Bowels Opened, Sermon 17
THE SEVENTEENTH SERMON.SER. XVIII
CANT. V. XIII.
His lips are like lillies dropping sweet smelling mirrh, his hands are as gold rings set with Berill, his belly is as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphirs, his legs, &c.
In speaking of these particulars wee are to be very wary, for we have not that foundation as we have in other generalls: for no doubt but the Spirit of God here did more intend to set out the large affection that the Church had to Christ, then to insinuate any great particularity in every one of these, therefore let us onelyonly cull out, and take those things that are of more easie explication.
His lips are as lillies dropping downe sweet mirrh.
That is, his doctrine is as sweet as the lillies, and sound as the mirrh, keeping from purrifaction, it being the nature of mirrh as it is sound its selfe so to make other things sound. In like manner the speech of Christ makes the soule sound that imbraceth it. What was ever more sweet then the truth of Christ,Luk. 4. 20. when he spake himselfe, they all hung upon his lips (as the Phrase is in the Gospell) as a man hangs upon the lips of another whom he desires and delights to heare speake, and they marvelled at the gratious words that came out of his lips, Psal. 45. Grace was in his lips, all was sweet that came from him, for it came from the excellency of his Spirit, his words were died in these affections of his heart. In the learned language, the same word signifieth speech and reason, to intimate that speech is but the current of reason from the heart the seat of reason, therefore Christs speeches were sweet, because his heart was sweet,Mat. 12. 34, 35. full of all love, grace, merc…, and goodnesse, his heart was a treasure, his lips must needs then be sweet. Beloved therefore let us hence take a triall of ourselves what our condition is, whether the words that come from Christ when hee speakes in his ministery to us be sweet or not.
The word (to …me kind of men) is like the Northe…n aire which parcheth a…d c…tteth,1 King. 21. Ahab could not indure the breath of Elias, Mark. 6. 16.nor Heredias the breath of Iohn Baptist, Acts. 2. 22.nor the Pharisees the breath of Steeven and Paul. So too many now a dayes cannot endure the breath of divine truth when it cuts and pierceth. These wordes are arrowes that sticke, if they sticke not savingly, they sticke to killing, if we cannot indure Christs breath we are not his Spouse nor have any communion with him.
His lips are like lillies dropping sweet mirrh, &c.
This is one excellency of Christ and of his truth, that it preserves the soule in a pure estate, it is pure it selfe and so it preserves the soule, mirrh is a liqour that keepes from putrifaction, there is nothing that keepes the soule but the word that indures for ever, whereas on the other side error is of a putrifying nature, corrupting and defiling the soule.
His hands are as gold rings set with Berill, &c.
Hands are the instruments of actions, Christs actions are pretious, whatsoever he doth to the Church, nay even when he doth use evill men to afflict and exercise the Church, he hath a hand there, a golden, a precious hand, in the evil hand of wicked men God doth all things by Christ,That all Christs actions whatsoever are precious. he is as it were Gods hand which all things passe through.Heb. 1. Ioseph was the second man of Egypt through whose hands all things came to the rest,Joh 5. 22. so all things comes through Christs hands to us, and whatsoever is his handy worke is good, even as it is said in the daies of his flesh, hee did all things well, so still in the Church all his workmanship is exceeding well, though we cannot see the excellency of it, it is all well both in the government of the Church and his workmanship in our hearts, the new creature.
His Belly is as bright Ivory overlaid, &c.
His Belly that is his inward parts, In the hebrew it is used for the inward affections, they are as bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires, that is they are pure, all the inside of Christ, all his affections that he beares are wondrous good, his love, his desires, his joyes, his hatred, all pure, like pure water in a crystall glasse, it may be stirred sometimes but still it is cleare, there are no dregs at the bottome, because there was no taint of sinne in him.
His legs are as pillars of marble set on sockets of fine gold, &c.
That is,All christs wayes are constant &c firme. all his passages and waies are constant and firme even as pillars of marble,Heb. 13. 8. his children are so likewise as farre as they are indued with his Spirit. Christ is yesterday, to day and the same for ever. In regard of his enemies, Rev. 1. Hee is set out in another manner of similitude, as having legs of brasse to trample them all in peeces. But in respect of his constant truth and waies of goodnesse to his Church his legs are as pillars of marble.
His Countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars.
Lebanon was a goodly forrest lying on the north side of Iudea, wherein were excellent plants of all kindes, especially Cedars. Christ his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the Cedars, that is his presence is goodly, stately and majesticall, so it is and will bee when he shewes himselfe indeed for the vindicating of his Church, then the enemies thereof shall know that his presence is as Lebanon, and excellent as the Cedars.
The Children of God are like to Cedars too,In what regard Christians are like unto Cedars. for they are Christ mysticall. Other men are as shrubs to them, men of no value, but they are Cedars, and grow as Cedars in Lebanon, from perfection to perfection, bearing most fruit in their age. Wicked men somtimes are Cedars too and are said to grow and flourish as the Cedars in Lebanon:How wicked men are said also to be Cedars. But looke a while and you shall see their place no more,Psal 37. they have no good root, no good foundation, A Christian is a Cedar set in Christ the chiefe Cedar, he is a plant that growes in him, he hath an eternall root and therefore he flourisheth eternally.
His mouth is most sweet, he is altogether lovely.That the words of C…rist wher… by …e manifests fatherly affection to us is of all things most sweet.
His mouth is most sweet, she doubles this commendation, shee had said before his lips are as Lillies dropping sweete mirrh, here she saith againe of his mouth, it is most sweet, to shew that that is the cheefe lovely thing in Christ, the repetition argueth the seriousnesse of the Churches affection to Christ and of the excellency of that part, the maine lovely thing is that which comes from his heart by his words and his lips, as indeed the most excellent thing that we can thinke of is the expression of the heart of God in Christ, and of Christs love to us, His mouth is most sweet. And indeed the best discovery of a true affection to Christ, and of a true estate in grace, is from our affection to the word of Christ. Wheresoever there is interest into Christ, there is a high respect to the word, my sheepe heare my voice, Iohn. 10. and you know what Peter saith, Iohn. 6. Many of Christs hearers and followers forsooke him (upon some hard speeches, as they thought that came from him) saith Christ to Peter, Will yee also leave mee, Peter answered againe, Whether Lord shall wee goe,Ioh. 6. 68. thou hast the words of eternall life. The Apostles that had the Spirit of God perceived an incredible gratiousnesse to sit on his lips, and therefore they hung upon his lips, Whether shall we goe, thou hast the words of eternall life. If we leave his speech we leave our comfort, we leave our life.
As a comment hereupon see Psal. 19. Where we have a high commendation of Gods excellencie, first from the booke of nature the workes of God, the Heavens declare the glory of God, then from the word of God, and herein the Psalmist is wonderous large. The law of the Lord is perfect coverting the soule, the testimonies of the Lord are sure making wise the simple, the statutes of the Lord are right and rejoyce the heart, the commandements of the Lord are sure, and enlighten the eyes more to be desired then gold, yea then fine gold, sweeter also then the hony or the hony comb.
But marke the order,Quest. when is the word of God precious to us as goldWhen the word of God is precious to us as gold sweeter then the hony or the hony combe, but when the former commendation takes place,Answ. where the word is perfect converting the soule, and where it is sure, making wise the simple, and where the feare of the Lord is cleane, &c. There it is more to be desired then fine gold, and sweeter then the hony combe. So the Church here finding first of all the word to be a converting word, and giving understanding to the simple, she cannot but speake of the sweetnesse of the word of Christ,That our state in grace to the word may bee discerned by our relish to the word. his lips are as Lillies dropping sweet smelling myrrh, his mouth is most sweet. Thus a man may know his estate in grace by his relish of the word.
There is a divine and a heavenly relish in the word of God, as for instance take the doctrine of his providence,Ron…. 2…. 8. That all things shall worke together for the best to them that love God. What a sweet word is this, a whole kingdome is not worth this promise: that whatsoever befalls a Christian in this world, there is an over-ruling providence to sway all to good, to help forward his eternall good.
That Christ will be present with us in all conditions, Mat. 28.what a sweet word and promise is this,Luk. 11. 13. That he will give his holy Spirit if we beg it, that he will not faile us nor forsake us. That if we confesse our sins and lay them open, 1 Iohn 1. 9.he is mercifull to forgive them. That if our sinnes were as red as scarlet, they shall all bee white as woole. Isa. 1.What kinde of incredible sweetnesse is in these to a heart that is prepared for these comforts, the doctrine of Reconciliation, of Adoption, of Glory to come, of the offices of Christ and such like, how sweet are they, they relish wondrously to a sanctified soule.
Let us therefore discerne of our estate in grace by this,Exhortation to try our …ate in grace by our relish of divine truths. how do we relish divine truths? are they connaturall and suteable to us? doe we love them more then our appointed food? are they dearer unto us then thousands of gold and silver? doe we like them above all other truthes whatsoever?Psal. 119. 127. Every truth in its ranke is lovely and is a beame of God,Psal. 119. 72. For truth is of God wheresoever we sinde it, but what are other truths to this heavenly soule saving-truth, this Gospell-truth that is from Christ, his mouth is most sweet.
In our nature there is a contrary disposition and Antipathy to divine truth.That there is in our nature an Antipat…y to divine tru…. We love the Law better then the Gospell, and any truth better then the Law. We love a story, any trisling baubling thing concerning our ordinary callings, better then divine truth: In divine truth as things are more spirituall, So the more remute they are naturally from our love and liking. Evangelicall truths will not downe with a naturall heart, such an one had rather here a quaint point of some vice or vertue finely stood upon then any thing in Christ, because he was never truly convinced of his corrupt and miserable estate by nature, but when the grace of God hath altered him, and his eyes are open to see his misery, then of all truthes the truth of Christ savours best, those truths that come out of the mouth of Christ & out of the ministery concerning Christ they are most sweete of all. Oh how sweete are those words in the Gospell to the poore man: thy sinnes are forgiven thee, doe you thinke they went not to his heart. So to the woman, Luk. 7. her many sinnes are forgiven her, for she loved much, Oh they were words that went to her soule. And to the theefe on the crosse,Luk. 23. This day thou shalt be with me in Paradice, how do you think those words affected him. So it is with us if ever we have beene abased in the sence of our sinnes, O how sweet is a promise of mercy then.Iob. …3. 23. He that brings it is as one of tenne thousand, that comes to declare to man his righteousnesse, to lay open the mercy that belongs to a distressed soule,Rom. 10, 15. Oh the very feete of those that bring these glad tidings are beautifull; When our blessed Saviour after his refurrection spake to Mary and called her by her name, after that she had sought him and could not finde him (Oh Raboni saith she) the words of Christ they melted her presently. Let Christ once call us by our names, for he knowes us by name, as he knew Moses, Exo. 34.let him by his Spirit speake to us by name,Jsa. 43. 1. and owne us then we call him Raboni, we owne him againe, for what is our love but the reflection of his backe againe. Therefore (saith the Psalmist) Let me heare the voyce of joy and gladnesse that the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce. Psal. 51.Let me heare, that is, I long for thy word to heare it, not the bare ministeriall word, but the word of the Spirit, but the Church resteth not here, but saith further,
He is altogether lovely.
Altogether desireable, as if she should say, what should … stand upon particulars, he is altogether from top to toe aimiable, lovely and delectable.
He is altogether lovely.
Lovely to God,That Christ every way considered is altogether lovely. to us, to the soule; lovely to him that can best judge of lovelinesse, the judgement of God I hope will goe currant with us, and what doth God the Father judge of Christ, This is my beloved Sonne, he is the Son of Gods love, Colos. 1. 13. (as God cannot but love his own image) He is lovely also as man, for he was pure and holy, lovely as Mediator by office, for he was anoynted by God to conveigh the Fathers love to us, He must needs be lovely in whom all others are loved, this is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, out of him I am well pleased with no body. And indeed he was filled with all graces that might make him lovely, all the treasures of wisdome are in him, and of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace, he is made a store-house of all that is good for us.
He is lovely to God in whatsoever he did, he carried himselfe lovely and pleased his Father in all his doings and sufferings. God loved him especially,Phil. 2 Because he was obedient even unto the death of the crosse, therefore God gave him a name above all names, that at the name of Iesus every knee should bowe both in Heaven and in Earth. As for the Angells they looke upon him with admiration, they attended him, and accounted it an honour to waite upon him, he is lovely to all above us, and shall he not be lovely to us.
But you will say, was he lovely when hee was nailed on the crosse,Object. hung betweene two theeves, when he wor… a crowne of thornes, was whipped, laid groveling on the ground, when he sweat water and bloud, what lovelinesse was in him when he was laid in his grave.
Oh yes then he was most lovely of all to us,Answ. By how much the more he was abased for us, this makes him more lovely, that out of love he would abase himselfe so low, when greatnesse and goodnesse meet together how goodly is it. That Christ so great a Majesty should have such bowels of compassion. Majesty alone is not lovely, but awefull and fearefull, but joyned with such condescending grace is wondrous aimeable. How lovely a …ight is it to see so great a person to be so meeke and gentle: it was so beyond comparison lovely in the eyes of the Disciples that they stood and wondered to see him who was the eternall word of the Father condescend to talke with a poore Samaritan woman, and what lovelinesse of carriage was in him to Peter undeserving after he had denied and forsworne him, yet to restore him to his former place that he had in his heart, loving him as much as ever he did before. In a word, what sweetnesse, gentlenesse, bowels of meekenesse, pittie and compassion did he discover to those that were in misery, we cannot insist upon particulars.
There is a remarkeable passage in the story of Alphonsus the King (not very well liked of some) when hee saw a poore man pulling of his beast out of a ditch he put to his hand to helpe him, aft…r which as it is recorded his subjects ever loved him the better, it was a wonderfull condescending, and is it not as wonderfull that the King of Heaven and Earth should …toope so low as to helpe us poore wormes out of the ditch of hell and damnation, and that when he hath set us in a state of deliverance, he should not leave us there, but advance us to such a state and condition as is above our admiration, which neither heart can conceive nor tongue expresse, is not this wonderfull condescending.
That we may further improove this point,Vse. 1. Is Christ altogether lovely,That Christ is such a Mediator as can quit. …is office. so lovely to us and so beloved of God the Father? Let us then rest upon his obedience and righteousnes, build upon it that God cannot refuse that righteousnesse whose subject is altogether lovely. Let us come clothed in the garments of our elder brother, and then doubt not of acceptance: for it is in Christ that he loves us, in this well-beloved Sonne it is that God is well-pleased with us, if we put on Christs righteousnesse, we put on Gods righteousnesse, and then how can God hate us, no more then he hates his owne Sonne, nay he loves us,Iohn 17, 23. and that with the same love wherewith he loves him, for he loves whole Christ mysticall, head and members. Let this strengthen our Faith, that if Christ be so altogether lovely in himselfe and to the Father, then we may comfortably come before the Father, clothed with the garments of him our elder brother, and so rest our selves on the acceptation of his Mediation that is so beloved a Mediator.
Againe,Vse. 2. if Christ be so lovely (altogether lovely) then let us labour to be in him,To labour to be in C…rist that so wee may bee lovely before God. that so we may be lovely to God, because he is the first aimiable thing in the world, in whom we are all lovely, all our lovelinesse is in beloved Christ.
Againe,Vse. 3. if Christ be so lovely,To see then how and whereupon to spend our best affections. here onelyonly we have whereupon to spend the marrow of our best affections. Is it not pittie we should loose so much of our affections as we doe upon other things, Christ is altogether lovely, why should we dote upon other things so much, and set up Idols in our hearts above Christ, is he altogether lovely, and shall not he have altogether our lovely affections, especially when we are commanded under paine of a curse to love the Lord Jesus. Anathema Maranatha to those that love not Christ.1Cor. 16. 22. Let us therefore labour to place all our sweete affections that are to be exercised upon good, as love, joy, and delight, upon this object, this lovely deserving object Christ, who is altogether lovely. When wee suffer a pure streame as it were to runne through a dirty channell, our affections to run after the things of the world, which are worse then our selves, we loose our affections and our selves.
Let therefore the whole streame of our affections be carried unto Christ.The way not to loose our affections. Love him and whatsoever is his, for he being altogether lovely, all that comes from him is lovely, his promises, his directions, his counsels, his children, his sacraments are all, lovely. Whatsoever hath the stamp of Christ upon it, let us love it, we cannot bestow our hearts better, to loose our selves in the love of Christ & to forget ourselves and the love of all, yea to hate all in comparison of him, and to account all dung and drosse compared with Christ, is the only way to finde our selves. And indeed we have a better condition in him then in the world or in our selves: severed from him our condition is vaine and will come to nothing, but that we have in him is admirable and everlasting, we cannot conceive the happinesse which we poore wretches are advanced to in Christ, and what excellent things abide for us which come from the love of God to us in Christ, who is so altogether lovely. Therefore let us labour to kindle in our hearts an affection towards Christ, all that wee can, considering that hee is thus lovely.
And let us make an Use of Tryall whether he be thus lovely to us,Vse. 4. or no, we may see hence whether we love Christ or no,Whether or no Christ hee thus lovely to us. We may judge of our love by our esteeme. How doe we value Christ, what price doth the Church set on him? He is the chiefe of tenne thousand. By our esteem… of Chr…st.What place then should he have in our hearts? If he be the chiefe of tenne thousand, let us rather offend ten thousand then offend him. Let us say with David, Psal. 73.whom have I in Heaven but thee, &c. And when the soule can say to Christ or any that is Christs (for I speake of him in the latitude of his Truths, Promises, Sacraments, and Communion with his children) What have I in Heaven but thee, &c. then it is in a happy condition. If these things have the same place in our esteeme, as they have in respect of their owne worth, then we may say truely without Hypocrisie, He is altogether lovely to us, that we truly love him.
In the next place, are we ready to suffer for Christ?By our sufferings for Christ. we see the Church here endures any thing for Christ, she was mis-used of the watchmen, they scorned her, and her vaile is taken away, yet notwithstanding she loves Christ still. Do we stand ready disposed to suffer for Christ, of the world to be disgraced and censured, and yet are we resolved not to give over, nay doe we love Christ the more, and sticke to his truth the faster? Certainely where the love of Christ is, there is a spirit of Fortitude, as we may see in the Church here, who is not discouraged from Christ by any meanes, he is still the chiefe of tenne thousand, when she was wronged for seeking after him, yet hee was altogether lovely, whereas on the other hand, you have some that for frownes of greatnesse, feare of losse, or for hope of rising, will warpe their conscience and doe any thing. Where now is love to Christ and to Religion. He that loves Christ, loves him the more for his crosse, as the Holy Ghost hath recorded of some, that they rejoyced that they were thought worthy to suffer for Christ. So the more we suffer for him, the more deare he will be to us. For indeed he doth present himselfe in love and comfort most to those that suffer for his sake, therefore their love is increased.
Againe, where love is, there it inlargeth the heart,Love enlargeth the heart and tongue in the praises of Christ which being enlarged enlargeth the tongue also. The Church hath never enough of commending Christ, and of setting out his praise, the tongue is loosed, because the heart is loosed. Love will alter a mans disposition, as we see in experience, a man base of nature, Love will make him liberall, he that is tongue-tied, it will make him eloquent, let a man love Christ, and though before he could not speake a word in the commendation of Christ, and for a good cause, yet (I say) if the love of Christ be in him, you shall have him speake and labour earnestly in the praises of God. This hot affection, this heavenly fire, will so mould and alter him, that he shall be cleane another man, as we see in the Church here, after that there was kindled a spirit of love in her, she cannot have done with Christ, when she had spoke what she could, she adds, he is altogether lovely. Those that cannot speak of Christ, or for Christ with large hearts in defence of good causes (but are tongue-tied and cold in their affections) where is their love? put any worldly man to a worldly theame that he is exercised in, and speakes of dayly, he hath wit and words at will, but put him to a theame of piety, you loose him, he is out of his theame, and out of his element. But tis not so with those that have ever felt the love of God in Christ, they have large affections, how full is Saint Paul, he cannot speake of Christ but he is in the height, bredth, length, and depth of the love of God in Christ, and the knowledge of God above all knowledge: thus we may discerne the truth of our love by the expressions of it here as in the Church.
Againe, the Church here is never content till she finde Christ,True love is never at rest till we finde Christ. whatsoever she had, nothing contents her, she wanted her beloved, as we see here, she goes up and downe inquis…itive after him till she find him, so it is with a Christian, if he have lost (by his owne fault) his former communion with Christ, he will not rest nor be satisfied, but searcheth here and there in the use of this and that meanes, he runs through all Gods Ordinances and meanes till he finde Christ, nothing in the world will content him, neither honour, riches, place, or friends, till he finde that which he once enjoyed, but hath now for a season lost, the comfort, and assurance of Gods love in Christ.
Now if we can sit downe with other things and can want Christ and the assurance of salvation,That contentment without Heavens sweet report of comfort to the soule is a dangerous condition. that sweet report of the Spirit, that we are his, and yet be contented well enough, here is an ill signe, that a man is in an ill condition, the Church was not so disposed here, she was never quiet nor gives over her inquisition and speaking of Christ, that by speaking of the object, she might warme her affections, untill at the last she meets with Christ, these and the like signes there are of the truth of the love of Christ.A signe of true flaming love to Christ. But where there is a flaming love of Christ, there is this degree further, a desire of the appearance of Christ, a desire of his presence. For if Christ be so lovely in his Ordinances. If we finde such sweetnesse in the Word and Sacraments, in the communion of Saints, in the motions of the Spirit. What is the sweetnesse (thinke you) which the soules in Heaven enjoy, where they see Christ face to face, see him as he is, hereupon the Spouse saith Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth: Oh that I might live in his presence, this is the desire of a Christian soule. When the flame of love is kindled in any strength, Oh that I might see him, and therefore it longs even for death, for as farre as a man is spirituall, he desires to bee dissolved, and to bee with Christ, as Simeon, when he saw him (though in his abasement) Now I have enough, let thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seene thy salvation. The presence of Christ (though it were but in the wombe) When Mary the mother of Christ came to Elizabeth, it caused the Babe that was in her wombe to spring. Such comfort there is in the presence of Christ (though he be but in the wombe) as it made Iohn to spring. What then shall be his presence in Heaven, how would it make the heart spring there thinke you? For that which is most lovely in Christ is to come. Therefore the Saints that have any degree of grace in the new Testament, they are set out by this description, they were such as loved the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: how can it be otherwise, if they love Christ, they love the appearing of Christ, wherein we shall be made lovely, as he is lovely.
Here we are not altogether lovely,That our many infirmities and sinnes should make us lon… for that time wherin we shall be altogether love…y. for we have many dregs of sinne, many infirmities, and staines, shall we not then desire that time wherein as he is altogether lovely, so shall we be made a fit spouse for so glorious a husband.
To conclude this point,To try our affections by the Churches affections. let us try our affections by the Churches affections in this place, whether Christ be so lovely to us or not, Isa. 5. 3. it is said there is no beauty in him, when we shall see him, and he was dispised of men, he was so in regard of his crosse, and sufferings to the eye of the world, and of carnall men. H…rod scorned him, when Pilate sent him to him, made no body of him (as the word in the Originall is) they looked upon the outside of Christ in the flesh when he was abased. There was no forme nor beauty in him (saith the Holy Ghost) that is to the sight of carnall men, but those that had the sight of their sinnes with spirituall eyes▪ they could otherwise judge of Christ. The poore Centurion, saw an excellency in him, when he said, He was not worthy that he should come under his roofe. The poore theefe saw the excellency of Christ upon the crosse in those torments: Lord remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome.
So those soules that were inlightned, that had the sight of their misery and the sight of Gods love in Christ, had a high esteeme of Christ in his greatest abasement. Therefore if we have a meane esteeme of the children of God as contemptible persons, and of the Ordinances of God as meane things, and of the government of Christ (such as he hath left in his word) as base, it is an argument of a sinfull unworthy disposition in such a soule, Christ hath never beene effectually by his Spirit, for every thing in him is lovely even the bitterest thing of all. There is a majestie and excellency in all things of Christ, the censures of the Church are excellent, when they proceed and issue forth with judgement, as they should doe, to deliver such a man over to Satan, that he may be saved in the day of the Lord.
Now if the Ordinances of Christ, the Word and Sacraments, and the shutting sinners out of the Church, if these things be vilified as powerlesse things, it shewes a degenerate wicked heart not acquainted with the waies of God. If we have a meane esteeme of men that suffer for Christ and stand out for him, if we account them so and so, shall we thinke our selves Christians in the meane time, when Christ is altogether lovely, shall they be unlovely that carry the image of Christ, can we love him that begets and hate them that are begotten of him, can we love Christ and hate Christians, it cannot be.
Now that wee may get this affection and esteeme of Christ,How to get and esteeme of Christ. that is so lovely. Let us labour to make our sinnes bitter and loathsome, that Christ may be sweet.To make sinne bitter.
VVhat is the reason we set no higher a price of Christ.Quest.
Because we judge not of ourselves,Ans. as we are indeed, and want spirituall eye salve to see into our selves rightly.
And let us attend upon the me…nes of salvation To attend on the meanes of salvation.to heare the unsearchable riches of Christ: what makes any man lovely to us: but when we heare of their riches, beauty and good intent to us. In the Word we are made acquainted with the good intent of Christ towards us, the riches of mercy in forgiving our sinnes, and riches of glory prepared for us, the more we heare of him, of his riches and love to us, the more it will inflame our love to Christ. Those that live where the Ordinances of Christ are held forth with life and power, they have more heavenly and inlarged affections then others have, as the experience of Christians will testifie.
Againe, if we would esteeme highly of Christ that he may bee lovely to us,To joyne with such company as highly esteeme of Christ. let us joyne with company that highly esteeme of Christ, and such as are better then our selves. What deads the affections so much as carnall, worldly company, who have nothing in them but civility, by converse with them who have discourse of nothing but the world, if a man have heavenly affections, he shall quickly dull them, and be in danger to loose them, they may be conversed with in civill things, but when we would set to be heavenly, and holy minded, let us converse with those that are of an heavenly bent, as we see here, The daughters of Hierusalem are wonne to love Christ? by what? By conversing with the Church, upon the discourse that the Church makes of his excellencies in particular, they beginne to aske where is Christ, as in the next Chapter, and so are all brought to the love of Christ.
The end of the seventeenth Sermon.