A Fathers Testament, Chapter 15
CAP. XV.
What are the duties of a Soul married to Christ?
THat humble Widow esteemed it no little grace, that a man so mighty a… Boaz should take any notice, or shew the least favour to her so poor a stranger, Ruth… 2.10, 13. No doubt but looking upon her self in her Widow-hood, and desolate condition, in a low ebb of poverty, and on her Nation branded by God, and shut out of his Congregation (Deut. 23.3.) she could see nothing in her self worthy of his eyes, and acceptance. Yet had she many commendable endowments; such as might preferr her to a very honourable espousal. Her wifely kindness to her former Husband, (Rut… 1.8.) her obedient fast love to a Mother-in-law; her strength of youth, and (no question) beauty; but above all, virtue, and holiness known, and famed. All these meeting in one might make up a worthy portion, when the Judgement held a right ballance, and weighed things not as they seem… but are.
How then should we humble our abject souls before our heavenly Spouse? She was a Widow; we (as our Proverb is) Grasswidows, neither Wives, nor Maids: we had prostituted our selves to sin, and lust, and had played the harlots with many lovers, Jer. 3.1, 2. She was poor: we miserable, and wretched, poor, blind, and naked, Rev. 3.17. She a stranger: we Aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, without God, without hope, Ephes. 2.12. a corrupt, and corrupting seed, Isa. 1.4. She had many excellent endowments, we had none No good in our flesh, Rom. 7.18. She a kind wife: we not only unkind, but treacherous, Ier. 3.20. She obediently loving to a Mother in law; we hatefully disobedient, and obstinate against an heavenly, and most gracious Father, Isa. 48.4. Tit. 3.3. She youthful, beautiful: we full of the old man corrupt in lusts, Eph. 4.22. Filthy, even to stinking, (Psal. 14.3.) and loathsome, Prov. 13.5. She vertuous, and holy: we out of measure sinful, and vicious. And he (our Spouse) the true Boaz, (that is) strength, the mighty, the Almighty. How uneven a yoke? yet our Will in all these defects received: willingness (in his unutterable grace, and unconceivable mercy) being accounted, and accepted as our portion, and beauty, and we in the day of our espousals) endowed with all his goods, adorned with his beauty, and crowned with his glory.
But is it possible that when the Husband is so rich, great, excellent, nothing should be demanded but heart, and will? To make the match nothing else, but after it is made, all Conjugal duties required. And what are they? 1. Love, to cleave to him in all dear affection. 2. Constancy, to hold us to him in all estates, better, worse; 3. Chastity, to keep our selves only to him. 4. Subjection, to obey, and serve him.
But this seems a very hard, and heavy burthen. It is only so in seeming, and to some only. As in the night many things seem very terrible, which in the day are very delightful to the eye; As to a sick palate that meat seems very i…ksome, which in health is sweet, and pleasing: so men that sit in darkness, and look on these things with dimm eyes, imagine, rather than see many Buggs to fright, and scare them; when their hearts are surfeted with sinful lusts, this most sweet yoke is very distastful, and bitter: but where there is a new Creature, and the sense uncorrupted, no soul is able to comprehend either the full excellency of it, or to utter in any measure that little it doth comprehend. Let us there…ore draw nigher, and take a better view of …hese things.
And 1. Love is as the object; very sweet, …or very bitter: sometimes excessively grie…ous, sometimes exceedingly pleasant. If …he object be loathsome, love is burthen…ome. Seven years for beauteous Rachel …eemed but a few dayes; but a few dayes for …lear-eyed Leah would have been many years. 2. Be the object very lovely, but not at all loving; such love is full of vexation, and anguish. Thus Amnons fair Sister Tamar afflicted him to sickness, and leanness, 2 Sam. 13.2, 3. 3. If the object be worthy, and reflecting our love, yet if it prove unfruitful, it brings often more grief, than comfort. Sarah's and Rebecca's beauty yielded their husbands less content, than their barrenness trouble. The extraordinary kindness of Hannah's husband could not (in barreness) so sweeten the bitterness of her soul, but that all meat was distastful, and no drink relished but tears, 1 Sam. 1. But when all these meet; when our hearts are pitched upon an object, 1. Lovely, and amiable; 2. Kind, and loving; 3. Fruitful, and beneficial, our affection will rather need a bridle than a spur; not a switch, but a snaffle.
If then we look upon our Heavenly Spouse, we shall see. 1. That he is fairer than the Children of men, (Psal. 45.2.) altogether lovely, (Cant. 5.16.) his beauty the longing of Saints, (Psal. 27.4.) the ravishment of Angels, (Isa. 6.3.) from whose beams the whole world borrows its spark of beauty. 2. His Love is first: preventing ours, 1 Ioh. 4.19. passing all (not only love but) expressions, nay knowledge of all Creatures, Eph. 3.19. 3. The fruit of this mutual love exceeding much, and glorious. It lifts up from a despised condition, (Cant. 8.1.) makes us honourable, Isa. 43.4. It prefers u… from the basest drudgery in the world, from the Skullery of Satan, to the bed of Heaven, to the union, and glory of the Lord of Heaven, and earth, Ioh. 17.21, 22. In a word it gives us perfection, elevates our abased nature above the Heavens, and exalts it to the uttermost extent of which a Creature is capable: and therefore justly termed the bond of perfectness, Col. 3.14.
To love therefore him, who is above measure lovely, above apprehension loving, whose love …ully perfects the beloved Lover, can be a burthen to none but those, who hate their rest, and love their burthens; yet were it a burthen, justly might he expect, and exact of us cheerfully to bear it… For will not all bonds of gratitude, and equity tye us to it? were it a burthen for us to love him our glory, life, heaven, it were far greater for him to love us his death, hell, abasement. He loved us when dead, and no way but by his death to be revived: he loved us when sunk into hell, children of wrath and Satan, and never but by his descent into hell (even suffering that wrath) to be rescu…d. He loved us when we were utterly fallen, thrown down from the highest honour to the bottomless pit, when filthy, loathsome, stinking, and never but by his abasement (from the form of God to the form of man, and of a servant) to be restored, never to be washed but by his blood, never to be reformed but by his deformity. If then not for love, yet for shame how should we deny to be pressed for his, who was oppressed for our sake? to bear his cross, who hath bor… our curse? to carry the heavenly burthen (if any were) of his life, who hath undergone the hellish load of our death, and misery?
2. Secondly, We are enjoyned to hold us close to him in all estates better, and worse: This condition affrights many, and makes them shrink. But only flesh, and blood is startled at it. Christ even to a carnal eye is beautiful in his crown of glory, but in his crown of thorns they think he looks not like himself: they have no pleasure in him: lovely on his Throne, loathsome on his Cross. Alas poor souls! Is it another Sun which shines in his brightness, and is shadowed in a cloud? The Moon interposing may ecclipse the beams of the Sun to us… but can it stain, or diminish his glory, and excellence? A mask may hide, but empairs not beauty. Is Christ less lovely, where he shews most love? Look better upon him… eye him at the whipping post, on the Cross. How do those dying looks set out to life that incomprehensible love? Our words… our thoughts fall infinitely short of it… Here only it stands out pencild to life in full expression, and offers it self to our view in just proportion. How do those fires … love burn in his quenched eyes? what se… of love flow in every drop of that precious blood? How many fountains of love, and life streaming from his hands, feet, side open the very Cataracks of Heaven, an… surround the World with floods of love? w… have no eyes if we stand not dazeld wit… this Sun of righteousness, more brightl… shining forth in the beams of his love, fro… the Axel-tree of his Cross, than from the sphere of his glory.
Some perhaps will confess that Christ never more manifested his love than on hi… Cross, but yet to take up his Cross, and follow him, cannot be but very grievous, and painful. But Love is stronger than death, (Cant. 8.6.) and hath power to sweeten all pain, to overcome, and triumph over all trouble, and grievance. The only reason why this way of Crosses is so tedious, is, because there is none, or too little love to sweaten it. Why can Saints rejoice in tribulation, but because the love of God is shed abroad in their hearts? Rom. 5.3, 5. For if a little Sugar can sweeten the most bitter things which are decocted in it, how much more shall that infinitely sweet love of God (with great pleasure) relish the most distastful usages of the world, when they are digested in it? How else did the Apostles rejoyce to suffer shame? (Act. 5.41.) How did Paul take pleasure in reproaches, necessities, in persecutions, distresses for Christs sake? 2 Cor. 12.10.
And yet what are these things which seem so intolerable to us? Certainly had they not more frightfulness in our fancy, than in their own nature, they could not possibly appear so fearful. Take out the worst of them, and view them with a quiet, and setled judgement, and how will we laugh at our vain terrours? Scorn, derision, and contempt of the world how strongly do they work on mens fancies? or rather mens fancies on them? Who knows not that story of Socrates? who when he was contumeliously abused, and kicked by a Ruffian, and his friends in great anger, and disdain, asked him why he repayed not the injury, soberly demanded, what revenge they would prescribe him: some counselled to serve a Writ upon him, some to return the like, and to kick him again. He, pointing to a… Asse, not remote from him, answered, If that Asse had kicked me, should I have sued him, or vied kicks with him? Even moral vertue could lift up this Heathen to such an height of Wisdome, that looking down upon the bestiality of such persons, he even scorned, that the scorn, and contempt of a creature so much inferiour, should reach so high as to dethrone his reason, and cast it down into a bruitish passion. How much higher doth Christian wisdom mount up the heavenly spirit, and enable it with contempt and pitty to look down upon scorn, and scorners, despising their insolencies, and pittying their seduced, and miserable persons, as no way able to reach up to that peace which it hath received in Christ, and to unsettle the quiet of a soul, whose conversation (foreign) is already in Heaven… In a word, all these injuries are but so many gemms in our crown; God weighing out to us for these momentary sufferings an excelling excellent eternal weight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17.
May death, and the grave (the uttermost extent of worldly spite) though it look grimm upon a carnal eye, yet a spiritual can behold it as a dore of peace, as rest in a bed (Isa. 57.2.) where we sleep in the bosome of Christ, (1 Thes. 4.14.) as upon an estate much better than life, Philip. 1.23. Death to a Chri…tian is his, his servant: (1 Cor. 3.22.) as Haman to Mordecai: It may set up a gallowes, …egg us to execution, but by the power, and …avour of the King of Kings is suffered, nay …ommanded to take us indeed, but to divest …s of our sackcloth, (our morning flesh, Iob …4.22.) to cloath us with the Kings robe (his …ining righteousnes) to mount us on his car…iages (who rides on the Cherubims) to crown …s with the royal diadem, and so to bring us …to the eternal presence of the King of glory. …he truth is, all that Christ asketh of us this …ay is self denyal; that emptying our selves …f our selves, and of all creatures, that we …ay be filled with him, even with the fulness … God: oh what in this is to be feared, if …e fear not the height of our blessedness?
3. The third dutie with he requires is, …at we should be intirely his, and keep us …ly unto him. And this is nothing else but not to dishonour our selves by debasing our souls, which he hath so ennobled, to prostitute them to vile lusts, and ignoble creatures; to use all other things as servants, and to enjoy him as our Lord. If a great Prince should set his heart upon some poor Country mayden; crown her his Queen, give her his subjects, some to serve her in her chamber, some in the kitchin, and skullerie, some in higher, some in meaner offices, what an abject baseness were it in her to take off her heart from such a Spouse, and to set it upon some groom of her stable, or one of the black-guard? Certainly the heart which once hath tasted the kisses of the Lord Iesus, is not only ravished with them, but looks upon all creatures (which are but our servants) as dung (see Cant. 1.2. Philip. 3.8.) and knows well how infinitely it should be debauched by changing his least favour fo… the highest love of the highest creatures.
4. The last is obedience, and service: This also seems an hard condition to those, who never knew what it was. Libertie is very sweet. How then should this be bitter whic… is the only libertie, Gal. 5.1. the glorious libertie of the Sons of God, Rom. 8.21. For, 1. It is an easy, nay an easing Yoke: it take… off all hateful Yokes, and heavy burthens. Isa… 9.4. & 10.27. It gives rest. Matth. 11.29. Nothing commanded in this service, but what the heart chuses, loves, freely does, and delights in doing: (Psal. 119.45, 97. & 40.8.) nothing but what we prefer before meat, and drink; Iob 23.12. But service is a great abasement. Some service is more honourable than some command. This obedience, and service renders us Kings, Exo. 19.5, 6. All this service may be comprized in one word; Reign: Reign over thy lusts (which fight against thy soul) by subduing them; reign over thy affections, and actions, by governing them in that royal law (Iam. 2.8.) In a word all his service is but …oliness, and holiness his likeness, and our blessedness: nothing but a double Heaven, an Heaven within by Heavenly mindednes, and …n Heaven without by an Heavenly conver…ation: an Heaven on Earth by grace, walk…ng with God, and the Heaven of Heavens …ereafter in glory, reigning with God for …ver.
Such our match, such our conditions: our …oke is holiness; (and that the glory of God) …e is glorious in holiness (Exo. 15.11.) our …oke fellow the most holy God, the Prince of glory. …hus then plead with your own spirits, and …onfute the lying sophistry of deceitful flesh.
I.
A grievous, heavy Yoke! bonds! burthens! cords!
Ungrateful Israel! his happy reign
Heaps plentie, peac…; mirth, sa…ety, honour hords;
Lades you with gold; is this your load? your Lords
Turns to your slaves; are these the bonds yea playn?
Tunes groanes to songs: is this your Yoke, and chain?
Was wisest Solomon a Tyrant, peace
U…grateful Israel, thy …alse grumbling cease:
Thy wealth his grievous bond; his heavy Yoke thy peace.
II.
Lord! Solomon was but thy shadow: he
A peaceful Prince, and thou the Prince of peace.
The world is Isra…ls type, who (blinded) see
Freedom in bonds, and bonds in libertie.
Thee they proclaym an hard man, hard to please…
Thy easy, easing Yoke lades with disease:
But murthering Satan, lust the soul oppressing,
The cheating world, by pleasing most distressing,
These are their gentle Lords, their cursed Yokes …hei… blessing…
III.
Poor souls have you no eyes? your eyes no light?
These old eyes nothing see… see nothing true.
Get Perspectives; oh help your feeble …ight;
Blind eyes make night as day, and day as night:
Turn to the light, and your old eyes renew.
Shake off hells spectacles, and better vieu
Your Lords, and service: had you light, and eyes,
How could you hate the truth, and love these lies?
Despise what you admire; admire what you despise.
IV.
Their Kings are servants; but his servants Kings.
Their rest an Iron Yoke; his Yoke your rest.
His wounds are salves: their salves are wounding stings.
His death brings life; their li…e death surely brings.
Their …east a pining …ast: his …ast a feast.
His servants blest when curst; theirs curst when ble….
Poor souls be wise: but if ye (fools) disdein
To serve this Lord in rest, serve those in payn.
Serve them in Hell, who scorn with him in Heaven to reign.