Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
The ſecond difference, which is in their laying hold of Chriſt for ſaluation.
Queſtion.
BEſide knowledge you hauehave ſhewed, there muſt be alſo a laying hold of Chriſt, with a perſwaſion that God will be fauourable to vsus in and through him: and for as much as in hypocrites, theſe alſo may ſeeme to be found as well as the knowledge of Chriſt; I pray you ſhew what difference may be put betweene the apprehenſion of Christ for ſaluation by a true beleeuer, and the perſwaſion he hath of obtaining ſaluation by him, and that which can bee found in one that is not currant nor ſound in his beleeuing.
A. The one layeth hold of Chriſt in imagination andDiuers apprehenſion of Chriſt. conceit onelyonly; and therefore is neuer the better: the other in truth and certaintie, and ſo vndoubtedly becommeth ſaued thereby.
The apprehenſion of Chriſt by an hypocrite in his owne imagination, is but as the holding of an Angell of gold in the hand of one, that is deceiued by a Iuggler, that hath his ſenſes preſtigiated by the cunning working of the diuell: ſuch a one is made to beleeue he hath that he hath not; the Iuggler in ſhew, and to his ſeeming, puts an Angell into his hand, bids him ſhut his hand, and hold it faſt; the man now thinks hee hath it ſure, but when hee openeth his hand to take out his piece of gold, hee either findes nothing there; or if any thing at all, nothing better then a ſlippe, a piece of copper, or a counter that will goe for no payment, and ſo finds himſelfe to be neuer the better for it, nor neuer the richer, but meerely couſoned and deluded by a falſe conceit.
There is a hiſtory related (if the matter be not miſtaken) of an Apoſtatate profeſſor, who comming to the table of the Lord to receiue the Sacrament, when hee had receiued the bread into his hand, it became turned into aſhes by and by. Which (if it were ſo) did plainly enough ſhew that Chriſt would feede no ſuch; but as hee had withdrawne his heart from Chriſt, ſo Chriſt could well enough withdraw himſelfe from him, that he ſhould neuer apprehend him, and hauehave no part in him: the diuell made ſuch a one beleeue, and his owne falſe heart beguiled him as well as did the diuell, cauſing him to thinke, that if he could come to the Lords table and partake in the Sacrament, he ſhould receiue Chriſt well enough: as it is the conceit of the moſt to this day, who neuer do goe further; but he found by lamentable experience, that the deceiuer had beguiled him: for, opening his hand for bread to put into his mouth, there was nothing but aſhes found, and ſo nothing to eate; hee might ſtarue well enough for any nouriſhment that was there to be had.
Though all hypocrites in comming to the Sacrament, there to apprehend Chriſt, and to receiue (as they vſe to ſpeake) their Maker, hauehave not alwaies ſuch a viſible ſigne put into their hands of receiuing nothing, as had this back-ſlider; yet let them looke into their hearts, and there they ſhall find (if they be wel ranſacked and ſearched) as true nothing to be there; no preſence of Chriſt, of his fleſh, and his blood, for their ſpirituall nouriſhment; as that man had no bread remaining but aſhes in ſtead of bread for him to feede vponupon: a lye being in their right Iſa. 44. 20.hand through a ſeduced heart beguiling them, as ſpeaketh the Prophet. And ſo their caſe paralelleth the caſe of that man, whoſe ſenſes the couſoning Iugler by Satans ſo powerfull working had ſo preſtigiated, as he was made to beleeue he had a piece of gold put into his hands, but when he looked to take it out, there hee found nothing, but all was gonne. In like manner theſe, with thoſe of Laodicea, who were profeſſors as well as the beſt, andApoc. 3. 17. thought they had their part in Chriſt as plentifully as who had moſt: that thought they were rich enough and wanted nothing; when in the meane time they knew not that they were wretched, miſerable, poore, blind, and naked, wanting all things; till the matter at length came to be tried, and then it was proued to be ſo indeed: ſo theſe thinke they hauehave laid good hold of Chriſt, and are ſo ſurely poſſeſſed of him, as there is no feare at all of their euer periſhing for their being out of him. But when triall ſhall bee made thereof at the day of iudgement, or at the houre of death, when they ſhall begin to cry, Lord, Lord, vntounto Chriſt, Maſter, maſter, now helpe and ſaue vsus! he will then ſtand aloofe off, and make the matter very ſtrange vntounto them, as though hee had neuer knowne them. Then ſhall it appeare that there was neuer any ſound nor true acquaintance betweene Chriſt and them; they neuer in Chriſt, becauſe they were not new creatures: Chriſt neuer in them; and therefore they will be found to be no better then plaine reprobates.
Q. But of ſuch profeſſors comming to the Sacrament there to receiue Chriſt, and to be partakers of him, you cannot ſay they receiue nothing, for they receiue the holy ſignes and ſeales of Chriſt his body and blood, ſtamped with the true and vncounterfait impreſſion of Gods owne Ordinance and inſtitution, to make them more reuerend in our eyes and eſtimation: yea they are ſtiled and named by the inſtitutor and ordainer of himſelfe: not the ſignes and ſeales of his body and blood, but they are called his body and blood, that wee Mat. 26. 26. 28.might know to our comfort, the Lord his plaine and full meaning is not to preſent onelyonly the ſignes to be receiued by vsus, but the thing that is ſignified, as wel as the ſignes in like manner to be offered vntounto vsus, to become ours?
A. True, and ſo it proueth to be to the worthy receiuer, who bringeth with him as well a ſpirituall hand of faith, to receiue and lay hold of the thing that is ſignified, as a bodily hand of fleſh to receiue the outward ſigne thereof, and bringeth as well the veſſell of his heart purged and made cleane for the fleſh and blood of Chriſt to bee put into, for the ſpirituall nouriſhing of him to eternall life, as his mouth is prepared, and readily opened to receiue the bread and wine for the bodily nouriſhing of this temporarie life. And for all that hypocrites and misbeleeuers in receiuing the Sacrament, either receiue nothing, or that which to them is as good as nothing, if it bee not worſe, making themſelues thereby guilty of the body and blood of Chriſt, and ſo receiuing their owne damnation, but Chriſt to ſaluation I am ſure they doe not receiue, neither at all apprehend to hauehave him to be theirs. They may receiue, as Iudas is ſaid to receiue panem domini, but not panem dominum; the bread of the Lord, but not the bread which is the Lord. The Word and Sacraments by Gods ordinance are as Chriſts veſtments and garments wherewith he is couered, vntounto which the true beleeuers comming, taking them, and touching them with the hand of faith, they reach further then to the outward garment and couering, touching Chriſt himſelfe, and taking hold of him; and ſo with the woman in the Goſpell, they draw Mark. 5. 27. 28. 30.vertue out of him for their healing. But vnbeleeuers that want this true faith, they can catch hold of nothing but the bare garments, and outward couerings alone, they comming to ſeeke Chriſt there, find him no more there preſent vntounto them, then Peter and Iohn found Chriſt in the ſepulchre when they went to ſeeke him after hee wasIoh. 20. 5. 6. 7. riſen; they found indeed the linnen clothes in which hee was wrapped, but him they found not, for hee was riſen and gone from thence. They find in the Sacraments the outward elements of Chriſts outward veſtments and garments he vſeth to be clothed withall; but him they ſhall be ſure neuer to find comming in that faſhion to ſeeke him; no, though they ſhould goe after him with their bullockes, goates and offerings, ſo ſeeking his acquaintanceHoſ. 5. 6. , and to get a countenance at his hands, the Lord ſo iuſtly requiting them, that as they like hypocrites draw neare to them with their lippes onelyonly, their hearts in the meane time being remoued farre from him: Iſa. 29. 13.ſo he will be ſeene to take no pleaſure in them, not to be found of them, when they doe ſeeke him, or to ſhew at all any countenance vntounto them: according to that, If any man withdraw himſelfe, my ſoule ſhall hauehave no pleaſure in Heb. 10. 38.him.
Indeed I cannot denie they hauehave receiued the Lords holy Sacraments, of God his owne inſtitution, and that they are not a little proud on; they thinke they are well enough for that day, and it may be for that yeere, till that day twelue-monethmonth come againe: they thinke, hauing admittance from the Miniſter, and gotten the Sacrament once into their hands; they hauehave wealth enough, and are rich enough to defray all charges, and to pay all debts, that either God their Creditor, or the diuell their accuſer can burthen them withall; for Chriſt (they make reckoning) ſhall now anſwere for all; they make no doubt they hauehave receiued him when they receiued the Sacrament, and ſo hauing had him, they ſtill hold him faſt. Indeed if this were ſo, that opening their hands of faith, they might ſee him there held faſt, and opening the doore of their hearts, they could find him truly preſent, and there dwelling in their hearts by that faith, then were they rich indeed, both to pay all that were owing, and to liue of that which remained beſide. But in ſtead of this Angell of gold, that which they hauehave, proueth to be no better then a very ſlip or counter, which they tooke in ſtead of good gold or ſiluer, which will goe for no payment, that will buy them no bread, nor pay any pennie debt; they may ſtarue for hunger for any thing that with that they can buy at Gods hands: they may be caſt into priſon, and there lie till they rot, for any ſhortening of their debt they owe vntounto God with making ſuch paiment: for theſe to pleade before God, the receiuing of his Sacraments, will be ſo farre from cleering of the debtbooke, as it will runne them further into arerages with him, and bring them deeper into his danger: nothing is for them to bee hoped for, that this way can bee gotten.
But now on the other ſide, a true Chriſtian that is ſound in the faith, doth by his faith ſo truly apprehend Chriſt, that hee hath reall and true vnion and communion 1. Cor. 6. 17.with him to become one with him, and is ſo neerely and inſeparably ioyned vntounto him, ſo ingrafted by faith, and thereby ſo incorporated into him, as he is in Chriſt, and Ioh. 14. 20. Rom. 8. 1. 10.Chriſt in him. The meate that … feed vponupon is not more truly made one with our ſubſtance, after once we hauehave eatenIohn 6. 56. it, and God hath bleſſed it for our nouriſhing. The plant that is well grafted and ſet into a ſtocke, becommethIohn 15. 5. not more one with the ſtock, after once it hath flouriſhed and growne vp with the tree. The husband and the wife Epheſ. 5. 30. 31.of two are not more truly become one fleſh, after mariage be conſummate. The body and the head are not moreEpheſ. 1. 22. 23. neerely vnited and conioyned together in a man that is liuing, then is Chriſt with a true Chriſtian, after that by faith hee hath once laid hold on him. Yea, ſo is a true Chriſtian really and vndoubtedly poſſeſſed of Chriſt by his ſtedfaſt beleeuing, as that he hath him dwelling in his Epheſ. 3. 17.heart by faith, and that in ſo liuely a ſort, and after ſo effectuall a manner of working in him, as that thencefoorth, not ſo much the Chriſtian doth liue, as Chriſt himſelfe Gal. 2 20.doth liue in him, and the life which a true beleeuer doth afterward liue in the fleſh, he doth liue by the faith of the Sonne of God, from whom as from his head he draweth and deriueth by his faith ſuch influence of grace, as doth ſtrengthen and ſuſtaine him in his ſpirituall life.
Their conceits of apprehending Chriſt and of eating his fleſh and his bloud in the Sacrament, to bee nouriſhed thereby to life eternall, is but as when a hungrie man dreameth and behold he eateth, but when hee awaketh, hisIſai. 29 8. ſoule is ſtill emptie: or as when a thirſtie man dreameth and behold he drink…th, but when he awaketh behold he is faint, and his ſoule hath ſtill appetite, and hee is yet a thirſt. So theſe men they are but in a dreame when they hauehave ſuch contentment, and ſeeme to hauehave ſuch ſatisfying in their manner of hauing Chriſt, which is but in phantaſie and conceit alone: for when they ſhall awake out of their dreame in the morning of the reſurrection, they ſhall not finde according to that Dauid reckonedPſal. 17. 5. vponupon, that when he ſhould awake vp, he ſhould be ſatisfied with Gods image: and finde fulneſſe of ioy in Gods preſence, Pſal. 16. 11.and pleaſures at his right hand for euermore: But rather as vagrant and needie rogues that hauehave nothing and can get no entertainment, and as hungrie dogs runne aboutPſal. 59. 14. 15. the ſtreetes ſnarling and grinning, and grudging becauſe they are not ſatisfied: and as it is ſaid in Iſaiah, They ſhall then be hungrie and thirſtie, aſhamed and confounded, crying Iſai. 65. 13. 14. & 8. 21. 22.out for ſorrow of heart, and howling for vexation of ſpirit, leauing their name for a curſe to Gods choſen in the day that the Lord ſhall ſlay them.
Contrarily, ſound-hearted Chriſtians and true beleeuers indeed, whoſe ſoules with Dauid doe thirſt for God, euen for the liuing God: who hunger and thirſt after righteouſneſſe, Pſal. 42. 1. 2. Matth. 5. 6.and the ſaluation that is to bee had in Chriſt Ieſus: whereſoeuer that dead carkaſe may be light vponupon of Chriſt crucified, of his fleſh and bloud broken and powred out and prepared for their ſpirituall nouriſhment; whether in the word preached or Sacraments adminiſtred, thither as the Eagles of heauen doe they ſwiftly flieMatth. 24. 28. and reſort, that prey doe they light vponupon, there doe they ſeaze and lay hold vponupon Chriſt, euen vponupon him crucified, ſeeking their repaſt in him; there doe they feede vponupon him with freſh appetite, and take their fill of ſuch dainties, as in him they finde to be prepared for them. Neither doe they this in a phantaſie alone, and meere imagination, as doe thoſe that dreame, but with as ioyfull a feeling and as great a reioycing, as thoſe that are made moſt merrie at a banquet of wine: for there finde they a moſt ſumptuous banquet and princely feaſt prepared for them vponupon the Lords mountaine, euen a feaſt of fat things and of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on Iſai. 25. 6.the lees well refined. The Lord his table being furniſhed as the royall table of a King at the mariage of his Sonne, Matth. 22. 2.with the ſweete bread of the fineſt of the wheate, euen the bread and manne of God that came down from heauen, Iohn 6. 58.and with wine of the grape of a moſt noble kinde: that is, with the pretious body and bloud of our Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus. There are they ſo abundantly ſatisfied with the fatnes of Gods houſe, and the Lord doth make themPſal. 36. 8. Pſal. 65. 13. 14. ſo to drink their fill out of the riuers of his pleaſures there, that they cannot but bee merrie and much reioyce, yea ſing for very ioy of heart. And the effect of their true feeding vponupon this ſpirituall nouriſhment, and of the comfortable refreſhing they feele themſelues to be cheared withall, after they hauehave ſucked and been ſatisfied with ſuch hony combes of all Gods mercies, as they hauehave found and plucked out of the carkaſe of that dead Lion of the tribe of Iudah, doth as manifeſtly appeare in the carriage of their liues following (which is ſufficient to ſhew they hauehave fed in deed, and not in phantaſie), while their ſpirits are found to be reuiued in them, they waxing luſty and ſtrong thereby, fat and well liking, and freſh in doing dutie, and in bearing out their labour as ſtrong men in Chriſt Ieſus, and the eyes of their vnderſtanding ſo cleered and made lightſome to ſee their way, and to vnderſtand Gods will▪ that they may know how to walke and pleaſe him: as euer the effect of Samſons drinking of waters after his great thirſt, and of Ionathans taſting of hony after his great wearineſſe, was ſeene and perceiued in the refreſhing of either of them thereby. Of Samſon it is ſaid that his ſpirit came againe, and he reuiued after his great thirſt, when once he had drunke of that water which the Lord cauſed to flow out of the hollow place of the iaw,Iudg. 15. 19. with which he ſlew ſo many of the Philiſtims. And of Ionathan it is ſaid, that when he and all the people were faint with much faſting, his eyes were cleered and inlightened after hee had once dipped the end of the rod that was in his hand in an hony combe, and putting it1. Sam. 14. 27. to his mouth had taſted of the ſame.
Though a temporarie beleeuer may be ſaid to apprehend and lay hold vponupon after a ſort, of the promiſes of ſaluation, and vponupon the merits of Chriſt for ſaluation: yet there is guile alſo in this, for both it is vponupon wrong grounds, miſapplying the promiſes and after a wrong manner, more laying hold vponupon the merits of Chriſt, then vponupon Chriſt himſelfe, and therefore laying hold vponupon the ſtreames and miſſing the fountaine; whatſoeuer their comfort may be for a time, yet their hearts at length are as the drie ciſternes that want water, becauſe they are cut off from the fountaine: and ſo their candle and the light of all their comfort is quite extinct and put out againe.
True beleeuers lay hold of Chriſt himſelfe who is their life; they apprehend him for their Sauiour, and they finde ſaluation in him: God hauing giuen vsus life, that life is in 1 Ioh 5. 11. 1. Ioh. 5. 12.his Sonne; they that hauehave the Sonne, hauehave life: the true beleeuer hath Chriſt dwelling in his heart by faith; they hauehave the fountaine of life and comfort in themſelues: and as Iohn ſaith, they hauehave the witnes in themſelues: their comfort1. Ioh 5. 10. Ioh. 7. 38. therefore is ſure, and it is laſting, riuers of water of life ſlow out of their bellies, they neuer are drie.
As the manner of their apprehending is faultie, ſo the ends which they aime at in apprehending of Chriſt are not right. They ſeeke to hauehave Chriſt and to hauehave his acquaintance, and to be knowne to be towards him, that they might bee honoured among men, and the better thought on for the profeſſing of him, as Saul deſired Samuels 1. Sam. 15. 30.companie and preſence, that thereby hee might the more be honoured before the people. The moſt they ſeeke in ſ…eking to him is but themſelues: they wiſh with Baalam to die the death of the righteous: ſaluation they would hauehave from him, and that they catch at, but Chriſt himſelfe they doe not ſo much ſeaze vponupon, nor care ſo much to hauehave that either hee ſhould be in them by the power of his death, crucifying the fleſh with the affections and luſts thereof; or they be in him to become new creatures in him. Their dealing herein is like to the dealing of theeues and malefactors, who looke for no other benefit by a Parliament, but to heare of a pardon, neuer deſiring to heare of any good lawes to gouerne better their liues: they that minde to liue by theeuerie carrie ſuch a minde.
The true beleeuers deſire and ſeeke to hauehave Chriſt, not alone in reſpect of their owne ſaluation, but for the ſurpaſſing excellencie that is ſeene to be in himſelfe: they know him to be the chiefe of the choice of men; yea to be the chiefeſt of tenne thouſand, and in himſelfe to bee eueryevery way wholly delectable; and therefore their hearts are ſo affectionated towards him, as that he, and he alone is their only welbeloued; his name is as ſweete ointment powred out, and therefore with the virgins they doe louelove him, and with the Spouſe they runne after him, ſeeking for him in eueryevery corner, becauſe it is he whom their ſoule loueth and delighteth in: yea with the Spouſe they doe grow ſicke of louelove, vntill they may enioy him. In ſeekingCantic. 5. 8. him they ſeeke not their owne honour, but that they might honour him, and are willing to be ſubiect to him as to be ſaued by him; and therefore renouncing all others they betake themſelues only vntounto him, and ſay (as it is in the Prophet) O Lord, other Lords beſide thee hauehave had Iſai. 26. 13.dominion ouer vsus, but wee will make mention of thee and of thy name only.
They laying hold of Chriſt, lay hold of him that laieth no hold of them; they crie Maſter, Maſter vntounto him, ſeeking and ſcraping acquaintance of him that renounceth them, and wholly doth diſclaime them; bidding them depart from him, for hee doth not know them: they lay hold of Chriſt as Saul did of Samuel, that tooke no delight1. Sam. 15. 26. 27. …8. in him, but turned away from him, as hauing no heart to abide longer with him; he was therefore faine to offer violence to Samuel, and to rend his garment, though he got no more by it but to heare, God had rent away his kingdome from him: theſe rend and teare the Scriptures by miſ-applying of them, and all to pull Chriſt to them, who cares not for them; who ſhall get no more by that reading, then Saul did by his; for their names ſhall therefore be rent out of the booke of life, becauſe they hauehave wronged and abuſed Gods booke, and pulled and rent the Scriptures to a cleane contrary end and purpoſe then was meant, or they euer were written for.
Theſe apprehend Chriſt, becauſe hee firſt did apprehend them, and knew them for his owne, as a good ſhepheard knoweth his flocke, ſo the Lord knoweth who are Ioh 10. 14. 2. Tim. 2. 19.his, and he giueth then againe to know that hee is theirs, and ſo to make claime vntounto him: according to the ſtipulation of the new Couenant betweene Chriſt and the redeemed; he ſaith to them, you are my people; and theyHoſ. 223. ſaying to him, thou art our Lord; thou art our Chriſt, thou art our Redeemer. It is well obſerued by a godlyPerkins in Gal. 4. 9. man and learned Diuine of our time, that the workes of grace and fauour in God, imprint their image in the hearts of them that belong to God in whom they are wrought. There is a knowledge in God whereby hee knowes who are his: this knowledge brings forth another knowledge in vsus, whereby we know God to be our God. There is an election in God, whereby hee chuſeth the Elect to be his people; which worketh in them another election, whereby they chuſe God to be their God. The louelove whereby God loues vsus, workes in vsus another louelove whereby we louelove God againe. Chriſt apprehends1. Ioh. 4. 19. Phil. 3. 12. vsus to be his redeemed, that workes in vsus the apprehenſion of faith whereby we lay hold vponupon him to be our reredeemer: and by this (ſaith he) we may know that we belong to God, if we finde any ſuch impreſſion of Gods grace in vsus. Theſe then know Chriſt to be their Sauiour, becauſe he firſt knew them to be his owne whom he would redeeme; they are his, and he calleth them by name, and cheareth them at the heart, by ſaying vntounto them, as it is in the Prophet, Feare not, I hauehave redeemed thee, thou art Iſa. 43. 1.mine. They lay hold of him, becauſe hee layeth hold of them, holding them by his right hand, and holding alſoIſa. 41. 10. 13. Pſal. 73 23. 1. Sam. 15. 26. 27. 28. Luk. 19. 5. 9. their right hand, that he may euer helpe them. They doe not lay hold of him as Saul did vponupon Samuel, that turned away from him and would hauehave been gone: but as Zacheus did welcome Chriſt vntounto his houſe, who firſt beſpake his owne entertainment, and was deſirous to come to his houſe, and brought ſaluation with him when hee came.
They laying hold of Chriſt, lay hold of him who doth not at all belong to them, not was euer giuen them, or appointed for them, no more then childrens bread belong Mat. 15. 26.to dogges, though they ſticke not to ſnatch it from them: for though Chriſt died for the ſinnes of the world, yet intentionally he did neuer lay downe his life for hypocrites and vnbeleeuers, who ſhall die and periſh for all him (though he hath done enough to ſaue them) onelyonly by meanes of their owne vnbeleefe, becauſe they doe not truly and rightly beleeue in his name: and therefore theirIoh. 3. 18. chalenging of Chriſt to be their Sauiour, and claime that they make to the benefit of his redemption, is no more iuſt, then was the claime that the harlot made, who was not the owne mother to the liue child that was none of1. King. 3. 22. hers.
Theſe lay hold of him, and by faith doe apprehend him, as hauing of all others the greateſt intereſt in him, and all lawfull right to claime him for their owne, as who was prepared, ſet apart, and appointed for them before the world had any beginning; and in the fulneſſe of time Galath. 4. 4. Luk. 2. 11.was ſent to be borne of a woman, and to bee borne a Sauiour vntounto them; and therefore they may iuſtly ſay, and ioyfully proclaime it before Angels and men, as Iſaiah ſets it downe, that vntounto vsus a child is borne, and vntounto vsus a ſonne is Iſa. 9. 6. Ioh. 3. 16. Gal. 2. 20. Epheſ. 5. 25.giuen, euen giuen by a double donation; one from the the Father, another from himſelfe: which gift hath been publiſhed by proclamation throughout all the world; eſtabliſhed in blood, ſealed in Sacraments, and the performance thereof witneſſed vnfainedly, both by Angels and men. Now what is more free then gift? and who is more faithfull then God, and Chriſt, who are the giuers, to ſee the grant and gift performed. EueryEvery good Chriſtian therefore and true beleeuer hauehave a free deed of gift to ſhew out of the Court-rolles of the Scriptures, whereby to proue the title and claime they make to Chriſt for being theirs▪ to be moſt lawfull and iuſt; and therefore they may challenge and claime him by as good right to bee their owne, as may the bride challenge the bridegroome to be hers after he hath giuen himſelfe to her; and ſhe on the other ſide giuen her ſelfe vntounto him, by mutuall promiſes, and by faith and truth to each other plighted, in which thoſe promiſes are giuen and receiued, and that before ſufficient witneſſes, that are able to witneſſe and teſtifie the ſame: and ſo may ſing ioyfully with the Spouſe in the Canticles, without feare of controlment by any, my beloued is mine, and I am his, and his deſire is vntounto Cant. 2. 16. and 7. 10.me.
They, as temporary beleeuers and time-ſeruers, doeMat. 13. 21. lay hold of Chriſt, and let him goe againe, as Apoſtatates, and back-ſliders reuolt from him and fall away, ſo makingIoh. 2. 19. themſelues liable to that danger which our Sauiour Chriſt threatneth will befall to ſuch as abide not in him, Ioh. 15. 6.which is the true vine, which is that as withered branches they ſhall be caſt into the fier and burned, and culpable ofHeb. 10. 26. 27. 29. and 6. 4. 5. 6. … Cant. 3. 4. ſuch a ſinne as will neuer be forgiuen.
Theſe lay ſuch faſt hold of him with the Spouſe, as hauing once found him, and gotten to lay hold vponupon him, they neuer more will let him goe, not giuing him ouer till they hauehave brought him home, and carried him into the inmoſt roomes and chiefeſt chambers of their hearts, that they may hauehave him dwelling in their harts by faith: that they ſo enioying his preſence there, and happy fruitionMat. 28 20. Ioh. 14. 18. (according as our Sauiour himſelfe hath promiſed to be euer with his to the end of the world, and neuer to leaue them Orphans) may hauehave the ſweet laſting comfort thereof, and ſolace themſelues therein with infinite and vnſpeakable contentment. If there ſhould bee queſtion made to them, as our Sauiour made to Peter and the reſt, whether they alſo with others would goe away? their anſwereIoh. 6. 67. 68. 69. vntounto him will be as Peters was, Lord to whom ſhould wee goe, thou haſt the words of eternallife, and we beleeue and are ſure that thou art that Chriſt, the Sonne of the liuing God: for whom hath a faithfull beleeuer in heauen but Chriſt? neither is there any in earth whom hee careth for,Pſal. 73. 25. or doth deſire but him alone.