him to their gainsayers; would he not ask, Is Christ multiplied? Is Christ subdivided? Is Christ shred into infinities? O God what is become of Christianity? How do evil spirits & men labour to destroy that Creed which we have always constantly professed? For, if we set up more Christ's, where is that one? and if we give way to these infinite distractions, where is the communion of Saints? But he not too much dismayed, my son; notwithstanding all these cold disheartenings, take courage to thyself: He that is truth itself hath said, The Gates of hell shall not prevail against his Church: Mat. 16. 18 In spite of all Devils, there shall be Saints, and those are, and shall be as the scales of the Leviathan, Job 41. 15 16, 17. whose strong pieces of shields are his pride, shut up together as with a close seal; one is so near to another, that no air can come betwixt them; They are joined one to another, they stick together, that they cannot be sundered: In all the main principles of Religion, there is an universal and unanimous consent of all Christians, and these are they that constitute a Church: Those that agree in these, Christ is pleased to admit (for matter of doctrine) as members of that body whereof he is the head: and if they admit not of each other as such, the fault is in the uncharitableness of the refusers, no less then in the error of the refused: And if any vain and loose stragglers will needs sever themselves, and wilfully choose to go ways of their own; let them know that the union of Christ's Church shall consist entire without them; This great Ocean will be one collection of waters, when these drops are lost in the dust: In the mean time it highly concerns all that wish well to the sacred name of Christ, to labour to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace; Eph. 4. 3. and to renew and continue the prayer of the Apostle for all the professors of Christianity. Now the God of patience and consolation, Rom. 15. 5, 6. grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus; That ye may with one mind, and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Far be it from us to think this union of the hearts of God's Saints upon earth can be idle and ineffectual; § 23. The necessary effects & fruits of this union of Christian hearts. but where ever it is, it puts forth itself into a like-affectednesse of disposition, into an improvement of gifts, into a communication of outward blessings, to the benefit of that happy consociation. We cannot be single in our affections, if we be limbs of a Christian community; What member of the body can complain, so as the rest shall not feel it? Even the head and heart are in pain, when a joint of the least toe suffers; no Christian can be afflicted alone; It is not Saint Paul's case only; 2 Cor. 11. 29. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? Our shoulders are not our own, we must bear one another's burdens: Gal. 6. 2. There is a better kind of spiritual good fellowship in all the Saints of God; They hate a propriety of passions, Rom. 12. 15. Rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Their affections are not more communicative than their gifts and graces; those, as they are bestowed with an intuition of the common good, so they are improved; Wherefore hath this man quickness of wit, that man depth of judgement, this, heat of zeal, that, power of elocution; this, skill, that, experience; this, authority, that, strength; but that all should be laid together for the raising of the common stock? How rich therefore is every Christian soul, that is not only furnished with its own graces, but hath a special interest in all the excellent gifts of all the most eminent servants of God through the whole world? Surely, he cannot be poor, whiles there is any spiritual wealth in the Church of God upon earth. Neither are, or can these gifts be in the danger of concealments; they are still put forth for the public advantage: As therefore no true Christian is his own man; so he freely lays out himself, by example, by admonition, by exhortation, by consolation, by prayer, for the universal benefit of all his fellow-members; By example, which is not a little winning and prevalent; Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven; saith our Saviour in his Sermon upon the Mount; and his great Apostle seconds his charge to his Philippians; That ye may be blameless and harmless, Phil. 2. 15, 16. the Sons of God, without rebuke in the midst of a crooked, and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life; Lo, the world sits in darkness, and either stirs not, or moves with danger; good example is a light to their feet, which directs them to walk in the ways of God, without erring, without stumbling: so as the good man's actions are so many copies for novices to take out; no less instructive than the wisest men's precepts. By admonition; the sinner is in danger of drowning; Seasonable admonition is an hand reached out, that lays hold on him now sinking, and draws him up to the shore. The sinner is already in the fire; Judas 23. seasonable admonition snatches him out from the everlasting burnings. The charitable Christian may not forbear this (oft times thankless, but) always necessary and profitable duty; Leu. 19 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart; thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him. By exhortation; The fire of God's Spirit within us, is subject to many damps, and dangers of quenching; seasonable exhortation blows it up, and quickens those sparks of good motions to a perfect flame; Even the best of us lies open to a certain deadness and obduredness of heart, seasonable exhortation shakes off this peril, and keeps the heart in an holy tenderness; and whether awful, or cheerful disposition; Exhort one another daily, Heb. 3. 13. whiles it is called, to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. By consolation; We are all naturally subject to droop under the pressure of afflictions; seasonable comforts lift, and stay us up: It is a sad complaint that the Church makes in the Lamentations; They have heard that I sigh; Lam. 1. 21 there is none to comfort me; and David sets the same mournfulditty upon his Shoshannim; Reproach hath broken my heart, Ps. 69. 20. and I am full of heaviness; and I looked for some to take pity, and there was none, and for comforters, but I found none. Wherefore hath God given to men the tongue of the learned, Esa. 50. 4. but that they might know to speak a word in season to him that is weary? That they may strengthen the weak hands, Esa. 35. 3. and confirm the feeble knees; and say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not. The charge that our Saviour gives to Peter, Luk. 23. 32 holds universally; Thou when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. By prayer: so as each member of Christ's Church sues for all; neither can any one be shut out from partaking the benefit of the devotions of all God's Saints upon earth: There is a certain spiritual traffic of piety betwixt all God's children, wherein they exchange prayers with each other; not regarding number, so much as weight: Am I weak in spirit, and faint in my supplications? I have no less share in the most fervent prayers of the holiest suppliants, then in my own; All the vigour that is in the most ardent hearts supplies my defects; whiles there is life in their faithful devotions, I cannot go away unblessed. Lastly, where there is a communion of inward graces, and spiritual services, there must needs much more be a communication of outward, and temporal good things, as just occasion requireth; Away with those dotages of Platonical, or anabaptistical communities; Let prieties be, as they ought, constantly fixed where the laws, and civil right have placed them; But let the use of these outward blessings be managed, and commanded by the necessities of our brethren; Withhold not thy goods from the owners thereof, Prov. 3. 27, 28. when it is in the power of thy hand to do it: Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again to morrow, and I will give it, when thou hast it by thee. These temporal things were given us not to engross, and hoard up superfluously, but to distribute and dispense; As we have therefore opportunity, Gal. 6. 10. let us do good unto all men, especially them who are of the household of faith. Such than is the union of God's children here on earth, both in matter of judgement, and affection; and the beneficial improvement of that affection, whether in spiritual gifts, or good offices, or communicating of our earthly substance; where the heart is one, none of these can be wanting, and where they all are, there is an happy communion of Saints. As there is a perfect union betwixt the glorious Saints in heaven; § 24. The union of the Saints on earth with those in heaven. and a union (though imperfect) betwixt the Saints on earth: So there is an union partly perfect, and partly imperfect, between the Saints in heaven, and the Saints below upon earth: perfect, in respect of those glorified Saints above, imimperfect, in respect of the weak returns we are able to make to them again. Let no man think that because those blessed souls are out of sight far distant in another world, and we are here toiling in a vale of tears, we have therefore lost all mutual regard to each other: no, there is still, and ever will be a secret, but unfailing correspondence between heaven and earth. The present happiness of those heavenly Citizens cannot have abated aught of their knowledge, and charity, but must needs have raised them to an higher pitch of both: They therefore, who are now glorious comprehensors, cannot but in a generality, retain the notice of the sad condition of us poor travellers here below, panting towards our rest together with them, and, in common, wish for the happy consummation of this our weary pilgrimage, in the fruition of their glory; That they have any Perspective whereby they can see down into our particular wants, is that which we find no ground to believe; it is enough that they have an universal apprehension of the estate of Christ's warfaring Church upon the face of the earth; Rev. 6. 10. and as fellow-members of the same mystical body, long for a perfect glorification of the whole. As for us wretched pilgrims, that are yet left here below to tug with many difficulties, we cannot forget that better half of us that is now triumphing in glory; O ye blessed Saints above, we honour your memories so far as we ought; we do with praise recount your virtues, we magnify your victories, we bless God for your happy exemption from the miseries of this world, and for your estating in that blessed immortality; We imitate your holy examples, we long and pray for an happy consociation with you; we dare not raise Temples, dedicate Altars, direct prayers to you; we dare not finally, offer any thing to you which you are unwilling to receive, nor put any thing upon you, which you would disclaim as prejudicial to your Creator, and Redeemer. It is abundant comfort to us, that some part of us is in the fruition of that glory; whereto we (the other poor labouring part) desire, and strive to aspire: that our head and shoulders are above water, whiles the other limbs are yet wading through the stream. To wind up all, § 25. Arecapitulation and sum of the whole treatise. my son, if ever thou look for sound comfort on earth, and salvation in heaven; unglue thyself from the world and the vanities of it; put thyself upon thy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; Leave not till thou findest thyself firmly united to him; so as thou art become a limb of that body whereof he is head, a Spouse of that husband, a branch of that stem, a stone laid upon that foundation; Look not therefore for any blessing out of him; and in, and by, and from him look for all blessings; Let him be thy life, and wish not to live longer than thou art quickened by him; find him thy wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption; thy riches, thy strength, thy glory: Apply unto thyself all that thy Saviour is, or hath done; Hier. Zanch. loc. come. 8. de Symbolo Apost. Wouldst thou have the graces of God's Spirit? fetch them from his anointing; Wouldst thou have power against spiritual enemies? fetch it from his Sovereignty; Wouldst thou have redemption? fetch it from his passion; Wouldst thou have absolution? fetch it from his perfect innocence; Freedom from the curse? fetch it from his cross? Satisfaction? fetch it from his sacrifice; Cleansing from sin? fetch it from his blood; Mortification? fetch it from his grave; Newness of life? fetch it from his resurrection; Right to heaven? fetch it from his purchase; Audience in all thy suits? fetch it from his intercession; Wouldst thou have salvation? fetch it from his session at the right hand of Majesty: Wouldst thou have all? fetch it from him who is one Lord, Eph. 4. 5, 6. one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all: And as thy faith shall thus interest thee in Christ thy head: so let thy charity unite thee to his body the Church, both in earth, and heaven; hold ever an inviolable communion with that holy and blessed fraternity. Sever not thyself from it either in judgement, or affection; Make account there is not one of God's saints upon earth, but hath a propriety in thee: and thou mayst challenge the same in each of them: so as thou canst not but be sensible of their passions; and be freely communicative of all thy graces, and all serviceable offices, by example, admonition, exhortation, consolation, prayer, beneficence, for the good of that sacred community. And when thou raisest up thine eyes to heaven, think of that glorious society of blessed saints, who are gone before thee, and are now there triumphing, and reigning in eternal, and incomprehensible glory; bless God for them, and wish thyself with them, tread in their holy steps, and be ambitious of that crown of glory and immortality which thou seest shining upon their heads. AN HOLY RAPTURE: OR, A Pathetical Meditation of the love of Christ. BY J. H. B. N. The CONTENTS. § 1. THe love of Christ, how passing knowledge; how free; of us, before we were. § 2. How free; of us that had made ourselves vile, and miserable. § 3. How yet free; of us that were professed enemies. § 4. The wonderful effects of the love of Christ; 1. His Incarnation. § 5. 2. His love in his sufferings. § 6. 3. His love in what he hath done for us; and 1. in preparing heaven for us from eternity. § 7. His love in our redemption from death, and hell. § 8. His love in giving us the guard of his Angels. § 9 His love in giving us his holy Spirit. § 10. Our sense and improvement of Christ's love in all the former particulars; and first in respect of the inequality of our persons. persons 11. A further improvement of our love to Christ, in respect of our unworthiness, and of his sufferings and glory prepared for us. § 12. The improvement of our love to Christ for the mercy of his deliverance, of the tuition of his Angels, of the powerful working of his good Spirit for the accomplishment of our salvation. AN HOLY RAPTURE: OR, A Pathetical Meditation of the love of CHRIST. WHat is it, § 1. The love of Christ how passing knowledge; how free; of us before we were. O blessed Apostle, what is it, for which thou dost so earnestly bow thy knees (in the behalf of thine Ephesians) unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ? Even this, that they may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. Eph. 3. 14. 19 Give me leave first to wonder at thy suit; and then, much more, at what thou suest for: Were thine affections raised so high to thine Ephesians, that thou shouldst crave for them impossible favours? Did thy love so far over-shoot thy reason, as to pray they might attain to the knowledge of that which cannot be known? It is the love of Christ which thou wishest they may know, and it is that love which thou sayest is past all knowledge; What shall we say to this? Is it for that there may be holy ambitions of those heights of grace, which we can never hope actually to attain? Or is it, rather, that thou supposest, and prayest they may reach to the knowledge of that love, the measure whereof they could never aspire to know: Surely, so it is, O blessed Jesus; that thou hast loved us, we know; but, how much thou hast loved us, is past the comprehension of Angels: Those glorious spirits, as they desire to look into the deep mystery of our redemption, so they wonder to behold that divine love whereby it is wrought, but they can no more reach to the bottom of it, than they can affect to be infinite. For surely, no less than an endless line can serve to fathom a bottomless depth: Such, O Saviour, is the abyss of thy love to miserable man: Alas, what do we poor, wretched, dust of the earth go about to measure it by the spans, and inches of our shallow thoughts. Far, far, be such presumption from us; Only admit us, O blessed Lord, to look at, to admire and adore that which we give up for incomprehensible; What shall we then say to this love; Oh dear Jesus, both as thine, and as cast upon us; All earthly love supposeth some kind of equality, (or proportion at least) betwixt the person that loves, and is loved; Here is none at all; so as (which is past wonder) extremes meet without a mean: For, lo, thou, who art the eternal and absolute Being, God blessed for ever, lovedst me that had no being at all; thou lovedst me both when I was not, and could never have been but by thee: It was from thy love that I had any being at all: much more that when thou hadst given me a being, thou shouldst follow me with succeeding mercies? who but thou (who art infinite in goodness) would love that which is not? Our poor sensual love is drawn from us by the sight of a face, or a picture; neither is ever raised but upon some pleasing motive: thou wouldst make that which thou wouldst love, and wouldst love that which thou hadst made; O God, was▪ there ever love so free, so gracious, as this of thine? Who can be capable to love us but men or Angels? Men love us because they see something in us which they think amiable; Angels love us because thou dost so: But why dost thou (O blessed Lord) love us, but because thou wouldst? There can be no cause of thy will, which is the cause of all things; Even, so Lord, since this love did rise only from thee, let the praise and glory of it rest only in thee. Yet more, § 2. How free; of us that had made our selus vile and miserable. Lord; we had lost ourselves before we were, and having forfeited what we should be, had made ourselves perfectly miserable; even when we were worse than nothing, thou wouldst love us; was there ever any eye enamoured of deformity? Can there be any bodily deformity comparable to that of sin? yet, Lord, when sin had made us abominably loathsome, didst thou cast thy love upon us: A little scurf of leprosy, or some few nasty spots of morphew, or, but, some unsavoury scent sets us off; and turns our love into detestation. But for thee, (O God) when we were become as foul, and ugly as sin could make us, even than was thy love inflamed towards us; Even when we were weltering in our blood, thou saidst, Live, and washedst us, and anointedst us, and cloathedst us with broidered work, and deckedst us with ornaments, and graciously espousedst us to thyself, and receivedst us into thine own bosom: Lord, what is man that thou art thus mindful of him, and the son of man that thou thus visitest him? Oh what are we in comparison of thine once-glorious Angels? They sinned and fell, never to be recovered; never to be loosed from those everlasting chains, wherein they are reserved to the judgement of the great day: Whence is it then, O Saviour, whence is it that thou hast shut up thy mercy from those thy more excellent creatures, and hast extended it to us, vile sinful dust? whence? but that thou wouldst love man, because thou wouldst? Alas, it it is discouragement enough to our feeble friendship, that he to whom we wished well, is miserable: Our love doth gladly attend upon, and enjoy his prosperity; but when his estate is utterly sunk, and his person exposed to contempt and ignominy, yea, to torture and death; who is there that will then put forth himself to own a forlorn, and perishing friend? But for thee, O blessed Jesus, so ardent was thy love to us, that it was not in the power of our extreme misery to abate it; yea so, as that the deplorednesse of our condition did but heighten that holy flame; What speak I of shame or sufferings? Hell itself could not keep thee off from us; Even from that pit of eternal perdition didst thou fetch our condemned souls, and hast contrarily vouchsafed to put us into a state of everlasting blessedness. The common disposition of men pretends to a kind of justice in giving men their own; § 3. How yet free; of us that were professed enemies. so as they will repay love for love; and think they may for hatred return enmity; nature itself then teacheth us to love our friends, it is only grace that can love an enemy: But, as of injuries, so of enmities thereupon grounded, there are certain degrees; some are sleight and trivial, some main and capital; If a man do but scratch my face, or give some light dash to my fame, it is no great Mastery upon submission to receive such an offender to favour; but if he have endeavoured to ruin my estate, to wound my reputation, to cut my throat, not only to pardon this man, but to hug him in my arms, to lodge him in my bosom as my entire friend, this would be no other than an high improvement of my charity. O Lord Jesus, what was I but the worst of enemies, when thou vouchsafedst to embrace me with thy loving mercy? how had I shamefully rebelled against thee, and yielded up all my members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin? how had I crucified thee the Lord of life? how had I done little other then trod under foot thee the blessed Son of God, and counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing; how had I in some sort done despite unto the spirit of grace? yet even then, in despite of all my most odious unworthiness, didst thou spread abroad thine arms to receive me, yea, thou openedst thine heart to let me in: O love passing not knowledge only, but wonder also! O mercy, not incident into any thing less than infinite; nor, by any thing less, § 4. The wonderful effects of the love of Christ: His Incarnation. comprehensible! But, oh dear Lord, when from the object of thy mercy, I cast mine eyes upon the effects and improvement of thy divine favours; and see what thy love hath drawn from thee towards the sons of men, how am I lost in a just amazement? It is that which fetched thee down from the glory of the highest heavens, from the bosom of thine eternal Father to this lower world, the region of sorrow and death: It is that which (to the wonder of Angels) clothed thee with this flesh of ours, and brought thee (who thoughtst it no robbery to be equal with God) to an estate lower than thine own creatures. Oh mercy transcending the admiration of all the glorious spirits of heaven, that God would be incarnate! Surely, that all those celestial powers should be redacted to either worms, or nothing; that all this goodly frame of creation should run back into its first confusion, or be reduced to one single atom; it is not so high a wonder as for God to become man; those changes (though the highest that nature is capable of) are yet but of things finite; this is of an infinite subject, with which the most excellent of finite things can hold no proportion: Oh the great mystery of godliness; God manifested in the flesh, and seen of Angels! Those heavenly spirits had ever since they were made, seen his most glorious Deity, and adored him as their omnipotent Creator; but to see that God of spirits invested with flesh, was such a wonder, as had been enough (if their nature could have been capable of it) to have astonished even glory itself; And whether to see him that was their God so humbled below themselves, or to see humanity thus advanced above themselves, were the greater wonder to them, they only know: It was your foolish misprision, O ye ignorant Listrians, that you took the servants for the Master; here only is it verified (which you supposed) that God is come down to us in the likeness of man; and as man conversed with men: What a disparagement do we think it was for the great Monarch of Babylon, for seven years together, as a beast to converse with the beasts of the field? Yet alas, beasts and men are fellow-creatures; made of one earth, drawing in the same air, returning (for their bodily part) to the same dust; symbolising in many qualities; and in some, mutually transcending each others: so as here may seem to be some terms of a tolerable proportion; sith many men are in disposition too like unto beasts, and some beasts are in outward shape somewhat like unto men: But for him that was, and is, God, blessed for ever, eternal, infinite, incomprehensible, to put on flesh, and to become a man amongst men, was to stoop below all possible disparities that heaven and earth can afford; Oh Saviour, the lower thine abasement was for us, the higher was the pitch of thy divine love to us. Yet in this our humane condition there are degrees; § 5. His love in his sufferings. One rules and glitters in all earthly glory; another sits despised in the dust; one passes the time of his life in much jollity and pleasure; another wears out his days in sorrow and discontentment; Blessed Jesus, since thou wouldst be a man, why wouldst thou not be the King of men? since thou wouldst come down to our earth, why wouldst thou not enjoy the best entertainment that the earth could yield thee? Yea, since thou who art the eternal Son of God, wouldst be the son of man, why didst thou not appear in a state like to the King of heaven, attended with the glorious retinue of blessed Angels? O yet greater wonder of mercies; The same infinite love that brought thee down to the form of man, would also bring thee down, being man, to the form of a servant. So didst thou love man that thou wouldst take part with him of his misery, that he might take part with thee of thy blessedness: thou wouldst be poor to enrich us, thou wouldst be burdened for our ease, tempted for our victory, despised for our glory. With what less than ravishment of spirit can I behold thee, who wert from everlasting clothed with glory and majesty, wrapped in rags: thee, who fillest heaven and earth with the majesty of thy glory, cradled in a manger; thee, who art the God of power, fleeing in thy mother's arms from the rage of a weak man; thee, who art the God of Israel, driven to be nursed out of the bosom of thy Church; thee, who madest the heaven of heavens, busily working in the homely trade of a foster-father; thee, who commandest the Devils to their chains, transported and tempted by that foul spirit; thee, who art God all-sufficient, exposed to hunger, thirst, weariness, danger, contempt, poverty, revile, scourge, persecution; thee, who art the just Judge of all the world, accused and condemned; thee, who art the Lord of life, dying upon the tree of shame and curse; thee, who art the eternal Son of God, struggling with thy Father's wrath; thee, who hadst said, I and my Father are one, sweeting drops of blood in thine agony, and crying out on the Cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? thee, who hast the keys of hell, and of death, lying sealed up in another man's grave: Oh Saviour, whither hath thy love to mankind carried thee? what sighs, and groans, and tears, and blood, hast thou spent upon us wretched men? How dear a price hast thou paid for our ransom? What raptures of spirit can be sufficient for the admiration of thy so infinite mercy? Be thou swallowed up, O my soul, in this depth of divine love; and hate to spend thy thoughts any more upon the base objects of this wretched world, when thou hast such a Saviour to take them up. But O blessed Jesus, § 6. His love in preparing heaven for us. if from what thou hast suffered for me, I shall cast mine eyes upon what thou hast done for my soul; how is my heart divided betwixt the wonders of both; and may as soon tell how great either of them is, as whether of them is the greater. It is in thee that I was elected from all eternity; and ordained to a glorious inheritance before there was a world: we are wont (O God) to marvel at, and bless thy provident beneficence to the first man, that before thou wouldst bring him forth into the world, thou wert pleased to furnish such a world for him, so goodly an house over his head, so pleasant a Paradise under his feet, such variety of creatures round about him for his subjection, and attendance; But how should I magnify thy mercy, who before that man, or that world had any being, hast so far loved me as to pre-ordain me to a place of blessedness in that heaven which should be, and to make me a co-heir with my Christ of thy glory: And oh, what an heaven is this that thou hast laid out for me: how resplendent, how transcendently glorious? Even that lower Paradise which thou providedst for the harbour of innocence and holiness, was full of admirable beauty, pleasure, magnificence, but if it be compared with this Paradise above, which thou hast prepared for the everlasting entertainment of restored souls, how mean and beggarly it was? Oh match too unequal, of the best piece of earth, with the highest state of the heaven of heavens. In that earthly Paradise I find thine Angels, the Cherubin; but it was to keep man off from that Garden of Delight, and from the tree of life in the midst of it; but in this heavenly one I find millions of thy Cherubin, and Seraphim rejoicing at man's blessedness, and welcomming the glorified souls to their heaven: There I find but the shadow of that, whereof the substance is here; There we were so possessed of life that yet we might forfeit it; here is life without all possibility of death: Temptation could find access thither, here is nothing but a free and complete fruition of blessedness: There were delights fit for earthly bodies; here is glory more than can be enjoyed of blessed souls: That was watered with four streams, muddy, and impetuous; in this is the pure river of the water of life clear as Crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb: There I find thee only walking in the cool of the day; here manifesting thy Majesty continually: There I see only a most pleasant Orchard, set with all manner of varieties of flourishing and fruitful plants; here I find also the City of God infinitely rich, and magnificent; the building of the wall of it, of Jasper; and the City itself pure gold, like unto clear glass; and the foundations of the wall garnished with all manner of precious stones: All that I can here attain to see, is the pavement of thy celestial habitation: and, Lord, how glorious it is; how bespangled with glittering stars; for number, for magnitude equally admirable? What is the least of them, but a world of light? and what are all of them, but a confluence of so many thousand worlds of beauty and brightness met in one firmament? And if this floor of thine heavenly Palace be thus richly set forth, oh, how infinite glory and magnificence must there needs be within? Thy chosen Vessel, that had the privilege to be caught up thither, and to see that divine state, (whether with bodily, or mental eyes) can express it no otherwise, then that it cannot possibly be expressed: No, Lord, it were not infinite if it could be uttered; Thoughts go beyond words; yet even these come far short also; He that saw it, says; Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Yet is thy love, § 7. His love in our redemption from death & hell. O Saviour, so much more to be magnified of me, in this purchased glory; when I cast down mine eyes, and look into that horrible gulf of torment, and eternal death, whence thou hast rescued my poor soul: Even out of the greatest contentment which this world is capable to afford unto mankind, to be preferred to the joys of heaven, is an unconceivable advantage; but from the depth of misery to be raised up unto the highest pitch of felicity, adds so much more to the blessing, as the evil from which we are delivered is more intolerable: Oh blessed Jesus, what an hell is this out of which thou hast freed me? what dreadful horror is here? what darkness? what confusion? what anguish of souls that would, and cannot die? what howling, and yelling, and shrieking, and gnashing? what everlasting burnings? what never slaking tortures? what merciless fury of unweariable tormentors? what utter despair of any possibility of release? what exquisiteness, what infiniteness of pains that cannot, yet must be endured? Oh God, if the impotent displeasure of weak men have devised so subtle engines of revenge upon their fellow-mortals for but petty offences; how can we but think thine infinite justice and wisdom must have ordained such forms and ways of punishment for heinous sins done against thee, as may be answerable to the violation of thy divine Majesty? Oh therefore the most fearful and deplored condition of damned spirits, never to be ended, never to be abated; Oh those unquenchable flames; Oh that burning Tophet, deep and large; and those streams of brimstone wherewith it is kindled; Oh that worm ever gnawing and tearing the heart, never dying, never sated: Oh everliving death, oh ever renewing torments; oh never pitied, never intermitted damnation; From hence, O Saviour, from hence it is that thou hast fetched up my condemned soul; This is the place, this is the state out of which thou hast snatched me up into thy heaven: Oh love and mercy more deep than those depths from which thou hast saved me; more high than that heaven to which thou hast advanced me! Now, § 8. Christ's love in giving us the guard of his Angels. whereas in my passage from this state of death towards the fruition of immortal glory▪ I am waylaid by a world of dangers; partly, through my own sinful aptness to miscarriages, and partly through the assaults of my spiritual enemies, how hath thy tender love and compassion, o blessed Jesus, undertaken to secure my soul from all these deadly perils▪ both without, and within: without, by the guardance of thy blessed Angels: within, by the powerful inoperation of thy good Spirit which thou hast given me? Oh that mine eyes could be opened with Elishaes' servant, that I might see those troops of heavenly soldiers, those horses and chariots of fire, wherewith thou hast encompassed me! every one of which is able to chase away a whole host of the powers of darkness: Who am I, Lord, who am I, that, upon thy gracious appointment, these glorious spirits should still watch over me in mine uprising, and down lying; in my going out, and coming in? that they should bear me in their arms, that they should shield me with their protection? Behold, such is their majesty and glory, that some of thy holiest servants have hardly been restrained from worshipping them; yet so great is thy love to man, as that thou hast ordained them to be ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation. Surely they are in nature far more excellent than man; as being spiritual substances, pure intelligences, meet to stand before the throne of thee the King of glory; What a mercy than is this, that thou, who wouldst humble thyself to be lower than they, in the susception of our nature; art pleased to humble them in their offices to the guardianship of man, so far, as to call them the Angels of thy little ones upon earth? How hast thou blessed us, and how should we bless thee in so mighty, and glorious attendants? Neither hast thou, § 9 His love in giving us his holy Spirit. O God, merely turned us over to the protection of those tutelary spirits; but hast held us still in thine own hand; having not so strongly defenced as without, as thou hast done within; Since that, is wrought by thine Angels, this, by thy Spirit; Oh the sovereign and powerful influences of thy holy Ghost; whereby we are furnished with all saving graces, strengthened against all temptations, heartened against all our doubts and fears; enabled both to resist, and overcome; and upon our victories, crowned. Oh divine bounty, far beyond the reach of wonder! So God (the Father) loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life: So God the Son loved the world of his elect, that he gave unto them the holy Spirit of promise, whereby they are sealed unto the day of redemption; whereby according to the riches of his glory they are strengthened with might in the inner man; by the virtue whereof shed abroad in their hearts, they are enabled to cry, Abba, Father. Oh gifts; either of which are more worth than many worlds; yet through thy goodness, o Lord, both of them mine: How rich is my soul through thy divine munificence, how over-laid with mercies? How safe in thine Almighty tuition? How happy in thy blessed possession? Now therefore I dare in the might of my God, bid defiance to all the gates of hell; Do your worst, o all ye principalities and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickednesses in high places; do your worst; God is mine, and I am his; I am above your malice in the right of him whose I am; It is true, I am weak, but he is omnipotent; I am sinful, but he is infinite holiness; that power, that holiness in his gracious application is mine; It is my Saviour's love that hath made this happy exchange of his righteousness for my sin; of his power for my infirmity; Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect? It is God that justifieth: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Nay, in all these things we are more them conquerors through him that loved us: So as, neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come; nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Lo, where this love is placed; were it our love of God, how easily might the power of a prevalent temptation separate us from it, or it from us; for, alas, what hold is to be taken of our affections, which, like unto water, are so much more apt to freeze because they have been heated; but it is the love of God to us in Christ Jesus, § 10. Our sense and improvement of Christ's love in all the former particulars: and first, in respect of the inequality of the persons. which is ever as himself constant and eternal: He can no more cease to love us, then to be himself; he cannot but be unchangeable, we cannot but be happy. All this, O dear Jesus, hast thou done, all this hast thou suffered for me; And oh now for an heart that might be some ways answerable to thy mercies! Surely, even good natures hate to be in debt for love; and are ready to repay favours with interest; Oh for a soul sick of love, yea, sick unto death! why should I, how can I be any otherwise, any whit less affected, O Saviour? this only sickness is my health, this death is my life, and not to be thus sick, is to be dead in sins and trespasses. I am rock and not flesh, if I be not wounded with these heavenly darts: Ardent affection is apt to attract love even where is little or no beauty; and excellent beauty is no less apt to inflame the heart where there is no answer of affection; but when these two meet together, what breast can hold against them? and here they are both in an eminent degree. Thou canst say even of thy poor Church (though labouring under many imperfections) Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my Spouse, thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck; how fair is thy love, my sister, my Spouse? And canst thou, O blessed Saviour be so taken with the incurious and homely features of thy faithful ones; and shall not we much more be altogether enamoured of thine absolute and divine beauty? of whom every believing soul can say; My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand; his head is as the most fine gold; his eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, his cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers; his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh, etc. It hath pleased thee, O Lord, out of the sweet ravishments of thy heavenly love, to say to thy poor Church, Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me; but oh let me say unto thee; Turn thine eyes to me, that they may overcome me; I would be thus ravished, thus overcome; I would be thus out of myself, that I might be all in thee. Thou lovedst me before I had being; Let me now that I have a being be wholly taken up with thy love; Let me set all my soul upon thee that gavest me being; upon thee who art the eternal, & absolute Self-beeing; who hast said, and only could say, I am that I am; Alas, Lord, we are nothing but what thou wilt have us; and cease to be when thou callest in that breath of life which thou hast lent us; thou▪ art that incomprehensibly glorious, & infinite self-existing Spirit from eternity, in eternity, to eternity; in, and from whom all things are: It is thy wonderful mercy that thou wouldst condescend so low, as to vouchsafe to be loved of my wretchedness, of whom thou mightest justly require and expect nothing but terror and trembling. It is my happiness that I may be allowed to love a Majesty so infinitely glorious: Oh let me not be so far wanting to my own felicity, as to be less then ravished with thy love. Thou lovedst me when I was deformed, persons 11. A further enforcement of our love to Christ in respect of our unworthiness and his sufferings, & prepared glory. loathly, forlorn, and miserable; shall I not now love thee when thou hast freed me, and decked me with the ornaments of thy Graces? Lord Jesus, who should enjoy the fruit of thine own favours but thyself? How shamefully injurious were it, that when thou hast trimmed up my soul, it should prostitute itself to the love of the world? Oh take my heart to thee alone; possess thyself of that which none can claim but thyself. Thou lovedst me when I was a professed rebel against thee, and receivedst me not to mercy only, but to the indearment of a subject, a servant, a son; where should I place the improvement of the thankful affections of my loyalty and duty but upon thee? Thou, O God, hast so loved us, that thou wouldst become the Son of man for our sakes, that we who are the sons of men might become the sons of God; Oh that we could put off the man, to put on Christ; that we could neglect and hate ourselves for thee that hast so dearly loved us as to lay aside thine heavenly glory for us! How shall I be vile enough, O Saviour, for thee, who for my sake (being the Lord of life and glory) wouldst take upon thee the shape of a servant? How should I welcome that poverty which thy choice hath sanctified? How resolutely shall I grapple with the temptations of that enemy, whom thou hast foiled for me? How cheerfully should I pass through those miseries and that death, which thou hast sweetened? With what comfortable assurance shall I look upon the face of that merciful Justice which thou hast satisfied? But oh what a blessed inheritance hast thou in thine infinite love provided for me? an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for me; so as when my earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved, I have a building of God, an house not made with hands eternal in the heavens: An house? Yea, a Palace of heavenly state and magnificence; neither is it less than a kingdom that abides there for me: a kingdom so much more above these worldly Monarchies, as heaven is above this clod of earth: Now, Lord, what conceits, what affections of mine can be in the least sort answerable to so transcendent mercy? If some friend shall have been pleased to bestow some mean Legacy upon me; or shall have feoffed me in some few acres of his Land; how deeply do I find myself obliged to the love and memory of so kind a Benenefactor? Oh then, Lord, how can my soul be capable of those thoughts and dispositions, which may reach to the least proportion of thine infinite bounty, who of a poor worm on earth, hast made me an heir of the kingdom of heaven. Woe is me, how subject are these earthly Principalities to hazard, and mutability, whether through death, or insurrection; but this Crown which thou hast laid up for me is immarcescible; and shall sit immovably fast upon my head, not for years, not for millions of ages, but for all eternity; Oh let it be my heaven here below, in the mean while, to live in a perpetual fruition of thee, and to begin those Allelujahs to thee here, § 12. The improvement of our love to Christ for the mercy of his deliverance; of the tuition of his Angels; of the powerful working of his good Spirit. which shall be as endless as thy mercy, and my blessedness. Hadst thou been pleased to have translated me from thy former Paradise, the most delightful seat of man's original integrity and happiness, to the glory of the highest heaven, the preferment had been infinitely gracious; but to bring my soul from the nethermost hell and to place it among the Chore of Angels, doubles the thank of thy mercy, and the measure of my obligation: How thankful was thy Prophet but to an Ebedmelech, that by a cord and rags let down into that dark dungeon, helped him out of that uncomfortable pit wherein he was lodged; yet, what was there but a little cold, hunger, stench, closeness▪ obscurity? Lord, how should I bless thee, that hast fetched my soul from that pit of eternal horror, from that lake of fire and brimstone, from the everlasting torments of the damned, wherein I had deserved to perish for ever? I will sing of thy power; unto thee, O my strength will I sing; for God is my deliverer, and the God of my mercy. But, O Lord, if yet thou shouldst leave me in my own hands, where were I? how easily should I be robbed of thee with every temptation? how should I be made the scorn and insultation of men and devils? It is thy wonderful mercy that thou hast given thine Angels charge over me; Those Angels great in power, and glorious in Majesty are my sure (though invisible) guard: Oh blessed Jesus, what an honour, what a safety is this, that those heavenly spirits which attend thy throne should be my champions▪ Those that ministered to thee after thy temptation▪ are ready to assist and relieve me in mine; they can neither neglect their charge, because they are perfectly holy, nor fail of their victory, because they are (under thee) the most powerful. I see you, O ye blessed Guardians, I see you by the eye of my faith, no less truly, than the eye of my sense sees my bodily attendants; I do truly (though spiritually) feel your presence by your gracious operations, in, upon, and for me; and I do heartily bless my God and yours, for you, and for those saving offices that (through his merciful appointment) you ever do for my soul. But as it was with thine Israelites of old, that it would not content them that thou promisedst, and wouldst send thine Angel before them, to bring them into the Land flowing with milk and honey, unless thy presence, O Lord, should also go along with them; so is it still with me and all thine, wert not thou with, and in us, what could thine Angels do for us? In thee it is that they move and are; The same infinite Spirit which works in, and by them, works also in me: From thee it is, O thou blessed and eternal Spirit, that I have any stir of holy motions, any breathe of good desires, any life of grace, any will to resist, any power to overcome evil; It is thou, O God, that girdest me with strength unto battle; thou hast given me the shield of thy salvation; thy right hand hath holden me up; thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies. Glory and praise be to thee, O Lord, which always causest us to triumph in Christ; who crownest us with loving kindness, & tender mercies; and hast not held us short of the best of thy favours. Truly, Lord, hadst thou given us but a mere being, as thou hast done to the lowest rank of thy creatures, it had been more than thou owest us: more than ever we could be able to requite to thy divine bounty; for every being is good, and the least degree of good is far above our worthiness; But, that to our being thou hast added life, it is yet an higher measure of thy mercy; for certainly, of thy common favours, life is the most precious; yet this is such a benefit as may be had and not perceived; for even the plants of the earth live and feel it not; that to our life, therefore thou hast made a further accession of sense, it is yet a larger improvement of thy beneficence: for this faculty hath some power to manage life; and makes it capable to affect those means which may tend to the preservation of it, and to decline the contrary; but this is no other than the brute creatures enjoy equally with us, and some of them beyond us: that therefore to our sense thou hast blessed us with a further addition of reason, it is yet an higher pitch of munificence; for hereby we are men; and, as such, are able to attain some knowledge of thee our Creator, to observe the motions of the heavens, to search into the natures of our fellow-creatures, to pass judgement upon actions, and events, and to transact these earthly affairs to our own best advantage. But when all this is done, woe were to us if we were but men; for our corrupted reason renders us of all creatures the most miserable: that therefore to our reason thou hast superadded faith; to our nature grace; and of men hast made us Christians; and to us, as such, hast given thy Christ, thy Spirit; and thereby made us of enemies, sons, and heirs; coheirs with Christ of thine eternal and most glorious kingdom of heaven; yea, hast incorporated us into thyself, & made us one spirit with thee our God; Lord, what room can there be possibly in these straight and narrow hearts of ours for a due admiration of thy transcendent love and mercy? I am swallowed up, O God, I am willingly swallowed up in this bottomless abyss of thine infinite love; and there let me dwell in a perpetual ravishment of spirit, till being freed from this clog of earth, and filled with the fullness of Christ, I shall be admitted to enjoy that, which I cannot now reach to wonder at, thine incomprehensible bliss, and glory, which thou laid up in the highest heavens for them that love thee, in the blessed communion of all thy Saints, and Angels, thy Cherubin, and Seraphim, Thrones, Dominions, and Principalities, and Powers; in the beatifical presence of thee the everliving God, the eternal Father of spirits, Father, Son, holy Ghost, one infinite Deity, in three, co-essentially, co-eternally, co-equally glorious persons; To whom be blessing, honour, glory, and power for ever and ever. Amen, Allelujah. THE CHRISTIAN, LAID FORTH IN His whole Disposition and Carriage. BY I. H. D. D. B. N. The CONTENTS. The Exhortatory Preface. § 1. THe Christians disposition. § 2. His expense of the day. § 3. His recreations. § 4. His meals. § 5. His night's rest. § 6. His carriage. § 7. His resolution in matter of Religion. § 8. His discourse. § 9 His devotion. § 10. His sufferings. § 11. His conflicts. § 12. His death. An Exhortatory Preface to the Christian Reader. Out of infallible rules and long experience have I gathered up this true character of a Christian: A labour (some will think) might have been well spared: Every man professes both to know and act this part; Who is there that would not be angry, if but a question should be made either of his skill, or interest? Surely, since the first name given at Antioch, all the believing world hath been ambitious of the honour of it; How happy were it, if all that are willing to wear the livery, were as ready to do the service. But it falls out here, as in the case of all things that are at once honourable, and difficult, every one affects the title, few labour for the truth of the achievement. Having therefore leisure enough to look about me, and finding the world too prone to this worst kind of hypocrisy, I have made this true 〈◊〉, not more for direction, then for trial. Let no man view these lines as a stranger; but when he looks in this glass, let him ask his heart whether this be his own face; yea, rather when he sees this face, let him examine his heart whether both of them agree with their pattern. And where he finds his failings, (as who shall not?) let him strive to amend them; and never give over, whiles he is any way less fair than his copy. In the mean time, I would it were less easy, by these rules, to judge even of others besides ourselves; or, that it were uncharitable to say, there are many Professors, few Christians; If words and forms might carry it, Christ would have Clients 〈◊〉▪ but if holiness of disposition, and uprightness of carriage must be the proof, woe is me, Esa. 24. 13. In the midst of the Land, among the people, there is as the shaking of an Olive tree, and as the gleaming grapes where the Vintage is done. For where is the man that hath obtained the mastery of his corrupt affections, and to be the Lord of his unruly appetite? that hath his heart in heaven, whiles his living carcase is stirring here upon earth? that can see the invisible, and s●or●tly enjoy that Saviour, to whom he is spiritually united? That hath subdued his will and reason to his belief; that fears nothing but God; loves nothing but goodness; hates nothing but sin; rejoiceth in none but true blessings? Whose faith triumphs over the world; whose hope is anchored in heaven: whose charity knows no less bounds than God, and men: whose humility represents him as vile to himself, as he is honourable in the reputation of God; who is wise heaven-ward; however he passes with the world; who dares be no other than just, whether he win or lose; who is frugally liberal, discreetly courageous, holily temperate: who is ever a thrifty menager of his hours, so dividing the day betwixt his God, and his Vocation, that neither shall find fault with a just neglect, or an unjust partiality: whose recreations are harmless, honest, warrantable, such as may refresh nature, not debauch it: whose diet is regulated by health, not by pleasure, as one whose table shall be no altar to his belly, nor snare to his soul: who in his seasonable repose lies down, and awakes with God, caring only to relieve his spirits; not to cherish sloth. Whose carriage is meek, gentle, compliant, beneficial in whatsoever station; In Magistracy unpartially just; in the Ministry conscionably faithful; in the rule of his family, wisely provident, and religiously exemplary; Shortly, who is a discreet and loving yoke-fellow, a tender and pious parent, a duteous and awful son: an humble and obsequious servant, an obedient and loyal subject. Whose heart is constantly settled in the main truths of Christian Religion▪ so, as he cannot be removed; in litigious points, neither too credulous, nor too Peremptory: whose discourse is such as may be meet for the expressions of a tongue that belongs to a sound, godly, and charitable heart; whose breast continually burns with the heavenly fire of an holy devotion; whose painful sufferings are overcome with patience, and cheerful resolutions; whose conflicts are attended with undaunted courage, and crowned with an happy victory: Lastly, whose death is not so full of fear and anguish, as of strong consolations in that Saviour, who hath overcome and sweetened it; nor of so much dreadfulness in itself, as of joy in the present expectation of that blessed issue of a glorious immortality, which instantly succeeds it. Such is the Christian whom we do here characterise, and commend to the world both for trial, and imitation; neither know I which of these many qualifications can be missing in that soul, who lays a just claim to Christ, his Redeemer. Take your hearts to task, therefore, my dear brethren, into whose hands soever these lines shall come: and, as you desire to have peace at the last, ransack them thoroughly; not contenting yourselves with a perfunctory, and fashionable oversight (which will one day leave you irremediably miserable) but so search, as those that resolve not to give over till you find these gracious dispositions in your bosoms, which I have here described to you: so shall we be, and make each other happy in the success of our holy labours; which the God of heaven bless in both our hands, to his own glory, and our mutual comfort in the day of the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen. THE CHRISTIAN. THE Christian is a man and more; § 1. His Disposition. an earthly Saint, an Angel clothed in flesh; the only lawful image of his Maker, and Redeemer; the abstract of God's Church on earth: a model of heaven made up in clay; the living Temple of the holy Ghost. For his disposition, it hath in it as much of heaven, as his earth may make room for; He were not a man, if he were quite free from corrupt affections; but these he masters, and keeps in with a straight hand; and if at any time they grow resty and headstrong, he breaks them with a severe discipline, and will rather punish himself, than not tame them; He checks his appetite with discreet, but strong denials, and forbears to pamper nature, lest it grow wanton, and impetuous; He walks on earth, but converses in heaven; having his eyes fixed on the invisible, and enjoying a sweet communion with his God, and Saviour; Whiles all the rest of the world sits in darkness, he lives in a perpetual light; the heaven of heavens is open to none but him; thither his eye pierceth, and beholds those beams of inaccessible glory, which shine in no face but his: The deep mysteries of godliness which to the great Clerks of the world are as a book clasped and sealed up, lie open before him fair and legible; and whiles those bookmen know whom they have heard of, he knows whom he hath believed: He will not suffer his Saviour to be ever out of his eye; and if through some worldly interceptions, he lose the sight of that blessed object for a time, he zealously retrives him, not without an angry check of his own miscarriage; and is now so much the more fixed by his former slackening; so as he will henceforth sooner part with his soul, than his Redeemer. The terms of entireness wherein he stands with the Lord of life, are such as he can feel; but cannot express, though he should borrow the language of Angels: it is enough that they two are one spirit: His reason is willingly captivated to his faith; his will to his reason; and his affections to both: He fears nothing that he sees, in comparison of that which he sees not; and displeasure is more dreadful to him then smart: Good is the adequate object of his love; which he duly proportions according to the degrees of its eminence; affecting the chief good, not without a certain ravishment of spirit; the lesser with a wise and holy moderation. Whether he do more hate sin, or the evil spirit that suggests it, is a question; Earthly contentments are too mean grounds whereon to raise his joy; these, as he baulks not when they meet him in his way, so he doth not too eagerly pursue; he may taste of them, but so, as he had rather fast then surset. He is not insensible of those losses which casualty, or enmity may inflict; but that which lies most heavily upon his heart, is his sin: This makes his sleep short & troublesome, his meals stomacklesses; his recreations listlesse; his every thing, tedious; till he find his soul acquitted by his great Surety in heaven: which done, he feels more peace and pleasure in his calm, than he found horror in the tempest. His heart is the store-house of most precious graces: That faith whereby his soul is established, triumphs over the world, wvether it allure, or threaten; and bids defiance to all the powers of darkness; not fearing to be foiled by any opposition: His hope cannot be discouraged with the greatest difficulties; but bears up against natural impossibilities; and knows how to reconcile contradictions; His charity is both extensive, and fervent; barring out no one that bears the face of a man; but pouring out itself upon the household of faith: that studies good constructions of men, and actions; and keeps itself free both from suspicion, and censure: Grace doth not more exalt him, than his humility depresses him: Were it not for that Christ who dwells in him, he could think himself the meanest of all creatures; now, he knows he may not disparage the Deity of him, by whom he is so gloriously inhabited; in whose only right he can be as great in his own thoughts, as he is despicable in the eyes of the world. He is wise to God-ward, however it be with him for the world; and well knowing he cannot serve two masters, he cleaves to the better; making choice of that good part which can never be taken from him; not so much regarding to get that which he cannot keep, as to possess himself of that good which he cannot lose. He is just in all his dealings with men; hating to thrive by injury, and oppression; and will rather leave behind something of his own, then silch from another's heap. He is not close-fisted, where there is just occasion of his distribution; willingly parting with those metals which he regards only for use; not caring for either their colour, or substance; earth is to him no other than itself, in what hue so ever it appeareth. In every good cause he is bold as a Lion; and can neither fear faces, nor shrink at dangers: and is rather heartened with opposition, pressing so much the more where he finds a large door open, and many adversaries; and when he must suffer, doth as resolutely stoop, as he did before valiantly resist. He is holily temperate in the use of all God's blessings, as knowing by whom they are given, and to what end; neither dares either to mis-lay them, or to misspend them lavishly: as duly weighing upon what terms he receives them; and fore-expecting an account. Such an hand doth he carry upon his pleasures and delights, that they run not away with him; he knows how to slacken the reins without a debauched kind of dissoluteness, and how to straiten them without a sullen rigour. He lives as a man that hath borrowed his time, § 2. His expense of the day. and challenges not to be an owner of it; caring to spend the day in a gracious and well-governed thrift; His first morning's task, after he hath lifted up his heart to that God who gives his beloved sleep, shall be to put himself into a due posture, wherein to entertain himself, and the whole day: which shall be done, if he shall effectually work his thoughts to a right apprehension of his God, of himself, of all that may concern him. The true posture of a Christian then, is this; He sees still heaven open to him, and beholds & admires the light inaccessible; he sees the all-glorious God ever before him; the Angels of God about him; the evil spirits aloof off enviously groining, and repining at him; the world under his feet, willing to rebel, but forced to be subject; the good creatures ready to render their service to him; and is accordingly affected to all these; he sees heaven open with joy and desire of fruition; he sees God with an adoring awfulness; he sees the Angels with a thankful acknowledgement, and care not to offend them; he sees the evil spirits with hatred and watchful indignation; he sees the world with an holy imperiousness, commanding it for use, and scorning to stoop to it for observance; Lastly, he sees the good creatures, with gratulation, and care to improve them to the advantage of him that lent them. Having thus gathered up his thoughts, and found where he is, he may now be fit for his constant devotion; which he falls upon, not without a trembling veneration of that infinite and incomprehensible Majesty, before whom he is prostrate; now he climbs up into that heaven, which he before did but behold; and solemnly pours out his soul in hearty thanksgivings, and humble supplications into the bosom of the Almighty; wherein his awe is so tempered with his faith, that whiles he labours under the sense of his own vileness, he is raised up in the confidence of an infinite mercy; now he renews his feeling interest in the Lord Jesus Christ his blessed Redeemer; and labours to get in every breath new pledges of his gracious entireness; so seasoning his heart with these early thoughts of piety, as that they stick by him all the day after. Having thus begun with his God, and begged his blessing: he now finds time to address himself to the works of his calling▪ To live without any vocation, to live in an unwarrantable vocation, not to labour in the vocation wherein he lives, are things which his soul hateth: These businesses of his calling therefore, he follows with a willing and contented industry; not as forced to it by the necessary of human Laws, or as urged by the Law of necessity, out of the sense or fear of want: nor yet contrarily, out of an eager desire of enriching himself in his estate; but in a conscionable obedience to that God, who hath made man to labour as the sparks to fly upward; and hath laid it upon him both as a punishment, and charge: In the sweat of thy brows shalt thou eat thy bread. In an humble alacrity he walks on in the way, wherein his God hath set him; yet not, the while, so intent upon his hands, as not to tend his heart; which he lifts up in frequent ejaculations to that God, to whom he desires to be approved in all his endeavours; ascribing all the thanks both of his ability, and success to that omnipotent hand: If he meet with any rubs of difficulty in his way, he knows who sent them, and who can remove them; not neglecting any prudential means of remedy, he is not to seek for an higher redress▪ If he have occasion of trading with others; his will may not be the rule of his gain, but his conscience; neither dares he strive for what he can get, but what he ought: Equity is here the Clerk of the Market; and the measure which he would have others meet out to himself, is the standard whereby he desires to be tried in his mensurations to all other. He hates to hoist prices upon occasion of his neighbours need; & to take the advantage of forfeits by the clock. He is not such a slave to his trade, as not to spare an hour to his soul; neither dares be so lavish as utterly to neglect his charge upon whatever pretence of pleasure, or devotion. Shortly, he takes his work at the hand of God, and leaves it with him: humbly offering up his services to his great Master in heaven; and after all his labour sits comfortably down in the conscience of having faithfully done his task, though not without the intervention of many infirmities. His recreations (for even these humane frailty will sometimes call for) are such, § 3. His Recreations. as may be meet relaxations to a mind over-bent, and a body tired with honest and holy employments; safe, inoffensive, and for time and measure fitly proportioned to the occasion; like unto soft music betwixt two long and stirring Acts; like unto some quick and savoury sauce to a listlesse and cloyed stomach; like unto a sweet nap after an overwatching. He is far from those delights that may effeminate, or corrupt the mind; abhorring to sit by those pleasures, from which he shall not rise better: He hates to turn pastime into trade; not abiding to spend more time in whetting, then till his edge be sharp; In the height of his delectations he knows to enjoy God; from whom as he fetches his allowance, so he craves and expects a gracious acceptation, even when he lets himself most loose. And if at any time he have gone beyond his measure, he chides himself for the excess, and is so much the more careful ever after to keep within compass. He can only make a kind of use of those contentments, with light minds are transported: and can manage his disports without passion; and leave a loser without regret. A smile to him is as much as a loud laughter to the worldling; neither doth he entertain mirth as his ordinary attendant, but as his retainer to wait upon his serious occasions: and finally, so rejoiceth, as if he rejoiced not. His meals are such as nature requires, § 4. His meals. and grace moderates; not pinching himself with a penurious riggardlinesse, nor pampering his flesh with a wanton excess: His palate is the least part of his care; so as his fare may be wholesome, he stands not upon delicacy. He dares not put his hand to the dish till he have looked up to the owner; and hates to put one morsel into his mouth, unblessed; and knows it his duty to give thanks for what he hath paid for; as well considering, that neither the meat that he eats, nor the hand and mouth that receives it, nor the maw that digests it, nor the metal that buys it, is of his own making: And now having fed his belly, not his eye, he rises from his board, satisfied, not glutted; and so bestirs himself upon his calling, as a man not more unwieldy by his repast, but more cheerful; and as one that would be loath his gut should be any hindrance to his brain, or to his hand. If he shall have occasion to entertain himself and his friends more liberally, he dares not lose himself in his feast; he can be soberly merry, and wisely free; only in this he is willing not to be his own man, in that he gives himself for the time to his guests. His Cator is friendly thrift; and Temperance keeps the board's end, and carves to every one the best measure of enough: As for his own diet, when he is invited to a tempting variety, he puts his knife to his throat; neither dares he feed without fear, as knowing who overlooks him: Obscenity, detraction, scurrility, are barred from his table; neither do any words sound there that are less savoury than the dishes. Lastly, he so feeds, as if he sought for health in those viands, and not pleasure; as if he did eat to live; and rises not more replenished with food, then with thankfulness. In a due season he betakes himself to his rest, § 5. His night's rest. he presumes not to alter the Ordinance of day, and night, nor dares confound, where distinction is made by his Maker; It is not with him as with the brute creatures, that have nothing to look after but the mere obedience of nature; he doth not therefore lay himself down as the swine in the sty, or a dog in a kennel, without any further preface to his desired sleep, but improves those faculties which he is now closing up, to a meet preparation for an holy repose: for which purpose, he first casts back his eye to the now-expired day; and seriously considers how he hath spent it; and will be sure to make his reckonings even with his God, before he part. Then he lifts up his eyes and his heart to that God, who hath made the night for man to rest in; and recommends himself earnestly to his blessed protection: and then closeth his eyes in peace, not without a serious meditation of his last rest; his bed represents to him, his grave; his linen, his winding sheet; his sleep, death; the night, the many days of darkness: and shortly, he so composeth his soul, as if he looked not to wake till the morning of the resurrection: After which, if he sleep, he is thankfully cheerful; if he sleep not, his reins chasten, and instruct him in the night season: and if sleep be out of his eyes, yet God and his Angels are not: Whensoever he awakes, in those hands he finds himself, and therefore rests sweetly, even when he sleeps not. His very dreams however vain, or troublesome, are not to him altogether unprofitable; for they serve to bewray not only his bodily temper, but his spiritual weaknesses, which his waking resolutions shall endeavour to correct. He so applies himself to his pillow, as a man that meant not to be drowned in sleep, but refreshed, not limiting his rest by the insatiable lust of a sluggish and drowsy stupidness, but by the exigence of his health, and abilitation to his calling; and rises from it (not too late) with more appetite to his work, then to a second slumber; cheerfully devoting the strength renewed by his late rest, to the honour and service of the giver. His carriage is not strange, § 6. His carriage. insolent, surly, and overly contemptuous, but familiarly meek, humble, courteous: as knowing what mould he is made of; and not knowing any worse man than himself; He hath an hand ready upon every occasion to be helpful to his neighbour; as if he thought himself made to do good; He hates to sell his breath to his friend, where his advice may be useful; neither is more ambitious of any thing under heaven, then of doing good offices; It is his happiness if he can reconcile quarrels, and make peace between dissenting friends. When he is chosen an Umpire, he will be sure to cut even betwixt both parties; and commonly displeaseth both, that he may wrong neither; If he be called forth to Magistracy, he puts off all private interests, and commands friendship to give place to justice▪ Now he knows no cousins, no enemies; neither cousins for favour, nor enemies for revenge; but looks right forward to the cause, without squinting aside to the persons. No flattery can keep him from brow-beating of vice; no fear can work him to discourage virtue: Where severity is requisite, he hates to enjoy another's punishment; and where mercy may be more prevalent, he hates to use severity; Power doth not render him imperious and oppressive, but rather humbles him in the awful expectation of his account. If he be called to the honour of God's Embassy to his people, he dares not but be faithful in delivering that sacred Message; he cannot now either fear faces, or respect persons; it is equally odious to him to hide and smother any of God's counsel, and to foist in any of his own; to suppress truth, and to adulterate it; He speaks not himself, but Christ; and labours not to tickle the ear, but to save souls: So doth he go before his flock as one that means to feed them no less by his example, then by his doctrine; and would condemn himself, if he did not live the Gospel, as well as preach it; He is neither too austere in his retiredness, nor too goodcheap in his sociableness; but carries so even an hand that his discreet affableness may be free from contempt, and that he may win his people with a loving conversation; If any of his charge be miscarried into an error of opinion, he labours to reclaim him by the spirit of meekness; so as the misguided may read nothing but love in his zealous conviction; if any be drawn into a vicious course of life, he fetches him back with a gentle, yet powerful hand; by an holy importunity, working the offender to a sense of his own danger, and to a saving penitence. Is he the master of a family? he dares not be a Lion in his own house; cruelly tyrannising over his meanest drudge: but so moderately exercises his power, as knowing himself to be his apprentices fellow-servant; He is the mouth of his meinie to God, in his daily devotions; offering up for them the calves of his lips, in his morning and evening sacrifice; and the mouth of God unto them in his wholesome instructions, and godly admonitions: he goes before them in all good examples of piety, and holy conversation, and so governs, as one that hath more than mere bodies committed to his charge. Is he the husband of a wife? He carries his yoke even; not laying too much weight upon the weaker neck; His helper argues him the principal, and he so knows it, that he makes a wise use of his just inequality: so remembering himself to be the superior, as that he can be no other than one flesh: He maintains therefore his moderate authority with a conjugal love, so holding up the right of his sex, that in the mean time he doth not violently clash with the britler vessel: As his choice was not made by weight, or by the voice, or by the hue of the hide, but for pure affection grounded upon virtue; so the same regards hold him close to a constant continuance of his chaste love; which can never yield either to change or intermission. Is he a father of children? he looks upon them as more Gods, than his own; and governs them accordingly: He knows it is only their worse part which they have received from his loins; their diviner half is from the father of lights, and is now become the main part of his charge. As God gave them to him, and to the world by him: so his chief care is, that they may be begotten again to God; that they may put off that corrupt nature which they took from him, and be made partakers of that divine nature which is given them in their regeneration. For this cause he trains them up in all virtuous and religious education; he sets them in their way, corrects their exorbitances, restrains their wild desires, and labours to frame them to all holy dispositions; and so bestows his fatherly care upon, and for them, as one that had rather they should be good then rich, and would wish them rather dead, than debauched: he neglects not all honest means of their provision, but the highest point he aims at, is to leave God their patrimony. In the choice of their calling, or match, he propounds, but forces not, as knowing they have also wils of their own, which it is fitter for him to bow, then to break. Is he a son? he is such as may be fit to proceed from such loins. Is he a servant? he cannot but be officious: for he must please two masters, though one under, not against the other; when his visible master sees him not, he knows he cannot be out of the eye of the invisible; and therefore dares not be either negligent, or unfaithful. The work that he undertakes, he goes through, not out of fear, but out of conscience; and would do his business no otherwise then well, though he served a blind master; He is no blab of the defects at home, and where he cannot defend, is ready to excuse: He yields patiently to a just reproof, and answers with an humble silence: and is more careful not to deserve, then to avoid stripes. Is he a subject? He is awfully affected to Sovereignty, as knowing by whom the powers are ordained; He dares not curse the King, no not in his thought; nor revile the Ruler of his people, though justly faulty: much less dare he slander the footsteps of Gods anointed. He submits not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake, to every Ordinance of God; yea, to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake; not daring to disobey in regard of the oath of God; If he have reached forth his hand to cut off but the skirt of the Royal robe, his heart smites him: He is a true paymaster, and willingly renders tribute to whom tribute, custom to whom custom, honour to whom honour is due; and justly divides his duties betwixt God and Caesar. Finally, in what ever relation he stands, he is diligent, faithful, conscionable, observant of his rule, and careful to be approved such, both to God and men. He hath fully informed himself of all the necessary points of religion; § 7. His resolution in matter of Religion. and is so firmly grounded in those fundamental and saving truths, that he cannot be carried about with every wind of doctrine; as for collateral and unmateriall verities, he neither despiseth, nor yet doth too eagerly pursue them; He lists not to take opinions upon trust; neither dares absolutely follow any guide, but those who he knows could not err; He is ever suspicious of new faces of Theological truths; and cannot think it safe to walk in untrodden paths: Matters of speculation are not unwelcome to him; but his chief care is to reduce his knowledge to practise, and therefore he holds nothing his own, but what his heart hath appropriated, and his life acted: He dares not be too much wedded to his own conceit; and hath so much humility, as to think the whole Church of Christ upon earth wiser than himself; However he be a great lover of constancy, yet upon better reason he can change his mind in some litigious, and un-importing truths, and can be silent where he must descent. His discourse is grave, discreet, pertinent, Prov. 3. 27, 28. free from vanity, free from offence; In secular occasions nothing falls from him but seasonable and well-advised truths; In spiritual, his speech is such, as both argues grace, and works it: No foul and unsavoury breath proceeds out of his lips; which he abides not to be tainted with any rotten communication, with any slanderous detraction: If in a friendly merriment he let his tongue loose to an harmless urbanity, that is the furthest he dares go; scorning to come within the verge of a base scurrility. He is not apt to spend himself in censures, but as for revile, and cursed speakings against God, or men, those his soul abhorreth. He knows to reserve his thoughts by locking them up in his bosom under a safe silence, and when he must speak, dares not be too free of his tongue, as well knowing that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. His speeches are no other than seasonable, well fitted both to the person, and occasion; Jigs at a funeral, Lamentations at a feast, holy counsel to scorners, discouragements to the dejected, and applauses to the profane, are hateful to him; He meddles not with other men's matters, much less with affairs of State; but keeps himself wisely within his own compass: § 8. His discourse. not thinking his breath well spent, where he doth not either teach, or learn. He is so perpetually resident in heaven, § 9 His devotion. that he is often in every day before the throne of Grace; and he never comes there without a supplication in his hand; wherein also he loves to be importunate; and he speeds accordingly, for he never departs empty; whiles other cold suitors that come thither but in some good fits of devotion, obtain nothing but denials; He dares not press to God's footstool in his own name, (he is conscious enough of his own unworthiness) but he comes in the gracious and powerful name of his righteous Mediator, in whom he knows he cannot but be accepted; and in an humble boldness for his only sake craves mercy; no man is either more awful, or more confident; When he hath put up his petition to the King of heaven, he presumes not to stint the time, or manner of God's condescent; but patiently and faithfully waits for the good hour, and leaves himself upon that infinite wisdom and goodness. He doth not affect length so much as fervour; neither so much minds his tongue as his heart. His prayers are suited according to the degrees of the benefits sued for; He therefore begs grace absolutely; temporal blessings with limitation; and is accordingly affected in the grant: Neither is he more earnest in craving mercies, than he is zealously desirous to be retributory to God, when he hath received them: not more heartily suing to be rich in grace, then to improve his graces to the honour and advantage of the bestower: With an awful and broken heart doth he make his addresses to that infinite Majesty, from whose presence he returns with comfort and joy: His soul is constantly fixed there whither he pours it out; distraction and distrust are shut out from his closet; and he is so taken up with his devotion, as one that makes it his work to pray: And when he hath offered up his sacrifices unto God, his faith listens and looks in at the door of heaven to know how they are taken. Every man shows fair in prosperity; § 10. His sufferings. but the main trial of the Christian is in suffering; any man may steer in a good gale, and clear sea, but the Mariner's skill will be seen in a tempest: Herein the Christian goes beond the Pagans, not practise only, but admiration; We rejoice in tribulation, saith the chosen Vessel; Lo here a point transcending all the affectation of Heathenism. Perhaps some resolute spirit, whether out of a natural fortitude, or out of an ambition of fame or earthly glory, may set a face upon a patient enduring of loss, or pain; but never any of those heroic Gentiles durst pretend to a joy in suffering; Hither can Christian courage reach; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience, experience, and experience, hope, and hope maketh not ashamed. Is he bereft of his goods and worldly estate? he comforts himself in the conscience of a better treasure that can never be lost; Is he afflicted with sickness? his comfort is that the inward man is so much more renewed daily, as the outward perisheth: Is he slandered and unjustly disgraced? his comfort is that there is a blessing, which will more than make him amends; Is he banished? he knows he is on his way homeward; Is he imprisoned? his spirit cannot be locked in; God and his Angels cannot be locked out; Is he dying? To him to live is Christ, and to die is gain; Is he dead? He rests from his labours, and is crowned with glory: Shortly, he is perfect gold that comes more pure out of the fire than it went in; neither had ever been so great a Saint in heaven, if he had not passed through the flames of his trial here upon earth. He knows himself never out of danger; § 11. His conflicts. and therefore stands ever upon his guard; neither of his hands are empty; the one holds out the shield of faith; the other manageth the sword of the spirit; both of them are employed in his perpetual conflict. He cannot be weary of resisting, but resolves to die fight: He hath a ward for every blow; and as his eye is quick to discern temptations, so is his hand and foot nimble to avoid them: He cannot be discouraged with either the number or power of his enemies knowing that his strength is out of himself, in him in whom he can do all things; and that there can be no match to the Almighty; He is careful not to give advantage to his vigilant adversary; and therefore warily avoids the occasions of sin: and if at any time he be overtaken with the suddenness, or subtlety of a temptation, he speedily recovers himself by a serious repentance; and fights so much the harder because of his foil. He hates to take quarter of these spiritual powers; nothing less than death can put an end to this quarrel; nor nothing below victory. He is not so careful to keep his soul within his teeth, § 12. His death. as to send it forth well addressed for happiness: as knowing therefore the last brunt to be most violent, he rouzeth up his holy fortitude▪ to encounter that King of fear, his last enemy, Death; And now after a painful sickness, and a resolute expectation of the fiercest assault, it falls out with him as in the meeting of the two hostile brothers, Jacob and Esau, in stead of grappling he finds a courteous salutation, for stabs, kisses; for height of enmity, offices of love; Life could never befriend him so much, as Death offers to do: That tenders him (perhaps a rough, but) a sure hand to lead him to glory; and receives a welcome accordingly: Neither is there any cause to marvel at the change; The Lord of life hath wrought it; He having by dying subdued death, hath reconciled it to his own; and hath (as it were) beaten it into these fair terms with all the members of his mystical body: so as, whiles unto the enemies of God, Death is still no other than a terrible executioner of divine vengeance, he is to all that are in Christ, a plausible and sure convoy unto blessedness; The Christian therefore now laid upon his last bed, when this grim senger comes to fetch him to heaven, looks not so much at his dreadful visage, as at his happy errand: and is willing not to remember what death is in itself, but what it is to us in Christ; by whom it is made so useful and beneficial, that we could not be happy without it; Here then comes in the last act, and employment of faith; (for after this brunt passed, there is no more use of faith, but of vision) that heartens the soul in a lively apprehension of that blessed Saviour, who both led him the way of suffering, and is making way for him to everlasting glory: That shows him Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God; That clings close unto him, and lays unremovable hold upon his person, his merits, his blessedness; upon the wings of this faith is the soul ready to mount up toward that heaven, which is open to receive it; and in that act of evolation puts itself into the hands of those blessed Angels, who are ready to carry it up to the throne of Glory. Sic, O, sic juvat vivere, sic perire. FINIS.