A Heavenly Conference, Title page – To the reader
A HEAVENLY CONFERENCE BETWEEN CHRIST AND MARY AFTER HIS RESURRECTION. WHEREIN The intimate familiarity, and near relation between Chriſt and a Believer is diſcovered.
LONDON, Printed for John Rothwel, and are to be ſold at the Fountain and Bear in Cheapſide, 1654.
TO THE READER,
THe ſcope and buſineſs of this Epiſtle, is not ſo much to commend the Workman, (whoſe name is a ſweet ſavor in the Church,) As to give thee a ſhort and ſummary view of the generalls handled in this Treatiſe Though much might be ſaid of this eminent Saint, If either detraction had faſtened her venomous nails in his pretious name, or the teſtimony of the Subſcribers of this Epiſtle, might give the Book a freer admiſſion into thy hands. This only we ſhall crave leave to mind the Reader of, That this bright Star, who ſometimes with his light refreſhed the ſouls of many of Gods people, while he ſ…one in the ho…izon of our Church, ſet (as we may ſay) between the evening of many ſhadowes, and the morning of a bright hoped for Reformation, which though it be for the preſent overcaſt, yet (being ſo agreeable to the mind of Jeſus Chriſt, and uſhered in with the groans and prayers of ſo many of his Saints) we doubt not, but will in Gods own time break forth gloriouſly to the diſſipating of thoſe Clouds and foggs which at the preſent do eclipſe and darken it.
Now as it is the wiſdom of God in bringing about his own deſigns, to raiſe up fit, and ſuitable inſtruments, for the work of every Generation. So it is alſo the gratious diſpenſation of God, to put ſeaſonable words into the mouths of thoſe his Servants, who by faith, do fix their Prutitus diſputandi ſcabies eccleſiae. Sir H. VVotton.eyes on him for the guidance of his bleſſed ſpirit, as every judicious Reader may obſerve in the works of this reverend Divine, who foreſeeing (as it were) what a degeneracy of ſpirit Profeſſors in his time were, falling a pace into (that itch of Queſtions and Diſputings like anoxious humor, beginning then to break forth among Profeſſors,) like a skilful Phyſician, applyed himſelf to preſerve the vitalls and eſsentials of Religion.
That the ſouls of his hearers being captivated with the inward beauty and glory of Chriſt, and being led into an experimental knowledge of heavenly truths, their ſpirits might not evaporate, and diſcharge themſelves in endleſs gainleſs, ſoul-unedifying, and conſcienceperplexing queſtions: For as it is in nature, a man that hath taſted the ſweetneſs of honey, will not eaſily be perſwaded that honey is bitter. But he that hath only taken it up upon credit, may ſoon be baffled out of it, becauſe no act can go higher then its principle; and ſo it is in Religion; for thoſe good ſouls that have imbraced the truths of Jeſus Chriſt, upon a ſupernatural principle, and experimented not only the truth but the goodneſs of them, in their own ſouls, they are the clinched chriſtians, the good holdfaſt men (as Mr. Fox ſtiles ſome Chriſtians in his dayes) they are the even and ſteady walkers. Whereas thoſe that have only a form of godlineſs, a ſlight tincture, who have only out of novelty and curioſity, or pride and ambition, or other ſelf ends, profeſſed Religion, will prove giddy and unconſtant, like Clouds carried about with every blaſt; and while they promiſe themſelves liberty, be a prey to the net of every fancy and opinion.
To the ſound and practical Christian that is not ſqueeſie ſtomacked, will the truths in this treatiſe be grateful, ſuppoſing therefore, and deſiring, if thou are not, thou may'ſt be ſuch a one. Here is offered to thy conſideration, a divine and heavenly Diſcourſe betwixt Chriſt and Mary, between a ſoul-burthened ſinner, and a burthen-removing Saviour.
Thou may'ſt here ſee how diligent Mary is to ſeek, how ready Chriſt is to be found. Mary hath her heart brim full of ſorrow, Chriſt Comes as it were leaping over the Mountains with comfort, and bowels of compaſſion. Mary was in a ſtrong pang of affection; nay her affections were wound ſo high, that her expreſſions ſeem broken, and her actions might ſeem to ſavor of irregularity, were it not to that excellency of the object, did warrant the height of her affection, and the compaſſion of Chriſt was large enough, not only to interpret for the beſt, but alſo to pardon and cover all her infirmities. The woman was better at her affections, then expreſſions. They have taken away my Lord, ſhe ſpeaks at random, names no body, whether Jews, or Diſciples, or Souldiers. But ſee the ſtrength of her faith, ſhe is not aſhamed to call him Lord, even in the loweſt ſtate of humiliation, though Chriſt be reproached, perſecuted, deſpiſed, rejected, dead, buried, yet he ſhall be Maries Lord. Again, I know not where they have laid him, ſhe dreams of a bodily aſportation, and reſting of Chriſt ſomewhere, and ſpeaks with indignation, as if ſhe looked upon it as an indignity, or incivility, nay of cruelty, Saevitum eſt in cadavera, ſaevitum eſt in oſſa, ſaevitum eſt in cineres. Cyprian of the Roman Emperors cruelty, to remove a dead body. What was done to Chriſt, Mary takes it as done to her, and good heart ſhe thinks ſhe hath ſo much right to him, that he ſhould not be ſtirred without her knowledge. And I know not where, &c.
Now while Mary is ſeeking Chriſt, Ideo converſa eſt, quia angeli aſſurrexerunt praeſentiae Chriſti. Gerfon. foreign. i. e. ſe domum verſus praeter virum ſuum qui ſubſequebatur ipſam. Junius in anal. in Gen:(who is never far abſent from a ſeeking ſoul) he ſtands at her back. Chriſt is neerer to us many times then we think of. Sometimes a poor ſoul wants the ſight of comfort, more then matter of comfort, and is like Hagar, weeping for water, when the well is hard by: ſeeking of Chriſt is the ſouls duty; but Chriſt manifeſting himſelf is the ſouls comfort. Mary turned her ſelf, and ſhe ſaw Jeſus. Gerſon ſaith the Angels roſe up at the preſence of Chriſt, which Mary ſeeing, made her turn about; but omitting that conjecture, The original word foreign is ſometimes uſed for a turning of the face; but moſt frequently for a turning of the whole body: but to put it out of doubt here, it is ſaid exegetically, foreign. She turned her ſelf back. The ſame phraſe the Steptuagint uſe of Lots wiſe looking back. Many times Chriſt hath his face towards us, when we have our backs upon him, and therefore if thou wouldeſt finde Chriſt, turn thy ſelf to him.
Again, here thou may'ſt ſee the true Joſeph, he knowes Mary, when ſhe knows not him, but takes him for the Gardner. Chriſt is alwayes before-hand with us in his grace, he loves us before we love him, and calls us before we call him. Mary travails with deſires to find Chriſt, and Chriſt is full of yernings towards her: like Joſeph, he could refrain no longer, and becauſe the general manifeſtation of Chriſt wrought little, he calles her by her name Mary, and ſhe being a ſheep of Chriſt, knowes his voice, and anſwers him with a title of dignity, Rabboni, that is to ſay, my Maſter.
We may ſee here, that diſcoveries of grace are not fruitleſs, they ſtir up in believers, reverence, and obedience. Let us ſin becauſe grace abounds, is the Devils application of Chriſts Doctrine.
Theſe and ſeveral other particulars, are with much brevity, ſpirituality, and perſpicuity handled in this Treatiſe, and with that livelineſs that they ſhew they come from one, whoſe own heart ſavored what he taught to others. The largeſt part of this Book is ſpent upon that ſweet Doctrine viz. A Believers intereſt in God as a Father, and the comforts that flowe from that ſweet relation. The foundation of our relation to God is here handled, and how God is firſt a Father to Chriſt, and in him to us. What can be more comfortable in this earthly intereſt ſhaking, disjoynting confounding age: then to clear up to our ſouls an intereſt in God: Tolle meum, & tolle Deum, as he ſaid, it were better for me there were no God, then that he ſhould not be my God, this will be thy comfort, that when thou canſt not ſay, my ſtate, my liberty, my Houſe, my Land, my friend, my Trade, thou may'ſt be able to ſay, my Father, my God. If therefore thou ſavoreſt the things of God, this▪ſubject will be acceptable and grateful to thee, and if this Treatiſe may be any wayes inſtrumental, for putting thee upon ſtudy how to get it, or upon practice how to improve it, or in caſethy ſoulſits in darknes, how to endeare and clear thy intereſt, the publiſhers ſhal have much of their aim, and thou wilt have no cauſe to repent thy coſt in buying, or thy pains in reading. We ſhall adde no more but this. Bleſſed is that man or woman that hath an intereſt in him, who is the Father of Jeſus Chriſt by eternal Generation, and of all believers in Chriſt by adoption and regeneration, in which inheritance and portion, that thou may'ſt have a ſhare, ſhall be the prayer of
Thy ſouls, and thy faiths Servants in the work of the Miniſtery for Jeſus ſake. Simeon Aſh, James Nalton, Joſeph Church.