Therefore let us consider how we hear those things. It concerns us
144 BOWELS OPENED. [SeEMON XV.
nearly. On the one side we see what we get if we join with Christ ; we have him and his. On the contrary, we lose him ; and not only so, but we gain eternal misery, and perish eternally. 0 what baseness of mind possesseth us ! Christ left all things in love to us, and we leave Christ for any paltry thing in the world ; almost to please and content the humours of sinful men, to attain a few empty titles, to get a little wealth, enjoy a httle pleasure. You see then the equity of that tenible commination* that you have, ' If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maran-atha,' 1 Cor. xvi. 22. Let him be accursed for ever that loves not the Lord Jesus Christ. If any man sin there is a remedy to discharge his sin in Jesus Christ, if he will marry him and take him ; but when Christ is offered and we will have none of him, we sin against the gospel ; and then there is no remedy ; there is nothing but ' Anathema and Maran-atha.' Therefore the most dangerous sins of all, are those against the light of the gospel ; when yet we choose rather to live as we list, than to join ourselves to Christ. To this purpose, Heb. ii., St Paul makes an use of the first chapter, wherein he sets out the excellency of Christ, whom the angels adore. He is so beautiful, so lovely that God the Father is in love with him, and pronounceth, ' This is my beloved Son,' Mat. iii. 17. In the be- ginning of the second chapter, ' Wherefore,' saith he, ' how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; for if they escaped not that despised Moses' law, &c., how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' Heb. ii. 3. He says not, if we oppose Christ, but if we neglect him, if we do not love so great salvation ; as 2 Thess. i. 8, it is said, ' Christ will come in flaming fire to take vengeance of all those that do not Imow God, and obey not thd gospel of Christ,' though they do not persecute it.
Use 1. Therefore this reproves all civil, moral persons that think they have riches enough. Not only debauched persons, but self-sufficient persons, that think they have any righteousness of their own. Let them know that ' Christ shall come in flaming fire, to take vengeance of such.' This is the scope of the second psalm, which ye know sets out the excellency of Chi'ist, ' I have set my king upon Zion,' Ps. ii. 6. God the Father there anoints Christ king of the church. To what end ? ' That we should kiss the Son,' kiss him with the kiss of subjection, as subjects do their prince ; with the kiss of love, as the spouse doth her husband ; and with the kiss of faith. But what if we do not kiss him, and subject ourselves to him, love him, and believe in him ? ' If his wrath be once kindled, happy are ail those that trust in him.' He is a lamb, but such a one as can be angry. It is said, ' The kings and gi'eat persons of the world fly from the wrath of the Lamb,' Rev. vi. 16. He that is so sweet, mild, and gentle, if we join with him, on the contrary, if we come not unto him, we shall find the wrath of the Lamb a terrible Avrath, which the gi-eatest potentates in the world shall desire to be hid from. ' If his wrath be once kindled, blessed are all those that trust in him,' and woe be to them that do not receive him.
Use 2. For us that profess ourselves to be in Chiist, and to be joined to him that is thus excellent, let us make this use, to make him the rule of our choice in other things. In the choice of friends, choose such as are friends to Christ. Take heed of society with idolaters, or with profane, wretched persons. If you will be joined to Christ, and profess yourselves to be so, then let us join to none but those that we can enjoy and Christ too. So in marriage, let the rule of choice be the love of Christ. And likewise, let the measure of our respect to all things be the respect to Christ. Let us * That is, • denunciation, threatening.' — G.
Cant. V. 10.] ' the chiefest among ten thousand. 145
measure our love to wife and children, to kindred, friends, and to all crea- tures whatsoever, as it may stand with love to Christ. Obey in the Lord, marry in the Lord, do all things in the Lord, so as may stand with the love and allowance of the Lord, 1 Cor. vii. 39, 40.
Use 3. Make also a use of direction, hoiv to come to value Christ thus, as to keep an high esteem of him. For this follows infallibly and undeniably, if Christ be ' the chief of ten thousand,' he must have the chief of our affections ' above ten thousand.' For, as he is in excellency, he must have place in our hearts answerable thereunto ; for then our souls are as they should be, when they judge of, and affect things as they are in themselves.