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andyour lufts contestand ſtruggle withinyou .
O'tis fadwhen your luſts maſteryour light.
You fin not as the Heathens fin, who know notGod; but whenyou fin, you must flight and put by the notices of your own confciences, and offer violence toyour own convictions : And what ſad work will this make in your fouls ? How foon will it lay your confciences wafte?
Secondly, Take heed that you reſt not satisfied with that knowledge of Chriſt you have attained, but grow on towards perfection.
'Tis the pride and ignorance ofmany profeſſors, when they have got a few raw and indigeſted notions, to ſwell with felf-conceits of their excellent attainments : And 'tis the fin, even of thebeſt offaints, when they fee (veritas in profundo)howdeepthe knowledge ofChriſt lies, andwhat pains theymust take to dig for it, to throw by the ſhovel of duty, and cry, Dig we cannot.
To your work, Chriſtians, to your work; let not your candle go out : Sequeſter yourſelves to this ſtudy, look what intercourſes, and correfpondences are betwixt the two worlds; what communion foever God and fouls maintain, it is in this way : Count all therefore but drofs in compariſon of that excellency which is in the knowledge of Jeſus Chrift.
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Sets forth CHRIST in his eſſentialand primeval GLORY, PROV . viii. 30. Then was I by him, as one brought up with him : and Iwas daily his delight, rejoicing always beforehim.
T HESE words are a part of that excellent commendation of wisdom, by which in this book Solomon intends two things ; first, Grace or holiness, Prov. iv. 7. " Wisdom is the " principal thing."
Secondly, Jesus Christ, thefountainofthat grace : and look as the former is renowned for its excellency,
Job xxviii. 14, 15. ſo the latter, in this context, wherein the Spirit of God deſcribes the moſt bleſſed ſtate of Jeſus Chriſt, the wisdom of the Father, from thoſe eternal delights he had with his Father, before his aſſumption ofour nature : "Then
"was I byhim," &c. that longEvumwas wholly ſwallowed up, and ſpent inunspeakable delights andpleaſures,
Which
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The Fountain of Life.
delightswere twofold, (1.) TheFather and Son delighted one inanother(fromwhich delights the Spirit is not here excluded) withoutcommunicating that theirjoy toany other, for no creaturedid then exiſt ſave in the mind ofGod, verſe 30.
(2) .
They delighted inthe falvationofmen, inthe proſpect of that work, though not yet extant, verſe 31. My preſent buſineſs lies in the former, viz. the mutual delights of the Father and Son, onewith and in another ; the account whereofwe have in thetext : wherein confider, 1.Theglorious condition ofthenon-incarnatedSonofGod, deſcribedby theperſonwithwhom his fellowship was, "Then
" was I by him," or with him; fo with him as never was any, inhis veryboſom, Johni. 18. the only begotten Sonwas in the boſom of the Father ; an expreſſionofthe greatestdearneſs and intimacy in the world; as if he ſhould fay, wrapt up in the very foul ofhis Father, emboſomed inGod.
2. This fellowship is illuſtrated by a metaphor, wherein the Lord will fſtoop to our capacities, (as " One brought up with " him") the Hebrew word * Aminis fometimes rendered a cunning workman, or curious artist, as in Cant. vii. r. which is the fame word.
And indeed Chriſt ſhewed himself ſuch an artiſt in the creation of the world; " For all things
וימא were madeby him, andwithouthim there was nothingmade, " that was made," John i. 3.
But Montanus, and others, render it nutricius ; and ſo Chriſt is here compared to a delightful child, ſporting before its Father: the Hebrew root t
Shachak ,which ourtranflation renders "rejoicing be- " before him," ſignifies to laugh, play, or rejoice; fo that, look as parents delight to fee their children ſporting before them, ſo did the Father delight inbeholding this darling ofhis boſom.
3. This delight is farther amplified by the perpetuity, anduninterruptedneſs thereof; " I was day byday hisdelights, rejoi cingalways before kim"
These delights of the Fatherand "
Amin] Signifies a Skilful Artist ; he is pleaſed toaffume this character, in order to ſhew men, that their converfion is not owing to any ſtrength of theirown, but is the work ofthis ſkilןימא
* ful Artist.
Brightman on Cant. i, 26.
†Ridere, to laugh, Shachak] ludere, to ſport; lactari, to rejoice ; ἀνθρωποπάθως, after the manner ofmen; he compares himſelf to apleasant child, ſtanding before his father.
Luvat. on thisplace.
]Jom,Jom Meshacheketh]. Die, die Judens.
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the Son one in another, knew not a moment's interruption, or diminution : thus did theſe great and glorious perfons mutually let forth their fulleſt pleasure and delight, each into theheart of other; they lay as it were imboſomed one in another, entertaining themselves with delights and pleaſures ineffable, and unconceiveable.
Hence we obſerve, Doct. That the condition and state of Jesus Christ before his incarnation, was a state ofhighest and most unspeakabledelight andpleasure, in the enjoyment ofhis Father.
John tells us, he was in thebeſom of his Father * : to ly in the boſom is the poſture of dearest love, John xiii. 23. " Now
" there was leaning on Jeſus' boſom one of his diſciples " whom Jeſus loved ;" but Chriſt did not lean upon the Father's boſom, as that diſcipledid on his, but lay init : andtherefore, in Iſa. xliii. 1. the Father calls him, " Mine elect in whom
" my foul delighteth ;" which is † variouſly rendered ; the Septuagint, quemfufceptit, whom my foul takes, or wraps up : others, complacuit, one that highly pleaſes anddelights my very
foul : and, 2 Cor. viii. 9. he is ſaid, in this eſtate, wherein I am now deſcribing him, tobe rich : and, Phil. ii. 7. " To be equal
" withGod, and to be in the form ofGod," (i. e.) to have all theglory and enſigns of the majesty ofGod; and the riches which he ſpeaks of, was no leſs than all thatGod the Father hath, John xvi. 14. " All that the Father hath is mine :" and what he nowhath inhis exalted ſtate, is thefamehe had before his humiliation, John xvii. 5.
Now, to glimpse out (as weare able) the unspeakable felicity of that ſtate of Chriſt, whilst he layin thatbleſſed boſom, I ſhall conſider it three ways, negatively, poſitively, and comparatively.
1. Let us conſider that ſtate negatively, by removing from it all thoſe degrees ofabaſement and forrow which his incarnationbrought him under; as,
First, He wasnot thenabaſed to thecondition of a creature, * John i. 18. Here is infinuated, metaphorically, the intimate communion of the Son ofGod with the Father, which conſiſts in e. ternal generation, inthe ſtricteſt oneness orunity ofnature, in the moſt ardent love, and in communication of the moſt ſecret affairs.
Glaff.
† Hieron. Quem approbat, i. e. Whom my foul approves.
Pagninus & Montanus, Complacuit animae meae, i. e. One that highlydelights my soul.
The Septuagint, Quemsusceptit anima mea, i, e. Whom myfoultakes or wraps up.
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The Fountain of Life. whichwas a low ſtep indeed, and that which upon the matter undidhim in point ofreputation; for by this (faith the apoſtle)
" he made himself of no reputation," Phil. ii. 7. it emptied him of his glory.
ForGod to be made man, is ſuch an abafementasnone can expreſs: butthennot only to appear in true fleſh, but alſo inthe likeness offinful fleſh, as,Rom . viii. 3. O what is this !
Secondly, Chriſt was notunder thelawin this eſtate. I confeſs 'twas nodifparagement toAdamin the ſtateofinnocency, to angels intheir ſtate ofglory, tobe under law toGod; but itwas anunconceivableabaſement tothe abſoluteindependentbeing to come under law: yea, not only under the obedience, but alſo under the malediction and curſe of the law, Gal. iv. 4.
"whenthe fulness oftime was come, God fent forth his Son, "made ofawoman,madeunder thelaw.
"But Thirdly, In this ſtate he was not liable to any ofthoſe forrowful conſequents and attendants of that frailand feeble ſtate ofhumanity,whichhe afterwards affumed, with thenature : As,
(1.)He was unacquainted with griefs: there wasnoforrowing or fighing in thatboſom where he lay, tho' afterwards he became "a man of forrows and acquainted with grief," Iſa. liii. 3 .
" Amanofforrows," as if hehadbeenconſtituted andmadeup of pure and unmixed forrows ; every day converfing with griefs, as with his intimate companions and acquaintance. (2.)
He wasneverpinchedwith poverty andwants, while he continuedin thatboſom, as he was afterwards, when he said, " The " foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nefts, but the " ſonofmanhathnotwhere tolay his head," Mat. viii. 20. Ah bleſſedJeſus! thou needſt not tohavewantedaplace to have lainthinehead, hadſt thou not left that boſom for my fake *.
(3.) He never underwent reproach and ſhame in thatboſom, there was nothing but glory andhonour reflected uponhim by his Father, tho' afterwards he was deſpiſed, and rejected of men, Ifa. liii. 3. His Father never looked upon him without fmilesand love,delight andjoy, tho' afterwards he becomeare- * He that was in the bosom oftheFather ; an expreſſion ſhewingthe intimate, cloſe, and fecret delight and lovehe had from the Father. Howunspeakable is it, that he ſhould deprive himſelf of theſenſe of it ? toput himself, as itwere, out ofheaven intohell ? this isdeeper love thaneverwe can imagine or conceive : Nowonder, theapostle calls it περισσεύων [periffeuon], and ὑπερπερισσεύων
[hyperperiffeuon] the unſearchable riches of grace; we are never able togo to thebottom of it, but ſtill there is more grace and love behind. Mr. Anth. Burgess, left, in John xvii. p. 503 .
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proach ofmen, and deſpiſed ofthe people, Pfalm. xxii. 6. (4) His holy heart was never offended with an impure ſuggeſtion ortemptationof the Devil; all the whilehe lay in thatboſom of peace and love, he never knew what it was to be affaulted with temptations, tobe befieged and battered uponbyunclean ſpirits, ashedid afterwards, Mat. iv. 1. " Then was Jeſus led up ofthe
Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil."
It was for our fakes thathe fubmitted to thoſe exerciſes of ſpirit,
" tobe in all pointstempted likeas we are, that he mightbeunto us a merciful and faithful high priest," Heb . iv. 15.
(5.) Hewas neverſenſible ofpains and torturesin foul orbody, there were nofuch things in that bleſſed boſom wherehe lay, tho' af. terwards he groaned and ſweat under them, Ifa. liii. 5.
The Lord embraced him from eternity, but never wounded himtill he ſtood in our place and room.
(6.) There were no hidings or withdrawments of his Father from him; there was not a cloud from eternity upon the face ofGod, till Jesus Christ had left that boſom: It was a new thing to Chriſt to fee frowns inthe face ofhis Father ; a new thing for him tocry, "MyGod,
" my God, why haſt thou forſaken me ?" Matth. xxvii. 46.
(7.) There werenever any impreſſions ofhis Father's wrath uponhim, as there were afterwards : God never delivered ſuch a bitter cup of wrath into his hands before, as that was Matth. xxvi . 39. Lastly, There was no death, towhich he was ſubject, in that boſom.
All theſe things were new things to Chriſt : he wasabove them all, till for our fakeshe voluntarily fubjected himselfunto them. Thusyou fee what that ſtate was not.
2. Let us confider it positively, what it was, and gueſs by fome particular confiderations (for indeed we can but gueſs) at theglory of it : as, (1.) We cannot but conceive it to bea ſtate of matchless happineſs, ifwe conſiderthe perfons enjoying and delighting in each other : he was with God, John i. 1.
God, you know, is the fountain, ocean and centre, ofalldelights andjoys ; Pfal . xvi. 11. " Inthypreſence is fulness ofjoy."
To be wrapt up in the ſoul and boſom of all delights, as Chrift was, must needs be a ſtate tranſcending apprehenfion ; tohave the fountain of love and delight letting out itſelf ſo immediately, and fully, and everlastingly, upon this only begotten darling of his soul, ſo as it never did communicate itſelf to any; judgewhat a ſtate of tranſcendent felicity this muſt be.
Great perſonshavegreat delights.
(2.) Or if we confider the intimacy, dearneſs, yea, oneneſs ofthoſe great perſons one with another : the nearer the union, he ſweeterthe communion. NowJeſus Chriſt was not only
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The Fountain of Life.
near anddear toGod,butone with him ; " I and my Father are one," John x. 30.: one in nature, will, love, and delight.
There is indeed a moral union offouls among men by love, but thiswas a natural oneness ; no child is ſo one with his father, nohusband ſo one with the wife ofhis boſom, nofriend ſo one with his friend, no foul ſo one with its body, as Jefus Chrift and his Father were one . Owhat matchless delights muſt neceſſarily flow from fuch ableſſed union !
(3.).Confider again the purity ofthat delight withwhich the blefſſed Father and Son embraced each other ; the beſt Creaturedelights one in another, are mixed, debaſed, and allayed : if therebe fomething raviſhing and engaging, there is alſoſomethingcloying anddiſtaſting. The purer anydelight is, the more excellent.
Now, there are no chriſtal ſtreams flowing ſopurely from the fountain, no beams of light ſo unmixed from the fun, as thelovesanddelights of theſeholyand glorious perſonswere : the holy, holy, holy Father embraced the thrice holy Sonwith amoſt holydelight and love.
(4.) Confider the conſtancy of this delight: It was from everlafting, as in verſe 23. and from eternity ; it never fuffered one moment's interruption : The everflowing fountain of God'sdelight and love never ſtopt its courſe, never ebbed; but ashe ſpeaks in the text, " I was daily his delight, rejoicing al- " ways before him."
Once more, confider the fulneſs ofthat delight, the perfection ofthat pleaſure; Iwas delights : So the word is in its original; not only plural, delights, all delights, butalſo in the abſtract, delight itſelf : as afterwards from the abundance of his forrows, he was ſtiled, a man of forrow's ; fo here, from the fulness of his delights : as tho' you ſhould ſay, even conſtitutedandmade up ofpleaſure anddelight.
3. Once more, let us conſider it comparatively, and this ſtate will yet appear more glorious, comparing it with either the choiceſt delights thatone creature takes in another, or that Godtakes inthe creature, or that the creatures takes in God : meaſure theſe immenfe delights betwixt the Father and his
Son, by either of theſe lines, andyou ſhall find them infinitely ſhort : For, ( 1.) Thơ' thedelights that creatures take in each other, befometimes a great delight ; ſuch wasJacob's delight in Benjamin, whoſe life is faid to be bound up in the lad's life, a dear and high expreſſion, Gen. xliv. 30. Such was that ofJonathan in David, whoſe ſoul was knitwith his soul, " and he
" lovedhim as hisown soul," I Sam. xiii. 1. andſuch is the delight ofone friend in another ; " there is a friend that is as a VOL. I.
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" man's own soul," Deut. xiii. 6. 4 yetall this isbut creature. delight, andcan innoparticular equal the delights betwixt the Father and Son; for this is but a finite delight, according to the meaſure and abilities of creatures, but that is infinite, fuitable to the infinite perfection of the divine being : this is always mixed, that perfectly pure.
(2.) Or if you compare itwith thedelight thatGod takes in the creatures ; it is confef fed thatGod takes great delight in ſome creatures. " The Lord
" takespleaſureinhis faints,herejoices over themwith finging!
" and reſtethinhislove," Zeph. iii. 17. Ifa.lxii. 5. Butyetthere isa greatdifference betwixt his delight in creatures, and his delights in Chriſt ; for all his delight in the faints isfecondary, and for Chriſt's fake ; but his delights in Chriſt are primary, and for hisown fake : weare acceptedin the beloved, Eph . i. 6. he is beloved, and accepted for himself.
(3.) To conclude, compare itonce more with the delights that the beſt of crea tures take inGod, and Chriſt, and it must be confeſſed that is a choice delight, and atranſcendent love, with which they love anddelight inhim ; * Pfal. xxiii. 75. "Whom have I in hea- " ven but thee ? and on earth there is none that I defire beſides
" thee."
What pangs oflove, what raptures ofdelight did the ſpouſe expreſs to Chriſt ? " O thou whom my foul loveth !" But furely our delight in God is no perfect rule to meaſure hisde light in Chriſt by : for our love toGod(at the beſt) is ſtill imperfect; that's the burden and conſtant complaint of faints, but this is perfect: ours is inconſtant, up anddown, ebbing and flowing, but this is conſtant. So then, to conclude; the conditi onand ſtate ofJesus Chriſt before his incarnation, was a ſtate of highest and matchless delight, inthe enjoyment of his Father.
The uſes follow.
Use of Information .
Inference 1. What an astonishing act of lovewas this then, for the Father to give the delight, thedarling of his foul, out ofhisveryboſom,for poor ſinners ! alltongues muſt needs pauſe and falter, that attempt the expreſſion of his grace ; expreffions beinghere ſwallowedup : "God to loved the world, that he
66 gave his onlybegottenSon,"John iii. 16. Here is afic with- * Amo te, Domine, plufquam meos, plusquam mea, plusquam me, i. e. O Lord, I love thee above all my relations, above all that is mine, above myſelf.
Bern.
Suppoſe (faith one) there were a hell betwixt me and Chrift, and Chriſt ſhould fay, put in thy foot and come through, or thou ſhalt havenoneofme, wouldInotdo it ?
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The Fountain of Life . outaficut ; ſo lovedthem: howdid he lovethem ? nay, here you must excuſe the tongues of angels; which of us would deliver a child, the child of our delights, an only child, to death for the greatest inheritance inthe world ? what tender parentcan endurea parting pull with ſuch a child ? when Hagarwas taking her laſt leave (as ſhe thought) of her Immael,
Gen. xxi. 16. the text faith, " ſhe went and fat her down over " against him, agood way off: for ſhe ſaid, Let me not feethe
" deathof the Child. And ſhe ſat over-against him, and liftup " her voice, and wept:" though the were noneof the beſt mothers, nor he the beſt ofchildren,yet ſhe could not give up the child. O it was hard to part ! what an outcrydid David make, evenforan Abfalom ! wiſhing he had died for him.
What a hole(as I may ſay) hath the death of fome children made in thehearts ofſome parents, which will never be cloſed up in thisworld ? yet ſurely, neverdid any child lie ſo cloſe to aparent's heart, as Chriſt did to his Father's ; and yet he willingly parts with him, though his only one, theSon of his delights, andthat todeath, a curſed death, for finners, for the worst of finners. Omiranda Dei philanthropia ! matchless love ! a love paſt finding out! Let all men therefore, inthe buſineſs oftheir redemption, give equal glory to the Father with the Son, John v. 23. if the Father had not lovedthee,hehadnever partedwith fuch a Son for thee.
Infer. 2. From one wonder let your souls turn to another, for theyarenowinthe midstofwonders : adore, and be for ever aftoniſhed at the love ofJeſus Chriſt topoor ſinners ; that ever he ſhouldconſent toleaveſuchaboſom, andthe ineffabledelights that were there, for fuch poor worms as we are. Oh heights, depths, lengths, and breadths ofunmeaſurable love ! O fee,
Rom v. 6, 7, 8. read, andwonder; how is the love of Chrift commended in raviſhing circumstances to poor ſinners * ! You wouldbelothtoleaveacreature'sboſom, acomfortabledwelling, a fair eftate for the beſt friend inthe world; your fouls are loth to leave their bodies, though they have no ſuch great content there; butwhichof you, ifeveryou foundby experience what
G2 * It is admirable that Chriſt ſhould not only put himself out of comfort,but alſo from the enjoyment of that manifeſted glory and honour he might have retained to himself; for he prayeth here for that glory which he had with the Father from the beginning of the world : he had it in right, but not in poffefſſion : he voluntarilydiveſted himself of that to accomplish our redemption.
Burgess on John xvii, 19.
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it is tobe intheboſom ofGodbydivine communion, wouldbe perfuaded to leave ſuch aboſom for all the good that is in the world ? and yet Jeſus Chriſt, who was embraced in that bofom after another mannerthan everyou were acquainted with, freely left it, and laid down theglory and riches he enjoyed there, for your fakes ; andas the Father lovedhim ; evenſo (believers) hath he lovedyou, John xvii. 22. What mannerof love is this ! Who ever loved as Chriſt loves ? Who everdenied himselffor Chrift, as Chrift denied himselffor us ?
Infer. 3. Hence we are informed, That intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt is the true way to all ſpiritual preferment inheaven. Do you covet to be in the heart, in the favour anddelightofGod ?
Get intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, andyou shall preſently be there.
Whatold Ifrael faid ofthe children of his beloved Joſeph, Thy children are my children; the fameGod faith ofall the dear children of Chriſt,Gen. xlviii. 5, 9.
You see among men, all things are carriedby intereſt : perſons riſe in this world as they are befriended ; preferment goes by favour : So 'tis in heaven, perfons are preferred according to their intereſt in the beloved,
Eph. i . 9. Chriſt is the great favourite in heaven : his image uponyour fouls, and hisname in your prayers, makes both ac. cepted withGod.
Infer. 4. How worthy is Jeſus Chriſt of all our love and de lights ?You ſee how infinitely the Father delighteth inhim, how he raviſhes the heart ofGod; and ſhallhe nor raviſh ourhearts ?
I preſent you a Chriſt this day, able to raviſh any foul that willbut view and confider him. O that you did but ſee this
Jovely Lord Jesus Chriſt ! Then would you go home fick of love : furelyhe is a drawing Saviour, John xii. 32. Why do ye laviſh away your precious affections upon vanity ? None but Chriſt is worthy of them when you ſpendyour precious affections upon other objects, what is itbut to dig for droſswith goldenmattocks ? The Lord direct our hearts into the love of Chrift. O thatour hearts, loves anddelights did meet and concentre with the heart ofGod in this moſtbleſſed object ! O let him that left God's boſom for you, be emboſomed by you, though yours be nothing toGod's; he thatleftGod'sboſom for you, deferves yours .
Infer. 5. IfChriſt be the beloveddarling ofthe Father's foul, think what a grievous and unfufferable thing it is to the heart ofGod, to fee his dear Son deſpiſed, flighted, and rejectedby finners : verily, there is nofuch cut to the heart ofGod in the whole world.
Unbelievers trample uponGod's darling, tread underfoothimthateternallylay in his boſom,Heb. x. 29. Smite
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The Fountain of Life. the apple ofhis eye, and howGod willbear this, that parable,
Mat. xxi. 37, to 40. will informyou; ſurely he will miferably destroy ſuchwretched ſinners.
Ifyouwould ſtudy to doGod thegreatest deſpight, there is none like this. What a diſmal word is that ; 1 Cor. xvi. 22. " Ifany man love notour Lord
" Jeſus Chriſt, lethim beAnathema Maranatha," (i. e.) let the great curſe ofGod lie upon that man tillthe Lord come.
finners! you ſhall one day know the price of this fin ; you ſhall feel what it is to deſpiſe a Jeſus, that is able to compel love from the hardestheart. O that you would flight him no more ! O that this dayyour hearts might fall in love with him! I tellyou, ifyou would setyour love to ſale, none bids fo fair foritas Chrift . 2. Use ofExhortation.J
1.To faints : If Chriſt layeternallyinthisboſomoflove, and yetwas content to forſake and leave it foryour ſakes ; then,
(1.) Be you ready to forſake and leave all the comforts you have on earth for Chriſt : famousGalleacius left allfor his enjoyment. Mofes left all the gloryof Eygpt : Peter, and the other apoſtles left all, Luke xviii. 28. But what have we to leave for Chriſt in comparison ofwhathe leftfor us ? Surely Chriſt is thehighest pattern of felf-denial inthe world. (2.) Let this confirm your faith in prayer: if he, that hassuch an intereſt in theheart ofGod, intercede with the Father foryou, then never doubt of audienceand acceptance withhim; ſurely you shall be accepted through the beloved, Eph. i. 6. Chriſt was never de. niedany thing that he asked,John xi. 42. the Father hears him always ; though you are not worthy,Chriſt is, and he ever lives to make interceſſion for you, Heb. vii. 25 .
(3.) Let this encourage thy heart, O faint, in a dying hour, andnot only make thee patient indeath, but in a holy manper impatient till thou be gone ; for whither is thy foul now going, but to that boſom of love whence Chriſt came ? John xvii. 24. " Father, I will that they alſowhom thou haft given
" me, be with me where I am :"" and where is he, but in that boſom of glory and love where he lay before the world was ? verſe 5. O then let every believer encourage his foul ; comfort yeone another with theſe words, Iam leaving the boſomofa creature, I amgoingto the boſom ofGod.
2. To finners, exhorting them to embrace the boſom ſon ofGod: Poor wretches !
Whatever you are, or have been ; whatever guilt or diſcouragement at preſent you lie under, embrace Chriſt, who is freely offered you, and you ſhall be asdear toGod as the holiest and moſt eminent believer in the