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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	year_n	young_a	youth_n	154	3	7.9851	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A69777	The intercourses of divine love betwixt Christ and his Church, or, The particular believing soul metaphorically expressed by Solomon in the first chapter of the Canticles, or song of songs : opened and applied in several sermons, upon that whole chapter : in which the excellencies of Christ, the yernings of his gospels towards believers, under various circumstances, the workings of their hearts towards, and in, communion with him, with many other gospel propositions of great import to souls, are handles / by John Collinges ...	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1683 (1683)	Wing C5324; ESTC R16693	839,627	984

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

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 do●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

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 ●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