vilest thing in the world that there is no way of Salvation but by Jesus Christ In short any Gospel Proposition may easily be made probable either by reason working from connate natural Principles or at least to those Souls that own the Scriptures to be the Word of God from Propositions of holy Writ but still I say till the holy Spirit of God comes to teach the Soul the Soul will not be fully persuaded indeed not at all persuaded but have this and the other thing to say against it Nothing silenceth the Soul to the revelation of any Spiritual Truth so as it disputeth it no more unless it be perhaps in a fit or under some great temptation but this Demonstration of the Spirit Fourthly The Spirit teacheth by Recapitulation or bringing to remembrance I have my ground for this from that of our Saviour Joh. 14. 6. The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he will teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you This Teaching by way of bringing to remembrance is an excellent way of Teaching It is one reason why Christians profit no more by hearing because they never meditate they seldom or never call to remembrance what they have heard If a Schoolmaster should learn a Child his Grammar Rules once and never make him bring them again to his remembrance he would learn but little An improvement in notional knowledge of spiritual things doth depend upon often calling to remembrance what we have heard But the Spirits bringing to remembrance is yet a more excellent thing and there is the same disproportion betwixt our own bringing to remembrance something we have read of the Word of God or heard out of it and the holy Spirit 's bringing to remembrance that there is betwixt Ministerial Instruction and the Instruction of the Spirit of God at the first As man's instruction and first teaching reacheth no further than that power of man's Soul by which he receiveth the bare notion of a thing and that imperfectly too but the holy Spirit instructeth the heart and reins and teacheth the secret and inward parts of the Soul So man's bringing to remembrance things which we have heard from God doth no more than revive the notion of them in our understandings making the first prints of them more deep plain and legible But the holy Spirit 's bringing things to remembrance is a bringing them to the remembrance of the whole Soul renewing those motions of the will and affections which it taught the Soul with reference to those Propositions which by Ministerial Teaching or by reading the Word were first by the help of our Eyes and Ears brought into our Souls and carried by the holy Spirit of God further into the understanding the will and affections by which the Soul is anew instructed convinced comforted strengthened c. to which our repetitions of and discourses of what we have read and heard serve but as means to so noble an end and without the attaining of that indeed is of very little significancy to our Souls real profit and advantage Lastly The Spirit 's Teaching is by strengthening and quickening the Soul to practice We call upon men not to be hearers of the Word but doers of it also but we cannot make them so we cannot give them an inward Principle of Life either strengthening or quickening them to do what we call to them for and this is the reason why we oft-times labour in vain and spend our strength for nothing and in vain Old Adam is too hard for young Melancthon We see this in the experience of every School-Boy The best Teaching is by practice Let a Child learn his Rules never so well he understands them not till he comes to reduce them to practice therefore the best Teachers put Children upon practice as soon as they can Solomon tells us Pro 1. 7. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Knowledge The end of all Knowledge is practice We therefore desire to know that we might practice he that hath not been taught to practice in the things of God hath indeed learned nothing By this time I hope I have shewed you that admitting the teaching of the Letter and of the Ministers there is none left for the teaching of the Spirit and that there is a vast difference betwixt a meer external Communion with God in his Word and an internal Communion with him in and by the Word so as we have no reason either to despise Ordinances or to rest in that external homage which we pay unto God in the observance of them and sufficient reason why the Soul of an understanding Christian should not be satisfied with the reading and hearing the words of Christ's mouth without the kisses of his mouth For the proof of the Proposition I shall give you first the instance of holy David take it as it lieth before you Ps 63. 1 2. 3. O God saith he thou art my God early will I seek thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is he means no waters of the Sanctuary The title of that Psalm tells you that Psalm was composed when David was in the wilderness of Judah in the time of his persecution by Saul when he had not the liberty of God's Publick Ordinances In this condition he thirsteth he longeth for what for thee saith he Further yet v. 2. To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Because thy loving-kindness is better than life You see David's desires are not terminated in a coming into the Sanctuary but a seeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary in an understanding the loving-kindness of God revealed in his Sanctuary And in the expression of the same passion Psal 42. 1. 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 God It is manifest by the last words that the thing which David thirsted after was a communion with God in the Ordinances of his Worship but yet not after a meer external communion with him My Soul panteth after thee O God for God the living God So in Psal 119. v. 18. Open my Eyes O Lord that I might discern the wonders of the Law not my Ears only to hear thy Law or my Eyes that I may read the Doctrine of the Law but that I may discern the wonders of thy Law Paul did not think it enough that the Ephesians and Colossians had the Word of God amongst them and Preach'd to them by Apostles and men immediately deriving from them but for the former he prayes that the Eyes of their understanding might be opened and for the latter That the Word of God might dwell in them richly but what need have we of any Scripture in the case I appeal to the experience of
Rocks of Pearl or ten thousand Rivers of Oil. But possibly some may say This is to plead my own merit I answer no for consider who it is that hath wrought in thy heart this value and esteem Is it not God Did flesh and blood reveal any such thing unto thee thou dost not then plead thy own merit thou only pleadest with God from what he hath already wrought and begun in thee 2. It is but the pleading of the promise which God hath made to them that love him and keep his Commandments 3. Neither dost thou plead thy esteem and value for the loves of Christ as meritorious as thinking that thy prizing the loves of Christ meriteth the further manifestations of them to thy Soul thou only pleadest it as a gracious habit wrought in thy Soul by which God hath fulfilled in thy Soul the condition of the promise thou only beggest of God that he who hath wrought in thy Soul that condition to which he hath annexed his promise would now fulfil also that promise to thy Soul which is annexed to that condition Thus I have finished the discourses I designed upon the first Petition of the Spouse as pressed by her first Argument Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth For thy Loves are better than Wine Sermon XIII Canticles 1. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments Thy name is as an Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee I Proceed to the next Proposition which I at first observed from these words which I then largely opened Christ hath good Ointments which cast a savour my meaning is according to my former explication of the words That the Lord Jesus Christ is filled with the graces of the blessed Spirit which in themselves are as good Ointments and whose excellency is discerned by every true Believer by every Soul that is espoused to the Lord Jesus Christ to use the Apostles phrase I have espoused you to one Husband For a further discourse upon this Proposition let me first shew you 1. What I mean by Christs Grace and when I say he is full of the Graces of the holy Spirit 2. In what respects these graces are like to good Ointments 3. What particular graces of the Spirit are thus like to good Ointments 4. Whence it is that they are discerned and more effectually discerned by a gracious heart than another We read in the Psalmist that Christ was anointed mith the Oil of gladness above his fellows Heb. 1. 3. That he was anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power Acts 10. 38. That phrase in the Epistle to the Hebrews borrowed out of Psal 45. as I shewed you is excellently interpreted by John God gave not the Spirit unto him by measure Joh. 3. 34. The Grace of God was said to be upon him Luk. 2. 40. and he is said to be full of Grace and Truth Joh. 1. 14. Grace in Scripture as it relateth unto God is usually taken in one of these two senses 1. For the favour and free love of God by which a Person is accepted of God and so Grace is in St. Pauls Epistles to the Romans and Galatians and in his other Epistles opposed to works thus we are said to be justified by Grace saved by Grace In this sense it is also in Scripture applied to Creatures Esther obtained Grace that is favour in the sight of the King Esther 2. 17. and so in many other Texts Or 2dly it is taken For some holy and virtuous qualities and dispositions by which our Persons being first accepted in Christ we are acceptable unto God Thus it is said Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness we have all received Grace for Grace thus Love is called a Grace 2 Cor. 8. 6. and in this sense the Apostle telleth the Corinthians God is able to make all Grace to abound to them 2 Cor. 8. 9. In this sense we are commanded to grow in Grace that is in holy virtuous dispositions or habits 2 Pet. 3. 18. It is expounded by 2 Pet. 1. 5. Add to your 〈◊〉 virtue and to virtue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly-kindness and to brotherly-kindness charity The Grace of Christ is taken in a double sense 1. Subjectively For that free love and favour which is subjected in Christ and being in him as its Fountain floweth from him to cur Souls In this sense Christ is said to be sail of Grace and truth full of love free love towards his Peoples Souls and truly in this sense Grace comes by Jesus Christ for out of him God loveth no Soul In this sense the Apostle wisheth to the Romans Grace and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Take Grace in this sense Christ is the Subject of it and the medium by whom it floweth from the Eternal Father to the Children of men he himself was from Eternity beloved of God and that both necessarily and freely being his Fathers Son begotten from Eternity the Father loved him delighted in him and indeed in this sense Christ may be said to have been the object of Grace but he was not anointed with this in time he had it from before all times only as to the Grace of Vnion the humane Nature until Christ assumed it was not beloved of God Christ assuming it it became the object of this Grace 2. But secondly the Grace of Christ is also taken objectively for that Grace which was poured out on Christ as Mediator and this is either 1. The Grace of Vnion which is the free love of God assuming the humane nature into a personal union with the Divine Nature in which thing God put a great deal of dignity upon and shewed a great deal of love unto our Nature 2. The grace of Sanctification by which I understand not the same which the Children of God receive upon Regeneration when of unholy they are made holy of impure they are made pure of proud they are made humble c. But those holy dispositions and qualifications which were found in Christ considered as the Son of Man by vertue of the union of the Divine Nature with the Humane Nature and his anointing with the Holy Ghost not given by measure unto him by which he was not only acceptable to his Father as Mediator but he is also exceeding lovely to his Saints So that when I say Christ hath good Ointments abundance of Grace I understand 1. Abundance of free love which dwelt in him as God over all blessed for ever to be dispensed out according to the particular exigencies of all his Peoples Souls 2. Many gracious dispositions which eminently dwelling in the God-Head from all Eternity were also by the Spirit poured out upon the Humane Nature in his Incarnation These are here called by a Metaphor Ointments and good Ointments 1. Because by the communication of these from the Divine
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
Church understands it of the Doctrine of the Law which also suiteth with Davids high commendation of the Law of God in his 19 Psal and in the 119. more largely 2. But reading it Loves possibly they may better interpret it who understand it concerning the Graces of Gods Holy Spirit When we speak of the Grace of Christ we either understand that goodness which is essentially in him as he is the fountain of all Grace full of Grace and Truth the fulness of the God-Head dwelling in him or that goodness which he communicateth to his People in the free pardon of their sins and acceptation of their Persons Or 3 dly Those fruits of his Spirit which abide and dwell in us such as faith love I find some Interpreters both ancient and modern interpreting the Text of the latter So Gregorius Mag. That love to thee and to my Brethren which thou hast wrought in my heart But Beza observeth That it is not usual to Saints to commend their own graces and therefore doubtless it is to be understood of that Grace which is and remains in Christ subjectively of which we are the Objects and to this sense agree the most sober and spiritual Interpreters making the phrase to signify that sweet pleasure which the Soul takes from the feeling of Christs love And possibly this is that Vis lactandi that suckling vertue which Delrio mentioneth which Christs puts forth refreshing the Souls of his Saints with his consolations The word is in the plural number by which the Hebrews were wont not onely to express a multitude of things but also the infinite vertues and dimensions of any thing You must not think saith Beza That in the One Essence of God there are more numerical loves No in him all things are one and he is one But his grace is manifold in respect of our feeling and apprehension and he deals out his love to us in different measures according to our different necessities or capacities The Chaldee Paraphrast with some of the Heb. Doctors understand here the Concret by the Abstract and interpret God's loves to be his beloved people of the Jewish Nation whom he preferreth before Wine viz. before any other Nations threescore and ten Nations to which purpose by their Cabalistical Art they have found out the numerical letters for 70 in the word which we translate Wine But I shall not insist upon so fond and improbable a Notion Having therefore spoken Enough for the Explication of the Subject Thy loves Let us indeavour to understand what is praedicated of this Subject 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They are better then Wine good before wine saith the Heb. Text which is but the same thing in their dialect who so use ordinarily to express the Comparative degree 1. Good in the Philosophical notion of it is whatsoever is the Object of our desire the nature of it lying in a convenience and sutableness of the thing unto our natures which makes it desirable which a thing may be either upon the account of pleasure or profit or nobleness Accordingly the Heb. word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is variously translated merry Esther 1. 10. Beautiful Ruth 3. 7. Thy loves are more good i. e. more sweet pleasant profitable than Wine 2. Wine in its primary signification is the juice of the Grape whose proper Effect it is to make the heart of man merry Psal 104. 15. But this were too low a signification for it in this Text. We must therefore allow a figure The Hebrews were wont under the notion of wine to express all other delectable and pleasant things Hence Ahashuerus his feast is called A Banquet of Wine though it cannot be imagined that Wine was all the guests had for their intertainment It is an usuall Synecdoche to express all things that fall under a common genus by some Eminent Species Some of the ancient Rabbies understood by Wine here quamcunque Laetitiam whatsoever is pleasant and acceptable And in that sence Mercer and the best of modern Interpreters agree For that other interpretation which some make of it who understand by loves Gospel Doctrine and by Wine the Doctrine and dispensation of the Law though it seemeth to have some advantage by the use of Wine in the legal oblations and it be a truth That the Doctrine and dispensation of the Gospel being more sweet and perfect is better than that of the Law which brought nothing to perfection Yet I cannot think it the sense of this Text. Let us conclude then that the words are the Language Either of the Church of God preferring the injoyment of God in the Doctrines and dispensations of his word and Gospel or the words of the believing Soul preferring the influences of divine grace before the sweetest of all creatures comforts And this I take to be the most free and consistent sense and interpretation of the words The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be conceived here to have a double use Either To give a reason of her former desire that her beloved should kiss her with the kisses of his mouth Which she professeth to be like theirs who desire wine They desire that because it is good She desires these because there is a far greater goodness in these heavenly influences than there is in the best of created comforts by which she shews that she was not carried out to these desires insano quodam affectu sed prudente consilio saith Beza by prudent advice and deliberation reason dictating to us the choice and desire of the things which are most excellent Not by an heady and misguided passion Or else to make an argument which might be advantageous to her for the obtaining of her request drawn from the Estimate of Christs love with which her Soul was possessed Lord I esteem thy favour to me above all created comforts in the world Therefore let not my Soul want it And so it suteth with that of David Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon us Thou hast put gladness into my heart more than the time that their Corn and Wine increased And thus these latter words of the Text contain the Spouses first Argument by which she urgeth her petition mentioned in the former part of it She proceedeth v. 3. V. 3. Because of the Savour of thy Ointments Thy name is as ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee The Sept. translate it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulg. Latine joyneth the former part of this verse to the former thus Thy breasts perfumed with the best ointments are better than Wine The difference is not much nor is it an easy labour to determine it because the points and stops which make it are of no great antiquity at least as some think the Hebrew translated for a word seemeth to be thus To the smell of thy good Ointments Thy name is as Oil or Ointment poured out
they have in them cravings and lustings of the flesh David prayeth hard for his life Psal 39. ult and Abraham for a Child and Job for health Jonas is fond of a gourd and Agur beggeth food convenient for him and although Rachel may be too importunate for a Child and Paul for the removal of the Thorn in his flesh yet there is a lawful desire of the good things of this life allowed yea commanded us in that form of Prayer which our Saviour prescribes We are bid to pray Give us this day our daily bread But the Child of God first seeks the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof according to our Saviours prescript Mat. 6. 33. I remember David hath such an expression as this Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his holy Temple If a Child of God had but one thing to ask of God this should be it that it might behold the face of God this is that which it would seek after and look out for Yea this is that which their Souls desire eminenter These are the things for which they will wrestle with God and will not let him go until he shall bless them with them Other things they will beg but these are the things their Souls will spend their strength in and lay the stress upon did you hear the secret pleadings of the awakened Soul with God you would easily discern the difference between the desires it hath towards outward things and those which are in it towards Spiritual and distinguishing mercies and be easily able to say Those are the things that this Soul would have pardon of Sins sense of Gods love victory over its lusts and corruptions strength and inlargement of heart in the service of God These are the things which this Soul would have It asks a Ring but the kiss is that to which it hath most mind And all this must be understood of the gracious Soul when it is itself not in its fits of passion and infirmity then Elijah and Job and Jonah and any of the Children of God may speak according to the flesh the law of their members prevailing against the law of their mind hath brought them into captivity to the law of Sin These things being premised for the explication the truth of the proposition will be abundantly evidenced from the example of the man according to Gods own heart holy David and that in several Psalms Psal 4. 6. Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me There be many that say who will shew us any good but Lord lift thou up the light of thy Countenance upon me The light of the Sun will please others but 't is only the light of thy Countenance that will please me Psal 63. v. 1. 2. 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 in the Sanctuary The sight of the Sanctuary will please another but nothing will please David but the sight of Gods power and glory in the Sanctuary Other-where he prays that the Lord would shew him his way and unite his heart to fear his name That God would come unto him and shew himself unto him c. Nor is it hard to find out the reason of it which lies In the sanctification of the renewed man he hath a new heart given unto him A new heart signifies a new understanding a new will and new affections New not as to the faculties themselves but as to the motions and operations of them in which the soul still follows the dictates of reason and proceedeth in the method of a rational creature 1. The Soul is renewed in its understanding from whence proceedeth a new notion and Judgment concerning things The old Serpent cheated our first Parent when he persuaded her that the fruit of the forbidden Tree was to be desired because in the day she should eat thereof her Eyes should be opened and she should be as God knowing good and evil for from that day forward she was struck blind and the Disease according to Divine ordination proved hereditary All we who are the Children of Adam are born blind neither able to take the true notion of good and evil nor yet to make up a Judgment concerning either discerning the things that differ but naturally every one calleth Evil good and good Evil. The Psalmist saith that man stood not in honour but became like the Beast that perisheth In this much like the Beast indeed that we are meerly led by the conduct of a sensitive appetite not discerning those things which are truly and spiritually good and the reason of this is our not understanding our selves for the nature of all good lying in a conveniency and sutableness of the object to us a knowledge of our own state and wants must reasonably be supposed to a right judgment concerning good and Evil. But amongst other Evils accrewing to us by the fall this was one that we are by nature Blind as to our own State and Strangers to our own Souls not understanding that we are by Nature Children of Wrath poor miserable blind and naked but conceiting that we have need of nothing Hence it is that the Soul is not able to judge of the goodness of Union and Communion with God pardon of sin reconciliation with God c. Nor indeed doth it come to understand it until the Eyes of the understanding be opened by the application of Spiritual Eye-salve laid on by the Finger of the holy Spirit of God Till this time the Soul seeth no beauty in Christ nothing for which he should be desired The goodness of Riches and Pleasures and Honours it knows but as for that transcendent goodness and Excellency which is in Christ what it is it doth not understand Hence it naturally desires life health riches honours success in worldly affairs and such common gifts as may serve it in the world with credit and applause and reputation But for spiritual things for distinguishing tokens of love it is not able to take the heighth and length and depth and breadth of the love of God in them nor to discern their conveniency and sutableness to its undone state and condition hence with the Cock in in the Fable it prefers the Barly Corn before that Pearl of great price for the purchase of which the wise Merchant is willing to sell all that he hath But now the regenerate soul hath its Eyes open to discern the things that are excellent and as it is taught by the Spirit of conviction the truth of its natural and unregenerate Estate so its Eyes are opened to see that nothing but the special love of God in Christ is a good suitable to it or worthy of its caring for
reasonings of one part of the world that have pretended to more Learning and Knowledge than others and the prophane scoffs and mockings of a more silly part of it at the greatest Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Some by Wisdom know not God being under the meer conduct of reason and tying up themselves to the meer informations of that natural Eye Some knowing less have blasphemed God and the holy things of God counting their own Ignorance a sufficient excuse for their Blasphemy None knoweth the things of God aright but he that is under the Teaching of the Spirit Take the first Principle of all Religion viz. That the holy Scriptures are the Word of God no Soul knoweth this as he ought to know it but he that is under a further Teaching than that of the Church or of Reason much less doth it know the momentous Propositions that are contained in those holy Writings To all knowledge there is required 1. A sufficient Revelation 2. A sufficiency in our faculty to receive and comprehend the Revelation The holy Scriptures are a sufficient Revelation of all Truth There are no Mysteries of the Kingdom of God to be admitted but what are there revealed But we want a visive faculty a sufficiency in our understandings to apprehend and to conceive them till the Lord by the finger of his Spirit toucheth our Ears and saith Ephatha be opened When Peter made his confession of Christ for which Christ blessed him Christ addeth Flesh and blood hath not revealed it to him Secondly The Spirit teacheth by a special Application of the Word to the Conscience The Word as written is no more directed to one man than to another it equally concerneth all men When we Preach we are like Benhadad's Archers we draw Bows at adventures and let the Lord's Arrows fly who is it that directs them betwixt the joints of one harness more than another that when we reprove sin and denounce the Judgments of God against it saith to this or that sinner Thou art the man or when we display the grace of the Gospel and open the Promises of God teacheth one Soul to apply them while another refuseth the comfort of them All special Application of the Word to the Soul which indeed is the true Teaching is from the holy Spirit of God It is the Spirit that was promised Joh. 16. 8. to convince the world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment It is the Spirit which convinceth the Soul of Truth of Wrath of Love indeed of any thing of Spiritual Revelation It is the Spirit that makes the Word stick to the Soul All the Ministers on Earth cannot make a threatning to stick to the heart of an hard and impenitent sinner nor a Promise stick to a broken and contrite heart until the Spirit comes and joyneth with the Ministration of the Word We sometimes meditate of the Lord's terrours and compose Discourses with the best Art we are able and in the vanity of our hearts are it may be sometimes saying within our selves Surely this Sermon will alarum some sinners open some blind Eyes Another time we study the Grace of the Gospel and with the best Art we can compose Discourses to affect Souls with the sense of the love of God in Jesus Christ and are ready to think surely this Discourse will affect some Souls and bring them to love and admire Jesus Christ to seek to him for pardon and forgiveness to receive him as the Saviour of man as their Saviour We go about our work and when we have done we see cause to return unto the Lord that sent us mourning and saying We have laboured in vain and spent our strength for nothing and in vain The Spirit of the Lord moves not upon the face of our waters there 's not one Soul washed from its filthiness The Angel comes not and troubles the waters though our people lye from year to year at the Pool yet possible not a Soul is cured of its infirmity The Word is but a dead letter it is the Spirit that quickeneth whom he pleaseth The Word the Minister teacheth us by communicating notions but the Spirit only teacheth by particular and effectual Application of notions to our Souls advantage Thirdly The Spirit teacheth by evident Demonstration There is a threefold Demonstration of things 1. The Demonstration of Sense Thus it is demonstrable that the Fire burneth that Snow is white all know that spiritual things come under no such Demonstration 2. The Demonstration of Reason thus a proper effect is a demonstration of the cause Some Propositions in Religion are indeed capable of this demonstration The Creation demonstrateth a Creator c. But alas there are very few things in Religion that fall under the demonstration of Reason most Propositions of that nature depend upon Revelation and theâ—truth of them is to be judged from thence That Christ is the eternal Son of God That he took upon him our Nature died for Sinners In short all the main Propositions of Religion all Propositions immediately concerning our Salvation all Articles of Faith are things which fall not under the demonstration of Reason 3. There is therefore Thirdly a Demonstration of the Spirit St. Paul tells us his Preaching was in the Demonstration of the Spirit that is attended with the Demonstration of the Spirit and let Scoffers say what they will if this Demonstration of the Spirit attendeth not all our Preaching we do but beat the Air and labour in vain Logicians rightly tell us of two sorts of Arguments The one they call Topicks the other Demonstrations The difference of them lies in the effects they have upon our minds The former make a thing only probable to us the other make it certain If a notion appears only probable to us we have some doubts and fears and suspicions about the truth of it Nothing is demonstrated to us but that of the truth of which we have no further doubts against which we can make no Objections Now nothing but the Spirit of God thus teacheth The Gifts of Ministers are various the discourses of some may be meer words oratorial discourses these of all others have least influence upon any but airy Souls others more mind their work and knowing that nothing but the Word of God layeth hold on the Conscience endeavour to prove what they say by holy Writ and some in this are more happy than others as they are more skilled in the Scriptures and the true sense of them others are more rational in their discourses men of great parts good reason though the second sort of these best discharge their Office yet the effect of the best is to make a thing but probable to the Soul The Soul will find out some distinctions excuses and evasions until it comes under this Teaching of the Spirit it is an easie thing to make it probable to the Soul that it is in a road and high-way to Hell and eternal destruction that sin is the
good pleasure yet he breatheth upon he teacheth no Souls but those Souls that are willing and desirous to learn and to be instructed It is true it is he who first maketh them willing who first enclineth their Ears to hear but he first prepareth the Heart and then causeth his Ear to hear as to Prayer so in hearing he first circumciseth the Ear of a man and enclineth him to hear his Statutes and then he teacheth them He dealeth not with us as with Stocks and Stones but as with rational Creatures in a rational way Attend unto the word which thou goest to hear No teaching no good is to be expected from any teaching where the person only lends an Ear but suffers his Mind extravagantly to wander here and there The Schoolmaster hath no Patience for such a Scholar I am sure God hath no Blessing for such a Soul as in hearing doth not hear nor encline his Ear to Understanding The Scholar gets little by his Master or Tutors reading upon an Author if the Scholar attendeth not to the Text of the Author The Spirits teaching is but a Commentary upon the word it bringeth to remembrance the things which we have heard from God The Soul that attends not to the word which he reads or heareth can expect nothing of the Spirits teaching the word is not like to dwell in that Soul that will not suffer it to come so much as over the Threshold into it I mean into its memory or notion Take heed of Vexing the Spirit in its Teachings It was laid to the charge of the Israelites Isa 53. 10. that they vexed his holy Spirit They vexed the Spirit by an afterwork rebelling against his word not being obedient to what they were taught But men may in hearing vex the Spirit in its Teaching either by Non-Attendency suffering their hearts to be wandring elsewhere when God in his word is teaching the Soul this vexeth any Father or Master in teaching a Child but of this I spake before And not only so but by not giving a special regard to its special Instructions Scarce any of us but in hearing shall find some notions of truth some particular passages that God sets more particularly home and do in a special manner affect the Soul The not observing them or quick forgetting of them is a special vexing of the holy Spirit in its Teachings of our Souls Work together with the Spirit in calling to remembrance what you have heard Talk of the Law of the Lord when thou liest down and when thou risest up when thou sittest by the walls of thy House when thou goest out and when thou comest in The Jews had Phylacteries Rolls of the Law fastened to their Garments to keep the Law in their mind perpetually Our Saviour blamed them for their broad Phylacteries and narrow Practice but he blamed not the means to keep the Law of God in their minds only they used them to a wrong and false â—nâ— used them not to the end for which they made them Follow the word with Prayer Do not only pray for the Spirit before thou hearest but pray for the abidings ofâ— it after thou hast heard to bring to thy remembrance what thou hast heard from God Labour to practise what thou hearest The Master or Tutor is weary of teaching the Scholar to whom he hath read Lecture after Lecture but yet he will do nothing but on the contrary how chearfully doth an ingenuous Master teach that Scholar that to his utmost pâ—tteth in practice what he hath read to him and then cometh to his Tatâ—r begging to be further taught and instructed The Spirit of God will give over that Soul that pretends to be ever learning and yet never comes to any practical Knowledge of the Truth He that is not a meer hearer but a doer of the Word also is the man that shall be blessed indeed Sermon VIII Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for his Loves are better than Wine I Have done now with the matter of the Spouses that is the Churches or the particular believing Souls prayer in this her first Petition I have nothing as to the petition it self to consider but the form of it As to the matter we have found that the thing she would have is Some Special distinguishing favour Some token of God for good to her which might speak him to love her with the Love of a bridegroom to a bride a Husband to his Wife I have shewed you that she asketh modestly but a kiss thereby letting us know how precious the least of Christs Special distinguishing love is to the truly believing Soul Not that the least dispensations and measures of grace will satisfy the Spiritual hunger and thirst of a pious Soul it is one thing for a pious Soul to prize and value the least another thing to be satisfied and fully contented with it she therefore mentions Kisses in the Plural Number as well to signifie the variety of gracious Influences as their frequent Emanations I have further taken notice of her particular desire after a communion with God in his word especially Gospel Doctrines and that not only a more external Communion with God in reading hearing and thinking upon it But the more reall internal Spiritual communion with God in his word which the Soul hath by the teachings of the Spirit She desires not onely to hear the words of his mouth but to be kissed with the kisses of his mouth I have now nothing to do but to consider the form of her words and see if from thence we can gain any further Spiritual Instruction The words are first Vox volentis the Language of a Soul that was willing to receive these impressions if she were not willing she would not have made them the matter of her request Secondly They are Vox cupientis not onely the Language of one that was willing but of one inflamed with a desire after the object willed and proposed They do not express a bare velleity with an indifferency as to the thing They sound a great deal more then He may if he will kiss me with the kisses of his mouth Lastly They are Vox petentis the language of one upon her knees begging it of God as the great thing which she sought after And as I observed to you in the opening of the words she begs reverently modestly humbly boldly fervently The form of her Petition speaketh a well ordered Prayer a Prayer according to the Rules which God hath given us for putting up our Supplications Hence results the Proposition Prop. That believing Souls are not only very willing but exceedingly desirous of a near spiritual communion with Christ and to obtain it will use rightly ordered Prayer In the Proposition here are three things predicated of such a Soul as is the Spouse to this glorious Bridegroom 1. It s willingness that the Lord should have a near and spiritual
and desireth the continuance of it The Ignorant bold presumptuous Sinner desireth not the Love of God the pardon of Sins he thinks he is sure of all Hence now it is that the believer desires the Loves of Christ it apprehendeth them good possible and what its Soul doth stand indaily and further need of which apprehension is the reason why our Souls desire any thing be it of what nature soever we can desire nothing but what we must apprehend good sutable to us in some of our circumstances possible to be attained and such as either wholly or in some degree at least we need 2. According to the degree of our knowledge or apprehension of the goodness of any object so are our desires after it This will justify itself upon experience in all other things we do not desire them according to the degree of goodness in them for then every man must desire the favour of God Union and Communion with him but according to the degree of our knowledge or apprehension of such a good as such Now there are various degrees of knowledge 1. The first and meanest is the meer act of our Understanding which by the help of our Eyes and Ears gaineth the knowledge of things And thus the vilest of men may know that the Loves of Christ are good yea good before wine that is they may have so read in the Bible so heard from Ministers of the Gospel And even this knowledge may produce in a bad man a desire after these things proportioned to his apprehension Hence such a man may faintly will and lazily desire these things 2. A Second degree of Knowledge is Opinion This riseth a little higher the man who thus knows that the Loves of Christ are good doth not onely know it from reading or hearing but from probable Arguments Nor is it difficult for a wicked man thus also to know that the Loves of Christ are good Assoon as he can be made to believe that there is a God and that he is the Fountain of Good and that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God and Equal with the Father both in Essence and all Divine Perfections his Reason will persuade him that there must be a Goodness yea a transcendent Goodness in Christs Loves But while Flesh and Blood only revealeth this thing unto him his Knowledge is incertain and faint and he is subject to thoughts that he may be mistaken and therefore though he may sometimes desire Christs Love yet it is but by fits and with incertainties according to the Nature of the Knowledge and Apprehension he hath of the truth of the things 3. A Third degree of Knowledge is Persuasion arising from Demonstration Now there is 1. A Demonstration of Sense thus we know the Sun shines the Fire burneth c. 2. A Demonstration of Reason when we can conclude a thing from infallible Principles of natural Reason 3. A Demonstration of Faith which is the Demonstration of the Spirit When men know things from the holy Spirits fully persuading them of the truth of this or that from a Divine Revelation This is the Demonstration of faith 4. There is yet a further and higher degree of Knowledg that ariseth from Experience being a sensible Evidence of the truth of what the Soul had before received a little of from the sight of the Eye and hearing of the Ear and more from the persuasion of the Spirit and some Argumentations within itself I say now that according to the degree of the Souls knowledge and apprehension so are the workings of the Affections This of desire in particular Hence the desires of Believers to the Loves of Christ must necessarily be the strongest For the degree of the Knowledge and Apprehension the Believer hath of the goodness of them is higher than it is possible any other Souls should have Other Souls may have read Books discoursing the Loves of Christ or heard Discourses of that tendency or judge so from Arguments of Scripture which may make such a thing probable to them But none but these have any persuasion wrought in their Souls by the Spirit of God of the Excellency of them none else have had any real Tasts and Experience of them Knowledge and Experience of the Goodness of any Objects being those things which move the Soul to desire them and the degree of the Souls apprehension of such Goodness and Excellency in Objects the ground of the Souls Intention in such desires it must necessarily follow that a good Christians Knowledge and Experience of that Goodness which is in Christs Loves must be the grounds of their desires after them There needeth no Scripture to prove this it is evident to our Reason Yet take the Instance of David Psal 4. 6. David desires of God to lift up the light of his Countenance upon him Observe now v. 7. what made him prefer the light of Gods Countenance to the Worldlings Corn and Wine and Oil Thou hast put gladness into my Heart Accordingly he tells us Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee Hence you shall observe that David concludeth many of his Psalms of Praise with Prayer But will some say If they have had experience of the Loves of Christ why should they yet desire them None desires what they have This is true if our Enjoyments were perfect but there is an heighth and depth and length and breadth of the Love of God in Jesus Christ an heighth which the Soul hath not taken a depth which the Soul hath not fathomed a length and breadth which the Soul hath not measured from end to end It is true we desire nothing but what we want either in whole or in part therefore in Heaven will be no desire That which is perfect will be come and all that which is in part only will be done away But we shall never be filled with the Loves of Christ till our Mortality be swallowed up in Life I come now to the Application We may learn from hence That God must shew some act of Love to us before we can shew any Love to him Desires after the Loves of Christ though sincere are the least and first and lowest motions of our Souls toward God These you have heard must arise from a Knowledge and Experience of the goodness of those Loves Now this Knowledge this Experience must be the Gift of God to and the work of God in and upon the Soul yea and that not in a way of common Grace and Illumination but in a way of special Grace for though a common Illumination may produce some faint desires yet it will produce no sincere and effectual desires because the Knowledge begot by them will be flitting and incertain and attended with Doubts Fears and Incertainties So as till the Lord by his Spirit hath wrought in the Soul a persuasion of Faith commanding the Soul without dispute to give credit to what he hath revealed in his Word
and then think to put off God with the bone O desperate folly and presumption offer this now to thy Prince will he accept it canst thou expect Sinner that Christ should freely love thee when thou art grown old who refusedst him when thou wert young canst thou reasonably think that God will be put off with the fag end of thy life dost thou not know how hardly an old sinner is brought to repentance sin is bred and sed in his bones and it will not out art thou aware how acceptable to God the sacrifice of thy youth is under the old law no Sacrifice was admitted that was above three years old Dost not thou remember how kindly God accepted his young Samuel Abijam Josiah Timothy c. who in their youth inclined their hearts unto him doth the good nature and handsome features and sweet perfumes of the young man please thee and is there no excellency in the Graces of him who is full of Grace and Truth is there no savour in Christs Ointments no sweet Odour from his name poured forth O come you that are Virgins behold your Husband an Husband who if you be poor is able to enrich you if you be mean and base is able to honour and to ennoble you who what ever you want is able to supply you O that upon the pouring forth of his name amongst you in this Sermon this day some of your souls this day might be allured to love the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly This notion obligeth all those that be Saints or profess themselves such to approve themselves to be Virgins the holy Spirit hath so called them certainly it should be their great care to answer their name To keep themselves unspotted from the world undefiled in the way free from the pollution of the world through lust I have toldyou that there are many who go for Virgins but are not they are wedded to some filthy lust or other wedded to the world defloured by entertainnig some corrupt dangerous principles or declining to a corrupt conversation we live in a debauched a debauching age you that stand take heed lest you fall 1. If you lose your Virginity you lose your honour The young Womans Virginity is her honour your freedom from idolatry and superstition your soundness in the faith your purity integrity and holiness of life is your honour Hold fast that thou hast saith Christ to the Church of Philadelphia Rev. 3. 11. that no man take thy Crown he who despoileth you of your purity of Doctrine and Worship or who seduceth you to any licentious practices takes away your Crown yea not only your Crown in respect of reputation but your Crown of Glory also John Rev. 14. 1. Saw a Lamb standing upon Mount Sion and with him 144000 having his Fathers name written upon their foreheaas and v. 2. heard a voice from Heaven c. and they the 144000 sang as it were a new Song before the Throne and the four Beasts and the Elders and no man could learn that Song but the 144000. which were redeemed from the Earth v. 4. It followeth These are they which were not defiled with Women for they are Virgins these are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth these were redeemed from amongst men being the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb and in their mouth was found no guile for they are without sault before the Throne of God not defiled with Women Non polluti idololatriá quae est scortat io spiritualis sed virgines fide spiritu saith Pareus not defiled by idolatry which is a spiritual Adultery but Virgins in Spirit and Faith Secondly Consider if you lose your chastity It will be an hard matter to reconcile you to your first Husband If the Virgin be known to have lost her Virginity it is no easy matter to procure her an Husband of any reputation if the Wife hath lost her Virginity that is her chastity it is an hard matter to reconcile her to her Husband If a man put away his Wife and she go from him shall he return to her again Jer. 3. 1. It is true the mercies of God are above the mercies of men it follows there yet return unto me saith the Lord but it is no easy matter for a lapsed Saint to recover his peace many a Bone must be first broken and if such be saved it must be as through fire It is a dreadful Text which you have Heb. 6. 5 6. O keep your integrity and behave your selves like Virgins live an hidden life more and more to God and Christ more and more reserved from the world learn what this meaneth Our life is hid with Christ in God Be like Virgins careful in nothing save only to please Christ who is your spiritual Husband let your behaviour speak your Virgin-modesty and that you may keep your Virgin State and behaviour 1. Take heed of Books that will principle you to a Spiritual Fornication There are 2 sorts of Books in the world which help much to debauch it 1. Amorous Books full of lascivious Songs and filthy stories 2. Heretical Books The first debauch People as to their bodies the latter as to their faith and immortal Souls 2. Take heed of Whorish Company The Chast Virgin is often spoiled by unchast Society Dinah went abroad into wanton company and was deflowred If she had kept her Fathers house she had probably kept her honour How many Christians are defiled both in Judgment and Practice by keeping company with Papists Quakers Socinians c. Lastly O love the Lord all his Saints for the savour of his Ointments for the sweetness of his Name which is as an Ointment poured forth The best are prone to love Christ only for the Peace of Conscience which they have upon their Justification by his blood and for the Heaven they shall have hereafter for his sake His Glory is exceeding sweet This Love is not to be faulted but I would work my own heart and have you study to work up your hearts to an higher pitch Labour to be like Angels The Angels were never Redeemed with the Blood of Christ never knew what trouble of Conscience meant They have a natural right to Heaven yet they love admire adore Christ they are rational though spiritual Subsistences What maketh them to love Christ but the perfections and excellencies which they see in him Let us study to be like Angels to get up our hearts to such a spiritual pitch as this to love Christ for the excellency of his person for the savour of his good Ointments I shall add no more to this Discourse I have now done with this third Verse Sermon XVI Cant. 1. 4. Draw me we will run after thee The King hath brought me into his Chambers we will be glad and rejoyce in thee we will remember thy Love more than Wine The upright love thee I Have told you that the eight first Verses of this Chapter
cause of any true Spiritual saving motion and so inequal vertues are as I said before ascribed to Souls of the same kind under the same circumstances and endowed with the same rational faculties Secondly They also agree That the operations of Divine Grace are no other than what may by the power of mans will be not only opposed but finally resisted so as they shall produce no effect and that drawing grace is no more then an intreating and moral suasion no such act of power as we would have it to be man comes to Christ alone he is not drawn Therein they agree with the other 3. Finally they say the converted Soul can of itself do acts of righteousness obey the Commandments of God and ordinarily needs no quickning only assisting Grace This is not to be allowed in the Latitude though there be something of truth in it there is certainly a greater power and ability to spiritual good in the converted then in the unregenerate and unconverted Soul we dare not say the Soul converted moves not acts not but as acted and is also in that state meerly passive God hath now infused a principle of life into it his Spirit dwelleth in it But we say that even the justified Soul still stands in need of a constant divine influx and that in a powerful degree and Bellarmine himself grants that as the Soul hath at all times need of Gods assisting exciting and protecting grace for Christ saith without me you can do nothing so in some hard cases and in the performance of some hard difficult duties he hath need of powerful influences of Grace So as the Jesuite himselfdurst not ascribe so much to the power of mans will though altered by grace as those bold men amongst our selves who will have man have a power not only in ordinary cases but to resist the strongest temptations It is a sign they neither ever knew what a strong temptation meant Nor what it is to resist and evercome them But this is enough to shew you the vanity of these Doctrines Secondly My discourse on this proposition will let all of us see the exceeding solly of resisting and vexing or grieving or quenching the holy Spirit of God at any time in its operations or motions you meet in Scripture with all these terms expressing the opposition which vain man maketh to the holy Spirit of God two of them resisting and vexing are applied to men wicked and unregenerate Acts 7. 51. You do always resist the Holy Ghost and thus you read of vexing the Spirit The Apostle writes to the Thessalonians not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5. 19. and to the Ephesians Eph. 4. 30. not to grieve it As the man that is unregenerate may resist and vex so those that are renewed may quench and grieve the Holy Spirit The Proposition which I have opened to you shewing you the necessity of our being drawn by this Holy Spirit if we ever come to Christ or being come if we hold on in our way and run after him and walk with him justifies those reproofs and exhortations of the Apostles evincing it to be the greatest folly imaginable voluntarily to do any such acts by which this blessed Spirit should be resisted vexed quenched or grieved 1. This may be done by persons whose hearts are not yet changed they sit under the ministration of the Gospel which is the ministration of the Spirit and a glorious ministration and besides the suasion of the potent arguments contained in it set on by all the art of the Ministers of Christ gifted by God for this end and authorized by God to this work there is hardly any of them but find some inward impressions of the Holy Spirit shewing them a necessity of believing and obeying the Gospel if they would ever obtain Eternal life this they cannot deny but cannot through the prevalency of their passions above their reason obtain of themselves to hearken to these admonitions and yield obedience to these impressions but after the prickings of their lusts they must go they cannot deny themselves in their pleasures or profits be they never such forbidden fruit yet on the other side possibly their consciences bear so hard upon them that they cannot quiet them without promising that they will amend their ways they will turn to God they only beg a little time and cry out with the Sluggard yet a little sleep yet a little slnmber a little folding of the hands to sleep like Trades-men that know they must not spend all their time in their Beds if they do their Families must starve yet their Eyes are heavy and they cry to those that call them It is not time to rise yet an hour or two hence is time enough So these men sitting under the sound of the Gospel will grant you that if they live and die in such courses as at present they walk in their Souls must perish to all Eternity But this they intend not only it is not time yet to awake ouâ— of sle p a year or two hence is time enough let them have some lâ—tâ—sâ—â—ction in the pleasures of youth they will repeat and believe before they die and upon this presumption they at present 〈◊〉 the holv Spirit of God from time to time and vâ—x iâ— noâ— only appearing in the Ministration of the Gospel but in its more common motions and impressions This is what I would shortly shew you the vanity of from the asserted truth of this proposition Two things I would say to these Souls That whatsoever humane action is to be done naturally requireth time and place and that the Earth is the place and this life is the time for such actions for saith Solomon Eâ—â—l 9. 10. There is no work no device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou goâ—st upon which he exhorts us Whatsoever thy hand fâ—â—dâ—â—h to do do it with all thy might It is only while we are upon the Earth that we are in the way with God whom we have made our adversary and whom we are concerned quickly to agree with when we die we are delivered to the Judge the Spirit returneth to God that gave it When our Dust returns to its Dust Our comp sâ—um is then dissolved and no action can be the action of the whole man When our bodies come to be covered with Earth our bodies move and act no more In the Grave none repents believeth prayeth or praiseth or any way remembreth God Thou sayest to morrow or within a few years I will amend I will repent how knowest thou in what capacity thou shalt then be what a day or a month or a year will as to thee bring forth The present time alone is thine and but a little of that neither that which as Gerard speaks dicendo praeterit currendo praeterlabitur is gone while thou speakest of it slipt away while thou thinkest of it What talkest thou of to morrow of the next week month year who
he had withdrawn himself and was gone She sought him but she could not find him she called him but he gave her no answer It is the case of many good and pious Soul The holy Spirit moves it to some evident piece of spiritual duty for I am not speaking for extravagant impulses to things no where prescribed or directed in the Word of God the Soul is under some spiritual Torpor and listlesness it agrees the thing ought to be done and disputes nothing but the necessity of doing it presently it neglecteth it it may be when it would open to it s Beloved it finds that he hath withdrawn himself and is gone It seeketh him but it cannot find him 2. Secondly We are as prone also vainly to think within our selves If we sin we will repent if we fall we will rise Or though we run into temptation yet we will not fall by it All this while forgetting that although we live yet it is not we but Christ lives in us and we shall stand in need of drawing grace to run after God It is true that if the Believer sinneth he hath an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous If he falls he shall rise God will succour him when he is tempted but all this proceeds from an influence forreign to him God is able to make him to stand and faithful so as he shall stand But yet his own endeavours are necessary to his standing and Divine Grace is necessary if he be lapsed to his recovery and though he may know if he knows that he is Elected and effectually called and justified that he shall not perish for ever yet this can by no means encourage his presumptuous sinning for these two Reasons 1. Because while he lies under the guilt of sin not repented of he can have no knowledge of his Election or Effectual Calling but hath reason to suspect he hath all this while mistaken the case and state of his own Soul 2. Because he may be saved as through fire and go with an aking conscience even to the gate of the City of God Now it is impossible that in the Judgment of any Soul under the conduct and command of reason the pleasure of sin should appear compensative of the rack of Conscience and the feeling the terrours of God upon the Soul but for a few days If indeed man having fallen from his integrity had a power to rise again at pleasure by the help alone of his own hands he might have from hence a motive to indulge his corruptions but if he hath no such power but what he derives from drawing grace certainly it is the vainest thing imaginable for man to sin upon a presumption of what is not in his power and though he be certain of it in the issue yet he may want it so long as may leave him little pleasure of his sinning little fruit of those things for which he hath been so long ashamed Thirdly From this representation of the state the present state of Man We may observe the difference betwixt our present state and the state of our Pro-parent Adam in the state of Innocency It is a point not half enough thought of and the want of a due consideration of it causeth so many swellings against and blasphemings of the Truth of God in this point They will not understand that although God made Man upright and in Honour yet he abode not in Honour but by seeking out inventions became like unto the Beast that perisheth The state of Man at first was such 1. That he needed not have come to Christ for life he had his liâ—e in his hands There needed no Saviour before we were lost no Mediator or Intercessor before man had offended and consequently no applications of our Souls unto him for life and Salvation and this by the way may shew you the weakness of their reply who when they are told that it is no more injustice with God to call to us for those exercises of Grace in order to our salvation which in our lapsed state we have no power to perform than it is in man to call to him to whom he hath lent a great sum which he by his debauchery hath spent to pay him what he oweth him and to lay him in Prison though he hath nothing to pay for God in creation gave unto man a power to do whatsoever in that state was necessary to his Salvation I say when they are told this they usually tell us That Adam never had a power to repent and believe in Christ Nor was repentance or faith in Christ necessary in that state wherein Adam was created nor would it ever have been necessary either to him or us had he stood in that estate God gave unto Adam and to us in him whatsoever was necessary in that state and if our Fore-fafather and we who dyed in him and fell with him have made a Mediator necessary and repentance and faith in the Mediator necessary and we have no power to these acts nor ever had no not in Adam how yet is God unrighteous in requiring those acts of us though we have no power to perform them Secondly As in that state there was no need of a Christ of a Saviour a Redeemer nor consequently of a being drawn or a coming to him So neither was there need of any such potent drawing in order to our running after him Adam had a perfect power connatural to him to walk with God in the obedience of his will It was the fall that lamed us in our feet and introduced this necessity of Christs drawings in order to our running Let us in a word or two take a view of man now in this that he stands in need of these divine drawings 1. He now stands in need of a Mediator and there is no name given under Heaven by which any Soul can be saved but only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ no Salvation by any other 2. He stands in need of drawing to this Mediator not only of a Child to be born a Son again a Saviour prepared but of the work of the Father and the holy Spirit to draw us to and after this Mediator 1. Drawing as I have shewed you imports a fair treating intreating alluring Souls to what is their great and only happiness this speaks man 1. In a state of aversion from God and his only felicity Mans supreme happiness lies in his union and communion with God as the supreme and greatest good yet he must be drawn to it drawn with the cords of a man allured by mans Rhetorick persuaded to it by mans Logick and ratiocination we as the Embassadours of Christ must beseech and intreat men to be happy in being reconciled to God and thus much is granted to us by those who make themeanest and most jejune interpretation of this drawing 2. Drawing secondly signifieth an act of power This speaketh us not only averse but impotent
because they agree the truth of the Propositions of Scripture they may miserably deceive their own Souls a Man by a mere natural power may as well agree that there was such a one as Jesus of Nazareth once in the world who went about doing good exhorting men to a good life and was Crucified c. as that there was in England a William the Conqueror or any thing else that is to be found in other Books of tolerable credit and reputation in the World Or if men think that they do truly believe because they agree many propositions of the Gospel which are evident in the light of Reason they again deceive themselves here may be nothing of the operation of God in this faith Nay if they agree the Propositions of the Gospel because they are revealed there and in the mean time do not agree the Scriptures to be the Word of God but look upon them in the same rank with human writings or only by an human saith agree them to be the Word of God because the Church hath so deliver'd and transmitted them here is all this while no thing of the special operation of God Nor will this agreement produce any steadiness and firmness of practice commensurate to the Revelation but only commensurate to the nature of the Assent which being not fixed constant nor it may be not universal but to some part only of the revelation must necessarily bring forth no more than a saint partial and incertain practice Hence it is that Hypocrites may do many things contained in the law and at one time be more warm than at other times But if thy Assent be the special operation thou assentest to the whole revelation because God hath fixed in thy Soul a persuasion that it is from him who cannot lie it is also steady and fixed and tho some doubts may possibly incumber thee sometimes yet they hold not long and thou firmly and generally with allowance for the frailty and infirmity of human nature endeavourest to live up to the whole of that duty which the revelation imposeth upon thee which thou canst not do without relying on Christ and him alone for Salvation and having a respect to all the Commandments of God And indeed herein that agreement or assent which is the special work of God in the Soul differs from that which is but a meer natural action 1. In that it is more fixed certain and universal and this must be so for our assent is according to our light we must first see before we agree the truth of a proposition now the light of the holy Spirit is without doubt the clearest and brightest light Our natural reason gives us but a dim light as to matters of Faith 2. In that it layeth a stronger obligation to practice Reason will tell us that the more firmly we believe the truth of Propositions holding forth rewards and punishments relating to our practice the stronger we shall find our obligation to practice in order to the obtaining such rewards or avoiding such punishments 3. In that it layeth an obligation to a more universal practice The obligation to practice riseth no higher than the assent so as if there be any duty to which we do not agree our assent obligeth to no practice of that Now the holy Spirit persuades us of the truth of the whole revelation and that in the fullest and truest sense Hence it is that the true believer is more warm and universal in his obedience than it is possible another should be because his assent unto the truth is from a quite differing light and a quite differing work of God the assent of the former proceeding but from a common work of God in nature the latter from a work of special grace by the Spirit of God upon the Soul I will not much contend with those who will have true Faith to be a practical Assent to the Proposition of the Gospel if they by Assent mean a firm and steady Assent and by practical such an Assent as obligeth strongly to an universal practice of whatsoever is revealed as our Duty 1. Because I know a reliance upon Christ for eternal Salvation must be the effect of such an Assent 2. Because I know there can be no reliance on Christ without such a praevious Assent to the Proposition of the Gospel 3. Because I know there can be no such thing without the mighty Power of God upon the Soul So that in this sense the Soul must be drawn by the Father before it come to Christ Only let none deceive themselves as to this point of true Believing by fancying such an Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel true Faith wherein God hath no further concern than as he influenceth acts of Humane Nature flowing from that order of operations which he hath set in all rational Souls True Faith must be more than this 2. As to Faith men are also prone to cheat themselves by calling their Natural presumption Faith we say Faith lies in a resting and reliance on Christ Now many will tell us they rest and rely on Christ and yet it is no difficulty to evince they do but presume and not believe Resting and relying on Christ for Salvation must be the Father's drawing Natural presumptions are meerly from our selves Every man is willing to hope well for and to prophesie good unto himself Hence living under the publication of the Gospel and having heard of an eternal Life and Salvation and this to be had through Christ and by resting on him many naturally cry they rest on Christ and trust in him and him alone And our Saviour lets us know that men may die with such confidences Matth. 7. 22 23. Now there is a resting and reliance on Christ which is the Operation of God yea and the mighty work of God upon the Soul and this many a poor Soul finds that lives months and years under the Spirit of bondage before it can rest on Christ and quietly commit it self unto him and there is a resting which is no more than a natural hope or confidence arising either from the Souls natural desire of good to it self or from its ignorance of the true grounds of a true resting and reliance And indeed by this may these two be distinguished and known asunder That resting and reliance upon Christ for any spiritual and eternal blessing which is the Operation of God is alwaâ—es bottomed on a Promise and testified by a life suitable to the condition upon which that Promise is made These two things are alwaies in it 1. I say first it is founded upon a Promise for all Grace and Eternal Life being the gift of God it is as vain a thing for any to be confident they shall have it without God's revelation of his Will as to it with reference to them as it is for any man to pretend a confidence and trust in another for the making him rich with a great part of his Estate
so far from opposing or hindering the drawings of Divine Grace as to do what in them lies in order to the obtaining of them you will say unto me what is that what can we do either as to the hindering or obtaining them 1. First As you may hinder these influences by omitting your attendance upon hearing the word so you may by your conscientious attendance upon it do something in order to the obtaining of it I observe that the blind men in the Gospel observed and placed themselves in Christs walks the way wherein he was to go He that conscientiously waiteth upon the preaching of the Word placeth himself in the way wherein Christ useth to go He that walks to the Ale-house or to his worldly business or abideth in his House when he should walk to a Sermon is out of Christs walk and as this is in his own power to avoid so by not avoiding he hindereth divine drawings The Preaching of the Word is the ordinance of God for the Salvation of the Elect when Christ was lifted up he by this drew all those Gentiles that were converted to the faith of Christ you know in the drawing of a thing by a Cord there is necessary a Cord to draw with which must de fastned to the thing we would draw when it is fastned he that draweth must put to his strength it is not the Cord that draweth but the power and strength of the mans arm that useth the Cord. That which is drawn here is the Soul of man a poor dead Soul that hath in it no principle of Spiritual life and of itself cannot come to Christ He that draweth is God the holy Spirit of God and that by the power of an everlasting arm but now the Cord is the word of God so God hath ordained either some terrible word of threatning or some comfortable word of promise some word of God is by the holy Spirit fastned upon the Soul by this the Soul is drawn yet not by the force of the Word but by the power of the Spirit making use of the Word now he who neglects the reading or hearing of the word hinders his own drawing he rejecteth and refuseth the Cord which though alone it would not draw the Soul yet is the mean the Cord in the hand of the Spirit by which ordinarily Souls are drawn that do come to Christ On the other side those Souls that are diligent and careful to read and hear the Word of God where it is interpreted and applied with most tendency to the conversion of Souls though he doth nothing ultimately and efficiently yet he doth much in a way of means in order to his drawing unto Christ This is the first way 2. As a man may hinder the drawings of God by quenching the motions of the holy Spirit and giving a deaf ear to the knocks of it or delaying its obedience to them suffering vain company or worldly cares to choke the motions of the Spirit and wear out the impressions of the word so he may further them by favouring them retaining such impressions and whetting the word upon his heart There is scarce any person who is a constant attender upon the Preaching of the word but at some time ot other will find some discourse more than ordinarily affecting him and making some more than ordinary impressions upon him now if when a man findeth this he endeavoureth to stifle this conviction or wear off this impression and to work his Soul out of the trouble of it he hereby opposeth and resisteth the drawings of Divine Grace 〈…〉 the other side if he withdraws himself fits alone meditateth upon what he hath heard searcheth the Scriptures to see if it be according to what is revealed there and when worldly business would put it out of his thoughts if he endeavours again to bring it to his remembrance and setcheth it again into his thoughts desiring it may have its perfect work This man now doth what in him lieth to promove divine drawings Thirdly As a man or woman may hinder God's drawings by walking contrary to his or her Light So they may promove them by walking up to their Light and Power The Soul that is drawn to Christ is alive and yet dead Alive as a natural rational Soul dead as to God and Goodness And this answereth an obvious and ordinary Objection viz. What can a dead Soul do The Answer is easie it can do nothing so far as it is dead but though the natural man be spiritually dead yet considered as a man a rational creature he is alive and though he can do nothing that is spiritually good because he is dead in sin yet he may do something that is morally and rationally good because he is rationally alive and under the power and conduct of reason in a great measure He hath some Natural Light he hath a further revealed Light by and in the Gospel and though he hath not a power to live up to all the Light which the Gospel shews him yet he hath a power to sin against that Light to which he might walk up and of which â—he might make a better improvement It is very possible and too too ordinary for men when God draws one way to suffer their passions their vile affections and lusts to draw another and in doing it to triumph over their reason This is highly provocative of God There is a great question about the power and freedom of man's will by nature Sober Divines say the unregenerate man hath no power no freedom to what is truly and spiritually good If any power or freedom may be allowed to the unrenewed will certainly it is most proper to assert it at such a time when the Holy Spirit moveth most strongly by its impulses and convictions The unregenerate man at such a time more than another hath in his power to resist his lusts and motions to sin and give up himself to God if he will now resist this Light and not to his power use this help he thereby hindereth God's drawings Suppose a man in a Pir and weak and not able to get out some strength he hath while he lies still to hold back but none to raise himself upward to get out When a Cord is fastened about him if instead of yielding himself he holds back what he can this man now hinders the charitable drawing that others more strong would lend him Fourthly and lastly Pray to God that he would draw you out of the horrible Pit and miry Clay It is the Holy Spirit that draweth and Christ tells us that he giveth the Holy Spirit to those that ask him But I shall turn my discourse to the Children of God and shew them what is their duty upon the consideration of this truth That no Soul unless drawn by God either comes to or runneth after Christ I shall open it in several particulars First This Doctrine calleth to all who apprehend themselves to be come to Christ
did he ever revenge himself Nay when he was reviled saith Peter he reviled not again but suffered quietly c. He had satisfied Eyes What Covetousness was he ever guilty of he had a bag indeed but it was for the poor he had not an hole where to hide his head Yet he neither coveted the holes of the Fox nor the Nests of the Birds He had Benign Eyes upon whom did not he look kindly To whom was he not ready to do good He had meek and lowly Eyes he says of himself Learn of me for I am meek and lowly He had simple Eyes no guile was found in his mouth no deceit in his heart no doubleness in his actions c. He had clean Eyes he delighted not in filthy conversation not in filthy company or places if he came at a publicanes and sinners house it was to make it clean and a fit habitation for his holiness He had mournful Eyes he wept over Hierusalem as truly as a Turtle that hath lost its mate He hath chast Eyes not only in a carnal but a Spiritual sense all his delight is in the Sons of men in the Souls of his People By Doves Eyes Christians you shall be like the Lord Jesus Christ whose Eyes you see were such and like the holy Spirit which descended in the form of a Dove and what more honourable for a Christian then to be like Christ for a godly man then to be like God Thus Thirdly you shall distinguish your selves from those who only glory in appearance The Apostle tells us of some that glory in appearance only but not in heart 2. Cor. 5. 12. Now it should be the great business of a Christian to distinguish himself from these Christ tells his disciples Joh. 8. 31. that if they would continue in his word then they should be his disciples indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there are many in the World that are so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in shew and appearance The Doves Eye is a certain note of a disciple of Christ many have the countenance of Doves and the voice of Doves but they have not the Eye of Doves an Hypocrite may groan like a Dove and may look like a Dove in some part of his conversation but yet want the Eye of a Dove The Eye is a noble part of the body it discovers a man much and it serves him much Our Saviour saith the light of the body is the Eye Matth. 6. 22. if therefore thine Eye be single thy whole body is full of light But if thine Eye be evil thy whole body shall be full of darkness He speaks chiefly of the danger of an evil Eye and its unprofitableness to the body It is true concerning the Soul an evil Eye discovers an evil Soul in a great measure O labour therefore for Doves Eyes that you may have an evidence to your own Souls and that you may by them evidence unto others that you are such as glory not in appearance only but in deed My last argument shall be from the honour repute which by them you will gain to your Master to his Gospel in the World It is one of the great things that a Christian hath to take care of that the name of God for his sake be not Blasphemed in the World and on the contrary it should be his great care so to order his conversation as that by the ordering of it he may in the World gain a name and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ and to his Gospel and bring up a good report of the land of Canaan and the Inhabitants thereof Now could we find a Christian that were harmless and innocent doing injury to none slow to conceive wrath ready to forgive free from greediness of the World and covetousness after that to which he hath no right kind and courteous meek and lowly simple in heart and of a single Eye tender spirited of a clean conversation chast and sober of a broken Spirit observing his waies and circumspect in his walking how lovely would this Christian appear even in an evil World How likely were a company of such Christians to recover the honour which others have lost to Religion in the World Oh! let the honour of the Gospel move you that the report of your faith may spread and others may see that Religion is not an empty thing and glorify God in the day of their visitation Obj. But you will say are these things in our power Can we create to our selves Doves Eyes If not why do you persuade us And why do you not rather spend your time in praying to God for us Sol. I answer that for the habits of these graces the exercise of which I call to you for they are the gift of God The Creator gives the Dove its Eye and the God of grace must create in men Doves Eyes But yet 1. As to the outward exercise of these things some of them at least much lyes in a mans power in the use of that Common grace which the Lord denies to none till by their abuse of it they have provoked him to deal so with them they may doubtless restrain their hands and tongues from acts of cruelty revenge and malice their bodies from unchast acts c. it is true these acts as done by them cannot please God because not done from a right Principle to a right manner nor to a right End nor are they able to mortify their inward lusts but the outward acts are their duty and would take off much of the reproach cast upon Religion 2. For those who have received the habits of regenerating grace 't is true the Lord must excite them to action And the Lord by the influence of his Spirit must also assist us in the exercise or we shall do nothing but these are such influences of graces as he 1. Grants to use in the use of our indeavours And such influences 2. as he ordinarily doth not deny to his Children putting forth themselves to what they can in the performance of their duty So that asserting yet those great truths of God That it is the Lord that gives to will and to do The first by the infusion of the habit of the grace of regeneration the second by the influence of his grace upon his People exciting those habits to exercise and assisting them in their exercise yet there is room enough for exhortations of this Nature Sermon LVIII Canticles 1. 16. Behold thou art fair my Beloved yea pleasant also our Bed is green IT is generally agreed that the person spoken to in this verse is he who is in this Song represented under the notion of a Beloved by which I have told you that we understand the Lord Jesus Christ and the person speaking is she whom he calls his Love the fairest amongst women c. By her the Caldee Paraphrast all along understands the Congregation of Israel which by that antient Interpreter is
who a Sermon flies And turn delight into a Sacrifice Whether Solomons consideration of these or any of these things might rather incline him to write in this than in any other form I shall not undertake to determine Secondly It is a Song of Love I noted to you before the ancient custom of singing Songs at Marriages in praises of the parties so joined together These Songs were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a The Argument of them usually was the supposed mutual desires of the Bridegroom and Bride and they were also filled with the respective praises of each of them with the praises of their Garments Beds c. Solomon guided by the holy Spirit of God who often resembled the Spiritual and mystical Union between the Church and the believing Soul and Christ so of a Marriage maketh choice of this kind of Song in this Book of this Nature is the 45th Psal and that Song Isaiah 51 2 3. though the Argument of that differs Thirdly It is a Spiritual Song The Loves which are here sang are no Carnal Loves but Spiritual it is not as some profanely fancy a discourse of Love betwixt Solomon and Pharaohs Daughter or Solomon and the Shulamite I have heretofore shewed you the vanity of that conceit it is Sponsa mystica a mystical Spouse that is here represented to us under that notion I have said enough before to prove this Fourthly It is Dramatical or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Song of parts composed after the form of a Dialogue which was very usual in their Songs of Love Here are in this Song 3 sorts of Persons which have their parts 1. One who is represented under the Notion of a Beloved 2. Another who is represented under the notion of a Spouse a Love a Sister c. 3. The third sort are the friends of the Bride-chamber ordinarily in this Song represented under the notion of the Daughters of Hierusalem who they are represented under these disguises is matter of our further enquiry Abating those whose profane fancy we have already rejected who think that Solomon is the beloved here mentioned making the whole book but a wanton Love-Song I think the generality of Interpreters are reasonably well agreed that God himself or more particularly the Lord Jesus Christ the 2d Person in the Trinity considered as mediator is he who is in this Song set out to us under this notion of the Beloved It is almost as universally agreed that The Church of God in the general and the particular Servants of God Members of that Church are those here represented to us under the notion of the Spouse but whether it were the Church of the Jews considered distinctly from the Gospel Church or the Church of the Gentiles distinct from the Jewish Church or the Church and People of God in all ages concerning this there are several opinions according to the particular fancies and affections of Interpreters or according to their different notions and apprehensions concerning the matter of this book which some will have to be historical and make it little more than a Narrative of what God had done for the Church of the Jews of which mind is the Calder Paraphrast and the most of the Jewish Doctors Others will have it prophetical amongst whom are Luther Alsted Brightman Aquinas and Mr. Cotton c. Others again Doctrinal instructing us in that near Communion and Fellowship betwixt Jesus Christ and his Church and every particular believing Soul and setting out that nearness of relation and affection which is betwixt them together with their mutual apprehensions each of other yet it cannot be denied but there are some particular passages in it prophetical and more specially relating to the Church long after Solomons time By the friends of the Bride-chamber called the Watchmen the Daughters of Hierusalem c. in this Song are undoubtedly to be understood the Ministers of the Church in respective ages with the chorus fidelium the whole company of Believers c. The last thing which is observable as to the form of this Song is the figurative dialect in which it is written Besides the continued Allegory of two lovers running quite through the Song the Spiritual mysteries of it are expressed with a greater variety of Metaphors than are found together in any other part of holy writ which make it more difficult to be understood and which possibly might be one reason why the reading of it was restrained in the Jewish Church This made that devout man long since cry out Hic panis colestis quis vero frangit non equidem mihi istud temere arrogandum sic expectetis a me ut non expectetis nam ego unus sum de expectantibus Here is heavenly bread but who can break it I cannot rashly arrogate such a faculty to my self expect it from me as not expecting for I my self am expecting the revelation of it And thus much shall serve for the second thing The third follows 3. Prop. It is the Song of Songs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Song of Songs as some think because it consists of several Songs relating to one and the same Subject compacted togegether in one and the same book Or as others because it is the most excellent Song The Hebrews haveseveral ways by which they express the superlative degree one is by apposition of Substantives as here the Song of Songs putting the latter Substantive in the Genitive Case Plural So that by the Song of Songs is meant the most excellent Song now this is so called 1 Either relating to the other Songs which Solomon made for 1 Kings 4. 32. he made a Thousand and five of all his Songs this was the most excellent Or else 2. relating to the other Spiritual Songs in Scripture you read of the Song of Moses of the Song of Miriam and Deborah of the Songs of David c. but no Song like this This is the Song of Songs of all the other Songs Solomon made in Holy Writ this is the most excellent not in respect of the Antiquity of it as some have fancied for doubtless the Song of Moses Aaron and Miriam was far more ancient nor yet because of the noble Author of it who was the wisest man upon the Earth But in respect of the Spiritual matter of it Look saith Bernard upon all the other Authors of Songs in Scripture and their respective Songs Sane omnes ni fallar cecinisse reperies pro percepto suo vel suorum commodo hic verò divinitus inspiratus Christi Ecclesiae laudes sacri amoris gratiam aeterni connubii cecinit Sacramenta Other composers of Songs you will find sang them upon receit of some outward mercy conferred upon them and theirs But Solomon here inspired by God sings the praises of the Church and Christ he sings concerning the Seals of sacred love and the Eternal
Therefore do the Virgins love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This seemeth to be in our dialect an harsh sense and the connexion is not clear To help it therefore Piscator translateth it Quod attinet ad odorem c. As to what belongs to the savour of thy good Ointments c. The Tigurine Version make the middle words as a Parenthesis and translate it thus For the smell of thy good Ointments for thy name is as an Ointment poured out Therefore do the Virgins love thee The only question is whether the Spouses design in these words be to give a reason why her beloved had such an excellent name viz. because of the savour of his good Ointments Or to give a reason why the Virgins loved him or of both these together I think of both The words will bear it But let us come to enquire the import of the words more particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The thing spoken of is Ointments these are said to be 1. Good and 2. to have a Smell The Hebrew word from which the word here translated Ointments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cometh signifies to be fat Deut. 32. 15. Jeshurun waxed fat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jer. 5. 4. This word properly signifieth fatness and usually signifieth Oil or Ointment because of the pinguid nature of those things so Prov. 21. 20. Hos 2. 5. The word signifieth any kind of fatness whether caused by Nature or Art But it is not here to be taken literally he needs no Oils nor sweet Ointments to make him sweet But you must know that those Eastern Countries abounded with plenty of Spices and other sweet ingredients of which several compounds were made Oils and Ointments which were exceedingly grateful to the outward senses of which they made both a Religious and a Civil use They made a Religious use of them 1. In Sacrifices 2. In Consecrations Oil was used in Sacrifices Especially in such as were Eucharistical Hence you read of the Oil of gladness for it testified joy and gladness The first use of it in this kind of which you read in Scripture was Gen 28. 18. When God had preserved Jacob in the Night in token of his thankfulness he took the stone upon which he had slept and set it up for a pillar and powred Oil upon it he did the like again Gen. 35. 14 whether it were done as a note of the consecration of the place to the service of God or an Eucharistical Sacrifice may possibly be questioned by some but the latter seemeth to me most probable considering the subsequent use of Oil under the law to this purpose of which you may read in Leviticus Ch. 2. v. 1. 3. 4. It was not lawful in offerings which were to bring iniquity to remembrance Numb 5. 15. No testimony of Joy might there be shewn It was also used in Consecrations of persons and that either to the Kingly Priestly or Prophetical Office Samuel used Oil in the anointing both of Saul David to the Kingly Office The same you read also in the anointing of Jehu 2 King 10. 3. Elisha the Prophet was anointed So was the High Priest You have a description of the Oil and a particular Precept and direction for the composition of it Exod. 30. 22. This was called the holy anointing Oil with which Aaron and his Sons were anointed The Tabernacle also and the Ark with all things belonging to them were to be anointed with it as you will find in that Chapter Besides this Sacred use of Oil there was also a civil and ordinary use of it Thus they used it either for bodily nourishment the widow 1 Kings 17. 12. Told the Prophet that she had but a little Oil in the cruse Or 2. For delight and pleasure as we now use our sweet powders our dry and liquid perfumes Joab chargeth the woman of Tekoah being to personate a mourner not to anoint her self with Oil. Esther and the other Maids that were to be brought before Ahashuerus were for 6 months to be perfumed with Oils Christ complains of Simon that he had not anointed his head with Oil. Mary anointed Christ with Oil or Ointment Joh. 11. 2. and the Woman poured out a Box of Ointment Spikenard upon his head Now from this civil and sacred use of Oil and the effects the terms of Oil and Ointment and Anointing are also used metaphâ—rically in Scripture Thus Oil and Ointments in Scripture signify the graces of Gods Spirit and Anointing signifies that gracious Divine Act by which we are made partakers of those graces To this sense the Psalmist speaketh God hath anointed thee with the Oil of Gladness above thy fellows Psal 45. 7. which the Apostle applieth to Christ Heb. 1. 9. and St. John expoundeth saying The Spirit was not given unto him by measure which is plainly expressed Acts 10. 38. God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power And as the holy anointing Oil under the old Law wetted not Aarons head alone but ran down upon the Skirts of his Garment so this holy metaphorical Oil doth also Hence as David said Psal 92. 10. Thou hast anointed me with fresh Oil and the People of God then were called the Lords anointed So under the New Testament the Children of God are said to have an unction it is said that this Anointing abideth in them Thus that of St. John is made good Of his fulness we have received grace for grace By Christs Ointments we understand then the Grace that was poured out upon him and which dwelleth in him and in this sense I find the generality of sober Expositors agreed Now these Ointments are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good the signification of which term I opened to you before and when I come to the propositions of Doctrine I shall more particularly shew you the goodness of them in every notion of good But these Ointments are also said to cast a Savour At the savour of thy good Ointments A smell or savour is Qualitas olfactu sensibilis some quality of a thing which we discern by our external sense of smelling being conveyed to us by the mediation of the Air By the smell of Christs Graces we can understand nothing else than the Spiritual sense of the love of Christ which by the mediation and breathing of the holy Spirit of God is discerned by the Soul The word in the Hebrew signifies any perception of a thing it is used Is 11. v. 3. where it is said of Christ that the Spirit of the Lord resting upon him shall make him as we translate it of a quick understanding in the fear of the Lord the Hebrew is he shall be smelled in the fear of the Lord. And Judg. 16. 9. we translate it when it toucheth the fire the Hebrew word is the same when it smelleth the fire that is when the fire cometh to it when
it hath any sense of the fire I conclude then that as Christs Ointments are the graces with which he is filled So the savour of these Ointments is nothing else than the souls perception and sense of that Christ by the mediation of the holy Spirit of God breathing his grace and love upon the Souls of his People And this is sufficient to have spoken for the explication of this first phrase It follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thy name is as an Ointment poured forth Job speaking of God saith what is his name and what is his Sons name Let us enquire a little concerning the name of Christ in this Text. A name is an appellation given to some person or thing either to express the nature and being of it or to distinguish it from another thing God cannot properly be said to have a name because no term can fully explicate to us his divine essence But yet God is pleased in some little measure to make himself known to us Now whatsoever God thus makes himself known unto us by that is his name More particularly The second Person in the holy Trinity considered as our Mediator and in reference to the great work of mans redemption had several names One expressing the two natures which were united in that Divine Person that was his name Emanuel which signifieth God with us Another expressing the great work which he had to do viz. To save his People from their sins therefore his name was called Jesus A third expressing his designation consecration to his Office thus he was called Messiah and Christ both signifying the same thing Anointed Gregory understands it of the name Christ and the name Messiah so doth Lud. de Ponte Genebrard Lyra and others of the name Jesus But I know no reason why we should dispute so nicely for the particular name when as Christ had several names either expressive of his Divine or Human nature or of his personal capacity as both Natures were united in him or else expressing the vertues and graces of his Person or else relating to one or another or all his sacred Offices and indeed what is said in the Text is true concerning every name of Christ as well as another Each of his names is As an Ointment poured forth And besides I see a more comprehensive interpretation of the term equally true with this Thy name Whatsoever thou art made known by unto us thy word ordinances grace gospel it is all like Oil poured forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word translated poured forth cometh from the Hebrew Radix 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath emptied or exhausted Christs name is compared to Oil to Oil emptied poured out Oyl in the Box is sweet very sweet it maketh the Box sweet but it casts not forth its smell abroad nor is the sweetness of it so exceeding great and overcoming as when it is poured forth It is said of the Ointment with which Mary anointed our Lord that when she brake the Box the savour of it filled the room Nor is it said thy name is as an Ointment dropped out but as an Ointment poured forth as Ointment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 emptied or exhausted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Septuagint version Take the Lord Jesus Christ as he is one with the Father God over all blessed for ever so he is the Fountain and Original of Grace full of good Ointments But now look upon him as our Mediator in which notion the names of Jesus Christ Messias Emanuel c. belong unto him so he is as Oil poured forth The grace of the hypostatical union is poured out upon him he is God with us The fulness of the God-Head dwelleth in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily The Revelation of Christ to the world as the Saviour of the Sons of Men is as an Ointment poured forth which smells sweet in the Nostrils of all the world and filleth the whole Creation with a sweet savour The more special revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ unto the particular souls of the Saints is as an Ointment poured forth Christ apprehended and applyed by faith unto the soul is exceeding sweet to it To you that believe saith the Apostle he is precious It followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore do the Virgins love thee Amongst men the term Virgin signifies one who hath not lain with Man neither as a Wife nor as a Strumpet By a metaphor the Servants of God in Scripture are called Virgins because it is their duty and will be their care to keep themselves unspotted from the world from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit as the Apostle speaketh the 144000 glorified Saints mentioned Rev. 14. 4. are called Virgins The professors of the Gospel at large are so called in the parable Mat. 25. of which though as to the matter of their own salvation some were wise some soolish yet all kept themselves from the Paganish Spiritual Adultery with Devils Stocks and Stones Gods People of Israel anciently was called a Virgin Jer. 31. 4. 13. And Saint Paul professeth it his desire to present the Saints at Corinth as a chast Virgin unto Christ to which purpose he was jealous over them with a godly jealousy 2 Cor. 11. 2. The word here translated virgins cometh from the Heb. root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be hid and covered either Because the gravity of former times caused Parents to keep their Virgins as it were hidden in their Houses until Marriage Or else because the modesty of those more innocent times allowed not Virgins to go without their Vails as it were hidden from vulgar sight Rebeccah when she came near unto Isaac took a Vail and covered herself which usage continued a long time after especially in publick Assemblies Tertullian hath a peculiar Book de velandis Virginibus concerning the vailing of Virgins where he bitterly inveigheth against those who had broken those bars of modesty and calleth them capita nundinatitia pudorem ostentatitiae Virginitatis what would he have said to the bare Necks and open Breasts of this Age But I told you by Virgins here are meant the true Children of God who are called hidden ones Psal 83. 3. such who being cleansed have neither spot nor wrinkle but are holy and without blemish thus of old Origen and Gregor magnus and more lately Beda with the generality of modern Expositors interpret it Mercer by Virgins seems to understand the Gentiles who had not heard of Christ yet should be also induced to love him upon the report of his Excellencies revealed to them in the preaching of the Gospel but the other Interpretation is proper enough and more generally received to which I shall adhere These Virgins love Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word translated love is ordinarily used and so interpreted it hath a great cognation with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluit he hath willed
discover it and to manifest himself unto his people As the Sun in the Firmament whose Light in it self is alwaies the same and which hath alwaies the same ability and aptitude to illuminate the Air and to refresh the Earth with its Beams yet gives out its Light variously according to its position in the Firmament or aspect upon the Hemisphere its nearness to or distance from the Object to be inlightened or refreshed or as it is more or less hindered by the interposition of Clouds or Vapours so doth the Sun of Righteousness also diffuse his Beams variously Or as indeed a prudent Father though at all times his heart be full of love to his Children yet in the discoveries and manifestations of it he governeth himself by his own prudence relating to the Child 's good and with respect to the Child's behaviour and demeanour towards him So though whom God loveth he loveth with a great love and to the end yet as to the discoveries and manifestations of it he governs himself by his own Infinite Wisdom and with a great respect to his Peoples carriage and demeanour towards him Hence it is that though every Child of God be beloved of God with the same special and distinguishing Love yet every one lives not under the same manifestations and emanations of it He sheweth to some more to some less to some scarcely any according to the Wisdom of his Counsel and the good pleasure of his own will One soul shall have just light enough to discern that the day is broke in his soul that the Sun is arisen with healing in his wings upon him another shall hardly have so much light as to discern that but shall walk in the dark and see no light Another shall have the Sun of Righteousness more fully shining upon him and be able to say with Job I know my Redeemer lives and that I shall see him with these Eyes and though Worms shall destroy this body yet in my flesh I shall see God Or with Paul Rom. 8. 38. I know and am persuaded that neither life nor death nor any thing shall separate me from the Love of God in Jesus Christ Yea the same soul shall sometimes see its Beloved standing as it were behind the wall and looking in upon it through the Lattice see him in a Glass darkly another time it shall see him with a fuller sight as in the house with it face to face One while it shall only see as by a Wicket of hope open and possibly but imperfectly open neither another while its vision shall be as it were of the Heavens opened and Christ sitting at the right hand of God making intercession for it 2. The more or less of special and distinguishing grace is often measured by the soul's apprehension and particular fancy which judgment possibly is not alwaies according to Truth but yet such as we ordinarily make Thus we commonly judge the comfortable reflections of Divine Love to be the greatest tokens of it The sweetest indeed they are but possibly the strengthening Influences of Divine Grace by which the soul is inabled to perform its spiritual duties and to fight the good fight both against motions to sin from within and temptations to sin from without may be no less manifestations of special and distinguishing grace But take your measures how you will the gracious soul valueth at an high rate the least manifestations of such grace as may evidence to it that it is beloved of God with a special and distinguishing love I do not say the least of these will satisfie such a soul That it will not for the soul in which God hath caused by his Spirit a spiritual thirst after himself is continually crying out Give Give The soul will not be satisfied until in the Resurrection it awakes with God's likeness but in the mean time the least influences of this nature will be to it very precious and desirable The truth of this Proposition will appear to you from the petitions of several of the Servants of God in holy Writ more eminently those which we read of concerning David Psal 4. 6. There be many that say Who will shew us any good Lord saith he lift up the light of thy countenance upon me and in the following words he declares that it should be more to him than the worldlings Harvest or Vintage greater matter of gladness than their increase of Corn Wine or Oil And Psal 84. 9. he asks no more than that the Lord would look upon the face of his Anointed What can be less than Beholding and giving the soul a good look The liberty that the Birds of the Air the Swallow and the Sparrow had to make their Nests about the Lord's Altars one would think argued but a small favour yet David prefers their condition before his One would think the Office of a Door-keeper in the Lord's House were but a small preferment yet David valueth it above a Mansion in the Tents of wickedness The several expressions which David maketh use of in the Psalms to testifie his desires after God such as Beholding Looking upon him Remembring him c. are all evident proofs of this The Woman Luk. 7. 38. counts it honour enough to sit at Christ's feet to wash his feet with her tears and then to wipe them with the hairs of her head The Woman of Canaan is called a Dog and contented with it so she may but lick up the Crumbs under her Master's Table You read of another Woman that cried out If I may but touch the Hem of his Garment The Prophet Zechariah foretold of a time when men should take hold of the Skirt of a Jew saying We will go with you for we have heard God is with you Any thing of Christ is precious to a soul that hath once tasted how good he is Joseph of Arimathea must have his dead body and the Disciples must run to the Sepulchre where he was laid The People of God of old had a favour for the dust of Zion and the stones thereof But much more precious must the least emanations of that virtue be which is in him suited to the wants the spiritual wants of poor souls What can be less than a look a smile a word yet we find these have been very precious to the People of God What can we think of less than the hearing of a Prayer yet David esteemeth this ar an high rate Psal 116. 1 2. For this he professeth his love to God and his resolution to call upon him so long as he lived One would think that of all other Fellowship and Communion with Christ a Fellowship with him in his Sufferings were least desirable St. Paul glorieth in this and speaks of it as a thing desirable Phil. 1. 10. ch 3. 11. And we read of the Apostles praising God that they were thought worthy to suffer for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ The same Spirit that was in all these
with reference to the Levitical rites Christ speaketh to Peter Joh. 13. much in the same dialect Except I wash thee thou canst have no part in me But the meaning is pardon me remove the guilt of my sin from me but is this enough for this holy Man Is this all that he asketh of God No v. 8. Make me to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness that the Bones which thou hast broken may rejoice There he prayeth for Consolatory Grace Well will this yet satisfie the thirst of this holy Man No he must also have a renewed Heart a right Spirit The Spirit of God resting upon him dwelling abiding in him A right Heart as well as a righteous Heart v. 10. Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me v. 11 12. Take not thy holy Spirit from me Uphold me with thy free Spirit He must not only be set right in Gods way but he must be kept right and upheld in it Look upon him in that 119 Psalm Psal 119. 28. Strengthen me according to thy Word The Lord had given him the Pardon of his Sin he had given him Wisdom so as he tells us in that Psalm he was become wiser than his Teachers God had sanctified Affliction to him so as by it he had learned to keep Gods Statutes The Lord had given him an heart to love his Law to make it his Meditation night and day yet he cries Strengthen me O Lord And again v. 25. Quicken me in thy way Quicken me after thy Loving-kindness v. 4. O Quicken me in thy Righteousness Hath he enough yet No one thing he yet wants v. 42. Mine Eyes fail for thy Word when wilt thou comfort me There is hardly any Dispensation of Grace which we do not find David in that Psalm pleading with God for This one instance of David is enough to shew you the temper of every Soul which hath but once tasted how good the Lord is Nor indeed can it be otherwise If we consider the Beauty and excellency which appeareth to such a Soul in every Dispensation of Grace The Spouse saith of Christ in another part of this Song He is altogether lovely There is no part of Christ which is not in itself lovely he is the brightness of his Fathers Glory the fulness of the God Head dwells in him bodily As every Beam of the Sun every Emanation of that Body of Light is lovely to him whose Eyes are open to discern it So every Beam of the Sun of Righteousness every Emanation of his Love must necessarily be lovely to the Soul that hath its senses exercised to discern betwixt good and evil All Beauty is attractive whatsoever appeareth to our Souls lovely and beautiful appeareth also desirable But this is not all though Beauty and Comeliness be attractive and allures our Souls into an earnest desire after it yet profit is more Secondly There is no Dispensation of Divine Grace but suiteth some great want of the Soul It is the same Reason that I gave you why the least of Christ is so pretious Because the least of his Grace is suited to some great want of our Souls What I there applied to the least of his Love I here apply to the varieties of his gracious dispensations and indeed reasonably for there would be no variety in grace if there were not a variety of defects and wants and emptinesses in our Souls that which distinguisheth divine grace is our various wants and necessities and we can as naturally not desire a supply for our own discerned defects and wants as we cannot desire various emanations of divine love suited to the supply of them Nature prompteth us to desire a supply for every craving of our Souls The Soul is sensible that it daily sinneth and cannot but desire pardoning grace and say unto God every day Forgive us our debts it is sensible that it wants purity and holiness and therefore cannot but desire a right Spirit Its wants are many and it therefore desireth various dispensations of grace to supply them they are daily renewing therefore it desires repeated acts of grace to be renewed also A third reason lyeth in the Concatenation of grace The Philosopher saith Virtutes sunt Concatenatae that all vertues are chained together and no man is truly virtuous but hath in him the habits of all Virtue they make Virtue to lie in the reduction of the whole Soul to the rule guidance and conduct of reason I am sure Gratiae sunt concatenatae the Graces of Gods Spirit are like Pearl stringed together and that upon a double account 1. With respect to themselves 2. With respect to our sense and apprehension Pardoning grace never goeth without renewing and regenerating grace God never saith to any Soul Thy Sins are forgiven but he addeth sin no more The Grace of Consolation never goeth without the Grace of Sanctification The Grace of Regeneration is alwaies attended with some degrees of that Grace which strengtheneth and quickneth the Soul unto its Spiritual work and duty 2. As to our sense of it The Grace of God being as I have before said nothing else but the Love of God freely shining upon us with respect to our several circumstances and diversified wants the Soul is prone from the want of a supply as to one thing to suspect its want of all Hence it is that it suspecteth the want of the love of God in the whole from its sense of the want of it in part Indeed this oft-times is the error of a Soul that is truly gracious from it s not distinguishing betwixt those things that are necessary to Eternal life and Salvation and those influences that are meerly accommodating and tending to the better being of the spiritual life the dispensations of which are not meerly directed from the divine love but from the divine wisdom and sometimes are with-held from the wisdom of God by which he directeth his own motions to their ends Hence as Gideon when the Angel came to him and said The Lord is with thee O thou mighty man of valour replyed If the Lord be with us why am I thus So the Soul thirsting after the love of God if any go about to persuade it under its sadness and dejections under the sense of its weakness as to spiritual duties or dulness and heaviness in the performance of them that yet the love of God is toward it it hath a truth of Grace it cries out If God loved me why am I thus I am weak why am I not strengthened or my Soul is dull and dead and heavy why am I not quickned Or I am sad and dejected if God loved me why am I not comforted The Soul of a believer is apt to conceive that because Love is one in God therefore it 〈…〉 be a sharer in his love while it wants any one aspect of it 〈◊〉 might suite its spiritual wants Another reason may be the possibility
which the Soul apprehends of obtaining all grace Let a thing appear to us never so beautiful never so useful yet if we lye under an apprehension of its impossibility to obtain it this moderateth its desires after if nay extinguisheth them for our Reason forbids our Wills to move after things which we apprehend not possible to be obtained But such is the goodness of God towards us that there is no dispensation of his love but he hath somewhere or other promised and revealed to us as possible to be obtained by us Now good apprehended possible to be obtained by us is the proper object of the desires of our Souls we are told that it hath pleased the father that in Christ all fulness should dwell And that the fulness of the God-Head dwelt in him bodily 1 Col. 19. 2 Col. 12. and of his fulness saith the Evangelist Joh. 1. 16. We have all received grace for grace To pass by other interpretations of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some understand Grace suited to all that Grace which is in Christ There is no habit of Grace in Christ suited to our human nature and state but believers may receive something from him in proportion to it There is no love of God to Christ which fitteth us or may fit us in our proportions but we may receive Nay there is no love of God which floweth from the fulness of the Divine Nature of which we are capable but the believer may receive For saith the Apostle the Fulness of the God-Head dwelt in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bodily In him as our mediator that he might communicate to those that are the members of his body and that I take to be the properest sense of those words Of his fulness that is of the fulness of the God-Head which dwelt in him as Mediator and dwelt in him so as that he could communicate it to those that believed in him Hence he tells us that all power was given unto him both in Heaven and Earth and that the Son of Man had power upon Earth to forgive Sins and that God had given unto him Eternal life that he might give it to whomsoever he pleased so as the Soul apprehends all grace not only beautiful and lovely but also as possible to be obtained by it from Christ and having such apprehensions of it conjoined with its before-mentioned apprehensions of the beauty and excellency of it and the usefulness of it with respect to the various and renewing wants of the Soul it must necessarily desire it This notion may as the other which I have handled shew you 〈◊〉 difference betwixt the desires of the Hypocrite and those of the true Child of God after Grace There may be some desires after Grace in Souls in whom there is no true and real change of heart but they are either terminated 1. In the common gifts and graces of the Spirit Or 2. in the Comfortable manifestations of it 3. Or at furthest in some particular dispensations of it The common gifts and graces of the Spirit of God may be desired by those in whom the love of God doth not dwell By common gifts I mean knowledge utterance an ability to pray to discourse of the things of God c. And the reason is because these may serve a double end which an Hypocrite may have 1. His honour and credit and reputation in the world Common gifts and graces may give Men and Women a great name in the Church of God though they will give a Man no place in the Kingdom of God They may especially as times may go much serve a man both as to his lust of gain and covetousness and also as to his lust of Ambition and seeking after the honour which is from men and serve him to appear as some body in the world and to make him pass for a great Professor and help him to preferments also in the Church and so serve his Belly You have an eminent instance of this in Simon Magus Acts 8. 9. of whom it is said That he used Sorcery and bewitched the People of Samaria giving out himself to be some great one v. 13. He beheld the signs and miracles that were done this Man now to augment his reputation and probably that he might be in a capacity to get more mony than he had been able to get by his tricks of Hocus Pocus and diabolical Arts seeing the Apostles conveying the Holy Ghost to their Disciples by their laying on of hands he did not only desire the graces of the Spirit thus far but offered them mony for that power that upon whomsoever he laid his hands they also might receive the Holy Ghost There is no doubt but whatsoever may promove the lusts of an Hypocrites heart may be the object of his desire Now as a National knowledge of the things of God or the common practical gifts and graces of the Spirit may serve a man as to his profit and advantage or as to his honour and reputation so they mightily gratify the lusts of an Hypocrites heart who doth all to be seen of Men and whose utmost design is but to glory in appearance and in the praise of Men. Besides this they may also serve him very far in the quieting of his natural conscience Natural light discovering to us that there is a God doth also shew us that there is some homage due to him and hence ariseth a natural obligation upon men to be doing something in discharge of this homage to which these common gifts are subservient The like might be said of moral habits which are but common grace men that are 〈◊〉 touched with the love of God or desire to please him may yet see a beauty and a profit too in a moral just and righteous conversation and desire so much grace as may keep him from the scandal and reproach of the world and from the ruining of himself and Family or Relations Nay Secondly his desires may extend to the consolatory manifestations of the love of God the pardon of his sins and the sense of that pardon what should hinder In a time when a Prince is free of his pardons it is not impossible that some of his Subjects may take out their pardons that it may be have no great sense or apprehension that they stand in need of them Hypocrites that live within the compass of the Church of God are often hearing of sin and the wrath of God due to sin to Original sin to Actual Sins to Sins of Omission and Negligence as well as those of Commission and Presumption they also hear daily proclamations of Gods grace and readiness to forgive what should hinder but that they ex abundanti cautela tho they be not touched with any great sense of sin tho they have some good opinion of their own Righteousness may yet earnestly desire to know their iniquities are forgiven and that the Righteousness of Christ might be imputed to them
sweet but these are sweeter than the Hony and the Hony-comb No portions of Scripture are like these to the believer Every verse in the book of God is a Star but as Stars differ one from another in glory so do the Revelations of the will of God in our apprehensionsa s more suited to our necessities For the proof of the proposition There is so much reason for it that were it not that it is fit your Faith for the help of which the Ministry is ordained should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God I might for bear the use of any Scripture texts in the case The World was many hundred years old before there was any written Word of God of which we have any record The first that we read of was the Book of the Law which the King of Israel was commanded to have alwayes before him and to read therein all the daies of his life Saul was the first King of Israel he was a wicked man and regarded not the divine Law The next was David the man according to Gods own heart See his Affection to the word Superlatively exprest Psal 19. 7 8 9 10. 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the Eyes The Judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than the hony and the Hony-comb Psal 119. 14 15 16. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways I will delight my self in thy statutes v. 97. Oh! how I love thy law it is my meditation night and day Read over that excellent Psalm at your leisure you will find in it a strange variety of expressions setting out David's value of and thirst after the Word of the Lord. I had saith he in one passage perished in my affliction if thy Word had not been my delight For the Word of God as delivered by Ministers you shall all along the History of the Scripture observe you read not of one good King of Judah and Israel but they were very desircus in all cases of consulting with the Prophets of the Lord and no doubt but the reading the Law and the Exposition of it in the Sanctuary was the reason why David Psal 42. Psal 63. and Psal 84 so passionately bewailed his being banished from it In short look through all the New Testament you shall find no company of Believers but by some Expressions or other declaring their Zeal for and fondness of the Word of God And the same Spirit continued in gracious Souls after the times that the Scripture makes mention of I remember Hierom tells us of a good woman whom he saith he could never find without a Bible in her hand aud Mr. Fox in his Martyrology tells us a story of Three Maids in Lincolnshire if I remember right who sold their Estates in a time of Persecution to buy a few Leaves of the Bible It were infinite to tell you the instances we have in Ecclesiastical History of the great thirst after and delight in the Word of God which good people have expressed What need we any further Instance than what the Experience of our own Age doâ—h afford How naturally do Souls born again as new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word of God It is true some Hypocrites especially in times when Religion is in credit and reputation may lay hold of the Skirts of a Jew and say We will go with you I mean may shew some fondness of hearing and reading the Word but no Child of God no regenerate man but is indeed thirsty of it So that as it was said of Paul as soon as he was converted Behold he prayeth so it may be said of every man and woman let them before have been never so loose and vain and careless as to reading and hearing the Word Behold he readeth or Behold he heareth Nor indeed is it possible it should be otherwise If we consider first That this is the Will of God concerning every Soul The Soul is unchanged till it be in some degree willing and obed ent So as what St. Paul spake more openly he saith to God though more privately Lord what wilt thou have me to do Now this is one of the first things that God calleth such a Soul to do Hear saith God and your Souls shall live As God said to Paul Go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou shouldst do So God saith unto the changed Soul Go to Church and hear my Word and go and read in my Word and there it shall be told thee what thou shouldst do Augustin tells us a story that being in a great Agony of Spirit and not knowing what to do he heard a voice as out of an inward Room saying Tolle lege Take up and read The Soul in this doth but conform himself to an impression that is made by the Spirit upon his heart and is coaevous to the hour of his New Birth and this you shall see exemplified not in this or that particular Soul but in every Soul born of God The Infant is not more naturally disposed to suck the breasts of the Mother or Nurse than such a Soul is disposed to read and hear the Word of God from the impression of the holy Spirit of God upon it in the first hour of its Conversion Nor is any thing more reasonable than such an impression if we consider God's Ordination of his Word as the pabulum animae the food and nourishment of the new born Soul 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born Babes desire the sincere Milk of the Word that you may grow thereby And for this very reason this thirst after and delight in the Word of God never goeth out of a sanctified heart for the Word is the proper nourishment of the Soul in all states it is not only Milk for Babes but Meat for stronger ones By these things men live saith Hezekiah The just shall live by Faith saith the Prophet The Word is the object of this Faith You shall observe that the God of Nature hath planted in most sensitive creatures a knowledge of their proper food and an appetite or desire to it The God of Grace hath given the renewed Soul a knowledge of its proper food too and created in it an appetite to it so as no soul is born again without a knowledge of the Word as that by which it is to live or an appetite to it Nay it is not only necessary to uphold the Spiritual Being of the the Soul but to all the purposes of its well-being Such a Soul findeth the Word an inexhaustible Fountain a large
in none of your bosoms Is there not amongst some of you a sad neglect of Reading the Scripture Let me tell you it speaks you to have tasted very little if at all how good the Lord is Secondly How sadly doth this reflect upon those who despise Prophecyings It is a dreadful Text 1. Joh. 4. 6. We are of God He that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us It is true no Minister of Christ can say He is of God in that strict sense as the Apostles did whose Calling was not of men nor by men but immediately from God It is also true that every one who talks out of a Pulpit is not of God Many run whom God never sends and you shall easily know them by the message they bring But every faithful Minister of Christ that faithfully openeth and conscienciously applieth the Word of God to Peoples understandings hearts and consciences is of God that is he is sent of God he is the Ordinance of God and he that knoweth God that hath â—â—y saving experimental knowledge of God will hear such a one If there be any that despiseth such Prophecying he is not of God Now this men may do from looseness and prophaneness and this too many are guilty of and by it proclaim to the world that they were never born again of the uncorruptible Seed of the Word that they never yet tasted the goodness of God in an Ordinance There is another generation that despise Prophecyings pretending to the immediate Teachings of the Spirit of God I shall in my next Discou se God willing shew you that no pious Soul can undervalue the Teachings of the Holy Spirit nor think them needless but he that looks for them in opposition to the Teachings of the Word of God or otherwise than by and in the Teachings of the Word is ignoranr knowing nothing The Spirit brings to our remembrance the things which we have heard of God I never yet knew a pious Soul that duâ—st slight Reading or powerful Preaching I have indeed known Religious Souls neglect and despise some mens little jinglings of words in Pulpits flaunts of Rhetorick and playing with words or disgorging their malice and passion and they deserve to be despised and abhorred of all but I never yet knew that pious Soul that did not hunger after the Preaching of Jesus Christ in a plain Scriptural powerful manner I would say to any that pretend to despise Sermons pretending to the Teachings of the Spirit immediately as Paul spoke to the Galatians Gal. 3. 2. This would I learn of you Received you the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith So say I you pretend to some change of heart to a Receiving of the Spirit Received you the Spirit by an immediate afflatus or impression or by the Hearing of the Word Besides how shall the impressions of the Spirit be known tryed or judged but by the Word for St. John hath taught us 1 Joh 4. 1. That every Spirit is not to be believed And the Apostle warns the Thessalonians 1 Thes 2. 2. not to be shaken in mind troubled or deceived by Spirit nor by Word nor by Letter I shall shut up this Discourse with a word of Exhortation Which of us is there who hath not an ambition to be the Lamb's Wife and to be thought the Spouse of Christ Evidence then your selves to be such by your hunger after a communion with God in his Word by your much Reading much Hearing by your meditating in the Law of the Lord night and day For the written Word you have no plea to the contrary no excuse for the Word Preached I wish Christians had more general incouragement We have too much of of the word of man in Pulpits too little of the Word of God and as it is in Trade the false and corrupt making of Wares depretiates the Commodity and brings it out of esteem with such as abhor to be cheated So the abundance of false Preaching by which I mean not only Preaching of unsound Notions but Preaching vain Philosophy idle Speculations turning Sermons into Harangues of Oratory In short whatsoever is not intelligible Scriptural Preaching with a true design to shew men the way of Salvation and to direct them into it and in it I call this false Preaching We have so much of this that it hath brought a discredit upon the Ordinance I would have you as our Saviour directs Take heed what you hear and how you hear and that will oblige you to take heed whom you hear But withal Take heed that you hear for God hath told you that Faith cometh by hearing He hath said Hear and your Souls shall live And blessed be God he hath not left us without some that Preach Jesus Christ and him crucified and desire to know nothing else amongst people I cannot tell you how long you shall have any of the daies of the Son of Man work while it is day when the night comes no man can work We have had faithful powerful Preaching a long time possibly Christ never had a Church on Earth had such handling the Word of God so long a time doth not the Candle begin to fail and burn in the Socket We have an Ezra's Temple but is not Solomon's destroyed 2. There 's no such way to recover your Light and keep it with you as to cry after it and to make use of it while you have it God will not take away his Word from hungry Children Where are our Rogers Sheppard Hooker Fenner Preston Sibbs Burroughs and others It 's time to recover your Appetites that you may recover your Bread 3. Consider you that love the Lord will be the first that want it Prodigals of their Souls can feed upon any Husks though they fill their Bellies with nothing but wind and crudities That you may recover your Appetite to the Word Purge your selves of your lusts I shall conclude with that of James Jam. 1. 21 22. Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your Souls But be you doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving your own selves Sermon VI. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth IT is not Let me hear the words of his mouth though that be intended the words of God's mouth may be brought to us by men like unto our selves as they were spoken to the Israelites of old by the Prophets the Spouse begs not only the Words of her Lord but that they might be spoken from himself She beggeth his words but so that they may be kisses tokens of his love and favour to her Soul She beggeth not only a more external Communion with God by which God communicates his Will to our exteriour senses but an inward Communion that God by his Word and Gospel would speak unto her heart that the Word might
not be to her a meer sound much less the savour of death unto death but the savour of life unto life Prop. The great desire of a gracious Soul is after an inward spiritual Communion with Christ in his Word ȧnd Ordinances This is a Point not so well generally understood by the croud of Professors suffer me therefore to spend a few words in the Explication of it All Communion importeth mutual and reciprocal Communication It is an action wherein two Persons do communicate themselves each to other Communion with God implieth God's communication of himself to his creature and the creature's communication of it self unto God To restrain my discourse to the present Subject I am about There is a more external Communion we have with God with reference to his Word in the reading it or hearing it read or Preacht or meditating in it God then communicates his Will to us by the help of Letters Words and Syllables by which we understand things or by the voice of his Ministers sent in his Name to open his mind and will unto us and we communicate with God giving him the homage of our Eyes and Ears our common sense and imaginations this I call a more external Communion And there is a more spiritual internal Communion which a Soul hath with God in it I call it a Communion because God in it doth communicate himself to the Soul and the Soul communicateth it self to God God speaketh by his Word to the heart and the heart receiveth the Divine Impressions and surrendreth up it self to the Will of God In the other there is no more than a communication of the Divine Will on God's part nor any more than the homage of our exterior senses our faculty of reading and hearing the service of our Eyes and Ears our common sense and power of Imagination and of our understanding receiving the notions of Truth In this Communion with God in his Word there is not only on God's part a communication of God's Will but also of God's Power by which the Soul is 1. Irradiated as to the understanding inabled to see things in another light more fully and clearly 2. Subdued as to the Will so as the man is made willing and obedient to the heavenly Revelation transformed into the likeness of the Word so convinced of the truth of it that it can no longer withstand it whether it be a word of Instruction which is the Object of our Faith or a word of Reproof for conviction of Sin or a word of Consolation for refreshing the Soul the Soul can no longer deny or dispute or doubt of the Proposition no longer stand out against the Precept no longer refuse to be comforted The Word of the Lord comes here to the inward part of the Soul 2. There is a further Communication on man's part of himself to God In the former Communion he only lends God his Eye to read his Will his Ear to hear it his imaginative power to think upon it his Passive Intellect or Power to receive Notions of Truth Here he communicates his whole Soul to God his Will and Affections his whole Man It is true here God speaks first we do only velle quum volumus agere quum agimur as Augustine expresseth it that is we only will when we are made willing and act when we are first moved and acted There are some who are great Patrons for the Power of Man's Will as to things spiritual that would elude those Texts about the Teachings of the Spirit and the Teachings of the Anointing spoken of by St. John by asserting That there is such a constant concomitancy of the holy Spirit with the Preaching of the Gospel that whosoever will may be willing and obedient and believe and repent and be obedient I should hearken much to this Notion if the Authors of it could give me a good account how it is then that of two persons hearing the same Sermon and sitting under the same ministration of the Spirit one man only hears it thinks upon it a little and receiveth some notions of it to fit his Tongue with discourse another hath his heart changed by it and transformed into the Image of God and wholly changed as to his Will and Affections and his whole Conversation That it is so is demonstrably true I would know whence it is unless they will make man a God unto himself that is the first cause of truly good and spiritual motions Now this internal Communion with God in his Word which in Scripture is called the Teaching of the Spirit and the Teaching of the Anointing being such as few are acquainted with is little known in the world and therefore some count it Canting and so unwarily blaspheme the Teacher and cannot understand any thing else by it than Ministerial Teaching Others again can understand no Teaching of the Spirit in and by Ordinances but dream that Souls under the Teachings of the Spirit must live above Duties and Ordinances and so turn it into meer Enthusiasm immediate impressions which they pretend to from the holy Spirit of God It may be therefore worth our while to understand it a little You read of it prophesied of old Isa 54. 17. That the Children of the Church should be all taught of the Lord. You read in the New Testament of words which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2. 14. Yea it teacheth us not words only but things 1 John 2. 27. But the Anointing which you have received in him abideth in you and you need not that any man should teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you all things and is truth and is no lye Yea it was Christ's own Promise Joh. 14. 26. But the Comforter which the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring to your remembrance whatsoever you have heard from me So as that there is a Teaching of the Spirit is out of all doubt The only Questions are 1. Whether this be concomitant with Ministerial Teachings and superadded to them which we maintain against those who are for immediate Teachings in raptures and by immediate impressions or a thing separate from them and to which Ministerial Teachings are rather hinderances than any furtherance which is what we deny For though we limit not the Holy One of Israel but say that as he did of Old thus teach his Prophets and Apostles so he may by more immediate Impressions and Revelations teach his People still what they are to do or to avoid Yet we say that the Book of Scripture being finished and sealed no such Revelations are by any to be expected and if any man think he hath any such Impressions Revelations or extraordinary Teachings they must be proved by the Word with which if they do not agree they proceed not from the holy Spirit of God neither have they any Light in them Secondly 2. Whether the Teachings of the Spirit be any thing more than Ministerial Teachings in
the Preachings of the Gospel which Teachings have such a constant presence of the Spirit of Grace with them that if a man will he may with those Aids and Assistances do what God requireth of him in order to his Eternal Salvation and avoid what God would have him to avoid We affirm they are and that there is no such power in the Will of Man in the use of those common Aids and Assistances and that there is a Teaching of the Spirit in the use of the Word far beyond the power and virtue of the Word The Object of this Teaching we make to be the Elect of God Reprobates as well as chosen Vessels may be taught by the Ministerial Teaching of the Word and have that external Communion with God in his Word which I before mentioned but the Elect of God and such as shall be eternally saved only know any thing of these Teachings and to such are restricted throughout all Scripture in such places as make any mention of them The more immediate Object is the Understanding Will and Affections The Ministerial Teaching reacheth the Eyes and Ears and exteriour senses and thence cometh into the thoughts and into the understanding more confusedly and imperfectly it reacheth not the more inward part of the Soul The things of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 12. are revealed to those who have received the Spirit V. 14. The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned I therefore call it an internal spiritual Communion with God in his Word But yet for the fuller understanding of this it is reasonable that I should shew you how the Spirit Teacheth the Elect Soul in and by the Ordinance that you may see and understand what there is more in this Spiritual Teaching in this internal Communion with God in his Word and Ordinances than in the meer Teaching of the Letter meer Ministerial Teaching separated from this I told you before these Teachings were not by immediate Enthusiasms Impressions or Revelations of new things for I pray observe there is a twofold Revelation the one I may call A simple immediate first Revelation Thus God of old taught the Patriarchs and Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles All Scripture was by inspiration from God and holy men spake as they were inspired by God Thus God was pleased to teach the Guides of his Church before the holy Scripture was written at least fully written and a Curse annexed as a Seal to that Book to them that should add any thing to it This is a Teaching some would be at but what need of it if the Scriptures as the Apostle tells us are able to make the man of God wise to salvation furnished to every good work Secondly There is another kind of Revelation which we may for distinction sake call a compounded mediate Revelation it is the further Revelation of what God hath revealed in his Word but we wanted a proper medium to see it in we were blind and dark and our Eyes stuck in the bark and surface of Scripture Thus it is yet true 1 Cor. 2. 10. That God revealeth to his People by his Spirit the deep things of God the things which Eye hath not seen nor hath Ear heard nor can it enter into the Heart of man to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them that love him But of this I shall speak more by and by That I may therefore give you at least my apprehension concerning the due notion of the Spirit 's Teaching so as it shall not be confounded with bare Ministerial Teachings which I take to be a great debasing of the notion of it on the one hand nor be made opposite to Ministerial Teaching and that made useless on the other hand I shall shew you that in order to the Salvation of a Soul there is a Teaching of the Spirit necessary added to or over and above Ministerial Teachings I shall open it in four or five particulars 1. The Spirit teacheth by special Illumination There is a common Illumination which is the Effect of the Spirit also but of the Spirit working in a way of common grace by which men receive the common notions of Religious Truths There are two diseases or faults in the Soul of a Christian which hinder its learning spiritual things 1. The first is a listlesness or indisposition to learn or hear any thing of that nature You may see this in mens slighting of the Word of God till God hath wrought some saving work in their hearts they have no mind to read the holy Scriptures nor yet to hear them faithfully opened and applied And could you but enter into peoples hearts which yet you may know by what was the temper of your own hearts before God wrought a change on them you would see this yet further confirmed unto you this God in conversion removes but this is not that which I have here to do with 2. There is besides this a natural blindness and deafness that a poor creature cannot see nor hear In Jer. 5. 21. you find these words Hear now this O you foolish people and void of understanding who have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not Every natural man is one of these who have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not The mysteries of the Kingdom of God are foolishness to the natural Soul what a notion of Regeneration had Nicodemus Joh. 3. what notions of Justification Union with Christ the indwelling of the Spirit Faith c. have some others discovered Natural men have rational Souls as well as others and by the workings of them understand many Propositions in Religion which shine in the light of Natural Reason but there are Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Doctrines that shine only in the light of Scripture of these they understand little or nothing Nay for the more common notions of Religion concerning the Immortality of the Soul the Nature of God the Doctrines of Faith Repentance Good works when once the heart is changed the Soul seeth them in quite another light and hath quite another notion of them than it had before while it was only under the instruction of Reason and the Ministerial instruction of Men. Paul prayeth for the Ephesians Ephes 1. 17 18. That the God of Glory would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him the Eyes of their understanding being inlightened c. It is the Spirit that inlighteneth the understanding and inableth it to a fuller and further comprehension of and insight into the Spiritual Mysteries of the Kingdom of God When the Disciples came to our Saviour Matth. 13. 10. and asked him why he spake to the multitude in Parables he tells them v. 11. because it was given to his Disciples to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but to the multitude it was not given From hence have proceeded the vain speculations and
every good Christian what Soul is there that knoweth any thing of God or of the nature and end of Ordinances that can be satisfied with meer reading of a Chapter of hearing of a Sermon without finding his heart at all affected with what he reads or hears any operation of it at all upon his heart and conscience Formalists indeed who think that God is pleased with noises and empty sounds and with meer bodily labour which profiteth nothing may be satisfied with going to Church and hearing a discourse from a Pulpit and that too of small or no tendency to do good to a Soul but it is impossible that a conscientious Christian that looks upon Ordinances as opportunities under a Divine appointment wherein God hath promised to meet the Souls of people and bless them wherein God hath appointed to come and to speak unto peoples Souls should be satisfied with the meer external action or homage but he must thirst after that blessing which God hath promised to his people when he meets them in places or duties wherein he hath recorded his Name to dwell But I shall shew you further how highly reasonable this is upon this Hypothesis That there is such an inward communion of God with his People in his Institutions One reason may be because a meer outward Communion with God is not distinguishing mercy and this is known to every Soul who knoweth any thing of God Pariter adeunt pariter audiunt said Augustine Hypocrites as well Saints go to Church hear Sermons read Chapters This is a favour God gives to all within the pale of his Church which is a field hath Tares in it as well as Wheat a Drag-net whose swallow hath in it good Fish as well as bad Every Hypocrite may yield God the homage of his Eye and Ear and some thoughts I shewed you before that it is of the nature of a Child of God to thirst after distinguishing mercies This is that which such Souls long after to have some tokens of good from God which may speak God's loving-kindness to them They are awakened to a sense of their lost condition by nature and to a fense of Eternity and they know nothing but the Adoption of Sons nothing but an Union with Christ can do their Souls any good with reference to their greatest wants Besides such Souls as they thirst after what is best suited to their Souls greatest wants so they have learned to value the Love and Favour of God above all earthly things They know that all within the pale of the Church are not in the favour of God many are called and few are chosen Strait is the way and narrow is the gate that leadeth to eternal life and few there be that find it Many shall seek to enter and shall not enter Secondly A meer external Communion with God is upon the point no Communion with him It is indeed improperly called a Communion with him God saith our Saviour is a Spirit and from thence a Christian concludeth that those who worship him must worship him in Spirit and Truth I told you before That in all Communion there must be a mutual communication In our Communion with God God communicateth something of himself to the Soul and the Soul must communicate it self in some degrees unto God Now in our meer external Communion with God in the hearing of his Word or reading of it what doth God communicate to us nothing but the revelation of his Will to our exteriour senses or common sense and understanding and the last but in an imperfect degree What doth man communicate of himself to God he lends him his Eye to gather up the Letters of a Book to present them to his understanding he lends him his Ear to hear sounds which may carry some notions of God to the understanding he lends him a little bodily presence and labour to do for a little time what he hath commanded him to do but all this while the man communicateth not his heart and soul his will and affections to God nor doth God communicate any thing of his power and goodness unto the Soul So that if we consider God as a Spirit and who requireth of us the homage of the Soul and inward man it is upon the point no fellowship and communion with God at all Thirdly A meer external fellowship and communion with God in his Word if it may be so called wants those two adjuncts which most allure and inflame the Soul with desires they are pleasure and profit There is no true pleasure in it no true profit and advantage to a Soul arising from it I noted to you before that one reason of the Soul's thirst after communion with God in his Word is the pleasure and sweetness which every pious Soul findeth in it David saith the Word was sweeter to his tast than the Honey and the Honey-comb and he saith That one day in the Lord's Courts is better than a thousand elsewhere But let us a little wistly consider wherein the sweetness of the Word lieth what maketh the Bible to be sweeter than another Book or a Sermon to be a more pleasant discourse than any other The sweetness cannot lie in the gratifying of our exteriour senfes or of our fancy much reading is a weariness to the flesh so is much hearing much study The sweetness of the Word of God and discourses out of it lies in the fittedness of the revelations there and of such discourses to the distresses and spiritual necessities of the Soul and the insight the Word gives us into the great things of God the great Mysteries of the Kingdom of God Now no pleasure no delight no sweetness of this nature ariseth to or in any Soul from a meer external communion with God in it Hence it is that carnal unregenerate men had rather spend four or five hours at a Play or a Musick-meeting or Ball than one at a Sermon they find no sweetness no pleasure at all in the Word The Preacher indeed may be as one that hath the voice of a pleasant lovely Song and have some witty sentences this may please them or if they be persons that are prophane and hate all Religion and Godliness he may use his wit in some jeers and squibs at Religion and this may tickle their lusts a little but a discourse out of Scripture tending to the true ends of Preaching informing the Judgment in the Doctrines of Faith or persuading the practice of Godliness are the most unpleasant sounds in the world to such mens Ears There is no Soul breathing that takes or can take any pleasure from or find any sweetness in reading or hearing that experienceth no inward communion with God in the action or at least that desires none 2. A second great Attractive and mover of our desires is profit and advantage and in this case it must be the profit and advantage of our Souls for they are actions from which no worldly profit and
the Rule which God hath given us Our Souls communion with God through the Spirit is not out of Ordinances but in and by them The Teaching of the Letter is not opposed but subordinated to the Teaching of the Spirit There is room enough for the Teaching of the holy Spirit after the Minister hath done what he can to teach us nor is it to be blasphemed by ill tongued men because themselves do not understand what it means they only speak evil of the things they know not The Power of God upon the heart fastening the words we read and hear upon our hearts and consciences as a Nail in a sure place is a thing only known unto the Souls that have had experience of it But the great thing I desire you might be instructed in from this discourse is The difference betwixt a prophane person and hypocrites and the true Children of God which may be discerned from their affections to the Word of God The prophane person wholly despiseth and slighteth the Word of God both the written Word and the Word Preached it serveth him for nothing but a subject to exercise his prophane wit upon The Hypocrite driving another design glorying in shew and appearance he must have some pretended respect at least to the Word of God but he rests meerly in reading or in hearing and regardeth not either how far God in the Word communicates himself to him nor yet how far he communicates his Soul unto God in the Ordinance Let an Hypocrite go with a multitude and hear a Sermon he hath enough if he can but say I have been at the Ordinance whether his Soul hath been at all instructed or affected whether any Word of God hath come nigh to his heart laid any hold upon his conscience yea or no he hath no true thirst after any communion with God in the Ordinance if he hath been but seen in the Lord's Courts or at most be furnished with matter of discourse to talk of amongst Christians so as they may take him to be a Disciple his ends are satisfied But it is otherwise with a Child of God he is troubled when he cometh from an Ordinance if he doth not find he hath had some communion with God in the Ordinance That God hath either more sealed and further confirmed some Truth to his Soul or convinced him of some sin or comforted him with some Promise some way or other spoken unto his heart Methinks the difference betwixt an Hypocrite and a Child of God in this case may be resembled by the going of a Child with another companion who is no Child to a Father's house where they find themselves splendidly entertained but the Child seeth not his Father's face the Child's companion is pleased and comes home talking and boasting of his entertainment but the Child's heart is sad the end of the Child's Journey was to see his Father's face and to have his Father's blessing without this the good chear doth him no good The formal Hypocrite comes home from Ordinances pleasing himself that he hath been at Church that he hath heard a quaint learned discourse and his tongue may run great descants upon such things as these The Child of God is satisfied with none of these things he went to his Father's house that he might see his Father's face if he can find no evidence of that his Soul is discontented and unsatisfied he cries I have laboured in vain I have lost another day of grace and opportunity of salvation I have been seeking the Lord in vain and waiting upon him for nothing And this is the very reason why a pious Soul cannot hear every body nor take up with all Sermons or discourses he doth not go to Church to hear the voice of a man but the Word of God and goeth with an expectation to meet with a blessing from God and therefore he will hear where the Word of God is so opened so applied as he can expect God's blessing upon it He cannot expect that God's blessing should go along with any to whom he hath said Psal 50. 16 17. What hast thou to do to declare my Statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee He will not therefore sit under the Ministry of one that is openly prophane and wicked and of a scandalous life Nor one that teacheth other Doctrine than what is according to sound Doctrine and godliness and the form of sound words delivered in the Word of God or him that giveth heed to Fables and endless Genealogies which minister Questions rather than godly Edifying which is in Faith 1 Tim. 1. 4. When he goes â—o an Ordinance he goeth not to hear the words of men puffed up but the words of God and expecteth that God should meet him and bless him and therefore governs himself accordingly in hearing so as he may probably meet with a blessing from God which he cannot expect from one who so dischargeth his work as he proclaimeth to all that God never sent him though he runs In the next place this will give us another advantage to try our state with reference to God's favour An earnest desire after an inward spiritual communion with God in any Ordinance or Duty and the dissatisfaction of a Soul without it will very much argue a man or woman to be a Christian indeed whereas a bare going to an Ordinance a bare fancy or desire to hear or a meer hearing will speak a man no more than a nominal titular Christian and be an evidence that the Soul resteth in a meer bodily labour and exercise which profiteth nothing This is a great point the being in the Sanctuary will satisfie an Hypocrite nothing but the seeing the power and glory of God in the Sanctuary will satisfie David the man according to God's own heart But it is hard for us to keep a medium in any thing almost As in the heart of a Formalist there is nothing of this desire nothing of this dissatisfaction so many times in the heart of a good Christian there may be too much of this dissatisfaction and a discontent and dissatisfaction founded in some mistake let me therefore a little enlarge upon this so useful a Subject 1. A satisfaction with a bare reading or hearing the Word speaks nothing above formality nothing above what an Hypocrite may arrive at It is said that Herod heard John Baptist gladly yet he was not got up to the Hypocrite's Form There was a people in Ezekiel's time of whom God complained Ezek 33. v. 30 31 32. that talked against the Prophet by the walls and in the doors of their houses yet spake every one to his Brother saying Come I pray you and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And came as the people came and sate before the Prophet as the Lord's people and heard his words but would not do them with their mouths theâ—
and Christ himself speaking to me him of whom God hath said This is my well beloved Son hear ye him For though it be a man that speaketh yet it is a man sent of God cloathed with the Authority of Jesus Christ and speaking to me his Words and in his Name nor am I to regard any thing I hear but what agreeth with what he hath spoken or his holy Prophets and Apostles who were immediately inspired by him The setting right of a Persons first end design and intention gives a mighty conduct to his Actions And as I before said it is very unreasonable to expect Gods presence and Blessing with and upon us where the Heart is not set right with reference to its Intention and Design It is true as to the first Grace God is found of those that seek him not and of those who do not enquire after him No Soul would ever be converted and brought home to God if God did not meet it in his Word before it had thus rightly fixed its design and intention in coming to hear the word of God but what God may do and sometimes doth out of his abounding and preventing Grace is one thing what a Soul may expect from God upon the account of any promise is another thing the Archer may possibly hit the mark though he hath never by his Eye levelled his Arrow at it but he cannot promise himself that good hap No Soul that setteth not his heart aright to seek God in any Ordinance particularly this of hearing his word who doth not before he go set his Face towards Jerusalem set this as a mark in his Eye as the thing which he proposeth to himself Secondly It doth not only comprehend the end of Intention and Design but also the manner and certainly none can pretend to hear the word as the word of God but he must go to it without any levity and with all manner of Seriousness and composure of Spirit No Reverence and Submission of Spirit can be imagined too much for the great Majesty of Heaven We ought not to go to hear the word as if we were going to hear an Oration much less as if we were going to a Play Thirdly We cannot be thought to hear it as the word of God without some previous lookings up to God for a Blessing upon it We go for the Teachings of the Spirit Our Saviour tells us Luk. 11. 14. He gives his holy Spirit to them that ask him Christ first begg'd the Spirit for us John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall send you another Comforter That comforting Spirit is the Teaching Spirit v. 26. The Comforter which the Father shall send in my Name shall teach you all things As Christ at first prayed to the Father to send the Comforter the Spirit that should teach us all things So he expecteth that we should pray for him for our selves The holy Spirit is given to those that ask him this is a piece of our Houshold Preparation Attend particularly to those Impulses which at some times thou mayest have to hear A Christian shall sometimes find some particular impulses upon him to hear I would not be hear I would not be here mistaken I know there is a dangerous Opinion imbibed and promoved by some Enthusiasts that Christians should never go to perform a Duty whether praying or hearing but upon some particular Impulse or Motion I call this a dangerous Principle because it is the first step to casting off all Duties and Ordinances But yet let no Christian neglect such special Impulses Impulses to Actions that are contrary to our Duty in the revealed Will of God ought to be rejected contemned and abhorred they must come from the boilings of corruption in our own hearts or from the evil Spirit Impulses to Actions which are not expresly commanded nor yet forbidden must be considered and we ought to obey or not obey them as Circumstances pro hic nunc at this or that time may determine it lawful or not lawful expedient or not expedient with Reference to the General rules which God in his word hath given us to guide all our Actions by Impulses to the Performance of our Duty under due Circumstances ought never to be neglected It may be well presumed that God hath something to say to the Soul in particular at such a time when he gives it a special item and monition to go to hear Thirdly be sure thou goest to hear with an humble Heart and with as much of a poor broken and contrite Spirit as thou canst There is a Promise Psal 25. 9. The humble he will teach and another Isa 57. v. 15. Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth Eternity and whose name is Holy I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble Spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones And Isa 66. v. 2. To the man will I look even to him that is of a poor and contrite Spirit and that trembleth at my word God sendeth the proud Soul empty away take heed of going to hear with a proud Heart self-opinionated as to Knowledge or self-conceited God teacheth the humble dwelleth with the humble looketh upon the humble The Rain that dasheth off and runneth down the Mountains resteth in the Valleys the Instructions Reproofs Convictions of the word which fall upon Men of proud and high Conceits and Opinions of themselves rest and are drunk in by low and humble Souls The broken and contrite Heart is like the plowed ground which is in itself more apt to receive and drink in the word than that ground where the surface is not at all broken but there is besides particular Promises made to Broken Hearts The word you know is compared to Seed in the Parable of the Sower Matth. 13. and in several other Texts the Husbandman useth not to sow his Seed in the whole but in the broken ground Fourthly Be sure you go to hear with unprejudised Hearts willing and desirous to learn Prejudice naturally barreth the Ear to Instruction Ahab's prejudice against Micajah stopt his Ears against the word of the Lord to him and proved his fatal Ruine and Destruction I should never advise Christians to sit under the Ministry of any person they are prejudised against it much contributeth to a prejudice against the word of the Lord spoken by them if therefore in that case I could not remove my Prejudice I would chuse another Preacher but I further added that you should go with Hearts willing and desirous to know the Will of God It is the chapt thirsty ground that most drinks in the Rain and is made most fruitful by it it is the Soul that hungers and thirsteth after the word that profiteth by it and hath a communion with God in it though the Word be Gods and he breatheth upon the Soul according to his own
the Image of him that created him The Child of God is transformed by the renewing of his mind Rom. 12. 2. Regenerated and born again Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God born again of Water and of the Spirit as our Saviour expoundeth it v. 5. Now this change this renevation respecteth not the substantial power and faculties of the Soul The same powers and faculties the same understanding will and affections I mean the same powers which we call so remain but they are changed as to their quality and aspect unto Objects The same wheels of the Soul remain but they are set right and move more regularly towards what are indeed their true and proper Objects The natural man's understanding is blind and dark and weak and impotent he calleth good evil and evil good bitter things sweet and sweet things bitter his pallate is vitiated so as he neither doth nor can discern things truly and spiritually good Until his nature be cultivated by moral Discipline and some ingenious Education he is like the Beast that perisheth and judgeth of good and evil meerly by sense When it is cultivated he judgeth of it by reason and determines good and evil according to rational Principles and in that riseth no higher than to the perfection of an Heathen Philosopher who knew nothing of any such thing as Union and Communion with God and either believed nothing of the Immortality of the Soul and so took not himself concerned to care for that or at least had a faint belief and an imperfect notion of it But the renewed man hath his understanding opened to discern more excellent things He easily seeth That God is the chiefest Good and thence concludes as rationally that the happiness of man must needs consist in the enjoyment of God in Union and Communion with him as the Heathens determined that the happiness of a man must necessarily lye in the fâ—uition of and an union with the summum bonum the greatest good This being determined by the understanding by that new light and power of discerning given it by God The will of whose nature it is to follow the Dictates of the Understanding ordinarily chuseth and embraceth it by as natural and rational a working as that wretched Soul that knoweth no be tter things than good Meat and Drink and Cloaths and Estates chooseth them and embraceth them before other things Or the more cultivated Soul chooseth Learning and Knowledge and moral Habits Only in rega rd there is a particular Debauchery and Corruption of the Will of man there is a particular work of God upon the Will changing and altering that or else in Spiritual things it would not follow the Dictate of the Understanding and this may be seen in things benea th this Order We indeed usually say the Will is a blind faculty and follows the dictate of the Understanding but since the Fall man is so much mancipated and enslaved to his sensual Appetite that we see in daily experience it doth not The drunkard the unclean persons are daily proofs of it who know well enough that the prosecution of their Lusts in those things doth not only destroy their contrary moral Habits but ruine their Lives Health Reputation yet cannot forbear the pursuit of them But the Will being thus renewed to chuse the best spiritual good the affections move in a natural Order after it and the outward man is commanded to all actions pursuant to it So that I say this Renovation of the whole Man according to the Image of God is the true cause of the Souls willingness and earnest desire after these nearest degrees of Communion with God The understanding being thus fully enlightened to discern that God is the chiefest good and that mans greatest happiness must lie in an Union with him and enjoyment of him 2. To which I know nothing can be added but those measures of experience which every renewed Soul hath how good the Lord is The experience of any good adds much to our Souls value of it as it confirmeth to us our notion and apprehension of it Many things appear better to us in contemplation than in fruition But there can be nothing in nature conceived more effectual to inflame our affections after any Object than when besides the goodness our Understandings have discerned in it upon which our Wills have made their Election of it a superadded experience confirmeth our noton of the goodness of it There is no justified Soul but hath in some measure tasted how good the Lord is and how good a Fellowship and Communion with God is so as it doth but move rationally in willing and desiring the nearest and most intimate degrees of it I added further That this Soul as a mean to obtain it will use rightly ordered Prayer The Reason and ground of this evidently appears if we consider 1. That Prayer is the means to obtain it No man can be so much as presumed truly to will and to desire any thing which he useth no means to obtain or as to which he doth not use the proper means to obtain it if he knows it the good is here is not sensible or rational to be acquired by natural or moral means but is truly and highly spiritual the Communication of the Divine Influences to the Soul and most inward part of man the means must be somthing of Divine Institution somthing which God hath appointed as a mean in order to so great and blessed an end Prayer is one mean of this Nature He gives his holy Spirit to them that ask him saith our Saviour This is a Divine Means under a Divine Ordination and Institution with reference to such an end This the Believer knoweth and it is a means within his Power God hath sent forth the Spirit of Adoption into his Heart teaching him to cry Abba Father The Spirit helpeth his Infirmities with strong cries and groans which cannot be uttered 2. He also knoweth that it is not all Prayer will be effective of this but Prayer according to the Will of God effectual fervent Prayer A man may ask amiss and not receive Though therefore an Hypocrite that takes up with a form of Godliness and aims at no right end in his acts of Homage but drives a by Design for himself in all his duties and seeketh himself more than God may content himself with such performances as answer the low mark which he levells his Arrows at Yet the pious Soul that hath a true aim and design in his Actions must mind such a performance of them as shall bear a proportion to the true end he aimeth at but this is enough to have spoken for the Explication and Confirmation of this Proposition what this rightly ordered Prayer is God willing I shall further open to you in the Application of this Discourse From hence in the first place we may take some measures of our State with reference unto
there will be no sincere desires in the Soul after these things The Schoolmen tell us there are three ways by which we gain the Knowledge of a thing By Signs Conjectures and Effects as some Causes are known 2. By the enquiry of our Reason into the nature of it 3. By Divine Revelation The Excellency of the Loves of Christ is a spiritual thing and to be judged upon Spiritual accounts and in a Spiritual manner The natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. So as the natural Reason of a Man will serve him very little to the gaining of this Knowledge by the Effects having never experienced it he cannot know it so as there is no other way to know it but by Divine Revelation God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 10. hath revealed them to us by his Spirit And v. 12. We have received the Spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are freely given us of God So as that I say God must shew some special token of his Love to our Souls for good before we can shew any Love to him or make so much as one step toward him Observe from hence That a Believers Soul moves rationally and accountably enough in all its desires after the Loves of Christ The Souls of Believers are not so unintelligible as some prophane Persons would make them in their Passions for and Motions towards Christs Loves The Knowledge a Soul hath or the Experience which it hath had of the Goodness and Excellency of any Object moves the reasonable Soul to the desires of it Admitting the Believer to see things in another Light than a natural Man hath or can see in to have other Notions of Good and Evil and to take the measures of them from their subserviency to the Spiritual and eternal good of the Soul the Passions and Desires of his Soul after Christs Love are as natural Motions of the reasonable Souls as the Worldlings Desires after Riches or the sensual Mans Passions for such things as gratifie the sensitive Appetite The Reason why every Soul moveth not after these Spiritual Things is because every Soul seeth not the Good and Excellency in them Multitudes hardly know that is believe they have immortal Souls that shall outlive their Bodies in a state of Happiness or Misery or if they know or believe that yet they do not believe that there is no other name under Heaven by which they can be saved but only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Nor ever had any experience of the Love of God to Souls Their deriding of Religious Passions and the Breathings of pious Souls after the Manifestations of Divine Love flows from their ignorance of them and their unreasonable Rudeness in speaking evil of the things which they know not The original difference betwixt a person truly pious and panting after the Love of Christ and others lies here These Creatures know that they have Souls Souls ordained to an eternal existence either in HÄ—ll or Heaven in eternal Happiness or in eternal Misery They believe what God hath said that there is no other Name under Heaven by which Men and Women can be saved but only the name of Jesus Christ neither is there Salvation in any other That he that believeth on him is not condemned and he that believeth not is damned already the Wrath of God abideth on him and he shall never see Life they do not only read these things in their Bibles and hear them from their Preachers but the Holy Spirit of God hath firmly persuaded them that they do as fixedly believe them as they do any thing of sensible or rational Demonstration they have more waky thoughts with reference to Death Mortality and Eternity are things more in their Eyes than in the Eyes of others Again they have tasted and experienced more of the Love of Christ Allow the Souls of others to be in the same Circumstances they would have alike Motions but because they are ignorant knowing nothing of Spiritual Things or at least nothing as they ought to know it thence it is that their Souls move not this is now but the natural working of reasonable Souls in other cases nor is there any such unaccountable or unintelligible thing in it And indeed this gives us the true Reason why every unregenerate Soul is so cold in its motions toward Christ and also may inform us how far it is possible such a Soul may go in motions of this nature The Reason why such a Soul moves no more is want of Evidence which such a Soul hath of the Goodness of his Loves Simple Goodness and Excellency in an Object is not attractive of the Soul but Goodness apprehended by evidenced and appearing to us All the apprehension that it is possible a natural man should have of the Loves of Christ must be from Reading Hearing or its own Reasoning and concluding from what it hath so heard or read for it wants both the demonstrative persuasion of the Holy Spirit and also any experimental Tasts or sensible Evidence All Knowledge which hath no better Foundation will arise no higher than to beget in the Soul an Opinion and leaves the Soul at some Incertainties and unfixed and hence its Motions towards an Object of which it hath no better Evidence are also incertain and faint and fluctuating Knowledge being the Foundation of Desire Reason will tell us that the Desire must bear proportion with the Knowledge The unregenerate man having no Knowledge of Spiritual things that is productive of more than an Opinion the desire must be incertain and faint according to the nature of the Opinion that causeth it By this also Christians may be able to take some Measures and make up some Judgments of themselves whether the desires they find in their Souls after Christ and his Loves be such as are peculiar to the Souls of Believers yea or no. We usually say that Desires after Grace are Evidences of it and there is a truth in it but all desires are not so for as I have said there may be desires after Christ and his Loves in an unregenerate Man commensurate to that knowledge which he hath of the Goodness of them but this will speak nothing of good to the Soul only such Desires as flow from a Christians Knowledge of Faith and from Experience He that hath only a knowledge of Christ and his Loves from Reading the word or from the Report of Ministers may so far desire Christs Loves as may serve him for his own ends nay though he hath no great Faith as to that eternal State of Happiness to which Christ brings the Soul but hath only received Notions of such ablessed State to which he gives no great credit yet for his own Security because his notions may be true though he hath no great fixed persuasion of them he may yet desire the Loves of Christ so far as to bring him to
diligent in the use of means to have its desires accomplished that Soul shall be made fat That Souls desires shall be accomplished tho it may see it falls short of its duty in the use of means and tho it may be God is not pleased to give the Soul the sensible manifestations of its love so that its desire is deferred and while it is so differred the heart is pained and it meets with some trouble and uneasiness through the not accomplishing of its desires to its sense yet it shall be made fat The hope of the righteous saith Solomon shall be gladness so the desire of such a Soul the diligent Soul shall be satisfaction This is according to the words of our Saviour Mat. 5. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Thus much I have thought fit to add in this place in answer to that question which we sometimes meet with Whether the desire of grace be grace A true resolution of it is of mighty use sometimes to Souls under melancholick distempers or in an hour of temptation to relieve them where they both want sensible manifestations and a just view of the sincerity of their own actions I shall shut up this discourse with a word of exhortation 1. To all to look to their desires their pretended desires after Christ and his loves That of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16. 22. is a dreadful Curse If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha accursed till the Lord come Love is the complacency of the Soul in an object the first fruit of its desire None hath a true complacency in an object but he desireth an union with it in such a degree as he is capable of Hence every one that liveth under the preaching of the Gospel and hath heard of Christ will pretend to desire him But one desires him from a knowledge by hearsay of the goodness of his loves another desires him from a knowledge of faith a setled persuasion of it wrought in his heart by the Spirit of God and some tasts and experience of it you have heard that the desires of the Soul which arise from a knowledge of report and hearsay are weak and faint and cold and lazy and will speak nothing of good for the Soul that hath them you have heard the other desires are strong and intense vehement and fervent active and diligent Nothing more relieveth a Soul sometimes than to find in itself that though it wanteth a strength to perform yet to will is present with it tho it cannot yet rejoice and delight in the apprehension of his loves yet for these are its desires Nothing more killeth and destroyeth a Soul than to trust to desires of grace as indications of it which indeed are not so O therefore look to your desires after Christ See that they proceed from knowledge and experience For experience indeed it dependeth upon Divine influence and breathing upon the Soul and the holy Spirit of God like the wind breatheth where it pleaseth But see that your knowledge of the goodness of these loves be a knowledge of faith not a meer knowledge from report and hearsay as we may know many things of which we believe nothing that is we know such things are written reported talkt of rake heed this be not all the knowledge your Souls have of the loves of Christ I have shewed you that the Knowledge of Faith is a knowledge of persuasion of the excellency of the loves of Christ in themselves for I am not now discoursing of the persuasion that you have a particular interest in them a firm setled constant persuasion of the Soul that the love of Christ is the most desirable good in Heaven or Earth better then Wine yea better than life itself This is the work of the Spirit of God in the Soul A man can by no study persuade himself of this we can by no art no words no arguments of ours persuade Souls of this All that you can do or which we can advise you to do in this case in the use of such means to the use of which God hath promised his blessing or in the use of which God ordinarily concurreth with his blessing These means are reducible to a few heads 1. His Word 2. His Sacrament 3. Prayer 4. A reformed holy life and Conversation 1. The Word is the great means he hath given you it in writing that you may exercise your selves in it by reading he hath appointed the Ordinance of Preaching that you may receive it by your ears neither reading nor hearing will beget in your Souls such a knowledge of Christs love as will be productive of this knowledge which I call the knowledge of faith but they are both means means within our own power and with the use of which God useth to concur and in the neglect of which noâ—e can expect that the holy Spirit of God should work such a knowledge of the excellency of Christ and his loves as will be productive of these desires after them The Word of God is therefore called the Word of faith not only because it containeth the substance of what we are to believe but because it is that with the use of which God ordinarily concurreth in giving the Soul a power to believe therefore the Apostle tells us That faith cometh by hearing If you would know Christ and his loves read hear the Word of God and that in a conscientious manner but I have had occasion to speak of this under a former proposition 2. The holy Sacrament is another means at least for a further knowledge of Christ and his loves I am not of their minds who think that the Lords Supper is a means for conveighing the first knowledge of faith concerning Christ and his Loves to the Soul if it had Christ doubtless would have given it in commission to his Apostles not only to go and preach to and Baptize all Nations but also to Administer the Supper to them which he did not if any will say both Sacraments are intended I shall not contend but the Apostles practice expoundeth our Saviours precept who baptized none till they believed and made a profession of their true faith in Christ the Sacrament is not a means for ignorant persons and unbelievers to come to the first knowledge of Faith but an excellent means in order to the getting a further knowledge of Faith that is a confirmation of their Faith in the love of Christ 3. A third means is Prayer He gives his holy Spirit in all the manifestations of it to those that ask him 4. The last I mentioned was a reformed holy life and Conversation None know the loves of Christ more fully and effectually then those Souls who walk with him most closely You know the promise of Christs manifestation of himself is to those that love him and keep his commandments but of these things I have before
for food to him But we are blessed with Spiritual Blessings in Christ and upon the account of Christ he giveth the first grace upon the account of Christ's Intercession pleading for the Application of the purchased Redemption He giveth further grace upon the account of Christ's Intercession for us and the Spirit 's Intercession for us For we know not what to pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God Rom. 8. 26 27. Now a due estimate and value of the Love of Christ in a Soul is an Indication of the Spirit of Christ dwelling in the Soul hence it must needs be an Argument of force with God for he that searcheth the heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit making Intercession for the Saints according to the will of God Secondly The force of this Argument lies here in that it layeth hold upon many Promises The Promises are but as so many Bonds in which God hath made himself a Debtor to his Creatures All Promises oblige the truth and faithfulness of those persons that make them God being the true and faithful One cannot lye He is faithful that hath promised saith the Apostle so that if it be a sufficient Argument to use with a man to obtain any thing we would have to tell him He hath promised it it holdeth towards God more strongly as his truth and faithfulness is much more certain and infallible than any Creature is Besides that it is a further advantage when Promises are made upon a due and just consideration for these is not only the truth but the justice also of the person promising is concerned to the fulfilling of them Hence in Scripture you shall ordinarily find the Servants of God pleading the Word the Covenant of God spoken to and made with them Psal 119. 49. Remember thy Word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope and in many other Texts of Scripture I say when a Soul can go to God and say in truth that he valueth his love and favour above Wine above Life above all created comforts this Argument layeth hold upon several Promises of God I will a little enlarge upon this â— It layeth hold upon a Promise of filling and satisfaction Matth. 5. 6. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after Righteousness for they shall be filled It is a mighty large and comprehensive Promise To fill a Soul with the influences of Divine Love is a very great thing It is not easie to fill the covetous man with Wealth but he may be sooner fill'd with Riches than the Soul of a good man with the Love and Grace of God But here is a Promise of being filled Open thy mouth wide saith God and I will fill it To whom is this Promise made To him that hungers and thirsteth after Righteousness Righteousness is Grace whether you take it for the Righteousness of Justification the Righteousness of Christ in which every Soul must stand righteous before God Or the Righteousness of Sanctification habits and acts of Holiness wrought in us and done by us they are both from Grace from the free Love of God shining upon our Souls He that hungers and thirsts after it is he that intensely desires it Hunger and thirst are natural passions arising in us from our want of due aliment nature inforcing in us a sense of that want and of all other they are the most vehement Thence our English Proverb Hunger will break through stone walls and experience tells us to what hard things these passions have brought people not only to eat Carrion but to kill and eat their own Children yea the flesh of their own Arms so as hungring and thirsting after Righteousness importeth vehement desires after Grace which desires testifie the Soul's estimate of it and value for it and to those who thus hunger and thirst the Promise is made that they shall be filled Again such a Soul hath a right to those Promises of all Grace propounded in the most large and comprehensive terms and general phrases as where God promiseth a new heart the water of life his coming unto Souls dwelling in them abiding with them The Soul that can go to God and truly say that he prizeth the Loves of Christ above all things layeth hold of all these Promises of which the holy Scriptures are full Isa 55. 1 2. Ho every one that thirsteth come you to the waters and buy without money and without price buy wine and milk So Rev. 22. 17. Let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him drink of the water of life freely Joh. 14. 23. If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So v. 21. He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him These now and such like are general Promises comprehensive of all the Love of Christ to the Soul in the various manifestations of it according to the Soul 's diversified necessities with respect to its several circumstances Now observe to whom these Promises are made to those that love Christ and in evidence of that love hunger and thirst after him to them the Promises are made 1. That the Father will love that man or woman 2. That both Christ and his Father will come unto him 3. That they will manifest themselves unto them that they will dwell and make their abode with them That they shall have Wine and Milk without money and price Now I appeal to any ordinary capacity what evidence of Love any Soul can give greater than the valuing of his Loves above all other things So that where this can be said in truth to God God is challenged upon a multitude of Promises even so many as are made to the Love of God and Christ and to the Soul's hungrings and thirstings after him Nay there is yet another sort of Promises which such a Soul challengeth viz. all those Promises of a further supply and increase of Grace to those that have the Seed of Grace As Matth. 13. 12. To him that hath shall be given and he shall have in more abundance I might add many more of like nature but there is hardly any of you but know how to furnish your selves with them Now where the Soul can challenge God upon a Promise and lay claim to the mercy which it asketh from an obligation which God by his Word hath laid upon himself to give it This is a great Argument for it toucheth God upon the account of his Truth and Faithfulness 3. Further yet this argument toucheth God as he is a tender Father God you know to let us know his heart to his poor Creatures amongst other names
he may go to God or no whether he hath one good Argument to use which may be of avail with God We have many words to say many Arguments to use and when it is a clear day with the Soul it can easily discern it and fill its mouth with words of several natures but in a dark day under the prevailings of Melancholy or boisterous Temptations it can find many Arguments to deter it from Addresses to God it s own vileness and unworthiness considered with God's purity and holiness the multitude of its sins its former Prayers as it fancieth lying by not answered but it cannot find one Argument to incourage it But every Christian hath at all times many Arguments if he could discern them David made his vileness and unworthiness an Argument Psal 25. Pardon mine iniquity saith he for it is great That 's an Argument all have and at all times Ah! but saith the Soul this is no other than the vilest person hath He may plead the freeness of Divine Grace The Soul that goeth to God for Free Grace can never want an Argument but still this is common and no more encouraging a Believer than another man We may plead our own misery and sad state misery is the object of Grace and Mercy but still this is common The vilest sinner may go and plead with God for mercy because his state is miserable A true Christian would have an Argument of a more special nature and such a one as in the use of he could go boldly and with confidence to the Throne of Grace Admitting this Proposition every good Christian hath such an Argument such an Argument as no unregenerate man hath such an Argument as he may go to God with with boldness and confidence God was never yet wanting to the truly hungring and thirsty Soul after his Love such an Argument as if pleaded with God and being in truth alwaies prevailed with God I shall shut up this Discourse with some few words of Exhortation 1. To all To labour to bring up their hearts to this to prize the favour of God above all other things whatsoever How you shall know whether your hearts be brought up to it or no I have before shewed you but suffer me here to give you some Directions in the case and to press it with some Arguments Until we do find that our Souls do set such an estimate upon the Loves of Christ we can never use it as an Argument with God This is therefore the first thing which we have to do to be restless till we find that we can say it in truth that we value Christ's Loves above all earthly things Nor will this ever be effectually done till the holy Spirit of God comes upon our hearts with its impressions and demonstrations all that we can do will bear no more than the notion of means in order to that blessed end Of that nature much may be directed First Let thy Soul and its immortal state with its condition referring to that state be much in thy thoughts It is one great reason why men neglect and are careless as to the Loves of Christ because they do not remember they have immortal Souls nor consider any future state or their own circumstances relating to it Men know that they have bodies and experience hunger and thirst and cold and so are very busie in taking care what they shall eat and drink and put on but they do not know at least they do not attend to their knowledge of it and have no certain knowledge and persuasion that they have immortal Souls that can no more die with the body than eat drink or sleep with it so as they take no further care than for their outward man Neither do they attend to the consideration of the condition of their Souls with respect to an eternal existence but run away with presumptuous fancies that God will not suffer them to perish for ever determining concerning their Souls according to their fancies and the dictates of their own vitiated reason not according to the revelations of the Divine Will would men think more of their Souls and consider the immortality of them would they determine concerning them according to Divine Revelation it were impossible they should so far as generally they do neglect the care of them They would quickly see that all the good things of the world could not affect the Soul with any good and therefore must needs be invaluable things compared with those things that will secure the Souls happiness both here and for ever If men believed they had immortal Souls their reason would teach them quickly to conclude that they are better than the body which is but earth and which must return to dust and consequently whatsoever is good for the Soul must be infinitely more good than what only serveth the necessities of our earthly part and that neither but for a little time But the truth is as the Fool hath said in his heart there is no God So he hath also said in his Heart I have no Soul no such immortal substance as Preachers talk of there is no such thing as Heaven or Hell most unregenerate men are in their Hearts Atheists The natural reason of all men teacheth them to look after their concerns and interests and to prefer greater before lesser interests and to value what makes for their greatest interests above what is only subservient to an interest of lesser value Mens preference of created comforts before the loves of Christ proceedeth meerly from their ignorance that they have Souls to look after or at least unbelief of it if they notionally know it their not understanding the nature and spiritual concerns of their Souls or at least their erronious fancies and conceptions of an universal Salvation of all or all at least that are baptized the first thing to be done rationally to possess Men and Women of the excellency of Christs loves above Wine above all sensual things or any sensible things is to possess men of this knowledge and to keep their Eyes waking to the consideration of it and to engage them to take their measures of these things from the revelation of the will of God in his word not from their own wild fancies and ratiocinations Secondly Possess your Souls of the impossibility of their receiving of any good any thing suited to their necessities but only from Christ There is no other name given under Heaven there is no Salvation in any other The power over all Souls is committed unto Christ The Father forgives Sins but it is for Christ's sake as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you saith the Apostle we have Redemption forgiveness of Sin through his blood In him we have righteousness peace through him we have access an entrance into the holâ—est of all the Father hath given unto him Eternal life that he should give it to whomsoever he pleaseth There is no good thing suited to a Souls
wants but it deriveth from Christ Good things suited to the more external wants of our Body derive from God as the great preserver of man and flow from that common providence of his which dayly worketh in the upholding and preservation of created Beings but good things for our Souls derive from Christ as Mediator and as they are purchased by his blood so they are dispensed out by his Spirit This now can appear to a Soul from no other light but that of Revelation study therefore the holy Scriptures meditate therein night and day they testify all this concerning Christ A full persuasion of these two things 1. That we have immortal Souls ordained to an eternity either of happiness or misery 2. That nothing but the love of Christ can furnish them with those good things which are proper and necessary for them with respect to their Eternal Happiness are enough to convince Men and Women that the loves of Christ are as much better than Wine and to be preferred to it as the Soul is better than the Body and the things suited to its wants better than those things which are only suited to the wants of the outward man But still I say and every days experience maketh it good Non persuaseris etiamsi persuaseris you shall not persuade Men and Women tho you say enough to persuade them though you shut up their mouths and they having nothing to say such a power hath lust in the heart of man into such a debauchery is the nature of man degenerated Admitting men to believe that they have immortal Souls and that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God there is nothing in nature hath a fuller evidence than this truth that the loves of Christ are preferrible to all things in the world and a man cannot act like a reasonable creature in preferring any thing unto them yet who believes it who lives up to this demonstration It is God must persuade the Soul of this and till the Soul hath this written and ingraven upon it by the finger of his Spirit it will never so Judge Lastly therefore Pray mightily that God would open your Ears to see this and persuade your Souls of the truth of it for till he doth it in vain are mens persuasions To move you to it consider 1. This will bear some proportion to the love of Christ to mankind Christ loved us more than these more than all the Kingdoms and pleasures and profits and honours of the world yea more than his own life yea he preferred us to the Angels the fallen Angels for he took not upon him the nature of Angels but the nature of man 2. This will speak the Soul to be a wise and understanding Soul Certain it is as I have already shewed you that the loves of Christ are good before Wine The wisdom of a Soul lyeth much in a right discerning betwixt good and evil and betwixt that which is good and that which is more good or better The excellency of a Soul lyeth in its conformity to God he is an Atheist who owneth not God to be the first Being and to be of all Beings the most excellent and perfect Being So as necessarily that Soul that comes nearest in conformity to God must be the most excellent Soul now that Soul which acteth most up to the principles of improved and pure reason and to the rule of that holy Writ which we all confess to be the revealed Will of God and liveth most up to the Divine Pattern doing what God doth that must needs be the most wise excellent understanding Soul Now will not a little reason serve to convince us that Christ is the most excelling Object and therefore to be preferred to all sublunary enjoyments Doth not the Scripture represent him to us as altogether desires as the chiefest of ten thousand as the well beloved of the Father in whom he is well pleased as he whom we ought to love with all our heart all our Soul all our Strength Doth not the Father the Heavenly Father love him above all other objects To which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee and again I will be to him a Father and he shall be to me a Son He was brought up with the Father and daily his delight rejoycing alwaies before him 3. This will speak an heavenly sublimated Soul purged from the dregs of sensuality and from an earthly mind a Soul risen with Christ and seeking the things which are above Col. 3. 1. The preference of Wine any sensual satisfactions or any sensible enjoyments to the loves of Christ speaks a dirty Soul that feedeth upon carrion and can be filled with wind Lastly You have heard what an argument this will supply a Soul with in all its addresses and applications to God for any grace or favour no argument can be more moving more prevailing with God none that layeth hold upon more promises or that toucheth God more as a tender Father O therefore labour for this frame of Spirit and give your Souls no rest until you find that they indeed do prefer the love of Christ before all other things in Heaven and Earth Secondly This notion calleth to all you who profess Godliness and to any thing of the Spirit of Adoption which teacheth to cry Abba Father to take heed of a Carnal mind an heart cleaving to any created comforts in excessive degrees so as for the enjoyment of them or any of them to run the hazard of the loves of Christ you will by it prejudice your souls in a great argument which you might use at the Throne of Grace There are amongst others three distempers of heart which those that would do much with God in Prayer must take heed of 1. A revengeful not forgiving frame of Spirit It is a dreadful Text Mat. 6. 15. But if you forgive not men their trespasses neither will your Heavenly Father forgive you Our Saviour hath taught us to pray Forgive us our Debts as we forgive our Debtors 2. A doubting and unbelieving frame of Spirit He that cometh unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him he that lifts up his hands unto God must lift up pure hands and that without doubting 3. Thirdly A Carnal heart cleaving to the world preferring the things of the world to the loves of Christ the good things of Grace Lastly Is this such an argument of force with God Let then such as can use it in truth make use of it I doubt not but I speak to many who can in truth say that they value the loves of Christ the tokens of his special and distinguishing love above all earthly contentments when you go to God plead this take unto you words and say Lord let me be made a partaker of thy special distinguishing love thou knowest that my Soul valueth it above mountains of Gold
the Application of it to Christ in the New Testament it appeareth that he was intended in it There Christ is called the Lord's Messiah against the Lord and his Anointed c. It is a Name which agreeth to Christ as he was Anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows Psal 45. 8. That is with the Holy Ghost and with Power as it is expounded Act. 10. 38. The Spirit not being given unto him by measure Joh. 3. 34. He was Anointed to Preach glad Tydings to the meek Isa 61. 1. By this Name some think both Natures in Christ are expressed as well the Divine Nature Anointing as the Humane Nature Anointed Justin Martyr thinks he was called the Messiah not only because he himself was Anointed but because he Anointeth This is now a second Name given to the Lord Jesus and is as I shall shew you as Oil poured forth 3. A third peculiar Name of Christ you have Gen. 49. 10. where he is called Shiloh Jacob in his last blessing of his Sons saith The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor the Lawgiver from his feet till Shiloh come There is a dâ—spute amongst Etymolâ—g sts for the Original of that word some will have it to be derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a Son Until Shiloh come that is until the Son of God cometh or till Judah's Son come which must be understood either of David or of Christ But I do rather agree with those who derive it from the Hebrew Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to be a Peace-maker a name very proper to Christ who made Peace between God and Man betwixt Jew and Gentile and is therefore called Our Peace This Name of Christ is also an Oil poured forth 4. A fourth peculiar Name of Christ is the Name Jesus The Angel you know gave him that Name Matth. 1. and gave also the reason of it because he was to save his People from their sins he therefore came into the world that we might be saved from our Enemies and from the hands of all that hated us When old Simeon had him in his Arms he called him The Lord's Salvation Jesus signifies a Saviour These are some of his personal Names every one of which is to the Soul as a sweet Oil or Ointment poured forth 2. But he hath a second sort of Names which are the Names of Office given to Christ upon the account of several Offices which he was to bear and thus he is called Our Mediator Our Advocate Our King Our High Priest The Prophet c. First He is called Mediator It is a name you will find in the New Testament given to our blessed Lord four times One Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Tim. 2. 15. The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him The Mediator of a better Covenant Heb 9. 15. Of the New Covenant Heb. 12. 24. The Law was ordained in the hands of a Mediator Gal. 3. 19 20. Socinus tells us that this word in Scripture signifieth no more than God's Interpreter but the Word in the Greek is derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meâ—ius and signifieth a middle person one who stands in the midst betwixt two offended parties and appeaseth them Suâ—das interprets it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that maketh Peace A name excellently agreeing to Christ who was God-Man God with us Neither God only after his Incarnation nor meer man 2. Because being thus God-Man he interposeth himself betwixt the Offended Creator and the Offending Creature and taketh up the difference between God and Man This Name of Christ is as an Ointment or Oil poured forth Secondly He is called our Intereessor and Advocate Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for us Rom. 8. 34. He maketh Intercession for us 1 Joh. 2. 1. If we sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the Righteous The Office of an Advocate is in a Court to appear ingage and plead for his Client Christ as an Advocate appears in the Court of Heaven for Believers pleadeth their Cause answereth the Accusations which Satan brings against them interceedeth for them c. This is a sweet Name This is as an Oil poured forth to a Soul conscious to it self of its manifold failings and the imperfections of its best performances Thirdly He is called a King Pilate called him so in mockery to the Jews and refused to alter the Superscription of the Cross which had so expressed him God calls him his King I will set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion He is called so not only with regard to his Essential Kingdom which he hath as God over all blessed for ever nor only with respect to his Political Government of his Church which is or should be every where executed according to his Laws and Prescripts but with respect to that special Dominion which he hath over his Saints by which he doth both surprise their Enemies bruising Satan under their feet strengthening them against their lusts and corruptions commanding them into a conformity to his Will and to the practice and exercises of those habits of grace which he hath bestowed upon them Fourthly He is called our Priest our High Priest The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him the High Priest over the House of God The High Priest of our Profession a great High Priest The Office of the Priest was to enter into the Holiest to offer Sacrifice for the People to pray for them to bless them Christ did all this He once offered up himself for us he entred into the Holiest whither our forerunner is entred saith the Apostle we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him He was saith the Apostle to the Galatians made a Curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come down upon us Fifthly He is called a Prophet that is also his Name That Prophet by way of Eminency Deut. 13. 3. Joh. 1. 21. Act. 3. 23. The woman of Samaria perceived that he was a Prophet Joh. 4. 19. He is a Prophet not only as he could and did foretel many things to come but as he teacheth and instructeth his People This he did while he was here upon the Earth going about and Preaching in the Temple in the Synagogues in the Streets upon Mountains c. but when he ascended up on high he gave gifts unto men he made some Apostles some Evangelists others Pastors and Teachers for the continual building up of his Church and not only so but by his Spirit instructing them in and revealing to them the deep things of God the things which Eye hath not seen nor hath Ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive Now all these pieces of Christ's Name are to the believing Soul as Oil poured forth But besides these personal Names of Christ and his Names of Office Whatever else Christ is made known by is his
Christ is so sweet to the Soul I answer 1. Because it signifieth him to be the fountain of the greatest spiritual good to us his name Messiah and Christ signify him to be separated and set apart of God for the accomplishment of the great business of our Salvation his name Emanuel signifies him to have Hypostatically united in one Person the Divine and Humane Nature that he might be a fit Mediator that he might die and merit salvation for us by dying his name Jesus signifies that he is a Saviour his name Shiloh speaketh him to be a Peace-maker his name of an Advocate signifies him to transact our business in Heaven for us his name of High Priest signifies him to have offered for us a propitiatory Sacrifice to have made an atonement for us to bless us to interceed for us the like I might say of his other names Now if the name of a friend who hath done some great kindness for us be oft-times sweet like an Oil poured forth unto us how much sweeter must be his name by whom we are blessed with all Spiritual blessings Secondly Because by his Name or in his name our greatest blessings are obtained How sweet must that name be to the begger upon the use of which all its wants are supplied Is salvation worth any thing There is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved but only the name of Jesus do our Souls want any thing Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son John 14. 13. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name he will give it you ch 16. v. 23. Is the Soul trembling under the sense of its guilt doth horrour surprize it do the terrors of the Lord distract it a wounded Spirit who can bear by the discovery of the Lord Christs name to it in the Gospel promises in the mercy truth and faithfulness of Christ it is freed from these The discovery the least discovery of Christ to the troubled Soul is like the Sun beam to the weather beaten and be-wildered Traveller like the shadow to him whom the heat maketh faint like light to him that fitteth in darkness like life to him that fitteth in the shadow of death How sweet is the discovery of Christs truth in his promises the sealing of a promise to a poor doubting Soul Every Soul that hath experienced it will say It is like Oil poured forth I come to the application of this discourse Is the name of the Lord Jesus so exceeding sweet like an Oil poured forth Oh then what is Christ himself It is Origens application Si solo nomine Quid ejus faciet substantia How sweet is the Oil upon the Crown of the head when that which runs down to the skirts of the garment is so sweet Open all created boxes admit that all their sweet qualities would unite and conspire to make one compounded fragrant smell distill all the odoriferous herbs that the Earth bringeth forth mix all the sweet gums and odoriferous spices of Arabia and the whole Eastern part of the world let them all make one body and contribute all their delicious qualities to the composition of one Oil or Ointment to please the wanton sense of a Creature what would they all signify to one Christ Oh blessed Jesus thou that art altogether delights clear the Nostrils of vain Creatures stopt with their own lusts and the vanities of pitiful creature satisfactions and contentments that they may take the air of thy delicious names and follow thee in the savour of thy most precious Ointments Secondly Is the name of Christ in this life so exceeding sweet Oh what will the enjoyment of Christ in Heaven be When the Saints shall see him as he is when they shall be ever with the Lord beholding his face rejoycing in his presence when they shall be at his right hand where are and shall be Pleasures and fulness of Pleasures and that for evermore here we know in part and see in part and the greatest part of that we know of Christ amounteth not to the least part of what we do not know then the Saint shall see him face to face and know him as he is known by him Surely we should cry out with the Psalmist Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts Here we sit but under the shadow of the Apple tree yet it is with great delight and his fruit is pleasant unto our tast how sweet will it be to be within the arms of it If a Garden of Flowers or a Bed of Spices casteth aâ—sweet smell at a 1000 miles distance what will it do when we come near it O you to whom the name of Christ is as an Ointment poured forth follow the savour of it it will bring you to that place of delights where your Souls shall be ever satiated but never nauseated Thirdly Observe from hence the difference betwixt a natural carnal man and a spiritual man The name of Christ is published in all our parts of the world The Gospel is published that is Christs name saith Gencbrard upon my Text but the natural man discerneth no sweetness in it he can smell sweetness in a perfume but in the name of Christ he can smell nothing sweet Nay what is more unpleasing to a carnal heart than the name of Christ and there is reason for it for to him Christs name is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah his name is a Judge an Enemy c. In the second place what an argument is here to persuade those that hear it to labour for a discovery of Christs name to their Souls To persuade sick and fainting Souls to make application of Christs name to themselves To all to study Christs name more to wear it upon their hearts to meditate of it c. 1. To persuade those who know little or nothing of Christ as yet to get a knowledge of Christs name sweetness naturally enticeth the sense and attracts the Soul shall the incomparable sweetness of Christ draw no Souls unto him shall the air of Solomons name bring the Q of the South from the furthest parts of the Earth and shall Christs name draw never a Sinner invite never a Soul to come and tast and see how sweet how good the Lord is You that are enticed with the smell of a flower that lay out your mony for persumes of no value will you have no value for these sweet Ointments Alexander the great was said to have had such a rare temper of his body that it cast forth a natural sweetness I am sure there is an infinite a transcendent sweetness in the Lord Jesus O let the Virgins love him Men and Women that are in a state of Nature are in one sense Virgins not for purity but as not married to Christ O do you love Christ for the
certainly a forbidden Relation Love not the world saith the Apostle nor the things of the world yet never were more to be found amongst such who are called Christians Thirdly Marriage doth not alwaies spoil Virginity as it signifies Chastity But an heart equally cleaving and inclining to two men will especially if byast to him who is not the Woman's Husband She that hath one true and proper Husband and yet loveth another equally with him or more than he hath lost her Virgin-heart Ah! how many of these are there amongst Professors they are married to Christ in the face of the Church they were baptized into his Name and are under Vows to be the Lord's But as God said of old concerning Ephraim Their heart is divided and therefore they must be found faulty Ah! How many are there that have divided hearts that halt between two Opinions and are not able to conclude with themselves whether Baal be God and they should serve him or God be God and they shall serve him Nay they halt between two Conversations something there is of Heaven in them but alas how much of the Earth how much of sin folly and vanity how much of contradiction to their Profession where 's a Christian Caleb to be found to walk with God fully Fourthly If we have some that are Virgins yet how few beautiful Virgins where 's the beauty the glory of Professors where 's their former shining out before men Ah! call your Children Ichabods call them Ichabods The Glory is departed in a great measure from England from the Professing Party of England Where 's the former sincerity love to God zeal for God plainness of heart sincerity of conversation brotherly love heavenly walking the World the vanities of the World have spoiled Professors beauty The Sun of a little outward prosperity hath shone upon them how are they tanned But in the next place this discourse offers us a fair opportunity to try our Relation to Christ whether we be the Lambs Wife who shall hereafter follow him whithersoever he goes 1. Are you Spiritual Virgins There are tokens of Spiritual as well as Natural Virginity 1. Purity and Chastity in heart as well as outward appearance Blessed are they saith our Saviour who are pure in heart for they shall see God is not thy heart defiled with sensual affections impetuous passions doth not thy Soul cleave to sin and lust 2. Dost thou live like a Virgin an hidden life doth not the world see all that thou hast of a Spiritual life dost thou not like the Pharisees love to pray standing in the Synagogues and in the corners of the Streets more than with thy doors shut about thee in thy closet livest thou any thing of that life which is hid with Christ in God is it thy only and greatest care to please thy heavenly Father and Christ thy great Lord and Master 3. Where 's thy modesty the Virgin blusheth presently when any thing is reflected upon her Art thou ashamed when thou committest iniquity and thy heart reflects it upon thee or hast thou a Whores fore-head that cannot blush I might instance in many particulars more but these are enough to try thy Spiritual Virginity 2. A second note of the Spouse of Christ arising from this Text is a love to Christ Love is a natural plant and groweth in every Soul but love to Christ is a plant from Heaven heavenly a plant sprung up from the seed of God in the Soul If Christ should from Heaven propo und the fame question to thee which while he was on Earth he propounded to Peter couldst thou answer with him Lord Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee This Grace of all others is most discernable for love is of an active nature and will hardly lie hid The pantings of thy heart after him the acquiescence complacency and delight of thy heart in him will easily discover it to thee if thou lookest narrowly The natural man cannot say that his Soul cleaveth to Christ or thirsteth after Christ or taketh any complacency in the Lord Christ Thirdly As God is the fountain of good and blessing to his Creatures and as Christ hath a fair inheritance of a Crown an Heaven an incomprehensible glory which is annexed to the fruition and enjoyment of him so the worst of men may have a kind of love for Christ or rather for what he bringeth along with himself unto the Soul Lastly Therefore Dost thou love Christ for the savour of his good Ointments because his name is an Oil or Ointment poured forth He that loveth Christ meerly for his Heaven and Glory is purely selfish in his love I deny not but Moses had an Eye to the recompence of reward and so hath every honest and gracious heart without doubt Christs beneficence and goodness unto us and the benefit which our Souls have and hope to have from Christ is and ought to be a very great attractive and to draw out our hearts more and more in love to Christ but herein is the purity of the Saints love he discovereth such an excellency in the Lord Jesus Christ that were he never to have an Heaven with him yet his heart would cleave to him infinitely delight in him if thou canst say that thou thus lovest the Lord Jesus it will indeed speak thee to be a Spiritual Virgin a Spouse to the Lord Jesus I shall conclude my discourse upon this verse with a threefold word of Exhortation 1. In the first place methinks from this metaphorical expression of Saints under the notion of Virgins I have here a fair opportunity to plead with Virgins to be Saints Virgins generally have the object of their love to seek Lo here a most deserving object for every young man every young woman that heareth me Methinks the holy Spirit points out this in the Metaphor Therefore do the Virgins love thee Christ here expresseth himself under the notion of some beautiful young man beautified and adorned with all the advantages both of nature and of art So that the Virgins must love him I noted to you before that some would have the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be rather a term of age then either signifying Sex or State oh that I could this day prevail with you who are young men and young women to love the Lord Jesus Christ Youth is an age a time of love full of love but it usually mispends its self upon vain and worthless objects the young man loves his lusts and his pleasures the young woman loveth dancings and foolish sports and vain company and gay and costly attire but how rare is it to find a young man or woman that sincerely loveth the Lord Jesus Christ truly amongst young or old there is hardly one of a thousand but of those that are in the height and heat of their youth hardly one of ten thousand It is too frequent for us to give our marrow to the Devil
David saith before he was afflicted he went astray but his affliction had learned him to keep Gods Statutes Psal 119. But it is said of Ahaz 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his distress he trespassed more against the Lord This is that King Ahaz and I am sure the same is said of the body of Israelites Amos 4. 6 7 8 9 10 11. God followed them with judgment after judgment yet they returned not unto him Afflictions are good remembrancers to them who have learned their duty before but they must be some particular afflictions that give leisure for Instructions to be then first given or time for the digestion of them if they can be given I conclude in short whatever use God may sometimes make of Afflictions it is not the drawing by them which the Spouse here prays for Secondly There is a drawing by liberal distributions of mercies of common Providence Thus God saith Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the Cords of a man with bands of love So Jer. 31. 3. With loving kindness have I drawn thee Love is of a drawing nature it is like the hook in the intrails of a Creature which draweth more forcibly than Cords fastened to the flesh and outward part But experience teacheth us that this is not a sufficient Cord to draw Sinners Souls to God God in his parable of the Vineyard Isaiah 5. repeats what he had done for the Israelites and concludes v. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Yet when he looked it should bring forth Grapes it brought forth wild Grapes Oppression instead of Judgment and a cry instead of righteousness How many thousands are there in the world that are incompassed with Mercies of this nature they have healthy bodies pleasing relations full barns plentiful estates they want nothing yet are they Enemies to God and to the Cross of Christ nor do the People of God ordinarily run most after or walk most close with God when they most abound with the good things of this life Gods People Jer. 2. that followed him in a Wilderness and in a land of droughts forsook him when they came into a land that flowed with Milk and Hony whence Agur prayed as much against Riches left he should being full blaspheme God as against poverty And even the man according to Gods own heart offended more when he was come to sit upon his Throne in Hierusalem than when he was hunted like a Partridge in the Wilderness and knew not where to rest and this is seen in our ordinary experience 3. God draweth us thirdly by the potent arguments of the Gospel as it lieth before us to be read or as it is opened and applied to us by the Ministry of the Word Man hath a tunable ear and is a reasonable Creature so as arguments have a great force upon humane nature and the more as any of us are more knowing and rational and able to raise conclusions from Principles Into this sense Interpreters do interpret those words of our Saviour John 12. 42. When I shall be lifted up I will draw all men after me after my death upon the Cross I will send my Apostles up and down the world to be witnesses of my death resurrection and ascension and to persuade men to receive me in my true notion as the true Messias and Saviour of the world Accordingly the Apostle tells the Corinthians that Christ had committed to them the word of Reconciliation Now then saith he 2 Cor. 5. 20. We as Embassadours for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pâ—ay you in Christs stead to be reconciled to God and this must be the meaning of that command to the Servants Luke 14 23. Compel them to come in Christ is not there speaking to Magistrates or of their duty but of the duty of Ministers who have no power from him to compel any but by a lively and powerful Preaching the Gospel the potent arguments of which set home upon reasonable and ingenuous Souls by the gifts God hath given to his Ministers have a kind of compulsory force and power in them and the Apostle tells us that Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. and as men are by it drawn to Christ so they are also by it drawn after him and therefore Peter exhorts Christians 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the Word that they might grow thereby The believing Soul followeth Christ in the scent or favour of his precious Ointments It is the publishing of the Gospel that makes the name of Christ an Ointment poured out Fourthly God may be said to draw men by the common motions of his Spirit impressing good thoughts upon us either upon occasion of his Providential dispensations or while we read or hear the word some say that there is a common Ministration of the Spirit attending the preaching of the word sufficient to assist every Soul that will to repent and believe and to do what God requires of us in order to Salvation that the holy Spirit doth ordinarily attend the preaching of the word and suggest to and imprint upon the hearts of those that hear it some good thoughts is what will not be denied I believe there are but few who have used to attend the preaching of the Gospel where it hath been faithfully and livelily preach'd but must own that he hath heard the Lord standing at his door and knocking But still the question is whether this be all the drawing which the Spouse here begs No doubt but she begs such a cause such operations of a cause as should be productive of the effect The effects are coming unto Christ running after Christ Coming is not expresly mentioned in this Text but it is Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh unto me except the Father who hath sent me draw him and it is included in the term running The question therefore must be whether such a drawing as is by common mercies by the preaching of the Gospel or by the common work of the Holy Spirit all which reprobates may have is sufficient to innable a Soul yet a stranger to God to come to Christ or to innable any Soul already come to Christ to run after him I think not and therefore I conclude in the last place 5. That both in the Souls first motions to Christ and its further motions after him the Lord putteth forth a powerful influence of his Spirit of grace beyond the arguments of the word the suasion of his Minister and the common work of the Spirit attending all faithful preaching of the Gospel This I take to be that drawing the Spouse here prayeth for and which our Saviour mentions John 6. 44. as some think with an allusion to the phrase of this Text nay some bring that Text John 6 44. to prove this Book quoted in the New Testament This I firmly believe because I am convinced there is such a work
righteousness but his spiritual strength and ability also His fall causing the need of a Mediator and a coming unto him that we might have life caused also the need of the influence of the Holy Spirit upon us to quicken and innable us to com◠unto him and to walk with him Hence there was a need of such a Covenant for God to make as that mentioned Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn from them to do them good but I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from me Thirdly That body of death which remains in the best of Gods People evinceth a necessity of a continued powerful influence of grace to keep the Soul in any motion especially in any quickness of motion after God That we have weights that pressus down a sin which easily besets us a body of death as St. Paul calls it proper lufts lustings of the flesh against the Spirit is evident in holy writ we are indeed at last more than conquerours over this inteftine adversary but it is through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 7. For lust is so connatural to us the lustings of the flesh so strong in us that our regenerate part could never else maintain the Spiritual fight Besides as I shall shew you as we have an impotency so as we cannot so much as will the thing which is good so we have also a natural dulness and aversion to it and this also remaineth in part in the regenerate Soul nor to be conquered without the influence of the holy Spirit Lastly The many hinderances which the Soul hath from its Enemies without will also hinder it from running James tells us that every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed This is a temptation from within à carne this would be too hardfor a Soul in its own strength But it hath also Enemies from without both from its grand adversary the Devil and also from the world I must confess I have met with one never but one that would pretend to maintain a power in man to resist the strongest Temptations without any extraordinary assistance of the Spirit of grace this he would impose upon the world to believe because that Joseph resisted the temptation from his Mistriss That Joseph did resist that temptation is plain in Scripture but that he did it by no further assistance of Grace than Reuben had who defiled his Fathers Bed or Absolom who went in to his Fathers Concubines will want better proof than any I find in his discourse I cannot but think that if man without the assistance of special grace had a power as he boldly saith to resist the strongest temptations we should have none destroy themselves upon temptations to self murder Atbeistical thoughts and Despair It is an inaccountable thing why any should destroy themselves if this Doctrine were true especially if they be persons not before possest of atheistical principles believing there is neither God nor Devil Heaven or Hell who can give an account suppose it in the power of the best of men to resist the strongest temptations without any special grace how David the man according to Gods own heart came to fall into the sin first of Adultery then of Murther To will was certainly present with him as well as with Paul how came he to want a strength to perform but from Gods withdrawing his special influence of grace from him and leaving him to his own strength which though the strength of a renewed man yet is too little to grapple with a strong temptation If even the best of men without the powerful influence of special grace can resist strong temptations how came Peter to fall by denying his Master by swearing and cursing that he did not know him he manifested that to will was present with him by his telling our Saviour that altho all men should forsake him yet he would not God was pleased to with-hold his powerful influence and to leave Peter to the ordinary strength even of a renewed man he was not able to grapple with the temptation It is so far from being true that man hath a power to resist the strongest temptations that without Christs influence assisting he hath not a power to resist any temptation whether from the World the Flesh or the Devil It is Musculus his observation upon John 15. 3 Our Saviour doth not fay without me you cannot do much or all but you can do nothing Nor if it be a strong temptation such as the fear of life c. can a Christian resist and overcome it without a more than ordinary assistance of Divine Grace proportioned to the degree of temptation But vain man would be wise though he be but as an Asses Colt he would be strong though in very deed he is weaker than water he would be all to himself though he be nothing in himself 5. But for a further proof of this Proposition concerning the necessity of drawing powerful influences of Divine Grace both with reference to the Souls first motions and coming to Christ and further motions in following Christ and running after him I shall but appeal to the experience of all converted Souls If there be an heart before me which God hath truly changed any one that is not only converted from one opinion to another or one profession to another from Paganism to Christianity but indeed converted from the love of sin and lusts to the love of God and the hatred of all sin and an endeavour to walk close with God from an opinion and confidence of and in any righteousness in itself wherein it can hope to stand before God to a trusting and relying on the Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness I appeal to that Soul what was it thinkest thou that inclined thy heart to accept of Jesus Christ for thy Saviour to commit all the concerns of thy Soul unto him and to alter thy course of life from a principle of love to God and obedience to his will more than anothers who sate in the same Seat with thee or lived in the same House and sate under the same Ministry heard the same Sermons how camest thou to be taken thy Neighbour left how came thy will to move regularly whiles thy Neighbour under the same circumstances still retained his stiff neck and iron sinews and hard heart and continued in the same lewd and sinful courses who made thee to differ Didst thou make thy self to differ How came it that he did not also make himself to differ I know there is no Soul whose heart is truly changed but will say if almighty power had not changed me I had been as bad as any other And so since thy Soul hath been changed thou hast met with Temptations to sin thou hast resisted them overcome them triumphed over them others possibly some very good men have fallen by and under them who
again hath here made thee to differ No pious Soul that understands itself but will here cry out Grace Grace powerful distinguishing Grace So as this Doctrine is consonant to the experience and judgment of the best of men the other contrary to their experience and reason and therefore not like to prevail much in the world with any who either understand what grace and holiness is nor what the state of man is since the fall I could only wish that those who so glory in a power they have to come to Christ and to walk with him and run after him and to incounter and overcome the greatest Lions in the way would let us see it by their strict and close walking with God without putting such a sense upon the Commandments of God as the Pharisees did of old whom Christ confutes Mat. 5. according to which they may indeed be kept by vertue of that common Grace of God which he denieth to no man This is enough to have spoken Doctrinally upon this Subject Sermon XVIII Canticles 1. 4. Draw me and We will run after thee I Proceed to the Application of the Proposition which I largely opened and confirm'd in my last exercise viz. That no Soul cometh to or runneth after Christ till it be first drawn not only sweetly allured but powerfully by God inclined I come now to apply it This in the first place may inform you of the Vanity both of the Arminian and Popish Tenets as to this great point Arminians think it hard to be accounted Enemies to the Grace of God yea they will profess themselves to own special Grace but by the Grace of God they understand no more than exciting Grace the Grace of God in the Gospel which hath appeared to all men and by special Grace they only mean that further Grace which is given to them who have first made a good use of the power God hath created in their wills They say that wherever the Gospel is preached there goes alongwith it such a presence of the Spirit that if men will they may without any further influence of Divine Grace upon one more than another repent and believe c. That God when he calleth them by his Gospel giveth to sinners not only necessary but sufficient Grace for faith and obedience and seriously commandeth them to believe and obey under the promise of eternal life if they do these things and the contrary threatning of eternal death if they do not This calling they say is in Scripture called an Election unto Grace differing from that unto gloty and Eternal Salvation This calling is effected and perfected by the Preaching of the Gospel and the vertue of the Spirit conjoined with it and that with a gracious and serious intention on Gods part of working faith in all those who are so called whether they believe and be saved in the issue or pertinaciously refuse faith and eternal Salvation for they tell us there is an effectual calling so called rather from the event than from the intention of God properly so called which calling obtaineth its saving effect not from any precise intention of God to save men or because it is so made by the secret and singular wisdom of God that it effectually agreeth with the will of him that is called or because in and by it the will of him who is called is so determined to faith by an irresistible and an almighty power not less than that of Creation or raising the dead that it cannot but believe and obey but because man doth not put in a bar which he might do to the call of God nor resist Divine Grace They tell us there is another sufficient grace which is ineffectual which through a failure on mans part hath not a saving effect but is unfruitful and obtaineth not its due and desired effect only through mans voluntary and vincible fault Hence they will tell you that they attribute all to Grace they make that the beginning the reason of the progress and perfection of all good so that without preventing exciting following and co-operating grace the regenerate man himself can neither will nor do any good nor resist any temptation But they mean by Grace nothing but the means of grace and such an assistance of the holy Spirit as alwaies attends it and one as well as another hath that sits under the Gospel for that which we call special grace or distinguishing grace the drawing of the text by which God powerfully influenceth the Souls of some not of others and worketh faith and dispositions to new obedience in them they deny any such thing and so attribute to the will of man all the change of the heart which we call conversion or regeneration hence they will tell you that God never so worketh in any Soul but man may hinder and finally resist his operations This is their opinion which how contrary it is to truth and how absurd it is I have shewed you in my former discourse what Bradwardin saith of the Pelagians may be applied to these Teachers They make God pauperculum Mercatorem like a poor Pedlar that indeed carries about his Grace and persuades men to receive it But man is made the buyer Thus saith that grave Author God should rather gratiam suam commutare ac vendere quam dare commute and sell his grace rather than bestow and give it Doubtless the will of God is the efficient cause of every good thing that is done the first mover in every good motion the begetter and preserver of it Amantissima genitrix vivifica conservatrix as Bradwardin expresseth it l. 1. cap. 9. and maintaineth it from reason and the concessions even of Philosophers They will tell us they will grant this That God is the first cause and mover as to all good and that all this is of his grace but he moves us only by external calling and the common assistance of his Spirit They much delight in those terms aids and assistances of his Spirit by which they plainly grant the will of man the first cause and make the Spirit but an aiding assisting cause Again how is the conversion of a sinner from the Grace of God whose Grace it seems extends no further before conversion to the person to be converted than to the person that still continues in its hardness and inconverted state so as it is not the Grace of God that causeth the Soul to differ for as to that there is no difference the same administration of grace both to those whose hearts are changed and to those whose hearts are not changed They tell us grace and in the same degree of administration may be yea is resisted by many of those to whom it is administred This opinion must be faulty either 1. By maintaining that God doth not seriously and efficaciously will the salvation of any Soul the contrary to which in words they affirm and instead of it say he seriously willeth the salvation
hast not an inch of time at thy command nor canst command thy Sun to go back or to stand still for an hour If James instruct us not to say To morrow we will go to such a Fair or Market without adding If God will surely vain man should not say at such a time I will repent I will believe I will turn to God without saying If God will let me live to such a time and poor creature what if God will not What if he will say unto thee Thou dilatory fool This night thy Soul shall be taken from thee this year this month thou shalt die O the most unrea sonable vanity of men in venturing Eternity upon such incertain contingencies yet this is the usual delusion Augustine confesseth that his foot was once in this snare he resisted motions for his turning to God with cras cras to morrow to morrow I will do it till at length through the power of grace he brake the snare crying out Cras Domine cur non hodie to morrow Lord and why to morrow why not to day This is but the first thing I would say to these procrastinating Souls and not that which properly resulteth from my former Discourse 2. But though there be an obvious contingency in that yet we may admit that thou shalt live unto the time thou hast prefixed to thy self for thy coming and returning unto God supposing yet that no man cometh to the Son unless the Father draweth how vain are the promises that thou makest to thy self Admit thou dost live to that time and that before that time thy heart shall not be more inamoured upon thy lusts and hardened in thy sinful courses but that then thou shalt have as good and fair convictions as now thou hast Yet art thou sure that God will then draw thee Art thou sure thou shalt then be drawn by the Preaching of the Gospel Admit that Art thou sure of the motions impressions and breathings of the holy Spirit of God The Preaching of the Gospel beareth the same proportion to the healing of the Soul that the Pool of Bethesda bare to the healing of bodily infirmities Men might lie there many years the Gospel tells you of one that lay 36 years yet was not healed the Angel indeed came often down and stirred the waters but none thrust him in There is an healing virtue in the Gospel it is the word of Reconciliation the word of the Kingdom The Spirit of the Lord attends the ministration of it it stirreth the Pool but admit this if there be none to help the poor Soul that is impotent into it it is not healed What knowest thou whether the holy Spirit which breatheth where it listeth will breathe upon thee at thy leisure God said of the Old World My Spirit shall not alwaies strive with man If it be not perfectly in thy own power to turn to God when thou pleasest it is the most unaccountable folly imaginable for any to resist the holy Spirit and to vex it yet promising himself the operations and effects of it when he will be pleased to call for and to admit them But I hear some saying Do not you determine that the grace of God cannot be resisted what need your exhortations then not to resist it 1. I have told you that the grace of God may be opposed and resisted but that Grace by which the heart is changed is powerful and finally cannot be resisted but certainly the common grace of God which the Apostle saith hath appeared to all men may be opposed and resisted and finally rejected and is so by the most of those that sit under it and certain it is that mens opposing and resisting of that common grace may provoke him to deny special grace to the Soul that doth it and will justifie God in the denial of it For we have no reason to complain of God's not doing what was truly and purely his part whiles we have not done what is our part and in our power Now though the change of the heart be an act of Divine Power yet acts of moral Discipline and the avoiding gross and scandalous sins and the performance of some religious Duties which God hath prescribed as means though not in themselves sufficient and effectual are things within our power with the assistance only of that common grace which God denieth to none to whom he doth not deny the Gospel And in these the holy Spirit may be opposed and finally resisted though he shall not be finally resisted by any Soul that is ordained to life and eternal Salvation and it is certainly the duty and wisdom of every Soul to take heed of this Resisting this Vexing the holy Spirit because as I said before God shall for ever be justified in the with-holding his gracious acts of power until man hath done what is in his power To which I think I may add that in the day of Judgment there will be wanting a President so much as of one Soul who hath followed the drawings of his Gospel so far as he had power to whom God hath denied the more powerful drawings of his Spirit making a change in the Soul and subduing it to the obedience of Faith and also because God will not have his Spirit alwaies strive with man because he is but flesh 2. But secondly Even the People of God also fall under this reproof though not for such vexings and resistings of the Spirit as natural and unregenerate men are guilty of yet for Quenching the Spirit in its motions and resistances of it in his operations whence the Apostle saw need of those Precepts 1 Thes 5. 19. Ephes 5. 30. We are prone 1. To Quench the Spirit in its motions to duty and to put them off 2. And to promise our selves if we fall we shall rise again When we find some motions to duty which we have reason to conclude to be from the holy Spirit dwelling in us and sometimes from some more than ordinary suggestions to and impressions made upon us we are too ready to put them off to some other time promising to our selves that we then will obey them and hearken to them not considering that as our first coming to Christ dependeth upon the Father's drawing so our running after him depends upon Christ's and his Spirit 's drawing Now though the Lord never forsaketh the Soul that is his as to necessary grace yet he often deserts it as to gradual manifestations in strengthening and quickening influences See that famous instance Cant. 2. The Lord called at the door of his Spouse saying Open my Love my Dove my Undefiled The Spouse grieveth her Beloved's Spirit she would open in the morning when she should have had her fill of sleep when she should be up and drest she had put off her Coat and how should she put it on she had washed her feet and how should she defile them At length v. 5. She rose to open to her Beloved but
most absurd to imagine that a Soul should ever call these things bitter till it be convinced of a more excellent good and the incompetency of its fruition both of the one and of the other Could it be any thing less than a powerful act of Divine Grace that could make Moses willing to refuse the pleasures of Pharaohs Court and the honour of being called his Son and to chuse rather to suffer affliction with the people of God counting the reproach of Christ greater riches then the Treasures of Aegypt O study and adore the power of faving and effectual Divine Grace Do but consider your own weakness and the mighty power of Satan in tempting and you will be convinced that there had need be a divine power exerted in the collation of saving Grace 2. But yet as it is mighty and powerful so it is also sweet we are drawn to Christ but it is with the cords of a man the divine power put forth hath the will for the object which is not forced but melted renewed changed by the influence of the mighty God upon it Indeed the will is not capable of violence but yet it is capable of a divine influence sweetly renewing and changing it the Soul is made willing and then it wills and chuseth desires delights in the things which are good and acceptable in the sight of God Grace doth not meerly exhibit and propose Christ as a lovely and beautiful object altogether desires it doth not only furnish the Gospel and fill the mouths of Ministers with suasive arguments but it fills the Soul the inward man with a powerful divine influence which quite reneweth and changeth it and altereth the byass and inclination of it This is the nature of saving grace effectual grace thus it differs from that Grace of God which may shine upon reprobates which they may finally resist and abide still in darkness This notion in the next place wonderfully commendeth the love of God to those Souls that are made partakers of this Grace of God that bringeth Salvation that maketh a Soul meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light The great boast which those who maintain the contrary systeme of Doctrine to what I have maintained make is that their Doctrine doth vastly more commend the love of God to mankind Let us try that a little According to their Notion of the Grace of God it is no more than might have been consistent with the Eternal perdition of all mankind for they say God hath determined no particular person unto eternal life Christ hath laid down a price no more for the Soul that is saved than for those that perish In the Acts of his Providence he doth no more for one than another Both have the Gospel both have the common assistances of the Spirit and one hath no more than another both have Souls of the same species indued with the same faculties both might have resisted the Grace of God and that finally Now do not these mightily magnify Grace who will allow no more of it then what is consistent with the eternal destruction of all men yet neither are they consistent to themselves in their doctrine of Grace so far as they will allow any thing to it they pretend the advancement of the love of God by their conditional Election incertain Covenant universal Redemption common Grace yet they cannot deny but that the far greater part of the world hath not so much as the means of grace the sound of the Gospel is not in their Ears and how little of it is there in Popish Countries where the People have not the Bible in their own language and hear stories and tales out of the Legends instead of the Gospel nay in Protestant Countries how many places are there where People have Stones instead of Bread Scorpions instead of Fishes where they from the Pulpit hear little of Christ or the great motives of the Gospel to faith and holiness so as to make out their notion of their Doctrines commending the love of God they must find out a way to Christ and Salvation for more than three parts of the world without Christ and that an ordinary way too or but few of them will be saved yet in this extraordinary that their Salvation must be without the Gospel and the potent motives and arguments of it the Preaching of it and the ordinary concurrence of the Holy Spirit with it The opinion of Divineâ— on the other side is this That God out of the Mass of Mankind whether considered as created or to be created they are not so universally agreed did chuse a certain number of Persons great in itself but small in comparison of the whole number of mankind as to whom he willed a Kingdom of life and glory and also chose them and ordained them to obtain this life by having Redemption through the Blood of Christ the forgiveness of sins and by being holy and unblameable before him and to this end sent his Son to die for them and gives to the most of them whom he thus ordained to life and to faith and holiness as the means of it his Gospel and the Ministry of it by which he intreateth all those to whom it is Preached to be reconciled to God but for those whom he hath ordained to life he powerfully and effectually worketh in them by the Spirit of his Grace by which their hearts though they may for a time oppose and resist yet are subdued to the obedience of faith and drawn unto Christ and by which also being come to Christ they are drawn after him being by his power through faith preserved to Salvation Now whether is the Love of God more seen to mankind in the certain Salvation of many though comparatively but few and ordering of causes accordingly Or in such an ordering of causes as it was possible notwithstanding any thing God had done for man all might have perished And whether is God more glorified by our predication of him as one who though from all eternity he knew who would believe and live holily and who would not yet left it possible that all men should believe if they would Or by the predication of him as one who knowing all things because he willed them so being the first cause of all good in the creature ordered all things according to the good pleasure of his own will In the mean time this Drawing Grace which we maintain infinitely commendeth the Love of God to those who are thus drawn if we consider 1. The infinite distance of God from the creature He is a self-sufficiency to himself and in order to his happiness needed not the company of any creatures Now if there were no more in drawing grace than some would make drawing with the Cords of a Man intreating and persuading Souls to be reconciled to God his love might be just matter of admiration and astonishment Who are we that God should treat us and send Embassadors to intreat
us to be reconciled unto God If the Lord had only sent to us to give us warning of a wrath to come and timely notice to flee from it leaving us meerly to our own wills whether we would hear or forbear accept or refuse This had been love above the usual mercy of men who do not usually spend much time in treating and intreating those enemies whom they can easily crush and tread under foot Yet had God done no more for our Souls though in this he had shewed great love yet we through the natural stubborness and perverseness of our hearts had been undone for ever How many are in a high Road to ruine and eternal destruction whom God hath been thus intreating and beseeching many years 2. But now that the Lord should not only do this but put forth an act of power though not saving them against their wills yet making them willing to be saved and in order to it not verbally but really willing to receive Christ as tendred to them in the Gospel so as not only to be saved by him but to submit to those Laws and Rules in the observance of which they shall obtain Salvation and not only so but that God should assist the Soul in the performance of these acts not only giving it to will but to do also This certainly must transcendently commend the love and goodness of God to those Souls that have experienced such grace That God doth not so much for all speaks indeed severity to them but that he doth it for any speaks his unspeakable goodness and good will to their Souls I say that he doth not this for all speaks to them severity but yet justice and that not only in regard of that stock of sufficient grace wherewith our Pro-parent was intrusted which being lost God is under no obligation to restore but also in regard that God never denieth his special Grace until the Soul hath abused his common Grace 3. Nay lastly That the Lord should take care of our Souls after that we are once brought to Christ that he should put his fear into our hearts to keep us from departing from him and never depart from us to do us good that drawing Grace should follow us all the days of our life This certainly is the heighth of Divine Love more than this God could not have done for any Soul those for whom he hath done this must be highly beloved What now is left for such a Soul to do but to strive after perfection to live in a constant eying this All-sufficient God this Fountain of all Fulness and living in dependance upon him To live in a continual thanksgiving to and love for that God who hath dealt thus graciously with it and in a daily care not to grieve that holy Spirit by which it was first drawn to Christ and by which it is sealed to the day of Redemption and guided and kept that it doth not slip fatally O love you the Lord all ye his Saints Let drawing Grace find no renitency no resistance from any of your Souls God hath done for you more than others what will you do for God nay what can you do for that God who hath not only called but pluckt you out of the horrible Pit Take the Cup of Salvation and be for ever praising the Lord. Again we may from hence learn though not the proximate yet a true and remoter cause why the Gospel is preached to many so ineffectually Our Saviour tells us Many are called but few are chosen Isaiah cried out Who hath believed our report to whom is the Arm of the Lord revealed Paul in his Preaching was to some the savour of life unto life to others the savour of death unto death When Christ himself Preached some believed others were hardened Whence so great a difference when the Word was the same the Preachers the same both to those that believed to those who were hardened They had all reasonable Souls those Souls had all the same powers the same faculties I mean powers and faculties that had the same virtues We see the same in the experience of every day Indeed there may be some Preaching that may bear no better proportion to the instruction of the ignorant or the conviction of a sinner and turning him from his sinful courses than the Clay and Spittle had to cure the blind man's eyes from which no such effect could have flowed but by a miracle but where there is the same Scriptural spiritual lively powerful Preaching we see this effect Two sit in the same seat one's heart is changed the other 's is not one goes on in his leud courses and perisheth for ever the other is converted his heart changed whence is this difference Is it from him that willeth or him that runneth think you or from him that calleth from him that sheweth mercy because and on whom he will shew mercy We will grant that the one doth not make that use of God's common Grace which he might and therefore the Lord righteously with-holds his special Grace But could not the Lord if he pleased influence the one Soul as well as the other to make a good use of his common Grace Hath God think we no influence upon men inclining their hearts to make a due use of his common Grace When men have said what they can the conversion of every Soul is the effect of the Lord 's drawing and when the Lord doth not draw the Soul doth not cannot come or run The natural man hath many things which draw him another way and God is not pleased to put forth his power upon the Soul Indeed properly nothing but our own lusts draw us another way but our natural passions are inflamed several waies You have an instance of the principal of them in the Parable of the Marriage-Feast which the King made for his Son recorded by Luke c. 14. 18 19 20. Matth. 22. v. 5 c. A certain great man Matthew calls him a King made a great Supper Matthew calls it a Marriage for his Son he bade many saith Luke he sent forth his Servants to call them that were bidden to the Wedding saith Matthew They would not come saith Matthew They all with one consent began saith Luke to make excuse They were invited by potent Arguments I have prepared my Dinner my Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready come you to the Marriage Matth. 22. 4. In general it is said They would not come they made light of it they made excuse What drew them another way Lu. 14. 18. The first said I have bought a piece of ground and I must go and see it I pray thee have me excused And another said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I go to prove them And another said I have married a Wife and therefore I cannot come who is this King Even the King of Kings the Lord of Lords who is his Son but the Lord
Jesus Christ Of whom he said This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased What are the fatlings kill'd how are all things ready the Lord Jesus Christ hath dyed there is in his blood a sufficiency of merit The Gospel is Preached the Ministers of Christ are sent out to offer reconciliation with God union with Christ to all those to whom the Gospel is Preached a great part of them will not come they make light of the tender of Grace and Salvation what is the matter that they find any difficulty to make hast to their own happiness The three great causes are mentioned and they fall under these three heads 1. Worldly enjoyments 2. Worldly imployments 3. Sensual and sensible satisfactions these have all a power upon man by reason of that lust which is in them either the lust of the Eye or the lust of the flesh or the pride of life 1. Wordly enjoyments hinder some The first said I have bought a Farm I must go and see it The young man Mat. 19. seems to have a good mind to follow Christ Christ bids him first go and sell all that he had and he should have riches in Heaven The Text saith he went away sorrowful for he had great possessions Mat 19. 22. Our Saviour upon it saith to his Disciples Verily I say unto you a rich man shalt hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven It is easier for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle then for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Another Evangelist expounds this by one that trusteth in his riches The desire of getting riches and the over-much complacency and delight of the Soul in them together with mens valuing themselves upon them are three great drawers of the Soul from Christ The first as it over-ruleth the Soul to an evil covetousness oppression and unjust methods and measures of gain and so brings him into the herd of those that shall never come into Heaven The Second as it melteth the Soul into sensuality and hindereth those acts of Self-denial and Mortification without which a man cannot be Christs Disciple nor ever come into Heaven The 3d As it swells the Soul with pride and lifts it above religious Duties which it judgeth too mean for it suited to poor people but not to Persons of its degree and quality in the world 2. Worldly Employments hinder others Alass That Men and Women should be too busie to attend the making their calling and election sure but so it is The second said I have bought five yoke of Oxen and I must go and prove them Some Men and Women are not at leasure to be saved as they are not at leasure to pray that the thoughts of their heart might be forgiven them or to hear that their Souls might live Licitis perimus As many perish by the ill uses of lawful things as by reaching their hands to absolutely forbidden fruit more die by meat then by poison Though the Drunkard cannot keep the narrow path that leads to Eternal life yet what hindereth but that a sober Person should what more lawful then to buy five yoke of Oxen and to try and use them when we have them It is the command of God that In the sweat of our Face we should eat our Bread Ah! But if the Cart draws to the Market when God calls to the Solemn Assemblies of his People the five yoke of Oxen prove of fatal consequence O cupide negotiator saith De-Ponte when a man hath so much business about his body that he hath no leasure to attend the business of his Soul he is over-busy and makes his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when his Trading is so much in the world as is inconsistent with having his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his conversation in Heaven then much business makes him mad and his time is but like Domitians spent in catching of flies instead of attending the concerns of the Roman Empire the concerns I mean of his immortal Soul I would have the active men of the world sometimes think whether they have not too much business to manage and go to Heaven too This made our holy Mr. Palmer bless God who had call'd him to the work of the Ministry which drew mens minds towards God whereas most other imployments divert the Soul from God 3. Sensual and sensible satisfactions are another kind of things which potently seduce and draw off the Soul from God Another said I have married a Wise and cannot come Never yet any mist of Heaven but had some impediments or other the others prayed to be excused this guest saith I cannot come Riches draw hard so do worldly business and imployments but ah Pleasures pleasures are the bane of Souls like the silly Bee they are drowned in their own Hony Gods voice grates upon the Ears accustomed to Musick and all manner of delightful sounds A bleeding crucified Christ is a most ingrateful object to the wanton Eye that hath been used only to behold pleasant things Yet it is to be observed that he doth not say I am going to an Harlot but I have married a Wife cannot come Still Licitis perimus These are those potent Seducers which suiting with the strong natural byass inclinations of our hearts draw off from Christ Man is too weak to withstand the force of them God doth not please upon every Soul to whom the Gospel is Preached to put forth his power Hence Souls of the same species under the same means and assistances yet incline and move diversely There is there can be nothing in man that makes him in practice to differ from his Neighbour Let not therefore he who is thus drawn glory for it is God who hath drawn him Nor let any murmur on the behalf of those who are not thus drawn Grace is the Lords own he may do with it what he pleaseth Augustine saith well concerning Grace the cause why it is given to one not to another may be hidden and secret but unjust it cannot be In the mean time as I said before I believe at the great day there will be not be found so much as one Soul that shall be able to accuse God for the denial of this Grace this powerful and effectual Grace who hath not voluntarily resisted and vexed the holy Spirit of God in the use of that common Grace for the want of which he hath no reason to complain and shall not the Lord be justified in refusing to draw those who have first suffered a base lust which was in their power to have resisted to draw them away from him Shall not this powerful Grace be righteously denied to them who have suffered themselves by a revel to be drawn from a Sermon 2. Further yet we may from hence have an account of those many startings aside from God of which his own People are guilty and the inequality of gracious motions and actions Some seem to us to stand still
others to move very slowly others with great heaviness and difficulty All this difference depends upon the inequal distributions of Divine Grace for although when this Oil is once in the Cruise it shall not fail from it till Grace shall be swallowed up in glory but so much influence of Grace shall be continued as to justify the Lord in his promise that he will never depart from the Soul to do it good and he will put his fear into the heart that it shall never depart from him and the Soul shall be preserved by the power of God through faith to Salvation yet there may be and are great differences as to the degrees of Gods Administrations Nor yet possibly must the blame of these Souls not running rest upon God for not drawing For although the Lord may sometimes do it upon his prerogative and soveraignty 1. To shew the freeness of his Grace in all the emanations of it and that he is under no obligations to measure out to every Child an equal portion of the riches of his Grace but as in the disposal of his other talents of Riches common gifts he may if he please make inequal distributions as it pleaseth him giving out to some 10 to others 5 to others but one so he may do as to his Talents of distinguishing Grace whiles yet every one hath enough to conduct and preserve his Soul unto eternal life and happiness 2. Secondly He may do it to lay his people under the potent conviction of this truth That their running depends upon his drawing God himself sometimes assigns this as the reason of his substraction of worldly enjoyments that they might know who it is that gave them Hosea 2. 8. 9. For she did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil and multiplied her Silver and Gold which they prepared for Baal Therefore will I return and take away my Corn in the time thereof and my Wine in the season thereof and will recover my Wool and my Flax c. Thus also the Lord may do as to the dispensations of his Grace that Grace I mean which is not necessary to Salvation did we alwaies find an equal strength against our lusts and to our Spiritual duties an equal readiness to and chearfulness in the Service of God we should attribute too much to our renewed nature and not know in what a daily derivation from and dependance upon God even the best Souls live and that all our fresh springs are from him Did we Sail to Heaven through the Sea of this world alwaies with a Trade wind we should not understand that the wind of Divine Grace which is the breathing of the holy Spirit bloweth where it listeth But when we are becalmed in our voyage for the new Hierusalem and forced to lie at Anchor then we learn that without Christ we can do nothing But though this must be said to aver the Soveraignty of God and to assert his wisdom yet most ordinarily these withdrawings are upon some provocations on our parts the Clouds in the Heavens are caused from the Vapours which arise from the Earth God can never be so provoked against a justified Soul as to withdraw himself wholly but he may be and is oft-time so far provoked as to withdraw his gradual influences so as the Soul shall feel that it is not with it as at former times and cryeth out where is my God become When the Lord offereth a wind and the Soul refuseth to open its Sails when he moveth and the Soul quencheth its motions and grieveth him in his operations he many times hides his face from it it is troubled the Soul that hath grieved the quickning Spirit shall smart alittle for the want of quickning Grace complain of dulness heaviness listlessness to its Spiritual Duty I say this oft-times yea most ordinarily is the cause So as though it wants these divine drawings yet its want of them is the punishment of its iniquity I shall conclude this discourse with a word of advice what such Souls should do under such dispensations 1. Search and see whether some late sin hath not provoked God to these withdrawings See if thy conscience which in this case is thy best informer doth not tell thee that such a time thou hadst an impulse or motion to prayer or such a duty and that under convenient circumstances and thou neglectedst it or offered thee some help and thou neglectedst it And now the righteous Lord hath left thee to thy own strength and thou feest what thou art and humble thy Soul before God and renew thy covenant with him 2. If thou canst not find that any such blot hath clave to thy Soul yet acknowledge the Lords wisdom the freeness of his grace and his righteousness in his dispensations We must allow God to do many things in infinite wisdom and righteousness though we cannot see or understand it we must not look in this life to understand the reason of Gods works It is enough for us to know that he hath done it and that all his works are done in wisdom and righteousness 3. Take heed of lowing thy Sails when thou thinkest the wind abates This you know is contrary to the methods of Mariners I am sure it is contrary to the wisdom of Christians keep thy heart at such a time with the most diligence working and striving against sin Tow thy Ship if thou canst not Sail as at other times Go if thou canst not run and keep thy Soul ready for a wind whenever God will please to send it 4. Fourthly Beg the returns of the blessed Spirit Tell God of thy Souls weakness or the strength of thy corruptions or temptations say unto God as Jehosaphat said in another case Lord I have a mighty host coming against me I know not what to do I have no strength against it but my Eyes are unto thee 5. After this I know nothing more to be done but a patient waiting for God according to the resolution of the Church Isaiah 8. 17. I will wait upon him that hides his face from the house of Jacob I will look for him Sermon XX. Canticles 1. 4. Drawme and We will run after thee I Am dwelling yet upon the first Proposition of Doctrine I observed from these words That the Soul must be drawn to and after Christ before it will run after him It is a great point and I am willing to make the utmost improvement of it that I can The improveableness of it for our instruction is all you have yet heard In the next place certainly there may be made some improvement of this notion to assist to judge concerning our spiritual state concerning faith and holiness These being from the ordination of God so necessary to Salvation that without them we cannot see God mistakes about them are like diseases that affect the vital parts exceeding dangerous All that this Doctrine will help us in as to this
particular is in letting us know 1. That that faith which will do the Soul any good as to Eternal Salvation must be as the Apostle stiles it Col. 2. 12. a faith of the operation of God The work of Faith with power as the Apostle speaks 2 Thessal 1. v. 11. It is call'd the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. Not of our selves it is the gift of God Eph. 2. 8. The work of God Joh. 6. 29. This is the work of God that you believe on him whom he hath sent It is not only the Commandment of God 1 Joh. 3. 23. and the gift of God but the work the operation of God a work with power such a faith as is an effect of the Fathers drawing This if duly observed will go a great way to guide us in this inquiry it will let us seeâ— that that believing which is the mere product of natural powers is not that coming to Christ to which the promise of life and Salvation is annexed Two things men ordinarily deceive themselves with as to this business of Faith 1. Judging any kind of blind and languid assent to the proposition of the Gospel to be that believing to which the Holy Ghost in Scripture annexeth the promise of Salvation A great many know no more by believing but their agreement that Jesus Christ is the Son of God that he was made man and died for us All which and much more the Devils believe and yet tremble I do not think that an assent to the Proposition of the Gospel be the assent what it will is that Faith which justifieth It is not the Proposition of the Gospel but the Person of the Mediator that is the object of that Faith some indeed tell us that Faith is an operative assent and by that they have mended the matter but if the Person of the Mediator not the Proposition of the Word be the formal and proper object of true Faith no assent can be the justifying act of Faith for the Proposition must be the object of that There are several kinds of assent according to the light in which we see a Proposition We assent to things oft-times meerly upon report and hear-say so as the assent is a meer humane Faith Thus most Englishmen assent to this that there was such a Person as William the Conquerour A thing they can see in no other light than that of humane reports in History of all other assents this is the weakest and most invaluable and before we give it there must appear to us a probability in the thing upon this account none but those who judge themselves obliged to believe what the Church saith and that those Books were written by the order of the Church believeth or assenteth to the strange stories in the Popish Legends because their reason tells them the things are improbable yea impossible without a miraculous operation which they see no reason God should work in such a case nor will men give their assents in such cases but where they are not much concerned whether the thing be true or false so as it is equal to them to agree the thing or to deny it 2. Men assent to things upon the evidence of ratiocinations they form conclusions from principles and then assent to them Now in regard our reason is not infallible this assent likewise though more strong than the other yet is but saint and incertain and alters as we see better reason for the contrary 3. There is an assent which is given to a Proposition upon the account of a divine revelation Now this assent is stronger or weaker as the Revelation is more fully or imperfectly incertainly agreed A man by a natural power may assent to the Proposition of the Gospel as delivered to him by men he that thus assenteth doth no more assent to what the Gospel saith of Christ than to what Histories tell him of what was done by the Saxon or Norman Kings many hundred years ago Reason working upon its own principles sheweth us nothing of Christ The Scriptures are by all Christians generally lookt upon as the Word of God but no man hath any certain and firm persuasion that they are so but he who is persuaded of it by the Holy Spirit of God all arguments from tradition and reason have their incertainties and though they are useful to make it probable to others yet they do not produce a certainty of persuasion in our own Souls hence the assent to such Propositions as are only revealed in Scripture must also be faint and incertain and consequently not operative or very incertainly operative so that although it may produce something of practice whiles the fit of assent is upon the Soul yet it produceth no steady certain constant practice so as though it should be granted that a practical assent to the Proposition of the Gospel be true justifying faith to which is annexed the pardon of sin yet if by it we mean such an agreement of our minds to the truth as produceth a certain steady constant or ordinary practice and course of life conformable to the propositions of truth which we agree as this will imply trusting and relying on Christ for life and salvation so it is such as is the operation of God in the Soul and that not in a way of common providence as our abilities to speak or move are but in a way of special favour and working for mans agreeing to the holy Scriptures to be the Word of God firmly and steadily being the reason why he agrees the truth of the propositions which are revealed in it alone and that being the special work of God in Souls that shall be saved of necessity such also must be the assent to the Propositions that are revealed in it and which can be seen by the Soul in no other light So as indeed I do not think there is much in it more than a strife about words or at least a very great nicety whether true justifying Faith be a practical assent to the Propositions of the Gospel or a reliance on the Person of the Mediator or rather both for a practical assent doth necessarily infer a reliance on the Person of the Mediator Admitting that this is one Proposition of the Gospel Acts 4. 12. That there is no Salvation in any other for there is no other name given under Heaven amongst men whereby we must be saved and that the Soul in its practice of holiness hath any Eye to the recompence of reward it is impossible there should be any practical assent to use the term of some that is any assent to the Proposition that shall produce any truth or constancy of practice without a reliance upon and trusting to the Person of the Mediator and this must be the special work and powerful operation of God in and upon the Soul But now if men make any kind of languid weak and incertain assent to the Gospel Faith and think that they have true Faith
when that other never so declared his mind to him or any one else And 2. The Promises being not made to persons by name but to persons that do thus thus it is altogether as unreasonable for any to pretend a rest and confidence in Christ for the collation of those spiritual blessings as it had been for any Commanders in the Jewish Army having heard Saul 's declaration of his Will That whosoever killeth Goliah should have his Daughter to Wife should have promised himself Saul 's Daughter without incountring the Philistine Now this resting and relying on Christ which is the only true reliance is so difficult by reason of our former sins and daily infirmities of humane nature and the lapses and backslidings we are guilty of that no man thus comes to Christ until he be drawn Thus far I have shewed you how far this discourse may be useful to guide us in our enquiry whether we be drawn and come to Christ yea or no directing you to distinguish true Faith both from a faint and languid assent and from a natural presumption of our good Estate with reference to Eternity 2. But it may be further useful also to try your holiness That also must be the effect of Drawing Grace There are two usual mistakes about holiness 1. The first is when what we usually call Moral Virtue is called holiness 2. When we mistake it for a formal running a round of Religious Duties I say first When we mistake holiness for what we usually call Moral Virtue or Moral Righteousness I put in those words we usually call because I perceive some modern Writers possibly because pinched with their Arguments who have contended for something else besides Moral Virtue to be necessary tó salvation have extended the notion of Moral Virtue far beyond what Aristotle and the rest of the Philosophers learnt us to understand by that name and do not only bring Faith within the compass of it but will pretend it to be necessary to it that the action to be done should be performed from a Principle of Faith and Love and Obedience and directed to the Glory of God as their end These acts and actings our Fore-fathers were wont to call Grace but to let us know that those in our days who have inlarged the acts of Morality mean no more than what men may do by nature having no more than the motives of the Gospel and the assistances of the Spirit common to all to whom the Gospel is Preached therefore they well call these things Moral Virtues As to Moral Virtue in the latter notion of it it cannot be mistaken for holiness for it is so It is in the antientest and most proper notion of it that I am speaking to it So Chastity Sobriety Temperance Liberality Justice are moral habits and the acts of them are acts of Moral Virtue and Righteousness whether he that doth them doth them out of any Principle of Faith or Love or Obedience or with any respect to the Glory of God yea or no but if any thinks this is holiness he is wonderfully mistaken for it is essentially necessary to an act of holiness that it should be done from a Principle of Faith the Soul being fully persuaded that it is the Will of God and in Obedience to his Will eying his command in our action And 3. Proposing to our selves the Honour and Glory of God for our end So that though the same acts be done yet if they be done from other Principles and to other ends they may be acts of Moral Virtue that is under the government and conduct and guidance of reason but no acts of holiness Besides there are many actions which are our duties in obedience to the Will of God the reasonableness of which is not to be concluded nor ever was concluded by the men of reason amongst the Heathens from any other Principle than this That it is the highest reason that we should do what God commands us So that to reduce our duty as Christians to the Precepts of what we have used to call Moral Virtue is partly to secure our selves from a great part of our duty by that Art and partly to do what we do out of such Principles as God will never more thank us for than we will do our Servants for doing what we would have them do but they do out of respect to themselves without any regard to the pleasing of or obeying us Now though it be true that acts of Moral Virtue that is conformable to natural reason may be performed by men without any special influence of the Holy Spirit Yet without such a Drawing Influence the Soul will neither do those acts from any true Principle or to any right end Nor yet do many things which are required of us under the notion of holiness in order to eternal life Besides the holiness required of us is in all our conversation 2 Pet. 3. 11. Now it is observed of the greatest Moralists that they failed here and indulged themselves in some things of immorality yet went for morally virtuous men if they excelled in Justice though they failed in Temperance Sobriety and Chastity c. And indeed herein is the drawing of Divine Grace with respect to holiness seen and from hence to be judged If the Soul finds it self under a constant obligation to whatsoever God hath commanded and that because God hath commanded it and that it might please him and do what is acceptable in his sight This no Soul doth from a meer natural power and though the renewed Soul be made willing yet to keep on in this course it stands in need of the daily excitings and quickenings and assistances of the Holy Spirit 2. A second mistake which men may be deceived by as to Holiness is when they take a formal performance of Religious duties to be it Holiness lieth in Godliness and Righteousness And as men may mistake Righteousness towards men for Holiness so they may as easily mistake a Form of Godliness which may consist as the Apostle teacheth us with a denial of the Power of it to be Holiness Godliness in the sense I am speaking to it signifieth the performance of those acts of homage and worship which God hath required of us to his more immediate Service and Glory This lieth in the performance of some external actions of God immediately according to the prescription of his Divine Will which respecting the manner as well as the matter all such actions as are meer bodily labour are indeed no Godliness but meer formal performances and things so short of obedience to the Commands of God that God in Scripture is said not to require them that is not them alone or them performed in such a manner as Isa 1. 12. When you come to appear before me who hath required this at your hands to tread my Courts Bring no more vain Oblations Incense is an abomination unto me the New Moons and Sabbaths the calling of
the worst of all upon the opinion of some conceited righteousness in our selves or some spiritual power and abilities we have or judge our selves to have the latter is Spiritual Pride nor is any thing more opposite to the truth and Grace of the Gospel the whole design of the Gospel is to exalt Christ as the Lord our righteousness and our strength and our great duty is to accept him in that notion nor indeed can he be truly received in any other notion now can it be reasonably imagined that he whose arm useth to bring Salvation when he looketh and seeth there is none to save should bring Salvation to a Soul that apprehends it hath no need at all of him he hath done enough for it in giving it a reasonable Soul and the Preaching of the Gospel These are now some of those great Evils that are consequential to this error imbibed by the Soul but you will say to me what can a Man or Woman in his or her natural state do in order to his being drawn by Divine Grace To this I answer 1. He may not oppose or set himself against the workings of this Divine Grace 2. He may do some things that may be conducive 1. In the first place do not resist the Grace of God nor set your selves in opposition to it You will say then can Grace be resisted did not you tell us it is powerful and shall be obeyed I answer I did tell you that Grace is powerful and cannot be finally resisted but it may be a long time resisted and opposed The holy Spirit is the most potent agent and must at last overcome but it may be vexed and grieved I know what some will say what if I do resist if I do oppose it if God hath determined me to lise and to Grace as the means it shall at last overcome I answer that is true but yet it is no vain counsel to give any to advise them to take heed of such resistings and vexings of the Spirit of God as it is capable of and that upon a threefold account 1. Because he who thus resisteth the Holy Spirit justifieth God in his condemnation and not putting forth such a power of Grace as shall be effectual of its Salvation those who plead so highly for a power in man to what is Spiritually good lay a great stress upon their fancy that if we do not allow this we make the destruction of a Sinner to be from God not from himself but they do not consider two things 1. That whatsoever destruction we derive from Adam is from our selves for in Adam all died saith the Apostle God is neither bound to restore unto us the Grace he once gave us and we lost nor yet unjust in requiring of us the exercise of that power which we once had of his gift and have lost through our own default for the default of our first Parent in whom we all sinned and dyed was our own 2. That the resistance of the holy Spirit in its more common Grace and operations is a sufficient clearing of God in the condemnation of Sinners though he doth not give out his effectual Grace he hath said that to him that hath shall be given The sense of which tho Mat. 13. and in the parallel Text it may be to him that hath any thing of special distinguishing grace shall be more given of the same nature and kind yet is plainly Mat. 25. 29. where it is used in the exposition of the parable of the Talents To him that improveth what he hath and may very well be interpreted into a promise of further Grace to him that makes a good improvement of common Grace The justice of Gods judgment upon those of Hierusalem was from this manifested to the world That Christ would oft-times have gathered them as an Hen gathereth her Chickens under her wings but they would not If a man must be ruined yet surely he should not ruine himself 2. Secondly Tho if thou beest one ordained to life the Grace of God towards thee shall not be finally resisted yet thy resistances and opposition may make the new birth much harder and more full of pain to thee It is a most certain truth that the foundation of God standeth sure the Lord knoweth who are his and not one of those whom the Father hath by his Eternal gift given to Christ shall be lost they may for a time oppose and resist the motions and knocking 's of his Spirit but it shall at last overcome them but the Soul in its coming unto Christ usually meets with the Spirit of bondage making it to fear before it receiveth the Spirit of adoption teaching it to cry Abba Father Now thy opposition and resistances to the Spirit of Grace may keep thee much longer under the Spirit of bondage and for this I appeal to the experiences of all those who have been brought home to Christ whether they have not found the oppositions and resistances which they have made to the knocks and motions of the Holy Spirit have not lain heavy upon them before they have been able to discern a gracious acceptation whether when their faith in Christ hath got above their other sins the follies and vanities of their youth they have not found it stick here They could hope in Christ and in the free and infinite Grace of God through him were it not that they remember how often they refused the tenders of Grace and put off the holy Spirit knocking at the door of their hearts Now what knowest thou O Christian but that thou art an elect vessel one ordained to eternal life and salvation if so thou shalt certainly be brought home to Christ and be saved notwithstanding thy present resistance and opposition but it may be as through fire why shouldest thou make thy new birth more painful and difficult 3. Thirdly When thy Soul is brought home to God if ever thou seest that happy hour it will while thou livest he a grief of heart unto thee to think how long thou didst oppose and resist the Grace of God bringing Salvation in the tenders of it to thy Soul The People of God have their sad and dark hours as well as their hours of light and comfort they will tell you from their own experience that when they reflect a sad Eye upon their former ways they find nothing lying more sad and heavy upon their Souls than their so long resisting and opposing the Grace of God before they submitted to it to all their sins they have added this great iniquity that when the Lord said to them yet Believe and you shall be saved they to go on in their sinful courses put off the Spirit of God from day to day and sent him sad away from their Souls and why should Christians make themselves matter of trouble and sorrow hereafter how graciously soever God will deal with their Souls O therefore let all that wish well to their own Souls be
former Proposition where I told you it signified a powerful gracious influence of the Holy Spirit upon the Soul persuading alluring and commanding the Soul's Obedience It is an act both sweet and powerful Sweet for God draws with the Cords of Love as he speaks Jer. 31. 3. yet powerful for the Soul is made willing the will is not forced but melted renewed and changed and contrariwise inclined to what was before its inclination So as my meaning is that when God hath once by the sweet and powerful influence of his Spirit upon the Soul of a man allured persuaded and commanded the Soul to its duty then it will run after him The only question to be spoken to is what is meant by Running When I opened the Text I told you of several things imported by this term I shall now more largely discourse them 1. Running implieth willingness to the motion It implieth motion and so is opposed to lying or siâ—ting still It is a saying of Augustine Certum est nos velle quum volumus agere quum agimur It is saith he certain that we will when we are made willing that we act when we are acted sed ille facit ut velimus it is God that maketh us to be willing He giveth to will and to do Men may run that are not originally willing it is a mischief that they fear which makes them run but yet even then they move willingly though it be a danger imminent upon them which maketh them so willing But this motion is a much sweeter motion they are made willing first and then they move out of choice willingly until the Soul be renewed and changed it moveth not at all toward God it may move to natural actions from that principle of natural life of which it is possessed It may move to moral actions from that principle of life which every reasonable Soul is possessed of But it moveth not to any truly spiritual actions because it wanteth a principle of Spiritual life But this being infused in regeneration to will being given unto it it moveth in the ways of God and that from a principle within itself You saith the Apostle Eph. 2. 1. hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins It moveth not as a meer Machine or Instrument from the power and force of a forreign agent but as a living creature from itself and a principle within itself Yet not without a divine influence look as it is in natural motions though they flow from a a principle of life in a man yet they are not without an influence of more ordinary common providence upholding our natural faculties hence the Apostle saith of God in him we live move and have our being So it is as to our Spiritual motions the Soul moveth from the principles of Spiritual life infused into it from the principles of the new creature but yet not without the influence of the Spirit of Grace upon it upholding those habits of Grace which are infused into the Soul and exciting it to and assisting of it in Spiritual actions Without me saith Christ you can do nothing he doth not say without me you cannot do much or you cannot do great things but you can do nothing But yet to will is present with the Soul yea and to do though it hath no strength to do what it would And as the Soul hath need of a daily influence of Grace in its ordinary course of Spiritual action so it hath need of more special and powerful influences when it meets with a work more difficult for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 5. We are not sufficient to think one good thought as of our selves for now our sufficiency is from God This is now Gratia co-operans co-operating Grace in the exercises of which we are not mcerly passive as in the reception of the first Grace as it was with the Israelites in their journey towards Canaan Numb 9. 17. 18. c. They kept pace with the Cloud and with the Pillar of fire when the Cloud moved they moved when the Cloud stood still they stood still At the Commandment of the Lord they journied and at the Commandment of the Lord they pitched as long as the Cloud abode upon the Tabernacle they rested in their Tents And when the Cloud tarried long upon the Tabernacle many days then they journied not So it is with such as are Israelites indeed in their spiritual motions toward the new Hierusalem the City of God If the Grace of God assists not they move not and according to the degree of its influence they move more or less But yet they move and willingly move though not without the co-operating and assisting Grace of God 2. Secondly Running implyeth strength in the motion thus it is opposed to creeping or walking saintly The weak man may creep and go slowly but he cannot run When the Lord draweth the Soul will not only move towards God and that freely and willingly but it will move strongly it will find strength against sin and strength unto duties Job 17. 9. The righteous man will hold on in his way and he that is of clean hanas shall grow stronger and stronger God commandeth that we should love h m with all our strength Luk. 10. 27. When the Lord draweth the Soul then it runneth with all its strength loveth God with a love that is stronger than the Grave then it believeth with a strong saith and obeyeth with a perfect heart While God was present with Sampson though they tied his Hair to a Beam and shut up the Gates of the City he could carry away Beam and Gates though he had no more then the jaw-bone of an Ass he could with it slay a thousand men when God was departed from him he could not get out of his Enemies hands though he had no such opposition when a Soul finds the power and presence of Divine Grace though it hath strong corruptions and meet with strong Temptations yet they are all nothing to it it easily over all becomes more than Conqueror Peter at one time at the command of Christ walks to him upon the Sea at another time wanting the same special assistance is overcome by a silly Maid in the High Priests Hall the opposite Temptation was much the same in both cases viz. from the sear of his life which was in as apparent danger from the Sea as from the Enemies in the Hall of the High Priest 3. Running argues speed so it is opposed to walking a foot-pace or step by step When the Soul is by God drawn unto him and wants not his co-operating Grace drawing him after him it will not only move towards God and that with strength and courage but it will move with nimbleness and readiness As it is with the body sometimes though it hath its usual strength and be able to work as usually yet it is seized with a torpor and laziness there is a dulness and inactivity upon it So it
expressive of the drawing influences of Divine Grace which are followed with the promises of running keeping Gods Commandments yea keeping them with his whole heart keeping them to the end So v. 7. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart when I shall have learned thy righteous Judgments So v. 41. Let thy mercies come unto me even thy salvation v. 44. So shall I keep thy law continually What needs any further proof of this than what every good Christian hath from its own experience Who is there that walks with God that alwaies finds the same spiritual temper that doth not find that he cannot at sometimes do as he can and doth do at other times Every good Christian finds the same willing at all times To will is alwaies present with him but who finds the same degree of strength the same readiness and chearfulness of Spirit in Gods service at all times Now from whence is this if not from the inequal drawings of Divine Grace if the Soul be drawn strongly then is it strong if weakly it moveth accordingly Being drawn then it runs Being at first drawn to Christ it moves being further drawn it runs The reason of this lieth 1. Partly in the Souls renewed nature 2. Partly in the nature of special Divine Grace 1. All motion is from a principle of life Natural motion from a Natural life Spiritual motion from the Spiritual life and the truly Spiritual motion is as much an indication of a Spiritual life that principleth it as the Natural motion is an indication of that Natural life from which it floweth and the Spiritual motion is as much the necessary effect of a principle of Spiritual life as the Natural motion is the necessary effect of a Natural life So as the Soul being once quickned by the quickning Spirit cannot but move in its Spiritual motions But look as it is in the natural motions some motion must attend all natural life yet it is more or less more or less strong or weak and there is a more or less chearfulness and readiness attends the motion of the natural body as the faculties of the Soul that animates it are more or less upheld by the influence of Divine Providence and the incumbrances of that life are more kept off by the power of Divine Providence So it is as to our Spiritual life there is in that Soul that is once drawn to Christ and so alive to God a seed of God abiding which is a constant principle of life and is alwaies working and moving to and in its proper operations but yet these motions are more or less strong free and chearful according to the influence of the holy Spirit of God and the workings of it in the Soul which being a free agent sometimes puts itself forth more sometimes less according to that are the Souls motions either more quick and chearful or more dull and heavy but being once drawn to Christ it moves and moves willingly from a principle within itself being made willing it willeth and chuseth the things that please God though it must be further drawn before it runneth It requires no more than a renewed sanctified heart to move for and towards God but it requireth an inlarged heart to run after God 2. Secondly It will yet further appear from the Nature of Divine Grace in its special saving operations There are those who will acknowledge no Grace but exciting Grace in the proposal of the Gospel and pressing the Grace of it by those gifts which God hath for that end given to his Ministers whatsoever else is done in the Soul they will have to flow from the power of mans will lest free to good or evil but we say this is not enough there must also be a working Grace applied to the Soul in conversion and a co-working Grace which is necessary to the Soul after conversion Now all special Grace whether it be operans or cooperans that which we call working or that which we call co-working is effective those who will own nothing but an exciting Grace allow it no proper effect upon the Soul for if it be productive of an effect it is more than exciting Now here indeed lies the difference betwixt common and special Grace betwixt the Grace that bringeth salvation and that which only proposeth and offereth Salvation The first is alway effective of its end the latter is never effective but is determined in the exhibition and offer of good which man is left to his own freedom and choice whether he will accept yea or no which being admitted it is not possible but that the Soul once drawn by it must run or rather will run for now it moves from the inward principle of a renewed nature and if working special Grace be esfective and faileth not in its operations upon the unrenewed Soul it is much more effective of its end in the Soul that is changed and renewed where it is but assistant to the renewed nature so as the Soul being drawn will run First From that principle of spiritual life which is in the renewed nature alwaies a principle of some motion though sometimes more and sometimes less and Secondly From the powerful assistance of that special Grace which God puts forth upon the Soul in its renewed state helping it over those mountains of difficulties which sometimes it meets with and removing those stumbling blocks which corruption and the malignity of the world or its grand adversary oft-times layeth in its way I have thus far opened the proposition I shall now apply it First 1. By way of Caution Blindness is a great Mother of boldness and confidence and Love is the Mother of jealousy and suspicion hence it is that the natural man knowing nothing of spiritual things nor understanding the state of the Soul by nature nor the workings of God in the Soul turning it from sin unto God seldom or never examineth or questioneth his state The knowing Christian fullest of Love for God finds difficulty to satisfy himself as to his Spiritual state The first concludeth himself sufsiciently drawn because he sits under the preaching of the Gospel and finds sometimes some good motions and impressions whether he obeyeth them or no whether he be turned into the likeness of the Gospel yea or no. The other though he doth find his heart renewed and changed tho he doth find that to will is present with him yet because he wanteth strength to perform because he doth not find at all times that promptness and readiness of mind that freedom activity and chearfulness of Spirit which he thinks he hath sometimes found and which he seeth others triumph and rejoice in questioneth whether he was drawn yea or no. Now such a Soul ought to distinguish 1. Betwixt a being drawn to Christ and a being drawn after Christ It is true there is no Soul that is drawn to Christ but shall be drawn after him but yet these are two things both the
acts of special powerful Grace but yet in a different kind and degree 2. Secondly Betwixt a real drawing after him and a gradual drawing I told you before that all Divine drawing signifieth a sweet and powerful influence of the Spirit upon the Soul by which it is allured changed and melted into that duty which the Soul oweth to God in obedience to the Gospel now as it is in our drawing of a thing or person to us we may put forth more or less power as we please So in the divine drawings though divine drawing be a mercy of that nature that it shall and will follow the Soul all the days of its life God will never depart from the Soul to which he is thus united to do it good and he will put his fear into its heart that it shall never depart from him yet he puts forth more or less of his power according to the good pleasure of his own will and the conduct of his own infinite wisdom and according also to our behaviour toward him let me for the relief of such a Soul lay down three conclusions 1. First I say there is no Soul by the Father drawn to Christ but that Soul is also and shall be by the Spirit drawn after him Upon the Souls being drawn to Christ there followeth an Vnion between Christ and the Spirit of Christ and the Soul that is so drawn Christ after that time is in the Soul and the Soul is in Christ hence his Spirit is put into their hearts and dwelleth in them a multitude of phrases of that nature are to be found in holy writ It is called an ingrasting into Christ Now it is not possible that the Soul should be ingrasted into such a stock but it must partake of the fatness of the stock and grow up in him the seed of God abiding in the Soul it cannot but grow and spring up in it Some Communion with Christ alwaies follows this union So that unless the union with Christ could be wholly broken and dissolved its communion with Christ cannot be wholly interrupted interrupted it may be but I say not wholly interrupted Secondly 2. The least influence of special Grace keeps the Soul moving for and towards God and in a willingness to sorve and obey him and preserveth it from a total falling away Papists say that we may fall away both totally and finally Lutherans say we may fall away totally but not finally but we say the justified Soul can neither fall away totally nor yet finally if he could fall away totally the union betwixt Christ and the Soul must be dissolved or the union remaining the communion consequent to that union might be wholly interrupted neither of which can be 3. But Thirdly The holy Spirit dwelling in the Souls of Believers and working in them putteth forth its power sometimes more sometimes less as a free agent and according to the good pleasure of his own will as is the drawing so is the running Hence the Soul moveth sometimes with more sometimes with lesser strength sometimes with more promptness and readiness sometimes with less as the holy Spirit is pleased more or less to exert and put forth his power in and upon the Soul Now from this discourse it appeareth that a Soul that findeth that God hath renewed and changed it so far that to will is present with it and it hath an heart to do though it wanteth such a strength such a freedom to and chearfulness in duty as others rejoice in and itself hath sometimes found yet hath no reason to conclude that it was never truly drawn to Christ because as it apprehendeth it is not drawn after him all the evidence of which that it hath is because it doth not run as at other times all this may be yet the Soul may be truly drawn to him and also drawn after him though not so powerfully as it may be it hath felt itself at other times or seen others drawn In the second place This notion may inform us That a running after Christ is the duty of a Christian The life of a Child of God is in Scripture ordinarily expressed under the notion of a walking with God a phrase that some in this age would scoff at but one of the ancientest by which in Scripture a course of holiness is expressed Gen. 5. 24. Enoch walked with God and was not but now if walking be taken in opposition to running there is something more than walking with God the duty of a believer even this running after Christ which I have been describing to you Hence it is also expressed under this notion So the Spouse here expresseth it we will run after thee So David I will run the ways of thy Commandments So St. Paul so run that you may obtain we are not only under an obligation to serve God but to serve him with all our might all our strength to serve him with readiness and freedom of Spirit this is that which elsewhere is called a growing in Grace and corresponds with the Israelites motion and pace to Hierusalem mentioned Psal 84. a going from strength to strength It is a long journey that we have to go from the minimum quodsic the least degree of Grace to the maximum quodsic the fulness of stature which is in Jesus Christ and therefore we had need run sinners run in their sinful courses Lusts get strength and discover their activity daily men make hast to be compleat in sinning to fill up the measure of their iniquities Men make hast to be rich in the world and shall the Children of God make no hast to be rich in Grace David saith My Soul followeth hard after thee Psal 63. 8 St. Paul tells us that he pressed forward toward the Mark Phil. 3. 14. Ah! where are those Souls of whom we can say they run after Christ How few are those Souls that follow hard after God that go as fast as they can though it may be they cannot go as fast as they would 1. How many are there in the world that appear to us as if they were moving after God but move meerly as Machines and Ingines they are rather moved from some forreign principle without them than move from any intrinsick principle all hypocrites all formal professors do so they follow Christ for the Loaves or are drawn from the consideration of their own credit and reputation some are drawn to some degrees of duty from the reflections of their natural conscience this is now no running after God they may do many things which God requires but it is from no internal principle 2. How manẠare there that instead of running halt We dare not say that they do not move at all we hope their hearts are right we hope they are the Children of Jonathan but they are lame of their feet with one foot they seem to go right with another they fail they are like Naaman the Syrian who pretended that he would serve
now if we rise higher and enquire how some come to use common Grace better than others when all have an equal Natural power to do those acts of Moral discipline and of Religion also which extend no further then to a bodily labour how it comes to pass that some get leave of themselves of their Lusts and Passions to do them others do not We must say there is an influence of God's Spirit of Grace more upon the one than the other inclining them thereto but so long as others have a Natural power thus far which they do not use God is acquitted of their Blood and their Damnation is of themselves though his abounding grace be more seen as to others whom he doth further incline to a better use of common Grace and their natural abilities but of this I have spoken before and do now little more than repeat 2. The same account must be given of the uneven pace which is discernable in such as are Christians indeed The running of God's own People is not alike though they have all the same renewed Nature and inward principle of life To will is present with them all yet they have not all an equal strength to perform Nor an equal life liveliness freedom and chearfulness in their walkings with God there may be much blame to be laid upon themselves for not using the Grace of God as they ought to do not keeping their Watch as they ought to keep it but the Original cause is the want of Divine drawings which are sometimes with-held as a punishment to some loose and careless walking sometimes as the product of Divine Wisdom for the exercise of some habits of Grace which are not so well tryed and exercised under the full influences of divine grace upon them as under the partial withdrawings of it There might be other uses made of this point but they would be mostly such as were proper to the former Doctrine and there inlarged upon So as I shall proceed no further in Application of this Discourse Serman XXIII Canticles 1. 4. Draw me and We will run after thee YOu have heard the Spouses Petition opened what she means when she saith to her Beloved Draw me you have heard her Promise or Argument opened We will run after thee She prayeth for drawing she promiseth her running Drawing was the act of her beloved Running was her own Act though in force of his drawing But here is as I before observed an alteration of the Number She saith Draw me She addeth We will run She begs but for one she promiseth for more she prayeth for her self she promiseth for others How is this 1. I told you when I opened thé words that some by We understand The Spouse and the Spirit of God in conjunction I and thy Grace This is a Sense hinted by Genebrard and De Ponte upon the Text and it may seem to have some colour from that of Christ Without me you can do nothing and that of Paul Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God It is a great truth that when ever the Soul runs after Christ the holy Spirit assists its motion but yet it is drawing that is Christ's and his Spirits work running is ours Grace works together with the Child of God but it worketh by drawing the Soul works by running it is not Christ or the Spirit of Christ that is in us that runneth the way of God's Commandments but it is the Soul of the Christian in and with the strength and power of Christ Grace is the Principle of our Spiritual life like the Spirit within Ezechiels Wheels without which the Wheels move not but they are the Wheels that move I cannot therefore agree this sence 2. Bernard hath another Notion She begs saith he The sowre part for her self the sweeter part for others but this is an interpretation which to me seemeth to have many faults 1. It maketh the drawing here prayed for to be a drawing by Afflictions which are indeed the Lord's Cords but such as he seldom draweth Souls to Christ by not are they the proper matter of our Prayer Secondly It turneth the Promise into a Prayer and makes the Sense to be to this purpose Lord for me Draw me with the Cords of Affliction Let others run after thee but I see no ground at all for such an Interpretation It is not others but We she includeth her self It is not let others run but we will run 3. Thirdly If by the Spouse we here understand the Church speaking The Church being many yet make but one Body So the Spouse prayeth for her whole Body which is but one and saith properly draw me and then promiseth for every part Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one Body She prayeth for Grace she promiseth not only action and obedience but unity in her obedience and action God's Kingdom is not divided against its self not different from it self especially in the Fundamentals of Faith and Holiness They are an Army in order and fighting together against the World the Flesh and the Devil but this still is more than I will run 4. I rather choose another sence of this Promise A promise of an endeavour to cause others to run after Christ or a Prophecy that others would run so as the sense should be this Lord draw me and I will endeavour to be a cause of more than my own running after thee others seeing or hearing of thy Grace and Goodness to me shall also by my example be provoked to run after thee In this sence I shall carry it The Proposition resulting from hence is this Prop. That God's sweet and powerful drawing of one Soul to or after himself will be a means of causing others also to run after him God's drawing of John 1 John 26. draweth first two other Disciples who when they heard him followed Jesus and Andrew drew Simon Peter v. 40 Christ's drawing of Philip was the occasion of Nathaniel 's running v. 45. Philip findeth Nathaniel and saith unto him We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Christ draweth the Woman of Samaria John 4. v. 28. She leaves her Water pot and goes her way into the City and saith to the men of the City Come see a Man which told me all things that I ever did is not this the Christ Then they went out of the City and came unto him and v. 41. Many more believed because of his own word There are two main grounds upon which the truth of this Proposition depends 1. The first is the alluring nature of Divine Grace 2. The Second is The exceeding Charity of every pious Soul I will alittle enlarge upon them 1. I say first Divine Grace in the effects of it is exceedingly attractive The love of God saith the Apostle constraineth nor doth it only constrain the
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
more strict and close walking with God Let this ingage us to perfect holivess in the fear of the Lord. Study therefore the closest degrees of fellowship and communion with God the strictest course of an holy conversation There is a great deal of difference even in good mens communion with God some are more upon the mountwith God then others are more in holy meditation and contemplation more in secret duties more in prayer more in watchfulness more warm and zealous for God David had many worthies but he had a first three to which the others did not come up though they did worthily God hath many Souls that he loveth that are dear and precious in his Eyes but he hath also his first threes some that excel and out-run others these are they that have most of Gods Ear for tho the first grace be not given because men keep his Commandments yet further grace the manifestations and signal tokens of Divine love are given out according to the promise Jo. 14. 21. as men love and keep the Commandments of God you therefore that would excel in the favour of God that would have Gods ear fully and presently open to your supplications study to excel in holiness Doth a poor Courtier in the Courts of Earthly Princes bless himself in having the Ear of his Prince that if he hath a Petition to put up unto his Prince he can go immediately into his presence and have his Petition presently signed whereas the Petitions of others are rejected or at least deferred so as he is constrained to wait months or years And is this no priviledge no happiness at all that a poor Soul can immediately go unto the Lord of Heaven and Earth to him who is the Fountain of all grace and goodness and if he wants any thing freely present his Petition to him and have it signed presently not let the Lord go until he hath blessed him when as a wicked man tho he maketh many prayers yet is not heard yea those that may have some interest in God yet walking more loosely and more imperfectly may cry a long time and yet not be answered if we had nothing more then this to commend to us holiness in all manner of conversation and the strictest degrees of walking with God yet this certainly should be enough I shall add but one word more in application of this discourse I put into the Proposition the term sometimes God doth not alwaies but sometimes give in a quick answer to his peoples prayers Let not the people of God therefore think it strange if they have not presently an answer to their prayers God is not alwaies alike quick in his returns to the prayers of his people He always heareth them he will be certain to answer them but he is not alwaies equally quick in the answer of them This is many times the trouble of Souls that belong to God it was Davids trouble expressed Psal 22. 2 3. It was Asaphs trouble though God did at last hear him as you read v. 1. yet he had first spake as in v. 7. 8 9. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more Is his mercy clean gone for ever Doth his promise fail for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies yet because the not hearing of prayers is threatned as a judgment and punishment upon wicked men and mentioned in holy writ as the reward of mens regarding iniquity in their hearts This often causeth a great deal of trouble in the Spirits of Gods People Let me therefore shut up this discourse in advising alittle what that man or woman should do that lieth at least under some apprehensions that God doth not hear or hath not heard their prayers they cry in the day time and are not silent in the night season yet God heareth not 1. In the first place Let such a Christian examine whether it be not his own mistake Thou thinkest God hath not heard nor answered thy prayers art thou not in a mistake All answers of prayers are not discernable to our sense It may be God hath answered thee by denying thee the particular thing that thou askedst of him thus he answered Paul by denying him as to the thing he asked which was the taking the thorn out of his flesh He better knoweth what we have need of then we our selves know it the general desire of thy Soul was for some good thou didst therefore desire health riches c. because thou didst apprehend them suitable and convenient and so good for thee God who knoweth thy Soul the frame and temper of it he seeth that these things would be for thy hurt he therefore with-holdeth them and so in not answering answereth thee in not answering thy particular request he doth answer the general desire of thy Soul and only correcteth thy ignorance in thy request 2. You have heard that God sometimes answereth by giving though not the thing yet the value of the thing which thou askest i. e. that which is every way as sutable and convenient and as profitable for thee as that which thou didst desire Hath not God according to thy prayer removed thy affliction yet hath he supported thee under it hath he filled thee with inward consolations hath he told thee as he did Paul that his grace should be sufficient for thee Dost thou call this no answer God answers the prayer of that Soul to whom he giveth the full value of the thing it asketh though he doth not give the thing itself 2. If thou canst not find that God hath answered thee neither in kind nor in value Review thy prayer and see if thou canst not find some failure in that for which God with-holds his answer I suppose thee a person reconciled to God through the blood of Christ other Souls either pray not at all or if at all they make a meer formality of the duty and put up prayers as Children shoot arrows never regarding whither they flie or what becometh of them but even in a good mans prayer there may be such failures as may give God a just cause to with-hold an answer without any breach of Gods truth or faithfulness thou mayest not have prayed in faith but too much doubting thou mayest have prayed for something which thy wise Father saw was not good for thee or at least not good for thee under some present circumstances under which thou art if thou findest any thing of this nature thy work is to correct thy prayers if thou wouldst receive an answer 3. If thou dost not find this if thou canst not charge thy want of an answer upon some defect or failure in thy prayers nor yet find that God hath answered thee either giving thee the thing which thou didst ask of him or the value of it in a quiet and contented frame of Spirit in the want of it or in the supportations or consolations of
case the experience of every Soul maketh it good it is natural to every man 1. Because in all answers of Prayer there must be a soul satisfaction upon some union with the object which it desired Joy is nothing else but the triumph of the Soul upon its union with the object which it desired Prayer is nothing else but the Souls desire expressed with its voice The answer of Prayers must be the Souls satisfaction in the obtaining of its desires this satisfaction ariseth from its union with its object upon which joy is but a proper and natural result and consequent 2. In all answers of Prayer there is an owning of the Soul by God As the Soul by Prayer owneth God acknowledging him the Fountain of that goodness which it beggeth so God in answering Prayer acknowledgeth the Soul Joh. 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a Worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth All giving in of things prayed for doth not speak the answer of prayers God may hear and relieve the cry of the miserable when he doth noṫ answer the prayer of the righteous I have before hinted to you that there is an answer of our cries which floweth from Gods common providence as he is a God of pity and tender compassions and there is an answer of Prayers which comes from God as a God of truth and faithfulness how to distinguish these two I may possibly shew you in the application in some measure it is the latter answer not the former which is Gods owning and acknowledgment of the Soul as one for whom he hath a favour 3. There is yet one thing more in the answer of prayers last mentioned which to every thinking Christian is matter of great joy That it is that which speaketh the Soul to be beloved of God in Christ and to have Christ for his Advocate and Intercessor at the Throne of Grace It is in him that all the promises are Yea and Amen It is in his name that the believer asketh and it is he that doth the thing desired according to the promise John 14. 13. Whatsoever you shall ask that I will do that the Father may be glorified in the Son and because the thing is confirmed the promise is doubled v. 14. If you shall ask any thing in my name I will do it I shall add no more to the Doctrinal part of my discourse This notion in the first place distinguisheth the Child of God from all Men and Women in the World He is the only man that is glad and rejoiceth in Christ the only person that can say of Christ he is his chief joy 1. There are many that rejoice in their sensual satisfactions There is a man that shouteâ—h by reason of Wine Psal 78. 65. their Vivere est Bibere the pleasing of their Senses their Palate and Eyes and Ears is the greatest good they know after this their Souls move by desires and in the satisfaction of them they rejoice their mirth is madness and their laughter what doth it this of all other is the most sordid joy a rejoycing in iniquity yet this is the chief joy of many poor creatures 2. To others the World is their chief joy Their heart rejoyceth in their labour as the wise man speaketh Eccl. 2. 10. they look on all the work that their hands have wrought and on the labour they have laboured to do and they rejoice the gladness of their heart ariseth from the increase of their Corn and Wine and Oil and they know no better things to rejoice in For this rejoycing in Christ in the sense of his love and the pardon of their sins and the hopes of the glory of God alas how few understand any thing of it I have often had occasion to tell you that the spiritual state of a man or woman is not so much to be determined from his understanding and the notions there men and women may have great degrees of knowledge and yet have unsanctified hearts nor from their external actions An hypocrite may do many things and the best of Gods people in many things offend as from the motions of his will and affections He chuseth the things that please God To will is present with me saith Paul and consequent to this are the workings of the offections Thus a Christian is known by the objects of his love and hatred his hope and fear his desire and jâ—y The last is what I have to do with in this place Joy is one of the fruits one of the fairest fruits of the holy Spirit Gal. 5. 22. will any say to me how shall I know my state by the workings of this affection the answer is in the Text the believer rejâ—yceth in Christ the Apostle tells us that those that are the true circumcâ—sion worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus Phil. 3 3. A believer is not a Stoick as to the things of the World he lives in it and hath need of the things of it but Christ is his chief joy or the head of his joy as David saith of Hierusalem Psal 137. v. 6. But you will say how shall we know this whether Christ be our chief joy I answer 1. Thou wilt not thou canst not rejoice in any course of sin which is contrary unto Christ St. Paul tells us That he delighted in the law of God after the inward man he could not glory in a total freedom from sin he complaineth that he was sometime brought into Captivity to the law of his Members Rom. 7. 22. But he did not rejoyce in iniquity Wicked men sport themselves against God Against whom do you sport your selves Isa 57. 4 Solomon tells us That it is a sport to a fool to do mischief tells us of one who deceiveth his Neighbour and saith am I not in sport his joy is either in the satisfaction of his concupiscible appetite thus St. Peter tells us of some That they count it pleasure to riot in the day time 2 Pet. 2. 13. or in the satisfaction of his irascible appetite thus some sport themselves in doing or beholding mischief they rejoice at the destruction of him that hateth them which was a thing Job purgeth himself from Job 31. 29. or at the destruction of those that they hate they rejoice to do evil Prov. 2. 15. Yea and to see evil done as Edom rejoyced when the Jews were carried into captivity But now the Child of God can be a sharer in none of those joys These joys are incompetent with a rejoycing in Jesus Christ these men rejoyce in those things which crucified Christ I cannot say but a good man under some great temptation mâ—y feel some tickling pleasure in sin and the satisfaction of his appetite through ignorance or passion but he can have no fixed joy in any thing of that nature As a wicked man may have some fit of sorrow for sin so a good man may
not to desire or to be willing to remember the kindness of a friend whose kindness we have abused Sin puts the tast of Christs love out of the Soul A remembrance of Christs love so as to be in any measure duly affected with it is incompetent with wilful and presumptuous sinning None but the holy and heavenly Soul remembreth the loves of Christ 5. Lastly Wait upon God in ordinances in hearing the Word in the Holy Sacrament of his Supper The ordinances of the Gospel are not only means of grace but great helps to Christians memory as to Christs loves we preach a Christ crucified there his loves come to our ears in the Supper you have a representation of a Christ crucified there his loves his dying love is set before your Eyes both are helps to the mind of that man or woman who desireth to feed his thoughts upon the loves of Christ But to shut up all Pray that is a general prescription in order to the obtaining of any mercy from the hand of God amongst other blessed effects of the holy Spirit of God promised by Christ to his Disciples this was one John 14. 26. He shall bring to your remembrance the things which you have heard of me it is the influence of the Spirit of grace that quickneth and inableth us to bring Christs love to our remembrance our Saviour hath taught us how to obtain this blessed remembrancer Luke 11. 13. He giveth his holy Spirit to them that ask him Sermon XXX Cant. 1. 4. The Vpright love thee Or Heb. Vprightnesses love thee STill it is the Spouse that speaketh She had prayed Draw me and promised that being drawn both she and others would run after Christ She had received a gracious answer to her prayer The King had brought her into his Chambers In this she hath Triumphed We will be glad and rejoice in thee For this she hath covenanted that she would remember the Loves of her Beloved more then all the pleasant or profitable things in the world Which she expresseth under the Metaphoricall notion of Wine Now lest any should say to her Why so fond O thou fairest amongst women to justify her self in this rapture of Joy this extacy of love she may be conceived to add these words The upright love thee or as the Hebrew is Uprightnesses love thee the words may be variously rendred with consistency enough to the Grammar of the Hebrew text 1. Uprightnesses or right things love thee The Same word is used Psal 17. 2. Thine eyes shall behold right things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be right or to appear so The word is used in the form that it is here Psal 9. 9. He shall judge the World in righteousness and the People 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in uprightnesses It is used Prov. 1. 3. Is 33. 15. Prov. 2. 9. Psal 75. 2. If we expound the phrase as it is literally according to the abstract Righteousnesses or Right things the Question will be whether it should be read as in the Nominative case Uprightnesses love thee or as in the Oblique case which the Heb. prefix seems to import In Uprightnesses they love thee accordingly the sense will be very different for if we read it as in the Nominative case the import of it seems to be to set out the Excellency of her beloved as he who was the very seat of all excellent things in whom did all fulness dwell even the fulness of the God-head all righteousness all Equity whatsoever is good If we read it as in the Ablative case as the prefix in the Hebrew seemeth to guide us The import of it seems to be to express to us the nature of the Saints love to God which is not in word or in tongue onely but in deed and in truth in uprightnesses that is as Buxtorf expoundeth it Rectissime fortiter most intirely intensely sincerely thus I say it denoteth the truth and reality of the believing Souls love to Christ 2. But our translators have thought fit to translate it otherwise conceiving the abstract here put for the concrete Uprightnesses for upright men possessed of uprightness this is very usual in the Hebrew dialect and indeed in most languages so the sense is this Do not wonder that I love Christ and am so affected with the injoyment of him there is never an upright Soul in the world but loves him all upright Souls love him Thus the Proposition is plain Propos Upright Souls love Christ To this I shall Speak in my ordinary method by Explication Confirmation Application Under the first I shall give you the true notion of Uprightness and an üpright soul shew you in what sense the Proposition is true The Question may well be propounded Who is the upright who is the righteous man For the Psalmist tells us the Apostle Rom. 3. confirmeth it There is none righteous no not one and although God at first made man upright Eccles 7. 29. Yet the world is so warped by men seeking out to themselves inventions that the prophet Micah 7. 2. Tells us there is none upright amongst men To resolve this difficulty I shall first give you two or three distinctions concerning righteousness or uprightness without which we shall hardly understand the true notion of an upright man 1. There is an uprightness of heart Psal 32. 11. Shout for joy all you upright in heart so Psal 94. 11. Judgment shall return unto righteousness and all the upright in heart shall follow it And there is an uprightness of way or conversation Prov. 29. 27. The upright in his way is an abomination so◠Psal 37. 14. The wicked man seeketh to slay such as be of upright conversation Indeed it is true there is no man who is upright in his heart but he will also be upright in his way for the upright directeth his way Prov. 21. 29. but there is a seeming uprightness of way when the heart is not upright with God Prov. 14. 12. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man but the end thereof are the ways of death The Proposition must be understood of such as are upright not in their way only seemingly but both in heart and in way 2. Secondly there is a Legal and there is an Evangelical righteousness or uprightness The legal righteousness or uprightness lyeth in a full and perfect conformity to the Law of God In this sense it is as true That there is none righteous no not one none upright amongst men as that there is none who liveth and sinneth not against God for the least Flye maketh this box of ointment to stink all Sin is crookedness and the least crookedness spoileth this rightness But then there is an Evangelical righteousness and uprightness and thus every Soul that is justified by grace through the imputation of Christs righteousness is a righteous Soul and every Soul that is Sanctifyed and renewed the bent of which is towards
God and whose heart is sincere before God is an upright and righteous Soul In this Sense the upright heart is the Sincere heart Thus David saith of himself I was upright before him 2 Sam. 22. 24. And God saith of Job He is a perfect and an upright man The Proposition must be understood of the latter he that is Evangelically righteous or upright for there are none of the former upon the Earth none that are legally righteous 3. Thirdly As there are degrees of Sanctification so there are degrees of uprightness The text seems to speak of the highest degrees Uprightnesses It is very ordinary with the Hebrew to express the Superlative degree by the plural number besides this is Signified by putting the Abstract for the Concrete we usually call men notoriously vile and wicked by the Abstract names of vice and persons eminently good and virtuous by the Abstract Names of virtue and goodness Those that are highest in grace who do most excel in holiness are fullest of love to Christ Love teacheth every Child of God the weakest babe in grace to cry after Christ and the grown Christian to delight in him and to walk up and down in his name Every righteous every upright Soul loveth Christ and that with a true sincere love though not in an equal degree she saith our Saviour who hath much forgiven will love much Having premised these distinctions let me a little further inquire into the true Notion of these upright men upright by this Evangelical rectitude In short they are such as are justified and Sanctified made righteous through Christs righteousness imputed to them holy through the Sanctification of his Spirit 1. Such as are justified This is the first thing requisite to an upright right man let the unjustified Soul be what it will do what it can it cannot be upright either in heart or way Suppose a stick naturally crooked you may pare it and paint and colour it and cover its crookedness alittle but until it hath been in the fire and bended right it will be crooked still the natural man the Soul not justified by grace not washed with the blood of Christ may be pared by education and brought off from some flagitious and enormous practices he may be coloured and painted over by some acts of moral vertue and some formal performances of religious duties but still in Gods Eye the Soul is a crooked Soul until the Lord hath made it right till it be justified by faith 2. To this uprightness is required not only justification or the removal of the Souls guilt and imputation of a righteousness a perfect righteousness but the sanctification of the heart God never sanctifieth any whom he doth not justify hence no Soul can be said to be an upright Soul that is not justified nor doth the Lord at any time justify a Soul but he at the same time also reneweth and sanctifieth it hence the upright Soul must be a renewed Sanctified Soul But yet in regard our regeneration and sanctification is not as to degrees perfect though as to parts Divines say it is that is the whole man is renewed it may be yet worthy to be inquired from what degrees of Regeneration and Sanctification a man may be denominated an upright man the rectitude of any thing is to be judged from its conformity to some rule The rule of mans uprightness is the Lords Statutes which are right saith the Psalmist Psal 19. 8. holy and spiritual and just and good Rom. 7. Thy judgments are right saith David Psal 119. 75. 128. It is said so of nothing else so as from a conformity to this rule must rightness or uprightness be judged And thus 1. There is an uprightness of judgment when the Soul judgeth according to truth both concerning notions and practices when it judgeth aright concerning truth and is not warped by error and when it judgeth aright concerning the ways of God then the Soul is upright with respect to the understanding and judgment 2. There is an uprightness of the whole Soul with respect to the scope and bent of it when the heart of man doth not stand inclined and bent to sin but the Soul can say with David I hate vain thoughts but thy law do I love I hate every false way c. The man that in all his actions designeth and intendeth the honour and glory of God and obedience to his will though in many things he cometh short and offendeth yet this man is an upright man his end and general scope is right 3. There is an uprightness of will in this the uprightness of a mans intention discovereth itself when to will is present with the Soul as St. Paul saith Rom. 7. Though he wanteth a strength to perform the man or woman in heart willeth the honour and glory of God and this not by fits but steadily and certainly and is really unwilling to do any thing by which God may be dishonoured though through ignorance he may offend and through a natural impotency not being able to love the Lord with all his heart and strength yea and through moral impotency and a mixt infirmity through the great power of temptations whether from the seduction of lust or the violent motions and impressions of Satan 4. There is an uprightness of action which lieth in a true and sincere endeavour to do the will of God and by this both the uprightness of intention and will also is to be judged This is the upright man though he may stumble and fall and oft doth fail who liveth and sinneth not against God And as these holy dispositions are found in the Soul in more remiss or intense degrees so the Soul is more or less upright and the man deserves this honourable denomination less or more These now are the Souls that love Christ To love any object whether person or thing signifieth to take a delight and complacency in it Whether in the thoughts of it if absent as the Apostle saith whom we having not seen yet love or in the contemplation and fruition in converse and communion with it if more present This Praedicate concerning the upright that they love Christ is to be understood exclusively and inclusively concerning the Person of Christ and whatsoever beareth his image and superscription 1. Exclusively these and none but these love him Others may talk of loving Christ but it is but a talk and pretence they love but in word and tongue only not in deed and truth there is something else either lust or the world something or other that hath more of their affection more of their heart then Christ hath 2. Inclusively These and all these love Christ there is not an upright Soul in the world but loves Christ and takes a pleasure complacency in him and preferreth him before his chief joy 3. They love the person of Christ He is in their Eyes altogether desires the chiefest of ten thousand there is nothing in the
under this Captain be made perfect for by much tribulation they also must enter into the Kingdom of God By this saith the Lord speaking of the Afflictions of Jacob shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and all the fruit shall be to take away Sin Afflictions to the Church and People of God are but as the furnace for the Silver and the refining pot for the Gold like polishing Irons to the Stone and the File to the Steel 3. Finally There is a comeliness in this blackness as Afflictions give the Spouse advantage and opportunities for the more noble and perspicuous exercises of their graces Faith never shineth so much as in a dark place and state now for a season saith Peter 1 Pet. 1. 7. You are in heaviness through manifold temptations their was their blackness but it followeth That the tryal of your faith being much more precious then that of Gold which perisheth might be found unto praise honour and glory There now was a comeliness in their blackness though he killeth me saith Job yet will I trust in him there again was comeliness in blackness Patience is another grace the time for the exercise of which is a time of afflictions and tryals it is a feature in the face of a Child of God hardly discernable but in a day of adversity when we fall under severer Providences then is the time for Patience to have its perfect work If you look upon the Child of God as lying amongst the pots under the reproach and obloquy and rage and injuries of a vile and wicked generation who fly at the image of God wherever they see it out of that perfect hatred they have to God so indeed he looks black But now see him under this owning the righteousness and goodness of God kissing the Word of God saying concerning his Enemies Let them alone perhaps God hath bidden them curse and will requite me with blessing for all the cursings wherewith they have cursed me or with Eli 1 Sam. 3. 18. saying It is the Lord let him do unto me what seemeth good unto him or with Stephen praying for his Enemies and saying Father forgive them they know not what they do so he appeareth comely Look upon the Child of God under the withdrawings of divine influences from him when we hear him crying out My God my God! why hast thou forsaken me he appeareth to us black but if we see him under such withdrawings resolving to trust in God not to depart from his integrity nor to forget the Lords precepts nor deal falsely in his Covenant but still adhering to God and his ways and following him with fervent and importunate prayers so again he appeareth comely In short 1. The Spouse of Christ is comely in the Eyes of the generality of the Saints and People of God There may be some grains of envy and passion in the hearts of the best of Gods people which may cause some misinterpretation of their brethren as Joshuah envied for Moses his sake when Eldad and Medad prophecied in the Camp Num. 11. 29. and the Disciples of John were jealous for their Master and by mistakes they may be judged black as Hannah was by Eli. But by the generality of the Saints all such as are partakers of the Divine Nature they will be judged comely notwithstanding their low and afflicted condition and notwithstanding that partial blackness which appeareth in them 2. They are comely in Christs Eyes and alas how small a thing to the Child of God is it to be judged of mans judgment Bernard thus glosseth upon the words Nigra vestro formosa Divino Angelicoque judicio I am black in your judgment but fair in the judgment of God and of the Angels The Spouse is black in the Worlds Eyes but exceeding comely in Christs Eyes The Spouse speaketh to her beloved Can. 4. 7. Thou art all fair my love there is no spot in thee He replieth to her v. 10. How fair is thy love my Sister my Spouse v. 11. Thy lips O my Spouse drop as the Hony-comb Hony and Milk are under thy tongue and the smell of thy Garments is like the smell of Lebanon Would you be confirmed in this and understand whence it is that Christ judgeth his Spouse so comely I will shew you in a few particulars 1. Because he loveth her Love never calleth its object black but alwaies imprinteth a loveliness in its object beloved the blackest woman is fair in her Husbands Eye love with men covereth a multitude of faults and infirmities it overlooks blackness and lameness and crookedness and any external deformity it calleth black things white crooked things straight and lame things perfect Christ loves every Spouse of his with a dear and most tender love But yet this is our infirmity Christ cannot call any comely who indeed is not so the Spouse must be comely before he can judge or call her so 2. Therefore she must needs be comely in the Eyes of Christ because he hath made her so by putting his comeliness upon her Ezek. 16. 14. Thy beauty was perfect through my comeliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord God No Child of God is comely in his or her own comeliness but in Christs comeliness put upon him or her Now this is twofold 1. His perfect Righteousness 2. His holy and blessed Spirit 1. His perfect Righteousness Thus the Soul is comely by imputation All unrighteousness is blackness and uncomeliness in the Eyes of God for the righteous Lord loveth righteousness and it is impossible that the Lord should look upon any Soul as comely but that Soul whom he looketh upon as righteous Christ was of old prophecied of under the notion of the Lord our righteousness and the Apostle tells us he was made of God Wisdom Righteousness c. This righteousness of Christ lay in his perfect obedience to the whole law of God and his suffering the curse of the law due to us for our transgression of it it being the act of another we could not have any interest in it but by a gracious imputation or reckoning it to us and by this gracious act upon our faith by apprehending it it becomes ours so we are said to be justified by his faith Rom. 5. 1. yet by his blood as v. 9 and yet by grace Titus 3. 7. It was an act of grace in God to accept the performance of another for us the act and satisfaction of the surety for the satisfaction and acts of the principals yet a satisfaction must be given for God Rom. 3. 25. set forth Christ as a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins That he might be just while he became the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus So that upon every Souls believing in Jesus Christ who justifies the ungodly God becomes its justifier and the Soul standeth as righteous in the fight of God through Gods imputation of righteousness
to it without works and not imputing sin as the Apostle expounds the whole business of justification Rom. 4. 5 8. Thus now every believing Soul becomes a righteous Soul in the Eye of God through the righteousness of Christ put upon it This is indeed what some modern wits laugh at But as we say in other cases let them laugh that win so every serious Soul will think it hath cause of rejoycing if it hath thus won Christ to use the Apostles expression Phil. 3. 8. which he expoundeth in the very next words v. 9. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith and I would have all that love their own Souls look to be one of that circumcision which the Apostle speaketh of in that Chapter v. 3. Which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Some trust in Chariots faith the Psalmist some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God Psal 20. 7. I do but allude to that Text. There are some that trust to a righteousness of other Saints so do the Papists some trust in a righteousness of their own so do they also amongst others some trust to the meer free grace of God without any regard to a perfect righteousness but we will trust alone in Jesus Christ and in his righteousness I fear what follows in the Psalmist v. 8. will be found true in the day of Judgment Those will be brought down and fall but those that trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness will rise and stand upright Those that trust in the good works of other Saints will find at that day they will have none to spare there will not be enough for themselves and much less to lend to others as the wife Virgins told the foolish Virgins in the Parable wanting Oâ—l and offering to borrow of them and those who trust to a righteousness of their own will find that they do but trust to a Spiders webb and which hath these two qualities analogous to a Spiders web 1. That it is a thing spun out of their own bowels 2. That the least touch of it sweeps it away it is what upon examination when judgment is laid to the line and this righteousness to the plummet will be found to be no such thing as will cover the Souls nakedness a bed too short for a Soul to stretch it self in Gods sight upon They say the great Cardinal Bellarmine dying confessed that it was safest to trust to the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ whether he said so or no I am sure it will be found so There is an original blackness which cleaveth to every Soul the not belief of which is possibly the foundation error as to this great point 1. A blackness of imputation The Apostle tells us that in Adam all died we were all in the loins of that our first Parent what he lost he lost for us we in him plucked a fruit of the Tree of forbidden fruit and so loft that Original Righteousness in which God at first made man and became black and unrighteous 2. An inherent blackness for having lost the image of the heavenly we were born with the Image of the Earthly which lay in a Native aversion from God and a Native proneness and aptitude to sin against God This is seen in our native ignorance and blindness stubborness and perverseness in our naturally vile affections turbulent and impetuous passions things very far from the Image of God and hence we are all by nature saith the Apostle Eph. 2. 3. Children of Wrath. To say nothing of those actual sins which are consequent to this native blackness all our thoughts words and deeds contrary to the law of God Divines think the natural blackness of the Soul is well set out by the Prophet Ezek. 16. Thy birth is of the land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorite thy Mother an Hittite In the day wherein thou wert born thy Navel was not cut neither wert thou washed in water to supple thee thou wert not salted at all nor swadled at all none Eye pitied thee to do any of these things for thee but thou wert cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day wherein thou wert born All this while here is no appearance of any thing but filthiness and blackness Now how cometh this black and most filthy creature to be made clean and comely see v. 6. I said unto thee while thou wert in thy blood live There is what we call effectual calling v. 7. I have caused thee to multiply and thou art increased and waxed great and come to excellent Ornaments v. 8. When I passed by thee it was a time of Love yea I spread my skirt over thee and I covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Then washed I thee with water there the Spouses blackness began first to wear off yea I thoroughly washed thy blood off thee and I anointed thee with Oil. the Psalmist tells us Oil makes the face to shine I clothed thee also v. 14. And thy renown went forth among the Nations for thy beauty for it was persect through my comeliness put upon thee saith the Lord thy God God there under the similitude of a wretched new born Infant and the care of a Parent for it setteth out the woful state of the Jews and Gods care for them and as Divines judge the wretched state of every Soul by nature till washed by Christs blood and made comely by Christs comeliness is also by that similitude excellently expressed but it is plain enough from other texts that our comeliness of righteousness that righteousness wherein we must stand righteous before God is put upon us by Christ and his comeliness though by imputation made ours 2. Christ makes us righteous by putting his Spirit into us Hence he promiseth to put his Spirit into his people and you read of the holy Spirit dwelling in believers and working in them This is the comeliness of Regeneration and Sanctification which is called the Sanctification of the Spirit the Spirit of Christ in us whose fruits Gal. 5. 22. are love joy meekness c. Indeed whatsoever rendreth a soul comely and beautiful in the eye of reason upon the union of which holy Spirit with the soul the soul becomes a new creature old things are passed away and all things are become new In the same hour wherein Christ saith to the soul I will be thou clean he also saith I will be thou pure and holy an habitation for God through the Spirit undefiled in the heart and in the way This is also metaphorically set out by the same Prophet Ezekiel 16. 10 11 12. I decked thee also with ornaments and I put
bracelets upon thy hands and a chain about thy neck and I put a jewel upon thy forehead and ear-rings in thine ears and a beautiful crown upon thy head What do all these metaphorical expressions signify but the various habits of grace with which Christ adorneth the new creature in the day of its new birth in the day when he removeth from it the guilt of its iniquity he doth not only wash and cleanse it with his blood from the guilt of its Sin but he reneweth and sanctifieth it and furnisheth it with all habits of grace This is also Christs comeliness for as the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily so himself received the Spirit without measure that he might measure it out by measures to his people and they might of his fulness receive grace for grace The holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ and all its operations are his Christ tells his Spouse in this Song that she had ravished his heart with the chains about her neck but there is not a jewel in those chains but cometh out of Christs cabinet he giveth those chains with which himself is ravished though these divine powers and habits be his yet being once given and by us produced into Acts they are truely and inherently ours Our Faith Love Patience Meekness Joy c. Our stock of grace upon which our souls live yet not without the daily influence of Christ and assistance of his spirit and this stock is capable of augmentation or diminution as it pleaseth God to let out upon us or to withdraw from us and as we more or less improve it tho indeed Christ hath a constant inspection upon his Spouses treasury and will take care that it shall never so fail but there shall be a seed of God abiding in the soul continually and the grace of Regeneration in it shall be like a spring of water whose waters fail not This now is the Spouses real beauty and comliness which makes her inwardly comely tho she be externally black comely in Christs eyes and comely in the eyes of judicious Christians tho black in the Worlds eyes who judg from external accidents or in the eyes of less judicious Christians either judging from outward accidents or particular acts or from some corrupt passion in themselves 3. They must be comely in Christs eyes because he judgeth not of comeliness from the outward appearance nor yet from single spots and defects but according to the heart the scope and intention of that and from the more constant tenour of the Souls actions The speaking of a few words to this will prevent an objection How Christ can judg a soul comely that is yet full of spots infirmities and defects for even the best of men sinneth seven times a day and who can tell how often he offendeth I say Christ judgeth not from the outward appearance man judgeth so but God judgeth from the heart he looketh at the inward man how that is nor doth he there judg from every particular motion any more then from any particular act in our conversation but from the sincerity and uprightness of the heart If there be a willing mind it is accepted The World judgeth from the outward appearance and indeed that is one disadvantage with reference to the World that the spouse of Christ is under she is Nigra extrinsecus formosa intrinsecus Black outwardly but comely inwardly The Kings Daughter saith the Psalmist Psal 45. is all glorious within A good Christian is like a Merchants warehouse which is full of rich wares and commodities tho little appeareth without The hypocrite is lâ—ke a Pedlars stall where all is exposed and perhaps much more then the pretended owner is worth There is a double judgment of the comeliness of Virgins the one is sensuall from the lines and colour of the face the Symmetry of parts the other is rational from the complexion of the soul Knowledg Ingenuity Modesty Sobriety c. Those who judg the former way may be deceived that which the Vulgar calleth beauty is deceitful and vain and fading the person that is possessed of it is very often unlovely enough through a crooked and froward disposition and badness of humour the latter maketh the true judgment men judg of the comeliness and beauty of persons meerly from the visage and outside so the children of God are by them judged unlovely and black as Ravens If they see the Church or Child of God tossed with tempests and afflâ—cted groaning under the sense of sin they presently judg them according to the outward appearance black Christ looketh upon the heart the bent and scope of that its sincerity and uprightness its purity and holiness The World again judgeth of men by single acts tho Philosophy teacheth us that from them none is to be denominated either virtuous or vicious God doth not so which is remarkable in the two famous instances of Job and David Job you know had great fits of impatience yet saith God Behold the patience of Job David was a man of very great failings his defiling of Bathsheba his murder of Uria his numbring of the People were three to name no more yet God doth not onely mention him as a man whose heart was perfect a man according to Gods own heart But in all the following story of the Kings of Judah God mentions him as a Pattern telling us that such a one did walk according to David or such a one did not do according as David had done The Apostle also tells us that we have an high Priest that can have compassion on our Infirmities upon the ignorant and those that are out of the way All which makes it appear that Christs judgment of the Beauty and comliness of persons is not from single acts but from a constant and general course of life and conversation Now every true believer sets his heart to seek the Lord and to walk before God with a true and perfect heart and tho he faileth in many particulars yet the Lord overlooketh them and judgeth of the Soul only from its â—â—ope and intention and the general course of his actions hence it is that the spouse of Christ tho in some respects she be black and in the Worlds eyès she appeareth black yet in truth and in the Judgment of Jesus Christ she is comely Sermon XXXIII Canticles 1. 5. I am black but comely O you daughters of Jerusalem as the tents of Kedar as the Curtaines of Solomon My business in this exercise is but to apply my last discourse Where I shewed you how and in what sense the Spouse of Christ is Black and yet comely black in her own eyes in the worlds eyes and somtimes so in the eyes of her weaker Brethren but comely in Christs eyes and in the eyes of her more judicious Brethren Having a great comliness in some of her blackness and a comeliness besides her blacknes Black through remaining Just and corruption through Afflictions
can we imagine that we should be more concerned to discover our own vileness and naughtiness then Gods Grace and Mercy But of this I shall speak more fully in my handling the Second part of the Proposition Sermon XXXV Canticles 1. 5. I am Black but Comely O ye Daughters of Hierusalem c. I Come now to the second part of the Proposition I raised from these words I had no more time in my last discourse then to handle the former Prop. There are times when Christians are bound to own their graces and to declare what God hath done for their Souls There are such times when good Christians must not only say they are Black but also own that they are Comely That this is a duty appeareth from the practice of the Servants of God in holy Writ Psal 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul And indeed what are most of the Psalms of David but declarations of this nature to say nothing of Pauls speeches before Festus and Agrippa c. But whatsoever I intended for the proof of it I shall bring under the explication applying it to the particular cases The Question is Qu. When and in what cases are Christians concerned to own acknowledg and declare unto others their grace and what God hath done for their Souls As I said of the other piece of a Christians duty so I shall say of this It is their duty 1. To own and acknowledg it to God 2. To the Church of God 3. To the Men of the World sometimes 1. To God This is their unquestionable duty at all times and you shall find it the frequent practice of the Servants of God in Scripture If we have any Comeliness it is Christs Comliness put upon us and it is but reasonable that God should have the acknowledgment of it to his Honor and Glory But of this there is no question neither is this the acknowledgment of the Text she is here speaking not unto God but to the Daughters of Jerusalem It is our duty also in some cases to own our Comeliness through grace unto men 2. To the Church of Christ and to particular Christians 1. To the Church and that in two cases 1. Upon our Admission into it 2. Upon our Re-admission and restoring to the Priviledges of it We find in the first Plantation of Churches of the Gospel there was ordinarily such a confession and acknowledgment It is said Mat. 3. That those who were Baptized of John were Baptized in Jordan confessing their Sins Matth. 3. 6. After Christs Ascension into Heaven we read of the three thousand Souls added to the Church that they were first pricked at the Heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do and in Acts 8. 36. when the Eunuch said to Philip Here is Water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip answereth if thou believest with all thine heart thou maiest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God In those first admissions into the Gospel Church it is plain that Confession of Sin and Profession of a Faith in Christ were required as necessary and previous to Baptism by which Persons were admitted into a fellowship with the Church of God But altho the first admission into Gospel Churches were only of Grown Persons able to make Confessions of their Sins and a Profession of their faith in Christ which were alwaies done upon such admissions yet the Children of such persons so Baptized have been alwaies taken to be within the Covenant and so Members of the Church also but whether compleat Members or no hath been a question and indeed generally denied and something further required of them before they have been taken into a full Communion with the Church in the Ordinance of the Supper For that being an Ordinance of the Gospel which is a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith as was said of Circumcision with reference to Abraham Rom. 4. 11. It is but reasonable to conclude that none have a right unto it but such as are made Partakers of that Righteousness of Faith those that by an eye of Faith can discern the Lords Body by an hand of Faith lay hold upon Christ under those sensible signs and representations and that by Faith can Eat the Flesh and Drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ while with the Mouths of their Bodies they Eat the Bread and Drink the Wine Hence the Apostle commands us to examine our selves and so to Eat of that Bread and Drink of that Cup and telleth us that whoso Earteth the Flesh and Drinketh the Blood of the Lord unworthily Eateth and Drinketh Judgment unto himself and hence it is that some evidence both of Knowledg and Regeneration is judged necessary to such as have a full Communion in this Ordinance with the Church of Christ The best evidence whereof is undoubtedly an holy conversation That a verbal declaration in this case is absolutely necessary I cannot say which may be made in hypocrisie and it made signifies nothing if not confirmed by an holy Life where it can be made in truth and with freedom of Spirit it is doubtless exceeding satisfactory both to the Ministers of Christ who are Stewards of the Ministries of God of whom it is required that they should be faithful distributing their Masters goods according to their Masters order and to the Members of the Church with which they are joined But I by no means think that it ought to be insisted on as to many Christians who may be under fears and doubts and despondencies but evidence the change of their hearts by a holiness of life Thus far I have a little digressed to give you my judgment in this point By which you may se how little the difference in this case is betwixt Brethren would they calmly listen to hear and to understand one another and not judge each other not heard 2. Upon our re-admission or restoring to the Church of God The judicial separation of Scandalous persons from the Church is a sufficient evidence that no persons unholy in their lives ought to be admitted into a communion with it and that they are no more then presumptive members of it or if you will visible members that is such as in outward appearance are so but when by any open action they discover the contrary they ought to be separated from it and not restored without repentance of which repentance indeed it being the change of the heart we are no infallible judges having no rule of judgment but being forced to trust to the sincerity of Profession joined with a visibly reformed Conversation The Church of Christ in all ages so far as we may trust any account we have had of it hath required both 1. A verbal declaration of what God hath done for the offending party working in him or her a Godly shame
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
duty to be pressing after it I shall but mind you of three things which if they will not prevail with you I know not what to add 1. The concern in it of the glory of God In the obedience of his will for it is what he hath as I have shewed you commanded the winning of Souls Which may be more estranged and alienated from God by an undue behaviour and much reduced by a just and Christian behaviour and the upholding the credit and reputation of religion and godliness 2. Secondly The concern of your brothers good is not little by this thou shalt shew that brotherly Love which is so commended in the Gospel how canst thou say thou lovest thy Brother whiles thou watchest for his halting and art glad and rejoicest when thou seeâ—â— him fallen that scornest and despisest him because he is low and mean and afflicted or because thou observest his foot to have slipped Where is thy pity Where is thy compassion in the case 3. Finally thy own concern is not small in the case Upon this argument the Apostle to the Hebrews perswadeth a remembring of such as are in bonds and adversity Heb. 13. 3 considering that we also are in the body And upon this argument he also perswadeth tenderness to persons black through faults Gal. 6. 2. considering thy self lest thou also be tempted What man is there that may not be afflicted and tossed with tempests as much as any others are What man is there that may not be overpowered at some time or other by his corruptions or Satans temptations Now observe that of our Saviour Luke 6. 37 38. Judge not and you shall not be judged condemn not and you shall not be condemned For with the same measure that you meet withal it shall be measured to you again In these cases the Law of Nature holdeth which Christ hath also Ganonized in his Gospel Whatsoever you would that others should do to you do you the same to them Sermon XXXVII Canticles 1. 6. Because the Sun hath looked upon me I am come now to the sixth Proposition I observed from these words which the Spouse giveth as one reason of her blackness By the Sun I told you I understood the scorchings of Afflictions and Persecutions hence observed That in this life the Spouse of Christ whether we by it understand the true Church or the particular believing Soul is exposed to afflictions and persecutions which make her black The Proposition asserts the Lot of the People of God in this world that is to be afflicted and persecuted to have the Sun look upon them this sense I put upon this metaphor having our Saviour my guide Mat. 13. 6. 21. 2. It sheweth the ill effect or influence which these Persecutions have upon the People of God sometimes that is to make her black or at least to appear so to humane Eyes In the handling of this Proposition I shall 1. Shew you That Afflictions and Persecutions are usually the lot of the Spouse of Christ while she is in this world 2. Whence it is that this is its hard fate to have the Sun to look upon her 3. What collying or blackning qualities there are in afflictions which affect the Spouse 4. Whence it is that because of these Afflictions and Persecutions the Spouse of Christ is judged sometimes black when indeed she is not so Then I shall apply the whole discourse Concerning Afflictions in general I shall speak little they are the common lot of mankind nor is the Child of God more exempted from them then another I shall therefore rather bend my discourse to such kind of afflictions as are the more peculiar afflictions of the Gospel and affect the Spouse of Christ and these are those which we call Persecutions of these our Saviour interpreteth the Sun being up Mat. 13. 6. v. 21. These are such injuries as are done to the Church and People of God sor the Words sake for Righteousness sake for Christs sake which are the several phrases by which these kinds of affliction are expressed Mat. 13. 21. Mat. 5. v. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Any sufferings undergone of choice rather then we will defile our conscience with sin It is true the Etymology of the word will not give us this sense of it but verba valent secundum usum It is the usage of words that must give us the sense of them and this you will find is the sense of this term both in Holy Writ and all Ecclesiastical usage Nor doth it alter the case if men be made sufferers truly upon this account whether they suffer according to an humane law or not for if an â—umane law would have purged such acts from unrighteousness and cleansed them from the guilt of Persecution the Jews had been clear'd who said upon their Crucifying of Christ we have a law and by that law he ought to die and all the Martyrs who have suffered since his time for his names sake excepting such as had died in Massacres and by Assassinations had died as fools died for they generally died in the execution of some laws first made by such as thirsted after their blood Nor is it to be limited only to capital punishments Amongst the noble Army of Martyrs reckoned up Heb. 11. 36. Some had tryal of cruel moâ—kings of bonds and imprisonments some wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat skins in deserts and Mountains and in Dens and Caves of the Earth and Paul calls Ishmaels mocking of Isaac a Persecution Gal. 4. 29. and as then saith the Apostle he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Now that this hath been the lot of the People of God in all ages is so evident both from the whole story of Scripture and all Ecclesiastical history that I need not be large in the proof of it He that casteth his Eye upon Adams Family when that contained all the Church God had in the world will find there a Cain rising up against Abel and slaying him because he offered up a more excellent Sacrifice In Abrahams Family he that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit Esau persecuteth Jacob the Egyptians oppress the Israelites there was a continual feud betwixt Judah where the true Church was and Israel after they had Apostatised David in many Psalms tells you how he was continually opposed and maligned What the holy Prophets of the Lord suffered for declaring the truth you may read at large in the Books of the Kings and Chronicles what Jeremiah Daniel Amos the three Children suffered you may read at large in the Prophets If you come to the New Testament you find John Baptist beheaded Christ Crucified Stephen stoned James killed with the Sword Paul variously suffering and all for righteousness sake 2. It may be more worth our inquiry whence these storms arose which our Saviour foretold and were begun with him but grew greater
our thoughts upon God admiring him c. But that which the Scripture calleth Worship most ordinarily is some external acts testifying that inward homage and submission of the heart 3. These acts are either such as the Light of Nature directeth and the Law of Nature obligeth us unto or such as God hath prescribed us in his Word Worship being in the general nature of it nothing but an external homage done to God in testification of the inward and more secret homage and subjection of our Soul It is the most reasonable thing imaginable that God should prescribe it this he hath done as the God of Nature imprinting a Law in our hearts obliging us to call upon him for good things we want and to praise him for good things received partly in his holy Writ There is no natural Worship but is also instituted but there is much instituted Worship which the Light of Nature doth not shew nor the Law of Nature oblige us to such as Reading the Scriptures hearing the Word Preached communicating in the holy Sacraments 4. External acts of Worship that depend meerly upon Institution must be either instituted by Christ or by our own wills or the wills of others Col. 2. 23. there is a Will-worship mentioned 5. All true Divine Worship must have a Divine Institution Whatsoever is pretended as an immediate act of homage to the Divine Being and is not directed by Nature and directed also and confirmed and regulated by the Revelation of the Divine Will in the Word of God is what we call False Worship or Will-Worship As the first Commandment directeth our homage to God as the alone true Object so the second directeth the manner of it to be according to his revealed Will for certainly that Commandment must not be interpreted as meerly prohibiting the Worship of God by or before a graven Image or the similitude of a thing on purpose set before us either as representative of the Divine Being or as a Medium by which we worship God but as prohibiting all other Modes Acts and Methods which have no more of a Divine Institution than that hath only that one instance is given and under it the other included So that a graven Image is but species pro genere and those that worship God before a painted Image or any other way which God hath not prescribed are also transgressors of that second Commandment Hence it is observable that God directed the Jews not only every Act by which an homage was paid to him but also every Rite and Ceremony and it was guilt enough for the Jews in his Worship to do that which he commanded them not Uzziah must not offer Incense nor Saul Sacrifice nor Nadab and Abihu make use of ordinary fire nor Uzzah carry the Ark upon a Cart nor touch it The same we conceive to be the will of God in the New Testament God being a Spirit and to be worshipped by us in Spirit and in Truth as well as by the Jews and it seemeth the most reasonable thing imaginable 1. Considering that our Worship in its self is a pitiful thing infinitely disproportioned to the perfection and excellency of God so as it deriveth all its value from the Divine Institution 2. And being an homage done to God it is most reasonable that God himself should direct what he will accept 3. Nor is it to be imagined had God left man in the case to his own conduct and direction how vain and various man would have been 4. Besides it is not reasonable to think that the holy Scriptures should be a less perfect Rule in matters of Worship than it is in matters of Doctrine or that concern our ordinary course of conversation or that acts of Worship as to which it appeareth in all the Scripture that God had a special jealousie and in which we are said to draw nigh to God should be none of those good works as to which the holy Scriptures are sufficient to furnish every good man 6. Divine Worship being an humane act and that of the most noble nature as it must have such circumstances as are necessary to all humane acts such are Time and Place so it is reasonable that it should have such circumstances as suit such acts so as they may be performed in such manner as the Light of Nature and common guise and custom of Countries shall not determine sordid filthy or indecent and such as may render it useful and more profitable and advantageous and answering to their ends which circumstances being necessary to the acts as humane acts or at least plainly expedient to avoid the indecent and sordid performance of the acts or for the more profit and advantage of the acts and such as in regard of the variety of Countries the Customs and Usages of them c. could not be determined by the Word of God must be determined by the Governours of Churches Nations or Kingdoms but still with respect to the general ends of the action But for any things used in the Worship of God neither directed by Nature nor yet by holy Writ and appropriated to the Worship of God as a Religious act out of a respect to the excellency of the Divine Being and as an homage to it I cannot see how they can be lawful they must have something of the nature of Worship in them and having so they ought to have a Divine Institution without which I cannot see how they should avoid the guilt of Idolatry or Superstition which differ thus If the faileur respect the Object either terminatively where the creature is made the term and ultimate Object as in Ahab's Idolatry and the Papists Adoration of the Bread in the Eucharist or mediately as in Jeroboam's case and the Jews relating to the golden Calf or Micab's all which worshipped the true God though by an Image and using an Image as a mean of their Worship as the Papists now do in their Veneration of their Images This is Idolatry called in Scripture Whoredom spiritual Whoredom and as Adultery in marriage so this is the highest sin can be committed in Worship and which God hath more severely punished at all times than any other sins People have been guilty of If the faileur respect the Acts or the manner if it be only internal it is Hypocrisie if in the external Acts or Manner it is Superstition such are the Papists Salt Oil Cream Spittle superadded to the Institution for Baptism and an hundred other Rites and Ceremonies used in all parts of their Worship 7. It is very observable that from the beginning of the Church there hath been a strange Itch in men to be adding and mixing their own fancies inventions and Will-worship with the true Worship of God God gave unto Moses the particular Rule and Law of his Worship he communicated it to the People David added to it but no more than God by his Spirit directed as appeareth 1 Chron. 28. 19. All this said David
the Lord made me to understand by his hand upon me in writing If you would know what that was v. 12 13. The Pattern of all that he had by the Spirit of the Courts of the House of the Lord and of all the Chambers round about of the Treasuries of the House of God and of the Treasuries of the dedicate things also for the courses of the Priests and Levites and for all the work of the Service of the House of the Lord Texts of Scripture which they are not aware of who bring in David as an instance of a Prince who added new Acts or Modes or Rites and Ceremonies in the Worship of God David ordered no more than the Lord had made him to understand in writing by his Spirit and by his hand upon him One would think that mens common reason should judge it safest to keep to the Divine Rule and that it should be the easiest thing But so vain hath man been in all Ages that you shall find they could never content themselves with that Rule but as if they had had a mind to pull down the Vengeance of God upon them they were continually devising new waies and methods after the example of other Nations and copying out their Idolatries and Superstitions The Jews must make a golden Calf in imitation of the Egyptians then they fall in with the Idols of the Moabites Micah must have an Image Jeroboam must set up Calves at Dan and Bethel In short this was the constant vanity of the Jews to all reasonable mens just admiration Christ left us a perfect Rule for Worship under the New Testament But how soon was the Primitive Church in matter of Worship turned aside from the simplicity of the Gospel It kept Doctrine in good degrees of Purity for five hundred years after Christ but the Purity of Worship was abated in many places within less than three hundred years and every Age still grew worse and worse till the Pope got into the Saddle and then that Pope was no body who could not think upon one trifle or other to be added to the Rituals of Worship Till the Popish Worship came up to be what it is at this day a mixture of Paganish Jewish and Christian Rites And it is a very hard thing for any who readeth the Gospel and observeth Christ's Rules and the Apostles Practice and Rules for Worship and Ordinances to find any thing amongst them which hath upon it Christ and the Apostles Stamp and Impression 8. In all times this hath been a temptation to sincere Professors and many both Ministers and People individual Believers and Churches to deviate from the Divine Rule Either the Commands of Superiours have prevailed as in Jeroboam's time it is laid to the charge of the Israelites Hos 5. 11. That they willingly followed the Commandment It is like some not very willingly neither but the more of their will was in it the greater the guilt was and they are chiefly blamed so Micah 6. 16. The Statutes of Omri are kept Or else the Example of their Leaders in Church or State have had the force of a Law upon them Or the gaudry or specious pretences made for things introduced have had a force upon them Many things having as the Apostle saith a shew of Wisdom and Will worship and a neglecting of the body 8. And lastly When these things have happened they have been the blackness and pollution of those Souls and those Churches that have been so far prevailed upon Black and white in this case must be determined and adjudged from a strict adherence to or a deviation from the Divine Rule Those that are brought over to such compliances have discoloured themselves more or less according to the degree wherein they have offended They have kept others Vineyards but their own they have not kept The trust which their Lord and Master committed to them as to the Ordinances of Worship they have not kept 1. These things bring a blackness and unloveliness upon the Soul or upon a Church in the Eyes of God and of Jesus Christ He may not presently give them a Bill of Divorce and say unto them they are not his People but he looks upon them with an ill Eye as a speckled Bird Jer. 12. 9. Mine Inheritance saith God is become unto me as a speckled Bird they kept something of Divine impressions and institutions but they were speckled they had some colours fetched from the Moabites and Ammonites and Philistins c. It is his will that those who worship him should worship him according to his will in Spirit and in Truth such the Father seeketh to worship him now these things spoil the truth of Divine Worship which must be measured from a Divine Institution And they spoil the spirituality of it reducing Carnal Ordinances and setting them up instead of the Spiritual Worship of God Such indeed the Jews had for a time as you read Heb. 9. 10. but they were to hold no longer than until the time of Reformation The Gospel-worship was to be exclusive not only of Ordinances that were typical prefiguring a better and most excellent Sacrifice and Service which were fulfilled the Antitypes being come but it was also exclusive of Carnal Ordinances such as were pleasing and gratifying to the flesh and outward man The Worship of God according to Christ's Institution was to be more reasonable plain and spiritual 2. Nay Errours in the matters of the Worship of God do not only defile and make the Soul guilty but exceeding guilty Errours of Worship look like controulments of the Divine Wisdom who sent his Son and his Apostles to establish a Rule of Worship These additaments speak the Establisht Rule imperfect for otherwise they must be idle and superfluous nothing of which nature is to be admitted in so grave and sacred an action The Assertion of the Divine Rule as not perfect in the matter of Worship reflecteth upon our Saviour either as not knowing what it is that in worship would be most acceptable to his Father or as not faithful in the House of God Or finally as carelesly leaving things of that nature to the wills and fancies of men as whose wildness even from the beginning of the world to that time had shewed it self in nothing more But besides how can we better measure the greatness of any guilt than by the Revelations of God's will and wrath against it and in reference to it If you observe the Old Testament throughout from the time of the Israelites coming out of Egypt to their coming out of Babylon you fhall find the will of God fully revealed against no one sin or kind of sin like this of corruption and faileurs in the matter of his Worship so as such Souls must needs be black in the Eyes of Christ because guilty and that not in an ordinary degree 2. Hence also these things have made them black in the Eyes of the sincerer part of Christians Thus
doubtless were the Israelites in Jeroboam's time not only to the men of Judah who adhered to the true Worship of God and the sincerer part of the Ten Tribes who left them and came to Hierusalem to worship But the generality of the Israelites in Ahab's times in the sight of Elijah and those seven thousand whom God told Elijah he had at that time in Israel who had not bowed their knee to Baal nor kissed him with their lips The Use of this will be very short only warning us to be very tender in this point very careful of having to do with these Vineyards It is inconsistent with the keeping of our own the things which God hath committed to our trust It renders Churches and particular Souls also black It is an abatement to our beauty and comeliness These things are spots in our beauty shadows to our glory Nothing more offendeth the Eyes of the Divine Glory nothing more provoketh the Lord to jealousie To those who consideringly read the History of the Jewish Church recorded in the Old Testament nothing need be added upon this Argument I come now to the second sense of these words to which I told you I more inclined to From whence the Proposition is this Prop. That great intanglements in secular affairs will make the Spouse of Christ to appear black Demas did once appear white twice you have an honourable mention of him Col. 4. 14. Luke the beloved Physician and Demas salute you He is reckoned amongst Paul's fellow-labourers Philemon v. 24. but the world made him black 2 Tim. 4. 10. Demas saith the Apostle hath forsaken us and imbraced the present world Martha was doubtless white in her Lord's Eyes yet being cumbred about many things she appeared something black Mary had chosen the better part Luk. 38. 40 41. The Apostles left their Nets when they followed Christ When therefore one askt leave of our Saviour before he followed him to go and bury his dead Christ replied Let the dead bury the dead follow thou me You know the excuses those made Matth. 22. that were invited to the Marriage Feast one had bought a Farm another had bought five yoke of Oxen. Our Saviour hath determined Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters but either he will cleave to the one and neglect the other or neglect the one and be overcareful for the other What need we any Scripture in the case shew me that man or woman that is intangled in a multitude of worldly affairs and hath not lost something of his beauty if he or she ever had any as to the power and practice of Religion Holiness But it will be demonstratively clear to us if we consider either how much of our time the world will take up or how much of our strength and spirits how it will distract and divide us how much it will allure and intice us or to how many scandals it will expose us Of all these I shall speak a word or two 1. I say first if we consider how much of our time worldly occasions take up All humane actions require time as well as place There is no religious action but requireth time and the more time is spent in our worldly employments the less must or can be spent in religious duties the more our intanglements are in secular affairs the less time we must spend in the acts of our more immediate homage to God Alass how little time hath he who is much imployed in the world for reading hearing praying for any religious service and this is the ordinary plea that men make for the non-performance of them they have no time to read the Scriptures or to pray in their Families or to instruct them or to hear the Word or to imploy their thoughts upon spiritual things Solomon saith of the covetous man that the multitude of his riches will not let him sleep It may be said of others the multitude of their businesses will not let them pray or keep up any course of Religion in their Families it suffers but a few to spend the Lords Sabbath as they ought to do they are so far from sparing God any of their own time that they are more ready to steal his time though it be but one day of seven 2. Secondly Worldly businesses do not only take up much of our time but also much of 〈◊〉 spirits and strength God doth not only require our love and such acts of homage in testification of our love as he hath prescribed but also that we should love him and do those acts with all our hearts with all our might and strength and excess of worldly labour and business wasts our Spirits takes away that might and strength which we fhould spend in the service of God Ah what heartless lifeless prayers and religious duties are performed by men and women taken up with an undue proportion of secular imployments 3. Thirdly They fill the head with a multitude of distractions 1 Cor. 7. 35. The Apostle upon this account v. 34. commendeth a single life to those to whom God had given that gift for saith he The unmarried Woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holy both in Body and Spirit but the married Woman careth for the things of the World that she may please her Husband And this saith he I speak to you for your own profit not that I might cast a snare upon you but for that which is comely and that you may attend upon the Lord without distraction Distractions in religious services though they appear not to the world yet really are the blackness of the Soul and it is our duty as much as in us lyeth to serve the Lord with the greatest attention of our thoughts and with as few distractions as we can now the more we are incumbred with secular affairs the greater we shall find our distractions in the service of God For as it is upon the ringing of a Bell though the man's hand be off the Rope and the Bell begins to be still yet for some time we shall discern a din in the sides of the Bell caused from its former motion and agitation So will every observing Christian find that when his hand is off his secular business yet his head will for some time be working upon it and this more especially sheweth a preparation of heart necessary for those in particular who are much imployed in worldly business before they draw nigh to God in the Solemn Duties of his Worship that the noise of their secular affairs may be out of their heads and they may serve the Lord without distractions and not be like to the People whom God complaineth of Ezek. 33. 31. They said come and let us go and hear the Word of the Lord. And saith God they come unto thee as the People cometh and sit before thee as my People and they hear thy words but they will not do them for with their
he could do nothing against him because he found nothing in him If the Devil found nothing in our Souls he could do nothing against them but only disturb them The like may be said for the corruptions of Churches If the husbandmen did not sleep the Enemy could not sow so many tares All corruptions in the Doctrine of faith in matters of Worship and discipline have crept in by the Officers of Churches not keeping their own Vineyards The man of sin the Western Antichrist had never so hacknyed the Western Churches if they had not like Issachar Couched under the burden and bowed their necks down to the Yoke I shall shut up this discourse with a few Words of Exhortation to all to keep their own Vineyards I shall not here speak to the duty of husbandmen Spiritual husbandmen to keep the Vineyard of the Church it were a Proper discourse from the Doctrine but I am not in a proper auditory And besides would every particular Christian but keep the Vineyard of his own Soul the care of Magistrates and Ministers who are the keepers of Christs Vineyard might be less Christians woful remissness and neglect in keeping the more particular Vineyards of their own Souls is that which makes the work of the keepers of the more publick Vineyard of the Church so difficult and almost unpracticable to them Let me therefore only lay a little stress here as we say if every man would sweep his own door the street would be clean So it is true if every one would look to the Vineyard of his own particular Soul or his particular family the Church of God would be clean for that is made up but of particular families and particular Souls When these Vineyards are kept the more publick Vineyard which is made up of these must also be kept Wherein the keeping of our Vineyards lyeth you have heard viz. 1. In the keeping of it clear of weeds and noxious plants 2. In the cultivation and manuring such plants as are fit for it In these two things lyeth the keeping of Gardens and Vineyards amongst men in these two things lyeth the keeping of our Vineyards in a metaphorical more spiritual sense you whom God hath trusted with the care of others have a larger Vineyard then those that are solute The Wife is a part of the Husbands Vineyard Children are their parents Vineyard Servants are their Masters Vineyard Every mans family is his Vineyard If any be single his Soul is his Vineyard The keeping of your Vineyards lyeth in a keeping of them free from Scandal not suffering sin upon any that stand in any relation to you we ought not to do it as to our neighbour much less as to any that are our neighbours in thenearest and strictest sense and who stand in nearest concernment to us David resolved to walk within his house with a perfect heart that the faithful in the land should dwell with him and that he that walked in a perfect way should serve him that he that wrought deceit should not dwell within his house he that telleth lyes should not abide in his sight Psal 101. 2 7 8. Abraham commanded his Children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Gen. 18. 19. For you that have only the Vineyards of your own Souls to keep neglect them not I will press this upon you with 2 considerations which I shall recommend to you 1. The first shall be The value of the Vineyards with which God hath betrusted to you The Vineyards are Souls either your own Souls or the Souls of others or both Which way soever you consider a Soul whether as a Spiritual being or as a reasonable being indued with noble faculties or as an immortal being that cannot perish with the body as that part of man which beareth the most lively impress of the image of God as that which was purchased by the blood of Christ and which is the habitation of God through the Spirit in which the holy Spirit may dwell that which is ordained to an Eternity either of happiness or misery which way soever you look upon your own Souls or the Souls of those who are committed to your trusts they are noble Vineyards Reason teacheth us to take the best care of our best and most excellent things I have thought it often a most unreasonable vanity of some Gentlemen to take a great deal more care of the managery of an horse or hawk then of their Sons It is every whit as great if not a much greater vanity to take a greater care of the bodies and outward concerns of their relations then of their Souls What can be laid in ballance with a Soul which will not be found too light for it what shall be offered in exchange for it and not rejected as of too low a consideration Of what value think you that must be which was bought with the blood of him who was the Son of God Consider of what value the profession of your faith and the practice of holiness is your faith is called precious faith and of holiness it is said that without it none shall see the Lord. 2. Secondly Consider who it is that hath betrusted you with them Behold saith God All Souls are mine It is God that hath given unto us the trust of our own Souls and the trusts of others Souls for all Souls are originally Gods He breaths the Soul into the body of a man he puts Souls into mens families I beseech you consider here these particulars 1. That every Person of reputation and honour valueth a trust and thinks it beneath a man not to discharge a trust he undertakes with some degrees of faithfulness We see in our daily experience that as men naturally Love to be trusted so they have a kind of natural religion for the keeping and discharging of it This is what makes men consciencious as to the wills of Persons that are dead All Souls are trusts our particular Souls are trusts the Souls of our relations are trusts to us The property of all Souls is Gods the trust of them is in us I wish this were but well thought on the wicked men mentioned by the Psalmist said our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4. men think that they may do what they will with what they have a full propriety in This is a great cause of mens neglect of their Souls they dream too much of an absolute property they have in them they say their Souls are their own Who is Lord over them would men consider their Souls a little more as trusts they would take a stricter care of them 2. Tho we naturally value all trusts yet such as our Superiours or near friends commit to us we yet value more A dread of our Superiours makes us to value and take care of what they have committed to our trust a love to our friends makes us value theirs
such a time Other men may seem to do well enough so long as they have rest and ease and prosperity But what will they do in the day of their visitation God takes another care for his People when David can incourage himself in nothing else he can incourage himself in his God When the Fig-tree doth not blossom and there is no fruit in the vine when the fields yield no meat and the flock are cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stall yet even then they can rejoyce in the Lord and be glad in the God of their Salvation Habak 3. 17 18 19. Vnder his shades we shall live saith the Afflicted Church Lam. 4. 20. I state under his shadow with great delight saith the Spouse Cant. 2. 3. There are many promises which God hath made to his People to be their hiding place their rock their Covert their shadow from the storm and from the tempest To which I refer you In the next place What cause of rejoycing and lifting up of the head is here to the People of God whether such as lie under the present pressures of Tryals or Afflictions or such as have these storms in prospect though they be not already fallen upon them Is the noon of Tryals and Afflictions come upon any of you Hath the Lord taken away those gourds which heretofore were a shade to you your health friends estate your outward comforts of what kind soever yet be of good cheer God is only changing your Souls Pastures Hitherto you have lived more immediately upon the creature you shall only now live more immediately upon God hitherto you have lived by sight God is now calling you to live by Faith hitherto your great Shepherd hath fed you in the fields of sensible comforts and enjoyments things that are seen he is now calling you to live upon things that are invisible but every way as sufficient for the support and sustenance of the Soul he that hath fed thee in the morning will not leave thee at noon time Psal 37. v. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good and so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed David saith He never saw the righteous forsaken The Believer shall be fed either with that bread which the world knoweth and calleth so or with that bread which the world knoweth and calleth so or with that bread which the world knoweth not of There is a revolution of time a vicissitude of Providences but there is no change of the Word and Promises of God Verily they shall be fed There shall be no want to those that fear the Lord. A noon may come but Christ hath a shadow a feeding a resting place for his flocks at noon That God who hath kept thee in health will also keep thee in sickness He that hath hitherto kept thee from the malice of a most malicious world will keep thee under the pressures of their malice Only take care to Trust in the Lord and to do good Is not this thy case Hast thou the storm only in prospect but it is not yet fallen upon thee and art thou only tormented with the fears of what is likely to come upon thee oft-times slavish fear proves a great evil and an evil in prospect is greater than when it is fallen upon a person Let this incourage you to hear that Christ hath shades for his People at noon God hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you Let me only commend one Promise to you it is made to the Church and to every Believer as a Member of it it is that Isa 4. 5 6. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle in the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from Storm and from Rain I will shut up this Discourse with a word or two of Exhortation First To such as are yet none of the Inhabitants of Mount Zion None of those I mean who are the true Members of the Church of Christ Those who have no title or are able to make out no title to the dwelling-places upon Mount Zion or any of them what a motive should this be to all such to indeavour what in them lieth to get into Christ's little Flock A noon must come Possibly it is now morning with you and you are more careless but man is born to trouble and it is as natural to humane nature as it is for sparks to fly upward as Job tells us The Children of God in respect to the world's hatred are more exposed to others but there is none who liveth and shall not see death none that lives but must look to be in deaths often of one nature or another It is certainly the highest prudence to be prepared for all Assayes Thou hast no way for this but to get an interest in Christ Whilst thou art an Egyptian thou canst not look for the Priviledges of one that is an Inhabitant in Goshen Doest thou ask me how can this be How should I who am a Goat be transformed into a Sheep Our Saviour answers thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God he can be none of that little Flock to whom it is God's will to give that Kingdom Regeneration a new Birth from the holy Spirit can only make this Spiritual Metamorphosis Thy work in order to it lyeth only in some external actions such as refraining what thou canst from sin waiting upon God in Ordinances calling upon God in Prayer not resisting the motions of his holy Spirit 2d Branch Secondly This Discourse ought to quicken such as are of the Flock of Christ in all their Noons of Affliction and Trial to betake themselves to Christ's shades to the places where Christ useth to feed and to make his Flocks to rest at Noon What those shades are I have shewed you our work is to betake our selves unto them It is natural to us when we are pursued to look for a covert for some refuge or shelter where we may hide our selves till the storm be passed over and to flee to such places where we think that we may be secure There is no true shelter but in Christ's shades Let us then inquire what is the duty of a good Christian in an evil day that he may bring his Soul to a rest and quiet 1. The first and great thing is to look out our Evidences to make out our title to and interest in the Lord Jesus Christ We must intitle our selves to the great Shepherd of our Souls as our Shepherd before we can expect that he should in a scorching time make us to lie down in green Pastures and lead us besides the still waters and encourage our selves as David Psal
This saith he thou hast seen O God keep not silence O Lord be not thou far from me so Psal 38. 21 22. Psal 71. 12. Every Christians experience is a full proof of this so as the Proposition needeth no further proof only let me shew you the reason of it The great Reason is Because we are all of us more prone to live by sight then by faith The Apostle saith we live by faith not by sight He tells you what he himself and other Christians then did and what all good Christians should do The just saith the Prophet shall live by faith But through our infirmity we do live more by sight then we do by faith It is a lesson very hard to flesh and blood could we live more by faith there would be these two consequents to such a life 1. In the day of our sensible contentments we should live more upon the word and promises of God then upon any sensible comforts and enjoyments But it is hard for us to have a staff lent us and not to lean upon it so when it breaketh we come to see our errors and see more need of the influences of Divine Grace at such then at other times 2. We should see as much in God and in Christ to uphold and maintain our selves in an evil day as at any other times for the promises are the same and Christ in whom all the promises are yea and Amen is the same and Gods all-sufficiency is the same he is at all times the God that changeth not This being premised as the great and original cause we may conceive some further and more particular reasons 2. Because in this Noon all creature comforts fail yea and in some afflictions sensible spiritual comforts sometimes fail also In trials that are more external such as bodily afflictions persecutions c. outward comforts fail when the Sun shineth upon our Tabernacles and the rod of God is not upon us we are then ready to forget God when Jeshurun waxed fat he kicked up the heel when these outward consolations are taken away then the Soul beginneth to see that it stands in need of some other supports If the Affliction be some divine desertion then the sensible consolations of the Holy Spirit fail also what Daviá said in his prosperity Psal 30. 6. I shall never be moved we are all of us too prone to say in the day of our prosperity but as it fared him with v. 7. so it fareth with us when the Lord hideth his face we are troubled It is too natural even to the best of men not to know the God of our mercies in the day of our mercies It was Israels sin Hosea 2. 8. For she did not know that I gave her Corn and Wine and Oil. We do not so duly attend to that which we profess to know that our Soul strength and Soul comforts are from the Lord and hence it is that in the day when they are withdrawn we see a more special need of the presence and influence of Christ upon us It is the unhappiness and infirmity of humane nature that we seldom either understand our mercies or the Author and Fountain of them till we come to want them while we have health and peace and liberty while we have inward strength and quiet we neither understand the value of these mercies nor Eye God as we should do as the Author of them but in the noon time of our tryals and afflictions whether more immediately from God in bodily afflictions or divine desertions or more immediately from men then we both understand the value of our mercies and also what need we have of the presence of God with us and the influences of God upon us At other times we live very much upon our more sensible enjoyments now we have not them to live upon and so see a more need of a God and a Christ to live upon 3. Ordinarily at such a time Our lusts and corruptions move very impetuously A man never so well knows the lusts and corruptions of his own heart as in an evil day Natura vexata prodit Sâ—ipsam Anger a man we say and you will see his temper when God by his providence vexeth a poor creature as others will see something so he will see more what lusts and corruptions are in his heart The Devil knew this well enough when he replyed to God commending his servant Job Put forth now thine hand and touch him and he will eurse thee to thy face Now as every good Soul keepeth a watch upon his heart and observeth the motions of sin and lust in his Soul so he never seeth more of the need of the presence and influence of God upon his Soul then when Iniquities prevail against him When Paul cries out of the body of death he presently cries out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me 4. Lastly His Grand Adversary the Devil is never more busy then at such a time Times of afflictions are not only times of divine temptations when God proveth and tryeth his People whether they will adhere and keep close to him but of Diabolical Suggestions and temptations also When the Devil is making tryal whether he can pluck a Soul out of Christs hand and out of his Fathers hand The Psalmist calls the Devil The fowler and he knows hard weather is the best time for his purpose he first gets a commission against Job to take away all that he had saving his life onely and then his Wife cometh and persuadeth him to curse God and dye and he followeth him with many other Suggestions and temptations This was the reason of Saint Pauls writing to the Church of Corinth to restore the incestuous Person who by his order was cast out of their communion lest saith he he should be swallowed up of too much grief and Satan should have advantage against him for we are not ignorant of his devices We are never so sensible what need we have of our friends as when our enemies appear most busy most strong and active Hence it is that although a believer seeth a need of the presence and influence of Christ at all times yet he never seeth so great a need of him as in a time of great and sharp trials and afflictions when trouble is hard at hand I shall shut up this discourse with a Word or two of exhortation shortly This should ingage all of us so to behave our selves towards our Lord in the morning of our prosperity that we may not want his presence and influence in the noon of our trials afflictions and adversity It is a mighty folly in any of us to live as we had no Prospect of the ordinary or necessary contingencies of humane life Prudence quasi providence Solomon saith The wise man hath his Eyes in his head And these Eyes are imployed in looking forward as well as round about him at the present It is a great folly in
their own Child above any others The man of art takes most delight in his own workmanship God can do nothing but what is truly and highly good and he cannot but be most pleased in his own work 2. Secondly The beauty of the Child of God is Christs beauty and lyeth in the Souls assimilation or being made like unto Christ Is he justifyed It is by the imputation of his righteousness Is he regenerated It is through his Spirit and by his regeneration the image of God and Christ is renewed in him in Knowledge righteousness and holiness the like mind is in him that was in Christ Likeness is the Mother of Love and all Love floweth from some likeness or conceived likeness in the object beloved Christ cannot but love that Soul that is made partaker of the Divine nature renewed according to his image made like unto himself The believer was predestinated to be conform to the Image of the Son by Faith Regeneration he is made conform renewed according to the image of God according to the Apostles phrase If Jacob knew his sons coat again and the sight of it was enough to set the Fathers bowels on yerning Christ will doubtless know his own robes and cannot but account that Soul most beautiful that is adorned with dressed in them This in the first place may serve to convince us of the truth of what John tells us 1. John 5. 19. That the whole world lyeth in wickedness For these Souls whom Christ judgeth and calleth the fairest amongst Women The most lovely and beautiful Souls are those who in the Eyes of the generality in the world are counted the most unlovely despicable and contemptible Persons in nature in so much that Godly men and women may take up the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 9. concerning himself and those of his own order 1 Cor. 4. 9. We think that God hath set as forth as it were appointed unto death for we are made a spectacle to the world to angels and to men We are fools for Christs sake profane leud men they are wise we are weak they are strong they are honourable we are despised the People of God in the present age in all former ages are they who hunger and thirst who are naked and buffeted and have no certain dwelling place yet they labour working with their hands being reviled they bless being persecuted they suffer it being defamed they intreat yet are they made as the filth of the world as the off-scouring of all Nations even to this day Thus it was under the Old Testament the prophet complained in his time Isa 59. 15. That truth failed and he who departed from evil made himself a prey but he addeth and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment It was so under the New Testament who was more despised and rejected of men then Christ Who was more reviled contemned abused both in words and deeds then John the Baptist Christ and his blessed Apostles and all the Primitive Christians Christ foretold his disciples that the world should hate them that they should speak of them all manner of Evil persecute them turn them out of their Synagogues c. It is so in our times if there be in any places Persons fearing God and working righteousness Persons that make a conscience of their waies that fear an Oath that durst not drink and swear and curse and blaspheme the living God as others do that make conscience of their worshipping God and are a little more strict and frequent in it then others are These are the Persons against whom the world spits all their venom against whom their hands are lifted up men may meet together to drink and revel to hear leud and profane Songs and Plays but not to pray not to consider and exhort one another to love and to good works what is this an Evidence of but that the world lyeth in wickedness Christ judgeth pious Souls the fairest Souls these are they sor whom he died Whom he calls his Sister his Spouse the fairest Souls in the creation these are those Souls whom the World sets up as marks to shoot all their invenomed arrows bitter words against to offer all affronts and indignities unto Shall not the Lord visit for these things Shall he not be avenged on such a generation Shall a gallant in the World draw his Sword upon the man that affronts his Paramour or Mistress a wanton Woman that he hath espoused or to whom his heart cleaveth and shall the Lord bear these affronts these injuries offered to Souls that are more precious in the Eyes of their Lord then all the world is beside Hear what the Lord said by his prophet as to that antient People of his Isa 43. 2 3. I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wert pretious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and People for thy life Was this spoken for the Jews only think we or did this concern the profane part of the Jews or those only that feared the Lord walked in his commandments and worshiped him in Spirit and in truth That it was not to be understood with reference to or upon the account of the leud and profane part of the Jewish Nation is evident by Gods declared detestation of them by the same prophet and by others of his Prophets If it were spoken with reference to such as feared God and walked in his commandments and kept close to the rule of Worship which he had given them it holds good still to all Souls that fall under that Character They are precious in Gods fight honourable he hath loved them the holy one of Israel is their Saviour and the worlds hatred of them profane mens reviling contemning abusing them is but a continued Evidence that the world knoweth them not and speaketh evil of and doth evil to things and Persons they know not Or that it lieth in wickedness in a vile and wicked Error of judgment judging those vile and base whom God judgeth precious and honourable and those worthy of hatred whom he loveth though the Lord may for a time suffer his good righteous Servants to be thus reviled thus treated thus abused by leud and ungodly men for the trial of their faith and for the exercise of their patience and that some of the blood of his Saints may be poured into the cup of wicked mens sins that the cup of their iniquities may be full and they may fill up their measures of sinning That upon them may come all the righteous blood of his People which hath been shed yet be assured the Lord will not suffer it alwaies but awake as one out of sleep plead the cause of his People and give Egypt for their ransom and Ethiopia and Seba
at Peace with God All that can be said to relieve the Child of God under this complaint to ease him under this burden is this That this misery which befalleth him is but what is common to the very best of men it is a priviledge reserved for the Saints in glory to live in a not interrupted communion with God To be ever with the Lord beholding his face to live in the sense of such a constant communion with Christ as doth afford the Soul a perfect Satisfaction The sublunary Saint is often crying out Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth where tho u feedest This dispensation indeed will speak thee sensibly miserable and sad but it will not speak thee to have no relation to Christ I shall shut up this discourse with a Word or two of exhortation Pleading with you to do what in you lies to avoid such a state and to keep your selves within the knowledg where Christ feedeth where he makes his flocks to rest at noon 1. Consider first That as the Spiritual life of any Soul lyes in its union and communion with Christ So the comfort of his life lyeth in his sense of this communion and knowledge how at all times and in all conditions to Support and to maintain it Our Saviour tells us that As the branch cannot bring forth fruit unless it abide in the Vine so neither can we except we abide in him John 15. 4. That Soul which hath no communion with Christ is as certainly dead as the body is that hath no communion with the head or the branch that hath no communion with the stock Now it is true Sense is not necessary to Spiritual life We live saith the Apostle by faith not by sight But the comfort of the Soul doth depend upon sense and knowledge it is true as to a Christians comfort not to live and not to know that we live are much the same thing as to its happiness it is not but I say as to his comfort it is What quiet can a Christian have in his breast what Peace in his conscience What joy in the Holy Ghost that feeleth no intercourses is sensible of no inward communion betwixt his Soul and Christ 2. Hence consider Secondly That to the waky Christian there is no greater misery upon the Earth then what ariseth from his apprehensions of his having no communion with Christ All the enjoyments of the World will be nothing of Satisfaction to such a Soul it is an evil Nullis medicabilis herbis I say with a waky soul it will be thus some Souls are in a profound sleep they never think of Eternity never consider their latter end they are ignorant and know not the relation that Christ hath to a State of Eternal happiness that as Eternal life is the gift of God so it is through Christ for that the Father hath given into his hands the Power of Eternal life and he giveth it to whomsoever he pleaseth Now these Souls though they have no fellowship no communion at all yet they have no misery no grief from it But I say to the Soul that is awake to consider the Grave the Eternity to which he is hastening 't is the greatest burden imaginable to lye under apprehensions that his fellowship is not with the Father and with the Son Jesus Christ 3. Thirdly consider that of all evils those lye heaviest and most sadly upon the Soul concerning which the man or woman is conscious that he himself hath been accessary to them and a cause of them Let a good Christian be at loss for his communion with God let the cause of it be what it will he is sad enough but if his heart smites him that he himself hath been the cause of it Oh! insupportable burden of that reflection he cannot bear the thoughts of his destroying his Soul by his own hands of this you may make an easy judgment by considering the frame of your Spirit under such accidents though of a much lighter nature it is sad enough for a man to lose his estate for a Mother to lose her Child but for the man to think that he lost his estate through his own supine negligence or for a Mother to think she hath been the death of her Child These are wounds healed usually with great difficulty So for a Soul to think it hath lost its communion with its dear Lord by its own supine negligence or any voluntary act of its own which it might have avoided This maketh a deep wound in the Soul But will some say what should what can we do to uphold our communion with Christ and to maintain a sense of it Let me here speak two words The first to such as have their beloved in view and do yet injoy desired communion with him 2. To such as have lost this view in order to their recovery of it To the first I say 1. Be much with him whom your Soul loveth What the Prophet said of Gods presence of Providence is as true concerning the presence of God in gracious influences 2. Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you are with him if you seek him he will be found of you Souls that are much with God seldom lose their sight of him ordinarily the Souls of men and women first withdraw the communications of themselves unto him through levity and wantonness then Christ withdraweth both in justice to punish in them that levity and in wisdom to make them to seek after him Hos 5. 15. I will go and return to my place until they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early That Soul is seldom or never at a loss to know where Christ feedeth his flocks that keepeth a constant correspondence with him Be much in Prayer especially secret Prayer much in Heavenly meditation and contemplation when the Spouse after her loss Cant. 3. 1 2 had found her beloved I held him saith she and would not let him go How doth the Soul hold Christ so as she will not let him go but by faith and constant and frequent acts of fellowship and communion with him 2. Secondly Take heed of grieving the holy Spirit It is the Apostles Counsel Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit by which you are sealed to the day of Redemption We maintain our fellowship with Christ by the Spirit That takes of Christs and giveth to us and again it takes of ours and giveth to Christ by the Spirit we Pray by its assistance we exercise faith Love c. Christ by his Spirit communicateth himself to us and we by the Spirit do communicate our Souls to him Take heed therefore you grieve not this Spirit either by any presumptuous sinnings or by quenching its motions or resisting its operations Let every Knock every motion and impulse every impression of the holy Spirit be very valuable to and regardable in the Eyes of your Souls 3. Thirdly Maintain in
communion with Christ 1. Some will pretend to the Spirit as their rule They have an anointing they tell us which teacheth them all things and so pretend to follow the motions and impressions of the holy Spirit But there is no certainty in this pretended Rule for all Spirits are not of God The Spirit hath given us the Rule of the word for you heard before That all Scripture is given us by divine inspiration and that it is able to make the man of God wise to Salvation The Spirit teacheth nothing contrary to the Word The Word directs us to follow the footsteps of the Flock There can be no certainty in pretended impressions from the Spirit which are contrary to the Word of God no nor any security For all such pretences must Issue in the deceit of our own hearts we following our own lusts and imaginations in stead of the holy Spirit or which is worse the impressions of the evil Spirit Yet this is the rule of all Enthusiasts 2. Others call out to us to follow the Church the practice of the Church in all ages And indeed if they could make appear to us what that was they would say something but what certainty can there be in this rule while they that talk of it can neither make that Church appear to us nor yet what their practice was we know who were the Church in the Apostles age and we know what their practice was by the records of holy Writ but who the Church were and what their practice was in latter ages we cannot tell and by consequence there is no certainty in this rule we may follow the steps of the Synagogue of Sat an instead of the steps of the flock of Christ 3. The Papists call to us to follow Traditions and indeed for the Traditions delivered us by the Apostles we see reason to follow them and if they could by an unquestionable record make out any thing to us which had been received as an Vniversal Tradition of the Vniversal Church we should have a great respect and reverence for it but for unwritten Traditions which the Papists put into an equal ballance with the Word of God for Christians rule being as they pretend delivered as rules by the Apostles to the Church of God as we know no need we have of such so we have no certainty that any such things were ever so delivered and therefore can see no security in receiving them or giving any ear unto them 4. There is a 4th sort that in distresses are much for seeking God and walking according to the impressions we have upon such seeking this practice is founded upon an excellent bottom 1. A Precept for the owning and acknowledging of God in all our ways 2. A Promise that he will direct our steps Prov. 3. v. 6. Seeking of God at all times at such times especially is the great duty of Christians and if rightly done cannot be in vain but for the right performance of it a Christian must have respect both to the matter of his Prayer and also to the manner of it It is to the matter of our Prayers onely that I am here concerned to speak As to this our rule is that it must be something consonant to the will of God I mean his will revealed in his Word Hence it followeth 1. That when God hath revealed his will in his Word for or against a thing which we are about to do for us to seek God whether we should do it or no forbear it or no is to tempt and provoke God This is like Balaams going to inquire of God whether he should go with the Messengers of Balak after that God had plainly told him he should not go We ought to acquiesce in the determination of Gods will in his Word whether in the Precepts or the examples of the Servants of God recorded there and for things forbidden to avoid them for things commanded to do them here 's no place for seeking God as to the doing or forbearing so that although for things of this nature as to what God hath commanded us to do we may and ought to seek God for direction help and assistance in the doing of them And as to things forbidden we may seek God for strength to avoid them and all temptations to them yet we may not seek God whether we should do the things so commanded and forbear the things so forbidden yea or no. Such seeking of God is but asking leave to sin against him 2. In particular actions as to which Gods Word hath not particularly directed us it is our duty to seek God for direction and having first well considered the general rules of the Word of God if we find the action neither commanded nor forbidden according to them we may for ought I know attend the impressions we find upon our Spirits after such sincere and serious seeking of God And take them to be the will of God concerning us as to such actions But this is but a digression from my subject This is enough to shew you there is no such security or certainty in any direction we can have as in following the footsteps of the flock of Christ the prints of whose feet we find in the Word of God 2. It is as reasonable that we should feed by the Shepherds Tents that is attend upon Divine institutions if we would enjoy any fellowship and communion with God for it is unreasonable to expect the influences of Divine Grace in any way but such only as God hath promised he will give them in much less in the neglect or contempt of any such means as he hath appointed The promise is Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my name I will come unto thee and bless thee Our communion with God depends upon his coming to us and blessing us Where God will come unto us and bless us there we may there we shall have communion with him Now where will God come unto us and bless us In all places where he recordeth his Name to dwell what doth that signify but in all his sacred ordinances and institutions Conformable to this is his promise in the New Testament Mat. 18. 20. Where two or three are gathered together in my name that is at my command or by my order there am I in the midst amongst them and to his Ministers his promise is made Mat. 28. 19 Go you therefore and teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and loe I am with you alway to the end of the world Where can we expect communion with God but where he hath promised to be with his People to meet them and to bless them Observe from hence how unreasonable they are that talk of a communion with God or expect any such thing who make not the Word of God a light to their Feet who go not
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
is with them I come to the Application I shall only apply it by Exhortation to two great duties Fortitude and unity I begin with the first upon which I shall most inlarge as to which I shall shew you 1. Wherein it lies and discourse it to you as it stands distinguished from a natural Spirit and stomack 2. From a moral fortitude 2. I shall offer you some directions in order to the promoving of it 3. Lastly I shall press it by some arguments It is agreed on all hands that the object of it is dangers and sufferings That the nature of it lyeth in a bold encountring and going through them That the vices opposed to it are 1 Cowardise 2. Rashness or fool hardiness as we call it There is a courage or fortitude which ariseth only from the natural Spirit and courage of the creature Now this is to be found in beasts as much as in men yea and more then in men the reflections of whose reason makes them less Spiritful then Horses or Dogs or Lions c. This commendeth no man for no man hath more of this then many Beasts have So it removeth not man at any distance from a Brute Creature Secondly There is a moral fortitude Which though it must have some foundation in nature for none that is naturally fearful and cowardly will by reason be improved to any degree of valour yet differeth from the other As it ariseth from knowledge and some just improvement of reason and is governed by the dictates of reason and directed to some noble and rational end such now as the preservation of our honour or Country c. But now Christian fortitude is quite another thing as it ariseth 1. From a threefold principle of grace 2. As it is directed by the rule of the Word 3. As it is exercised upon and against sin As lastly it works for a more noble end the glory of God and the Salvation of the Soul you may take this Description of it It is an habit infused into the Soul by the holy Spirit of God inabling the Soul from the dread of the Eternal God a Love to him and a faith in him and his promises to despise the prospect or presence of any danger in a resistance and fighting against sin and all temptations to it governing it self by the rule of Gods Word in order to the glory of God and the Salvation of a mans Soul From hence may easily be gathered both how it differeth from Natural Spirit and stomackfulness which is under no government either of reason or Religion and is a mere natural quality and found in beasts as much and more then in man It also differeth from Moral sortitude both in the Principle the rule and manner of its exercise and the End All which I shall open I shall begin with the first of these 1. The first Principle of Christian Fortitude is the holy Spirit Fear not saith God I will strengthen thee and uphold thee with the hand of my righteousness It is indeed God as the God of Nature that puts the natural Spirit and courage into the Horse or other beasts Job 32. 19. Hast thou saith God given strength to the Horse Hast thou clothed his neck with Thunder But here God acts as the Author of saving grace The holy Spirit is the Author of all gracious habits now there is a threefold Spiritual habit from which this fortitude or Christian courage proceeds they are as it were the Parents of it 1. The first is the fear of God No man is valiant against sin when temptations to it lye from great dangers but he that hath a true dread of God in and upon his heart It is said of Moses Hebr. 11. 27. That by faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he indured as seeing him who is invisible He forsook Egypt in obedience to the command of God he feared not the wrath of the King When he saw he must either incur the Kings wrath or Gods displeasure he feared not the wrath of the King though as Solomon saith The wrath of the King is as the Messenger of death Yet he feared not the wrath of the King here now was courage here was Christian Fortitude Whence was it that he was so courageous The Text tells you He indured as seeing him who was invisible he had the dread of the King of Kings upon his Soul agnovit imperatorem coeli he knew there was one that was higher then the highest mortal and this is necessary and that too in a very good degree to every Soul that is valiant for God Every Person that feareth not God will be a coward in the Spiritual fight 2. A Second habit contributing to this fortitude or Christian courage is The Love of God The Apostle tells you it constrains we see in daily experience the lover will indure no difhonour to be done unto no affront to be put upon the woman that he loveth The vain Gentleman is ready to fight upon any such account The Soul which truly loveth God will fuffer no affront no dishonour which he can help to be done unto and put upon God much less can he allow his own Soul in any such thing what ever be the consequent of it 3. A third habit from which this Christian courage or fortitude ariseth is Faith Faith respecting both the Proposition of the Word and the promise of the Gospel and Person of the Mediatour Faith agreeing to all which the holy Scripture revealeth concerning the wrath of God his power justice greatness concerning the reward of those who well fight the good fight who overcome c. And also hoping and trusting in God for the fulfilling of those promises Natural courage is much from Nature and derives much from the Blood Moral Fortitude deriveth much from Education and Reason Christian Fortitude in encountring dangers ariseth from quite different principles The Christian is stout and valiant in the resistance of sin because he feareth the great and living God whose wrath is a thousand times more formidable then the wrath of the greatest man who when he hath killed the body can do no more God can cast both body and Soul into Hell-Fire Because he loveth God and will suffer any thing rather than grieve and offend him and because he believeth whatsoever God hath revealed in his holy Word concerning the greatness power wrath and justice of God against sin and concerning those who strive in the resistance of it Hence you read in that martyrology which you have Heb. 11. 33. That they through faith subdued Kingdoms v. 34. quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword waxed valiant in the fight v. 35. they were tortured not accepting deliverance v. 36. they had Trials of cruel mockings and Scourgings yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment c. The principles of the Christian valour are not meer Natural Spirit and stomackfulness nor meer principles of honour and
reputation and reason which were the principles of the Roman valour but these which I have shewed you 2. As to the Acts of it They are all lawful resistances of sin He will resist unto blood but it still is in striving against sin Heb. 1. 2. 4. And this he doth by a lawful resistance This in the description I called a governing himself according to the rules of Gods Word 2 Tim. 2 5. If a man strive for masteries yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully All sin is a transgression of the law of God No Christian fortitude can be shewen either in the encountring of a danger for not doing what he ought to do Or for the encountring of a danger rather then doing what God hath given him a freedom and liberty to do As to the first a man is not Gods Martyr but the Devils As to the Second he cannot be a Martyr for God but for his own humour God hath left him a liberty he need not suffer unless he will But now there may be several actions as to which a good man doth not see his liberty but lyeth under apprehensions that they are unlawful The Question is what a Christian is to do as to them And whether a Christian can shew any Christian fortitude in incountring dangers rather then doing them To which I shortly answer 1. That it is the duty of every good man as to such actions to use all the means he can as to a true information of his own conscience Reading the holy Scriptures and other good Books interpreting the Scriptures which may rightly inform him Keeping his ear open to all arguments on both sides to all instructions 2. If by no means he can receive Satisfaction as to the lawfulness of such actions the doing of them would be sin to him and he is bound to incounter any danger rather then do them and this is a piece of Christian fortitude The proximate Rule of our actions must be our own Conscience by which I mean our own practical judgment of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of things to be done according to the best information we have or can get concerning the will of God in his word the persuasions commands dictates or practice of others is no rule to us We must resist what our own Consciences tell us is sin and contrary to the will of God But it must be lawfully It must be such a resistance only as Gods Word doth allow us A private Person in the resistance of sin must not resist the power which is the Ordinance of God Rom. 13. 2. It is one thing to do what such powers command another thing by Arms to resist God hath not given the Sword into any private hand and such a Person drawing it shall perish with it we must strive against sin but we must strive lawfully not by ill Language or boisterous actions but by meek and patient Suffering 3. Lastly The End of Christian fortitude must be 1. The glory of God 2. The Salvation of our own Souls 'T is no Christian valour to be valiant for any thing but the truth the honour and glory of God the cause and concern of God in the World and in a matter where the Eternal Salvation of his own Soul is concerned Thus far I have opened to you the nature of this Christian courage and fortitude which I am calling to you for Let me in the next place offer something to you which may promove this excellent habit in your Souls A Natural courage cannot be given where any thing of a Moral fortitude may be promoved by rational arguments education and a due digestion of moral Principles But there must be some good natural foundation of courage for the Moralist in the managery of his disciple to build upon but it is not so as to this Christian fortitude Persons of the weakest sex of the lowest meanest weakest Spirits by nature have been made valiant as to the Spiritual fight from the dread of God the Love of God by saith in the Word of God and in the Lord Jesus Christ Now in order to this excellent habit and so necessary for these times 1. The first thing which I shall commend unto you in order to it is a Sound knowledge of the revealed will of God both concerning sin and concerning duty Knowledge is the foundation of saith It is that which giveth boldness to a man both in speaking and in acting A poor ignorant Person may be valiant but he cannot expect to be so he is Sometimes made valiant in an extraordinary manner by some special instinct and impression of God upon him as that Woman which told her Judges She could not dispute but she could dye for Christ A just knowledge of what I may or may not do of the Nature of God his promises and threatnings is most necessary to a true Christian courage and fortitude He fighteth more like a madman then a Christian that is not first fully Satisfyed in the goodness and justice of his cause 2. A knowing man may be cowardly if he be not rooted and grounded in the faith heartily and firmly believing what he hath the notion of Faith is the only shield that keepeth off the fiery darts of the wicked Now this is the gift of God and the way to obtain it is Prayer Beg of God his Spiritual armour and to make you valiant in the Spiritual fight Math. 26. 41. Watch and pray that you enter not into temptation 3. Set as loose to the World and all your concerns and Relations in it as you can It is observed of great Cities that they seldom hold out long against an Enemy Their Riches their Wives and Children make them Cowards That Man or Woman that hath not learned to deny himself in all his worldly contentments can never be valiant 4. Lastly look unto Jesus the Author and the finisher of your saith who for the joy that was set before him indured the cross despised the shame and is set down on the throne of God consider him who indured such contradiction of sinners in himself lest you be wearied and saint in your minds It is the Apostles advice Heb. 12. 3. The valour and courage of a General oft times puts mettal and courage into his Souldiers retrieveth a day of battel when it is upon the point lost The eying of Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith is of mighty use to us to ingage us to go on to the Spiritual fight without fear or dread Let me press this upon you by a few arguments 1. The first shall be from the ton general decay of this gracious habit in the Spirits of Christians God of 'old complained by his Prophet Jer. 9. 3. That there was a generation of them who bent their tongues like bows for lies but there wâ—â— none valiant for the truth upon the Earth How few are there this day that are valiant for the truth There are
to the King There 's no Faith in Christ nor pure Love to God and Christ to be got at Athens Flesh and Blood will not convey these things into a Soul Lastly Observe how the whole Trinity is concerned in the dispensations of grace It is the note of the Learned Mercer That the Mystery of the Trinity is here held out to us in the Plural Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I touched upon this before though indeed the works of the Trinity within it self be divided The Father begetteth and is not begotten The Son is begotten but doth not beget The Holy Ghost proceedeth from both and doth neither beget nor is begotten and although to denote the order of working in the holy Trinity Creation is made the work of the Father Redemption the work of the Son and Sanctification the work of the Holy Spirit yet it is most certain that all the works of the Trinity out of it self are individed what one person doth all do All that grace of which the Believer is made partaker floweth from the whole Trinity it is from the Father through the merits of the Son and by the Holy Ghost In the second place Will Christ go on in giving to his Saints more grace Let not then those of little Faith be discouraged Let not those that are strong despise the weak nor those who are weak be discouraged and despond in themselves If the Child of God hath Faith but as a grain of Mustard seed it shall increase If it hath but a stock of grace like the Widdows Meal in the Barrel and Oil in the Cruise yet the Meal shall not fail from the Barrel nor the Oil from the Cruise If the Child of a rich and indulgent Parent be despised by another that hath finer Clothes and richer Ornaments than the Wisdom of its Parent thinks fit at present to allow it it will comfort its self that its Father is able to do as much for it that he wants no love to prompt him to it that it hath a large Inheritance that is made sure unto it Shall not the Child of God thus comfort himself from its hopes of glory though it as yet hath but a small earnest of it from that fulness of grace which is in Christ He shall be holden up saith the Apostle speaking of the weak Brethren for God is able to make him stand Rom. 14. 4. And from that readiness that is in Christ and his Promise to give to him that hath so that he shall have more abundantly from the Promise of Christ to the Soul whose cheeks are already comely with Rows of Jewels and Chains of Gold that he will make for it Borders of Gold with spots or badges or studs of Silver Let true grace in the Soul be never so faint and weak it is the Seed of God it shall abide yea it shall grow and increase Hypocrisie is alwaies withering the Hypocrite groweth worse and worse his fair shews and appearances daily decay but true grace is alwaies growing Christ is alwaies adding to it And indeed this is one thing which distinguisheth a sincerity and truth of grace from all the counterfeits of it A Child of God is alwaies growing better and better the Lord is adding to his spiritual habits Wicked men and Hypocrites are growing worse and worse In the last place This Notion calls to all the People of God 1. For an admiration of the Love of God towards them what a God do we serve what a Saviour what a Friend what a Beloved hath every Soul whose Soul sincerely loveth the Lord Jesus Christ The Beloved of your Souls is not like anothers Beloved in himself he is not he is the chiefest of ten thousand he is altogether desires He is not to you as anothers Beloved he is unweariable in his acts of grace and dispensations of goodness Are there any Souls here whose iniquities are forgiven whose sins are covered whose Souls are regenerated renewed through the Sanctification of the Spirit might not these Souls go into their Closets with David and sit down and say Who are we O Lord God! and what were our Souls that the Lord should bring us hitherto that God should wash our Souls white in the Blood of the Lamb and give us another Spirit than we had by Nature a new Heart a new Nature that he should make us partakers of the Divine Nature But this was yet a small thing in the sight of God he hath spoken also of his Servants for a great while yet to come he hath spoken of more grace of making for us Borders of Gold with Badges of Silver A faithful man shall abound with blessings The beginnings of saving grace in the Soul in the Justification of the Soul and the first change and renovation of our Natures are blessings of that nature as Eternity will be too short a time to admire the Love of God in and for but will the Lord also add to his Servants stock and increase their heap will he be still making and preparing new Ornaments for them and giving further grace to them till all their wants shall be supplied all their emptinesses filled up what manner of Love is this Let our Souls be swallowed up in the admiration of this Love Let our Souls and all that is within us bless his holy Name 2. How doth this Notion call to us for all manner of holiness Holiness lyeth in two things 1. The mortification of lusts and sinful habits with the eschewing and declining of sinful acts which are the fruit of those trees 2. The exercises of Godliness Let me shortly press both from this notion of out beloved's being preparing still and making for us Chains of Gold and spots of Silver I will begin with the 2d 1. The exercises of our selves unto Godliness in all those positive duties which God requireth of us Whether they may be more internal such as faith hope Love or more external in our more external communion with God in Prayer reading hearing his word receiving his holy Sacrament Or in our conversation before and towards men I shall press these from this notion upon a twofold consideration 1. These exercises are the way to keep Christ still at work making for us these further Ornaments 2. They are the wearing and using of these Ornaments I say first these exercises will keep our Lords hand continually at work so as he will never be weary but be still adding to our Ornaments of grace I have had occasion often in my former discourses to hint to you that although God be ingaged by his covenant and faithfulness to bring the Souls of believers to glory and consequently to give out to them such necessary supplies of grace as shall make them meet for that inheritance yet he is at liberty as to the gradual manifestations of his grace to dispense them according to his own infinite wisdom and his Peoples behaviour toward him And the promises of that
grace are made to the exercises of grace Christ will be alwaies giving to those who are alwaies working out their Salvation with fear and trembling exercising themselves to Godliness These exercises are those sacred means in the use and not without the use of which he hath promised the influences of further grace Men mistake the promises of further grace if they apprehend them made to any who do not their duty as to the fulfilling of them when God had made those large promises of which you read Ezek. 36. He concludeth v. 37. Thus faith the Lord God I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them I will do it faith God but yet I will be inquired of to do it for them And for that promise Matth. 13. 12. Whosoever hath to him it shall be given and he shall have more abundance though by the foregoing verse where our Saviour giveth a reason why he soake to his disciples more plainly then to others Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to them it is not given It seems to be a promise of further grace to those to whom the first grace is given Yet in Matth. 25. 29. where the same promise is repeated and annexed to the parable of the talents it is plainly to be understood of those who have and use and improve what they have so as take those two Texts together they are a promise indeed of further grace to be given but to such as make a just improvement of what grace God hath first bestowed upon them 2. Secondly Our exercises of Godliness are indeed the wearing of these Jewels God gives men and women grace for their uses exercise is the use of the habit and the end for which the Lord giveth it What man will be continually buying clothes and Ornaments for his Wife who when she hath them will not wear them They are no Ornaments if they do not adorn us how shall they adorn us in the sight of the World which cannot look into our hearts unless we use and wear them How can we wear and exercise our grace but by works of piety towards God and goodness towards men I will add yet one thing more 3. It is but ingenuity in us when our Lord is never weary of giving out to us never satisfied never thinking that he hath done enough for us to be thinking we have not done enough nor can ever do enough for him when we hear Christ saying to us I will make them borders of Gold and Ornaments of Silver Should not we be saying We will take some new steps in the ways of God do some further acts of obedience then we have yet done forget what is behind and press on to what is before unto the price of the high calling Shall my beloved never think me fine enough Adorned enough And shall I ever think my self holy and Spiritual enough Serviceable enough to him in my generation Shall not I be ever trying some new ways to advance Christ in the World in my family in my own Soul Christ asks his disciples what do you do more then others Matth. 5. You receive more but what do you do more Every good Christian should ask himself these two questions 1. What do I more then others I have more mercy then others what do I more than they It is a shame for a Christian to do no more than a Publican a poor wretch that never tasted how good the Lord is yea it is a shame for him to do no more than he who hath not received the measures of grace which he hath received The 2d Question I would have him propound to himself is What do I do more than I was wont to do Wherein do I go on from strength to strength Wherein do I exceed my self Christ is preparing new measures of grace for giving out new measures of grace to me What new affections have I for Jesus Christ What new performances do I do for him The second thing in which I told you Holiness lay was in mortification of lusts and vitious habits in eschewing evil c. Is our Lord making and preparing new Ornaments for Believers How should they be afraid to grieve and dishonour him This Notion affords a double Argument whereby to press this second part of Holiness 1. From Ingenuity It is no way ingenous and becoming Christians to be pulling Jewels as it were out of Christ's Crown while he is adding Jewels to our Crown to be spoiling Christ of his Honour and Glory while he is consulting our honour and satisfaction O therefore grieve not his holy Spirit 2. There will by it arise a disadvantage to your Immortal Souls What Husband will still be bringing new Ornaments to a froward and disobedient Wife that taketh no care to please him Duty may oblige him to see that she shall not want necessaries but he will certainly cut her short of superfluities God in this as I have shewed you deals after the manner of men God's Cove nant his Truth and Faithfulness to that will oblige him notwithstanding his Peoples frowardness to give them what grace is necessary to bring them to Heaven but they must look to be cut short of that more grace which they otherwise might receive from him The Soul of a Christian who giveth himself too much liberty may be saved but it will be as through fire When David had fallen into those two great sins of Adultery and Murder I remember God sent Nathan to him with this Message 2. Sam. 12. 7 8. I anointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul and I gave thee thy Masters Houses and thy Masters Wives into thy bosom and gave thee the House of Israel and Judah and if that had been too little I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things wherefore hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight c. God there aggravaâ—eth 〈…〉 not only from those mercies which he had already received from God but from that Love which was yet in his heart for him and his readiness to do much more for him than he had yet done Think when you have any temptations to sin against the Lord that you hear Christ saying to you I died upon the Cross for you I washed you in my Blood I have pardoned thy sins clothed thee with my Righteousness changed thy heart put my 〈◊〉 into thee and if that had been too little I was ready to do for thee such and such things to make for thee Borders of Gold and Studs of Silver and shouldst thou now favour thy lusts which are the Enemies of Christ shouldst thou now despise the Commandments of the Lord and do evil in his sight Let this ingage all of us to fulfil the Precept of the Apostle 2 â—et 1. 5. Giving all diligence To add to our faith
the Savour of the dead body when putrefied Lusts are like Solomons dead flyes which send forth a stinking Savour Eccles 10. 1. The Drunkard hath a smell of drink The unclean Person hath a smell but it is a stinking Savour the Covetous Worlding hath an earthy Savour and smell But the Savour of the Saints grace is a sweet smelling Savour his garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia His smell is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blest as Isaac said of his Son Gen. 27. 27. like the smell of Labanon mentioned Hosea 14. 6. All the Children of Gods garments smell of Myrrh Psal 45. 8. The Lord smelleth a sweet Savour from them He tells us he will not smell in the assemblies of wicked men Amos 5. 1. But Paul was a sweet Savour to God 2. Cor. 2. 15. And the Apostle calls the alms of the Saints an odor of a sweet smell a Sacrifice acceptable unto God Eph. 4. 18. Their grace sends forth a sweet smell amongst the People of God who are partakers of the same grace yea even into the World that even those who know little of God or of the mysteries of his Kingdom yet many times will speak well of them and stand up in their defence Though grace at all times sends forth a smell yet it doth not give a like smell in all times and in all Persons Things you know that are most odoriferous give out a smell according to the quantity of them and according to the heat which cometh to them a dram of Musk doth not give out such a smell as a pound giveth nor doth the most Aromatick Ointment in the Winter or when it is kept in the cold give out such a smell as when it is kept in a warm hand or influenced by the warm beams of the Sun or brought near to a warm fire it is so with our habits of grace they have in them a sweet smelling Savour but exert it variously 1. According to the different degrees of grace in the Soul Every Child of God hath his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his measure of grace but every one hath not a like measure the faith of one is weak and little like a grane of mustard seed which is the least of all seeds yet groweth up to a great tree the faith of another may be so strong as to remove mountains according to the degrees of our infused habits of grace so will the smell of them be 2. According to the influence of Christ who is the Sun of Righteousness so also will the smell of our grace be weaker or stronger Three things contribute much to the smell of any odoriferous thing 1. Heat 2. Air 3. Motion Heat eliciteth and draweth out the odoriferous quality air conveyeth it to the sense motion rarifieth the parts Three things also much contribute to the sweet smell of the Saints grace 1. The influence of the Sun of righteousness upon the Soul Therefore our Spouse here saith Whiles the King sitteth at his table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof 2. The Breathings of the holy Spirit which our Saviour compareth to the wind blowing where it listeth 3. Motion the exercise of grace As the Ointment doth not smell so sweet in the box as when it is poured out so it is grace in motion and exercise that causeth the sweet smell thereof When Mary poured out her Ointment the house was filled with the Odour of it John 12. 3. and Christs name is compared in this Chapter to Ointment poured out which is exceeding sweet Doth any now further ask whence it is that true grace where-ever it resides will send forth its smell I answer 1. It is from the Nature of it It is some peculiar quality in the nature of a thing which makes it to send forth a pleasant smell what that is in natural things is not easy to determine The Philosopher faith it is a quality which ariseth from a due temperament of something that is dry and Savoury and something which is moist It is an account of it which will hardly bear a strict Examen that it is a peculiar quality is most certain So it is from the peculiar quality of gracious habits that they send forth their pleasant smell and of that I think a more easy and certain account may be given what it is 1. It s conformity to the Holy Nature of God 2. It s proportion and conformity to the reason of man 3. It s life and activity 1. In gracious habits there is a conformity to the Holy Nature of God Hence gracious Souls are said to be partakers of the Divine Nature conformable to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ The light of Nature shews the greatest part of mankind that there is a God Reason tells us this God must be the Supreme first and most perfect Being from hence it followeth that the excellency of every thing lyeth in a conformity to God who himself is the most perfect Being and the Pattern of all perfection This must make it the most amiable flower in the creation and causeth it to give out a sweet smell to all who have not lost their smelling debauching their reason by their most sordid lusts and passions 2. In all gracious habits and exercises there is also a conformity to humane reason There are in man some reliques of that reason in which much of the Original image of God wherein man was created lay for Right reason which Socinians so much talk of it existeth in no man or Woman perfectly by nature but some judgment remains of what is good and filthy some notions of good and Evil though very imperfect now all gracious habits will approve themselves and all gracious acts do approve themselves to these notions Hence all truly moral acts are materially gracious acts That is the same acts which grace teacheth the good man to do though from noble◠Principles in a better manner and to a more pure and noble End So that so long as there are any men in the World who have not outlawed their natural reason and almost extinguished it by their brutish lusts and passions grace will give a smell and a good report And the great hatred which good and holy men meet with from the men of the World is from this that grace carrieth out the Saint beyond the measures of the man of reason So that in some acts especially of Religion he cannot be bounded by his limits The man of the World commendeth the Child of God for his justice and Charity for his Sobriety and temperance his readiness to forgive his Enemies his meekness humility his serving of God c. He is only angry at him that he will offer up to God more and more excellent Sacrifices that his measures of praying hearing fasting c. Will not serve his turn c. 3. Lastly Grace is of a nimble active nature It is the Fire with which the Holy Ghost baptizeth
of Spiritual Life so he must be led by the Spirit If God did not excite the Grace bestowed on him it would be choaked by that body of death that lust and corruption which is in the best mens hearts What can the creature do when the Holy Spirit hath quickened his habits of Grace he cannot act and exercise them and put forth spiritual acts but doth he no more need the Influence of the Holy Spirit yes without Christ he can do nothing he must still have the Grace of God with him 1 Cor. 15. 10. Not I saith Paul but the Grace of God which was with me This is now cooperative and assisting Grace He cannot make the Wheel which must carry him in the waies of God working Grace must do that when it is made he cannot set it upon motion Exciting Grace must oil it Assisting Grace must keep it up move with it or he will never come to issue any good action A Believer indeed acteth for the habits of Grace from which he acteth are inherent in him he is not moved like a Machine or dead Engine but yet he is acted that is assisted and helped in his action He is nothing but what he hath received he doth nothing but while he is receiving Let not then the Natural man glory in the power and good inclinations of his own will he neither hath nor can have any power to do that which in a spiritual sense is good until it be given him from above Let not the renewed man glory in his infused habits of Grace for as he did not merit it nor any way purchase them so of himself he cannot use or exercise them But let him who glorieth glory in this that to him Christ is all in all that he liveth he acteth and bringeth a good action to an issue but yet not he but Christ that liveth in him acteth with him and worketh in him what he accepteth from him It is Christ who layeth the foundation-stone and then layeth the corner-stone who is both the Author and Finisher of our Faith we have nothing to do but to cry Grace Grace when we see the work done In the mean time nothing hindereth but that the Soul may rejoyce and boast in the Lord while it walketh humbly with God mourning over the infirmity of its lapsed Nature for certainly man did not come out of God's hands in the day of Creation in this impotent state Let no man therefore despise those that labour under greater degrees of this impotency than he possibly doth but let him bless the Lord who hath further excited strengthened and assisted him to the operations of his Spiritual Life I shall shut up this discourse with a word or two of Exhortation to every Child of God to use his utmost diligence to keep the King sitting at his Table I mean to keep the presence of Christ as much as he can in and with his Soul that so his Spikenard may send forth the smell thereof I shall urge this by one argument and then offer you my advice in the case and so shâ—â— up this discourse 1. My argument shall be drawn from the high concerns of the Soul in its Spikenard sending forth its smell every Soul is concerned in it three ways 1. In point of duty as God thereby is glorifyed 2. In point of comfort as it will evidence its Spikenard to be such indeed 3. In point of honour as it brings the Soul to a repute in the World 1. I say first in point of duty as God is thereby glorifyed For this cause we are born for this cause is every man come into the World that he may bring honour and glory to his great Creator Herein saith our Saviour John 15. Is my Father glorifyed if you bring forth mach fruit and as the Lord is glorifyed by the vigorous exercise of its grace So is he also honoured by the predication of his grace by the sweet smell which our habits and exercises of grace have in the World That they may see your good works saith our Saviour Matth. 5. And glorify your Father which is in Heaven That they may see your good works saith the Apostle and glorify God in the day of their visitation no man so glorifyeth God as he who vigorously exerciseth his habits of grace The barren field is not that field which crediteth the husbandman the barren and unfruitful Soul is not that Soul which bringeth honour and glory to God It is the fruitful Soul whose smell is like the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed that bringeth honour to God and so eminently serveth the great end of his Creation 2. The Soul is not only concerned in it in point of duty but also as to its peace and comfort Indeed it cannot be but that comfort should result from the Souls performance of its duty for the fruit of righteousness shall be peace but yet first as he or she that hath a box of Spikenard or any other odoriferous unguent or perfume which casteth out a sweet savour to delight or refresh others doth first partake of it him or her self so it is with the Spouses Spikenard ordinarily its fruits of righteousness do not only affect others but first affect the Soul in which they are found hereby saith St. John we know that we are traâ—slated from death to life because we love the brethren Hezâ—kiah upon a message of death sent by God to him was refreshed with the smell of his own Spikenard 2 Kings 20. 3. I beseech thee O Lord saith he remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done what is right in thy fight When a Christian comes to lye upon a sick bed or a death-bed it will be no grief of heart unto him but a great pleasure and Satisfaction to consider that he hath with his Spirit served God and indeavoured by holiness in all manner of conversation to shew forth the grace of God bestowed on him not to have been received in vain 3. Lastly a Christian is concerned in point of honour A true Christian is an honourable Person born of God and he is bound to consult his honour and repute in the World It is the smell of a Christians grace that giveth him a name and honour a repute before men The World taketh no notice of our habits of grace while they lye dormant in the Soul but when they shew themselves in our conversations in the exercises of faith humility patience meekness obedience then hath a Christian honour before men Thus you see how a Christian is concerned to have his Spikenard send forth the smell thereof Now seeing so much dependeth upon this that a Christian should keep this glorious King sitting at his Table it followeth that this is of high concernment to every Soul But you will say what can we do toward it is not the Spirit of Christ free as the wind which bloweth where
it listeth May not the King sit or rise up from his Table when he pleaseth I answer It is true that our God as to his manifestative presence with the Souls of his People governeth himself according to the good pleasure of his will and his own infinite and unsearchable wisdom The King oft-times riseth up from his Table when the Soul of his Child is able to give it self no account what distaste he hath taken nor what hath made him to go away from it and not to give out his influence as at other times but yet it is as true that at other times he withdraweth for the punishment of his Peoples sins either of Omission or Commission and there are some means to be used in order to the keeping of his presence with us upon the Omission or neglect of which he withdraweth and hideth his face and he ordinarily departech not from the Soul but upon some distast given to him I shall therefore conclude this discourse with a few directions given in order to the keeping ofhis presence with us To keep to the Metaphor here used there are four or five things which will make a serious and ingenuous Person make hast from a Table or depart from a place where he might have made a longer stay or abode 1. The frowardness or ill humour of his host 2. A discerned want of love or attendance 3. An ill intertainment 4. The dulness or unpleasantness of the company 5. A discerned slight or carelesness of his presence To avoid these 1. Take heed of grieving his holy Spirit quenching the motions of it Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man will open I will come in and sup with him and he shall sup with me O Christs coming in and supping with the Soul and allowing the Soul to sup with him signifies what is here in the Text expressed by the Kings sitting at his Table And the Spouses Spikenard sending forth the smell thereof now this dependeth upon the Souls opening when Christ stands at the door and knocketh he knocketh by the motions of his holy Spirit the Soul openeth by its willingness to receive imbrace and obey such motions the reason why this great King riseth up from his Table is because when he knocketh the Soul is not obedient to his motions he pipeth to the Soul and it doth not dance He mourneth to it and it doth not weep it doth not answer his motions to it according to the nature of them but denyeth delayeth or disputeth God telleth the presumptuous sinner Prov. 1. 24. That Because he hath called and he refused because he stretcheth out his hand and he doth not regard but he sets at nought all his Counsel and would none of his reproof he would laugh at their calamity and mock when their fear cometh c. As a Child of God cannot be guilty of sinning to such a degree as setting at nought all the Lords Counsel and refusing all his reproof So he cannot be under such a severe threatning as is there mentioned But as the Child of God may in some degrees be guilty of such sinning not hearkening to and obeying all the motions of Gods holy Spirit not receiving all its reproof So for this he may be punished in his measure by Gods withdrawings of his manifestative presence take therefore the Apostles Counsel Eph. 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed unto the day of Redemption 2. Let this great King want no love no attendance no reverence nor obedience while he sits with you When Christ was at meat in the house of Simon the leper Mary brought a box of Spikenard and poured it on his head Mar. 14. 3. Christ sits still while the Ointment was poured out it was not the smell of the Spikenard but the love of her that brought it which made the room pleasant to him He stirred not from the Table at Marthas house so long as Mary sate at his feet and Martha served him Hear what he saith Job 14 23 If any man love me he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Say you to all the powers and faculties of your Souls to all the members of your bodies as the Virgin Mary said to the Servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee where Christ was present Joh. 2. 5. Whatsoever he saith unto you do it That is the way to keep him still sitting at his Table in your Soul 3. Take heed there come nothing to your Table that shall distast him Every ill smell of lnsts and corruptions will disturb him this made him to hate the Jewish feast days and not to smell in their Solemn assemblies Amos 5. 21. If you look into Isaiah 1. 11 12 13. Ch. 66. v. 3. Jer. 7. 8 9 10. You will see what sins will make him to rise up from his Table All formality and hypocrisy in your behaviour toward him all gross and Scandalous sinnings c. When in stead of wine he meets with the poison of Dragons instead of sweet grapes he meeteth with grapes of gall and clusters of wormwood he will not long sit at his Table in that Soul 4. Not only the apparent badness and rudeness but the dulness and unpleasantness of a company makes an ingenuous man rise up from his Table Take heed of heaviness and dulness inactivity and want of delight in your communion with God 5. Lastly As a discerned carelesness and slighting of a friends Company makes the stay of an ingenuous Person with his friend much shorter then it otherwise would have been So any careless slighty behaviour toward this great King may make his stay and abode with your Souls in the sensible manifestations of his love much shorter then it otherwise might have been He will be a welcome guest where-ever he abideth on the other side he doth not easily rise up or depart from a Table where the Soul inlargeth it self in testifying the gratefulness of his presence to it by offering him all the entertainment it can afford him giving up of it self to him daily importuning him not to leave him Thus you shall find our Spouse doing Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my Soul loveth I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that conceived me Sermon LIII Canticles 1. 12. A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my Breasts YOU may by the Language spoken understand who it is that speaks it is the Spouse for she talks of her breasts Our business is to consider what she saith She hath already exprest her grateful sense of her beloveds presence with her and the advantage she had by it her graces cast a precious savour By the advantage of his company and influence She goes on still in the Language of one that loveth
guilt of sin and cries out if I pine away in my iniquities how can I then live And faints at the apprehension of the wrath of God due to it for every single sin and much more for the numberless number of the sins which it hath committed It smells that of the Prophet Isa Ch. 53. v. 5 6. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the Chastisement of our peace lay upon him and with his stripes we are healed v. 10. His Soul was made an offering for sin Or that of the Apostle Gal. 3. 13. Christ hath Redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us and this refresheth it I have deserved to dye saith the Soul but Christ hath died for me I have deserved to tread the wine press of my Fathers wrath but he hath trode the winepress of his Fathers wrath alone I was born a slave to lusts and corruptions but Christ by dying hath made me free Ah! what a bundle of Myrrh is a crucified Christ to the Soul Hence it smells Spiritual life even from his death for we have Remission of sins through his blood It smells Spiritual peace Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods elect it is Christ that died Ro. 8. 38. It smells an access unto God The holy of holies being Sprinkled with his blood and Heaven itself by it Sanctified and made accessible It smells Spiritual liberty For the blood of Christ saith the Apostle purgeth the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God It smells Spiritual strength For through the cross of Christ saith the Apostle my heart is crucified to the World Thus you see that in this action or suffering rather Christ is to the Soul a bundle of Myrrh 4. Look upon Christ as rising up from the dead He is a bundle of Myrrh there too the Soul from hence again smells Spiritual life Rom. 4. 25. He rose again for our justification Spiritual peace Rom. 8. 38. It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again Spiritual strength and quickening Rom. 6. 4. 5. We shall rise with him to newness of life Col. 3. 1. If you be risen with Christ seek the things that are above It smells life from the dead This the Apostle proves 1 Cor. 15 Rom. 8. 11. He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies Nay it smells Eternal life from hence Joh. 14. 19. Because I live you shall live also 5. Look upon Christ as the men of Galilee Acts 1. 11. Ascending up to Heaven Thus he is also a bundle of Myrrh he lives and from hence Job smelt that he should see him with his Eyes the Angels that stood to wait upon his ascension told the men of Galilee so much that as they had seen him ascend so they should see him coming again Hence the believing Soul smells that he shall ascend too for where Christ is there he must be The body is there the Eagles shall flee to it one day He is lifted up and every believer shall be drawn after him Our flesh and blood shall inherit the Kingdom of God For 't is in part there already Heaven is the place whither our forerunner is entred Heaven was an open City before the fall Adam and all his Posterity might have entred presently upon the fall it's gates were lockt up the flaming sword of divine Vengeance kept it but the Captain of our Salvation hath now entred and he keeps the gates from shutting any more till every believer be come In 6. Look upon Christ as sitting one the right hand of the Majesty on high So he is a bundle of Myrrh too Is it so saith the Soul Then he hath favour with God and power with God and what need I any more then for my God my Saviour he in whom I have believed to be in favour with the King of Kings and to have power with the Almighty Nay saith the Soul then I am half in Heaven For Eph. 2. 6. We sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Christ and I are one if he sits there I sit there too For he is flesh of my flesh 7. Lastly look upon Christ as interceding for us Rom. 8. Heb. 7. He is not there Idle his work is to plead for us to sollicit our business to act our part to do our work And thus he is a bundle of Myrrh to every believing Soul When the poor Soul sinks in the thoughts of its sins renewing after justification Christ is a bundle of Myrrh to it 1 Joh. 2 1. If we sin we have an advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous When the Soul again sinks at the thoughts of its imperfect duties to think that it cannot do a duty but with so many faults that it may fear the wrath of God for it What a bundle of Myrrh it is to the Soul to think well Christ is in Heaven and he will pick out every fault out of this Prayer this duty c. And so present it in the golden censer Incensed with his merits Thus now I have shewed you how Christ is to the believing Soul a bundle of Myrrh Considered as to his actions as our Redeemer It remains further to shew you that he is so also as to his Spiritual influeuces And Lastly in his Gospel institutions and Ordinances And then I shall come to the Application Sermon LIV. Canticles 1. 13. A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my Breasts I Proceed in opening the bundle or bag or box of Myrrh which makes my Text give a fragrant smell I have shewed that it is Christ who is thus resembled and have propounded to shew you the aptness of the comparison in five things I am yet upon the 4th He is to the believing Soul a bundle of Myrrh for sweetness I proposed to open this in three particulars shewing you that Christ is so 1. In his mediatory actions 2. In his Spiritual influences 3. In his Gospel Institutions and Ordinances I have done with the first and now proceed to the second To shew you the sweetness of Christ to the believing Soul 2. In his Spiritual influences When he ascended upon high saith the Apostle Eph. 4. he gave gifts unto men he gave gifts to his Church his Ordinances Of those the Apostle speaks but he gives other gifts likewise gifts even to the Rebellious Psal 68. All these are summed up under one head The gift of the Spirit This is that which he calls the promise of the Father He was the promise of the Father of old Ezek. 36. 27. It was his promise John 14. 16. I will pray the Father and he shall give you another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Comforter and he shall abide with you for ever Even the Spirit of truth He is sent in Christs name 26. v. he is called the Spirit of Christ hence the
influences of the Spirit are the influences of Christ I shall instance in a sixfold influence of the Spirit of Christ upon the Soul as to all which he is a bundle of Myrrh to his beloved 1. The first is his convincing influence Joh. 16. 8. When he is come he will reprove the World of sin In respect of this influence the Spirit of Christ is called the Spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. They say of Myrrh that in the gathering it makes the hands of the gatherers exceeding bitter but gathered it becomes incomparably sweet Thus it is with the Lord Christ as to this influence of the Spirit upon us the Soul for the time that it is under this influence is full of bitterness but it turneth to an exceeding great sweetness The Book which St. John did Eat was in the Mouth as sweet as hony but in the belly more bitter than wormwood A fit emblem of sin The convictions of the Spirit of Christ are of a quite contrary nature in the mouth they are as bitter as wormwood but in the belly they are exceeding sweet the Soul in the hour of conviction is exceedingly sad and troubled but when convinced how it blesseth God who was pleased to convince it of sin Like the woman who in an hard labour is full of pain and wisheth she had never bred a Child but being once delivered forgets her pain and remembers her throws with pleasure 2. A second influence of the Spirit of Christ is Illumination The Spirit is the Spirit of wisdom and knowledge Isaiah 11. 2. It teacheth us all things Joh. 14. 26. 1. Joh. 2. 27. That is all things necessary to Salvation The things which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive even these things are revealed to us by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Concerning the manner of the Spirits teaching how consistent with the teachings of Ordinances and yet distinct from it I have else where shewed you my business now is to shew you that Christ in this influence is a bundle of Myrrh Light is sweet to the Eye saith Solomon knowledge is that about which the understanding which is the Eye of the mind is exercised and is every whit as pleasant unto the Soul as light is unto the bodily Eye Now as all knowledge is sweet to the Soul so especially the knowledge 1. Of things hidden from others 2. Of such things as are of nearest concernment to us especially if the knowledge be certain 1. I say the knowledge of such things as are hidden from others such knowledge we upon experience find to be very sweet and such a knowledge the Spirit of Christ gives to the Soul The Gospel of Christ is it self called a mystery a thing hidden from ages and hidden from the wise and prudent This indeed is more generally revealed to all but more especially and fully and clearly to the believing Souls But further the Spirit of God reveals the secrets of God to the Souls of the Saints 1 Cor. 2. 9 10. Even the deep things of God its particular election and the truth of its graces c. Now this knowledge is sweet to the Soul 2. The knowledge of such things as are of nearest concernment to us is most sweet Such is the teaching of the Spirit it teacheth us to cry abba Father it teacheth us to see the things that are freely given us of God Add to this that by how much any knowledge is more certain by so much it is more sweet the understanding is not so pleased with probable notions as what is matter of demonstration and assured to the Soul such is the teaching of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 4. It teacheth by demonstration leaving no doubting in the Soul This is a second influence of the Spirit of Christ upon the Soul in respect of which he is a bundle of Myrrh unto the Soul 3. A third influence of the Spirit of Christ is its Sanctifying influence Rom. 15. 16. being Sanctified by the Holy Ghost It is Christ that Sanctifieth Heb. 2. 11. Sanctification is expressed under the Notion of being conformed to the Image of Christ Now as to this influence of grace Christ is a bundle of Myrrh to the believing Soul The unbeliever hates holiness but the Child of God Loves it and desires further degrees of it Rom. 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God after the inward man saith Paul Rom. 7. 22. He his highly pleased when he finds the power of grace in his heart overpowering lusts and corruptions and his Soul every day growing more and more like God and like Christ more full of Spiritual desires Spiritual affections his heart more willing to deny it self to be under the plenary power and Command of Jesus Christ when he finds that it is not he that liveth but it is Christ that liveth in him Christ in respect of this influence is to the Souls of his Saints as a bundle of Myrrh 4. A fourth influence of Christ upon the Soul is his strengthening influence Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me He strengtheneth the Soul 1. In doing Spiritual duties 2. In resisting Corruptions 3. In suffering sharpest trials The Lord stood by me saith Paul But it is not my present business to discourse either of the several sorts of Spiritual strengthening influences Nor yet of the ways and methods by and in which Christ meeteth the Soul with strength and Communicates strength unto it My work is only to shew you that this influence of his is as a bundle of Myrrh to the Soul Now that Christ in this influence is exceeding sweet to the Soul needs no other proof then the daily experience of the Souls of Gods People how refreshed do they rise up from Prayer when they have found the Spirit of Christ in it helping their infirmities with strong cryes and groans It is said of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. That she rose up and her Countenance was no more sad This was that which made the holy Martyrs take joyfully the spoiling of their goods the burning of their bodies And made them feel no more pain to use the expression of one of them then if they had been upon a bed of Roses So that their Persecutors cursed them saying they had a delight to burn 5 A fifth sort of influences are the Quickening influences of the Spirit of Christ I have formerly told you that the Scripture mentioneth a threefold quickening All of them from Christ and by the Spirit 1. The quickening of the dead body mentioned Rom. 8. 11. This will be as a bundle of Myrrh exceeding sweet when it comes when in the resurrection we shall be like Angels And the thoughts of this are exceeding sweet while we live here 2. The quickening of the dead Soul mentioned Eph. 2. 1. This is exceeding sweet to the Soul when done Oh how pleasant it is to a Soul to remember
his conversion the time the Sermon when and by which God was pleased at first to work upon it and work a change in it 3. The quickening of a dull Soul labouring under any Spiritual deadness heaviness or inactivity of this David often Speaks and prays for it Psal 119. Quicken me in thy precepts c. The knocking 's and motions of the holy Spirit are tiresome and tedious and exceeding grievous to a carnal heart they disturb its sweet sleeps in its bed of idelness Security and lust but they are exceeding sweet to a gracious heart The renewed Soul prays for them thirsts after them delights in them and is never more pleased then when it feels itself most alarumed and awakened and spurred on by them 6. The last sort of influences are the comforting influences of Christ by his Spirit The Spirit is called the comforter often John ch 14. 16. It is a piece of its office to seal and to witness It witnesseth with our Spirits that we are the Children of God It sealeth us up to the day of Redemption I shall not need stand to prove that Christ in these is as a bundle of Myrrh The very name comforter imports sweetness and is of it self a bundle of Myrrh to the Soul Now all our Consolations come from Christ Phil. 2. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 5. He was called the Consolation of Israel And the Jewish believers waited for him under that Notion Luk. 2. 25. I have now opened to you the 2d thing and shewed you how Christ in his influences is a bundle of Myrrh One thing yet remains 3. Christ in his Ordinances and Gospel Institutions is a bundle of Myrrh Christ is in his Ordinances We preach Christ crucified saith the Apostle and we are Baptized into Christ Rom. 6. And for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 10. 10. It is the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ Christ in these is a bundle of Myrrh to the Souls of believers But indeed Christ in these is only sweet upon the former account viz. in respect of his influences which he is pleased to convey in and through these Organs and separated from these Ordinances signify little but burthen to the Soul Ordinances are sweet to the Soul two waies 1. As God is pleased in and by them actually to convey the influences of Christ and his grace to the Soul Thus they are only sweet to the Soul when it sees the power and glory of God in his Sanctuary 2. As they are under a divine appointment in order to that End Thus Ordinances are sweet to the gracious Soul though at present the Soul doth not meet with and enjoy God in them yet saith the Soul they are those appointments wherein God hath said he will be found and instituted of God in order to that end and it may be my lot as well as others to meet with God in them therefore the Soul prizeth them how precious Ordinances even those which were carnal as the Apostle calls them under the Jewish Oeconomy were to the Servants of God who lived in those times appears by the eminent instances of David in Psal 84. Psal 63. Psal 42 c. The Psalmist speaks of the Body of Jews Psal 84. v. 6. That they passed through the valley of Bacah and went from strength to strength until they all appeared before God in Zion And thus I have opened to you the fourth thing in this similitude shewing you how aptly Christ is compared to a bundle of Myrrh viz. For sweetness but I also noted two things hinted in the term of bundle a bundle or bag notes a quantity of sweets 2. Men use to bind up things in bundles for their better preservation Hence two things more 5. Christ is a bundle of Myrrh He is an heap of sweetnesses exceeding sweet to the gracious Soul The Apostle saith Col. 2. 3. That all the treasures of wisdom are in Christ All the treasures of Soul sweetness are in Christ also There are other things that are sweet to the Worldling and him that is a stranger to Christ Stollen waters are sweet to the Thief Prov. 9. 17. The bread of deceit is sweet to the deceiver Prov. 20. 17. Lust is sweet to the unclean Person yea and to the exterior senses of a gracious Soul other things may be sweet to the Child of God But to the Soul of the Saint considered as a Saint nothing is sweet but Christ he is its bundle of Myrrh all the pleasure and sweetness and delight that it hath in the World on this side of Heaven is either in the meditation of Christ or application of him fiducially or assuredly all his hopes of good are in Christ Christ in him the hopes of glory All his injoyments which he valueth are the enjoyments of Christ and his grace he is a bundle of Myrrh unto it 6. Lastly Christ is to it as a bundle of Myrrh In regard of of its great care and diligence to preserve and keep alive its sense and enjoyments of the Lord Jesus Christ The gracious Soul is very careful to keep its view of Christ Observe the next words He shall lye all night betwixt my breasts of which hereafter Observe again this Spouses carriage Cant. 3. 4. Upon her recovery of Christ when he had absented himself I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers house into the Chamber of her that conceived me See also Cant. 8. v. 1. The Soul that hath had any experiences of Christ and of the influences of his grace binds them up as it were in a bundle The memory of that Soul is the bag and the string too Thus the Psalmist Psal 77. 5. I have considered the days of old the years of ancient times I call to remembrance my Song in the night v. 11. I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of all thy doings And indeed this needeth no further proof then what my former discourse hath given it for it is very connatural to us to be careful in the preserving and keeping â—lose and safe whatsoever is precious to us The Worldling ties up his mony in bags and is very careful to keep safely what he hath got with care the Lady keeps her perfumes and Jewels safe so doth the Scholar his Books indeed so doth every one whatsoever he accounteth sweet and pretious Now nothing being more sweet and precious to the Soul then Jesus Christ and his influences it is as natural to him to indeavour the preservation of them But I have spake enough to the explication and confirmation of the point Have you heard that Christ is to the Soul as a bundle of Myrrh How sottish then is the generality of the World that either despise or neglect their interest in him If ever a People despised their own mercies and set light by the
incision into the tree 2. They set something to receive it The incision is made already The Souldiers made that when they pierced thy Saviours side There is nothing left for thee to do but to open thy heart to receive those influences of grace which freely drop from a crucified Christ yea God must do that too The truth is thou hast nothing to do more then to go up to the mountain of Myrrh to wait upon God in his Ordinances to sit under Gospel dispensations and to look up to Heaven for further grace Only remember the full Soul loaths the Hony-Comb the full dish receives not the most precious liquor and while thy Soul is full of the love of the World and love of lusts it receives no Myrrh while it is full of the love of pleasures wantonness froth and idleness it is like the riven dish that holds nothing But to come to a conclusion Is Christ to the Believers as a bundle of Myrrh Then hear me O you Children of the most high I will urge but two things upon you as an improvement of this Notion 1. Vse him as a bundle of Myrrh I will press this in three things 1. Be often taking the savour of him The woman that hath a rare smelling flower or perfume wears it in her bosom she suffers not the first to dye in her Garden nor the latter to evaporate in her cabinet but she is often smelling of it Oh that the Children of God would make as much use of Christ that they would not let his sweetness in a Gospel ordinance evaporate into the Air nor the sweetness of his mediatory actions revealed in the Gospel die in sheets of Paper but that they would study the Scriptures meditate on the Word think over Gospel Sermons when they have heard them Oh that they would wear the remembrance of Christs actions upon their hearts every day how sweet would it be to their Souls How pleasant to their thoughts the lazy student loseth the sweetness of those thousand notions that are in his Books because he never reads his Books nor spends time in studying them The negligent Christian loseth much of that infinite sweetness that his Soul might have by reflecting upon the Gospel story and Gospel truths for want of meditating upon them 2. Be exceeding careful to preserve the influences of Christ upon your Souls and your experiences of his love Shall the woman bind up her sweet flowers in a posy and the Lady carefully tye up her perfumes in bags and glasses that they might not lose their scent and she the sweetness of them And shall a Christian possessed of the sweet influences of grace possessed of the presence of Jesus Christ do nothing to preserve it Say with the Spouse here he shall lodge all night betwixt my breasts do as the Spouse Cant. 3. When she had found him whom her Soul loved she held him she would not let him go till she had carried him to her Mothers house to the house of her that conceived her Bind up your experiences of the Love of Christ in so many bundles and do what in you lyes to preserve his influences in the Vigour of them would you know how you might preserve them There is no better way then for you to keep up in your Souls an high value and esteem of them it is ordinarily for want of love that the Beloved withdraws himself 3. You are communicative of your sweet perfumes The Lady cannot wear her strong perfumes but others whom she cometh near will partake of her sweetness It is of the Nature of the perfume to season the whole Air. She will hardly have a perfume bat out of a desire to have it taken notice of she will be holding it to the Nostrils of others Oh that you who are possessed of the Lord Jesus Christ this bundle of Myrrh would be as communicative of that also That you would be commending Christ as the Woman of Samaria did John 4. to your Neighbours Kindred Children Friends Acquaintance that they also might follow after him in the savour of his precious ointments This is a piece of Christians duty When thou art converted saith our Saviour to Peter strengthen thy Brethren Thus to do good and to distribute forget not for with such service God is well pleased But to come to a conclusion 2. Is Christ to the believers a bundle of Myrrh Let not them be as bundles of Nettles to him The Bundle of Myrrh gives a pleasant smell cheereth the senses The bundle of Nettles Pricketh and offendeth and grieveth the Nostrils It is the Apostles exhortation Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit by which you are sealed to the day of redemption The Exhortation is to holiness of Conversation The Argument is from the love of Christ to you The love of God constraineth saith the Apostle There are many arguments to press holiness from none so ingenuous none so constraining to an ingenuous Soul as the sweetness of Jesus Christ to it It breaks the heart of an ingenuous Child to remember its frowardness to an indulgent Father and a tender Mother Love worketh much upon a good Nature Study this Argument and the force of it upon your Souls to make you perfect holiness in the Lords fear Sermon LV. Cant. 1. 13. He shall lye all night betwixt my Breasts I Have united the bundle of Myrrh in my Text that I might give you the fuller smell thereof Christ is the Posie of his Saints we must now find him a convenient place the Text assigns him a Posies place about or betwixt the breasts not upon her shoulders as if he were her burthen nor behind her back where she could not view him but in her breast where she may be alwaies pleasing her senses with him The Psalmist Psal 16. 8. says I have set the Lord alwaies before me he is at my right hand therefore I shall not be moved De Ponte notes that the believing Soul in the time of spiritual Combate setteth Christ at her right hand but in the time of Peace she lodgeth him betwixt her breasts It was an old usage saith Atheneus to anoint the breast with Myrrh because of its vertue to strengthen the heart here our Spouse placeth her bundle of Myrrh Not to trouble you with the strained fancies of Interpreters concerning the Spouse's breasts In mammis signum amoris the place betwixt the breasts is near to the heart and the seat of the beloved Object it is the beloved Husband and the Beloved Babe that is allowed to lodge betwixt the breasts She might have said he shall lodge near my heart but she rather chuseth to say betwixt my breasts which are an outward part nigh to the heart intimating that she would not only bear Christ upon her heart but express her love by living to Christ in her outward conversation But not to overstrain the Metaphor she doth not say he shall come but he shall lodge or lodge all
from expressing exuberant affection to it lest the Child by it take advantage to go on in courses of disobedience Christ dearly loves many a poor Soul that hath its wanton tricks and is full of failings but he will not say to such a Soul Behold thou art fair my Love I will add but one thing more 4. Lastly Possibly Christ hath spoke and spoke it to thee often Behold thou art fair my Love Behold thou art fair but thou hast not heard him I have already told you that many of God's People are very deaf of that Ear. I was about to say there is no better sign of a gracious Soul than not to be too ready to hear such messages of peace God sometimes speaks so as the Soul cannot but hear when he pleaseth to set the Broad Seal of his Spirit unto the poor Soul this indeed is an audible voice and distinguishable enough But God in every Sermon speaks to the Believer Thou art fair my Love thou art fair We never Preach those great Truths of God That whosoever believes shall be saved and whosoever is justified by Faith hath peace with God and such like but God to every Believer that hears us speak Thou art fair my Love thou art fair But alas not one of many hath an Ear to hear no not those who truly believe It is in this case as with Samuel 1 Sam. 3. 4 5. Samuel was young and had not been used to the voice of God God calls him once away he goes to Eli the Lord calls a second time Samuel runs to Eli again and so a third time till Eli instructed and assured him it was the voice of God Till the Spirit of God brings the voice of God in the Gospel to the Ear to the inward Ear of a Christian he will not understand God speaking peace to him when indeed he doth speak it In very deed it is for want of Spiritual Logick The Word of God hath the Proposition He that believes is fair Though a man hath been a Thief a Drunkard a Covetous person c. yet if he be washed if he be justified if he be sanctified in the Name of our God and through the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ he is fair Thus much is plain in the Word 1 Cor. 6. 11. But now when the Soul should come to assume But I am washed I am justified I am sanctified there it fails and these may be the Reasons of a gracious Soul's complaint in this case But I have spoke enough to the first of the five Circumstances which I mentioned I proceed now to a second The Spouse had been admiring Christ comparing him to a bundle of Myrrh to a cluster of Camphire or Copher Now Christ adds Behold thou art fair my Love Behold thou art fair Obs High out-goings of a Soul toward Christ are ordinarily productive of great returns of the Love of Christ upon the Soul Duty in us is not the Father of Grace for who hath given first unto God and it shall be repaid to him again but extraordinary influences of Grace are commonly the wages of great duty It is very seldom that any Soul lets Christ know that he is exceeding dear to it but by the next Post the Soul shall know that it is very dear to Christ Doth God hear Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God c. Ephraim shall presently hear God saying Is Ephraim my dear Son Is he a pleasant Child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Is the Spouse sick of love Cant. 5. 8. Doth she indeed think her Beloved the chiefest amongst ten thousand c. She shall presently hear him saying Thou art beautiful O my Love as Tirzah c. Turn away thine Eyes from me c. ch 6. v. 4 5. I might instance in many Texts of Scripture but I forbear Will you know the reason of this Take it 1. Negatively 2. Positively 1. Negatively It is not because there 's any merit in duty Christ is no Merchant of Grace he gives it but he sells it not Indeed it is a contradiction to speak of meritorious duty if it be duty it is the payment of a debt on our part and can be no purchase-mony The compass of that Commandment Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy Soul and with all thy strength is of an exceeding latitude there 's no finishing of it by any creature in this life It was from the jejune Interpretation that the Pharisees of old and the Papists of late have put upon the Law of God that they ever dreamt that man was able to perform it much less do any thing of supererogation The foundation-stone of man's Salvation is laid in Grace and the top-stone is Grace too To the whole Building you must cry Grace Grace But Positively 2. It is from the overflowings of Divine Grace in him who is our Fountain-head the Lord Jesus Christ The Eye that weeps for its sin till it can weep no more doth not by its tears make it self an Handkerchief to dry its Eyes but a tender-hearted Saviour moved from his own bowels cannot but afford it one and say unto it why weepest thou The Soul that for Christs sake parts with Father Mother Children Brethren Sisters all doth not by this purchase to it self peace of Conscience or eternal life Alas what proportion is there betwixt things temporal and such as are Spiritual and eternal But he who hath both these to give gives them upon the Souls performing its duty in this particular Matth. 19. 29. The Soul that casts up many a long look to the Lord Jesus Christ and earnestly wisheth for his presence with it and valueth it above the World and seeks for it more then for Gold or hid treasure doth not by this earn Christs Love to it but Christ from the fulness of his grace makes choice of this Soul to reveal himself unto The Prophet Isaiah Ch. 30. v. 18. hath such an expression as this The Lord will wait that he may be gracious unto you Christ is a fountain of Grace a full fountain now when the fountain is brim full of water the water waiteth for an opportunity to diffuse it self it may be there is a bank that hinders the full river that it cannot diffuse its water the water therefore works secretly and softens the bank first till a breach be made and then it emptieth it self by it Christ is a sea a full sea of Grace but sinful man casts up a bank against this sea a bank of unbelief A bank of stone hardning his heart a bank of earth favouring an earthly mind a bank of mud delights in sensual lusts and
the fruitfulness of the Church lies in its bringing forth many Sons unto God The more Souls are converted the more fruitful the Church is but without Christ's conjunction with it it bringeth forth none If Christ's presence be in his Church it brings forth many Souls If he be not present it brings forth no Children This will easily appear by considering how the Church of God is Instrumental to the conversion of Souls and by making it appear to you that these causes are not principally efficient sole causes nor can be so but are only instrumental causes 2. That upon experience it is made evident that where Christ doth not concur they do nothing For the first 1. The Church is to be considered as to its parts and as to its priviledges as to what God hath planted in it and what God hath betrusted to it As to its parts So it is made up of Officers and members As to its priviledges so there is committed to it the Oracles of God the Mysteries of God the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven there is none of all these but have or may have for ought I know an instrumental causation in bringing forth Children unto God or in bringing of them up but none of them have a Principal efficiency none of them have a sole efficiency nor can produce the effect without Christs conjunction let us look upon them severally 1. Look first upon the Officers of the Church these were extraordinary such as Apostles Evangelists Prophets Ordinary Pastors and Teachers That these have an instrumental causation in the conversion of Souls is plain they were set in the Church for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4. 12. for the perfecting their number and for the perfecting of their graces Paul calls them Fathers 1 Cor. 4. 15. and saith he begat the Corinthians He saith the same of Onesimus but alas as the Apostles of old so Ministers now have no more then an instrumentality in this production Paul planted and Apollos watered but God gave the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. God was all he that planted nothing he that watered was nothing but God that gave the increase was all v. 7. v. 9 They are but waterers together with God workers together with him Hence though Paul Preached the same Doctrine to all yet he was to some the savour of life unto life to others the savour of death unto death And though his earnest desire was to convert his own Nation it was his hearts desire and Prayer to God that they might be saved Rom. 10. 1. yet he could not effect it And if the Officers of the Church who are under a special ordination of God for the great end of conversion could do no more it will easily be granted of private members whose indeavours in quickening others though they may be sometimes blessed of God to such an end yet doubtless are not more efficient to it then the labours of Ministers nor yet in an equal tendency with their's unto so great an end 2. As to the priviledges granted to the Church The Oracles of God are committed to the Church Rom. 3. 2. it is the pillar and ground of truth 1 Tim. 3. 15. the mysteries of God are committed to it 1 Cor. 4. 1. The keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are Committed to it Mat. 16. 19. I understand ever by the first term the Word of God and the dispensation of it in the Preaching of the Gospel by the second the Sacraments of the Gospel by the third the Censures of the Church I know the terms are more generical and not so to be restrained I only for distinction sake so restrain them at present nor do I meddle here with the disputes whether the dispensation of these or any of these belong to the whole Church or only to Officers nor yet to which of the Officers I shall only assert two things 1. That the Scripture seemeth to assign to all these some instrumentality as to the bringing forth of Children unto God this is plain 1. Concerning the Word 1 Cor. 4. 15. I have begotten you through the Gospel James 1. 18. of his own will begat he us by the word of truth As to the Sacraments for the Sacrament of Baptism we are said to be Baptized into Christ Rom. 6. 3. Gal. 3. 27. and again Acts 2. 38. to be Baptized for the Remission of sins For the Sacrament of the Lords Supper though I dare not assert it a converting Ordinance yet unquestionably it hath its instrumentality to the Salvation of Souls For Censures they have also their instrumentality 1 Cor. 5. 5. the end of their administration is for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of Christ But now 2. It is as plain that they have but an instrumental causation and separated from the influences of Christ and his concurrence with them they do nothing hence James 2. 18. of his own will begat he us with the word of truth John 1. 13. we are born again not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of the will of God John 3. 5. except you be born again of water and of the Spirit you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Thus the truth is evidenced from Scripture And Scriptural reason 2. In the second place Consider all experience where-ever the Word of God hath been Preached the Sacraments administred Church Censures duly executed so long as Christ hath granted his presence with the administrations they have been made mighty in order to the bringing home of Souls unto God Where the Lord hath withdrawn his presence either as to the generality of Persons under the external administrations or as to any particular Souls they have signified nothing Isaiah doth but make the heart of the People fat and their Ears heavy and shuts their Eyes Ch. 6. 10. he complains that he laboureth in vain and spendeth his strength for nothing and in vain Saint Pauls Gospel is to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness 3000 are converted at St. Peters Sermon while Christ is in his Bed with his Church but few or none of the Jews in their Synagogues Acts 19. they were hardened Christ was gone out of his Bed and it was now no longer green and flourished no more But this is enough to have spoken as to the proof of the Doctrine come we now to the Application The Proposition might be applied variously 1. For the confutation of the errors of those who either deny the necessity of any conjunction of Christ with the Soul as to the production of the fruits of grace or at least of such a conjunction as is unquestionably necessary and of those who think that there is a power in mans will ad bonum Spirituale to produce that which is Spiritually good and that a moral suasion is sufficient to the conversion of a Soul 2. We might from hence observe the
then Persons yet here again they are divided some understanding by the Beams and Rafters The Word and Ordinances of God Thus the Dutch Annotat. By the Beams is understood the Doctrine of the Prophets Apostles 2. Others understand the grace of the holy Spirit of God There are other particular fancies But I shall chuse to follow those who interpret the Rafters and Beams to be the Word and Ordinances of God for these like the Beams of an house keep up the Church and are as it were the Common Soul that running through the whole Church keeps it together and indeed makes it one and so much shall serve for the second question the third follows 3. Qu. Why the Spouse here compares the Word and Ordinances to Cedar and Fir or Cypress or Brutine There are four or five things which these trees and sorts of wood are more famous for viz. 1. Duration 2. Beauty 3. strength 4. Talness 5. Smell 1. It is observed of the Cedar that it is a beautiful goodly tree I shall add the 4th Talness indeed its talness is a great part of its beauty hence you read of the goodly Cedar Ezech. 17. 23. Psal 80. 10. and the tall Cedar Isa 37. 24. 2. As these are tall trees so they are strong and therefore ordinarily used in buildings strong and yet light Hence when the Holy Ghost sometimes would express the great power of God he expresseth it under this Notion The voice of the Lord breaketh the Cedars in Lebanon Psal 29. v. 5. Firs and Cedars are apt to bear great weights and yet without any great loading of the building 3. It is observed of them that they are very durable Naturalists say that they are not as other wood subject to worms nor so soon to rottenness and decay as other wood is Pliny saith that it is commonly thought they will never decay and gives an instance of the Temple of Diana whose Beams Rafters and Spars were made of Cedar The leaves and doors of Cypress And after 400 years they not only continued sound but the doors especially shining and as it were polished They report of the Temple of Apollo whose Beams and main pieces were made of Numidian Cedars that it continued entire and sound 1188 years How true these stories are I cannot assert but certain it is these sorts of wood were very durable 4. A 4th thing observed of the Cedar and Cypress trees is their odoriferous smell According to this interpretation of the Text the scope of it is to Commend unto us the Word of God and the Gospel Ordinances 1. For their Beauty 2. Continuance 3. Power and and Efficacy 4. And lastly For their exceeding sweetness From the Text thus far opened you may observe three Propositions 1. Prop. That the Church of God is the house of God 2. Prop. That the word and Ordinances of God are the Beams and Rafters of this house 3. Prop. That there is a Beauty sweetness power and efficacy and an incorruptible nature in the Word of God and Ordinances of the Gospel I begin with these in their order 1. Prop. The Church of God is Jesus Christ's and the believers house Our house saith the Text. We will first enquire 1. What is meant by the Church 2. How it appears that the Church is the house of the Lord Jesus Christ 3. How it is the believers house 4. What may be inferred from hence for our profit in matter of knowledge and holiness 1. Qu. What is meant by the Church This hath in this latter age of the World been found an hard matter to agree amongst Persons of different Notions That the term Church is a name of multitude and that a Church must be an aggregate body is generally agreed that it is a body of People called by God out of the World is also as freely consented to But whether only called by a general call outwardly accepted by them so far at least that they do own the Doctrine of the Gospel or by a more special and effectual calling not only out of the Pagan World but also out of the unbelieving World These things have been matters of great dispute amongst us yet all acknowledge the distribution of the Church into that which is Triumphant and that which is militant The Triumphant part of the Church is that part of it who God having in the time of their life called them out of the Paganish and unbelieving World and they afterward finished their course are called also by God out of this sensible sinful elementary World to the enjoyment of himself in glory These are thrice called 1. Out of the Pagan World to the acknowledgment of the Doctrine of the Gospel 2. Out of the unbelieving World to partake of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Grace by true and lively Faith 3. Out of the sensible sinful World to the Inheritance of glory The other part of the Church is that which is usually called Militant and is the whole number of those whom God hath called out of the Paganish World to the acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of the Gospel This is again distinguished into that which is Invisible and that which is Visible The Invisible part is that whole number of men and women in the World which the Lord by his Gospel hath called out of darkness into marvelous light out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace The Matter of this Church are men and women the Form their Union in and with the Lord Jesus Christ The Visible Church is that about which the great quarrels have been Some agreeing it to be the whole number of People over the face of the whole Earth called out from a state of Paganism to the embracing of the Doctrine of the Gospel The Matter of it are men and women professing to Christ Jesus the Form is their Union in the same Profession acknowledgment of the same Truth and Waies and Means of Worship Now as the Sea is but one though as it passeth by several Coasts it receives several denominations as the Irish Sea the English Sea the Mediterranean Sea the Baltick Sea c. so as this great body is divided into several Countries it receives several denominations as The Church of England Scotland France c. And as again in a particular Nation suppose England it is impossible that the whole body of Professors should meet in one place and therefore there are several places of Publick Worship and several Precincts of People who meet together in several places to worship God yet all agreeing in the same Doctrine of Faith and order of serving God so there are in the World thousands of such Bodies which are called particular Churches and are under the inspection of several Officers all which yet together make but one Church of God For their Notion who think that the Church of God must needs be such an even number as can meet together in the
the word of God ariseth from two things 1. The first is that sweet joy and peace which God Ordinarily brings into the Soul from them God will speak peace to his People saith the Psalmist and he creates the fruit of the lips peace peace saith the Prophet this joy is indeed of different degrees there is the rejoicing of hope for hope growing from a true Root bringeth forth some fruit of joy in the Soul though it indeed be not so fair and pleasant a fruit as that joy which is the fruit of assurance because the Union which hope gives the Soul with its beloved object is of the lowest fort But yet even this joy hath a great deal of sweetness but Oh! How great is that sweetness which is the riper fruit of assurance that peace which passeth all understanding A sweetness which oft times overcomes the Soul and is too great for it to bear Both which the Soul reaps from the word of God and from the Ordinances of God 2. But secondly this sweetness in the Word and Ordinances of God ariseth not from this alone but from other usefulness of them to the Soul That is not only sweet but that also which is profitable David saies that the Law of the Lord doth convert the Soul makes wise the simple enlightens the Eyes that they are useful to warn us and that in keeping them there is great reward By the word and the Ordinances of God the Soul hath wherewithal to answer the tempter in that it finds arguments to help it in repelling a secret motion to sin c. This makes the Word and Ordinances of God exceeding sweet to gracious Souls as they are those things by which the Soul is profited 3. But thirdly there is a further sweetness that the Word and Ordinances of God have to a gracious Soul as they are pure and holy Psal 119. v. 140. Thy word is very pure therefore doth thy servant love it The heart of man naturally doth not love purity but the Spiritual heart that is conformed to the image of God loves it It is turned into the likeness of the word and made to love whatsoever is holy and Spiritual and pure This makes the Rafters and beams of the Church to the true Christian to be like Cedar and Fir sweet smelling because of that purity and holiness which cleaveth to them 4. A fourth thing which the Proposition predicateth of the Word and Ordinances of God is their duration they are of an incorruptible Nature as Cedar and Fir or Pine Not subject to corruption and putrefaction as other sorts of wood are Isa 40. v. 8. The grass withereth and the flower fadeth but the Word of God shall stand for ever Our Saviour speaketh to this purpose Heaven and Earth shall pass away but one jot or tittle of the Law shall not pass away until all these be fulfilled I will open this a little 1. The Ordinances of the Gospel endure for ever Herein the excellency of the Gospel dispensation appeareth above the legal dispensation The Law brought nothing to perfection faith the Apostle to the Hâ—brews the Ordinances of worship under the Law were but shadows and types which ceased when Christ who was the substance of those shadows and the Antitype to those types once appeared in the World or at least when he dyed but the Ordinances which are as the beams and Rafters of the Gospel Church are durable and do not pass away The Jewish Priesthood ceased But the Gospel Ministry continues Christ hath promised to be with them to the End of the World God hath given Apastles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints until we all come in the Unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ The passover was but for a time until the Messiah who was the true paschal Lamb should he slain for the sins of his People but the Ordinance of the Lords Supper which comes instead of this is an Ordinance by which we shew the death of Christ until his coming again 1 Cor. 11. 2. The word of God in particular indureth for ever I will open this in two things 1. The Propositions of the word indure for ever They are Propositions of Eternal truth whether they be Dogmatical Propositions which assert the truth of God concerning the Nature or will of God or concerning the state of man or any thing relating to his duty or whether they be such as are promisory they are of an immortal Nature the reason is because God is a God that changeth not he is not Yea and Nay but Yea and Amen a God that cannot lye to his People nor repent of what he hath said unto them The truth of the word abideth for ever 2. The vertue of the word abideth and is immortal The same vertue which the word of God ever had in it to convince convert to enlighten quicken support comfort the same is in it still and indeed the proof of this dependeth partly upon the former for the vertue of the word whether it be the word of precept or the word of promise doth much depend upon the truth of it Now the truth of it being perpetual the vertue of it must also be so supposing the same concurrence of that holy Spirit which must be to make the Word of any use or vertue at any time I have spoken enough to the Explication of the point I come now to the Application of it which I shall dispatch by drawing some speculative and practical Inferences from what you have heard Hence in the first place you may observe a great difference betwixt the Legal and the Gospel Ministry And consequently the excellency of the latter above the former The Apostle to the Hebrews insisteth much upon this and by this argument proves the excellency of the Gospel above the Law The Beams and Rafters of the Church under the law they were not of Cedar they lasted no longer then until the timeof reformation The Evangelist St. John saith The law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Two things commend the Gospel above the law Grace came by it truth came by it The law brought wrath the Doctrine of it tended to curse men and women and to conclude all under wrath but the Doctrine of the Gospel brought grace the news of the free pardon and remission of sins through the blood of Christ the acceptance of the Soul upon the account of his merits Truth also came by Christ Whether you take Truth for Substance and Realities opposed to types and shadows that came by Christ who was the End of the Law Or whether you take Trutâ— for Certainty and that which hath in it porpetuity and durâ—bleness that also came by Christ who put an end to the Ceâ—emonial law which consisted of temporary Ordinances for worship
p. 886. l. 36. r. not exclusive p. 888. l. 19. r. were added p. 901. l. 3. r. verbum audibile p. 903. l. 34. r. which is pleasant AN Alphabetical TABLE Containing Directions to find the Principal things opened and discoursed in the Book A. A Biding of Christ with the Soul and the Soul with Christ what it signifies 799 800. The Souls advantages by it 804 805. How Christs abidings with the Soul may fail 805 806. How to know if we be willing that Christ should abide with us 806 807. Adam's state and ours how different what power he had 276 277. Afflictions the lot of Christ and of the believing Soul 536 537. Whence they are so How they make Christs Spouse black 539 540 541. What use we ought to make of it 542 543. Arminians Opinion of grace with the absurdities of it 263 264 265 266 267 268. B. BEauty of believers of what Nature 638 639 640. Whence it is 657 658. How it renders them to Christ lovely 642 643. what use to make of it 648 649 650. Beauty of Christ in what it excelleth the beauty of Saints 852 853 854. Beams and rafters of Christs house what why of Cedar and fir 890 892 893. Bed of Christ what 870 871. Behold what it signifieth 832 833. Believers thirst after distinguisâ—â—ing â—ercies 59. Whence it is 61 62 63. Arguments to 〈◊〉 it 64 65 66. Their thirst after all manifestations of grace and â—hy 83 84. Arguments persuading â—ach a thâ—â—st 90 91. 〈…〉 93 94. Their thirst after Christ in his word and Ordinances especially in the Gospel and the teachings of his Spirit 95 96 97. Their earnest desire after communion with Christ 136 137 138. Why 138 139. Their duty in the Noon of trials 618 619 620. Their more special need of the presence of Christ at such a time and why 622 623. What use they should make of that 624 625. They may be at loss sometimes how to maintain Communion with Christ 653 654 655 656. Blackness of Christs Spouse what and whence 465 466. Breasts of Christ what they import or signifie 47. 48. C. CAmphire or Copher what 811 812. Causes of Persons not coming to Christ 285 286 287. Chambers of Christ what 172 173 174. Chains about the Spouses neck what 721. Christ the Souls beloved 598 599. What are his feeding and resting places for his flock at noon 615 616 617. How the Spouses companion fellow and friend 687 688 689. 691 692 What duty ariseth from those notions of Christ 698 6â—9 How he is beautiful transcendently 852 853. How he is to be used as a bundle of myrrh 79â— 796 797. Why he is the peculiar object of the Spouses love 816 817 818. How he is fair 852 853. How he is pleasant 861 862 863. How he is the cause of the Spouses fruitfulness 870 871. Cheeks of the Spouse what they sign sie 717 718. Cedar or Cypress famous for what 884. Church of Christ what how it is Christs and the believers house 885 886 887 What this speaks of dignity or duty 888 889 890. Communion with God what 106 107. In his word how many ways 94. why desirable by believers 97 98 99. The nature of more external communion with God in his word and of more internal communion with God by his word and Spirit 107 108 109 Why believers cannot be satisfied in a more external communion with God 118 119 120. What Châ—istians should do that they may have such communion 129 130 131. Where Christians may have the freest communion with Christ 606 607. In what the Julness and freedom of a Souls communion with God lyeth 609 610. What may be done by us to obtain or maintain it 612 613 666 667. Comeliness of the Spouse what 470. How she is comely in her blackness and in whose Eyes she is so 472 473. Whence it is 473 474 475. Confession of sins to be made to whom and in what cases 494 495. Before men in what cases 497 498. Whence the Spouse is so free to it 501 502 503. Directions as to it 504 405 506. Conflicts of Christians with their lusts 550 551. Of the Church with corrâ—pt members make Christians appear black 552 553. Reasons of it 553 554 555. Conversation of Christians must be holy 721 722. D. DAnger of thinking we have our life in our hands 305 306. Defires the true object of them 176 177. What desires will evidence a truth of grace 182 183 184. Of Christs abiding with us how manifested 800. Drawing what it signifieth how many ways God draweth us 251 252 253. A powerful drawing necessary to conversion 255 256 257. The Nature of Gods drawing 257 258. Why necessary 260 261 262. The absurdity of those who deny any need of such powerful influence of God 265 266 267 268. How such powerful influences may be promoved or hindred 311 312 313. What may draw men to some degrees of reformation who yet are not drawn to Christ 313 314. Gods drawing of some is a means to make others run 333 334 335 336. Drunkards reflected on as preferring wine before Christs Loves Doubting a term or phrase what it signifieth 834 835. Doves Eyes What the commendable qualities of them are 837 838 839. why the Spouse is said to have them 839 840. Persons persuaded to get Dovos Eyes 845 846 847. E. ENgedi what it signifies 810 811. Eyes of the Spouse of Christ why they are commended 835 836. F. FAith saving what 292 293. How it worketh in Prayer 349 350. Flock why the Church is compared to it what that flock of Christ which the Spouse of Christ is obliged to follow the footsteps of 671 672 673 668 669. Folly of resisting vexing or quenching or grieving the holy Spirit 271 272 273. Fortitude in Christians how distinguishable from a natural stomack and a moral courage 705 706. Means to promove it 709. Arguments to persuade it 710 711 712. Fruitfulness of a Church or a particular Soul floweth from Christs conjunction with and influence upon it proved 871 872 873. what use to make of it 879 880. G. GRace of God what various several distinctions of it 81 82 83. All the Emanations of it desired by believers 83 84. why 85 86. Graces of Christ what and in what respects like to good Ointments 201 202 203. The Nature of special saving grace as in its operation powerful and yet sweet 280 281. Grace to be owned to others and in what cases and to whom and in what cases 508 509 510. The reasonableness of it 512 513. Christians persuaded to it directed in it 514 515 516 517. more grace to whom given 732 733 734. Grace in the Soul gives a smell what contributes to its smell 750 751 75â— 753. It s smell much dependeth upon Christs presence with the Soul 761 762. Greenness of Christs bed what it signifieth 874 875. H. HIerusalem what 456 457. Holiness mistakes about it 297 298. How distinguished from mere moral vertue 298.
that which should commend him or it No artificial beauty is our own and so a thing not to be gloried in All the comeliness of a Child of God is a derived comeliness His blackness is his own his comeliness is from another it is Christ that hath made him to differ he hath received his beauty and therefore ought not to glory as if he had not received it And this in the second place ought to mind them of their duty of thankfulness and admiration of â—he love of Christ When saith David I consider the Heavens the work of thy hands the Moon and the Start which thou hast ordained what is man that thou art mindful of him and the Son of man that thou visitest him Yet David in that Psalm is speaking of no more then Gods more common mercies of Creation and Providence but what greater reason hath a Child of God to cry out Lord what is man that thou shouldst remember him Lord What was I that thou shouldst remember me and fix thy love and put thy comeliness upon me I was by nature an Ethiopian and have contracted much more blackness by my conversation in the world now that the Lord should make us comely through his comeliness that he should fix his love upon any of our Souls and put any of his Chains about our Necks What manner of love was this To which of the Angels said he at any time aâ— Zech. 16. 8. When I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was a time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entered into a covenant of life with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Or as Jer. 3. v. 14. Turn O backsliding Children saith the Lord for I am married unto you To which of them hath he at any time said my Love my Dove my Vndefiled We had none of us either Beauty or Portion Christ hath given us both Admire the height and depth of Divine Love and consider what an ingratitude it would be if any of us should now like Israel Ezek. 16. 15. Trust in your own beauty and play the Harlotâ— and pour out fornications on every one that passeth by Bestow our hearts our love and affections upon any objects contrary to him beneath and besides him whether it be not reasonable that we should be wholly to him and for him who are wholly from him and are nothing but what we are in him Thirdly This notion calleth to the people of God not to be overmuch disquâ—eted and dejected It is one thing to walk humbly that is our duty another thing to walk dejectedly that is our infirmity we have no reason to be proud because we are black nor yet to despond and be dejected because in Christs Eyes if we be upright if we prepare and fix our hearts to seek the Lord we are comely We have no reason because of our blackness to glory in our selves but we have reason to rejoice and to glory in our comeliness which though indeed Christs comeliness yet being puâ—upon us becometh ours A believer hath therefore hath nothing to do but to see that his interest in Christ be clear and to see to wash his feet and he is clean every whit We have reason to consider our ways to reflect upon our infirmities to be humbled for our failings and to walk humbly at all times in the sense of them but still to incourage our selves in the Lord our righteousness to hope in God and rejoice in Christ tho we have no confidence in the flesh either in any priviledges of our birth or in any works of our own Lastly This Doctrine calleth upon all not to look upon the Spouse of Christ because she is black They are the words of our Spouse following in the next verse but the proper application of what she saith in this verse the use which she desireth her Brethren to make of this her imperfect and black state Something God willing shall be spoken hereafter more largely for the explication of those woâ—dâ— then the streightness of my time will now allow I shall therefore reserve the fuller explication of this duty until I come to the next verse and shall give you but a short tast and specimen of what I shall then more fully inlarge upon 1. We ought not to look upon the Spouse of Christ in these circumstances with a supercilious scornful and censorious Eye The Eye is the Oâ—gan of the body by which the Soul first taketh the cognisaâ—ce of a thing and is suitably affected there are two false rules by which we judge of persons 1. When we judge of them by particular actions 2 When we judge of them by external acâ—idents the first of them indeed is more proper then the latter because they are the fruit of the Soul the other are forreign and adventitious neither of them are a safe rule of Judgment not the former because none is to be denominated from single and particular acts and this the Philosopher will teach us and indeed if this rule of judgment should be true what judgment must have passed upon Lot Noah Abraham Jacob Job David Pâ—teâ— all the most eminent Servants of God whose names are upon Sacred Record they were all guilty of irregular acts Not the latter for it is not that which is accidental to a man but that which proceedeth from him that defileth a man Take therefore heed of a censorious scornful Eye when you look upon the People of God in their blackness consider that you also may be tempted that although you now stand yet you may fall 2. Look not upon her with a pleased and satisfied Eye The Eye is that Organ of the Booy which giveth the Soul delight content pleasure and satisfaction in the object Psal 92. v. 11. Mine Eye also shall see my desire upon mine Enemies We have naughty and corrupt hearts ready to take a secret delight and pleasure in the slips and failings of our Brethren let this be far from you either to rejoice in the real blackness the failings and miscarriages of any whose general conversation is not unworthy of the Gospel or to rejoice in any of their afflictions we are to weep with those that weep not to rejoice when we see our Brethren weep The first rejoicing is opposite to your duty with respect to the honour of God which suffereth by others sins as well as our own The second is eminently contrary to that love and fellow-feeling and compassion which we owe unto our Brethren Thirdly look not upon them so as to take out a copy for your imitation Rocks stand up in the Sea and lights stand upon the Land to give Ships notice of Rocks and Sands not that Mariners should run upon them but that they may avoid them for this end also are the failings and sins of Gods People Recorded in Holy Writ When you see a Child of God
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.
Would you have your Spikenard send forth the smell thereof Take heed then of Dead Flies The Wise man tells us That one Dead Fly will make the Apothecary's whole Box of Ointment to stink What are Dead Flies in this case but scandalous sips proceeding from our extravagant lusts and passions One open scandalous sin will make a Christian 's whole Box of Spikenard cast forth an unpleasant smell in the World One sinful act will not lose us Heaven but it will in a great measure spoil our scent How many have we known who I hope are gone to Heaven who yet by their scandalous actions like David made the Enemies of God to blaspheme I hope they are some of them gone with Spikenard I mean with a truth of grace to their graves but their Spikenard had wofully lost its scent It 's a sad thing when a man of whom we can hardly presume that he was in favour with God and in a state of Grace yet leaves the World with a better report for justice and charity for mercy and bounty and liberality than one who professed higher and went for a Child of God 2. Take heed of exposing thy conversation to too much Air I speak in this Dialect to keep to the Metaphor a little Too much of Air spoileth the scent of the most precious Ointment Take heed of too much needless converse with the World Things that keep their scent must be kept close It is true at all times much more in such debauched times as we live in the more recluse and private from the World a Christian keepeth himself the better he will keep his scent 3. Keep thy self from actions as to which though thou art satisfied thou mayest do them but they are not of good report either amongst Christians or men of the World It is too much the Errour of Christians that in matters of offence and scandal they only have a respect to Brethren It is true we ought to have a first and principal respect to them I am sure our Rule is more extensive 1 Cor. 10. 32. Give none offence either to the Jews or Gentiles or to the Churches of Christ The Apostle puts the Churches of Christ last as if it ought to be the least of our care not to offend the Churches of Christ I know no such thing can be concluded from the order of the Apostle's words Yet one would think if in actions of this nature any might be neglected it should be Believers whom we might presume to be of more knowledge and judgment than to take any such offences and if they did so as they should reprove us for it yet to have more love for God than for any such actions in any persons to cause Religion and the holy Name of God to be evil spoken of our great care should be to have a good report of those who are without and Christians carelesness as to this is without doubt their great Errour we ought not only to follow things that are just and honest and pure but things also that are lovely and of a good report Phil. 4. 8. and to provide things honest in the sight of all men Rom. 12. 17. 4. You must live in the practice and exercise of Grace if you will have it send forth the smell thereof It is the rubbed Pomander that is sweet The Ointment poured out which sendeth out a savour It is not Grace talked of but acted and in its full exercise that sendeth forth its pleasant smell 5. Lastly Be as much in communion with Christ as thou canst The King must be at his Table when our Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof Be much with him in Prayer Meditation Hearing the Word The Preaching of the Gospel is the feast of fat things upon the Mountains and here because it is a time when some of you are preparing for your duty of communion with Christ in the Ordinance of his Supper let me mind you of your duty as to that the rather because I find our own Annotators and divers other Expositors of my Text touching upon it in their Notes That Table is the King's Table It is called the Lord's Table he is the Master of that Feast as well as the Provision It is an Ordinance which the Lord hath instituted for our Soul's fellowship and communion with him Our Souls draw out from the Fountain of his Fulness by this Conduit-pipe Neglect not that sacred Ordinance that your Spikenard may send forth the smell thereof And Remember while you sit there that you do not restrain your Souls from God but give out your Souls in the exercise of the graces of Faith Love Repentance Thanksgiving proper for that holy communion with this King of Glory Sermon LII Cant. 1. 12. While the King sitteth at his Table my Spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof I Proceed to the 2d Proposition which in my last discourse I observed from these words Prop. That the smell of the Spouses Spikenard doth much depend upon Christs presence with her and influence upon her I have already told you that the believers gracious habits are the Spikenard here mentioned That the sending forth the smell thereof signifieth the exercise of these habits to the pleasing of God and the honour of God in the sight and face of the World This I say doth very much depend upon Christs presence with and influence upon the Souls which is the thing here expressed by the Kings sitting at his table I shall prove this proposition by proving these four things 1. That all exercise of gracious habits dependeth upon Christs influence upon and communion with the Soul 2. That degrees of gracious exercises depend upon degrees of such communion and influence 3. That as is the exercise of grace So is the smell thereof 4. That in deserted Souls grace doth not give out its smell Or at least very little 1. I say 1. All exercise of gracious habits dependeth upon Christs influence upon and communion with the Soul God doth not only infuse habits of grace but he also eliciteth the acts of grace Hence our Saviour tells us Joh. 15. 3. That without him we can do nothing And the Apostle tells us That he giveth to will and to do of his own good pleasure It is Musculus his observation upon Joh. 15. 3. our Saviour doth not say that without me you can do no great thing or without me you cannot do any great thing but without me you can do nothing And the Apostle calleth Christ not only the author but the finisher of our saith Heb. 12 â— and 1 Phil. 29. It is given to you on the behalf of Christ to believe a power to believe that is the habit but the Lord doth not only give us a power to believe but to believe actually Acts of faith and holiness are our fruit The habits of either are the seed the Acts are the fruit and so are often called in holy writ Joh. 15. 2 3 4.
Rom. 7. 4. In me saith God is thy fruit found hence a life of Holiness is called a walking in and after the Spirit Gal. 5. 25. Rom. 8. 1. I live saith the Apostle Galat. 2. 20. but yet not I but Christ liveth in me and again Phil. 4. v. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me To every good act there is not required only a first exciting grace and a working grace quickening and determining the will unto the act But a further exciting assisting and cooperating grace Thus that ancient Councel Concil Araus Can. 9. determined As often as we do that which is good God worketh sn us and with us that we may work Hence the Apostle saith of himself 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am and his grace which was bestowed on me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which was with me In every good action of a regenerate Soul The renewed Soul acts and God acts Thus I remember August asserted of Old Some saith he may say Then holy men are acted and do not act Respondeo saith he Immo agis ageris â—unc bene agis si ab eo agaris that is I answer yes thou both actest and also art acted and then thou actest well if thou beest acted by him For the Spirit of God which acteth thee helpeth thee in acting he hath stiled himself thy helper because thou thy self dost something only here is to be observed a double difference 1. The first is the difference between Gods influence upon our natural powers to their natural acts and our Spiritual habits powers as to their Spiritual acts God influenceth our bodily members as to their natural acts Without his influence we could not move nor speak nor do any natural act but how doth he influence us as to them By upholding our natural powers And by keeping off those things which would hinder their natural exercises God hath given unto man a Soul indued with the powers both of the Vegetative Soul in plants and of the Sensitive Soul in brute creatures besides some more noble powers which are proper to the reasonable Soul Now these Souls act from this natural power in them which being upheld in them not hindred by any forraign or intrinsick cause produce the acts that are proper to them This is but an influence of common providence and is common to all men But the influence I am speaking of is an influence of Special grace Not an influence common to men but peculiar to the People of God who have experienced this grace 2. The Second difference I desire you to observe is The difference betwixt Divine influences as to the first and this further grace No man cometh unto the Son unless the Father draweth him In the first grace the Soul is meerly passive that change is wrought by working grace this by cooperative and assisting grace the renewed Soul moves and acts from it self It is only quickened and assisted by Divine influences To speak therefore clearly and distinctly we say God hath a double influence upon our wills as to any good actions done by us 1. He influenceth our wills as the cause Exciting our wills to the Acts. Our wills are the cause of all good actions done by us the proximate cause we first will the thing which we do sed ille facit ut velimus it is he who influenceth our wills and makes us willing and then excites our wills 2. God together with our wills as the proximate cause hath an influence upon the effect It is universally granted by sober men That there is a concurse of Divine providence to the production of every effect nor doth this concurse of the first cause hinder the liberty of the Second Cause No Natural agent produceth any effect without a concurse of the Divine power and a simultaneous motion of the Divine power Some will have this influence of God upon us as to Spiritual acts to be no more then an ordinary concurrence of Providence But I think the contrary will appear to every one who shall diligently consider two things 1. The imperfect state of the will of man even after regeneration Before Regeneration man hath servum arbitriun A meer servile will Augustine tells us that in the state of Innocency mans happiness lay in a posse non peccare a power which he had in that state if he would not to sin against God The happiness of the state of the Souls in glory will lie in a non posse peccare in this that they shall have no power more to sin They shall be like the Angels in Heaven confirmed in a state of purity and holiness The state of a Man or Woman not regenerated is that he cannot but sin Now though the Regeneratedman be by regeneration freed from the servitude of the last mentioned state yet it is much short either of the more perfect state of the will of the glorified Saints or of the state of Adam in innocency we cannot say that their will is so stated through Grace that they have a power not to sin Even the best of men sinneth 7 times a day and who can tell how oft he offendeth We know but in part and so may sin through ignorance and oft times do so We are men full of passions and live in a World that is full of temptations and are often over-born Our will is indeed manumised and to will is present with us but our freedom is imperfect 2. Yea I cannot understand but that we should have need of a Divine influence exciting and assisting us to our Spiritual acts supposing that upon our regeneration we had been perfectly restored unto that indifferency in which Adam was created For admit the will of man indifferently free to move to good or evil what but the Influence of Divine Grace should incline and determine it rather to that which is good than to that which is evil But that which makes it much stronger is the consideration that we are not restored to such a perfect liberty or indifferency but there is remaining even in the best the body of death passions impetuous passions which strongly Incline us to that which is evil and often prevail against us David complaineth That iniquities prevailed against him Paul complained That he was sometimes brought into captivity to the Law of his Members Besides if we could imagine that the will of man though renewed could be the first Principle of any spiritual action it must be a First Cause and man would be a God to himself But it may be some will say though it be true that the will of man cannot move it self to a Spiritual Act but it must have a first mover yet God's Influence upon it may be no more than the ordinary concurse of his Providence such as he allows to all his creatures upholding their Beings