Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Declaring mans great cauſe of humiliation for being without Chriſt, and alſo diſcovering the cauſe of mans undervaluing Chriſt.
Cauſe and matter of humiliation.THe meditation of mans alienation from Chriſt in his naturall eſtate, miniſters matter of Humiliation unto man, man in his naturall condition having nothing of Chriſt within him; and this is the miſery of all miſeries to be empty of Chriſt Jeſus, neither doth the want of any thing miniſter ſuch cauſe and matter of humiliation, as the want of Chriſt. Hagar wept becauſe her bottle was empty of waters, Hannah was in great bitterneſſe, becauſe her wombe was barren, ſhut up from child-bearing. The women in the day of Famine cryed helpe ô King: Micah ran too and fro, like a man beſides himſelfe, when his Idoll, his imaginary God was taken and carried from him; what is the want of children, of bread and water, to the want of Chriſt? or the loſſe of an Idoll, an imaginary God, to the loſſe of the true God? The want of all things is as nothing in compariſon of the want of Chriſt: man that hath Chriſt hath great matter of rejoycing in the want of every other thing; man that wants Chriſt hath great cauſe of humiliation, in the preſence of all worldly fullneſſe: And every man in his naturall eſtate, is as empty of Chriſt as the fooliſh Virgins lampes were of Oyle, or the tree which Chriſt curſed was of fruit, even wholly and altogether without Chriſt. Without the life of Chriſt, Chriſt liveth not in them any more then the root doth live in a dead and withered branch:How carnall man is without Chriſt. Without the knowledge of Chriſt, the myſtery of Chriſt is a ſealed oIſa. 29.11.Booke, which they cannot open, or a booke written in a ſtrange language which they cannot reade, the treaſures of wiſdome hidden in Chriſt are hidden from their underſtanding; as the light of the Sunne is hidden from the eyes of the blind; without the fruit of Chriſts death, it doth not mortifie their luſts, their old pRom. 6.man is not crucified with Chriſt; their luſts are not dead with Chriſt, as the Philiſtines dyed with Sampſon: Without the benefit of Chriſts reſurrection, they are not planted into the likeneſſe of Chriſts reſurrection; they riſe not from ſinne and from the world, as Chriſt roſe from the grave; Sampſon roſe at qJud. 16.1, 2.midnight and carried away the gates of Gaza, but the Gazites were quiet all night, they roſe not: Chriſt is riſen and hath made an open way for us to paſſe from death to life, but carnall men continue their ſleepe and ſlumber in ſin, they riſe not to newneſſe of life and converſation; they are without the fruit and benefit of Christs offices, Chriſt is not to them a Prophet revealing Gods will, and enlightning their underſtandings; a Prieſt expiating their ſinnes, and reconciling them to God; a King ſubduing Satan and their corruptions, and reigning graciouſly within them, and making them truly ſubject and obedient unto God: They are without the apprehenſion of Chriſts beauties, and taſte of Chriſts ſweetneſſe. Chriſt is to them like the Manna to Iſrael, a light rNum. 11.5.bread; they ſee no ſIſa. 53.2.beauty nor comlineſſe in Chriſt, he is no more to them then tCant. 5.9.another Beloved: then gold and ſilver, the covetous mans beloved: then honours and high places, the ambitious mans beloved: then idols and humane rites and ceremonies, the ſuperſtitious mans beloved: they are without the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, he doth not juſtifie them, he doth not cloath them with the garments of ſalvation: Without the preſence of Chriſt, as an empty houſe without the dweller; Chriſt dwelleth not in their hearts by faith: Without the love of Chriſt, as a Harlot without the love of her husband; without the dispenſation of Chriſt, he doth not communicate himſelfe, and his ſaving gifts unto them, any more then the head communicates it ſelfe to the members which are dead; Chriſt ſuſpends his gracious influence from their ſoules: There is not the leaſt character or cognizance of Chriſt upon them: they are without the power of Chriſt ſtrengthening them, without the holineſſe of Chriſt ſanctifying them, without the fullneſſe of Chriſt ſatisfying them, and without the goodneſſe of Chriſt ſweetning their troubles, and turning all for the beſt unto them: and man thus being without Chriſt is matter and occaſion of great abaſement and humiliation to the ſoule of man: man that is without Chriſt hath nothing whereof he may truly glory. The want of all things is nothing to the want of Chriſt: If Moſes want a guide in the wilderneſſe Hobah may be inſtead of eyes to him; if Noah have not where to reſt his foot upon the Earth, the Arke may beare him up in the waters: If Hagar have no water in her bottle, her eyes may be opened to ſee a well: If there be no corne in the Land of Canaan, Aegypt may ſupply them: If the Gibeonites be beſieged, Joſhua may reſcue them: If Peter be in priſon the Angell may free him: If the woman of Shunems ſonne be dead, the Prophet may raiſe him. There is a ſupply in Chriſt Jeſus for all mans neceſſities, a helpe for all mans diſtreſſes, a comfort for all mans ſorrowes; but if man want Chriſt there is none to quicken and reſtore him to the firſt reſurrection, there is none to free him from the bondage of Satan, there is none to guide him in the way to Heaven, there is none to repleniſh him with grace and ſanctification, there is none to reſcue him from the ſpirituall enemies which doe beſiege him. In the abſence of the Lord Jeſus there is no redreſſe for ſoul-diſtreſſes, no helpe againſt ſoul-diſcomforts; the having of all things is as nothing if man have not Chriſt with them; what if thou haſt the ſtature and armour of Goliah? yet without Chriſt, thou wilt fall in the battell: what if thou haſt the favour and honour of Haman? yet without Chriſt, all this will availe thee nothing, and at length ſhame will be thy portion: what if thou haſt the riches of him in the Parable? yet not having Chriſt, thou wilt eat the bread of ſorrowes, be in ſtraights in the midſt of thy ſufficiency, and at laſt the evill ſpirits will take thy ſoule from thee: What if thou haſt the wiſdome of Achitophell? yet not having Chriſt, thy wiſdome will be turned into fooliſhneſſe, and thou mayeſt faile of wiſdome in thy head to reſtraine thy hands from being thine owne executioners: What if thou haſt all the Ordinances of God to feed thee, all the Ministers of God to inſtruct thee, all naturall and morall indowments and common illuminations to adorne thee, and all Eccleſiasticall priviledges to honour thee, and yet haſt not Chriſt, all theſe like Pharaohs Chariots without wheeles, will ſuffer thee to ſinke and periſh in the red Sea of Gods vengeance; the preſence of all worldly abilities is very frivolous in Chriſts abſence, and man ſhould never ſo abaſe and humble himſelfe for the want of any thing, as for the want of Chriſt and his communication of himſelfe unto him; all that can be ſaid to demonſtrate mans being miſerable, or to move man to humiliation, is briefly comprehended in this, that he is without Chriſt.
3. Mans alienation from Chriſt in his naturall and corrupt eſtate doth diſcover and lay open the cauſe,3. Cauſe of undervaluing Chriſt. why Chriſt is of no more eſteeme with the men of the world, no more precious in the eyes of carnall men; here is the ground of it, they are without Chriſt, they are ſtrangers to Chriſt, and Chriſt is a ſtranger unto them. For this cauſe. 1. They have no cleare and comfortable knowledge, no true and gracious diſcerning of Chriſt, Chriſt is hidden from them, as light from the blinde. He was in the world (ſaith the Evangeliſt) and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He was in the world by his great and mighty workes of Creation and Providence, as a maker and a ruler; by his univerſall preſence, as a dweller; by his generall and common influence, as a root in the branches, miniſtring preſervation to all creatures, and by his Ordinances and Prophets, as a teacher in his Schoole; yea, he came among his owne, among the Iewes, by incarnation, in the viſible …orme of a man, but the world neither knew him, nor his own received him; they know not the neceſſity of Chriſt, the men of the old world knew not the neceſſity of the Arke, untill it was too late, and therefore they entred not into it: The Elders of Gilead at firſt knew not their neceſſity of Iep…ta, and therefore expelled him out of his Fathers Houſe: Mens ignorance of the neceſſity of Chriſt makes them regardleſſe of getting intereſt in Chriſt, and cauſeth them profanely to reject Chriſt; they know not the worth and excellency of Chriſt; and therefore they ſet the empty things of the world above Chriſt; as the Philiſtines ſet Dagon above the Arke; and Eſau preferred a meſſe of pottage above his birth-right; they know not the holy and gracious diſpenſations of Chriſt; and therefore they preferre the miniſtrations of the Earth, above the miniſtrations of Chriſt, as the men of Shechem pref…rred the bramble above the Vine: They know not the Alſufficiency and fullneſſe of Chriſt, and therefore they exalt the creature, a vaine and empty thing above Chriſt, as Iſrael in the Prophet preferred the uJer. 2.13.broken ciſterne above the living fountaine: They know not the ſweetneſſe and pleaſantneſſe of the face and love of Chriſt; and therfore they prize the love and favour of the world above the love of Chriſt; as Harlots ſometimes doe the love of baſe and deformed ſtrangers, above the love of their owne honourable and comely Husbands: Chriſt is never precious in the eyes of ſuch perſons as are under the power of ſpirituall blindneſſe.
2. Men being without Chriſt, doe not taſte the ſweetneſſe and goodneſſe of Chriſt; 2. No taſte of Chriſt.he doth not reliſh well with their palates: He is not ſweet and ſavoury to their ſoules; they have not taſted how w1 Pet. 2.3.good Chriſt is; there is a goodneſſe of illumination, of regeneration, ſanctification, ſpirituall freedome, conſolation, contentation and pacification flowing from Chriſt to the ſoules of men, which to carnall men is a ſealed well, whoſe waters their palates never taſted: an ecclipſed Starre with whoſe light their eye was never affected, they taſte not the ſweetneſſe of Chriſt, in the illumination of their underſtandings, as the eye taſtes the xEccleſ. 11.7.ſweetneſſe of the light: Chriſt is not ſweet to them in his ordinances; as the Maſter of the Feaſt to the gueſt in his dainties, theſe are not to them a yIſa. 25.6.feaſt of marrow, of fat things, and of wine well refined upon the lees, for the delight and refreſhment, comfort and contentment, which they miniſter: Chriſt is not ſweet to them in his Miniſters, as a mercifull King in his Embaſſadours, bringing tidings of peace to the people; Chriſt is not ſweet to them in his gracious distillations, as the cloud in the raine is ſweet unto the dry earth: They cannot ſay of Chriſt as the Spouſe did, As zCant. 2.3.the Apple-tree among the Trees of the wood, ſo is my Beloved among the ſonnes, I ſate downe under his ſhadow with great delight, and his fruit was ſweet to my taſt. Nothing ſavours well with their palates, but things carnall and worldly, to them the bread of deceit, and ſtolne waters are ſweet; but they ſavour not the things of God. Barzillai excuſed himſelfe from going to Davids houſe, from eating of Davids meat, becauſe he could not taſt what he did eat or what he did drinke, nor could heare any more the voyce of ſinging men or of ſinging women. Carnall men decline the Houſe of God, and the Feaſt which Chriſt there maketh, becauſe they cannot taſt the things of God, nor heare the ſpirituall melody which Chriſt there makes to the ſoules of his ſervants: Mens not taſting of Chriſt in his ordinances and in his graces, makes him of no eſteem with their ſoules.
3. Men being without Chriſt have no love to Chriſt,3. No love to Chriſt. he is not the aCant. 5.10. 1 Cor. 16.faireſt of ten thouſand in their eyes; they love not the Lord Jeſus, as the Bridegroome to whom their ſoules are married, as the choiſeſt pearle by whom they are enriched, as the ſon of conſolation, with whoſe beames their ſoules are comforted, as the fountain by whom their hearts are refreſhed, and their deſires every way ſatisfied: Their love to Chriſt is not like the love of Jonathan to David, a love wonderfull, and b2 Sam. 1.26.paſſing the love of women; there is no ſutableneſſe betweene Chriſt and their ſoules, as between the hearts of lovers; they meditate not upon Chriſt, as lovers upon their love; they delight not themſelves in Chriſt as the rich-man in the treaſure, and the bride in the bridegroome which they love, their hearts and their thoughts are upon the world and not upon Chriſt, they c1 Joh. 2.15.love the world, and the love of Chriſt is not in them, and where love to Chriſt is wanting, Chriſt is of no eſtimation; he will put himſelfe upon no ſervice, nor undergoe no difficulties for Chriſt,Amor Dei ſi eſt operatur magna, ſiopera… renuit amos non eſt, Greg. who is deſtitute of love to Chriſt. Mans prizing of Chriſt is ever ſutable to the love of man towards Chriſt, hee that hath great love to Chriſt will doe great things for Chriſt, he that hath no love to him will give every baſe thing preheminence above him.
4. No pleaſure in Chriſt.4. Men being without Chriſt take no pleaſure in Chriſt, they doe not delight themſelves in Chriſt; diſeaſed eyes have no pleaſure in the Sun; diſtempered palates have no pleaſure in the choyſeſt wine, Chriſt is a trouble to men that are corrupt and carnall, as the Starre was to dMat. 2.2.Herod and the men of Hieruſalem. Chriſt is a very great croſſe and trouble to their corruptions, he fals heavy upon them, they cannot ſtand before him, no more then Dagon before the Arke; and therfore Chriſt is a great offence to them, as the Ark e1 Sam. 5 4.to the Philiſtines; Chriſt is not to them a plaine and pleaſant way; they cannot according to the Apoſtles phraſe fCol. 2.6.walke in Chriſt; by believing Chriſts Promiſes, by obeying Chriſts Precepts, by conforming themſelves to Chriſts Example, with fulneſſe and chearfulneſſe, as a Travellor walks fully and joyfully in a plain and pleaſant path: they cannot walk in the light of Chriſt, as a man walks joyfully in the light of the Sun; in the ſtrength of Chriſt, as the Rider moves ſpeedily in the ſtrength of the Horſe which carries him, as the Ship rows in the ſtrength of the wind which drives him, and the Prophet walked to Mount Horeb in the ſtrength of the Barly cake which fed him; they cannot walk in the love of Chriſt, as Jacob walked thorough his ſervice, in the love of Rachel; Chriſt and his way and worke, is not thus pleaſant to them, they can no more walk in Chriſt, then David could in g1 Sam. 17.Sauls armour, they doe no ſooner try it, but they are preſently weary of it. We cannot ſay of them and Chriſt as David did of Saul and Jonathan, They were h2 Sam. 1.lovely and pleaſant in their lives and in their death they were not divided, they were ſwifter then the Eagles, they were ſtronger then Lyons. No they take no pleaſure in Chriſt in their lives, and they are divided from Chriſt in their deaths; the way of Chriſt is to them a way of thornes, they move ſlowly in Chriſts ſervice, like Pharaohs Chariots without wheels, the waters of Gods wrath overwhelming them at the laſt, Chriſt is to them a rocke of i1 Pet. 2.8.offence, and a ſtone of ſtumbling: to beleevers he is an elect and precious ſtone for his great worth in himſ…lfe, the price they put upon him, the enrichment they receive from him, a living ſtone quickning them, a ſtone of ſtrength ſupporting them; but to other men thorough their infidelity, pride and profane refuſall, he is a ſtone of offence; they have no delight in his kIer. 6.10.Doctrine; they are lMat. 13.57.offended in him, they guaſh their teeth at him; they thinke diſhonourably of him in his offices, in his ordinances, in his Miniſters, and in his attendants: Under the Law if a man mDeut. 21.14.delighted not in his wife, he gave her a bill of divorce: The man under the Goſpell, that takes no delight in Chriſt, divorceth himſelfe from Chriſt, obſerves not his Covenant, with-draws himſelfe from Chriſt, puts no more price upon him, hath no better eſteeme of him then a hard hearted Iſraelite of his divorced wife. Man doth ever evidence his high eſteeme of Chriſt by his pleaſure, delight and joy in Chriſt. He that doth not rejoyce in him puts a very unworthy price upon him.
5. Men being without Chriſt have no longing after Chriſt,5. No longing after Chriſt. it is the having of Chriſt in meaſure and in truth that breeds fervent and unfained longings after Chriſt; no man more deſires Chriſt then he that enjoyes moſt of Chriſt: No man ſo contents himſelfe without Chriſt, as he that never ſavingly enjoyed any thing of Chriſt; he that never knew what liberty was is well pleaſed with a ſervile eſtate; he that never ſaw the Sun pleaſes himſelfe in darkneſſe; man that never diſcerned the beauty and brightneſſe of the Son of Righteouſneſſe, that never knew the liberty and comforts which Chriſt miniſters, pleaſeth himſelf in his ſpirituall bondage, applauds himſelfe in his blindneſſe and ignorance, and ſaith with them in Job, nIob 21.14.Depart from us, we care not for the knowledge of thy wayes: 1 Sam. 23.15. Gen. 30.1, 2.He doth not long after Chriſt, as David after the waters of Bethell; he doth not cry for Chriſt, as Rachel did for children; he thinkes like Eſau in another caſe that he hath enough already; he imagineth that he is rich and full and wants nothing; the ſoul that is wholy eſtranged from Chriſt is farre from longing after Chriſt; the Diſciples did firſt eat of the bread which Chriſt gave them, and then they cryed, Lord give us oIoh. 6.34.evermore of this bread: It is mans taſt of Chriſt, mans feeding upon Chriſt, that makes him long after Chriſt: The experience which the Spouſe in Salomon had of the bridegroomes love, moved her to intreat the pCant. 1.2.kiſſes of his mouth, Let him kiſſe me with the kiſſes of his mouth, for thy love is better then wine. Chriſtians are firſt Paſſive and then Active in their love to Chriſt-ward; love like the heat of the Sun firſt deſcends, and then it aſcends. Chriſts love to us begets our love to him, Chriſts love was firſt over the Spouſe as a Banner, and then ſhe was qCant. 2.5. Ioh. 11.44.ſicke of love to him: Lazarus lay faſt in the grave, the Earth was his bed, his palace, his reſting place, and all in all, till Chriſt rayſed him; Man lyes faſt in the grave of ſin, the world, the Earth, the things here below are his bed, his palace, his Paradiſe, he minds nothing els till Chriſt doth quicken him. The ſtrange woman in Salomons Song marvelled what Chriſt the Churches rCant. 5.9.Beloved was, they muſed why ſhe ſhould be ſick of love toward him, why ſhe made ſuch great inquiry after him. Carnall men thinke Gods people beſides themſelves in being ſo earneſt after Chriſt, ſo zealous for Chriſt, they marvell why they are ſo inquiſitive in their hearings, prayers, faſtings, meditations and conferences after Chriſt Jeſus: they wonder what Chriſt is more then any other Beloved, as gold, ſilver, honours, pleaſures; having no love nor longings in themſelves after Chriſt, they muſe at the love and longings of others; and as they long not after him, they put no price upon him, ſhew no reſpect to him, but ſet him with David behind the Ewes, give him the leaſt and loweſt, yea, even no roome at all in their hearts. Chriſt is of no eſteem with man, untill he comes within man, and makes the ſoul of man his gracious habitation.