not only no need of such a publick confession but it may be of a greater mischief and ill consequence then good by reason of a wicked world which watcheth for Gods Peoples haltings to reproach profession and the holy name of God Though therefore in such cases private Confession even of more private sins may be necessary and expedient yet it ought to be managed with prudence as to the manner that is in the best consistency with the end to which it is directed and for the avoiding such things as may tend to the dishonour of God and disadvantage of the more publick interest and cause of God and therefore much wisdom is to be used in the choice of a friend in this case for though Solomon hath advised us Pro. 25. 9 To debate our case with our Neighbour yet in the next words he hath added discover not thy secret to another thereby informing us that Neighbour in that Text is not to be expounded in that latitude as in the Parable concerning him who fell amongst Thieves Every one no not every good man is to be trusted with the Secrets of Souls Considering the end of this action and the great thing that is to be avoided in the performance of it Three things seem requisite in the choice of a private Christian to whom a prudent Christian may thus unbosom himself 1. Silence and Secrecy 2. Knowledge and Wisdom 3. One of whom we may presume that he hath some more then ordinary interest in God 1. I say first Silence and Secrecy Your ordinary experience telleth you that even amongst good men some have a much better command and government of their tongue then others and as it is observable that such fall into more errors themselves then others for in a multitude of words there wanteth not sin so such persons are least to be trusted with the Secrets of Souls 2. Secondly he that confesseth his faults to another doth it in order to his advice and counsel this maketh knowledge and spiritual wisdom requisite in the person whom we chuse to unbosom our selves in this manner unto every man who hath knowledge enough to guide his own Soul in the ways of God yet hath not knowledge judgment or experience enough to give spiritual advice and counsel to his Brother 3. If this Confession be made in order to obtaining the benefit of prayers the same wisdom will direct us to make choice of such as we can reasonably judge to be persons likely to prevail with God in prayer there are some that are more mighty in the Scriptures more exercised in the ways of God then others these are most fit for advice and counsel There are some that are more exercised in prayer then others and more prevailing with God these are fittest to hear our Confessions in order to our advantage by their prayers and these generally are such as walk most uprightly and closely with God The Lord heareth not sinners but if any man be a Worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth John 9. 31. The prayer of the upright saith Solomon is his delight Secondly As there is a great deal of prudence to be observed in the choice of Persons to whom we own and acknowledge our blackness so there is a great deal of piety and charity to be shewed in the manner of the doing of it That which of charity is to be shewen in it is to do it where the Soul of our Brother may be advantaged by the performance of it That of piety which is to be shewed in its Eyes 1. In a right sixing of our end which ought to be the glory of God the general end of all our actions When Joshua exhorted Achan to confess his sin My Son saith he confess and give glory unto God you read in Scripture of a confession of the Lords name a confession of truth and a confession of sin The glory of God is the end of all that is the praedication of his glory for that is all the way we have to glorify God A man by confession of his sins either unto God or men may give glory to God for in confeffing himself a sinner he owned the Lords Power and Soveraignty over him the Holiness and Righteousness of his Law and his patience long-suffering and goodness that he is not cut off and thrown into Hell and indeed there is no confession of sin our duty where this end cannot be attained some way or other God doth not delight in the shame and confusion of our faces but he doth delight in the exalting of his own name and in the praedication of his own praise and glory 2. Secondly Piety is concerned in the manner of the action So it must be doá¹…e with tenderness of heart brokenness and contrition of Spirit indeed without this the enumeration and recital of our sins is but either a glorying in sin or at best but a formaltty and shell of duty A glorying in sin is but a glorying in our shame and what will be far from the Soul of a Child of God A formality of duty is but hypocrisy It is a great vanity for any Soul to think that God should be pleased with a meer empty noise of words which are not expressive of any inward disposition of the heart in which he hath declared himself pleas'd Words in prayer and confession of sins are our duty but they must be such words as are thrust out of our lips by the force of the inward affections of our hearts If a man confesseth his sin unto God either publickly or privately this is requisite Therefore you shall observe that the main thing which God requires is our humbling our selves that signifieth the affection of the heart A man cannot humble himself by the words of his lips without the inward shame and brokenness of his Soul The same thing is necessary in our confessions unto men Under the old law there was Oyl and Frankincense to be poured upon the Meat Offering Lev. 2. 2. and several other Offerings as you will read in that Book but upon the Sin Offering there was no Oyl nor Frankincense to be put Lev. 5. 11. Oyl signified Gladness hence you read that they used it when they would make their Face to Shine and you read of the Oyl of Gladness the Confession of Sin under the Gospel is a Sin Offering to God and must not be offered without a sutable sense and Sorrow of Heart This is a requisite in all Confessions of Sin Lastly We ought with the acknowledgment of our Blackness whether to God or Man to join also the acknowledgment of our Comeliness so far as God hath made any discovery of it to our Souls we ought not indeed to Glory beyond our line and measure but we ought not to conceal what God hath done for our Souls In this both the Glory and Honour of God and the good and incouragement of our dejected and disconsolate Brethren are both concerned nor
see your good works Shew me thy saith by thy works faith James Faith without works is dead It were endless to reckon up the several Texts of Scripture by which God hath directed the Government of our Tongues our Eyes our Ears our Hands our Feet In short the several Precepts for good works are all proofs of this 2. It must be so if we consider what influence the heart and will affections have upon our whole outward man commanding all the outward members out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh from the dictates of the heart the Eye looketh the hand moveth the mouth speaketh the Feet turn this or that way So that if the Tree be good the fruit must be good also the Fig-tree brings not forth thistles nor the Vine thorns A naughty tongue eye hand foot is a certain indication of a corrupt and naughty heart 3. The â—â—liever is made conformable to Christ He went up and down doing good finishing the work which his Father had given him to do glorifying his Father on Earth doing his will manifesting his name no guile was found in his mouth no iniquity in his hand No iniquity towards God no unrighteousness towards men 4. See the Patterns of holy men upon Scriptural record Abraham and David all the holy Servants of God you will find their holiness did not lye only in the obedience of their heart but of their whole external converse a strict walking with God in obedience to his will 5. Observe the promises of God they are not onely made to Faith and Love and the more inward habits of the mind but to external acts such as Prayer hearing the Word Sanctification of the Sabbath shewing mercy to the poor doing justly walking righteously 6. The descriptions of holy men also make out this They are described to be men fearing God and eschewing evil walking in the Commandments of God Working righteousness all which expressions signify that a believer must not only be internally holy but externally so also Lastly the end which they serve shews also a necessity of it they are lights to inlighten the World and therefore they must not be hid under bushels They are Salt to season the World and therefore must be exposed to their use their end is to glorify God before men which cannot be without an external as well as an internal holiness thus the first thing appeareth I have passed over these things easy enough to have been extended into a much larger discourse Because it is a point so exceeding obvious and indeed agreed by all men The 2d thing is that holiness is a believers beauty it is so in the Eyes of Christ which is here spoken of Nor is this of any thing more difficult demonstration then the other What is that which we call beauty but an amiable external appearance of a Person arising from a Symmetry of parts a due mixture and Proportion of colours in conformity to some Original Pattern or Idea A Christians Original Pattern is God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be you holy at your Heavenly Father is holy As I am holy saith the holy Writ What can be a Christians beauty but his conformity to God and that amiableness which ariseth from that All Spiritual beauty is to be measured from the symmetry of the Soul to the divine law That which makes the Soul amiable to God and to all those who are like God This is holiness But I shall sum up all in some few Words of application I shall first observe from hence two or three Corollaries for our instruction then close all with a few words of exhortation Observe then That it is not enough for one that owneth the name of a believer to glory in a good inside There goeth a good outside as well as a good inside to make up a good Christian There are 2 Sorts of hypocrites and I am at loss with my self to determine which is worst The first sort glory in appearance but not in reality The Pharisees were of this Sort they were painted Sepulchers they made clean the outside of the platter of this Sort are men that pretend much to acts of devotion praying fasting hearing and acts of righteousness toward men and perhaps charity but are without any true faith in God or love to God full of malice and envy and cruelty and covetousness these are Pharisaical Hypocrites The 2d are such as will pretend to a good inside but they have a bad outside These men bite and devour their brethren lye and cheat and defraud and oppress neglect duties of Religion c. And yet tell you they have a good heart they have faith in God Love to God c. Thou Hypocrite shew me thy faith by thy works thy pretended Love to God by thy keeping his commandments Truly of the two these are the worst they pretend to holiness but which way will you look for it What notion of holiness have these men taken up Will you look for it in their conscientious constant attendance upon duties of publick Worship there you see their places empty or if they be filled observe their behaviour they are prating or sleeping or sporting or with their Eyes compassing the whole congregation Will you look for it in their private families There it may be you may hear the voice of Cursing or Swearing or reviling but the voice of Praying of reading the Word of those that sing praise unto God is seldom or never heard in their Houses Will you look for their holiness in their behaviour toward men you shall there find neither Justice nor Charity cheating defrauding Oppression cruelty hard-hearted behaviour c. Yet they will tell you they have good hearts Either now these men have Souls not like other mens Souls that have no command of their tongues and hands c. Or else they speak falsely I say these are of all others the Vilest Hypoerites 1. Because they have nothing good the first mentioned do some good things materially good they read fast pray walk justly give alms But these wretches have nothing do nothing at all that is good There is nothing good in their lives and that assureth us there 's nothing good in their hearts 2. These men do much more hurt then others do these are they that cause the name of God to be Blaâ—â—â—emed and evil spoken of Brethren be not deceived they are fifty men that you can impose upon but you cannot impose upon that God who searcheth the heart tryeth the reins Let none be deceived by the pretences of these Hypocrites The Spouse of Christ hath beautifull Cheeks and a beautiful Neck as well as a beautiful inside her Cheeks are comely betwixt rows of Jewels She hath a Chain of gold upon her Neck The laws and instructions of her Heavenly Father are an Ornament to her head and a Chain upon her Neck She durst not before men dishonour God Let this be the first
Marriage Those are the excellent Songs which set cut the Excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ This Book is wholly Evangelical wholly Spiritual But I have spoke enough also to this third Proposition Give me leave to make some application of this discourse In the first place Let me speak to all of you who shall hear my further discourses concerning any part of this Book as once God spake to Moses at the Burning Bush Put off thy Shoes from off thy Feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground While I shall be opening those figurative expressions by which it pleaseth the Holy Ghost by Solomon to discourse these Spiritual Loves Procul O procul este profani Saint Paul to Titus saith Unto the pure all things are pure but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving there is nothing pure but even their minds and consciences are defiled I am sure it may be said so of every line of holy writ to the pure heart every line there is pure not so to the impure the reason is because their own minds and consciences are filthy and impure Here is no wantonness in these sacred lines they contain indeed discourses of loves but altogether Divine and Spiritual though under carnal disguises Oh let not your wanton hearts bring hither any unclean thoughts Secondly Methinks much of what I have said may engage your minds to attention to me while I shall indeavour to unfold the Spiritual mysteries in this Book The Penman of this Book was Solomon The name of a King amongst men carries with it a great reverence and authority but Solomon was no ordinary King the Lord gave him such a degree of wisdom that none before or after him were ever like unto him 2 Chron. 1. 12. The Queen of Sheba thought it worth her travel to come from the utmost parts of the world to be his auditor and went away admiring his wisdom nay more he was one whom the Lord loved thence he had his name Jedidiah 2 Sam. 12. 24 25. we may therefore expect to hear the secrets of the Lord from his mouth rather than from another man When the disciples Joh. 13. 23. were at loss for an interpretation of what Christ said they beckned to the Disciple whom he loved to inquire his meaning and were presently satisfied further yet he was an eminent Type of Christ It is Solomon that speaks but he speaks as the Organ of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Greg. Nyssen Christ useth Solomon as his instrument and by him speaks to us But this brings me to a second Consideration as much engaging you to attention and far more than the former A greater than Solomon is here Solomon speaks in this Song in the Person of Christ and Christ by him here speaketh unto you Solomon's hand holds the Pen but Christ guides his hand to every letter in this sacred Song Nor was this holy Song as you have heard composed in Solomons time of deviation from God that indeed would have weakned the authority of it but either in the former part of his life before he went astray from God or in the latter part when he was again returned unto him be it which it will we are by it strongly engaged to the study and understanding of it as it from a great experience informeth a gracious soul to what degree of communion with God it may arrive and what sweet intercourses even in this life betwixt Christ and a believing Soul are attainable by that Soul that followeth after them whether in its Virgin State before it hath more notoriously estranged itself from God or upon a true repentance after eminent backslidings The exceeding sweetness and spirituality of the matter highly commends it to every spiritual heart There is no part of the Word of God but is exceedingly sweet and precious the historical part of it is so for if it be pleasant to read the Histories of Nations and Kingdoms c. how much more sweet should it be to every gracious Soul to read and understand the series of Divine Providences towards that People whom above all the Nations of the Earth he set apart for himself whom he miraculously conducted and for them made his holy Arm so eminently bare in the sight of all the Nations of the world The preceptive part of the Word of God which we call the Law is also exceeding precious to a gracious Soul it was so to David sweeter than the Hony or Hony-comb c. and St. Paul as to his inward man delighted in it But of all the portions of holy writ the Gospel part is most sweet That which reveals a God in Christ reconciling the world to himself which tells you what Christ is in himself considered as Mediator God-man c. which discovereth the Excellencies and desirableness of him who is Totus desideria altogether desires Those parts of Scripture which let us know what Christ is to his poor people how tender of them how jealous for them how condescending and kind to them and how dear and precious they are to him Of all the portions of holy writ Experience speaks those most exceeding sweet to us where Christ is set out in the pantings of his heart and yernings of his bowels towards his poor Children Such is this portion of holy writ when we shall have taken off the Vail of Metaphors with which this sacred portion of holy writ is covered we shall find that there is scarce any portion of holy writ wherein those sweet and spiritual mysteries of the Souls union and Communion with Jesus Christ are more fully and affectionately described The more special form of it as a Song doth likewise commend it to our attention there is a secret vertue in Poetry engagine Peoples hearts and affections to attention If a wanton Love-Song which discourseth the vertues and beauty of Creatures can lay such an hold upon our Ears and Hearts what should this Song do which discourseth the Excellencies of him who is the fairest amongst the Sons of Men the chiefest of ten thousand altogether desires and his particular indearments to the Souls of his Creatures which have no comeliness but what he puts upon them certainly the hearing of these discourses must ravish every spiritual heart This is the Song of Songs Finally the Metaphors with which this excellent Song is clothed must needs give it a great advantage with every ingenuous Soul which naturally desires the understanding of what is hid from it we may suppose God therefore to have thus phrased this Spiritual Song that we might have greater desires kindled in us to understand the mind and will of God revealed in it The harder the Shell is the sweeter the Nut will be found when once the Shell is crack'd Lastly What you have heard may serve you as a Key for the unlocking this whole portion of Scripture and guide you in the understanding of my future discourses
sweet but these are sweeter than the Hony and the Hony-comb No portions of Scripture are like these to the believer Every verse in the book of God is a Star but as Stars differ one from another in glory so do the Revelations of the will of God in our apprehensionsa s more suited to our necessities For the proof of the proposition There is so much reason for it that were it not that it is fit your Faith for the help of which the Ministry is ordained should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God I might for bear the use of any Scripture texts in the case The World was many hundred years old before there was any written Word of God of which we have any record The first that we read of was the Book of the Law which the King of Israel was commanded to have alwayes before him and to read therein all the daies of his life Saul was the first King of Israel he was a wicked man and regarded not the divine Law The next was David the man according to Gods own heart See his Affection to the word Superlatively exprest Psal 19. 7 8 9 10. 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the Eyes The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than the hony and the Hony-comb Psal 119. 14 15 16. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways I will delight my self in thy statutes v. 97. Oh! how I love thy law it is my meditation night and day Read over that excellent Psalm at your leisure you will find in it a strange variety of expressions setting out David's value of and thirst after the Word of the Lord. I had saith he in one passage perished in my affliction if thy Word had not been my delight For the Word of God as delivered by Ministers you shall all along the History of the Scripture observe you read not of one good King of Judah and Israel but they were very desircus in all cases of consulting with the Prophets of the Lord and no doubt but the reading the Law and the Exposition of it in the Sanctuary was the reason why David Psal 42. Psal 63. and Psal 84 so passionately bewailed his being banished from it In short look through all the New Testament you shall find no company of Believers but by some Expressions or other declaring their Zeal for and fondness of the Word of God And the same Spirit continued in gracious Souls after the times that the Scripture makes mention of I remember Hierom tells us of a good woman whom he saith he could never find without a Bible in her hand aud Mr. Fox in his Martyrology tells us a story of Three Maids in Lincolnshire if I remember right who sold their Estates in a time of Persecution to buy a few Leaves of the Bible It were infinite to tell you the instances we have in Ecclesiastical History of the great thirst after and delight in the Word of God which good people have expressed What need we any further Instance than what the Experience of our own Age doâ—h afford How naturally do Souls born again as new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word of God It is true some Hypocrites especially in times when Religion is in credit and reputation may lay hold of the Skirts of a Jew and say We will go with you I mean may shew some fondness of hearing and reading the Word but no Child of God no regenerate man but is indeed thirsty of it So that as it was said of Paul as soon as he was converted Behold he prayeth so it may be said of every man and woman let them before have been never so loose and vain and careless as to reading and hearing the Word Behold he readeth or Behold he heareth Nor indeed is it possible it should be otherwise If we consider first That this is the Will of God concerning every Soul The Soul is unchanged till it be in some degree willing and obed ent So as what St. Paul spake more openly he saith to God though more privately Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now this is one of the first things that God calleth such a Soul to do Hear saith God and your Souls shall live As God said to Paul Go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou shouldst do So God saith unto the changed Soul Go to Church and hear my Word and go and read in my Word and there it shall be told thee what thou shouldst do Augustin tells us a story that being in a great Agony of Spirit and not knowing what to do he heard a voice as out of an inward Room saying Tolle lege Take up and read The Soul in this doth but conform himself to an impression that is made by the Spirit upon his heart and is coaevous to the hour of his New Birth and this you shall see exemplified not in this or that particular Soul but in every Soul born of God The Infant is not more naturally disposed to suck the breasts of the Mother or Nurse than such a Soul is disposed to read and hear the Word of God from the impression of the holy Spirit of God upon it in the first hour of its Conversion Nor is any thing more reasonable than such an impression if we consider God's Ordination of his Word as the pabulum animae the food and nourishment of the new born Soul 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that you may grow thereby And for this very reason this thirst after and delight in the Word of God never goeth out of a sanctified heart for the Word is the proper nourishment of the Soul in all states it is not only Milk for Babes but Meat for stronger ones By these things men live saith Hezekiah The just shall live by Faith saith the Prophet The Word is the object of this Faith You shall observe that the God of Nature hath planted in most sensitive creatures a knowledge of their proper food and an appetite or desire to it The God of Grace hath given the renewed Soul a knowledge of its proper food too and created in it an appetite to it so as no soul is born again without a knowledge of the Word as that by which it is to live or an appetite to it Nay it is not only necessary to uphold the Spiritual Being of the the Soul but to all the purposes of its well-being Such a Soul findeth the Word an inexhaustible Fountain a large
Bed-chamber 2 Kings 6. 12. An inward Chamber Judg. 3. 24. A Bridegrooms Chamber Joel 2. 16. A Summer Chamber Judg. 3. 24. It is also used Prov. 24. 4. Prov. 7. 27. Job 9. 9. and in many other Texts It plainly signifieth the more inner secret retired part of the house where Persons can be most private and most secure The King hath brought me into his Chambers that is into the places of most private secret communion with him where I can be most private free and secure but yet for the clearer explication of the words we will more strictly enquire upon two things Qu. 1. What is here meant by the Kings Chambers Doubtless it is spoken in a figure The House in the Heavens not made with hands is not as our Earthly Houses divided into rooms and stories by partitions let us therefore rightly comprehend the notion of a Chamber and we shall without much difficulty understand the priviledge in which the Spouse doth glory Three things will give us the notion of a Chamber 1. It is a lofty place elevated from the Earth you know that you ordinarily call those rooms in your Houses Chambers which are above the lower floor 2. It is a place of privacy any one is admitted into your lower rooms but very familiar friends only into your Chambers when those of the same family would be more retired and private they chuse Chambers for that privacy our more hidden private fellowship with our friends or near relations is in our Chambers 3. A Chamber is a resting place we eat and drink and have our ordinary converse with our neighbours in other rooms we lie down and rest in our Chambers These three things I should think may make us to understand the Spouses meaning in this metaphorical expression and what it is that she glorieth in The Lord my King hath heard me and taken me up into the nearest degrees of close private communion with him where my Soul enjoyeth him in the most heavenly free and most familiar manner Qu. 2. But how cometh the Spouse thus soon to glory who but now was praying that the Lord would draw her and facitly complained for the want of the manifestations of his Divine Grace how soon is her tone altered she but now groaned as one that could not get up the Stairs now she glories that she was brought into the Kings Chambers To which I answer two things 1. Possibly she speaketh but in the dialect of Faith you know the Apostle calleth Faith the Evidence of things not seen It like God calls the things that are not as if they were and often forgets the future tense and speaks in the Present or Praeterperfect Tense The believing Soul while it is in the dungeon of a desertion being assured the Lord will do it can say The Lord hath brought me into his Chambers And thus those must necessarily understand it who with Piscator by the Chambers understand Heaven and Glory 2. But I rather think the words are to be understood as they lie before us She is heard while she is speaking while she prayeth Lord draw me she is drawn and is in Heaven e're she is aware of it thus the learned Mercer expounds it If you understand the words in the first sense They speak the vertue and efficacy of faith the believer by vertue of it can look upon things as done which yet are to be done why because the Soul eyeth the promise and knoweth that he who hath promised is both able and faithful If a debt be owing to you from an able and an honest man you say it is as good mony as any in your purse you count you have so much as that debt maketh addition to your estate Gods hand is an able hand and he is faithful the Soul may count upon it that it hath so much either in Grace or glory as the Lord hath promised it If you take the words in the latter sense as I shall do they inform you of the efficacy of Prayer spiritual fervent prayer it availeth much while the believer is speaking God is answering I proceed to the latter part of the Text. We will be glad and rejoice in thee and remember thy loves more than Wine we have heard the Spouses petition Draw me she prayed for Divine Grace that might both sweetly and powerfully draw her Soul after Christ We have heard her promise which I told you might be considered as an argument to enforce her Petition an argument drawn from the glory of God and the concern of it in the answer we will run after thee A prayer for the best things and to receive them for the best end to make her more holy We have heard how well pleasing her petition was she had no sooner prayed but God answereth and she recognizeth her answer My Lord the King saith she hath brought me into his Chambers now she cometh to shew the effects this quick and gracious answer had and would have upon her She mentioneth three The first as some if not too critically distinguish respecting her heart We will be glad 2. The second respecting the action of the whole man We will rejoice in thee 3. The third respecting the record of it We will remember thy loves more than Wine This now distinguished her spiritual affection from a foolish transient passion We will exalt or be glad the Radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very often used in Scripture I will point you to 3 or 4 other Texts from whence you may gather the sense of it Is 65. 19. And I will rejoice in Hierusalem and joy in my People Pro. 23. 24. The Father of the Righteous shall greatly rejoice Psal 21. 5. The King shall joy in thy strength So Psal 2. 11. Psal 13. 11. My heart shall rejoice in thy Salvation Psal 16. 9. Zech. 9. 9. Forster thinks it rather signifieth the expression of the Joy of the heart by some outward gesture than the meer internal affection It doubtless signifies the highest affection of the heart upon its union with its desired object We will be glad the Radical word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to rejoice and to be merry and is very often in the old Testament used to express the gladness of the heart Exod. 4. 14. The rejoicing of a Virgin in a dance Jer. 31. 13. I shall not insist upon that critical distinction which some make betwixt these words restraining the one to the inward affection the other to the more outward expression nor do I think it will hold but clearly both these are expressed by these two words whither distinctly or jointly I shall not determine and the sense is this O Lord thou hast heard my prayer thou hast granted the request of my lips thou hast brought me into thy Royal Chambers admitted me to Spiritual secret and most sweet communion with thee Our hearts shall be most highly affected with thee and our outward man most
Assemblies I cannot away with even the Solemn Meetings Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts my Soul hateth they are a trouble to me God had appointed all these things he had commanded they should tread his Courts bring Oblations offer Incense keep New Moons and Sabbaths but all these things ought to have been done out of love to God with a Faith in Christ and with pure hearts not being so performed they were no Godliness but meer abomination unto God The case with us under the Gospel is the same though our Acts of homage there prescribed be of another more reasonable and spiritual nature God hath required of us to pray to praise to hear his Word to partake of his Supper He hath also prescribed us the manner in which we ought to do these acts in Faith in Obedience with the intention of our minds attention of our thoughts fervency of spirit Separate the more external acts from these they are no better than formal performances bodily exercises neither acceptable to God nor profitable to our selves If men will call these Godliness or Holiness it is a great mistake The external acts are indeed such as men that live under the Gospel may be excited to perform and may perform without any special influence of Grace by vertue of his natural powers and abilities and the common Grace of God not denied to any But when they are done without due affections and principles and inward motions of the heart correspondent to the nature of the actions according to the revelation of the Divine Will they are no Holiness but Hypocrisie and thus they cannot be performed without the assistance and influence of special Grace Thus from this notion of the necessity of Christ's drawing both with reference to our first coming to Christ for life and further following him walking with him and running after him Christians may be able to judge both concerning the Truth of their Faith and also of their Holiness If either be true they must be the effect of Divine special Grace and more than any can do from the powers of Nature even the best educated Nature not renewed changed and influenced by special and distinguishing grace I am fully of their mind who think that those Souls who are no further changed and reformed or converted than might be from the power of Nature rationally improving Moral Principles and Gospel Motives and Arguments cannot be saved But yet I am so charitable as to think that many may be saved who think they have no other conversion than this the workings of the Spirit of God upon our Souls are so indiscernable and internal that we may possibly mistake them for the workings of meerly our own powers and faculties under the advantages of the Gospel but they must be more than such or else as I have before said man is the first Author of all spiritual good both with respect to action and fruition to himself and clearly his own Saviour and must make himself to differ from another and that by the highest and most spiritual difference and one man's Soul must have different and inequal vertues from the Soul of his Brother whose Soul is of the same species and hath the same faculties But I have dwelt long enough upon this branch of Application Let every one now by this Examine himself whether the Faith that he thinks he hath be a meer Assent to the Proposition of the Gospel upon the Evidence of it he hath had from the Church or from men or a meer languid incertain Assent from probable Arguments of Reason or a meer presumption bottomed upon no Promise Or whether it be a firm and fixed Assent to the Truths of the Gospel understood by him conjoyned with a reliance upon the Person of the Mediator clearly revealed in the Gospel as the only Saviour of Man and producing an endeavour in all things to live up to the condition of the Promise Whether the Holiness which he thinketh his Soul hath arrived at lieth in a meer Moral Righteousness a forbearance of gross and scandalous courses of sin and a doing such acts of Justice and Charity as a man may do from the meer improvement and conduct of reason and a meer Formality of Godliness a performance of such acts of homage as God hath prescribed without respect to the manner in which God hath willed them to be performed If your pretended Faith and Holiness be no more trust not to them as Evidences that you are come to Christ all this may be without any thing of this drawing your Faith is no more than that mentioned Matth. 7. 22. where our Saviour tells you that many pretendedly trusting in and relying upon him as may appear by what they said should say to him in that day Lord Lord Have we not prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name have cast out Devils and in thy Name done many wonderful works to whom he would say I never knew you depart from me you workers of iniquity God had never promised Heaven Salvation to a prophesying in his Name nor to a casting out of Devils so as their confidence or reliance on or in Christ was the growing up of a Rush without Mire a trusting without a ground or bottom Your Holiness and Righteousness is no more than that of the Pharisee who gloried Luk. 18. 11 12. That he was not as other men were Extortioners Unjust Adulterers he fasted twice a week and gave Alms of all that he possessed Our Saviour saith he went away not justified And Matth. 5. 20. Except your Righteousness exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you can never enter into the Kingdom of God Say to your selves severally My Soul thou must one day come before the Judgment Seat of Christ and begging for admittance into Heaven thou wouldest be loth to hear the Lord in that day say to thee Depart from me I know thee not My Soul what hast thou more to trust to than they had Canst thou say any more than Lord I am not as other men I am no Swearer no Drunkard no Reviler no Extortioner no Whoremonger Lord I fast often I go to prayers often and to Church often to hear the Word if thou hast no more to say the Pharisee had as much The interest of a man 's own body or estate the examples of other men the credit and applause of the world may move a reasonable Soul under no other power than that of reason nor other influence than that which all within the compass of the Church where the Gospel is Preached may carry thee thus far without any influence of powerful special Grace Further yet this notion of Truth may help to relieve many good Souls who are discouraged either because they seem to themselves to stick in the New Birth Or because they find in themselves a great weakness to spiritual duties Or impotency in the resistance of their own intrinsick motions to sin or forein
of God Let us take heed that we be not made black by afflictions of this nature which we shall be if by them we be moved from our good opinion of the ways of God from our profession or practice of them there is no sinner more black then the Apostate See 2 Pet 2. 20. 21. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again intangled therein and overcome the latter end is worse with them than the beginning For it is better sor them not to have known the way of righteousness then after they have known it to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered unto them Indeed failings in a time of Persecution are caused from a double cause Sometimes meerly from the fear of life or some great danger that will befall to men if they adhere to their former profession failings of this nature make a Soul look black but many such recover themselves and the Lord who can have compassion upon our insirmities pities them and recovers them out of the snare of the Devil this is a blackness we ought to avoid by putting on the whole Armour of God that we may be able to stand in the day of the Lords Battel But there is another defection which is occasioned by Persecutions and Afflictions of this nature That is when men out of a greater love to other ways in a time of tryal renounce the truths of God they have formerly owned and forsake the ways of God in which they have formerly walked to these now Persecutions and Afflictions of this nature are but a slight occasion of their defection and Apostacy and this eminent difference you will find betwixt the others and these The others though they may be prevailed withal to warp and start aside because of the greatness of the temptation it was Peters case in the High Priests Hall yet will never be prevailed with to speak evil of and to revile the truths of God which they have owned nor the ways of God in which they have formerly walked and others yet walk The others being prevailed upon to their Apostacy meerly from the lusts of their hearts and the greater love they have alwaies had tho like Hypocrites they have concealed it to looser principles and a looser way of living take themselves concerned to reproach their former ways and those who yet walk in them This is a dreadful blackness not a tincture upon the face only but a tincture of the heart which by occasion of Persecution for the Gospel breaketh out into the more exteriour conversation To enforce this caution I shall only mention three things 1. That this is the affection only of the stony ground Mat. 13. 6 21. It is a certain sign that those never received the Seed of the Word into honest and good hearts that they never had any root in themselves who when tribulation and persecution ariseth because of the word by and by they are offended He that receiveth the truth in the Love of it cannot so easily abandon the profession of it 1 John 2. 19. They went out from us they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us The day of Persecution and tribulation for the Gospel sake is the day of the manifestation and discovery of hypocrites I do not think that all shrinking in a time of persecution is a note of hypocrisy there is a shrinking through fear in the time of great temptation so Peter shrank But for men to make a defection out of a principle of lust and greater Love to other ways and to reproach and speak Evil of the ways of God which by the way is a certain indication of such a defection this speaketh the man or woman to be no better then an hypocrite nor ever to have been other tho to serve his lusts he disguised himself with a mask of holiness and Religion 2. Secondly consider That no sinner so reproacheth the good and holy ways of God as such a sinner doth He tells the World that he hath tryed them that there is nothing in them that nothing but the ignorance prejudices of his education youth led him into them that the ways of sin profaneness of Formality and Superstition are better and therefore he is at last grown wiser then to take such pains to go to heaven If I would pick out a wretch out of the whole herd of sinners to reproach God to blaspheme the Gospel and the ways of holiness I would pick out onethat had been formerly a professor and had turned away from his profession this wretch pretendeth from experience to justify what others do but loosely discourse 3. Thirdly no sinners must expect a more dreadful Vengeance The reason is evident because none sin against more light There is no man who hath made a profession and lived in any practice of Religion but knows that there is no iniquity in it nothing but what suteth the common reason of mankind not debauched through lust and that those who in any measure live up to the profession of the Gospel are if sober heathens were to be judges the best of men with respect to all duty which the light of Nature teacheth toward the Divine Being and all good offices towards men I say there is none who hath made any profession but knows this and in all his Evil speaking of them doth not sin like an heathen nor like a profane man who speaketh ill of the things he knoweth not but speaketh contrary to the dictate of his own conscience I would not have this understood of those who are made black through these afflictions from the temporary prevailing of a strong temptation these with Pâ—ter tho they fall yet go out and weep bitterly and are recovered and made stronger by their fall but of those others before mentioned to whom Affliction and Persecution are but the externall occasions to draw out the lusts of their hearts which waited but for an opportunity to discover its self 2. Finally to shut up this discourse let this caution us from Judging the Spouse of Christ black because the Sun hath looked upon her You have heard that this is but the Worlds judgment not according to any measures of truth or righteousness To this End 1. Root your selves in this truth That none can judge of Gods Love or hatred from what happeneth to him in this life It is Solomons Maxime and a great truth God governeth the World according to the just Oeconomy of his Providence with respects unto his own wife Ends and no spiritual judgment can be made of the state of any from those administrations oft-times he maketh Princes to go on foot when servants ride on horse back and the wicked to devour those that are more righteous then they 2.
so appear and the more goodness or sutableness to a Souls necessities is in any object and appears to the Soul the stronger must be the Souls motions to and towards it Now there is nothing in the World can possibly appear to a pious Soul to have that degree of goodness in it that an Vnion and communion with God hath they being things suited to the Souls highest wants Our communion with God is the great testimony of our union with him and that Soul that hath no evidence of a communion with God will find it self at as great a loss to evidence its union with him Besides good is generally valued and adjudged either by profit or pleasure The pious Soul knoweth that the more full or free and less interrupted its communion with God is the more sweet and pleasant it is duties are more our tasks and burdens then our delight and pleasure when the Soul hath but a broken interrupted and distracted communion with him And as to profit nothing can be more considerable to the Soul considering that the peace of the Soul and the increase of its grace are both much advantaged by it David cryeth out Psal 73. v. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee The desire of God upon Earth mentioned by the Psalmist must be a desire of fellowship and communion with God which being in it self desirable the more the Soul hath of it the more full and free and less interrupted that communion is the more still it must be the object of every pious Souls desire This in the first place will shew us a certain difference betwixt the Child of God and an hypocrite The profane man despiseth communion with God and looks upon all discourses concerning union and communion with Christ as mere canting The hypocrite pretends to something of communion with God but any slight degrees of it any acts by which he can but fancy he hath any such communion serve his turn and satisfy him A formal hypocrite possibly cannot stop the mouth of his natural conscience nor save his reputation with the World without the performance of some duties which God hath instituted wherein the People of God have a communion with God he must sometimes pray and hear a Sermon but whether his heart be united to God in Prayer whether he attends to the Words of the Prayer whether he finds any fervency of Spirit or any freedom of Spirit to or in the duty whether his Soul performeth it with any exercise of faith in God these are things he looks not after neither are they the objects of his desires or indeavours Hence therefore conscientious Christians may take some just measures of themselves A Christian indeed is not to be judged from his praying or hearing but from his hungring and thirsting after a communion with God in the duties he performeth unto him and after such a communion with God as I have been describing unto you and if there be such desires in your Souls they will be evidenced 1. By the trouble of your Souls when you find you come short of it Desire not obtained as well as hope deferred will make the heart sick no true Christian but at some times will find his thoughts more wandring his Affections more cold his Spirit more straitned his Faith more languid to find this and not to be concerned for it or troubled at it is a very ill evidence against the Soul that it hath no such desires as I have been discoursing of 2. Secondly Such desires will be attended with indeavours to avoid whatsoever may hinder such a communion with God Real desires are always attended with proportionable indeavours He that desires a more free and full communion with his friend will go out of a croud of company where he knows he cannot injoy it He that desires such a communion with Christ will find some time to get out of the crouds of Worldly business and company where he knows he cannot have it 3. And Lastly The truth of such desires will be evidenced by the use of all probable means that may conduce to it He vainly pretends to desire a thing who will use no means within his reach and power to obtain it And that brings me in the last place to a Word of exhortation to the use of such means For though it must be by an influence a great influence of grace that any Soul comes up to this yet that is to be obtained by the use of due means on our part I shall briefly hint some probable means of this nature 1. Make Religion as much your business as you can I know it cannot be all our business while we are in the world But the more it is our business the more our communion with God will be When a Boy is first bound Apprentice he knoweth not how to keep his mind to his business it is much running after his idle diversions and recreations but when he hath once been habituated to his work by degrees he grows more serious and fixed So will the Soul as to its great business of communion with God 2. Prepare your hearts to seek the Lord by prayer by sequestring your selves sometime from your secular concerns There lyes much in this for want of it we are much accessary to our own distractions and that interrupted broken communion with God of which we complain 3. Vse your indeavours to lift up your hearts to God in duties and to keep off such things as would hinder it Frown upon your hinderances If a man frowns upon one that would come to disturb him in any serious discourse with his friend he must be very impudent that should continue such interruptions or repeat them 4. Lastly Beg of God to make up what thou canst not do Hitherto I have only discoursed a notion of my own as to the Sense of my Text. I told you that the generality of Interpreters take notice of the Noon as the hottest time of the day when the Sun emits its most direct beams so by it understand a time of Affliction and trial for which interpretation they have that of our Saviour Math. 13. 6. 21. This will afford us two notions the one more implyed the other more plainly expressed I shall speak something onely to the first of them at this time Prop. That Christ hath feeding and resting places and shades wherewith and wherein to refresh his Saints in the most scorching times of trial and affliction I shall onely open the Proposition by shewing you what these shades these feeding resting places are then shortly apply my discourse As to the first I shall instance only in three particulars David in his 23 Psal maketh use of this very Metaphor The Lord saith he is my Shepherd v. 2. He maketh me to lye down in green pastures he leadeth me besides the still Waters It is the work of a Shepherd to find out
further say that there is no portion of holy Writ so copiously as this expressing the infinite love and transcendent excellencies of the Lord Jesus Christ None that more copiously instructs us what he will be to us or what we should be toward him and consequently none more worthy of the pains of any who desires to Preach Christ My Meditations upon the second Chapâ—â—r composed in my maturer years were published some years â—â—nce Those upon this Chapter have being done in my younger time staid till I could get some leisure to peruse them my self and correct some things in the stile especially our juvenile fancies seldom pleasing us in our maturer years You will I hope Madam pardon my Dedication of them to your Ladyship Your â—â—lf knows how great Obligations you have laid upon me I cannot answer them These are all the Requitals we can make our Friends for their kindnesses Silver and gold I have none but what I have I humbly present your Ladyship with nor shall I have been wholly unserviceable to your Ladyship in your highest concerns if any thing in these Discourses shall help further to inflame your Soul with love to him who is the chiefest of ten thousand and contribute to the sending of your Soul to Heaven in the admiration of your Beloved where you shall see him as he is whom these Discourses will but shew you as in a glass darkly Now the God of Peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the Sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his will working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen April 3. 1683. Your Ladiships most humble Servant JOHN COLLINGES TO THE READER SOme few years since I was prevailed with to publish some discourses upon the Second Chapter of this excellent Song I had then by me these upon the first Chapter but they being composed in my younger years I was desirous first to peruse them before I suffered them to come forth into the World since which time I have had so little rest that the perusal of them hath taken up much longer time than I then thought upon The publishing of my discourses upon the Second Chapter first obliged me to take something out of these discourses to make those as intelligible as I could concerning the Penman of the Book and the Nature form and stile of it which I have here restored to their due place with some advantage all those things falling in to the handling of the first verse I am not upon the persual of notes composed so many years since my self much pleased with the largeness of my discourses upon the five or six first verses occasioned from the variety of Propositions raised from them but there are couched in those verses some very great points and my consulting so many expositors as I did together with my proneness to suspect my own judgment rather then those whom I had reason to prefer before my self was the cause of that Nor did I think it much material if I saw a Proposition offered me by any valuable interpreter as feunded on one of those verses which I saw was a Proposition of truth and justifiable from other Scripture whether it were certainly there founded or no for he pretends to too much skill that will be too positive in giving the sense of a metaphor in this or that Text. It is enough for a modest Interpreter to give a probable sense of such expressions and to prove it from a plainer Revelation I hope thou wilt be so charitable to me as to think that I troubled not a Popular auditory with all that thou wilt find here in the opening of the several verses I bless God I was never so idle as to make up discourses to people of what I knew they did not understand What I found in my notes put in for my own Satisfaction I have let go not knowing but my book might fall into the hands of some Scholar who might be able to judge from what Satisfied me upon what grounds I formed such Propositions of truth as I did from the several verses so preparing the matter of more Popular and practical discourse I bless God I always looked upon the work of the ministry as the most grave and serious employment under Heaven whether the Minister speaks with reference to explication or application In the first he acts as an Interpreter making the words of the eternal God more plain and intelligible to the infirm capacityes of his people How great is that work to be the Lords Interpreter In the latter he acts as an Ambassador persuading and offering terms of peace between God and man and using all his art in intreating men to be reconciled to God Who is sufficient for these things As to the former we have no more accommodate means then searching the Original texts comparing the usage of words in one Text with the usage of them in others consulting Interpreters who have gone before us then using our own judgments as to what they have said or our own thoughts shall further suggest to us thou wilt discern that this is the method I have used and if in any thing I have been mistaken I have erred neither wilfully nor singly When I had examined the several verses my work was to raise Propositions from them so interpreted to open them to justify them to be divine truths from other places of plainer Revelation For my method and stile it is what I judged most accommodate to the end of my work No man discourseth to any length upon a subject without a method some use a Cryptick method which is only for their own conduct others a plainer method for the advantage of others the former may do well enough in the Schools where the end is only to raise some subitaneous affections I never thought it proper for the Pulpit where the Preachers end is or should be to inform his People in the great things of God and to affect their hearts and in order to it he is bound to speak with the best advantage both for their memories and understandings thou wilt find I have kept to the ordinary plain method of explication confirmation and application No man having drank old wine desireth new for he saith the old is better In the proof of Propositions I have rather studied the evidence of holy writ and Scriptural reason then other more incertain Topicks knowing it the duty of Ministers to take care that the faith of their people may not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God One plain Text of holy Writ more confirms a Proposition of Divine truth to an understanding Christian then an hundred rational arguments For my stile it was the least of my study my Opinion always was that what Augustine calls diligens negligentia was
new birth Light I black am in your curious Eye And in my own much more But white in my Beloveds sight Since he hath paid my score XVI Look not on me because I 'm black With a too curious Eye Nor with disdain nor let my black Visage you satisfy Much less dis-colour you Behold Sisters and pity me My Blackness is not my delight Ah! 't is my misery XVII The Sun hath scorch'd me with its heat It is by that I am tann'd My Mothers Children also have Touch'd me with unkind hand Their Vineyard they would have me attend Mine own I did not keep The envious one hath collied me While I thus lay asleep XVIII What Souls will not Afflictions tann If they be sharp and long Or who is not discolour'd by Temptations if too strong Worldly distractions spoil the look Of a Religious mind But ah through negligence I have Been to my self unkind XIX But O thou whom my soul loves best Tell me where thou doest use At noon to feed thy flock At noon Do not my Soul refuse When as Afflictions scorch me most Be thou at hand to me And teach my Soul at such a time How it may come to thee XX. O thou Shepheard of Israel Let me but know the hour When most of thee I may enjoy Tast most thy Grace and Power By th' flocks of thy Companions I would not turn aside With thee alone I would converse Be thou O Lord my guide XXI Thou fairest she dost thou not know Where me at noon to see The footsteps of the flock will teach Thee the right way to me Feed by the Shepheards Tents for there I shall most surely abide The Shepheards that derive from me Shall be to thee a guide XXII I have compar'd my love unto The goodly company Of Horses which King Pharaoh draw Made strong by Unity Of Horses which march on to meet The armed men and ne're Do from the glittering Sword turn head But mock at Cowards fear XXIII Thy Cheeks my Love are comely made With rowes of Jewels given Thee by my self Thy lovely neck Adorn'd with Chains from Heaven I will yet give thee further grace Borders of Gold I 'le make And spots of Silver thou shalt have And for thine own them take XXIV O may my dearest Royal Lord From 's Table never stir How sweetly doth my spikenard smell While 's that he sitteth there Even his own Graces will not smell When he is gone from me His Grace in me doth daily need His Royal company XXV My well-beloved is to me Myrrh in a bundle tyed More precious medicinal and sweet Than all the world beside Betwixt my Breasts he shall have place There he shall alwaies lye It is the place for posies There I will this bundle tye XXVI Engaddi's Vineyards have their plants Of Camphire Cypress All Are names too short for me whereby My Dearest Lord to call My sweet companion thou art fair Thou lookest with Doves Eyes Eyes which both meek and harmless are Not sparkling Cruelties XXVII Thou hast a satisfyed Soul A rich contented mind A plain and clean and lowly heart Which is to others kind A tender heart a mournful Eye Exceeding quick These are The things which make me say again Thou art exceeding fair XXVIII Nay my Beloved thou art fair My beauty is to thee As nothing worse than nothing 't is But meer deformity Thou fair art and pleasant too Thy conversation's sweet Thrice happy souls to walk with thee Whom thou dost please t' admit XXIX When thou within my bed dost lodge How soon it waxeth green When thou art gone no fruitfulness In it at all is seen Not a good work at such a time Can my poor soul produce Not an heart chang'd in Churches when Thou art not in the Pewes XXX The Beams and rafters of thy house Of Cedar are and Fir. Sweet beautiful and strong they are Such as shall never stir Thy word and Ordinances Lord Support thy Church for ever O let my Sins within thy house Me sever from it never CHAP. II. MY dearest Lord I 'm like the Rose Which Sharons fields doth grace Like th' Lilly of the Vallies which Doth beautify its place A flower and the noblest flower Which in the Fields doth grow My structure smell and fruitfulness Thy Workmanship all show II. But Lord I dwell i' th' common field And in the Vallies there To winds and weather I 'm exposed I live in daily fear Lest Sharons herds would me devour Or tread me under-foot And leave me nought to speak me thine But only a true root III. As Lillies are amongst the Thorns So I my Love do see The Daughters of the peevish world Are grievous Thorns to thee Yet thou art lovely there and thrivest The ugly Thorns commend My fairest Love and do improve Her while they do her rend IV. My dearest Lord it is enough Amongst Thorns let me be If while I stand there thou wilt be A shadow unto me Amongst the barren Trees in Woods Let me converse if I Thee as an Apple Tree may have That there I do not die V. Thy shade thy pleasant fruit shall be To me enough for food And for protection too while I Traverse th' untrodden wood I like an Hermite sit and sing Thy Apples to my tast Do much excel what other Trees Afford the world for mast VI. God manifested in the flesh O how exceeding sweet When infinite and finite did In one Redeemer meet Thy suffering being tempted is When tempted my relief Saran would rob me of my all Thou hast disarm'd the Thief VII Lord thy compleat obedience Unto thy Fathers will Is all relieves me when I think How often I do ill While I do good But O thy death Who can describe that fruit Which all my soul necessities Exceeds while it doth suit VIII Thy Resurrection thine ascending Unto thy Fathers Th rone Thy sitting there at his Right Hand Thine intercession How sweet they are And then to think That thou again wilt come To Judgment not me to condemn But only fetch me home IX Thine Ordinances Lord in which Thy loves thou dost display The Hony and the Hony-Comb Are not so sweet as they The Spirits sacred fruit those sweet Influxes of thy Grace Are what alone me patient make Of sublunary place X. These things my house of mourning turn drop Into an house of Wine Wine not which from Earths Grapes doth But from thee the true Vine Thy Love O Lord thy Banner is O're me and makes men see Men who thee hate I do'nt belong Unto their company XI Thy Loves thy Banner teaching me Where to resort when move When I fight for a Victory Then I display thy Love 'T is that unites me unto thee And every one that 's thine Where e're those colours I but see I run to them as mine XII
c. and it proceeds from Christ as the great testimony of his love nor indeed doth Christ otherwise testify his special love than by the influences of his Spirit but I cannot tell why we should restrain it to the particular dispensation in the days of Pentecost I think Piscator expresseth the sense well by suum erga me amorem patefaciat let him manifest to me his love let me know that he loveth me yet supposing it the Reconciled Believing Soul that speaks it seems rather to be understood of further grace than the first grace of regeneration and reconciliation unto God the desire seems to be a desire of free familiar communion with Christ This seems to be the main of her request the great sum of her desires the uppermost of her Souls concernments But observe yet further She begs but a kiss not let him imbrace me but let him kiss me She asketh modestly if saith the woman in the Gospel I might but touch the Hem of his Garment Thus the woman of Canaan also Truth Lord but the Dogs eat the crums Thus the Spouse If he would but kiss me Oh! how precious is the least of Christ to a gracious Soul It is better to be kissed by him than to lie in the worlds arms to be a Door-keeper in the House of God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness But thirdly The word is plural One kiss will not serve the turn she is not a stranger but a Spouse The plural number either imports 1. Various dispensations of Grace Or 2dly Repeated influences of the same Grace 1. It may be understood as denoting various dispensations of Grace Beza saith the Lord kissed the Soul thrice 1. In this life when he is by faith united to it 2. In the day of death when the Soul is taken up into the enjoyment of God 3. In the Resurrection when Body and Soul shall be united and together glorified Another reckons up 7 kisses with which the Lord kisseth his Peoples Souls The Grace of 1. Incarnation 2. The descending of the Holy Ghost 3. The preaching of the Gospel 4. Reconciliation to God 5. Sanctification 6. Divine Consolations 7. The kiss of Glory And the same Author makes the Spouses petition comprehensive of all these certain it is there are various dispensations of Grace there is quickning strengthening comforting Grace and there may be frequent repetitions of these to the Soul according to its particular wants and Gods favour towards it and you may indifferently understand the Text in either sense Fourthly The Spouse here doth not only desire kisses but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the kisses of Christs mouth concerning which observe these 2 things 1. The kiss of the mouth was the highest kiss This was the kiss of Love the kiss of Reconciliation Osculum pacis the kiss of the Hand Feet c. was a kiss of honour and reverence and subjection the kiss of the mouth was the kiss of love and friendship of peace and reconciliation 2. I find most Interpreters hinting by this expression something yet more special viz. Communion with Christ in his word The word indeed is the fruit of the lips and cometh out of the mouth and God may seem in some propriety of speech to kiss the Soul with the kisses of his mouth when he speaks to it in his word The Lord will speak peace to his people saith the Psalmist and I create the fruit of the lips peace peace saith the Lord by his Prophet Isaiah some expositors to further this notion have observed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies sometimes to instruct but I cannot find that usage of it in holy writ Grace is poured forth upon Christs lips she desires those kisses some drive the notion higher observing the difference between the Doctrine of the Law and that of the Gospel the first is terrible the second sweet and comfortable holding forth nothing but the love of God in Jesus Christ reconciling the world to himself not imputing their sins hence the Gospel is called The word of reconciliation Lastly She saith Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth She desires not only to hear the Doctrine of the gospel but that Christ should speak it to her The Preacher speaks to the Ear Christ to the heart Quoties ergo in corde nostro quod de divinis dogmatibus sensibusque quaerimus absque monitoribers invenimus toties oscula nobis á Sponso esse data verbo Dei credimus saith Origen so often as we find God by his word Speaking to our hearts so often doth our beloved kiss us with the kisses of his mouth This is sufficient to have spoken for the Explication of the matter of the Text. There onely remains something more circumstantial to be observed The words are Vox Sponsae The Voice of the Spouse According to the civil usage of our Country and I think most others the Lover speaks first Here the Spouse begins It is so betwixt God and the soul Christ speaks first He is found of those that seek him not and of those that enquire not after him He first loves us and our Love to him proceedeth from his Love first manifested to us But you must not understand her that speaks as one that is a stranger and in a state of disunion with her beloved but as one that is already espoused and made a Spiritual Bride not desiring first grace but further grace which she needeth as well as the first grace for he giveth both to will and to do he is both the author and the finisher of faith and other grace Secondly The words are Vox Volentis The Language of a willing Soul Willing that Christ should come near unto it and take it up into fellowship and communion with himself God's people are a willing people They are indeed made so by a divine power Psal 101. 2. But Certum est nos velle cum volumus saith Aug. It is God who makes us of unwilling Willing When he hath had his first work upon our wills and subdued that strong hold unto himself Then we are willing Nay more Thirdly They are Vox cupientis The voice of a panting Soul not barely content that Christ should kiss it but passionately desiring his kisses They are as much as Oh! that he would kiss me Every gracious Soul passionately desireth fellowship and Communion with Jesus Christ Oh! saith holy David when wilt thou come to me Neither is this all the words are not onely to be considered as a good wish or passionate desire but as a fervent prayer Lastly therefore they are Vox supplicantis the Language of a praying soul where observe What she beggs Not riches not honour not pleasures not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the good things of fortune but the riches of grace her Petition is like that of David Lord lift thou up
the light of thy Countenance upon me Psal 4. 6. Let others take the ring let her have but the kiss and it is sufficient for her but single influences of Grace will not serve her turn every look of grace is sweet and frequent influences of Grace are necessary for her Secondly Observe How she begs 1. Reverently Let him kiss me Thus we ought to draw nigh to God with Reverence and Godly fear Reverence becomes the great Majesty of Heaven and Earth those that come without it towards God understand not his greatness 2. She begs humbly But a kiss The crumbs that fall from the Lords Table the touch of the Hem of his Garment any thing of Jesus Christ that may but argue distinguishing love 3. She asketh boldly not rudely but boldly Thus we ought to come to the Throne of Grace with an holy boldness the boldness of faith the word is in the future tense and may be translated He shall kiss me or he will kiss me His Majesty requires reverence His promise gives boldness and confidence 4. Lastly she asketh fervently There is a bluntness discernable in the form Let him kiss me which speaketh the Souls fervency Besides the trina repetitio repeating the same thing by three terms denotes as Lud. de Ponte observes flagrantissimum cordis affectum The most flagrant earnest desire of the Spouses heart I have thus far opened to you the Spouses first Petition in which the believing Soul with a Reverent holy humble boldness yet with all possible fervency begs of the Lord Jesus Christ her Spiritual Husband some special distinguishing token of his love more especially a near fellowship with him in his ordinances and the sealing up of his love to her soul in Gospel Doctrines This first petition she presseth with a double Argument 1. The first drawn from the Excellency of his love This she sets out per modum comparationis comparing it with Wine and preferring it before it 2. Comparing the name of Christ with Ointment and that not shut up in a box but poured out Thy name is as an Ointment poured forth v. 3. Her 2d Argument is drawn from her Love to her Beloved in the close of the third v. The Virgins love thee and the cause of this love is expressed to be the savour of his good Ointments Because of the savour c. Let me open the terms by which these Arguments are expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We translate it because thy loves are better than Wine what we translate Loves the Septuagint translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom the Vulg. Lat. and the Arab. Interp. follow Thy Breasts the Syriack translate it Bowels otherwise there is no difference in the Translations Delrio tells us that Alanus an Ancient Interpreter makes these words not the continued speech of the Spouse pressing her Petition by an Argument but the reply of her beloved to her assuring her of his love and that he valued her Breasts above all things That which probably led him into this mistake was his interpreting the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Breasts and not understanding how in any propriety of Speech the Spouse could commend the Breasts of her beloved they being parts from which usually the woman not the man is commended in ordinary Speech but as the whole stream of Interpreters runs another way so this seemeth to be no constraining argument to enforce us to acknowledge such a sudden and a subitam abruptam verborum commutationem as Delrio calls it abrupt change of words as this interpretaâ—ioâ— must necessarily infer For â— Though it be true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a breast Ezek. 23. 3. v. 21. yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies beloved And loves in the Abstract and so it is translated Ezek. 16. 8. it was a time of love Suppose we should allow more authority to the Septuagint than to our Hebrew Text for which there is no reason yet it is not improper to assert these the words of the Spouse speaking to her beloved for although the God of Nature intending the woman for the Nurse hath provided that sex with larger breasts yet the man hath breasts also and such if you will believe the Philosopher as may have milk in them However he who runs may read the expression figurative Amoris sedes est in corde in uberibus quae cordi adhaerescunt The heart is the seat of love and the Breasts are nigh to the heart and this evidenceth the difference of Interpreters as to the translation of the word as to this Text to be but a word-bate for Ubera tua and Amorestui Thy Breasts or thy loves are much the same thing in signification Neither lastly is this the only Text in Scripture where the breasts of men are mentioned if we should be constrained to that sense Isaiah 60. 16. Thou shalt suck the Breast of Kings so also God is said to bear his People from the Belly and to carry them from the Womb. They are Metaphorical expressions and it is granted on all hands that if our Interpreters with whom concur most modern Interpreters have not hit the literal signification of the word yet they have not missed the sense in translating it Thy Loves By which Interpreters generally understand either the private influences of Grace with which God refresheth the particular Souls of his Saints or The publick ordinances and institutions of the Gospel by which God expresseth his love to his Church in general and every believing Soul in particular 1. Some understand Divine institutions Ordinances are indeed the Breasts at which Christ suckleth his Children those means by and through which he conveyeth the streams of his love to them and there is a great excellency in them David prefers a day in Christ's Courts before a 1000 elsewhere Origen observes that in some copies instead of quia ubera tua c. it was quia loquelae tuae thy Speeches are better than Wine which also excellently suits with the former expression The kisses of his mouth This sense in the general notion of it much pleaseth many Interpreters though something divided in their more particular notions Origen interprets it Dogmata tua thy Doctrines and seems indifferently to understand it of the Doctrine of the Law or of the Gospel The Popish Interpreters reading it Breasts expound it concerning the two Testaments so Genebrard c. Others interpret it more strictly concerning the sweet Doctrine of the Gospel which Saint Peter 1 Pet. 2. 2. compareth unto Milk which as new born Babes we ought to desire and concerning the Apostles and Prophets which were the first Instruments which God made use of to convey that Doctrine to us The sweetness of the Gospel saith Aquinas is meant here by which as with Milk those who are Babes in Christ are nourished Mr. Brightman making this the Speech of the Jewish
Church understands it of the Doctrine of the Law which also suiteth with Davids high commendation of the Law of God in his 19 Psal and in the 119. more largely 2. But reading it Loves possibly they may better interpret it who understand it concerning the Graces of Gods Holy Spirit When we speak of the Grace of Christ we either understand that goodness which is essentially in him as he is the fountain of all Grace full of Grace and Truth the fulness of the God-Head dwelling in him or that goodness which he communicateth to his People in the free pardon of their sins and acceptation of their Persons Or 3 dly Those fruits of his Spirit which abide and dwell in us such as faith love I find some Interpreters both ancient and modern interpreting the Text of the latter So Gregorius Mag. That love to thee and to my Brethren which thou hast wrought in my heart But Beza observeth That it is not usual to Saints to commend their own graces and therefore doubtless it is to be understood of that Grace which is and remains in Christ subjectively of which we are the Objects and to this sense agree the most sober and spiritual Interpreters making the phrase to signify that sweet pleasure which the Soul takes from the feeling of Christs love And possibly this is that Vis lactandi that suckling vertue which Delrio mentioneth which Christs puts forth refreshing the Souls of his Saints with his consolations The word is in the plural number by which the Hebrews were wont not onely to express a multitude of things but also the infinite vertues and dimensions of any thing You must not think saith Beza That in the One Essence of God there are more numerical loves No in him all things are one and he is one But his grace is manifold in respect of our feeling and apprehension and he deals out his love to us in different measures according to our different necessities or capacities The Chaldee Paraphrast with some of the Heb. Doctors understand here the Concret by the Abstract and interpret God's loves to be his beloved people of the Jewish Nation whom he preferreth before Wine viz. before any other Nations threescore and ten Nations to which purpose by their Cabalistical Art they have found out the numerical letters for 70 in the word which we translate Wine But I shall not insist upon so fond and improbable a Notion Having therefore spoken Enough for the Explication of the Subject Thy loves Let us indeavour to understand what is praedicated of this Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are better then Wine good before wine saith the Heb. Text which is but the same thing in their dialect who so use ordinarily to express the Comparative degree 1. Good in the Philosophical notion of it is whatsoever is the Object of our desire the nature of it lying in a convenience and sutableness of the thing unto our natures which makes it desirable which a thing may be either upon the account of pleasure or profit or nobleness Accordingly the Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously translated merry Esther 1. 10. Beautiful Ruth 3. 7. Thy loves are more good i. e. more sweet pleasant profitable than Wine 2. Wine in its primary signification is the juice of the Grape whose proper Effect it is to make the heart of man merry Psal 104. 15. But this were too low a signification for it in this Text. We must therefore allow a figure The Hebrews were wont under the notion of wine to express all other delectable and pleasant things Hence Ahashuerus his feast is called A Banquet of Wine though it cannot be imagined that Wine was all the guests had for their intertainment It is an usuall Synecdoche to express all things that fall under a common genus by some Eminent Species Some of the ancient Rabbies understood by Wine here quamcunque Laetitiam whatsoever is pleasant and acceptable And in that sence Mercer and the best of modern Interpreters agree For that other interpretation which some make of it who understand by loves Gospel Doctrine and by Wine the Doctrine and dispensation of the Law though it seemeth to have some advantage by the use of Wine in the legal oblations and it be a truth That the Doctrine and dispensation of the Gospel being more sweet and perfect is better than that of the Law which brought nothing to perfection Yet I cannot think it the sense of this Text. Let us conclude then that the words are the Language Either of the Church of God preferring the injoyment of God in the Doctrines and dispensations of his word and Gospel or the words of the believing Soul preferring the influences of divine grace before the sweetest of all creatures comforts And this I take to be the most free and consistent sense and interpretation of the words The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be conceived here to have a double use Either To give a reason of her former desire that her beloved should kiss her with the kisses of his mouth Which she professeth to be like theirs who desire wine They desire that because it is good She desires these because there is a far greater goodness in these heavenly influences than there is in the best of created comforts by which she shews that she was not carried out to these desires insano quodam affectu sed prudente consilio saith Beza by prudent advice and deliberation reason dictating to us the choice and desire of the things which are most excellent Not by an heady and misguided passion Or else to make an argument which might be advantageous to her for the obtaining of her request drawn from the Estimate of Christs love with which her Soul was possessed Lord I esteem thy favour to me above all created comforts in the world Therefore let not my Soul want it And so it suteth with that of David Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than the time that their Corn and Wine increased And thus these latter words of the Text contain the Spouses first Argument by which she urgeth her petition mentioned in the former part of it She proceedeth v. 3. V. 3. Because of the Savour of thy Ointments Thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee The Sept. translate it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulg. Latine joyneth the former part of this verse to the former thus Thy breasts perfumed with the best ointments are better than Wine The difference is not much nor is it an easy labour to determine it because the points and stops which make it are of no great antiquity at least as some think the Hebrew translated for a word seemeth to be thus To the smell of thy good Ointments Thy name is as Oil or Ointment poured out
and hence the soul is taught by it's own reason to thirst after these manifestations of Divine Goodness as those which above all others are proportioned to its wants and highest necessities 2. But 2dly These desires are not the product of an enlightned understanding only but of a renewed will also So wofully depraved is our corrupt nature that the inferiour powers of our Souls have withdrawn themselves from the command of reason and whereas it is the method of a reasonable Soul to imbrace or refuse a thing with the will according to the judgment which is by the understanding given in concerning it it often falls out otherwise by reason of our Souls disorder He that not only knoweth the will of God but also approveth those things which are most excellent yet hath no hearthimself to close with them he is ready to teach another like the hand of a Statue in a way which directeth a Traveller but moveth not he teacheth not himself hence the renovation of the understanding although the great wheel of the Soul is not sufficient to make the Soul to will those things which are spiritually good Mans Soul is like a Clock broken in pieces every of whose Wheels must be mended before it will again move truly But the gracious man is renewed as well in Spirit as in Body and in Mind The day of the Lords Power is come upon him and of unwilling he is made willing God hath given him to will Phil. 2. 13. taking away that natural enmity and stubborness which was in his heart and disposing and enabling him to will those things which are in themselves most desirable and which are most pleasing unto God Now there is nothing more pleasing unto our Heavenly Father than to see his Children more sond of their Fathers love than of any thing else which is in his hand to bestow upon them And this is the true reason of the gracious Souls thirst after spiritual things To which may be added secondly the Souls assurance That other things shall be added to it Mat. 6. 33. If saith the Apostle he hath given us his Son shall be not with him give us all things All inferiour good things are but appendices to these great spiritual blessings with which the Soul is blessed in Christ Jesus the Woman that hath her Husbands heart easily commandeth his purse The Child of the bosom needs not trouble itself for a new Coat It is a spiritual subrilty of a gracious heart to be most desirous of spiritual things other things will come alone they are but appurtenances to this great possession and an easy faith will assure the Soul that if Men who are evil know how to give good things to their Children who are once possessed of their Affections God will not be wanting to his People especially considering that his liberality extends to the grass of the Field and to the Birds of the Air because they are his Creatures Let this notion in the first place shew you the vast difference betwixt the renewed soul and that which is yet in its natural estate Grace considering our weak estate is not so easily discernable in us from our Actions as from our Affections The bent of the heart doth best discover the state of it whether it be renewed or no. All Men and Women in the Christian world come under one of these three ranks They are either 1. Profane and dissolute Persons Or 2. Hypocrites or seeming professors who have a form of Godliness but deny the power thereof Or 3. Such as are Disciples indeed the true Children of God God is the fountain of all mercy and goodness and nature itself teacheth man something of this Hence every ones Soul is looking out towards God for some good or other 1. The worldling and profane Person says who will shew us any good But what is the good which he thirsts after an increase of Corn and Wine and Oil The objects for the lusts of the Flesh the lust of the Eye and the Pride of life let the Swines belly be filled with these husks and he is satisfied let who will take Grace and Heaven and heavenly things as he understands not his need of them noâ— the excellency that is in them so neither is his Soul carried out in any desires after them 2. The Hypocrites design is of another nature he would fain appear to be something though indeed all his glorying be but a vain shew and a meer appearance when indeed he is nothing Now that which he desires is something proportioned to this end he possibly covets the best gifts like Simon Magus who when he saw That through the laying on of the Apostles hands the Holy Ghost was given said Give me this power also that on whomsoever I lay my hands he may receive the Holy Ghost Acts 8. 18. The Hypocrite may desire a gift of Prayer a gift of Prophecy and such like common gifts of the Holy Ghost which may serve his design in appearing Godly and Religious and this satisfieth him 3. But the gracious Soul is satisfied with none of these All his desire is after the gifts of special grace the obtaining of union with and reconciliation to God the light of Gods countenance c. and nothing less than this will satisfy his thirst It is reported of Luther indeed he reports it of himself that when he first Preached the Gospel in Germany he was much courted by some great Persons and presented with many gifts which made the good man jealous that God intended to put him off with these things but saith he Protestatus sum c I made a protestation to my God that I would not be so satisfied The Sons of Keturah may be put off with portions but Isaac must have the inheritance The gracious Soul is a true Artabazus he thinks his Saviours kiss is better than a Cup of Gold and indeed I know no better evidence of a gracious heart than this to be found unsatisfied without the special and distinguishing love of God yet that you may not deceive your selves I must tell you that as it is possible that one who is a stranger to God may desire these distinguishing favours from God So the desire of those good things which are but the issues of common providence is often found in gracious Souls and that in too high a degree But as the former proceedeth from some inconstant principle and lasteth not long in the unregenerate Soul nor is much in earnest while it continues but like Augustines desire to be rid of his lusts while in the mean time as he confesseth he secretly desired that God would not hear his prayer so the latter desires in the Child of God are secondary and subordinate or if irregular and immoderate no more than fits of passion out of which grace soon recovers him Secondly Let me beseech you all to make these spiritual distinguishing mercies of God the object of your desires I
their worldly and sensual satisfactions I would speak to them as one standing this day in wisdoms Porch and crying after them in their hottest pursuits of the world Come and turn your hearts hither you that are simple ones and void of understanding I shall have a fairer opportunity to speak to these when I come to consider the argument by which the Spouse backeth her Petition But alas we had need make these cries often you can see the world and the gay and fine things therein precious and run after them with a swift pace but you can see no excellency in the kisses of Christ nothing for which they should be so desired when alas the world is but like a brave glass which whole is of some value but if broken in pieces the small pieces of it are worth nothing Christ his love is like a wedge of Gold or like a most precious perfume the least particle the least drop of which hath its value there is no emanation of his special loves but is suted to the Souls wants and to some eminent necessity under which the Soul laboureth Hear Solomon speaking to you Prov. 1. 22. How long you simple ones will you love simplicity And Fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Your reason tells you that a vessel of Silver or Gold is much preferrible to one of Earth or Glass and as for other reasons so for this which you ordinarily say break a vessel of Earth and Glass the pieces are worth nothing but if one of those more valuable mettals be broke the least pieces have their value Why should not the same reason instruct you that Christs favour is to be prefer'd to all the world can afford you a little of the world is not much valuable a plentiful estate the highest pitches of honour a belly full of pleasure that indeed may appear desirable but the least tokens of Christs love the least expressions of his favour are most valuable things The kisses of the world are for the most part but Oscula Iscariotica or Joabitica like the kisses of Judas who in order to the betraying of his Master first kissed him or like the kiss of Joab to Amasa who under pretence of kissing him smote him under the fifth rib and slew him Christ's kisses are kisses of peace and reconciliation of love and favour Secondly This notion calleth to all those that are true Christians and that for three things For a due value of the least tokens of Christs special and distinguishing love look narrowly to make up your judgment whether what you take to be such be such or no and there you must take heed that you do not make conclusions from the gifts of common providence No man can judge of the love or hatred of God to his Soul from any thing which befalls him in this life No man can judge of any special love from Gods giving him a longer life greater measures of health a more plentiful estate or any thing of this nature God gives the worst of men their portion in such things as these No nor â—dly from common gifts such as those of knowledge utterance c. look therefore narrowly to make your judgment and the surest Judgment is from such things as more conform you to the nature or will of God but if you will find aliquid Christi any thing which you can call Christs or speaks his distinguishing love take heed of undervaluing that Secondly It calls to you for the use of all means for proficiency and growth in Grace Such as hearing the Word Prayer the use of all the Ordinances of God for in reason if the least tokens of Christs special love be desirable greater manifestations of it are much more desirable Labour for more holiness more heavenly-mindedness more subjection of your will to the will of God Hath the Lord blessed you with a faith of adherence a power given you from above to cast your Souls upon the Lord Jesus Christ Labour for faith of evidence be like the Travellers to Zion of which David speaketh Psal 84. that go from strength to strength until they all appear before the Lord in Zion It may be a good question sometimes to satisfy a troubled doubting Soul what is the Minimum quod sic the lowest degree or measure of saving grace but it is an ill hearing from a lazy wanton Soul Lastly it calls loudly to us to thirst after Heaven where the believing Soul shall be the Lambs Wife and follow him whithersoever he goes and be blessed with the clearest vision and the fullest imbraces of its beloved Oh how pleasant will the mansions of glory be to those Souls to whom the imperfect views that it hath had of Christ in this life have been so desirable while we are present in the Body even Paul himself owneth himself absent from the Lord. Now indeed we are the Sons of God now we are in a capacity of his kisses tokens of special love sufficient to uphold and refresh our Souls but there we shall be at the rivers of pleasures where there is not only pleasure but fulness of pleasures and that for evermore O Blessed are they that shall be alwaies before the Throne of God seeing their Redeemer with those Eyes and taking their fills of his love Sermon IV. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth BY the beloveds Kisses mentioned in this Text I have understood Christs special and distinguishing love and the tokens of it by which either as God blessed for ever or as the Mediatour of the world he may discover his kindness to the Children of Men or the Members of his Church in common from whence I have already observed that the heart of a Believer is after distinguishing love Kisses being the least of those Evidences I have shewed That the least tokens of Christs special and distinguishing love are and will be very sweet to Believers Souls But I observe the word is in the plural number Kisses and so may signify either 1. Various dispensations of Grace Or 2. Various repetitions of the same Acts of Grace Hence the next Proposition ariseth That altho the least dispensations of special and distinguishing love be exceeding sweet and precious to Souls which have once tasted how good the Lord is yet their hearts will be after fuller and frequent dispensations and repetitions of it I take both these to be comprehended in the plurality of the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace is a thing which is but one piece considered as it is in God their 's nothing plural in the one Divine Being but as the Sea which is in itself but one yet as it washeth upon several coasts receiveth several names and denominations as the English Sea the Irish Sea and the Baltick Sea So as the Grace of God respecteth the several necessities and wants of us
reason to question it doubtless those that lie most in Christs Bosom here shall sit nearest him upon his Throne hereafter I shall shut up my discourse with four or five directions in this case First Labour to understand the various emanations of special and distinguishing Grace how many ways the Sun of Righteousness may shine upon Souls with healing in his Wings I am afraid many talk of Grace special distinguishing Grace who do not understand it as they ought to do Study to understand Christs saving looks upon Souls and to distinguish them from other looks which have no such saving vertue and evidence in them Christs saving looks upon Souls are either such as evidence pardon of Sin or contribute to the change of the heart in first or further degrees of holiness Or comforting us with the view of our own sincerity take a right notion of Christs kisses Be sure in thy desires of further Grace thou forgettest not to be thankful for what thou hast the least token of love for good to thy Soul is more worth than the world ther 's nothing little in Grace I before observed to you the passions of some Christians who are ready to overlook all that God hath done for their Souls if they want some particular dispensation of Grace which their hearts are set upon Make use of what thou hast To him that hath shall be given It is a saying which our Saviour applyeth to the parable of the sower Mat. 13. 12. Luk. 8. 18. and to the parable of the Talents Mat. 25. 29. In the two first places the meaning may be To him that hath in actual possession so it may be conceived as a promise of further grace to those who have any thing of the truth of grace but in the 25. Mat. 29. it is plainly to be understood of such as make use of and improve what they have for it is spoken with reference to those Servants that had ten Talents and had gained other ten and five talents and had gained other five In thy desires of more Grace distinguish betwixt necessary and comfortable influences betwixt manifestations of the Spirit given thee to profit withal and such as are given thee to make thy life more easy and cheerful the first thou mayest beg more absolutely and be as earnest for them as thou wilt The latter must be asked with more explicite submission to the will of God they being such as are not only not necessary to thy glorifying of God under all circumstances but not necessary to the eternal Salvation of thy Soul such for which the wisdom of God may see more reason under some circumstances to with-hold from thee and that in order to thy edification and improvement in holiness As to such influences though thou oughtest to desire them and to pray for them yet thou oughtest also to be content to wait for them David did so His Eyes failed while he said When wilt thou comfort me Wait upon God in all his own institutions The Ordinances of God are usually called means of Grace because they are usually made use of by God as means in and by which he communicateth his Grace in the several influences of it to our Souls These Ordinances are the Word Sacrament and Prayer The first Grace is usually dispensed to us upon reading or hearing the Word of God and so is further Grace also Therefore the Apostle Peter commands us to desire the sincere Milk of the Word that we may grow thereby I had saith David perished in my affliction if thy Word had not been my delight The Law of the Lord saith David is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lor d is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the Eyes Psal 19. 6. 7. Christs love is a thing different from the Word but it is shewen to the Soul in the use of the Word Infinite instances might be given you of Christs kissing Souls manifesting his special love to Souls is it which I mean by it in the reading and especially in the hearing of the Word there it is that is in the use of that that he usually speaks to the hearts of Men and Women hence the Apostle tells us that the holy Scriptures are able to make the Man of God wise to Salvation and are profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instructions in righteousness Yea and for patience and comfort too Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Sacrament that is another mean the Sacramental believing eating of the Bread and Wine is an eating of the flesh and a drinking of the Blood of Christ a feeding upon all Christs fulness as Mediator Prayer is a mean of all Grace whatsoever God hath promised in a way of Grace is all promised upon this condition That he will for it be inquired of by his People Walk humbly and uprightly before God The humble he will teach saith the Psalmist Psal 25. and to the humble he will give more Grace Ja. 4. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 5. he dwelleth with those that are of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the Spirits of the humble and the hearts of those that are contrite and for the upright he hath told us that he will with-hold from them no good thing But this is enough to have also spoken to this Proposition There is another term in the petition of the Text. which I shall take notice of she prayeth not only that her beloved would kiss her and that not with one but many kisses but she adds of his Mouth But of that hereafter Sermon V. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth I Told you in the close of my last diseourse that I should not yet leave this Text because of the last words of his Mouth which we must either be allowed as a Pleonasme and superfluous or to contain in them yet some further spiritual Instruction The Jews say there is not the least tittle of the Law upon which great things do not depend nor do I fancy the allowing of more Pleonasms in holy writ than must necessarily be allowed I shall therefore take notice of what Origen and Beza and divers others have before me noted from the addition of these words That the believing Soul thirsts after a communion with Christ in his Word Mr. Ainsworth taking special notice of the term kisses understands the Doctrine of the Gospel which is the Word of Reconciliation as kisses are amoris reconciliationis symbola the tokens of love and reconciliation I am sure the notion is in itself true whether the sense of this Text or no. The Law worketh Wrath faith the Apostle the Doctrine of the Gospel alone speaks love and peace Christs Spouse here
Store-house a Shop that hath a Salve for every Sore a Medicine for every Distemper Hence indeed it is morally impossible that a regenerate Soul should not value the kisses of Christ's mouth The Breath of Christ is comforting to those that are sad strengthening to those that are weak quickening to those that are dull an healing to all the Soul's Diseases and there are infinite Records of the Cures done by it both in Scripture and in all Ecclesiastical Story and in all Experience A Christian converted cannot meet with another but he or she hath some story to tell them of some Cure wrought in them by the Word of God I had perished saith one in such an affliction if the Word had not been my delight I had perished saith another under such a temptation if such a Promise had not supported me O the infinite Cures which the Word of God Read and Preached hath done upon a numberless number of Souls Look almost into any Church of God There are many Souls that were dead in trespasses and sins and by the Word were brought to life many Souls that were dropping into the bottomless Pit whom the Word laid hold upon and saved from it Here 's a broken heart that was bound up by some lines of holy Writ There 's a tempted Soul fetcht out of the depths of Satan by a Promise in the Word There hangs a poor fearful doubting Soul resolved by it and brought to a settled state The Regenerate Soul meets with these Stories in all its new company And Thirdly It hath a reason to believe them because it hath had it self a great Experience of the Virtue of it The Word saith such a Soul it is that which hath saved my Soul from Hell My Soul my poor Soul was in a full career to the Devil the Word in such a Sermon in such a Scripture met me and turned my face Heaven-ward others my companions in sin dropt into the Pit my foot was upon the brink of perdition it is God's mercy I was not ingulphed in Eternal Misery God shewed me this mercy by his Word Shall that Word be ever out of the tast of my Soul Shall not I wait upon God in the Reading and Hearing of it as long as I live Hath Christ conveyed his Breath his Life into my Soul by the kisses of his mouth and shall he not by it convey all things that my immortal Soul stands in need of Let others that never tasted the good Word of the Lord to whose Souls the Lord never created the fruit of the lips peace peace undervalue and despise the Word of the Lord let them undervalue Scriptures and despise Prophecyings and count vain idle Books better to read in than the Book of God vain idle discourses better than lively Soul-saving Sermons I have tasted better things I know otherwise Once more There appeareth to the renewed Soul a beauty and excellency in the word of God surpassing all other writings of what nature soever You shall observe in the world two or three sorts of People 1. Some there are who indeed hardly deserve the name of rational Creatures they delight in no fort of knowledge in nothing of any tendency to ennoble the mind of man but only in sensual things hence they almost hate a Book or any thing which may have any tendency to adorn and any way ennoble the mind of man 2. Others have some delight in knowledge but it is an airy knowledge of things that are superfluous and signify nothing as to the use of mans life a knowledge of things only which please the fancy tickle the senses furnish the tongue with discourse for all humors and companies Romances and Play Books any Books of idle discourse and foolish stories please them but for the knowledge of such things as should ennoble their minds they have no fancy for it nor any Books or discourses that have any tendency to such an end these are a sort of titular Christians that are not yet come up to the highest forms of Heathens 3. There is a third sort of more noble Souls that love Knowledge and despise vain and airy knowledge that islueth in no good and worthy end as to mans life but seek such a knowledge as may make them wife to the rational ends of the life of man You shall now never find these men much employing themselves with reading or hearing of Playes or reading Romances they abhor the feeding of their Souls with Coals and Dirt and cheating themselves with lies and falshoods nor debauching their minds with sordid and silthy Books and discourses they will be reading Books of H story and Philosophy which may serve their Souls as to the most noble ends or life and indeed such as are come thus far are yet but come on to the highest forms of good Pagans But the good Christian is got beyond these he hath discerned that God is the greatest good and the fruition and enjoyment of God is the fruition of the greatest good and that the enjoyment of God an acquaintance fellowship and communion with him is more to be desired than all the world besides Whatsoever Books or discourses therefore have either in their own nature or by any ordination of God a tendency to bring the Soul of Man to a knowledge of God to an acquaintance or communion with God appear to him the best Books the best discourses in the world and this he doth by as rational an operation of his Soul as a sober Man counteth a true History better than a Romance or a Lecture of Moral or Natural Philosophy better than a Play or an â—dle sight All floweth from his right notion of his chief end for that being once truly fixed in the Soul of Man he measureth other things by their tendency or no tendency as means in order to that end It is because the sensual Man maketh the satisfaction of his senses the â—nd of his life that he thirsts after merry Meetings Balls and Dances and Revellings and Chamberings and Wantonness and Books of fine words and full of filthy or at best witty discourses as the best Book to spend his time in and discourses to spend his time upon It is because the moral Man hath fixed upon the ennobling his mind with human knowledge and habits of moral vertue that he despiseth those things before-mentioned as contrary to his design and the main end of his life and chuseth rather the moral writings of Seneca Aristotle Plato c. than any other idle Books to spend his thoughts upon And it is because the true Christian hath fixed upon the glorifying of God and the saving of his own Soul as the great end of his life that he thirsteth after and hath such a delight in the World of God and the Interpretation and application of that which is that which we call Preaching 2. Besides the Philosopher observeth that like delighteth in its like Look what complexion the Soul is
in none of your bosoms Is there not amongst some of you a sad neglect of Reading the Scripture Let me tell you it speaks you to have tasted very little if at all how good the Lord is Secondly How sadly doth this reflect upon those who despise Prophecyings It is a dreadful Text 1. Joh. 4. 6. We are of God He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us It is true no Minister of Christ can say He is of God in that strict sense as the Apostles did whose Calling was not of men nor by men but immediately from God It is also true that every one who talks out of a Pulpit is not of God Many run whom God never sends and you shall easily know them by the message they bring But every faithful Minister of Christ that faithfully openeth and conscienciously applieth the Word of God to Peoples understandings hearts and consciences is of God that is he is sent of God he is the Ordinance of God and he that knoweth God that hath â—â—y saving experimental knowledge of God will hear such a one If there be any that despiseth such Prophecying he is not of God Now this men may do from looseness and prophaneness and this too many are guilty of and by it proclaim to the world that they were never born again of the uncorruptible Seed of the Word that they never yet tasted the goodness of God in an Ordinance There is another generation that despise Prophecyings pretending to the immediate Teachings of the Spirit of God I shall in my next Discou se God willing shew you that no pious Soul can undervalue the Teachings of the Holy Spirit nor think them needless but he that looks for them in opposition to the Teachings of the Word of God or otherwise than by and in the Teachings of the Word is ignoranr knowing nothing The Spirit brings to our remembrance the things which we have heard of God I never yet knew a pious Soul that duâ—st slight Reading or powerful Preaching I have indeed known Religious Souls neglect and despise some mens little jinglings of words in Pulpits flaunts of Rhetorick and playing with words or disgorging their malice and passion and they deserve to be despised and abhorred of all but I never yet knew that pious Soul that did not hunger after the Preaching of Jesus Christ in a plain Scriptural powerful manner I would say to any that pretend to despise Sermons pretending to the Teachings of the Spirit immediately as Paul spoke to the Galatians Gal. 3. 2. This would I learn of you Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith So say I you pretend to some change of heart to a Receiving of the Spirit Received you the Spirit by an immediate afflatus or impression or by the Hearing of the Word Besides how shall the impressions of the Spirit be known tryed or judged but by the Word for St. John hath taught us 1 Joh 4. 1. That every Spirit is not to be believed And the Apostle warns the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 2. not to be shaken in mind troubled or deceived by Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter I shall shut up this Discourse with a word of Exhortation Which of us is there who hath not an ambition to be the Lamb's Wife and to be thought the Spouse of Christ Evidence then your selves to be such by your hunger after a communion with God in his Word by your much Reading much Hearing by your meditating in the Law of the Lord night and day For the written Word you have no plea to the contrary no excuse for the Word Preached I wish Christians had more general incouragement We have too much of of the word of man in Pulpits too little of the Word of God and as it is in Trade the false and corrupt making of Wares depretiates the Commodity and brings it out of esteem with such as abhor to be cheated So the abundance of false Preaching by which I mean not only Preaching of unsound Notions but Preaching vain Philosophy idle Speculations turning Sermons into Harangues of Oratory In short whatsoever is not intelligible Scriptural Preaching with a true design to shew men the way of Salvation and to direct them into it and in it I call this false Preaching We have so much of this that it hath brought a discredit upon the Ordinance I would have you as our Saviour directs Take heed what you hear and how you hear and that will oblige you to take heed whom you hear But withal Take heed that you hear for God hath told you that Faith cometh by hearing He hath said Hear and your Souls shall live And blessed be God he hath not left us without some that Preach Jesus Christ and him crucified and desire to know nothing else amongst people I cannot tell you how long you shall have any of the daies of the Son of Man work while it is day when the night comes no man can work We have had faithful powerful Preaching a long time possibly Christ never had a Church on Earth had such handling the Word of God so long a time doth not the Candle begin to fail and burn in the Socket We have an Ezra's Temple but is not Solomon's destroyed 2. There 's no such way to recover your Light and keep it with you as to cry after it and to make use of it while you have it God will not take away his Word from hungry Children Where are our Rogers Sheppard Hooker Fenner Preston Sibbs Burroughs and others It 's time to recover your Appetites that you may recover your Bread 3. Consider you that love the Lord will be the first that want it Prodigals of their Souls can feed upon any Husks though they fill their Bellies with nothing but wind and crudities That you may recover your Appetite to the Word Purge your selves of your lusts I shall conclude with that of James Jam. 1. 21 22. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your Souls But be you doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Sermon VI. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth IT is not Let me hear the words of his mouth though that be intended the words of God's mouth may be brought to us by men like unto our selves as they were spoken to the Israelites of old by the Prophets the Spouse begs not only the Words of her Lord but that they might be spoken from himself She beggeth his words but so that they may be kisses tokens of his love and favour to her Soul She beggeth not only a more external Communion with God by which God communicates his Will to our exteriour senses but an inward Communion that God by his Word and Gospel would speak unto her heart that the Word might
reasonings of one part of the world that have pretended to more Learning and Knowledge than others and the prophane scoffs and mockings of a more silly part of it at the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Some by Wisdom know not God being under the meer conduct of reason and tying up themselves to the meer informations of that natural Eye Some knowing less have blasphemed God and the holy things of God counting their own Ignorance a sufficient excuse for their Blasphemy None knoweth the things of God aright but he that is under the Teaching of the Spirit Take the first Principle of all Religion viz. That the holy Scriptures are the Word of God no Soul knoweth this as he ought to know it but he that is under a further Teaching than that of the Church or of Reason much less doth it know the momentous Propositions that are contained in those holy Writings To all knowledge there is required 1. A sufficient Revelation 2. A sufficiency in our faculty to receive and comprehend the Revelation The holy Scriptures are a sufficient Revelation of all Truth There are no Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to be admitted but what are there revealed But we want a visive faculty a sufficiency in our understandings to apprehend and to conceive them till the Lord by the finger of his Spirit toucheth our Ears and saith Ephatha be opened When Peter made his confession of Christ for which Christ blessed him Christ addeth Flesh and blood hath not revealed it to him Secondly The Spirit teacheth by a special Application of the Word to the Conscience The Word as written is no more directed to one man than to another it equally concerneth all men When we Preach we are like Benhadad's Archers we draw Bows at adventures and let the Lord's Arrows fly who is it that directs them betwixt the joints of one harness more than another that when we reprove sin and denounce the Judgments of God against it saith to this or that sinner Thou art the man or when we display the grace of the Gospel and open the Promises of God teacheth one Soul to apply them while another refuseth the comfort of them All special Application of the Word to the Soul which indeed is the true Teaching is from the holy Spirit of God It is the Spirit that was promised Joh. 16. 8. to convince the world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment It is the Spirit which convinceth the Soul of Truth of Wrath of Love indeed of any thing of Spiritual Revelation It is the Spirit that makes the Word stick to the Soul All the Ministers on Earth cannot make a threatning to stick to the heart of an hard and impenitent sinner nor a Promise stick to a broken and contrite heart until the Spirit comes and joyneth with the Ministration of the Word We sometimes meditate of the Lord's terrours and compose Discourses with the best Art we are able and in the vanity of our hearts are it may be sometimes saying within our selves Surely this Sermon will alarum some sinners open some blind Eyes Another time we study the Grace of the Gospel and with the best Art we can compose Discourses to affect Souls with the sense of the love of God in Jesus Christ and are ready to think surely this Discourse will affect some Souls and bring them to love and admire Jesus Christ to seek to him for pardon and forgiveness to receive him as the Saviour of man as their Saviour We go about our work and when we have done we see cause to return unto the Lord that sent us mourning and saying We have laboured in vain and spent our strength for nothing and in vain The Spirit of the Lord moves not upon the face of our waters there 's not one Soul washed from its filthiness The Angel comes not and troubles the waters though our people lye from year to year at the Pool yet possible not a Soul is cured of its infirmity The Word is but a dead letter it is the Spirit that quickeneth whom he pleaseth The Word the Minister teacheth us by communicating notions but the Spirit only teacheth by particular and effectual Application of notions to our Souls advantage Thirdly The Spirit teacheth by evident Demonstration There is a threefold Demonstration of things 1. The Demonstration of Sense Thus it is demonstrable that the Fire burneth that Snow is white all know that spiritual things come under no such Demonstration 2. The Demonstration of Reason thus a proper effect is a demonstration of the cause Some Propositions in Religion are indeed capable of this demonstration The Creation demonstrateth a Creator c. But alas there are very few things in Religion that fall under the demonstration of Reason most Propositions of that nature depend upon Revelation and theâ—truth of them is to be judged from thence That Christ is the eternal Son of God That he took upon him our Nature died for Sinners In short all the main Propositions of Religion all Propositions immediately concerning our Salvation all Articles of Faith are things which fall not under the demonstration of Reason 3. There is therefore Thirdly a Demonstration of the Spirit St. Paul tells us his Preaching was in the Demonstration of the Spirit that is attended with the Demonstration of the Spirit and let Scoffers say what they will if this Demonstration of the Spirit attendeth not all our Preaching we do but beat the Air and labour in vain Logicians rightly tell us of two sorts of Arguments The one they call Topicks the other Demonstrations The difference of them lies in the effects they have upon our minds The former make a thing only probable to us the other make it certain If a notion appears only probable to us we have some doubts and fears and suspicions about the truth of it Nothing is demonstrated to us but that of the truth of which we have no further doubts against which we can make no Objections Now nothing but the Spirit of God thus teacheth The Gifts of Ministers are various the discourses of some may be meer words oratorial discourses these of all others have least influence upon any but airy Souls others more mind their work and knowing that nothing but the Word of God layeth hold on the Conscience endeavour to prove what they say by holy Writ and some in this are more happy than others as they are more skilled in the Scriptures and the true sense of them others are more rational in their discourses men of great parts good reason though the second sort of these best discharge their Office yet the effect of the best is to make a thing but probable to the Soul The Soul will find out some distinctions excuses and evasions until it comes under this Teaching of the Spirit it is an easie thing to make it probable to the Soul that it is in a road and high-way to Hell and eternal destruction that sin is the
gain doth arise ordinarily Now all the profit that can be so much as imagined to arise from the world as meerly read in our Bibles or heard opened from the Ministers of the Gospel or meditated upon can be nothing but some superficial notional knowledge in the things of God Knowledge indeed is an excellent thing and as pleasant to an ingenuous Soul as Light is to the Eye and such a Soul counts it amongst his gains and this may and doth draw out not only true and good and pious Souls to read and hear Sermons and study the Scriptures but it may and doth entice and allure others But the pious Soul feeth a profit beyond this he hath read 1 Tim. 3. 15. That the holy Scriptures are able to make a man wise to salvation through Faith which is in Jesus Christ V. 17. To make the man of God perfect throughly furnished to every good work He hath heard that good words from thence have made Souls better when sorrow hath made the heart to stoop this is the profit this the advantage which he promiseth unto himself from the Word of God this makes him thirst after a real inward spiritual communion with God in his Word he knows nothing less than this can answer the ends which his Soul aimeth at That it is not being in the Sanctuary but his seeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary which must effect this Hence it is that though a more External communion with God in his word be sweet and desirable to him yet he cannot take up with it but he thirsteth after the Teachings of his Spirit in and by the Word But I see I must leave much of this discourse to other opportunities Sermon VII Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth 4. THere is yet another Reason to be assigned and added to what you have already heard why an understanding pious Soul cannot be satisfied with a bare external Communion with God in his Word That is the danger which it apprehends from such a performance when the Soul resteth in it and takes up with it Heb. 4. 12. The Apostle telleth us The word of God is quick and powerful Whatsoever means are used in order to an end if it be of a quick and operative Nature if it reacheth not the end it certainly doth harm Pbysick that is quick and operative if it conduceth not to the healing of the Body usually impairs it and doth it harm The hearing and reading of the word are means in order to the Salvation of our Souls by the working of Faith in us changing our hearts and transforming us into its own likeness if they profit not in order to that end they certainly prejudice the Soul Isa 55. 10. As the rain cometh down from Heaven and the Snow and returneth not thither but watereth the Earth So shall my word be that goeth out of my Mouth The Apostle lets us know that Ministers in preaching the Gospel are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are savea and in them that perish V. 16. To the one they are the savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life We read in the Gospel of two effects of the Word Preached by Christ and the Apostles some believed others were hardened This must necessarily make a pious thinking Soul that considereth reading and hearing the Word as they indeed are not as ends but as means in order to a more noble end that it cannot but long after this spiritual inward communion with God in these Institutions There 's nothing more to be dreaded than an hardened heart and without this inward Teaching of the Spirit of God in and by the Word the Soul certainly hardeneth and groweth worse by and under it I shall now come to make some Application of this discourse From it you may learn That there is a more internal communion with God in his Word than the most of common hearers are aware of God's speaking to our Eyes and Ears our common sense and understanding is one thing his speaking to our hearts to our will and affections is another thing It is one thing for a man or woman to give God his bodily presence his Eyes and his Ears in an Ordinance another thing for the Soul to give up his will in it to comply with the will of God in what he shall reveal unto it I am afraid this is a notion is little either understood or attended to Men and women think they have done their work and fulfilled their duty if they have but read a little in their Bibles and come to Church to hear a Sermon never regarding what inward communion they have had with God either in the one or the other and look at no further Communication of God unto them than to let them know his will nor at any further communicating themselves unto God than in lending him the presence of their outward man and the more out-parts and powers of their Souls This apprehension of men makes them stand amazed at God's Peoples being so fond of Sermons and running after them Indeed were this all that good men and women expected they might possibly not be so exceedingly thirsty after them though even a notional knowledge of the will of God is no contemptible thing but they have further expectations upon Ordinances than this amounteth to They said Isa 2. 3. Come you let us go to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths They know that God promised of old That wheresoever he recorded his name to dwell there he would meet his people and bless them And that the same Promise extendeth to the New Testament and that there the Lord hath promised where two or three are gathered together in his Name he will be in the midst amongst them which Promise being not of his Essential presence for so he is never absent from us but concerning the presence of his grace it is a promise of blessing so as they are not satisfied without some token of God's favour and blessing From this discourse also may be concluded in what communion with God through the Spirit lieth Some would have it to lie in meer Enthusiastical raptures impressions and revelations and that the way to enjoy it is to cast off all Forms all Duties and Ordinances these are the things they make to be the things that are above mentioned in Col. 3. 1. Certainly there is a form of sound Doctrine which the Apostle Paul commendeth the Romans for yielding obedience to Rom. 6. 17. A form of sound words which he commandeth Timothy to hold fast 2 Tim. 1. 13. These are not that form of Godliness in men that deny the power of it which the Apostle speaks of in that Epistle There are Duties and Ordinances to be above which is to be above
the Rule which God hath given us Our Souls communion with God through the Spirit is not out of Ordinances but in and by them The Teaching of the Letter is not opposed but subordinated to the Teaching of the Spirit There is room enough for the Teaching of the holy Spirit after the Minister hath done what he can to teach us nor is it to be blasphemed by ill tongued men because themselves do not understand what it means they only speak evil of the things they know not The Power of God upon the heart fastening the words we read and hear upon our hearts and consciences as a Nail in a sure place is a thing only known unto the Souls that have had experience of it But the great thing I desire you might be instructed in from this discourse is The difference betwixt a prophane person and hypocrites and the true Children of God which may be discerned from their affections to the Word of God The prophane person wholly despiseth and slighteth the Word of God both the written Word and the Word Preached it serveth him for nothing but a subject to exercise his prophane wit upon The Hypocrite driving another design glorying in shew and appearance he must have some pretended respect at least to the Word of God but he rests meerly in reading or in hearing and regardeth not either how far God in the Word communicates himself to him nor yet how far he communicates his Soul unto God in the Ordinance Let an Hypocrite go with a multitude and hear a Sermon he hath enough if he can but say I have been at the Ordinance whether his Soul hath been at all instructed or affected whether any Word of God hath come nigh to his heart laid any hold upon his conscience yea or no he hath no true thirst after any communion with God in the Ordinance if he hath been but seen in the Lord's Courts or at most be furnished with matter of discourse to talk of amongst Christians so as they may take him to be a Disciple his ends are satisfied But it is otherwise with a Child of God he is troubled when he cometh from an Ordinance if he doth not find he hath had some communion with God in the Ordinance That God hath either more sealed and further confirmed some Truth to his Soul or convinced him of some sin or comforted him with some Promise some way or other spoken unto his heart Methinks the difference betwixt an Hypocrite and a Child of God in this case may be resembled by the going of a Child with another companion who is no Child to a Father's house where they find themselves splendidly entertained but the Child seeth not his Father's face the Child's companion is pleased and comes home talking and boasting of his entertainment but the Child's heart is sad the end of the Child's Journey was to see his Father's face and to have his Father's blessing without this the good chear doth him no good The formal Hypocrite comes home from Ordinances pleasing himself that he hath been at Church that he hath heard a quaint learned discourse and his tongue may run great descants upon such things as these The Child of God is satisfied with none of these things he went to his Father's house that he might see his Father's face if he can find no evidence of that his Soul is discontented and unsatisfied he cries I have laboured in vain I have lost another day of grace and opportunity of salvation I have been seeking the Lord in vain and waiting upon him for nothing And this is the very reason why a pious Soul cannot hear every body nor take up with all Sermons or discourses he doth not go to Church to hear the voice of a man but the Word of God and goeth with an expectation to meet with a blessing from God and therefore he will hear where the Word of God is so opened so applied as he can expect God's blessing upon it He cannot expect that God's blessing should go along with any to whom he hath said Psal 50. 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee He will not therefore sit under the Ministry of one that is openly prophane and wicked and of a scandalous life Nor one that teacheth other Doctrine than what is according to sound Doctrine and godliness and the form of sound words delivered in the Word of God or him that giveth heed to Fables and endless Genealogies which minister Questions rather than godly Edifying which is in Faith 1 Tim. 1. 4. When he goes â—o an Ordinance he goeth not to hear the words of men puffed up but the words of God and expecteth that God should meet him and bless him and therefore governs himself accordingly in hearing so as he may probably meet with a blessing from God which he cannot expect from one who so dischargeth his work as he proclaimeth to all that God never sent him though he runs In the next place this will give us another advantage to try our state with reference to God's favour An earnest desire after an inward spiritual communion with God in any Ordinance or Duty and the dissatisfaction of a Soul without it will very much argue a man or woman to be a Christian indeed whereas a bare going to an Ordinance a bare fancy or desire to hear or a meer hearing will speak a man no more than a nominal titular Christian and be an evidence that the Soul resteth in a meer bodily labour and exercise which profiteth nothing This is a great point the being in the Sanctuary will satisfie an Hypocrite nothing but the seeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary will satisfie David the man according to God's own heart But it is hard for us to keep a medium in any thing almost As in the heart of a Formalist there is nothing of this desire nothing of this dissatisfaction so many times in the heart of a good Christian there may be too much of this dissatisfaction and a discontent and dissatisfaction founded in some mistake let me therefore a little enlarge upon this so useful a Subject 1. A satisfaction with a bare reading or hearing the Word speaks nothing above formality nothing above what an Hypocrite may arrive at It is said that Herod heard John Baptist gladly yet he was not got up to the Hypocrite's Form There was a people in Ezekiel's time of whom God complained Ezek 33. v. 30 31 32. that talked against the Prophet by the walls and in the doors of their houses yet spake every one to his Brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And came as the people came and sate before the Prophet as the Lord's people and heard his words but would not do them with their mouths theâ—
shewed much love but their hearts went after their covetousness And v. 32. the Prophet was to them as a very lovely Song of one that had a pleasant voice and could play well on an Instrument they heard his words but they did not do them And in the time of the Propher Isaiah there was a generation that sought the Lord daily and delighted to know the Lord's waies as a Nation that forsook not the Ordinances of God and took delight in approaching to God Isa 58. 2. yet the Lord sent his Prophet to cry aloud against them not to spare to lift up his voice like a Trumpet to shew them their transgressions and the house of Jacob their sins And doubtless there is such a generation still as a generation of prophane persons that despise the Word and Ordinances of God and blaspheme God and his Word so another generation that must read and must go and hear and may take some delight in it They may delight in the stile and phrase and wit of the Preacher or in the Learning that is mixed up with the discourse or in the Notion of the Sermon and desire to hear especially some kind of Preachers upon these accounts or to furnish their minds with some notional knowledge of the things of God that may serve them as to their credit and reputation in the world or furnish their tongues with discourse in religious company all this will speak nothing to prove a man a Christian indeed one whose heart is changed and transformed into the likeness of the Word All this may be without any desire after the kisses of Christ's mouth but a desire after the feeling the power of the Word upon our hearts and a dissatisfaction of spirit until a man findeth something of this upon his Soul this will speak a man or woman not to rest in a form of godliness without the power of it yet even this dissatisfaction may be too much and this happeneth when it proceedeth from some mistake and misapprehension of Religious Souls This principally happeneth in two cases 1. The Soul 's judging it self from its sensible experiences not from its direct motions toward God and its desires The motions of our Souls towards God must be warily distinguished from the sensible returns of God upon our Soul The first will speak the Soul beloved The latter speaks it highly favoured 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much graced by God A pious Soul is not to judge it self so much from God's returns to it in this particular as from God's workings in it kindling in it those holy desires which move it after what it may be it doth not yet seem meet to the wisdom of God that it should attain I have not told you that the Spouse of Christ doth at all times find that Christ hath kissed it with the kisses of his mouth but that such a Soul's desires will be steady and constant after such a thing and will not be satisfied with a meer bodily labour and external performance of a duty The 2d mistake may be from the Soul 's not considering the variety of those kisses by which our blessed Lord may kiss the Souls of Believers in and by the Word but keeping its Eye upon some particular influence of grace which it passionately desireth and not finding that God satisfieth it as to that it concludeth it hath had no influence from God at all As now supposing a Soul sad and troubled it is exceedingly desirous of comfort and satisfaction and saith Lord when wilt thou comfort me In expectation of meeting God in this way it goeth out to hear the Word and not meeting with that peace and comfort which it wanted it is ready to conclude that it hath met with nothing and hath had no near inward spiritual communion with God As to this the Soul must rectifie its mistake the profit of the Word is not limited to one thing it is saith the Apostle profitable for reproof and correction and instruction in righteousness There is a kiss of instruction in righteousness It may be thou canst not find that God by the Word which thou hast heard hath spoken or sealed peace to thy Soul but thou art still full of troubles and fears doubts and dejections well but if thou findest that God hath more sealed and confirmed some Truth to thee that he hath made thee to see further into the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to see some Truths of concernment to thy Soul in a clearer and fuller light do not say that thou hast not met with God in the Ordinance The opening of the Eyes especially to discern the Mysteries of the Gospel is one of the kisses of Christ's mouth If thy love be not so far as thou canst see further influenced yet if thy Faith be promoved this is a great thing It may be thou camest to hear hoping for strength against the temptation God possibly hath met thee and hath given thee a further light to discern the temptation the methods and depth of Satan's subtilties in it this is a kiss There is an instruction in Duty as well as Doctrine which deserveth this name Thou comest to the Word hoping God will speak peace to thee and take the thorn out of thy flesh that buffeteth thee It seems not good to God to do this but thou goest home from hearing more submitting to the Will of God more resolved to wait upon God more convinced that it is thy duty to lie at the foot of God and to wait his will and good pleasure This also is a kiss of his mouth There is a kiss of Reproof and Correction When God by his Word reproves and corrects a Soul when he reproves the Soul and the Soul is reproved as is said of Abraham when the Pagan King reproved him this is a kiss of his mouth Reproof and correction are things for which God hath told us that his Word is profitable for and a Soul ought to look upon it self as having had a communion with God in his Word when a wise reproof hath met with an obedient Ear. In short if a Soul after hearing though it hath not the desired mercy yet findeth it self more prepared to want it more quieted in the present want of it more patient under the afflicting hand of God that the grace of God is more sufficient for it than it was this is an excellent kiss of Christ's mouth a certain token that God in the Word communicated himself to the Soul though it may be it hath not been just in that way and method and particular dispensation that the Soul expected I shall finish my Discourse upon this Proposition with a Word of Exhortation If this be the frame of one that is the Spouse of Christ let us labour to find our hearts in this frame I remember the words of Absolom What saith he do I at Hierusalem if I may not see the King's face Hierusalem is called the City of
Solemnities thither the Tribes went up the Tribes to the Testimony of Israel Hierusalem was as pleasant a place as any was at that time in the world and Absolom being the King's Son had undoubtedly accommodations as good as the City could afford But Absolom had displeased his Father and was sensible he was under his frown and it was not for the pleasantness of the City that he desired a liberty to return but that he might see the reconciled face of his Father and therefore he saith What should I do at Hierusalem if I may not see the King's face Without that Hierusalem was to him but as another place nay in this worse than another place because it was a place where others enjoyed that which he wanted Every Courtier every ordinary Servant of David's Family saw his face Absolom might not I do only allude to it In or near Hierusalem was Mount Zion called the Mountain of the House of the Lord because the Temple stood nigh to it It was prophesied Isa 2. 2. That in the last dâ—ies the Mountain of the Lord's House should be established in the top of the Mountains and should be exalted above the Hills and all Nations should flow unto it And many people should go and say Come you and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and he shall teach us of his waies and we will walk in his paths 'T is not the going up to the Mountain that pleaseth a gracious Soul unless it finds it self when there taught something of God's waies and inabled to walk in the Lord's paths I shall prets this Exhortation by some Arguments and offer you something of Advice in this case First For Arguments what I gave you for Reasons may serve Thus you shall shew your selves to be Christians indeed The Wise must see the face of an Husband though a little Child may be pleased with the Picture Take an Ordinance of it self it hath something of the impression of God upon it God is there as a man in a Picture but this can never satisfie a truly thirsty Soul after God he thirsts after God himself My Soul saith David thirsteth for thee David must see the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary An Hypocrite may have a fancy to go to Ordinances to hear Sermons c. that 's common to persons that shall perish with such as shall be saved There may be many ends which Hypocrites may have which that may serve well enough But herein as to this point stands a good Christian distinguished from all Hypocrites and Formalists in the world as to this particular Secondly Till your hearts be brought to this Duties will be nothing else but a continual task and a burden to your souls There will be no great pleasure arising to any Soul from a bare reading or hearing the Word of the Lord. The Formalists among the Jews that lookt at nothing but the bodily labour quickly came to prophane the Table of the Lord and to account the meat there contemptible and to say Behold what a weariness is it Mal. 1. 13. Amos tell us chap. 8. 5. that they said When will the New Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth VVheat Nothing will deliver the Soul from the burden of religious duties I mean the looking upon them as such but some Sweetness discerned in them or some Profit which it discerneth arising from them neither of which will be discerned by any Soul which tasteth nothing of God in them nor hath any Communion with him by and through them but these things I before touched upon as also the danger of a meer bodily labour in this religious Duty I shall therefore rather spend the Remainder of my time in directing you what to do that you may not only hear the words of Christs Mouth but be kissed with the Kisses of his Mouth Go out to hear the word of God as the word of God The Apostle blesseth God on the behalf of his Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 13. That when they received the word of God they received it not as the word of men but as it was in truth the word of God which effectually worketh in them that believe I am afraid this is one thing which is much wanting in many Preachers more hearers the former do not go out to preach the word as the word of God The other do not go out to hear it under that notion as the word of God It is a Phrase hath a great deal in it and is comprehensive of all that previous preparation which is our duty with reference to an Institution of God and that to so great an End as the Salvation of the Soul is If I remember right Plutarch doth somwhere complain of the Heathen that they went to the Temples of the Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as men do to a place to which they set out upon design and due deliberation considering whither they are going and what their business was there but as men who step in by the by into a place Whereas he saith they should come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 prepared out of their Houses What wonder is it if God should not meet them in his Ordinance who come not out of any fixed design to meet him Your Friend hardly thanks you for making his House your Inn stepping out of your Road to see him when your main design is at anothers Journeys end But he thanks you that that is the main design of your Journey 1. That man goeth to hear the word of God as the word of God that aright fixeth his end before he goeth to hear Our Saviour seemeth to reflect upon the want of this in those that went to hear John the Baptist Matth. 11. 7. VVhat went ye out into the wilderness to see A Reed shaken with the wiâ—d But what went ye out for to see A man cloathed in soft Raiment Behold they that wear soft Raiment are in Kings houses But what went ye out for to see A Prophet yea I say unto you and more than a Prophet I would have every Man and Woman before he or she goes out to hear the word of God say to himself My Soul whom am I going to hear A man that shall speak to me smooth things and deliver himself in words that are proper to express what he saith But whom am I going to hear One that hath a pleasant Voice like one that singeth to or playeth well upon an Instrument such a one I may hear in the Schools of Rhetorick and Oratory But whom do I go out for to hear One that can discourse rationally upon an Argument I may hear such a one in the Schools of Aristotle and Plato Whom then do I go to Church for to hear A Prophet One that discourseth of the things of God yea and more than a Prophet I am going to hear God
and Christ himself speaking to me him of whom God hath said This is my well beloved Son hear ye him For though it be a man that speaketh yet it is a man sent of God cloathed with the Authority of Jesus Christ and speaking to me his Words and in his Name nor am I to regard any thing I hear but what agreeth with what he hath spoken or his holy Prophets and Apostles who were immediately inspired by him The setting right of a Persons first end design and intention gives a mighty conduct to his Actions And as I before said it is very unreasonable to expect Gods presence and Blessing with and upon us where the Heart is not set right with reference to its Intention and Design It is true as to the first Grace God is found of those that seek him not and of those who do not enquire after him No Soul would ever be converted and brought home to God if God did not meet it in his Word before it had thus rightly fixed its design and intention in coming to hear the word of God but what God may do and sometimes doth out of his abounding and preventing Grace is one thing what a Soul may expect from God upon the account of any promise is another thing the Archer may possibly hit the mark though he hath never by his Eye levelled his Arrow at it but he cannot promise himself that good hap No Soul that setteth not his heart aright to seek God in any Ordinance particularly this of hearing his word who doth not before he go set his Face towards Jerusalem set this as a mark in his Eye as the thing which he proposeth to himself Secondly It doth not only comprehend the end of Intention and Design but also the manner and certainly none can pretend to hear the word as the word of God but he must go to it without any levity and with all manner of Seriousness and composure of Spirit No Reverence and Submission of Spirit can be imagined too much for the great Majesty of Heaven We ought not to go to hear the word as if we were going to hear an Oration much less as if we were going to a Play Thirdly We cannot be thought to hear it as the word of God without some previous lookings up to God for a Blessing upon it We go for the Teachings of the Spirit Our Saviour tells us Luk. 11. 14. He gives his holy Spirit to them that ask him Christ first begg'd the Spirit for us John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter That comforting Spirit is the Teaching Spirit v. 26. The Comforter which the Father shall send in my Name shall teach you all things As Christ at first prayed to the Father to send the Comforter the Spirit that should teach us all things So he expecteth that we should pray for him for our selves The holy Spirit is given to those that ask him this is a piece of our Houshold Preparation Attend particularly to those Impulses which at some times thou mayest have to hear A Christian shall sometimes find some particular impulses upon him to hear I would not be hear I would not be here mistaken I know there is a dangerous Opinion imbibed and promoved by some Enthusiasts that Christians should never go to perform a Duty whether praying or hearing but upon some particular Impulse or Motion I call this a dangerous Principle because it is the first step to casting off all Duties and Ordinances But yet let no Christian neglect such special Impulses Impulses to Actions that are contrary to our Duty in the revealed Will of God ought to be rejected contemned and abhorred they must come from the boilings of corruption in our own hearts or from the evil Spirit Impulses to Actions which are not expresly commanded nor yet forbidden must be considered and we ought to obey or not obey them as Circumstances pro hic nunc at this or that time may determine it lawful or not lawful expedient or not expedient with Reference to the General rules which God in his word hath given us to guide all our Actions by Impulses to the Performance of our Duty under due Circumstances ought never to be neglected It may be well presumed that God hath something to say to the Soul in particular at such a time when he gives it a special item and monition to go to hear Thirdly be sure thou goest to hear with an humble Heart and with as much of a poor broken and contrite Spirit as thou canst There is a Promise Psal 25. 9. The humble he will teach and another Isa 57. v. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity and whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones And Isa 66. v. 2. To the man will I look even to him that is of a poor and contrite Spirit and that trembleth at my word God sendeth the proud Soul empty away take heed of going to hear with a proud Heart self-opinionated as to Knowledge or self-conceited God teacheth the humble dwelleth with the humble looketh upon the humble The Rain that dasheth off and runneth down the Mountains resteth in the Valleys the Instructions Reproofs Convictions of the word which fall upon Men of proud and high Conceits and Opinions of themselves rest and are drunk in by low and humble Souls The broken and contrite Heart is like the plowed ground which is in itself more apt to receive and drink in the word than that ground where the surface is not at all broken but there is besides particular Promises made to Broken Hearts The word you know is compared to Seed in the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. and in several other Texts the Husbandman useth not to sow his Seed in the whole but in the broken ground Fourthly Be sure you go to hear with unprejudised Hearts willing and desirous to learn Prejudice naturally barreth the Ear to Instruction Ahab's prejudice against Micajah stopt his Ears against the word of the Lord to him and proved his fatal Ruine and Destruction I should never advise Christians to sit under the Ministry of any person they are prejudised against it much contributeth to a prejudice against the word of the Lord spoken by them if therefore in that case I could not remove my Prejudice I would chuse another Preacher but I further added that you should go with Hearts willing and desirous to know the Will of God It is the chapt thirsty ground that most drinks in the Rain and is made most fruitful by it it is the Soul that hungers and thirsteth after the word that profiteth by it and hath a communion with God in it though the Word be Gods and he breatheth upon the Soul according to his own
good pleasure yet he breatheth upon he teacheth no Souls but those Souls that are willing and desirous to learn and to be instructed It is true it is he who first maketh them willing who first enclineth their Ears to hear but he first prepareth the Heart and then causeth his Ear to hear as to Prayer so in hearing he first circumciseth the Ear of a man and enclineth him to hear his Statutes and then he teacheth them He dealeth not with us as with Stocks and Stones but as with rational Creatures in a rational way Attend unto the word which thou goest to hear No teaching no good is to be expected from any teaching where the person only lends an Ear but suffers his Mind extravagantly to wander here and there The Schoolmaster hath no Patience for such a Scholar I am sure God hath no Blessing for such a Soul as in hearing doth not hear nor encline his Ear to Understanding The Scholar gets little by his Master or Tutors reading upon an Author if the Scholar attendeth not to the Text of the Author The Spirits teaching is but a Commentary upon the word it bringeth to remembrance the things which we have heard from God The Soul that attends not to the word which he reads or heareth can expect nothing of the Spirits teaching the word is not like to dwell in that Soul that will not suffer it to come so much as over the Threshold into it I mean into its memory or notion Take heed of Vexing the Spirit in its Teachings It was laid to the charge of the Israelites Isa 53. 10. that they vexed his holy Spirit They vexed the Spirit by an afterwork rebelling against his word not being obedient to what they were taught But men may in hearing vex the Spirit in its Teaching either by Non-Attendency suffering their hearts to be wandring elsewhere when God in his word is teaching the Soul this vexeth any Father or Master in teaching a Child but of this I spake before And not only so but by not giving a special regard to its special Instructions Scarce any of us but in hearing shall find some notions of truth some particular passages that God sets more particularly home and do in a special manner affect the Soul The not observing them or quick forgetting of them is a special vexing of the holy Spirit in its Teachings of our Souls Work together with the Spirit in calling to remembrance what you have heard Talk of the Law of the Lord when thou liest down and when thou risest up when thou sittest by the walls of thy House when thou goest out and when thou comest in The Jews had Phylacteries Rolls of the Law fastened to their Garments to keep the Law in their mind perpetually Our Saviour blamed them for their broad Phylacteries and narrow Practice but he blamed not the means to keep the Law of God in their minds only they used them to a wrong and false â—nâ— used them not to the end for which they made them Follow the word with Prayer Do not only pray for the Spirit before thou hearest but pray for the abidings ofâ— it after thou hast heard to bring to thy remembrance what thou hast heard from God Labour to practise what thou hearest The Master or Tutor is weary of teaching the Scholar to whom he hath read Lecture after Lecture but yet he will do nothing but on the contrary how chearfully doth an ingenuous Master teach that Scholar that to his utmost pâ—tteth in practice what he hath read to him and then cometh to his Tatâ—r begging to be further taught and instructed The Spirit of God will give over that Soul that pretends to be ever learning and yet never comes to any practical Knowledge of the Truth He that is not a meer hearer but a doer of the Word also is the man that shall be blessed indeed Sermon VIII Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for his Loves are better than Wine I Have done now with the matter of the Spouses that is the Churches or the particular believing Souls prayer in this her first Petition I have nothing as to the petition it self to consider but the form of it As to the matter we have found that the thing she would have is Some Special distinguishing favour Some token of God for good to her which might speak him to love her with the Love of a bridegroom to a bride a Husband to his Wife I have shewed you that she asketh modestly but a kiss thereby letting us know how precious the least of Christs Special distinguishing love is to the truly believing Soul Not that the least dispensations and measures of grace will satisfy the Spiritual hunger and thirst of a pious Soul it is one thing for a pious Soul to prize and value the least another thing to be satisfied and fully contented with it she therefore mentions Kisses in the Plural Number as well to signifie the variety of gracious Influences as their frequent Emanations I have further taken notice of her particular desire after a communion with God in his word especially Gospel Doctrines and that not only a more external Communion with God in reading hearing and thinking upon it But the more reall internal Spiritual communion with God in his word which the Soul hath by the teachings of the Spirit She desires not onely to hear the words of his mouth but to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth I have now nothing to do but to consider the form of her words and see if from thence we can gain any further Spiritual Instruction The words are first Vox volentis the Language of a Soul that was willing to receive these impressions if she were not willing she would not have made them the matter of her request Secondly They are Vox cupientis not onely the Language of one that was willing but of one inflamed with a desire after the object willed and proposed They do not express a bare velleity with an indifferency as to the thing They sound a great deal more then He may if he will kiss me with the kisses of his mouth Lastly They are Vox petentis the language of one upon her knees begging it of God as the great thing which she sought after And as I observed to you in the opening of the words she begs reverently modestly humbly boldly fervently The form of her Petition speaketh a well ordered Prayer a Prayer according to the Rules which God hath given us for putting up our Supplications Hence results the Proposition Prop. That believing Souls are not only very willing but exceedingly desirous of a near spiritual communion with Christ and to obtain it will use rightly ordered Prayer In the Proposition here are three things predicated of such a Soul as is the Spouse to this glorious Bridegroom 1. It s willingness that the Lord should have a near and spiritual
communion with it 2. It is not only willing but desirous of it 3. That in order to it it will make use of rightly ordered Prayer I have already told you in my former Discourses That Communion strictly taken signifies some actions wherein two or more mutually impart or communicate themselves each to other Now of this you know amongst men there are various degrees We have some communion with strangers more with our neighbours friends and acquaintance most of all with our nearest Relations the Father with his Child the Husband with the Wife of all other the communion betwixt the Husband and Wife is the nearest The Husband communicates his heart his love and affection more to his Wife than to any other person So doth the Wife reciprocally to her Husband so that of all other the Conjugal Communion is the nearest such is that mentioned in the Text. God communicates himself to all his creatures in some degree or other he feedeth the young Ravens when they cry he maketh his Sun to shine upon the just and upon the unjust And they in some degree communicate themselves to him as their Creator The young Ravens cry the wicked man houls upon his Bed the vilest man in distress cryes Lord help me This is like the Communion now that we may have with Strangers yea Enemies God doth further communicate himself to those within the pale of his Church To the Church belongs the Oracles of God God further reveals his mind and will to such as are within the bosom of it They also do communicate themselves unto God more than the others that is they pay him a further homage they give him a more steady constant bodily service they read hear pray c. This is like our communion with neighbours and ordinary friends But now God doth further communicate himself unto some persons He communicates his grace and power to their wills and affections they are thereby made partakers of the Divine Nature transformed into the Image of God and they reciprocally having received this Divine grace give up their hearts unto God this is that which I mean by near conjugal communion being like the communion which the Husband and Wife have each with other of all other the fullest and nearest I say First The believing Soul is willing that God should have such a communion with it It is passively willing not unwilling Indeed every regenerate Soul is further willing than this comes to but that I shall shew you by and by under another Head This alone will distinguish such a Soul from the Soul of an Hypocrite Take an unregenerate man he is not willing to this he may be willing that God should impart himself to him in outward blessings which may gratifie his sense and serve him as to his renewing necessities in the world or that God should impart to him some spiritual gifts these may serve him as to his profit or as to his honour credit and reputation in the world he may be willing to communicate and impart something of himself to God as I have before shewed you but that God should unite their hearts to fear his Name which was the prayer of David that God should cleanse them from their corruptions incline their hearts to his Testimonies this they are not willing to They are like some woman that will say of such a person as makes love to her she likes the man well enough to sit and talk with her but for an Husband she cannot abide him Thus the best unregenerate man dealeth with God Some there are prophane persons that cannot endure the Name of God or Christ hate his Word and all acts of communion with God or any thing that relateth to him but now the formal Hypocrite he can be content to go and sit and hear a Sermon and read a Chapter wherein he hears God speaking to him yea and to pray sometimes by which duty he talks with God but he abhorreth that God should come near to his Soul to captivate his understanding to subdue his will to direct his affections to truly spiritual Objects he withdraweth his heart and affections from God I think Augustine somewhere confesseth that in his unregenerate state he often prayed to God that he would give him strength against a particular corruption when in the mean time he in his heart wished that God would not hear his prayer The unregenerate man is not willing that God should have any near communion with him He is not willing that the Law of God should be wrote upon his heart nor that the Lord should rule over his inward man Secondly The Regenerate Soul is not only willing but desirous The willingness that is in him is not a bare lazy velleity and a passive willingness but an active willingness he being made willing his will commands his affections to move towards that which his will hath chosen and indeed there is no true willing of any thing without this for good being the proper Object of the rational appetite no sooner hath the understanding discerned it but the will chuseth it and naturally moveth by desires towards it Thirdly I observed to you that the words are in the form of a Prayer What the Will hath chosen as good and suitable to a man's necessities and upon that account hath by desires moved towards it commandeth the assistance of the outward man in the use of any proper mean to obtain Prayer being an Ordinance and appointment of God as a means in order to the obtaining any good thing which he hath promised it is but a reasonable motion of a reasonable Soul I put in the term rightly ordered because as I shall shew you further anon there is a sufficient ground for it in this form of words by which the Spouse's Petition is expressed and it is not every Prayer that is acceptable to God but such alone as he hath directed God hath not only directed our duty as to the matter but also as to the manner of the performance But this is enough to have spoken to give you the sense of the Proposition I shall shew you now the ground or reason of it whence in this thing there is such a different temper and complexion betwixt the regenerate and the unregenerate Soul The foundation of this lies in the change of the heart which is wrought in the Child of God which supposed these motions of his Soul will appear to be no more than the regular motions of reasonable Souls so complexionated The Scripture every where describeth the Child of God as a New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are passed away and all things are become new Ephes 4. 23. Be renewed in the spirit of your mind And that you put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Col. 3. 10. And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after
God None of these things can truly be said of a wicked man or formal Hypocrite 1. It cannot be said that he is truly willing to have such a Communion with God and Christ as I have been opening and describing to you They would not have God rule over them they would have a Christ to save them from the Wrath to come but they would not have Christ to dwell in their Hearts to subdue their Lusts no Hypocrite can truly say this They have no desires after such a Communion with Christ Their desires are all terminated in themselves They say to the Almighty depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy ways If at any time they pray for any thing of this nature it is coldly and lazily and formally secretly wishing they might have no Answer to their Prayers Indeed a true willingness an hearty desire and fervent Prayer after this spiritual inward near Communion with God may I think be trusted to as a mark of one who is a Christian indeed It must argue a mighty change in the Heart of man and such a one as no moral Principles no change upon the meer cultivation of Nature can be imagined to effect Here is clearly a good pursued which no natural man discerneth no natural Understanding judgeth the Eyes of the Understanding must first be opened Here must be an alteration of the Will of man the natural bent and inclination of it must be changed This change cannot be from our selves nor from any Creature but from him alone who giveth to will and to do Secondly You may hence observe that it is not a meer willing a near Communion with Christ that will evidence a truth of Grace It must be a willingness declared by Intense desires and attended with Sutable endeavours It is easy for men to say they are willing Christ should Reign over them and do his will in and upon their Souls when they are really unwilling Yea there may be a real faint velleity but attended with a carelesness as to the obtaining what we pretend to will All Grace habitual Grace is exprest under the notion of willing God is said to give To will and to do To make his people a willing people in the day of his power There are promises made to those who are Willing and obedient And If a man will let him come and drink of the water of life freely and Paul Saith no more than To will is present with me But these Scriptures must not be understood of a meerly pretended and professed willingness nor a faint willingness issued in a few Short breathed wishes but of a true and real willingness discovering it self in the intense motions of the Affections and the intense pursuit of the thing willed by the whole man Such a willingness Speaketh a change in the heart and where it is present with the Soul is accepted But let us upon this occasion enter into our hearts and try our Spiritual State upon this issue viz. Whether we be truly willing and desirous to have this near inward conjugal Communion with this glorious Bridegroom To prove this the Apostle hath expressed the Union between Christ and the Soul made by faith in the Justification of a Soul by the moral Union which in Marriage is betwixt the Husband and Wife Eph. 5. from v. 25. to the End We shall also find that state excellently shadowing out the Communion which should be and is betwixt every Soul and Christ I mean every believing Soul 1. The Husband and Wife are made one flesh Not essentially but morally this was a piece of the Law of Marriage upon its first Institution Gen. 2. 24. Sutably to this the Apostle Speaks 1 Cor. 6. 26. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Believers are by Peter said to be made partakers of the Divine Nature Where there is this true Communion between Christ and the Soul there is in his measure the same mind in him thaâ— was in Jesus Christ He in the general willeth the same things that Christ willeth The Glory of God the Sanctification and eternal Salvation of his own Soul and the Souls of others he can as to the main say Fiat voluntas mea mea quia tua Let my will be done mine because thine If he doth in any thing err and not will what Christ willeth it is through ignorance passion or infirmity when he seeth his error his will altereth hence in our prayers in things as to which we are not sure that it is the will of God we should have them every true Christian though he may ask for them prayeth after his Lord's copy nevertheless not my will but thy will be done Canst thou say this That the same Spirit is in thee that was in Christ that in the general in the main thou willest nothing but what Christ willeth that thou art one Spirit with Christ Secondly all Conjugal Communion requires forsaking of Father and mother Gen. 2. 24. A forsaking them to that degree as to dwell with the Husband so as to adhere to the Husband or Wife in case of an opposition this is also the Law of this Spiritual Marriage Psal 45. 10. Hearken O Daughter and consider and encline thine Ear. Forget also thine own people and thy Fathers House The Wife that will maintain duly her Conjugal Communion must 1. Not dwell in her Fathers house if he may not be with her there 2. She must forsake the Precepts Counsels and Advice of her dearest relations where it is contrary to the will of her Husband She must 3. Forsake them in what they are Enemies and opposite to her Husband What are our own people What is our Fathers House But the world and men of it the Counsels and Imaginations and inclinations of our own hearts A true Christian that is by Faith united to Christ is not obliged in order to his or her Communion with him wholly to forsake the world and cast off Earthly Friends converse or relations he is onely bound Not to dwell in the world not to make that his whole business but to have his heart in heaven to use the world as if he used it not Not to hearken to the Precepts Counsels and Advices of the world contrary to the will of Christ Not to take the worlds part in opposition to the Law of Christ thus much the Wives Conjugal Communion with her Husband and the Souls Spiritual Conjugal Communion with Christ calls to it for the preference of Christs will both to its own natural Will and to all the Wills of men Thirdly Look as in Marriages the Communion following that moral Union requires a cleaving of the Married Persons each to other Gen. 2. 24. So the Communion that followeth this Mystical Union requireth this of every Christian to cleave unto Christ to his Truths his Interests and Concerns in the World his Friends his Will all that is his This cleaving I understand not as restrained to the inward
motions of the Affections as it is said Sechem's heart clave to Dinah But I extend it further to all overt Acts by which this inward Affection may be discovered in the same sense as we say to our Friends I will stick to you or I will stand by you Christ performs his part he sticks he cleaves to the Believers in all its Spiritual Combates and Dangers with or from the World the Flesh and the Devil Thus must we cleave to him Fourthly 'T is a piece of Conjugal Communion That the Wife does nothing but she will first acquaint her Husband with it ask his Counsel take his Direction The Husband also imparts much of his Counsel to his Wife 'T is a piece of our Communion true Communion with Christ to do nothing without taking Counsel of him in his Word without asking his Directions in Prayer in every difficulty where we have not a clear direction in the Word of God to fly to him by Prayer and Supplications Are your Souls willing to entertain such a Communion with Christ as this is Are you desirous of it Do you pray for it This speakâ—eth well for the Union betwixt Christ and your Souls nothing less than this will This Discourse may be further useful to some Souls that it may be cannot satisfie themselves in that Communion which they have with the Lord Jesus they would willingly that Christ should impart more of his Loving-kindness and of his Power to their Souls and they are troubled that they can no more freely no more fully give up themselves to him their Hearts are not united enough to love and fear God and indeed the best Souls are seldom satisfied in the Reception of Grace or in the Actings of it Now such Souls as are overmuch troubled in this case troubled to that degree as for want of degrees to suspect all the truth of Grace in their Souls This may be some satisfaction to hear that it speaks a Soul to be the Spouse of Christ to be truly willing sincerely desirous much in Prayer for those degrees of nearest Communion with Christ which it stands in need of In Earthly Marriages three things are required 1. Consent of Parties 2. Consent of Parents 3. Publication of it to the World The first alone is essential to the Union The second to make it a perfectly lawful Act. The third only to avoid Scandal and to keep up Civil Order in the World In the Spiritual Marriage the Consent of Parties makes the Union Christs Consent to be united to thy Soul is evidenced in his Word declared by us who are his Proxies to espouse you to this Husband If thy Soul also truly consents if thou truly desirest this Union and that Communion which followeth and ought to follow it the Match is made thou art joined to the Lord though it may be there be not a Publication of it to thy own Soul much less to the World I shall conclude with a Word of Exhortation To labour for this evidence of Grace That you may be truly willing to truly desirous of such a Communion with Christ as I have been describing You that are yet strangers to it labour for the beginnings of it You that find any thing of it labour to uphold it and labour for the Perfection of it To the first by way of Counsel I would only speak a few things 1. Labour to be convinced of your sad condition till Grace hath brought you into this better State Christ told the Woman of Samaria she had had many Husbands and he whom she then enjoyed was not her Husband Unregenerate Men have many Paramours for there is no Soul but cleaveth to somthing one mans Heart cleaveth to his Pleasures another to his Profits but all these are not the reasonable Souls Husbands the Soul cannot feed upon these things Let a Woman be married to a Man and run away from him she may have another Paramour but he is not her Husband It is Mans Case he was in Creation united to God he is run away from God and followeth many Lovers but none of these are the Souls Husbands O therefore return to your first Husband what can you imagine God should do for any of your Souls more than any one of you would do for a Wife that had run away from you and clave to another man 2. Look as the Woman that wanteth her Husband hath none that so naturally careth for her none that will be a covering to her Head or a Light to her Eyes so neither hath the Soul in its state of disunion with God any that will care for it as to its Spiritual and Eternal Concerns I might add the infinite advantages of this Union and Communion I remember the Argument used by Hamor and Sechem to persuade their People into a Willingness to be circumcised that Sechem might be married into Jacob's Family Shall not say they their Cattle and Substance and all that they have be ours only consent to them Shall not the Grace and Glory and Kingdom of Christ be yours only consent to him and be willing to a Communion with him But it is the Lord that must persuade Japhet to come and to dwell in the Tents of Shem. No man comes to the Son but he whom the Father draweth and while there is a spiritual Union it is unreasonable to think there should be any Willingness in a Soul to any near Communion with Christ We may use Arguments with Souls estranged from God to reconcile them to him and it is our Duty so to do till God concurreth with the work of his Spirit they will be of no force Let me therefore turn to such with whom this mystical Union is made Nor shall I need use words with any such to persuade them to a consent or willingness to or desire of this near Communion with Christ which I have been discoursing there is no such Soul but must be willing must be desirous of it But there is none of them which hath attained there 's no such Soul but hath attained somthing nor any that hath attained to Perfection none but may receive from Christ more than it hath received none but desireth his Heart might be more in subjection to Christ than it is The way further to attain is Prayer rightly ordered Prayer It is the Spouse that speaketh in the Text she had attained she was already united to her Spiritual Bridegroom but yet she finds her Soul in a continuing need of his Influences and further Tokens for good to be shewed unto her for these she useth Prayer as an apposite means Only we may ask and not receive because we ask amiss Let us look over the form of the Spouses Petition and see what we may learn from thence to guide our Souls in our Applications to God First The word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the future Tense which is often used for the 〈◊〉 Mood in the Hebrew and may indifferently
from God and Heb. 9. 14. the Apostle tells us That the blood of Christ purgeth our Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God Hence the Apostle 1. Cor. 1. 30. Telleth us that Christ is made unto us Wisdom Sanctification and Redemption 5. The 5th great Want of the Soul which I mentioned was Hopes or Assurance of an happy Existence to all eternity This Want now accrueth from the Soul's Immortality The Consideration that God hath created us under an Ordination to an Eternal Existence and State Admitting this which indeed is the main thing that distinguisheth a reasonab'e Soul from the Soul of a brute Creature it is impossible that the Soul should be under any degree of Happiness that hath not some Hopes or Assurance of Glory That its Soul shall go to God when it leaveth the Body And that the Body shall rise again in a joyful Resurrection in which it shall be again united to the Soul that both may live with God for ever Now this is a Good which floweth unto the Soul from the Loves of Christ This needs no further proof than 1. That no Soul is born to this glorious and incorruptible Inheritance for we are by nature Children of Wrath and eternal life is the Gift of God as the Apostle tells us Rom. 6. The Gift of God is eternal Life and it is a gift which cometh from God to us by the Hands of Christ John 17. 2. As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him And John 10. 28. Speaking of his sheep saith he I give unto them eternal Life and they shall never perish Now as their having a certain right to and their future possession of eternal Life is necessary for them in another Life when this transitory Life shall be determined so the hopes or full assurance of it is necessary for them to make them in any measures happy while they live here And this is in and from Christ also and therefore he is called our Hope 1 Tim. 1. 1. And the the Apostle Col. 1. 27. saith Christ in us is the Hopes of Glory That is all the Hopes we have of Glory are from Christ This is abundantly enough to evince that positive goodness that is in the Loves of Christ their high and sutable conveniencies to the necessities and wants of our Souls I shall in the next place shew you the transcendent Goodness and excellency that is in them that they are as the Text saith Better then Wine or as it is expressed in the Hebrew Idiome good before Wine Wine as I have before shewed you literally Signifies the Juice of the Grape Figuratively whatsoever is good sweet and excellent in the World Now take it in one or both Senses The Demonstration is very easy I shall make it in 3 particulars 1. First all the Goodness that is in Wine taken either litterally for the Juice of the Grape or Figuratively for all created comforts lies in a Sutableness of them and that but for a time neither to the more external wants of a Creature Three things must be yielded concerning all created Goods 1. None of them reach the wants of the Soul which is the best and noblest part of man What do Pleasures Riches Honours whatsoever this world affordeth signify as to the Souls wants It wants Pardon of sins Will any of these procure or purchase it It wants a Righteousness wherein to stand before God Will these procure it It wants Peace of Conscience Will those give it It wants Purity Will they cleanse it It naturally wants a Right and title to Glory and the Hopes or Assurance of it Can any of these help the Soul to it They indeed sute the more external wants of Man The wanton Sense wants grateful Objects They will Supply it The body wants Food and Rayment they will Supply it But for the more inward Spiritual Wants of the Soul they have no Sutableness to them no conveniency But as I have shewed you the Loves of Christ have nay they are not onely suted to the Souls greatest wants but to the Bodies also at least so far as the Soul hath influence on the Body upon the Happiness of which it undoubtedly hath for a good Conscience is a continual feast The Contentment which Grace filleth the Soul with the Mortification and Subduing of the Passions and stubborn Will of Man have a great Reflection upon the Health and chearfulness of the Body So that here is a double Argument to prove the Loves of Christ better than Wine 1. From their Sutableness to the necessities and wants of the Soul which are the wants of the noblest part of man 2. From their sutableness to the wants both of Soul and body by reason of the Reflection which the Souls good hath upon the outward Man even in this Life to say nothing of the joyful Resurrection of the Body and the Happiness both of Body and Soul reunited in the Enjoyment of God for ever 2. All created Comforts last but for a Season and that a little Season They only sute the wants of our Bodies in this Life Riches profit not in the day of Wrath Honours lie down with our Bodies in the dust Pleasures cease when our senses which they gratified are gone Nay very often the Sutableness or gratefulness of these created Goods extinguisheth before the determination of our natural Lives When Barzillai was Fourescore years old his Eye took no pleasure in seeing nor his Ear in hearing There are daies in this Life Eccles 12. 7. in which a man shall say he hath no pleasure in them What do Riches Honours Friends Pleasures signify in a day of Sickness 3. No created good suteth all our wants one suteth one want another fills up another Emptiness none suteth all But the Love of Christ as it suteth our Soul wants So it is Suted to all times and is certain and a Supply to all wants of Souls This is my first Argument to prove his Loves better then Wine 2. Secondly there is no need or want which Wine or created goods supplieth but the Love of Christ will supply and much more eminently and abundantly Let me open this in a few particulars 1. Wine in regard of the Subtile Spirituous nature of it hath a great vertue to exhilarate the Spirits and to raise up the Affection of Joy Hence you read of those who shout by reason of Wine Psal 78. 65. And the Psalmist saith VVine makes glad the heart of Man Psal 104. 15. and Ecc. 10. 19. Wine maketh merry But do not the Loves of Christ do this much more Eph. 5. 19. And be you not drunk with Wine wherein is Excess but be you filled with the Spirit speaking to your selves in Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs making Melody in your heart to the Lord. David Psal 4. cries out Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me for thou thereby
shalt make my heart more glad then theirs when their Corn and Wine and Oil increaseth Those who are critical in words in the Latine Tongue distinguish between Voluptas and Gaudium Pleasure they make to be nothing but the Sensual Appetites Satisfaction 't is common to Beasts as well as Man Gaudium or Joy they make to be the procede of the satisfaction of the rational Appetite the first is meerly sensual and beastly the latter alone becometh a Man who is a reasonable Creature I am sure that Mirth which is in the Soul of man that Exhilaration of his Spirits which ariseth from the sense and apprehension of the Love of Christ unto the soul is a Satisfaction to the Rational Spiritual Appetite so the nature of it must be more Spiritual more Suted to the reasonable creature then any Wine or indeed any created comforts can be 2. Wine is of excellent use to allay our thirst and in Physick and Chirugery under deliquiums c. This is a great execellency that is in it Prov. 31. 6. Give wine to those of heavy hearts In Chirurgery it is of use to wash and cleanse wounds c. Hence you read in the Gospel of the good Samaritane that he put Wine and Oil into the wounds of the man that was fallen amongst thieves But in this respect are not the loves of Christ good before Wine Wine onely satisfieth the cravings of nature the drought of the body for want of moisture If a Soul hungers and thirsteth after righteousness Wine will not allay that thirst the Loves of Christ will and surely the thirstings of a Soul are far greater wants than the want of liquor for the body Wine may be of some use in Deliquiums and failures of the Vital and Animal Spirits But if the Soul fainteth for Gods Salvation Wine is of no use the Loves of Christ are Wine may wash and purify the wounds of the body and keep them from putrefaction but the Loves of Christ alone can purify the wounds of a Soul and resist putrefaction there He was annointed to preach glad tidings to the meek to bind up the broken hearted to appoint to them that mourn in Sion Beauty for Ashes and the Oil of gladness for the Spirit of heaviness Isaiah 61. 1 2 3. 3. Wine will make a man forget his affliction Prov. 31. 6 7. Give wine to him who is of a heavy heart let him drink and forget his poverty and remember his misery no more but now wine doth this by bringing a man unto a kind of stupefaction or temporary deliration and the Affliction must be meerly external and not in extremity Wine makes a Man forget his affliction onely by putting him besides himself The Loves of Christ have a proportionable effect upon the Soul but of a far more high and excellent nature Let a Soul be bowed down to Hell and not know what to do Let but the Loves of Christ shine upon it in the sealing of any promise it forgets all its poverty and misery The Soul will rejoyce in Sufferings glory in tribulation c. the Martyr cries out that the fire is but as a Bed of Roses So that you see there is never a good quality in Wine but something proportionable to it only infinitely excelling is to be found in Christs loves My last demonstration of the truth of this Proposition is this Wine though it hath many excellent qualities yet hath it also some ill qualities The Loves of Christ are not such There is an excess in Wine saith the Apostle Eph. 5. 18 19. Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess It is a mocker saith Solomon it will intoxicate breed many diseases many a one perisheth by drinking too much Wine But no Soul ever perished from the excess of Christs love to it no Soul ever contracted any distemper from it he you filled with the Spirit saith the Apostle in the same Text where he tells us there is an excess in Wine Much of what I have said concerning the excellency of the love of Christ above Wine taken in a literal sense is as true concerning it in its figurative sense as it may be supposed and interpreted to signify and created comforts they only are suited to our External wants only they are but temporary and uncertain they also have some ill qualities attending them I shall therefore add no more Doctrinally By way of application We may in the first place observe in o what a degree of debauchery the generality of the Sons and Daughters are fallen Nothing more becomes a Man or Woman considered as a reasonable Creature than to discern aright betwixt things that differ and to judge aright concerning them and accordingly to make our Election and to guide our practice But supposing what you have heard to be truth where is the man of many that rightly discerneth rightly judgeth or aright guideth himself in practice where is the man that judgeth the loves of Christ better than Wine How many are there that judge Wine better then the loves of Christ Wine not in the figurative sense as it signifies all outward created comforts but in the literal sense as it signifieth nothing but the juice of the Grape fermented and a little refined from its dregs doth not every one thus judge that useth Wine immoderately that sits bibbing at a Tavern until the Wine inflameth him Christ by his Apostle Paul hath said Eph. 5. 18 19. Be not drunk with Wine wherein is excess How many are there that tarry long at the Wine that go to seek mixt Wine that look upon wine when it is red when it giveth its colour in the cup when it moveth itself aright till at last it biteth like a Serpent and stingeth like an Adder till it causeth woe and sorrow and contentions and wounds and redness of the Eyes as Solomon Speaketh Prov. 23 29 30 31. and yet have no sense of the Loves of Christ no thoughts of it make no enquiries after it take no course for the obtaining it Do not those poor wretches Love wine better than the Love of Christ that will not abate life a cup of wine to gain it Those that for an intemperate cup of wine will be disobedient to the rule which Christ hath given them My Soul in this contemplation even akes to think what will become of drunkards by whom I mean not those only who reel in the streets and are intoxicated with Wine but those who take a greater pleasure in drinking than in praying or hearing the word of God or obeying his will 2. But if we extend the notion of wine further to signify all sensual Satisfactions all created comforts Lord how many are there in the world that in this betray their folly and discover the corruption and debauchery of humane nature How few are there in the world that do not prefer some creature or other before the loves of Christ indeed as the Poet-saith Trahit sua quemque voluptas
of relation hath taken to him that of a Father to let us know there is in his gracious nature something analogous or proportionable to the heart and bowels of Earthly Parents to their Children and accordingly our Saviour argues that if any of our Children ask of us bread we will not give them a Stone nor a Scorpion instead of Fish and thence concludeth that if we being evil know how to give good things to our Children much more will our Heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him You many of you know the heart of a Father To which of you would it not be a great argument to draw you out to any acts by which you could manifest your loves to a Child for your Child to come and beg your love to it telling you that it valueth your love above all things in the world that it had rather have your love your heart towards it than have all the estate you can give it Shall there not be something in the heart of God proportionated to this affection in your hearts Is it possible that a Child of God should come to God and in sincerity say to him Father I beg some tokens of thy special distinguishing love to my Soul thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee and that my Soul doth value thy loves above all that the world affords and Gods heart should not yearn and his bowels melt towards such a Soul God must say of the voice of such a Soul as Isaac sometimes said It is the voice of my Son Jacob None but a Child can speak such a language 4. Finally No arguments can be of more force to use with God than such wherein the Interest of his own glory is concerned The Glory of God being his own great end which he pursueth in all his actions he useth a great argument to God that saith unto him Father glorify thy self So gracious is God that he gives us leave to fetch arguments from our selves our own wants and the misery we are in which arguments affect God as he is a God full of pity and tender compassion But those arguments which we can fetch from the Interest of his own glory seem to have a greater force as complying with what is the Lords great and chiefest end He that sets an high value and estimate upon the love of Christ giveth God a great deal of Glory preferring him to all things in the world for God cannot be more glorified by the Creature than to be in heart esteemed above and preferred to the whole Creation So as that Soul that goeth to God with this argument doth in effect say Father my Soul hath glorified thee upon the Earth and doth give thee the glory of being the most excellent object and more desirable than all the world besides Now therefore glorify thy self in manifesting of thy love to me that I may further exalt thee in thy rich and free Grace I now come to the application By way of Instruction first we may observe That the meanest Child of God is furnished with a better argument to encourage his hopes in his addresses to the throne of Grace than the greatest and proudest Sinner in the world hath There are arguments which Sinners may use from the infiniteness and freeness of the divine bounty and goodness from their relation to God as his Creatures from the greatness of their misery c. and they may obtain something from God upon these pleas from that infinite goodness and compassion that is in the Divine Nature but no unregenerate man can use this argument which hath in it a much greater force On the other side there is no the meanest child of God not the meanest believer that is in the world but hath this argument to use with God Other arguments may be of avail with God for the obtaining some good things of this life this is of force for the obtaining those of highest consequence relating to the internal and eternal happiness of the Soul Secondly This offers us a great incouragement to examine our selves upon this point Whether we have a due estimate of the loves of Christ Whether we can truly say to our blessed Lord That his loves are better than Wine and that we value them not only above all sensual satisfactions which the profane scandalous Sinner doeth not but above all sensible satisfactions which no unregenerate carnal man doth I remember when our Saviour examined Peter about his love to him he propounded to him this question Joh. 21. 15. Simon Peter lovest thou me more than these I do know that many Interpreters by these in that Text understand his other Disciples standing by There was a time when Peter preferred himself as to his love towards his Master to all the other Disciples Tho saith he all should deny thee yet I would not deny thee Peter since that time was humbled our Saviour had a mind that his humility should be manifested and therefore say some he propoundeth that question to him but I remember Bernard in one of his Sermons upon the Canticles puts another sense upon the words Lovest thou me more than thou lovest these and so it may be referred either to the company with whom he was or to the diversion of fishing they were employed in or to the great draught of fish which they had taken I do but allude to the text who so truly loveth the Lord Jesus Christ if all the persons and things in the world were before him must be able to say I love Christ more than these Admit his friends and nearest relations to be in his Eye all the pleasant and delectable things in the world all the Crowns and Scepters and honours in the world all the Gold and Silver and Houses and Lands in the world in his Eye He must be able to say I love the Lord Jesus Christ more than these yea if his own life be set before him not to be enjoyed without the loss of Christs love he must be able to say that he loves Christ more than that Mat. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Lu. 14. 26. If any man come to me and hate not his Father and Mother and Wife and Children and Brethren and Sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Disciple But I have formerly given you some directions how to try your selves whether the loves of Christ in the apprehension of your Souls are good before Wine and shall therefore add no more on this argument In the third place This notion may be of great use to relieve Christians doubting whether they have any one good Argument to use with God in their applications to him 2. Whether any of their Prayers have at any time pierced the Heavens and been accepted of God A good Christian is often doubting whether
wants but it deriveth from Christ Good things suited to the more external wants of our Body derive from God as the great preserver of man and flow from that common providence of his which dayly worketh in the upholding and preservation of created Beings but good things for our Souls derive from Christ as Mediator and as they are purchased by his blood so they are dispensed out by his Spirit This now can appear to a Soul from no other light but that of Revelation study therefore the holy Scriptures meditate therein night and day they testify all this concerning Christ A full persuasion of these two things 1. That we have immortal Souls ordained to an eternity either of happiness or misery 2. That nothing but the love of Christ can furnish them with those good things which are proper and necessary for them with respect to their Eternal Happiness are enough to convince Men and Women that the loves of Christ are as much better than Wine and to be preferred to it as the Soul is better than the Body and the things suited to its wants better than those things which are only suited to the wants of the outward man But still I say and every days experience maketh it good Non persuaseris etiamsi persuaseris you shall not persuade Men and Women tho you say enough to persuade them though you shut up their mouths and they having nothing to say such a power hath lust in the heart of man into such a debauchery is the nature of man degenerated Admitting men to believe that they have immortal Souls and that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God there is nothing in nature hath a fuller evidence than this truth that the loves of Christ are preferrible to all things in the world and a man cannot act like a reasonable creature in preferring any thing unto them yet who believes it who lives up to this demonstration It is God must persuade the Soul of this and till the Soul hath this written and ingraven upon it by the finger of his Spirit it will never so Judge Lastly therefore Pray mightily that God would open your Ears to see this and persuade your Souls of the truth of it for till he doth it in vain are mens persuasions To move you to it consider 1. This will bear some proportion to the love of Christ to mankind Christ loved us more than these more than all the Kingdoms and pleasures and profits and honours of the world yea more than his own life yea he preferred us to the Angels the fallen Angels for he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the nature of man 2. This will speak the Soul to be a wise and understanding Soul Certain it is as I have already shewed you that the loves of Christ are good before Wine The wisdom of a Soul lyeth much in a right discerning betwixt good and evil and betwixt that which is good and that which is more good or better The excellency of a Soul lyeth in its conformity to God he is an Atheist who owneth not God to be the first Being and to be of all Beings the most excellent and perfect Being So as necessarily that Soul that comes nearest in conformity to God must be the most excellent Soul now that Soul which acteth most up to the principles of improved and pure reason and to the rule of that holy Writ which we all confess to be the revealed Will of God and liveth most up to the Divine Pattern doing what God doth that must needs be the most wise excellent understanding Soul Now will not a little reason serve to convince us that Christ is the most excelling Object and therefore to be preferred to all sublunary enjoyments Doth not the Scripture represent him to us as altogether desires as the chiefest of ten thousand as the well beloved of the Father in whom he is well pleased as he whom we ought to love with all our heart all our Soul all our Strength Doth not the Father the Heavenly Father love him above all other objects To which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee and again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son He was brought up with the Father and daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him 3. This will speak an heavenly sublimated Soul purged from the dregs of sensuality and from an earthly mind a Soul risen with Christ and seeking the things which are above Col. 3. 1. The preference of Wine any sensual satisfactions or any sensible enjoyments to the loves of Christ speaks a dirty Soul that feedeth upon carrion and can be filled with wind Lastly You have heard what an argument this will supply a Soul with in all its addresses and applications to God for any grace or favour no argument can be more moving more prevailing with God none that layeth hold upon more promises or that toucheth God more as a tender Father O therefore labour for this frame of Spirit and give your Souls no rest until you find that they indeed do prefer the love of Christ before all other things in Heaven and Earth Secondly This notion calleth to all you who profess Godliness and to any thing of the Spirit of Adoption which teacheth to cry Abba Father to take heed of a Carnal mind an heart cleaving to any created comforts in excessive degrees so as for the enjoyment of them or any of them to run the hazard of the loves of Christ you will by it prejudice your souls in a great argument which you might use at the Throne of Grace There are amongst others three distempers of heart which those that would do much with God in Prayer must take heed of 1. A revengeful not forgiving frame of Spirit It is a dreadful Text Mat. 6. 15. But if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you Our Saviour hath taught us to pray Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors 2. A doubting and unbelieving frame of Spirit He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him he that lifts up his hands unto God must lift up pure hands and that without doubting 3. Thirdly A Carnal heart cleaving to the world preferring the things of the world to the loves of Christ the good things of Grace Lastly Is this such an argument of force with God Let then such as can use it in truth make use of it I doubt not but I speak to many who can in truth say that they value the loves of Christ the tokens of his special and distinguishing love above all earthly contentments when you go to God plead this take unto you words and say Lord let me be made a partaker of thy special distinguishing love thou knowest that my Soul valueth it above mountains of Gold
savour of his good Ointments Consider what a difference there is betwixt this Object of your Loves and those pitiful Objects which your Souls are so hot in the pursuit of One man's heart is after his Wine another's after his Riches a third after the Pride of Life The Name of these things is like the opening of a Dunghill which sendeth forth a stench they bring up an ill report upon your Souls Christ's Name is like an Ointment poured out 2. What an Argument doth this afford to persuade troubled fainting Souls in their spiritual Swoonings and Deliquiums to apply themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ Ludovicus De Ponte upon my Text telleth us Oil is a sign of Peace it healeth wounds it nourisheth the weak it feedeth the Candle with light It exceedeth all Liquors Christ's Name is as Oil as Oil poured forth it brings Peace to a disturbed Soul it healeth the wounds of a wounded Spirit it nourisheth the weak Soul it exceedeth all created Oil. O meditate upon this excellent Name There is something healing and refreshing almost in every Name of Christ 3. Finally Let those who have tasted how good the Lord is study Christ's Name more meditate upon his Name his Promises his Mercy Truth and Faithfulness more wear his Name upon your hearts There is no Christian but is subject to its faintings David's Soul fainted for the Lord's Salvation Psal 119 81. But he hopes in the Lord's Word He had multitudes of perplexing thoughts but in the midst of all the comforts of God refreshed his Soul You that have experienced the sweetness of his Name study yet a farther knowledge of him and acquaintance with him Sermon XV. Cant. 1. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments Thy Name is as Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee I Have yet something further to discourse to you from this Text. You have heard from it 1. That Christ hath good Oils or good Ointments which cast a savour 2. That his Name is as an Oil or Ointment poured forth It followeth Therefore do the Virgins love thee When I opened the words I noted to you a double sense of the term Virgins each contrary to the other Some taking notice of the term Virgins as signifying persons in a single and solute state and condition understand by it persons that are natural and unregenerate not yet by Faith married and united to this spiritual Bridegroom intended in this Song who upon the pouring out of the sweet Oil in the Preaching of the Gospel which is part of his Name are invited and allured to take a complacency in the Lord Jesus Christ to desire him to will and chuse him as their Lord and their Saviour There is a truth in this When I shall be lifted up saith Christ I will draw all men after me But I do not think this the sense of the term 1. Because I am not willing to interpret Metaphors used in Scripture into a sense different from all other Texts of Scripture where the same terms are used Now I do not remember that in all Scripture Heathens Unbelievers Natural and Unregenerate men are called Virgins but only such as are the Saints and Servants of God 2. Nor secondly are they so they beâ—ng married to their lusts and to the world c. Upon which account the Scripture expresseth them under the notion of Adulterers and Adulteresses persons that are filthy unclean defiled c. 3. Neither can the Natural Unregenerate man be said while such to love Christ because of the savour of his good Oiutments they are constantly expressed under the notion of such as hate God and hate Christ By Virgins therefore I then told you the Scripture generally understands the Saints Indeed Professors at large in the Parable Matth. 25. 1. are set out under the notion of foolish Virgins But the wife Virgins are the true Children of God Rev. 14. 4. 2. Cor. 11. 1. The Proposition then is this Prop. 13. That the Saints who are Virgins love the Lord Jesus Christ for those excelling graces which they discern in him In the handling of which I shall 1. Enquire why Saints are called Virgins so shewing you the propriety of the Metaphor 2. Whence it is that they love Chr st for the savour of his Ointmenâ—s and the pourings out of his Name First Why are the Saints of God called Virgins Not because they are not married The Soul of man will not be alone it will be united to something if it be not united to God and Christ it will be united to the world to lust and corruption I say it will not be alone The same therefore that are here called Virgins are elsewhere called The Spouse of Christ the Bride the Lamb's Wife c. Such as are espoused to one Husband God faith of them I am married to you saith the Lord. But they are called Virgins 1. Because they are free from those things to which Vulgar Souls are married but which are not the proper Husbands of reasonable Souls God hath created man's Soul for himself and its Maker only can be a proper Husband for it A Soul may be united to other Objects but they are not just Matches they are not proper Husbands for Immortal Souls that are Spiritual Substances and under ordinations for Eternity The most of Souls are married but they are unequally yoked For a Spiritual Substance to be united to a clod of Earth to a little yellow Earth or Sand is a very unequal match For a Soul to be united to any sordid lust any sinful pleasure is a very unequal match The Souls of Voluptuous men of Covetous worldlings of Ambitious men they are indeed married they have made a Covenant with their lusts and with the world and with these things they eat they drink they sleep they converse they keep a constant communion as the married woman doth but they are all this while Adulterers and Adulteresses because these things are not proper matches for the Soul of man it is like the marriage of a Man to a Beast Now in this respect the Saints are Virgins not defiled with this adulterous Union they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 2. 20. Hence they are called undefiled in the way Psal 119. 1. They are Virgins with respect to any Marriage-Union with the world or any sinful lusts or any thing which is not a proper match for a rational immortal Soul They indeed live in the world and use the world but they use it according to the Apostles Precept as if they used it not they live not with the world as the Wife lives with her Husband delighting in it looking upon it as their chief Joy and Portion they make use of the world and the things of this world for their lawful occasions as the Man may use the Woman that is not his Wife but the world is not that which their hearts cleave to
certainly a forbidden Relation Love not the world saith the Apostle nor the things of the world yet never were more to be found amongst such who are called Christians Thirdly Marriage doth not alwaies spoil Virginity as it signifies Chastity But an heart equally cleaving and inclining to two men will especially if byast to him who is not the Woman's Husband She that hath one true and proper Husband and yet loveth another equally with him or more than he hath lost her Virgin-heart Ah! how many of these are there amongst Professors they are married to Christ in the face of the Church they were baptized into his Name and are under Vows to be the Lord's But as God said of old concerning Ephraim Their heart is divided and therefore they must be found faulty Ah! How many are there that have divided hearts that halt between two Opinions and are not able to conclude with themselves whether Baal be God and they should serve him or God be God and they shall serve him Nay they halt between two Conversations something there is of Heaven in them but alas how much of the Earth how much of sin folly and vanity how much of contradiction to their Profession where 's a Christian Caleb to be found to walk with God fully Fourthly If we have some that are Virgins yet how few beautiful Virgins where 's the beauty the glory of Professors where 's their former shining out before men Ah! call your Children Ichabods call them Ichabods The Glory is departed in a great measure from England from the Professing Party of England Where 's the former sincerity love to God zeal for God plainness of heart sincerity of conversation brotherly love heavenly walking the World the vanities of the World have spoiled Professors beauty The Sun of a little outward prosperity hath shone upon them how are they tanned But in the next place this discourse offers us a fair opportunity to try our Relation to Christ whether we be the Lambs Wife who shall hereafter follow him whithersoever he goes 1. Are you Spiritual Virgins There are tokens of Spiritual as well as Natural Virginity 1. Purity and Chastity in heart as well as outward appearance Blessed are they saith our Saviour who are pure in heart for they shall see God is not thy heart defiled with sensual affections impetuous passions doth not thy Soul cleave to sin and lust 2. Dost thou live like a Virgin an hidden life doth not the world see all that thou hast of a Spiritual life dost thou not like the Pharisees love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets more than with thy doors shut about thee in thy closet livest thou any thing of that life which is hid with Christ in God is it thy only and greatest care to please thy heavenly Father and Christ thy great Lord and Master 3. Where 's thy modesty the Virgin blusheth presently when any thing is reflected upon her Art thou ashamed when thou committest iniquity and thy heart reflects it upon thee or hast thou a Whores fore-head that cannot blush I might instance in many particulars more but these are enough to try thy Spiritual Virginity 2. A second note of the Spouse of Christ arising from this Text is a love to Christ Love is a natural plant and groweth in every Soul but love to Christ is a plant from Heaven heavenly a plant sprung up from the seed of God in the Soul If Christ should from Heaven propo und the fame question to thee which while he was on Earth he propounded to Peter couldst thou answer with him Lord Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee This Grace of all others is most discernable for love is of an active nature and will hardly lie hid The pantings of thy heart after him the acquiescence complacency and delight of thy heart in him will easily discover it to thee if thou lookest narrowly The natural man cannot say that his Soul cleaveth to Christ or thirsteth after Christ or taketh any complacency in the Lord Christ Thirdly As God is the fountain of good and blessing to his Creatures and as Christ hath a fair inheritance of a Crown an Heaven an incomprehensible glory which is annexed to the fruition and enjoyment of him so the worst of men may have a kind of love for Christ or rather for what he bringeth along with himself unto the Soul Lastly Therefore Dost thou love Christ for the savour of his good Ointments because his name is an Oil or Ointment poured forth He that loveth Christ meerly for his Heaven and Glory is purely selfish in his love I deny not but Moses had an Eye to the recompence of reward and so hath every honest and gracious heart without doubt Christs beneficence and goodness unto us and the benefit which our Souls have and hope to have from Christ is and ought to be a very great attractive and to draw out our hearts more and more in love to Christ but herein is the purity of the Saints love he discovereth such an excellency in the Lord Jesus Christ that were he never to have an Heaven with him yet his heart would cleave to him infinitely delight in him if thou canst say that thou thus lovest the Lord Jesus it will indeed speak thee to be a Spiritual Virgin a Spouse to the Lord Jesus I shall conclude my discourse upon this verse with a threefold word of Exhortation 1. In the first place methinks from this metaphorical expression of Saints under the notion of Virgins I have here a fair opportunity to plead with Virgins to be Saints Virgins generally have the object of their love to seek Lo here a most deserving object for every young man every young woman that heareth me Methinks the holy Spirit points out this in the Metaphor Therefore do the Virgins love thee Christ here expresseth himself under the notion of some beautiful young man beautified and adorned with all the advantages both of nature and of art So that the Virgins must love him I noted to you before that some would have the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be rather a term of age then either signifying Sex or State oh that I could this day prevail with you who are young men and young women to love the Lord Jesus Christ Youth is an age a time of love full of love but it usually mispends its self upon vain and worthless objects the young man loves his lusts and his pleasures the young woman loveth dancings and foolish sports and vain company and gay and costly attire but how rare is it to find a young man or woman that sincerely loveth the Lord Jesus Christ truly amongst young or old there is hardly one of a thousand but of those that are in the height and heat of their youth hardly one of ten thousand It is too frequent for us to give our marrow to the Devil
his Net i. e. he slattereth him and under pretence of friendship enticeth them into ruine God saith He will draw his people with the Cords of a man with the Bands of Lovâ— Hos 11. 4. and that he had drawn them with loving kindness Jer. 31. 3. thus Deborah promised to draw the Israelites to Tabor that is to persuade and to conduct them thither Judg. 4. 7. Solomon saith he sought to draw his flesh with Wine so it is in the Hebrew Eccles 2. 3. his meaning is he would entice and please his flesh 4. Sometimes in Scripture it signifieth to lengthen out and to continue Thus it is used to signifie the sound of a Trumpet lengthened out It is translated prolonged Isa 13. 22. d ferred Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred in the Hebrew drawn out maketh the heart sick Psal 109. 12. Let none draw out mercy We translate it extend mercy unto him None of my words shall be prolonged The same word is there again used O continue thy loving-kindness Psal 36. 10. This sense methinks seemeth not much forreign to this place as the Petition refers not only to first but following grace We need the prolongings and continuances of Divine Influences to make us to run after Christ The word as the Learnedest Lexicographers in that Language tell us signifies with a secret force to compel one whitheâ— we would have him It sometimes signifies with fair words Reasons and persuasions to draw one to our side Forster tells us that Christ without doubt had respect to this place in those Gospel expressions No man cometh to the Son but he whom the Father draweth And when I shall be lifted up I will draw all men after me And Lud. de Ponte expounds this Text by that in the Gospel Compel them to come in So then when the Spouse saith Draw me this is that she means Lord Put forth thy secret Power thy irresistible and effectual Grace and compel me to come unto thee and to run after thee move me sweetly but yet powerfully Draw me by thy Word and Spirit and by the sweetness of thy grace open my heart saith Mr Ainsworth I am weak Lord add thy strength so Tâ—emellius glosseth Divine grace must prevent and must follow he that is not drawn will be hindered by his own corruption Lust draws every heart backward from Christ The Soul must by Grace be drawn to him Bernard understands it of an act of power and thus glosseth Lord it is better that thou should'st draw me by any force than that thou shouldest spare me and leave me secure in my deadness But let us weigh it yet a little further It is the Spouse that here speaketh The Church of God the believing Soul hath the Spouse need to be drawn to Christ Is she not already come to him doth she not willingly follow after him how then doth she say draw me doth the Child of God follow him unwillingly To this I answer 1. The Church doth not consist of all true believers there may be some in the bosom of that that have but a name to live and which had need be drawn unto Christ For these the Church may be understood to pray that there may not be any in it strangers unto Christ but that as some are drawn so all may be drawn 2. But Secondly Bernard who starts this question answereth it otherwise Non omnis qui trahitur invitus trahiâ—ur Every one who is drawn is not drawn unwillingly The Bear is drawn to the Stake unwillingly so is the Malefactor to the place of Execution but an hungry man may be drawn to his Meat and the Cripple to the Bath and both willingly besides if the Spouse were not willing she would never make it her request to be drawn nor yet were she able of her self to go would she ask to be drawn Those who are weak as well as those that are unwilling had need to be drawn How perfect soever the Soul be saith Bernard while it sigheth under the body of death and is kept in the Prison of mortality being full of wants and full of sin it goeth slowly and dully after Christ and is not at liberty to follow him but must be drawn to its Spiritual duty I know saith the Spouse that I cannot come to thee in Heaven but by going after thee while I live here upon the Earth and I know I cannot go after thee unless thou drawest unless thou helpest me She confesseth here that she standeth in daily need of preventing Grace of drawing and quickning Grace from God 'T is true she prayeth and so seemeth to prevent the Grace of God but in that she prayeth it is plain that the Grace of God had prevented her otherwise she would not have said Draw me She here desireth that Grace of God which might have a divine sweet efficacious power and force with it to constrain her Soul to run after Christ The Kingdom of Heaven within the Child of God suffâ—reth violence and force through the power of Lust and Corruption She beggeth of God to oppose the power of his Grace to the power of her Lusts and vile Affections She useth this word therefore to acknowledge her weakness and to shew that without the help of grace she could not run after Christ according to that John 15. 4 Withâ—ut me you can do nothing Genebrard saith that by this Phrase she teacheth us that the beginning of our Justification is from God Bernard Beza Lud. de Ponte and others conclude that she teacheth that further Grace is from God By the word draw she begs not only first grace but the prolongings and continuances of Divine Grace according to that Psal 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee and thy righteousness to the upright in heart The Soul doth not only stand in need of the sweet and powerful influences of Divine Grace to bring it to Christ but to keep it and to carry it on its state and exercises of Grace For whether would the Spouse be drawn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after thee saith the Text. Our translation puts these words after the next Verb we will run after thee in the Heb they follow draw me and so may indifferently be read with either The matter is not much they must be understood here as well as there the term of either motion was the same Surely 't is thither she would be drawn whither she had a mind to run The Spouse is drawn and comes to Christ By faith it runs and follows after Christ by holiness and is drawn so by a power inabling it to perfect holiness it is drawn to Christ by Death say some so Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ 1 Phil. With reference to this Bernard puts this question An hoc dicit cupiens dissolvi Doth saith he the Spouse speak this desiring to be dissolved and to be with Christ He saith he should
be something of that mind but that the words are not draw me to thee but draw me after thee So that he thinks she rather desires the drawings of Grace that she might follow him in an holy conversation walking as she had him for an example The sum then of this petition considered as the language of the Church the collective Spouse is this Lord I have in my Bosom many that are indeed drawn to thee in an outward profession in that sense in which thou sayest When I am lifted up I will draw all men after me they are flocked like Doves to the Windows Oh let them yet be drawn more effectually to an hearty embracing of thee for none so comes to thee but he whom the Father draws Lord draw that part of my Members by thy efficacious grace Considered as the voice of a believer the sense is this Lord thou hast made me thine thou hast by thy mighty powerful work of thy Spirit drawn me to thee but I am weak and feeble and not able to follow thee in a course of holiness nor to watch with thee thou who at first hast put forth thy powerful effectual Grace in changing my heart in bringing me to thy self continue the same power of thy Grace commanding me to keep my heart close with thee so as I may never depart from thee I proceed to the next words We will run after thee The former word contained the Spouses Petition this her promise what wilt thou do O thou fairest if the Lord will bestow upon thee the daily influences of his drawing Grace she here answereth and preventeth that question saith she we will run after thee These words may also be conceived to have the force of an argument enforcing her Petition Lord If thou wilt draw me I will not hold back no We will run after thee Here is considerable 1. The Persons promising We where the change of the number is very considerable she had spoken before in the singular Number draw me here she promiseth in the plural We will run 2. The promise itself or thing promised Will run The answering of two questions will open these words 1. What is meant by running 2. Why she saith we will run when before she had only said draw me Qu. 1. What is here meant by Running what doth the Spouse promise under this term of running after Christ 1. The word in the Hebrew doth properly signify a bodily motion and you easily understand what it is to run it is more than to go and walk It is here by a metaphor applied to the Soul or indeed to the whole man for although some of the Hebrew Doctors and some others according to their different notion of the Spouse which I before hinted understand it of Abrahams bodily motion out of his Country or the Israelites motions out of Aegypt and Babylon or the Peoples going to the Temple in Solomons time to worship God yet their notions are doubtless much too low and not at all agreeing to that notion of the Spouse which we have fixed I do therefore fully agree with the most and the most eminent interpreters who acknowledge here a metaphor and that by running some motion of the mind is signified analogous to the motion of the body which we call running now what that is we must further enquire 2. Running doth not only signify motion but some strength in the body so moving The sick and feeble person can hardly stand or go much less run The person running may want some degrees of strength but he must have legs and some strength in his legs or he cannot run The Soul that runneth after Christ must first be possessed of some Spiritual strength The strength of the Soul is an effect of Christs drawing Behold saith the Prophet thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee First God calls then we run first he putteth strength into them and then they use the strength which he hath given them Isa 0. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength like the Eagle they shall run and not be weary first they shall renew their strength then they shall run 3. Thirdly Running importeth speed and celerity in motion Festinant em significat actionem is De Dieu his note on the Text. David saith I will run the way of thy Commandments Psal 119. 32. which he expoundeth v. 60. I made hast and delayed not to keep thy precepts Buxtorf in his Hebrew Lexicon noteth that the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to run hastily comes from this Hebrew word and others fancy that the latine word Rota that signifies a Wheel hath its Original from this word also Delrio interpreteth it here by festinabimus we will make hast and indeed it is the obvious and ordinary notion of the word thus you know running is distinguished from those flower motions of creeping going walking c. Running argueth a quick and speedy motion the Soul having received from Christ the powerful influences of Divine Grace stands not still creeps not moveth not slowly but makes hast in the ways of God 4. Running argues a free and chearful motion The man that runs hath as we say good will in his way it implies a prompt inclination and readiness of mind Thus Forster an Hebrew Lexicographer notes a great cognation betwixt this word and two other Hebrew words the one of which signifieth to bring forth in plenty and abundance the other to be willing or have a good will to a thing Buxtorf also observeth its affinity to the latter Avendrius also observeth that it signifieth to move readily as the false Prophets ran Jer. 12. 5. Jer. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets and yet they ran as Gehazi ran for his bride 2 King 5. 20. Thus the believing Soul that is once drawn by the Spirit of Grace moves in the way of holiness not dragged on to duty by a Foreign Principle It is its meat and drink to do the Will of God It delighteth in the Law of God as to the inward man it was before unwilling but now it is made willing as it is said My People shall be a willing people in the day of my power Grace giveth wheels to the Soul and it oileth the wheels when given Buxtorf noteth that this word is used only to signifie the running of Men not of Beasts Men move not like Beasts rashly and giddily and meerly when they are whipped on or out of wantonness but men propose and know their end and move toward it out of a Principle of Reason and Affection The believing Soul knoweth its end and moveth towards it from a conduct of reason so it moveth speedily and freely after Christ 5. I find some Interpreters judging that the term likewise implyeth a promise of Perseverance There is one Text of Scripture which seemeth to advantage this
of all Souls to whom the Gospel is Preached which is very strange for which of us seriously willeth any effect and want no power to effect it and the thing is not effected that an Almighty God should seriously will what he from all eternity knew should never be effected and will that which he hath a power to effect yet never is never shall be effected is a strange piece of Divinity or sense Or else it is faulty 2. By maintaining a greater power in the will of man in its lapsâ—d state than in the will of God which is against all reason and can be owned by none but such as deny God to be omnipotent I have in opening and proving the Doctrine said enough to shew you the vanity of this dream I shall only add a word or two 1. That this pretended willing of God which they affirm to be real and serious and yet inefficacious not producing the effect is incompâ—tent with that infinite wisdom and knowledge which must be in him who is the fountain of all knowledge and wisdom Indeed man who hath no knowledge of future contingencies may sâ—riously will that such a person should be moved exhorted and call'd upon to do such or such a thing upon the doing of which he should have an estate and yet he may be left at perfect liberty whether he will do it or no and so the reward may not be certain but contingent to him But that God who from all Eternity had a certain perfect knowledge who would and who would not believe and could not know it but because he had willed it for the will of God only from Eternity could make that certain which it itself was but contâ—ngent I say that this God should seriously will the salvation of all those to whom the Gospel should be Preached and their faith and holiness as a means in order unto it when he from all eternity knew that only some of those to whom the Gospel should be Preached would believe and obey and therefore knew it because he had eternally willed their faith and holiness and salvation I say this is a strange mystery which it will be hard for any thinking men of any degrees of sense or reason to understand 2. Indeed if this Doctrine were true no Soul could be saved at least it were possible that no Soul should be saved Our Lord tells us Joh 6. 44. That no man cometh unto him but he whom the Father draweth and every one as he is learned and taught of the Father cometh unto him So then it is not of him that willeth noâ— of him that runneth but of the Lord who sheweth mercy and man that is born again is not born again of the will of the Flesh nor of the will of Man of God And it must be said of God He hath begotten us not only he hath treated and intreated us and proposed salvation to us but he hath begotten us influencing renewing changing the heart of the Creature by his power not leaving us to the power of our wills upon his word being pâ—eached unto us and the arguments of the Gospel used to us I appeal to any whose heart God hath changed whether they think their hearts had ever been turned to God if this had been all God had done for them that is given them his Gospel and by that invited them to turn unto him nor can it be supposed that when an all-knowing all wise God from all Eternity had a certain infallible knowledge who should be eternally saved and of the powers and inclinations of all mens hearts that he should leave the means in order to this salvation so imperfectly willed that it was left possible that by those means none should ever be saved and obtain what he certainly fore knew and therefore fore-know because he had willed it But I have already abundantly shewed you the opposition of these notions to the plain revelations and reason of Scripture It is said that God opened the heart of Lydia Acts 16. 14. And certainly if man had such a power being unregenerate to repent and believe upon the proposal of the Gospel and pressing the arguments of it supposing the common work of the Spirit always attending the Gospel he would much more have a power being converted to walk with God to run after him for the Soul not changed is not only impotent but unwilling and stubborn when converted it is willing though â—eâ—k yet not so weak as before conversion and according to all reason the Soul which is both stubborn and wholly weak hath more need of a power foreign to its own power which can be no other than the power of God then that Soul which is now made willing and only weak and not so weak as the inconverted Soul is but this is enough to shew you the vanity of these principles which yet obtain so much in the world 2. The Papists say the same thing that the others speak they will grant That man hath no power to spiritual things without the assistance of Divine Grace he cannot believe say they the mysteries of Divine Salvation this Bellarmine proves from Joh. 6. 4. where he desires his Reader to observe that it is not no man doth but no man can come to the Son except the Father draweth him Nay he tells us that without the special grace of God to help him man cannot love God nor prepare himself for Grace nor will any thing which tends to Salvation oâ— Godliness But then they tell us 1. That this Grace of God is not the sole agent That the Soul of man as to the first grace is no meerly pâ—ssive but also active God indeed calleth and by special grace excites and his grace aideth the will of man in believing He falls heavily upon Luther Calvin and Chemnitius for saying that the Soul in the reception of the first grace is meerly passive Pelagians and Arminians ascribe to the will of Man the whole power of closing with the promise by faith being once offered in the preaching of the Gospel Papists seem to divide Gods glory betwixt him and the will of man God say they must send his Grace but his Grace is not that alone which produceth the effect for the power of mans will though infeebled by the Fall is yet alive and God accommodating the Soul with the aid and assistance of his Grace the Soul joins with it and this they assign for the reason why one heart is changed and not another for God proposeth his special grace to all where by the way you may take notice that they call special Grace what we call common because administred to all because free will works better in him that is converted than in the other thus still Arminians and they are agreed that the fountain of all Spiritual and Eternal good is in mans self that man makes himself to differ and so hath wherein to glory and that man is the first
so far from opposing or hindering the drawings of Divine Grace as to do what in them lies in order to the obtaining of them you will say unto me what is that what can we do either as to the hindering or obtaining them 1. First As you may hinder these influences by omitting your attendance upon hearing the word so you may by your conscientious attendance upon it do something in order to the obtaining of it I observe that the blind men in the Gospel observed and placed themselves in Christs walks the way wherein he was to go He that conscientiously waiteth upon the preaching of the Word placeth himself in the way wherein Christ useth to go He that walks to the Ale-house or to his worldly business or abideth in his House when he should walk to a Sermon is out of Christs walk and as this is in his own power to avoid so by not avoiding he hindereth divine drawings The Preaching of the Word is the ordinance of God for the Salvation of the Elect when Christ was lifted up he by this drew all those Gentiles that were converted to the faith of Christ you know in the drawing of a thing by a Cord there is necessary a Cord to draw with which must de fastned to the thing we would draw when it is fastned he that draweth must put to his strength it is not the Cord that draweth but the power and strength of the mans arm that useth the Cord. That which is drawn here is the Soul of man a poor dead Soul that hath in it no principle of Spiritual life and of itself cannot come to Christ He that draweth is God the holy Spirit of God and that by the power of an everlasting arm but now the Cord is the word of God so God hath ordained either some terrible word of threatning or some comfortable word of promise some word of God is by the holy Spirit fastned upon the Soul by this the Soul is drawn yet not by the force of the Word but by the power of the Spirit making use of the Word now he who neglects the reading or hearing of the word hinders his own drawing he rejecteth and refuseth the Cord which though alone it would not draw the Soul yet is the mean the Cord in the hand of the Spirit by which ordinarily Souls are drawn that do come to Christ On the other side those Souls that are diligent and careful to read and hear the Word of God where it is interpreted and applied with most tendency to the conversion of Souls though he doth nothing ultimately and efficiently yet he doth much in a way of means in order to his drawing unto Christ This is the first way 2. As a man may hinder the drawings of God by quenching the motions of the holy Spirit and giving a deaf ear to the knocks of it or delaying its obedience to them suffering vain company or worldly cares to choke the motions of the Spirit and wear out the impressions of the word so he may further them by favouring them retaining such impressions and whetting the word upon his heart There is scarce any person who is a constant attender upon the Preaching of the word but at some time ot other will find some discourse more than ordinarily affecting him and making some more than ordinary impressions upon him now if when a man findeth this he endeavoureth to stifle this conviction or wear off this impression and to work his Soul out of the trouble of it he hereby opposeth and resisteth the drawings of Divine Grace 〈…〉 the other side if he withdraws himself fits alone meditateth upon what he hath heard searcheth the Scriptures to see if it be according to what is revealed there and when worldly business would put it out of his thoughts if he endeavours again to bring it to his remembrance and setcheth it again into his thoughts desiring it may have its perfect work This man now doth what in him lieth to promove divine drawings Thirdly As a man or woman may hinder God's drawings by walking contrary to his or her Light So they may promove them by walking up to their Light and Power The Soul that is drawn to Christ is alive and yet dead Alive as a natural rational Soul dead as to God and Goodness And this answereth an obvious and ordinary Objection viz. What can a dead Soul do The Answer is easie it can do nothing so far as it is dead but though the natural man be spiritually dead yet considered as a man a rational creature he is alive and though he can do nothing that is spiritually good because he is dead in sin yet he may do something that is morally and rationally good because he is rationally alive and under the power and conduct of reason in a great measure He hath some Natural Light he hath a further revealed Light by and in the Gospel and though he hath not a power to live up to all the Light which the Gospel shews him yet he hath a power to sin against that Light to which he might walk up and of which â—he might make a better improvement It is very possible and too too ordinary for men when God draws one way to suffer their passions their vile affections and lusts to draw another and in doing it to triumph over their reason This is highly provocative of God There is a great question about the power and freedom of man's will by nature Sober Divines say the unregenerate man hath no power no freedom to what is truly and spiritually good If any power or freedom may be allowed to the unrenewed will certainly it is most proper to assert it at such a time when the Holy Spirit moveth most strongly by its impulses and convictions The unregenerate man at such a time more than another hath in his power to resist his lusts and motions to sin and give up himself to God if he will now resist this Light and not to his power use this help he thereby hindereth God's drawings Suppose a man in a Pir and weak and not able to get out some strength he hath while he lies still to hold back but none to raise himself upward to get out When a Cord is fastened about him if instead of yielding himself he holds back what he can this man now hinders the charitable drawing that others more strong would lend him Fourthly and lastly Pray to God that he would draw you out of the horrible Pit and miry Clay It is the Holy Spirit that draweth and Christ tells us that he giveth the Holy Spirit to those that ask him But I shall turn my discourse to the Children of God and shew them what is their duty upon the consideration of this truth That no Soul unless drawn by God either comes to or runneth after Christ I shall open it in several particulars First This Doctrine calleth to all who apprehend themselves to be come to Christ
his possession v. 8. which Kingdom he doth not only exercise over all in order to the gathering of his Church subduing the hearts of people unto himself and then over his Church gathered by giving laws to it and setting Officers over it but more particularly in the hearts of all believers in whom he ruleth by his Spirit But why doth the Spouse here speak to her beloved or of hÄ—r beloved in this lofty stile and not rather in that familiar stile which she generally useth in this Song What if we should say 1. That in other places of this Divine Song she is speaking to him here she is speaking of him God is the King of Kings the Lord of Lords yet when we pray unto him we are licensed and commanded to say unto him Our Father when she speaks of him to others she useth another stile and saith the King though we are allowed an holy boldness in our accesses and addresses to the Throne of Grace yet this is not exclusive of that holy fear and reverence which we owe unto God as our King we ought to remember that he who is our Beloved our Father is also our King 2. What if we should say that this lofty compellation is used to enhance the favour that she had received She was not admitted into ordinary Chambers but into Royal Chambers the King hath brought me into his Chambers No words are too big to express the singular favour of God to our Souls 3. What finally if we should say that she changeth her stile to intimate the persons who must expect signal favour from God and to remember her self of her duty in consideration of such favours I say first to intimate to us who those Persons must be that expect any singular favours from God they must be such as apprehend and receive Christ not for a Saviour as a Priest only but such as own and acknowledge him as a King as their Lord to command and to rule over them according to that promise John 14. 21. He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he who loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self unto him It might also remember her of the duty she owed unto God in consideration of his favour to her she resolveth to own and to acknowledge him as her Lord her King But these things being premised I come to that Propesition which I raised from the connexion of these words testifying the Lords hearing of her Prayers the words are immediately annexed to her Petition Whence I observed That it pleaseth God sometimes to make very quick returns to his Peoples Prayers That it is so appears 1. By the Lords answering his People sometimes before they speak or while they are speaking Isaiah 65. 24. It shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear Nothing can be quicker then that for God to take notice of what his people have in their hearts to ask and to give it before they can form it by their lips into words or while they are speaking to give an answer you have the first exemplified in David Psal 32. 5. I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord he had not confessed he had only said in his heart that he would confess his transgression to the Lord and saith he thou sorgavest the inquity of my sin you have an instance of the latter in Hannah the Wife of Elkanah 1 Sam 1. She was praying her lips moved but her voice was not heard yet the Lord heard her and though the time must be fulfilled before she could have a Son yet 1 Sam 1. 18. It is said of her at present that she went away and did eat and her countenance was no more sad She had a present answer of peace her mind was quieted her countenance was no more sad you have another instance in Daniel to name no more Dan. 9. 20. Daniel with the rest of the Jews had been in the captivity of Babylon near 70 years the time was almost expired as to which God had promised they should come out Daniel sets himself to pray and you have a copy of his prayer from Dan. 9. v. 4. to v. 20. Observe now v. 20. And while I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my People Israel yea v. 21. While I was speaking in prayer the man Gabriel whom I had seen in a vision at the beginning being caused to fly swiftly touched me about the time of the evening oblation and he informed me and talked with me and said O Daniel I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding at the beginning of thy supplication the Commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee for thou art greatly beloved c. Here now the Lord made a very quick return to Daniels prayer while he was speaking the Lord answered him But a return of prayers may be quick though it be not thus quick but after the interval of some few months days or years Abraham was thus answered as to his Prayer mentioned Gen. 17. and David glorieth in the assurance of this Psal 4. 3. The Lord will hear when I call upon him But now because on the one hand this is a very desirable mercy and many times the Souls of Gods people are discouraged and flagg in duty because the vision is yet for an appointed time It will not be out of our way to inquire what prayers these are that meet with so quick an audience from God God doth not this at all times nor for all persons no not for those who are most beloved of him David himself complaineth Psal 22. 2. O my God I cry in the day time but thou hearest not and in the night season and am not silent The Church complains of some times when God is angry with the prayers of his people Psal 80. 4 Gods own People sometimes shoot arrow after arrow to find what they shot first hence you so often meet with it as a piece of the Saints Prayer Hear my prayer O God give ear to my Supplications Let us a little enquire from whence this variety of Providence proceeds as to this hearing and answering of prayers God is the Lord that changeth not therefore we are not consumed we must therefore find the cause in the persons praying or in the prayers which maketh this difference as to Gods answers That so quick and gracious answers may be obtained something is necessary on the party praying Something with respect to the matter prayed for Something as to the manner of putting up the prayer 1. As to the Person praying 1. No Soul can expect such an answer unless persons in special favour with God this the Angel told Daniel Dan. 9. 23. At the beginning of thy supplication the commandment came forth and I am come to shew thee c. for
most of God have been such as have been I will not say most but much in contemplation which brought contemplation afterward into a superstition and a contemplative life to be cried up beyond all sense or reason 4. Lastly Be much in prayer But I have spoke enough upon this argument Sermon XXVII Canticles 1. 4. We will be glad and rejoyce in thee We will remember thy loves more then Wine The upright love thee I Am now come to the Fourth thing considerable in this Second Petition of the Spouse I have done with the Petition Draw me 2. With the Argument by which she inforced her Petition We will run after thee 3. With the Spouse's Attestation of the quick acceptance of her Petition The King hath brought me into his Chambers I have only to consider the Effect that this Love had upon her that is exprest in the words I have now read We will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy Loves more than Wine I have opened the words before We I and all Believers we who being many are yet one body united by one Spirit Members under the Government of one Head we who have tasted and experienced thy goodness will be glad The word in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is expressive of the largest dilatation of the heart upon union with its object It is used Isa 65. v. 19. Prov. 24. 23. Psal 21. 1. Psal 2. 11. 13. 11. Zech. 9. 9. and rejoyce in thee The word again here used is often used in the Old Testament Exod. 4. 14. Jer. 31. 13 c. I shall not undertake to justifie the Critical distinction some make betwixt these two words as if one were restrained to the more inward motion of the heart the other more expressive of the more external gestures or actions signifying that affection in thee in Christ as the principal object and in the significations of thy love to us The Proposition is shortly this Jesus Christ and the manifestations of his love to believers Souls particularly in answering prayers are the singular objects of their joy and rejoycing In order both to the explication and confirmation of this Proposition I will guide you a little into the understanding of the nature of Joy 2. Consider how Christ can be the object of the believers joy and is more the object of his joy then of another mans 3. How he is the special singular object of their joy Take joy considered in itself it is but a natural plant a power God hath given to every reasonable Soul the object of it is some good to which it is in some degree united and it is greater or lesser according to the nature of the good or the degree of the apprehension There is in all joy satisfaction and rest and something of musick or melody 1. There is in all joy a Soul satisfying suln ss desire speaks some emptiness in the Soul and is the Souls motion in order to a satisfaction the like might be said of hope but all joy speaketh a Soul satisfaction according to the measure of the joy the rejoycing Soul hath alwaies in it a fulness and a pleasing fulness that is the first thing in the nature of it 2. There is in all joy a rest that quieteth the Soul the desiring thirsty hoping Soul is still in motion being in the pursuit of something which it hath not attained but the rejoycing Soul is at rest David in the hour of his joy saith Return unto thy rest O my Soul For God hath dealt graciously with thee That is a second thing in joy 3. There is in all joy something of musick and melody hence that phrase of leaping for joy hence singing and shouting are the natural expressions of joy thus joy may be described to be a natural power or inclination of the Soul by which having more perfectly or imperfectly obtained an union with the object which it desired or hoped for it is in proportion satisfied and well pleased at rest and keeps as it were a festival within it self Two things are required to make an adequate obiect of this joy 1. The thing must be good 2. We must have some apprehension both of the goodness of it and our union with and interest in it 1. The object that our Souls rejoice in must be something which either is good or which at least we apprehend to be so the nature of good lieth in a suitableness and conveniency of a thing for us and whatsoever we apprehend suited to any of our wants or convenient for us in any of our circumstances that we call good and whatsoever we apprehend under that notion whether it indeed be so or no we love and if we want it we desire it if we apprehend it probable to be our portion we hope for it if we have it or apprehend we have it we delight and take a complacency and rejoice in it 2. So that secondly to make an adequate object of our joy There must be some apprehended union betwixt our Souls and the object we rejoice in For although we can love and take a secret complacency in an object which appeareth to us as good yet it is propriety in it that causeth our joy and rejoycings Thus far now I have only considered and discoursed of joy philosophically as it is a natural affection working upon its proper object Let us now consider it as a grace or sanctified affection Grace doth not plant new powers in the Soul of man it only turns the natural powers to their proper objects Our Saviour tells us there is none good but God God is the Summum Bonum the first and chiefest good nor is any thing good but what deriveth from him Christ is good supremely good as in him there is found what is suited to the greatest wants and emptinesses that the nature of man is exposed and subject to And that the believer more valueth Christ then another man ariseth only 1. From his different apprehension 2. From his different relation to him and interest in him 1. From the different apprehensions of good which the believer hath from those which are in other men I told you before that the nature of good lieth in the suitableness or conveniency of a thing to our wants and emptinesses Man is a creature made up of two essential parts the Body and the Soul that which suiteth the one or the other we call good The Soul is considerable with respect to a present or future state the first is that which alone the most men are sensible of or concerned for We have a threefold perception of an object according to which we judge of the goodness or badness of it 1. The first is by the Eye of sense according to which we judge that good which gratifieth the exteriour senses this of all is the most unmanly judgment of it thus the man of pleasure judgeth those things good which gratify his eyes ears tast sinell
God and whose heart is sincere before God is an upright and righteous Soul In this Sense the upright heart is the Sincere heart Thus David saith of himself I was upright before him 2 Sam. 22. 24. And God saith of Job He is a perfect and an upright man The Proposition must be understood of the latter he that is Evangelically righteous or upright for there are none of the former upon the Earth none that are legally righteous 3. Thirdly As there are degrees of Sanctification so there are degrees of uprightness The text seems to speak of the highest degrees Uprightnesses It is very ordinary with the Hebrew to express the Superlative degree by the plural number besides this is Signified by putting the Abstract for the Concrete we usually call men notoriously vile and wicked by the Abstract names of vice and persons eminently good and virtuous by the Abstract Names of virtue and goodness Those that are highest in grace who do most excel in holiness are fullest of love to Christ Love teacheth every Child of God the weakest babe in grace to cry after Christ and the grown Christian to delight in him and to walk up and down in his name Every righteous every upright Soul loveth Christ and that with a true sincere love though not in an equal degree she saith our Saviour who hath much forgiven will love much Having premised these distinctions let me a little further inquire into the true Notion of these upright men upright by this Evangelical rectitude In short they are such as are justified and Sanctified made righteous through Christs righteousness imputed to them holy through the Sanctification of his Spirit 1. Such as are justified This is the first thing requisite to an upright right man let the unjustified Soul be what it will do what it can it cannot be upright either in heart or way Suppose a stick naturally crooked you may pare it and paint and colour it and cover its crookedness alittle but until it hath been in the fire and bended right it will be crooked still the natural man the Soul not justified by grace not washed with the blood of Christ may be pared by education and brought off from some flagitious and enormous practices he may be coloured and painted over by some acts of moral vertue and some formal performances of religious duties but still in Gods Eye the Soul is a crooked Soul until the Lord hath made it right till it be justified by faith 2. To this uprightness is required not only justification or the removal of the Souls guilt and imputation of a righteousness a perfect righteousness but the sanctification of the heart God never sanctifieth any whom he doth not justify hence no Soul can be said to be an upright Soul that is not justified nor doth the Lord at any time justify a Soul but he at the same time also reneweth and sanctifieth it hence the upright Soul must be a renewed Sanctified Soul But yet in regard our regeneration and sanctification is not as to degrees perfect though as to parts Divines say it is that is the whole man is renewed it may be yet worthy to be inquired from what degrees of Regeneration and Sanctification a man may be denominated an upright man the rectitude of any thing is to be judged from its conformity to some rule The rule of mans uprightness is the Lords Statutes which are right saith the Psalmist Psal 19. 8. holy and spiritual and just and good Rom. 7. Thy judgments are right saith David Psal 119. 75. 128. It is said so of nothing else so as from a conformity to this rule must rightness or uprightness be judged And thus 1. There is an uprightness of judgment when the Soul judgeth according to truth both concerning notions and practices when it judgeth aright concerning truth and is not warped by error and when it judgeth aright concerning the ways of God then the Soul is upright with respect to the understanding and judgment 2. There is an uprightness of the whole Soul with respect to the scope and bent of it when the heart of man doth not stand inclined and bent to sin but the Soul can say with David I hate vain thoughts but thy law do I love I hate every false way c. The man that in all his actions designeth and intendeth the honour and glory of God and obedience to his will though in many things he cometh short and offendeth yet this man is an upright man his end and general scope is right 3. There is an uprightness of will in this the uprightness of a mans intention discovereth itself when to will is present with the Soul as St. Paul saith Rom. 7. Though he wanteth a strength to perform the man or woman in heart willeth the honour and glory of God and this not by fits but steadily and certainly and is really unwilling to do any thing by which God may be dishonoured though through ignorance he may offend and through a natural impotency not being able to love the Lord with all his heart and strength yea and through moral impotency and a mixt infirmity through the great power of temptations whether from the seduction of lust or the violent motions and impressions of Satan 4. There is an uprightness of action which lieth in a true and sincere endeavour to do the will of God and by this both the uprightness of intention and will also is to be judged This is the upright man though he may stumble and fall and oft doth fail who liveth and sinneth not against God And as these holy dispositions are found in the Soul in more remiss or intense degrees so the Soul is more or less upright and the man deserves this honourable denomination less or more These now are the Souls that love Christ To love any object whether person or thing signifieth to take a delight and complacency in it Whether in the thoughts of it if absent as the Apostle saith whom we having not seen yet love or in the contemplation and fruition in converse and communion with it if more present This Praedicate concerning the upright that they love Christ is to be understood exclusively and inclusively concerning the Person of Christ and whatsoever beareth his image and superscription 1. Exclusively these and none but these love him Others may talk of loving Christ but it is but a talk and pretence they love but in word and tongue only not in deed and truth there is something else either lust or the world something or other that hath more of their affection more of their heart then Christ hath 2. Inclusively These and all these love Christ there is not an upright Soul in the world but loves Christ and takes a pleasure complacency in him and preferreth him before his chief joy 3. They love the person of Christ He is in their Eyes altogether desires the chiefest of ten thousand there is nothing in the
more of our passion and excesses of affection yet the reality and truth of our love may certainly be as well discerned rewards a spiritual and invisible object as to one that is more the object of our exteriour senses let us therefore try those measures and see how we will make up our judgment of the truth of our love to a fellow creature what is that which we call love but the delight and complacency and satisfaction of the Soul in an object beloved declared by the pantings and breathings of the heart after it when absent for an union or re-union with it the acquiescence and meltings of the heart upon it when present and an union with it is obtained or apprehended the Souls intercourse and communion with it and free communications of its self unto it its kindness to every person or thing to whom or which the object beloved hath any relation its patient and pleasing bearing his reproofs its readiness to go or run or do any thing at the will and command of such a person its standing up in the defence of him or her its rising up against any that would do them injury or that it hears speak reproachfully or diminutively of him It 's readiness to suffer any thing for his sake c. Surely by some or all these notes we may try our love to Christ and be as certain of it as we can be of the sincerity of our love to any fellow creature let me therefore desire you to propound these few questions to your selves 1. How far is Christ the object of thy thoughts We say 〈◊〉 amor ibi oculus where love is there the Eye will be the reason of that is because our thoughts are much imployed about the object of our love where our treasure is saith our Saviour there will our hearts be also the Psalmist therefore speaking of the wicked man who hath no love for God saith God is not in all his thoughts Psal 10. 4. So long as we live in the world the things of it are so much and so continually the objects of our senses that it is not to be expected but that our thoughts should in a great measure be exercised about the things of it so that I would not put the issue upon that whether the world or Christ have most of our thoughts but certainly Christ will be much in the thoughts of that Soul in whom the love of Christ is Te veniente die te decedente canebat saith the Poet of the lover the Soul that loveth Christ will think of him in the evening when he lieth down and in the morning when he riseth up and David had his waking thoughts in the night season with God God will not have all of the best mans thoughts because he is but flesh and hath some thoughts to take about what he shall eat and drink and put on but God will have much of his thoughts Christ will be much in the thoughts of that Soul that truly loveth him Secondly 2. How are the motions of thy Soul after an absent Christ Christ as to his person is alwaies absent that the Heavens must contain till the end of the World but he is or may be graciously present in his institutions and with respect to his gracious influences and with respect to both these he is often or may be absent the first makes up the desertion of a Church when it is general or a particular person when it is only the affliction of a particular Soul in some cases and by some severer providences kept from the ordinances of God the second is the particular desertion of a gracious Soul not as to necessary but as to gradual influences now how is thy Soul affected to Christ absent when thou canst not enjoy the Ordinances of Christ as thou hast formerly enjoyed them You see the heart and affection of David in this cafe in divers Psalms particularly Psal 42. Psal 63. Psal 84. what breathings what longings what impatience doth he there express So when thou suspectest his absence as to the particular special influences of his grace how doth thy heart move toward him doth it move as the heart of the Spouse moved in the third and 5th Chapters of this admirable Song Seeking him sighing after him enquiring of all like to inform thee how thou mightest recover thy lost peace being restless till thou hast recovered it This is a sign of love 3. How is thy heart affected in any presence or enjoyment of Christ What pleasure what delight and complacency hath thy Soul in the institutions of Christ in the manifestations of his love to thy Soul See the instance of the Spouse as to this Can. 3. 4. I found him whom my Soul loveth I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers House and into the Chamber of her that conceived me v. 5. 1 charge you O you Daughters of Hierusalem by the Roes and by the Hinds of the field that you stir not up nor awake my love until he please A rejoycing in the signs of his love being glad and resolving not again to part with him a fear of offending him and care to please him are all of them signs of a love to the Lord Jesus Christ 4. A freedom of converse and communion with him also speaketh love Christ proves himself his Disciples friend because he had made known to them whatsoever he had received from the Father Joh. 15. 15. Dalilab challenged Sampson for want of love to her because he had concealed his secrets from her The withholding of prayer from God the want of frequency freedom and boldness in prayer speaks want of love to Christ in the Soul frequency freedom and boldness holy boldness speaks a Soul full of love to Christ 5. What affections hast thou to those things and persons that have a relation to Christ that bear his image and superscription the Word and Ordinances of God the Ministers and People of God by this you shall know your love to Christ Again 6. How canst thou bear the reproofs of Christ Our nature doth not love reproof we must love those very well from whom we take reproof quietly Let the righteous smite me saith David it shall be as an excellent Oil which shall not break my head When a Christian can bear the verbal reproofs of Christs Word and Ministers and the real reproofs and chastenings of his rod It is a sign of love 7. What zeal hast thou for the honour and glory of Christ Canst thou not hear him reproached but that his reproaches fall on thee thy blood riseth and thy heart is troubled It is an argument of little love for God or Christ when we can patiently hear them abused and dishonoured Psal 69. 9. The zeal of thine house saith David hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen on me 8. I must not forget that of our Saviour If you love me
bracelets upon thy hands and a chain about thy neck and I put a jewel upon thy forehead and ear-rings in thine ears and a beautiful crown upon thy head What do all these metaphorical expressions signify but the various habits of grace with which Christ adorneth the new creature in the day of its new birth in the day when he removeth from it the guilt of its iniquity he doth not only wash and cleanse it with his blood from the guilt of its Sin but he reneweth and sanctifieth it and furnisheth it with all habits of grace This is also Christs comeliness for as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so himself received the Spirit without measure that he might measure it out by measures to his people and they might of his fulness receive grace for grace The holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and all its operations are his Christ tells his Spouse in this Song that she had ravished his heart with the chains about her neck but there is not a jewel in those chains but cometh out of Christs cabinet he giveth those chains with which himself is ravished though these divine powers and habits be his yet being once given and by us produced into Acts they are truely and inherently ours Our Faith Love Patience Meekness Joy c. Our stock of grace upon which our souls live yet not without the daily influence of Christ and assistance of his spirit and this stock is capable of augmentation or diminution as it pleaseth God to let out upon us or to withdraw from us and as we more or less improve it tho indeed Christ hath a constant inspection upon his Spouses treasury and will take care that it shall never so fail but there shall be a seed of God abiding in the soul continually and the grace of Regeneration in it shall be like a spring of water whose waters fail not This now is the Spouses real beauty and comliness which makes her inwardly comely tho she be externally black comely in Christs eyes and comely in the eyes of judicious Christians tho black in the Worlds eyes who judg from external accidents or in the eyes of less judicious Christians either judging from outward accidents or particular acts or from some corrupt passion in themselves 3. They must be comely in Christs eyes because he judgeth not of comeliness from the outward appearance nor yet from single spots and defects but according to the heart the scope and intention of that and from the more constant tenour of the Souls actions The speaking of a few words to this will prevent an objection How Christ can judg a soul comely that is yet full of spots infirmities and defects for even the best of men sinneth seven times a day and who can tell how often he offendeth I say Christ judgeth not from the outward appearance man judgeth so but God judgeth from the heart he looketh at the inward man how that is nor doth he there judg from every particular motion any more then from any particular act in our conversation but from the sincerity and uprightness of the heart If there be a willing mind it is accepted The World judgeth from the outward appearance and indeed that is one disadvantage with reference to the World that the spouse of Christ is under she is Nigra extrinsecus formosa intrinsecus Black outwardly but comely inwardly The Kings Daughter saith the Psalmist Psal 45. is all glorious within A good Christian is like a Merchants warehouse which is full of rich wares and commodities tho little appeareth without The hypocrite is lâ—ke a Pedlars stall where all is exposed and perhaps much more then the pretended owner is worth There is a double judgment of the comeliness of Virgins the one is sensuall from the lines and colour of the face the Symmetry of parts the other is rational from the complexion of the soul Knowledg Ingenuity Modesty Sobriety c. Those who judg the former way may be deceived that which the Vulgar calleth beauty is deceitful and vain and fading the person that is possessed of it is very often unlovely enough through a crooked and froward disposition and badness of humour the latter maketh the true judgment men judg of the comeliness and beauty of persons meerly from the visage and outside so the children of God are by them judged unlovely and black as Ravens If they see the Church or Child of God tossed with tempests and afflâ—cted groaning under the sense of sin they presently judg them according to the outward appearance black Christ looketh upon the heart the bent and scope of that its sincerity and uprightness its purity and holiness The World again judgeth of men by single acts tho Philosophy teacheth us that from them none is to be denominated either virtuous or vicious God doth not so which is remarkable in the two famous instances of Job and David Job you know had great fits of impatience yet saith God Behold the patience of Job David was a man of very great failings his defiling of Bathsheba his murder of Uria his numbring of the People were three to name no more yet God doth not onely mention him as a man whose heart was perfect a man according to Gods own heart But in all the following story of the Kings of Judah God mentions him as a Pattern telling us that such a one did walk according to David or such a one did not do according as David had done The Apostle also tells us that we have an high Priest that can have compassion on our Infirmities upon the ignorant and those that are out of the way All which makes it appear that Christs judgment of the Beauty and comliness of persons is not from single acts but from a constant and general course of life and conversation Now every true believer sets his heart to seek the Lord and to walk before God with a true and perfect heart and tho he faileth in many particulars yet the Lord overlooketh them and judgeth of the Soul only from its â—â—ope and intention and the general course of his actions hence it is that the spouse of Christ tho in some respects she be black and in the Worlds eyès she appeareth black yet in truth and in the Judgment of Jesus Christ she is comely Sermon XXXIII Canticles 1. 5. I am black but comely O you daughters of Jerusalem as the tents of Kedar as the Curtaines of Solomon My business in this exercise is but to apply my last discourse Where I shewed you how and in what sense the Spouse of Christ is Black and yet comely black in her own eyes in the worlds eyes and somtimes so in the eyes of her weaker Brethren but comely in Christs eyes and in the eyes of her more judicious Brethren Having a great comliness in some of her blackness and a comeliness besides her blacknes Black through remaining Just and corruption through Afflictions
2 Cor. 12. 6. Lest as he saith any should think of me above that which he seeth in me or that he heareth of me We are to have a care of the corruptions of others hearts as well as our own 3. Look to the simplicity of thy heart in the end of thy action This will indeed be much regulated from the principle if the principle be true the end will be so A man can do nothing out of a true principle of love to God but his end will be the honour and glory of God if the principle be self-love the end will be our own honour praise and applause to have the reputation of a religious man in the world and to appear to be what indeed we are not Now if thy end be the honour and glory of God you have heard that is no other way attainable but either by the predication of his goodness or by the doing of his will either in the doing good to others or the preventing of scandals and offences or upholding the credit and reputation of Religion c. But of all these things I have discoursed more fully before Sermon XXXVI Cant. 1. 6. Look not upon me because I am black c. I Have done with the four first Propositions which I observed in these two verses I come to the fifth from those words Look not upon me because I am black Where the Spouse or rather the Holy Ghost by her doth not forbid all looking upon the Spouse whether we understand the Church or the particular believing Soul in the day of her blackness but some particular lookings And this is very usual in Scripture to deliver Propositions generally which yet must be understood in a limited and restrained sense of which a multitude of instances might be given Mat. 18. 3. Except you â—e converted and become as little Children that is in some things as little Children you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God So where Christ saith my Doctrine is not mine the meaning is not mine alone and again If I give testimony of my self that is if I alone gave testimony of my self my testimony is not true So often in precepts and exhortations when thou makest a feast saith our Saviour Luk. 14. 12. call not thy Friends or thy Brethren or thy Kindred that is not them alone There is nothing more ordinary in the phrase of Scripture and particularly in exhortations or prohibitions So here when she saith Look not upon me her meaning is not to dissuade all intuition and beholding her in her blackness but to caution us how to look upon her hence the Proposition was It is our duty to take heed how we look upon the Church or the particular Child of God because they are black What the blackness of the Church or of the particular Soul is I have heretofore largely discoursed Both of them are black through Afflictions and black through Corruptions the Corruptions of particular Souls are personal the Corruptions of the Church are the Corruptions of the body collective through the mixture of undue and corrupt Teachers or Members the reception of false and erroneous Doctrine idolatrous or superstitious Worship or Rites c. In some sense we may not be able to avoid looking upon them as looking signifies no more then the casting of our Eyes upon obvious objects that are before us In some sense it is our duty to look upon them to pity and compassionate them and contribute what we are able toward their help and recovery But in other senses it is our sin to look upon them The business as to which I am to instruct you under this Proposition is how truly to divide betwixt our duty and our sin in this case The Eyes are the windows of the Soul through which most of our affections and passions shew themselves Pride discovereth itself by the Eye hence you read of a Generation whose Eyes are lâ—fâ—y Prov. 30. 13. and David saith of himself O Lord mine heart is not haughty nor my Eyes lofty Psal 131. 1. Love and wantonness discovereth itself by the Eye Hence Peter tells us of Eyes full of Adultery and Job tells us he had made a covenant with his Eyes that he would not look upon a Maid Covetousness and immoderate desires discover themselves by the Eye Prov. 27. 29. The Eyes of man are never satisfied The joy pleasure and satisfaction of the Soul are discerned by the Eye Mine Eyes also shall see my desire on my Enemies Psal 92. 11. Hope looketh through the Eye hence David expresseth his hope in God by the action of his Eyes Mine Eyes are towards the Lord Psal 25. 15. and in many other Texts Pity sorrow and compassion are discovered and expressed by the Eye The Eyes for sorrow wax dim and run down with tears The outward man moveth according to the bent and inclination of the will and affections as a mans will stands bent and his affections are inclined so he moveth so he acteth and this will of man and his affections discovering themselves by the Eye The motions of that are made use of in Scripture to express the several affections and inclinations of the Soul of man The Spouse in this Text must not be understood to caution the Daughters of Hierusalem against the natural motions of their Eyes with reference to her But 1. Against those unkind affâ—ctions towards her which were not suitable to her state and condition 2. Against those unkind effects and actions which ordinarily follow such affections I put in those words unkind and unsuitable because there are affections and actions which are our duties towards the Spouse in the day of her blackness This will lead me to discourse two points under this Proposition 1. The duâ—y of Christians towards the Church of Christ black with Afflictions or through sinful mixtures and corruptions and towards particular Christians under affâ—â—ctions or lapses 2. How Christians may sin in their behaviours towards one or the other under such circumstances First Let me speak as to what is a Christians duty in the ease that I shall resolve in this general position That it is a Christians duty so far to look upon the Church and the particular Christian in the day of their blackness as they may be thereby affected with that due compassion which they owe unto their Brethren and quickned to those acts which brotherly love and compassion calteth to them for Thus not to look upon the Spouse because she is black is our sin So that the duty of a Christian here lieth in two or three things 1. In a sympathy or fellow feeling of a Churches or Christians burdens and misery The Eye naturally affects the heart according to the nature of the object which it seeth Nature itself teacheth a sympathy betwixt members of the same body No one member can be afflicted or pained but the whole body feeleth it and hath some sense of it The Apostle hath compared the Church the
Paraphrast expounds the term in the Text of false Prophets Ahab and Jezebel had 300 of them at a time a great number of the People were ready upon all occasions to relapse into Idolatry and Superstition as they had any Princes that would either tolerate or incourage it Jeremiah and Micaiah and Amos and Elijah and all the true Prophets of the Lord found that their Mothers Children were angry with them so did those that were good People amongst them the Priests were a snare upon Mizpeh and a net spread upon Tabor to hinder the People from attending the true Worship of God Look upon the Church of Christ In Christs little company there was a Judas a Son of perdition and amongst the multitudes that followed him there were many that followed him but for the loaves In the primitive times there was a Demas an Hymeneus and a Philetus a Simon Magus Many false Apostles that opposed Paul and the Apostle to Timothy Prophesieth that there shall not be a lesser plenty of them in the latter days 1. Nor can it be reasonably expected otherwise considering 1. Gods appointment for the exercise of such as be real and true Saints 1. Cor. 11. 19. There must be saith the Apostle heresies amongst you that those who are approved may be made manifest False brethren discover themselves either by the broaching of false doctrine to corrupt the faith of Christians Or by bringing in undue Rites Ceremonies and Superstitions to corrupt the Worship of God Or by a looseness of conversation discovering the want of the Love and fear of God in their hearts Now the Lord hath appointed such a Constitution of his Church that these shall be tolerated in it that those who are approved may be made manifest contraries near one another best discover themselves 2. Secondly Man is tyed up to a judgment according to outward appearance God alone judgeth the heart and according to the reality of things Even Christ himself tho as God he was Omniscient and needed not that any should tell him what is in the heart of man yet when he appeared in the head of his Church here upon the Earth and acted as the chief Minister in and of it he admitted a Judas into his first society of that nature teaching us in our admissions of members whether by Baptism or other wise to content our selves with a visibility and outward appearance there must be a difference betwixt the Church visible and invisible the Church Militant and Triumphant 2. But as these are contrary in their Principles and in their Ends so they must and will be contrary in their actions and they will be angry with the true and more sincere Professors of the Gospel Thus it hath been in all ages and periods of the Church thus it is and will be Cain was a false Brother in the Church in Adams Family he roseg up against his brother Abel and slew him because he offered up a better Sacrifice and God had more respect unto him then he had unto Cain Ishmael was a false Brother in Abrahams Family Esau in Isaac the Scripture tells you of the ill agreement betwixt Isaacs and Ishmael Jacob and Esau The whole story of the Church of the Jews recorded in Scripture and of the Church of Christ recorded in the New Testament is a proof of this opposition so is the whole story of the Church since the Apostles time and what need we any further proof then what we have at this day nor can any thing else be rationally expected whether we consider the falseness of such Persons hearts to God and the interest of God or the Pride of their hearts Or the looseness of such mens principles 1. The hearts of all such are false to God and the interest of God The love of God is the thing which doth distinguish a sincere Christian from an Hypocrite the Hypocrite loveth God in Word and in Tongue only the other loves him in Deed and in Truth There is no faithfulness in an Hypocrites heart his heart is not right with God the true Christian is sincere for God and serious and right down in his actings for the honour and glory of God The other doth but mock and dissemble and pursueth private interests of his own he sees that profession serveth his design and interest Observe in any other thing where two or more are joined in the prosecution of a design and one of them is serious right down and plainly pursueth his end but the other runs along with the business for some other ends or upon some otherdesigns but is not real in his scope intention and actions for the obtaining the end which he pretendeth to he whose heart is right for the work hath no greater enemythen he who is joined with him seemingly in the pursuit of it This is the case here all those who are visible Members of the Church of God are appearingly coupled in a design for the honour and glory of God It is the whole business of the Church of God which is the only body of People upon the Earth which God hath called and chosen for that purpose for the predication of his name In this Church there are some who do it from a single and right heart truly intending the honour and glory of God as their end there are others who are under an ingagement to do it as much as the others but their hearts are not right with God do not stand towards that work but drive some self end of private honour credit and applause these men may do some things night but they never walk with God fully as I remember it was said of Amaziah one of the Kings of Judah 2 Chron. 25. 2. He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart so it may be said of these it may be they may do many things which as to the matter of them are right in the sight of the Lord but they neveâ— do them with a perfect heart so as there can never be a good harmony betwixt them and such whose hearts are more sincere and perfect The Hypocrite will never be heartily pleased with the sincere Christian 2. Especially considering the Pride that is in the heart of every Hypocrite Though the Hypocrite doth not himself love to do much for God in the denial of himself nor will further serve the Lord then he can by the service of God serve himself yet he is too proud to be patient of being outdone by any this was the ground of that opposition which Cain gave his Brother Abel this made him so wroth and his countenance to fall because the Lord had respect to Abel and to his offering but unto Cain and his offering he had no respect Gen. 4. 4. 5. Sincere Godly Christians will be doing their utmost for God spending much of their time and strength in communion with God they will be much in praying much in hearing the
our thoughts upon God admiring him c. But that which the Scripture calleth Worship most ordinarily is some external acts testifying that inward homage and submission of the heart 3. These acts are either such as the Light of Nature directeth and the Law of Nature obligeth us unto or such as God hath prescribed us in his Word Worship being in the general nature of it nothing but an external homage done to God in testification of the inward and more secret homage and subjection of our Soul It is the most reasonable thing imaginable that God should prescribe it this he hath done as the God of Nature imprinting a Law in our hearts obliging us to call upon him for good things we want and to praise him for good things received partly in his holy Writ There is no natural Worship but is also instituted but there is much instituted Worship which the Light of Nature doth not shew nor the Law of Nature oblige us to such as Reading the Scriptures hearing the Word Preached communicating in the holy Sacraments 4. External acts of Worship that depend meerly upon Institution must be either instituted by Christ or by our own wills or the wills of others Col. 2. 23. there is a Will-worship mentioned 5. All true Divine Worship must have a Divine Institution Whatsoever is pretended as an immediate act of homage to the Divine Being and is not directed by Nature and directed also and confirmed and regulated by the Revelation of the Divine Will in the Word of God is what we call False Worship or Will-Worship As the first Commandment directeth our homage to God as the alone true Object so the second directeth the manner of it to be according to his revealed Will for certainly that Commandment must not be interpreted as meerly prohibiting the Worship of God by or before a graven Image or the similitude of a thing on purpose set before us either as representative of the Divine Being or as a Medium by which we worship God but as prohibiting all other Modes Acts and Methods which have no more of a Divine Institution than that hath only that one instance is given and under it the other included So that a graven Image is but species pro genere and those that worship God before a painted Image or any other way which God hath not prescribed are also transgressors of that second Commandment Hence it is observable that God directed the Jews not only every Act by which an homage was paid to him but also every Rite and Ceremony and it was guilt enough for the Jews in his Worship to do that which he commanded them not Uzziah must not offer Incense nor Saul Sacrifice nor Nadab and Abihu make use of ordinary fire nor Uzzah carry the Ark upon a Cart nor touch it The same we conceive to be the will of God in the New Testament God being a Spirit and to be worshipped by us in Spirit and in Truth as well as by the Jews and it seemeth the most reasonable thing imaginable 1. Considering that our Worship in its self is a pitiful thing infinitely disproportioned to the perfection and excellency of God so as it deriveth all its value from the Divine Institution 2. And being an homage done to God it is most reasonable that God himself should direct what he will accept 3. Nor is it to be imagined had God left man in the case to his own conduct and direction how vain and various man would have been 4. Besides it is not reasonable to think that the holy Scriptures should be a less perfect Rule in matters of Worship than it is in matters of Doctrine or that concern our ordinary course of conversation or that acts of Worship as to which it appeareth in all the Scripture that God had a special jealousie and in which we are said to draw nigh to God should be none of those good works as to which the holy Scriptures are sufficient to furnish every good man 6. Divine Worship being an humane act and that of the most noble nature as it must have such circumstances as are necessary to all humane acts such are Time and Place so it is reasonable that it should have such circumstances as suit such acts so as they may be performed in such manner as the Light of Nature and common guise and custom of Countries shall not determine sordid filthy or indecent and such as may render it useful and more profitable and advantageous and answering to their ends which circumstances being necessary to the acts as humane acts or at least plainly expedient to avoid the indecent and sordid performance of the acts or for the more profit and advantage of the acts and such as in regard of the variety of Countries the Customs and Usages of them c. could not be determined by the Word of God must be determined by the Governours of Churches Nations or Kingdoms but still with respect to the general ends of the action But for any things used in the Worship of God neither directed by Nature nor yet by holy Writ and appropriated to the Worship of God as a Religious act out of a respect to the excellency of the Divine Being and as an homage to it I cannot see how they can be lawful they must have something of the nature of Worship in them and having so they ought to have a Divine Institution without which I cannot see how they should avoid the guilt of Idolatry or Superstition which differ thus If the faileur respect the Object either terminatively where the creature is made the term and ultimate Object as in Ahab's Idolatry and the Papists Adoration of the Bread in the Eucharist or mediately as in Jeroboam's case and the Jews relating to the golden Calf or Micab's all which worshipped the true God though by an Image and using an Image as a mean of their Worship as the Papists now do in their Veneration of their Images This is Idolatry called in Scripture Whoredom spiritual Whoredom and as Adultery in marriage so this is the highest sin can be committed in Worship and which God hath more severely punished at all times than any other sins People have been guilty of If the faileur respect the Acts or the manner if it be only internal it is Hypocrisie if in the external Acts or Manner it is Superstition such are the Papists Salt Oil Cream Spittle superadded to the Institution for Baptism and an hundred other Rites and Ceremonies used in all parts of their Worship 7. It is very observable that from the beginning of the Church there hath been a strange Itch in men to be adding and mixing their own fancies inventions and Will-worship with the true Worship of God God gave unto Moses the particular Rule and Law of his Worship he communicated it to the People David added to it but no more than God by his Spirit directed as appeareth 1 Chron. 28. 19. All this said David
mouths they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousness Christ in the Parable of the Sower compareth some hearers of the Word to the ground that received the Seed amongst Thorns the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choked the Word and made it become unfruitful It is a great blackness of a Christian not to have his heart with God in Religious Services so as the Lord as the Prophet expresseth it is nigh in his mouth and far from his reins and it is a blackness that will cover the face of every man and woman that converseth too much with the world Paul therefore rightly adviseth the Corinthians that they should use the world in a careless manner that those that rejoyced in the affluences of it should be as if they rejoyced not and those that bought as if they possessed not and those that used the world as not abusing it But saith he I would have you without carefulness 1 Cor. 7. 30 31 32. 4. Worldly imployments have often an ill influence upon Christians to intice and allure them to sin not only by omissions of duty but by the commissions of things which are contrary to their duty there is a sensible sweetness in worldly enjoyments and those are the product of worldly business and imployment The Devil baiteth all his Hooks with some piece of the World or other Some with the sensibly sweet part of it some with the gay and splendid part of it some with the richer and more profitable part of it It is an hard thing for Christians to keep Vineyards and not drink some of that intoxicating Wine which is the fruit of them When Samuel gave up his account as a Judge in 1 Sam. 12. 3. Behold saith he here I am witness against me before the Lord whose Ox have I taken or whose Ass have I taken or whom have I defrauded whom have I oppressed or of whose hand have I received any bribe Paul in like manner thus acquitteth himself to the Church of Ephesus Acts 20. 33. I have coveted no Mans Silver or Gold or Apparel But shew me the Man or Woman that hath been much incumbred with worldly affairs and can say I have coveted no Mans House or Land or Silver or Gold or that can say To whom have I told a lie for my gain or said it hath cost me so much when indeed it did not Or whom have I done injustice to in a bargain Commonly the best of the Market which such Christians have is that of Zacheus Luke 19. If I have taken any thing from any man by unjust dealings I restore him fourfold 5. Lastly A too great incumbrance with the world leaves a blot upon Christians in the common repute of the world if they escape real blots from it Holy Men in the Greek are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is men who are not Earthly and the world expects it of such as profess to Religion and Godliness that they should be persons looking for better Houses then those made of Clay even an House in the Heavens not made with hands and for a better Country and a more induring substance Hence a too great pursuit of the world becometh a greater blot to Persons professing to an heavenly conversation then unto others Our conversation is in Heaven saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our trading and business is in Heaven I shall only add two or three words for application of this discourse This in the first place giveth us all an opportunity to bewail the disadvantage we have all received from the fall of Adam It was a curse which upon the fall fell upon all the Posterity of Adam Gen. 3. 19. In the sweat of thy face thou shalt eat thy Bread till thou return to the ground I do not think that if man had continued in innocency he should have lived idly but Mercers opinion is very probable his labour should rather have been for delight then for necessity or rather his labour should not have been so great as now it is the Thorns and Thistles which the ground now naturally brings forth and in the prevention and extirpation of which the labour of the Husbandman is so much were clearly the effect of the curse upon the Earth Gen. 3. 18. a lively-hood for the Sons of Men had doubtless been got at a cheaper rate with lesser labour and man had been at a great deal more liberty and leisure for a communion with God and have had more time for his immortal Soul then his worldly occasions will now permit or allow This may be a profitable meditation for the poorer sort of Christians whom the need of Bread for themselves and the want of a just provision for their Families restrain from spending so much time in communion with God as they would to sit down and think of the woful effect and fruit of the sin of Adam that first sin of man which reduced the Sons and Daughters of men to these miserable necessities Secondly Observe from hence what an advantage those have whom the liberal hand of Divine Providence hath delivered from such a miserable servitude to secular affairs If they will make themselves slaves and drudges to the World they may but the Providence of God hath not put them upon any necessity so to do God hath given them Estates to live upon Servants to toil for them I will but offer two things to the consideration of these 1. How inexcusable will you be if you do not keep your own Vineyards well Your own Vineyards are your Souls those immortal Substances ordained to an Eternity ennobled with Reason and many gifts and faculties by which if you will you may bring forth much fruit to the honour and glory of God if now you be not found mighty in the Scriptures much in reading hearing prayer close in your walking with God c. You cannot plead that you want leisure A morning and evening Service God under the Law required and in the same proportion doubtless under the Gospel though not by way of Sacrifice properly so called I observe of David and Daniel that they prayed thrice in a day Psal 55. 17. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud saith David Of Daniel we read Dan. 6. 10. that he kneeled three times a day and prayed and gave thanks unto God as he did before-time They were both great men and at more leisure than ordinary Jews they considered this and as God had doubled their portions so they thought it reasonable in some measure to proportion their duties to their circumstances 2. Secondly Consider how little you will have to say if you so far intangle your selves in the world as it becometh a snare to your Souls Who pitieth him that is burned who for meer wantonness puts his finger in the fire Hath God given us food and rayment Jacob begged no more The Apostle commandeth us if we have so
much to be therewith content It is an excellent Exhortation which the Apostle hath given and those are especially capable to receive to whom God hath given a plenty in this world Heb 13. 4. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with those things which you have for God hath said I will never leave nor forsake you Let this caution us all in the last place to take heed how we keep Vineyards how we make our selves drudges and slaves to secular imployments Take heed of such a Service to the world as is inconsistent with that duty and service which you owe unto God You cannot serve two Masters you cannot serve God and Mammon Suffer me to allude to that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 5. 9 10. I wrote saith he to you an Epistle not to keep company with Fornicators yet not altogether with the Fornicaters of this world or with the Covetous or the Extortioners or the Idolaters for then you must go out of the world But now I have wrote to you not to keep company if any Brother c. I do but allude to the Text. Brethren I have this day been speaking to you to have a care of medling with the world because it wasts your time spends your spirits distracts your thoughts allureth and inticeth you to the too much love of it because it will be a blot upon your Profession yet I would not be understood as if I had been persuading you to the lives of lazy Monks and Nuns and Hermites if you will have nothing to do with the world you must not live in it God hath commanded us in the sweat of our face to eat our bread The Apostle bids that those who would not labour should not eat and hath told us that he would have us to labour with our hands that we might have something to give to those that want and hath told us that he who provideth not for his family is worse than an Infidel and hath denied the Faith Only take heed how you converse with it that you be not by it defiled that it takes not up too much of your time nor wasts too much of your spirits and strength that it leadeth you not into temptation distracteth not your hearts in holy duties Keep thy foot when thou goest into the House of God look to your thoughts and affections when you draw nigh unto God in holy services and duties use the world so as thou mayest have time for Religious duties in thy family and mayest not by thy worldly concerns be distracted in them I would speak to you in this case as Paul doth in the case of servitude to men and of Marriage Are you by the Providence of God loosed from the world seek not to be bound to it Do your necessities call and for the present bind you to it Till God by favourable Providence loosen you from it do not loosen your selves by idleness and laziness It is possible thou mayest be God's free-man while thy necessities bind thee to worldly business I confess thou hast an hard task but saith the Apostle Let every man in the Calling wherein and whereto he is called abide therein with God Mark that last term not without God not in a neglect of his duty to God but with God Labour to have manum in clavo oculos in coelo to be in thy heart thoughts and affections with God whiles thou art imployed in thy lower business and concerns in this life Sermon XL. Canticles 1. 6. But my own Vineyard I have not kept THe Spouse by which I understand the Church of Christ and every particular believing Soul that is a true member of it is yet apologizing for her blackness or appearing blackness from the causes of it three of which she hath already assigned 1. Her afflictions or persecutions The Sun hath looked upon me 2. Her opposition from false Brethren My Mothers Children were angry with me 3. Her submission to Idolatrous or Superstitious Rites Or her too great intanglements in secular affairs They made me saith she the keeper of their Vineyards She comes now to a fourth Her own too much neligence My own Vineyard I have not kept 1. The Spouse had hitherto not much charged her self she had charged her blackness upon her afflictions and Persecutions upon the opposition she had met with from false Brethren and upon her intanglement in Secular affairs but was there no fault in her self here now she comes to lay much of the blame upon her self My own Vineyard faith she I have not kept Gods dispensations of Providence to me saith she have been some cause of my blackness The opposition I have met with from false Brethren have yet been a greater cause but the truth is saith she notwithstanding both these had not the fault been my own I had not been so black I might have kept my Vineyard better then I have done The truely gracious and humble Soul will not as to its failings excuse it self wholly It may charge something upon forreign causes out of its self either from God or Satan or men but will not discharge its own naughty and corrupt heart The hypocrite chargeth God and the Devil and men highly but seldom chargeth himself or if at all very faintly The reason lyeth in the pride of his heart which will not suffer it to stoop so low as to give God glory or to take any shame to its self 2. Secondly Observe what words they are which these words immediately follow They made me the keeper of the Vineyards but my own Vineyard I have not kept The Soul that is too much abroad is ordinarily too little at home he or she that must have an Oar in every ones Boat seldom hath his own Boat well governed Such a Soul is like the gadding housewife whose own house rarely is well lookt after This happeneth especially when the Soul is much abroad about secular concerns the Soul though it be of a Spiritual nature yet is very capable of being laden with and mired in thick Clay No Soul is so careless of things of an Eternal concern as those Souls which are most careful and sollicitous about things transitory and perishing There is a kind of inconsistency betwixt the business of the world and the business of Heaven the prefent world and that which is to come Nor is any Church so neglective of the Vineyard with which God hath betrusted it as that Church that hath bowed down to impositions of false worship But I shall not largely discourse either of these points though there be a good foundation in the text for it There are vet two other 3. Thirdly It is the Spouse that here complaineth saying My own Vineyard I have not kept Hence observe Even Gods own People are to ready to neglect the Vineyard with which God hath betrusted them 4. Fourthly In that she assigneth this as one and that no small cause of her blackness observe Prop. The
profits honour c. as well as with the supply of our necessities We live in and converse with the world which is full of objects that gratifie our sensitive appetite in these things these are continual temptations to us to remit at least the care of our own souls to neglect our own Vineyards The Church also while it is militant here on Earth considered as Visible hath in it a great mixture of the world though not of the Pagen world there must be a profession of Christ in all the Members of the Visible Church yet of that world which lyeth in wickedness and it is this mixture of Hypocrites with such as are the sincere Servants of God that causeth the Church's neglect of its Vineyard All the remissness in a Church of its care as to the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of Christ proceedeth from this mixture of persons who are no more than Visible with such as are sincere and true Members of the Church of Christ 4. A fourth cause of this neglect is mens foolish presumptions that they are well enough The work of every particular Person in keeping the Vineyard of his own Soul is so contrary to the grain of flesh and blood that not only the natural man but even the Sanctified man in regard of that corruption which is yet in him is ready to take up with short measures of it and to think his Vineyard is well enough kept when indeed it is not men are loth to be righteous over much and are very apt to think that a little is enough We are very apt to think that we do enough duty and consider not the mark which we are to press after the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ It is something natural to us to think we may not only do but over-do what God requireth of us when alas when we have done all we can we are unprofitable servants servants so that what we do is but our duty unprofitable servants so that what we do cometh much short of our duty Perfection is what we are all bound to aim at and strive after but withal it is what no man attaineth not as though I had already attained or were already perfect saith the Apostle You know in works that are not naturally pleasing to us we are well pleased to think we have done enough Thus it is in the business of Religion and holiness they are things which please not flesh and blood so as we are well pleased when we can Satisfy our selves and think that we need do no more nor go any further and as it is with particular Christians so it is with Churches all which have not Pastors and Governours according to Gods own heart nor are all the members of them members of Christ Now those who are not so are no great lovers of nor zealous for the perfection of purity but can take up with measures short of those which Christ hath made and given Hence is that neglect of the keeping their own Vineyards which is but too obvious in all Churches and hence are those obvious declinations in that duty which men owe to God and in the purity of Churches every Age is still declining and growing worse then the former whiles a party in the Church still studyeth more and more to wriggle their neck out of the yoke of Christ and to get rid of some ingrateful things to flesh and blood which a former Age retained For as no particular Person at first runs up to the highest degree of wickedness so seldom doth any Church at first Apostatize to that degree but gradually declineth None shall need to enquire whence it is that this Neglect of our own Vineyards maketh us to appear thus black who but considereth that this Neglect is contrary to the Divine rule which obligeth us to keep our hearts with all diligence Prov. 423. to strive after perfection and to go on unto it and also obligeth all Churches to keep that which is committed to their trust to keep the Lords Word c. There is no medium in this case betwixt black and white The Whiteness beauty and glory of a Christian lyeth in his holding fast of his profession both of faith and holiness his keeping close to the divine rule and here in also lyeth the whiteness and beauty of those assemblyes of Christians which we call Churches and the more or less both of a Christians and of a Churches beauty and whiteness lyeth in his or their more or less conformity to the divine rule which being granted their neglect of this must necessarily render them black and make them to appear so to others This discourse may in the first place let us see the weakness of our faith in our different apprehensions of our worldly and spiritual concernments Certainly had we the same persuasions that we have Souls as that we have Bodies as quick apprehensions of the danger of our Souls miscarriage as we have of our bodily dangers had we but a firm persuasion of the excellency of our Souls above our Bodies we should have an equal if not a greater care to keep this Vineyard of our immortal Soul as we have to keep our Bodies but have we so It is true there are some in the World that are lazy and slothful as to their outward concerns they will rather steal or beg then work but these are but few in comparison of others God hath given men a body to look after with what diligence doth he keep that he riseth up early lyeth down late and eateth the bread of carefulness and all this for the keeping of his body but for this Vineyard of the Soul of man how few are they that look after it how little is the diligence that is used in keeping of that who attendeth the health of his Soul with that diligence that he attendeth his bodily health or the maintenance and food of his Soul with the same diligence that he attendeth his bodily food and sustenance or the adorning of his Soul with the same care and diligence that he attendeth the adorning of his body What doth this argue doth it not speak either that men have no great opinion that they have immortal Souls or that they have no great opinion of the price and value of them or that they do not think there is so much care necessary for the keeping of them We may observe from hence upon what the blackness of particular Souls and Churches is principally to be charged There may be some blame to be laid upon forrein causes Temptations from the World and the Devil but the greatest blame must be laid upon our selves Did we keep our watch so strictly as we might keep it Temptations could have no such power upon us as they have the Devil and the world can do no more then strike fire the tinder that receiveth it must be in our own box when the Prince of the World came to Christ
put on thy shoes upon thy feet and cover not thy lips It was also a token of shame Harlots were wont to cover themselves Gen. 38. 14. It was also done as a token or signification of modesty so you read of Rebeccah Gen. 24. 65. when she heard of Isaac his coming towards her she hasted and took a vail and covered her self this custom of Virgins covering themselves was of long use in the Church of God so that Tertullian who lived 2 or 300 years after Christ hath a particular Book to persuade the upholding of that custom which it should seem then began to be disused Our Translators interpret the word turn aside The cause of the difference lies in the doubtfulness whether the Hebrew root be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first signifieth to turn aside the second to cover Hence also ariseth the difference of Interpreters about the next term By the flocks of thy Companions Those who interpret the former word turn aside understand by Companions Idolaters and Superstitious persons who indeed make themselves the companions of Christ or rather make their Idols his companions some interpret it of Hereticks Idolaters make their Idols Christs Companions by giving that Homage to them which is due to him alone Thus the Papists do to their Images and Crucifixes to Saints and Angels Hereticks make their leaders Christs Companions making them the guides of their faith and practice which is an Homage due unto Christ alone Indeed Christ hath properly no Companion consider him as to his Divine Nature He is and there is none besides him nor hath he any Companion as our Mediator and Intercâ—ssor He trode the Wine-press alone neither was any of the People with him he had no Companion either in his Kingly Prophetical or Priestly Office But he hath some who call themselves his Companions and arrogate to themselves that title nay which others sinfully make his Companions Beza thinks these are here meant 2. But secondly Christ hath some who though they are not strictly his Companions yet he graciously so calleth them being as the Apostle saith not ashamed to call them Brethren of these I should chuse to understand the text and though I am very tender of differing from the received translation of a Church in any matter of moment should be more inclined as I said before to translate the former term one covered So the sense is For why should I be amongst thy People as a Mourner or as one that is an Harlot with whom thou wilt have no communion or fellowship Why should I walk as one covered either as a Mourner or as a Strumpet amongst thy People whom thou hast so far owned as to declare thy self not ashamed to call them Brethren or Companions This I take to be the sense of the Petition O thou whom my Soul loveth above all other objects whatsoever who art my Shepheard let me know where and how I may enjoy communion with thee how I may have fellowship with thee in a time of trouble and affliction and when I may have the nearest fullest and most uninterrupted communion with thee for why should I for want of thy presence be under a constant temptation to turn aside from a true fellowship and communion with thee to the Synagogues and Assemblies of Idolaters Or why should I walk amongst thy People either as a Mourner or as an Harlot whom thou hast cast off or divorced To this now her Beloved answereth O thou fairest amongst Women it is an Hebraeisme a way they have to express the superlative degree so Luk. 1. 28. 42 Thou art blessed amongst Women that is very much very highly blessed So the Lyon is said to be strong among Beasts Prov 30. 30. that is the strongest Beast It is no more then in our dialect O thou that art fairest to whose Beauty in my Eyes no others Beauty is to be compared If thou knowest not the Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou dost not know thy self the vulgar Latin Aethiopick Syriack and Arabick Translators and indeed most ancient Interpreters that I meet with follow the Septuagint and translate it If thou knowest not thy self Hence Bernard upon the place runs into a large discourse concerning Christians ignorance of themselves and the profitableness of our knowledge of our selves according to the ancient Precept of the wise man amongst the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But undoubtedly though this be a great truth yet it is nothing to the sense of this text where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Pleonasme as both Tremellius Mercer and Mariana three Interpreters very learned and critical in the Hebrew Dialect do all agree so as we translate it truly according to our Idiom If thou knowest tho in the Hebrew it be If thou knowest to or for thy self It followeth Go thy way by the footsteps of the flock and feed thy flocks by the Shepheards Tents These words now contain her beloveds direction if she were at a loss what to do in a time of streights or how to enjoy the most full and free communion with him she must go her way by the footsteps of the flock Interpreters vary in the sense of these words according to their different notion of the former If thou knowest not Those that will not allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be Paragogical or Pleonastical but will interpret them If thou knowest not thy self and so make the whole to be a rebuke or chiding of the Spouse for her ignorance or pride will have the flocks here to be the flocks of Idolaters and Hereticks and by the Kids here understand her own vain imaginations and make this speech to be the language of an angry God giving up a People in wrath according to that of the Apostle to strong delusions to believe a lie for their wilful ignorance and non-improvement of the means of grace This is the sense put upon the words by Hierome Gregory Bernard Aquinas Lyra and others And there is a truth in this when a people continue in the bosom of a Church under the means of grace ignorant proud and unprofitable God often in wrath giveth them over to Seducers and leaves them to the vanities and delusions of their own hearts a Judgment of all others most formidable But certainly this is not the sense of the words Delrio though a Papist differs from them and gives us a good reason telling us if that had been our Lords meaning he would never in the same breath have called her the fairest among Women Therefore Tremellius both the English and Dutch Annotators Deodate Piscator Mariana and others understand here by the footsteps of the flock and by the Shepherds Tents the Precepts and Examples of Moses and Aaron the Prophets and the Apostles and the purer Church of God and by the Kids mentioned they understand particular Souls So that the sense of the words
is this Thou believing Soul who in my Eyes art more beautiful and lovely then any other Soul in the world if thou beest in any thing ignorant of my will and where to meet me and how to enjoy fellowship and communion with me do not stray from the rule of my word nor vary from the examples of those whom I gave for Shepherds to my People keep close to them to their Doctrine and to my Ordinances administred by them There thou shalt find me There I rest at noon These two verses thus opened afford us several Propositions of Doctrine as matter of further discourse Prop. 1. Christ is he and only he whom the believing Soul loveth Prop. 2. Though there may be a time when such a Soul may conceal and disown its love to Christ yet there will be a time when it will break forth and she will acknowledge it Prop. 3. A gracious Soul desireth nothing more then a quiet full and sweet communion with Christ Prop. 4. Christ hath shades where he resteth and feedeth his flock under the greatest and most scorching Afflictions Prop. 5. Though a pious Soul never slighteth a communion with Christ yet she never prizeth it at an higher rate then in an hour of greatest trials and temptations Prop. 6. Gods People will especially in times of trial and great temptation be prone to fall into sin and error to the scandal of their profession Prop. 7. Sin and Scandal are the two great things which a gracious Soulfears Prop. 8. The Believing Soul is of all other Souls the most beautiful in Christs Eyes Prop. 9. The Beauty of this Soul is not perfect it may in some things be ignorant Prop. 10. The surest way for a Soul to get a perfect instruction in the things that concern its spiritual good and to keep and to enjoy communion with Christ is to feed its self by the Tents of Christs Shepherds and to live according to the examples and directions of his holy Servants recorded in Holy Writ I begin with the first of which I shall speak but briefly Prop. 1. Jesus Christ is he whom the Soul loveth with a singular love I put in the term singular because as I told you the phrase imports it Love is nothing else but the adhaesion or cleaving of the Soul to an object out of a goodness and suitableness which it hath discerned in it with a complacency which the Soul taketh in it which is such as if the Soul wants it it desires it if it enjoyeth it it is glad and rejoyceth in it which being first considered it followeth that look how many objects as there are that have in them any goodness or suitableness to our state so many objects of our love there are in the world And 2. That look how much goodness and suitableness to us we apprehend in one object more than in another so much we love one thing more than another or one person more than another 2. There is also a love that floweth from Union and Relation of which we are not able to give a perfect account the Parent loves the Child and the Husband loves the Wife and the Wife the Husband not alwaies out of Judgment The Husband discerning in the Wife a suitableness to him is not alwaies the cause of love Nor is the Child's love to the Mother or Father alwaies rational flowing from an apprehension of the suitableness of the Parent to it but rather from an impetus of nature an unaccountable complacency in those whom God hath made correlates caused by the God of Nature who hath made them one flesh who so deliberately considereth this will easily understand a double reason of the Believers Love to Christ 1. The first is That Union which is betwixt the believing Soul and the Lord Jesus Christ which is wrought by Faith this produceth this second Union which is that of Love By Faith Christ is united to the Soul and becometh a member of his body and that is followed by this Union of Love The Soul in the same hour wherein it is united by Faith to Christ being taught of God to love the Lord Jesus Christ It 's a piece of its Regeneration which continually followeth Justification and is indeed coaevous with it so that as in the natural Union the same day the man becomes a Father or the Woman a Mother there is a new Emanation of affection and love the Man or Woman that before knew nothing of the heart of a Parent now begins to feel it and in the moral Union betwixt the Husband and Wife the same day that they are married to each other there floweth a reciprocal Affection each to other so as they then begin to know the heart of an Husband and a Wife of which they knew little or nothing before So it is upon the Spiritual Union as the God of Nature influenceth the Souls of persons whom he hath given one to another in natural and moral Relations ordinarily for a reciprocal usefulness one to another So the God of Grace influenceth the Soul put into a spiritual Relation to Christ That the Believer upon his Union with Christ doth find his heart cleaving to and taking a complacency in the Lord Jesus Christ and begins thus to know the heart of a Believer And look as it is in the moral Relation betwixt the Wife and the Husband though the Man may have heard such reports of the virtues and excellencies of the Woman before he hath married her as hath inforced from him a complacency in her yet this bears no proportion to that delight and complacency he taketh in her when she is once married to him So although a Soul upon the large discourses he hath heard of Christ and of his love to Mankind and what he hath done and is ready to do for the Souls of men may have some good thoughts of him and some kind of complacency in his thoughts of him yet there is a vast difference betwixt this and that complacency which the Soul taketh in Christ when it is once by Faith united to him and amongst other habits of grace hath that of Love to God infused into his Soul according to that Rom. 5. 5. The Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us I know there is a Dispute raised by some whether the natural man's love to God differeth from the Believer's love to God specifically or only gradually I do not think that these spiritual habits fall under those logical measures I am sure it is a love flowing quite from another cause The natural man's love is no more than a natural Plant cultivated by reason the other 's is a fruit of the Spirit so as they differ further than gradually but whether we should call it specifically or no or want a Logical term to express the difference I shall not think it worth my time to enquire 2. A second Reason of the Believer's love and so
have a command more then another in it to make our addresses to God nor any to which any promise is made nor concerning which it can be said God hath in it more Manifested himself to People seeking him yet there are two sort of places in which we have more advantage then in others for a communion with God 1. Places of Solitude 2. Places where 2 or 3 meet together or a greater number of Gods People so meet to pray or in any manner to Worship God 1. The first give us advantage by freeing us from the noises business and distractions of the World hence you read of Jsaac's going into the field for meditation and our Saviour's going so often up to a mountain for Prayer Mar. 6. 46. Matth. 14. 23. 2. The second gives us advantage as from the promise of God made to the assemblies of his People so from the influence that the Affections of pious Souls in holy duties have one upon another of which it is an hard thing to give an account but it is no more then I believe any good Christian will find upon his or her experience that their hearts are otherwise affected when they are in a society of serious Christians praying to God or performing any acts of Worship then when they are alone Hence it is that you find serious Christians so covetous of opportunities to withdraw into their closets or when they may join with other serious and consciencious Christians in more publick Worship If any shall for the further explication of this notion ask me from whence a more full free and uninterrupted communion with God is to be adjudged and determined I answer shortly I have before told you That all communion speaks a mutual or reciprocal communication of two or more each to other God communicateth himself to the Soul in his influences of grace the Soul communicateth it self to God in the actings and exercises of its gracious habits so as the fulness freedom and more near communion with God is to be judged from several things 1. First from the attention of the Souls thoughts in the duty A Soul hath more or less communion with God in a duty as his thoughts more or less deviate and wander from the thing he is about When there is a meer bodily service performed either by the lips or knee or Eye the duty is but a mere formality the Soul hath no communion with God in it in Praying the man doth not Pray nor in hearing hear nor in singing sing As to this the best of Gods People must cry God be merciful to us sinners so that the degree of perfection attainable in this life as to this thing is but comparative some may have more of this attention then others or more at one time then at another but none is perfect in this thing Only the pious Soul as in other things so in this thing is striving after perfection pressing forward towards the mark and daily humbling himself for his imperfection and flying to Christs intercession and advocation and exercising faith on his more perfect righteousness A second thing wherein a fuller communion with God on the Souls part lyeth is fervency of Spirit this chiefly respecteth the duties of Prayer and Praise The effectual Prayer must be servent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prayer which setteth the whole Soul on work and while we sing we must make melody in our hearts to the Lord Eph. 5. 19. Prayer is oft times in Scripture expressed under the notion of crying wrestling with God pouring out of the heart before the Lord Psal 142. 2. Psal 62. 8. David calleth this a pressing hard after God Psal 63. 8. some think it is a metaphor from hounds pursuing their game in view 3. A third thing is a Freedom of Spirit This is as I take it that which David calls largeness of heart Psal 119. v 32. I will run the way of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart There is no good man but findeth his heart more free to duty and in duty at one time then at another there is a straitness of heart which at some times is the great grievance and incumbrance of pious Souls it is caused sometimes from immoderate sorrow sometimes from fear sometimes from one cause sometimes from another but what ever the cause be it certainly abates the Souls communion with God at least its communications of it self to God And by consequence a freedom of Spirit a readiness of heart to duty with a liberty not of tongue onely but of Spirit also for without the latter the former is but hypocrisy advantageth and promoveth the Souls communion with God 4. A fourth thing which maketh the Souls communion with God more full is An ability more strongly to exercise its saith upon God without doubting whether it be in a stronger adherence or more firm persuasion 5. On Gods part the Souls communion is more full when it receiveth from God more influences of grace testifying his acceptance of the Souls addresses unto him or filling it with the sensible manifestations of his love or inabling it more fully to communicate it self unto God that it can be more attent in its thoughts more fervent in Spirit more free to and in its performances or exercise its faith more powerfully and strongly This I conceive to be enough to have spoken in the explication of the Proposition hinting you both wherein this more full and free communion with God is discernable and also what those times or places are where and when it may most ordinarily and probably be obtained which I conceive is the thing which the Spouse in the text expresseth her desire towards and which she begs that her beloved would instruct her as to That this is the desire of every good Christian appeareth 1. From its deprecation of those things which would hinder it and avoiding them so far as it can Those things that hinder it are 1. Intestine lusts and motions to sin Vanity of thoughts c. 2. Diabolical Suggestions Now there are no two things which the pious Soul more deprecateth then these two Worldly distractions Observe David how he bewailed his dwelling in Meshek And having his habitation in the tents of Kedar and how bitterly in three several Psalms he bewails his being banished from Hierusalem Psalm 42. Psal 84. Psal 63. So Psal 120. v. 5. How sadly doth St. Paul bewail his body of death Rom. 7. 24. 2. From its thirstings after times and opportunities of communion with God of which also you have instances in all the Psalms before mentioned Psal 86. 11. He prays for an heart united to fear the Lords name Psal 86. 11. And rejoiceth in a fixed heart Psal 57. 7. Psal 208. v. 1. Nor indeed can it possibly be otherwise as will appear to any Soul that understandeth what communion with God is That which is the object of any rational Souls desire must come under the notion of good and
green pastures for his flock in the day time and a secure fold for them at night yea and a fitting shadow for them at noon Christ doth so for his little flock to whom it 's his his Fathers and his will to give a Kingdom There shall be no want of those that fear him In the day time of their lives he feeds and protects them by his providence he nourisheth them by his ordinances and daily influences of grace In the night of death he folds their Bodies in the grave their Souls in Abrahams bosom It is the work of a Shepherd to provide and look out pasture for his sheep when that ordinary pasture is burnt up like a wilderness It is our great Shepherds work to provide feeding and resting places when either publick trials afflictions and persecutions debar them of their ordinary subsistence upon common providence or ordinary and more publick dispensations of publick ordinances and institutions the common food of their Souls But you will say to me what are these shadows from the heat these feeding and resting places which Christ hath provided wherein to feed and rest his flock at such a Noon 1. First he feedeth them upon the promises either more general or more specially suited to their particular trials Jeremiah saith Jer. 15. 16. I found thy words and did eat them and they were the joy and rejoicing of my heart Jeremy possibly there speaketh of the word of Prophecy which was as welcome to him as his meat But what was the word of Prophecy but the revelation of the will of God to him which when it was foretelling some judgment to come upon the People is more ordinarily called The Burden of the Lord The Believing Soul also in the Noon time of his Affliction and tryal finds the word of the Lord this he digesteth by faith and they become the joy and rejoycing of his heart By these things men live said Hezekiah some understand his affliction Others the promises of God made to him in the day of his Affliction The carnal heart understands not this food it is to him all one with feeding upon the air The promises are onely yea and Amen in Christ they are as shew bread of which none but the Royal Priest-hood can eat when the Child of God hath nothing else to eat he will yet feed upon a promise I had perisht saith David in my affliction if thy word had not been my delight Psal 119. v. 92. Latimer is said to have made his last meal upon that promise 1 Cor. 10. 13. Faithful is God who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able It is also reported of one Mr. Midgely a Minister in Yorkshire that being under horrid temptations to destroy himself and going once to the water side with design to do it carrying in his pocket the New Testament he paused a while to read a little and happily fell upon that text Mat. 1. 28. 29. Come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you upon the reading of which he said to himself or to God rather sayest thou so I will not then drown my self yet The large field of the promises is one of those green pastures Where Christ at Noon feedeth his flock and maketh them to rest It is a feeding place which is at all times green the promises contain the Sure mercies of God He that liveth upon meer Sensible enjoyments feedeth but upon Grass and Flowers The Grass will wither and Flowers will fade But the word of the Lord abideth for Ever and there are some promises or others which sute the Soul in all its states and circumstances of Tryal and affliction 2. Secondly Christ sometimes feeds his flock at noon upon Special Providences And these are also of several sorts either of Protection from the Evil or Sustentation in and under trouble or deliverances out of trouble sometimes when thousands and ten thousands fall on their right and left hand The Plague shall not come nigh their dwellings according to the promise Psal 91. v. 7. In a time of famine Corn shall be fetched out of Egypt for Jacobs Family the Prophet shall be fed by a raven or the multiplying of the little meal in the widows barrel and the little Oyl in the cruse Sometimes they shall by some miraculous or at least inexpected waies and means be delivered out of trouble so were the three Children in the fiery fornace Daniel in the den of Lions of these there are multitudes of instances in Ecclesiastical History 3. Thirdly He sometimes feeds his People by Special influences either of strengthening or comforting grace In the multitude of my perplexing thoughts saith David thy comforts delight my Soul Psal 34. v. 19. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us saith the Apostle so our consolations abound by Christ 2 Corinth 1. 5. He will saith Job put strength into me Hence the Servants of God are inabled to rejoyce in tribulation under sicknesses have professed that they were never better and in great trials have rejoiced with a joy unspeakable Rejoycing in tribulation floweth not from the Tribulation For no affliction is joyous but grievous but from the influences of God upon the Soul in and under its tribulation Some one or other of these waies and means Christ feedeth his flock in a time of Trial and maketh them to rest in the Noon time of Trials and afflictions I proceed to the application of this discourse This in the first place commendeth the love of Christ to his little flock They say the Devil leaves the Witch when she is once in Gaol or upon trial for her life how true that is I cannot tell but certain it is that his Servants have no great help from him in an hour of straits and adversity this indeed speaks no love which never so much or so clearly shineth as through a Cloud of sad Providences Solomon tells us that a friend is made for an hour of adversity But herein is the Love of Christ manifested to those that have relation to him my Soul saith Mary Luk. 1. 4647. doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour for he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden Christ regardeth the low estate of his People he leaveth them not when they are in distress Isaiah 43. 1 2. Fear not for I have redeemed thee I have called thee by thy name when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle upon thee For I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour This lets us see the wonderful difference betwixt the state and condition of believers and unbelievers The world hath no places where to make their flocks to rest at Noon The Devil takes no care for his flock at
and they will find at last that God will give men for them and People for their lives Possibly some will say to us but how shall we know these whom Christ calls the fairest amongst women if we knew them we should give a a due respect to them It is true the Apostle saith The world knoweth us not Nor can they perfectly know them for the Kings Daughter is glorious within saith the Psalmist But yet our Saviour tells you Math. 7. 16. By their fruits you shall know them do men gather grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit Will you know what is good fruit see Gal. 5. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance against these there is no law No law of God Add to this Phil. 3. 3. We are the circumcision which Worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh these are the true Jews that are such inwardly in the heart and in the Spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God See you therefore any man or woman or any party of men and women in the World who disclaiming any confidence in the flesh any priviledges of birth or Church-state or the merits of any works they have done or can do place their hope for Salvation in Jesus Christ alone trust in him rejoyce in him and Worship God in the Spirit tho it may be not with those external rites and Ceremonies that you do nor under the same circumstances yet heartily Worship God according to the rules which God hath given them that Love God and have a love to all men though more especially to those that fear God and desire to live in Peace as much as in them lyes with all men that are gentle and meek not giving way to rude and boisterous Passions that are good in their behaviours temperate no drunkards no unclean Persons but squaring their lives by the rule of reason because it is also the law of God Let me tell you that against these there is no law No law of God which is the regula regulans the rule by which all the rules and laws of men must be guided or they are nullities and no rules at all These are those whom that God whom you own as your Creator and the great Lord of Heaven and Earth that Christ whom you call your Redeemer your Saviour and who most certainly shall be your Judge and give unto you at the last according to what you have done in the flesh calls the fairest amongst women the most beautiful and lovely Souls in the whole creation judge you whether you ought not so also to call so to account them so to deal with them These are the best men and women in your Cities Parishes c. Take â—reed of using hard Speeches concerning them God will for them execute Judgment as well as for ungodly deeds much more take heed of any hard actions against them he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of Gods Eye Zech. 2. 8. Deut. 32. 10. They have prayed with David Psal 17. 8. Keep me as the apple of thine Eye God hath said concerning them Zech. 2. 8. He that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his Eye Be wise now therefore O ye Princes be instructed O you men of the Earth whether great or small be assured Christ will revenge his Spouses quarrels even the quarrels of all those whom he judgeth the fairest amongst women Let none think to cover their malice against Religion and Godliness under pretences of executing humane Laws the Apostle saith against such is no law no law that will be justified by the law of God no law that will justify either the lawgivers in making it or the Executors in execution of it 1 Tim 1. 9. The law is not made for a righteous man but for the lawless and disobedient for the ungodly and for sinners for unholy and profane for Murderers of Fathers and Murderers of Mothers for Whoremongers for those who defile themselves with mankind for Man-Stealers for Lyars for perjured Persons and other things contrary to sound Doctrine The law that is the law of God is not made for them that is to punish afflict torment them it is made for them to live according to the rule of it It is made to protect them For rulers are not a terror to good works but the evil Rom. 13. 3. And all Magistrats ought to be Ministers of God to Christians for good Rom. 13. 4. Now all humane laws must be either in affirmance of the law of God and to force that or in civil things left to their power as they shall judge to be most for the publick Peace or necessary to uphold Nations and Polities O therefore take heed what you do lest you be found fighters against God Much less let any think to cover their malice with pretences that the Persons they run upon with such a rage are hypocrites Hypocrisy can be but in the heart when there is no contradiction in the conversation that man is no judge of But is it not possible to reconcile at least some part of the men of the World to those to whom the Lord Jesus Christ hath given such a Character Is he not a better Judge then men are Will you make your selves believe for a cloak for your rage that these men are not what they pretend to be I would ask you but one question are they not more righteous then you Are they not more in reading the Word Hearing Prayer Fasting and are not these things duties commanded in that Word which you own to be your rule and to be holy just and good are they not stricter in the observation of Sabbaths Which is so great a piece of Religion that the Prophet expresseth a great part of it under that notion Isa 56. 4 6. Into their hearts you cannot look but their Words are audible do not they fear an Oath more Do they swear and curse and Blaspheme like you or many others do they exceed Heathens Dii omnes deaeque te perdant by their Dammees do they rail and revile and lye like other men Do they drink and whore steal and murder gripe and oppress is not the contrary to this the beauty of a Soul in the Eye of humane reason You have therefore no reason to judge them none of those whom Christ calls the fairest amongst women you must own they are fairer then you or any of your converse and stamp You must find some in the World that are better then your selves or they must be the most comely and beautiful Souls Sirs I beseech you consider how much it becometh a man as a man to judge according to truth And what can be a better standard then the judgment of Christ O let not the People of
absurd and false are supposed in order to the forming of a true conclusion But in the Text it is certain that it doth Our Lord in saying If thou knowest not Supposeth that the Spouse might not know and therefore he directeth her in the latter part of the Text. It is certain that the term know in Scripture doth not alwaies signify the comprehending the thing spoken of in our understanding it sometimes signifieth to approve sometimes to attend to what we know sometimes to Experience I take here the first and most natural signification of the term to be the Sense If If thou knowest not that is if thou beest ignorant If thou beest at a loss At a loss for what I told you that to perfect the Sense we must supply something from the foregoing verse from the matter of the Spouses Petition She had desired him to tell her where he fed his flock where he made them to rest at noon Where she might have the best freest and least interrupted fellowship and communion with him especially in a time of great distress and affliction To this he answereth O thou fairest amongst Women If thou knowest not that is if thou knowest not where I feed my flocks nor where I make them to rest at noon Go thy way c. The words might lead me to a more general discourse of the imperfection of a believers state in this life Or to a more particular discourse concerning those grains of ignorance which may be allowed a gracious Soul But as the first is too general so the latter is too hard a task until the world be better agreed then it yet is about the number of fundamental truths necessary to be known and believed in order to Eternal life and Salvation Besides I think my Text considered as an answer to the preceding petition guides me to another thing The Spouses request was to be instructed how she might enjoy a full and free communion with her Lord especially in a time of trial and distress with reference to this petition her Lord answereth her If thou knowest not Supposing she might as to this at some times be ignorant and at a loss The Proposition is plain Prop. That even the best of Gods People the fairest amongst Women may sometimes be at a great loss where and how to maintain their desired communion with Christ I shall open the Proposition in three conclusions Then confirm and apply it 1. The Souls communion with Christ lyes in their reciprocal communications of themselves each to other All communion is made up of a mutual communication of two or more Persons I have discoursed the nature of communion largely in some of my former discourses and therefore shall say little of it now Onely I say all communion lyes in a mutual and reciprocal communication Thus two friends have communion each with other by frequent meetings together mutual discourses and communications of the Secrets of each others hearts one to another The Subjects in this communion are Souls clothed with bodies and their communion is bodily But now the Soul considered with Christ as its correlate in this communion are Spirits and their communion is more Spiritual The Soul performeth its part in it by the secret exercise of the powers God hath given it upon Christ as the object By Spiritual Meditations the exercise of faith love hope desire joy and delight c. By giving up its will to his will assenting to what he dictateth in his word consenting to what he there commandeth c. Christ communicates himself to the Soul by the secret influences of his Spirit opening and inlightening the understanding bowing and inclining the will influencing the affections convincing strengthening quickening comforting the Soul Indeed there is a more external communion with God but separated from this it signifieth nothing to the Souls advantage so we are said to have communion with God in reading and hearing his word praying receiving the Sacraments the Soul hath in these no further fellowship communion with God then it in them exerciseth these more inward powers in more external acts by the advantage of the bodily members so far as it poureth out itself to God in prayer by the words of the lips or opens its heart to God in hearing the word receiveth it with faith and love and meekness c. So far and no further hath the Soul in these duties any communion with God Nor doth God communicate himself to the Soul that is not made to believe and obey what it heareth further then to let it know his will with the advantage of such arguments as his Ministers are inabled to use by vertue of those gifts which he hath given them to fit them for their ministration 2. There can be no union between Christ and that Soul with whom Christ hath not a constant communion communion is the Daughter of union according to the nature of the union Wherever communion wholly ceaseth the union is dissolved Indeed where the communion is voluntary not from a natural cause there may be great differences in the degrees of it but wholly interrupted it cannot be hence God and Christ have a constant communion with the believing Soul this is by the Spirit of God given to them and dwelling and working in them and the seed of God abiding in them Our union with Christ is preserved by the same means by which it was at first made which was by Gods first communication of his power and goodness to the Soul and the Souls communication of itself by faith to him Thus the Vnion was first made between God and the Soul thus it is and must be maintained and upheld The reason why we say the Soul once in a state of grace cannot fall from it either finally or totally is not from the ability and certainty of their own wills however renewed and sanctified but from the more constant and certain influences of the Spirit of Grace which is given to the Soul dwelleth in it and worketh in it Christ hath not only promised to come to them that love him and keep his Commandments but to make his abode with him hence the union between Christ the Soul is not only compared to the moral union between the Husband and Wife Eph. 5. 30. but to the natural union between the Vine and the Branches John 15. 1. betwixt which while they remain united there is a constant communication and in very deed did not the Soul of a believer daily receive divine influences and communications it must wither and die as naturally as the Branch doth when the union is broken betwixt it and the Vine and this our Saviour teacheth us John 15. 4. As the Branch cannot bring forth fruit unless it abideth in the Vine so no more can you except you abide in me 3. Although the Souls communion with Christ can never be wholly interrupted and broken yet it may be more of less and sometimes indiscerned by the Soul I
the Harvest but then the Son of man shall send forth his Angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them into a furnace of fire where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth Matth. 13. 40 41 42. Some telling them that there is no communion with Christ but by joining with the Prayers of the Church and receiving the Sacrament with the Church as if an external communion with Christ which Judas a Son of perdition had were all that men and women need look after These different notions and instructions sometimes puzzle the minds of Gods own People and make them to be at a great loss I now come to the Application This in the first Place lets us see what a perpetual use and need there will be of an able standing Gospel Ministry and the goodness of God in providing such an ordinance for his Church The interest of Souls lyeth in two things 1. In an union with Christ and reconciliation to God 2. In a fellowship and communion with him The Ministry of the Gospel is and will be useful to the end of the World on both these accounts 1. For procuring promoving Souls reconciliation to God and union with Christ 2 Cor. 5. 20. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christs stead be you reconciled to God So long as there are any sinners in the World any Souls in such a state as living and dying in it they cannot be saved So long will be need of Gospel Ministers and such too as are both able and faithful There are some in the World that think a Conversion to an opinion from Paganism to the outward profession of Christ is all the Conversion necessary and Baptism all the regeneration necessary according to whose Doctrine all Drunkards Whoremongers Men-stealers Lyers Thieves Extortioners Covetous Persons Sorcerers if Baptized must be saved directly contrary to what the Apostle affirms these indeed may think the Ministry of the Gospel needless Preaching needless amongst Christians and only of use amongst Heathens or count no more need of Ministers then of Philosophers from Athens to read men lectures of a good life and any Ministers any kind of Preaching will serve the turn A lecture out of Aristotle or Plato is as good a Sermon as they see any need of But those who will believe what Paul saith 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. That there are multitudes amongst Baptized Persons not reconciled to God and who shall never come into Heaven which is confirmed also by Saint John Rev. 21. 8. They must see a need of this Ordinance and acknowledge the great mercy in this gift to the Church 2. Nay indeed this Doctrine may convince you That if all within the Church were Christians not in name onely but indeed washed with the blood of Christ Justified and Sanctified yet there would be need of such an Ordinance For the best of Christians are oft times at loss how to uphold maintain their communion with Christ Here now lye th the work of the Ministry of the Gospel as the hand in the way to direct Christians which way to go that they may come to the journies end which they aim at the end of their hopes and the Salvation of their Souls This was the end of Christs institution of them Eph. 4. 12. For the perfecting of the Saints for the edifying the body of Christ If there be such a thing as Christians fellowship and communion with Christ if they may be and often are at loss how to maintain this communion they had need of some to be helpers of their faith and of their joy Which is the Notion of Ministers given by the Apostle 2 Cor. 1. 14. Yea and they had need be able Ministers too How various are the cases of Christians how different one from another This work is to be done publickly which indeed serveth for the most of Christians and privately also for those who cannot receive Satisfaction from publick instructions Alas who is sufficient for these things and how slighty a business is ordinarily made of the greatest work the most weighty imployment under Heaven How many watchmen are there that like those mentioned in the 3d Chapter of this Song When the Spouse of Christ comes to them complaining as v. 6. That her beloved hath withdrawn himself and is gone when their Souls fail when they come and tell them that they have sought their beloved and cannot find him they have called but he hath given them no answer instead of relieving of them they smite them wound them take away their vails from them they wound them with cruel and envenomed Words mock and jeer and revile them and know not how to speak a word to the weary indeed not understanding what a wearied Soul means the most they are able to say is what is thy beloved more then anothers beloved The Lord pity his flock and give them Pastors according to his own heart who can feed them with wisdom and understanding and will be faithful in doing of it men to whom the Lord God hath given the tongue of the learned that they may speak a Word in season to those that are weary as he promised Isaiah 50. 4. There are no more pestilent enemies to the People of God then those that would have the flock of Christ without Shepherds or which it may be is worse Supplied with Idol Shepherds as the Prophet calls them Zech. 11. 17. And indeed are like Idols that have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not the name of Shepherds but nothing of the skill and faithfulness required in such a place This Notion Secondly may give some relief to Souls whose condition this may be Here may be some before the Lord this day who are crying out where is my God become Lord when wilt thou strengthen me Quicken me Comfort me I confess the case of these Christians is sad communion with Christ is the life of a good Christians life All the comfort and Satisfaction of his life is bound up in this one thing let him want this he wants all if he be at a loss as to this he is quite lost this is that which differenceth the true Child of God from an Hypocrite the profane man lives without a God in the World all talk of communion with God is but canting the thing it self a Chimera The Hypocrites ends cannot be obtained by this course of life he taketh up with meer external acts of communion never regarding whether he hath any communion with God in and by those acts he can live without any presence of God without any influence of God upon his Soul A Child of God cannot if he wanteth communion with God he calls all into question doubteth of his union and whether he hath not been all this while mistaken whether his Soul be yet actually reconciled and
instructive Corollary from this discourse Secondly observe The Laws of Christ are both rows of Jewels and also Chains 1. They are Chains of Restraint As Chains about creatures necks restrain their natural Liberty and keep them in due obedience and subjection to their Governours So doth the Law of the Lord. Man is like an unâ—amed Heifer which would run wildly this and that way Christ therefore puts a Chain upon him when he intendeth any Soul for his use I will faith God write my Laws in their inward parts There now is the Chain about the Spouse's Neck Joseph had this Chain about his neck How shall I do this evil saith he and sin against God Do this and live saith he for I fear God and so durst not take any revenge upon you The Children of God have in them lust and corruption but it is chained The Law of God written in their hearts is a Chain upon their lusts and this may mind us to take heed how we abuse that sweet Notion of Christian Liberty Christians are free but they must take heed that they use not their Liberty for a Cloak to maliciousness 1 Pet. 2. 16. that being the Lord's Free-men they do not make themselves Servants of corraption It is not a Liberty to the Devil's Chains but from them not a Liberty to the Flesh but to serve the Lord without fear 2. As the Precepts of the Lord are Chains of Restraint so they are also Chains Indicative of the greatest liberty and honour they are Chains but they are Chains of Gold Chains of Pearl such Chains speak both the liberty and dignity of those that wear them The Law is spiritual and just and good saith Paul But further yet the Precepts of God are also Rows of Jewels It speaks two things 1. Rows of Jewels are things as to which a great Art is seen in the orderly disposing of them There is a strange orderliness to be observed in the Divine Precepts Could you imagine a Family a Church a Common-wealth any Society of men in which the several persons both in their single and relative capacities lived up to the strictness of the Divine Rule respecting them how orderly would they appear even in the Eye of humane Reason All the ugliness and disorder that we see in mens Lives in Families Churches Cities Kingdoms if you observe it arifeth from mens deviations from the Divine Rule through the impetuousness of unmortified passions Hence sinful walking is by the Apostle called properly disorderly walking 2 Thes 3. 6 7 11. And the holy man is called one who ordereth his conversation aright in the last verse of the 50th Psalm 2. Rows of Jewels are Ornaments There is something of beauty and comeliness resulteth from them and it resulteth much from the orderly setting and wearing of them There is a great comeliness in Holiness But of this more in the third Corollary Observe thirdly That Holiness is the only Ornament of a man or woman in the Eyes of Christ The World is at this day full of gawdry Rings and Jewels Bracelets and Necklaces of Pearl Patches and Paintings Solomon hath told us that favour is deceitful and beauty is vain But a woman that seareth the Lord she shall be praised As a Jewel saith he in a Swines Snout So is a fair woman without descretion Prov. 11. 21. Christ accounts holiness the only beauty of a man or woman Our acts of holiness are in his Eyes the only ropes of Pearl and Chains of gold and rows of Jewels We live in an age of great vanity as to Artificial beauty and it would make the heart of a Christian to bleed to see even to what excesses of this nature Persons professing to Religion and Godliness run Let me therefore close this discourse with a word or two of Exhortation 1. To neglect other beauty 2. To study this beauty more and more 3. Not to Satisfy your selves with mere pretences of inward purity whiles your more exteriour conversation gives no evidence to it 1. I say first to neglect other beauty whether natural though that be a great gift of God where it is found Or Artificial which is borrowed from Gold and Silver and Precious Stones and Jewels and fine Cloaths and Linnen c. 1. Consider This is not your beauty That 's our beauty which Commends us to our Husband Jesus Christ He regards not a fine face nor well proportioned limbs he regards not Jewels and Ornaments nor fine Clothes and Linnen They are in his Eyes poor vile things Leave these things to the men and women of the world that have nothing else to Commend them to the wantons of the world The beauty of a Christian lyeth not in these things nay they are his shame and deformity as I shall by and by shew you 2. Secondly let me urge the Precept of the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 9 Let women saith he adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety not with broidered Hair or Gold or Pearls or costly aray but which becometh women professing Godliness with good works Mark that phrase which becometh women prosessing Godliness as if he should say these vanities of broidered Hair Gold Pearl costly aray may become men and women of the world and commend them to the world but they do not become men and Women professing Godliness they are not to approve themselves to the vain Persons of the World but to Christ alone these things Commend no Soul to Christ good works an holy life and conversation according to the rule of the Gospel that and nothing but that will Commend a Soul to God that is the only adorning which becometh women that profess to Godliness You have the like in Peter 1 Pet. 3. 3. Speaking of good women whose adorning saith he let it not be the outward adorning of playting the hair and of wearing Gold and putting on of apparel but let it be the hidden man of the heart in that which is not corruptible even the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit which before God is of great price for after this manner in the old time the holy women also who trusted in God adorned themselves I do know the Common Interpretation which some put upon these Texts as if the Apostle did not wholly forbid these Ornaments but only forbad Christians to look upon these things as their only Ornaments so as to neglect the adorning of the hidden man of the heart Nor indeed do I think these Texts to contain an absolute prohibition of these things to all women that are Christians and at all times I do know that our Saviour seemeth to allow sost rayment to those that are in Kings houses Reason alloweth an aray to Persons according to the Station and quality they take up and are in in the World Religion doth not contradict it But when I consider 1. What of men and womens estates which God hath given them to Cloth the naked to feed the hungry c.
The necessities of their families being first provided for is spent on these things 2. The difference between habits for distinction of Persons in magistracy and habits for vanity where there is no such distinction 3. The time that is spent in the dressing up worms in this manner 4. The proneness of our hearts to value our selves upon these accoutrements I cannot but think that there is more forbidden in those Texts then that Christians should look upon these as their only or Principal Ornaments Especially when I also consider that as God in the old Testament forbad his People the habits of Heathens So he hath commanded his People Rom. 12. 2. Not to be conformed to this World Rom. 12. 2. 3. Thirdly Consider the sinfulness of some of these things Where these adornings are beyond the quality of Persons and beyond what their estates will bear in consistency with that Proportion of good works which God requireth of them where they are temptations to draw out the lusts of others Where they are offences and Scandals to such as fear God they are doubtless â—inful Cyprian in his Book de Virginum disciplina hath several arguments against the new arts of the World for Ornaments especially that of painting God saith he made us after his own Image it is the Devil who maketh the alteration O the vile presumption of those who dare attempt to alter the workmanship of God! Art not thou afraid saith he that God in the resurrection should not own thee and say opus meum hoc non est This is none of my workmanship Again saith he is not this poor wretch alwaies a torment to her self She hath her Eyes alwaies in her glass and is never pleased with her self Consider lastly how inconsistent these things are with that Ministring to the necessity of Saints That richness in good works that mortification The declaration of our sense of Gods dispensations to us which are the duties of Christians God requires that we should labour with our hands that we may have to give to him that needeth Eph. 4. 28. And should not we think you leave off a Silk garment or a little Silver or Gold lace a Ring a Jewel a costly dress that we might have more abundantly to give to those that need Are you rich in the World and will your estate bear such expences and hath not God charged such 1 Tim. 6. 18. To do good to be rich in good works ready to distribute willing to Communicate laying up in store for your selves a good foundation against the time to come that you may lay hold on Eternal life Can you be rich in clothes and habits and rich in good works also If you could doth not the Apostle tell you That those who are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5. 24. Is this your crucifixion of the flesh with its affections and lusts What is a gratifying and pleasing the flesh what is a making provision for the affections and lusts of it if this be not To what other use or end can these things be Doth adorning our selves with Jewels and Silks and Ribbands patchings and paintings speak a mortified heart to the World a Crucified heart to the flesh They speak nothing less then this surely they speak flesh that is wanton and proud and puffed up It is the Observation of a learned Author That heretofore Christians wounded their flesh for mortification we wound it for pride folly and vanity the Ears are boared to hang Jewels in But how much better is that boaring of the Ear mentioned Psal 40. 6. A boaring of the E ars in Testimony that we will be the Lords Servants for ever Besides look throughout all the Scripture you shall find Gods People conformed their habits to Gods dispensations towards them This was done by Gods direction Exod. 33. 5. I will come up saith God into the midst of you in a moment and consume you therefore now put off thy Ornaments from thee that I may know what to do unto thee They did so v. 6. Accordingly you shall observe Gods People all along in holy Writ under sad dispensations putting on Sackclot h throwing ashes on their heads rending their garments Behold faith God to â—â—ruâ—h Jer. 45. 4. What I have built I will break down and that which I have planted I will plack up even this whole land And seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not I beseech you look about see what God looks as if he were doing with us doth not he look as if he would come into the midst of us in a moment and consume us As if he would strip us all naked and make us all bare Is this a time to seek fine and gay things for our selves How little do we consider what God is about to do in all appearance in the midst of us 2. Secondly Study holiness If you will look after beauty study the true the inward beauty that which commendeth the Soul to God your labour for the other many times destroys your Souls it consumes the time which should be spent in reading in praying fasting It devours your estates which should be spent in good works The beauty vain Persons labour for is but Jezebels beauty study the beauty of Sarah of which you read in 1 Pet. 3. 5. The Ornaments with which holy Women of old adorned themselves Ornaments which become such as do not profess Pride and vanity but Godliness Put Christs Chains about your Necks his rows upon your Cheeks The Pharisees prided themselves in their Phylatteries They did ill to adorn themselves with those Scrowls of the law in their Skirts while they lived not up to the rule and true sense of it in their lives but there are no such rows of Jewels as those of Gods Precepts 3. Lastly with which I shall conclude this discourse Satisfy not your selves with dreams and fancies of meer inward Spiritual beauty I again tell you it must be a counterfeit There may be an external appearing beauty without any inward beauty but that is but a counterfeit there can be no inward beauty without an external beauty Faith and Love too must be shewed by works where holiness to the Lord is ingraven in any man or Womans heart it will also be written to use the phrase of the Prophet Zechariah Ch. 14. 20. upon the very bells of the Horses yea every pot in Hierusalem shall be holiness to the Lord. We have a great cry of Religion and for Religion in these days We hear a bundance talking as if there were no Saints in the World but themselves but wherein doth their Religion lye In a fine tongue they can as Luther said Crepare Christum make a crack and boast of Christ But where are the rows of Jewels upon their Cheeks The Chains of Gold about their Necks Where is their strict and consciencious waiting upon God in Ordinances Where 's the fear of God to be seen in
influences of the Spirit are the influences of Christ I shall instance in a sixfold influence of the Spirit of Christ upon the Soul as to all which he is a bundle of Myrrh to his beloved 1. The first is his convincing influence Joh. 16. 8. When he is come he will reprove the World of sin In respect of this influence the Spirit of Christ is called the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. They say of Myrrh that in the gathering it makes the hands of the gatherers exceeding bitter but gathered it becomes incomparably sweet Thus it is with the Lord Christ as to this influence of the Spirit upon us the Soul for the time that it is under this influence is full of bitterness but it turneth to an exceeding great sweetness The Book which St. John did Eat was in the Mouth as sweet as hony but in the belly more bitter than wormwood A fit emblem of sin The convictions of the Spirit of Christ are of a quite contrary nature in the mouth they are as bitter as wormwood but in the belly they are exceeding sweet the Soul in the hour of conviction is exceedingly sad and troubled but when convinced how it blesseth God who was pleased to convince it of sin Like the woman who in an hard labour is full of pain and wisheth she had never bred a Child but being once delivered forgets her pain and remembers her throws with pleasure 2. A second influence of the Spirit of Christ is Illumination The Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge Isaiah 11. 2. It teacheth us all things Joh. 14. 26. 1. Joh. 2. 27. That is all things necessary to Salvation The things which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive even these things are revealed to us by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Concerning the manner of the Spirits teaching how consistent with the teachings of Ordinances and yet distinct from it I have else where shewed you my business now is to shew you that Christ in this influence is a bundle of Myrrh Light is sweet to the Eye saith Solomon knowledge is that about which the understanding which is the Eye of the mind is exercised and is every whit as pleasant unto the Soul as light is unto the bodily Eye Now as all knowledge is sweet to the Soul so especially the knowledge 1. Of things hidden from others 2. Of such things as are of nearest concernment to us especially if the knowledge be certain 1. I say the knowledge of such things as are hidden from others such knowledge we upon experience find to be very sweet and such a knowledge the Spirit of Christ gives to the Soul The Gospel of Christ is it self called a mystery a thing hidden from ages and hidden from the wise and prudent This indeed is more generally revealed to all but more especially and fully and clearly to the believing Souls But further the Spirit of God reveals the secrets of God to the Souls of the Saints 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Even the deep things of God its particular election and the truth of its graces c. Now this knowledge is sweet to the Soul 2. The knowledge of such things as are of nearest concernment to us is most sweet Such is the teaching of the Spirit it teacheth us to cry abba Father it teacheth us to see the things that are freely given us of God Add to this that by how much any knowledge is more certain by so much it is more sweet the understanding is not so pleased with probable notions as what is matter of demonstration and assured to the Soul such is the teaching of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. It teacheth by demonstration leaving no doubting in the Soul This is a second influence of the Spirit of Christ upon the Soul in respect of which he is a bundle of Myrrh unto the Soul 3. A third influence of the Spirit of Christ is its Sanctifying influence Rom. 15. 16. being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost It is Christ that Sanctifieth Heb. 2. 11. Sanctification is expressed under the Notion of being conformed to the Image of Christ Now as to this influence of grace Christ is a bundle of Myrrh to the believing Soul The unbeliever hates holiness but the Child of God Loves it and desires further degrees of it Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man saith Paul Rom. 7. 22. He his highly pleased when he finds the power of grace in his heart overpowering lusts and corruptions and his Soul every day growing more and more like God and like Christ more full of Spiritual desires Spiritual affections his heart more willing to deny it self to be under the plenary power and Command of Jesus Christ when he finds that it is not he that liveth but it is Christ that liveth in him Christ in respect of this influence is to the Souls of his Saints as a bundle of Myrrh 4. A fourth influence of Christ upon the Soul is his strengthening influence Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me He strengtheneth the Soul 1. In doing Spiritual duties 2. In resisting Corruptions 3. In suffering sharpest trials The Lord stood by me saith Paul But it is not my present business to discourse either of the several sorts of Spiritual strengthening influences Nor yet of the ways and methods by and in which Christ meeteth the Soul with strength and Communicates strength unto it My work is only to shew you that this influence of his is as a bundle of Myrrh to the Soul Now that Christ in this influence is exceeding sweet to the Soul needs no other proof then the daily experience of the Souls of Gods People how refreshed do they rise up from Prayer when they have found the Spirit of Christ in it helping their infirmities with strong cryes and groans It is said of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. That she rose up and her Countenance was no more sad This was that which made the holy Martyrs take joyfully the spoiling of their goods the burning of their bodies And made them feel no more pain to use the expression of one of them then if they had been upon a bed of Roses So that their Persecutors cursed them saying they had a delight to burn 5 A fifth sort of influences are the Quickening influences of the Spirit of Christ I have formerly told you that the Scripture mentioneth a threefold quickening All of them from Christ and by the Spirit 1. The quickening of the dead body mentioned Rom. 8. 11. This will be as a bundle of Myrrh exceeding sweet when it comes when in the resurrection we shall be like Angels And the thoughts of this are exceeding sweet while we live here 2. The quickening of the dead Soul mentioned Eph. 2. 1. This is exceeding sweet to the Soul when done Oh how pleasant it is to a Soul to remember
night betwixt my breasts There are two Propositions which I named from these words and which yet remain to be discoursed 1. That the believing Soul is wonderfully desirous of Christ's abiding with it 2. That to engage him to such an abode she will allow him a room betwixt her breasts The latter will be a proof to the former come in collaterally while I handle the former Prop. That a gracious heart will be exceeding desirous of Christ's abiding with it I shall speak to this Proposition in this Method 1. Shewing you what are those lodgings and abidings of Christ with and upon the Soul of which the gracious heart is so exceedingly desirous 2. How it doth appear that a believing Soul is so fond of Christ's abidings with it 3 Whence it is that she is thus exceeding fond of Christ's lodgings and abidings with it 4. I shall apply the whole Qu. 1. What is to be understood by the lodging or abiding of Christ with the Soul You read in Scripture of Christ's abiding with the Soul and the Soul 's abiding with Christ The first is mentioned as our priviledge the second as our duty Of the first you read John 14. 23. My Father and I will come unto him and we will make our abode with him Of the second John 15. 6. If a man aâ—ide not in me he is cut off c. So again v. 6. each depending upon the other for it is God's Covenant I will never depart from you to do you good and I will put my fear into your hearts that you shall never depart from me Abiding or lodging in the primary Notion signifieth the continuance of some corporeal presence transferred to spiritual things it signifies The continuance of a priviledge or perseverance in a duty Christ's abode with us signifies the first our abiding with him signifies the latter each of them expressed in Scripture by various expressions Christ's abiding with us is expressed John 14. 16. By the abidings of the Comforter by the abiding of the anointing Oil 1 Joh. 2. 26. It is opposed to the momentany and short refreshings of grace when to use that other phrase of Scripture God is to the Soul but as a wayfaring man that tarries but for a night Our abidings with and in Christ are also variously expressed by the abidings of that in us which we have received 1. Joh. 2. 24. by abiding in light 1 Joh. 2. 10. and the Word of God abiding in us v. 14. by abiding in the Doctrine of Christ Joh. 2. ep v. 9. But I have nothing to do save only with the former Notion In short The abidings of Christ with the Soul import two things 1. The permanency of his Union with the Soul continuing the state of Justification 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us 2. The constancy of his gracious Influences upon us which Joh. 14. v. 21. he calls A manifesting of himself unto us and v. 22. his abode with us This is also the abiding of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter mentioned v. 16. This is the lodging of Christ betwixt the Soul's breasts This it is of which the gracious Soul is so exceeding fond and covetous And so much shall serve for the first Question I come to the second Qu. 2. How doth it appear that a gracious Soul is so desirous of Christ's abidings with it There are three waies by which the Earnest desire of our friends abode with us are discernable to others 1. By Verbal Expressions 2. Real Actions 3. Vehement Passions By all these the believing Soul's desires that Christ should lodge with it have been and are discernable 1. Verbal Expressions before the World was so far debaucht as now that none knows by the Index of the Tongue what the Clock strikes in the heart were sufficient Evidences of cordial desires The Children of God cannot lye unto him we may therefore from their words conclude still If you look upon the Saints or Church in former times see what the Church saith Jer. 14. 8. O thou hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in times of trouble why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night The expressions of David in the Psalms this way are very many this is it which he means by the lifting up of God's Countenance upon him which he so passionately desires above Corn Wine and Oil Psal 4. for which he prefers the place of a door-keeper in the house of God before dwelling in the Tents of wickedness Psal 84. Indeed if you look upon the whole sum of the desires both of David and other Saints who stand upon sacred Record you will find that as to spiritual things all their desires are comprehended in this one that God would abide with them lodge all night betwixt their breasts And the same Spirit yet breatheth in the Souls of all that fear the Lord. I need do no more for the proof of this than appeal to the experience of all such who have in the least degree tasted how good the Lord is what 's the sum of all their prayers what 's their language to one another and to all the Ministers of God to whom at any time they address themselves but oh that they might find the Abidings of the Comforter with their Souls the abidings of the strengthening and quickening Spirit of God with them Oh that Christ would not be as a stranger in their Souls nor as a wayfaring man that turneth in to their Souls for a night 2. The Earnest desires of gracious Souls for the abidings of Christ with them are evident also upon the consideration of what they will be ready to do for the continuance of them This is in part hinted in the Text He shall lodge or stay or lie all night betwixt my breasts which metaphorical expression signifies by interpretation these two things 1. I will deny him nothing which he shall desire of me so I may but keep his company 2. I will entertain him with the highest demonstrations of cordial Affection 1. I will deny him nothing which he shall desire of me The Mother will deny nothing to that Child nor the Wife to that Husband which either of them allow to lodge betwixt their breasts The believing Soul will deny Christ nothing so it may keep his presence with her Will he have the man do for him Lord saith Paul Act. 9. 6. What wilt thou have me to do Will he have the man to die for him I am ready saith Paul Act. 21. 11. not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord JÄ—sus Will he have it deny it self distribute and give to the poor make satisfaction where he hath done injury No sooner is Zacheus told that Christ was come to his house but he cries Luk. 19. 5 8. Lord the half of my goods I
give to the Poor and if I have taken anything from any by false accusation I restore him fourfold Will he have Peter gird himself and come to him upon the waters Peter will do it immediately Doth he call Simon and Andrew from their Nets to follow him upon a promise that they shall be made Fishers of men and doth he by and by require James and Zebedee to do the like they immediately leave their Father forsake their Nets and follow him Mark 1. 16 17 18. 2. The phrase signifies as much as I will entertain him with the highest Evidences of most cordial Affection I have more than once noted that the heart lies under the left breast however the breasts are the place of love It were endless to enlarge upon those several Scriptures expressing the satisfaction of gracious Souls upon the presence of Christ with them or his returns of presence to them One or two of them shall suffice The first shall be that of David Psal 146. You will discern upon the reading of that Psalm that God had returned to his Soul in Influences of mercy testifying his gracious presence he had heard his supplication v. 1. Inclined his Ear unto him v. 2. helped him v. 6. Mark with what a satisfaction his Soul receiveth these Influences v. 2. I will call upon him as long as I live v. 7. Return unto thy rest O my Soul v. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of Salvation c. v. 16. Oh Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thy handmaid c. How welcome is the presence of God to Davids Soul Do you use to say to your friend Sir what shall I provide for you I think my self much beholden to you I am much your Servant for this kindness rejoiced to see you c. Observe if David here speaketh not much the same language The other instance shall be that of the Spouse Cant. 3. 4. when she had recovered her beloved I found him whom my Soul Loveth I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that canceived me The Child knoweth not how to express its love to its friend better then by bringing him or her home to its Mothers or Fathers house What need any further evidence then that exuberance of joy which is found in every gracious Soul upon any return of divine love which may evidence Christa abiding with it 3. Vehement passions will also discover a gracious Souls desires to the Enjoyment of Christ and his abidings with the Soul When they saw our Saviour weep over Lazarus his grave Joh. 11. They cry out How he loved him He that seeth a Friend mourn when his Friend is gone from him or perhaps but going the woman jealous of any whom she but suspects would draw away her husband from her falling into fits of passion whes he doth but fear such a thing will easily conclude that this friend this Wife is eagerly desirous of the presence and abiding of his friend or her husband with her and Secondly he that observes the jealousy of a gracious Soul over the Lord its Saviour and of every sin of Omission or Commission which it suspecteth as that which may probably separate betwixt his Soul and it He that observeth what slavish fear the Christian yet living in the enjoyments of God is often tormented with left he should lose his beloved presence oâ— takes notice of his weepings even till he can weep no more when he lies but under a perhaps false apprehension that he hath withdrawen himself in displeasure how his Eye oft-times consometh with grief how he makes his bed to swim and wateroth his Couch with tears must needs conclude that the abidings of Christ with the Soul are great objects of its desire And no wonder though they be so as we shall see by enquiring upon the third question Qu. 3. Whence it is that a gracious Soul is so desirous of Christ's lodgings and abidings with it To make a thing the object of a reasonable Soul's desire it is required That the understanding conceive it under the Notion of good and some good which it wanteth and may possibly obtain and according to the degree of goodness apprehended in an object proposed so is the motion of a reasonable Soul's desire more or less towards it Now that which appears to us as good appears so 1. Under the notion of profitable and advantageous Or 2. Under the notion of sweet and pleasant or under the notion of vertaous and honourable It is almost impossible to conceive but that the spiritually enlightened Soul should apprehend the abidings of Christ with it transcendently good upon all these accounts 1. Under the notion of Vertuous and Honourable What greater honour can betide a poor creature than to have the Almighty pitch his Tents in and with it for the Lord of Heaven and Earth to make his abode with a Worm the Eternal Son of God to dwell with Dust and Ashes yea and delight to dwell and continue with it Such honour have all the Saints and no wonder if they be so fond of it Doth Abigail think it an honour to be but a Servant to an Earthly David and Mephibosheth judge it an honour to be admitted to eat Bread at his Table What is it then to have the Son of God in the Arms of our Souls and to have him dwell in our hearts and make his abode there 2. Nor certainly can any thing be more sweet to a gracious Soul The joy and peace that peace which passeth all understanding which is the issue of believing ebbs and flows according to the abidings of Christ with the Soul His presence makes an Heaven and his absence makes an Hell there There are two Passions which are like overflowing Floods and drown a Soul's beauty and comfort Fear and Grief the presence of Christ with the Soul keeps them both under The Soul of the Saint cannot fear when it knows that it is He that saveth it and upholdeth it with the hand of his Righteousness and the Children of the Bride-Chamber himself told us cannot mourn while the Bridegroom is with them 3. For the advantage which accrews to the Soul by the abidings of christ with it besides that already mentioned in the quiet and holy security which it hath by his company which is infinitely above the value of all other concernments I say besides that the advantage is exceeding great I will mention but two things 1. Its enemies are still when the Captain of our Salvation is in our quarters there 's no great fear that the enemy will beat them up The tempter hath nothing to say whiles he that succours the tempted is speaking peace to the Soul God must first say to the Devil behold this Soul is in thy hands before he can meddle with it And our
according to the imagination of my heart c. But now take a believing Soul and he is very dull of hearing words of peace Tell him news of the wrath of God revealing against the Children of disobedience he easily believes it and tells you he feels it in his Conscience he is one of them designed to this wrath The terrors of God have been upon his Soul and like an affrighted man he is very prone to shake at any representation of what he hath found so terrible to him But let a Minister of Christ tell him thy iniquities are pardoned Christ is at the door of thy Soul it is Such improbable news to his affrighted Soul such a strange thing that he should be pardoned and such a sinner received to mercy that he is like the Christians met Acts 12. to pray for Peter when the Maid brought in word that Peter was at the gate they say unto her thou art mad And when she stands to her word they will believe no more then that it was his Angel A gracious Soul especially when it comes first to believe is ready to say to it self Surely I am mad to think that Christ should account me fair pardon my sins c. Now Christ in repeating peace consulteth this infirmity in us as I remember he did with Manoah Jud. 12. Manoah's Wife had been barren God sends an Angel to her to tell her she should conceive a Son c. v. 6 7. Manoah's Wife tells her Husband you must think there was nothing in the World these two desired more then a Son But it seemed too good news to be true and therefore v. 6. Manoah goes and Prays O Lord let the man of God which thou didst send to us come again to us indeed the reason of his desire which he assigns is to direct him how to order his Son but certainly Manoah thought the news too good to be true and God so far yeilds to Manoah's infirmity as to send his Angel the second time 2. As the believing Soul is dull of hearing Christ at first speaking peace to it and is like to Samuel when Eli called and cannot apprehend Gods voice So it is also very prone to forget the words of peace which God speaketh to it Of all the joys which we are in this life capable of these are the greatest and none so soon lost as these are so incertain is the state of the Children of God In many things we offend and even the righteous man sinneth seven times in a day and who can tell how often he offendeth Now every sin in its own nature is a breach of our peace with God and gives the watchful Soul occasion of doubting whether it did not at first mistake the voice of God or whether God hath not changed his mind towards it and hence in the second place God highly consults our infirmities in doubling his words of peace upon us and repeating them unto us Christ had told Peter Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church but when Peter had denied his Master Christ easily foreseeing that Peters thoughts would be much troubled and that he would be ready to forget all his former evidences of his favour orders his Angel Mar. 16. 7. To bid the woman go tell his disciples and Peter that he went before them into Gaâ—ilee and there they should see him But secondly As the Lord Jesus Christ doth by it consult his Peoples infirmity so he also highly consulteth his own Glory Reiterations of Divine Love to the Soul command reduplications of duty Love is of an obliging nature and there is no Soul that puts on so lively for God as that Soul that hath the most fresh and frequent manifestations of Divine Love to it David's Instance in the 118 Psalm is a full Evidence of this And this is the account that may be given why it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to repeat his Love so frequently unto the Souls of Believers Obj. But I hear some gracious Souls saying Blessed are they that are in such a case who hear God speaking Love to their Souls and often repeating his Love to them But alas we are so far from this that we could never yet hear Christ speaking any such thing to our Souls we could never yet hear Christ so much asonce saying Behold thou art fair my Love c. What will you say to us Shall we hope that we are the Spouses of Christ who never yet could obtain one good look from him I answer Sol. 1. As it is not the Husband 's fond and affectionate expressions to his Wife which make or alone evidence her to be his Wife but the Marriage-covenant is that which doth it her consent to have him to be her wedded Husband and his consent to have her to be his Wife So it is not a word of peace sealed to the Soul which maketh the Soul or which alone evidenceth the Soul to be the Spouse of Christ No it is the Marriage-covenant it is the Soul's consent to have Christ for its Saviour for its Husband Though Christ hath not said it in thy hearing Thou art fair my Love thou art fair yet if the Soul can say and say it in truth that it hath accepted Christ as its Saviour and consented to Christ as its Husband there 's no cause of despondency 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith not by sight 2. Though the Lord be pleased thus to speak his Love in the hearing of some Souls and again to repeat it to them yet he is pleased to reserve himself more from some who are equally dear to him It may be the indulgent Father loves every Child he hath with a dear and tender love and doth design to give them all due proportions of his Estate yet he may carry himself more strangely and reservedly to some than unto others Possibly he may do it out of prudence as knowing it the best way in order to their good Possibly no other account can be given of it than a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer delight that he takes in one more than another which he exerciseth by Prerogative It may be God out of a depth of Wisdom shines not upon thy Soul so clearly as upon anothers Possibly no other account can be given of it but because he will do it 3. Take heed thy loose walking with God be not the cause of it When ever Christ speaks to the Soul he will speak truth if thou beest all foul and spotted he will not say to the behold thou art fair my Love behold thou art fair The Soul may have many failings many spots upon its face and yet be fair in the Eyes of Christ fair as to its Justification But Christ will not say to such a Soul Behold thou art fair The Father or prudent Mother may dearly love a disingenuous and rebellious Child But their prudence will keep them from commending such a Child and
objects Christ now cannot shew his grace to such a Soul the bank hinders where he pleaseth indeed he worketh secretly takes away the heart of stone and makes it an heart of flesh takes away unbelief vanity earthly mindedness sensual affections and then he emptyeth the treasuries of grace upon the Soul In a word to apply this No wonder then to hear many a poor wretch complain that God never yet spake peace to his Soul others indeed have heard their beloved hath said to others behold thou art fair my love behold thou art fair but they never yet heard such a voice Let me ask thee who thus complainest this question Did Christ ever yet hear thee say as a bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me he shall lye all night betwixt my breasts Hast thou served Christ with Ordinary expressions of duty How canst thou expect to be feasted by him with extraordinary returns of mercy If thy breathings after him have been faint and short what reason hast thou to expect that his breathings should be so full upon thee He is indeed a full ocean of free grace but it may be thou hast cast up a bank against him it may be thou hast clogg'd him with an hard heart and unbelieving heart a vain heart a filthy sensual heart Wonder not O Christian that he is so little towards thee in a way of mercy if thou beest scant towards him in thy way of duty There is a generation of men and women in the world who are taken notice of to behave themselves as if they thought that all the World were made to serve them and they not made to serve any but they are an unreasonable generation and sober persons so account of them and accordingly slight them Oh that there might not be such an unreasonable Christian found in the World who should so much as think in his heart that Christ stands concerned to open all his Treasuries of Love upon his Soul which in the mean time hath scarce a thought of doing any thing more than ordinary for the Lord Jesus Christ if thou findest thy heart cold in duty frozen in affections toward Christ wonder not at all if thou findest the bowels of thy Saviour which yern upon others tied up towards thee And I fear me this is the cause of most complaints of this nature although it may be possible that this is not the case of every such complaining Soul witness David Psal 22. 1 2 3 4. 2. What an ingagement doth this Notion of Truth lay upon the Sons and Daughters of men to stretch out their Souls for and towards God Certainly if there be any thing in the World of force to open a Soul for Christ this will do it to hear that Divine Grace keeps pace with our duty and that the proper way to have Christ speak to us and say Thou art fair my Love Thou art fair is for us to get up our hearts in a readiness to say and say it in truth As a bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved to me The Psalmist cries out Psal 34. 12. What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days that he may see good Depart from evil and do good seek peace and pursue it Give me leave to speak to all you who fear the Lord in the same dialect What man is there amongst you who would not gladly have Christ speak peace unto your Souls and whisper the words of my Text in your Ears Thou art fair my Love thou art fair O let Christ be yet more and more precious to you let him have the strength of your Love that you may have the seal of his Love let the World know and let him know that he is dear in your Eyes that you may know that you are fair in his Eyes But this is enough for the second Circumstance which I observed I pass to a third Thou art fair my Love thou art fair It is not said thou O man or thou O woman art fair but thou my Love art fair It is both the observation of our own Annotators and some others Obs The Spouse of Christ is fair as she is His Love I observed to you before that the word signifies Amica Socia a Friend and a Companion the Object of ones love and the Companion of ones life This is not after the manner of the Children of men amongst them Beauty raiseth Love but with Christ it is Love that raiseth Beauty Locutio verbi infusio Doni Christ in calling her fair makes her fair Ezek. 16. 14. Thy Beauty was perfect through my comeliness which was put upon thee saith the Lord God A good complexion with a lovely air of the countenance and a due proportion of bodily parts makes the Children of men fair to a sensual Eye An head well furnished with Notions of Learning and a mind indued with vertuous generous dispositions makes a man fair and beautiful to a rational Eye But it is Grace alone that can make the Soul fair to the Divine Eye 1. Nature doth it not for all are by Nature Children of wrath Eph. 2. 3. like the Infant not cut not washed not swadled Ezek. 16. We are by Nature all Blackamores in the Eyes of God our Father an Amorite our Mother an Hittite 2. Art will not do it Though thou wash thee with Nitre and take thee much Sope yet thine iniquity is marked before me saith the Lord Jer. 2. 22. The Pharisees were men who used as much Art as others yet their Beauty to our Saviour's Eye rose no higher than to the Beauty of a Painted Sepâ—lchre that outwardly is beautiful but within full of rottenness so little that our Saviour saith Publicans and Harlots should as to the Kingdom of Heaven have the preheminence before them 3. Grace then alone must do it Those who are Christ's Love are fair only so far forth as they are his Love his Companions There is a double Grace the first of Justification the second of Sanotification according to the first the Believer is Christ's Love according to the second the Believer is Christ's Companion 1. I say first the Grace of Justification this is gratia gratum faciens that Grace by which the Soul is accepted of God It is the free Love of God shewn to the humbled Soul upon its exercise of Faith pardoning its sins reckoning over the Righteousness of Christ unto it and accepting it as righteous in and through Christ this changeth the Soul's state this is it which taketh away its filthy garments and covereth the Soul with Christ's Robes with this is conjoined the Grace of Regeneration by which God changeth the Soul's nature and disposition old things pass away with it and all things become new this is no quality infused into us or inherent in us but the free and pure love and good will of Christ imbracing us 2. The second is the Grace of Sanctification this makes the Believer the Companion of
or vices of the mind so truth and falshood simplicity and craft or doubleness of mind are much discerned in the Eye There are some brute creatures that discover far more natural sagacity and craftiness than others in their looks and so there are also some men that you say of them they look as if they were false-hearted and oft-times you do not take your mark amiss But now amongst brute creatures the Dove's Eye is simple you see no deceitfulness no craft or subtâ—lty in that Matth. 10. 16. Be you wise as Serpents and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we translate it harmless as Doves but there is a doubt upon it whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a horn then it signifies without an Horn as Doves and we translate it well enough harmless or whether it be not compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to make a mixture Such should the Saints be simple without mixture Christ was so there was no guile in his mouth Phil. 1. 10. without deceit in their hearts they should not have an heart and an heart It was Paul's glorying 2 Cor. 1. 12. That he had his conversation in godly sincerity 6. Doves Eyes are clean Eyes Hence it feeds upon pure grains drinks no other than pure water delights most in houses of a pure white colour which the Poet observed of old Aspicis ut veniant ad candida tecta columbae And many other things are reported by Naturalists of the cleanliness of this Bird. The Believer is one of a pure heart Joh. 15. 3. You are clean saith our Saviour through the word I have spoken to you he is one of clean hands and a pure heart Psal 24. 4. of a clean heart Psal 73. 1. clean every whit Joh. 15. 10. his heart is purified by Faith Acts 15. 9. he hath purified his Soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit and he delights in pure company his delight is in the excellent Psal 16. 3. The wicked shall not tarry in his sight Psal 101. he hath Doves Eyes 7. Doves Eyes are fearful tender Eyes this experience teacheth and Naturalists say That it is caused by the little proportion of Gall that is in them There is not in them indeed such a shiness and fearfulness as is in some other Birds because they are many of them nursed up near to houses and made familiar to men but it is evident they are trembling creatures The Spouse of Christ hath upon this account Doves Eyes It is true he hath not the fear of a reprobate upon him he is more acquainted with God and hath been bred up in nigher communion with God yet he is very subject to fear he fears sinning against God and God cannot lay an hand upon him but he is ready to tremble he cannot cast an Eye upon any Judgment of God but he shakes at the apprehension of an angry God in it He hath Doves Eyes 8. The Dove's Eye is a mournful Eye Hence in Scripture the mourning of Doves is made use of to express sad mournings Isa 38. v. 14 I did mourn like a Dove Isa 59. 11. We mourn sore like Doves I conceive it chiefly relates to the mourning of Turtles The Saints Eyes too are mourning Eyes they are persons of sorrowful spirits broken and contrite spirits and look as it is with Turtles they never mourn so bitterly as when they have lost their Companion so it is with the Believer he never so mourneth as under the withdrawings of Divine Love It is not proper for the Children of the Bridechamber to mourn while the Bridegroom is with them but when he is gone Then they shall mourn 9. The Doves Eyes are exceeding chast Eyes I noted to you before that the uncleanness and wantonness of the heart much appears in the Eye Hence the Apostle Peter mentions Eyes full of Adultery There are large stories told of the Doves Chastity especially Turtle Doves and Stock Doves Hence possibly it was Lev. 12. 6. that a Turtle Dove was the Sacrifice which God appointed for the Woman after Child-birth The Dove keeps to its Mate and to him alone The Saint too hath Doves Eyes he cries out None but Christ None but Christ he cleaves to Christ alone for Justification for Sanctification for Salvation Christ is his all in all Isa 17. 7 8. At that day shall a man look to his Maker and his Eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel and he shall not look to the Altars the work of mens hands Neither shall he respect that which his fingers hath made Either the Groves or the Images No he hath Doves Eyes 10. The Doves Eyes are quick Eyes Naturalists observe that the flight of the Dove is very swift so swift that when they flie directly forward no Hawk can take it and for this quickness of flight quickness of the Eye is necessary The Spouse of Christ is quick-sighted too its Eye immediately pierceth through a mist of difficulties and dangers he believeth in hope against hope When he doth not see by the Eye of Sense yet he believeth He hath Doves Eyes 11. The Dove hath Circumspect Eyes You shall observe this in it that it seldom or never takes its flight toward the Earth but it looks this way and that way and every way and when it is alighted you shall discern it thrusting out it 's Neck first on one side then on another to see that all be safe The believer hath also circumspect Eyes He should have Eph. 5. 15. See then that you walk circumspectly Psal 39. v. 1. I said I will take heed to my waies The Child of God should be like the Dove not move a step in the World without casting its Eye of consideration upon its way first considering whether the action which it is about to do be like to bring glory to God Whether it be consonant to a Divine rule 12. In the last place The Dove hath very observing Eyes hence let its flight be never so far and remote from home yet it finds its way thither again directly Hence Historians tell us that the Romans made great use of Doves when they were absent a great way from home they would by Doves which they carried with them send home directions to their Servants for the management of their business and by the help of Doves they would in their Wars keep intelligence with their Friends in their Enemies quarters The Christian should likewise have Observing Eyes to observe his own motions and actions and to observe Divine Providences Prov. 23. v. 26. Let thine Eyes observe my waies c. But I have inlarged enough in the Explication of the Metaphor it is time that I should come to the Application and so the Proposition may be useful to us 1. By way of Discovery 2. By way of Exhortation This Notion discovers to us
did he ever revenge himself Nay when he was reviled saith Peter he reviled not again but suffered quietly c. He had satisfied Eyes What Covetousness was he ever guilty of he had a bag indeed but it was for the poor he had not an hole where to hide his head Yet he neither coveted the holes of the Fox nor the Nests of the Birds He had Benign Eyes upon whom did not he look kindly To whom was he not ready to do good He had meek and lowly Eyes he says of himself Learn of me for I am meek and lowly He had simple Eyes no guile was found in his mouth no deceit in his heart no doubleness in his actions c. He had clean Eyes he delighted not in filthy conversation not in filthy company or places if he came at a publicanes and sinners house it was to make it clean and a fit habitation for his holiness He had mournful Eyes he wept over Hierusalem as truly as a Turtle that hath lost its mate He hath chast Eyes not only in a carnal but a Spiritual sense all his delight is in the Sons of men in the Souls of his People By Doves Eyes Christians you shall be like the Lord Jesus Christ whose Eyes you see were such and like the holy Spirit which descended in the form of a Dove and what more honourable for a Christian then to be like Christ for a godly man then to be like God Thus Thirdly you shall distinguish your selves from those who only glory in appearance The Apostle tells us of some that glory in appearance only but not in heart 2. Cor. 5. 12. Now it should be the great business of a Christian to distinguish himself from these Christ tells his disciples Joh. 8. 31. that if they would continue in his word then they should be his disciples indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are many in the World that are so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in shew and appearance The Doves Eye is a certain note of a disciple of Christ many have the countenance of Doves and the voice of Doves but they have not the Eye of Doves an Hypocrite may groan like a Dove and may look like a Dove in some part of his conversation but yet want the Eye of a Dove The Eye is a noble part of the body it discovers a man much and it serves him much Our Saviour saith the light of the body is the Eye Matth. 6. 22. if therefore thine Eye be single thy whole body is full of light But if thine Eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness He speaks chiefly of the danger of an evil Eye and its unprofitableness to the body It is true concerning the Soul an evil Eye discovers an evil Soul in a great measure O labour therefore for Doves Eyes that you may have an evidence to your own Souls and that you may by them evidence unto others that you are such as glory not in appearance only but in deed My last argument shall be from the honour repute which by them you will gain to your Master to his Gospel in the World It is one of the great things that a Christian hath to take care of that the name of God for his sake be not Blasphemed in the World and on the contrary it should be his great care so to order his conversation as that by the ordering of it he may in the World gain a name and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his Gospel and bring up a good report of the land of Canaan and the Inhabitants thereof Now could we find a Christian that were harmless and innocent doing injury to none slow to conceive wrath ready to forgive free from greediness of the World and covetousness after that to which he hath no right kind and courteous meek and lowly simple in heart and of a single Eye tender spirited of a clean conversation chast and sober of a broken Spirit observing his waies and circumspect in his walking how lovely would this Christian appear even in an evil World How likely were a company of such Christians to recover the honour which others have lost to Religion in the World Oh! let the honour of the Gospel move you that the report of your faith may spread and others may see that Religion is not an empty thing and glorify God in the day of their visitation Obj. But you will say are these things in our power Can we create to our selves Doves Eyes If not why do you persuade us And why do you not rather spend your time in praying to God for us Sol. I answer that for the habits of these graces the exercise of which I call to you for they are the gift of God The Creator gives the Dove its Eye and the God of grace must create in men Doves Eyes But yet 1. As to the outward exercise of these things some of them at least much lyes in a mans power in the use of that Common grace which the Lord denies to none till by their abuse of it they have provoked him to deal so with them they may doubtless restrain their hands and tongues from acts of cruelty revenge and malice their bodies from unchast acts c. it is true these acts as done by them cannot please God because not done from a right Principle to a right manner nor to a right End nor are they able to mortify their inward lusts but the outward acts are their duty and would take off much of the reproach cast upon Religion 2. For those who have received the habits of regenerating grace 't is true the Lord must excite them to action And the Lord by the influence of his Spirit must also assist us in the exercise or we shall do nothing but these are such influences of graces as he 1. Grants to use in the use of our indeavours And such influences 2. as he ordinarily doth not deny to his Children putting forth themselves to what they can in the performance of their duty So that asserting yet those great truths of God That it is the Lord that gives to will and to do The first by the infusion of the habit of the grace of regeneration the second by the influence of his grace upon his People exciting those habits to exercise and assisting them in their exercise yet there is room enough for exhortations of this Nature Sermon LVIII Canticles 1. 16. Behold thou art fair my Beloved yea pleasant also our Bed is green IT is generally agreed that the person spoken to in this verse is he who is in this Song represented under the notion of a Beloved by which I have told you that we understand the Lord Jesus Christ and the person speaking is she whom he calls his Love the fairest amongst women c. By her the Caldee Paraphrast all along understands the Congregation of Israel which by that antient Interpreter is
reason why the Word and Ordinances of God are so ineffectual as to some however effectual unto others but I have not time to enlarge so far I shall therefore close up all with one Branch of Application Beseeching every Soul that heareth me this day to labour that Christ may yet be kept in his Bed in our Bed The Bed is the resting place while Christ remaineth and resteth amongst his People The Bed is green The Soul in which Christ resteth is a flourishing Soul the Church in which Christ resteth and in which he dwells is a flourishing Church whiles he walketh in the midst of the Golden Candlesticks they are full of light If he withdraweth himself their light will be darkness Give me leave a little to improve this argument with you to the quickening up of your indeavours to the utmost for the keeping of Christ in our Bed I am the rather ingaged to it from the fears that the experiences of late years and the present juncture of affairs have created in me that Christ is risen up out of his Bed amongst us It was said of old That when the Church had wooden Challices she had golden Priests but after she came to golden Challices she had wooden Priests I cannot say so for our late times The Church of God amongst us hath had golden Priests I believe there was no Nation under Heaven that in such a space of time enjoyed more of the Ordinances of God more able Preachers more powerful and Spiritual administrations The Bed hath been lovely or the Bedstead rather hath been so but hath it been flourishing how few Children have been all this time brought forth unto God The Lord help us Thousands have been perverted but how few have been converted Thousands carried off from the waies of God not so many tens brought into Christ Where are the Souls have been convinced of fin or converted to Christ The conversion of our daies hath been to opinions and factions not to Jesus Christ Yet blessed be God it hath fared with us as with trees withering which bring forth some small proportions of fruit though dwingling as to the proportion and not in so great plenty as formerly but I am afraid we are yet growing worse and worse sure I am if the Lord withdraws his presence from his Ordinances it must be so seeing you may see and not perceive hearing you may hear and not understand Methinks I see our Saviour though now exalted at the right hand of his Father weeping over England as once over Hierusalem and saying O England England thou that hast despised the Ordinances of God and despised those that have been sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thee as an hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but thou would'st not Behold my house shall now be lest desolate You may have Ministers and you may have Ordinances but you shall not see me henceforth till you say blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. The pulse of the Spirit in Ordinances hath for many years beaten faintly now and then a stroke like the pulse of a dying man I am afraid lest the last stroke should be nigh at hand Where 's the power and presence of God in our assemblies Where 's the taking of Heaven by force which former times experienced Oh that the consideration of the uneomfortableness of a desolate sanctuary or dead Ordinanees in an open sanctuary might awaken you while yet you have hope to do what in you lies that Christ may be kept in his bed with you it is true the wind blows where it listeth and who can command the breathings of it But yet let there be nothing wanting in your indeavours That if God shall measure out such a dispensation your Consciences may not rebuke you as wilful occasioners of it To this end give me leave to advise 1. That you do not first go out of the bed from him The Prophet told the King that God would be with him and his People if they were with God God is not ready to rise up from his Bed of Love he never forsook a People that kept clofe to him The Jews would not be gathered then Christ hid the things from them that concerned their peace Christ in the last day of the feast cried You would not come to me that you might have life First they would not then he would not you have had a Gospel feast possibly this may be the last day of it this day Christ cries to you Oh let him not go away with this dreadful word you will not come to me that you may have life Take heed of despising Ordinances of slighting Christ and the means of grace Take heed of shunning Christs Bed How many are there that shy the Bedstead refuse the Sanctuary how dreadfully do these poor creatures despise their own mercies Your daies of grace for ought I know may be very few you had not need neglect them The woman that will not come nigh the Chamber where her husband lodgeth is not like to have a flourishing Bed 2. But secondly Take heed also of making Christs Bed unquiet to him The unquiet wife often loseth her husbands Company nothing makes Christs Bed so unquiet to him as sin doth The Soul that resisteth convictions quencheth the motions of the Spirit of God thrusteth Christ out of his Bed while you have the light do not only come unto it but walk in it Sanctuary sins make God abhor his Sanctuary and loath his dwelling place Take heed of quenching private motions of the Spirit or of resisting the more publick convictions of the word 3. Give up your selves to the Lord Jesus Christ The Apostle to the Corinthians saith 2. Cor. 8. 5. that they gave themselves to the Lord and then to them Do what in you lies to give up your selves to the Word of God allow not in your hearts any rebellious thoughts against it Audite verbum Dei tacete Something of this you may do when you hear the Word of God convincing you of sin hold your peace to it suffer the conviction to take hold upon your hearts and to have its operation But alas man hath a vain a stubborn an unquiet ungospellized heart What therefore remains but that we should 4. Pray that the Lord would keep us in his Bed and not himself rise up from us let us therefore take unto our selves the words of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer 14. 7 8 9. O Lord though our iniquities testify against us do thou it for thy names sake for our back slidings are many we have sinned against thee O the hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of trouble why should'st thou be as a stranger in the land And as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night Why shouldest thou be as a man astonished As a mighty man that cannot save Yet thou O Lord art in the midst of us and we are called by thy
it are buried up in ruines It is the Word of God that is the Basis of the Church and the Basis of every individual Soul that is a Member of that Church 3. The Beams and Rafters of an House as they support the burthen and bear the weight of the Building so they also unite the parts and sides of it they are the Mediums of Union to it so is the Word and Ordinances to the Church The Word is the Foundation upon which the Church and every particular Soul is builded and the Doctrine of Faith and the Ordinances of God are the means of Union in it I do not think that an Explicit Covenant-Union is necessary to the constitution of a Church I think that Union which the whole Church hath in the Profession of the same Doctrine of Faith and in the practice of the same Ordinances Rules of Worship is sufficient to make up such an Union amongst all Gospel Professors as may justifie the denomination of a Catholick Church And again an agreement in the Profession of the same Faith and the practice of the same Ordinances in the same place is enough to make up a particular Church of God Look as in a Building let the walls be at never so many foot distance one from another yet the beams or dormans that go across the Building unite them together and make them all but one and the same Building So it is with the whole number of Professors scattered over the face of the whole Earth though part of them be in England part in France part in Germany part in other parts of the World yet the same Doctrine and Profession of Faith and the practice of the same Ordinances of Worship running through them all makes the whole but one Body one Church the House of the Living God 4. Look as it is with the Beams and Rafters the purer and stronger and more substantial they are and the more intire and homogeneous they are the stronger the House is So it is as to the Word and Ordinances of God the purer the Doctrine of Faith and Ordinances for Worship are the stronger and better the Church is If the Beams of an House be sappy or rotten or patched up of several heterogeneous pieces the weaker the House is and more subject to fall and to decay So it is with the Church which is the House of the Living God If the Doctrine of Faith owned and professed in it be as it were heart of Oke pure Doctrine taken out of the heart of the Written Word not sappy through the additions of Humane Inventions nor heterogeneous part of it the pure Word of God part of it the meer Fancies and Doctrines of men if the Ordinances for Worship practised in it be pure Ordinances if the Tabernacle be according to the Pattern of the Mount according to the form of sound words and pure Rule of the Gospel the Church is fair and glorious and strong the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it but if otherwise if the Doctrine of Faith professed in it be mingled with the Clay of Humane Fancies and Errours if the Ordinances of Worship practised in it be full of the sap of Traditions and Ceremonies the Church is a declining decaying Church and hath no strength in her The reason is because God will not continue with such a Church The Psalmist saith of the Church God is in the midst of her therefore she shall not fall now they must be golden Candlesticks in the midst of which God walketh But thus much may be sufficient to shew you the propriety of the Metaphor Let me shortly Apply this before I pass on to the other Proposition This in the first place commends unto us the Excellency of the Word of God and the Doctrine of Faith contained in it and the Excellency of Gospel Ordinances they are the Beams and Rafters of the House of God hewed out framed and fitted to the Building by him who was the Master-builder the Lord Jesus Christ and laid by him The Apostle 1 Cor. 3. 10 11. saith that as a wise Master-builder he had laid the Foundation and another builded thereon v. 11. Other Foundation could no man lay than that already laid which is Jesus Christ Christ is called the Church's Fundamentum its Foundation and he is the lapis angularis the corner stone as is contained in the Scripture Saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 2. 6. Behold I lay in Zion a chief corner stone eleâ—t and precious the head of the body Col. 1. 18. He from whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part Eph. 4. 16. Our Divines say that Christ is the Foundation of the Church in a double sense 1. He is Fundamentum Salutis the Foundation of Salvation in the Church The Salvation of every Soul lieth upon his shoulders Act. 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other 2. He is Fundamentum Fidei Cultus the Foundation of Faith and Doctrine of Worship and Order the Foundation of Doctrine and Ordinances I say And as no man can lay any other Foundation of Salvation than Christ so neither can any lay any other Beams of Doctrine or Institutions for Worship but what Jesus Christ hath laid Christ by himself and by his Apostles laid these Foundations and Beams of Doctrine and Worship from the Gospel of Christ and the Writings of the Apostles must be drawn the Articles for the first and the Canons for the latter And the whole Building of the Church depends upon these Foundations and Beams Let the Word of Faith or the Purity of Worship fail from the Church or any part thereof it presently ceaseth to be a Church of God and turns into an Antichristian Synagogue Now I say this commends to every Christian the Doctrine of Faith and the Ordinances of God There is an Excellency in Entity or Being Hence whatsoever it be which gives Being to a thing and without which it would not be at least not such hath a great Excellency in it and the more noble the thing is to which Being is given the more Excellent is the Form by which it hath such Being The Soul of man gives Being to a man The Body without the Soul is but a lump of flesh a piece of Clay the Soul informeth and inliveneth and giveth an Humane Being to it separate that from it and the man is no more Some Philosophers have vainly dreamed of an Amma Mundi a general Soul of the World which should give Form Life Motion to every part of the World Now as the Soul of a man is more excellent than any Souls of Beasts because it is the Principle of a more Noble Being so doubtless if there were any such Universal Soul which gave Life Being Motion Form Union to all the World it would be a more excellent substance than any
the word of God ariseth from two things 1. The first is that sweet joy and peace which God Ordinarily brings into the Soul from them God will speak peace to his People saith the Psalmist and he creates the fruit of the lips peace peace saith the Prophet this joy is indeed of different degrees there is the rejoicing of hope for hope growing from a true Root bringeth forth some fruit of joy in the Soul though it indeed be not so fair and pleasant a fruit as that joy which is the fruit of assurance because the Union which hope gives the Soul with its beloved object is of the lowest fort But yet even this joy hath a great deal of sweetness but Oh! How great is that sweetness which is the riper fruit of assurance that peace which passeth all understanding A sweetness which oft times overcomes the Soul and is too great for it to bear Both which the Soul reaps from the word of God and from the Ordinances of God 2. But secondly this sweetness in the Word and Ordinances of God ariseth not from this alone but from other usefulness of them to the Soul That is not only sweet but that also which is profitable David saies that the Law of the Lord doth convert the Soul makes wise the simple enlightens the Eyes that they are useful to warn us and that in keeping them there is great reward By the word and the Ordinances of God the Soul hath wherewithal to answer the tempter in that it finds arguments to help it in repelling a secret motion to sin c. This makes the Word and Ordinances of God exceeding sweet to gracious Souls as they are those things by which the Soul is profited 3. But thirdly there is a further sweetness that the Word and Ordinances of God have to a gracious Soul as they are pure and holy Psal 119. v. 140. Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy servant love it The heart of man naturally doth not love purity but the Spiritual heart that is conformed to the image of God loves it It is turned into the likeness of the word and made to love whatsoever is holy and Spiritual and pure This makes the Rafters and beams of the Church to the true Christian to be like Cedar and Fir sweet smelling because of that purity and holiness which cleaveth to them 4. A fourth thing which the Proposition predicateth of the Word and Ordinances of God is their duration they are of an incorruptible Nature as Cedar and Fir or Pine Not subject to corruption and putrefaction as other sorts of wood are Isa 40. v. 8. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth but the Word of God shall stand for ever Our Saviour speaketh to this purpose Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of the Law shall not pass away until all these be fulfilled I will open this a little 1. The Ordinances of the Gospel endure for ever Herein the excellency of the Gospel dispensation appeareth above the legal dispensation The Law brought nothing to perfection faith the Apostle to the Hâ—brews the Ordinances of worship under the Law were but shadows and types which ceased when Christ who was the substance of those shadows and the Antitype to those types once appeared in the World or at least when he dyed but the Ordinances which are as the beams and Rafters of the Gospel Church are durable and do not pass away The Jewish Priesthood ceased But the Gospel Ministry continues Christ hath promised to be with them to the End of the World God hath given Apastles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints until we all come in the Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ The passover was but for a time until the Messiah who was the true paschal Lamb should he slain for the sins of his People but the Ordinance of the Lords Supper which comes instead of this is an Ordinance by which we shew the death of Christ until his coming again 1 Cor. 11. 2. The word of God in particular indureth for ever I will open this in two things 1. The Propositions of the word indure for ever They are Propositions of Eternal truth whether they be Dogmatical Propositions which assert the truth of God concerning the Nature or will of God or concerning the state of man or any thing relating to his duty or whether they be such as are promisory they are of an immortal Nature the reason is because God is a God that changeth not he is not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen a God that cannot lye to his People nor repent of what he hath said unto them The truth of the word abideth for ever 2. The vertue of the word abideth and is immortal The same vertue which the word of God ever had in it to convince convert to enlighten quicken support comfort the same is in it still and indeed the proof of this dependeth partly upon the former for the vertue of the word whether it be the word of precept or the word of promise doth much depend upon the truth of it Now the truth of it being perpetual the vertue of it must also be so supposing the same concurrence of that holy Spirit which must be to make the Word of any use or vertue at any time I have spoken enough to the Explication of the point I come now to the Application of it which I shall dispatch by drawing some speculative and practical Inferences from what you have heard Hence in the first place you may observe a great difference betwixt the Legal and the Gospel Ministry And consequently the excellency of the latter above the former The Apostle to the Hebrews insisteth much upon this and by this argument proves the excellency of the Gospel above the Law The Beams and Rafters of the Church under the law they were not of Cedar they lasted no longer then until the timeof reformation The Evangelist St. John saith The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Two things commend the Gospel above the law Grace came by it truth came by it The law brought wrath the Doctrine of it tended to curse men and women and to conclude all under wrath but the Doctrine of the Gospel brought grace the news of the free pardon and remission of sins through the blood of Christ the acceptance of the Soul upon the account of his merits Truth also came by Christ Whether you take Truth for Substance and Realities opposed to types and shadows that came by Christ who was the End of the Law Or whether you take Trutâ— for Certainty and that which hath in it porpetuity and durâ—bleness that also came by Christ who put an end to the Ceâ—emonial law which consisted of temporary Ordinances for worship
c. It is true the Doctrine of the Law and Gospel the Propositions of truth contained in both are much one and the same The moral precepts the same and the promises the same c. Yet that great Proposition of truth De Mâ—ssia venturo concerning the star that should come forth out of Jacob the coming of Shiloh The raising of the great Prophet like to Moses c. This Proposition was perfected in the Gospel and turned into another of far more comfort to us viz. That Christ is come and hath dyed for our siâ—s c. But all the Propositions of the Gospel are of eternal truth and all the Ordinances of the Gospel are like Beams of Cedar that shall never decay That 's the first Inference 2. Observe from hence The blindness of many Peoples Eyes and the hardness of our hearts together with the unreasonableness of unbelief You have heard that there is a Beauty and a sweetness in the Word and Ordinances of God they are beautiful to the Eye and they are sweet unto the tast and to the smell the lips of Christ drop sweet smelling Myrrh what is the reason then that the most of People can tast no sweetness in them nor see any beauty in them Alas the most men and women in the World have no more savour of a Sermon or Sacrament then in the white of an Egg They see more beauty in a play-book or an history then they can see in the holy Word of God the reason is this they are void of Spiritudl senses they have their exteriour carnal senses they can tast sweetness in an Hony-Comb but they have not any Spiritual sense they can tast no sweetness in the Word of God which to Davids tast was sweeter then the Hony-comb They must needs want Spiritual sense for they want Spiritual life they are dead in trespasses and sins no sooner doth the Lord quicken a dead Soul but it savoureth the things of God and tasts that sweetness and sees that beauty in the Word of God and in the Ordinances of God of which I have been discoursing 2. As it discovers the want of Spiritual sense in an unbelievers Soul so it also discovers the hardness of mens hearts The Word and Ordinances of God have a power and Efficacy in them but alas how few do they make any impression upon But I shall not insist upon this as not so proper to the resemblance of the Text. Let me rather 3. Infer the unreasonableness of unbelief from what you have heard of the supporting power of the Word of God The Word of God is the greet supporter of Souls under all afflictions temtations in all distresses and agonies c. God is indeed pleased as to some of his People to give them in sensible evidences of his love sealing them up by way of assurance of his love unto the day of redemption and blessed are they who are in such a case but this is not the portion of all the People of God the most of Christians have nothing but the royal Word of God to trust to and upon this all their hopes hang as to Eternity And we are so carnal that we find it an hard thing oft-times to keep up the building of grace faith and hope upon this foundation but are ready to sway and sink through distrust and doubtings through unbelief and anxiety of thoughts c. This is that which we call unbelief The unreasonableness of which is sufficiently evidenced from the stability of the Word of God it is a Beam of Cedar Thou that thinkest it an hard thing to have nothing but a bare Word of God to trust to unless thou hast some sensible evidence that canst not believe without a sign consider 1. That the Word is the Beam of the Church The whole Church of God is built upon the Word it is that which God hath judged sufficient at all times for his People God the Father had no more than Christ's word for the price of all the Souls that were saved from the beginning of the World until the time of Christ's Death and Passion when the price was actually paid into God's hand All the Believers that were saved from Adam till Christ's coming in the Flesh had no more to trust to for their Salvation than the Royal Word of God That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head That a Messiah should come and be slain to make reconciliation for iniquity c. They all trusted on these words of God and were saved 2. Consiâ—er This Beam is a Beam of Cedar it is an incorruptible thing The Apostle calls the Word and Oath of God two immutable things It must needs be so because of the immutable Nature of God he is a God that cannot lye that cannot speak that which is false he is a God that cannot repent he cannot like man eat his word or recede from it David saith That the Word of the Lord is settled in the Heavens The Grass may wither and the Flower may fade but the Word of the Lord must stand for ever Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle thereof cannot fail Hath he said it and shall he not do it Hath he spoken it and shall not he bring it to pass The Apostle calls the word of Prophecy a sure Word The word of Prophecy is sure and the word of Promise is sure therefore trust to it 3. It is a Beam that never yet brake never Soul miscarried that trusted its whole weight upon it What greater Arguments can any have to persuade his Soul to trust to the Word of God than these two First That the Nature of the word is such that it cannot fail The truth of God cannot be turned into a lye Secondly That no instance can be produced of any Soul that miscarried in its confidence Look over all the Book of God and find me Gods Word given to any Soul for anything whether temporal or spiritual and it was not made good unto him indeed the Visions have sometime tarried beyond the patience of God's People but they have alwaies been fulfilled in their seasons 4. Consider how unreasonable a thing it is that thou shouldest trust to the word of a man and distrust the Word of a God You think your selves concerned to trust in the Royal word of a King in the serious word of a Noble Person in the word of an ordinary Friend who is but accounted morally honest how unreasonable a thing then is it that thou shouldest not take the word of a God the word of him who cannot lye To sum up this then Christian what though thou hast nothing but the word of God to trust to either for those things which concern thee as to this Life or for those things which concern thee as to another Life yet the Word of God is enough it is the Beam of Christ's House and it is a Beam of Cedar which cannot corrupt or putrifie
the Application of it to Christ in the New Testament it appeareth that he was intended in it There Christ is called the Lord's Messiah against the Lord and his Anointed c. It is a Name which agreeth to Christ as he was Anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows Psal 45. 8. That is with the Holy Ghost and with Power as it is expounded Act. 10. 38. The Spirit not being given unto him by measure Joh. 3. 34. He was Anointed to Preach glad Tydings to the meek Isa 61. 1. By this Name some think both Natures in Christ are expressed as well the Divine Nature Anointing as the Humane Nature Anointed Justin Martyr thinks he was called the Messiah not only because he himself was Anointed but because he Anointeth This is now a second Name given to the Lord Jesus and is as I shall shew you as Oil poured forth 3. A third peculiar Name of Christ you have Gen. 49. 10. where he is called Shiloh Jacob in his last blessing of his Sons saith The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the Lawgiver from his feet till Shiloh come There is a dâ—spute amongst Etymolâ—g sts for the Original of that word some will have it to be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Son Until Shiloh come that is until the Son of God cometh or till Judah's Son come which must be understood either of David or of Christ But I do rather agree with those who derive it from the Hebrew Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be a Peace-maker a name very proper to Christ who made Peace between God and Man betwixt Jew and Gentile and is therefore called Our Peace This Name of Christ is also an Oil poured forth 4. A fourth peculiar Name of Christ is the Name Jesus The Angel you know gave him that Name Matth. 1. and gave also the reason of it because he was to save his People from their sins he therefore came into the world that we might be saved from our Enemies and from the hands of all that hated us When old Simeon had him in his Arms he called him The Lord's Salvation Jesus signifies a Saviour These are some of his personal Names every one of which is to the Soul as a sweet Oil or Ointment poured forth 2. But he hath a second sort of Names which are the Names of Office given to Christ upon the account of several Offices which he was to bear and thus he is called Our Mediator Our Advocate Our King Our High Priest The Prophet c. First He is called Mediator It is a name you will find in the New Testament given to our blessed Lord four times One Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 15. The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him The Mediator of a better Covenant Heb 9. 15. Of the New Covenant Heb. 12. 24. The Law was ordained in the hands of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19 20. Socinus tells us that this word in Scripture signifieth no more than God's Interpreter but the Word in the Greek is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meâ—ius and signifieth a middle person one who stands in the midst betwixt two offended parties and appeaseth them Suâ—das interprets it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that maketh Peace A name excellently agreeing to Christ who was God-Man God with us Neither God only after his Incarnation nor meer man 2. Because being thus God-Man he interposeth himself betwixt the Offended Creator and the Offending Creature and taketh up the difference between God and Man This Name of Christ is as an Ointment or Oil poured forth Secondly He is called our Intereessor and Advocate Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. He maketh Intercession for us 1 Joh. 2. 1. If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous The Office of an Advocate is in a Court to appear ingage and plead for his Client Christ as an Advocate appears in the Court of Heaven for Believers pleadeth their Cause answereth the Accusations which Satan brings against them interceedeth for them c. This is a sweet Name This is as an Oil poured forth to a Soul conscious to it self of its manifold failings and the imperfections of its best performances Thirdly He is called a King Pilate called him so in mockery to the Jews and refused to alter the Superscription of the Cross which had so expressed him God calls him his King I will set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion He is called so not only with regard to his Essential Kingdom which he hath as God over all blessed for ever nor only with respect to his Political Government of his Church which is or should be every where executed according to his Laws and Prescripts but with respect to that special Dominion which he hath over his Saints by which he doth both surprise their Enemies bruising Satan under their feet strengthening them against their lusts and corruptions commanding them into a conformity to his Will and to the practice and exercises of those habits of grace which he hath bestowed upon them Fourthly He is called our Priest our High Priest The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him the High Priest over the House of God The High Priest of our Profession a great High Priest The Office of the Priest was to enter into the Holiest to offer Sacrifice for the People to pray for them to bless them Christ did all this He once offered up himself for us he entred into the Holiest whither our forerunner is entred saith the Apostle we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him He was saith the Apostle to the Galatians made a Curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come down upon us Fifthly He is called a Prophet that is also his Name That Prophet by way of Eminency Deut. 13. 3. Joh. 1. 21. Act. 3. 23. The woman of Samaria perceived that he was a Prophet Joh. 4. 19. He is a Prophet not only as he could and did foretel many things to come but as he teacheth and instructeth his People This he did while he was here upon the Earth going about and Preaching in the Temple in the Synagogues in the Streets upon Mountains c. but when he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men he made some Apostles some Evangelists others Pastors and Teachers for the continual building up of his Church and not only so but by his Spirit instructing them in and revealing to them the deep things of God the things which Eye hath not seen nor hath Ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive Now all these pieces of Christ's Name are to the believing Soul as Oil poured forth But besides these personal Names of Christ and his Names of Office Whatever else Christ is made known by is his
Name I will mention but three things First His Word is his Name The Gospel of Christ is his Name that expresseth to us what Christ is Christ saith that he had manifested his Father's Name unto the men whom he had given him out of the world Joh. 17. 6. that is his Fathers Truths the Doctrine of his Gospel The Lord Jesus is made known by his Gospel That doth the same thing for Christ that our Name doth for us it lets the World know whose Son Christ is what he is what he hath done and suffered for Sinners and this is to the Soul exceeding sweet as an Oil that is poured forth Secondly His Mercy is his Name All those declarations of his love and good will towards his Peoples Souls of which his Gospel is full All the Emanations of his Love When the Lord telleth Moses his Name he thus proclaimeth it The Lord The Lord merciful slow to anger As God gets him a great Name upon Pharaoh and the wicked of the Earth by executing Justice and Judgment so he gets himself a great Name amongst his Saints by shewing meâ—cy His Name is I even I am he that blotteth out transgressions for my own Names sake I will heal your backslidings and love you freely Lastly His Truth is his Name By Truth I mean his Faithfulness in fulfilling his Word Thy Truth reacheth unto the Clouds saith David Psal 108. 4. David Psal 138. 2. resolveth to praise God's Name for his Loving-kindness and for his Truth Jesus Christ is much known to us by his Truth and Faithfulness to his Promises making good to his Peoples Souls what he hath said hence he is called the Amen the Faithful and the true Witness Rev. 3. 14. Pareus upon that Text saith that Christ is called the Amen for that reason which the Apostle giveth 2 Cor. 1. 19 20. because he is not Yea and Nay but he is Yea and because all the Promises of God in him are Yea and Amen Thus I have opened to you what that Name of Christ is which the Spouse compareth to an Oil or to an Ointment poured forth 2 Qu. But why to an Oil poured forth Certainly for the usefulness of it under that circumstance Ointment in the Box Oil inclosed and kept up in the Vessel is no way so useful as when it is poured out If we use it for food it must be poured out if for Medicine if for Ornament which way soever we use Oil or Ointment it must be poured out then it becomes useful to us But that which I take to be what is principally intended is Thy Name is exceedingly infinitely sweet Oil is sweet in the Vessel where it is kept it is sweet if but dropped out by drops But saith the Spouse of Christ Thy Name is as an Oil or Ointment poured forth Thou hast not only a sweetness and excellency in thy self but all the grace and mercy in thee is communicated and that not in drops or little measures but as Oil poured forth that hath scope of Air enough to diffuse it self in and by If Christ had No Name by which he could be made known to us yet there would be in him as God blessed for ever infinite goodness as well as Majesty and Glory the fulness of the God-Head would be in him he would be full of Grace and Truth but now his Name makes him to be as an Oil poured forth by that we behold his glory the glory as of the begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1. 14. When the invisible incomprehensible excellency love and grace of Christ is made known unto us either by the Gospel or by the emanations of his grace and mercy or the demonstrations of his truth and faithfulness by any of his personal names or names of Office wâ—ich are given to him then like Oil or Ointment poured out he appears to the Soul transcendently incomparably sweet This now appears both from Scripture and from experience 1. From Scripture how sweet are thy words unto my tast faith David Psal 119. 103. More to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than Honey and the Hony-comb Psal 19. 10. In his name shall the Gentiles trust Mat. 12. 21. Adam had a little of Christ made known unto him One promise we read of no more The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. It was like Oil poured forth and kept him from a deliquium in the sense of the first sin and his being turned out of Paradise Abraham heard a little of Christs name it was to him like Oil poured forth he saw my day and rejoiced saith Christ John 8. he saw the day star arise afar off he saw but the morning the dawning of the morning too of Christs day and at a great distance how sweet was it to him He saw my day saith Christ and he rejoiced I might give you very many instances of the sweetness which the Saints of God perceived upon the several discoveries of Christ made to them But what needs any further demonstration than what ariseth from the consideration of the thing and from the experience of any Child of God to whom Christ is or hath been made known how sweet must rest be to one that is weary ease to one that is heavy laden both these are promised from Christ Mat. 11. 29. how sweet must the name of a Saviour be to one that is lost and undone the name of Redeemeâ— to one that is a Captive The name of a Mediator to one that hath offended a potent adversary able to crush him every moment 2. I appeal further to the experience of every Child of God even every Soul who hath tasted any thing of Christ and who hath heard any thing of his Name when a Soul is troubled to think how often how heinously it hath offended God how sweet is the name of a Mediator when it is brought to a sense of its sin and apprehends itself lost and undone how sweet is it to remember the name of Jesus given unto Christ because he was to save his People from their sins when a Soul considereth that without Blood without a Sacrifice there is no remission of Sin how sweet then is the name of an High Priest over the House of God who offered up himself once for our Sins and having done so ascended up into Heaven and ever sitteth at the Right Hand of God to make intercession for the Sins of his People How sweet to the Soul that is afraid lest its lusts should have dominion over him is the name of Christ as a King given unto him because he is to rule in the hearts of those who are once subjected and subdued unto him How sweet are his mercy his truth his promises when at any time the latter are applied to the Soul and the former any way made known in the Soul Doth any one ask whence it is that the name of
incision into the tree 2. They set something to receive it The incision is made already The Souldiers made that when they pierced thy Saviours side There is nothing left for thee to do but to open thy heart to receive those influences of grace which freely drop from a crucified Christ yea God must do that too The truth is thou hast nothing to do more then to go up to the mountain of Myrrh to wait upon God in his Ordinances to sit under Gospel dispensations and to look up to Heaven for further grace Only remember the full Soul loaths the Hony-Comb the full dish receives not the most precious liquor and while thy Soul is full of the love of the World and love of lusts it receives no Myrrh while it is full of the love of pleasures wantonness froth and idleness it is like the riven dish that holds nothing But to come to a conclusion Is Christ to the Believers as a bundle of Myrrh Then hear me O you Children of the most high I will urge but two things upon you as an improvement of this Notion 1. Vse him as a bundle of Myrrh I will press this in three things 1. Be often taking the savour of him The woman that hath a rare smelling flower or perfume wears it in her bosom she suffers not the first to dye in her Garden nor the latter to evaporate in her cabinet but she is often smelling of it Oh that the Children of God would make as much use of Christ that they would not let his sweetness in a Gospel ordinance evaporate into the Air nor the sweetness of his mediatory actions revealed in the Gospel die in sheets of Paper but that they would study the Scriptures meditate on the Word think over Gospel Sermons when they have heard them Oh that they would wear the remembrance of Christs actions upon their hearts every day how sweet would it be to their Souls How pleasant to their thoughts the lazy student loseth the sweetness of those thousand notions that are in his Books because he never reads his Books nor spends time in studying them The negligent Christian loseth much of that infinite sweetness that his Soul might have by reflecting upon the Gospel story and Gospel truths for want of meditating upon them 2. Be exceeding careful to preserve the influences of Christ upon your Souls and your experiences of his love Shall the woman bind up her sweet flowers in a posy and the Lady carefully tye up her perfumes in bags and glasses that they might not lose their scent and she the sweetness of them And shall a Christian possessed of the sweet influences of grace possessed of the presence of Jesus Christ do nothing to preserve it Say with the Spouse here he shall lodge all night betwixt my breasts do as the Spouse Cant. 3. When she had found him whom her Soul loved she held him she would not let him go till she had carried him to her Mothers house to the house of her that conceived her Bind up your experiences of the Love of Christ in so many bundles and do what in you lyes to preserve his influences in the Vigour of them would you know how you might preserve them There is no better way then for you to keep up in your Souls an high value and esteem of them it is ordinarily for want of love that the Beloved withdraws himself 3. You are communicative of your sweet perfumes The Lady cannot wear her strong perfumes but others whom she cometh near will partake of her sweetness It is of the Nature of the perfume to season the whole Air. She will hardly have a perfume bat out of a desire to have it taken notice of she will be holding it to the Nostrils of others Oh that you who are possessed of the Lord Jesus Christ this bundle of Myrrh would be as communicative of that also That you would be commending Christ as the Woman of Samaria did John 4. to your Neighbours Kindred Children Friends Acquaintance that they also might follow after him in the savour of his precious ointments This is a piece of Christians duty When thou art converted saith our Saviour to Peter strengthen thy Brethren Thus to do good and to distribute forget not for with such service God is well pleased But to come to a conclusion 2. Is Christ to the believers a bundle of Myrrh Let not them be as bundles of Nettles to him The Bundle of Myrrh gives a pleasant smell cheereth the senses The bundle of Nettles Pricketh and offendeth and grieveth the Nostrils It is the Apostles exhortation Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit by which you are sealed to the day of redemption The Exhortation is to holiness of Conversation The Argument is from the love of Christ to you The love of God constraineth saith the Apostle There are many arguments to press holiness from none so ingenuous none so constraining to an ingenuous Soul as the sweetness of Jesus Christ to it It breaks the heart of an ingenuous Child to remember its frowardness to an indulgent Father and a tender Mother Love worketh much upon a good Nature Study this Argument and the force of it upon your Souls to make you perfect holiness in the Lords fear Sermon LV. Cant. 1. 13. He shall lye all night betwixt my Breasts I Have united the bundle of Myrrh in my Text that I might give you the fuller smell thereof Christ is the Posie of his Saints we must now find him a convenient place the Text assigns him a Posies place about or betwixt the breasts not upon her shoulders as if he were her burthen nor behind her back where she could not view him but in her breast where she may be alwaies pleasing her senses with him The Psalmist Psal 16. 8. says I have set the Lord alwaies before me he is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved De Ponte notes that the believing Soul in the time of spiritual Combate setteth Christ at her right hand but in the time of Peace she lodgeth him betwixt her breasts It was an old usage saith Atheneus to anoint the breast with Myrrh because of its vertue to strengthen the heart here our Spouse placeth her bundle of Myrrh Not to trouble you with the strained fancies of Interpreters concerning the Spouse's breasts In mammis signum amoris the place betwixt the breasts is near to the heart and the seat of the beloved Object it is the beloved Husband and the Beloved Babe that is allowed to lodge betwixt the breasts She might have said he shall lodge near my heart but she rather chuseth to say betwixt my breasts which are an outward part nigh to the heart intimating that she would not only bear Christ upon her heart but express her love by living to Christ in her outward conversation But not to overstrain the Metaphor she doth not say he shall come but he shall lodge or lodge all