By jealousy, we must understand her fears and suspicions of coming short of Christ and his love ; q. d. What if after all I should be deceived ? What if Jesus Christ do not love me with a special love ? O these fears and suspicions are intolerable torments to her; she cannot bear them : they arc cruel as the grave ; insufferable as coals of fire, which have a most vehement flame ; q. d. Lord, if thou leave me in the midst of these jealousies of thy love, I shall be but a torment to myself; I shall live as one upon the rack, or in the flames. Hence the note is,
Doct. That there is nothing in this world, which true Christians more earnestly desire, than to he zvell assured and satisfied of the love of Jesus Christ to their souls.
In the meditation of this point, two things must be enquired into :
1. Why this assurance is so desirable.
2. How it may be obtained.
1. Why the assurance of the love of Christ is so desirable in the «yes of true Christians. And among others, there are two things that especially make it so : viz.
1. The sweetness of its enjoyment. % The difficulty of its attainment. The sw^eetness of its enjoyment, which is inexpressible, and incon- ceivable ; for it is a mercy above all estimation. It is,
1. The riches of faith.
2. The rest and ease of the heart.
3. The pleasure of life.
4. A cordial at death.
5. A sweet support in all troubles.
1. It is the very riches of faith, the most pleasant fruit which grows upon the top branches of faith. The scripture tells us of an assurance of understanding, hope, and faith. All these graces are precious in themselves ; but the assurance of each of them is the most sweet and pleasant part. Knowledge, above knowledge, is the full assurance of knowledge : hope above hope, is the full assurance of hope : and faith above faith, is the full assurance of faith. The least and lowest act of saving faith is precious, and above all value ; what then must the highest and most excellent acts of faith be ? Certainlv, Vol. VI. F f
452 SACRAMENTAL MEDITATION."?.
there is a sweetness in the assurance of faith, that few men have the privilege to taste ; and they that do, can find no words able to ex- press it to another's understanding. The weakest Christian is exalt- ed above all other men ; but the assured Christian hath a preference before all other Christians.
2. It is heart's ease ; the very sabbath and sweet repose of the soul. Thousands of poor Christians would part with all they possess in this world, to enjoy it ; but it flies from them. The life that most of them live, is a life betwixt hopes and fears ; their interest in Christ is very doubtful to them. Sometimes they are encouraged, from sen- sible workings of grace ; then all is dashed again, by the contrary stirrings and v/orkings of their own corruptions. Now the sun shines out clear, by and by the heavens are overcast and clouded again : but the assured Christian is at rest, from those tormenting fears and jealousies which my text speaks of, that are as cruel as the grave, and as insufferable as coals of fire in a man's bosom. He can take Christ into the arms of faith, and say, ' My beloved is mine, and I am his. Return to thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee !'
3. It is the pleasure of life ; yea, the most rational, pure, and transporting pleasure. What is life without pleasure ? And what pleasure is there in the vv^orld, comparable to this plesure ? For let the sealed and assured believer consider, and compare ; and he must needs find a joy and plesure, beyond the joy of the whole earth. If he consider well what he is assured of, it is no common mercy, but Christ himself, and his love ; a mercy incomprehensible by men or angels : Eph. iii. 19. Put Christ into the sensible possession of a be- liever, and joy is no more under his command for that time : he can- not forbear to rejoice; and especially when his thoughts are exercised in comparing states and conditions ; either his own with other men's, or his own now, with what it was, and what it shall be. To think with thyself thus, I am assured of Christ, and his love : my interest in him is sealed ; but this is a mercy few enjoy besides me. There be millions of souls of equal value with mine by nature, that shall never enjoy such a mercy as this. Yea, the time was, when I myself was far from it, in my unregenerated state. Lord, how is it I had not then been sealed to damnation ? O, it is well with me for the present, that I can call Christ my own ; and yet it will be better and better : my condition will mend every day. I am now in Christ ; and it is but a little while, before I shall be with Christ, and arrive at the full satisfaction of ray very heart. O, what pleasure doth every glance, backward or forward, give to the sealed soul.
4. It is a cordial in death ; and there is none like it. This will make the soul triumph over the grave, take death cheerfully by the cold hand, welcome its grim messengers, and long to be gone, and be with Christ. Dark and doubting Christians may indeed shrink back from it, anfl be afraid of the exchange; but the assured soul longs to
SAOllAMENTAL MEDITATIONS. 45S
be gone, and needs patience to live, as other men do to die. When one was asked, if he were wiUing to die.^ his answer was, IlUus est nolle niori, qui nolit ire ad Christum ; Let him be loth to die, that is loth to go to Christ : The sugar of assurance sweetens the bitter cup of death, and makes it delectable to a believer's relish.
5. In a word it is a sweet support, in all tho troubles and afflic- tions on this side the grave. Let the assured soul be cast into what condition the Lord pleases ; be it upon a bed of sickness ; yet this gives his soul such support and comfort, that he shall not say, I am sick. Sin being forgiven, the soul is well, when the body is in pain, Isa. xxxiii. 24. Let him be cast into a prison, here is that which will turn a prison into a paradise, Acts v. 41. Let him be pinched with outward want ; this will supply all : " As having nothing, and yet possessing " all things,"' 2 Cor. vi. 10. Thus you see how desirable it is for its own excellency.
2. And as it is desirable for the sweetness of its own enjoyment, so also from the difficulty of its attainment. All excellencies are locked up under many difficulties; but none like this. It is indeed easy to presume an interest in Christ, and cheat a man's own soul with a dream and fancy of our own creation ; but it is hard to get a sealed clear title to Christ and his benefits. And there be, among others, three things that make it difficult.