The Happiness of Enjoying and Use of Christ, Part 1 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Shewing how Chriſt is to bee valued and eſteemed above all.
IS all divine and heavenly fulneſſe in Chriſt? then let us value and eſteeme Chriſt above all: things are uſually valued and prized according to their fulneſſe; the Sunne for his fulneſſe of light is prized above all other lights; the Apple-tree for his fulneſſe of fruit is eſteemed above all the trees of the wood; the Pearle for his fulneſſe of pretious ſubſtance is valued above all other metall. The fulneſſe of Chriſt is the moſt eminent, tranſcendent, and ſuperlative fulneſſe, a fulneſſe ſurpaſſing the fulneſſe of all Men and Angels; him therefore wee ſhould prize above all others, as the King above the Subjects, as the Maſter above the Servants, as the Sunne above the Candles, as the Fountaine above the Bottle. As the people eſteemed David above themſelves, ſaying, Thou art k2 Sam. 18.3.worth ten thouſand of us: ſo ſhould we eſteeme Chriſt worth all the ten thouſands of the earth, whether riches, honours, pleaſures, or whatſoever elſe. As the women ſaid of Ruth to Naomi, lRuth. 4.15.that ſhe loved her, & was better to her then ſeven ſons: ſo ſhould Chriſt, who loveth us, bee better to us then ſeven ſonnes, of more eſteeme with us then all ſonnes and daughters, then all fathers and mothers, then all wives and husbands, then all friends and acquaintance, then all the deareſt and choyceſt poſſeſſions; unleſſe wee thus value him, wee cannot bee his Diſciples, we diſcerne him not aright, wee learne him not as the truth is in him.mLuke 14.26. If any man come to mee (ſaith Chriſt) and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, brethren and ſiſters, yea and his owne life alſo, hee cannot bee my Diſciple. Hee that doth not eſteeme mee above all friends, above all poſſeſſions, above himſelfe and his very life, hee cannot bee my Diſciple, he cannot learne my will, he can have no communion with mee, no intereſt in mee. Gods people havenMat. 9.9 valued him above their profit, above their friends, above their eaſe, their credit and their lives. Matthew left the receipt of cuſtome,Mat. 4.22. Rev. 12.11 Iames & Iohn their ſhip, their nets, their father, & followed him; and many for his ſake loved not their lives unto the death. Nothing ſhould be ſo deare and pretious to us as the Lord Jeſus:1. Chriſt valued above all in our knowledge. Him let us value in our knowledge above all Art and Learning. As the light of the Sun is ſweet unto the eye, and the eye eſteems it above all other light: ſo let the light of Chriſt, the knowledge of Chriſt, be moſt pleaſant, and of choyceſt eſteeme with us; him let usoEpheſ. 4.22. ſtudy and learne as the truth by whom we muſt bee guided, as the way in which wee muſt walk, & as the life by whom we muſt live. In Chriſt are hidden all the treaſures of wiſedome. Col. 2.3.Among wiſe men he is the choyſeſt that knows moſt of Chriſt Ieſus. There is no fulneſſe, no divine excellencie in that mans knowledge, that knowes not Chriſt. 2.2. In our choyce. Him let us prize above all in our choyce, him let us ſelect and take out unto our ſelves among all the creatures. As a woman among many men ſelects and ſingles out one to bee her husband, on whom ſhe ſets her love, to whom ſhee intends to give herſelfe, whom ſhee purpoſes to make the guide of her youth, and the ſtay of her old age, with whom ſhee intends perpetuall conſulſhip: thus muſt wee in our choyce aſſume unto our ſelves Chriſt, as the husband of our ſoules, as the guide of our youth, as the ſtaffe of our age, as the moſt ſweet and everlaſting companion of our ſoules. Pharaoh findingpGen. 39. that ſuch wiſedome, and the Spirit of God was not ſo in any man as in Ioſeph, choſe him out among all the reſidue, and ſet him over all his land: Man diſcerning that wiſedome and the Spirit of God are neither in Man nor Angell as they are in Chriſt, muſt chuſe Chriſt, and ſet Chriſt over all, as a King to command, as a Counſellour to guide, as a Friend to comfort, as a Pearle to enrich. It is mans wiſedome to take Chriſt whatſoever hee loſe; hee that chuſeth Chriſt, ſhall never have cauſe to repent his choyce. With Mary qLuk. 10.40.then let us chuſe Chriſt as being the beſt part. 3. In our love.3. Him let us prize in our love, as the wife prizeth the husband in her love above other perſons; the rich man his jewell above other ſubſtance: let us love him asr2 Sam. 1. Ionathan loved David, with a love ſurpaſſing the love of women; as Iacob loved Rahel, with love making us cheerfull in ſerving, patient in ſuffering for him: hee alone is the friend of Chriſt Jeſus,4. In our truſt. that loves him above himſelfe and all creatures. 4. Him let us preferre in our truſt, as the builder doth the rocke above all other foundations, as the chickens doe the wings of the hen above all other places of refuge▪ to him let us addreſſe our ſelves, as they who were in diſtreſſe, ſ2 Sam. 1.21.in debt, in diſcontent, did ſometimes addreſſe themſelves to David: Him let us make our Captain to fight for us, our Shepheard to defend us, our Rocke to ſupport us, our Shield to cover us: let us wait on himtPſa. 62.5 ſolely, and on no other; on him let us truſt fully, with all our heart, with all our ſoule; let us reſt on whole Chriſt, on his power to ſuſtaine us, on his wiſedome to guide us, on his merit to juſtifie and procure all good things for us, on his mercy to forgive us, on his love to ſolace us, on his fulneſſe to ſatisfie us: on him let us truſt conſtantly in our proſperity, as being the ſtrength of all our fulneſs; in our adverſity, as being all-ſufficient in the abſence of all helpers: On him let us ſtay when wee are in darkneſſe uIſa. 50.10.and have no light, in ſickneſſe and have no health, in heavineſſe and have no joy, in deſertion and have no friend, in want and have no ſupply. Mans firme dependance upon Chriſt in all conditions, in all changes, argues the truth and ſtrength of mans confidence. 5. Him let us preferre in our feare above all commanders,5. In our feare. as the Subject his Soveraigne above all Beggers, as the Servant his Maſter above his fellow-ſervants. As his authoritie is higheſt to command, his power greateſt to protect, and his goodneſſe fulleſt to recompence: ſo let him have preheminence in our obedience and ſervice. As thewGen. 37.9. Sunne, Moon, and eleven Starres in Ioſephs viſion, did obeyſance unto him: ſo let all the faculties of our ſoules, all the members of our bodies, all our temporall, naturall, morall, and ſpirituall abilities do obeyſance to Chriſt, be made ſubject and ſerviceable unto him.6. In our Ioy. 6. Him let us preferre in our Joy: As David preferred Ieruſalem above xPſa. 137his chiefeſt joy, making it and the welfare thereof the top, head, and flower of his joy: ſo let us make Chriſt our chiefeſt joy, the head and crowne of our joy; in him let us rejoyce, as the wiſe men in the Starre which guided them,Mat. 2.10. Gen. 45.28. 1 Sam. 4.5 as old Iacob in the Waggons which carried him to Egypt, where was fulneſſe of bread in the famine; as the Iſraelites in the Arke, from whoſe preſence they promiſed themſelves victory over the Philiſtins: in him let us rejoyce, as the traveller in the Sunne which guides him, as the ſick in the Phyſician which heales him, as the captive in the ranſomer which frees him, as the poore in the rich which feeds and cloathes him. As Chriſt is the originall and ſpring of all our comforts; ſo let him be the ſupreme object of all our rejoycings: all joy beſides this is but ſadneſs. Bernard ſaith,*Illud eſt verum ac ſummum gaudium, quod non de cr…atura, ſed de creatore concipitur; quod quum acceperis nemo tollet à te; cui aliunde comparata omnis jucunditas moeror eſt, omnis ſuavitas dolor eſt, omne dulce amarum eſt, omne decorum foedum eſt, omne poſ…re…ó quod del…i po…t, mo… …. That is true and high joy, which is not conceived of the creature, but of the Creator; which when thou ſhalt receive, no man ſhall take it from thee; whereunto compared, all other joy is ſorrow, all ſweetneſſe griefe, all that is ſweet is bitter, every comely thing is filthy, and laſtly, whatſoever may delight is troubleſome: all joy in compariſon of joy in Chriſt, is but a cloud to this Sunne, a midnight to this morning, a bramble to this Vine, gall and vinegar to this pretious Nectar: Therefore in all things value Chriſt, and give him preheminence above all others according to his fulneſſe. Let not the plainneſſe of his doctrine, the meanneſſe of his meſſengers, the ſimplicitie and want of externall pompe in his religion and ſervice, nor the poverty of many of his followers, cauſe us to under-value and ſlight Chriſt, as it was ſometime diſputed among the Romanes in their Councell, uſing to deifie great men, Whether Chriſt having done many wonderfull workes, ſhould bee received into the number of Gods. The Hiſtorian ſaith,*Et tande deſinitum eſt, quòd non deberet recipi inter deos pro eo quòd non habe…et cultores: prop…er hoc quòd paupertatem praedicarit & elegit, quam mundus contemnit. It was at laſt concluded, that he ſhould not be received among the Gods, becauſe hee had no worſhippers, and becauſe hee preached poverty which the world deſpiſeth. How many ſtumble, and take offence at Chriſt, ſlight and under-value Chriſt, for the ſmall number and low eſtate of his followers, and for that humility, meekneſſe, ſpirituall poverty which the Goſpel teacheth! But let not us under-value Chriſt for this, but rather admire the fulneſſe of Chriſt, in putting ſuch power into the plaine preaching of his Word, and ſuch efficacie into the labours of his deſpiſed Meſſengers, as thereby to convince and convert the hearts, and raiſe the ſoules of men; and by weake things, poore things, and things which are not, to confound the things that are: The weakneſſe of the inſtrument commends the power of the ſupreme agent; the more wee looke upon the emptineſſe of the inſtruments which Chriſt uſeth, the more cauſe we ſhall have to admire the fulneſſe which he communicateth.
Foure things there are among many,Foure things in Chriſt to be highly prized. in Chriſt, which wee ſhould very highly prize: Firſt, the knowledge of Chriſt. The wiſedome of Solomon was ſo great, that the Queene of the South accounted his men happy,1. Knowledge of Chriſt. that they might daily ſtand before him to heare his wiſedome: As Chriſt is greater then Solomon, ſo is their happineſſe greater that may ſt…nd before him and heare his wiſedome. It is Chriſt that puts a fulneſſe into our knowledge, as the ſhining of the Sunne in the aire, puts a fulneſſe of light into the eye; therefore Paul made Chriſt crucified the center and circumference of his knowledge, determining to knowy1 Cor. 2.2. nothing among them, but Chriſt crucified: this hee made thezEpheſ. 3. bredth and length, depth and height of his knowledge: this was the full latitude of his knowledge, to know Chriſt; and this isaPhil. 3.8. excellent knowledge, for the inſtrument, authour, matter, ſubject, fruits and effects of it; ſaving knowledge, Joh. 17.3. Secondly, wee ſhould highly prize the love of CHRIST JESUS;2. Love of Chriſt. it is better then bCant. 1.3.wine; nothing ſo ſolaceth, reviveth, and cheriſheth the ſoule, nothing is ſweet, nothing is ſatisfactory without it. It could notc2 Sam. 14.32. content Abſolon that he was recalled from his exilement, and had his dwelling at Ieruſalem, unleſſe hee might alſo ſee the Kings face: the preſence of all things is as nothing, unleſſe man ſee the Kings face, feele the love of Chriſt; this is the life of a good mans life, as Solomon ſaith of the light of the KingsdPro. 16.15. countenance, In the light of the Kings countenance is life, and his favour is as a cloud of the latter raine. Chriſts love is life quickning, a cloud watering and abundantly refreſhing the ſoules of all that enjoy him: Therefore eſteeme the love of Chriſt above the love of the creature, as men eſteeme the love of the King above the love of the begger.
Thirdly, wee ſhould highly value the communion and miniſtration of Chriſt:3. The communication and miniſtration of Chriſt. The Sunne filleth the aire with light, the head filleth the body with ſenſe and motion, the Schoole filleth the braine with Art and Learning, the golden Mine filleth the ſtore-houſe with treaſure, the ſeaſt filleth the hungry with meat, and the clouds fill the earth with fruit; & all theſe are eſteemed for their miniſtration and filling: But Chriſt hath a more excellent miniſtration, hee filleth with better light then the Sun, with better Art & Learning then the Schoole, with better ſenſe & motion then the head, with better meat then the feaſt, with better fruit then the cloud: He filleth the hungry with eLuke 1.53.good things, with ſpiritual and heavenly good things, ſaving knowledge, lively faith, fervent love, Chriſtian patience, true humility and meekneſs, even with the whole treaſury of all ſpirituall good things, even ſuch good things asf1 Cor. 2.9. carnall eye hath not ſeene, uncircumciſed eare hath not heard, nor have entred into the unregenerate heart of man: theſe doth Chriſt reveale and communicate by his Spirit, and in this miniſtration ſtands the happineſſe, glory, and comfort of man; Chriſt becomming their fulneſſe, andgEpheſ. 1.23. filling all in all, by being the fulneſſe of their knowledge, of their faith, of their love, of their peace, of their poſſeſſion; without whom all knowledge, faith, love, and whatſoever elſe, is but an empty thing. Give then preheminence to Chriſts miniſtration, above the miniſtration of the creature; as to the miniſtration of corne above chaffe, of gold above droſſe. Oh prize the gift of Chriſt above all the gifts of the world.
4. The ſweet & bleſſed preſence of Chriſt.Fourthly, wee ſhould highly prize the bleſſed, ſweet and gracious preſence of Chriſt; as a good ſubject doth the preſence of his King in his houſe, above all other friends; as a wife the preſence of her huſband above all neighbours. Wee muſt not ſo eſteeme the preſence of riches, honours, friends, or any other endowments, as wee doe the preſence of Chriſt. This Chriſt hath promiſed to his children, as their ſtaffe and ſtay, crowne and glory, prerogative and comfort:hMat. 28.20. Iſa. 43.2. Lo (ſaith hee) I am with you to the end of the world; with you as a King among his people, as a Father among his children, as a Shepheard with his flocke, as a Teacher among his Schollers. This was ſhadowed by the fierie Pillar that was preſent with Iſrael as a guide, which they followed in their ſeverall campings, as a defence between the Campes of Iſrael and the Egyptians: ſo is Chriſt preſent with us as a guide to direct us in our journies, as a protector to defend us from all our enemies. The Pillar was a cloud by day, and a fire by night to Iſrael: ſo is Chriſt a cooling refreſhment to his children in the ſcorching day of trouble, and a comfortable Lampe of light to direct them in the night of this world. In the fire and in the cloud God was ſeene by Iſrael: in Chriſt God is ſeene and knowne as a Father of mercies by his children; and this preſence of Chriſt with us ſhould wee highly eſteeme, as the Traveller doth the preſence of the Sunne: This encourageth, comforteth, ſtrengtheneth, ſatiſfieth, and ſhould accordingly bee highly prized. And thus let us value, prize, and preferre Chriſt according to his fulneſſe, that Chriſt may value us as Schollers of his Schoole, as Subjects of his Kingdome, as Lovers of his Truth, as Members of his Body, and daily more and more fill us with his divine and heavenly fulneſſe.