this is the highest pitch, that Saint Paul speaks of, 1We that are alive, and remain, saith he, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, and meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we be ever with the Lord: thus the soul thinks, when will that day come, that I may never be with sin more, never with the world more, never with corruptions more, never with base company more? but with that mercy, and that Spirit, and that grace, and with that Christ, for ever and ever; this is the guise of the soul, and the frame of the heart, that is kindled in sound love to the Lord Jesus; nay such is the strong and gluing nature of true love, that it will make a man be with the thing beloved, though he be in never so great misery. When ⟨p. 260⟩Jacobs sons came, and told him that Joseph was slain, Jacob was grievously distressed, because he loved him dearly; now mark what the text saith, All his sons and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted; and said, I will go down into the grave to my son Joseph; he would rather be in the grave, than not to be with Joseph; and he will go down into the grave, that he may be with him: so the wife that loves her husband, when he is in prison, she will be there with him, she is sorry that it should be so with her husband, but she will rather be in the prison with him, than want his company: so an humble soul that hath his heart kindled in earnest and sound affection to Christ, is content even to go into the grave with the Lord Jesus, yea into prison with the Lord Jesus; let me be with Christ, saith he, though I be in persecution; let me be with the Lord Jesus, though I be in dishonour: it is a grief to the soul if Christ be so; but a greater grief, if he may not be with him where he is: 2when the spouse had wanted her bridegroom a great while, and at last the Lord was pleased to reveal himself unto her, she fastens upon him, and rests contented with him and desires no more; my beloved is mine, and I am his; as who should say, thou art mine, and I am thine, let the world think what it will, I am thy wife, and thou art my husband: so saith the soul, Christ is mine, and I am his, and if I may have more of that grace and holiness which is in Christ, I have enough, I desire no more, but ⟨p. 261⟩without that I cannot be contented, I cannot be satisfied.
this is the highest pitch, that Saint Paul speakes of, 1We that are alive, and remaine, saith he, shall bee caught up together with them in the clouds, and meet the Lord in the aire, and so shall wee bee ever with the Lord: thus the soule thinkes, when will that day come, that I may never be with sinne more, never with the world more, never with corruptions more, never with base company more? but with that mercie, and that Spirit, and that grace, and with that Christ, for ever and ever; this is the guise of the soule, and the frame of the heart, that is kindled in sound love to the Lord Jesus; nay such is the strong and gluing nature of true love, that it will make a man bee with the thing beloved, though hee bee in never so great misery. When ⟨p. 260⟩Iacobs sonnes came, and told him that Ioseph was slaine, Iacob was grievously distressed, because he loved him deerely; now marke what the text saith, All his sonnes and daughters rose up to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted; and said, I will goe downe into the grave to my sonne Ioseph; he would rather be in the grave, than not to be with Ioseph; and hee will goe downe into the grave, that he may be with him: so the wife that loves her husband, when hee is in prison, shee will bee there with him, shee is sorry that it should bee so with her husband, but shee will rather bee in the prison with him, than want his company: so an humble soule that hath his heart kindled in earnest and sound affection to Christ, is content even to goe into the grave with the Lord Jesus, yea into prison with the Lord Jesus; let mee bee with Christ, saith he, though I be in persecution; let me be with the Lord Jesus, though I be in dishonour: it is a griefe to the soule if Christ bee so; but a greater griefe, if he may not be with him where hee is: 2when the spouse had wanted her bridegroome a great while, and at last the Lord was pleased to reveale himselfe unto her, she fastens upon him, and rests contented with him and desires no more; my beloved is mine, and I am his; as who should say, thou art mine, and I am thine, let the world thinke what it will, I am thy wife, and thou art my husband: so saith the soule, Christ is mine, and I am his, and if I may have more of that grace and holinesse which is in Christ, I have enough, I desire no more, but ⟨p. 261⟩without that I cannot be contented, I cannot be satisfied.
- 11 Thess. 4.
- 2Cant. 2.6.
