inlarged in my discourses upon some former propositions Sermon XII Canticles 1. 2. For thy Loves are better than Wine I Am now come to the last proposition I observed from these words which I told you might be either considered As a Reason why she desired the tokens of Christs distinguishing loves a reason drawn from her knowledge and experience of the goodness the transcendent goodness of them In this notion I have already spoken to the proposition arising from them Or 2. As an argument of her petition by which she pleadeth with God for the thing which she desired An argument drawn from the value she set upon his love From whence results this proposition Prop. 10. That our value and estimate of the love of Christ above all other things is an excellent argument for a Soul to use with God for the obtaining of it An argument is a mean brought either to prove a proposition or to move the Affections The Logicians bring arguments to prove the just connexion of Subjects and Predicates in propositions The Orator useth them to move mens wills and affections the business of the Soul with God in any prayer is the business of an Orator the Arguments he hath to use are such as may move God to bestow the good things upon him which he desireth If you observe all the prayers of the Servants of God upon Sacred Record you shall find them much to consist of Requests or Petitions and arguments backing or inforcing those requests These arguments you will observe drawn from several heads Sometimes from the Nature of God Sometimes from their relation unto him Sometimes from the promises made in the case Sometimes from the greatness of their misery Sometimes from Gods Power and the freeness of his Grace Psal 25. 7. According to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness sake O Lord. Sometimes from their faith alliance to and dependance upon God Psal 25. 2. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed So from various other heads I say amongst others A Souls just prizing and valuing of the loves of Christ is an excellent argument for a Soul to use to inforce a petition for them 2. The goodness or badness the strength or weakness of an argument derives wholly from its subserviency to its end its cogency or no cogency The End here aimed at is by prayer to obtain the loves of Christ so as the goodness of the arguments to be used in this case depends upon the force they have with God to move him to grant the requests of our lips 3. Persuasive arguments have their force either upon a natural account and that is mostly from the infirmity of our Natures which renders them subject to be affected with fine words passionate expressions we must not imagine that God can be moved with any such thing and therefore fine phrases in prayer are very insignificant things Or else upon a moral and rational account As now amongst men if one can come to another requesting a favour from him and say Sir you promised it me there is a force in this argument upon a moral and rational account such an argument is this in this case If a Soul can go to God pleading for the manifestations of his love unto it and truly tell him that it valueth his love and favour above all created comforts tho the bare naming of this and delivering it in fine significant words will do nothing with God in order to the obtaining of it nay though this affection and temper of our Souls can merit no influence of grace from God yet considering the persections of the Divine Nature and the obligations which God hath laid upon himself It will have a great moral vertue and efficacy and be of great force with him for the obtaining the influences of Divine Grace and the communications of his love Hence I shall desire you in the first place to observe what frequent use the People of God have made of it in their applications to the Throne of Grace David especially Psal 42. 1 2 3. As the Hart panteth after the water-brooks so panteth my Soul after thee O God my Soul thirsteth for God the Living God when shall I come and appear before thee O God His Request there lies in the last words That he might come and appear before God the Argument he useth is from the value he had for such a mercy so as the Hart did not more pant after the water-brooks The same Argument he useth and much in the same case Psal 84. 1 2. The great Petition of that Psalm was for a liberty again to enjoy God in his Ordinances what is the Argument he useth to enforce this Petition How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts V. 1. My Soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the Living God So he goes on in a variety of Phrases all expressing but his great value and estimate of such a mercy to that degree that he preferreth the condition of a poor Sparrow or Swallow to his own in the want of it You have him using the same Argument again Psal 63. 1 2 3. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my Soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is To see thy Power and thy Glory as I have seen Thee in the Sanctuary Because thy loving kindness is better than life The Petition is much the same and the Argument the same I might instance in many other places of the Psalms but this is sufficient And certainly this were enough if no more could be said to justifie this Proposition That Argument which the man according to God's own heart used and so often used is certainly a good Argument and of due force and efficacy but this was an Argument he often made use of But I shall further shew you the value of this Argument from Reason First This Argument speaketh Christ in the Soul What the Apostle saith in another case No man calleth Jesus Christ Lord but from the Spirit may be applied in this No man can truly say that he prizeth the Loves of Christ above Wine above all created comforts whatsoever but from the Spirit none but the true Christian the truly spiritual man sets any considerable value upon Christ's Loves To you that believe saith the Apostle he is precious Now what Joseph said to his Brethren of Benjamin Bring your Brother Benjamin or see my face no more God hath said to every one of us Bring Christ with you or see not my face We are all transgressors from the womb and God heareth not sinners for their own sakes but for Christ's sake therefore we are commanded to ask in Christ's Name God indeed as our Father by Creation may hear us crying for temporal good things in the day of our wants so he heareth the young Ravens when they cry
thou art greatly beloved Ordinary subjects may have their petitions answered but they must be favourites that have the Kings ear presently those Souls to whom God gives present answers of prayers are ordinarily such as are beloved greatly beloved A good natured Mother may help a Child that is another persons being in any ill circumstances and crying to her aloud and fiercely but it is a sign the Child is her own when her bowels yern towards it as soon as it begins to cry yet I find two instances at least in Scripture of Gods present answering the cries of persons in no such state of favour with God Ahab and the King of Nineveh 1 Kin. 21. 27 28 29. Jonas 3. 4. But besides that those instances relate meerly to temporal mercies and such wherein not those Persons alone but great bodies of people were concerned and in such cases as nothing but a present answer could have done them good as to the thing wherein they were heard Nineveh was within forty days of ruine and it was only a deferring of that judgment which God had threatned as to which they were heard I say besides these things it is one thing what God may do out of the abundance of his goodness and mercy and another thing what they may with any confidence expect It is most certain that persons who are strangers and enemies to God and so under a threatning That although they make many prayers God will not hear them and of whom God hath said that their sacrifices are abomination cannot hope that the Lord should answer much less presently answer their prayers 2. As to a present answer of prayers it is necessary not only that the persons praying be believers persons in favour with God but that their prayers be prayers of faith that they exercise faith in their prayers James 1. 5. If any of you want wisdom let him ask of God But v. 6. Let him ask in faith nothing wavering for he that wavereth is like a wave of the Sea driven of the wind and tossed and James 5. 15. The prayer of faith shall save the sick Prayers for Persons sick ordinarily require present answers now saith the Apostle the prayer which saveth the sick must be the prayer of faith This is a point not well understood viz. how to pray in faith and what exercise of faith is required in prayer I shall therefore shortly open it and shew you what exercises of faith are necessary to that Soul that would have his prayers at all answered at least who can expect a present answer 1. Faith in prayer must respect Gods being and goodness This the Apostle informeth us Heb. 11. 6. He who cometh unto God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him That God is and that he is able to give what we ask of him Believe you saith Christ to the blind man that I am able to do this If God be if he be God he is able to do whatsoever we ask of him But this is not all we must also believe the goodness of God That he is a rewarder of them that seek him one who hath said to the Children of Men seek ye my face and who never said to the seed of Jacob seek ye my face in vain This is the first act of faith in prayer whosoever cometh to seek God for any mercy must steadily agree to this That God is and is able to grant the thing he asks of him and that he is infinitely good and a rewarder of those Souls that obey his will in that precept seek ye my face 2. Faith must respect that promise which God hath made for that mercy or good thing which we come to God for There is hardly any particular good thing for which God hath not somewhere in his word made a particular promise now this promise is Gods bond which faith laies hold on and prayer puts in suit if we want a particular promise respecting the specifical mercy yet there are general promises within the latitude of which those particular good things fall such as those Psal 84. 11. He will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 34. 10. They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing Rom. 8. 24. We know that all things work together for them that love God 1 Cor. 3. 22. 23. All things are yours and you are Christs and Christ is Gods Now I say that he that prayeth in faith must have his Eye either upon some of these more general words in which God hath promised all good things or those particular promises wherein God hath promised that specifical mercy which he comes to ask of God Mar. 11. 24 What things soever you desire when you pray believe that you shall receive them and you shall have them It is not only necessary that when we go unto God in prayer we should Eye him as the fountain of power so able to grant what we ask of him and as the fountain of goodness so willing to relieve all the streights and supply all the necessities of poor creatures but 3. As a God of truth and faithfulness that he believe that he shall receive what he asketh of God and to this end he must see the good thing either generally or particularly promised 3. There is yet a third act of faith necessary which is a casting of our Souls upon God in the promise a trusting in him for the receit of the thing we have asked of him James saith we must ask in faith nothing wavering the Soul must not doubt within itself whether God hears or will give in a gracious answer yea or no but commit itself wholly to God upon the credit of his promise believing that he who hath promised is able to perform and trusting in him for a performance This is now praying in faith and the truth is all other praying is but praying in formality of which we can expect no more profit then ariseth from a meer bodily labour This now is necessary with reference to an answer especially a quick and a present answer on the part of the person praying 2. But something also is necessary to be observed with respect to the matter that we pray for 1. It must be something which is truly and really good for us and of which we stand in need Our need of a thing and the goodness of it for us is not to be measured from our sense and apprehension for we are often mistaken and do not keep what is good for our selves and therefore must refer our selves to the wisdom of God who knoweth what things we have need of It is true that there are some things so perfectly and absolutely good as they can never be evil such are the pardon of our sins the love and favour of God c. But there are other things that are not so which at some time we
memorial suited to their excellency We will saith she remember them more than Wine or which is the same in the Hebrew dialect Before Wine I shall immediately close with the Proposition Prop. The Soul that hath once received the grace of Christ will remember his Loves more than Wine In the handling of it I shall keep to my usual method of Explication Confirmation and Application In the Explication I shall inquire what is here meant by Christ's Loves 2. What is meant by Wine 3. What by Remembring the Loves of Christ more than Wine We met with the same word v. 2. the Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and according to them the Vulgar Latine Vbera tua thy Breasts that which causeth the different reading is the cognation of that word which signifieth Love with that which signifieth a Breast the difference is only in the points the matter is not hard to compound for those that will have it translated Breasts agree in the sense thy Loves all the difference is we contend the word in its original signification primarily so signifieth they say it so signifieth only in a figure By Christ's Loves she doubtless meaneth the manifestation of his Love which she calleth Loves because of the variety of them But of these I have had occasion heretofore once and again to discourse The term Wine I have also before opened We all know that in its primary literal signification it signifieth the Juice of the Grape certainly this is much too low a signification for this place It hath besides this a figurative sense in Scripture and so it is either taken Synecdochically Thus Bread and Wine in Scripture doth often signifie all things necessary for our food and subsistence or Metaphorically for whatsoever is sweet and delicate and this I take to be the genuine sense of the words We will remember thy Loves more than all wordly enjoyments how necessary or pleasant soever I am aware of some other senses which some Interpreters put upon this phrase but I take them to be forced and strained This seems without more adoe to be the plain and unconstrained sense of the words But having before opened these two terms that which I have principally to attend is the opening of that term Remember 1. Remembring properly signifieth a reflex act of our understanding by which the former impressions which we have received either of notions or things is revived and brought again to our minds and thoughts whatsoever we receive either by our exterior senses or by our common sense or any other way maketh an impression upon us now this impression through the coming in of a variety of other objects is apt to wear out and die in our Souls when the thoughts or notion of them revives and is repeated upon our Souls then are we said to remember the things In this sense it is a meer natural Act. 2. It is an usual observation of Divines that words of sense used in holy Writ do not signifie the bare acts of those senses which are expressed by them but those affections which are excited by such acts in our Souls and those effects which those acts do ordinarily produce in our actions and conversation And so this term Remember is often used in holy Writ When Solomon calls to the young man to Remember his Creator in the daies of his youth he intendeth not only the act of his memory and understanding that he should call to mind that he had a Creator and what a one he was but that he should rÄ—member to love him and to fear and obey him to pay him the homage that was due to him Eccles 12. 1. When the people of God in Scripture prayed that the Lord would remember his tender mercies Psal 25. 6. And David prays that the Lord would remember him and all his afflictions Psal 132. 1. and that the Lord would remember his Word unto his Servant He prays that the Lord would shew him the goodness that he had promised and suit his dispensations of providence to his afflicted state in proportionable succours So when God's People promise to remember him the promise is not of a bare act of the memory and understanding but of the several powers and faculties of the Soul usually set on work by such a notion and remembrance of things of that nature so as the remembrance of the Loves of Christ signifieth several things 1. The keeping the expressions and manifestations of his Love upon our thoughts or retrieving the thoughts of it if they have slipt us or the impressions of it have been in any measure worn out Thus remembring is opposed to forgetting To the practice of any duty incumbent upon us is not only required our notion or knowledge of the thing as our duty but the presence of it in our thoughts at the time when it is to be done by us for let us know it never so well if we do not think of it in the season when it is to be performed we shall not do it Now saith the Spouse We will remember thy Loves that is we will keep a fresh scent and impression of them the savour of what thou hast done for my Soul shall not go off my Soul This is the duty of every good man and woman it is in it self an homage to God God hath given us a power of remembring and thus we give unto God the homage of that power of our Souls Our memory is as the chest of our Souls which God hath given us not only to lock up worldly things or notions in but to lock up in them spiritual notions and impressions Two waies we serve God with our memories 1. When we use them to retain spiritual notions to keep up the Knowledge of God and the things of God in us 2. When we use them as repositories for the works of God for the retaining in our minds what God hath done for us 2. As it is in it self an homage to God the homage of that power in us which we call the memory so it is the Mother of all our other homage we must remember a thing past before we can be afresh affected with it before in the sense of it we can do any thing which such a dispensation calleth to us for 2. It implies a meditation and pondering upon the Loves of Christ David promiseth unto God not only a meditation of his Law and Word his Statutes and Precepts Psal 119. 148. 15 but also of his Works Psal 77. 12. 143. 5. The Works of God are either more publick and general or more private and personal There are Works of God without us such are his Works of Creation and Providence works of Go d upon us and within us such are all his works of special grace They are either such as are abâ—ding in their effects at least or transient the latter are the objects properly of our memories the other are the objects of our contemplation and
black either through some sinful failing or through some sharp trial of affliction look upon him as wistly as you will to move your pity your Bowels of compassion and tears to excite in you the Spirit of Prayer and supplication on his behalf to quicken you to use all means in your power to help him up and to restore him in the Spirit of meekness but take heed of copying out his failings But I shall speak more fully to these things hereafter when I come to the next verse Sermon XXXIV Cant. 1. 5. I am black but comely O you Daughters of Hierusalem as the Tents of Kedar as the Curtains of Solomon YOU have heard me discoursing the first and second Propositions which I observed from this Text I shall now discourse the third and fourth for I shall handle them together as I did the 2 former Take them thus As it is the duty of the believer to confess own and acknowledg his or her failings and infirmities so he ought also at other times to own and acknowledge his graces and beauties You see here are two Propositions 1. Godly Men and Women will and ought at sometimes to acknowledge their corruptions blackness and infirmities 2. That they ought also at other times to own and acknowledge their graces and beauty The Spouse doth both in one breath I am saith she black but comely The handling of this Proposition will lead me to the discoursing of 2 Questions or Cases of Conscience I begin with the first Qu. In what cases how and to whom a conscientious Man or Woman is bound to confess his or her sins Ans 1. Vpon all occasions and at all times he is bound to confess all his sins unto God Not that the Divine knowledge can be bettered by such a confession for he who knows what things we have need of before we ask them knoweth what sins we are guilty of before we confess them but it is a piece of homage we owe unto God and a duty which his revealed will hath made and declared a medium in order to our obtaining of mercy and forgiveness 1 Joh. 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins There was of old a confession required before the bringing of the Trespass Offering Num. 5. 6. Consonant to this you will find the practice of all the Servants of God I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord Psal 32. 5. Thus you read of the more publick Confessions of Daniel Ezra Nehemiah This is on all hands granted as a duty out of question and to be extended to all and all manner of sins especially in secret Prayer where no sins ought to be hidden from the Lord those we know and remember ought to be confessed more particularly others more generally 2. There are diverse cases wherein a Christian is obliged to confess his sins unto his Brethren or to such as God hath set over him as his Guides They may all be reduced to three heads Where 1. The glory of God Or 2. The good of his neighbour Or 3. The good or peace of his own Soul may be promoved or advantaged by such a confession I will mention 4 more special cases in which all or some of these may be concerned 1. Where a Christian hath stumbled upon the same stone and fallen and by reason of such fall may be under temptations to cast away his confidence in God and despair of Divine Mercy In such a case as this my Brothers peace and spiritual good may probably be promoved by telling him that even also my foot slipped but yet through Grace I was recovered In this sense I understand David confessing his sins Psal 51. 13. and praying for the restoring of Gods Salvation Then saith he I will teach transgressors thy way and sinners shall be converted unto thee I will tell others what a great sinner I have been and how notwithstanding the multitude and greatness of my sins I found favour with thee and this shall incourage them to confess their sins and humble their Souls before thee and implore also thy mercy and favour Thus Christ bids Peter Luk. 22. 32. When he was converted strengthen his Brethren When thou art converted in that Text is as much as when thou art recovered from thy fall how â—hould he strengthen his Brethren but by confessing his fall and Gods goodness in recovering him by telling our Brethren that our circumstances were the same with theirs and how the Lord shewed us mercy we both direct them what to do we help their faith and confidence in God and strengthen them in their addresses and applications to the Throne of Grace 2. Where any man discerneth that his Brethren are prone to think of him above what they ought to think this is that which made Paul forbear his glorying 2 Cor. 12. 6. Lest saith he any man should think of me above what he seeth me to be and doubtless this was that which made that great Apostle though he sometimes magnified his Office and the Grace of God bestowed upon him yet also so oft to vilify himself as 1 Tim. 1. 13. Who was before a blasphemer a persecutor injurious but obtained mercy less then the least of all Saints Eph. 3. 8. One born out of due time doubtless this ought to be carefully avoided by us we ought to take heed that Gods glory be not given unto us and his Grace obscured or eclipsed by mens having us in admiration In such a case a true believer will not be ashamed more then Paul to own his own sins and blackness 3. A third case is Where a Christian seeth that without bringing a scandal upon the Gospel he may by owning and confessing his sins unto men advance the glory of Gods Free-Grace and make God to be more admired and adored in the emanations of it Free-Grace is that which hath made the Child of God what he is and is therefore the admirable object in the believers Eye and where a Christian seeth an opportunity to predicate that and advance it in the Eyes of any he will not lose it nor stick at the shaming and dishonouring himself so God may have his glory from that shaming of himself Now because Free-Grace is never more magnified then when a multitude of sins are forgiven and a great sinner is received to favour a good Christian observing circumstances where they will fit this end will not spare this acknowledgment though it tendeth to his own shame and dishonour So that God may be glorified he is content to take shame to himself I say observing circumstances and indeed the chief circumstance to be observed is the reputation of Religion He will therefore decline it in the presence of profane and ungodly men who would make an ill use of such discourse to blaspheme the good and holy ways of God Thus David refrained from good talk whiles the wicked were in sight Psa 39. v. 1 2.
easily be gathered the reasonableness of this duty There are four things that call to us for it and make it our duty 1. The first is the honour and glory of God This is the great end of all our actions for this cause we were born for this cause we came into the World I have before told you that we have no other way to glorify God but by the predication or speaking of his greatness or goodness or some other of his attributes and by our holy life and conversation in obedience to his will Now of all Gods attributes there is none wherein he more delighteth then in shewing mercy and whoso tells of Gods acts of grace doth eminently glorify God for the riches of his grace and goodness are discovered in Christ and as in his giving of Christ for poor lost sinners so in the application of that purchased redemption to the Souls of his poor creatures Bless the Lord O my Soul saith David Psal 103. v. 1 2 3. and all that is within me bless his holy name Blessthe Lord O my Soul forget not all his benefits who forgiveth all thy iniquities healeth all thy diseases 2. The Second reason is the good of our Brother Next our immediate magnifying and glorifying of God there is nothing more our duty then the consulting the good of our Brethren and he is highly serviceable to God who is any way serviceable to the Souls of others either in winning them to God or advantaging them in their walking with God The Souls of Christians have often great advantages by hearing what God hath done for the Souls of others in their circumstances It incourageth them to make their applications to God to hope and trust in his mercy to wait untill he will be pleased in like manner to be gracious to them David Psal 69. 32. makes this as an argument with which he pleadeth with God for mercy for his Soul He promiseth first v. 30. That he would praise the Lord with a song and magnify him with thanksgiving then he addeth v. 32. The humble shall see this and be gladand your hearts shall live that seek God for the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his Prisoners By the humble is to be understood as in many other Texts of Scripture Persons in low mean and afflicted conditions It much conduceth to the raising up of the Spirits of a man under torments of bodily pain and affliction if one comes and tells him I was in the same condition and had the same pain yet I by such and such applications recovered and it is of no less usefulness to one of a poor and broken Spirit for one to come to him under his doubts and fears and despondency because of the guilt of sin when another Christian comes to him and tells him I also was a blasphemer a drunkard an injurious Person yet I obtained mercy I bless God my doubts are resolved my fears scattered and I am inabled through grace to hope in the frèe gerace and mercy of God through the Lord Jesus Christ Wher now such an opportunity as this is which is not very frequent there the good of our Brother calls to us for such a declaration what God hath done for our Souls 3. A third reason is the duty of a Christian so far as he may to avoid Scandal and Offence Offences and mutual dissatisfactions one in another destroy all the freedom and sweetness of Christians communion each with other and it is our duty so to walk as to give no offence to Jews or Gentiles much less to the Church of God 2. Cor 20. 32. There are two ways by which offence is given 1. By doing some actions as to which we are at a perfect liberty by which we cause our Brother to sin against God As to these the Apostle cautioneth Christians very largely both in his Epistle to the Romans and to the Corinthians But these kind of offences are not obviated by Christians declarations of what God hath done for their Souls as to the influences of saving grace but rather by the declaration of his knowledge and forbearing such actions as he hath a liberty to but no necessity that presseth him to the doing of them at least till his Brother be Satisfyed in the lawfulness of them 2. By some Scandalous actions these indeed are Scandala data Scandals that are given and such sores as a Christian ought by all means in his power to endeavour healing of and whether such things have been done before or after a change wrought in our hearts it is our duty to do what in us lyeth to remove the Scandal of them which I know not how it can at first be done without some declaration to the party or Church offended what God hath done for us what a change he hath wrought in us until by a contrary conversation which is a work of time the best evidence we can make it more really to appear to them 4. Lastly The Credit of our professions some times calls to us for it and this is the reason of the performance of this duty with reference to the men of the World who seek all advantages to reproach the good and right ways of the Lord. But this is enough to have spoken doctrinally upon this argument From hence in the first place we may observe That a Child of God may know that he or she is comely Indeed this is not the lot of every Child of God at all times and for them that do know it there are degrees of their knowledge Some have a more some a less certain knowledge but I say a good Christian may know it The Papists indeed make all a Christians faith to be languid and uncertain but Paul was perswaded that nothing should separate him from the Love of God The Spouse knew she was sick of Love and here that altho she was black yet she was also comely tho as the tents of Kedar yet as the Curtains of Solomon also Peter knew that he loved his Master so as he durst appeal to him and say Thou that knowest all things knowest that I Love thee and St. John giving us rules how we might know that we are translated from death to Life supposed that it might be known and if it had not been possible surely Peter would not have quickened us to the use of all diligence to make our calling and election sure That every good Christian doth not certainly know his Spiritual Estate is unquestionable That he who doth know it this day may fall into doubts and fears concerning it is also certain But it is as plain in Scripture that a Christian may walk in the sense and view of his own sincerity and uprightness he may know it by the more special influence of the holy Spirit which witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God and this is of all other the most certain and comfortable knowledge He may also
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
hurt God denieth it because he would do us good and not hurt In this case if the Lord giveth us an heart content to be without the thing we ask he abundantly answereth our prayers and giveth us the general and true desire of our Souls God sometimes answereth our prayers by giving us idem the same thing which we ask but this he never doth but where he seeth it is for our good and that under our present circumstances sometimes he answereth us by giving us tantundem the value of the mercy though not the particular thing which we ask of God thus he answered Paul as to the thorn in his flesh and this is a real answer and with this every Child of God ought to be fully satisfied and contented But this is enough to have said to this point how Christians may know whether Gods time his set time to favour his Church or the Souls of his people is come a point of great concern in order to the satisfaction of Christians why they have not a present answer to their prayers to abate their dissatisfaction as to the inequal motions of Divine Providence in this answer of prayers 3. Lastly Something is necessary with reference to the manner of our prayers if we would so pray as to receive a present answer So two things are necessary 1. That we pray Believingly 2. Fervently 1. Believingly I opened this before under the first head and therefore shall say nothing to it here 2. Fervently That is that which alone I shall here speak to This is much mistaken if it be thought to lie in the vehemency of our tone and expression it lyeth much deeper in the intension of the mind and the Souls secret affection to and in the duty James tells us ch 5. v. 16. The effectual servent prayer of the righteous availeth much The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which properly signifieth operative and working and so working as it produceth the effect The Prophet speaking of God Isaiah 41. 4. useth this expression who hath wrought and done it the Septuagint translate the Hebrew word there by this word the Apostle useth it to express such a working as that by which God bringeth about his decrees Eph. 1. 11. Who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will and again he useth it to express the working of the Devil in wicked men whom he calleth Children of disobedience Eph. 2. 2. In the primitive times those who were acted by the Devil were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because of the great power and force which the evil Spirit put forth upon and shewed in those miserable creatures that were possessed Piscator upon the Text Jam. 5. 16. translates it Ardens the burning flaming prayer Beza translateth it Efficax the efficacious prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubtless signifies that prayer which setteth the whole Soul on work There is a cold dead lazy prayer where the tongue only is set on work or only the tongue and the head or the fancy the one to invent and compose matter the other to utter it but neither of these is that fervent prayer which St. James speaketh of but that prayer which setteth the whole Soul in motion towards God where not only the fancy and imagination and understanding are imployed to invent and suggest matter the will to will it but the affections which indeed in a reasonable creature are but the motions of the will towards its object with the utmost intension to desire it to exercise an hope in God for it c. this is the fervent working prayer mentioned by St. James this prayer doth much with God Jacobs prayer was such a prayer Moses saith he wrestled with God until the morning he said unto God I will not let thee go until thou blessest me the Prophet expounds it Hosea 12. 4. He wept and made supplications unto him by this prayer he had power over the Angel and prevailed as it is there in the words immediately preceding yea and he had a present answer God blessed him before he parted with him as you read in his History Such a prayer was Daniels to which he received also a present answer Dan. 9. v. 3. I saith he set my face to the Lord God to seek by Prayer and Supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes such was Elijahs prayer 1 Kings 18. 42. The text saith He put his face betwixt his knees a posture signifying the great intension of his mind and spirit It is a praying with strong cries and groans which cannot be uttered which is the Apostles phrase Rom. 8. 26. This praying comes up to the first and great commandment Yhou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Soul and all thy strength This is like the drawing the arrow to the head which sendeth it with more force to the mark nor indeed is there a better sign of a sudden answer than when the Lord hath thus prepared the heart A man seldom finds his Soul more then ordinarily fervent and importunate with God for a mercy but when the Lord hath determined suddenly to give it in to him Thus now I have shewed you in what cases God ordinarily gives in speedy answers to his peoples prayer But God doth not do this alwaies 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 crieth out Psal 80. 4. O Lord God of Hosts how long wilt thou be angry with the prayers of thy people And again he shutteth out my prayer Lam. 3. 8. What should be the reason of these inequal dispensations from the hand of the same God and gracious Father I answer 1 Why may not God do it that we may not track him in his ways He will be known to be a free agent He will sometimes give present answer that his people may be confirmed in their faith that God is a God hearing prayer The God that never said to the seed of Jacob seek my face in vain he will not alwaies give a present answer that we may not ascribe too much unto prayer nor will he alwaies delay that we may not ascribe too little to it If God should alwaies give a present answer we should ascribe too much to prayer and make an idol of a duty That the Lord might secure his own glory and be owned as the God of our mercies the object of our faith and dependence the free fountain of all our good things God is pleased sometimes sooner sometimes later to give in answer to his peoples prayer 2. But there may be reason enough for it fetched from the prayers themselves One prayer may be made more in faith than another more fervent than another more fitted to Gods set time for the bestowing of a mercy than another it is true nothing of these can render the prayer more meritorious our prayers take them at the best are too
dependeth upon the will of God He sheweth mercy where he will shew mercy Thus God is said to be present where he sheweth mercy and kindness and to be absent where he with-holdeth his acts of kindness Thus the Saints in Heaven are said to be ever with the Lord in Heaven because they shall be ever under the fullest manifestations of his glory and goodness and the damned are said to depart from God because they are never like more to see him or feel him in any manifestations of his mercy and goodness the shewing of mercy and goodness is so natural to God so much his proper work and delight that he is said to be wholly absent from them to whom he will never more shew kindness and mercy So as to this life God is said to be present with a people when he sheweth them goodness and mercy to be departed and to be absent from them when he with-holdeth from them such dispensations as they have formerly enjoyed and are suited and proper to their wants or desires Now these mercies or good things being such as are suited to the necessities of our bodies here in this life or of our Souls the first of which we usually call the good things of common providence The latter the good things of special grace God is said to be present with or absent from his people with respect to the one or to the other with respect to the good things of common providence God is present with a people when he goeth forth with their Armies gives them peace and plenty success in business prosperity in their tradings and commerce and on the other side he is said to be absent from them and to be departed from them when he goeth not forth with their Armies but makes them to fall before their enemies when he sends amongst them famine and pestilence c. Thus as to particular persons as God is said to be present with persons when he upholdeth their Souls in life their bodies in health when he blesseth them in their businesses and relations and maketh the works of their hands to prosper so he is said to have forsaken them and to be departed from them when he leaves them to sicknesses blasts them in their Estates c. thus Gods presence and being with his people his absence forsaking of and departing from a people or person are often taken in holy writ Thus God may be present with the very worst of men thus he may be absent and depart from the very best of his people But then there is a presence of God with men and women with respect to the good things of special grace Now these things again are such as are either absolutely necessary to salvation Or 2. Such influences as though they be not absolutely necessary to the salvation of the Soul yet do highly accommodate the Soul in its way to Heaven Of the first sort are the graces of justification and of Regeneration Sanctification without these the Soul can never enter into the Kingdom as to these therefore God is always present with never absent from the Souls of any whom he hath chosen and called out of darkness into light in that sense the promise doth and ever shall hold true He will never leave his people nor forsakethem But now there are other influences of grace exceeding pleasant of high advantage accomodation to the Soul in its way to Heaven such are further degrees of strength and ability further freedom lâ—fe and activity and chearfulneâ—s in the service of God pâ—ace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost these are not absolutely necessary unto eternal life and salvation nor to the upholding of spiritual life in the Soul the want of them is only afflictive to the Soul and incumbers it in its spiritual life without a total destruction of it as to these God giveth more or less to the Souls of his people and to the same Souls more or less at one time then at another and so is said to be present or absent from them according to the greater or lesser degrees of these influences which he vouchsafeth unto them and those Souls may be said to be brought into the Lords Chambers to whom he vouchsafeth greater degrees of these gracious influences and those Souls may be said to be under desertions forsaken of God to whom the Lord denieth such degrees of these influences as either themselves have before enjoyed or others do enjoy As to these God is very various in his dispensations they being such dispensations as God upon the covenant of grace is left at liberty to dispense out to the Souls of his people or to with-hold from them according to his own good pleasure and wisdom and which accordingly he doth dispense out in pursute of the design of his own glory and as according to his infinite knowledge and wisdom he seeth will be most for the good of his people when God dispenseth out more of these he is said to be more present with the Souls of his people when he more with-holdeth them he is said to be absent not that at any time he is wholly absent from the Souls of his people as to his gracious presence for without that they were able to do nothing the seed of God abiding in the Soul must be upheld in its life and cherished by the influence of the Sun of righteousness upon the Soul but as God though he be alwaies present in the world by his essential presence yet doth not alwaies shew forth his power in upholding and preserving this or that part of it no not the same parts of it which is the reason of that sickness and mortality with which some parts of it are affected more than others and the same parts of it are affected at some times more than others So as to spiritual influences though he alwaies vouchsafeth such a presence of his gracious influences as shall keep up spiritual life in the Soul yet for further gradual influences the want of which is yet consistent with spiritual life in the Soul the Lord granteth or with holdeth them according to his own will guided by his infinite wisdom with respect to the great ends of his own glory and his peoples good And the Lords withdrawings of this nature are the cause of all the Souls sickness and spiritual distempers upon this are the grievous complaints of the people of God of the strength of their corruptions the violence of temptations their deadness and inactivity to in the operations of the spiritual llfe their heaviness sadness and want of comfort When the Lord granteth out to any of the Souls of his people more of these influences then he may be said to bring them into his Chambers when they find more internal strength to the performance of their duties that their meditation of God is more sweet to them they can believe with less doubting pray with more faith more fervour less distraction
old 1 Kings 11. 1. 4. She and his other Wives turned away his heart from God that it was not perfect as was the heart of his Father David He grosly fell away so foully that some question whether he ever had a truth of grace others think his failure a sufficient foundation for their slippery Doctrine of Total and final Apostacy and conclude him damned it is something to our purpose to examine that Question also Qu. Whether Solomons Apostacy was total and final The Arminians say he fell away Totally but not finally Some amongst the Papists have suspended their Judgment concerning his final Apostacy witness the Arch-Bishop of Toledo who had Heaven and Hell pictured in his Chappel and Solomon half in the one half in the other Of this mind are Jansenius Barradius Torniellus Pamelius Feuardentius Hostiensis c. and amongst the Ancients Tertullian and Cyprian to whom also amongst the Protestants Zanchy and Peter Martyr seem to incline Amongst the Ancients Augustine Prosper Basil and Theodoret to whom Pineda reckons Cyprian and Gregory are thought to favour the more severe opinion of Solomons total and final Apostacy Abulensis Tostatus Vega Pererius and Belarmine conclude it The Ancient Jewish Writers and amongst the Ancients of the Christian Church Ireneus Gregor Neocaesar Hilary Hierom Ambrose Cyrill of Hierusalem and others amongst the Papists themselves Aquinas Bonaventure Hugo Cardinalis Comestor Paulus Burgensis Dionis Carthus Genebrard Damianus Pineda Delrio Serarius and Lorinus And with these the generality of Protestants conclude he was no reprobate nor did fall away finally nor say the Protestants totally Solomon saw a great evil under the Sun Princes going on foot while Servants rode on Horseback De-La Champius observeth a greater Evil than this in the impudent Jesuites whose consciences will serve them to reprobate Solomon and Canonize Traytors and other open Servants of Lusts and as he noteth what Dr. Willet long since observed is in this instance verified concerning Bellarmine That it is ordinary with him when he finds his own Doctors divided to take in with the worser part of them We conclude for Solomon that he was a true Child of God and that although he fell yet his fall was neither total nor yet final but he was restored by repentance And for this assertion we conceive we have sufficient Evidence from Scripture besides the Authorities of men already cited declaring their sentiments from several convictions Hierome Cyrill and Pineda urge that Text Prov. 24. 30. where they conceive Solomon speaking in his own Person and saying I went by the field of the sloathful and by the Vineyard of the man void of understanding and loe it was all grown over with Thorns and Nettles had covered the face thereof and the Stone-wall thereof was broken down v. 32. This I saw and considered it well I looked upon it and received Instruction To which Pineda joins Prov. 30. 1 2. which if with the Jewish Rabbines we could conclude that unknown Agur to have been Solomon would give some auxiliary strength to that in the 24th Chap. to advantage which Pineda's observation of the ancient Septuagint mixing the 24. and 29. and these words of the 30th Chap. together as if all were spake by the same man and of himself may be worthy of consideration Bachiarius Serarius and De-La Champius urge a 2d Argument from 1 Kings 11. 43. and 2 Chron. 9. 31. where it is said that when he died he was buried with the Kings of Israel which they think strengthened by their observation that the Scripture mentions the the burial of Ammon Joram and Joash 3 Wicked Princes elsewhere But we must have better Arguments than this for we are told that Abiam 1 Kings 15 8. was buried in the City of David so was Amaziah 2 Chron. 25. 8. and Rehoboam 2 Chron. 12. 1. when on the other side Manasses though reconciled to God before his death yet had not the honour of that burial As the wisdom of divine providence hath left the surface of the Earth for a common walk both for the just and unjust so nothing appears but that the will of God hath left the bosom of it in any part thereof a common bed for them nor do I find any sufficient evidence of any consecrated burial-places so early in the world which had there been and had we found Solomons Tomb there it would have told us no more than the Churches opinion of him and that usually to Princes is very charitable and questionless would have been so to him who was the greatest Prince which the Earth ever saw But certainly for that argument which De-La Champius and Pineda both bring from the Covenant made with David concerning Solomon mentioned 2 Sam. 7. 14. 1 Chron. 17. 13. and Psal 89. v. 20 21 22 c. to the 37th v. we may say of it as David of the Sword of Goliah There is none to it Let us a little view the Text In the first you have the words of God spoken to Nathan going to enquire Gods approbation of Davids design to build a Temple the Lord denies David liberty but takes his offer kindly and bids the Prophet tell David That when his days should be fulfilled and he should sleep with his Fathers God would set up his seed after him which should proceed out of his bowels and establish his Kingdom v. 13. I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever v. 14. I will be his Father and he shall be my Child If he commit iniquity I will chasten him with the rod of Men and with the stripes of the Children of Men But my mercy shall not depart from him as I took it from Saul whom I put away before thee In the book of Chronicles 1 Chron. 17. you have the same thing repeated only there v. 14. you have I will settle him in my house In the 89th Psal you have a larger account of that covenant so far as concerns David v. 20. 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28. v. 29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever c. If his Children forsake my law and walk not in my judgments Then will I visit theer transgression with the rod and their iniquity with stripes Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lie unto David In this Text you plainly discern a Covenant made with David on the behalf of his Seed and that Seed of his that should sit upon his Throne which was Solomon as well as on the behalf of himself Concerning him God saith 1. I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom 2. I will be his Father and he shall be my Child 3. If he sins I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the stripes of the
Children of men Psal 89. I will visit his transgression with a rod and his iniquity with stripes 4. My mercy shall not depart from him as from Saul Psal 89. Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him Nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 1. God covenants that although Solomon should sin yet he would not take his mercy from him The very term of Mercy signifies more than the continuance of the Crown to him for as Tychonius observes David would have understood little mercy for his Son to have enjoyed a temporal Kingdom and lost an eternal inheritance 2. The punishment which God threatens to him in case of sinning was but a Rod. The Rod of Men for if we should allow nothing to Pineda's Criticisme upon the term used Enosh to signify men here which properly signifies a weak old man who cannot lay on strokes hard but chastiseth his Child gently so as the Rod of Men here mentioned should be opposed to the grounded staff mentioned Isaiah 30. 32. which God makes to rest upon others yet certainly the termof a Rod with the adjunct of Men speaks a very gentle chastning with which eternal punishment is no way consistent 3. Add to this That the Holy Ghost the most certain Interpreter of Scripture 1 Cor. 6. 18. Applies the very promise here made to the Children of God I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my Sons and Daughters I say who so considereth these things must certainly conclude that Gods obligation by this Covenant extended further than the continuance of the temporal dominion in his line which is also advantaged by the consideration that Solomon in his life time was chastened with the Rods of Men 1 Kings 11. God stirred up against him Hadad Rezin and Jeroboam He was doubtless chastened of the Lord that he might not be condemned with the world Nor can any reasonably think to avoid the dint of the Argument drawn from these Texts by telling us That a greater than Solomon is understood in them even he of whom Solomon was but a Type For although it be true that divers of the Ancients favoured that notion amongst whom was Augustine Ambrose Tertullian and Theodoret and that some passages in the aforementioned Texts seem to be by the Holy Ghost himself applied to Christ amongst which that eminent part of this Covenant I will be to him a Father c. besides that others seem applicable to no other as where he promiseth to establish his Kingdom for ever yet it is as true that the promise I will be to him a Father as I shewed before is also by the Holy Ghost applied to believers 1 Cor. 6. 18. and those who understand the Hebrew Idiome know that the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth often signify less than Eternity strictly so called and it is as certain that Hierome and divers others of the Ancients apply these Texts literally to Solomon Possibly they compound the business better who considering Solomon as a Type of Christ divide the Covenant made with David betwixt Solomon and Christ thinking that part concerneth Solomon and part concerneth Christ Sure it is that Solomon built the material Temple not Christ and Solomon alone not Christ was in a capacity to forsake the Commandments of God and for the promissory part if we say it concerned Solomon in the letter and Christ in the Mystery and Antitype I think we shall not much err nor will this interpretation at all weaken the strength of our argument I find a 4th Argument for this eminent Person brought from 2 Sam. 12. 24 25. compared with Neb. 13. 26. and 1 Kings 3. 3. from whence De-La Champius observeth 3 things 1. That it is said God loved him 2 Sam. 12. 24. And the Lord loved him Neh. 13. 26. He was beloved of his God 2. In token of this love God gave him his name Jedidiah i. e. beloved of God 3. The Scripture saith he loved the Lord. The consideration of the latter makes the plea vain of those who to avoid the dint of this Argument would interpret Gods love of that general favour which he extends to every Creature distinguished from that by which he elevates the Creature to a participation of the Divine Nature for that love is not so efficacious as to produce a reciprocal love in the Creature to God again we therefore love him because he loved us first which being granted unless we grant God as mutable as man and deny what he hath said that whom he loves he loves to the End We must allow that Solomon notwithstanding his great miscarriages was yet beloved of God and died in a state of Grace Now to these Arguments might further be added as strong presumptions in the case yielding at least some auxiliary strength That no Text speaketh so desperȧtely concerning Solomon that the Scripture 1 Kings 11. 4. speaking of his falling seems to hint it a sin of infirmity in his old age and through the great temptation of his Wives That he did only tolerate Idolatry not make it the Religion of the Nation That he after this as is at least probably and generally concluded wrote in testimony of his repentance the book of Ecclesiastes That he was the Sacred Penman of Scripture These things may much confirm our charitable opinion in the case for although it be true that I know no reason to the contrary but that God who made use of the Son of Perdition to preach his everlasting Gospel might also with consistency enough to the wisdom of his Providence make use of a Child of Perdition to write and ingross what his holy Spirit first dictated nor saith Augustine hath God less consulted his own glory in it for now all the good and glory of the truth revealed in those books will be given to God Beside it is said that Balaams Song is also recorded in Scripture and a piece of holy writ yet considering that no one book of holy writ was wrote by such a withered hand as that of a reprobates and that the Scripture fixeth no such mark upon this great Person who was the Author of three Books there and that one of these Books at least appears let Bellarmine say what he will to be wrote after the days of his Vanity and hath in it evident marks of his nauseating his lusts and former vanities of pleasure love riches c. Nor have there been wanting some who have thought so of the other two Books also viz. the Proverbs and the Canticles And to these if we add that he was an eminent Type of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I say if we lay all these things together we shall I think neither stand in need of the Rabbinical figments who tell us formal stories of Solomons repentance Nor yet of that auxiliary help in which Pineda much triumpheth which Petrus de Castro affords from that Sculpture in leaden Plates wrote in ancient Arabick Characters and
and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desideravit he hath desired Love is nothing else but a willing of good to the object beloved and desire is the eldest Daughter and first fruit of love For the particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore they shew the cause of the believers loving of the Lord Jesus Christ because of the savour of his good Ointments The excellencies of grace which are in him of which it hath a spiritual sense This whole verse comprehends a second Argument by which the Spouse inforceth her first petition The first was drawn from that high esteem which her soul had of the love and grace of Christ 2. This is drawn from that particular affection which she had for him common to all spiritual Virgins which she shews was not brutish and irrational no it was because he was full of grace which was more precious than the most excellent Ointments and she had received the savour of this grace for his discovery of himself to the world as a Saviour and more specially to her soul as her Saviour was as an Ointment poured forth You may now take the substance of these two verses and so of the Spouses first and great petition thus Oh! That it might please my dearly beloved Saviour who is my Spiritual Bridegroom to shew me some token of special love and to multiply those tokens to me more specially in and by the words of his Mouth in Gospel Doctrines to speak unto my Soul which doth really prefer the tokens of his love and influences of his grace before the most choice of all creature comforts My beloved is full of grace and love which is sweet like good Ointment every discovery of himself is as sweet as Ointment poured forth therefore doth my Soul love him and not my Soul only but the Souls of all those who are not deflowered by the world and by lusts From the words thus opened several propositions of truth may be observed The mercies which the believing Soul thirsts after are spiritual distinguishing mercies The least of Christ a kiss is exceeding precious to a gracious Soul Though the least influences of grace be precious to believers yet they will not be satisfied without the fullest dispensations of grace and most frequent repetitions of it Believers have special thirstings after the Word of God The kisses of his Mouth The thirst of a true believer will not be satisfied without a Spiritual inward communion with Christ in his Ordinances The kisses of his Mouth A gracious Soul will be very bold and earnest with God for this spiritual communion with him The Lord Jesus Christ hath Loves A variety of Grace The Loves of Christ are better than Wine than all created comforts whatsoever The believing Souls knowledge of the Excellencies which are in Christ is the ground of its earnest desire of fellowship and communion with him It is an excellent Argument for a Soul to use with God for the obtaining of favours from him if it can truly say that it preferreth his favour before all created goods The Lord Jesus Christ hath good Ointments which cast a savour The name of Christ is as an Ointment poured forth Virgin Souls love the Lord Jesus Christ for those excelling graces which they discern in him Sermon II. Canticles 1. v. 1. 2 3. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth for his loves are better then Wine Because of the savour c. I Have in my former Exercises opened the Text and named those propositions of Doctrine which are couched in the words or rationally to be deduced from them I come now to the particular handling of them beginning with the first The thirst of a believing Soul is after Spiritual distinguishing mercies Nature teacheth every one to say who will shew us any good Good is a thing that all the creation is enamoured upon God is the fountain of all goodness Every good and perfect gift cometh from above from him who is the father of lights Who being not a debtor to the creature must needs dispense it out freely Hence that goodness of God which is his goodness of Beneficence not only dwelling in him as a piece of his divine perfection But flowing from him as a stream from the fountain of his liberality is properly called Mercy whether it be good to us in respect of its sutableness to our outward and bodily wants or to our more inward and Spiritual necessities Hence the Mercies and savours of God are either Bodily respecting out outward Man or Spiritual respecting our inward man The former such now as life health peace and prosperity riches c. are such as God gives to his Enemies as well as to his Friends he maketh his Sun to rise upon the evil and the good And sendeth rain on the just and unjust Math. 5. 45. Spiritual good things again are either Gifts of common or of Special Grace Gifts of common grace such as knowledge invention memory utterance c. These are indeed Spiritual gifts so called by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 1. ch 14. 1. because given out by the Spirit of God and tending to innoble the Spiritual part and they are also called the best gifts 1 Cor. 12. 31. They are so in their kind better than those which only concern the outward man but St. Paul himself mentioneth better than these in the very same Text I shew you a more excellent way Neither are these distinguishing favours but given in common to wicked as well as to good men But now there are Spiritual mercies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so called Not only because they come from the Spirit of Grace and innoble the Spiritual part of man but because they are suted to the greatest necessities of our inward man Such are the grace of Justification Union to and reconciliation with God pardon of Sin and the Senses of that pardon together with all the fruits of the Spirit of regeneration and Sanctification These are the distinguishing favours of God which difference the Child of God from him that is not Now I say these are those favours which the believing Soul thirsteth after and longeth for expressed here under the Metaphor of kisses And properly expressed under that notion Men and women use not to kiss such as they hate but such as they have an affection for It is a civil usage amongst us so to salute strangers indeed but frequency of kisses speaks a distinguishing love and some intimacy of Affection and are not ordinary unless amongst very intimate Friends such as is the Husband and Wife Brethren and Sisters c. But yet a little further When Isay the thirstings of gracious Souls are after such distinguishing tokens of divine love I understand it not Exclusively The Children of God are made up of flesh and blood as well as any others and subject to the same necessities and infirmities
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
may have a need of and they would be good to us at another time we have no need of but they would be hurtful and pernicious to us and this is the reason why our supplications for some things may be absolute and peremptory for other things they ought to be limited conditioned and put up with a reference of our selves to the will and wisdom of God God cannot give evil things unto his Children though they ask them never so importunately never so frequently This our Saviour hath taught us Luke 11. 11. 12. If a Son shall ask Bread of any of you that is a Father will he give him a stone or if he ask a fish will he for a fish give him a Serpent Or if he shall ask an Egg will he offer him a Scorpion if therefore you being evil know how to give good gifts to your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him Mat. 7. 11. it is give good things to them that ask him It is most certain that no one would ask things that are or would be hurtful to him wittingly Children through ignorance may but if they do their parents that have more wisdom will not give them such things No more will our Heavenly Father who knows it is nothing but ignorance that causeth us to ask any thing of that nature And this may help us to understand Gods dispensations and satisfy the people of God though they have not all those things they ask of God if they be such things as are not absolutely and perfectly good they may be such things as the Lord knoweth under our circumstances would be evil and pernicious to us and we are answered by being denied them for though through our weakness and ignorance we asked them as believing them to be good yet had we known them as indeed they were we would have prayed against them The things we ask must be good and such things as we stand in need of indeed therein lies the nature of goodness or they are no matter of a promise and consequently ought to be made no matter of prayer nor would be but for our infirmity and weakness and consequently they may be denied us and we may never have an answer by receiving the things which we ask but are answered in having them denied to us 2. What we ask must be according to the will of God 1 Joh. 5. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask anything according to the will of God he heareth us The Spirit maketh intercession for us according to the will of God Indeed this doth very little differ from the other for whatsoever is good for us is doubtless according to the will of God It is Gods will that no good thing should be with-held from them who live uprightly But there is yet something further that I shall add under this head which is necessary in order to the receiving of a present answer from God If we would have a present answer we must ask for such things not only as it is the will of God we should have but as it is according to the will of God we should have at such a time as we ask and under such circumstances as we then are Solomon telleth us there is a time for all things God hath appointed times and seasons for all his dispensations of providence he had not only promised Canaan to the seed of Abraham but he had set the time after four hundred and thirty years he had not only promised a deliverance out of the Captivity of Babylon but he had also set the time seventy years Hence Daniel was presently heard when he prayed the Text telleth you that he understood by Books the number of the years whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Hierusalem Then he set his face to the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with â—asting c. Dan. 9. 2 3. and while he was speaking God gave him an answer To Habakkuk it fell out otherwise he put up a prayer to to God ch 1. his answer was ch 3. v. 3. The Vision is yet for an appointed time but at the end it shall speak it shall not lie tho it tarry wait for it because it will surely come it will not tarry Had the believing Jews prayed never so often never so seriously for the coming of the seed of Abrahams out of Aegypt and going into Canaan before the four hundred years were expired they could have neither expected nor received any present answer other than according to the tenor of that to Habakkuk because Gen. 15. 16 17. Though God had promised Abraham that he would give unto his Seed the land of Canaan yet he had also told him that they should be strangers in a land that was not theirs and they should serve them and they should afflict them 400 years but afterwards they should come out with great substance and v. 16. In the fourth generation his Seed should come again into Canaan All things are seen by an Omniscient Eye and ordered by an eternal thought Now where the believing prayer meets with an eternal thought as to the time of the mercy there the answer is alwaies present See therefore how confidently the Psalmist prayeth Psal 202. 12. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come when the time the set time for God to favour a Nation or a particular Soul is come then the answer is alwaies present It is therefore the great wisdom of a Christian before he sets himself to pray to inquire so far as he may whether Gods set time for the collation of the mercy is come But will a good Christian say How shall I ever find out this how shall I knows when Gods set time to favour his Church or to favour my or anothers particular Soul is come Times and seasons are not in our hands nor within the compass of our knowledge The case indeed was plain as to the Jews with reference to their servitude in Aegypt and Captivity in Babylon God had then revealed it to and by his Prophets but we have no such revelations now concerning Nations or Churches much less concerning particular Souls It may be my Soul is under the power of some violent and impetuous temptations under the pressure of some strong lusts 〈◊〉 corruptions in some dark hour of desertion I find 〈◊〉 in the case in Holy Writ these promises are sufficient grounds for me to pray but if my prayer must be suited to Gods will as to the time how shall I ever know how to perform my duty how shall I ever pray in faith 1. As we say in our law When in any contract for payment of any sum of money no particular time is exprest for the payment the
present time is to be understood So God having made promises to his people which shall most certainly in their Season be fulfilled and having not expressed the particular time when God will fulfill them to this or that particular Soul The Soul is warranted at all times to ask them of God for we may certainly pray for any thing which is not contrary to Gods revealed will 2. But secondly We knowing that God in his secret purpose hath determined not only the beings but the circumstances of all things cannot infallibly expect present answers of our prayers by giving us the very things which we ask of God Suppose now a Christian under the power of some strong and impetuous temptation whether from his flesh or from his grand adversary he may pray for deliverance from it because God hath promised an happy issue of temptations he may pray in faith Eying Gods power his goodness his truth and faithfulness and being fully persuaded that God will deliver him nay he may pray for a speedy issue and deliverance with submission to the will and wisdom of God you have it in the case of Paul 2 Cor. 12. 9. When the Lord had given him a thorn in his flesh to buffet him what that thorn in the flesh was whether some impetuous motion to sin from within or without we know not be it what it will it was a great burthen a great affliction Paul prays to be delivered and prayeth thrice and no doubt prayed in faith but his desires met not with Gods set time his answer was My grace shall be sufficient for thee Suppose a Soul walking in the dark and seeing no light it prayeth with David when wilt thou comfort me possibly God is not pleased yet to visit it with his consolation yet its prayer is warranted from the promise God hath promised us the manifestations of the Spirit Joh. 14. 21. It prayeth in faith believing that God is able to do it believing that he is full of goodness a rewarder of them that seek him believing that it shall receive even that particular mercy from God in Gods time but it cannot pray in faith believing that it shall presently be comforted Because as to this 〈…〉 hath no bottom no promise to lay hold upon but yet even as to this it may pray in faith having confidence in God that if it be truly good for it it shall be presently answered Thirdly When a Soul findeth that Gods ends in the affliction are obtained and that it is in such a frame as God hath required a people or a soul to be to whom such promises are made it may then conclude that Gods time his set time is come Here are now two rules to guide an inquisitive Christian in the knowledge of Gods set time for the collation of any mercy which he hath promised whether more publick and national or more private or personal 1. When Gods ends in afflicting are obtained and satisfied We say that God and nature do nothing in vain indeed every rational agent propounds to himself an end of all his or her actions Brute Creatures and such as are not indued with reason move and act for some end or other but their end is set them by another But rational agents propound an end to themselves and their ends being obtained their action ceaseth God is the highest rational agent and propoundeth to himself an end in all his actions and his end is alwaies good his supreme end is his own glory that is the best end and he cannot act for one more ignoble but his mediate ends that is by which he proposeth to get himself glory they are several you shall see much of them expressed in that one text Hosea 5. 15. I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face In their affliction they will seek me early There are also other texts of Scripture which let us know Gods ends in the affliction of his people such as those Jer. 9. 7. I will melt them and try them for how shall I do for the Daughter of my people Zech. 13 9. And I will bring the third part through the fire I will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tryed they shall call on my name and I will hear them I will say it is my people and they shall say the Lord is my God From these Scriptures now appear three great ends the obtaining of which he aimeth at that thereby he might be glorified 1. The first is a bringing them to the acknowledgment of their transgressions and an humbling of them in the apprehension ef them God by punishing us whether in our flesh or with more internal troubles in our minds brings our iniquities to our remembrance saies to us in every affliction Know therefore see that it is an evil and bitter thing that thou hast done in that thou hast departed from the living God that his fear hath not been within thee and this is one thing which he aimeth at to bring his people to be vile low in their own Eyes when this is done Gods end is ordinarily fulfilled Hence you shall observe that before Gods promise of a gracious return to his People Jer. 3. 14 15. there is put in v. 13. Only acknowledge thine iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God so that if our affliction hath brought us to this acknowledgment of our iniquities and a lying low before God it may give us encouragement to hope that Gods time his set time is come for though he hath not particularly told us the day and hour when he will return unto his people either in a way of special providence or in a way of special grace yet he having annexed the promise of his gracious returns to his peoples acknowledgment of their offences and humbling themselves he hath effectually told them that when that is done is the time when they may expect to seek his face with a speedy success and gracious issues 2. A second end which God aimeth at in the afflictions of his people whether by with holding some desired mercies from them or making them to feel some sensible smart is the exciting of his Peoples Grace This is plainly expressed in the before-mentioned text Hos 5. 15. I will return saith God unto my place till they ackuowledge their offences and seek my face There are two gracious exercises which the Lord by affliction extiteth 1. The first is the grace of prayer This is most properly signified by the term seek my sace though I know it is a phrase more comprehensive yet that is most ordinarily expressed by it this is not only expressed in that text but in many others Is any man afflicted saith James let him pray so Psal 50. 12. Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and thou shalt praise me Hence it is an excellent sign
that Gods appointed time to shew mercy either to a people or to a Soul is come when the Lord poureth out upon them the Spirit of grace and supplication he more specially moveth and inciteth his people to ask when it is in his heart to give the mercy that they ask of him and on the other side the restraining of prayer from God on our part or the with-holding the Spirit of Prayer on Gods part is an ill sign that our mercy is yet afar off 2. A second exercise of grace the exciting of which God aims at is that of faith Zech. 13. 9. They shall say the Lord is my God this is now when a Soul for the mercy which it desireth is brought off all dependances upon the creature and brought to a sole Eying of and dependency upon God and this is true both as to more publick and national mercies and also as to more private and personal mercies Israel were a great way off mercy when they trusted on the broken reeds of Aeâ—ypt and Assyria instead of helping them they ran into their hands and more wounded them but they were very near mercy when they said Hos 14. 3. Ashur shall not save us neither will we ride upon Horses neither will we say any more to the work of our hands ye are our Gods for in thee the Fatherless finds mercy Mark what God addeth in the very next words I will heal their backslidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon Hence again it appeareth that when People for the mercies they want and would ask of God are brought off all forreign dependencies all creature confidence and brought to a single sole confidence in God this is an excellent sign that the day is dawning upon them and the time come which God hath set in his eternal thoughts wherein he intendeth to shew them favour 3. A third end which God aimeth at in and by our afflictions is the probation and trial of grace I will melt them and try them Jer. 9. 7. I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as Silver is refined and will try them as Gold is tryed Faith and Patience are those two graces which are more eminently tryed in an hour of affliction you have them both mentioned together James 1. 2 3. My Brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations knowing this that the trial of your faith worketh patience and again let patience have its perfect work 1 Pet. 1. 6. You are in heaviness through manisold temptations that the trial of your saith being much more precious then that of Gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be sound unto praise honour and glory c. by faith here is meant a relieance and dependance upon God notwithstanding our trials Job expresseth it well Job 13. 15. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Hence again if a Soul findeth that its affliction be it of what nature it will hath humbled it to Gods foot made it quiet and patient resolving meekly and without repining or murmuring to bear the indignation of God because he hath laid it upon it and that it hath brought him to a reliance and dependance upon God though it doth not see him this again is an excellent sign that Gods set time is come 2. A second rule to know Gods set time by is this When a people or a particular soul is wrought into such a frame as the promise of mercy is made unto David saith of God Psal 20. 17. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou will cause thine ear to hear Mark first God prepareth the heart then he causeth his ear to hear first he prepareth the hearts of people to receive the mercy then he gives out the mercy now how doth God prepare the heart but by working of it up into such a frame as he hath promised the mercy upon and unto 1. He worketh the heart into a patient meek humble submissive frame he heareth the desire of the humble as you have it in that text but of this I have spoken but now 2. In the mountain of the Lord it shall be seen We are then prepared for mercy when we know not how longer to uphold and subsist without it Isaiah 57. 16. I will not saith God contend for ever neither will I be alwaies wroth for the Spirits would fail before me and the Souls which I have made v. 18. I have seen his ways and will heal him and will lead him also and restore comforts unto him When Peter cried out that he sank then Christ lent hhim is hand when the Soul apprehends itself as it were at the last gasp that is often Gods time for he will not suffer his peoples Spirits to fail nor the Souls which he hath made 3. In such dispensations of mercy to the People of God as must depend upon the destroying or removing of their Enemies the exceeding wickedness of the enemy is a good sign that Gods set time is near for the Salvation of his people from them I build this conclusion upon Gods Word to Abraham Gen. 15. 16. where God gives this as the reason why the seed of Abraham should not till after four hundred years take a possession of the land of Canaan for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full The wicked have their day and their day is with reference to the people of God the very power of darkness but as it is with the darkness of the night they say it is darkest just before the dawning of the day so the darkness caused to the Church of God by the wickedness of the wicked when it is at the thickest is a good presage of approaching light So as though the day of the gteatest malice oppression and wickedness of wicked men be a very sad day even the power of darkness yetin this it speaketh well that the salvation of Gods people is nevernearer 4. Lastly In regard the set times of our mercies are hidden from the best of Gods people in case they have not a present answer in kind they must be content if they have it in value I pray observe this God answereth the prayers of his people more ways then one sometimes he answereth them by denying them nor is this a way of answering to be despised for whatsoever the particular thing be which a reasonable Soul desires its general desire is some good Our reasonable natures will not suffer us to ask any thing which is bad if we so apprehend it now such is the infirmity of our state that we in all circumstances do not know what is good for our selves So that God often in denying a particular desire of our Souls answereth the general desire of our Souls we ask what would do us
his Spirit but thy Soul is yet unquiet and impatient it is thy duty yet to wait upon God to chide down thy tumultuous and unquiet thoughts all the risings up and murmurings of thy Soul against God to adore and to admire God where thou canst not see or understand him to acknowledge Gods goodness and holiness though thou canst not discern his goodness as to thee in this particular Thus did David Psal 22. 3. after he had complained that he had cried in the day time and the Lord did not hear and in the night season and was not silent v. 3. he saith But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel This is most certainly our duty under such providences as these are we must not look in this life to understand all Gods ways and methods of providence much less the reasons of them that is a piece of knowledge reserved for another world all that we have to do is to observe and study them and where we cannot find them out to admire and adore them and to wait upon him that wrappeth up himself in thick darkness and hideth his face from the House of Jacob. This waiting doth not only signify a passive quietness silence and patience but an active doing our duty Waiting on the Lord and keeping his way are put together Psal 37. we ought not to leave off praying because in our apprehensions at least our prayers lie by without answer much less to slacken our course of holiness but to resolve as the Church did for Zions sake so for our own sake not to hold our peace we have for this an excellent president in the example of the Church Psal 44. 17. All this is come upon us saith she yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death then she concludeth with prayer v. 23 24 25 26. Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression For our Soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth to the Earth Arise for our help and redeem us for thy mercy sake Sermon XXV Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers IF any asketh who is this King whom the text speaks of as the question soundeth like that Psal 24. v. 8. Who is the King of glory So the answer must be much the same The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel the Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory He is the King of Nations for all the Nations of the Earth are the work of his hands and he hath a Native Lordship and dominion over them He is the King upon the holy hill of Sion the King of Saints they have chosen him he ruleth in them and reigneth over them they have chosen him he hath subdued their hearts unto him and hath chosen them for his peculiar people this is the King of whom the Church and the believing Soul here speaketh and saith The King hath brought me into his Chambers It is the same Person of whom she spake v. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth To whom she said v. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee There she spake to him as her beloved here she speaketh of him as a King there she prayed for something that she wanted here she praiseth and giveth thanks for something she had received I have already taken notice of the alteration of her stile of her so sudden giving thanks upon the quick return God had made to her prayers I come now to consider the mercy or good thing she had received which she expresseth in the same metaphorical dialect which she useth throughout this Song The King hath brought me into his Chambers when I at first opened the whole verse I endeavoured to find out what this mercy was in the receit of which the Spouse triumpheth in this text I then considered Chambers as places more lofty then others and and of more privacy and secrecy and from thence concluded that the Spouse by this phrase signifieth some special favours which she had received from God some special and more near and intimate degrees of fellowship and communion with God into which her beloved had taken her The Proposition I offered from the words for my further explication was this That the Lord Jesus Christ hath Chambers in which he sometimes entertaineth the Souls of his people He hath a favour for them all Rooms in his House for all the sizes of his people but he hath Chambers for some or into which he sometimes takes up the Souls of his Saints the subject of my discourse will be such special favours as God sheweth to some Souls or to the Souls of his people at some times This is evident in holy writ Abraham was called the Friend of God Moses is called his Servant emphatically Moses my Servant is dead David the man according to Gods own heart Solomon was named by God Jedidiah a man beloved of God There are four degrees in the love of God as it respecteth the Children of men 1. He hath a Philanthropy or general love which he sheweth towards all He leaveth not the Heathen without witness In him all men live move and have their being from him they have fruitful times and seasons which fill their bellies with food their hearts with gladness their bellies are filled with his hid treasure The patience of God leadeth them to repentance The invisible things of God even his eternal power and God-head are made known to them by his works of Creation by the things which he hath made 2. He hath a more special love for his Church This is seen in his more special providence exercised towards his whole Church which are more watched over and preserved by a common providence then any other body of people are They have also the Oracles of God the Ordinances of God and means of grace and this latter is certainly an effect of the death of Christ 3. He hath yet a more special love for all those within his Church who are effectually called whose hearts God hath seized and subdued to himself they are made partakes of more special grace being called justified and sanctified and such who shall hereafter be most certainly glorified 4. But there is yet another specialty of Divine love even amongst those who are made partakers of special saving graces some are more specially favoured in this life and shall be more eminently then others glorified in that life which is to come These more special favours to the Saints that are all made partakers of the same saving grace are the subject of my present enquiry 1. Some here understand the mansions of glory but they are forced to make an
and be dejected and conclude against themselves as if they had no share in the love of God much less to repine and murmur against God Against murmuring I offered you some considerations under the first branch of application Against condemning your selves or concluding against the goodness of your spiritual state I shall offer something now There is no ground at all for any such conclusion from these providences The Child 's right to the Father is not to be determined from the portion much less from any particular expression of the Fathers affection if the Child be begotten by the Father if owned by him as his Child this is enough tho some other Child may have more smiles and some particular expressions of kindness which it wanteth If a Christian hath any evidence that he is born again not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of the will of God born again of the Spirit by the incorruptible Seed of the Word this is enough to entitle him to a Sonship if he hath received the Lord Jesus Christ this John 1. 12. gives him a right to be called the Child of God and this new birth is discoverable by the new features in the Souls face the Souls assimilation to God in holiness If these things be found it is a most unreasonable conclusion to conclude against thy Sonship for want of some special favours bestowed upon others and not upon thee so as there is no ground for thy reprobating thy self upon this account and concluding against thy spiritual state because of thy want of some degrees of spiritual priviledges by others enjoyed nor hast thou more ground to despond and to deject thy self as if thou never shouldst attain what thou hast not as yet attained David sets us a rare example in this case Psal 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my Soul why art thou disquieted within me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance The longest night hath a morning following there commonly is a circulation in Divine Providence and as to the Soul of man day and night Summer and Winter follow one another as by a Covenant he that doth not grieve willingly nor willingly afflict the Children of men will not be alwaies crushing the Prisoners of the Earth nor suffer the Souls which he hath made to fail before him 2. As thy condition will prompt thee to endeavour to amend it and to make the case of thy Soul more easy so I would have thee look upon it as thy duty St. Paul had not attained but he forgetting what was behind pressed forward to what was before unto the price of the high calling It is the state of our Souls that we are not perfect neither as to action nor as to fruition but it is all our duty to strive after perfection both after a perfection with respect to action which the Apostle calls a perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord and a perfection as to fruition as to the enioyment of God you have heard that the King of Glory hath Chambers in which he entertaineth some of his peoples Souls admitting them to a fuller further and sweeter enjoyment of himself then others have Let therefore no Christian sit down fully satisfied till he get up into these Chambers I have shewed you a Christian ought to be so far satisfied as if God pleaseth to chain him for a time in a lower room my meaning is to lay a necessity upon him to live beneath these Mountains not to repine murmur against God not to conclude against his spiritual state and interest in God not to despond and defect himself and conclude that because it is now dark it shall never be light with him but yet he ought not to be so far satisfied as not to look after higher degrees of enjoyment of and communion with God There are all the arguments imaginable to be pleaded in this case Whether from profit or pleasure or honour c. But those are so obvious that I shall but wast time to inlarge upon them Every Soul that hath any spiritual sense will acknowledge the desirableness of this But will some Souls say what shall we do that we may attain them I have but four things to offer in this case with which I will conclude 1. Study to abound in active grace The grace I am speaking of is that grace wherein man is partly passive Active grace is that by which we are inabled to our duty in obedience to the will of God the Stairs by which Souls ascend to the Kings Chambers mentioned in the Text as I have interpreted it are the steps of universal holiness which the Apostle calls an holiness in all manner of conversation The promise of Gods shewing his Salvation Psal 50. 21. is made to him that ordereth his conversation aright and the promise of Gods manisesting himself to his peoples Souls is made to them that love Christ and keep his Commandments It is true God sometimes useth his prerogative and hides his face from the most pious and holy Souls for a time and shutteth out their supplications from him you have instances in holy writ as well as in our daily converse but it is past all controversy that those enjoy most of God who walk most with God and the closest walking is the most sweet and comfortable walking Study therefore to excell in holiness that 's the first 2. Behave thy self well in the lower Rooms Look to thy self while God keeps thee in a dark condition that thou dost not add to thine own Chains and lengthen the hours of thy darkness affliction is Gods School by which he fits us for consolation Dost thou ask me what I mean by behaving thy self well I answer short 1 Being watchful and striving against sin those corruptions especially which thou shalt discern most busie in such an hour such as murmuring unbelief impatience c. 2. Keeping up thy hope and saith in God so did David as I shewed you Psal 42. 5. Blessed are they saith our Saviour who have not seen and yet believed 3. Humbly acknowledging thine iniquities thy unworthiness to receive the least mercy or look of grace from God 4. Panting thirsting after fuller degrees of communion with God thus David Psal 63. 1 2. My Soul longeth my flesh thirsteth for thee to see thy power and thy glory c. 3. Abstract thy self as much as thou canst from the world You shall observe that the Servants of God have chosen Mountains places of solitude and removed from the noise of the world when they designed any acts of more special communion with God so Christ often went into a Mountain to pray And God oft chose such places more specially to communicate his mind to his people It was in the Mount God talkt with Moses face to face as a man talks with his friend Divines have observed that those Persons who have enjoyed
humiliation before it be brought home to Christ The Soul being enlightned by the Spirit of Grace seeth the vileness and filthiness of its own heart to that degree that it is ashamed and thinks that it cannot abase itself enough in the sight of God and from this disposition of the Soul to abhor loath and shame itself proceedeth this freedom willingness in the Soul upon all occasions with respect had to Christian prudence to vilify itself by the confession of its own blackness and infirmity 2. It proceedeth also from the habit of humility given to and wrought in the heart of every believer this is one of the perfections of the new Creature it differeth from the other little more then as the dâ—sposition from the habit This teacheth the Soul at all times a mean and low opinion of itself The Hypocrite is alwaies proud and looks upon all his gifts and good actions with a multiplying glass which makes them appear more then they are and greater then they are The humble Soul looks upon all as less In me saith Paul there dwelleth no good thing Hence he can hardly be heard to say any thing but in diminution and defamation of himself 3. It proceeds also from this Souls more perfect understanding the mark of perfection He knoweth better then another what God requires of him what degrees of faith love zeal holiness this makes him a better judge of his own imperfections and more ready to confess and bewail them The Hypocrite and natural man understandeth not the breadth of the Divine Law what faith what holiness God requireth of him he is proud knowing nothing as the Apostle speaks of some 1 Tim. 6. 4. not only his Pride prompting him to exalt himself but his ignorance knowing nothing as he ought to know it is the cause of his want of freedom to this duty It is with such a man as it is with a Sophister in the University A little knowledge that he hath puffeth him up he thinks he knows all things But when he comes to be Master of Arts to have lookt into Books a little more and to understand the compass of learning a little better then he complains of his ignorance and the small portion of knowledge which he hath So the man that hath but a mean and imperfect knowledge of the will of God he is proud and thinketh he knoweth all things but when God comes to open his Eyes and to let him see the mysteries of Divine knowledge he seeth more duty then he saw before and consequently more sin and more defects in his own Soul There is a vast difference betwixt that knowledge of duty sin which is in the heart of a Child of God under the illumination of the Spirit of Grace and that which is in a Soul not under that special illumination 4. Again a Christians often compuring himself with others and judging himself by their measures is often a great cause of this The natural man ordinarily chuseth companions like unto himself and judgeth of himself by their measures seeing himself as the Pharisee Luk. 18. to exceed the Drunkard in temperance and sobriety The Extortioner in justice and mercy the Adulterer in chastity The Atheist in a formality of dutiness a form of godliness he seeth no blackness in himself to confess he is Captain of his Form But now the converted Soul being come to be a companion of those that fear the Lord he sets before himself the examples of the Saints of God in Holy Writ and of those that are yet in the world that excel in virtue In the Scripture he reads of the faith of holy Abraham who believed in hope against hope not staggering at the promise through unbelies the patience of Job who when he had lost all his Estate all his Children yet did not speak inadvisedly with his lips nor charge God foolishly he reads of Davids exceeding love and delight for and in the law of the Lord. When he looks amongst his new Companions he sees in one Christian more tenderness of heart in another more faith in a third more zeal and activity for God then he can find in himself hence he cryeth out of his blackness and bewaileth his coming so short of others 5. Again he liveth in a daily sense of his wants and defects My sin saith David is ever before me and so his tongue doth but express the inward sense and apprehensions of his Soul 6. Lastly as all such Souls will be sensible of their defects and wants so they are continually desirous of an healing of their wounds and a Supply and relief Which they know confession is the way to obtain As for confession unto God the Wise man hath told us Prov. 28 13. That he that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy David telleth us Psal 32. 3. That when he kept silence his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day For saith he Day and night thine hand was heavy upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer What remedy did he find v. 5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee I said I will confess my trangressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my Sin Nor was this a particular favour to David but what others may expect upon the like application to God v. 6. For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him A Godly man knoweth that as the hiding of his disease from the Physician and his wounds from the Chirurgeon is not the way to be cured or healed so neither is the hiding of the nakedness of his Soul fâ—om God the way to have it covered for altho in this there be a difference that our spiritual Physician knoweth our diseases without our discovery of them to him which the earthly Physician doth not yet God notwithstanding his knowledge requiring our acknowledgment makes the case the same And the reason is much the same for the confessing of our sins especially in some cases to a faithful Minister or to private Christians God sent Abraham to Abimelech Gen. 20. 7. For faith he he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee thou shalt live Genesâ— 20. v. 7 and he sent Jobs friend to Job Job 42. v. 7. and saith he my servant Job shall pray for you for him I will accept This in the first place lets us see the difference between a Child of God and one who is but a formal hypocrite An hypocrite generally seeth nothing but whiteness in himself Jehu can see and call Jonadab to see his zeal for the Lord God but he can see nothing of his own self ends in all that he did The Church of Laodicea said I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing tho at the same time she was wretched
was a 2d which I also observed from that viz. That as there is a time when such a Soul will conceal its Love to Christ and will not be brought to own its Love to him So there is a time when it will own and acknowledge it This now would lead me to a discourse of those times when a believer is free to own and acknowledge its grace particularly its love to Christ And those times when it findeth a difficulty and will not be brought to do it But I remember I handled that point when I discoursed the forgoing words I am black but comely I shall therefore here pass it over and come to the matter of the petition or thing wherein she desireth to be instructed viz. Where he fed his flock Where he made his flocks to rest at Noon In the explication of the terms of the Text. I considered the Noon time 1. As the time when Shepherds having driven their flocks into some shady places to lye down and rest were themselves most at leisure and one might have the most private free and full communion with them with the least interruptions At other times of the day till night again comes the Shepherd must have a constant Eye upon his flock According to which sense the phrase is expressive of believing Souls desires of all occasions and opportunities when it may have the most private free and full communion with Christ with the least interruptions 2. Secondly As the time when the Sun shines out hottest So it may be understood of the Churches Noon or the Believers Noon When they were most scorched with Trials and Persecutions So there are 3 Propositions which I before observed The first of which I shall begin with Prop. That a believing Soul is very covetous of such occasions and opportunities when it may injoy the most private free and full communion with Christ with the least interruptions Whiles the Shepherd is driving his flock to their pastures he is in motion one may exchange some few words with him but he cannot have much serious discourse with him when he cometh to his feeding place still his Eye must be after his flock which in their feeding may be prone to straggle but at Noon when his flocks are in the shadow that is the fairest opportunity of converse with the Shepherd It is true it is the infirmity of our humane natures that we cannot at the same time duly attend two different things God is not under the Law of it God cannot be so taken up with one business of providence as to neglect another because of it But while Christ is set out to us under imperfect and infirm comparisons he is set out as one compassed about with our infirmities And certain it is that our communion with him in this life admitteth of many interruptions on our part and there are times and places wherein a good Christian may and doth injoy a more perfect free and full communion with his God then he doth or can do at other times and places The Spouse here desireth to know the times places and opportunities of most free full and perfect communion with God and this I say is the object of every believing Souls desire As to times of this nature they are easily discerned by considering what those things are which most interrupt and hinder our communion with God those are either 1. Worldly cares businesses and distractions or 2. Temptations whether from the stirrings of lusts in our own heart for every man saith James is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed Or from his Grand adversary the Devil So that times of freest communion with God are times when we are likely to be most free from the incumbrances of the World or the â—â—â—lestations of our own lusts or Satans Suggestions As to the two latter there are indeed no times as to which which we can promise our selves an absolute immunity As to the former there are two times The morning or the night season 2. The Sabbath day 1. The morning or night season That is a time for rest and when the greatest part of the World are at their natural rest hence you shall observe that the Servants of God have often made choice of these times for their more private and free communion with God Psal 5. 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning in the morning will I direct my Prayer unto thee and will look up Psal 59. 16. I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning Psal 63. 1. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee v. 6. When I remember thee on my bed and meditate on the in the night watches Times of least business in the World and greatest silence from the noises businesses of the World are the times for freest communion with God not that God is not as ready to hear our Prayers and to communicate himself at other times but because the Souls of Gods People are not so free in themselves for whereas the life of our communion with God lyeth in the attention of our thoughts and fervency of our Spirits And the latter of these hath also a great dependence on the former it is impossible for us to keep our thoughts so intent upon our duty when the noises and businesses of the World distract us as when we have nothing of that nature from the World to disturb or divert us 2. The Sabbath day is likewise such another time and so are other times which we have voluntarily set apart for the Solemn seeking of God but the former especially For tho the Law of the Lord for the Sanctification of the Sabbath hath not such an influence upon the World as were highly to be desired yet in the places especially where we live it hath some influence so that the most of men and women cease from all servile labour and there is a great silence in the World that day in comparison of other days and that law taketh a great hold upon the hearts of all such as truly fear God so as none of them durst ingage themselves in wordly businesses as on other dayes and tho this be not the case as to such solemn days as Christians set apart for religious duties yet we having laid our selves under a private law tho the time at first was our own and we needed not to have dedicated it to the Lord yet having done it we think our selves justly to be more ingaged and concerned to lay the World out of our sight and thoughts and and this doubtless much commendeth the practice of Christians in setting some times of this nature apart for the solemn service of God As to places under the Gospel we have no such place as the Temple at Hierusalem none to which any such promise is made our Rule is Every where to Worship the Father Every where to list up pure hands But yet though there be no particular place concerning which we
their Evils 2. Secondly Friendship speaketh free and ingenuous Love Not the Love of a Child to a Father which is Natural to which he is obliged by a filial duty because of his Fathers care of and provision for him not the Love of a Servant which is purchased by a kind usage and dependance A friend loveth freely The Love of true Friends is ordinarily an inaccountable thing They love one another and can hardly give one another an account of it further than a goodness and excellency a suitableness and likeness which they discern or at least think they see each in other Christs Love to us is free He healeth our backslidings and loveth us freely He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy The reciprocal Love of the believing Soul is not so free and so ingenuous as is his beloveds love to him Yet it is thus far ingenuous that it is not only for that the Soul hath from Christ but for that goodness and excellency which it discerneth in Christ this we had before Because of the Savour of thy good Ointments therefore do the Virgins Love thee 3. Love properly doth not make a friend unless it be mutual and reciprocal Indeed in a large sense a man may be said to be a friend to his Enemy That is to wish well to him and to do him some kind Offices But this is not friendship All Friendship implyeth a reciprocation of Love Christ Loves the believer and every true believer loveth Christ So they are Friends in the strictest and most proper sense Indeed there is a great difference which is well expressed by one of the Casuists thus We will good to him but we do not bestow that good upon him which we will him But he while he willeth good to us also giveth us that good which he willeth and by his loving us maketh us good and lovely But every Child of God truly loveth Christ truly I say that is sincerely though not with that kind or degree of Love with which Christ loveth him Lord saith Peter thou that knowest all things knowest that I Love thee And If any man Loves not the Lord Jesus saith the Apostle let him be Anathema Maranatha 4. Lastly Love of friendship alwaies speaketh Communion betwixt the two Lovers We are bound to Love our Enemies and in every good man there is such a Love even to those that hate them but this is no Love of friendship for the Precept of Love to Enemies obligeth onely against malice and private Revenge and to common Offices of kindness it doth not oblige to intimacy or to any near fellowship and Communion with them We are so far obliged to Love our Enemies as to bear no malice against them to take no private Revenge upon them to be ready to do any acts of kindness for their Souls and any common offices of love But I say we are not by it obliged to make them our intimates nor to keep any fellowship or communion with them But in a Love of friendship there is alwaies Communion or a mutual Communication of the Parties loving each to others Christ gives this account of his love of friendship to his disciples John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not Servants for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you Friends for all things I have heard of my Father I have made known to you Christ Communicates himself to believers to such as are his disciples indeed he is in them they in him and he is daily Communicating of his life and strength to them for John 15. 4. Without him they can do nothing They are daily communicating themselves unto him making a secret surrender to him of their hearts their wills their affections Communicating their wants and desires to him by Prayer c. Thus I have justified the notion of Christs Love his friend his Companion to be agreeable to what the Scripture revealeth concerning Christ and the believing Soul This in the first place leadeth us into a just admiration of the Divine Love and condescension Who is this that calleth from Heaven to Earth to the Worms of the Earth and speaketh in this language My Love My Friend My Fellow Is it not he who is the Eternal Son of God God over all blessed for ever he to whom there is none like and besides whom there is no God He whom God calleth his fellow and who thought it no robbery to be equal with the Father And to whom doth he speak Is it not to those who must say to corruption thou art my Mother and to the Worms you are my brethren and my Sisters To those whose Fathers are Amorites and whose Mothers are Hittites who by nature are dead in trespasses and sins unclean Children of unclean Parents Will the Lord Love such Ethioptans as we are by nature Such Enemies as we have shewed our selves by practice Will the Lord make himself a companion to the creature that is but as the dust of his feet What manner of Love and condescension is this For him whom the Eternal Father hath proclaimed to be his Son and that Son in whom he is well pleased in whom the Lord hath set up his rest he whom Kings and Prophets desired to see whom Angels and glorified Saints adore to whom the Father hath given a name above every name he who hath Heaven for his throne the Earth for his footstool and the utmost ends of the Earth for his possession to say to us My Love My Friend My Companion Certainly these terms ought to ravish our hearts and to affect them with in expressible admiration and to whom doth he say thus Is it only to the Glories and beauties of the World To the Emperors Rings Princes and Nobles thereof No he saith thus to every believer even the meanest that treadeth upon the Earth to the most poor distressed afflicted creature to Job that sits upon a dunghill scraping himself with a potsheard to Lazarus that lyeth at the rich mans gate full of sores and begging bread while the Dogs lick his sores to the poorest believer living in the meanest and dirtiest Gottage to those whom the World revileth slighteth scorneth to those who have spit in his face and abused his patience and despised his goodness that have hardened their hearts against him grieved his holy Spirit Yet having repented of these things and being turned to him to these he calleth to these he saith My Love My Friends My Companions He upbraideth them not for their former miscarriages to these he becometh a fellow Prisoner in these he becomes a fellow helper these shall be joint heirs with him Hear O Heavens be astonished O Earth never was Love like this never such matchless Love Let all our Souls swallow up themselves in this gulph of unfathomable Love and while we are sinking let us cry out O the height and depth and length and breadth of the Love of God in Jesus Christ It is a
not so easy to give you a just account of her expression and to set out the aptness of the Metaphor which she here used The difficulty of which ariseth from this that the plant to which or to the Gum of which she here resembleth her Beloved is an exotick plant not known to us in these countries neither in the kind nor in the qualities we having no perfect account given us by any of the Natures of those several plants which grew in those Eastern Countries Which hath made that great diversity of Interpreters in translating the Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we and it is but a conjecture translate Camphire The Vulg. Lat. Sept. and Tremellius the Dutch Translators translate it Cypress Castalio the Cyprian Grapes the Arabick a cluster of Flowers Pagnine and Montanus translate it not at all but put in Copher the Heb. word The Tig. Version Caphurd Camphire Let us indeavour as far as we may to find out the truth by way of Explication of the Text we will therefore enquire 1. Qu. What were these Vineyards of Engedi 2. What is this Cluster of Copher or Camphire growing in these Vineyards to which the Spouse here resembleth her beloved 3. Why she resembleth him in this manner to a Cluster of Copher in the Vineyards of Engedi 1. Qu What were these Vineyards of Engedi The name Engedi signifieth Oculus hoedi a kids Eye It was a City the same with Hazazon Tamar 2 Chron. 20. 2. Now Hazazon Tamar was a City of the Amorites Gen. 14. 7. called by them Hazazon Tamar taken in by Josuah in the conquest of Canaan and by him set out to the tribe of Judah for a part of their portion Jos 15. 62. From which place you may observe it was a City and in or near the Wilderness it was a place at or near which were strong bolds David fled thither from Saul 1 Sam. 23. 29. 1. 24. where you read of the wilderness and of the strong holds of Engedi But of the Vineyards at Engedi you read no where else in holy Writ Some tell us that the Queen of Sheba brought with her out of her Country some choice and odoriferous Plants which Solomon planted here and that they thrave exceedingly Hazazon Tamar signifies a City of Palms and speaks it anciently famous for rare plants for it was called by that name in Abrahams time Nierembergius tells us it was a place of old famous for a multitude of sweet smelling plants especially Balsams which it brought forth in great plenty Which balsams say he and others were certain shrubby plants which if an incision were made into them with a sharp stone or a knife of bone or Glass a sweet smelling juice dropped from them and they say that Engedi continued such a place till Herods time when Cleopatra transplanted them into Egypt they say there are still in Engaddi some remainders of those plants but of no value But they say there is yet in Egypt a great Garden full of them betwixt Heliopolis and Babylon which Saligniacus saith he saw and many strange stories he and others tell of Christ when he was in Egypt being washed in a fountain nigh this Garden c. But they are Apocryphal and I shall not trouble you with them But Qu. 2. What is meant here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we translate a Cluster of Camphire We translate it Camphire It is no easy thing to give a just account of it The word in the Heb. according to R. Mordecay Nathan hath 7 distinct significations I shall not need insist upon them all but one or two of them are possibly applicable here for those significations of the word where it signifies the frost or the dew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Exod. 16. 13. A standing cup or a flesh hook as in 1 Paral 18. v. 17. A Village as in 1 Sam. 6. 19. A young Lion as in Judg. 14. 5. It is not in this Text capable of any of these senses by reason of what goes before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cluster or branch c. But besides these there are 3 other significations You read the word Gen. 6. 16. Thou shalt pitch it over with pitch The Heb. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Copher I think Avenarius his conjecture is good who thinks it hath obtained this Signification from its likeness to Gopher which signifies a Pine tree from whence came pitch with which the Ark was covered from this Original signification of the word according to which it signifiesa Covering it hath obtained another it signified the Mercy seat Exod. 25. 17. 37. 6. Either because the Mercy seat was covered with the Cherubims or it self was a kind of covering to the Ark being over it And hence this word also signifies an expiation of sin and is translated Redemption Psal 49. 8. God in pardoning sin provides a covering for it Psal 32. 1. Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered And I find expositors that think there is in this Text a great respect had to that signification of the word But what ever allusion the Spouse may be thought to make to that signification certain it is that she here understands by it a plant which the Jews knew by that name But now what Plant that was is very hard to determine I hinted to you before the various senses of Interpreters some translate it Cypress some Camphire some Cyparis some the Cyprian Grapes Others at a pure loss retain the Heb. word Copher There are three more eminent opnions 1. Some think the sense this As a Cluster of Cyprian Grapes is my Beloved to me Thus Castalio and some others who have observed out of Plin◠that the Cyprian Grapes were famous for sweetness But they did not duly consider the distance between the Isle of Cyprus And Engaddi a City in Juda as Mercer well observes therefore although the Vineyards of Engaddi be mentioned yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was no Vine as some think but some other plant which grew with the Vines as was usual 2. Others think that it is that which we call Privet The Latines Ligustrum The Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which in those Countries was of a better Kind then ours and Pliny tells us bare a White Flower with a kind of Seed in Clusters like Grapes and that of this Plant the Vnguentum Cyprinum was made which had a rare smell 3. Others again think that Cypress is meant as a Cluster of Cypress is my well Beloved unto me Now this Cypress they tell us was a plant which flowed with a sweet Gum. It was a rare sweet smelling Balsam and the Best of it grew in the Vineyards of Engaddi You see how much Interpreters are in their sense divided concerning the nature of this Plant from which the Metaphor of the Text is drawn And no wonder then if it be hard to determine the third thing
is incomparable and incomprehensible but it is impossible fully to delineate his glory to you yet something we may speak more particularly 2. Therefore Christs Beauty is a Primitive Beauty The Beauty of the most eminent Saint is no more than a derivative Beauty we are clean through Christ's cleanness and we are comely through Christ's comeliness Take the Saint out of Christ he hath nothing in him but blackness ugliness and deformity all his Beauty is derived from Christ he is but like the Star that hath its Light from the Sun being of it self but a thicker part of coelestial matter yea he is in a lower degree than a Star which the Philosopher saith hath some though a very small Light of his own The Child of God of himself is not only dark but darkness You were once darkness saith the Apostle but now you are light in the Lord. But now Christ is not only lightsom but light it self I am the true Light Job 1. 9. Joh. 8. 12. Yea and his Light his Beauty is from himself Consider him as God equal with the Father and coaevous with him all the Divine Perfections were in him The whole Beauty of the Godhead was in Christ Consider him indeed as to his Humane Nature so his Beauty was derivative the Spirit was given to him though not by measure Joh. 3. 34 Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell But consider now the Lord Jesus Christ personally as God and Man and so all his Beauty was Primitive and from himself His Divine Nature being the Fountain of all Perfections and his Humane Nature receiving the fulness of the Godhead from that Nature to which it was joyned in the fellowship of the same Person Now look what difference there is betwixt the Original Light of the Sun and the borrowed Light of a Star betwixt the Primitive Light of the Fire and the Derivative Light of a Taper such a transcendent difference there is between the Beauty of Christ and the Beauty of a Christian 3. Christ's Beauty is an Essential Beauty When I discoursed to you concerning the Beauty of Christians I told you that their Beauty was accidental and adventitious all those gracious dispositions which are found in the Souls of Saints which make them lovely and beautiful either in the Eyes of Christ or of their Brethren are but adventitious qualities and accidents no part of their Essence But Christ's Beauty is Essential to him It is certainly true that there are no accidents in God all that love and goodness and mercy which is in Jesus Christ that slowness to conceive a wrath and readiness to forgive it is all Essential unto him Essentia Divina identificat sibi omnia quae sunt in Divinis say the Schoolmen Christ is from his Essence wise good gracious holy c. Now every ones Reason will easily apprehend a transcendent difference between Essential and Substantial Beauty and Adventitious and Accidental Beauty But 4. Christ's Beauty is a spotless Beauty He is called the Sun of Righteousness The Sun hath no spots in it it is all beautiful all glorious The Saints Beauty is a spotted Beauty or at least a Beauty attended with spots it is like the Beauty of the Moon the Moon is a glorious creature but the Moon hath its spots Take the fairest Saint in the World he hath some blemishes much grace but some corruption much rectitude but some crookedness yea he is in nothing perfect He believeth but crieth out Lord help my unbelief He loveth God this is his Beauty Oh! but he wants some degrees of love he bewails his want of love to God and begs of God to teach him to love him there 's his spot in his Beauty He doth direct his waies towards God there 's his Beauty But he cries out Oh that my waies were directed to keep thy Statutes there 's his spot there 's his deformity But now look upon Christ there was no spot found in him no defect of Beauty no mixture of deformity no guile was found in his mouth no deceit in his heart no crookedness in his actions 5. Christ's Beauty is a never fading Beauty I remember that I told you concerning the Beauty of the Saints that it is a durable Beauty it is never wholly lost and it is true in the Eyes of Christ but what 's the reason because the Providence of God continually upholds that state of Beauty which is once conferred Nor hath God so ordered the upholding of the Saints Beauty but that it may fade and decay as to degrees yea and be wholly lost as to humane Judgment 'T is true the Beauty of Justification can never be lost can never decay but the Beauty of Holiness may Now Holiness is a great part of the Saints Beauty both in the Eyes of God and also of men But Christ's Beauty can never fade the Rose of Sharon cannot wither this is proved from the third thing If Beauty could fail from Christ the Divine Essence might be extinguished 6. In the last place Christs beauty is a communicative Beauty The loveliest face in the World cannot procreate such another the most vertuous ingenuous mind cannot communicate its vertue and ingenuity so as to possess another Soul with it You have many a Child of God that is exceeding beautiful both by justifying and regenerating grace but what they have is to themselves The wisest Virgins can lend no Oil to the foolish if they do there will not be enough for them both But now Christs Beauty is communicative he is in himself comely and he can put his comeliness upon others yea which is more he can communicate without loss to himself as the Fire gives heat to all in the Room and yet hath no less heat in itself or as the Sun inlightneth the Moon and all the Stars yea and all the World and yet hath as much light still as it had before that communication So doth the Lord Jesus Christ he hath communicated Beauty to ten thousand thousand Saints even to all that have lived since Adams fall to this day They were all comely through his comeliness put upon them yet hath he in himself the same Beauty he ever had But I have spoke enough to the opening of this point I come to the application in three or four words 1. In the first place This calleth to all the Children of God for that great duty mentioned Rom. 12. 3. Not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith The want of this Spiritual Sobriety hath been one great cause of the Drunkenness of this later age 1. Professors have been too apt to think of themselves above others forgetting that of the Apostle in that Chap. v. 10. In honour preferring one before another ah how vile have Brethren seemed in one anothers Eyes How ready have the
Enallage of tenses to justify their interpretation to say the King hath is put for the King shall bring me c. Aquinas Piscator and some others thus interpret the Spouse The question about degrees of glory is not well agreed amongst Divines there are great Divines on either side as to that opinion nor is it a small difficulty to open in what the glory of one Child of God when he comes in Heaven shall excell anothers When it is certain that they shall all see God inherit his Kingdom be satisfied with his likeness and there shall be no want to any Soul there especially we being taught by our Saviour that every labourer in the Vineyard shall have his penny But yet it is very probably judged by Divines That in that firmament as well as in that which is lower the stars shall differ one from another in glory and that when Christ told his Disciples they should sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel he by it expressed some greater degrees of glory then shall be the portion of his more common Disciples besides that the Scriptures speaking of God's rewarding all men according to their works compared with the disproportion which we see in the works of Believers make it yet more probable So that I must confess my self very inclinable in this point to be of the mind of those Divines who think that in the Mansions of Glory there shall be Chambers though I am not able to distinguish them from the lower Rooms in those blessed Mansions But yet I am not inclinable supposing this to interpret the Spouse as speaking of them here but rather judge her by this phrase designing to express her felicity not discerned by the Eye of Faith which is the Evidence of things not seen but by the Eye of Sense some special favour now received from God and I am therefore concerned further to enquire what these favours may be 2. God hath Chambers of special Providence Some indeed understand that Text Isa 26. 20. Come my people enter into the Chambers and hide thy self concerning the Grave because the righteous are taken away as the Prophet saith from the Evil to come But others and I think better interpret it as an invitation of God to his people in calamitous times to betake themselves into the Chambers of his special providenee the Psalmist saith Psal 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of his Wings In this Chamber there are Closets there is a special providence that attendeth and watcheth over the whole Church as the whole Nation of the Jews were under more special providences than the Heathens but yet there is a more special providence attends the people of God who are so indeed Which is abundantly proved throughout the 91 Psalm so Psal 34. 18. The Eye of the Lord is upon those that fear him and upon those that hope in his mercy To deliver their Souls from death and to keep them alive in Famine But in regard the Spouse here speaketh not of herself as under any circumstances of outward misery or affliction I do not think this is her meaning in this Text these are not the Chambers concerning which the Spouse boasteth that the King had brought her into them she is speaking here doubtless of more spiritual inward dispensations 3. God hath his Chamber of Audience where he receiveth heareth and giveth answer to the prayers of his people This is a near degree of the Souls communion with God and what God hath promised them Psal 34. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his Ears are open unto their cry And again v. 17. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and delivereth them out of all their troubles This is a favour which the Lord affordeth every believer the promises of hearing prayers belong to them all but yet in this Chamber there are Closets also God sometimes granteth a more speedy answer to his pecples prayers sometimes he delayeth and seemeth to be angry with and to shut out his peoples supplications from him but you know it was my whole business in my last discourse to prove and to give you some account of this which may very well supersede any larger discourse upon it under this Proposition Abraham Moses and Daniel and Job were all entertained in these Chambers so are many of the Servants of God at this day men mighty with God in prayer such Favourites in the Court of Heaven that they have no more to do then to form their Petitions and to put them into the hands of Christ and to get upon their Watch-Tower with Habakkuk and see what the Lord will answer God seemeth to have said unto them as Ahasuerus said to Esther What is thy Petition O my Child and what is thy request it shall be performed even to the half of my Kingdom Solomon was entertained by God in this Chamber when the Lord appeared unto him in Gibeon and asked him what shall I give thee and when after his prayer upon the dedication of his Temple the Lord again appeared to him and said I have heard thy prayer and have chosen this place for my self a Soul may be said to be brought into this Chamber either when it findeth that God hath answered its prayers at any time Or 2. When it before it prays ordinarily findeth a persuasion within itself that it shall be answered and so goeth with boldness and confidence to the throne of grace and poureth out its self unto God without doubting 4. God hath Chambers which I may call the Chambers of his special presence This being the thing which I conceive chiefly intended in this metaphorical expression I shall spend a little time in the explication of it The Scripture speaking much of Gods presence with and absence from his people his being with them or forsaking them and departure from them that you may in some measure understand those phrases Consider 1. There is a presence of the Divine Essence in all places in respect of which it is said The Lord filleth Heaven and Earth In respect of this he is never far from any of us he is neither shut up in nor shut out of any place nor is he more present in one place then he is in another according to that barbarous verse Enter praesenter Deus est ubique potenter God is every where in respect of his being essential presence and power 2. There is a presence of the Divine goodness it 's communicative goodness for there is an essential goodness which can never be separated from it wherever the divine being is there is infinite goodness but there is in God not only a goodness of perfection which is essential to God and inseparable from him but a goodness of bounty and beneficence which is nothing else but the goodness of God affecting the creature and flowing out upon the creature now this