Obj. Oh ! may some say, this is but a speculation, — Christ is yom-s. A man may want and be in misery for all that.
Alls. No ; it is a reality. Christ is ours, and all things else are ours. He that can command all things is mine. Why then, do I want other things ? Because he sees they are not for my good. If they were, he would not withhold them from me. If there were none to be had without a miracle, no comfort, no friends, he could and would make new out of nothing, nay, out of contraries, were it not better for me to be without them.
Use 3. That you may the more fully feed on this comfort, study the excel- lencies of Christ in the Scripture, the riches and honour that he hath, the favour he is in with his Father, with the intercession that he makes in heaven, John xvii. Study his mercy, goodness, oflices, power, &c., and then come home to yom-selves, ' All this is mine, for he is mine ; the love of God is mine.' God loves him, and therefore he loves me, because we are both one. He loves me with, the same love that he loves his Son. Thus we should make use of this, that Christ is ours. I come to the second. , ' I am my beloved's.'
This is a speech of reflection, second in nature, though fii'st in place and * That is, ' contentment.' — G. j That is, ' additions.' — G.
Cakt. YL. 3.] ' I AM 3IY belo\t:d's.' 179
in discovery to us. Sometimes we can know our own love, when we feel not so much the love of Chiist, but Christ's love must be there first. ' 1 am my beloved's,' 1 John iv. 19. How are we Christ's beloved ?
1. We are his, first of all, by his Father's r/ if t ; for God in his eternal pm-pose gave him for us, and gives us to him, as it is in the excellent prayer, 'Father, thine they were, and thougavest them me,' John xvii. 6. I had not them of myself first, but thine they were before all worlds were. Thou gavest them me to redeem them, and my commission doth not extend beyond thy gift. I die for all those that thou gavest me. I sanctify myself for them, that they may be sanctified. So we are Chi-ist's in hia Father's gift. But that is not all, though it be the chief, fundamental, principal ground of all.
For, 2. We are his likewise by redemption. Christ took our nature, that he might die for us, to purchase us. We cost him dear. We are a bloody spouse to Chi-ist. As that fi-oward woman wrongfully said to Moses, ' Thou art a bloody husband unto me,' Exod. iv. 25, so Cluist may without wrong say to the chm-ch, ' Thou art a spouse of blood to me.' We were, indeed, to be his spouse, but first he must win us by conquest in regard of Satan, and then satisfy justice. We were ia such debt by sin, lying under God's wrath, so as, till all debts were paid, we could not in the way of justice be given as a spouse to Christ.
3. Nor is this all ; but we are Christ's by marriage also. For when he purchased us, and paid so dear for us, when he died and satisfied di\dne justice, he did it with a pui-pose to marry us to himself. We have nothing to bring him but debt and misery ; yet he took upon him our natm'e to discharge all, that he might many us, and take us to himself. So we are his by marriage.
4. Then again, we are his by consent. We have passed ourselves over unto him. He hath given himself to us, and we have given om-selves to him back again. To come to some use of it, if we be Christ's, as Christ is ours.
Use 1. First, it is a point oi tvondrous comfort. God will not sufi"er his own to want. He is worse than an infidel that will sufier his family to perish. "When we are once of Christ's family, and not only of his family, but of his body, his spouse, can we think he will sufier us to want that which is needful ?
2. Then again, as it comforts us against want, so it Hkewise fenceth us against all the accusations of Satan. I am Christ's ; I am Christ's. If he have anything to say, lo ! we may bid him go to Chiist. If the creditor comes to the wife, she is not liable to pay her own debts, but saith, Go to my husband. So in all temptations, learn hence to send Satan whither he should be sent. When we cannot answer hun, send him to Christ.
3. And for the time to come, what a ground of comfort is this, that we are Christ's, as well as he is ours. What a plea doth this put into our mouths for all things that are beneficial to us. ' Lord, I am thine ; save me,' saith the psalmist. Why ? ' Save me, because I am thine, I am thine ; Lord, teach me and direct me,' Ps. xxvii. 11, The husband is to direct the spouse. The head should direct all the senses. All the trea- sures of wisdom are in Christ, as all the senses ai'e in the head for the good of the body. All fuhiess dwells in him. Therefore, plead with him, I want wisdom ; teach me and instruct me how to behave myself in troubles, in dangers, in fears. U it be an argument strong enough amongst men,