The Saints Amity with God in Christ, Discourse · Part 1 · Book 1 · Chapter 10 · Section 7
SECT. 7. The Friends of Chriſt muſt make it their main Studie, and Endeavor, to give al the content, that may be, to Chriſt.
7.7. Advice to give Chriſt al the content that may be. THe Friends of Chriſt ſhould make it their main, yea only Studie, and Endeavor to give Chriſt al the Content that may be. This is another great Admonition, and Advice for the Friends of Chriſt, ſuch as affect to live up to their Relation, and Dignitie. fPer hoc, quod aliquis Amicus conſttuitur, … offeaſa removetur: Amicitia enim affenſae contrariatur. Aquinas cont. Gent. l. 4. c. 21.For certainly, none Act, and Live, and deport themſelves as the friends of Chriſt, but ſuch as ſtudie, and endeavor to content, and pleaſe him. Diſguſtful, and diſpleaſing Carriages, even among equals, are very much unbecoming, yea, ſometimes deſtructive to Friendſhip: But how much more unbeſeeming the friends of Chriſt, who are ſo far inferior to him, are all diſguiful, or ingrateful deportments towards Chriſt? Is there any thing more becoming the friends of Chriſt, than this, that they ſtudiouſly indeavor, by al means poſſible, to pleaſe and content ſo good a friend? This implies theſe particulars.
1.1. Chriſt's friends muſt do nothing that may grieve Chriſt, or his Spirit. The friends of Chriſt muſt do nothing that may be diſguſtful, and diſpleaſing to Chriſt, or his Spirit, they muſt not grieve either one or t'other: For if the Spirit of Chriſt be grieved, he himſelf is alſo grieved. So Eſa. 63.10. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemie, and he fought againſt them. So far as men vexe the Spirit of Chriſt, ſo far they vexe him, and of a friend make him their enemie. Thence Epheſ. 4.30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, &c. If the friends of Chriſt can be ſo unkind, as to grieve his Spirit; they muſt expect that Chriſt wil be ſo juſt, and faithful, as not to paſſe by ſuch unkindneſſes, without grief from them. Now Chriſt and his Spirit are grieved, and diſpleaſed.
(1.)1. Avoid viſible Relapſes or ſecret Indulgences. By Viſible Relapſes into groſſer ſins; or ſecret Indulgences in leſſer ſins. For, look as natural grief ariſeth from the preſence of any repugnant, or diſpleaſing object; ſo, proportionably, Chriſt, and his Spirit are grieved, at the preſence of any prevalent ſin, or leſſer ſin approved of. Private Dalliances with any darling luſts; yea, ſmal omiſſions of known Duties, if allowed of, and lived in, are great griefs to Chriſt, and his Spirit. And the better friend Chriſt has been to any of us, the more he is grieved at the leaſt Dalliances with, or Indulgences in ſin, either of omiſſion or commiſſion.
(2.)2. Beware of Backſlidings. By Secret Backſlidings of Heart, or Abatements, and Remiſneſſes of our firſt Love are exceding grievous to Chriſt and his Spirit. The Phyſician tels us,Omnis dolor ex ſolutione continui. River. Prax. Medic. That al grief in the bodie, procedes from the ſolution of the continuum: If any bone be out of its place, or any member rent from the bodie, this cannot but cauſe grief in the Head, and whole Bodie. This holdeth moſt true here; the Backſliding heart is out of joint; it has left it's place; and therefore this cannot but greatly grieve Chriſt. Thence we find Chriſt ſadly complaining of backſliding Iſrael, Jer. 2.2, 5.Jer. 2.2. I remember thee, the kindnes of thy youth, the Love of thine eſpouſals—5. What Iniquity have your Fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, &c? Oh! this grieves Chriſt to the heart, it makes him fetch many a deep ſigh, and groan, to ſpeak in the Scripture phraſe, that thoſe who have entred into a Covenant of Conjugal Amitie with him, ſhould turne aſide from him to Idol-lovers. So Joh 6.67. Then ſaid Jeſus to the twelve, John 6.67.wil ye alſo go away? Chriſt, having made a ſublime Sermon, touching ſpiritual Manducation, or the eating his fleſh, and drinking his bloud, theſe were but enigmes, or hard ſayings to the carnal Jews; they could not bear ſuch Spiritual Myſterious Doctrine; and therefore they turned their Backs on Chriſt, and bid him Adieu. Yea, ſome of his true Diſciples begin to ſhrink, and heſitate. Wherefore Chriſt turnes ſhort upon them, with this ſharpe rebuke, Wil ye alſo go away? What? Ye my friends, who have entred into a Covenant of friendſhip with me, and have received from me ſuch ſignal Marques of Love, Honor, and Favor; who have had ſuch particular Regards, and Indulgences from me, Wil ye now leave me? Oh! this breaks mine heart, I cannot bear ſo great unkindneſſes: Who would ever have imagined, that you, my friends, would have dealt ſo unkindly with me? True indeed, I never expected other uſage from yond croud of carnal friends: are they gone? fare wel to them: I mind them, as little as they mind me: they cannot be more weary of me, than I am weary of them, by reaſon of their Unbelief. But oh! as for you, my friends, who have profeſſed ſo much Friendſhip to me, and received ſuch high marques of friendſhip from me, it wil deeply wound mine heart, if ye go away.
2.2. Chriſt's friends muſt content him, by growing up more into his Image. If we would give content to Chriſt, we muſt endeavor to grow up more and more into the Reſſemblance, and Image of Chriſt. The more like we are to Chriſt, the more content he takes in us. Every one delights in the Reflexions of his own Image. God and Chriſt take complacence in nothing, but their own Infinite perfections, and the finite emanations, and Reflexions of the ſame Glorious Image, in their friends. Chriſt has a love of Benevolence, and Goodwil for al the Elect; but his love of Complacence, and delight terminates no where, but on the Saints, his regenerated friends. And the more any friend of Chriſt partakes of his Image, the more delight Chriſt takes in him. There is nothing in the world ſo beautiful, and glorious as Grace; and therefore nothing can give Chriſt more content.
3.3. We muſt pleaſe Chriſt, by diſpleaſing Self. Chriſt is moſt contented, and pleaſed, when ſelf is moſt diſcontented, and diſpleaſed. As when Self is gratified, Chriſt is moſt diſguſted; ſo the more we diſguſt, yea, abjure and abandon Self, whether Natural, Moral, or Religious Self, the more we gratifie, and pleaſe Chriſt. And the reaſon is evident; becauſe Chriſt has not any Enemie more diametricly oppoſite, than Proud Self, Self-Wiſdoms, Self-conceits, Self-humors, Self-wil, Self-intereſts, Self-forces, Self-righteouſneſſes, and other Self-ſufficiencies. Wherefore the Renunciation, and Abnegation of this Monſtrous Idol, Self, muſt needs be moſt contentſome, and pleaſing to Chriſt.
4.4. Flexibilitie towards Chriſt contents him moſt. Flexibilitie towards Chriſt, his Soverain Wil and Grace, gives moſt content to him. nAmicitiae propri…m eſt conſ…ntire amico…ia his, quae vult. Aquin. contra Gent. l. 4. c. 22.It is made a main Proprietie of Friendſhip, to conſent to our friend in thoſe things that he wils. Now the Wil of Chriſt is explicated to us in his Precepts, Promiſes, and Providences: the two firſt expreſſe to us his reveled, legiſlative Wil; which is the rule of our Doing, and Believing: the latter, namely his Providential Wil, declares to us, what God has decreed by his ſecret Wil; and ſo gives us matter of ſubmiſſion, and ſuffering. Now the Hearts of Chriſts friends ſhould be flexible to al theſe his Wils. That iron ſinew which is in proud wil muſt be broken, that ſo it may fal in pieces, yea, lie in the Duſt at Chriſt's feet; as it was with Abraham, Eſa. 41.2. Called him to his foot, &c. His wil was ſo flexible, as that it lay level with the Wil and Providence of God. Our Wils naturally are Adamantine, flintie, and hard: and Chriſt has not a prouder enemie out of Hel, than an obdurate inflexible Wil. Grace alone makes the Wil flexible. The friends of Chriſt ſhould be inflexible, and ſtiffe againſt al the blandiſſements, and Allurements of Idol-friends; but very flexible and pliable towards Chriſt, his Wil, and Spirit of Grace.
(1.)1. Towards Chriſt's wil of Precept and Providence. The friends of Chriſt ought to be exceding flexible towards the Soverain Wil and Pleaſure of Chriſt either Preceptive or Providential. Open or ſecret Repugnances, and Rebellions againſt Chriſt's Wil of Precept; as alſo froward vexatious Humors, or pettiſh, diſcontented murmurs againſt his Wil of Providence, are very diſguſtful and diſpleaſing unto Chriſt. Chriſt's friends are ſtiled, 1 Pet. 1.14. foreign,1 Pet. 1.14 Children of obedience, or ſuch as have an ear to hear, when ever, or where ever Chriſt has a mouth to ſpeak, either by Word, or Providence; an obedient flexible ear, and heart. Oppoſite to theſe are, Coloſ. 3.6. Children of Diſobedience. foreign, i.e. ſuch children as have inſuaſible, inflexible ears, or ſtiffe, hard, diſobedient hearts, that cannot complie with Chriſt's Soverain Wil of Precept, and Providence.
(2.)2. Towards the gracious Movements of Chriſt's Spirit. Chriſt's friends muſt be very flexible towards his Promiſes, Termes, and Spirit of Grace. Chriſt vouchſafeth his friends many ſecret, ſweet Inſpirations, and Gracious Movements of the Spirit; for the reception and Improvement whereof, they ought to have very flexible Spirits. They ought to be very obſequious to the Spirit's Motions: As their hearts ſhould be very flexible to the Words of Chriſt, ſo alſo to the Works of his Spirit. It's good ſtriking whiles the Iron is hot, and ſailing whiles the Wind blowes: the Spirit, ſaith Chriſt, blows where he liſts. When the Spirit of Grace inſpires or breathes in pious Motions; the heart muſt reſpire, or breathe back pious Affections towards Chriſt. The friends of Chriſt ſhould obey the Gracious Inſpirations of the Spirit, as God himſelf.nFr. de Sales Introduct. a la vie Devote. 'Theſe Inſpirations are (ſaith a devote Papiſt) thoſe Attractions, Movements, Reproches, Interior Remorſes, and Illuminations; which God workes in us, preventing our heart by his Benedictions, to the End that he may awaken, excite, and draw us unto Virtues, and good Reſolutions.' Now theſe the hearts of Chriſt's friends muſt be very flexible unto, if they wil content Chriſt. To reſiſt Chriſt's Spirit provokes him much.
5.5. Fidelitie towards Chriſt. Such as wil content Chriſt, muſt ſtudie and Endeavor after the greateſt Fidelitie, and Loyaltie towards him, eſpecially in difficult times. Fidelitie is an eſſential part, yea the Spirit and ſoul of Amitie. We ought (ſaith the ſerious Janſeniſt) to ſtudie fidelitie in the leaſt occurrences;oS. Cyra…. Lett. Chreſt. p. 422. as a veritable friend, who is more wounded in his own heart, by the leaſt Infidelitie which he commits, than his friend, againſt home he commits it, is wounded.' An unfaithful friend gives Chriſt no better content, than an open enemie.
6.6. Frequent Addreſſes to Chriſt. Frequent Addreſſes, and Applications to Chriſt for Grace, and Conduct, give much content to him. As Abſences, Diſtances, and Eſtrangements from Chriſt greatly diſpleaſe him; ſo daily Supplications to, Dependences on, and Converſes with him, are hugely pleaſing to him. None pleaſe him better, than they who are moſt humbly confident, and bold with him for Grace.pAbſenciae enemiga de Amor. Spaniſh Prov. Abſence is a great enemie to Amitie, and therefore very diſguſtful to Chriſt.
7.7. Civilitie and reſpects due to Chriſt. The Friends of Chriſt muſt be very civil, and reſpective towards him: they muſt performe al Acknowlgements, Reſpects, and Ceremonies of friendſhip, which are due to Chriſt. Civilitie is the performance of thoſe Ceremonies, and Reſpects which are due. And certainly, if Rudenes, and Incivilitie be a ſin in any, it is in the friends of Chriſt, who give not their beſt Reſpects to Chriſt, who moſt deſerves, and therefore, may wel expect them. Without dout, the beſt breeding is to be Civil, and Reſpective to Chriſt, our beſt friend. And the more friendly Chriſt is to any, the more unkindly he takes al Incivilities, and diſreſpects towards himſelf. And this is, to me, a great Obſervation, That the leaſt diſreſpects or unkindneſſes, which Chriſt receives from his peculiar Confidents, and friends, eſpecially, ſuch as have received great marques of favor from him; are more diſpleaſing to him, than great provocations of other Profeſſors, who never received ſo great kindneſſes from Chriſt. O! Would the friends of Chriſt but walk in waies wel-pleaſing to him, how pleaſing would al his waies be unto them? Would they but make it their buſines, to content, and pleaſe him, what could diſcontent, and diſpleaſe them? Would not al Duties, Mercies, Afflictions, yea, the whole Creation be pleaſing, and ſerviceable to them? If our Lord be pleaſed, what need we care who be diſpleaſed? If he be a friend, what matter is it, who be our enemie? If he ſmiles, let the whole world frown, it matters not. Oh! Were our waies but obedient, and complacential unto Chriſt, how gracious, how ſweet, how influential, how complacential would his waies towards us be? Could we but keep cloſe to him in his waies of dutie, how cloſe would he keep to us in al our waies of ſuffering? But alas! alas! here lies the worme of al our comforts, the ſting of al our ſufferings, we give not Chriſt, our beſt friend, that content which is due to him; and therefore 'tis no wonder, we find no more content in duties, or ſufferings for him.