Characters of a Sincere Heart, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Concerning the higheſt priceing and valueing of Jeſus Chriſt.
A Second Character of a ſincere Heart Character 2. The higheſt priſeing and valuing of Jeſus Chriſt.is to ſet the higheſt Price, Value and Eſtimation upon Jeſus Chriſt. Sect. 1 This is an infallible Sign of a true Beleiver, whoſe heart is upright with God, to Price, Value, Eſteem, and Preferr Chriſt in our judgments, and affections before all the Riches of the World in their greateſt Eſtate, and confluence. This the Apoſtle ſets down as an infallible Sign of a true Believer, 1 Pet. 2. 7. Ʋnto you therefore which believe he is prelious foreign.O! how high an Eſtimation did the Love-ſick Spouſe diſcover concerning Jeſus Chriſt: For (ſaid ſhe) Cant. 5. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the cheifeſt Jeſus Chriſtus totus ſuavis eſt, totus ſalubris eſt, totus delect ib…lis, totus denique ſecuadn̄ ſponſae Vocem deſiderabilis. Beza.among ten thouſand. Chriſt is white by his innocency, purity, and immaculate righteouſneſs, but he is ruddy by reaſon of his bloody ſufferings, and the effuſion of his pretious blood. To which the Prophet Iſaiah alludes in a lofty piece of Retorick Eſa. 63. 1, 2, 3. Who is this that cometh from Edom? with died Garments from Bozrah? This is to be underſtood of Chriſt, as may appear Loquitur Eccleſia & Chriſtum ipſum alloquitur. Quare veſtes tuae rubidae ſunt? Piſcator, in Loc.more evidently by what followes, viz: This that is glorious in his apparell, travelling in the greatneſs of his ſtrength, I that ſpeak in righteouſneſs, mighty to ſave. Wherefore art thou red in apparrell and thy garments like him, that treadeth the wine fat? This ſcripture repreſents the meritorious ſufferings of Chriſt, in pouring out his moſt pretious blood out of his veins. His body was pierced with a Spear, and forthwith came thereout Joh. 19. 34. Rev. 19 13 Amictus cruentus indicat victorem reducem ab hoſtium ſtrage Parae. Tinctum non piorum ſanguine, ut Roma ſed impiorum Grot.blood and water. St. John in the Revelation gives us a farther Evidence—And he was cloathed with a veſture dipt in blood and his name is called the word of God. Oh! what an ineſtimable value ſhould we have of Chriſt, who bought us, and paid for the purchaſe the greateſt price that ever was paid, even the price of his innocent, meritorious, and moſt pretious blood. The Apoſtle obſerves the Doctrine, and injoyns us to make particular application thereof—For (ſaith Haec correctio eſtquod admonet corpus non minus quam animam ſubjectum eſſe Deo. Calv. Ezek. 34. 29. Hag. 2. 7.he) 1 Cor. 6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your ſpirit, which are Gods. Chriſt is called by the Prophet Ezekiel a Plant of renown. Chriſt is called by the Prophet Haggai The Deſire of all Nations, and by Malachy The Angel of the Covenant, and by Zachary the Branch of Mal. 3. 1. Zech. 3. 8. Dan. 9. 26.Righteouſneſs, and by Daniel The Meſſiah. Add farther, by way of Singularity and excellency and incomparable Benefit, Chriſt is call'd our Advocate and 1 Joh. 2. 1.Propitiation, our Redeemer and only Mediator. Job. 19. 25. Chriſt hath trodd the wine preſs alone. 1 Tim. 2. 5. There is Iſa. 63. 3.none other given under heaven, whereby we muſt be ſaved, but by the name of Jeſus. Act. 4. 11. 12. Chriſt therefore as he is of infinite value and dignity in himſelf, ſo we ought to have the higheſt eſtimation of him, and to preferr him both in judgment and affections, before all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Chriſt is compared to a Fountain, which is beyond compare with any Zech. 13. 1.other, for it is a Fountain opened to the Houſe of David and to the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem for ſin, and for uncleanneſs. Chriſt is likewiſe compared to a Stone, and to ſuch a one as excelleth others in admirable Properties. Iſai. 28. 16. Therefore thus ſaith the Lord God, Behold I lay in Zion for a Foundation, a Stone, a tryed Stone, a pretious corner Stone, a ſure Foundation: He that believeth, ſhall not make haſt. Farther Chriſt is compared to the Pearle of great Price. Matth. 13. 45. 46. Again the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a Merchant man ſeeking goodly Matt. 13. 45, 46.Pearls, who when he had found one Pear… of great price, he went, and ſold all that h… had and bought it. Whatever we eſtee… highly of, muſt go for Chriſt, the Pearl o… Price: If we poſſeſs Chriſt in our hearts b… faith, we are enriched with that poſſeſſion, which is infinitely more worth the… all the poſſeſſions of the Vniverſe. Muc… value is ſet upon the Eaſtern, and Weſtern treaſures of the Indies, and grea… pains is taken to get them: Impiger extremos currit Mercator ad Indos. Ye… they are not worth the nameing, in compariſon of the Riches of Chriſt. Th… knowledg of Chriſt is the moſt inriching knowledge, for Col 2. 3. In him are hi… O Theſauris omnibus opulentior notitia Chriſti.all the treaſures of Wiſdom and Knowledge Whoſoever hath a ſaving Intereſt i… Chriſt, is richer then the greateſt Emperour, who is ignorant of him.
Sect. 2 And hereunto, Where there i… ſuch a high valuation of Chriſt in th… Judgment, there will of neceſſity follow ardency & ſtrength of affection toward 2 Cor. 5. 14. foreign, conſtringit, cohibet (i. e.) totos poſsidet ac regit, ut ejus afflatu quaſi correpti agamus omnia. Beza.Jeſus Chriſt. The apprehenſion of th… exceeding great love of Chriſt to u… ſhould constrain us to love him with a reciprocal love. Love is the Loadſtone o… love, and love will never be paid, nor b… contented and ſatisfied, but with its own coyn; I mean love, anſwering love. And the greateſt love which we can expreſs to Jeſus Chriſt, is only the reflection of thoſe Beams, which he firſt darted upon us. Whatever love we manifeſt towards God is only the Return of that love, which he firſt ſhed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghoſt, which is given unto us. Rom. 5. 5. 1 Joh. 4. 19.We (ſaith the Apoſtle) love him, becauſe he firſt loved us. Where Chriſt is highly priſed, that ſoul is inflam'd with ardent love to him. Neither is this an ordinary and common, but an extraordinary, and ſpecial love. This love is in the higheſt degree above the apprehenſion of Philoſophers. They tell us, That there is Calor ad octo, and this is in gradu intenſo, & non in gradu remiſſo. Somthing that expreſſion repreſents, but we'l ſet forth the vehemency of Love in the Scripture Phraſe: Love, Pſal. 120. 4. is hotter then the coals of Juniper; and to ſuch an extenſive heat, ſo that Cant. 8. 7. many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it. But as for all thoſe who love not the Lord Jeſus, they are curſed in this world, and in the world to come: For (ſaith the Apoſtle 1 Cor. Read Pynk in Loc.16. 22, If any man love not the Lord Jeſus Christ, let him be Anathama Maranatha. An Anathama alone is a dreadful Curſe, but that's not all, there is a Maranath… Maran-Domiaus, Athan-venit Maranatha extrema & ultima ſpecies excommunicationis quae Ebraeis Samatha dicitur. Druſ.added to the Anathema; and this Maranatha is reſerved until the ſecond coming of Chriſt to judgment, and oh! how dreadful muſt their condition be at that great and terrible day, who love not the Lord Jeſus Christ! Againſt them Chriſt will pronounce that dreadful ſentence of condemnation, Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels.