The Intercourses of Divine Love Betwixt Christ and His Church

Sermon XXV.

IF any asketh who is this King whom the text speaks of; as the question soundeth like that, Psal. 24. v. 8. Who is the King of glory? So the answer must be much the same; The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in Battle, the Lord of Hosts, he is the King of Glory. He is the King of Nations, for all the Nations of the Earth are the work of his hands, and he hath a Native Lordship and dominion over them. He is the King upon the holy hill of Zion, the King of Saints, they have chosen him, he ruleth in them, and reigneth over them, they have chosen him, he hath subdued their hearts unto him, and hath chosen them for his peculiar people; this is the King of whom the Church, and the believing Soul here speaketh, and saith; The King hath brought me into his Chambers. It is the same Person of whom she spake, v. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth. To whom she said, v. 3. Draw me, and we will run after thee. There she spake to him, as her beloved, here she speaketh of him as a King; there she prayed for something that she wanted, here she praiseth, and giveth thanks for something she had received. I have already taken notice of the alteration of her style, of her so sudden giving thanks upon the quick return God had made to her prayers. I come now to consider the mercy or good thing she had received, which she expresseth in the same metaphorical dialect, which she useth throughout this Song. The King hath brought me into his Chambers; when I at first opened the whole verse, I endeavored to find out what this mercy was, in the receipt of which the Spouse triumpheth in this text. I then considered Chambers, as places more lofty then others, and and of more privacy and secrecy, and from thence concluded; that the Spouse by this phrase signifieth some special favors which she had received from God, some special, and more near and intimate degrees of fellowship, and communion with God, into which her beloved had taken her. The Proposition I offered from the words for my further explication was this:

That the Lord Jesus Christ hath Chambers, in which he sometimes entertaineth the Souls of his people. He hath a favor for them all, Rooms in his House for all the sizes of his people, but he hath Chambers for some, or into which he sometimes takes up the Souls of his Saints; the subject of my discourse will be such special favors, as God showeth to some Souls, or to the Souls of his people at sometimes. This is evident in holy writ. Abraham was called the Friend of God. Moses is called his Servant, emphatically. Moses my Servant is dead. David, the man according to God's own heart. Solomon was named by God Jedidiah, a man beloved of God. There are four degrees in the love of God, as it respecteth the Children of men.

1. He hath a Philanthropy, or general love, which he showeth towards all; He leaveth not the Heathen without witness. In him all men live, move, and have their being, from him they have fruitful times and seasons, which fill their bellies with food, their hearts with gladness, their bellies are filled with his hid treasure. The patience of God leadeth them to repentance. The invisible things of God, even his eternal power and God-head are made known to them, by his works of Creation, by the things which he hath made.

2. He hath a more special love for his Church. This is seen in his more special providence, exercised towards his whole Church, which are more watched over, and preserved by a common providence, then any other body of people are. They have also the Oracles of God, the Ordinances of God, and means of grace, and this latter is certainly an effect of the death of Christ.

3. He hath yet a more special love for all those within his Church, who are effectually called, whose hearts God hath seized, and subdued to himself, they are made partakes of more special grace, being called, justified, and sanctified, and such who shall hereafter be most certainly glorified.

4. But there is yet another specialty of Divine love, even amongst those who are made partakers of special saving graces, some are more specially favored in this life, and shall be more eminently then others glorified, in that life which is to come. These more special favors to the Saints, that are all made partakers of the same saving grace, are the subject of my present enquiry.

1. Some here understand the mansions of glory, but they are forced to make an Enallage of tenses to justify their interpretation, & to say, the King hath, is put for the King shall bring me, &c. Aquinas, Piscator, and some others thus interpret the Spouse. The question about degrees of glory, is not well agreed amongst Divines, there are great Divines on either side as to that opinion; nor is it a small difficulty to open in what the glory of one Child of God, when he comes in Heaven, shall excel another's▪ When it is certain, that they shall all see God, inherit his Kingdom, be satisfied with his likeness, and there shall be no want to any Soul there, especially we being taught by our Savior, that every laborer in the Vineyard shall have his penny. But yet it is very probably judged by Divines, That in that firmament, as well as in that which is lower, the stars shall differ one from another in glory, and that when Christ told his Disciples, they should sit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Israel, he by it expressed some greater degrees of glory, then shall be the portion of his more common Disciples besides, that the Scriptures speaking of God's rewarding all men according to their works, compared with the disproportion which we see in the works of Believers, make it yet more probable: So that I must confess myself very inclinable in this point, to be of the mind of those Divines who think that in the Mansions of Glory, there shall be Chambers, though I am not able to distinguish them from the lower Rooms in those blessed Mansions. But yet I am not inclinable (supposing this) to interpret the Spouse as speaking of them here, but rather judge her by this phrase designing to express her felicity, not discerned by the Eye of Faith, which is the Evidence of things not seen, but by the Eye of Sense, some special favor now received from God; and I am therefore concerned further to inquire, what these favors may be.

2. God hath Chambers of special Providence. Some indeed understand that Text, Isa. 26. 20. Come my people enter into the Chambers, and hide thyself; concerning the Grave, because the righteous are taken away (as the Prophet saith) from the Evil to come: But others (and I think better) interpret it as an invitation of God to his people in calamitous times to betake themselves into the Chambers of his special providenee, the Psalmist saith, Psal. 91. 1. He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of his Wings. In this Chamber there are Closets, there is a special providence that attendeth, and watcheth over the whole Church, as the whole Nation of the Jews were under more special providences, than the Heathens, but yet there is a more special providence attends the people of God who are so indeed. Which is abundantly proved throughout the 91 Psalm, so Psal. 34. 18. The Eye of the Lord is upon those that fear him, and upon those that hope in his mercy: To deliver their Souls from death, and to keep them alive in Famine. But in regard the Spouse here speaketh not of herself, as under any circumstances of outward misery or affliction; I do not think this is her meaning in this Text, these are not the Chambers, concerning which the Spouse boasteth, that the King had brought her into them, she is speaking here doubtless of more spiritual inward dispensations.

3. God hath his Chamber of Audience, where he receiveth, heareth, and giveth answer to the prayers of his people. This is a near degree of the Souls communion with God, and what God hath promised them, Psal. 34. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his Ears are open unto their cry. And again, v. 17. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth them, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. This is a favor which the Lord affordeth every believer, the promises of hearing prayers belong to them all; but yet in this Chamber there are Closets also, God sometimes granteth a more speedy answer to his pecples prayers, sometimes he delayeth, and seemeth to be angry with, and to shut out his people's supplications from him; but you know it was my whole business in my last discourse to prove, and to give you some account of this, which may very well supersede any larger discourse upon it, under this Proposition. Abraham, Moses, and Daniel, and Job, were all entertained in these Chambers, so are many of the Servants of God at this day, men mighty with God in prayer, such Favorites in the Court of Heaven, that they have no more to do then to form their Petitions, and to put them into the hands of Christ, and to get upon their Watch-Tower with Habakkuk, and see what the Lord will answer. God seemeth to have said unto them, as Ahasuerus said to Esther; What is thy Petition (O my Child) and what is thy request? it shall be performed, even to the half of my Kingdom Solomon was entertained by God in this Chamber, when the Lord appeared unto him in Gibeon, and asked him, what shall I give thee? and when after his prayer upon the dedication of his Temple, the Lord again appeared to him, and said? I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place for myself: a Soul may be said to be brought into this Chamber, either when it findeth that God hath answered its prayers at any time; Or, 2. When, it before it prays, ordinarily findeth a persuasion within itself, that it shall be answered, and so goeth with boldness, and confidence to the throne of grace, and poureth out its self unto God without doubting.

4. God hath Chambers, which I may call the Chambers of his special presence. This being the thing which I conceive chiefly intended in this metaphorical expression, I shall spend a little time in the explication of it. The Scripture speaking much of God's presence with, and absence from his people, his being with them, or forsaking them, and departure from them; that you may in some measure understand those phrases, Consider,

1. There is a presence of the Divine Essence, in all places, in respect of which it is said, The Lord filleth Heaven and Earth. In respect of this he is never far from any of us, he is neither shut up in, nor shut out of any place, nor is he more present in one place, then he is in another, according to that barbarous verse. Enter, praesenter, Deus est & ubique potenter. God is everywhere in respect of his being, essential presence, and power.

2. There is a presence of the Divine goodness; it's communicative goodness, for there is an essential goodness which can never be separated from it, wherever the divine being is, there is infinite goodness; but there is in God not only a goodness of perfection, which is essential to God, and inseparable from him, but a goodness of bounty and beneficence, which is nothing else but the goodness of God affecting the creature, and flowing out upon the creature; now this dependeth upon the will of God. He showeth mercy where he will show mercy. Thus God is said to be present, where he showeth mercy and kindness, and to be absent where he with-holdeth his acts of kindness. Thus the Saints in Heaven are said to be ever with the Lord in Heaven, because they shall be ever under the fullest manifestations of his glory and goodness, and the damned are said to depart from God, because they are never like more to see him, or feel him in any manifestations of his mercy and goodness, the showing of mercy and goodness is so natural to God, so much his proper work and delight, that he is said to be wholly absent from them, to whom he will never more show kindness and mercy. So as to this life, God is said to be present with a people, when he showeth them goodness, and mercy, to be departed, and to be absent from them▪ when he with-holdeth from them such dispensations, as they have formerly enjoyed, and are suited and proper to their wants, or desires. Now these mercies, or good things being such as are suited to the necessities of our bodies here in this life, or of our Souls, the first of which we usually call the good things of common providence. The latter, the good things of special grace. God is said to be present with, or absent from his people, with respect to the one, or to the other; with respect to the good things of common providence, God is present with a people, when he goeth forth with their Armies, gives them peace, and plenty, success in business, prosperity in their tradings and commerce; and on the other side, he is said to be absent from them, and to be departed from them, when he goeth not forth with their Armies, but makes them to fall before their enemies, when he sends amongst them famine, and pestilence, &c. Thus as to particular persons, as God is said to be present with persons, when he upholdeth their Souls in life, their bodies in health, when he blesseth them in their businesses, and relations, and maketh the works of their hands to prosper; so he is said to have forsaken them, and to be departed from them, when he leaves them to sicknesses, blasts them in their Estates, &c. thus God's presence, and being with his people, his absence, forsaking of, and departing from a people, or person, are often taken in holy writ. Thus God may be present with the very worst of men, thus he may be absent, and depart from the very best of his people.

But then there is a presence of God with men and women, with respect to the good things of special grace. Now these things again are such as are either absolutely necessary to salvation; Or, 2. Such influences, as though they be not absolutely necessary to the salvation of the Soul, yet do highly accommodate the Soul in its way to Heaven. Of the first sort are the graces of justification, and of Regeneration, & Sanctification; without these the Soul can never enter into the Kingdom, as to these therefore God is always present with, never absent from the Souls of any whom he hath chosen, and called out of darkness into light; in that sense the promise doth, and ever shall hold true; He will never leave his people, nor forsakethem. But now there are other influences of grace, exceeding pleasant, & of high advantage, & accommodation to the Soul in its way to Heaven, such are further degrees of strength, and ability, further freedom, l • fe, and activity, and chearfulne • s in the service of God, p • ace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, these are not absolutely necessary unto eternal life, and salvation, nor to the upholding of spiritual life in the Soul, the want of them is only afflictive to the Soul, and incumbers it in its spiritual life, without a total destruction of it; as to these, God giveth more or less to the Souls of his people, and to the same Souls, more or less at one time then at another, and so is said to be present, or absent from them, according to the greater or lesser degrees of these influences which he vouchsafeth unto them, and those Souls may be said to be brought into the Lord's Chambers, to whom he vouchsafeth greater degrees of these gracious influences, and those Souls may be said to be under desertions, forsaken of God, to whom the Lord denieth such degrees of these influences, as either themselves have before enjoyed, or others do enjoy. As to these God is very various in his dispensations, they being such dispensations, as God upon the covenant of grace is left at liberty to dispense out to the Souls of his people, or to with-hold from them according to his own good pleasure, and wisdom, and which accordingly he doth dispense out in pursuit of the design of his own glory, and as according to his infinite knowledge and wisdom, he seeth will be most for the good of his people; when God dispenseth out more of these, he is said to be more present with the Souls of his people, when he more with-holdeth them, he is said to be absent, not that at any time he is wholly absent from the Souls of his people, as to his gracious presence (for without that they were able to do nothing) the seed of God abiding in the Soul, must be upheld in its life, and cherished by the influence of the Sun of righteousness upon the Soul; but as God, though he be always present in the world, by his essential presence, yet doth not always show forth his power in upholding, and preserving this or that part of it, no not the same parts of it, which is the reason of that sickness and mortality, with which some parts of it are affected more than others, and the same parts of it are affected at sometimes more than others. So as to spiritual influences, though he always vouchsafeth such a presence of his gracious influences, as shall keep up spiritual life in the Soul, yet for further gradual influences (the want of which is yet consistent with spiritual life in the Soul) the Lord granteth, or with holdeth them, according to his own will, guided by his infinite wisdom, with respect to the great ends of his own glory, and his people's good. And the Lord's withdrawings of this nature, are the cause of all the Souls sickness, and spiritual distempers, upon this are the grievous complaints of the people of God, of the strength of their corruptions, the violence of temptations, their deadness, and inactivity to, & in the operations of the spiritual llfe, their heaviness, sadness, and want of comfort. When the Lord granteth out to any of the Souls of his people more of these influences, then he may be said to bring them into his Chambers; when they find more internal strength to the performance of their duties, that their meditation of God is more sweet to them, they can believe with less doubting, pray with more faith, more fervor, less distraction; when they find more strength against motions to sin, more ability and courage to suffer for the name of God, when they find their Souls more ready to, more free, and cheerful in their duty, when they find more serenity, peace, and comfort within, than they have formerly experienced, then may the Lord be said to have brought them into his Chambers, the Chambers of his presence, when these abate, and the Soul lives, and no more but lives, complaining that it is without strength, ready to be overthrown by every motion of lust, by every foreign temptation, that the thoughts of God are troublesome to it, it may be terrible that it moves heavily, it doth something of its duty, but it is rather its task, and burden, than its pleasure and delight, its heart is sad, and heavy, and dejected, in such cases as these. Now God is present with the Soul that is his, for he dwelleth in it, but he entertaineth it as it were in his low Rooms. Cubiculum (saith Bernard upon the Text) est locus ubi vere quiescens & quietus Deus cernitur. The Chamber is a place where the Soul seeth God, quiet, and at rest. Sometimes the Soul apprehendeth God as it were returned to his place (to speak in the Prophets Dialect) as it were risen up from the Soul, and returned to Heaven, only to be found there, by fasting, and weeping, and earnest seeking after him; it apprehends God as angry, and not at rest in it; sometimes it discerns him at rest in it, the Soul can say, Lo this is my God, I have waited for him, I have waited for him, I will rejoice, and be glad in his Salvation, then the Soul returneth unto its rest, Psal. 116. 7. Return unto thy rest O my Soul (saith David) for the Lord hath dealt graciously with thee. When God is at rest in the Soul, then is the Soul at rest within itself, then hath the King brought the Soul into his Chambers. David when he was under apprehensions that the Lord sustained him, resolves to lay himself down in peace, and sleep, Psal. 4. 7. God had dealt graciously with him. These now are the Kings Chambers, and what I conceive to be here chiefly intended.

5. Gregory hath another notion of these Chambers. What (saith he) should we understand by these Chambers but the mysteries of holy contemplations? The Astronomer indeed, that spends his time in the contemplation of the Stars, chooseth the roof of the House, or some lofty room, for his contemplation, and we all choose the highest places of the House, for our prospects of things afar off, and all contemplative Persons choose Chambers, as places of privacy for their contemplations▪ When the Lord raiseth the Soul to further degrees of spiritual-mindedness, and gives the Soul a power further to contemplate him in his Divine Nature and goodness, then he may be said to have brought the Soul into his Chambers. There is a time when the Soul remembereth God, and is troubled (thus it was with the Psalmist, Psal. 77. 3.) Another time when the meditation of God is sweet to the Soul (so it was with David, Psal. 104. 34.) when the Soul is able to meditate of God without distractions, or disturbance, and can fit alone, and fancy that it seeth even the Heavens open, and beholdeth the glory of God, and its Redeemers arms open to receive it; and there is another time, when it is not able to lift up an Eye to God, nor to behold him with any pleasing aspect. When the Soul is in the former state, then the King may be said to have brought the Soul into his Chambers, but this the observing person will see sell under the aforementioned consideration.

Lastly, There are yet some other Chambers, into which God sometimes brings the Souls of his people, in the description of which I will not enlarge, because they are more peculiar Closets into which God hath taken, and may (for ought I know) yet take the Souls of some particular Servants of his, into which believers in general cannot expect to be brought, they being such as God in all times hath been pleased, but to take some few of his people into, and generally such, as he hath designed to make some more public use of in the world; I may call them Chambers of particular instruction. Before God had fully revealed his will in the holy Scriptures, written for our instruction, and consolation. God was pleased at sundry times, and in divers manners (as the Apostle speaketh, Heb. 1. 1.) to speak unto the Fathers by the Prophets. Persons whom God admitted to a more special degree of fellowship, and communion with him, and sometimes more plainly, sometimes more typically, and darkly to instruct them concerning his mind and will, both concerning what they were to do, and to avoid, and concerning what God intended to do in the world, or some particular place in it; into these Chambers he took Abraham, when he did not hide from him what he intended to do to Sodom, and Moses, when he took him up into the Mount, and there gave him his law, instructing him in his, mind and will, that he might instruct the people under his charge, in these Chambers the Lord entertained Samuel, Elijah, Elisha; Gad, and Nathan, and all the Seers, and Prophets of whom you read in the Old Testament, and after them the blessed Apostles, and some primitive Christians. But the bringing of any Souls now into these Chambers, is no matter of our faith, and expectation; though we must not limit the holy one of Israel, nor hath (that we know) he anywhere as to this limited himself; indeed as to one part of the revelation he hath: None can expect, nor have any new revelation of duty, for the holy Scriptures are a perfect rule, and able to make the man of God wise to Salvation. But we may have a fuller revelation of what is revealed, and thus doubtless, there is a further discovery of duty in this, than in former ages, no new light of truth, but a new light in our Souls to discern the revelations of the word. And doubtless there may be to some particular Souls, some more revelations of what God intends to do in the world, and as to his or their particular circumstances than others have, they are things we cannot expect, hope or believe for, but what some may receive, and for the trial of the truth of them, the issue must be expected, and from that the truth of their revelations, and prophecies, must be judged. And it seemeth by the answer of the Prophet Jeremy to Hananiah, that under the old dispensation, this was a piece of the Judgment, Jer. 28. 8, 9. The Prophets (saith he) which have been before me, and thee of old, prophesied both against many Countries, and against great Kingdoms, of War, and of pestilence, the Prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the Prophet shall come to pass, then shall the Prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him. Yet they must doubtless at that time have had some other way to discern a true Prophet from a false Prophet, how else could they have been charged with sin, in not hearkening to their voice, unless it were in such things which they required them to do, or to avoid, in force of the law of God given them by Moses, for though some of them wrought miracles, as Moses, Elijah, Elisha, yet we read no such thing of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, &c. But whatever that way was, it is hidden from us, & though I dare not but say that God may yet to some particular Servants of his, not only more fully and clearly reveal what he hath in his word revealed, so as they may more clearly understand the Scriptures, and be more able to teach others, but also reveal his mind and will as to future contingencies, with reference to Nations, or Persons; yet I know no reason any hath to expect, or pray for any such Revelation; nor any others to believe it; but yet when the thing those Prophets prophecy, comes to pass, then shall we know that the Lord hath sent them. But though these be special degrees of communion, special favors, which the Lord may vouchsafe to some Souls, yet these are not certainly those Chambers, of which the Spouse here speaketh. I have before told you what I judge those to be.

Will any one that heareth me, now say unto me, Why will the Lord thus please to do? 1. Why will he bring any Souls into his Chambers; allow them a nearer fellowship, and communion with him, then he will allow unto oath • s, and if he will thus treat any, why not all? I shall add a few words to satisfy such Souls as are so curious, and inquisitive; and then come to the practical application of this discourse.

1. He will do it to some to manifest that he hath a delight in the Sons of men; the wise man thus speaketh of Christ from all Eternity, as Rejoicing in the habitable part of the Earth, and having his delights with the Sons of men. Who can give a reason of love, and its motions in the creature? the affections of some persons to others (as we daily see) are inaccountable things; we find our own Souls, cleaving to some Neighbors, some Friends, and that we take a greater delight, and complacency in seeing them, hearing them discourse, being with them, and having them with us, then in others. Others can give no account of it, nor see any reason for it, and it may be we ourselves can give ourselves no great account of it, but so we do, though we know not why; and shall any one think to call God to account, to know why he showeth more favor to one Soul, then to another? how cometh God to be more a debtor to his Creature, then man is to his Neighbor? what Man or Woman lives without their more intimate, and special friends? What Prince (though never so ingenuous, and good natured, and kind to all his Subjects) is without his more particular, and special favorites? Christ as God blessed forever; before ever that he had assumed our nature, he had a delight in the Sons of men, but upon his taking unto him our nature, we cannot but apprehend him more specially inclined, he therefore took our flesh, that he might be touched with the seeling of our infirmities, Heb. 2. 17. And in all things (saith the Apostle) it behooved him to be made like unto us, that he might be a merciful, and faithful High Priest. Christ thus being not only engaged by the infinite goodness of the Divine Nature, to a communication of his goodness; but also by his choice, and assumption of the human nature, engaged to a delight in the Sons of Men, though considering his Majesty and greatness, it behooved him not to make every Soul a Favorite, taking it up into the nearest degrees of communion, and fellowship with himself; yet it behooved him to make choice of some Souls, to whom he will more fully, and freely make known himself in the riches of his grace.

2. Secondly, He is concerned to it 〈◊〉 point of faithfulness, because of his promises. God hath given us many great, and precious promises; some concerning this life, some respecting that which is to come, we have promises of special providence, special protection from dangers, support under them, deliverance from them, promises of special grace, manifestative love, Joh. 14. 21. I will love them, and manifest myself unto them, &c. promises of comfort, strength, &c. Now these promises are not made good to every Soul, at all times, but it is necessary (to uphold the Lord's faithfulness) that they should be made good to some Souls, and at sometimes; by this we know, that none of his words shall fail, that his promises are in, and through Christ all of them, yea, and Amen.

3. By this the Lord also encourageth others to their duty. It is sad, that we should not be willing to serve God for nothing, at least without sensible reward; but so crossed is our duty to the grain of our flesh, so many are our temptations, and discouragements, that even the most spiritual Souls must have their encouragements to duty from sensible rewards, whiles we think that every laborer in God's Vineyard shall have his penny, we are apt to think, it is of no avail for us to labor more then others. God is therefore pleased (though one man's penny in glory may be brighter then another's) to encourage us also with sensible rewards in this life; one Christian shall have more freedom, and liberty in his Spirit, then another, more quiet and peace in his Spirit then another he shall find more strength unto his duty then another.

If any further ask why the Lord doth not please to deal thus with all, who yet truly love, and fear him; we cannot enter into God's secrets, or pretend to give an account of God's motions. I shall only show you that it is reasonable, that God should not so deal with all, but with some only, and that he should not at all times deal alike with the same Souls.

1. In regard of our own incertainty, and mutability, and disproportion to others; though we be made partakers of the same special saving grace that they are, there is nothing more evident upon observation, then that some walk more close with God, are more in prayer, more in reading, and hearing the Word of God, more in spiritual contemplation, and meditation, more reserved from the world, more watchful upon their own hearts and ways: nay, that the same Christian hath not always the same heart for God, nor doth walk with God the same pace, nor by the same steps. Now though the Lord doth not distribute rewards strictly, according to our merits, yet he distributeth punishments, according to our demerits, and the withdrawing of these gradual influences, being species of punishments, it is very reasonable that as our hearts, and ways are uneven before God, so his ways in these dispensations should also be uneven towards us, that in the darkness of our Spirits, we might sometimes read the darkness of our loose, and sinful conversation. God thus punisheth our pride, our hypocrify, our neglect of duty, our willful yielding to temptations, to which we might have made a better opposition. And upon the withdrawing of these influences, we have all just reason to search, and try our own hearts, and to reflect upon our own ways, to search out (if we can) the cause, why when others are in the Mount with God, we are still kept in the valley, while they are in the Chambers, we are kept in the lower Rooms, this is certain, that though possibly the punishment of sin be not always the next cause, moving God to such dispensations, yet we have always reason to suspect it, having our Souls never so free from sin, but we may find enough to justify God in them.

2. It may be reasonable that God should thus deal with us, that we might know (as I told you in handling the other Doctrine) that his grace is free, and he a free agent in the dispensation of it. Not only first grace, but further grace also in God is free; indeed else it could not be grace, we should never understand the freeness of grace, if it were equally dispensed. We in our little manifestations of our love to our fellow creatures, challenge to ourselves a liberty, and think ourselves free to show it where we will. God certainly must in justice be allowed the same, which we should not be brought to see and acknowledge, if we saw God treating all his Servants, and at all times to the same rate, and in the same degree.

3. It may be the mind of God to make a trial of his people's grace, to draw forth some habits into acts, which would not be so exercised, if some of his people were not under different dispensations, and the same Souls sometimes variously exercised. The Soul that is with the Lord in his Chambers, is more a receiver from God, then a giver to him. It gives him the exercise of its saith, in its reflex act, which indeed is not very properly an act of faith. It offereth up unto God, the sacrifice of joy, of praise, and thanksgiving, it followeth here in the next words; we will be glad, and rejoice in thee. It may exercise its love of complacency, and delight in God. But all this while, where is the exercise of the Souls panting, and breathing after God, of its faith of adherence unto, and dependence upon God? of its hope in God, and patient expectation of, and waiting for God? where is the exercise of its patience, and submission to God under severer providences? It is reasonable that God should see all those blessed habits which he hath infused into the Soul; drawn forth into act.

4. The good Judas asked Christ, John 14. 22. Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself to us, and not to the world. Christ told him, because they loved him more, and kept his Commandments better. There is the same reason to be assigned, why Christ will manifest himself to some of his Saints, more then to others, because at sometimes the love of his people more manifesteth itself to him by a stricter keeping of his Commandments, and the love of some good men is greater for God. Now to encourage men (as I before said) to perfect holiness in his fear, though he will give them all glory, yet some shall in this life have God's goodness made to pass before them, more then others, that others may see what it is to be much with God.

5. Lastly, God often doth it for the good of others. And indeed this generally is the reason of that more special communion with God, which some have, more then others, as to the Revelation of his mind and will unto them; thus God would not hide from Abraham, the thing which he had to do against Sodom, because Abraham had a Family to instruct; God taketh Moses up into the Mount, and revealeth his mind, and will unto him, that he might teach the People over whom God had set him his Statutes, and Judgments; the same reason is to be given of God's special communications to the Prophets under the Old, and the Apostles under the New Testament, and doubtless the same reason is to be assigned for God's more full revelation of his mind and will already revealed in the Scripture, to his faithful Servants in the Ministry, who generally know more of the sense of Scriptures, and the mind, and will of God revealed in them then other Christians do, because God designeth that the Priests lips should preserve knowledge, and the people should inquire at them; and there is the same reason to be given for some more then ordinary influences of grace upon some Christians Souls. See 2 Cor. 1. 4. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comforts, who comforteth us in all tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. God hath made us one for another, and in the dispensings out of his own gifts, and graces, he hath respect unto the serviceableness both of Ministers, and others, one to another.

But this is sufficient for the Doctrinal part of this discourse.

Sermon XXVI.

YOU have heard the Proposition raised from these words; God hath Chambers, in which he sometimes entertains the Souls of his people. As there are specialties of common Providence, so there are specialties of special and distinguishing grace He takes some of those who love, and fear him, into nearer degrees of fellowship and communion with him, then he doth others. Man will claim himself a prerogative in this; the Parent will be more fond of, more kind to one Child then another, though he owns them both as his Children, and will give to them both a portion. The Prince who hath a tender love for all his Subjects, yet will be allowed his favorites.

Let us not then accuse God in such dispensations of partiality, or injustice, let us not murmur that we have lesser shares in his manifestative love. This is a thing we are very prone to. Christ taught it us in the Parable of the Prodigal, Luke 15. The Son that was always at home with the Father. v. 28, 29. was angry, and would not go into his Fathers House, no not though his Father entreated him, because the Father had killed a satted Calf to entertain his Prodigal Brother returning; our Savior doubtless intended in that parable to check the Jews envy at the kindness Christ was about to show to the Gentiles, or did at that time show to Harlots, to Publicans, and Sinners; but it reacheth further, we shall find all our hearts too prone to this, to repine at the further manifestations of the love of God to others Souls, then unto ours. If I do not misconceive him, David seems in this to have failed, Psal. 22. 2, 3, 4. O my God (saith he) I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not, and in the night season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our Fathers trusted in thee, they trusted, and thou didst deliver them, they trusted in thee, and were not confounded, but I am a Worm, and no Man, a reproach of Men, and despised of the People, &c. To silence this corruption so exceedingly natural to us, let me offer a few things to thy thoughts.

1. The first shall be the Lord's Prerogative, to show mercy where he will show mercy. This our Savior hints me in the Parable of the Laborers sent into the Vineyard, Mat. 20. 15. when those who had wrought all the day, received their penny, in proportion to those who had wrought but a few hours, they complained, the Master of the Vineyard says to them. May I not do with my own what I please? All influxes of grace are God's own. It is a prerogative that everyone of us claims for himself, to dispose of his love, (especially some degrees of it) as we please; why should we deny that to God, which everyone of us claimeth to himself? The Prince will not allow the Subject to dispose of his favor, no more will the Father allow it to his Child; why should we think God is not at the same liberty? especially considering▪

2. That God by it doth us no wrong. You have this in the same Text, Friend, I do thee no wrong, Mat. 20. 15. This now dependeth upon this hypothesis, that the grace of God cannot be merited by any; he that hath the greatest manifestations of Divine love, hath them freely, & he who hath the least discoveries of it, hath what he hath freely, without any preceding merit in himself. If God will let one of his Children walk in the light of his countenance, and another to walk in the dark, and see no light, if he will treat one in Chambers, another in a low, and more common Room, yet he doth not wrong to any. There is no injustice in the case; in appearance to us, he showeth indeed more severity to the one, and more goodness to the other, but he is unjust to neither, because neither hath merited anything that he receiveth.

3. God hath with held from thee nothing for which he agreed with thee. This is a third thing which the Master of the Vineyard told those laborers that repined, because they had not more then those who had labored less, Mat. 20. 15. Did I not (saith he) agree with thee for a penny? we can lay claim to nothing of another's, but either upon the plea of a Native right; thus the Child lays claim to his Patrimonial Estate, as heir at law; or upon the account of purchase, by virtue of some compact or agreement, or some valuable consideration given him for it; we can lay no claim to the Grace of God, as our Patrimonial right, as Heirs to it, we are indeed called Heirs, but it is by adoption; nor upon the account of any valuable consideration given; who hath given first to God, and it shall be repaid to him again? All the claim we can lay to anything either of Grace, or Glory, is upon the account of a Covenant that God hath made with us, or with Christ on our behalf, and by us accepted, when we come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The question is, what God hath agreed with us for, he hath agreed with us for a Kingdom. Fear not little Flock (saith Christ) it is your Fathers will to give you a Kingdom. He that believes on me, is not condemned (saith our Savior) he is passed from death to life. He hath agreed with us for all that grace, and mercy which is necessary to bring us to this Kingdom. That he will give us a clean heart, and a new heart, that we shall be kept by the power of God through faith to salvation. But where hath the Lord agreed with the Souls of any of his people for equal measures of his manifestative love? Nay, plainly, God in the Covenant of his Grace hath reserved himself a liberty to chastife, and afflict his people, either for the probation of Grace, or for the punishment of sin, and this is one species of affliction, by which God doth both try the faith and patience, and also correct the errors, and miscarriages of the best of his people. But you will say, is not manifestative love promised? I answer it is, but so are not the measures of it, nor yet the particular time for the discovery of it. 2. It is but the matter of a conditional promise, John 14 21. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him. Psal. 50. 21.— To him that ordereth his conversation aright, I will show the Salvation of God. The promises of Eternal life, and Salvation, are made to Faith, and holiness, without which (both which) none shall see God, but not to degrees of the one, or of the other, a weak faith may bring a Soul to Heaven, so will an upright and sincere heart, though encumbered with many lustings of the flesh against the Spirit; but the case is otherwise as to some degrees of the manifestative love of God, which much depend both upon degrees of faith, and degrees of holiness also. Our Savior hath determined doubts, and fears, indications of little faith, and reason will determine them inconsistent with much joy, peace, and comfort in the Soul; that holiness in some good degree is necessary to our peace, will appear to any Soul, that considers, that nothing but sin will break our peace with God. So that if thou beest not conscious to thyself, that thy faith is as strong as others, and thy ways as perfect before God as theirs, thou hast no reason to expect the same manifestations of Divine love; No; though thou beest one who truly believest, and truly lovest, and fearest God, God hath agreed with every believer for eternal life and salvation, for pardon of sin, and a clean heart, and the upholding of him by his power unto salvation: But he hath not agreed with every such Soul for the same measures of peace and comfort, the same degrees of his manifestative love, he hath reserved himself a liberty to reward those with these more special favors, who walk most closely, and exactly with him in their conversations. Those therefore who find their Souls under temptations, to repine at God, for doing more for others then for them, should do well to reflect upon themselves, and to consider whether the faith of those others be not more strong, and their walking with God more close and exact then theirs; if it be, they are not to wonder that their Souls are more highly favored, and more treated in God's Chambers.

2. But Secondly, There being no merit in anything we do or suffer, at God's command, why should we think God obliged thus to reward the highest degrees of faith or holiness? What if God will hear one believers prayers sooner then another's, what if he will give one such Soul more peace then another, who shall say unto him what doest thou, or why am I thus, and others are otherwise? we certainly ought to allow the freest, and most sovereign agent, what privilege we everyone claim for ourselves, with reference to our Children, Servants, Friends, whiles every of us receives more then we deserve, what reason have we to repine, because others have more then we.

4. I beseech you consider whether this fruit floweth not from a root of Pride. Why should my Eye be evil, because another's is good? Why should I repine, because God is kinder (as I think) to another Soul, then to me, if I did not secretly think that I had deserved as much, and as well as those, if not better? The humble Soul looks upon itself as meriting nothing, and therefore prizeth every influence of Divine love. The Dogs eat the crumbs, said the poor Woman. I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof (saith the Centurion) therefore speak the word only. Now if this be thy root of thy complaint, be assured, there is not a more bitter one in all the wilderness of nature. There is no Soul at further distance from obtaining at the hand of God, then that Soul that challengeth God as a debtor to his Creature, if thy Soul saith, as Haman, to whom should the King more delight to honor then me, thou art like enough to meet with as great disappointment as he did; God sets himself to pull down the Soul, that exalts itself above measure. God will keep Souls swelled with this tumor, with Thorns in their flesh for their buffetings, it is enough if they find his grace sufficient for them.

5. If it doth not argue this, yet it speaketh a discontent at, and dissatisfaction with God's methods in the conduct, and government of thy Soul, in order to that end to which he hath appointed thee. This frame of spirit is sinful enough, it is indeed a branch that groweth out of the root of pride; God's general promise is, that he will with-hold no good thing from them that live uprightly, and that all things shall work together for the good of them that love God; but we must leave the judgment of good to the wisdom of God, who knoweth what is good for us, while we repine at God's dispensations, we either show our distrust, and unbelief in these promises, or assume the judgment of good to ourselves, paramount to the judgment of God. No sin more provokes God then this of murmuring, and repining. It was the great sin of the Israelites, which at last provoked God to swear in his wrath they should never enter into his rest. Let us therefore learn thankfully to acknowledge what grace we have received, and with silence, and patience to wait for what further manifestations of it we desire, and judge our Souls to stand in need of.

2. Hath the King of glory, whom we serve Chambers, wherein he treateth the Souls of his Subjects, not only Mansions, but Chambers, further degrees of gracious influxes, & manifestations. Let us then learn from hence; That no man serves God in any degrees of service for nothing; some indeed shall have greater degrees of reward then others, none shall serve him for nothing, there is a reward for every righteous Soul. He that serveth God in truth and sincerity, though with a great deal of weakness and imperfection, though he comes into his Service at the last hour, yet he shall have his penny, he shall have Heaven and Glory. If any will come in to God's Service in the morning, and work in the heat of the day, and labor for God more abundantly, he shall not lose his reward; nay, he shall be rewarded according to his work, as there are degrees of active working Grace, so there are degrees of manifestative love, and this by the way.

1. It is a great encouragement to those that are young, to turn into the ways of the Lord betimes. Josiah, and Timothy, and Enoch, were all of them such as began early to walk with God. Of Josiah it is said, Chron. 2. 34. That when he was but eight years old, he began to seek after the God of David his Father, what special favor he had from God, his story will tell you; he was early taken into the Chambers of glory, and while he was upon the Earth, God treated him in his Chambers, he would not in his days bring the intended evil upon Judah. Enoch walked with God, the Text saith he was not, for God took him. Timothy was a great Favorite, used as a great instrument for God, and doubtless these three, and so those others who have early given up themselves to God, and continued to the end, will hereafter be found in some degrees of glory above others.

2. It is a great encouragement to men and women to put out themselves mightily for God, to love the Lord (according to the tenor of the first, and great Commandment) with all their Soul, and all their strength, & all their might, God hath degrees of love to reward degrees of holiness & service, & though possibly there may be some rare instances, wherein the wisdom of God (as unsearchable) is to be adored, and not to be found out, and we may see some, who appear to us more exemplary in holiness then others, yet clouded under darker dispensations, walking in the dark, and seeing no light, yet ordinarily it is otherwise, those who walk most in the light of holiness, have more of the light of God's countenance, enjoy most peace, and have most manifestations of God's special love; and this now lets us see what a difference there is betwixt the service of God, and the service of the Devil, or the service of the world, many a one serves the world, and gets little, and those that make themselves least drudges to it get most of it; he that serves the Devil in serving corruption, the more he toils in that service, the more torment he hath. But the more a man serves God, the more peace, the more inward rest and sweetness he hath.

3. This discourse may give some relief to such Christians whose hearts are right with God, but yet their attainments are not proportionable to others. The King hath not brought them into his Chambers, indeed the fault of this may be in ourselves, and where it is so, we have reason to blame ourselves, and to sit down in silence, and endeavor for the time to come to mend our pace in the ways of holiness; there are Stairs, by which Christians usually ascend into these Chambers, come up (I mean) into this near degree of communion with God, if we will not do what in us lies to climb up those steps which God hath made for us, by which we may ascend into these Chambers, we must blame ourselves, if we abide below: But this is not always the cause, in some cases we must have recourse to God's prerogative, and must rest in this. Even so O Father, because it pleaseth thee. Some Souls are dignified with a special communion, and familiarity with God, so was Abraham, Moses, David, yet possibly if we look into the records we have of their lives, we shall find more blots in some of them, then in some others, who we do not read were taken up into such eminent degrees of favor. We cannot give just reasons, and accounts of all God's acts of Grace, it is enough that God wills them. In the mean time, if we find but a good hope through grace, an heart changed, and cleaving to God, if we can say with Peter, Lord thou that knowest all things, knowest that we love thee, though we cannot boast of such special providences as others, nor of such visions of peace, nor of so quick an hearing of our prayers, though we dare not pretend to be such favorites of Heaven, yet let us not be discouraged, possibly as to us the Lord's time is not yet come, possibly it never will come, God is a great Sovereign, and unquestionably free as to these things, he knows what is best for us, he will deny no good thing to us We may say of the whole Family of God, as the Queen of Sheba said of Solomon's, 1 Kings 10. 8. Happy are thy Men, happy are these thy Servants, which stand continually before thee, and heaṙ thy wisdom. There are some of God's Servants, that as to these enjoyments are more happy then others, but there are none but are happy, none but have reason forever to admire the difference which God hath made betwixt them, and others; to admire what God hath done for their Souls, bringing them out of the horrible Pit, if they have not, if they cannot see reason to rejoice in such a prospect of Heaven as othershave, yet they have reason to rejoice in an equal deliverance from Hell.

I will shut up this discourse with two words of exhortation. 1. The first directed to those who can say with the Spouse, The King hath brought us into his Chambers. 2. The second to those who walk with God, but have not yet arrived at this. Are there any who can speak the language of the Spouse, and glory in this▪ not only that they are brought home to Christ, but that the King hath brought them into his Chambers, the Lord hath dignified them with some special favors, and manifested himself more to them then unto others, the following words of this Text will let them know what is their duty. I will (saith the Spouse) be glad, and rejoice in thee, and remember thy loves more then Wine. 1. Be glad, and rejoice in God; we are often called to for this rejoicing in the Lord, Psal. 33. 1. Psal. 97. 12. Phil. 3. 1. 4. 4. and in many other Texts. Such is the portion of God's Children, such their state, and condition, that they have a continual cause of rejoicing, and giving of thanks; be they under what circumstances they can, there is ground enough for them in all things to give thanks, but they are more eminently obliged to it, when they are under the highest manifestations of Divine Love. This rejoicing in the Lord is (I conceive) opposed, both to a carnal joy in sensual objects, and also to a rejoicing merely in that ease, and satisfaction, which the good thing giveth us, for which we rejoice. As now, suppose a rich man giveth a poor man 20 s. it is one thing for the poor man to rejoice in the gift, as suited to to • his necessitous circumstances, another thing to rejoice in the love and favor of the giver. This is now the duty of the spiritual man; he ought not only under the manifestations of divine love, to rejoice in the Lord, more then in all the world, and all the affluences, and contentments of it, which is expressed in the next phrase, we will remember thy loves more then Wine, and is commensurate to what David saith, Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, for thou shalt thereby make my heart more glad then in the day when their Corn and Wine increased▪ I say this is not enough for a Soul thus dignified, he ought more to rejoice in the favor of God shown him, in these specialties of his favor, then in the ease, and sati • faction, which the mercy received giveth unto his Soul, And herein lieth the purity of the spiritual man's joy, nor is his joy genuine, and perfect till it come to this pitch.

2. The second phrase in the Text, expressive of this dignified Souls duty is, We will remember thy loves more then Wine. The term remember is taken in Scripture in a great latitude, and expressive both of all that affection which is due to the remembrance of the object, and of all that practical duty which is consequent to it. I shall touch a little upon both these, and that very shortly, for I shall, God willing, speak to both these expressions in order more fully.

1. Remember Christ's loves, with the remembrance of the heart. I shall instance but in one fruit of this, and that is faith, Remember his loves, so as for them to trust in God more, and to cast the care of thy Soul in an hour of distress, the better upon him, upon consideration of thy past and present experience. We are too ready, both to forget our sorrows, and to forget our comforts, to forget our sorrows, by giving ourselves a liberty to the same sins for which we have smarted, and to forget our comforts, by giving liberty to the same dejections, and despondencies again, after the experiences of God's favor.

2. Remember Christ's loves practically, so as to make them obligations upon your Souls, to a close walking with God. See the example of David, Psal. 116. 1, 9, 12, 18. But I shall speak all this over again, when I come to handle the next words, and shall therefore add no more.

My second Branch of this Exhortation shall respect those whom God hath not thus far dignified; the Lord hath (as they hope) admitted them into his family, but he hath not yet brought them into his Chambers. Some communion with God they hope they have, and an heart that panteth after a more full, and near communion with him, but this they have not yet attained to, they walk in the dark, and see no light, the Lord giveth them an heart to pray, but they cannot glory in such a full, and quick return of prayers as others have; they have not that inward joy and peace, which as to some Souls is consequential to believing; the question is now, what they should do, what their duty is, under their present circumstances. I will open it in two particulars.

1. Certainly they ought not to despond, and be dejected, and conclude against themselves, as if they had no share in the love of God, much less to repine, and murmur against God. Against murmuring I offered you some considerations under the first branch of application. Against condemning yourselves, or concluding against the goodness of your spiritual state, I shall offer something now. There is no ground at all for any such conclusion from these providences. The Childs right to the Father is not to be determined from the portion, much less from any particular expression of the Fathers affection, if the Child be begotten by the Father, if owned by him as his Child, this is enough, though some other Child may have more smiles, and some particular expressions of kindness which it wanteth. If a Christian hath any evidence, that he is born again, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of the will of God, born again of the Spirit, by the incorruptible Seed of the Word, this is enough to entitle him to a Sonship, if he hath received the Lord Jesus Christ, this John 1. 12. gives him a right to be called the Child of God, and this new birth is discoverable by the new features in the Souls face, the Souls assimilation to God in holiness. If these things be found, it is a most unreasonable conclusion to conclude against thy Sonship, for want of some special favors bestowed upon others, and not upon thee; so as there is no ground for thy reprobating thyself upon this account, and concluding against thy spiritual state, because of thy want of some degrees of spiritual privileges by others enjoyed; nor hast thou more ground to despond, and to deject thyself, as if thou never shouldst attain what thou hast not as yet attained. David sets us a rare example in this case, Psal. 42. 5. Why art thou cast down O my Soul, why art thou disquieted within me, hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. The longest night hath a morning following, there commonly is a circulation in Divine Providence, and as to the Soul of man, day, and night, Summer, and Winter, follow one another, as by a Covenant, he that doth not grieve willingly, nor willingly afflict the Children of men, will not be always crushing the Prisoners of the Earth, nor suffer the Souls which he hath made to fail before him.

2. As thy condition will prompt thee to endeavor to amend it, and to make the case of thy Soul more easy; so I would have thee look upon it as thy duty. St. Paul had not attained, but he forgetting what was behind, pressed forward to what was before, unto the price of the high calling. It is the state of our Souls, that we are not perfect, neither as to action, nor as to fruition, but it is all our duty to strive after perfection, both after a perfection with respect to action, which the Apostle calls a perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord, and a perfection as to fruition, as to the enjoyment of God, you have heard that the King of Glory hath Chambers, in which he entertaineth some of his people's Souls, admitting them to a fuller, further, and sweeter enjoyment of himself then others have. Let therefore no Christian sit down fully satisfied, till he get up into these Chambers I have shown you a Christian ought to be so far satisfied, as if God pleaseth to chain him for a time in a lower room (my meaning is to lay a necessity upon him to live beneath these Mountains) not to repine & murmur against God, not to conclude against his spiritual state, and interest in God, not to despond, and defect himself, and conclude that, because it is now dark, it shall never be light with him, but yet he ought not to be so far satisfied, as not to look after higher degrees of enjoyment of, and communion with God. There are all the arguments imaginable to be pleaded in this case. Whether from profit, or pleasure, or honor, &c. But those are so obvious, that I shall but wast time to enlarge upon them. Every Soul that hath any spiritual sense, will acknowledge the desirableness of this. But will some Souls say, what shall we do, that we may attain them. I have but four things to offer in this case, with which I will conclude.

1. Study to abound in active grace. The grace I am speaking of is that grace wherein man is partly passive. Active grace is that by which we are enabled to our duty in obedience to the will of God; the Stairs by which Souls ascend to the Kings Chambers, mentioned in the Text (as I have interpreted it) are the steps of universal holiness, which the Apostle calls, an holiness in all manner of conversation. The promise of God's showing his Salvation, Psal. 50. 21. is made to him that ordereth his conversation aright, and the promise of God's manisesting himself to his people's Souls, is made to them that love Christ, and keep his Commandments. It is true, God sometimes useth his prerogative, and hides his face from the most pious, and holy Souls, for a time, and shutteth out their supplications from him, you have instances in holy writ, as well as in our daily converse, but it is past all controversy, that those enjoy most of God who walk most with God, and the closest walking is the most sweet and comfortable walking. Study therefore to excel in holiness; that's the first.

2. Behave thyself well in the lower Rooms. Look to thyself, while God keeps thee in a dark condition, that thou dost not add to thine own Chains, and lengthen the hours of thy darkness; affliction is God's School, by which he fits us for consolation. Dost thou ask me what I mean by behaving thyself well? I answer short. 1, Being watchful, and striving against sin, those corruptions especially, which thou shalt discern most busy in such an hour, such as murmuring, unbelief, impatience, &c. 2. Keeping up thy hope and saith in God, so did David (as I shown you) Psal. 42. 5. Blessed are they saith our Savior, who have not seen, and yet believed. 3. Humbly acknowledging thine iniquities, thy unworthiness to receive the least mercy, or look of grace from God. 4. Panting & thirsting after fuller degrees of communion with God; thus David, Psal. 63. 1, 2. My Soul longeth, my flesh thirsteth for thee, to see thy power, and thy glory, &c.

3. Abstract thyself as much as thou canst from the world. You shall observe that the Servants of God have chosen Mountains places of solitude, and removed from the noise of the world, when they designed any acts of more special communion with God, so Christ often went into a Mountain to pray. And God oft chose such places more specially to communicate his mind to his people. It was in the Mount God talked with Moses, face to face, as a man talks with his friend. Divines have observed that those Persons who have enjoyed most of God, have been, such as have been (I will not say most, but) much in contemplation, which brought contemplation afterward into a superstition, and a contemplative life to be cried up beyond all sense or reason.

4. Lastly, Be much in prayer.

But I have spoke enough upon this argument.

Sermon XXVII.

I Am now come to the Fourth thing considerable in this Second Petition of the Spouse. I have done with the Petition, Draw me. 2. With the Argument by which she enforced her Petition; We will run after thee. 3. With the Spouse's Attestation of the quick acceptance of her Petition: The King hath brought me into his Chambers. I have only to consider the Effect that this Love had upon her, that is expressed in the words I have now read. We will be glad, and rejoice in thee,; we will remember thy Loves more than Wine. I have opened the words before: We, I and all Believers, we who being many are yet one body, united by one Spirit, Members under the Government of one Head; we who have tasted and experienced thy goodness▪ will be glad. The word in the Hebrew 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , is expressive of the largest dilatation of the heart upon union with its object. It is used, Isa. 65. v. 19. Prov. 24. 23. Psal. 21. 1. Psal. 2. 11. & 13. 11. Zech. 9. 9. [and rejoice in thee.] The word again here used, is often used in the Old Testament, Exod. 4. 14. Jer. 31. 13, &c. I shall not undertake to justify the Critical distinction some make betwixt these two words, as if one were restrained to the more inward motion of the heart, the other more expressive of the more external gestures, or actions, signifying that affection [in thee] in Christ, as the principal object, and in the significations of thy love to us. The Proposition is shortly this.

Jesus Christ, and the manifestations of his love to believers Souls, particularly in answering prayers, are the singular objects of their joy, and rejoicing. In order both to the explication and confirmation of this Proposition, I will guide you a little into the understanding of the nature of Joy, 2. Consider how Christ can be the object of the believers joy, and is more the object of his joy, then of another man's. 3. How he is the special singular object of their joy.

Take joy considered in itself, it is but a natural plant, a power God hath given to every reasonable Soul, the object of it is some good, to which it is in some degree united, and it is greater or lesser, according to the nature of the good, or the degree of the apprehension. There is in all joy, satisfaction, and rest, and something of music, or melody.

1. There is in all joy a Soul satisfying suln ss, desire speaks some emptiness in the Soul, and is the Souls motion in order to a satisfaction, the like might be said of hope, but all joy, speaketh a Soul satisfaction, according to the measure of the joy, the rejoicing Soul hath always in it a fullness, and a pleasing fullness; that is the first thing in the nature of it.

2. There is in all joy a rest that quieteth the Soul; the desiring, thirsty, hoping Soul is still in motion, being in the pursuit of something which it hath not attained, but the rejoicing Soul is at rest; David in the hour of his joy saith, Return unto thy rest, O my Soul! For God hath dealt graciously with thee. That is a second thing in joy.

3. There is in all joy something of music and melody, hence that phrase of leaping for joy, hence singing and shouting, are the natural expressions of joy; thus joy may be described to be a natural power, or inclination of the Soul, by which having more perfectly, or imperfectly obtained an union with the object which it desired, or hoped for, it is in proportion satisfied, and well pleased, at rest, and keeps as it were a festival within itself.

Two things are required to make an adequate object of this joy. 1. The thing must be good. 2. We must have some apprehension both of the goodness of it, and our union with, and interest in it. 1. The object that our Souls rejoice in, must be something which either is good, or which at least we apprehend to be so, the nature of good lieth in a suitableness and conveniency of a thing for us, and whatsoever we apprehend suited to any of our wants, or convenient for us in any of our circumstances that we call good, and whatsoever we apprehend under that notion, whether it indeed be so or no, we love, and if we want it, we desire it, if we apprehend it probable to be our portion, we hope for it, if we have it, or apprehend we have it, we delight, and take a complacency, and rejoice in it. 2. So that secondly, to make an adequate object of our joy. There must be some apprehended union betwixt our Souls, and the object we rejoice in. For although we can love, and take a secret complacency in an object which appeareth to us as good, yet it is propriety in it that causeth our joy and rejoicings. Thus far now I have only considered, and discoursed of joy, philosophically, as it is a natural affection, working upon its proper object.

Let us now consider it as a grace, or sanctified affection. Grace doth not plant new powers in the Soul of man, it only turns the natural powers to their proper objects.

Our Savior tells us, there is none good but God, God is the Summum Bonum, the first, and chiefest good, nor is anything good, but what deriveth from him. Christ is good, supremely good, as in him there is found, what is suited to the greatest wants and emptinesses, that the nature of man is exposed, and subject to. And that the believer more valueth Christ then another man, ariseth only, 1. From his different apprehension. 2. From his different relation to him and interest in him.

1. From the different apprehensions of good which the believer hath, from those which are in other men. I told you before, that the nature of good lieth in the suitableness, or conveniency of a thing to our wants and emptinesses. Man is a creature made up of two essential parts, the Body and the Soul, that which suiteth the one, or the other we call good. The Soul is considerable, with respect to a present, or future state, the first is that which alone the most men are sensible of, or concerned for. We have a threefold perception of an object, according to which we judge of the goodness, or badness of it.

1. The first is by the Eye of sense, according to which we judge that good which gratifieth the exterior senses, this of all is the most unmanly judgment of it, thus the man of pleasure judgeth those things good, which gratify his eyes, ears, taste, sinell or touch, and indeed this is the judgment of the greatest part of the world, when they say, who will show us any good? this is all they understand by it, who will gratify our sensitive appetites? These are the things they desire, delight, and rejoice in, these men rejoice in nothing, but in pleasures, profits, or honors, such things as either serve the lust of the Eye, or the lust of Flesh, or the pride of life.

2. A second Eye by which we discern good, and accordingly judge of it is the Eye of Reason, God hath endued man with a reasonable Soul, which hath several powers and faculties, amongst the rest, the understanding, by which I understand that power in man, by which he apprehendeth things, and the reason of them, and takes the impression of notions, that which is suited to this we call good, and upon a much truer notion then the other.

Hence is some men's thirst, and desire of knowledge, and knowledge is as sweet to them, as Wine is to the Drunkard, they discern an excellency in the mind, and Soul, above what is, or can be in the fleshly part of a man, and delight more in understanding, then the voluptuous man doth in pleasure, or the worldly man in wealth, that is their good, for which they contemn pleasures, and all sensual satisfactions.

3. Our third way of apprehending good, is by the Eye of saith, which the Apostle tells us is the evidence of things not seen. There are some whom God hath so far enlightened by the revelation of his will, as they do not only know that they have bodies, and a sensitive part, which requireth satisfaction to its several cravings, and a more noble part, which is the mind, capable of understanding things, and the reasons, and causes of them, but Souls (an immortal part) capable of the favor of God, of an union and communion with him, they know that the happiness of man can lie in nothing beneath the favor of God, nothing beneath an union and communion with him, they have read it in the Word of God to which God hath wrought in their hearts a firm and full assent, that no man cometh to the Fathers but by Christ. There is no other name given under Heaven, no other way by which they can arrive at a true peace and happiness, either in this life, or in that which is to come. And from hence it is, that all their desires are after Christ, all their hope in him, and he becometh their chief joy.

2. A second reason of their rejoicing in Christ more then other men's, lies in their different relation to him, and interest in him, or apprehensions at least of that relation, and interest. I told you before, that although an apprehended good be the object of our love, before we enjoy it, the Soul cannot but take some pleasure, and complacency in what he apprehendeth under that notion, yet while the Soul cometh to have some relation to it, some propriety and interest in it, though it may move towards it by desire, and hope, yet it comes not to a joy, and rejoicing in it, till it comes to have some apprehension, that it hath obtained it. You may see this in other things; suppose a man of the world to fancy a great estate, or a great degree of honor and di • nity to be good, or that an ingenious Child fancieth the like of knowledge, both the one and the other may desire these things at a distance; the man of the world may wish he had such an Estate, and the Scholar may wish he had such degrees of learning and knowledge; but till the one and the other have attained what they desire in some degree, they cannot rejoice in it, neither is their mind satisfied, nor at rest. It is the same case as to a spiritual man. He is enlightened to see he hath a Soul of a further capacity, then the most men understand their Souls to be, that he hath some further wants, then the most understand that they have, he believeth the Scriptures, and understands that he wants peace, and reconciliation with God, he understandeth that there shall be a Resurrection, a day of Judgment, and that he must one day be in an happy, or in a miserable eternity, so as he wants the security of a better life, when this life shall be at an end, upon this account he may be pleased with the thoughts of Christ; as he by whom these good things alone can be obtained, he may desire Christ, he may hope in him, but till he comes to apprehend that he hath obtained a part, and interest in him, it is impossible he should rejoice in him, and according to his apprehensions of his interest, so is his joy, and rejoicing in Christ. There must be some union betwixt the Soul, and its object, before there can be any joy and rejoicing.

1. There is an union of contemplation. We cannot so much as contemplate a desirable object, but our Soul must have some union with it, and there will a proportionable joy attend this; indeed this will be of all other the weakest in degree, because this is the lowest degree of union imaginable. Thus a man may rejoice in the contemplation of a door of salvation opened to Mankind by Christ, before he hath made any use of it at all to enter in thereat. Thus the Angels at the Birth of Christ proclaimed glad tidings, and joy to all people.

2. There is an union of hope, when the Soul doth not only contemplate some great and eminent good, but apprehendeth it attainable by itself, though not without some difficulty; as this union of the Soul with its object, now is closer, and fuller then the other, so the joy that resulteth from it, must necessarily be more: hence in Scripture you read of the rejoicing of hope, which the Apostle would have believers keep firm.

3. There is an union of sensible possession, or (which is the fame) of faith, and full persuasion, which makes things unseen visible to us, and as this of all other, is the most full, and perfect union, so it causeth the most full, and perfect joy, it most satisfieth the Soul, and brings it most to its rest, and causeth the greatest triumph, and festival in the Soul, even a peace which is past all understanding.

There is no believer but hath obtained one of the two latter unions with Christ: No unbeliever that hath obtained more then the former. An unbeliever may have heard, that Christ came into the world to save Sinners, to seek, and to save that which is lost, and may have a proportionable joy, but alas, how little must it be, while he neither feeth a need of him, nor yet can have any apprehension, that he hath any share or interest in him? It can be no more then as the rejoicing of an understanding man, to hear that an able Physician is come into the Country, before he is sensible of any need he hath of him, or hath had any experience of his skill, and ability.

But there is no true believer, but either hopes in his mercy, or hath some assurance of his love; and from hence it is. 1. That the true believer alone can rejoice, truly rejoice in Christ. 2. That one believer rejoiceth in him above what another can.

I say, the true believer alone can rejoice in Christ, for he alone is sensible of that goodness, and excellency that is in him, and he alone is apprehensive of any relation, that he hath to him, or any interest in him; others are without Christ, he alone can say, my Lord, and my Savior. And hence I say it is that one believer can rejoice in Christ more than another, because one man's apprehension of his part and interest in Christ, may be more full than another's. One hath but the apprehension of a good hope, the other may have a full persuasion. But though there may be a great difference in the degrees of believers joy, yet they concur all in their object. Christ is the object, the singular object of all their joy.

After this discourse; I need not enlarge in telling you how Christ becomes their object of joy, not merely considered, as God blessed forever, nor merely considered as Mediator betwixt God and Man, and the Savior of lost Sinners, if he were not so, they could not rejoice in him, but neither doth his being so give them any cause of rejoicing; but in the notion in which he is mentioned all along this Song. i. e. considered as their Bridegroom, as united unto them, and having a particular favor, and relation to their Souls. For though good considered abstractly, may be the object of our love, desire, and hope, yet only good united to us is the object of joy, yea, and good apprehended by us as our portion; and according to the degree both of our union with the good, and apprehension of that union, so will our joy be.

And hence again, the most perfect joy of believers, must necessarily be in their glorified estate, hence Heaven is called Out Masters joy, for as our union with God and Christ will be there most full, and perfect, so our apprehension of it will be most clear, and not interrupted. But that is not the theme of my present discourse, I am speaking of the object of believers joy in this life, not in that which shall be in that life which is to come, when their joy will be unspeakable, and full of glory.

I added in the Proposition, that Christ is the singular object of their joy. We will (saith the Spouse) be glad, and rejoice in thee; this is • ru • , both exclusively, and inclusively. 1. Exclusively.

1. He will r • joyce in nothing inconsistent with the fruition of Christ. There is a •• m • all rejoicing in the satisfaction of men's lusts; this is the joy of an Epicure; the Drunkard shouts for new Wine. And you read of some whose rejoicing was to devour the poor, Hab. 3. 14. I told you before that Joy is nothing else but the satisfaction that the Soul hath, and the rest which the Soul takes with the Triumph which it makes in its union with that Object which it judgeth good. Now the gratifying of lusts, and pleasing the senses, and the concupiscible, or irascible appetite, being that which low-born Souls have chosen as their good; their rejoicing in this satisfaction is natural to them. This Joy is but for a moment, Job 20. 5. and shall one day be turned into heaviness; Jam. 4. 9. This mirth, this laughter is madness, as Solomon speaks, Eccles. 2. 2. like the crackling of Thorns under a Pot, Eccles. 7. 6. Sorrow, saith Solomon, is better than it, for those that thus laugh, shall weep, Luk. 6. 25. The Soul that loves Christ cannot rejoice with this Joy. Charity rejoiceth not in evil, 1 Cor. 13. This is inconsistent with the enjoyment of Christ, and of his favor, with that self denial, which is necessary to those that will be his Disciples, with that taking up of the Cross, which is another Law of his Discipleship.

2. It is exclusive of rejoicing in anything without him. Though Christ, and his Love and Favor, be the believing Soul's supreme good, the One thing which he desireth, yet there are other things which he may and doth account good in their order. God hath not forbidden a man to rejoice in the Wife of his youth, and in the Children which God hath given him; nor in those providential dispensations, by which he accommodateth the lives of his people, and maketh them more sweet and happy; but the believing Soul cannot rejoice in these things, unless at the same time he seeth reason also to rejoice in Christ. Men of the world can rejoice in full Barns, & Coffers, though in the mean time they have no sense, no hope of the pardon of their sins, and reconciliation with God; the reason is, because they have set up these things as their chief good, and are not affected with the concerns of their Souls, as they relate to Eternity: But neither can the Believer partake of these Joys: The Soul can neither rejoyee in any enjoyment exclusive of its chief good, nor yet in anything in the absence of its chief good: A believing Soul in any measure satisfied concerning the Love of God to it, can rejoice in the Wife of his bosom, in the Children which God hath given him, in the accommodations with which God hath blessed him as to the sweetening of this life, but without some assurance, or some good hope at least (through grace) that Christ is his, and he hath the favor of God in and through his blood; he can rejoice in none of these things. It was a peevish expression of Haman, Esth. 5. 11, 12, 13. When he told his friends of the glory of his riches, the multitude of his Children, and all the things wherein the King had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the Princes and Servants of the King; and how that Esther had invited him, and none but him and the King to the Banquet which she had prepared; and added, All this availeth me nothing so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting in the King's gate. Envy slayeth the fool (saith Solomon.) But every pious Soul, when he thinks how God hath blest him with a loving Wife, sweet and dutiful Children, a plentiful Estate, yet saith, All this availeth me nothing, so long as I suspect, and fear, that I have no part or Interest in Christ. There be (saith David) many who will say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me; thou hast put gladness into my heart, more than in the time that their Corn and Wine increased.

3. The Joy of the Soul in Christ is such, that it can rejoice in him alone. It is the expression of the Prophet Habakkuk, ch. 3. v. 17, 18. Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall there be fruit in the Vine, the labor of the Olive shall sail, and the Fields shall yield no meat; the Flock shall be cut off from the sold, and there shall be no Herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, and I will joy in the God of my Salvation. The believing Soul can rejoice in nothing without Christ, and it can rejoice in Christ when it hath nothing more to rejoice in. Let a gracious Soul have but the sense of God's Love in Christ to his Soul, he can say to all the world as Esau (though not upon such a consideration) said to his Brother Jacob, I have enough my Brother, I have enough, keep what thou haft unto thyself. Am I justified and regenerated? have I peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ? have I the pardon of my sin, and a righteousness wherein I can stand before God? it is enough. If the Lord will not give me Bread to eat, nor Children to continue my name; if I die Childless, so I do not die Christless, it is enough. If I have not Raggs to cloth me, nor an Estate to leave Portions to six, and also to seven, yet I have said to the Lord, Thou art my Portion, it is enough. Hence ariseth a good Christian's contentment in all Estates. I have learned (saith Paul) in all estates to be content, content to want, content to abound, content to have little or much as the Lord pleaseth. If the Lord will take away such a man's Children, Estate, &c. he saith with Job, The Lord hath given, and the Lord hath taken, blessed be the Name of the Lord. If I have my part in Christ (saith he) I have yet enough. Omnia mea mecum porto, I have my All, as the Philosopher is reported to have said, when his City was on fire, and his Neighbors reflected on him going out, and carrying nothing along with him, nor concerning himself for the share of Estate he had in it. If the Believer considereth his body, he seeth a crazy constitution, diseases growing upon him; if he looks into his Family, and seeth it empty of Children; if into his Grounds, and seeth them bring forth nothing but Weeds, and Thistles; if into his Stalls, and seeth them empty of Cattle; yet if he looks into his Soul, and finds any evidences of the Love of Christ, he can rejoice in them; this must be understood, when he seeth himself stripped naked, not by his own wicked hands, but (as Job was) by the effective Providence of God, for the loss of the things of this life, the good things of the common Providence of God, caused by our own sinful hands, and miscarriages, ofttimes hinder this Joy, as they make it difficult to us to see the Love of God in and under them.

4. And lastly, This Soul rejoiceth in Christ, Primarily, Emphatically, Supremely. The Child of God is a parta ker of flesh and blood, and hath a sensitive appetite, which when gratified, necessarily causeth a joy proportionate to the good which it receiveth; hence he rejoiceth in the good things of common Providence, as well as another man, but not as much as another man, not upon the same account that another man doth. Christ is the Believer's chief Joy; and as his title to the good things of this life differs from the title of another, so his joy in them differeth from the joy of another. All men may have a natural, legal title to the good things of this life; Dominion and Title is not founded in grace, but it is mended by grace. Another man derives from God as the Lord of the whole Earth, who by his common Providence distributeth portions to the Sons of men, as he pleaseth, but the believer doth not only derive from God, as the supreme Lord, but from Christ; all is yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's (saith the Apostle) so that while he rejoiceth in the gifts of common Providence, he rejoiceth in Christ, because he rejoiceth in these things as coming from the hand of a Father, reconciled to him by the blood of Christ; he rejoiceth in the good things of this life, as the loving Wife rejoiceth in some present made her by her Husband, not so much in the fineness, or costliness of it (though that may also please her humor) as in the kindness, and love of her Husband shown in giving it her. So the believer more rejoiceth in the goodness of God shown to him in any dispensation of Providence, then in the thing which God hath given him or her; and he supremely rejoiceth in Christ, whiles he rejoiceth in a lower comfort. Let me show you this in the instance of Hannah, whose story you have, 1 Sam. ch. 1, 2. She was the Wife of Elkanah, she had no Children, and was passionately desirous of the blessing of Children, an affection common to all (of that sex especially) and for which there was some more special reason in that Age and Nation, partly because of the promise of a numerous issue to Abraham, so as the Women that were Barren, looked upon themselves as hardly the genuine Children of Abraham, at least not sharers in his blessing; partly, because they knew the Messias was to be born of a Jewish Woman, and every Child-bearing Woman might have an expectation to be his Mother. Under this great affliction she applies herself to God by prayer (the Key of the Womb is one of those Keys which the Jewish Doctors say God keepeth in his hand) God hears her prayer, she conceiveth, and brings forth Samuel, as in the first Chapter, she names him Samuel, to testify her joy in receiving him as an answer of her Prayer, upon which she dedicates him to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1. 28. So in the second Chapter she sings a Song of praise; mark the phrase of it, 1 Sam. 2. 1. Mine heart rejoiceth in the Lord, my Horn is exalted in the Lord. Her Child was the next object of her joy, but how doth she rejoice in him; the primary object of her joy was the Lord, her great joy in Samuel was as God, by giving him to her, shown her his love, and that he had not shut out her supplications from him. She rejoiced in God, Supremely, in Samuel Subordinately; in God Emphatically, in her Child more remissly. Thus doth a good Christian rejoice in Christ, thus is he the singular object of a believers joy. David calleth God the gladness of his joy, (we translate it his exceeding joy) Psal. 43. 4. The Prophet Isaiah faith, Isaiah 29. 19. The meek shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor amongst men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Yet the proximate cause was, v. 20, Because the terrible one was brought to naught, and the scorner consumed, and all those that watched for iniquity cut off. Hence Christ commandeth his Disciples not to rejoice in this, that the Devils were subject to them, but that their names were written in the Book of Life; Doubtless the subjection of Devils to them was true matter of joy; ah! but it was no primary object, no supreme object of their joy; ; no otherwise the object of their joy, then as it was an evidence of God's favor. It is a great piece of the Spiritual man's art, to rejoice in God, while he rejoiceth in the creature, to make Christ the gladness of his joy (as the Psalmist expresseth it;) now this motion of a pious Soul will appear to be natural, supposing him to be first enlightened to discern, and to be fully persuaded, that the love of Christ to the Soul is the greatest good the rational Soul is capable of; this will appear to you, if you will but consider these three or four things.

1. That the presence and e • joyment of some good, of which the Soul stands in need, and in the pursuit of which it is, is the true and natural cause of the motion of that affection which we call joy. This is evident both to sense and reason; we rejoice not in evil, but in good, not in an absent, but in a present good, in the sense, and manifestation, and apprehension of it.

2. That the loves of God and Jesus Christ, are the greatest goods in the world, and therefore the presence, and sensible manifestations of them, are the enjoyments and manifestations of the supreme good. The very light of nature shown the Heathen, that the happiness of man lay in his union with the greatest good, thus far they were agreed by their common reason, though they could not so well agree what that chief good was, & nothing hindered them from agreeing this truth, but their want of true knowledge of God and Christ, and of the possibility of a poor creatures, having an union with him, or any kind of enjoyment of him, or understanding the need their Souls stood of the loves of Christ, for agreeing that the happiness of man lay in an union with the supreme good, they wanted but the revelation we have of man's wants, and the possibility of this blessed union with, and fruition of God, but they must have agreed this truth.

3. It is but natural to the Soul to rejoice more in the obtaining of a greater good, then in the obtaining of what is lesser, and to rejoice most in a good, most comprehensive of other particular goods, though it wanteth those particular good things. Who is there who doth not naturally more rejoice in the getting of five hundred pounds, than of five? because the five hundred pound is a greater good then five; who doth not more rejoice in a great stock of money by him, then in a great quantity of Bread, or a great Wardrobe of Cloaths? the reason is, because Money is comprehensive of these, he that hath Money, can buy Bread and Cloths.

4 Lastly, It is but natural to us to rejoice in nothing, which we apprehend incompetent with that good wherein our chief happiness doth lie: Nor in the having of anything which we enjoy, whiles we want that which we look at most of all. Rachel was a good Woman, Jacob was her Husband, to whom she was exceeding dear, he had a plentiful estate, 'tis hard to say what good she wanted, save Children only, that blessing her heart was upon, Jacob, was nothing, his estate nothing to her; she goes to her Husband, and cries, Give me Children, or else I die. Now admit a believing Soul to be firmly persuaded, that it must live forever, either in eternal happiness, or in eternal misery, and again to be persuaded, That it can never live in eternal happiness, without an union with Christ, without his love manifested to it in the pardon of its sins, and the imputation of his righteousness, admit the Soul to be fired in the pursuit of these things as its chief good; how is it possible that it should rejoice in anything incompetent with it, or that it should rejoice in anything with an equal joy, as it rejoiceth in this? Hence it followeth, that Christ must be the singular object of the believing Souls joy.

1. Because it is impossible the Soul should rejoice in what is incompetent with the sruition and enjoyment of what it rightly judgeth its chief good. Such are all sensual prohibited satisfactions.

2. Because it is impossible it should rejoice in what it judgeth a lesser good, more then in what it judgeth a greater, and transcendent to it.

3. Because it knoweth Christ and his loves are comprehensive of all other good, for if he hath given us Christ (saith the Apostle) shall he not also with him give us all things?

Thus I have opened, and shown you the reason of the Proposition, why the Soul rejoiceth in Christ. I added, and in the manifestations of his love, particularly, in hearing and answering its prayers; I shall give you some reasons of that, and then apply the whole discourse. But, &c.

Sermon XXVIII.

I Am yet handling the Proposition at first laid down. I shown you the last day how Christ is the singular object of the Spouses joy. I added then; and the manifestations of his love, especially in hearing and answering our prayers. Indeed Christ is no otherwise the object of our joy, then in the manifestations of his love. All joy requireth some sensible manifestation, or experience. The personal excellencies of Christ, make him the object of our love, whom (saith the Apostle) having not seen, yet we love Love asks for nothing but amiableness in its object, no more doth desire (which is the first born of love) but joy requires propriety and union, Christ manifested to the Soul, can alone be the object of joy, but I added, especially in hearing, and answering Prayer; that was the case here; the Spouse had prayed, draw me, and we will run after thee, —she presently triumpheth in the hearing of her Prayers, and then addeth, we will be glad, and rejoice in thee. I might have also added, prayers put up particularly for spiritual mercies. We shall all along in Scripture find this made a great matter of joy in the hearts of God's people, take the instances of Hannah and David. Hannah had been, 1 Sam. 1. praying unto God for a Child, the Lord answered, see how she rejoiceth, 1 Sam. 2. 1. Hannah prayed and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine Horn is exalted in the Lord, my mouth is enlarged over mine Enemies, because I rejoice in thy salvation, Concerning David we have many instances, Psal. 31. 21. Blessed be the Lord, for he hath shown me his marvelous kindness in a strong City. v. 22. Thou heardest the voice of my supplication, when I cried unto thee, Psal. 3. 4. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me from his holy place; in this he rejoiceth, and triumpheth, v. 6, 8. Psal. 6. 8. The Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping, the Lord hath heard my supplication, he will receive my prayer. So again, Psal. 18. 6. & again, Psal. 28. 6. Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications, so Psal. 116. 1. But there needeth no Scripture in the case, the experience of every Soul maketh it good; it is natural to every man.

1. Because in all answers of Prayer, there must be a soul satisfaction upon some union with the object, which it desired. Joy is nothing else but the triumph of the Soul upon its union with the object which it desired. Prayer is nothing else but the Souls desire expressed with its voice. The answer of Prayers must be the Souls satisfaction in the obtaining of its desires, this satisfaction ariseth from its union with its object, upon which joy is but a proper, and natural result, and consequent.

2. In all answers of Prayer, there is an owning of the Soul by God. As the Soul by Prayer owneth God, acknowledging him the Fountain of that goodness, which it beggeth; so God in answering Prayer acknowledgeth the Soul, Joh. 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a Worshipper of God, and doth his will, him he heareth. All giving in of things prayed for, doth not speak the answer of prayers. God may hear and relieve, the cry of the miserable, when he doth noṫ answer the prayer of the righteous. I have before hinted to you, that there is an answer of our cries, which floweth from God's common providence, as he is a God of pity, and tender compassions, and there is an answer of Prayers, which comes from God, as a God of truth and faithfulness, how to distinguish these two, I may possibly show you in the application in some measure, it is the latter answer, not the former, which is God's owning and acknowledgment of the Soul, as one for whom he hath a favor.

3. There is yet one thing more in the answer of prayers, last mentioned, which to every thinking Christian is matter of great joy. That it is that which speaketh the Soul to be beloved of God in Christ, and to have Christ for his Advocate, and Intercessor at the Throne of Grace. It is in him that all the promises are Yea, and Amen. It is in his name that the believer asketh, and it is he that doth the thing desired, according to the promise, John 14. 13. Whatsoever you shall ask, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, and because the thing is confirmed, the promise is doubled. v. 14. If you shall ask anything in my name, I will do it. I shall add no more to the Doctrinal part of my discourse.

This notion (in the first place) distinguisheth the Child of God from all Men and Women in the World. He is the only man, that is glad, and rejoiceth in Christ, the only person that can say of Christ, he is his chief joy.

1. There are many that rejoice in their sensual satisfactions. There is a man that shout • h by reason of Wine, Psal. 78. 65. their Vivere est Bibere, the pleasing of their Senses, their Palate, and Eyes, and Ears, is the greatest good they know, after this their Souls move by desires, and in the satisfaction of them they rejoice, their mirth is madness, and their laughter what doth it? this of all other is the most sordid joy, a rejoicing in iniquity, yet this is the chief joy of many poor creatures.

2. To others the World is their chief joy. Their heart rejoiceth in their labor, as the wise man speaketh, Eccl. 2. 10. they look on all the work that their hands have wrought, and on the labor they have labored to do, and they rejoice; the gladness of their heart ariseth from the increase of their Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and they know no better things to rejoice in. For this rejoicing in Christ, in the sense of his love, and the pardon of their sins, and the hopes of the glory of God; alas! how few understand anything of it? I have often had occasion to tell you, that the spiritual state of a man or woman, is not so much to be determined from his understanding, and the notions there, men and women may have great degrees of knowledge, and yet have unsanctified hearts, nor from their external actions. An hypocrite may do many things, and the best of God's people in many things offend; as from the motions of his will, and affections: He chooseth the things that please God. To will is present with me saith Paul, and consequent to this are the workings of the offections. Thus a Christian is known by the objects of his love and hatred, his hope and fear, his desire and j • y. The last is what I have to do with in this place. Joy is one of the fruits▪ one of the fairest fruits of the holy Spirit, Gal. 5. 22. will any say to me, how shall I know my state by the workings of this affection? the answer is in the Text, the believer rej • yceth in Christ; the Apostle tells us that those that are the true circumc • sion, worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, Phil. 3 3. A believer is not a Stoic, as to the things of the World, he lives in it, and hath need of the things of it, but Christ is his chief joy, or the head of his joy, as David saith of Jerusalem, Psal. 137. v. 6. But you will say, how shall we know this, whether Christ be our chief joy? I answer,

1. Thou wilt not, thou canst not rejoice in any course of sin, which is contrary unto Christ. St. Paul tells us, That he delighted in the law of God after the inward man; he could not glory in a total freedom from sin, he complaineth that he was sometime brought into Captivity to the law of his Members, Rom. 7. 22. But he did not rejoice in iniquity. Wicked men sport themselves against God. Against whom do you sport yourselves, Isa. 57. 4 Solomon tells us, That it is a sport to a fool to do mischief, & tells us of one who deceiveth his Neighbor, and saith, am I not in sport? his joy is either in the satisfaction of his concupiscible appetite; thus St. Peter tells us of some, That they count it pleasure to riot in the day time, 2 Pet. 2. 13. or in the satisfaction of his irascible appetite; thus some sport themselves in doing, or beholding mischief, they rejoice at the destruction of him that hateth them, which was a thing Job purgeth himself from, Job 31. 29. or at the destruction of those that they hate, they rejoice to do evil, Prov. 2. 15. Yea, and to see evil done, as Edom rejoiced when the Jews were carried into captivity. But now the Child of God can be a sharer in none of those joys. These joys are incompetent with a rejoicing in Jesus Christ, these men rejoice in those things which crucified Christ. I cannot say but a good man under some great temptation m • y feel some tickling pleasure in sin, and the satisfaction of his appetite through ignorance, or passion, but he can have no fixed joy in anything of that nature. As a wicked man may have some fit of sorrow for sin, so a good man may have some fits of pleasure, and delight in sin, but neither of them will be constant • and abiding; a good man's pleasure in sin, is but a fit of sensuality, a wicked man's trouble for fin is but a fit of distaste. It is a good sign that he or she rejoiceth in God, and in Christ, that can find no sensual satisfaction to rejoice in.

Secondly, It is a sign that Soul truly rejoiceth in the Lord Jesus Christ, that can rejoice in no sensible enjoyment, without the sense of God's love in, and through him. The unquietness and dissatisfaction of the Soul, in the midst of all its sensible comforts, if at any time it wants the sense of God's love, and the pardon, of its sins, in and through Christ, will much evidence Christ to be the Head of his Joy, or his chief Joy. There are few Souls in this life, whose days are without clouds; sometimes they walk in the light, sometimes in the dark, and see no light; now for a Soul under the fullest affluence of created comforts, to be able to rejoice in nothing, in the absence of the sense of Christ's love, is an excellent sign. Abraham, Gen. 15. 2. when God bid him ask him what he should give him, replieth, Lord, what canst thou give me so long as I go childless? This now argued that a Child was the chief of his desires, and the chief Joy which he had in prospect. Abraham had a plentiful Estate, a beloved Wife, but his dissatisfaction, for want of an Heir, spake a Child to be his chief Joy, an object which his heart was ready more to rejoice in, than in all that he had besides it. When the Soul is at this pass, that it can say, Lord, thou hast given me an Husband, or a Wife and Children, and I acknowledge thy goodness in them; thou hast given me a plentiful Estate, and I desire to bless thy Name for that; but Lord, what canst thou give me? what canst thou do for me? so long as I want the sense of thy love in Christ, all these things are nothing to me, whiles I have this dissatisfaction; though it will not speak the Soul at this time actually rejoicing in Christ, yet it will speak Christ to be its chief Joy.

Thirdly, It is a sign that Christ is the chief Joy of the Soul, if it can rejoice in Christ alone, when there is no fruit in the Vines, when the Fig-tree doth not blossom, and the labor of the Olives faileth (as Habakkuk expresseth it) that is, when all sensible external satisfactions fail. That Soul which hath not chosen Christ for his portion, will hardly be content with Christ alone. Mephibosheth declared that Davia 's return in peace to Hicrus • lem, was his chief Joy, when upon David 's saying, Thou and Ziba divide the Lands, he calmly replied, 2 Sam. 19. 30. Yea, l • t him take all, for as much as my Lord the King is returned to his House in Peace. It is said of the Primitive Martyrs, Heb. 10. 34. That they endured with joy the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had in Heaven a far more enduring substance. Our hearts may be ready to deceive us in this point, when we only put a case to our Souls, and the thing appears at a distance. It may be therefore we may come to a nearer judgment, what our Souls would do in such a case, by observing the frame and temper of our Spirits, and what their support is, under smaller losses, and deprivations of more external comforts. There is none of us but at some time or other, suffer something from the hand of God immediately, or from the hands of men. We lose possibly a dear relation, or a part of our estates, supposing now that at this time thou hast no apprehensions of the wrath of God, no fears as to the pardon of thy sins, and thy interest in Christ, how is thy Spirit under such providences? canst thou look above them, and yet rejoice, that thy Christ is not taken from thee? if you should see a Woman in the loss of a Child or Children, yet lifting up herself above her sorrows, and blessing God, that it is not her Husband, he is yet alive, you would easily conclude, that her Husband was her chief joy, though she had some pleasure, some satisfaction in her Child, yet her Husband was the head of her joy.

4. Lastly, Canst thou joy in Christ Supremely? not in thy mercies so much as in the God of thy mercies, and in thy mercies only as thou seest the favor, and goodness of God in them; you read, Luke 10. 17. that after Christ had sent out the 70, they after some time returned, and made this report to him. Lord, even the Devils are subject unto us through thy name. Christ tells them, v, 19. Behold I give you power to tread on Serpents, and Scorpions, over all the power of the Enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you, notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the Spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven. God saith thus to many of his people, Behold I give you comfortable Wives, towardly, and dutiful Children, plentiful Estates, success in your tradings, and worldly businesses. I set an hedge of providence about you, whatsoever you take in hand doth prosper. Notwithstanding rejoice not in this, let not this be the great matter of your content and satisfaction. But rejoice in this, that I have given you my Son, and through him, the pardon of your sins, and favor with me, an evidence, that your names are written in the Book of Life. He that can do this, makes Christ the head of his joy. And if you can do this,

1. You will be more troubled at the fears, or apprehensions of the loss of Christ's love, then at the fears or apprehensions of the loss of any external satisfactions whatsoever.

2. You will be rather willing to part with all, then to do anything that may hazard your loss of God's favor. Thus the Martyrs shown that Christ was their supreme joy.

Let us labor to find this evidence of grace in our Souls, to bring up our hearts to be glad, and to rejoice in Christ in that manner as I have opened to you, and particularly to rejoice in the answer of our prayers. I will enlarge upon both these branches a little.

Let us be unquiet in our spirits until we find that our hearts are brought to this, to rejoice in Christ solely and supremely; to rejoice in him as our righteousness, as our strength, as our portion, as our All in all. I told you before that the Apostle, Phil. 3. thus describeth a true Christian, one that was of the true Circumcision: (The Jews he calls there the Concision) but saith he, We are the Circumcision, who rejoice in Christ Jesus: He speaketh there of a rejoicing in him as our Righteousness, as he from whose perfect Righteousness alone, the Soul expecteth Salvation. This is in opposition to a rejoicing in any Birth-privileges, or Church-privileges, or any Works of our own, as things that will serve us in any stead without a part in Christ, when we shall another day come and appear before God's Judgment Seat. O study thus to rejoice in Christ, as he who hath trodden the Winepress of his Fathers wrath alone, and in his body upon the Cross suffered whatsoever was due to the Justice of God for the sins of Believers, as he who alone hath fulfilled the Law for us, and in whom alone we are complete. This is our duty, but this is not what I am here chiefly speaking to.

2. Rejoice in Christ as your portion, as your All; make him your chief Joy. I would press this great Exhortation by some few Arguments, and then give you some Counsels in the case.

1. Consider how vain and transitory the objects of all other Joy are. There are but three things that I know we have to rejoice in; or at least all things of that nature will fall under three Heads. They are either sensual satisfactions; these are the objects of the voluptuous debauched Souls Joy: Or secondly, Sensible E • joyments; these are the objects of the worldling's Joy: Or thirdly, Spiritual blessings in Christ; these are the objects of the Believer's Joy. Let me a little show you the vanity and transitory nature of the two former. One man rejoiceth in the satisfactions of his sensual appetite, in the pleasure of his Eye, and Ear, and Palate, and Flesh: Shall not these things be the torments of the Soul to Eternity For what think you shall any Soul perish forever, if not for having pleasure in riot, in drunkenness, in lasciviousness, or in other sordid satisfactions? are these anymore then brutish satisfactions beneath the rational Soul? will these things last forever? will there not a time come, when you shall say you have no pleasure in them; nay, doth not the pleasure of them perish with the using, and go out like a Candle, leaving a stench behind it, leaving some sour reflections upon the conscience, which the little tickling of pleasure which they afforded, no way compensateth. O vain man! to make those things his chief business, satisfaction and joy, which will bring the greatest bitterness in the latter end? You compass yourselves about with sparks, this you shall have at the Lord's hand, you shall one day lie down in sorrow. For the more civil, and reclaimed sort of men, whose chief joy is in the increase of their Corn, and Wine, and Oil; how vain, how transitory is this Joy? whilst thou hast them, what necessities of thy Soul do they suit? will they give thee peace when thou art under any disturbance of mind? will they fit thee for, or advantage thee in any spiritual operation? of what advantage can they be to thee as to another life, when as thou comest to die? when thou diest, leave them all behind thee, and write upon them, Whose shall these things be? Nay, mayest thou not out-live all the comfort and satisfaction which thou hast in them? Or, may not they in a moment, by a Fire, by a Thief, by an Oppressor, be taken out of thy sight? Are they not Gourds, that come up in a night, and serve a little to shadow us from the heats, and shelter us from the storms that we meet with in this life; and may go down in a night, and leave us as much as any other exposed to the storms of this world? Are these things fit for the chief Joy of a reasonable Soul, a spiritual and immortal being that is under an Ordination to an eternal Existence, and professeth to know, and to believe so much? On the other side, is the Believer's Joy, who rejoiceth in Christ, so misplaced? Cannot he give the Soul the pardon of sin, and sense of that pardon, which produceth that peace which is past all understanding? Cannot he give the Soul a righteousness wherein the Soul shall another day stand before God, and not appear naked? Cannot he give Eternal Life? and doth he not do it to whomsoever he pleaseth? and will he give so great things, and not food convenient for us? Or, shall not he that giveth the Soul Christ, with him also give it all things?

2. Consider how vainly thou hopest to enter hereafter into the Lord's Joy, who hast not rejoiced in him 〈…〉 Canst thou imagine, that Christ will be rest and 〈…〉 Soul in Heaven, when thy Soul hath taken no pleasure nor delight in him here. But you will say, what need these words? need any Soul be persuaded to rejoice in Christ, if it were a thing in his own power? and if it be not, to what purpose are we so persuaded and entreated to it? To this I answer:

It is true, it is not in thy power to rejoice in Christ. We cannot rejoice in anything, be it never so good, unless we have a property and interest in it, and have some sense and apprehension of that interest, so that it is no more in our power, to rejoice in Christ, than to give ourselves an interest and part in him, and a sense and apprehension of that interest, both of which are the gift of God. But yet we may do something in the use of the common grace of God, given to all of us who sit under the Gospel, in order to our having a part and interest in him.

1. We may read the Scriptures, and hear the Word of God, and mediate upon what we read and hear, in order to our conviction of that infinite excellency that is in Christ, and his suitableness to the state, and necessity of our Souls. We must see a goodness and an excellency in him, before we shall love him, desire him, or delight in him; this goodness, this excellency is revealed to us in the Word of God; this we must believe, or we shall never lie under such a conviction. It is God that must give us a power to believe it, but we may read the Word, and hear it opened and applied, in order to this; God (as I have before told you) concurring ordinarily with his special grace, with our use of that common grace which he affords us.

2. We may study and meditate upon the vanity of sensual joy, or joying merely in sensible things, and how unfit they are to be the chief Joy of our Souls.

3. We may thirdly, Cry to God to give us our part in Christ; thoroughly to persuade our hearts of our absolute need of him, and of that transcendent goodness and excellency that is in him. O that men would but do what lieth in their power to do, and not complain they can do nothing, because they can indeed do nothing efficaciously without God's special grace, as to any truly spiritual acts.

Secondly, I would speak to those who have an interest in Christ, that they would labor to grow in this grace, to be more glad, and more to rejoice in Christ. It is a duty often called for in Scripture, and I 〈…〉 regarded. I speak now upon advantage, to you that understand you have Souls under an ordination to an eternal Existence, that know the state of the Soul by nature, and have tasted also how good the Lord is; to you, to whom Christ is precious, and whom you will easily acknowledge your chief Joy; I am calling to you, but for the exercise of an habit, with which God hath indeed endued you, the exerting of a power with which God hath blessed you, the using of a right which God hath given you There are amongst others two great causes why Christians do not so rejoice in Christ as they ought to do.

1. The first is, Their giving too much way to unbelief and despondency. Though we cannot increase our own Faith without special grace assisting, yet we may promove our unbelief, favoring our despondency, and cherishing our doubts, and giving way to our groundless fears, and forgetting the Covenant of Grace, not saying often enough to our Souls, Why art thou cast down O my Soul! &c.

2. The second is, Their too much carnality or worldliness. Where almost is the man to be found that cannot rejoice in his worldly Affluences, although he wants the sense of the Love of God in Christ? or, that if he were tried, would not find it an hard matter to rejoice in God, if the Fig-tree did not blossom, and there were no fruit on the Vine? How ready are we to rejoice in our creature-comforts when we have them, more than in the Love of Christ to our Souls? whence is this but from our too much savouring, minding, and living upon Earth, and earthly things?

Is the hearing of Prayers such a matter of joy to a gracious man? how should this engage us, 1. So to pray, that we may receive an answer of them from the Lord? 2. To look after our Prayers, and the answers of them, that the sense of such an answer may excite our joy in Christ? As to the first, I have spoken so fully to it under the first Doctrine I handled from this Text, that I shall not need again to enlarge upon it here. I shall only enlarge upon the second.

Foolish Children that shoot Arrows, and never look after them, lose that pleasure and content in their game, which those have who observe what becomes of their Arrows and how near they come to the mark to which they are directed and levelled. Formal Christians who send up Prayers to Heaven, and never look after them, never consider whether the Lord answereth them yea or no, lose that pleasure and satisfaction which the Soul hath that watcheth his Prayers; and with David, when early in the morning he hath directed his Prayers to God (as Psal. 5. 3.) looketh up. You read of the Prophet Habakkuk, when, chap. 1. he had been putting up his Prayer to God, he resolveth, chap. 2. v. 1. to stand upon his watch, and to set himself upon the Tower, watching to see what God would say unto him. Here now comes in a considerable question, viz.

How a Christian shall know whether God hath heard and answered his prayers yea or no? The difficulty lies upon two things: 1. Upon God's different ways of answering. 2. In regard we may receive the good things we receive from God, merely from him as a God full of pity, and tender compassion, seeing, and pitying the misery and needs of his creatures (as our Savior saith, He hears the young Ravens when they cry unto him;) Not as from a God in Christ reconciled, and hearing us upon the account of his Truth, and Promise, and the Intercession of Christ. Now the answer of those Prayers only, which are answered upon the account of Christ, and testifications of the Love of God in Christ can bring the Soul to a gladness and rejoicing in Christ upon that occasion and motive. As to the first,

1. I see no reason for a Soul that hath been importunate with God for some good thing, which it hath not yet received, if it finds itself satisfied under the want of it, and content to submit to the Will of God in the denial of it, and to resign up itself to his good pleasure as to the collation of it upon him: I say, in such cases as these, I see no reason for a Christian to question whether this answer be from God, as a God of Truth and Faithfulness, fulfilling his promise to the Soul. His promise to his people is to with-hold from them no good thing, that is, nothing which shall be truly and really good for them, considered in their circumstances: Now where a sensible good is withheld, and denied, that a real good may be bestowed, and the Soul is also brought to see its own mistake in the desire of that sensible good, and to acquiesce in the good pleasure of God, in not giving it; nay, to acknowledge, that it is better for it not to have it, and is quiet, and satisfied; certainly this is one of the clearest answers of our prayers, and no Soul ought to question but this is a return of prayers. Let us put a case. Suppose a Christian lying under the power of some mortal disease, under which he hath often prayed, that if it were possible, God would make the bitter Cup of Death to pass from him: Still he or she groweth weaker and weaker, worse and worse, as to his or her bodily state; but they find within themselves a further contentedness with the good pleasure of God, a power to glory in their tribulation, and to rejoice in the hopes of that glory of God to which its affliction is bringing it; a desire, not to be unclothed merely, and free from its pain, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up in life. What reason now hath a Christian to suspect whether this be in answer to its prayers, and slowing from God as a God of Truth fulfilling his Word; seeing (as the Apostle saith, 2 Cor. 5. 5.) He that hath wrought us for the self same thing is God, who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit. It is a good thing here that is given the Soul; it is given it by God; it is he who hath wrought the heart into this frame. It is given in upon, and after earnest prayer; and though it be not the very thing in specie, which we asked, yet it is in value more, abundantly compensating the things we asked, and finally, the thing which we did ask, we asked with submission to the Will and Wisdom of God; so that as to these kinds of answers, I take the case to be clear.

2. As to the giving in of such spiritual mercies as we have beg'd of God, in their kind, whether they be peace of Conscience, strength against temptations, power against corruptions, sensible consolations, more freedom and liveliness unto, and in duty, there is as little reason to doubt, because they are the very good things we a kt. 2. Of such a spiritual nature, as God doth not use to give them to Souls that are strangers to him. 3. The matter of promises: The only thing that I can fancy why a Christian should make a doubt here, is, because they may be consequent to the removal of some bodily distempers, whose influence upon the mind, might cause those troubles, that weakness or dullness, such as Melancholy, &c. But hath God no hand in bringing or removing such bodily causes? if he hath (as certainly there is no evil in our bodies more than in our Cities, which he hath not done) why may not God both afflict us as to our spirits, by sending such distempers upon our bodies, and also remove the former, which are the effect, by the removal of the latter, which he hath made to be the cause. So that admit these things consequent to the removal of some bodily distemper, yet they are the effect of God, and may be, and ought to be looked upon as the answer of our prayers.

3. The greatest difficulty of judgment in this case is as to those things which are but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the things which concern this life, which God giveth to the righteous as well as the wicked, to the sinner crying unto him, as well as unto his Children: How a Christian shall discern that God when he gives him in these mercies, gives them in as a God of Truth and Faithfulness, remembering his promise to his Servants; nor indeed is this Judgment very easy to the most discerning Christian. Something I shall say in the case, whether what will be satisfactory or no I cannot tell.

1. If they have been given in after prayer made with a Spirit indifferent (not too importunate I mean for the receiving of them we may hope well. We may observe in Scripture, that sometimes common good things have been wrung out of the hands of God by too much impatience, and importunity, which have never proved blessings. Such were the Quails, Num. 11. 31, 32, 33. the Text saith, while the flesh was yet between their teeth, e're it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People. Such was the first King given to the Israelites (even Saul) the Prophet saith, Hosea 13. 11. I gave thee a King in mine anger. But when a Christian begs of God any good thing, without too much impatience, and importunity, with an indifferency of Spirit, resigning up himself to the will of God, as to the receiving of it, and God after such a prayer gives in the mercy, I know not why we should not conclude it an answer of prayer. This I think was the case of Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. She was indeed grieved, and troubled, because God had denied to her the blessing of a Child, in this trouble she prays in a solemn manner, we read not of any anger in her Spirit against God, any impatience, or sinful importunity, but she prays as a Woman of a troubled Spirit, the Lord gives her a Child, it was but a mercy of a common nature, wicked Women have Children as well as others; but it is given in after a solemn prayer, she looks upon the Child as begged of God. For this Child (saith she) I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him.

2. I shall add but one thing more, viz. When together with the good thing, there is an heart given to the person to improve, and make use of it for the honor, and glory of God. James lets us know that God never gives us in mercies in answer to our prayers, and as evidences of his love and faithfulness, that we might consume them upon our lusts, when he tells those to whom he wrote, James 4 5. You ask and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts; when God giveth us in an outward mercy, if he giveth it us in performance of his promise, and in token of his love, and favor, he together with it gives in an heart inclined, and ready to make use of it for the honor, and glory of his name. This is also exemplified in the case of Hannah, in the text before-mentioned, 1 Sam. 1. 27, 28. For this Child, saith she, I prayed, the Lord hath given me my Petition which I asked of him, therefore also I have lent him to the Lord, as long as he liveth, he shall be lent unto the Lord. In the margent of your larger Bibles, you will see it may be read; He whom I have obtained by Petition, shall be returned to the Lord. You have another no less famous instance of it in David, Psal. 116. v. 1. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and supplications. The Lord hath heard his voice. v. 1. He had inclined his ear unto him. v. 2. The Lord had dealt▪ graciously with him. v. 7. He had delivered his Soul from death, his Eyes from tears, and his feet from falling. Now mark the product of this. He loved the Lord, because of it. v. 2. He resolveth to call upon the Lord so long as he lived. v. 9. To walk before the Lord in the land of the living. v. 13. To take the cup of salvation, and to call upon the name of the Lord. v. 14. To pay his vows. v. 16. To be the Lord's Servant. v. 17. To offer the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving, &c. Now where upon prayer for a more common mercy, suppose life, health, riches, success in business, we find that the Lord hath given us both the thing which we asked of God, and an heart to honor God with it, and to make a due improvement of it, we have there no reason to doubt, but that it is given us in answer to our prayers, and in testification of his faithfulness and love towards us. This now is of great concern to us, in order to our gladness, and joy in him upon the receiving an answer of our prayers; for how shall we rejoice in him, upon any such occasion, unless we discern our good things coming from him. This I think is enough to have spoken to this question, and upon this whole argument. I shall now proceed (as God gives me opportunity) to the other effect this mercy had upon the Spouse, We will remember thy loves more than Wine. But of this hereafter.

Sermon XXIX.

YOU heard in my last discourse the first effect, that the Beloveds favor, shown to his Spouse, in the quick return he made to her prayers, and the royal favor he had bestowed upon her, in bringing her into his Chambers, admitting her to some more special, and intimate degrees of communion with himself, had upon her; it put gladness into her heart, and brought her up to an exulting and rejoicing in him. Joy is but a passion, cito fit, cito perit, that doth not last always, it is like a Land-flood, that is sometimes up, but will in a short time abate. Ordinary Joys do so. But the Spouse resolves to keep up here, and to this end she saith, She will remember the Loves of Christ, and give them a memorial suited to their excellency. We will (saith she) remember them more than Wine, or (which is the same in the Hebrew dialect) Before Wine. I shall immediately close with the Proposition.

Prop. The Soul that hath once received the grace of Christ, will remember his Loves more than Wine.

In the handling of it, I shall keep to my usual method of Explication, Confirmation, and Application. In the Explication I shall inquire what is here meant by Christ's Loves; 2. What is meant by Wine; 3. What by Remembering the Loves of Christ more than Wine.

We met with the same word, v. 2. the Septuagint translate it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and according to them the Vulgar Latin, Ubera tua, thy Breasts; that which causeth the different reading is the cognation of that word which signifieth Love, with that which signifieth a Breast (the difference is only in the points) the matter is not hard to compound; for those that will have it translated Breasts, agree in the sense, thy Loves; all the difference is, we contend, the word in its original signification primarily so signifieth; they say it so signifieth only in a figure. By Christ's Loves, she doubtless meaneth the manifestation of his Love, which she calleth Loves, because of the variety of them: But of these I have had occasion heretofore once and again to discourse. The term Wine I have also before opened. We all know that in its primary & literal signification, it signifieth the Juice of the Grape; certainly this is much too low a signification for this place: It hath besides this a figurative sense in Scripture, and so it is either taken Synecdochically. Thus Bread and Wine in Scripture doth often signify all things necessary for our food and subsistence; or Metaphorically, for whatsoever is sweet and delicate; and this I take to be the genuine sense of the words. We will remember thy Loves more than all worldly enjoyments, how necessary or pleasant soever. I am aware of some other senses, which some Interpreters put upon this phrase, but I take them to be forced and strained. This seems without more ado to be the plain and unconstrained sense of the words. But having before opened these two terms, that which I have principally to attend, is the opening of that term Remember.

1. Remembering properly signifieth a reflex act of our understanding, by which the former impressions which we have received either of notions, or things, is revived, and brought again to our minds and thoughts, whatsoever we receive either by our exterior senses, or by our common sense or any other way, maketh an impression upon us; now this impression, through the coming in of a variety of other objects, is apt to wear out, and die in our Souls, when the thoughts, or notion of them revives, and is repeated upon our Souls, then are we said to remember the things. In this sense it is a mere natural Act.

2. It is an usual observation of Divines, that words of sense used in holy Writ, do not signify the bare acts of those senses which are expressed by them, but those affections which are excited by such acts in our Souls, and those effects which those acts do ordinarily produce in our actions and conversation. And so this term Remember is often used in holy Writ. When Solomon calls to the young man to Remember his Creator in the days of his youth, he intendeth not only the act of his memory and understanding, that he should call to mind that he had a Creator, and what a one he was, but that he should rėmember to love him, and to fear, and obey him; to pay him the homage that was due to him, Eccles. 12. 1. When the people of God in Scripture prayed. that the Lord would remember his tender mercies, Psal. 25. 6. And David prays, that the Lord would remember him, and all his afflictions, Psal. 132. 1. and that the Lord would remember his Word unto his Servant: He prays that the Lord would show him the goodness that he had promised, and suit his dispensations of providence to his afflicted state in proportionable succors. So when God's People promise to remember him, the promise is not of a bare act of the memory and understanding, but of the several powers and faculties of the Soul, usually set on work by such a notion and remembrance of things of that nature, so as the remembrance of the Loves of Christ signifieth several things.

1. The keeping the expressions and manifestations of his Love upon our thoughts, or retrieving the thoughts of it, if they have slipped us, or the impressions of it have been in any measure worn out. Thus remembering, is opposed to forgetting. To the practice of any duty incumbent upon us, is not only required our notion or knowledge of the thing as our duty, but the presence of it in our thoughts at the time when it is to be done by us; for, let us know it never so well, if we do not think of it, in the season when it is to be performed, we shall not do it. Now, saith the Spouse, We will remember thy Loves, that is, we will keep a fresh scent and impression of them; the savor of what thou hast done for my Soul, shall not go off my Soul. This is the duty of every good man and woman; it is in itself an homage to God; God hath given us a power of remembering, and thus we give unto God the homage of that power of our Souls. Our memory is as the chest of our Souls, which God hath given us not only to lock up worldly things or notions in, but to lock up in them spiritual notions and impressions. Two ways we serve God with our memories, 1. When we use them to retain spiritual notions, to keep up the Knowledge of God, and the things of God in us, 2. When we use them as repositories for the works of God, for the retaining in our minds what God hath done for us. 2. As it is in itself an homage to God, the homage of that power in us which we call the memory; so it is the Mother of all our other homage: we must remember a thing past, before we can be afresh affected with it; before in the sense of it we can do anything, which such a dispensation calleth to us for.

2. It implies a meditation and pondering upon the Loves of Christ. David promiseth unto God not only a meditation of his Law, and Word, his Statutes and Precepts, Psal. 119. 148. 15 but also of his Works, Psal. 77. 12. 143. 5. The Works of God are either more public and general, or more private and personal. There are Works of God without us, such are his Works of Creation and Providence; works of Go d upon us and within us, such are all his works of special grace: They are either such as are ab • ding (in their effects at least) or transient; the latter are the objects properly of our memories; the other are the objects of our contemplation and admiration. Now, as we cannot remember anything but we must think upon it; so the remembrance of any object maketh way for further meditation upon it; the Spouse promising to remember Christ's Loves, promiseth not only the revival of them in her thoughts, but the seeding of her thoughts with them, the fixing of her heart upon them.

3. It implieth suitable affections; the exciting of such inward affections in the Soul, as the remembrance of so sweet and obliging objects are proper to excite. Such as love to God, further thirstings and breathings after God, a suitable hope and confidence in God. Unbelief in Scripture is called a not remembering, because forgetfulness is one cause of unbelief, Psal. 78. 42. v. 41. They turned back, and tempted God, and limited the holy one of Israel, there was their unbelief. v. 42. they remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the Enemy. So Mat. 16. 9, 10. Christ calls his Disciples men of little faith, for reasoning with themselves, because they had brought no bread in a distrust of his power, and goodness in providing for them, v. 9. 10. Do you not understand, nor remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many Baskets full you took up. Our Savior there chargeth their unbelief upon their not remembering the former works of God. No man doth rightly remember the loves of Christ, but he who is suitably affected with them, and whose Soul moves toward God, as one that remembereth his love.

4. Lastly, Remembering implieth a suitable practice. Thus it is often used in Holy Writ. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy Youth, is the same with Serve, and Obey thy Creator, and Remember to keep holy the Sabbath-day, is the same with be diligent and make it thy business • to sanctify the Sabbath-day. So then the sense of the Proposition is plainly this.

Those Souls which have once tasted how good the Lord is, and have had any experiences of his special saving grace, will, and ought to be careful to preserve the savor of it upon their hearts, to think, and med • tate upon them, to be suitably affected toward God, according to the nature, and degrees of them, and accordingly to manage their conversations, that men may see that they value them above all the pleasures and profits of this world.

Thus did Asaph, Psal. 77. v. 10. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high, I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of old, I will meditate also of thy works, and talk of all thy wondrous doings. these were the ancient works of God in kindness to his people, as you will find, v. 14. 15, 16. My mouth (saith David) Psal. 63. 6. shall praise thee with joyful lips, when I remember thee upon my Bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches, because thou hast been my help. So Psal. 143. 5. I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands. You will find the people of God in Holy Writ, much in these resolutions to remember the works of God.

1. There is great reason for our remembrance of the loves of Christ more then Wine. 1. Because they really are much better than Wine. Every man's Soul doth naturally desire good, good and evil are the two things which make impressions upon the mind of man, evil leaves an impression of fear, and sorrow, and anger. Good makes an impression of love, joy, delight, and as are the degrees of the one and the other, so are the impressions made by them. Great evils make deep furrows in our Souls, and leave great impressions upon our minds, minute evils leave lesser impressions; so things that are good in the highest degree▪ leave impressions of joy, and delight, suitable to the nature of that good which is in them. The manifestations of the love of Christ to the Soul are the greatest goods, and therefore should make the greatest impressions upon us. They are goods, not suited to the Souls irregular passions, but to its greatest wants. Health, peace, success in business, are things we call good, but their goodness lieth only in a suitableness they have to the wants of our outward man, what are any of these things to the Soul? the loves of Christ are suited to the wants of the Soul, and that not only considered as a reasonable being (so knowledge, and learning are also suited to the Souls wants, and all improvements of reason, or means in order to it) but to the wants of the Soul considered as an immortal being capable of an eternal happiness. Nothing more becomes a reasonable Soul, then to put a due rate and value upon things and to prefer what is truly preferrible.

2. This is one great reason of the Lord's works, That he might be remembered for, and by them. God indeed in his gracious influences aims at the supply of the Soul, as to what it needeth, but he hath an higher end then this, viz. his own glory, the glory of his goodness, truth, and faithfulness, Psal. 111. 4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered. It is a complement we sometime • use with our Friends, when we make them presents, and give them gifts, we say we do it, that they might have something to remember us by. God in the dispensations of his grace and mercy, is often in Scripture said, to remember his Covenant, his word, his holy promise, and he expecteth that when we receive any such favors, we should remember his loves, and remember our Covenants and Vows, so as that M • n or Woman that doth not remember the loves of Christ, doth not answer God's ends in the manifestations of his love to us, nor the expectation which God upon that account hath upon us. I shall apply this discourse,

1. By reflecting upon the most of Christians for their not living up to this duty. 2. By persuading to the revived practice of it. Do the most of Christians (such I mean as are so called) remember the loves of Christ more then Wine? What means • hen the most of people's never looking after a particular share, or interest in them. The love of Christ (considered in itself) is nothing else but his good will to the Children of Men, this was evidenced in his not taking upon him the nature of Angels, but the nature of the Seed of Abraham, in his dying upon the Cross for us, the publication of his Gospel to us, the committing of the word of reconciliation to his Ministers, who are sent out as the Ambassadors of Christ, entreating men to be reconciled unto God. Do men remember this love more then Wine, who reject this counsel of God for their salvation, who trample this blood underfoot, and do despite to the covenant of Grace, and all this, for what comes under no better notion than this of Wine, either things pleasant, or things profitable, either the satisfaction of their lusts, or the filling of their Coffers. The world is full, either of such as are excessive drinkers of Wine, or Merchants for it, but how thin is it of such as have any remembrance of Christ's love? who as the Apostle tells us, died to redeem us from our vain conversation, 1▪ Pet. 1. 18. For we were not redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold from our vain conversation—but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish; who can be said to remember Christ's love more then Wine, that lives in those sins which crucified him, who was the Lord of life? Yet is not this the course of the most Men and Women, who never think of their dying Savior, to restrain them in their drunkennesses, debaucheries, in their greatest excesses of Riot? Nay, how many are there that seldom take the love of Christ into their thoughts, the love of their cups, and of their Harlots, hath made Christ's loves to be utterly forgotten by their Souls; for how can they say that they remember Christ's loves above their lusts, that will not quench one lust for his sake, they in whom the remembrance of Christ's death will not extinguish one vile affection, one spark of pleasing lust, will not the most of men, and women, yea, such, in whose ears the loves of Christ are published every Lord's day, be found perishing for preferring the very lees, and dregs of Wine, before the loves of Christ? I mean for preferring the basest, and most sordid kind of pleasures, and satisfactions of the flesh (for such are those pleasures which are no more than the gratifying of the sensitive appetite.)

2. Do not most men's discourses and practice betray them to remember Wine, I mean their profitable things before the loves of Christ? How much is the world, and the things of the world, the discourse of all companies upon all occasions; how few are the discourses concerning Christ, and what he hath done for us? an hours discourse of Christ's loves in a Pulpit upon the Lord's day, is thought proportionable to six days discourse about our earthly occasions; do we not even grudge the Lord a seventh part of our time for the remembrances of his loves? the Lord's day is a day to call to remembrance Christ's loves. It was the day of his resurrection, by which he completed man's redemption, the Ministers work is to help us in our remembrance of his loves. We have besides our attendance upon the public ministry, a private duty this day incumbent upon us, viz. To remember him who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. I beseech you consider whether your remembrings of Christ's loves upon the Sabbath day, bear any proportion to your remembrance of your worldly interests other days. I mean not for the proportion of time spent in the one and the other; God hath indulged our infirmity in that, he hath set apart a seventh day only to himself; but examine this, whether you remember the loves of Christ on the Lord's day, as you remember your worldly concerns on any of the other six days; do the loves of Christ come into your thoughts, as much on the week day, as the world comes into your thoughts on the Lord's days? I sear there is none of us all can say, that in this thing our hearts are clean; I hope I speak to many who remember the loves of Christ, and will never suffer his dying love to go off their thoughts. But when we come to these comparative examinations, to inquire whether we remember his loves, more then we remember our sensual, or sensible objects; ah, how short do we come of the duty of Christians, yea, of what ourselves will own, and confess to be our duty? Happy is that man that doth not condemn himself, even in the thing which he alloweth to be his duty.

But I had rather spend my time in persuading myself, and you to our duty, which according to my explication of the text and this propositionwill lie much in two things 1. In a full and perfect remembrance of the Loves of Christ. 2. In a remembrance of them proportionable to that degree of goodness and excellency in them. I say, first in a Scriptual remembrance a full and perfect remembrance of the Loves of Christ. I am afraid that we satisfy ourselves too much in a Notional formal remembrance of Christ's Loves and so please ourselves, in hearing the Gospel read, opened, and applied to our Souls, in a formal keeping of the Lord's day (the day which God hath set apart for us to call to our minds all the acts of our redemption completed in his resurrection) some Churches aware of Peoples awkness to this Spiritual duty, have thought fit to appoint other days for a more solemn remembrance of his incarnation, and death. Nor have I anything to say against any Christians that will set apart any Special times to remember any Loves of Christ (though I do not know that Christ hath left any power to his Church to impose particular times of this nature.) But alas! this is the least part of our duty in the remembrance of his Love. We may have a day to remember it in (we have such a day every week▪) we may have helps to remember it by. The holy Scriptures, the Ministers of the Gospel that Preach Christ to their People are such helps. But if in these days, if with these helps, we do not set ourselves to meditate of the Loves of Christ, to turn our thoughts from other things, to the contemplation of, and meditation upon the Love of a Christ incarnate, the Love of a Christ dying, and rising again from the dead, if we do not study to get our hearts affected suitably to such Love, with love, faith, hope, &c. we do not so live as a People that remember Christ died for our Sins, declining whatsoever is contrary to his will, and Law in the Gospel, do what in us lieth to promove his honor & Glory, we are so far from Satisfying our Duty by this formal remembrance of his Love, that we are the greatest forgetters of his Love. The Jews who never owned him as their Redeemer, the Heathen who never heard of his name, nor of what he was or did for Sinners can in no propriety of Speech be said to forget his Loves. The Christian only, the loose Christian, the formal Christian, he who hears every day of the dying Love of Christ, yet goes on to defy him, to crucify him afresh, and to put him to open shame, or he who every Lord's day hears the sound of the Loves of Christ, and reads of it, yet never meditates upon it, never suffers his soul by contemplation to pierce into the heights, or sound the depths of it, whose heart is never truly affected with it so as he hath any Love kindled in his soul towards Christ, no breathings after him, who exerciseth no faith, no hope in him; he that lives not in his measure up to it, leaving his vain conversation, worshiping God in the Spirit, rejoicing in him, living up in a close obedience to his Law; this is the man that forgetteth the Loves of Christ. But yet if there be a Soul that hath experienced the Loves of Christ in a particular application to itself, that hath given itself a liberty to the flesh, and walked in a contrary course to what the Law of Christ requireth, this Soul yet more forgets his Loves, because he had a deeper impression of them upon his heart; the Love of Christ made an impression only upon the others Ears, but it hath entered into this man's Soul. He is the greatest forgetter of his Love. You shall observe in holy Writ, that all sin is expressed under the notion of forgetting God, Psal. 50. 22. and in a multitude of other Texts, and this not only because a forgetting of God is the cause of all the Violations of his Law, which we could not violate, if we remembered God as we ought to do; but because indeed all sin in God's account is an actual' forgetting of him, God accounts us to know, to remember no more than we are affected with, and live up unto. Therefore Christians, let us make it our business not only to call to mind the Loves of Christ, but to remember them in that sense which God calleth a remembrance of them.

2. Let us not satisfy ourselves with a bare remembrance of his Loves, but labor to remember them more than Wine; more than the most sweet and pleasant, the most gainful and profitable things which this world affords. Think that you hear Christ speaking in your Ears, in the language in which he once spake to Peter, setting all the pleasant and gainful things in the world before you, and then saying to you, Christians! Love you me more than these? Let me show you the reasonableness of this.

1. Consider, if thou canst not say so, Thou dost not answer the Loves of Christ in any degree. I am now speaking to such as are Christians not in name and profession only, but in deed and in truth. Such a one may suppose all the fallen Angels, under Christ's Eye, even those Legions in the Air, and in the bottomless Pit, Creatures in their Original more perfect and glorious than man, but fallen from their first Integrity, and think he heareth Christ saying to him, Poor Soul! I have loved thee more than all these. I died not for these, I died for thee; I took not upon me the Nature of Angels, but the Nature of the seed of Abraham.

2. He may suppose all the Heathen Nations under Christ's Eye. The great Emperors of Turkey, Persia, China, and other parts of the world, with the millions of Souls under their jurisdiction, and think that he heareth Christ again saying to him, Poor Soul! I have loved thee more than these. Thou hearest my Gospel Read and Preached every Lord's Day; hast thou not seen? hast thou not heard? These great Nations of the world, and all the great Rulers of them, never heard the joyful sound; I was never Preached in their Streets; they were never wooed, never entreated to come to me that they might have life. I have loved thee more than these. Further yet, thou mayest fancy all the profane men, all the sensual and carnal men, all Hypocrites, all unregenerate men, whose hearts are yet locked up under unbelief, under Christ's and thy Eye; and suppose that thou hearest thy great Lord and Savior saying to thee, Poor Christian! I have loved thee more than all these. They are yet wallowing in their native blood, as thou wert before I passed by thee in my time of love, and said unto thee live; they are yet Children of wrath, in an hourly danger of having it come upon them to the utmost; I have plucked thee out of Sodom: Thy heart by nature was as hard as theirs, as much prejudiced against thy own salvation; I have made thee to differ. I have loved thee more than all these. May I rise one step higher to commend the Love of Christ to thy remembrance, thou mayest fancy all that glory which Christ had with his Father from before the beginning of the world; all the blessed company of Heaven; all the riches of Christ's glory and felicity, before his and thy Eye, and fancy that thou hearest Christ say to thee, My poor creature, I have in a sense, and for a time loved thee more than these: I left my Father's Throne, and right Hand, him whom I was always before, brought up with him, I left all to come down from Heaven to Earth, to take thy flesh, to be born of a Virgin, and to be laid in a Manger, to live a poor and contemned life in the world, to die a shameful and ignominious death, and all this to purchase for thee Eternal Life and Salvation, and to redeem thee from thy vain conversation. Have I not loved thee more than these? What doth the Apostle say less than this, when he saith, 2 Cor. 8. 9. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, that you through his poverty might be made rich. In what degree then canst thou be said to answer the Loves of Christ, if when there is set before thee no more than the pleasures of sin which are but for a season, the profits and enjoyments of this life, which thou canst have no more than a Lease for Life of; if thou canst not say, Yea Lord, thou that knowest all things, knowest that I remember thy Love more than these. Either this intoxicating Wine of sinful lusts and pleasures, how gratifying soever they be to my fleshly appetite: or this pleasant and gainful Wine of worldly Riches, Estate, Honor, Preferment, &c. Oh that Christians would think of this!

2. The second Consideration is yet more dreadful, viz. He is not worthy of the Loves of Christ, who doth not remember them more than Wine. What Christ sometimes said of Love, is as true concerning this remembrance of his Loves, which is an act of Love, Matth. 10. 37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, is not worthy of me; and he that loveth Son d • Daughter more than me, is not worthy of me. And what he saith there of natural Relations, is doubtless as true concerning sensible Enjoyments in this world▪ Riches and Honors, &c. which are objects of your love, much beneath reasonable creatures in nearest relation to u • . It is certainly as true, That man or woman that remembers any sensible Enjoyment, and is more affected with it, than the Loves of Christ, is not worthy of his Loves. Certainly nothing more becometh us who pretend to be creatures endued with reason, than to value things according to their measure, and their true and just valuation. You will say he is not worthy of a Jewel of great price, that valueth a Pebble before it. And by the way, this will be enough to convince us all, that we are saved by Grace, and have what Love we have from Christ freely. For who is not guilty of a great Error in this particular. We think of sensible things more than of the Loves of Christ; they are more the objects of our meditations, the subjects of our discourses, and the marks of our actions. It is well for us that our Salvation doth not depend upon the perfection of our gracious acts, and that we have another Righteousness, than that of our own to appear in before God. That when our Consciences check us in this particular, and tell us that we do not remember Christ's Loves more than Wine; yet the Gospel relieveth us, by telling us that he was made of God for us Righteousness, and we can remember that this Christ (whose Loves we should remember after a better manner than we do) is the Lord our Righteousness, an High Priest that can have compassion on our infirmities, he in whom we are complete. But yet neither will this relieve us, unless we humble ourselves before God for our failures in this particular. Fly to him for pardon, and endeavor even in this thing to perfect holiness; and that bringeth me to the last thing I have to do, viz. To offer you my Advice in order to the bringing up of your hearts to this just valuation and remembrance of these Loves of Christ.

1. Labor to understand them. We can meditate upon nothing, but what we have some notion of, we can remember nothing but what we have had some notion of. There are the loves of God, and the loves of Christ, indeed the loves of Christ, are the loves of him who thought it no robbery to be equal with the Father, who is God over all, blessed forever; but by the loves of Christ, I mean the kindness which floweth to us, from Christ as God-man, united in one Person as our Mediator. There is a love and kindness which floweth to us from the providence of God, working either more generally, and extending to all, or more specially towards some. There is also a love and kindness, which floweth from Christ as our Redeemer, Mediator, Savior. Both these loves are to be remembered, but the latter more especially are called the loves of Christ; understand the