first discovered to James the Apostle afterward to the aforementioned Bishop of Granada who sought for them and found them saith Pineda per altos Granatensis montis cuniculos latebras in which leaden Plates there should be ingraven in Arabick so much concerning Solomon as in English sounds thus And he bewailed his sin with a great lamentation and it was forgiven him and he died faithful and in peace I say there will be no need of these Apocryphal helps we have a more sure word of Prophecy and stronger Scripture arguments engaging us to conclude Solomon's repentance and Salvation against some of the Ancients speaking doubtfully and the more modern Papists speaking both peremptorily and impudently in the case and must conclude that Emanuel Thesaurus speaks like a profane Poet when he tells us concerning Solomon Primu è Christi Proavis Stygem coluit Et Primus intravit Indubio Argumento nam Idola posuit non sustulit Et Flenda leguntur non fletus Having thus far given you a Character of this great Person who wrote this sacred Book and by this digression served my design a little in shewing you that there is no ground from his miscarriages to conclude against his being the Penman either of this or the other pieces of Sacred Writ to which the Hebrew Text entituleth him and which the Ecclesiastical Juries in all ages have found his The next thing we have to enquire is the time and occasion of his writing it concerning which the Scriptures silence hath given Writers the greater liberty to abound in their several senses I see no great prejudice either to Solomon himself or to the Divine Authority of this Sacred Book from the opinion of those who think that Solomon wrote this Song in the beginning of his Reign when he first Married Pharaohs Daughter first proselyted to the Jewish Religion at which time it is said 1 Kings 3. 3. Solomon loved the Lord walking in the Statutes of David his Father and that his Marriage with Pharaohs Daughter gave him the occasion of this Heavenly Meditation for which the greatest ground they have is that passage ch 1. v. 9. I have compared thee to a company of Horses in Pharaohs Chariots Nor yet from the opinion of those who think that he wrote it in the close of his life after his return to fellowship and communion with God If therefore any shall contend that he wrote the Book of Proverbs first this Book next and Ecclesiastes last of all grounding their conjecture upon 1 Kings 4. 32. where i◠is said that he wrote 3000 Proverbs and his Songs were 1005. Or if others think that he first wrote this Book of Canticles which being Poetry they think best suited his younger years then the Book of Proverbs and last of all that of Ecclesiastes the matter contained in the Book of Proverbs seeming to be the mature issue of years and the matter of Ecclesiastes speaking a contempt of worldly Vanities like that which is found with gray hairs that have learned righteousness I shall not contend with either There are some who make an observation upon Solomon's calling himself in Ecclesiastes King of Hierusalem In the Book of Proverbs King of Israel In this Book only Solomon whence they conclude that he wrote this Book in the first of his years before he was come to the Kingdom The Book of Proverbs next before he came to dwell in Hierusalem and that of Ecclesiastes last in his more perfect state but possibly their conjecture is better who think that Solomons spiritual contemplation of Christ with which his heart seemeth in this Book to be ravished was the cause why forgetting his Titles of Honour he calls himself by no other name than that of Solomon and as through all the Book he speaks to and of Christ under no other notion than that of a Beloved and a friend so he mentions not himself under any higher notion than Solomon and a Love a Spouse c. glorying more in being the Spouse and Friend of Christ than a great King in Hierusalem Or finally if any will assert that he wrote this Book last of all which seems to be the opinion of Bernard Delrio Hierome Bachiarius Cyrill c. I am indifferent to close with either party only abhorring the opinion which was anciently condemned in Theodorus Mopsuesta by the Council of Constantinople saith Delrio and which Philastrius mentions amongst the Heresies whose Author he knew not viz. That it is but a Love-Song made by Solomon having relation to Pharaohs Daughter or the Shulamite to which opinion also Castalio and Grotius seem to encline and the Anabaptists in Germany are charged with it by Sixtus Senensis which opinion indeed is deservedly rejected and justly to be abhorred of all sober Christians and there needs no other witness in the case against it than the great reverence of this Book which the Church of the Jews had to whom saith the Apostle were committed the Oracles of God and who were sufficiently cautelous what they stamped with that sacred stamp of Scripture Canon who did not only constantly own this Book as much as any other making it a Dialogue between God and their Church or betwixt their Church and some of their Patriarchs but also barred any from reading of it until they arrived at their sacerdotal year whether for fear of a vain interpretation of it or in regard of the difficulty they justly conceived as to the expounding the metaphors with which as with so many Stars it is adorned or fathoming the mysteries which they conceived lay couched in it I shall not in this place determine Sure I am as the Authors of the aforementioned gross and unhandsome conceptions have nothing to give countenance to their wanton fancies besides the comparison of the Love here mentioned to a company of Horses in Pharaohs Chariots and the mention of the Shulamite Caat 6. 13. with another or two expressions of that Nature upon which expressions the Vanity of their hearts only hath hindred them from putting a spiritual interpretation so even some of these expressions with divers others in this Sacred Song make their impure conceptions highly improbable for if the Dialect of times be not strangely altered it was certainly a strange commendation for so learned and wise a man as Solomon to give of a Woman whom he loved to compare her to a company of Horses her Head to Mount Carmel and her Eyes to Fish Pools her Nose to a Tower her Teeth to a flock of Sheep c. all which with divers such seemingly uncouth expressions we have in this Song After all this we shall find it no difficult thing to determine the Divine Authority of this Book The Apostle saith that Holy Men wrote the Scriptures as inspired by God we have evinced that the Penman of this Book was an Holy Man both in the former and latter part of his life That he wrote this Book is
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
good and vertuous habits So as to the Church that Church doth not keep its own Vineyard that doth not besides purging itself of errors and scandals take care also that the truths of God be duly preached and published and the Ordinances of God purely administred This is now for the Spouse to keep or not to keep her own Vineyard now I say the Spouse of Christ whether the Individual Spouse which is every truly gracious Soul or the collective Spouse Which is the Church of God is very prone to neglect the keeping of its own Vineyard This needeth no other Evidence then the experience of all Christians and all Churches and that in all ages 1. I say first the Experience of particular Christians for who liveth and sinneth not against God The righteous falleth 7 times in a day now though it be true that many of the sins of Gods people are sins of pure infirmity Either through ignorance or impotency to resist the temptation yet both this ignorance and impotency are often occasioned through a neglect or not improvement of the means of knowledge and better information and through our not preparing our selves to the Spiritual fight putting on the whole Armor of God as we ought to have done Avoiding occasions to Sin abstaining from the appearances of Evil and giving no advantage to the adversary all which are our duties and enjoined us by the Apostle 2. Nor Secondly either is there or ever was any Church of God upon the Earth that kept its own Vineyard as it ought to have done The Church of the Jews was the only Church God had upon the Earth until the time of John the Baptist Whosoever readeth their story in the Books of Moses the Books of Kings and Chronicles or in the Writings of the Prophets will find that they did not keep their own Vineyard Never had any Church a trust more clearly committed to them they could have no long disputes about any thing of the revealed will of God if any question did arise they had an infallible rule Deut. 17. for the determination of it yet as I told you before as the ten Tribes made a total defection after the reigns of David and Solomon both whose reigns made up but 80 years in the latter part of which in Solomon's time towards the latter end of his Reign they also admitted very great corruptions so in the Kingdom of Judah they lost what was committed to their trust many times and seldom kept it 60 years together in any degrees of purity So that in Josiahs time the Book of the law was thrown about and hid in the rubbish and found by the repairers of the house of the Lord as you find in the story of the Book of the Kings Now that this was their most wilful neglect appeareth by their frequent reductions though not perfect to the Divine rule When Asa Jehosaphat Hezekiah Joash Josiah attempted it and the plain revelation which they had of the will of God both from the letter of the law their way for decision of doubts about it and the Prophets which God favoured them with all the while that Kingdom remained After that Church was destroyed and the Christian Church set up all the Apostolical Epistles give a proof of the proneness of Churches to neglect the keeping of their own Vineyards and of the Lords Watchmen to sleep while the Enemy sowed tares The same is also Evidenced by all Ecclesiastical history and from the History of all modern Churches their Deviations in Doctrine Worship Discipline c. testify it Nor is the reason of this aptness in us to neglect the keeping of our own Vineyards hard to be assigned 1. The first is the laboriousness of the work and the crosness of it to the genius of Flesh and blood For a Christian to keep his heart with all diligence is no easy work it lies much in a Christians denial of himself taking up the Cross mortifying his members as to which our flesh incessantly cries in the language of Peter Master spare thy self So that he who doth it rows as we say both against wind and tide It requires much knowledge and judgment to keep a mans self unspotted from errors but a great degree of self denial for any man to keep himself unspotted from the pollution of the World through lust upon this account it is that our Saviour compareth the way â—o heaven to a narrow way a strait gate And tells us that it is as easy for a Camel to go through the Eye of a Needle as for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God Our work is compared by our Saviour to a cutting off the right hand and plucking out of a right Eye In works of great labour and difficnlty we are very prone you know to be remiss and negligent 2. But this is not all The native corruption and inclination in mans heart to deviate from the holy and right ways of God is a great cause I must confess that as to the Churches keeping its Vineyard I cannot apprehend such a difficulty in it As to truth a man indeed cannot believe what he listeth but the Church notwithstanding this may keep the Doctrine of saith if particular Persons that are otherwise persuaded in some points then the rest of the Church is would but learn what the Apostle directs in that case Hast thou saith have it to thy self Rom. 14. and not think themselves obliged to publish to the disturbance of a Church what is their own particular opinion As to Ordinances relating to Worship and Government what difficulty can there be in keeping strictly to the Divine rule and doing that alone which Gods Word requireth the questions concerning that would be very few if men did not lay hold upon some general passages and apply them to their own fancies Were men but fixed in this to adhere to the Divine rule without diminishing it or without adding to it unless in cases where such additions are apparently necessary certainly this were all to be required in order to the Churches keeping its own Vineyard as to the Ordinances committed to it But the corruption of mans heart inclining him to interpret the will of God in a consistency to his own reason makes all the difficulty in the Churches keeping the Doctrine of faith And the wild humour that hath always possest men to Worship God according to their own fancies and to create decencies and matters of order according to their own pleasure and to conform their Altars to that of Damascus hath been all along in the story of the Church the cause of the Churches neglecting to keeps its proper Vineyard 3. Thirdly It is much caused from the mixture of the world in our conversation This is true both as to the neglect of the particular Christian as to the neglect of the Church also As to the particular Christian we are but flesh and have senses to be gratified with pleasures
forth by the footsteps of the flock who feed not their Souls by the Shepherds Tents under this condemnation fall 1. All such who having no regard to the Word as their rule walk according to the imaginations of their own hearts which you shall find to be the constant Character of wicked Men in Scripture 2. Such as follow the incertain examples and traditions of men 3. Lastly Such as cast off ordinances under a pretence of a more immediate fellowship and communion with God There is a middle way betwixt resting in and taking up with mere external performances and casting them off It is true a Soul may wait upon God in ordinances and have no communion with God in them Communion with God lies in more then meer lending an Ear to God and allowing him our bodily presence in more then a communication of the will of God to our external senses but this is to be had by the Shepherds Tents in places where God hath recorded his Name to dwell and the performance of such external acts as God hath required and made his promises of that nature unto To look for a presence of God with us in a neglect or contempt of these institutions is to look for what we have no reason to expect to find Let me only further persuade you that hear me this day to follow the counsel given you in the Text. To go your ways by the footsteps of Christs flock to feed your Souls by his Shepherds Tents 1. In all your actions go forth by the footsteps of the flock Do what you have found the Servants of God have done whose names and practices you have upon a sure record in Holy Writ As it was prophecied of old that there should come times when many should say Lo here is Christ or lo there is Christ to amuse Souls and make their way incertain to them So the times are come when many say Lo here is the Church others say lo it is there the Papists say it is with them and other parties say it is with them in this incertain cry we have a certain rule In the Holy Scripture we have a certain record of the flock of Christ we have certain prints of their feet peace shall be upon those who walk according to that rule you may be deceived as to other scocks as to that you cannot be deceived The practice of the Primitive Church not recorded in Holy Writ the pretended Traditions of the Primitive Church of which the Scripture maketh no mention are very incertain things the Word of God that is a sure rule let none leave that which is certain for those things that are incertain if you cannot find in the Holy Scriptures a sufficiency to make you wise to Salvation both as to what you are to do in the Worship of God and in the whole of your conversation then there may be some reason for you to hear what others say and to listen to your own reason but there is a sufficieney there Some will tell us That Scripture is obscure and who shall interpret it to us but the Church If there be any thing in Scripture necessary for us to know that is obscure I am sure the practice of the Church after the Apostles times is much more obscure who shall vouch the Authority of any one Book that pretendeth to give us any such account There is a great deal of fault found with that principle that we ought to do nothing but what we have a Warrant for from the Word of God If it be rightly understood I know no fault that is to be found with it not that we must have a particular Warrant from the Word of God for every action that we do none ever asserted any such thing But we ought to do nothing for which we have not a particular or general Warrant from the Word of God In fome actions those especially which relate to the Worship of God the Word of God is a particular rule in all things No act of Worship no mean of Worship is to be used but what we have a particular Warrant in Gods Word the reason is because there is all the reason in the World God should prescribe his own Homage and because it is a sufficient rule he that worshippeth God according to the rules of the Word neither adding thereto nor diminishing therefrom shall worship God acceptably As to particular natural and civil actions the word is not a particular sufficient rule but it is a general rule it is impossible that the Word of God should particularly direct all the civil actions of a mans life it hath left a thousand things of that nature to our own liberty and wisdom only hath given us some general rules which we are to observe in them in these things a Christian hath not such a liberty but that he ought to obey the Ordinances and laws of men so far as they respect the order and government of Nations and Kingdoms and that out of conscience to the Commandment of God requiring such obedience to men in their Spheres and the capacities which God hath set them in Secondly Feed your Kids by the Shepherds Tents Keep to the Ordinances and Institutions of Christ administred by those whom he hath set over his flock as Shepherds That is the sense of that part of the direction and by the way this sheweth us a necessity and usefulness of a Gospel Ministry It is the design of Jesuites and Romish Priests to take you off from your Ministers The Socinian complaineth that the world hath been a long time troubled with an idle sort of Persons called Ministers Quakers and other Enthusiasts all sing the same Song yet there is none of these but have their Heads their Guides and Teachers only possibly some of them would have none who should wholly set themselves apart and give up themselves to this work others would only bring you off the true Ministers of the Gospel to put you under Idol Shepherds Certain it is that the Shepherds mentioned in the Text are such as are sent by the great Shepherd and can truly derive from the Lord Jesus Christ Here is the question how shall we know which be the Shepherds tents our reason will direct us not to give credit to those who only bear witness of themselves Christ saith John 5. 31. If I bear witness of my self my witness is not true That is if I alone bear witness of my self Such a Testimony is also more to be suspected when it is arrogant when men challenge to themselves to be alone the true Shepherds But for your direction I shall lay down a few conclusions 1. It is both impossible for any to know them by their lineal succession from the Apostles who were the first deputed by Christ to feed his flock and needless to make such an inquiry for them The former assertion proveth the latter for it is doubtless needless to look for what is
By the Beloved speaking in this Song you are to understand the Lord Jesus Christ By the Spouse whom he sometimes calleth his love you may understand the Church and more particularly every truly believing Soul By the Watchmen the Ministers of the Church whom God hath set to watch for Souls By the Daughters of Hierusalem sometimes mentioned either the Members of the Church or the Neighbours of it The two first have the greatest share in the Song the others sometimes speak and are sometime spoken to But this is enough to have spoken by way of preface 'T is time to leave the threshold and to enter in to this pleasant House Only give me leave as an Epilogue to this discourse to subjoin the Judgment of Ludovicus de Ponte though a Papist yet a learned Man who hath copiously interpreted this Spiritual Song and allowing him the Popish Devotion for the Sacred Virgin which makes them all think they see her in every Text hath done much in it well It is prefix'd to his Latine Commentary To this purpose The Book of Solomon which from the nobleness of the Argument is called the Song of Songs is a spiritual conference betwixt that God who is three and yet one or betwixt Christ who is true God and Man and his Church whether ancient or modern and every gracious Soul which is a Member of that Church In which discourse God hath a double part and personateth two several Persons The person of a most wise Instructer or Master delivering to his Disciple the sublime Doctrine of Faith and Holiness 2. The Person of a most endeared lover extolling and courting his most beloved Spouse with wonderful praises and enriching her with great gifts and favours The Church also represents a double Person 1. The Person of a Disciple or Spouse towards God or the Person of a Mistress or companion towards other Souls which she calls the Daughters of Hierusalem The Argument of this Conference as well became such Persons is sublime pleasant profitable and abundantly copious for whatsoever the ancient Prophets sang whatsoever the Evangelists afterwards related or the Apostles Preached whether relating to the mysteries of faith or to holiness and Gospel perfection it is all in this Song comprehended in the style of lovers the style being Spiritual not Carnal But because the Metaphors and Similitudes which fill this whole Book are taken from Carnal Marriages We must pill off the bark that the letter might not kill That being once taken off the spiritual part lying within will enlighten the Soul and quicken and inflame and perfect it For according to our Saviours words it is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing and the words of this Song are Spirit and life to those who do sincerely consider them For as the Ancient Priests of the Jews as we read in the Book of Macchabees when they looked for the sacred fire which they had hidden found nothing but thick water which water to the admiration of all when the Sun shined out of the Cloud again was turned into fire so he who looks upon the Book of Canticles with carnal Eyes will only find the puddle-water of words which the outside letter seemeth to shew which will fill his heart with darkness instead of light with a carnal chilling instead of spiritual heat But if the divine Sun inlightens that which seemed puddle water will become coelestial fire wonderfully inlightning the understanding and inflaming the will But although the whole Book of Canticles containeth 8 Chapters and by Interpreters be divided into three five or more parts yet I believe the first and second Chapters are a sum or breviary of all those mysteries of Faith which are contained in the six other Chapters which is evidenced from this that the close of the second and of the last Chap. are much the same to shew us that the narration of matter is finished in the second Chapter and that from the third Chapter beginneth a new discourse of the same mysteries under new Metaphors and Similitudes Discourses of Divine Love BETWEEN CHRIST and the CHURCH From the first Chap. of the Song of Solomon Sermon I. Cant. 1. 2 3. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth for his loves are better then Wine V. 3. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments Thy name is as an Ointment poured forth therefore do the Virgins love thee I Have observed in my prefatory discourse that some have fancied that this Book is called The Song of Songs because it contains several Songs in it It is in our Bibles divided into 8 Chapters and by Interpreters into several periods according to their particular fancies Ludovicus De Ponte conceives as I shewed you that the two first Chapters contain a Breviary of all the rest and as an evidence of it alledgeth the same close both of the second and eighth Chapter and from the third Chapter he thinks there begins a repetition of the same spiritual mysteries under new Metaphors whether that notion in the extent of it be true or no doubtless the two first Chapters contain much spiritual Doctrine informing us in the near communion betwixt the Lord Jesus Christ and the believing Soul A learned Interpreter distributes this Chapter into two parts the first he calls Prooemium a Preface the second Colloquium a Conference betwixt the two great Interlocutors in this spiritual discourse In the former you have two things 1. A Prayer 2. An Apology The first in v. 1 2 3 4 7. The second as a Parenthesis v 5 6. The Prayer consisteth of three Petitions each of which is urged by suitable arguments The first petition is v. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Month. The second v. 4. Draw me The 3d is v. 7. Tell me O thou whom my Soul loveth c. where thou feedest where thou makest thy flocks to rest at noon The further distribution of the Chapter and the several verses in it I shall leave until I come in order to them My Text containeth the first Petition with an argument annexed The petition in those words Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth The argument in the latter words for his love is better then Wine For the just understanding of the words we must consider 1. Who it is that speaketh 2. To whom the Speech is directed 3. what the import of the Petition is As to the first our Translation puts it out of doubt and it is as universally agreed amongst Interpreters that the Person speaking is she who throughout the whole Song bears the Person of the Spouse by which having already rejected the notions of those who understand Pharaohs Daughter or the Shulamite as also of those who restrain it to the Jewish Church must be understood either the Church in the general or the believing Soul in particular who here speaketh Either to the Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ or to God the Father of this
hope there 's none who hears me this day but is sometimes breathing out the desires of his Soul unto God in Prayer Oh! let this be the lauguage of your Prayers Let him kiss me with the kisses of his Mouth Let others beg of God Riches and Honours and the favours of Men Let others beg the golden Ring but do you desire the kiss Consider The Soul of the rational Creature stands obliged by the law of reason to desire the best things Is there any thing to be compared with special grace this is that more excellent way which the Apostle propounds to be coveted before the best gifts You read in the book of Esther ch 5. v. 9. 11. concerning Haman that he called for his Wife and tells her of the great honour to which the King had advanced him and of his great Riches but saith he all this availeth me nothing while I see Mordecay suting in the Kings Gate When the poor worlding sits down and thinks how God hath blessed him with Riches Honours and whatsoever contentments the creature can afford him hath he not cause to say All this availeth me nothing whil'st I have no assurance of the love of God whil'st for ought I know or have reason to believe the wrath of God may be flaming against me and I one of those who shall after all these sweet enjoyments spend an Eternity in that fire which is prepared for the Devil and his Angels Riches profit not in the day of Wrath no nor any thing else will profit in that day but an interest in Christ How much better is a dinner of Herbs with the love of God than great Treasures with his hatred A morsel of bread with an interest in Christ than a stuffed Ox with the wrath of God Secondly These influences alone will evidence distinguishing love Indeed other gifts may possibly speak no love at all The Israelites desired a King God granted them their desires and saith by his Prophet that he gave them a King in his Wrath. It may be truly said concerning the gifts of God to many a poor Creature he gives them Riches in his Wrath Honours in Wrath outward prosperity in Wrath outward good things dipt in divine vengeance the wrath of God may smoke against them while the quails are betwixt their teeth Poenalis nutritur impunitas This is a secret of Divine Justice which every one seeth not It is the saying of a devout Author that God often useth impios melle suo punire to punish wicked men with their own Hony But God never gives a kiss in Wrath he cannot give osculum Iscarioticum where he kisseth he loveth God throws the good things of this life amongst his Enemies his Friends living in the same world it may be get something of them but they are no distinguishing mercies But whomsoever he kisseth that Soul is certainly beloved of him Thirdly There are no petitions please God so well as those which are put up for spiritual things When Solomon begged of God a wise and understanding heart it is said that the saying pleased the Lord well Yea God shewed that it pleased him well for he received in abundance what he asked not Nor is this hard to be conceived by us who have the same affections towards our own Children had any one of us who are Fathers 2 Children and we should put it to their choice what they would ask of us and the one should ask that we would settle so much land upon him the other should tell us he desired not our lands but should importunately beg that his Father would love him best would not the latter please you best should we not be ready to give that Child-more than it asked You read of the two Daughters of Naomi Orpah and Ruth Ruth 1. 14 15. they both followed their Mother in law while she was full but when she was empty Orpah kisseth her Mother in law and leaveth her Naomi would have had Ruth have done so too but v. 16. Ruth refuseth and tells her Whither thou goest I will go and where thou lodgest I will lodge thy People shall be my People and thy God shall be my God where thou diest I will die and there will I he buried Which is as much as if she had told her that she valued the company of her Mother above all other concerns Did not this think you indear her to Naomi and certainly nothing can more endear a soul to God than for it to judge his favour better than life and his loves more than Wine Now to engage your hearts to prefer the kisses of God before any other good things with which the hand of his providence can make you happy there needs no more than that you should be truly possessed with the notion of your own wants and rightly understand the differences of good He that knows how much more excellent than the Body the Soul of man is will quickly understand that those things which are proportioned to its wants are more desirable goods than those which are only suted to our more outward concerns Study but the excellency of the love of God and the vanity and Earthliness of the Creature the state of your souls by nature and with respect to that guilt which by multitudes of Sins you have contracted from which nothing can excuse you but the blood of Christ nor any thing evidence your absolution to quiet your accusing and condemning consciences but the kisses of his Mouth and you will need no more to evince to you that these coelestial kisses are of all good things the most excellent the most desirable which being well understood the rational Soul directly moveth to a choice and desire of them above and before all other things Sermon III. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth IT is the Spouse that speaketh she saith not Let him embrace me nor as elsewhere He shall lie all night betwixt my breasts but Let him kiss me Quid tam minimum submissum quam osculetur me is De Ponte his note upon the Text. A kiss is the least token of conjugal love and affection Hence observe The least tokens of Christs special distinguishing love are very desirable to believing Souls The free Love of God shining out through Christ upon souls predestinated unto glory in the pardoning of their sins the acceptation of their persons the renewing of their natures in strengthening quickening comforting influences of grace is what we call the distinguishing Love of Christ being not the effects of his Philanthropy but his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now the tokens of this are more or less or may be so called According to the degree of their Emanation from Christ and the Spirit of Christ Or According to our judgment and apprehension or Estimation 1. According to the degree of their Emanation God whose heart is at all times the same towards his people yet is pleased gradually to
say some interpreters desires his manifestation in the Flesh the publication of the Doctrine of the Gospel together with the comfortable application of those Doctrines to her conscience I am sure there is a truth in that Let me therefore a little make use of their notion Take this for the Proposition Prop. It is of the nature of a believing Soul to thirst after a communion with Christ in his Word his Gospel especially and the teachings of his Spirit in and by that I here join two of those propositions together which I distinguished upon the opening of the words She desires the kisses of his Mouth 2. That he should kiss her with the kisses of his Mouth This Proposition will offer me an opportunity to discourse to you the affection of the believing Soul to the words of Christ both in the more external and more spiritual and internal teachings and ministrations of it The words of the Gospel are the words of Christ the kisses of his mouth whether they be applied and set home to the particular conscience yea or no. The ministration of the Gospel is in itself exceeding glorious Therein saith the Apostle is the Righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. 17. Therein in Gods way of Salvation revealed to lost sinners and by it life and immortality are brought to light Now this word of God is to be considered As written for our Instruction For saith the Apostle Rom. 15. 4. whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope As preached So it is the Ordinance of God for our faith and therefore called The word of Faith Sanctification Consolation and Eternal Salvation for indeed the supply of all the spiritual wants and necessities of our Souls Hence there are three ways by which our Souls have a communion with God in his Word Reading Hearing and Meditation Reading is one means by which we come to the knowledg of the will of God in his Word The King of Israel was commanded to read in the Book of Gods Law all the days of his life that he might learn to keep the Law of his God and there is a blessing pronounced to him that readeth Indeed he that readeth the word as it lyeth before us in our Bibles hath this advantage that he is sure what is there plain to his understanding is the undoubted pure Word of God and while a man readeth the Scriptures he is but repeating of Gods Word to his own soul or hearing God immediately speaking to him Hearing the word preached is another means of communion with God in his Word This is an Ordinance of God and such a one as he honoureth with being the great means of calling and saving such as he hath ordained to life So as in that ordinance a soul hath an opportunity to meet God to draw nigh unto him to hear him speak unto it We must take heed that we do not think that all which we hear out of pulpits is spoken by God God no further speaketh by the Minister than the Minister keepeth unto his Text speaketh according to the Scriptures either by way of interpretation or application And therefore every good Christian is to search the Scriptures whether what their Preachers deliver be consonant to them Those noble Bereans mentioned Acts. 17. did so when St. Paul was the Preacher and are commended for it The Scriptures are to be judged by no other rule but Sermons are to be measured by the holy Scriptures No man hath communion with God by hearing further than so far as that is consonant to the will of God which he heareth But admitting the Minister of Christ answereth his name and Office and faithfully revealeth and applieth the will of God while we hear we have communion with God God communicateth his holy will unto us and we communicate with him by an obedient Ear who hath comanded us to hear that our souls may live A third way is by Meditation This is an act of our inward man standing upon the things which we have read or heard as necessary to the souls spiritual nourishment as Digestion is to the nourishment of our bodies by what is their proper food a duty much practised by David Psal 119. 97 99. And a good man is described by it Psal 1. 3. He meditateth in the law of the Lord night and day By this the soul doth not only fasten the word of God upon it self but it also dives deeper into the depths of it I say this communion with God in his word is very desirable to the spouse of Christ I added his gospel especially The Word of God in the holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is made up of several parts There is in it sacred history no unuseful part of holy Writ it being that which more than any other acquainteth us with Gods way of of providence with his people of old You have in it many Moral Instructions and Precepts of Christianity and Godliness an admirable part of Scripture that which makes the holy Scriptures to be what no other book in the world is a light to our feet and lanthorn to our paths Shewing us what we are to do what to decline and avoid but yet these are not properly called Gospel doctrines You have in it many Prophesies or predictions of what God intended to do in the world most of which are fulfilled some we yet live in the expectations of You have also in it many terrible threats and curses and many woes denounced against the violaters of the law of God these are excellent portions of holy Writ to keep your souls in awe and make us afraid of sinning against God but these are not properly Gospel Doctrines but properly belong to the Law which declareth and worketh wrath You have also in those sacred books many declarations of the good will and love of God to poor lost Sinners declared in and through Jesus Christ You have an historical part of the Gospel declaring what Christ hath done and Suffered for us a declarative and promissory part proclaiming Salvation to poor lost creatures and promising life and Salvation and all grace to some poor undone sinners promises for the conferring and increase of grace These and such like I principally understand by Gospel Doctrines The Doctrine of Gods free grace in the pardoning of sin and the imputation of Christs Righteousness to the soul Doctrines that reveal Christ and tend to bring the soul to Christ or direct the soul in walking with him Now I say tho the believing soul values every line of holy Writ and hath a reverence for the whole Word of God and desires a communion with God in reading and hearing and meditating in every part of his revealed will yet it hath a special thirst after those portions of it which contain these Revelations Other parts are
of such things it desireth thirsteth after and delighteth in Hence the dirty filthy Soul where sense and passion and corrupt and debauched affections predominate covets filthy Books and filthy discourses which are but the issues of Souls of the same complexion with itself the Soul that is something cleaner and hath got its passions something more subjugated unto its reason delighteth in and desireth Books and discourses of its own complexion and which are the issues of Souls like unto itself The Spiritual Man being refined to a further degree and pirch minding the glory of God and Spiritual things hath a thirst after the Word and Sermons which are the true and faithful Interpretations applications of that word as being more pure and Spiritual and so more like to it in its renewed State wherein we are transformed into the likeness of the word Thy word is pure saith David therefore doth thy Servant love it Psal 119 140. It is as natural to the renewed Soul to thirst after the pure Word of God and Spiritual discourses from and upon it as it is to an impure unrenewed Soul to thirst after filthy Books obscene discourses or for the Philosopher or moral rational man to desire after or to delight in Books or discourses of its own complexion especially also if we consider that as sober moral discourses tend both to confirm and promove habits of morality so the Book of God and Spiritual discourses upon and according to it tend to confirm and to promove Spiritual habits in the Soul Lastly The Souls of believers must needs more especially desire and delight in those which are more strictly called gospel-Gospel-Doctrines and discourses relating to them because those are they which are suited to the greatest and most pressing wants of the Soul those are the Doctrines wherein the Lord speaks peace and pardon that contain the words of reconciliation I create the fruit of the lips peace peace saith God by his Prophet Isaiah In the historical part of Scripture God speaks instruction in wisdom to his People and tells them the course of his Providence in the world in the government of it both with reference to his People and to their Enemies In the law and preceptive part of Holy Writ and the threatnings of Holy Scripture he tells them their duty what is his will they should do and avoid and what he will do unto them in case they be disobedient to his Commandments and do not walk in his Statutes and keep his judgments In the prophetical part of it so far as it is but an History of what God hath said and done he confirms them in their apprehensions and faith of Gods knowledge of future contingencies and also concerning his faithfulness But it is in the Doctrines of the Gospel alone that he declareth his love to poor Souls in and through the Lord Jesus Christ what Christ hath done and suffered for the redemption and salvation of Man what he is yet ready to do for all such as truly repent and believe and accept of the Mediator It is in that alone that he offers healing to the Nations now every gracious Soul being one who must be supposed to have felt something of the burthen of Sin and the wrath of God due to Man for Sin it is no wonder if the special thirst of such a Soul be after the revelations of Christ in the Doctrines of the Gospel as being most suited to the state of a Soul that is weary and heavy laden and seeking for rest and being wearied in its own indeavours and finding none No wonder if such Sermons such Preaching be most sweet and acceptable unto it if such portions of Scripture such discourses from Scripture be most acceptable and grateful to it's thoughts and most sweet to its meditations as being such which must deliver it from the trouble and uneasiness which the Law which worketh wrath hath given to it finding itself a great transgressor of it Thus I have doctrinally discoursed the hunger of the Soul after the Word of God and a communion with God in it by reading hearing or meditation and the reasonableness of this appetite of the Soul to it There is yet a more excellent internal communion of the Souls communion with God in his Word which infinitely excelleth this and consequently is the more special object of the renewed Souls Spiritual hunger and thirst to which I shall speak But I shall first make application of this discourse Use 1. This Notion may help us to take some measures of our Spiritual State whether we be the Spouses of Christ yea or no the Souls desires or no desires after communion with God in his Word its delight or no delight in that piece of communion with God will go a great way to determine our Spiritual State and how it shall fare with us in the day of Judgment I am sure negatively it is a good note He that hath no desire after no delight in the Word of God hath nothing of God or Christ in him And this is evident from all Scripture experience and reason also Davids experience is instead of all though many more examples might be produced out of Holy Writ There was never any good King of Israel or Judah but call'd for the Law of the Lord and much desired and delighted in the Lords Prophets It is impossible that the Word should have done any Soul good and the savour of it not be left upon it engaging it to prize and value it so long as it lives I only except an extraordinary hour of temptation in which I have known good Souls afraid to read and hear but alas they are at that time not themselves and act not from a free use of their reason This reflects sadly Upon such as neglect reading the Word Some indeed cannot read I know not how to excuse these in times and places where they have such plenty of means to learn As I think those Parents will be inexcusable before God another day that take not care to have their Children when young learned to read So I think those grown Personswhom their Parents have neglected inexcusable who have not used such means as the Age affords in great plenty to learn to read and can hardly believe that Soul to have any fear of God or love to God in it that doth not apply itself to this piece of knowledge But alas how many can read that hardly take the Bible in their Hands from one end of the week to the other Surely we may conclude the Bible never did their Souls good They cannot but have heard that the Lord commanded the King of his People to read in the Book of the Law all the daies of his life And by Gods order was read in the Synagogues every Sabbath Day and can any think himself excused from reading the word we cannot be alwaies hearing nor doth so much knowledge come into our Souls by hearing as may by reading Am I
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