The Saints Amity with God in Christ, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 1 · Chapter 10 · Section 8
SECT. 8. The Friends of Chriſt muſt take al their content in Chriſt, both as the firſt Spring of Grace, and alſo as the adequate object of their Beatitude.
8.8. Advice the friends of Chriſt muſt take al content in him. Motives thereto. OUr next Admonition, and Advice to the Friends of Chriſt, in order to their living up to the Dignitie of their Relation, is, That they take al their content in Chriſt. This indeed, is the Top of Amitie with Chriſt, and that which has an eſſential connexion with, yea, ſeems a main branch of the forgoing Advice. For, according to the meſure of content we take in Chriſt, ſuch a meſure of content we give unto him. The Friends of Chriſt never give more contentement to Chriſt, than when they take al contentement in him: They muſt be content with Chriſt alone, yea, in point of Beatitude, make him their Great Al, or elſe they wil not give content to him, no nor yet unto themſelves. For this Divine Art, of finding al contentement in Chriſt, is not more the Dutie, than the Privilege, Dignitie, Perfection, and Felicitie of the friends of Chriſt. It is the Supreme Intereſt of the friends of Chriſt, to make him their alone Wiſdome, Forces, Riches, Dignities, Pleaſures, Peace, Libertie, Life, Self, and Al. Yea, May we not ſay, that Chriſt is, and ought to be the main of his friends Heaven? A little weight of Amitie, and Confidence, laid upon creature-friends, wil ſoon break their back, and turn them into Idols, and broken reeds. None can bear, and therefore none ought to have the main Pondus, or weight of our Friendſhip, and Confidence, but Chriſt. Our main Errand into this world, is but this in ſum, to give al content to Chriſt, and take al content in him, as our beſt friend. If our Affections were more extenſive, than al the Affections of al the Angels, united in one; yet were they al, yea, infinitely more than al theſe, due to Chriſt. Other friends, in themſelves deſerving, if compared with Chriſt, deſerve nothing of our ſpiritually conjugal Amitie. This made the Pſalmiſt crie out,Pſal. 73 25. Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth, that I deſire beſides thee. This good man had many friends in Heaven, whom he loved wel: there were his Fathers, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, &c. whom he could not but greatly eſtime, and love: yet al theſe, if compared with Chriſt, were nothing: he had ſome regard for them; yet took not his main content in them: in this regard he cries out, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? So alſo for his friends on Earth; he had without dout many whom he much valued; perhaps Wife, and Children, and Parents, who were dear to him: ay, but if they come into compare with Chriſt, he counts them not worth the naming: he bids Adieu to al earthly friends, crying out, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. As if he had ſaid: Lord, I profeſſe, I can take my main content in none, but thy ſelf: If thou take away al mine other friends from me, and give thy ſelf to me, I count I loſe nothing of mine eſſential felicitie: if I loſe al other friends, and gain thy ſelf, I adjudge it an happie loſſe. Give thy ſelf, and take al elſe, I am content: I may ſeem miſerable, but I cannot be ſo; becauſe thou art mine Al; the alone object of my contentement, in whom I take infinite complacence, and ſatisfaction. Al things without thee are nothing; thou thy ſelf without althings, or any thing elſe, art enough to me. Thus this great friend of Chriſt ſolaced, and contented himſelf with God in Chriſt alone. And Oh! of what infinite moment and concernement is it, to the Friends of Chriſt, to content themſelves with him alone? What are other contentements under Heaven, but night-ſhadows, ſick-dreams, childiſh toyes, pleaſing Fables, painted Metaphors, fools Idols, fair nothings, yea, black, ſalt, ſour, bitter vanities, and vexations, ſugared over with vain conceits? Can the heart therefore find an eaſie logement or contentement in any thing below Chriſt? Ought not he to be the Root, and top, the Flour, and Spirit of al our delight and Satisfaction? Is not every ſquint-eye, every oblique Regard to this adulterous Idol-world, ſpiritual Fornication, as Jam. 4.4? Doth not our Lord tel us, Mat. 5.28, 29. he that caſteth a luſtful look, or regard on a Woman, commits Adulterie? Muſt not then every wanton glance, on any Idol friends, for the ſatisfaction of our hearts, be reputed ſpiritual Adulterie? And is it not infinite unkindnes for the friends of Chriſt, who are his by conjugal contract, to expect content in any other lovers? Doth the World, or Idol-friends, deſerve your hearts, better than Chriſt your Husband? What can content you, in a day of viſitation, and death (which cannot be far) ſave this your friend? Wil not contentement in this your Husband, make you find contentement in every croſſe and rod? Is there not a time coming, when nothing wil, or can content your hearts, but the favor of this your friend? Yea, is he not content with you? Doth any thing in the world pleaſe, and content him ſo much, as the hearts, and companie of his friends? And wil you not be content with him? Is he wholly, and entirely for you, and wil you not be wholly, and entirely for him? Have you a better friend in the World, more able, and willing, to ſupport, feed, comfort, and content your hearts, than Chriſt? Can you expect to mend your choice, or better your contentement by exchange? You have long hunted for content among the creatures; but did you ever find it there? Is there any thing but bloud to be drawen from thoſe Breaſts? Do you not feed on Aſhes, as Eſa. 44.20. Wind, Vapor, Froth, and Smoke, ſo long as you feed on creature-contents? Is it not an ignoble, diſhonorable thing, to prefer eye-pleaſing contents, before the Infinite ſweets, and ſatisfactions that are in Chriſt? Again, doth it not argue great Diſloyaltie, and Diſingenuitie towards Chriſt, to expect contentement from any thing beſides himſelf? Is it not diſloyal, yea indecent for the Wife to expect content, from any but her Huſband? Doth not this provoke Chriſt, your Husband, to extreme Jelouſie? Has Chriſt given you any Juſt cauſe for ſuch uſage? If you grow indifferent towards Chriſt, may you not expect that he alſo grow indifferent towards you? If his Beautie, Goodnes, Amiablenes, and Suavities wil not draw your hearts, to take al your contentment in Chriſt, What may you expect, but that his rods drive you, from your Idol-lovers, to himſelf? Such of Chriſt's friends, as wil not take up their content in and with Chriſt, in the Abundance of al things, how juſtly, how kindly doth Chriſt deal with them, when he ſtrips them of al other Lovers, thereby to gain their hearts wholly to himſelf?
But to ſpeak a little diſtinctly to the manner, Directions, How the friends of Chriſt muſt content themſelves in Chriſt alone.how the friends of Chriſt muſt content themſelves, in, and with Chriſt alone.
1. The Friends of Chriſt muſt content themſelves in him alone, as the firſt principle of their ſpiritual Life, the commun Head, and Root of al Grace. Al veins of carnal confidence, and ſelf-dependence muſt be abandoned.1. As the ſpring of al Grace. There muſt be an Ʋniverſal, Abſolute, Immediate, total, and particular Dependence on Chriſt, for al Grace, both Habitual and Actual; Juſtifying and Sanctifying; Preventing, Quickening, Confirming, Enlarging, Sin-mortifying, World-crucifying, and ſoul-transforming Grace. Chriſt muſt be al in al as to Grace. But of this before, Sect. 3.
2.2. As the matter of their Happines. The friends of Chriſt, muſt content themſelves in and with him, as the matter of their Felicitie, and Beatitude.
(1.)1. Chriſt muſt he loved for himſelf. … They muſt regard, affect, and injoy Chriſt for himſelf. For, whatever we content our ſelves in, and with, as the matter of our Happines, that we eye, love, and injoy for it ſelf. If we do not regard, and love it for it ſelf, we do not make it the matter of our contentement, but that other thing, for which we regard, and adhere to it. A rational Being, much more the friends of Chriſt, may love, and injoy nothing for it ſelf, but God in Chriſt, who is the alone object of their contentement. The friends of Chriſt ſhould have their hearts rent from al Reflexions on, or Regards to themſelves, and althings elſe, for themſelves; that ſo they may love, and injoy nothing but God in Chriſt for himſelf: And hence it wil follow, that by how much the more they forget, yea loſe themſelves, and injoy Chriſt for himſelf; by ſo much the more true content wil they find. O! what an admirable piece of Divine contentment is this, to find al fulnes in Chriſt, by being emtied of our ſelves; al riches in Chriſt, by the relinquiſhment of al for him; al contentements in Chriſt, by diſcontenting our ſelves? Chriſt wil have his friends to affect, and rejoyce in nothing but himſelf, as the object of their ſupreme content. And certainly, its the Intereſt of Chriſt's friends, to love, and injoy nothing for itſelf, but God in Chriſt. That is a perverſe, crooked, inordinate, adulterous Love; which takes more content in the Rings, and Love-tokens, than in the Lover. To take Chriſt only for ſome inferior Goods, that flow from him, without regard to thoſe ſuperior Goods that are in himſelf, alas! what is it but to make Chriſt ſerve a turne only, and then bid farewel to him?qTo love God for himſelf as the laſt end; and alſo for his Benefits as incicements and motives to love him, may ſtand wel together: as a child loveth his Mother, becauſe ſhe is his Mother; and he loveth her alſo for an Apple. Rutherf. It's true, Chriſt allows his friends to have an eye to, and Affection for his Benefits: But how? not for themſelves, as the only Reaſon, and bottome of their Love; but as Motives and Means conducing to the Injoyment of himſelf; who is the adequate object, or matter of al content. Chriſt's friends may retain ſome room in their hearts for his Attendents, and Benefits; provided, that it be in ſubordination to himſelf: they muſt alwaies love and delight in the Bridegroom himſelf, more than in his Gifts. His comforts are ſweet, but himſelf ought to be ſweeter to his friends; who may not d…te upon his love, or any thing below Himſelf.
(2.)2. Chriſt our moſt univerſal Good, and ſo the chief matter of Fruition. Hence, if we wil take al our content in Chriſt, as the matter of our Happines, we muſt intend, affect, and injoy him as the moſt univerſal, comprehenſive, choiceſt, and beſt Good. This follows on the former: for whatever we eye, and affect for it ſelf, we look on, and make our ſupreme, and chiefeſt Good; and thence, the alone object of our Fruition. There is no true contentement, but what ſprings from Fruition: and there is no regular Fruition, but what is converſant about the chiefeſt Good. Fruition is the end of Love, but the beginning of contentement: none loves any thing as his beſt good, but what he would fain injoy; and none would injoy any thing, but what he would fain find contentement in. For, to injoy any thing, in a proper ſenſe, is, as Auguſtin wel obſerves, by love to adhere unto it, for it ſelf. Whence it is evident, that nothing properly is, or may be the object of our Fruition, but God in Chriſt: We may uſe the Creatures, as means ſubſervient to this higher end, but we may Injoy nothing but God in Chriſt, as the matter of our Happines.
(3.)3. Chriſt the ſpring of our ſatisfaction. To content our ſelves in, and with Chriſt, as our objective Felicitie, implies thus much alſo, that we make him the alone ſpring of our ſatisfaction. For whatever we make the commenſurate, formal object of our Happines, that alſo we make the Fountain of our Satisfaction, ſo Pſal. 17.15. I ſhal be ſatisfied, when I awake with thy likenes. Satisfaction, can be formed out of nothing, but the chiefeſt good: and the more intimate, and complete our Fruition thereof is, the more contentement, and ſatisfaction we find therein. The more the friends of Chriſt are ſwallowed up, and, as it were, loſt in the fruition of Chriſt, their chiefeſt Good; the more contentement they find. O then! how ſhould they hunger, thirſt, long, and breath after, and ſolace themſelves in thoſe Divine ſatisfactions that are in Chriſt?
(4.)4. Chriſt to be injoyed without meſure. To content our ſelves with Chriſt, as the matter of our Happines, implies, an Infinite thirſt, or boundleſſe deſire after the Injoyment of him. For whatever we make the Adequate object of our Happines, that we can never excede in the Injoyment of. The only meſure of our love, and fruition of the chiefeſt Good, is to love, and injoy it without al meſure. He that contents himſelf with Chriſt, as his choiceſt good, thinks he can never injoy too much, or enough of him.
(5.)5. Chriſt the meſure of other Goods. He that contents himſelf with Chriſt, as his beſt good, makes him the Ʋniverſal Idea and meſure of al other Goods. For our chiefeſt Good, is alwaies our Laſt end: and what we make our Laſt end, that we ever make the firſt meſure, or ſtandard of al other Goods. The firſt in every kind is the meſure of al the reſt. So that, if Chriſt be our beſt Good, he is alſo our Laſt end; and thence the firſt meſure of al our Goods. Al other inferior Goods, muſt ſubſerve the Injoyment of him, as our ſupreme, choiceſt Good.