can we imagine that we should be more concerned to discover our own vileness and naughtiness then Gods Grace and Mercy But of this I shall speak more fully in my handling the Second part of the Proposition Sermon XXXV Canticles 1. 5. I am Black but Comely O ye Daughters of Hierusalem c. I Come now to the second part of the Proposition I raised from these words I had no more time in my last discourse then to handle the former Prop. There are times when Christians are bound to own their graces and to declare what God hath done for their Souls There are such times when good Christians must not only say they are Black but also own that they are Comely That this is a duty appeareth from the practice of the Servants of God in holy Writ Psal 66. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my Soul And indeed what are most of the Psalms of David but declarations of this nature to say nothing of Pauls speeches before Festus and Agrippa c. But whatsoever I intended for the proof of it I shall bring under the explication applying it to the particular cases The Question is Qu. When and in what cases are Christians concerned to own acknowledg and declare unto others their grace and what God hath done for their Souls As I said of the other piece of a Christians duty so I shall say of this It is their duty 1. To own and acknowledg it to God 2. To the Church of God 3. To the Men of the World sometimes 1. To God This is their unquestionable duty at all times and you shall find it the frequent practice of the Servants of God in Scripture If we have any Comeliness it is Christs Comliness put upon us and it is but reasonable that God should have the acknowledgment of it to his Honor and Glory But of this there is no question neither is this the acknowledgment of the Text she is here speaking not unto God but to the Daughters of Jerusalem It is our duty also in some cases to own our Comeliness through grace unto men 2. To the Church of Christ and to particular Christians 1. To the Church and that in two cases 1. Upon our Admission into it 2. Upon our Re-admission and restoring to the Priviledges of it We find in the first Plantation of Churches of the Gospel there was ordinarily such a confession and acknowledgment It is said Mat. 3. That those who were Baptized of John were Baptized in Jordan confessing their Sins Matth. 3. 6. After Christs Ascension into Heaven we read of the three thousand Souls added to the Church that they were first pricked at the Heart and said to Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and Brethren what shall we do and in Acts 8. 36. when the Eunuch said to Philip Here is Water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip answereth if thou believest with all thine heart thou maiest and he answered and said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God In those first admissions into the Gospel Church it is plain that Confession of Sin and Profession of a Faith in Christ were required as necessary and previous to Baptism by which Persons were admitted into a fellowship with the Church of God But altho the first admission into Gospel Churches were only of Grown Persons able to make Confessions of their Sins and a Profession of their faith in Christ which were alwaies done upon such admissions yet the Children of such persons so Baptized have been alwaies taken to be within the Covenant and so Members of the Church also but whether compleat Members or no hath been a question and indeed generally denied and something further required of them before they have been taken into a full Communion with the Church in the Ordinance of the Supper For that being an Ordinance of the Gospel which is a Seal of the Righteousness of Faith as was said of Circumcision with reference to Abraham Rom. 4. 11. It is but reasonable to conclude that none have a right unto it but such as are made Partakers of that Righteousness of Faith those that by an eye of Faith can discern the Lords Body by an hand of Faith lay hold upon Christ under those sensible signs and representations and that by Faith can Eat the Flesh and Drink the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ while with the Mouths of their Bodies they Eat the Bread and Drink the Wine Hence the Apostle commands us to examine our selves and so to Eat of that Bread and Drink of that Cup and telleth us that whoso Earteth the Flesh and Drinketh the Blood of the Lord unworthily Eateth and Drinketh Judgment unto himself and hence it is that some evidence both of Knowledg and Regeneration is judged necessary to such as have a full Communion in this Ordinance with the Church of Christ The best evidence whereof is undoubtedly an holy conversation That a verbal declaration in this case is absolutely necessary I cannot say which may be made in hypocrisie and it made signifies nothing if not confirmed by an holy Life where it can be made in truth and with freedom of Spirit it is doubtless exceeding satisfactory both to the Ministers of Christ who are Stewards of the Ministries of God of whom it is required that they should be faithful distributing their Masters goods according to their Masters order and to the Members of the Church with which they are joined But I by no means think that it ought to be insisted on as to many Christians who may be under fears and doubts and despondencies but evidence the change of their hearts by a holiness of life Thus far I have a little digressed to give you my judgment in this point By which you may se how little the difference in this case is betwixt Brethren would they calmly listen to hear and to understand one another and not judge each other not heard 2. Upon our re-admission or restoring to the Church of God The judicial separation of Scandalous persons from the Church is a sufficient evidence that no persons unholy in their lives ought to be admitted into a communion with it and that they are no more then presumptive members of it or if you will visible members that is such as in outward appearance are so but when by any open action they discover the contrary they ought to be separated from it and not restored without repentance of which repentance indeed it being the change of the heart we are no infallible judges having no rule of judgment but being forced to trust to the sincerity of Profession joined with a visibly reformed Conversation The Church of Christ in all ages so far as we may trust any account we have had of it hath required both 1. A verbal declaration of what God hath done for the offending party working in him or her a Godly shame
their own Child above any others The man of art takes most delight in his own workmanship God can do nothing but what is truly and highly good and he cannot but be most pleased in his own work 2. Secondly The beauty of the Child of God is Christs beauty and lyeth in the Souls assimilation or being made like unto Christ Is he justifyed It is by the imputation of his righteousness Is he regenerated It is through his Spirit and by his regeneration the image of God and Christ is renewed in him in Knowledge righteousness and holiness the like mind is in him that was in Christ Likeness is the Mother of Love and all Love floweth from some likeness or conceived likeness in the object beloved Christ cannot but love that Soul that is made partaker of the Divine nature renewed according to his image made like unto himself The believer was predestinated to be conform to the Image of the Son by Faith Regeneration he is made conform renewed according to the image of God according to the Apostles phrase If Jacob knew his sons coat again and the sight of it was enough to set the Fathers bowels on yerning Christ will doubtless know his own robes and cannot but account that Soul most beautiful that is adorned with dressed in them This in the first place may serve to convince us of the truth of what John tells us 1. John 5. 19. That the whole world lyeth in wickedness For these Souls whom Christ judgeth and calleth the fairest amongst Women The most lovely and beautiful Souls are those who in the Eyes of the generality in the world are counted the most unlovely despicable and contemptible Persons in nature in so much that Godly men and women may take up the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 4. 9. concerning himself and those of his own order 1 Cor. 4. 9. We think that God hath set as forth as it were appointed unto death for we are made a spectacle to the world to angels and to men We are fools for Christs sake profane leud men they are wise we are weak they are strong they are honourable we are despised the People of God in the present age in all former ages are they who hunger and thirst who are naked and buffeted and have no certain dwelling place yet they labour working with their hands being reviled they bless being persecuted they suffer it being defamed they intreat yet are they made as the filth of the world as the off-scouring of all Nations even to this day Thus it was under the Old Testament the prophet complained in his time Isa 59. 15. That truth failed and he who departed from evil made himself a prey but he addeth and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment It was so under the New Testament who was more despised and rejected of men then Christ Who was more reviled contemned abused both in words and deeds then John the Baptist Christ and his blessed Apostles and all the Primitive Christians Christ foretold his disciples that the world should hate them that they should speak of them all manner of Evil persecute them turn them out of their Synagogues c. It is so in our times if there be in any places Persons fearing God and working righteousness Persons that make a conscience of their waies that fear an Oath that durst not drink and swear and curse and blaspheme the living God as others do that make conscience of their worshipping God and are a little more strict and frequent in it then others are These are the Persons against whom the world spits all their venom against whom their hands are lifted up men may meet together to drink and revel to hear leud and profane Songs and Plays but not to pray not to consider and exhort one another to love and to good works what is this an Evidence of but that the world lyeth in wickedness Christ judgeth pious Souls the fairest Souls these are they sor whom he died Whom he calls his Sister his Spouse the fairest Souls in the creation these are those Souls whom the World sets up as marks to shoot all their invenomed arrows bitter words against to offer all affronts and indignities unto Shall not the Lord visit for these things Shall he not be avenged on such a generation Shall a gallant in the World draw his Sword upon the man that affronts his Paramour or Mistress a wanton Woman that he hath espoused or to whom his heart cleaveth and shall the Lord bear these affronts these injuries offered to Souls that are more precious in the Eyes of their Lord then all the world is beside Hear what the Lord said by his prophet as to that antient People of his Isa 43. 2 3. I am the Lord thy God the holy one of Israel thy Saviour I gave Egypt for thy ransom Ethiopia and Seba for thee Since thou wert pretious in my sight thou hast been honourable and I have loved thee therefore will I give men for thee and People for thy life Was this spoken for the Jews only think we or did this concern the profane part of the Jews or those only that feared the Lord walked in his commandments and worshiped him in Spirit and in truth That it was not to be understood with reference to or upon the account of the leud and profane part of the Jewish Nation is evident by Gods declared detestation of them by the same prophet and by others of his Prophets If it were spoken with reference to such as feared God and walked in his commandments and kept close to the rule of Worship which he had given them it holds good still to all Souls that fall under that Character They are precious in Gods fight honourable he hath loved them the holy one of Israel is their Saviour and the worlds hatred of them profane mens reviling contemning abusing them is but a continued Evidence that the world knoweth them not and speaketh evil of and doth evil to things and Persons they know not Or that it lieth in wickedness in a vile and wicked Error of judgment judging those vile and base whom God judgeth precious and honourable and those worthy of hatred whom he loveth though the Lord may for a time suffer his good righteous Servants to be thus reviled thus treated thus abused by leud and ungodly men for the trial of their faith and for the exercise of their patience and that some of the blood of his Saints may be poured into the cup of wicked mens sins that the cup of their iniquities may be full and they may fill up their measures of sinning That upon them may come all the righteous blood of his People which hath been shed yet be assured the Lord will not suffer it alwaies but awake as one out of sleep plead the cause of his People and give Egypt for their ransom and Ethiopia and Seba
Of these here the Spouses predicates 1. A goodness 2. A transcendent and excelling goodness My work must be to demonstrate both 1. That they are good 2. That they are good before wine before all Sublunary goods all created comforts of what nature soever 1. That they are good The true nature of all good lyes in the conveniency and Sutableness of things which we so call to some wants and necessities that we have and lye under Hence the Philosopher describes Good to be the Object of our desires what all men desire for we desire nothing but in order to the supply of some want or other that we are sensible and apprehensive of A man may indeed desire what is not good but he must apprehend some goodness in the thing which he desireth So that to demonstrate the loves of Christ to be good there needs no more than to prove them convenient and admirably Suited to some thing which we want to Supply us in that want That I may restrain my discourse to the Loves of Christ as mediator I shall only premise what I hope you all believe That we have Souls as well as Bodies the Soul is an essential part of man and as much excelling and better than the Body as the body is better than rayment This admitted whatsoever suiteth the Soules wants must necessarily be good and eminently good The Souls wants are many but its principal wants are reducible to five heads 1. Pardon Righteousness Peace Purity Hopes or assurance of Eternal life and Glory 1. It wanteth pardon of Sin This is a want which the Soul brought into the world with it it was by nature dead in trespasses and Sins conceived in Sin brought forth in iniquity a Child of wrath by nature Eph. 2 3. This want hath grown upon the Soul from the day of its birth It s Child-hood and youth were altogether vanity who knows the Errours of his life The righteous falls seven times a day who can tell how often he offendeth It is true not one of many is sensible of this want but that only increaseth their misery It is certain this is a great want of a Soul Christ else had never directed us to pray Forgive us our debts There is a debt of ten thousand Talents upon every Soul that hath not tasted of Christs pardoning grace That it is not arrested for it proceeds only from Gods patience who sometimes beareth long with vessels of wrath fitted for destruction The Love of Christ is Suited to this want It is he that forgiveth Sins and washeth the Soul from the guilt of sin with his blood He dyed for our sins saith the Apostle He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities saith the Prophet Isaiah Ch. 53. 5. We have Redemption and forgiveness of Sins through his blood This Love of his is so suited to this want of the Soul that it can be supplyed no other way God forgiveth sin and none but he who but the creditor can discharge the debtor but it is for Christs sake that God forgiveth us Eph. 4. 32. Without blood there is no remission this was tipyfyed as the Apostle teacheth us by the Beasts of old slain for Sacrifices of Expiation and Atonement and without his Blood we could have had no Remission for it is very vain as the same Apostle instructs us for any to think that the blood of Bulls and Lambs and Goats could de away Sin 2. Secondly The Soul wants Righteousness A righteousness wherein it should stand before God as if it had never sinned against him For the righteous Lord saith the Psalmist loveth righteousness and the Apostle tells us Rom. 3. 15. That God declareth his righteousness for the remission of Sins Such is the nature or at least such is the will of God that he remits no sins but upon a first declaration of his righteousness Neither doth God accept any Soul but the righteous Soul we have no righteousness our works will not make this Web. God therefore imputeth Righteousness without works Rom. 4. 6. In the Gospel God hath revealed his righteousness from faithto Faith Rom. 1. 17. This is the righteousness of Christ Rom. 8. 3. For what the law could not do because it was weak through our flesh that God himself hath done sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemning sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Hence Christ is by the Prophet called the Lord our Righteousness and the Apostle saith he was made of God for us wisdom righteousness And hence the Apostle Prayeth Philip. 3. 8 9. That he might win Christ which he expounds v. 9. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith It is called the Righteousness of God because it is that which God accepteth us for the righteousness of Christ because it is his perfect Satisfaction to and obedience to the law and the righteousness of faith because it is by faith by us received and applyed and made ours But in Christ and from Christ the Soul must find and have that righteousness in which alone it can stand before God 3. A third great want of the Soul is Peace Peace with God Peace with itself Rom. 8. 7. The Carnalmind is Enmity to God Take a man in his natural state he is an Enemy to God and God is an Enemy to him He hath no peace with God and if he hath any quiet in his own mind it is but a Truce not a Peace the product of Gods silence not the product of his favour Now in Christ and in him alone the Soul hath peace In the world saith our Saviour to his disciples you shall have trouble but in me you shall have pcace My peace saith he I give unto you I leave with you It is he that hath reconciled the whole number of the elect to God by his death and it is he who doth by his Spirit and the word of reconciliation committed to his Ministers actually reconcile Souls unto himself He is therefore called our Peace we have Peace with God through him Rom. 5. 1. And therefore the Apostle in all his Salutations prefixed to his Epistles prayeth Mercy and Peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ 4. A fourth great want of the Soul is Purity No unclean thing shall enter into the new Jerusalem Take the Soul of a Christian Naturally it is an impure filthy Soul what can be clean that is born of a Woman Or how can that which is clean come from that which is unclean The connate proneness of our hearts to whatsoever is evil and the natural aversion of our hearts to any thing that is good is a sufficient proof of this The promise of the clean heart and of the new heart in Ezek. 36. as you know are both
used it seemeth to be something more then the secret desire of the Soul the desires of our Souls expressed by the words of our lips is what is generally called prayer in holy writs but words without inward affections words not thrust out from the force of our internal desires and affections are the least thing in prayer which lieth not in the pouring forth of words but in the pourings out of our Souls before God Labour Christians to understand the nature of prayer both as to the matter you should pray for and as to the right manner of the performance of it you all know what you would have what you have need of what is truly good for you under your present circumstances this you know not some things are absolutely good universally necessary such things as all Souls at all times have need of such are pardon of sins sanctification further grace to honour and glorify God in your circumstances and relations an heart to honour and glorify God in whatsoever state and condition you are these and such like things you may beg importunately and absolutely and that at all times But there are other things which are not so absolutely and universally good but are good or evil as they are well used or abused These must be asked of God with a submission to his will and a reference to his wisdom It is of mighty concern for a Christian rightly to understand the matter of prayer what he may or may not ask of God what he may ask absolutely what but conditionally and with limitation an ignorance of this may make Christians too bold too importunate with God in asking some things and to sin by impatience and murmuring because they do not receive presently what they ask when as the reason is because they ask amiss James tells those to whom he wrote Jam. 4. 3. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss he instanceth but in one way wherein they asked amiss that you might consume it upon your lusts That indeed is one way by which men may miscarry in prayer not directing their prayer to the honour and glory of God but meerly to a self-satisfaction and indeed taking the words in that sense as spending upon their lusts signifies a gratifying our selves and giving our selves a pleasure and satisfaction so all asking amiss will fall under it and such asking amiss is the cause of all our not receiving no man can ask any thing for the honour and glory of God who doth not ask according to the will of God God is glorified by the fulfilling of his will and whosoever prays and the sum of his prayer is not let the Lord be glorified let the will of the Lord be done doth but ask that he may consume upon his lust and give himself a satisfaction now all this is asking amiss which is the cause of our not receiving It is therefore I say of a very great concernment for a Christian to know what he may pray for what he may pray for absolutely and peremptorily what but limitedly and conditionally with submission to the Divine will and with a reference to the Divine wisdom how else is it possible that he should pray in faith or how else will he be able to command his Spirit into a due silence and patience if he doth not presently receive what he asketh of God Nay the servency of a Soul in prayer doth much depend upon this knowledge no prayer can be fervent but the prayer of faith No prayer receiveth a present answer but the prayer of faith Study therefore Christian the due matter and manner of prayer There may be many prayers put up and yet God not hear Isa 1. 15. Though saith God you spread forth your hands I will hide my Eyes from you yea when you make many prayers I will not hear the reason there assigned is because their hands were full of blood which amounts to that of David If I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer and to that of Solomon The Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight He that lifteth up hands unto God must lift up pure hands But a man may lift up pure hands yet not be heard David complaineth that he did so Psal 22. therefore the Apostle adds 1 Tim. 2. 8. Holy hands without wrath or doubting for saith James ch 1. v. 7. Let not him that wavereth think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Now it is impossible that a man should pray without doubting for any thing of which he is not fully persuaded that it is the will of God that he should receive it this therefore is of very great concern that a Soul should know that he asks according to the will of God and that must be when he knows that God hath somewhere in Scripture promised it Be not therefore only much in prayer but see that you do not ask amiss that you ask so that you may receive yea that while you are speaking God may give you a gracious answer Thirdly This Doctrine calls to you for an holy and close walking with God A loose liver may receive some good things from God as he is a God of compassion full of pity and tender compassion that hears even the young Ravens when they cry unto him for their food thus did Ahab thus did the King of Nineveth and this was a ground for Simon Magus to pray though he was in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity but he can receive nothing from God as he is a God of truth and faithfulness there is not in all the Book of God one promise made to a wicked mans prayer God hath said though they make many prayers he will not hear them Isaiah 1. 15. he hath said They shall call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Prov. 1. 28. For Hypocrites he hath said Job 27. 9. Will God hear his cry when trouble comes upon him but a close walking with God is not only commendable to us upon this account that our prayers may not be wholly shut out from God that we may not only in our distresses go to God as a fountain of mercy and goodness as a God of pity and tender compassion but as unto a God of truth and faithfulness with an hope and a confidence in him and an expectation upon him and with an holy boldness but also that we may have a present answer we are naturally hasty as to the supply of our wants and the satisfaction of our desires hence we say Bis dat qui cito dat and count that kindness double which is done for us quickly Now they are the favourites of Heaven that gain the quickest answers from God There 's nothing makes one Soul more the favourite of God then another but a more ardent love for God and a
promises The only thing that I can fancy why a Christian should make a doubt here is because they may be consequent to the removal of some bodily distempers whose influence upon the mind might cause those troubles that weakness or dulness such as Melancholy c. But hath God no hand in bringing or removing such bodily causes if he hath as certainly there is no evil in our bodies more than in our Cities which he hath not done why may not God both afflict us as to our spirits by sending such distempers upon our bodies and also remove the former which are the effect by the removal of the latter which he hath made to be the cause So that admit these things consequent to the removal of some bodily distemper yet they are the effect of God and may be and ought to be looked upon as the answer of our prayers 3. The greatest difficulty of judgment in this case is as to those things which are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things which concern this life which God giveth to the righteous as well as the wicked to the sinner crying unto him as well as unto his Children How a Christian shall discern that God when he gives him in these mercies gives them in as a God of Truth and Faithfulness remembring his promise to his Servants nor indeed is this Judgment very easie to the most discerning Christian Something I shall say in the case whether what will be satisfactory or no I cannot tell 1. If they have been given in after prayer made with a Spirit indifferent not too importunate I mean for the receiving of them we may hope well We may observe in Scripture that sometimes common good things have been wrung out of the hands of God by too much impatience and importunity which have never proved blessings Such were the Quails Num. 11. 31 32 33. the Text saith while the flesh was yet between their teeth e're it was chewed the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People Such was the first King given to the Israelites even Saul the Prophet saith Hosea 13. 11. I gave thee a King in mine anger But when a Christian begs of God any good thing without too much impatience and importunity with an indifferency of Spirit resigning up himself to the will of God as to the receiving of it and God after such a prayer gives in the mercy I know not why we should not conclude it an answer of prayer This I think was the case of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. She was indeed grieved and troubled because God had denied to her the blessing of a Child in this trouble she prays in a solemn manner we read not of any anger in her Spirit against God any impatience or sinful importunity but she prays as a Woman of a troubled Spirit the Lord gives her a Child it was but a mercy of a common nature wicked Women have Children as well as others but it is given in after a solemn prayer she looks upon the Child as begged of God For this Child saith she I prayed and the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him 2. I shall add but one thing more viz. When together with the good thing there is an heart given to the person to improve and make use of it for the honour and glory of God James lets us know that God never gives us in mercies in answer to our prayers and as evidences of his love and faithfulness that we might consume them upon our lusts when he tells those to whom he wrote James 4 5. You ask and receive not because you ask amiss that you may consume it upon your lusts when God giveth us in an outward mercy if he giveth it us in performance of his promise and in token of his love and favour he together with it gives in an heart inclined and ready to make use of it for the honour and glory of his name This is also exemplified in the case of Hannah in the text before-mentioned 1 Sam. 1. 27 28. For this Child saith she I prayed the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him therefore also I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth he shall be lent unto the Lord. In the margent of your larger Bibles you will see it may be read He whom I have obtained by Petition shall be returned to the Lord. You have another no less famous instance of it in David Psal 116. v. 1. I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and supplications The Lord hath heard his voice v. 1. He had inclined his ear unto him v. 2. The Lord had dealt graciously with him v. 7. He had delivered his Soul from death his Eyes from tears and his feet from falling Now mark the product of this He loved the Lord because of it v. 2. He resolveth to call upon the Lord so long as he lived v. 9. To walk before the Lord in the land of the living v. 13. To take the cup of salvation and to call upon the name of the Lord. v. 14. To pay his vows v. 16. To be the Lords Servant v. 17. To offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving c. Now where upon prayer for a more common mercy suppose life health riches success in business we find that the Lord hath given us both the thing which we asked of God and an heart to honour God with it and to make a due improvement of it we have there no reason to doubt but that it is given us in answer to our prayers and in testification of his faithfulness and love towards us This now is of great concern to us in order to our gladness and joy in him upon the receiving an answer of our prayers for how shall we rejoice in him upon any such occasion unless we discern our good things coming from him This I think is enough to have spoken to this question and upon this whole argument I shall now proceed as God gives me opportunity to the other effect this mercy had upon the Spouse We will remember thy loves more than Wine But of this hereafter Sermon XXIX Cant. 1. 4. We will remember thy Loves more than Wine YOU heard in my last discourse the first effect that the Beloveds favour shewed to his Spouse in the quick return he made to her prayers and the royal favour he had bestowed upon her in bringing her into his Chambers admitting her to some more special and intimate degrees of communion with himself had upon her it put gladness into her heart and brought her up to an exulting and rejoycing in him Joy is but a passion cito fit cito perit that doth not last alwaies it is like a Land-flood that is sometimes up but will in a short time abate Ordinary Joys do so But the Spouse resolves to keep up here and to this end she saith She will remember the Loves of Christ and give them a
is full either of such as are excessive drinkers of Wine or Merchants for it but how thin is it of such as have any remembrance of Christs love who as the Apostle tells us died to redeem us from our vain conversation 1 Pet. 1. 18. For we were not redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold from our vain conversation but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish who can be said to remember Christs love more then Wine that lives in those sins which crucified him who was the Lord of life Yet is not this the course of the most Men and Women who never think of their dying Saviour to restrain them in their drunkennesses debaucheries in their greatest excesses of Riot Nay how many are there that seldom take the love of Christ into their thoughts the love of their cups and of their Harlots hath made Christs loves to be utterly forgotten by their Souls for how can they say that they remember Christs loves above their lusts that will not quench one lust for his sake they in whom the remembrance of Christs death will not extinguish one vile affection one spark of pleasing lust will not the most of men and women yea such in whose ears the loves of Christ are published every Lords day be found perishing for preferring the very lees and dregs of Wine before the loves of Christ I mean for preferring the basest and most sordid kind of pleasures and satisfactions of the flesh for such are those pleasures which are no more than the gratifying of the sensitive appetite 2. Do not most mens discourses and practice betray them to remember Wine I mean their profitable things before the loves of Christ How much is the world and the things of the world the discourse of all companies upon all occasions how few are the discourses concerning Christ and what he hath done for us an hours discourse of Christs loves in a Pulpit upon the Lords day is thought proportionable to six days discourse about our earthly occasions do we not even grudge the Lord a seventh part of our time for the remembrances of his loves the Lords day is a day to call to remembrance Christs loves It was the day of his resurrection by which he compleated mans redemption the Ministers work is to help us in our remembrance of his loves We have besides our attendance upon the publick ministry a private duty this day incumbent upon us viz. To remember him who died for our sins and rose again for our justification I beseech you consider whether your remembrings of Christs loves upon the Sabbath day bear any proportion to your remembrance of your worldly interests other days I mean not for the proportion of time spent in the one and the other God hath indulged our infirmity in that he hath set apart a seventh day only to himself but examine this whether you remember the loves of Christ on the Lords day as you remember your worldly concerns on any of the other six days do the loves of Christ come into your thoughts as much on the week day as the world comes into your thoughts on the Lords days I sear there is none of us all can say that in this thing our hearts are clean I hope I speak to many who remember the loves of Christ and will never suffer his dying love to go off their thoughts But when we come to these comparative examinations to enquire whether we remember his loves more then we remember our sensual or sensible objects ah how short do we come of the duty of Christians yea of what our selves will own and consess to be our duty Happy is that man that doth not condemn himself even in the thing which he alloweth to be his duty But I had rather spend my time in persuading my self and you to our duty which according to my explication of the text and this propositionwill lye much in two things 1. In a full and perfect remembrance of the Loves of Christ 2. In a remembrance of them proportionable to that degree of goodness and excellency in them I say first in a Scriptual remembrance a full and perfect remembrance of the Loves of Christ I am afraid that we satisfy our selves too much in a Notional formal remembrance of Christs Loves and so please our selves in hearing the Gospel read opened and applyed to our Souls in a formal keeping of the Lords day the day which God hath set apart for us to call to our minds all the acts of our redemption compleated in his resurrection some Churches aware of Peoples awkness to this Spiritual duty have thought fit to appoint other days for a more solemn remembrance of his incarnation and death Nor have I any thing to say against any Christians that will set apart any Special times to remember any Loves of Christ though I do not know that Christ hath left any power to his Church to impose particular times of this nature But alas this is the least part of our duty in the remembrance of his Love We may have a day to remember it in we have such a day every week we may have helps to remember it by The holy Scriptures the Ministers of the Gospel that Preach Christ to their People are such helps But if in these days if with these helps we do not set our selves to meditate of the Loves of Christ to turn our thoughts from other things to the contemplation of and meditation upon the Love of a Christ incarnate the Love of a Christ dying and riseing again from the dead if we do not study to get our hearts affected suitably to such Love with love faith hope c. we do not so live as a People that remember Christ died for our Sins declining whatsoever is contrary to his will and Law in the Gospel do what in us lyeth to promove his honour Glory we are so far from Satisfying our Duty by this formal remembrance of his Love that we are the greatest forgetters of his Love The Jews who never owned him as their Redeemer the Heathen who never heard of his name nor of what he was or did for Sinners can in no propriety of Speech be said to forget his Loves The Christian only the loose Christian the formal Christian he who hears every day of the dying Love of Christ yet goes on to defy him to crucify him afresh and to put him to open shame or he who every Lords day hears the sound of the Loves of Christ and reads of it yet never meditates upon it never suffers his soul by contemplation to pierce into the heights or sound the depths of it whose heart is never truly affected with it so as he hath any Love kindled in his soul towards Christ no breathings after him who exerciseth no faith no hope in him he that lives not in his measure up to it leaving his vain conversation worshiping God in the Spirit
God and whose heart is sincere before God is an upright and righteous Soul In this Sense the upright heart is the Sincere heart Thus David saith of himself I was upright before him 2 Sam. 22. 24. And God saith of Job He is a perfect and an upright man The Proposition must be understood of the latter he that is Evangelically righteous or upright for there are none of the former upon the Earth none that are legally righteous 3. Thirdly As there are degrees of Sanctification so there are degrees of uprightness The text seems to speak of the highest degrees Uprightnesses It is very ordinary with the Hebrew to express the Superlative degree by the plural number besides this is Signified by putting the Abstract for the Concrete we usually call men notoriously vile and wicked by the Abstract names of vice and persons eminently good and virtuous by the Abstract Names of virtue and goodness Those that are highest in grace who do most excel in holiness are fullest of love to Christ Love teacheth every Child of God the weakest babe in grace to cry after Christ and the grown Christian to delight in him and to walk up and down in his name Every righteous every upright Soul loveth Christ and that with a true sincere love though not in an equal degree she saith our Saviour who hath much forgiven will love much Having premised these distinctions let me a little further inquire into the true Notion of these upright men upright by this Evangelical rectitude In short they are such as are justified and Sanctified made righteous through Christs righteousness imputed to them holy through the Sanctification of his Spirit 1. Such as are justified This is the first thing requisite to an upright right man let the unjustified Soul be what it will do what it can it cannot be upright either in heart or way Suppose a stick naturally crooked you may pare it and paint and colour it and cover its crookedness alittle but until it hath been in the fire and bended right it will be crooked still the natural man the Soul not justified by grace not washed with the blood of Christ may be pared by education and brought off from some flagitious and enormous practices he may be coloured and painted over by some acts of moral vertue and some formal performances of religious duties but still in Gods Eye the Soul is a crooked Soul until the Lord hath made it right till it be justified by faith 2. To this uprightness is required not only justification or the removal of the Souls guilt and imputation of a righteousness a perfect righteousness but the sanctification of the heart God never sanctifieth any whom he doth not justify hence no Soul can be said to be an upright Soul that is not justified nor doth the Lord at any time justify a Soul but he at the same time also reneweth and sanctifieth it hence the upright Soul must be a renewed Sanctified Soul But yet in regard our regeneration and sanctification is not as to degrees perfect though as to parts Divines say it is that is the whole man is renewed it may be yet worthy to be inquired from what degrees of Regeneration and Sanctification a man may be denominated an upright man the rectitude of any thing is to be judged from its conformity to some rule The rule of mans uprightness is the Lords Statutes which are right saith the Psalmist Psal 19. 8. holy and spiritual and just and good Rom. 7. Thy judgments are right saith David Psal 119. 75. 128. It is said so of nothing else so as from a conformity to this rule must rightness or uprightness be judged And thus 1. There is an uprightness of judgment when the Soul judgeth according to truth both concerning notions and practices when it judgeth aright concerning truth and is not warped by error and when it judgeth aright concerning the ways of God then the Soul is upright with respect to the understanding and judgment 2. There is an uprightness of the whole Soul with respect to the scope and bent of it when the heart of man doth not stand inclined and bent to sin but the Soul can say with David I hate vain thoughts but thy law do I love I hate every false way c. The man that in all his actions designeth and intendeth the honour and glory of God and obedience to his will though in many things he cometh short and offendeth yet this man is an upright man his end and general scope is right 3. There is an uprightness of will in this the uprightness of a mans intention discovereth itself when to will is present with the Soul as St. Paul saith Rom. 7. Though he wanteth a strength to perform the man or woman in heart willeth the honour and glory of God and this not by fits but steadily and certainly and is really unwilling to do any thing by which God may be dishonoured though through ignorance he may offend and through a natural impotency not being able to love the Lord with all his heart and strength yea and through moral impotency and a mixt infirmity through the great power of temptations whether from the seduction of lust or the violent motions and impressions of Satan 4. There is an uprightness of action which lieth in a true and sincere endeavour to do the will of God and by this both the uprightness of intention and will also is to be judged This is the upright man though he may stumble and fall and oft doth fail who liveth and sinneth not against God And as these holy dispositions are found in the Soul in more remiss or intense degrees so the Soul is more or less upright and the man deserves this honourable denomination less or more These now are the Souls that love Christ To love any object whether person or thing signifieth to take a delight and complacency in it Whether in the thoughts of it if absent as the Apostle saith whom we having not seen yet love or in the contemplation and fruition in converse and communion with it if more present This Praedicate concerning the upright that they love Christ is to be understood exclusively and inclusively concerning the Person of Christ and whatsoever beareth his image and superscription 1. Exclusively these and none but these love him Others may talk of loving Christ but it is but a talk and pretence they love but in word and tongue only not in deed and truth there is something else either lust or the world something or other that hath more of their affection more of their heart then Christ hath 2. Inclusively These and all these love Christ there is not an upright Soul in the world but loves Christ and takes a pleasure complacency in him and preferreth him before his chief joy 3. They love the person of Christ He is in their Eyes altogether desires the chiefest of ten thousand there is nothing in the
to it without works and not imputing sin as the Apostle expounds the whole business of justification Rom. 4. 5 8. Thus now every believing Soul becomes a righteous Soul in the Eye of God through the righteousness of Christ put upon it This is indeed what some modern wits laugh at But as we say in other cases let them laugh that win so every serious Soul will think it hath cause of rejoycing if it hath thus won Christ to use the Apostles expression Phil. 3. 8. which he expoundeth in the very next words v. 9. And be found in him not having my own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousness which is of God by faith and I would have all that love their own Souls look to be one of that circumcision which the Apostle speaketh of in that Chapter v. 3. Which worship God in the Spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh Some trust in Chariots faith the Psalmist some in Horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God Psal 20. 7. I do but allude to that Text. There are some that trust to a righteousness of other Saints so do the Papists some trust in a righteousness of their own so do they also amongst others some trust to the meer free grace of God without any regard to a perfect righteousness but we will trust alone in Jesus Christ and in his righteousness I fear what follows in the Psalmist v. 8. will be found true in the day of Judgment Those will be brought down and fall but those that trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and his righteousness will rise and stand upright Those that trust in the good works of other Saints will find at that day they will have none to spare there will not be enough for themselves and much less to lend to others as the wife Virgins told the foolish Virgins in the Parable wanting Oâ—l and offering to borrow of them and those who trust to a righteousness of their own will find that they do but trust to a Spiders webb and which hath these two qualities analogous to a Spiders web 1. That it is a thing spun out of their own bowels 2. That the least touch of it sweeps it away it is what upon examination when judgment is laid to the line and this righteousness to the plummet will be found to be no such thing as will cover the Souls nakedness a bed too short for a Soul to stretch it self in Gods sight upon They say the great Cardinal Bellarmine dying confessed that it was safest to trust to the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ whether he said so or no I am sure it will be found so There is an original blackness which cleaveth to every Soul the not belief of which is possibly the foundation error as to this great point 1. A blackness of imputation The Apostle tells us that in Adam all died we were all in the loins of that our first Parent what he lost he lost for us we in him plucked a fruit of the Tree of forbidden fruit and so loft that Original Righteousness in which God at first made man and became black and unrighteous 2. An inherent blackness for having lost the image of the heavenly we were born with the Image of the Earthly which lay in a Native aversion from God and a Native proneness and aptitude to sin against God This is seen in our native ignorance and blindness stubborness and perverseness in our naturally vile affections turbulent and impetuous passions things very far from the Image of God and hence we are all by nature saith the Apostle Eph. 2. 3. Children of Wrath. To say nothing of those actual sins which are consequent to this native blackness all our thoughts words and deeds contrary to the law of God Divines think the natural blackness of the Soul is well set out by the Prophet Ezek. 16. Thy birth is of the land of Canaan thy Father was an Amorite thy Mother an Hittite In the day wherein thou wert born thy Navel was not cut neither wert thou washed in water to supple thee thou wert not salted at all nor swadled at all none Eye pitied thee to do any of these things for thee but thou wert cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day wherein thou wert born All this while here is no appearance of any thing but filthiness and blackness Now how cometh this black and most filthy creature to be made clean and comely see v. 6. I said unto thee while thou wert in thy blood live There is what we call effectual calling v. 7. I have caused thee to multiply and thou art increased and waxed great and come to excellent Ornaments v. 8. When I passed by thee it was a time of Love yea I spread my skirt over thee and I covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entred into a covenant with thee and thou becamest mine Then washed I thee with water there the Spouses blackness began first to wear off yea I thoroughly washed thy blood off thee and I anointed thee with Oil. the Psalmist tells us Oil makes the face to shine I clothed thee also v. 14. And thy renown went forth among the Nations for thy beauty for it was persect through my comeliness put upon thee saith the Lord thy God God there under the similitude of a wretched new born Infant and the care of a Parent for it setteth out the woful state of the Jews and Gods care for them and as Divines judge the wretched state of every Soul by nature till washed by Christs blood and made comely by Christs comeliness is also by that similitude excellently expressed but it is plain enough from other texts that our comeliness of righteousness that righteousness wherein we must stand righteous before God is put upon us by Christ and his comeliness though by imputation made ours 2. Christ makes us righteous by putting his Spirit into us Hence he promiseth to put his Spirit into his people and you read of the holy Spirit dwelling in believers and working in them This is the comeliness of Regeneration and Sanctification which is called the Sanctification of the Spirit the Spirit of Christ in us whose fruits Gal. 5. 22. are love joy meekness c. Indeed whatsoever rendreth a soul comely and beautiful in the eye of reason upon the union of which holy Spirit with the soul the soul becomes a new creature old things are passed away and all things are become new In the same hour wherein Christ saith to the soul I will be thou clean he also saith I will be thou pure and holy an habitation for God through the Spirit undefiled in the heart and in the way This is also metaphorically set out by the same Prophet Ezekiel 16. 10 11 12. I decked thee also with ornaments and I put
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
rock of their Salvation If ever a People forsook the fountain of living Waters to dig up to themselves cisterns broken cisterns that will hold no Water Certainly those are they who sit under the tenders of Christ in the Gospel and yet do despite to the Covenant of grace and neglect so great Salvation Christ is calling aloud every day as in the fifth of this Song v. 1. I am come unto my Garden poor creatures I have gathered my Myrrh with my Spice I have eaten my Hony Comb with my Hony I have drank my Wine with my Milk Eat O friends Drink yea drink abundantly O you beloved Christ incarnate crucified ascended up to Heaven sitting at Gods right Hand is daily preached to poor creatures And what is their language other then that of the Prophet Isa 53. 3. He hath no form no comeliness There is no beauty that we should desire him People that live in these lightsome parts of the World dwell upon the mountain of Myrrh upon the hill of frankincense to use the expression Cant. 4. 6. and yet how few are those that look after and discern any sweetness in Jesus Christ What is the reason Are not these men rational persons as well as believers How comes it that the Lord Jesus Christ is as a bundle of Myrrh to a believing Soul and not at all pretious unto others I will assign a double reason 1. The first is their want of Spiritual senses There are but few that have senses exercised to discern between Good and Evil. Heb. 5. ult the Carnal man is said to be dead in sin life and sense go together the dead man smells nothing The Natural Soul is a dead Soul He hath Natural senses he discerns the sweetness of Hony to his tast Musick to his Ear fair and beautiful objects to his Eye Perfumes to his Nostrils the sweetness of notions to his understanding but he discerns no sweetness in spiritual things he savours not the things of the Spirit 2. But Secondly His Nostrils are choked with other Smells The vitiated pallat tasts not the sweetness of the best meat the Nostrils suffocated with stinks discern not the sweetness of the best Perfumes the Souls of unbelievers are filled and suffocated with the smells of the World One with the smell of unjust gain Dulcis odor lucri he cannot smell the sweetness of Christ who commands him to leave the gain of injustice to distribute and give to the poor to avoid covetousness which is Idolatry another is suffocated with the savour of Worldly business and imployments he smells the smell of a field which the Lord hath blest the smell of his Worldly business puts out the smell of Christs sweetness he is cumbred about many things and he smells no sweetness in the One thing necessary A third hath his smell adulterated with sordid lusts the smell of a drunken cup of a fordid wanton spoils him for smelling this bundle of Myrrh which is infinitely more sweet But give me leave to turn this complaint and reproof into an Exhortation In the first place O you fools when will you be wise You that are creatures of pleasure and are not satisfied without a ransacking of the whole Creation for objects of delight Turn in hither I beseech you and tell me if there be any sweetness like this bundle of Myrrh Your Eye engageth your Tongue to call the comely face sweet Alas A fit of sickness spoils the beauty of it the Small-Pox spoileth that glory how ever when death hath taken possession of it you see no more sweetness in it You hear the voice of a singing man or Woman you think it sweet but that voice will one day grow hoarse or you may be in a state that it will grate upon your Ears and be offensive to you You smell a powder or perfume and you must have it and wear it about you because it is sweet But what are all these to one Christ who is sweetest to the Soul in an evil day who doth not refresh the outward man so much as the inward man whose sweetness ravisheth every soul that is possessed of it never corrupts nor decaies nor saileth Imagine all the lines of beauty which adorn all sublunary faces to be brought into one face that face must be very lovely But all nothing to the face of Christ in the Eye of a believing Soul If you could rifle Arabia and from all the sweet Plants and Gums and Spices which abound there distil one sweet Water or make one aromatical compound or perfume that should have in it united whatsoever is scattered in them of pleasure to the senses they would all be nothing to one Sprig of this bundle of Myrrh to one beam of Christs countenance the least breathings of his Love upon the Soul of his Saint Ob. Ah! But saies a poor Soul you told us that Myrrh Is not every ones portion it only grows in Arabia and every one there gets it not you told us there was a season in which it must be got and if that were lost or if during the season due means were not used People got no Gum I am afraid my season is gone and know not what course to take to get it Sol. 1. What the Country of Arabia was for Myrrh that is every place where the Gospel is preached as to the gaining of Christ It is true there are many Countries where the Gospel of Christ is not preached but England is a mountain of Myrrh and it drops every day amongst you 2. I told you that in the Country where the Myrrh grew every one gathered it not But I told you it was their own fault either despising through ignorance or through laziness neglecting their opportunity in the Country where Christ is Preach'd every one receives him not but it is their own fault I do not think it is true in every sense that every man may be saved that will This phrase implies a power in our selves to Spiritual actions but it is unquestionably true that if any Soul sitting under the Gospel perish it is because it will not be saved You will not come to me saith our Saviour that you may have life 3. I told you indeed that there is a season as there was for gathering Myrrh which if neglected we get no share in Christ The foolish Virgins came when the gate was shut Many shall seek and shall not enter There is a season of grace And some Divines think that this season is oft times finished while our life yet lasteth and the means of grace continue Whether it be so or no I cannot determine sure I am thou hast no sufficient reason to conclude thy season past whiles yet thy life lasts and the means are continued especially if God yet at last give thee an heart to come unto Christ 4. Doest thou ask what thou shouldest do Remember what I told you concerning the procuring of the dropping of Myrrh 1. They made an
give to the Poor and if I have taken anything from any by false accusation I restore him fourfold Will he have Peter gird himself and come to him upon the waters Peter will do it immediately Doth he call Simon and Andrew from their Nets to follow him upon a promise that they shall be made Fishers of men and doth he by and by require James and Zebedee to do the like they immediately leave their Father forsake their Nets and follow him Mark 1. 16 17 18. 2. The phrase signifies as much as I will entertain him with the highest Evidences of most cordial Affection I have more than once noted that the heart lies under the left breast however the breasts are the place of love It were endless to enlarge upon those several Scriptures expressing the satisfaction of gracious Souls upon the presence of Christ with them or his returns of presence to them One or two of them shall suffice The first shall be that of David Psal 146. You will discern upon the reading of that Psalm that God had returned to his Soul in Influences of mercy testifying his gracious presence he had heard his supplication v. 1. Inclined his Ear unto him v. 2. helped him v. 6. Mark with what a satisfaction his Soul receiveth these Influences v. 2. I will call upon him as long as I live v. 7. Return unto thy rest O my Soul v. 12. What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits I will take the cup of Salvation c. v. 16. Oh Lord truly I am thy Servant I am thy Servant and the Son of thy handmaid c. How welcome is the presence of God to Davids Soul Do you use to say to your friend Sir what shall I provide for you I think my self much beholden to you I am much your Servant for this kindness rejoiced to see you c. Observe if David here speaketh not much the same language The other instance shall be that of the Spouse Cant. 3. 4. when she had recovered her beloved I found him whom my Soul Loveth I held him and would not let him go untill I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the Chamber of her that canceived me The Child knoweth not how to express its love to its friend better then by bringing him or her home to its Mothers or Fathers house What need any further evidence then that exuberance of joy which is found in every gracious Soul upon any return of divine love which may evidence Christa abiding with it 3. Vehement passions will also discover a gracious Souls desires to the Enjoyment of Christ and his abidings with the Soul When they saw our Saviour weep over Lazarus his grave Joh. 11. They cry out How he loved him He that seeth a Friend mourn when his Friend is gone from him or perhaps but going the woman jealous of any whom she but suspects would draw away her husband from her falling into fits of passion whes he doth but fear such a thing will easily conclude that this friend this Wife is eagerly desirous of the presence and abiding of his friend or her husband with her and Secondly he that observes the jealousy of a gracious Soul over the Lord its Saviour and of every sin of Omission or Commission which it suspecteth as that which may probably separate betwixt his Soul and it He that observeth what slavish fear the Christian yet living in the enjoyments of God is often tormented with left he should lose his beloved presence oâ— takes notice of his weepings even till he can weep no more when he lies but under a perhaps false apprehension that he hath withdrawen himself in displeasure how his Eye oft-times consometh with grief how he makes his bed to swim and wateroth his Couch with tears must needs conclude that the abidings of Christ with the Soul are great objects of its desire And no wonder though they be so as we shall see by enquiring upon the third question Qu. 3. Whence it is that a gracious Soul is so desirous of Christ's lodgings and abidings with it To make a thing the object of a reasonable Soul's desire it is required That the understanding conceive it under the Notion of good and some good which it wanteth and may possibly obtain and according to the degree of goodness apprehended in an object proposed so is the motion of a reasonable Soul's desire more or less towards it Now that which appears to us as good appears so 1. Under the notion of profitable and advantageous Or 2. Under the notion of sweet and pleasant or under the notion of vertaous and honourable It is almost impossible to conceive but that the spiritually enlightened Soul should apprehend the abidings of Christ with it transcendently good upon all these accounts 1. Under the notion of Vertuous and Honourable What greater honour can betide a poor creature than to have the Almighty pitch his Tents in and with it for the Lord of Heaven and Earth to make his abode with a Worm the Eternal Son of God to dwell with Dust and Ashes yea and delight to dwell and continue with it Such honour have all the Saints and no wonder if they be so fond of it Doth Abigail think it an honour to be but a Servant to an Earthly David and Mephibosheth judge it an honour to be admitted to eat Bread at his Table What is it then to have the Son of God in the Arms of our Souls and to have him dwell in our hearts and make his abode there 2. Nor certainly can any thing be more sweet to a gracious Soul The joy and peace that peace which passeth all understanding which is the issue of believing ebbs and flows according to the abidings of Christ with the Soul His presence makes an Heaven and his absence makes an Hell there There are two Passions which are like overflowing Floods and drown a Soul's beauty and comfort Fear and Grief the presence of Christ with the Soul keeps them both under The Soul of the Saint cannot fear when it knows that it is He that saveth it and upholdeth it with the hand of his Righteousness and the Children of the Bride-Chamber himself told us cannot mourn while the Bridegroom is with them 3. For the advantage which accrews to the Soul by the abidings of christ with it besides that already mentioned in the quiet and holy security which it hath by his company which is infinitely above the value of all other concernments I say besides that the advantage is exceeding great I will mention but two things 1. Its enemies are still when the Captain of our Salvation is in our quarters there 's no great fear that the enemy will beat them up The tempter hath nothing to say whiles he that succours the tempted is speaking peace to the Soul God must first say to the Devil behold this Soul is in thy hands before he can meddle with it And our