' Acts xxiii. 1. ' Jlom. x 2, 3. ' Acts xxvi, 7.
« John ix. -10; liom. ix. 30, 31. » Isa. xlv. 24.
OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST. 1S9
things that thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her." It is of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the eternal Wisdom of tlie Father, that the Holy Ghost speaks; as is evident from the description which is given hereof, chap. viii. He and his ways are better than silver and gold, rubies, and all desirable things; as in the gospel he likens him- self to the^ " pearl in the field," which when the merchantman finds, he sells all that he hath, to purchase. All goes for Christ; — all right- eousness without him, all ways of religion, all goes for that one pearl. The glory of his Deity, the excellency of his person, his all-conquer- ing desirableness, ineffable love, wonderful undertaking, unspeakable condescensions, effectual mediation, complete righteousness, lie in their eyes, ravish their hearts, fill their affections, and possess their souls. And this is the second mutual conjugal affection between Christ and believers; all which, on the part of Christ, may be re- ferred unto two heads: —
1. All that he parted withal, all that he did, all that he suffered, all that he doth as mediator; he parted withal, did, suffered, doth, on the account of his ^love to and esteem of believers. He parted with the greatest glory, he underwent the gi-eatest misery, he doth the greatest works that ever were, because he loves his spouse, — be- cause he values believers. What can more, what can farther be spoken ? how little is the depth of that which is spoken fathomed ! how unable are we to look into the mysterious recesses of it! He so loves, so values his saints, as that, having from eternity undertaken to bring them to God, he rejoices his soul in the thoughts of it; and pursues his design through heaven and hell, life and death, by suffering and doing, in mercy and with power; and ceaseth not until he bring it to perfection. For, —
2. He doth so value them, as that he will not lose any of them to eternity, though all the world should combine to take them out of his hand. When in the days of his flesh he foresaw what opposi- tion, what danger, what rocks they should meet withal, he cried out, " Holy Father, keep them," John xvii. 1 1 ; — " Let not one of them be lost;" and tells us plainly, John x. 28, that no man shall take his sheep out of his hand. And because he was then in the form of a servant, and it might be sujDposed that he might not be able to hold them, he tells them true, as to his present condition of carrying on the work of mediation, his "Father was greater than he;"^ and therefore to him he committed them, and none should take them out of his Father's hand, John x. 29. And whereas the world, afflictions, and
' Matt. xiii. 45, 46. " Principium culmenque omnium rerum jnctii, margaritgB tenent." — Plin.
2 Gal. ii. 20; Jolm xiii. 34; Rev. i. 5, 6; Eph. v. 25, 2G; Ileb. x. 9, 10.
3 Jolm xiv. 28.
liO OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHlilST.
persecutions, wliicli are witliout, may be conquered, and yet no secu- rity given but that sin from within, by the assistance of Satan, may prevail against them to their ruin ; as he hath provided against Satan, in his promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against them, so he hath taken care that sin itself shall not destroy them. Herein, indeed, is the depth of his love to be contemplated, that whereas his holy soul hates every sin (it is a burden, an abomination, a new wound to him), and his poor spouse is sinful (believers are full of sins, fail- ings, and infirmities), he hides all, covers all, bears with all, rather than he will lose them ; by his power preserving them from such sins as a remedy is not provided for in the covenant of grace. Oh, the world of sinful follies that our dear Lord Jesus bears withal on this account! Ai-e not our own souls astonished with the thoughts of it? Infinite patience, infinite forbearance, infinite love, infinite grace, infinite mercy, are all set on work for this end, to answer this his valuation of us.
On our part it may also be refen-ed to two heads: —
1. That, upon the discovery of him to our souls, they rejoice to ^part with all things wherein they have delighted or reposed their confidence, for him, and his sake, that they may enjoy him. Sin a)id lust, pleasure and profit, righteousness and duty, in their several conditions, all shall go, so they may have Christ.
2. That they are willing to part with all things rather than with ^ him, when they do enjoy him. To think of parting Avith peace, health, liberty, relations, wives, children; it is offensive, heavy, and grievous to the best of the saints: but their souls cannot bear the thoughts of parting with Jesus Christ ; such a thought is cruel as the grave. The worst thoughts that, in any fear, ^in desertions, they have of'* hell, is, that they shall not enjoy Jesus Christ. So they may enjoy him here, hereafter be like him, be ever with him, stand in his pre- sence; they can part with all things freely, cheerfully, be tliey ne\ex so beautiful, in reference to this life or that which is to come.