The Dead Saint Speaking to Saints and Sinners Living, Treatise 2 · Sign 6
6. Sign.
An heart taken with Chriſt, the thoughts are taken up with Chriſt.
Such a man hee thinks Chriſt, and hee ſpeaks Chriſt, hee lives Chriſt.
You know whatever a mans heart is taken with, it is never off his thoughts, never off his heart, hee is never well but thinking and ſpeaking of that hee loves. The thoughts are the character of what the heart is taken withall. If thy heart bee taken with Chriſt, thy thoughts are taken up with him. Chriſt is alwayes upon thy thoughts; hee lies next to thy heart; when thou goeſt to bed hee is with thee, Cant. 1.13. and when thou awakeſt hee is with thee; as David ſaith, Pſal. 139.18.
Indeed Gods people may have ſwarms of other thoughts; but they are not entertained, they are not welcome to them; they are their burden, and trouble. They come in as Intruders, and are not entertained as Gueſts. A wicked man entertains them as Gueſts, as friends; but they come into a godly man, as intruders, never invited, nor finde they welcome. This is that Jeremiah ſpeaks.Jer. 4.14. How long ſhall vain thoughts lodge within thee? in a wicked mans heart they are Lodgers, and entertained as Gueſts; hee keeps doors open, ſpreads a Table for them, makes them a bed, bids them welcome: But in a godly man they crowd in, and finde no entertainment.
And as the Thoughts are taken up with Chriſt, ſo the Tongue. Hee thinks, and hee ſpeaks Chriſt. When Chriſt is in the heart, the tongue will diſcourſe and ſpeak of him. Whatever is in the heart, and the heart is taken withall, that a mans diſcourſe is moſt taken up withall. As Pſal. 37.30. The mouth of the Righteous ſpeaketh wiſdome, and his Tongue talketh of Judgement. And why? becauſe the Law of his God is in his heart, verſ. 31. So here on the ſame ground. Thy talk ſhall bee of Chriſt, of his beauties, his love, &c. becauſe Chriſt is in thy heart. What the heart is taken withall, the Tongue will diſcourſe on.
1. And indeed wee cannot have a fuller Subject to diſcourſe on. Other Subjects they are empty ſubjects, quickly barren. Talk of what you will, you will bee quickly at an end. The bottome of other things are quickly ſounded. But Chriſt is a full Subject. (Whatever you fall upon, is fulneſs in Chriſt.) An everlaſting ſpring, which affordeth freſh ſupplies of matter. New and unconceiveable diſcoveries do ariſe afreſh to bee matter of ſupply to all eternity.
2. You cannot have a ſweeter ſubject. Chriſt is All-ſweet: A Roſe without prickles. A Roſe, for ſweetneſs: without prickles, for content. And nothing is ſo but Chriſt. All the things of the world ſince the fall, have been Roſes beſet with thorns. Though there bee many ſweets in the World; yet they are not all-ſweet; they are beſet with thorns: croſſes with comforts, and afflictions with affections. Chriſt is All-ſweet, and nothing but ſweet. Tota pulchra, as hee ſaid of his Spouſe. Thou art all-fair. Beauty without ſpot. Sweet without prickles. Hee is a Garden full of flowers, full of ſweets. You can light of none but you may lade your thighs, and go home ſatisfied.
3. You cannot have a more delightfull ſubject. Chriſt is the delight of all both in Heaven and Earth. Hee is Gods delight; his heart is taken with him; hee lies in his boſome. And his Son, in whom hee is wel pleaſed, hee is the delight of the Angels, whoſe delight it is to ſtudy Chriſt, and deſire to learn and hear further diſcoveries of Chriſt by his Church, as Peter hath it, 1 Pet. 1.12.
4. You cannot have a more profitable ſubject. A ſubject which in converſing upon, wee are transformed into his Glory, 2 Cor. 3.18. into the glory of him, who is the ſubject of the diſcourſe. Have you not been kindled with heavenly fire? have not your hearts burned in the converſes of him, as well as in the converſes with him? Indeed wee cannot converſe of him aright, but in ſome meaſure wee converſe with him.
Doth it not ſometimes fetch up your ſouls to glory, and leave you in Heaven?
Do you not finde it profitable to quicken you? to raiſe you? to comfort you? to inflame you? to humble you? to melt you? to transform you?
Doth not a diſcourſe of his love quicken you, when you are dead? comfort you, when you are dejected? raiſe you, when faln? humble you, when proud? inflame you, when cold? Inlarge you, when ſtraitned, and pent within your ſelves?
Oh! That ſuch worthleſs ſubjects ſhould ſo often take up our Tongues and Thoughts! And Chriſt, ſo full, ſo ſweet, ſo delightfull, ſo profitable a ſubject, which ſhall bee matter for our ſouls diſcourſe to all Eternity, ſhall bee thrown aſide, as if not worth taking up!
You, whoſe hearts are taken with Chriſt, declare it to your own comfort, and the good of others. In this let your thoughts bee taken up with him, let your diſcourſes bee more of him, ſhew your ſelves to love him, by thinking Chriſt, ſpeaking Chriſt, living Chriſt more.