A New Canaan Full of Most Pleasant Gardens, Treatise · Case 2
II. Case of Conscience.
But may we know after all this done, whether we do take that great delight in Christ, which we ought, and as we ought?
I Answer;
O Yes, You may know it by its Effects or Evidences; which are these Three.
First,
Dilatation. The soul whose great delight is in Christ as it ought, is marvelously enlarged by it, and by Christ; according to that famous Scripture, Isa. 60.5. And thine heart shall be enlarged. Which place is of purpose alledged, and applyed by *Aqu. 1.2. q. 33.some for this purpose to shew, and to hold forth the Effect of delight, and of that great joy that cometh thereby; and the reason of this is, because Dilatation is nothing else but a motion to a latitude, and that is competent to delight, which even penetrates into the delectable to contain it; whereupon in comes this Dilatation.
Secondly,
The Soul which is truly delighted with Christ, is all for Christ, as a Spouse which is exceedingly delighted with her Beloved, is all for her Beloved; which makes her to say with Asaph, Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon the earth that I desire besides thee, Psal. 73.25. And with that blessed *Lambert.Martyr, None but Christ, none but Christ. And the reason of it is, because it seeth such a beauty, and such an excellency in him, as cannot be found, or seen in any other; he being that fair, that rare, that orient, that rich, that precious Pearl, for which that Parabolical Merchant sold all that he had to buy it, Mat. 13.45, 46. *Plin. l. 9. c. 35.Pliny writies that Cleopatra had two Pearls so great, and of such a worth, as that all ages could not yeeld the like. But I may more truly say of Christ, that all ages and all the world cannot afford such a Pearl, or Jewel as he is, according to that famous Scripture; She, namely Christ, the wisdom of God, is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canst desire, are not to be compared unto her, Prov. 3.15. that that maketh her to be all for him: O saith she, if I can but have him, I care for no more.
Thirdly,
The soul which truly delights her self in Christ, is not only all for him, but extraordinarily athirst after him, which is more, for delight causes thirst, and extraordinary thirst if it be spiritual, and that which is taken in Christ, as it ought to be; and the reason of it is, because it would have him, as I said before, and cannot have him, as she would, that causes such an extraordinary thirst, even as in naturals. A very rare liquor greatly desired, causes an extraordinary thirst, when it *Aquin. 1.2. q. 33.cannot be had, as it is desired. Such a thirst was in David, when he said, As the Hart panteth, or desireth, or as some translate the word, *Chald. Paraph.crieth, and yet more emphatically, as the *Trevetus in Loc.she hart, whose desire is more eager, again brayeth and runneth after the water-brooks, nay *Ʋnde Apollinarius, foreign.hasteneth to them, as some render the word, because else she dies in *Secundum Hebr. foreign Quod foemininum est.three houres after she hath eaten up Serpents; *foreign. Symmachus.*Epiphan. ad Physiolog. cap. 5.*Abscisso capite Pauli tres illico fontes extiterunt, ubi resectum subsiliit caput.So panteth my soul after thee, O God, Psal. 42.1. And the like was there in blessed Paul, at whose beheading, some say, three springs of water did rise to notifie his great desire after the three Elohims; when he said, Having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, Phil. 1.23. Answerably whereunto saith this blessed Soul, and so do I long, pant, breath and bray after God, and Christ, desiring nothing more than Christ; even as the Hart, when he is grievously athirst desires nothing more than brooks, and rivers of water; because else I die, as the hart doth if he have no water, as they write of him. Oh if I might but have Christ, whom I cannot have as I would, I would give all that I have for Christ! Oh I would be contented to forego all my Relations, all my recreations, all my earthly delectations, to go to Christ; and there is no sin, nor sinful pleasure, which I am not ready to relinquish for his pleasure; and no forbidden gain, with which I am not heartily willing to part, to have my part in him. Blessed *Bolton, in his Instruct. for Afflict. Consc. p. 413.Bolton gives us an instance in a woman which he knew complaining on a time, that she had no hold of Christ, it was said to her, but doth not your heart desire and long after him? Oh, saith she, I have an Husband, and Children, and many other Comforts, I would give them all, and all the good that I shall ever see in this world, or in the world to come, to have my poor soul refresht with that precious blood of his. I hope this will resolve you.