same numerical acts of Worship in one place we conceive it stands upon no such bottom that it deserves any pains in the confutation of it it may be a good Notion of a particular Church but not an exclusive of the Application of the term to more Now this Visible Church of God is that which is Christ's House The Invisible Church is so and the Visible Church is so He walketh in the midst of the golden Candlesticks 2. That this is Christ's House appears 1. From the letter of Scripture 1 Tim. 3. 15. That thou mayess know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the living God Timothy's charge was not the Invisible Church but the Visible Church this is called the House of God Heb. 3. 6. Christ is said to be faithful as a Son over his own house whose house saith he we are c. I shall not here dispute the Question whether the hypocritical part of the Visible Church be aequivocal or univocal Members sure I am take those together with the sincere Professors and they make up but one Church which is his House But secondly Look which way you will upon the Church it is Christ's House he hath the dominion of it and he useth it as his House he hath bought it Act. 20. 28. he hath redeemed it with his own precious blood It is given him It is his House by right of donation The Members of it are given him by his Father The Stones of it are his the Saints are the lively Stones built up into this Spiritual House 1 Pet. 2. 5. and they are built upon the foundation of his Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner Stone they are sanctified in and through Jesus Christ his blood is as the Mortar and Cement by that they are united to God and made one each with other The Builder is his Spirit Eph. 2. 22. Consider an House as to the use of it and upon that account they are also his House Is an House the place where a man abideth and dwelleth so is the Church to the Lord Jesus Christ that 's the place where he dwelleth He dwelt of old in Mount Zion Isa 8. 18. there he abideth Is the House a man's resting place so is Zion to God 2 Chron. 6. 41. Psal 132. 8 13 14. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it Is the House a man's feeding place where he dineth and suppeth and feedeth so is the Church Cant. 2. 16. He feedeth amongst the Lillies When the Spouse desired to be informed where Christ fed her answer was Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the Flock Cant. 1. 7. Is that a man's House where he keeps his Wife his Children his Servants such is the Church there Christ keeps his Children his Servants his Spouse Is a man's House the place where he spends what he hath such is the Church there it is that Christ gives out grace and glory yea and every good thing Lastly Is a man's House the place where he is protected and defended such is the Church to Christ there he expeâ—â—s protection for his great Name his Ordinances c. But this is enough to have shewed you the propriety of the Metaphor But 3. The Church is not only Christ's House but it is the Believer's House too not the Believer's House as to dominion and title but as to use No man but Jesus Christ alone hath a dominion and Lordship over the Church of God even the Apostles themselves were but Ministers to it But yet I say The Church is the Believer's House it is the place where he dwells He chuseth rather to be a Door-keeper in the House of the Lord than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness Psal 84. 10. Hear David expressing himself Psal 27. 4. One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the daies of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his Temple A man cannot be a Believer but he must forthwith be a Member of the Church Invisible None is a true Believer but he immediately by his Profession of that Faith makes himself a Member of the Catholick Visible Church and he will desire to unite himself to the particular Assemblies which are parts of that Catholick Body No sooner were the three thousand converted at St. Peter's Sermon Act. 2. 41. But they added to the Church and there they dwell v. 42. They continue stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship and in breaking of bread and prayers No sooner was Paul converted Act. 9. 26. but he assayeth to joyn himself unto the Disciples And v. 28. he was with them going out and coming in at Hierusalem But this is enough to have spoken to the Explication of the Point I come to the Application which shall be in four words This Notion speaks the Churches 1. Dignity 2. Duty 3. Security 4. Probability of Reformation In the first place This Notion speaks the Church's Dignity It is the Habitation of the King of Kings When Jacob in his Journey to Padan-Aram had had that notable Vision he breaketh out in the morning into this expression v. 17. How dreadful is this place This is none other but the House of God this is the Gate of Heaven I am not speaking of the Church in a local notion but of the true Church The number of true Believers or the number of Visible Professors let the World vilifie them as much as they please they are a Noble Society Those who have clean hands and pure hearts who have not lift up their Souls unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully they shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of their Salvation This is the generation of them that seek thy face O Jacob Psal 24. 4 5 6. Believers may have their infirmities and a Professing People may have their great failings the Lord be merciful to the Professors of England for theirs but yet take them notwithstanding all and they are the best People in the World they are the Lord's Habitation he hath pitched his Tents among them and manifests his presence with them Secondly As it speaks the Dignity of the Church so it speaks the Duty of those who are the Members of the Church Psal 93. 5. Holiness becomes thine House O Lord. The Wise man commands us to keep our feet when we go into the House of God Eccles 5. And God bid Moses put off the shoes from off his feet upon this account because he was upon holy ground he was near the burning Bush where God made himself a temporary Habitation Those that take upon them the Profession of Religion stand concerned to be holy and those that are entred into the Profession of it stand concerned
he could do nothing against him because he found nothing in him If the Devil found nothing in our Souls he could do nothing against them but only disturb them The like may be said for the corruptions of Churches If the husbandmen did not sleep the Enemy could not sow so many tares All corruptions in the Doctrine of faith in matters of Worship and discipline have crept in by the Officers of Churches not keeping their own Vineyards The man of sin the Western Antichrist had never so hacknyed the Western Churches if they had not like Issachar Couched under the burden and bowed their necks down to the Yoke I shall shut up this discourse with a few Words of Exhortation to all to keep their own Vineyards I shall not here speak to the duty of husbandmen Spiritual husbandmen to keep the Vineyard of the Church it were a Proper discourse from the Doctrine but I am not in a proper auditory And besides would every particular Christian but keep the Vineyard of his own Soul the care of Magistrates and Ministers who are the keepers of Christs Vineyard might be less Christians woful remissness and neglect in keeping the more particular Vineyards of their own Souls is that which makes the work of the keepers of the more publick Vineyard of the Church so difficult and almost unpracticable to them Let me therefore only lay a little stress here as we say if every man would sweep his own door the street would be clean So it is true if every one would look to the Vineyard of his own particular Soul or his particular family the Church of God would be clean for that is made up but of particular families and particular Souls When these Vineyards are kept the more publick Vineyard which is made up of these must also be kept Wherein the keeping of our Vineyards lyeth you have heard viz. 1. In the keeping of it clear of weeds and noxious plants 2. In the cultivation and manuring such plants as are fit for it In these two things lyeth the keeping of Gardens and Vineyards amongst men in these two things lyeth the keeping of our Vineyards in a metaphorical more spiritual sense you whom God hath trusted with the care of others have a larger Vineyard then those that are solute The Wife is a part of the Husbands Vineyard Children are their parents Vineyard Servants are their Masters Vineyard Every mans family is his Vineyard If any be single his Soul is his Vineyard The keeping of your Vineyards lyeth in a keeping of them free from Scandal not suffering sin upon any that stand in any relation to you we ought not to do it as to our neighbour much less as to any that are our neighbours in thenearest and strictest sense and who stand in nearest concernment to us David resolved to walk within his house with a perfect heart that the faithful in the land should dwell with him and that he that walked in a perfect way should serve him that he that wrought deceit should not dwell within his house he that telleth lyes should not abide in his sight Psal 101. 2 7 8. Abraham commanded his Children and his houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgment Gen. 18. 19. For you that have only the Vineyards of your own Souls to keep neglect them not I will press this upon you with 2 considerations which I shall recommend to you 1. The first shall be The value of the Vineyards with which God hath betrusted to you The Vineyards are Souls either your own Souls or the Souls of others or both Which way soever you consider a Soul whether as a Spiritual being or as a reasonable being indued with noble faculties or as an immortal being that cannot perish with the body as that part of man which beareth the most lively impress of the image of God as that which was purchased by the blood of Christ and which is the habitation of God through the Spirit in which the holy Spirit may dwell that which is ordained to an Eternity either of happiness or misery which way soever you look upon your own Souls or the Souls of those who are committed to your trusts they are noble Vineyards Reason teacheth us to take the best care of our best and most excellent things I have thought it often a most unreasonable vanity of some Gentlemen to take a great deal more care of the managery of an horse or hawk then of their Sons It is every whit as great if not a much greater vanity to take a greater care of the bodies and outward concerns of their relations then of their Souls What can be laid in ballance with a Soul which will not be found too light for it what shall be offered in exchange for it and not rejected as of too low a consideration Of what value think you that must be which was bought with the blood of him who was the Son of God Consider of what value the profession of your faith and the practice of holiness is your faith is called precious faith and of holiness it is said that without it none shall see the Lord. 2. Secondly Consider who it is that hath betrusted you with them Behold saith God All Souls are mine It is God that hath given unto us the trust of our own Souls and the trusts of others Souls for all Souls are originally Gods He breaths the Soul into the body of a man he puts Souls into mens families I beseech you consider here these particulars 1. That every Person of reputation and honour valueth a trust and thinks it beneath a man not to discharge a trust he undertakes with some degrees of faithfulness We see in our daily experience that as men naturally Love to be trusted so they have a kind of natural religion for the keeping and discharging of it This is what makes men consciencious as to the wills of Persons that are dead All Souls are trusts our particular Souls are trusts the Souls of our relations are trusts to us The property of all Souls is Gods the trust of them is in us I wish this were but well thought on the wicked men mentioned by the Psalmist said our lips are our own who is Lord over us Psal 12. 4. men think that they may do what they will with what they have a full propriety in This is a great cause of mens neglect of their Souls they dream too much of an absolute property they have in them they say their Souls are their own Who is Lord over them would men consider their Souls a little more as trusts they would take a stricter care of them 2. Tho we naturally value all trusts yet such as our Superiours or near friends commit to us we yet value more A dread of our Superiours makes us to value and take care of what they have committed to our trust a love to our friends makes us value theirs
their worldly and sensual satisfactions I would speak to them as one standing this day in wisdoms Porch and crying after them in their hottest pursuits of the world Come and turn your hearts hither you that are simple ones and void of understanding I shall have a fairer opportunity to speak to these when I come to consider the argument by which the Spouse backeth her Petition But alas we had need make these cries often you can see the world and the gay and fine things therein precious and run after them with a swift pace but you can see no excellency in the kisses of Christ nothing for which they should be so desired when alas the world is but like a brave glass which whole is of some value but if broken in pieces the small pieces of it are worth nothing Christ his love is like a wedge of Gold or like a most precious perfume the least particle the least drop of which hath its value there is no emanation of his special loves but is suted to the Souls wants and to some eminent necessity under which the Soul laboureth Hear Solomon speaking to you Prov. 1. 22. How long you simple ones will you love simplicity And Fools hate knowledge Turn you at my reproof I will pour out my Spirit unto you I will make known my words unto you Your reason tells you that a vessel of Silver or Gold is much preferrible to one of Earth or Glass and as for other reasons so for this which you ordinarily say break a vessel of Earth and Glass the pieces are worth nothing but if one of those more valuable mettals be broke the least pieces have their value Why should not the same reason instruct you that Christs favour is to be prefer'd to all the world can afford you a little of the world is not much valuable a plentiful estate the highest pitches of honour a belly full of pleasure that indeed may appear desirable but the least tokens of Christs love the least expressions of his favour are most valuable things The kisses of the world are for the most part but Oscula Iscariotica or Joabitica like the kisses of Judas who in order to the betraying of his Master first kissed him or like the kiss of Joab to Amasa who under pretence of kissing him smote him under the fifth rib and slew him Christ's kisses are kisses of peace and reconciliation of love and favour Secondly This notion calleth to all those that are true Christians and that for three things For a due value of the least tokens of Christs special and distinguishing love look narrowly to make up your judgment whether what you take to be such be such or no and there you must take heed that you do not make conclusions from the gifts of common providence No man can judge of the love or hatred of God to his Soul from any thing which befalls him in this life No man can judge of any special love from Gods giving him a longer life greater measures of health a more plentiful estate or any thing of this nature God gives the worst of men their portion in such things as these No nor â—dly from common gifts such as those of knowledge utterance c. look therefore narrowly to make your judgment and the surest Judgment is from such things as more conform you to the nature or will of God but if you will find aliquid Christi any thing which you can call Christs or speaks his distinguishing love take heed of undervaluing that Secondly It calls to you for the use of all means for proficiency and growth in Grace Such as hearing the Word Prayer the use of all the Ordinances of God for in reason if the least tokens of Christs special love be desirable greater manifestations of it are much more desirable Labour for more holiness more heavenly-mindedness more subjection of your will to the will of God Hath the Lord blessed you with a faith of adherence a power given you from above to cast your Souls upon the Lord Jesus Christ Labour for faith of evidence be like the Travellers to Zion of which David speaketh Psal 84. that go from strength to strength until they all appear before the Lord in Zion It may be a good question sometimes to satisfy a troubled doubting Soul what is the Minimum quod sic the lowest degree or measure of saving grace but it is an ill hearing from a lazy wanton Soul Lastly it calls loudly to us to thirst after Heaven where the believing Soul shall be the Lambs Wife and follow him whithersoever he goes and be blessed with the clearest vision and the fullest imbraces of its beloved Oh how pleasant will the mansions of glory be to those Souls to whom the imperfect views that it hath had of Christ in this life have been so desirable while we are present in the Body even Paul himself owneth himself absent from the Lord. Now indeed we are the Sons of God now we are in a capacity of his kisses tokens of special love sufficient to uphold and refresh our Souls but there we shall be at the rivers of pleasures where there is not only pleasure but fulness of pleasures and that for evermore O Blessed are they that shall be alwaies before the Throne of God seeing their Redeemer with those Eyes and taking their fills of his love Sermon IV. Canticles 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth BY the beloveds Kisses mentioned in this Text I have understood Christs special and distinguishing love and the tokens of it by which either as God blessed for ever or as the Mediatour of the world he may discover his kindness to the Children of Men or the Members of his Church in common from whence I have already observed that the heart of a Believer is after distinguishing love Kisses being the least of those Evidences I have shewed That the least tokens of Christs special and distinguishing love are and will be very sweet to Believers Souls But I observe the word is in the plural number Kisses and so may signify either 1. Various dispensations of Grace Or 2. Various repetitions of the same Acts of Grace Hence the next Proposition ariseth That altho the least dispensations of special and distinguishing love be exceeding sweet and precious to Souls which have once tasted how good the Lord is yet their hearts will be after fuller and frequent dispensations and repetitions of it I take both these to be comprehended in the plurality of the term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grace is a thing which is but one piece considered as it is in God their 's nothing plural in the one Divine Being but as the Sea which is in itself but one yet as it washeth upon several coasts receiveth several names and denominations as the English Sea the Irish Sea and the Baltick Sea So as the Grace of God respecteth the several necessities and wants of us
Prisoners which God heareth and accepteth Sermon XXI Cant. 1. 4. Draw me and we will run after thee IT is a great point that I am upon from the Petition of the Text Draw me viz. That the Soul must be drawn before it will move toward Christ either by coming to him in its first conversion or by running after him I have been some time upon it I shall now shut up my discourse with some few words of exhortation which shall respect all Men and Women 1. Those that are yet without Christ not come unto him 2. Such as are come unto him yet are under obligations to run after him 1. To the first I would speak two things 1. Never think either of coming to Christ or running after him in your own natural strength It is a rock which many Souls dash and are eternally spilt upon They say not there is no hope they have found the life of their hands therefore they are not grieved It is one of the most dangerous deceits of a mans heart for him to say he hath his Spiritual life in his own hands to think that he hath a power within himself and can turn to Christ when he pleaseth or to bless himself as in a good condition when indeed his condition is very bad Let me a little shew you the mischief of this errour 1. If I could say no more than that it is a false persuasion yet that were enough to defame it to every reasonable Soul the Soul instead of having its life hath no more than a lie in its right hand the object of our understanding is truth falshood is what it ought naturally to reject and abhor Men are but in an ill condition when they are forced to make lies their refuge and to hide themselves under falshood Is 28. 15. What a sad state is that Soul in that is put to make a lie its refuge and to hide itself from the reflections of its conscience under falshood His conscience tells him he perisheth for ever if he abideth in the State he is in what relieves him he thinks he can repent and believe and turn to God when he listeth and so goeth on in his sinful courses stoppeth his Ears against the voice of the Lords Charmers Here is now a lie made the refuge of the Soul 2. But Secondly a further mischief lies here That whereas the drawings of Divine Grace do usually follow some means and endeavours to be used on our part and that in time this false persuasion takes us off the timely use of such means and endeavours upon the use of which God ordinarily comes in with the further power of his Grace Admit a thing necessary to be done and so allowed by us yet if it be laborious painful or any way ingrateful as to the means to be used in the doing of it and it be a thing which we know or believe we can do when we will we are never hasty to do it but very apt to defer and put it off from time to time and to omit those means the use of which is not pleasing to our sense whereas if we be convinced that the thing is not in our own power but requires the assistance of another if we apprehend it necessary for us tho the means be unpleasing yet we will not neglect the use of them For example admit a man sick of some dangerous disease and he apprehendeth that without the use of some skilful Physitian he cannot live though he cannot come at this Physician without a laborious journey and knows the Physick will not please his pallat yet a man will not lose his opportunity nor neglect taking Physick according to the Physicians prescription whereas if he apprehends his distemper such as he knows at any time how to remove by some means in his own power he is very prone to put off the use of means from time to time until possibly it be too late This is the case of a Soul persuaded that it hath its life in its own hands a power in itself when it pleaseth to repent believe and turn to God these things being not pleasing to flesh and blood the Soul is very prone to slight and neglect the means with which God useth to concur giving the Soul a power to do these things above what it hath in itself but now admit a Soul possessed of the necessity of faith repentance and new obedience in order to its eternal happiness and also to know that it cannot do these things without a powerful influence of Divine Grace which God useth not to give out in the neglect but in the use of those means of Grace which he hath appointed especially if it knows that the Spirit of God shall not alwaies strive with man it will neglect no time no use of means but in the morning sow its Seed and not suffer its hand in the Evening to be â—lack because it knoweth not which shall prosper this or that with what means or at what time God will concur Isaiah 57. 10. Thou saidst that thou hadst thy life in thy hands therefore thou wert not grieved The Jews had used all means to make piece and leagues with other Nations and had at length obtained it and thence concluded they had their life in their hands they were well enough and safe enough and therefore they were not at all grieved for their sins against God which was a means in order to their true security It is even thus with the Soul did it lie under the powerful conviction of this truth That of itself it hath no power to repent believe or turn to God it would then be troubled for its sad and miserable estate and look out for Salvation in and by Christ waiting upon him in ordinances and by prayer crying to him to draw it unto himself but so long as it is possest of an opinion of sufficiency in itself it neglecteth the timely use of such means as must be used in order to eternal Salvation by and from Christ upon this score I conceive it was that Christ told the Pharisees Mat. 21. 32. That Publicans and Harlots should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them The Pharisees said they had their life in their hands they could save themselves they were Lords and therefore they would not come to Christ the Apostle telleth us that the Jews going about to establish their own righteousness submitted not themselves to the righteousness of God Rom. 10. 3. 3. May it not be doubted whether God will ever draw that Soul that faneieth that it stands in no need of his drawing It is said of God that he resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble What is Pride but an high and undue opinion of our selves Whether it be upon the account of some gifts of common Providence such as Riches Honours c. or common gifts of the Spirit such as knowledge the gift of prayer or prophecying or which indeed is
is with the Soul its Spiritual distemper many times is not so much a weakness as a spiritual deadness dulness and inactivity so as it wants a promptness and readiness to its duty It cannot say with David My heart is ready O God my heart is ready I will pray and sing Praise Running argues the absence of this ill temper If the Lord draweth the Soul it will not only serve him but it will serve him with a ready mind and free Spirit praise and duty will wait for God in the Soul it will not only walk but run the ways of Gods Commandments David hath an expression to this purpose Psal 119. 60. I made hast and delayed not to keep thy Commandments Every Soul that loves God keepeth the Commandments of God it is the test of our love to God He that hath my commandments and keepeth them saith Christ John 14 21. he it is that loveth me But there is a great deal of difference in mens keeping and fulfilling the commandments of God The meanest weakest Christian doth in his measure keep the Lords commandments all the commandments of God Psal 119. 6. Then saith David shall I not be ashamed when I have a respect to all thy Commandments He that hath the least of saving Grace sets the law of the Lord in his Eye and makes the word of God a light to his feet and a Lanthorn to his paths and hath a reverence and regard to all the commandments of God and To will is present with him he would walk perfectly with God but in many things he doth offend through weakness and in many things through a dulness and heaviness which sometimes doth affect and afflict his Soul he doth not only want a strength to perform but he wants a life and quickness of Spirit in what he doth but now if the Lord draweth the Soul makes hast and delayeth not to keep the Commandments of God Jacob himself had forgot the vow which he had made unto God when he fled from the face of his Brother Esau God draweth him saith unto him Gen. 35. 1. Arise go up to Bethel make there an Altar to God c. then Jacob made hast and delayed not v. 2. When there is a suspension of this drawing Grace in its co-operating and concurring influences the Soul moves heavily like Pharaohs Chariots when the Wheels are taken off it hath a view of its duty and lieth under convictions as to it and it may be finds strength enough to the performance of it but wants a readiness of mind and is ready when it hath a monition to duty from such as wish well to it to say as he said to Paul Go thy way when I am at leisure I will send for thee Or tomorrow or at such or such a time I will do it as the young man in the Gospel whom Christ bid follow him said suffer me first to go and bury my dead So sometimes the Soul is ready to say suffer me first to go and do such or such a thing So the Soul is ready to delay and put off good motions but when the Lord draweth then it maketh hast and delayeth not to keep his Commandments It longeth for times of duty It is glad when they say unto it Come let us go up to the House of the Lord it sayeth when shall I come and appear before God There is a time when the Soul saith when will the Sabbath come the hour of Prayer come that I may appear before God and pour out my Soul before him This is now when God draweth hard when the Spirit of God cometh upon the Soul in a more than ordinary influence and there is a time when the Soul saith when will the Sabbath he gone the hour of duty be run out This is when the Lord doth not draw in such a manner The believing Soul like the flowers opens or shuts as the Sun of righteousness shineth more or less upon it Let me again allude to that Text Psal 65. 1. Praise watteth for God in Zion Praise is a rent due from our Souls to God we farm much mercy from the great Landlord of all good Praise is all the rent we pay Now look as it is in the world a bad tenant never hath his rent ready so it is with a bad Man he lives upon mercy and it may be hath liberal portions of mercy but God never hears of him to pay his acknowledgments A good Tenant if the times be good hath alwaies his rent ready for his Landlord so as his rent waiteth for his Landlord but if the times be bad even the best Tenants though they have an heart to pay their rent yet may not have it to pay their Landlords may wait for their rents so it is with the best Souls If the Sun of righteousness shines out clearly upon them and the Spirit of Grace draweth powerfully Praise waiteth for God in their Souls If not God may wait for his Praises Hence David so often prayeth Quicken me according to thy word Psal 119. 25. Quicken me in thy way v. 37. Quicken me in thy righteousness v. 40. I have now opened the term Run The Proposition opened lies thus before you That the Soul of a Christian once drawn not only by the motives and arguments of the Gospel improved by the gifts of Gods Minister but by the secret and powerful influence of the Spirit of God upon it doth no longer lie still as the Soul dead in sin nor move from a forreign power put forth upon it but from an inward principle within itself and that not weakly and impotently but with might and strength and that not dully and heavily but with life freedom speed and chearfulness after God in the way of its duty keeping the Commandments of God with its whole heart being first made willing it willeth being first set on work it worketh yet not of itself meerly nor principally I live saith the Apostle yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God I can do all things saith the same Apostle to the Philippians through Christ that strengtheneth me and without me you can do nothing saith Christ to his Disciples Joh. 14. 3. The truth of this further appears from Gods Peoples promises of running upon Gods drawing in that excellent 119 Psal you shall find many passages of this tendency v. 32. I will run the ways of thy Commandments when thou shalt inlarge myheart 33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it unto the end v. 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart v. 35. Make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments v. 36. Incline my heart to thy testimonies The inlarging of the heart his prayer for giving him understanding making him to go in the paths of Gods Commandments c. are but all several phrases
he woula go to Hell Being it seems naturally persuaded that cruel bloody and uncharitable men could never be happy in another life 4. I will add a fourth thing though not beforementioned which experience hath constantly shewed us to be of very great force to draw others viz. A bold and couragious Suffering for the Name of Christ It hath been a constant Observation that the Blood of Martyrs hath been the seed of the Church Men naturally are inclined to think there is a great deal in that Religion which will make men so Valiant as to die in the defence and asserting of it There is yet one thing more upon which this much depends that is 5. A Christians communicativeness both of his gifts and of his experiences 1. Of his gifts his knowledge and other gifts by which he informs Christians of the Truth and persuades and argues them out of their sinful courses Come saith David I will teach you the sear of the Lord O that there were more of this in the World than there is how few are those Christians that have either grace or confidence enough to mind others of their conditions and to call upon them to look after Eternity We can call upon our Children and Friends to mind their Worldly concerns we are communicative euough to them of what we know which may help them as to them but how little do we call upon them to strive to enter in at the strait Gate to make their Calling and Election sure What should the reason of this be Is it unbelief or is it carelesness Is it unbelief do we not then believe an Immortal Eternal state of Souls into which no Souls can come but bv and through Christ as the way It cannot be this is the Object of our Hope it is the great thing we have in expectation if we had hope only in this Life we were of all men most miserable Are we confident that our Children our Friends or Neighbours are in the road to this blessed state Certainly there are many of them of whom we can have no such hopes How are we then silent if we know better things then they know why do we not instruct them St. John saith He that hath of this Worlds goods and seeth his Brother in want and releives him not how dwells the love of God in h m 1 Jo. 3. 17. What shall we say of those who have of the goods that relate to another World the Treasures of Spiritual knowledge and seeth his Child his Friend in want and to his power relieves him not how dwells the love of God or of his Childs or Friends Soul in him Dalilah asked Sampson how he could say to her that he loved her when he kept his secrets from her which she was not concerned to know but how canst thou say thou lovest thy Yoke-fellow thy Child thy Friend and concealest from them what thou knowest with reference to their Spiritual and Eternal good and which it is as much their concern to know as it is thine I remember Christ doth thus prove himself his Disciples friend John 15. 15. I have called you Friends for all things which I have heard of my Father I have made known to you that is all things which my Father hath let me know and which are of concern for you to know Thus Christ hath discharged the Office of a Friend to our Souls and should not we do likewise Do we know any thing concerns our near Friends Souls with reference to their Eternals happiness and do we conceal our knowledge from them how do we discharge the Office of Friends to them how dwells either the love of God or the love of them in our Souls 2. Nor is the communicativeness of our own Experiences What we have seen as well as what we have heard of less use or less our duty I know it is a thing which profane Persons may mock at but let them mock on Wisdom shall be justified of her Children I am sure we meet with David and Paul and others of the Servants of God of whom we have a sacred Record very frequent in it Come saith David and I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul I know Men may boast beyond their line or measure they may boast of experiences they never had experiences must be fulfillings of Promises But certainly there can be nothing as a mean more powerful to draw others to a running after Christ in the ways of Holiness then the knowledge of what others have found and experienced in them I am sure it was the practice of the Woman of Samaria of Andrew and Peter and that with great success O let every one of us who have in our hearts any love for God any zeal for the glory of God any kindness for the Souls of others being our selves drawn so behave our selves that others allured by our examples persuaded by our arguments may also run after Christ Let those that cannot as yet discern the Savour of his good Oyntments be helped to discern them at second hand while our Lips feed many and our Garments smell of Myrrh Aloes and Cassia Sermon XXIV Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers I Have done with the Spouses Petition Draw me and with the argument by which she impleaded her Petition She would then run after him and of the alteration of the number in the promise we will run not I but we I come now to the third thing which I took notice of in the verse which I called The Spouses attestation of her beloveds favour in the answer of her Petition That is in the words I have now read The King hath brought me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto his in Ward-Rooms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Closet His Chambers so we translate it What is necessary for the opening of the words you have heard before It was but even now that we heard the Spouse praying draw me and promising that if the Lord would hear and answer her Prayers both she and others would run after him How presently is her tone altered and her prayer turned into praise Hence I observed Prop. That God is pleased sometimes to make a very quick return to his Peoples Prayers But before I handle this I shall take a little notice of the name she here giveth to her Beloved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King The word is the same that is every where used to express the sole dominion of a Person over others a term very properly given to Christ and that not only as he is God over all blessed for ever and so the Psalmist telleth us that his Throne is established in the Heavens and his Kingdom ruleth over all but in respect of his Mediatory Kingdom as he is the Lords King whom he hath set upon his holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. 6. to whom he hath given the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost part of the Earth for
his Spirit but thy Soul is yet unquiet and impatient it is thy duty yet to wait upon God to chide down thy tumultuous and unquiet thoughts all the risings up and murmurings of thy Soul against God to adore and to admire God where thou canst not see or understand him to acknowledge Gods goodness and holiness though thou canst not discern his goodness as to thee in this particular Thus did David Psal 22. 3. after he had complained that he had cried in the day time and the Lord did not hear and in the night season and was not silent v. 3. he saith But thou art holy O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel This is most certainly our duty under such providences as these are we must not look in this life to understand all Gods ways and methods of providence much less the reasons of them that is a piece of knowledge reserved for another world all that we have to do is to observe and study them and where we cannot find them out to admire and adore them and to wait upon him that wrappeth up himself in thick darkness and hideth his face from the House of Jacob. This waiting doth not only signify a passive quietness silence and patience but an active doing our duty Waiting on the Lord and keeping his way are put together Psal 37. we ought not to leave off praying because in our apprehensions at least our prayers lie by without answer much less to slacken our course of holiness but to resolve as the Church did for Zions sake so for our own sake not to hold our peace we have for this an excellent president in the example of the Church Psal 44. 17. All this is come upon us saith she yet have we not forgotten thee nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way though thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons and covered us with the shadow of death then she concludeth with prayer v. 23 24 25 26. Awake why sleepest thou O Lord arise cast us not off for ever wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression For our Soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth to the Earth Arise for our help and redeem us for thy mercy sake Sermon XXV Cant. 1. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers IF any asketh who is this King whom the text speaks of as the question soundeth like that Psal 24. v. 8. Who is the King of glory So the answer must be much the same The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battel the Lord of Hosts he is the King of Glory He is the King of Nations for all the Nations of the Earth are the work of his hands and he hath a Native Lordship and dominion over them He is the King upon the holy hill of Sion the King of Saints they have chosen him he ruleth in them and reigneth over them they have chosen him he hath subdued their hearts unto him and hath chosen them for his peculiar people this is the King of whom the Church and the believing Soul here speaketh and saith The King hath brought me into his Chambers It is the same Person of whom she spake v. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth To whom she said v. 3. Draw me and we will run after thee There she spake to him as her beloved here she speaketh of him as a King there she prayed for something that she wanted here she praiseth and giveth thanks for something she had received I have already taken notice of the alteration of her stile of her so sudden giving thanks upon the quick return God had made to her prayers I come now to consider the mercy or good thing she had received which she expresseth in the same metaphorical dialect which she useth throughout this Song The King hath brought me into his Chambers when I at first opened the whole verse I endeavoured to find out what this mercy was in the receit of which the Spouse triumpheth in this text I then considered Chambers as places more lofty then others and and of more privacy and secrecy and from thence concluded that the Spouse by this phrase signifieth some special favours which she had received from God some special and more near and intimate degrees of fellowship and communion with God into which her beloved had taken her The Proposition I offered from the words for my further explication was this That the Lord Jesus Christ hath Chambers in which he sometimes entertaineth the Souls of his people He hath a favour for them all Rooms in his House for all the sizes of his people but he hath Chambers for some or into which he sometimes takes up the Souls of his Saints the subject of my discourse will be such special favours as God sheweth to some Souls or to the Souls of his people at some times This is evident in holy writ Abraham was called the Friend of God Moses is called his Servant emphatically Moses my Servant is dead David the man according to Gods own heart Solomon was named by God Jedidiah a man beloved of God There are four degrees in the love of God as it respecteth the Children of men 1. He hath a Philanthropy or general love which he sheweth towards all He leaveth not the Heathen without witness In him all men live move and have their being from him they have fruitful times and seasons which fill their bellies with food their hearts with gladness their bellies are filled with his hid treasure The patience of God leadeth them to repentance The invisible things of God even his eternal power and God-head are made known to them by his works of Creation by the things which he hath made 2. He hath a more special love for his Church This is seen in his more special providence exercised towards his whole Church which are more watched over and preserved by a common providence then any other body of people are They have also the Oracles of God the Ordinances of God and means of grace and this latter is certainly an effect of the death of Christ 3. He hath yet a more special love for all those within his Church who are effectually called whose hearts God hath seized and subdued to himself they are made partakes of more special grace being called justified and sanctified and such who shall hereafter be most certainly glorified 4. But there is yet another specialty of Divine love even amongst those who are made partakers of special saving graces some are more specially favoured in this life and shall be more eminently then others glorified in that life which is to come These more special favours to the Saints that are all made partakers of the same saving grace are the subject of my present enquiry 1. Some here understand the mansions of glory but they are forced to make an
Whispers to this sense a believer often heareth from the Devil from the men of the world and from his own heart also Solomon Personating the true Church every true believer fancieth the voice of these Spiritual adversaries in his Ears nor is there any Child of God but heareth it at some time or other The spouse therefore preoccupieth this objection by this Apostrophe O you daughters of Hierusalem I am black but comely like the tents of Kedar like the Curtains of Solomon You daughters of Hierusalem Hierusalem is an Hebrew word and signifieth The Vision of Peace or They shall see Peace it is to be considered in its Political Ecclesiastical and Typical notion 1. In its Political Notion it signifieth the Metropolis or chief City of Judea a City supposed to have been builded by Melchizedeck and by him called Salem he is called the King of Salem Gen. 14. 8. Heb. 7. 1. 2. Salem in Scripture is put for Herusalem In Salem is God known Psal 76. 2. It was afterwards for some hundreds of years in the possession of the Canaanites Adonizedek was the King of it Josh 10 3. who was conquered and slain by Joshua Josh 10. 26. the Jebusites afterward lived there in common with the Benjamites who did not drive them out Jud. 1. 21. David smoâ—e these Jebusites 2 Sam. 5. 7 8. and took the strong hold of Zion made it his City It was scituated amongst the Mountains hence you read of the mountains being round about Hierusalem Psal 125. 2. Yet the habitable part of it was in the Valley Jer 21. 13. Now if we take Hierusalem in this notion here the Daughters of Hierusalem are the Inhabitants of this famous City 2. But there is an Ecclesiastical Notion of it so it signifiyeth the Jewish Church Hierusalem was the place where the Temple stood where was the most folemn Worship of God thither all the males of the Israelites went up thrice a year to Worship God There lived the High Priest in that place alone in their setled state they were to Sacrifice Hence Zion a City contiguous to this City the City of David and Hierusalem are often in Scripture put for the Jewish Church hence the Psalmist praying for the prosperity and restauration of the Church of the Jews Prays in this aialect Build thou up the walls of Hierusalem So Psal 102. verse 23. to declare the name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Hierusalem that is in the Jewish Church In this sense the Daughters of Hierusalem are the members of the Jewish Church 3. But there is yet a further Typical Notion of it So it signifieth the Church of God both that part which is in Heaven Triumphant called the mother of us all which is called the New Hierusalem Rev. 3. 12. ch 21. verse 2 c. or that part of it which under the Gospel is still militant on earth Zech. 8. 22. Thus the Daughters of Hierusalem are the Members of the visible Church you may take it in either notion either thus O my neighbours you people amongst whom I dwell or O you that are members of the same Church of God with me Brethren are too ready to censure and upbraid one another Aaron and Miriam spake against Moses Num 12. 2. David complaineth that he was an alien to his mother's Children Psal 69. 8. and in the next words the Spouse saith my mothers Children were angry with me To these she saith I am black but comely how the Church of God or the particular Souls in it are Black I shall have occasion more fully to shew you hereafter Every one will understand she speaketh in a figure and intends not the black colour of the flesh but some condition fitly enough represented and expressed by a blackness of colour But comely There is no contradiction in that There is a comeliness in some blackness The Black Eye is comely so is the black marble But I reserve a further and larger discourse concerning the spouses blackness and comeliness till I come to the Propositions of Doctrine I intend to discourse from the words but what is the meaning of the follow phrase As the tents of Kedar as the Curtains of Solomon They are certainly two similitudes which the Spouse brings elegantly to set forth what she had said either concerning her blackness or concerning her beauty and comeliness Only the question is whether the sense be this I am black like the tents of Kedar and like the Curtains of Solomon but I am also like them comely also Or thus I am I confess black like the Tents of Kedar but I am also comely like the Curtains of Solomon The letter pleaseth me best because we read nothing of any black Curtains that Solomon made for the Temple and it is most likely he kept the colours of the Curtains of the Tabernacle which were Blue Purple and Scarlet Redar was one of the Sons of Ishmael as you read Gen. 25. 13. It is probable that he did build some City in Arabia which as was very usual he called after his owne name We shall read that in the Prophecy of Isaiah against Arabia Isaiah 21. 17. he hath this expression The mighty men of the Children of Kedar shall be deminished And in the Prophecy of the Gentiles coming in to Christ Isaiah 60. 7. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered unto thee and the Rams of Nebujoth You read of it also Jer. 2. 20. and Jer 49. 28. and Zech. 27. 21. Arabia and all the Princes of Kedar Keder then was either a City or a Province of Arabia which was a very hot Country they had at that time generally no such fixed houses nor such wayes of covering their habitations as we have They did generally live in Tents which were moveable places of habitation these were ordinarily covered with the Skins of beasts which they killed for their uses That kind of covering as you know in Countreys where the Sun is very hot is apt to tan into a very lothsome and unlovely colour To these the Spouse compares her self I am black like the tents of Kedar Like the Curtains of Solomon This I take to relate to the latter part of the Spouses words Solomon made Curtains for the Temple and it is very likely they were made in Proportion to those which were made by Gods Prescription for the Tabernacle Exod 36. 8. of fine twined Linnen Blue Purple and Scarlet with Cherubims of cunning works the Spouse compareth her self to these for comeliness Look not upon me because I am black That is you Daughters of Hierusalem look not upon me The Chaldee Paraphrast maketh this the voice of the Jewish Church speaking to the Heathens thus O you Heathen Nations do not despsse me because I have made my self blacker then you by doing after your deeds Worshipping the Sun Moon and all the host of Heaven false Prophets have made me to err after your ways by which means the wrath of the Lord is
such a time Other men may seem to do well enough so long as they have rest and ease and prosperity But what will they do in the day of their visitation God takes another care for his People when David can incourage himself in nothing else he can incourage himself in his God When the Fig-tree doth not blossom and there is no fruit in the vine when the fields yield no meat and the flock are cut off from the fold and there is no herd in the stall yet even then they can rejoyce in the Lord and be glad in the God of their Salvation Habak 3. 17 18 19. Vnder his shades we shall live saith the Afflicted Church Lam. 4. 20. I state under his shadow with great delight saith the Spouse Cant. 2. 3. There are many promises which God hath made to his People to be their hiding place their rock their Covert their shadow from the storm and from the tempest To which I refer you In the next place What cause of rejoycing and lifting up of the head is here to the People of God whether such as lie under the present pressures of Tryals or Afflictions or such as have these storms in prospect though they be not already fallen upon them Is the noon of Tryals and Afflictions come upon any of you Hath the Lord taken away those gourds which heretofore were a shade to you your health friends estate your outward comforts of what kind soever yet be of good cheer God is only changing your Souls Pastures Hitherto you have lived more immediately upon the creature you shall only now live more immediately upon God hitherto you have lived by sight God is now calling you to live by Faith hitherto your great Shepherd hath fed you in the fields of sensible comforts and enjoyments things that are seen he is now calling you to live upon things that are invisible but every way as sufficient for the support and sustenance of the Soul he that hath fed thee in the morning will not leave thee at noon time Psal 37. v. 3. Trust in the Lord and do good and so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed David saith He never saw the righteous forsaken The Believer shall be fed either with that bread which the world knoweth and calleth so or with that bread which the world knoweth and calleth so or with that bread which the world knoweth not of There is a revolution of time a vicissitude of Providences but there is no change of the Word and Promises of God Verily they shall be fed There shall be no want to those that fear the Lord. A noon may come but Christ hath a shadow a feeding a resting place for his flocks at noon That God who hath kept thee in health will also keep thee in sickness He that hath hitherto kept thee from the malice of a most malicious world will keep thee under the pressures of their malice Only take care to Trust in the Lord and to do good Is not this thy case Hast thou the storm only in prospect but it is not yet fallen upon thee and art thou only tormented with the fears of what is likely to come upon thee oft-times slavish fear proves a great evil and an evil in prospect is greater than when it is fallen upon a person Let this incourage you to hear that Christ hath shades for his People at noon God hath said I will never leave you nor forsake you Let me only commend one Promise to you it is made to the Church and to every Believer as a Member of it it is that Isa 4. 5 6. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle in the day-time from the heat and for a place of refuge and for a covert from Storm and from Rain I will shut up this Discourse with a word or two of Exhortation First To such as are yet none of the Inhabitants of Mount Zion None of those I mean who are the true Members of the Church of Christ Those who have no title or are able to make out no title to the dwelling-places upon Mount Zion or any of them what a motive should this be to all such to indeavour what in them lieth to get into Christ's little Flock A noon must come Possibly it is now morning with you and you are more careless but man is born to trouble and it is as natural to humane nature as it is for sparks to fly upward as Job tells us The Children of God in respect to the world's hatred are more exposed to others but there is none who liveth and shall not see death none that lives but must look to be in deaths often of one nature or another It is certainly the highest prudence to be prepared for all Assayes Thou hast no way for this but to get an interest in Christ Whilst thou art an Egyptian thou canst not look for the Priviledges of one that is an Inhabitant in Goshen Doest thou ask me how can this be How should I who am a Goat be transformed into a Sheep Our Saviour answers thee Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God he can be none of that little Flock to whom it is God's will to give that Kingdom Regeneration a new Birth from the holy Spirit can only make this Spiritual Metamorphosis Thy work in order to it lyeth only in some external actions such as refraining what thou canst from sin waiting upon God in Ordinances calling upon God in Prayer not resisting the motions of his holy Spirit 2d Branch Secondly This Discourse ought to quicken such as are of the Flock of Christ in all their Noons of Affliction and Trial to betake themselves to Christ's shades to the places where Christ useth to feed and to make his Flocks to rest at Noon What those shades are I have shewed you our work is to betake our selves unto them It is natural to us when we are pursued to look for a covert for some refuge or shelter where we may hide our selves till the storm be passed over and to flee to such places where we think that we may be secure There is no true shelter but in Christ's shades Let us then inquire what is the duty of a good Christian in an evil day that he may bring his Soul to a rest and quiet 1. The first and great thing is to look out our Evidences to make out our title to and interest in the Lord Jesus Christ We must intitle our selves to the great Shepherd of our Souls as our Shepherd before we can expect that he should in a scorching time make us to lie down in green Pastures and lead us besides the still waters and encourage our selves as David Psal
c. or he shall stay as others chuse to read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Between my Breasts this term hath no difficulty The Metaphor is either drawn from Lovers which delight to lodge in each others Arms or else as our own Annotations from Mothers giving suck to their Infants who use to give them their Breasts and to lodge them betwixt their Breasts or from Women who use to wear Posies and sweet smelling things upon or betwixt their Breasts for the words all night are not in the Heb. but put in by our Interpreters The meaning is Christ shall have of me what he pleaseth I will do what I can to get him to stay and make his abode with me Some lay some stress upon the term night as if her sense should be in the time of persecution I will keep my communion with the Lord Jesus Christ close But in regard the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not necessarily import the abode of a night only but a stay for some time I cannot lay any stress upon it Some by the breasts understand the heart Whose place is under the left breast The Hebrews understand by the Spouses breasts the two bars of the Ark or the 2 Cherubims Others the 2 Testaments But in Mammis amoris signum There is nothing else meant then that the Spouse would entertain her beloved with the most cordial affectionate expressions and demonstrations of Love that she might keep him the longer with her Mercer observes That the Spouse had before commended her Spikenard for a sweet smell but she here riseth up higher Though saith she my grace be sweet yet my Christ is more sweet for he is as a bundle of Myrrh c. You have by the Apostle Peter a succinct and plain exposition of this Text To you therefore who believe he is precious The Propositions of the Text are plainly these 1. Prop. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the Church's and the believing Souls beloved 2. Prop. That the Lord Jesus Christ is to his Spouse a hundle of Myrrh 3. Prop. That the Spouse of Christ will be very covetons that Christ shall abide with her 4. Prop. That in order to Christs abiding with the gracious Soul it will allow him a Room betwixt its breasts 1. Prop. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the beloved of the believing Soul I do not intend to dwell upon this Proposition because I spake to what must be the substance of this discourse when I opened the 7th verse where the Spouse had spake the same thing though by another term There she called him O thou whom my Soul loveth Here she calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My beloved I will only note to you two or three things about this term which learned Interpteters have observed before me 1. That the same letters in the Heb. make up David My David Davids name signifieth beloved and Christ himself was Davids Antitype He was the Son of David Matth. 13. 2. David was a type of Christ 3. Christ is called David Hos 3. 5 c. 2. As the word it self is a term of Love so the Affix makes it to be Vox Fidei the Language of Faith My Beloved The believing Soul fiducially applies Christ and cries with Thomas My Lord My God The natural man upon the common Illumination of the Gospel may discern Christ a lovely Object but the Believer only can call him My Beloved Faith only gives an Interest in Christ 3. I noted to you that the word also signifies a near natural Relation as that of an Uncle or Aunt c. Christ is near akin to the believing Soul he is flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone he took flesh that he might take part with them he loves them as natural Relations but by nature he is not akin to them he is the Well-beloved of God they are Children of wrath but by the Grace of Redemption they are of kin The Kindred arose from the Marriage of the Divine Nature to the Humane Nature and from their marriage to him in Justification Both he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them Brethren But I shall conclude all I shall say to this Proposition with that of the Apostle If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha I proceed to the second Prop. 2. That the Lord Jesus Christ is to his Spouse a bundle of Myrrh I shall speak to this Proposition 1. By Explication of the term and Confirmation 2. By Application Qu. 1. In what sense is Christ to his Spouse a bundle of Myrrh I noted to you four things concerning Myrrh and two concerning a bundle of Myrrh I shall pursue them alittle and by them give you the sense of the Proposition 1. I told you Myrrh true Myrrh was an exceeding scarce thing and therefore very precious and of great value it grows but in some Countries few have it it is the best thing of the Country a Present for a Prince I proved this Christ is of great value to a poor Soul 1. Not easily procured 2. When procured of inflnite worth He is the Gist of God and God giveth as a King No man comes to the Son but he whom the Father draws In the Country where Myrrh grew but few got it In a Country where Christ is Preached but few get a portion in him One of a City and two of a Tribe God brings to Sion Judas sate under the Myrrh-tree and yet got no Myrrh Many are called but few are chosen If they did not make their Incision into the Myrrh-tree and that in a seasonable time of the year too even the inhabitants of Arabia got no Myrrh Even those that live where Christ is preacht without laying hold upon him and receiving the drops of his blood and that in a seasonable time too in the acceptable time as the Holy Ghost terms it while he may be sound as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh they get no part in Christ The foolish Virgins may come when the Door is shut And our Saviour saith Many shall seek and shall not enter 2. Myrrh when procured was of high value Especially a great quantity a bundle of Myrrh So is Christ Witness the Apostle who counts all things dross and dung that he may win Christ who desires to have nothing but Christ to know nothing but Christ to be nothing but interested in Christ Nay let the Evidence of the thing witness By his name alone we can be saved Acts 4. 12. By him we have remission of sins justification peace with God indeed all spiritual blessings Eph. 1. 3. He is All in all Thus you see in the first sense he is a bundle of Myrrh 2. I told you Myrrh was very medicinal of this the Scripture speaks nothing but Dioscorides and Pliny and other Naturalists tell us large stories of its usefulness They tell us
night betwixt my breasts There are two Propositions which I named from these words and which yet remain to be discoursed 1. That the believing Soul is wonderfully desirous of Christ's abiding with it 2. That to engage him to such an abode she will allow him a room betwixt her breasts The latter will be a proof to the former come in collaterally while I handle the former Prop. That a gracious heart will be exceeding desirous of Christ's abiding with it I shall speak to this Proposition in this Method 1. Shewing you what are those lodgings and abidings of Christ with and upon the Soul of which the gracious heart is so exceedingly desirous 2. How it doth appear that a believing Soul is so fond of Christ's abidings with it 3 Whence it is that she is thus exceeding fond of Christ's lodgings and abidings with it 4. I shall apply the whole Qu. 1. What is to be understood by the lodging or abiding of Christ with the Soul You read in Scripture of Christ's abiding with the Soul and the Soul 's abiding with Christ The first is mentioned as our priviledge the second as our duty Of the first you read John 14. 23. My Father and I will come unto him and we will make our abode with him Of the second John 15. 6. If a man aâ—ide not in me he is cut off c. So again v. 6. each depending upon the other for it is God's Covenant I will never depart from you to do you good and I will put my fear into your hearts that you shall never depart from me Abiding or lodging in the primary Notion signifieth the continuance of some corporeal presence transferred to spiritual things it signifies The continuance of a priviledge or perseverance in a duty Christ's abode with us signifies the first our abiding with him signifies the latter each of them expressed in Scripture by various expressions Christ's abiding with us is expressed John 14. 16. By the abidings of the Comforter by the abiding of the anointing Oil 1 Joh. 2. 26. It is opposed to the momentany and short refreshings of grace when to use that other phrase of Scripture God is to the Soul but as a wayfaring man that tarries but for a night Our abidings with and in Christ are also variously expressed by the abidings of that in us which we have received 1. Joh. 2. 24. by abiding in light 1 Joh. 2. 10. and the Word of God abiding in us v. 14. by abiding in the Doctrine of Christ Joh. 2. ep v. 9. But I have nothing to do save only with the former Notion In short The abidings of Christ with the Soul import two things 1. The permanency of his Union with the Soul continuing the state of Justification 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given to us 2. The constancy of his gracious Influences upon us which Joh. 14. v. 21. he calls A manifesting of himself unto us and v. 22. his abode with us This is also the abiding of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Comforter mentioned v. 16. This is the lodging of Christ betwixt the Soul's breasts This it is of which the gracious Soul is so exceeding fond and covetous And so much shall serve for the first Question I come to the second Qu. 2. How doth it appear that a gracious Soul is so desirous of Christ's abidings with it There are three waies by which the Earnest desire of our friends abode with us are discernable to others 1. By Verbal Expressions 2. Real Actions 3. Vehement Passions By all these the believing Soul's desires that Christ should lodge with it have been and are discernable 1. Verbal Expressions before the World was so far debaucht as now that none knows by the Index of the Tongue what the Clock strikes in the heart were sufficient Evidences of cordial desires The Children of God cannot lye unto him we may therefore from their words conclude still If you look upon the Saints or Church in former times see what the Church saith Jer. 14. 8. O thou hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in times of trouble why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land as a wayfaring man that turneth aside to tarry for a night The expressions of David in the Psalms this way are very many this is it which he means by the lifting up of God's Countenance upon him which he so passionately desires above Corn Wine and Oil Psal 4. for which he prefers the place of a door-keeper in the house of God before dwelling in the Tents of wickedness Psal 84. Indeed if you look upon the whole sum of the desires both of David and other Saints who stand upon sacred Record you will find that as to spiritual things all their desires are comprehended in this one that God would abide with them lodge all night betwixt their breasts And the same Spirit yet breatheth in the Souls of all that fear the Lord. I need do no more for the proof of this than appeal to the experience of all such who have in the least degree tasted how good the Lord is what 's the sum of all their prayers what 's their language to one another and to all the Ministers of God to whom at any time they address themselves but oh that they might find the Abidings of the Comforter with their Souls the abidings of the strengthening and quickening Spirit of God with them Oh that Christ would not be as a stranger in their Souls nor as a wayfaring man that turneth in to their Souls for a night 2. The Earnest desires of gracious Souls for the abidings of Christ with them are evident also upon the consideration of what they will be ready to do for the continuance of them This is in part hinted in the Text He shall lodge or stay or lie all night betwixt my breasts which metaphorical expression signifies by interpretation these two things 1. I will deny him nothing which he shall desire of me so I may but keep his company 2. I will entertain him with the highest demonstrations of cordial Affection 1. I will deny him nothing which he shall desire of me The Mother will deny nothing to that Child nor the Wife to that Husband which either of them allow to lodge betwixt their breasts The believing Soul will deny Christ nothing so it may keep his presence with her Will he have the man do for him Lord saith Paul Act. 9. 6. What wilt thou have me to do Will he have the man to die for him I am ready saith Paul Act. 21. 11. not to be bound only but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord JÄ—sus Will he have it deny it self distribute and give to the poor make satisfaction where he hath done injury No sooner is Zacheus told that Christ was come to his house but he cries Luk. 19. 5 8. Lord the half of my goods I
own inbred enemies those of our own house our innate lusts and Corruptions I mean are as still as our grand Adversary The very waters of Marah themselves turned sweet when this Tree of life is in them Our hearts lose much of their bitterness by the presence of Christ in them it is when the Sun is down that the Frogs and Toads croak and the Dors and Bats fly It is in the night when the Thief steals The time of Christs withdrawings from the Soul is the time when Sathan molests and lusts are most busy 2. The Souls Spikenard then sends forth its pleasant smell You had it in the former verse I shewed you there what dependence the exercise of our grace hath upon Christs presence with us both in respect of his exciting and assisting influence Christ speaks it plain in that excellent parable of the vine and the branches Joh. 15. 5. He that abidath in me and I in him the same bringeth forth fruit for without me you can do nothing v. 6. The same bringeth forth much fruit Otherwise the Soul withereth v. 6. Naturalists say that in those Countries which abounded with Myrrh they were wont to bind bundles of it to the heart or to anoint it with the Gum the use of it was to strengthen the heart against what was noxious and unto a due discharge of its natural operations It is Gregories observation or similitude rather that the Soul that applies Christ to its heart and which findeth his influence will find it like a bundle or an anointing of Myrrh strengthening the Soul against the prevailings of corruptions and filling it with a Spiritual heat and fitness for Heavenly operations And thus I have shewed you just reason why the lodgings or abidings of Christ with a gracious Soul are so desirable to it Obj. But will some poor Soul say Can Christ not abide with that Soul which he hath once owned is his love mutable is he not the God that changeth not but loveth to the end whom he once loveth I answer The Love of Christ is an abiding love he is not yea and nay with the Soul upon which he hath once fixed his heart whom he loveth he loveth to the end 1. His union with the Soul abideth Christ once in us and ever in us is a truth to which we must adhere that corruption which could not at first prevent it shall never he of force to dissolve it but the sense of this union may fail The indwelling Spirit shall not be disseised but the Spirit as a comforter may fail the Souls of the Saints When wilt thou comfort me saith the man after Gods own heart Besides that our state of justification is to be maintained by the performance of our Spiritual duty and there can be no justified Soul that doth not earnestly desire its own continuance in that state 2. His necessary influences upon the Soul abide too The promise must stand good I will never leave thee nor forsake thee nor can it be imagined that so noble and vertual an head as the Lord Jesus Christ can be united to any member of his Spiritual body without a proportionable influence upon it or that the seed of God in the Soul should be wholly inactive But Spiritual desires are also the sacred means which God hath appointed for the preservation of these 3. But Gradual abidings of Christ in the Soul may fail He may not abide with the Soul in such proportions of Spiritual influence at all times Now the degrees of Spiritual influence from Christ are highly desirable to a gracious Soul But I have spake enough to the explication and confirmation of the point I come now to the Application In the first place Let us from this try our selves whether we indeed be the true Spouses of the Lord Jesus Christ and he our beloved yea or no Can we say and say it cordially he shall lodge betwixt our breasts 1. There are many that say he shall sit upon my tongue I will talk to Christ and take his name into my mouth concerning whom we may say as the Prophet sometimes said of the Jews The Lord was nigh in their mouths and far from their reins the woman dandles many a Child in her arms that never lodgeth betwixt her breasts in the night she talks of many a man in the day time whom she will not allow to lodg in her bosom at night there 's many a wretch that talks of Christ that yet will not let him come â—igh his heart 2. There are many that say they shall lodg to eternity betwixt his breasts that yet cannot will not say this going to Heaven is grown market talk and every one is a pretender to that journeys end that yet will not set one foot before another in the way Balaam wisheth vainly and many a one concludeth as vainly that he shall dye the death of the righteous and his latter end shall be like his those mentioned Mat. 7. 24. said they should lodge the long night of eternity betwixt Christs breasts but he saith unto them depart from me I know you not there are too many that build Castles in the air and houses upon the sand and dream of golden mountains but every one is not wife to another that saith she shall one day have him nor is every Soul a Spouse to Christ that promiseth to it self eternal content in him 3. A man may say Oh that Christ would come betwixt my breasts that yet is not the Spouse of Christ There 's scarce a wretch living but at one time or other wisheth Christ would speak to his Soul pardon and peace 't is one thing for a woman to desire the Physitian may make applications to her breasts when full of pain that yet will not say he shall lodge betwixt her breasts you see there may be a great many mistakes in this point but plainly let me ask you two or three questions 1. Are you willing to open the secrets of your Souls to Jesus Christ There 's many a one is willing that Christ should come so near him as his Ear but not into his heart canst thou say that thy Soul cleaveth to the Lord Jesus Christ that thou desirest he should enter into its secrets not only to tip thy tongue regulate thy Countenance but to Command in thy heart 2. Art thou willing that Christ should lodge all night with thy Soul Not serve thee only by fits to cure thy heart akings but that he should lodge and dwell with thee make an abode with thy Soul 3. Art thou willing that a perfect Christ should lodge with thee Not only Christ as an High-Priest to expiate for thee and make an atonement for thy sins but as a Prophet to guide instruct thee as a King to rule over thee and govern thee The Wife desires not an Husband only as her Companion but as her head By this O Christian I shalt thou know if indeed thou beest the Spouse