1. First, let us enter into a serious consideration of the need we have of Christ, of our misery tvithout him, of our happiness if ice be joined with him. The soul being thus convinced, the affections must needs foUow the sancti- fied judgment.
What will come of it if Christ be set in the highest place in our heart ? If we cro\vn him there, and make him ' King of kings and Lord of lords,' in a hearty submitting of all the affections of the soul to him ? WhUe the soul continues in that frame it cannot be drawn to sin, discomfort, and despair. The honours, pleasures, and profits that are got by base engage- ments to the humours of men, what are these to Christ ? "VVhen the soul is rightly possessed of Christ and of his excellency, it disdains that anything should come in competition with him.
2. Again, it stands firm against all discouragements whatsoever : for it sets Christ against all, who is the ' chief of ten thousand.' The soul in this case will set Christ against the anger and wrath of God, against Satan, and all our spiritual enemies. Christ is the angel of the covenant. Satan is a lion, a roaring lion ; Christ the lion of the tribe of Judah. Satan a serpent, a dragon ; but Christ, the true brazen sei'pent, the very looking upon whom will take away all the stings and fiery darts of Satan v^-hatsoever. Wherefore it is said, 1 John v. 4, that faith is that that * overcometh the world.' How doth faith ovei'come the world ? Because it overcomes all things in the world, as, on the right hand, pleasures and profits and hon- ours, and on the left hand, threatenings, pains, losses, and disgi'aces, by setting Christ against all.
3. Again, if we would have a right judgment and esteem of Christ, let us labour to icean our affections as much as may be from other things. Fleshly hearts that have run so deeply into the world, and vanities of this present life, it is in a sort an extraordinary task for them to be drawn away and pulled from the world, as a child from a full breast, which they have sucked 80 long. Now, for sweet affections that are tender, it is an excellent ad- vantage they have to consider betimes that there is that in religion and in the gospel which is worth their best and prime affections, the flower and marrow of them. Let them begin, with young Timothy, 2 Tim. iii. 15, Daniel, and Joseph, to love Christ from their childhood. It is a desperate folly, on the other hand, to put ofi" the regard of good things till after, when we shall be less fit, when the understanding vnll be darkened, and the affec- tions blunted, when we shall not have that edge, nature being decayed, and the world having taken such possession of the soul that we shall not value this excellency. Therefore let us begin betimes to make up the marriage between Christ and the soul. No time, indeed, is too late, but it were to be wished that those that are young would be thus wise for their souls betimes.
4. Besides, if we would highly value Christ, beg of God a spirit that we VOL. u. K
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may jiuhje arufht of our corruptions, for in ivhat measure we can discern the height, and breadth, and depth of our con-upt nature, in that measure shall we jud/fe of the height, and breadth, and depth of the excellency of Christ. The sweetest souls are the most humble souls. Those that love Christ most are those that have been stung most with the sense of their sins. Where sin most abounds in the sense and feeling of it, grace much more abounds in the sense and feeling of that, Rom. v. 20. Did ever soul love Christ more than that woman that had so many devils cast out of her ? Lake viii. 2. And Paul, that had such great sins forgiven ? Doth any man so love his creditor as he that hath much debt forgiven him ? It is our Saviour Christ's own reason. Therefore these two go always with the true chm'ch. 1. The true knowledge of the corruption of nature, and miseiy by reason of it ; and 2. The true sense and feeling of it, with true and hearty sorrow for it, &c. In popery they shght original sin, that mother, breeding sin. Actual sins be venial, and many sms no sins. And therefore they esteem so slightly of Christ that they join saints, the pope, works and satisfaction with him. Because they know not the depth of the malady, how black sin is, what a cursed estate we are in by nature, they have slight, shallow, and weak conceits of sin. Therefore they have an- swerable weak and shallow conceits of Christ and of his righteousness and excellency. Therefore the conviction of our sins goeth before the conviction of righteousness in Christ, as it is said, ' The Holy Ghost shall convince the world of sin and then of righteousness,' John xvi. 8. For except the soul be convinced of sin, and of ill in itself, it will never be truly convinced of good and of righteousness in Christ.