' " Istliuc est sapere, noii quod ante pedes inodo est, Viileic; si'd etiaiii ilia cjiia^ futtira sunt, Prospicere." — Tereu. Adelpli. 3, .1, 3.3. » Isa. xxix. 14, xlvii. 10; .)er. xlix. 7; Ubad. 8. ' " Prudeiis fiittiri tempiiris cxitum Calif^inosa noct*; prcniit Deus : Ridetquo, si inortalis ultra
Fas trcpidat."— ILonit., Od. iii. 2.% 29.
OF COMMUNION WITH THE SQN JESUS CHEIST. 117
I shall not need to give any more instances to manifest the in- sufficiency of this wisdom for the attaining of its own peculiar and immediate end. This is the vanity of any thing whatever, — that it comes short of the mark it is directed unto. It is far, then, from being tiTie and solid wisdom, seeing on the forehead thereof you may read " Disappointment."
And this is the first reason why true wisdom cannot consist in either of these, — because they come short even of the particular and immediate ends they aim at. But, —
Secondly, Both these in conjunction, with then utmost improve- ment, are not able to reach the true general end of wisdom. This assertion also falleth under an easy demonstration, and it were a facile thing to discover their disability and unsuitableness for the true end of wisdom ; but it is so professedly done by him who had the largest portion of both of any of the sons of men (Solomon in his Preacher), that I shall not any farther insist upon it.
To draw, then, unto a close : — if true and solid wisdom is not in the least to be found amongst these, if the pearl be not hid in this field, if these two are but vanity and disappointment, it cannot but be to no purpose to seek for it in any thing else below, — these being amongst them incomparably the most excellent ; and therefore, with one accord, let us set the crown of this wisdom on the head of the Lord Jesus.
Let the reader, then, in a few words, take a view of the tendency of this whole digression. To draw our hearts to the more cheerful entertainment of and delight in the Lord Jesus, is the aim thereof. If all wisdom be laid up in him, and by an interest in him only to be attained, — if all things beside him and without him that lay claim thereto are folly and vanity, — let them that would be wise learn where to repose their souls.
CHAPTER IV.
Of communion with Christ in a conjugal relation in respect of consequential affec- tions— His delight in his saints first insisted on, Isa. Ixii. 5; Cant. iii. II; Prov. viii. 21 — Instance of Christ's delight in believers — He reveals his whole heart to them, John xv. 14, 15; himself, I John xiv. 21; his kingdom; enables them to communicate their mind to him, giving them assistance, a way, boldness, Rom. viii. 26, 27 — The saints delight in Christ ; this mani- fested Cant. ii. 7, viii. 6 — Cant. iii. 1-5, opened — Their delight in his servants and ordinances of worship for his sake.
^The communion begun, as before declared, between Christ and the soul, is in the next place earned on by suitable conseque7itial
' The division to which reference is here made will be found on page 56. The figure [2.J should have been inserted at the head of this chapter, to correspond
118 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
affections, — affections suiting such a relation. Christ having given himself to the soul, loves the soul; and the soul having given itself unto Christ, loveth him also. Christ loves his own, yea, " loves them to the end," John xiii. 1 ; and the saints they love Christ, they " love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity," Eph. vi. 24.
Now the love of Christ, wherewith he follows his saints, consists in these four things : — I. Delight. II. Valuation. III. Pity, or compassion. IV. Bounty. The love, also, of the saints unto Christ may be re- ferred to these four heads : — Delight ; Valuation ; Chastity ; Duty.
Two of these are of the same kind, and two distinct; as is required in this relation, wherein all things stand not on equal terms.
I. The first thing on the jDart of Christ is delight. Delight is the flowing of love and joy, — the^ rest and complacence of the mind in a suitable, desirable good enjoyed. Now, Christ delights exceedingly in his saints : " As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee," Isa. Ixii. 5. Hence he calleth the day of his espousals, the day of the "gladness of his heart," Cant. iii. 11. It is known that usually this is the most unmixed delight that the sons of men are in their pilgrimage made partakers of. The delight of the bridegroom in the day of his espousals is the height of what an expression of delight can be carried unto. This is in Christ answer- able to the relation he takes us into. His heart is glad in us, Avithout sorrow. And every day whilst we live is his luedding-day. It is said of him, Zeph. iii. 17, " The Lord thy God in the midst of thee" (that is, dwelling amongst us, taking our nature, John i. 14) " is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing;" which is a full descrip- tion of delight, in all the parts of it, — ;joy and exultation, rest and complacence. " I rejoiced," saitli he, " in the habitable parts of the earth, and my dehghts were with the sons of men," Pro v. viii. 81. The thoughts of communion with the saints were the joy of his heart from eternity. On the compact and agreement that was between his Father and him, that he should divide a portion with the strong, and save a remnant for his inheritance, his soul rejoiced in the thoughts of that pleasure and delight which he would take in them, when he should actually take them into communion with himself. Therefore in the pi-ecoding verse it is said he was by him as Ii^^ ; say we, " As one brought up with him," " alumnus;" the LXX render it ap,«,o^ou(ra* and the Latin, Avith most other translations, " cuncta componens," or " disponens." The word taken actively, signifies him Avhom another