Selected quad for the lemma: grace_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
grace_n	aaron_n	anoint_v	heir_n	14	3	7.7740	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91908	An exposition on the whole booke of Solomons song, commonly called the canticles. Wherein the text is explained and usefull observations raised thereupon. / By John Robotham, preacher of the gospel.	Robotham, John, fl. 1654.	1651 (1651)	Wing R1730; Thomason E639_1; ESTC R206657	461,322	801

and sweet and therefore compared here to myrrhe The graces and prayers of the Saints are said to be sweet as it is Revel 8. 4. Christ ming leth them with his owne sweet odours and so perfumes them before his Father The wicked are abhomination to the Lord because he abhorrs them their services and whatsoever in them is but the righteous man is his delight Prov. 15. 8. Christ will burne up sinne and consume all the drosse of his Saints and accept that which is sweet of his owne spirit in in them All the actions of the flesh are nothing but sinfull workes but the actions wrought by the hand of Christ the finger of God and power of Spirit these actions are sweet holy and gracious Secondly Observe That the sweetnesse of the Saints proceeds from Christs sweetnesse Christ first leaves myrrhe and the fingers of the Spouse drop myrrhe He was anointed with the Oyle of gladnesse above his fellows and out of the fulnesse of his divine annointings we receive grace for grace The head being anointed the oyle ranne downe to the skirts of Aarons garment wee have all from our head grace for his grace love for his love priviledge for his priviledge he is a sonne so are wee sonnes we are heires of heaven as he is heire of God all his dignities offices priviledges graces and preferrements are ours So that looke whatsoever grace or priviledge is in the head it descends downe to the Members who share with the head in every vertue so that all our graces are from his grace our life from his life our myrrhe from his myrrhe It followeth in the next verse VERS 5. I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawne himselfe and was gone my soule failed when he spake I sought him but I could not finde him I called him but he gave me no answer HEre wee see the troubles and sorrows which befall the Spouse because of her former negligence and securitie Christ will not let her lye asleep on her bed of ease but will come to awaken her In the verse wee have First The action of the Spouse I opened to my beloved Secondly The discouragements of the Spouse and they are three First Christs leaving of her My beloved had withdrawne himselfe Secondly Her inward griefe and sorrow My soule failed c. Thirdly She had no answer notwithstanding all her seeking I sought him but he gave me no answer c. I opened or I my selfe opened to my beloved as before this noteth a further degree of grace in the Spouse that she did not only rise up but opened the doore giveth up the strength and power of heart and affections unto him willing that the everlasting King of glorie should come in and reigne there Hence Observe That gracious affections produce gracious actions Where there is the truth of affection it will discover it selfe in holy action after her affections were moved she presently openeth to her beloved The will minde and understanding guide the outward man therefore if these be touched and wrought upon it will quickly appeare in outward action as soone as her bowels were moved and that her fingers dropt myrrhe she shews the truth of her affection in opening unto and making after her beloved Thus much for the action of the Spouse her discouragements follow But my beloved had withdrawne himselfe Withdrawne or passed away to wit secretly and quietly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transivit particularly also putting up the great injurie of refusall that shee had offered him passed by to wit the doores and so went away The doubling of the complaint for his departure sheweth her passion and griefe in that she thought he had been at the doore when she opened but now he was gone she could not enjoy his presence and favour as formerly she had to her unspeakeable comfort This is strange that he calleth and knocketh when she was asleep and lay in her bed and now when she is risen out of her bed and openeth the doore to let him in he withdraweth himselfe and will not be seene her unkinde dealing did deserve this Hence Observe That Christ doth sometimes withdraw himselfe from his Saints according to their sense and apprehension So God did withdraw from Christ when he cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me but yet at that time God was neere him and did uphold him by his power and so for the Saints such desertions as these proceed from love from him that doth withdraw himselfe he doth it of purpose for their good and that out of a singular love but seeing Christ doth alwayes dwell in the Saints how can it be said that he doth withdraw himselfe out of their sight especially when he hath made their hands to drop with myrrhe This is out of question that Christ is alwayes present in the souls of the faithfull and yet to their thinking and apprehension he seemeth to be absent He doth still support them by his power and spirit and yet they have not the lively and comfortable feeling of his presence which they desire and sometimes happily did enjoy Then the heart is troubled then they mourne then they seeke and call after him for shee saith My soule failed when he spake My soule went forth or it left me and was gone it failed and fainted within me I was as one without life even as one dead through feare and griefe The departure of the soule from the body is death she was now as it were in a swoone or halfe dead for the time Alas now shee is afraid that her unkinde dealing should cause him to forsake her Who is able to expresse the griefe and sorrow the godly soule hath when it seeketh to feele the consolation of Christ and he hideth his face True it is that the Spouse could not lament she could not open the doore seeking and calling after him unlesse he were present and did worke these things in her for all these things proceed from his grace but yet he doth seeme to be absent which makes her crye out my soule my strength my life my comfort is departed from me When he spake When he spake or while he was speaking or rather because of his Speech to me which I had neglected for however the Hebrew will beare both yet I thinke the latter most agreeable with the purpose of the Spouse which is to agravate her offence and also to shew the miseries that she fell into for so great neglect So the sence is My soule failed because of speech or for the words which he had used when he so lovingly called unto me as before in verse 2. saying Open unto me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is full of dew c. Now when the Spirit had moved upon her heart and affections then she remembred the words of her beloved Hence Observe First That Christ's words makes after impressions in the hearts of the Saints though

all the sweet and costly things that the Princes of the earth do enjoy Thus we have heard the Churches desire of fellowship with Christ and the reason of her request drawn from the excellency of his love now it follows in the next verse she rendereth a reason of her so much delighting in his love VERS 3. Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is an ointment powred forth therefore the Virgins love thee IN these words she rendereth a reason why her affections were so set upon her beloved and why shee doth so love him and why shee preferres his love above all the glory and pleasures of this world her reason is drawn from the excellency of Christ that he is as a boxe of odoriferous ointment and that in him was found redolent savours and precious sweet things by which he doth perfume her with his spirituall sinels and so maketh her sweet also This verse contains two things 1. A cause or reason of her delight in Christ's love because of thy ointments c. 2. An effect flowing from the cause therefore doe the virgins love thee Because of the savour c. By savour smell or odour is meant knowledg understanding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Odoratus est olfeci● sentit sense or feeling the Apostle calleth it the savour of life 2. Cor. 2. 14. So it is said when the tow smelleth the fire it is broken Judg. 16. 9. The meaning is when it feeleth the fire Of thy good ointments or good oiles In this comparison shee seemeth not only to meane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pinguedo oleum unguentum those ordinary confections in the Apothecaries shop but the holy ointment and perfume which God commanded Moses to make with which the Tabernacle and the ministring Vessels were annointed and also Aaron and his sons Exod. 30. 2● 24 25. And we read in Psal 133. that this ointment was powred upon the head of Aaron and went down to the skirts of his cloathing By this similitude the Church commendeth the graces of Christ which he had being cloathed with the holy spirit for the Lord anointed him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes Psal 45. 7. And saith God I will put my spirit upon you Isa 42. 1. And it is said of him The spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath annointed me to preach the Gospel Isa 61. 1. Now the odour of Christ's graces are smelt and become savoury by the preaching of the Gospel and therefore shee addeth Thy name is as ointment c. Concerning what is meant here by Christs name we may take a double interpretation 1. By name we may understand it of those proper names given to Christ in Scripture As Messias and Christ which are by interpretation annointed these names are given to Christ by way of excellency he being anointed by the Father unto that great Office of his Mediator-ship and he is called ointment in Isa 10. 27. And indeed all names given to Christ are very sweet and redolent as Shilo which signifies tranquillum esse intimating that Christ our peace and tranquility he is called Ithiel Prov. 30. 1. A word as Junius writes compounded of three parts as if one should say the strong God with me the name comes all one with Immanuel God with us so he that is Ithiel God manifest in the flesh is also called Veal Almighty able to save us He is likewise called Jesus a Saviour because he saveth his people from their sinnes Besides these hee hath names of office as of King Priest Prophet he is a King for government and rule a Priest for sacrifice and intercession a Prophet for teaching and revealing the secrets of the Fathers bosome Lastly he hath a name sutable unto his two-fold nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man the Apostle calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the man Christ for as man he was in one hypostasis or person with God Now how delectable and sweet are all the names of Christ and how much more redolent and savoury then all the precious ointments in the world 2. By Christs name is understood the Gospel and the publishing thereof to the world Paul was a chosen vessell to carry his name unto the Gentiles Act. 9. 15. And it is said the Gentiles shall trust in his name Matth. 12. 21. As ointment powred forth By the powring forth of Christ's name is meant the preaching and publishing of the Gospel Here the Church alludeth to the perfect odour of such pretious oyntments which if it be closed up in a vessell is not felt savory untill it be powred forth then the sweetnesse thereof doth spread abroad and perfume all other things Wee read in the Gospel of Maries pound of Spikenard ointment and when shee had broken the box of pretious ointment and powred it upon Christ's head at table the house was filled with the savour of it Mark 14. 3. So when the name and Gospel of Christ is preached abroad it giveth an odour to every believing soul so that by the preaching of the Gospel they also receive the holy spirit Gal. 3. 2. They received the holy Ghost by the hearing of faith The word to powre forth in the Originall signifies to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evacuavit exhausit Evaginavit exhaust or draw dry to empty which may denote the plentifull powring of it forth It also signifies to draw forth the sword to the battle so it is used in Ezek. 28. 7. This may denote unto us the majesty and power of the Gospel so Christ is bid to gird his swore upon his thigh with glory and majesty Ps 45. 3. By the sword is meant the word of the Gospel which proceeded out of Christs mouth Rev. 1. 16. And by glory and majesty is meant the magnificence and powerfull effects of the word Therefore doe the Virgins love thee The Church having laid down the cause shee also shewes the effect the sweetnesse of Messiah and of his graces powred forth upon her have enflamed her heart with love towards him Some understand these Virgins to be such as are not espoused to Christ such as the unconverted Jewes and the uncalled of the Gentiles Others understand them to be the fellow-friends of the Spouse and of those that are faithfull and called of God who with pure minds serve the Lord only and worship him in their spirits These Virgins are either 1. Of particular congregations so the Apostle calleth the Church in 2 Cor. 11. 1. I have prepared you for one husband and to present you as a pure Virgin unto Christ or else 2. Of particular members of the Church for the Hebrew tongue as I hinted before useth co call the whole the Mother and the parts the Daughter for so these Virgins are called in diverse places of this song Now the Saints and members of Christ are called Virgins in these respects 1. For their chastity as in thefore-named place 2 Cor. 11. 2. That

and savory in it self yet the Saints come to the sense and feeling thereof most of all by the publishing and displaying of the Gospell The Virgins were most sensible of Christs graces when his name was an Ointment powred forth The most full and perfect odours that are and the most sweet and pretious Ointments in the World are never felt so savory as when they be powred forth As the Box of pretious Ointment when it was broken and powred on Christs head the savour thereof filled the house Mark 14. 3. For by the Preaching of the Gospell or the powring forth of Christ's name his fame glory and renowne is made knowne in the World according to that in Luke 4. 14. There went out a fame of him throughout all the Region round about and he taught in their Synagogues being glorified of all This was that the Apostle rejoyced in and said Now thanks be unto God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place for we are unto God a sweet savour in Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one a Savour of death unto death and to the other a Savour of life unto life 2 Cor. 14 15 16. Now the name of Christ is powred forth when all his vertues and graces are displayed and laid open when it is declared that he hath fullfilled all righteousnesse and that he hath offered up himselfe by the eternall Spirit without spot unto God and that he hath appeased the wrath of his Father and made perfect reconciliation for the sins of his people thus is Christs name as a pretious Ointment powred forth Againe when Christ is set forth in his beauty to be Fairer then the Children of Adam to be the chiefe of ten thousand in his love free rich and everlasting in his graces to be compleat and full in his Offices to be a most excellent Prophet Priest and King in his riches to be the Heire of God and of Heaven in all the operations of his Spirit working Sanctification and all needfull graces in his Saints in all those rich and costly gifts which he doth bestow on his people redeeming of them with his pretious Blood sanctifying of them with his pretious graces enriching of them with his pretious promises reviving of them with his pretious love comforting of them with his pretious Spirit and enabling of them with pretious Priviledges when all these things as I said are opened and displayed then is Christs name as it were as a Box of the good Ointment broken and powred forth then there is smelt that blessed savour that causeth the Virgins to love him The Ministers of the Gospell may learn here and see what their duty is and which way they should imploy their whole strength namely to display those treasures of grace and to publish and spread before men those manifold transcendent excellencies and all those wayes of shining glory which are in Christ to draw and allure poor souls to come unto him Who will seek after that which he knows not of But who will not seeke after a pretious Jewell O then Let Christ be laid open in his natures in his graces in all his shining excellencies dignities and vertues that so his fame being spread and his name powred out as sweet Ointment by this means multitudes may be drawne unto him Againe the powring forth of Christ's name by the Publishing of the Gospell will be as effectuall unto those that receive it as Ointment is to the body unto which it is applied So that looke of what effects or use the most pretious confections are to the body of man of the same effect and of far greater use is the powring forth of Christ's name to the soule First Ointments are compounded of very rich and costly things In this respect the Ointment that Mary anointed Christ withall was called Pretious because saith Judas Much might have been given for it Mark 14. And of the pretious things which King Hezekiah shewed to the Ambassadors of the King of Babylon this was one namely the Good Ointment 2 Kings 20. 13. So is the Gospell a compound of rich and costly things it is a treasury full of Heavenly wisdome and Divine Revelation it is called Riches of glory Col. 1. 27. And the wisdome and power of God 1 Cor. 1. The Gospell is rich in its priviledges in its matter in its effects in all the promises therein contained In a word the divulging of the Gospel is a displaying and spreading before men all the riches of God and of Christ the riches of wisdome the riches of power the riches of love the riches of mercy all which are eminently shewed forth in the Gospell This is that the Lord told Moses when he said I will make all my goodnesse to passe before thee Exod. 33. 19. Now what doth the Lord meane by all his goodnesse but onely a Proclamation of the Gospell unto Moses The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin c. Exod. 34. 6 7. Secondly Ointment is a signe of joy and comfort and with such they were wont to be anointed at Feasts Amos 6. 6. And they used it in signe of joy Eccles 9. 7 8. Thus the Gospel is called Tidings of great joy Luk. 1. 19. And good Tidings Isa 61. 1. The Gospell of great joy Luke 2. 10. because it brings a glorious joy along with it Thirdly Ointment healeth wounded bodies and knitteth up the joints which are broken Luke 10. 34. So the Oile of Gods grace heals the bruises of the Souls of those that are broken in Spirit Thus we have it in Isa 61. 1. The Lord anointed me to Preach glad tidings to the meeke and he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted c. Fourthly Oile doth make the face to shine Psal 104. 15. Eccles 8. 1. So the Gospell putteth a shining and glorious lustre on the faces of those to whom it comes It is said of Stephen That the Jewes looked stedfastly on him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angell Acts 6. 15. It makes mens faces shine as did the face of Moses when he had beene with God on the Mount Fifthly By Ointment were Kings Priests and Prophets Anointed to their Office So by those graces brought by the Gospell the Saints are Anointed by Christ to be Kings Priests and Prophets they are so made by Christ unto God and his Father Revel 1. 6. The Gospell giveth men the highest Priviledges in the World to be Kings and Priests unto God to be a royal Priest-hood a holy Nation a peculiar people yea a whole Nation of Kings Priests and Prophets Thus the Gospell is as Ointment powred forth to the unspeakable delight of the Saints drawing and ravishing the minds of them that heare it sweetly to imbrace Jesus