The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

Sermon XIV.

I Have opened these words, and from them handled already one Proposition of Doctrine.

I now proceed to the second from those words, Thy name is an Ointment poured forth.

The name of Christ is an Oil, or Ointment poured out.

When I opened the words, I told you a Name, is either a word or words expressive of the essence of a thing, or serving to distinguish one thing from another. In the first sense God hath no name. No word sufficiently expresseth the essence of God; what is his name? What is his Sons name? It is secret it is wonderful. But so far forth as God, or Jesus Christ is by any terms made known to us, so far he is said to have a name. More especially I told you, that Christ as Immanuel, or God with us, hath several names: Jesus, Christ, Messias, Immanuel; these are all his names. 2. Whatsoever Christ is made known by to his People, or to any Soul by, that is his name, but that I may yet speak a little more fully, and distinctly, I will show you; 1. What I mean by the name of Christ in the Proposition. 2. In what sense this name of his, is like an Oil, or Ointment poured out. 3. I shall prove it to you, and show you whence it is so. Lastly, I shall apply it.

Q • . 1. What in the Doctrine is meant by the name of Christ?

I have told you in the general, those proper names, whether relating to his Person or Offices, which the Scripture gives him. Let me instance in some of them.

1. Immanuel (or it may be more properly Immanuel.) When that Ahaz, Is. 7. 14. refused to ask a sign, the Lord graciously promiseth him one. A Virgin (saith the Prophet) shall conceive, and bear a Son, and thou shalt call his name Immanuel. The Angel gives him this name, Mat. 1. 23. The name itself is Originally Hebrew, made up of three Hebrew words. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 El. signifieth God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifieth us, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies with, and thus the Angel interpreteth it. Mat. 1. 23. This is one of the names of Christ, and signifieth the Hypostatical Union of the two Natures, in the One Person of the Redeemer, and therefore Piscator (I think) saith right that it ought not to be given to any Creature; Cheitomeus tells us it was given to Christ. 1. In respect of his Person, in which God was united with our Nature; and 2. In respect of his Office, we have an advocate with the Father (saith St. John) 1 Joh. 2. 1. even Christ the righteous. So he is God with us; that is, on our side, in that sense, as the phrase is taken, Num. 14. 9. The Lord is with us, sear them not, and Judge. 6. 13. If the Lord be with us, whence is all this?

2. I will join two other names together, indeed they are the same, only one is of an Hebrew extract, the other Greek; Messiah and Christ: the one cometh from the Hebrew Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he hath anointed with Oil, and the Noun properly signifieth one that is anointed; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in Greek signifieth one that is anointed: you have the signification of Messias warranted, Joh. 1. 41. we have, s • y they, found the Messias, that is, the Christ, and thus even the Samaritans understood it, as appears from the language of the Woman, Joh. 4. 25. I know that when the Messias comes, who is called Christ. The Jews were wont to anoint both their High Priests, and Kings, and Prophets, as you shall find in that one instance, 1 Kings 19. 16. compared with the known Text for the anointing the High Priest in the Book of Exodus; those that were thus anointed, were in the Hebrew called Messiahs. The High Priest is so called, Levite. 4. 3. If the High Priest that is anointed do sin; the word is there the Messiah. The same name is applied to Saul, the King of Isra • l, 1 Sam. 24. 6. The Lord forbid (saith David, when his men would have had him killed Saul) that I should do this thing to my Master the Lord's anointed. In the Hebrew it is the Lord's Messiah, yea, and the People of God who have received the Unction of the blessed Spirit, of which the legal Unctions were a Type, have this name applied to them, Psal. 105. 15, Touch not mine anointed, in the Hebrew it is, touch not my Messiahs, but look, as though there be many Antichrists (that is many that are enemies to Christ) as St. John tells us, 1 Joh. 2. 18. yet there is an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one special Antichrist to whom that Name belongs, & to whom that Name is as a proper Name; whereas, as to others, it is rather an Appellative. So though there be many Messiahs many Anointed ones, to whom the Name agrees as a kind of an Appellative Name; such were the Jewish High Priests, & some, if not all their Kings and Prophets; yea and all the Lord's People, yet there was one to whom this Name eminently & most properly did belong, who was The Messiah: This was Christ. Daniel calleth him Messiah the Prince, Dan. 9. 25. From the going forth of the Commandment, to restore Jerusalem, and to build it, unto Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks. And although the second Psalm literally respects David, an eminent Type, as well as Progenitor of Christ, yet by the Application of it to Christ in the New Testament, it appeareth that he was intended in it. There Christ is called the Lord's Messiah, against the Lord and his Anointed, &c. It is a Name which agreeth to Christ as he was Anointed with the Oil of gladness above his fellows, Psal. 45. 8. That is, with the Holy Ghost, and with Power, as it is expounded, Act. 10. 38. The Spirit not being given unto him by measure, Joh. 3. 34. He was Anointed to Preach glad Tydings to the meek, Isa. 61. 1. By this Name some think both Natures in Christ are expressed, as well the Divine Nature Anointing, as the Human Nature Anointed. Justin Martyr thinks he was called the Messiah, not only because he himself was Anointed but because he Anointeth. This is now a second Name given to the Lord Jesus, and is (as I shall show you) as Oil poured forth.

3. A third peculiar Name of Christ you have, Gen. 49. 10. where he is called Shiloh. Jacob in his last blessing of his Sons saith, The Scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the Lawgiver from his feet, till Shiloh come. There is a d • spute amongst Etymol • g sts, for the Original of that word, some will have it to be derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifies a Son. Until Shiloh come, that is, until the Son of God cometh; or till Judah 's Son come, which must be understood either of David, or of Christ: But I do rather agree with those who derive it from the Hebrew Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifies to be a Peacemaker, a name very proper to Christ, who made Peace between God and Man, betwixt Jew and Gentile, and is therefore called Our Peace. This Name of Christ is also an Oil poured forth.

4. A fourth peculiar Name of Christ is the Name Jesus. The Angel you know gave him that Name, Matth. 1. and gave also the reason of it, because he was to save his People from their sins; he therefore came into the world, that we might be saved from our Enemies, and from the hands of all that hated us. When old Simeon had him in his Arms, he called him The Lord's Salvation. Jesus signifies a Savior. These are some of his personal Names, everyone of which is to the Soul as a sweet Oil, or Ointment poured forth.

2. But he hath a second sort of Names, which are the Names of Office given to Christ upon the account of several Offices which he was to bear; and thus he is called Our Mediator, Our Advocate, Our King, Our High Priest, The Prophet, &c.

First, He is called Mediator. It is a name you will find in the New Testament given to our blessed Lord four times. One Mediator between God and Man, even the Man Christ Jesus (saith the Apostle to Timothy) 1 Tim. 2. 15. The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him, The Mediator of a better Covenant, Heb 9. 15. Of the New Covenant, Heb. 12. 24. The Law was ordained in the hands of a Mediator, Gal. 3. 19, 20. Socinus tells us, that this word in Scripture signifieth no more than God's Interpreter; but the Word in the Greek is derived from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , me • ius, and signifieth a middle person, one who stands in the midst betwixt two offended parties, and appeaseth them. Su • das interprets it by 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , one that maketh Peace. A name excellently agreeing to Christ, who was God-Man: God with us: Neither God only (after his Incarnation) nor mere man. 2. Because being thus God-Man, he interposeth himself betwixt the Offended Creator, and the Offending Creature, and taketh up the difference between God and Man. This Name of Christ is as an Ointment, or Oil poured forth.

Secondly; He is called our Intereessor, and Advocate, Heb. 7. 25. He ever liveth to make Intercession for us, Rom. 8. 34. He maketh Intercession for us, 1 Joh. 2. 1. If we sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the Righteous. The Office of an Advocate is in a Court to appear, engage and plead for his Client. Christ as an Advocate appears in the Court of Heaven for Believers, pleadeth their Cause, answereth the Accusations which Satan brings against them, intercedeth for them, &c. This is a sweet Name. This is as an Oil poured forth to a Soul conscious to itself of its manifold failings, and the imperfections of its best performances.

Thirdly, He is called a King. Pilate called him so in mockery to the Jews, and refused to alter the Superscription of the Cross which had so expressed him. God calls him his King; I will set my King upon my holy Hill of Zion. He is called so not only with regard to his Essential Kingdom, which he hath as God over all, blessed forever, nor only with respect to his Political Government of his Church, which is, or should be everywhere executed according to his Laws and Prescripts, but with respect to that special Dominion which he hath over his Saints, by which he doth both surprise their Enemies, bruising Satan under their feet, strengthening them against their lusts and corruptions, commanding them into a conformity to his Will, and to the practice and exercises of those habits of grace which he hath bestowed upon them.

Fourthly, He is called our Priest, our High Priest. The Apostle to the Hebrews calls him the High Priest over the House of God. The High Priest of our Profession, a great High Priest. The Office of the Priest was to enter into the Holiest, to offer Sacrifice for the People, to pray for them, to bless them. Christ did all this: He once offered up himself for us; he entered into the Holiest, whither our forerunner is entered (saith the Apostle;) we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in him. He was (saith the Apostle to the Galatians,) made a Curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come down upon us.

Fifthly; He is called a Prophet; that is also his Name: That Prophet (by way of Eminency) Deut. 13. 3. Joh. 1. 21. Act. 3. 23. The woman of Samaria perceived that he was a Prophet, Joh. 4. 19. He is a Prophet not only as he could, and did foretell many things to come, but as he teacheth and instructeth his People. This he did while he was here upon the Earth, going about, and Preaching in the Temple, in the Synagogues, in the Streets, upon Mountains, &c. but when he ascended up on high, he gave gifts unto men; he made some Apostles, some Evangelists, others Pastors and Teachers; for the continual building up of his Church; and not only so, but by his Spirit instructing them in, and revealing to them the deep things of God, the things which Eye hath not seen, nor hath Ear heard, nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive. Now all these pieces of Christ's Name are to the believing Soul as Oil poured forth.

But besides these personal Names of Christ, and his Names of Office. Whatever else Christ is made known by is his Name. I will mention but three things.

First, His Word is his Name. The Gospel of Christ is his Name, that expresseth to us what Christ is. Christ saith, that he had manifested his Father's Name unto the men whom he had given him out of the world, Joh. 17. 6. that is his Fathers Truths, the Doctrine of his Gospel. The Lord Jesus is made known by his Gospel. That doth the same thing for Christ, that our Name doth for us; it lets the World know whose Son Christ is, what he is, what he hath done and suffered for Sinners, and this is to the Soul exceeding sweet, as an Oil that is poured forth.

Secondly, His Mercy is his Name. All those declarations of his love and good will towards his Peoples Souls, of which his Gospel is full. All the Emanations of his Love. When the Lord telleth Moses his Name, he thus proclaimeth it; The Lord, The Lord merciful, slow to anger. As God gets him a great Name upon Pharaoh, and the wicked of the Earth, by executing Justice and Judgment; so he gets himself a great Name amongst his Saints, by showing me • cy. His Name is, I, even I am he that blotteth out transgressions for my own Names sake: I will heal your backslidings, and love you freely.

Lastly, His Truth is his Name. By Truth I mean his Faithfulness in fulfilling his Word. Thy Truth reacheth unto the Clouds, saith David, Psal. 108. 4. David, Psal. 138. 2. resolveth to praise God's Name, for his Loving-kindness and for his Truth. Jesus Christ is much known to us by his Truth and Faithfulness to his Promises, making good to his Peoples Souls, what he hath said; hence he is called the Amen, the Faithful; and the true Witness, Rev. 3. 14. Pareus (upon that Text) saith, that Christ is called the Amen for that reason which the Apostle giveth, 2 Cor. 1. 19, 20. because he is not Yea and Nay, but he is Yea; and because all the Promises of God in him are Yea and Amen. Thus I have opened to you what that Name of Christ is, which the Spouse compareth to an Oil, or to an Ointment poured forth.

2 Qu. But why to an Oil poured forth?

Certainly for the usefulness of it under that circumstance. Ointment in the Box, Oil enclosed and kept up in the Vessel, is no way so useful as when it is poured out. If we use it for food, it must be poured out, if for Medicine, if for Ornament, which way soever we use Oil or Ointment, it must be poured out, then it becomes useful to us. But that which I take to be what is principally intended, is, Thy Name is exceedingly, infinitely sweet. Oil is sweet in the Vessel where it is kept; it is sweet, if but dropped out by drops. But saith the Spouse of Christ, Thy Name is as an Oil or Ointment poured forth. Thou hast not only a sweetness and excellency in thyself, but all the grace and mercy in thee is communicated, and that not in drops, or little measures, but as Oil poured forth, that hath scope of Air enough to diffuse itself in and by. If Christ had No Name by which he could be made known to us, yet there would be in him (as God blessed forever) infinite goodness, as well as Majesty and Glory; the fullness of the God-Head would be in him, he would be full of Grace and Truth; but now his Name makes him to be as an Oil poured forth; by that we behold his glory, the glory as of the begotten of the Father, full of Grace, and Truth, Joh. 1. 14. When the invisible, incomprehensible excellency, love, and grace of Christ is made known unto us, either by the Gospel, or by the emanations of his grace and mercy, or the demonstrations of his truth, and faithfulness, by any of his personal names, or names of Office, w • ich are given to him, then like Oil, or Ointment poured out, he appears to the Soul transcendently, incomparably sweet. This now appears both from Scripture, and from experience.

1. From Scripture; how sweet are thy words unto my taste, faith David, Psal. 119. 103. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than Honey, and the Honey-comb, Psal. 19. 10. In his name shall the Gentiles trust, Mat. 12. 21. Adam had a little of Christ made known unto him: One promise (we read of no more) The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head, Gen. 3. 15. It was like Oil poured forth, and kept him from a deliquium, in the sense of the first sin, and his being turned out of Paradise; Abraham heard a little of Christ's name, it was to him like Oil poured forth, he saw my day, and rejoiced (saith Christ, John 8. he saw the day star arise afar off; he saw but the morning, the dawning of the morning too, of Christ's day, and at a great distance how sweet was it to him? He saw my day (saith Christ) and he rejoiced. I might give you very many instances of the sweetness which the Saints of God perceived upon the several discoveries of Christ made to them. But what needs any further demonstration, than what ariseth from the consideration of the thing, and from the experience of any Child of God to whom Christ is, or hath been made known! how sweet must rest be to one that is weary! ease to one that is heavy laden? both these are promised from Christ. Mat. 11. 29. how sweet must the name of a Savior be to one that is lost and undone, the name of Redeem • , to one that is a Captive! The name of a Mediator to one that hath offended a potent adversary, able to crush him every moment?

2. I appeal further▪ to the experience of every Child of God, even every Soul who hath tasted anything of Christ, and who hath heard anything of his Name, when a Soul is troubled to think, how often, how heinously it hath offended God; how sweet is the name of a Mediator, when it is brought to a sense of its sin, and apprehends itself lost and undone, how sweet is it to remember the name of Jesus, given unto Christ, because he was to save his People from their sins? when a Soul considereth, that without Blood, without a Sacrifice; there is no remission of Sin, how sweet then is the name of an High Priest over the House of God; who offered up himself once for our Sins, and having done so, ascended up into Heaven, and ever sitteth at the Right Hand of God to make intercession for the Sins of his People. How sweet to the Soul that is afraid lest its lusts should have dominion over him, is the name of Christ as a King, given unto him, because he is to rule in the hearts of those who are once subjected and subdued unto him. How sweet are his mercy, his truth, his promises, when at any time the latter are applied to the Soul, and the former any way made known in the Soul?

Doth any one ask whence it is that the name of Christ is so sweet to the Soul? I answer,

1. Because it signifieth him, to be the fountain of the greatest spiritual good to us; his name Messiah and Christ signify him to be separated, and set apart of God for the accomplishment of the great business of our Salvation; his name Immanuel signifies him to have Hypostatically united in one Person, the Divine, and Human Nature, that he might be a fit Mediator, that he might die, and merit salvation for us by dying; his name Jesus signifies that he is a Savior; his name Shiloh speaketh him to be a Peacemaker, his name of an Advocate, signifies him to transact our business in Heaven for us, his name of High Priest signifies him to have offered for us a propitiatory Sacrifice, to have made an atonement for us, to bless us, to intercede for us; the like I might say of his other names. Now if the name of a friend, who hath done some great kindness for us, be ofttimes sweet, like an Oil poured forth unto us, how much sweeter must be his name, by whom we are blessed with all Spiritual blessings?

Secondly. Because by his Name, or in his name, our greatest blessings are obtained. How sweet must that name be to the beggar upon the use of which, all its wants are supplied. Is salvation worth anything? There is no other name under Heaven by which we can be saved, but only the name of Jesus; do our Souls want anything? Whatsoever you shall ask in my Name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, John 14. 13. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my Name, he will give it you, ch. 16. v. 23. Is the Soul trembling under the sense of its guilt, doth horror surprise it? do the terrors of the Lord distract it: a wounded Spirit who can bear? by the discovery of the Lord Christ's name to it, in the Gospel, promises, in the mercy, truth, and faithfulness of Christ, it is freed from these. The discovery, the least discovery of Christ to the troubled Soul, is like the Sun beam to the weather beaten and be-wildered Traveler, like the shadow to him whom the heat maketh faint, like light to him that fitteth in darkness, like life to him that fitteth in the shadow of death. How sweet is the discovery of Christ's truth in his promises, the sealing of a promise to a poor doubting Soul? Every Soul that hath experienced it will say. It is like Oil poured forth.

I come to the application of this discourse, Is the name of the Lord Jesus so exceeding sweet, like an Oil poured forth. Oh then what is Christ himself? It is Origen's application; Si solo nomine—Quid ejus faciet substantia? How sweet is the Oil upon the Crown of the head, when that which runs down to the skirts of the garment, is so sweet? Open all created boxes, admit that all their sweet qualities would unite, and conspire to make one compounded fragrant smell, distill all the odoriferous herbs that the Earth bringeth forth, mix all the sweet gums, and odoriferous spices of Arabia, and the whole Eastern part of the world: let them all make one body, and contribute all their delicious qualities, to the composition of one Oil or Ointment to please the wanton sense of a Creature, what would they all signify to one Christ? Oh blessed Jesus; thou that art altogether delights, clear the Nostrils of vain Creatures, stopped with their own lusts, and the vanities of pitiful creature satisfactions, and contentments, that they may take the air of thy delicious names, and follow thee in the savor of thy most precious Ointments.

Secondly, Is the name of Christ in this life so exceeding sweet. Oh what will the enjoyment of Christ in Heaven be? When the Saints shall see him as he is, when they shall be ever with the Lord, beholding his face, rejoicing in his presence, when they shall be at his right hand, where are, and shall be Pleasures, and fullness of Pleasures, and that for evermore; here we know in part, and see in part, and the greatest part of that we know of Christ, amounteth not to the least part of what we do not know; then the Saint shall see him face to face, and know him, as he is known by him. Surely we should cry out with the Psalmist, Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts. Here we sit but under the shadow of the Apple tree; yet it is with great delight, and his fruit is pleasant unto our taste; how sweet will it be to be within the arms of it? If a Garden of Flowers, or a Bed of Spices casteth a • sweet smell at a 1000 miles distance, what will it do when we come near it? O you! to whom the name of Christ is as an Ointment poured forth, follow the savor of it, it will bring you to that place of delights, where your Souls shall be ever satiated, but never nauseated.

Thirdly, Observe from hence the difference betwixt a natural carnal man, and a spiritual man. The name of Christ is published in all our parts of the world. The Gospel is published, that is Christ's name (saith Gencbrard upon my Text) but the natural man discerneth no sweetness in it, he can smell sweetness in a perfume, but in the name of Christ he can smell nothing sweet. Nay what is more unpleasing to a carnal heart than the name of Christ? and there is reason for it, for to him Christ's name is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, his name is a Judge, an Enemy, &c.

In the second place, what an argument is here to persuade those that hear it to labor for a discovery of Christ's name to their Souls. To persuade sick and fainting Souls to make application of Christ's name to themselves: To all to study Christ's name more, to wear it upon their hearts, to meditate of it, &c.

1. To persuade those who know little or nothing of Christ as yet, to get a knowledge of Christ's name; sweetness naturally enticeth the sense, and attracts the Soul, shall the incomparable sweetness of Christ draw no Souls unto him? shall the air of Solomon's name bring the Q of the South from the furthest parts of the Earth, and shall Christ's name draw never a Sinner, invite never a Soul, to come and taste, and see how sweet, how good the Lord is? You that are enticed with the smell of a flower, that lay out your money for persumes of no value; will you have no value for these sweet Ointments; Alexander the great was said to have had such a rare temper of his body that it cast forth a natural sweetness. I am sure there is an infinite, a transcendent sweetness in the Lord Jesus. O let the Virgins love him! Men and Women that are in a state of Nature, are in one sense Virgins, not for purity, but as not married to Christ. O do you love Christ for the savor of his good Ointments! Consider what a difference there is betwixt this Object of your Loves, and those pitiful Objects which your Souls are so hot in the pursuit of. One man's heart is after his Wine, another's after his Riches, a third after the Pride of Life. The Name of these things is like the opening of a Dunghill, which sendeth forth a stench; they bring up an ill report upon your Souls. Christ's Name is like an Ointment poured out.

2. What an Argument doth this afford to persuade troubled, fainting Souls, in their spiritual Swoonings, and Deliquiums, to apply themselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. Ludovicus De Ponte upon my Text telleth us; Oil is a sign of Peace, it healeth wounds, it nourisheth the weak, it feedeth the Candle with light; It exceedeth all Liquors. Christ's Name is as Oil, as Oil poured forth; it brings Peace to a disturbed Soul; it healeth the wounds of a wounded Spirit; it nourisheth the weak Soul; it exceedeth all created Oil. O meditate upon this excellent Name. There is something healing and refreshing almost in every Name of Christ.

3. Finally, Let those who have tasted how good the Lord is, study Christ's Name more; meditate upon his Name, his Promises, his Mercy, Truth and Faithfulness more; wear his Name upon your hearts. There is no Christian but is subject to its faintings. David 's Soul fainted for the Lord's Salvation, Psal. 119 81. But he hopes in the Lord's Word. He had multitudes of perplexing thoughts, but in the midst of all the comforts of God refreshed his Soul. You that have experienced the sweetness of his Name, study yet a farther knowledge of him, and acquaintance with him.

Sermon XV.

I Have yet something further to discourse to you from this Text. You have heard from it, 1. That Christ hath good Oils, or good Ointments which cast a savor. 2. That his Name is as an Oil, or Ointment poured forth. It followeth, Therefore do the Virgins love thee. When I opened the words, I noted to you a double sense of the term Virgins, each▪ contrary to the other. Some taking notice of the term Virgins, as signifying persons in a single and solute state and condition, understand by it, persons that are natural and unregenerate, not yet by Faith married and united to this spiritual Bridegroom, intended in this Song, who upon the pouring out of the sweet Oil in the Preaching of the Gospel (which is part of his Name) are invited and allured to take a complacency in the Lord Jesus Christ, to desire him, to will and choose him as their Lord and their Savior. There is a truth in this: When I shall be lifted up (saith Christ) I will draw all men after me. But I do not think this the sense of the term: 1. Because I am not willing to interpret Metaphors used in Scripture into a sense different from all other Texts of Scripture, where the same terms are used. Now I do not remember that in all Scripture, Heathens, Unbelievers, Natural and Unregenerate men are called Virgins, but only such as are the Saints and Servants of God. 2. Nor secondly are they so, they be • ng married to their lusts and to the world, &c. Upon which account the Scripture expresseth them under the notion of Adulterers, and Adulteresses; persons that are filthy, unclean, defiled, &c. 3. Neither can the Natural Unregenerate man be said (while such) to love Christ, because of the savor of his good Oiutments, they are constantly expressed under the notion of such as hate God, and hate Christ. By Virgins therefore I then told you the Scripture generally understands the Saints. Indeed Professors at large in the Parable, Matth. 25. 1. are set out under the notion of foolish Virgins. But the wife Virgins are the true Children of God, Rev. 14. 4. 2. Cor. 11. 1. The Proposition then is this:

Prop. 13. That the Saints (who are Virgins) love the Lord Jesus Christ for those excelling graces which they discern in him.

In the handling of which, I shall

1. Enquire why Saints are called Virgins, so showing you the propriety of the Metaphor.

2. Whence it is, that they love Chr st, for the savor of his Ointmen • s, and the pourings out of his Name.

First, Why are the Saints of God called Virgins?

Not because they are not married. The Soul of man will not be alone, it will be united to something; if it be not united to God and Christ, it will be united to the world, to lust and corruption. I say, it will not be alone. The same therefore that are here called Virgins, are elsewhere called The Spouse of Christ, the Bride, the Lamb 's Wife, &c. Such as are espoused to one Husband. God faith of them, I am married to you (saith the Lord.) But they are called Virgins;

1. Because they are free from those things to which Vulgar Souls are married, but which are not the proper Husbands of reasonable Souls. God hath created man's Soul for himself, and its Maker only can be a proper Husband for it. A Soul may be united to other Objects, but they are not just Matches, they are not proper Husbands for Immortal Souls, that are Spiritual Substances, and under ordinations for Eternity. The most of Souls are married, but they are unequally yoked. For a Spiritual Substance to be united to a clod of Earth, to a little yellow Earth or Sand, is a very unequal match. For a Soul to be united to any sordid lust, any sinful pleasure, is a very unequal match. The Souls of Voluptuous men, of Covetous worldlings, of Ambitious men, they are indeed married, they have made a Covenant with their lusts, and with the world, and with these things; they eat, they drink, they sleep, they converse, they keep a constant communion, as the married woman doth, but they are all this while Adulterers and Adulteresses, because these things are not proper matches for the Soul of man; it is like the marriage of a Man to a Beast. Now in this respect the Saints are Virgins, not defiled with this adulterous Union; they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 2. 20. Hence they are called undefiled in the way, Psal. 119. 1. They are Virgins with respect to any Marriage-Union with the world, or any sinful lusts, or anything which is not a proper match for a rational immortal Soul. They indeed live in the world, and use the world, but they use it (according to the Apostles Precept) as if they used it not; they live not with the world, as the Wife lives with her Husband, delighting in it, looking upon it as their chief Joy and Portion; they make use of the world, and the things of this world for their lawful occasions (as the Man may use the Woman that is not his Wife) but the world is not that, which their hearts cleave to, or set upon, and in which they take a chief pleasure and delight. For their lusts and corruptions, they are not free from them, but their hearts are dead to them. Thus they are Virgins with respect to their state, which is not a state of absolute independency from the world, or absolute freedom from lusts and corruptions, but such a freedom from the one and the other, that they have no constant fellowship and communion with either.

2. Their Life is like the Life of a Virgin, an hidden Life. The Virgin hath her name in the Hebrew from 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which signifieth to hide, because she lived an hidden kind of life. Virgins anciently lay hid in their Fathers house, and there they spent their time, not in Markets, and Fairs, and places of public concourse. Dinah made an escape, and there was (you know) a sad consequent of it. The Virgins life is most in her Closet, or in her Fathers house. Such is the life of a Child of God; they are called God's hidden ones; and the Apostle saith of them, Our life is hid with Christ in God. The Spiritual Soul spends most of its time at home, in its Closet, or in his Fathers house, where two or three are met together in the Lord's Name (this is their Fathers house on Earth) or else in Heaven. Our conversation is in Heaven, Phil. 3. 20. The world (saith the Apostle) knoweth us not. The Children of God live, but the World understands not how they live; they walk with God▪ They live in Christ; the life which they live in this state, is by Faith in the Son of God.

3. The Life of Virgins is a free Life, free from that care and solicitude which attendeth the House-wife. The Apostle telleth us, 1 Cor. 7. The unmarried woman seeketh to please the Lord, but she that is married seeketh to please her Husband. The married woman hath upon her a great deal of care and trouble; she hath an Husband, she hath Children, she hath Servants, she hath a Family to take care for; the Virgin hath nothing to trouble her, nothing to take care about, but how to please her Father, who provideth for her what she hath need of. In this respect the Disciples of Christ are Virgins; God hath bidden them be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and Supplications, let your requests be made known unto God, Philip. 4. 6. He hath commanded them to cast their care upon him, assuring them that he careth for them, 1 Pet. 5. 7. As the Father taketh the care of his Virgin Daughters upon himself, so as they need not be solicitous, or trouble themselves with cares what they should eat, or what they should drink, or what they should put on; so hath the Lord taken care for his Children; and every Child of God that walks up to his Principles, and liveth up to his holy Calling, leadeth a life as void of solicitous care and anxiety, as the Virgin in her Fathers house, whose only care is to please her Father. He is indeed careful to maintain good works but for nothing else; and thus as with respect to their state, so with respect to the way and condition of their lives, the Saintsare Virgins. But further yet, they are, or should be Virgins, with respect to their Qualifications.

4. Virgins are chaste and undefiled. Thus the Children of God are usually described in holy Writ. I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste Virgin to Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 2. They are called pure in heart, undefiled in the way; they have not defiled their garments, Rev. 3. 4. Indeed every married woman is not an unclean woman; there is a marriage-bed undefiled (as the Apostle speaks) and indeed as there is a matrimonial Virginity, or Chastity, so the Saints are such; for though they be Virgins, yet they are espoused to one Husband; they are married unto Christ. Though their hearts cleave not to Objects which indeed cannot be the proper Husbands of a reasonable, spiritual and immortal Soul.

5. Finally, Virgins are or should be modest in all their behavior. She that hath lost her Modesty, hath exposed her Virginity to great jealousies and suspicions. The Children of God are so in their hearts, in their discourses, in their hehaviour. But I have opened this Metaphor sufficiently. Now these Virgins love Christ for the savor of his Name, because his Name is an Oil, or Ointment poured forth. All these things are spoken in a figure, that figure which we usually call a Metaphor. Sweet things entice and allure our senses. Sweet savors are grateful to our smell. Thence it is that it hath been an ancient practice for Men and Women to use sweet Oil, or Powder, that they might be more amiable and delightful to their Lovers: This you may know was an old practice, by that instance of the lewd Woman in the Proverbs, who to invite the young man to her Adulterous Bed, tells him, She had perfumed her Bed with Myrrh, Aloes and Cinnamon. The Spouse making use of this vain and wanton practice, to express how pleasant and delightful Christ was to her, fancieth him as one perfumed with sweet Odours; anointed with odoriferous Oil, or Ointment. Thy Name (saith she) is as an Oil, or Ointment poured forth; Therefore do the Virgins love thee. That is, thou art possessed of many noble, rich and excellent habits of grace, which make thee to my Soul appear infinitely more sweet and lovely, than all the good Oils and Perfumes in the World can make one appear to the wanton sense of another; and for those excellent graces of the Spirit, by thee not received by measure, and for the pourings out, and discoveries of these upon the Souls of the Saints, and the discovery of them unto their Souls it is, That Souls freed from the pollutions of the world through lust: Souls that are holy, spiritual, heavenly- minded, desire after delights, and take an infinite complacency in the Lord Jesus Christ. What these excellent habits are; what this same unctuous, sweet-smelling Name of Christ is, I have already opened, in my former Discourse. Let me now a little further show you:

Qu. 2. What there is in the excellent Graces, or precious Discoveries of Christ, which make Christ so amiable to the Soul?

1. There is in them an infinite, inexhaustible, real goodness. All good is attractive. Who will show us any good, is, you know, Vox Populi; and it is impossible a Soul should apprehend anything fixedly, as really and transcendently good, but it must be pleasing to it. Light is not more grateful to the Eye, than Good is to the reasonable Soul: And as our Eye is proportionably pleased with the glimmerings of Light from a Candle, or the counterfeit of it in a Glow-worm; so the Soul of man falls into the embracings of good, when it doth but glimmer in a piece of Silver, or dissemble in a perishing pleasure. Nay, we are not altogether selfish in this motion of our will, which we call Love: We naturally love what we apprehend good, though we view it but at a distance from us▪ Many a man that hath no Learning, nor is ever like to have it, yet loves Learning, as it hath in it an innate Excellency, as it is an ornament to him that hath it, and makes him more useful to the world than his Neighbor. In Christ's excelling graces, which dwell in him eminently, and essentially, there is such a luster, and brightness, and glory, that to make the Soul take a complacency in him, there needeth no more than that it be enlightened to see, know, and understand Christ. Hence it is that many a Soul convinced of the filthiness of sin, and of the fullness of that Excellency which is in Christ, before ever it have received him, so as to apprehend its Interest in him, yet loves, admireth him, passionately desireth a part and portion in him, saith within itself, Oh that my Soul were brought unto Christ! Oh that this Christ were my Christ, my Jesus, &c.

2. But there is not only a transcendent goodness and excellency in Christ's Name, but also a Relative Goodness. Our reasonable Natures force us to love anything which appeareth to us to be Good and Excellent; but we much more love it, when we discover in it a suitableness to our state and condition; and the more goodness and suitableness we discern in any Object in proportion to our state and wants, the more a great deal do our hearts cleave to it, and long after it. Now every Child of God is apprehensive enough of the proportion which the Name of Christ bears to the wants, the various wants that it hath. It wants a Mediator, a Savior, an Advocate, an Intercessor, and this that Soul is sufficiently sensible of, and therefore its heart cleaveth unto Christ, and crieth out, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? Or what have I upon the Earth to be compared with thee? This Soul seeth, that there is nothing in Heaven or Earth that so suiteth the Soul of a Child of God as Christ doth. Hence his love to him is stronger than the Grave, and his jealousy burns like fire.

3. The Virgins must needs love Christ, upon the discoveries of himself to their Souls, because these discoveries command, and teach the Soul to love him. Our love to Christ proceeds, you see, upon rational grounds, but not wholly upon rational Principles; for we are taught of God (saith the Apostle) to love one another; and if without a Divine Teaching we cannot love our Brethren whom we have seen, we shall much less love Christ, whom we have not seen Indeed this is the first cause of any love from our carnal hearts to Christ at all, it is true. No Sacrifice from our hearts flameth, or can ascend towards God, until fire hath first come down from Heaven and kindled it; when indeed love is thus kindled in the Soul, the fire increaseth in the Soul; as the apprehensions of Christ's Excellencies, and discoveries of himself, do increase in the Soul from the experiences we have of God, or the improvements of our Reason upon Revelation, to show us more of the Excellency of Christ. I come now to the Application.

In the first place, This may convince us, That even amongst Professors there are many that glory in appearance, and not in reality. They are no Virgins; they have no love for the Lord Jesus Christ. The world it is to be hoped is not so full of such as go for Virgins in a carnal sense, and are none, as it is of such as go for Virgins, in a spiritual sense, and are none. Unmarried they are, but you must understand it only with reference to Christ, who is the only proper adequate match for a reasonable Soul; they are without Christ indeed, but not without a-Mate.

First, Too many are Whores instead of Virgins. You shall in Scripture observe, that sin, especially Apostasy, is compared to Whoredom; and those that live in sin, to such as live in Adultery. God of old complained of his People, that he was broken with their whorish heart. Ah! how many Professors are there in the world, of whom we may say the same; God is broken with their whorish heart. How many spots are there in our Assemblies? How many of our Virgins that have at least such black spots upon their faces, as cannot be allowed to be the spots of God's Children? Some are gone a whoring after other God's. (Reconciled they call it to the Church of Rome.) Oh! tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the Tents of Askelon, that Protestants should ever again lick up that Vomit, and be so sottish, as to adore a piece of bread for God, or fall down before a Graven Image. Blessed be God there are not many whom God hath thus given over; I mean, not many Professors, though too many that have been baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ. But how many more have defiled themselves with damnable, or at least very dangerous Opinions? You read of the Daughter of Jephthah, that she went up to the Mountains three months to bewail her Virginity. The Mountains are places of solitude. How were it to be wished for many, that they would go and sit alone; that they would go up to the Mountains of Solitude, and bewail the loss of their Spiritual Virginity. They were sound Christians (in appearance) but they have lost their soundness. They were fond of Ordinances and Duties, but they have cast off Duties and Ordinances. They were of the number of Virgins, as we thought, and we were bound in charity so to think (we judged by the outward appearance) but they have defiled themselves.

Secondly, Many are wedded, and no Virgins. We do not call married Women Virgins. 'It is true, they are not so in one sense, as the notion of a Virgin signifieth a solute or single person; but yet they may be so in another sense, as the notion of a Virgin signifieth one that is pure and chaste. But now, if you can imagine a Woman married to a Beast, or married incestuously, this marriage would spoil her Virginity in the fairest notion of it. The Soul married to Christ, is yet a Virgin, for she is married but to one Husband, and him the proper Husband for a poor Soul, so that that Soul is yet a Virgin. But now the voluptuous sensual Soul, that is united to a base and sordid lust; or the covetous worldly Soul, that is united to the gain and filthy lucre of the world, is no Virgin, no more than an incestuous Wife is in any notion a Virgin; and how many of these are to be found in the Tents of persons professing to Religion! How many Demas 's, who have forsaken and forgotten their Religion, and have embraced the present World? Judas 's, who have betrayed their Master and their Brethren for a few pieces of Silver? Surely the Soul, the high-born Soul of man, is of too noble an extract, too spiritual a substance to be united to the Earth. This is certainly a forbidden Relation. Love not the world (saith the Apostle) nor the things of the world; yet never were more to be found amongst such who are called Christians.

Thirdly, Marriage doth not always spoil Virginity, as it signifies Chastity: But an heart equally cleaving and inclining to two men will; especially if byast to him who is not the Woman's Husband. She that hath one true and proper Husband, and yet loveth another equally with him, or more than he, hath lost her Virgin-heart. Ah! how many of these are there amongst Professors? they are married to Christ in the face of the Church; they were baptized into his Name, and are under Vows to be the Lord's: But as God said of old concerning Ephraim; Their heart is divided, and therefore they must be found faulty. Ah! How many are there that have divided hearts? that halt between two Opinions, and are not able to conclude with themselves, whether Baal be God, and they should serve him; or God be God, and they shall serve him? Nay, they halt between two Conversations; something there is of Heaven in them, but alas! how much of the Earth? how much of sin, folly, and vanity? how much of contradiction to their Profession? where's a Christian Caleb to be found to walk with God fully?

Fourthly, If we have some that are Virgins, yet how few beautiful Virgins? where's the beauty, the glory of Professors? where's their former shining out before men? Ah! call your Children Ichabods; call them Ichabods. The Glory is departed in a great measure from England, from the Professing Party of England. Where's the former sincerity, love to God, zeal for God, plainness of heart, sincerity of conversation, brotherly love, heavenly walking? the World, the vanities of the World, have spoiled Professors beauty. The Sun of a little outward prosperity hath shone upon them, how are they tanned?

But in the next place this discourse offers us a fair opportunity to try our Relation to Christ, whether we be the Lambs Wife, who shall hereafter follow him whithersoever he goes. 1. Are you Spiritual Virgins? There are tokens of Spiritual as well as Natural Virginity. 1. Purity, and Chastity, in heart, as well as outward appearance; Blessed are they (saith our Savior) who are pure in heart, for they shall see God; is not thy heart defiled, with sensual affections, impetuous passions, doth not thy Soul cleave to sin, and lust? 2. Dost thou live like a Virgin, an hidden life? doth not the world see all that thou hast of a Spiritual life, dost thou not like the Pharisees, love to pray standing in the Synagogues, and in the corners of the Streets, more than with thy doors shut about thee, in thy closet? livest thou anything of that life which is hid with Christ in God? is it thy only and greatest care to please thy heavenly Father, and Christ thy great Lord and Master? 3. Where's thy modesty; the Virgin blusheth presently, when anything is reflected upon her. Art thou ashamed when thou committest iniquity, and thy heart reflects it upon thee, or hast thou a Whores fore-head, that cannot blush? I might instance in many particulars more, but these are enough to try thy Spiritual Virginity.

2. A second note of the Spouse of Christ arising from this Text, is a love to Christ; Love is a natural plant, and groweth in every Soul, but love to Christ is a plant from Heaven, heavenly, a plant sprung up from the seed of God in the Soul. If Christ should from Heaven propo und the fame question to thee, which while he was on Earth he propounded to Peter, couldst thou answer with him, Lord! Thou that knowest all things, knowest that I love thee. This Grace of all others is most discernible, for love is of an active nature, and will hardly lie hid. The pantings of thy heart after him, the acquiescence, complacency, and delight of thy heart in him, will easily discover it to thee if thou lookest narrowly. The natural man cannot say, that his Soul cleaveth to Christ, or thirsteth after Christ, or taketh any complacency in the Lord Christ.

Thirdly. As God is the fountain of good, and blessing to his Creatures, and as Christ hath a fair inheritance of a Crown, an Heaven, an incomprehensible glory which is annexed to the fruition and enjoyment of him, so the worst of men may have a kind of love for Christ, or rather, for what he bringeth along with himself unto the Soul.

Lastly, Therefore, Dost thou love Christ for the savor of his good Ointments; because his name is an Oil, or Ointment poured forth? He that loveth Christ merely for his Heaven, and Glory, is purely selfish in his love. I deny not but Moses had an Eye to the recompense of reward, and so hath every honest and gracious heart; without doubt Christ's beneficence, and goodness unto us, and the benefit which our Souls have, and hope to have from Christ is, and ought to be a very great attractive, and to draw out our hearts more, and more in love to Christ, but herein is the purity of the Saints love; he discovereth such an excellency in the Lord Jesus Christ, that were he never to have an Heaven with him, yet his heart would cleave to him, & infinitely delight in him; if thou canst say, that thou thus lovest the Lord Jesus, it will indeed speak thee to be a Spiritual Virgin, a Spouse to the Lord Jesus.

I shall conclude my discourse upon this verse with a threefold word of Exhortation.

1. In the first place methinks from this metaphorical expression of Saints under the notion of Virgins, I have here a fair opportunity to plead with Virgins to be Saints; Virgins (generally) have the object of their love to seek; Lo here a most deserving object for every young man, every young woman that heareth me. Methinks the holy Spirit points out this in the Metaphor Therefore do the Virgins love thee; Christ here expresseth himself under the notion of some beautiful young man, beautified, and adorned with all the advantages both of nature, and of art; So that the Virgins must love him. I noted to you before that some would have the term 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to be rather a term of age, then either signifying Sex or State: oh that I could this day prevail with you who are young men and young women, to love the Lord Jesus Christ. Youth is an age, a time of love, full of love, but it usually mispends its self upon vain, and worthless objects, the young man loves his lusts, and his pleasures, the young woman loveth dancings, and foolish sports, and vain company, and gay and costly attire, but how rare is it to find a young man or woman that sincerely loveth the Lord Jesus Christ? truly amongst young or old, there is hardly one of a thousand, but of those that are in the height and heat of their youth hardly one of ten thousand. It is too frequent for us, to give our marrow to the Devil, and then think to put off God with the bone. O desperate folly and presumption! offer this now to thy Prince, will he accept it? canst thou expect Sinner that Christ should freely love thee when thou art grown old, who refusedst him when thou wert young? canst thou reasonably think that God will be put off with the fag end of thy life, dost thou not know how hardly an old sinner is brought to repentance? sin is bred and sed in his bones, and it will not out, art thou aware how acceptable to God the sacrifice of thy youth is? under the old law no Sacrifice was admitted that was above three years old. Dost not thou remember how kindly God accepted his young. Samuel, Abijam, Josiah, Timothy, &c. who in their youth inclined their hearts unto him? doth the good nature and handsome features, and sweet perfumes of the young man please thee, and is there no excellency in the Graces of him who is full of Grace and Truth? is there no savor in Christ's Ointments? no sweet Odor from his name poured forth! O come you that are Virgins, behold your Husband! an Husband, who if you be poor, is able to enrich you, if you be mean and base, is able to honor, and to ennoble you, who, (what ever you want) is able to supply you. O that upon the pouring forth of his name amongst you in this Sermon this day, some of your souls this day might be allured to love the Lord Jesus Christ.

Secondly, This notion obligeth all those that be Saints, or profess themselves such, to approve themselves to be Virgins, the holy Spirit hath so called them; certainly it should be their great care to answer their name. To keep themselves, unspotted from the world, undefiled in the way; free from the pollution of the world through lust. I have toldyou that there are many, who go for Virgins, but are not, they are wedded to some filthy lust or other, wedded to the world, deflowered by entertainnig some corrupt & dangerous principles, or declining to a corrupt conversation; we live in a debauched, & a debauching age, you that stand, take heed lest you fall.

1. If you lose your Virginity, you lose your honor. The young Woman's Virginity is her honor, your freedom from idolatry and superstition; your soundness in the faith, your purity, integrity, and holiness of life is your honor, Hold fast that thou hast (saith Christ to the Church of Philadelphia, Rev. 3. 11.) that no man take thy Crown; he who despoileth you of your purity of Doctrine, and Worship, or who seduceth you to any licentious practices, takes away your Crown, yea not only your Crown in respect of reputation, but your Crown of Glory also. John, Rev. 14. 1. Saw a Lamb standing upon Mount Zion, and with him 144000, having his Fathers name written upon their foreheaas; and v. 2. heard a voice from Heaven, &c. and they (the 144000) sang as it were a new Song before the Throne, and the four Beasts, and the Elders, and no man could learn that Song but the 144000. which were redeemed from the Earth. v. 4. It followeth: These are they which were not defiled with Women, for they are Virgins, these are they which follow the Lamb, whithersoever he goeth, these were redeemed from amongst men, being the first fruits unto God, and to the Lamb, and in their mouth was found no guile, for they are without sault before the Throne of God; not defiled with Women. Non polluti idololatriá, quae est scortat io spiritualis sed virgins fide & spiritu, (saith Pareus) not defiled by idolatry, which is a spiritual Adultery, but Virgins in Spirit and Faith.

Secondly, Consider, if you lose your chastity. It will be an hard matter to reconcile you to your first Husband. If the Virgin be known to have lost her Virginity, it is no easy matter to procure her an Husband of any reputation; if the Wife hath lost her Virginity (that is her chastity) it is an hard matter to reconcile her to her Husband; If a man put away his Wife, and she go from him, shall he return to her again? Jer. 3. 1. It is true, the mercies of God are above the mercies of men, it follows there; yet return unto me (saith the Lord;) but it is no easy matter for a lapsed Saint to recover his peace; many a Bone must be first broken, and if such be saved, it must be as through fire. It is a dreadful Text which you have, Heb. 6. 5, 6. O keep your integrity, and behave yourselves like Virgins, live an hidden life more and more to God, and Christ, more and more reserved from the world; learn what this meaneth, Our life is hid with Christ in God. Be like Virgins, careful in nothing, save only to please Christ, who is your spiritual Husband, let your behavior speak your Virginmodesty; and that you may keep your Virgin State, and behavior. 1. Take heed of Books, that will principle you to a Spiritual Fornication. There are 2 sorts of Books in the world, which help much to debauch it. 1. Amorous Books full of lascivious Songs, and filthy stories. 2. Heretical Books. The first debauch People as to their bodies: the latter as to their faith and immortal Souls. 2. Take heed of Whorish Company. The Chast Virgin is often spoiled by unchaste Society. Dinah went abroad into wanton company, and was deflowered. If she had kept her Fathers house, she had probably kept her honor. How many Christians are defiled both in Judgment and Practice, by keeping company with Papists, Quakers, Socinians, &c.

Lastly, O love the Lord all his Saints for the savor of his Ointments; for the sweetness of his Name, which is as an Ointment poured forth. The best are prone to love Christ only for the Peace of Conscience which they have, upon their Justification by his blood, and for the Heaven they shall have hereafter for his sake. His Glory is exceeding sweet. This Love is not to be faulted; but I would work my own heart, and have you study to work up your hearts to an higher pitch. Labor to be like Angels. The Angels were never Redeemed with the Blood of Christ, never knew what trouble of Conscience meant: They have a natural right to Heaven, yet they love, admire, adore Christ; they are rational, though spiritual Subsistences. What maketh them to love Christ but the perfections and excellencies which they see in him. Let us study to be like Angels, to get up our hearts to such a spiritual pitch as this; to love Christ for the excellency of his person for the savor of his good Ointments. I shall add no more to this Discourse. I have now done with this third Verse.

Sermon XVI.

I Have told you that the eight first Verses of this Chapter contain three Petitions, which the Spouse (by which we understand the Church, or the believing Soul) maketh to her Beloved, the Lord Jesus Christ. The first I have done with, together with the Arguments ments which she used to enforce it. I am now come to the second, comprehended in this Verse, with the Arguments by which she presseth it. Her first Petition was in those words; Let him kiss me 〈◊〉 the kisses of his mouth. Here she saith, Draw me. Our English Annotations make the connection thus; Lord, do not only invite and call me, by the Preaching of thy Gospel (which are the kisses of thy mouth) but command me by the Power of thy Spirit. Or thus; Let me not only be passively happy in receiving tokens of love from thee, but make me active in maintaining communion with thee. Let me run after thee, and to this purpose do thou draw me. Thus the coherence of her Petitions seemeth to lie. Some there are that do not make this a new Petition, but adjoin the beginning of this Verse to the latter end of the former, and read it thus; The Virgins love thee, and have drawn thee after them; thus the Seventy read it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; and after them Origen and Greg. Nyssen, expounding it of the Faith of the Saints, by which they draw Christ after them according to his Promise; Where two or three are gathered together in my Name, I will be in the midst amongst them. But though there be something of truth in this, yet this Interpretation is, I think, justly slighted by Lud. de Ponte, and others even of the Papists (the greatest Admirers of the Fathers.) And although the Copies of the Seventy, which we have indeed thus read it, yet Symmachus and Aquila, the two other Antient Greek Translators, read it as we translate it: And I am sure that is the true Translation of the Hebrew, where the Verb is in the Imperative Mood, though there be a little change of the Vowels in regard of the Affix, according to the Rules of Grammarians: For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 so I conclude, they are clearly a Petition, and thus the Vulg. Lat. reads them, with the Tigurine Translators, Pagnine, Montanus, Piscator, Junius, and indeed almost all others. Agreeing therefore in that, let me consider, 1. The parts of the Text: 2. Then open the terms: And thirdly and lastly, Raise and handle such Propositions as it will afford, and may be useful to us. You may in the Text please to consider,

1. The Spouse's Petition. Draw me.

2. The Argument by which she enforceth this Petition; We will run after thee. Where 'tis observable;

1. The parties promising; We.

2. The thing promised; A running after Christ.

3. The Spouse's Acknowledgment of her Beloved's speedy Answer to her Prayers: The King hath brought me into his Chambers.

4. And lastly, The Effects this Answer had upon her; they are three: 1. We will rejoice. 2. We will be glad in thee. 3. We will remember thy Loves more than Wine. Then you have the Spouse's Justification of herself in this passion; The upright love thee. Let me now come to open the terms.

This word (for it is but one in the Hebrew) contains the Spouse's Petition. It is agreed by all, that it is the Spouse that speaks; by which the Jews, who understand nothing of the Gospel-Church in this Song, understand Abraham, and the Church of the Jews. Ibn-Ezra, a Jewish Doctor, would have these the words of Abraham speaking to God to draw him out of his own Country into Ur of the Chaldees, according to that hard Precept to flesh and blood, Gen. 12. Solomon Jarchi (another of them) makes it the voice of the Jewish Church speaking to God to bring them back again to Jerusalem, out of Captivity. The old Chaldee Paraphrast, and Lira with him, make it the voice of the Church of the Jews coming out of Egypt speaking unto God that he would go before them, as he did by the Cloud and the Pillar. The Righteous of that Generation then said, Draw us after thee, O thou Lord of the whole world: We will follow thee in the way of thy goodness. Mr. Cotton makes the Spouse to be either Solomon himself desiring to be drawn to Christ, or the Church of the Jews, desiring Solomon by Laws and Edicts, and Proclamations, to draw them to their duty. Rupertus his notion applying the words to Elizabeth, John the Baptist's Mother; and of some Popish Writers making them the words of the blessed Virgin are hardly worth mentioning, anymore than theirs, who would make them the words of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon. We have fixed the Spouse with the most and best Interpreters, to be the true Church of God, and every individual believing Soul; and then it is easy to know to whom the words are directed, viz. unto God; and whether we understand the first or second Person in the Trinity, is not at all material: For besides that they are both but one in their operations respecting the creature; Drawing is made in Scripture the act both of the Father and the Son. No man (saith Christ) cometh unto me, unless the Father draweth him. And again, When I am lifted up, I will draw all men after me. But drawing is a term of motion; there must be a term to which; Whither would the Spouse be drawn? This is not so plainly expressed in the English as in the Hebrew. I shall speak more to it by and by; but I shall first open the term Draw, and show you what the Spouse desireth of her Beloved in this term. I find the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Hebrew signifying four things.

1. It sometimes signifies no more than to go, to go on, and forward; so Jud. 4. 6. Go and draw toward Mount Tabor, Exod. 12. 21. Draw out, and take you a Lamb, that is, go out, Job 21. 33. Every man shall draw after him, that is, by little and little follow him to the Grave. But it would spoil the sense to interpret it so in this place. The Me following makes this sense inconsistent.

2. Sometimes it signifieth the pulling of a thing or person to a place, by some violence or force. Thus you read of the Heifer that had not drawn in the yoke, Deut. 21. 3. So it is said, God draweth the mighty with his power, Job 24. 22. And you read of the man that drew a Bow at adventure. That is an act of strength and power you know, 1 King. 22. 34. So they drew Joseph out of the Pit, and Jeremy out of the Dungeon, Gen. 37. 28. Jer 38. 13. And David prayeth that he might not be drawn away with the wicked, Psa 28. 3. In all which places this word is used.

3. Because in love and fair persuasion there is a kind of force, compelling a reasonable and ingenuous person: The word is sometimes used to express also such an action. It is said of the wicked, Psal. 109. v. 12. He draweth the poor into his Net, i. e. he slattereth him, and under pretence of friendship enticeth them into ruin. God saith, He will draw his people with the Cords of a man, with the Bands of Lov • , Hos. 11. 4. and that he had drawn them with loving kindness. Jer. 31. 3. thus Deborah promised to draw the Israelites to Tabor, that is, to persuade, and to conduct them thither. Judge. 4. 7. Solomon saith, he sought to draw his flesh with Wine (so it is in the Hebrew, Eccles. 2. 3.) his meaning is, he would entice and please his flesh.

4. Sometimes in Scripture it signifieth, to lengthen out, and to continue. Thus it is used to signify the sound of a Trumpet lengthened out. It is translated prolonged, Isa. 13. 22. d ferred, Prov. 13. 12. Hope deferred (in the Hebrew, drawn out) maketh the heart sick, Psal. 109. 12. Let none draw out mercy: We translate it, extend mercy unto him. None of my words shall be prolonged: The same word is there again used; O continue thy loving-kindness, Psal. 36. 10. This sense methinks seemeth not much foreign to this place, as the Petition refers not only to first, but following grace: We need the prolongings and continuances of Divine Influences to make us to run after Christ. The word, as the Learnedest Lexicographers in that Language tell us, signifies, with a secret force to compel one whithe • we would have him. It sometimes signifies, with fair words, Reasons and persuasions to draw one to our side. Forster tells us, that Christ without doubt had respect to this place, in those Gospel expressions. No man cometh to the Son, but he whom the Father draweth. And when I shall be lifted up, I will draw all men after me. And Lud. de Ponte expounds this Text by that in the Gospel, Compel them to come in. So then when the Spouse saith, Draw me; this is that she means: Lord! Put forth thy secret Power, thy irresistible and effectual Grace; and compel me to come unto thee, and to run after thee; move me sweetly, but yet powerfully. Draw me by thy Word and Spirit, and by the sweetness of thy grace open my heart (saith Mr Ainsworth.) I am weak, Lord, add thy strength. (so T • emellius glosseth.) Divine grace must prevent, and must follow, he that is not drawn, will be hindered by his own corruption. Lust draws every heart backward from Christ. The Soul must by Grace be drawn to him. Bernard understands it of an act of power, and thus glosseth.

But let us weigh it yet a little further. It is the Spouse that here speaketh; The Church of God, the believing Soul; hath the Spouse need to be drawn to Christ? Is she not already come to him, doth she not willingly follow after him, how then doth she say draw me? doth the Child of God follow him unwillingly?

To this I answer. 1. The Church doth not consist of all true believers, there may be some in the bosom of that, that have but a name to live, and which had need be drawn unto Christ. For these the Church may be understood to pray; that there may not be any in it strangers unto Christ, but that as some are drawn, so all may be drawn.

2. But Secondly, Bernard (who starts this question) answereth it otherwise. Non omnis qui trahitur invitus trahi • ur. Everyone who is drawn, is not drawn unwillingly. The Bear is drawn to the Stake unwillingly, so is the Malefactor to the place of Execution; but an hungry man may be drawn to his Meat, and the Cripple to the Bath, and both willingly; besides, if the Spouse were not willing, she would never make it her request to be drawn, nor yet, were she able of herself to go, would she ask to be drawn. Those who are weak, as well as those that are unwilling, had need to be drawn. How perfect soever the Soul be (saith Bernard) while it sigheth under the body of death, and is kept in the Prison of mortality, being full of wants, and full of sin, it goeth slowly and dully after Christ, and is not at liberty to follow him, but must be drawn to its Spiritual duty. I know (saith the Spouse) that I cannot come to thee in Heaven, but by going after thee, while I live here upon the Earth, and I know I cannot go after thee, unless thou drawest, unless thou helpest me. She confesseth here, that she standeth in daily need of preventing Grace, of drawing, and quickening Grace, from God. 'It is true she prayeth, and so seemeth to prevent the Grace of God, but in that she prayeth, it is plain, that the Grace of God had prevented her; otherwise she would not have said, Draw me. She here desireth that Grace of God which might have a divine, sweet, efficacious, power, and force with it to constrain her Soul to run after Christ. The Kingdom of Heaven within the Child of God suff • reth violence, and force, through the power of Lust and Corruption. She beggeth of God, to oppose the power of his Grace to the power of her Lusts, and vile Affections. She useth this word therefore to acknowledge her weakness, and to show that without the help of grace, she could not run after Christ, according to that, John 15. 4 With • ut me you can do nothing. Genebrard saith that by this Phrase she teacheth us, that the beginning of our Justification is from God. Bernard, Beza, Lud. de Ponte, and others conclude, that she teacheth, that further Grace is from God. By the word draw, she begs, not only first grace, but the prolongings, and continuances of Divine Grace, according to that, Psal. 36. 10. O continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee, and thy righteousness, to the upright in heart. The Soul doth not only stand in need of, the sweet and powerful influences of Divine Grace to bring it to Christ, but to keep it, and to carry it on its state, and exercises of Grace. For whether would the Spouse be drawn? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 after thee, saith the Text. Our translation puts these words after the next Verb, we will run after thee; in the Heb they follow draw me, and so may indifferently be read with either. The matter is not much, they must be understood here as well as there, the term of either motion was the same. Surely 'tis thither she would be drawn, whither she had a mind to run. The Spouse is drawn, and comes to Christ. By faith it runs, and follows after Christ by holiness, and is drawn so by a power enabling it to perfect holiness, it is drawn to Christ by Death (say some) so Paul desireth to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, 1 Phil. With reference to this Bernard puts this question, An hoc dicit cupiens dissolvi? Doth (saith he) the Spouse speak this, desiring to be dissolved, and to be with Christ? He saith he should be something of that mind, but that the words are not draw me to thee, but draw me after thee. So that he thinks she rather desires the drawings of Grace, that she might follow him in an holy conversation, walking as she had him for an example. The sum then of this petition, considered as the language of the Church (the collective Spouse) is this.

Lord! I have in my Bosom, many that are indeed drawn to thee in an outward profession, in that sense in which thou sayest, When I am lifted up, I will draw all men after me, they are flocked like Doves to the Windows: Oh let them yet be drawn more effectually to an hearty embracing of thee, for none so comes to thee but he whom the Father draws, Lord draw that part of my Members by thy efficacious grace. Considered as the voice of a believer, the sense is this: Lord thou hast made me thine, thou hast by thy mighty powerful work of thy Spirit drawn me to thee; but I am weak, and feeble, and not able to follow thee in a course of holiness, nor to watch with thee, thou who at first hast put forth thy powerful effectual Grace in changing my heart, in bringing me to thyself, continue the same power of thy Grace, commanding me to keep my heart close with thee, so as I may never depart from thee. I proceed to the next words.

We will run after thee. The former word contained the Spouses Petition: this, her promise: what wilt thou do O thou fairest, if the Lord will bestow upon thee the daily influences of his drawing Grace? she here answereth, and preventeth that question (saith she) we will run after thee. These words may also be conceived to have the force of an argument, enforcing her Petition, Lord! If thou wilt draw me, I will not hold back, no; We will run after thee.

Here is considerable, 1. The Persons promising, We; where the change of the number is very considerable; she had spoken before in the singular Number draw me; here she promiseth in the plural, We will run. 2. The promise itself, or thing promised; Will run. The answering of two questions will open these words: 1. What is meant by running. 2. Why she saith we will run, when before she had only said draw me.

Qu. 1. What is here meant by Running; what doth the Spouse promise under this term of running after Christ.

1. The word in the Hebrew, doth properly signify a bodily motion, and you easily understand what it is to run, it is more than to go, and walk. It is here by a metaphor applied to the Soul, or indeed to the whole man; for although some of the Hebrew Doctors, and some others (according to their different notion of the Spouse, which I before hinted) understand it of Abraham's bodily motion out of his Country, or the Israelites motions, out of Egypt, and Babylon, or the Peoples going to the Temple in Solomon's time to worship God, yet their notions are doubtless much too low, and not at all agreeing to that notion of the Spouse which we have fixed. I do therefore fully agree with the most, and the most eminent interpreters, who acknowledge here a metaphor, and that by running some motion of the mind is signified, analogous to the motion of the body, which we call running; now what that is, we must further inquire.

2. Running doth not only signify motion, but some strength in the body so moving. The sick, and feeble person can hardly stand, or go, much less run. The person running may want some degrees of strength, but he must have legs, and some strength in his legs, or he cannot run. The Soul that runneth after Christ must first be possessed of some Spiritual strength. The strength of the Soul is an effect of Christ's drawing. Behold (saith the Prophet) thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not, and Nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee. First God calls, then we run; first he putteth strength into them, and then they use the strength, which he hath given them, Isa. 0. 31. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength like the Eagle, they shall run, and not be weary; first they shall renew their strength, then they shall run.

3. Thirdly, Running importeth speed, and celerity in motion. Festinant em significat actionem is De Dieu his note on the Text. David saith, I will run the way of thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 32. which he expoundeth, v. 60. I made hast, and delayed not to keep thy precepts. Buxtorf in his Hebrew Lexicon noteth that the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifies to run hastily, comes from this Hebrew word, and others fancy that the latin word Rota, that signifies a Wheel, hath its Original from this word also; Delrio interpreteth it here by festinabimus, we will make hast, and indeed it is the obvious, and ordinary notion of the word; thus you know running is distinguished from those flower motions of creeping, going, walking, &c. Running argueth a quick and speedy motion; the Soul having received from Christ the powerful influences of Divine Grace, stands not still, creeps not, moveth not slowly, but makes hast in the ways of God.

4. Running argues a free and cheerful motion. The man that runs hath, as we say, good will in his way; it implies a prompt inclination and readiness of mind. Thus Forster (an Hebrew Lexicographer) notes a great cognation betwixt this word, and two other Hebrew words; the one of which signifieth, to bring forth in plenty and abundance; the other, to be willing, or have a good will to a thing. Buxtorf also observeth its affinity to the latter. Avendrius also observeth, that it signifieth to move readily, as the false Prophets ran, Jer. 12. 5. Jer. 23. 21. I have not sent these Prophets, and yet they ran; as Gehazi ran for his bride, 2 King. 5. 20. Thus the believing Soul that is once drawn by the Spirit of Grace, moves in the way of holiness, not dragged on to duty by a Foreign Principle: It is its meat and drink to do the Will of God: It delighteth in the Law of God as to the inward man; it was before unwilling, but now it is made willing, as it is said My People shall be a willing people in the day of my power. Grace giveth wheels to the Soul, and it oileth the wheels when given. Buxtorf noteth, that this word is used only to signify the running of Men, not of Beasts. Men move not like Beasts rashly and giddily, and merely when they are whipped on, or out of wantonness, but men propose and know their end, and move toward it out of a Principle of Reason and Affection: The believing Soul knoweth its end, and moveth towards it from a conduct of reason; so it moveth speedily and freely after Christ.

5. I find some Interpreters judging, that the term likewise implieth a promise of Perseverance. There is one Text of Scripture which seemeth to advantage this Notion, Isa. 40. 31. They shall run, and not be weary. When men begin to be weary, they leave running, they go a foot-pace, & as it were draw their legs after them. Now, saith the Spouse, Lord, draw me, and we will run; we will not be weary in our courses of holiness and duty, we will not faint and give over. But running, in its abstract, and single notion, doth not conclude Perseverance; running added, to not being weary doth. So here supposing first a drawing, then a running in obedience to that; while the Lord draweth, the Soul will run; but we shall no longer dance to him, than he pipeth to us. And this I think sufficient to open the Spouse's Promise: Only add further, that those who run must have a way, or path to run in. What is the Spouse's way? Beza saith, that Christ is both the Principle from which we run; the way in which we run; and the End of the Race. It is true, but in a diversified Notion. Christ is our Pr • nciple in the gracious Influences of his Spirit: Without me (saith he) you can do nothing. Christ in his Word and Gospel is our way. I will run the way of thy Commandments (saith David) Psal. 119. 132. This is the Race set before us, Heb. 12 1. The following of Christ commanded, Luk. 9. 23. Christ in his Example, in the fullness of the measure of his stature: Christ in his Glory is our End. That then which the Spouse here promiseth, amounts to this: Lord,

But there is yet one thing further to be considered.

2. Qu. What meaneth the change of the Number? Her request was in the Singular Number, Draw me; her promise is the Plural; We will, or we shall run after thee. Who are these We?

1. Thou and I together (fay some.) Indeed this must be. I live, saith the Apostle, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. We read in Ezekiel 's Vision of the Wheels, of his Vision of a Spirit within the Wheels, without which the Wheels moved not. Suppose Wheels put upon the Soul, yet the Soul moveth not, without the Spirit moving the Wheels. Ego cum gratia tud (saith Genebrard.) But this seems to me too nice.

2. I rather therefore choose to expound it with the most of Interpreters, and to say that by We is here meant, The individual Believer, and all her companions. Ego & adolescentulae mecum, (saith Bernard) Ego & Puellae meae (saith Tremell • us) I and my Maidens, I and my Virgins, I and all mine. So it imports thus much, that the Child of God once drawn to Christ, will make it her business to draw others along with her. Yet a little further to inquire the reason why she changeth the Number. Doth she promise for more than she would pray for? Or doth she envy others that drawing grace which she prayed for for herself? Doubtless neither: what then?

1. Possibly Bernard's notion may be more acute than solid. We are drawn (saith he) when we are tempted, when we are afflicted, and exercised with trials, we run when we are refreshed and comforted. She would have the sour for herself, and the sweet for others. She did not know their strength; here was her charity. But I say, this seemeth too nice; for certain it is, that all who run after Christ must be first drawn one way, or other, and that by power. God's People are made willing in the day of his power.

2. Beza therefore speaks better, I think: When she saith, Draw me, she speaketh in the person of the whole Church, so had a liberty to speak either in the one, or the other Number: So that as Ludov. de Ponte hath well observed, by this change of the Number, she shows, that the Church, which consists of many, is yet but One; according to that of the Apostle, Rom. 12. 5. We being many are one body.

3. By this alteration of the Number, she showeth, That she believed it as easy with God to draw many; as one.

4. Lastly, Though the Saints be many, yet the end of Christ's drawing them is, That they might be one. John tells us, ch. 11. 52. That the end of Christ's dying was, That he might gather together in one the Children of God which were scattered abroad. Thus I have opened the terms. But before I part with them, I must mind you who are capable of that Learning. That the Seventy add 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . according to which our English Translation should have been. We will run after thee, in the savor of thy Ointments. The Vulgar Latin follows them; so do Origen, Ambrose, Theodoret, Vigilius, Hildebrand, Greg. Magnus, Nyssen, Bernard, Honorius, &c. and generally the Popish Writers; but Lyra, who is one of them, differeth, and agreeth with the Hebrew, which hath not those words, and thinks, they were put in by some Expositor in the way of an interlineary gloss, and afterwards got into the Text through the unskillfulness of some Transcribers. How they came into the Text in Translations we cannot tell: Sure we are, they are not in the Hebrew and therefore our English Translators had no reason to put them in, though they make no new Doctrine; for the believing Soul doth in leed follow Christ in the savor of his Ointments. We heard before, that therefore do the Virgins love him, and it is their love to him which maketh them to run after him. But that is enough to have cautioned you of. I proceed to the following words of the Text, The King hath brought me into his Chambers.

This I called, The Spouses acknowledgment or testification of her beloveds answer. The word translated King is the ordinary word used by the Hebrews to express that relation by; she doubtless meaneth by the King, the King of Kings, the mighty God; I shall not restrain it to Christ considered as a Mediator, upon which account he hath a peculiar Kingdom: The King, God my King.

Hath brought me.] The word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which in Hiphil signifies he hath made me to come, or made me to go.

Into his Chambers.] The word is often used in Scripture, translated a Chamber, Gen. 43. 30. Jud. 15. 1. A Bed-chamber, 2 Kings 6. 12. An inward Chamber, Judge. 3. 24. A Bridegrooms Chamber, Joel 2. 16. A Summer Chamber, Judge. 3. 24. It is also used, Prov. 24. 4. Prov. 7. 27. Job 9. 9. and in many other Texts. It plainly signifieth, the more inner secret, retired part of the house, where Persons can be most private, and most secure; The King hath brought me into his Chambers, that is, into the places of most private secret communion with him, where I can be most private, free, and secure; but yet for the clearer explication of the words, we will more strictly inquire upon two things.

Qu. 1. What is here meant by the Kings Chambers.

Doubtless it is spoken in a figure. The House in the Heavens, not made with hands, is not (as our Earthly Houses) divided, into rooms, and stories, by partitions; let us therefore rightly comprehend the notion of a Chamber, and we shall without much difficulty understand the privilege in which the Spouse doth glory. Three things will give us the notion of a Chamber.

1. It is a lofty place: elevated from the Earth, you know that you ordinarily call those rooms in your Houses Chambers, which are above the lower floor.

2. It is a place of privacy, any one is admitted into your lower rooms, but very familiar friends only into your Chambers, when those of the same family would be more retired and private, they choose Chambers for that privacy; our more hidden private fellowship with our friends, or near relations is in our Chambers.

3. A Chamber is a resting place, we eat, and drink, and have our ordinary converse with our neighbors in other rooms we lie down, and rest in our Chambers.

These three things I should think may make us to understand the Spouses meaning in this metaphorical expression, and what it is that she glorieth in.

Qu. 2. But how cometh the Spouse thus soon to glory, who but now was praying that the Lord would draw her, and facitly complained for the want of the manifestations of his Divine Grace? how soon is her tone altered? she but now groaned, as one that could not get up the Stairs, now she glories that she was brought into the Kings: Chambers. To which I answer two things.

1. Possibly she speaketh but in the dialect of Faith; you know the Apostle calleth Faith the Evidence of things not seen. It (like God) calls the things that are not as if they were, and often forgets the future tense, and speaks in the Present or Praeterperfect Tense. The believing Soul, while it is in the dungeon of a desertion, being assured the Lord will do it, can say; The Lord hath brought me into his Chambers. And thus those must necessarily understand it, who with Piscator, by the Chambers understand Heaven, and Glory.

2. But I rather think the words are to be understood as they lie before us: She is heard while she is speaking; while she prayeth, Lord draw me; she is drawn, and is in Heaven e're she is aware of it; thus the learned Mercer expounds it.

If you understand the words in the first sense. They speak the virtue and efficacy of faith, the believer by virtue of it, can look upon things as done, which yet are to be done, why? because the Soul eyeth the promise, and knoweth, that he who hath promised is both able, and faithful. If a debt be owing to you, from an able, and an honest man; you say it is as good money as any in your purse, you count you have so much as that debt maketh, addition to your estate. God's hand is an able hand, and he is faithful, the Soul may count upon it, that it hath so much either in Grace or glory, as the Lord hath promised it. If you take the words in the latter sense (as I shall do) they inform you of the efficacy of Prayer, spiritual, fervent prayer, it availeth much; while the believer is speaking, God is answering. I proceed to the latter part of the Text.

We will be glad, and rejoice in thee, and remember thy loves more than Wine; we have heard the Spouses petition, Draw me, she prayed for Divine Grace, that might both sweetly, and powerfully draw her Soul after Christ. We have heard her promise, which I told you might be considered as an argument to enforce her Petition, an argument drawn from the glory of God, and the concern of it, in the answer; we will run after thee. A prayer for the best things, and to receive them for the best end, to make her more holy. We have heard, how well pleasing her petition was, she had no sooner prayed, but God answereth, and she recognizeth her answer; My Lord the King (saith she) hath brought me into his Chambers; now she cometh to show the effects this quick and gracious answer had and would have upon her. She mentioneth three. The first (as some if not too critically distinguish) respecting her heart: We will be glad. 2. The second respecting the action of the whole man: We will rejoice in thee. 3. The third respecting the record of it: We will remember thy loves more than Wine. This now distinguished her spiritual affection, from a foolish transient passion.

We will exalt, or be glad.] the Radix 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is very often used in Scripture, I will point you to 3 or 4 other Texts, from whence you may gather the sense of it, Is. 65. 19. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my People, Pro. 23. 24. The Father of the Righteous shall greatly rejoice, Psal. 21. 5. The King shall joy in thy strength. So Psal. 2. 11. Psal. 13. 11. My heart shall rejoice in thy Salvation. Psal. 16. 9. Zech. 9. 9. Forster thinks it rather signifieth the expression of the Joy of the heart, by some outward gesture, than the mere internal affection. It doubtless signifies the highest affection of the heart upon its union with its desired object.

We will be glad.] the Radical word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which signifieth to rejoice, and to be merry, and is very often in the Old Testament, used to express the gladness of the heart. Exod. 4. 14. The rejoicing of a Virgin in a dance, Jer. 31. 13. I shall not insist upon that critical distinction which some make betwixt these words, restraining the one to the inward affection, the other to the more outward expression; nor do I think it will hold but clearly both these are expressed by these two words, whither distinctly, or jointly I shall not determine, and the sense is this.

It follows;

This is the third thing she promiseth. I shall be very short in the explication of this phrase, more fully opening the terms, when I come to handle the Proposition, I shall raise from them. Only this, the Heb. word is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 we met with it before, v. 2. the Septuagint translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the difference is founded I conceive in the cognation of the two words, signifying Loves, and Breasts, they differ only in the points, but suppose it were thy Breasts, a figure must still be acknowledged, because the breasts are near the heart, and that is the seat of love, so that the sense still must be thy loves, thy gracious influences. More then Wine, that is more then those things which are most pleasant, and delightful to us; but I opened this, v. 2. It follows,

The upright love thee] in the Hebrew it is Uprightnesses, or Upright things love thee; so the Hebrew word properly signifieth. The same word is used, Psal. 17. 2. Thy Eyes shall behold upright things. The word is found in this form, Psal. 9. 9. He shall judge the world in righteousness, and the people in uprightnesses, so Prov. 1. 3. Is. 33. 15. Prov. 2. 9. Psal. 58. • 2. Psal. 75. 3. If we expound it (as the letter of the Text is) in the abstract the question will be whether it should be read in▪the Nominative case, uprightnesses love thee, or in the Ablative, in uprightnesses, they, that is, the Virgins love thee. If in the first sense, the meaning is this:

Whatsoever is good, and right, is to be found in thee, all the graces love thee, that is, cleave and are united unto thee. The fullness of grace dwelled in him, and all virtues, and graces were made perfect in him. But although this be a truth, yet I do not take it to be the sense of the Text, and in my further discourses on this Song, I shall have occasion once and again to discourse that subject.

Secondly, It may be read in the Ablative case. In uprightnesses they love thee; that is (as Buxtorf expounds it) Rectissime, fortiter. The Saints love thee most entirely, sincerely, strongly, thus it will afford us this lesson; That the Saints love to Christ is a most strong, sincere, and entire love. The Virgins love Christ in uprightnesses, not in word, and in tongue only: but in deed and in truth, as St. John expoundeth it; they love him with a true, and perfect heart. But this will fall in the handling of the Doctrine, which will arise from the third sense, which is more generally accepted, and which I shall embrace.

Thirdly, Therefore I agree with those who think the Abstract is here put for the Concrete; uprightnesses, for the most upright persons. The quality for the persons endued with that excellent quality; a very ordinary way of speaking in the Hebrew, and indeed most languages▪ No wonder (my beloved!) that I should love thee, for there is not an upright Soul in the world, but loves thee; and the more there is of uprightness in any Soul, the more that Soul loves thee; Uprightnesses love thee. Thus now I have largely opened this excellent Text.

The Propositions I shall observe from it and handle them (if God please) in their order, are these that follow.

Souls must first be drawn by God before they will come to Christ, or run after him, and it is their duty to pray, that they may be so drawn.

The Soul being drawn, shall and will run after Christ.

That God's drawing one Soul, will be a means to make many run after him.

That God is often very quick in answering his Peoples Prayers.

That Jesus Christ hath Chambers, into which he sometimes brings his Peoples Souls.

That Jesus Christ is the singular object of the Saints joy, in the midst of its m • st excellent enjoyments.

The G • ace receiving Soul, will remember his loves more than Wine.

The upright Soul will love the Lord Jesus Christ, and the more upright a Soul is, the more it will love him

Sermon X • VII

I Come to handle more largely those Propositions from this second Petition of the Spouse, which in my last discourse I had no more time, but to name, the first of which was this.

Prop. Souls must first be drawn by God before they can come to, or run after the Lord Jesus Christ.

I noted to you in my explication of this Petition, that there are two principal usages of this word Draw, in Holy Writ, it sometimes signifieth an alluring by fair carriage and persuasions. 2. Sometimes a constraining by force and power; both ways the Lord draweth those Souls that come to Christ, or that run after him, he draweth them suaviter, and fortiter, sweetly, and yet powerfully.

1. There is a drawing by Afflictions, and Chastisements. Afflictions are the Lord's Cords. If (saith Job, ch. 36. 8, 9.) they be bound in Fetters, and be holden in Cords of Affliction. Then he showeth them their work, and their transgressions wherein they have exceeded, he openeth their Ear to discipline, and commandeth them that they return from iniquity. Thus the Lord drew Manasseh, he was bound by Fetters, and carried into Babylon, and when he was in affliction he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers, and prayed unto him, and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, —It is added v. 13. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. I know that Bernard thus interpreteth this Text (though he restrains it not to that sense) but I must crave leave to dissent from so great a Person, not only because I find scarce any Interpreters agreeing with him, but because then the thing here prayed for, must be Afflictions, which I do not know we are commanded to pray for, and I am sure nature restraineth us in such a Petition; neither are afflictions in their own tendency drawing Cords, they are rather called Cords and Fetters to signify their pinching effects, than that God ordinarily useth them to draw Souls by unto himself; we read of one Thief upon the Cross converted at his last hour, and of one Manasseh converted by Festers, but you have but a single instance of each in Holy Writ, and let me further add, Manasseh his affliction was but Fetters, and Imprisonment, nothing that affected his head, and made him unfit to do anything but to attend the distempers of his Body; nor indeed is there any drawing virtue in an affliction, it rather naturally alienateth the Soul from God: in my experience in the work of the Ministry, I have known many good Men and Women bettered by Affliction; but I never knew a bad man or woman, by affliction brought home to God; it is a fire that so softens the wax, and hardeneth the clay, and this agreeth with what we have in Scripture. David saith, before he was afflicted he went astray, but his affliction had learned him to keep God's Statutes, Psal. 119. But it is said of Ahaz, 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his distress he trespassed more against the Lord; This is that King Ahaz; and I am sure the same is said of the body of Israelites, Amos 4. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. God followed them with judgment after judgment, yet they returned not unto him. Afflictions are good remembrancers to them who have learned their duty before, but they must be some particular afflictions, that give leisure for Instructions to be then first given, or time for the digestion of them, if they can be given. I conclude in short, whatever use God may sometimes make of Afflictions, it is not the drawing by them, which the Spouse here prays for.

Secondly, There is a drawing by liberal distributions of mercies of common Providence. Thus God saith, Hosea 11. 4. I drew them with the Cords of a man, with bands of love, So Jer. 31. 3. With loving kindness have I drawn thee, Love is of a drawing nature, it is like the hook, in the entrails of a Creature, which draweth more forcibly, than Cords fastened to the flesh, and outward part; But experience teacheth us that this is not a sufficient Cord to draw Sinners Souls to God, God in his parable of the Vineyard, Isaiah 5. repeats what he had done for the Israelites, and concludes, v. 4. What could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it? Yet when he looked, it should bring forth Grapes, it brought forth wild Grapes; Oppression instead of Judgment, and a cry instead of righteousness? How many thousands are there in the world, that are encompassed with Mercies of this nature, they have healthy bodies, pleasing relations, full barns, plentiful estates, they want nothing, yet are they Enemies to God, and to the Cross of Christ; nor do the People of God, ordinarily run most after, or walk most close with God, when they most abound with the good things of this life. God's People, Jer. 2. that followed him in a Wilderness, and in a land of droughts, forsook him when they came into a land that flowed with Milk and Honey; whence Agur prayed as much against Riches, left he should (being full) blaspheme God, as against poverty. And even the man according to God's own heart, offended more, when he was come to sit upon his Throne in Jerusalem, than when he was hunted like a Partridge in the Wilderness, and knew not where to rest, and this is seen in our ordinary experience.

3. God draweth us (thirdly) by the potent arguments of the Gospel, as it lieth before us to be read, or as it is opened, and applied to us by the Ministry of the Word. Man hath a tunable ear, and is a reasonable Creature, so as arguments have a great force upon human nature, and the more, as any of us are more knowing and rational, and able to raise conclusions from Principles. Into this sense Interpreters do interpret those words of our Savior, John 12. 42. When I shall be lifted up, I will draw all men after me, after my death upon the Cross, I will send my Apostles up and down the world, to be witnesses of my death, resurrection and ascension, and to persuade men to receive me in my true notion, as the true Messias and Savior of the world. Accordingly the Apostle tells the Corinthians that Christ had committed to them the word of Reconciliation. Now then (saith he, 2 Cor. 5. 20.) We, as Ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we p • ay you in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God; and this must be the meaning of that command to the Servants, Luke 14, 23. Compel them to come in, Christ is not there speaking to Magistrates, or of their duty, but of the duty of Ministers, who have no power from him to compel any, but by a lively and powerful Preaching the Gospel, the potent arguments of which set home upon reasonable and ingenuous Souls, by the gifts God hath given to his Ministers have a kind of compulsory force, and power in them, and the Apostle tells us, that Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10. and as men are by it drawn to Christ; so they are also by it drawn after him, and therefore Peter exhorts Christians, 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the Word, that they might grow thereby. The believing Soul followeth Christ, in the scent or favor of his precious Ointments. It is the publishing of the Gospel that makes the name of Christ an Ointment poured out.

Fourthly, God may be said to draw men by the common motions of his Spirit, impressing good thoughts upon us, either upon occasion of his Providential dispensations, or while we read or hear the word; some say that there is a common Ministration of the Spirit attending the preaching of the word, sufficient to assist every Soul that will, to repent, and believe, and to do what God requires of us in order to Salvation; that the holy Spirit doth ordinarily attend the preaching of the word, and suggest to and imprint upon the hearts of those that hear it, some good thoughts, is what will not be denied; I believe there are but few who have used to attend the preaching of the Gospel, where it hath been faithfully, and livelily preached, but must own, that he hath heard the Lord standing at his door, and knocking. But still the question is whether this be all the drawing which the Spouse here begs, No doubt but she begs such a cause, such operations of a cause as should be productive of the effect. The effects are coming unto Christ, running after Christ. Coming is not expressly mentioned in this Text, but it is Joh. 6. 44. No man cometh unto me, except the Father who hath sent me, draw him, and it is included in the term running. The question therefore must be whether such a drawing as is by common mercies, by the preaching of the Gospel, or by the common work of the Holy Spirit, all which reprobates may have, is sufficient to innable a Soul (yet a stranger to God) to come to Christ, or to innable any Soul already come to Christ, to run after him. I think not, and therefore I conclude in the last place;

5. That both in the Souls first motions to Christ, and its further motions after him, the Lord putteth forth a powerful influence of his Spirit of grace, beyond the arguments of the word, the suasion of his Minister and the common work of the Spirit, attending all faithful preaching of the Gospel This I take to be that drawing, the Spouse here prayeth for and which our Savior mentions, John 6. 44. (as some think with an allusion to the phrase of this Text) nay some bring that Text, John 6 44. to prove this Book quoted in the New Testament) This I firmly believe, because I am convinced, there is such a work of the Spirit necessary, and that both as to the Souls first coming to God, and further walking with God, though as to the latter the Soul being renewed, and sanct • fied there be a far less influence necessary than as to the former, yet even after sanctification, the Apostle tells us that we are kept by the power of God through Faith to Salvation, and Christ tells his Disciples that without him, they could do nothing, Joh. 15. 3. And St. Paul saith, 2 Gal. 20. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God. But indeed the great question is upon the first. Arminians will grant special grace to believers, but no more than common grace to all men in astate of unbelief. Let us therefore first inquire,

1. Whither there be not something of a divine power and influence necessary to cause any Soul to come to Christ, beyond the Preaching of the Word, and that common concurrence of the Spirit with the word Preached and all the suasions and arguments can be used by Ministers; and of what nature this p • wer is.

We affirm it, Jesuits, and Arminians deny it; let me show you upon what arguments we assert it, I shall not instance in all or the 4th part of what hath been or might be said, only speak something to satisfy you, remembering that I am now preaching a Sermon, not writing a controversy.

1. Those who assert that there needeth no such act of the divine power, must necessarily make man a God to himself; I mean the Author of the greatest Spiritual and Eternal good, both in respect of action and fruition, whatsoever is moved, is moved from a living principle within self, or from another: Either man is moved to Christ as drawn by the Father, or from a principle of life within himself. I know they will say it is from his own power of willing; now besides the multitude of Scriptures, which this is opposed to, Eph. 2. 1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in Trespasses and Sins, Psal. 110. 3. The People shall be a willing People in the day of thy Power, Phil. 2. 13. For it is God which worketh in you to will, and to do, of his own good pleasure. I say besides these. This opinion makes man the author of the greatest good to himself. 1. In point of action; it makes him the author of th se gracious acts and habits by which a Soul is made meet for the inheritance of the; Saints of life, repentance, faith and new obedience, expressly contrary to those Scriptures, which tell us that it is given to us to believe, Phil. 1. 29. That Faith is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2. God gives repentance unto life, and a multitude of other Scriptures. 2. And in point of fruition too, man by this Doctrine is his own Savior; for Eternal life is everywhere promised to repentan • e, faith, and new obedience, which according to this principle are all works proceeding from ourselves; so man is become a Savior to himself by this new Divinity, and the author of the highest good to himself, and hath nothing to bless God for, but only making him a Man, not a Beast, for being endued with a reasonable Soul, and living under the Gospel, he hath a power of himself to repent, to believe in Christ, to do whatsoever Eternal life is promised to in the Gospel, unless they will say he is beholden to God for the Covenant of Grace, annexing eternal life to these performances, and accepting sincerity instead of perfect obedience, which yet leaves the regenerate Soul no more to bless God for, than the vilest and most profane Sinner that liveth where the Gospel is preached, for he also hath a reasonable Soul, a will equal with others, there is a covenant of grace equally established for Judas as well as Peter (according to this Doctrine) One is under the means of Grace, and the common aids and assistances of the Spirit, as well as the other, for the good inclination of his will to accept the terms of the Gospel which the profane person hath not, the regenerate Soul hath nobody to thank but himself, and to applaud himself for the principle of goodness, of which it seems he is an author to himself.

Secondly. This Doctrine leaves the Soul something to glory in before God. The Apostle treating of Justification by faith, in opposition to that of works argueth thus. Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. The Proposition of that Text which alone in this case, I will make use of is, That God hath so ordered the causes in the Salvation of Man, that man hath no cause of glorying before God; to that purpose he speaks, Rom. 3. 27. Where is boasting then? it is excluded; but admitting that there needed no power, to change the heart, but what is in man's will, boasting is not excluded, a man hath wherein to glory, and that before God; he shall say Lord! it is true, thou fixedst an eternal Covenant of Grace, thou madest me a man, thou gavest me the Gospel, and the preaching of it, but notwithstanding all that thou ever didst for me, I might have gone to Hell as well as a thousand more, for whom the same Covenant was made as well as me, to whom thou gavest a Soul of the same species with mine, the same Gospel, the same Preaching, the same common grace, if I had not had a principle of goodness in my own will, of which myself was the cause; I had been damned, notwithstanding all thou didst for me, as many others shall be for whom thou didst as much as for me. Is not here glorying before God? Is boasting excluded by this Divinity? The main parts here as to man's Salvation are given to a man's self! For I pray observe, a man cannot repent truly, and believe, and obey the Gospel, and perish forever, now all these it seems a man may do from himself without any act of Divine power, enabling him more than a reprobate to do them, but he may have a common Covenant of Grace established for him, as well as others, he may have a reasonable Soul, he may have the Gospel preached to him, and the common aids, and assistances of the Spirit, and yet perish forever. So as plainly all that necessarily brings Salvation, makes the Soul meet for it, and accompanieth it; all this is from man, nothing is from God, but that, notwithstanding which, he might have perished forever.

Thirdly, This Doctrine most absurdly ascribes unequal virtues to Souls that are equal as to their species, faculties, and virtues. All reasonable Souls are equal, their faculties are the same, their virtues and powers the same, their Souls are under equal means, motives, aids, assistances, whence is it, that one man's will is inclined to believe, to receive Christ, to obey his laws; the others not? Are not here inequal virtues ascribed to Souls in all points equal, they are both reasonable, both have the same understandings, the same wills, the same means, the same common aids and assistances. I ask then whence, if not from a mighty powerful influence of God upon one man's Soul, one man's will, more than another's▪ comes it to pass that the Soul of one is softened, changed, renewed, and not the Soul of another? If it be from a power in the Soul, here is a mighty inequal virtue, ascribed to one Soul more than to another, of the same species, endued with the same powers and faculties, and under the same means, aids and assistances, which is a most inaccountable thing.

4. I shall add fourthly, If there be no such distinguishing powerful influence of God, making the difference, the Apostle is contradicted, 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? That their Souls are reasonable Souls that differ one from another in Spiritual things is evident, not only in gifts and endowments, but in saving spiritual habits, now (saith the Apostle) who maketh thee to differ? Admit the Apostle there, not speaking of spiritual saving habits, but of common gifts, or extraordinary gifts, certainly if it be God who in these maketh one Soul to differ from another, it is much more God, who makes a Soul to differ as to saving spiritual habits, such as make the Soul fit for the Kingdom of God, and accompany salvation, but according to this Doctrine man maketh himself to differ. God doth no more for the believer than for the unbeliever, for the elect than for the reprobate Soul; so he hath not received, but may glory. God is beholden to man for inclining his will to him, he is not beholden to God for inclining his will more than another man's. From hence plainly appears that the Drawing here mentioned doth not signify the mere change of a man's heart or life from a principle within himself, but a change from a new principle infused from another, from God; and therefore the Spouse here speaking to her beloved, saith, Draw me.

Thus far now I have evinced that the turning of the Soul from a state, and course of Sin, must be the work of God, and 2. That it must be a special work, special grace, but we have yet further to inquire into the nature of this great work, how God draweth the Soul that comes to him.

This I answer in two particulars, 1. It is For • iter. 2. Suaviter.

1. Powerfully. So as though the Soul may a long time oppose itself, yet it cannot finally resist it, Psal. 110. 3. Thy People shall be willing, in the day 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of thy strength, so is the Heb. Resistance implieth the opposition of the patient to the action of the agent; In all resistance there must be two parties, whose strength must be either equal, or inequal. If it be equal, there is no victory on either side. If the Patient be stronger than the agent, the agents intended effect is not wrought, but if the power of the Agent be greater than that of the Patient, then the Patient is subdued and conquered to the will of the Agent. Let us take an instance in Physic; we will suppose a Stomach oppressed with wind, or peccant humors; the Physician gives Physic to expel it, if the power of the wind, or noxious humors be above that of the Physic, the Physic is ineffectual, the wind yet rageth, the peccant humors prevail, or increase, but if the strength of the Physic be more, it expelleth the wind or the peccant humor, though they may first make the Person sick, and struggle a great while with the Physic; such a resistance as this; may be, and is ordinarily, if not always made to the grace of God; especially to his common grace. God calls to the sinner for repentance, faith, new obedience, the Spirit of God concurring with the Preaching of the Gospel stands at the door, and knocks, Rev. 2. 20. The Soul saith, how shall I leave my sweet, and pleasant lusts, my sensual or carnal enjoyments. But there is a resistance when the strength of the Patient is above the strength which either the Agent putteth forth, or hath, so as all the action of the Agent is frustrated, and thus Grace cannot be resisted; that is, not finally resisted. It is the will of God to renew, and change the Sinners heart, and who hath resisted his will? The Spouse, Cant. 5. 2. heareth Christ knocking at the door of her heart, and saying; Open my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled; she maketh excuses, she had put off her coat, and how should she put it on? she had washed her feet, and how should she defile them? Doth the Lord nest in that answer? no; see v. 3. My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. It is much the same case with the Soul in its first conversion, God calls, invites, persuades, intreats the Soul to leave its sinful courses, and to turn unto God. Saith the poor Creature; I am young, and how shall I abandon the lusts of youth, I am ingulphed in a course of profitable sinning; how shall I leave my too greedy pursuit of the world, my pursuit of unjust gain, &c. Thus it resists a while. But God will not take these answers, he at length— puts in his hand by the hole of the door, and opens it. God cannot seriously act, and be finally opposed, for it is certain his power must be above the power of the Creature. 2. That he must act powerfully, appears from hence, in that the effect is upon the will, otherwise inclined, both by nature, and by custom, which is a second nature; I say the effect is upon the will, a Castle too strong for all the power of Hell to subdue, the will can be over-ruled by none but him that made it; besides, this will is otherwise inclined. 1. By nature, hence we are said to be stubborn, stiff-necked, to have sinews of Brass; he knoweth nothing of the heart of man by nature, that knoweth not that it is averse to God. Add to this, that custom hath the force of a second nature; how can you (saith the Prophet) that are accustomed to do evil, do well? Nothing but a powerful operation can subdue, such a mighty Prince as the will of man is, nor such a mighty Tyrant as custom is. As to the point of resisting grace, we say;

1. There is a common, praecedent exciting grace, this may be rejected, as the Pharisees rejected the counsel of God against themselves, for their own Salvation; thus all reprobates living under the preaching of the Gospel, resist the grace of God; they have an enmity to the Spirit of God, Rom. 8. 6. and cannot be subject to it, hence it is, that God so often complains, Jer. 7. 14. I speak to you rising up early, and lying down late, and you have not heard, Psal. 81. 14. I called you, and you have not answered; Christ told the Inhabitants of Hier • salem, that he would have gathered them, but they would not. And hence appears that it is no wonder that Arminians who will allow none but common grace before conversion, should contend, that it may be finally resisted, for there is no doubt but all common grace may be finally resisted.

2. But secondly, We say there is a working, drawing grace, which may be for a while opposed, but cannot be finally resisted. By this the Soul is regenerate, and born again, and that not after the will of the flesh, or the will of Man, but the will of God. This we say cannot be finally resisted; the reasons are:

1. Because by this God gives a new heart, and a new spirit, and causeth the Soul to walk in his statutes, as you will find, Jer. 31. 18. ch. 36. v, 26. Now grace cannot be resisted but from an old heart, and indeed it is a contradiction, to say God may be resisted by a new heart. 2. Again if this grace might finally be resisted, the whole business of man's Salvation, must depend upon his own goed nature, and the power of his own will, and the proximate cause of a man's repentance, faith, holiness, must be in himself.

Thirdly, We say there is a co-working Grace, by which (as Augustine saith) being first drawn we move, being acted, we act; this is that grace, which God followeth converted Souls with, that Grace, which followeth the Child of God, all the days of his life, without which he can do nothing, Job. 1 • . 3. through which strengthening and assisting him, he can do all things, through which he lives, and moves in his spiritual sphere, this is resistible in part, through that law in our members which rebelleth against the law of our mind, and brings us into captivity to the law of sin. Hence is the spiritual combat; the lustings of the flesh against the Spirit. Yet this is but a partial resistance, not from the whole of the regenerate Soul, but from the flesh in it, which lusteth against the Spirit, from that part which is yet unregenerate. Nor shall this resistance be victorious, but the same Soul that crieth out. O wretched man, who shall deliver me from this body of Death? shall in the next words say, I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thus I have shown you how God in the drawing of a Soul to Christ worketh powerfully.

But 2dly, As he works powerfully, so he works sweetly, powerfully, so that he will be obeyed sweetly, so that he is freely obeyed, the conversion of a sinner is an act of power, but not of violence; the mystery of this lieth here: Because the effect of grace is upon the will of man. Violence is then offered to us, when we are compelled to actions contrary to our wills. The will is not indeed capable of violence; the will may be changed, renewed, otherwise inclined, but not forced, force can only be offered to the outward man, and why those who contend for a power in man, so renew, change, alter, otherwise incline his own will, should find a difficulty to allow God, as much power as they claim for man, who is but a creature, I cannot understand: Thus far I have shown you that a Soul must be drawn before it come to Christ. I have yet further to show you that it must be drawn, or it will not run after Christ.

In this drawing indeed, there needeth not such a power as in the former, the reason is because now, to will is present with the Soul (as St. Paul saith) it only wanteth strength to perform. But an influence, a powerful influence there must be. I believe (said he in the Gospel) Lord help my unbelief! Lord increase our faith, said the Apostles! without me you can do nothing, saith our Savior, Joh. 15. 3. and again saith he, as the branch cannot bring forth fruit except it abide in the Vine, so no more can you except you abide in me, and 2 Cor. 3. 5. Our sufficiency is of God, we are not able of ourselves so much as to think anything, Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me; we are kept by the power of God to Salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. The Apostle speaking of the weak Brother, saith, God is able to make him to stand. We stand in grace, Rom. 5. 3. Christ prayeth that Peters faith might not fail while Satan winnowed him like wheat. God giveth both to will and to do, both of his own good pleasure; but I shall not need heap up Scriptures in so plain a case. I shall have advantage enough to prove it from Reason, concluding from Scripture principles.

1. In the first place the Scripture speaketh of the Children of God in this life as in a state of imperfection. Not (saith the Apostle) as though we were perfect, or had already attained, Phil. 3. 12. To have no further need of Grace, speaketh a self-sufficiency, and a state of perfection, which is everywhere in holy writ denied to man in this life, nothing needs be added to that man who stands in no need of the power and assistance of Divine Grace, but the holy Scripture everywhere speaketh of the state of man while on this side Heaven, as a state in which something is lacking to him, & of Heaven only, as that state, wherein just Souls are made perfect: wherein that which is perfect shall be come, and that which is in part shall be done away.

Secondly, As the Child of God before he comes to Christ is in Scripture represented in a state of death, Eph. 2. 1. You hath he quickened, Eph. 2. 1. Who were dead in trespasses and sins; So when come to Christ, it represents him in a state of weakness, Ro. 5. 6. When we were yet without strength, Christ died for us. Not only life but strength, was a piece of the purchase of Christ for us. Christ saith as to his Sheep, John 10. 10. I am come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The Children of God are all as Mephibosheth, the Sons of Jonathan, and so beloved of David, united to Christ, and so beloved of God, and must eat bread at his Table, but they are all of them (like him) lame of their Feet. Now those that are without strength cannot run; running doth not only require life as the principle of motion, but strength also to assist the motion; what the Apostle saith of their knowledge, and prophesying they know in part, and prophecy in part, is as true concerning all their other gracious habits and acts, they are all but in part, they are in this like Nebuchadnezzar's Image, part of Iron, and part of Clay. Adam indeed had both his legs, a full strength, and could of himself (without any need of the assistance of a Mediator) have done all that God required of him in that state, as necessary to his Salvation, but he fell, and did not only for his posterity, as well as for himself, lose his innocence, and righteousness, but his spiritual strength, and ability also. His fall causing the need of a Mediator, and a coming unto him that we might have life, caused also the need of the influence of the Holy Spirit upon us, to quicken and innable us, to come • unto him, and to walk with him, Hence there was a need of such a Covenant for God to make, as that mentioned, Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn from them to do them good, but I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall never depart from me.

Thirdly, That body of death which remains in the best of God's People, evinceth a necessity of a continued powerful influence of grace to keep the Soul in any motion, especially in any quickness of motion after God. That we have weights that pressus down, a sin which easily besets us, a body of death as St. Paul calls it, proper lufts, lustings of the flesh against the Spirit, is evident in holy writ; we are indeed at last more than conquerors over this inteftine adversary, but it is through our Lord Jesus Christ, Rom. 7. For lust is so connatural to us, the lustings of the flesh so strong in us, that our regenerate part could never else maintain the Spiritual fight. Besides (as I shall show you) as we have an impotency, so as we cannot so much as will the thing which is good, so we have also a natural dullness and aversion to it, and this also remaineth in part in the regenerate Soul, nor to be conquered without the influence of the holy Spirit.

Lastly, The many hindrances which the Soul hath from its Enemies without, will also hinder it from running. James tells us, that every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. This is a temptation from within, à carne, this would be too hardfor a Soul in its own strength But it hath also Enemies from without, both from its grand adversary the Devil, and also from the world. I must confess I have met with one, & never but one, that would pretend to maintain a power in man to resist▪ the strongest Temptations without any extraordinary assistance of the Spirit of grace, this he would impose upon the world to believe, because that Joseph resisted the temptation from his Mistress. That Joseph did resist that temptation, is plain in Scripture; but that he did it, by no further assistance of Grace, than Reuben had, who defiled his Fathers Bed, or Absalom who went in to his Fathers Concubines, will want better proof than any I find in his discourse. I cannot but think that if man (without the assistance of special grace) had a power (as he boldly saith) to resist the strongest temptations; we should have none destroy themselves upon temptations to self murder, Atbeistical thoughts, and Despair. It is an inaccountable thing why any should destroy themselves if this Doctrine were true, especially if they be persons not before possessed of atheistical principles, believing there is neither God, nor Devil, Heaven or Hell; who can give an account (suppose it in the power of the best of men to resist the strongest temptations without any special grace) how David (the man according to God's own heart) came to fall into the sin, first of Adultery, then of Murder? To will was certainly present with him, (as well as with Paul) how came he to want a strength to perform, but from God's withdrawing his special influence of grace from him, and leaving him to his own strength, which (though, the strength of a renewed man) yet is too little to grapple with a strong temptation. If even the best of men without the powerful influence of special grace, can resist strong temptations, how came Peter to fall by denying his Master by swearing and cursing that he did not know him? he manifested that to will was present with him, by his telling our Savior that altho all men should forsake him, yet he would not. God was pleased to with-hold his powerful influence, and to leave Peter to the ordinary strength even of a renewed man, he was not able to grapple with the temptation. It is so far from being true, that man hath a power to resist the strongest temptations, that without Christ's influence assisting, he hath not a power to resist any temptation, whether from the World, the Flesh, or the Devil. It is Musculus his observation upon John 15. 3, Our Savior doth not fay without me you cannot do much, or all, but you can do nothing. Nor if it be a strong temptation (such as the fear of life &c.) can a Christian resist and overcome it without a more than ordinary assistance of Divine Grace proportioned to the degree of temptation. But vain man would be wise, though he be but as an Asses Colt he would be strong, though in very deed he is weaker than water, he would be all to himself, though he be nothing in himself.

5. But for a further proof of this Proposition concerning the necessity of drawing, powerful influences of Divine Grace, both with reference to the Souls first motions and coming to Christ, and further motions, in following Christ, and running after him, I shall but appeal to the experience of all converted Souls. If there be an heart before me which God hath truly changed, any one that is not only converted from one opinion to another, or one profession to another, from Paganism to Christianity: but indeed converted from the love of sin, and lusts, to the love of God, and the hatred of all sin, and an endeavor to walk close with God, from an opinion and confidence of, and in any righteousness in itself, wherein it can hope to stand before God▪ to a trusting and relying on the Lord Jesus Christ and his Righteousness! I appeal to that Soul, what was it, thinkest thou, that inclined thy heart to accept of Jesus Christ for thy Savior, to commit all the concerns of thy Soul unto him, and to alter thy course of life from a principle of love to God, and obedience to his will, more than another's, who sat in the same Seat with thee, or lived in the same House, and sat under the same Ministry, heard the same Sermons? how camest thou to be taken, thy Neighbor left? how came thy will to move regularly, whiles thy Neighbor under the same circumstances still retained his stiff neck, and iron sinews, and hard heart, and continued in the same lewd and sinful courses? who made thee to differ? Didst thou make thyself to differ? How came it that he did not also make himself to differ? I know there is no Soul, whose heart is truly changed, but will say, if almighty power had not changed me, I had been as bad as any other. And so since thy Soul hath been changed, thou hast met with Temptations to sin, thou hast resisted them, overcome them, triumphed over them; others (possibly some very good men) have fallen by, and under them, who again hath here made thee to differ? No pious Soul that understands itself, but will here cry out Grace, Grace, powerful distinguishing Grace. So as this Doctrine is consonant to the experience, and judgment of the best of men, the other contrary to their experience and reason, and therefore not like to prevail much in the world with any who either understand what grace and holiness is, nor what the state of man is since the fall. I could only wish that those who so glory in a power they have to come to Christ, and to walk with him and run after him, and to encounter and overcome the greatest Lions in the way, would let us see it, by their strict and close walking with God, without putting such a sense upon the Commandments of God as the Pharisees did of old, whom Christ confutes, Mat. 5. according to which they may indeed be kept, by virtue of that common Grace of God, which he denieth to no man.

This is enough to have spoken Doctrinally upon this Subject.

Sermon XVIII.

I Proceed to the Application of the Proposition, which I largely opened, and confirmed in my last exercise, viz. That no Soul cometh to, or runneth after Christ, till it be first drawn; not only sweetly allured, but powerfully by God inclined; I come now to apply it.

This in the first place may inform you of the Vanity both of the Arminian, and Popish Tenets as to this great point. Arminians think it hard to be accounted Enemies to the Grace of God, yea they will profess themselves to own special Grace, but by the Grace of God, they understand no more than exciting Grace, the Grace of God in the Gospel, which hath appeared to all men, and by special Grace they only mean that further Grace which is given to them, who have first made a good use of the power, God hath created in their wills. They say that wherever the Gospel is preached, there goes alongwith it such a presence of the Spirit, that if men will, they may without any further influence of Divine Grace upon one more than another, repent and believe, &c.

Hence they will tell you, that they attribute all to Grace, they make that the beginning, the reason of the progress, and perfection of all good, so that without preventing, exciting, following, and co-operating grace, the regenerate man himself, can neither will, nor do any good, nor resist any temptation.

But they mean by Grace, nothing but the means of grace, and such an assistance of the holy Spirit, as always attends it, and one as well as another hath, that sits under the Gospel; for that which we call special grace or distinguishing grace (the drawing of the text) by which God powerfully influenceth the Souls of some, not of others, and worketh faith and dispositions to new obedience in them, they deny any such thing, and so attribute to the will of man, all the change of the heart which we call conversion or regeneration; hence they will tell you, that God never so worketh in any Soul, but man may hinder, and finally resist his operations. This is their opinion, which how contrary it is to truth, and how absurd it is, I have shown you in my former discourse; what Bradwardine saith of the Pelagians, may be applied to these Teachers.

But man is made the buyer. Thus (saith that grave Author) God should rather, gratiam suam commutare ac vendere, quam dare; commute and sell his grace rather than bestow, and give it. Doubtless the will of▪ God is the efficient cause of every good thing that is done, the first mover in every good motion, the begetter and preserver of it. Amantissima genitrix, & vivifica conservatrix (as Bradwardine expresseth it, l. 1. cap. 9. and maintaineth it from reason, and the concessions even of Philosophers.) They will tell us they will grant this; That God is the first cause, and mover as to all good, and that all this is of his grace, but he moves us only, by external calling, and the common assistance of his Spirit. They much delight in those terms, [aids, and assistances of his Spirit] by which they plainly grant the will of man, the first cause, and make the Spirit but an aiding assisting cause. Again how is the conversion of a sinner from the Grace of God, whose Grace it seems extends no further before conversion, to the person to be converted, than to the person that still continues in its hardness, and inconverted state, so as it is not the Grace of God that causeth the Soul to differ, for as to that, there is no difference, the same administration of grace, both to those whose hearts are changed, and to those whose hearts are not changed. They tell us grace, and in the same degree of administration, may be, yea is resisted, by many of those to whom it is administered. This opinion must be faulty either,

1. By maintaining that God doth not seriously, and efficaciously will the salvation of any Soul, the contrary to which in words they affirm, and instead of it say he seriously willeth, the salvation of all Souls, to whom the Gospel is Preached, which is very strange; for which of us seriously willeth any effect, and want no power to effect it, and the thing is not effected? that an Almighty God should seriously will, what he from all eternity knew should never be effected, and will that which he hath a power to effect, yet never is, never shall be effected, is a strange piece of Divinity, or sense: Or else it is faulty,

2. By maintaining a greater power in the will of man in its laps • d state, than in the will of God, which is against all reason, and can be owned by none but such as deny God to be omnipotent; I have in opening and proving the Doctrine, said enough to show you the vanity of this dream, I shall only add a word or two 1. That this pretended willing of God, which they affirm to be. real, and serious, and yet inefficacious, not producing the effect, is incomp • tent with that infinite wisdom and knowledge which must be in him, who is the fountain of all knowledge, and wisdom▪ Indeed man who hath no knowledge of future contingencies, may s • riously will, that such a person should be moved, exhorted, and called upon to do such or such a thing, upon the doing of which he should have an estate, and yet he may be left at perfect liberty, whether he will do it or no, and so the reward may not be certain, but contingent to him. But that God who from all Eternity, had a certain perfect knowledge who would, and who would not believe, and could not know it, but because he had willed it, (for the will of God only from Eternity could make that certain, which it itself was but cont • ngent) I say that this God, should seriously will the salvation of all those to whom the Gospel should be Preached, and their faith, and holiness as a means in order unto it; when he from all eternity knew, that only some of those to whom the Gospel should be Preached, would believe and obey, and therefore knew it because he had eternally willed their faith, and holiness, and salvation. I say this is a strange mystery, which it will be hard for any thinking men of any degrees of sense or reason to understand.

2. Indeed if this Doctrine were true, no Soul could be saved, at least it were possible that no Soul should be saved. Our Lord tells us, Joh 6. 44. That no man cometh unto him, but he whom the Father draweth, and everyone as he is learned and taught of the Father, cometh unto him. So then it is not of him that willeth, no • of him that runneth, but of the Lord who showeth mercy, and man that is born again, is not born again, of the will of the Flesh, nor of the will of Man, of God. And it must be said of God, He hath begotten us; not only he hath treated, and entreated us, and proposed salvation to us, but he hath begotten us, influencing, renewing, changing the heart of the Creature by his power; not leaving us to the power of our wills, upon his word being p • eached unto us, and the arguments of the Gospel used to us.

I appeal to any whose heart God hath changed, whether they think their hearts, had ever been turned to God if this had been all God had done for them, that is, given them his Gospel, and by that invited them to turn unto him, nor can it be supposed, that when an all-knowing, all wise God, from all Eternity, had a certain infallible knowledge, who should be eternally saved, and of the powers, and inclinations of all men's hearts, that he should leave the means in order to this salvation so imperfectly willed, that it was left possible, that by those means, none should ever be saved, and obtain what he certainly fore knew, and therefore fore-know because he had willed it. But I have already abundantly shown you the opposition of these notions to the plain revelations, and reason of Scripture; It is said that God opened the heart of Lydia, Acts 16. 14. And certainly if man had such a power, being unregenerate, to repent and believe, upon the proposal of the Gospel, and pressing the arguments of it, supposing the common work of the Spirit always attending the Gospel, he would much more have a power, being converted, to walk with God, to run after him, for the Soul not changed, is not only impotent, but unwilling, and stubborn, when converted it is willing, though • e • k, yet not so weak as before conversion; and according to all reason, the Soul, which is both stubborn, and wholly weak, hath more need of a power (foreign to its own power) which can be no other than the power of God, then that Soul which is now made willing, and only weak, and not so weak, as the inconverted Soul is, but this is enough to show you the vanity of these principles, which yet obtain so much in the world.

2. The Papists say the same thing that the others speak, they will grant, That man hath no power to spiritual things without the assistance of Divine Grace, he cannot believe (say they) the mysteries of Divine Salvation, this Bellarmine proves from Joh. 6. 4. where he desires his Reader to observe, that it is not, no man doth, but no man can come to the Son, except the Father draweth him. Nay he tells us; that without the special grace of God to help him, man cannot love God, nor prepare himself for Grace; nor will anything which tends to Salvation, o • Godliness. But then they tell us;

1. That this Grace of God, is not the sole agent. That the Soul of man (as to the first grace) is no▪ merely p • ssive, but also active. God indeed calleth, and by special grace excites, and his grace aideth the will of man in believing. He falls heavily upon Luther, Calvin, and Chemnitz, for saying that the Soul in the reception of the first grace is merely passive. Pelagians, and Arminians, ascribe to the will of Man, the whole power of closing with the promise by faith, being once offered in the preaching of the Gospel; Papists seem to divide God's glory, betwixt him, and the will of man. God say they, must send his Grace, but his Grace is not that alone which produceth the effect for the power of man's will (though enfeebled by the Fall) is yet alive, and God accommodating the Soul with the aid, and assistance of his Grace, the Soul joins with it, and this they assign for the reason, why one heart is changed, and not another (for God proposeth his special grace to all; where by the way you may take notice that they call special Grace, what we call common, because administered to all) because free will works better in him that is converted, than in the other; thus still Arminians, and they are agreed, that the fountain of all Spiritual and Eternal good is in man's self, that man makes himself to differ, and so hath wherein to glory, and that man is the first cause of any true Spiritual saving motion, and so inequal virtues, are, as I said before, ascribed to Souls of the same kind, under the same circumstances, and endowed with the same rational faculties.

Secondly, They also agree, That the operations of Divine Grace are no other, than what may by the power of man's will be not only opposed, but finally resisted, so as they shall produce no effect, and that drawing grace, is no more then an entreating, and moral suasion, no such act of power as we would have it to be; man comes to Christ alone, he is not drawn. Therein they agree with the other.

3. Finally they say, the converted Soul, can of itself, do acts of righteousness, obey the Commandments of God, and ordinarily needs, no quickening, only assisting Grace. This is not to be allowed in the Latitude, though there be something of truth in it, there is certainly a greater power, and ability to spiritual good in the converted, then in the unregenerate, and unconverted Soul, we dare not say the Soul converted moves not, acts not, but as acted, and is also in that state merely passive, God hath now infused a principle of life into it, his Spirit dwelleth in it. But we say that even the justified Soul still stands in need of a constant divine influx, and that in a powerful degree; and Bellarmine himself grants that as the Soul hath at all times need of God's assisting, exciting and protecting grace (for Christ saith, without me you can do nothing) so in some hard cases, and in the performance of some hard & difficult duties, he hath need of powerful influences of Grace. So as the Jesuit himselfdurst not ascribe so much to the power of man's will, though altered by grace, as those bold men amongst ourselves, who will have man have a power not only in ordinary cases, but to resist the strongest temptations. It is a sign they neither ever knew what a strong temptation meant: Nor what it is to resist and evercome them. But this is enough to show you the vanity of these Doctrines.

Secondly, My discourse on this proposition will let all of us see the exceeding folly, of resisting and vexing, or grieving, or quenching the holy Spirit of God at any time in its operations or motions. you meet in Scripture with all these terms expressing the opposition which vain man maketh to the holy Spirit of God, two of them, resisting, and vexing are applied to men wicked and unregenerate, Acts 7. 51. You do always resist the Holy Ghost, and thus you read of vexing the Spirit. The Apostle writes to the Thessalonians, not to quench the Spirit, 1 Thes. 5. 19. and to the Ephesians, Eph. 4. 30. not to grieve it. As the man that is unregenerate may resist and vex; so those that are renewed, may quench, and grieve the Holy Spirit. The Proposition which I have opened to you, showing you the necessity, of our being drawn by this Holy Spirit, if we ever come to Christ, or being come, if we hold on in our way, and run after him, and walk with him, justifies those reproofs, and exhortations of the Apostles evincing it to be the greatest folly imaginable, voluntarily to do any such acts, by which this blessed Spirit should be resisted, vexed, quenched, or grieved.

1. This may be done by persons whose hearts are not yet changed, they sit under the ministration of the Gospel (which is the ministration of the Spirit, and a glorious ministration) and besides the suasion of the potent arguments contained in it, set on by all the art of the Ministers of Christ, gifted by God for this end, and authorized by God to this work, there is hardly any of them but find some inward impressions of the Holy Spirit, showing them a necessity of believing and obeying the Gospel if they would ever obtain Eternal life, this they cannot deny, but cannot (through the prevalency of their passions above their reason) obtain of themselves, to hearken to these admonitions, and yield obedience to these impressions, but after the prickings of their lusts they must go, they cannot deny themselves in their pleasures, or profits, (be they never such forbidden fruit;) yet on the other side possibly their consciences bear so hard upon them, that they cannot quiet them, without promising, that they will amend their ways, they will turn to God, they only beg a little time, and cry out with the Sluggard, yet a little sleep, yet a little slnmber, a little folding of the hands to sleep; like Trades-men, that know they must not spend all their time in their Beds, if they do, their Families must starve, yet their Eyes are heavy, and they cry to those that call them. It is not time to rise yet, an hour or two hence is time enough. So these men sitting under the sound of the Gospel, will grant you, that if they live, and die in such courses as at present they walk in, their Souls must perish to all Eternity. But this they intend not, only it is not time yet to awake ou • of sle p, a year or two hence is time enough, let them have some l • t • s •• ction in the pleasures of youth, they will repeat and believe before they die, and upon this presumption, they at present 〈◊〉 the holv Spirit of God from time to time, and v • x i • no • only appearing in the Ministration of the Gospel, but in its more common motions and impressions.

This is what I would shortly show you, the vanity of from the asserted truth of this proposition. Two things I would say to these Souls. That whatsoever human action is to be done, naturally requireth time and place, and that the Earth is the place, and this life is the time for such actions, for (saith Solomon, E •• l. 9. 10. There is no work, no device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the Grave whither thou go • st, upon which he exhorts us: Whatsoever thy hand f •• d •• h to do, do it with all thy might. It is only while we are upon the Earth, that we are in the way with God whom we have made our adversary, and whom we are concerned quickly to agree with, when we die we are delivered to the Judge, the Spirit returneth to God that gave it. When our Dust returns to its Dust, Our comp s • um is then dissolved, and no action can be the action of the whole man. When our bodies come to be covered with Earth, our bodies move, and act no more. In the Grave, none repents, believeth, prayeth, or praiseth, or any way remembereth God. Thou sayest, tomorrow, or within a few years I will amend, I will repent; how knowest thou in what capacity thou shalt then be, what a day, or a month, or a year will as to thee bring forth? The present time alone is thine, and but a little of that neither, that which (as Gerard speaks) dicendo praeterit, currendo praeterlabitur, is gone while thou speakest of it, slipped away while thou thinkest of it. What talkest thou of tomorrow, of the next week, month, year, who hast not an inch of time at thy command, nor canst command thy Sun to go back, or to stand still for an hour? If James instruct us not to say, To morrow we will go to such a Fair or Market, without adding, If God will; surely vain man should not say at such a time, I will repent, I will believe, I will turn to God, without saying, If God will let me live to such a time; and poor creature, what if God will not! What if he will say unto thee, Thou dilatory fool! This night thy Soul shall be taken from thee, this year, this month thou shalt die. O the most unrea sonable vanity of men in venturing Eternity upon such incertain contingencies! yet this is the usual delusion. Augustine confesseth, that his foot was once in this snare; he resisted motions for his turning to God, with cras, cras, tomorrow, tomorrow, I will do it, till at length through the power of grace he brake the snare, crying out, Cras Domine! cur non hodie? tomorrow Lord, and why tomorrow? why not today? This is but the first thing I would say to these procrastinating Souls, and not that which properly resulteth from my former Discourse.

2. But though there be an obvious contingency in that, yet we may admit that thou shalt live unto the time thou hast prefixed to thyself for thy coming, and returning unto God, supposing yet that no man cometh to the Son, unless the Father draweth, how vain are the promises that thou makest to thyself? Admit thou dost live to that time, and that before that time thy heart shall not be more enamored upon thy lusts, and hardened in thy sinful courses, but that then thou shalt have as good and fair convictions as now thou hast: Yet art thou sure that God will then draw thee? Art thou sure thou shalt then be drawn by the Preaching of the Gospel? Admit that, Art thou sure of the motions, impressions, and breathings of the holy Spirit of God? The Preaching of the Gospel beareth the same proportion to the healing of the Soul, that the Pool of Bethesda bare to the healing of bodily infirmities. Men might lie there many years; the Gospel tells you of one that lay 36 years, yet was not healed; the Angel indeed came often down and stirred the waters, but none thrust him in. There is an healing virtue in the Gospel; it is the word of Reconciliation, the word of the Kingdom. The Spirit of the Lord attends the ministration of it, it stirreth the Pool; but admit this, if there be none to help the poor Soul that is impotent into it, it is not healed. What knowest thou whether the holy Spirit which breatheth where it listeth, will breathe upon thee at thy leisure? God said of the Old World, My Spirit shall not always strive with man. If it be not perfectly in thy own power to turn to God when thou pleasest, it is the most unaccountable folly imaginable, for any to resist the holy Spirit, and to vex it; yet promising himself the operations and effects of it, when he will be pleased to call for, and to admit them.

But I hear some saying, Do not you determine that the grace of God cannot be resisted, what need your exhortations then not to resist it?

1. I have told you that the grace of God may be opposed and resisted, but that Grace by which the heart is changed, is powerful, and finally cannot be resisted; but certainly the common grace of God (which the Apostle saith hath appeared to all men) may be opposed and resisted, and finally rejected, and is so by the most of those that sit under it; and certain it is, that men's opposing and resisting of that common grace, may provoke him to deny special grace to the Soul that doth it, and will justify God in the denial of it. For we have no reason to complain of God's not doing what was truly and purely his part, whiles we have not done what is our part, and in our power. Now, though the change of the heart be an act of Divine Power, yet acts of moral Discipline, and the avoiding gross and scandalous sins, and the performance of some religious Duties, which God hath prescribed as means (though not in themselves sufficient and effectual) are things within our power, with the assistance only of that common grace, which God denieth to none to whom he doth not deny the Gospel: And in these the holy Spirit may be opposed, and finally resisted, though he shall not be finally resisted by any Soul that is ordained to life and eternal Salvation; and it is certainly the duty, and wisdom of every Soul, to take heed of this Resisting, this Vexing the holy Spirit, because, as I said before, God shall forever be justified in the with-holding his gracious acts of power, until man hath done what is in his power. To which I think I may add, that in the day of Judgment, there will be wanting a President so much as of one Soul, who hath followed the drawings of his Gospel, so far as he had power; to whom God hath denied the more powerful drawings of his Spirit, making a change in the Soul, and subduing it to the obedience of Faith; and also because God will not have his Spirit always strive with man, because he is but flesh.

2. But secondly, Even the People of God also fall under this reproof, though not for such vexings, and resistings of the Spirit, as natural, and unregenerate men are guilty of, yet for Quenching the Spirit in its motions, and resistances of it in his operations, whence the Apostle saw need of those Precepts, 1 Thes. 5. 19. & Ephes. 5. 30. We are prone, 1. To Quench the Spirit in its motions to duty, and to put them off. 2. And to promise ourselves, if we fall, we shall rise again.

When we find some motions to duty, which we have reason to conclude to be from the holy Spirit dwelling in us, and sometimes from some more than ordinary suggestions to, and impressions made upon us, we are too ready to put them off to some other time, promising to ourselves that we then will obey them, and hearken to them, not considering, that as our first coming to Christ dependeth upon the Father's drawing; so our running after him depends upon Christ 's, and his Spirit's drawing. Now, though the Lord never forsaketh the Soul that is his, as to necessary grace; yet he often deserts it as to gradual manifestations, in strengthening, and quickening influences. See that famous instance, Cant. 2. The Lord called at the door of his Spouse, saying, Open my Love, my Dove, my Undefiled. The Spouse grieveth her Beloved's Spirit; she would open in the morning, when she should have had her fill of sleep; when she should be up and dressed, she had put off her Coat, and how should she put it on? she had washed her feet, and how should she defile them? At length v. 5. She rose to open to her Beloved, but he had withdrawn himself, and was gone,—She sought him, but she could not find him; she called him, but he gave her no answer. It is the case of many good and pious Soul. The holy Spirit moves it to some evident piece of spiritual duty; (for I am not speaking for extravagant impulses to things nowhere prescribed, or directed in the Word of God) the Soul is under some spiritual Torpor, and listlesness; it agrees the thing ought to be done, and disputes nothing but the necessity of doing it presently, it neglecteth it; it may be when it would open to its Beloved, it finds that he hath withdrawn himself, and is gone. It seeketh him, but it cannot find him.

2. Secondly, We are as prone also vainly to think within ourselves, If we sin, we will repent, if we fall, we will rise. Or, though we run into temptation, yet we will not fall by it. All this while forgetting, that although we live, yet it is not we, but Christ lives in us, and we shall stand in need of drawing grace to run after God. It is true, that if the Believer sinneth, he hath an Advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the Righteous. If he falls, he shall rise. God will succor him when he is tempted; but all this proceeds from an influence foreign to him. God is able to make him to stand, and faithful, so as he shall stand. But yet his own endeavors are necessary to his standing, and Divine Grace is necessary (if he be lapsed) to his recovery; and though he may know, if he knows that he is Elected, and effectually called, and justified, that he shall not perish forever; yet this can by no means encourage his presumptuous sinning; for these two Reasons: 1. Because while he lies under the guilt of sin not repented of, he can have no knowledge of his Election, or Effectual Calling, but hath reason to suspect he hath all this while mistaken the case and state of his own Soul. 2. Because he may be saved as through fire, and go with an aking conscience even to the gate of the City of God. Now it is impossible, that in the Judgment of any Soul under the conduct and command of reason, the pleasure of sin should appear compensative of the rack of Conscience, and the feeling the terrors of God upon the Soul but for a few days. If indeed man having fallen from his integrity, had a power to rise again at pleasure by the help alone of his own hands, he might have from hence a motive to indulge his corruptions; but if he hath no such power, but what he derives from drawing grace, certainly it is the vainest thing imaginable for man to sin upon a presumption, of what is not in his power; and though he be certain of it in the issue, yet he may want it so long, as may leave him little pleasure of his sinning, little fruit of those things for which he hath been so long ashamed.

Thirdly, From this representation of the state, the present state of Man; We may observe the difference betwixt our present state, and the state of our Pro-parent Adam in the state of Innocency. It is a point not half enough thought of, and the want of a due consideration of it, causeth so many swellings against, and blasphemings of the Truth of God in this point. They will not understand, that although God made Man upright, and in Honor, yet he abode not in Honor, but by seeking out inventions, became like unto the Beast that perisheth. The state of Man at first was such,

1. That he needed not have come to Christ for life; he had his li • e in his hands. There needed no Savior before we were lost, no Mediator or Intercessor, before man had offended, and consequently, no applications of our Souls unto him for life and Salvation, and this by the way may show you the weakness of their reply, who when they are told, that it is no more injustice with God to call to us for those exercises of Grace in order to our salvation, which in our lapsed state we have no power to perform, than it is in man to call to him, to whom he hath lent a great sum, which he by his debauchery hath spent, to pay him what he oweth him, and to lay him in Prison (though he hath nothing to pay) for God in creation gave unto man a power to do whatsoever in that state was necessary to his Salvation. I say when they are told this, they usually tell us, That Adam never had a power to repent and believe in Christ; Nor was repentance or faith in Christ necessary in that state wherein Adam was created, nor would it ever have been necessary either to him, or us, had he stood in that estate, God gave unto Adam and to us in him, whatsoever was necessary in that state, and if our Fore-fafather, and we (who died in him, and fell with him) have made a Mediator necessary, and repentance, and faith in the Mediator necessary, and we have no power to these acts, nor ever had, no not in Adam, how yet is God unrighteous in requiring those acts of us, though we have no power to perform them?

Secondly, As in that state, there was no need of a Christ, of a Savior, a Redeemer, nor consequently of a being drawn, or a coming to him: So neither was there need of any such potent drawing in order to our running after him. Adam had a perfect power connatural to him, to walk with God in the obedience of his will. It was the fall that lamed us in our feet, and introduced this necessity of Christ's drawings in order to our running. Let us in a word or two take a view of man now in this, that he stands in need of these divine drawings.

1. He now stands in need of a Mediator, and there is no name given under Heaven by which any Soul can be saved, but only the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, no Salvation by any other.

2. He stands in need of drawing to this Mediator, not only of a Child to be born a Son again, a Savior prepared, but of the work of the Father, and the holy Spirit to draw us to, and after this Mediator.

1. Drawing (as I have shown you) imports a fair treating, & entreating, & alluring Souls to what is their great and only happiness, this speaks man, 1. In a state of aversion from God and his only felicity. Mans supreme happiness lies in his union, and communion with God, as the supreme and greatest good; yet he must be drawn to it, drawn with the cords of a man, allured by man's Rhetoric, persuaded to it by man's Logic, and ratiocination; we as the Ambassadors of Christ, must beseech and entreat men to be happy in being reconciled to God, and thus much is granted to us by those who make themeanest, and most jejune interpretation of this drawing.

2. Drawing (secondly) signifieth an act of power. This speaketh us not only averse, but impotent and weak without strength. We are like Lot in Sodom; though we daily hear that the wicked shall be turned into Hell, with all those that forget God, though the Lord useth all entreaties with his poor Creatures, and the love of God be displayed before us in the fullest measure, yet till the Lord doth by us (as the Angel did by Lot) lay hold upon us, and pull us out of our sinful state, we move not a jot. Yea verily man in his best estate, man regenerate, and brought home to God, must also be drawn, or he will not run, he must be kept by the power of God through faith to Salvation, or he will never come into Heaven; when to will is present with us, we have no strength to perform. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. O miserable men that we are; who shall deliver us from our bodies of death. I need say no more, it being what is justified by the experience of the best of men, and their prayers directed to God accordingly.

Sermon XIX.

I Have formerly discoursed from this Text this Proposition, That the Soul till drawn, doth not run after Christ. I am in the application of that discourse, and that by way of Instruction.

This may inform us in the true nature of special saving Grace. It is a drawing to, and after Christ. Grace in its general notion signifieth nothing but free love and favor. Let me find grace, or I have found grace, signifies no more in Scripture, than though I have no worth, no merit, yet show me love and favor; when applied to God, it signifieth no more in the general notion, whether this love be shown in the collation of the good things which concern this life, or those which concern that life which is to come, they are all grace in a large sense, because emanations of divine love, not merited by Creatures. But words taking their significancy more from use than etymology, Grace in a more strict and usual notion hath been taken to signify, The emanations of Divine love concerning the Souls, and Eternal Salvation of the Children of men, which is called the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation. Now these divine emanations having different effects, this Grace of God is also distinguished into Common and special, ineffectual, and effectual; under the notion of common grace, we comprehend all those effluxes of divine goodness, by which God showeth his kindness to the Souls of men in order to their Salvation, whether they prove effective of their Salvation, yea or no; under this head, some will bring both Election and Redemption, owning no other Election, than the eternal counsel of God to save such as should believe, so denying all eternal Election of persons, and making Christ's intention in dying to extend to all, either equally, or at least so far as to put all in a possibility of Salvation, if their own perverse wills do not hinder. The Publication, and proposal of the Gospel, with the common influences of the Spirit attending the preaching of it, certainly come under this notion, for though all hear not that joyful sound, yet it is granted on all hands, that of those that do hear it, to some it is the savor of life unto life, to others the savor of death unto death. And this is all the grace which some will acknowledge, antecedent to the pardon of sins, and regeneration. But we affirm a further special grace than this is, which we call special, because it is not equally administered to all, no not to all that hear the Gospel, saving, because it brings salvation, not only in a general tender, and offer unto all, but to that particular Soul, upon whom it shineth, and so is effectual, because effective of the blessed end to which it is levelled, and aimed, and doth not evaporate