The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

Sermon LV.

I Have united the bundle of Myrrh in my Text, that I might give you the fuller smell thereof. Christ is the Posy of his Saints; we must now find him a convenient place; the Text assigns him a Posies place, about, or betwixt the breasts, not upon her shoulders, as if he were her burden, nor behind her back, where she could not view him, but in her breast, where she may be always pleasing her senses with him. The Psalmist, Psal. 16. 8. says, I have set the Lord always before me, he is at my right hand, therefore I shall not be moved. De Ponte notes, that the believing Soul in the time of spiritual Combat, setteth Christ at her right hand, but in the time of Peace she lodgeth him betwixt her breasts. It was an old usage, saith Atheneus, to anoint the breast with Myrrh, because of its virtue to strengthen the heart; here our Spouse placeth her bundle of Myrrh.

Not to trouble you with the strained fancies of Interpreters, concerning the Spouse's breasts; In mammis signum amoris: the place betwixt the breasts is near to the heart, and the seat of the beloved Object; it is the beloved Husband, and the Beloved Babe that is allowed to lodge betwixt the breasts. She might have said he shall lodge near my heart, but she rather chooseth to say, betwixt my breasts, (which are an outward part, nigh to the heart) intimating that she would not only bear Christ upon her heart, but express her love, by living to Christ in her outward conversation. But not to overstrain the Metaphor, she doth not say, he shall come, but he shall lodge, or lodge all 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. Showing 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 privilege, 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 a • 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 privilege, 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 momentary, 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 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , 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 ways by which the Earnest desire of our friends abode with us are discernible 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 discernible.

1. Verbal Expressions (before the World was so far debauched 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 lie 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 Savior 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 doorkeeper 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 Jėsus. Will he have it deny itself, distribute and give to the poor, make satisfaction where he hath done injury? No sooner is Zacchaeus told that Christ was come to his house, but he cries, Luk. 19. 5, 8. Lord, the half of my goods I 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 David's Soul? Do you use to say to your friend? Sir, what shall I provide for you? I think myself 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, until 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 Savior 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 Savior, 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, o • takes notice of his weepings even till he can weep no more when he lies but under a (perhaps) false apprehension that he hath withdrawn himself in displeasure, how his Eye ofttimes 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 honorable. 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 Virtuous and Honorable. What greater honor 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 honor have all the Saints, and no wonder if they be so fond of it. Doth Abigail think it an honor to be but a Servant to an Earthly David? and Mephibosheth judge it an honor 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 anything 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 accrues 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 succors 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 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 Christ's withdrawings from the Soul is the time when Satan molests, and lusts are most busy.

2. The Souls Spikenard then sends forth its pleasant smell. You had it in the former verse. I shown you there what dependence the exercise of our grace hath upon Christ's 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 Gregory's 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 shown 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 God's 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 virtual 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 ourselves 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 lodge in her bosom at night: there's many a wretch that talks of Christ that yet will not let him come • igh his heart.

2. There are many that say they shall lodge to eternity betwixt his breasts, that yet cannot, will not say this; going to Heaven is grown market talk, and everyone 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 die 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 Christ's 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 everyone is not wife to another that saith she shall one day have him, nor is every Soul a Spouse to Christ that promiseth to itself 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; 'tis one thing for a woman to desire the Physician 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 of the Lord Jesus, and not an harlot. I might have further added. That the Soul that is so, says so of no • e else, 〈◊〉 and none but be, shall lodge betwixt my breasts. She is an harlot that speaks it in any sense less then exclusive. If thou can • t truly say of the Lord Jesus Christ, be shall lodge betwixt my breasts. Thou also sayest, He shall, and none else shall; not the sweetest lust I have, nor the loveliest piece that the World can afford me, not anything contrary unto him, nor anything besides him. That Earthly Object comes too nigh a Christian, that comes between its breasts. The heart is reserved for the Beloved. Deal faithfully I beseech you with your own Souls; the World is full of pretenders, but I fear me exceeding thin of such as can say, and say it in truth, and say it cordially, That Christ is he, and he alone whom they desire should lodge and stay betwixt their breasts. But enough for this Use. I hasten to conclude.

Let us in the next place see what this Doctrine will afford us, for the promoving our comfort, or our holiness, by way of Consolation or Exhortation; and first for Consolation. The term or Verb in the Text speaketh certainty, but futuriety, and the phrase denotes, 1. The Spouse's leave, 2. Desire, 3. Confidence; He shall lodge: And thus considered (to say nothing of the too Critical note that some make upon the term night, as fignifying here a time of affliction, in which Christ is an especial comfort to the Soul; I say, to say nothing of that, because the word in the Text doth not necessarily imply a night, yet the phrase thus considered) the Text and Doctrine offer a great deal of refreshings to those appearingly forgotten Souls, who cannot obtain the sensible abidings of Christ with them, and are therefore ready to pronounce sadly against their Souls, that God is not with them, nor they with him: As Gideon said, If the Lord be with us, why are we thus? forgetting that God sometimes hideth himself even from the House of Jacob. Let such a Soul observe, That the Spouse here doth not say, He doth lie always betwixt my breasts, though it be true that Christ doth truly and constantly dwell in the heart of his Saints, yet 'tis often indiscernably to it; but she saith, He shall lie, which imports, 1. I will give him leave; I will not drive him from my Soul; my breasts shall be free and open to him. 2. The Spouse's desire, it is Vox cupientis. 3. It speaks confidence; it is Vox fidei, the language of Faith, which when it speaks properly, always speaks in the future tense; for hope which is seen is no hope, unless when it calls the things which are not in present fruition, as if they were, because of its being an evidence of things not seen. Look, as the true Wife is not • lwa • es known by having her beloved Husband in her Arms, but first, By her readiness so to receive him; Secondly, By her desire of it, as her happiness▪ So is the true Believer not always known by his or her sensible Enjoyments of the Lord Jesus Christ, but by the openness of her heart to receive him. 2. By the longing; of the Soul after him. 3. By the confidence of the Soul in him.

But lastly; Oh that the same frame of spirit might be found in you (even in everyone of you who profess to have tasted how good the Lord is) which was here found in the Spouse towards the Lord Jesus Christ, that you would all say, He shall lodge all night betwixt our breasts. I but now told you it imported three things; 1. Leave, 2. Desire, 3. Confidence. 1. Lift up your heads, O you gates, stand ope you everlasting doors, that the King of Glory may come in. Stand open, O my Soul, to the Lord Jesus Christ, keep your hearts free to the entertainment of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. Make it the business of your desire and prayer. 3. Be confident that he will make his abode with you. These might be three distinct branches, but I have not time to speak fully to each of them. For the two first, I have prevented myself as to the Arguments which I should use to urge them. Consider what I spake to the third Question in the Explication, how honorable a thing it is to you, how sweet and pleasant, how infinitely advantageous and profitable; there is only to be added a word of Direction: Will the poor Soul say, How should I procure the abidings of Christ with me, (I mean) his abidings as to his gradual Influences? For your direction, I will only turn you to that one Text, Joh. 14. 22. where you shall be resolved from our Savior's own mouth; If any man love me, he will keep my words, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. Christ is ready enough to stay where he finds love, but it must be real love, such as is joined with keeping of his words. Be expressive then of your love to Christ; 1. By voiding from your heart whatever may be offensive to his Majesty. 2. By heightening in your heart a great esteem of him. 3. By doing whatsoever he commands you. Do you abide with him in a way of duty, and he shall abide with you in a way of mercy; according to that of the Prophet in the Book of Chronicles to the King; God is with you, if you be with him; but if you forsake him, he will forsake you; if you be incertain and inconstant with him, he will be so with you, as to the gradual Influences of his Love; With the froward he will show himself froward.

2. I told you it is the Language of Faith. He shall lie. Faith is the sacred Instrument by which Christ is united to the Soul, and it is that by which Communion with Christ is maintained and preserved. According to a Christian's Faith it ordinarily is unto it (as to Divine Dispensations;) Faith merits nothing of Christ, but it applieth much. Believe, and the abidings of Christ shall be established upon your Souls; but you must know, that this Faith must not be a dead Faith, but such as works by love. Though Faith and Holiness must not be confounded, yet (unless as to Instrumental efficacy in Justification in the act of justifying) they can never be separated. But thus much shall serve for this Verse.

Sermon LVI.

IT is agreed on all hands, that it is the Spouse, which yet speaketh, and the term 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we met with from her in the former verse is enough to prove it, and to let us know that she is yet speaking concerning her beloved. It is also as well agreed that what she saith in this verse amounts to little more then what she had said in the 13. v. Only she expresseth the same thing under a new resemblance, but it is not so easy to give you a just account of her expression, and to set out the aptness of the Metaphor which she here used: The difficulty of which ariseth, from this that the plant, to which or to the Gum of which she here resembleth her Beloved, is an exotic plant, not known to us in these countries neither in the kind, nor in the qualities, we having no perfect account given us by any, of the Natures of those several plants which grew in those Eastern Countries: Which hath made that great diversity of Interpreters in translating the Heb. word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we (and it is but a conjecture) translate Camphire; The Vulg. Lat. Sept. and Tremellius & the Dutch Translators translate it Cypress; Castalio, the Cyprian Grapes; the Arabic, a cluster of Flowers; Pagnine and Montanus translate it not at all, but put in Copher; the Heb. word. The Tig. Version Caphurd, Camphire. Let us endeavor as far as we may to find out the truth, by way of Explication of the Text; we will therefore inquire,

1. Qu. What were these Vineyards of Engedi. 2. What is this Cluster of Copher or Camphire growing in these Vineyards, to which the Spouse here resembleth her beloved. 3. Why she resembleth him in this manner, to a Cluster of Copher, in the Vineyards of Engedi.

1. Qu What were these Vineyards of Engedi?

The name Engedi signifieth Oculus hoedi, a kids Eye. It was a City, the same with Hazazon Tamar, 2 Chron. 20. 2. Now Hazazon Tamar was a City of the Amorites, Gen. 14. 7. called by them Hazazon Tamar, taken in by Joshua, in the conquest of Canaan, and by him set out to the tribe of Judah, for a part of their portion, Jos. 15. 62. From which place you may observe, it was a City, and in or near the Wilderness, it was a place at or near which were strong bolds, David fled thither from Saul, 1 Sam. 23. 29. & 1. 24. where you read of the wilderness and of the strong holds of Engedi. But of the Vineyards at Engedi, you read nowhere else in holy Writ. Some tell us that the Queen of Sheba brought with her out of her Country, some choice and odoriferous Plants, which Solomon planted here, and that they thrave exceedingly. Hazazon Tamar signifies a City of Palms, and speaks it anciently famous for rare plants, for it was called by that name in Abraham's time, Nierembergius tells us, it was a place of old famous for a multitude of sweet smelling plants, especially Balsams which it brought forth in great plenty. Which balsams say he and others, were certain shrubby plants, which if an incision were made into them with a sharp stone, or a knife of bone, or Glass, a sweet smelling juice dropped from them, and they say that Engedi continued such a place, till Herod's time, when Cleopatra, transplanted them into Egypt, they say there are still in Engaddi some remainders of those plants, but of no value. But they say there is yet in Egypt a great Garden full of them, betwixt Heliopolis and Babylon, which Saligniacus saith he saw, and many strange stories he and others tell of Christ when he was in Egypt, being washed in a fountain nigh this Garden, &c. But they are Apocryphal, and I shall not trouble you with them. But,

Qu. 2. What is meant here by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which we translate a Cluster of Camphire. We translate it Camphire. It is no easy thing to give a just account of it. The word in the Heb. according to R. Mordecai Nathan hath 7 distinct significations. I shall not need insist upon them all, but one or two of them are possibly applicable here, for those significations of the word where it signifies the frost, or the dew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as Exod. 16. 13. A standing cup, or a flesh hook, as in. 1 Paral, 18. v. 17. A Village, as in 1 Sam. 6. 19. A young Lion as in Judge. 14. 5. It is not in this Text capable of any of these senses, by reason of what goes before 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Cluster, or branch, &c. But besides these, there are 3 other significations: You read the word Gen. 6. 16. Thou shalt pitch it over with pitch. The Heb. is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 with Copher. I think Avenarius his conjecture is good, who thinks it hath obtained this Signification from its likeness to Gopher which signifies a Pine tree from whence came pitch, with which the Ark was covered; from this Original signification of the word according to which it signifiesa Covering, it hath obtained another; it signified, the Mercy seat, Exod. 25. 17. & 37. 6. Either because the Mercy seat was covered with the Cherubims, or itself was a kind of covering to the Ark being over it. And hence this word also signifies an expiation of sin, and is translated Redemption, Psal. 49. 8. God in pardoning sin provides a covering for it, Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. And I find expositors that think there is in this Text, a great respect had to that signification of the word: But what ever allusion the Spouse may be thought to make to that signification, certain it is, that she here understands by it a plant which the Jews knew by that name. But now what Plant that was is very hard to determine. I hinted to you before the various senses of Interpreters; some translate it Cypress, some Camphire, some Cyparis, some the Cyprian Grapes: Others at a pure loss retain the Heb. word Copher. There are three more eminent opnions.

1. Some think the sense this, As a Cluster of Cyprian Grapes is my Beloved to me. Thus Castalio, and some others, who have observed out of Plin • , that the Cyprian Grapes were famous for sweetness. But they did not duly consider the distance between the Isle of Cyprus. And Engaddi (a City in Judah) as Mercer well observes, therefore although the Vineyards of Engaddi be mentioned, yet 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was no Vine as some think but some other plant which grew with the Vines (as was usual.)

2. Others think that it is that which we call Privet. The Latins Ligustrum. The Gr. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Which in those Countries was of a better Kind then ours, and Pliny tells us, bare a White Flower, with a kind of Seed in Clusters like Grapes, and that of this Plant the Unguentum Cyprinum was made which had a rare smell.

3. Others again think that Cypress is meant, as a Cluster of Cypress is my well Beloved unto me. Now this Cypress they tell us was a plant, which flowed with a sweet Gum. It was a rare sweet smelling Balsam and the Best of it grew in the Vineyards of Engaddi.

You see how much Interpreters are in their sense divided, concerning the nature of this Plant from which the Metaphor of the Text is drawn. And no wonder then if it be hard to determine the third thing, viz. why the Spouse here compareth her Beloved to a Cluster of Copher.

Yet in that I find them most reasonably well agreed; That whatever, Plant it was, either the Herb of it, or the Juice of it was exceeding sweet, and the Spouse here compareth Christ to it, to denote that exceeding and abundant sweetness which her Soul had tasted in him. And so this Text speaketh but the same in another phrase, which she had said before. A bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved to me; she means the samething when she here saith, A cluster of Camphire or Copher is my Beloved to me, that is, exceeding sweet and precious. When I spake to the other expression, I spake so fully to that point, of the infinite Sweetness that is in Christ, that I have nothing to add upon that Subject; only I remember that I then took notice, that I did not judge the term 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 redundant, but exclusive; My Beloved is not sweet to others, they smell no sweetness in him, but to Me he is a cluster of Camphire, as a bundle of Myrrh, sweet, infinitely sweet, above all other sweet things most sweet. The Proposition which I shall only insist upon is this;

Prop. That the true believing Soul sees peculiar Excellencies, and tastes a peculiar Sweetness in Christ which others do not see nor taste. This Doctrine supposeth,

1. That there is such an overflowing Fountain of goodness and sweetness in Jesus Christ, that even those who are not Believers may discern some sweetness and excellency in him. 2. It asserts,

That there is a peculiar excellency and sweetness in him discernible to the Believer, which others do not discern. The former is a truth. As a good woman may so far approve herself to all that see her, or hear of her, that they may in heart admire her, and praise her, and have a general love for her; but yet this woman may to her Husband, in respect of her peculiar suitableness to him, and more immediate and intimate converse with him, be ten thousand times more precious in his Eyes, than unto others: So it is with the Lord Jesus Christ; a wicked man, who is far enough from saving Faith, or any special Interest in Christ, may yet have a general love for him. Give me leave a little to enlarge upon this supposed part of the Proposition. 1. By enquiring upon what bottom this general love can stand. 2. By making some Inferences from it. The grounds of it may be, 1. Real, or 2. Supposed and mistaken. The truth is, such is the Lord Jesus Christ, such a Fountain of sweetness, that there is real ground for all the Sons of men to love him. I will hint you two or three.

1. The first shall be, his humbling himself for the good of mankind. The Evangelist saith, Joh. 3. 16. That God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. Arminians cannot understand what the greatest part in the World (as to the matter of Redemption) have to thank God for, if Christ were not given with equal respect to one as to another, or at least (as others qualify) to purchase a possibility for all: But certainly if one should say, such a one so loved such a Family, that he gave his whole Estate to a Child of it, we might understand it▪ though every Member of the Family neither had, nor were in possibility to have part, and part like. It is very questionable whether the Angels ever shared in the death of Christ any way; yet I believe they love Christ for his dying for men: And to that end, Eph. 3. 10. the manifold Wisdom of God is by the Church made known to them. Beneficence, or doing good to others, especially such as are in misery, is a thing so commends itself to the reason of man, that we cannot but have a love for such as are bountiful, though we never taste of their bounty. We see it in ordinary experience, if we that live here (be rational and ingenuous) hear that one who lives in the furthest parts of England hath given all his Estate to good uses, though we have no share in them, yet we love the man for it. And certainly, if you could suppose a reasonable creature, who should but hear that Christ, the Eternal Son of God, came down from Heaven, and died upon the Cross, for some men, though he knew he were none of them, yet it would be a ground of love to him considered as a reasonable creature.

But secondly, a ground of it may be, The certain apprehension of some good which even the Unbeliever enjoyeth from Christ. It is said by many, and those too such as can by no means agree, that Christ died equally for all, or that he purchased a possibility of Salvation for all; that yet there is none who lives, but is for his life and preservation beholden to the death of Christ; and that all receive this good from him, which may to rational men evidence a ground of Love. I must confess I cannot too boldly strike this string, for I much doubt whether the standing of the World, and the common preservation of men, flows from the Death of Christ as the Issue of his purchase; I should rather ascribe it to the gracious Providence of God, of which even the Death of Christ also is an Issue.

3. Certain it is, that whatever the intention of Christ in dying was, such is the Wisdom of Divine Providence, That the Gospel is held forth indefinitely; Whosoever believeth shall be saved. So that there is no ground for any Soul to conclude, I was none of those considered in the purchase of Christ, and there is ground sufficient in the intrinsical value and sufficiency of the Death of Christ, considered together with the indefinite Proposal of the Covenant of Grace, to encourage every man under hope of finding mercy with him, to come unto him. Now, which is there of us, that should hear of a liberal man worth many thousands of pounds, that should have freely determined with himself to spend it all upon our Family, and should make a general offer to us, that to so many of us as would come to him, he would give a share sufficient, would not (as a reasonable creature) judge himself engaged to love him, even before we should so go to him and receiveour share? Give me leave only to infer two things from this Discourse.

That there is sufficient ground for God to condemn those for want of love to Christ, who yet never had a saving sight of him.? All men deserve to be Anathema Maranatha, whose hearts yern not toward Christ, whether ever they had any saving experience of the Love of Christ to their Souls, or no. I speak but as a reasonable creature. If I were sure that I were shut out of Christ's thoughts when he died upon the cross, and that he would never save my Soul; yet I see reason enough why I ought to hate myself, and condemn myself if I should not love him: I remember what the Jews said for their Centurion: He hath loved our Nation and built us a Synagogue; this I am sure of, Christ hath loved mankind, he hath purchased salvation for some of them. O my Soul (if thou beest forgotten of God) yet love him, who would so far humble himself as to pity dust and ashes.

2. Hence secondly, No wonder if there be some love to Christ appearing in those who have no share nor interest in him. It hath been the assertion of some, that Common grace and special grace differ not specifically but gradually. I think the assertion, amongst understanding men but a contest of Logical terms; I no way doubt of the truth of this, That an unbeliever may love Christ in a sense: But the Love of the Child of God vastly differs, being an infused habit and of another species. Whatsoever is presented to us under the Notion of good, whether so really or apparently, is plainly the proper object of our love: Now such may Christ appear even to an unbeliever, who is far from having tasted how good the Lord is; hence even in a carnal man there may be desires after Christ, good wishes to the interest of Christ upon the Earth, yea and he may do much for the Service of Christ; either from a general Notion of Christ's excellency, or 2dly (which I should have mentioned before) from a supposal that he hath as good a share, and interest in Christ, as any other, though in this (possibly) he may be mistaken. And this is very useful for us to consider, that we may not build too great confidences, from such desires, which we find in our Souls, or any such external actions, without a due inquiry after their Principle. But enough of this, I come to the positive part of the Proposition.

2. That there is a peculiar excellency in Christ, which the believing Soul sees and savors, and is not discernible to others. My beloved (saith the Spouse) is a Cluster of Camphire unto me. They said to her in 5th of this Song, v. 9. What is thy beloved more then another beloved, O thou fairest amongst women? what is thy beloved more then another's beloved that thou so strictly chargest us? She answers, v. 10. My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand, &c. For the opening of this, I will propound two questions,

1. What are those peculiar excellencies, which the believer sees in Christ, more then another sees.

2. How comes the believing Soul to be more eagle eyed then his neighbor.

To the first

1. The believer sees further into the heighths, and depths of redeeming love (in the general) then another man doth. The heighth of redeeming love is too great for a reasonable man to take, the Astronomer is lost at taking the heighth of this Star, we must be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inward man, Christ must dwell in our hearts by saith, and we must be rooted, and grounded in love, before we shall be able with all Saints to comprehend, what is the breadth, length, and depth, and heighth, and know the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge. The unbeliever living under the light of the Gospel is like the blind man, whose Eyes Christ hath once touched, and he seeth something of he excellency of Christ, but alas! he seeth men like trees; Christ must touch him again before he sees things clearly; the believer seeth Christ as another thing to what the unbeliever seeth.

2. The believer discerns a particular respect of Christ, to his Soul. Ah this, this is it which makes Christ as a Cluster of Camphire, it is sweet to a rational Soul, to see a Savior: Bu • infinitely sweet for it to see him, as its Savior, to cry out, my Lord, my God: Propriety in a good sweetens it infinitely unto a Soul, the believer sees Christ as his Christ, his Savior. It is sweet to poor Creatures, who are so far enlightened, as to see the World lieth in darkness, to know that he is the true light enlightening all that come into the World; but infinitely more sweet to the Soul, when it sees that he hath enlightened it in particular. A good woman (to a reasonable man) is p • etious and he loves her quatenus good, and virtuous, but if she becomes his Wife, that strangely indears her to him, and shows her a peculiar excellency in him. 'It is sweet to a reasonable man, that is enlightened to see that all the Sons of Adam are by nature under misery, to see that Christ came to Redeem them from this misery and Curse; but how sweet must it be for this Soul to apprehend▪ that he hath redeemed it in particular from this misery? I shall not need to enlarge further upon this which in so plain. Doth any ask,

Qu. 2. Whence it is that the believing Soul seeth such a peculiar sweetness and excellency in Christ.

I answer. 1. From that special illumination which attends regeneration. There is a Common illumination and there is a special illumination; the Common illumination is the work of God's Spirit concurring with the Preaching of the Gospel, enabling men to understand, and give some general assent to what is there revealed: but when the Lord comes to deal savingly with the Soul, it opens the Eyes of the Soul, to a fuller, clearer and more certain sight of Gospel mysteries, 1 Cor. 2. 10. God revealeth to his Saints by his Spirit, those things, which the Princes of the World (though they heard the Gospel) never knew, what things Eye hath not seen, nor Ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart to conceive. A Commonly enlightened Soul, upon the Preaching of the Gospel, may see the same things that a believer sees, that Christ died, &c. But it sees them not so fully and clearly, as upon special saving illuminations, when the Spirit dealeth with the Soul, as it were by demonstration, and gives it to see a Christ crucified as it were before its Eyes. There are two things especially, which the Soul (upon conversion) doth doubtless see after a quite other manner then it saw them before conversion. 1. The sinfulness and mischief of sin. A man merely reasonable may see the ugliness, and sinfulness of some sins, (such as are contrary to the light of nature, &c.) A man Commonly enlightened may see more of the sinfulness, and danger, both of these and of other sins: but when the Spirit of God cometh savingly to work in the Soul, it seeth the sinfulness, and danger even of these sins, after another manner; sin then becomes exceeding sinful, Rom. 7. 13. It then thinks it sees Hell fire before it, and is dropping into it, and so hath a clearer sight of the danger of it. 2. The excellency of Christ, is doubtless seen by it too after another manner. Of this there needs no greater evidence than the Souls strange workings of affections towards him, its groanings after him, longings for an interest in him, &c.

2. This proceeds also from the Souls union to Christ, and experiences of him. There are three ways by which the mind of man is united to its object, everyone of which makes it more sweet, then when it merely contemplates it, and hath it in speculation: one or all of which ways every believer is united to Christ.

1. The first is by hope. Suppose a man, hath in his Eye a beautiful, and virtuous Woman: there's such a proportion to his reasonable nature, in her goodness and virtue, that she is precious to him, and he puts a value upon her, though he never hopes to make her his Wife, but if he hath any such grounded hope she is much more precious to him: there's no gracious Soul, but is at least thus far united to Christ, not only beholding him as an excelling object, but possessed of a good hope through grace that this Christ is his Christ; now this must make him more sweet then to another, who hath no such hope.

2. But secondly: Suppose this man hath some assurance, that this virtuous Woman shall be his Wife, though it may be as yet they be only man and Wife before God, yet this union makes her more sweet and precious to him: now this is the portion of many of God's Children, they can say, my Beloved is mine and I am his; I am sure the death of Christ is mine, the grace of Christ is mine, and the glory of Christ shall be mine, I shall see my Redeemer with these Eyes (as Job said) how much more sweet, must this assurance make Christ to his Soul, then to another's, that can only say, there is a Savior given to the World, but whether for my Soul, or no, I cannot tell.

3. Lastly (to keep my similitude still) Suppose now the man that hath taken notice of a good and virtuous Woman in the World and hath formerly had hopes, to obtain her for his Wife, and promises, hath at last come to the enjoyment of her, and to experience the fruit of her virtues, in her good conversation with him, you will certainly say that to this man, this Woman is more sweet then to all the World besides, this is the case of every believing Soul. It hath had some experiences or other of the warmings, quickenings, strengthenings, comfortings of his grace, and hence it is that Christ to this Soul, I say to this Soul more then to another, is a bundle of Myrrh, and a Cluster of Copher. But I have insisted too long upon a truth, so far experienced by every gracious Soul.

By way of application. No wonder then, to see the excessive Triumphs of a gracious Soul for a present Christ, or the exorbitant passions of it for an absent Christ. Or its excessive fondness of what may conduce to its further enjoyments of him: these three things the silly World stands and wonders at.

1. The excessive Triumphs of a Soul for a present Christ, to hear a David call come and I will tell you what God hath done for my Soul: Or a Spouse cry out, I will hold him, I will not let him go, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts: I charge you O you daughters of Jerusalem, that you stir not up nor awake my love until he please: Oh that thou wert as my Brother who sucked the, breasts of my Mother, when I should find thee without I would kiss thee, &c. I would lead thee, and bring thee into my Mothers house, when I should find thee, without I would kiss thee, &c. I would lead thee, and bring thee into my Mothers house, &c. I would cause thee to drink of spiced wine, &c. The World wonders to see a broken spirited Hannah rise up from Prayer, and her Countenance be no more sad: but 'tis no wonder. As a Cluster of Copher is Christ to the Soul, Christ by his influence puts more gladness into a gracious Soul, then the increase of corn, wine, and oil creates in a Worldlings heart, 'tis no more to be wondered at, then the drunkards shouting for new wine, or the farmers joy in harvest.

2. The World wonders too at the exorbitant passions of a gracious heart for an absent Christ; to see a gracious Soul weeping and refusing to be comforted, alas her beloved hath withdrawn himself, and she knows not whither he is gone, and as a Cluster of Copher her beloved is to her, nothing so sweet, so precious as Christ is, pardon her trouble, she cannot help it.

3. Nor lastly, is she more to be wondered at for her fondness of any Ordinance where she thinks she may meet her beloved, or enjoy ought of his presence, or obtain further influences of grace from him. Wonder not then my friends to see believers going from Ordinance to Ordinance, from duty to duty, 'tis Christ they seek in every Ordinance, in every duty: and as a Cluster of Copher in the Vineyards of Engedi, so is their beloved unto them.

2. Let this engage you, then to prove yourselves Christians indeed by exceeding others in duty to Christ. By this you shall know if you be the Spouses of Christ, if you discern more of the excellency, and sweetness of Christ then others do, and if you do, it will be evident by your further motions towards him, and actings for him: what our Savior therefore said to his disciples give me leave to say to you Tì 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , What do you more for him then others. I will conclude this discourse by offering you two questions to inquire upon in secret.

1. Qu. What more frequent, and precious thoughts hast thou of Christ then others? supposing the Lord Jesus Christ, a bundle of Myrrh or a Cluster of Camphire. The art of smelling lies much in meditation, and by how much the more sweet Christ is to thy Soul, by so much the oftener wilt thou be smelling his sweetness: How are thy leisurable thoughts busied, I remember what David said, When I am awake I am with thee, Canst thou say, Lord when my thoughts are at leisure from my Worldly disturbances, they are with thee: when I am awake in the night I am with thee, when the sinner is thinking how to dishonor thee, and to defile himself, I am thinking, Ah! what shall I render unto thee? This is an excellent sign. Thou hast a truth of grace, where the treasure is, there the heart will be. Hearken to David, Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet. See Psal. 119. 97, 99. Canst thou say, Lord I remember thee in the night season, &c. Will some poor Soul say, I do remember God and Christ, but I cannot say 'tis sweet to me to meditate on him, Psal. 77. I remember God and am troubled? Sol. Judge not thyself from this, if the act of meditation be sweet to thy Soul (it is well with thee) although the fruit be bitter. The Woman, shows herself her Husbands Wife, as well by the passions which her meditations of him cause in her, when he is absent: as in the pleasure she hath by the thoughts of him when he is present.

Qu. 2. What diligence doest thou use to preserve the sweet savor of Christ unto and upon thy Soul. Christ considered in himself, is not like a flower that may lose its scent and sweetness; no, he cannot lose that sweetness which is essential to him, he would cease to be Christ, if he could cease to be sweet, to a lost and and undone Soul, but although he retains his sweetness, yet thou mayest lose thy savor of it. He may not be sweet to thee. There are two sorts of Souls who savor very little of Christ's sweetness. 1. The Soul that lies under guilt of sin; the thoughts of Christ to that Soul are ordinarily very terrible. 2. The Soul that is choked with Worldly Incumbrances. The freer the Soul can keep itself, from distracting cares for the World, or from the renewing guilt of sin, the sweeter will the thoughts of Christ be unto it. Now if Christ be as a Cluster of Copher to the Soul. It will be very careful to preserve the sweet savor that it hath of him. And by this thou shalt know if Christ be indeed to thee, as a Bundle of Myrrh, or a Cluster of Copher. But thus much shall serve to have spoken to this verse.

Sermon LVII.

THere is a great harmony of Interpreters in the version of the words of this Text, out of the Heb. into their several Languages, excepting only that what we (according to our dialect) translate My Love, they translate sometimes, My Neighbor, or My Kinswoman, or My Companion (for which you also perceive our Margents give an allowance, and that some translate a Dove, some Doves Eyes, and the Arabic differing from all, thy Eyes are as a pair of Doves. There is no other difference. And this is so inconsiderable, that I shall spend no time in endeavoring to reconcile it.

All Interpreters agree, that it is the Bridegroom which now speaketh. He who acteth that part I mean in this Song. The Lord Jesus Christ. The Person he speaketh to and of is the believing Soul which he calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 My beloved, or My Campanion, &c. It is of the Foeminine form in the Hebrew, which is that which leads Interpreters to conclude, that it is the Spouses speech. It is a word often used in this form in this Song, and I think nowhere else so in all the Scripture. In the sentence you have considerable, 1. The matter of it in two Propositions, Thou art fair, thou hast Doves Eyes. 2. The manner of expressing it; 1. The words are doubled. Thou art fair, Thou art fair, 2. Here is a double Ecce Prefixed. Behold! Behold! There are in the Text 2. Propositions, 1. The Spouse of Christ is fair, 2. The Spouse of Christ hath Doves Eyes.

1. Prop. The Spouse of the Lord Jesus Christ is fair.

The believing Soul is a beautiful Soul; to the main of this Proposition, I have very lately spoken, when I spake to the compellation, v. 8. where Christ had called her the fairest among Women. I then discoursed the Nature of her beauty, and shown you, 1. That it was not a corporeal but a Spiritual beauty, 2. Not a visible but an invisible beauty, 3. Not a Native but an adventitious beauty, 4. Not an artificial, but a created beauty, 5. Not an adherent beauty only but an inherent beauty also, 6. A desirable beauty, 7. A durable beauty, 8. Not a perfect beauty. And having spoken so fully to it there (where also the same word is used) I intend not to repeat it here, only I shall take notice of some circumstances, by which the Proposition is advantaged in this Text. And

They are four or five, 1. He had told her before, She was the fairest amongst Women. Not satisfied with that he repeateth his Love to her again, and telleth her she is fair, she is fair.

2. The Soul had been commending Christ, that he was as a bundle of Myrrh, as a Cluster of Camphire to her; Christ upon her expressing affection to him replies, Behold thou art fair, &c.

3. When he calls her Fair he adds, My Love; Thou art fair my Love.

4. It is not barely expressed, Thou art fair, but here is an Ecce prefixed; Behold thou art fair.

5. Lastly, He doth not speak it singly; But he doubles his words; Thou art fair, Thou art fair, and the term Behold, is repeated too, Behold! thou art fair; Behold! Thou art fair.

Here is none of these five circumstances, but will afford us a meditation, which will be either informative, or sweet, or profitable to us. Give me leave therefore to speak a word to each of them.

He had told the Spouse before, she was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the fairest amongst Women. But not Satisfied with that he tells her again, Thou art fair my Love, Thou art fair. Christ doth not only speak peace, but he repeats peace to the believers Soul. God often appears to Abraham, and Jacob to assure them that he was their God. Once have I spoken, and twice have I heard it, (saith the Psalmist) that Power belongs unto God. There is many a Soul that can say, Once hath God spoken, yea twice have I heard it, that the Love of God belongs to me. There is many a Christian that can say, In such an Ordinance I heard God speaking peace, at such a time I found this Spirit witnessing with my Spirit that I was his Child. Christ in this consulteth, 1. His Peoples infirmities; 2. His own glory.

1. Christ I say in this thing consulteth, 1. His Peoples infirmities. They are many which make them need this; two chiefly.

1. The Believers Soul is dull of hearing. The Apostle chargeth the Hebrews, Heb. 5. 11. That they were dull of hearing, which made the repeating fundamental truths necessary for them—There's nothing in the World, that a gracious heart would more gladly hear then this, that it is fair in the Eyes of Jesus Christ, and yet nothing that it is more dull to hear: the reason is because it so eagerly desires it, and prizeth it so highly, that it cries out, It is too good news to be true. You shall observe in the World a double disposition in men: some are disposed almost wholly to fear, others to over much confidence. Hence at such a time of changes in the state as this is, one man (be a thing never so true, and to his mind, yet) he hardly believes, he is naturally disposed to fear the worst. Other men, let things be never so improbable yet they will hope, and talk as confidently as if the thing they would have were done. It is much from their natural temper, they are disposed to confidence, &c. Take now an unbelieving natural man, and he is disposed to bless himself and hope well of his condition, you have his copy, Deut. 29. 19, 20. He saith, I shall have peace, though I walk according to the imagination of my heart, &c. But now take a believing Soul, and he is very dull of hearing words of peace. Tell him news of the wrath of God revealing against the Children of disobedience he easily believes it, and tells you he feels it in his Conscience, he is one of them designed to this wrath. The terrors of God have been upon his Soul and (like an affrighted man) he is very prone to shake, at any representation of what he hath found so terrible to him. But let a Minister of Christ tell him, thy iniquities are pardoned, Christ is at the door of thy Soul, it is Such improbable news to his affrighted Soul, such a strange thing, that he should be pardoned, and such a sinner received to mercy, that he is like the Christians met, Acts 12. to pray for Peter, when the Maid brought in word that Peter was at the gate, they say unto her, thou art mad: And when she stands to her word, they will believe no more then that it was his Angel.

A gracious Soul especially when it comes first to believe, is ready to say to itself, Surely I am mad to think that Christ should account me fair, pardon my sins, &c. Now Christ in repeating peace, consulteth this infirmity in us: as I remember he did with Manoah, Jud. 12. Manoah's Wife had been barren, God sends an Angel to her to tell her she should conceive a Son, &c. v. 6, 7. Manoah's Wife tells her Husband (you must think there was nothing in the World these two desired more then a Son.) But it seemed too good news to be true and therefore, v. 6. Manoah, goes and Prays, O Lord let the man of God which thou didst send to us come again to us, indeed the reason of his desire which he assigns is to direct him how to order his Son: but certainly Manoah thought the news too good to be true: and God so far yields to Manoah's infirmity, as to send his Angel the second time,

2. As the believing Soul is dull of hearing Christ at first speaking peace to it, and is like to Samuel when Eli called, and cannot apprehend God's voice: So it is also very prone to forget the words of peace which God speaketh to it. Of all the joys which we are in this life capable of, these are the greatest, and none so soon lost as these are, so incertain is the state of the Children of God. In many things we offend, and even the righteous man sinneth seven times in a day, and who can tell how often he offendeth? Now every sin in its own nature is a breach of our peace with God, and gives the watchful Soul occasion of doubting, whether it did not at first mistake the voice of God, or whether God hath not changed his mind towards it: and hence in the second place God highly consults our infirmities, in doubling his words of peace upon us and repeating them unto us. Christ had told Peter, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church, but when Peter had denied his Master Christ easily foreseeing, that Peters thoughts would be much troubled, and that he would be ready to forget all his former evidences of his favor: orders his Angel, Mar. 16. 7. To bid the woman go tell his disciples and Peter, that he went before them into Ga • ilee, and there they should see him.

But secondly; As the Lord Jesus Christ doth by it consult his Peoples infirmity, so he also highly consulteth his own Glory. Reiterations of Divine Love to the Soul, command reduplications of duty. Love is of an obliging nature, and there is no Soul that puts on so lively for God, as that Soul that hath the most fresh and frequent manifestations of Divine Love to it. David 's Instance in the 118 Psalm, is a full Evidence of this. And this is the account that may be given why it pleaseth the Lord Jesus Christ to repeat his Love so frequently unto the Souls of Believers.

Obj. But I hear some gracious Souls saying, Blessed are they that are in such a case, who hear God speaking Love to their Souls, and often repeating his Love to them: But alas! we are so far from this, that we could never yet hear Christ speaking any such thing to our Souls; we could never yet hear Christ so much asonce saying, Behold thou art fair my Love, &c. What will you say to us? Shall we hope that we are the Spouses of Christ, who never yet could obtain one good look from him? I answer;

Sol. 1. As it is not the Husband's fond and affectionate expressions to his Wife, which make, or alone evidence her to be his Wife, but the Marriage-covenant is that which doth it; her consent to have him to be her wedded Husband, and his consent to have her to be his Wife So, it is not a word of peace, sealed to the Soul which maketh the Soul, or which alone evidenceth the Soul to be the Spouse of Christ: No, it is the Marriage-covenant, it is the Soul's consent to have Christ for its Savior, for its Husband. Though Christ hath not said it in thy hearing, Thou art fair my Love, thou art fair, yet if the Soul can say, and say it in truth, that it hath accepted Christ as its Savior, and consented to Christ as its Husband, there's no cause of despondency, 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith, not by sight.

2. Though the Lord be pleased thus to speak his Love in the hearing of some Souls, and again to repeat it to them; yet he is pleased to reserve himself more from some who are equally dear to him. It may be the indulgent Father loves every Child he hath with a dear and tender love, and doth design to give them all due proportions of his Estate, yet he may carry himself more strangely and reservedly to some than unto others: Possibly he may do it out of prudence, as knowing it the best way in order to their good: Possibly no other account can be given of it, than a mere 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a mere delight that he takes in one more than another, which he exerciseth by Prerogative: It may be God out of a depth of Wisdom shines not upon thy Soul so clearly as upon another's: Possibly no other account can be given of it, but because he will do it.

3. Take heed thy loose walking with God be not the cause of it. When ever Christ speaks to the Soul, he will speak truth, if thou beest all foul, and spotted, he will not say to the, behold thou art fair my Love, behold thou art fair. The Soul may have many failings, many spots upon its face, and yet be fair in the Eyes of Christ, fair as to its Justification: But Christ will not say to such a Soul, Behold thou art fair. The Father or prudent Mother, may dearly love a disingenuous and rebellious Child. But their prudence will keep them from commending such a Child, and from expressing exuberant affection to it, lest the Child by it take advantage to go on in courses of disobedience. Christ dearly loves many a poor Soul that hath its wanton tricks, and is full of failings, but he will not say to such a Soul, Behold thou art fair my Love. I will add but one thing more.

4. Lastly; Possibly Christ hath spoke, and spoke it to thee often, Behold thou art fair my Love, Behold thou art fair, but thou hast not heard him. I have already told you that many of God's People are very deaf of that Ear. I was about to say, there is no better sign of a gracious Soul, than not to be too ready to hear such messages of peace. God sometimes speaks so as the Soul cannot but hear, when he pleaseth to set the Broad Seal of his Spirit unto the poor Soul; this indeed is an audible voice, and distinguishable enough. But God in every Sermon speaks to the Believer, Thou art fair my Love, thou art fair. We never Preach those great Truths of God, That whosoever believes shall be saved, and whosoever is justified by Faith, hath peace with God, and such like; but God to every Believer that hears us speak, Thou art fair my Love, thou art fair. But alas! not one of many hath an Ear to hear, no not those who truly believe. It is in this case as with Samuel, 1 Sam. 3. 4, 5. Samuel was young, and had not been used to the voice of God; God calls him once, away he goes to Eli; the Lord calls a second time, Samuel runs to Eli again, and so a third time, till Eli instructed and assured him it was the voice of God. Till the Spirit of God brings the voice of God in the Gospel to the Ear, to the inward Ear of a Christian, he will not understand God speaking peace to him, when indeed he doth speak it. In very deed it is for want of Spiritual Logic. The Word of God hath the Proposition. He that believes is fair: Though a man hath been a Thief, a Drunkard, a Covetous person, &c. yet, if he be washed, if he be justified, if he be sanctified in the Name of our God, and through the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, he is fair. Thus much is plain in the Word, 1 Cor. 6. 11. But now when the Soul should come to assume,— But I am washed, I am justified, I am sanctified; there it fails; and these may be the Reasons of a gracious Soul's complaint in this case. But I have spoke enough to the first of the five Circumstances which I mentioned, I proceed now to a second.

The Spouse had been admiring Christ, comparing him to a bundle of Myrrh, to a cluster of Camphire, or Copher. Now Christ adds, Behold thou art fair my Love; Behold thou art fair.

Obs. High out-goings of a Soul toward Christ; are ordinarily productive of great returns of the Love of Christ upon the Soul.

Duty in us is not the Father of Grace, for who hath given first unto God, and it shall be repaid to him again? but extraordinary influences of Grace, are commonly the wages of great duty. It is very seldom that any Soul lets Christ know that he is exceeding dear to it, but (by the next Post) the Soul shall know that it is very dear to Christ. Doth God hear Ephraim bemoaning himself thus? Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God, &c. Ephraim shall presently hear God saying, Is Ephraim my dear Son? Is he a pleasant Child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. Is the Spouse sick of love? Cant. 5. 8. Doth she indeed think her Beloved the chiefest amongst ten thousand, &c. She shall presently hear him saying, Thou art beautiful O my Love as Tirzah, &c. Turn away thine Eyes from me, &c. ch. 6. v. 4, 5. I might instance in many Texts of Scripture, but I forbear. Will you know the reason of this? Take it. 1. Negatively, 2. Positively.

1. Negatively; It is not because there's any merit in duty. Christ is no Merchant of Grace, he gives it, but he sells it not. Indeed it is a contradiction to speak of meritorious duty; if it be duty, it is the payment of a debt on our part, and can be no purchase-money. The compass of that Commandment, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy Soul, and with all thy strength, is of an exceeding latitude; there's no finishing of it by any creature in this life. It was from the jejune Interpretation that the Pharisees of old, and the Papists of late, have put upon the Law of God, that they ever dreamt that man was able to perform it, much less do anything of supererogation. The foundation-stone of man's Salvation is laid in Grace, and the top-stone is Grace too: To the whole Building you must cry, Grace, Grace. But Positively

2. It is from the overflowings of Divine Grace in him who is our Fountain-head the Lord Jesus Christ. The Eye that weeps for its sin, till it can weep no more, doth not by its tears make itself an Handkerchief to dry its Eyes, but a tender-hearted Savior moved from his own bowels cannot but afford it one, and say unto it why weepest thou? The Soul, that for Christ's sake parts with Father Mother, Children, Brethren, Sisters, all, doth not by this purchase to itself peace of Conscience or eternal life (Alas! what proportion is there betwixt things temporal, and such as are Spiritual and eternal?) But he who hath both these to give, gives them upon the Souls performing its duty in this particular, Matth. 19. 29. The Soul that casts up many a long look to the Lord Jesus Christ, and earnestly wisheth for his presence with it, and valueth it above the World, and seeks for it more then for Gold, or hid treasure, doth not by this earn Christ's Love to it, but Christ from the fullness of his grace makes choice of this Soul, to reveal himself unto. The Prophet, Isaiah Ch. 30. v. 18. hath such an expression as this; The Lord will wait that he may be gracious unto you: Christ is a fountain of Grace; a full fountain: now when the fountain is brim full of water, the water waiteth for an opportunity to diffuse itself: it may be there is a bank that hinders the full river, that it cannot diffuse its water, the water therefore works secretly and softens the bank first till a breach be made, and then it emptieth itself by it. Christ is a sea, a full sea of Grace, but sinful man casts up a bank, against this sea, a bank of unbelief: A bank of stone (hardening his heart) a bank of earth, (favoring an earthly mind) a bank of mud, delights in sensual lusts and objects; Christ now cannot show his grace to such a Soul, the bank hinders; where he pleaseth indeed he worketh secretly, takes away the heart of stone, and makes it an heart of flesh, takes away unbelief, vanity, earthly mindedness, sensual affections, and then he emptyeth the treasuries of grace upon the Soul. In a word, to apply this,

No wonder then, to hear many a poor wretch complain, that God never yet spake peace to his Soul: others indeed have heard their beloved hath said to others behold thou art fair my love, behold thou art fair, but they never yet heard such a voice. Let me ask thee, who thus complainest this question, Did Christ ever yet hear thee say, as a bundle of Myrrh is my beloved unto me, he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts? Hast thou served Christ with Ordinary expressions of duty? How canst thou expect to be feasted by him with extraordinary returns of mercy? If thy breathings after him have been faint, and short, what reason hast thou to expect, that his breathings should be so full upon thee? He is indeed a full ocean of free grace, but it may be thou hast cast up a bank against him: it may be thou hast clogged him with an hard heart, and unbelieving heart, a vain heart, a filthy sensual heart: Wonder not, O Christian! that he is so little towards thee in a way of mercy, if thou beest scant towards him in thy way of duty. There is a generation of men and women in the world, who are taken notice of to behave themselves as if they thought that all the World were made to serve them, and they not made to serve any (but they are an unreasonable generation, and sober persons so account of them, and accordingly slight them.) Oh that there might not be such an unreasonable Christian found in the World, who should so much as think in his heart, that Christ stands concerned to open all his Treasuries of Love upon his Soul, which in the mean time hath scarce a thought of doing anything more than ordinary for the Lord Jesus Christ; if thou findest thy heart cold in duty, frozen in affections toward Christ, wonder not at all if thou findest the bowels of thy Savior which yern upon others tied up towards thee. And I fear me this is the cause of most complaints of this nature, although it may be possible, that this is not the case of every such complaining Soul; witness David, Psal. 22. 1, 2, 3, 4.

2. What an engagement doth this Notion of Truth lay upon the Sons and Daughters of men, to stretch out their Souls for and towards God. Certainly if there be anything in the World of force to open a Soul for Christ, this will do it; to hear that Divine Grace keeps pace with our duty, and that the proper way to have Christ speak to us and say, Thou art fair my Love, Thou art fair, is for us to get up our hearts in a readiness, to say, and say it in truth; As a bundle of Myrrh is my Beloved to me. The Psalmist cries out, Psal. 34. 12. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days that he may see good? Depart from evil, and do good, seek peace, and pursue it. Give me leave to speak to all you who fear the Lord, in the same dialect: What man is there amongst you, who would not gladly have Christ speak peace unto your Souls, and whisper the words of my Text in your Ears; Thou art fair my Love, thou art fair. O let Christ be yet more and more precious to you; let him have the strength of your Love, that you may have the seal of his Love; let the World know, and let him know, that he is dear in your Eyes, that you may know that you are fair in his Eyes. But this is enough for the second Circumstance which I observed; I pass to a third.

Thou art fair my Love, thou art fair. It is not said, thou O man! or thou O woman art fair! but thou my Love art fair. It is both the observation of our own Annotators, and some others.

Obs. The Spouse of Christ is fair as she is His Love.

I observed to you before, that the word signifies Amica, & Socia, a Friend, and a Companion, the Object of ones love, and the Companion of ones life. This is not after the manner of the Children of men, amongst them Beauty raiseth Love, but with Christ it is Love that raiseth Beauty. Locutio verbi infusio Doni; Christ in calling her fair, makes her fair, Ezek. 16. 14. Thy Beauty was perfect through my comeliness which was put upon thee, saith the Lord God. A good complexion, with a lovely air of the countenance, and a due proportion of bodily parts, makes the Children of men fair to a sensual Eye. An head well furnished with Notions of Learning, and a mind endued with virtuous, generous dispositions, makes a man fair and beautiful to a rational Eye: But it is Grace alone that can make the Soul fair to the Divine Eye.

1. Nature doth it not; for all are by Nature Children of wrath, Eph. 2. 3. like the Infant, not cut, not washed, not swaddled, Ezek. 16. We are by Nature all Blackamores in the Eyes of God, our Father an Amorite, our Mother an Hittite. 2. Art will not do it; Though thou wash thee with Nitre, and take thee much Sope, yet thine iniquity is marked before me (saith the Lord,) Jer. 2. 22. The Pharisees were men who used as much Art as others, yet their Beauty (to our Savior's Eye) rose no higher than to the Beauty of a Painted Sep • lchre, that outwardly is beautiful, but within full of rottenness; so little, that our Savior saith, Publicans and Harlots should (as to the Kingdom of Heaven) have the preeminence before them.

3. Grace then alone must do it. Those who are Christ's Love, are fair only so far forth as they are his Love, his Companions. There is a double Grace; the first of Justification, the second of Sanotification; according to the first, the Believer is Christ's Love, according to the second the Believer is Christ's Companion.

1. I say first, the Grace of Justification; this is gratia gratum faciens, that Grace by which the Soul is accepted of God. It is the free Love of God shewn to the humbled Soul upon its exercise of Faith, pardoning its sins, reckoning over the Righteousness of Christ unto it, and accepting it as righteous in and through Christ; this changeth the Soul's state; this is it which taketh away its filthy garments, and covereth the Soul with Christ's Robes; with this is conjoined the Grace of Regeneration, by which God changeth the Soul's nature and disposition; old things pass away with it, and all things become new; this is no quality infused into us, or inherent in us, but the free and pure love and good will of Christ embracing us.

2. The second is the Grace of Sanctification; this makes the Believer the Companion of Christ, having both a fellowship with the death of Christ, in dying to sin, and with the life of Christ, in living unto newness of life: Upon these accounts, and these only is the Believing Soul fair in the Eyes of Christ. Before I part with this Observation,

Let every gracious Soul make a stand upon it, and consider what it affords him for Consolation, while he looks over his Soul, and sees it full of spots, and taking a review of his life, he can find no ground of hope to his Soul, that Christ should cast an Eye of love and pity upon him, he sees there's no proportion between his duties, or any actions of his conversation, and the holy Law of God. Well, yet the comfort lies here, that the Lord hath not said, Blessed is the man that hath no sin, for who liveth and sinneth not against God? but Blessed is he whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, and to whom the Lord imputeth no sin, Psal. 32. 1. If we once lose this great Truth, of the Justification of a poor Soul, by the Righteousness of Christ, we have cut up a Bridge which we shall see a need of to go over, as often as we enter into any serious thoughts of our own state, the weight of all our Souls, and all the comfort of them, hangs upon this one pin. That what the law could not do, because it was weak through our flesh, that God hath done sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for fin condemning fin in the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us. We have lost all that day that we forsake that desire of St. Paul to be found in Christ, not having our own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is of God: Even the righteousness of God by faith in Jesus Christ.

But you will say, How shall we know that Christ hath thus loved us? That must be known by our loving him, and so the matter will return to the same point. We freely grant that our Justification is to be evidenced for our Sanctification, and that even the witness of God's Spirit is not a single, but a joint Testimony, together with our Spirits. But yet there is a great difference (as to Christians comfort) in these things. That Soul that looks to be made fair with his own works (if he rightly understand himself) shall never be Satisfied concerning his Spiritual beauty: because his works must necessarily be completely perfect, otherwise the law accuseth, and curseth him. But he who acknowledgeth that his beauty is merely from grace, freely justifying, but yet his receiving of this grace is to be evidenced by his works, stands concerned no further to inquire concerning the perfection of his works in order to this end, then only to see if they be perfect according to Gospel allowances, not according to lawstrictness. And such are the Gospel terms, that if there be a willing mind, a presence to will, a delight in the Law of God as to the inward man, it is accepted of God. Here's a bottom for him.

I proceed to the 4th Circumstance, which I observed relating to the first Proposition of the Text, and that was the term, Behold, which is prefixed, Behold! thou art fair, and doubled, Behold, Behold. There is a threefold use of this particle in Scripture: it denotes 1. presence of a thing. 2. Certainty. 3. Eminency. It may in this Text denote all three.

1. It may denote the present state of a believing Soul to be a beautiful state. Behold thou art fair, now in this life, while thou art black with infirmities, and corruptions, black through afflictions, and temptations, yet even now thou art fair, 1 Joh 3. 2. Beloved, Now we are the Sons of God. It doth not yet appear what we shall be. This particle is often thus used in holy Writ. Gen. 29. 2, 25. and it is capable enough of this sense in this Text. Behold thou art fair, thou shalt not only be hereafter beautiful, when the Crown of glory shall be set upon thy head, but thou art now beautiful, thou doest not apprehend thyself so, thou art bewailing thy spots, and thy infirmities, but I look upon thee as fair, with all thy spots, I look upon thee as beautiful even now.

2. It denotes the certainty of a thing. Behold is a particle of Demonstration, and is often so used in Scripture. There is nothing more certain, then what we can behold. Thus the particle is used, Gen. 16. 2. Behold now the Lord hath restrained me from bearing (they are the words of Sarah) that is, the Lord hath certainly restrained me; see Gen. 18. 27. The believing Soul is (certainly) a beauteous Soul. The Beauty of that Soul which truly believes in Jesus Christ is not an imaginary thing, it is a true, and real thing, it is a certainty 's Behold thou art fair, &c.

3. Lastly this particle Behold doth very often denote eminency, and excellency. When something is wonderful in Nature or otherwise, the Scripture useth to make mention of it, by prefixing this particle Behold to it. So James 3. 3, 4. It is a wonderful thing, that the strength of an Horse should be ruled by a bit, and that so great a bulk as a ship, driven about with fierce winds, should be turned about with a very small helm; and thus it is a very often used in Scripture, and it may have that use here. Behold thou art fair (My Love!) Behold thou art fair; and so it may hint to us these two things.

1. That the beauty of a believer is no ordinary beauty, but a rare, and eminent, beauty, not like the beauty of Woman, not like that vain thing which we call beauty in a natural fence which is only the object of the lust of the Eye: no, it is a Spiritual beauty, which age will not deface, diseases will not spoil, no outward accidents will hurt; a beauty that is not exposed to wind, and weather. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within▪ and yet so great is her glory, that the King of Kings desires her beauty. Or secondly it may denote this,

2. That it is a wonderful thing, that Christ should account a Child of Adam, a poor believing Soul beauteous. When David considered the Heavens and the Earth, he cries out, What is man (O Lord!) that thou shouldest remember him; or the Son of man that thou shouldest be mindful of him? It is a matter of high admiration to any ingenuous Soul to sit down and think, that Jesus Christ should account it beautiful. But I hasten to the last Circumstance.

I observed to you that the phrase is doubled: Christ doth not only say, thou art fair (my Love) but he doubles the phrase, Thou art fair, thou art fair. There is doubtless nothing superfluous in holy Writ, though possibly there may be something both in the matter, and style, of which we can give no Satisfactory account: almost in all languages these repetitions and reduplications of words and phrases are usual. The Hebr. is very full of them; they are of several uses. I shall note such of them as may be properly applied to this Text.

1. Sometimes the doubling of a word or phrase denotes the certainty of the thing, or action, Gen. 15. 13. Know of a surety, thy seed shall be a stranger, &c. In the Heb. it is, knowing thou mayest know. And thus frequently in the New Testament, verily verily, denotes the exceeding certainty of the Proposition spoken, and thus it may do in this Text, thou art fair my Love, thou art fair: That is, thou art certainly very fair.

2. Sometimes it is to note the exceeding earnestness and intention of him who speaketh. Bis dictum magis dicitur. Thus it is often used in Scripture, Gen. 14. 10. The valley of Siddim was full of slimepits, (so we translate it) in the Hebr. A valley of pits of pits. So in many Texts: other Writers, amongst whom Julius Scaliger, &c. much Commend this form of speaking, as having in it a great kind of force and vehemency: according to this usage, the sense is, thou art exceeding sair my Love, which comporteth, with what he had said before, v. 8. where he had called the Spouse, thou sairest amongst Women. Christ hath his delight amongst the Sons of men. He takes no such delight in the Angels as in believers.

3. Repetitions (thirdly) of the same word or phrase, in Scripture sometimes note a distribution. And so the sense may be this, thou art fair my Love, thou art fair; Thou art justified by my grace, and so thou art fair; thou art Sanctified in my name, so thou art fair; thou art fair without and thou art fair within, thou art fair in this part, and fair in that part, fair in every part.

4. Lastly (to mention no more) Repetltions are often used by Orators not only to express a vehemency of intention, in him that speaketh, and the certainty of the thing that is spoken, but to beget a vehemency, and earnestness of attention in him that heareth, and Interpreters of holy Writ do assign this as one reason of the use of them in several places of Scripture, when the Holy-Ghost designeth earnestly to inculcate the thing spoken, and to beget in us a belief of it: hence now we may learn these things which I will but name, and conclude what I have to say from the consideration of the Circumstances of the first Proposition of the Text.

1. The beauty of a believing Soul is unquestionable, it is not in a complement that Christ saith the believing Soul is beautiful: it is not a seeming beauty, but a certain beauty.

2. The beauty which grace gives the Soul is an eminent beauty, not an ordinary, but an eminent beauty. The phrase is doubled to denote eminency.

3. The Beauty of a believing Soul is a manifold beauty: A beauty in every part.

4. It is the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, that a believing Soul should know, and believe itself to be a beauteous Soul. A Gracious Soul may debase itself too much, and often err as much in having too mean thoughts of itself, as the hypocrite doth in having too high thoughts of himself, thinking of himself above what be ought to think.

But I intend not to enlarge a discourse upon these things, having spoken to them, or at least to some of them before, thus much is sufficient to have noted concerning the Circumstances; I proceed to the second part of the Text, Thou hast Doves Eyes.

The Proposition of this Text is plain enough. The true Spouse of Christ hath▪ Doves Eyes. I before observed to you, that some read it, thy Eyes are like the Eyes of a Dove: others thy Eyes are as a pair of Doves: but as the difference is not much, so I see no reason to deviate from our English translation. For the explication and confirmation of the Proposition (for I will join both together) we will inquire these three things.

1. Qu. Why Our Savior in commending his Spouse begins with her Eyes, and only Commends her for them?

2. Qu. What is here meant by the Spouses Eyes?

3. Qu. Why the Spouse is said to have the Eyes of Doves rather then of any other creature?

1. Qu. Why doth our Savior, here Commend the Spouse only for her Eyes?

1. The general account which Interpreters give of it, is this; That it is a Synecdoche, and by a figure, according to which a considerable part is often put for the whole; our Savior doth here speak his whole Spouse to be like a Dove, like a Doves Eye. Indeed we are commanded to be harmless as Doves, Matth. 10. 16. And the Church is called God's Turtle Dove, Psal. 74. 19. And David wisheth that he had the wings of a Dove, Psal. 55. 6. The shape of a Dove was that shape which the Spirit of God chose, when it descended upon Christ: And the coming in of the Gentiles to Christ is set out by the flockings of Doves to the Windows, Isa. 60. 8. And the Eye (of all the members) is the most considerable as to beauty, a good Eye much commendeth an ill complexion, and a bad Eye much blemisheth any other Symmetry of parts. And this may be allowed for one reason. But,

2. The Soul doth much discover itself at the Eye. It is the casement at which it shows itself: many of the Virtues, and Vices of the mind are read in the Eye; wantonness discovers itself at the Eye: hence you read in Scripture of Eyes full of adultery, 2. Pet. 2. 14. So doth rage, pride, malice, envy and many other vices, and as the evil, so the good dispositions and virtues of the Soul, are much discovered by the Eye too: so that indeed when our Savior commendeth his Spouse for her Eyes, he commendeth her whole Soul, and it is but a proof of what he had before said, Thou art fair my beloved, thou art fair. Thou hast Doves Eyes, proves that.

2. Qu. What is here meant by the Spouses Eyes?

After such a resolution, as I gave to the first question, this might seem needless, if Interpreters had not led me the way, who are in doubt whether our Savior's design here be to commend those bodily parts of his Spouse: or some inward parts, called Eyes by a Metaphor; the difference is not much, for supposing him to resemble the Eyes of her body to Doves Eyes, the reason is because of those gracious dispositions in her Soul, which by her Eyes discover themselves, and are like the natural inclinations of Doves; if he speaks of the Eyes of her mind, and his meaning be that his Spouses understanding (which is the Eye of the Soul) is like a Doves Eyes, the thing is much the same, Unquestionably, that which our Savior here designs to Commend believers for is, the gracious dispositions of their Souls discovered in their outward conversation, much resembling, the natural dispositions and behaviours of Doves. But the chief thing we have to inquire into for the full understanding of our Savior's meaning in this Text, is,

3 Qu. What these rare and remarkable properties are in Doves, or in the Eyes of Doves more then in other creatures, for which our Savior resembleth his Spouse to them, either to show us what true believers are, or ought to be?

The Dove is a creature sufficiently known to us; a creature which of old God made use of in Sacrifices, rejecting others. It was the creature sent out of the Ark by Noah, which brought the olive branch. Naturalists observe many remarkable things of the Dove. Give me leave to open to you, the aptness of the similitude in nine or ten particulars.

1. The Doves Eyes are meek and harmless Eyes. Hence Naturalists observe that the Dove presently forgets an injury, and builds her nest and lays her eggs, and hatcheth her young, where her nest was newly destroyed, and her young ones taken away, Matth. 10. 16. Be harmless as Doves. The cruelty and revenge of the mind is much seen in the Eye, Prov. 23. 6. you read of him that hath an evil Eye: there is a bewitching Eye and a flaming sparkling Eye; in which you may see the sparks of that rage, and envy, and anger, which flame in the Soul, you may read rapine, and cruelty, and mischief, in an Hawks Eye, but in a Doves Eye nothing but meekness: the old verse saith,

A Dove wants gall, and though it hath nails and claws, yet it gripes none with them. The Dove doth not wholly want gall, but Naturalists say, it hath but very little (compared with other creatures;) and hence it is, that it is very gentle, peaceable, fearful, and doth no other bird hurt: Believers are compared to Sheep, and to Doves. Sheep have horns, but they hurt none with them: Doves have claws, but they hurt none with them: and (as I said before) this may be read in their Eyes in which you do not see such a sharpness, and sparkling as it were of fire, as in the Eyes of birds of prey: Believers have, or should have Doves Eyes: Samuel is able to stand up and say, whose Ox have I taken? Or whose Ass have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded: Our Savior commands us that we should be innocent as Doves; in malice they are Children, 1 Cor. 14. it is the Apostles Command, Eph. 4 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, & anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. Believers when unregenerate lived in malice, and envy, hateful, and hating one another, Tit. 3. 3. But, Col. 3. 8. They have put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, &c. And it is their business to be still laying them aside: every true Believer hath something of a Doves Eye, and it is his work to be daily getting his heart up to it more and more.

2. A Doves Eye secondly, is a satisfied Eye. The satisfaction of the sensible and reasonable Soul, is much discerned in the Eye. You shall discern a greediness in the Eye of an Hawk, to let you know, that if it were loose it would be tearing: And you shall ordinarily know a man of a covetous spirit, and a discontented spirit by his Eye, Prov. 28. 22. He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil Eye. You shall discern a gladness in a Doves Eye, which speaks it a contented, satisfied creature. Such should a Believer be; such is a true Believer, Heb. 13. 5. Let your conve • sation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. I have learned (saith Saint Paul) in all estates to be content. Faith teacheth a Soul to cast its care upon God, believing that he careth for it: Faith teacheth him to depend upon the Promise, which Godliness hath; to trust to a Providebit Deus: This now is a Doves Eye, an Eye which is not greedy of gain, which doth not covet its Neighbors House, nor Ground, nor Wife, nor Ox, nor Ass, nor anything which is his.

3. The Dove's Eye is a Benign Eye. You do not only not discern anything of rage and fury, or cruelty, and greediness in a Dove's Eye; but you discern a certain kindness, and (as it were) a good will in it: Hence it is very friendly amongst its fellows, and it loves an habitation near dwelling-houses of men. Doves Eyes are Benign Eyes. Believers have, and should have Doves Eyes, Eph. 4. 32. Be you kind one to another; they are commanded to Godliness to add Brotherly kindness; and Col. 3. 12. to put on kindness. What Solomon saith of the good woman, Prov. 31. 26. is true of a Believer; in a Believer's Tongue is the Law of kindness; they know the grace of the Lord Jesus, and the great kindness of their Savior to them. Grace takes away that currishness and doggedness, which makes men rugged in their speeches and behavior, and churlish in their spirits; and if ought of this remains upon their hearts, it is because their Faith is but in part, and they have yet a body of death, some unmortified corruption that yet remains in them, which is in the fault; for Grace is of a benign, kind nature; the Believer hath Doves Eyes. Look as it is with a Dove; let a Cock be feeding, that's a churlish creature, and will endure none to be near it: The Dove is kind, and allows room to all comers; such a kindness there is now in a Believer's heart, where Grace hath taken its full hold.

4. Doves Eyes are lowly Eyes. The pride and haughtiness of the Natural disposition, both in sensible and rational creatures, is much seen in the Eyes: You discern a proud and lofty Bird by the surliness of its Eye; and so it is in a reasonable creature. Hence you read of a proud look, Prov. 6. 17. (one of the things which God hateth; and Prov. 21. 4. an high look, and a proud heart are put together. And in brute creatures, the height of the Natural disposition is seen in the scornful Eye of Lions, Hawks, Parrots, &c. But a Dove hath lowly Eyes. Now a Believer hath Doves Eyes. Take carnal, natural men, they are proud and scornful; they are sometimes in Scripture described under the Notion of the scornful, Psal. 1. 1. Isa. 28. 14. But the believing Soul is an humble Soul. It is the Law of their Profession, Micah 6. 8. They must walk humbly with their God. They cannot serve the Lord but with all humility of mind, Acts 20. 19. It is their clothing, 1 Pet. 5. 5. and they duly put it on, Col. 3. 12. They talk not high things, they affect not, they seek not high things, (that is, of this World;) indeed they se • k the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God; but this they do with all humility of mind, confessing with the Prodigal, that they are not worthy to be called the Sons of God.

5. Doves Eyes are simple Eyes. As other virtues or vices of the mind, so truth and falsehood, simplicity and craft, or doubleness of mind, are much discerned in the Eye. There are some brute creatures, that discover far more natural sagacity and craftiness than others in their looks; and so there are also some men, that you say of them, they look as if they were false-hearted, and ofttimes you do not take your mark amiss. But now amongst brute creatures, the Dove's Eye is simple, you see no deceitfulness, no craft or subt • lty in that, Matth. 10. 16. Be you wise as Serpents, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , we translate it, harmless, as Doves; but there is a doubt upon it whether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be compounded of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a horn (then it signifies without an Horn, as Doves, and we translate it well enough harmless) or whether it be not compounded of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies to make a mixture. Such should the Saints be, simple, without mixture; Christ was so, there was no guile in his mouth, Phil. 1. 10. without deceit in their hearts; they should not have an heart, and an heart. It was Paul 's glorying, 2 Cor. 1. 12. That he had his conversation in godly sincerity.

6. Doves Eyes are clean Eyes. Hence it feeds upon pure grains, drinks no other than pure water, delights most in houses of a pure white color, which the Poet observed of old, Aspicis ut veniant ad candida tecta columbae. And many other things are reported by Naturalists of the cleanliness of this Bird. The Believer is one of a pure heart, Joh. 15. 3. You are clean (saith our Savior) through the word I have spoken to you; he is one of clean hands, and a pure heart, Psal. 24. 4. of a clean heart, Psal. 73. 1. clean every whit, Joh. 15. 10. his heart is purified by Faith, Acts 15. 9. he hath purified his Soul in obeying the truth through the Spirit; and he delights in pure company, his delight is in the excellent, Psal. 16. 3. The wicked shall not tarry in his sight, Psal. 101. he hath Doves Eyes.

7. Doves Eyes are fearful, tender Eyes; this experience teacheth, and Naturalists say, That it is caused by the little proportion of Gall that is in them: There is not in them indeed such a shiness and fearfulness as is in some other Birds, because they are (many of them) nursed up near to houses, and made familiar to men, but it is evident they are trembling creatures. The Spouse of Christ hath (upon this account) Doves Eyes. It is true, he hath not the fear of a reprobate upon him; he is more acquainted with God, and hath been bred up in nigher communion with God; yet he is very subject to fear; he fears sinning against God, and God cannot lay an hand upon him, but he is ready to tremble; he cannot cast an Eye upon any Judgment of God, but he shakes at the apprehension of an angry God in it: He hath Doves Eyes.

8. The Dove's Eye is a mournful Eye. Hence in Scripture the mourning of Doves is made use of to express sad mournings, Isa. 38. v. 14, I did mourn like a Dove, Isa. 59. 11. We mourn sore like Doves. I conceive it chiefly relates to the mourning of Turtles. The Saints Eyes too are mourning Eyes; they are persons of sorrowful spirits, broken and contrite spirits; and look as it is with Turtles, they never mourn so bitterly, as when they have lost their Companion; so it is with the Believer; he never so mourneth, as under the withdrawings of Divine Love. It is not proper for the Children of the Bridechamber to mourn while the Bridegroom is with them, but when he is gone, Then they shall mourn.

9. The Doves Eyes are exceeding chaste Eyes. I noted to you before, that the uncleanness and wantonness of the heart much appears in the Eye. Hence the Apostle Peter mentions Eyes full of Adultery. There are large stories told of the Doves Chastity, especially Turtle Doves, and Stock Doves. Hence possibly it was, Lev. 12. 6. that a Turtle Dove was the Sacrifice which God appointed for the Woman after Child-birth. The Dove keeps to its Mate, and to him alone. The Saint too hath Doves Eyes, he cries out, None but Christ! None but Christ! he cleaves to Christ alone for Justification, for Sanctification, for Salvation. Christ is his all in all, Isa. 17. 7, 8. At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his Eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel, and he shall not look to the Altars, the work of men's hands: Neither shall he respect that which his fingers hath made: Either the Groves or the Images. No, he hath Doves Eyes.

10. The Doves Eyes are quick Eyes. Naturalists observe, that the flight of the Dove is very swift, so swift, that when they fly directly forward, no Hawk can take it; and for this quickness of flight, quickness of the Eye is necessary. The Spouse of Christ is quick-sighted too; its Eye immediately pierceth through a mist of difficulties and dangers; he believeth in hope against hope: When he doth not see by the Eye of Sense, yet he believeth: He hath Doves Eyes.

11. The Dove hath Circumspect Eyes. You shall observe this in it, that it seldom or never takes its flight toward the Earth, but it looks this way, and that way, and every way; and when it is alighted you shall discern it thrusting out it's Neck first on one side, then on another, to see that all be safe. The believer hath also circumspect Eyes. He should have, Eph. 5. 15. See then that you walk circumspectly, Psal. 39. v. 1. I said I will take heed to my ways. The Child of God should be like the Dove, not move a step in the World without casting its Eye of consideration upon its way first, considering whether the action which it is about to do, be like to bring glory to God: Whether it be consonant to a Divine rule.

12. In the last place. The Dove hath very observing Eyes. hence let its flight be never so far, and remote from home, yet it finds its way thither again directly. Hence Historians tell us, that the Romans made great use of Doves; when they were absent a great way from home, they would by Doves which they carried with them, send home directions to their Servants, for the management of their business; and by the help of Doves, they would in their Wars keep intelligence with their Friends in their Enemies quarters: The Christian should likewise have Observing Eyes, to observe his own motions and actions, and to observe Divine Providences, Prov. 23. v. 26. Let thine Eyes observe my ways, &c. But I have enlarged enough in the Explication of the Metaphor; it is time that I should come to the Application; and so the Proposition may be useful to us: 1. By way of Discovery. 2. By way of Exhortation.

This Notion discovers to us these two things; 1. That there are but few in the World that can be allowed to be the Spouses of the Lord Jesus Christ. 2. That those who indeed are so, yet while they are here, are in a very imperfect estate, very short of what they ought to be.

In the first place we may learn, That there are but very few in the World that can be allowed to be the Spouse of Christ; but a few to whom he can say, You have Doves Eyes. This Notion will separate divers, five or six sorts of persons (more especially) from having any relation to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1. Such who have malicious, wrathful Eyes, sparkling with nothing but revenge and fury. How many such Professors is this Age full of, whose Eyes sparkle like a flaming fire? they breathe out nothing but malice, and revenge, and cruelty, Prov. 30. 14. There is a generation whose Teeth are Swords, and their Jaw-teeth as Knives, Psal. 74. 19, 20. the least they can talk is of doing unto others as they have done to them, it may be seven times more. O! how contrary is this to the Spouse of Christ! Psal. 74. 19, 20. v. 19. The Church of Christ is called a Turtle Dove; what are her Enemies? v. 20. The dark places of the Earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. There's no relics of cruelty in a Dove house, if you go in there, you will find no blood, no limbs of Birds; but if you find an Hawk 's Nest, 'tis there you find the blood, and limbs of other Birds, better than itself. The tender Christian hath not his hand in the blood and ruin of his Brethren; you find not in his Habitations the Instruments of cruelty, nor any prey taken from the Widow and Fatherless: He hath Doves Eyes. I know no more certain character of one that is a stranger to Christ than this; Let me see one that is full of cruelty, (wanting tenderness of heart) malice, and revenge, &c. I shall easily conclude him to be one who never digested that Gospel Precept well, Matth. 5. 44, 45. The Whelps of the roaring Lion are continually crying for blood, and rapine, and plunder, but the Spouse of Christ hath learned from him (concerning her Enemies) to say, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.

2. Set aside those also whose Eyes are never satisfied, Prov. 27. v. 20. Covetous greedy worldlings; these have Hawks Eyes, and not Doves Eyes: And ah! how full is the World of these Birds of prey too? those that are like the Grave, and like to Hell, that never say, There is enough, but their whole business is to look about for more still, and to cry with the Horsleaches Daughter, Give, Give, Prov. 30. 15, 16, 17. The Horsleach hath two Daughters crying, Give, Give. Nor doth anything come amiss to them; they never consult Conscience in it, whether they can enjoy their desires without sinning against God, or doing injury to others, or no. The Dove takes the meat which is thrown to it, and is satisfied; however, it feeds not itself to the prejudice of any other Bird (as the Hawk doth.) A good Christian hath learned in all estates to be content, and is satisfied with the portion God allots to him; he seeks nothing to the injury of another in his right; he covets not what is his neighbors; the World is a wide Sea, he fisheth with his neighbor, but he robs not his neighbors Net, nor suffereth his heart to covet what he hath in it. The covetous man is none of Christ's Spouse. That's the second.

3. Hence also the Proud man is shut out from any true Relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. Give me leave still to go on with the Wise man, Prov. 30. 13. There is a generation, Oh! how lofty are their Eyes! and their Eye-lids are lifted up! But what are they? Are they the Spouse of Christ? David saith, Psal. 131. 1. Lord, mine Heart is not haughty, nor my Eyes lofty. They are such as God shall humble, Isa. 5. 15. Isa. 2. 11. The Psalmist brings it in as an Evidence, that men were corrupt because they spake loftily, Psal. 73. 8. The pride and haughtiness of many speaks it unto their faces, that they have not Doves Eyes.

4. Hence fourthly; Unclean persons are shut out from the Kingdom of God. Such as (to use St. Peter 's expression, 1 Pet. 2. 14.) have Eyes full of Adultery, that have wanton Eyes, as the Prophet Isaiah expresseth it, Isa. 3. 16. But I shall not need enlarge upon this, 1 Cor. 6. 9 These (continuing such) are shut out of the Kingdom of God: And everyone who understandeth anything of the mind of God, will agree in this, and even Reason itself will allow the Sentence.

5. Hypocrites are also, by this, shut out of the number of those who are Spouses to Christ. You have heard there is a great deal of simplicity in the Dove, which discovers its self at the Eye. The deceitful Eye is not the Eye of a Saint: Such are those mentioned in the aforementioned Text of Prov. 30. 12. There is a generation t • at is pure in their own Eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. It is said of Jacob, Gen. 25. 27. that he was a plain man. This is a great commendation of a Christian; a true Christian is a plain man; an Hypocrite lies in folts, there is many an hole in an Hypocrite, but that it is hid under plaits of seeming Sanctity, but the Child of God hath no doublings in his heart, he hath Doves Eyes.

2. Br. But in the second place, you may observe from what you have heard, that even the Children of God in this life are very imperfect. There is none of them but have something of a Doves Eye; something of all these habits of graces which I have noted to you under this comparison: yea and so much as may distinguish them from others, but yet where's the Soul that hath a perfect Doves Eye, either for quickness, or cleanness, or circumspection. But I had rather press these under the Notion of an use of

Exhortation. The Proposition in that latitude according to which I have expounded it, indeed doth rather speak what every Child of God should be, then what he is. Every Child of God hath the habits of these graces, but they are in all imperfect, the things which we should press after, although who can say he hath attained. Give me leave therefore to press you all, who hear me this day,

1. Those of you, (if there be any such) who are prejudiced against the ways of God, to a good Opinion of the ways, and People of God, because the walkers therein have, or should have Doves Eyes.

2. Those of you who are entered into them, to show it forth in your conversation that you have Doves Eyes.

1. In the first place. Let me take the advantage of my Text to make an Apology for my Master, and those who take upon them the profession of his Gospel in sincerity. Christ's Friends are not the Persons the World takes them for, They have Doves Eyes. Our Savior hath of old told us, Luk. 17. 1. That it is impossible but that offenses must come. And Lu. 7. 23. Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. The World is peevish to the Lord Jesus Christ, and seeketh occasions against that sect, which followeth him most closely. 'It is everywhere spoken against. Christians were so of old, and I fear me much of the rancor lies still in men's hearts, though it be more bit in through policy. There are two things, that as in all times, so in our times, have highly contributed to the Scandal and reproach of Religion.

1. The intruding of many false friends into that honorable profession. The flock of Christ would be much more lovely in the World, if we could remove out of them all those that are ringstraked, spotted, and speckled, all Hypocrites, I mean, but it is God's will the tares and wheat should grow together tell the harvest.

2. The 2d is, The imperfect state of the very best of God's People. Which makes them subject to many failings. And what you have in the English Proverb, It is safer for one to steal an Horse then for another to look over the hedge, is eminently true of the Child of God, and the man of the World. The worldling may cut a Purse, and not make so much a noise, as if the Child of God shall drop one Penny of unjust gain into it. But methinks (were the World but rational) it were not an hard matter to reconcile them to a better Opinion of the ways of God, by an easy distinction, betwixt the fault of a rule or way, and the Miscarriage of a Person pretending to walk by that rule. The Saint hath or should have Doves Eyes; doest thou therefore see any Challenging to himself the honorable name of a Christian, and yet cruel, revengeful, full of malice, deceitful, hypocritical, unchaste, or the like, how unreasonable a thing is it for thee to say presently, see what these Puritans are, these are the Saints; and how much more reasonable and just were it for thee to say, Either these men are not what they seem to be, or if they have any root of goodness, they have foul failings, and make work for repentance. A man may justly be offended at a professor, for his Sins, and unsuitable walking to his Profession, but woe to that man that is offended at Christ! Blessed is that man who is not offended in Christ. Religion teacheth none rapine, and plunder, and cruelty, and unmerciful dealings, it teacheth none covetousness, and unjust gains, &c. Their lusts teach them this. Charge it not upon Christ, nor upon the Gospel to which they make a Profession charge these things upon the lusts and corruptions of professors, and upon their temptations; so you shall do no wrong. In the second place,

Let this engage you all, who own the honorable name of Christians, to labor to answer this Metaphor, to show by your conversations, that you have Doves Eyes. Labor for harmless dispositions; when Christ sent out his disciples, Lu. 10. 4. he saith, behold I send you as Lambs amongst Wolves. The Christian must expect to meet with Wolves in the World but he is to be as a Lamb amongst Wolves, as a I illy amongst thorns, Prov. 20. 22. say not thou I will recompense evil, but wait on the Lord, and he shall save thee. 2. Labor for contentedness of Spirit. 3. For a benign kind temper to others, for humility, for plainness of heart, and so for those other graces which I have instanced in, let them shine forth in you. I shall not enlarge upon each of them, but only press them upon you by some general arguments, by general, I mean such as will suit every of them. They shall be four.

Thus shall you fulfil the will of Christ concerning you. The Apostle pressing Sanctification makes use of this, argument, For you know what Commandment we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your Sanctification, 1 Thess. 4. 2, 3. Certainly no higher argument can be used. I know nothing that a Christian (as to the practic part of his duty) hath to do, but to inquire what is the will of God concerning him. Thus others would have me do, thus my own corrupt heart would have me do, but what would God have me do? What would Christ have me be? Doest thou like an ingenuous Soul ask what Christ would have thee be? Much of the will of God concerning thee, is wrapped up in this, it is his will that thou shouldst have Doves Eyes, it is the will of God that thou shouldest have harmless Eyes, and clean Eyes, and chaste Eyes, &c. These are the expectations of Christ upon thy Soul. The Devil would have thee have an Hawks Eye, that when he shows thee where thou mayst execute malice revenge, cruelty safely, thou mightest fall upon it, that when he showeth thee a wedg of Gold, and a Babylonish garment thou mayest take it without scruple, but this is the will of Christ that thou shouldest have a Doves Eye and do injury to none: the Devil would have thee have want on Eyes, Eyes full of Adultery, that when thou seest a beautiful strumpet, thou mightest run after her, but Christ would have thee to have a Doves Eye. The Devil would have thee have a lofty Eye, that when he shows thee an object of am bition, thou mightest wound thy Conscience in straining for it: but Christ would have thee to have a Doves Eye, to be meek and lowly. And methinks to a Christian (whose very denomination sounds a man subjected to the will and Law of Christ,) this argument should be sufficient to him, to engage him to labor towards this perfection, and to endeavor after these Doves Eyes mentioned in the Text.

But Secondly, Thus you shall be like unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the unquestionable Idea of all perfection, and there is nothing more worthy of a Christian, then to labor after a conformity to Christ, to make Christ his Archetypon, In many sciences, in order to a man's perfection imitation is as much his concernment, as his following the rules, and Precepts of Art. I am sure it is so in the great Mystery of Godliness: it is the business which God is doing with us by his Providences, Rom. 8. 29. and which we ought to endeavor in our practice, Phil. 3. 10. to be made conformable unto the Image of the Son of God He hath given us an example, John 13. 15. and he hath left us an example, 1 Pet. 2. 21. now what were Christ's Eyes? Cant. 5. 12. His Eyes are as the Eyes of Doves. It were an easy matter here to run through all the aforementioned particulars. He had harmless Eyes. Whose Ox did he ever take? Whom did he ever defraud? To whom did he do wrong? Uppon whom did he ever revenge himself? Nay when he was reviled (saith Peter) he reviled not again, but suffered quietly, &c. He had satisfied Eyes. What Covetousness was he ever guilty of? he had a bag indeed, but it was for the poor, he had not an hole where to hide his head. Yet he neither coveted the holes of the Fox, nor the Nests of the Birds. He had Benign Eyes, upon whom did not he look kindly? To whom was he not ready to do good? He had meek and lowly Eyes, he says of himself, Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly. He had simple Eyes, no guile was found in his mouth, no deceit in his heart, no doubleness in his actions, &c. He had clean Eyes, he delighted not in filthy conversation, not in filthy company or places, if he came at a publicanes and sinners house, it was to make it clean and a fit habitation for his holiness. He had mournful Eyes, he wept over Jerusalem as truly as a Turtle that hath lost its mate. He hath chaste Eyes, not only in a carnal but a Spiritual sense, all his delight is in the Sons of men, in the Souls of his People. By Doves Eyes Christians! you shall be like the Lord Jesus Christ whose Eyes you see were such, and like the holy Spirit, which descended in the form of a Dove; and what more honorable for a Christian then to be like Christ; for a godly man, then to be like God?

Thus (Thirdly) you shall distinguish yourselves, from those who only glory in appearance. The Apostle tells us of some that glory in appearance, only but not in heart, 2. Cor. 5. 12. Now it should be the great business of a Christian, to distinguish himself from these. Christ tells his disciples, (Joh. 8. 31.) that if they would continue in his word then they should be his disciples indeed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , there are many in the World that are so but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in show and appearance. The Doves Eye is a certain note of a disciple of Christ; many have the countenance of Doves, and the voice of Doves but they have not the Eye of Doves; an Hypocrite may groan like a Dove, and may look like a Dove in some part of his conversation, but yet want the Eye of a Dove. The Eye is a noble part of the body, it discovers a man much, and it serves him much. Our Savior saith, the light of the body is the Eye, Matth. 6. 22. if therefore thine Eye be single, thy whole body is full of light. But if thine Eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. He speaks (chiefly) of the danger of an evil Eye, and its unprofitableness to the body. It is true concerning the Soul, an evil Eye discovers an evil Soul (in a great measure.) O labor therefore for Doves Eyes, that you may have an evidence to your own Souls, and that you may by them evidence unto others, that you are such as glory not in appearance only, but in deed.

My last argument, shall be from the honor & repute which by them you will gain to your Master & to his Gospel in the World. It is one of the great things, that a Christian hath to take care of, that the name of God for his sake be not Blasphemed in the World, and on the contrary, it should be his great care so to order his conversation, as that by the ordering of it he may in the World gain a name, and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to his Gospel, and bring up a good report of the land of Canaan, and the Inhabitants thereof. Now could we find a Christian, that were harmless and innocent, doing injury to none, slow to conceive wrath, ready to forgive, free from greediness of the World, and covetousness after that to which he hath no right, kind, and courteous, meek, and lowly, simple in heart, and of a single Eye, tender spirited, of a clean conversation. chaste, and sober, of a broken Spirit, observing his ways, and circumspect in his walking, how lovely would this Christian, appear even in an evil World? How likely were a company of such Christians to recover the honor which others have lost to Religion in the World? Oh! let the honor of the Gospel move you, that the report of your faith may spread, and others may see that Religion is not an empty thing; and glorify God in the day of their visitation.

Obj. But you will say, are these things in our power? Can we create to ourselves Doves Eyes? If not, why do you persuade us? And why do you not rather spend your time in praying to God for us?

Sol. I answer, that for the habits of these graces (the exercise of which I call to you for) they are the gift of God. The Creator gives the Dove its Eye, and the God of grace must create in men Doves Eyes. But yet,

1. As to the outward exercise of these things (some of them at least) much lies in a man's power, in the use of that Common grace, which the Lord denies to none, till by their abuse of it they have provoked him to deal so with them; they may doubtless, restrain their hands, and tongues from acts of cruelty, revenge, and malice, their bodies from unchaste acts, &c. it is true these acts as done by them cannot please God, because not done from a right Principle, to a right manner, nor to a right End nor are they able to mortify their inward lusts, but the outward acts are their duty, and would take off much of the reproach cast upon Religion.

2. For those who have received the habits of regenerating grace, 'tis true the Lord must excite them to action. And the Lord by the influence of his Spirit must also assist us in the exercise or we shall do nothing, but these are such influences of graces, as he. 1. Grants to use, in the use of our endeavors. And such influences. 2. as he (ordinarily) doth not deny to his Children, putting forth themselves to what they can in the performance of their duty. So that (asserting yet those great truths of God. That it is the Lord that gives to will and to do. The first by the infusion of the habit of the grace of regeneration, the second, by the influence of his grace upon his People, exciting those habits, to exercise, and assisting them in their exercise) yet there is room enough for exhortations of this Nature.

Sermon LVIII.

IT is generally agreed, that the person spoken to in this verse, is he who is in this Song represented under the notion of a Beloved, by which I have told you, that we understand the Lord Jesus Christ; and the person speaking is she whom he calls his Love, the fairest amongst women, &c. By her the Chaldee Paraphrast all along understands the Congregation of Israel, which by that ancient Interpreter is brought in thus speaking; How beautiful is the glory of thy Holiness, while thou dwellest amongst us, and freely hearest our prayers; whiles thou abidest in our beloved Bed, our Children are multiplied upon the Earth, we increase and multiply, like a Tree planted by the Rivers of water, whose Leaf is beautiful, and its Fruit much. But I have all along observed too great a fondness in that Reverend Interpreter, to apply all spoken in this Song to the Jewish Synagogue, because once she was the only Beloved of God, not attending this as a Prophecy, concerning also such as should be received into Divine favor, when God should have said to his Antient People, Loammi, you are not my People. We have therefore by the Spouse here all along understood the Church of God in all times, and more particularly, believing Souls, which are here brought in thus speaking to Christ; Behold thou art fair my Beloved, yea pleasant: Also our Bed is green. The words in our English Translation, are punctually translated: Nor is there any considerable difference amongst Interpreters, rendering them in their several Versions. We shall therefore fall (immediately to consider the sense of the words, as they lie before us, which are a Reply unto what Christ had said, v. 15. He had told the believing Soul, that she was fair, she was was fair, she had Doves Eyes. She now replys in the words of the Text, Behold thou art fair (my Beloved) yea pleasant; also our Bed is green. Where you have,

1. Her usual friendly Compellation, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 My Beloved, my Love, my Nephew, my Uncle, my Kinsman. I gave you an account of the significancy of that word before.

2. A note of Attention or Admiration 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Behold. I shown you in my Discourses on the 16th verse; the usage of that particle in Scripture.

3. A double Assertion; 1. Thou art fair; to which she adds, yea pleasant, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 2. The second in those words, Our Bed is green.

He had told the Spouse, v. 16. that she was fair; she now replies, Behold! thou art fair my Beloved; Pulchritudo ejus dilectio ejus (saith Bernard) His love to his Spouse is his beauty, Et ideo major quia praeveniens, which is so much the greater, because it prevents us. And (saith he) she therefore loves more, because she discerns herself prevented, and overcome in Love. It is as much as if she had said, Doth my dearest Savior say, I am fair, who am by Birth an Ethiopian, black with original corruption, and upon whom the Sun hath looked? Nay, My Beloved, thou art much more fair: Let the World be invited to behold thy Beauty; Behold thou art fair my Love. Observe,

Prop. 1. The Beauty of our Savior doth infinitely transcend the Beauty of his Saints.

Prop. 2. The sense of the value which Christ puts upon his Saints, will, and ought to engage them to put an high value upon him.

Give me leave to speak something to the first of these Propositions, before I pass on to the other words of the Text. I begin with the first.

Prop. 1. Christ's Beauty doth infinitely transcend the Beauty of his Saints. The Saints are Stars, and there is not the least Star, but hath its luster and glory; but yet there is a difference of Stars in glory, and the glory of the Sun of Righteousness, of the Star that came out of Jacob, is far more eminent than the Beauty of other Stars, which are set in inferior Orbs. Pulchritudo est qualitas per quam aliquid pulchrum est. Beauty is a quality from which anything is made beautiful. That is beautiful which is lovely. Pulcher quasi 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or quod pollet charitate. There is a corporeal Beauty, and there is a mental Beauty; the corporeal Beauty is nothing else besides a certain loveliness that ariseth from a due proportion of bodily parts, and due temperament of humors, and a comely bodily figure. The mental Beauty is a loveliness which ariseth from a well tempered Soul, adorned with good natural dispositions, moral habits, or spiritual infused habits of Graces. When I speak of the Saints Beauty, and of Christ's Beauty, I understand it of a spiritual loveliness in them arising from that Grace which dwelled in Christ essentially, as God, and was poured out upon-him without measure, as Mediator, and is derived from him to all that truly believe in him. Now I say, this Beauty in Christ doth infinitely transcend that of the Saints. I will show it you in some few particulars, which you may gather from what I said before concerning the Saints Beauty. I shown you that the Saints Beauty was not native, and primitive, but derivative, not essential, but accidental, not perfect, but imperfect. I told you that it was indeed durable, but yet the degrees of it might fade. Let me now open to you the transcendent Excellencies of Christ's Beauty.

1. And more generally: It is a glorious, incomprehensible, and most incomparable Beauty; When the Word was made flesh, and came and dwelt amongst the Sons of men, they beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, Joh. 1. 14. In all created Beauties, there is not equality: There are some faces more beautiful, and some minds more beautiful and lovely than others, which yet have their loveliness too. (Beauty is a quality which is capable of degrees.) There is a glory in Christ's Beauty, which is not to be found in the Beauty of any Saint. The Apostle tells us, that the fullness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily. And the Evangelist, that his glory was like the glory of the only begotten Son of God; he was full of Grace and Truth. Now, if you ask me what this glory is, what Tongue is able to express it? Everyone sees a glory in the Sun's Light excelling the glory of the Stars; but wherein the Excellency is more than in the fullness of the Light, none is able to determine. Here it is true which the Vulgar Latin makes the sense of Prov. 25. 27. Qui scrutatur Majestatem opprimetur à gloria: While the Soul sets itself to fathom the transcendent Divine Excellencies that are in Christ, it is overcome with glory, as the Eye is with the Light of the Sun, that looks too wistly upon it; as the Boy that appeared to the Auncient, (who had promised his People to open to them the Doctrine of the Trinity,) unlading water out of the Sea into a little hole with a Spoon, and told him that he should sooner have done that work, than he would have opened the Doctrine of the Trinity: So I may say in this case: Christ is every way wonderful. The Prophet (concerning his Birth) cries out, Who shall declare his Generation? I may here cry out, Who shall declare his glory? Thus much we can say, that his Beauty is extensively and intensively more than that of the most eminent Saint in the World, that it is incomparable, and incomprehensible, but it is impossible fully to delineate his glory to you; yet something we may speak more particularly.

2. Therefore Christ's Beauty is a Primitive Beauty. The Beauty of the most eminent Saint is no more than a derivative Beauty; we are clean through Christ's cleanness, and we are comely through Christ's comeliness. Take the Saint out of Christ he hath nothing in him but blackness, ugliness, and deformity, all his Beauty is derived from Christ; he is but like the Star, that hath its Light from the Sun, being of itself but a thicker part of coelestial matter; yea he is in a lower degree than a Star, which the Philosopher saith hath some (though a very small) Light of his own. The Child of God of himself is not only dark, but darkness: You were once darkness (saith the Apostle) but now you are light in the Lord. But now Christ is not only lightsome, but light itself: I am the true Light, Job. 1. 9. Joh. 8. 12. Yea, and his Light, his Beauty is from himself. Consider him as God equal with the Father, and coaevous with him; all the Divine Perfections were in him. The whole Beauty of the Godhead was in Christ. Consider him indeed as to his Human Nature, so his Beauty was derivative; the Spirit was given to him (though not by measure) Joh. 3. 34 Col. 1. 19.) It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. But consider now the Lord Jesus Christ personally, as God and Man, and so all his Beauty was Primitive, and from himself: His Divine Nature being the Fountain of all Perfections, and his Human Nature receiving the fullness of the Godhead from that Nature to which it was joined, in the fellowship of the same Person: Now look what difference there is betwixt the Original Light of the Sun, and the borrowed Light of a Star, betwixt the Primitive Light of the Fire, and the Derivative Light of a Taper, such a transcendent difference there is between the Beauty of Christ, and the Beauty of a Christian.

3. Christ's Beauty is an Essential Beauty. When I discoursed to you concerning the Beauty of Christians, I told you that their Beauty was accidental and adventitious; all those gracious dispositions which are found in the Souls of Saints, which make them lovely and beautiful, either in the Eyes of Christ, or of their Brethren, are but adventitious qualities, and accidents, no part of their Essence; But Christ's Beauty is Essential to him. It is certainly true, that there are no accidents in God; all that love, and goodness, and mercy, which is in Jesus Christ, that slowness to conceive a wrath, and readiness to forgive, it is all Essential unto him.— Essentia Divina identificat sibi omnia quae sunt in Divinis (say the Schoolmen) Christ is from his Essence wise, good, gracious, holy, &c. Now every ones Reason will easily apprehend a transcendent difference between Essential and Substantial Beauty, and Adventitious and Accidental Beauty. But

4. Christ's Beauty is a spotless Beauty; He is called the Sun of Righteousness. The Sun hath no spots in it, it is all beautiful, all glorious. The Saints Beauty is a spotted Beauty, or at least a Beauty attended with spots; it is like the Beauty of the Moon; the Moon is a glorious creature, but the Moon hath its spots. Take the fairest Saint in the World, he hath some blemishes, much grace, but some corruption, much rectitude, but some crookedness; yea, he is in nothing perfect. He believeth, but crieth out, Lord help my unbelief. He loveth God, this is his Beauty: Oh! but he wants some degrees of love, he bewails his want of love to God, and begs of God to teach him to love him; there's his spot in his Beauty. He doth direct his ways towards God; there's his Beauty: But he cries out, Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy Statutes! there's his spot, there's his deformity. But now look upon Christ, there was no spot found in him, no defect of Beauty, no mixture of deformity; no guile was found in his mouth, no deceit in his heart, no crookedness in his actions.

5. Christ's Beauty is a never fading Beauty. I remember that I told you concerning the Beauty of the Saints, that it is a durable Beauty, it is never wholly lost, and it is true in the Eyes of Christ, but what's the reason? because the Providence of God continually upholds that state of Beauty which is once conferred: Nor hath God so ordered the upholding of the Saints Beauty, but that it may fade and decay as to degrees, yea and be wholly lost (as to human Judgment.) 'It is true, the Beauty of Justification can never be lost, can never decay, but the Beauty of Holiness may. Now, Holiness is a great part of the Saints Beauty, both in the Eyes of God, and also of men: But Christ's Beauty can never fade, the Rose of Sharon cannot wither; this is proved from the third thing. If Beauty could fail from Christ, the Divine Essence might be extinguished.

6. In the last place; Christ's beauty is a communicative Beauty; The loveliest face in the World, cannot procreate such another, the most virtuous ingenuous mind, cannot communicate its virtue, and ingenuity so as to possess another Soul with it You have many a Child of God, that is exceeding beautiful, both by justifying, and regenerating grace, but what they have is to themselves. The wisest Virgins can lend no Oil to the foolish; if they do, there will not be enough for them both. But now Christ's Beauty is communicative, he is in himself comely, and he can put his comeliness upon others, yea (which is more) he can communicate, without loss to himself, as the Fire gives heat to all in the Room, and yet hath no less heat in itself, or as the Sun enlighteneth the Moon, and all the Stars, yea and all the World, and yet hath as much light still as it had before that communication. So doth the Lord Jesus Christ, he hath communicated Beauty to ten thousand thousand Saints even to all that have lived since Adams fall to this day. They were all comely through his comeliness put upon them, yet hath he in himself the same Beauty he ever had. But I have spoke enough to the opening of this point. I come to the application in three or four words.

1. In the first place, This calleth to all the Children of God, for that great duty mentioned, Rom. 12. 3. Not to think of himself more highly then he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. The want of this Spiritual Sobriety, hath been one great cause of the Drunkenness of this later age.

1. Professors have been too apt to think of themselves above others, forgetting that of the Apostle in that Chap. v. 10. In honor preferring one before another; ah how vile have Brethren seemed in one another's Eyes? How ready have the followers of Paul been to despise the followers of Cephas, and those that followed Apollo to despise those that followed Paul? How subject have we been to contemn those not of our own form, though possibly better Scholars in Christ's School then we! (for Scholarship in Religion is not to be judged by forms in the Church?) Certainly it had been much better for those self conceited Christians, that looking upon their own beauty have so scorned others, as low, legal Christians, to have thought with themselves. Ah! but what is my Beauty to Christ's Beauty? And why do I despise, who myself have not attained.

2. A 2d sort of professors have erred by thinking of themselves above the measure of faith given to them. I know nothing hath contributed so much, to the miserable distempers of our Church as this, that our professors have looked their faces in a multitiplying glass, there they have beheld their parts above what indeed they were, yea and their graces too. But alas (Friends) Suppose them what you would have them, there is no cause of glorying, for if thou hast received it, why doest thou glory, as if thou hadst not received. And let the parts and graces that make thee beautiful be what they will, certainly they are short of Christ's still (who is thy great Example.)

3. But most abominable are those, who dream that they are as holy as Christ, as perfect as he is, yea that they are Christed and Godded. They may be Devilled, and Sathanized, with pride and self conceit, but certainly, when the Saint is grown to the highest pitch, Christ must be higher by the head, and shoulders. Did these poor worms, ever drink of that cup of which he drank? Or were they ever baptized with the Baptism wherewith he was baptized? If not, how come they to sit at his right hand? were they the only begotten Sons of God, full of grace and truth? How then come they (if they were not so) to be sharers with him in his glory? Away then with this blasphemous pride; and if thou (O thou worm of the Earth!) knowest not how to difference Christ's Beauty from thine, go to the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, and consider if the imperfect twinkling light of the latter bear any Proportion to the triumphing light of the former; go and learn, how the heat of thy hand (made hot by the Fire) can possibly be proportionable to the heat of the Fire, which gave thy hand what heat it hath. But no more of this. It is a thing not fit to be named amongst Christians. This is the first Use.

In the 2d place; Let this Caution you against that which the Apostle Jude complains of, Jude 16. Having men's persons in admiration. Under the former branch of Application I took notice of one great cause, of the sad miscarriages of professors in our age; I shall here touch upon another, It is This having men's persons in admiration, Christians have had such a one in their Eye, whom they have looked upon as an holy and eminent person, full of Spiritual Beauty, and him they have followed over hedge and ditch, never looking at Christ all the way. It is good to behold the workings of Grace upon those who are made the subjects of it; but to what end? What? that we might admire them, and follow them? no, but that we might admire God in them, and that Grace of Christ by which they are so holy, so humble, so meek, so eminent in any Grace. I am afraid many have made another use of Professors seeming Beauty in these times, and the Lord hath let them see, that their Beauty was vain, and their appearing Favor deceitful. Certainly Brethren, if that which you have heard be true, Christ alone is to be admired by you; he is the chiefest of ten thousand. Do you hear any one saying, such a Minister, such a Christian is fair, O! he, or she is fair, they have Doves Eyes, look thou up to Heaven, and say, Nay, (my dear Savior!) thou art fair; these are derivative Beauties, thine is a primitive Beauty; the Beauty of these is but an accidental, adventitious Beauty, thine is an essential, substantial Beauty; these are mixed Beauties, thine is a perfect Beauty. We have hearts that are exceeding carnal. Men are very prone to admire their fellows rather for Outward Advantages, than for Spiritual Perfections; more for outward parts, than for Grace; and when they take notice of Grace in any, to admire them rather than Christ for the Grace of God bestowed upon them. The Woman, Luk. 11. 27. was guilty of the first, that hearing Christ speak, lift up her voice and said, Blessed is the Womb that bare thee, and the Paps which thou hast sucked. Christ reforms her wish, v. 28. yea rather, Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it. The Corinthians were guilty of the second, who much admired those amongst them that had parts, and extraordinary gifts: The Apostle endeavors to reform that, 1 Cor. 12. 31.— I show unto you a more excellent way; that was Grace. Grace is better than all the gifts in the World. Christians are also subject to a third Error, where they see, or at least think they see eminent Grace in any, they are prone to admire them, and follow them. But Christians! I show unto you a more excellent object; do you see eminent grace in any, admire Christ in them, and the eminency of Grace in Christ, who hath given them such a proportion. But let Christ still be greater in the Throne than the greatest Saint upon the Earth; admire him, and follow him. But that will be a third branch of Application.

What you have heard, methinks, should send you all away filled with the admiration of Christ, panting with desires after Christ, and filled with the love of him.

1. I say first, Filled with the admiration of Christ. Have you at any time seen an eminent Christian abounding with love to God, zeal for him, clothed with humility, buried in self-denial, adorned with any Graces which have made him acceptable to all with whom he hath conversed, and have you admired such a one, how he could abridge himself of the sweets and contentments of this life, and satisfy himself with being anything, or nothing, so he might but attain to the Resurrection of the Dead, win Christ, be found in him, and win others to him? and will you not admire that Fountain from whence all these streams are derived? Is he a reasonable creature that gazeth upon a twinkling Star, and admires the luster of it, and looks upon the Sun without any admiration at all. Oh! admire Christ, to whom all created Perfections are no more than so many drops of Water to the Ocean, so many grains of Sand to a Mountain, so many slender Beams to the body of Light in the Sun.

2. Shall not this send you away panting after Union, and the seal of Union with Christ? Man as a sensual creature, desires corporeal Beauty, and 'tis hard for him to see it in a Woman free for him, and not to desire her for it. Man as a rational creature desires mental Beauty, and it is hard for him to know of any adorned with moral Virtues, and with a pleasing and ingenuous disposition, and not to desire friendship and acquaintance with him or her that is so qualified. Man as regenerate and a spiritual new creature, desires spiritual Beauty; and 'tis ordinary for Christians, seeing others more eminent in Grace than themselves, to desire fellowship with them, and to be made partakers of their Grace. But lo here Christians, a beautiful Object excelling all created Beauties; Lo here one that is the fairest amongst the Sons of Men; Lo here one to whom all the Lilies of the Field, yea even Solomon himself in all his glory, was never like; shall not your hearts pant after Union with him? Shall none say, Oh that this Christ were mine, his Grace mine, his Beauty mine, his Glory mine! Shall not every Soul which hath had a glimpse of his Glory, desire that he would kiss it with the kisses of his mouth, that it might have further confirmations of its Interest in him?

3. And thirdly; Shall not all your hearts, who have this day heard of his Beauty, burn with further love to him? Doth the Woman's heart leap when she hears her Husband magnified? Doth she pride herself in secret thoughts, saying, This is my Beloved, This is my Husband? and doth the commendation which others give him blow the Coals of Love in her heart, and make them burn unto a flame? Oh that this Discourse might have such an influence upon you this day! Have not your hearts burned within you, while I have discoursed in your Ears concerning Christ's loveliness? O go home now and love him more! But our Savior hath said. If you love me, keep my Commandments.

4. Lastly; Therefore seeing that the Beauty of Christ is so transcendent a Beauty, let all the Children of God do that one thing, (which St. Paul saith he did) viz. Not think that he hath attained, but forgetting that which is behind, press on forward to that which is before, unto the price of the High Calling. Christ is our mark; we are to learn of him to be lowly, and meek, to be holy and separate from sin. Let no man therefore set up himself a stand short of this mark, and let everyone see, that there is room for him yet to be more and more holy; thou mayest be as holy as thy Neighbor, but thou art not yet as holy as Christ; that's that thou shouldest study; that's it which thou shouldst labor after. But this is enough to have spoken to the first Observation. The second follow: That the sense of that Value and Estimate which Jesus Christ puts upon our Souls, should make us put an high value upon him. The Spouse's saying, Thou art fair (my Love!) Thou art fair, made her reply Thou art fair my Beloved.

Sermon LIX.

IN my last Exercise I discoursed to you the transcendent Beauty of Christ above the creatures Beauty, which is but a Beam from that Sun, a Drop from that Fountain, the Shadow of that Substance. Our Spouse here adds, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 yea pleasant; not only fair, but pleasant; not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 It is a word often made use of in Scripture, signifying (sometimes) that which gives satisfaction to the outward Senses; sometimes that which gives satisfaction to the mind. You read of the pleasant harp, Psal. 81. 3. of pleasant riehes, Prov. 24. 3. of the sweet Psalmist, 2 Sam. 23. 1. in all which Texts, this word is used: it sometimes denotes the Satisfaction of the mind in an object, thus it is said to be a pleasant thing to praise God, Psal. 135. 3. Psal. 147. 1. and a pleasant thing to keep God's Commandments, Prov. 22. 18. and to see brethren dwelling together in unity; Psal. 133. 1. in all which Texts also this Word is used. The Spouse here useth the word by way of auxesis adding something to what she had said before; Thou art fair: Yea pleasant. The Proposition is plainly this:

Prop. Jesus Christ is not only beautiful, but pleasant.

I shall speak to this Proposition by way of Explication, and Application. By way of Explication, I shall inquire, what is meant by pleasant?

2. How the Lord Jesus Christ is not only fair, but also pleasant? I shall there subjoin the confirmation.

1. Qu. What doth the Spouse mean, when she says Christ is pleasant?

The word translated pleasant, is sometimes used to signify what is grateful to the sensual Eye, and so may be conceived Synonymous, to the term fair, but I conceive the Spouse here intendeth something more, (as I hinted to you before.) Amongst men, beauty properly relates to the complexion, pleasantness to the conversation, a man may be fair and yet not pleasant, he may have a fair face, and a false heart, a sweet countenance, and a sour Soul. But yet this difference will not serve us here. For Christ's beauty is not a corporeal, sensual beauty, but an inward Spiritual beauty, and it is yet harder to distinguish, fair, and pleasant, as they relate to Christ: Bernard gives a double guess in the case— Eminentiam decoris illâ repetitione designat. Aut certe in utrâque Christi substantiâ dignam expressit omni admiratione decorem: in alterâ naturâ, in alterâ gratid: That is, the Spouse by this repetition signifies that eminency of beauty, which is in Christ, or else by this double term, signifieth the beauty of Christ's two Natures; the first, i. e. His Divine Nature being beautiful by Nature; the second by Grace: Thou art fair considered as to thy Divine Nature, as thou wert from all eternity, existing in the form of God, God blessed forever, the bright Character of thy Fathers substance, and the express Image of his glory. Yea pleasant, in thy form as a Servant, when thou didst make thyself of no reputation for my sake, &c. Gregory agrees, in the same Notion.

2. There are others, who by the pleasantness (which the Spouse here entituleth her Beloved unto) understand his pleasant administration of his Covenant, Doctrines, reproofs, &c. indeed the Lord's staff (which denotes his Covenant) is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Beauty. And David useth this word to express the Satisfaction he took, in the Ordinances of God, Psal. 27. 4. Psal. 90. 17. And our own Annotations expound this Text by Psal. 84. v. 1. The sense then is this: Thou art sair (O my Savior!) transcendently fair, and beautiful, adorned with all Grace. Yea pleasant, in all thy administrations, and dealings out of thyself, in thine Ordinances, thou art pleasant. Thou sweetly dispensest grace, (from the fountain which is in thee,) by the Ordinances of the Gospel which are so many conduit pipes.

3. I shall offer you a third Notion of the term. As amongst men, we may easily distinguish betwixt beauty, and pleasantness, whether you take beauty, for the comeliness of the outward man, or the Ornament of the inward man. A man or woman may have a sweet complexion, a lovely Countenance, a beautiful personage, and yet have a debauched Soul, and so be far from pleasantness, yea a man may have a mental beauty, and yet not pleasant, no good Companion for ones life. There are many men who are wise, and just, and learned, and yet possibly, through pride, morosity, or surliness, or reservedness, not pleasant: Pleasantness doth much refer to the conversation: and if we allow this sense of the term; by which (As our own Annotators observe) the Spouse doth elegantly correct, and raise the sense of what she had before said: Then this is that which the Spouse saith: My Dear Savior, is not only beautiful in the Eye of my mind, both in respect of his Maj sty, and glory, and of that Grace, which was poured forth upon his lips, in respect of the eminent perfections, both of his Divine, and human Nature, but he is also lovely, and amiable, and so I have sound him in all his dispensations to me and also in all my converse with him. Thus it denoteth the pleasantness of the Souls Communion with Christ, and may comprehend both his Communication of himself to the Souls of his People in and through his Ordinances, and also, his Communication of himself to them, by way of more immediate, Spiritual influences; and it importeth thus much, That a Christians walking with God, is a pleasant walking, you know that the life of a Child of God in Scripture is expressed under several Notions; it is sometimes called, a walking with God. It is said of Enoch, he walked with God, Gen. 5. 22. 24. the like of Noah, Gen. 6. 9. it is called, a walking in God's ways: And after God's Commandments. A walking with Christ, Col. 2. 6. A walking in the Spirit, Gal. 5. 16. 25. Christ is he who maintaineth, and influenceth, and upholdeth, a Christians life, he is the Companion of his life, now that which the Spouse asserts is, that Christ is not a sour Companion, to make use of the similitude of the Text. Many a Woman hath an Husband, who it may be is a comely Person learned, sober, wise, but yet possibly of a morose reserved temper, or of a proud, and surly disposition, he is fair but he is not pleasant, Jesus Christ the Husband to a gracious heart, is not only beautiful, so as a Soul may please itself in beholding of him, and looking upon him, but he is also pleasant: all his dealings and converse with the Souls of his People are sweet, and delightful. And thus much may serve to have spoken to the first question, and for the more general explication of the term; the second follows, viz.

2. Qu. How is the Lord Jesus Christ pleasant? And in what particulars doth his pleasantness appear?

1. Pleasantness implies a general sweetness, and loveliness in conversation, 2 Sam. 1. 26. I am distressed for thee, (my Brother Jonathan) very pleasant wert thou to me. David apprehended a loveliness in his converse with Jonathan: as a man delights to be in the Company of his friend, and hath much Satisfaction in it, so it is with the gracious Soul. The life of a Christian is a pleasant life, because Christ is pleasant to it. I told you before that a Christian hath in this life a double converse with Christ.

1. In Ordinances and duties.

2. By the immediate influences of his Spirit in all his conversation. As to both Christ is pleasant.

1. It is a pleasant thing for the Soul of a Christian, to enjoy Christ in his Ordinances, Psal. 84. 1, 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts, my Soul longeth, yea even fainteth, for the Courts of the Lord: it is a pleasant thing to a Christian, to hear of Christ in a Sermon, to look up to Christ in Prayer: to praise the name of God. David upon this argument engageth the Children of God to praise him, for it is pleasant, Psal. 135. 3. Psal. 147. 1.

2. It is a pleasant thing, to a gracious Soul, from the influences of the Spirit of grace to direct his life according to the rule of God's Word. As it was the meat and drink of our Savior, to do the will of his Heavenly Father: so it is the meat of a disciple, of Christ to do the will of Christ especially when he findeth his Soul advantaged to it from the influences of the Spirit of Christ, Rom, 7. 22. I delight in the Law of God, after the inward man. Observe two things, St. Paul doth not say I delight in the Love of God; who could do otherwise then so? But I delight in the Law of God: an holy heart delights in the Law of God: but secondly, Observe the restriction, as to the inward man. This may prevent an objection. Will some poor Soul say, I cannot say that I delight in strictness, the Lord Pardon it to me, I even force myself upon any close walking: But dost thou not delight in the Law of God as to thy inward man? If thou doest, Christ is pleasant to thee, he is not pleasant to thy flesh, but he is pleasant to thy Spirit.

2. you will further understand how Christ is pleasant to the Soul, and receive a further confirmation of it, if you but consider, what is requisite to make one pleasant, as a pleasant Husband, or a pleasant Companion, of ones life, &c. I conceive there are three things.

1. Some real positive worth. A man or woman that hath no worth, is pleasant to none, but such as are fools, or sots, Christ hath an infinite worth in him, nay you will observe, that although a man have much worth in him, yet he is pleasant to none but such, as may have an advantage from his worth: the most learned man in the World hath no pleasantness in him, to the apprehension of a Clown, that is not in a capacity to partake of his worth: so that to make a man pleasant, he must not only have a real worth in him, but a worth of such a Nature, as he to whom he is pleasant may be advantaged; such is Christ, such are the excellencies of Christ.

2. To make a Person pleasant (besides a real worth,) there is required some suitableness of nature, and disposition, to the party which so judgeth of him: take now an eminently learned man in any science, though he hath a worth in him, and such a worth, as might to a novice be advantageous, yet all this doth not make him pleasant that which makes the Husband pleasant to the Wife, and the Superior pleasant to the inferior, is some congruity of disposition. And such a congruity there is betwixt Christ and a believing Soul. Christ notwithstanding all that perfection of grace, and excellency which is in him, and notwithstanding, the aptitude, and fitness of his grace to the wants of a Soul, yet is not pleasant to a natural man: he is not beautiful to him, because he wanteth Spiritual Eyes to discern, he is not pleasant to him, because he wants that congruity of disposition which is necessary: Christ is holy, he is unholy. But now the believer is made partaker of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. He is a partaker of Christ, Heb. 3. 14. And indeed hence ariseth, that particular pleasantness, which the believing Soul doth above any other Soul discern in Christ; even from that congruity.

3. To make any one, not only fair, but pleasant, there will be required of him a Freedom from those things, which spoil all pleasantness in converse, and a presence and exercise of those dispositions, which are in themselves grateful to human Nature. I will instance in two on three, and show you how Christ is freed from the former and possessed of the latter.

1. The pleasant man must not be reserved, but Communicative. A man that is of a reserved close temper, may be a worthy Person and have much real worth in him, but yet he is not pleasant: it is the Communicative man, who is the pleasant man. Christ (upon this account) is pleasant, he is not reserved from the Souls of his Saints, Look now as it is with a man, if he be one that hath real worth and abilities to do good to his friend, and of a free temper, that if his friend speaks to him he presently hears and answers, if he asks him a question, he presently resolves, this man now is a pleasant man. Christ is pleasant, as he is furnished, with a sufficiency of power, and ability, for the comforting, resolving, advantaging his Peoples Souls any way, so he is not reserved from them. How free, was he with his disciples while he was upon the Earth, how ready if they doubted to resolve them, if they asked anything of him to answer them, if he saw them troubled to resolve them, &c. Christ hath removed the place of his residence, but he hath not changed his disposition. How free is Christ still with the Souls of his People? How ordinarily doth he resolve their doubts, speak peace to their Souls, answer their Prayers? Doth any Soul object against this in the words of David, Psal. 22. 3. I cry in the day time, and thou hearest not, and in the night time I am not silent? That Soul should do well to inquire, whether some reservedness found in it towards Christ, hath not caused Christ's reservedness to it; whether he doth not restrain Faith. He should do well also to inquire, whether he be not mistaken. Christ ofttimes gives Answers which we do not understand. Finally; Let him wait, and he will see that Christ reserves himself only that he might hereafter be more pleasant to the Soul. But this is enough to have spoken to this first particular.

2. He that is pleasant, is not morose, but courteous; a man may be communicative enough, and yet not pleasant; he that is of a churlish, dogged temper, morose in all his behavior, is never pleasant: He that is of a gentle behavior, is pleasant. Oh how gentle is the Lord Jesus Christ! How tenderly he deals with his Peoples Souls! A bruised Reed he will not break, a smoking Flax he will not quench, Mat. 12. 20. It was prophesied of him of old, Isa. 40. v. 11. that he should gather the Lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. If he speaks to a poor laden sinner, mark how tenderly he speaks, Mat. 11. 29. Come unto me you that are weary and heavy laden, and I will ease you. I appeal to the Souls of you that fear God, Hath not Christ dealt tenderly with you? Hath he pleaded against you with his great Power? Have you at any time found him churlish to your Souls? Nay, who is there amongst you but hath admired his expressions in his Word, and the manner of his dispensations unto your Souls? and can (from experience) say, He is pleasant. If any Soul from its own experience object against this Notion, I shall only advise it to consider, whether it hath not put a false interpretation upon Christ's dispensations to it: Or secondly, To distinguish betwixt Christ's ordinary dealings with the Souls of the People, and his carriage to it, upon some eminent provocations.

3. A third thing which makes a man pleasant, is humility. The proud person is grateful to none, no not to him who is as proud as himself, but he who is full of humility, of a condescending spirit, &c. is ordinarily pleasant to his Companion. Upon this account also Christ is pleasant; he condescendeth to us who are of low degree. Nothing more indears a Person of Honor, and makes him pleasant to his Companion, than when there is discerned in him a readiness to stoop and be serviceable to those who are beneath him: Oh how pleasant is Christ upon this score to every honest heart! From the time that he Nothing'd himself, and humbled himself to a death upon the Cross, unto this day, he hath been, and still is thus pleasant to every gracious Soul. Every dispensation of special grace makes him thus more and more pleasant to his Peoples Souls. But I have spoken enough to the Doctrinal part. I come now to the Application.

By way of inference in the first place, let me conclude from hence, That a Christian's Life must needs be a pleasant Life. To me, saith St. Paul, to live is Christ, Phil. 1. 21. And again, Col. 3. 3. Our life is hid with Christ in God. A Believer lives from Christ, Eph. 2. v. 1. You hath he quickened, and he lives in Christ, and Christ lives in him: Now Christ is pleasant. Hearken to our Sponse in this Song, chap. 2. 3.▪ I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. It is one great discouragement that keeps off men from following the Lord Jesus Christ: They have taken up a fancy, that Christ is an hard Master; reaping where he hath not sown, and gathering where he hath not strawed. They fancy the life of a Christian a moping life, burdened with cares, troubled with sorrows, &c. and think all their friends good days are gone when once they turn Puritan • s, and begin to follow after God. And in very deed, then, and not before, do they begin to live, and to understand what true contentment is. Oh! let not this prejudice take hold of any of your Souls; come but taste land see how good the Lord is. Might but this prevail with any of you to embrace the offers of Christ, and to fall in with the ways of God, let my Soul go for yours, if when once you have truly experienced the Contentment of a Christian's life you do not with David choose to be a Door-keeper in the House of God, rather than to dwell in the Tents of wickedness, if you prefer not one day in the Lord's Courts before a thousand elsewhere. Let not the deceitful pleasures of the World seduce you▪ if the Earth affords any satisfaction, that Soul hath it that walks with God, and hath a fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. By way of Argument, let me but plead with you,

1. To observe the difference between sensual and intellectual pleasures: And again, betwixt rational and spiritual pleasures. Who is there that observes not how much the satisfaction of the mind, in the possession of Learning and Virtue, excels all that satisfaction which the Eye hath in seeing, or the Ear in hearing? Christ is pleasant to the Soul, not to the outward, but to the inward man. The pleasures of the mind are rational or spiritual. The proportion which knowledge beareth to the understanding of man, and which moral Virtue bears to his Reason, makes them pleasant, and creates an intellectual rational pleasure. But alas! it must be imperfect; for as the Eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the Ear with hearing, so neither is it possible that the Soul should be satisfied with knowledge, or moral accomplishments, especially when it is awakened to consider Eternity. Hence the Learned man, that before took pleasure in his knowledge, being awakened, cries out, I with my Learning may go to Hell, when one that knows much less may go to Heaven; where's the pleasure? But now the Soul that is possessed of Christ, hath its heart perfectly at rest, because it sees its eternal Interest provided for, and cannot discern itself in danger of future misery. Furthermore, the things in which it takes pleasure, are above the rank of all sublimary contentments, even such things as Eye hath not seen, nor hath Ear heard, nor can it enter into the Heart of man to conceive. Besides, Conscience is quiet. Conscience is that which spoils much of the Worlds pleasure; for as a good Conscience is a continual feast, so an evil Conscience is (more or less) a continual torment. Now Christ is he alone that quieteth the Conscience. Many a poor Christless Soul drinks Wine in Bowls, and boast in their outwardly happy condition, but by and by a finger of a man's hand appears; their Conscience begins to stir, and to tell them they are damned undone sinners; what becomes of their pleasure? But now the Soul that is in Christ, his Conscience speaks peace to him, he hath peace without trouble. And to give you a demonstration of this pleasantness of a Christian's life, as I remember Christ said of the Lilies, they neither spin, nor sow, yet Solomon in all his glory is not like one of them: So give me leave to say; Step unto the poor Cottages of Christians, who have searce Bread to eat, no Silken Rayments to put on, no Music to make them merry, no Money to spend, no Orchards or Gardens to delight them; and yet there's many a Nobleman, many a Gentleman who have all these in abundance, & yet in all their glory are not like one of these Lilies; these poor Souls have more true content and pleasure in one day, than they have in all their life, nor would they change conditions with them. So true is that of Solomon, Prov. 15. 16, 17. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great Treasures, and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of Herbs where love is, than a stalled Ox, and hatred therewith. I dare warrant you, that the Philosopher could have dined more sweetly at home with Bread and Water, than at the Tyrants Table of Dainties in view of a sharp Sword hanging over his head by a thread. There's many a poor Christian in this like a true spiritual Diogenes, that satisfieth himself with the influence of the Sun upon his Tub, better than an Alexander could do himself with a whole World subdued to his feet.

2. Observe from hence the difference between Christ and lusts, Christ and the World. The Soul of man cannot be alone, it is either espoused to lusts, and to the World, or else to the Lord Jesus. There's many a one whose Soul is united to it's lusts. Lust is its beloved. Can this Soul say, Behold thou art fair my Beloved, yea pleasant? Doubtless nothing less. Reason tells the Drunkard, that his Drunkenness is a foul thing, and Reason tells the Unclean person, that his Soul is united to a filthy thing. Take him that is united to the World, to the Riches of it, or to the Honors of it, Reason tells him they have no beauty in them; nor are they more pleasant than beautiful. Ah! what racks of Conscience have profane sinners ofttimes? The Wine tickles the throat as it passeth, but it maketh the stomach sick: The lusts of the flesh leave a Thorn in the Conscience, which abides, when the pleasure of them is vanished. The World pleaseth the Eye, while the figure of it passeth before it, but it is no more than 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a great fancy, and vexation of spirit, spoils the pleasure of it. But Christ is pleasant; never any Soul that followed him, repented of it; yea those that follow him weeping, never repent of their repentings. Bring me that Soul which ever said I would I had never known, or never walked with Christ.